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Biomedical subjects

A Gallo

Publications and source records attributed to A Gallo.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Overexpression of folate binding protein in ovarian cancers.

The high affinity folate binding protein (FBP) is overexpressed in ovarian cancers. However, its role in the pathogenesis and biological behaviour of these neoplasms is not clearly understood. Using the monoclonal antibody (MAb) MOv 18 and cytofluorimetric analysis, we investigated FBP expression in frozen neoplastic tissues from 136 patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer. FBP values were compared with clinico-pathological characteristics (age, stage, histologic grade, histologic type, DNA ploidy, percentage of S-phase cells, and previous chemotherapeutic treatment). Some amount of FBP overexpression was observed in 122 of the 136 tumours examined. The overall mean value of FBP fluorescence index (FBP FI) was 5.6 (median 2.7; min 0.8--max, 78.9). By univariate analysis, FBP FI was overexpressed to a higher degree in ovarian neoplasms with high histologic grade, advanced stage, serous histology, aneuploid status, and high percentage of cells in S-phase. Of the total number (136) of cases, 106 had all the parameters assessed and were thus selected for stepwise selection procedure. The only significant independent variable was the percentage of S-phase cells, which accounted for about 31% of variance of FBP FI. Our results indicate that FBP is associated with parameters of biological aggressiveness in ovarian cancers.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1997

Capuchin monkeys, Cebus apella fail to understand a cooperative task

We investigated whether capuchin monkeys cooperate to solve a task and to what extent they take into account the behaviour of another individual when cooperating. Two groups of capuchin monkeys (N=5 and 6) were tested in a task whose solution required simultaneous pulling of two handles which were too far from one another to be pulled by one monkey. Before carrying out the cooperation study, individual monkeys were trained to pull one handle (training phase 1) and to pull two handles simultaneously (training phase 2) for a food reward. Nine subjects were successful in training phase 1, and five in training phase 2. In the cooperation study seven subjects were successful, that is, pulled one handle while a companion pulled the other. Further analyses revealed that capuchins did not increase their pulling actions when a partner was close to or at the other handle, that is, when cooperation might occur. These data suggest that capuchin monkeys acted together at the task and got the reward without understanding the role of the partner and without taking its behaviour into consideration. Social tolerance, as well as their tendency to explore and their manual dexterity, were the major factors accounting for the capuchins' success.Copyright 1997 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour1997The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in advanced ovarian cancer patients with no residual intraperitoneal disease.

A comparative non-randomized study was carried out to evaluate the role of systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy (SL) on patients with no residual intraperitoneal disease (NRID) of advanced ovarian cancer (stage IIIC-IV). A total of 142 optimally cytoreduced patients (macroscopic disease absent on peritoneal surface) were divided into two groups: Group A, consisting of 98 patients (53 previously untreated and 45 pretreated at other Institutions), who underwent SL; Group B, consisting of 44 patients (21 previously untreated and 23 pretreated at other Institutions), who did not undergo SL. Each group had statistically equivalent histology, grading, performance status and variety of cytoreductive operations performed. Group A pretreated patients had a greater number of stage III than Group B (P = 0.03). Systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy could be carried out with an acceptable morbidity and no mortality. All 142 patients received post-operative chemotherapy including carboplatin. The number of chemotherapy sessions did not differ between the two groups. Comparison of survival revealed that SL significantly improved the survival of previously untreated patients (P = 0.02). The survival was significantly different with nodal status (P = 0.006). Cox's proportional hazard analysis showed that only systematic lymphadenectomy was a significant covariate. The survival was not significantly different in Group A vs Group B pretreated patients; however, it was significantly different with respect to nodal status (P<0.001). Cox's proportional hazard analysis showed that only the initial stage of disease was a significant covariate. The results of the present study shows that aggressive surgical cytoreduction with SL could be therapeutic in previously untreated patients with NRID. Currently, an international prospective randomized study is ongoing to clarify definitively the clinical role of SL.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Repeated case-control studies as a method of surveillance for asthma in occupations.

