Biomedical subjects

M Rosselli

Publications and source records attributed to M Rosselli.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Effects of nitric oxide on human spermatozoa: evidence that nitric oxide decreases sperm motility and induces sperm toxicity.

Endogenous nitric oxide (NO) is an important functional mediator in several physiological systems, including the reproductive system. However, when generated in excessive amounts for long periods, mainly during immunological reactions, NO is cytotoxic and cytostatic for invading microbes, as well as for the cells generating it and the tissues present around it. Since infertility associated with urogenital tract infection in males and females is also accompanied by reduced sperm motility and viability, it is possible that reduced fertility in these patients is due to NO-induced sperm toxicity. We therefore evaluated the direct effects of NO, chemically derived from S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP, 0.012-0.6 mM) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 0.25-2.5 mM), on the motility and viability of human spermatozoa. Furthermore, we tested whether inhibition of NO synthesis prevents sperm motility and viability by incubating washed total cells present in the semen (spermatozoa, round cells) with N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME), a NO synthesis inhibitor. Treatment of purified spermatozoa with SNAP or SNP decreased forward progressive sperm motility and straight line velocity, and also increased the percentage of immotile spermatozoa in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the percentage of immotile spermatozoa positively correlated with the percentage of dead spermatozoa. In contrast to freshly prepared SNAP, SNAP preincubated for 48 h had no effect on the motility and viability of the spermatozoa. Furthermore, as compared to untreated controls, a significantly higher percentage of forward progressive sperm motility as well as viability (P < 0.05) was maintained in washed semen incubated with L-NAME (0.15 mM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arginine↗

PubMed1995

Circulating nitric oxide (nitrite/nitrate) levels in postmenopausal women substituted with 17 beta-estradiol and norethisterone acetate. A two-year follow-up study.

Postmenopausal women (PMW) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease that is attenuated by hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Inasmuch as hypertension and atherosclerosis are associated with diminished endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO), we investigated whether HRT augments NO release in PMW. We determined serum levels of nitrite/nitrate (NO2 + NO3) at baseline and during the 6th, 12th, and 24th months of the study in two groups of PMW. One group (HRT-PMW, n = 13) received continuous transdermal administration of 17 beta-estradiol (Estraderm-TTS-50) supplemented with oral norethisterone acetate (NETA) on days 1 through 12 of each month, and the other group (control PMW, n = 13) did not receive HRT. Blood samples in the HRT-PMW group were collected without regard to whether subjects were taking NETA at the time of blood sampling. Serum NO2 + NO3 levels increased in HRT-PMW for the duration of the study, whereas serum NO2 + NO3 levels remained unchanged in control PMW. When all samples regardless of timing of collection with respect to NETA treatment were included in the statistical analysis, the change in NO2 + NO3 levels in HRT-PMW was significantly greater compared with the change in control PMW (P = .037). Likewise, when only those samples collected when estradiol-treated subjects were not taking oral NETA were included in the statistical analysis, the change in NO2 + NO3 levels in the HRT-PMW group remained significant (P = .047) compared with control PMW.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Drug Therapy, Combination↗

PubMed1995

[Epidemiology and pathogenesis of Crohn's disease].

The onset of Crohn's disease (CD) is more frequent between 15 and 30 years and also has a second peak over 60 years. It female sex it is slightly more prevalent among female. Incidence rates vary in different geographic areas, ranging from 2 to 4 new cases/100,000 inhabitants/year. Prevalence data range from 1.2 to 200,000/100,000. Ethnic differences are beginning to disappear, underlining the role of environmental factors in the genesis of the disease. At the moment the most reliable hypothesis is that CD has a multifactorial pathogenesis: antigenic and environmental factors acting in genetically predisposed patients. According to this hypothesis, first degree relatives of CD patients have a relative risk of disease ranging from 2 to 4. Many infective agents have been associated with its onset and relapse; the most reliable observations are those related to the measles virus. There is an activation of the immunosystem which is shown by abnormal T-cell activation, by the increase of some cytokines and by the expression of adhesion molecules. The role of oral contraceptives and diet as risk factors is controversial. Smoking is the only risk factor positively associated with the onset of CD and its clinical course; this association is specific and dose-related.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed1994

Circulating nitrite/nitrate levels increase with follicular development: indirect evidence for estradiol mediated NO release.

