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Biomedical subjects

E Beretta

Publications and source records attributed to E Beretta.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

The skilled performance positivity after learning a skilled task.

The effect of an intensive training period and that of a time-distributed training on skilled performance positivity (SPP) have been studied. SPP is a potential associated with knowledge and evaluation of the results of a goal-directed bimanual self-paced task requiring particular ability. Nine subjects with average intelligence but with some difficulties in the motor-perceptive sphere were studied. The task consisted of initiating the sweep of an oscilloscope with a self-paced movement and terminating it within 50 msec +/- 10 msec. The subjects had to repeat this task several times at various time intervals. The electrical activity was recorded from Fpz, Fz, Cz, Pz, P4, P3 and the right/left precentral areas. For each performance, performance time, performance shift taken as the accuracy index, as well as the percentage of target performances were evaluated. Motor performances improved with both distributed and intensive practice. Only distributed practice had a significant effect on SPP latency and amplitude. SPP latency decreased in all brain areas, whereas amplitude increased in the prefrontal, frontal and left precentral areas. These results seem to suggest that the performance evaluation processes take place more quickly and efficiently through distributed practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Mastocytosis and atopy: a study of 33 patients with urticaria pigmentosa.

Thirty-three patients with histologically verified urticaria pigmentosa were studied for coexisting atopic disease by means of history, skin prick testing with five common inhalants and serological investigation for total IgE and specific IgE antibodies to five common inhalants. The prevalence of atopy in urticaria pigmentosa was similar to that observed in the normal Swiss population, both on the basis of history (7/33 = 21%) and of positive skin prick tests to common inhalants (12/33 = 36%). However, total serum IgE levels were significantly lower (geometric mean value 16.8 kU/l) than in a control group of 52 Swiss blood donors of comparable age and sex distribution (geometric mean value 43.0 kU/l, t = 2.93, P less than 0.005). Specific IgE antibodies to common inhalants were also observed less frequently in urticaria pigmentosa patients than in controls, although this difference was not statistically significant. Low total and specific IgE values in patients with urticaria pigmentosa may be explained by increased absorption of circulating IgE to abundant tissue mast cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Conservative treatment of early breast cancer. Long-term results of 1232 cases treated with quadrantectomy, axillary dissection, and radiotherapy.

One thousand two hundred and thirty-two women with invasive breast cancer lesions measuring less than 2 cm in diameter, clinically assessed as T1N0-1M0, were treated from 1970 to 1983 at the National Cancer Institute of Milan with quadrantectomy, axillary dissection, and radiotherapy (QUART). Pathologic evidence of lymph-nodes metastases was found in 32% of the patients. Overall survival at 5 and 10 years from surgery was 91% and 78%, respectively. The cumulative probability of survival tends to decrease with increasing tumor size: the 7-year survival rate was 84% in cases in which lesions measured from 1.6 to 2.0 cm, and 94% in cases in which the lesions were less than 0.5 cm. Tumor site in the treated breast did not affect distant outcome. No difference was found between the patients without node metastases and patients with one node involved, whereas the patients with more than one node showed a lower probability of survival. The survival curves of 352 cases treated inside a randomized trial and that of 880 cases routinely treated appear to be superimposable. Local recurrences and new primary ipsilateral tumors were, respectively, 35 (2.8%) and 19 (1.6%); 56 women with local recurrences or second tumors underwent second surgery (total mastectomy, 43; wide resection, 11). Five of them died from distant spread of breast cancer, while 49 are alive and well. In the contralateral breasts 45 carcinomas were recorded during the follow-up time. The results of the present analysis of a large number of T1 cases reconfirm the safety of integrated radiosurgical conservative treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Pre-induction cervical ripening with prostaglandin E2 gel: intracervical versus intravaginal route.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the best method for cervical ripening before a classical induction with amniotomy and oxytocin. One hundred term pregnant patients who presented an unfavorable cervix and an indication for the induction of labor were assigned randomly to either 0.5 mg prostaglandin (PG) E2 gel intracervically (N = 52) or 3 mg PGE2 gel intravaginally (N = 48). The intravaginal gel had a greater effect on cervical ripening according to a modification of the Bishop score than did intracervical gel, but it had a higher incidence of side effects.

Administration, Intravaginal↗
PubMed1988

Langerhans histiocytosis of the choledochus in an adult patient with a history of disseminated disease.

A 43 year-old man with a 15-year history of disseminated Langerhans histiocytosis (LH) in complete clinical remission was admitted with jaundice and abdominal pain. Pathological examination demonstrated LH in the choledochus associated with sclerosing cholangitis in the liver. Immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein and electron microscopy of the choledochus tissue showed Langerhans cell-like elements in the infiltrate. Our findings suggest that, in patients with disseminated Langerhans histiocytosis, liver function should be monitored, particularly, for signs of biliary obstruction, and demonstrate that such a finding is possible in adults.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Global stability results for a generalized Lotka-Volterra system with distributed delays. Applications to predator-prey and to epidemic systems.

