Biomedical subjects

P Berti

Publications and source records attributed to P Berti.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1991

Measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity in serum with N-methyl-D-glucamine as a buffer: evaluation of the method for routine use.

Some aspects of the measurement of alkaline phosphatase activity concentration in human serum, using N-methyl-D-glucamine as a buffer, were evaluated with a view to the possible routine use of the method. The evaluated characteristics included: the temperature-dependence of the pH of the buffer; the effect of adding the magnesium/zinc ions buffer; the effect of the serum volume fraction; the substrate-starter versus the serum-starter mode; the effect of modifying the formulation of reagents; the within-run and the between laboratory imprecision; the correlation with an alternative routine method. Also, sex- and age-related reference values were produced, based on 2968 values from selected reference sample groups in 7 laboratories. In general, the results demonstrate the robustness of the method, its adaptability to a variety of mechanized analysers, and hence its feasibility as a routine measurement method.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

[In vitro activity of folic acid on the proliferation dynamics of human bone marrow CFU-GM in propyphenazone-induced granulocytopenia].

The in vitro action of folic acid was tested on the proliferation of bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells from a patient with drug-induced (propyphenazone) neutropenia in remission 20 days after the drug had been suspended. Various bone marrow cultures were prepared with standard stimulant, adding, respectively: folic acid, propyphenazone and both folic acid and propyphenazone together. Growth was tested on day 7, 12 and 19 of incubation. Under baseline culture with standard stimulant, CFU-GM growth was characterized by successive proliferation waves of various entity: the first on day 7 was very high, the second, on day 12 was rather low, and the third, on day 19 was intermediate. This behaviour is different from what is usually observed in normal subjects in steady-state, whose first (AC-A+AC-B) and second (AC-C) proliferation period are of similar entity. The prevalence of the first proliferation period in our case is interpreted as the result of a renewed granulocytopoietic activity after drug-induced bone marrow suppression. This indicates a maintained integrity of the negative-feedback mechanism of homeostatic regulation on granulocytopoietic activity. The sole addition of propyphenazone on the in vitro bone marrow cell cultures of our patient produced a reduction of those CFU-GM that had grown during the first period whereas the growth during the second and third period remained unvaried. Thus the growth peak in cultures treated with propyphenazone occurred on day 19, which seems to correspond with the necessary time for a spontaneous remission from neutropenia, clinically observed to be 20 days after suspension of the propyphenazone-containing drug.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Agranulocytosis↗

PubMed1991

[Activity of natural fatty acids on erythrocyte osmotic resistance].

The aim of the present study was to assess the influence on the functional characteristics of the erythrocyte membrane of adding in vitro different natural fatty acids to blood taken from normal subjects. Blood samples were collected without stasis from healthy volunteers, anticoagulated with heparin or EDTA and incubated at 37 degrees C for 60 min with the different fatty acids at concentrations ranging between 1 x 10(-4) and 3 x 10(-2) molar. Two ml of blood were used for each test. The treated blood was added to graded solutions of NaCl (0.90-0.20 g/dl) at a ratio of 100 microliters/5 ml of solution. The suspensions were kept at room temperature and centrifuged for 10 min at 2000 g, in order to accelerate the sedimentation of the erythrocytes which had not been broken down and so as to obtain a clear supernatant for spectrophotometry of the dissolved haemoglobin. Readings were compared with those obtained from blood samples which had been completely haemolyzed by suspension in distilled water. Results obtained with the blood samples prepared with the fatty acids were compared with control samples from the same donor, also incubated at 37 degrees C for 60 min. Preincubation of the erythrocyte with butyric or caproic or oleic acid at concentrations ranging between 5 and 20 millimolar, provoked a clear deterioration of the osmotic resistances of the erythrocytes, in proportion to the concentration of the fatty acid used. The osmotic insult was systematically more effective in those samples anticoagulated with EDTA than those treated with heparin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anticoagulants↗

PubMed1991

[Role of diaphanoscopy in breast diseases].

