Biomedical subjects

Ioannis Diamantis

Publications and source records attributed to Ioannis Diamantis.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Application of geographical information systems (GIS) for the management of coastal aquifers subjected to seawater intrusion.

The phenomenon of seawater intrusion is a very common and widespread environmental problem which is present in the majority of coastal aquifers and therefore plays a vital role for the integrated coastal groundwater resources management. This paper refers to the investigation of seawater intrusion into the coastal aquifer of Rhodope, in Greece, and the use of a geographical information system as a tool for the rational management of the groundwater resources of the area. The presentation of specific chemical components (such as sodium and chloride ions) with the use of thematic maps illustrates the qualitative regime of the groundwater aquifer of the area and therefore can be used by the water authorities for the rational water resources management. Additionally, it is stated in Directive 2000/60/EC, for the establishment of framework for Community action in the field of water policy, that water authorities should develop GIS maps with certain colour variation according to the qualitative characterization of waters.

Conservation of Natural Resources↗

PubMed2006

Non-invasive markers to predict the liver fibrosis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The aim of this study was to find a non-invasive marker, which could predict liver fibrosis without the need of liver biopsy in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). PATIENTS/METHODS: Fifty patients were included. All patients had one or more conditions that characterize the metabolic syndrome and histological proven NASH. Hyaluronic acid (HA), leptin (LT) and laminin (LN) were determined from serum withdrawn at the day of biopsy. RESULTS: Patients were divided into two groups according to the histological findings. The first group consisted of 23 patients with NASH and fibrosis and the second group had 27 patients with NASH, ballooned cells, without fibrosis. Subjects with NASH and fibrosis had statistically significantly higher HA and LN than those with NASH without fibrosis, P<0.001, respectively. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference between the levels of serum LT in the two groups. The stage of liver fibrosis in the 23 patients of group 1 was related only to the values of hyaluronic acid (P<0.001) and not to the ones of LT and LN. CONCLUSION: Measurement of hyaluronic acid could be a predictive factor of the presence and stage of liver fibrosis in NASH. LN could be used to diagnose liver fibrosis but has no value in staging.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

A case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis with severe peripheral eosinophilia.

Eosinophilic gastroenteritis is a rare heterogeneous disorder of undetermined etiology that is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the gastrointestinal tissues and various clinical manifestations. We report an uncommon case of eosinophilic gastroenteritis involving a patient with a short history of mild upper abdominal pain, severe peripheral eosinophilia (absolute eosinophil count of > 5,000 cells per microL), and ascites. The patient was treated successfully with a course of methylprednisolone.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed2004

Octreotide regulates CC but not CXC LPS-induced chemokine secretion in rat Kupffer cells.

Kupffer cells (KC) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) interaction is the initial event leading to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in many types of liver injury. We studied chemokine secretion by KC activated with LPS and the possible effect of the somatostatin analogue octreotide, in the regulation of this process. KC isolated from Sprague-Dawley rats were cultured in the presence of LPS added alone or with different concentrations of octreotide for 24 and 48 h, and chemokine production was assessed in culture supernatants by ELISA. CC chemokine mRNA expression was assessed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Vehicle-stimulated KC produced a basal amount of CC and CXC chemokines. LPS-stimulated KC secreted significantly increased amounts of IL-8 (GRO/CINC-1) (P<0.001), MIP-2 (P<0.001), MCP-1 (P<0.001), and RANTES (P<0.01). Octreotide inhibited LPS-induced secretion of the CC chemokines MCP-1 (P<0.05) and RANTES (P<0.05), but not the CXC chemokines IL-8 (GRO/CINC-1) and MIP-2, in a concentration-dependent manner. Downregulation of basal and LPS-induced mRNA expression of the CC chemokines was also observed in the presence of octreotide. Pretreatment with phosphatidylinositol 3 (PI3)-kinase inhibitors reduced chemokine production by LPS-treated KC in both the mRNA and protein level. Furthermore, it prevented the octreotide inhibitory effect on LPS-induced chemokine secretion, indicating a possible involvement of the PI3-kinase pathway. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that chemokine secretion by KC can be differentially regulated by octreotide, and suggest that this somatostatin analogue may have immunoregulatory effects on resident liver macrophages. British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 141, 477-487. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705633

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Autoimmune hepatitis: evolving concepts.

The liver is continuously exposed to a large antigenic load that includes pathogens, toxins, tumor cells and dietary antigens. A loss of tolerance against its own antigens may result in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The current paradigm holds that the disease is the result of self-perpetuating autoimmune process triggered by yet unknown factors (infections, chemicals, drugs) in a genetically susceptible host. To date, several putative hepatocellular surface antigens have been identified: P450-IID6 (recognized by the anti-LKM-1 autoantibodies) a membrane bound asialoglycoprotein receptor (a liver-specific membrane protein), a cytosolic UGA-suppressor tRNA associated protein (recognized by anti-SMA and anti-LP antibodies) and argininosuccinate lysate and formiminotransferase cyclodeaminase (recognized by ant-LC1 antibodies). In contrast to other chronic hepatitides patients with AIH display significant T cell hypereactivity to autologous liver antigens. Tissue injury seems to be mediated by CD4+ or CD8+ T cells and/or by antibody-dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity.

Ammonia-Lyases↗

PubMed2004

Differential expression of matrix metalloproteinases in viral and non-viral chronic liver diseases.

BACKGROUND: Fibrosis is a common consequence of chronic liver diseases irrespective of aetiology. Metalloproteinases play an important role in the fibrotic process participating in the balance between collagen synthesis and degradation. We examined whether matrix gelatinases and stromelysins are similarly involved in the development of viral (HCV, HBV) and non-viral (NASH) liver diseases. METHODS: Hepatic mRNA levels of matrix metalloproteinase MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-10 and MMP-11 isolated from liver biopsies were measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Seventy-three patients were examined in this study: non-diseased controls (10), patients with chronic hepatitis B (14), chronic hepatitis C (33) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (16). RESULTS: A significant increase of MMP-9 and MMP-10 expression was found in patients with non-viral (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis) liver disease. Patients with chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C showed an increase in MMP-2 mRNA expression compared to controls. Moreover, chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C patients had significantly different mRNA expression patterns. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that matrix metalloproteinases are differentially involved in the fibrotic process of viral and non-viral chronic liver diseases. Differences exist between HBV and HCV chronic hepatitis. Differences between early and late fibrosis indicate that in future studies, careful staging of patients is mandatory for interpretation of results.

Biopsy↗