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Biomedical subjects

M Spina

Publications and source records attributed to M Spina.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Effect of lithium carbonate on monocyte to macrophage maturation in cancer patients.

A decrease in the maturation process of monocytes into macrophage is observed in cancer patients. In this study the Authors examined: the maturation pattern of monocytes into macrophages in 14 patients of both sexes, between 45 and 70 years of age, with solid tumours of the lung, breast and gastrointestinal tract, without any infection; the variations induced on the maturation pattern as results of the administration of lithium carbonate. The results (evaluated statistically) show that in all patients there was a significant increase of monocytes-macrophages maturation from basal values, after 14 days of lithium carbonate treatment. Moreover, we also observed that 14 days after withdrawing of lithium carbonate, the values of monocytes-macrophages maturation return to their basal ones. The increase, as percentage of mean basal values, is higher in patients having low basal values of maturation.

Aged↗
PubMed1975

Osteopetrosis fetalis. Report on a case, with special reference to ultrastructure.

The clinical and pathological findings concerning the skeletal abnormalities in a case of osteopetrosis fetalis have been reported. The principal data can be summarized as follows. The areas of endochondral ossification have a rickety appearance because of excessive number of hypertrophic and degenerate chondrocytes. These cells are highly vacuolated and the vacuoles, which are of mitochondrial origin, contain beaded filaments which are exocytosed and become part of the matrix. The calcification process is delayed, probably in consequence of a reduced number of matrix vesicles. Abnormal collagen fibrils are sometimes present in the cartilage. The osteoclasts have a very low reabsorbing activity and appear structurally abnormal. The combined effect of all these abnormalities leads to excessive development of osteocartilaginous trabeculae in marrow spaces. These trabeculae have a Ca/P ratio of 1.79 and their mineral substance appears qualitatively normal under the electron microscope.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1975

The application of collagenase, purified by affintiy chromatography, to the isolation of insoluble elastin from bovine aorta.

Clostridium histolyticum collagenase (clostridiopeptidase A, EC 3.4.4.16), purified by affinity chromatography, was applied to the isolation of insoluble elastin from bovine aorta. The extremely low level of N-terminal residues (1.6 mol per 10(6) g of protein) present in this preparation indicated the almost complete lack of hydrolytic damage caused by the isolation procedure. The amino acid profile of the aortic elastin was found to be almost identical to that of insoluble elastin prepared from bovine ligamentum nuchae by the same method.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1975

Application of affinity chromatography to the purification of collagenase for the isolation of insoluble elastin.

ClostrIdium histolyticum collagenase (clostridiopeptidase A, EC 3.4.4.19) was purified by batchwise separation with DEAE-cellulose followed by affinity chromatography on a column of alkali-treated elastin. The N-terminal amino acid profile of elastin isolated from bovine ligamentum nuchae using this enzyme preparation was compared with that of a duplicate sample purified with a mixture of collagenase I and II (Yoshida, E, and Noda, H. (1965) Biochim. Biopsys. Acta 105, 562-574). An approx. three-fold decrease in the molar concentration of N-terminal residues and a considerable reduction in their number was obtained by using the former enzyme preparation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical significance of positive direct antiglobulin test in patients with HIV infection.

A direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was performed in 70 patients with anti-HIV antibodies (group A: seropositive patients without or with minimal disease and group B: AIDS patients with or without malignancies). A positive DAT was found in 24 of 70 patients (34%, significantly higher compared to 0.1% in healthy controls) and a higher prevalence of positive DAT was observed in group B than in group A patients (55% versus 21% p < 0.01). When comparing DAT-positive and negative patients within the same clinical group, no significant difference is seen in haemoglobin levels. There is no difference in serum bilirubin, haptoglobin or reticulocyte count between DAT-positive and negative patients altogether or in the same clinical group. AZT therapy seems to exert no significant influence on the onset of a positive DAT. The results confirm a high prevalence of positive DAT in patients with HIV antibodies, mainly in worse clinical conditions, and suggest that a positive DAT might be a prognostic factor in the clinical course of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Age-related chemical changes in human elastins from non-atherosclerotic areas of thoracic aorta.

Elastins from normal appearing areas of human thoracic aortae with varying degrees of mineralization were taken from subjects of different ages and purified by autoclaving their amino acid compositon, Ca and P contents and N terminal profiles were determined before and after EDTA decalcification. (1) Decrease in desmosine concentration with increasing age was accounted for by dilution of the elastin by autoclave-resistant polar glycoproteins. (2) The appearance and growth of a mineral phase with a Ca/P molar ratio typical of apatites was accompanied by an increased association of polar contaminants with elastin. (3) After 24 h EDTA treatment, small and constant amounts of Ca were still apparent although P was absent, in elastins from all age groups. (4) The undialyzable fraction of the material solubilised by EDTA consisted mainly of elastin fragments, glycoproteins and Ca. (5) All the elastin samples showed the same type of N-terminal amino acids. In low and medium mineralized samples the concentration of amino end-groups was slightly increased, while in highly mineralized elastin the content of N-terminal residues was three times greater than in normal young elastin. Extraction with EDTA reduced the amount of end-groups to a normal level. It is suggested that in the initial stages of elastin fibre mineralization, an increased amount of autoclave-resistant glycoproteins becomes associated with elastin; and that with ageing, degradative changes involving peptide-bond cleavage may occur. However, evidence of degradation is found only in old and highly mineralized elastin samples.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Copper retention, calcium release and ultrastructural evidence indicate specific Cuprolinic Blue uptake and peculiar modifications in mineralizing aortic valves.

Previously, reactions with copper phthalocyanines at 0.05 M critical electrolyte concentration were found to cause demineralization in calcifying porcine aortic valves after subdermal implantation in rat, as well as simultaneous visualization of peculiar phthalocyanine-positive layers around cells and cell-derived matrix vesicles. In the present investigation, an appraisal was made of the mechanism and specificity of reactions with Cuprolinic Blue by comparing quantitatively calcium release and copper retention by calcified aortic valves reacted with this phthalocyanine under different critical electrolyte concentration conditions, and the corresponding ultrastructural patterns. It was found that (i) decalcifying properties are inversely proportional to salt molarity; (ii) reactivity to Cuprolinic Blue is critical electrolyte concentration-dependent, since the greatest copper retention occurred in 0.05 M critical electrolyte concentration Cuprolinic Blue-reacted samples, the only ones that also exhibited phthalocyanine-positive layers; (iii) the appearance of phthalocyanine-positive layers depends on Cuprolinic Blue uptake, revealing pericellular clustering of calcium-binding, anionic molecules; and (iv) minor Cuprolinic Blue uptake occurs by residual proteoglycans which still remain in the extracellular matrix after 6-week-long subdermal implantation. The present results indicate that this method is appropriate for the study of mineralized tissues and illustrate peculiar tissue modifications occurring at least in the experimental conditions used here.

Animals↗