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Objective: To evaluate effectiveness and reproducibility of qualitative and quantitative near-infrared indocyanine green (NIR-ICG) analyses as a tool for anastomotic perfusion assessment after full-thickness bowel resection for rectosigmoid endometriosis (RSE). Methods: Symptomatic women with RSE undergoing minimally invasive full-thickness surgical excision of RSE and NIR-ICG evaluation from November 2019 to July 2020 were included. Study outcomes were the accuracy of qualitative and quantitative NIR-ICG analyses in predicting bowel fistula and their reproducibility. NIR-ICG predictive accuracy was assessed by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve on receiver operating characteristic curves with 95% confidence intervals (CI). NIR-ICG reproducibility was assessed through Cohen's k coefficient to determine interoperator agreement between two observers. Results: Of 33 patients, 2 (6%) developed bowel fistula. In predicting bowel fistula, qualitative and quantitative NIR-ICG evaluations showed sensitivity of 100% and 100%, specificity of 71% and 93%, and area under the curve of 0.86 (95% CI 0.67–1.00) and 0.96 (95% CI 0–1.00), respectively. Regarding interoperator agreement rate, it was reported as excellent for the qualitative analysis and very good for the quantitative analysis. Conclusion: Qualitative and quantitative NIR-ICG evaluations might be effective and reproducible tools for anastomotic perfusion assessment after discoid or segmental resection for RSE. Quantitative evaluation might be even more effective than qualitative evaluation in predicting bowel fistula.

Introduction L’hepatectomie droite (HD) pour carcinome hepatocellulaire (CHC) sur cirrhose est souvent precedee d’une chimioembolisation intra-arterielle (CEIA) puis d’une embolisation portale (EP) afin d’optimiser l’hypertrophie et les resultats oncologiques. En diminuant la morbidite postoperatoire, la laparoscopie pourrait etre la voie d’abord ideale mais peut s’averer techniquement complexe. Le but de cette etude multicentrique est d’evaluer l’impact de la laparoscopie sur les resultats perioperatoires et a long terme des HD pour CHC apres CEIA/EP. Methodes Les patients operes entre 2005 et 2020 d’une HD pour CHC apres CEIA/EP ont ete inclus. Les donnees perioperatoires ont ete comparees entre HD laparoscopique (HDL) et ouverte (HDO) en utilisant un score de propension et analyse du Textbook Outcome (TO). Resultats Parmi 117 patients inclus, 41 ont eu une HDL et 76 une HDO. Apres appariement, les complications postoperatoires etaient comparables entre les groupes HDL et HDO (52 % vs 46 %, p = 0,79) de meme que la survie globale et la survie sans recidive (55 % vs 77 %, p = 0,35 ; 13 % vs 17 %, p = 0,97). Les 6 criteres du TO ont ete atteints chez 66 % des patients dans le groupe HDL vs 37 % dans le groupe HDO (p = 0,02). La resection par laparoscopie etait l’un des facteurs associes a l’obtention d’un TO complet (OR : 4,27, [1,77–10,28], p = 0,001). La survie globale etait meilleure si l’ensemble des criteres du TO etait obtenu (65,2 % vs 42,5 %, p = 0,007). Conclusion L’HD par cœlioscopie apres TACE/PVE permet d’obtenir plus frequemment le TO, ce dernier etant associe a une meilleure survie globale.

