Enterobiasis in Ectopic Locations Mimicking Tumor-Like Lesions

Both the clinical and the histopathological diagnostic difficulties of oxyuriasis in unusual sites and their importance from a clinical point of view are pointed out. The authors report two ectoptic cases of enterobiasis observed in Northern Italy, one located in a fallopian tube of a 57-year-old woman and the other in a perianal subcutaneous tissue of a 59-year-old man, mimicking tumor-like lesions. The authors take advantage of the occasion to focus the attention of the medical world on this subject, lamenting the scarce importance given to this parasitosis in university courses of medical schools and in medical textbooks as it is incorrectly considered “out-of-fashion.

PULMONARY DIROFILARIASIS IN MAN - A NEW ITALIAN CASE, REVIEW OF THE EUROPEAN LITERATURE

In June 1991 a 62-year-old retired mon, from Udine (northern Italy), was suddenly affected by dyspnoea. X-ray and CT control detected a coin lesion in the lung. In May 1992 this lesion was removed surgically. Histological examination revealed the presence of a nematode inside an arteriole which had provoked a small infarct in the pulmonary tissue. The parasite presented marked regressive phenomena that made on accurate morphological analysis impossible. However, in the light of certain details oi the cuticle, and by analogy with lour similar cases occurring in northern Italy, as well as 10 others (nine subcutaneous and one sub-mucosal) reported in man from the same region (Venetia) over the last 15 years, the aetiologic agent was thought io be Dirofilaria (N.) repens. Over all 10 cases of human pulmonary dirofilariasis were reported in Europe : five in Italy, probably by D.(N.) repens, two in Germany, in patients coming from Corsica and two in Spain (only by serology), attributed io D. immitis. In addition one case was reported in U.S.A. in a man who previously visited Italy

Additional description of a new species of Tunga (Siphonaptera) from Ecuador

A new species of chigoe flea belonging to the genus Tunga jarocki, 1838 (Siphonaptera, Pulicidae, Tunginae), Tungo trimamillata, was recently described by Pampiglione et al. (2002). A better description and more details of the epidemiology of the flea are now presented. It is a species found in goats, pigs and cattle in Santa Isabel in Andean Ecuador. This new species differs from its most similar congener, Tunga penetrans (L., 1758), by several features, the most important of which are a) the presence on the anterior extremity of the gravid female of three rounded humps surrounding the head and thorax (which, however, are not visible if viewed in profile), b) slightly larger dimensions and C) the length of the first segment of the maxillary palpi which is longer than each of the other three

Random Graph-Homomorphisms and Logarithmic Degree

A graph homomorphism between two graphs is a map from the vertex set of one graph to the vertex set of the other graph, that maps edges to edges. In this note we study the range of a uniformly chosen homomorphism from a graph G to the infinite line Z. It is shown that if the maximal degree of G is `sub-logarithmic', then the range of such a homomorphism is super-constant. Furthermore, some examples are provided, suggesting that perhaps for graphs with super-logarithmic degree, the range of a typical homomorphism is bounded. In particular, a sharp transition is shown for a specific family of graphs C_{n,k} (which is the tensor product of the n-cycle and a complete graph, with self-loops, of size k). That is, given any function psi(n) tending to infinity, the range of a typical homomorphism of C_{n,k} is super-constant for k = 2 log(n) - psi(n), and is 3 for k = 2 log(n) + psi(n)

Orthostatic hypotension in older adults: the role of medications.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is defined as an abnormal blood pressure reduction when standing and is frequently diagnosed in older adults. Pharmacological therapy is one of the main causes of orthostatic blood pressure impairment, leading to iatrogenic OH. Indeed, several medications may induce hypotensive effects and influence the blood pressure response to orthostatism. Hypotensive medications may also overlap with other determinants of OH, thus increasing the burden of symptoms and the risk of complications. Potentially hypotensive medications include both cardiovascular and psychoactive drugs, which are frequently prescribed in older patients. According to the available evidence, the antihypertensive treatment "per se" does not seem to predispose to OH, even if a higher risk is associated with polypharmacy and drug classes such as with diuretics and vasodilators. As concerns psychoactive medications, OH is a well-known adverse effect of tricyclic antidepressants, trazodone and antipsychotics. The knowledge of hemodynamic consequences of drug therapy may be helpful to improve OH treatment. A medication review is advisable in all patients presenting with OH, particularly at advanced age, aiming at optimizing medical treatment with a view to minimize the risk of iatrogenic OH

