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Biomedical subjects

C Ruggiero

Publications and source records attributed to C Ruggiero.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Development of a piezoelectric immunosensor for the measurement of paclitaxel.

This paper describes the development of a piezoelectric immunosensor for the measurement of paclitaxel (taxol), a natural anti-cancer agent. An antibody specific for taxanes was immobilized onto the surface of quartz crystals by means of the layer-by-layer self-assembly technique. The immobilization was achieved using electrostatic interactions between a precursor layer and the antibody molecules. The assembly process was monitored by a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and the topography of the modified quartz crystals was investigated by means of atomic force microscopy. The specific interaction of the immobilized antibody with paclitaxel in solution at different concentrations was monitored as a change in resonant frequency of the modified crystal. Moreover, the influence of non-specific adsorption was also characterized. The results show that the proposed immunosensor offers a promising alternative to classical analytical methods for a fast and easy determination of paclitaxel.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Nanofunctionalisation for the treatment of peripheral nervous system injuries.

A construct based on the electrostatic layer-by-layer self assembly technique has been fabricated, to be used as a tailored device to encourage nerve regeneration. A multilayered nanocoating composed of three precursor bilayers of cationic poly(dimethyldiallylammonium) chloride (PDDA) and anionic poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS), followed by bilayers of poly-D-lysine (PDL) and antibody specific to transforming growth factor 1 (anti-TGF-1), has been deposited on HYAFF 11. The assembly process has been monitored by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for its characterisation and then it has been used on HYAFF 11. Structural studies of the resulting multilayers confirmed stepwise deposition of anti-TGF-1, with an average layer thickness of 2.2+/-0.2 nm and an average surface density of 0.36+/-0.03 mug cm(-2). Scanning electron microscopy has been used to characterise multilayer uniformity. Finally, the immunological activity of the multilayered structure has been assessed. The results show that anti-TGF-1 can be included in its active form in a predetermined multilayered structure onto HYAFF 11 with quantitative control of layer thickness and weight, providing a high tool with great potential in tissue engineering.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Protein-surface interactions: an energy-based mathematical model.

This article describes an energy-based approach to protein adsorption, focusing on the energies involved in the interactions between a protein and a surface. Mathematical modeling and simulation based on this approach allow an improved understanding of the conditions that favor or prevent adsorption of a protein onto a surface and that can play a significant role in the design of material surfaces that interact with biological tissues according to specific needs. Biocompatibility with respect to fluids in motion, such as blood, is the main foreseeable application of our work. The considered energies are the van der Waals energy, the electrostatic energy, and the hydrophobic or hydrophilic energy. Moreover, the motion of the medium in which particles are immersed is also taken into account, considering the drag effect of the motion of the fluid on the particle, leading to a kinetic contribution to the total energy. It is shown that the adsorption behavior is not mainly determined by the van der Waals energy and by the double layer energy, but that a significant role is also played by the hydrophobic or hydrophilic energy. These results support the findings of experimental studies.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

Role of antioxidants in atherosclerosis: epidemiological and clinical update.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidative modification in the vascular wall seems to be a key factor in atherosclerosis development. Oxidised LDLs might recruit monocytes and favour their transformation into foam cells through a receptor-mediated intake (scavenger pathway). Moreover oxidised LDLs show cytotoxic potential which is probably responsible for endothelial cell damage and macrophage degeneration in the atherosclerotic human plaque. Following the oxidation hypothesis of atherosclerosis the role of natural antioxidants, i.e. Vitamin C, Vitamin E and carotenoids, has been investigated in a large number of epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies. Animal studies indicate that dietary antioxidants may reduce atherosclerosis progression, and observational data in humans suggest that antioxidant vitamin ingestion is associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, but the results of randomised controlled trials are mainly disappointing. It has been suggested that natural antioxidants may be effective only in selected subgroups of patients with high levels of oxidative stress or depletion of natural antioxidant defence systems. The favourable effects shown by some studies relating antioxidant dietary intake and cardiovascular disease, may have been exerted by other chemicals present in foods. Flavonoids are the ideal candidates, since they are plentiful in foods containing antioxidant vitamins (i.e. fruits and vegetables) and are potent antioxidants. Tea and wine, rich in flavonoids, seem to have beneficial effects on multiple mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis. Future studies should probably select patients in a context of high-oxidative stress / low-antioxidant defence, to verify if antioxidants may really prove useful as therapeutic anti-atherosclerotic agents.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Conservation of feline semen. Part I: cooling and freezing protocols.

There has been increased interest recently in the conservation of wild felids and preservation of valuable cat breeds. Assisted reproduction, by means of artificial insemination (AI), is an important tool for developing breeding programs for conservation. Optimal use of AI requires accurate data on semen conservation protocols and its long-term storage/survival. In this paper, semen cooling and freezing processes are described, with special emphasis on the results obtained in experiments performed in the domestic cat. Conception rates after AI in wild and domestic cats are also reported.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Parosteal rib lipoma: description of a case].