Discipline Clinique. Introduction et but de l’etude La chirurgie permet d’augmenter la survie a long terme dans l’adenocarcinome pancreatique (ADKP) localise, cependant la morbidite reste elevee justifiant une meilleure selection des patients. Les donnees actuelles demontrent que dans l’ADKP, la perte de poids, un IMC bas et la perte de masse maigre sont correles a une majoration du risque de complications post operatoires. Il est donc recommande de realiser un depistage nutritionnel systematique lors du diagnostic et la prise en charge nutritionnelle est depuis les dernieres recommandations de la societe francaise d’anesthesie et reanimation (SFAR) et de la societe francaise de nutrition clinique et metabolisme (SFNCM) bien codifiee. Le but de ce travail etait d’evaluer la prise en charge nutritionnelle preoperatoire des patients presentant un ADKP resecable et de comparer l’evolution des patients suivant leur grade nutritionnel et statut sarcopenique preoperatoire. Materiel et methodes Au total, 87 patients atteints d’un ADKP et operes dans un centre universitaire entre 2010 et 2014 ont ete retrospectivement inclus. Les parametres clinico-biologiques et nutritionnels ont ete recueillis au diagnostic et un mois apres la chirurgie. La denutrition etait un critere composite, et devait comporter un des trois parametres suivant : une perte de poids ≥ 10 % en 6 mois, un IMC ≤ 18,5 kg/m2 ou 70 ans, une albuminemie Resultats et analyse statistique Au total, 63,4 % des patients etaient denutris et 60 % sarcopeniques. Un total de 13 % des patients avaient eu une evaluation nutritionnelle en preoperatoire et 42 % avaient recu une immunonutrition. Moins de 5 % des malades denutris avaient eu une nutrition artificielle comme recommandee en preoperatoire. Les marges de resection etaient significativement meilleures (R0) chez les patients non denutris (96,2 % vs 75 %, p = 0,0251). Les patients du groupe denutris tendaient a presenter plus de complications chirurgicales (33,3 % vs 15,4 %, p = 0,0998). La sarcopenie etait cependant le seul marqueur nutritionnel associe a la survie globale (SG) avec une SG de 35 mois pour les non sarcopeniques contre 17,4 mois pour les patients sarcopeniques (p = 0,0274). Conclusion La sarcopenie est un marqueur nutritionnel preoperatoire prometteur qu’il faudra integrer a notre pratique courante. Toutefois, il conviendra dans un premier temps de veiller a faire appliquer les recommandations de prise en charge nutritionnelle perioperatoire.

Vascular renal anomalies are frequent, multiple and well described and result from errors in vessel embryogenesis between the 6th and 10th week of gestation. Historically, variations are described in anatomic dissection and currently mostly in image interpretation. We report an anatomic variation concerning the right renal vein which, to our knowledge, has never been described in the literature either by dissection or by radiological examination. This variation was discovered during the routine dissection of an embalmed male body. It consists of a Y-shaped right renal vein and is associated with multiple retroperitoneal variations: a bilateral accessory renal artery, a trident ending of the right renal artery and a left testicular vein variation. Venous and arterial renal anatomy and its variations are fundamentally important in renal surgery, especially concerning living donor renal grafts. These variations may be diagnosed thanks to injected tomodensitometry which has a good sensitivity and specificity for anomalies. Preoperative diagnosis of an anatomic vascular renal variation may reduce morbidity during surgery, which is why precise examination of injected tomography should be mandatory.

Discipline Clinique. Introduction et but de l’etude L’adenocarcinome pancreatique est un enjeu majeur de sante publique. Lorsque la maladie est decouverte a un stade localise, la chirurgie carcinologique associee a la chimiotherapie adjuvante est le meilleur traitement susceptible de conduire a une survie prolongee. Malgre des progres incontestables, la chirurgie pancreatique est grevee d’une morbidite elevee (40 a 50 %) justifiant une meilleure selection des patients. Le but de cette etude etait de determiner les facteurs pronostiques preoperatoires, notamment biologiques et nutritionnels, sur la survie sans recidive des patients atteints d’un adenocarcinome pancreatique resecable. Materiel et methodes Au total, patients atteints d’un adenocarcinome pancreatique et operes au CHRU de Besancon entre 2006 et 2014 ont ete retrospectivement inclus. Les parametres clinico-biologiques et nutritionnels ont ete recueillis au diagnostic et un mois apres la chirurgie. La sarcopenie radiologique etait definie par une valeur de l’index musculaire squelettique inferieure a 52,4 cm 2 /m 2 chez l’homme et inferieure a 38,5 cm 2 /m 2 chez la femme. Les analyses statistiques ont permis de developper un score pronostique. Resultats et analyse statistique Au total, 58,5 % des 94 patients inclus dans l’analyse finale etaient sarcopeniques en preoperatoire et 19,1 % presentaient une lymphopenie. En analyse univariee, les parametres suivants etaient correles a la survie sans recidive (SSR) : la taille tumorale, le taux serique de Ca 19,9, la lymphopenie et la sarcopenie. En analyse multivariee, seules la lymphopenie et la sarcopenie etaient independamment correlees a la SSR (HR = 4,6 ; p p = 0,0047 respectivement). La constitution d’un score incluant ces 2 parametres a permis d’identifier 3 groupes de patients avec un profil pronostique different a savoir : le groupe sans lymphopenie ni sarcopenie, le groupe sarcopenie sans lymphopenie et le groupe lymphopenie sans sarcopenie (SSR respectives : 21,2 ; 11,5 et 5,6 mois p Conclusion La sarcopenie apparait en plus de la lymphopenie comme un marqueur pronostique preoperatoire dans l’adenocarcinome pancreatique localise et devrait etre evaluee en pratique courante pour discuter de l’orientation therapeutique des malades.

