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Biomedical subjects

L Bianchi

Publications and source records attributed to L Bianchi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Hepatitis B X-gene expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

A RNA-PCR method and different sets of primers were used to investigate the expression of different hepatitis B (HB) virus genes at the RNA level. We tested paired samples (tumor and non-tumor) from the liver tissues of 48 Taiwanese patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). By using a set of primers which spanned the sequences of the S-gene, we found expression in only 2 patients. In one HBs-RNA was only detected in the tumor tissue and in the other only in the surrounding non-tumor tissue. Using primers covering the C-gene, expression was found in 7 patients. In 2 of these RNA was detected in both the tumor and the surrounding tissue, in 2 in the tumor tissue, and in 3 in the surrounding tissue only. Finally, when primers spanning the X-gene sequences were used, RNA was detected in 40/48 patients. In 33 of these cases HBx-RNA was detected in both tumor and non-tumor tissue, in 3 patients in tumor tissue only, and in 4 in the surrounding tissue. Among the cases in which HBc and HBs-RNA was expressed, all showed HBx expression also. These data indicate that the expression of the HBx gene in HCC may play an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1979

[Hepatitis B markers in paediatric patients (author's transl)].

372 children with suspected liver disease were examined for serum HBsAg. Six (three boys, three girls) were found to be positive (1.6%). Further studies of these patients for up to three and a half years revealed elimination of HBsAg in one case only. Biopsies were performed in five patients. Three showed mild chronic hepatitis (two chronic persistent hepatitis, one unspecific reactive hepatitis). Chronic aggressive hepatitis was diagnosed in one patient. One child seemed to be normal on light microscopy, but the findings on electron microscopy were abnormal, the liver cell nuclei being filled with core particles. Two thirds of the family contacts of these children showed hepatitis B marker. Two pregnancies were observed in HBsAg-positive mothers. An infection of the babies was not demonstrable.

Carrier State↗
PubMed1979

Treatment of fulminant hepatic failure with infusions of Co-factors and mannitol and charcoal-hemoperfusions during Forty-one days.

The clinical course of a 26 year old female patient with acute liver necrosis and coma due to hepatitis B is reported. The disturbances of conciousness had improved. The patient survived 41 days after the beginning of the coma and developed liver cell regeneration and an acute post-hepatitic liver cirrhosis. As a grave complication a septicemia with aspergillus was observed. The patient died because of gastro-intestinal hemorrhage. At autopsy there were no signs of brain edema. The treatment consisted in: daily infusions with coenzyme A, nicotinamid-adenin-dinucleotide, alpha lipoic acid and cocarboxylase to improve the metabolic disorders and the clinical picture; mannitol intravenously to prevent and to treat cerebral edema; 33 charcoal-hemoperfusions to remove toxic substances of acute liver failure. Treatment of the aspergillus infection with 5-fluorocytosine and amphotericine B and infusion of concentrated ascites led to a decompensation of liver functions. From this observation the following conclusions can be drawn: after an acute viral hepatic necrosis, new synthetic functions and improvements of the disturbed intermediary metabolism in regenerated liver-cells can eventually be seen only after twenty-four to thirty days. With systematically applicated mannitol infusions it is possible to treat cerebral edema effectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Electroencephalography in brain edema (127 cases of brain tumor investigated by cranial computerized tomography).

Cranial computerized tomography (CCT) in permitting visualization of cerebral edema in live patients, allows for the first time valid studies concerning the role of reactional edema in the generation of EEG abnormalities related to expanding processes. The authors analyze the results of EEG and CCT in 127 patients presenting cerebral tumor(s), 84 of which were accompanied by reactional edema. The study leads to the conclusion (also demonstrated by certain animal work) that edema per se is only rarely responsible (9.5%) for the EEG abnormalities.

Brain Edema↗
PubMed1979

Electroencephalographic cranial computerized tomographic correlations in brain abscess.

