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Biomedical subjects

M Buscaglia

Publications and source records attributed to M Buscaglia.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Large scale isolation of nuclei and nucleoli from vitellogenic oocytes of Xenopus laevis.

A new method is described which allows the purification of large quantities of nuclei (germinal vesicles) from Xenopus laevis vitellogenic oocytes of different developmental stages. From the isolated nuclei, purified nucleoli were obtained. The isolated germinal vesicles are transcriptionally active showing endogenous RNA polymerase activity as well as a high level of activity with an exogenously added template.

Animals↗

Five cases of prenatally diagnosed sex chromosome mosaicism.

Prenatal detection of chromosome mosaicism is a relatively rare phenomenon and always constitutes a diagnostic problem. The difficulties are much more when the mosaics involve the sex chromosomes, because of the large phenotypic variability in individuals with these abnormalities. We studied 5 cases of true mosaics, 4 of these were prenatally detected, while 1 case was revealed only in the fetal lymphocytes after induced abortion. The limits of amniotic fluid culture with regard to the diagnosis of true mosaics and the difficulties arising in genetic counselling are discussed.

Adult↗

Hemolytic disease of the newborn due to rare alloantibodies.

In the period January 1975 to December 1981, serum samples from 9,525 pregnant women were examined for irregular red cell antibodies. Red cell antibodies were found in 719 cases (7.5%); anti-D antibodies were present in 532 cases (5.5% of the whole series), rare antibodies (other than anti-D) in 187 cases (2%). Seven pregnant women with rare red cell antibodies were followed at our Institute up to delivery. The clinical management, which was based on the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures of hemolytic disease of newborn due to anti-D antibodies, is reported in detail. The findings underline the importance of careful screening for irregular red cell antibodies in all pregnant women, both Rh-negative and Rh-positive, and confirm the validity of Rh clinical management also for moderate or severe immunizations due to rare red cell antibodies.

Bilirubin↗

Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling: indication changes and procedure loss rate in a nine years' experience.

A 9 years' experience with percutaneous umbilical blood sampling (PUBS) has been appraised. A total number of 1,272 procedures have been performed in our institution between 1986 and 1994; 861 before the 24th week of gestation and 411 after 24 weeks. The indications for PUBS changed throughout these years because of the rapid evolution of molecular biology and because of the fact that certain conditions can now be diagnosed at earlier stages of gestation by chorionic villi sampling and amniocentesis. Sampling at a later gestational age reflected changes in indications. PUBS loss rate has been calculated for 482 fetuses less than 24 weeks, retrospectively found to be negative for the suspected condition and has been related to gestational age, duration of the procedure and number of needle insertions. Total procedure-related loss rate was 2.3%: 1.6% intrauterine fetal deaths within 48 h of the procedure and 0.7% spontaneous abortions in the 2 weeks following the procedure. Gestational age at the time of the procedure and duration of the procedure were significantly related to fetal losses within 48 h.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

Periodic acid Schiff (PAS) positivity in fetal erythroblasts.

The smears of 26 fetal blood samples taken for prenatal diagnosis were stained for the PAS reaction. Twelve out of 26 cases were subsequently found to be normal and 14 were found to be affected by different abnormalities; 83.4% of normal cases and 92.8% of abnormal cases showed moderate positivity to the PAS reaction. A higher percentage of PAS positive erythroblasts was found in the abnormal cases (p less than 0.01). Five cases with a percentage greater than 10% also showed a very high percentage of erythroblasts. No linear correlation was found between PAS positivity and erythroblastosis either in the normal or the abnormal cases, but pooling them resulted in a correlation between PAS positivity and erythroblastosis (r = 0.536; p less than 0.005). PAS positivity was most often diffuse and scored 1+. Since erythroblastosis is considered an indirect sign of fetal liver erythropoiesis, the hepatic environment and its peculiar hemopoiesis could play a role in producing a cohort of PAS positive erythroblasts.

