Spatial patterns and factors associated with the incidence of tuberculosis-diabetes in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial patterns and factors associated with the incidence of tuberculosis-diabetes (TB-DM) in Brazil, from 2001 to 2019. STUDY DESIGN: Ecological study. METHODS: Brazilian municipalities were used as the units of analysis. The local empirical Bayesian rate and the spatial autocorrelation test were calculated. Moran and Getis-Ord Gi∗ were used to identify spatial clusters, and spatially weighted regression was conducted. RESULTS: In total, 75,021 new cases of TB associated with DM were reported in Brazil during the study period. Most Brazilian municipalities had an average TB-DM incidence of 1.0-2.0/100,000 inhabitants. The regression showed that the Gini index (ß = 0.85) and family health strategy coverage (ß = -0.26) were the two indicators that had the most influence on TB-DM incidence in Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified spatial clusters of TB-DM in Brazil. The results also indicated that social inequalities played a key role in the incidence of TB.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with autoimmune encephalitis: clues for paraneoplastic aetiology.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) represents a complex syndrome with diverse clinical manifestations and therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this study was to report the clinical characteristics and the long-term outcome of patients with paraneoplastic and idiopathic AE. METHODS: All patients with subacute encephalopathy admitted to the Neurology Department of our Institution from January 2012 to May 2019 were consecutively enrolled. Patients' serum and cerebrospinal fluid were tested for neural-specific autoantibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assays on mouse brain, rat neurons, cell-based assays and immunoblots. Outcome was assessed by the modified Rankin Scale score. RESULTS: From 107 adult patients with subacute encephalopathy, 50 patients were finally diagnosed with AE. Neural antibodies (Abs) were detected in 45/50 patients (90%). Leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 immunoglobulin G was the most frequent (6/50, 12%) Ab specific to neural surface antigens detected in adults with AE. Paraneoplastic encephalitis was diagnosed in 16/50 patients (32%). The presence of bilateral temporal lobe lesions on magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid restricted oligoclonal bands was associated with a higher probability to detect cancer at the time of AE diagnosis. All patients with Abs to neural surface antigens had a good outcome at last follow-up. Severe disability at AE onset and the lack of long-term immunosuppression predicted a poor outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Leucine-rich glioma-inactivated protein 1 immunoglobulin G was the most frequent Ab detected. Patients with bilateral temporal lobe lesions and oligoclonal bands have a higher probability to harbour an occult tumour. In these patients, a strict surveillance and monitoring for cancer detection is recommended.

Brain structural changes in schizoaffective disorder compared to schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Brain structural changes in schizoaffective disorder, and how far they resemble those seen in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, have only been studied to a limited extent. METHOD: Forty-five patients meeting DSM-IV and RDC criteria for schizoaffective disorder, groups of patients with 45 matched schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and 45 matched healthy controls were examined using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). RESULTS: Analyses comparing each patient group with the healthy control subjects found that the patients with schizoaffective disorder and the patients with schizophrenia showed widespread and overlapping areas of significant volume reduction, but the patients with bipolar disorder did not. A subsequent analysis compared the combined group of patients with the controls followed by extraction of clusters. In regions where the patients differed significantly from the controls, no significant differences in mean volume between patients with schizoaffective disorder and patients with schizophrenia in any of five regions of volume reduction were found, but mean volumes in the patients with bipolar disorder were significantly smaller in three of five. CONCLUSION: The findings provide evidence that, in terms of structural gray matter brain abnormality, schizoaffective disorder resembles schizophrenia more than bipolar disorder.

Evidence for structural and functional abnormality in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex in major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is considered to be an important site of abnormality in major depressive disorder. However, structural alterations in this region have not been a consistent finding and functional imaging studies have also implicated additional areas. METHOD: A total of 32 patients with major depressive disorder, currently depressed, and 64 controls underwent structural imaging with MRI. Also, 26 patients and 52 controls were examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during performance of the n-back working memory task. Structural and functional changes were evaluated using whole-brain, voxel-based methods. RESULTS: The depressed patients showed volume reductions in the sgACC and orbitofrontal cortex bilaterally, plus in both temporal poles and the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus on the left. Functional imaging revealed task-related hypo-activation in the left lateral prefrontal cortex and other regions, as well as failure of deactivation in a subcallosal medial frontal cortical area which included the sgACC. CONCLUSIONS: Whole-brain, voxel-based analysis finds evidence of both structural and functional abnormality in the sgACC in major depressive disorder. The fact that the functional changes in this area took the form of failure of deactivation adds to previous findings of default mode network dysfunction in the disorder.

