White blood cells, TNF-α, and interleukin-6 in subjects with infantile colic treated with Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103): a randomised prospective study.

Recent metanalysis reported that certain probiotic strains, such as Limosilactobacillus reuteri and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (LGG), seem effective for treatment of infantile colic of exclusively breastfed infants; some reports have also linked probiotics to have an immunological effect, however further investigation are needed to fully understand the exact mechanism. The objective of this study was to assay white blood cells, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 values in peripheral blood in subjects treated in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial for infantile colic with LGG. Fifty-eight infants were enrolled and followed for a study period of 28 days. Parent were asked to record daily crying time using a structured cry diary. Peripheral white blood cells was assessed and RNA (mRNA) expression of TNF-α and IL-6 was measured using TaqMan real-time PCR-maternal amplification. Infants with colic treated with LGG showed a reduction in daily crying duration after 28 days of treatment and a reduction in values of IL-6 ( P < 0.005) and TNF-α ( P < 0.05); we observe also a significantly decreasing of IL-6 in the placebo group while decrease of TNF-α was not significant in this group. A significant decreased values of monocytes ( P < 0.05) was observed in infants treated with LGG. Our data therefore showed, in addition to crying time reduction, a significant decrease of TNF-α and a significant reduction of monocytes cells in colicky infants treated with LGG, compared to placebo group. This observation supports the hypothesis that probiotics may have anti-inflammatory properties. Further studies are needed to better understand the influence of probiotic on immunity cells.

The prophylactic use of negative-pressure wound therapy after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

Surgical site infections (SSIs) pose a frequent complication in cardiac surgery patients and lead to increased patient discomfort and extended hospitalization. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the protective role of single-use negative-pressure wound therapy (sNPWT) devices on closed surgical wounds after cardiac surgery, and explored their potential preventive application across all cardiac surgery patients. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on ScienceDirect, focusing on studies related to "negative pressure wound therapy" or "PICO negative pressure wound therapy" combined with "cardiac surgery" or "sternotomy," published between 2000 and 2022. Inclusion criteria encompassed case-control studies comparing sNPWT with traditional dressings on closed cardiac surgical incisions in adult patients undergoing median sternotomy without immediate postoperative infective complications, with available details on SSIs. A retrospective analysis of cases treated with sNPWT in our centre was also performed. The meta-analysis revealed a protective role of sNPWT, indicating a 44% risk reduction in overall SSIs (odds ratio 0.56) and a 40% risk reduction in deep wound infections (odds ratio 0.60). Superficial wound infections, however, showed non-significant protective effects. A single-centre study aligned with the meta-analysis findings, confirming the efficacy of sNPWT and was included in the meta-analysis. In conclusion, the meta-analysis and the single-centre study collectively support the protective role of negative pressure wound therapy against overall and deep SSIs, suggesting its potential prophylactic use on all cardiac surgery populations.

[Association between causes of lNPS compensated disability and occupational category (Veneto Region, 1994-2002): a surveillance method for occupational diseases?]. / Associazione tra causa di invalidita pensionabile INPS e comparto lavorativo (Veneto, 1994-2002): un metodo di sorveglianza delle malattie professionali?

BACKGROUND: According to Italian law, workers are insured against disability through the National Social Security Institute (INPS), whose records contain information on diseases causing disability and occupational histories. OBJECTIVES: Using the INPS data, our objective was to identify any excess risk of disabling diseases in relation to the occupational categories. METHODS: Insurance covers all private sector employees, a small proportion of public sector employees, agricultural labourers, domestic workers, self-employed workers (craftsmen, commercial dealers,farmers), and few other occupational categories. For each insured worker, a database was created containing registry data, occupational history and, for compensated workers, the disease code, for each year from 1994 to 2002. A cohort study design was adopted, in which references were self-employed workers (with mixed exposure) to whom different categories of employees in agriculture, industry, crafts, and services were compared. Data were analyzed by means of Poisson regression, estimating the Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) and confidence interval (CI) at 99.99%, instead of 95%, in order to set the threshold of error for the entire study at 0.05. RESULTS: In the construction industry there were significantly high risks of disability in both industry and crafts for tumours (industry: IRR = 2.07; IC = 1. 67-2.57; crafts: 2.57; 1.89-3.18), circulatory disorders (industry: IRR = 2.24; IC = 1.65-3.04; crafts.: 3.06; 2.16-4.32), and bone and joint diseases (industry. IRR = 5.0; IC = 3.15-7.94; crafts: 6.58; 5.04-8.59). CONCLUSIONS: The advantage of this approach is to recruit a large number of subjects at limited cost. The procedure here proposed is a mainly exploratory approach aimed at establishing new study hypotheses: disability, in fact, is acknowledged by INPS when its cause is not occupational according to the current literature.

