Patient and Context Factors in the Adoption of Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Importance: Although active surveillance for patients with low-risk prostate cancer (LRPC) has been recommended for years, its adoption at the population level is often limited.

Objective: To make active surveillance available for patients with LRPC using a research framework and to compare patient characteristics and clinical outcomes between those who receive active surveillance vs radical treatments at diagnosis.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This population-based, prospective cohort study was designed by a large multidisciplinary group of specialists and patients' representatives.

Risk factors for recurrence and complications after laparoscopic repair of incisional hernia using a double-layered ePTFE/PP mesh: results of a retrospective study.

Background: The objective was to analyse, risk factors for recurrence (primary outcome) and complications (secondary outome) after the implantation of a double layer ePTFE (expanded PolytTetraFluoroEthylene) / PP (PolyPropylene) mesh to treat incisional hernias (IH) using the Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh (IPOM) technique.

Methods: We included all elective laparoscopic IH repairs with intraperitoneal placement of a ePTFE / PP mesh (Relimesh - Herniamesh S.r.

Design and optimization of reaction chamber and detection system in dynamic labs-on-chip for proteins detection.

In this paper, the lab-on-chip section for a protein assay is designed and optimized. To avoid severe reliability problems related to activated surface stability, a dynamic assay approach is adopted: protein-to-protein neutralization is performed while proteins diffuse freely in the reaction chamber. The related refraction index change is detected via an integrated interferometer.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of N-hydroxyphenylacrylamides and N-hydroxypyridin-2-ylacrylamides as novel histone deacetylase inhibitors.

The histone deacetylases (HDACs) are able to regulate gene expression, and histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) emerged as a new class of agents in the treatment of cancer as well as other human disorders such as neurodegenerative diseases. In the present investigation, we report on the synthesis and biological evaluation of compounds derived from the expansion of a HDAC inhibitor scaffold having N-hydroxy-3-phenyl-2-propenamide and N-hydroxy-3-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-propenamide as core structures and containing a phenyloxopropenyl moiety, either unsubstituted or substituted by a 4-methylpiperazin-1-yl or 4-methylpiperazin-1-ylmethyl group. The compounds were evaluated for their ability to inhibit nuclear HDACs, as well as for their in vitro antiproliferative activity.

Regulatory effects of the mitochondrial energetic status on mitochondrial p66Shc.

p66(Shc) promotes apoptosis and controls the intracellular redox balance. A fraction of p66(Shc) exists within mitochondria, where it oxidizes cytochrome c to form hydrogen peroxide, which in turn induces mitochondrial permeability and apoptosis. However, cells tolerate p66(Shc) expression and accumulate oxidative damage under normal conditions, implying that the p66(Shc) functions must be tightly regulated.

Electron transfer between cytochrome c and p66Shc generates reactive oxygen species that trigger mitochondrial apoptosis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are potent inducers of oxidative damage and have been implicated in the regulation of specific cellular functions, including apoptosis. Mitochondrial ROS increase markedly after proapoptotic signals, though the biological significance and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain undetermined. P66Shc is a genetic determinant of life span in mammals, which regulates ROS metabolism and apoptosis.

The life span determinant p66Shc localizes to mitochondria where it associates with mitochondrial heat shock protein 70 and regulates trans-membrane potential.

P66Shc regulates life span in mammals and is a critical component of the apoptotic response to oxidative stress. It functions as a downstream target of the tumor suppressor p53 and is indispensable for the ability of oxidative stress-activated p53 to induce apoptosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the apoptogenic effect of p66Shc are unknown.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with three trocars: 10 years experience.

Since 1992 we have performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy with 3 trocars (10, 10 and 5 mm) while most surgeons use 4. In our 10 years of experience a total of 1,243 cholecystectomies have been performed with the 3-trocar technique. The overall conversion rate is 0.

[The learning curve in laparoscopic resections of the colon and rectum: results and considerations].

A well-designed learning curve is essential for the success of laparoscopic colorectal surgery for cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results and characteristics of the learning curve in laparoscopic colorectal surgery beginning with benign diseases and eventually going on to include colonic resections for cancer. A total of 60 laparoscopic resections were performed.