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Biomedical subjects

A Casale

Publications and source records attributed to A Casale.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

[Radiological examination of the Lap-Band for the treatment of severe obesity].

The aim of this study is to determine the role of radiographic assessment in patient who underwent an adjustable laparoscopic (or laparotomic) banding for the treatment of morbid obesity, and to evaluate the different type of postoperative complications. Forty-three consecutive patients with morbid obesity were examined before and after surgical treatment with positioning of Lap-Band. In all patients radiological examination permitted to evaluate the bend position, the dimensions of the gastric pouch and of the stoma. In such cases it was possible to modify the stoma dimensions under fluoroscopy. 74.4% of patients obtained satisfactory weight loss without complications. In 16.2% of patients the treatment was unsatisfactory and the radiological examination demonstrated the presence and the type of complications. In 9.3% of patients the radiological exam was negative for complications but they didn't obtain satisfactory weight loss. Radiographic assessments are crucial in the management of weight loss and detection of postoperative complications in this surgical treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Central and peripheral haemodynamic changes in post-term fetuses: correlation with oligohydramnios and abnormal fetal heart rate pattern.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the hypothesis that the occurrence of oligohydramnios and abnormal fetal heart rate (FHR) pattern in post-term fetuses is associated with impaired fetal cardiac function. DESIGN: A cross sectional study was performed on post-term and term fetuses. Fetal tests included a computerised analysis of the FHR, a biophysical profile and Doppler studies of the abdominal aorta, umbilical artery, middle cerebral artery and the fetal heart. Pulsatility index (PI) was calculated from the abdominal aorta, umbilical and middle cerebral artery flow velocity waveforms. Peak velocity, velocity time integral (VTI), E:A ratio, and heart rate (HR) were calculated from the flow velocity waveforms obtained from the aortic and pulmonic outflow, and from the mitral and tricuspid valves. SETTING: Maternal fetal laboratory, Department of Obstetrics. SAMPLE: One hundred and twenty post-term and 42 term fetuses. RESULTS: Only the tricuspid E:A ratio was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in post-term fetuses with a normal amniotic fluid index compared with term fetuses. Post-term fetuses with an abnormal amniotic fluid index had a significantly lower aortic peak velocity (P < 0.01), aortic VTI x HR (P < 0.01), and mitral VTI x HR (P < 0.05) compared with post-term fetuses with a normal amniotic fluid index or compared with term fetuses. Post-term fetuses with reduced FHR variation had a significantly lower aortic peak velocity (P < 0.01), pulmonic peak velocity (P < 0.05), aortic VTI x HR (P < 0.01), pulmonic VTI x HR (P < 0.05) and a significantly lower mitral VTI x HR (P < 0.05) when compared with post-term fetuses with normal FHR variation. Similar results were obtained in comparing fetuses with normal and adverse perinatal outcome. CONCLUSION: The occurrence of oligohydramnios and abnormal FHR pattern in post-term fetuses appears to be associated with impaired fetal cardiac function. This finding should allow further investigations of post-term fetuses.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Coronary perforation complicating rotational ablation: the U.S. multicenter experience.

This study retrospectively analyzed the data within the U.S. Multicenter Registry for Rotational Ablation to determine the incidence of coronary perforation during rotational ablation, its angiographic predictors and clinical outcomes during 2953 consecutive patients, 3717 lesions. Patients were categorized into Group A (without perforation, N = 2931) and Group B (with perforation, N = 22 patients). Perforation occurred in 0.7% of procedures, and in 0.6% of lesions treated and was more frequent within the right (12/ 1105, 1.1%) and circumflex (9/761, 1.2%) arteries than the left anterior descending artery [1/1727, 0.06%; (P < 0.001)]. Morphologic features associated with increased perforation rates were eccentricity, tortuousity, and lesion length > 10 mm. Group B was assessed with regard to major complications, including death, surgery, myocardial infarction, or tamponade (type I); and minor complications; sealing with balloon angioplasty and without clinical sequelae (type II). There were 15 type I: emergency surgery in nine, of whom two died, and six infarctions (5 non-Q wave and one Q wave); and 7 type II patients. Coronary perforation, although a rare complication of rotational ablation, is seen more frequently in the right and circumflex coronary arteries than the left anterior descending artery, and occurs more frequently with lesion eccentricity, tortuousity, and length > 10 mm.

