Efficacy of vitamin E in the conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease: legend or reality? A controlled study of 70 cases

The medical treatment is indicated in the development stage of Peyronie’s disease (PD) for at least 1 year after diagnosis and whenever in case of penile pain. This research was conducted to demonstrate the possible effectiveness of vitamin E in PD treatment, whereas in the scientific literature this topic is much discussed. A total of 70 patients (age:26–69 years, mean: 54.1 ± 9.71) diagnosed with PD were enrolled in a conservative treatment. In addition to medical histories and physical examinations all patients underwent the following tests: International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire, penile ultrasound and photographic documentation, pain evaluation by a conventional 10-point pain scale Visual analogue pain scale (VAS). All 70 patients were divided into two different treatment groups: A and B, with different combinations of drugs: A = vitamin E + verapamil (injection + iontophoresis) + blueberries + propolis + topical diclofenac; B = verapamil (injection + iontophoresis) + blueberries + propolis + topical diclofenac. All patients were treated for 6 months after which they underwent the same follow-up tests as performed prior to the treatment. Intergroup analysis revealed statistically significant differences: in the vitamin E group the effective plaque size reduction was 50.2% whereas in the control group the reduction was 35.8% (p = 0.027). In group A the improvement of curvature occurred in 96.6% of the cases whereas in the control group B this occurred in 48.4% (p = 0.0001), moreover, the mean curvature decrease was respectively 12.25° and 6.73° (p = 0.01). IIEF score was significantly improved in group A patients with comorbidities and erectile dysfunction (p = 0.025). Increase in plaque size occurred only in the control group (17.1%) (p = 0.032). We can affirm that vitamin E can help to prevent the progression of PD. This study strongly supports the recommendation that the best approach for treating PD is multimodal therapy

The effect of bilateral internal thoracic artery harvesting on superficial and deep sternal infection: The role of skeletonization

Objective: To determine the relative risk of sternal dehiscence in patients undergoing bilateral internal thoracic artery harvesting and to assess whether and to what extent the technique of artery skeletonization might reduce this risk. Methods: Prospectively collected data on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass operations with at least a single internal thoracic artery were reviewed. The last 450 patients receiving bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts were compared with 450 patients who received a single internal thoracic artery during the same period. The left internal thoracic artery was always harvested in a pedicled fashion. Among patients receiving a bilateral internal thoracic artery, both arteries were harvested in a pedicled fashion in 300 cases, whereas both internal thoracic arteries were skeletonized in the remaining 150 cases. Results: Compared with a single internal thoracic artery, harvesting both internal thoracic arteries either in a skeletonized or in a pedicled fashion increased the chance of deep (1.1% vs 3.3% vs 4.7%; P =. 01) or superficial (4.8% vs 7.8% vs 12%; P =. 002) sternal infection. However, the technique of artery harvesting (odds ratio, 4.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-12.1); the presence of peripheral arteriopathy (odds ratio, 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-8.5), and resternotomy for bleeding (odds ratio, 8.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-33.6) were the only independent predictors for deep sternal infection, whereas the technique of artery harvesting (odds ratio, 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.6-5.4), female sex (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-4.2), and diabetes (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-2.9) were the only independent predictors of superficial sternal infection. In diabetic patients, there was no difference in the incidence of deep sternal infection among patients receiving a single internal thoracic artery or double skeletonized internal thoracic arteries (P =. 4). Conclusions: Bilateral internal thoracic artery harvesting carries a higher risk of sternal infection than harvesting a single internal thoracic artery. Skeletonization of both internal thoracic arteries significantly decreases this risk. A strategy of bilateral thoracic artery grafting can also be offered to patients at high risk for wound infection. Copyright © 2005 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Aggiornamento tecnologico e test funzionali del gravimetro da fondo LaCoste&Romberg modello U-HG24

