Entrapment of Aß(1-40) peptide in unstructured aggregates.

Recognizing the complexity of the fibrillogenesis process provides a solid ground for the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing or inhibiting protein-protein aggregation. Under this perspective, it is meaningful to identify the possible aggregation pathways and their relative products. We found that Aß-peptide dissolved in a pH 7.4 solution at small peptide concentration and low ionic strength forms globular aggregates without typical amyloid ß-conformation. ThT binding kinetics was used to monitor aggregate formation. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, AFM imaging, static and dynamic light scattering were used for structural and morphological characterization of the aggregates. They appear stable or at least metastable with respect to fiber growth, therefore appearing as an incidental product in the pathway of fibrillogenesis.

[Restoration of duodenal transit in the surgical treatment of postgastrectomy syndrome. The Soupault-Bucaille procedure]. / Ripristino del transito duodenale nel trattamento chirurgico della sindrome da gastroresezione. L'intervento di Soupault-Bucaille.

Between 5-50% of patients undergoing gastric resection still develop postgastrectomy syndrome in spite of the development of surgical techniques and an improved knowledge of gastrointestinal physiopathology: unfortunately, 2-5% of these patients require surgery. The technique to be used depends on a careful clinical and instrumental evaluation aimed at identifying the dominant type of postresection syndrome and any associated lesions, on the previous operation and obviously on the intraoperative situation. Soupault-Bucaille's gastroduodenojejunoplasty aims to correct the postresection syndrome by reinserting the duodenum in the digestive circuit, interposing between it and the gastric stump a jejunal loop made from the efferent (or afferent in the case of Billroth II with efferent on the lesser gastric curvature). This reconstitutes a paraphysiological condition of the digestive circuit, reduces biliary reflux and resolves acute gastritis. It is indicated in patients affected by early or late dumping syndrome, or multi-deficiency syndromes that do not respond to pharmacological therapy. The presence of concomitant biliary reflux is not a contraindication for this procedure, but confirms the need. Roux-en-Y is able to produce better results in postgastrectomy syndromes with alkaline gastritis and/or esophagitis sustained by biliary reflux, gastric atonia and afferent loop syndromes.

[Peritoneal cystic mesothelioma. A clinical case and review of the literature]. / Mesotelioma cistico peritoneale. Caso clinico e revisione della letteratura.

Multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma is an extremely rare benign neoplastic disease with high tendency to recur locally, but no tendency to malignancy. Correct diagnosis can be made with histopathologic examination and always with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural evaluation. A case in a twenty-eight-year-old woman is reported and the anatomo-clinical characteristics of multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma from sixty-nine cases described in the literature are specified, discussing the management of this disease and emphasizing the importance of a nondemolitive approach.

[Spontaneous internal bilio-digestive fistula after cholecystectomy. A clinical report]. / Fistola bilio-digestiva interna spontanea da cistico lungo. Contributo clinico.

The paper describes a case of spontaneous biliodigestive fistula in a cholecystectomized patient. Following a review of other published reports, the etiopathogenetic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of the case are discussed.