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Biomedical subjects

A Allegra

Publications and source records attributed to A Allegra.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[Erythropoietin: current aspects and prospects].

Authors have reviewed recent literature on erythropoietin. They report new information regarding synthesis, modulation, changes during several diseases and the possibility for a clinical use of erythropoietin for the correction of many anaemias. Finally the Authors report some personal observations about the physiopathology of erythropoietin. They have studied the circadian rhythm, action of aging and the prostaglandin system, and plasma levels of E. in patients with anaemia of active rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Systemic cardiorespiratory effects induced by doxofylline].

The authors evaluated the clinical effectiveness and tolerability of doxofylline, a new methyl-xanthinic derivative with peculiar pharmacodynamic properties. 13 patients affected with chronic obstructive lung disease (mean age +/- 54 years) were studied. Doxofylline (200 mg) and theophylline (240 mg) were randomly administered by intravenous route in 60'. Arterial haemogasanalysis, FEV1 and ECG data were obtained after the infusion. Doxofylline proved to possess an equal therapeutic efficacy in comparison to theophylline, with a better clinical tolerability. In conclusion, doxofylline is a new and effective drug for the treatment of bronchostructive disorders.

Cardiovascular System↗
PubMed1985

Preliminary observation on the clinical tolerance of interferon-beta in cancer patients.

Nine patients with metastatic solid tumors were given IFN-beta by i.v. bolus injections. Six escalating doses (from 1 to 9 X 10(6) IU) followed by 6 additional injections at the dose of 9 X 10(6) IU were administered every other day (schedule A) in 3 of the 9 patients. IFN dose was also increased to a maximum of 46 X 10(6) IU, and 12 individual injections of 1, 2, 3.3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 21, 27, 34 and 46 X 10(6) IU of IFN were given over a minimum of a 24-day period (schedule B) in 6 of the 9 patients. The single maximal tolerated dose ranged from 9 to 46 X 10(6) IU. The toxicity of IFN-beta given as scheduled in this study was significant but acceptable.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Erythrocyte filterability and treatment with pentoxifylline].

The purpose of our study was to verify the possibility of obtaining a reduction in the erythrocyte filtration rate and an improvement in the O2 tissue uptake in twenty patients suffering from insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and diabetic angiopathy, randomly divided in two groups receiving pentoxifylline (1,200 mg/day for 30 days) or a placebo solution, respectively. The erythrocyte filtration rate decreased in patients treated with pentoxifylline and the difference of erythrocyte filtration rate between the two groups was statistically significant.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The influence of hypercholesterolemia on some aspects of immune pattern in the elderly.

In order to investigate if age related dislipidemia was associated with immunological changes in vivo, humoral, soluble and cellular immune parameters were evaluated both in elderly with and without hypercholesterolemia and in young adults. Significantly increased IgG and IgA values were found in hypercholesterolemic aged compared to the other groups. Increased plasma neopterin levels (a pteridine generally used as a marker of macrophage activity) were reported in healthy aged subjects, whereas a lesser degree of the activation of the macrophage system was found in the hypercholesterolemic aged subjects. Compared with the young controls, an increase of interleukin 2 receptor expressing cells and of the IL-2 soluble receptors was noticeable in healthy aged subjects, whereas in hypercholesterolemic aged subjects only a minor increase of the IL-2 membrane receptor was noticed. We suggest that hypercholesterolemia may play a role in immune function in aging.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recombinant human erythropoietin inhibits the cutaneous vasodilatation induced by acetylcholine.

