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Biomedical subjects

G Lanza

Publications and source records attributed to G Lanza.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[The rhabdomyolytic syndrome: a not uncommon occurrence].

The paper examines one aspect of a medical pathology that is rather unusual and often wrongly diagnosed: rhabdomyolysis (RMC). The series examined suggests that the pathology is relatively common and arises in a wide variety of clinical conditions. In view of the fact that the consequences of rhabdomyolysis may be serious, emphasis is placed on the fact that correct diagnosis may be obtained by the careful consideration of simple clinical parameters such as subjective symptoms, urine colour, urine strip test and serum CPK assays.

Adult↗

Monoclonal antibodies for specific immunoperoxidase detection of Campylobacter pylori.

Monoclonal antibodies were raised against Campylobacter pylori to detect the organism in clinical specimens by the immunoperoxidase technique. Twenty-one hybridoma cultures obtained were screened on tissue sections of gastric mucosa to identify antibodies that did not cross-react with host cells. To select antibodies with high grade of specificity to C. pylori, hybridomas were also screened by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against a wide panel of gram-negative bacteria. Fifteen antibodies showed a variable grade of cross-reactivity with gastric mucosa, indicating the presence of at least three epitopes shared by C. pylori and epithelial cells. Three of the six antibodies non-reacting with gastric mucosa (CB-1, CB-26, and CB-31) also were found to be specific for C. pylori. Using CB-26 in an indirect immunoperoxidase test, gastric brushings from 60 patients consecutively undergoing endoscopic examination were examined. By light microscopy, we observed the presence of large amounts of C. pylori in smears from all the 32 patients with positive culture. A small number of bacterial cells were also seen in 8 of 28 patients whose cultures were negative. These findings suggest that the monoclonal antibody CB-26 might be of value for rapid and specific detection of C. pylori.

Animals↗

ras p21 oncoprotein expression in human colonic neoplasia--an immunohistochemical study with monoclonal antibody RAP-5.

Expression of the ras oncogene product p21 (ras p21) in benign and malignant human colonic tissues was studied using the monoclonal antibody RAP-5 and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. Histologically normal colonic mucosa and hyperplastic mucosa adjacent to carcinomas (transitional mucosa) were found, in most cases, to be negative for reactivity with the antibody or showed weak staining of a few epithelial cells. Similar findings were observed in hyperplastic and juvenile polyps. Of the 145 adenomas studied, 47 (32.4%) showed detectable levels of ras p21 expression. RAP-5 immunohistochemical staining was significantly associated with the degree of epithelial dysplasia (P less than 0.01) and the size of adenoma (P less than 0.05), but not with the histological type. Fifty-four of 70 primary adenocarcinomas (77.1%) were reactive with RAP-5 and usually demonstrated a higher percentage of stained cells and more intense cytoplasmic staining than that observed in adenomas. Although metastases often displayed a similar or even higher levels of ras p21 expression compared with the primary carcinomas, in 10 cases one or more metastatic lesions showed lower levels of ras p21. These results suggest that enhanced ras p21 expression may, at times, occur in the early stages of human colon carcinogenesis but are probably not associated with metastatic tumour progression.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Prolonged treatment of hypertension in diabetic patients with enalapril. 1-year follow-up].

In view of the pharmacological and chemical reasons for using ACE-inhibitors to treat diabetic hypertension, a group of 40 outpatients were treated with Enalapril. The sample consisted of 20 outpatients, 6 males, 14 females aged 48-76 (mean age 63.75), 18 of whom had type II and 2 type I diabetes and 11 under treatment by diet and hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin. All these patients presented slight or moderate essential arterial hypertension (diastolic pressure less than 115 mmHg). For about one year 17 of the patients were given 20 mg/die Enalapril and the remaining three 10 mg/die in a single morning dose. In 16 cases no other treatment was given. In 4 a non-potassium conserving diuretic was also given. Check-ups before six months into and at the end of treatment showed: a statistically significant reduction in systolic (p less than 0.05) and diastolic (p less than 0.01) pressure. In contrast no significant change was noted in heart beat, glycaemia before or after meals, body weight, glycosylated haemoglobin or any other blood chemical parameter considered. In one case only there was a slight increase in proteinuria that was however present at the start of treatment. As far as side effects are concerned there was one case of cardiac palmus during treatment and one case of coughing that regressed totally when treatment was suspended but nothing else of significance. It should be noted that the antidiabetic treatment remained unchanged throughout the period considered in most cases and at most was subjected to minimal qualitative and quantitative adjustments.

