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Biomedical subjects

R Romano

Publications and source records attributed to R Romano.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Determination of the wax ester content in olive oils. Improvement in the method proposed by EEC regulation 183/93.

A simpler and faster procedure than the official one described in document IV of European Economic Community Regulation 183/93 is proposed. The wax ester fraction is isolated from triglycerides using a commercially available silica gel column and carbon tetrachloride as eluent. The recovered wax ester fraction, with the addition of a suitable internal standard solution, is analyzed by gas chromatography. A column with a 65% phenyl methyl silicone stationary phase allows a satisfying separation of wax ester fraction in comparison with both a steryl ester and a light fraction eluted before the internal standard. Furthermore, also the single components of the wax ester fraction are suitably separated.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed1999

[Infectivity of Anopheles melas vis-a-vis Plasmodium falciparum in the coastal lagoon area of Benin].

In this article An. melas infestation rate for P. falciparum is compared to the rate of An. gambiae in the coastal and lagoon area of Benin where the two species are sympatric. We studied the variation of An. gambiae complex infestation rate in three zones where the two species occur in different proportions. This infestation rate is higher in areas where An. gambiae is prevalent. In a second experiment we separated An. melas and An. gambiae according to cytogenetic and biometrical analysis. Then we established the infestation rate of each species by microscope examination of salivary glands and presence of P. falciparun C.S. antigens by ELISA method. In areas where An. melas is the most abundant species (80-90%), the sporozoitic index and antigen C.S. + P. falciparum rate are significantly lower. These results are confirmed by the infestation rates observed for each species. In conclusion, An. melas infestation rate is significantly lower than the An. gambiae one. An. gambiae is the best malaria vector in Africa. In spite of an environment such as Ganvie where animals are rare, which increases anthropophilic and endophilic tendencies of An. melas, antigens CS P. falciparum rate of An. gambiae (3.5%) are significantly higher than An. melas (1.9%).

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Panic disorder in children and adolescents.

Panic disorder (PD) is a well-known and frequently described psychiatric disorder in adults, that can cause clinically significant distress and impairment of social and occupational functioning. It is characterized by a discrete period of intense fear and discomfort, that develops abruptly and reaches a peak in 10 minutes or less, with other somatic and cognitive symptoms. PD in prepubertal children and early adolescents in rarely reported, but 18% of adult patients with PD indicate onset of PA before 10 years of age. Probably many of the prepubertal cases are being misdiagnosed, and/or they can have a different clinical expression from adults. The lack of identification of these affected subjects can have serious consequences on social and academic development. The aim of this paper is to review clinical literature describing PD in children and adolescents. Prevalence, specificity of clinical features, comorbidity, instruments for diagnosis are described. Directions in pharmacological, psychotherapeutic and educational management of PD in children and adolescents are suggested.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Prolonged mivacurium-induced neuromuscular block. Case report.

A 38-year-old white male patient was admitted to the hospital for elective surgery. General anesthesia was performed with propofol, alfentanil, nitrous oxide and mivacurium as neuromuscular blocker. Seven months before he had the same surgery without anesthetic problems (he received: propofol, vecuronium bromide, fentanil, nitrous oxide). Neuromuscular monitoring was carried out because the patient was included in a study assessing the clinical effect of mivacurium in microlaryngoscopy surgery. After mivacurium administration the first signs of recovery from neuromuscular block were observed after 255 min. The tracheal tube was withdrawn after 410 min from mivacurium administration, at this time the T1 was 80% of the control values and 7 min later the T1 reached 98%.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

A prospective analysis of the accuracy of the TEST-yolk buffer enhanced hamster egg penetration test and acrosin activity in discriminating fertile from infertile males.

The aim of this study, based on a prospective analysis, was to evaluate the accuracy of the TEST-yolk buffer enhanced hamster egg penetration test (HEPT) and acrosin activity in discriminating fertile from infertile males as compared with the conventional semen profile. The incidence of spontaneous pregnancies was monitored during a follow-up period ranging between 18-24 months in 62 couples without untreatable female infertility. The diagnostic accuracy of the HEPT was significantly higher than that of the conventional semen profile, as evaluated with fitted ROC curves. The best discriminatory ability was exhibited by a penetration index (penetrations/oocyte) of 2 as cut-off value. In our series it gave a positive predictive value of 77.8% and a negative predictive value of 92.3%. Acrosin activity did not show a discriminating power significantly higher than the conventional semen profile, but an acrosin activity <20 microIU/10(6) spermatozoa was found only among patients who did not achieve a pregnancy. In conclusion, this prospective analysis indicates that the TEST-yolk buffer enhanced HEPT constitutes a significant improvement over the conventional semen profile in discriminating fertile from infertile males. Acrosin activity could provide a useful adjunctive test because of the high negative predictive value of its poor results.

