Avoiding the Blinded Funnel: A Combined Single Piece Fronto-Temporo-Orbito-Zygomatic Craniotomy Endoscopic-Assisted Approach with Multimodal Assistance for an Epidermoid Tumor of Meckel's Cave-Case Report.

A Meckel's cave tumor poses a great challenge because of the peculiar neurovascular structure of the area and the deep location. Multiple surgical approaches have been designed for this area. In this report, we describe a case treated with a combined one step single piece fronto-temporo-orbito-zygomatic craniotomy (FTOZ) endoscopic-assisted approach for the treatment of an epidermoid tumor of Meckel's cave. A 51-year-old woman presented with a clinical history of left trigeminal neuralgia and paresthesia. CT imaging revealed a left basal temporal tumor. MR showed a tumor located in Meckel's cave near the cavernous sinus, with a good enhancement after gadolinium administration. The tumor was resected through a lateral basal subtemporal extradural approach followed by an intradural approach using intraoperative neuronavigation, endoscopic assistance, neurophysiological monitoring, and an intraoperative ultrasound probe. The lesion was completely removed. No new onset neurological damage has occurred. The symptoms improved following surgery. The aesthetic appearance of the patient was respected. The combined approach with a single piece fronto-temporo-orbito-zygomatic craniotomy has enabled us to work on a wider operating field to completely remove the lesion avoiding blind spots.

Correlation Between Cervical Spine Sagittal Alignment and Clinical Outcome After Standalone Intersomatic Titanium Cage CeSPACE for Cervical Anterior Discectomy and Fusion in Cervical Degenerative Disk Diseases.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between cervical spine sagittal alignment and clinical outcomes after using a standalone intersomatic titanium cage CeSPACE for anterior cervical discectomy and arthrodesis. We present our clinical experience in a group of 180 patients with a mean follow-up for at least 2 years. Patients were evaluated by clinical and radiological assessment preoperatively, immediately after surgery and at regular follow-up. There were 97 male and 83 female patients (average age: 56.6 years) who were preoperatively affected by cervical radiculomyelopathy that was due to spondylosis or cervical disk herniation and who underwent surgical treatment. All patients underwent an anterior discectomy and interbody fusion through the positioning of one or more levels of the CeSPACE device. Compared with the preoperative scores, improvement was seen in postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores and Neck Disability Index (NDI) values. The standalone intersomatic titanium cage CeSPACE for anterior cervical discectomy and arthrodesis improved radiculomyelopathy and increased the probability of cervical kyphotic alignment. However, cervical sagittal alignment after surgery was not significantly associated with clinical outcomes in terms of postoperative improvement in VAS scores and NDI values. Similarly, the change in cervical sagittal alignment was not related to visual analog scale scores or Neck Disability Index values.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery in Italy: a multi-centric retrospective observational study.

COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on surgical activities. The aim of this multi-centric, retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on breast surgery. The patients who operated during the pre-pandemic year 2019 were compared to those operated in 2020. Fourteen Breast Care Units provided data on breast surgical procedures performed in 2020 and 2019: total number of breast-conserving surgery (BCS), number of 1st level oncoplastic breast surgery (OBS), number of 2nd level OBS; total number of mastectomies, mastectomies without reconstruction, mastectomies with a tissue expander, mastectomies with direct to implant (DTI) reconstruction, mastectomies with immediate flap reconstruction; total number of delayed reconstructions, number of expanders to implant reconstructions, number of delayed flap reconstructions. Overall 20.684 patients were included: 10.850 (52.5%) operated during 2019, and 9.834 (47.5%) during 2020. The overall number of breast oncologic surgical procedures in all centers in 2020 was 8.509, compared to 9.383 in 2019 (- 9%). BCS decreased by 744 cases (- 13%), the overall number of mastectomies decreased by 130 cases (- 3.5%); mastectomy-BCS ratio was 39-61% in 2019, and 42-58% in 2020. Regarding immediate reconstructive procedures mastectomies with DTI reconstruction increased by 166 cases (+ 15%) and mastectomies with immediate expander reconstruction decreased by 297 cases (- 20%). Breast-delayed reconstructive procedures in all centers in 2020 were 142 less than in 2019 (- 10%). The outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 determined an implemented number of mastectomies compared to BCS, an implemented number of immediate breast reconstructions, mainly DTI, and a reduction of expander reconstruction.

