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Biomedical subjects

E Mira

Publications and source records attributed to E Mira.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Comparison of mizolastine with loratadine in the treatment of perennial allergic rhinitis.

Mizolastine is a new, non-sedating antihistamine providing satisfactory symptomatic relief in seasonal allergic rhinitis. The purpose of this study has been to compare mizolastine to loratadine in perennial allergic rhinitis. This multicentre, double-blind study has involved 68 patients, randomly allocated, after a one-week placebo run-in, to 10 mg mizolastine or 10 mg loratadine, both given on a once-daily basis, for four weeks. Comparable symptom relief occurs in both groups resulting, respectively for mizolastine and loratadine, in a 66.6% and a 61.3% decrease in total nasal score, to a 74.8% and a 76.4% decrease in total ocular score, and to a 69.0% and a 64.8% decrease in global total score. Safety is satisfactory in both groups. Mizolastine is at least as effective as loratadine in relieving perennial allergic rhinitis symptoms and its safety profile allows its use in the treatment of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[High-dose carboplatin superselective intraarterial chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer].

Advances in vascular radiology techniques for superselective transfemoral arterial infusion prompted us to evaluate the effects of high-dose rapid regional carboplatin infusion for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Twenty untreated patients received three infusions of carboplatin (300-350 mg/m2) every 2 weeks with this method. All the infusions were performed without any complication. Treatment was well tolerated, with moderate (Grade 1-3 WHO) local toxicity (stomatitis, dermatitis and alopecia) and minimal (Grade 1-2 WHO) myelosuppression. The total response index (complete response plus partial response) was 94% for primary tumors and 50% for neck metastases. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy employing superselective rapid infusion of high-dose carboplatin is a feasible, relatively nontoxic, effective technique and may have important applications in multimodality therapy of untreated patients with advanced head and neck cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

General view of vestibular disorders.

The role of the labyrinthine receptors is to transduce the forces associated with head acceleration into a biological signal. Vestibular centres in the brain use this signal, in cooperation with visual and somatosensory signals, to detect the motion of the head and its position relative to gravity vector and to produce motor reflexes to maintain equilibrium and accurate vision during head movements. The evaluation of vestibular function is the mainstay of the general otoneurological examination and relies upon testing for static and dynamic imbalance in the vestibular system, positional testing, eye movement testing and testing for visual-vestibular interaction. The more recent aspects of two conditions, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and ocular tilt reaction, are discussed. Their pathophysiological mechanisms are reinterpreted and re-evaluated on the basis of present knowledge of vestibulo-oculomotor function.

Eye↗
PubMed1995

Osmolar changes and neural activity in frog vestibular organs.

The effects of hypotonic and hypertonic solutions (the normal value was 240 mOsm) on posterior canal resting and evoked discharge were studied in isolated labyrinth preparations. Hypotonic solutions (60-180 mOsm) were obtained by reducing the perilymphatic NaCl content. Hypertonic solutions (300-420 mOsm) were obtained by adding to normal perilymphatic solutions suitable amounts of NaCl, glucose, sucrose, glycerol, mannitol and urea. The results demonstrated that any kind of receptor activity was inhibited by hypotonic solutions. On the contrary, hypertonic solutions produced different effects on resting and evoked activity. The resting discharge was, with the exception of urea, constantly increased whereas the evoked responses were constantly decreased by all the hypertonic solutions tested. The possible effects of media with changed osmolarity in Meniere's patients is also discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Benign paroxysmal vertigo of childhood: a long-term follow-up.

We examined clinical aspects of Benign Paroxysmal Vertigo (BPV) in infancy and its most frequent differential diagnosis, in particular analogies and differences with forms of "migrainous vertigo" (MV) of later onset. During a long-term follow-up of 7 cases of BPV, diagnosed according to the Basser criteria, 5 of 7 BPV cases spontaneously resolved and 6 of 7 patients later developed migraine and other migraine-related symptoms. This course differs from that described for MV only in the age of onset of headache and in the chronological relationship with vertigo. The authors suggest that BPV can be interpreted as a migraine precursor and MV as a migraine equivalent.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1993

Retinoic acid posttranscriptionally up-regulates proteolipid protein gene expression in C6 glioma cells.

