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Biomedical subjects

D Schiffer

Publications and source records attributed to D Schiffer.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Delayed adverse effects after irradiation of gliomas: clinicopathological analysis.

Out of 107 pts. treated with radio- and chemotherapy for low and high grade gliomas (TD: 45-65Gy), 3 cases developed pathologically documented radionecrosis (coagulative necrosis with minimal or no persistent tumor). Clinico-therapeutic modalities were analyzed for all cases and biologically equivalent doses were calculated according to NSD, ED and btu formulas. All cases of radionecrosis fell into the group of doses close to 60Gy/30fx./42d. and NSD = 1758, ED = 1340 and btu = 1161. Isodose curve reconstruction on planes corresponding to histological sections of brains with radionecrosis demonstrated that doses received by areas of necrosis were higher than the calculated mid-plane doses in two cases. Clinical and autoptic incidence of radionecrosis were 2.8% and 10% respectively. High doses of steroids during RT seemed to offer some protection against radionecrosis, while number of chemotherapy cycles did not influence the risk of radionecrosis. A higher autoptic rate of irradiated gliomas is needed in order to obtain a better understanding of a number of unresolved problems.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

A survival analysis of 155 cases of progressive muscular atrophy.

We performed a survival analysis of 155 cases of progressive muscular atrophy (PMA). In about half the cases, hands were involved first, the lower limbs in 30% and the shoulder girdle in 23%. The lifetables of PMA, adjusted to the expected mortality, showed a survival rate of 61.3% and 56.4% at three and five years, respectively. The location of onset symptoms did not modify the life expectancy, whereas the age of the patients at the moment of first diagnosis had a great influence on the course of the disease. The patients were further subdivided in two groups on the basis of the diffusion of the neuromuscular damage at the moment of the diagnosis. The course of the patients with a localized disease was markedly better than that of subjects with widespread disease. Some hypotheses are made about the latter group of cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Pathology of gliomas].

The definition of the concept of malignity is discussed starting from the 1st histogenetic classification of the neuroepithelial tumors and going to the recent evidences of polyclonality of malignant tumors. The malignant transformation of gliomas gives rise to a conversion from cellular monomorphism to cellular polymorphism . This phenomenon could depend on the development of several clones. The different histological aspects of benign and malignant gliomas should be interpreted on these new bases. The clinical and prognostic implications are shortly treated.

Cell Transformation, Neoplastic↗
PubMed1984

Effects of radiotherapy on the astrocytomatous areas of malignant gliomas.

Little is known of the histological effects of radiation on low grade astrocytomas, whereas the clinical efficacy of radiotherapy on these tumors is still a matter of discussion. Since it is difficult to have large series of autoptic brains harboring astrocytomas, the wide astrocytomatous areas of conventionally irradiated secondary glioblastomas have been studied in whole mount preparations. It was assumed that these areas were already present at the time of irradiation. In these areas no histologic changes referable to 'short-term' effect of radiation have been found. When the astrocytomatous areas were located in the white matter, they were affected by chronic edema, which usually occurs in periglioblastomatous tissue. In one case necrotic foci in the astrocytomatous areas were interpreted as anaplastic foci damaged by radiation; radiotherapy of astrocytomas might therefore result in the eradication of undetected anaplastic foci.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1984

Collagenase in the immunohistochemical demonstration of laminin, fibronectin and factor VIII/RAg in nervous tissue after fixation.

The effects of collagenase on the immunohistochemical demonstrability of laminin, fibronectin and Factor VIII/RAg in human nervous tissue have been studied. The influence of this, and other proteolytic enzymes such as pepsin and trypsin, has been investigated in relation to different fixatives. Collagenase gave better results with Carnoy fixed material than after formalin fixation; unlike trypsin and pepsin, it did not produce tissue digestion.

Antigens↗
PubMed1984

GFAP, F VIII/RAg, laminin, and fibronectin in gliosarcomas: an immunohistochemical study.

GFAP, Factor VIII/RAg, laminin, and fibronectin were immunohistochemically investigated in 15 glioblastomas and 15 gliosarcomas . GFAP was found variably positive in the glial areas. F VIII/RAg characterizes the endothelial cells and in gliosarcomas suggests the origin of the sarcomatous component from the endothelial proliferations. Laminin separates the two components and characterizes the inner and the outer basement membranes in the vessels. It is multiplied and thickened in endothelial proliferations, while it is often fragmented in the larger vessel wall proliferations. Our observations confirm that gliosarcoma represents the last stage of a process which starts with the endothelial hyperplasia of glioblastoma.

Antigens↗
PubMed1983

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in human cerebral tumors. An immunohistochemical study.

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was studied in 160 cerebral tumors, mostly of neuro-epithelial nature. It was positive in astroglial tumors with an intensity proportional to the degree of cell differentiation. It was sometimes positive also in non-astroglial tumors, such as oligodendrogliomas and ependymomas, and this finding is discussed in relation to genesis and diagnostic value. In medulloblastomas, there were also positive cells, which could be reactive glia cells included in the tumors or subependymal cells. The demonstration of GFAP is very useful in gliosarcomas for identifying the glial component. It was sometimes positive in hemangioblastomas, and it is discussed in view of the nature of the stromal cells of this tumor.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1983

Biochemical and histochemical evaluation of glycosaminoglycans in brain tumors induced in rats by nitrosourea derivatives.

