Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to E Brambilla.
The Authors present a review of the reports about methods developed in the latest years for screening high caries risk-subjects. They discuss some basic concepts necessary to assess limits and further possibilities of development of such diagnostic methods.
The authors synthetically illustrate some fundamental concepts about the mechanisms through which the oral flora develops fluoride resistance and the main consequences of this phenomenon at a biochemical and microbiological level. They briefly discuss the most recent experimental contributes of the literature in this field.
An epidemiological survey has been achieved on elementary and secondary schoolchildren of five different areas in the territory of Ussl no 16 in Lecco. The study, performed on a randomly sample of 458 children aged 6, 10, 12 years, used the epidemiological indexes DMFT/dmft and CPITN to monitor dental and periodontal status. The treatment needs of the subjects was monitored too and the amount of Streptococco mutans in 6 years old schoolchildren, using spittle drawning, was investigated. The results seem to show that the DMFT/dmft values are on a moderate level as regards the European goals, while the amount of dental and periodontal treatment performed is very low. The gingivitis prevalence is high, as well as scaling is required in many children. The analysis of the spittle samples drawned in 6 years old schoolchildren points out high levels of Streptococcus mutans as regard those collected in other similar studies achieved by our Department. According to the results analysis, two sorts of preventive intervention were planned to have the maximum preventive efficacy according to the disease level located in the different areas.
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The Authors present a review of the reports about methods developed in the latest years for screening high caries risk-subjects. They briefly discuss some basic concepts necessary to assess limits and further possibilities of development of such diagnostics methods.
In the present study, S. mutans colony morphotypes has been investigated in salivary specimens obtained from 67 schoolchildren. Prevalence of these bacteria has been matched with DMFS in order to obtain information on cariogenicity of single morphotypes. Our data seems to suggest a correlation between total count of S. mutans colonies and caries experience, with major evidence for two colony morphotypes.
Supragingival plaque samples of a group of 59 schoolchildren were taken. The samples were cultivated on a selective medium for Streptococcus mutans and the isolated wild strains were tested for resistance to sodium fluoride (NaF). The results show the existence of a positive statistic correlation between the degree of resistance to NaF caries experience, obtained by DMFS of the experimental group.
Seven lung carcinomas were grafted on nude mice and continuously propagated as in vivo models on which the amplification of 9 oncogenes (N-myc, v-erb A, v-abl, v-sis, c-myc, c-myb, v-Ha-ras, c-Kiras, and v-scr) was studied by Southern blot hybridization. Only c-myc was amplified (20 copies) in an adenocarcinoma. The presence of 2 bands at 9 kb and 6.6 kb in addition to the normal 12.7 kb in EcoR1 digested DNAs suggested a polymorphism of the c-myc gene in this tumor. The other 8 oncogenes were not amplified in this tumor. The 5 small cell lung carcinomas of this study did not show any amplification of any of the 9 oncogenes tested.
The Authors briefly illustrate some recent findings about the selection of high caries risk groups. The aim of this study is to review some of the main contributes of the literature of the last years. The attention has been mainly focused on the used experimental design. From this review it can be concluded that it is necessary a better comparability of the results among the different groups of researchers working on this problem. It could also be suggested an improvement of the predictive value of the tests by their combined use.
A simple method is described which allows easy determination of neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation in human broncho-pulmonary tumor models grown in heterotransplanted nude mice. Enolase (EC 4.2.1.11) isoenzyme composition is studied using the electrophoretic method in xenograft tumor homogenates. The relatively large amount of alpha gamma and gamma gamma isoenzymes (neuron-specific enolase (NSE] is indicative of the neuroendocrine differentiation level of these tumors. The gamma gamma isoenzyme is present at a high level (M +/- SE: 10 +/- 2%) in all NE tumor models and absent in non NE tumor models. The alpha gamma isoenzyme is found in a significantly higher proportion in NE tumor models (30 +/- 2%) than in non NE tumor models (9 +/- 2%) (p less than 0.001). Moreover it is possible to discriminate between human and mice isoenzymes to estimate the proportion of mouse tissue hat is present in the xenograft.
