Extracranial Jugular Foramen Schwannomas Treated with the Extreme Lateral Juxtacondylar Approach: Surgical Technique and Our Experience.

Background: Schwannoma that arises in the jugular foramen (JF) represents an important challenge for neurosurgeons for its precise location, extension, and neurovascular relationship. Nowadays, different managements are proposed. In this study, we present our experience in the treatment of extracranial JF schwannomas (JFss) with the extreme lateral juxtacondylar approach (ELJA).

Management of Mild Brain Trauma in the Elderly: Literature Review.

Purpose: The world population is aging. As direct consequence, geriatric trauma is increasing both in absolute number and in the proportion of annual admissions causing a challenge for the health-care system worldwide. The aim of this review is to delineate the specific and practice rules for the management of mild brain trauma in the elderly.

Brain location and tumor biological markers in high- and low-grade gliomas.

Background: Recent studies suggest gliomas location may be correlated with specific biological signatures. Our purpose was to focus on the possible correlation between MGMT metilation status and Ki67 positivity with patient age, glioma location and lateralization.

Methods: We performed a retrospective evaluation to assess the correlation between MGMT metilation status and Ki67 index positivity with patient age, glioma location and lateralization.

Endoscope-Assisted Microneurosurgery for Neurovascular Compression Syndromes: Basic Principles, Methodology, and Technical Notes.

Background: Microscopic microvascular decompression (MVD) has a low but not negligible failure rate due to some missed conflicts, especially in case of multiple offending vessels. The reported study is aimed to assess the principles, methodology, technical notes, and effectiveness of the endoscope-assisted (EA) MVD for neurovascular compression syndromes (NVCS) in the posterior fossa.

Materials And Methods: A series of 43 patients suffering from an NVCS and undergone to an EA MVD were retrospectively reviewed.

Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Percutaneous Bilateral Pedicle Screw Fixation for Lumbosacral Spine Degenerative Diseases. A Retrospective Database of 40 Consecutive Cases and Literature Review.

Aim: To report our results about minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) with bilateral pedicle screw fixation, in patients with degenerative lumbosacral spine disease. To describe the indications, surgical technique and results of a consecutive series of 40 patients who had undergone MI-TLIF. Despite the limited number of clinical studies, published data suggest tremendous potential advantages of this technique.

Dural repair using autologous fat: Our experience and review of the literature.

Background: Various materials have been proposed to obliterate dead spaces and to reconstruct dural defects during a neurosurgical approach. This study describes our technique of using the abdominal autologous fat graft and evaluates the complications and characteristics related to the use of this tissue during cranial procedures.

Methods: Autologous fat grafts were used in 296 patients with basicranial and convexity extraaxial tumors from April 2005 to January 2015.

Cavernous hemangioma of the frontal bone: a case report.

Introduction: Cavernous hemangiomas are rare benign bone tumors and those at the level of the cranial bones are even rarer.

Case Presentation: A 50-year-old woman of Italian ethnicity presented with a frontal mass. A computed tomography scan showed an osteolytic lesion and a magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed a hypointense lesion on the T1-weighted image and a hyperintense lesion on the T2-weighted image.

The effects of platelet gel-released supernatant on human fibroblasts.

In recent years, interest in the topical use of platelet gel (PG) to stimulate wound healing has rapidly extended into various clinical applications and specialized fields. Many recent in vitro and in vivo studies have attempted to explain the biological mechanisms involved in PG-induced tissue regeneration/reparation. However, it remains unclear which parameters should be used in clinical applications to obtain satisfactory results in the healing of wounds.

Suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid partly reverses resistance to paclitaxel in human ovarian cancer cell lines.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the addition of the histone deacetylase inhibitor suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) to paclitaxel (PTX) can sensitize PTX-resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines (CABA-PTX and IGROV-PTX) in vitro.

