Biomedical subjects

G Romano

Publications and source records attributed to G Romano.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Serum anti-GFAP and anti-S100 autoantibodies in brain aging, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Autoantibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100 protein were measured in sera of patients suffering from vascular dementia (VD), presenile Alzheimer's disease (AD), senile Alzheimer's disease (SDAT) and aged healthy controls by means of ELISA test. VD and SDAT showed the highest levels of both autoantibodies, AD the lowest. From these results a relationship between autoantibody titers and aging seems possible. Dosage of anti-GFAP and anti-S100 autoantibodies does not appear useful for diagnostic purpose because of the overlap observed among groups. Rather, the presence of these antibodies seems to reflect an alteration of the blood-brain barrier that promotes the access of central nervous system antigens to immunocompetent cells.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Four-year follow-up of glucose tolerance and beta-cell function in nondiabetic cystic fibrosis patients.

Plasma glucose and insulin responses to oral glucose load were investigated and reinvestigated approximately 4 years later in 29 cystic fibrosis children and adolescents with initially normal fasting blood glucose levels. Patients' clinical status was evaluated at the time of both oral glucose tolerance tests. With respect to the basal test, the second one elicited blunted insulin responses and enhanced glycemic levels. Moreover, the prevalence of patients with diabetic glucose tolerance was significantly increased at the second evaluation and insulin secretion was markedly reduced in these patients. Deterioration of glucose tolerance and/or of insulin secretion over time was never accompanied by a significant worsening of clinical and/or nutritional status. In conclusion, in cystic fibrosis subjects with fasting euglycemia (a) both insulin secretion and glucose tolerance deteriorate during a 4-year follow-up, (b) an insulin secretion decrease is more evident in patients who develop diabetic glucose tolerance and (c) these metabolic changes are not significantly linked to a worsening of either nutritional or clinical parameters, even in the patients who develop diabetic glucose tolerance.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

[Rehabilitation of the colostomy patient].

The Authors report their experience concerning the rehabilitation of patients with temporary or definitive colostomy. Mechanical and psychosocial implications as well as different rehabilitative methods are discussed and literature data are reviewed. Surgery should play a major role in this rehabilitation programme, either in terms of prevention or definitive treatment; nonetheless only through a multidisciplinary approach these patients will achieve a better quality of life.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Colorectal cancer. Diagnosis of recurrence.

After curative surgery for colorectal cancer, the goal of an aggressive surveillance program is the detection of recurrent disease at an early and potentially curable stage. The routine use of endosonography (EUS) following surgery for colorectal cancer allows a detailed examination of the pelvis not previously possible without more sophisticated and expensive techniques, such as CT scans or MR imaging. EUS gives good information on established recurrence and is the single modality that allows for the detection of asymptomatic extramural local failures. EUS is a valuable tool for the detection of locally recurrent rectal cancer.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗

PubMed1994

YAC contig organization and CpG island analysis in Xq28.

One hundred nineteen YACs were assembled into 6 contigs spanning about 7.1 Mb of Xq28. The contigs were formatted with 65 STSs and 136 hybridization probes and were extensive enough to be aligned and oriented by published genetic linkage and somatic cell hybrid panel data. Selected YACs from the entire region were mapped with five rare-cutter restriction enzymes to infer the position of putative CpG islands indicative of gene locations; 48 such sites were identified by the near-coincidence of at least three rare-cutter sites. The analysis defined three subregions of Xq28: 4 Mb of moderate GC and CpG island content from the Xq27 border through the GABRA locus; 1.5 to 2 Mb, extending to the G6PD gene, that is variably and poorly cloned, but contains a high concentration of CpG islands and GC; and about 1.5 Mb between G6PD and the telomere, which is generally low in CpG and GC levels, including a subtelomeric DNA region that shows extensive homology to Yq DNA.

Chromosome Mapping↗

PubMed1994

Impaired leukotriene B4 release by neonatal polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) is a potent mediator of inflammation generated by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in response to an appropriate stimulus. It acts as a chemoattractant and stimulates PMN functions, amplifying their inflammatory response. Newborn infants show an increased susceptibility to infections in which PMN dysfunctions play the main role. In this work, LTB4 release from neonatal polymorphonuclear cells was assessed to investigate whether a defect was detectable. Blood was obtained from the umbilical cord of 10 full-term healthy neonates and 10 adult controls. The LTB4 production from purified PMN suspensions was induced by three different stimuli: the calcium ionophore A23187, serum-treated zymosan, and formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine at final concentrations of 2 microM, 10 mg/mL, and 10 microM, respectively. The kinetics of LTB4 release were studied for up to 30 min by assaying the supernatants of the stimulated cells with a specific RIA. The LTB4 release, undetectable in resting PMN, was strongly stimulated by the A23187, peaking at 5 min, with significantly higher levels (t test, p < 0.01) in newborn than in adult PMN preparations (mean +/- SD: 12.46 +/- 2.96 and 6.21 +/- 2.09 ng/10(6) cells, respectively). In comparison, serum-treated zymosan-stimulated PMN released smaller amounts of LTB4. The levels peaked at 10 min and were significantly (t test, p < 0.01) lower in newborn than in adult samples (mean +/- SD: 0.71 +/- 0.22 and 3.19 +/- 1.06 ng/10(6) PMN, respectively). Finally, when the PMN were stimulated by formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, the release of LTB4 was highly variable both in newborn and in adult samples, as previously reported.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1994

