Early and late onset complications of gynaecologic surgery: a multimodality imaging approach.

The role of imaging after surgery is pivotal to drive clinical management of early and/or late onset complications. Most frequently used imaging technique after pelvic surgery is Ultrasound (US), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT). While Ultrasound is a standard procedure, using grey scale and/or colour Doppler evaluation, MRI and CT scan protocols should be derived on the basis of the specific indication of the exam. Correct evaluation of female pelvis after gynaecologic surgery, having in mind the most frequent complications, is based on the correct use of the instruments and on the experience of the examiner, who should be aware of the history of the patient, type of surgery and clinical symptoms for which the exam is required; the clinician should be aware of the possibilities and limits of the different techniques, in order to choose the most appropriate imaging modality and promptly make a correct diagnosis.

Caveolin-1 expression negatively regulates cell cycle progression by inducing G(0)/G(1) arrest via a p53/p21(WAF1/Cip1)-dependent mechanism.

Caveolin-1 is a principal component of caveolae membranes in vivo. Caveolin-1 mRNA and protein expression are lost or reduced during cell transformation by activated oncogenes. Interestingly, the human caveolin-1 gene is localized to a suspected tumor suppressor locus (7q31.1). However, it remains unknown whether caveolin-1 plays any role in regulating cell cycle progression. Here, we directly demonstrate that caveolin-1 expression arrests cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle. We show that serum starvation induces up-regulation of endogenous caveolin-1 and arrests cells in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle. Moreover, targeted down-regulation of caveolin-1 induces cells to exit the G(0)/G(1) phase. Next, we constructed a green fluorescent protein-tagged caveolin-1 (Cav-1-GFP) to examine the effect of caveolin-1 expression on cell cycle regulation. We directly demonstrate that recombinant expression of Cav-1-GFP induces arrest in the G(0)/G(1) phase of the cell cycle. To examine whether caveolin-1 expression is important for modulating cell cycle progression in vivo, we expressed wild-type caveolin-1 as a transgene in mice. Analysis of primary cultures of mouse embryonic fibroblasts from caveolin-1 transgenic mice reveals that caveolin-1 induces 1) cells to exit the S phase of the cell cycle with a concomitant increase in the G(0)/G(1) population, 2) a reduction in cellular proliferation, and 3) a reduction in the DNA replication rate. Finally, we demonstrate that caveolin-1-mediated cell cycle arrest occurs through a p53/p21-dependent pathway. Taken together, our results provide the first evidence that caveolin-1 expression plays a critical role in the modulation of cell cycle progression in vivo.

Identification of novel mRNA transcripts of the nm23-M1 gene that are modulated during mouse embryo development and are differently expressed in adult murine tissues.

The nm23-M1, a putative metastasis-suppressor gene, and its homologs are involved in development and differentiation. We have shown previously that in vitro neuronal cell proliferation and differentiation can be modulated by nm23-M1 expression levels. In the present study, by the yeast two-hybrid system, we have shown that, at the onset of mouse tissue differentiation, the Nm23-M1 protein forms either homodimers, or heterodimers with Nm23-M2. Furthermore, we have isolated two cDNA variants of the nm23-M1 gene in the 3'-untranslated region (UTR). The two variants related to novel mRNA transcripts that are modulated in mouse embryo and are differently expressed in adult murine tissues.

[Long term central venous catheterization revisited]. / Rivisitazione degli incannulamenti cavali a lunga permanenza.

The authors describe their experience about long-term VAD (Venous Access Devices) placement and in particular of placement techniques types of catheters, complications, and risk and benefit. 243 placements of VAD in 112 males and 131 females mainly affected by leukemia or breast cancer have been analyzed. 145 Leonard, 54 Groshong and 44 Hickman type silicon catheters have been implanted. The preferred access vein was the right internal jugular vein in 75% of patients and the right subclavian vein in the remained. The results show implant success in 98.7% of the patients. Complications have been rare and not serious and they have been divided into: 1) complications due to venipuncture, 2) complications during implant, 3) complications during the staying of catheter, 4) complications during the removal. The authors underline the advantages of puncture access through the right internal jugular vein in comparison with access through the right subclavian vein. Groshong type catheter is better than Leonard and Hickman. Very few infections have been noticed and patients seem to accept more willingly percutaneous placement than surgical one.

Persistence of antibodies to rotavirus in human milk.

Human milk obtained from 21 American nursing mothers was studied for the presence of secretory immunoglobulin A antibody to rotavirus, the most common etiological agent of infantile gastroenteritis. Antibody was quantitated by adaptation of a recently described solid-phase radioimmunoassay technique that employs simian rotavirus as a convenient substitute antigen for human rotavirus. Of the mothers tested, 80% (12 of 15) possessed milk antibody within a week of parturition, whereas 56% of those tested (5 of 9) secreted milk antibody as late as 6 or 9 months postpartum. Specificity of the radioimmunoassay was demonstrated by absorption of antibody with purified rotavirus. Our detection by radioimmunoassay of antibody to rotavirus in milk samples collected past the colostrum stage is in contrast to other studies that have failed to detect antibody in human milk by immunofluorescence or neutralization tests. The present study also suggested that the appearance of secretory immunoglobulin A antibody in the milk of mothers previously lacking milk antibody may be correlated with subclinical infection of the mother with rotavirus.

Differential action of deoxynucleosides on mammalian cell cultures infected with herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2.

Cytopathic effects induced by eight serologically defined isolates of herpes simplex virus type 2 (tested on human amnion cells) were markedly inhibited by thymidine at a concentration of 5 mM; eight serologically defined isolates of herpes simplex virus type 1, however, were not significantly inhibited. A similar effect was seen with thymidine, deoxyguanosine, and deoxycytidine at 1-mM concentrations in tests with rabbit kidney cultures. The inhibitory effect of thymidine was not blocked by the simultaneous presence of deoxycytidine, which has been shown by others to release mammalian cells from thymidine suppression. Differential suppression of herpes simplex cytopathic effects by these deoxynucleosides provides further evidence of biochemical differences between herpes simplex types 1 and 2. This phenomenon offers a basis for rapid differentiation of type 1 from type 2.