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Biomedical subjects

F Caruso

Publications and source records attributed to F Caruso.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[The sporadic use of intraoperative cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy].

The authors report their experience with 850 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed from May 1990 to July 1997. In this series, despite a sporadic use of intraoperative cholangiography (IOC), there were no lesions of main biliary tract and there was only a biliary leaking cystic duct resolved with conservative treatment. The authors are satisfied with selective use of endoscopic cholangiography and sphincterotomy for the management of choledocholithiasis, and conclude that the use of IOC is not so essential to avoid iatrogenic lesions of main biliary tract, that could be avoid by applying a meticulous operative technique.

Cholangiography↗
PubMed1998

[The immediate reconstruction of the breast after a mastectomy for carcinoma. Our experience].

The authors surgically treated 281 consecutive women with breast cancer by breast conservation techniques (45.2%) or by mastectomy (38.8%), during a four-year period. Forty-five of these 281 patients (16%) were treated in the same period of time by mastectomy and immediate reconstruction (IR) of the breast. IR of the breast was performed by inserting a submuscular tissue expander at the same time of mastectomy (first stage of reconstruction). A second operation allowed the replacement of the expander with a prosthesis (second stage of reconstruction) and the simultaneous symmetrization of the contralateral breast (not always performed, however). In some cases nipple-areola complex was eventually reconstructed with a delayed surgical procedure (third stage of reconstruction). In the present paper the authors analyze the results and outline the advantages of IR. This easy and safe technique slightly increased the average operative time of a mastectomy, did not interfere with routine oncological follow-up, did definitely reduce patient's psychological trauma following mastectomy. The authors conclude that IR of the breast undoubtedly plays a major role in the so called "onco-plastic"" surgical management of breast cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[A biocompatibility study and the effects of slow-release antibiotic materials in the treatment of periodontal disease. I. The biocompatibility of cellulose acetate charged with 25% tetracycline hydrochloride. A clinical and scanning microscopic study of a case].

A clinical and microscopical (SEM) investigation has been carried out on the biocompatibility of cellulose acetate fiber tetracycline with 25% of tetracycline hydrochloride (Actisite R). A subject with advanced periodontal disease was selected and a pocket of 8 mm of PD was chosen. A segment of fiber was inserted into the pocket for 8 days. After removal, PD and GI clinical parameters were detected and the fiber removed was analyzed at the scanning electronic microscope. The results showed clinical signs of inflammation after removal of fiber. SEM analysis showed macrophagic reaction, a typical sign of inflammatory response to material. The study suggests the need of more biocompatible materials, easier to use as delivery system of antibiotics in the treatment of periodontal disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[A biocompatibility study and the effects of slow-release antibiotic materials in the treatment of periodontal disease. II. The biocompatibility and behavior of polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) as a slow-release material for tetracycline of metronidazole. A study of 2 cases].

The study analyses the possibility of using polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate as a material for the slow release of antibiotic in periodontal pockets. The antibiotics examined were tetracycline and metronidazole. The aim of the study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of the material with periodontal tissue and the efficacy of the 2 prepared systems. Two sites were selected in 2 periodontopathic patients who after non-surgical treatment presented pockets measuring 8 and 7 mm. A sheet of pHEMA containing tetracycline was inserted in one and in the other a sheet containing metronidazole: both were left for 8 days in the chosen pockets. At the start and end of treatment PD and GI clinical indices were measured and the DMDx microbiological test was performed to identify Aa of Pg and Pi. The tissue reaction to pHEMA was evaluated using SEM analysis of two samples collected after 8 days of treatment. The microscopic results showed the optimal biocompatibility of both samples. Differences were noted with regard to clinical and microbiological efficacy. It was observed that the sheet of pHEMA containing tetracycline resulted in the disappearance of bleeding and a reduced depth of survey. Moreover, microbiological results showed a significant reduction in Porphyromonas gingivalis. The sheet of pHEMA containing metronidazole showed a lower level of therapeutic efficacy. Although reduced depth was noted, gingival bleeding was persistent and the reduction of bacteria analysed was not significant. In conclusion, the authors confirm the optimal biocompatibility of the material and its easy application, although further research, especially for pHEMA with metronidazole, must be carried out to improve drug kinetics, trying to maintain an effective local concentration throughout treatment.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

