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Biomedical subjects

M Merlino

Publications and source records attributed to M Merlino.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Chromosome mapping and identification of amphiphilic proteins of hexaploid wheat kernels.

Amphiphilic proteomic analysis was carried out on the ITMI (International Triticae Mapping Population) population resulting from a cross between "Synthetic", i.e.: "W7984" and "Opata". Out of a total of 446 spots, 170 were specific to either of the two parents, and 276 were common to both. Preliminary analysis, which was performed on 80 progenies (Amiour et al. 2002a), was completed here using a total of 101 selfed lines. Seventy two Loci of amphiphilic spots placed at LOD = 5 were conclusively assigned to 15 chromosomes. Some spots mapped during the first analysis were eliminated because of the significant distortion segregation observed in the second analysis. Group-1 chromosomes had by far the greatest number of mapped spots (51). Using the Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) approach, analysis of the quantitative variation of each spot revealed that 96 spots out of the 170 specific ones showed at least one Protein Quantity Locus (PQL). These PQLs were distributed throughout the genome. With Matrix Laser Desorption Ionisation Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF) spectrometry and Database interrogation, a total of 93 specific and 41 common spots were identified. This enabled us to show that the majority of these proteins are associated with membranes and/or play a role in plant defence against external invasions. Using multiple-regression analysis, other amphiphilic proteins, in addition to puroindolines, were shown to be involved in variation in kernel hardness in the ITMI population.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed2001

Factors affecting immunization status of college students in New York City (NYC).

OBJECTIVES: Although immunization is an important public health issue, there have been few studies conducted and minimal information gathered concerning the immunization status of NYC college students. In response to this void, the NYC Department of Health's Bureau of Immunization designed and implemented a study to determine the accessibility of immunization information and service. METHODS: Three hundred and twenty-one college students were asked to complete an immunization survey designed by the researchers in the immunization clinics of New York City. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between the accessibility of immunization information and immigration status, years of residence in the U.S.A., primary language, as well as school credit completed. Results also indicated that the accessibility of immunization service correlates significantly with ethnicity, immigration status, primary language, years of residence in the U.S.A., accessibility of immunization information, insurance status, employment status, and personal and family income. CONCLUSIONS: The information gathered from this study is useful for public health administration, policy analysis, and program planning.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Prolonged treatment with alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine facilitates the acquisition of an active avoidance behavior and selectively increases neuronal signal transduction in rats.

The effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine on both behavioral and neurochemical parameters were studied in adult rats. Daily administration of the drug caused a significant improvement in the behavioral performance of rats in the active avoidance conditioning test. This effect was observed after about ten days of treatment, and lasted until the end of the experiment (fifteen days). The improvement in this memory-related behavioral test correlated with a facilitation of both muscarinic and beta-adrenergic stimulation of brain adenylyl cyclase activity. Conversely, no changes were observed in basal or forskolin-induced stimulation of cAMP production, suggesting that the alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine effects were not directed on the enzyme itself, but might favor the coupling between receptors, G proteins and effectors. Similar results were observed on the muscarinic stimulation of inositol phosphate accumulation although, in this case, a potentiation of the basal activity also occurred. In conclusion, our data indicate that daily treatment with alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine improves the learning and memory processes in the rat, evaluated using the active avoidance conditioning test. Furthermore, the subchronic administration of this compound is able to enhance receptor-mediated neuronal signal transduction, namely cAMP and inositol phosphate production. These neurochemical modifications may represent, at least in part, the molecular mechanisms of action of the drug.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1998

Comparisons of immunisation accessibility between non-US born and US-born children in New York City.

BACKGROUND: New York City (NYC) has the second highest immigrant population in the USA; with many migrants from countries outside the USA being inadequately immunised. To assess the immunisation status of this population, the NYC Department of Health's Family Health Services Division designed and implemented a study in order to examine how accessible the immunisation service was to immigrant families who wished to have their children immunised. METHODOLOGY: A one time cross-sectional design was used in this study and data was collected, by means of a survey, in the NYC Department of Health's Immunisation Clinics. These were the major walk-in and free of charge immunisation facilities for children in NYC. Descriptive and Chi square statistics were used to analyse the data from this survey. RESULTS: Of 270 children surveyed, 211 (78%) were born outside the US; of these, 116 (55%) reported that apart from the NYC Department of Health's Immunisation Clinics they had no other access to immunisation services. There was a significant difference in the accessibility to immunisation services between non-US-born and US-born children. The factors that influenced the accessibility by non-US-born children compared with US-born children included health insurance, family income, primary language and years of residence in the US. How they came to hear about immunisation services and general knowledge regarding immunisation were not significantly different between these two groups and these were not significant factors which affected accessibility to immunisation services among children. CONCLUSION: Major steps have been taken in NYC to help increase access to immunisation services by using free public health immunisation programs. Such programs should be expanded to target non-US-born children and their parents. Such educational and outreach programs need to be culturally sensitive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodule. Ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration].

