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Background: Screening significantly reduces mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC). Screen detected (SD) tumors associate with better prognosis, even at later stage, compared to non-screen detected (NSD) tumors. We aimed to evaluate the association between diagnostic modality (SD vs. NSD) and short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for CRC., Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved patients aged 50-69 years, residing in Veneto, Italy, who underwent curative-intent surgery for CRC between 2006 and 2018. The clinical multi-institutional dataset was linked with the screening dataset in order to define diagnostic modality (SD vs. NSD). Short- and long-term outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: Of 1,360 patients included, 464 were SD (34.1%) and 896 NSD (65.9%). Patients with a SD CRC were more likely to have less comorbidities (p = 0.013), lower ASA score (p = 0.001), tumors located in the proximal colon (p = 0.0018) and earlier stage at diagnosis (p < 0.0001). NSD patients were found to have more aggressive disease at diagnosis, higher complication rate and higher readmission rate due to surgical complications (all p < 0.05). NSD patients had a significantly lower Disease Free Survival and Overall Survival (all p < 0.0001), even after adjusting by demographic, clinic-pathological, tumor, and treatment characteristics., Conclusions: SD tumors were associated with better long-term outcomes, even after multiple adjustments. Our results confirm the advantages for the target population to participate in the screening programs and comply with their therapeutic pathways., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Spolverato, Capelli, Battagello, Barina, Nordio, Finotti, Mondi, Da Lio, Morpurgo, Navarro, Ceccato, Perin, Pedrazzani, Turri, Zanus, Campi, Massani, Di Giacomo, Prando, Agresta, Pucciarelli, Zorzi and Rugge.)

The lack of information on the chemistry of higher fungi in Paraguay and the search for new sources of secondary metabolites motivated this chemical study of four wild species of the Ganodermataceae family and the comparison with a commercial species cultivated under laboratory conditions. Qualitative identification of secondary metabolites as well as a quantification of phenolic compounds content and antioxidant potential of ethanolic extracts was carried out of four wild species: Cristataspora flavipora, two specimens of different phylogenetic clades of Ganoderma australe (clade 1 and clade 2), G. martinicense, G. multicornum, and a strain of G. sessile E47. Qualitative chemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenolic compounds, sterols and terpenes. Significant variations were noted in metabolite content and antioxidant potential throughout the studied species. The best biological profiles found were of G. australe clade 1, with a concentration of 96.7 ± 0.362 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) g-1, an antioxidant compound (AC) content of 139.25 ± 0.32 mg g-1 ascorbic acid equivalents (AAE), and an activity percentage of 96.87%, and G. australe clade 2, with a concentration of 92.6 ± 0,350 mg GAE g-1, an AC content of 153.62 ± 3.36 mg g-1 AAE, and an activity percentage of 95.23%.

The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genome encodes six proteins containing a TLDc domain, typical of the eukaryotic OXidation Resistance (OXR) protein family. Expression of sunflower HaOXR2 in Arabidopsis generated plants with increased rosette diameter, higher number of leaves and increased seed production. Maize inbred lines expressing HaOXR2 also showed increased total leaf area per plant. In addition, heterologous expression of HaOXR2 induced an increase in the oxidative stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and maize. Maize transgenic plants expressing HaOXR2 experienced less oxidative damage and exhibited increased photosynthetic performance and efficiency than non-transgenic segregant plants after treatment of leaves with the reactive oxygen species generating compound Paraquat. Expression of HaOXR2 in maize also improved tolerance to waterlogging. The number of expanded leaves, aerial biomass, and stem height and cross-section area were less affected by waterlogging in HaOXR2 expressing plants, which also displayed less aerial tissue damage under these conditions. Transgenic plants also showed an increased production of roots, a typical adaptive stress response. The results show the existence of functional conservation of OXR proteins in dicot and monocot plants and indicate that HaOXR2 could be useful to improve plant performance under conditions that increase oxidative stress., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