No changes of insulin sensitivity in cystic fibrosis patients with different degrees of glucose tolerance: an epidemiological and longitudinal study.

Plasma glucose and insulin responses to oral glucose and insulin sensitivity by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique were investigated in 30 cystic fibrosis patients with normal fasting blood glucose levels and normal (N = 12), impaired (N = 12) or diabetic (N = 6) glucose tolerance, and in 12 control subjects. In a subgroup of 10 cystic fibrosis patients with non-diabetic glucose tolerance both oral glucose tolerance test and clamp were performed again 48-52 months later. Following oral glucose, glycemic responses were higher in cystic fibrosis patients than in controls, whereas insulin responses were reduced significantly only in the patients with diabetic glucose tolerance. Insulin sensitivity did not differ significantly in the patient subgroups with different degrees of glucose tolerance and in controls. In the 10 patients who underwent a 4-year follow-up, insulin responses to oral glucose decreased significantly, whilst insulin sensitivity did not change substantially. Insulin sensitivity persisted unmodified even in the patients with deteriorating glucose tolerance. No correlation were observed between metabolic data and clinical status of patients. In conclusion, in cystic fibrosis subjects with fasting euglycemia and different degrees of glucose tolerance: (i) insulin sensitivity is not impaired; (ii) eventually changes of glucose tolerance over time are not associated with modifications of insulin sensitivity; (iii) insulin secretion deteriorates over time even in the patients with stable glucose tolerance; (iv) eventual deterioration of both glucose tolerance and insulin secretion is not linked to a worsening of either nutritional or clinical parameters.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1994

Integrin-mediated signal transduction in human endothelial cells: analysis of tyrosine phosphorylation events.

Adhesion of human umbilical endothelial cells to fibronectin resulted in increased tyrosine phosphorylation of a group of proteins with molecular mass ranging from 100 to 130 kDa and of a 70 kDa protein. This pattern of tyrosine phosphorylation was also observed when endothelial cells adhered to vitronectin, collagen IV, collagen I and laminin or to culture dishes coated with antibodies directed to either beta 1, alpha 3, alpha 5, alpha 6 or beta 3 integrin subunits. Increased phosphorylation of the 100-130 kDa proteins was detectable as early as 30 sec after adhesion, reached maximal level after 15 min, and remained high as long as the cells adhere to culture dishes. The 70 kDa protein was phosphorylated with a slower kinetics and its phosphorylation increased over a period of 3 h. Using specific monoclonal antibodies, the major component of the 100-130 kDa complex was identified as the focal adhesion tyrosine kinase p125FAK. The phosphorylation of the p125FAK was also observed by inducing beta 1 integrin clustering in non adherent HEC, indicating that this is a primary signalling event induced by integrins. Using tyrosine kinase inhibitors, we show a direct correlation between integrin-stimulated tyrosine kinases and assembly of focal adhesions and actin fibres.

Antibodies↗

PubMed1994

A fatality involving clothiapine and clomipramine.

A fatality resulting from the suicidal ingestion of clothiapine, clomipramine and biperiden is reported. Clomipramine, its metabolite N-desmethylclomipramine and clothiapine were quantified in blood, liver, kidney and gastric contents by HPLC and GC. Biperiden was detected only in the gastric content. Significant differences of drug levels were found in postmortem blood obtained from brain and from heart. Concentrations of clomipramine and N-desmethylclomipramine ranged from 0.48 to 1.61 mg/L and 0.26 to 1.32 mg/L, respectively, and clothiapine from 0.50 to 2.15 mg/L. This phenomenon may reflect a postmortem drug redistribution.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on plasma lipid concentrations in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

We evaluated the effects of oral magnesium supplementation on plasma lipid concentrations in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Twenty-six persons with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus received 4.5 g magnesium pidolate/d for one month, and 17 persons received placebo. Before and at the end of the treatment period cholesterol concentration, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and plasma and erythrocyte magnesium were evaluated. Chronic magnesium supplementation produced a significant reduction of plasma cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and an increase of HDL cholesterol. These results suggest that oral supplementation of magnesium may be useful in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1994

A critical appraisal of pathogenesis and morbidity of surgical treatment of chronic anal fissure.

