BACKGROUND We evaluated the ability of 3D-CT and virtual bronchoscopy to estimate trachea stenosis in comparison to conventional axial CT and fiberoptic bronchoscopy, with a view to assist thoracic surgeons in depicting the anatomical characteristics of tracheal strictures. METHODS Spiral CT was performed in 16 patients with suspected tracheal stenoses and in 5 normal subjects. Tracheal steno...

Plant-derived substances have been considered as important sources of drugs, including antineoplasic agents. Babassu mesocarp is popularly used in Brazil as a food additive, and in popular medicine against several conditions, such as inflammations, menstrual pains and leukaemia. From babassu Orbignya speciosa (Mart.) Barb. Rodr. [Arecaceae (Palmae)] epicarp/mesocarp, an ethanol extract was prep...

BACKGROUND Lactate dehydrogenase 5 (LDH5) is a major lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme catalyzing the transformation of pyruvate to lactate to provide anaerobic energy. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is expressed in both tumor and stromal cells in gastric cancer. Our aim was to study the prognostic effect of LDH5, and tumoral and stromal expression of the angiogenic factor VEGF in gast...

Tilia species have been used in Asia, Europe and in America to treat anxiety and also for the treatment of colds and inflammation. The oxygen reactive species (ROS) (hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the superoxide anion (O2) are involve in the balance cell proliferation/death in lymphocytes. It was reported the presence of flavonoids in Tilia species which possess antioxidant properties. The aim of...

Dectin-1, a classical pattern-recognition receptor, was now identified as an important regulator in immune homeostasis and cancer immunity through its extensive ligands binding functions and subsequent cytokines production. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical significance of dectin-1 expression in 290 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) through immunohistochemistr...

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the surgical efficacy and safety as well as the tumoral staging capabilities of a new technique in large bladder tumors, the bipolar plasma vaporization (BPV). Description of the technique: The main stages of the procedure consisted of tumor biopsy of a tissue specimen including the underlying muscle layer performed with a thin resection loop, followed by plasma...

BACKGROUND Tumoral calcinosis is a rare manifestation of extraskeletal calcification, featuring large calcified cystic masses in the periarticular regions of large joints. In chronic kidney disease (CKD), this disorder is thought to evolve through a chronically elevated calcium-phosphorus solubility product leading to calcium precipitation in soft tissue. Treating tumoral calcinosis in these pa...