Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Romani

Publications and source records attributed to M Romani.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Preoperative radiotherapy in cancer of the rectum. Our 5-year experience].

Since 1990, 41 patients with rectal carcinoma have been submitted to preoperative radiotherapy, which induced a shrinkage of the tumor, favouring its surgical resection. Besides, in 3 cases the operative specimens were tumor free, and a higher incidence of A and B 1 categories was found. Surgical results have been compared with an analogous group of 20 patients, where surgery was performed as a first procedure, then followed by radiotherapy in 9. No increase of postoperative complications was observed. While analysis of follow-up results demonstrates a decrease of tumour recurrence in patients with preoperative radiotherapy, no difference in survival was registered, because of the development of extra-pelvic metastases.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Molecular and genetic studies on the region of translocation and duplication in the neuroblastoma cell line NGP at the 1p36.13-p36.32 chromosomal site.

Cytogenetic and molecular studies suggest that chromosome 1p might contain oncosuppressor genes involved in the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma and other adult tumors. The isolation of these genes by the 'positional cloning' approach will be facilitated by the characterization of cell lines with well defined chromosomal aberrations. In the present report we provide molecular data on the NGP neuroblastoma cell line which contains a reciprocal t(1;15) translocation. Two regions, possibly hosting oncosuppressor genes, have been identified: one is distal to the ENO1 locus, the other one is comprised between PND and A12M2 and corresponds to that of a constitutional t(1;17) translocation described in a neuroblastoma patient. Genetic data also suggest that the NGP cell line, despite the presence of two chromosomes 1, might be hemizygous for the subtelomeric 1p region.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effect of taurohyodeoxycholic acid on biliary lipid secretion in man: preliminary report.

Taurohyodeoxycholic acid and tauroursodeoxycholic acid were infused intraduodenally at a rate of 0.8 g/h for three hours in 3 cholecystectomized T-tube patients. Biliary lipid secretion and bile acid composition were evaluated before and after replacement of the endogenous bile acid pool with the two bile acids. As compared to basal values (2.78 +/- 1.67 mM/l), taurohyodeoxycholic acid induced a greater increase in the biliary concentration of phospholipids (4.12 +/- 1.23 mM/l) as compared to tauroursodeoxycholic acid (3.14 +/- 0.98 mM/l). Biliary cholesterol concentration after taurohyodeoxycholic acid (1.89 +/- 0.63 mM/l) was unchanged as compared to the pretreatment period (1.98 +/- 0.58 mM/l), while it decreased significantly after tauroursodeoxycholic acid (0.85 +/- 0.08 mM/I). Biliary cholesterol secreted per unit of bile acid was greater during taurohyodeoxycholic acid than during tauroursodeoxycholic acid, while the opposite was observed for the secretion of phospholipids.

Bile↗
PubMed1996

[A rare case of primary abdominal actinomycosis].

The authors describe a case of primary abdominal actinomycosis operated on because of peritonitis sustained by a tubo-ovarian abscess. They discuss the pathogenesis of the case: the patient had been on intrauterine device contraception till two months earlier and had been operated on for breast cancer. Preoperative diagnosis is quite impossible and only the microscopic observation of the specimen can show the causative agent. Surgical options are reported, stressing the need for an adequate period of antimicrobial therapy.

Abscess↗
PubMed1996

[Prosthesis and emergency surgery of hernia].

Use of prostheses in emergency surgery is a controversial issue due to the risk of infection. We report our experience with a series of 31 strangled hernias treated in emergency situations with a polypropylene (n = 29) or a vinyl (n = 2) sheath placed in a pre-peritoneal or retro-muscular position. There were three small bowel resections and 13 resections of the omentum for necrosis. There were no cases of infectious complications during the post-operative period. There were no recurrent hernias during the follow-up. The absence of any supplementary morbidity after emergency prosthesis is in agreement with the data in the literature. These results suggest that a prosthesis can be proposed for strangled hernias when the weakness of the parietal wall would compromise a conventional procedure. Excluded are cases with severe infection, including peritonitis by gangrenous perforation of an incarcerated loop and associated colonic resections.

Emergency Medicine↗
PubMed1995

Cytogenetic and molecular studies on the neuroblastoma cell line NGP: identification of a reciprocal t(1;15) involving the "consensus region" 1p36.1.

A reciprocal t(1;15)(p36.1-36.3;q25-26) has been identified in an established neuroblastoma cell line (NGP) that earlier studies had shown to carry, among others, a rearrangement at the 1p subtelomeric region. Though it has not been possible to establish whether this translocation was constitutional, it is of interest to note that one of the breakpoints is located within the well-known 1p consensus site of tumor-associated chromosomal rearrangements where, as a result of the reciprocal translocation, the FES oncogene has been transferred from autosome 15. It is to be expected that the molecular cloning of the 1p and 15q translocation breakpoints may yield crucial data for understanding the association between specific chromosomal rearrangements and malignant tumor progression.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[Effect of menstrual cycle on the immune response to surgical stress].

