Stress oxidative and genotoxicity in Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836) exposed to commercial formulation of insecticide cypermethrin.

The use of toxic pesticides has become a world problem because they can contaminate streams and rivers, producing an adverse impact on non-target aquatic biota, including fishes. Cypermethrin is one of the most important insecticides to control ectoparasites in wide-scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of commercial formulations of cypermethrin, SHERPA O (0.0, 0.075, 0.15, and 0.3 µg/L of cypermethrin) in fish Prochilodus lineatus for 96 h in semi-static condition, using biomarkers of genotoxicity: micronucleus frequency (MNF) in erythrocytes and biomarkers of oxidative damage: lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and antioxidant defenses, catalase (CAT) and glutathione (GSH) in liver tissue. Our results showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of CAT at pesticide concentrations of 0.150 and 0.300 µg/L, but no significant difference was observed in TBARS or GSH in any exposed group (p > 0.05) in comparison to the control. A significant increase was observed in the MNF in the group exposed to 0.3 µg/L of cypermethrin compared to negative control (p < 0.05). Finally, P. lineatus proved to be a sensitive species to the commercial formulations of cypermethrin and that CAT and MNF are effective indicators of these toxic effects.

Feasibility of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation after azacitidine bridge in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and low blast count acute myeloid leukemia: results of the BMT-AZA prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Azacitidine (AZA) is increasingly used prior to HSCT, however in Europe it is only approved for patients who are not eligible for HSCT. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a phase II multicenter study to prospectively evaluate the feasibility of HSCT after treatment with AZA in 70 patients with a myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), 19 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and 8 with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). After a median of four cycles (range 1-11): 24% of patients achieved complete remission, 14% partial remission, 8% hematologic improvement, 32% had stable and 22% progressive disease. Ten patients discontinued treatment before the planned four cycles, due to an adverse event in nine cases. RESULTS: A HSC donor was identified in 73 patients, and HSCT was performed in 54 patients (74% of patients with a donor). Main reasons for turning down HSCT were lack of a donor, an adverse event, or progressive disease (9, 12, and 16 patients, respectively). At a median follow-up of 20.5 months from enrolment, response to AZA was the only independent prognostic factor for survival. Compared to baseline assessment, AZA treatment did not affect patients' comorbidities at HSCT: the HCT-CI remained stable in 62% patients, and worsened or improved in 23% and 15% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that HSCT is feasible in the majority of patients with HR-MDS/AML/CMML-2 after AZA treatment. As matched unrelated donor was the most frequent source of donor cells, the time between diagnosis and HSCT needed for donor search could be 'bridged' using azacitidine. These data show that AZA prior to HSCT could be a better option than intensive chemotherapy in higher-risk MDS. The trial has been registered with the EudraCT number 2010-019673-1.

Sexual function after fractional microablative CO2 laser in women with vulvovaginal atrophy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of fractional microablative CO2 laser on sexual function and overall satisfaction with sexual life in postmenopausal women with vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA). METHOD: This prospective study included 77 postmenopausal women (mean age 60.6 ± 6.2 years) treated for VVA symptoms with the fractional microablative CO2 laser system (SmartXide(2) V(2)LR, Monalisa Touch, DEKA, Florence, Italy). Sexual function and quality of life were evaluated with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Short Form 12 (SF-12), respectively, both at baseline and at 12-week follow-up. A 10-mm visual analog scale was used to measure the overall satisfaction with sexual life and the intensity of VVA symptoms (vaginal burning, vaginal itching, vaginal dryness, dyspareunia and dysuria) before and after the study period. RESULTS: We observed a significant improvement in the total score and the scores in each specific domain of the FSFI at 12-week follow-up compared to baseline (p < 0.001). After concluding the laser treatment, the overall satisfaction with sexual life significantly improved (p < 0.001). Seventeen (85%) out of 20 (26%) women, not sexually active because of VVA severity at baseline, regained a normal sexual life at the 12-week follow-up. Finally, we also found a significant improvement in each VVA symptom (p < 0.001) and in quality-of-life evaluation, both for the scores in the physical (p = 0.013) and mental (p = 0.002) domains. CONCLUSIONS: Fractional microablative CO2 laser treatment is associated with a significant improvement of sexual function and satisfaction with sexual life in postmenopausal women with VVA symptoms.

Development of JAK2V617F-positive polycythemia vera after chemotherapy-induced remission of primary central nervous system diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case report and review of the literature.

The coexistence or the development of Philadelphia chromosome-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms after a lymphoproliferative disease in the same patient is an extremely rare event. We report the case of a 72-year-old man who developed JAK2V617F polycythemia vera 3 years after the diagnosis and treatment of primary diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the central nervous system. We also review the literature regarding the pathogenesis underlying the association of myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative chronic disorders.

