Estrogen prevents the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory response in microglia.

After neuronal injury and in several neurodegenerative diseases, activated microglia secrete proinflammatory molecules that can contribute to the progressive neural damage. The recent demonstration of a protective role of estrogen in neurodegenerative disorders in humans and experimental animal models led us to investigate whether this hormone regulates the inflammatory response in the CNS. We here show that estrogen exerts an anti-inflammatory activity on primary cultures of rat microglia, as suggested by the blockage of the phenotypic conversion associated with activation and by the prevention of lipopolysaccharide-induced production of inflammatory mediators: inducible form of NO synthase (iNOS), prostaglandin-E(2) (PGE(2)), and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9).

[Malignant mesothelioma in the industrial area of Colleferro].

The study describes the occurrence of pleural and peritoneal malignant mesothelioma in the Colleferro industrial area (Province of Rome, 9 municipalities, population 63,000, period 1993-98) which is the site of a large chemical plant (BPD) producing organic chemicals, acid mixtures, insecticides, explosives and dynamite, and was involved in manufacturing/maintenance of railroad rolling stock. Asbestos was extensively used in these plants in the past. Mesothelioma cases were actively searched from data in files of pathology archives, hospital admission and discharge (records), and death certificates recorded at local health authority register.

Primary effusion lymphoma in HIV-infected patients with multicentric Castleman's disease.

Multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) and primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) are two B-cell lymphoproliferative diseases associated with Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus/human herpesvirus-8 (KSHV/HHV-8). Although MCD is considered a prelymphoma state, it is not known whether a pathogenetic link exists between MCD and PEL. This paper reports the clinico-pathological features of four cases of PEL (two pericardial, one pleural, and one peritoneal) developing in the context of HIV-associated MCD.

The cisproline(i - 1)-aromatic(i) interaction: folding of the Ala-cisPro-Tyr peptide characterized by NMR and theoretical approaches.

Cisproline(i - 1)-aromatic(i) interactions have been detected in several short peptides in aqueous solution by analysis of anomalous chemical shifts measured by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. This formation of local structure is of importance for protein folding and binding properties. To obtain an atomic-detail characterisation of the cisproline(i - 1)-aromatic(i) interaction in terms of structure, energetics and dynamics, we studied the minimal peptide unit, blocked Ala-cisPro-Tyr, using computational and experimental techniques.

[The extempore intraoperative cytology of peritoneal lavage fluid. A study of the reliability of the method].

Data are presented about a 100 cases prospective study, designed to evaluate sensibility/specificity of intra-operative cytology on peritoneal washing in case of cancer of digestive tract. Data analysis showed a very low sensibility of the test (according with most of literature observations) that does not allow to consider it fully reliable. Authors, thus, suggest a critical use of the test and state doubts about his real value in the intra-operative correct managing of therapeutic options.

Diabetes influences the effect of 17beta-estradiol on mechanical responses of rat urethra and detrusor strips.

Estrogen deficiency is one of the factors involved in the stress incontinence in postmenopausal women, and estrogens have been used clinically in the treatment of urinary disorders during menopause. Sex hormones seem to be also involved in the diabetic changes of urinary bladder and urethra, because ovariectomy causes an increase in the micturition of streptozotocin-diabetic rats. In the present study diabetic and healthy female rats were used to investigate the effect of 17beta-estradiol on mechanical contractions to norepinephrine and to KCI and relaxations to ATP on isolated proximal urethral preparations as well as on contractions to ACh, ATP and KCl on detrusor smooth muscle strips.

Androgen deprivation, estrogen treatment and vascular function in male rat aorta.

The beneficial effects of estrogen on arterial function in women are well established, whereas studies concerning the vascular role of androgens have produced conflicting results. In the present study, we examined the effects of androgen deprivation and of estrogen treatment on vascular responses in male rats. Vascular reactivity was studied in aortic rings excised from intact and castrated rats, which had been implanted with capsules containing either 17beta-estradiol (E2) or its vehicle for 5 days.

Human herpesvirus-8 in lymphomatous and nonlymphomatous body cavity effusions developing in Kaposi's sarcoma and multicentric Castleman's disease.