The Authors have studied the effects of different surgical interventions on some factors of humoral and cell-mediated immuno-competence: 112 premenopausal women, operated on mainly for benign conditions, have been considered in order to evaluate the influence of various phases of menstrual cycle on surgical immunosuppression. Two schemes were used to stratify the study sample: in the first analysis, we have subdivided the patients in 59 cases in perimenstrual phase (0 through 6 and 21 through 36 days from last menstrual period, LMP) and 53 in periovulatory (7-20 days from LMP). The second stratification relied on the hormone-dependent phases determined by the putative time of ovulation 14 days after LMP: 51 cases in follicular phase and 61 cases in luteal phase have been considered. Immune parameters have been evaluated before surgery and the day after intervention. The first comparison stresses the worst outcome of immune parameters in patients operated on in the perimenstrual period (CD4, activated lymphocytes and C3 have significantly reduced post-operatively). The second part of the study shows no significant difference in the two groups as to such parametres.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Concurrent mapping of an adenovirus 5/SV40 integration site and the U1 snRNA cluster (RNU1) within 400 kb of the chromosome region 1p36.1.

Previous reports from our group suggested the preferential integration of the viral construct Ad5/SV40 at the short arm subtelomeric region of human chromosome 1. The present study narrows the region of viral integration to site 1p36.1 in a close cytogenetic overlap with the U1 snRNA gene cluster (RNU1) within a distance necessarily smaller than 400 kb as suggested by the size of the YAC in which the two markers were found to coexist. This finding supports the hypothesis that the chromosomal site in question may have a constitutional propensity to genetic recombination.

Adenoviruses, Human↗
PubMed1994

Subregional mapping of the human lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase gene (LCK) to 1p35-->p34.3 and its position relative to the 1p marker D1S57.

The LCK gene encodes a lymphocyte-specific member of the Src family of protein tyrosine kinases. This gene was previously assigned to human chromosome region 1p35-->p32 by isotopic in situ hybridization. We report here its more refined localization to bands 1p35-->p34.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization on R-banded metaphase chromosomes and its mapping relative to the reference marker pYNZ2 (D1S57).

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Analysis of a viral integration event in a CG-rich region at the 1p36 human chromosomal site.

The preinsertion site of an adenovirus-5/simian virus 40 recombinant construct (Ad5/SV40) has been cloned and sequenced. Our data suggest that viral integration has occurred in a genomic region which has been the target of multiple events of Alu element retropositions within a TAA minisatellite. Extensive homologies between the left viral end and the host cellular DNA were also observed. The compositional similarity between Adenoviridae and the region of viral integration is consistent with the observed insertion of exogenous DNA in isochores of similar composition [G. Bernardi, Annu. Rev. Genet. 23 (1989) 637-661].

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Molecular Probe Data Base: a database on synthetic oligonucleotides.

The Molecular Probe Data Base (MPDB) was designed to collect and make information on synthetic oligonucleotides available on-line. This paper briefly describes its purpose, contents and structure, forms and mode of data distribution. Particular emphasis is given to recent data extension and system enhancements that have been carried out in order to simplify access to MPDB for unskilled users.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[Integrated diagnostic imaging in the study of tumors of the periskeletal soft tissues].

Integrated diagnostic imaging is nowadays an extremely valuable tool in the study of periskeletal soft tissue tumors, relative to their diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. In the past, difficulties arose from the complex embryogenetic factors causing the tumors, from the different growth patterns and courses of the lesions themselves, and finally from poor development of technology specifically designed to study the soft tissues. Today, such new imaging methods as CT and MRI exhibit special features allowing the accurate study of the soft tissues and their conditions. The basic method to investigate the relationship of soft tissues to skeleton is still conventional radiology--or xeroradiography--with the soft-ray technique. However, its limitations are well known. US, with the appropriate probes and the correct technique, with comparative and dynamic studies, yields precise information, especially relative to benign tumors. CT allows not only lesion but also tumor staging, together with the study of adjacent structures; moreover, CT angiography provides accurate information as to tumor vascularization. The role of MRI, though still debated, looks extremely promising. Finally, as for angiography, the method has been replaced by newer technologies and thus limited to preoperative vascular mapping.

Angiography↗
PubMed1993

[Decubitus calcifications of the soft tissues. Comparison between radiology and echography].

In the past, several obstacles hindered the study of decubitus calcifications in soft tissues--i.e., poor prognosis, difficult patients investigation due to their poor health and, finally, unsufficient information yielded by conventional radiology. However, special radiographic techniques and US (with 7.5 MHz probes) allowed satisfactory results to be obtained. US permits the more accurate definition of the site of calcifications, better demonstration of the calcifications with poor calcium content and optimal depiction of structural changes of the muscular bundles following denervation or edema and of skin trophism changes. US limitations, besides those strictly related to the method itself, are: gross calcifications with large posterior shadowing not allowing the deep layers to be investigated, the need of an extremely qualified operator and of a detailed description and, finally, the fact that the exam is long, difficult and stressful to the operator and painful to the patient. In conclusion, US provides both the surgeon and the clinician with useful information and can thus be employed as a routine test, with the additional advantage of not employing ionizing radiations.

Calcinosis↗
PubMed1992

Molecular Probe Database: a database on synthetic oligonucleotides.

The Molecular Probe Data Base (MPDB) is designed to collect and make available on-line information on synthetic oligonucleotides. This paper briefly describes the purpose of MPDB, its content and structure, forms and mode of data distribution, and a series of additional services available to scientists using MPDB.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Chromatin structure, DNA methylation, and gene expression at sites of viral integration in human fibroblasts. Implications for chromosomal fragility.

We analyzed the structural and functional properties of a chromosomal region in which a recombinant hybrid virus adenovirus 5/SV40 preferentially integrates. Our results demonstrated that the structure of the cellular targets for DNA and RNA viruses is very similar and that the cellular sequence flanking the integrated virus possesses, simultaneously, all the features postulated to be the molecular basis for chromosomal fragility.

Adenoviridae↗