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Biomedical subjects

A Neri

Publications and source records attributed to A Neri.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Meeting report on recent advances on T-lymphocytes in normal and leukemia patients.

We report on the main topics discussed at the "Human T-Lymphocytes in Normal and Leukemia Patients" meeting, including the "Second International Workshop on T-Cell Colonies" (Reggio Calabria, September 16-19, 1984). Improved knowledge in the field of T-lymphocyte biology has contributed greatly to a better clinical definition of T-cell-derived lymphoproliferative disorders. The T-cell colony assay seems to represent a useful tool for studying the early steps of T-lymphocyte maturation and for characterizing accessory cells and soluble mediators that regulate T-cell proliferation.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Placenta previa--the identification of low- and high-risk subgroups.

Among a group of 155 women with placenta previa (PP), two subgroups were identified: subgroup A consisted of 56 pregnancies (56 newborns) in women who had an asymptomatic antenatal course and who were delivered following a single episode of uterine bleeding; subgroup B consisted of 99 pregnancies (103 newborns) in women who had multiple antepartum bleeding episodes. The women in subgroup B were older, more parous, had more abortions and caesarean sections compared to those in subgroup A. Although the distribution of women in both subgroups with respect to the types of PP was similar, the prognosis in subgroup A was better with respect to various maternal and perinatal aspects. The recognition of low- and high-risk subgroups among women with PP may have practical implications for management protocols.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

The management of labor in high myopic patients.

The routine in our department for years used to be: prevention of bearing down during the end of the 2nd stage of labor in high myopic parturients, by forceps delivery, with the assumption that this will prevent increased intraocular pressure--thus preventing deterioration or increased damage to the eyes. The goal of this study was to challenge our theory and thus we decided to re-evaluate this approach. Various obstetrical data were recorded in 50 women with myopia from 4.5 to 15.0 diopters who were admitted in labor to our department. Fundus examination was performed in all of them before and after delivery. Various types of retinal degeneration and retinal breaks were observed in most of them at their arrival but no deterioration of these retinal defects was observed in any of the cases at the later examination. In view of our results, it is recommended to let high myopic patients deliver spontaneously.

Animals↗

Functional and multimarker analysis of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The morphology, immunophenotype, cytoenzymatic and functional activities of T lymphocytes from 4 patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disease of T-cell origin were studied. Clonal proliferation was demonstrated by distinctive chromosomal abnormalities involving chromosomes 2 and 14. Patients 1 and 2 were classifiable as OKT4+ T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (T-CLL) and patient 3 as OKT4+/OKT8+ T-CLL, with helper function in vitro only in patient 1. Patient 4 has low-grade lymphocytosis with benign clinical course, with cells showing morphology of large granular lymphocytes (LGL), and immunophenotype HNK-1+, ER+, Fc gamma receptor+, OKT3+, OKT11+ and OKT8+, as well as natural killer activity, radiosensitive suppressor activity on Ig secretion and responsiveness to PHA; this case was interpreted as LGL leukaemia. This study indicates that a large proportion of cases of true T-CLL may belong to the OKT4 subset, and that extensive investigations should be made of the lymphocytic OKT8+/T gamma forms to characterize them precisely.

Aged↗

Prognostic significance of immunoglobulin phenotype in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Seventy-six consecutive untreated patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and classified according to Binet's staging system were studied at the clinical presentation. Several immunologic parameters (number of total and T circulating lymphocytes and their surface membrane immunoglobulin [Smlg] phenotypes and levels of serum Ig) were evaluated with the aim of identifying a biologic marker of prognostic relevance. In this series of persons, Binet staging confirmed its usefulness as a prognostic index (P less than .001). With regard to Smlg, they were mu-type in 41 cases (53.9%), mu-type plus delta-type in 29 cases (38.2%), alpha-type in one case, and not detectable in five cases. No correlations were found between clinical stage and immunoglobulin phenotype, although all but one patient in stage C showed mu-type Smlg alone. On analyzing the survival curves of our patients according to different Smlg phenotypes, we found that patients with only mu-type Smlg had a poorer prognosis (P less than .05) than those with mu-type plus delta-type; this difference was even more significant (P less than .01) in patients in stage A, whereas there were no statistical differences in those in stages B and C. Because the appearance of surface heavy chain of delta-type could be an expression of cell maturation, these results suggest that in B-CLL the presence of phenotypically more mature leukemic cells may correlate with better clinical prognosis, particularly in the early phase of the disease.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Age-related differences in blood ethanol parameters and subjective feelings of intoxication in healthy men.

Healthy men within 4 age groups, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59 years (N = 12 per group), drank 0.68 g/kg ethanol as neat whisky after fasting overnight. The drink was finished within 20 min and the concentrations of ethanol in capillary blood were determined at 30-60 min intervals for 7 hr. At the time of blood sampling, the men were asked to estimate their feelings of intoxication according to an arbitrary scale on which the score 10 indicated 'tipsy' or a 'little high'. The time course of blood ethanol concentration was similar in all 4 groups with the curve for 50-59-year-old men on the highest level and 20-29-year-old men lowest. Subjective intoxication scores were significantly less in the youngest age group and the maximum score for each subject was correlated with age (r = 0.45, P less than 0.01). Total body water (TBW) was not correlated with age directly (r = 0.17, P greater than 0.05) but when it was expressed as percent of body weight a strong negative correlation was found (r = -0.77, P less than 0.001). The mean total body water estimated from ethanol dilution was 46.7 +/- 4.1 l. (+/- SD, N = 48) and this corresponds to 58% of mean body weight of the men. The distribution volume of ethanol/kg body weight (Vd) decreased with ageing (r = -0.59, P less than 0.001) being 0.72, 0.71, 0.68 and 0.66 l/kg on average in the 20-29, 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59-year-old age groups respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Familial occurrence of mature ovarian teratomas.