Our aim was to establish whether the case-control design may be applied in surveillance for occupational asthma. In a region with intensive manufacturing industries, we carried out one case-control study from 1974 to 1978 and another from 1989 to 1993; 325 and 387 pairs of cases of asthma and of age- and sex-matched control subjects, respectively, were selected. Current risks were found to be higher than past estimates for painters, farmers, millers/bakers, textile, wood/ furniture, and chemical workers. High risks for asthma have recently appeared in leather, polyurethane plastics, hospital and food industry workers, welders, and shoemakers. It is concluded that the case-control approach may be used to describe variations in asthma risk by occupational categories and time. A method to measure the efficiency of the diagnostic process for occupational asthma is also proposed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[Acute hepatitis in a patient with adult onset Still disease].

Liver abnormalities in the course of Adult Onset Still's Disease (AOSD), both in form of hepatomegaly and elevation of hepatic enzymes, have been reported in up to three-quarts of the affected patients. These abnormalities may reflect disease activity or may be induced by drugs. Only in a few of this patients a liver biopsy was performed. However liver histology has shown, generally, non specific abnormalities or even normal pictures. We have recently observed a 47-year-old woman with a febrile illness started five months before, who after pertinent investigation was diagnosed as AOSD (according to criteria of Yamaguchi et al.). Apart from laboratory findings characteristic of an inflammatory disease, in absence of drug therapies the biochemical data showed raised levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and aminoglutamil transferase. Serological tests for either viral hepatitis viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV) or other viruses were negative. Ultrasonographic examination of gallbladder and bile ducts did not find gallstones or other abnormalities. A liver biopsy was performed, which histopathologic examination showed moderate fatty methamorphosis with focal areas of hepatocellular swelling with minimal necrosis, mild Kuppfer cell hyperplasia, portal and sinusoidal infiltrates of mononuclear cells. This picture consisted with the diagnosis of an acute unspecific reactive hepatitis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

[Preoperative embolization in the treatment protocol for rhinopharyngeal angiofibroma: comparison of the effectiveness of various materials].

The authors examine the effectiveness of preoperative embolization in the treatment of rhinopharyngeal angiofibroma. In addition, they evaluate the effect various embolizing substances have in the aim of establishing what is the ideal time interval between embolization and surgery. Thirteen patients with rhinopharyngeal angiofibroma (3 were recurrences) were submitted to preoperative embolization. Of these, 4 were treated with a reabsorbable microparticulate substance (Gelfoam) while the remaining 8 were treated with non reabsorbable microparticulate substances (Ivalon, ITC contour, Terbal). The time interval between embolization and surgery ranged from a minimum of 1 day with a maximum of 4 days. The authors conclude that embolization markedly reduces blood loss during surgery, so much so that the available blood supply was not required. As regards the various embolizing substances and the time lapse between embolization and surgery, the authors feel that when using reabsorbable materials the interval should not exceed 48 hours so that the supply artery can quickly be recanalized. On the other hand, for the materials which are not reabsorbed, the time interval can exceed 48 hours but must be less than 4 days because collateral circulation can arise.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Membrane localization of cAMP-dependent protein kinase amplifies cAMP signaling to the nucleus in PC12 cells.

The A126 cell line, in contrast to its PC12 parent, does not differentiate, accumulate nuclear cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) catalytic subunit, or transcribe cAMP-dependent promoters in response to cAMP. Total PKA is reduced by 50% and is partly resistant to cAMP-induced dissociation in vivo. Unlike PC12, where PKAII is membrane-associated, PKAII is exclusively cytosolic in A126. Cotransfection with the RII anchor protein (AKAP75) and the PKA catalytic subunit (C-PKA) restored cAMP-induced transcription to levels found in PC12. These data indicate that membrane-bound PKAII amplifies cAMP signaling to the nucleus and suggest that cAMP-mediated responses are specified by the type and cellular localization of the PKA isoform.

A Kinase Anchor Proteins↗
PubMed1996

Palliative treatment of upper intestinal obstruction by gynecological malignancy: the usefulness of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.

