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Biomedical subjects

C Fanelli

Publications and source records attributed to C Fanelli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Restenosis following coronary angioplasty.

The last decade has witnessed an enormous increase in the use and success of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. During this time, our knowledge of the mechanisms of angioplasty and of how it relates to the pathophysiology of restenosis has also grown. Despite our better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for it, restenosis remains a significant problem in coronary angioplasty, affecting approximately one third of patients. A variety of factors can affect the measured rate of restenosis, such as the symptomatic status of the patient and the timing of restenosis studies. Certain clinical, anatomic, and procedural factors are associated with increased rates of restenosis. Pharmacologic interventions are ineffective in preventing restenosis. A variety of new mechanical devices are being developed, but their efficacy at this time does not appear to be superior to angioplasty alone. While attempts at preventing restenosis have thus far been unsuccessful, the information gained through the various studies has added tremendously to our knowledge base of angioplasty. Through this better understanding of the mechanisms of angioplasty and restenosis, it is likely that the problem of restenosis will be improved, either through existing technology or by methods yet to be discovered.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Aging reduces venous distensibility and the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin in normal subjects.

To determine if aging alters venous tone, venous distensibility was measured during control conditions and after the administration of nitroglycerin (0.8-mg spray) to 50 subjects ranging in age from 21 to 78 years. The mean arterial pressure decreased and the heart rate increased significantly after nitroglycerin. Control venous distensibility, measured after the inflation of an upper arm cuff to 30 mm Hg above cuff zero (VV[30]) was 2.69 +/- 1.26 (standard deviation) cc/100 cc arm. The VV[30] increased to 3.06 +/- 1.43 cc/100 cc arm after the administration of nitroglycerin. There was a significant relation between age and baseline venous distensibility (r = 0.53, p less than 0.001) and between age and the change in venous distensibility after nitroglycerin (r = 0.56, p less than 0.001). Both baseline venous distensibility and the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin decreased with age. There was no significant relation between systemic arterial pressure and baseline venous distensibility or between arterial pressure and the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin. Aging appears to diminish baseline venous distensibility and attenuate the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Relationship between lipids and aflatoxin biosynthesis.

This paper describes the key role of lipids on fungal growth and of lipoperoxidation on the output of aflatoxin biosynthesis both 'in vitro' and 'in vivo'. 'In vitro' BHA, BHT and cysteamine, depending their concentration, are capable of reducing or blocking aflatoxin output induced by lipoperoxides or halomethanes in cultures of Aspergillus flavus or A. parasiticus without affecting fungal growth. 'In vivo' BHA and BHT significantly reduced aflatoxin production on wheat, maize and sunflower inoculated with aflatoxigenic Aspergilli essentially by preventing fungal growth. 'In vivo' the seeds surface lipids represent a very important carbon source for fungal growth.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1989

Contribution of cortisol to glucose counterregulation in humans.

To test the hypothesis that cortisol secretion plays a counterregulatory role in hypoglycemia in humans, four studies were performed in eight normal subjects. In all studies, insulin (15 mU.m-2.min-1) was infused subcutaneously (plasma insulin 27 +/- 1 microU/ml). In study 1, plasma glucose concentration and glucose fluxes [( 3-3H]glucose), substrate, and counterregulatory hormone concentrations were simply monitored, and plasma glucose decreased from 89 +/- 2 to 52 +/- 2 mg/dl for 12 h. In study 2, (pituitary-adrenal-pancreatic clamp), insulin and counterregulatory hormone secretion (except for catecholamines) was prevented by somatostatin (0.5 mg/h, iv) and metyrapone (0.5 g/4 h, per os), and glucagon, cortisol, and growth hormone were infused to reproduce the concentrations of study 1. In study 3 (lack of cortisol increase), the pituitary-adrenal-pancreatic clamp was performed with maintenance of plasma cortisol at basal levels, and glucose was infused, whenever needed, to reproduce plasma glucose concentration of study 2. Study 4 was identical to study 3, but exogenous glucose was not infused. Isolated lack of cortisol increase caused a approximately 22% decrease in hepatic glucose production (P less than 0.01) and a approximately 15% increase in peripheral glucose utilization (P less than 0.01), which resulted in greater hypoglycemia (37 +/- 2 vs. 52 +/- 2 mg/dl, P less than 0.01) despite compensatory increases in plasma epinephrine. Lack of cortisol response also reduced plasma free fatty acid, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and glycerol concentrations approximately 50%. We conclude that cortisol normally plays an important counterregulatory role during hypoglycemia by augmenting glucose production, decreasing glucose utilization, and accelerating lipolysis.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗
PubMed1989

Effects of posture on the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin.

