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Biomedical subjects

A Colombo

Publications and source records attributed to A Colombo.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Actin, alpha-actinin, and vinculin are associated with septate junctions in Insecta.

Cytoskeletal elements associated with the smooth septate junctions linking the midgut columnar cells of Manduca sexta larvae (Insecta, Lepidoptera) were characterized. Myosin subfragment 1 decoration and immunostaining for actin demonstrated that the filaments associated with the septate junctions were constituted of actin. Moreover, using a combination of immunochemical and immunolocalization techniques, evidence is presented that alpha-actinin, myosin II, and vinculin are localized close to the specialized plasma membranes. The insertion of microfilament bundles into submembranous F-actin/alpha-actinin/vinculin complexes, previously described in vertebrate junctions of adherens type, appears to be a more general organization, including the insect septate junction here examined.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed1993

Lipoma of the corpus callosum in a neonate: sonographic evaluation.

Lipomas of the corpus callosum are benign neoplasms which are rarely diagnosed in pediatric patients. In infants they are congenital lesions consisting of collections of adipose tissue; their etiology is unclear. We describe a case of callosal lipoma discovered by sonography in a 2-day-old neonate.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1993

Darrow-Gamble disease: ultrasonographic and radiographic findings.

A case of Darrow-Gamble disease is presented with review of the radiographic and ultrasonographic appearance of this rare cause of profound chronic diarrhea beginning at birth. The disease is caused by a defect of active intestinal chloride transport which results in a large loss of the electrolytes and water. To prevent growth retardation and renal involvement an adequate replacement therapy is necessary. This uncommon anomaly was detected by ultrasound 3 weeks before delivery. Both sonography and radiography were useful diagnostic tools in the postnatal period. The clinical features of the lesion are also discussed.

Chlorides↗
PubMed1993

Familial syringomyelia: case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of familial syringomyelia consisting of two sisters, one of whom had syringomyelia and Chiari type I malformation and the other, who had died 5 years earlier, had syringomyelia and Klippel-Feil syndrome. Although syringomyelia is uncommon and familial cases rare, they continue to be reported from time to time. Review of the literature certainly suggests that genetic factors play a part in the etiopathogenesis of syringomyelia related to abnormalities of the hindbrain structures, although the number of cases is too small for the exact nature of transmission be established.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Coronary stenting for treatment of acute or threatened closure following dissection after coronary balloon angioplasty.

We studied 32 patients (age 58 +/- 9 years) who had been treated with a Palmaz-Schatz stent after significant dissection complicating percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). We attempted to cover the entire site of dissection with prosthesis. The presence of dissection after PTCA was associated with Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction grade 0 to 1 flow in 19 patients and grade 2 flow in 13. The stented arteries were: left anterior descending artery in 19 patients, right coronary artery in seven, and left circumflex artery in five. A single stent was implanted in 11 and multiple stents in 21 patients. Angiographic success was achieved in 30 patients (94%). Two patients (6%) had urgent coronary artery bypass graft surgery, two (6%) had a myocardial infarction, and one (3%) patient died. Subacute occlusion occurred in one patient (3%). Angiographic restenosis was found in three of nine patients (33%) with a single stent and 11 of 17 (65%) with multiple stents. Clinical follow-up at 11 +/- 3 months showed the necessity of coronary artery bypass graft surgery in two patients and repeat PTCA in nine (31%). We conclude that coronary stenting is an effective treatment for significant coronary dissection after PTCA with an acceptable incidence of major cardiac events at follow-up.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

A novel strategy for stent deployment in the treatment of acute or threatened closure complicating balloon coronary angioplasty. Use of short or standard (or both) single or multiple Palmaz-Schatz stents.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate and long-term angiographic and clinical results of coronary stenting as a specific therapy for intracoronary dissection associated with acute or threatened closure complicating percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. BACKGROUND: Published reports contain conflicting results with regard to the benefit of stent insertion for coronary dissection. In particular, there is a wide range in the reported rates of subacute occlusion. METHODS: Palmaz-Schatz stents were inserted in 56 patients who had significant dissections and acute or threatened closure complicating coronary angioplasty. An attempt was made to cover the entire site of the dissection with short or standard single or multiple Palmaz-Schatz stents. The use of the short stent allowed complete coverage of the dissection, specifically in situations such as marked vessel tortuosity or the need to place a stent distal to a deployed stent. RESULTS: A single stent was implanted in 24 patients and multiple stents were implanted in 32 patients. A total of 138 stents (78 standard, 60 short stents) were implanted. The primary clinical success rate was 88% (49 of 56 patients). Complications occurred in seven patients (12.5%): Three patients (5%) required urgent bypass surgery; two patients (4%) had a myocardial infarction; and two patients (4%) died. Subacute occlusion occurred in one patient (2%). Clinical follow-up was available in all patients at a mean of 10 +/- 4 months. Thirty-nine (80%) of 49 patients were clinically asymptomatic. Angiographic restenosis was found in 15 (36%) of 42 patients on angiographic follow-up performed a mean of 5 months (median 6) after the procedure in 86% of the eligible patients. Nine patients had successful repeat angioplasty, and two had elective bypass surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy of coronary stenting to completely cover the lesion is an effective treatment for large coronary dissection complicating angioplasty. A total major complication rate of 12.5% may be acceptable for this high risk group.

Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary↗
PubMed1993

Tumor necrosis factor in plasma and peritoneal fluid of women with and without endometriosis.

To determine whether in vivo levels of tumor necrosis factor a in plasma and peritoneal fluid differ in infertile subjects with and without endometriosis, peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid samples were collected in 94 women undergoing laparoscopy for infertility. Quantitative determinations of tumor necrosis factor a were performed by an enzyme immunoassay test. Tumor necrosis factor a levels were below the detection limit (10 pg/ml) in plasma and peritoneal fluid of 42 (91%) and 30 (90%) patients with endometriosis and 40 (83%) and 31 (91%) subjects without the disease, respectively. In our series, plasma and tumor necrosis factor a levels were not different in infertile women with and without endometriosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist treatment before hysterectomy for menorrhagia and uterine leiomyomas.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (goserelin) treatment before hysterectomy for leiomyomata-associated menorrhagia. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative, nonrandomized study. SETTING: A teaching hospital of Milano University. PATIENTS: Anemic women requiring hysterectomy for myoma-associated menorrhagia. INTERVENTION: Six months' preoperative goserelin treatment (41 cases) or immediate surgery (92 controls). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Abdominal/vaginal hysterectomy rate, number of transfusions, operating time, blood loss, complications, febrile morbidity, and days in hospital. RESULTS: In the goserelin group mean hemoglobin rose (8.5 versus 13.3 g/dl) and mean uterine volume decreased (528 versus 251 ml). At preoperative pelvic exploration abdominal hysterectomy was indicated in 22 (54%) cases and 74 (80%) controls and vaginal hysterectomy in 19 (46%) and 18 (20%) (relative risk 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.6 to 7.7; p = 0.001). No case required a transfusion whereas 51% of controls needed a total of 127 packed red cell units. CONCLUSIONS: In anemic women with menorrhagia and leiomyomas, gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist treatment before hysterectomy limited transfusion requirements and increased the vaginal procedure rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Position and asymmetry of teeth in untreated dental arches.

The position and asymmetry of all permanent teeth (right second molar to left second molar) were studied in 50 men and 45 women aged 20 to 27 years with sound dentitions. The centers of gravity of the occlusal surfaces of teeth were individualized on dental casts. The maxillary arch distances between homologous teeth were all larger than the mandibular arch distances regardless of gender. Arches in women were found to be significantly smaller than arches in men. On average, arches were symmetric with mean indexes ranging from 0.28% to 4.57%. Results demonstrated that a certain degree of morphological asymmetry may be considered a normal finding.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Three-year results after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, radical surgery, and radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complications and results of neoadjuvant treatment before surgery and radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical carcinoma. METHODS: Between March 1988 and June 1989, 24 consecutive patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma received chemotherapy consisting of six weekly courses of cisplatin (50 mg/m2), vincristine (1 mg/m2), and bleomycin (30 mg), followed by radical hysterectomy and radiotherapy. Lymph node metastases were detected by means of lymphangiography and confirmed by fine-needle aspiration in 21 patients. RESULTS: Twenty-one women (87.5%) completed the planned sequence of treatment and 16 (66.7%) achieved objective responses. Three patients did not complete chemotherapy (one refusal, one myocardial infarction, one severe allergic reaction) and were treated further by radiotherapy. Nineteen subjects (79%) underwent subsequent radical surgery and radiotherapy without serious complications. After a minimal follow-up of 3 years, 16 patients had died of disease. Distant recurrences developed in only three of eight women in whom the nodes were negative originally, possibly reflecting systemic effectiveness of the chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: This sequence of treatment, although feasible, does not seem to improve long-term survival compared to standard treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

In vitro and in vivo efficacy of a new connector device for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a new connection system for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), called the T-set. With this system the patient wears a 27-cm extension line filled with Amuchina during the dwell time; the bag is made of a fill container linked to a drainage tube with a Y-shaped set. For bag exchange, only one connection is needed and this is subsequently flushed with the entire drainage volume. The in vitro efficacy of the system was tested with 20 sets filled with 10 mL of Amuchina and inoculated in the distal lumen with 2.1 x 10(3) colony-forming units (cfu) of S. aureus. After an incubation of 4-6 hours at 35-37 degrees C, three dialysate samples per set were collected, respectively, at the beginning of drainage and filling. All 120 samples were negative, whereas two control sets, filled with a phosphate-buffered saline, had positive drainage samples, and at least one positive infusion sample, indicating the efficacy of Amuchina in sterilizing the system under conditions simulating touch contamination. To evaluate the in vivo efficacy, safety, and acceptability of the T-system, a prospective randomized controlled trial was performed in seven centers: a control group (CG) of 56 patients (follow-up: 952.3 months, mean +/- SD: 17.0 +/- 7.8) was treated with a long branch (21 patients) or short branch (35 patients) Y-set and a test group (TG) of 66 patients (follow-up:898.1 months, mean +/- SD: 13.6 +/- 7.8) with the T-set.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1993

Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist for chronic anovulatory uterine bleeding and severe anemia.