It has been suggested that genetic predisposing factors play a role in the development of ovarian teratomas. Familial occurrence of these tumors would support this view. Reported herein are identical twins, both of whom had a right ovarian mature teratoma. In both cases the presenting symptoms were acute torsion. The diagnosis was confirmed at laparotomy and subsequent histopathologic examination. The origin of ovarian teratomas seems to be linked to the process of parthenogenesis. This process probably involves a germ cell after its first meiotic division.

Adult↗

Group B streptococcus amnionitis with intact membranes associated with quintuplet delivery.

Chorioamnionitis is a frequent cause of premature labour and delivery, as well as of maternal and neonatal mortality. Group B streptococcus (GBS) has emerged over the past decade as a common pathogen in the etiology of neonatal sepsis. The case of chorioamnionitis reported here is unusual for three reasons: the premature labour was associated with intact membrane and amniotic fluid infected with GBS; all 5 infants were contaminated with GBS and all infants survived. Chorioamniotitis with intact membranes raises some questions regarding the antepartum use of steroids (potent anti-inflammatory agents), etc. The likelihood of chorioamnionitis in spite of cervical mucus, intact membranes, and the bacteriostatic activity of the amniotic fluid should alert the obstetrician to take special precautions, such as weekly vaginal cultures and appropriate vaginal antimicrobial treatment, in cases of imminent premature delivery.

Adult↗

Natural killer cell activity and T subpopulations in thalassemia major.

Natural killer (NK) cell activity against K562 cell targets and the distribution of T cell subpopulations were investigated in the peripheral blood of 25 patients affected by beta thalassemia major, 18 clinically healthy heterozygotes, and 25 age-matched normal subjects. It was found that thalassemia major patients display augmented levels of NK activity [specific lysis 41.9 +/- (se) 4.5%], while thalassemic carriers behave as normal controls [specific lysis 34.6 +/- (se) 3.5%]. The increase of NK function was neither related to the splenectomy nor to the siderosis, but rather to the age and the amount of blood units that the patients had received. An imbalance of circulating T subsets with the helper/suppressor cell ratio significantly diminished (p less than 0.001) was also detected in homozygotes but not in carriers. The finding that NK function is enhanced in homozygous beta thalassemia might be of clinical interest in assessing the risk of development of malignancies in these patients.

Adolescent↗

[Analysis of the enzyme terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase in lymphoma and leukemia cells].

This work analyses the presence of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) in neoplastic lymphoid cells from a series of malignant lymphomas and in leukemic cells from blood or bone marrow of patients with lymphoproliferative diseases. The studied cases were 63 patients with acute leukemias, 26 patients with chronic leukemias, 85 patients with lymphomas and 14 normal controls. The presence of TdT in the neoplastic cells was determined by optimized assays of enzymatic activity or by immunofluorescence test for TdT positive blasts. The fluorescence tests made use of anti-TdT antibodies specifically absorbed on cells containing the enzyme and then revealed by a second fluorescent antibody. Appreciable amounts of TdT were found in the white cells of blood or bone marrow from the following 25 out of 35 acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) with modulations in the different phenotypes; 13 out of 14 acute undifferentiated leukemias (AUL); and 9 out of 15 blastic crises in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CMLbc). The enzyme was present in 12 out of 14 lymphomas of lymphoblastic type (LL); 2 B lymphoblastic lymphomas did not show any TdT positivity. The highest levels of TdT were detected in cells classified as immature lymphoblast or in their precursors. TdT was absent from normal lymph nodes from leukocytes of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic (CML) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). 2 out of 14 cases of AML showed a border-line positivity. A definite correlation between concentrations of enzymatic activity and percentage of immunofluorescent cells could not be established. We did not find a precise correlation between the TdT content of lymphoid blasts and other clinical prognostic indices.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase↗

Clinical stage and immunological findings in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The total and T-lymphocyte counts, different types of lymphocytic surface immunoglobulins and levels of serum immunoglobulins were studied in 112 consecutive patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in order to investigate possible correlations between the immunological picture and the different stages according to the staging criteria recently proposed by Binet et al. Patients were also subdivided according to the form of their disease, "indolent" or "active", and correlations with the immunological picture investigated. The total lymphocyte count showed a significantly increasing trend through the three different stage (p less than 0.01), and it was higher in the "active" than in the "indolent" disease (p less than 0.01). Also the number of T-lymphocytes increased in the "active" forms (p less than 0.01). No statistically significant correlations were observed between the different surface immunoglobulin subclasses and the clinical pattern. As regard the various classes of serum immunoglobulins, the number of patients, with a reduction of at least one of the classes tended to increase with worsening of the clinical stage.

Adult↗