Pathological patterns of prostate biopsy in men with fluctuations of prostate cancer gene 3 score: a preliminary report.

Background: To evaluate pathological patterns of prostate biopsy in men with changes in risk class by prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) score and with elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or positive digital rectal examination (DRE), undergoing a repeat biopsy.

Patients And Methods: A total of 108 males of two Italian Institutions who had undergone at least two PCA3 score assessments with changed PCA3 risk class were selected. Comparison of PCA3 score in patients with negative re-biopsy [normal parenchyma, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), chronic prostatitis, high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-PIN), atypical small acinar prostate (ASAP)] or positive re-biopsy was performed.

New clinical trials in acute and recurrent pericarditis.

Clinical trials in the last decade have improved the quality of evidence to support preventive medical strategies to reduce the risk of recurrences after pericarditis. There are essentially three main strategies: (1) to use full anti-inflammatory doses for the treatment of each attack of pericarditis till symptoms resolution and normalization of markers of inflammation (i.e.

A new scoring system for the triage of cardiac tamponade.

Prompt recognition of cardiac tamponade is critical since the underlying hemodynamic disorder can lead to death if not resolved by percutaneous or surgical drainage of the pericardium. Nevertheless, the management of cardiac tamponade can be challenging because of the lack of the validated criteria for the risk stratification that should guide clinicians in the decision-making process. The Working Group on Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases issued this position statement in order to reply to specific questions: Which patients need immediate drainage of the pericardial effusion?; Is echocardiography sufficient for guidance of pericardiocentesis or should patient be taken to the cardiac catheterization laboratory?; Who should be transferred to specialized/tertiary institution or surgical service?; What type of medical support is necessary during transportation? Current European guidelines published in 2004 do not cover these issues and no additional guidelines are available from major medical and cardiology societies.

Clinical impact of immunophenotypic remission after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in multiple myeloma.

Immunophenotypic remission (IR) is a strong prognostic factor in myeloma patients. The combination of IR and conventional CR was retrospectively evaluated in 66 patients after allografting. IR was defined as the absence of monoclonal plasma cells in BM aspirates by multiparameter flow cytometry.

mTOR inhibitors for medical treatment of post-transplantation encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis: a favourable single center experience.

Background: Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is a serious complication in patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) causing intestinal obstruction. Two different forms of EPS are reported: the classical one observed in patients on PD, and post-transplantation EPS (PostTx-EPS). The first-line therapy of classical and PostTx-EPS remains surgical treatment, but for both the complication rate and mortality are high.

Comparison of prostate cancer gene 3 score, prostate health index and percentage free prostate-specific antigen for differentiating histological inflammation from prostate cancer and other non-neoplastic alterations of the prostate at initial biopsy.

Aim: To determine if prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3) score, Prostate Health Index (PHI), and percent free prostate-specific antigen (%fPSA) may be used to differentiate prostatitis from prostate cancer (PCa), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HG-PIN) in patients with elevated PSA and negative digital rectal examination (DRE).

Patients And Methods: in the present prospective study, 274 patients, undergoing PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA assessments before initial biopsy, were enrolled. Three multivariate logistic regression models were used to test PCA3 score, PHI and %fPSA as risk factors for prostatitis vs.

The hidden genomic landscape of acute myeloid leukemia: subclonal structure revealed by undetected mutations.

The analyses carried out using 2 different bioinformatics pipelines (SomaticSniper and MuTect) on the same set of genomic data from 133 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients, sequenced inside the Cancer Genome Atlas project, gave discrepant results. We subsequently tested these 2 variant-calling pipelines on 20 leukemia samples from our series (19 primary AMLs and 1 secondary AML). By validating many of the predicted somatic variants (variant allele frequencies ranging from 100% to 5%), we observed significantly different calling efficiencies.

Pharmacological therapy of pericardial diseases.

(117 words) Acute and recurrent pericarditis, isolated pericardial effusion, and constrictive pericarditis represent the main pericardial syndromes and therapy of these conditions should be targeted as much as possible at the specific aetiology, but unfortunately many cases still remain idiopathic with current diagnostic methods and should be empirically treated according to best available evidence. Unfortunately, treatment is often empirical since there are few clinical trials available. Nevertheless as for hypertension, even if we do not know the precise cause of the syndrome in all cases, we may provide excellent management for most cases.

Colchicine for pericarditis.

Colchicine is one of the oldest available drugs. It has been used for centuries to treat and prevent gouty attacks and more recently to prevent attacks of autoinflammatory diseases such as Familial Mediterranean Fever. Its main mechanism of action is the capability to block the polymerization of tubulin, thus affecting the function of microtubules.

Complement cascade and kidney transplantation: The rediscovery of an ancient enemy.

