86,673 research outputs found
Effects Of Long-term Tamoxifen Therapy On The Course Of Chronic Autoimmune Thyroiditis
No full textEffects of long-term tamoxifen therapy on the course of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis
F. Romero1, D. Ricci2, P. Vitti2, F. Latrofa2
1Hospital Clinicas Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay
2 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Endocrinology Unit, University Hospital of Pisa, Italy
To investigate the effects of tamoxifen treatment on the course of chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimot’s thyroiditis-HT), serum thyroperoxidase autoantibodies (TPOAb) titres and thyroid function were evaluated retrospectively before and after 5 years in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis and breast cancer that had been treated with tamoxifen (group A, 10 women) or not (group B, 10 women). Before tamoxifen treatment, 2 patients of group A and 4 of group B were receiving L-T4 replacement therapy. The remaining patients were euthyroid. Euthyroid patients who developed hypothyroidism and hypothyroid patients who required a higher L-T4 replacement dose at the end of follow-up were considered to have a reduction of thyroid function.
Comparing final with starting titres, TPOAb increased in 1 patient of group A and in 5 of group B, whereas resulted unchanged or reduced in 9 patients of group A and in 5 of group B, respectively (p=0.07). Thyroid function was reduced in 4 patients of group A and in 8 patients of group B while remained unchanged in 6 patients of group A and in 2 patients of group B (p=0.05). When the menopause state was evaluated in group A, 6 were in pre- and 4 in post-menopause before tamoxifen treatment. At the end of follow-up, thyroid function was reduced in 5 and unchanged in 1 out of 6 patients in pre-menopause, whereas resulted unchanged in 1 and diminished in 3 out of 4 patients in post-menopause (p=0.07).
In conclusion, long-term tamoxifen treatment prevented the increase of serum TPOAb titres and the reduction of thyroid function in patients with HT and breast cancer. This protective role may be related to the presence of estrogen receptors in thyroid cells and appear to be more relevant in post-menopause. Data from a larger group of patients are necessary to confirm these results
Role of Chemokines in Thyroid Cancer Microenvironment: Is CXCL8 the Main Player?
No full textTumor-related inflammation does influence the biological behavior of neoplastic cells and ultimately the patient's outcome. With specific regard to thyroid cancer, the issue of tumor-associated inflammation has been extensively studied and recently reviewed. However, the role of chemokines, which play a crucial role in determining the immuno-phenotype of tumor-related inflammation, was not addressed in previous reviews on the topic. Experimental evidence shows that thyroid cancer cells actively secrete a wide spectrum of chemokines and, at least for some of them, solid scientific data support a role for these immune-active molecules in the aggressive behavior of the tumor. Our proposal for a review article on chemokines and thyroid cancer stems from the notion that chemokines, besides having the ability to attract and maintain immune cells at the tumor site, also produce several pro-tumorigenic actions, which include proangiogenetic, cytoproliferative, and pro-metastatic effects. Studies taking into account the role of CCL15, C-X-C motif ligand 12, CXCL16, CXCL1, CCL20, and CCL2 in the context of thyroid cancer will be reviewed with particular emphasis on CXCL8. The reason for focusing on CXCL8 is that this chemokine is the most studied one in human malignancies, displaying multifaceted pro-tumorigenic effects. These include enhancement of tumor cells growth, metastatization, and angiogenesis overall contributing to the progression of several cancers including thyroid cancer. We aim at reviewing current knowledge on the (i) ability of both normal and tumor thyroid cells to secrete CXCL8; (ii) direct/indirect pro-tumorigenic effects of CXCL8 demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo studies specifically performed on thyroid cancer cells; and (iii) pharmacologic strategies proven to be effective for lowering CXCL8 secretion and/or its effects on thyroid cancer cells
GRAVITY HEAT PIPES AS GEOTHERMAL CONVECTORS
No full textDesign of and tests on a gravity heat pipe transmitting up to 25 kW thermal power from a surface aquifer in a volcanic area are described. This includes laboratory tests on a single pipe immersed in a thermostatically controlled water sink, which enabled determination of overall pipe conductance, and is followed by details of the design and construction of a full scale device
Clinical, biochemical features and functional outcome of patients with SARS-CoV-2-related subacute thyroiditis: a review
No full textINTRODUCTION: SARS CoV-2 infection involves many organs and systems, including the thyroid, in which it manifests itself as subacute thyroiditis (SAT). After our first description of SAT due to SARS-CoV2 infection, other reports have confirmed the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 and SAT. We review the cases of SAT associated with COVID-19 to highlight its peculiar clinical and biochemical features, including its outcome and what it has added to our understanding of SAT. RESULTS: We have reviewed 24 articles, for a total of 69 cases of SAT related to SARS-CoV2 infection. All had neck pain, whereas thyrotoxicosis was documented in 68/68 who had their thyroid function checked. Ultrasound, performed in 67 patients, was typical of SAT in 65 and low uptake at scintigraphy was demonstrated in all 12 evaluated patients. Patients had a prompt response to the anti-inflammatory and/or glucocorticoid therapy, as expected in SAT. The rate of hypothyroidism was higher (36.5%) in COVID-19-related SAT compared to that observed in the pre-COVID era (10%). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical, biochemical, and instrumental features of SAT related to SARS-CoV2 are like those observed in SAT cases reported prior to COVID-19 pandemic, but it appears more severe
Role of genetic and non-genetic factors in the etiology of Graves' disease
No full textIn spite of the advancements in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of Graves' disease (GD), its ultimate cause remains elusive. The majority of investigators agree that GD is likely a multifactorial disease, due to a complex interplay of genetic and non-genetic factors that lead to the loss of immune tolerance to thyroid antigens and to the initiation of a sustained autoimmune reaction. Twin and family studies support a role of genetic factors, among which the HLA complex, CD40, CTLA-4, PTPN22, FCRL3, thyroglobulin, and the TSH receptor may be involved. Among non-genetic factors, iodine, infections, psychological stress, gender, smoking, thyroid damage, vitamin D, selenium, immune modulating agents, and periods of immune reconstitution may contribute the development of the diseases. Here we review in detail the respective role of genetic and non-genetic factors in the etiology of GD, taking advantage of the great bulk of data generated especially over the past 30 years
Occurrence of Phlebotomus papatasi inside houses of two urban areas in the Apulia region, southern Italy
No full textThermal performance improvement of an airline trolley for meal service
No full textThis paper deals with the thermal performance improvement of an airplane “trolley” for the meal service. These trolleys are
commonly refrigerated by the sublimation of a carbon dioxide mass. The standard trolley performance has been evaluated by
an experimental analysis and an overall heat transfer coefficient of 1.75 W/m2 K has been determined in standard operative
conditions. The experimental results have been used to design a trolley prototype with ducts for the cold CO2 vapours
distribution. The prototype trolley has reduced the food temperature progressive heating and its vertical gradient.
A numerical analysis of different trolley configurations has been carried out with an original mathematical model based on a
lumped capacitance scheme. An explicit finite difference method has been used to approximate the heat transfer differential
equations. A good accordance between numerical simulation results and experimental data has been observed both in standard
and in prototype trolley, with errors lower than 0.4%. An accurate CFD analysis of the mass flow rate distribution in the ducts
has been carried out in order to evaluate the real distribution and the local velocity of the cold vapours. A feasibility study of
the application of thermoelectric cooling system to the trolley has been shown
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