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Biomedical subjects

M Massari

Publications and source records attributed to M Massari.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Cell-type-specific transactivation of the parathyroid hormone-related protein gene promoter by the human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) tax and HTLV-II tax proteins.

The human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) and HTLV-II Tax proteins are potent transactivators of viral and cellular gene expression. Using deletion mutants, the downstream parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) promoter is shown to be responsive to both HTLV-I and HTLV-II Tax as well as the AP1/c-jun proto-oncogene. Transactivation of PTHrP by Tax was seen in T cells but not in B-cell lines or fibroblasts. A carboxy terminal Tax deletion mutant was deficient in transactivation of both the PTHrP and IL2R alpha promoters but not the HTLV-I long terminal repeat (LTR). Exogenous provision of NFkB rescued IL2R alpha expression but not the PTHrP promoter. Thus, HTLV-I Tax, HTLV-II Tax, and c-jun transactivate PTHrP and may contribute to the pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in adult T-cell leukemia.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Loss of nocturnal decline of blood pressure in hypertension due to chronic renal failure.

The aim of this study was to assess the blood pressure profile of chronic renal failure in comparison with essential hypertension. Thirty hypertensive patients with chronic renal failure due to non-vascular nephropathies were matched by age, sex, and mean 24 h blood pressure, with 30 patients affected by uncomplicated mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. They were studied in an open hospital ward. Diet, meal times, sleep times, and activity schedules were standardized. Noninvasive, automatic, blood pressure recordings were performed for 48 h at sampling intervals of 15 min. The mean 24 h blood pressure almost coincided in the two groups. However, in essential hypertension a mean (+/- SD) nocturnal fall of systolic and diastolic blood pressure was found (12.7 +/- 3.8 and 12.9 +/- 4.8 mm Hg, respectively), while renal patients displayed an average nocturnal increase of 2.7 +/- 8.9 mm Hg and 3.7 +/- 7.8 (P less than .001). The renal patients had also higher heart rates, with a significantly blunted nocturnal fall (4.4 +/- 4.5 beats/min as compared to 9.3 +/- 3.1 beats/min of essential hypertension; P less than .001). Among the renal patients, the day-night blood pressure changes showed no significant correlation with age, creatinine clearance, hematocrit, nocturnal change in heart rate, or day or night mean blood pressure levels. These data suggest that an abnormal day-night pattern of blood pressure is present in chronic renal failure patients independently from external interfering factors. Hence, casual measurements of blood pressure confined to daytime may underestimate a hypertensive condition associated with chronic renal failure.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Diagnosis and treatment of hepatic echinococcosis with fistulas of the major bile ducts].

The authors report their experience of secondary major biliary fistula (MBF) for hepatic echinococcosis. The analysis of the results of the surgical treatments showed that "conservative" operations have major mortality than "radical" operations. The importance of an exact preoperative diagnosis of presence, side and size of MBF, in order to a correct choice of the most suitable operations, is underlined. Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography seems to be a reliable diagnostical technique, also if compared with traditional methods (U.S., C.T.).

Bile Duct Diseases↗
PubMed1989

[Epidemiology of beta-hemolytic streptococcus group B colonization in perinatology. Methodology considerations and personal data].

GBS have attracted increasing attention in recent years as a major cause of serious neonatal sepsis. The maternal genital tract is the principal source of organism for babies with the most serious early onset form of disease. Reported rates of GBS carriage in the genital and anorectal tract of pregnant women vary widely: much of the variations is undoubtedly associated with differences in laboratory technique, sampling site and number of samples taken. The key bacteriological factor is the use of enrichment culture technique. We have studied GBS colonization in 274 pregnant women during labor and in their newborns (275). Carriage was documented in 25.91% women by vaginal (low portion) and anorectal swabs, and in 6.14% newborns by auricolar, pharyngeal and rectal swabs taken at birth and before leaving nursery. The higher rectal colonization rate in pregnant women suggests that the gastrointestinal tract is the primary site of GBS carriage. Colonized newborns have no obstetrics risk factors, except for maternal GBS carriage. Our data confirms that limiting antimicrobial intrapartum prophylaxis to premature infants leaves term infants (who account for 60% of the fetal cases of early onset disease) unprotected, unless membrane rupture is prolonged. Prevention of early onset infections among low-risk term infants will require additional investigations.

Female↗
PubMed1989

[Male pseudohermaphroditism caused by 17-alpha-hydroxylase deficiency. Personal case reports and a review of the literature].

Adrenal hyperplasia due to 17-alpha-hydroxylase deficiency is coupled with precocious hypogonadism, which causes pseudohermaphroditism in XY subjects and primary amenorrhea in XX subjects. The physiology of gluco- and mineral-corticoid adrenal activity, as well as the biosynthesis of gonadal steroids, is totally altered. We report two cases of XY subjects, identified as females, who came to our observation for primary amenorrhea and exhibited a hypertension with hypokaliemia. We also report a critical review of the literature, with a main attention to differential diagnosis and mineralcorticoid physiopathology, in order to contribute to the knowledge of normal adrenal function and of this enzymatic defect.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Effects of heroin addiction on the responses of glucose, C-peptide and insulin to a standard meal.