The identification of complement activity in serum and immunohistochemical samples represents a core element of nephropathology. On the basis of this observation, different experimental models and molecular studies have shown the role of this cascade in glomerular disease etiology, but the absence of inhibiting drugs have limited its importance. Since 2006, the availability of target-therapies re-defined this ancient pathway, and its blockage, as the new challenging frontier in renal disease treatment.

Observation of e+e- → π+π-π(0)(χbJ) and Search for X(b) → ωϒ(1S) at sqrt[s] = 10.867 GeV.

The e(+)e(-) → π(+)π(-)π(0)χ(bJ) (J = 0,1,2) processes are studied using a 118 fb(-1) data sample acquired with the Belle detector at a center-of-mass energy of 10.867 GeV. Unambiguous π(+)π(-)π(0)χ(bJ) (J = 1,2), ωχ(b1) signals are observed, and indication for ωχ(b2) is seen, both for the first time, and the corresponding cross section measurements are presented.

Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis as an immune-mediated disease: current insights into pathogenesis and emerging treatment options.

Idiopathic recurrent pericarditis affects 30-50% of patients with a previous attack of pericarditis. The etiopathogenesis is incompletely understood and most cases remain idiopathic with a presumed immune-mediated pathogenesis. The mainstay of therapy is aspirin or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug plus colchicine and the possible adjunct of a low-to-moderate dose of a corticosteroid in more difficult cases.

Assessment of platelet function analyzer (PFA-100) in kidney transplant patients before renal allograft biopsy: a retrospective single-center analysis.

Background: Kidney biopsy (KB) represents the criterion standard to obtain information on diagnosis and prognosis of renal allograft dysfunctions. However, it can be associated with bleeding complications (BCs). Bleeding time test (BTT), the best predictive indicator of post-biopsy BCs, is not a very reproducible test and is invasive.

Measurement of the branching fraction B(Λc+ → pK-π+).

We present the first model-independent measurement of the absolute branching fraction of the Λ(c)(+) → pK(-)π(+) decay using a data sample of 978 fb(-1) collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. The number of Λ(c)(+) baryons is determined by reconstructing the recoiling D((*)-) pπ(+) system in events of the type e(+)e(-) → D((*)-) pπ(+)Λ(c)(+). The branching fraction is measured to be B(Λ(c)(+) → pK(-)π(+)) = (6.

Observation of D0-D0 mixing in e+e- collisions.

We observe D(0)-D(0) mixing in the decay D(0) → K+π- using a data sample of integrated luminosity 976 fb(-1) collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- asymmetric-energy collider. We measure the mixing parameters x'(2) = (0.09 ± 0.

Brain endothelial cells control fertility through ovarian-steroid-dependent release of semaphorin 3A.

Neuropilin-1 (Nrp1) guides the development of the nervous and vascular systems, but its role in the mature brain remains to be explored. Here we report that the expression of the 65 kDa isoform of Sema3A, the ligand of Nrp1, by adult vascular endothelial cells, is regulated during the ovarian cycle and promotes axonal sprouting in hypothalamic neurons secreting gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the neuropeptide controlling reproduction. Both the inhibition of Sema3A/Nrp1 signaling and the conditional deletion of Nrp1 in GnRH neurons counteract Sema3A-induced axonal sprouting.

Measurement of the τ-lepton lifetime at Belle.

The lifetime of the τ lepton is measured using the process e+ e- → τ+ τ- , where both τ leptons decay to 3πν(τ). The result for the mean lifetime, based on 711  fb(-1) of data collected with the Belle detector at the ϒ(4S) resonance and 60  MeV below, is τ=(290.17±0.

Tailored cytomegalovirus management in lung transplant recipient: a single-center experience.

Introduction: Among solid organ recipients lung transplant recipients are at highest risk to be affected by cytomegalovirus infection (CMV) or to die from CMV disease. Two strategies are usually adopted in the clinical management of transplant recipients: antiviral prophylaxis and pre-emptive therapy.

Methods: In our center we adopted from 2007 a combined prophylaxis with anti-CMV immunoglobulins in the first post-transplant year and antiviral therapy (gancyclovir or valgancyclovir) from post-transplant day 15 for 3 weeks and in case of CMV bronchoalveolar lavage specimen positivity (polymerase chain reaction or shell vial).

Berberine behind the thriller of marked symptomatic bradycardia.

Patients with chronic aortic dissections are at high risk of catheter-induced complications. We report a Berberine is used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of congestive heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia and has a good safety profile. We report a case of a 53-year-old sportsman referred to our hospital for the onset of fatigue and dyspnoea upon exertion after he started berberine to treat hypercholesterolaemia.

Systemic AA amyloidosis as a unique manifestation of a combined mutation of TNFRSF1A and MEFV genes.

We report the case of a 22-year-old Caucasian woman presenting with a new-onset nephrotic syndrome with normal renal function during the 35th week of pregnancy. AA (secondary) amyloidosis was further diagnosed at the renal biopsy. Extensive genetic testing revealed that the patient was heterozygous for both TNFRSF1A p.