We investigated by means of telethermography the contractile response of cutaneous vessels to recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) and the effects of this hormone on the vasodilatation induced by either acetylcholine, which is endothelium-dependent, and nitroprusside, which is endothelium-independent. Experiments were carried out in 12 healthy volunteers. Graded doses of rHuEPO (25, 50, 500 U/min), acetylcholine (7.5 and 15 micrograms/min), sodium nitroprusside (3 and 10 micrograms/min), and saline solution (sodium chloride 0.9%) were infused in the dorsal pedal artery of the lower limb. rHuEPO reduced the cutaneous temperature in a dose-dependent manner compared to the saline solution, thus suggesting that the hormone causes vasoconstriction. In contrast graded doses of acetylcholine and nitroprusside provoked vasodilatation: in fact both increased the cutaneous temperature compared to controls in a dose-dependent manner. The infusion of vasoconstrictive doses of rHuEPO in association with acetylcholine (15 micrograms/min) reverted the increase in the cutaneous temperature induced by the endothelium-dependent vasodilator. In contrast rHuEPO administered in combination with nitroprusside failed to block the vasodilatation induced by the endothelium-independent vasodilator. Therefore our data suggest that rHuEPO exerts an indirect vasoconstrictive effect and that acetylcholine-induced vasodilatation, which is endothelium-dependent, is blunted by the vasoconstrictive activity of rHuEPO, thus demonstrating that the hormone may impair the synthesis of endothelial nitric oxide.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is apoptosis cause of pre-eclampsia?

Pre-eclampsia is the main cause of fetal and maternal morbidity and death associated with hypertension during complicating pregnancy. During physiological pregnancy, the immunological system undergoes secondary modifications, with an "exchange" between mother and fetus. Cytokines play an important role in the complex condition of partial fetal "rejection". It has suggested that the condition depend on immunological factors. In line with this hypothesis, apoptosis appear to play a key role in the pathophysiology of placental ischemia and the mechanism underlying this condition may be influenced by substances such as Bcl-2 which inhibits apoptosis. Neither aspirin nor calcium appear to improve maternal hypertension and proteinuria, although late ongoing trials may alter this view. At present, the condition can be resolved only by the end of pregnancy. Further studies are required in order to improve our understanding of these immunological mechanisms underlying hypertension during pregnancy, as the key to effective therapy may be their ability to "manipulate" them in an appropriate way.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Environmental air pollution in an intensive care unit for nephrology and dialysis.

The quality of indoor air depends on external pollutant concentrations and on internal sources, such as heating and air conditioning systems, building materials, ventilation, cleaning products, personnel and their activity. This study assessed environmental air pollution in an intensive care unit (ICU) for nephrology and dialysis. Air-dispersed particulate pollution was measured using a gravimetric method and spectroscopic photocorrelation. Microbiological pollution was evaluated by passive and active collection. Particulate concentrations exceeded recommended limits in some of the environments. There was a prevalence of small particulates, which are the most harmful type of all. An overall evaluation of bacterial pollution showed low levels of contamination in some of the rooms. In none of the environments we were able to detect pathogens such as Aspergillus fumigatus, methycillin-resistant Staphylococci or toxin-producing fungi.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is it possible to use the hypoosmotic swelling test as criteria for "freezeability" of human semen in an AID program?

The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of the introduction of another parameter--the hypoosmotic swelling test--in the evaluation of the freezing potentially of anonymous donor's semen sample to be utilized in an AID program. 154 donor semen samples were frozen using classic seminal parameters: HOS tests were performed but not utilized as criteria for freezeability. All specimens were thawed and another HOS test was performed. All specimens were divided into two groups on the basis of the pre freezing HOS test value--HOS tests positive (> or = 55%) and HOS test negative (< 55%)--to verify if it's possible to correlate this value to the recovery of a good motility after thawing. A further division was performed: HOS tests highly positive (> or = 70%), HOS positive (60-55%) and HOS tests negative (< 55%) but the authors did not find any statistical difference. As concerns the clinical evaluation, were considered the last 15 pregnancies achieved with 11 samples out of 22 utilized. There was not any statistical difference. The data could seem to confirm the hypothesis that it is not possible to utilize the HOS test as a predictive value of "freezeability" of human semen sample.

Cryopreservation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Growth factors and hematopoiesis. Physiopathology and clinical applications].

