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Biomedical subjects

A Leone

Publications and source records attributed to A Leone.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Relationship between techniques taught and practice behavior: education and clinical correlation.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between the time spent teaching various manual procedures in each of two different chiropractic colleges and the actual practice of those procedures in the graduate clinical environment of the doctors involved. METHODS: A simple questionnaire instrument was constructed to assess the frequency of use of 9 different manual evaluation treatment procedures. All graduates from the two chiropractic colleges in the state of Texas who obtained their license between 1988 and 1993 were polled. Reliability was studied by polling the first 30 qualified respondents twice and was found to be acceptable. The college curriculum with respect to the techniques studied was compared with the perceived use of the various techniques by the graduates surveyed. RESULTS: A total of 224 of 322 (70%) surveys were returned for consideration. Of these, 197 met all of the inclusion/exclusion criteria and were assessed as part of the sample. Significant differences were found between the colleges with respect to perceived practitioner use of Activator (chi 2 = 14.247, P = .004), Thompson technique (chi 2 = 57.702, P = .000), Gonstead (chi 2 = 52.173, P = .000), and flexion-distraction (chi 2 = 29.424, P = .000). CONCLUSION: Data from this research provide evidence that a relationship does exist between manual procedures taught in two different chiropractic colleges and the perceived use of those procedures in actual clinical practice. Implications of this relationship are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1998

Integrated Use of GLEAMS and GIS to Prevent Groundwater Pollution Caused by Agricultural Disposal of Animal Waste

/ In modern intensive animal farming the disposal of a large amount of waste is of great concern, as, if not properly performed, it can cause the pollution of water, mainly because of the high content of nitrate and phosphate. This paper presents the results of a study intended to assess the environmental sustainability of animal waste disposal on agricultural soils in the alluvial plain of the River Chiana (Tuscany, Italy), a particularly sensitive area because of the high vulnerability of the shallow aquifer and of the intensive agricultural and breeding activities. With this aim, a strategy has been employed, that consists of the integrated use of a management model and GISs. The consequences on groundwater of applying animal waste to different kind of soils and crop arrangements have been simulated by means of the management model GLEAMS (Groundwater Loading Effects of Agricultural Management Systems, ver 2.01). As the huge amount of data required by such a sophisticated model does not allow applications at a scale larger than the field size, IDRISI and GRASS GIS packages have been used to divide the study area into land units, with homogeneous environmental characteristics, and then to generalize on these units the outputs of the model. The main conclusions can be synthesized as follows: The amount of animal waste produced in some of the investigated areas (i.e., municipal territory) is greater than that disposable on their own agricultural soil with no risks to the groundwater; consequently a cooperative approach among municipalities is necessary in order to plan waste disposal in a comprehensive and centralized way.KEY WORDS: Land use; Animal waste disposal; Groundwater protection; GIS, Management models

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Fas ligand is present in tumors of the Ewing's sarcoma family and is cleaved into a soluble form by a metalloproteinase.

Fas ligand (FasL) exists in transmembrane and soluble forms and induces apoptosis on cross-linking with the Fas receptor. We evaluated the biological significance of FasL and Fas in 61 tumor tissues and 9 cell lines of the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT). FasL was present in 62.5% and Fas in 79.4% of primary ESFT. Metastatic tumors had higher expression of FasL (95%), suggesting association with a metastatic phenotype. FasL was detected in the cytoplasm and membrane of ESFT cells by immunofluorescence. Western blotting revealed transmembrane and soluble FasL in cytosolic extracts and soluble FasL in conditioned media. Both transmembrane and soluble FasL induced apoptosis of Fas-sensitive Jurkat cells in co-culture experiments with ESFT cells or their media. Treatment with phenanthroline and the synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitor BB-3103 reduced the levels of soluble FasL in the media, suggesting that in ESFT, FasL is processed by a metalloproteinase and released in the extracellular milieu. The released soluble FasL may serve to attack cells of the immune system and/or interfere with the binding of transmembrane FasL with Fas, and results in down-regulation of transmembrane FasL. Synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitors may modify the ratio of transmembrane to soluble FasL.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1998

ViVa: the virtual vascular project.

The aim of the virtual vascular project (ViVa) is to develop tools for the modern hemodynamicist and cardiovascular surgeon to study and interpret the constantly increasing amount of information being produced by noninvasive imaging equipment. In particular, we are developing a system able to process and visualize three-dimensional (3-D) medical data, reconstruct the geometry of arteries of specific patients, and simulate blood flow in them. The initial applications of the system will be for clinical research and training purposes. In a later stage, we will explore the application of the system to surgical planning. ViVa is based on an integrated set of tools, each dedicated to a specific aspect of the data processing and simulation pipeline: image processing and segmentation; real-time 3-D volume visualization; 3-D geometry reconstruction; 3-D mesh generation; and blood flow simulation and visualization.