Luteal phase support for assisted reproductive technologies: between past, present and future.

The luteal phase is defined as the period between ovulation and either the establishment of a pregnancy or the onset of menses two weeks later. Assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and in particular controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), negatively interfere with the endocrine mechanisms normally regulating the luteal phase. Up to now, there is no generally accepted opinion as to the most appropriate therapeutic schemes for luteal phase support in ART cycles. Progesterone-based protocols are the most frequently adopted, while alternative regimens including human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and GnRH agonists (GnRH-a) are controversial. A GnRH-a can be used instead of hCG for ovulation triggering and the effectiveness of luteal phase support in such new protocols is the object of a growing number of experimental studies. Currently, vaginal progesterone is considered as the first line therapy for luteal phase support (LPS). The starting-time and the duration of luteal phase supplementation after the onset of pregnancy are still debated. Despite the lack of clinical or biological evidence supporting the efficacy of luteal phase support in intrauterine insemination cycles, the use of progesterone has become a well-established practice.

In vitro fertilization stimulation protocol for normal responder patients.

The aim of this prospective observational study is to determine the different outcomes of IVF/ICSI treatments after using antagonists or agonists of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) in normal responder patients. Two hundred forty-seven patients undergoing IVF treatment at the Centre of Reproductive Medicine, Rome (CERMER), from January 2005 to December 2008, were included in the study. Patients were stimulated either with a standard long protocol with GnRH agonists (n = 156) or with GnRH antagonists (n = 91). The use of GnRH antagonists resulted in a significant reduction in the duration of the stimulation (Agonist Group 14.10 ± 2.25 vs Antagonist Group 11.34 ± 2.11; p < 0.001) and in the amount of gonadotrophin (IU of r-FSH) needed (Agonist Group 1878 ± 1109 vs Antagonist Group 1331 ± 1049; p = 0.0014). Moreover a lower number of cycles were cancelled with the antagonist protocol (4.39 vs 6.41%). The GnRH antagonist protocol, when compared to the GnRH agonist one, is associated with a similar clinical pregnancy rate, similar implantation rate, significantly lower gonadotrophin requirement and shorter duration of stimulation. For this reason, GnRH antagonists might be a good treatment even for normal responder patients undergoing IVF.

Heavy metals and placental fetal-maternal barrier: a mini-review on the major concerns.

BACKGROUND: Heavy metals (HMs) are environmental contaminants with toxic properties for wildlife and humans. The placenta is a privileged organ that, along with the fetal membranes and amniotic fluid, enables growth and development of the fetus during the physiological pregnancy. It also acts as a filter reducing the passage of harmful substances, protecting the embryo and then the fetus from exposure to pollutants. The placental barrier is not completely impermeable to the passage of harmful substances; indeed, HMs were detected not only in placental tissues, but also in amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood. The amniotic fluid can be considered as a valuable marker of prenatal exposure to exogenous factors, and as an indicator of the integrity of placental barrier. The effect of an intrauterine exposure to heavy metals has been amply evaluated during the last decades. Several studies investigated the exposure to HMs in order to evaluate the mechanism of placental transfer and the impact on fetuses and later children's health. In particular,  the early exposure to Pb, Hg, and Cd was correlated to infant health effects, such as neurological, developmental, and endocrine disorders. The aim of this mini-review is to summarise the current state of knowledge about the interaction between HMs and placental barrier, considering possible implications on fetal health.

GnRH antagonists in assisted reproductive techniques: a review on the Italian experience.

Current Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COH) for Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) pursues three main objectives: hypophyseal activity suppression, multiple follicle growth stimulation, and ovulation induction. By suppressing hypophyseal activity, it is possible to prevent untimely LH surge and allow the appropriate development of the leading follicle. The classical GnRH agonist long protocol is the most widely used in COH for ART. However, an alternative regimen based on GnRH antagonist has been recently introduced in clinical practice. As competitive antagonists, these drugs display an immediate and quickly reversible effect and they avoid hormonal withdrawal side effects. Moreover, this protocol shows undeniable advantages, including the shorter duration of the treatment, the lower amount of gonadotropin required, the shorter hormonal and ultrasound monitoring of patients, milder physical and emotional stress, and a lower risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). The use of GnRH antagonists was traditionally restricted to selected patients, as "poor responders" and women at high-risk of developing OHSS such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and patients who had previously experienced OHSS. These findings could prompt a trend to change from the standard agonist protocol to the antagonist protocol in all categories of patients. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the use of GnRH antagonist protocols applied both to IVF techniques and to IUI procedures in the Italian experience.

