Biomedical subjects

G Fusco

Publications and source records attributed to G Fusco.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Self-similarity in biological classifications.

Size distributions of supraspecific taxa, e.g. genera, measured as the number of included subtaxa, e.g. species, are found to follow a power law. This behaviour has been verified for a number of taxa of different size and taxonomic rank, thus suggesting a fractal structure of biological classifications. This is regarded as probably dependent on evolutionary processes shaping the phylogenetic tree, especially speciation and extinction, as well as on the topological properties of developmental constraints and/or of the ecospace(s) with which the group has been confronted during its history. The role of taxonomic bias is deemphasized.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Allozyme divergence and phylogenetic relationships among Capra, Ovis and Rupicapra (Artyodactyla, Bovidae).

Genetic divergence and phylogenetic relationships between the chamois (Rupicaprini, Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra) and three species of the Caprini (Capra aegagrus hircus, Capra ibex ibex and Ovis ammon musimon) have been studied by multilocus protein electrophoresis. Dendrograms have been constructed both with distance and parsimony methods. Goat, sheep and chamois pair-wise genetic distances had very similar values. All the topologies showed that Capra, Ovis and Rupicapra originate from the same internode, suggesting the hypothesis of a common, and almost contemporaneous, ancestor. The estimated divergence times among the three genera ranged from 5.28 to 7.08 Myr. These findings suggest the need to reconsider the evolutionary relationships in the Capriae.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Asymptomatic hepatocellular carcinoma in Child's A cirrhosis. A comparison of natural history and surgical treatment.

The present study deals with the natural history of 37 asymptomatic patients with cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, 25 with 2-9-cm tumors who were not surgically treated (first group) and 12 with tumors smaller than 4 cm who underwent resection (second group). All patients were in Child's A class. Two-year survival (according to life-table analysis by the Kaplan-Meier method) was 50% in the first group and 39% in the second group. This difference was not significant. In the first group no relation was found between survival and initial tumor size or alpha-fetoprotein levels. Ultrasound examinations at 3-mo intervals revealed the following patterns of tumor growth: (a) no significant growth during the follow-up (9 patients); (b) significant growth (tumor size at least doubling) only in the final stage of the disease (11 patients); (c) initial significant growth followed by a period of no increase in size (5 patients). These findings show that in our geographical area (a) 2-yr survival of untreated asymptomatic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with cirrhosis does not differ from that of similar patients undergoing resection and (b) the tumor can exhibit long periods of no growth alternating with periods of exponential growth.

Aged↗

PubMed1989

[Our ultrasonic experience in the diagnosis of traumatic lesions of the liver and spleen].

The authors on the basis of their series evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography (US) in the diagnosis of intraperitoneal as well as hepatic and splenic intraparenchymal blood collections. Because of its reliability, lack of contraindications, feasibility at the patient's bed, easy remaking, US examination is the first choice approach to the patient with blunt abdominal trauma.

Abdominal Injuries↗

PubMed1989

[Evolution of the echographic picture in primary liver tumor associated with cirrhosis].

To study the sonographic (US) evolution of hepatocellular carcinoma, 53 tumors in 45 untreated patients were observed regularly with real-time US for a period of 6 to 56 months. At the beginning, 25 tumors were hypoechoic, 18 isoechoic, 4 hyperechoic, and 6 had mixed hypo/hyper echo patterns. At the follow-up, 7 initially hypoechoic tumors had changed to hyperechoic or to mixed echo patterns; 8 hypoechoic tumors had become isoechoic; 9 of the 25 initially hypoechoic neoplastic lesions had maintained the same echo density. Ten of the 15 initially isoechoic tumors had changed to mixed echo patterns, and 5 had remained unchanged. Three initially isoechoic lesions and a hypoechoic one had turned into diffuse patterns; 2 initially hyperechoic neoplastic lesions had remained unchanged; 1 had switched into hypoechoic, and 1 changed to mixed echo pattern; 4 out of 6 tumors with echo pattern had remained unchanged, 1 had become hyperechoic and 1 hypoechoic. The current study has proven various tumors less than or equal to 3 cm phi to be isoechoic, and most tumors greater than 3 cm phi to have mixed hypo/hyper echo patterns. The echogenicity of small hepatocellular carcinomas increases with the tumor growth, and remains unchanged when they do not increase in size.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Ultrasonography and alpha-fetoprotein in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhosis.

