Implication of Cellular Senescence in Osteoarthritis: A Study on Equine Synovial Fluid Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is described as a chronic degenerative disease characterized by the loss of articular cartilage. Senescence is a natural cellular response to stressors. Beneficial in certain conditions, the accumulation of senescent cells has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases associated with aging.

Prevalence and characteristics of distress in a sample of large hospital's workers in Rome in a period between two peaks of the covid-19 pandemic.

Aim: The aim of this study has been to measure the distress of workers at a large hospital in Rome, immediately after the lockdown with relaxed national restrictions except the indication to wear masks FP2 and to maintain the interpersonal distance of at least one meter.

Method: A web-based anonymous survey has been conducted. Of the 324 responders (23-69 years; 78.

Tendon Healing Response Is Dependent on Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Tendon Transition State of Amniotic Epithelial Stem Cells.

Tendinopathies are at the frontier of advanced responses to health challenges and sectoral policy targets. Cell-based therapy holds great promise for tendon disorder resolution. To verify the role of stepwise trans-differentiation of amniotic epithelial stem cells (AECs) in tendon regeneration, in the present research three different AEC subsets displaying an epithelial (eAECs), mesenchymal (mAECs), and tendon-like (tdAECs) phenotype were allotransplanted in a validated experimental sheep Achilles tendon injury model.

Circulating miR-185-5p as a Potential Biomarker for Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy.

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a genetic cardiac disease characterized by progressive myocardial fibro-fatty replacement, arrhythmias and risk of sudden death. Its diagnosis is challenging and often it is achieved after disease onset or postmortem. In this study, we sought to identify circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in ARVC patients compared to healthy controls.

Cellular senescence in vascular wall mesenchymal stromal cells, a possible contribution to the development of aortic aneurysm.

Cellular senescence is a hallmark of ageing and it plays a key role in the development of age-related diseases. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an age related degenerative vascular disorder, characterized by a progressive dilatation of the vascular wall and high risk of rupture over time. Nowadays, no pharmacological therapies are available and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that lead to AAA onset and development are poorly defined.

COVID-19 pandemic distress among a sample of Italian psycho-oncologists: risk of isolation and loneliness.

Purpose: To measure the prevalence and characteristics of distress and hope for the future among psycho-oncologists, who faced the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency along with other healthcare workers.

Methods: A web-based study was conducted among members of the Italian Society of Psycho-Oncology between May 29 and June 5, 2020.

Results: A total of 237 members, aged 28-72 years, completed the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and HOPE questionnaires; 86.

Italian validation of CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index and preliminary data in a sample of general population.

Introduction: Peritraumatic distress is an important predictor of post-traumatic stress disorder and although several questionnaires are available for its measurement, none of these are specific to CoViD-19. The new CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI), developed in China, is characterized as a rapid compilation tool (10 minutes), easily understandable and appreciated by people.

Aim: The objectives of this study were: (1) the validation of the Italian version of the CPDI, and (2) the measurement of the prevalence of peritraumatic distress in this phase 1 CoViD-19.

Progesterone Prolongs Viability and Anti-inflammatory Functions of Explanted Preterm Ovine Amniotic Membrane.

Amniotic membrane (AM) is considered an important medical device with many applications in regenerative medicine. The therapeutic properties of AM are due to its resistant extracellular matrix and to the large number of bioactive molecules released by its cells. An important goal that still remains to be achieved is the identification of cultural and preservation protocols able to maintain in time the membrane morphology and the biological properties of its cells.

Age-Related Alterations Affecting the Chondrogenic Differentiation of Synovial Fluid Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in an Equine Model.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that strongly correlates with age and promotes the breakdown of joint cartilage and subchondral bone. There has been a surge of interest in developing cell-based therapies, focused particularly on the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) isolated from adult tissues. It seems that MSCs derived from synovial joint tissues exhibit superior chondrogenic ability, but their unclear distribution and low frequency actually limit their clinical application.

Comparison between adult and foetal adnexa derived equine post-natal mesenchymal stem cells.