The occurrence, distribution and concentration of GAGs in ENU and MNU experimental brain tumors induced in the rat are reported. GAGs have been histochemically studied by Alcian Blue methods; they have been quantified and qualitatively evaluated by electrophoresis of brain extracts. The pattern of GAGs in normal rats is consistent with the data of the literature. No GAG accumulation precedes the tumor development. Early neoplastic proliferations, oligodendroglial and mixed glial microtumors are strongly alcian-positive; the alcianophilia spares clusters of cells developing a cytoplasm. In large tumors, GAGs are histochemically demonstrable in the honey-comb areas of oligodendrogliomas and in peripheral infiltration areas of polymorphic gliomas. The role of the normal nervous tissue and oligodendroglial cells in the accumulation of the GAGs is discussed. The accumulated GAGs seem to rise from the nervous tissue included in the tumors, rather than from the metabolism of tumor cells.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1983

A new method for myofibrillar Ca++-ATPase reaction based on the use of metachromatic dyes: its advantages in muscle fibre typing.

A new method for Ca++-ATPase reaction in human muscle fibres is presented as an alternative to previous ATPase stains. The method is based on the use of metachromatic dyes, namely Azure A and Toluidine Blue, and has the advantages of speed, ease of performance and production of an elegant and clearcut fibre typing. The method distinguishes fibre types because of their metachromatic or orthochromatic staining, due to their different content of phosphate after incubation in the reaction medium. The comparison of serial sections stained by cationic dyes and by ammonium sulphide revealed close correspondence of fibre typing. Fibre type differentiation was also obtained with Acridine Orange; however this method was less reproducible.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1983

Contributions of immunohistochemistry to the problem of differentiation in medulloblastoma.

The problem of differentiation of medulloblastoma is considered. In this regard 43 medulloblastomas, showing cells with glial or neuronal features by routine histologic methods, were studied. The investigation was carried out by means of the immunohistochemical demonstration of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and the neuron-specific enolase (NSE). In most cases, GFAP-positive cells are preexisting astrocytes; in two cases they correspond to the transitional cells of the subependymal layer. NSE was demonstrated in areas filled with cells with neuroblastic features. The relationship between medulloblastoma with neuron-differentiation and cerebellar neuroblastoma is discussed.

Astrocytes↗
PubMed1983

Motor neuron disease in the Province of Turin, Italy, 1971-1980.

The incidence and prevalence of motor neuron disease (MND) in the Province of Turin, North-West Italy, were investigated for the period 1971-1980. The crude incidence rate of MND was 0.67/100,000/year. The annual incidence rate, age and sex adjusted to the Italian population in 1971 was 0.69 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, 0.94 for men and 0.45 for women, with a male to female incidence ratio of 2.09:1. The prevalence of MND was 2.62/100,000, 3.57 for males and 1.71 for females. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 55.6 years. Annual incidence rates increased with advancing age. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis was found to be 4 times more frequent than progressive muscular atrophy (0.53/100,000/year v. 0.14/100,000/year). The distribution of MND was uneven in the Province suggesting a proportional relationship to the distribution of population density. Possible explanations of this finding are discussed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1982

Histological observations on the regrowth of malignant gliomas after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

The reproliferation of glioblastomas after radiation and chemotherapy has been studied in 25 tumors by means of whole mount histological preparations. The tumors have been subdivided into four groups according to the radiation dose and the distance from the end of radiation. After 4,000 rad vessel proliferations and mitoses stop, while vessel degenerations and astrocytes with deformed nuclei appear. Six months after 6,000 rad have been delivered, repopulation phenomena are clearly evident and are mainly represented by mitoses both in parenchyma and in the vessel walls, circumscribed necroses with pseudopalisadings, proliferations of formerly degenerated vessels, etc. The brain adjacent to tumor (BAT) has a great importance since it is one of the reproliferating sites, even though it may be unrecognizable for the occurrence of radiation damages.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1982

Glycosaminoglycans in human cerebral tumors. Part II. Histochemical findings and correlations.

The occurrence and the distribution of GAGs have been studied histochemically in 224 human cerebral tumors by means of Alcian blue techniques. In the normal peritumoral gray matter the alcianophilia is stronger than in the white matter and demonstrated the presence of HA and CS. In the glioma group the alcianophilia, due to HA and CS, is mainly related to the presence of infiltrated cortex. In the other tumors, GAGs are histochemically disclosed in relation to collagen, reticulin, mesodermic areas, etc. The vessels of every tumor show a positive staining for HA, CS and HS. The histochemical findings are consistent with the biochemical ones as reported in Part I, even though the significance of GAGs in cerebral tumors remains unknown.

Astrocytoma↗
PubMed1982

A case of adrenoleukodystrophy in a girl. Genetic considerations.

We report the case of a girl who developed leukoencephalopathy and adrenal atrophy and died at 3 years of age. Histologically, demyelination, gliosis, perivascular lymphocytic cuffing and sudanophilia were present in the brain. The adrenal cortex was atrophic. Ultrastructurally, there were numerous cytoplasmic inclusions in brain macrophages, consisting of two leaflets separated by an intervening space of variable low electron density. Brain tissue cholesterol esters contained a high proportion of long chain fatty acids. The findings are discussed and compared with those in the literature. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the disease occurred in a girl in apparent contradiction to the commonly accepted X-linked hereditary transmission of adrenoleukodystrophy. Some possible genetic explanations for our case are put forward.

Adrenal Cortex↗