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Biomedical subjects

M Massari

Publications and source records attributed to M Massari.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Differential effects of a dopaminergic drug (piribedil) on pituitary hormone release in normal men and women.

Six normal women, in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle, and 6 normal men received orally 40, 60 and 100 mg doses of piribedil, a dopamine receptor agonist, or placebo. The effects of piribedil on anterior pituitary hormone release was evaluated. In normal women a dose-related decrease in Prl levels was observed, while in men the Prl decrement was not related to the dose employed. In women an increase in serum hGH occurred after administration of the lowest (40 mg) dose of piribedil. In normal men, on the contrary, a modest hGH stimulation was present after administration of all doses of the drug. No consistent changes in serum TSH, LH and FSH concentrations were observed and no side effects were reported. The results from this study indicate that piribedil can exert differential effects on hypophyseal trophic hormone release and that these effects are sex-related. It is possible that the differences observed in men and women after the administration of piribedil are due to a different endogenous dopaminergic tone, induced by the different sexual steroid environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[The electrical resistance and impedance of mammalian muscles during the first days after slaughter. I: bovine diaphragm].

In the view of characterizing the animal tissues with respect to their physical properties, the AA. have investigated on the behaviour of the electrical responses of bovine diaphragmatic muscle. In particolar the resistance and the impedance (at a fixed frequency of 20 Hz, sinusoidal wave) have been checked in samples from the 4th up to the 148th hour after slaughter. The results of these experiments show that, during the maturation of the meat, there is a decrease of the values of the resistance and of the capacitive reactance. On the basis of the data acquired, the only hypothesis explaining the course of the research could be that the electrical properties of the meat are greatly influenced in a very relevant way by capacitive structures and in lower degree by a pure resistive medium.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

[The electrical resistance and impedance of mammalian muscles during the first days after slaughtering. II: femoral biceps of swine].

The Authors continuing a program of research on the characterization of physical properties of muscular tissues of Mammalia after slaughtering, have performed a new series of observations on the electrical conductance of femoral biceps of swine. Using two groups of specimen (one cut along the axis of the muscular fibers, the other at right angle of them), the AA. checked different values of resistance and of impedance, particularly during the first hours. On the contrary in the final stage of the research the data are quite similar in both the groups of samples. In the comment has taken into account the hypothesis that, on the basis of changes in the tissue structures, electrochemical processes could explain the results.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Polyarteritis nodosa and HIV infection: no evidence of a direct pathogenic role of HIV.

A case of polyarteritis nodosa identified by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 criteria in a 44-year-old HIV-infected man is described. The search for cytomegalovirus, HBV and B19 parvovirus infections was negative. In situ hybridization did not reveal proviral HIV-1 DNA in a skin sample. A zidovudine-associated vasculitis was excluded. Corticosteroid therapy resolved vasculitis manifestations and was well tolerated without opportunistic infections during the 10-month follow-up period. An indirect pathogenetic role of HIV as a possible cause of vascular damage cannot be excluded in our patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrasonographic evaluation of the cervical lymph nodes in preoperative staging of esophageal neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: The detection of cervical lymph node metastases plays an important role in staging of patients affected by esophageal cancer to perform the best therapeutic approach. METHODS: We report our experience concerning the ultrasound evaluation of the cervical area in 174 patients with esophageal cancer. Ultrasonographic evaluation of the neck can be done with a 7.5- or 10 MHz transducer in all cases, with selective scanning of the lymph node chains of the internal jugular veins and supraclavicular regions. The short-to-long axis ratio (S/L) was a useful way to detect lymph node metastasis. Histopathologic diagnoses were obtained by sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy. RESULTS: At ultrasound examination, we found 18 (10.3%) patients with metastatic cervical nodes. Of these, 17 (94.4%) had metastatic cervical lymph nodes confirmed by cytology from fine-needle biopsy. Lymph node exceeding 5 mm in long axis and with an S/L over 0.5 showed a higher incidence of metastasis than those with an S/L under 0.5. Our experience shows a high incidence of lymph node metastases in patients with esophageal cancer localized to the thoracic supracarinal tract and in patients with cervical and lower esophageal cancer. CONCLUSION: In the ultrasound evaluation of nodes, the most useful parameters are size of nodes, heterogeneity of internal echoes, morphology of the margins, and the deformation caused by compressive instrumental manipulation. These criteria, indicated by the Japanese Society for Esophageal Diseases, yield a high sensitivity and diagnostic specificity when the ultrasonographic studies are performed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Short-term adverse effects from and discontinuation of antiretroviral post-exposure prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate short-term toxicity from and discontinuation of antiretroviral combination prophylaxis in HIV-exposed individuals in Italy. DESIGN: Longitudinal, open study conducted by prospective collection of data in the National Registry of PEP. SETTING: All the Italian centres dedicated to HIV related care and licensed by the Ministry of Health to dispense antiretroviral drugs. STUDY POPULATION: Health care workers and other persons consenting to be treated with post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after exposures to HIV. RESULTS: Until October, 2000, 207 individuals receiving two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and 354 receiving two NRTIs plus a protease inhibitor (PI) were enrolled. More individuals experienced side-effects in the 3-drug group (53% and 62%, respectively; OR 0.68, (95% CI 0.48-0.98), p < 0.03). However, the proportion of individuals discontinuing prophylaxis because of side-effects did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (21% and 25% respectively; OR 0.82 (95% CI 0.53-1.26); p=0.4). The 43 individuals in the 2 NRTI group discontinued PEP after a mean of 10.4 days of treatment (median 8, range 1-27), similarly to the 88 discontinuations observed in the 3-drug group (mean duration 10.5 days, median 7.5, range 1-26). Type and incidence of specific adverse effects were similar to those reported in the literature. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that the difference in the proportion of individuals developing side effects and discontinuing PEP is not significant. The rate of discontinuation because of protease inhibitor side-effects does not justify per se the initial use of a less potent PEP regimen. We suggest initiating PEP with a three-drug regimen and discontinuing the protease inhibitor in the case of adverse effects.