Nel presente lavoro viene descritto l’aggiornamento tecnologico, effettuato in collaborazione con la società Tecnomare SpA, di un gravimetro da fondo LaCoste & Romberg modello U, serie H (numero HG24), di proprietà dell'Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia. Sono inoltre descritti e brevemente discussi i primi test in laboratorio ed i risultati di misure gravimetriche di fondo mare effettuate dal 19 al 22 Luglio 2010 nell'Area Marina Protetta del Parco Nazionale delle Cinque Terre. L'acquisizione di dati gravimetrici rientrava nelle attività specifiche del progetto di ricerca InSAS promosso e finanziato da eni Spa. La campagna a mare InSAS si è svolta in collaborazione con il NURC (NATO Undersea Research Centre) utilizzando come vettore marino il Coastal Research Vessel (CRV) ‘Leonardo’. Contestualmente all'attività di misure di gravità di fondo, sono stati acquisiti ed elaborati dal Politecnico di Milano diversi set di dati interferometrici Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) su alcuni riflettori attivi e passivi localizzati nell'area di indagine. La campagna di misure a mare è stata preceduta da una serie di test in laboratorio al fine di valutare la piena funzionalità dello strumento in esame. In questa fase sono state acquisite diverse serie temporali allo scopo di valutare la qualità della misura e la sua ripetibilità

Comparative evaluation of left ventricular mass regression after aortic valve replacement: a prospective randomized analysis

Background: We assessed the hemodynamic performance of various prostheses and the clinical outcomes after aortic valve replacement, in different age groups. Methods: One-hundred-and-twenty patients with isolated aortic valve stenosis were included in this prospective randomized randomised trial and allocated in three age-groups to receive either pulmonary autograft (PA, n = 20) or mechanical prosthesis (MP, Edwards Mira n = 20) in group 1 (age 75). Clinical outcomes and hemodynamic performance were evaluated at discharge, six months and one year. Results: In group 1, patients with PA had significantly lower mean gradients than the MP (2.6 vs. 10.9 mmHg, p = 0.0005) with comparable left ventricular mass regression (LVMR). Morbidity included 1 stroke in the PA population and 1 gastrointestinal bleeding in the MP subgroup. In group 2, mean gradients did not differ significantly between both populations (7.0 vs. 8.9 mmHg, p = 0.81). The rate of LVMR and EF were comparable at 12 months; each group with one mortality. Morbidity included 1 stroke and 1 gastrointestinal bleeding in the stentless and 3 bleeding complications in the MP group. In group 3, mean gradients did not differ significantly (7.8 vs 6.5 mmHg, p = 0.06). Postoperative EF and LVMR were comparable. There were 3 deaths in the stented group and no mortality in the stentless group. Morbidity included 1 endocarditis and 1 stroke in the stentless compared to 1 endocarditis, 1 stroke and one pulmonary embolism in the stented group. Conclusions: Clinical outcomes justify valve replacement with either valve substitute in the respective age groups. The PA hemodynamically outperformed the MPs. Stentless valves however, did not demonstrate significantly superior hemodynamics or outcomes in comparison to stented bioprosthesis or MPs

The immune landscape of thyroid cancer in the context of immune checkpoint inhibition

Immune cells play critical roles in tumor prevention as well as initiation and progression. However, immune-resistant cancer cells can evade the immune system and proceed to form tumors. The normal microenvironment (immune cells, fibroblasts, blood and lymphatic vessels, and interstitial extracellular matrix (ECM)) maintains tissue homeostasis and prevents tumor initiation. Inflammatory mediators, reactive oxygen species, cytokines, and chemokines from an altered microenvironment promote tumor growth. During the last decade, thyroid cancer, the most frequent cancer of the endocrine system, has emerged as the fifth most incident cancer in the United States (USA), and its incidence is steadily growing. Inflammation has long been associated with thyroid cancer, raising critical questions about the role of immune cells in its pathogenesis. A plethora of immune cells and their mediators are present in the thyroid cancer ecosystem. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting immune checkpoints, such as mAbs anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (anti-CTLA-4) and anti-programmed cell death protein-1/programmed cell death ligand-1 (anti-PD-1/PD-L1), have revolutionized the treatment of many malignancies, but they induce thyroid dysfunction in up to 10% of patients, presumably by enhancing autoimmunity. Combination strategies involving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with tyrosine kinase (TK) or serine/threonine protein kinase B-raf (BRAF) inhibitors are showing considerable promise in the treatment of advanced thyroid cancer. This review illustrates how different immune cells contribute to thyroid cancer development and the rationale for the antitumor effects of ICIs in combination with BRAF/TK inhibitors

SAS multipass interferometry for monitoring seabed deformation using a high-frequency imaging sonar