The usefulness of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) for decompression in patients with unresolving intestinal obstruction by gynecological malignancy is examined. Between April 1993 and August 1995, 34 consecutive patients with small-bowel obstruction by gynecological cancer, heavily pretreated with surgery and chemotherapy, were admitted to our prospective study. PEG was performed in 32/34 patients (94.1%). Failure in the placing of the tube occurred in 2 patients (5.9%). Twenty-seven patients (84.4%) experienced symptomatic relief after a few days from PEG and tolerated soft and liquid foods. All of these patients were discharged from the hospital and underwent parenteral nutrition at home. The median postoperative hospital stay was 7 days (range 3-45). No major complications due to PEG placement itself occurred in our patients. Only 4 patients (12.5%) had postprocedure nausea and vomiting that was unresponsive to the conventional therapy. The use of Octreotide (0.6 mg/24 hr) obtained relief from symptoms until death. The gastrostomy remained in place for a median of 74 days (range 5-210). Relief from symptoms after PEG placement and total parenteral nutrition permitted continuation of palliative chemotherapy in 8 patients (25%). We suggest percutaneous endoscopic drainage gastrostomy technique as the procedure of choice for long-term drainage of unresolving small bowel obstruction in patient with metastatic abdominal gynecologic malignancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Some prerequisites for a study of the evolution of cognition in the animal kingdom.

A distinction is made between two definitions of animal cognition: the one most frequently employed in cognitive sciences considers cognition as extracting and processing information; a more phenomenologically inspired model considers it as attributing to a form of the outside world a significance, linked to the state of the animal. The respective fields of validity of these two models are discussed along with the limitations they entail, and the questions they pose to evolutionary biologists are emphasized. This is followed by a presentation of a general overview of what might be the study of the evolution of knowledge in animals.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Semantic and episodic memory in aphasia.

Within the framework of the distinction between episodic and semantic memory, it has been argued that these two memory Systems are organised in a hierarchical way. The hierarchical hypothesis assumes that episodic memory is a specific subsystem of semantic memory and therefore implies that episodic memory cannot exist without semantic memory. If this hypothesis is correct, it should be expected that (episodic) yes/no recognition performance would improve in patients with preserved semantic memory, following semantic encoding. In the present study we investigated the influence of semantic encoding on recognition memory performance in a population of 28 aphasic patients (AA) and 14 normal controls (NC). Experiment 1 considered recognition memory for semantically unrelated items, whereas Experiments 2 and 3 assessed recognition memory for semantically related items. In Experiment 3, but not in Experiment 2, subjects were explicitly instructed to make a semantic association between the items. AA were impaired, compared to NC, only on the recognition memory performance of Experiment 1. The ability to make a semantic association between two items was significantly and positively correlated to the ability to recognise, in a subsequent test, those same items. A further analysis showed that patients who were impaired on the semantic association task did significantly worse on the recognition task of Experiment 3 than NC and than patients who were unimpaired on the semantic association task. These findings are discussed in the context of memory deficits in aphasia and interpreted as giving support to the view that episodic memory for an item is affected by the level of semantic awareness of that same item.

Aphasia↗
PubMed1996

Family response to childhood chronic illness: description of management styles.

Based on family members' subjective accounts of the illness experience, this study identifies unique styles of family response to childhood chronic illness. Drawing on principles of triangulation, the investigators collected data longitudinally from multiple family members (ill child, parents, well sibling) in 63 families using structured and unstructured data collection techniques. In all families there was a school-age child with a chronic illness. Five family management styles (FMSs) were identified. Each is made up of a distinct configuration of qualitative themes. Across the five FMSs, the configurations reflect differences in the following major aspects of the chronic illness experience: definition of the illness experience, management goals and approach, and illness consequences. The five FMSs (thriving, accommodating, enduring, struggling, and floundering) represent a continuum of difficulty families experience in managing a child's chronic illness. The FMSs also contribute to understanding the underlying processes associated with differing outcomes for families and their individual members when a child has a chronic illness.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1996

The differential response of protein kinase A to cyclic AMP in discrete brain areas correlates with the abundance of regulatory subunit II.