Acrosin↗
PubMed1998

Carbohydrate binding activity in human spermatozoa: localization, specificity, and involvement in sperm-egg fusion.

Sperm carbohydrate binding activity is involved in gamete recognition. We identified a human sperm protein extracted under reducing conditions, and with a molecular mass of 65 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and which binds D-mannose coupled to albumin (DMA) in presence of cations and a neutral pH. Epifluorescence microscopy showed that fluorescein-DMA binds to dead or permeabilized sperm heads. The DMA-binding activity of human sperm heads was highly specific for a polysaccharide structure containing charged sugar residues. After capacitation, or induction of the acrosome reaction using solubilized zonae pellucidae, fluorescein-DMA was bound respectively to 10.3% (+/- 3.5%) and to 37.6% (+/- 2.1%) of viable sperm heads. The sequential analysis of viable spermatozoa for fluorescein-DMA binding and for rhodamine-Pisum sativum agglutinin binding, showed that DMA-binding sites are present in viable acrosome-reacted spermatozoa. Three dimensional analysis of fluorescence and ultrastructural studies showed that DMA-binding sites are mostly restricted to the sub-acrosomal space of the equatorial segment. Incubation of spermatozoa and zona-free hamster eggs in the presence of DMA was associated with a dose-dependent significant reduction in the number of spermatozoa bound to the oolemma, compared with a control, and to a dose-dependent inhibition of oocyte penetration. This effect was highly specific for DMA, suggesting that DMA-binding sites in human spermatozoa are involved in sperm-egg fusion.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Symptomatological patterns of infancy diseases. Presentation of a new Symptom Checklist].

BACKGROUND: Recently it is often very frequent a request of specialist consultation for children with psychic discomfort expressed through somatic complaints and/or behavior disorders. The real meaning of these symptoms in terms of prognosis, is not clear; indeed they can be the first signs of a poor prognosis of developmental disorders or a transient developmental crisis. The objective of this study is the evaluation of a Symptom Checklist as an instrument which allows to point out the somatic complaints and the behavior disorders of Italian children aged less than 48 months and to identify symptoms patterns which label the main neurological and psychiatric diseases in that age. METHODS: The Symptom Checklist has been used transversely in a clinical sample of 30 subjects (24 males and 6 females) aged less than 48 months with developmental linguistic disorder, born prematurely or with a developmental pervasive disorder and in a control sample of 37 children (21 males and 16 females). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained, matching every single group to each other and every single group to the control group, identify symptoms pattern (somatic or behavioral) specific for each clinical condition examined; therefore, the clinical utility of Symptom Checklist in pointing out in infancy psychiatric risk cases for a poor prognosis is confirmed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

TATA-box mutant in the promoter of the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase gene in Italian patients with Gilbert's syndrome.

BACKGROUND: A mutation in the promoter of the uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase gene has been described in patients with Gilbert's syndrome from Northern Europe. AIMS: To assess the frequency of this mutation in Italian patients with Gilbert's syndrome and in normal controls, in order to establish the molecular basis and molecular epidemiology of the syndrome in Italy. PATIENTS: Forty-six patients with a clinical diagnosis of Gilbert's syndrome and 44 individuals from the general population unselected for bilirubin levels. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction amplification of the TATA-box element in the promoter of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase and identification of wild-type and variant alleles by high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: A TATA-box variant in the promoter of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase was found on 93% of chromosomes from patients with Gilbert's syndrome. The same variant was present on 44% of chromosomes from controls, unselected for bilirubin levels. Only 55% of controls homozygous for the TATA-box variant, however, had increased bilirubin levels. CONCLUSIONS: The TATA-box variant in the promoter of uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase is strongly associated with the phenotype of Gilbert's syndrome in Italy. The incomplete penetrance of the mutation observed in controls indicates that other acquired or inherited conditions affecting bilirubin production, uptake, cellular transport or excretion may contribute to the hyperbilirubinaemia of Gilbert's syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Interference of antisperm antibodies with the induction of the acrosome reaction by zona pellucida (ZP) and its relationship with the inhibition of ZP binding.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether antisperm antibodies can interfere with the induction of the acrosome reaction (AR) by the zona pellucida (ZP) and whether this interference also can occur in the absence of an inhibitory effect on ZP binding. DESIGN: Prospective in vitro study. SETTING: A tertiary care center, the Andrologic Clinic, University of L'Aquila. PATIENT(S): Sera from 12 infertile patients with high titers of circulating antibodies directed against the sperm head were studied. INTERVENTION: None MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The effect of antisperm antibodies on ZP binding was evaluated by matching antibody-exposed and nonexposed donor sperm suspensions labeled with fluorescein or rhodamine, respectively, and incubated with the same salt-stored human ZPs. The effect of antibodies on ZP-induced AR was determined by challenging antibody-exposed and nonexposed donor sperm suspensions with human ZPs disaggregated with acidic NaH2PO4. Acrosomal status was evaluated using fluorescein-labeled Pisum sativum agglutinin and supravital stain Hoechst 33258. In some selected cases, the effect of antisperm antibodies on the acrosomal status of sperm bound to intact ZP also was evaluated using transmission electron microscopy. RESULT(S): Five of 12 sera exhibited an inhibitory effect on ZP binding. An inhibition of AR induction by disaggregated ZPs (ranging from 64% to 98%) was produced by all 5 sera with an inhibitory effect on ZP binding and by 2 of 7 sera without an inhibitory effect on ZP binding. The different effects of antisperm antibodies on AR induction by disaggregated ZP were confirmed by comparing with ultrastructural evaluations on the acrosomal status of sperm bound to intact ZP. CONCLUSION(S): Antisperm antibodies can interfere with the induction of AR by ZP. This inhibition can occur even in the absence of an inhibitory effect on ZP binding. Neither effect may occur.

