CO2 laser therapy of the Bartholin's gland cyst: surgical data and functional short- and long-term results

The Bartholin's gland cyst is a condition that occurs in approximately 2% of women, most of whom are of reproductive age. Although benign, it is associated with significant patient discomfort. Definitive treatment involves the surgical removal of the entire cyst. The objective of this study was to describe an alternative conservative surgical technique with CO(2) laser adopted in our institution and to evaluate the feasibility, complication rate, and results obtained with this technique in an office setting. Our study showed that CO(2) laser treatment of the Bartholin's gland cyst can be carried out safely in an outpatient setting, with minimum patient discomfort and high long-term cure rates.     

Two-dimensional echocardiography in the diagnosis of intracardiac masses: A prospective study with anatomic validation

The accuracy of two-dimensional echocardiography in the detection of intracardiac masses was verified in 334 patients who underwent cardiac catheterization in our laboratory over 21 consecutive months. A complete two-dimensional echocardiographic (2DE) examination was performed a day before catheterization. The presence or absence of a mass was verified at surgery in 77 patients who successively underwent mitral or aortic valve replacement (51), left ventricular aneurysmectomy with or without myocardial revascularization (25), and resection of atrial myxoma (2). In 32 patients 2DE revealed the presence of a mass-left or right atrial thrombi in 12, left atrial myxoma in 2, left ventricular thrombi in 16, and endocardial vegetations in 2. The other 45 patients were free of intracardiac masses on 2DE. Anatomic verification at surgery revealed the presence of an intracardiac mass in 34 patients. In 30 (true positives) of these, 2DE revealed the mass as well, and in 4 (false negatives) the presence of a mass had not been identified by 2DE. In 2 patients (false positives) the predicted mass was not found at surgery. Absence of a mass was correctly predicted by 2DE in 41 patients (true negatives). Thus 2DE detected intracardiac masses with sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 95.3%. We recommend that 2DE be performed in all patients prior to hemodynamic study and/or cardiac surgery to enable safer management of patients with intracardiac masses during cardiac catheterization and/or cardiac surgery.     

Rapid isolation, characterization, and glycan analysis of Cup a 1, the major allergen of Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) pollen

BACKGROUND: A rapid method for the purification of the major 43-kDa allergen of Cupressus arizonica pollen, Cup a 1, was developed. METHODS: The salient feature was a wash of the pollen in acidic buffer, followed by an extraction of the proteins and their purification by chromatography. Immunoblotting, ELISA, and lectin binding were tested on both the crude extract and the purified Cup a 1. Biochemical analyses were performed to assess the Cup a 1 isoelectric point, its partial amino-acid sequence, and its glycan composition. RESULTS: Immunochemical analysis of Cup a 1 confirmed that the allergenic reactivity is maintained after the purification process. Partial amino-acid sequencing indicated a high degree of homology between Cup a 1 and allergenic proteins from the Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae families displaying a similar molecular mass. The purified protein shows one band with an isoelectric point of 5.2. Nineteen out of 33 sera (57%) from patients allergic to cypress demonstrated significant reactivity to purified Cup a 1. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry indicated the presence of three N-linked oligosaccharide structures: GnGnXF(3) (i.e., a horseradish peroxidase-type oligosaccharide substituted with two nonreducing N-acetylglucosamine residues), GGnXF(3)/GnGXF(3) (i.e., GnGnXF with one nonreducing galactose residue), and (GF)GnXF(3)/Gn(GF)XF(3) (with a Lewisa epitope on one arm) in the molar ratio 67:8:23. CONCLUSION: The rapid purification process of Cup a 1 allowed some fine studies on its properties and structure, as well as the evaluation of its IgE reactivity in native conditions. The similarities of amino-acid sequences and some complex glycan stuctures could explain the high degree of cross-reactivity among the Cupressaceae and Taxodiaceae families.     

Prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

The present study was undertaken with the aim to evaluate the prevalence of thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. in living pheasants in Italy. To achieve this goal, a total of 240 living pheasants, equally shared between female and male birds, were examined. Thermotolerant Campylobacter spp. was isolated in 104 out of 204 (43.3%) living pheasants analysed. Campylobacter coli (100%) and Campylobacter jejuni (13.5%) were identified by polymerase chain reaction. Adult pheasants showed a significantly higher prevalence value (P < 0.05) than younger pheasants.     

Nutrigenomics and Nutrigenetics in Metabolic- (Dysfunction) Associated Fatty Liver Disease: Novel Insights and Future Perspectives

Metabolic- (dysfunction) associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) represents the predominant hepatopathy and one of the most important systemic, metabolic-related disorders all over the world associated with severe medical and socio-economic repercussions due to its growing prevalence, clinical course (steatohepatitis and/or hepatocellular-carcinoma), and related extra-hepatic comorbidities. To date, no specific medications for the treatment of this condition exist, and the most valid recommendation for patients remains lifestyle change. MAFLD has been associated with metabolic syndrome; its development and progression are widely influenced by the interplay between genetic, environmental, and nutritional factors. Nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics findings suggest nutrition’s capability, by acting on the individual genetic background and modifying the specific epigenetic expression as well, to influence patients’ clinical outcome. Besides, immunity response is emerging as pivotal in this multifactorial scenario, suggesting the interaction between diet, genetics, and immunity as another tangled network that needs to be explored. The present review describes the genetic background contribution to MAFLD onset and worsening, its possibility to be influenced by nutritional habits, and the interplay between nutrients and immunity as one of the most promising research fields of the future in this context.     

Acute corneal graft rejection following photorefractive keratectomy for post-penetrating keratoplasty high astigmatism

Dear Editor,We present an unusual case of acute graft rejection after photorefractive keratectomy(PRK),performed to correct high residual astigmatism after penetrating keratoplasty(PKP)for keratoconus.The primary measures of success for PKP are visual acuity,refractive outcomes。