Aneurysm of the ductus arteriosus in a heifer.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Re.
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Burkitt's lymphoma is a malignant endemic neoplasia with a mandibular localization, described for the first time in 1958, in African children. The World Health Organization classification recognises several variants of Burkitt's lymphoma; all are highly malignant B cell lymphomas. Besides Burkitt's sporadic, endemic lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma associated with AIDS, the World Health Organization classification includes an "atypical or pleomorphic" variant of Burkitt's lymphoma. This subtype includes those cases diagnosed as "Burkitt-like" lymphoma in the REAL (Revised European-American Classification of Lymphoid Neoplasm). The therapeutic protocol is similar to that used for classic Burkitt's lymphoma, with chemotherapy being standard treatment. Prognosis is extremely poor, with a mean survival of < 1 year. The case is described of a sinus-nasal "Burkitt-like lymphoma", originating within sphenoid sinus. The extremely rare localisation of this histological variant of Burkitt's lymphoma is stressed as well as the extremely aggressive nature of the neoplasm.
Subglottic hemangioma is a rare, histologically benign congenital neoplasm. The natural history is characterized by progressive obstruction of the airways during the proliferative stage, followed by gradual regression of the obstructive symptomatology in the involutional phase. After an asymptomatic neonatal period, the infant presents a characteristic biphasic stridor as the lesion progressively obstructs the subglottic space. In 80-90% of cases, these symptoms appear in the first six months of life. The involutional process generally begins at 12 months of age and continues until the subglottic hemangioma regresses completely. Due to high incidence of mortality in untreated cases, therapy should be undertaken immediately. Aim of therapy is to restore normal respiration, attempting to preserve the child's voice and alter the quality of life both of the infant and the family as little as possible. A retrospective study was carried out on all cases of infantile subglottic hemangioma treated in the Department of Otolaryngology, "Sick Children Hospital", Toronto, between 1980 and 2000. The therapeutic strategy adopted until breathing returned to normal comprised repeated endoscopic CO2 laser treatment of the lesion and perioperative administration of oral cortisone (1 mg/kg/day dexamethazone, subdivided in 3 doses) for 24-48 hours. CO2 laser was used each time the patient presented progressive worsening of obstructive respiratory symptoms. The interval between two laser treatments was > or = 6 weeks. Repeated endoscopic laser treatment, combined with other therapeutic modalities, enabled tracheotomy to be avoided in all but 4 (7.2%) cases.
Giant latero-cervical neoplasias usually originate in the parotid gland, as slow-growing adenomas, in subjects who take little care of their personal health. Giant adenomas of submandibular gland are very rare. These neoplasias involve prevalently male sex (male/female ratio: 2/1) and usually occur between 20 and 40 years of age. Signs of malignant transformation may be observed in the adenomatous epithelial component in a percentage ranging from 1% to 10% of cases. The case is reported of a giant malignant latero-cervical neoplasia originating from a pleomorph adenoma of the submandibular gland. The diagnostic work-up and treatment protocol are described.
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Malignant schwannoma with rhabdomyoblastic differentiation (Triton tumor) is a very rare variant of the malignant tumors arising in the peripheral nerve sheath. In 70% of the cases, the neoplasm is associated with Von Recklinghausen's neurofibromatosis; in the remaining 30% it is the sole morbid finding. Its biological behaviour is, in any case, more aggressive than that of simple malignant schwannoma; its course is rapid and its prognosis is dismal. Local recurrences are frequent, and distant metastases, preferentially situated in the lung and brain, are present in about 50% of the cases. Post-operative radiotherapy is always indicated. We report a case of a 64-year-old man who presented a right paralatero-nasal Triton tumor. Following exeresis, a cycle of high-dose radiotherapy was prescribed; the 10-year follow-up revealed no sign of recurrence or distant metastases.
Among the different surgical options proposed for the treatment of glottic neoplasms involving the anterior commissure is the Horizontal Glottectomy (HG) proposed in 1978 by Calearo and Teatini. This type of laryngectomy is now included with good reason among the reconstructive horizontal laryngectomies in that it calls for the complete removal of the vocal folds and corresponding thyroid cartilage, with reconstruction of the airways by means of a thyrocricopexy. The object of our study was to describe the indications, surgical technique and oncological and functional results on the basis of the experience acquired by the Authors in 21 patients affected by laryngeal carcinoma (juxta-commissural T1a with diffuse hyperkeratosis of the contralateral cord and T1b infiltration to the anterior commissure) who underwent Horizontal Glottectomy (HG) according to the Calearo-Teatinin technique. For 3 of the 21 patients, the follow-up was under 3 years; for 11 patients it was over 5 years; and in 4 cases, it was over 10 years, with a survival rate at 5 years of 91.5%. There were 5 deaths (27.7%), 2 of which were due to non-neoplastic intervening causes, and 1 of which for a recurrence of N (5.5%) a year after surgery. In 3 patients, postoperative RT (radiotherapy) was carried out due to infiltration of the resection borders. With regard to the functional results, the naso-gastric tube was maintained for 8 days on average (min 4, max 12 days), and the tracheal cannula remained in situ an average of 11 days (min 7, max 19 days), while the average hospital stay was 9.3 days. The treatment options currently available for glottic tumors involving the anterior commissure may be divided among radiotherapy (RT), conventional surgery including vertical laryngectomies (Tucker's frontoanterior and Leroux-Robert's frontolateral laryngectomies) and horizontal laryngectomies (Calearo-Teatini's horizontal glottectomy, Majer-Piquet's crico-hyoido-epiglottopexy, and Labayle's crico-hyoidopexy), as well as endoscopic laser surgery. Each procedure is adopted on the basis of the experience and philosophy of the surgeon. For tumors involving the anterior commissure, our treatment protocol prescribes HG to be performed whenever possible, as its oncological and functional result have confirmed the validity of the procedure, as long as the indications are followed carefully. Furthermore, when compared to the frontolateral procedure, it provides similar oncological results, but being a much more economical operation on the vertical plane, it avoids stenotic complications, while, compared to the Majer-Piquet procedure, it allows easier and faster rehabilitation, even in elderly patients.