Background: Little is known about the differences among adult and foetal equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and no data exist about their comparative ultrastructural morphology. The aim of this study was to describe and compare characteristics, immune properties, and ultrastructural morphology of equine adult (bone marrow: BM, and adipose tissue: AT) and foetal adnexa derived (umbilical cord blood: UCB, and Wharton's jelly: WJ) MSCs.

Results: No differences were observed in proliferation during the first 3 passages.

A targeted next-generation gene panel reveals a novel heterozygous nonsense variant in the TP63 gene in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is associated with arrhythmias and risk of sudden death. Mutations in genes encoding proteins of cardiac intercalated discs account for ∼60% of ACM cases, but the remaining 40% is still genetically elusive.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify the underlying genetic cause in probands with ACM.

Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies Pathogenic Variants in TJP1 Gene Associated With Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is an inherited cardiac disease characterized by progressive fibro-fatty myocardial replacement, ventricular arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden death. Causative mutations can be identified in 60% of patients, and most of them are found in genes encoding mechanical junction proteins of the intercalated disk.

Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed on the proband of an ACM family.

The Hypoxia-Mimetic Agent Cobalt Chloride Differently Affects Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Their Chondrogenic Potential.

Adult stem cells are a promising cell source for cartilage regeneration. They resided in a special microenvironment known as the stem-cell niche, characterized by the presence of low oxygen concentration. Cobalt chloride (CoCl) imitates hypoxia in vitro by stabilizing hypoxia-inducible factor-alpha (HIF-1), which is the master regulator in the cellular adaptive response to hypoxia.

Wharton's Jelly Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Comparing Human and Horse.

Wharton's jelly (WJ) is an important source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) both in human and other animals. The aim of this study was to compare human and equine WJMSCs. Human and equine WJMSCs were isolated and cultured using the same protocols and culture media.

Co-inheritance of mutations associated with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are genetically and phenotypically distinct disorders of the myocardium. Here we describe for the first time co-inheritance of mutations in genes associated with ACM or HCM in two families with recurrence of both cardiomyopathies. Among the double heterozygotes for mutations in desmoplakin (DSP) and myosin binding protein C (MYBPC3) genes identified in Family A, two were diagnosed with ACM and two with HCM.

Pre-treatment assay of 5-fluorouracil degradation rate (5-FUDR) to improve prediction of 5-fluorouracil toxicity in gastro-esophageal cancer.

Background: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemotherapy is the most common first line regimen used in gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer, but development of severe toxicity is a main concern in the treatment. The present study is aimed to evaluate a novel pre-treatment assay, known as the 5-FU degradation rate (5-FUDR), as a predictive factor for 5-FU toxicity.

Methods: Pre-treatment 5-FUDR and gene polymorphisms related to 5-FU metabolism (DPYDIVS14+1G>A, MTHFRA1298T or C677T, TMYS TSER) were characterized in gastro-esophageal cancer patients.

Is the Dissociative Experiences Scale able to identify detachment and compartmentalization symptoms? Factor structure of the Dissociative Experiences Scale in a large sample of psychiatric and nonpsychiatric subjects.

Background: In this study, we explored the ability of the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) to catch detachment and compartmentalization symptoms.

Participants And Methods: The DES factor structure was evaluated in 768 psychiatric patients (546 women and 222 men) and in 2,403 subjects enrolled in nonpsychiatric settings (1,857 women and 546 men). All participants were administered the Italian version of DES.

CYP19A1 Genetic Polymorphisms rs4646 and Osteoporosis in Patients Treated with Aromatase Inhibitor-Based Adjuvant Therapy.

Objective: Third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AI) are potent suppressors of aromatase activity. The aim of this study was to measure the incidence of adverse effects in breast cancer patients treated with AI-based adjuvant therapy and the relationship with the CYP19A1 genotypes.

Materials And Methods: Forty-five postmenopausal breast cancer patients (46-85 yrs) in AI adjuvant treatment were genotyped for the rs4646 polymorphisms of CYP19A1 gene and three variations were identified.