Aged↗

[Comparison of 12-month treatment with porcine and human insulin (semisynthetic and biosynthetic)].

In recent years two forms of human insulin--semisynthetic and biosynthetic--have been perfected and several experiments have been conducted to assess their effective therapeutic advantages. The present study compares the activity of porcine and human insulin. On the basis of the parameters considered--fasting and post-prandial glycaemia, body weight, glycosilated Hb--it is concluded that are no substantial therapeutic advantages in either porcine or human insulin. For this reason the latter should be reserved for special cases like initial juvenile etc., but offers no advantage in patients already responding adequately to the old insulin preparations.

Adolescent↗

[Treatment of hypertension in the diabetic with captopril].

The apparently excellent pharmacological properties of Captopril as treatment for insulin-dependent and other hypertensive diabetics of all ages were investigated at a Diabetes Centre. Fifteen out-patients receiving oral hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin and suffering from slight or moderate hypertension (diastolic AP: 95-115 mmHg) were selected for treatment. The Captopril was administered in daily doses of 50 or 100 mg for 60 days. Tests on the 30th and 60th days revealed a statistically significant reduction in max/min OAP values, but no statistically significant variations in either cardiac frequency or glycaemia before and after meals. Nor did the main haematochemical parameters show any significant alteration.

Aged↗

Colonic mucosa adjacent to adenomas and hyperplastic polyps--a morphological and histochemical study.

The morphological and histochemical features of colonic mucosa adjacent to 142 adenomas and 31 hyperplastic polyps were studied. Three predominant patterns were identified: (1) normal mucosa, showing normal histological architecture and secretion of sulphomucins; (2) N+ type, histologically normal mucosa with predominance of sialomucins; (3) transitional mucosa; hyperplastic mucosa secreting sialomucins. Hyperplastic changes were observed in the immediate neighbourhood or at the base of adenomas and were more frequent and extensive near large adenomas than around smaller lesions. Sialomucins were often predominant in the mucosa adjacent to large adenomas, but N+ type mucosa was also seen near minute adenomas and hyperplastic polyps and remote from polypoid lesions. Moreover, both hyperplastic and secretory changes were more frequent in the left colon than in the right. These findings seem to suggest that mucosal hyperplasia more likely represents a local change, parallel with or secondary to tumour development rather than a pre-adenomatous lesion. Secretory modifications are widespread and may result from the action of various factors among which carcinogens cannot be excluded.

Adenoma↗

Morphologic changes, mucin secretion, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and peanut lectin reactivity in colonic mucosa of patients at high risk for colorectal cancer.

We studied 393 endoscopic colonic biopsies from 72 patients, classified in different groups after assessment of their risk factors, using: histologic, histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques (CEA-PAP and PNA-Px). In high risk patients (Groups A and B) the most relevant modifications were dysplasia with hyposecretion and hyperplasia with sialomucin secretion (TR-type change); in Group A 31 adenomas and 19 hyperplastic polyps also were found. A premalignant nature of dysplasia and predysplastic significance of TR change were suggested: 1) by finding the same alterations in mucosa of Group E (colectomized patients for carcinoma at after 1 year); 2) by increasing expression of CEA and PNA-Px ligands; 3) by their absence in Group D (normal controls). Hyperplastic polyps were confirmed not to be premalignant lesions, but since they had peculiar characteristics (increased CEA and PNA-Px positivity, association with adenomas) it does not seem justified to regard them as lesions unrelated to colorectal cancer, especially when associated with other risk factors. CEA and PNA-Px reactivity correlated well with the risk evaluation and with morphohistochemical changes in the mucosa; the reactivity significantly increased from normal mucosa to dysplasia.

Adenoma↗

[Particles in infusion fluids. Preventive effectiveness of terminal filters. Comparative study].

The main particles present in solutions for parenteral use are potentially harmful. Current industrial technologies are not yet capable of supplying products that are entirely free of corpusculated substances. In addition, the latter increase in direct proportion to the number of handlings that are carried out by hospital staff in the preparation of infusion treatments. Filters capable of cutting down the number of infused particles are suggested for application to defluxion devices. Three such filters currently available on the Italian market are examined. The filter with 0.45 mu diameter holes proved capable of minimising the amount for particles without provoking an appreciable interference with the defluxion times of the solutions used in the experiments.

Antigen-Antibody Reactions↗