Analysis of upper limb movement in Multiple Sclerosis subjects during common daily actions.

The goal of this study was to investigate the movement and muscle activity of the upper limb during common activities of daily life in people with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) with low and mild-moderate level of upper limb impairments. We found significant changes in muscles activity in PwMS compared to healthy subjects when holding and lifting objects used in everyday life. These differences were particularly remarkable in subjects with moderate level of impairment, in which the disease affected also movement smoothness. Remarkably, the smoothness of the movement during the interaction with common objects of daily activities highly correlated with the subjects' ability measured with the Abilhand scale.

[Intussusception after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair]. / Invagination intestinale après réparation d'une hernie diaphragmatique congénitale.

INTRODUCTION: Bowel intussusception is a common complication of abdominal surgery. However, the literature on intussusception after congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) repair is scarce. CASE REPORT: A 24-month-old female was admitted with vomiting, crying and leukocytosis, with no objective abdominal signs. The chest x-ray showed the presence of bowel in the left hemithorax. Surgical exposure reduced a hernia across a Bochdalek defect, involving part of the left colon and the transverse colon. On the 7th postoperative day, the patient had symptoms of intestinal obstruction with worsening of her general condition. The explorative laparotomy evidenced an ileoileal intussusception, 15 cm from the ileocecal valve, in absence of a leading point. CONCLUSION: A postoperative intussusception in a similar case could be explained by atony of the herniated bowel, possibly a functional leading point in the postoperative phase, when the peristalsis is reactivated.

Resolución intra-quirúrgica de osteotomía sagital bilateral de rama mandibular desfavorable en paciente con látero-desviación: estado del arte de casos reportados / Intra-operative resolution of unfavorable bilateral mandibular sagittal ramus osteotomy in a patient with lateral deviation

Objetivos: 1) presentar un caso clínico de fractura de rama ascendente mandibular luego de realizar laosteotomía sagital bilateral y su correspondiente resolución 2) Determinar a través de una Revisión Bibliográfica si la presencia de terceros molares incrementa o no el índice de fracturas desfavorables al momentode la osteotomía sagital de rama.Materiales y método: 1) Se presenta un caso clínico de fractura de rama ascendente mandibular luego deosteotomía sagital de rama en una mujer de 24 años, quien presenta un tercer molar normalmente erupcio-nado, la resolución de dicha complicación y controles a distancia. 2) En una búsqueda realizada en Pubmedy Medline, limitada para artículos clínicos de los últimos 20 años y con un numero mayor a 100 osteotomías, se dividió a los pacientes en 2 grupos: Grupo 1 (con tercer molar presente) n= 898 osteotomías y Grupo 2 (tercer molar ausente) n=1217 osteotomías.Se analizaron Índices de fractura durante la osteotomía con presencia o no del tercer molar, ubicación dela fractura según sea el segmento proximal o distal, según el sexo y según sean mandíbulas prognáticas oretrognáticas. Conclusiones: 1) La presencia del tercer molar al momento de la osteotomía no incrementa el índice de fracturas p: 0,98. 2) A mayor experiencia del cirujano, menor índice de fracturas. 3) En ausencia del tercermolar, la fractura del segmento proximal es más frecuente que la del distal p: 0,0089. 4) En presencia del tercermolar son más frecuentes las fracturas distales p: 0,012. 5) Son más frecuentes las fracturas en mandíbulasretrognáticas que las prognáticas.Caso clínico: 1) Se lograron los objetivos planteados en el VTQ. 2) El cóndilo izquierdo se encuentra remo-delado, en función. No se observan alteraciónes en los movimientos de apertura y cierre mandibular, ni tam-poco desviación de las líneas medias dentarias superior e inferior en apertura y cierre

A 4-years-old girl with a mesenteric cyst.

This Letter to the Editor deals with the case of a 4-years-old female affected by a mesenteric cyst, initially confused with an ovarian cyst. The emergency situation justified our open approach. However, as expressed by the Authors, a laparoscopy should be always considered, also in pediatric age.

Acute pancreatitis in the paediatric age group: a personal experience.

