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Biomedical subjects

M Ferro

Publications and source records attributed to M Ferro.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1978

Sheep red blood cell membrane structure: an immunological probe.

Pronase digested sheep red blood cell stromata were employed as probe in order to investigate erythrocyte membrane arrangement by immunological way. Antiserum from rabbits immunized with erythrocyte ghost pronase residue assayed for its hemolytic activity against intact sheep red cells, showed an high titer, in a good agreement with the presence in the same residue of externally located membrane antigens. Immunoelectrophoretic analysis was performed between the solubilized residue and precipitins produced by rabbits immunized respectively with the following antigens: intact sheep red blood cells (SRBC), sheep erythrocyte stromata (SRBCS), lipid complex (LC), sphingomyelin complex (SF), stromata after phospholipase A treatment (SPLA), stromata after phospholipase C treatment (SPLC), stromata after phospholipases A and C treatment (SPLAC), and pronase treated stromata (SP). Antigen/antibody reaction with anti-SP antiserum showed an additional precipitation line: this fact is discussed in view of a possible enrichment of the fraction after pronase stromata digestion, and/or enhancement of the immunogenicity.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation and sister-chromatid exchange in Chinese hamster ovary cells exposed to the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal and homologous aldehydes.

The cytotoxic and genotoxic activities of 4-hydroxypentenal (HPE), 4-hydroxyhexenal (HHE), 4-hydroxyoctenal (HOE), 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) and 4-hydroxyundecenal (HUE) were investigated in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. All five 4-hydroxyalkenals reduced plating efficiency in a concentration (ranging from 7 to 170 microM) lower than that producing a parallel reduction of trypan blue-excluding cells, but with both methods the increase in molarity needed to obtain a lethal effect was constantly rather small. With all five 4-hydroxyalkenals a significant amount of DNA fragmentation, as revealed either by the alkaline elution assay or by alkaline denaturation followed by chromatographic partition of single- and double-stranded DNA, was detected only after cell exposure to a cytotoxic concentration. HPE, HHE and HOE induced a clear-cut increase of sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency, while that displayed by cells treated with HNE and HUE was minimal, even if dose-dependent and statistically significant. Since 4-hydroxyalkenals have been shown to originate from biomembrane lipids peroxidation, these findings should be taken into consideration in the assessment of the genotoxic role of lipoperoxidation in humans.

Aldehydes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sympathetic nervous system and chronic renal failure.

The aim of this work was to review evidence on the role of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in chronic renal failure (CRF). Three main points are discussed: 1) SNS and pathogenesis of arterial hypertension; 2) SNS and cardiovascular risk; 3) implication of SNS in arterial hypotension during hemodialysis. Several lines of evidence indicate the presence of a sympathetic hyperactivity in CRF, and its relationship with arterial hypertension. It is suggested that diseased kidneys send afferent nervous signals to central integrative sympathetic nuclei, thus contributing to the development and maintenance of arterial hypertension. The elimination of these impulses with nephrectomy could explain the concomitant reduction of blood pressure. Several experiments confirmed this hypothesis. Regarding SNS and cardiovascular risk, some data suggest that reduced heart rate variability identifies an increased risk for both all causes and sudden death, independently from other recognized risk factors. Symptomatic hypotension is a common problem during hemodialysis treatment, occurring in approximately 20-30% of all hemodialysis sessions and is accompanied by acute withdrawal of sympathetic activity, vasodilation and relative bradicardia. This reflex is thought to be evoked by vigorous contraction of a progressively empty left ventricle, activating cardiac mechanoceptors. This inhibits cardiovascular centers through vagal afferents, and overrides the stimulation by baroreceptor deactivation. Alternative explanations include cerebral ischemia and increased production of nitric oxide, which inhibit central sympathetic activity. It is hoped that therapies aimed at modulating sympathetic nerve activity in patients with CRF will ameliorate their prognosis and quality of life.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fluconazole in the management of endophthalmitis in disseminated candidosis of heroin addicts.

Seven heroin addicts were treated with fluconazole for endophthalmitis. All the patients had cutaneous lesions: deep-seated scalp nodules and/or pustulosis in hairy zones. One patient had an abscess at the venipuncture site. Candida albicans was isolated from all the extraocular sites in all the patients. Five patients were treated with 400 mg of intravenous fluconazole on the first day, followed by 200 mg (i.v.) for one week and finally 200 mg daily orally for a further two weeks. Two patients were treated exclusively with oral fluconazole (400 mg on the first day, followed by 200 mg daily for three consecutive weeks). Tolerance to fluconazole was good and it was not necessary to stop treatment for any patient. All the cutaneous lesions stabilized and healed. The eye lesions cleared completely in all cases, except in one patient in whom vitrectomy was indicated, and in whom there was a poor response to the exclusive treatment with fluconazole and associated corticosteroids.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of subcutaneous calcium heparin and acetylsalicylic acid in the prevention of ischemic events and death after myocardial infarction: a randomized trial in a consecutive series of 90 patients.

