Cytosolic Levels of An Estrogen-Induced Breast Cancer-Associated Peptide (TFF1/pS2) in Colorectal Cancer: Clinical Significance and Relationship with Steroid Receptors

Background

The Trefoil Factor 1 (TFF1/pS2), a peptide consisting of 60 amino acids, is the most abundant estrogen-induced messenger RNA in MCF-7 breast cancer cells and is also expressed by colorectal carcinomas. The objective of this work was to evaluate the cytosolic TFF1 content in colorectal carcinomas, its possible relationship with estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as with clinicopathological tumor parameters, and its potential prognostic significance.

Methods

Cytosolic TFF1 levels were examined by immunoradiometric assay in 178 patients with resectable colorectal cancer. The mean follow-up period was 32 months.

Results

There was a wide variability of cytosolic TFF1 levels in tumor-surrounding mucosa samples (0.09-42.5 ng/mg protein) as well as in tumors (0.01-270 ng/mg protein). Comparison of paired mucosa and carcinoma samples showed significantly higher TFF1 levels in tumors (mean: 17.1 ng/mg protein) than in mucosa samples (10 ng/mg protein) (p=0.027). TFF1 levels were significantly higher in mucosa samples surrounding distal colon and rectal tumors (p=0.0001) and in tumor samples obtained from older patients (p=0.007). However, there were no significant differences in tumor TFF1 levels with respect to clinicopathological parameters such as the patient's sex, tumor location, stage, histological grade, ploidy, S-phase, or tumor estrogen and progesterone receptors. In addition, there was no significant relationship between tumor TFF1 levels and disease outcome.

Conclusions

TFF1 may play an as yet undetermined role in the tumorigenesis of colorectal carcinomas. However, cytosolic levels of TFF1 do not seem to have any prognostic significance in colorectal carcinomas.

ESTRATÉGIAS DE MANEJO DE DÉFICIT HÍDRICO NA IRRIGAÇÃO DA CULTURA DA SOJA

A utilização do déficit hídrico controlado na irrigação reduz os custos de produção.Assim,esse trabalho propôs estudar a irrigação com déficit em diferentes fases da cultura da soja. O experimento foi conduzidono Dep. de Eng.de Biossistemas-ESALQ/USP, em Piracicaba-SP, no ano agrícola 2012/13,utilizando uma casa de vegetaçãoequipada com 48 lisímetros de drenagem de1,1 m de largura,1,3mde comprimento e 0,75m de profundidade. O delineamento foiem blocos casualizados com 4repetições e para aplicação dos tratamentos,o ciclo da cultura foi dividido nos seguintes períodosfenológicos: 1º)Desenvolvimento Vegetativo; 2º)Floração ao Início da Frutificação; 3º)Completa Formação de Vagens à Formação da Produçãoe4º)Maturação. A Evapotranspiração da Cultura (ETc) foi calculada pelo método de Penman Montheith-FAO. Para a comparação com o tratamento de irrigação plena(Testemunha), foi utilizado o teste de estatístico de Dunnett. Os tratamentos constaram de 4 lâminas de irrigação(30, 50, 100 e 150% da ETc) aplicadas em cada umdos quatro períodos fenológicos, totalizando 12 tratamentos. Osresultados mostraram que aslâminas de Déficit reduziram a produtividade quando aplicadas nociclo total. Porém, quando aplicadas somenteemsubperíodos,não apresentaram diferençasem relação à irrigação plena.

CALIBRAÇÃO DE SENSOR ELETRÔNICO DE UMIDADE EM DIFERENTES TEXTURAS DE SOLO

A acurácia das leituras de sensores de umidade depende da qualidade do aparelho, mas também de sua calibração. Esses sensores eletrônicos já vêm de fábrica com calibração, porém, sabe-se que esta varia com o tipo de solo. O objetivo desse trabalho foi calibrar o sensor da Falker, modelo Hidrofarm, em solo de textura arenosa e argilosa. Foram utilizadas colunas de PVC de 0,1 m de diâmetro por 0,3 m de altura, que inseridas no solo após saturação, permitiram coletar amostras indeformadas, sem a desagregação das mesmas. No laboratório, cada coluna recebeu uma sonda do equipamento. Após as amostras serem saturadas, iniciou-se o processo de secagem natural, mantidas em laboratório com temperatura constante, e realizadas frequentes medidas de umidade. Sempre que se fazia leituras com o aparelho, as colunas eram também pesadas, para determinação da umidade com base massa. Assim, com a densidade do solo obtida pela relação entre a massa e o volume da coluna, foi possível encontrar a umidade volumétrica e correlacionar com as leituras do aparelho. Foram ajustadas curvas de correlação entre as leituras obtidas pelos sensores e as respetivas medidas de umidade. O desvio de leitura do sensor para a medida real de umidade apresentou-se ser sistemático, sendo de -8% para o solo de textura argilosa e de -4% para o solo de textura arenosa.