Although relatively rare, acute pancreatitis is the most common disease complex involving the pancreas in the paediatric age group. The etiology of the disease is often unknown, and Italian epidemiological data on the paediatric population and, in particular, on the etiology of the disease are not available (except for studies of prevalence). Within the field of the most frequently encountered pancreatitis in the age range of our interest (i.e. 0-18 years), not only the commonly observed forms whose etiopathogenesis is ascribable to cholelithiasis must be mentioned but also those forms due to proteic-caloric malnutrition that are becoming increasingly common. The presenting clinical symptoms and signs may not be typical and the laboratory tests may not always be sensitive enough. In such age range chronic recurrent pancreatitis plays a very important epidemiologic role. Approximately 40% of children and teenagers admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of pancreatitis report a previous episode of the disease. Irreversible changes in pancreatic parenchyma develop in those patients in whom the disease progresses, leading to pancreatic insufficiency. Such a morbid condition (chronic pancreatitis) is more often observed in adolescents, in whom the disease manifests itself with a vague repetitive dyspeptic symptomatology, after alternating remissions and recrudescences, not always clinically evident. In children, the clinical picture most commonly encountered is represented by recurrent abdominal pains, in view of the fact that the patients are frequently affected by thalassaemia. The pseudocystic evolution of the disease is the most common organic damage resulting from the chronic progression of the pancreatic impairment. A few differences have been found with respect to severity, etiology, and mortality of pancreatitis in the paediatric age group as compared with older age groups. Both the general practitioner with a paediatric practice and the paediatrician encounter a large number of difficulties in this field of pathology. Therefore, an adequate and correct "management" of children with acute or chronic pancreatitis seems to be mandatory.

Cefixime for the prophylaxis of urinary tract infections in children with malformative uropathies: an open study.

Urinary tract infections are often associated with urinary anomalies. An appropriate pharmacologic treatment may prevent, or may at least limit, any kidney damage due to pyelonephritis. The antibiotic prophylaxis plays a role as significant as early surgical therapy, taking into consideration also the present limitative trend for a softer therapeutic regimen. In the past few years a greater bacterial resistance has emerged against some commonly administered antibiotics. Cefixime (3rd generation cephalosporin) has been used on a wide series of patients suffering from urinary infections associated with urinary tract anomalies. A few significative results emerge from the present study. In conclusion, cefixime's effectiveness long-term prophylaxis of urinary infections associated with anomalies.

Involvement of the endogenous nitric oxide signalling system in bradykinin receptor activation in rat submandibular salivary gland.

Biochemical signalling events coupled to the bradykinin B(2)-receptor subtype, related to nitric oxide and prostaglandin E(2) generation were studied in rat submandibular gland. Bradykinin stimulation of the B(2)-receptor triggered activation of phosphoinositide turnover, translocation of protein kinase C, stimulation of nitric oxide synthase activity, increased production of cGMP and release of prostaglandin E(2). Bradykinin stimulation of nitric oxide synthase and cGMP production was blunted by agents able to interfere with calcium/calmodulin and phospholipase C activities, while a protein kinase C inhibitor was able to stimulate bradykinin action. Moreover, a specific B(2)-bradykinin antagonist of the reversible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor abrogated the bradykinin stimulation of nitric oxide synthase activity, cGMP accumulation and prostaglandin E(2) generation. Furthermore, a specific inhibitor of phospholipase A(2) blocked the bradykinin-induced prostaglandin E(2) release. These results suggest that apart, from the direct effect of bradykinin as an inducer of vasopermeability, it also appears to be a vasoactive chemical mediator that triggers, through release of prostaglandin E(2), a feedback mechanism that induces a protective adaptation of the gland, modulating the course of inflammation.

Screening of antiadherent activity on Streptococcus sobrinus culture.

The mutans group of streptococci is considered to play a key role in the etiology of dental caries. We have evaluated the ability of different substances to prevent dental plaque formation without affecting Streptococcus sobrinus viability. Viable organisms were detected as CFU/mL in agar plates and bacterial adherence was assessed by dry weight. We studied 23 compounds and we demonstrated that phenyl salicylate, phenylmercuric nitrate and potassium iodate are more effective to inhibit adhesion without showing antibacterial activity.