Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to G Palmieri.
Many clinical trials with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin have been reported. This combination therapy seems to play an important role in untreated advanced colorectal cancer. In other neoplasms (gastric, head and neck, breast cancer) further studies are required.
We investigated the effect of long-term i.v. administration of L-carnitine on human muscle fibers using morphometric parameters. We administered 2g/day L-carnitine to patients undergoing hemodialysis for at least 12 months. At the end of this period a marked increase in serum and muscle carnitine levels was observed in all patients, together with hypertrophy and predominance of type 1 fibers. L-carnitine was withheld for 4 months, during which time serum and muscle levels gradually decreased and no changes were observed in muscle fibers. Subsequent addition of L-carnitine to dialysis fluid for another 4 months stabilized lower levels. At the end of this period reduction of diameter of type 1 fibers was observed. Type 2 fibers remained unchanged. Moreover, type 1 fibers remained predominant in all cases. Hence, we suggest that carnitine has a specific trophic effect on type 1 fibers which are characterized by an oxidative metabolism.
Ten years of controlled clinical trials supported single-dose therapy efficacy and safety in uncomplicated lower urinary tract infections (UTI). Both local and systematic factors contribute to the high UTI prevalence seen in elderly people. A controlled open randomized study was undertaken to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a new fosfomycin derivative (fosfomycin trometamol) given in a single dose in the treatment of uncomplicated lower UTIs in 60 elderly subjects (mean age 68.4 years). A single 3-gram fosfomycin trometamol dose was compared to a 7-day treatment with norfloxacin 400 mg b.i.d. Midstream urocultures and susceptibility tests were performed to diagnose a UTI and at 3-5 and 25-35 days after discontinuation of therapies. Our results, showing comparable clinical and bacteriological resolution rates in both groups (76.6 and 73.3% in the fosfomycin-trometamol- and norfloxacin-treated subjects, respectively), support the single-dose fosfomycin trometamol efficacy in uncomplicated lower UTIs in an elderly population, suggesting it as a convincing alternative to longer therapeutic regimens.
The origin and course of the collateral sesamoidean (suspensory navicular) ligament of the horse and ass and its attachment to the distal sesamoid bone were studied by means of dissection. Particular attention was given to the topographic relations between this ligament and the deep digital flexor tendon. Numerous sensitive nerve endings are present in this anatomical district. The free and encapsulated nerve endings, displayed by impregnating techniques, are mostly concentrated in the ligament tract connected to the above-named tendon and close to its attachment to the distal sesamoid angle. The nerve endings are identified as typical Pacini, Pacini-like and Golgi-Mazzoni corpuscles on account of their morphological features and are found isolated, grouped to form flower-sprays, lined up along the course of a single nerve fibre or grouped to originate poikilomorphous fibres.
Sequences corresponding to the Xq28 loci DXS15, DXS52, DXS134, and DXS130 were shown to be present in a 140-kb yeast artificial chromosome (YAC XY58, isolated by Little et al.). This YAC clone appears to contain a faithful copy of this genomic region, as shown by comparison with human DNA and with a cosmid clone that contains probes St14c (part of the DXS52 sequences) and cpX67 (DXS134). cpX67 and St14c are contained in 11 kb and detect the same MspI RFLP polymorphism. A comparison of the YAC restriction map and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis data leads us to propose the following order of loci: DXS52(VNTR)-DXS33-DXF22S3-DXS130-DXS134 -DXS52-DXS15-DXS52, this whole cluster being comprised within 575 kb. The physical proximity of the DXS15, DXS52, and DXS134 loci led us to reinvestigate recombination events that had been reported between these loci in families from the Centre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain. Our results do not support the assumption that this region shows increased recombination.
The synthesis of 2,4-dione derivatives of 1,5-benzodithiepine, 1,5-benzodiazepine and 1,5-benzothiazepine and the anti-microbial activity in vitro of these derivatives and of analogous of 1,5-benzodioxepine, 1,5-benzoxathiepine and 1,5-benzoxazepine, previously prepared, are reported. Some of these compounds showed a good activity against some Gram positive microorganisms and blastomycetes.
We report on a 54-year-old woman with disseminated histiocytosis X who had a complete regression of all mucocutaneous lesions within 1 month from the completion of radiation therapy (4500 cGy) to the hypothalamic-hypophyseal (H-H) area. This response lasted 12 months, after which new cutaneous and bone lesions appeared.
We report the clinical, electrophysiological, and morphological observations of five infants with an unusual form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In these infants muscular weakness and atrophy were initially restricted to the distal limbs and this pattern was associated with paralysis of the diaphragm. The difference between the clinical manifestations of this syndrome and the classical form of infantile spinal muscular atrophy (SMA type 1) as well as other congenital hereditary neuropathies is discussed.
Granzyme A (TSP-1) is a serine esterase expressed in cytotoxic T and natural killer (NK) cell lines. Its presence in in vivo primed T cells is disputed at present. Here we show that normal rat NK cells contain granzyme A in vivo and that its expression is augmented by their short-term in vitro treatment with IL 2. Granzyme A expression in a NK cell population with LAK activity has also been examined.