Testo di Biochimica Generale utile per lo studio dei principi di Biochimica per studenti universitari.

Scientific advances in the last decade have demonstrated the critical role of host immune system in the elimination and suppression of cancer cells. Better knowledge of signaling pathways has enabled the development of new cancer immunotherapy. The discovery of negative feedback mechanisms following the lymphocyte activation has promoted the development of new antibodies targeting molecule inhibitors such as PD1, PDL1 or CTLA-4. Dramatic results were obtained with melanoma. Checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab and ipilimumab) have many advantages in terms of rate of objective response and overall survival. Recent studies in translational research aimed to understand and analyze mechanisms of action of anti-PD1/anti-PDL1. Expression of PDL1 in the tumor is associated with a significantly greater objective response rate (immunohistochemistry). Nevertheless, limits with tumor immunohistochemical analysis encourage new biomarkers research. Other immunotherapy approaches, such as cell and gene therapies using engineered T cells call for further advancements to broaden their applicability. However, these therapies are very expensive and their manufacturing process very restrictive, which could lately limit their use in case of inefficiency of checkpoint inhibitors or when lymphocytic infiltration in tumor is absent. In this case, the objective would be to engineer ex vivo the patient's immune system by restoring the ability of T cells to identify and suppress tumor cells. Currently, two gene-reprogramming tools are under development: chimeric antigen receptor and TCR modified T cells.

Background Biliary tract cancer (BTC) is a highly lethal disease for which the best available therapy remains undetermined. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is up-regulated in several cancers, including BTC, and preclinical evidence indicates that mTOR inhibition may be effective in the treatment of BTC. We sought to evaluate the activity and tolerability of the mTOR inhibitor RAD001—everolimus—in patients with BTC progressing after prior chemotherapy. Patients and methods This was an open-label, single-arm, phase II study (EUDRACT 2008-007152-94) conducted in eight sites in Italy. Patients with locally advanced, metastatic or recurrent BTC progressing despite previous chemotherapy received a daily oral dose of everolimus 10 mg administered continuously in 28-day cycles. The two primary end points were disease control rate (DCR) and objective response rate (ORR). Secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and time-to-progression (TTP). Results Thirty-nine patients were enrolled. The DCR was 44.7%, and the ORR was 5.1%. One patient showed a partial response at 2 months and one patient showed a complete response sustained up to 8 months. The median (95% confidence interval) PFS was 3.2 (1.8–4.0) months, and the median OS was 7.7 (5.5–13.2) months. The median TTP was 2.0 (1.7–3.7) months. Most common toxicities were asthenia (43.6%), thrombocytopenia (35.9%), pyrexia (30.8%) and erythema, mainly of mild-to-moderate severity. Two patients required dose reduction due to adverse events. Conclusion Everolimus demonstrated a favourable toxicity profile and encouraging anti-tumour activity. Further trials are needed to establish the role of everolimus in the treatment of BTC. EUDRACT 2008-007152-94.

