Publications by authors named "Armenti A"

Introduction: Academic environments are known for their high demands, often resulting in significant distress among employees. Thus, identifying effective intervention strategies to mitigate workplace stress is essential. The present study aims to evaluate the potential benefits of mind-body interventions (i.

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Background: Macrolane is a stabilized, hyaluronic acid-based gel that has been available since 2007 as a minimally invasive, nonpermanent option for breast enhancement. However, numerous controversies pertaining to its side effects have highlighted the need for studies involving larger groups of patients.

Objectives: The authors sought to determine complications of Macrolane injections for breast enhancement and performed surgical evacuation of cysts comprising collections of hyaluronic acid in patients who previously received Macrolane treatment and presented for augmentation mammaplasty.

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  • Recent studies suggest that peripheral nerve decompression in diabetic patients not only enhances nerve function but may also improve microcirculation, potentially reducing diabetic foot wounds and amputations.
  • The study involved 20 diabetic males with neuropathy who underwent transcutaneous oximetry measurements before and after tarsal tunnel release surgery to evaluate microcirculation improvements.
  • Postoperative results showed a significant increase in microcirculation, indicated by PtcO2 values rising from an average of 29.1 mmHg pre-surgery to 45.8 mmHg one month post-surgery, confirming that the procedure positively impacts foot microcirculation in diabetic patients.
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Background: Adults with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi exhibit a poorly functional T cell compartment, characterized by monofunctional (IFN-γ-only secreting) parasite-specific T cells and increased levels of terminally differentiated T cells. It is possible that persistent infection and/or sustained exposure to parasites antigens may lead to a progressive loss of function of the immune T cells.

Methodology/principal Findings: To test this hypothesis, the quality and magnitude of T.

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Autologous flaps can be used in combination with prosthesis in postmastectomy breast reconstruction. The deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap is considered the preferred choice among autologous tissue transfer techniques. However, in patients with a peculiar figure (moderately large breasts and large thighs with flat stomach), who cannot use their abdominal tissue, the transverse upper gracilis (TUG) flap with implant is investigated as a further option for breast reconstruction.

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  • A pilot study was conducted to examine the safety and side effects of a combined treatment using allopurinol and benznidazole for chronic Chagas' disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi.
  • The study involved 11 infected subjects and tracked immune response changes over 36 months, revealing that the sequential treatment was well tolerated and led to decreased levels of T. cruzi-specific antibodies.
  • Results indicated that the combination therapy positively affected T and B cell responses, suggesting a reduction in parasite burden and showing that dual antiparasitic treatment is feasible for managing chronic Chagas' disease.
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  • This study explores the relationship between Trypanosoma cruzi infection and T cell exhaustion, indicating that chronic infection is linked to impaired T cell responses due to the expression of inhibitory receptors like CTLA-4 and LIR-1.
  • Researchers found that most IFN-γ-producing CD4(+) T cells in infected patients expressed CTLA-4, particularly in those with severe heart disease, while fewer expressed LIR-1.
  • Additionally, CTLA-4 and LIR-1 engagement can diminish IFN-γ production, highlighting how persistent T. cruzi infection may disrupt effective immune responses by increasing these inhibitory receptors.
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Gestational exposure to the estrogenic endocrine disruptor methoxychlor (MXC) disrupts the female reproductive system at the molecular, physiological, and behavioral levels in adulthood. The current study addressed whether perinatal exposure to endocrine disruptors re-programs expression of a suite of genes expressed in the hypothalamus that control reproductive function and related these molecular changes to premature reproductive aging. Fischer rats were exposed daily for 12 consecutive days to vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide), estradiol benzoate (EB) (1 mg/kg), and MXC (low dose, 20 μg/kg or high dose, 100 mg/kg), beginning on embryonic d 19 through postnatal d 7.

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Background: The main criterion for treatment effectiveness in Chagas Disease has been the seronegative conversion, achieved many years post-treatment. One of the main limitations in evaluating treatment for chronic Chagas disease is the lack of reliable tests to ensure parasite clearance and to examine the effects of treatment. However, declines in conventional serological titers and a new multiplex assay can be useful tools to monitor early the treatment impact.

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Background: Implant breast augmentation is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures, and fungal infection still is considered exceptional. This report presents a case of bilateral breast implant infection by multidrug-resistant Candida albicans treated with a targeted antifungal therapy.

