[Migration of a Palmaz stent in the left pulmonary artery during TIPS. Report of a case].
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Female↗
Biomedical subjects
S Russo
Publications and source records attributed to S Russo.
Yeasts: from genetics to biotechnology.
Yeasts have been known and used in food and alcoholic fermentations ever since the Neolithic Age. In more recent times, on the basis of their peculiar features and history, yeasts have become very important experimental models in both microbiological and genetic research, as well as the main characters in many fermentative production processes. In the last 40 years, advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering have made possible not only the genetic selection of organisms, but also the genetic modification of some of them, especially the simplest of them, such as bacteria and yeasts. These discoveries have led to the availability of new yeast strains fit to fulfill requests of industrial production and fermentation. Moreover, genetically modified and transformed yeasts have been constructed that are able to produce large amounts of biologically active proteins and enzymes. Thus, recombinant yeasts make it easier to produce drugs, biologically active products, diagnostics, and vaccines, by inexpensive and relatively simple techniques. Yeasts are going to become more and more important in the "biotechnological revolution" by virtue of both their features and their very long and safe use in human nutrition and industry.
Biotechnology↗
Cardiotoxicity of doxorubicin: effects of drugs inhibiting the release of vasoactive substances.
The therapeutic usefulness of doxorubicin, an antineoplastic drug, is limited by its cardiotoxicity whose mechanism is as yet unknown. Several hypotheses have been postulated including also the release of vasoactive substances, so the aim of the present investigations was to study the relationship between the release of vasoactive substances and the development of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. The effects of the following drugs on doxorubicin-induced (cumulative dose of 20 mg/kg intraperitoneally) cardiotoxicity in rats have been evaluated: verapamil (1 and 10 mg/kg orally), that inhibits the slow channel influx of calcium and catecholamine release, acetylsalicylic acid (50 and 100 mg/kg orally), that inhibits the prostaglandin biosynthesis and release, and cromolyn sodium (cromolyn; 1 and 10 mg/kg orally), that inhibits the secretion of histamine. Our results showed that verapamil reduced and delayed doxorubicin-induced mortality, and limited doxorubicin-induced body weight decrease and ECG changes. Acetylsalicylic acid and cromolyn did not protect against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. These findings suggest that the release of vasoactive substances does not play a prevalent role in the development of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. The protective effect of verapamil is probably due to the inhibition of doxorubicin-induced intracellular calcium overload.
Animals↗
Treatment of EBV-induced lymphoproliferative disorder with epipodophyllotoxin VP16-213.
A case of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis consistent with X-linked lymphoproliferative disorder is described. Remission was observed after administration of VP-213, a cytotoxic drug generally used to treat histiocytosis. The child is currently in good clinical health.
Bone Marrow↗
Effects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in the rat.
One of the most important factors that determine the therapeutic limits of doxorubicin (DXR), an anthracycline antibiotic, appears in acute and late cardiotoxicity. The aim of our investigations was to evaluate the effects of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), an important precursor of the organic sulfated compounds and a fundamental agent in physiologic transmethylation, on DXR-induced cardiotoxicity. For that purpose, normotensive Wistar rats were treated with DXR associated with or without SAMe. Pretreatment with SAMe significantly reduced DXR-induced electrocardiographic and morphologic changes, lethality, and body weight. The protective effect of SAMe may partly be due to its scavenger ability against free radicals and superoxides. In addition to its action as a fundamental precursor of the sulfated compounds, the principal agent in physiological transmethylations, and an increase of glutathione (GSH) synthesis.
Animals↗
[The euthyroid sick syndrome. Its incidence and clinical significance in an internal medicine department].