HaHB11 is a sunflower transcription factor from the homeodomain-leucine zipper I family. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing HaHB11 had larger rosettes and improved seed yield. In this work maize plants from hybrid HiII were transformed with 35S:HaHB11, ZmUBI:HaHB11 and ProHaHB11:HaHB11 and then backcrossed to B73 to obtain a more homozygous inbred phenotype. Transgene expression levels were stable at least during three generations. Greenhouse-grown HaHB11 transgenic lines had larger leaf area and delayed senescence than controls, together with increased total biomass (up to 25%) and seed yield (up to 28%). Field trials conducted with T2 and T4 generations indicated that enhanced leaf area (up to 18%), stem diameter (up to 28%) and total biomass (up to 40%) as well as delayed leaf senescence were maintained among transgenic individuals when upscaling from pots in the greenhouse to communal plants in the field. The T4 field-grown transgenic generation had increased light interception and radiation use efficiency as well as seed yield (43-47% for events driven by the 35S promoter). Results suggest that HaHB11 is a promising tool for crop improvement because differential traits observed in the Arabidopsis model plant were preserved in a crop like maize independently of growth conditions and backcross level., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The genome of plants is organized into chromatin, affecting the rates of transcription, DNA recombination, and repair. In this work, we have investigated the consequences of reduced expression of some chromatin-remodeling factors and histone acetylation in maize (Zea mays) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) in their participation in DNA repair after ultraviolet (UV)-B irradiation. Plants deficient in NFC102/NFC4 or SDG102/SDG26 showed more damaged DNA than wild-type plants; however, the Arabidopsis chc1 mutant showed similar accumulation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers as wild-type plants, in contrast to the increased DNA damage measured in the maize chc101 RNA interference line. In Arabidopsis, plants deficient in chromatin remodeling are also affected in the accumulation of pigments by UV-B. Plants treated with an inhibitor of histone acetyltransferases, curcumin, previous to the UV-B treatment show deficiencies in DNA repair; in addition, the chromatin remodeling-deficient plants have altered levels of acetylated histones after the UV-B treatment, demonstrating that histone acetylation is important during DNA repair in these two plant species. Arabidopsis mutants ham1 and ham2 also showed increased DNA damage after UV-B, suggesting that the role of these proteins in DNA damage repair has been conserved through evolution. However, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer accumulation was higher in ham1 than in ham2; suggesting that HAM1 has a major role in DNA repair after UV-B. In summary, in this work, we have demonstrated that chromatin remodeling, and histone acetylation in particular, is important during DNA repair by UV-B, demonstrating that both genetic and epigenetic effects control DNA repair in plants.

UV-B radiation from normal solar fluence elicits physiological and developmental changes in plants under fluctuating environmental conditions. Most UV photobiology studies in plants utilize controlled greenhouse and growth chamber environments in which few conditions vary except the brief presence of UV-B radiation. Our purpose was to compare responses to UV-B in irradiated and shielded maize organs in field (natural solar plus 2x solar supplementation for defined periods) and greenhouse (2x solar supplementation only) conditions during a 4 hour exposure. Three parameters were assessed--transcripts, proteins, and metabolites--to determine the degree of overlap in maize responses in field and greenhouse conditions. We assessed irradiated leaves, and both shielded leaves and immature ears. After comparing transcriptome, proteome and metabolome profiles, we find there are more differences than similarities between field and greenhouse responses.

Background: Under normal solar fluence, UV-B damages macromolecules, but it also elicits physiological acclimation and developmental changes in plants. Excess UV-B decreases crop yield. Using a treatment twice solar fluence, we focus on discovering signals produced in UV-B-irradiated maize leaves that translate to systemic changes in shielded leaves and immature ears., Results: Using transcriptome and proteomic profiling, we tracked the kinetics of transcript and protein alterations in exposed and shielded organs over 6 h. In parallel, metabolic profiling identified candidate signaling molecules based on rapid increase in irradiated leaves and increased levels in shielded organs; pathways associated with the synthesis, sequestration, or degradation of some of these potential signal molecules were UV-B-responsive. Exposure of just the top leaf substantially alters the transcriptomes of both irradiated and shielded organs, with greater changes as additional leaves are irradiated. Some phenylpropanoid pathway genes are expressed only in irradiated leaves, reflected in accumulation of pathway sunscreen molecules. Most protein changes detected occur quickly: approximately 92% of the proteins in leaves and 73% in immature ears changed after 4 h UV-B were altered by a 1 h UV-B treatment., Conclusions: There were significant transcriptome, proteomic, and metabolomic changes under all conditions studied in both shielded and irradiated organs. A dramatic decrease in transcript diversity in irradiated and shielded leaves occurs between 0 h and 1 h, demonstrating the susceptibility of plants to short term UV-B spikes as during ozone depletion. Immature maize ears are highly responsive to canopy leaf exposure to UV-B.

