Giant acquired tracheocele in a syndromic child: Case report and review of the literature

We report a case of acquired tracheocele in a child with multiple congenital anomalies of the face, limbs, kidneys, and heart, to share our experience with international scientific community, considering the rarity of the disease especially in the pediatric population. Patientâs history reported a tracheotomy at one month of life that was closed at 3 years old. Ten years later, the patient come to us for an anterior cervical mass swelling during respiratory effort and chronic productive cough. The diagnosis was made by high resolution Computed Tomography scan of the neck and chest and an elective surgical resection of the lesion under general anesthesia was done

EFFECTS OF DIETARY YOGHURT ON IMMUNOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS OF RHINOPATHIC PATIENTS

Objectives: To examine the immunological and clinical influence of 4 months’ feeding with either yoghurt or partially skimmed milk or nothing, on 20 volunteers. Subjects: Thirteen subjects had a demonstrated allergic rhinopathy and seven were healthy subjects and participated as controls. Research design: Either a group of seven or a group of six rhinopathic patients were fed either 450 g yoghurt or 450 g partially skimmed milk, respectively, for 4 months between March and October 1999. All subjects maintained their usual diet throughout the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated before and after the experimental period and cultured for periods of 40 and 64 h. Proliferation index assay and release of IFNg and IL-4 without and with PHA stimulation were assessed. Allergic rhinopathy was evaluated before and after the 4 months period by performing the nasal functionality tests (Active Anterior Rhinomanometry, Acoustic Rhinometry), the prick test, the nasal specific provocation test (NPT), the dosage of specific IgE blood levels, the evaluation of the symptomatological score and the nasal mucociliary transport test. Results: No significant change of the proliferation index was noted among the three groups. Cultured PBMC of the group fed with yoghurt released more IFNg and less IL-4. Cytokine plasma levels were at and remained at basal levels. Prick test, specific serum IgEs and NPT remained immodified. Muco-ciliary transport time (MCTt) and symptomatological score showed a definitive improvement after yoghurt feeding. Conclusion: Yoghurt feeding appears to improve or prevent allergic recurrences in rhinopatic patients

Correlation between dysphagia and malocclusion in rett syndrome a preliminary study

Objectives: Rett syndrome (RS) is a severe neurological developmental disorder characterised by stereotypical hand movements, epileptic seizures, craniofacial dysmorphism and digestive dysfunction. This study aimed to examine the correlation between the severity of malocclusion and dysphagia in patients with RS. Methods: This preliminary study was conducted at the Ear, Nose & Throat Clinic of the University Hospital of Siena, Siena, Italy, from January 2014 to December 2017. A total of 56 patients with RS were examined and grouped according to the severity of dysphagia (absent, mild, moderate or severe) and malocclusion (<2 mm, 2–3 mm, 3–4 mm or >4 mm). Results: All of the patients were female and the mean age was 11.3 years. Eight (14.3%) patients had mild, 18 (32.1%) had moderate and 30 (53.6%) had severe dysphagia. Four (7.1%) patients had <2 mm occlusion, 10 (17.9%) had 2–3 mm occlusion, 26 (46.4%) had 3–4 mm occlusion and 16 (28.6%) had >4 mm occlusion. Mild dysphagia was observed in 100% and 40% of patients with <2 and 2–3 mm malocclusion, respectively, while moderate dysphagia was present in 60% and 38.5% of patients with 2–3 and 3–4 mm malocclusion, respectively. Severe dysphagia was observed in 28.6% and 87.5% of patients with 3–4 and >4 mm malocclusion, respectively. There was a significant correlation between dysphagia and malocclusion severity (P <0.001). Conclusion: A higher degree of malocclusion was associated with more severe dysphagia among a cohort of patients with RS

Beclin 1 and LC3 autophagic gene expression in cutaneous melanocytic lesions

Beclin 1 and LC3 autophagic genes are altered in several human cancer types. This study was designed to assess the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 in cutaneous melanocytic lesions, in which they have not yet been investigated. In melanoma, we correlated their expression with conventional histopathologic prognostic factors. In 149 lesions, including benign nevi, dysplastic nevi, radial growth phase melanomas, vertical growth phase melanomas, and melanoma metastases, proteins were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and, in representative cases of benign nevi, vertical growth phase melanomas and melanoma metastases were evaluated by Western blotting. In most lesions, messenger RNA level was also assessed by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Both genes were expressed in all the investigated conditions. Beclin 1 cytoplasmic protein and messenger RNA, as well as LC3 messenger RNA, significantly decreased with tumor progression (P < .05). The percentage of cases with high cytoplasmic expression of beclin 1 from 100% in benign nevi declined to 86.4% in dysplastic nevi, 54.5% in radial growth phase melanomas, 54.3% in vertical growth phase melanomas, and 26.7% in melanoma metastases. The lowest expression of LC3 II protein was observed in melanoma metastases (53.3% of cases) (P < .05); LC3 II protein overexpression was, however, found in several nonbenign lesions, with the highest percentage (45.5%) in radial growth phase melanomas. LC3 II protein expression was inversely correlated to thickness, ulceration, and mitotic rate. In a multivariate analysis, messenger RNAs for both genes discriminated between nonmalignant (benign and dysplastic nevi) and malignant (radial, vertical growth phase melanomas, and melanoma metastases) lesions. Our results, therefore, indicate that beclin 1 and LC3 II autophagic gene expression is altered also in melanocytic neoplasms