In this paper the authors have evaluated the incidence and the clinical implications of sick euthyroid syndrome (SES) in a group of 144 patients in a department of internal medicine. SES is an alteration of thyroid hormone values in the absence of a thyroid disease, which is seen in patients suffering from serious diseases. Having classified SES into 3 subgroups according to the different alterations seen in the values of T3, T4, FT3, FT4, TSH, rT3 and TBG, they show the hypotheses that explain the biochemical mechanisms which are at the basis of these hormonal alterations. Fourteen of the 144 patients under observation were excluded as they were suffering from ascertained or subclinical thyroid disease. Thirty (23% of cases) of the remaining 130 patients had alterations of the thyroid hormones in accordance with SES diagnosis. Of these 30 patients, 19 had hormone values found in SES type I (63%), 2 in SES type II (6.5%) and 9 in SES type III (30.5%). In SES type I the diseases seen, in order of frequency, were: obstructive chronic bronchopneumopathy with acute respiratory failure, diabetic ketoacidosis, neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, cardiac failure, chronic renal failure, liver diseases, acute cerebral vasculopathies, sepsis and collagenopathies. The disease seen in the 2 cases of SES type II was obstructive chronic bronchopneumopathy with acute respiratory failure. In SES type III the diseases seen were, in order of frequency: diabetic ketoacidosis, lung diseases, ischemic heart disease, cardiac failure, peripheral arteriopathies, acute cerebral vasculopathies, neoplasms, liver diseases, acute renal failure. The incidence of SES in 23% of the admitted to hospital patients was found to be slightly higher than in other studies; this could be explained by a stricter selection of inpatients: in fact self-sufficient patients or those not needing urgent admission, were sent to an efficient out patient clinic where necessary examinations were quickly carried out, hospitalization being reserved for patients with more serious illnesses. We would like to underline how the incidence of SES is much greater than that of what is known as thyroid disease (23% compared to 5%), thereby confirming that it is the most frequent cause of alterations of thyroid hormones. With regard to the pathogenetical hypotheses, it is confirmed that in SES, the reduction of T3 values is accompanied by an increase in the values of rT3 as for reduced activity of 5-desiodinasis enzyme. In SES type III the increase of T4 values is due to the increase of TBG resulting in an increase in the link for T4 and therefore a reduced peripheral hormone activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Aged↗
Vasomotor responses in rats "intoxicated" with doxorubicin.
In rats intoxicated with doxorubicin, vasomotor responses were evaluated 12 hr after the last dosage. In rats pretreated with doxorubicin, hypertensive responses to L-norepinephrine and L-epinephrine, and hypertension by occlusion of both common carotid arteries were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced when compared with controls. Doxorubicin pretreatment also significantly reduced the arterial hypotension due to L-isoprenaline. In rats intoxicated with doxorubicin, pretreatment with L-sulpiride (12.5 to 50 mg/Kg/day for 30 days in drinking water ad libitum) did not modify the effects of doxorubicin on vasomotor reactivity. In contrast, pretreatment with amitriptyline (12.5 to 50 mg/Kg/day in drinking water ad libitum for 30 days) potentiated the inhibitory effects of doxorubicin on vasomotor responses. In conclusion, our research shows that doxorubicin intoxication induces a significant reduction of alpha- and beta-adrenergic reactivity and of baroreceptor activity.
Amitriptyline↗
Oral immunoglobulins for treatment of acute rotaviral gastroenteritis.
OBJECTIVE: Preliminary evidence has been reported on the antirotavirus effect of human serum immunoglobulin administered orally. The aim was to see whether such treatment might be effective in rotavirus acute gastroenteritis. METHODS: A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed. Ninety-eight children admitted with acute gastroenteritis were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups A (treated) and B (control). Children in group A received a single oral dose of 300 mg/kg body weight of human serum immunoglobulin. Parameters of efficacy were clinical condition, frequency and consistency of stools, duration of diarrhea, duration of viral excretion, and length of hospital stay. Antirotaviral activity was determined in the immunoglobulin preparation by a specific neutralization assay. RESULTS: Seventy-one of the 98 children enrolled had rotaviral gastroenteritis; 36 belonged to group A. Children who received immunoglobulin had significantly faster clinical improvement of clinical condition and stool pattern than control children. Mean total duration of rotaviral diarrhea was 76 hours in group A and 131 in group B (P < .01). Viral excretion lasted 114 and 180 hours, respectively (P < .01). Hospital stay was significantly reduced in children in group A. Neutralizing antibodies against rotavirus were detected in the immunoglobulin preparation. CONCLUSION: Oral administration of immunoglobulin is associated with a faster recovery from acute gastroenteritis and should be given to children hospitalized with this illness.
