Comprehensive review on intravertebral intraspinal, intrajoint, and intradiscal vacuum phenomenon: From anatomy and physiology to pathology.

The term 'vacuum phenomenon' (VP), is characterized by gas-like density areas due to a rapid increase in the joint space volume ('acute VP') or represent a chronic gas collection. It can occur within a collapsed vertebral body, the spinal canal, joints but mainly the intervertebral disc. Studies support that VP is originated by a dynamic process involving the balance between tissues' liquid and gaseous components, influenced by the duration and the depth of mechanical and metabolic alterations, by the nature of neighboring tissues and the variability in both pressure and permeability of disc or vertebral or joint structures.

Clinical significance of occult central nervous system disease in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A multicenter report from the Campus ALL Network.

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, flow cytometry detects more accurately leukemic cells in patients' cerebrospinal fluid compared to conventional cytology. However, the clinical significance of flow cytometry positivity with a negative cytology - occult central nervous system disease - is not clear. In the framework of the national Campus ALL program, we retrospectively evaluated the incidence of occult central nervous system disease and its impact on outcome in 240 adult patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Targeting bone metastatic cancer: Role of the mTOR pathway.

One of the great challenges of cancer medicine is to develop effective treatments for bone metastatic cancer. Most patients with advanced solid tumors will develop bone metastasis and will suffer from skeletal related events associated with this disease. Although some therapies are available to manage symptoms derived from bone metastases, an effective treatment has not been developed yet.

[Post-renal transplant pregnancy: a project to plan carefully].

Kidney transplant is the best treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as it improves the quality of life and reduces the mortality risk for most patients compared with maintenance dialysis. Additionally, evidence from the literature suggests that renal function, endocrine status and libido rapidly improve after kidney transplant, and one in 50 women of childbearing age become pregnant. Therefore, it seems clear that pregnancy after transplant is a great challenge for physicians involved in this field.

Plant lectins as carriers for oral drugs: is wheat germ agglutinin a suitable candidate?

Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) is a plant protein that binds specifically to sugars expressed also by gastrointestinal epithelial cells. WGA is currently investigated as an anti-tumor drug and as a carrier for oral drugs. Information on whether it can cross the gastrointestinal epithelium and on its possible effects on the integrity of the epithelial layer is however scanty or lacking, and herein we address these issues.

Anti-tumour potential of a gallic acid-containing phenolic fraction from Oenothera biennis.

A phenolic fraction purified form defatted seeds of Oenothera biennis promoted selective apoptosis of human and mouse bone marrow-derived cell lines following first-order kinetics through a caspase-dependent pathway. In non-leukemia tumour cell lines, such as human colon carcinoma CaCo(2) cells and mouse fibrosarcoma WEHI164 cells, this fraction inhibited (3)H-thymidine incorporation but not cell death or cell cycle arrest. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed low sensitivity to treatment.

New standards in the chemotherapy of metastatic hormone-refractory prostate cancer.

Hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is a major issue in Western countries and the second leading cause of cancer death in North American men. In the prostate-specific antigen era, most HRPCs are currently diagnosed in asymptomatic patients based on biochemical failure, with increasing demand for active treatment. Until recently, chemotherapy for HRPC patients was not considered a standard of care due to the absence of clear data evidencing an overall survival benefit.

Effect of budesonide and montelukast in asthmatic children exposed to relevant allergens.

Background: Montelukast has been shown to be effective in controlling the increase in exhaled NO in asthmatic children re-exposed to house dust mite (HDM). This study compared the effect of low dose inhaled budesonide and oral montelukast in preventing the expected relapse of airway inflammation and reactivity in a group of 24 mild asthmatic children allergic to HDM after a brief period of exposure to relevant allergens.

Methods: Lung function, bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) to methacholine (PC(20)), fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels and sputum eosinophilia were evaluated.

Studies on the joint cytotoxicity of Wheat Germ Agglutinin and monensin.

Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA) cytotoxicity has been studied using two human leukemia cell lines, Molt3 and K562, and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In spite of similar binding at the cell surface, WGA was found to promote cell death to a different extent in Molt3, K562 and PBMC and to induce different death events leading to apoptosis in Molt3 and either apoptosis and necrosis in K562 cells and PBMC. In Molt3 but not in K562 cells, WGA cytotoxicity could be potentiated 66-200 fold by 50 nM monensin, a carboxylic ionophore that perturbs the intracellular trafficking of endocytosed molecules.

Efficacy in allergen control and air permeability of different materials used for bed encasement.

Background: Different types of textile are used for the preparation of covers for bed encasement. The aim of the present study was to evaluate different fabrics employed for mattress covers regarding their efficacy in blocking Der p 1 and Fel d 1 as well as their air permeability.

Methods: Eleven different commercially available fabrics manufactured for allergen avoidance have been tested and compared with regular cotton.

Activity-dependent synaptic competition at mammalian neuromuscular junctions.