Time-domain study of the synchrotron radiation emitted from electron beams in plasma focusing channels.

This paper sheds light on the time structure of betatron radiation, emitted by electrons that undergo betatron oscillations as they accelerate under the action of plasma wakefields. It is a common practice to assume that the betatron pulses are as short as the electron bunch length, however we show that this is not a general rule. Indeed, the betatron pulse length is affected by the betatron motion, which stretches and modulates the radiation pulses already at the source level. Propagation in a vacuum, therefore, can greatly lengthen the betatron pulses by orders of magnitude. In the wake of the above, the coherent emission of betatron radiation is studied. Coherent betatron radiation has been found to propagate in an underdense region created by ponderomotive forces, thus not suppressed by the overdense plasma absorption. This could be observed experimentally, revealing information on the acceleration process and on key beam parameters.

Time-resolved study of nonlinear photoemission in radio-frequency photoinjectors.

Photoemission is one of the fundamental processes that describes the generation of charged particles from materials irradiated by photons. The continuous progress in the development of ultrashort lasers allows investigation into the dynamics of the process at the femtosecond timescale. Here we report about experimental measurements using two ultrashort ultraviolet laser pulses to temporally probe the electrons release from a copper cathode in a radio-frequency photoinjector. By changing their relative delay, we studied how the release mechanism is affected by two-photon photoemission when tens of GW/cm2 intensities are employed. We evaluated the limits it poses on the achievable beam brightness and analyzed the resulting emission yield in terms of the electronic temperature by modeling the cathode as a two-temperature system.

Selection rules for the orbital angular momentum of optically produced THz radiation.

In this work, we theoretically study the transduction of orbital angular momentum (OAM) l for infrared pump lasers into the THz domain. In the case of optical rectification, the transduction of OAM occurs only through a spin-orbit interaction, with the selection rule on the OAM l=0 valid for any kind of polarization of the pump, which means that there is no transfer of OAM along the propagation axis. In difference frequency generation, the selection rule for the difference Δl between the OAM of the pump fields with linear or circular polarization is l=Δl, whereas l ranges from Δl-2 to Δl+2 in cases of both radial and azimuthal polarization. Moreover, for THz generation in the latter case, the high diffraction obtained with tightly focused pumps yields l tending to Δl±2, while l tends to zero in the opposite case of large pump beams.

Carbon dots, a powerful non-toxic support for bioimaging by fluorescence nanoscopy and eradication of bacteria by photothermia.

Carbon Dots (CDs) are innovative materials which have potential applications in many fields, including nanomedicine, energy and catalysis. Here CDs were produced by the alkali-assisted ultrasonic route and characterized by several techniques to determine their composition and properties. Fluorescence nanoscopy using single-molecule localization microscopy shows that they have very good photophysical properties and a remarkable blinking behaviour at 405 nm. Moreover, these CDs are a safe material, non-toxic towards different cell lines (cancer and non-cancer cells) even at very high concentration, reflecting an excellent biocompatibility. Photothermia, i.e. their heating capacity under laser irradiation, was evaluated at two wavelengths and at several power densities. The resulting temperature increment was high (5 < ΔT < 45 °C) and appropriate for biomedical applications. Bioimaging and photothermia were then performed on E. coli, a Gram(-) bacterium, incubated with CDs. Remarkably, by photothermia at 680 nm (0.3, 1 and 1.9 W cm-2) or 808 nm (1.9 W cm-2), CDs are able to eradicate bacteria in their exponential and stationary phases. Images obtained by 3D super-resolution microscopy clearly show the different CD distributions in surviving bacteria after mild photothermal treatment. These results confirm that CDs are multifunctional materials with a wide range of biomedical applications.

New biomarkers to predict the evolution of in situ breast cancers.