Anatomy of Tunga trimamillata Pampiglione et al., 2002 (Insecta, Siphonaptera, Tungidae) and developmental phases of the gravid female

This paper deals with some internal anatomical features observed in histological sections and freshly dissected mounts of Tunga trimamillata, a Siphonaptera recently discovered in Andean regions of Ecuador from several mammals, including man. It was possible to study in males and also non-gravid and gravid females, the location and anatomy of several organs not previously described for this species: the testes, epididymis, ganglia, Malpighian tubules, eyes, rectal ampulla with one of its pads and structures which could be interpreted as midgut diverticula, whose presence has not been recorded in the Siphonaptera. The process of neosomy in the female during pregnancy is illustrated by photographs of the consecutive developmental phases, taken at the stereomicroscope. Furthermore, Some details of the exoskeleton, spermatheca during different phases of pregnancy of the gravid female and the presence of a foreign body (parasite?) within the haemocoel have been displayed in specimens cleared with Hoyer's medium

Improved sexual behavior in male rats treated with a Chinese herbal extract: hormonal and neuronal implications

Aim: To investigate the influence of an extract obtained from five Chinese medicinal plants on sexual behavior ofadult male rats. Methods: The extract was administered at doses of 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg by oral gavage, acutely (onetime, 45 min before mating test) or subchronically (daily for 10 days) in sexually potent and sexually sluggish/impotentrats. Sexual behavior, serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone (T) were evaluated in treatedrats and compared with controls receiving vehicle. The effect of the extract on central dopaminergic neurotransmissionwas assessed in the nucleus accumbens using a microdialysis technique. Results: In sexually potent rats, bothacute and subchronic treatment with the extract dosed at 30 and 60 mg/kg reduced mount latency and intromissionlatency. In sluggish/impotent rats, the acutely administered extract at the dose of 60 mg/kg shortened ejaculationlatency, whereas subchronically administered at the doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg, reduced mount, intromission andejaculation latencies, increasing also the percentage of mounting and ejaculating rats. The extract dosed at 60 mg/kgsignificantly increased LH and T following acute and subchronic administration and increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylaceticacid levels in the nucleus accumbens, 30 min after the acute administration. Conclusion: The improvement in bothappetitive and consummatory components of sexual behavior observed in male rats treated with the extract could beascribed to increased serum T level in parallel with the activation of the central dopaminergic system

Opposite effect of acute and subchronic treatments with Ferula hermonis on copulatory behavior of male rats

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Lipoprotein glomerulopathy treated with LDL-apheresis (Heparin-induced Extracorporeal Lipoprotein Precipitation system): a case report.

INTRODUCTION: Lipoprotein glomerulopathy is a glomerulonephritis which was described for the first time by Saito in 1989 and is currently acknowledged as a separate nosological entity. It is histologically characterized by a marked dilatation of the glomerular capillaries and the presence of lipoprotein thrombi in the glomerular lumens. The dyslipidemic profile is similar to that of type III dyslipoproteinemia with Apolipoprotein E values that are often high; proteinuria and renal dysfunction are present. Proteinuria often does not respond to steroid and cytostatic treatments. The phenotypic expression of lipoprotein glomerulopathy is most probably correlated to a genetic alteration of the lipoprotein metabolism (mutation of the Apolipoprotein E coding gene). In literature, lipoprotein glomerulopathies have mainly been reported in Japanese and Chinese subjects, except for three cases in the Caucasian race, reported in France and the USA.CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 60-year-old female, Caucasian patient suffering from lipoprotein glomerulopathy, carrier of a new mutation on the Apolipoprotein E gene (Apolipoprotein E(MODENA)), and treated successfully with low density lipoprotein-apheresis with the Heparin induced extracorporeal lipoprotein precipitation system. After a first phase of therapeutic protocol with statins, the patient was admitted for nephrotic syndrome, renal failure and hypertension. Since conventional treatment alone was not able to control dyslipidemia, aphaeretic treatment with heparin-induced Extracorporeal Lipoprotein Precipitation - apheresis (HELP-apheresis) was started to maintain angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor therapy for the treatment of hypertension. Treatment with HELP-apheresis led to a complete remission of the proteinuria in a very short time (four months), as well as control of hypercholesterolemia and renal function recovery.CONCLUSION: According to this case of lipoprotein glomerulopathy, we believe that renal damage expressed by proteinuria correlates to the levels of lipids and, furthermore, the treatment with HELP-apheresis, by lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides, may be considered as a therapeutic option in synergy with pharmacological treatment in the treatment of lipoprotein glomerulopathy