The NATO project: nanoparticle-based countermeasures for microgravity-induced osteoporosis.

Recent advances in nanotechnology applied to medicine and regenerative medicine have an enormous and unexploited potential for future space and terrestrial medical applications. The Nanoparticles and Osteoporosis (NATO) project aimed to develop innovative countermeasures for secondary osteoporosis affecting astronauts after prolonged periods in space microgravity. Calcium- and Strontium-containing hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (nCa-HAP and nSr-HAP, respectively) were previously developed and chemically characterized.

Do Consumers Care about Nutrition and Health Claims? Some Evidence from Italy.

This study investigates Italian consumer knowledge and use of nutrition and health claims (NHCs). Six specific claims are examined on the basis of a web survey carried out on a sample of 504 consumers. Our results show that there is little attention to NHCs and their use is not widespread; objective knowledge of the selected claims is fairly scant, generating misinterpretation and confusion about their real meaning.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and defective apoptosis due to CASP8/10 mutations: the role of mycophenolate mofetil.

Immunological dysregulation may underlie unusual autoimmune diseases, which also deserve to be investigated from a genetic point of view.

Effects of primary amine-based coatings on microglia internalization of nanogels.

Nanogels represent a pivotal class of biomaterials in the therapeutic intracellular treatment of many diseases, especially those involving the central nervous system (CNS). Their biocompatibility and synergy with the biological environment encourage their cellular uptake, releasing the curative cargo in the desired area. As a main drawback, microglia are generally able to phagocytize any foreign element overcoming the blood brain barrier (BBB), including these materials, drastically limiting their bioavailability for the target cells.

Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia, Version 2.2019, NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology.

Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN), a subset of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD), occurs when tumors develop in the cells that would normally form the placenta during pregnancy. The NCCN Guidelines for Gestational Trophoblastic Neoplasia provides treatment recommendations for various types of GTD including hydatidiform mole, persistent post-molar GTN, low-risk GTN, high-risk GTN, and intermediate trophoblastic tumor.

Role of lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer with nonbulky lymph node metastasis: Comparison of comprehensive surgical staging and sentinel lymph node algorithm.

Objectives: To compare survival and progression outcomes between 2 nodal assessment approaches in patients with nonbulky stage IIIC endometrial cancer (EC).

Methods: Patients with stage IIIC EC treated at 2 institutions were retrospectively identified. At 1 institution, a historical series (2004-2008) was treated with systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy (LND cohort).

Community Pediatric Hospitalist Workload: Results from a National Survey.

As a newly recognized subspecialty, understanding programmatic models for pediatric hospital medicine (PHM) programs is vital to lay the groundwork for a sustainable field. Although variability has been described within university-based PHM programs, there remains no national benchmark for community-based PHM programs. In this report, we describe the workload, clinical services, employment, and perception of sustainability of 70 community-based PHM programs in 29 states through a survey of community site leaders.

Comparing risk stratification criteria for predicting lymphatic dissemination in endometrial cancer.

Objective: To compare two published risk stratification models (Milwaukee Model vs. Mayo Criteria) to predict lymphatic dissemination (LD) in endometrioid endometrial cancer (EC).

Methods: Patients with stage I-III EC undergoing surgery from 1/1/2004-9/30/2013 were retrospectively reviewed and classified as low-risk vs at-risk for LD using two independent risk models.

Predictors of extensive lymphatic dissemination and recurrences in node-positive endometrial cancer.

Objective: To identify predictors of extensive lymphatic dissemination and distant recurrences in node-positive endometrial cancer (EC).

Methods: Clinicopathologic data were collected of patients who had fully staged EC with at least 1 positive lymph node. Permanent sections of metastatic lymph nodes were reviewed; metastases were characterized according to size (≤2 mm and >2 mm) and location in the lymph node (intra- vs extracapsular).

Concentrated Ionic-Liquid-Based Electrolytes for High-Voltage Lithium Batteries with Improved Performance at Room Temperature.

Ionic liquids (ILs) have been widely explored as alternative electrolytes to combat the safety issues associated with conventional organic electrolytes. However, hindered by their relatively high viscosity, the electrochemical performances of IL-based cells are generally assessed at medium-to-high temperature and limited cycling rate. A suitable combination of alkoxy-functionalized cations with asymmetric imide anions can effectively lower the lattice energy and improve the fluidity of the IL material.

Design and Integration of Electrical Bio-impedance Sensing in Surgical Robotic Tools for Tissue Identification and Display.

The integration of intra-operative sensors into surgical robots is a hot research topic since this can significantly facilitate complex surgical procedures by enhancing surgical awareness with real-time tissue information. However, currently available intra-operative sensing technologies are mainly based on image processing and force feedback, which normally require heavy computation or complicated hardware modifications of existing surgical tools. This paper presents the design and integration of electrical bio-impedance sensing into a commercial surgical robot tool, leading to the creation of a novel smart instrument that allows the identification of tissues by simply touching them.

TDP-43 knockdown causes innate immune activation via protein kinase R in astrocytes.

