Basal serum interferon-gamma production in hay fever patients.
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Adolescent↗
Biomedical subjects
C Giordano
Publications and source records attributed to C Giordano.
Effects of plasma amino acid and hormone levels on renal hemodynamics in humans.
The effect of plasma amino acid and hormone (insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone) levels on renal hemodynamics was studied in 18 healthy subjects. The following four protocols were employed: study 1, a balanced amino acid solution was infused for 3 h to increase plasma amino acid concentrations two to three times base line; study 2, the same amino acid solution was infused with somatostatin (SRIF) and infusions of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone were concomitantly administered to replace the time sequence of increase in peripheral concentrations of these hormones as observed during study 1; study 3, the same amino acid infusion was administered with SRIF plus infusions of insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone to maintain plasma hormone concentrations constant at the basal level; study 4, SRIF was infused with insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone to reproduce the time sequence of increase of these hormones as observed in study 1; amino acids were not infused in this study. During study 1, glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow (RPF) rose by 19 and 21%, respectively. During study 2 both the time sequence of and magnitude of rise in GFR and in RPF were similar to the changes observed during study 1. In studies 3 and 4 neither RPF nor GFR changed significantly from base line. These results indicate that 1) hyperaminoacidemia stimulates insulin/glucagon/growth hormone secretion and causes a modest rise in GFR and RPF; and 2) if hyperaminoacidemia is created while maintaining basal hormone levels constant or if plasma insulin/glucagon/growth hormone levels are increased while maintaining the plasma amino acid concentration at basal levels, neither RPF nor GFR rise.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adult↗
Effect of some uremic toxins on oxygen consumption of rats in vivo and in vitro.
In rats, oxygen consumption is reduced by about 40-50% 24 h after bilateral nephrectomy. This is also the case when the animals are pretreated with triiodothyronine, 3 x 0.75 mg/kg body weight orally, for 2-3 days. Indole, cresol, putrescine, methylguanidine or acetoine was given intraperitoneally to normal rats at doses of between 5 and 300 mg/kg body weight. Only low single doses of indole (5 mg/kg) reduced oxygen consumption significantly. Single doses of the other substances studied were ineffective even at tenfold higher doses. Some combinations of these substances, however, (10 mg/kg each), reduced the metabolic rate significantly. In contrast to the results in vivo, plasma of uremic rats, as well as the uremic toxins, dissolved in Krebs-phosphate buffer pH 7.4 at concentrations of 30 mg/dl each, had no influence on respiration of rat diaphragma or liver slices in vitro (single substances and different combinations).
Acetoin↗
[Tropical African neuromyelopathies: 61 studied cases in the Ivory Coast].
Sixty one cases of tropical myeloneuropathies (TNM) from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, are reported. The mean age of patients was 35 years. The socioeconomic level was often very low and puerperality was a common initiating factor. Several clinical forms are noted: pure pyramidal (16 cases), pure ataxic (11 cases), sensory motor polyneuritis (8 cases), combined sclerosis of the spinal cord (1 case), ataxic polyneuritis (25 cases). In fact the extent of the pathobiological process was more severe as shown by slowings of peripheral motor nerve conduction velocities, prolonged central conduction time determined after cortical and spinal stimulations, and a severe sensory axonal impairment on nerve biopsies. These changes were observed with varying degrees in all clinical forms. As long as the etiological factors of TMN are not known (preventing from the possibility to split this disease in several entities) it is preferable to speak about one global disorder and not isolated various clinical forms (e.g. particulary: tropical spastic paraplegia). HTLV-I retrovirus seems to play a limited role in the etiology of TMN in Ivory Coast (1 positive case).
Adolescent↗
[The different present-day clinical picture of human African trypanosomiasis caused by T. b. gambiense. Analysis of 300 cases from a focus in Daloa, Ivory Coast].
300 patients with sleeping sickness have been admitted, at the AHT clinic of Daloa, over a time period of 22 months. The sex ratio of the patients is 1.5 males for 1 female; the mean age is 25.5 years. The most frequent signs and symptoms observed by clinical examination are: fever (30%), nodes (86.3%), prurigo (43.3%), splenomegaly (15.3%), hepatomegaly (1%), headache (72.6%), vigilance and sleeping disturbances (68.7%), perioral reflexes (67.6%), cheiro-oral reflexes (64.3%), movement disorders consisting of tremor, choreo-athetosis movements, buccal dyskinesia or seizures (35%), motor palsy and gait disorders (15%), tonus disturbances (12.3%), sensitivity abnormalities (17%), endocrine disorders (16.3%), psychiatric symptoms (6.3%). According to CSF status, 261 patients have been classified in second period (P2). This group, although biologically well defined, is in fact a miscellaneous group of clinical signs and symptoms ranging from apparently normal patients to sleeping comatose and cachectic patients. 93% of the patients in this group have peripheral signs associated with neurological symptoms. They are as frequent in the first period as in the second period, with a statistical significance. This is an argument to think that the CNS is early affected in the course of the disease. The classification of the patients in groups of increasing neurological impairments, is in accordance with this hypothesis. 89% of the patients in the second period have only slight neurological signs. This explain how difficult it is for a physician to use melarsoprol in the treatment of all patients classified in second period.
