Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to F Bruni.
In the course of researches on pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine compounds, methylation reactions with (CH3)2SO4 and CH2N2 are studied. Methylderivatives structure is assigned by means of a spectroscopic investigation. A relationship between the kind of reagent and the methyl group position is stressed.
The synthesis of 1,2,4,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-3-hydroxypyrazolo [3,4-d] [1,3]thiazine-4,6-dithione is described. By spectroscopic methods the anphionic structure of this and other related compounds is demonstrated. In addition, the action of alkylating reagents upon pyrazolo-[3,4-d] [1,3]thiazine-4,6-dithionic compounds is examined and described. The biological activity of the new synthesized compounds is reported.
Compounds of the 7H-furo-[3,2-g]-1-benzopyran system are prepared by condensation of kellinone with malonic acid derivatives. The 4,9-dimethoxy-5-methyl-7-H-furo-[3,2g]-1-benzopyran-7-one-6-carboxylic acid chloride reacts with aliphatic and heterocyclic amines and with aliphatic aminoalcohols giving amides that could have pharmacological interest.
The reaction between 1,2-diphenyl-4-bis-(methylthio)methylenepyrazolidin-3,5-dione with serine and cysteine and their derivatives is described. The structure of the resulting compounds is assigned spectrophotometrically.
Common variable immunodeficiency is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by a failure of antibody synthesis, whose fundamental immunologic abnormality is still unknown. In our study, we evaluated some immune functions using chemiluminescence in a 32-year-old woman affected by common variable immunodeficiency. In particular, we showed an impairment of her lymphomonocyte proliferative response which was evaluated using a method based on the bioluminescent measurement of ATP. Besides, we found a reduction of her lymphomonocyte IL2 and IL4 production: the IL4 production was evaluated through an ELISA method, whereas the IL2 activity was determined by its ability to support the IL2-dependent murine T-cell line (CTLL) proliferation which was established through a method based on the bioluminescent measurement of ATP. Finally, we evaluated both yeast-induced and fMLP-induced polymorphonuclear and monocyte oxidative metabolism through a luminol-amplified chemiluminescence; these functions were within normal values. Therefore, in our patient affected by common variable immunodeficiency, we demonstrated an impairment of cellular immunity, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease.
Eight obese female patients were studied over a period of 15 days whilst on 300 kcal diet. Serum levels of thyroxine and free throxine index were not altered significantly by semistarvation. A TRH test performed before and after the diet showed no appreciable change. Weight loss was intially rapid but later slowed despite good patients compliance. Serum concentrations of T 3 and reverse T 3 (rT3) early decreased (p less than 0.01) and increased (p less than 0.05) respectively, but returned towards control levels even before discontinuation of semistarvation. There was a positive correlation between the percentage decrease in body weight and the percentage increase in serum rT 3 (p less than 0.001), and a negative correlation between decrease in body weight and decrease in serum T 3 (p less than 0.001). Our results do not suggest that the variations in serum triiodothyronines limit the weight loss; it is probable, on the contrary, that the weight loss promotes the observed variations in thyroid hormones by as yet unknown adaptive metabolic forces.
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Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is an important cause of visual loss. Many risk factors have been associated with CRVO onset at various ages. Among them diabetes mellitus, hypertension, immunologic disorders, increase in blood viscosity and coagulation, decrease of fibrinolysis have been reported in many subjects. The aim of our study was to detect the metabolic, coagulative and fibrinolytic pattern in 54 patients (26 men, 28 women, mean age 50.4 +/- 12.3) affected by CRVO. We excluded from the study patients with other ocular disorders. A fibrinolytic impairment is the most common feature in our population. It occurs either in dysmetabolic or in nonmetabolic subjects. Such data suggest a prominent role of the fibrinolytic system in the pathogenesis of CRVO.