Acrosome↗
PubMed1997

Complement and neutrophil activation during cardiopulmonary bypass: a randomized comparison of hypothermic and normothermic circulation.

OBJECTIVE: Activation of both complement and neutrophils has been demonstrated to be involved in many pathological reactions following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effect of normothermic and hypothermic CPB on both complement and neutrophil activation. METHODS: Two groups of patients (n = 20 each) scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass grafting, underwent CPB with intermittent warm or cold blood cardioplegia. Plasma concentration of C3a, C5a and C5b-9, as well as nitro-blu tetrazolium (NBT) scores of circulating neutrophils were measured before anesthesia, 10 and 30 min after the beginning of CPB, and 8, 16 and 24 h, postoperatively. RESULTS: In both groups, CPB determined a significant complement activation, evidenced as a significant increase in plasma concentration of C3a, C5a and C5b-9. This in turn triggered the neutrophil activation, documented as a significant increase of NTB scores in circulating neutrophils at the end of CPB and in the early postoperative period. Interestingly, in the warm group the extent of both complement and neutrophil activation was significantly higher compared with the cold group during the whole sampling period. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our study clearly demonstrates that warm CPB is associated with an increased ability to activate complement and neutrophils in patients undergoing coronary surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Occurrence of the interference of sperm-associated antibodies on sperm fertilizing ability as evaluated by the sperm-zona pellucida binding test and by the TEST-yolk buffer enhanced sperm penetration assay.

PROBLEM: This study was performed to evaluate the occurrence as well as the level of the interference of sperm-associated antibodies on fertilization process. METHOD: Motile sperm suspensions from 28 infertile patients with high degree of autoimmunization against the sperm head were tested with the zona pellucida (ZP) binding test and with the sperm penetration assay (SPA) enhanced with TEST-yolk buffer. Both tests were also performed using donor sperm exposed and non-exposed to the patients' circulating sperm antibodies. RESULTS: A low ZP-binding was exhibited by sperm from 50% of patients with normal semen profile. All normozoospermic patients with low ZP-binding showed circulating sperm-antibodies with inhibitory effect on ZP-binding, while no patient with normal ZP-binding showed circulating sperm-antibodies with inhibitory effect. No normozoospermic patient exhibited a negative SPA result, and only in 16% of cases the penetration index was slightly less than 2 (the lowest value exhibited by fertile controls). Circulating antisperm-antibodies did not significantly affect the hamster egg penetration. CONCLUSION: Even in the presence of high degree of autoimmunization against the sperm head, sperm fusion with oolemma is not impaired after sperm preincubation with TEST-yolk buffer, while an impairment of the ZP-binding is demonstrable in half cases, when non-immunologic factors are excluded. A substantial role in this interference is likely exerted by IgG antibodies transuded from the blood into the genital tract.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1996

Changes in the proportion of types I and III collagen in the left ventricular wall of patients with post-irradiative pericarditis.