Human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) has been associated with Kaposi's sarcoma, multicentric Castleman's disease and primary effusion lymphoma. Kaposi's sarcoma and multicentric Castleman's disease patients may develop body cavity effusions that, unlike primary effusion lymphoma, are poorly characterized. To better define these effusions, pleural and peritoneal fluids derived from 12 human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive and one seronegative patients affected by Kaposi's sarcoma or multicentric Castleman's disease were analyzed by a combination of morphologic, immunophenotypic, and DNA analyses, including polymerase chain reaction amplification of HHV-8, Epstein-Barr virus, and immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IgH) gene sequences.

Spiral CT of the abdomen after distention of small bowel loops with transparent enema in patients with Crohn's disease.

Background: [corrected] To evaluate the capability of a computed tomographic (CT) technique that combines distention of the small bowel loops with a transparent enema with contrast-enhanced spiral CT of the abdomen in patients with Crohn's disease.

Methods: We evaluated the abdomen with spiral CT after distention of the small bowel loops with a transparent enema of methylcellulose in 40 patients consecutively referred for radiologic evaluation of Crohn's disease of the small bowel. Fluid was infused through a nasojejunal catheter with a peristaltic pump.

Cytospray fixation of frozen intraoperative sections.

Preservation of cellular morphologic features is well known to be a limit of intraoperative frozen sections. Various techniques have been proposed to improve tissue details, the most common being ethanol immersion of cryostatic slide. We tested fixation with spray formulation for cytology smears on intraoperative frozen section from different organs to obtain a quick alcoholic fixation and a ready-to-use method.

Microsatellite instability in thyroid tumours and tumour-like lesions.

Fifty-one thyroid tumours and tumour-like lesions were analysed for instability at ten dinucleotide microsatellite loci and at two coding mononucleotide repeats within the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) type II receptor (TbetaRII) and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) receptor (IGFIIR) genes respectively. Microsatellite instability (MI) was detected in 11 out of 51 cases (21.5%), including six (11.

Radiology of adjustable silicone gastric banding for morbid obesity.

We reviewed the radiological findings in 45 morbidly obese patients (weight range 80-129 kg; mean 95.7 kg) after gastric restriction surgery with adjustable silicone gastric banding (ASBG) according to the Kuzmak technique. Radiographic studies of the stomach were performed before, and at 4 and 12 months after surgery; symptomatic patients underwent additional studies when needed.

Familial pleural malignant mesothelioma: clustering in three sisters and one cousin.

Malignant mesothelioma is associated with asbestos, yet its occurrence in genetically-related individuals suggests a role of host predisposition. We have identified a cluster of pleural malignant mesothelioma in three sisters and one cousin (male). The women had worked in the same confectionery shop as pastry cooks and/or pastry shop assistants; the use of an asbestos-insulated oven was the putative source of exposure.

Loss of phosphoserine polar group asymmetry and inhibition of cholesterol transport in Jurkat cells treated with cholesterylphosphoserine.

Cholesterylphosphoserine (CPHS) is a synthetic ester of cholesterol showing immunosuppressive activity. In the present study, we have used the T cell line Jurkat to investigate its mechanism of action. CPHS incorporates into cells reaching a molar ratio of 0.

Portal thrombosis. A rare complication of laparoscopic splenectomy.

Portal thrombosis is a rare complication of splenectomy. We performed 12 laparoscopic splenectomies and observed this complication only in one patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP). The right branch of the portal vein presented a partial thrombosis, while the left branch was completely obstructed by thrombi.

Absence of HHV-8 DNA sequences in malignant mesothelioma.

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) associated primary effusion lymphomas arise and grow in the body cavities as effusions, but it is not known whether the lining of body cavities and mesothelium derived malignancies are potential targets of HHV-8 infection. We examined a series of 13 diffuse malignant mesotheliomas and four mesothelial cell rich effusion samples of non-neoplastic aetiology from non-immunodepressed patients using the polymerase chain reaction to detect HHV-8 specific sequences. HHV-8 amplification products were absent in diffuse malignant mesotheliomas and in non-neoplastic effusions samples.