Preoperative and postoperative manometric findings and the results of lateral internal sphincterotomy were analyzed in 44 consecutive patients affected with chronic anal fissure. Preoperatively, resting anal pressure was increased in 32 patients. At one month postoperatively, 23 patients showed normal pressures, whereas 14 were still hypertonic and seven, hypotonic. Only three patients still had a weak sphincter six months postoperatively. The overall morbidity rate was 31.8 percent. Minor complications occurred in 11 patients. Major complications affected three patients. Overall, impaired continence was recorded in eight patients, although only two complained of persistent, albeit lesser, defects of continence not requiring the use of pads. Nonoperative treatment should be reserved for few selected patients with recent, acute fissures. As for chronic and fissures, compared with other operative or nonoperative modalities of treatment, lateral internal sphincterotomy is a highly successful procedure and its minimal morbidity is well accepted by the patient.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

[Non-epithelial tumors of the colon-rectum. Our experience].

Non-epithelial malignancies of the colon and rectum are exceedingly rare. These neoplasms are usually asymptomatic and present with aspecific symptoms. Over a period of nearly 30 years (1963-1991) 1187 colorectal malignancies were treated surgically in our department. Twenty-one patients (about 2%) had non epithelial colorectal tumor: 8 lymphomas, 2 lipomas, 2 leiomyomas, 1 leiomyosarcoma, 4 neuroendocrine tumors and 4 "Tumor-like" lesions. Preoperative diagnosis could be made only in 5 patients. A retrospective analysis of our experience showed the importance of considering these lesions, though rare, among colorectal disease. Whenever an aspecific clinical picture with uncertain aetiology is showed and the patient scheduled for surgery, intraoperative histology is mandatory so as to guide any surgical strategy.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗

PubMed1993

Type 2 vasopressin receptor gene, the gene responsible nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, maps to Xq28 close to the LICAM gene.

Although long contigs have been assembled in Xq28, the interval between the anonymous probe St14 and the color vision locus is still incompletely defined. We report here that the recently cloned gene for type 2 vasopressin receptor (V2R) is physically linked to L1CAM using YACs and cosmids across about 180 kb of the region. Since it is known that L1CAM maps near the color pigment genes, this finding locates V2R in Xq28 in the area where nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (NDI) has been mapped by linkage analysis. The PFGE analysis of the clones positions V2R about 40 kb from the L1CAM gene in a region that appears to contain other unknown genes, since at least four putative CpG islands were identified by restriction analysis with rare cutter enzymes.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

1.5-Mb YAC contig in Xq28 formatted with sequence-tagged sites and including a region unstable in the clones.

A contig of 20 yeast artificial clones (YACs) has been assembled across 1.5 Mb of Xq28 and formatted with nine previously reported probes and nine STSs developed from the sequence of probes and end fragments of YACs. YAC end fragments were obtained by subcloning, Alu-vector PCR, or primer-ligation PCR methods. Eighteen of the YACs were recovered from a library specific for Xq24-q28; two that fill a gap were obtained from a second library made from total human DNA. One region, containing probes pX78c and 2A1.1, was unstable in YACs, but it was possible to generate a self-consistent map of DNA over the entire contig. Overlaps were confirmed by Southern blot analyses of YAC DNAs, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis confirmed the extent of the contig and identified at least four CpG islands in the region.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1993

Abnormal distribution of VLDL subfractions in type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients: could plasma lipase activities play a role?

Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) have an abnormal lipid composition in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients. Since VLDL represent a heterogeneous lipoprotein class, this might be due either to a shift in the distribution or to an abnormal composition of VLDL subclasses or both. In order to investigate these possibilities and to evaluate possible pathogenetic mechanisms, lipid composition (non-esterified and esterified cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids) of four VLDL subfractions of decreasing size (A: Svedberg flotation unit [Sf] > 400, B: Sf > 400, B: Sf 175-400, C: Sf 100-175, D: Sf 20-100), isolated by density gradient preparative ultracentrifugation, and plasma post-heparin lipolytic activity (lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase) were evaluated in 13 male normolipidaemic insulin-dependent diabetic patients in good glycaemic control (HbAlc 6.9 +/- 0.5%) (mean +/- SEM) and 9 male control subjects matched for age, body mass index and plasma lipid values. Compared to control subjects, diabetic patients showed a reduced total lipid concentration of VLDL of intermediate size (B and C) reaching statistical significance only for VLDL C (0.16 +/- 0.02 vs 0.24 +/- 0.03 mmol/l; p < 0.05). Expressing each VLDL subfraction as percent of the total VLDL lipid concentration, a significant decrease in particles of intermediate size (C) (20.5 +/- 1.6 vs 27.9 +/- 1.5%; p < 0.005) was present, which was compensated by an increase in the smallest ones (D) (50.5 +/- 2.7 vs 37.4 +/- 3.1%; p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Impact of computed tomography vs. intrarectal ultrasound on the diagnosis, resectability, and prognosis of locally recurrent rectal cancer.

