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Biomedical subjects

L Rossi

Publications and source records attributed to L Rossi.

At least 613 records · Page 34Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The polymorphism of multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) does not influence the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone loaded into autologous erythrocytes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: We have recently demonstrated that low doses of Dexamethasone 21-P (Dex 21-P), loaded in autologous erythrocytes and administered at monthly intervals, have been able to maintain steroid-dependent patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission with a progressive and complete tapering of systemic steroids. AIM: Since multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) has a potential influence on Dexamethasone (Dex) bioavailability, we designed this study to investigate the correlation between MDR1 genotype and Dex pharmacokinetic after its delivery in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen steroid-dependent consecutive patients with IBD (10 UC mean age 36 +/- 12, and 7 Crohn's disease mean age 31 +/- 5) were consecutively recruited. The C3435T polymorphism of MDR1 gene was studied by Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC). Serum level of Dex were determined at the end of the infusion and after 15 days by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The mean dose of Dex 21-P administered was 9.9 mg +/- 4 (range 2.7-20.3), while the mean levels of Dex at the end of the infusion and after 15 days were 0.66 +/- 0.23 mM and 0.06 +/- 0.06 mM, respectively. Concerning the C3435T genotype, two patients were wild-type, eleven heterozygotes, and four homozygotes. No correlation between basal or 15-days plasma level of Dex and MDR1 genotype was found (r = 0.19 and r = 0.21, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that Dex plasma level, after infusion of autologous erythrocytes loaded with Dex 21-P are completely independent by the MDR 1 gene polymorphism. This could be another potential advantage of this modality of drug delivering.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Health surveillance guidelines after the European directive on electromagnetic fields].

Directive 2004/40/CE of the European Parliament points out what an occupational physician has to do in case of scientifically evident effects of electromagnetic fields, meaning for evident effects, those one based on the agreement of the scientific community about their causal agents. The Directive, instead doesn't mention physician's tasks in case of possible effects for the exposure to occupational risk. Health surveillance is the estimation of the worker's state of health and it is indispensable to elaborate an evaluation of job-fitness. The clinical test must include the anamnesis, the medical examination and some diagnostic checks (diagnostic laboratory outline), which supply the occupational physician with a complete clinical picture showing any latent pathology or any conditions of individual hypersusceptibility. Anamnestic and clinical data are collected with a standardized system, all the several frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum are analysed and the diagnostic protocols concerning eyes, skin, and hematopoietic system are established. Also data of periodical medical examinations and "minimum" complementary checks are established: for ELF, radiofrequencies and microwaves a medical examination with a hematological and biochemicals analysis and eye test and electrocardiogram are necessary every two years. Every occupational physician engaged in health surveillance has to keep up with the evolution of the scientific knowledge and he must observe the possible health damages for workers exposed to electromagnetic radiations: this is a deontological responsibility of the occupational physicians to respect the "precautionary principle".

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cardiac toxoplasmosis in pathology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Four cases of myocarditis from toxoplasma gondii were observed at autopsy among 18 consecutive cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). All cases showed spotty inflammatory myocardial infiltration, consisting mainly of T lymphocytes and, to a lesser extent, of B lymphocytes, histiocytes, mastocytes and eosinophilic granulocytes, with presence of toxoplasma gondii in the cytoplasm of a few myocardial cells. The incidence of toxoplasmic myocarditis in heart involvement in AIDS was 22% in our cases, manifold higher than in preceding reports from the literature. This suggests that cardiac toxoplasmosis is far from rare in patients with AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Modifying factors in prenatal carcinogenesis (review).

A description of the experimental approaches devised to control the growth of tumors induced by transplacental exposure to carcinogens is given. Due to the massive cell proliferation and differentiation taking place during embryogenesis, fetal tissues are believed to be privileged targets of neoplastic changes. As a consequence, trace amounts of environmental carcinogens capable of accumulating into the conceptuses may determine the appearance of tumors in the offspring, a possibility documented in several animal species including humans. Endogenous and exogenous factors counteracting this process have potential application as regulators of developmental carcinogenesis. Their identification is regarded as a means to chemoprevent pediatric tumors and can be instrumental in the analysis of the aetiopathogenesis of neoplastic phenotypes.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical significance of serum bile acid determination in liver diseases].

The recent availability of radioimmunological and enzymatic kits to measure serum bile acids (SBA) has allowed diffusion of this laboratory test. The aim of this paper is to provide an assessment of diagnostic and prognostic significance of SBA in liver cirrhosis, on the basis of the most recent data available to us. Measurement of these substances in serum does not appear to be very useful either in screening or in differential diagnosis of liver disorders, since it seems unable to provide further information with respect to commonly used parameters. On the contrary, SBA show a remarkable predictive value both in chronic active hepatitis and in liver cirrhosis. SBA measurement may therefore become a useful tool in planning the therapeutic approach to these hepatic diseases.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Brain stem encephalitis in a patient with gastroduodenal and cardiovascular dysfunction: a case report.