The accuracy of ultrasound (US) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 363 patients with cirrhosis (C) and a clinical suspicion of HCC was assessed. The ultrasonographic patterns of HCC and their relationship with AFP values were analyzed. Echographic patterns were distributed as follows: 47 patients had sonodense lesions; 30 patients had hypoechoic lesions; 47 had mixed-pattern lesions, and in four patients focal dilated intrahepatic bile ducts were demonstrated. The sensitivity of US was 90%; specificity was 93.3%. Serum AFP level greater than or equal to 500 ng/ml (RIA) was the first clue to the diagnosis in 71 patients (48.6%); specificity was 100%. In 28 patients AFP levels became significantly elevated during follow-up after US detection of HCC. No relationship between echo pattern and serum AFP levels was demonstrated. An algorithm for diagnosis of HCC is proposed.

Algorithms↗

PubMed1988

Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma associated with cirrhosis by ultrasound and alfafetoprotein: a prospective study.

A prospective surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with cirrhosis, using alfafetoprotein (AFP) and real-time ultrasonography (US) was carried out in 157 patients with histologically proven cirrhosis. During a two-year follow-up, 15 asymptomatic HCCs were identified. HCCs detected by these methods were at a relatively early stage, as most tumors were small (13 out of 15 less than 5 cm). US was more sensitive than AFP in the diagnosis of HCC when values greater than 400 ng/ml were considered. Patients with initial AFP values greater than 20 ng/ml developed HCC within two years more frequently than patients with values less than 20 ng/ml. A combined approach using US and AFP is suggested in our geographical area.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed1987

Sludge and stones in gallbladder after pregnancy. Prevalence and risk factors.

The prevalence of sludge and stones in the gallbladder of 298 women in the immediate post-partum period was ultrasonographically assessed. We have investigated some risk factors for the development of sludge or stones in these patients and followed up most of these patients by ultrasonography to detect the presence of sludge and/or stones in the year following their discovery. We found sludge in 80 (26.2%) and gallstones in 16 (5.2%) of these patients. Age, obesity and months of oral contraceptive use were risk factors only for the presence of gallstones. After 1 year of follow-up only 2 out of 45 patients with sludge but 13 out of 15 patients with gallstones still had abnormal ultrasonographic findings.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

Ribavirin.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adult↗

PubMed1986

Predictive value of ultrasonography in the screening of non-ascitic cirrhotic patients with large varices.

To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasonography in the screening of cirrhotic patients with large varices, the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves of the portal, mesenteric, and splenic veins of 215 consecutive non-ascitic patients were plotted in order to select the most indicative optimal threshold. The contribution of respiratory variations of splenic and mesenteric veins was also evaluated. Taking 13 mm as the limit for the normal diameter of the portal vein, 10 and 9 mm for the upper limits of the mesenteric and splenic veins, respectively, and respiratory variations being absent, the positive rates were 91, 88, and 92 per cent and the false-positive rates were 44, 38, and 42 per cent, respectively. The predictive values of a positive test were 0.34, 0.33, and 0.34, respectively, and the predictive values of a negative test were 0.96 for the portal and mesenteric veins and 0.97 for the splenic vein. Because the portal vein is always visible, the portal diameter may be employed in the screening through the presence of large varices in association with the assessment of respiratory variation in the splenic or mesenteric diameter. A cut-off point of 13 mm and the absence of respiratory variations precludes the need for endoscopy in 47 per cent of patients.

Endoscopy↗

PubMed1985

[Tracking of blood cholesterol and arterial pressure in adolescence].

Early identification of atherosclerosis precursors and assessment of secular trends are key factors in organizing primary prevention programs. Tracking phenomenon for serum cholesterol and blood pressure has been evaluated at two years' interval in a group of students of both sexes, aged 11-15 years, in the municipality of Mugnano, near Naples. Serum cholesterol has been followed in 77 students and blood pressure--systolic and diastolic--in 160. Forty-three % serum cholesterol levels, 44% of systolic blood pressure measurements, and 25% of diastolic blood pressure values, that were in the upper quintile at the first visit, were found in the upper quintile again at the second visit. Our results point out that: there is a chance to identify "high" values, that may persist over time, especially for serum cholesterol and systolic blood pressure; great caution must be exercised in taking isolated measurements of serum cholesterol, systolic and particularly diastolic blood pressure at a young age as indicators in implementing prevention programs.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1982