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Biomedical subjects

S Campo

Publications and source records attributed to S Campo.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Protective effects of the new lazaroid "U-83836E" in splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock.

We studied the effects of the new antioxidant drug U-83836E during splanchnic artery occlusion (SAO) shock in the rat. Serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), white blood cell (WBC) count, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), survival rate and the responsiveness to acetylcholine of aortic rings were investigated. SAO shock produced a marked increase in serum TNF-alpha (241.4 +/- 18.2 U/ml vs Not Detectable in basal), reduced MAP (51.4 +/- 4 mmHg vs 85.1 +/- 5 mmHg), survival time (80 +/- 10 min vs > 240 min), WBC count (2.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(3)/mm3 cells vs 11.7 +/- 0.9 x 10(3)/mm3 cells) and blunted the responsiveness to ACh of aortic rings (60 +/- 3% tension vs 23 +/- 4% tension). The analogue of vitamin E, U-84836E, administered at onset of reperfusion, lowered serum TNF-alpha (38.4 +/- 6.5 U/ml; p < 0.001), improved MAP (67.5 +/- 3.8 mmHg; p < 0.001), WBC count (8.9 +/- 0.6 x 10(3)/mm3; p < 0.001), and survival time (235 +/- 15 min; p < 0.001), and restored the responsiveness to ACh of aortic rings (32 +/- 3.7% tension; p < 0.001). These preliminary data suggest that this new compound could be a promising drug in shock therapy.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1998

Malignancy associated papillomaviruses and morphology of human bladder cancer.

Animal studies in rabbit and cattle have clearly demonstrated the contribution of host genetics, chemical carcinogens and immunosuppression to the conversion of papillomavirus induced benign regressing warts into malignant cancers. More significant is the role of vaccination both with whole tumour cell suspensions with whole virus and viral proteins, particularly L2 molecules, in causing progressing warts to regress. Early results in small scale studies of HPV16 E6/E7 vaccine in patients with cervical cancer have provided evidence that tumour regression can be induced in human papillomavirus induced tumours. These observations provided added impetus for more research to firm up the increasing, but still principally anecdotal, evidence that papillomaviruses may be involved in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. Studies of carcinomas arising in cattle after BBV 4 infection show absence of fully infectious virus in the majority of tumours, though the tumours have persistent E7, E8 and LCR sequences. As this is all that is required for transformation, it may require in vitro molecular studies in human bladder cancer screening for such elements before final proof of involvement is confirmed. However, even before this is achieved, given the success in animal models of whole tumour cell vaccines, serious thought should be given to how to develop protocols for study of crude tumour cell vaccines in vivo. Such studies would need in vitro assays to seek evidence for specific antitumour immunity, focusing on studies of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes and their T cell receptor polymorphisms.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[The ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)].

ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is the latest known assisted reproduction technique (ART) and it already appears to be mature. In fact the analysis of the results presented by the researchers over the years has shown that the most specific indication for this ART is the sterility of the couple with serious male pathology, up to ejaculatory azoospermia where it is possible to perform MESA, PESA or TESE. Any kind of sterility could be solved with ICSI whose only limit presently known is the high technology and therefore high costs involved. The percentage of oocytes that undergo ICSI without being damaged varies from 87% to 94% and the percentage of fertilization varies from 33% to 71%. The transfer rate is 59-100%. The rate of pregnancies per couple ranges from 12% to 40% of the couples, from 11% to 41% for the transfers. Since abortions are similar to the values of the normal population (10-15%), ICSI is actually the assisted fertilization technique with the highest incidence of pregnancies and "take home babies". The percentage incidence of the two sexes, of the malformations and the typologies of malformations corresponds to those observed in the population with spontaneous pregnancies. Since there is no natural selection of the gametes in ICSI, one may be sure that when spermatozoa with any kind of pathology are injected, the pregnancy does not take place at all.

Cytoplasm↗
PubMed1997

Pre-S2 defective hepatitis B virus infection in patients with fulminant hepatitis.

