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Biomedical subjects

D Seminara

Publications and source records attributed to D Seminara.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

Cancer risk estimates for family members of a population-based family registry for breast and ovarian cancer.

Population-based breast and ovarian cancer family registries can facilitate studies to evaluate genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of these malignancies. The purpose of this study is to describe what is, as far as we know, the first population-based breast and ovarian cancer family registry and to estimate breast and ovarian cancer risk in relatives of breast and ovarian cancer probands. Population-based consecutive incident cases of breast and ovarian cancer were invited to participate in the University of California, Irvine breast and ovarian family registry. In this study, we report data on 1567 breast cancer and 328 ovarian cancer probands. The operational components of this family registry include enrollment of probands, family history interviewing, confidentiality, pathology, verification and review, biospecimen bank, statistical/genetic analysis, and special studies on positional cloning of known genes. All of the components are tracked through the University of California, Irvine Genetic Research Information System. In non-Hispanic-white breast cancer probands, relative risk (RR) of breast cancer in mothers and sisters is significantly elevated [RR = 1.7 and 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.4-2.0 and RR = 2.8 and 95% CI = 2.3-3.3, respectively]. In families of ovarian cancer probands, mothers are at increased risk of ovarian cancer (RR = 4.6; 95% CI, 2.1-8.7). RR of breast cancer in mothers of Hispanic breast cancer probands is significantly elevated (RR = 4.9; 95% CI, 2.6-8.5). No elevation of breast or ovarian cancer risk was observed among relatives of Asian probands. In general, there is a decrease in RR among mothers and sisters with increase in age of onset of probands. In second-degree relatives and first cousins, the breast cancer hazards ratios increase with increase in the number of affected first-degree relatives and decrease with increase in age at onset of the proband.

Adult↗

Epidemiologic analysis of Kaposi's sarcoma as an early and later AIDS outcome in homosexual men.

The authors separately studied the epidemiology (risk and risk factors) of Kaposi's sarcoma occurring as an initial acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) outcome (early Kaposi's sarcoma) and later after a different initial AIDS outcome (later Kaposi's sarcoma) in a cohort of 2,591 human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected gay men of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study between 1984 and 1992. Among 844 AIDS cases, 202 presented with early Kaposi's sarcoma, 101 subsequently developed later Kaposi's sarcoma, and 541 were not diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma. Overall, 37.4% of AIDS cases were diagnosed with Kaposi's sarcoma prior to death. Kaposi's sarcoma diagnosed on the skin was significantly more common with early Kaposi's sarcoma (77.3%) than with later Kaposi's sarcoma (65.1%). Men presenting with an AIDS outcome other than Kaposi's sarcoma were at high risk for later Kaposi's sarcoma. Later Kaposi's sarcoma onset in men with a previous AIDS outcome was associated with the following characteristics: 1) lower immune status prior to AIDS and 2) longer post-AIDS survival. A Kaposi's sarcoma diagnosis in a man with a previous AIDS illness approximately doubled the risk (hazard) for death. Histories of urethral gonorrhea and scabies prior to study entry were more common in early Kaposi's sarcoma cases than in later Kaposi's sarcoma cases. However, self-reported sexual activity at study entry and prior to AIDS onset was highest in the later Kaposi's sarcoma group. In this cohort, cigarette smoking had a protective association against all Kaposi's sarcoma in univariate and multivariate models. Only 21.0% of the later Kaposi's sarcoma and 25.0% of the early Kaposi's sarcoma men smoked at least one-half pack of cigarettes daily at study entry compared with 33.8% of non-Kaposi's sarcoma and 35.5% of seroprevalent men still AIDS free. The reasons for this surprising association are unclear. However, other evidence which documents that habitual smoking alters the immune system (and possibly cytokine levels) in ways that could perhaps influence Kaposi's sarcoma pathogenesis should be considered.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Trends in the incidence of outcomes defining acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study: 1985-1991.

