Relationship between MUC5AC and altered expression of MLH1 protein in mucinous and non-mucinous colorectal carcinomas

The main purpose of this study was to examine the expression of mucins and mismatch repair proteins in colorectal carcinomas. The immunohistochemical distribution of apomucins MUC2, MUC5AC, and the expression of MLH1 and MSH2 proteins were examined in 76 mucinous and 60 non-mucinous colorectal carcinomas. MUC2 was noted in all mucinous carcinomas, whereas MUC5AC was present in 41 cases only (54%). In non-mucinous carcinomas, MUC2 was expressed in 61.7% of the tumors; by contrast, MUC5AC was present in 20% of the cases. The expression level of apomucins was significantly different in mucinous and non-mucinous lesions (p<0.001). Twenty-seven (35.5%) of the mucinous carcinomas showed no MLH1 expression, whereas 11 (18.3%) of the non-mucinous tumors did. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.005). Altered expression of MSH2 protein was never observed. The lack of MLH1 expression was considerably more frequent in carcinomas with secretion of MUC5AC (p<0.005). Our study has demonstrated this close relationship by immunohistochemical methods. In summary, our data show: (1) differences in the expression of mucins between mucinous and non-mucinous tumors; (2) a high frequency of altered MLH1 protein expression (35.5%) in mucinous carcinomas; (3) a significant relationship between the presence of MUC5AC and the altered expression of MLH1 protein in colorectal carcinomas.     

Changes in bone turnover during tibolone treatment

OBJECTIVES: An open study was carried out to evaluate changes in bone remodeling markers such as N-telopeptide (NTx), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), total alkaline phosphatase (TAP), and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP) during a 1-year continuous tibolone treatment in postmenopausal women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-six postmenopausal women were recruited for receiving tibolone 2.5 mg per day for 1 year. Densitometry and determination of biochemical markers of bone metabolism in serum and urine were performed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Comparing baseline with 12 month's values, BAP and all resorption markers decreased significantly. NTx began to decrease since the initiation of the treatment (baseline: 74.4 +/- 5.3; 1 month: 57.5 +/- 4.2; 12 months: 36.6 +/- 2.8). BAP increased at the first month (baseline: 37.3 +/- 2.1; 1 month: 42.6 +/- 3.0) but diminished in the following months (12 months: 23.1 +/- 1.5). TAP started to decrease significantly only after 6 months of treatment (baseline: 37.3 +/- 2.1; 12 months: 31.4 +/- 2.3) and TRAP after 3 months (baseline: 9.8 +/- 0.4; 6 months: 9.1 +/- 0.5; 12 months: 8.2 +/- 0.4). Normal bone mineral density at distal and ultradistal forearm was maintained during the 1-year treatment (baseline: 0.42 +/- 0.01; 12 months: 0.42 +/- 0.01 and baseline: 0.33 +/- 0.01; 12 months: 0.33 +/- 0.01, respectively). CONCLUSION: The use of tibolone 2.5 mg per day diminished progressively and significantly bone resorption and formation markers during 1-year treatment period.     

Lectin histochemistry on the dorsal epidermis of the Breton dog

Expression of sugar residues and the nature of oligosaccharide linkage during keratinocyte maturation in the epidermis of the Breton dog were studied with the use of lectin histochemistry. Thirteen lectins were used. Labelling was not observed with GSA I-B4, GSA II, UEA-I, and LTA. The cytoplasm of keratinocytes reacted with PNA, HPA, Con A, and WGA from the basal layer to the granular layer. PNA and Con A showed highest reactivity in the granular cell layer. The cell surface showed increased reactivity with PNA, HPA, and WGA with maturation of keratinocytes. KOH-neuraminidase treatment (KOH-Neu) increased PNA and RCA120 staining during keratinocyte differentiation thus indicating an increase in oligosaccharides terminating with sialic acid-Galbeta(1,3)GalNAc and sialic acid-Galbeta(1,4)GlcNAc, respectively. Labelling of the glycocalyx of basal and spinous keratinocytes with SNA and MAA revealed terminal Neu5acalpha(2,6)Gal/GalNAc and Neu5acalpha(2,3)Galbeta(1,4)GlcNAc. KOH-Neu-DBA showed oligosaccharides terminating with sialic acid-GalNAcalpha(1,3)GalNAc in the spinous and granular layers. A selective glycocalyx labelling of granular keratinocytes was observed with DBA and SBA. Reactions with MAA, PNA, DBA, RCA120, SBA, HPA, and WGA disappeared after the beta-elimination reaction. Our findings indicate that Breton dog epidermis contains more O-linked than N-linked oligosaccharides and confirm that different subpopulations of keratinocytes can be distinguished by lectin histochemistry.     

Platelet subpopulations in adult and geriatric males

In this study, the authors wanted to investigate the volume, density, and percentage of three platelet subpopulations present in adult and geriatric males. Ninety subjects, between the ages of 20 and 40, were chosen for the adult group and 50 subjects, all older than age 70, were used for the geriatric group. The platelet subpopulations were separated with discontinuous gradients of Percoll. The results obtained from the three platelet subpopulations--low, intermediate, and high density--show different volumes and percentages in both the groups studied. From the information that larger platelets can be expected to have a longer life span, it was possible to hypothesize that platelets found in geriatric males have a reduced average life span. It is also clear that platelets exist that have similar volumes but different densities.     

