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Biomedical subjects

L Invernizzi

Publications and source records attributed to L Invernizzi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Management of papillary microcarcinoma of the thyroid gland.

DESIGN: To investigate the frequency, treatment and clinical behaviour of differentiated microcarcinoma of the thyroid gland (PTMC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Out of 376 patients submitted to surgical treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer from June 1980 to October 2003, 77 had been identified has having a PTMC (63 females, 14 males; mean age 43+/-13 years). Sixty-seven patients (87%) met the AMES risk definition for low (group I) and 10 (13%) for high-risk (group II) definition. The surgical procedures were lobo-isthmusectomy (n=14) or subtotal thyroidectomy (n=20) and total thyroidectomy (n=43) with node dissection in 15 cases. Follow-up ranging from 9 to 274 months (mean 124+/-84). RESULTS: Overall patient survival rates were 100 and 94% at 20 years in groups I and II, respectively (p=ns). There were no significant differences in surgical complications and in survival in patients submitted to total thyroidectomy when compared to partial thyroid resection. The presence of cervical node metastasis did not affect patient survival (p=0.8). The overall mean survival time was 266 months. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the overall excellent prognosis, PTMC was associated with a 1% disease-related mortality, a 2.5% local recurrence rate, 1% lymph-node recurrence rate, and 1% distant metastasis rate. We recommend total thyroidectomy accompanied by modified neck dissection if enlarged nodes are diagnosed.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: short- and long-term results.

Simultaneous kidney and pancreas transplantation (SKPT) is the treatment of choice for a majority of type I diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease. With continual refinements in surgical technique and an evolving immunosuppressive arsenal, graft and patient survival have continually improved. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term results of SKPTs performed in 174 recipients from June 1985 to March 2003 including 37 segmental grafts with duct occlusion, 73 whole pancreas transplants with bladder diversion, and 64 whole pancreas grafts with enteric diversion. The series includes 160 cases with systemic drainage and 14 with portal drainage. In the segmental pancreas group, patient survival was 85%, 76%, and 53% with pancreas survival of 67%, 36%, and 15%, and kidney survival of 82%, 63%, and 15%, respectively, at 1, 5, and 10 years. Among the bladder diversion group, patient survival was 94%, 83%, and 73% pancreas survival 72%, 67%, and 65%, and kidney survival 89%, 78%, and 58%, respectively, 1, 5, and 10 years. Among the enter diversion group patient survival was 90% and 90% at 12 and 108 months, pancreas survival 80% and 65%, and kidney survival 85% and 85%, respectively. There were significant differences between curves of survival distribution according to the surgical technique applied for patients (P =.04), pancreas (P =.007), and kidney (P =.005). Based on the results from our study, the short- and long-term prognosis after SKPT is satisfactory, especially compared to the outcomes of long-term dialysis among patients with end-stage renal disease caused by type I diabetes.

Adult↗

Long-term survival after kidney and kidney-pancreas transplantation in diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of diabetes mellitus on patient and graft survival among renal versus renal-pancreatic recipients. METHODS: Among 270 renal transplants performed from 1985 to 2002, a total of 204 (75%) were in diabetic patients and 66 (25%) in nondiabetic patients. Among the 204 diabetic patients 161 (60%) kidneys were transplanted simultaneously with a pancreatic graft (SKPT group). The overall group of patient included 164 (61%) men and 106 (39%) women with mean time on dialysis of 31 +/- 21 months (range 0 to 126 months). The mean duration of diabetes was 24 +/- 7 years (range 5 to 51 years). Ninety-nine percent of the patients were on renal replacement therapy (79% hemodialysis and 20% peritoneal dialysis). RESULTS: The overall rejection rate was similar (NS). Both patient and kidney graft survival rates were worse in diabetics. Patient survival was 82% at 5 years among patients undergoing SKPT, 60% in diabetics receiving only a kidney, and 88% in nondiabetic transplanted patients. Kidney graft survival at 5 years was 77% in diabetics receiving SKPT, 68% in diabetics receiving a kidney alone, and 82% in nondiabetic patients. Overall patient survival was significantly greater among nondiabetics (P =.002) or in diabetics who received SKPT compared with diabetics who only had a kidney transplant (P =.001). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective clinical evaluation confirms that combined pancreas and kidney transplantation should be the first choice to insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) patients with end-stage diabetic nephropathy.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1↗

Outcome of simultaneous kidney pancreas transplantation: a single center analysis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of simultaneous kidney pancreas transplantation (SKPT) by various surgical techniques. The 161 patients submitted to SKPT underwent the following: 36 pancreas with duct occlusion (from 1985 to 1989), 75 with whole pancreas with bladder diversion (from 1990 to 1998), and 50 whole pancreas with enteric diversion (40 with systemic and 10 with portal drainage) (from 1999 to September 2002). A positive effect on patient survival was evident using enteric diversion versus the duct occlusion group (P = .005), and versus the bladder diversion group (.035), and on pancreas graft survival in the enteric diversion versus the duct occlusion group (P < .028). These improvements may be due to refined donor and patient selection criteria, surgical technique, and immunosuppression.

Adult↗

Apolipoprotein E genotyping by capillary electrophoretic analysis of restriction fragments.

