The age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index as a predictor of survival in surgically treated vulvar cancer patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) in predicting disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among surgically treated patients with vulvar carcinoma. The secondary aim is to evaluate its impact as a predictor of the pattern of recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated data of patients that underwent surgical treatment for vulvar cancer from 1998 to 2016. ACCI at the time of primary surgery was evaluated and patients were classified as low (ACCI 0-1), intermediate (ACCI 2-3), and high risk (>3). DFS, OS and CSS were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meir and the Cox proportional hazard models. Logistic regression model was used to assess predictors of distant and local recurrence. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were included in the study. Twelve were classified as low, 36 as intermediate, and 30 as high risk according to their ACCI. Using multivariate analysis, ACCI class was an independent predictor of worse DFS (hazard ratio [HR]=3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.54-5.99; p<0.001), OS (HR=5.25; 95% CI=1.63-16.89; p=0.005) and CSS (HR=3.79; 95% CI=1.13-12.78; p=0.03). Positive nodal status (odds ratio=8.46; 95% CI=2.13-33.58; p=0.002) was the only parameter correlated with distant recurrence at logistic regression. CONCLUSION: ACCI could be a useful tool in predicting prognosis in surgically treated vulvar cancer patients. Prospective multicenter trials assessing the role of ACCI in vulvar cancer patients are warranted

Biological control of Fusarium graminearum : use of Trichoderma spp. and biofumigation with aerial part of Brassica juncea

Los objetivos de este trabajo fueron: determinar la factibilidad de la utilización combinada de dos métodos de control biológico: la aplicación del hongo antagonista Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con la parte aérea de Brassica juncea en el estadio de fin de fructificación; evaluar su efecto sobre el crecimiento del patógeno Fusarium graminearum. Se trituraron plantas de B. juncea y se colocaron en recipientes de plástico en dosis de 5 y 10 g. Sobre el material triturado se apoyó una caja de Petri con agar papa glucosado al 2%, que contenía un disco con micelio de F. graminearum o Trichoderma spp. o ambos hongos. Los recipientes de plástico se cerraron e incubaron a 25±2°C en oscuridad durante 7 días. Finalizado este período, se midió el diámetro de las colonias. Se obtuvieron los siguientes resultados: i) cuando se biofumigaron por separado, no se observó efecto fungistático de B. juncea sobre Trichoderma spp. ni sobre F. graminearum; ii) en ausencia del biofumigante, Trichoderma spp. inhibió significativamente el crecimiento de las colonias de F. graminearum, iii) la combinación de Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con B. juncea mostró un efecto sinérgico sobre el control del crecimiento miceliar de F. graminearum. Los resultados in vitro sugieren que el crecimiento de Trichoderma spp. y su potencial efecto de biocontrol sobre F. graminearum, no son afectados por la biofumigación con B. juncea. La utilización combinada de Trichoderma spp. y la biofumigación con B. juncea, tendría un efecto sinérgico sobre el control del crecimiento de F. graminearum.The aims of this work were: to determine feasibility of the combination of two biological control methods: application of antagonistic fungus Trichoderma spp. and biofumigation with the aerial part of Brassica juncea in the end of fruiting stage; to evaluate their effect on the growth of the pathogen Fusarium graminearum. Two doses (5 and 10 g) of triturated plant material from B. juncea were placed in plastic recipients. Petri dishes with potato glucose agar medium 2% and a disc inoculated with F. graminearum, or Trichoderma spp. or both fungi, were placed on top of the plant material. Plastic recipients were then closed and incubated at 25±2°C in darkness for 7 days. After that, the diameter of the colonies was measured. The results indicated that: i) when Trichoderma spp. and F. graminearum were biofumigated separately, fungistatic effect was not observed, ii) without biofumigant, Trichoderma spp. significantly inhibited growth of F. graminearum colonies, iii) the combination of Trichoderma spp. and the biofumigation with B. juncea showed synergic effect on growth control of F. graminearum. These in vitro results suggest that the growth of Trichoderma spp. and its potential biocontrol effect of F. graminearum, are not affected by biofumigation with B. juncea. Also, the combination of Trichoderma spp. and biofumigation with B. juncea, would have synergic effect on growth control of F. graminearum.Fil: Perniola, Omar Salvador. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y ForestalesFil: Staltari, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y ForestalesFil: Chorzempa, Silvia Elena. Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora. Facultad de Ciencias AgrariasFil: Astiz Gassó, Marta Mónica. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y ForestalesFil: Molina, María del Carmen. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Quantum size effects in hafnium-oxide resistive switching