To determine the effects of posture on the venodilatory response to nitroglycerin (TNG), the change in forearm venous volume after inflation of an upper arm cuff to 30 mmHg above cuff zero (VV[30]) was measured during control conditions and after TNG (0.8 mg spray) in 18 healthy young volunteers in the supine position and the sitting position. VV[30] was 3.24 +/- 0.98 ml/100 ml arm in the supine position and 2.46 +/- 1.32 ml/100 ml arm in the sitting position. TNG increased VV[30] by 0.56 +/- 0.19 ml/100 ml arm in supine subjects, but by only 0.38 +/- 0.17 ml/100 ml arm in sitting subjects (P = 0.013). When limb volume was measured in the forearm and calf without using a cuff to produce venous congestion, the increase in limb volume with TNG was significantly greater in the sitting than in the supine position. Because the fall in both systolic and diastolic pressure and the rise in heart rate were significantly greater after TNG was administered in the sitting position, it is suggested that a greater reflex venoconstriction occurred in this posture, which antagonized the TNG-induced increase in venous distensibility. In the seated position, the effect of gravity more than compensated for the impaired venodilatory response to TNG. These results suggest that TNG causes a greater reduction in venous return to the heart when administered in the sitting position than in the supine position.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Effect of storage temperature of insulin on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of insulin mixtures injected subcutaneously in subjects with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

These studies were undertaken to assess the influence of storage temperature of insulin vials on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a mixture of lente insulin (Monotard HM) and regular insulin (Actrapid HM) injected subcutaneously. Seven subjects with Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus were studied twice after overnight normalization of plasma glucose. A mixture of lente insulin (0.22 U/kg) and regular insulin (0.11 U/kg) was prepared from insulin vials kept either refrigerated (approximately 4 degrees C) or at room temperature (approximately 18 degrees C) and injected subcutaneously (abdomen). Euglycaemia was maintained for the following 16 h by glucose infusion at variable rate. With refrigerated insulin, the plasma free insulin peak was greater (53 +/- 5 versus 45 +/- 6 mU/l) and occurred earlier (2.5 +/- 0.2 versus 6 +/- 0.3 h), and the glucose infusion rate showed a greater (16.5 +/- 1.2 versus 14.5 +/- 0.9 mumol.kg-1.min-1) and earlier peak (3.2 +/- 0.2 versus 6 +/- 0.4 h) as compared to that occurring with the non-refrigerated insulin (p less than 0.05). However, 6 h after insulin injection, both plasma free insulin and glucose infusion rate were 30% lower with the mixture of refrigerated as compared to that of non-refrigerated insulin (p less than 0.05). In contrast, when NPH-insulin (Protaphane HM) was mixed with regular insulin and injected in 4 out of the 7 diabetic patients, the storage temperature of insulin vials had no effect on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the mixture.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1988

A long-term study on the use of evening primrose oil (Efamol) in atopic children.

The effect of essential fatty acids on atopic eczema is controversial. Some workers have reported that patients with atopic eczema improved following oral treatment with evening primrose oil (an oil with a high concentration of gamma-linolenic acid), but others have disputed this. This study was designed to look at the effect of evening primrose oil as a long-term oral supplementation for children with atopic eczema. Treated children dramatically improved their clinical condition after 4 weeks of therapy, and this improvement was maintained during the whole period of treatment (20 weeks). At the same time, modifications in plasma, neutrophil and lymphocyte fatty acid composition were detected.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1988

Evening primrose oil (Efamol) in the treatment of children with atopic eczema.

It has been reported that essential fatty acid levels may be low and that there may be reduced levels of delta-6-desaturase metabolites of linoleic acid in patients with atopic eczema. Good therapeutic results have been reported on the use of evening primrose oil (Efamol) in adults but not in children. Efamol contains gamma-linolenic acid, the delta-6-desaturase metabolite of linoleic acid. The authors have studied 24 children with atopic eczema: 12 of them were treated with a higher dose of evening primrose oil than in previous studies and 12 with placebo olive oil. The clinical status and plasma, neutrophil and lymphocyte fatty acid composition in these children have been evaluated. After 4 weeks the eczema of essential fatty acid-treated children significantly improved in comparison with that of placebo-treated children (p less than 0.01). There were significant changes in plasma fatty acid composition between the basal values and the end of active treatment, and between the placebo and actively treated children. Neutrophil and lymphocyte fatty acid composition did not seem to be related to disease activity.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1986

Dexamethasone suppression in dementia, depression, and normal aging.

