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G Tassi

Publications and source records attributed to G Tassi.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

SV40 expression in human neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissues: perspectives on diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of human malignant mesothelioma.

We have recently demonstrated the association of SV40 and human pleural malignant mesothelioma. Here, we have investigated whether SV40 viral sequences may be associated with other human tumours or other non-neoplastic pathology and whether SV40 DNA or protein expression may be of diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic relevance. DNA was extracted from paraffin embedded tissues. SV40, JC and BK viral sequences were detected by the polymerase chain reaction and molecular hybridization with specific probes. The screening with three different sets of SV40-related primers demonstrated that 7/18 (38.8%) mesothelioma specimens were SV40 positive as well as 5/18 (27.7%) tubercular pleural lesions. None of the 18 lung cancers, nor the 20 pleural non-specific inflammatory specimens tested were positive. Twenty-five blood samples and 18 urinary sediments from MM patients were also negative. We have also found that SV40 Tag proteins are present in mesothelioma cells and tumours. Tag proteins may interfere with tumour suppressor gene products, such as p53. Preliminary results suggest that wild type p53 transgene expression, obtained after infection with recombinant adenovirus (AdCMV.p53), inhibited in vitro and in vivo proliferation, inducing apoptosis of mesothelioma cells. Infections with control viruses were ineffective. Thus, SV40 DNA and Tag expression in mesothelioma tumour cells, though probably not relevant for diagnostic or prognostic purposes, may be crucial for innovative gene therapy strategies.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1993

[Anatomo-radiologic definition of minimal interstitial silicosis and diagnostic contribution of high-resolution computerized tomography].

Minimal interstitial silicosis (MIS) is a histologic entity characterized by questionable radiologic findings--i.e., the p/p 0/1 and 1/0 classes of the International Labour Office (ILO) 1980 classification. Thus, the condition may be responsible for borderline radiologic findings ("suspect" phase of pneumoconiosis). In order to test an alternative method to conventional radiology (CR), HRCT was performed on 35 workers exposed to silica and with histologic diagnosis of MIS: HRCT scans were compared with posteroanterior chest radiographs by using the ILO classification. Histology was the gold standard. HRCT identified many more MIS lesions. Moreover, the superiority of HRCT over CR was also proved by its better correlation with pathologic findings. HRCT provided pieces of information which could not always be obtained by means of conventional chest films. Thus, HRCT can be considered the method of choice in MIS before transbronchial lung biopsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Castleman's disease. A clinical case].

Castleman's disease is an uncommon lymph node syndrome. It is usually a lymphoid hamartoma, rarely systemic. We report a case of Castleman's multicentric disease observed in our hospital and review the literature. In this work we review prognosis, follow-up and therapy of 46 multicentric disease reported in the literature.

Castleman Disease↗
PubMed1990

[Hereditary spherocytosis and splenectomy].

The case of a sixteen year old girl with hereditary spherocytosis, submitted to splenectomy, is presented. After operation the patient had four serious infections; for this reason she is now treated by antibiotic prophylaxis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

[Microcirculation in the conjunctiva and the nail bed in the aged. Symptomatic and clinico-pharmacologic aspects].

Study of the microcirculation primarily involves assessment of the capillaroscopic findings. In the clinical field, these are mainly obtained from small vessels of the conjunctiva and nail bed. In more recent years, microcirculation has been accompanied as a subject of examination by haemorheology. The study of blood viscosity and red cell deformability is the most promising from the practical standpoint. In the diagnostic and physiopathological evaluation of capillaroscopic findings, importance is attached to differentiation of arterial and venous vessels, the size, shape and configuration of the small vessels, and above all the presence of intravasal red cell clumps. In examination of the nail bed, particular attention is directed to oddities in the shape of the capillary loops, venous stasis and congestion pictures (in decompensated heart disease, for example, and in cor pulmonale), and alterations in the subpapillary plexuses. Examination of the conjunctiva takes account of the presence of tortuous and serpiginous vessels, with pronounced dilatations, as observed in cardiocirculatory decompensation and chronic bronchopulmonary diseases. In arteriosclerosis, tortuosity and dilatation, even as far as the formation of microaneurysms, may be accompanied by the percent of stiff, thin vessels in networks or webs of various sizes. Clinical pharmacology tests, such as those employing vasoactive drugs (xanthinol nicotinate, buflomedyl, cyticholine) are of interest. They result in a marked increase in calibre, with the appearance of collaterals, regression of red cell aggregates, and improved blood flow.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

[Raised glucagon levels of the blood induced by arginine: relation to blood sugar, blood insulin and STH in aged non-diabetics and diabetics].

