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Biomedical subjects

M Re

Publications and source records attributed to M Re.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Vasoactive intestinal peptide fluctuates in human blood with a circadian rhythm.

The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) may be radioimmunoassayed in systemic venous blood. The plasma concentrations of VIP were investigated in human blood according to a chronobiological design. The study documented a circadian rhythmicity in time-qualified concentrations of VIP. Accordingly, VIP may be ascribed to biological variables characterized by periodicity in their physiological attributes. The rhythmic physiology of VIP is, however, highly disturbed in its tonic and phasic properties during senescence.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Temporal interrelationships between circadian rhythms of vasoactive intestinal peptide and T lymphocyte subpopulations.

Recent investigations documented an immunosuppressive action of VIP. Previous studies demonstrated that T lymphocytes exhibit a circadian rhythm (CR). This investigation was, thus, performed with the aim of detecting the relationships intercurrent between the 24-h patterns of VIP and T lymphocyte subsets. The hypothesis was formulated that circulating VIP may play a role in controlling the CR of T cells. The research was carried out on 10 clinically healthy subjects, tested six times during the 24-h span by assaying circulating levels of VIP and total T (OKT3), T helper (OKT4), and T suppressor/cytotoxic (OKT8) lymphocytes. Time data series were analyzed by Cosinor method. All investigated variables were seen to be characterized by a statistically significant CR. While the acrophase of VIP CR was found to be located at 18.20, the crest of OKT3, OKT4, OKT8 CR was seen to occur at 03.04, 02.16 and 02.56, respectively. The phase shift was found to be significant, suggesting that VIP and T lymphocytes physiologically fluctuate with a phase angle during their nyctohemeral cyclicity. The finding can be regarded as an indirect evidence of a negative VIPergic chronoregulation of CR of T lymphocytes.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[The evaluation of urinary NAG activity in patients undergoing urography].

A study has been carried out to verify the nephrotoxic effect of hyperosmotic substances used as a contrast medium in radiology employing the enzymuria technique (NAG). The research was carried out in 202 patients, some of whom diabetic, suffering from various pathologies and subjected to perfusion urography by inoculating an iodate contrast medium (isopaque). The result showed that NAG urinary activity grows significant in the 24-36 hours subsequent to X-ray examination in both diabetics and nondiabetics although the increase is greater in the former. After 5-7 days, enzymuria returns to normal in nondiabetic patients but remains high in the diabetic.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1990

[A comparison between the urinary and serum NAG activity in subjects with chronic nephropathies and essential arterial hypertension].

Various substances can interfere with the urinary activity of N-acetyl-beta-D-glycosaminidase (NAG), particularly certain bacteria that exert inhibitory or enhancing effects on the enzyme. Clearly, all this constitutes a limitation on the use of the technique. For these reasons, in patients suffering from interstitial and glomerular nephropathies and essential arterial hypertension a comparative study was carried out between the activity of urinary and serum NAG to establish if the latter produces more reliable results than the former. The results of urinary NAG activity confirm that there is no significant difference between healthy subjects and those with essential arterial hypertension; on the other hand, nephropathic patients present significantly higher urinary enzyme activity than healthy controls. On the other hand, evaluation of serum NAG does not seem to provide any practical aid as it does not highlight any difference between measurements carried out in healthy subjects and those carried out in hypertensive patients or those suffering from interstitial or glomerular nephropathy.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1989

[Tumor markers in the early diagnosis of thyroid neoplasms].

Radioimmunological techniques were used to assay tumour markers in order to identify neoplasms in patients with thyroid nodules at the earliest possible stage. In the 7 patients with differentiated thyroid tumours, the marker findings were within normal limits. On the basis of these results it is concluded that at the present time these markers are of no value for the early diagnosis of thyroid tumours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Isoenzymes of serum N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects].

N-acetyl-beta-D-glycosaminidase (NAG) isoenzymes were studied in 28 insulin-dependent diabetics. After electrophoretic migration isoenzyme. A levels were higher than in healthy controls. This suggests that the increase in total serum NAG in diabetics is due to a specific increase in this enzyme. A comparison of these results with those of other authors suggests that NAG alterations are specific to various pathologies.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1987

[Urinary NAG activity and diabetic microangiopathy].

