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Biomedical subjects

A Mari

Publications and source records attributed to A Mari.

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

Free fatty acids impair hepatic insulin extraction in vivo.

Hyperinsulinemia is a common finding in obesity and results from insulin hypersecretion and impaired hepatic insulin extraction. In vitro studies have shown that free fatty acids (FFAs), which are often elevated in obesity, can impair insulin binding and degradation in isolated rat hepatocytes. To investigate whether FFAs impair hepatic insulin extraction (E(H)) in vivo, either saline (SAL) or 10% Intralipid (0.03 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) plus heparin (0.44 U x kg(-1) x min(-1)) (IH) was infused into normal dogs to elevate FFA levels. Insulin was infused intraportally at 18 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 150 min (period A, high insulin dose), and then at 2.4 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) for another 150 min (period B, low insulin dose). After the low portal insulin dose, additional insulin was infused peripherally at 8.4 pmol x kg(-1) x min(-1) for 120 min (period C) to assess the clearance of insulin from the peripheral plasma. In 16 paired experiments, FFA levels were 1,085 +/- 167, 1,491 +/- 240, 1,159 +/- 221 micromol/l (IH) and 221 +/- 44, 329 +/- 72, 176 +/- 44 micromol/l (SAL) in periods A, B, and C, respectively. Peripheral insulin levels were greater with IH (P < 0.001) than with SAL in all periods (1,620 +/- 114, 126 +/- 12, 1,050 +/- 72 pmol/l for IH vs. 1,344 +/- 168, 96 +/- 4.2, 882 +/- 60 pmol/l for SAL). Glucose clearance was impaired by IH in all periods (P < 0.05), whereas glucose production was slightly increased by IH during period B. Peripheral insulin clearance (Cl) and E(H) were calculated from the insulin infusion rate and insulin concentration data in each period by taking into account the nonlinearity of insulin kinetics. Cl was lower (P < 0.01) with IH (9.6 +/- 0.6, 12.0 +/- 0.9, 10.2 +/- 0.6 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) than with SAL (11.2 +/- 1, 13.6 +/- 0.7, 11.9 +/- 0.9 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) in periods A, B, and C. E(H) was also lower (P < 0.05) with IH (25 +/- 4, 40 +/- 5, 32 +/- 5%) than with SAL (30 +/- 2.8, 47 +/- 3, 38 +/- 3%). We conclude that FFAs can impair hepatic insulin extraction in vivo at high and low insulin levels, an effect that may contribute to the peripheral hyperinsulinemia of obesity.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Bacterial flora of odontogenic and non-odontogenic inflammations of the oro-facial region].

Samples were collected from 34 patients after extraoral incision in case of infections of oro-facial region (29 odontogen and 5 non odontogen). The authors examined the prevalence, ration and susceptibility of the isolated bacteria to antibiotics. The 98-100% of the bacteria has found were sensitive to Clindamycin and Amoxicillin/Clavulan acid. These antibiotics could be the first choice to treat the above mentioned diseases.

Amoxicillin↗
PubMed1999

[In vitro comparison of marginal adaptation of various filling materials. I. Effect of the filling material on marginal adaptation].

In a two-month in vitro experiment cervical marginal adaptation was examined in relation to the preparation, filling method and restorative material. Fifty Class II cavities were prepared in fifty extracted sound human premolar and molar teeth extending to the approximal cement-enamel junction. The cavities to receive composite restorations were bevelled at the vestibulo-occlusal and -approximal enamel margins, the other aspects of the cavity enamel and gingival margins at the cement-enamel junction being prepared conventionally. The cavities for amalgam were prepared and filled conventionally. The specimens were cycled in different buffer solutions and temperature, modelling possible variations in the oral environment and examined with SEM. The results were analysed using ANOVA. The best marginal adaptation among the composites was achieved with Charisma, Estilux Posterior, Durafil and Prisma AP. H at the bevelled enamel margins, the worst marginal fit was with Heliomolar and Polofil. It was concluded, that adhesive technique reduces, but does not eliminate marginal leakage.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1999

[In vitro comparison of marginal adaptation of different filling materials. II. Effect of the site and method of preparation on the marginal adaptation].

