Combined MEK and PI3K/p110β Inhibition as a Novel Targeted Therapy for Malignant Mesothelioma Displaying Sarcomatoid Features.

Among malignant mesotheliomas (MM), the sarcomatoid subtype is associated with higher chemoresistance and worst survival. Due to its low incidence, there has been little progress in the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms associated with sarcomatoid MM, which might help to define novel therapeutic targets. In this work, we show that loss of PTEN expression is frequent in human sarcomatoid MM and PTEN expression levels are lower in sarcomatoid MM than in the biphasic and epithelioid subtypes.

c-Myc downregulation is required for preacinar to acinar maturation and pancreatic homeostasis.

Background And Aims: c-Myc is highly expressed in pancreatic multipotent progenitor cells (MPC) and in pancreatic cancer. The transition from MPC to unipotent acinar progenitors is associated with c-Myc downregulation; a role for c-Myc in this process, and its possible relationship to a role in cancer, has not been established.

Design: Using coimmunoprecipitation assays, we demonstrate that c-Myc and Ptf1a interact.

Somatic mosaicism: on the road to cancer.

Diversity is the basis of fitness selection. Although the genome of an individual is considered to be largely stable, there is theoretical and experimental evidence--both in model organisms and in humans--that genetic mosaicism is the rule rather than the exception. The continuous generation of cell variants, their interactions and selective pressures lead to life-long tissue dynamics.

Knotless choledochorraphy with barbed suture, safe and feasible.

Purpose: To describe the safety and feasibility of a running continuous unidirectional barbed suture (V-Loc, Covidien, Mansfield, MA) for primary common bile duct closure while performing laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE).

Introduction: LCBDE is nowadays the best approach for treating complex common bile duct lithiasis or cases where the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography has failed. It is clear that the primary closure of the common bile duct must be preferred over the T-tube drainage.

[Plan for improving pharmacy indicators in a primary health area of Madrid. Description and results].

Objective: To evaluate the results of a plan for improving pharmacy indicators in a Primary Care (PC) Health Area.

Design: Quasi-experimental study with a control group. The differences between the pre-intervention (Jan-Dec 2007) and post-intervention (Jan-Dec 2008) periods were evaluated.

Oncogenic HoxB7 requires TALE cofactors and is inactivated by a dominant-negative Pbx1 mutant in a cell-specific manner.

The homeobox containing gene HoxB7 is functionally associated with melanoma growth promotion through the direct transactivation of bFGF. Accordingly, the introduction of HoxB7 in the breast cancer line SkBr3 (SkBr3/B7), strongly increases its tumorigenic properties. Here we show that in SkBr3/B7 cells, HoxB7 regulates the expression of TALE Hox cofactors by increasing Pbx2 and Prep1 and decreasing Pbx1.