Dichloroacetate,a selective mitochondria-targeting drug for oral squamous cell carcinoma: a metabolic perspective of treatment

Reprogramming of metabolism is a well-established property of cancer cells that is receiving growing attention as potential therapeutic target. Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are aggressive and drugs-resistant human tumours displaying wide metabolic heterogeneity depending on their malignant genotype and stage of development. Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a specific inhibitor of the PDH-regulator PDK proved to foster mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate. In this study we tested comparatively the effects of DCA on three different OSCC-derived cell lines, HSC-2, HSC-3, PE15. Characterization of the three cell lines unveiled for HSC-2 and HSC-3 a glycolysis-reliant metabolism whereas PE15 accomplished an efficient mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. DCA treatment of the three OSCC cell lines, at pharmacological concentrations, resulted in stimulation of the respiratory activity and caused a remarkably distinctive pro-apoptotic/cytostatic effect on HSC-2 and HSC-3. This was accompanied with a large remodeling of the mitochondrial network, never documented before, leading to organelle fragmentation and with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. The data here presented indicate that the therapeutic efficacy of DCA may depend on the specific metabolic profile adopted by the cancer cells with those exhibiting a deficient mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation resulting more sensitive to the drug treatment.     

Radiofrequency ablation for non-spinal osteoid osteomas in 557 patients

Objectives  

To present the results of biopsy and computed tomography (CT) guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for non-spinal osteoid osteomas, and compare the results before and after procedural modifications.     

Is the Exhaled Breath Temperature Sensitive to Cigarette Smoking?

The smoking habit is accompanied by an acute inflammatory response which follows tissue injury. It would be desirable to find a non-invasive inflammatory marker that would simplify the task of studying and monitoring smokers more simply and allow us to identify populations at risk of contracting Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Today's expectations regarding research focus on issues ranging from inflammatory markers to those of exhaled breath temperature (EBT) are considerable. That said, although the EBT has been largely studied in asthma and COPD, there have not been any studies thus far that have analysed the effect of cigarette smoking on the EBT.

?Bearing this in mind, in this longitudinal study we aim to analyse the EBT in current smokers, monitor the effects both of cigarette smoking on EBT and of what happens after smoking cessation. Twenty-five (25) Turato G, Di Stefano A, Maestrelli P, Mapp CE, Ruggieri MP, Roggeri A, et al. Effect of smoking cessation on airway inflammation in chronic bronchitis. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1995; 152(4 Pt1):1262–1267.[Crossref], [PubMed], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar] smokers (59.5 ± 3.1 yrs, 12 M) who participated in a multi-disciplinary smoking cessation programme and 25 healthy never-smokers (58.7 ± 2.9, 13 M) underwent EBT measurement. EBT values were higher in smokers before smoking (T0) than in never-smokers [34.6 (34.2–35) vs 33.2 (32.4–33.7)°C, p < 0.001. The smokers repeated measurement 5 minutes after smoking a cigarette (T1) and 2 hours after (T2). They repeated EBC measurement after 1 week (T3) and then after 3 months (T4) from smoking cessation. EBT is higher in smokers compared to controls. EBT increases after cigarette smoking and progressively decreases with the increase of time from when the last cigarette was smoked.

?Thus, we can conclude that EBT is increased in smokers and also sensitive to the acute effect of cigarette smoke.     

A mathematical formula to estimate in vivo thyroid volume from two-dimensional ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The determination of thyroid volume (TV) is required for the management of thyroid diseases. Since two-dimensional ultrasonography (2D-US) has become the accepted method for the assessment of TV (2D-US-TV), we verified whether it accurately assesses postsurgical measured TV (PS-TV). METHODS: In 92 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy by conventional cervicotomy, 2D-US-TV obtained by the ellipsoid volume formula was compared to PS-TV, determined by the Archimedes' principle. RESULTS: Mean 2D-US-TV (23.9 +/- 14.8 mL) was significantly lower than mean PS-TV (33.4 +/- 20.1 mL). Underestimation was observed in 77% of cases, and it was related to gland multinodularity and/or nodular involvement of the isthmus, while 2D-US-TV matched the PS-TV in the remaining 21 cases (23%). A mathematical formula, to estimate PS-TV from US-TV, was derived using a linear model (Calculated-TV = [1.24 x 2D-US-TV]+ 3.66). Calculated-TV (mean value 33.4 +/- 18.3 mL) significantly (p < 0.01) increased from 21 (23%) to 31 (34%) of the cases that matched PS-TV. In addition, it significantly (p < 0.01) decreased from 77% to 27% the percentage of cases where PS-TV was underestimated as well as the range of the disagreement from 245% to 92%. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that 2D-US does not provide an accurate estimation of TV and suggests that it can be improved by a mathematical model different from the ellipsoid model. If confirmed in prospective studies, this may contribute to a more appropriate management of thyroid diseases.     

Prevalence of virulent Helicobacter pylori strains in patients affected by idiopathic dysrhythmias

Helicobacter pylori virulent strains have been shown to affect cardiovascular diseases through molecular mimicry mechanisms. Silent autoimmune myocarditis has been hypothesized to be the cause of idiopathic dysrhythmias (IA). The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of virulent H. pylori strains in patients affected by IA. In this study,54 patients (40 men, mean age 44 ± 17 years) affected by IA and 50 healthy subjects (34 men, mean age 45 ± 9) were evaluated. IA, defined as dysrhythmias with no evidence of other cardiac pathology, were either supraventricular (SVA, 23 patients; mean age 45 ± 15 years) or ventricular (VA, 31 patients; mean age 42 ± 18 years). H. pylori infection and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms were evaluated. H. pylori strains expressing the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) and the vacuolating-cytotoxin A (vacA) were also assessed through western blot. The prevalence of H. pylori is similar in IA patients and in controls (42 vs. 44%; p > 0.05); H. pylori infection is observed in 48 and 39% of the patients are affected by SVA and VA, respectively. The prevalence of CagA-positive strains is increased in IA patients compared to controls (65 vs. 42%; p < 0.01); similarly, the prevalence of VacA-positive strains is also increased in IA patients (74 vs. 46%; p < 0.006). Excluding belching, infected patients did not show any difference in GI symptoms, when compared to non-infected subjects. From this study it is concluded that there is an epidemiological link between CagA and VacA-positive H. pylori strains in IA patients.     

Imaging modalities for evaluation of the spine

The spine can be evaluated by a number of different imaging modalities. Although magnetic resonance imaging has assumed the dominant role in the diagnosis of spinal disease, the individual clinical situation still determines the procedure of choice. This review discusses the different imaging techniques and their currently accepted indications.     

Complications of pelvic resections

The authors report on complications that occurred with 63 pelvic resections. There were 43 complications: 13 infections, seven cases of nerve palsy, 12 cases of vascular or visceral damage, six mechanical and five aesthetic complications. Infection and vascular and visceral damage were more frequent in anterior arch resections, neurological damage in iliac wing resections, and mechanical complications in periacetabular resections. The treatment and outcome of the complications are reported.