Correlations between cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, neurocognitive tests, and resting-state electroencephalography (rsEEG) in patients with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) are highly prevalent in people living with HIV (PLWH) despite successful treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). HAND pathogenesis is complex and definitive surrogate biomarkers are not clearly defined. Brain function has been assessed through the evaluation of cortical source rhythms with delta waves associated with neurological impairment. The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between EEG cortical sources, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, and neurocognitive tests in PLWH with HAND. PLWH with HAND without significant comorbidities were enrolled. Baseline rsEEG-LORETA waves, CSF biomarkers (t-tau, p-tau, ß-amiloid42, neopterin, S100ß), and neurocognitive tests were correlated and compared through non-parametric tests (Spearman's rho and Mann-Whitney); data are presented as medians (interquartile ranges). Fifty-four patients were enrolled. Median time of suppressed HIV-RNA and CD4+ T-lymphocyte were 10 years (5.5-15) and 691/uL (477-929). Thirty-nine participants (72%) underwent CSF collection: abnormal biomarkers were found in a small percentage. Only neopterin showed a statistically significant correlation with delta activity [parietal (rho 0.579; p < 0.001), occipital (rho 0.493; p = 0.007), and global sources (rho 0.464 p = 0.011)]. Seven patients (12.9%) showed an abnormal neopterin level (> 1.5 ng/mL) with significantly higher delta source activity compared to the ones with in-range concentrations. We observed a statistically significant correlation between working memory test Trail Making B with both CSF neopterin levels and delta waves (p values < 0.05). In a small sample of PLWH with HAND, we observed that higher CSF neopterin levels were associated with higher EEG delta waves and worse working memory tests.

DNA vaccination with full-length or truncated neu induces protective immunity against the development of spontaneous mammary tumors in HER-2/neu transgenic mice.

Genetic immunization against tumor antigens is an effective way to induce an immune response able to oppose cancer progression. Overexpression of HER-2/neu can lead to neoplastic transformation and has been found in many human primary breast cancers. We constructed DNA expression vectors encoding the full-length neu oncogene of rat cDNA (pCMV-NeuNT), the neu extracellular domain (pCMV-ECD), or the neu extracellular and transmembrane domains (pCMV-ECD-TM). We evaluated whether i.m. injection of these plasmids induces protection against the development of mammary tumors occurring spontaneously in FVB/N neu-transgenic mice. We found that pCMV-ECD-TM induced the best protection, whereas both pCMV-ECD and pCMV-NeuNT were less effective. The coinjection with a bicistronic vector for murine IL-12 increased the efficacy of pCMV-ECD and pCMV-NeuNT plasmids, and led to the same protection obtained with pCMV-ECD-TM alone. Anti-neuECD antibodies were detected in pCMV-ECD-TM vaccinated mice and, after coinjection with pCMV-IL12 plasmids, they appeared also in animals immunized with pCMV-ECD. Our data demonstrate the effectiveness of DNA vaccination using truncated Neu plasmids in inducing antitumor protection in a spontaneous mammary tumor model.

[Italian centers that deliver treatment for male sexual dysfunction]. / Indagine sui Centri Italiani che si occupano della Terapia delle disfunzioni sessuali maschili.

In agree with President and Committee of Andrological Italian Society (S.I.A.), authors have carried on a research to know: 1) main features of Italian Structures interested in male sexual dysfunction 2) actual trend in diagnosis and therapies of male sexual dysfunction, Authors report results and data about this research, particularly regarding new trends in therapia (therapy).

[Penile prosthesis]. / Gli impianti protesici.

In this article the Authors, after describing the history of the penile prosthesis surgery and analyzing the technical progresses made in the last twenty years, offer their personal experience and data from the most recent literature about treatment of erectile dysfunction through the application af penile prosthesis, about the indications for the operation and the choice of the type of prosthesis. They also explain all the possible complications and eventual mechanical failures, which have considerably decreased in the last few years.

[The pharmaco-erection test]. / Il test di farmacoerezione.