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-associated facial lipoatrophy with lipofilling and submalar silicone implants.

In the absence of a current therapy to prevent facial lipoatrophy in HIV+ patients treated with HAART, surgical correction of the defect still remains the best option. We evaluate two different surgical techniques for facial contour enhancing and suggest the right choice related to the lipodystrophy severity. Twelve HIV+ patients underwent surgical submalar correction: eight were treated with lipofilling following Coleman's technique and four had bilateral malar silicone implants inserted after determining their positioning with the aid of a new software. Both techniques gave long lasting results in facial contour reshaping ranging from good to very good. No complication was observed. In the mean follow-up period of 2 years no patient felt uncomfortable with his/her image. Both techniques, lipofilling and silicone implant positioning, for managing facial lipoatrophy in HIV+ patients treated with HAART had good results, but the right choice has to be related to the severity of the lipodystrophy in the patient.

Adipofascial anterolateral thigh free flap for tongue repair.

With the advent of microsurgery fasciocutaneous free flaps have become a well known and accepted option for the repair of tongue defects. Many authors have tried to recover tongue function by modifying this approach. An innovative method for the repair of tongue defects using an adipofascial anterolateral thigh free flap is presented in this paper. The results are compared with those of tongue reconstructions implementing traditional fasciocutaneous free flaps performed at our institution. The histological features of the flaps were investigated postoperatively. Although this preliminary report has to be confirmed by further experience, it seems to solve many tongue-reconstruction related problems.

Median raphe cyst of the penis: a report of two cases with immunohistochemical investigation.

Penile median raphe cysts are uncommon benign lesions occurring predominantly in the ventral aspect of the glans penis of young men. We observed two cases: those of a 67-year-old patient and a 22-year-old patient. The epithelial lining of the cysts was composed of pluristratified small cells that focally showed rows of columnar cells above the inner surface as well as a monolayered mucinous columnar epithelium. A columnar cell lining predominated in the younger patient. The cytokeratin (CK) immunostaining pattern of the two cysts (CK7(+++), CK13(+++), CK20(-), CAM 5.2(+)) supports the interpretation of a columnar mucinous epithelium undergoing immature urothelial metaplasia. Carcinoembryonic antigen immunostaining positivity of the columnar cells is probably related to the dysembryogenetic cloacal nature of the cysts. Neuroendocrine differentiation of sparse cells interspersed in the pluristratified epithelium was documented by immunohistochemical staining for chromogranin and synaptophysin. Cilia were not identified in the columnar cells by light microscopy or by antidynein immunohistochemistry.

Basal cell carcinoma arising from epidermoid cyst: a case report.

Cutaneous epidermoid cysts are very common lesions, but neoplastic transformation of their epithelium is extremely rare. We describe a patient with basal cell carcinoma arising in the wall of an epidermoid cyst present on the back for 20 years. We emphasize the advisability of a close histologic examination of all cutaneous cysts that are seemingly benign in order to avoid incorrect diagnosis.

The use of the V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap in reconstructing postsurgical defects of the leg.

BACKGROUND: Soft tissue cover in the lower limb is difficult due to limited tissue mobility. OBJECTIVE: To present the V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap as an alternative for reconstructing postsurgical defects of the leg. METHODS: Eleven patients with defects on the leg following tumor excision were reconstructed using the V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap. RESULTS: There were no major complications, except for one partial distal flap necrosis in a patient who was a smoker. CONCLUSION: The V-Y fasciocutaneous island advancement flap is a viable alternative for reconstructing surgical defects of the leg.

