Functional topography of the secondary somatosensory cortex for nonpainful and painful stimulation of median and tibial nerve: an fMRI study

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study the cortical activity of the bilateral secondary somatosensory cortex (SII) during nonpainful (motor threshold) and painful electrical stimulation of median and tibial nerves. fMRI recordings were performed in eight normal young adults. The aim was at evaluating the working hypothesis of a spatial segregation of nonpainful and painful populations not only in the "hand" representation of SII [Ferretti, A., Babiloni, C., Del Gratta, C., Caulo, M., Tartaro, A., Bonomo, L., Rossini, P.M., Romani, G.L., 2003. Functional topography of the secondary somatosensory cortex for nonpainful and painful stimuli: an fMRI study. NeuroImage 20, 1625-1638.] but also in its "foot" representation. Results showed that, in both "hand" and "foot" representations of bilateral SII, the activity elicited by the painful stimulation was localized more posteriorly with respect to that elicited by the nonpainful stimulation. A fine spatial analysis of the SII responses revealed a clear somatotopic organization in the bilateral SII subregion especially reactive to the nonpainful stimuli (i.e., segregation of the hand and foot representations). In contrast, it was not possible to disentangle the "hand" and "foot" representations of SII for painful stimuli. These results extended to the SII "foot" representation previous evidence of a spatial segregation in the SII "hand" representation of subregions for the painful and nonpainful stimuli. Furthermore, they suggest that noxious information is not somatotopically represented in human bilateral SII, at least as inferred from fMRI data at 1.5 T.     

Anti-Aspergillus fumigatus efficacy of pentraxin 3 alone and in combination with antifungals

The collectin pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an essential component of host resistance to pulmonary aspergillosis. Here we examined the protective effects of administration of PTX3 alone or together with deoxycholate amphotericin B (Fungizone) or liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) against invasive aspergillosis in a murine model of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. PTX3, alone or in combination with the polyenes, was given intranasally or parenterally either before, in concomitance with, or after the intranasal infection with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. Mice were monitored for resistance to infection and parameters of innate and adaptive T-helper immunity. The results showed the following: (i) complete resistance to infection and reinfection was observed in mice treated with PTX3 alone; (ii) the protective effect of PTX3 was similar or superior to that observed with liposomal amphotericin B or deoxycholate amphotericin B, respectively; (iii) protection was associated with accelerated recovery of lung phagocytic cells and T-helper-1 lymphocytes and concomitant decrease of inflammatory pathology; and (iv) PTX3 potentiated the therapeutic efficacy of suboptimal doses of either antimycotic drug. Together, these data suggest the potential therapeutic use of PTX3 either alone or as an adjunctive therapy in A. fumigatus infections.     

Prognostic significance of nm23 gene product expression in patients with colorectal carcinoma treated with radical intent

Reports of the relationship between the putative metastasis suppressor NM23 and metastasis and/or survival in colorectal cancer patients are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate whether nm23 immunostaining is correlated with established prognostic variables (Dukes' stage, degree of tumour differentiation, T stage and nodal involvement) in colorectal carcinomas for the patients treated with radical intent using Kruskal chi(2) analysis. The rates of survival at five years were estimated with the use of the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method with 95% confidence intervals derived by Greenwood's formula and the curves were compared with the use of the log-rank test. Cox proportional-hazard regression model was used to identify multivariate predictors and the corresponding outcome. The staining was performed on 112 paraffin-embedded surgical specimens collected between 1989-1992 using a monoclonal anti-nm23 antibody. Follow-up of patients was until time of death or for at least 5 years. There was not a significant correlation between tumour staging, degree of tumour differentiation, nodal involvement and nm23 status. Furthermore, there was no significant association with overall 5-year survival, disease recurrence, tumour site, age or sex. Although nm23 may be involved in suppressing tumour metastasis, nm23 immunohistochemistry has no prognostic value in colorectal cancer. For these reasons nm23 does not contribute further to the prognostic information provided by established prognostic variables.     

Laparoscopic aspects of peritoneal tuberculosis. Report of 163 cases

The aim of this study is to report the results, the complications and limits of laparoscopy in patients with tuberculous peritonitis. In a retrospective study of 163 laparoscopy realized from 1970 to 1998. All the patients had exsudative ascites with predominantly of lymphocytes. Miliary nodules were found in 87% of cases, adhesions between the peritoneum and organs were found in 69% of cases and congestion in 63% of cases. Laparoscopically guide peritoneal biopsies detected caseating granulomas in 87% of cases. Laparoscopic appearance of the peritoneum mimicking a carcinosis in 15% of cases. One patient had complication as a bowel perforation. Miliary nodules and adherences are the more frequent appearances into peritoneal cavity in tuberculous peritonitis. With peritoneal biopsies, laparoscopy is always the best method for definitively and rapidly diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis.     

The place of endoscopic sphincterotomy in the treatment of acute biliary pancreatitis: report of 78 cases

In this retrospective study, 78 patients with acute biliary pancreatitis underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (31 men, 47 women; median age 61 years). It was a severe pancreatitis in 70% cases. The median time from admission to endoscopic sphincterotomy was 4 days. Endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in 73 patients (93.3%). Bile duct clearance was achieved in 69 patients (88.37%). Overall, the complication rate was 7%. All the patients recovered after endoscopic sphincterotomy. Surgery was necessary in 40% cases.     

The plasticity of dendritic cells at the host/fungal interface

No Abstract     

Spinal cord stimulation prevents the effects of combined experimental ischemic and traumatic brain injury. An MR study

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) interferes with cerebral blood flow (CBF). In this paper we try to evaluate the possible preventing effect of SCS in an animal model of combined ischemic and traumatic injury. We studied 20 New Zealand rabbits undergoing ligature of both carotid arteries and a right hemispheric craniectomy and about 3 h mechanical injury (200 mg) over the dura. In 10 animals (control group) SCS was not delivered; in 10 (SCS group) cervical SCS was started 20 min after arterial ligation and before the craniectomy and the mechanical injury. MR examination was performed in all the animals at the end of the experiments. Compared to the control group none but one of the SCS showed lesional pattern far from the craniectomy suggesting a 'preventing' effect of SCS on the secondary damage associated with our model combined ischemic and traumatic brain injury.     

Host immune reactivity and antifungal chemotherapy: the power of being together

Fungal infections, particularly those in immunocompromised hosts, have been a major therapeutic challenge over recent decades. The difficulty in diagnosing invasive infections, together with the emergence of unusual opportunistic pathogens and a pathogen shift in the spectrum of the causative organisms, have greatly hampered the effectiveness of antifungal therapy. Knowledge of the immunoregulation of fungal infections may provide new insights for therapeutic interventions. The appreciation of the importance of T helper cells and cytokines in the overall coordination of the effector immune response to fungi has offered novel opportunities to manipulate these processes and to alter the outcome of fungal infections while improving the therapeutic efficacy of antifungal drugs. Cytokine and cytokine antagonists, alone or in combination with antifungals, have the potential to overcome the specific defects of host immune reactivity predisposing to fungal infections. The current challenge lies in translating much of the information obtained in experimental and preclinical studies into therapeutic strategies providing prospects for the ultimate treatment of fungal infections.