Pericardiectomy for post-irradiative constrictive pericarditis achieves poor results because of the extensive damage to the heart and pericardium caused by ionizing radiation. The extracellular structural protein, collagen, is responsible for the functional integrity of the myocardium and allows reversible interdigitation and the transmission of force between contracting myocytes. Collagen concentration and composition were examined in the cardiac tissue of three patients undergoing pericardiectomy and post-irradiative pericarditis. Normal heart tissue was taken at autopsy from patients without cardiac disease and acted as controls. Total collagen concentration (mean(s.e.m.)) was significantly increased in the ventricular tissue of patients with post-irradiative pericarditis compared with that of the controls (119.8(16.6) versus 50.4(5.2) mg/g dry weight, P<0.01). Although there was an increase in concentration of both type I and III collagen, a disproportional increase in type I was observed. The proportion of type III collagen was lower in patients with post-irradiative pericarditis than in the control group (33(2.6)% versus 38.2(3.7)%, P<0.05). The results of the present study suggest that this marked alteration in collagen concentration and proportion may contribute to the impaired diastolic distensibility of the ventricles seen in this group of patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Genetic hemochromatosis in Italian patients with porphyria cutanea tarda: possible explanation for iron overload.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Mild to moderate iron overload is found in most patients with porphyria cutanea tarda. This study aimed to evaluate whether iron overload in patients with porphyria cutanea tarda is related to the presence of a coexistent genetic hemochromatosis gene. METHODS: A cohort study of 94 Italian patients with porphyria cutanea tarda (90 men and 4 women) and 20 relatives of five patients with iron overload were studied. Diagnosis of iron overload was assessed by transferrin saturation, serum ferritin and iron removed by phlebotomy to reach depletion. HLA typing by microlymphocytotoxicity test and duodenal ferritin analysis by immunohistochemistry were performed in a smaller number of patients. The chi square test was used to compare means and prevalences. RESULTS: Iron overload was present in 62% of the patients. HLA-A3 prevalence was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in subjects with iron overload than in those without. A lack of duodenal ferritin was observed in 14/18 patients with and in 6/12 without iron overload. Family studies showed the presence of iron overload but not of porphyria cutanea tarda in HLA identical or semi-identical relatives of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Italian patients with porphyria cutanea tarda and iron overload appear to have one or even two genes for genetic hemochromatosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Collagen network remodelling and left ventricular function in constrictive pericarditis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether patients with constrictive pericarditis have changes in collagen content and architecture that could influence left ventricular function. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: University teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Biopsy specimens of myocardium from 13 patients admitted consecutively for treatment of chronic constrictive pericarditis were compared with normal heart tissue taken at necropsy from 15 patients free of cardiac disease. INTERVENTION: Pericardiectomy through median sternotomy. Biopsy specimens (4 or 5) were taken from the left ventricular free wall. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Biochemical and histological assessment of total collagen content, relative proportion of type I and III collagen, and amount of orthogonal collagen fibre meshwork (crosshatching) in the left ventricular tissue. RESULTS: There was more collagen in the myocardium of patients with constrictive pericarditis than in controls when measured either biochemically by hydroxyproline content (89.4 v 50.4 mg/g dry weight) or by histological measurement of the collagen fraction of the myocardium (2.4% v 7.0%). Neither of these measurements, however, correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction, pulmonary wedge pressure, or right ventricular end diastolic pressure. The thickness of the fibrous trabeculae in the myocardium was, however, inversely related to both left ventricular ejection fraction (r = -0.76) and deceleration time (r = -0.68). Trabecular thickening was also related to NYHA class, with those in class III and IV having the greatest thickening. CONCLUSION: Changes in collagen content and architecture may contribute to impaired ventricular function in patients with chronic constrictive pericarditis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Protection by coenzyme Q10 of tissue reperfusion injury during abdominal aortic cross-clamping.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of coenzyme Q10 in reducing the skeletal muscle reperfusion injury following clamping and declamping the abdominal aorta. METHODS: 30 patients undergoing elective vascular surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm or obstructive aorto-iliac disease were randomly divided into two groups: patients in group I were treated with coenzyme Q10 (150 mg/day) for seven days before operation, and those in group II received a placebo. We studied the hemodynamic profile in each patient during clamping and declamping of the abdominal aorta. The plasma concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (malondialdhehyde), conjugated dienes, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase were measured in samples from both arterial and inferior vena cava sites. Serial sampling was performed after induction of anesthesia, 5 and 30 minutes after abdominal aortic cross clamping, 5 and 30 minutes after aortic cross-clamp removal. RESULTS: The concentrations of malondialdehyde, conjugated dienes, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in patients who received CoQ10 were significantly lower than in the placebo group. Decrease of plasma malondialdehyde concentrations correlated positively (p < 0.01) with decrease of both creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase release in samples from the inferior vena cava. The hemodynamic profile during clamping and declamping the abdominal aorta was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that pre-treatment with coenzyme Q10 may play a protective role during routine vascular procedures requiring abdominal aortic cross clamping by attenuating the degree of peroxidative damage.

Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal↗