The mutational landscape of upper gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas- A study of similarities and differences.

Purpose: The gastrointestinal tract is home to a wide variety of neoplasms. Gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas display distinct prognostic patterns. With the advent of next generation sequencing, attempts are being made to delineate distinct molecular characteristics of these adenocarcinomas from adjoining anatomical sites.

Analysis of Genetic Alterations in Cutaneous Malignant Melanomas Unveils Unique Loco-Regional Variations and Novel Predictors of Metastatic Potential.

Cutaneous malignant melanoma is an aggressive cancer that contributes significantly to cancer-related mortality. Over the years, a deeper scrutiny of melanoma biology has led to identification of diverse evolutionary patterns involving various genetic pathways. This study attempts to further understand the genetic landscape of cutaneous malignant melanoma in terms of loco-regional variations and malignant potential.

NeuroD/BETA2 gene variability and diabetes: no associations to late-onset type 2 diabetes but an A45 allele may represent a susceptibility marker for type 1 diabetes among Danes. Danish Study Group of Diabetes in Childhood, and the Danish IDDM Epidemiology and Genetics Group.

Mutations in the NeuroD/BETA2 gene have been shown to associate with type 2 diabetes. In the present study, we examined mutations in the NeuroD/BETA2 gene for association with either type 1 or 2 diabetes. Three variants were identified in patients with type 2 diabetes: Ala45Thr (allelic frequency 0.

Missense mutations in the human insulin promoter factor-1 gene and their relation to maturity-onset diabetes of the young and late-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus in caucasians.

Increasing evidence suggests that defects in genes encoding transcription factors that are expressed in the pancreatic beta-cells may be important contributors to the genetic basis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) now exists in five subtypes (MODY1-5), four of which are caused by mutations in transcription factors hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha (HNF-4alpha), HNF-1alpha, insulin promoter factor-1 (IPF-1), and HNF-1beta (MODY1, -3, -4, and -5). Recent evidence from the British population even suggested that IPF-1 may be a predisposing gene for type 2 diabetes.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars: review and treatment strategies.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars represent exuberant forms of scar formation that frequently are pruritic, painful, and occasionally form strictures. As well, they may result in significant cosmetic disfigurement. Recent years have seen an increased understanding in the molecular and biological mechanisms of keloidal scar formation, allowing for the development of more specific therapeutic options for these lesions.