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Biomedical subjects

P Casanova

Publications and source records attributed to P Casanova.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Evidence that human kidney produces a protein similar to lithostathine, the pancreatic inhibitor of CaCO3 crystal growth.

Pancreatic juice is supersaturated in calcium carbonate. CaCO3 crystal growth is controlled by lithostathine, a secretory protein synthesized by pancreatic acinar cells, first described as a constituent of pancreatic stones. It was recently reported that, in the thin descending limb of the Henle's loop, urine was supersaturated in CaCO3 (Coe FL, Parks JH: Defenses of an unstable compromise: crystallization inhibitors and the kidney's role in mineral regulation. Kidney Int. 1990: 38, 625-631. This observation suggested the presence in kidney of a similar inhibitor. In this study, we show that a protein immunologically related to lithostathine is actually present in urine of healthy subjects and in renal stones. Immunocytochemistry of kidney sections localized the protein to cells of the proximal tubules and thick ascending limbs of the Henle's loops. Protein extracts of renal stones inhibited CaCO3 crystal growth in vitro and this inhibition was significantly lifted by incubating the extracts with antibodies to lithostathine. The protein is not immunologically related to nephrocalcin. Because of its structural and functional similarities with pancreatic lithostathine, it was called renal lithostathine.

Calcium Carbonate↗
PubMed1992

[Crescentic Glomerulonephritis associated with gastric adenocarcinoma].

The association of membranous glomerulonephritis with carcinoma and minimal change disease with Hogkin's disease are well established. In contrast cancer and crescentic glomerulonephritis is an uncommon association. We report a patient with gastric carcinoma who developed synchronously acute renal failure due to crescentic glomerulonephritis. Corticosteroid therapy, plasma exchanges and tumor resection was associated with a regression of renal failure. Carcinoma must be considered as a possible cause of crescentic glomerulonephritis.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1991

Kidney biopsy findings in cyclosporine-treated patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Renal biopsy specimens of 40 patients with recent-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus treated with cyclosporine (CSA) for 6-29 months were examined. Cyclosporine-associated chronic vascular interstitial toxicity of moderate intensity was found in 10 patients (25%). The most prominent lesions were interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy. Arteriolopathy was less pronounced and glomerular damage unremarkable. A significant correlation exists between the extent of tubular atrophy and CSA trough whole blood levels. These data indicate that the development of CSA-associated chronic nephropathy is dose-dependent.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Correlation between laminin and type IV collagen distribution in breast carcinomas, and estrogen receptors expression, lymph node and vascular involvement.

The laminin (Lam) and type IV collagen (Coll IV) and estrogen receptor (ER) immunodetections were assessed in a large series of 400 human breast carcinomas. In all the cases the patient's age, the tumor size, the histological type and grade, the presence or the absence of axillary lymph node metastasis and of vascular invasion in tumor borders, and ER tumor content were recorded. Monoclonal anti-Lam, anti-Coll IV were applied with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex and monoclonal anti ER with peroxidase anti-peroxidase complex, on frozen sections. A computerized system of image analysis referred to as SAMBA (TITN) with specific software for tissue sections analysis permitted a multiparametric quantitative analysis of immunostained surfaces. With this system, in each tumor, the cellularity, the percentage of Lam, Coll IV and receptor positive surfaces versus the total cell surface and versus the epithelial (keratin positive) surface, the integrated optical density IOD histograms were obtained and correlated to morphometrical and standard histological data. From this study, it was shown that: (1) Lam and Coll IV immunostained epithelial basement membranes in carcinomas were correlated to the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptor antigenic sites within the tumors, with a significant decrease of the positive staining in ER-ICA negative tumors in comparison to ER-ICA/PR-ICA positive tumors. (2) The combined densitometric and morphometric evaluation demonstrated a decrease of Lam and Coll IV immunostaining in malignant tumors, correlated to (i) the presence of peritumorous vascular invasion and (ii) keratin positive cells in bone marrow (iii) axillary lymph node involvement. It is concluded that the variations in Lam and Coll IV antigens distribution may be relevant indicators of tumor metastatic potential in breast carcinomas and that computerized image analysis enables the standardization of the evaluation antigens distribution.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of secretin on portal venous flow.

In this study we evaluated the effect of two different doses of secretin on portal haemodynamics (by pulsed Doppler associated with real time ultrasound) in 24 healthy humans. In 12 subjects (group A) we administered an intravenous dose of 75 clinical units of secretin and in the remaining 12 (group B) a dose of 20 CU. In all subjects the following parameters were studied before, during, and for 10 minutes after secretin administration: (a) calibre of the portal vein, (b) mean velocity of portal venous flow, and (c) volume of portal venous flow. In three subjects in each group we also evaluated the changes in flow in the superior mesenteric artery. Secretin injection induced a slight increase in both groups in comparison to basal values of portal vein calibre (mean of maximal per cent increase +25% in group A, not significant, and +16.7% in group B, not significant) and a noticeable increase of mean velocity (mean of maximal per cent increases +61.4% in group A, p less than 0.005, and +65.4% in group B, p less than 0.01) and flow volume (mean of maximal per cent increase +127% group A, p less than 0.005, and +114% group B, p less than 0.005). The magnitude of the haemodynamic changes did not differ significantly between the two groups. Doppler investigation of the superior mesenteric artery showed a marked increase of flow velocity (mean of maximal per cent increase +218% in group A and +246% in group B) and flow volume (mean of maximal per cent increase +276% in group A and +311% in group B). These data suggest that secretin has an appreciable vasoactive effect and induces a significant increase in portal venous flow even at doses much lower than those necessary for a maximal stimulation of exocrine pancreatic secretion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Justifications and benefits of exploratory thoracotomy in stage IIIb bronchopulmonary cancer].