Characterization of Ferritin Adsorption onto Gold

The adsorption of ferritin from phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) onto gold has been examined using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Application of these techniques allows elucidation of the surface coverage and layer thickness of ferritin on gold. The kinetics of ferritin adsorption onto gold were investigated by monitoring the resonant frequency shift of a QCM. Adsorption isotherms for ferritin in PBS and in air have been measured by QCM. These isotherms suggest less than monolayer coverage of ferritin on gold. A layer thickness of 4.8 ± 0.2 nm was calculated for the dry ferritin film from QCM data. Measurements of the shift in the reflectivity of light at a fixed angle close to the SPR plasmon resonance were also used to follow the kinetics of ferritin adsorption. Full SPR curves were measured in PBS solution and air and were used to determine the effective thickness of the ferritin layer in both environments. The ferritin layer on gold from SPR data was found to be twice as thick when measured in PBS as it was for a dry film. This difference in thickness is attributed to shrinkage of ferritin with drying. Angle-resolved XPS measurements on a dry ferritin film (preadsorbed on gold) yield a ferritin thickness of 4.7 ± 0.5 nm, a value in good agreement with those determined from QCM and SPR. QCM, SPR, and XPS all yield a surface coverage of 6.3 ± 0.7 mg m-2 for dry ferritin layers on gold. AFM enabled examination of the topography of ferritin adsorbed on gold on the nanometer scale and confirmed that ferritin forms an incomplete monolayer. In all cases, ferritin was found to be irreversibly adsorbed to gold and to form a stable protein layer, thus making it well suited as a biological receptor layer for immunosensing applications.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

[Bilateral adrenal pheochromocytoma. A clinical case and review of the literature].

The authors present a case of bilateral adrenal pheochromocytoma that occurred at their observation and surgically treated with a bilateral adrenalectomy. The authors review the literature in order to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic option to treat these cases. They stress the importance of preoperative abdominal TC an MIBG scintigraphy and the importance of pre and intraoperative assessment to exclude extra adrenal localization of pheochromocytoma.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

[Warthin's tumor].

Cystoadenolymphoma is a rare tumor of salivary glands. The classic clinical picture is described and four cases are presented. Current concepts of etiology, histopathology, treatment and prognosis are discussed. Authors remark the significance of radical treatment and the care must be taken not to damage the facial nerve.

Adenolymphoma↗
PubMed1997

[Detection of Helicobacter pylori in 201 stomach biopsies using the polymerase chain reaction, histological staining (H&E/Giemsa) and immunohistochemistry].

Helicobacter Pylori is believed to be an essential etiologic agent of type B chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in humans. Recent reports have also suggested a role for these organisms in the development of gastric carcinoma and MALT-Lymphoma. A variety of diagnostic procedures are used for the identification of Helicobacter Pylori in clinical samples. 201 gastric biopsy (164 antral and 37 body biopsy specimens) were obtained from 164 patients with endoscopic abnormalities. These samples were studied for the detection of the presence of Helicobacter Pylori by histological staining (EE/Giemsa), immunohistochemistry and PCR by using a primer pair derived from the nucleotide sequence of the Urease A gene of Helicobacter Pylori. Specific amplification of a 411 base pair DNA fragment from all strain of Helicobacter Pylori tested was achieved. Of the 201 gastric biopsy analyzed, 63 (31%) were infected with Helicobacter Pylori on the basis of both histological and immunohistochemical staining, and 81 (41%) were positive with PCR (P < 0.001). Our results support a role for PCR in the rapid and highly sensitive and specific identification of Helicobacter Pylori in gastric biopsy specimens.

Azure Stains↗
PubMed1996

Structural analysis of the substoichiometric and stoichiometric microtuble-inhibiting biphenyl analogues of colchicine.