In a two-month in vitro experiment we examined the marginal adaptation of ten dental materials. Fifty Class II restorations were prepared extending to the cemento-enamel junction. The cavities of the composite restorations were bevelled at the vestibulo-occlusal and -approximal enamel margins, on the other side enamel and gingival margins were prepared conventionally. The specimens were thermocycled and examined with SEM. The microleakage was measured at the vestibulo-occlusal and -approximal tooth-filling junction, where adhesive technique was used, and at the gingival, oroocclusal and -approximal margins, which were not bevelled before. The obviously most important conclusion of the study is, that in the case of deep Class II cavities the amalgam has a better adaptation at the gingival margin than the examined composite resins.

Dental Amalgam↗
PubMed1999

[Hygiene in dentistry. I. Contamination of handpieces and dental units].

The microbial contamination was examined after clinical use in three groups: 1. autoclaved, 2. disinfected, 3. non treated dental turbine handpieces. The results did not show any difference in contamination between groups of handpieces. The authors described their recommendations how to use dental handpieces in cases of different cooling water supply of units.

Dental Instruments↗
PubMed1999

[Infection control in dentistry. II.: Disinfection od dental handpieces].

The effectiveness of three different kind of sterilization or disinfection procedures was investigated in case of contaminated turbine handpieces. The results demonstrated that formaldehyde, isopropyl-alcohol and ethylenoxid are equally effective to disinfect or sterilize handpieces. The isopropyl-alcohol solving in pure ethyl-alcohol is one of the material which complies most of the requirements, as described by the authors.

2-Propanol↗
PubMed1999

[Marginal adaptation of different esthetic filling materials under the effect of heat treatment].

The aim of the study was to examine the marginal adaptation of six tooth coloured restoratives to the tooth hard tissues before and after heat treatment considering the filling method and the placement of the cavity margin. The study showed that 1) the composite marginal adaptation was better with enamel bonding technique than with total bonding technique; 2) the microleakage was less before heat treatment; 3) the best fit was at the occlusal surface and the worst at the gingival tooth-filling junction with the composites; 4) non-composites showed the best adaptation at the approximal enamel-filling junction and the worst at the occlusal surface; 5) the best marginal adaptation could be achieved with Charisma and SpectrumTPH among the composites, and Dyract among the non-composites.

Dental Marginal Adaptation↗
PubMed1999

Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation after segmental mandibulectomy and bone grafting.

A free vascularized fibula (6 cases) and iliac bone (11 cases) graft were used to reconstruct a mandibular discontinuity defect resulting from cancer surgery in 17 patients. Fifty-two osseointegrated DenTi implants were secondarily placed into the grafted bone, and all the patients underwent prosthetic rehabilitation. (DenTi is an endosseous dental implant system invented and manufactured by Denti-System Ltd., Szentes, Hungary.) To date, the maximum follow-up time after prosthetic treatment is 5 years, the minimum is 2 years. During this time, only one of the 52 inserted implants was lost, and that occurred a few days after insertion. Clinical signs of peri-implantitis were observed in only 2 of the fixed prosthetic restorations. Long-term maintenance is essential if such patients are to achieve successful prosthetic restorations and, thus, enhanced lives.

Bone Transplantation↗
PubMed1999

Detection of an atypical 7q11.23 deletion in Williams syndrome patients which does not include the STX1A and FZD3 genes.

We present two patients with the full Williams syndrome (WS) phenotype carrying a smaller deletion than typically observed. The deleted region spans from the elastin gene to marker D7S1870. This observation narrows the minimal region of deletion in WS and suggests that the syntaxin 1A and frizzled genes are not responsible for the major features of this developmental disorder and provides important insight into understanding the genotype-phenotype correlation in WS.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1998

Structure and expression of the human ubiquitin fusion-degradation gene (UFD1L).

We report the genomic organization, RNA and protein expression patterns of the gene encoding for the human homolog of the yeast ubiquitin fusion-degradation protein-1 (UFD1L). This enzyme is involved in a ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway (UFD), firstly described in yeast. The human UFD1L gene is organized into 12 exons ranging in size from 33 to 161 bp. Sequence analysis of the 5'-flanking region of the gene revealed a high GC content, multiple CCAAT-binding motifs, CREB, CFT, and AP-2 sites. RNA transcripts were detected in all tissues and cell lines examined, including thymus, thymocytes, T- and B-cells, fibroblasts, chorionic villi, and amniocytes. In Western blot, the UFD1L antibody demonstrated the presence of multiple protein isoforms in all the tested tissues. Expression profile and promoter characteristics suggest UFD1L is a housekeeping gene with implications in the pathogenesis of DiGeorge/velo-cardio-facial syndrome, due to 22q11.2 deletions.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport↗
PubMed1998

Assessment of insulin sensitivity and secretion with the labelled intravenous glucose tolerance test: improved modelling analysis.

