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Biomedical subjects

A Cammarata

Publications and source records attributed to A Cammarata.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

The surgeon's decision as a prognostic factor in a pool of patients with colorectal cancer coming from different institutions.

Different pathological and predictive factors are used to stratify patients submitted to radical surgery for colorectal carcinoma. In addition to stage and histotype, the surgeon's technique and decisions also appeared to affect the prognosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if the extent of lymphadenectomy was associated with a different long-term outcome in a pool of 117 patients. In particular, in patients classified as Dukes' B, some evidences seem to suggest that the staging procedure depends on a correct surgical lymphadenectomy with a higher risk of understaging colorectal carcinomas when the number of removed nodes is limited. Moreover, the promptness in forwarding patients to the chemotherapist seems to influence the disease-free survival.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗
PubMed1998

Effect of standard total knee arthroplasty surgical dissection on human patellar blood flow in vivo: an investigation using laser Doppler flowmetry.

We examined the in vivo alterations of human patellar bone blood flow that occur with surgical dissection of the extensor mechanism during total knee arthroplasty. A laser doppler probe was used to measure central patellar blood flow at baseline after quadriceps tenotomy, after partial fat pad excision, after lateral release, and after completion of the lateral release with superolateral geniculate sacrifice. The initial quadriceps tenotomy and medial arthrotomy decreased patellar vascularity to 60.4% of baseline. Fat pad resection initiated another 10.4% decline. The lateral release resulted in a patellar vascularity that was 43.6% of baseline. Finally, the loss of superolateral geniculate inflow reduced the patellar flow to 30.61% of baseline.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1994

Protective effects of nedocromil sodium on cellular and biohumoral components present in the bronchial alveolar lavage fluid and in peripheral blood in atopic asthmatics.

Nedocromil sodium, a disodium salt of a pyroquinolinedicarboxylic acid, raises the bronchial hyperresponsiveness threshold, because it inhibits the mediators released by the various cells, and reduces the involvement and activation of inflammatory cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the state of activation of the immunocompetent cells and the main chemical mediators present in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from 10 atopic asthmatic patients, before and after treatment with nedocromil sodium. The following examinations were performed before treatment and after 120 days of therapy with nedocromil sodium at 16 mg/day (two 2-mg puffs x 4): the level of chemical mediators and the state of activation of immunocompetent cells in BAL fluid; immunological analytes in activation of immunocompetent cells in BAL fluid; immunological analytes in peripheral blood; aspecific bronchial challenge test with ultrasonicated bidistilled H2O fog to evaluate variations in the hyperreactivity threshold; questionnaire to determine any adverse effects of treatment (cough, breathlessness, sleep disorders). Our findings demonstrate that nedocromil sodium prevents the release of chemotactic and inflammatory mediators by the effector cells and thus stabilizes microvascular permeability and epithelial damage, so raising the threshold of response to bronchoconstriction stimuli. Lastly, nedocromil sodium is associated with a better preventive therapeutic efficacy and good tolerance and can therefore be suggested as a valid drug to be used in the long-term treatment of bronchial asthma.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1993

Phenotypic features and secretory pattern of alveolar macrophages in atopic asthmatic patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate by cytofluorimetry, the phenotype and the activation of alveolar macrophages (CD14; CD33; CD44; CD54; CD23; HLA-DR) and, by radioimmunoassay, the "in vivo and in vitro" macrophage secretory pattern (IL-1 alpha; IL-1 beta; IL6; IL8; PGE2; PGD-1 alpha; TXB2; LTB4) in atopic patients with mild asthma in intercritical phase and with bronchial hyperreactivity (PD20 FEV1 = 377 +/- 262.8 micrograms). In asthmatic patients we have demonstrated that the number of cells recovered in BALF expressing the phenotypic features (CD14; CD33; HLA-DR; CD23; CD44; CD54) was larger than in control subjects. By analysing the culture medium of unstimulated and LPS-stimulated alveolar macrophages from asthmatic and normals we have demonstrated a greater production of IL-1 beta (p = 0.005) and IL-8 (p = 0.005) in the first group than in one second, as confirmed by a Wilcoxon test. Concerning the secretory pattern in BALF of asthmatic patients we obtained similar results, showing a significant IL-1 beta (p = 0.005) and IL-8 (p = 0.002) increase suggesting a persistent cellular activation. On the contrary we could not show any significant increase of IL-1 alpha (p = 0.31) and IL-6 (p = 0.22). The cellular activation was confirmed by increased levels of different chemical mediators such as TXB2 (p = 0.005); LTB4 (p = 0.004); PGE2 (p = 0.007); PGF-1 alpha (p = 0.008) which were recovered from BALF of asthmatic patients compared to normal subjects. In conclusion alveolar macrophages play an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma because of the presence of cytokines and mediators in BALF and in the supernatant of alveolar macrophage cultures.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Nipple discharge: surgical significance.

