Involvement of Stat1 in the phagocytosis of M. avium.

Mycobacterium avium is an intracellular pathogen preferentially infecting human macrophages where they activate the JAK/STAT1 pathway. This activation enhances the survival of infected cells, but, at the same time, makes macrophages optimal targets for drugs development against p-tyr(701)stat1. In this study, we demonstrate that the fast and transient activity of the JAK/STAT1 pathway occurs immediately after macrophages internalization of heat-killed M.

Angiogenesis, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and procoagulant factors in coronary artery giant aneurysm of a fatal infantile Kawasaki disease.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an infantile febrile illness of unknown origin characterized by clinical, laboratory and histopathologic features of systemic vasculitis.

Methods And Results: We report a 3-month-old female infant with incomplete KD who suddenly died despite intravenous immunoglobulin, aspirin, steroid and heparin treatment. Postmortem examination confirmed the echocardiographically detected giant coronary aneurysms and showed occlusive thrombosis in the giant aneurysm of the left anterior descending coronary artery, associated with neoangiogenesis, macrophage infiltration and immunostaining for tissue factor (a strong initiator of the coagulation cascade), thrombopoietin receptor and tumour necrosis factor-alpha.

In vivo coronary plaque histology in patients with stable and acute coronary syndromes: relationships with hyperlipidemic status and statin treatment.

Objectives: Aim of the study was to investigate whether maintained moderate statin treatment influence atheroma, macrophage content, neoangiogenesis and/or haemorrhage in coronary plaques from patients with non-fatal coronary syndromes.

Methods: A total of 48 patients underwent elective directional coronary atherectomy on "de novo" culprit lesions; 16 patients had non-treated hypercholesterolemia, 16 patients received maintained moderate statin treatment for hypercholesterolemia and 16 had no lipoprotein abnormalities. These three patients groups were matched for age and clinical diagnosis of stable angina (SA) or unstable angina/non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI).

Papillary thyroid carcinoma presenting as a solitary soft tissue arm metastasis in an elderly hyperthyroid patient. Case report and review of the literature.

A case of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) presenting as a solitary metastasis in the right arm muscle is described in an elderly hyperthyroid male patient. A 2-cm nodule in the right bycipites muscle was found to be a papillary carcinoma of thyroid origin and a primary, 3.5-cm tumor was subsequently found in the left lobe of a hyperfunctioning gland due to toxic goiter.

Pharmacokinetic and antiretroviral activity in mice of oral [P(1),P(2)-bis[2-(adenin-9-yl)ethoxymethyl]phosphonate], a prodrug of 9-(2-phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine.

9-(2-Phosphonylmethoxyethyl)adenine (PMEA) is an antiviral drug with activity against herpes viruses, Epstein-Barr virus and retroviruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus. Unfortunately, oral PMEA administration, as required for long-term therapy, is hindered by its low bioavailability. In the present study, the synthesis, oral bioavailability and antiretroviral activity of a new prodrug of PMEA, consisting of two molecules of PMEA bound together by a P-O-P bond (Bis-PMEA), are reported.