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Biomedical subjects

S Bernardini

Publications and source records attributed to S Bernardini.

95 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Atherosclerosis in light of the evidence from large statin trials].

The results of the large trials with the inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase (or statins) in terms of clinical benefits in patients with coronary artery disease indicate that these drugs act in a complex way on several pathways involved in the atherosclerotic process. Beyond their lipid-lowering activity, statins appear to modify many characteristics of the arterial wall, resulting in protection against the progression of plaque growth and/or the precipitation of acute events. The so called "pleiotropic" effects of statins, such as the restoration of endothelial activity, the antioxidant potential or the antiproliferative effect on smooth muscle cells, have been investigated mainly in in vitro experiments. In the near future, it will be necessary to unravel the biological significance and the clinical relevance of these effects, which also involve other pathological conditions such as cancer and osteoporosis. Furthermore, lessons from the trials with statins have allowed a better understanding of the mechanisms leading to atherosclerosis which is now considered as an inflammatory process affecting the vascular wall. This has opened new perspectives in the search for the development of newer and more targeted anti-atherogenic drugs.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of cigarette smoking on P53 gene mutations in bladder carcinomas.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of cigarette smoking on bladder carcinomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 98 cases of bladder cancers were examined by single strand conformation polymorphism analysis of exons 5 to 9, followed by DNA direct sequencing. RESULTS: The incidence of p53 gene mutations was not significantly influenced by habitual smoking. However, the p53 mutation spectrum of current smokers differed significantly from the pattern for non-smokers and ex-smokers. Differences between the two populations included multiple mutations in the current-smokers and an absence in non- and ex-smokers (p<0.01), with the predominance of G:C to A:T transitions at CpG sites in non-smokers (60.0%) in comparison with current smokers (7.6%) (p<0.02). Moreover, G:C to T:A and G:C to C:G transversions were found solely in current smokers. CONCLUSION: It would appear that, in current-smokers, the spectrum of p53 gene mutations is related to tobacco-smoke carcinogens and that the habit of smoking increases the extent of DNA damage.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Treatment of somatotropic deficiency with biosynthetic growth hormone].

A total of 21 patients with somatotropic deficiency have been enrolled in a clinical trial of biosynthetic growth hormone (bio-GH) and pituitary growth hormone (pit-GH). Five of them not previously treated (naïve) and 7 previously treated with pit-GH, received bio-GH; 9 received only pit-GH. Biosynthetic-GH was given 12 UI/m2/week. Height velocities during treatment rose, for naïve patients, from 3.6 +/- 0.3 cm/year (before treatment) to 8.7 +/- 1.3 cm/year (after 12 months treatment). For previously treated patients, after a period at least 6 months without any GH therapy, the increase in height was from 2.5 +/- 0.9 cm/year to 6.8 cm/year; and for the patients who received only pit-GH was from 3.4 +/- 1.2 cm/year to 8.0 +/- 1.1 cm/year. No significant difference was observed between the growth velocities obtained with the two preparations. No specific side-effects were noted.

Adolescent↗