Central Nervous System involvement in tuberculosis: An MRI study considering differences between patients with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 infection.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is largely used in the diagnosis of central nervous system involvement of tuberculosis (CNSTB), yet there is no MRI comparison study between HIV+ and HIV- patients with CNSTB. The aim of the present study was to identify MRI differences in CNSTB between HIV+ and HIV- patients and possibly find early characteristics that could raise the suspect of this disease.

Methods: We included all patients admitted in our institution between 2011 and 2018 with confirmed diagnosis of CNSTB, and MRI performed in the first week.

The emerging phenomenon of electronic cigarettes.

The need for novel and more effective approaches to tobacco control is unquestionable. The electronic cigarette is a battery-powered electronic nicotine delivery system that looks very similar to a conventional cigarette and is capable of emulating smoking, but without the combustion products accountable for smoking's damaging effects. Smokers who decide to switch to electronic cigarettes instead of continuing to smoke would achieve large health gains.

Effect of an electronic nicotine delivery device (e-Cigarette) on smoking reduction and cessation: a prospective 6-month pilot study.

Background: Cigarette smoking is a tough addiction to break. Therefore, improved approaches to smoking cessation are necessary. The electronic-cigarette (e-Cigarette), a battery-powered electronic nicotine delivery device (ENDD) resembling a cigarette, may help smokers to remain abstinent during their quit attempt or to reduce cigarette consumption.

Extracellular disulfide bonds support scavenger receptor class B type I-mediated cholesterol transport.

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) binds high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and mediates the selective uptake of cholesteryl esters (CE). Although the extracellular domain of SR-BI is critical for function, the structural characteristics of this region remain elusive. Using sulfhydryl labeling strategies, we report the novel finding that all six cysteine (Cys) residues in the extracellular domain of SR-BI are involved in disulfide bond formation that is intramolecular by nature.

Extracellular hydrophobic regions in scavenger receptor BI play a key role in mediating HDL-cholesterol transport.

The binding of high density lipoprotein (HDL) to scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI) is responsible for whole-body cholesterol disposal via reverse cholesterol transport. The extracellular domain of SR-BI is required for HDL binding and selective uptake of HDL-cholesterol. We identified six highly hydrophobic regions in this domain that may be important for receptor activity and performed site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the importance of these regions in SR-BI-mediated cholesterol transport.

[Heat-induced symptomatology in human teeth. An in-vitro study].

Objective: Various dental procedures can generate thermal increase in the dental pulp, in particular if they are incorrectly conducted. In literature the pulp cells are considered very heat sensitive. In this study the symptomatological response of patients during and after thermal administration to the dental crown has been recorded.

[Echographic diagnosis of hip dysplasia in neonates. Reflections on two years' work at our ultrasonography center].

The paper evaluates the role of ultrasound examinations of the hip joint in neonates by comparing the results of a one-year screening study (non-selected group) with the findings in a selected group of neonates with a high risk of hip dysplasia. The introduction to the paper contains a general discussion of the clinical aspects of hip dysplasia and describes the main anatomical findings using echography.

[The differential threshold of thickness perception between antagonist teeth with different degrees of mouth opening].

The discriminatory capacity of various widths, at different degrees of mouth opening, was assessed in a population of 22 individuals, 13 females and 9 males, with complete dentition. Seven series of nine widths each, based on central standardised measurements, and the choice of appropriate intervals enabled an univocal experimental method to be elaborated. The results showed that the differential threshold follows Weber's Law in a relatively linear fashion and that the perception interval varies in proportion from a tenth of a millimetre to 2 mm.

[The absolute threshold of the perception of thicknesses between antagonist teeth in contact].

An experimental technique has been evolved with the aim of identifying the perception threshold of widths between antagonist teeth using thin metal sheets of a known thickness either singly or as multiples. A reference sample was chosen from young subjects with integral dentition: 22 individuals, 13 women and 9 men, were included. Following statistical analysis, the results showed that, in spite of a wide individual variation, the absolute threshold may be located between 8 and 45 mu, with no difference between sexes.