The nuclear proteomes of maize (Zea mays) lines that differ in UV-B tolerance were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis after UV light treatment. Differential accumulation of chromatin proteins, particularly histones, constituted the largest class identified by mass spectrometry. UV-B-tolerant landraces and the B73 inbred line show twice as many protein changes as the UV-B-sensitive b, pl W23 inbred line and transgenic maize expressing RNA interference constructs directed against chromatin factors. Mass spectrometic analysis of posttranslational modifications on histone proteins demonstrates that UV-B-tolerant lines exhibit greater acetylation on N-terminal tails of histones H3 and H4 after irradiation. These acetylated histones are enriched in the promoter and transcribed regions of the two UV-B-upregulated genes examined; radiation-sensitive lines lack this enrichment. DNase I and micrococcal nuclease hypersensitivity assays indicate that chromatin adopts looser structures around the selected genes in the UV-B-tolerant samples. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments identified additional chromatin factor changes associated with the nfc102 test gene after UV-B treatment in radiation-tolerant lines. Chromatin remodeling is thus shown to be a key process in acclimation to UV-B, and lines deficient in this process are more sensitive to UV-B.

Background: Excessive production of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is linked to tissue damage and anastomotic leakage after large bowel surgery. Hence, the aim of this study was to verify whether different strategies of fluids administration can reduce MMP-9 expression., Methods: In the in vitro experiment, the authors tested the hypothesis of a direct inhibition of MMP-9 by the fluids used perioperatively, i.e., lactated Ringer's solution, 3.4% poligeline, and hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4. In the in vivo experiment, 36 patients undergoing surgery for colon cancer were randomly assigned to three groups to receive lactated Ringer's solution, poligeline, or hydroxyethyl starch. MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases were measured from venous blood samples; the MMP-9/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases ratio was calculated as an index of equilibrium between the action of MMP-9 and its inhibition., Results: In the in vitro experiment, the presence of hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 in the MMP-9 assay system showed a strong inhibition of the enzymatic activity compared with lactated Ringer's solution. In the in vivo experiment, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases plasma levels did not differ among the three groups at baseline, whereas those levels increased significantly at the end of surgery. At that time, the MMP-9 plasma levels and the MMP-9/tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases ratio were significantly higher in the lactated Ringer's solution and poligeline groups than in the hydroxyethyl starch group. These results were confirmed 72 h after surgery., Conclusions: This study demonstrates that hydroxyethyl starch 130/04 decreases the circulating levels of MMP-9 in patients undergoing abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: In order to identify relevant targets for change, it is essential to know the reliability of incident staff reporting. The aim of this study is to compare the incidence and type of unintended events (UE) reported by facilitated Intensive Care Unit (ICU) staff with those recorded concurrently by an observer. METHODS: The study is a prospective data collection performed in two 4-bed multidisciplinary ICUs of a teaching hospital. The format of the UE reporting system was voluntary, facilitated and not necessarily anonymous, and used a structured form with a predetermined list of items. UEs were reported by ICU staff over a period of 4 weeks. The reporting incidence during the first fourteen days was compared with that during the second fourteen. During morning shifts in the second fourteen days, one observer in each ICU recorded any UE seen. The staff was not aware of the observers' study. The incidence of UEs reported by staff was compared with that recorded by the observers. RESULTS: The staff reported 36 UEs in the first fourteen days and 31 in the second.. The incidence of UE detection during morning shifts was significantly higher than during afternoon or night shifts (p < 0.001). Considering only working day morning shifts, the rate of UE reporting by the staff per 100 patient days was 26.9 (CI 95% 16.9-37.0) in the first fourteen day period and 20.3 (CI 95% 10.3-30.4) in the second. The rate of UE detection by the observers was 53.1 per 100 patient days (CI 95% 40.6-65.6), significantly higher (p < 0.001) than that reported concurrently by the staff. There was excellent agreement between staff and observers about the severity of the UEs recorded (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient 0.869). The observers recorded mainly UEs involving Airway/mechanical ventilation and Patient management, and the staff Catheter/Drain/Probe and Medication errors (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: UE incidence is strongly underreported by staff in comparison with observers. Also the types of UEs reported are different. Invaluable information about incidents in ICU can be obtained in a few days by observer monitoring.