The addition of GnRH antagonists in intrauterine insemination cycles: a pilot study.

AIM: This prospective study was designed to assess whether the use of GnRH antagonists can improve the success rate of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in intrauterine insemination (IUI) treatments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients were divided into two groups: GnRH antagonist group (Group A, n=40) and control group (Group B, n=40). Patients in Group B underwent COS with recombinant Follicle Stimulating Hormone (r-FSH, 50-75 IU/d) only, while patients in Group A were administered r-FSH (50-75 IU/d) plus cetrorelix (0.25 mg/d, starting when ≥ 2 follicles ≥ 14 mm were detected on ultrasound scan). In both groups a single insemination was performed 36 hours after human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG, 250 mcg) administration. The primary outcome was clinical Pregnancy Rate (PR). Secondary outcomes were ongoing PR, incidence of Premature Luteinization (PL), number of follicles with mean diameter ≥ 16 mm and between 11 and 15 mm on the day of hCG administration, miscarriage rate, cycle cancellation rate, total amount of r-FSH used and duration of treatment. Student's t test and Chi-square test were used (p < .05 statistically significant). RESULTS: A total of 146 cycles were performed (Group A: n=72; Group B: n=74). A trend towards higher PR in Group A was detected, although it was not statistically significant (Clinical PR: 18.05% vs 10.81%). The number of follicles ≥ 16 mm was significantly increased in Group A. The incidence of both premature LH surge and premature luteinization (PL) was significantly higher in Group B. No significant differences were found in the duration of the stimulation protocol, and in the total amount of r-FSH administered. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of GnRH antagonist in COS/IUI protocol significantly increases the number of mature follicles. However, this multifollicular recruitment is not linked to a significantly higher PR.

[Administration of micronized palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)-transpolydatin in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain in women affected by endometriosis: preliminary results]. / Utilizzo della Palmitoiletanolamide micronizzata (PEA)- transpolidatina nel trattamento del dolore pelvico cronico in donne affette da endometriosi: risultati preliminari.

AIM: Aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of micronized palmitoylethanolamide (PEA)-transpolydatin in the treatment of chronic pelvic pain in women affected by endometriosis. METHODS: Twenty-four patients with suspected endometriosis affected by severe pelvic pain were enrolled. All patients received two tablets a day of PEA 400 mg and 40 mg polydatin for 90 days consecutively. A Visual Analogic Scale was used for the assessment of the severity of global pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, dysuria and dischezia. A second questionnaire was submitted to patients to assess the quality of life. The compilation of a diary lead us to evaluate the monthly assumption of any painkillers. Patients were evaluated at the begin of the treatment and then monthly until the end of the study (90 days). The statistical analysis was performed by using the ANOVA for the analysis of variance. RESULTS: Statistically significant results were found in relation to pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia compared to the initial evaluation of patients. Results related to dysuria and dischezia were not statistically significant (P>0.05). The decrease in pelvic pain leads to an improvement of the quality of life of patients. A decreased assumption of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was also observed. CONCLUSION: PEA could be considered an effective supplement to conventional analgesic therapies in the management of pelvic pain related to endometriosis.

Tertiary hyperparathyroidism: a review.

ABSTRACT: Tertiary hyperparathyroidism (HPT III) occurs when an excess of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is secreted by parathyroid glands, usually after longstanding secondary hyperparathyroidism. Some authorities reserve the term for secondary hyperparathyroidism that persists after successful renal transplantation. Long-standing chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with several metabolic disturbances that lead to increased secretion of PTH, including hyperphosphatemia, calcit-riol deficiency, and hypocalcaemia. Hyperphosphatemia has a direct stimulatory effect on the parathyroid gland cell resulting in nodular hyperplasia and increased PTH secretion. Prolonged hypocalcaemia also causes parathyroid chief cell hyperplasia and excess PTH. Af-ter correction of the primary disorder CKD by renal transplant, the hypertrophied parathyroid tissue fails to resolute, enlarge over and continues to oversecrete PTH, despite serum calcium levels that are within the reference range or even elevated. They also may become resistant to calcimimetic treatment. The main indication for treatment is persistent hypercalcemia and/or an increased PTH, and the primary treatment is surgery. Three procedures are commonly performed: total parathyroidectomy with or without autotransplantation, subtotal parathyroidectomy, and limited parathyroidectomy. It is important to remove superior parts of thymus as well. The most appropriate surgical procedure, whether it be total, subtotal, or anything less than subtotal including "limited" or "focused" parathyroidectomies, continues to be unclear and controversial. Surgical complications are rare, and para-thyroidectomy appears to be a safe and feasible treatment option for HPT III.