A new modelling analysis was developed to assess insulin sensitivity with a tracer-modified intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT). IVGTTs were performed in 5 normal (NGT) and 7 non-insulin-dependent diabetic (NIDDM) subjects. A 300 mg/kg glucose bolus containing [6,6-(2)H2]glucose was given at time 0. After 20 min, insulin was infused for 5 min (NGT, 0.03; NIDDM, 0.05 U/kg). Concentrations of tracer, glucose, insulin and C-peptide were measured for 240 min. A circulatory model for glucose kinetics was used. Glucose clearance was assumed to depend linearly on plasma insulin concentration delayed. Model parameters were: basal glucose clearance (Cl(b)), glucose clearance at 600 pmol/l insulin concentration (Cl600), basal glucose production (Pb), basal insulin sensitivity index (BSI = Cl(b)/basal insulin concentration); incremental insulin sensitivity index (ISI = slope of the relationship between insulin concentration and glucose clearance). Insulin secretion was calculated by deconvolution of C-peptide data. Indices of basal pancreatic sensitivity (PSIb) and first (PSI1) and second-phase (PSI2) sensitivity were calculated by normalizing insulin secretion to the prevailing glucose levels. Diabetic subjects were found to be insulin resistant (BSI: 2.3 +/- 0.6 vs 0.76 +/- 0.18 ml x min(-1) x m(-2) x pmol/l(-1), p < 0.02; ISI: 0.40 +/- 0.06 vs 0.13 +/- 0.05 ml x min(-1) x m(-2) x pmol/l(-1), p < 0.02; Cl600: 333 +/- 47 vs 137 +/- 26 ml x min(-1) x m(-2), p < 0.01; NGT vs NIDDM). Pb was not elevated in NIDDM (588 +/- 169 vs 606 +/- 123 micromol x min(-1) x m(-2), NGT vs NIDDM). Hepatic insulin resistance was however present as basal glucose and insulin were higher. PSI1 was impaired in NIDDM (67 +/- 15 vs 12 +/- 7 pmol x min x m(-2) x mmol/l(-1), p < 0.02; NGT vs NIDDM). In NGT and in a subset of NIDDM subjects (n = 4), PSIb was inversely correlated with BSI (r = 0.95, p < 0.0001, log transformation). This suggests the existence of a compensatory mechanism that increases pancreatic sensitivity in the presence of insulin resistance, which is normal in some NIDDM subjects and impaired in others. In conclusion, using a simple test the present analysis provides a rich set of parameters characterizing glucose metabolism and insulin secretion, agrees with the literature, and provides some new information on the relationship between insulin sensitivity and secretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Juniperus oxycedrus: a new allergenic pollen from the Cupressaceae family.

BACKGROUND: Cupressaceae allergy is a worldwide pollinosis caused by several species. Some species in limited geographic areas pollinate in fall and winter. Juniperus oxycedrus matches these features. OBJECTIVE: We sought to define the immunochemical, allergologic, and environmental aspects of J. oxycedrus pollen. METHODS: Pollen extract from J. oxycedrus was prepared and characterized by biochemical analysis and human specific IgE binding by means of ELISA and immunoblotting. A 3-year phenological study was conducted to define the pollinating period of J. oxycedrus. Forty consecutive patients allergic to cypress were recruited in two areas and divided into two groups according to their exposure to J. oxycedrus pollen. Clinical evaluation, skin prick tests, and specific IgE determination with J. oxycedrus, J. ashei, and Cupressus arizonica extracts were carried out on both groups. RESULTS: J. oxycedrus pollen extract was obtained, and it showed specific IgE binding and wide cross-reactivity with other Cupressaceae species. The extract caused a positive skin test response in all the patients tested, with about 80% of them having detectable specific IgE. Symptoms related to J. oxycedrus pollen exposure were recorded in 72% of the directly exposed patients and occasionally in 9% of the nonexposed patients. In the Mediterranean coastal area considered, J. oxycedrus was the first Cupressaceae species that started to pollinate at the beginning of November and ended in the first part of December. CONCLUSIONS: J. oxycedrus represents a newly characterized pollen species of the Cupressaceae family that cross-reacts with other members of the same family. Subjects with cypress allergy have in vivo and in vitro positive test responses for J. oxycedrus and can show symptoms when exposed to its pollen. Finally, the most important feature of J. oxycedrus is its early pollinating period in southern Europe (Italy), causing a further extension of the cypress pollen season in areas where other Cupressaceae species are present.