Ovarian dysfunction as well as impaired release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) is associated with increased incidence of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Estrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women has a cardioprotective effect. Hence, using follicular development (FD) phase of the menstrual cycle of normal women (n = 7) and of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (n = 16), we tested whether ovarian/sex hormones modulate NO-release. Levels of nitrite/nitrate (stable metabolites of NO), 17 beta-estradiol (E), progesterone (P), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in serum collected during FD-phase. Serum nitrite/nitrate levels increased (p < .01) with the normal, as well as hormonally-induced FD and correlated with increases in serum E levels (r2 = 0.67; p < .01), but not with P, FSH and LH (p > .05). Post-ovulatory increase in P and LH levels decreased serum nitrite/nitrate levels (p < .05), even in presence of high E levels. In conclusion, nitrite/nitrate increase with follicular development, an effect that is potentially mediated by E induced NO release.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Endogenous nitric oxide modulates endothelin-1 induced contraction of bovine oviduct.

We recently reported that oviduct epithelial cells in culture produce endothelin (ET) and postulated that ET could play an important role in the contraction of the oviduct. In the present study using an organ chamber myograph system, we evaluated the contractile effects of ET-1 on bovine oviduct ampullary-isthmus segments. Additionally, the possibility whether the basal release/synthesis of nitric-oxide (N(O)) and/or prostacyclin modulates the contractile effect of ET-1 was investigated. ET-1 (10(-10) to 10(-7) M) contracted oviduct rings in a concentration dependent manner (P < 0.05). ET-1 (10(-7) M) induced contractions were significantly enhanced in presence of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (10(-4) M), but remained unaltered in the presence of indomethacin (10(-5) M), an inhibitor for prostacyclin synthesis. In conclusion, ET-1 induced contraction of the oviduct is reduced/modulated by endogenous basal release/synthesis of N(O).

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1994

Averbia as a selective naming disorder: a single case report.

After a moderate head injury a 33-year-old woman presented a selective defect in finding verbs and name actions. Objects, colors, body parts, and qualities were named in a normal way. No other associated aphasic defects were observed. It was proposed that the selection and use of verbs in their correct forms implies two different aspects, which eventually can become dissociated: (1) the ability to retrieve the lexical item (the action name); and (2) the ability to use the correct affixation, that is, to select the morphological form according to the current context. Only the second would be associated with agrammatism. Defects in the first aspect (selection of the lexical item) would represent a particular form of anomia, a category-specific anomia, or anomia for verbs (averbia). Our patient illustrated this particular type of category-specific naming disorder.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Neurotoxicity of antitumoral IL-2 therapy: evoked cognitive potentials and brain mapping.

Antitumoral interleukin-2 (IL-2) therapy is frequently associated with a neurotoxicity that manifests itself in neuropsychiatric disturbances and, more rarely, with neurological focal signs. With the aim of documenting the involvement of cognitive functions after IL-2 treatment, we studied 20 patients using evoked cognitive potentials (P300) and computer analysis of the EEG signal. A comparison of the tests performed before and after the subcutaneous infusion of IL-2 showed a significant lengthening in mean P300 latencies and a percentage increase in the EEG frequencies contained with the delta and theta bands, especially in the frontal regions.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Smoking habits and recurrence in Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Smoking may be a risk factor for surgical recurrence of Crohn's disease. However, other variables associated with recurrence could be confounding factors for smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of smoking as an independent predictor of clinical, surgical, and endoscopic recurrence. METHODS: In a series of 182 patients who underwent surgery for Crohn's disease, a multivariate analysis was performed that included all of the significant variables associated with recurrence: sex, age at diagnosis, time between onset of symptoms and surgery, site of disease, indication for surgery, extent of disease, extraintestinal manifestation, and smoking habit. RESULTS: Independent predictors of clinical recurrence by the Cox proportional hazard model were smoking (hazard ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.8), extraintestinal manifestations (hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.0-2.5), and extent of disease (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.0-2.4). Smoking was the only significant predictor of surgical recurrence (hazard ratio, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.2-2.3). For endoscopic recurrence, logistic regression showed that smoking (odds ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.8) and extent of disease (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-6.7) were predictive factors of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking is an independent risk factor for clinical, surgical, and endoscopic recurrence in Crohn's disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Developmental regulation of Sertoli cell lactate production by hormones and the testicular paracrine factor, PModS.

Testicular peritubular cells produce a paracrine factor termed PModS that mediates mesenchymal-epithelial interactions and modulates Sertoli cell functions essential for the process of spermatogenesis. Sertoli cells produce lactate as a preferred energy metabolite for developing spermatogenic cells. The current study was designed to examine the actions of PModS and hormones on Sertoli cell lactate production at various stages of pubertal development. Sertoli cells were isolated from pre-pubertal (10 day), mid-pubertal (20 day) and late pubertal (35 day) rat testes. Lactate accumulation in the conditioned-medium of cultured Sertoli cells was measured. Basal lactate production increased approximately fivefold during pubertal Sertoli cell development. Therefore, lactate production increases as the Sertoli cell differentiates during pubertal development. The ability of regulatory agents such as FSH or a combination of FSH, insulin, retinol and testosterone (FIRT) to stimulate lactate production decreased during pubertal development as Sertoli cell differentiation increased. Purified PModS stimulated lactate production in Sertoli cell preparations throughout pubertal development. PModS had a greater effect than FSH in stimulating late pubertal Sertoli cell lactate production. PModS in combination with FIRT resulted in an additive stimulation of lactate production suggesting a distinct mechanism of action for PModS. Observations support the proposal that the locally produced paracrine factor PModS mediates mesenchymal-epithelial cell interactions during pubertal development and that these interactions promote Sertoli cell differentiated functions (i.e. lactate production) required for the developing spermatogenic cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Biochemotherapy with thymosin alpha 1, interleukin-2 and dacarbazine in patients with metastatic melanoma: clinical and immunological effects.