Adolescent↗
[The concept of tropical neuromyelopathy].
Since the beginning of this century, the concept of tropical neuromyelopathy (T. N. M.) was progressively elaborated in tropical areas. This disorder is constituted by three main clinical syndromes (e.g.: polyneuropathy, spastic paraplegia, ataxia). Abnormal clinical, electrophysiological and pathological features, observed in all clinical forms argue in favor of a diffuse pathobiological process of the nervous system. The association with positive HTLV-1 serology, has recently induced a great interest for the spastic forms of T. N. M. Tropical spastic paraplegia tend to be individualized. This attitude differs from the global concept of T. N. M. which allows gathering similar clinical syndromes. This T. N. M. group should be kept intact until the discovery of new etiologies. Toxic (manioc, lathyrism) or deficiency (hypovitaminosis, malabsorption) causes are incriminated. Otherwise etiologies are unknown.
Ataxia↗
[Hemiplegic forms of human African trypanosomiasis].
Hemiplegic forms of human African trypanosomiasis are unusual. From 1963 to 1987, 14 cases have been reported in the literature. One may be mistakenly led to look for a space-occupying lesion when clinical features include hemiplegia, vascular shift from median line during arteriography, focal EEG anomalies and intracranial hypertension. The discussion on diagnosis also covers subacute or chronic meningo encephalitis (tuberculosis syphilis or fungal infection). CT scanner findings suggest the association of a massive demyelination of centrum semiovale, with cerebral oedema.
Animals↗
Dissociated production of interleukin-2 and immune gamma-interferon by phytohaemoagglutinin stimulated peripheral mononuclear cells in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes.
In order to analyze the first steps of T cell activation in type 1 diabetes we studied in vitro IL-2 and gamma-IFN production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells after 24 h PHA stimulation. There was a significant decrease in IL-2 production by mononuclear cells of the diabetic patients with respect to the controls. No significant difference was observed between the diabetic patients and the healthy subjects as regards gamma-IFN production. These observations may be interesting in relation to the pathogenetic mechanisms involved in type 1 diabetes. In particular, normal gamma-IFN production may indicate integrity of the natural killer circuit.
Adolescent↗
[EEG and treatment with Arsobal in human African trypanosomiasis].
EEG in patients suffering form HAT at the meningoencephalitis stage displays the characteristic features of the disease. Now since most of the patients are treated at an early stage, the majority of the EEG are normal or with mild abnormalities. Where abnormalities occur, they present a diminished background activity interrupted by bursts of synchronous and generalised polymorphic delta waves at 1.2 c/s. A strict correlation frequently exists between severity of clinical symptoms and the degree of EEG abnormality. These EEG abnormalities disappears very often, after the first period of the treatment by melarsoprol. EEG seems useful to follow the course of the patients treated by melarsoprol.
Animals↗
Increased soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels in the sera of type 1 diabetic patients.
Recently, the presence of a soluble form of IL-2 receptor (IL-2RS) in human sera and in supernatants of PHA-stimulated lymphocytes has been demonstrated. It has been suggested that autoimmune diseases could be characterized by a defect in production of IL-2RS, unlike immunoproliferative disorders which are characterized by overproduction. Our aim was to investigate serum IL-2RS levels in 35 newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients, in 25 age-matched healthy blood donors and in five patients with Hodgkin's disease. We found that newly diagnosed diabetic patients have higher IL-2RS levels (424.8 +/- 203 U/ml) than normal controls (252.4 +/- 38.4 U/ml) (p less than 0.005). In 22 out of 35 patients (62.8%) the IL-2RS values were above the higher 95% tolerance limit of controls. Furthermore, the persistence of high IL-2RS levels was observed in 18/35 diabetic patients six months after diagnosis (470 +/- 195.6 U/ml). The increased levels were not correlated with glycaemic and HbA1c levels and patients' age. Our findings suggest a potentially significant role for the released IL-2R in the regulation of IL-2 dependent lymphocyte functions in Type 1 diabetes. The study of IL-2RS in Type 1 diabetes may provide a new tool for the knowledge of cytokine involvement in the disease.
Adolescent↗
HLA-DR1 and HLA-DR3 phenotypes and insulin antibody production in diabetic Sicilian patients.