Structure characterisation of interfaces is a field of widespread application of high resolution transmission electron microscopy for its very high spatial resolution. Specimen thickness and electron optical condition have a deep influence on the high resolution electron transmission microscopy image contrast. Hence, in many cases, the real structure of the sample can be understood from experimental images only by comparison with the relevant simulation. Moreover, the understanding of the contrast variation of a few A at an interface is a task in which even the use of simulation could not produce an unequivocal solution of the experimental result. In this paper high resolution transmission electron microscopy image simulations show that two monolayers of crystalline material buried at an amorphous-crystalline interface can be successfully revealed and interpreted. The simulated images reproduce the experimental results as obtained from the Al/Si-As/n-GaAs (001) heterostructure.
The present review confirms the existence of the so-called "ovarian-derived prorenin-angiotensin cascade". It also describes the physiopathology of the system and, consequently, its role in the genesis of phenomena concerning reproductive function such as ovulation, steroid synthesis and folliculogenesis. Moreover, the "ovarian-derived prorenin-angiotensin cascade" appears to play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of diseases such as ovarian tumours, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and ectopic pregnancy.
Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from 51 HIV-1-seropositive subjects with different levels of HIV-1 replication and 20 healthy blood donors were examined for the expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. All the plasma samples from HIV-1 patients were characterized for the presence of HIV-1 p24 and HIV, RNA viral load. Bcl-2 protein expression in fresh peripheral blood lymphocytes was studied by different tests, including Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence techniques. Direct immunofluorescence staining, revealed by flow cytometry, was applied to quantify the number of specific anti-Bcl-2 antibody epitope binding sites, thus extrapolating the relative number of Bcl-2 into the cells. The results indicate that the expression of Bcl-2 protein is significantly lower in peripheral blood lymphocytes of HIV-1-seropositive patients showing high levels of viral replication, detected by means of HIV-1 p24 and RNA viral load, with respect to HIV-1 patients with low levels of virus replication and healthy blood donors. The clear-cut inverse correlation between viral replication and Bcl-2 expression reinforces the view that HIV-1-mediated apoptosis probably represents a key mechanism in AIDS pathogenesis.
The present review confirms the existence of the so-called "ovarian-derived prorenin-angiotensin cascade". It also describes the physiopathology of the system and, consequently, its role in the genesis of phenomena concerning reproductive function such as ovulation, steroid synthesis and folliculogenesis. Moreover, the "ovarian-derived prorenin-angiotensin cascade" appears to play an important role in the aetiopathogenesis of diseases such as ovarian tumours, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and ectopic pregnancy.
BACKGROUND: In a "case-control" study we investigated the correlations among twenty-four clinical signs of "functional impairment" and probability of "activity daily living insufficiency". METHODS: The study involved 788 randomised inpatients, aged 65 years and over, of nineteen long-stay hospitals of an Italian region (Lazio, Rome). We measured self care autonomy, mobility and continence, on a modified Barthel's scale; the score on Barthel's scale, Barthel Index (BI), was correlated to twenty-four signs of "functional impairment" (explicative variables). Of these variables entered in stepwise regression only "cognitive impairment" (coef. B-22), "paralysis" (coef. B-21), "body weight reduction over 10 kg vs ideal weight" (coef. B-12), "joint deformation" (coef. B-7) and "visual impairment" (coef. B-5). Insufficiency in daily living is defined by BI < 100. The presence of these five clinical signs leads to the likelihood of "activity daily living insufficiency" to 0.996. The trend of cognitive impairment to rise with age could be responsible for the inverse regression between age and BI. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between BI and sex. Hearing impairment, serum creatinine level > or = 4 mg/dl, bronchospasm, obstructive and restrictive ventilation disorders, precordial pain on stress or spontaneous and dyspnea are not significantly correlated to the Barthel Index Score and to the likelihood of insufficiency in daily living activity.
Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a particular form of degenerative dementia probably due to deposit in the brain cortex of a non soluble protein called beta-A4 amyloid in senile plaque form. beta A4 is an aberrant mutant proteolytic product of Amyloid Protein Precursor (APP) codified on chromosome 21. Trisomy 21 is responsible for Down's Syndrome (DS). Down's patients have been shown to develop a form of Alzheimer's after 50 years of age, and high blood levels of antithyroid antibodies are also present in a significant percentage of these cases. In the present investigation, antithyroid antibody titres have been studied by means of RIA in group of 34 AD patients. As compared to 30 non-demented controls, AD subjects showed a significant increase in the mean values of antithyroglobulin (TgAb) and antimicrosomial (MCSAb) autoantibodies. The physiopathological relationship regarding this association is discussed.
Sixty-six patients have been treated with Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer extract, of whom 30 oligoastenospermic sine causa (group A), 16 oligoastenospermic with idiopathic varicocele (group B). Twenty age-matched volunteers were used as controls (group C). Use of Panax Ginseng extract showed an increase in spermatozoa number/ml and progressive oscillating motility, an increase in plasma total and free testosterone, DHT, FSH and LH levels, but a decrease in mean PRL. It is suggested that ginsenosides may have an effect at different levels of the hypothalamus-pituitary-testis axis.
We examined the relationship between the presence of antibody to HCV and sexually transmitted diseases in 151 female, intravenous drug users aged 17-43 years. Anti-HCV was present in 49 of 66 HIV-1-negative women (74.2%), and 63 of 85 HIV-1-positive women (74.1%). Anti-HCV seropositivity was significantly related to sexually transmitted infections (Ureaplasma urealyticum infections excluded) in HIV-1-seronegative women, but not in HIV-1-positive women. Also, in HIV-1-negative subjects. Trichomonas vaginalis infections (and infections with M. hominis) were significantly related to anti-HCV seropositivity, and a positive relation between the number of sexual partners and the presence of anti-HCV was demonstrated. In HIV-1-positive subjects a shared use of needles and syringes was more likely, and an increased parenteral exposure to HCV may decrease the relative contribution by sexual transmission. However, in HIV-1-negative subjects, sexual transmission of HCV appears to be both a possible and important means of transmission.
Atrial natriuretic peptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide, beta-endorphin and cortisol are humoral variables characterized by a 24-h periodicity. We evaluated the circadian rhythm of these peptides and hormones in healthy subjects who were young (between 20-25 years) or elderly (between 65-75 years). All were on controlled diets. Blood samples were collected six times during a 24-h period (at 06.00, 08.00, 12.00, 18.00, 20.00 and 24.00 h) beginning 8-h after start of recumbency. The time-related data were analysed by the Cosinor method in order to validate the circadian rhythm and to quantify rhythmometric parameters which included the midline estimate of rhythm (mesor). In contrast to the young subjects, Cosinor analysis failed to reveal a significant circadian rhythm in elderly subjects, for plasma cortisol. In elderly subjects oscillation (mesor) of atrial nutriuretic peptide was higher, while that of vasoactive intestinal peptide and beta-endorphins was lower. The results suggest changes in the physiological secretion of these three peptides in healthy elderly subjects.
Eighteen human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vertically infected children (HIV group) and 33 seroreverted children (SR group), who had completed hepatitis B vaccination (Engerix B, 20 micrograms dose) were studied. Four out of 18 (22%) HIV children failed to develop protective antibody levels (anti-HBs titres less than 10 mIU ml-1) compared with 1 out of 33 (3%) SR children (p less than 0.05). Magnitude of response among HIV children was significantly lower than among SR children. In HIV children the probability that anti-HBs titres persist above the protective levels was significantly lower than in the SR group at any time during the 24 month follow-up. These results show that HIV children have a suboptimal response to hepatitis B immunization and the protection is less durable. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal protocol for hepatitis B immunization in HIV children.
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) shows a nychtohemeral fluctuation and an age-related trend. The aim of this study was to explore the circadian rhythm of ANP as a function of age. Circadian rhythms of plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PA), and cortisol (PC) were explored as well. Twenty clinically healthy subjects, 10 young (20-25 yrs) and 10 elderly (65-75 yrs), were investigated, while recumbent, after synchronization to light-dark regimen and meal timing. Blood samples for RIA tests were collected six times during the 24-hr span. The chronobiologic analysis in young subjects demonstrated a significant circadian rhythm for all the investigated variables with an acrophase-timing located at 16.48 for ANP, 4.44 for PRA, 5.32 for PA, and 7.12 for PC. In elderly subjects we documented an important increase of 24-hr mean plasma levels but not a statistically significant circadian rhythm for ANP, and a decrease in mean value of PRA which maintained, however, a significant periodic 24-hr oscillation in parallel with PA and PC. The results in young subjects reinforce the concept that ANP plays physiologically an inhibitory role on the phasic secretion of renin. The lack of the circadian rhythm for ANP along with the divergent changes in ANP and PRA 24-hr mean concentration of elderly subjects both suggest that ANP exerts with advancing age only a counterregulatory role on the tonic rather than the phasic release of renin.