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Biomedical subjects

C Ferraro

Publications and source records attributed to C Ferraro.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

[The pancreatico-respiratory syndrome. Problems of intensive therapy and illustration of 5 clinical cases].

A short account of the mechanisms responsible for pleuropulmonary affections in the course of pancreatitis is followed by the presentation of personal cases observed over the previous four years and reference is made to the relatively high frequency of pleuropneumopathy. Lastly, mention is made of the treatment of pancreatitis. Recent criteria lay down that this should be conservative and medico-intensive in the acute stage. Surgery should be left for cases of peritonitic abdomen (exploratory laparotomy) and chronic pancreatitis.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Intestinal absorption of phosphate: action of protein synthesis inhibitors and glucocorticoids in the rat.

The effect of actinomycin D, cycloheximide and glucocorticoids on the intestinal absorption of phosphate was studied. The effective intestinal absorption of 32P and 47Ca was determined simultaneously in intact rats in vivo using a whole body counter. Both, actinomycin D and cycloheximide caused a significant diminution of the intestinal absorption of phosphate whereas calcium absorption was not altered. Experiments with the in situ ligated loop technique were performed to eliminate the possibility that the action of the protein synthesis inhibitors could be due to an altered intestinal motility effect. Phosphate absorption was also significantly diminished under this condition. On the other hand, the administration of glucocorticoids produced a significant inhibition of phosphate and calcium absorption in the rat in vivo. The reported results indicate that proteins and/or enzymes with a rapid turn-over are involved in the mechanism of phosphate intestinal absorption, and confirm previous observations that phosphate and calcium are transported across the intestine by different mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antalgic scoliosis due to nonosteogenic fibroma of the L1 neural arch: report of a case.

A case of nonosteogenic fibroma of the neural arch associated with scoliosis is reported. The unusual location of the neoplastic lesion and its close relationship with the lateral deviation of the spine are discussed. The necessity for accurate, early etiologic diagnosis is stressed. Early resection of the lesion led to resolution of the spinal curvature and pain.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of an African Blastomyces dermatitidis strain.

This report describes the macro- and microscopic characteristics of a strain of Blastomyces dermatitidis isolated in an Italian hospital from a Libyan patient suffering from cutaneous blastomycosis. The fungus was isolated with great difficulty because of the presence of a Proteus species on the lesion. Conversion of the mycelial into the yeast-like phase achieved the best results, using Columbia ANC culture medium. After 5-6 days, this transformation was only partial and presented swollen hyphae and yeast-like cells. The biological characteristics were typical of B. dermatitidis strains of African origin. The differences between African and North American strains are confirmed, in agreement with findings already reported in the literature.

Blastomyces↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A rare case of psychogenic scoliosis].

A case is reported of non-structural lateral deviation of the spine thought to be of psychogenic origin and classified as so-called hysterical scoliosis. Unusual features are its great rarity and the fact that rotation of the vertebral bodies, the costal gibbus and the lateral deviation are all spontaneously reversible with suitable treatment. Essentially the latter comprised psychotherapy and physiotherapy. Passive correction by such methods as non-mobile corrective corsets or plaster jackets are contra-indicated. Relapses in this type of patient are frequent. Periodic follow-up is essential.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bullous pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris: correlated behaviour of serum VEGF, sE-selectin and TNF-alpha levels.

BACKGROUND: Recently, we reported that soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin), an isoform of the cell membrane E-selectin, an adhesion molecule synthesized only by endothelial cells, is significantly increased in sera of the patients with bullous pemphigoid (PB) or pemphigus vulgaris. A significant correlation was also found between the serum sE-selectin levels and the number of skin lesions, suggesting the possible use of this molecule to gauge disease intensity before therapy. One of the sE-selectin inducers is tumor nerosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), that is also able to enhance vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a strong endothelium activator. OBJECTIVE: On the basis of these observations, the present study was conducted to analyze the serum levels of VEGF, sE-selectin, and TNF-alpha in 8 patients with BP (age: 82, range 54-87, 7 males, 1 female) and in 6 patients affected affected with PV (age: 55, range 44-65; 5 males, 1 female) and to verify possible correlations between these variables and the disease activity, In addition, serum sE-selectin levels were measured over time and compared with the serum anti-epithelium antibodies titers. METHODS: The sE-selectin, VEGF and TNF-alpha levels were measured in the samples by means of commercially available ELISA kit. The same samples were also employed to measure the anti-epithelium antibody titers. RESULTS: Serum VEGF, sE-selectin and TNF-alpha levels were significantly correlated each other (p at least < 0.01). All three variables were also significantly correlated with the number of lesions (p at least < 0.01). Serum VEGF levels were found increased (median = 178 pg/ml, range 37-595) as compared to 28 healthy controls (median = 135 pg/ml, range 18/269, p < 0.05). Also serum TNF-alpha levels were found increased (median = 5.5 pg/ml, range < 0.1-41.0) as compared to 28 healthy controls (median < 0.1 pg/ml, range < 0.1-5.3), p < 0.01). When the patients were observed over time, serum sE-selectin levels highly correlated with the disease intensity in both dermatoses, although with different regression curves. CONCLUSIONS: These data further underline the endothelium involvement in these bullous dermatoses and stress the possibility of employing sE-selectin as a non-specific follow-up marker of both BP and PV.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between theoretical molecular weight and blister fluid/serum ratio of cytokines and five other molecules evaluated in patients with bullous pemphigoid.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) blisters contain several molecules, some of which spread into the blisters from the interstitial fluid, while others are produced locally and migrate into the circulation. The calculation of the ratios between blister/serum concentrations may help to distinguish between these two types of molecules. The rules regulating the diffusion of the molecules have been described only in suction blisters, where the theoretical molecular weight (MW) represents one of the principal influencing factors. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between theoretical MWs and the ratios of concentrations of several molecules evaluated both in sera and in blister fluids. Eight cytokines (interleukin-2, interleukin-3, interleukin-4, interleukin-5, interleukin-10, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, oncostatin-M and vascular endothelial growth factor), two acute phase reactants (alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, haptoglobin), albumin, one soluble membrane molecule with adhesion functions (sICAM-1) and the eosinophil cathionic protein (ECP) were measured in samples from 15 patients affected with BP by means of commercially available tests. The data suggest that the MW may influence the rate of diffusion throughout the blister, both in input and output directions, despite the discontinuity observed at the basement membrane level on the BP blister floor.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