Downregulation of γ-Catenin by miR-195-5p Inhibits Colon Cancer Progression, Regulating Desmosome Function.

Desmosomes are essential structures for ensuring tissue functions, and their deregulation is involved in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). JUP (γ-catenin) is a desmosome adhesion component that also acts as a signaling hub, suggesting its potential involvement in CRC progression. In this context, we recently demonstrated that miR-195-5p regulated JUP and desmosome cadherins expression.

Fib-4 score is able to predict intra-hospital mortality in 4 different SARS-COV2 waves.

Increased values of the FIB-4 index appear to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to develop and validate predictive mortality models, using data upon admission of hospitalized patients in four COVID-19 waves between March 2020 and January 2022. A single-center cohort study was performed on consecutive adult patients with Covid-19 admitted at the Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS (Rome, Italy).

Role of Immunohistochemistry in Suspected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Prospective Study on Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies.

Objectives: Differential diagnosis between pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and benign mimickers can be very difficult on small histological samples, such as fine needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB). We aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of immunostaining for IMP3, Maspin, S100A4, S100P, TFF2, and TFF3 in FNAB pancreatic lesions.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 20 consecutive patients with suspected PDAC, collecting FNABs at our department between 2019 and 2021.

Circadian Genes Expression Patterns in Disorders Due to Enzyme Deficiencies in the Heme Biosynthetic Pathway.

Heme is a member of the porphyrins family of cyclic tetrapyrroles and influences various cell processes and signalling pathways. Enzyme deficiencies in the heme biosynthetic pathway provoke rare human inherited metabolic diseases called porphyrias. Protein levels and activity of enzymes involved in the heme biosynthetic pathway and especially 5'-Aminolevulinate Synthase 1 are featured by 24-h rhythmic oscillations driven by the biological clock.

Laboratory Diagnosis of Porphyria.

Porphyrias are a group of diseases that are clinically and genetically heterogeneous and originate mostly from inherited dysfunctions of specific enzymes involved in heme biosynthesis. Such dysfunctions result in the excessive production and excretion of the intermediates of the heme biosynthesis pathway in the blood, urine, or feces, and these intermediates are responsible for specific clinical presentations. Porphyrias continue to be underdiagnosed, although laboratory diagnosis based on the measurement of metabolites could be utilized to support clinical suspicion in all symptomatic patients.

Pleomorphic Hyalinizing Angiectatic Tumor (PHAT): Review of the Literature with Case Presentation.

Pleomorphic hyalinizing angiectatic tumor (PHAT) is a very rare entity of soft tissue considered a "neoplasm of uncertain behaviour of connective or other soft tissue" by the World Health Organization (2020). It develops in subcutaneous tissue of the lower extremities, more frequently in the region of the ankle and foot, and rarely as a deep-seated soft tissue mass in locations such as the perineum, buttock, arms, head and neck, and viscera. Although inconsistent cytogenetic data have been reported on PHAT so far, there are potential morphological and genetic overlaps with hemosiderotic fibrolipomatous tumor (HFLT) and myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (MIFS).

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of erythropoietic protoporphyria in Italy.

Background: Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare inherited disease associated with heme metabolism, characterized by severe life-long photosensitivity and liver involvement.

Objective: To provide epidemiological data of EPP in Italy.

Materials & Methods: Prospective/retrospective data of EPP patients were collected by an Italian network of porphyria specialist centres (Gruppo Italiano Porfiria, GrIP) over a 20-year period (1996-2017).

Surface Electromyography of the Internal and External Oblique Muscles During Isometric Tasks Targeting the Lateral Trunk.

Context: Tasks that activate the lateral trunk muscles are clinically relevant in athletic and rehabilitation programs. However, no electromyography studies have compared tasks aimed at lateral trunk muscle activation.

Objective: To compare the activation magnitudes of the internal and external obliques between 4 tasks targeting recruitment of the lateral trunk muscles, including the proposal of a novel assessment.

Timing of clopidogrel loading dose on peripheral blood endothelial progenitor cells, SDF-1α and neointimal hyperplasia in carotid stenting.

Background: Carotid stenting stimulates intimal proliferation through platelet and stem cell activation.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the administration before or after carotid stenting of clopidogrel loading dose may play a role on circulating endothelial progenitor cells, stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) and neointimal hyperplasia.

Methods: We recruited 13 patients (aged 74.

The Adaptor Protein Rai/ShcC Promotes Astrocyte-Dependent Inflammation during Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

Th17 cells have been casually associated to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. We have previously demonstrated that Rai/ShcC, a member of the Shc family of adaptor proteins, negatively regulates Th17 cell differentiation and lupus autoimmunity. In this study, we have investigated the pathogenic outcome of the Th17 bias associated with Rai deficiency on multiple sclerosis development, using the experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model.

