Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage as a manifestation of Behçet disease.

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a rare life-threatening condition which refers to the presence of red blood cells within alveoli deriving from hemorrhage originating in the pulmonary microvasculature. It differs from alveolar filling, in which blood cells derive from localized bleeding, usually of bronchial origin. DAH may be part of diffuse alveolar injury of any origin. DAH should be considered a medical emergency due to the significant morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory failure, when secondary to impaired oxygen uptake from alveoli filled with erythrocytes. Patients with alveolar hemorrhage present with non-specific symptoms like dyspnea, cough and hemoptysis, which is not always present. They may develop acutely or insidiously over a few days. We present a case of a patient with probable Behçet's disease complicated by pulmonary capillaritis and DAH resulting in refractory respiratory failure and death.

Human responses against HER-2-positive cancer cells in human immune system-engrafted mice.

BACKGROUND: Human immune system (HIS)-engrafted mice are new tools to investigate human immune responses. Here, we used HIS mice to study human immune responses against human HER-2-positive cancer cells and their ability to control tumour growth and metastasis. METHODS: BALB/c Rag2(-/-), Il2rg(-/-) mice were engrafted with CD34(+) or CD133(+) human cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and vaccinated with human HER-2-positive cancer cells SK-OV-3 combined to human IL-12. RESULTS: Both CD34(+) or CD133(+) human HSC gave long-term engraftment and differentiation, both in peripheral blood and in lymphoid organs, and production of human antibodies. Vaccinated mice produced specific anti-HER-2 human IgG. An s.c. SK-OV-3 challenge was significantly inhibited (but not abolished) in both vaccinated and non-vaccinated HIS mice. Tumours were heavily infiltrated with human and murine cells, mice showed NK cells and production of human interferon-γ, that could contribute to tumour growth inhibition. Vaccinated HIS mice showed significantly inhibited lung metastases when compared with non-vaccinated HIS mice and to non-HIS mice, along with higher levels of tumour-infiltrating human dendritic cells. CONCLUSION: Anti-HER-2 responses were elicited through an adjuvanted allogeneic cancer cell vaccine in HIS mice. Human immune responses elicited in HIS mice effectively inhibited lung metastases.

[Stenocardia caused by gallbladder disease. Physiopathological and clinical findings]. / Stenocardia da colecistopatia. Rilievi fisiopatologici e clinici

10 elderly patients suffering from chronic lithiasic cholecystitis presented sporadic attacks of angor during the digestion of rather abundant meals, associated or otherwise with biliary colic. A clinical study was carried out in order to throw light on the close dependence of pain attacks with cholecystic stress. Observations confirmed the possibility that the onset of angor is due to reflex coronary vasoconstriction induced through the sympathetic system by stimuli arising in the gall bladder. The hypothesis is advanced that coronary impairment, however slight, is necessary for such vasoconstriction to be possible. Attention is called to the syndromes insofar as removal of the irritation in the gall bladder is almost always followed by complete remission of the coronary phenomenology.