0000000001052440

AUTHOR

Eliana Gulotta

Neomyogenesis in 3D Dynamic Responsive Prosthesis for Inguinal Hernia Repair

Despite undisputed improvements, prosthetics hernia repair continues to be affected by unacceptable rates of complications. Postoperative adverse events such as discomfort and chronic pain represent a subject of increasing concern among the surgical community. Poor quality biologic response, stiff scar plates, and mesh shrinkage, a typical effect of conventional static meshes and plugs, are all indicated as the main reasons for many of the complications related to inguinal hernia repair. Even the conventional concept of treatment based upon a supposed reinforcement of the groin consequent to the fibrotic incorporation of meshes, would appear to be inadequate in the light of the latest scien…

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Fixation free inguinal hernia repair with the 3D dynamic responsive prosthesis ProFlor: Features, procedural steps and long-term results

Abstract Background Static and fixated meshes to repair mobile structures like the groin may seem a procedural incongruence. Inguinal hernia is described as a degenerative disease. Therefore, the objective of disease treatment should be the regeneration of wasted tissue. The fibrotic scar plate, a typical biologic response of conventional static meshes, does not represent tissue regeneration but rather a foreign body reaction. These contrasting aspects seem to be related to high complication rates of inguinal herniorrhaphy. Recent studies concerning the pathophysiology of the groin have led to the development of new concepts for repairing inguinal protrusions. A proprietary designed 3D dyna…

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Is BRCA1-5083del19, identified in breast cancer patients of Sicilian origin, a Calabrian founder mutation?

Various studies have been published in Italy regarding the different BRCA1 mutations, but only the BRCA1-5083del19 mutation is recurrent and specific to individuals of Italian descent with a founder effect on the Calabrian population. In our previous study, BRCA1-5083del19 mutation carriers were found in four index cases of 106 Sicilian patients selected for familial and/or hereditary breast/ovarian cancers. The high frequency rate of this mutation identified in the Sicilian population led us to perform haplotype analysis in all family carriers. Five highly polymorphic microsatellite markers were used (D17S1320, D17S932, D17S1323, D17S1326, D17S1325) to establish whether or not all these fa…

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IL NODULO UNICO DELLA TIROIDE: AFFIDABILITA’ DELL’INDAGINE ECOGRAFICA

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VANTAGGI DELL’ACCESSO TRANSGIUGULARE INTERNO CON PREPARAZIONE CHIRURGICA: OTTIMIZZAZIONE DELLA VIA DI IMPIANTO DEI SISTEMI TOTALMENTE IMPIANTABILI

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Retrospective Analysis of 29 Patients with Multiple Pulmonary Metastases from Colorectal Carcinoma Resected by a 1318-nm Laser

NO Abstract

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Laparoscopic adrenalectomy: preoperative data, surgical technique and clinical outcomes

Background: laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the standard treatment for adrenal lesions. The better clinical outcoms of laparoscopic technique are valid for treatment of small benign masses (< 5-6 cm), instead there are still open questions in literature regarding the correct management of larger lesions (> 6 cm) or in case of potentially malignant adrenal tumors. The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in a referral surgical department for endocrine surgery. Methods: at the University Hospital Policlinico "P. Giaccone" of Palermo between January 2010 and December 2017 we performed a total of 81 laparoscopic adrenalectomy. We created a retr…

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Aminobisphosphonates as new weapons for gammadelta T Cell-based immunotherapy of cancer.

BACKGROUND: Activated V gamma 9 V delta 2 T cells are able to kill most tumour cells because of recognition by T cell receptor and natural killer receptors. OBJECTIVE: We discuss the possibility that the intentional activation of gammadelta T cells in vivo by aminobisphosphonates may represent a promising target for the design of novel and highly innovative immunotherapy in cancer patients. METHODS: The antitumoral effects of gammadelta T cells both in vitro and in vivo have been demonstrated suggesting a new therapeutic approach for translation into the clinical setting. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: V gamma 9 V delta 2 T lymphocytes represent a particularly interesting target for immunotherapeutic …

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Chemioterapia di II linea nel carcinoma epiteliale dell'ovaio. Studio di Fase II

Chemioterapia di II linea nel carcinoma epiteliale dell'ovaio. Studio di Fase II.