1. The aim of the study was to examine the responses of plasma glucose, C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) and total immunoreactive insulin (IRI) to a standard meal in heroin addicts, since the presence of immunoreactive beta-endorphin has been demonstrated in human endocrine pancreas. 2. Ten heroin addicts and 10 control subjects participated in the study. The addicts had been taking heroin (from 0.5 to 2 g/day) for at least 2 months and they had no detectable diseases. 3. After a 12 h fast, each subject received a standard meal; blood samples were taken at -15, 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 min to determine glucose, CPR and IRI. Calculation of the CPR/IRI molar ratio was used as a semiquantitative estimation of the hepatic extraction of insulin. 4. No difference in plasma glucose was observed between the groups. Addicts had lower CPR than normals at 15, 30 and 120 min (P less than 0.01). On the contrary, IRI was higher in addicts than in normals (P less than 0.05 at -15 and 0 min, P less than 0.01 at 15, 30 and 60 min), except at 120 min. The CPR/IRI molar ratio was lower in addicts (P less than 0.01). 5. Heroin addiction seems to produce a beta-cell failure and contemporaneously a state of hyperinsulinaemia; blood glucose remains in the normal range. 6. We conclude that chronic heroin addiction may produce a change in the rate of hepatic extraction of insulin.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Calcium antagonists and hormone release. VI. Effects of a calcium antagonist (verapamil) on the biphasic insulin release in vivo.

The present study was designed to investigate the influence of a calcium antagonist (verapamil) on the two phases of insulin release. The present results confirmed our previous studies and in vitro data, showing that the first phase insulin release is not inhibited by a calcium antagonist and strongly indicated that glucose stimulated insulin secretion has two phases of release: (1) the first phase of release, which is independent from extracellular calcium; (2) the second phase of release, which was inhibited by calcium antagonists, is dependent from calcium uptake from an extracellular source.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

L-arginine methylester reduces Ca2+/Cl(-)-dependent L-[3H]glutamate binding and Ca2+-activated neutral protease activity in rat hippocampal membranes.

Specific binding of L-[3H]glutamate was measured in Tris-HCl buffer in rat hippocampal membranes. In these experimental conditions 1 mM CaCl2 induced an increase in binding due to an increase in Bmax. L-Arginine methylester did not modify the Cl(-)-dependent binding of L-[3H]glutamate, but it decreased Ca2+/Cl(-)-stimulated binding in a dose-dependent manner, decreasing Bmax without changing KD. L-Arginine methylester reduced calcium-activated neutral protease activity in a dose-dependent manner. Serine protease inhibitors (aprotinin and di-isopropylfluorophosphate) did not affect L-[3H]glutamate binding, whereas leupeptin reduced it in a dose-dependent manner. L-Arginine did not mimic the effect of L-arginine methylester in either model.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Bile acids in chronic hepatopathies].

The clinical value of measuring biliary acids in various chronic liver disease was investigated. The sample examined included 17 healthy subjects, 16 patients with active chronic hepatitis, 15 with cirrhosis of the liver and 14 with cholestatic cirrhosis. The following parameters were considered in each patient: blood bilirubin, gamma GT, alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase, blood cholesterol, Quick time. The total pool of biliary acids was assayed by the enzymatic method on samples taken in the morning before breakfast and two hours after intake of 600 mg ursodeoxycholic acid. Total biliary increased with the progression of the pathological condition. Unlike all other indicators biliary acid assays after oral loading with ursodeoxycholic acid makes it possible to distinguish between subjects with active chronic hepatitis and those with cirrhosis of the liver.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Morphological and functional study of the liver using scintigraphy with 99m-Tc-HIDA before and after major resection for echinococcosis].

Personal experience in the monitoring of liver function and morphology after resection using hepatobiliary HIDA 99mTc scintigraphy is reported. This investigation provides useful functional and morphological data. In three patients subjected to right hepatectomy for echinococcosis the examination performed preoperatively and 25 and 90 days after surgery revealed functional normalisation of the residual liver and biliary excretion. On the basis of this experience and data from the literature the value of the technique is confirmed and it is suggested that it might be usefully adopted in the study of other liver conditions such as neoplasms, traumas as well as in the monitoring of transplanted livers.

Bile Ducts↗
PubMed1985

[Diagnostic use of the mathematical model of nonlinear regression in the interpretation of the crystalline bilirubin loading test in Gilbert's syndrome].

The results of a study conducted both on subjects affected by constitutional hyperbilirubinaemia (Gilbert's syndrome) and healthy subjects using the charge test with crystalline bilirubin are presented. The parameters which are involved in bilirubin kinetics were established by means of non linear regression methods (the Marquardt method). 19 Gilbert syndrome patients and 12 normal control subjects were studied. Important parameters readily applicable to clinical and diagnostic evaluation of subjects suffering from familial cholemia were identified.

Bilirubin↗
PubMed1985

The thermic effect of carbohydrate versus fat feeding in man.

Metabolic rate increases and heat is produced after eating a meal. This response has been termed the thermic effect of feeding. While some studies have found this response to be defective in obese subjects others have not. It is also unclear how dietary composition affects the thermic response to a meal. In this study, we evaluated the thermic response to both a high carbohydrate meal and a high fat meal in normal and obese subjects. Using the ventilated hood technique, metabolic rate was measured in seated subjects before and for 6 hours following a meal. Blood samples for insulin, glucose, and catecholamines were withdrawn each half hour to evaluate their possible role in regulating the thermic response. The overall response to the high carbohydrate meal was greater than to high fat (0.26 +/- .07 v 0.18 +/- 0.11 kcal/min; P less than .01). The thermic response to the high fat meal, however, was similar in the normal and obese groups. Although the 6-hour response to the high carbohydrate diet was not statistically different between the subject groups, there was a trend toward a diminished response in the obese relative to the normal group during the first 3 hours following the meal (0.30 +/- .06 v .22 +/- .09; P = .06). In our seated subjects, the thermic response to a meal accounted for 8%-13% of the total calories ingested, with the highest value found in the normal weight subjects after a high carbohydrate meal. No significant thermic response was noted when subjects were fed a noncaloric meal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