Four years data of raltegravir-based salvage therapy in HIV-1-infected, treatment-experienced patients: the SALIR-E Study.

Apart from the BENCHMRK study, there are no large observational experiences describing the long-term efficacy and safety of rescue regimens for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Antiretroviral-experienced patients with detectable viraemia starting a raltegravir (RAL)-based regimen between March 2007 and June 2009 were consecutively enrolled and followed for ≥4 years. Data were censored at Week 206 for homogeneity.

Accessory mitral valve tissue: an updated review of the literature.

Accessory mitral valve tissue (AMVT) is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly sometimes responsible for left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction. It is diagnosed during both neonate-childhood and adult periods in patients usually symptomatic for dyspnoea, chest pain, palpitations, fatigue, or syncope. Nevertheless, AMVT is often an incidental finding.

Bioengineering in the oral cavity: our experience.

Background: To date, there are no studies reported in the literature on the possible use of bovine collagen, oxidized regenerated cellulose, or synthetic hyaluronic acid medications in the oral cavity. The aim of this paper is to report the use of bovine collagen, oxidized regenerated cellulose, and synthetic hyaluronic acid medications to improve wound healing in the oral cavity by stimulating granulomatous tissue.

Methods: From 2007 to 2011, 80 patients (median age 67 years) suffering from oral mucosal lesions participated in this double-blind study.

WITHDRAWN: Ccpdma by combined centripetal and centrifugal parotidectomy for face dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: case report and review of the literature.

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the authors and editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

Autonomic involvement in subacute and chronic immune-mediated neuropathies.

Autonomic function can be impaired in many disorders in which sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric arms of the autonomic nervous system are affected. Signs and symptoms of autonomic involvement are related to impairment of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, urogenital, thermoregulatory, sudomotor, and pupillomotor autonomic functions. Availability of noninvasive, sensitive, and reproducible tests can help to recognize these disorders and to better understand specific mechanisms of some, potentially treatable, immune-mediated autonomic neuropathies.

Rosmarinus officinalis L. as cause of contact dermatitis.

Because of the widespread use of botanicals, it has become crucial for health professionals to improve their knowledge about safety problems. Several herbal medicines contain chemicals with allergenic properties responsible for contact dermatitis. Among these, one is Rosmarinus officinalis L.

Human papillomavirus types distribution in eastern Sicilian females with cervical lesions. A correlation with colposcopic and histological findings.

To determine human papillomavirus (HPV) types distribution in cervical lesions in a Southern Italian female population in Messina and their relationship between HPV type and grade of colposcopic and histopathological abnormality, a total of 253 women aged 17-68 years, with previous cytological abnormalities, were included in this study. HPV-DNA testing, colposcopy and biopsy were performed. For each sample, cervical cells were collected by centrifugation and DNA was extracted, followed by a PCR-based HPV-DNA assay and reverse dot blot genotyping.

Odontoameloblastoma: five years follow up of a surgical case and review of literature.

The odontoameloblastoma (OA), also known as ameloblastic odontoma, is a rare neoplasm of jaws which includes odontogenic ectomesenchyme in addition to odontogenic epithelium that resembles an ameloblastoma both in structure and in behaviour. The exact incidence is difficult to determine. Since 1944, only 24 cases have been reported in English literature which fulfill both histological and clinical features of this lesion.

Combined effects of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption on antioxidant/oxidant balance in age-related macular degeneration.

Background And Aims: To investigate the single and joint effects of chronic cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption on oxidative stress in age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).

Methods: Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx), and catalase (CAT) activities; malondialdehyde (MDA) levels; and DNA damage were measured in patients with early ARMD (n=211) and late ARMD (n=205), and control persons (n=262).

Results: When compared with healthy controls, early- and late-ARMD patients showed significant decreases in the activities of SOD and GSHPx, but not CAT, along with marked enhancements of MDA levels and tail parameters (p<0.

Limits of fine-needle aspiration cytology in diagnosing pilomatrixoma: a series of 25 cases with clinico-pathologic correlations.

Background: Pilomatrixoma (PMX) is a benign, quite uncommon, skin neoplasm, which is frequently misdiagnosed by clinicians.

Aim: We have analyzed 25 PMX to determine the agreement between clinical diagnosis, preoperative FNA characteristics, and corresponding histopathological specimens; moreover, reliable cytologic criteria for PMX and the differential diagnosis to avoid cytological pitfalls have been emphasized.

Materials And Methods: By fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology a series of consecutive cases of PMX collected during last 5 years were studied.

Osteoblastic meningiomas: clinico-pathological and immunohistochemical features of an uncommon variant.

Osteoblastic meningioma is a rare variant of meningioma characterized by the presence of a variable number of bone spicules within the tumor parenchyma. Its histogenesis has not been yet fully clarified. Herein we report clinical and histological findings and expression of bone matrix proteins (osteocalcin and ostepontin) observed in seven osteoblastic meningiomas.

Association between oxidative stress and macromolecular damage in elderly patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Background And Aims: The aim of the present study was to determine whether age and gender affect the imbalance between oxidant production and antioxidant levels in age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) patients.

