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Biomedical subjects

A Zanella

Publications and source records attributed to A Zanella.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

IHP entrapment into human erythrocytes: comparison between hypotonic dialysis and DMSO osmotic pulse.

Three different blood units were treated separately by the hypotonic dialysis (HD) and the dimethylsulphoxide osmotic pulse (DMSO) method, in order to load the erythrocytes with inositol hexaphosphate. A detailed comparison between the two loading techniques was performed by monitoring the red cell distribution patterns on discontinuous Percoll density gradients, the RBC oxygen affinity and the amount of the main intracellular organic phosphates with the 31P-NMR. The results obtained showed that: (1) The HD loading produces a redistribution of the RBC fractions with a concomitant smoothing of the relative differences among distinct fractions (2) only a minor portion of erythrocytes (from 8.5 to 24.9% of total RBCs) are loaded with IHP after the DMSO treatment. All of these cells move to the lightest fraction (d = 1.080 g/ml). (3) Both HD and DMSO IHP-loaded cells show an increase in P50 (basal vs. after loading, means +/- SD: 25.8 +/- 3.0 vs. 52.5 +/- 3.2 mm Hg) correlated to the IHP incorporation (mean intracellular IHP concentration: 4.2 mmol/l RBC). (4) probably the IHP incorporation efficiency could be probably improved at least by increasing the IHP concentration during the treatment.

Dialysis↗

Uterine benign-appearing smooth muscle tumor "metastatic" to the lungs: a case report.

A case of pulmonary fibroleiomyomatosis secondary to a uterine "metastasizing" leiomyoma, with aspects of vascular invasion, is reported. Although we cannot exclude the existence of primitive pulmonary forms, which we do not consider to be of a hamartomatous nature, we believe that a careful examination of the uterus for the presence of angioinvasive leiomyoma is mandatory.

Female↗

Effects of blood donation on cerebral blood flow velocity.

Eighteen healthy male blood donors, nine with hematocrit (Hct) of 0.40 to 0.45 (normal Hct) and nine with Hct of 0.49 to 0.52 (upper-limit Hct), were monitored by continuous-wave internal carotid Doppler sonography and hematologic tests for 28 days after blood donation, to ascertain whether and to what extent a single standard donation may modify the velocity of cerebral blood flow. The two groups had similar mean predonation values of internal carotid flow velocity (ICFV): blood donation was followed in both groups by a slight, transient decrease of ICFV at the end of phlebotomy, due to donation-induced hypovolemia, and then by an increase of ICFV lasting 7 to 10 days. Analysis of individual profiles revealed that only four of nine upper-limit and six of nine normal Hct donors displayed a positive trend (increase) in the ICFV within the first week after donation, and that it was due mainly to a rise in systolic flow velocity. Mean Hct and arterial oxygen content showed a negative trend (decrease) within the first week that was opposite to the ICFV trend. Other laboratory variables, including serum proteins and plasma fibrinogen concentration, and the iron status indicators did not change, except for serum ferritin, which also decreased within the first week after phlebotomy. It can be concluded that blood donation may result in a short-term increase of blood flow velocity that is independent of Hct predonation levels in approximately one-half of the donors.

Adult↗

Relative iron deficiency in hereditary spherocytosis.

Seventy-three patients with hereditary spherocytosis (HS) (58 nonsplenectomized, 15 splenectomized) were studied to evaluate iron status and the adequacy of iron availability for erythropoiesis. Splenectomized patients, who had hemoglobin levels in the normal or upper normal range, had higher levels of serum iron, transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin than normal matched controls and normal zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) levels. On the contrary, nonsplenectomized patients presenting with mild to severe anemia had higher red cell ZnPP concentrations than both splenectomized subjects and matched normal controls. ZnPP in nonsplenectomized patients correlated inversely with Hb concentration, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean red cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), transferrin saturation, and serum iron, and directly with reticulocyte count. At multiple regression analysis only Hb concentration was a significant explanatory variable for high ZnPP. The authors conclude that a number of nonsplenectomized HS patients have relative iron deficiency primarily because of expansion of erythropoiesis caused by anemia.

Adolescent↗

Sensitivity and predictive value of serum ferritin and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin for iron deficiency.

The sensitivity and predictive value of serum ferritin (SF) and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP) for iron deficiency (ID) was evaluated by studying 272 subjects with uncomplicated ID (174 with anemia and 98 without) in whom diagnosis was confirmed by the response to iron supplementation. Overall, the sensitivity, at 95% specificity, was 82% (79% in women, 94% in men) for SF and 61% (60% in women, 65% in men) for FEP. The sensitivity varied as a function of hemoglobin values, dropping from over 90% for both tests in the case of severe anemia, to approximately 70% for SF and less than 50% for FEP in the absence of anemia. The predictive value decreases more sharply for FEP than for SF with increasing hemoglobin levels. It is concluded that SF is preferable to FEP for the detection of ID, particularly in the absence of anemia. However, owing to the unsatisfactory predictive value at low prevalence, SF should be used as a screening test for ID without anemia only when the prevalence is at least 20%.

Adult↗

Erythrocyte pyruvate kinase deficiency: 11 new cases.

Eleven new cases of red cell pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency with congenital haemolytic disease from 10 unrelated Italian families were characterized using the methods recommended by the International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (ICSH). All patients were double heterozygotes for the PK gene. The 10 variants were designated PK 'Lecce,' 'Parma,' 'Verona,' 'Milano,' 'Soresina,' 'Macerata,' 'Sassari,' 'Genova,' 'Mantova' and 'Brescia.' PK 'Sassari' was associated with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in two siblings. All mutants displayed multiple biochemical abnormalities except for PK 'Lecce' that only showed decreased red cell PK activity. No relation was found between the severity of anaemia and either the residual PK activity or specific biochemical enzyme abnormalities. Increased serum ferritin levels were detected in most of the patients, suggesting the need for systematically monitoring iron status in this disease.

Adolescent↗