Radiographic and computed tomographic findings in hydatid disease of bone

Twenty-six patients with hydatid disease of bone were evaluated by means of radiography and conventional tomography. Fourteen patients underwent high resolution computed tomography (CT). In two patients with vertebral disease, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was also performed. Seventeen patients underwent surgery with histological examination in all. Based on the surgical data and gross examination of the specimen, the radiographic and CT findings have been reviewed to identify the most characteristic radiographic features and to assess the role of CT. Radiographic findings of hydatidosis are rarely typical in bone, and only in a few patients can CT contribute to the diagnosis. On the other hand, the local extension of the lesion both in bone and in soft tissues, which is essential in planning surgery, is always demonstrated well by CT.     

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of soft tissue. An analysis of 78 cases located and deeply seated in the extremities

Seventy-eight cases of malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of soft tissues are reported. All tumors were deeply located in the extremities. An analysis is presented with regard to sex, age, site, macro- and microscopic features. The staging was assessed according to Enneking's classification (IB, one case; IIA, 25 cases; IIB, 42 cases; III, 10 cases). The recurrence rate after surgical treatment was high (37.5%) with significant differences after inadequate surgery (70%), wide excision (38%), or amputation (0%). Adjunctive radiotherapy rarely was effective in preventing local recurrence. The overall 5-year survival rate was 36%. The prognosis was worse in (1) tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter, (2) tumors that recurred early (less than 1 year) after surgery, and (3) tumors that had inadequate surgical treatment (intralesional or marginal excision).     

Effect of desferrioxamine and hydroxypyridones on hemopoietic progenitors and neuroectodermal tumor cells

The iron chelator desferrioxamine (DFO) has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of hemopoietic progenitors and several tumor cell lines. We have compared the in viro hemopoietic inhibitory effect of desferrioxamine (DFO) and hydroxypyridones (HPOs) on hemopoietic progenitors and two human neuroectodermal (NE) tumor cell lines, NB 100 and SKNMC. Both DFO and HPOs showed a direct dose-related inhibitory effect on BFU-E and CFU-GM obtained from purified human non-T MNAC (T-Iymphocyte-depleted nonadherent mononuclear cells) and CD34+ cells. DFO and HPOs displayed both an inhibitory and a cytotoxic effect on NE cell lines. We calculated the ratio between NE cell and hemopoietic cell growth inhibition for a range of concentrations of chelators. DFO showed the most satisfactory ratio. This suggests that DFO is still the most preferable chelating agent for the treatment of neuroblastoma, since it combines the highest antineuroblastoma effect with the lowest hematopoietic toxicity. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Combination of two different dopamine agonists in the management of Parkinson's disease

Neurological Sciences - An alternative approach to the symptomatic treatment of parkinsonian patients with and without motor fluctuations is to use dual dopamine agonists. The aim of this study was...     

Antagonist effect of terguride in Parkinson's disease.

The effects of the partial dopamine agonist terguride (9,10 transdihydrolisuride; THDL) on striatal dopamine receptors were studied by its i.v. administration to 13 patients with Parkinson's disease. Patients were maintained in a steadily mobile state with abnormal involuntary movements by a constant i.v. infusion of levodopa. Terguride showed dopamine antagonist properties in nine patients. In two of these nine patients, a decrease in dyskinesia score was observed without a concomitant worsening of parkinsonian symptoms, whereas in the remaining seven, full parkinsonian akinesia followed THDL administration. The subsequent i.v. injection of the dopamine agonist lisuride reversed THDL-induced akinesia in these seven patients. In the remaining four patients, no clinically significant motor effects were observed. These results show dopamine antagonist activity of terguride in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with Levodopa. Further studies using a wider dose titration are required to evaluate the possible role of dopamine partial agonists in the therapy of levodopa-induced dyskinesias.     