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VALUTAZIONE DELL’INCIDENZA DEL LINFEDEMA SECONDARIO ALLA PROCEDURA DELLA BIOPSIA DEL LINFONODO SENTINELLA NEL TRATTAMENTO DEL MELANOMA DEL TRONCO E DEGLI ARTI

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Arterial stiffness, endothelial and cognitive function in subjects with type 2 diabetes in accordance with absence or presence of diabetic foot syndrome

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction is an early marker of cardiovascular disease so endothelial and arterial stiffness indexes are good indicators of vascular health. We aimed to assess whether the presence of diabetic foot is associated with arterial stiffness and endothelial function impairment. METHODS: We studied 50 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) compared to 50 diabetic subjects without diabetic foot, and 53 patients without diabetes mellitus, by means of the mini mental state examination (MMSE) administered to evaluate cognitive performance. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (Aix) were also evaluated by Applanation…

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Pulmonary Laser Metastasectomy by 1318-nm Neodymium-Doped Yttrium-Aluminum Garnet Laser: A Retrospective Study About Laser Metastasectomy of the Lung

Background. The lungs are among the first organ affected by remote metastases from many primary tumors. The surgical resection of isolated pulmonary metastases represents an important and effective element of therapy. This is a retrospective study about our entire experience with pulmonary resection for metastatic cancer using 1318-nm neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum garnet laser. Method. In this single-institution study, we retrospectively analyzed a group of 209 patients previously treated for primary malignant solid tumors. We excluded 103 patients. The number and location of lesions in the lungs was determined using chest computed tomography and positron emission tomography-computed tom…

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Skip metastases to lateral cervical lymph nodes in differentiated thyroid cancer: a systematic review.

Abstract Papillary thyroid carcinoma is a slow-growing cancer with a generally good prognosis that sometimes have an aggressive behaviour. Metastases to neck lymph nodes is the first step of the diffusion. The central neck compartment is involved most commonly. The ipsilateral lateral neck compartments are usually involved afterwards, and the involvement of the contralateral one is considered a quite rare occurrence. In more rare cases, metastases to lateral neck compartment without central lymph node metastasis (so called “skip metastases”) could be observed. Aim of this literature review study is to analyse the average incidence, pattern and risk factors of this occurrence. This study was…

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LE EMORRAGIE DIGESTIVE DEL TRATTO SOVRAMESOCOLICO: OSSERVAZIONE DI ALCUNI CASI CLINICI

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Carcinoma ereditario dell'ovaio (Ereditary Ovarian Cancer)

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Fixation free femoral hernia repair with a 3D dynamic responsive implant. A case series report

Abstract Background To date, no gold standard for the surgical treatment of femoral hernia exists. Pure tissue repair as well as mesh/plug implantation, open or laparoscopic, are the most performed methods. Nevertheless, all these techniques need sutures or mesh fixation. This implies the risk of damaging sensitive structures of the femoral area, along with complications related to tissue tear and postoperative discomfort consequent to poor quality mesh incorporation. The present retrospective multicenter case series highlights the results of femoral hernia repair procedures performed with a 3D dynamic responsive implant in a cohort of 32 patients during a mean follow up of 27 months. Mater…

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Addition of the Aldose Reductase Inhibitor Benzofuroxane Derivative BF-5m to Prolonged and Moderate Exercise Training Enhanced Protection of the Rat Heart From Type-1 Diabetes

Moderate exercise training may not be sufficient to exert beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system because of the long-term multifactorial etiology of diabetic complications. The addition of a proper pharmacological tool to the physical exercise should improve the outcomes of the diabetic damage. Here it is shown that 8 weeks exercise training of type 1 diabetic Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats resulted in a significantly increased heart rate, a 14% increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) increased plasma insulin levels and a 13% decrease in plasma glucose with respect to sedentary animals. The training also resulted in a 22% reduction in cardiac QT interval from a diabetic…

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Laparoscopy is an available alternative to open surgery in the treatment of perforated peptic ulcers: A retrospective multicenter study

Abstract Background Perforated peptic ulcers (PPU) remain one of the most frequent causes of death. Their incidence are largely unchanged accounting for 2–4% of peptic ulcers and remain the second most frequent abdominal cause of perforation and of indication for gastric emergency surgery. The minimally invasive approach has been proposed to treat PPU however some concerns on the offered advantages remain. Methods Data on 184 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for PPU were collected. Likewise, perioperative data including shock at admission and interval between admission and surgery to evaluate the Boey’s score. It was recorded the laparoscopic or open treatments, the type of surgical …

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Immune-inflammatory and metabolic effects of high dose furosemide plus hypertonic saline solution (HSS) treatment in cirrhotic subjects with refractory ascites