The structures of the colchicine (COL) analogues, 2,3,4-trimethoxy-4'-acetyl-1,1'-biphenyl (TKB)and 2,3,4,4'-tetramethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl (TMB), were solved by X-ray diffraction. Their comparison with the structure of colchicine indicated the ability of both compounds to enter into a colchicine binding pocket. Comparison of TKB with 2,3,4-trimethoxy-4'-carbomethoxy-1,1'-biphenyl (TCB) showed that the methyl group of the carbomethoxy group in position 4' of TCB protrudes beyond the (C=O)-CH3 group in the same position in TKB. Superposition of both structures on the van der Waals surface of COL clearly demonstrates that TKB can fully fit within that domain, while the CH3 group of TCB protrudes beyond the COL contour. This is proposed to be the source of the inability of TCB to inhibit microtubule assembly substoichiometrically, while TKB is a very strong inhibitor. While the same steric hindrance to entering into the COL site on tubulin must exist in allocolchicine (ALLO), in its case, this is overcome by the rigidity of the three-ring structure which abolishes the loss on binding of the entropy of free rotation between the two rings of the biphenyl TCB.

Biphenyl Compounds↗
PubMed1996

Influence of age, lead axis, frequency of arrhythmic episodes, and atrial dimensions on P wave triggered SAECG in patients with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Signal-averaged P wave of 42 patients with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) and 29 normal subjects (N) were recorded, using three orthogonal leads and analyzed in the time and frequency (entire P wave or a 100-ms segment ranging from 75 ms before to 25 ms after the end of P wave) domains. PAFs were divided into a group of 12 having > or = 2 attacks a month (HF) and a group of 30 having < or = 2 attacks a year (LF). Statistically significant differences were absent with regard to ages of PAF and N; ages of HF, LF, and N at the time of signal-averaged ECG; ages of HF and LF at the time of the first arrhythmic episode; and elapsed times from the first episode. Length of P wave and some frequency-domain parameters were found to be significantly correlated with age. PAF showed a significantly longer duration of P wave in the frontal plane using the time-domain analysis. Frequency analysis was found to be useful in evaluating the influence of attack frequency. HF showed significantly higher values of some frequency-domain parameters than LF and N, while the three groups did not differ for time-domain analysis. P wave duration and frequency content of the three orthogonal leads proved to be significantly different in PAF and N. Right and left atrial echocardiographic dimensions proved to be higher (even if within normal limits) in HF than in LF and N. Results suggest that frequency analysis should be performed on the entire P wave.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1994

Immobilisation of IgG onto gold surfaces and its interaction with anti-IgG studied by surface plasmon resonance.

The optical excitation of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) at a metal dielectric interface has been used to study the binding of immunoglobulin G (IgG) to gold and anti-IgG to immobilised IgG layers. In these studies both a monoclonal mouse and polyclonal sheep IgG were used as receptor layers for anti-IgG. The kinetics of binding were investigated by monitoring the reflectivity of light at an angle close to plasmon resonance. Both the initial rate of change and final reflectivity were measured during and after protein binding. The amount of protein bound to the surface was found to be less for the monoclonal mouse IgG compared to the polyclonal sheep IgG, these two IgG nominally being of the same dimensions and molecular weight. Further, anti-IgG binding produced greater changes in reflectivity than the initial IgG layers. By fitting the full angle-dependent reflectivity data to the Fresnel equation the effective protein layer thicknesses of IgG and anti-IgG as a function of concentration were determined. Differences in the effective thickness of the bound layer for the two IgG was observed, the mouse IgG having a thinner effective thickness compared with the sheep IgG. The limitations of direct binding of protein to metal surfaces in SPR biosensor applications are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Autocrine regulation of proliferation of cerebellar granule neurons by nerve growth factor.

