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Biomedical subjects

P Donati

Publications and source records attributed to P Donati.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Interleukin-11 production is increased in organ cultures of lesional skin of patients with active plaque-type psoriasis as compared with nonlesional and normal skin. Similarity to interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-6 and interleukin-8.

Increased levels of several cytokines, mainly proinflammatory mediators, have been reported in psoriatic lesions. Little information, if any, is available concerning other cytokines, especially those initially studied as marrow differentiation agents. Using the experimental approach of measuring cytokines released by skin organ cultures. IL-11 and three other proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1 beta, IL-6 and IL-8) were determined using commercially available ELISA kits in supernatants of ten biopsies from lesional and nonlesional psoriatic skin areas and in supernatants of biopsies from ten normal volunteers. The results obtained showed that the amounts of IL-11 and the other three modulators were significantly increased in the material from the lesional areas (P < 0.01). The amounts of IL-11, which is known to have functional activity similar to the proinflammatory cytokines and to share a receptor component with IL-6, were also correlated with the disease severity index (R = 0.69, P = 0.04). In addition, a nearly significant correlation was noted between the amounts of IL-11 released by the lesional and the nonlesional skin biopsies (R = 0.66, P = 0.05). More detailed studies are needed to clarify whether IL-11 plays a specific functional role in psoriasis, but this study emphasizes the complexity of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and the cytokine network, including activation of proinflammatory and haemopoietic biological response modifiers, in this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Cyst of the velum interpositum treated by endoscopic fenestration.

BACKGROUND: The cavum veli interpositi is a not infrequent radiologic finding in both children and adults, as confirmed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR). A moderate enlargement of the cavum may sometimes be observed; on the other hand, a true large cyst may be considered exceptional, with only one reported case. CASE HISTORY: This 9-year-old boy with psychomotor retardation and epileptic seizures had a large CSF cyst in the region of the cavum veli interpositi, diagnosed by CT and MR. The patient was treated by endoscopic surgery, with introduction of the endoscope into the occipital horn of the right lateral ventricle and multiple fenestrations from the right ventricle to the cyst, and then from the cyst to the left lateral ventricle. The surgery resulted in decrease in the size of the cyst and reduction of the frequency of seizures. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Children with dilated or cystic cavum veli interpositi present with a large head, mental retardation, seizures, and hydrocephalus. On CT and MR, the cyst shows a typical triangular configuration on the axial plane and lies on the roof of the third ventricle in the coronal plane. Endoscopic ventricular fenestration is the treatment of choice for these as well as all other intraventricular and intracerebral CSF cysts, because it ensures communication between the cyst and the ventricular system and avoids definitive shunting of the cyst.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1997

Widespread microsatellite instability in sebaceous tumours of patients with the Muir-Torre syndrome.

Muir-Torre syndrome (MTS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the presence of at least one sebaceous gland tumour and a minimum of one visceral malignant tumour. Recently, microsatellite instability (MSI) has been detected in the tumours of patients with MTS and germline mutations of the hMSH2 and hMLH1 mismatch repair genes have been detected in some patients with this syndrome. To determine if the tumours of patients with MTS have widespread genomic instability and whether loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in the chromosomal regions containing hMSH2 and hMLH1 is detectable, MSI and LOH were examined at 10 dinucleotide repeats on chromosomes 2p, 3p, 5q, 9p, 17p and 18q. Data were obtained from six sebaceous gland tumours and two adenocarcinomas of the colon from three patients of two Muir-Torre families. MSI was detected at more than half of the loci tested in all sebaceous tumours examined. In addition, there was LOH at D2S119 in one sebaceoma and one sebaceous carcinoma from one patient. The colon carcinomas from two patients showed MSI at five of the 10 loci analysed. These results show that widespread MSI is a feature of tumours in patients with MTS. In addition, the finding of LOH at D2S119, a marker located in the vicinity of hMSH2, in sebaceous tumours of one patient indicates that this gene may have a pathogenetic role in this patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Fibroelastolytic papulosis of the neck: a report of 20 cases.

