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Biomedical subjects

G Sala

Publications and source records attributed to G Sala.

104 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
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[Not Available].

Along the 5000 years of human history, medicine and doctors are always present in all epochs and in all civilizations. In the early millinariums the doctor swings from magic to science; even nowadays supranatural and theurgic influences are present in some medical acts. In the IV century B.C. Hippocrates found medicine on observation and on reason; experimental method starts, yet with the limits given by rudimental techniques and the limitations bound to dogmatism and authority. From the XVII century on empirism replaces with difficulty metaphysics and induction substitutes deduction. In the XX century hypothetic-deductive, both based on the formulation of checked facts (C. Bernard) and on the presentation of fanciful hypotheses (K. Popper), characterizes the actual development of science and of medicine. Nowadays artificial intelligence expands the complex systems of life and of disease: the scientific aspects, moreover, are integrated with humanistic features and with environmental requirements.

History, Ancient↗
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[Importance of endoscopy with biopsy in gastroduodenal amyloidosis. Apropos of 5 cases].

The authors report five cases of gastric amyloidosis in addition of the fourty three published cases. These cases was polyvisceral forms, 4 times primitive and 1 time secondary to a psoriasic rheumatism. Three times only the patients had complaints of digestive tract. Four times non specific radiologic and endoscopic signs lead to a biopsy which permits diagnosis. The biopsy of gastric mucosa must take place beside the rectal biopsy; more difficult to do, it might be more successfull because the stomach is more often infiltrated by amyloidosis than the colon.

Abdomen↗
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[Doppler color-echo in the echographic evaluation of solid neoplasms of the breast: 5 years of experience].

In the last 5 years, 1,245 breasts have been examined with conventional and color-Doppler US. To assess color-Doppler capabilities and limitations, the results were critically reviewed only of the 311 patients who were operated and had unquestionable histologic findings. We investigated: 1) the number of "vascular poles", that is the vessels entering the examined mass from the periphery; 2) the presence of vessels with "abnormal" features, that is the vessels with varying diameters and/or with tortuous and erratic course; 3) the presence of vessels even on the mass interface only. The criterion indicated as no. 1, that is the presence of more than a vascular pole, exhibited 90.4% sensitivity and 70.7% prospective and 90.7% retrospective specificity. The criterion indicated as no. 2, that is the presence of vessels with anomalous features exhibited 75.1% sensitivity and 96.9% specificity. Using criterion no. 3 instead of no. 1, sensitivity would be increased from 90.4% to 96.5% but specificity would be decreased from 70.7% (and 90.7% retrospective specificity) to 46.9%, which was considered to be too low relative to the moderate increase in sensitivity. The positive predictive value of the presence of two vascular poles was 85% and that of the presence of vessels with anomalous course was 97.7%. Criteria no. 1 and 2 had 70.7% and 68.8% negative predictive value, respectively. In conclusion, the authors suggest the use of color-Doppler US to add further pieces of information to those obtained with conventional US.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Production of cytokines by alveolar and peritoneal macrophages stimulated by Aspergillus fumigatus conidia or hyphae.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for severe, invasive infections in neutropenic hosts. Lung clearance of A. fumigatus conidia seems to be mediated by phagocytic cells and oxygen radicals. It is not known if cytokines or nitrogen radicals are also involved. We tested for the production of TNF alpha, IL-1 and nitric oxide (NO) after stimulation of mouse macrophages with the fungus. We found that both cytokines, but not NO, were produced in a dose-dependent manner during the first 24 h of culture. Except for a faster kinetic, no appreciable differences were seen between alveolar and peritoneal macrophages. Furthermore, both hyphae and conidia, either alive or killed, were capable of inducing cytokines production. However, among different Aspergillus spp. only A. fumigatus and A. flavus seemed to induce significant amount of TNF alpha and IL-1, whereas A. terreus and A. niger were less effective. In no case could we detect production of NO. Finally, macrophages from dexamethasone-treated mice failed to produce cytokines in response to A. fumigatus conidia. These results indicate that in normal hosts inflammatory cytokines contribute to the natural response against Aspergillus infections and suggest that the impairment of cytokine production, in immunodepressed patients, may favour the growth and spread of the fungus.

Animals↗