The paper contains an extension of the general ODE system proposed in previous papers by the same authors, to include distributed time delays in the interaction terms. The new system describes a large class of Lotka-Volterra like population models and epidemic models with continuous time delays. Sufficient conditions for the boundedness of solutions and for the global asymptotic stability of nontrivial equilibrium solutions are given. A detailed analysis of the epidemic system is given with respect to the conditions for global stability. For a relevant subclass of these systems an existence criterion for steady states is also given.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

CA 19-9 in serum and pancreatic juice: its role in the differential diagnosis of resectable pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis.

The diagnostic role of serum and pancreatic juice CA 19-9 determination in discriminating surgically resectable pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis was investigated. Only in about one third of cancer patients the serum assay was diagnostic versus subjects with chronic pancreatitis. None of 5 patients with 'early' pancreatic cancer had a diagnostic score [greater than 120 U/ml]. Conversely, the determination of CA 19-9 content in pure pancreatic juice, expressed as Units per microgram of protein, discriminated all the 15 patients with operable tumors, including those with early carcinoma, from subjects with chronic pancreatitis. The CA 19-9 assay of pancreatic juice is proposed as a reliable marker of cancer in those patients in whom the ERCP pattern is not definitive for malignancy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Serum CA 19-9 in the postsurgical follow-up of patients with pancreatic cancer.

In the last few years serum CA 19-9 has been shown to be a highly sensitive marker of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This study assesses the value of serum CA 19-9 assay in the postsurgical follow-up of patients undergoing pancreatic cancer resection. In 14 patients with cancer in the head of the pancreas and abnormal preoperative serum CA 19-9 values (greater than 40 U/ml), a pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. In all patients the CA 19-9 antigen was immunohistochemically demonstrated on the removed tumoral tissue. Postoperative serum CA 19-9 concentrations were serially measured 15 days after surgery and then every other month. Serum CA 19-9 scores returned to the normal range only in 7 (50%) of the resected patients. All patients with a normal postoperative value and none of those with a persistently elevated one survived longer than 7 months. Early postoperative serum CA 19-9 assay was superior to perioperative staging of the tumor as a prognostic index. All of the seven patients with postoperative normal values exhibited a subsequent increase within 16 months. In all cases the elevation of CA 19-9 occurred at least 2 months before ultrasound (US) could detect local recurrences of hepatic metastasis. Our data indicate that a normal early postoperative CA 19-9 score is a relatively favourable prognostic index in patients who undergo radical surgery for pancreatic cancer and that the CA 19-9 test can be used, as an early marker of recurrence, in monitoring these patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1987

Determination of CA 19-9 antigen in serum and pancreatic juice for differential diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma from chronic pancreatitis.

Serum CA 19-9 levels were measured in 63 patients with ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma and in 49 patients with chronic pancreatitis. Concentrations were abnormally high (greater than 40 U/ml) in 57 (90%) patients with cancer and only in 5 (10%) patients with chronic pancreatitis. All patients with falsely normal serum values had poorly differentiated carcinomas. Median CA 19-9 concentrations were progressively higher in patients with more advanced cancer. Fifteen of 16 (93%) patients with localized cancer has abnormal serum levels but only 5 (31%) of them had values greater than 120 U/ml, which was the highest score observed in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Pure pancreatic juice was obtained endoscopically from 23 patients with pancreatic cancer and from 20 with chronic pancreatitis. CA 19-9 concentrations in pancreatic juice were significantly higher in patients with cancer than in non-neoplastic patients. All 11 patients with resectable cancer investigated had a ratio of CA 19-9 to secretory protein concentration in pancreatic juice above the range of patients with chronic pancreatitis. We conclude that serum CA 19-9 determination is highly sensitive and specific for the differential diagnosis of pancreatic cancer versus chronic pancreatitis. However, moderately increased values (less than 120 U/ml), as seen in patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma, are not conclusive for malignancy. The measurement of CA 19-9 to total protein ratio in pure pancreatic juice is proposed as an adjunctive, accurate diagnostic marker for early stages of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1986

Biliary cystadenoma: an uncommon cause of recurrent cholestatic jaundice.

The clinical history of a patient with intermittent jaundice is presented. The diagnostic work up, including ultrasound, laparoscopy, and endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, revealed a multiloculated cystic mass in the left lobe of the liver. At laparotomy, a multicystic lesion invading the left hepatic duct and protruding into the common bile duct was found. Histological examination revealed a biliary cystadenoma. Complete excision is the treatment of choice of such lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

A thermodynamic interpretation to formation of clusters at the cell surface.

We develop further the original paper by Gershon, concerning the formation of receptor caps at the cell surface. The phenomenon is interpreted in terms of simple thermodynamic factors like boundary tension and supersaturated concentration of membrane components, within the Gibbs free energy change. The hypothesis that the total number of mol receptors is conserved is a sufficient condition to have a minimum of delta G as a function of the radius of the aggregates. We pay particular attention to effects induced by electrostatic interactions among charged receptor molecules. We discuss extensively the simultaneous formation of N aggregates and the role played by either the electrostatic repulsive forces or boundary tension in controlling the size and the number of stable aggregates. Depending on supersaturation of membrane receptors and in the absence of electric charge up to 50% of solute molecules may condense in a cap-like aggregate.

Cell Membrane↗