COMT Val158Met polymorphism in relation to activation and de-activation in the prefrontal cortex: A study in patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects.

The Val158Met polymorphism in the COMT gene has been found to be associated with differences in brain activation in both healthy subjects and patients with schizophrenia. The predominant finding has been increased prefrontal activation associated with the Val allele; however, genotype-related de-activations have not been studied. In this study 42 schizophrenia patients and 31 controls underwent fMRI while performing the n-back task. Brain differences related to presence/absence of disease and presence/absence of the Val/Val genotype were examined. Both disease and Val/Val genotype were associated with failure of de-activation in a cluster centred in the medial prefrontal cortex. There was no interaction between disease and genotype at this location, but clusters where there were significant interactions emerged in the right prefrontal cortex and left temporal/parietal cortex. These findings suggest that Val158Met polymorphism influences task-related de-activations in the default mode network in both healthy subjects and schizophrenia patients to an equivalent extent. However the Val158Met polymorphism also has disease-specific effects on DLPFC activation in schizophrenia.

Severe spontaneous properitoneal hemorrhage following ventral hernia repair caused by viral infection: report of a case.

The authors report a case of severe spontaneous hemorrhage in a patient who underwent surgical repair of an upper umbilical ventral hernia with placement of a polypropylene mesh. On the third postoperative day the patient experienced bleeding in the properitoneal space (above and below the mesh), which spread up to and along the retroperitoneal area, causing severe hypovolemic shock. Postoperative investigations finally identified a virus as the cause of the complication.

Pathological classification of DCIS and planning of therapeutic management.

BACKGROUND: Ductal intraepitelial neoplasia (DIN) represents a spectrum of disease that may progress from usual hyperplasia to ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) grade 3. The aim of the study was to asses the correlation between the DIN classification and the surgical treatment including sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 229 patients with DIN had undergone conservative or radical surgical treatment and SLNB in cases of DIN1C-DIN3. RESULTS: Breast conservative surgery was the definitive treatment in 80% of the cases. The H&E evaluation of excised sentinel nodes was negative for metastatic disease; nevertheless the immunohistochemical (IHC) evaluation revealed the presence of metastatic cells in 6 patients (3.7%). CONCLUSION: In cases of DIN lesions SLNB is not indicated. The only reason SLNB should be considered is when there is an evidence of invasive foci at definitive histology or when radical mastectomy is proposed.

Prefrontal cortex volume reduction on MRI in preclinical Huntington's disease relates to visuomotor performance and CAG number.

PURPOSE: To investigate grey matter volumes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in preclinical Huntington's disease (HD), and their relationship to neuropsychology and CAG number. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty preclinical HD carriers and 21 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and educational level were included in this study. Clinical (UHDRS), and detailed neuropsychological assessments, and 3D IR SPGR axial MR acquisition. Calculation of global, segmented (SIENAX), and focal (voxel based morphometry, VBM) grey matter volumes was carried out. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a general linear model for VBM analysis were used to compare preclinical HD carriers and controls. Small volume correction was used, and clusters at p<0.05 were considered significant. Correlation analysis (VBM) with neuropsychology, and CAG number was also performed. RESULTS: Preclinical HD carriers showed, compared to controls, smaller global volumes of the brain (1279+/-6 vs. 1331+/-46, p=0.003), total (666+/-48 vs. 698+/-34, p=0.020) and cortical grey matter (551+/-44 vs. 577+/-32, p=0.035). When compared to the controls, preclinical carriers showed focal volume losses, which were more prominent in the left prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, and right posterior temporal cortex. Preclinical HD performed slower in a visuomotor integration task, the 15-Objects test, than controls (t (1,25.02)=3.69; p=0.001: pre-HD: 69.55+/-28.86; controls: 45.79+/-8.38). A correlation was found between volume loss in the prefrontal cortex, visuomotor performance, and CAG number. CONCLUSION: Preclinical HD carriers show grey matter volume reduction involving the prefrontal cortex, which relates to the visuomotor performance and CAG number. This suggests that regionally selective neuronal loss/dysfunction occurs prior to the clinical onset of symptoms.

