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BACKGROUND Although the role of p53 in the evolution and prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) has been extensively examined, the exact mechanism of action is incompletely understood. In the last years, p53-target genes were supposed to be involved in the p53 pathway. One of them is the tumor-suppressor gene Maspin, which codifies the protein with the same name. Maspin activity depends on its subcellular localization. To our knowledge, the possible role of TP53 gene in Maspin subcellular localization, in GC cells, has not yet been studied in a large number of human samples. AIM To evaluate the possible role of wild-type and mutated p53 in Maspin subcellular localization. METHODS The present study included 266 consecutive patients with GC in which TP53 gene status, and mutations in exons 2 to 11, respectively, were analyzed and correlated with immunohistochemical expression of p53 and Maspin. RESULTS None of the 266 cases showed mutations in exon 9. The rate of TP53 mutations was 33.83%. The mutation rate was slightly higher in distally-located GCs, with a lower degree (≤ 5 buds/ high power fields) of dyscohesivity ( P < 0.01). The wild-type cases had a longer survival, compared with mutant GCs, especially in patients without lymph node metastases, despite the high depth of tumor infiltration ( P = 0.01). The Dukes-MAC-like staging system was proved to have the most significant independent prognostic value ( P < 0.01). The statistical correlations proved that TP53 gene mutations in exon 7 might induce knockdown of Maspin, but wild-type p53 can partially restore nuclear Maspin expression and decrease the metastatic potential of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. CONCLUSION Downregulated Maspin might be induced by mutations in exon 7 of the TP53 gene but wild-type p53 can partially restore nuclear Maspin expression. These findings should be proved in experimental studies.

Testosterone is the principal endogenous androgenic-anabolic steroid in humans. The levels of testosterone in the human body are correlated with many hormonal disorders (hypogonadism, impotence, etc) mostly in men, and with many types of diseases such as: prostate cancer, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and so on. Testosterone is extensively used among sportsmen willing to increase strength, aggressiveness, and recovery; making it the most commonly reported substance in steroid abuse. Fast, easy and cheap methods for the evaluation of testosterone are extremely needed in clinics and hospitals. This review is dedicated to surveying recent determination methods of testosterone from different biological samples such as: serum, saliva, plasma, urine or fingernail samples. After a brief description of the role of this steroid hormone in the biomedical field, various types of determination methods are described. The most important methods are immunoassays, liquid chromatography tandem massspectrometry and electrochemical methods. Different types of sensors were designed for the rapid assessment of testosterone: immunosensors, biosensors, stochastic or multimode sensors. One can conclude that to date, the available methods of analysis can cover a wide concentration range, able to detect testosterone from children`s saliva, where the levels are the lowest (using stochastic sensors), to whole blood, where electrochemical, immunological and chromatographic methods can be used.

Two graphene samples co-doped with nitrogen and sulfur were synthesized by the hydrothermal method using thiourea as doping and reducing agent for graphene oxide (GO). An appropriate amount of thiourea was added to the aqueous dispersion of GO, previously sonicated for 30 min. The mixture was poured into an autoclave and placed in the oven for 3 h, at 120 and 200 °C. The samples were denoted NSGr-120 and NSGr-200, respectively, in agreement with the reaction temperatures. They were next morphologically and structurally characterized by advanced techniques, such as SEM/TEM, XPS, XRD, and FTIR. According to XPS analysis, the NSGr-120 sample has higher amounts of heteroatoms in comparison with NSGr-200, indicating that the reaction temperature is a crucial factor that affects the doping degree. In order to reveal the influence of the doping degree on the electrochemical performances of graphene-modified electrodes, they were tested in solutions containing L-cysteine molecules. The electrode with the best electrocatalytic performances, GC/NSGr-120, was tested to detect L-cysteine in a pharmaceutical drug, proving its applicability in real sample analysis.

Background. Although amplification of the gene encoding human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is used as an indicator for response to trastuzumab, the reported response rate is low, and few patients with gastric cancer (GC) benefit from this individualized therapy. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of c-erbB-2 oncoprotein (HER2), in GC samples, using two commercial immunohistochemical (IHC) antibodies, and to validate the results by checking HER2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Methods. We assessed the IHC expression of HER2 using the polyclonal antibody from Dako and CB11 clone from Leica, in 93 consecutive cases of GC samples. In all of the cases, FISH analysis was also performed using the BOND-MAX platform. Results. No significant difference was observed between the two HER2 antibodies. Of the 93 cases, 22.58% demonstrated at least focal and 1+ HER2 positivity. Seven cases (7.53%) exhibited 3+ expression, and another 7 carcinomas (7.53%) were equivocal (2+). HER2 amplification was seen in 11 cases (11.83%), 10 of which were differentiated adenocarcinomas. In 5 of the cases, 2–5 sections were examined, which proved the extremely high intratumorally/intraglandular heterogeneity. FISH heterogeneity was higher in cases with only 2+ positivity on IHC assessment, compared with those showing at least one small focus of 3+ overexpression. HER2 amplification proved to be an independent negative prognostic factor. Conclusions. Due to the highly heterogeneous aspect of GC, at least 3-4 slides should be assessed by IHC, before considering a tumor to be HER2-negative. In cases with small 3+ foci representing less than 5% of tumor and in equivocal (2+) cases, FISH analysis remains the gold standard method.

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Eight microelectrodes based on carbon and diamond paste modified with zinc complexes with: tetraphenylporphyrin (ZnTPP), tetranaphtoporphyrin (ZnTNP), tetrasulphophenylporphyrin (ZnTSPP) and phtalocyanine (ZnPc), were proposed for the assay of indigo carmine in wastewaters, pharmaceutical formulations and biological samples. All measurements were performed using differential pulse voltammetry. Indigo carmine was recovered reliable from real samples in percentages higher than 90.00%. The surface of the microelectrodes can easily be renewed by simple polishing, obtaining a fresh surface ready for use in a new assay.

Longitudinal studies have indicated an association between thyroid function and insulin resistance (IR) or a neutral relationship. Both the lowest tertile of free thyroxine (fT4) and the highest tertile of free triiodothyronine (fT3) were found to be associated with IR in cross-sectional studies. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association between IR and subclinical hypothyroidism in a female adult population from Bucharest, Romania. This is a retrospective pilot case-control study that included female patients examined by two endocrinologists and a diabetologist in an outpatient clinic. The retrospective follow-up had a one-year duration and included the evaluation of thyroid function tests and IR indices based on fasting insulinemia and C-peptide. The study included 176 women, 91 with subclinical hypothyroidism, with a median age of 60±17 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.79±4.76 kg/m 2 . The majority of the population (50%) was diagnosed with autoimmune thyroiditis, and 17.05% with goitre. The univariate logistic regression using hypothyroidism as the explaining variable found no evidence of a significant relationship between a decreased thyroid function and IR (OR 1.32; P=0.36). Metabolic syndrome was probably the most important determinant of IR in the population group studied. Thus, it was not the thyroid function per se, but the coexistence of other elements of this syndrome that prevailed in determining IR. Advantages to the study are the design that permitted evaluation of IR and the thyroid function at different moments in time as well as the uniformity of the blood tests. The multivariate analyses were adjusted for age, lipid profile and treatment; however, one limiting factor was the absence of other hormonal blood tests. In summary, there was no association between the thyroid function tests (TSH, fT4) and IR indices in adult Romanian women in a case-control study with one-year retrospective follow-up.