Atherectomy, Coronary↗
PubMed1991

Effects of phenoxyacetic acid herbicides on chicken embryo liver drug metabolizing enzymes.

Chick embryos were treated on day 0 of incubation with two phenoxy herbicides, 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) (0.4, 2 mg/egg) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2, 4-D) (1, 2, 4 mg/egg). Both herbicides seemed to exert toxic effects mainly on the liver of 19-day-old embryos. Specific histological analysis indicated biliary stasis. Ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase was depressed by MCPA but raised by 2, 4-D. Other hepatic monooxygenase activities were unaffected by the herbicides and no significant changes were found in cytochromes. The higher dose of MCPA increased NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase. 2,4-D treatment increased by activity of glutathione-S-transferases in the hepatic post-microsomal fraction while MCPA increased them at the lower dose and significantly reduced them at the higher. The phenoxyacetic herbicides appear thus to have some effects on hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes of the chick embryo which cannot be easily interpreted. Biliary retention, produced in particular by MCPA, could be partly responsible for these effects.

2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
PubMed1989

Use of electrophoretic techniques and specific antibodies to analyse tubulin isotypes in rabbit testis and spermatozoa.

Multiple tubulin isotypes have been described in vertebrate cells and they are known to be tissue specific (Cleveland and Sullivan, 1985; Cowan and Dudley, 1983). In this study, tubulin heterogeneity has been analysed in rabbit testis and spermatozoa by isoelectric focusing, two dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblotting performed using antibodies with different specificities. These biochemical techniques evidenced a small number of tubulin isotypes expressed by immature testis and fully maturated testis and spermatozoa of rabbit, and showed that the alpha isotypes are less acidic than the beta ones and present the post-translational detyrosinated form.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Characterization of actin isoforms in ejaculated boar spermatozoa.

Actin was localized in boar ejaculated spermatozoa by using specific antisera against cytoplasmic isoforms of actin [Otey et al., J Cell Biol, 102:1726-1737, 1986; Skalli et al., J Cell Biol, 103:2787-2796, 1986; Miller et al., Biochemistry, 26:6064-6070, 1987]. Indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy showed that gamma and beta actins were codistributed in the acrosomal and postacrosomal regions. Sperm actin was also identified on two-dimensional gel as two spots in the isoelectric point and molecular weight corresponding to beta and gamma actins. Coelectrophoresis of sperm actin and chicken gizzard actin and immunoblots stained with the specific antibodies confirmed the presence of these two isoforms of actin.

Actins↗
PubMed1988

Immunocytochemical identification of actin in rabbit spermiogenesis and spermatozoa.

Actin was localized in testicular spermatids and in spermatozoa of rabbit by using a monoclonal anti-actin antibody and a specific antiserum against actin, labeled with colloidal gold. The antibody reactivity with sperm homogenates was determined by immunoblotting of one-dimensional gels. With on-grid postembedding immunostaining of Lowicryl K4M sections, actin was identified in the subacrosomal region of differentiating spermatids, and in four bulges situated between the inner acrosomal membrane and the nuclear envelope and in the anterior part of the postacrosomal region of ejaculated spermatozoa. Sperm actin was identified on two-dimensional gels as two spots in the isoelectric point and molecular weight corresponding to gamma and beta-isoforms of actin. Immunoblots stained with specific antibodies demonstrated that rabbit spermatozoa express gamma and beta-actin isoforms.

Actins↗
PubMed1987

Actin and calmodulin coexist in the equatorial segment of ejaculated boar sperm.

The direct overlay technique with iodinated calmodulin on boar sperm fractions evidenced a strong bond in the 45,000 molecular weight, which is the region recognized by anti-actin antibodies. This result and the close codistribution of the two staining patterns for calmodulin and actin with immunofluorescence and immunoelectronmicroscopy suggest a possible interaction between calmodulin and actin in boar sperm.

Actins↗
PubMed1986

Immunoelectronmicroscopic localization of actin in ionophore-treated boar sperm.