Cardiovascular System↗
PubMed1998

nm23 expression in human breast cancer: correlation with cell proliferation (S-phase) as observed with a double-labeling immunocytochemical-autoradiographic technique.

In 51 unselected breast cancer samples, a double-labeling immunocytochemical technique was utilized to observe the phenotypic expression of the nm23 gene during S-phase. The feasibility of the method was confirmed by comparison with routine evaluations for both thymidine-labeling index and nm23 (p<0.001). No correlation was found between the two parameters in the overall series or when subgroups regarding menopausal status, nodal involvement, tumor size, hormone receptor content were considered. Tumors with a higher nuclear grade showed a significant correlation only with TLI (p=0. 02). A trend for an inverse relationship between the two parameters was noted but was not statistically significant. A significant association between TLI and nm23 expression was found by Chi-square test using median values as cut-off. Our data based on morphological and in situ observations do not confirm a correlation between nm23 and cell proliferation, even if this correlation cannot be completely excluded. Multicentric trials of high power with these same techniques are still necessary to definitely establish the prognostic role of nm23 in breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Regulation of ZiRF1 and basal SP1 transcription factor MRE-binding activity by transition metals.

The metal-dependent activation of metallothionein (MT) genes requires the interaction of positive trans-activators (MRFs) with metal-regulatory (MRE) regions of MT promoters. In this report, we examined the role of transition metals in modulating the MRE-binding activities of two different MRE-binding proteins: the metal-regulated factor ZiRF1 and the basal factor SP1. We showed the ability of both proteins to interact with a similar sequence specificity with the cognate target site (MRE-S) of another known MRE-binding protein, mMTF1. We next evaluated the role of metal ions in modulating the MRE-binding activity of recombinant ZiRF1 and basal SP1 proteins by measuring the effect of different metal chelators on DNA interaction. We observed a dose-dependent inhibition of the GST-ZiRF1/MRE-binding activity using three different metal chelators: EDTA, 1,10 PHE and TPEN. Interestingly, EDTA treatment failed to inhibit the recombinant SP1 MRE-binding activity while the effect of 1,10 PHE was comparable to that obtained analyzing 1,10 PHE-treated GST-ZiRF1. The MRE-binding complexes detected in cell extracts showed a response to metal chelator treatment very similar to that displayed by the recombinant ZiRF1 and SP1 proteins. The hypothesis of mutual interactions of both basal and metal-regulated transcription factors with the same metal-regulatory regions is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Interactions of the zinc-regulated factor (ZiRF1) with the mouse metallothionein Ia promoter.

A mouse cDNA clone, M96, encoding a metal-regulating-element (MRE)-binding protein, was analysed for its ability to act as a metal-regulated transcription factor. The metal depletion of a glutathione S-transferase (GST)-M96 fusion protein showed that Zn2+ ions modulate the MRE-binding activity, suggesting that the M96-encoded protein is a Zn2+-regulated factor (ZiRF1). The methylation interference assay showed the specific interactions of ZiRF1 with the MRE, MREd/c, present on the mouse metallothionein Ia promoter. Point mutations of the MREd/c nullified the metal-regulatory properties of this region. In mouse L-cell nuclear extracts, mobility-shift assays revealed a Zn2+-dependent MRE-binding complex (MBC) with DNA-recognition properties similar to those of ZiRF1. Antibodies raised against purified GST-ZiRF1 were able to specifically recognize MBC in Western-blot analyses. Competition analysis of MRE-binding proteins from mouse NIH3T3 cells with oligonucleotide matching the binding sites for SP1 and MTF1 confirmed that both the basal SP1 and the metal-regulated MBC/ZiRF1 interact with the MREd/c region. The significance of mutual interactions with the metal-responsive promoter regions of either metal-regulated or basal transcription factors is discussed.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1997

Revisiting the prognostic role of gallium scintigraphy in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The purpose of this study was threefold: to evaluate the role of gallium-67 scintigraphy in the staging of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (LGNHL), to assess the relationship between the expression of CD71 on the surface of the neoplastic cells and the 67Ga uptake by the tumour, and to establish the contribution of 67Ga scan in defining the prognosis of LGNHL. Forty-eight patients with untreated LGNHL diagnosed in a single institution over a decade were reviewed. The end point of the study was survival of the patients according to the scintigraphic 67Ga score at diagnosis. In addition to 67Ga scan, other prognostic variables were studied, relating to the neoplastic burden, the biology of the tumour and the host. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used. 67Ga scan identified only 116/286 (41%) nodes involved by lymphoma that were detected by clinical examination or computed tomography scan. A scintigraphic scoring system with an arbitrary cut-off value of 3 (high scan score) was able to predict patients with a dismal prognosis: with a mean follow-up of 47 months (range: 1-146 months) the median survival time was 28 months in patients with a high scan score and 74 months in patients with a low scan score (P=0.002). CD71 values were 27. 4%+/-14.9% (mean +/-SD) in the former and 8.9%+/-7.2% in the latter (P=0.0001). Only performance status and extranodal sites were significant variables for prognosis in multivariate analysis. It is concluded that 67Ga scan is inaccurate in staging but might be very important in defining the prognosis in LGNHL, in association with other prognostic variables.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1997