Cyclin D1 and Cyclin E expression in malignant thyroid cells and in human thyroid carcinomas.

Evidence of the involvement of cyclin gene alterations in human cancer is growing. In this study, we sought to determine the pattern of expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in normal and malignant thyroid cells. Quiescent rat thyroid cells in culture, induced to synthesize DNA by thyrotropin (TSH), expressed cyclin D1 gene after 6 hr and cyclin E gene with a peak at 18 hr from the stimulus; K-ras-transformed rat thyroid cells, which grew without addition of hormones necessary for normal cell proliferation, expressed elevated levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin E, compared with normal differentiated thyroid cells.

Long-term changes in nodular goiter: a 5-year prospective randomized trial of levothyroxine suppressive therapy for benign cold thyroid nodules.

We studied for 5 yr a homogeneous group of 83 patients randomly assigned to a levothyroxine (L-T4) suppressive therapy or to a control group to evaluate changes in nodule or thyroid size, appearance of new nodules, and correlations with clinical parameters. In the control group, mean nodule volume increased significantly after 5 yr (2.12 +/- 1.

Utility of HBME-1 immunostaining in serous effusions.

HBME-1 is an anti-mesothelial cell monoclonal antibody derived from human mesothelioma cells. We investigated 227 body cavity effusions to test its utility in differentiating mesothelioma from adenocarcinoma. HBME-1 outlined cell membranes in non-neoplastic mesothelial cells.

Human malignant thyroid tumors displayed reduced levels of transforming growth factor beta receptor type II messenger RNA and protein.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is a physiological regulator of thyroid epithelial cell growth and differentiation. This factor signals through a heteromeric complex composed of type I (TGF-beta receptor type I) and type II [TGF-beta receptor type II (TbetaRII)] receptors. Loss of TbetaRII expression has been related to resistance to TGF-beta inhibition of cell proliferation.

Restorative proctocolectomy: histological assessment and cytometric DNA analysis of ileal pouch biopsies.

Background/aims: The pathological changes and the risk of developing cancer in the ileal pouch mucosa of patients who received restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) were studied. The presence or absence of remaining rectal mucosa below the IPAA in both patients with stapled and handsewn IPAA was also examined.

Materials And Methods: Endoscopy of the ileal pouch was performed on 38 patients at 4, 12, 18 and 36 months after restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch.

Local interactions of aromatic residues in short peptides in aqueous solution: a combined database and energetic analysis.

Although short peptides are usually structurally disordered in aqueous solution, particular peptide sequences display local structure. We performed database and conformational searches, along with molecular dynamics simulations, to study two local interactions detected by 1H-NMR in tetrapeptides excised from bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor: aromatic-(i+2)amide and (i-1)cisproline-aromatic. For both types of interaction, at least two major and distinct peptide conformations are identified in the folded state.

Malignant mesothelioma in Rome, Italy 1980-1995. A retrospective study of 79 patients.

Aim And Background: To evaluate the characteristics of a case-series of 79 malignant mesothelioma patients collected from the main teaching hospital of Rome, Italy, and other local clinics of Latium Region and to assess the role of asbestos exposure, since previous studies on the occurrence of the disease in this area were lacking.

Methods: The study included cytohistologically diagnosed malignant mesothelioma (71 pleural, 7 peritoneal, and 1 testicular tunica vaginalis) detected or referred for consultation during the period 1980-1995. Information regarding occupational and/or nonoccupational exposures was derived from clinical records and interviews, when available.

Morphological changes in a hyperfunctioning thyroid adenoma after percutaneous ethanol injection: histological, enzymatic and sub-microscopical alterations.

Ultrasound-guided ethanol injection (PEI) is an effective treatment of autonomously functioning thyroid nodules (AFTN) but little is known about the tissue lesions induced by alcohol. We report morphological changes of an AFTN which was removed after successful PEI treatment. At histological evaluation, the adenoma showed multiple areas of coagulative necrosis with eosinophilic ghost follicles, hemorrhages, small vessel thrombosis and a wedge-shaped hemorrhagic infarction.