Methods: Total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total glutathione peroxidase (T-GSHPx), and catalase (CAT) activities, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PC), 8-Hydroxy-29-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and total oxidation status (TOS) levels, were measured in the following groups subdivided by age and gender: 156 early-ARMD patients; 80 wet-late ARMD patients; 72 dry-late ARMD patients; and 207 healthy controls.

Results: Among all study participants, women aged 50-54 had higher T-SOD and T-GSHPx activities and lower MDA, PC, TOS and 8-OHdG levels than age-matched men (p<0.

Does lactoferrin behave as an immunohistochemical oncofetal marker in bone and cartilage human neoplasms?

By immunohistochemistry, lactoferrin (LF) has been extensively investigated in human neoplastic tissues; moreover, LF is able to promote bone growth in a murine model. Until now, no systematic studies on human osteocartilagineous fetal samples have been performed in comparison to corresponding neoplastic specimens to verify if LF may represent an oncofetal marker in this field of pathology. By a monoclonal antibody (clone 1A1; Biodesign International; w.

[Bilateral and multiple traumatic pulmonary pseudo-cysts: a case report].

Traumatic pulmonary pseudocyst is a very rare consequence of blunt chest trauma characterized by formation of cystic like parenchymal lesions. Generally multiple and bilateral distribution is more rare than a single localization. The computed tomography (CT) scan has an higher diagnostic value compared with conventional chest X-ray.

The effect of vaginally administered genistein in comparison with hyaluronic acid on atrophic epithelium in postmenopause.

Purpose: The quality of life in postmenopause is seriously affected by the symptoms related to vaginal atrophy. To evaluate in a 3-month, prospective, randomized, double blind, study whether vaginal suppositories containing genistein might improve genital symptoms, colposcopical and cytologic findings or modify DNA cytometric features in postmenopausal women affected by vaginal atrophy, in comparison with vaginal suppositories containing hyaluronic acid (HA).

Methods: A total of 62 postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive intravaginally 97 μg of genistein (group A, n = 31) or 5 mg of HA (group B, n = 31) daily for 15 days continuously/month for 3 months.

Association of the DSS1 c.143G>A polymorphism with skin squamous cell carcinoma.

DSS1 and p53 are required for homologous recombination, but, although p53 inactivation has a key function in skin tumorigenesis, there is no clear evidence supporting a function of DSS1. We screened the entire DSS1 coding sequence and p53 exons 5-8 in a series of 60 cases of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Mutational analysis of p53 revealed tumor-associated mutations in 28 (46.

A retroperitoneal cyst with unusual urinary histogenesis: clinical and immunomorphological characteristics.

Primary retroperitoneal cysts are rare benign lesions which often present as an incidental radiological finding and also cause abdominal symptoms. A 47-year-old woman was admitted to the surgery unit because of right-sided abdominal pain. Computed tomographic scan investigation confirmed a circumscribed, oval, dishomogeneous mass in the right anterior pararenal space.

Investigation into FOXE1 genetic variations in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: FOXE1 is a candidate tumour suppressor gene at human chromosome locus 9q22. This is a region frequently lost in squamous cell cancer.

Objectives: To assess the influence of FOXE1 variations on genetic susceptibility to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

FOXE1 is a target for aberrant methylation in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Several cancer-related genes are silenced by promoter hypermethylation in skin cancers. However, to date the somatic epigenetic events that occur in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumorigenesis have not been well defined.

Objectives: To examine epigenetic abnormalities of FOXE1, a gene located on chromosome 9q22, a region frequently lost in SCC.

[Etiology, pathophysiology and management of post-traumatic pneumomediastinum: our experience].

The Authors reported the cases of posttraumatic pneumomediastinum came to their observation over the past 8 years. The etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and blunt injures eventually associated are discussed. Conclude that in the absence of associated injuries the treatment and the course of post-traumatic pneumomediastinum are the same that spontaneous pneumomediastinum.

[Thoracic trauma: incidence, social and economic costs, educational opportunities. Experience on the last eight years of Thoracic Surgical Unit of Messina University].

The Authors, after extensive introduction on the incidence, etiology, classification, pathophysiology, possible complications, diagnosis and treatment of thoracic trauma, relate their experience on the last eight years, stressing the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy in management of trauma simple and complicated and assessing finally serious social impact of these pathologies and the educational opportunities provided.

Scanning laser polarimetry and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy: technical notes on their use in glaucoma.

The mere intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement and the visual field (VF) examination do not allow early primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) diagnosis. At present, the morphological and morphometric analysis of the optic disk is considered very important for an early diagnosis and follow-up of the disease. The recent introduction of laser systems equipped with new polarimetry techniques (GDx) and confocal tomography (HRT) allows an objective, quantitative, and reproducible evaluation of the morphometry and morphology of the optic disk and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL).

Surgery for acute aortic dissection: an easy and cheap method to reinforce the anastomosis.

Bleeding from the anastomotic site is a frequent complication of surgery for acute aortic dissection. Many methods have been devised in order to avoid this problem. We report a simple, easy technique to reinforce the anastomotic sites.