The diagnostic value of diaphanoscopy in a series of 200 cases of breast diseases, all confirmed by cytohistologic examination, is illustrated. Diaphanoscopy showed a high sensitivity towards haemorrhagic cysts, early age fibroadenomas, adenosic dysplasia, haematomas as well as carcinomas.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

[Focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver associated with cardial achalasia, situs viscerum inversus and gastric mucosal ectopia in the duodenum].

The authors describe the clinical case of a young woman with a focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver associated with achalasia of the cardia, situs inversus totalis and ectopy of gastric mucosa in duodenum, and discuss the etiopathogenic aspects of the hepatic lesion. The frequent association of the FNH with various malformations, as the literature and this case-report relate, seems to confirm the hypothesis of a dysgenetic hamartomatous origin. Therefore any liver single mass in a patient with a malformative syndrome must rouse the suspicion of a FNH.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Neck masses in childhood. Surgical experience in 154 cases].

Neck masses of children often constitute a complex problem of diagnosis and treatment. Despite the currently available diagnostic techniques, excisional biopsy still remains the procedure of first choice in a high percentage of cases to obtain a definitive diagnosis. In the present research, we analyze the problems of differential diagnosis and surgical treatment of neck masses in children, on the basis of 154 cases recruited in 20 years (at the Dept. of Surgery of the University of Pisa). Specific and unspecific lymphadenitis were observed in 26 (16.9%: and 18 cases 18 cases (11.7%), respectively. Hodgkins' lymphoma was present in 12 patients (7.8%). Thyroid disorders were diagnosed in 48 cases; 31 (20.1%) of these were benign, and 17 (11.1%) were malignant. Thirty-nine children showed congenital anomalies: 26 (16.9%) suffered from cysts of the thyroglossal duct, 10 (6.5%) from branchial abnormalities, and 3 (1.9%) from cystic lymphangioma. Two dermoid cysts (1.3%) and 2 parotid gland mixed tumours (1.3%) were also observed. The deep knowledge of embryology and anatomy of the neck, a careful clinic examination, an echography, as well as a fine needle-aspiration, seem thus essential to achieve the correct diagnosis and treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Sinus bradycardia in chronic neuroglycopenic syndrome. A case of "short intestine" syndrome].

The clinical pattern of the chronic hypoglycemic disorders is different from that of the acute disorders. While in acute hypoglycemic syndromes tachycardia usually occurs, in chronic hypoglycemic disorders there is, even if seldom, sinusal bradycardia. The bradycardia occurs after months with glycemia under 60 mg/dl and may be correlated to the neuroglycopenic state. It is easily reversible when plasma glucose concentration approaches the normal range again. Recently we observed sinusal bradycardia set up during the chronic hypoglycemia state, lasting from more than 5 months, in a man submitted to subtotal intestinal resection, owing to wide extensive eosinophilic granuloma. The bradycardia disappeared quickly after the correction of the hypoglycemia, when the patient was submitted to parenteral hyperalimentation with a silicone rubber catheter in the superior vena cava. We suggest to set the bradycardia among the markers of undernutritional syndromes beside the known anthropometric, biochemical and immunological signs.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

Growth of bone marrow CFU-GM in a case of cyclical neutropenia. Preliminary report.

We studied bone marrow CFU-GM growth behaviour of a 9-year-old male child with cyclic neutropenia. The cultures were performed on day 0 and on day 13 of cyclic oscillation, in order to study some correspondences between CFU-GM culture parameters and the phases of a whole cyclic oscillation "in vivo". We explored the CFU-GM growth under three different conditions of GM-CSA production: a) standard source of CSA; b) endogenous GM-CSA assay; c) GM-CSA-gamma-globulin assay. At both observation times the endogenous GM-CSA assay produced more aggregates than the baseline culture. The GM-CSA-gamma-globulin assay partly corrected the growth increase, produced by endogenous assay. At time 0, at the nadir of peripheral blood neutrophils, there was a balance between the number of aggregates, appeared early in culture and early degenerated, and those appeared late. From progenitor cells culture performed on day 13 of cycle, a week before the zenith of neutrophils in vivo, we obtained an increase in aggregates, which appeared late. The values of CFU-GM grown from the culture performed on day 13 reached higher levels than the ones performed on day 0. The CFU-GM growth behaviour shows that in our case with cyclic neutropenia there is no defect in progenitor cells, while on the contrary there is an increase in CSA production.

