[Archiving and reporting data in an ambulatory angiologic service]. / Archiviazione dei dati e refertazione nella pratica ambulatoriale di un servizio di angiologia.

The authors report their personal experience with the archive of a Laboratory of Vascular Diseases. The most important characteristics requested of an efficacious tool are analyzed and, after a description of the various systems adopted in the past, a new computerized specific archive developed by means of a modern relational database (Microsoft Access) is proposed.

[Reflex syncope as a preliminary symptom of a rhinopharyngeal lymphoma. A case report]. / Sincope riflessa come sintomo d'esordio di un tumore del rinofaringe. Descrizione di un caso clinico.

The authors report a 57 year old patient affected by rhinopharyngeal NH lymphoma that appeared as a parapharyngeal space lesions-syncope syndrome. The activation of a cardioinhybitory reflex by the stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve seems to be the pathogenetic basis for his syndrome.

[Dissection of the epiaortic vessels: an emergency pathology as the cause of focal cerebral ischemia. The evaluation of a case load of 7 patients]. / Dissezione dei vasi epiaortici: una patologia emergente come causa di ischemia cerebrale focale. Valutazione di una casistica di 7 pazienti.

Dissection of the epiaortic vessels is an emerging cause of focal cerebral ischemia, especially in young patients. Non-invasive diagnostic devices (ultrasound, nuclear magnetic resonance) have greatly improved the ability to suspect and identify it. We report our clinical experience with 5 patients affected by carotid artery dissection and 2 patients affected by vertebral artery dissection. Vessel dissection generally occurred spontaneously; it was preceded by head or cervical trauma in 2 cases. Arterial hypertension was commonly associated, and headache was always present together with other focal neurological signs. Clinical suspicion was confirmed by ultrasound duplex scanning: although never conclusive, it always showed typical Doppler patterns. Nuclear magnetic resonance has become an acknowledged means of definitive diagnosis although angiography remains the gold standard. In any case, diagnosis requires clinical suspicion and the accurate correlation of clinical data and instrumental results. Therapy consisted in anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs. The clinical course of our patients was favorable in all cases, and no recurrences were recorded.

[Immunological monitoring of patients with carcinoma of the lung. Study method and preliminary research]. / Il monitoraggio immunologico di pazienti con carcinoma del polmone. Metodo di studio e ricerche preliminari.

It is by now an established fact that the status of the immune system stands in some relationship with the onset and evolution of malignancy. To clarify this relationship the authors investigated the immune system of patients with pulmonary carcinoma, with special regard to the functions of the T and B lymphocyte lines. After suitable explanation of their experimental protocol, which involved immunological monitoring and the study of relationships between immunological changes and the extent and histological type of malignancy, and also the effects of any treatments being administered, the authors describe the results obtained in 18 preoperative patients. The study revealed an overall diminution of cell-mediated immune activity: less strongly positive DNCB skin tests, reduced capacity for making E rosettes, reduced blast transformation with PHA. With B lymphocytes the EA rosette test was often depressed, whereas antibody titers were normal or even above normal, and the pokeweed blast test was invariable above normal values. These preliminary results show that at the time of diagnosing malignancy, the greater aggressiveness characteristic of the less differentiated cellular types, or of stages of diffuse malignancy, is associated with overpowering of cell defenses and (within certain limits) enhancement of the humoral response.

[Action of levamisole on lymphocytic reactivity in naso-laryngeal carcinoma]. / Azione del levamisole sulla reattivita' linfocitaria nei carcinomi naso - laringei.

It was confirmed that the mitogenic reactivity and rosette-forming cells capacity of T and B lymphocytes were depressed in nose-pharyngeal tumor bearing patients. Using levamisole treatment, the response of T cells was increased till almost the normal value. B cells response was normal or slightly increased after levamisole treatment. Our experiments suggests that the levamisole is capable to induce an increased response of the immune system when compared to untreated tumor bearing patients.

[Effects of lymphocyte stimulation in vitro of alkaline salts of some aroyl-hydrazino-carbodithioic acids and 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives: preliminary research]. / Effetti sulla stimolazione linfocitaria in vitro di sali alcali ni di alcuni acidi aroil-idrazino-carboditioici e di derivati dell'1,3,4-ossadiazolo: ricerche preliminari.

The behaviour of alkaline salts of some aroyl-hydrazine-carbodithioic acids [comp. Ia,b,c,] and derivatives of 1,3,4-oxadiazole [comp. IIa,b,c, e IIIa,b,c] , has been studied, on the capability of lymphoblasts in vitro, in consequence of stimulation by some mitogen agents (PHA, PWM). It has been pointed out that the considered compounds inhibit the cellular mitosis in variable percentage in relation to their structure and to the used mitogen agent, frequently causing some mitogen-like morphological modification, also revealable under a optical microscope. The higher inhibition has been obtained by the Ic, IIc, and IIIc compounds, in which Ar is the 3,4-dihydroxymethylenephenyl radical, proving selective, in some cases, for the T lymphocytes.

[Different behavior of phagocytes in young and old subjects]. / Differente comportamento dei fagociti in soggetti giovani e anziani.

Ageing is a dynamic phenomenon in which there is a physiological decay in all the functions of the individual. The consequence is an increased susceptibility to infections, autoimmune diseases and cancer. Phagocytic cells as polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and monocytes (Mo) are of prime importance in the defence against invasive agents, PMNL and Mo seek out and destroy invading micro-organisms. Chemotaxis and phagocytosis are two mechanisms that are activated by these cells for this purpose. In this study, using "in vitro" techniques, we have verified if, at the level of such functions of cell defense, there could be variations in elderly subjects with respect to younger subjects. Our results show a chemotactic activity of PMNL in the elderly that is higher and a phagocytic activity that is lower. As regards Mo, there is a lower chemotactic activity in the elderly and only a slight difference in phagocytic activity with respect to the younger subjects. These results are in agreement with those found at the clinical level showing the elderly less protected from infection with respect to younger subjects.

Immunologic alterations and active aspecific immunotherapy in lung cancer patients.

An immunologic study was undertaken on 89 lung cancer patients and on the basis of results obtained so far, a protocol of active, aspecific immunotherapy by living bacterial vaccines (BCG) and/or synthetic immunopotentiator (methisoprinol) was carried out. First results obtained in patients undergoing immunostimulation are reported together with the observation that while positive humoral effects seem present in stage I and II patients, in cases of spread of the disease results are substantially negative.