From January 1980 to December 1984, 270 patients underwent exploratory surgery for Non Small Cell Lung Cancer with or without peritumoral lymph node involvement. In group 1: for 167 patients (62%) unresectable cancer was found. In group 2: for 103 patients (38%) an extensive resection was feasible. This study allows comparison of these two groups and confirms the value of exploratory thoracotomy. The resection was extended to the superior vena cava in 12% of cases, the trachea and carina in 28.15% and the left atrium in 49.50%. Survival in group 1 was similar to that of non operated patients (i.e. less than 10% at one year) and the mortality was 1.2% with no operative mortality. Survival of group 2 was considerably better: 58% at 1 year, 26% at 3 years, 23% at 5 years. The mortality was 3.9% with no operative mortality. Three year survival of patients with T4 N0 was clearly higher than that of T4 N2 (38% versus 17%). Although the results were poor for patients with N3 disease and those who underwent incomplete resections, they were nonetheless better than in those patients with unresectable tumors (16% versus 9% at 18 months). We conclude that: exploratory thoracotomy is safe, a significant number of patients (38% in our series) may benefit from this approach, and that it is sometimes hazardous to contra-indicate surgery for patients suffering from lung cancer only on the basis of X-Ray findings.

Carcinoma, Bronchogenic↗
PubMed1989

Inhibition of caerulein-induced gall bladder emptying by cimetropium bromide in humans.

The effect of cimetropium bromide, a new potent antimuscarinic compound, on caerulein-induced gall bladder emptying in 8 male volunteers was studied by real time ultrasonography. During saline infusion, caerulein (10-40 ng.kg-1.h-1) induced dose-dependent emptying of the gall bladder. There was a significant linear correlation between the dose of the peptide and the reduction in gall bladder size. A continuous infusion of cimetropium bromide (5 mg.h-1) significantly inhibited the contracting effect of caerulein on the human gall bladder, by 74% in response to the lowest dose and by 45% and 22%, respectively, to the two higher doses. The data confirm that the contracting effect of CCK-like peptides on the human gall bladder is at least partly cholinergically mediated, and they demonstrate the relaxing activity of cimetropium previously shown in animals. Provided its antispasmodic activity is also evident in disease, cimetropium should be regarded as a potentially useful agent for the treatment of biliary colic and spasm of the biliary tree.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Discordant evolution in monozygotic twins with familial nephropathy].

Two monozygotic twin sisters presented a familial nephropathy, discovered at 5 years of age. The clinical course was quite different for each patient: end-stage renal failure occurred at 5.5 years of age for one and at 14 years for the other. This difference raises the hypothesis of the role of environmental factors on the clinical expression of an inherited disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Glomerulonephritis in dogs with canine leishmaniasis.

Kidney specimens, obtained from 11 dogs of diverse species that had contracted spontaneous leishmaniasis, were submitted to a histopathological investigation using a classical preparation of sections embedded in paraffin, semi-thin and ultra-thin sections embedded in plastic, and sections frozen under immunofluorescence. Eight animals presented moderate to severe renal insufficiency. Two major categories of glomerular lesions were identified in the kidneys examined: acute glomerulonephritis and extra-membranous glomerulonephritis. These two categories were never associated and no transition from from one to the other was found. Immune complex deposits prevailed sharply over proliferative phenomena, which remained infrequent. Study of these glomerulonephrities could represent a model for better understanding of the immunological aspects of leishmaniasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

[Hyperplasia of antral "G" cells. Quantitative evaluation in endoscopic biopsies].

The number of gastrin cells (G cells) and somatostatin cells (D cells) per surface unit, and the G/D cell ratio were estimated in biopsy specimens of the antrum from normal subjects without hypergastrinemia, and from patients with hypergastrinemia not induced by gastrinoma or supra selective vagotomy. Compared with normal subjects, antral G cell density and G/D cell ratio were significantly increased in patients with hypergastrinemia. A significant correlation was found between G cell density or G/D cell ratio and the integrated gastrin output values. A quantitative estimation appears therefore possible in biopsy specimens.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Familial deficiency of complement factor 7: association with bacterial meningitis. Apropos of 3 recent cases].

Three recent cases of inherited deficiency of the seventh component of complement (C7) associated with recurrent infectious meningitis are described. Two cases were associated with meningococcal meningitis, the third is the first case report of C7 inherited deficiency associated with Haemophilus parainfluenzae meningitis. Family studies are consistent with inheritance and non-HLA-linked, autosomal codominant trait of the C7 deficiency. The three patients have remained well, following antibiotic treatment.

Adolescent↗