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A Pasquariello

Publications and source records attributed to A Pasquariello.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Down-regulation of delta opioid receptor mRNA by an anabolic steroid in neuronal hybrid cells.

Nandrolone, an anabolic androgenic steroid, reduced delta opioid receptor (DOR) mRNA and the number of DOR binding sites in two neuronal hybrid cell lines: NG 108-15 and the GT1-1 cells. Both cell lines express DOR but only GT1-1 cells express androgen receptors (AR). DOR mRNA levels were maximally decreased by approximately 45% in NG 108-15 cells and by approximately 38% in GT1-1 cells exposed for 24 h to 10(-6) M nandrolone. This action was partly due to a decrease in the rate of transcription of DOR mRNA and was not blocked by the androgen antagonist flutamide. Flutamide antagonized the repression of AR mRNA induced by nandrolone. The synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (10(-6) M) did not modify DOR steady-state transcripts in either cell line. These results suggest that nandrolone presumably regulate DOR mRNA levels through mechanisms independent of the androgen and glucocorticoid receptors.

Anabolic Agents↗
PubMed1999

Effects of oral administration of heparan sulphate in the rat remnant kidney model.

Heparins are useful for the protection of residual renal function in several nephropathies, but the anticoagulant action and the need of parenteral administration are two main drawbacks limiting their use in chronic renal failure patients. Heparan sulphate (HS) is a heparin-like mucopolysaccharide devoid of anticoagulant action and active orally. In this study, the effects of HS oral administration have been evaluated in 18 subtotally nephrectomized rats;18 untreated remnant kidney rats served as control. No mortality was observed in the HS-treated rats, whereas in the control rats the survival rate was 72.2% at 18 weeks. At the end of the study, HS-treated rats showed lower urinary protein excretion (44 +/- 22 vs. 80 +/- 54 mg/24 h, p < 0.01), lower urea plasma levels (75 +/- 34 vs. 134 +/- 105 mg/dl, p < 0.01) and higher creatinine clearance (66 +/- 15 vs. 47 +/- 21 ml/min. 10(2), p < 0.05) than control rats. Remnant kidney weight (2.3 +/- 1.1 vs. 1.3 +/- 0.2 g, p < 0.01) and heart weight (1.3 +/- 0.2 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.1 g, p < 0.05) were greater in the control than in the HS-treated rats, as well as the systemic blood pressure values (167 +/- 19 vs. 115 +/- 32 mm Hg, respectively, p < 0.001). The remnant kidney histological examination in the HS-treated rats showed a lower prevalence of glomerular sclerosis, mesangial proliferation, and a much less evident tubulointerstitial damage than in controls. The antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory actions of HS together with its protective action on the endothelium are the putative mechanisms that could account for our findings. In conclusion, the present study supports evidence of an antiproteinuric and a renoprotective effect of orally administered HS in subtotally nephrectomized rats. This is in keeping with the well-known effects exerted also by other heparins, but the effectiveness of an orally available heparin-like product in this animal model could suggest the possibility of a clinical use also in progressing chronic renal failure patients.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

Predictors of renal outcome in diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The occurrence of nephritis is considered to be the most important factor influencing the prognosis in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Despite the apparent histological similarity of the lesions, however, patients with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) may exhibit different outcomes. A retrospective study was carried out on 81 SLE patients with DPGN to evaluate the prognostic significance of different clinical, serological and histological variables; in particular, 95 renal biopsies were re-evaluated and the activity and chronicity indices for the patients were determined. A positive correlation was observed between the presence of chronic lesions on renal biopsy and a poor renal outcome (< 0.001). Moreover, in the repeat biopsies the patients with a poor outcome showed a higher degree of chronic lesions. Active lesions and other clinical and serological parameters did not correlate with the outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Refractive outcome and corneal topographic studies after photorefractive keratectomy with different-sized ablation zones.

