HyM3D: A hybrid method for the automatic 3D reconstruction of a defective cranial vault.

Background And Objective: The ability to accomplish a consistent restoration of a missing or deformed anatomical area is a fundamental step for defining a custom implant, especially in the maxillofacial and cranial reconstruction where the aesthetical aspect is crucial for a successful surgical outcome. At the same time, this task is also the most difficult, time-consuming, and complicated across the whole reconstruction process. This is mostly due to the high geometric complexity of the anatomical structures, insufficient references, and significant interindividual anatomical heterogeneity.

Orbital Extenteration Defects: Ablative and Reconstructive Flowchart Proposal.

Abstract: Orbital exenteration is a radical and disfiguring operation. It is still under debate the absence of correlation between the term describing the resulting orbital defect and the type of reconstruction. Authors' goal was to propose a consistent and uniform terminology for Orbital Exenteration surgery in anticipation of patients' tailored management.

3D-Printed Patient-Specific Casts for the Distal Radius in Children: Outcome and Pre-Market Survey.

Background: Orthopaedic and Trauma surgery is expected to undergo profound transformation as a result of the adoption of 3D technology. Among the various applications, patient specific manufacturing of splints and casts would appear to be, particularly in children, an interesting implementation. This study aims to assess the safety of patient specific 3D casts obtained with a newly developed 3D-scanning devise in a small case series.

Scene Acquisition with Multiple 2D and 3D Optical Sensors: A PSO-Based Visibility Optimization.

Designing an acquisition system for 2D or 3D information, based on the integration of data provided by different sensors is a task that requires a labor-intensive initial design phase. Indeed, the definition of the architecture of such acquisition systems needs to start from the identification of the position and orientation of the sensors observing the scene. Their placement is carefully studied to enhance the efficacy of the system.

Localized overexpression of FGF-2 and BDNF in hippocampus reduces mossy fiber sprouting and spontaneous seizures up to 4 weeks after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus.

Purpose: We have recently reported that viral vector-mediated supplementation of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a lesioned, epileptogenic rat hippocampus limits neuronal damage, favors neurogenesis, and reduces spontaneous recurrent seizures. To test if this treatment can also prevent hippocampal circuit reorganization, we examined here its effect on mossy fiber sprouting, the best studied form of axonal plasticity in epilepsy.

Methods: A herpes-based vector expressing FGF-2 and BDNF was injected into the rat hippocampus 3 days after an epileptogenic insult (pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus).

Hippocampal FGF-2 and BDNF overexpression attenuates epileptogenesis-associated neuroinflammation and reduces spontaneous recurrent seizures.

Under certain experimental conditions, neurotrophic factors may reduce epileptogenesis. We have previously reported that local, intrahippocampal supplementation of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) increases neurogenesis, reduces neuronal loss, and reduces the occurrence of spontaneous seizures in a model of damage-associated epilepsy. Here, we asked if these possibly anti-epileptogenic effects might involve anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Vulvar melanocytic nevi: a dermoscopic investigation.

Background: Very few dermoscopic investigations into pigmented genital lesions have been performed to date. To the best of our knowledge, no dermoscopical description of vulvar melanocytic nevi (MN) has yet been proposed.

Objective: Our aims were to analyze the dermoscopic features of vulvar MN and to review the literature of dermoscopy of the vulvar area.

Localized delivery of fibroblast growth factor-2 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor reduces spontaneous seizures in an epilepsy model.

A loss of neurons is observed in the hippocampus of many patients with epilepsies of temporal lobe origin. It has been hypothesized that damage limitation or repair, for example using neurotrophic factors (NTFs), may prevent the transformation of a normal tissue into epileptic (epileptogenesis). Here, we used viral vectors to locally supplement two NTFs, fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), when epileptogenic damage was already in place.

Fgf-2 overexpression increases excitability and seizure susceptibility but decreases seizure-induced cell loss.

Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) has multiple, pleiotropic effects on the nervous system that include neurogenesis, neuroprotection and neuroplasticity. Thus, alteration in FGF-2 expression patterns may have a profound impact in brain function, both in normal physiology and in pathology. Here, we used FGF-2 transgenic mice (TgFGF2) to study the effects of endogenous FGF-2 overexpression on susceptibility to seizures and to the pathological consequences of seizures.

Sweet's syndrome: a retrospective clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of 11 cases.

The aim of this paper is to report our clinical experience of Sweet's syndrome, a severe dermatological disease which may be extremely important to recognize for the early diagnosis of a neoplastic disorder. Eleven patients affected by Sweet's syndrome, treated at the Department of Dermatology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy, during 1998 to 2004, were evaluated. A retrospective analysis was performed.

Modeling and remodeling of human extraction sockets.