The proteolipid protein (PLP) gene codes for the major central nervous system myelin protein. We have studied the effects of different agents on the expression of the PLP gene in C6 glioma cells. Retinoic acid (RA), but not dexamethasone, estradiol, insulin, growth hormone, or vitamin D3, had a drastic effect, increasing 10-20-fold the level of PLP mRNA. Concomitantly, RA also induced the appearance of the corresponding immunoreactive protein. The increase in PLP RNA level showed a slow kinetics and was blocked by cycloheximide, suggesting a posttranscriptional regulation by RA. Nuclear run-on assays confirmed that the rate of PLP gene transcription was unchanged by RA. In contrast, we found that retinoic acid augmented PLP mRNA stability, causing a substantial increase in its half-life. RA action was independent of cell density, serum, or PDGF but was partially inhibited by bFGF. On the other hand, thyroid hormone caused a moderate increase in PLP mRNA levels in C6 cells but only when the low numbers of thyroid receptors in these cells were increased by retrovirally mediated expression of an exogenous c-erbA/TR alpha-1 gene. Our results indicate that RA specifically up-regulates PLP expression in glioma C6 cells at a posttranscriptional level by increasing PLP RNA half-life.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Occurrence, distribution and possible role of the regulatory peptide endothelin in the nasal mucosa.

Nasal blood flow is finely regulated by local release of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides and other bioactive molecules acting via paracrine mechanisms. We have investigated the occurrence and distribution in human nasal mucosa of endothelin, a potent vasoconstrictor peptide, by immunocytochemistry and the effect of systemic administration of endothelin-1 on vascular perfusion of rabbit nasal mucosa by laser Doppler flowmetry. Endothelin-like immunoreactivity was demonstrated within vascular endothelial cells in both developing and mature human mucosa. Nasal epithelial cells and some connective tissue cells, presumed to be macrophages, also displayed specific immunostaining. In rabbits injected with endothelin-1, a potent and prolonged nasal vasoconstriction was observed. It is suggested that endothelin released locally may participate in the regulation of nasal blood flow via paracrine mechanisms. Since endothelin has growth-promoting actions on several cell types, it is also tentatively proposed that this regulatory peptide may play a role during development of the nose.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[The treatment of ENT phlogosis: seaprose S vs. nimesulide].

In the present multicentre study, the antiphlogistic activity of seaprose S was assessed according to an experimental design of the controlled type versus nimesulide in patients with phlogistic pathology of ENT relevance and in patients undergoing otoiatric surgical operations. One hundred and sixty patients (87 M, 73 F) were treated with seaprose S in 30 mg tablets (3tab/day) while 160 patients (95 M, 65 F) were treated with nimesulide in 100 mg (2 tab/day). The treatment lasted 7 days. At the beginning of the study, on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day (follow-up) the most significant signs and symptoms present in the pathological forms under consideration were evaluated. Common haematological and haematochemical laboratory parameters were also evaluated and any side effects occurring during the treatment were recorded. Considering the efficacy demonstrated, it was shown how the two drugs used possess an analogous action (NS) and are always able to exert positive control over the symptoms under examination. Administering seaprose S there were 9 cases of unexpected events (5.6%) while with nimesulide 26 patients (16.3%) showed problems of intolerance, with a highly significant statistical difference (p < 0.01) between the two groups. The analysis of the data obtained allows us thus to support the therapeutic use of seaprose S in the treatment of phlogosis of ENT relevance, since it has shown efficacy comparable to that of a NSAID such as nimesulide, but with greater safety.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Effect of ambroxol on rabbit eustachian tube surfactant.

The effect of ambroxol administration on phospholipid and phosphatidyl-choline contents of rabbit eustachian tube and lung washings and on [14C]-choline incorporation by rabbit eustachian tube and lung tissue has been studied. Despite minor differences, the drug exerts the same activating effect in both locations. The results add a further piece of evidence to the several similarities existing between the lung surfactant and the surface-active substances present on the eustachian tube.

Ambroxol↗
PubMed1991

Effects of hydrostatic pressure on sensory discharge in frog semicircular canals.

The effects of endolymphatic and perilymphatic pressure changes on resting and mechanically evoked responses were studied in isolated posterior semicircular canals of the frog. The results demonstrated that ampullar receptors are extremely sensitive to hydrostatic pressure changes (0.25 mm H2O were sufficient to produce distinct changes), being inhibited by endolymphatic pressure increases and facilitated by perilymphatic ones. Intracellular recordings from single afferent axons showed that the effects of hydrostatic pressure result from a modified transmitter release from the synaptic pole of the hair cells. Unlike resting activity, mechanically evoked activity was always depressed in the presence of a hydrostatic pressure. This indicates that the sensitivity of ampullar receptors to mechanical stimuli, i.e. the gain of the conversion process, is maximal when no pressure is present between the inner and the outer fluid. The possible action of hydrostatic pressure on vestibular receptors is discussed.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1991

Neuro-otology.