BACKGROUND: Discrepancies may still occur between planned and actual refractive correction in eyes undergoing photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). The authors have evaluated the use of an enlarged ablation zone. METHOD: A computerized corneal analysis system has been used to compare the changes of the anterior surface of the cornea and the refractive changes before and 1, 6, and 12 months after PRK in 113 patients (119 eyes) treated with an excimer laser. The patients were divided into two groups: those treated with a mask with a 5-mm window (59 eyes), and those with a new mask with different window openings according to the degree of refraction at the corneal apex, starting from 5 mm in diameter for treatments less than 6.5 diopters (D) and from 7 mm in diameter for higher treatments (60 eyes). In the first group, treatment ranged from -2.5 to -16 D (mean +/- standard deviation. -8.5 +/- 3.24 D); in the second group, it ranged from -1 to -14 D (-7.8 +/- 3.06 D). Treatments were evaluated with a chi-square test. RESULTS: In the first group of eyes, 46% were within +/-1 D at 1 month, 37% at 6 months, and 39% at 12 months. In the second group of eyes, 73% were within +/-1 D at 1 month, 60% at 6 months, and 58% at 12 months. The comparison between these data and corneal topographic changes shows that both are more stable and predictable with the new mask compared with the 5-mm mask (P = 0.002, 0.02, 0.04, at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The use of larger ablation zones improves the predictability and stability of refractive changes.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Macula study with standardized echography.

At an early clinical stage, patients with cystoid macular oedema show no significant changes in their vision. This phase is described as angiographic cystoid macular oedema. Echographic macular studies have in the past years shown that the macular thickness is increased in the early stages of cystoid macular oedema. In these patients there was no evidence of cystoid macular oedema with the visual acuity test, B-scan echography and fluorescein angiography. In this paper an echographic macular study by standardized A-scan echography was performed in 537 patients before extracapsular cataract extraction and intraocular lens implantation in posterior chamber (ciliary sulcus). The results showed that this method is very sensitive in detecting patients with high risk of cystoid macular oedema.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis C virus.

A striking association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) and mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) has been reported by various authors, regardless of the presence of chronic hepatitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of HCV-related markers in cryoglobulinemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) which is one of the most severe complications of MC. Antibodies against HCV have been detected by second-generation Chiron ELISA and RIBA in 26/26 (100%) cryoglobulinemic MPGN. In addition, serum HCV RNA, expression of the ongoing viral replication, was present in 7/7 patients by the polymerase chain reaction technique. The high percentage of anti-HCV seropositivity suggests that this virus may play an important role in the pathogenesis of this immunemediated glomerulonephritis.

Cryoglobulinemia↗
PubMed1990

Concomitant systemic lupus erythematosus and ankylosing spondylitis.

The case is reported of a 42 year old white woman meeting currently used diagnostic criteria for both ankylosing spondylitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As found in a previously described similar case of a black man, HLA typing showed antigens associated with both SLE and seronegative spondyloarthropathy. This case thus supports the hypothesis that the two diseases occur together only when this rare combination of HLA antigens is present.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Hypotensive effect of plasma exchange in immune complex nephritis.

The effect of plasma exchange (PE) on blood pressure (BP) in 20 hypertensive patients (9 with mixed cryoglobulinemia, 7 with systemic lupus erythematosus, and 4 with idiopathic glomerulonephritis) was evaluated retrospectively. In each PE 1.5-2.5 L of plasma was replaced with an equal volume of 4% albumin polysaline solution. The frequency of PE was three times per week for the first 2 weeks and twice per week subsequently. Sixteen patients were on hypotensive treatment at the onset of PE. Their systolic/diastolic BP was 171 +/- 4.7/102 +/- 3.0 mm Hg (mean +/- 1 SEM). After 4 weeks, BP decreased to 141 +/- 2.8/89 +/- 2.3 mm Hg (p less than 0.001), although in 10 patients antihypertensive drug therapy had been reduced or discontinued. The most marked decrease of BP occurred after the first week (152 +/- 5.3/92 +/- 2.9 mm Hg), and this decrement correlated remarkably well with pressure levels before PE despite the great heterogeneity of the individual patients (for diastolic BP, r = 0.87, p less than 0.001; for systolic BP, r = 0.60, p less than 0.01). A mild decrease of serum creatinine was observed during PE, but its time course was different from that of BP, and did not correlate with this parameter.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Routine immunofluorescence and light microscopy processing with a single renal biopsy specimen: 18 years' experience in a single centre.

To obtain a correct histological renal diagnosis, two adequate cortical biopsy cylinders are routinely taken for light microscopy and immunohistology in nephrology units. We describe our simple method for light microscopy (LM) study using the same frozen renal material used for immunofluorescence (IF). Of over 2,000 biopsies processed with this method, only three showed thawing artifacts and all occurred when the room temperature was above 30 degrees C. Our 18 years' experience and the large number of biopsies indicate that this method offers an interesting new way to do LM and IF with one biopsy core and could help stimulate etiopathogenic and diagnostic studies in nephrology. The other renal specimen can be used for histological investigation, applying recent molecular biology techniques (PCR, RT-PCR, in situ hybridization).

Biopsy, Needle↗