Recently biotechnologic progress has, through the technique of the recombinant DNA, allowed a low cost production of large amount of several growth factors. Such a large availability has made possible to either carry out deeper investigations on the physiopathology of the hemopoietic regulation and perform new therapeutic approaches under different pathologic conditions. The most interesting acquisition concerning the biology of hemopoiesis to which such investigations have addressed us is the inadequacy of the protocols adopted till now. Such protocols considered only a simple vision of an elective action of a given growth factor during an exact maturation period of a determined cell colony. On the contrary, it was possible to point out a close network of inter-relationship among the different factors, which sometime impedes a clear distinction for each single factor, between actions of competence and progression in the cell maturation phenomena. However, the present uncertainty pertaining to the regulation of hemopoiesis has not impede the performance of clinical trials with positive findings in several pathologic conditions. The administration of recombinant erythropoietin has for example allowed to intervene in a resolutive way on the anemia in uremic subjects, and seems giving satisfactory results also in subjects with non renal origin anemic conditions. Satisfactory results were also obtained through the use of the Granulocyte-Macrophage CSF and of the Granulocyte-CSF, which by preventing neutropenia have allowed the performance of more adequate chemotherapeutic protocols in neoplastic subjects. New interesting perspectives are now coming for the use of Interleukin-3 in the treatment of the aplastic anaemia.

Colony-Forming Units Assay↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical investigation on hyaluronic acid in the treatment of gonoarthrosis.

The clinical efficacy and tolerance of the sodium salt Hyaluronic acid (HA) 20 mg/2 ml administered through the intraarticulation every week, for a four week period in a group of 12 patients with gonoarthrosis were investigated. Such a treatment has brought about a bettering of the baseline clinical parameters considered, i.e., spontaneous, stiffness, walking time and analgesics consumption.

Arthritis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic value of serum thymidine kinase and beta 2 microglobulin in subjects affected by multiple myeloma.

The authors, using a radio-enzymatic and a radio-immunological method, investigated the serum levels of Thymidine Kinase (TK) and Beta 2 Microglobulin (Beta 2M) in 24 subjects affected by Multiple Myeloma (MM) and in 10 controls. The data obtained confirm the good prognostical significance already reported for TK and Beta 2M in subjects with MM. First of all, the results indicate higher levels of TK compared to the controls (9.31 U/l vs 2.9 U/l - p less than 0.005). Similarly, also the levels of Beta 2M indicate a significant increase compared to the healthy subjects. Both TK and Beta 2M levels increased with the progression of the stage of the disease (6.69 mg/ml vs 1.67 mg/ml - p less than 0.005). After therapy there was a significant decrease of TK and Beta 2M levels in responders. Finally, TK demonstrated to be able to detect during the follow-up a possible relapse of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Superovulation with buserelin and gonadotropins dramatically improves the success rate of intrauterine insemination with husband's washed semen.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of intrauterine insemination with husband's washed semen during stimulated cycles using a combined treatment of GnRH agonist (buserelin) and gonadotropins. 47 infertile couples were studied; 25 couples were treated with buserelin and gonadotropins (study group) and 22 (control group) received clomiphene citrate alone. Indications for treatment, in both groups, were male subfertility, cervical factor or unexplained infertility. For sperm preparation, the same swim up technique in both groups was used. In the study group, 15 pregnancies were achieved (pregnancy rate: 60%) whereas only 5 pregnancies were achieved in the control group (pregnancy rate: 22.7%) (p less than 0.01). The pregnancy rate per cycle was 17.6 and 4.8 respectively (p less than 0.01). The mean number of follicles per cycle (+/- SEM) was 3.6 +/- 0.2 and 1.7 +/- 0.07, respectively (p less than 0.0005). Comparing successful and unsuccessful cycles a difference was observed only among the levels of 17 beta E2, both per cycle and per follicle/cycle (1075 +/- 165.4 vs 721 +/- 57.6 and 319.8 +/- 42.6 vs 219.9 +/- 17.8; p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.0005 respectively). The authors conclude that intrauterine insemination with washed sperm during stimulated superovulatory cycles is a successful mode of therapy in all couples with infertility not associated with anatomic damage of the adnexa or with chronic anovulation.

Adult↗