Intraoperative Type B Aortic Dissection With Malperfusion in a Patient With Marfan Syndrome.

We present the case of a 72-year-old man diagnosed with an aortic root aneurysm who was then diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. The patient suffered an intraoperative type B dissection with lower extremity malperfusion managed with an axillary-bifemoral extra-anatomic bypass.

Social isolation shortens lifespan through oxidative stress in ants.

Social isolation negatively affects health, induces detrimental behaviors, and shortens lifespan in social species. Little is known about the mechanisms underpinning these effects because model species are typically short-lived and non-social. Using colonies of the carpenter ant Camponotus fellah, we show that social isolation induces hyperactivity, alters space-use, and reduces lifespan via changes in the expression of genes with key roles in oxidation-reduction and an associated accumulation of reactive oxygen species.

Ant phylogenomics reveals a natural selection hotspot preceding the origin of complex eusociality.

The evolution of eusociality has allowed ants to become one of the most conspicuous and ecologically dominant groups of organisms in the world. A large majority of the current ∼14,000 ant species belong to the formicoids, a clade of nine subfamilies that exhibit the most extreme forms of reproductive division of labor, large colony size, worker polymorphism, and extended queen longevity. The eight remaining non-formicoid subfamilies are less well studied, with few genomes having been sequenced so far and unclear phylogenetic relationships.

Human CD4 T-Cells With a Naive Phenotype Produce Multiple Cytokines During Infection and Correlate With Active Disease.

T-cell-mediated immune responses play a fundamental role in controlling () infection, and traditionally, this response is thought to be mediated by Th1-type CD4 T-cells secreting IFN-γ. While studying the function and specificity of -reactive CD4 T-cells in more detail at the single cell level; however, we found a human CD4 T-cell population with a naive phenotype that interestingly was capable of producing multiple cytokines (T cells). CD4 T cells phenotyped as CD95 CD28 CD49d CXCR3 and showed a broad distribution of T cell receptor Vβ segments.

Distinctive features of tumor-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes in human colorectal cancer.

γδ T cells usually infiltrate many different types of cancer, but it is unclear whether they inhibit or promote tumor progression. Moreover, properties of tumor-infiltrating γδ T cells and those in the corresponding normal tissue remain largely unknown. Here we have studied features of γδ T cells in colorectal cancer, normal colon tissue and peripheral blood, and correlated their levels with clinicopathologic hallmarks.

Effects of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist FG7142 on the structure of anxiety-related behavior of male Wistar rats tested in hole board.

Rationale: Little is known about the structural characteristics of the behavior of rats with enhanced anxiety level. To fill this gap, a study was undertaken where effects of an anxiogenic drug were examined on behavioral structure of rats tested in hole board.

Objectives: This study investigates effects of increased anxiety level on the structure of the behavior of rats tested in hole board METHODS: Different doses of FG7142 (1, 4, 8 mg/kg IP), a potent anxiety-inducing drug, were administered to three groups of male Wistar rats.

High-dose rocuronium for rapid-sequence induction and reversal with sugammadex in two myasthenic patients.

The anesthetic management of patients affected by myasthenia gravis is usually challenging in elective surgery and even more so in emergency procedures. The difficulties involved are several-fold, ranging from the choice of an appropriate muscle relaxant (i.e.

Reversal of rocuronium induced neuromuscular block with sugammadex or neostigmine: a large observational study.

Background: This 'real-life' study aimed to analyze the time from the start of neostigmine or sugammadex administration to recovery to a train of four ratio (TOFr) of 0.9 in a real-life in patients receiving rocuronium. The secondary aims were to assess the proportion of patients: presenting TOFr < 0.

Characterization of human γδ T lymphocytes infiltrating primary malignant melanomas.

T lymphocytes are often induced naturally in melanoma patients and infiltrate tumors. Given that γδ T cells mediate antigen-specific killing of tumor cells, we studied the representation and the in vitro cytokine production and cytotoxic activity of tumor infiltrating γδ T cells from 74 patients with primary melanoma. We found that γδ T cells represent the major lymphocyte population infiltrating melanoma, and both Vδ1(+) and Vδ2(+) cells are involved.

S(+)-ketamine for control of perioperative pain and prevention of post thoracotomy pain syndrome: a randomized, double-blind study.

Background: Post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) often complicates the long term outcome of patients; its appearance has been related to perioperative acute pain. The main goal of this study was to evaluate a possible role of S(+)-ketamine in the prevention of PTPS up to 6 months and secondarily its efficacy in the control of perioperative pain when added to thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) and adjuvants.

Methods: Sixty-six patients underwent thoracotomy under general anesthesia.

Differentiation, phenotype, and function of interleukin-17-producing human Vγ9Vδ2 T cells.

In healthy adults, the major peripheral blood γδ T-cell subset expresses the Vγ9Vδ2 TCR and displays pleiotropic features. Here we report that coculture of naive Vγ9Vδ2 T cells with phosphoantigens and a cocktail of cytokines (IL-1-β, TGF-β, IL-6, and IL-23), leads to selective expression of the transcription factor RORγt and polarization toward IL-17 production. IL-17(+) Vγ9Vδ2 T cells express the chemokine receptor CCR6 and produce IL-17 but neither IL-22 nor IFN-γ; they have a predominant terminally differentiated (CD27(-)CD45RA(+)) phenotype and express granzyme B, TRAIL, FasL, and CD161.