Epidemiology of hepatitis C virus infection in an area of Southern Italy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been recognized as a major cause of liver disease, but little is known about its diffusion at population level. To estimate the prevalence and incidence of HCV infection and to explore potential risk factors at population level, an epidemiologic study was carried out. METHODS: A cohort was built up in 1985, on a random sample of the population of Castellana, a small town in southern Italy (Bari province), and followed up until 1993. HCV ELISA II and RIBA HCV 2.0 were used as screening and confirmatory tests, respectively. RESULTS: The overall anti-HCV prevalence was 26.0% (511/1969) at enrollment. The HCV infection incidence rate was 34.2x100,000 person-years (3 cases/8766 persons-years). A secular trend (referent born before 1930; born 1930-39 Odds Ratio (OR) 0.72, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 0.56-0.94; born 1940-49, OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.25-0.44; born 1950 or after, OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.09-0.23) and geographical pattern (referent born outside Bari province; born in Bari province, OR 1.71, 95% CI 0.93-3.16; born in Castellana G, OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.29-4.05) were found by logistic regression analysis after controlling for several confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence, moderate incidence, and marked decrease in HCV infection in the cohort of birth in a population without known risk factors suggest that an epidemiological transition has been operating at population level since the 1950's.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Physiology and biochemistry of endothelial function in children with chronic renal failure.

Premature atherosclerosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in chronic renal failure (CRF). Endothelial dysfunction is a key early event in atherogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of CRF on endothelial function using physiological and biochemical measures. To focus on the effect of CRF itself, 23 children (matched with 23 controls for age and vessel diameter) were selected because they were normotensive, had normal total cholesterol (TC) levels, and were not on vasoactive drugs. Their mean (range) age was 12.0 (7.8 to 17.0) years; GFR 17.5 (8.8 to 34.5) ml/min/1.73 m2. The physiology of endothelial function in the brachial artery was assessed using high resolution ultrasound by measuring its diameter at rest, during reactive hyperemia (endothelium dependent dilation) and after sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (GTN; endothelium independent dilation). Nitric oxide (NO) metabolites and endogenous NO synthetase (eNOS) inhibitors were measured as an assessment of endothelial metabolism. Brachial artery dilation to flow [FMD, mean (SEM)%] was reduced in CRF to 4.9 (0.6) and controls 8.6 (0.6), P < 0.0001. In contrast, the response to GTN was similar in both groups: CRF 25.1 (1.6), controls 23.3 (1.2), P = 0.31. There was no difference in TC, low density lipoprotein (LDL) or high density lipoprotein (HDL) between the patients and the controls. Triglycerides (TG) were higher in the patients but within the normal range. Antibodies against oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) were high in CRF. Endogenous NOS inhibitors were high in CRF, and intermediate NO metabolites were low. There was no correlation between FMD of the brachial artery and lipid subfractions, or with NO metabolites or eNOS inhibitors. Endothelium dependent dilation of the brachial artery is impaired in children with CRF who do not have co-existing risk factors for atherosclerosis. This may represent early evidence of atherogenic vascular disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

The protective effect of the olive oil polyphenol (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-ethanol counteracts reactive oxygen metabolite-induced cytotoxicity in Caco-2 cells.

We investigated the injurious effects of reactive oxygen metabolites on the intestinal epithelium and the possible protective role played by two olive oil phenolic compounds, (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol and (p-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol, using the Caco-2 human cell line. We induced oxidative stress in the apical compartment, either by the addition of 10 mmol/L H2O2 or by the action of 10 U/L xanthine oxidase in the presence of xanthine (250 micromol/L); after the incubation, we evaluated the cellular and molecular alterations. Both treatments produced significant decreases in Caco-2 viability as assessed by the neutral red assay. Furthermore, we observed a significant increase in malondialdehyde intracellular concentration and paracellular inulin transport, indicating the occurrence of lipid peroxidation and monolayer permeability changes, respectively. The H2O2-induced alterations were completely prevented by preincubating Caco-2 cells with (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol (250 micromol/L); when the oxidative stress was induced by xanthine oxidase, complete protection was obtained at a concentration of polyphenol as small as 100 micromol/L. In contrast, (p-hydroxyphenyl)ethanol was ineffective up to a concentration of 500 micromol/L. Our data demonstrate that (3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethanol can act as a biological antioxidant in a cell culture experimental model and that the ortho-dihydroxy moiety of the molecule is essential for antioxidant activity. This study suggests that dietary intake of olive oil polyphenols may lower the risk of reactive oxygen metabolite-mediated diseases such as some gastrointestinal diseases and atherosclerosis.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1997

Lumbosacral junction injury associated with unstable pelvic fracture: classification and diagnosis.