Actin in ionophore-A23187 treated boar sperm has been localized by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectronmicroscopy (IEM), using an anti-actin monoclonal antibody. By IEM, after en bloc staining technique and treatment with 15 nm colloidal gold-IgM complex, actin was found associated with the plasma membrane (PM) and the outer acrosomal membrane vesicles and under the PM of the equatorial segment.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1986

Immunocytochemical localization of calmodulin in intact and acrosome-reacted boar sperm.

Localization of calmodulin on intact and acrosome-reacted ionophore A23187 induced boar sperm has been performed with indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The results obtained with immunofluorescence are in agreement with previous reports. Immunoelectron microscopy was performed with the methods of preembedding immunostaining and on-grid post-embedding immunostaining of Lowicryl K4M sections with the protein A-colloidal gold. The presence of calmodulin is demonstrated in the acrosomal content and in the equatorial and postacrosomal regions of intact sperm. Apparently, calmodulin is released in association with the plasma membrane and the outer acrosomal membrane in acrosome-reacted sperm and it is maintained in the equatorial and postacrosomal regions. These results provide further evidence that also in mammalian sperm multiple classes of calmodulin-binding proteins may be present.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1986

Identification of actin in boar spermatids and spermatozoa by immunoelectron microscopy.

Actin was localized in testicular spermatids and in ionophore-treated ejaculated sperm of boar by use of a monoclonal anti-actin antibody labeled with colloidal gold. With the on-grid postembedding immunostaining of Lowicryl K4M sections, actin was identified in the subacrosomal region of differentiating spermatids, in the microfilaments of the surrounding Sertoli cells, and in the myoid cells of the tubular wall. Ejaculated sperm, labeled with the preembedding method, showed actin between the plasma membrane and the outer acrosomal membrane of the equatorial segment. Indirect immunofluorescence was positive in the equatorial segment and in the acrosomal cap of intact sperm, whereas reacted sperm at the anterior head region retained fluorescence only in the inner acrosomal membrane. Rhodamine-phalloidin failed to stain intact and reacted sperm. The distribution of actin in sperm head membranes (inner acrosomal membrane, membranes of the equatorial segment), which are retained after the acrosome reaction, is discussed.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1986

Conventional transmission electron microscopy of 1-1 haptoglobin isolated molecules and paracrystalline aggregates.

Data are presented relating conventional transmission electron microscope (CTEM) ultrastructural observations of the monomeric phenotypic variant (Hp 1-1) of the haptoglobin class of blood glycoproteins. Through comparison of these findings with homologous published data, obtained by means of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), the validity of CTEM in molecule shape and fine structure determination is confirmed. An experimental procedure for Hp 1-1 crystallization is also reported.

Crystallization↗
PubMed1984

Amiloride and glucose effects on the intracellular pH of Yoshida rat ascites hepatoma AH-130 cells grown in vivo.

The equilibrium distribution of 5,5-dimethyloxazolidine-2,4-dione (DMO) between intra- and extracellular volume was used to estimate the intracellular pH in Yoshida rat ascites hepatoma AH-130 cells under different growth conditions (log, midlog and stationary). The cells were suspended in a Krebs-Ringer 25 mM phosphate buffer and the effects of variation of external pH, of glucose and amiloride addition on intracellular pH were measured. Proliferating cells had higher intracellular pH than stationary phase cells and this difference was inhibited by amiloride. On addition of glucose the fall in external pH was similar in all conditions and corresponded to lactate production. However, the intracellular pH decreased only in proliferating cells. Stationary phase cells showed an amiloride-sensitive cytoplasmic alkalinization with glucose. Glucose addition also caused prompt recovery to a normal polysomal pattern in these cells that might suggest increased efficiency of the initiation step of protein synthesis under these conditions. The data thus suggest that the increased intracellular pH of proliferating and of glucose-treated stationary phase cells is linked to the rate of protein synthesis and is mediated by the amiloride-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange system. This could lead to increased intracellular Na+ concentration under these conditions and to initiation of growth.

Amiloride↗
PubMed1984

Electron microscope observations on the substructure of T-even (T2, T4) head.

New preparative methods have been devised which allow electron microscope observation of T-even head substructure, under conditions of negative staining. Capsomeric constitution of the head shell could so be confirmed and demonstrated for T2 and T4. In addition capsomere size and shell thickness of the head of both phages have been determined and the structural organization of the DNA inside T4 head revealed.

DNA, Viral↗