Parosteal lipoma is a usually indolent, rare benign tumor, characterized by clinicopathological findings similar to those of the commonly occurring subcutaneous lipoma, except for its intimate relationship with the connective tissue of the subjacent periosteal region. Parosteal lipoma commonly affects the diaphysis of long bones of the upper and lower limbs. We report an exceedingly rare case of parosteal lipoma of the rib, which presented in a 59-year-old man experiencing previous multiple traumas in this site.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMed2000

Artificial neural network based identification of environmental bacteria by gas-chromatographic and electrophoretic data.

Chemotaxonomic identification techniques are powerful tools for environmental micro-organisms, for which poor diagnostic schemes are available. Whole cellular fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) content is a stable bacterial profile, the analysis method is rapid, cheap, simple to perform and highly automated. Whole-cell protein is an even more powerful tool because it yields information at or below the species level. The description of new species and genera and subsequent continuous rearrangement provide large amounts of data, resulting in large databases. In order to set up suitable software tools to work on such large databases artificial neural network (ANN) based programs have been used to classify and identify marine bacteria at genus and species levels, starting from the fatty acid profiles and protein profiles respectively. We analysed 50 certified strains belonging to Halomonas, Marinomonas, Marinospirillum, Oceanospirillum and Pseudoalteromonas genera. Both supervised and unsupervised ANNs provide a correct classification of the marine strains analyzed. Moreover, a set of 73 marine fresh isolates were used as an example of identification using ANNs. We propose supervised and unsupervised ANNs as a reliable tool for classification of bacteria by means of their FAME and of whole-protein analyses and as a sound basis for a comprehensive artificial intelligence based system for polyphasic taxonomy.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2000

Activation of olfactory cortex in newborn infants after odor stimulation: a functional near-infrared spectroscopy study.

In mammals, perception of smells during the first hours of life is an essential prerequisite for adaptation of the newborn to the new extrauterine world. Functional magnetic resonance studies have shown that olfactory impression is processed in the lateral and anterior orbito-frontal gyri of the frontal lobe. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can detect changes in oxygenated [Hb O2], and deoxygenated [Hb H] Hb during cortical activation. The aim of this study was to assess by NIRS olfactory cortex activity in newborn infants receiving olfactory stimuli. Twelve males and 11 females were studied when awake at 6 h to 8 d after birth. NIRS monitoring was carried out using two optodes placed above the left anterior orbito-frontal gyri. Each newborn was exposed for 30 s to two different smell stimuli-mother's colostrum and vanilla-and to a negative control, distilled water. Changes in Hb concentration were measured over the orbitofrontal region. During exposure to vanilla, [Hb O2] increased significantly over the left orbito-frontal area in all babies. The magnitude of the [Hb O2] increase over the illuminated region during colostrum exposure was inversely related to postnatal age. We conclude that monitoring Hb changes by NIRS can be valuable in assessing olfactory responsiveness in infants.

Aging↗
PubMed2000

Application of artificial neural network for the identification of fresh water bacteria.

A method based on artificial neural network (ANN) for monitoring aquatic bacteria which would be useful for health care is presented. Environmental micro-organisms include a large number of taxa. Some species that normally are not pathogenic can represent a risk in certain conditions, such as old people and immuno-compromised individuals. A system based on unsupervised ANN has been set up using the fatty acid profiles of standard strains, obtained by gas-chromatography, as learning data. The Kohonen output map resulted in a powerful tool for identification of fresh isolates coming from a line of the major civil water system of Genova (Italy).

Bacteria↗
PubMed2000

Application of Kohonen neural network for the elaboration of electrogastrograms.

A method is presented for processing and analysis of electrogastrography (EGG) a noninvasive technique by which gastric myolectrical activity is recorded using abdominal surface electrodes. The analysis is based on FFT and on unsupervised artificial neural networks. Three kinds of patterns can be identified on the neurons of a Kohonen output map with 32 x 16 neurons: one relating to noisy spectral profiles, one relating to pre-prandial profiles, one relating post-prandial profiles. It is concluded that the described method is reliable and can be used for objective automated analysis of EGG and for investigation of possible relations of the EGG with gastric pathologies.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1999

Computer modelling of the adsorption of proteins on solid surfaces under the influence of double layer and van der Waals energy.

The study of protein interactions with surfaces is important in many branches of biomedical engineering. A computer model has been set up in order to aid the understanding and prediction of the likelihood of protein adsorption at a surface and of coagulation between two proteins. In this model, a protein is represented as a hard sphere, neglecting conformation changes which may occur during the adsorption process. The sphere is assumed to be in a medium whose properties are described by the ionic strength, the pH and the dielectric permittivity. It is considered to interact both with an infinite plane, representing the surface, and with another sphere, representing another protein. The model focuses on the total interaction energy between a protein and a surface and between two proteins. The energy is expressed according to the DLVO theory of colloidal stability, which assumes that the adsorption behaviour of proteins at a surface depends, first, on the van der Waals interactions energy and, second, on the electrostatic double layer interaction energy. The conditions under which adhesion is prevented correspond to the presence of local extremes of the energy function, whereas the conditions under which adhesion is likely to take place correspond to absence of local extremes.