We analyzed the expression and relative distribution of mRNA for the regulatory subunits (RIalpha, RIIalpha, and RIIbeta) and of 150-kDa RIIbeta-anchor proteins for cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) into discrete brain regions. The subcellular distribution of both holoenzyme and free catalytic subunit was evaluated in the same CNS areas. In the neocortex and corpus striatum high levels of RIIbeta paralleled the presence of specific RII-anchoring proteins, high levels of membrane-bound PKA holoenzyme, and low levels of cytosolic free catalytic activity (C-PKA). Conversely, in brain areas showing low RIIbeta levels (cerebellum, hypothalamus, and brainstem) we found an absence of RII-anchoring proteins, low levels of membrane-bound holoenzyme PKA, and high levels of cytosolic dissociated C-PKA. Response to cAMP stimuli was specifically evaluated in the neocortex and cerebellum, prototypic areas of the two different patterns of PKA distribution. We found that cerebellar holoenzyme PKA was highly sensitive to cAMP-induced dissociation, without, however, a consistent translocation of C-PKA into the nucleus. In contrast, in the neocortex holoenzyme PKA was mainly in the undissociated state and poorly sensitive to cAMP. In nuclei of cortical cells cAMP stimulated the import of C-PKA and phosphorylation of cAMP-responsive element binding protein. Taken together, these data suggest that RIIbeta (whose distribution is graded throughout the CNS, reaching maximal expression in the neocortex) may represent the molecular cue of the differential nuclear response to cAMP in different brain areas, by controlling cAMP-induced holoenzyme PKA dissociation and nuclear accumulation of catalytic subunits.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Supracricoid laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy (CHP) in the treatment of laryngeal cancer: a functional and oncologic experience.

Subtotal laryngectomy with cricohyoidopexy (CHP) results in a satisfactory cure rate in selected T1b, T2, and T3 supraglottic and glottic cancers. The clinical, oncologic, and functional results of this type of surgery have led to an ever-increasing number of patients undergoing this procedure. This study involved 70 patients operated on from 1984 to 1993 using this surgical procedure. This report also discusses the clinical (cTNM) and pathologic (pTNM) classifications of CHP cases. Fifty-two of these patients were evaluated after a follow-up of more than 3 years. Lymph node treatment protocol comprised 51 functional ipsilateral neck dissections (FNDs), 9 bilateral FNDs, 1 radical ipsilateral dissection, and 1 radical ipsilateral and contralateral FND. There were 6 recurrences (5 local, 1 neck); after CHP physiologic deglutition was recovered in most of the patients (95.5%), and all but 6 (92%) were decannulated. Results were excellent after phoniatric rehabilitation. This surgical procedure may be indicated for selected laryngeal cancers and allows for the preservation of laryngeal functions even when the neoplastic lesions are advanced. However, care must be taken when evaluating the infiltration of the paraglottic space, as that infiltration represents the main cause of failure in this type of surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Secondary prevention of myocardial ischemia. From theory to clinical reality: preliminary results of the EUROASPIRE study in Italy. European Action on Secondary Prevention through Intervention to Reduce Events].

EUROASPIRE study has been carried out in 9 European countries with the aim of assessing coronary risk factors in high-risk patients admitted to hospital to undergo coronary revascularization procedures (coronary angioplasty or coronary artery bypass grafting) or because of angina or myocardial infarction. The results of the initial stage of the study in Italy, investigating the data from 691 hospital medical records, showed that management of risk factors in these patients was inferior than expected. In particular, the prevalence of hyperlipidaemia (63%), hypertension (40%) and diabetes (27%) was remarkably high. These results suggest that there is still a need for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Undifferentiated carcinoma of the rhinopharynx: an immunohistochemical study of adhesion molecules].