The clinical and histological features of the entities known as 'white fibrous papulosis of the neck' (WFPN) and 'acquired elastolysis of the papillary dermis simulating pseudoxanthoma elasticum' (PDE) are not clearly defined. This study was conducted to compare our experience of WFPN/PDE with those described in the literature. Twenty patients presented at our institution with papular eruptions involving the neck. The asymptomatic lesions, which ranged in colour from normal skin tones to yellowish, were isolated or coalescent. Microscopically, the papules showed elastolysis and fibrosis of the upper reticular and papillary dermis. A review of the literature shows similar characteristics in cases reported as WFPN and PDE. This study indicates that WFPN and PDE are variants of a single disorder that can be more precisely defined as 'fibroelastolytic papulosis of the neck' and which appears to be a manifestation of intrinsic skin ageing.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Endoscopic ventricular fenestration of intracranial fluid cysts.

The authors report 5 patients with paraventricular or intraventricular fluid cysts, successfully treated by fenestration into the ventricular system using a neuroendoscopic technique. The series includes three paraventricular malformative CSF cysts, a cyst of the velum interpositum and a cystic astrocytoma with small, deeply located and unresectable mural nodule. In all cases the endoscopic fenestration was the unique treatment and allowed to avoid the definitive ventriculoperitoneal shunt. The surgical endoscopic technique and the postoperative radiological findings which indirectly confirm the patency of the fenestration are discussed. The authors conclude that endoscopic ventricular fenestration represents the treatment of choice for most paraventricular and intraventricular CSF collections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Adenoma of anogenital mammary-like glands.

The authors describe a benign adenomatous neoplasm arising from anogenital mammary-like glands. These glands have been recently recognized in the anogenital region and may play an important role in the development of some neoplastic disorders peculiar to this anatomical area. Important features of the tumor are adenomatous tubular and cystic structures with apocrine-like cytologic features, a lobular configuration, and abundant fibrous stroma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1996

Prevention of hand-arm vibration hazards: from laboratory to practice.

Many studies were made throughout the world regarding the medical and technical aspects of hand-arm vibration since the first description by Loriga in 1911 of the vibration syndrome. Despite that the protection of operators against vibration hazards had progressed very slowly in practice with one notable exception, the case of chain saw users for whom several countries developed a comprehensive programme to eradicate the diseases successfully; regulations, antivibration tools, medical screening, preventive treatment. If all these actions are not carried out simultaneously in an industrial sector the transmission of knowledge from the laboratory to practice may be a failure or very costly in money, time and energy, as this article will show it in the case of suspended rammers and breakers.

Arm↗
PubMed1990

Assessing the discomfort of the whole-body multi-axis vibration: laboratory and field experiments.

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the best procedure for predicting the discomfort caused by multi-axis vibration. In the laboratory experiment, 11 seated subjects compared single-axis vibration in one axis to single-axis vibration in another axis, and compared dual-axis vibration to single-axis vibration. In the field experiment, 22 lorry drivers rated the discomfort of 16 different rides. The results show that the best procedure for predicting the discomfort is to combine the vibration inputs by taking the square root of the sum of squares of the weighted r.m.s. values of the vibration in each axis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Familial cerebral cavernous angiomas.

Three families with two or more members affected by cavernous angiomas of the brain are described and the other 17 reported in the literature are reviewed. The familial occurrence of cerebral cavernous angiomas has been considered a rare event; nevertheless, the experience of the authors (positive familiarity in three patients where two or more relatives have been explored radiologically) suggests that cavernous angiomas of the brain might be, at least in most cases, a familial disease. Therefore, when a patient with cerebral cavernous angioma is observed, a careful familial history and the exploration of the familial members by computerized tomography or better still by magnetic resonance must be performed. The high frequency of multiple lesions in familial cases, the surgical indications and the role of the ultrasonic prenatal diagnosis are also discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Congenital smooth muscle hamartoma. Clinical-histological considerations (3 cases)].

The Authors report 3 cases of "Congenital Smooth Muscle Hamartoma" (CSMH). CSMH presents as congenital patches or slightly indurated plaques with prominent overlying hair, often hyperpigmented. Histopathologic examination showed increased numbers of well-defined smooth muscle bundles in the superficial and deep dermis. CSMH and Becker's nevus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any congenital hairy hamartoma.

Adolescent↗