Autophagy modulators for the treatment of oral and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC) exhibit a survival rate of less than 60% and 40%, respectively. Late-stage diagnosis and lack of effective treatment strategies make both OSCC and ESCC a significant health burden. Autophagy, a lysosome-dependent catabolic process, involves the degradation of intracellular components to maintain cell homeostasis. Targeting autophagy has been highlighted as a feasible therapeutic strategy with clinical utility in cancer treatment, although its associated regulatory mechanisms remain elusive. The detection of relevant biomarkers in biological fluids has been anticipated to facilitate early diagnosis and/or prognosis for these tumors. In this context, recent studies have indicated the presence of specific proteins and small RNAs, detectable in circulating plasma and serum, as biomarkers. Interestingly, the interplay between biomarkers (eg, exosomal microRNAs) and autophagic processes could be exploited in the quest for targeted and more effective therapies for OSCC and ESCC. In this review, we give an overview of the available biomarkers and innovative targeted therapeutic strategies, including the application of autophagy modulators in OSCC and ESCC. Additionally, we provide a viewpoint on the state of the art and on future therapeutic perspectives combining the early detection of relevant biomarkers with drug discovery for the treatment of OSCC and ESCC.     

Lymphoproliferative disorders in Sotos syndrome: Observation of two cases

Sotos syndrome is included among the overgrowth disorders, most of which have an increased risk of neoplasms. Sotos syndrome does not appear to be related to a specific tumor type, but rather to the development of solid tumors of ectodermal or mesodermal origin in general. We report on two Sotos syndrome patients who developed a non-Hodgkin lymphoma and an acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, respectively. Our experience suggests that there may exist a high frequency of lymphoproliferative disorders in Sotos syndrome, and points out the importance of a long-term follow-up of Sotos syndrome patients, to detect a possible neoplastic evolution. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Effect of Enamel Pretreatment with Pastes Presenting Different Relative Dentin Abrasivity (RDA) Values on Orthodontic Bracket Bonding Efficacy of Microfilled Composite Resin: In Vitro Investigation and Randomized Clinical Trial

Bonding failure is a clinical issue frequently encountered in orthodontic practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate enamel pretreatment both in vitro and clinically using agents with different RDA values before brackets’ bonding, to assess if RDA can affect the Shear Bond Strength (SBS), Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) and clinical failure rate of orthodontic brackets. For the in vitro study, 220 bovine teeth were pretreated with agents with different RDA values. Subsequently, brackets were bonded. For the clinical study, 20 patients underwent bonding of 20 brackets each with a split-mouth design. Low and high RDA toothpastes were used for enamel pretreatment. SBS, ARI and failures were recorded. Higher SBS values were found for teeth pretreated with lower RDA agents; conversely, lower SBS values were found for teeth pretreated with higher RDA agents (p < 0.05). For high ARI values, RDA increased too (p > 0.05). In the clinical study, a significantly lower failure rate was reported for teeth pretreated with low RDA toothpaste (2.5% in low RDA group, 7.0% in high RDA group; p < 0.05). No significant differences were assessed comparing the two dental arches and anterior and posterior sites. Enamel pretreatment with low RDA toothpastes could increase brackets’ survival rate. Further in vitro and clinical studies would be welcomed to confirm these findings.     

A Reverse Dynamical Investigation of the Catastrophic Wood-Snow Avalanche of 18 January 2017 at Rigopiano,Gran Sasso National Park,Italy

On 18 January 2017 a catastrophic avalanche destroyed the Rigopiano Gran Sasso Resort & Wellness(Rigopiano Hotel) in the Gran Sasso National Park in Italy,with ...     

Interventions on Microbiota: Where Do We Stand on a Gut–Brain Link in Autism? A Systematic Review

The alteration of the microbiota–gut–brain axis has been recently recognized as a critical modulator of neuropsychiatric health and a possible factor in the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This systematic review offers practitioners an overview of the potential therapeutic options to modify dysbiosis, GI symptoms, and ASD severity by modulating the microbiota–gut–brain axis in ASD, taking into consideration limits and benefits from current findings. Comprehensive searches of PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science Core Collection, and EMBASE were performed from 2000 to 2021, crossing terms referred to ASD and treatments acting on the microbiota–gut–brain axis. A total of 1769 publications were identified, of which 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers using a preconstructed form. Despite the encouraging findings, considering the variability of the treatments, the samples size, the duration of treatment, and the tools used to evaluate the outcome of the examined trials, these results are still partial. They do not allow to establish a conclusive beneficial effect of probiotics and other interventions on the symptoms of ASD. In particular, the optimal species, subspecies, and dosages have yet to be identified. Considering the heterogeneity of ASD, double-blind, randomized, controlled trials and treatment tailored to ASD characteristics and host-microbiota are recommended.     

Cell-based assays for the detection of MOG antibodies: a comparative study

Journal of Neurology - The detection of antibodies to myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is fundamental for the identification of MOG antibody-associated disorders (MOGAD), and the...