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Biomedical subjects

S Gentili

Publications and source records attributed to S Gentili.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of a p210 multipeptide vaccine associated with imatinib or interferon in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia and persistent residual disease: a multicentre observational trial.

BACKGROUND: Although imatinib is the standard treatment for chronic myeloid leukaemia, not all patients reach complete cytogenetic remission (CCR) and most maintain detectable disease at the molecular level. We investigated whether a vaccine targeting the BCR-ABL-derived p210 fusion protein was an active and specific immunotherapy. METHODS: We recruited 16 patients who had chronic myeloid leukaemia (with the b3a2 fusion point of p210), stable residual disease, a minimum treatment of 12 months of imatinib or 24 months of interferon alfa, and no further reduction of residual disease for at least 6 months preceding enrollment. They were given six vaccinations with a peptide vaccine derived from the sequence p210-b3a2 plus molgramostim and QS-21 as adjuvants (CMLVAX100) before assessment of immunological and disease response, which included detecting amounts of b3a2 transcripts by standardised quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR. RESULTS: Of ten patients on imatinib, nine started CMLVAX100 having had a median of 10 months' stable cytogenetic disease (median 10% Philadelphia-chromosome-positive metaphases), whereas one started in stable CCR. All patients' cytogenetic responses improved after six vaccinations, with five reaching CCR. Notably, three of these five patients also had undetectable amounts of b3a2 transcript (BCR-ABL:beta2 microglobulin ratio <0.00001). Six patients on interferon alfa treatment with a median of 17 months' stable residual disease (median 13% Philadelphia-chromosome-positive cells) were also vaccinated. All but one had improved cytogenetic responses, and two reached CCR. Overall, we recorded peptide-specific delayed-type hypersensitivity (in 11 of 16 patients), CD4 cell proliferation (13 of 14 assessed), and interferon gamma production (five of five assessed). INTERPRETATION: Addition of CMLVAX100 to conventional treatment in patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia might favour further reduction of residual disease and increase the number of patients reaching a molecular response.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ethanol in biological fluids: headspace GC measurement.

The present study evaluates the suitability of headspace gas chromatography (GC) with a capillary column as a method for determining the ethanol content in different biological fluids. This procedure allows the use of headspace GC not only as a reference method but also in routine diagnostics and monitoring work. The recent literature reviewed reports no standardized methodology that is at the same time suitable for ethanol determination in all routinely available biological fluids (blood, serum, plasma, urine, and saliva). The proposed procedure seems to be a good solution to the problem. The reproducibility study for the biological fluids tested resulted in coefficients of variation that ranged from 0.8 to 2.9% and recoveries that averaged 99%. Linearity was verified in the range of 0.01-20 g/L of ethanol in aqueous solutions. Sensitivity was determined to be 0.01 g/L. Ethanol measurement by this method is easy, simple, and highly reliable, and only a small sample volume (0.1 mL) is required. An internal standard and sample manipulation are not necessary. The obtained results suggest that the use of headspace GC could be extended from confirmatory analyses to routine application in many biomedical fields.

1-Propanol↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Blood pressure in nuns in a secluded order: A 30-year follow-up.

The powerful effect of psychosocial and acculturating influences on population blood pressure trends seems to be confirmed, through longitudinal observations, in the nuns in a secluded order. After initial observations had been made on culture, body form, blood pressure, diet, and other variables in 144 nuns and 138 lay women, included as a control group, a 30-year follow-up study was undertaken. Most striking were opposite trends noted between the two groups in blood pressure trend. During the follow-up period, blood pressure remained remarkably stable among the nuns. None showed an increase in diastolic blood pressure over 90 mm Hg. By contrast, the control women showed the expected increase in blood pressure with age. This resulted in a gradually greater difference (delta>30/15 mm Hg) in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the two groups, which was statistically significant. In addition, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, expressed as the outcome of fatal and nonfatal events, were different in the two groups. They were significantly more common in the lay women than in the nuns. Comparisons between survival curves were statistically significant (p = 0.0043 for fatal events; p = 0.0056 for nonfatal events) between the two groups. In conclusion, it seems reasonable to attribute much of the difference in blood pressure and cardiovascular events, to the different burden in psychosocial factor and to the preserved peaceful lifestyle of the nuns.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Role of surgery in ductal carcinoma of the pancreas.

Data of 111 patients with ductal carcinoma of the pancreas examined over a decade (1979-1989) at the 1st Department of Surgery, "La Sapienza" University of Rome, are presented. 21.6% of them underwent pancreatic resection and 40.5% biliodigestive diversion. Resectability was 26.5% for tumors of the head, 11.8% for tumors of the body and tail, nil for diffuse tumors. Overall operative mortality was 13.5%. Only stage I patients were shown to be resectable for cure and benefited from surgery with 21% probability of 5-year survival.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A new gonadotropin treatment for idiopathic moderate oligoasthenospermia.

Twenty-three idiopathic oligoasthenospermic patients were subdivided into three classes according to degree of sperm concentration and typical sperm motility percentage. These patients were treated with 75 I.U. of Urofollitropin every other day for three months. The patients with moderate oligoasthenospermia responded more favorably than patients with severe or more severe oligoasthenospermia.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The role of surgery in the treatment of primary carcinoma of the gallbladder. Review of 86 cases].

The records of 86 patients with primary adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder were reviewed. All patients were staged according to the Nevin classification. Twenty-nine patients underwent resection, 57 were submitted to palliative procedures or exploratory laparotomy. Survival was directly related to tumor staging and modality of treatment. The 5- and 10-year survival expectancy after curative resection was 46.8% in stage II patients, 14.2% and 0%, respectively, in stage V patients. None of the unresectable cases survived beyond 24 months, except for one patients who lived 62 months. No significant difference in survival expectancy was found between resectable and unresectable patients with stage V tumor.

Adenocarcinoma↗