Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza

About: Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza is a healthcare organization based out in San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 2234 authors who have published 6183 publications receiving 239811 citations. The organization is also known as: Home for Relief of the Suffering.

Clock Gene Expression Levels and Relationship With Clinical and Pathological Features in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Abstract: The clock gene machinery controls cellular metabolism, proliferation, and key functions, such as DNA damage recognition and repair. Dysfunction of the circadian clock is involved in tumorigenesis, and altered expression of some clock genes has been found in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression levels of core clock genes in colorectal cancer (CRC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to examine ARNTL1, CLOCK, PER1, PER2, PER3, CRY1, CRY2, Timeless (TIM), TIPIN, and CSNK1? expression levels in the tumor tissue and matched apparently healthy mucosa of CRC patients. In the tumor tissue of CRC patients, compared to their matched healthy mucosa, expression levels of ARNTL1 (p=.002), PER1 (p=.002), PER2 (p=.011), PER3 (p=.003), and CRY2 (p=.012) were lower, whereas the expression level of TIM (p=.044) was higher. No significant difference was observed in the expression levels of CLOCK (p=.778), CRY1 (p=.600), CSNK1 (p=.903), and TIPIN (p=.136). As to the clinical and pathological features, a significant association was found between low CRY1 expression levels in tumor mucosa and age (p=.026), and female sex (p=.005), whereas high CRY1 expression levels in tumor mucosa were associated with cancer location in the distal colon (p?=?.015). Moreover, high TIM mRNA levels in the tumor mucosa were prevalent whenever proximal lymph nodes were involved (p= .013) and associated with TNM stages III-IV (p=.005) and microsatellite instability (p=.015). Significantly poorer survival rates were evidenced for CRC patients with lower expression in the tumor tissue of PER1 (p=.010), PER3 (p= .010), and CSNKIE (p=.024). In conclusion, abnormal expression levels of core clock genes in CRC tissue may be related to the process of tumorigenesis and exert an influence on host/tumor interactions.

Multiparametric 3T MR approach to the assessment of cerebral gliomas: tumor extent and malignancy

Abstract: Contrast-enhanced MR imaging is the method of choice for routine assessment of brain tumors, but it has limited sensitivity and specificity. We verified if the addition of metabolic, diffusion and hemodynamic information improved the definition of glioma extent and grade. Thirty-one patients with cerebral gliomas (21 high- and 10 low-grade) underwent conventional MR imaging, proton MR spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) at 3 Tesla, before undergoing surgery and histological confirmation. Normalized metabolite signals, including choline (Cho), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and lactate/lipids, were obtained by 1H-MRSI; apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) by DWI; and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) by PWI. Perienhancing areas with abnormal MR signal showed 3 multiparametric patterns: “tumor”, with abnormal Cho/NAA ratio, lower ADC and higher rCBV; “edema”, with normal Cho/NAA ratio, higher ADC and lower rCBV; and “tumor/edema”, with abnormal Cho/NAA ratio and intermediate ADC and rCBV. Perienhancing areas with normal MR signal showed 2 multiparametric patterns: “infiltrated”, with high Cho and/or abnormal Cho/NAA ratio; and “normal”, with normal spectra. Stepwise discriminant analysis showed that the better classification accuracy of perienhancing areas was achieved when regarding all MR variables, while 1H-MRSI variables and rCBV better differentiated high- from low-grade gliomas. Multiparametric MR assessment of gliomas, based on 1H-MRSI, PWI and DWI, discriminates infiltrating tumor from surrounding vasogenic edema or normal tissues, and high- from low-grade gliomas. This approach may provide useful information for guiding stereotactic biopsies, surgical resection and radiation treatment.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Joubert Syndrome

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Neuropathologic findings and preliminary imaging studies demonstrated the absence of pyramidal tract and superior cerebellar peduncular decussation in individual patients with Joubert syndrome (JS). We hypothesized that functional-structural neuroimaging findings do not differ between the genetic forms of JS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MR imaging was performed with a 3T MR imaging-unit. Multiplanar T2- and T1-weighted imaging was followed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Isotropic diffusion-weighted images, apparent diffusion coefficient maps, and color-coded fractional anisotropy maps, including tractography, were subsequently calculated. RESULTS: In all 6 patients studied, DTI showed that the fibers of the superior cerebellar peduncles did not decussate in the mesencephalon and the corticospinal tract failed to cross in the caudal medulla. The patients represented various genetic forms of JS. CONCLUSION: In JS, the fibers of the pyramidal tract and the superior cerebellar peduncles do not cross, irrespective of the underlying mutation.