Dam removal effects on carbon processing in a mountainous Mediterranean stream.

The global prevalence of obsolete or unsafe old dams necessitates the development of effective restoration approaches and expanded knowledge in this field. This study evaluates the effects of dam removal on carbon processing by measuring key ecosystem functions - organic matter decomposition, whole-reach metabolism, and gaseous carbon fluxes - in a mountainous Mediterranean stream. We compared these functions among three reaches: one where a dam was removed (restored), one with an intact dam (impacted), and one in natural conditions (reference).

Efficacy, safety and prognostic factors in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer treated with trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab in a real-world setting.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) plus bevacizumab in treating refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in a retrospective, observational study. Patients refractory or intolerant to standard therapies received TAS-102 (30-35 mg/m twice daily on days 1-5 and days 8-12 every 28 days) plus bevacizumab 5 mg/kg on days 1 and 15. Clinical and pathological characteristics, overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) data were collected and analysed.

Systemic Transplantation of Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cells Promotes Axonal Regeneration and Analgesia in a Model of Wallerian Degeneration.

Background: Reinnervation timing after nerve injury is critical for favorable axonal regeneration, remyelination, and clinical improvement. Considering bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) are easily obtained and readily available for transplant, this work analyzed the effect of BMMC systemic administration on nerve repair and pain behavior.

Methods: Adult rats with sciatic nerve crush were immediately and systemically injected BMMC through the caudal artery.

Prognostic value of the combination of circulating tumor cells plus KRAS in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy plus bevacizumab.

Objective: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and v-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) status were identified as prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with chemotherapy and bevacizumab in analyses of the MACRO (Maintenance Treatment in Advanced Colorectal Cancer) trial. In this post hoc analysis of the MACRO trial, the potential additive effect of these 2 factors on patient outcomes was explored.

Methods: A total of 158 of the 480 patients involved in the MACRO trial were included in the biological marker substudy.

Phase II trial of erlotinib plus capecitabine as first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer (XELTA study).

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of erlotinib plus capecitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: This was a multicenter, uncontrolled, phase II trial. Patients with untreated metastatic pancreatic cancer received oral capecitabine at 1,000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14, of a 21-day treatment cycle; and oral erlotinib at 150 mg daily.

Renal cell carcinoma: complete response.

A 63-year-old male, ex-smoker since 2000 underwent left radical nephrectomy in June 2004 after being diagnosed with stage II, pT3bN0M0 clear cell carcinoma. In June 2006, a control CT showed a nodule in the superior lobe, on a peripheral location, and another nodule in the base of the right lung. The patient underwent atypical resections of both nodules, confirming the presence of metastatic disease.

Renal cell carcinoma: complete pathological response in a patient with gastric metastasis of renal cell carcinoma.

A 75-year-old-man, with a 2-month history of abdominal pain, underwent a standard diagnostic workup that included a CT scan that showed a large right renal mass and subcentimeter nodes in the right and left lung lobes. In December 2003, the patient underwent right nephrectomy with adrenalectomy and a diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma (pT3N0M0 stage) was made. No further treatment was proposed and patient was followed up regularly.

Hypovolemic state: involvement of nitric oxide in the aged related alterations of aquaporins-2 abundance in rat kidney.

Aim: To examine the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the expression and/or localization of inner medulla collecting duct aquaporin-2 water channel (AQP2) in young and adult hemorrhaged anesthetized rats.

Methods: Rats of 2 (young) and 12 mo (adult) old (n=15) were divided into: Sham animals with and without NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) treatment (S L-NAME and S); hemorrhaged animals (20% blood loss) with and without L-NAME (H L-NAME and H). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was continuously monitored and AQP2 expression and inmunolocalization were evaluated at 120 min after bleeding.

Morphological changes of myelin sheaths in rats intracranially injected with apotransferrin.

Previous findings from our laboratories indicate that the intracranial injection of apotransferrin (aTf) in neonatal rats produces an accelerated oligodendrocyte maturation and an enhanced production and deposition of myelin membranes in the brain. To evaluate the anatomical distribution and the morphological characteristics of the myelin in these rats, we analyzed the optic nerves, cerebellum, and selected areas of brain sections from aTf-treated and control rats by both light and electron microscopy. Microscopic identification of myelin using a specific staining procedure, showed that in aTf-injected rats, in coincidence with previous biochemical studies, there was an increased deposition of myelin in selected areas of the nervous system.