Dural metastasis of prostate carcinoma misdiagnosed as a bilateral subdural hematoma: A case report.

Dural metastases originating from prostate cancer are exceedingly uncommon and may clinically imitate a subdural hematoma. Additionally, head computed tomography scan findings can be mistaken for meningioma or subdural hematoma. We present a 75-year-old male patient with dural metastasis as a first presenting sign of prostate cancer, misdiagnosed as a bilateral subdural hematoma on initial non-contrast brain CT scan.

B-type Natriuretic Peptide as a Marker of Different Forms of Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disease which affects various tissues and organs, including skin, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system. Cardiac involvement is the most commonly recognized problem and a significant cause of morbidity. The brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a previously known marker of elevated cardiovascular risk in SSc, but the levels of BNP in various forms of SSc have not been investigated so far.

Rapid effector function of memory CD8+ T cells requires an immediate-early glycolytic switch.

Antigen-experienced memory T cells acquire effector function with innate-like kinetics; however, the metabolic requirements of these cells are unknown. Here we show that rapid interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production of effector memory (EM) CD8(+) T cells, activated through stimulation mediated by the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) and the costimulatory receptor CD28 or through cognate interactions, was linked to increased glycolytic flux. EM CD8(+) T cells exhibited more glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) activity at early time points, before proliferation commenced, than did naive cells activated under similar conditions.

Epstein-Barr virus negativity among individuals older than 60 years is associated with HLA-C and HLA-Bw4 variants and tonsillectomy.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects ≈ 95% of the adult population. The factors that confer protection in the remaining ≈ 5% remain unknown. In an exploratory study, we assessed immunogenetic factors and tonsillectomy in a cohort of 17 EBV-negative and 39 EBV-positive healthy individuals aged >60 years.

Antigen-specific adaptive immune responses in fingolimod-treated multiple sclerosis patients.

T cells exit secondary lymphoid organs along a sphingosine1-phosphate (S1P) gradient and, accordingly, are reduced in blood upon fingolimod-mediated S1P-receptor (S1PR)-blockade. Serving as a model of adaptive immunity, we characterized cellular and humoral immune responses to influenza vaccine in fingolimod-treated patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and in untreated healthy controls. Although the mode of action of fingolimod might predict reduced immunity, vaccine-triggered T cells accumulated normally in blood despite efficient S1PR-blockade.

Virosomal influenza-vaccine induced immunity in HIV-infected individuals with high versus low CD4+ T-cell counts: clues towards a rational vaccination strategy.

In a prospective influenza-vaccination trial we show that HIV-infected individuals with CD4 T-cell counts less than 350 microl were distinct from HIV-infected individuals with more than 350 CD4 T-cell counts/microl, and from HIV-negative individuals, in that an influenza-specific immunoglobulin M-response was absent and expansion of interferon-gamma-secreting CD4 T cells was impaired. By contrast, immunoglobulin G-responses were induced in all study groups. These data suggest that establishing broad influenza-specific (immunoglobulin G) B-cell memory prior to severe immunodeficiency is important.

Regulatory allospecific NK cell function is differentially associated with HLA C allotypes.

Major histocompatibility complex I (MHC I) molecules 'silence' natural killer (NK) cell activity. Conversely, NK cell activity is triggered through cells lacking expression of autologous MHC I. Unexpectedly we found that a subset of NK cells is activated rather than silenced when interacting with cells expressing normal levels of autologous MHC I.

Influence of occupational exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation on the plasma activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione level.

Background/aim: During exposure to low-level doses (LD) of ionizing radiation (IR), the most of harmful effects are produced indirectly, through radiolysis of water and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The antioxidant enzymes--superoxide dismutase (SOD): manganese SOD (MnSOD) and copper-zinc SOD (CuZnSOD), as well as glutathione (GSH), are the most important intracellular antioxidants in the metabolism of ROS. Overproduction of ROS challenges antioxidant enzymes.

NKG2D ligand expression in AML increases in response to HDAC inhibitor valproic acid and contributes to allorecognition by NK-cell lines with single KIR-HLA class I specificities.