BACKGROUND: DTIC and interleukin-2 (IL-2), as single agents, have a limited anti-tumor activity in patients with metastatic melanoma. Experimentally, thymosin alpha 1 (TA1) may modulate the action of IL-2. We investigated the clinical and immunological effects of a combination with these three agents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with measurable metastatic melanoma were treated with DTIC 850 mg IV on day 1, TA1 2 mg s.c. on days 4 to 7, and IL-2 18 MU/m2/d by continuous intravenous infusion on days 8 to 12. Cycles were repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: Objective responses were obtained in 15 (36%) of 42 evaluable patients (CI at 95%: 22%-50%). Two patients experienced complete responses, and stable disease was observed in five. The median time to progression was 5.5 months and median survival was 11 months. Side effects were predominantly caused by IL-2. Treatment was tolerated reasonably well, and there was no overlapping toxicity or interference between chemotherapy and biotherapy. Baseline sCD4 levels seem to correlate to tumor burden. Patients benefiting from treatment had lower sCD4 and higher sCD8 than did progressing patients. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of DTIC + TA1 + IL-2 is active in the treatment of advanced melanoma, with acceptable toxicity. However, even more active regimens are needed, and the interactions between thymic hormones and cytokines should be further explored.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Endothelin production by bovine oviduct epithelial cells.

The production of immunoreactive-endothelin by bovine oviduct epithelial cells in culture was studied. The minimum amount of endothelin detected in the supernatant of cultured bovine oviduct epithelial cells after 6 h of incubation was 97.3 +/- 10 pg endothelin mg-1 protein and the amounts increased significantly (P < 0.01) with time of incubation. Pretreatment of bovine oviduct epithelial cells with the calcium ionophore A23187 increased the production of endothelin (P < 0.05). These results provide the first evidence that bovine oviduct epithelial cells produce endothelin and, therefore, may be locally involved in the muscular oviduct wall contractility and play an important role in the transport of gametes and embryos.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Spatial alexia.

Twenty-one patients with right hemisphere damage were studied (11 men, 10 women; average age = 41.33; range = 19-65). Patients were divided in two groups: pre-Rolandic (six patients) and retro-Rolandic (15 patients) right hemisphere damage. A special reading test was given to each patient. The observed errors included: literal errors (substitutions, additions, and omissions of letters), substitutions of syllables and pseudowords for meaningful words, left hemispatial neglect, confabulation, splitting of words, verbal errors (substitutions, additions, and omission of words), grouping of letters belonging to two different words, misuse of punctuation marks, and errors in following lines. It was proposed that spatial alexia is characterized by: (1) some difficulties in the recognition of the spatial orientation in letters; (2) left hemispatial neglect; (3) tendency to "complete" the sense of words and sentences; (4) inability to follow lines when reading texts, and sequentially explore the spatial distribution of the written material; and (5) grouping and fragmentation of words, most likely as a consequence of the inability to interpret the relative value of spaces between letters correctly.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Spatial acalculia.

Twenty-one patients with right hemisphere damage were studied (11 men, 10 women; average age = 41.33; range 19-65). Patients were divided into two groups: pre-Rolandic (six patients) and retro-Rolandic (15 patients) right hemisphere damage. A special calculation test was given. Different types of calculation errors were analyzed. Spatial alexia and agraphia for numbers, loss of calculation automatisms, reasoning errors, and general spatial defects interfering with normal number writing and reading, were observed. Number processing was impaired, whereas the calculation system was partially preserved. Fact retrieval and procedural difficulties were observed, but arithmetical rules were properly used. It is concluded that calculation abilities in right hemisphere damaged patients are disrupted as a result of: (1) visuospatial defects that interfere with the spatial arrangement of numbers and the mechanical aspects of mathematical operations: (2) inability to recall mathematical facts and appropriately to use them; and (3) inability to normally conceptualize quantities and process numbers.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

[Micro-insemination--a novel treatment method for sterility in severe male subfertility].

