Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Gentile

Publications and source records attributed to R Gentile.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Hypertension in licorice abuse. A case report.

We describe the case of a young woman affected by systemic high blood pressure, in whom the clinical history and laboratory data (hypokalaemia, low plasma renin activity and negligible aldosterone levels) were consistent with the hypothesis of liquorice-induced hypertension. After six months of abstinence from liquorice, all laboratory data returned to normal levels, but blood pressure remained elevated. This unusual persistence of liquorice-induced hypertension supports the hypothesis that liquorice facilitated the phenotypic development of a hypertensive state in a patient with a family history positive for that disease.

Female↗
PubMed1982

[Plasma insulin and glucagon during experimental MHV-3 virus hepatitis in mice].

Insulin and glucagon values were determined in the plasma of mice during MHV-3 experimental viral infection. The results showed a different behaviour of the two hormones. The insulin values remained normal until the 12th hour of infection, with a statistically significant increase as from the 12th hour up to their maximum peak at the 24th hour, remaining constant at that level until the 72nd hour. As for the glucagon values there was a statistically significant decrease until the 24th hour of infection when they suddenly began to increase up to their maximum peak at the 48th hour remaining constant at that level until the 72nd hour. Increased of the insulin values may be attributed to liver cell damage because of the decreased metabolization of the hormone. As for glucagon the results of the decreased values during the initial phase of the infection may be the concentration decrease of free plasma amino acids, whereas the increased values during the subsequent phases is probably caused by the concentration increase of free plasma amino acids, of hypogycemia and of stress.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1982

[The left ventricle in mitral valve insufficiency: echocardiographic evaluation and hemodynamic correlations].

We have assessed the value of echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular dimensions, as compared to the standard angiographic calculations, in patients (pts) with mitral regurgitation (MR). Of 126 such pts who had undergone echocardiography and cardiac catheterization, 57 were excluded because of associated congenital cardiac malformations, additional significant valvular disease(s) and technically unsatisfactory echocardiographic study. Of the remaining 69 pts, 24 had rheumatic MR (14 with associated mild stenosis); ischemic heart disease was the cause of MR in 1 pts; myxomatous degeneration was found in 12 and congestive cardiomyopathy in 7. The pts were further subdivided in 3 groups according to the severity of MR. Although in all groups echocardiography consistently underestimated left ventricular volumes, there was a statistically significant correlation for end-diastolic volumes, end-systolic volumes and stoke volumes in all three groups. The best correlation was obtained in the calculation of ejection fraction (r = 0.87; P less than 0.001 in mild MR. r = 0,82; P less than 0,001 in moderate MR. r = 0,81; P less than 0,001 in severe MR). The measurement of left ventricular volumes by M-mode echocardiography is generally unsatisfactory in patients with MR. The echo-calculated ejection fraction however, appears to be reliable.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed1980

[Evidence of morphological modifications induced by theophylline in the urinary bladder epithelium of Rana esculenta].

This preliminary work concerns the morpho-functional action induced by Theophylline on bladder epithelium. The epithelium treated with Theophylline shows important structural variations. The whole tissue thickness appears reduced with cell disposed in monostratified layer. They show a light grade of swelling with nucleus and cytoplasm less evident and boundary less marked. It is important to note that the permeability of the epithelium does not appear modified.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

[Complement fixation, hemagglutination inhibition and neuraminidase inhibition reactions in the seroepidemiologic evaluation of an influenza A epidemic].

Complement-fixing (CF), hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) and neuraminidase-inhibiting (NI) antibodies in respect of type A influenza virus were titrated on 2080 serum specimens. The sera were collected between December 1974 and May 1975 for the open population of Rome, in groups of an average of 300 samples per month. Influenza type A strains, related to the Port Chalmers variant, were isolated in Rome in January and February 1975, during that time a significant increase of antibody titers and of serum positivity was detected. The increase of positive response for influenza type A antigen was of 21%, 17% and 8% for FC, HI and NI reactions, respectively. The NI reaction proved to be less responsive that the CF and HI reactions for the purposes of sero-epidemiological evaluation of the influenza epidemic.

Antibody Formation↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antimyosin antibody imaging in experimental aortic regurgitation.

