Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Lung Function in Children with Asthma: A Mediation Analysis.

Studies investigating the association between urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and asthma in children provided inhomogeneous results. We aimed to use Mediation Analysis to discover whether a link between urinary PAHs and lung function exists and if it might be ascribed to a direct or a symptom-mediated (indirect) effect in children with asthma. This single-center prospective study was conducted in Palermo, Italy, between March and July 2017 and involved 50 children with persistent mild-moderate asthma, aged 6-11 years.

Pathways of IFN-alpha Activation in Patients with Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN).

Objective:  The aim of the present study was to compare the local and systemic expression of the factors linked to the interferon alpha (IFN-α) activation pathway in different degrees of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer.

Methods:  A total of 128 patients with CIN I, CIN II, CIN III and cervical cancer was evaluated. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique was used to evaluate the gene expression of , , IFN-α, oligoadenylate synthase (2'5'OAS), cytokine signal suppressor 1 () 1, , signal transducer and transcription activator 1 (), and from 128 biopsies.

The clinical use of type 1 interferon in gynecology.

Interferons were initially described in terms of their role in blocking viral replication. They are important cytokines that act on various aspects of cell physiology. Importantly, they can affect cell proliferation or induce the differentiation of neoplastic cells.

Using cytokines to treat cervical intraepithelial and invasive neoplasia.

A big challenge for research today is the manipulation of the immune system in order to destroy the neoplastic cells of tumors different origins by using cytokines and other immunostimulants. Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) has been used clinically and has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of various cell types in vivo and in vitro. This cytokine has been widely used in the treatment of infectious and chronic degenerative diseases and cancer.

Local expression of interferon-alpha and interferon receptors in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Purpose: The present study evaluated mRNA expression of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha), IFN-alpha receptor subunits (IFNAR-1 and IFNAR-2) and an IFN-stimulated gene encoding the enzyme 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2'5'OAS) in biopsies on patients with varying grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN I, II and III).

Methods: Uterine cervix biopsies were collected from women with CIN I, II and III (n = 28) and controls without CIN lesions or human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (n = 17). The presence of high and low-risk HPV DNA was determined using hybrid capture.

Frequency of infectious agents for vaginitis in patients with a cytological diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance.

Aim: To evaluate the presence of infectious agents for vaginitis in patients with ASCUS.

Methods: 33,388 patients who underwent cervical-vaginal cytology from 08/1993 to 05/2002 were included in the study, and 1,104 (3.4%) presented positive ASCUS.