We have developed a local probe technique in order to investigate single quantum confined nanostructures. In our @m-photoluminescence (@m-PL) setup the laser probe is focused on the sample surface by a long working distance microscope objective and the photoluminescence of the sample is collected in backscattering mode by the same objective. Both the optical laser pump and the collected signal are fiber optic coupled, in order to increase the flexibility of the system. A wide range of temperatures (25K-300K) is achieved by means of a closed cycle He-cryostat, modified in order to damp mechanical vibrations and to avoid spatial resolution losses. Photoluminescence maps are provided by a motorized X-Y translation stage, that scans the microscope objective over the sample surface. The overall resolution of the system is of about 600 nm, including the laser focused spot size (@l=514 nm), the cryostat vibrations and the motorized stage resolution. A few selected @m-PL experiments on quantum wires (QWR) and quantum dots (QD) are presented and discussed.

*G. Valentini ed M.F. Romano hanno egualmente contribuito al lavoro

We report on the nanopatterning of semiconductors and conjugated polymers to produce photonic band gap structures. Poly(p-phenylenevinylene) (PPV) thin films prepared by spin coating on ITO-coated glass, GaAs and Si substrates were successfully processed. The technological process for the patterning was based on U.V. holographic lithography (364 nm line of Ar+ Laser) and plasma etching. First a photoresist layer was deposited on the sample surface and exposed to an interference pattern in a ''corner cube'' interferometer, with multiple exposure capability, in order to realize pattern of lines, squares, pillars and holes. The shape of the pillars and holes, produced by double exposure, can be changed by rotating the sample by angles in the range between 30 and 90 degrees. Each step in the mask production procedure was carefully controlled by AFM measurements. Then the photoresist patterns were transferred to the substrate materials by means of a plasma etching in a parallel plate reactor. In the case of PPV, a long optimization of the Argon plasma parameters was done in order to balance the photoresist versus PPV etching rate and to prevent over-etching of the PPV. This problem is inherent to the organic nature and similar chemical characteristics of the two materials and it makes the mask transfer process in the PPV very critical. The resulting patterned region consisted of 200nm wide parallel lines with a periodicity of 400nm in the case of single exposure, whereas ordered two dimensional arrays of pillars (250nm in diameter) were produced with a double exposure of the photoresist mask. A CH"4/H"2/Ar and CF"4 based reactive ion etching was used to transfer the 2D holographic photoresist patterns respectively to the substrates of GaAs and Si, in order to realize two-dimensional matrices of pillars and holes for photonic band-gap applications and optical devices based on matrices of dots or anti-dots.

Review.

We have fabricated InGaAs/GaAs V-shaped quantum wire lasers operating with threshold in the 100 A cm−2 range at low temperature. The investigation of the electroluminescence and lasing under electrical injection and in high magnetic field elucidates the fundamental physical properties of the device. In contrast to recent claims, the emission is found to originate from free-carrier recombination independent of temperature and injection density. No excitonic lasing is found, indicating that excitons are weakly bound in these wires due to the internal piezoelectric field causing strong Stark effect.