The authors describe a case of a 38-year-old woman suffering from long-standing epigastric pain, abdominal fullness and vomiting due to functional alteration of gastroduodenal motility. Following a surgical procedure, a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia and hemodynamic disturbances suddenly appeared and led to death in a few hours. A histopathological study carried out on the brain stem revealed inflammatory lesions suggestive of a viral infection, whereas the study of the conduction system of the heart did not show any alterations. A clinicopathological correlation is suggested between the clinical picture and anatomical lesions of the tegmental region.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[CNV and SEP in shoe-industry workers affected by neuropathy due to toxic effects of adhesive solvents (author's transl)].

The sensitivity of the CNV and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) was assessed in shoe industry workers suffering from neurotoxic effects of adhesive solvents. We have examined 21 patients with clear electroneuromiographic and clinical signs of polyneuropathy as well as EEG signs of diffuse brain damage. 10 normal volunteers served as a control group. The maximal motor conduction velocity (MMCV) was considerably reduced in all patients. The maximal sensory conduction velocity (MSCV) was in the lower normal range (or borderline) in 12 patients, whereas in 9 or more severe decrement was detected. In comparison with normal subjects, none of the patients showed clear differences in latency or amplitude of SEP components (p always greater than .2). It was very easy to elicit CNVs over all areas explored and all the 10 patients showed normal characteristics. These results, therefore, suggest that CNV and SEP are not helpful for an early diagnosis of toxic effects of the solvents on the function of the central and peripheral nervous system.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Integrated control of Fascioloides magna infection in northern Italy.

The following study records ten years' experience in the control of Fascioloides magna infection in a fenced area grazed by an overdense red deer population together with free-ranging cattle. During the winter 1977/78 mortality due to a "fascioloidosis-malnutrition syndrome" reduced the deer stock almost by half. Control measures were aimed at combatting the fluke in the wild definitive host by the administration of medicated pellets. Four flukicides were used over the years: rafoxanide, diamphenetide, oxyclozanide and triclabendazole. Efforts were also made to control the number of deer and to improve their condition by artificial feeding during the winter months. Intervention on the habitat of the intermediate hosts of F. magna were purposely avoided. The efficacy of this programme was evaluated by both copromicroscopic examinations and fluke counts from the livers of the wild and domestic macromammals living in the study area. Some yield parameters of the deer population were also taken into account. Results demonstrate that F. magna infection, though a hazard for cattle productivity, remained a deer problem when pharmacological prophylaxis was regularly applied.

Animal Feed↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Presence of Thelazia callipaeda Railliet & Henry, 1910, in Piedmont, Italy.

A sample of 314 dogs from a zone of 80,000 ha in Piedmont, Italy, were examined for the presence of thelaziae under the nictitating membrane. Sixteen animals from eight districts were infected, the foothills being the main location of the parasitosis. All 44 nematodes collected were identified as Thelazia callipaeda.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Safety forms for industrial lubricating oils: a working proposal at the national level].

The health and safety data sheets for lubricating oils currently in use present considerable differences regarding the information they provide. Often, the information is either too generalized or incomplete--particularly on the chemical aspects of oils--and therefore the sheets are inadequate for the prevention and control of the occupational risks. For the purposes of harmonization, a data sheet has been prepared which takes into account the specific features of the products, and particularly the handling of confidential data. The most important oil manufacturers have been consulted, and they have agreed to use the data sheet in order to provide information on their products to the local health authorities. The widespread use of this data sheet should enable an easier comparison of the health and safety data of oils to be made, provide a better understanding of the information received and, consequently, evaluate the risks involved.

Confidentiality↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adenocarcinoma of the minor salivary glands].

After a review of literature, some clinical and histological features of adenocarcinomas of minor salivary gland are remarked. Two cases of adenocarcinomas are reported.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Controlled study on the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome with betamethasone in pregnancy and ACTH and cortisol levels in the premature newborn infant].

The influence of maternal corticosteroid administration was studied on the ACTH and cortisol concentrations in neonatal blood of 24 premature infants whose mothers received betamethasone for prevention of RDS, compared with 11 untreated subjects. Cord blood was taken at birth and from venous sample in 5th day. All samples were analyzed for ACTH and Cortisol by radioimmunoassay. No statistically significant differences between these groups were noted. Additional analysis of ACTH and Cortisol levels in 9 RDS premature infants versus 26 control ones failed to demonstrate any deficiency of corticosteroids in newborn infants with RDS. The findings provide a justification for the prepartum treatment of respiratory distress syndrome with glucocorticoids because this dose of betamethasone does not expose the newborn to potentially harmful effects.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