Vitamin D Status in Adolescents during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study

Vitamin D has been claimed to be effective in the response to infections, including the respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is supposed that lockdown measures and fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection might reduce vitamin D levels through the modification of lifestyle. However, very few data exist on the association between lockdown measures and vitamin D status in humans. For this cross-sectional comparative study, adolescents (n = 298) aged 18 to 19 years were enrolled during the compulsory military fitness-for-duty evaluation between July and December 2020 in Southern Switzerland. Beyond anthropometric measurements, participants filled in a structured questionnaire about their lifestyle and a blood specimen was sampled for the determination of total 25-hydroxy-vitamin D. The obtained data were compared with those of 437 adolescents enrolled at the military fitness-for-duty evaluation during the same period of the year in the context of the CENERI study (2014–2016). The anthropometric measures were similar between the two study groups. The levels of vitamin D were also comparable (77 (64–91) vs. 74 (60–92) nmol/L, p = 0.50; median and interquartile range). A total of 38 (13%) and 43 (9.8%) subjects presented insufficient (<50 nmol/L) levels of vitamin D (p = 0.42) during the current pandemic and in the CENERI study, respectively. These data do not support the hypothesis that during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, late adolescents are at higher risk of vitamin insufficiency.     

Mechanically Supported Early Graft Failure After Heart Transplantation

BackgroundThe occurrence of early graft failure (EGF) after heart transplantation (Htx) often requires a mechanical circulatory support (MCS) therapy. The aims of our study were to identify risk factors of mechanically supported severe EGF and evaluate their impact on both early and late outcomes.MethodsBetween January 2000 and December 2019, 499 consecutive adult patients underwent Htx at our institution. Severe EGF was defined as the need for extracorporeal life support (ECLS) within 24 hours after surgery. All available recipient and donor variables were retrospectively analyzed.ResultsOverall, EGF occurred in 58 (11.6%) patients. Post-Htx peripheral or central ECLS was necessary in 32 (6.4%) cases. Independent predictors of severe EGF were, in the recipient group, preoperative transpulmonary gradient (TPG) >12 mm Hg (odds ratio [OR] 4.1, P = .013), preoperative inotropic score >10 (OR 7.3, P = .0001), and pre-Htx ECLS support (OR 5.2, P = .015), while in the donors, a Eurotransplant donor score ≥17 (OR 8.5, P = .005). The absence of EGF was related with a better survival at 1 year and 5 years (94% and 85%, respectively) compared with EGF requiring ECLS population (36% and 28% at 1 year and 5 years, respectively; P < .001). A five-year conditional survival rate did not differ significantly (85% no EGF vs 83% EGF requiring ECLS).ConclusionBoth donor and recipient factors may influence EGF occurrence. Post-Htx ECLS may impact negatively early; however, patients weaned from ECLS eventually benefit from such a rescue treatment with outcomes comparable with Htx patients who did not suffer EGF.     

The association between social isolation and musculoskeletal health in older community-dwelling adults: findings from the Hertfordshire Cohort Study

Quality of Life Research - Social isolation has been associated with both physical and psychological adverse outcomes and is prevalent in older adults. We investigated the impact of social...     

Association between food patterns and difficulties in falling asleep among adolescents in Norway — a descriptive Young-Hunt3 study

Journal of Public Health - Adolescents’ sleep duration has decreased over the past century; this is mainly caused by problems with falling asleep. Short sleep duration, poor sleep quality,...     

The arterial blood supply of the pancreas: a review III. The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery

Summary This article is the third part of a comprehensive review on the pancreatic arterial blood supply and deals with the inferior pancreaticoducdenal a. The aim of this review is to summarise the anatomical studies, starting from Haller's reports, and to supply as far as possible, with original material, angiographic evidences for the classic anatomical notions. For this purpose, the overall research was carried out by picking out and studying 1015 selective angiographies (celiac trunk and its branches, superior mesenteric a.) taken from the angiographic archives of the Institutes of Radiology of Siena, Rome (Catholic University), and Perugia. Angiographically, the authors observed the inferior pancreaticoduodenal a., present in most instances, as arising from the superior mesenteric a., from the right accessory hepatic a., or from a common trunk with the first or the first two jejunal aa. Some variations of the course have been shown. The authors underline and discuss the discordant opinions still existing regarding the incidence of the different ways the inferior pancreaticoduodenal a. arises and the surgical importance of the variation of origin of this artery.

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La vascularisation artérielle du pancréas : une mise au point. III. L'artère pancréatico-duodénale inférieure

Résumé Cet article est la troisième partie d'une étude détaillée de la vascularisation artérielle du pancréas et traite de l'a. pancréatico-duodénale inférieure. Le but de ce travail est de résumer les études anatomiques, depuis la publication de Haller, et de fournir autant qu'il est possible, avec un matériel original, les preuves angiographiques des notions anatomiques classiques. Pour cela, la recherche complète a été menée sur le choix et l'ðude de 1015 angiographies sélectives (tronc coeliaque et ses branches, a. mésentérique supérieure) tirées des archives angiographiques des instituts de radiologie de Sienne, Rome (université catholique) et Pérouse. Sur les angiographies les auteurs ont observé l'a. pancréatico-duodénale inférieure, présente dans la plupart des cas, naissant de l'a. mésentérique supérieure, de l'a. hépatique droite accessoire, ou d'un tronc commun avec la première ou les deux premières aa. jéjunales. Quelques variantes ont été montrées dans son trajet. Les auteurs soulignent et discutent les opinions encore divergentes sur la fréquence des différentes origines de l'a. pancréatico-duodénale inférieure et sur leur importance chirurgicale.