Human exposures to environmental toxicants have been associated with etiology of many diseases including inflammation, cancer, and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders. To counteract the detrimental effect of environmental insults, mammalian cells have evolved a hierarchy of sophisticated sensing and signaling mechanisms to turn on or off endogenous antioxidant responses accordingly. One of the major cellular antioxidant responses is the induction of antioxidative and carcinogen-detoxification enzymes through the cytoplasmic oxidative stress system (Nrf2-Keap1) activated by a variety of natural and synthetic chemopreventive agents. Under normal conditions, Keap1 anchors the Nrf2 transcription factor within the cytoplasm targeting it for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation to maintain low levels of Nrf2 that mediate the constitutive expression of Nrf2 downstream genes. When cells are exposed to chemopreventive agents and oxidative stress, a signal involving phosphorylation and/or redox modification of critical cysteine residues in Keap1 inhibits the enzymatic activity of the Keap1-Cul3-Rbx1 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, resulting in decreased Nrf2 ubiquitination and degradation. As a consequence, free Nrf2 translocates into the nucleus and in combination with other transcription factors (e.g., sMaf, ATF4, JunD, PMF-1) transactivates the antioxidant response elements (AREs)/electrophile response elements (EpREs) of many cytoprotective genes, as well as Nrf2 itself. Upon recovery of cellular redox homeostasis, Keap1 travels into the nucleus to dissociate Nrf2 from the ARE. Subsequently, the Nrf2-Keap1 complex is exported out of the nucleus by the nuclear export sequence (NES) in Keap1. Once in the cytoplasm, the Nrf2-Keap1 complex associates with the Cul3-Rbx1 core ubiquitin machinery, resulting in degradation of Nrf2 and termination of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. The discovery of multiple nuclear localization signals (NLSs) and nuclear export signals (NESs) in Nrf2 also suggests that the nucleocytoplasm translocation of transcription factors is the consequence of a dynamic equilibrium of multivalent NLSs and NESs. On the other hand, Keap1 may provide an additional regulation of the quantity of Nrf2 both in basal and inducible conditions. This chapter summarizes the current body of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms through which ARE inducers (chemopreventive agents) regulate the coordinated transcriptional induction of genes encoding phase II and antioxidant enzymes as well as other defensive proteins, via the nuclear factor-erythroid 2 (NF-E2-p45)-related factor 2(Nrf2)/(ARE) signaling pathway.

We report a flexible method for the patterning of organic semiconductors in the submicrometer range, which we have successfully applied to thin films of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) prepared on a variety of substrates, such as quartz, indium–tin oxide coated glass, or inorganic dielectric mirrors. The method is based on holographic lithography performed by a corner cube interferometer of our own design and construction, followed by Ar-ion etching.

We have investigated the electro–optic properties of V-shaped InGaAs/GaAs quantum wires grown by MOCVD on patterned GaAs substrates. Two basic nanostructures have been fabricated: (i) single quantum wires and (ii) vertically stacked wires with different thickness of the barriers. The former exhibit a strong polarization anisotropy between the ground and the first excited states. The vertically stacked wires exhibit the formation of symmetric and antisymmetric states and a strong vertical coupling of the wavefunctions for narrow barrier widths. Based on these prototype structures we have fabricated an electro–optic modulator in wave-guide which exhibits a strong quantum confined Stark effect at room temperature, with bias as low as −2 V. The multiple wire stack has been used for the fabrication of a p–i–n quantum wire light emitter with the unprecedentedly low current threshold of 0.3 mA/cm2 at low temperature.

Heat-shock proteins (HSP) 90 exert a relevant role in the survival and response to therapy of many neoplastic cell types. Here, we show that the promoter of hsp90alpha gene, that encodes the inducible form of HSP90, is regulated by nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity. Indeed, we found that NF-kappaB factors bound to one of the two putative consensus sequences present in the hsp90alpha-flanking region; mutation of such motif hampered the phorbol-myristate-13-acetate-stimulated expression of a luciferase reporter gene under the control of the hsp90alpha promoter. Furthermore, the downmodulation of NF-kappaB (p65) levels by a specific small interfering (si) RNA resulted in reducing the levels of endogenous HSP90alpha protein. These findings disclose a previously unrecognized mechanism that contributes to connect NF-kappaB factors and HSPs in cell defence machinery.