For the first time a comparative study on conformational differences between native ovalbumin and its heat-stable form, called S-ovalbumin, using small angle x-ray scattering, is reported. To detect a different pathway in the folding mechanism of the two proteins, scattering measurements have been performed on ovalbumin and S-ovalbumin denatured with different concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride, and by heating the proteins at acid pH. The intensity scattering curves provide evidence that the intermediate states in the unfolding process are globular for both proteins while their compactness changes. The reported experimental results suggest that the ovalbumin to S-ovalbumin transformation can be considered a protein-switch triggered by changes in the chemical conditions of the protein environment. Because the conformational changes are likely to be of functional importance, we infer that the occurrence in vivo of S-ovalbumin is thus determined by the transformation of ovalbumin, with a functional role for embryonic development, into a new protein with a different function.
BACKGROUND: Hypercholesterolemia is an important risk factor to develop acute thrombotic complications of atherosclerosis like to myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke. Platelets and coagulation factors are strictly involved in the genesis of such thrombotic events and their hyperactivity in hypercholesterolemic patients has been previously reported. Moreover some cholesterol-lowering molecules (statins) seem to be able of reducing platelet activity. METHODS: We performed platelet-dependent thrombin generation (colorimetric method) to assess the coagulative potential of 40 caucasian hypercholesterolemic subjects with respect to normal controls and to the grade of hypercholesterolemia. Moreover we observed the effect of platelets from hypercholesterolemics on thrombin generation in plasma from normal subjects. The effect of Cerivastatin on thrombin generation was evaluated too. RESULTS: Our data show an increased thrombin generation both in mild and high hypercholesterolemic subjects with respect to controls (424.6+/-30.5 vs. 197.1+/-27.4 mIU/ml). No significant difference in the amount of thrombin generation was found between mild and high hypercholesterolemics (399.6+/-20.7 vs. 440.2+/-21.4 mIU/ml). Platelets directly influence thrombin generation and they present an intrinsic hyperactivity that can be modulated by Cerivastatin (223.6+/-24.8 vs. 424.6+/-30.5 mIU/ml). CONCLUSIONS: Mild hypercholesterolemia is associated with an increased thrombinic potential that may be considered an added risk factor to develop thrombotic events. Platelets directly influences this hypercoagulative state and Cerivastatin is able to reduce thrombin generation by way of a direct interaction with platelets.
The aim of this study was to establish if the physiologic adaptations following a prolonged physical training could influence the diastolic function in a professional Olympic male runner group. From February to December 1999 we studied 25 athletes (Group I) during the period of maximal training compared with 18 healthy sedentary subjects of matched age and sex (Group II). We used mono and bidimensional Echocardiography to assess left ventricular structure and systolic function. The diastolic function was evaluated by Doppler method assessing transmitral and venous pulmonary flow. From the comparison between the two groups, we found great differences in the interventricular septum and the posterior wall thickness; the analysis of the systolic function demonstrated a significant increase in ejection fraction, stroke volume, left ventricular mass, and end-diastolic volume in the athletes' population. Fluximetric study of transmitral and pulmonary venous flow showed that ventricular diastolic function is not influenced by hypertrophy. Our data indicate that diastolic function remains normal or improves in some cases after physical training; left ventricular hypertrophy and concentric remodeling do not involve diastolic changes like hypertrophic and hypertensive heart diseases.
The hemophilic syndrome (hemophilia A, B, C) represent about the 90-95% of all the congenital coagulopathy; in order to avoid immediate or belated hemorrhagic complications it is necessary to give these patients all the care they need. When the hemophiliacs have to be submitted to oral surgery operations we can use various therapies according to the seriousness and to the type of the disease. We have also taken into consideration the ways to grant a local hemostatic control.
The presence of salivary tissue into the mandible represents often the submaxillary gland dislocation into the maxillary bones. Together with a literature revision, we have analysed the histogenetic hypothesis of this eterotopia and its prognostic implication. At last it has been described a clinical case treated in our Institute.
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