Agranulocytosis↗

PubMed1988

Coordinated amino acid changes in homologous protein families.

In the tobamovirus coat protein family, amino acid residues at some spatially close positions are found to be substituted in a coordinated manner [Altschuh et al. (1987) J. Mol. Biol., 193, 693]. Therefore, these positions show an identical pattern of amino acid substitutions when amino acid sequences of these homologous proteins are aligned. Based on this principle, coordinated substitutions have been searched for in three additional protein families: serine proteases, cysteine proteases and the haemoglobins. Coordinated changes have been found in all three protein families mostly within structurally constrained regions. This method works with a varying degree of success depending on the function of the proteins, the range of sequence similarities and the number of sequences considered. By relaxing the criteria for residue selection, the method was adapted to cover a broader range of protein families and to study regions of the proteins having weaker structural constraints. The information derived by these methods provides a general guide for engineering of a large variety of proteins to analyse structure-function relationships.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1985

[Changes in carcinoembryonic antigen and tissue polypeptide antigen in monitoring the post-operative course of some tumor types].

The authors tested TPA in association with CEA in colon rectal, breast and stomach cancer. The results proved the reliability of TPA in these neoplasms and the correct use of TPA in association with CEA test in monitoring breast cancer. It's use proved to be typical screening test both for the high percentage of true positive and the lack of false negative.

Aged↗

PubMed1984

[Association of ferritin with the CEA test in post-operative monitoring of colo-rectal, breast and stomach carcinomas].

On the basis of more than 3,000 tests carried out on 1,561 patients suffering from suspected or certain malignant tumours, the authors established the necessity of CEA test in post-operative follow-ups, according to the plentiful literature regarding this matter. New tumoral markers led the authors to verify if it was useful to associate the ferritin to CEA test. From the results and the statistical data, they concluded that it was useful to associate the two markers only in negative CEA test when confronted with clinical suspected metastatic diffusion.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1982

[Observations and significance of extrasystole in very young athletes].

80 very young football players (from 8 to 12) have been examined for three months by some clinical and instrumental cardiologic tests (starting E.C.G. and after graduated stresses on a football court). The starting E.C.G. showed variable extresystolic arrhythmias in 8 subjects, without any sure signs of a cardiopathy, to point out by deeper tests (such as polygraphic, echocardiographic test and rx heart teleradiography). The above-mentioned arrhythmias felt the effects of training variably, since they regressed in 6 cases, however two subjects needed a pharmacological intervention. They are still talking over the meaning to give to extrasystolic arrhythmias in very young people in evaluation of attitude to agonism and in programming training.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1982

[Initial observations in a cardiovascular poly-instrumental study of a homogeneous sample of young football players].

A group of 20 football players (from 12 to 15 aged) has been taken for a boodless test of cardiology (such as polygraphic and echocardiographic test) at the beginning of a longitudinal study in order to give the exact meaning, as much as possible, to the fitness for an agonistic training. One of the subjects examined was not for that test because of his cardiomegaly, another one had an anomalous mitral valve, in both the subjects the clinic and instrumental side resulted within normal ranges only if searched by E.C.G. About the other athletes the starting parameters will be controlled again, after they will have been in that football team for 1-2 years more. The authors think the point that came out is very important and they hope everybody to execute those studies either to avoid some cardiopathies pass unnoticed to routine tests or to value the effects of training of heart sizes and performances.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1981

[Diagnostic significance of assaying glycoproteins, immunoglobulins, complement fractions and carcinoembryonic antigen in pleural and peritoneal exudates and transudates].

The Authors have determinated the concentration of some glicoproteins, IgG, IgA and IgM, C3 and C4 and CEA in 61 peritoneal and pleuric effusions, of various aethiology. Results obtained for glicoproteins and C3 appear to have a diagnostic value in distinguishing inflammatory and neoplastic effusions from non-inflammatory and non-neoplastic forms. A greater diagnostic value can be attributed to the results of the CEA which is constantly and almost exclusively increased in neoplastic effusions.

Ascitic Fluid↗

PubMed1977