Proximal long saphenous vein valves in primary venous insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: To verify some of the previous findings of venous valves described in the literature, their pathophysiological significance and clinical implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The elementary components of 65 proximal valves of the long saphenous vein and their interrelationships were subjected to histopathological examination. Valves were taken from patients subjected to long saphenous vein surgical removal for varicose veins of the lower limbs. Measurements and morphological evaluations were performed by optical microscopy. RESULTS: The valvular sinus, agger and proximal portion of the cusp underwent parallel variations of thickness. Thickening of the proximal portion of cusp was related to increase in smooth muscle cells in the agger and to elastic layer dissociation. Thickening of the distal portion of cusp depended on the collagen component; sometimes it was shortened, crumpled and led to the formation of a thickened border. The vein wall in a commissural aneurysm was usually thinner than in the valvular sinus. Alterations in the intima, in the elastic membrane and in the media were found in the 98% of the valvular annulus. Ectasis and asymmetry of the venous wall were mainly related to the muscular hypoplasia of the media. CONCLUSIONS: The development of primary venous insufficiency seems to be due to the following tissue alterations: dilatation of the valvular annulus and hypotrophy of the cusp. The hemodynamic mechanical injury increases the tissue damages of both annulus and cusps. This pathophysiologic interpretation of venous insufficiency suggests the need for detailed diagnostic procedures before reparative surgery of valves.

Cutaneous ciliated cyst: a case report with immunohistochemical evidence for dynein in ciliated cells.

Cutaneous ciliated cysts (CCCs) are rare benign lesions predominantly occurring in the lower limbs of young women. We observed such a lesion in the perineal region of a 12-year-old girl. The histogenetic interpretation of CCCs is controversial. The similarity of the epithelial lining of the cyst to the salpingeal epithelium supports the hypothesis of a Müllerian heterotopia. Strong dynein positivity observed immunohistochemically in the apical portion of CCC lining cells suggests the integrity of the ciliary apparatus. There was a marked similarity between a CCC and normal salpingeal epithelium in the mode of staining for dynein, whereas the dynein reactivity of bronchial epithelial cells showed larger cytoplasmic aggregates of positive material in proximity to the nucleus. No immunohistochemical staining for estrogen or progesterone receptors was identified in our observation, although this finding could have supported the Müllerian histogenetic hypothesis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that antidynein immunohistochemistry has been applied to paraffin-embedded samples from human surgical pathology.

[Metastatic brain tumors]. / I tumori cerebrali metastatici.

211 patients operated on for brain metastases have been selected through a review of specimens from the Department of Pathology of the University of Florence covering the period between 1980 to 1995. 140 patients (66%) are males and 71 (34%) are females. Average age is 59 years ranging from 33 to 79 years of age. Lung tumours (47%) and breast cancer (9%) are most frequently responsible for brain metastases. In 17% of the patients, the primary lesion was unknown. The average survival was 14 months and in 8 patients (4%) it was more 5 years. In 36 cases (17%) recurrence appeared 8 months after the first operation. Survival in these patients averaged 20 months from the diagnosis of brain metastases and 11 months after the discovery of the relapses. It is not significantly different from that of patients without evidence of relapsed metastases in the brain (13 months). Prognostically renal carcinoma behaves more favourably, average survival (27 months); on the contrary prognosis of metastatic melanoma is ominous (7 months). Metastases from unknown primaries do not have a significant different prognosis from all the other lesions.

Should scrotal calcinosis still be termed idiopathic?

We observed so-called idiopathic scrotal calcinosis in a 36-year-old man who was cured successfully by simple excision of the affected skin. Histologically, the nodular lesions consisted of calcified amorphous basophilic masses and small granules within the dermis. One rounded aggregate of calcified basophilic material showed a slight positivity on immunostaining for cytokeratin. Some intact epidermoid cysts were also present, suggesting that dystrophic calcification, and possibly inflammation and rupture of epidermoid cysts, may be the main pathogenetic mechanism of the disease in most reported cases. In our opinion, the term idiopathic should refer to the individual cases that are etiologically undefined rather than the whole category of scrotal calcinosis.

So-called nasal glioma: case report with immunohistochemical study.

