TGF-β and IL-17 serum levels and specific immunotherapy

Two new T cell subsets may be involved in allergic rhinitis (AR) pathogenesis: Th17 and T regulatory cells, mainly producing IL-17 and TGF-β respectively. Successful Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) induces relevant immunological changes, thus the aim of this study was to evaluate serum IL-17 and TGF-β levels in AR patients treated with SLIT for 2 years. Patients' blood samples were collected before initiating SLIT (baseline), three months after the end of the first pre-seasonal SLIT course, and at the end of the second pre-seasonal course. IL-17 was detectable only in the most severe allergic patients. SLIT significantly induced an increase in serum TGF-β levels. There was moreover a significant relationship between TGF-β and symptom severity and drug use at the end of the study. Therefore, this study provides clinically relevant evidence that two pre-seasonal SLIT courses may significantly affect serum TGF-β levels.     

Long-term Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of the right heart after major lung resections.

OBJECTIVE: The effects of major lung resections on cardiac function in the medium and long term have not been thoroughly evaluated. We have studied right heart function with serial Doppler echocardiography in patients undergoing lobectomy and pneumonectomy during 4 years of follow-up after surgery. METHODS: Thirty-six patients undergoing lobectomy and 15 receiving pneumonectomy were evaluated with one- and two-dimensional Doppler standard transthoracic echocardiography before surgery and 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 4 years postoperatively. We have studied the right midventricular diastolic diameter (RVDD), the right ventricle free wall thickness, the tricuspid valve insufficiency (TVI) and regurgitation jet (TRJ), and the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP). RESULTS: None of the patients died within the first postoperative year. After lobectomy there were no significant modifications of any variable at any time. RVDD progressively increased after pneumonectomy (26.5+/-2.2mm preoperatively vs 34.3+/-7.6 at 4 years; p<0.001). Four years after surgery all patients undergoing pneumonectomy had moderate TVI while only 55% of patients receiving lobectomy showed it (low grade in 50% and moderate in 5%). In this group of patients PASP increased from 26.1+/-2.6 mmHg preoperatively to 34.3+/-7.6 mmHg at 4 years (p<0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Right ventricle modifications are clearly evident after pneumonectomy and even if they do not show a clear clinical impact they should not be neglected.     

Immediate effects of spinal manipulation on thermal pain sensitivity: an experimental study

Background  

The underlying causes of spinal manipulation hypoalgesia are largely unknown. The beneficial clinical effects were originally theorized to be due to biomechanical changes, but recent research has suggested spinal manipulation may have a direct neurophysiological effect on pain perception through dorsal horn inhibition. This study added to this literature by investigating whether spinal manipulation hypoalgesia was: a) local to anatomical areas innervated by the lumbar spine; b) correlated with psychological variables; c) greater than hypoalgesia from physical activity; and d) different for A-delta and C-fiber mediated pain perception.     

Human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells express functional corticotropin-releasing hormone receptors

In human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) produces a marked and rapid increase of adenylate cyclase activity. The concentration of the peptide producing half-maximal stimulation is 60 nM. The effect of CRH is significantly antagonized by the specific CRH receptor antagonist alpha-helical CHR 9-41 and is mimicked by sauvagine and urotensin I, two peptides displaying sequence homology with CRH. These results demonstrate the presence of functional CRH receptors in human Y-79 retinoblastoma cells and suggest that this cell line may be a suitable model in which to study the action of CRH on human retinal cell function.     

Endoscopic treatment of benign tumors of the nose and paranasal sinuses.

OBJECTIVE: The endoscopic approach can be successfully employed for the treatment of benign tumors such as fibroosseus and vascular lesions, pleomorphic adenomas, gliomas, and schwannomas. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Nineteen patients diagnosed with benign tumors of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and treated using an endoscopic approach were retrospectively reviewed. The endoscopic approach was used exclusively in 15 cases and was associated with an external approach in 4 cases (due to an intracranial extension of the tumor in 3 patients and its location at the level of the anterior wall of the frontal sinus in the last case). RESULTS: The resection of the lesions was radical in 18 patients and subtotal in 1 case. The mean follow-up was 27 months and only 1 recurrence (5%) was observed in the juvenile angiofibroma group 20 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: and significance In selected cases, endoscopic surgery can be considered an effective treatment for the resection of benign tumors involving the sinonasal tract.     

Biochemical and biological activity of the anthracycline analog, 4-demethyl-6-0-methyl-doxorubicin

Summary The chromophore-modified derivative of doxorubicin, 4-demethyl-6-0-methyl-doxorubicin, has been tested for antitumor activity in a range of experimental murine tumor systems. In contrast to the inactive 6-0-methyl derivative of daunorubicin, 4-demethyl-6-0-methyl-doxorubicin provided antitumor effects comparable to that of the parent compound. In addition, detailed DNA-interaction studies showed that the doxorubicin derivative retains the ability to bind DNA by the intercalation mechanism. However, the binding affinity was appreciably reduced following structural modification in the anthraquinone chromophore. On the basis of the proposed models of intercalation, these results could be rationalized in terms of steric influence of the bulky methoxy group. The results of this study are in agreement with the correlation already observed between DNA binding and relative antitumor activity of anthracyclines.     

Minimum effective anesthetic concentration (MEAC) for sciatic nerve block: subgluteus and popliteal approaches

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypothesis that using a subgluteus approach to the sciatic nerve requires a lower concentration of mepivacaine to obtain complete anesthesia as compared with the popliteal approach. METHODS: With midazolam premedication (0.05 mg kg(-1) iv), 48 patients undergoing hallux valgus repair were randomly allocated to receive a sciatic nerve block using either a posterior popliteal (group Popliteal, n = 24) or subgluteus (group Subgluteus, n = 24) approach with 30 mL of local anesthetic injected after elicitation of plantar flexion of the foot with a current 相似文献   

Botulinum toxin and neuromotor rehabilitation: An integrated approach to idiopathic cervical dystonia.

Currently, the best treatment option for idiopathic cervical dystonia (ICD) is injection of botulinum toxin (BTX) into the affected muscles, whereas rehabilitative approaches have given disappointing results. We evaluated whether the association of an ad hoc rehabilitative program may improve the clinical efficacy of BTX treatment in a single-center, cross-over, controlled study. Forty patients with ICD were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups: (1) BTX type A (BTX-A) plus a specific program of physical therapy (BTX-PT) or (2) BTX-A alone (BTX-0). Patients in the BTX-PT group showed a longer duration of the clinical benefit (118.8 vs. 99.1 days) and needed a lower dose of BTX at reinjection (284.5 vs. 325.5 units). In addition, they showed more marked reductions in their disability in activities of daily living (-9.7 vs. -4.85 points) and subjective pain (-13.35 vs. 6.95 points) scores. Association of BTX-A therapy with a specific program of physical therapy may improve ICD treatment outcome.