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Biomedical subjects

A Rubino

Publications and source records attributed to A Rubino.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of berberine on basal and secretagogue-modified ion transport in the rabbit ileum in vitro.

The antisecretory effect of berberine sulfate (BS) was determined in the rabbit ileal mucosa in vitro mounted in Ussing chambers. When present in the luminal side, the drug had no effect on potential difference (PD) or on the short-circuit current (Isc) changes induced by theophylline or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). When present in the serosal medium at a concentration of 2 mM, however, berberine reduced PD and Isc and abolished residual ion flux (bicarbonate secretion) but had no significant affect on basal net Na and Cl transepithelial transport. BS effect on basal PD was not affected by the absence of Ca2+ in the medium; neither was it inhibited by the alpha-adrenergic blocker yohimbine. Serosally added BS effectively antagonized the secretory effect on Isc of agents that increase each of the known intracellular mediators of ion secretion: cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic 3',5'-guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and Ca2+; it also inhibited the ion transport modifications evoked by PGE2. The drug had no effect on the concentration of cyclic nucleotides either under basal condition or in the presence of some secretagogues. Finally, BS did not impair the PD rise due to luminal addition of glucose.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Onset of obesity in children through the recall of parents: relationship to parental obesity and life events.

Obesity is a multifactorial disease due to the influence of both genetic and environmental factors. Parents of 886 obese patients (427 boys and 459 girls, aged 1-18 years) were investigated by means of a questionnaire in order to study the factors associated with the onset of obesity in children and the relationship to genetic background. At presentation obese patients had a very high mean ideal body weight percent (IBW%) (154 +/- 19%, median 152%, range 120-246). A significantly higher mean IBW% was found in children of obese parents (one obese parent: 158 +/- 21%, median 156%, range 120-246; two obese parents 160 +/- 18%, median 158%, range 123-226) in comparison to children of normal weight parents (150 +/- 18%; median 147%, range 120-235; p = 0.0001 for children of one or two obese parents versus children of normal weight parents). Parents of 414 subjects (46.7%) (Group A) answered that obesity had always been present. The remaining 472 parents (53.3%) (Group B) stated that obesity had had a beginning at a mean age of 5.3 +/- 2.6 years (median 5.0 years, range 1.0-17.0). No difference was found in age at presentation, sex distribution, birth weight and number of obese parents between the two groups. Parents in Group B recalled an event associated with obesity onset in 197 cases (health event: 119 answers, psycho-social event: 78 answers). Genetic background did not influence this pattern of feedback. In conclusion, parents of obese subjects seek medical advice when obesity is severe. Pediatricians should exert strict surveillance on weight from a very young age. The recall in 22% patients of health or psychosocial events at the onset of obesity emphasizes that medical counselling is important when the occurrence of particular events in life may cause erroneous eating habits.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sentinel lymphnode: surgical standard in breast cancer].

Evaluation of the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is capable of avoiding dissection in a high percentage of node negative patients (> 90). It is essential that "useless" treatment not be performed as the negative collateral effects are not justifiable and furthermore present financial laws do not reimburse dissections carried out in the absence of node disease. The intraoperative evaluation of the SL is an extremely expensive procedure, due both to the personnel required and to the time necessary for the patient to remain in the operating room awaiting histology results. In fact, it is far easier to retrieve the SLN in day hospital and to examine the specimen on fixed material and not frozen. Twenty three cases of deferred SLN were evaluated, the results of which were highly reliable because of these, only 3 dissections were performed after an average of 4 days from biopsy. As SL evaluation does not increase the "curability" of the disease but only reduces any eventual complications, we believe it should be restricted to extremely selected and specialistic institutions due to the great economical and organizational cost involved.

Ambulatory Surgical Procedures↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Total laryngectomy: pre- and intrasurgical variables of infection risk.

Postoperative infection has influence on costs, quality of life, and outcome of the disease. It is suspected that post-total laryngectomy infections have increased in frequency and seriousness, because of the failure of the preservation protocol or the previous radiotherapy, making rescue surgery necessary. The objective of this study was to develop a predictive model of infection based on the pre- and intrasurgical variables considered risky. One hundred fifty five patients with E III-IV laryngeal cancer, with 24.8:1 male to female ratio (mean age, 58 years) who underwent total laryngectomy were evaluated for uni- and multivariate analysis of age, sex, histological grade, primary or recurrent disease, tobacco, alcohol, diabetes, tuberculosis/chronic emphysema, red and white cell counts, erythrosedimentation rate (ESR), albumin, chemotherapy, neck radiotherapy and/or previous surgery, confinement days, type and time of surgery, which were factors in the infection event. A predictive model of infection was developed and included albuminemia (<3.5 g%), >1 liter of alcohol daily, and exclusive surgery of the primary. The sensitivity was 90.5% and the specificity 68%. The variance reached 29.6%. The causes of infection were multiple, having analyzed only 30% of them. However, the resulting model was classified correctly in 83.2% of cases. A careful preoperative assessment, an adjusted planning of the surgery, an appropriate use of antibiotics, and a meticulous operative technique are needed to prevent infection.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Modulation of neutrophil functions by a beta-interferon of human origin.

The effects of a beta interferon (beta-IFN) of human origin on different parameters of human neutrophil functioning were evaluated in vitro. In the concentration range 10(2)-10(4) IU/ml beta-IFN enhanced superoxide anion (O2-) production evoked by the peptide N-formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine (FMLP), 10(-7) M, when O2- production elicited by FMLP in the absence of beta-IFN treatment was 2.43 +/- 0.32 nmol cytochrome C reduced/10(6) cells/min. The enhancement afforded by 10(3) and 10(4) IU/ml beta-IFN was statistically significant. When FMLP-induced O2- generation was 4.55 +/- 0.3 nmol cytochrome C reduced/10(6) cells/min, no increase was detected after beta-IFN treatment. Phagocytosis was enhanced by beta-IFN in one case, with no effect in four others. Chemotaxis was not affected by exposure to beta-IFN. These results indicated that beta-IFN could exert modulating effects on some neutrophil functions that varied according to the extent of cell response to the stimuli.

Chemotaxis, Leukocyte↗