TAR-DNA binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a multifunctional RNA binding protein directly implicated in the etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Previous studies have demonstrated that loss of TDP-43 function leads to intracellular accumulation of non-coding repetitive element transcripts and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). These events could cause immune activation and contribute to the neuroinflammation observed in ALS, but this possibility has not been investigated.

Genes associated with bowel metastases in ovarian cancer.

Objective: This study is designed to identify genes and pathways that could promote metastasis to the bowel in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (OC) and evaluate their associations with clinical outcomes.

Methods: We performed RNA sequencing of OC primary tumors (PTs) and their corresponding bowel metastases (n = 21 discovery set; n = 18 replication set). Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were those expressed at least 2-fold higher in bowel metastases (BMets) than PTs in at least 30% of patients (P < .

Ultrastaging of negative pelvic lymph nodes to decrease the true prevalence of isolated paraaortic dissemination in endometrial cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of occult pelvic lymph node metastasis in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) with isolated paraaortic dissemination who underwent pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy.

Methods: From 2004 to 2008, patients undergoing surgery for EC at our institution were prospectively treated according to a validated surgical algorithm relying on intraoperative frozen section. For the current study, we re-reviewed pathologic slides obtained at the time of diagnosis and performed ultrastaging of all negative pelvic lymph nodes to assess the prevalence of occult pelvic lymph node metastasis.

Excitation Mechanism of Low-n Edge Harmonic Oscillations in Edge Localized Mode-Free, High Performance, Tokamak Plasmas.

The excitation mechanism for low-n edge harmonic oscillations in quiescent H-mode regimes is identified analytically. We show that the combined effect of diamagnetic and poloidal magnetohydrodynamic flows, with the constraint of a Doppler-like effect of the ion flow, leads to the stabilization of short wavelength modes, allowing low-n perturbation to grow. The analysis, performed in tokamak toroidal geometry, includes the effects of large edge pressure gradients, associated with the local flattening of the safety factor and diamagnetic flows, sheared parallel and E×B rotation, and a vacuum region between plasma and the ideal metallic wall.

Endoscopic management of common bile duct stones: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) guideline.

ESGE recommends offering stone extraction to all patients with common bile duct stones, symptomatic or not, who are fit enough to tolerate the intervention.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends liver function tests and abdominal ultrasonography as the initial diagnostic steps for suspected common bile duct stones.

Protein Short-Time Diffusion in a Naturally Crowded Environment.

The interior of living cells is a dense and polydisperse suspension of macromolecules. Such a complex system challenges an understanding in terms of colloidal suspensions. As a fundamental test we employ neutron spectroscopy to measure the diffusion of tracer proteins (immunoglobulins) in a cell-like environment (cell lysate) with explicit control over crowding conditions.

Publisher Correction: PH-domain-binding inhibitors of nucleotide exchange factor BRAG2 disrupt Arf GTPase signaling.

In the version of this article originally published, several co-authors had incorrect affiliation footnote numbers listed in the author list. Tatiana Cañeque and Angelica Mariani should each have affiliation numbers 3, 4 and 5, and Emmanuelle Charafe-Jauffret should have number 6. Additionally, there was an extra space in the name of co-author Robert P.

Low-volume disease in endometrial cancer: The role of micrometastasis and isolated tumor cells.

Nodal assessment represents an integral part of staging procedure for endometrial cancer. The widespread diffusion of sentinel node mapping determinates a phenomenon of migration from stage I to stage III disease, especially for low-risk endometrial cancer patients. The adoption of sentinel node mapping and pathological ultrastaging increase the detection of low volume disease (i.

Strategies for Managing Intraoperative Discovery of Limited Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases.

Background: Management of limited synchronous colorectal peritoneal metastases (CRPM) is critical to outcome. Resection of the primary tumor and CRPM can be performed concurrently, followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) either immediately, during the same procedure (one-stage), or during a systematic second-stage procedure (two-stage).

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare these two strategies for morbidity, mortality, and survival.

PH-domain-binding inhibitors of nucleotide exchange factor BRAG2 disrupt Arf GTPase signaling.

Peripheral membrane proteins orchestrate many physiological and pathological processes, making regulation of their activities by small molecules highly desirable. However, they are often refractory to classical competitive inhibition. Here, we demonstrate that potent and selective inhibition of peripheral membrane proteins can be achieved by small molecules that target protein-membrane interactions by a noncompetitive mechanism.

Activation of the Endonuclease that Defines mRNA 3' Ends Requires Incorporation into an 8-Subunit Core Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factor Complex.

Cleavage and polyadenylation factor (CPF/CPSF) is a multi-protein complex essential for formation of eukaryotic mRNA 3' ends. CPF cleaves pre-mRNAs at a specific site and adds a poly(A) tail. The cleavage reaction defines the 3' end of the mature mRNA, and thus the activity of the endonuclease is highly regulated.

Prospective evaluation of ERCP performance in an Italian regional database study.

Background: Prospective studies about endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) in a community setting are rare.

Aim: To assess success and complication rates of routinely-performed ERCP in a regional setting, and the priority quality indicators for ERCP practice.

Methods: Prospective region wide observational study on consecutive patients undergoing ERCP during a 6-month period.