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Biomedical subjects

F Brunello

Publications and source records attributed to F Brunello.

34 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin level was measured by enzyme immunoassay in the plasma of 39 patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma and 26 controls. Two of these were anticoagulated by warfarin and revealed very high positive values; the remaining 24, 8 healthy subjects and 16 patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, were negative. Values indicating pathology were found in 56.40% of patients suffering from hepatocellular carcinoma. All malignancies presenting diameter < or = 3 cm were negative, while high positive levels were found in patients with more advanced neoplasia. The alpha-fetoprotein was increased in 43.58% of the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and in 6.25% of controls with chronic liver diseases. Positive values for both des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin and alpha- fetoprotein were detected in 12/39 patients. An increase of sensitivity (from 43.58 to 69.23%) in detecting hepatocellular carcinoma was found by the complementary use of the two markers relative to sole use of alpha-fetoprotein.

Adult↗

Mutagenic activity in wastewater concentrates from dye plants.

Wastewater concentrates from the wastewater treatment systems of three dye plants were tested for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA using a fluctuation assay. Concentrates were prepared by passing samples of wastewater (5-6 or 30 litres) through two porous resins (XAD-2 and XAD-7) in series. S. typhimurium in the presence of microsomal activation proved to be the more sensitive marker of mutagenicity. Mutagenic responses were observed in concentrates from all three plants tested. The results show that mutagenic activity was particularly high in the incoming waters and increased after active, biological treatment. Physico-chemical treatment may be effective in decreasing mutagenic activity, but only if appropriately used.

Coloring Agents↗

Antibodies to Mycobacterium paratuberculosis in patients with Crohn's disease.

IgG antibodies against Mycobacterium paratuberculosis protoplasmic antigen were looked for by an enzyme immunosorbent assay in patients with Crohn's disease, Ulcerative colitis, active pulmonary tuberculosis, past pulmonary tuberculosis, and in healthy controls. Serum reactivity for these antibodies was not correlated to PPD skin test positivity without history of mycobacterial disease. A cutoff based on the mean absorbance value of a pool of healthy blood donors was chosen. Positive values were found in 12/24 (50%) patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 2/10 (20%) skin-test-positive subjects with past pulmonary tuberculosis as expected, because antigenic sharing is common among different mycobacteria. The control group of blood donors showed borderline positivities in 3/149 cases (2.01%). Positive values were found in 4/108 (3.70%) patients with Crohn's disease and 2/40 (5%) with ulcerative colitis. We conclude that our data do not support a causal relationship between the M. paratuberculosis and Crohn's disease, but occasional patients with inflammatory bowel diseases show unexpected positivities for these mycobacterial antibodies.

Adolescent↗

Influence of urapidil on in vitro platelet response to adrenaline and other aggregating agents.

The effects of hypotensive drug urapidil on human platelet functions were investigated. Urapidil failed to evidence direct aggregating properties or potentiating effects. Furthermore, drug high concentrations inhibited the platelet response to ADP, PAF, collagen, adrenaline and bovine thrombin, and influenced the platelet release reaction induced by ADP and PAF. Data indicate that urapidil possesses negligible agonistic effects on human platelet alpha 2-adrenoceptors and interferes at high concentrations with the platelet activation, as evidenced for other anti-aggregating compounds.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

IgE and IgG antibodies in Toxocara canis infection. A clinical evaluation.

The relationship between IgE and IgG antibodies against the metabolic exoantigen of Toxocara canis (TEX antigen) in sera of selected patients with the ocular and visceral form of the disease have been investigated. The specificity and sensitivity of the TEX antigen employed in immunoenzymatic and radioimmunologic assays have been verified. Six hundred and forty-one sera from healthy donors were tested as controls. Our data emphasize the importance of IgE antibodies to ocular larva migrans syndrome and suggest that they play a significant role as a marker of infection. In the visceral form, IgG antibodies seem to mask the presence of IgE by a competitive mechanism toward the same epitopes of the parasite. In fact, IgE antibody titers increase after depletion of IgG from serum.

Antibodies, Helminth↗

Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) for the detection of specific IgG antibodies to Toxocara canis ES antigens.

This paper reports the development of an enzyme-immunosorbent assay for the detection in human serum of specific IgG against excretory/secretory antigens of second stage Toxocara canis larvae. Similar tests have been already used in several countries for clinical and epidemiological purposes on human Toxocariasis and currently represent the only specific means for the serological diagnosis of this parasitic disease. Specificity and sensitivity have been proved and original data on the epidemiological setting of Toxocara infection in Northern Italy are given.

Adult↗

[Markers of type B viral hepatitis].

The discovery of Australian antigen (HBsAg) has led to an increasing deal of knowledges about the virus of type B hepatitis (HBV); several markers of HBV have been detected and are becoming disposable for clinical and epidemiological purposes. The HBsAg is carried by 3 types of particulate structures discovered by electron microscopy as small spherical particles having diameter around 22 nm, long filaments and spherical particles having an overall diameter of the 42 nm (Dane-particle) with an electron-dense core. Dane-particle core contains circular double-stranded DNA molecules and an enzyme, the DNA polymerase. At present, Dane-particle is thought to represent the HBV, having properties consistent with those of a complete virus. Four antigen/antibody systems related to viral type B hepatitis have been discovered; they have been designated with the following nomenclature: HBsAg/anti-HBs, HBcAg/anti-HBc, HBeAg/anti-HBe, epilon antigen/anti epilson. The availability of the HBV markers for clinical purposes will permit a better understanding of the sequence of the biological reactions as well as of the clinical and epidemiological features concerning this viral infection: incubation period, acute disease, resolution, chronic carrier state, actively or passively immunized subject, persistent or subsided infectivity, prognosis.

Antibodies, Viral↗

[Isolated hepatosplenic tuberculosis: 1 case].

A 27-year-old woman presented with high spiking fevers, progressive malaise, weight loss, and marked hepatosplenomegaly. The clinical picture and laboratory findings (including hepatic scintiscan, coeliac arteriography and abdominal lymphangiography) prompted surgical exploration of hypochondriac organs. On laparotomy, both liver and spleen surface exhibited extensive inflammatory lesions. Histopathologic investigations on hepatic tissue showed microscopic caseating granulomata. Specific stains and cultures for mycobacterium, fungi etc. were negative in tissue preparations. Antituberculous and steroid therapy elicited a rapid response. Follow-up observations indicated the resolution of specific hepatic lesions.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

[Type B viral hepatitis. Recent findings].

The discovery of hepatitis B surface antigen by Blumberg in 1965 offered a specific marker that could readily be employed in the clinical, epidemiological and experimental investigation of type B viral hepatitis. It has since been followed by the continuous gathering of further knowledge concerning this disease. The morphology and immunological and biochemical features of virus B, the epidemiology and prevention of hepatitis B, and marker determination techniques are examined in an overview of the present situation.

Animals↗

[Not Available].

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Biochemistry↗

Metastatic involvement of the pancreas from renal cell carcinoma treated by surgery.

A solitary late recurrence of renal cell carcinoma is very unusual. A case of triple pancreatic metastases of renal carcinoma is presented in a male patient who 9 years previously had undergone left radical nephrectomy. Although there are no specific signs, arteriography, computed tomography and intraoperative ultrasonography can give additional information to detect this rare localization. Surgical resection, when possible, is the most useful treatment for this metastatic lesion.

Biopsy, Needle↗