Introduction: The available studies on extraction wound repair in humans are affected by significant limitations and have failed to evaluate tissue alterations occurring in all compartments of the hard tissue defect.

Aim: To monitor during a 6-month period the healing of human extraction sockets and include a semi-quantitative analysis of tissues and cell populations involved in various stages of the processes of modeling/remodeling.

Material And Methods: Twenty-seven biopsies, representative of the early (2-4 weeks, n=10), intermediate (6-8 weeks, n=6), and late phase (12-24 weeks, n=11) of healing, were collected and analysed.

GBR and autogenous cortical bone particulate by bone scraper for alveolar ridge augmentation: a 2-case report.

Scientific literature describes autogenous bone as the gold standard among graft materials for alveolar reconstructive procedures. Alveolar ridge augmentation has been clinically achieved with different forms of autogenous bone, including autogenous cortical bone particulate (ACBP). However, few histologic studies demonstrating the biologic potential and healing dynamics following the use of ACBP are currently available.

Tacrolimus 0.1% ointment: is it really effective in plasma cell vulvitis? Report of four cases.

Background: Plasma cell vulvitis is a clinically and histologically well-characterized chronic disease that usually relapses after various topical therapies. Considering the inflammatory nature of the disease, the new topical calcineurin inhibitors have been also employed successfully in few cases of Zoon's balanitis, the corresponding male condition.

Objective: The aim of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of tacrolimus ointment in a small group of plasma cell vulvitis sufferers.

Different production of soluble HLA-G antigens by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease: a noninvasive diagnostic tool?

Background: HLA-G antigens are nonclassical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules characterized by tolerogenic and antiinflammatory properties. Recently, a different expression of HLA-G antigens has been observed between intestinal biopsies of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) patients. These data suggested a functional role for HLA-G molecules in the diseases and proposed the HLA-G modulation as a marker for the diagnosis of UC and CD.

Soluble HLA-G molecules in follicular fluid: a tool for oocyte selection in IVF?

Currently, different approaches are used to select oocytes for in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures, but they do not assure a significant association with the pregnancy outcome. Since several studies have proposed the expression of HLA-G antigens in early embryos to be a possible marker of elevated implantation rate, we have investigated the presence of soluble HLA-G molecules in 50 follicular fluids (FFs). The results have shown soluble HLA-G antigens (sHLA-G) in 19/50 (38%) FFs.

[Primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome. An early case].

A 21-year old asymptomatic woman had accidental report of increased transaminases. Serologic tests were negative, autoimmune profile was positive for anti-nuclear, antimitochondrial antibodies and rheumatoid factor. Histology of the liver biopsy showed severe necro-inflammatory activity both in biliary epithelium and in intralobular area, suggesting primary biliary cirrhosis/autoimmune hepatitis overlap syndrome.

Retrospective histopathologic reevaluation of 18 cases of plasma cell vulvitis.

Objective: To determine some common histologic features in a series of plasma cell vulvitis (PCV) cases.

Study Design: In a retrospective study, 18 histologic sections, previously obtained by vulvar biopsy in women diagnosed as having PCV, were critically reevaluated by the same pathologist.

Results: We observed that plasma cells in the dermal infiltrate were frequently present in a high percentage.

Effects of defective herpes simplex vectors expressing neurotrophic factors on the proliferation and differentiation of nervous cells in vivo.

Neurotrophic factors (NTFs) are known to govern the processes involved in central nervous system cell proliferation and differentiation. Thus, they represent very attractive candidates for use in the study and therapy of neurological disorders. We constructed recombinant herpesvirus-based-vectors capable of expressing fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) alone or in combinations.

Primary lacrimal sac B-cell immunoblastic lymphoma simulating an acute dacryocystitis.

The case of a 72-year-old woman with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the lacrimal sac is reported. The patient was evaluated for the first time in our department for tearing of the right eye. One month later, a slightly aching mass appeared over the right lacrimal sac.

Bilateral orbital involvement in Erdheim-Chester disease.

Erdheim-Chester disease is an idiopathic condition characterized by a xanthogranulomatous process infiltrating the bones, lungs, heart, retroperitoneum and other tissues. This condition is often fatal. Ocular findings are rare.

[Malignancy: treatment and prognosis of gastrointestinal and pancreatic endocrine neoplasia: retrospective study of a series of 16 cases].

The aim of this study was to review our experience with endocrine tumours of the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas (ETGIP). Between February 1991 and March 2000, sixteen patients with ETGIP were operated on at our institution. Of these patients we reviewed preoperative symptoms, diagnostic techniques (ultrasound, CT, MRI, radiolabelled octreotide scintigraphy, angiography, immunohistochemical study), treatment (surgical operation, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, and radiometabolic therapy) and survival.