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The aim of this research is to investigate penetration of Bromelain into sinonasal mucosa in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) versus a control group. Bromelain is derived from pineapple (Ananas comosus) and has various pharmacological effects. 40 patients (20 patients and 20 controls) were enrolled in the study. Bromelain 500 mg tablet twice daily was administered for 30 days. We scored bromelain presence in turbinate and ethmoid mucosas and in the serum of both the groups. Bromelain has an excellent distribution from blood to rhinosinusal mucosa. Its diffusion ability may allow the use of bromelain as an anti-inflammatory agent in paranasal sinus pathologies.

patologic corect, imunohistochimia ne oferă un diagnostic de certitudine. Introducerea unui protocol de supraveghere endoscopică pentru pacienţii cu cancer lobular de sân ar putea fi o propunere pentru detectarea precoce a metastazelor gastrice care să permită o terapie adecvată.Cuvinte cheie: metastaze gastrice, cancer de sân lobular, teste imunohistochimice, endoscopie superioară Abstract Introduction: The predilection of lobular invasive breast cancer metastasis for the stomach is a topic that has succumbed to various assumptions over the time. Background and Aims: Gastric metastasis of lobular breast cancer is unusual and it can be diagnosed after a long period of time from primary tumor diagnosis. The aim of this study was to review current knowledge regarding the current methods of diagnosis and treatment of gastric metastasis of breast cancer. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in the Pub-Med -Medline database using the terms "gastric metastasis of lobular breast cancer" and "gastric metastasis features" to identify articles relevant to gastric metastasis of lobular breast cancer. Results: Several papers have shown that the topic is rarely presented in the form of case presentations or miniseries by summing up sporadic cases. Due to its rarity and metastasis specificity as host type and appearance after latency of lobular breast cancer makes its gastric metastasis considered atypical and occasionally confused with a primary stomach malignancy. The most recent articles present the immunohistochemical diagnostic criteria of this clinical entity and a new therapeutic approach. Conclusion: At patients with gastric metastasis of lobular breast cancer, obtaining pathologic material and biopsies interpretation can be a real challenge for getting a correct pathologic diagnosis, immunohistochemistry gives us definite diagnosis. The introduction of an endoscopic surveillance protocol for patients with lobular breast cancer could be a proposal for the detection of early gastric metastases allowing for appropriate therapy.

Introduction. Innate immunity is the first protection against microorganisms. Nowadays, there is a growing interest in innate immune molecule known as palate, lung, nasal epithelial clone (PLUNC). PLUNC is a specific product of the airways, of approximately 25 kDa, encoded by adjacent genes found within a 300 kb region of chromosome 20; these proteins must be detected predominantly in the upper respiratory tract. Materials and Methods. We performed a case-control study to investigate the presence of this protein in nasal tissue of patients affected by chronic rhinosinusitis. 59 patients were enrolled (44 cases, 15 controls). We have examined the correlation between the presence of pathology and the PLUNC proteins positivity. Results. 100% of controls have a +++ rated PLUNC proteins positivity, while cases have a lower percentage of positivity. We used χ 2 statistical test to analyze the results of the study and there is a difference statistically significant between cases and controls in PLUNC proteins positivity. Conclusions. These observations suggest that, in response to agents or chemical factors, nasal mucosal epithelium will react and produce PLUNC proteins. So PLUNC proteins have a protective function on upper airways mucosa, as we can see by evaluating the high positivity in control group.

Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors are the first biological agents used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to have yielded satisfactory results in terms of clinical improvement and radiologic progression, but they are also associated with the possibility of occurrence of a number of autoimmune systemic events [drug-induced lupus (DIL), vasculitis, sarcoidosis] and localized adverse events [uveitis, psoriasis, interstitial lung disease, erythema multiforme including the major form Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)]. During treatment with TNF inhibitors, many patients develop positivity for antinuclear, antihistone and anti-double stranded DNA antibodies, though only a minority of patients will develop clinical manifestations and approximately less than 1% will fulfill the classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus. Mucocutaneous manifestations are the most frequent manifestations of DIL following treatment with TNF inhibitors, and can be severe and occasionally difficult to differentiate from erythema multiforme/SJS. Stopping the causative drug (the TNF inhibitor) and general supportive measures are usually sufficient in mild forms, but in moderate to severe forms, systemic glucocorticoids and sometimes immunosuppressive drugs are required. The present report presents the case of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed severe recurrent cutaneous reactions and positive autoantibodies during TNF inhibitor treatment, with difficulties in differential diagnosis and treatment. A review of the literature is also presented.