Naming is associated with left temporal pole metabolite levels in neurodegenerative diseases.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between performance in language tests and levels of brain metabolites in two selected left temporal lobe regions. METHODS: Ninety-five subjects were included: 26 controls, 30 amnestic mild cognitive impairment subjects, 27 Alzheimer's disease and 12 frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) patients. Language was assessed by a naming test: Boston Naming Test (BNT) and by a semantic verbal fluency test. Other cognitive functions: verbal and visual memory, visual perception, attention and executive function, and praxis were also assessed. Single voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy was obtained in the left temporal pole (L-TPOLE), and in the left posterior temporoparietal region (L-TPAR). RESULTS: BNT scores were significantly associated with N-acetylaspartate/creatine ratios (r = 0.45; p < 0.001) and choline/creatine ratios (r = 0.33; p < 0.005) in the L-TPOLE. No significant associations were found between BNT and metabolite levels in the L-TPAR. No significant associations were found between the semantic verbal fluency test and other cognitive tests and metabolite levels either in the L-TPOLE or in the L-TPAR. CONCLUSION: Naming performance is related to metabolite levels in the anterior L-TPOLE.

Ulipristal acetate prior to in vitro fertilization in a female patient affected by uterine fibroids: a case report.

OBJECTIVE: Uterine leiomyomatosis and especially submucosal myomas hamper the outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART). Even though surgical treatment eliminates gross anatomical anomalies, medical treatment should be encouraged to improve the overall structure of the uterus, thereby enabling ART. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of an infertile female patient suffering from symptomatic uterine fibromatosis, who received 5 mg/day ulipristal acetate (UPA), a selective progesterone receptor modulator (SPRMs), for three months before and after hysteroscopic myomectomy. Uterine bleeding reduced on the eight days of treatment, with a subsequent improvement of pelvic pain. Under transvaginal ultrasound the uterus appeared globally enlarged with a diffuse leiomyomatosis of the myometrial layer. Saline infusion showed a markedly distorted cavity due two submucosal myomas (sized 31 × 24 mm and 21 × 19 mm, respectively) and one intramural myoma (37 × 34 mm). After three months the size of the myomas was reduced by 30-40%, allowing the hysteroscopic removal of the submucosal fibroids and the bigger intramural one. The smaller fibroids involving the myometrial layer were instead too diffused to be removed. At the conclusion of the subsequent cycle of UPA, the overall appearance of the cavity had improved, and the endometrial layer was regular, allowing the patient to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF). There was no adverse effect related to treatment, and the endometrial biopsy did not reveal any histologic change. CONCLUSIONS: UPA seems to have a triple effect: it ensures prompt symptom relief, it reduces the size of the myomas enabling surgery and it improves the morphology of the uterus.

Anthelmintic effects of a cationic toxin from a South American rattlesnake venom.

Despite the unquestionable importance of the highly cationic feature of several small polypeptides with high content of positively charged amino acids for their biological activities, positively charged peptides do not necessarily have the capacity to cross the cell membranes. Interestingly, we found that crotamine, a positively charged amphiphilic peptide from the South American rattlesnake venom, has a unique cell-penetrating property with affinity for acidic vesicles, besides a well-characterized antimicrobial and antitumoral activities. In spite of a remarkable in vitro antifungal activity of crotamine against Candida spp., no significant effect of this peptide could be observed in the course of Candida albicans and Candida krusei infection on Caenorhabditis elegans asssed in vivo. These experiments, in which the nematode C. elegans was used as a living host, suggested, however, the potential anthelmintic activity of crotamine because of its uptake by the worms and accumulation in their acidic compartments. As described in the present work, this lysosomotropic property is consistent with a previously proposed mechanism of toxicity of crotamine on mammalian tumoral cell lines. This study also allowed us to propose the cationic peptides with lysosomotropic property, as crotamine, as a potential new class of anthelmentics with ability to overcome the challenging problems of drug resistance.

Diagnostic findings in adenomyosis: a pictorial review on the major concerns.

Adenomyosis is a benign pathology with a marked impact on women in reproductive age. The prevalence of adenomyosis ranges from 5 to 70%. Dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, chronic pelvic pain, dyspareunia and infertility often occur, while a third of the women is asymptomatic. This pictorial review focuses on the peculiar patterns of presentation in adenomyosis. They are identified by means of non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques, with particular reference to 2D- and 3D-transvaginal sonography, sonohysterosalpingography, magnetic resonance imaging, and endoscopic techniques (i.e. hysteroscopy and laparoscopy).