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Biomedical subjects

Alessandro Terreni

Publications and source records attributed to Alessandro Terreni.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Cystatin C reference values and aging.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the reference values for serum cystatin C (CysC) with a particular focus on the effect of aging. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study was performed on a consecutive series of subjects (258 men and 396 women). Laboratory parameters and a detailed personal and family medical history were collected. RESULTS: CysC showed a significant correlation with age in both sexes, which was confirmed with multivariate linear regression after adjustment for SCr (serum creatinine). Age-related reference intervals were established for cystatin C (<45 years, <0.95 mg/L and >45 years, <1.20 mg/L). CONCLUSIONS: The use of CysC reference values adjusted for age should be carefully taken into consideration.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Ultrastructure of poison glands of South American frogs: a comparison between Physalaemus albonotatus and Leptodactylus chaquensis (Anura: Leptodactylidae).

Serous (poison) cutaneous glands of the leptodactylid species Physalaemus albonotatus and Leptodactylus chaquensis were compared using light and transmission electron microscopy. Glands in the two species share structural traits common in anurans, including the peripheral contractile sheath (myoepithelium) and the syncytial secretory unit that produces, stores, and modifies the poison. At the ultrastructural level, early steps of poison production are also similar and fit the usual path of proteosynthesis, involving rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and Golgi stacks (dictyosomes) in the peripheral syncytial cytoplasm. However, several differences are obvious during the maturational processes that lead post-Golgian products to their ultimate ultrastructural traits. In P. albonotatus, the dense product released from the dictyosomes acquires a thick repeating substructure, which, however, becomes looser in the inner portion of the syncytium. In L. chaquensis, serous maturation involves gradual condensation, and opaque, somewhat "vacuolized" granules are formed. These different maturational paths expressed during poison manufacturing in the two species agree with the polyphyletic origin of the family Leptodactylidae. On the other hand, data collected for P. albonotatus fit previous findings from P. biligonigerus and stress the view that poisons produced by congeneric species share similar (or identical) ultrastructural features.

Amphibian Venoms↗
PubMed2003

Evaluation of the analytic performances of the new HPLC system HLC-723 G7 for the measurement of hemoglobin A1c.

OBJECTIVES: The analytical performance of a new automated HPLC system, for the determination of HbA1C in blood (Tosoh HLC-723 G7), was studied. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study design included the evaluation of imprecision, linearity, interference and carryover. Comparison study was performed by comparing HbA1C results with those obtained from an established method (Bio-Rad Variant II). RESULTS: Total imprecision was less than 1.34% and the results were linear up to 17.2% HbA1C. The method showed a wide analytical range, and no carryover between specimens. Comparison study yielded, r=0.989, Sy.x=0.255, regression equation (y=0.9895x-0.35); Bland-Altman plot showed a mean bias=- 0.43% HbA1C with confidence limits ranging from -0.48% to -0.38% HbA1C. The presence of abnormal hemoglobin was clearly revealed, and no interference from labile HbA1C was apparent. CONCLUSION: The HLC-723 G7 instrument seems to be a reliable system for routine assay of HbA1C.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed2003

Plasma adiponectin and hyperglycaemia in diabetic patients.

The insulin-sensitising adipose hormone adiponectin is reduced in type 2 diabetic patients. We assessed the relationships between plasma adiponectin and chronic hyperglycaemia. Adiponectin levels and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured at enrolment and after 90 days in 16 patients with type 2 diabetes aged (mean +/- SEM) 63.0 +/- 0.6 years, with body mass index (BMI) 30.2 +/- 0.5 kg/m2 and HbA1c concentration 7.4 +/- 0.1%, who did not modify their hypoglycaemic treatment during the observation period. Furthermore, plasma adiponectin was measured in 29 adult patients with type 1 diabetes and compared with 29 control subjects matched for sex, age, BMI, waist circumference and bioimpedance-estimated fat mass. In type 2 diabetic patients at enrolment, adiponectin concentration correlated with BMI (r = -0.46; p < 0.05), but not with HbA1c. During the prospective observation, variations of adiponectin showed a significant correlation with variations of BMI (r = -0.47; p < 0.01), but not with variations of HbA1c concentration. These results were confirmed by multivariate analysis after adjustment for sex and age. Adiponectin levels in type 1 diabetic patients (380.8 +/- 13.7 ng/ml in women, 192.5 +/- 13.9 ng/ml in men) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than in control subjects (277.6 +/- 11.0 ng/ml in women, 102.7 +/- 5.1 ng/ml in men); plasma adiponectin correlated significantly with BMI and waist circumference, but not with HbA1c. In conclusion, the reduction of plasma adiponectin levels in type 2 diabetic patients does not appear to be determined by chronic hyperglycaemia. Adiponectin levels are increased in type 1 diabetes, but this phenomenon is not attributable to differences in nutritional status or body composition.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2002

Serous cutaneous glands in new world hylid frogs: an ultrastructural study on skin poisons confirms phylogenetic relationships between Osteopilus septentrionalis and Phrynohyas venulosa.

Transmission electron microscope investigations of the serous (poison) skin glands in the New World tree frogs Osteopilus septentrionalis and Phrynohyas venulosa revealed that they produce granules with closely similar substructures, namely, a dense cortex and pale medulla. In both species these features, that contrast the complex, sometimes repeating patterns described in other hylid frogs, derive from similar secretory and maturational processes starting from the Golgi phase of poison biosynthesis. Observations on secretory discharge showed that the two species share common release mechanisms, based on bulk discharge (holocrine) processes. Our data provide novel evidence of the extensive ultrastructural polymorphism of serous skin products in Hylidae and agree with phylogenies that regard this family as polyphyletic in origin. Assuming that ultrastructural features of cutaneous poison biosynthesis and maturation are adequate clues for tracking anuran phylogeny, the present findings also support a close relationship between Osteopilus and Phrynohyas taxa as previously suggested by osteological evidence.

Animals↗