Allergens↗
PubMed1998

Molecular characterization of a cross-reactive Juniperus oxycedrus pollen allergen, Jun o 2: a novel calcium-binding allergen.

BACKGROUND: Species belonging to the Cupressaceae family are a relevant source of allergens that are present in a wide number of countries. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify, purify, and characterize recombinant allergens from Juniperus oxycedrus, a species belonging to the Cupressaceae family. METHODS: Double-stranded cDNA was synthesized from mRNA and cloned into the lambda-ZAP expression vector. IgE screening of the library was performed with a pool of sera from subjects allergic to Cupressaceae. A recombinant 6xHis-tagged Juniperus oxycedrus allergen, Jun o 2, was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified by Ni2+ affinity chromatography. It was studied further by immunoblotting inhibition with pollen extracts from other Cupressaceae, Oleaceae, Urticaceae, and Graminaceae. The role of protein-bound calcium on the allergen's IgE-binding capacity was tested in a plaque assay in the presence or absence of EGTA. RESULTS: A cDNA coding for a newly identified Juniperus oxycedrus pollen allergen, rJun o 2, was isolated. The deduced amino acid sequence contained four typical Ca2+ binding sites and showed a significant sequence similarity to calmodulins. Depletion of Ca2+ in the plaque assay led to a loss of IgE-binding capacity of rJun o 2. Immunoblotting inhibition revealed that J. oxycedrus, J. ashei, Cupressus arizonica, C. sempervirens, Parietaria judaica, Olea europaea, and Lolium perenne pollen extracts were able to inhibit IgE binding to blotted rJun o 2 at different concentrations. CONCLUSION: rJun o 2 contains IgE-binding epitopes shared by taxonomically unrelated species, and therefore it can be regarded as a new panallergen. These findings could contribute to an explanation for the phenomenon of multiple positive test results in polysensitized patients and the potential symptom-eliciting role of allergenic sources previously not encountered.

Allergens↗
PubMed1998

How to measure insulin sensitivity.

Insulin resistance is common in the general population and tends to cluster with glucose intolerance, dyslipidaemia and high blood pressure. The importance of the insulin-resistant phenotype for the assessment of cardiovascular risk and response to intervention is increasingly being recognized. Therefore, there is a need for an accurate and reproducible method for measuring insulin resistance in vivo. The euglycaemic insulin clamp is currently the best available standard technique. It provides steady-state measures of insulin action and is easily combined with a number of other investigative methods (tracer dilution, limb catheterization, indirect calorimetry, positron emission tomography and nuclear magnetic resonance scans). Whereas homeostatic model assessment uses fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations to derive indices of insulin sensitivity and secretion from a mathematical model, other techniques are based on the exogenous infusion of glucose or insulin, or both, either under steady-state (the insulin suppression test) or under dynamic conditions (insulin tolerance test, intravenous glucose-tolerance test with minimal model analysis, and constant infusion of glucose with model assessment). This article recalls the principles of insulin action, with special reference to the concept of clearance and the equivalence of different approaches to estimating this function. Merits and disadvantages of the various techniques are then concisely reviewed, with emphasis on their relative feasibilities and reliabilities. Recent developments and future trends are mentioned. Criteria for choice and some reference data are given to aid the clinical investigator.

Blood Glucose↗
PubMed1998

Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica) pollen allergens. Identification of cross-reactive periodate-resistant and -sensitive epitopes with monoclonal antibodies.