This study compares the prophylactic effectiveness of calcium heparin (CH) with that of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the long-term anticoagulant management of patients with myocardial infarct. Forty-four patients discharged from a coronary care unit after acute myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to receive 12,500 IU subcutaneous CH daily for 3 months, followed by 325 mg ASA daily for 3 months. This protocol was compared with the administration of 325 mg/day ASA to an additional 46 patients for 6 months. There were 16 dropouts in the CH group and two in the ASA group. Ischemic events, surgery, and adverse effects totaled 36 in the CH group versus 73 in the ASA group. Three patients from each group died (6.8% vs. 6.5% in the CH and ASA groups, respectively). Patients in the CH group were significantly older (76 +/- 3.51 years vs. 63 +/- 5.51 years in the CH and ASA groups, respectively; P = 0.026). Although ASA is generally regarded as the most effective way of preventing the recurrence of ischemic events, the results of this study suggest that CH is a potentially useful and well-tolerated alternative that could be employed when ASA is contraindicated.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Thrombotic microangiopathy during urinary tract infection].

An 84 year-old woman was admitted because of sepsis, thrombocytopenia, anaemia and acute renal failure that required hemodialysis. The diagnostic tests performed during hospitalization showed a severe urinary tract infection due to Enterococcus faecalis, resulting in mild sepsis. This infection was responsible for acute tubular necrosis and thrombotic microangiopathy, in a clinical context of difficult differential diagnosis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome.

Aged, 80 and over↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Comparative morphological study of the structure of the normal and arteriosclerotic internal mammary, coronary, and renal artery wall].

Morphological comparative study of the normal anatomy of the internal mammary artery, coronary artery and renal artery, and their atherosclerotic alterations. We report in this paper the comparative results of a morphological and morphometrical study of the normal anatomy of the Left Coronary Artery (interventricular descending branch) (LCA), Internal Mammary Artery (IMA) and Renal Artery (RA) and their atherosclerotic alterations in 27 unselected people of both sexes aging from 19 to 76 years (average 59 +/- 14.3). Sections from three different segments of each vessel were examined by measuring the thickness of the intima and media calculated at the maximum intimal thickening. The lumen was also measured at the level of its highest pathological reduction; the same measurements were carried out on sections free from atherosclerotic damage. Then the intima to media ratio was assumed as major indicator of atherosclerosis involvement according to the literature. All these parameters were statistically analysed. With these procedures we found that LCA displayed more severely atherosclerotic changes than IMA. The degree of damage in RA fell in between when compared to the other arteries. The intima to media ratio average was 0.061 mm. (+/- 0.084) in I.M.A.; 0.882 mm. (+/- 0.753) in L.C.A. and 0.272 (+/- 0.315) in RA with statistically significant differences between IMA and LCA (p less than 0.001) and between IMA and RA (p less than 0.001). In the lesion free sections intima to media ratios were 0.178 (+/- 0.90) in LCA, 0.053 (+/- 0.28) in IMA and 0.082 (+/- 0.127) in RA. The difference was statistically significative between LCA and IMA, but not between RA and IMA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Incidence of atherosclerosis of the internal mammary artery compared with the coronary artery. A study of 22 non-selected autopsy cases].

In the present work the examination and comparison of the degree of atherosclerotic involvement of the left coronary artery (CDA) and internal mammary artery (AMI) was performed on 22 unselected subjects at necroscopy examination. The maximum age was 77 and the minimal was 25 (average 62.59 +/- 2.47); 13 were male and 9 female. We macroscopically and microscopically examined three sections obtained from three different segments for each vessel. First we macroscopically evaluated the degree of narrowing of the lumen giving a score (+ to +). (Tab. II). Then the sections, 6 micron thick, stained with Haematoxylin-eosine, Alcian blue, PAS and Van Gieson methods were accurately examined at microscope with a graduated eyepiece. The lumen, the intima and the media were measured at the level of maximum thickness of the intima. Then the thickness of intima and the intima to media ratio, accordingly to the literature, were assumed as major indicators of atherosclerosis involvement. The intima to media ratio average was 5.05 (+/- 5.81) in the CDA vs. 0.44 (+/- 0.29) in the AMI (p less than 0.001). The intima in the CDA was 0.86 mm (+/- 0.76) thick (average) vs. 0.09 mm (+/- 0.07) in the AMI (p less than 0.001). These results show a great difference in atherosclerosis involvement which results to be ten times greater in CDA than in AMI in non selected people. Almost the same result is obtained by the measurement of the intima. On the contrary no detectable difference was found between the media of the two vessels.

Adult↗