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Based on a homogeneous series of 50 cases investigated within less than a week by CT scan and NMR imaging with mediastinoscopic correlation, and in 32 of theses cases with correlation with operative findings, a critical study was carried out of modern imaging methods for detection of mediastinal gland invasion from primary bronchial cancer. Axial mediastinoscopy presented absolute specificity and very high sensitivity (93%) markedly superior to those of CT scan and NMR imaging. The two latter examinations were practically of equal efficacy: sensitivity of NMR (80%) was somewhat higher than that of CT scan (70%) whereas specificity of CT scan was 83% as against 70% for NMR. Lack of efficacy of axial mediastinoscopy was in cases with extra-axial lymphatic extension (anterior mediastinal chains) from primary cancer. These results suggest that, in view of current inconveniences of NMR imaging, the best means for local and regional exploration of primary bronchial cancer preoperatively is combined CT scan and mediastinoscopy. The diagnosis of glandular enlargement of anterior mediastinal lymphatic chains should lead to performance of an anterolateral mediastinoscopy.
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Varicella pneumonia, is commonly an easy diagnostic because of specific eruption. We report a case in an 8 years old child with moderately with-spread macular and purpuric rash. Hematologic data showed anemia and thrombocytopenia from central origin. Surgical biopsy of lung was performed with bacteriologic, parasitologic and virologic studies. The diagnostic was brought by ascension of serum complement fixation titers to varicella virus from 1/8 to 1/1024. This case is compared to those recorded in the literature.
The long-term survivors of SCLC are described in 3 different types of study: analysis of prognostic factors of phase II and III chemotherapy trials (3,4,5,6,7,17,18), epidemiological studies (8) and medical registries of LTS (9,10). A small number of patients with small cell lung cancer achieve long-term survival. Most of these patients have a disease limited to the chest at the time of diagnosis. The major concerns of these LTSs are: the relapse of the SCLC, the occurrence of a second primary tumour and the occurrence of a disease related to tobacco consumption. About 20% of the LTSs die of non-cancer related causes and this exceeds the age adjusted mortality. There is a high risk of relapse in the first 4 years after the diagnosis; this risk decreases later, but relapses may be seen until 7 years. Nearly 8% of LTSs developed a SPTs are alive at 8 years; this indicates that cure is possible in SCLC, however, these patients account for less than 3% of the overall population.
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Squamous cell carcinomas of the Head and Neck (SCCHN) are related to carcinogens and proceed through multiple genetic and morphological steps. The aim of this study was to establish the status of p53 gene and p53-regulated proteins (Bax, Bcl-2 and Waf-1) expression in head and neck simultaneous preneoplastic and invasive lesions from patients with chronic alcohol and tobacco exposure. PCR-SSCP analysis of p53 gene and immunohistochemical analysis of Waf-1, Bax and Bcl-2 proteins were performed in 30 representative microdissected samples of mucosa exposed to carcinogens and preneoplastic or invasive lesions from 8 patients. P53 mutations were detected in all steps of carcinogenesis, but not in normal mucosa without carcinogen exposure. P53 mutations were different and multiple in concomittant areas of mucosa exposed to carcinogens, preneoplastic and invasive lesions at distant locations. Waf-1 and Bax protein expression was found in 100% of biopsies. Bcl-2 presented as basal cell positive staining in 95% of normal and preinvasive lesions and was overexpressed in only 30% of tumors, independently of p53 gene status. Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was > 1 in all premalignant lesions and < 1 in tumor samples only. There is evidence for the early, polyclonal origin of synchronous multiple preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in the cancerization field. A P53 independent pathway seems to be implicated in Waf-1, Bax and Bcl-2 expression with an inversion of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio restricted to invasive carcinomas.