Introduction Patients with chronic liver diseases are usually thin as a result of hypermetabolism and malnutrition expressed by reduced levels of leptin and impairment of other adyponectins such as visfatin. Aims We evaluated the metabolic and inflammatory effects of intravenous high-dose furosemide plus hypertonic saline solutions (HSS) compared with repeated paracentesis and a standard oral diuretic schedule, in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. Methods 59 consecutive cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites unresponsive to outpatient treatment. Enrolled subjects were randomized to treatment with intravenous infusion of furosemide (125-250mg⁄bid) plus small volumes of HSS …

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Current advances in γδ T cell-based tumor immunotherapy

γδ T cells are a minor population (~5%) of CD3 T cells in the peripheral blood, but abound in other anatomic sites such as the intestine or the skin. There are two major subsets of γδ T cells: those that express Vd1 gene, paired with different Vγ elements, abound in the intestine and the skin, and recognize the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-related molecules such as MHC class I-related molecule A, MHC class I-related molecule B, and UL16-binding protein expressed on many stressed and tumor cells. Conversely, γδ T cells expressing the Vδ2 gene paired with the Vγ9 chain are the predominant (50-90%) γδ T cell population in the peripheral blood and recognize phosphoant…

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LA NOSTRA ESPERIENZA SULLA PREVENZIONE E SUL TRATTAMENTO DELL’IPOCALCEMIA DOPO INTERVENTI DI TIROIDECTOMIA TOTALE

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Skin-nipple-sparing mastectomy: The first approach in primary myxoid chondrosarcoma of the breast

Abstract The primary mammary chondrosarcoma corresponds to less than 0,5% of the mammary malignancies. For the period ranging from 1967 to 2014, only 18 cases were reported in the literature. A 41 year old woman found a hard nodule on her external right superior quadrant/axillary prolongation through breast self-examination. The vacuum-assisted core biopsy (VACB) revealed “high grade extra-skeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma”. A skin-nipple-sparing mastectomy with the insertion of a mammary expander was performed. A protocol of adjuvant radiotherapy was also indicated. Until 2013, the gold standard was the radical mastectomy. By 2014, there were two cases of conservative approach to quadrantecto…

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Combined inguinal hernia in the elderly. Portraying the progression of hernia disease

Abstract Introduction Identification of a combined hernia is a common occurrence in the course of inguinal hernia repair. This type of protrusion disease seems to affect the elderly, in particular. Very few investigations have been carried out to ascertain the structural changes that occur in the groin affected by this clinical condition. Method Analysis of intraoperative findings of combined inguinal hernias evidenced in the elderly, from the most recent 100 groin hernia repair procedures carried out by a single operator, represents the basis of the article. Protrusions that presumably represent the forerunner of this type of hernia were also analyzed: double ipsilateral inguinal hernias c…

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Conquests and perspectives of cardio-oncology in the field of tumor angiogenesis-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitor-based therapy

Abstract: Introduction: Angiogenesis is fundamental for tumor development and progression. Hence, anti-angiogenic drugs have been developed to target VEGF and its receptors (VEGFRs). Several tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have been developed over the years and others are still under investigation, each anti-VEGFR TKI showing a different cardiotoxic profile. Knowledge of the cardiac side-effects of each drug and the magnitude of their expression and frequency can lead to a specific approach. Areas covered: This work reviews the mechanism of action of anti-VEGFR TKIs and the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to cardiotoxicity, followed by close examination of the most important drugs i…

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Aminobisphosphonates as New Weapons for γ δ T Cell-Based Immunotherapy of Cancer

Several observations in mice and in humans have collectively laid the foundation for examining the potential of γ δ T cells to exert tumor immunotherapy. Human γ δ T cells can be activated in a non-MHC dependent fashion either by low molecular mass phosphoantigens, or by agents that provoke the accumulation of endogenous pyrophosphates such as isopentenylpyrophosphate. Among the latter, aminobisphosphonates are well-established in the clinic, and extensive data are available on the compounds antiangiogenic, antiosteolytic and pro-apoptotic properties. In this review we discuss on the possibility that the intentional activation of γ δ T cells in vivo by aminobisphosphonates may represent a p…

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miR-20b modulates VEGF expression by targeting HIF-1 alpha and STAT3 in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of different genes, including genes involved in cancer progression. A functional link between hypoxia, a key feature of the tumor microenvironment, and miRNA expression has been documented. We investigated whether and how miR-20b can regulate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in MCF-7 breast cancer cells under normoxic and hypoxia-mimicking conditions (CoCl(2) exposure). Using immunoblotting, ELISA, and quantitative real-time PCR, we demonstrated that miR-20b decreased VEGF protein levels at 4 and 24 h following CoCl(2) treatment, and VEGF mRNA at 4 h of treatment. In addition, miR-20b reduce…