In a group of aged nondiabetic and diabetic subjects and in a group of young subjects the glycemic, insulin, growth hormone and glucagon response to intravenous arginine was studied. A prompt increase in blood glucose, serum insulin and glucagon levels was observed, but glucose and glucagon peaks were significantly higher in older non diabetic and diabetic subjects. Growth hormone secretion did not show any difference between aged nondiabetic and young subjects, on the contrary it is lower in diabetics. These findings might suggest the hypothesis of the glucose intolerance during old age due to increased release of glucagon.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Circulating immune complexes in patients with lung neoplasms.

A search was made for circulating immune complexes in 42 patients with biopsy-proven lung cancer; sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers were used as normal controls. Two different mthods were employed: Clq--binding assay and the conglutinin-binding test. Patients and controls were also examined for delayed hypersensitivity by a skin testing using a set of recall antigens. A significant difference was found in the incidence of immune complexes and the response to skin tests between neoplastic subjects and normal controls. However, the incidence of immune complexes was not related to delayed hypersensitivity or the other clinical features investigated.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme in sarcoidosis.

Serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was measured in 72 patients with sarcoidosis and in 50 normal controls by a radiochemical assay. SACE levels were examined with respect to the 'activity' of the disease, based on clinical, radiographic and physiological assessment. SACE activity in 34 patients with clinical sarcoidosis (147 +/- 44.3 nmol/min/ml) was significantly high (p less than 0.001) when compared to that of 38 patients who had recovered from sarcoidosis (113.9 +/- 26.4 nmol/min/ml) and 50 normal subjects (97.8 +/- 21 nmol/min/ml). SACE levels were significantly different (p less than 0.01) between 15 subjects with 'active' disease (173.9 +/- 51.9 nmol/min/ml) and those with 'inactive' disease (126.1 +/- 26.3 nmol/min/ml). It is concluded that there is a strict correlation between SACE levels and 'activity' of sarcoidosis if multiple criteria (clinical, radiographic and physiological) are employed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Basal lamina reduplication in malignant epithelioid pleural mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma of the pleura is divided in three morphological variants: epithelioid, sarcomatous, and biphasic. Histological similarities between epithelioid malignant mesothelioma (EMM) and lung adenocarcinoma are responsible for the difficult differential diagnosis. Monoclonal antibodies are useful for distinguishing the two neoplasms through immunohistochemical phenotyping, although many cases require ultrastructural characterization for definitive diagnosis. In this study, transmission electron microscopic observations of EMM were compared with those of peripheral adenocarcinoma of the lung (PAL). More specifically, the morphology of the basal lamina is described in 23 cases of EMM and 12 cases of PAL. Reduplication of the basal lamina (RBL) was found in 11 cases (48%) of EMM and in none of the PAL cases. The same cases were immunostained for type IV collagen and the localization of this basement membrane component corresponded to the areas where basal lamina was observed. Since RBL has been associated with neoplastic differentiation in other tumors, this novel feature in EMM needs to be evaluated in future prognostic studies in malignant mesothelioma of the pleura. Moreover, RBL expression in EMM may be an additional ultrastructural parameter used in the differential diagnosis between EMM and adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Streptococcus mitis endocarditis. Description of a clinical case].

The diagnostic iter of a case of Streptococcus mitis endocarditis is reported. Bacterial endocarditis was diagnosed in a 32-year-old patient following ultrasound cardiography and microbiological tests. The paper stresses the importance of ultrasound cardiography in the diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microcirculation in the elderly.

Studies on microcirculation in the elderly include observations in the small vessels of the bulbar conjunctiva and of the nailbed with respect to a classification of the findings according to a number of semeiologic criteria (diameter and shape alterations, terminal capillary network, intravascular red cell aggregation). In vascular diseases of the elderly there are typical alterations of the capillaroscopic findings in the bulbar conjunctiva and in the nailbed, particularly in cases of arteriosclerosis, arterial hypertension, diabetic microangiopathy, heart failure, ischemic myocardiopathies. During the treatment with some vasoactive drugs (nicotinic acid and its derivatives, buflomedil, CPD-choline) there are marked modifications of the small conjunctival vessels, with evident dilatations, appearance of collaterals, increased homogeneity of the blood flow, better evidence of the capillary network and reduction of intravascular red cell aggregation.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Vasoactive drugs and microcirculation in old age].

Within a series of studies on microcirculation in the aged, the conjunctival vessels were investigated by means of the intravital microscope in the course of intravenous infusion or prolonged administration of various drugs (xanthinol nicotinate, buflomedil, CPD-choline). During and after the treatment a better perfusion of the small conjunctival vessels (terminal capillary network) was observed, as well as the appearance of collaterals and a reduction of intravascular red cell aggregation. On the basis of these results a further direct demonstration of the vasoactive effect of the drugs under study could be given.

Aged↗