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Biomedical subjects

G Pagano

Publications and source records attributed to G Pagano.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1982

Acute effect of prednisone and deflazacort on glucose tolerance in prediabetic subjects.

The diabetogenic effect of deflazacort (DF), an oxazolinic synthetic corticosteroid, was studied in 12 healthy adult subjects with a positive family history of diabetes mellitus. Three oral glucose tests (oGTT) were performed at 9.00 a.m., after a 12 h fast, following randomized administration of Placebo (PL), or Deflazacort (DF 36 +36 mg) or Prednisone (PN 30 + 30 mg) 12 and 2 h before the test. Plasma glucose (BG), insulin (IRI), non-esterified fatty acids, (NEFA), total cholesterol (CL), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-CL) and triglycerides (TG) were measured at time 0, and BG, IRI, NEFA were again measured 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after oGTT. PN was followed by a significant increase in BG over the PL values in accordance with the prediabetic state of these subjects, and there was also an increase in IRI values. No change in CL, HDL-CL and TG was found. AFter DF administration, there was a small increase only in BG and IRI over PL values. The differences between DF- PL were not significant, but those between PL-PN and DF-PN were significant at p less than 0.05 (Scheffe's test). The lesser metabolic effect of DF on glucose balance by comparison with PN, as shown by these results, is consistent with previous reports of its lower osteopaenic effect. Thus, DF may be more suitable than PN and similar corticosteroids for corticosteroid therapy in prediabetic and diabetic subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Fertilization and larval development in sea urchins following exposure of gametes and embryos to cadmium.

The gametes and embryos of three sea urchin species were exposed to cadmium chloride at concentrations ranging from 10(-8) M to 10(-3) M. When zygotes were reared in the presence of Cd2+, skeletal differentiation displayed some severe abnormalities or was suppressed, as a function of Cd2+ level. The embryotoxic action of Cd2+ was inversely related to salinity and to Ca2+ concentration. Cadmium-exposed larvae displayed similar abnormalities if Cd2+ was present throughout development or only after hatching, while pre-hatching exposure produced no developmental defects. No aberrations in mitotic figures were observed in cleaving eggs following acute exposure to Cd2+. The pretreatment of sperm or eggs did not affect the ensuing development of embryos, both for acutely toxic Cd2+ levels (up to 10(-2) M), and for prolonged exposures in relatively low Cd2+ levels. The fertilization rate was differently affected depending on whether sperm or eggs were pretreated; i.e., the exposure of eggs to Cd2+ promoted fertilization at relatively high Cd2+ levels. If sperm was exposed to Cd2+, a depression of fertilizing capacity was observed at high Cd2+ levels, while lower Cd2+ levels, displayed an opposite action, resulting in an increase in fertilization rate after prolonged sperm exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

[Hemorrhage of esophageal varices: conservative or emergency treatment?].

The emergency treatment of bleeding esophageal varices still remain a very difficult problem. In this report results obtained with conservative and operative procedures will be compared. In particular 32 patients underwent transhepatic occlusion of the gastric vessels feeding varices, and 8 patients (total experience 27 cases) to emergency esophageal transection with the EEA stapler instrument. The conclusion is that both methods represent useful alternatives, in selected cases, rather than being antagonists.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

[Incidence of possible diabetic conditions in pregnant women: effects on the fetus].

The Authors studied the mortality and morbidity of newborn who had diabetic mothers. They confronted these dates with those mothers with overweight or with abnormal glucose oral test. There is no difference among them belonging neonatal mortality and morbidity. It would be useful to underline the high risk of mortality in newborn from mothers with diabetic overweight.

Diabetes Complications↗
PubMed1981

Glycosylated hemoglobin in patients with newly discovered juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus in the days immediately following the beginning of insulin treatment.

We studied the behavior of fast hemoglobin fractions in newly discovered diabetic patients, before and in the 10 days immediately following the beginning of insulin therapy, in order to verify whether or not the rapid improvement of glycemic control involved a rapid reduction of total HbA1 and of its fractions. We observed a rapid and highly significant fall of HbA1(a+b+c) and HbA1c levels after only 1 or 2 days of insulin therapy, followed by a slower decrement in the other 3-10 days. HbA1(a+b) showed a slower decrement trend, reaching levels significantly below baseline values only after 7-10 days. These results suggest that rapid changes occurring in glycosylated hemoglobin levels after the beginning of insulin treatment in newly discovered diabetic patients involve mainly HbA1c. The kinetics of glycosylated hemoglobin reduction, with a first rapid decrement followed by a slower one, may suggest the hypothesis that rapid changes are due to reversible Schiff base de-glycosylation, the ketoamine linkage being the true index of long term glycemic control.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Insulin resistance in the aged: the role of the peripheral insulin receptors.

In the healthy subject, glucose tolerance tends to decrease with age due to impaired insulin secretion and/or decreased peripheral insulin activity. An oral glucose (100 g) tolerance test was performed on 12 aged (70 +/- 4 yr) and 8 young (32 +/- 7 yr) subjects; these subjects underwent laparatomy for cholecystectomy or the management of abdominal diseases. Subcutaneous adipose tissue was removed during surgery and fat cells, prepared according to a personal modification of Rodbell's method, were incubated in a medium containing monoiodo- and cold insulin to evaluate insulin binding and affinity constants. The results of the tolerance test pointed to an insulin resistant state i.e., impaired glucose tolerance coupled with normal plasma insulin, as previously shown also by us using other methods in the aged subject. The binding study demonstrates a distinct insulin receptor decrease in fat cells from the older subjects (185,000 +/- 19,200 as opposed to 310,000 +/- 12,000), without any change in affinity constants. The result indicates that insulin resistance in the aged may be attributed at least in part to a reduction in the number of insulin receptors on the target cells. This could be a consequence of aging itself, as proposed by other workers in the case of old fat rats.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1980

[Prophylactic and therapeutic use of vitamins in diabetes (author's transl)].

The hypothesis that diabetes mellitus is a syndrome has been confirmed by recent physiopathological studies. In idiopathic diabetes differences in the genetic status and in the alternations of the beta cells allow to identify two completely different diseases: type 1 (or juvenile) diabetes and type II (or adult) diabetes. On the basis of the differences in the physiopathology of the different types of diabetes, the usefulness of vitamin supplementation for prophylaxis and therapy is discussed. The nutritional intake of thiamine is, for instance, recommended for patients suffering from the type II disease. Riboflavin deficiency has recently been observed in rat experimental diabetes as well as in human type II diabetes; the vitamin deficiency seems to be relevant in connection with functional alterations of pancreatic beta-cells. Other water-soluble vitamins are known to be involved in the pathogenesis and evolution of diabetes mellitus. Among the fat-soluble vitamins, retinol ought to be mentioned because of its importance in the mechanism of synthesis of pre-collagen and in view of the alterations in collagen and glycoprotein synthesis which accompany diabetes. Moreover, a diminished secretion of insulin has been described together with vitamins deficiences. The critical analysis of these data enables the diabetologist to define a reliable program for the prophylaxis and treatment of different kinds of diabetes.

Avitaminosis↗
PubMed1979

[Splenoportography: still important technic. New prospects (author's transl)].

Splenoportography still plays today an important role among angiographic examinations used in the study of portal hypertension. The authors arrived at these conclusions after studying the results obtained in more than 500 examinations carried out. In the text, they give a few details of the technic used to improve the photographic result and to reduce the risk of the examination.

Child, Preschool↗