39 research outputs found
Lavorare con il disturbo di attenzione e iperattività. Dalla diagnosi al trattamento educativo
No full text
Effect of hyaluronic acid local injections on Achilles tendinitis: an observational study on tendon viscoelastic properties in recreational runners
No full textPurpose: Achilles tendinitis (AT) causes 5% of professional athletes
to end their careers; in Europe AT affects ca. 10 millions recreational
runners. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and
functional efficacy of a three-local injections regimen of hyaluronic
acid (HA) in ameliorating pain score and function in middle aged
recreational runners with AT, whose functional and clinical param-
eters were recorded integrating multiple techniques.
Methods: 8 recreational runners previously diagnosed for monolat-
eral AT were enrolled. AT was confirmed before the first local HA
injection (T0) by clinical examination, MRI and thermography. At T0
patients were assessed for maximal voluntary isometric contraction
(MVI) involving Achilles tendon (both injured and healthy), and pain
level with a Likert scale; Achilles tendon viscoelastic state, i.e. tone
and stiffness, were then measured at relaxed state and at 10% of MVI
with MyotonPro (Myoton Ltd, UK). Finally patients received the first
HA injection (RegenFlex T&M, a blend of 2–1000 kDa HA,
Regenyal, IT). All the measurements were repeated at T1 (15 days
after the first injections and immediately prior the second), at T2
(15 days after the second injection and prior the third) and at T3
(15 days after the third injection), i.e. over a total of 45 days in which
clinical visits were also performed. Furthermore, before each injec-
tion, injured tendon exudates were collected by needle aspiration.
Results: At T0, tone and stiffness values were significantly different
between injured and contralateral tendons, especially when measured
at the relaxed state. Pain score and MVI, coherently with clinical
outcomes, were significantly higher and lower in injured tendons,
respectively. Interestingly, the above differences gradually disap-
peared at T1, 2 and 3. In keeping with these results, tendon exudates
volumes also decreased
Epigenetics in Canine Mammary Tumors: Upregulation of miR-18a and miR-18b Oncogenes Is Associated with Decreased ERS1 Target mRNA Expression and ERα Immunoexpression in Highly Proliferating Carcinomas
No full textThe expression of miRNAs is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms responsible for the regulation of gene expression in mammals, and in cancer, miRNAs participate by regulating the expression of protein-coding cancer-associated genes. In canine mammary tumors (CMTs), the ESR1 gene encodes for ERa, and represents a major target gene for miR-18a and miR-18b, previously found to be overexpressed in mammary carcinomas. A loss in ERa expression in CMTs is commonly associated with poor prognosis, and it is noteworthy that the downregulation of the ESR1 would appear to be more epigenetic than genetic in nature. In this study, the expression of ESR1 mRNA in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) canine mammary tumors (CMTs) was evaluated and compared with the expression levels of miR18a and miR18b, both assessed via RT-qPCR. Furthermore, the possible correlation between the miRNA expression data and the immunohistochemical prognostic factors (ERa immunoexpression; Ki67 proliferative index) was explored. A total of twenty-six FFPE mammary samples were used, including 22 CMTs (7 benign; 15 malignant) and four control samples (three normal mammary glands and one case of lobular hyperplasia). The obtained results demonstrate that miR-18a and miR-18b are upregulated in malignant CMTs, negatively correlating with the expression of target ESR1 mRNA. Of note, the upregulation of miRNAs strictly reflects the progressive loss of ERa immunoexpression and increased tumor cell proliferation as measured using the Ki67 index. The results suggest a central role of miR-18a and miR-18b in the pathophysiology of canine mammary tumors as potential epigenetic mechanisms involved in ERa downregulation. Moreover, as miRNA expression reflects ERa protein status and a high proliferative index, miR-18a and miR-18b may represent promising biomarkers with prognostic value. More detailed investigations on a larger number of cases are needed to better understand the influence of these miRNAs in canine mammary tumors