BACKGROUND: Genomic studies have shown that gene expression profiles are similar in in situ (CIS) and invasive breast cancers, suggesting that several biofunctional modifications of the transformation process occur before or during the development of CIS lesion. METHODS: We investigated 3 biomarkers in 44 patients with CIS: TG2 (transglutaminase 2), HJURP (Holliday junction recognition protein), and HIF-1α (hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha). RESULTS: TG2 was more highly expressed than the other two markers and significantly more so in stromal than in tumor cells. HIF-1α evaluation showed a higher expression in both tumor and stromal cells in patients with relapsed G3 tumors, indicating a potential role of this marker in CIS evolution. A greater than sevenfold higher risk of relapse (P = 0.050) was observed in patients highly expressing HJURP in stroma and a tenfold higher recurrence risk (P = 0.026) was seen in those with a higher stromal HIF-1α expression. An important increase in risk accuracy (AUC 0.80) was obtained when HIF-1α and HJURP were evaluated together. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the limited number of relapsed patients, we formulated some hypotheses on the factors responsible for malignant evolution and recurrence which are now being tested in a large case series with a longer follow-up.

Immunocytochemistry, electron tomography, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) on cryosections of human cancer cells doped with stimuli responsive polymeric nanogels loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles.

The cryosectioning technique is an alternative method for preparing biological material for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). We have applied this technique to study the mechanism of cell internalization of stimuli-responsive polymeric nanogels exploited as cargo nanovectors. With respect to conventional TEM processing, cryosectioning technique better preserves the morphology of solvent-sensitive nanogels and enhances the visibility of membrane-bounded organelles inside the cell cytoplasm. In this chapter we describe the protocols we have established to perform Electron Microscopy (EM)-immunocytochemistry, Electron Tomography (ET), and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDXS) chemical analysis in Scanning TEM (STEM) on cryosections of HeLa cells treated with pH-responsive nanogels hosting short interference RNA (siRNAs) and iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs).

Multicentric/multifocal breast cancer with a single histotype: is the biological characterization of all individual foci justified?

BACKGROUND: Invasive multiple breast cancers with a single histological feature (MBCSH) are routinely assessed for biological parameters to indicate adjuvant treatments only in the largest invasive carcinomas. However, the heterogeneity of individual foci in multiple carcinomas has not been widely studied. We analyzed whether such biological features are differently expressed in different MBCSH foci. PATIENT AND METHODS: One hundred and thirteen invasive MBCSH were tested over a 5-year period. The expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptors, Ki-67 proliferative index, expression of HER2 and tumor grading were prospectively determined in each tumor focus, and mismatches among foci were recorded. RESULTS: Mismatches in ER status were present in 5 (4.4%) cases and PgR in 18 (15.9%) cases. Mismatches in tumor grading were present in 21 cases (18.6%), proliferative index (Ki-67) in 17 (15%) cases and HER2 status in 11 (9.7%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, invasive MBCSH showed heterogeneity among foci. In our clinical practice, such assessment led to 14 (12.4%) patients receiving different adjuvant treatments compared with what would have been indicated if we had only taken into account the biologic status of the primary tumor.

Atrial fibrillation ablation induces reverse remodelling and impacts cardiac function.

AIM: Atrio-ventricular anatomo-functional response to successful surgical atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation has been poorly investigated. Determinants of AF recurrence following surgical ablation are still debated. METHODS: Sixty-nine patients underwent AF ablation during major cardiac surgery. Main outcomes were clinical and echocardiographic results after monopolar and/or bipolar ablation were recorded. Secondary outcomes were freedom from AF, rehospitalization and congestive heart failure (CHF) at follow-up. Predictors of AF-recurrence were evaluated. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients (76.8%) were in sinus rhythm (SR) at 31.4±10.6 months of mean follow-up. Overall freedom from AF-recurrence was 61.4±6.6%, from hospital readmission 89.9±3.6%, from CHF 91.9±5.05%. Compared to AF-patients, SR-patients demonstrated better freedom from re-hospitalization (98.1±1.9% vs. 62.5±12.1%; P=0.0001) and CHF (94.7±5.1% vs. 77.8±13.9%; P=0.006). At follow-up SR-patients demonstrated atrial (preoperative 5.9±1.2 cm vs. follow-up 5.2±1.0; P=0.01) and ventricular reverse remodelling (preoperative LVDd 5.8±1.6cm vs. follow-up 5.0±1.3 cm; P=0.002 - preoperative LVDs 4.2±1.8 cm vs. follow-up 3.8±1.2 cm; P=0.045). E/A ratio was normal in 90.6% of SR-patients (69.6% of the total population of the study). TDI at the level of the left lateral annulus showed an improved left ventricular systole (Sm), and diastole (Em, E/Em) for SR-patients compared to AF-patients (Sm 9.30±1.66 vs. 7.81±1.41, P=0.001; Em: 10.55±1.87 vs. 7.44±0.40, P=0.001; E/Em: 0.06±0.02 vs. 0.11±0.05, P=0.0001). Preoperative atrial diameter (OR=23.9; P=0.002) and tricuspid insufficiency at follow-up (OR=3.5; P=0.008) were independent predictors of AF-recurrence. Neither etiology, nor duration of AF, nor even ablation technique influenced SR recovery (P=NS for all measurement). CONCLUSION: Radiofrequency AF ablation achieves 76.8% of SR recovery at follow-up. Maintenance of SR improves clinical, haemodynamic and echocardiographic results.

[Neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy of rectal carcinoma: retrospective analysis of a personal experience]. / Radiochemioterapia neoadiuvante nel carcinoma del retto analisi retrospettiva di un'esperienza personale.

Even if surgical resection continues to be the mainstay of treatment in rectal cancer, preoperative chemoradiation may downstage locally advanced rectal cancer, in some cases with no residual tumors. Compared with surgery alone, preoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy improves outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. In the present review we summarize the results of preoperative chemoradiation therapy in a group of 15 patients who underwent surgical resection with total mesorectal excision (TME) for advanced mid and low rectal cancer from February 2002 to February 2004.

[Multimodal treatment of gastric MALT lymphoma: our experience]. / Trattamento multimodale del linfoma malt gastrico nostra esperienza.

Primary gastric lymphoma (PGL) is rare, but its incidence is increasing. It represents 52% of all extranodal GI tract lymphomas. The majority of PGLs are B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas or a high grade, diffuse, large cell lymphoma. The development of gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue is dependent on Helicobacter pylori infection. From January 2000 to February 2004, 10 patients were observed in the Unit of Surgical Oncology at Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital in Forlì (6 F, 4 M), mean age was 68.3 (range, 45-86). Diagnosis was made in all patients by endoscopy and biopsies of gastric mucosa, US endoscopy and TC-PET. According to the Ann-Arbor classification modified by Musshoff, 6 patients were stage IE(1), 1 IE(2), 1 IIIE. 2 IV. Four and two patients underwent distal or total gastrectomy. respectively. Chemotherapy was performed in three patients, RT in one patient. Complete remission was observed in patients submitted to surgery and chemotherapy alone. No mortality and morbidity were observed. The treatment of LGP is not standardized yet. The role of surgery in the treatment of primary gastric lymphoma has been recently re-evaluated. Traditionally surgical treatment was aggressive, more recently radical gastrectomy is disputed and considered unnecessary. Conservative surgery and combined treatment is considered more appropriate for localized gastric lymphoma.

Choledochal semi volvulus with jaundice due to hiatal hernia. Initial percutaneous management

Large diaphragmatic hernias are rare causes of common bile duct strictures. We report a case of mixed (slide and paraesophageal) hiatal hernia with jaundice due to choledochal dislodgment and torsion. The first time we named this entity choledochal semi volvulus. Its pathophysiology is analyzed and we remark the wise and accurate percutaneous management as diagnostic and initial therapeutic resources.

Sepsis por catéter por Acremonium spp / Catheter septicemia due to Acrenomium sp

La terapéutica intravenosa forma parte de la asistencia del paciente y es administrada al 30-50 por ciento de los internados. Un sistema intravenoso afrece un acceso directo al sistema vascular tanto para el monitoreo hemodinámico, como para la administración de medicamentos. Sin embargo, estos sistemas representan una puerta de entrada de microorganismos al torrente circulatorio. Las infecciones pueden ser por catéteres o infusiones relacionadas y los factores de riesgo incluyen el tipo de catéter, su permanencia y el estado inmunológico del huésped. Dentro de las sepsis por catéter, los gérmenes más frecuentemente aislados son el S. aureus, Gran negativos y Candida ssp. El aislamiento de hongos del género Acremonium es excepcional y se asocia con neutropenia. Se presenta un paciente de sexo masculino, de 33 años de edad, insuficiente renal crónico y portador de un catéter de hemodiálisis (tipo Perma-Cath) desde hace 1 año, que ingresa al servicio de Clínica Médica por presentar síndrome febril e hiporexia de 10 días de evolución. En 3 hemocultivos y 1 retrocultivo se aisló Acremonium. Se realizó tratamiento con itraconazol 400 mg diarios y extracción quirúrgica de catéter. El paciente evolucionó favorablemente, con negativización de los hemocultivos. Se concluye en la necesidad de incluir a estos hongos oportunistas dentro de las posibles etiologías de la sepsis relacionada con catéteres