Roughness Analysis on Composite Materials (Microfilled, Nanofilled and Silorane) After Different Finishing and Polishing Procedures.

The finishing and polishing of composite materials affect the restoration lifespan. The market shows a variety of finishing and polishing procedures and the choice among them is conditioned by different factors such as the resulting surface roughness. In the present study, 156 samples were realized with three composite materials, -microfilled, nanofilled and silorane-, and treated with different finishing and polishing procedures.

Cerebral Hypoperfusion in Hereditary Coproporphyria (HCP): A Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Study.

Background: Hereditary Coproporphyria (HCP) is characterized by abdominal pain, neurologic symptoms and psychiatric disorders, even if it might remain asymptomatic. The pathophysiology of both neurologic and psychiatric symptoms is not fully understood. Therefore, aiming to evaluate a possible role of brain blood flow disorders, we have retrospectively investigated cerebral perfusion patterns in Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) studies in HCP patients.

Role of CYP2D6 Polymorphisms in the Outcome of Postoperative Pain Treatment.

Objective: To investigate the role of CYP2D6 phenotype in the outcome of postoperative (PO) pain (POP) treatment.

Design: Longitudinal cohort study. Open-label trial with post hoc analysis.

Gluconic acid produced by Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus Pal5 possesses antimicrobial properties.

Gluconic acid is produced in large quantities by the endophytic and diazotrophic bacterium Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus Pal5. This organic acid derives from direct oxidation of glucose by a pyrroloquinoline-quinone-linked glucose dehydrogenase in this plant growth-promoting bacterium. In the present article, evidence is presented showing that gluconic acid is also responsible for the antimicrobial activity of G.

The Shc family protein adaptor, Rai, acts as a negative regulator of Th17 and Th1 cell development.

Rai, a Shc adapter family member, acts as a negative regulator of antigen receptor signaling in T and B cells. Rai(-/-) mice develop lupus-like autoimmunity associated to the spontaneous activation of self-reactive lymphocytes. Here, we have addressed the potential role of Rai in the development of the proinflammatory Th1 and Th17 subsets, which are centrally implicated in the pathogenesis of a number of autoimmune diseases, including lupus.

Lactic acid bacteria isolated from apples are able to catabolise arginine.

We investigated the potentiality of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from two apples variety to utilize arginine at different initial pH values. Apples surface contained average levels of bacteria ranging from log 2.49 ± 0.

TRF2 controls telomeric nucleosome organization in a cell cycle phase-dependent manner.

Mammalian telomeres stabilize chromosome ends as a result of their assembly into a peculiar form of chromatin comprising a complex of non-histone proteins named shelterin. TRF2, one of the shelterin components, binds to the duplex part of telomeric DNA and is essential to fold the telomeric chromatin into a protective cap. Although most of the human telomeric DNA is organized into tightly spaced nucleosomes, their role in telomere protection and how they interplay with telomere-specific factors in telomere organization is still unclear.

The Shc family protein adaptor, Rai, negatively regulates T cell antigen receptor signaling by inhibiting ZAP-70 recruitment and activation.

Rai/ShcC is a member of the Shc family of protein adaptors expressed with the highest abundance in the central nervous system, where it exerts a protective function by coupling neurotrophic receptors to the PI3K/Akt survival pathway. Rai is also expressed, albeit at lower levels, in other cell types, including T and B lymphocytes. We have previously reported that in these cells Rai attenuates antigen receptor signaling, thereby impairing not only cell proliferation but also, opposite to neurons, cell survival.

Effectiveness of a high-throughput genetic analysis in the identification of responders/non-responders to CYP2D6-metabolized drugs.

Background: Recent studies investigating the single cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 allele *2A reported an association with the response to drug treatments. More genetic data can be obtained, however, by high-throughput based-technologies. Aim of this study is the high-throughput analysis of the CYP2D6 polymorphisms to evaluate its effectiveness in the identification of patient responders/non-responders to CYP2D6-metabolized drugs.

Specific binding of telomeric G-quadruplexes by hydrosoluble perylene derivatives inhibits repeat addition processivity of human telomerase.

Telomerase is responsible for the immortal phenotype of cancer cells and telomerase inhibition may specifically target cancer cell proliferation. Ligands able to selectively bind to G-quadruplex telomeric DNA have been considered as telomerase inhibitors but their mechanisms of action have often been deduced from a non-quantitative telomerase activity assay (TRAP assay) that involves a PCR step and that does not provide insight on the mechanism of inhibition. Furthermore, quadruplex ligands have also been shown to exert their effects by affecting association of telomere binding proteins with telomeres.