Nodular thyroid pathology weighs heavily for 4-5% of the general population, being the most common among the endocrinopathies. Because of this these diagnostic methods have gained more and more importance as FNA able to select already in the pre-operation phase the malignant nodules from the benign ones and to decide on the most suitable surgical intervention. In the period of time between January 1989 and June 1992 in the Institute of the III Surgical Clinic in Rome there have been performed 403 FNA. From the whole total we have extrapolated 221 patients. In this study we stressed how the FNA method has a sensibility of 80%, a specificity of 93% and afterwards an accurate diagnosis of 92%. Besides we have verified that sonography and radionuclide scanning have a truth worthiness respectively of 64% and 52%. The FNA in our opinion allows us to have in the pre-operation phase a much more accurate diagnosis as regards that obtained with only sonography and radionuclide scanning therefore the latter methods must be considered complementary to FNA.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1985

cAMP levels in reactive tissues around dimethylpolysiloxane solid implants.

By the aid of radioimmunologic assay, the authors measured the cAMP content of the reactive capsules around solid dimethylpolysiloxane implants in mice at different times; they also measured the same substance in some human connective tissues (granulation tissue and normal dermis) and compared together all the values they obtained. Different concentrations of cAMP in different tissues seem to reflect correspondent histologic findings, since they vary according to them. These values also seem to indicate a close correspondence between the development of the process of wound healing and of the foreign-body reaction following the implantation of alloplastic materials. On the basis of these data, the authors suggest an experimental therapeutic trial to enhance peripheral cAMP synthesis in order to control the process of reactive capsule constitution.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Treatment of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis: a comparative study of ticarcillin and gentamicin.

The effectiveness of ticarcillin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in acute exacerbations of pulmonary infection in patients with cystic fibrosis was evaluated. Seventy-one percent of patients treated with ticarcillin alone responded favorably. The response rate was similar in patients treated with a combination of ticarcillin plus gentamicin or with gentamicin alone. Severity of the underlying disease was the most important determinant of response to treatment. Ticarcillin-resistant organisms were recovered during treatment in 50% of patients who received this drug; recovery of them was not prevented by the inclusion of gentamicin in the therapeutic regimen nor did they interfere with clinical improvement. The ticarcillin-resistant strains persisted at follow-up, two to six months after completion of therapy, in only one of ten patients. No serious toxicity to ticarcillin was noted during the study period.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intracellular mechanisms mediating the neuronal death and astrogliosis induced by the prion protein fragment 106-126.

Prion encephalopathies include fatal diseases of the central nervous system of men and animals characterized by nerve cell loss, glial proliferation and deposition of amyloid fibrils into the brain. During these diseases a cellular glycoprotein (the prion protein, PrP(C)) is converted, through a not yet completely clear mechanism, in an altered isoform (the prion scrapie, PrP(Sc)) that accumulates within the brain tissue by virtue of its resistance to the intracellular catabolism. PrP(Sc) is believed to be responsible for the neuronal loss that is observed in the prion disease. The PrP 106-126, a synthetic peptide that has been obtained from the amyloidogenic portion of the prion protein, represents a suitable model for studying the pathogenic role of the PrP(Sc), retaining, in vitro, some characteristics of the entire protein, such as the capability to aggregate in fibrils, and the neurotoxicity. In this work we present the results we have recently obtained regarding the action of the PrP 106-126 in different cellular models. We report that the PrP 106-126 induces proliferation of cortical astrocytes, as well as degeneration of primary cultures of cortical neurons or of neuroectodermal stable cell lines (GH(3) cells). In particular, these two opposite effects are mediated by the same attitude of the peptide to interact with the L-type calcium channels: in the astrocytes, the activity of these channels seems to be activated by PrP 106-126, while, in the cortical neurons and in the GH(3) cells, the same treatment causes a blockade of these channels causing a toxic effect.

Amino Acid Sequence↗