A double-blind, prospective, randomised, cross-over clinical trial was performed comparing a glibenclamide (G) 5.0 mg/metformin (M) 400 mg combination with a G 2.5 mg/M 400 mg formulation to evaluate whether a higher dose of glibenclamide was able to improve glycaemia in poorly controlled Type 2 diabetic patients. One hundred and ninety-eight patients with poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomised to receive one of the two trial drugs for a first 3-month period, and were then assigned to the alternative combination for further 3 months. The starting dose (2 tablets/day, 30 min before breakfast and dinner) was to be up-titrated to 3 tablets/day when required. A standard dietary regimen was kept constant for the total trial duration. Fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, C-peptide, insulin and lactate levels, haematology and blood chemistry were measured at the start/end of each cycle. Patients' self-assessment of the glycaemic profile (at fasting and 2 hr after the main meals) was performed weekly. Patients were constantly monitored for adverse events and episodes of hypoglycaemia, and all events were recorded. Decrease of mean fasting glucose levels measured in the first cycle was more pronounced in the group treated with G 5.0 mg/M 400 (p0.01) compared to baseline, although the difference was not significant--no changes were observed in the second 3-month period. Results of patients' self-assessment of the glycaemic profile in the overall 6-month period show that the two trial drugs produced similar effects on fasting glucose, but the decrease of post-prandial glycaemic levels was markedly higher with G 5 mg/M 400 mg than with G 2.5 mg/M 400 mg at both main meals. A similar significant decrease (p0.01) of HbA1c was observed in both sequence groups at the end of the first 3-month treatment period, and mean levels remained unchanged at 6 months. Drug-related adverse events were observed in 2 patients during treatment with G 2.5 mg/M 400 mg and in 5 with G 5 mg/M 400 mg, while 14 and 22 episodes of hypoglycaemia occurred with the two trial drugs, respectively (p=NS between treatments). Metformin-induced increases of lactate levels were similar in the two sequence groups. No differences between groups were found either in the number of up-titrated patients or in all the other laboratory parameters. In conclusion, the new combination containing 5-mg glibenclamide produced a greater improvement in post-prandial glycaemic control compared with the standard fixed doses, and resulted equally safe and well tolerated.

The present study was designed to determine the molecular mechanisms by which interleukin (IL)-10 prevents the HLA class I antigen expression at the cell surface. In this context, the potential role of transporter associated with antigen presentation 1+2 (TAP1+2) molecules and NF-kappaB transcription factors was addressed. The IL-10 effect was investigated in a human lymphoblastoid cell system defective for TAP1+2 genes (T2 cell line) and in the related TAP1+2 transfectants (T3 cell line). In this experimental system, after 48 h of incubation in the presence of IL-10, the HLA class I antigen downmodulation was observed in the T3 but not in the T2 cell line, suggesting a potential role of TAP1+2 molecules. In the same experimental conditions, the NF-kappaB activity was unaffected. Instead, after 3 h of exposure to IL-10, the HLA downmodulation was observed in both cell lines, the NF-kappaB factors activity being strongly reduced. In addition, the transfection of the inhibitor of NF-kappaB, IkappaBalpha, prevented the IL-10 effect on HLA class I antigen expression in the T3 cell line. This phenomenon was observed after 3 h but not 48 h of IL-10 incubation. These evidences indicate a time dependent involvement of TAP1+2 antigens and of NF-kappabeta activity in the IL-10-induced major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I downmodulation.

We investigated the involvement of NF-kappaB/Rel transcription factors that reportedly can inhibit apoptosis in various cell types in the antiapoptotic mechanism of the cytoprotectant amifostine. In the nontumorigenic murine myeloid progenitor 32D cells incubated with amifostine, we detected a reduction of the IkappaBalpha cytoplasmic levels by Western blotting and a raising of nuclear NF-kappaB/Rel complexes by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Amifostine inhibited by more than 30% the growth factor deprivation-induced apoptosis, whereas its effect failed when we blocked the NF-kappaB/Rel activity with an NF-kappaB/Rel-binding phosphorothioate decoy oligodeoxynucleotide. In human cord blood CD34(+) cells, the NF-kappaB/Rel p65 subunit was detectable (using immunofluorescence analysis) mainly in the cytoplasm in the absence of amifostine, whereas its presence was appreciable in the nuclei of cells incubated with the cytoprotectant. In 4 CD34(+) samples incubated for 3 days in cytokine-deficient conditions, cell apoptosis was reduced by more than 30% in the presence of amifostine (or amifostine plus a control oligo); the effect of amifostine was abolished in cultures with the decoy oligo. These findings indicate that the inhibition of hematopoietic progenitor cell apoptosis by amifostine requires the induction of NF-kappaB/Rel factors and that the latter can therefore exert an antiapoptotic activity in the hematopoietic progenitor cell compartment. Furthermore, the identification of this specific mechanism underlying the survival-promoting activity of amifostine lends support to the possible use of this agent in apoptosis-related pathologies, such as myelodysplasias.

