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Biomedical subjects

D Costa

Publications and source records attributed to D Costa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Rapid fetal karyotype from cystic hygroma and pleural effusions.

Fluid from pleural effusion (n = 2) and cystic hygroma (n = 7) was obtained from eight fetuses, between 13 and 32 weeks of pregnancy at the time when a conventional prenatal diagnosis procedure was carried out. As these fluids contain lymphocytes, they were processed like peripheral blood. A karyotype was obtained in 4 days in both cases of pleural effusion and in four out of seven samples of cystic hygroma. An abnormal karyotype was detected in three of the four samples of cystic hygroma: two trisomies 21 and a monosomy X. Different parameters were evaluated in order to predict the feasibility of obtaining a cytogenetic diagnosis. Our data showed that if the amount of fluid obtained was > or = 4 ml and the initial lymphocyte count (ILC) was > 0.2 x 10(6) cells/ml, a cytogenetic diagnosis was possible from an initial concentration of cultured lymphocytes (ICCL) of > 0.06 x 10(6) cells/ml.

Body Fluids↗
PubMed1995

Chorionic villus sampling by biopsy forceps. Results of 1580 procedures from a single centre.

The results of a prospective series of 1580 chorionic villus sampling (CVS) procedures using biopsy forceps are presented. Most of the procedures (1442), including 11 sets of twins, were performed by the transcervical approach (TC-CVS), using a curved-shank thin forceps, and 138 by the transabdominal approach (TA-CVS), using a trocar-guided straight thin forceps. The mean gestational age for TC-CVS was 10.9 weeks, and in 233 cases (16 per cent) the procedure was carried out between the 12th and 14th weeks. The mean gestational age for TA-CVS was 16.7 weeks. The major indication for CVS was advanced maternal age (92.7 per cent in the TC and 91.8 per cent in the TA approach), and indications for abnormal ultrasound findings were more common in the TA approach (4.5 per cent) than in TC-CVS (0.07 per cent). Although sampling was apparently accomplished in all the procedures, in 3.1 per cent of the TC-CVS and 2.2 per cent of TA-CVS procedures, the samples were less than 1 mg after dissection. A cytogenic report was obtained in 96.1 per cent of the TC-CVS and 90.6 per cent of the TA-CVS. Maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) was measured before and after TC-CVS and the post-CVS MSAFP was positively correlated with the sample weight. Second-trimester amniocentesis following CVS was required in 5.2 per cent (TC-CVS) and 6.5 per cent (TA-CVS), due to the failure to obtain a cytogenetic report or diagnostic confirmation. The follow-up to the 20th week was 100 per cent by ultrasound scan, and 88.6 per cent from the 21st week to 1 week after delivery. Fetal loss rates within 2 weeks of the procedure were 1.7 per cent (TC-CVS) and 0.8 per cent (TA-CVS) and total fetal loss accumulated to 1 week after delivery was 4.6 per cent (TC-CVS) and 5.9 per cent (TA-CVS). Factors found to increase significantly fetal loss in the TC-CVS series were maternal age and the collection of very small samples, but not the number of forceps insertions.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains isolated from HIV-infected Italian patients: preliminary report from a multicentric study. The Italian Tuberculosis Drug Resistance Study Group.

A multicentric prospective study started in March '93 to describe both initial and acquired resistance of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Italian HIV+ patients (pts.) to first line drugs: Rifampin (R), Isoniazid (I), Pyrazinamide (P), Ethambutol (E), Streptomycin (S). All tuberculosis (TB) cases diagnosed in HIV+ patients (pts.) were included, along with clinical-anamnestical data. Drug-susceptibility tests were performed centrally. Preliminary results indicate an overall low frequency of TB resistance to first line drugs: R = 2%, P = 4%, S = 9%, I/E = none. However, a relevant nosocomial outbreak of multiple drug resistant (DR) TB was detected. This finding, along with some previous Italian reports of DR-TB clusters, may herald a further spread of DR-TB. Surveillance, therefore, is mandatory in Italy from now on.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMed1994

Recognition of mental state terms. Clinical findings in children with autism and a functional neuroimaging study of normal adults.

BACKGROUND: The mind's ability to think about the mind has attracted substantial research interest in cognitive science in recent decades, as 'theory of mind'. No research has attempted to identify the brain basis of this ability, probably because it involves several separate processes. As a first step, we investigated one component process-the ability to recognise mental state terms. METHOD: In Experiment 1, we tested a group of children with autism (known to have theory of mind deficits) and a control group of children with mental handicap, for their ability to recognise mental state terms in a word list. This was to test if the mental state recognition task was related to traditional theory of mind tests. In Experiment 2, we investigated if in the normal brain, recognition of mental state terms might be localised. The procedure employed single photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) in normal adult volunteers. We tested the prediction (based on available neurological and animal lesion studies) that there would be increased activation in the orbito-frontal cortex during this task, relative to a control condition, and relative to an adjacent frontal area (frontal-polar cortex). RESULTS: In Experiment 1, the group with autism performed significantly worse than the group without autism. In Experiment 2, there was increased cerebral blood flow during the mental state recognition task in the right orbito-frontal cortex relative to the left frontal-polar region. CONCLUSIONS: This simple mental state recognition task appears to relate to theory of mind, in that both are impaired in autism. The SPECT results implicate the orbito-frontal cortex as the basis of this ability.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Atypical complication of surgery for otospongiosis: the formation of cholesteatoma].