Methods: A young woman presented with breast pain and asymmetry as well as implant superficialization in the left breast 3 years after bilateral tuberous breast correction with implant insertion.

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Background: Umbilical repositioning is a main step in performing abdominoplasty. The surgical aims are minimal visible scars and a natural-appearing result. Reported techniques do not completely satisfy the aesthetic targets for all types of patients.

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Introduction And Objectives: The extent to which a patient's socioeconomic conditions determine the persistence or control of chronic Chagas disease has not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of socioeconomic conditions on clinical and serologic measures of disease progression.

Methods: Data on the following socioeconomic variables were obtained by questioning as part of medical history taking at admission: birth in a rural area, time of residence in endemic and urban areas (in years), overcrowding index (i.

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Background: As many as 20 million people are living with Trypanosoma cruzi infection in Latin American, yet few receive any treatment. The major limitation in developing and evaluating potential new drugs for their efficacy is the lack of reliable tests to assess parasite burden and elimination.

Methods: Adults volunteers with chronic T.

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Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha)-based hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion (HILP) is routinely carried out at most oncological institutions in the treatment of locally advanced soft tissue limb sarcoma (STS), employing high TNFalpha dosages. After a phase I-II study, the SITILO (Italian Society of Integrated Locoregional Therapies in Oncology) centers began to employ the lower dose of 1 mg of TNFalpha. The aim of this paper is to report on the results obtained in 75 patients with limb-threatening STS treated with a low TNFalpha dose and doxorubicin (Dx).

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Background: In isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interferon (IFN)-gamma, pioneered by Lienard and Lejenne in 1988, TNFalpha was empirically employed at a dosage (3-4 mg) ten times higher than the systemic maximum tolerable dose (MTD). We previously conducted a phase I/II study in 20 patients with in-transit melanoma metastases, using a combination of melphalan and TNFalpha at dosages ranging from 0.5 to 3.

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Chagas disease is caused by a parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, transmitted primarily by a triatomine insect and affects approximately 8 million people in Latin American countries. The principal aim of the management of the disease is to avoid the development of cardiomyopathy and transmission by blood transfusion, congenital and organ transplants. Currently, benznidazole is the only etiological treatment commercially available for the disease until new and better drugs can be developed and tested.

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Methoxychlor (MXC) is an organochlorine pesticide with estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, and anti-androgenic properties. To investigate whether transient developmental exposure to MXC could cause adult ovarian dysfunction, we exposed Fischer rats to 20 microg/kg/day (low dose; environmentally relevant dose) or 100 mg/kg/day (high dose) MXC between 19 days post coitum and postnatal day 7. Multiple reproductive parameters, serum hormone levels, and ovarian morphology and molecular markers were examined from prepubertal through adult stages.

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Background: Previously, we identified a set of HLA-A020.1-restricted trans-sialidase peptides as targets of CD8+ T cell responses in HLA-A0201+ individuals chronically infected by T. cruzi.

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Introduction And Objectives: The development of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction signifies a worsening of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy. Our objective was to identify factors that predict the development of heart failure and all-cause mortality.

Methods: The study included 95 patients with an echocardiographic diagnosis of asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction.

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Methoxychlor [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-methoxyphenyl) ethane; MXC] is a chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticide commonly used in the United States as a replacement for DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane]. While MXC is a weak estrogenic compound, its more active, major metabolite [2,2-bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1-trichloroethane; HPTE] shows estrogenic, anti-estrogenic, or anti-androgenic properties depending on the receptor subtype with which it interacts. Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a paracrine factor that suppresses initial follicle recruitment in the ovary.

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Background: Benznidazole is effective for treating acute-stage Chagas disease, but its effectiveness for treating indeterminate and chronic stages remains uncertain.

Objective: To compare long-term outcomes of patients with nonacute Chagas disease treated with benznidazole versus outcomes of those who did not receive treatment.

Design: Clinical trial with unblinded, nonrandom assignment of patients to intervention or control groups.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study analyzes how memory CD8(+) T cells mature and migrate in relation to heart disease severity in people with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection living outside endemic areas for over 20 years.
  • Individuals with mild or no heart issues showed stronger T. cruzi-specific immune responses compared to those with severe cardiac disease, indicating a healthier T cell function.
  • As heart disease worsens, there's a shift from early-differentiated CD8(+) T cells to more fully differentiated ones, suggesting that ongoing stimulation by the parasite may lead to T cell exhaustion over time.
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