Controversial data were recently published concerning the association of hepatitis B virus (HBV) variants with fulminant hepatitis (FH). In this study, we first analyzed the complete nucleotide sequences of HBV genomes isolated from serum samples from a surgeon and his mother, who was accidentally infected by the son; both died of FH. The infecting viruses were genetically almost identical in both patients; all the clones examined carried a double nucleotide mutation in the start codon of the pre-S2 region that prevented the synthesis of the corresponding protein. Analyses of different serum samples from the son revealed only wild-type precore sequences in a high viremic serum, whereas hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-defective strains were prevalent when the viremia had decreased. Subsequently, we extended the analysis to the viral genomes isolated from 18 additional patients with acute HBV infection and different clinical behaviors: 3 of 5 patients with FH and without previous liver disease had pre-S2 start codon mutations preventing pre-S2 protein synthesis, whereas none of the 13 control cases had similar genomic rearrangements. Analysis of the precore region showed that viral populations normally producing HBeAg were the only or the prevalent viral strains in all of these cases. In summary, our results support the hypothesis that the pre-S2 protein is not essential for HBV infectivity. They also show that infection by pre-S2-defective virus is frequently associated with FH, indicating that this variant might play a pathogenetic role in cases of acute liver failure. Finally, they suggest that the emergence of HBeAg-defective viruses might be a late event in the course of FH, occurring when HBeAg-producing viruses have been mostly cleared.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Esophageal dysmotility and gastroesophageal reflux in intrinsic asthma.

This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of esophageal motor abnormalities, the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux, and the coexistence of gastroesophageal reflux with esophageal dysmotility in patients with intrinsic asthma. Based on clinical criteria, 34 consecutive asthmatics, 15 patients with gastroesophageal reflux, and 10 subjects with upper gastrointestinal symptoms with normal results of esophageal manometry and 24-hr esophageal pH test (controls) were studied. Esophageal motor disorders were noted in 23 of 34 asthmatics, and in 10 of 15 patients with acid reflux but in none of the subjects of the control group. A positive result of the prolonged esophageal pH study (pH in the distal esophagus less than 4 for more than 4.2% of the recording time) was obtained in 14 of 17 patients with asthma (only 17 of the original patients were tested because the others did not give informed consence for this test) and in all patients with gastroesophageal reflux. None of the members of the control group had positive test results. The findings of this study show that: (1) it is possible to identify a group of subjects with nonallergic asthma presenting with esophageal dysmotility, (2) the 24-hr esophageal pH study must be properly done in such patients; (3) esophageal motor abnormalities are often associated with positive pH results; and (4) more reflux was observed while in a supine position (especially during the night) than that observed either in control or reflux patients. Based on these results, patients with intrinsic asthma with reflux can benefit from both acid suppressive and prokinetic drugs with notable clinical implications regarding standard treatment for asthma, and those with prevalent supine compared to upright reflux could even benefit from surgery.

Asthma↗
PubMed1997

Antioxidant activity of U-83836E, a second generation lazaroid, during myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The 21-aminosteroid compounds are potent lipid peroxidation inhibitors belonging to a new class of antioxidants given the collective name of "lazaroids". They protect cells from oxidative damage induced by oxygen-based free radicals in a variety of in vitro and in vivo test systems. U-83836E is one of the second-generation lazaroids that are based on a non steroidal structure characterized by a ring portion of alpha-tocopherol bonded with various amine groups. We investigated the ability of U-83836E to reduce myocardial damage in rats undergoing left coronary artery occlusion for 60 min followed by 6 hours of reperfusion. This ischemia/reperfusion model produced wide heart necrosis, membrane lipid peroxidation, ventricular arrhythmias, tissue neutrophil infiltration and a marked decrease in endogenous antioxidants. Intravenous administration of U-83836E, (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg) at onset of reperfusion, reduced myocardial necrosis, expressed as a percentage of either the area at risk or the total left ventricle (p < 0.001), improved haemodynamic conditions by decreasing ventricular arrhythmias (p < 0.005), limited membrane lipid peroxidation (evaluated by assessing conjugated dienes, p < 0.001; and 4-hydroxynonenal, p < 0.001) restored the endogenous antioxidants vitamin E (p < 0.001), and superoxide dismutase (pt < 0.001). Furthermore, the lazaroid inhibited the derimental hydroxyl radical formation (p < 0.001), evaluated indirectly by a trapping agent and reduced heart neutrophil infiltration, measured by testing cardiac tissue elastase (p < 0.001) that is released from the stimulated granulocytes at the site of injury. These data suggest that this compound could be a new useful tool to study the mechanisms of oxidative damage during myocardial infarction.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1997

[Combined intra-arterial locoregional and systemic treatment of nonresectable hepatic metastases of colorectal carcinoma].