We describe the case of a young man addicted to heroin with the clinical pattern of symmetrical brachial neuropathy, without other neurological involvement. Lead poisoning was detected and chelating therapy induced a marked improvement of the clinical symptoms. The possible toxic effect of heavy metals in the pathogenesis of brachial and lumbar plexopathies during heroin addiction has previously been suggested by other authors, but never detected.
The possible toxical effect of heavy metals in the pathogenesis of brachial and lumbar plexopathies during heroin addiction has been previously hypothesized by some authors, but never detected. A 24-year-old man, addicted to heroin showed the clinical picture of a symmetrical brachial neuropathy, without other neurological involvement. Lead poisoning was detected in this patient and the chelating therapy induced a marked improvement of the clinical symptoms.
Plasma and cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin concentrations were radioimmunologically assayed in dogs subjected to spinal cord ischemia induced by infrarenal aortic ligature and in control sham-operated dogs. Plasma beta-endorphin levels rose significantly following surgery in control dogs but were unaffected by spinal ischemia. On the other hand, a significant increase in cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin concentration occurred after spinal ischemia, while surgical stress had no significant effect. Thus, the origins of plasma and cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin may be different, with the former secreted from the hypophysis and the latter from nervous tissue. Observed changes in cerebrospinal fluid beta-endorphin concentration could be related to the ischemic lesion of nervous tissue while the changes in plasma levels may reflect general stressing factors such as the surgery in our experiments.
Calcitonin (CT) is a 32 amino acidic polypeptide hormone which has been found in almost all species and whose effects are mainly concerned with calcium and phosphorous homeostasis. Three preparations are employed for therapeutic uses: salmon (sCT), porcine (pCT) and human CT (hCT). The sCT is the most powerful one and in human volunteers a strong relaxing effect has been shown on gallbladder (GB) basal volume and emptying in response to a meal, intraduodenal instillation of a liquid meal and i.v. cholecystokinin (CCK) infusion. Our study was aimed at investigating if a direct sCT effect could be demonstrated on smooth muscle strips from guinea pig GBs "in vitro" (organ bath). Isometric contractions were measured in response to maximal doses of acetylcholine (ACh: 10(-4) M), KCl (80 mM) and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-OP: 10(-6) M), in absence and in presence of four doses of sCT (1 x 10(-9), 1 x 10(-8), 1 x 10(-7) and 1 x 10(-6) M). sCT did not affect the initial strip basal tone. ACh, CCK-OP and KCl caused, as expected, a powerful contraction of the strips, but no effect was shown when each of the sCT doses was administered before ACh (1.28+ 0.69 SEM without sCT vs 1.28g+ 0.69 with sCT; n = 6) and CCK-OP (1.46g+ 0.19 without sCT vs 1.46g+ 0.19 with sCT; n = 8) or 5 min after the induced KCl contraction. On the basis of these preliminary results, we conclude that no evidence of a direct sCT effect was found on guinea pig GBs when considering either basal smooth muscle tone or isometric contraction in response to ACh, KCl and CCK-OP. Further studies are therefore required to clarify the influence of CT on GB dynamics in vivo and to elucidate its the physiological significance.
Twenty-three previously untreated ovarian cancer patients were treated, from January 1986 to March 1987, with combination chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and cytarabine (DAC regimen). All patients had advanced disease, which included 18 stage III and 5 stage IV patients. Sixteen patients had serous, 6 undifferentiated and 1 mixed histotype. Surgery consisting of total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, partial omentectomy and appendicectomy was performed in only 11/23 patients. Seventeen patients had bulky disease when the treatment was started. Four courses of chemotherapy were initially administered to all patients; second look laparotomy was performed in patients with no clinically measurable disease or with presumable entirely resectable tumor. Vomiting was the major side effect of chemotherapy: myelotoxicity was mild and in only one patient permanent renal damage occurred. A total of 14 objective clinical responses (73.7%) were observed, of which 9 were complete (47.4%). Six clinical complete remissions (37.5%) occurred in the group of patients with bulky disease. At second-look laparotomy six patients were found disease free (26%), 4 of whom originally had bulky disease (25%). Short-term DAC regimen seems to be a very effective treatment, with acceptable toxicity, in patients with ovarian cancer.
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Cutis laxa (generalized elastolysis) is a rare systemic disorder of connective tissue, whose elastic fibers appear fragmented and disorganized. The present study reports an undescribed form of cutis laxa in an infant male with loose and inelastic skin, osteoporosis, pulmonary emphysema and dislocation of the hip. The clinical features and the inheritance patterns of the various forms of cutis laxa are also discussed.
A case is reported of a 76 year old patient with inoperable lymph node metastases from cancer of the penis. Methotrexate and bleomycin chemotherapy and concurrent irradiation were administered. The patient achieved a complete remission and is disease-free 30 months after therapy. The treatment was well tolerated.
The authors present a case of polyostotic fibrous dysplasia involving the sternum as well. The case is well supported the strumental and histological point of view.