We present the genotyping of apolipoprotein (apo) E by means of restriction fragment analysis of amplified genomic DNA by high-performance capillary electrophoresis and a replaceable non-gel-sieving matrix. This procedure streamlines the genotyping of apo E in large-scale population studies because of the automation and speed of capillary electrophoresis.

Apolipoproteins E↗

Fluorescence-based automated DNA sequencing by limited primer labeling.

The applicability of automated DNA sequencing systems to sequencing strategies that require a large number of primers is limited by the necessity for expensive fluorescence-labeled oligonucleotides. Here we present a simple procedure that allows the use of unlabeled oligonucleotides to perform fluorescence-based DNA sequencing. This method is based on a limited primer extension that incorporates three deoxynucleotides, one of which carries a fluorescent moiety. The elongated fluorescent primer is then used in a standard T7 sequencing reaction. This labeling procedure is both economical and straightforward and offers a valid alternative to current fluorescence-labeling protocols. Results of this method with different DNA templates demonstrate the reliability of the protocol.

DNA Primers↗

Anion-exchange HPLC analysis of biotinylated oligonucleotides.

Biotinylated oligonucleotides combined with streptavidin-coated magnetic beads are commonly used in current molecular biology. Their quality and the level of incorporated biotin are essential for yielding good results in either solid-phase DNA sequencing or solid-phase purification procedures. This paper presents a very simple analytical test using anion-exchange HPLC and avidin to ascertain the quality of biotinylated oligonucleotides and to predetermine their ability to bind to avidin, which is a prerequisite for functionality in some solid-phase methods.

Avidin↗

Mixed-mode fluorescent DNA sequencing.

Fluorescence-based, automated DNA sequences represent one of the major advances in recent molecular biology. Two main technologies have been developed in this field: the single-label/four-lane system and the four-label/one-lane system. The following present the use of single-label-sequencing chemistry, which resembles traditional radioactive DNA sequencing, using the four-label system ABI 373A that expands its flexibility and obtains data that are immediately interpretable without software manipulation. This method has been named mixed-mode fluorescent DNA sequencing. Here we show one of its possible applications in molecular genetic analysis.

Autoanalysis↗

Alteration of laminin production in small-cell lung carcinoma: possible correlation with the absence of the basement membrane.

Basement membranes are frequently absent in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). To study this phenomenon, the production of laminin by SCLC cells, both in vitro and in vivo, has been investigated and compared with the laminin production by lung carcinomas of other histotypes (non-SCLC, NSCLC). Immunoradiometric and immunoperoxidase tests, respectively, carried out on culture supernatants and cells using antilaminin rabbit antiserum, revealed that in 1 (H446) out of 8 SCLC cell lines tested and in the NSCLC line Calu3, laminin was detectable both in the culture medium and in the cytoplasm of the cells. After treatment of an SCLC-negative cell line (N592) with monensin, a molecule which inhibits protein secretion, laminin became detectable in the cytoplasm. Similar results were obtained by FACS analysis on cells permeabilized with saponin. Northern analysis indicated that the laminin B1 gene was transcribed. The level of mRNA for the B1 laminin subunit in the N592 cells was twice and 4 times higher than that found in the laminin-secreting Calu3 and H446 cell lines. The production of laminin in SCLC and NSCLC surgically resected samples using immunoperoxidase staining of cryostatic sections was also investigated. The results indicate that 85% of the NSCLC cases tested showed diffuse staining in the cytoplasm of the tumor cells and strong staining at the basement membrane level, whereas a similar staining was only found in 15% of the SCLC cases tested. The treatment of SCLC cells with differentiating agents in vitro has been shown to induce the adhesion of these cells. In fact, n-butyric acid induced the disaggregation of floating-clump cells and single-cell adhesion in the N592 line, whereas after treatment with retinoids the clumps of the N592 cells were still present, but 30% of these were found to adhere to the plate. However, no increase in the laminin production was found in the cytoplasmic or culture medium under these conditions.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Introduction of magnetic beads in diagnosis: a simple and rapid method to detect mutations of beta globin gene, directly amplified from blood.

In this communication we present the results obtained by the use of magnetic beads in diagnosis, for the identification of genetic variants at the molecular level by sequencing, in comparison with the more laborious method of the production of ssDNA with asymmetric PCR. We compared the two techniques studying variants of beta globin gene: Hb Abruzzo [beta 143 (H21) His -> Arg] and Hb D Los Angeles [beta 121 (GH4) Glu -> Gln].

Base Sequence↗

[Current opinions concerning some pathological conditions of the mouth].

The mucosal pathological lesions of oral cavity in literature are reviewed and the Authors report about etiopathogenesis, development and clinic of herpetic infection, oral candidosis, lichen and white spongious naevus. They discuss the utility of a combined clinic among stomatologist, internist and dermatologist in order to have a satisfactory treatment of the diagnosed illness.

Candidiasis, Oral↗

[Lesions of the oral mucosa caused by drugs and drug combinations].

The drugs and drug combinations responsible for cutaneo-mucosae reactions are extremely numerous and only the most frequently responsible are mentioned. Pathogenic processes are described: immune-allergic, overdosing, idiosynerasy, drug interactions, etc... Alterations provoked are various and vary from erythema up to acute skin necrosis. We would suggest caution, in prescribing drugs and drug combinations.

Drug Combinations↗