PURPOSE: Triple-negative breast cancer, has a significant clinical relevance being associated with a shorter median time to relapse and death and does not respond to endocrine therapy or other available targeted agents. For this reason, identifying the molecular pathways associated with increased aggressiveness, for example the presence of stem cell populations within the tumor and alteration of genes associated with cell cycle regulation represents an important objective in the clinical research into this neoplasm. METHODS: To investigate the role of cell cycle progression inhibitor Geminin in triple-negative breast cancers and its potential correlation with stem-like phenotype of this neoplasm, we used tissue microarray technology to build a specific triple-negative breast cancer tissue micro-array. Geminin and cancer stem cell marker CD133 expression was further investigated at the mRNA level for selected breast tumor samples through realtime polymerase chain reaction quantification. RESULTS: Our results showed that CD133 expression was significantly associated to high Geminin expression (p=0.017), a strong association between Ki-67 and tumor grade (p=0.020) and an inverse association between Geminin expression and lymphonode metastases (p=0.058), and a trend of statistically significance between Geminin marker expression and survival of triple-negative breast cancer patients (p=0.076). CONCLUSION: The strong association between the expression of CD133 and Geminin could be useful in molecular stratification of breast tumors and in particular of triple-negative breast cancers.
Antigens, CD ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Cell Cycle ; Glycoproteins ; Humans ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Stem Cells ; Peptides ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Recurrence ; RNA, Messenger ; Stem Cells

Endovascular thrombectomy is the standard treatment in selected patients with acute ischemic stroke and large vessel occlusion, but continuous improvement in angiographic and clinical outcome is still needed. Intra-arterial thrombolysis has been tested as a possible rescue tool in unsuccessful thrombectomy, or as an adjuvant therapy after the endovascular procedure, to pursue complete recanalization. Here we present a case series analysis of intra-arterial alteplase administration (5 mg bolus, repeated up to 15 mg if Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) scale ≥2c is not achieved) in 15 consecutive anterior circulation stroke patients after unsuccessful thrombectomy, defined as TICI score ≤2b after at least 3 passes or if unsuitable for further endovascular attempts, with the aim of improving recanalization. An improvement of final TICI score was achieved in 10 of 15 patients (66.7%). TICI score ≥2c was achieved after 5 mg intra-arterial tissue plasminogen activator (iaTPA) in 4 patients, and after 10 mg iaTPA in 5 cases. Six of 15 patients received 15 mg iaTPA: 1 of 6 showed angiographical improvement. A major effect of intra-arterial alteplase was observed for distally migrated emboli. None of the patients experienced any symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation or other major bleeding. Our report shows, in a very small cohort, a high rate of final TICI score improvement, encouraging the development of randomized controlled trials of rescue intra-arterial thrombolysis in patients with suboptimal angiographic results after mechanical thrombectomy.

PURPOSE: Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely used for 3-dimensional assessments of cranio-maxillofacial relationships, especially in patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. We have introduced, for reference in CBCT cephalometry, an anatomical mid-sagittal plane (MSP) identified by the nasion, the midpoint between the posterior clinoid processes of the sella turcica, and the basion. The MSP is an updated version of the median plane previously used at our institution for 2D posterior-anterior cephalometry. This study was conducted to test the accuracy of the CBCT measures compared to those obtained using standard posterior-anterior cephalometry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two operators measured the inter-zygomatic distance on 15 CBCT scans using the MSP as a reference plane, and the CBCT measurements were compared with measurements made on patients' posterior-anterior cephalograms. The statistical analysis evaluated the absolute and percentage differences between the 3D and 2D measurements. RESULTS: As demonstrated by the absolute mean difference (roughly 1 mm) and the percentage difference (less than 3%), the MSP showed good accuracy on CBCT compared to the 2D plane, especially for measurements of the left side. However, the CBCT measurements showed a high standard deviation, indicating major variability and low precision. CONCLUSION: The anatomical MSP can be used as a reliable reference plane for transverse measurements in 3D cephalometry in cases of symmetrical or asymmetrical malocclusion. In patients who suffer from distortions of the skull base, the identification of landmarks might be difficult and the MSP could be unreliable. Becoming familiar with the relevant software could reduce errors and improve reliability.
Cephalometry ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Dimensional Measurement Accuracy ; Humans ; Malocclusion ; Orthognathic Surgery ; Sella Turcica ; Skull Base

This study investigated the correlation between oxidative stress status and key canine sperm parameters and the effect of addition of a superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) combination in egg yolk tris-citrate glucose (EYT-G) extender on semen during 10 days of storage at 4℃. Ten Boxer dogs were divided into two groups, fertile (F) and hypofertile (H), depending on pregnancy and live birth rate status in the previous year. Semen evaluation was performed on the day of collection (D0) and after 5 (D5) and 10 (D10) days of cooled storage. Sperm motility, kinetic parameters, and DNA integrity were assessed. A correlation between oxidative status and key semen parameters in both F and H groups was observed. Total and progressive motilities were significantly higher in the treated (SOD, CAT, and GPx addition) versus control groups at D10 in both F and H groups, and at D5 in the H group. DNA integrity was significantly higher in both treated groups (H and F) at D5 and D10. In conclusion, the addition of SOD, CAT, and GPx in the extender allows preservation of semen quality for up to 10 days of storage at 4℃ in both fertile and hypofertile dogs.
Animals ; Antioxidants ; Catalase ; Cats ; DNA ; Dogs ; Egg Yolk ; Fertility ; Glucose ; Glutathione Peroxidase ; Glutathione ; Live Birth ; Oxidative Stress ; Pregnancy ; Semen Analysis ; Semen Preservation ; Semen ; Sperm Motility ; Spermatozoa ; Superoxide Dismutase ; Superoxides