Anti-HIV Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Group B vitamins in some typical Italian cheese: Parmigiano-reggiano, Pecorino romano and Gorgonzola (author's transl)].

The levels of Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, PP and Calcium pantothenate were determined in typical italian cheese: Parmigiano-reggiano, Pecorino romano and Gorgonzola. The authors avaluated vitamin contents different from product; to product these differences being possibly due to both similar quantitative diversities of the milk, used and to particular variations associated with the processing techniques.

Cheese↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Soluble CD30 and lymphocyte activation gene-3 (CD223), as potential serological markers of T helper-type cytokine response induced by acellular pertussis vaccine.

T cell responses are involved in vaccine-induced immunity to pertussis but no easy-to-monitor, serological markers are available to assess these responses. The lymphocyte activation gene-3 (CD223) molecule is present on, and released by, activated T helper (Th) 1 cells, whereas CD30 molecules have been associated with Th2 immune responses. Starting from the recent knowledge of the cytokine profile induced by pertussis vaccination, we examined the levels of soluble (s)CD223 and sCD30 proteins in child recipients of acellular pertussis (aP) and diphtheria-tetanus (DT) vaccines and in children receiving DT vaccine only, as control. The correlation of the two proteins with specific antibody and T cell responses was assessed. The main findings are: i) sCD223 and sCD30 levels are inversely related, suggesting that the two markers are the expression of different and counter-regulated T-cell responses; ii) sCD30 level correlated with induction of T cell proliferation to pertussis vaccine antigens and antibody response to pertussis toxin. Overall, sCD30 and sCD223 levels seem to be promising candidate markers to assess the induction of Th-type responses in vaccine recipients.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Interactions between endogenous and exogenous insulin and human pancreatic polypeptide secretion.

The relationships between exogenous and endogenous insulin and plasma human pancreatic polypeptide (hPP) were investigated. Three tests were performed in 8 healthy subjects: 1 degree--1 g tolbutamide was injected i.v. in 1 min., 2 degrees--50 ml 50% glucose solution and 7 U of Insulin were contemporaneously infused at constant rate for 60 min., 3 degrees--50 ml saline solution were infused as control. After the tolbutamide injection plasma glucose levels were unchanged between 0-10 min. At 5, 10, 15 min. an increase in C-Peptide (CPR) value and a significant decrease of hPP were observed. At 15, 30 and 45 min. plasma glucose was significantly lower than baseline and hPP levels strongly rose until the end of the test. The glucose-insulin infusion testing resulted in a rise in plasma glucose and CPR levels at 15 min. and a fall in plasma hPP at 30 min. The present findings suggest that in the first part of tolbutamide test, the endogenous insulin secretion, valued as CPR, seems to inhibit hPP release probably through a paracrine pathway.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sulglicotide in the prevention of gastric disease induced by NSAID. Double-blind controlled study versus placebo].

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, essential for the treatment of rheumatic diseases, are frequently associated with significant adverse effects on the integrity of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Sulglicotide (S), a natural product, has been found to possess gastromucosal protective properties. Aim of the present study was to evaluate whether (S) 200 mg t.i.d prevented or reduced the severity of gastric and/or duodenal mucosal injury induced by Diclofenac. A total of 30 patients with either rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA) who required NSAID therapy for at least 8 weeks were enrolled into a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study. The main criteria for entry into the trial was the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and gastric/duodenal lesions assessed by endoscopy. At the end of the treatment endoscopy and relative symptoms were assessed. Six out of 15 patients, in both groups of treatment developed mucosal injury, but only in the placebo group the gastric damage was important (ulcer and petechiae) while in the group (S) we observed only hyperemia of the gastric mucosa. These preliminary data indicate the usefulness of Sulglicotide in preventing or reducing mucosal injury from NSAID treatment.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