Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in patients awaiting heart transplant in Southern Italy.

Background: Bartonella henselae is the etiologic agent of cat-scratch disease. B. henselae infections are responsible for a widening spectrum of human diseases, although often symptomless, ranging from self-limited to life-threatening and show different courses and organ involvement due to the balance between host and pathogen.

Beta-catenin and epithelial tumors: a study based on 374 oropharyngeal cancers.

Introduction: Although altered regulation of the Wnt pathway via beta-catenin is a frequent event in several human cancers, its potential implications in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC/OPSCC) are largely unexplored. Work purpose was to define association between beta-catenin expression and clinical-pathological parameters in 374 OSCCs/OP-SCCs by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Materials And Methods: Association between IHC detected patterns of protein expression and clinical-pathological parameters was assessed by statistical analysis and survival rates by Kaplan-Meier curves.

Biliverdin protects against liver ischemia reperfusion injury in swine.

Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in organ transplantation remains a serious and unsolved problem. Organs that undergo significant damage during IRI, function less well immediately after reperfusion and tend to have more problems at later times when rejection can occur. Biliverdin has emerged as an agent that potently suppress IRI in rodent models.

Subcorneal pustular dermatosis in childhood: a case report and review of the literature.

Subcorneal pustular dermatosis (SCPD, also known as Sneddon-Wilkinson disease) is a rare, benign, chronic, sterile pustular eruption which usually develops in middle-age or elderly women; it is rarely seen in childhood and adolescence. The primary lesions are pea-sized pustules classically described as half-pustular, half-clear flaccid blisters. Histologically the most important feature is a subcorneal accumulation of neutrophils with the absence of spongiosis or acantholysis, although acantholysis may be reported in older lesions.

Skin cancers and other cutaneous diseases in renal transplant recipients: a single Italian center observational study.

Kidney transplant recipients frequently suffer from skin infections and malignancies, due to the effects of long-term immunosuppressive therapy. Herein, a dermatological screening was performed to evaluate the relationship between risk factors, cutaneous tumours and other skin diseases in a group of 282 kidney transplant patients. Infectious diseases (16.

Lichen planus pemphigoides, a possible example of epitope spreading.

Oral lichen planus and mucous membrane pemphigoid are 2 autoimmune chronic inflammatory diseases with different clinical features. Their pathogenesis is also different, with oral lichen planus characterized by a cellular autoimmune response (lymphocytic-mediated) and mucous membrane pemphigoid determined by immunoglobulin-mediated humoral autoimmune activity. We report the cases of 2 female patients who, after an initial diagnosis of oral lichen planus, developed mucous membrane pemphigoid in a period ranging from 3 to 11 years.

Garlic extract prevents CCl(4)-induced liver fibrosis in rats: The role of tissue transglutaminase.

Background And Aim: Tissue transglutaminase contributes to liver damage in the development of hepatic fibrosis. In a model of neurodegeneration, the therapeutic benefit of cystamine has been partly attributed to its inhibition of transglutaminase activity. Garlic extract contains many compounds structurally related to cystamine.

Sigma-2 receptor expression in bovine papillomavirus-associated urinary bladder tumours.

The expression of sigma-2 receptors was investigated in nine urothelial tumours of the urinary bladder of cattle. Each tumour was associated with the presence of DNA of bovine papillomavirus type-2 (BPV-2) and expression of the E5 viral oncoprotein. Five tumours were classified as low-grade carcinoma on the basis of morphological criteria and calculation of mean nuclear area (MNA) and mean nuclear perimeter (MNP).

'Bench' MRI before transplant on harvested kidneys: a possible tool for diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis.

We present the first case in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been utilized to rule out lesions compatible with acute pyelonephritis in kidneys from a cadaveric organ donor before transplanting them. A 40-year-old female underwent diagnosis of brain death following a septic shock. The ecotomography of the kidneys showed areas compatible with micro-abscesses raising the hypothesis of acute pyelonephritis.

Report of a case of discoid lupus erythematosus localised to the oral cavity: immunofluorescence findings.

Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) is a chronic disease with a typical cutaneous involvement. This pathology rarely involves mucosa: oral cavity is interested in 20 percent of DLE patients. We describe a case of oral DLE in a 50-year-old woman with an anamnesis for autoimmune disorders.

Tailored immunosuppression and steroid withdrawal in pancreas-kidney transplantation.

Background: Recent improvements in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPK) and the striking decrease in acute rejection lead us to focus on the effects of long-term immunosuppression.

Aim Of This Study: Evaluation of a policy of steroid withdrawal and tailored immunosuppression in pancreas-kidney patients treated in a single center.

Methods: review of the clinical charts in 9 SPK recipients (male/female = 5/4, median age 41 years, median follow-up 42 months), by the same operator, under supervision of the two usual caregivers.