The role of vaginal Lactobacillus Rhamnosus (Normogin®) in preventing Bacterial Vaginosis in women with history of recurrences, undergoing surgical menopause: a prospective pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial vaginosis (BV), a poly-microbial clinical syndrome, is the most common cause of vaginal symptoms among women. The recurrence rate of BV is up to 30% after traditional antimicrobial therapy. Lactobacillus rhamnosus vaginal tablets have demonstrated to be a reliable topical effective and safe treatment to reduce the BV recurrence rate. AIM: to assess topical long-lasting (6 months) Lactobacillus rhamnosus effectiveness in decreasing recurrences in women with positive anamnesis of recurrent BV and concomitant hypo-estrogenism as consequence of surgical menopause. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 22 consecutive patients affected by recurrent BV and treated for surgical menopause for benign pathology were enrolled. All women were treated with Lactobacillus rhamnosus vaginal tablets (Normogin(®)) according to the following protocol: 1 tablet/day for 6 days, than two tablets per week for 2 months and then one tablet once a week till 6 months. RESULTS: Of the 22 women enrolled only one has been lost after the first visit. A total of 21 cases were reported; 7 out of 21 had only one case of recurrence, while 2 out of 21 had two episodes of BV during the year successive to menopause. No side effects have been reported. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the low recurrence rate of BV during follow-up it seems that long-lasting treatment with vaginal tablets of Lactobacillus rhamnosus could reduce the BV recurrence also in women at high risk with positive history of pathology and undergoing surgical menopause with a safe profile. This study supports the use of vaginal Lactobacillus rhamnosus administration in high risk population without side effects.

Comet assay in gill cells of Prochilodus lineatus exposed in vivo to cypermethrin.

Agricultural chemicals can induce genetic alterations on aquatic organisms that have been associated with effects on growth, reproduction and population dynamics. The evaluation of DNA damage in fish using the comet assay (CA) frequently involves the utilization of erythrocytes. However, epithelial gill cells (EGC) can be more sensitive, as they are constantly dividing and in direct contact with potentially stressing compounds from the aquatic environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate (1) the sensitivity and suitability of epithelial gill cells of Prochilodus lineatus in response to different genotoxic agents through the application of the CA, (2) the induction of DNA damage in this cell population after in vivo exposure to cypermethrin. Baseline value of the CA damage index (DI) for EGC of juvenile P. lineatus was 144.68±5.69. Damage increased in a dose-dependent manner after in vitro exposure of EGC to methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and H2O2, two known genotoxic agents. In vivo exposure of fish to cypermethrin induced a significant increase in DNA DI of EGC at 0.150µg/l (DI: 239.62±6.21) and 0.300µg/l (270.63±2.09) compared to control (150.25±4.38) but no effect was observed at 0.075µg/l (168.50±10.77). This study shows that EGC of this species are sensitive for the application of the CA, demonstrating DNA damage in response to alkylation (MMS), oxidative damage (H2O2), and to the insecticide cypermethryn. These data, together with our previous study on DNA damage induction on erythrocytes of this species, provides useful information for future work involving biomonitoring in regions where P. lineatus is naturally exposed to pesticides and other genotoxic agents.

Hepatic enzymes activity in the fish Prochilodus lineatus (Valenciennes, 1836) after sublethal cypermethrin exposure.

Prochilodus lineatus, a fish, was exposed to sublethal concentrations of cypermethrin: 0.075, 0.150, and 0.300 µg L(-1) and a control group (without cypermethrin) for 96 h. Five specimens were exposed in each concentration for triplicate (n = 60). Hepatic biochemical values and behavioral changes were studied. The results revealed a significantly higher level of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase in hepatic tissue at different concentrations of cypermethrin tested compared to control (p < 0.05). A decrease in total protein was observed in exposed groups but not significantly (p > 0.05). This study provides information to know toxic mechanisms of cypermethrin on hepatic enzymes of P. lineatus that are poorly understood.

Alkaline comet assay for genotoxic effect detection in neotropical fish Prochilodus lineatus (Pisces, Curimatidae).

Toxicants on fish may induce genetic alterations that can be used as genotoxic markers. We evaluated DNA damage using alkaline comet assay applied on erythrocytes after in vivo exposure of Prochilodus lineatus to different concentrations of Cypermethrin (0.300, 0.150, 0.075 and 0.000 microg/L) as a probable chemical mutagen. The results revealed a significantly higher level of DNA damage at all concentrations of Cypermethrin tested compared to control and background level (p < 0.05). We have standardized the technique for one of the most common native fish species that will be useful for biomonitoring genotoxicity in polluted waters of the region.

Successful treatment with T-depleted autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation of refractory chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) is a disorder due to specific platelet auto-antibodies directed against platelet surface glycoproteins. AITP in adults is usually chronic, idiopathic and frequently refractory to conventional treatments. Myelo- and immuno-suppressive chemotherapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation is an experimental approach for severe chronic refractory AITP. We report a case of a woman with AITP, refractory to the conventional therapy, submitted to T-cell-depleted autologous PBSC transplantation, which obtained long term stable response on platelet count. We deem that the positive outcome of our patient depends on T-cells depletion of the graft, which reduces autoreactive T clones.

