Plasma fibronectin in hemoblastosis.

Fibronectin (FN) is a glycoprotein whose plasma concentrations are reduced in many pathological conditions. In patients with hemoblastosis plasma FN was correlated with some clinical and biological parameters (stage of the disease, hepatosplenomegaly, infections and DIC), in order to assess its value as a tumor marker. The results suggest a poor relationship between FN levels and the course of the disease. However, the behaviour of the protein in relation with treatment was dynamic.

[Scintigraphy with indium-111-oxine in the diagnosis of occult inflammation foci. Personal contribution]. / La scintigrafia con indio-111-ossina nella diagnosi di focolai infiammatori occulti. Contributo personale.

In three patients with fever of unknown etiology, an Indium-111-Oxine WBC (White blood cell) scan was performed, in order to detect occult sites of inflammation. An intra-abdominal abscess was located in two cases, while in the third the negative result of the scan directed the diagnosis to other systemic pathologies.

[The onset of double metachronous neoplasms 29 years after the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease]. / Insorgenza di doppia neoplasia metacrona 29 anni dopo la diagnosi di malattia di Hodgkin.

The occurrence of two new cancers (a diffuse centrocytic lymphoma and a basal cell cancer) in a patient successfully treated for Hodgkin's disease 29 years before is reported. The centrocytic lymphoma mainly involved the skin, the basal cell carcinoma developed on the dorsum of the right hand. The patient had received high-dose Roentgen-radiation therapy on the mediastinum and lymph nodes for his Hodgkin's disease. The possible relationship between performed therapy and occurrence of new malignancies is discussed.

[Unusual association of hemolytic anemia and splenic metastases in a case of breast carcinoma]. / Rara associazione di anemia emolitica e metastasi spleniche in un caso di carcinoma mammario.

An unusual case of splenic metastasis associated with haemolytic anaemia in a patient with breast cancer is reported. Attention is drawn to the rarity of invasion of the spleen, and an account is given of the causes of haemolytic anaemia in carcinomatosis. A spectacular response to splenectomy was observed in the case reported.

[Hematologic changes in renal neoplasms]. / Alterazioni ematologiche in corso di neoplasia renale.

The main haematological parameters, particularly haemoglobin concentration and the numbers of leukocytes and platelets, were studied in 146 kidney tumour patients. Only 119 of the subjects studied later underwent nephrectomy. In 66 patients the tumours were limited to within the renal capsule (group I) while in 39 other subjects the tumours had gone beyond this limit and had invaded the perirenal tissue (group II). 27 patients had metastasis in one or more sites (group III). In the remaining 14 subjects (group IV) without proven metastasis, the surgical staging was not available since because of cachexia they were not undergone nephrectomy. More frequent signs were: anaemia (Hb less than 12 g/dl), mainly normochromic, found in a high percentage of cases (41% in group I, 59% in group II, 74% in group III, 79% in group IV); leukocytosis (G.B. greater than 8000/mm3: 38% in group I, 51% in group II, 37% in group III, 50% in group IV). Mild thrombocytosis (P = 350-500 X 10(3)/mm3) was found with notable frequency mainly in groups II and III (20% and 18% respectively). On the other hand leukopenia (G.B. less than 3500 per mm3) and thrombocytopenia (P less than 140 X 10(3) per mm3) were rather rare. The results of our study are also discussed in relation to the main findings in the literature.

[Noma in a patient with acute leukemia allergic to penicillin]. / Noma in paziente con leucemia acuta allergica alla penicillina.

Noma has virtually disappeared from Europe, but is still found in certain parts of Africa, South America and Asia. In our case the etiologic agent was Pseudomonas aeruginosa sensitive to antibiotic therapy that we used (pefloxacin and netilmicin). Another characteristic aspect of our case is the rapid infaust evolution. In this report will be discuss the pathogenesis and the reason of the failure of the antibiotic therapy especially in immunodeficiency patients.

[Efficacy of erythropoietin in anemia of patients with immuno-lymphoproliferative disease]. / Efficacia dell'eritropoietina nell'anemia dei pazienti con malattie immuno-linfoproliferative.

Anemia is a common complication of lymphoproliferative syndromes. The exact pathogenic mechanism of this anemia is unclear. Many patients require progressive and persistent blood transfusions. We treated 10 patients (8 with multiple myeloma, 1 with non Hodgkin Lymphoma, 1 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia) by administering low doses of recombinant human erythropoietin (60 U/kg 3 times a week s.c.). All patients presented anemia with hemoglobin levels less than 10 gr/dl; renal function was not impaired (serum creatinine levels less than 1.2 mg/dl or creatinine clearance greater than 60 ml/min). A response was defined as an increase of hemoglobin level of at least 2 gr/dl or stop of red-cell transfusion within the first 3 months of treatment. Nine patients (90%) responded to treatment with a significant increase in the hemoglobin concentration. Two patients presented a cerebral stroke not correlated with erythropoietin administration.

High-resolution inventory of NO emissions from agricultural soils over the Ile-de-France region.

Arable soils are a significant source of nitric oxide (NO), a precursor of tropospheric ozone, and thereby contribute to ozone pollution. However, their actual impact on ozone formation is strongly related to their spatial and temporal emission patterns, which warrant high-resolution estimates. Here, we combined an agro-ecosystem model and geo-referenced databases to map these sources over the 12,000 km2 administrative region surrounding Paris, France, with a kilometric level resolution. The six most frequent arable crop species were simulated, with emission rates ranging from 1.4 kg N-NO ha(-1) yr(-1) to 11.1 kg N-NO ha(-1) yr(-1). The overall emission factor for fertilizer-derived NO emissions was 1.7%, while background emissions contributed half of the total NO efflux. Emissions were strongly seasonal, being highest in spring due to fertilizer inputs. They were mostly sensitive to soil type, crops' growing season and fertilizer N rates.