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Biomedical subjects

A Morelli

Publications and source records attributed to A Morelli.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Isolation and partial characterization of three acidic proteinases in erythrocyte membranes.

1. The distribution of proteolytic activity in membranes from human erythrocytes and from rabbit reticulocytes and erythrocytes was investigated, after removal of leucocytes and platelets from the cell suspensions. 2. All membrane preparations displayed proteolytic activity in the acidic pH region only. Membranes from human and rabbit mature erythrocytes showed latent activity, which could be increased when extracted with a number of detergents. 3. Three active fractions were resolved either by gel chromatography of solubilized membrane extracts or by standard polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The three proteinase activities (designated proteinases I, II and III) were purified from solubilized extracts of human erythrocyte membranes. 4. The relevant mol.wts. were around 80000, 40000 and 30000, respectively, and each of the three proteinases appeared to be composed of a single polypeptide chain. 5. Distinctive pH optima (in the range pH2.8-3.9) and different saturation profiles with globin as substrate were observed for proteinases I, II and III. 6. Dithioerythritol, Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) inhibited each of the three human enzymes, but more selective inhibitory effects were exerted by other modifiers of proteolytic enzymes and by haemin. Similar effects were observed with the three proteinases from rabbit cells. 7. The activity of the three human proteinases seems to be restricted to naturally occurring protein substrates, although with poor specificity, and none of them was active on synthetic substrates. 8. Digestion of globin by each of the three enzymes yielded similar polypeptide fragments in all cases, this indicating an endopeptidase type of activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

A double-blind, short-term clinical trial of pirenzepine in duodenal ulcer.

The effectiveness of pirenzepine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer was assessed in a double-blind clinical trial in comparison with placebo. Twenty-nine of 30 patients satisfactorily completed the trial. There was endoscopic ulcer healing in 4 of 14 pirenzepine treated patients (29%) after 2 weeks of treatment and in 11 of 14 (79%) after 6 weeks. There was no healing in 15 patients treated with placebo after 2 weeks and there were two ulcers healed after 6 weeks. The difference between pirenzepine and placebo was significant in both 2nd and 6th week. Duodenitis (evaluated by endoscopy) markedly improved in the pirenzepine grouu after 2 (4 of 9 patients) and after 6 weeks of treatment (8 of 9), while no, or only slight, improvement was observed in 8 of 8 patients in the placebo group. When evaluated by ulcer symptom relief and antacid tablet comsumption, pirenzepine proved to be considerable more efficacious than the placebo. The results of this study demonstrate that pirenzepine promoted duodenal ulcer healing, that it markedly improved peptic duodenitis and promoted rapid regression of symptomatology in parallel with endoscopic findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Pirenzepine in the treatment of gastric ulcer. A double-blind short-term clinical trial.

The effectiveness of pirenzepine in the treatment of gastric ulcer was assessed in a double-blind 6 weeks' clinical trial in comparison with placebo. After 2 weeks of treatment 1 patient in each group showed a complete healing of gastric ulcer. After 6 weeks of treatment 9 out of 10 patients in the pirenzepine group (90%) and 4 out of 10 patients in the placebo group (40%) healed (P less than 0.05). The relief of ulcer symptoms was significantly better in the pirenzepine group than in the placebo group. From the second week on, the pirenzepine-treated patients stopped taking antacid while placebo-treated patients went on taking it (P less than 0.02). The results of this study demonstrated that pirenzepine promotes gastric ulcer healing and induces a rapid regression of ulcer symptoms.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

[Transendoscopic retrograde cholangiography in the diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis. Study of 6 cases].

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by severe chronic inflammation, fibrosis and stenosis of variable length of the extra and/or intrahepatic biliary ducts in the absence of recent operative trauma, biliary stones, cancer or infection. Diagnosis has been made only at operation. The introduction of endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) offers the possibility of preoperative diagnosis. Six cases of PSC diagnosed by ERC are presented. Characteristic roentgenologic findings include strictures of variable length of extra and intrahepatic biliary ducts, beaded appearance and decreased arborization of intrahepatic biliary tree. The roentgenological anatomy of biliary tree at ERC influence the subsequent therapy, i.e. surgical therapy is indicated if a drainage can be performed above the site of the stenosis, while medical therapy (steroids and/or immunosuppressive drugs) is the choice when intrahepatic biliary tree is involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Evaluation of transendoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography in 151 jaundiced patients].