Congenital Abnormalities↗

[Fetal hemolytic disease in a patient immunized by six antibodies: diagnosis and treatment].

A case of severe haemolytic disease of the fetus due to six rare alloantibodies is described. In a pregnant women at 23 weeks gestation after the finding of a positive indirect Coombs test maternal antibodies have been precisely identified and titrated: anti-I: 1/23, anti-c: 1/64, anti-S: 1/16, anti-Fya: 1/128, anti-M: 1/64, anti-Jka: 1/32000. Fetal blood group, free and red blood cell adherent antibodies have been investigated on fetal blood samples obtained by means of cord centesis. A compatible donor has been found. Severe fetal anemia has been corrected by ultrasound guided intrauterine transfusions (one abdominal and two intravascular transfusions) with positive outcome of the pregnancy.

Adult↗

[Twin pregnancy with acephalic acardiac fetus. Anatomo-clinical description of 2 cases].

Two cases are reported of acardiac-acephalic twin pregnancy, a rare malformation of multiple gestations with large placental vascular anastomosis. In both cases, respectively 25 and 30 weeks of gestation, ultrasound scan revealed a first normal fetus and a nonviable twin without cardiac activity and head, but increasing in size at serial scans. The authors describe the obstetric management, the Rx details and the anatomo-pathological findings emphasizing the analogies between the two acardiac fetuses.

Abnormalities, Severe Teratoid↗

[Prenatal diagnosis of a case of Hallopeau-Siemens recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa].

Fetal dystrophic recessive epidermolysis bullosa of the Hallopeau-Siemens type (EBdr-HS) was prenatally diagnosed in a couple at risk whose previous child was severely affected of the same disorder. Prenatal diagnosis was made at 18 weeks of gestation by ultrastructural examination of fetal skin samples obtained under continuous ultrasonic guidance. Four of the five specimens obtained showed dermal epidermal separation under the lamina densa with athophic and rare anchoring fibrils and superficial collagenolysis. The parents decided to terminate the pregnancy and ultrastructural skin examination of the aborted fetus, performed in multiple sites including the scalp, trunk, abdomen and limbs, confirmed the diagnosis showing no regional variation in the expression of the ultrastructural marker.

Biopsy, Needle↗

[Sampling fetal blood from the umbilical cord under echographic guidance].

The performance of 465 sonographically guided percutaneous umbilical blood samplings and its use in the management of diagnostic problems in the second and third trimester of pregnancy are described. The method has been employed in the prenatal assessment of 423 patients (357 procedures in the second trimester and 108 in the third trimester). Pure fetal blood was obtained in all third trimester samplings whilst in the second trimester in 4 cases (1.1%) fetal blood could not be obtained at the first procedure and in 9 cases (2.6%) contamination with maternal blood or amniotic fluid was observed. Data analysis confirm how this simple and rapid procedure offers access to the fetal circulation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

[Evaluation of the fetal risk after echo-guided blood sampling from the umbilical cord in the 2d trimester of pregnancy].

Fetal risk related to cordocentesis has been analyzed on a series of 222 ultrasound-guided fetal blood samplings for prenatal diagnosis of fetal diseases during the second trimester of pregnancy. Affected and malformed fetuses were excluded. Seven intrauterine deaths (3.2%) and 2 spontaneous abortions (0.9%) were observed. These figures proved higher than those observed in non-homogeneous series which consider the second and third trimester altogether. The fetal risk was significantly correlated with gestational age (less than 18 weeks 7.6% vs greater than 18 weeks 0.7% p = .02) and duration of the procedure (greater than 10'11.4% vs = less than 10'0.9% p = .0029). The number of abdominal insertions resulted in different death rates (greater than 1 ins. = 6.5% vs 1 ins. = 1.4%). It is likely that different developmental, anatomical and neurovegetative mechanism play a significant role in the risk rate found in the second trimester cordocentesis. These findings and the specific risk factors observed within the different technical conditions reported, must be taken into consideration for prenatal counseling.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