The so-called nasal gliomas (nasal cerebral heterotopias) are rare, congenital, benign masses of neurogenic origin with intra or extranasal location, or both. An intranasal case is reported in a 7-month-old infant who successfully underwent surgery with the intranasal approach. The tumor had no intracranial extension and the child is free of disease after a three-year follow-up. Immunohistochemical study confirmed the glial (GFAP+) and neuronal (NSE+) nature of the cells composing the mass. In addition to the clinical behavior, the benign nature of the tumor is also indicated by the negativity of Ki67 (MIB-1) and p53 proliferation markers as well as by CD44 negativity. As far as we know, this is the first reported case of nasal glioma subjected to immunohistochemical investigation of proliferation activity.

[Malignant tumors of the peripheral nerve sheath (MPNST) after irradiation]. / Tumore maligno della guaina dei nervi periferici (MPNST) post-irradiazione.

A case of relapsed malignant tumor of the brachial plexus and its nervous roots (MPNST) was observed in a patient treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease 24 years previously. A known risk of radiation therapy is the induction of secondary neoplasms, less commonly malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST). The clinico-pathological features of this rare tumor are presented and the possible relationship between radiotherapy and MPNST is discussed.

Oncocytoma of the nasal cavity: report of a case and review of the literature.

The authors present a case of oncocytoma of the nasal cavity in a 60-year-old woman. The tumour shows the same histological and ultrastructural characteristics of oncocytomas arising in minor salivary glands of other sites and major salivary glands. The authors stress that the biological behaviour of oncocytomas of the nasal cavity seems related to their local growth rather than to the cytological characteristics of the tumour. The extreme rarity of this tumour in the nasal cavity is particularly emphasized. The few cases reported previously in literature are briefly reviewed.

Merkel cell carcinoma of the eyelid.

A case of Merkel cell carcinoma of the eyelid of an 85-year-old woman is presented. We define the essential morphological features of this much-debated neuroendocrine cutaneous tumor and its clinical and morphobiological peculiarities, with particular reference to its location in the palpebral region.

Sapheno-femoral valves. Histopathological observations and diagnostic approach before surgery.

BACKGROUND: Since the literature indicated that in the early stages of primary venous disease valves are simply dilated, some authors performed external valvuloplasty of deep and superficial venous valves with encouraging results, although some failures were observed without being sufficiently explained. OBJECTIVE: To obtain further interpretations of the natural history of venous valve pathology, clarify methods for a correct diagnostic approach, and provide indications for the external valvuloplasty procedure. METHODS: Forty-two proximal valves of the long saphenous vein removed for varicose veins of the lower limbs were studied with optical microscopy. The relationship between histologic alterations and age of varicose disease was investigated. Five valvuloplasties were explanted for recurrent reflux and submitted to histopathological observation. Preoperative echographic findings and histologic observations were compared. Nineteen limbs were subjected to external valvuloplasty under angioscopic control; preoperative echographic findings and angioscopic observations were compared. RESULTS: The histologic alterations observed in venous valves were mainly hypotrophy of cusps, which seemed to be the main cause of failure after external valvuloplasty. The frequency of such hypotrophic alterations increases with the age of varicose disease but no statistically significant relationship was found. Preoperative echographic imaging of venous valves does not appear sufficiently predictive when compared with histologic and angioscopic examinations. CONCLUSION: Hypotrophic valve damage seems to be prevalent in patients with varicose veins of the lower limbs. Valve cusp hypotrophy may be present in early disease though some normal cusps can be found in advanced disease. When preoperative echographic visualization of cusps is doubtful, intraoperative angioscopy plays the main role in the diagnosis of venous valve disease before and during external valvuloplasty.

Oxyphil cell adenoma (oncocytoma) of the lacrimal caruncle: a case report.

The onset of oncocytic neoplasms in the ocular area is exceptional. A rare case of oxyphil cell adenoma of the lacrimal caruncle in an 81-year-old woman is presented. The anatomo-clinical profile of this benign small tumor is drawn up: a slowly growing tumor, generally occurring in the caruncle of elderly women, which is characterized by a uniform population of epithelial cells with eosinophilic finely-granular cytoplasm containing large numbers of mitochondria. The histogenetic problem of this tumor is briefly discussed.