Non-random spatial relationships between mast cells and microvessels in human endometrial carcinoma

Mast cells (MCs) accumulate in the stroma surrounding tumors, where they secrete angiogenic cytokines and proteases, and an increased number of MCs have been demonstrated in angiogenesis associated with solid and hematological tumors. The aim of this study is to contribute to the knowledge of distribution of MCs in tumors, investigating the pattern of distribution of tryptase-positive MCs around the blood vessels in human endometrial carcinoma samples by introducing a quantitative approach to characterize their spatial distribution. The results have shown that in human endometrial cancer bioptic specimens the spatial distribution of MCs shows significant deviation from randomness as compared with control group in which, instead, the spatial distribution of MCs is consistent with a random distribution. These findings confirm that MCs enhance tumor angiogenesis and their preferential localization along blood vessels and sites of new vessel formation sustaining the suggestion for an association between MCs and angiogenesis. However, this spatial association between vessels and MCs might simply reflect migrating MCs from the blood stream at vessel growing sites.     

Dichloroacetate,a selective mitochondria-targeting drug for oral squamous cell carcinoma: a metabolic perspective of treatment

Reprogramming of metabolism is a well-established property of cancer cells that is receiving growing attention as potential therapeutic target. Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are aggressive and drugs-resistant human tumours displaying wide metabolic heterogeneity depending on their malignant genotype and stage of development. Dichloroacetate (DCA) is a specific inhibitor of the PDH-regulator PDK proved to foster mitochondrial oxidation of pyruvate. In this study we tested comparatively the effects of DCA on three different OSCC-derived cell lines, HSC-2, HSC-3, PE15. Characterization of the three cell lines unveiled for HSC-2 and HSC-3 a glycolysis-reliant metabolism whereas PE15 accomplished an efficient mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. DCA treatment of the three OSCC cell lines, at pharmacological concentrations, resulted in stimulation of the respiratory activity and caused a remarkably distinctive pro-apoptotic/cytostatic effect on HSC-2 and HSC-3. This was accompanied with a large remodeling of the mitochondrial network, never documented before, leading to organelle fragmentation and with enhanced production of reactive oxygen species. The data here presented indicate that the therapeutic efficacy of DCA may depend on the specific metabolic profile adopted by the cancer cells with those exhibiting a deficient mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation resulting more sensitive to the drug treatment.     

Radiofrequency ablation for non-spinal osteoid osteomas in 557 patients

Objectives  

To present the results of biopsy and computed tomography (CT) guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for non-spinal osteoid osteomas, and compare the results before and after procedural modifications.     

A mathematical formula to estimate in vivo thyroid volume from two-dimensional ultrasonography

BACKGROUND: The determination of thyroid volume (TV) is required for the management of thyroid diseases. Since two-dimensional ultrasonography (2D-US) has become the accepted method for the assessment of TV (2D-US-TV), we verified whether it accurately assesses postsurgical measured TV (PS-TV). METHODS: In 92 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy by conventional cervicotomy, 2D-US-TV obtained by the ellipsoid volume formula was compared to PS-TV, determined by the Archimedes' principle. RESULTS: Mean 2D-US-TV (23.9 +/- 14.8 mL) was significantly lower than mean PS-TV (33.4 +/- 20.1 mL). Underestimation was observed in 77% of cases, and it was related to gland multinodularity and/or nodular involvement of the isthmus, while 2D-US-TV matched the PS-TV in the remaining 21 cases (23%). A mathematical formula, to estimate PS-TV from US-TV, was derived using a linear model (Calculated-TV = [1.24 x 2D-US-TV]+ 3.66). Calculated-TV (mean value 33.4 +/- 18.3 mL) significantly (p < 0.01) increased from 21 (23%) to 31 (34%) of the cases that matched PS-TV. In addition, it significantly (p < 0.01) decreased from 77% to 27% the percentage of cases where PS-TV was underestimated as well as the range of the disagreement from 245% to 92%. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that 2D-US does not provide an accurate estimation of TV and suggests that it can be improved by a mathematical model different from the ellipsoid model. If confirmed in prospective studies, this may contribute to a more appropriate management of thyroid diseases.