In vivo manipulation of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells with zoledronate and low-dose interleukin-2 for immunotherapy of advanced breast cancer patients.

The potent anti-tumour activities of gammadelta T cells have prompted the development of protocols in which gammadelta-agonists are administered to cancer patients. Encouraging results from small Phase I trials have fuelled efforts to characterize more clearly the application of this approach to unmet clinical needs such as metastatic carcinoma. To examine this approach in breast cancer, a Phase I trial was conducted in which zoledronate, a Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cell agonist, plus low-dose interleukin (IL)-2 were administered to 10 therapeutically terminal, advanced metastatic breast cancer patients.

V gamma 9V delta 2 T lymphocytes efficiently recognize and kill zoledronate-sensitized, imatinib-sensitive, and imatinib-resistant chronic myelogenous leukemia cells.

Imatinib mesylate (imatinib), a competitive inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, is highly effective against chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cells. However, because 20-30% of patients affected by CML display either primary or secondary resistance to imatinib, intentional activation of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells by phosphoantigens or by agents that cause their accumulation within cells, such as zoledronate, may represent a promising strategy for the design of a novel and highly innovative immunotherapy capable to overcome imatinib resistance. In this study, we show that Vgamma9Vdelta2 T lymphocytes recognize, trogocytose, and efficiently kill imatinib-sensitive and -resistant CML cell lines pretreated with zoledronate.

Reversible effect of magnetic fields on human lymphocyte activation patterns: different sensitivity of naive and memory lymphocyte subsets.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of 50 Hz magnetic or static magnetic fields of 0.5 mT on subsets of human CD4(+) T cells in terms of cytokine release/content, cell proliferation and intracellular free calcium concentration. CD4(+) T cells can be divided into different subsets on the basis of surface marker expression, such as CD45, and T cells can be divided into naive (CD45RA(+)) and memory (CD45RA(-)) cells.

Thoracic epidural analgesia in post-thoracotomy patients: comparison of three different concentrations of levobupivacaine and sufentanil.

Background: Relative effects of dosage, volume and concentration of local anaesthetics used for postoperative thoracic epidural analgesia are still under debate. In this randomized, prospective, double-blinded study, we evaluated the incidence of side-effects such as changes in arterial pressure, postoperative nausea, vomiting, and pruritus in patients admitted for thoracic surgery during continuous thoracic epidural infusion using levobupivacaine and sufentanil mixture in three different volumes.

Methods: We studied 150 patients who underwent thoracotomy with a thoracic epidural catheter placed between T4 and T7.

Aminobisphosphonate-activated gammadelta T cells in immunotherapy of cancer: doubts no more.

Background: Activated V gamma 9 V delta 2 T cells are able to kill most tumour cells because of recognition by T cell receptor and natural killer receptors.

Objective: We discuss the possibility that the intentional activation of gammadelta T cells in vivo by aminobisphosphonates may represent a promising target for the design of novel and highly innovative immunotherapy in cancer patients.

Methods: The antitumoral effects of gammadelta T cells both in vitro and in vivo have been demonstrated suggesting a new therapeutic approach for translation into the clinical setting.

CXCR5 identifies a subset of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells which secrete IL-4 and IL-10 and help B cells for antibody production.

Vgamma9Vdelta2 T lymphocytes recognize nonpeptidic Ags and mount effector functions in cellular immune responses against microorganisms and tumors, but little is known about their role in Ab-mediated immune responses. We show here that expression of CXCR5 identifies a unique subset of Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells which express the costimulatory molecules ICOS and CD40L, secrete IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 and help B cells for Ab production. These properties portray CXCR5+ Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells as a distinct memory T cell subset with B cell helper function.

Phenotypical and functional analysis of memory and effector human CD8 T cells specific for mycobacterial antigens.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects one-third of the global population and claims two million lives every year. Because memory CD8 T cells exhibit a high heterogeneity in terms of phenotype and functional characteristic, we investigated the frequency, phenotype, and functional properties of Ag85A epitope-specific HLA-A*0201 CD8 T cells in children affected by tuberculosis (TB) before and 4 mo after chemotherapy and healthy contact children. Using Ag85A peptide/HLA-A*0201 pentamer, we found a low frequency of blood peptide-specific CD8 T cells in tuberculous children before therapy, which consistently increased after therapy to levels detected in healthy contacts.

Cerebral cavernomas and seizures: a retrospective study on 163 patients who underwent pure lesionectomy.

The objective was to evaluate the outcome of microsurgical "pure" lesionectomy in patients with supratentorial cavernous angiomas presenting with seizures. For this retrospective study 163 patients with cavernoma-related epileptic seizures were selected. They all underwent surgery in a single institution between 1988 and 2003.

Reversible effect of MR and ELF magnetic fields (0.5 T and 0.5 mT) on human lymphocyte activation patterns.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of magnetic fields (MF) of different intensity generated by a magnetic resonance (MR) unit (0.5 Tesla) and a double cylindrical coil (0.5 m Tesla) on human CD4(+) T cell lines.

The role of intraoperative electromyographic monitoring in lumbosacral lipomas.

Objective: To demonstrate the role of intraoperative multichannel electromyographic (EMG) monitoring to reduce postoperative deterioration and achieve full untethering of complex occult dysraphisms.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 66 patients who underwent operation for lumbosacral lipomas. Twenty recent cases were submitted to EMG monitoring and stimulation.