Background The etiology and the molecular mechanisms related to breast carcinogenesis remain poorly understood. Some recent reports have examined the role of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HPV in breast cancer. Methods Sixty one fresh frozen breast cancers samples were analyzed. Samples were tested for HPV by PCR, and products were automatically sequenced. Findings were correlated with clinical and pathological characteristics. Results The HPV DNA prevalence in the breast cancer samples was 26% (16/61). Clinical parameters were not statistically associated with HPV presence (p>0.05 χ 2 test). Sequence analysis in a subgroup of cases indicates the prevalence of low risk HPV11, followed by high risk HPV16. We found no HPV transcriptional activity. Conclusion The present study demonstrated for the first time in Argentina the presence of HPV in a proportion of the malignant breast tissues. This finding suggests that HPV may have a biological significance in breast carcinogenesis.

Prolactin (PRL) has been implicated in the development of different types of cancer. However, signaling pathways might be activated depending on various forms of prolactin receptor (PRLR). JAK/STAT is an important pathway associated with PRL effects. The activation of JAK/STAT pathway might activate antiapoptotic genes that could importantly lead to progression of tumorigenesis. Recently, we have reported that PRL is associated with cell survival by inhibition of apoptosis and the precise activated signaling pathways for this process are still questioned. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the activation of different signaling pathways in response to PRL as well as to identify the induction of antiapoptotic genes. Cervical cancer cell lines HeLa, SiHa and C-33 A were stimulated with PRL (200 ng/mL) for 30 and 60 min and non stimulated cells were used to measure basal protein expression. Inhibition assays were performed by using Jak2 specific inhibitor AG490, either alone or in combination with PRL for 48 h. Western blot were carried out to evaluate protein induction of the different signaling pathways and antiapoptotic proteins. Significant effects were determined by using ANOVA test. STAT3 was significantly activated in cervical cancer lines in comparison with non-tumorigenic keratinocytes HaCaT. No significant differences were found when analyzing MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways. An increase of antiapoptotic genes Bcl-xl, Bcl-2, survivin and Mcl-1 was observed after stimulus with PRL; however, after inhibition with AG490, the induction of antiapoptotic genes was decreased. Our data suggests that STAT3 is an important signaling pathway activated by PRL in cervical cancer cells and it modulates the induction of antiapoptotic genes. Blocking STAT3 could represent a possible therapeutic strategy in cervical cancer.

The altered expression of the prolactin receptor (PRLR) has been associated with the development of various types of cancer, particularly breast, prostate and endometrial cancer. However, in laryngeal tumors, the expression of PRLR has not yet been documented. The aim of this study was to determine the expression and localization of PRLR in laryngeal cancer (LC) in comparison with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP). PRLR expression was analyzed in 48 paraffin-embedded tissues (18 RRP and 30 laryngeal cancer tissues) by immunoperoxidase staining. Furthermore, PRLR expression was evaluated in ten samples from each group by Western blot analysis and quantitative real-time PCR. PRLR was observed in all laryngeal tumors at different intensities. PRLR overexpression was significantly associated (P<0.005) with LC. The staining pattern was homogeneous, mainly cytoplasmic, and confined to the tumor area. We found increased expression of different isoforms in LC in comparison with RRP. Our results suggest a possible role of PRL/PRLR in the development of LC. PRLR may be useful as a target for further investigations in laryngeal tissues.

Prolactin (PRL) is associated with different types of cancer, such as cervical cancer. Recombinant PRL has antiapoptotic effect on cervical cancer cells, and it can also induce cytokine production on macrophages. A 60 kDa variant of PRL is produced by cervical cancer cells. The aim of the present study was to evaluate this variant's bioactivity, to test its effect on cervical cancer cell apoptosis, and to assess its ability to induce cytokine production on THP-1 macrophages. First, 60 kDa PRL was isolated and used to stimulate Nb2 cells. Later, apoptosis was measured after exposure to 60 kDa PRL. Finally, cytokines were measured on THP-1 stimulated supernatants. Our results show that 60 kDa PRL increased Nb2 cell proliferation. Apoptosis was decreased after stimuli with 60 kDa PRL in cervical cancer cells. IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha are produced by THP-1 macrophages after stimuli. These results suggest that 60 kDa PRL produced by cervical cancer cells is able to reduce apoptosis in HeLa, SiHa and C-33A cells and induce IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha production by THP-1 macrophages.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the high prevalence of comorbidities and the disparities between the public and private health subsystems in Mexico substantially contributed to the severe impact of the disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the risk factors at admission for in-hospital mortality of patients with COVID-19. A 2-year retrospective cohort study of hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia was conducted at a private tertiary care center. The study population consisted of 1258 patients with a median age of 56 ± 16.5 years, of whom 1093 recovered (86.8%) and 165 died (13.1%). In the univariate analysis, older age (p < 0.001), comorbidities such as hypertension (p < 0.001) and diabetes (p < 0.001), signs and symptoms of respiratory distress, and markers of acute inflammatory response were significantly more frequent in non-survivors. The multivariate analysis showed that older age (p < 0.001), the presence of cyanosis (p = 0.005), and previous myocardial infarction (p = 0.032) were independent predictors of mortality. In the studied cohort, the risk factors present at admission associated with increased mortality were older age, cyanosis, and a previous myocardial infarction, which can be used as valuable predictors for patients’ outcomes. To our knowledge, this is the first study analyzing predictors of mortality in COVID-19 patients attended in a private tertiary hospital in Mexico.