The authors studied 19 cases of brain abscess. The investigation included one or more EEG records from 13 patients and one or more cranial computerized tomograms in all cases. In this work the two techniques were associated to establish the diagnosis of cerebral abscess. The EEG is almost always abnormal and pronounced EEG disturbances are, in most cases, sufficient for indicating a diagnosis of a space-occupying process. On the other hand, EEG patterns suggestive of brain abscess were detected in only 38% of the patients. In brain abscess, CCT is of considerable value since the existence of 'suppurative' images was demonstrated in all cases and of these, 70% were characteristic. The association of these two techniques is thus extremely useful in the diagnosis of cerebral abscess, to follow its evolution and to detect postoperative relapse or to evaluate the efficiency of medical management alone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

The morphologic diagnosis of analgesic (phenacetin) abuse.

A number of different morphologic characteristics were examined to determine their relative values in establishing a purely morphologic diagnosis of phenacetin abuse. These included hyperpigmentation of the skin, the costal cartilages, the liver, and the renal tubules, and capillarosclerosis of the lower urinary tract. Hyperpigmentation of the skin, liver, and renal tubules cannot be used in the diagnosis of phenacetin abuse. Massive brown pigmentation of the costal cartilages in patients under 60 years of age suggests phenacetin abuse, but even this morphologic parameter, when used alone, is insufficient to establish a definite diagnosis. Capillarosclerosis in the lower urinary tract does, however, permit one to diagnose phenacetin abuse with certainty, as it is found exclusively in this condition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

[Benign symmetric lipomatosis: a symptom of alcoholic liver disease?].

Benign symmetric lipomatosis (BSL) leads to characteristic multiple lipomas of the neck and submandibular region. BSL is easily diagnosed by its typical feature, "Madelung's neck". However, the early stages are often missed or lead to futile diagnostic endeavours. A report is presented on 7 men with BSL aged 36--65 years who were investigated with regard to alcohol consumption, clinical findings and liver histology. This is the first time that liver histology has been systematically worked up in patients with BSL. All admitted long standing ethanol intake (x = 111 ml/day) prior to the development of BSL. The growth of the lipomas was irregular and occurred over a period of months. There was no correlation with overweight or hyperlipidemia. However, liver biopsy revealed features consistent with alcoholic liver disease in all subjects. It is suggested that BSL is a symptom of alcoholic liver disease mainly affecting middle-aged men.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

[Chronic hepatitis B. Relationships between virus in the liver and immune response (author's transl)].

A combined histological examination with detection of virus antigens in liver tissue and blood and the corresponding antibodies in blood can give information on the following problems: Standardization of a hepatitis virus B infection, with diagnostic and prognostic information; determination of infectivity; effects of therapy can be monitored, possibly glimpses may be obtained into the mechanism of cancerization.

Antibodies, Viral↗
PubMed1978

[Anti-HBc within the framework of hepatitis B virus infection: correlation to the form of inflammation and to the viral expression].

168 HBAg seropositive and 105 HBAg seronegative liver biopsies were studied for correlations between anti-HBc titers (indirect immunofluorescence method) and tissue expression of HBsAg and HBcAg (immunofluorescence), Dane particles in blood (immune electron microscopy) and inflammatory reaction. 98.8% of the HBAg seropositive patients were positive for anti-HBc. The mean titers showed statistically significant differences mainly between chronic aggressive hepatitis (1:2(11.3)) versus lobular hepatitis (1:2(10.1)), chronic persistent hepatitis (1:2(9.9)) and nonspecific reactive hepatitis (1:2(7.6)). Due to the considerable deviation of titers within the histological groups, however, titers below 1:2(11) are of low diagnostic relevance, whereas titers above 1:2(12) are mainly indicative of chronic aggressive hepatitis, although acute lobular hepatitis with signs of possible transition to chronicity or chronic persistent hepatitis with strong inflammatory activity may occur. Among HBAg seronegative patients 20% were positive for anti-HBc (mean titer = 1:2(7.7)). Among 78 patients also tested for anti-HBs, 10.2% were positive for both anti-HBc and anti-HBs. In an additional 12.8%, anti-HBc was the only marker of past hepatitis B virus infection. Anti-HBs was the only marker in a further 33%. In none of the HBAg seronegative patients and in only 59% of all HBAg seropositive patients, there was an association of anti-HBc with complete virus synthesis as measured by the demonstration of HBcAg in tissue or Dane particles in blood. It is concluded that anti-HBc is not a criterion of infectiosity but a specific, although non-characteristic, marker for HBAg seropositive acute and chronic hepatitis as well as for terminated HBV infection of all possible inflammatory and HBAg expression types.

Antibodies, Viral↗