CU-NPC is an important clinical entity that presents some uncertainties regarding histologic features. In fact many of these tumors show a marked infiltration of lymphocytes justifying the term "lymphoepithelioma" used to define these tumors in the past. Although they have not yet been placed in a definite category, some factors may be responsible for the lymphocyte infiltration; infection by Epstein-Barr virus, expression by tumor cells of HLA-DR antigens and intercellular adhesion molecules (ICAM-1) and production of interleukin l-alpha by U-NPC derived cell lines. A recent study showed that epithelium of the crypts of the tonsils exerts an active role in the intraepithelial migration of lymphocytes. This recruitment from the underlying lymphatic tissue could be determined by the expression, on the part of the basal cells of tonsillar crypts, of ICAM-1 and blood vessel adhesion molecules (VCAM-1). The purpose of this study was to verify the presence of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 in paraffin-embedded tissue section of seven cases of U-NPC. The results showed positive immunohistochemical reaction both for ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. On this basis, the authors hypothesize that the expression of these molecules could favor intratumoral recruitment of lymphocytes similar to what occurs in the epithelium of the tonsillar crypts.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1995

Multimodal treatment with neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy and radical surgery in patients with stage IIIB-IVA cervical cancer. A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the role of neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy (NIC) in patients with advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: From June 1989 to December 1993, 36 consecutive patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage IIIB-IVA cervical cancer were admitted to the study. Treatment consisted of a bilateral infusion in the internal iliac artery of bleomycin (2.5 mg), doxorubicin (10 mg), and cisplatin (20 mg) for five courses after a 4-day rest period. RESULTS: Twenty-nine (80.5%) patients received 100% of the programmed chemotherapeutic dose. The major toxic effects, according to World Health Organization criteria, were hematologic (19.4%, Grade 3 or 4), renal (2.8%, Grade 2), and gastrointestinal (61.1%, Grade 1 or 2). Only four patients (11.1%) had scanty bleeding around the site of catheter insertion. Neoadjuvant intraarterial chemotherapy induced responses in 33 of the 36 patients (5 complete, 28 partial; overall response rate, 91.7%), thus permitting radical surgery in all of these cases. Pretreatment characteristics were analyzed for response to NIC. None of the clinical parameters studied were related to chemoresponsiveness. A lower than expected incidence of lymph node metastases was detected (33.3%). Ten (30.3%) of the 33 patients who underwent surgery had disease recurrence. Lymph node status and pathologic parametrial involvement were significant prognostic factors for recurrence. The 5-year estimated survival for patients with a complete response, partial response, and stable disease was 100%, 36.2%, and 0%, respectively (P < 0.001). Clinical stage (P = 0.003) and response to NIC (P < 0.001) were significant prognostic factors in the overall estimated survival. The 5-year actuarial survival for patients with Stage IIIB and IVA disease was 66.7% and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that NIC should be considered as a means of achieving prompt local control before surgery and/or radiotherapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

The lymphoepithelial organization of the tonsil: an immunohistochemical study in chronic recurrent tonsillitis.

Interactions between leukocytes and crypt epithelium were extensively investigated in 12 cases of chronic recurrent tonsillitis, using immunohistochemistry and cytofluorimetric analysis of cell suspensions. Intraepithelial leukocytes are a mixed cell population composed of 50 per cent CD20-positive B lymphocytes, 40 per cent T lymphocytes with a 2.7 CD4/CD8 ratio, and 10 per cent CD68-positive macrophages. About 4 per cent of intraepithelial leukocytes are proliferating cells, as indicated by Ki-67 staining. Leukocyte infiltration is associated with expression on epithelial cells of the adhesion molecules ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Crypt epithelium is supported by a basement membrane showing frequent interruptions and connected with the reticular stroma of the lymphoid tissue, which was stained for fibronectin, tenascin, collagen, and laminin. Extracellular matrix (ECM) distribution was correlated with integrin expression on B and T lymphocytes. It was found that the ECM was arranged differently in the follicles and in the extrafollicular area and that B and T lymphocytes exhibited different patterns of integrin expression.

Adolescent↗