Artroplastia de resecciónsuspensión mediante el tendón flexor carpi radialis en cirugía de la articulación trapecio-metacarpiana

Objetivos: Analizamos los resultados clínicos, radiológicos y funcionales mediante un estudio retrospectivo del tratamiento de la artrosis trapeciometacarpiana con técnica de artroplástia de resección-suspensión

Material y Métodos: Hemos revisado una serie de 36 artroplastias de interposición tendinosa utilizando el tendón del flexor carpi radialis intervenidas en nuestro servicio para el tratamiento de la artrosis trapecio-metacarpiana dolorosa e inestable. En 2 pacientes la intervención fue bilateral. Hubo un predominio de mujeres (82%). La media de edad fue de 62 años entre: 50-75. El seguimiento postoperatorio medio fue de 36 meses. Se evaluaron la presencia de dolor, la realización de actividades cotidianas, la movilidad y los resultados radiológicos tanto en el preoperatorio como después de la intervención.

Resultados y Conclusiones: La media de movimiento articular del pulgar aumentó, así como la fuerza de pinza y el ángulo interdigital. El resultado subjetivo fue bueno en el 97% de los casos. Consideramos que esta intervención es una opción valida en el tratamiento de la artrosis trapecio-metacarpiana dolorosa y con pérdida funcional.

Extensively hydroxyapatite-coated stems in revision hip arthroplasty: A radiological mid-term follow-up study

Femoral revision surgery involves the placement of a stable stem and the regeneration of the damaged bone structure. We retrospectively reviewed 36 cases of femoral revision surgery in which an extensively hydroxyapatite-coated porous stem was implanted with a five-year minimum follow-up. Nine of the cases had type I defects, 12 had type II defects, six had III-A defects and nine had III-B defects. The mean follow-up was 7.7 years (range 5-11). No cases of revision surgery, subsidence or displacement were detected. In 35 cases the integration of the stem had been achieved, the bone structure had been restored and there was no fibrous interface visible between the implant and the bone. The fully hydroxyapatite-coated stems thus proved a valuable alternative for femoral revision surgery in mild and moderate bone defects. (Hip International 2005; 15: 38-45).

[Expression and clinical significance of collagenase-3 (MMP-13) in gastric cancer]

BACKGROUND

MMP-13 (collagenase-3) is a metalloproteinase with potent degradative activity against a variety of elements of the extracellular matrix. Its expression has been described in some human carcinomas, where it seems to play a role in tumor progression and metastasis. The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical significance of MMP-13 in gastric carcinomas.

PATIENTS AND METHOD

MMP-13 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in resected specimens from 44 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. The mean ( standard error) follow-up period was 21.4 3.2 months.

RESULTS

A total of 14 gastric carcinomas (31.8%) showed positive immunostaining for MMP-13. The percentage of MMP-13-positive tumors was significantly (p = 0.009) higher in stage IV carcinomas (69.2%) than in lower stages (I: 22.2%; II: 12.5%; and III: 14.3%), as well as in nonresectable tumors (R1 and R2) (61.5%) than in resectable carcinomas (R0) (19.4%) (p = 0.017). Likewise, MMP-13 tumor expression was significantly associated with shortened overall survival in both the entire group of patients (p = 0.0006) and in the subgroup of patients with resectable tumors (p = 0.018).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that, in patients harboring gastric adenocarcinoma, MMP-13 tumor expression is associated with higher tumor aggressiveness and a poor prognosis.

[Treatment of refractory hypertension with combined minoxidil and captopril in low doses]

Twelve patients with severe hypertension of different causes, resistant to conventional antihypertensive agents and also to maximum doses of either minoxidil or captopril added to other combinations, were effectively controlled with the association of small doses of minoxidil and captopril plus a diuretic and a beta-blocker. The untoward effects which were previously present in all the patients with maximum doses of minoxidil and in one of the patients treated with captopril disappeared or greatly diminished shortly after this association was started. The different mechanisms of action and opposite side effects of minoxidil and captopril provide the rationale for a combined treatment with the two drugs.

Effects of captopril on renal function in hypertensive patients

The effects of captopril (SQ 14225) on renal function were studied in 10 hypertensive patients. After 7 weeks of treatment (75 to 500 mg/day) renal plasma flow was practically unchanged and glomerular filtration rate was only slightly decreased despite a significant decrease in blood pressure. All indexes of glomerular capillary permeability and of tubular anatomic integrity remained normal during the treatment period.