Methods: SAHA was studied in combination with paclitaxel in PTX-sensitive and PTX-resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines. Using cell proliferation analysis, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometric assays, we can determine whether the resistance was partly removed when the cells were treated with a combination of SAHA and PTX.

Receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand enhances breast cancer-induced osteolytic lesions through upregulation of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer/CD147.

Breast cancer shows a strong predilection to metastasize to bone. Cell surface glycoprotein extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN)/CD147 induces metalloproteinases (MMP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which may support osteoclastic activity and increased incidence of breast cancer bone metastases. In support of this hypothesis, we observed that MDA-MB-231 human breast tumor cells engineered to overexpress EMMPRIN strongly induced osteolytic lesions in immunodeficient mice, which was blunted by in vivo treatment with an EMMPRIN blocking antibody.

Isolation and characterization of circulating tissue transglutaminase-specific T cells in coeliac disease.

Tissue transglutaminase (TG2) was identified as the humoral autoantigen in coeliac disease, but whether it can also serve as T cell autoantigen is still unknown. We aimed, therefore, to firstly explore the presence of TG2-specific T cells in peripheral blood of ten adult patients (four active, i.e.

Vasculogenic mimicry of human ovarian cancer cells: role of CD147.

The term vasculogenic mimicry (VM) indicates the process by which aggressive tumor cells are able to generate in vitro non-endothelial cell-lined channels delimited by extracellular matrix. Although VM has been described in several human malignancies, the molecular basis of this phenomenon is not entirely understood. In the present study, we examined VM in two ovarian cancer cell lines with different invasion capability (CABA I, low invasion activity; SKOV3, high invasion activity).

Bicalutamide demonstrates biologic effectiveness in prostate cancer cell lines and tumor primary cultures irrespective of Her2/neu expression levels.

Objectives: To evaluate the role of Her2/neu as a molecular marker predictive of the treatment response to bicalutamide in prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: Four PCa cell lines with graded Her2/neu expression levels and 63 primary tumor cultures derived from men with PCa and selected according to Her2/neu tumor levels were used. Primary tumor cultures and PCa cell lines were treated with bicalutamide (0.

Identification of an optimal concentration of platelet gel for promoting angiogenesis in human endothelial cells.

Background: Numerous studies have supported the use of topical blood components to improve wound healing and tissue regeneration. Platelet gel (PG), a hemocomponent obtained from mix of activated platelets (PLTs) and cryoprecipitate, is currently being used clinically in an attempt to improve tissue healing. The present study sought to define the most effective PG concentration to promote angiogenesis in vitro.

Azacitidine improves antitumor effects of docetaxel and cisplatin in aggressive prostate cancer models.

One of the major obstacles in the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is the development of chemoresistant tumors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of azacitidine as chemosensitizing agent in association with docetaxel (DTX) and cisplatin using two models of aggressive prostate cancer, the 22rv1, and PC3 cell lines. Azacitidine shows antiproliferative effects associated with increased proportion of cells in G0/G1 and evident apoptosis in 22rv1 cells and increased proportion of cells in G2/M phase with the absence of acute cell killing in PC3 cells.

Her2 crosstalks with TrkA in a subset of prostate cancer cells: rationale for a guided dual treatment.

Background: To date, no effective therapeutic treatment prevents prostate cancer (PCa) progression to more advanced and invasive disease forms. It has been demonstrated that the simultaneous high expression of p185(HER2) and TrkA might confer a proliferative advantage to PCa cells.

Methods: In this work we verified the crosstalk between TrkA and Her2 signaling pathways and the effects of a combined treatment with Her2 and TrkA inhibitors.

Downmodulation of dimethyl transferase activity enhances tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand-induced apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

One of the major obstacles in curing prostate cancer is the development of drug resistance. It is not only imperative to discover the molecular basis of resistance but also to find therapeutic agents that can disrupt the resistant pathways. Tumor necrosis factor TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand TRAIL-like ligands or agonist TRAIL-receptor monoclonal antibodies have entered phase I and II clinical trials with a very limited cytotoxic profile when used systemically in a variety of cancers.