Species of the Cupressaceae family are a worldwide cause of respiratory allergies. We used monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to investigate the presence and the nature of cross-reacting epitopes shared by various components within Cupressus arizonica pollen extract (CaE) or by CaE and pollen extract from C. sempervirens (CsE). mAbs were produced in mice immunized with whole CaE (4A6 and 5E6) or with the major allergen components (2D5). Their reactivity was investigated by ELISA and immunoblotting before and after CaE periodate treatment. Cross-reactivity was evaluated by ELISA inhibition and immunoblotting. mAbs 2D5 and 4A6 recognized periodate-resistant epitopes, whereas the mAb 5E6 reacted with a periodate-sensitive determinant. The former mAbs recognized epitopes present on CaE major allergen and also shared by other components. mAb 5E6 showed a spread reactivity on CaE, with exclusion of the major allergen. When the three mAbs were tested with CsE, a restricted pattern of reactivity to mAbs 2D5 and 4A6 was obtained, whereas mAb 5E6 maintained a spread reactivity. The CaE major allergen is represented by two components recognized by human IgE and sharing common epitopes, as proven by mAbs reactivity. The use of these mAbs demonstrates that cross-reactivity within CaE components and between CaE and CsE is due to the presence of periodate-sensitive as well as -resistant epitopes.

Allergens↗
PubMed1997

Assessment of insulin action on glucose uptake and production during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp in dog: a new kinetic analysis.

We evaluated the validity of the traditional method of assessment of the speed of insulin action during a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp. We first estimated the error of Steele's model on glucose uptake in these experimental conditions. We tested the appropriateness of estimating the half-time of insulin action by expressing the glucose flux changes as a percent of the maximal change (normalization on a 0% to 100% scale). For this purpose, we performed a 390-minute euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic (2 mU.min-1.kg-1) clamp in five chronically catheterized conscious dogs. We used [3-3H]glucose to assess glucose kinetics. We used a novel analysis based on a circulatory model, which allowed us to overcome the limitations of compartmental analysis. We found that the primary effect of insulin (increased from 12.3 +/- 1.6 to 104 +/- 15 microU/mL) was to increase the whole-body fractional extraction of glucose (3.0% +/- 0.3% to 18% +/- 2%). Insulin did not alter the mean whole-body artery-vein transit time (3.1 +/- 0.2 v 2.9 +/- 0.4 minutes). In contrast to the assumptions of the Steele model, which assumes that glucose uptake and rate of appearance (Ra) are equal during the clamp, during the initial 30 minutes of the clamp the increase in glucose uptake preceded (by approximately 4 minutes) the increase in Ra. Thus, during this period uptake exceeded Ra by about 15%. The maximal difference between Ra and uptake (1 to 1.5 mg.min-1.kg-1) occurred approximately 15 minutes after insulin infusion. Finally, to estimate the half-time of the insulin signal that controls glucose uptake and production, we accounted for the nonlinear relationship between insulin concentration and glucose uptake and production. We found that the traditional normalization of the glucose flux changes on a 0% to 100% scale underestimated the half-time of onset of the insulin signal that controls glucose uptake (half-time, 20 v 54 minutes) and glucose production (half-time, 25 v 39 minutes). Accounting for the nonlinearity of the dose-response curves may thus be of crucial importance in the evaluation of the onset and offset of insulin action.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

UFD1L, a developmentally expressed ubiquitination gene, is deleted in CATCH 22 syndrome.

The CATCH 22 acronym outlines the main clinical features of 22q11.2 deletions (cardiac defects, abnormal facies, thymic hypoplasia, cleft palate and hypocalcemia), usually found in DiGeorge (DGS) and velo-cardio-facial (VCFS) syndromes. Hemizygosity of this region may also be the cause of over 100 different clinical signs. The CATCH 22 locus maps within a 1.5 Mb region, which encompasses several genes. However, no single defect in 22q11.2 hemizygous patients can be ascribed to any gene so far isolated from the critical region of deletion. We have identified a gene in the CATCH 22 critical region, whose functional features and tissue-specific expression suggest a distinct role in embryogenesis. This gene, UFD1L, encodes the human homolog of the yeast ubiquitin fusion degradation 1 protein (UFD1p), involved in the degradation of ubiquitin fusion proteins. Cloning and characterization of the murine homolog (Ufd1l) showed it to be expressed during embryogenesis in the eyes and in the linear ear primordia. These data suggest that the proteolytic pathway that recognizes ubiquitin fusion proteins for degradation is conserved in vertebrates and that the UFD1L gene hemizygosity is the cause of some of the CATCH 22-associated developmental defects.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport↗