The use of modern techniques of imaging in the postoperative follow-up is reported to allow an earlier diagnosis of local recurrence in patients operated on with anterior resection for rectal cancer and, consequently, to allow a higher percentage of local recurrence resection to be performed. Although intrarectal ultrasound (IU) has proved highly reliable in preoperative staging, its value in relapse detection has been investigated only in retrospective studies and rarely compared with that of computed tomography (CT). The present prospective study aims at evaluating the role of IU vs. CT in the diagnosis of local recurrence and at verifying whether an earlier diagnosis and a higher resectability rate of recurrence result in an acceptable long-term survival. Thirty-seven patients who had undergone low and ultralow anterior resection for rectal cancer (anastomosis within 10 cm of the anal verge) were investigated prospectively. All the patients have been followed up by IU and CT at predetermined intervals. Six local recurrences were detected. CT correctly identified all the local recurrences (sensitivity = 100 percent, specificity = 93 percent, and accuracy = 94.5 percent); IU correctly identified only four of six local recurrences (sensitivity = 66.6 percent, specificity = 93 percent, and accuracy = 89 percent). Four patients with local recurrence underwent surgical treatment (resectability rate = 66.6 percent). Abdominoperineal resection in three patients and Hartmann's procedure in one patient were performed. In the other two patients, extensive metastatic liver involvements contraindicated surgery. All the resected patients were alive after one year; two of them are disease free, and the other two experienced recurrent disease. In conclusion, CT seems to have a higher sensitivity and accuracy in relapse detection. The increase in the local recurrence resectability rate does not result in a significant improvement in long-term survival. However, the good quality of life justifies the high cost of an intensive follow-up and a more aggressive surgical approach.

Female↗

PubMed1993

Extra-natriuretic effects of atrial peptide in humans.

To evaluate extra-natriuretic effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), plasma ANP (pANP) levels were assessed in seven healthy men on low-sodium diet (80 mEq NaCl/day), in basal conditions and during stepwise infusion of human ANP (2, 4, 8 and 16 ng/min/kg). To determine the individual physiological (PHY) pANP level, we measured pANP in the same subjects after a high-salt diet (400 mEq NaCl/day), that is, in a physiological stimulation of ANP. We then compared the effects of the PHY levels of ANP to the effects of pharmacological (PHA) pANP levels. Neither PHY nor PHA pANP levels modified creatinine clearance or blood pressure. The progressive rise in pANP levels was associated with increases in urinary excretion of Na+, K+ and urea. ANP alone respectively accounted for 41%, 30% and 92% of the increase in natriuresis, kaliuresis and urea excretion that occurred after changing salt intake from 80 to 400 mEq/day. Pharmacological ANP levels raised CH2O and reduced UOsm. Interestingly, PHA levels were associated with significant decrease in serum K+ (from 4.5 +/- .1 to 4.0 +/- .1 mEq/liter) and plasma urea (from 31.9 +/- 5 to 24.2 +/- 4 mg/dl). The mean cumulative urinary potassium and urea losses corresponded to the theoretical body losses of potassium and urea; moreover, the individual cumulative urinary losses of potassium and urea significantly correlated with the corresponding decrement in their plasma levels. In conclusion, ANP has both physiological and pharmacological significance in the control of potassium and urea metabolism by decreasing plasma levels of K+ and urea through effects on the renal excretory function.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Concentrations of propofol in maternal and fetal blood during anesthesia for cesarean section].

The authors studied, until the delivery, the pharmacokinetics of propofol during cesarean section. Ten patients were studied. Anaesthesia was induced and maintained with propofol (2 mg/kg in 15 seconds; 3 mg/kg/h until the end of the operation). All the patients have been intubated after the administration of atracurium 0.4 mg/kg and artificially ventilated with O2/N2O (FiO2 0.4). A series of maternal blood samples was obtained. Umbilical artery and venous blood samples have been obtained at delivery. Propofol levels in whole blood samples have been measured by a HPLC method (High pressure liquid chromatography). The results were: at delivery the mean ratio of the drug concentration in the umbilical vein to that in maternal vein was 0.53 +/- 0.16 micrograms/ml; the mean concentration in the umbilical vein was 0.96 +/- 0.31 micrograms/ml. The anaesthesiological protocol was clinically satisfactory and had no adverse effects on mother and foetus.

Adolescent↗