Twenty-three women with chronic heavy anovulatory uterine bleeding and severe iron-deficiency anemia received six months' treatment with goserelin, a gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist, administered as a monthly subcutaneous depot. After two months of treatment, all patients were amenorrheic and subsequent spotting was reported on only nine occasions. Laboratory results showed the following values: mean hemoglobin before treatment, 7.9 g/dL-13.8 g/dL at six months (+75%); mean hematocrit, 26.3%-41.6% (+58); mean serum iron, 19.8 micrograms/dL-63.3 micrograms/dL (+134%) and mean serum ferritin, 6.2 ng/mL-35.3 ng/mL (+469%). The endometrial hyperplasia observed in 11 subjects showed regression at follow-up suction biopsy. Gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists administered in a depot formulation for a few months in highly selected patients with severe anemia associated with heavy anovulatory uterine bleeding are practical, safe and effective, may avoid blood transfusions and could be used as a first line of treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Hysteroscopic metroplasty with resectoscope or microscissors for the correction of septate uterus.

During 1990, we performed hysteroscopic incision of uterine septum in 23 women with repeated abortion. The patients were allocated randomly to metroplasty with resectoscope (12 patients in group 1) or microscissors (11 patients in group 2) to compare surgical feasibility and anatomic results with these instruments. The uterine cavity was distended by instillation of sorbitol and mannitol solution under manometric control. Two patients in group 1 and three in group 2 had a complete septum. In group 1, the mean operating time, plus or minus standard deviation (S.D.), was 22 +/- 6 minutes compared with 17 +/- 5 minutes in group 2 (p = 0.06). The mean amount of distension medium used, plus or minus S.D., was 890 +/- 153 milliliters in group 1 versus 671 +/- 170 milliliters in group 2 (p = 0.003). One woman in group 1 with complete uterine septum had a uterine perforation that was managed conservatively. Postoperative morbidity for the entire series was negligible. At follow-up ultrasonography and hysteroscopy performed two months postoperatively, a residual fundal notch > or = 1 centimeter deep was detected and corrected in four patients in group 1 and two in group 2. Our findings indicate that, in terms of operating time and efficacy, the resectoscope and microscissors are equally valid instruments to correct a septate uterus, with a feasibility rate of 100 percent.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1993

A gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist versus a low-dose oral contraceptive for pelvic pain associated with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of goserelin versus a low-dose cyclic oral contraceptive (OC) in improving pelvic pain in women with endometriosis and to compare recurrence of symptoms during follow-up. DESIGN: Open-label, randomized trial. SETTING: University hospital endometriosis center. PATIENTS: Fifty-seven women with moderate or severe pelvic pain and laparoscopically diagnosed endometriosis. INTERVENTIONS: Six-month treatment with goserelin depot (n = 29) or a low-dose cyclic OC (n = 28) followed by 6-month follow-up. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Variation in severity of symptoms during treatment and at the end of follow-up as shown by a linear analog scale and a verbal rating scale. RESULTS: At 6 months of treatment, a significant reduction in deep dyspareunia was observed in both groups, with goserelin superior to the OC at linear analog scale assessment. Nonmenstrual pain was diminished on both scales without differences between treatments. Women taking the OC experienced a significant reduction in dysmenorrhea. At the end of follow-up, symptoms reappeared without differences in severity between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose cyclic OCs may be a valuable alternative for the treatment of dysmenorrhea and nonmenstrual pain associated with endometriosis. Symptoms recurred in most subjects 6 months after drug withdrawal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Body, muscle, and visceral nitrogen balance in catabolic patients. Modification with metabolic treatment].

In sixteen severely catabolic patients, two different nutritional treatments with the same nitrogen input (0.30 gN.kg-1.die-1) but with a different caloric support: 30 kcal.kg-1.die-1 foe group A and 15 kcal.kg-1.die-1 for group B were infused. Body nitrogen balance (BN), muscle nitrogen balance (BNm) and, calculated as a difference of the two, visceral nitrogen balance were measured in every patient on basal day and on the second day of total parenteral nutrition. Both nutritional treatment reduced the catabolic state in the same amount: this was confirmed by a less negative body BN and by the reduced excretion of 3-MEH and amino acidic catabolic markers. Otherwise in the other compartments the treatments showed different effects: the metabolic support was more reduced by treatment A than it was by B, supplying to visceral compartment a lower nitrogen amount: the nitrogen dismission from muscle compartment, available for visceral tissues, is greater with treatment B than with treatment A. In conclusion, even if both treatments show the same effect on body nitrogen balance, they penalize either one of the examined compartment or the other. To avoid this problem, the study and the use of tissue-specific nutrients are desiderable. Tissue-specific solutions may warrant the balance among body compartment without any further increase of the nitrogen rate.

Adolescent↗