Presenting a clinical case, the authors reveal the possible cholesteatoma complications arising from otospongious surgery. He notice that there are very few literature about similar cases. Underlining the rarity of this complication, the authors will put forward concisely the principal etiological mechanisms occurring in this kind of pathology. Since the reoperation must often be carried out on fragile inner ears, the authors stress on the necessity to respect the elementary rules of prevention in order to avoid the formation of precholesteatoma states.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Microsomal lipid peroxidation and oxy-radicals formation are induced by insoluble iron-containing minerals.

Lipid peroxidation, measured by malondialdehyde formation is induced in rat liver microsomes by insoluble iron-containing minerals (pyrite, magnetite, nemalite and an iron ore, minette de Lorraine) which are generally found either in iron mines or as contaminants of asbestos fibers. In spin-trapping studies using DMPO as a spin trap those minerals are also found to catalyze the oxidation of formate to carboxylate radicals by oxygen, via the formation of hydroxyl radicals. The two processes are mainly due to the presence of redox active iron at the surface of the solid particles and thus are greatly inhibited by desferrioxamine, a strong iron chelator. However, these reactions are not correlated.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Electromyographic study of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in head movements.

The function of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in head movements of 30 young individuals (19-28 years old, both sexes) was studied electromyographically using a TECA TE-4 electromyograph and Beckman surface electrodes. Action potentials were found in the following head movements: free heterolateral rotation; free homolateral inclination; free and counter-resistance protraction; free and counter-resistance flexion and free extension. These movements were performed with the subjects seated and in supine position.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1989

Changes in melatonin levels but not cortisol levels are associated with depression in patients with eating disorders.

Disturbances were studied in the nocturnal circadian pattern of serum melatonin and plasma cortisol levels in 33 female patients with an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, n = 11; bulimia nervosa, n = 12; or both, n = 10) and in ten female control subjects of comparable age. Blood samples were obtained hourly from 8 PM to 6 AM under controlled darkness. Serum melatonin levels in all patient groups were initially similar to those of control subjects. When patients were divided according to depression status, those with concurrent major depression had significantly lower nocturnal melatonin values than the nondepressed group. Weight did not appear to influence melatonin levels. In contrast, all patient groups had significantly higher nocturnal levels of plasma cortisol than control subjects, and neither weight nor depression separated patient groups on profiles of plasma cortisol.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Bidirectional cavopulmonary shunts: clinical applications as staged or definitive palliation.

A standard Glenn anastomosis between the superior vena cava and the right pulmonary artery has been the accepted mode of treatment for patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease. We report our experience in 18 patients with such disease who underwent a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt because of increasing cyanosis and growth cessation. All patients were considered less than "ideal" candidates for a Fontan procedure. We divided the patients into two groups: group 1 had azygos continuation and group 2 did not. Fourteen patients required hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Bidirectional pulmonary blood flow was achieved in all patients. Only 1 death occurred (group 2). The improvement in oxygen saturation and overall clinical condition of these patients, together with the low mortality and morbidity, is encouraging. However, long-term follow-up is mandatory for a comprehensive evaluation of this surgical approach as definitive palliation or as a first stage for a Fontan operation.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗
PubMed1989

Production of free radicals arising from the surface activity of minerals and oxygen. Part I. Iron mine ores.

The excess incidence of lung cancers observed in many metal mines probably is not only correlated with radioactivity but also with the inhaled dusts. In an attempt to determine a possible mechanism of carcinogenicity related to the surface activity of dusts, using the spin-trapping agent and ESR spectroscopy, one can demonstrate that some mineral dusts from iron ore mines are very active in an oxidative process in aqueous medium, implying the formation of radical oxygen species on reducing surface sites of the solid. This reducing surface activity of the dusts depends on the presence of Fe2+ ion in the lattice and on the process of activation and passivation of the surface sites. The more simple process of activation is the dissolution of the oxidized coating on the particle surface. Among the oxides, oxyhydroxides, carbonates, and silicates, the magnesium-iron phyllosilicates (chlorite, biotite, berthierine) appear the most active. The siderite FeCO3 is also active, but the iron oxides and oxyhydroxides are generally nonactive.

Free Radicals↗
PubMed1989

Production of free radicals arising from the surface activity of minerals and oxygen. Part II. Arsenides, sulfides, and sulfoarsenides of iron, nickel, and copper.

The excess incidence of lung cancers observed in metallic mines other than iron mines probably can be correlated not only to radioactivity, but also to dust pollution. The present work investigates the role of surface properties of sulfides and arsenides, which are present in metal mines, in oxidizing mechanisms capable of inducing oxidative stress and, possibly, of participating in carcinogenesis. Using added spin-trapping agent followed by ESR spectroscopy, it was observed that nickel and copper arsenides can be very active in the oxidation of formate or DMSO, by reducing the oxygen dissolved in a cell-free medium. Sulfides, on the other hand, are not active, except for the iron sulfides, which are very active as an air-aged powder. The process of activation and rendering the particle surface passive was investigated. Surface dissolution and moderate grinding were found to be activating factors, while air-aging generally rendered the particle surface passive. The critical factor in determining activity is the availability of reducing species of iron, copper, or nickel on the surface of the minerals.

Arsenates↗
PubMed1986

Benign monoclonal gammopathy presenting with severe renal failure.

A patient with monoclonal gammopathy and renal failure due to kappa light chain deposition in the glomerular basement membrane is reported. After 8 months, he developed a progressive and severe renal failure requiring haemodialysis. 30 months later, the monoclonal gammopathy was unchanged. Clinical features, as well as kinetic and immunological studies, were consistent with a diagnosis of benign monoclonal gammopathy (BMG). This case suggests that the renal failure complicating a monoclonal gammopathy is not related to its malignancy.

Adult↗