Esofago "mecano" y "quimio sensible": investigacion del dolor toracico no cardiogenico con el test de balon intraesofagico y la perfusion acida / \"Mechano and chemosensitive\" esophagus: investigation of non-cardiac chest pain by intraesophageal balloon test and acid perfusion

Se investigó la mecano y quimio-sensibilidad del esófago en 20 sujetos control y en 73 pacientes con purisus, D.T.N.C. y la combinación simultánea de dolor y pirosis. Se utilizó la prueba de distensión de un balón hasta 15 ml., en escalas de 2 cm. desde los 38 hasta los 22 cm. de la A.D.S. Se registró el número de pacientes que respondieron, volúmenes de distensión necesarios para evocar el sintoma, sitio de aparición y propagación del mismo. Las zonas de propagación fueron ubicadas en 13 zonas frontales y 10 dorsales. Se consideró como número de respuestas a la suma de las zonas de propagación para cada nivel estimulado (9 en total). En la misma sesión se realizó la prueba de perfusión ácida y el clearance ácido de es£fago. Se consideró como prueba positivo cuando se reprodujo el síntoma espontáneo. Se realizó endoscopía previa en todos los pacintes. RESULTADOS: La prueba de balón reprodujo el síntoma dolor en el 77.5 por ciento, cifra alcanzada estimulando los 9 niveles. De haberse estimulado un solo nivel la proporción no hubiera superado el 51 por ciento. Existen zonas "mudas" con relativa frecuencia. El 66.6 por ciento respondió con volúmenes < de 7 ml. La endoscopía fue normal en todos ellos. El test de perfusión ácida reprodujo la pirosis en el 62.5 por ciento. La presencia de esofagitis determinó una tendencia a aumentar la probabilidad de prueba positiva. Los pacientes con la combinación pirosis-dolor respondieron por separado ante cada prueba en el 60 por ciento. La perfusión ácida reprodujo el D.T.N.C. en el 6 por ciento. La prueba del balón reprodujo la pirosis en el 6.1 por ciento. CONCLUSIONES: 1) La prueba del balón sería la más útil en el estudio de la mecano-sensibilidad con altos porcentajes de reproducción cuando se estimulan al menos 9 niveles. 2) el test de perfusión sería útil para investigar quimio-sensibilida. La esofagitis aumentaria la posibilidad de test positivo. 3) Los pacientes con síntomas combinados se comportarían ante los tests de provocación como una disfunción sensorial mixta . 4) Una subpoblación de pacientes mostraría comportamientos atípicos ante los tests de...

Sensorialidad del esófago : proyección del dolor esofágico inducido por la distensión de un balón / Esophageal sensoriality: projection of esophageal pain unduced by balloon distension

El esófago es origen de varias formas de sensibilidad dolorosa. La sensorialidad sigue las leyes de la sensibilidad visceral general con algunas variantes individuales. Se estudiaron las áreas de proyección del dolor despertado por la distensión progresiva de un balón a intervalos de c cm., desde los 38 a los 22 cmn. de la A.D.S. Se registró el número de respuestas en cada una de las 13 zonas frontales y 10 dorsales en que se dividió arbitrariamente el tórax, e incluyendo al epigastrio y la base del cuello. Se consideró la primera respuesta a la distinsión, o hasta un máximo de 15 ml. de aire (diámetro del balón=3.2 cm). Se estudiaron 101 pacientes (controles y con síntomas esofágicos no orgánicos, con excepción de la esofagopatía por reflujo). Se obtuvieron 1153 respuestas en total en los 9 niveles estimulados, de las cuales el 93.8 por ciento se presentaron en las zonas frontales, y de ellas el 82.4 por ciento en las áreas mediales (epigastrio a base del cuello). No se encontraron diferencias entre los sexos. El esófago inferior fue significativamente menos sensible que el superior. El número de proyecciones hacia el tórax superior fue proporcionalmente mayor que su inversa. Se encontraron modelos individuales que resultarían útiles frente a un paciente en particular. Conclusiones: a) el esófago no es igualmente sensible a toda su extensión; b) la proyección metamérica es múltiple y predomina ampliamente en el plano frontal; c) la existencia de "zonas de gatillo" puntuales obliga a estudiar toda la extension del esófago cuando se utiliza la prueba como test diagnóstico