Changes of hematological parameters in Prochilodus lineatus (Pisces, Prochilodontidae) exposed to sublethal concentration of cypermethrin.

Freshwater fish Prochilodus lineatus were exposed to sublethal concentrations of cypermethrin (0.3 and 0.6 microg/l) for 2, 5 and 8 days. It was observed that with the increase of exposure time total erythrocyte (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) values decreased but mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) values increased. These reports indicate that hematological parameters, may be useful as a diagnostic test for cypermethrin exposure in aquatic organisms.

Deformed erythrocytes in muscular dystrophies.

Because of previous reports of a possible correlation between echinocytogenesis and muscular dystrophies, we investigated the time-dependent development of echinocytes in the blood of normal subjects, patients, and healthy carries of Duchenne dystrophy. There was a quantitatively significant increase of echinocytes in patients and carriers.

Carrier detection in Duchenne muscular dystropy.

We investigated the number of echinocytes, the serum hemopexin level, and spectrin band II phosphorylation in the blood of normal subjects, patients, and carriers of Duchenne dystrophy. The patients and carriers exhibited quantitatively significant differences with respect to controls.

Interhemispheric differences in same versus different judgments upon presentation of complex visual stimuli.

An experiment is reported which was aimed at investigating interhemispheric differences upon tachistoscopic presentation of Same vs Different stimuli, i.e. pairs of 16-side Vanderplas and Garvin figures selected for their complexity, unfamiliarity and lack of verbalization. The right hemisphere was found to be faster and more accurate in Same judgements and the left hemisphere in Different judgements. These findings seem to further confirm the assumption that the right hemisphere would mostly use a holistic strategy and the left hemisphere an analytic strategy.

Mediator release in cerebrospinal fluid of human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with central nervous system involvement.

In this study we evaluated the release of some mediators of inflammatory reactions such as histamine (H), leukotriene B4 (LTB4), leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 15 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), eight with opportunistic infections of the central nervous system (CNS) and seven without HIV-related neurological pathology, and of 25 HIV-negative control subjects with other neurological diseases. The cerebrospinal LTB4 level was increased in all the AIDS patients (mean 348 pg/ml); the control group revealed normal levels of LTB4 in the CSF (mean 63.2 pg/ml). The PGD2 level in the HIV-positive (mean 264 pg/ml) patients was higher than of the control subjects (mean 50 pg/ml), while low LTC4 levels were found both in the HIV-positive and control groups. We did not find any significant concentration of H in the CSF of either the HIV-positive or the control subjects. These findings may be due to the presence of chronic HIV infection or to the opportunistic infections of the CNS that so often occur in the latest stages of the disease.

Head-injured subjects aged over 50 years: correlations between variables of trauma and neuropsychological follow-up.

Neuropsychological follow-up was studied in 70 consecutive head-injured subjects aged over 50 years. Diffuse deterioration (28%), moderate deterioration (25%) and dementia (21%) were the most frequent sequelae. Analysis of correlations between neuropsychological sequelae and trauma variables showed that: (1) mild trauma did not necessarily imply good prognosis and could be followed by very severe consequences; (2) duration of post-traumatic amnesia was correlated with coma duration but not with neuropsychological outcome; (3) on the whole, no prognostic predictor of the outcome was found.

Responses to dichotic listening tasks in temporal epileptics with or without clinically evident lesions.

Dichotic listening was studied in two groups of temporal epileptics with monolateral circumscribed EEG focus: the first presenting with signs of brain damage and the second free from these signs. The lesional group tended to prefer the ear ipsilateral to the side of lesion, while subjects with non-lesional focus tended to prefer the ear contralateral to the side of focus. The results are discussed and compared with other observations in this field.

Hemispheric dominance in the perception of tonal sequences in relation to sex, musical competence and handedness.

Sixty right-handed non-musician subjects, thirty males and thirty females, and thirty right-handed musician subjects, seventeen males and thirteen females, were submitted to dichotically presented tonal sequences. Immediate identification procedure with preliminary training was used. The results point out that both, musicians and non-musicians, males and females, show significant left ear dominance. The left ear dominance was more frequent in musicians. The results are discussed in the light of the "analytic-synthetic" theory of Bever and Chiarello and the "temporal" theory of Gordon.

A new case of retrograde amnesia with abnormal forgetting rate.

The classic amnesic syndrome is characterised by a severe anterograde amnesia and a less important retrograde amnesia with sparing of the semantic component. We report the case of a patient who showed a global amnesic syndrome following a mild head injury. Initially, amnesia was both anterograde and retrograde, and also involved semantic knowledge. Two years later the picture had changed remarkably. The retrograde deficit for autobiographical events was still total, while semantic memory had recovered to a large extent. Learning had also greatly improved, but only if assessed after a short delay; abnormally rapid forgetting rate were found at longer intervals. This pattern of impairment does not lend itself to an easy interpretation. However, the hypothesis of a consolidation deficit may be advanced.