Tick-borne encephalitis was limited to northeast portions of Italy. We report in Lombardy, a populous region in the northwest, a chamois displaying clinical signs of tickborne encephalitis virus that ...had multiple virus-positive ticks attached, as well as a symptomatic man. Further, we show serologic evidence of viral circulation in the area.
A diarrheic young cat died after neurological involvement. Biochemistry pointed to feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The final diagnosis was severe multifocal meningoencephalitis due to
The ...presence of the parasite in the brain was confirmed using immunohistochemical staining. Concomitant feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and FIP were possible contributors to the clinical, fatal outcome.
Rabbit endogenous lentivirus type K (RELIK) was discovered in the genome of the European rabbit (
Oryctolagus cuniculus
). In our study, we present three complete genome sequences of RELIK viruses ...generated using a target amplification approach performed on the RNA of commercial rabbits from Italy.
ABSTRACT
Rabbit endogenous lentivirus type K (RELIK) was discovered in the genome of the European rabbit (
Oryctolagus cuniculus
). In our study, we present three complete genome sequences of RELIK viruses generated using a target amplification approach performed on the RNA of commercial rabbits from Italy.
Using a metagenomics approach, we were able to determine for the first time the full-genome sequence of a psittacine adenovirus 1 isolate that was recovered from the liver of a dead Senegal parrot ...(Poicephalus senegalus) in Italy. The results of the phylogenetic investigations revealed the existence of high genetic diversity among adenoviruses circulating in psittacine birds.
Prompt coronary catheterization and revascularization have markedly improved the outcomes of myocardial infarction, but have also resulted in a growing number of surviving patients with permanent ...structural damage of the heart, which frequently leads to heart failure. There is an unmet clinical need for treatments for this condition
, particularly given the inability of cardiomyocytes to replicate and thereby regenerate the lost contractile tissue
. Here we show that expression of human microRNA-199a in infarcted pig hearts can stimulate cardiac repair. One month after myocardial infarction and delivery of this microRNA through an adeno-associated viral vector, treated animals showed marked improvements in both global and regional contractility, increased muscle mass and reduced scar size. These functional and morphological findings correlated with cardiomyocyte de-differentiation and proliferation. However, subsequent persistent and uncontrolled expression of the microRNA resulted in sudden arrhythmic death of most of the treated pigs. Such events were concurrent with myocardial infiltration of proliferating cells displaying a poorly differentiated myoblastic phenotype. These results show that achieving cardiac repair through the stimulation of endogenous cardiomyocyte proliferation is attainable in large mammals, however dosage of this therapy needs to be tightly controlled.
Background The aim of the study was to assess the accuracy of imaging techniques in predicting pathologic tumor (ypT), node (ypN) stages and the circumferential resection margin (ypCRM) status of ...rectal cancers after preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Methods Using pelvic computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and endorectal ultrasound (ERUS), 90 consecutive patients with locally advanced mid-to-low rectal cancer were prospectively assessed. Postirradiation T and N stages and infiltration of the CRM, as assessed by CT, MRI and ERUS, were compared with histopathologic findings. Results The accuracy of ypT staging was low, whatever the imaging technique used (37% by CT, 34% by MRI, and 27% by ERUS), the most frequent inaccuracy being overstaging. Imaging showed a good specificity and good negative predictive values (NPV) when mural staging was grouped into ypT ≤3 and ypT4 categories; in particular, ERUS achieved a 92% specificity and 95% NPV. CRM involvement was correctly predicted in 71% of patients by CT (74% specificity; 93% NPV) and in 85% by MRI (88% specificity; 95% NPV). The accuracy for nodal staging was 62%, 68%, and 65% by CT, MRI and ERUS, respectively; the corresponding NPV were 88%, 78%, and 76%. Conclusion Current imaging techniques are inaccurate in restaging rectal cancer after CRT but are useful in predicting T ≤3 tumors, cases with negative nodes and tumor-free CRM. These findings may be of clinical relevance for planning less invasive surgery.
Abstract
Background
Hypovitaminosis D is common in the Italian population and has a comparable effect to diabetes mellitus on survival after an acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We aimed to evaluate ...if the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D changed over time, considering also frequent lockdowns in the last years due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods
According to the year of enrollment, we divided our cohort of 1042 patients hospitalized for AMI, into three groups (group 1 with 368 patients enrolled from 2014 till 2016, group 2 with 470 patients enrolled in the period from 2017 till 2019, and group 3 including 204 patients enrolled in the last three years, from 2020 till 2022) and evaluate whether the concentration of vitamin D changed in the last decade.