Intracavernous administration of vasoactive drugs induces an erection in absence of erotic stimuli; we can use this property in the study of impotent patients, inducing the appearance on an erection to examine it in all its phases (FIC Test). In case of the appearance of a good erection, the test should rule out the presence of a penile arterial disease or of a corpora-veno-occlusive deficiency. When the administration of the drug does not cause complete tumescence, it is very probable that the erectile dysfunction is caused by arterial vascular alterations or by organic disorders of veno-occlusion mechanism, but we cannot exclude for a certainty a psychogenic dysfunction. In fact an excessive noradrenergic autonomic control, as during stress condition, may limit FIC Test response. Therefore we hope that more efficacious molecules will be available in a near future. Nevertheless, we consider the opportunity of enclosing tests in the diagnostic algorithm of impotent patients to reveal an excessive adrenergic tone, such as, for example, psychological tests, study of cavernous potential, or intracavernous catecholamine dosage.

[Anatomo-functional changes in the cavernous body in the elderly]. / Modificazioni anatomo-funzionali dei corpi cavernosi nell'anziano.

The main histological alteration that happens to the structure of the corpora cavernosa as years go by, is the progressive increase of collagen fibers compared to the decrease of both smooth muscle and elastic fibers. This phenomenon is held responsible of consequences on the hemodynamic events occurring during the erection.

[Transvaginal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of urethral diverticula]. / L'échographie endovaginale dans le diagnostic des diverticules urétraux.

The authors report their experience on transvaginal ultrasound in the diagnosis of urethral diverticula, using a high frequency linear probe, that is generally employed for transrectal prostate sonography. This non invasive method seems to be more reliable than voiding cystourethrography. This investigation may be recommended in women who have symptoms of lower urinary tract infection, urethral pain, dyspareunia, palpable mass of the anterior vaginal wall.

Pancreatic somatostatinoma.

The Authors describe a case of somatostatinoma in the pancreatic tail, characterized by the absence of a specific symptomatology, with the exception of a slight hyperglycaemia. The patient underwent a surgical operation of pancreatic resection and splenectomy, and now enjoys very good health. They have examined literature from 1977 to 1988, and overall the 30 cases of pancreatic localization, describing the symptomatology, the pathological anatomy, the therapy, and evaluating the malignity degree. Then the Authors could notice that the prognosis of these neoplasms is often fatal, both for the frequent tumor metastatization, and for the difficulties in making an early diagnosis. The therapy is essentially surgical.

[Etiopathogenetic considerations on local recurrence after excision of rectal carcinoma]. / Considerazioni etiopatogenetiche sulle recidive locali dopo exeresi di carcinoma rettale.

A series of 77 cases of rectum carcinoma observed in a six year period, is presented. Sixty-one patients underwent radical operation and 57 of them have been regularly followed up. The incidence of local relapses has been 12.28%, with a majority of perianastomotic forms. It turned out to be proportional to the aboral distance and to primitive neoplasm staging, but not to histologic differentiation degree. Staplers were used and therefore the choice between resection or amputation was determined by the degree of loco-regional infiltration of the neoplasm. The frequency of local relapses turned out not to be related to the type of operation, but the impossibility to the exeresis of perirectal tissues involved by neoplastic process.

[Analysis of a series of cases of liver metastasis of colorectal carcinoma]. / Analisi di una casistica di metastasi epatiche da carcinoma colo-rettale.

The Authors present a six years case-report concerning 135 patients operated on colo-rectal carcinoma (82 of them are still followed up). The incidence of hepatic metastases (synchronous and metachronous) has been 30.37% in all. The preoperative ultrasonography has shown an 11% about margin mistake to visualize secondary lesions of liver. They have acknowledged the intraoperative ultrasonography very useful to visualize occult metastases and to guide an exeresis operation. The resectability of hepatic metastases from colo-rectal cancer has been of 12.19%. Synchronous forms have been rarely operable (5.88%) because they are constituted by multiple and disseminated lesions. They have found an higher incidence of operable forms among the metachronous metastases (42.85%), whose average time of appearance from the primary operation has been about 13 months. The operative mortality and the complications following hepatectomy have been null. The average survival time from operation has been over 22 months. Therefore they recognized the importance of a careful follow-up to find precociously operable lesions.