This study exploited alloreactivity of natural killer (NK) cells for augmenting the recognition of human acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To circumvent the inhibitory effect of killer immunoglobulin receptor (KIR) signaling, we generated NK-cell lines with single KIR specificities for major human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I allotypes. We demonstrated efficient cytolysis of KIR-HLA class I-mismatched primary AML blasts even at low effector-to-target ratios.

[Early rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury and cerebrovascular accident--functional tests database].

Introduction: This paper deals with implementation of functional tests used in early rehabilitation into medical record databases. A pilot-testing of certain measurement instruments was performed to establish if they can be used in short intervals as variables for traumatic brain injury patients and those with stroke in intensive care units. The steering group gave critera for inclusion/exclusion.

[Delayed epidural hematoma after mild head injury].

Background: Traumatic delayed epidural hematoma (DEH) can be defined as insignificant or not seen on the initial CT scan performed after a trauma but seen on the subsequent CT scan as a "massive" epidural bleeding.

Case Report: We presented two cases of traumatic DEH after mild head injury. Both patients were conscious and without neurological deficit on the admission.

[Neurosurgical treatment of spontaneous intracerebral haematomas].

There have been 34 patients with spontaneous intracerebral haematomas (ICH) operated, from the 1st January 2002. Yr to the 31st December 2002. Yr.

[Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and the occurrence of cataract].

Radiation cataract is one of ensuing effects of ionizing radiation, since its threshold dose under which it does not occur, and above which it shows dose dependency, has been observed. Clinical course of radiation cataract is identical for all the types of ionizing radiation and is very typical. Minimal dose for progressive cataract formation is determined by the type of radiation, i.

[Endothelial trauma in the surgery of cataract].

Cataract surgery is most common in human surgery and comprises 80% of eye surgery programs. Owing to sophisticated technologies, it has become a routine surgery with lowered complications rate; hence, the functional outcome is more conditioned by operative trauma. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the significance of specular microscopy in the evaluation of operative trauma during extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and phacoemulsification (P), in a controlled environment.

[Neurosurgical treatment of traumatic intracerebral hematoma].

From January 1st to August 31st 2002 yr., Neurosurgical department of the Trauma Center, Clinical Center of Serbia, has operated 43 patients with posttraumatic intracerebral haemathoma (PTIH). From that number, 9 patients survived and 34 died.

[A quiet clinical course in an otogenic brain abscess].

Introduction: The occurrence of otogenic intracranial complications has been significantly diminished by introduction of antibiotic therapy, improved diagnostic methods and surgical treatment of chronic otitis. Meningitis is still the most frequent otogenic intracranial complication, otogenic brain abscesses are following, while other complications occur rarely (1,2,3). Otogenic meningitis and brain abscesses are often associated, which makes the on time diagnosis of each complication harder.

The effects of local application of 1% dopamine on intraocular pressure and pupillary diameter.

This paper deals with the experimental results of the effect of 1% dopamine on intraocular pressure, pupillary diameter and hemodynamic parameters after its local application in the rabbit eye. Our results show that locally applied dopamine caused an initial increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) (1 h), followed by its decrease that was the most pronounced 3 hours later. Mydriasis was an immediate effect of dopamine, which persisted until the end of the second hour.

[Etiology and incidence of amaurosis in war injuries of the eye].

Retrospective analysis of the medical documentation of 506 wounded treated at the Ophtalmological Clinic of the Military Medical Academy, was used to separate the cases where, due to the injury, the eyesight was destroyed or reduced to "the sense and projection of the light". The groups were formed according to the mechanism of injury and etiological factor. In 41.

[Analysis of treatment of perforating ocular injuries during warfare in Bosnia-Herzegovina].

The analysis of 210 patients with penetrating eye injuries was performed. The age of the majority of injured was 20-30 (40%). Most injuries were caused by explosive devices (80%).

[Treatment of severe craniocerebral injuries].

During 1992. 19357 patients were examined at the Department for Neurosurgery of the Emergency Centre, Clinical Center of Serbia, out of which 15879 had head injury. In addition to those necessitating hospitalisation, there was also a large number of patients with mild head injury that were not admitted for hospital management and were sent home following initial first aid.