Cervical Adenocarcinoma: A Still Under-investigated Malignancy

BACKGROUND/AIM

The aim of the study was to correlate the expression of mismatch repairs proteins (MMR), programmed-death-ligand1 (PDL-1), and estro-progestinic receptors (ER/PgR) in tissue samples from a series of cervical adenocarcinoma (ADC) patients with their clinicopathological features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-nine ADC specimens were retrospectively retrieved from the Division of Pathology of the University Hospital of Pisa from 2015 to 2021. Histological subtype, grade (G), Silva pattern, presence of lymph vascular space invasion (LVI), and perineural invasion (PNI) were annotated. On representative samples, immunostaining for ER/PgR, MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, MSH6, and PDL-1(sp142) was performed.

RESULTS

Thirty-five ADCs were HPV-associated usual type (24 invasive and 11 in situ), 2 were clear cell type, one was a minimal deviation adenocarcinoma (MDA), and one was an invasive stratified mucin-producing carcinoma (iSMC). ADC associated with LVI were mostly G2-3, whereas those associated also with PNI were G3 with Silva pattern C. No difference in the expression of ER/PgR was observed with a dichotomic age stratification (51 years) of patients. Only 6 ADCs were MMR-deficient, all of them were of the usual type (4 invasive and 2 in situ). The heterodimer MLH-1/PMS2 was the one most frequently altered (5/6), whereas only one case had MSH6 loss. None of ADCs express PDL-1, except iSMC which showed PDL-1 expression >1% in neoplastic cells.

CONCLUSION

Both invasive and in situ usual type ADCs indicate MMR deficiency, highlighting how this could be an early event in tumorigenesis. None of the cases, except for iSMC, express PDL-1.

Combined experimental methods to assess the fatigue limit

Purpose of this paper is to perform an energetic analysis on metal specimens under fatigue testing using the simultaneous application of different non-destructive techniques: thermography (TH), acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC). They assure the better evaluation, being contactless methods, usable in real time and, even if TH and DIC are related to the specimen surface, representative of the inside state of the materials. In particular, the cascade of hits and the acoustic energy were recorded to assess the parameters linked to the fracture of the materials. At the same time, the surface temperature, detected by a thermocamera, and the displacements induced on the specimen, using the DIC on the free zone of the specimens, were recorded. The DIC analysis allows the evaluation of the correct displacement by a pattern realized on the opposite face respect to TH. AE data and hysteresis curves (derived by DIC) were compared with the measures acquired by TH and reveal a reliable correlation between them in terms of fatigue limit.

Thermographic-DIC approach in fatigue behaviour analysis

A research program was carried out by a group of researchers of nine Italian universities in order to define the fatigue parameters of a commercial steel. The purpose is to define the fatigue limits in different loading conditions and comparing the results obtained by tests performed using different energetic methodologies. In this paper the thermographic method already proposed in literature was performed, determining the Haigh and Goodman-Smith limit curves. At the same time, the thermal response in static tests were derived in order to correlate the limit of the totally thermoelastic behaviour.

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The object of this study is Leonhard Euler's physical optics as it is formulated in Nova theoria lucis et colorum (1746). The focus is on this particular work by Euler for two reasons: 1) Nova theoria represents undoubtedly the most comprehensive and systematic medium theory of the 18th century; 2) it contains the basic principles of Euler's conception of the nature of light, which he later maintained. The works of the most important advocates of this tradition (Huygens, Malebranche and Johann II Bernoulli) are here analyzed to give a historical frame to Euler's role in the medium tradition. Though these authors try to elaborate a theory of light alternative to the emission theory, they never realize the contrast between the medium and the emission traditions. From this perspective, Nova theoria is a real transition point: Euler is fully aware of the antithesis between the two traditions; he compares them, he refutes the arguments in favor of emission theory and formulates an alternative one, that will substantially be the first and the most significant antagonist of emission model. The essay examines also the central questions of Euler's theory of light, i.e. how pulses are generated and propagated, the nature of the rays of light and the relations among pulse distance, frequency, and velocity.

Akinetic mutism: a report of three cases

OBJECTIVES

To report 3 new cases of akinetic mutism, a clinical syndrome defined by silent immobility with preserved visual alertness not accountable by lesion of the areas and/or effector pathways of speech and voluntary movements.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Anatomopathological studies were performed in Cases 1 and 2; clinical follow-up, EEG, angiography and CT scans in Case 3.

RESULTS

Case 1: Bipallidal necrosis; Case 2: Left pallidal necrosis with right frontoparietal cortico-subcortical infarction; Case 3: Striato-capsular infarction on the left side, involving the caudate nucleus and the anterior arm of the internal capsule, together with obstructive hydrocephalus.

CONCLUSION

The roles of both globus pallidus and prefrontostriatal circuits in the onset of voluntary movements are discussed.