Results
The median concentration of vitamin D in our cohort of patients with AMI was 18.2 (11.48-25.73) ng/ml). Throughout the three groups (2014-2016, 2017-2019, 2020-2022), the median plasma vitamin D showed a trend toward an increase (17.3 (10.33–24.2) ng/ml, 18.95 (11.6–26.73) ng/ml, and 19.05 (12.5–27.3) ng/ml respectively), which was significant between the group 1 vs 2 and 3 (p = 0.033 and p = 0.004, respectively), while between the group 2 and 3 did not. Despite the trend of increase, the percentage of patients with hypovitaminosis D in each group remained high (61.4%, 53.8% and 52.0% respectively). As expected, samples taken between May and September have significantly higher vitamin D values compared to ones taken from October to April for each group (the group 1: 21.80 (15.55–31.23) ng/ml vs 15.8 (9.22–23.98) ng/ml, p < 0.0001; the group 2: 22.05 (14.10–30.98) ng/ml vs 16.50 (11.03–23.90) ng/ml, p < 0.0001); the group 3: 20.00 (11.90–26.90) ng/ml vs 16.30 (9.75–22.30) ng/ml, p = 0.001).
Conclusions
There has been a trend of increasing vitamin D values over the years, but hypovitaminosis D remains frequent. During the pandemic, vitamin D levels did not decrease due to frequent lockdowns, possibly due to media awareness that emphasized the significance of vitamin D administration against viral infection.
Chorionic stem cells represent a promising opportunity for regenerative medicine. A deeper understanding of the stimuli that regulate their physiology, could lead to innovative clinical approaches. ...We revealed the presence of multiple sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptor isoforms in chorion-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CMSCs). Their activation simultaneously propagated from the plasma membrane through Gi and other heterotrimeric G proteins and further diverged toward extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 and protein kinase D 1. At a functional level, S1P signaling inhibited CMSC migration, while promoting proliferation. Instead, a reduction of cell density was obtained when S1P was combined to treatments that increased cAMP intracellular concentration. Such surprising reduction of cell viability was relatively specific as it was not observed with stromal stem cells from bone marrow. Neither it was observed by activating analogous G proteins with bradykinin nor by inducing cell death via a cAMP-independent pathway. S1P could thus reveal novel keys to improve CMSC differentiation programs acting on cAMP concentration. Furthermore, S1P receptor agonists/antagonists could become instrumental in favoring CMSC engraftment by controlling cell motility.
Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a deadly disease. Identifying locally advanced CRC patients with high risk of developing metastasis and improving outcome of metastatic CRC patients require ...discovering master regulators of metastasis. In this context, the non-coding part of the human genome is still largely unexplored.
To interrogate the non-coding part of the human genome and disclose regulators of CRC metastasis, we combined a transposon-based forward genetic screen with a novel in vitro assay, which forces cells to grow deprived of cell-substrate and cell-cell contacts (i.e. forced single cell suspension assay - fSCS).
We proved that fSCS selects CRC cells with mesenchymal and pro-metastatic traits. Moreover, we found that the transposon insertions conferred CRC cells resistance to fSCS and thus metastatic advantage. Among the retrieved transposon insertions, we demonstrated that the one located in the 3′UTR of BTBD7 disrupts miR-23b::BTBD7 interaction and contributes to pro-metastatic traits. In addition, miR-23b and BTBD7 correlate with CRC metastasis both in preclinical experiments and in clinical samples.
fSCS is a simple and scalable in vitro assay to investigate pro-metastatic traits and transposon-based genetic screens can interrogate the non-coding part of the human genome (e.g. miRNA::target interactions). Finally, both Btbd7 and miR-23b represent promising prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CRC.
This work was supported by Marie Curie Actions (CIG n. 303877) and Friuli Venezia Giulia region (Grant Agreement n°245574), Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC, MFAG n°13589), Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2010-2319387 and PE-2016-02361040) and 5x1000 to CRO Aviano.
Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a deadly disease. Identifying locally advanced CRC patients with high risk of developing metastasis and improving outcome of metastatic CRC ...patients require discovering master regulators of metastasis. In this context, the non-coding part of the human genome is still largely unexplored. Methods: To interrogate the non-coding part of the human genome and disclose regulators of CRC metastasis, we combined a transposon-based forward genetic screen with a novel in vitro assay, which forces cells to grow deprived of cell-substrate and cell-cell contacts (i.e. forced single cell suspension assay - fSCS). Findings: We proved that fSCS selects CRC cells with mesenchymal and pro-metastatic traits. Moreover, we found that the transposon insertions conferred CRC cells resistance to fSCS and thus metastatic advantage. Among the retrieved transposon insertions, we demonstrated that the one located in the 3′UTR of BTBD7 disrupts miR-23b::BTBD7 interaction and contributes to pro-metastatic traits. In addition, miR-23b and BTBD7 correlate with CRC metastasis both in preclinical experiments and in clinical samples. Interpretation: fSCS is a simple and scalable in vitro assay to investigate pro-metastatic traits and transposon-based genetic screens can interrogate the non-coding part of the human genome (e.g. miRNA::target interactions). Finally, both Btbd7 and miR-23b represent promising prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in CRC. Fund: This work was supported by Marie Curie Actions (CIG n. 303877) and Friuli Venezia Giulia region (Grant Agreement n°245574), Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC, MFAG n°13589), Italian Ministry of Health (GR-2010-2319387 and PE-2016-02361040) and 5x1000 to CRO Aviano. Keywords: spleeping beauty, DNA transposons, microRNA target, Colorectal cancer metastasis
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