Thyrocervical trunk pseudoaneurysm following central venous catheterization

A 71-year-old female developed a painless neck mass three months following an aortic valve replacement, mitral commissurotomy, and coronary artery bypass. A cervical trunk angio revealed a pseudoaneurysm supplied from a branch of the thyrocervical trunk, which was successfully excised.     

Rhytidectomy associated with autologous fat transplantation in Parry-Romberg syndrome

Progressive hemifacial atrophy or Parry-Romberg syndrome is an uncommon degenerative and poorly understood condition characterized by progressive atrophy of 1 side of the face. It may involve several layers of tissue manifesting itself in a more or less aggressive form (mild, moderate, and severe). Generally, the restoration of contour and symmetry are the goals of the therapy in patients affected by this syndrome. In this article, we present the technique and the 6-year postsurgery result of a case of Parry-Romberg syndrome treated with 1-stage anterior lifting, removal of superficial muscular aponeurotic system, and autologous fat transplantation because the patient requested to recover more than atrophy and also 20 years of lost youth.     

Chronic inflammatory disorders and their redox control: from molecular mechanisms to therapeutic opportunities

A chronic inflammatory disease is a condition characterized by persistent inflammation. A number of human pathologies fall into this category, and a great deal of research has been conducted to learn more about their characteristics and underlying mechanisms. In many cases, a genetic component has been identified, but also external factors like food, smoke, or environmental pollutants can significantly contribute to worsen their symptoms. Accumulated evidence clearly shows that chronic inflammatory diseases are subjected to a redox control. Here, we shall review the identity, source, regulation, and biological activity of redox molecules, to put in a better perspective their key-role in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and inflammatory bowel diseases. In addition, the impact of redox species on autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis, and celiac disease) and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis) will be discussed, along with their potential therapeutic implications as novel drugs to combat chronic inflammatory disorders.     

A SEM study of canal cleanliness after a new nickel-titanium rotary instrumentation technique

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the degree of smear layer removal after root canal preparation with TF(?) instruments, combined with two different irrigating solutions.For the present study twenty-two freshly extracted human roots were selected. All teeth had been extracted for periodontal purpose. Crown were cut off with a separating disk, so all roots were approximately 10-12 mm long.After having chosen the two control roots, the remaining ones were randomly divided into two groups each containing 10 roots. The two experimental groups were prepared as follows.A crown-down instrumentation technique was used, following TF(?) manufacturer's instructions.Irrigation of Group A consisted of 2 ml of solution: 6% sodium hypochlorite (Chlor-Extra(?), Vistadental Racine, Mi, USA) after each instrument followed at the end by a 17% EDTA minute (Smear Clear(?), SybronEndo, Orange, Ca) irrigation for 1 min. Both irrigants contain tensioactive agents.Group B specimens were irrigated with 2 ml of sterile saline solutions after each instrument. Two control roots were not instrumented and irrigated. Teeth were then examined by scanning electron microscopy.Values obtained were tabulated and statistical analyses were carried out using a non parametric tests.RESULTS SHOWS SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE MEAN SCORE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS: most experimental group A canals showed clean or minimal debris in the observed areas, especially in the coronal and middle thirds.     

APOE haplotypes are associated with human longevity in a Central Italy population: evidence for epistasis with HP 1/2 polymorphism

BackgroundApolipoprotein E (APOE) functional haplotypes determined by rs429358 and rs7412 SNPs have been extensively studied and found to be one of the most consistent association in human longevity studies. However, the search for longevity-determining genes in human has largely neglected the operation of genetic interactions.MethodsAPOE haplotypes have been determined for 1072 unrelated healthy individuals from Central Italy, 18–106 years old, divided into three gender-specific age classes defined according to demographic information and accounting for the different survival between sexes. The epistasis between APOE haplotypes and Haptoglobin (HP) 1/2 polymorphism was tested according to three-way contingency table analysis by a log-linear model.ResultsAPOE genotype and haplotype distributions differ significantly along the age classes (Genotype: p = 0.014; Haplotype: p = 0.005) with APOE*ε4 genotype status and haplotype displaying negative association (Genotype: O.R. = 0.377, p = 0.002, Haplotype: O.R. = 0.447, p = 0.005). A significant interaction between APOE*ε4 genotype status, HP 1/2 genotype and age classes is reported (p = 0.006).ConclusionAPOE haplotypes are significantly associated with longevity in our population. Of note, HP*1/*1 genotype seems to protects APOE*ε4 carriers from age-related negative selection. Collectively, these results also suggest and claim for further investigations on APOE/HP interaction in other age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis and Parkinson's disease.