Esófago [quot ]Mecano[quot ] y [quot ]Quimio Sensible[quot ]. Investigación del dolor toracico no cardiogenico con el test de balón intraesofágico y la perfusión ácida / [[quot ]Mechano-[quot ] and [quot ]chemo-sensitive[quot ] esophagus. Investigation of non-cardiac chest pain using intraesophageal balloon test and acid perfusion]

Mechano--and chemo--sensitivity were studied in 20 normal control patients and 73 patients suffering from pirosis, chest pain or both symptoms. Upper endoscopy, balloon and acid perfussion tests were performed. Balloon was inflated up to 15 ml. and deflated, in 2 cm. steps from 38 to 22 cm. from S.D.A. The number of patients with response, volume of balloon distension that evoked symptoms, place and irradiation of pain or discomfort were registered and plotted on 13 frontal and 10 dorsal zones. The total number of areas involved in pain irradiation was considered as [quot ]number of responses[quot ]. Nine levels were stimulated. Acid perfusion and clearance tests were performed at the same session. Test positivity was accepted when some test evoked spontaneous patient’s symptoms. RESULTS: When 9 levels were stimulated, balloon reproduced symptoms in 77.5

. If only one level was considered, the maximal rate was 51

, responses with volumes of + < 7 ml. were obtained. In all patients with chest pain upper endoscopy was normal. In 70

of the total group and in 62.5

of patients with pirosis the acid perfusion test was [quot ]positive[quot ]. Esophagitis increased the probability of a positive test. In sixty per cent, patients with combined pirosis and chest pain responded separately with each test. In 6

balloon evoked pirosis. CONCLUSION: 1) Balloon test could be considered the most useful test in mechano-sensitivity investigation. 2) acid perfussion was useful for chemo-sensitivity investigation. As esophagitis increases chemosensitivity, it could be a conditionant factor in some patients. 3) Patients with combined symptoms responded as a mixed sensorial dysfunction with each test. 4) sub-population of patients had atypical responses to the provocative tests.

Supersensitivity to vasoconstrictor action of serotonin precedes the development of atheroma-like lesions in the rabbit.

We have studied the relationship between the early morphological changes and arterial responsiveness to vasoactive agents in a new animal model that is proposed to mimic the events of early human atherosclerosis. Atheroma-like lesions were produced by positioning a hollow Silastic collar (referred to as a cuff) around the common carotid arteries of rabbits. Following a period of either 48 h or 1, 2, or 4 weeks after surgery, vessels from both cuffed and sham-operated animals were removed, and vascular reactivity to cumulative concentrations of agonists were studied in isolated rings in organ baths. The contralateral arteries were perfused and fixed, studied by light microscopy, and the degree of intimal thickening was quantified by computer-assisted morphometric analysis and expressed as changes in the ratios of the cross-sectional areas of the intima and media in each artery. At 48 h, rings prepared from cuffed arteries were sixfold more sensitive to the contractile effects of serotonin (5-HT) than the corresponding controls. Histologically, such vessels showed some perivascular inflammation but no other morphological abnormality. At 7 days, cuffed vessels were again sixfold more sensitive to 5-HT than controls, and showed a thickened intima with marked smooth muscle proliferation and some infiltration by monocytes. Intimal/medial cross-sectional area ratios remained elevated at 2 and 4 weeks, but the supersensitivity to 5-HT diminished by 2 weeks to threefold and was absent at 4 weeks. The augmented reactivity to 5-HT at 48 h was specific, in that it did not occur for the alpha-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)