miRNA signatures in childhood sarcomas and their clinical implications.

Progresses in multimodal treatments have significantly improved the outcomes for childhood cancer. Nonetheless, for about one-third of patients with Ewing sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or osteosarcoma steady remission has remained intangible. Thus, new biomarkers to improve early diagnosis and the development of precision-targeted medicine remain imperative. Over the last decade, remarkable progress has been made in the basic understanding of miRNAs function and in interpreting the contribution of their dysregulation to cancer development and progression. On this basis, this review focuses on what has been learned about the pivotal roles of miRNAs in the regulation of key genes implicated in childhood sarcomas.

Enhancing self-directed learning among Italian nursing students: A pre- and post-intervention study.

BACKGROUND: In accordance with Knowles's theory, self-directed learning (SDL) may be improved with tutorial strategies focused on guided reflection and critical analysis of the learning process. No evidence on effects on SDL abilities of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students during the 1st clinical experience is available. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of different tutorial strategies offered to nursing students on their SDL abilities. DESIGN: A pre-post intervention non-equivalent control group design was adopted in 2013. For the treatment group, structured and intensive tutorial interventions including different strategies such as briefing, debriefing, peer support, Socratic questioning, performed by university tutors were offered during the 1st clinical experience; for the control group, unstructured and non-intensive tutorial strategies were instead offered. SETTING: Two Bachelor of Nursing Degree. PARTICIPANTS: Students awaiting their clinical experience (n=238) were the target sample. Those students who have completed the pre- and the post-intervention evaluation (201; 84.4%) were included in the analysis. METHODS: SDL abilities were measured with the SRSSDL_ITA (Self Rating Scale of Self Directed Learning-Italian Version). A multiple linear regression analysis was developed to explore the predictive effect of individual, contextual and intervention variables. RESULTS: Three main factors explained the 36.8% of the adjusted variance in SDL scores have emerged: a) having received a lower clinical nurse-to-student supervision (B 9.086, ß 2.874), b) having received higher level and structured tutorial intervention by university tutors (B 8.011, ß 2.741), and c) having reported higher SDL scores at the baseline (B .550, ß .556). CONCLUSIONS: A lower clinical nurse-to-student ratio (1:4), accompanied by unstructured and non-intensive tutorial intervention adopted by university tutors, seemed to be equivalent to an intensive clinical supervision (1:1) accompanied by higher level and structured tutorial strategies activated by the university tutors.

[Accessory liver in gallbladder. Apropos of a case report]. / Hígado accesorio en vesícula biliar. A propósito de una observación.

A case of accessory liver, located in the gallbladder is presented; the lesion was discovered incidentally. The patient was a 35 year-old female who was operated on for cholecystitis and cholelithiasis; the accessory liver tissue showed signs of cholangitis and congestion, secondary to the gallbladder pathology. We point out that this rare abnormality has no pathological significance and does not require surgical treatment except, as in this case, for the coincidental cholelithiasis or if it is the site of hepatoma or cholangiocarcinoma.

Information content analysis of aerosol remote-sensing experiments using singular function theory. 2: Scattering measurements.

We employ the singular function theory, which is the natural framework within which to discuss the analysis of first kind Fredholm integral equations, to analyze fully the information available from an aerosol aureole scattering experiment. This information is, of course, of two kinds: first, the number of pieces of information available for a given experimental error level and, second, the type (or location) of this information. To appreciate fully the latter, we apply this theory to the inversion of eleven synthetic data sets. These inversions are compared with those obtained previously from an extinction experiment.

Information content analysis of aerosol remote-sensing experiments using singular function theory. 1: Extinction measurements.

An important early step in any planned remote-sensing experiment is an analysis of the information content of the equations which will ultimately be inverted. In this paper, we employ the singular function theory, which is the natural framework within which to discuss the analysis of first kind Fredholm integral equations. Using this theory, we are able to fully analyze the information available from an aerosol extinction experiment. It is important to appreciate that this information is actually of two forms: first, the number of pieces of information available for a given experimental error level, and second, the type (or location) of this information. To fully appreciate the latter, we apply this theory to the inversion of eleven synthetic data sets, including three multimodal model size distributions.

[Resistance and retention as critical factors in silver amalgam restoration of endodontic posterior teeth. A clinical focus]. / La resistencia y la retención como factores críticos en las reconstrucciones con amalgama de plata de piezas dentarias posteriores endodonciadas. Un enfoque clínico.

The root canal therapy does not make sense if it is not going to be restored properly. Even though we must keep in mind all the steps necessary to build up any vital tooth, we should emphasize the retention and resistency due to the fragility of endodontically treated teeth and to the destruction of these teeth. Even though the use o silver amalgam has been often questioned, we still consider amalgam as a proper material of a good half worm life to build up endodontically treated posterior teeth. Resistency and retention were considered as the essential factors to achieve the integrity of final restorations. We have analyzed the remaining tooth structure, periodontal support, biomechanics properties of the most used restorative materials and the variations of the forces. The different opinions on the concepts and technics have been reviewed and the final practical conclusions discussed.