Primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis: early leptomeningeal enhancement on MRI.

One unusual case of primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis is presented. The patient, 53-year-old male, was admitted to our observation for 1 month history of psychasthenia and amnesia. Despite several polyspecialistic clinical, neuroradiological and cytological examinations, conclusive diagnosis was made only with a biopsy of leptomeningeal nodule. The present case allows as to identify 2 stages in the evolution of primary diffuse leptomeningeal melanomatosis. The initial phase is characterized by slight mental impairment without hydrocephalus; during the later phase there is severe, diffuse neurological impairment and both CT and MRI show hypercaptation of the intracranial leptomeninges and multiple, leptomeningeal tumoral nodules.

Isolation, characterization and antimicrobial activity of coumarin derivatives from Cyperus incompletus.

Ten coumarin derivatives were isolated and characterized by UV, 1H NMR and GC-MS spectra. Their in vitro efficacy against several human pathogenic bacteria and two fungi was evaluated. The tested coumarins showed mild to undefined activity.

Traditional phytotherapy in the Peninsula Sorrentina, Campania, southern Italy.

A study on the wild and cultivated medicinal plants used in the Peninsula Sorrentina (southern Italy) is reported; 129 plants distributed among 53 different families beloning to Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms are used in the treatment of various human diseases. The use of some species is reported for the first time in this paper.

Isolated lesion of the axillary nerve: surgical treatment and outcome in 12 cases.

We report a series of 12 cases of isolated lesions of the axillary nerve treated surgically. We discuss the pathogenesis, clinical pattern, and surgical treatment of this lesion together with the results obtained.

[Heart disorders secondary to cerebral ischemic infarct. A clinical study of 20 patients and diagnostico-therapeutic considerations]. / Alterazioni cardiache secondarie ad infarto ischemico cerebrale. Studio clinico di 20 pazienti e considerazioni diagnostico-terapeutiche.

The role of heart disorders in the onset of stroke has been examined in depth, but scarce attention has been paid to the relationship between cerebral ischemic stroke and subsequent heart disorders. The paper reports the results of a study of this relationship. The present state of knowledge is outlined together with the possible risk factors which might be useful in constructing a suitable therapeutic-prophylactic protocol to reduce the cardiological risks of "acute" neurosurgical treatment.

The tethered cord syndrome in the adult. Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Adult-onset tethered cord syndrome is uncommon. To date some 90 cases have been reported. We add three personal cases, review the principal features of the syndrome in adults and underline the chief differences between it and the more frequent childhood syndrome.

[Differential diagnosis of multiple gliomas, multicentric gliomas and the other main endocranial multifocal lesions. Presentation of a case]. / La diagnostica differenziale fra i gliomi multipli, i gliomi multicentrici e le altre principali lesioni endocraniche a focolai multipli. Presentazione di un caso.

Multifocal gliomas represent an uncommon lesion, particularly if the supra-tentorial and infra-tentorial spaces are involved. The Authors describe a particular case and they outline the main differences between multiple gliomas and multicentric gliomas. Then, they consider the various possibilities of diagnosis and differential diagnosis of multiple endocranial lesions.

Traditional phytotherapy in the Roccamonfina volcanic group, Campania, southern Italy.

An investigation of the medicinal plants used in the Roccamonfina volcanic group is reported. The phytotherapy appears to be still utilized consistently; approx. 70 entities distributed among 39 different families are used. The chemical components and pharmacological behaviour of most of the species are very well known, however, an accurate phytochemical and pharmacological study seems necessary for some of them.

[Enzymatic synthesis of taurine]. / Sintesi enzimatica della taurina.

In view of its interesting pharmacological and physiological functions, the enzymic synthesis of the taurine or the beta-aminoethan- alpha-sulfonic acid is described. This compound has been prepared by decarboxylation with rat heart homogenate and at room temperature of cysteic acid obtained by KMnO4 cysteine oxidation. The taurine prepared has been identified by paper and thin-layer chromatography with a taurine pure sample.

Phytotherapeutic profile of some plants used in folk medicine.

The effect of nine vegetable extracts was evaluated on the carrageenin-induced oedema in the rat. Our results show that the above extracts are able to exert - at different degree - a very marked decrease of the inflammed site related to the presence in the considered plants of several active biologically compounds as sterols and flavonoids. Preliminary chemical analysis of these vegetables are also reported.

Synthesis and anti-inflammatory activity of 4H-1,4-benzothiazines.

A new series of 4H-1,4-benzothiazine derivatives have been synthesized. These products were obtained by treatment with SO2Cl2 in dry ether at room temperature of 1,3-benzothiazolines N-acetylated. The 1,3-benzothiazolines were prepared by condensation in benzene of 2-aminothiophenol with several ketones, in the presence of p-toluenesulphonic acid as catalyst. Preliminary pharmacological studies on the anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds are reported.

[Benzotriazole derivatives active on plant growth. I. Preparation, characterization, and correlation between physicochemical properties and structure]. / Derivati benzotriazolici attivi sull'accrescimento delle piante. Nota I - Preparazione, caratterizzazione e correlazione tra proprietà chimico-fisiche e struttura.

Following preliminary observations of auxin-like activity for several benzotriazole derivatives, a large number of new derivatives bearing on position 1 or 2 different kinds of omega-substituted chains were prepared and tested for activity on plant growth. Some physico-chemical properties which are potentially correlated with biological activity were determined for all the new benzotriazole derivatives and for those already studied in this field as growth promoting substances. Partition coefficients (between n-octanol and buffer with pH 5.6) and RM values of 2-substituted isomers were correlated, through regressional analysis, with the corresponding properties of 1-substituted isomers. Finally, the chromatographic characterictics of the sixty substances so far considered were correlated, again through regressional analysis, with the corresponding partition coefficients and with structural features and specific functional groups by which the eventual interactions with the substratum are regulated.

[Effect of benzotriazole derivatives on plant growth. II]. / Effetto di derivati benzotriazolici sull'accrescimento delle piante. Nota II.

The action on plant growth of sixty benzotriazole derivatives carrying on position 1 or 2 several kinds of substituents, has been studied via the oat coleoptile section elongation test. At medium and low concentrations almost all compounds behave as activators, while at the highest concentrations many of them, like indolylacetic acid (IAA), are growth inhibitors. It is worth noting the lack of toxicity, even at the highest concentration used, for the 1-hydroxyalkylbenzotriazoles and, more generally speaking, the low toxicity of hydroxyalkylbenzotriazoles and of benzotriazolylalkanoic acid amides. In the range of concentration from 10(-6) to 10(-8) M some methylalkylbenzotriazoles as well as some benzotriazolylalkanoic acids and esters are more active than IAA exhibiting from 40 to 60% of the maximal activity of IAA. The activities of methylalkylbenzotriazoles and particularly that of 2-(1'-methyl)pentylbenzotriazole are outstanding; actually at the lowest concentration tested (10(-8) M and at 10(-5) M, at which concentration this compound shows the maximum activity, the biological responses correspond respectively to more than 50 and 80% of maximal activity of IAA.