Intra-arterial hepatic chemotherapy (LAHC) results in significantly higher response rate than the best systemic treatment of liver metastases from colorectal cancer, but no survival advantage has to date shown because of extra-hepatic progression. From June 1991 to December 1994, twenty patients with hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer were enrolled. All patients underwent laparotomy for the placement of an intra-arterial catheter into the gastroduodenal artery connected with a subcutaneous port. All patients underwent cholecystectomy and biopsy of liver lesion to confirm metastatic disease. Locoregional schedule was: 5-fluorouracil (5FU) 500 mg/sqm, epirubicin (EPI) 13 mg/sqm, mitomycin-C (MMC) 7 mg/sqm, in bolus every 3 weeks. Systemic therapy consisted of leucovorin 500 mg/sqm, over 2 hours and 5FU 600 mg/sqm in bolus every week. Treatment was planned over a six month period. The complete response (CR) plus partial response (PR) rate was 50% of the entire group. The median survival was 18 months and 1- and 2- and 3-year survival rates were 71%, 38% and 20% respectively. Prior to chemotherapy, LDH value and % of liver involvement were the only significant prognostic parameters. Toxicity was absent or mild and no patient stopped treatment because of side effects. Combined systemic and IAHC is an effective treatment for liver metastases from colorectal cancer, with a mild or moderate toxicity. However, more trials are needed, to improve the control of the extrahepatic disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

No evidence of increased fetal haemoglobin in an adult diabetic population.

Increased fetal haemoglobin levels, which could interfere with glycohaemoglobin assessment, have been observed in some diabetic populations, especially in insulin-treated patients. In this study, we have consecutively examined 1042 adult (aged > 18 y) diabetic subjects (102 IDDM patients, 263 insulin-treated NIDDM patients and 677 non-insulin-treated NIDDM patients) and 156 sex-and age-matched control subjects. Fetal haemoglobin was assessed with a fully automated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) device. Its average levels were 0.19% +/- 0.28% in the control group, 0.17% +/- 0.23% in IDDM patients, and 0.19% +/- 0.25% in insulin-treated NIDDM patients; these differences were not significant. Also the percentage of patients with fetal haemoglobin exceeding the 95th percentile of normal values (0.75%) was not different in the various subgroups. In conclusion, in our large cohort of adult diabetic patients, fetal haemoglobin levels are within the normal range, including those who have IDDM or insulin-treated NIDDM. Genetic factors could explain this difference with other reports.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

FSH isoforms: bio and immuno-activities in post-menopausal and normal menstruating women.

OBJECTIVE: The full expression of gonadotrophin biological activity depends on the gonadotrophin carbohydrate component. Our aim was to study serum FSH isoforms present in the follicular phase (FPS) and in the menopause (PMS) since the endocrine status may influence the structure of incorporated oligosaccharides. SUBJECTS: Ten healthy post-menopausal women (age range 53-68) not receiving any hormonal treatment and 10 healthy women (age range 20-28) in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle were studied. MEASUREMENTS: Bio and immuno FSH-activities (Sertoli cell aromatase induction assay and RIA, respectively) were determined in separated isoforms after concanavalin A chromatography. Isolated isoforms were: UB, unbound; WB, weakly bound and FB, firmly bound to the lectin. RESULTS: PMS showed two groups of immuno and bio-active FSH isoforms: WB, bearing biantennary galactosylated type and FB, bearing high mannose or hybrid type oligosaccharides. Immuno and bio-active FSH were not detected in the UB fractions. WB isoforms represented 82 +/- 6% of the total bioactivity recovered in samples analysed individually; their B/I ratio was 0.85 +/- 0.20. FB isoforms were 18 +/- 6%; their B/I ratio was 3.27 +/- 0.60. Whole serum B/I ratio was 1.20 +/- 0.30. Similar results were obtained when pooled sera was analysed: WB: 77%, B/I: 0.82; FB: 23%, B/I: 3.75. Whole serum B/I in pooled samples was 1.10. FPS showed a different pattern. UB isoforms, bearing triantennary or bisecting oligosaccharides, were 41 +/- 3% of the total bioactivity recovered in samples analysed individually. Their B/I ratio was 0.61 +/- 0.23. WB isoforms were 59 +/- 3% and their B/I 0.76 +/- 0.14. FB FSH isoforms were not detected. The whole serum B/I ratio was 0.60 +/- 0.30. Similar results were obtained when pooled sera was analysed: WB 43%, B/I 0.42; FB 57%, B/I 0.62. Whole serum B/I in pooled samples was 0.70. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that, in normal women, circulating FSH bioactivity is associated with isoforms with different oligosaccharide [correction of oligosacharide] structures according to hormonal status. FSH in the follicular phase has a higher degree of branching and a more complete carbohydrate chain than the FSH secreted during the menopause.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Severe outcome of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and lack of HBV e antigen-defective virus emergence in patients homozygous for HLA class I alleles.