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LA MASTOPATIA FIBROCISTICA NELLE GIOVANI DONNE, INDAGINI E TERAPIA

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Telmisartan cardioprotects from the ischaemic/hypoxic damage through a miR‐1‐dependent pathway

The aim of this study was to investigate whether telmisartan protects the heart from the ischaemia/reperfusion damage through a local microRNA-1 modulation. Studies on the myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury in vivo and on the cardiomyocyte hypoxia/reoxygenation damage in vitro were done. In vivo, male Sprague-Dawley rats administered for 3 weeks with telmisartan 12 mg/kg/d by gastric gavage underwent ischaemia/reperfusion of the left descending coronary artery. In these rats, infarct size measurement, ELISA, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcriptase real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that expressions of connexin 43, potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member …

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ΔNp63 drives metastasis in breast cancer cells via PI3K/CD44v6 axis

P63 is a transcription factor belonging to the family of p53, essential for the development and differentiation of epithelia. In recent years, it has become clear that altered expression of the different isoforms of this gene can play an important role in carcinogenesis. The p63 gene encodes for two main isoforms known as TA and ΔN p63 with different functions. The role of these different isoforms in sustaining tumor progression and metastatic spreading however has not entirely been clarified. Here we show that breast cancer initiating cells express ΔNp63 isoform that supports a more mesenchymal phenotype associated with a higher tumorigenic and metastatic potential. On the contrary, the ma…

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How Much of Familial Breast Cancer Risk is Currently Explained by the Known Genes?

The need to answer the question “how much of the familial risk is currently explained by the known genes?” has increased ,and although BRCA1 and BRCA2 are considered the two major breast cancer (BC) susceptibility genes, they do not justify the entire percentage of all hereditary BC cases. The current consensus is that other BC predisposing genes could explain at least a portion of the remaining non-mutated familial cases, including not only other high- penetrance BC genes, but also moderate and low-penetrance genes. Considering these three different categories of genes, a gap of risk estimation in breast cancer can be observed. Moreover, different researchers tried to give significance to …

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A xanthogranulomatous process resembling residual disease on endof- treatment 18f-FDG-PET/CT and Whole Body Magnetic Resonance performed on a primary breast lymphoma treated by ibrutinib plus rituximab-chop

We report the case of a woman, affected by breast diffuse large B-Cell lymphoma, who developed a xanthogranulomatous process wrongly interpreted as residual disease on 18F-FDG-PET/CTand Whole Body Magnetic Resonance after treatment with ibrutinib plus standard immunochemotherapy. Newer drugs, such as immunomodulatory agents and checkpoint inhibitors, have demonstrated high effectiveness on lymphoma, but are associated with unclear imaging features such as tumor flare or pseudo-progression, related to inflammatory reactions. Wide imaging techniques availability improves diagnostic possibilities. However, the awareness of the adopted treatment strategy and its possible implications on imaging…

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Adipose stem cell niche reprograms the colorectal cancer stem cell metastatic machinery.

Obesity is a strong risk factor for cancer progression, posing obesity-related cancer as one of the leading causes of death. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms that endow cancer cells with metastatic properties in patients affected by obesity remain unexplored. Here, we show that IL-6 and HGF, secreted by tumor neighboring visceral adipose stromal cells (V-ASCs), expand the metastatic colorectal (CR) cancer cell compartment (CD44v6 + ), which in turn secretes neurotrophins such as NGF and NT-3, and recruits adipose stem cells within tumor mass. Visceral adipose-derived factors promote vasculogenesis and the onset of metastatic dissemination by activation of STAT3, which inhibits miR-200…

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Tentacle-shaped mesh for fixation-free repair of umbilical hernias

Purpose: Mesh fixation and broad overlap represent an open issue in umbilical hernia repair. A proprietary-designed implant with tentacle straps at its boundary has been developed to ensure a suture-free repair and a broader coverage of the abdominal wall. The study describes the results of umbilical hernia procedures carried out with the tentacle-shaped implant and the related surgical technique. Methods: A proprietary tentacle-shaped flat mesh having a central body with integrated radiating arms at its edge was used to repair large umbilical hernias in 62 patients. The implant was placed in preperitoneal sublay. The friction of the straps, crossing the abdominal wall thanks to a special n…

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