BACKGROUND: Fiber dropout and myocyte necrosis precede heart failure in experimental aortic regurgitation (AR). The current study aimed to determine whether this process can be detected by noninvasive scintigraphic imaging. METHODS AND RESULTS: 111In-labeled antimyosin antibody Fab fragment (1 to 1.5 mCi) (Myoscint) was administered to each of 34 New Zealand White rabbits: 11 early (3 to 5 weeks) after surgical AR induction; 9 late (98 to 128 weeks) after AR induction; 5 normal and 3 sham-operated age-matched with early AR; and 3 normal and 3 sham-operated age-matched with late AR. Echocardiographic fractional shortening was indistinguishable among control, early AR, and late AR groups. In vivo gamma camera imaging 24 and 48 hours after isotope administration, post-mortem heart activity determination (percentage injected dose per gram), and autoradiography were performed. At 24 and 48 hours, heart-to-lung counts-per-pixel ratios from in vivo images were greater (p < 0.05) in the late AR rabbits than in each of the three other groups. No significant differences were found when early AR and older or younger control rabbits were compared. Heart activity (percentage injected dose per gram) in late AR rabbits trended toward higher values than in age-matched control rabbits (p = 0.057), but in early AR it was indistinguishable from that in the corresponding control (p = 0.413, difference not significant). The autoradiographic endocardial/epicardial activity ratio in late AR rabbits was greater than in control and early AR rabbits (1.27 +/- 0.13 vs 1.06 +/- 0.09 and vs 1.13 +/- 0.10, respectively, p < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Whereas isotope uptake in late AR rabbits differed from that in control and early AR rabbits, systolic function was indistinguishable. Thus 111In-labeled antimyosin antibody imaging may permit noninvasive detection of AR-induced myocardial damage before functional deterioration.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Primary mucinous adenocarcinomas and signet-ring cell carcinomas of colon and rectum.

Of 352 patients with colorectal carcinoma followed for a minimum of 5 years after surgery, 39 cases (11.1%; median age 60 years) had mucinous adenocarcinoma, and 4 (1.1%; median age 62 years) had signet-ring cell carcinoma. Mucinous carcinomas were most frequently located in the rectum (61.5%) and in the sigmoid colon (15.3%) and presented with stage C and D disease in 41 and 15% of the cases, respectively. Disease recurrence was more frequently observed in patients with mucinous (51.7%) or signet-ring lesions (100%) as compared with adenocarcinomas. Five-year survival was 45 (median 48 months), 28 (median 27), and 0% (median 15 months) in patients with adenocarcinomas, mucinous adenocarcinomas, and signet-ring cell carcinomas, respectively (p < 0.05). Mucinous carcinomas of the rectum had had a significantly worse prognosis (5-year survival 17%, median 33 months) as compared with adenocarcinomas of the same site (5-year survival 34%, median 25 months; p < 0.05).

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Granular cell basal cell carcinoma of the skin. Report of a case with immunocytochemical positivity for lysozyme.

Granular cell tumors have been described in many sites throughout the body. To our knowledge, few cases have been described in the literature. We report here the sixth case, in which positivity for lysozyme was also observed for the first time. The problems of the histogenesis and differential diagnosis of this rare variant of basal cell carcinoma are also discussed.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The incidence of platelet hyperaggregability induced by cigarette smoke in a healthy population].

The effect of cigarette smoking on platelet function was investigated by means of whole blood aggregometry, a method suitable to reproduce in vitro the in vivo conditions. Platelet aggregation was evaluated before and after smoking two cigarettes. The coagulation tests performed in 26 volunteers, aged between 24-35 years, did not show any remarkable change. On the other hand, platelet aggregation was significantly increased in the majority of the volunteers (17 out of 26). No correlation was found between platelet aggregation and the coagulation parameters here considered.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical usefulness of a new echocardiographic window: the transesophageal approach].

The image quality of standard echocardiograms can be unsatisfactory for various reasons such as pulmonary disease, obesity, chest deformities. The introduction of transesophageal echocardiography has solved these problems and provided a new acoustic window to the heart and mediastinum. Its superior imaging resolution and increased sensitivity allow cardiac structure and function to be visualized in great detail. The procedure has proven to be a valuable means of intraoperative and perioperative monitoring of left ventricular performance and in the evaluation of surgical results. In critically ill patients, diagnoses missed at surface echocardiography, including aortic dissection, left atrial masses, native or prosthetic valve vegetations, have clearly been identified by transesophageal window. In awake patients, the procedure is well accepted and associated with no major complications. On the basis of our initial experience, we conclude that esophageal approach complements standard two-dimensional, Doppler, and color flow examinations, and is a major advance in the care of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Coronary Vessels↗