Discrete changes of conductance of the order of G0 = 2e2/h reported during the unipolar reset transitions of Pt/HfO2/Pt structures are interpreted as the signature of atomic-size variations of the conducting filament (CF) nanostructure. Our results suggest that the reset occurs in two phases: a progressive narrowing of the CF to the limit of a quantum wire (QW) followed by the opening of a spatial gap that exponentially reduces the CF transmission. First principles calculations show that oxygen vacancy paths in HfO2 with single- to few-atom diameters behave as QWs and are capable of carrying current with G0 conductance

Identification of biomarkers involved in the resolution phase of inflammation: a translational study of Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators role in Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which uncontrolled inflammation lead by cells from innate and adaptive immune system leads to tissue damage and disability. To date, the wider pharmacological armamentarium significantly increased the chance of disease control and sustained clinical remission achievement in RA. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved in the resolution phase of inflammation in rheumatic diseases as well as the possible role of Specialized Pro-resolving Mediators (SPMs) as putative pathogenetic and/or therapeutic targets. The aim of this translation study was to dissect whether SPMs and their receptors ERV1, ALX/FPR2 and BLT1 might act as soluble or tissue biomarkers in RA useful for patient stratification across disease phases in clinical practice, improving the therapy management. Moreover, the secondary outcome was wider aiming to increase our knowledge about RA pathophysiology of remission status in. METHODS: 68 patients with RA (27 naïve-to-treatment, 23 DMARDs-not-responder and 18 in sustained clinical and ultrasound remission respectively) were enrolled in the study and underwent PB drawing and ultrasound-guided ST biopsy (n=48). 13 patients with undifferentiated peripheral inflammatory arthritis (UPIA) and 9 with osteoarthritis (OA) were enrolled as comparison groups. Demographic, clinical, immunological and ultrasonographic features were collected for each patient. Determination of serum cytokines and chemokines concentrations (IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-12p70, IL-10, IL-4, IL-2, Chemerin and GAS6) were performed by ELISA. Furthermore, SPMs and Arachidonic Acid (AA) derived pro-inflammatory molecules determinations in snap frozen synovial tissue biopsies from RA patients in different disease phases (active and remission respectively) were performed by LC-MS/MS. Expression of ERV1, ALX/FPR2 and BLT1 in CD45+CD3+ and CD45+CD19+ was assessed by FACS on PB and on synovial tissue-derived cell suspensions. Moreover, ERV1, ALX/FPR2 and BLT1 expression was assessed by FACS on NK cells (CD45+CD3-CD19-CD56+), neutrophils and monocytes (CD45+CD14+) from PB and macrophages (CD45+CD11b+CD64+) from ST only respectively. Synovitis degree was determined using a H&E based semiquantitative score. Some ST samples were used for quantification of ERV1, ALX/FPR2 and BLT1 genes expression by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Synovial tissue inflammation in terms of semiquantitive score and the cytokine milieu in peripheral blood directly mirror the disease Activity status in RA. RT-PCR on ST samples revealed that ST from RA in high disease activity was enriched of SPM receptors when compared to RA in sustained remission and OA (ERV1: 4.4 vs 1.1 (p= 0.012) and 1.2 (p= 0.005); ALX/FPR2: 4.9 vs 1.5 (p= 0.0006) and 0.8 (p= 0.003); BLT1: 5.9 vs 1.6 (p= 0.016) and 1.1 (p= 0.002) respectively). In particular, C-Reactive Protein (CRP) serum levels, directly correlated with BLT1 expression on PB-derived CD45+CD14+ cells (r=0.27; p=0.023) of RA regardless to the disease phase. Conversely, ST of RA in sustained remission was depleted of BLT1 in CD45+CD3+ cells compared to other conditions (OA p=0.017; UPIA p=0.002; naïve-to-treatment RA p=0.01). LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that synovial tissue of RA in sustained remission the ratio between SPM and AA-derived pro-inflammatory molecules is significantly increased when compared to synovial tissue of RA patients with high disease activity (101.3 vs 2153.00 (84.06-3333.00) respectively) CONCLUSIONS: SPM receptors expression in PB and ST compartments are reciprocally related to disease activity across disease phases in RA suggesting a putative active modulatory role in maintaining the remission phase