Premigratory cerebellar granule neurons, which highly express nerve growth factor (NGF), low (gp75NGFR) and high (gp140trkA) affinity NGF receptors, were used as a physiological model to investigate the effects of NGF on neuronal replication. Studies in vivo and on cultures showed that NGF stimulates DNA synthesis, mitotic activity and related cell acquisition by initiating the entry of cells into the S phase and regulating their time in the G1 and S phases. The NGF-induced effects were blocked in vivo and in vitro by both monoclonal anti-blocked in vivo and in vitro by both monoclonal anti-NGF and anti-gp75NGFR antibodies. These results clearly demonstrate that NGF is essential for the crucial first step of cerebellar ontogenesis and support the idea that low affinity receptors are involved in the biological response, possibly by interacting with gp140trkA. By comparison with a number of well known mitogens, the high affinity form could be the main transducer of the mitogenic signal pathway. The early developing cerebellum appears therefore to be the first autocrine (and/or paracrine) model of NGF action on neurogenesis in the CNS.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Crystal and molecular structure and in vitro antiproliferative and antitumor activity of two organotin (IV) carbohydrate compounds.

3-C-[(Triphenylstannyl)methyl]-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D -allofuranose (Ph3SnCH2 carbohydrate) and 3-C-(triphenylstannyl)-1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-allo furanose (Ph3Sn carbohydrate) were studied by diffraction methods, space groups P2(1)2(1)2(1), a = 6.073 (1), b = 13.091 (3), c = 37.739 (13) and a = 8.3219 (9), b = 11.876 (1), c = 29.575 (5) A, respectively; both compounds have distorted tetrahedral coordination. The biological study of these compounds along with Ph3SnCl shows the following: (a) With respect to their capacity to interfere with DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis of isolated fastly proliferating thymocytes, the triphenyltin carbohydrates are less active than Ph3SnCl. Protein synthesis was found to be most sensitive with an IC50 value of approximately 0.3 microM for Ph3SnCl, 3 microM for Ph3Sn-carbohydrate, and greater than 5 microM for Ph3SnCH2-carbohydrate; (b) The in vitro activity toward the mouse tumor cell lines MOPC315, P815, SL2, and L1210, which was also performed for Bu2SnCl2, also showed that the two triphenyltin carbohydrates were less effective than Ph3SnCl. From these results it is concluded that in vitro these Sn-C bonded triphenyltin carbohydrates are less active than Ph3SnCl. Ph3Sn carbohydrate is more active than Ph3SnCH2 carbohydrate, and this may be related with the long Sn-C (of the carbohydrate moiety) bond distance (2.225 (8) A) for the former compound. This compound shows a biological activity which is in contrast to the normal inactivity of tetraorganotins and is the first active member of this family whose molecular structure is reported.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Two-dimensional diffusion of amphiphiles in phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface.

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy has been used to examine lateral diffusion in dipalmitoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dimyristoyl-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) monolayers at the air-water interface, by studying the fluorescence quenching of a pyrene-labeled phospholipid (pyrene-DPPE) by two amphiphilic quenchers. Steady-state fluorescence measurements revealed pyrene-DPPE to be homogeneously distributed in the DMPC lipid matrix for all measured surface pressures and only in the liquid-expanded (LE) phase of the DPPC monolayer. Time-resolved fluorescence decays for pyrene-DPPE in DMPC and DPPC (LE phase) in the absence of quencher were best described by a single-exponential function, also suggesting a homogeneous distribution of pyrene-DPPE within the monolayer films. Addition of quencher to the monolayer film produced nonexponential decay behavior, which is adequately described by the continuum theory of diffusion-controlled quenching in a two-dimensional environment. Steady-state fluorescence measurements yielded lateral diffusion coefficients significantly larger than those obtained from time-resolved data. The difference in these values was ascribed to the influence of static quenching in the case of the steady-state measurements. The lateral diffusion coefficients obtained in the DMPC monolayers were found to decrease with increasing surface pressure, reflecting a decrease in monolayer fluidity with compression.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗
PubMed1993

Familial varices of the small and large bowel.

Two familial cases of varices confined to the small and the large bowel are reported. Both patients were diagnosed in advanced age because of recurrent intestinal bleeding. The study of the entire gastrointestinal tract revealed an unexpected wide involvement and the primary nature of the varices. Moreover, both patients had coexistent adenomatous polyps.

Aged↗