Nipple discharge is an important clinical entity ranking second only to a lump as the most common complaint among 7,588 patients having breast surgery (560/7,588, or 7.4%). In the office and clinic it is even more common, since many patients can be treated medically and do not require an operation. To be significant, a discharge should be true, spontaneous, persistent, and nonlactational. Nipple discharge can be milky, multicolored and sticky, purulent, clear (watery), yellow (serous), pink (serosanguineous), or bloody (sanguineous). Watery, serous, serosanguineous, and sanguineous discharges are surgically significant; while they are most often caused by intraductal papillomas or fibrocystic disease, they can be due to cancer or a precancerous mastopathy. Among 503 patients operated on for one of these types of discharge, 67 (13.3%) had cancer, and 36 (7.2%) had a precancerous mastopathy. Among the 67 patients with cancer, eight (11.9%) had no palpable mass, 11 (16.4%) had negative cytologic findings, and seven (10.4%) had a negative mammogram. The incidence of associated cancers increases when the discharge is, in order of increasing frequency, serous, serosanguineous, sanguineous, or watery, when it is accompanied by a lump, when it is unilateral and from a single duct, when there are positive cytologic or mammographic findings, and when the patient is more than 50 years of age. Milky discharge caused by galactorrhea is treated medically except when caused by a pituitary adenoma. Multicolored sticky discharge due to duct ectasia is also treated medically except in advanced cases. Purulent discharge caused by an abscess requires drainage and a biopsy of the abscess wall. Except in women less than 30 years of age of in those anxious to have children, we advise a complete central duct excision for patients with surgically significant types of discharge. If done carefully, this procedure can yield good cosmetic results.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Molecular topology and aqueous solubility of aliphatic alcohols.

A physically based method for arriving at topological indexes is described. The derived indexes correlate with molecular surface areas and with the molecular connectivity index. The newly derived index seems to account better for the expected distinctions among primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohol aqueous solubilities. This study suggests that the Del Re method for calculating molecular charges and dipole moments also may be used, without appreciable change, to provide estimates of molecular refraction.

Alcohols↗
PubMed1977

Pattern recognition II: Investigation of structure--activity relationships.

A simple form of pattern recognition is successfully used to classify a set of structurally diverse therapeutic agents. By using only organic structural information, the major pharmacological classes present were correctly identified and the pharmacologically unrelated compounds were separated out. One technique of factor analysis--principal component analysis--is shown to be readily adaptable in preprocessing the data. Simple graphical representation of the results enables their direct interpretation.

Chemistry, Pharmaceutical↗
PubMed1975

Pharmacokinetic model for a primary antibody response.

Antigen distribution and clearance studied in vivo may be viewed as a pharmacokinetic problem complicated by the intervention of the immune response. A model characterizing the clearance of the simple antigen phiX174 from the bloodstream of various experimental animals, as well as the subsequent serum antibody response, was developed. The present model is the simplest of the possible models and no doubt will have to be modified when considering more complex antigens, additional distribution modes, and differences in antibody reactivity. For the primary (IgM) immune response, however, early events in the immunological response can be adequately accounted for in a consistent and quantitative manner.

Animals↗