PURPOSE: To determine the types and prevalence of lumbosacral junction injuries associated with an unstable pelvic fracture and to assess the diagnostic value of conventional radiographic and computed tomographic (CT) findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anteroposterior, inlet, and outlet radiographs and CT scans in 97 patients with pelvic disruption were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Unstable pelvic fractures were seen on radiographs in 73 patients, 42 of whom had a sacral fracture. Fourteen of these 42 patients had an associated L5-S1 facet joint injury (three extraarticular, nine articular, and two complex). In three of these 14 patients, the L-5 body was laterally bent by more than 10 degrees, with asymmetric L5-S1 intervertebral space. The diagnosis in nine of the 14 patients with an associated lumbosacral junction injury was rendered on the basis of CT findings only. CONCLUSION: Lumbosacral junction injury must be considered in patients with an unstable pelvic fracture, especially in those with an associated sacral fracture. CT is necessary because these conditions may be overlooked on radiographs, although outlet radiographs are better than CT scans for depicting the possibly associated L5-S1 intervertebral disk lesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Endogenous nitric oxide in exhaled air from patients with liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of liver insufficiency on nitric oxide concentrations in exhaled air. METHODS: Nitric oxide concentrations in the exhaled air from 13 patients with liver cirrhosis and 11 healthy control subjects was examined by the single-breath technique. RESULTS: There was a clear correlation between Child-Pugh score and NO in exhaled air (peak after 15 sec of breathholding, R = 0.623, P = 0.023). Similarly, there were significant correlations in peak NO concentrations and alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase, and albumin. The most severely ill patient in our study had the highest NO concentrations in her exhaled air. On recovery from her liver illness the concentration of NO in her exhaled air decreased. There was no correlation between circulating levels of the endogenous NO synthase inhibitors asymmetric and symmetric N(G), N(G)-dimethyl-arginine and exhaled NO concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The present data show a correlation between endogenous NO formation in the respiratory system and liver dysfunction. This might contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology in pulmonary vasodilatation in liver disease.

Breath Tests↗
PubMed1996

Analysis of metal-regulated metallothionein and heat shock gene expression in HeLa-derived cadmium-resistant cells.

The expression of metallothionein (MT) and heat shock protein gene families was investigated in normal and in HeLa-derived cadmium-resistant cells, named H454. In the absence of amplification of MT genes H454 cells accumulated elevated concentrations of cadmium ions and synthesized higher levels of MT proteins than unselected HeLa cells. Northern blot analyses revealed higher levels of MT mRNAs in the resistant cells than in wild-type cells after Cd2+ and Zn2+ exposure. Evaluation of the cytotoxic potential of the different metals confirmed the high resistance to cadmium of the H454 cells. Two proteins of the heat shock family, hsp70 and GRP78, were synthesized in Cd(2+)-exposed H454 cells at levels comparable to the ones present in Cd(2+)-treated normal cells. Northern blot analyses of the mRNA levels corresponding to these proteins revealed elevated expression of both hsp70 and GRP78 mRNAs in H454 cells upon exposure to cadmium ions and no response to zinc induction. These data suggest the existence in the H454 cells of a cadmium-specific pathway of regulation of MT and heat shock genes.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1996

Nm23 expression in endometrial and cervical cancer: inverse correlation with lymph node involvement and myometrial invasion.

The expression of nm23 has been shown to correlate in some solid tumours with their metastatic potential and to be associated with a favourable prognosis in human breast cancer and melanoma. In breast and ovarian cancer nm23 expression is also correlated with lymph node involvement. We analysed the expression of nm23-H1 and -H2 in normal endometrium and in endometrial and cervical cancer by both Northern and Western blotting. Cellular localisation of Nm23-H1 was visualised by immunohistochemistry mostly in the cytoplasm. Both isoforms of Nm23 were present in all the samples analysed, and a clear direct correlation between Nm23-H1 and -H2 levels was evident. Median nm23-H2 levels were higher than than -H1 levels in both tissues. Cervical cancer patients with lymph node involvement were shown to have significantly lower protein levels of Nm23 (P < 0.007 for H1 and P < 0.009 for H2), and a similar trend was also evident in endometrial cancer. Furthermore, the degree of myometrial invasion in endometrial cancer patients was also inversely correlated with Nm23-H1 levels of expression (P < 0.003). Nm23 level may therefore be taken into consideration as a new marker in the prognostic characterisation and in the treatment planning of uterine tumour patients.

Blotting, Northern↗