In the Mediterranean region almost all patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis are anti-HBV e antigen (anti-HBeAg)-positive and carriers of HBeAg-negative virus mutants. The six members of a family who acquired HBV infection were recently studied: two siblings developed cirrhosis with persistence of HBeAg positivity, whereas their parents and two more siblings cleared the virus. The two cirrhotic patients showed homozygosity for HLA class I by phenotype, which is a rare occurrence in the general population, while the other family members were heterozygous for HLA class I. The sequencing analyses of the entire viral DNAs isolated from both cirrhotic patients showed that the two viral genomes were almost identical and no mutation preventing HbeAg synthesis or viral gene expression was present. These findings might suggest that homozygosity for HLA class I molecules might be responsible for an insufficient response to the virus, favouring chronic outcome of the infection and the long-lasting persistence of HBV populations that produce HBeAg.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Immunological and biological activities of pituitary FSH isoforms in prepubertal male rats: effect of antiandrogens.

In male rats androgens are involved in the regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) synthesis and secretion. Two nonsteroidal antiandrogens, flutamide and Casodex, were used to study the influence of androgens on the carbohydrate structure of FSH isoforms and the relationship with their bioactivity in prepubertal male rats. Different doses of flutamide or Casodex (vehicle, 1, 5, or 10 mg/rat/day) were administered subcutaneously for 10 days to 23-day-old rats. Immunological FSH was determined by radioimmunoassay and the bioactivity by in vitro Sertoli cell bioassay. Concanavalin A affinity chromatography was used to study the distribution of immunoactive and bioactive pituitary FSH isoforms. A significant depletion of immunological and biological pituitary FSH contents was observed even at the lowest dose of flutamide or Casodex used. The bioactive/immunoactive ratio of pituitary FSH was reduced at the highest dose of flutamide; however, no change was observed in Casodex-treated rats, suggesting a differential effect of the antiandrogens on the FSH bioactivity. Flutamide treatment provoked a significant decrease in proportion and bioactivity of FSH isoforms bearing biantennary and truncated hybrid oligosaccharide side chains and an increase in the proportion but a decrease in bioactivity of FSH isoforms bearing high-mannose oligosaccharides. Conversely, Casodex administration did not modify the proportions of FSH isoforms, although those bearing biantennary and truncated hybrid structures were less bioactive, while those bearing high-mannose oligosaccharides were more bioactive. The highest dose of flutamide decreased the bioactive/immunoactive ratio of FSH isoforms with a high degree of branching in their carbohydrate chains. Our results suggest that androgens, acting directly and indirectly at the pituitary, regulate the selective incorporation of sugar residues to the FSH molecule, thus modulating its biological activity.

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

[Surgical treatment of ovarian cysts: economic analysis as a means for the evaluation of alternative technics. Results of a biennial study].

The large use of new gynaecological technologies such as the operative laparoscopy, requires both efficacy and efficiency evaluation. The aim of this work is to compare costs of the surgical treatment of ovarian cysts between two groups of patients--35 patients undergone to laparotomic cystectomy (age: mean 27.5) and 34 operated by laparoscopic technique (age: mean 27). The analysis of the costs, related to three steps of health care (pre-operative, operative, post-operative) shows that the laparoscopic cystectomy results the more efficient intervention (L. 6,244,808 vs L. 8,310,002). This economic analysis may offer a planning tool for health care to hospital managers and represent an efficiency evaluation criterion of surgical techniques employed by the gynaecologists.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

PreS and core gene heterogeneity in hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomes isolated from patients with long-lasting HBV chronic infection.