The objective of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of group therapy to produce psychic change in patients with schizophrenia and other related psychosis. The experience took place in a Public Psychiatric Hospital. It involved 96 patients with this condition who entered different groups from 1998 up to the present. During the year 2000, 66 of them were asked to answer a questionnaire especially designed to investigate the changes that they thought they had gone through during this treatment. On one hand, the results show the high valorization of the group appliance, while on the other hand the most valued operational categories were the facilitation of interpersonal links, the valorization of listening and being listened, the recognition of improvement and the recognition of one's own characteristics in the other person. On account of these discoveries, the mechanisms of these group appliances to produce such changes are postulated. In conclusion, group treatment for schizophrenic patients and related psychosis turns out to be useful for producing psychic changes different from those achieved with psychopharmacological agents.

In chronic lithiasis of the salivary glands surgery is the only approach available whenever the stone cannot be removed by dilating or dissecting the salivary duct. The introduction of lithotripsy in the treatment of kidney and gall stones has made it possible to apply this method to salivary gland stones as well. The present study was aimed at evaluating the safety, reliability and effectiveness of lithotripsy in 36 patients with symptomatic parotid gland stones which could not be removed by conservative surgery. Ultrasound revealed the stones which were on the average 4.8 mm. In 147 cases they were located in the intraparenchymal area while the remaining 19 cases were located within the duct. No patient required anesthesia, sedative or analgesic. The average number of sessions per patient was 3.8 and each treatment lasted an average of 30 minutes. After lithotripsy, in all 10 of the patients who had completed the treatment, the stone was either totally eliminated or reduced enough to allow for spontaneous elimination. The side effects found in 9 of the patients were minor pain (2 patients), a transitory duct hemorrhage (6 patients) and skin petechia (4 patients). No damage to the salivary glands or adjacent anatomical structures was revealed upon treatment or later during the 10 month average follow up (range 1-22 months). Extracorporeal lithotripsy is a safe, effective, non-invasive alternative therapeutic option for the treatment of parotid sialolithiasis.

This paper provides an update on the contents and structure, forms and mode of data distribution of the Molecular Probe Data Base (MPDB), a database that collects and provides on-line information on the sequence, target gene, applications and bibliographic references of synthetic oligonucleotides. The recent data extension and the new means of accessing the database are discussed.

Loss of hearing due to chronic noise exposition is a well-known pathology and many nations have regulations for the protection of workers with periodical audiometry and ONT check-ups. For the last 15 years, the authors have followed state railway workers of the Milan area who were professionally exposed to noise. All were periodically examined by ONT specialists and submitted to audiometry. The findings underscore the importance of these periodical examinations and their efficacy for the prevention of hearing loss due to noise.

The Authors report two cases of cysto-hepatic ducts. Clinical and therapeutic patterns of this rare biliary disease are stressed, underlining the surgical hazard related to iatrogenic damage of bile ducts during operative manoeuvres.

Stress is laid on certain principles of diagnostic research in the event of extra-suprarenal pheochromocytomas. The importance of CT is recalled, specifying the usefulness of complementary examinations such as selective venous catheterism and above all of scintigraphy with 131I MIBG.

The equation for membrane potential (V) of the squid giant axon or some muscle cells, which is the heart of the Hodgkin-Huxley model for the action potential, can be written in three ways: first, as a partial differential equation in time and space; second, as an ordinary differential equation in time, assuming uniform wave propagation for the action potential, and third, as an even simpler ordinary differential equation for the potential at a point, so-called "space clamp" conditions. Solutions were computed for the first two of these equations, at three different temperatures, and the results compared. Temperature dependence of the appropriate parameters was calculated from a simple exponential relationship. Significant changes in the quantitative predictions of the model were found as the temperature was changed from 6.3 C to 18.5 C. Phase-plane (V v V, I v V) analysis has been used to examine the nature of these differences.

The action potential digitalized and stored by means of a fast solid state electronic waveform recording system (Digitalizer) can be directly read out on a printer or in a computer for further processing. It has been designed a digital interface allowing the automatization of these bioelectrical data acquisition and printing process.