Epigenetic regulation of HOXA2 expression affects tumor progression and predicts breast cancer patient survival.

Accumulating evidence suggests that genetic and epigenetic biomarkers hold potential for enhancing the early detection and monitoring of breast cancer (BC). Epigenetic alterations of the Homeobox A2 (HOXA2) gene have recently garnered significant attention in the clinical management of various malignancies. However, the precise role of HOXA2 in breast tumorigenesis has remained elusive.

Perioperative outcomes, environmental impact and economic implications of pelvic drain discontinuation in prostate cancer patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: The utility of a pelvic drain (PD) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has been recently questioned. We investigated the impact of discontinuing PD placement after RARP on complications, pain, environmental benefits, and cost savings.

Methods: We identified 1,199 patients who underwent RARP with or without extended pelvic lymph node dissection from 2016 to 2023 at a referral center.

Modulated Colonic Oxidative Stress Markers and Clinical Parameters: A Potential Adjuvant Therapy to Manage Side Effects During 5-FU Regimen.

One of the most used chemotherapy agents in clinical practice is 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), a fluorinated pyrimidine in the category of antimetabolite agents. 5-FU is used to treat a variety of cancers, including colon, breast, pancreatic, and stomach cancers, and its efficacy lies in its direct impact on the patient's DNA and RNA. Specifically, its mechanism blocks the enzymes thymidylate synthetase and uracil phosphatase, inhibiting the synthesis of uracil, which cannot be incorporated into nuclear and cytoplasmic RNA.

Detection of VOCs and Biogenic Amines Through Luminescent Zn-Salen Complex-Tethered Pyrenyl Arms.

Amines are produced through various industrial and biological processes, contributing significantly to atmospheric pollution, particularly in the troposphere. Moreover, amine-related pollution raises global concerns due to its detrimental effects on human health, environmental quality, and the preservation of animal species. Low-molecular-weight volatile amines, categorized as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are present in the atmosphere, and they represent the main cause of air pollution.

Casein Kinase 2 Inhibitor, CX-4945, Induces Apoptosis and Restores Blood-Brain Barrier Homeostasis in In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Glioblastoma.

In oncology, casein kinase 2 (CK2), a serine/threonine kinase, has a dual action, regulating cellular processes and acting as an oncogenic promoter. : This study examined the effect of CX-4945, a selective CK2 inhibitor, in a human U-87 glioblastoma (GBM) cell line, treated with CX-4945 (5, 10, and 15 μM) for 24 h. Similarly, the hCMEC/D3 cell line was used to mimic the blood-brain barrier (BBB), examining the ability of CX-4945 to restore BBB homeostasis, after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and then treated with CX-4945 (5, 10, and 15 μM).

Observation With or Without Subsequent Salvage Therapy for Pathologically Node-positive Prostate Cancer With Negative Conventional Imaging: Results From a Large Multicenter Cohort.

Background And Objective: More than 10% of patients with negative clinical metastatic status (cN0M0) on conventional imaging for prostate cancer (PCa) harbor lymph node involvement (pN+) at final pathology following radical prostatectomy (RP) and lymphadenectomy. Our aim was to assess outcomes of initial observation for cN0M0 pN+ PCa and identify prognostic factors that may help in clinical decision-making.

Methods: We performed a retrospective multicenter study of patients with cN0M0 PCa on conventional imaging (computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging, and a bone scan) who were found to have pN+ disease at RP between 2000 and 2021.

EZH2 Inhibition to Counteract Oral Cancer Progression through Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway Modulation.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common human malignancies worldwide. The molecular mechanisms of OSCC pathogenesis are still unknown; however, in recent years, several reports have focused on the role of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in OSCC. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate the effects of GSK343, a selective EZH2 inhibitor, and its impact on the signaling pathways in OSCC, using an in vitro and in vivo orthotopic model.

Marine Algae and Deriving Biomolecules for the Management of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Potential Clinical Therapeutics to Decrease Gut Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers?

The term "inflammatory bowel disease" (IBD) describes a class of relapse-remitting conditions that affect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Among these, Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two of the most globally prevalent and debilitating conditions. Several articles have brought attention to the significant role that inflammation and oxidative stress cooperatively play in the development of IBD, offering a different viewpoint both on its etiopathogenesis and on strategies for the effective treatment of these conditions.

Defining the optimal target-to-background ratio to identify positive lymph nodes in prostate cancer patients undergoing robot-assisted [Tc]Tc-PSMA radioguided surgery: updated results and ad interim analyses of a prospective phase II study.

Introduction: Prostate-specific membrane antigen radioguided surgery (PSMA-RGS) might identify lymph node invasion (LNI) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND). The optimal target-to-background (TtB) ratio to define RGS positivity is still unknown.

Materials & Methods: Ad interim analyses which focused on 30 patients with available pathological information were conducted.

Specification of human regional brain lineages using orthogonal gradients of WNT and SHH in organoids.

The repertory of neurons generated by progenitor cells depends on their location along antero-posterior and dorso-ventral axes of the neural tube. To understand if recreating those axes was sufficient to specify human brain neuronal diversity, we designed a mesofluidic device termed Duo-MAPS to expose induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) to concomitant orthogonal gradients of a posteriorizing and a ventralizing morphogen, activating WNT and SHH signaling, respectively. Comparison of single cell transcriptomes with fetal human brain revealed that Duo-MAPS-patterned organoids generated the major neuronal lineages of the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.

Pentraxin 3: A Main Driver of Inflammation and Immune System Dysfunction in the Tumor Microenvironment of Glioblastoma.

Brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of brain neoplasms that are highly prevalent in individuals of all ages worldwide. Within this pathological framework, the most prevalent and aggressive type of primary brain tumor is glioblastoma (GB), a subtype of glioma that falls within the IV-grade astrocytoma group. The death rate for patients with GB remains high, occurring within a few months after diagnosis, even with the gold-standard therapies now available, such as surgery, radiation, or a pharmaceutical approach with Temozolomide.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Amputation and Mortality Rates in Patients with Acute Limb Ischemia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Since the inception of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, healthcare systems around the world observed an increased rate of Acute Limb Ischemia (ALI) in patients with a COVID-19 infection. Despite several pieces of evidence suggesting that COVID-19 infection may also worsen the prognosis associated with ALI, only a small number of published studies include a direct comparison regarding the outcomes of both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ALI patients. Based on the above, a systematic review and a meta-analysis of the literature were conducted, evaluating differences in the incidence of two major outcomes (amputation and mortality rate) between patients concurrently affected by COVID-19 and negative ALI subjects.

Correction: Casili et al. Therapeutic Potential of BAY-117082, a Selective NLRP3 Inflammasome Inhibitor, on Metastatic Evolution in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). 2023, , 2796.

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Protective Effect of Probiotics against Infection of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells.

Probiotic therapy needs consideration as an alternative strategy to prevent and possibly treat corneal infection. This study aimed to assess the preventive effect of and subsp. on reducing the infection of human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells caused by .

The Prognostic Role of Preoperative PSMA PET/CT in cN0M0 pN+ Prostate Cancer: A Multicenter Study.

Context: Despite negative preoperative conventional imaging, up to 10% of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) harbor lymph-node involvement (LNI) at radical prostatectomy (RP). The advent of more accurate imaging modalities such as PET/CT improved the detection of LNI. However, their clinical impact and prognostic value are still unclear.

Electronics and Detectors for the Stellar Intensity Interferometer of the ASTRI Mini-Array Telescopes.

The ASTRI Mini-Array is an international collaboration led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) that will operate nine telescopes to perform Cherenkov and optical stellar intensity interferometry (SII) observations. At the focal plane of these telescopes, we are planning to install a stellar intensity interferometry instrument. Here we present the selected design, based on Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) detectors matching the telescope point spread function together with dedicated front-end electronics.

Synergistic Effect of Plant Compounds in Combination with Conventional Antimicrobials against Biofilm of , and spp.

Bacterial and fungal biofilm has increased antibiotic resistance and plays an essential role in many persistent diseases. Biofilm-associated chronic infections are difficult to treat and reduce the efficacy of medical devices. This global problem has prompted extensive research to find alternative strategies to fight microbial chronic infections.

Added Value of Prostate-specific Antigen Density in Selecting Prostate Biopsy Candidates Among Men with Elevated Prostate-specific Antigen and PI-RADS ≥3 Lesions on Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Prostate: A Systematic Assessment by PI-RADS Score.

Background: A significant proportion of patients with positive multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI; Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS] scores of 3-5) have negative biopsy results.

Objective: To systematically assess all prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) values and identify an appropriate cutoff for identification of patients with positive mpMRI who could potentially avoid biopsy on the basis of their PI-RADS score.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The study included a cohort of 1341 patients with positive mpMRI who underwent combined targeted and systematic biopsies.

The Highest Grade Group Does Not Drive the Risk of Recurrence when Systematic and Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-targeted Biopsies are Discordant: Preliminary Findings Using Radical Prostatectomy Pathology as a Surrogate for MRI-targeted Biopsy Grade.

Pathology grading of prostate biopsy follows the rule that the highest International Society of Urological Pathology grade group (GG) is the GG assigned. This rule was developed in the systematic biopsy (SBx) era and makes sense when samples are from very different areas of the prostate. This rule has been kept for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)-targeted biopsy (MRI-TBx), for which multiple samples-targeted and systematic-are taken from small areas.

Formyl peptide receptor-1 (FPR1) represses intestinal oncogenesis.

Formyl peptide receptor-1 (FPR1) is a pattern recognition receptor that is mostly expressed by myeloid cells. In patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), a loss-of-function polymorphism (rs867228) in the gene coding for FPR1 has been associated with reduced responses to chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Moreover, rs867228 is associated with accelerated esophageal and colorectal carcinogenesis.

Neuroprotective effects of GSK-343 in an in vivo model of MPTP-induced nigrostriatal degeneration.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons, which causes disabling motor disorders. Scientific findings support the role of epigenetics mechanism in the development and progression of many neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. In this field, some studies highlighted an upregulation of Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) in the brains of PD patients, indicating the possible pathogenic role of this methyltransferase in PD.

A Chemically Defined TLR3 Agonist with Anticancer Activity.

Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) agonists such as polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) have immunostimulatory effects that can be taken advantage of to induce anticancer immune responses in preclinical models. In addition, poly(I:C) has been introduced into clinical trials to demonstrate its efficacy as an adjuvant and to enhance the immunogenicity of locally injected tumors, thus reverting resistance to PD-L1 blockade in melanoma patients. Here, we report the pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, mechanistic and toxicological profile of a novel TLR3 agonist, TL-532, a chemically synthesized double-stranded RNA that is composed by blocks of poly(I:C) and poly(A:U) (polyadenylic - polyuridylic acid).

Therapeutic Potential of BAY-117082, a Selective NLRP3 Inflammasome Inhibitor, on Metastatic Evolution in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC).

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a commonly occurring head and neck cancer and it is characterized by a high metastasis grade. The aim of this study was to evaluate for the first time the effect of BAY-117082, a selective NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor, in an in vivo orthotopic model of OSCC and its role in the invasiveness and metastasis processes in neighbor organs such as lymph node, lung, and spleen tissues. Our results demonstrated that BAY-117082 treatment, at doses of 2.