Several reports have been recently published concerning the identification of HBV variants due to rearrangements of the preS1/preS2 or core regions of the viral genome. To evaluate the frequency of the natural occurrence of such variants and whether the heterogeneity of these genomic regions correlates with the severity of the liver disease, we have examined the preS1/preS2 region and the entire core gene sequences of HBV DNA isolated from sera of 30 chronic HBV carriers, 7 with chronic persistent hepatitis, 10 with chronic active hepatitis, 7 with cirrhosis, and 6 with hepatocellular carcinoma. We found no significant rearrangement in any of the preS1 regions examined, while genomic modifications precluding the preS2 protein production were detected in 4 cases, 2 with cirrhosis and 2 with hepatocellular carcinoma. The analysis of the core gene showed the presence of various numbers of missense mutations in the core region of most cases, independent of the grade of liver disease. Moreover, in contrast with previous reports, neither mutation cluster region nor deletion was observed. On the contrary, HBV strains with the precore mutation at nucleotide position 1896, effecting the rise of HBeAg-defective viruses, were found in 26 of the 30 cases examined. In conclusion, our data show that the precore mutant is the only HBV genomic variant commonly selected during a chronic infection. Other HBV variants, due to genomic rearrangements outside the precore region, may exist and influence the outcome of the infection and the course of the liver disease, but the emergence of each of these variants seems to be an unusual and probably casual event.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Apolipoprotein AI-CIII-AIV genetic polymorphisms and coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of this study was to verify whether or not the increased prevalence of coronary heart disease (CHD) commonly observed in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus is related to a genetic background involving restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of apolipoproteins. On the basis of a case-control design, 62 type 2 diabetic patients with CHD (confirmed by clinical history and electrocardiogram) and 62 age- and sex-matched diabetic subjects without CHD were enrolled. In each of them RFLPs of the apolipoprotein CIII gene (S1 or S2 allele) and AI promoter region (A or G allele), together with fasting plasma lipids and apolipoproteins levels, were assessed. The rare S2 allele was found significantly (P = 0.05) more frequently in patients with CHD, and its related S1S2 genotype was associated with higher plasma levels of total cholesterol (P = 0.01), triglycerides (P = 0.007) and apo B (P = 0.001) than the S1S1 genotype. The A allele was more frequent (P = 0.004) in patients without CHD and was associated with lower plasma cholesterol (P = 0.0001), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol (P = 0.0001) and apo B (P = 0.005). The S1/A haplotype was more frequent (P = 0.05) in patients without CHD and was associated with the lowest plasma lipid levels. These results suggest that genetic factors, related to the apo AI-CIII-AIV gene cluster, could play a role in the development of CHD in type 2 diabetic patients, probably through modification of their plasma lipid pattern.

Alleles↗
PubMed1995

Hepatitis B E antigen detection in formalin-fixed liver biopsy specimens. A tool to investigate wild-type and E-minus variant HBV infection.

The aim of this study is to investigate whether hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) reactivity can be detected on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver tissue, and whether immunohistochemical detection of intrahepatic HBeAg may help to distinguish between "wild-type" and "eminus" hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Liver biopsy specimens were analyzed from 27 patients with chronic type B hepatitis: 12 patients had serum HBeAg (group A), and 15 patients were anti-HBe positive (group B). Part of each biopsy fragment was processed for histologic and immunohistochemical studies, and a part was used for HBV-DNA analysis. Dewaxed sections from each specimen were tested with a specific monoclonal anti-HBe antibody; then a Biotin-Streptavidin kit was used as detection system. HBeAg was revealed in 10 of 12 cases of group A and in 6 of the 15 cases of group B. Pre-core region of HBV genomes, isolated from each biopsy specimen, was analyzed by direct sequencing: 10 cases of group A were found to be infected by wild-type HBV alone and 2 cases by both wild and e-minus HBV types. In group B, all the 6 cases with intrahepatic HBeAg reactivity were found to be infected by mixed viral population, whereas the 9 cases negative for such reactivity were found to be infected by e-minus HBV alone. These results show that HBeAg can be detected in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver specimens, and the method is sensitive and specific. Because the presence of HBeAg in the liver indicates a wild-type HBV infection, and the lack of detection of such antigen in the hepatocytes of anti-HBe positive subjects correlates with unmixed e-minus HBV infection, the authors conclude that this technique is a useful tool for recognizing the viral strains that infect patients with chronic type B hepatitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Testicular steroidogenesis in the Cebus monkey throughout postnatal development.

There is scant information on testicular steroidogenesis during postnatal development in monkeys, particularly in New World species. Our purpose was to study the in vitro steroidogenic capacity of the Cebus monkey testis from birth to advanced puberty. Fresh testicular tissue was incubated in Medium 199 with or without hCG (10 IU/ml); and levels of pregnenolone (P5), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA), progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and 3 alpha-androstanediol (3 alpha-DIOL) were measured in tissue and incubation media by RIA. To determine the predominant steroidogenic pathway, the ratio between the concentrations of the 5-ene and the 4-ene T precursors was determined, and the relative conversion of 3H-P5 and 14C-P4 to T was calculated. The number of Leydig cells per testis was determined in all experimental groups. The testes of the Cebus monkeys could produce T in vitro without the addition of gonadotropins at all ages. T and the 5-ene precursors (P5 and DHA) were the main steroids found within testicular tissue throughout postnatal development. T content per Leydig cell increased continuously with age, but testicular T concentration reached maximal levels at early puberty and did not change thereafter. The ratios between 5-ene and 4-ene T precursors ranged between 2.8 and 13.2, which suggested a predominance of the delta-5 pathway. This was confirmed by the finding that 3H-P5 was more efficiently converted to T than was 14C-P4. The T production relative to that of its d-ene precursors progressively increased to reach maximal values in late puberty.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Androstenedione↗