Low-protein vegetarian diet with alpha-chetoanalogues prior to pre-emptive pancreas-kidney transplantation.

Background: Pre-emptive pancreas-kidney transplantation is increasingly considered the best therapy for irreversible chronic kidney disease (CKD) in type 1 diabetics. However, the best approach in the wait for transplantation has not yet been defined.

Aim: To evaluate our experience with a low-protein (0.

Prognostic significance of multidrug-resistance protein (MDR-1) in renal clear cell carcinomas: a five year follow-up analysis.

Background: A large number of renal cancer patients shows poor or partial response to chemotherapy and the mechanisms have not been still understood. Multi-drug resistance is the principal mechanism by which many cancers develop resistance to chemotherapic drugs. The role of the multi-drug resistant transporter (MDR-1/P-glycoprotein), the gene product of MDR-1, and that one of the so-called multi-drug resistance associated protein (MRP), two energy-dependent efflux pumps, are commonly known to confer drug resistance.

Cholesterol crystal embolism syndrome in dialysis patients: an emerging clinical diagnosis?

Background: Cholesterol crystal embolism syndrome (CCE) is an increasing end-stage renal disease cause. Few cases have been described on dialysis, despite the high prevalence of the predisposing factors.

Methods: The diagnostic criteria of the present study were: skin lesions, myalgia, fatigue, fever and acute inflammatory serologic signs, in the presence of severe vasculopathy.

Antibiotic treatment for acute 'uncomplicated' or 'primary' pyelonephritis: a systematic, 'semantic revision'.

The definition of acute pyelonephritis is controversial. There are two contrasting approaches: (1) acute pyelonephritis is a severe infectious disease involving the kidney parenchyma, and specific imaging techniques are required for diagnosis; (2) acute pyelonephritis is a urinary tract infection, and diagnosis and therapy follow simplified clinical and laboratory pathways. In this study, recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were systematically reviewed and the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to acute 'uncomplicated' pyelonephritis were analysed.

Is male homosexuality still a cultural taboo for kidney donation?

Background: Among the so-called social risk behaviors, male homosexuality is probably one of the most interesting and difficult taboos. Because of changing attitudes of the general population toward irregular sexual behaviors, often considered as markers of unhealthy life styles, there is a need to reconsider at least the most important one-homosexuality.

Methods: A semistructured questionnaire included opinions on homosexuality with respect to kidney donation: Would you consider a male homosexual as a kidney donor? If you were on dialysis, would you accept a kidney from a homosexual donor? This instrument was administered to various groups of the general public and caregivers: high school students (Liceo Classico: 59 students, median age 18 years; Istituto Tecnico: n=108, median age 17); first and fourth year of medical school (n=77, age 19; 46, age 22); continuing medical education (n=44, age 32); third year of nursing school (n=31, age 23); "senior citizen university" (n=51, age 63).

Drug use and kidney donation: what are high-risk behaviors today?

Background: "Social risk behaviors" are usually considered as contraindications for organ donation. The organ shortage, however, necessitates expansion of the donor pool. Reconsideration of the policy toward substance abusers may be important.

Comparison between 24-h proteinuria, urinary protein/creatinine ratio and dipstick test in patients with nephropathy: patterns of proteinuria in dipstick-negative patients.

Objective: Three main tests are commonly employed for the measurement of proteinuria: the dipstick test, the urinary protein/creatinine ratio (P/C) and the 24-h urine collection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between these methods, comparing linear regression and ROC curve data.

Material And Methods: A total of 297 consecutive outpatients with different renal diseases were included in the study.

Development of kidney scars after acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis: relationship with clinical, laboratory and imaging data at diagnosis.

Background: Acute pyelonephritis is a potential cause of kidney scars.

Aim: To evaluate the relationship between clinical, laboratory and imaging data and the development of kidney scars in acute pyelonephritis.

Methods: All consecutive patients hospitalized for acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis in our nephrology unit from June 1996 to June 2004 were considered: 58 females, median age 25.

Diagnostic accuracy of the serum profile of gastric mucosa in relation to histological and morphometric diagnosis of atrophy.

Background: Histology is the gold standard for diagnosis of atrophy but is hampered by observer variation. A reliable method to overcome this issue is morphometric analysis of gastric mucosa. Serum pepsinogens and gastrin have been proposed in the diagnostic work-up of gastric atrophy although diagnostic accuracy of these tests is considered unsatisfactory.

Efficacy of an educational programme for secondary school students on opinions on renal transplantation and organ donation: a randomized controlled trial.

Context: Organ shortage for transplantation is a crucial problem; educational interventions may increase donations and decrease opposition.

Objective: To test the efficacy of an educational programme on opinions on organ transplantation and kidney donation.

Design And Participants: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial: eight intervention and eight control schools were randomly selected from the 33 public schools that agreed to participate.