Abstract-. This paper presents the results of a two years project led and funded by Eni from 2008 to 2010 with the aim of supporting the development and experimentation of innovative technology for environmental monitoring. The problem addressed is the precise estimate of possible altimetric variations of the seabed through long-term monitoring. The selected methodology consists in the application of repeat-track interferometry to high-resolution, high-frequency sonar data collected from an AUV during repeated surveys of a seafloor area of interest. The paper describes the experimental measurements conducted at sea, the SAS and interferometry methodologies developed, and the results obtained on artificial objects sitting on the seabed. The quality of the achieved focusing is analyzed. The achieved repeat-pass SAS interferograms are shown and analyzed. The coherence along time of the particular kind of seabed (silty sand) characterizing the experimental area is presented and the utility of artificial reflectors for long-term SAS interferometry is discussed.Published673-6832.5. Laboratorio per lo sviluppo di sistemi di rilevamento sottomariniN/A or not JCRreserve

Identification and molecular epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strains isolated from canine clinical samples in Argentina

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is the leading cause of pyoderma in dogs and the frequent use of antimicrobial treatment is associated to the development of resistance to nearly all classes of antibiotics. Despite S. pseudintermedius significance, our understanding of the molecular mechanism of β-lactam resistance and its genetic diversity remains limited. We aimed to: i) determine the phenotypic resistance profile of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolated from infected dogs in three different veterinary hospitals in Buenos Aires, Argentina; ii) identify the SCCmec elements and resistance genes; and iii) analyze the clonal relationship between isolates and in regard of dominant lineages found in the world. In addition to the differential levels of β-lactam resistance, MRSP isolates (n = 10) showed resistance to 5–6 families of antibiotics, and were therefore categorized as multidrug-resistant. All the isolates were variant of SCCmec V homologous to S. aureus; additional SCCmecFinder analysis classified five of the genomes as SCCmec type V (5C2&5) with mecA (encodes for PBP2a), mecRI and mecI and all the genes closely related to the reference SCCmec type V S. aureus TSGH17 strain. In the remaining five strains, mecA was present, although other genes associated with SCCmec V including mecR1 and mecI were missing. PBP2a was inducible in low level resistance strains (MRSP 8151), and constitutively expressed in MRSP 8150, suggesting different mecA regulatory mechanisms. MRSP isolates showed significant genetic diversity: eight PFGE clonal types and six multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) sequence types (STs) (339, 649, 919, 920, 921 and 922), including four new STs genetically distinct from STs reported in other geographic areas. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses of the MRSP showed a correlation between the genetic content and the phenotypes, and established the genetic relationship between the isolates. MRSP could be a threat to animal health due to it concerning level of antimicrobial resistance. Our study highlights genetic and epidemiological aspects of multidrug-resistant MRSP strains from Argentina showing high degree of correlation between the resistance genes and the phenotype of the isolates and, furthermore, they appeared evolutionary closer to major worldwide reported ST68 and ST71.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Antiapoptotic Seminal Vesicle Protein IV Induces Histamine Release from Human FcεRI+ Cells.

BACKGROUND: Seminal vesicle protein number 4 (SV-IV) is a small, basic, multifunctional, intrinsically disordered secretory protein synthesized in large amounts by rat seminal vesicle epithelium under androgen transcriptional control. SV-IV-immunorelated proteins occur in other rat tissues and in humans. METHODS: The in vitro effect of SV-IV on human FcepsilonRI+ cells was investigated by standard immunologic, biochemical and molecular biology procedures. RESULTS: SV-IV-induced histamine release from human basophils and lung mast cells without any influence on leukotriene C(4) release and cell migration. The histamine release rate was slower compared with that induced by anti-IgE, the temperature dependence of the event being similar. SV-IV-induced histamine release was Ca2+-dependent, suggesting a physiological interaction of the protein with FcepsilonRI+ cells. SV-IV and anti-IgE acted synergistically on the histamine release. SV-IV did not induce de novo synthesis of cytokines and growth factors (transforming growth factor-beta(1), interleukin-10, interleukin-13, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, vascular endothelial growth factor A) in FcεRI+ cells. CONCLUSIONS: SV-IV protein induces in human FcεRI+ cells the release of histamine, a proinflammatory, antiapoptotic and immunosuppressive biogenic amine. These data: (1) are consistent with the antiapoptotic and immunosuppressive properties of SV-IV; (2) confirm a regulatory feature of SV-IV on mammal inflammatory reactivity by either inhibiting the arachidonate cascade pathway or stimulating proinflammatory cytokine release from lymphocyte/monocytes and histamine from FcεRI+ cells; (3) raise the possibility of a protective role of SV-IV on implanting hemiallogenic blastocysts against maternal reactive oxygen species and immunological attacks at the uterine implantation site