The behaviour of urinary NAG was monitored in diabetic patients some of whom presented more or less severe vascular alterations. The results showed a relationship between urinary NAG levels and the severity of the vascular condition (in fact the greatest NAG activity was found in patients with overt kidney damage). NAG may therefore reveal the existence of a vascular nephropathy that is still too slight to be identified by the standard non-invasive clinical examinations.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1987

[Changes in urinary NAG activity in patients with climacteric syndrome treated with estrogens].

The behaviour of urinary NAG activity was studied in patients during menopause, some of whom were given estrogen therapy due to severe vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes etc.). One group of these patients revealed slightly higher than normal blood pressure. A second group had slight arterial hypertension and pancreatic diabetes. The third group consisted of apparently healthy menopausal women. The significant increase in enzymuria in the first two groups suggests that blood pressure should be carefully checked before starting estrogen therapy. Furthermore this treatment should be given very cautiously and under constant surveillance in the presence of slight hypertension. In patients with diabetes or more severe hypertension, estrogens should never be given.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1985

Microcomputer programs for the evaluation of predictable long-term exposure.

Some methods proposed for evaluation of predictable long-term exposure by statistical treatment of workshift exposure values are considered. Predictable long-term exposure is a useful parameter for risk assessment procedures, as it allows the evaluation of workplace hazards by taking into account interday variability of exposure to air contaminants. Statistical calculations required for evaluating predictable long-term exposure may be performed easily by hand-held programmable calculators. The programs reported here are for use with a Texas Instruments TI-59 hand-held programmable calculator equipped with a PC-100 C thermal printer. They are designed for users inexperienced in programming, since an interactive approach has been adopted that helps communication between user and computer.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed1983

Cadmium distribution within corn plants as a function of cadmium loading of the soil.

Corn is a widespread crop in some industrialized areas of Northern Italy and Europe where it serves for both animal and human nutrition. In the present paper we examined the distribution of Cd within corn plants grown under both hydroponic and field conditions. The results obtained show that Cd accumulation by different plant tissues may reach saturation without signs of phytotoxicity. Thus cadmium pollution can go undetected even when corn plants are grown in the presence of a consistent amount of Cd. Its accumulation within plant tissues is responsible for the entry of the metal into the food chain. Implications for human and animal nutrition are discussed.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1983

Histochemical study of glycogen and phosphorylase activity on bilateral biopsies of oligospermic men with varicocele.

Varicocele is responsible for a high percentage of impairment of spermatogenesis. In contrast to the normal human testis, Sertoli cell glycogen is reduced, while the reaction product of phosphorylase is considerably increased. Even if the mechanism by which varicocele produces deleterious effects on male fertility remains obscure, an anomaly in glycogen metabolism appears to be present bilaterally in impaired spermatogenesis due to the varicocele.

Glycogen↗
PubMed1979

Cryptorchid human testis after HCG treatment: histological study on Sertoli cells.

Histological studies have been carried out on Sertoli cells in cryptorchid patients after long-term HCG treatment. Morphological studies revealed the absence of differentiation of mature Sertoli cells. This behaviour with the persistence of fibroblast cells in the interstitium after long-term HCG treatment suggests that the morphological action of HCG on the Sertoli cells is closely correlated with the maturation of the Leydig cells, particularly with their androgen production.

Child↗
PubMed1979

Ultrastructural characteristics of idiopathic spermatidic arrest.

Previous studies on some cases of idiopathic spermatidic arrest showed an anomaly in glucose metabolism, in particular decreased utilization of glycogen at stage 3 of spermatogenesis, when condensation of the spermatid head commences. Histological patterns seen on light microscopy confirmed the reduced utilization of glycogen at stage 3 of spermatogenesis. Electron microscopy revealed an arrest at stage 3 of spermiogenesis and, at the cytoplasm level of the Sertoli cell, a modification in the smooth endoplasmic reticulum characterized by the presence of dilated cisternae. From a morphological viewpoint, the equivalent of a biochemical modification which characterizes this maturation disorder in the germinal epithelium is hypothesized.

Humans↗