Adsorption↗
PubMed1999

Qualitative modelling of the response of cytoskeletal actin filaments in endothelial cells subjected to shear stress.

An approach to modelling cytoskeletal function based on qualitative process theory and qualitative algebra is presented. A computer environment for qualitative modelling and simulation of physical systems, specifically oriented to the construction of biomedical knowledge bases, is used. The system that is being set up for the cytoskeleton is intended to serve as a tool for testing assumptions about cytoskeletal function, for the evaluation of experimental data and for planning experimental work. The aspects of cytoskeletal function that have been modelled so far are focal adhesion and the reorganisation of the vascular endothelial cell cytoskeleton in response to fluid-imposed shear stress. Starting from a natural language description, the subsequent levels of analysis leading to the formal structural description and the resulting implementation for these aspects within the development environment are presented.

Actins↗
PubMed1999

Home telecare.

Technology can be used to help the care of people at home in many ways and home health care is one of the fastest growing areas of health-care provision. Home-based technology has two main facets: passive monitoring and active measurement. Technical solutions must be acceptable to both the health-care staff and the assisted person, and should supplement not replace human carers. Other important aspects of technical solutions are: simplicity of operation and management, availability, reliability and affordability. The introduction of a home telecare system always requires changes in organization, since it is not enough simply to transmit data. The data must be received and interpreted, and advice for care must be provided. The most important aspects of home telecare are: organization and training; improving the quality of care; improving the quality of life; economy; and technology.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1999

Influence of static magnetic field on the antiproliferative effects of vitamin D on human breast cancer cells.

We describe the effect of a 0.2 tesla (T) static magnetic field generated by a magnetic resonance tomograph and of vitamin D treatment on a human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7). Cell damage and proliferation were monitored by measuring the incorporation of [3H]thymidine in duplicating DNA and by the clonogenic assay. [3H]Thymidine incorporation in MCF-7 was stimulated by vitamin D at low doses (10(-12)-10(-10) M), whereas it was inhibited at higher concentrations (10(-9)-10(-6) M). Magnetic field treatment (0.2 T) decreased [3H]thymidine incorporation in human breast cancer cells, eliminating the proproliferative effect of low doses of vitamin D, and enhanced the vitamin D antiproliferative effect, further reducing [3H]thymidine incorporation, from -12.5% (P < 0.05) to -66.7% (P < 0.001), over the range of 10(-9) to 10(-6) M. In the clonogenic assay, ability of MCF-7 to form colonies was inhibited by vitamin D 10(-9) M and above, whereas 3-h exposure to 0.2 T magnetic field had no effect on the number of cell colonies formed. In conclusion, vitamin D treatment yields a permanent antiproliferative effect, while magnetic field exposure only temporarily slows down cellular growth. These findings suggest that therapy with vitamin D may prove beneficial for chemoprevention or treatment of breast cancer. Static magnetic field, alone or in combination, does not appear to represent an effective candidate for breast cancer therapy, at least at the intensity used in the present study.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

Data integration to assist gastric emptying data analysis.

The diagnosis of dyspepsia is very difficult because the symptoms are clinically aspecific and the gastric emptying time tests are of complex interpretation. An integrated and automated analysis of clinical and instrumental data may improve the diagnostic process. We present a system to collect data on dyspeptic patient from different sources which has been set up to assist the clinician in the diagnosis of dyspepsia. The data base integrates a wide set of symptoms with data coming from laboratory tests. Moreover, we assess the feasibility of classifying gastric emptying profiles using both octanoid acid excretion data and electrogastrography.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

ArchAIDS connects a clinical department and a virological laboratory to automatize the follow up of AIDS patients.

A communication system for the automation of the follow up of AIDS patients set up by DIST at the Molecular Virology Unit in the Advanced Biotechnology Centre of Genova and at the Department of Internal Medicine of the Medical School of Genova is presented. This system includes a distributed database to store both clinical and virological data and a set of procedures to transfer patient data with a complete respect of requirements about completeness and privacy.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1999

An integration system to rapidly identify aquatic bacteria.

An identification system for aquatic bacteria which would be useful for aspects ranging from pollution monitoring to health care, is described. It contains relevant information concerning the nature, taxonomy and activity of aquatic bacteria and allows to identify fresh isolates by means of their chemotaxonomic profiles. The system is simple and user friendly, so that it can be used by people not familiar with computers and has a modular interface that allows an easy interaction with laboratory instruments. The system is also connected with artificial neural network based programs to identify strains starting from the considered chemotaxonomic features.

Bacteria↗