We have evaluated the role played by HLA antigens in the control of humoral response to exogenous insulin in a sample of Sicilian insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients. The results demonstrate that HLA-DR1-positive patients show the highest mean values of insulin antibody, whereas HLA-B18,DR3-positive patients show the lowest. Thus, present observations show that HLA-DR1- and HLA-DR3-linked genes do play opposite roles in the humoral immune response to an exogenous protein, i.e. injected insulin. These results might be consistent with the findings concerning the mechanisms involved in the resistance and/or susceptibility to immunological diseases. In this regard, the fact that no immunological spontaneous disorder has been shown to be associated with HLA-DR1, whereas several have been shown to be associated with HLA-DR3, is intriguing.
Adolescent↗
[Computerized tomographic evaluation of latero-cervical lymphatic metastasis of carcinoma of the larynx. Personal experience in 170 cases].
CT can be considered the most reliable technique in detecting nodal metastases of the cervical district. The Authors have studied 170 patients with laryngeal cancer (104 N0, 21 N1, 21 N2 and 24 N3 clinically) with CT of the cervical region during infusion of contrast material. All patients underwent radical neck dissection with pathological examination of the nodes. CT diagnosis and pathological findings were correlated. Our findings show that CT has an overall accuracy of 91.8% (100% in groups N2 and N3) and fed false positives and false negatives.
Adult↗
[X-ray computed tomography in latero-cervical lymph nodes, clinically undetectable, in preoperative staging of malignant neoplasms of the larynx].
Postoperative CT of the latero-cervical lymph nodes was carried out in 25 patients suffering from laryngeal cancer. The surgically removed lymph nodes themselves were measured and examined histologically. 529/621 removed lymph nodes (about 85%) were recognisable with CT. The metastasized lymph nodes were clearly identified because of the presence of hypodense, poorly vascularised central foci. Some lymph nodes with a diameter of more than 15 mm on CT investigation proved free from metastatic lesions. This criterion should therefore be considered inadequate for diagnostic purposes. The CT cannot be held to be sufficiently precise to avoid conservative functional latero-cervical emptying as it is probably not able to recognise metastases without capsular rupture, not present in this series.
Adult↗
Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in recurrent head and neck cancer: results of an outpatient schedule.
Thirty patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with an outpatient schedule: cisplatin (100 mg/m2) day 1 and an 8-hour infusion of 5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2) on days 1-4 every 28 days. Twenty-eight patients were evaluable for response and toxicity: there were 5 complete responses (17.8%), 12 partial responses (42.8%), 6 stable disease (21.6%) and 5 progressions (17.8%). Patients with good performance status had a better response; patients who received prior chemotherapy had less positive responses. Median remission duration was 30+ weeks in patients who had a complete response, 25+ weeks in patients with a partial response. Median overall survival was 28+ weeks: 36+ weeks for responders and 14 weeks for non-responders. The major toxic effect was nausea/vomiting, while myelosuppression and stomatitis were less frequent and never severe.
Adult↗
Toxicity in uremia. 1. Correlation between PTH levels and depressed cell proliferation.
Cell proliferation is significantly depressed in uremia; to assess the influence of PTH on it, normal lymphocytes were cultured in presence of uremic patients' serum with low or high plasma PTH levels (Group A; PTH less than 2.5 ng/ml; Group B: PTH greater than 12 ng/ml), and serum of normal subjects (Group C). Cell proliferation was lowered by serum from both groups (p A vs C less than 0.004; p B vs C less than 0.001). However, the depressing effect was more evident when group B serum was employed (p A vs B less than 0.002).
Cell Division↗
Toxicity in uremia. 2. Correlation between PTH levels and impaired aspecific immunity.
The role of PTH in depressing polynuclear leucocyte (PMN) phagocytosis in uremia was investigated. The hydrophobicity and phagocytic activity of normal PMN was tested in presence of uremic patients' serum with low (Group A) or high (Group B) levels of plasma PTH. The PMN phagocytic index was lowered by serum of both groups, but more in presence of Group B serum (p A vs B less than 0.002). Similarly, the contact angle of cells was affected more in presence of serum of patients with high PTH levels (p B vs A less than 0.003; p B vs C less than 0.002).
Cytotoxins↗
[Treatment of tinnitus with the TENS stimulator in cervico-arthrosis patients. Preliminary results].
The combination of ear buzzing and cervical arthrosis is frequently encountered in both ENT practice and physiatry. A group of 16 patients presenting this combination was therefore selected. After a series of ENT and physiatric tests the patients were subjected to audiological and radiographic examination in order to exclude any pathologies different from the two under study. Each patients was then subjected to a cycle of 12 periauricular TENS sessions and was examined at the end of the cycle and one month later. Brief bibliographical notes on this subjects are presented and the results obtained are reported and discussed.
Adult↗
Glucose metabolism in acute renal failure.
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Acute Kidney Injury↗