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography was performed for possible obstruction of the extra-hepatic bile ducts in 151 patients with jaundice. The endoscope findings (9 cases) and the retrograde cholangiopancreatogram (127 cases) provided a final diagnosis in 131 cases. A correct surgical indication was obtaines in a further 5 cases (90% diagnostic success overall). In 19 cases, unnecessary exploratory laparotomy was avoided by the demonstration of normal extrahepatic ducts. No complications were noted. It is concluded that this technique is virtually free from risks and offers prompt diagnosis in subjects with jaundice. This, of course, has a significant influence on the subsequent treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Diagnostic value of retrograde cholangiopancreatography by transendoscopic route].

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is essential in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease, jaundice and in post-cholecystectomy syndromes, as well as in cases where cholecystography and i.v. cholangiography fail to explain disturbances that strongly suggest bile duct involvement. Its confirmation of clinically established pancreatic disease is much more positive than that given by scintiscanning and multiple superselective arteriography. Unlike the latter, it also permits the differential diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis, cancer of the pancreas, pseudocysts, etc. and distinguishes medical and surgical pancreatitis (stenosis, proteinaceous calculi, and obstructing pseudocysts). Differential diagnosis of progressive jaundice on clinical grounds or with the aid of ordinary means of examination is sometimes unsatisfactory. ERCP clearly distinguishes medical and surgical forms, so that exploratory laparotomy is not needed in subjects with liver-cell forms. It also shows the nature, site and extent of extrahepatic obstruction, and points to the organic cause in 79% of cases of postcholecystectomy syndrome. Right hypochondrial pain or intermittent jaundice and negative cholecystography and i.v. cholangiography is a further indication, since ERCP will reveal disease of the pancreas or bile ducts (cholelithiasis, choledocholithiasis, sclerosing cholangitis, etc). It is also useful in the diagnosis of cirrhosis, abscess, echinococcus cyst and primary or secondary cancer in cases where needle biopsy and-or arteriography are either contra-indicated or inconclusive.

Biliary Tract Diseases↗
PubMed1978

Can Mirizzi syndrome be classified into acute and chronic form? An endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) study.

Three cases of Mirizzi syndrome (partial mechanical obstruction of the common hepatic duct owing to compression by a stone impacted in the cystic duct or gallbladder neck, or due to the inflammatory reaction resulting from compression) are reported. The roentgen features at endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) are discussed. As there are two causes for obstruction, compression or chronic fibrosing reaction resulting from compression, two characteristic X-ray findings and two operating techniques, the authors contend that Mirizzi syndrome should be classified as acute or chronic.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Biochemical mechanisms of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

A solid-phase radioimmunoassay for human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (D-glucose-6-phosphate: NADP+ 1-oxidoreductase; EC 1.1.1.49) was developed that allowed the specific activity of this enzyme protein to be measured in lysates from whole erythrocyte populations, in lysates from erythrocytes of different ages, and in purified samples. The enzyme was highly purified from erythrocytes of single donors by a simple procedure of affinity chromatography with insolubilized adenosine 2',5'-bisphosphate. These techniques were used in an attempt to elucidate the molecular mechanisms leading to deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in two genetic variants of the enzyme, i.e., the Mediterranean and the Seattle-like variants. The results indicate that the lowered activity of erythrocytes containing the Mediterranean variant of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase is related to an enhanced rate of degradation of a catalytically defective protein synthesized at a nearly normal rate. Synthesis of a normally functioning protein and an increased breakdown of it are involved in the Seattle-like variant of the enzyme.

Cross Reactions↗
PubMed1977

Dopamine uptake by platelets in hepatic encephalopathy; evidence for a possible depletion of brain dopamine.

A decrease in H3-dopamine uptake was demonstrated in the blood platelets of 22 hepatic encephalopathy (HE) patients when compared to that of patients with liver cirrhosis, but without HE, and controls. There was a direct correlation between the stage of HE and the decrease in H3-dopamine uptake. As blood platelets have characteristics similar to neurons which contain amines, they have been proposed as a model for the study of amine metabolism in neurological, as well as liver diseases. A defective dopamine uptake by the HE platelets suggests that a similar biochemical derangement is, also, present in the nerve cells of the dopaminergic system. This could account for the clinical evidence of extrapiramidal dysfunction and the arousal effect of levodopa in HE. Platelets from 10 cirrhosis, but HE-free, patients had a dopamine uptake which was intermediate between the HE patients and controls. When octopamine was added at the same concentrations as in serum of HE patients, the blood platelets from five controls showed a decrease in dopamine uptake proportional to the concentration of octopamine added. Octopamine may impair dopamine uptake by platelets from HE patients.

Adult↗