Dexamethasone suppression tests (DSTs) were performed for 18 moderately demented elderly patients, 66 depressed elderly outpatients, and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy elderly control subjects. Seventeen percent of the demented patients and 4% of the normal subjects were DST nonsuppressors, compared to 38% of the total depressed group. The postdexamethasone plasma cortisol levels of the dementia group fell between those of the normal and the depressed subjects. In addition, demented patients had postdexamethasone cortisol levels significantly lower than those of depressed patients with high Hamilton depression scores. Older subjects in all diagnostic categories, including normal subjects, had higher postdexamethasone plasma cortisol levels.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Dexamethasone suppression in major depression.

Overnight 1 mg dexamethasone suppression tests were performed on 37 hospitalized patients with unipolar major depression and 13 psychiatric controls: 62% of the depressives and 38% of controls failed to suppress below 6 micrograms/dl of plasma cortisol at least once on the day after dexamethasone. Specificity for depressive diagnosis was only 62% but rose to 100% when a plasma cortisol value of 10 micrograms/dl was used as the criterion for normal suppression. Depressed patients were significantly more likely to show normal suppression if they were under age 65 (56% vs. 24% in the geriatric sample). Other demographic and clinical variables examined in the depressed sample did not assort by suppressor status.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical function in geriatric depression: diagnostic and treatment implications.

Extensive work in the field has indicated a state-dependent hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HYPAC) functions and unresponsiveness to dexamethasone suppression in at least 50% of patients suffering from endogenous depression. In this study, elderly outpatients, 60-85 years of age, suffering from major depressive illness according to research diagnostic criteria (RDC) were studied with the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Careful diagnostic evaluation included RDC, the Newcastle index, and clinical interviews focusing on "endogenomorphic features." The great majority (83.3%) of patients diagnosed as endogenous depressives were nonsuppressors (abnormal DST) as compared to 16.7% nonsuppressors amongst nonendogenous patients. In addition, DST tended to normalize the clinical recovery. The research and clinical implications of our findings in this population are further discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1983

The purification of a novel amylase from Bacillus subtilis and its inhibition by wheat proteins.

A new alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) from Bacillus subtilis was purified by affinity chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme, estimated from sodium dodecyl sulphate/polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, was 93000, which is very different from the molecular weights of two well-characterized amylases from B. subtilis. Electrofocusing showed an isoelectric point of 5. Amylase shows a broad maximum of activity between pH 6 and 7; maximal inhibition of enzyme by wheat-protein alpha-amylase inhibitors is displayed at pH 7.

Amylases↗
PubMed1983

Stimulation of aflatoxin biosynthesis by lipophilic epoxides.

Epoxy fatty acids added to the culture media either with the inoculum or at the end of exponential growth phase stimulated aflatoxin production by toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. This effect did not appear when the unsaturated fatty acids used for the synthesis of the epoxides and the polyhydroxyacids (which can be considered to be derived from the opening of the oxirane ring) replaced the epoxides in the culture media. No significant differences were detected in the lipid fractions (diglycerides, sterols, triglycerides, free fatty acids, sterol esters) extracted from the mycelia grown in the presence of any of the fatty acid derivates.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1978

Gonadotropin induced stimulation and desensitization of cyclic 3', 5' -adenosine monophosphate dependent protein kinase(s) in the rat ovary.

Incubation of rat ovarian slices with choriogonadotropin resulted in stimulation of cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase activity in a time and dose dependent manner. However, prior exposure of animals to choriogonadotropin in vivo resulted in a decreased sensitivity to subsequent in vitro stimulation by the same hormone. This decreased sensitivity was due to a lesion in the hormone receptor adenylate cyclase system rather than a change in the property of protein kinase with respect to its stimulation by cyclic AMP. Unchanged levels of cyclic AMP formation in these ovaries were evidenced by the lack of inhibition of [3H] cyclic AMP binding. In the untreated controls, however, choriogonadotropin in vitro resulted in inhibition [3H] cyclic AMP binding activity suggesting endogenous occupation parallel to protein kinase activation. These results are indicative of the linear coupling of hormone receptor-adenylate cyclase-protein kinase system and point out the in vivo role of protein kinase activation in choriogonadotropin mediated regulation of ovarian function.

Animals↗