IL-10 markedly reduces nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B/Rel nuclear activity induced in PBMC by stimulation with the anti-CD3 mAb OKT3. The inhibition is exerted specifically on the NF-kappa B/Rel activation induced by mAb OKT3, and not that produced by PMA. As judged by supershifting the DNA-protein complexes with Abs recognizing specific components of the NF-kappa B/Rel protein family, the p50/p65 (Rel A) heterodimeric form of NF-kappa B is primarily affected. The maximal effect is observed at the IL-10 concentration of 20 U/ml. IL-10 inhibitory activity is exerted on T lymphocytes and is mediated by monocytes. Indeed, monocytes pretreated with IL-10 are able so inhibit NF-kappa B nuclear activity in purified T lymphocytes stimulated with OKT3. Soluble factors do not appear to be involved in the mechanism of inhibition. On the other hand, the up-regulation of CD80 Ag, found on monocytes obtained from PBMC incubated with OKT3, is not detected after addition of IL-10, and the anti-CD28 mAb CLB-CD28/1 restores the NF-kappa B/Rel nuclear activity in IL-10-inhibited lymphocytes. Therefore, the NF-kappa B/Rel inhibition might be ascribed to a lack of cooperation between accessory cells and T lymphocytes, resulting from down-regulation of a costimulatory molecule, such as CD80, produced by IL-10 on activated monocytes. Our results demonstrate that IL-10 can inhibit the induction of NF-kappa B/Rel nuclear activity in CD3-stimulated T lymphocytes. Since inappropriate activation of kappa B-driven genes has a physiopathologic role in a number of diseases, such as HIV infection, our findings support the possibility of using this cytokine to suppress an undesirable activation of these transcription factors.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) has previously been described as exerting a growth factor activity for murine and human stimulated normal T lymphocytes, in addition to its established role in regulating the cytotoxic activity of T and NK cells. We analyzed the effect of human recombinant IFN-gamma on the proliferation of leukemic lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral blood of a patient affected by a T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (T-CLL). Incubation with IFN-gamma induced the proliferation of unstimulated leukemic cells. Cell proliferation was maximal after 6 days of culture with the cytokine; the half-maximal effect of IFN-gamma was observed at a concentration of approximately 800 U/ml. We also measured the production of IFN-gamma by leukemic cells. Cells incubated in control medium released small quantities of IFN-gamma activity, while the addition of low doses of the exogenous cytokine to the cell cultures induced high levels of IFN-gamma mRNA and protein production. Furthermore, anti-HLA class I monoclonal antibodies, that exert a mitogenic effect on these neoplastic lymphocytes, also induced the IFN-gamma gene expression in the same cells. These results indicate that IFN-gamma may stimulate the proliferation of human neoplastic T cells and suggest that this cytokine might have a role in the expansion of T-leukemic cell clones in vivo.

The numerous benign pathologies of the mandible are considered, attention being focused on the large neoplasms that require full demolition and appropriate reconstructive surgery. Among the most frequent mandibular tumours, a clear-cut prevalence was noted for odontogenic tumours; on the subject of reconstructive therapy, on the other hand, stress is laid on the need for increasingly frequent use of immediate bone grafts for which the iliac bone provides the most available bone tissue both in terms of quantity and ease of access, modellability and tolerance.

A case of frontal osteoma observed at the Maxillofacial Surgery and Odontostomatology Division of the Miulli di Acquaviva delle Fonti (Ba) Regional Hospital, treated surgically by the creation of a bone passage in correspondence with the anterior wall of the sinus which is then reset and osteosynthesized, is reported. The technique adopted thus makes possible full visualisation of the neoformation and valid morphological and aesthetic recovery.

Le soudage des aciers inoxydables ferritiques endommage localement les materiaux et diminue leur resistance mecanique et leur tenue a la corrosion. Les nuances stabilisees de ces aciers sont utilisees dans la fabrication des tambours de machines a lavers, avec a la fois des soudures par points et a la molette. Dans la presente recherche, on essaie de montrer que les nuances non stabilisees peuvent aussi etre utilisees, moyennant certaines precautions