Synapse elimination is a widespread developmental process in the peripheral and central nervous system that brings about refinement of neural connections through epigenetic mechanisms. Here we describe recent advances concerning the role of the pattern of motoneuronal firing, synchronous or asynchronous, in neuromuscular synapse elimination.

Effects of evoked and spontaneous motoneuronal firing on synapse competition and elimination in skeletal muscle.

Synapse elimination is a general feature of the development of neural connections, including the connections of motoneurons to skeletal muscle fibers. Our work addressed two questions: (1) how the action potentials generated in the set of motoneurons innervating an individual muscle ( i.e.

Growth hormone resistance in chronic heart failure and its therapeutic implications.

Background: In recent years the administration of recombinant human growth hormone (GH) has received great attention. This review compares the potential of this therapeutic intervention in heart failure with that in other diseases where wasting is commonly seen. The pathophysiologic importance of GH and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in these conditions will be discussed.

A common perceptual parameter for stair climbing for children, young and old adults.

In this paper we examine whether a common perceptual parameter is available for guiding old adults, young adults and children in climbing the highest stair mountable in a bipedal fashion. Previous works have shown that the ratio between the height of the stair and the hip height was the body-scaled invariance adopted as information for selecting the highest stair by young adults [Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 10 (1984) 683-703] but not by older adults [Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 3 (1992) 691-697]. Indeed, for older adults additional bio-mechanical parameters needed to be added to the model due to their decrease in leg strength and flexibility.

Carcinoid tumors of the urinary bladder. Immunohistochemical study of 2 cases and review of the literature.

We report the clinical, histopathologic, and immunophenotypic features of 2 carcinoid tumors of the urinary bladder and review the literature. Both tumors were located in the bladder neck, presented with hematuria, were small, and appeared to be completely excised cystoscopically. The tumors were smooth-surfaced sessile polypoid nodules covered by urothelium.

Myocardial viability independently influences left ventricular diastolic function in the early phase after acute myocardial infarction.

Background: After acute myocardial infarction, a broad range of left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) is expected because of chamber remodeling. However, intrinsic characteristics of the infarcted tissue (necrosis or viability) may also play a role. We aimed to evaluate whether myocardial viability (Mviab) has an influence on LVEDP.

Determinants and prognostic value of left atrial volume in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate the determinants of left atrial (LA) volume and its prognostic value in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

Background: Enlargement of the LA is a marker of mortality in the general population. Patients with DCM are characterized by a wide range of LA sizes, but the clinical role of this observation has been played down.

Molecular mechanics and dynamics of biomolecules using a solvent continuum model.

An easy implementation of molecular mechanics and molecular dynamics simulation using a continuum solvent model is presented that is particularly suitable for biomolecular simulations. The computation of solvation forces is made using the linear Poisson-Boltzmann equation (polar contribution) and the solvent-accessible surface area approach (nonpolar contribution). The feasibility of the methodology is demonstrated on a small protein and a small DNA hairpin.

Motor disinhibition in affected and unaffected hemisphere in the early period of recovery after stroke.

Objectives: To investigate motor disinhibition in affected and unaffected motor areas in the acute stage after stroke and during the early period of recovery.

Methods: Fifteen patients with moderate to severe hemiparesis after acute unilateral stroke were compared with 10 healthy age-matched controls. We used paired transcranial magnetic stimulation to study intracortical inhibition and facilitation from the thenar eminence muscles on both sides.

Effect of montelukast on exhaled NO in asthmatic children exposed to relevant allergens.

The level of exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) is increased in house dust mite (HDM)-sensitized asthmatic children after exposure to HDM antigen, and inhaled steroids can prevent this increase. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether montelukast could prevent an increase in FENO levels in allergic asthmatic children after a brief period of exposure to relevant allergens. Sixteen children were evaluated at the residential house 'Istituto Pio XII' (Misurina, Bellunio, Italy) in the Italian Alps, a dust mite-free environment.

Oncocytoma-like angiomyolipoma. A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 2 cases.

We report the clinical, pathologic, and immunohistochemical features of an unusual tumor of the kidney composed of densely eosinophilic, polygonal epithelioid cells. The patients were a 56-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man. The renal tumors were discovered during follow-up for breast carcinoma and evaluation for abdominal pain, respectively.

The role of cytokines in regulating protein metabolism and muscle function.

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that cytokines influence different physiologic functions of skeletal muscle cells, including anabolic and catabolic processes and programmed cell death. Cytokines play an important role not only in muscle homeostasis, therefore, but also in the pathogenesis of different relevant clinical conditions characterized by alterations in protein metabolism. Recently discovered cytokines, such as ciliary neurotrophic factor and growth/differentiation factor-8, as well as the more studied tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, and the interferons, have been implicated in the regulation of muscle protein turnover.

Renal disease in adults with TSC2/PKD1 contiguous gene syndrome.

The most common renal lesions of tuberous sclerosis complex, an autosomal-dominant syndrome resulting from losses of TSC1 (9q34) or TSC2 (16p13.3), are renal cysts and angiomyolipomas. Epithelial neoplasms are less common.