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Biomedical subjects

A Grasso

Publications and source records attributed to A Grasso.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Arthrography in the investigation of persistent pain after meniscectomy.

The authors report 62 patients in whom arthrography of the knee had been performed because of persistent pain after menisectomy. In about 60% of the cases the interval between operation and arthrography was less than 18 months. The causes of residual pain identified by arthrography were divided into meniscal and extra meniscal. The most frequent findings were remnants of pathological meniscal tissue; lesions of the anterior cruciate ligament; synovial and chondral pathology. Thirty patients were checked by arthroscopy and were subjected to further operation. In 80% of these cases the arthrographic findings corresponded exactly with the operative findings. The writers confirm that arthrography is still a valid method of investigation in patients affected by persisting pain after meniscectomy.

Adolescent↗

Drug addiction during pregnancy.

On the basis of current literature and their own experience, the authors discuss (1) the major complications possible in pregnant drug addicts, (2) whether the complications can be attributed to deficient prenatal care or to effects of drug abuse, and (3) the best prenatal care of drug-addicted mothers.

Birth Weight↗

Rigid spine syndrome. Some evidence of varying pathological patterns.

Rigid spine syndrome is a rare disorder supposed to be myopathic in origin, its major histologic abnormality being apparently a proliferation of connective tissue. A case of this syndrome observed in a 8-year-old girl with a progressive and rapidly fatal course is reported. Examination of nerve conduction velocity suggested a neurogenic rather than a myopathic impairment. Muscle biopsy disclosed nonspecific findings, such as fibre size variation, few streamings, but no proliferation of connective tissue. A review of the cases presented in the literature let us suppose that this syndrome is a complex clinical disorder probably secondary to varying pathological processes.

Child↗

Minicore myopathy.

A case of minicore diseases (MCD) detected in a 10-year-old boy was reported and the nosological entity of this "myopathy" discussed. Its pathogenesis was unknown. Similar findings have been reported in many different conditions of human and experimental pathology. This suggests the possibility that at least some "core diseases" (central-, mini-, multicore myopathies), might not be diseases but just tissue syndromes. The possible relationship between these myopathies and malignant hyperthermia is stressed.

Child↗

Characterization of alpha-latrotoxin interaction with rat brain synaptosomes and PC12 cells.

alpha-latrotoxin, a polypeptide neurotoxin purified from the venom of the spider Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus, induces a massive release of a variety of neurotransmitters from rat brain synaptosomes and a clonal pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12 cells). In both systems secretion of catecholamines is dose- and calcium-dependent. Efflux of catecholamines is coupled with a substantial release of intracellular ATP. Independent of alpha-latrotoxin with PC12 cells is followed by a rapid influx of calcium and sodium ions, the rate being dependent on toxin and calcium concentrations. By reductive methylation it is possible to radioactively label alpha-latrotoxin without appreciable loss of neurotoxicity. A sensitive binding assay in vitro allows the identification of a limited number of specific binding sites in central nervous system synaptic membranes and PC12 cells, for which tritiated alpha-latrotoxin displays nanomolar affinity.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Endocrinological features and endometrial morphology in climacteric women receiving hormone replacement therapy.

Prolactin (PRL), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), oestrone (E1), and oestradiol (E2) levels were determined in 204 women who were receiving hormone replacement therapy for their climacteric symptoms. The changes in these hormone levels and the endometrial morphology were studied in order to determine the effects of the replacement therapy. The women were divided into two groups: the first group of 120 women was treated with conjugated oestrogens administered cyclically, plus norethisterone acetate. The second group of 84 women received oral oestriol succinate, also administered cyclically but without additional progestogens. The oestrogen-progestogen therapy resulted in a disappearance of the climacteric symptoms and a significant decrease of FSH and LH levels. Oestriol therapy was less effective than the conjugated oestrogens as a replacement therapy. Oestriol therapy also resulted in a less remarkable decrease of gonadotrophin levels. There were no significant changes in prolactin levels in either group of women. The endometrial histology did not change significantly after either of the two hormone replacement therapies.

Climacteric↗

An intrauterine progesterone contraceptive system (52 mg) used in pre- and peri-menopausal patients with endometrial hyperplasia.

An intrauterine progesterone contraceptive system (IPCS) (52 mg) was inserted in 25 women with cystic endometrial hyperplasia. Among these women, 11 complained of heavy climacteric symptoms and also received an oestrogen replacement therapy consisting of conjugated oestrogens (0.625 mg/day) administered cyclically for 3 out of 4 wk. Prior to the therapy and after 6 mth of treatment, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), oestrone (E1) and oestradiol (E2) plasma levels were measured and endometrial histology was evaluated. In the women receiving IPCS treatment alone, there were no significant changes in FSH, LH, PRL, E1 and E2 plasma levels. However, there were remarkable changes found in their endometrial histology. In the remaining women receiving both treatments there was a sharp decrease in FSH and LH plasma levels and an increase in E1 and E2 plasma levels, while the prolactin levels remained unchanged. With the exception of two of these women, the endometrial histology changed remarkably. The endometrial morphology of the two exceptions remained unchanged. All climacteric symptoms disappeared after the administration of both IPCS and the oestrogen replacement therapy. The remarkable changes which did occur in the endometrial histology resulted in a less active glandular epithelium and stromal decidual formation, thus proving a useful effect of treatment.

Adult↗

[Estimate of the dose in the marrow and the gonads of patients undergoing neoplastic treatment with telecobalt therapy (author's transl)].

Measurements of the doses were carried out on phantoms in order to determine the dose in the marrow and gonads of patients undergoing radio-therapeutic treatment with telecobalt therapy with fixed fields. On average, the dose in the marrow for each treatment resulted to be 2.35 Gy in the male and 5.8 Gy in the female whereas the dose in the gonads for each treatment was on average 0.41 Gy in the male and 0.029 Gy with the exclusion of castrating doses in the female. If one considers the number of patients treated in 1975 with telecobalt therapy with fields (269 men and 309 women) the contribution to the leukaemia dose and to the genetically significant dose can be estimated in approximate terms for the year 1975 in the province of Varese: 0.48 mSv/year and 2.5.10-3 mSv/year respectively. Taking into account the risk factors indicated in publication 26 of the ICRP it can be deduced that in the group of patients treated the expected increase in the number of cases of leukaemia and genetic effects will be 5 and 0.5 respectively.

Bone Marrow↗