Pre-treatment evaluation of 5-fluorouracil degradation rate: association of poor and ultra-rapid metabolism with severe toxicity in a colorectal cancer patients cohort.

Despite the wide use of 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy, development of severe toxicity that follow the treatment is not a rare event. The efforts to establish pretreatment tools for toxicity prediction, led to the development of various pharmacogenetic and biochemical assays, mainly targeted to assess the activity level of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), the main metabolizing enzyme for 5-fluorouracil. Using peripheral blood mononuclear cells, we developed a biochemical assay, that is not limited to the evaluation of DPD activity, but determines the net result of all the enzymatic transformation of 5FU, in terms of the amount of drug consumed by the cells in a time unit.

Positive impact of elastography in breast cancer diagnosis: an institutional experience.

Elastography (ES) is a technique that, when associated with traditional B mode ultrasound (US), allows the degree of elasticity of tissue to be evaluated according to a color scale system. The aims of the study were to compare the diagnostic characteristics of two widely used techniques adopted in breast cancer screening; US and color Doppler (CD), with those of the same two techniques plus ES, and assessment of the same diagnostic characteristics when the three methods were applied to lesions < or >1 cm. Methods used included subjecting 212 women to investigations aimed at the early diagnosis of breast cancer outside the screening model, whereby 395 lesions were detected by US, ES, and CD, with a definitive diagnosis proved by histological exam.

FCGRs Polymorphisms and Response to Trastuzumab in Patients With HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: Far From Predictive Value?

Background: The aim of the study was to validate the association between the Arg166His polymorphisms of the Fc immunoglobulin receptor 2A (FCGR2A) and the Val212Phe of FCGR3A and pathological clinical response (pCR) to trastuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer patients.

Methods: Polymorphisms were characterized by pyrosequencing in 26 patients with ductal histotype breast cancer in a neoadjuvant setting and genotype association with pCR was analyzed.

Results: No association was found between the FCGR3A Val212Phe polymorphisms and pCR.

Homozygous Desmocollin-2 Mutations and Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.

Dominant mutations in desmocollin-2 (DSC2) gene cause arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM), a progressive heart muscle disease characterized by ventricular tachyarrhythmias, heart failure, and risk of juvenile sudden death. Recessive mutations are rare and are associated with a cardiac or cardiocutaneous phenotype. Here, we evaluated the impact of a homozygous founder DSC2 mutation on clinical expression of ACM.

Effect of MTHFR Polymorphisms on Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk in Italy.

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) C677T and A1298C in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene with colorectal, esophageal/gastric and pancreatic cancer in a cohort of Italian patients.

Methods: A total of 790 cancer patients and 202 healthy controls were genotyped and distributions in genotype and allele frequencies were compared by Chi-squared analysis and logistic regression analysis.

Results: According to most of previous findings, we found an effect of the C677T variant, but no effect of the A1298C, in colorectal and esophageal/gastric, whereas no association was evidenced with pancreatic cancer.

Phenotypic expression is a prerequisite for malignant arrhythmic events and sudden cardiac death in arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Aims: Whether a desmosomal (DS)-gene defect may in itself induce life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias regardless of phenotypic expression of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is still debated. This prospective study evaluated the long-term outcome of DS-gene mutation carriers in relation to the ARVC phenotypic expression.

Methods And Results: The study population included 116 DS-gene mutation carriers [49% males; median age 33 years (16-48 years)] without prior sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF).

Compound and digenic heterozygosity predicts lifetime arrhythmic outcome and sudden cardiac death in desmosomal gene-related arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Background: Mutations in genes encoding for desmosomal proteins are the most common cause of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). We assessed the value of genotype for prediction of lifetime major arrhythmic events and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in desmosomal gene-related ARVC.

Methods And Results: The overall study population included 134 desmosomal gene mutation carriers (68 men; median age 36 years [22-52]) from 44 consecutive ARVC families undergoing comprehensive genetic screening.