Microinsemination is a new method of treating sterility. It improves the chance of fertilization in cases of severe male subfertility and of unexplained infertility. Fertilization is assisted by opening the zona pellucida with a microneedle (PZD), by introducing a small number of sperms with a micropipette into the perivitelline space (SUZI) or by direct insertion of a spermatozoon into the ooplasm (ICSI). We report on the first delivery achieved by microinsemination (SUZI) at the University Hospital Zurich and, as far as we know, in Switzerland.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Spatial agraphia.

Twenty-one patients with right hemisphere damage were studied (11 men, 10 women; average age = 41.33; age range 19-65). Subjects were divided into two groups: pre-Rolandic (6) and retro-Rolandic (15) right hemisphere damaged patients. A special writing test was given to each patient. The writing errors observed included literal substitutions, feature omissions and additions, letter omissions and additions, inability to maintain horizontal writing, inappropriate grouping and fragmentation of elements, and changes in handwriting style. Associated disorders included left-hemiparesis, visual field defects, spatial hemi-neglect, constructional apraxia, spatial alexia, and spatial acalculia. It is proposed that spatial agraphia is related to: (1) left hemi-neglect, (2) constructional deficits, (3) general spatial defects, and (4) some motor disautomatization and tendency to perseverate. In cases of right frontal damage, motor-associated deficits (iterations of features and letters) predominated, whereas in cases of posterior right hemisphere damage, spatial defects (inappropriate distribution of written material in the space, grouping of letters belonging to different words, and splitting of words) were more evident. Writing impairments are in general more noticeable in cases of retro-Rolandic damage.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Language deviations in aphasia: a frequency analysis.

Thirty right-handed left hemisphere-damaged patients were taken and divided into five groups (transcortical motor, Broca, conduction, Wernicke, and anomic aphasia). Language deviations were scored and analyzed for the Picture Description (Plate No. 1, The Cookie Theft), Repetition (Words, High and Low Probability Sentences), and Naming (Responsive Naming, Confrontation, and Body-part naming) subtests of the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination--Spanish version (Goodglass & Kaplan, 1979). A classification of paraphasias is proposed. Language deviations were scores for the following groups: Literal paraphasias (phoneme omissions, additions, displacements, and substitutions), verbal paraphasias (formal, morphologic, semantic, and unrelated), syntagmatic paraphasias, circumlocutions (object description and instrumental function), indefinite anaphors, and neologisms. Frequency of different types of language deviations is presented in the five aphasia groups. It was found that some paraphasic errors appeared in several aphasia groups; others were characteristics of specific aphasic syndromes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Chromosomal constitution of mouse blastocysts derived from oocytes inseminated by multiple sperm insertion into the perivitelline space.

PURPOSE: Our purpose was to evaluate the rate of chromosomal aberrations in mouse blastocysts obtained after microinjection of multiple spermatozoa under the zona pellucida of mature oocytes. Without detecting the appearance of pronuclei, the microinjected mouse oocytes containing two polar bodies were cultivated to the blastocyst stage and then analyzed cytogenetically. RESULTS: A chromosome study was carried out in a total of 109 blastocysts derived after microinjection of motile spermatozoa into the perivitelline space. Fifty-five blastocysts (50.5%) exhibited normal diploid chromosome complements, 30 (27.5%) showed different forms of mosaicism, and 24 (22%) exhibited haploidy caused by parthenogenetic activation. Compared to in vivo and in vitro control groups there was a significant increase in the parthenogenesis and mosaic forms of embryos produced by micromanipulation (P < 0.001). A total of 360 well-spread metaphases of 103 blastocysts was analyzed to determine whether the micromanipulation procedure increased the chance of aneuploidy. Aneuploid numbers of chromosomes were absent in all the metaphases analyzed. CONCLUSION: Mosaicism and parthenogenesis appear to be increased significantly following microinjection of multiple spermatozoa under the zona pellucida of mouse oocytes, and there was no evidence of aneuploidy.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

[In-vitro fertilization--progress in a method of sterility treatment].

UNLABELLED: The first IVF-baby (in-vitro fertilization) was born in England in 1978 and was greeted enthusiastically. But, despite the enormous effort invested, pregnancy rates were disappointingly low. Although in recent years the clinical pregnancy rate has increased worldwide to 15-20% per retrieval, a vast number of people remained unaware of this improvement. To demonstrate and analyze the progress of IVF we evaluated all 196 IVF treatments effected from 1988-1991 at Zürich University Hospital. With an initial clinical pregnancy rate of only 6% per retrieval in 1988, the rate improved to 35% (p < 0.025) in 1991. The crucial factors relating to this improvement were the 1990 introduction of the programmed short-term protocol for ovarian stimulation and reevaluation of the previously used embryo freezing technique. CONCLUSION: After a difficult start, IVF has become, if accurately indicated, a method of sterility treatment with a realistic pregnancy and delivery prospect.

Antibodies↗