Effects of gliadin stimulation on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from HLA-DQ8 transgenic MICE.

Background And Aim: Gliadin presentation by HLA-DQ2/8 molecules to T cells plays a crucial role in triggering the inflammatory cascade in coeliac disease. We aimed to study the immunological effects of gliadin stimulation on dendritic cells (DCs) from HLA-DQ8 transgenic and BALB/c mice.

Methods: Bone marrow-derived DCs were stimulated with alpha-chymotrypsin-digested gliadin or ovoalbumin (100 microg/ml).

Cathepsin B mediates the pH-dependent proinvasive activity of tumor-shed microvesicles.

Vesicles shed by cancer cells are known to mediate several tumor-host interactions. Tumor microenvironment may, in turn, influence the release and the activity of tumor-shed microvesicles. In this study, we investigated the molecular mediators of the pH-dependent proinvasive activity of tumor-shed vesicles.

Akt down-modulation induces apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells and synergizes with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Background: PTEN is a well-characterized tumor suppressor that negatively regulates cell growth and survival through the modulation of PI3K/Akt pathway.

Methods: In this paper, we investigated the effects of an PI3K/Akt inhibitor, perifosine, in human prostate cancer (PCa) cells analyzing cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the synergy with EGFR inhibitors.

Results: Clinically achievable concentrations of perifosine, as well as Akt gene knockdown, induced a G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in PTEN defective PCa cells.

Chronic azacitidine treatment results in differentiating effects, sensitizes against bicalutamide in androgen-independent prostate cancer cells.

Background: About 20-30% of hormone-independent PCa are characterized by the extensive loss of AR expression that appears to occur at the transcriptional level. Treatment of AR-negative PCa cells with demethylating agents (Aza-CR) leads to expression of AR mRNA and protein. Here, we investigate the effect of Aza-CR administered both acutely and chronically on AR expression, PSA expression, cell survival, and proliferation in androgen-independent/AR-negative PCa cells.

Neuroendocrine transdifferentiation induced by VPA is mediated by PPARgamma activation and confers resistance to antiblastic therapy in prostate carcinoma.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the Western Countries. When prostatectomy fails to eradicate the primary tumor, PCa is generally refractory to all therapeutic approaches. Valproic acid (VPA) is a promising anticancer agent recently assigned to the class of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors.

suPAR, a soluble form of urokinase plasminogen activator receptor, inhibits human prostate cancer cell growth and invasion.

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its specific membrane receptor (uPAR) control extracellular matrix proteolysis, cell migration, invasion and cell growth in several cancers. The uPAR released from human cancers is detected in blood as soluble uPAR (suPAR). No information is available on the mechanism(s) of action of suPAR on prostate cancer (PCa) cell growth and invasion.

Uncoupling of the epidermal growth factor receptor from downstream signal transduction molecules guides the acquired resistance to gefitinib in prostate cancer cells.

The clinical efficacy of ErbB1 kinase inhibitors is limited by the development of acquired autoresistance. The activation of alternative signaling pathways can contribute to gefitinib resistance. In this study, we demonstrate that the continuous in vitro exposure of the phosphatase and tensin homologue (deleted from chromosome 10)-negative prostate cancer (PC)3 cell line to gefitinib resulted in a sustained growth inhibition of 50% for about 2 months, but afterwards the surviving cells resumed their usual proliferation rate.

Reduced number and function of peripheral dendritic cells in coeliac disease.

Dendritic cells (DC) play a pivotal role in shaping the immune response in both physiological and pathological conditions. In peripheral blood at least two subsets, the myeloid and plasmacytoid, have been described as having different T stimulatory functions and a variable degree of maturation. Certainly, antigen presentation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of coeliac disease and circulating immune cells are thought to reflect the state of immune response within the gut.