The physiology of the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and in particular vestibular compensation, optokinetic nystagmus and after-nystagmus, and visuo-vestibular interaction, is reviewed. Also covered are advances in neuro-otological examination and reports on peripheral labyrinthine disorders and cases of central vestibular disorders that are used as clinical models for improving our understanding of brainstem circuitry involved in ocular motor control.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Regulation of protein disulfide isomerase gene expression in brain and liver during rat development.

A 4-fold increase in protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) mRNA is observed in brain of 10 days-old rats and in liver of 20 days-old foetuses when compared with 20 days-old (brain) and 18 days-old (liver) foetuses respectively. During further postnatal development, the mRNA for PDI decreases in both organs to the initial values present in foetuses and remains practically unchanged in brain till the adult. By contrast in liver by 35-40 days after birth, and coincident with sexual maturation, there is a 2.5-fold increase in PDI mRNA that is maintained by 55 days (adult). These results clearly show that protein disulfide isomerase gene expression is differentially regulated in liver and brain during rat development.

Aging↗
PubMed1990

Transcriptional regulation of rat liver protein disulphide-isomerase gene by insulin and in diabetes.

The mRNA encoding for rat protein disulphide-isomerase (PDI) increases 3-fold in the liver of diabetic rats and is accompanied by similar changes at the protein level. Long treatment (for 3 days) of diabetic rats with insulin reverses this effect of diabetes both at the mRNA and protein levels. The higher expression of rat PDI mRNA in diabetes is due to an increase in the transcriptional rate of the gene, and insulin treatment of diabetic animals produces within 30 min a decrease in the level of transcription of PDI gene, as judged by nuclear run-on transcription experiments performed in vivo. These results clearly show a role for insulin in the regulation of transcription of the gene encoding this multifunctional protein in rat liver.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Expert systems as a diagnostic aid in otoneurology.

Expert systems (ES) are a new tool for information processing developed by the branch of computer science known as artificial intelligence. ES are capable of solving problems in a given domain by using the knowledge and emulating the behaviour of specialists in that field. ES can be used as powerful tools for education since they are able to justify their own conclusions and to make the underlying reasoning explicit. This paper presents 'Vertigo', an ES aimed at the classification and diagnosis of different forms of dizziness. It has been conceived mainly as a teaching tool in otoneurological departments. The rationale of this project, its development, the structure and the use of the system are described. So far, 'Vertigo' has been tested on more than 200 cases of dizziness and is presently being used by ENT residents during their otoneurology stage.

Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted↗
PubMed1990

Disaturated phosphatidylcholine in rabbit eustachian tube surfactant.

A chemical analysis of phospholipids in rabbit Eustachian tube and in its lavages shows phosphatidylcholine (PC) as being the predominating compound, followed by sphingomyelin and phosphatidylethanolamine. As in the lung surfactant, the majority of tubal PC is represented by its disaturated form dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), known as a powerful surface-active agent. The concentration of PC and DPPC is higher in tubal washing than in the whole tissue, suggesting the existence of an active secretory process. Incubation of tubal mucosa with 14C-choline resulted in the biosynthesis of radiolabelled PC and DPPC at a ratio similar to the lung. These data provide further evidence for the existence of a surface-active agent in the Eustachian tube, chemically similar to the lung surfactant and probably produced through similar metabolic pathways.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗
PubMed1990

[Tiaprofenic acid: levels in plasma and upper airway tissues].

Inflammatory processes of the upper airways can be successfully improved by using non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, alone or in association with antibiotics. Recent clinical reports suggest that tiaprofenic acid (TA) is particularly suited for this purpose. This fact can be explained on the basis of the drug's pharmacokinetics and by the high concentration TA can achieve in the respiratory tract mucous membranes. In order to confirm this hypothesis TA levels were studied in the plasma as well as in tonsillar and turbinal tissue. Patients admitted for tonsillectomy or turbinectomy were given two tablets (600 mg) of TA from one and a half to five hours before surgery. In all cases blood and tissue samples were taken at the same time during surgery and drug levels determined by HPLC. Plasma levels ranged from 12 to 26 to 32.2 microgram/ml; tissue levels ranged from 3.9 to 5.4 to 4.9 micrograms/g, respectively, depending on time of administration. There was no significant difference between tonsillar and turbinal tissue. These results suggest a good penetration of nasal and airway mucosa by TA and are in agreement with the clinical data on the efficacy of TA in dealing with upper airway inflammatory conditions.

Adolescent↗