Incidence of clinical outcomes defining acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) may be expected to change as a consequence of progressive immunosuppression and use of chemoprophylaxis before the onset of AIDS. Using Poisson regression methods, we examined trends in the incidence of initial and secondary AIDS-defining illnesses from 1985 to 1991 among 2,627 homosexual men participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study who were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus type 1. The incidence of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia rose steeply until 1987 but has declined since then (p < 0.001), while the other AIDS-defining conditions have showed significant (p < or = 0.039) upward trends. Trends for Kaposi's sarcoma, lymphoma, neurologic disease, and cytomegalovirus/herpes simplex virus infections were explained by progressive immunosuppression, but residual downward and upward trends were present for P. carinii pneumonia and other opportunistic infections (bacterial, fungal, and protozoal infections and wasting syndrome). Despite selection bias, those receiving P. carinii pneumonia chemoprophylaxis showed a significantly lower incidence of P. carinii pneumonia (relative risk = 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.16-0.63), and the time trends of P. carinii pneumonia were explained by progressive immunosuppression and use of prophylaxis. No significant effects on all other diagnoses were seen in those selected to receive antiretroviral therapy. Secondary diagnoses showed a strongly significant (p < 0.001) increase in non-P. carinii pneumonia and non-Kaposi's sarcoma among those with initial diagnoses of Kaposi's sarcoma. Overall, the trend observed in the incidence of other opportunistic infections underscores the need for developing and testing new strategies to curtail or delay the onset of these diseases.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Insulin receptors in developing rat liver. Receptor autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of the endogenous substrate pp120/HA4 (ecto-ATPase) in fetal and neonatal liver.

The development of insulin receptors and insulin-stimulated receptor autophosphorylation were studied in livers of prenatal and neonatal rats. Insulin receptors were present in mid-gestation, as early as day 14 in fetal development (full term is 22 days in the rat), with ligand-activated receptor kinase present. In contrast, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of a Mr 120 kd glycoprotein derived from rat liver membranes, known as pp120/HA4 and more recently identified as ecto-ATPase, was not observed in fetal liver until day 17 of gestation. Thereafter, phosphorylation of pp120/HA4 increased throughout late gestation. The data suggest that maturation of the insulin receptor kinase occurs soon after initial appearance of the receptor in mid-gestation, but insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of endogenous substrate(s) is dependent on the appearance of specific substrates, such as pp120/HA4.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Identification of pp120, an endogenous substrate for the hepatocyte insulin receptor tyrosine kinase, as an integral membrane glycoprotein of the bile canalicular domain.

An endogenous membrane-bound substrate of the insulin receptor beta-subunit tyrosine kinase in liver, pp120, has been identified as HA4, a 110-kDa membrane glycoprotein localized primarily to the bile canalicular domain of the hepatocyte. HA4 has been implicated in bile salt transport and cell adhesion. Monoclonal antibodies to HA4 were used to identify it as a substrate of the insulin receptor kinase. Anti-pp120 and anti-HA4 were found to cross-react, and phosphopeptide maps for each of the corresponding antigens were identical. The identification of pp120 as HA4 serves to link insulin action through the receptor tyrosine kinase activity to bile metabolism and raises questions pertaining to the intracellular site(s) of action of the insulin receptor.

Animals↗

Glycogen metabolism in late gestation in fetuses of maternal diabetic rats.

Fetal hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, as induced by administration of streptozotocin to pregnant rats, during late gestation resulted in the onset of the major period of hepatic glycogen synthesis and accumulation at days 19-20 of gestation (22 days = term) rather than at days 20-21, as for normal fetuses. In addition, sustained high levels of liver synthase phosphatase and phosphorylase phosphatase activities prevented the normal term increase in activation of phosphorylase and inactivation of synthase in hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic fetuses. The suppression of term fetal changes in phosphorylase activation in particular contributed to the maintenance at term of fetal liver in a condition favoring glycogenesis rather than glycogenolysis.

Animals↗

Ultrastructural studies of type II fucosidosis.

Type II fucosidosis in an autosomal recessive disease. The paper presents a case of a patient with alpha-L-fucosidase of whom a skin specimen was examined under the electron microscope. Storage material was observed mainly in endothelial cells of blood capillaries and Schwann cells surrounding small peripheral nerves of papillary dermis. Within both cells two different kinds of inclusions were revealed: (1) clear vacuoles and (2) dense bodies with an internal structure prevalently lamellar. All these ultrastructural alterations were observed long before the appearance of clinically defined angiokeratoma at cutaneous level. Hence, they present the same alteration found in the absence of angiokeratoma in type I fucosidosis.

Angiokeratoma↗

[82 mammary reconstructions immediately after subcutaneous mammectomy or after simple mastectomy. Critical evaluation of results].

The authors review their experience on 25 patients subjected to bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy and 16 patients subjected to bilateral simple mastectomy with immediate submuscular insertion of prosthesis for high risk benign breast lesions. The best aesthetic results were observed with subcutaneous mastectomy (and immediate reconstruction by prosthesis) in patients with small-middle non ptotic breasts. In addition, the authors believe that high risk lesions in large breast are better treated with simple mastectomy and immediate reconstruction by tissue expander.

Aged↗