Sir, 3D printing in medicine has become an important tool in the pursuit of alternative measures for various conditions and it has the potential of becoming more useful in the future. It consists of using materials such as plastic, metal, and resin and depositing them on one another in layers to produce a three-dimensional (3D) object. It has been primarily used in engineering to create prototypes; however, recent advances in printing materials have now been able to produce objects that are comparable with traditionally manufactured items.[1] [2] There are many potential uses for 3D printing in medicine which could have a significant impact in changing the way patients are treated for various conditions in the future. It has already been proved useful in custom prosthetics, dental implants, and eyeglasses, among others.[1] 3D printing became essential in the treatment and progress of our 3-year-old female patient with occipital acrania who at the moment is not a candidate for surgery; the neurosurgery team has decided to wait until the patient is older (7 years old) to avoid the need of a second procedure due to bone resorption or head growth if a bone allograft or a titanium implant is used, respectively.[3] [4] [5] For our patient, the occipital acrania represented a big obstacle for her during the rehabilitation process because they were afraid of hurting her due to the lack of protection of the whole occipital lobe. Because of this, an individualized helmet was created by 3D printing from a CT scan reconstruction of the same patient. Computed tomography (CT) allows to generate a 3D reconstruction of images by detecting the radiation that crosses the body tissues through the sequential acquisition of a series of images separated by equal spaces by axial cuts or transverse oriented perpendicular to the axis; saving the images in digital format of image and communication in medicine (DICOM) that allows to generate an interface between the medical team and another image visualization device.[6] The 3D reconstruction is done through DICOM Osirix (Dicom Viewer, Bernex, Switzerland), a specialized software for image processing, where the two-dimensional images are stacked on the z axis by the distance of each cut made by the tomograph and thus reconstruct the 3D model of the patient's head with the cranial deformation which will serve as a guide to generate the helmet model ([Fig. 1]). The generated model is exported to the computer-aided design (CAD) software SolidWorks, where the solid is used as a reference to generate the custom structure of the helmet taking as reference the frontal bone, the atlanto-occipital joint, the temporal bone and sphenoid bone. It has holes to allow ventilation and prevent excessive sweating in the patient. After making the 3D model of the helmet on the solid of the human figure, an extraction or subtraction between pieces is made to make the hollow of the helmet with the anatomical shape of the head, which will allow the helmet to adapt appropriately on the area that needs to be protected ([Fig. 2]). This helmet can be adapted to the growth of her skull; it is made of a flexible photopolymer resin which has great resistance and flexibility that confers a better fit and comfort to the patient. Thanks to this helmet, she has had a major breakthrough in physical therapy; her therapy is now performed correctly with not so many restrictions thanks to the protection given by the helmet, this helped her advance a lot faster in her motor development, she can now sit by herself and even stand on her feet for a few seconds with help. It is a reliable option for these types of patients as a temporary measure until they become candidates for a definitive cranioplasty. Orthotic helmets are an alternative temporary measure for patients who cannot have the surgery or have to postpone it for different reasons; they protect the vulnerable structures and hold them in place until the definitive treatment can be performed. The production of the 3D printed helmet results in an expense of approximately $200, while the conventional helmets can reach up to $1,990. These are the reasons that motivated us to propose an alternative low-cost technique for the temporary treatment of patients who have contraindications or do not have the economic resources needed for the surgery or for the conventional orthotic helmets. By sharing our experience using low-cost 3D printing, we not only prove the success in this particular case, but we also hope to accelerate the pursue in technological research and development to increase the repertoire of options offered for specific pathological entities.