Acute Disease↗
Morphologic precursors of ovarian epithelial tumors.
OBJECTIVE: To correlate various types of hyperplastic lesions of the ovarian surface epithelium with primary disease of the female genital tract. METHODS: Using whole-organ multiple sections of the ovary, we studied 200 hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy specimens distributed into four groups: cases without hyperplastic or neoplastic disease in the tube, uterus, or vagina; those with contralateral epithelial ovarian tumors; those with endometrial adenocarcinomas; and those with polycystic ovary disease. RESULTS: We found a high frequency of hyperplastic and metaplastic changes in the surface epithelium or in the inclusion cysts in ovaries with contralateral epithelial ovarian tumors (92%), endometrial adenocarcinomas (76%), and polycystic ovary disease (68%) compared to ovaries without hyperplastic or neoplastic disease (22%). These changes were frequently associated with intracystic papillae and psammoma bodies similar to those observed in epithelial tumors. The inclusion cysts were unrelated morphologically to signs of preceding ovulation, but were related to deep crypts of the ovarian epithelium and to stromal hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The hyperplastic and metaplastic changes of the surface epithelium and related inclusion cysts can be considered morphologic precursors of common epithelial tumors. Similar changes are found as a response to a hormonal ovarian or extraovarian stimulus, which may play an important role in ovarian carcinogenesis.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Genetic diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling before 8 gestational weeks: efficiency, reliability, and risks on 317 completed pregnancies.
Transabdominal chorionic villus sampling (TA-CVS) was attempted in 328 high-risk pregnancies at 6-7 weeks of gestation. Sampling was feasible in 97.7 per cent of cases; chorionic tissue specimens of more than 10 mg were obtained in 94.4 per cent of cases at the first needle insertion and in 100 per cent after a second attempt. Fetal karyotyping succeeded in 99.4 per cent of cases, while no diagnostic failures were reported in enzymatic and DNA analyses. Fetal loss rate in the first 4 weeks after CVS was significantly higher than in the later CVS series (7.2 vs. 2.5 per cent), but 50 per cent of losses were observed within 2 weeks in cases of inviable aneuploidies. A high incidence of severe limb abnormalities (1.6 per cent) was detected in pregnancies intended to continue, confirming the aetiological role of early CVS. Unclear visualization of the placental limits and poor control of the needle path are thought to be the main reasons for the vascular disruption of the chorionic plate, and thereby hypoxic embryo tissue damage. A better selection of cases, together with high-resolution vaginal ultrasound visualization, and analytical techniques requiring a minimal amount of tissue should avoid any teratogenic effect of early CVS.
Adult↗
A radiometric assay for kynurenine 3-hydroxylase based on the release of 3H2O during hydroxylation of L-[3,5-3H]kynurenine.
A rapid and sensitive assay for kynurenine 3-hydroxylase (KH) has been developed. This radiometric assay is based on the enzymatic synthesis of tritiated water from L-[3,5-3H]kynurenine during the hydroxylation reaction. Radiolabeled water is quantified following selective adsorption of the isotopic substrate and its metabolite with activated charcoal. The assay is suitable for detecting 0.1 pmol enzyme activity per minute per milligram protein in tissues displaying low levels of the enzyme. The amount of water produced in the reaction, as calculated from the tritium released, was stoichiometric with the 3-hydroxykynurenine product detected by HPLC. Rat liver KH was characterized by cofactor specificity and kinetic parameters. NADPH was preferred over NADH as coreductant in the reaction. Tetrahydrobiopterin was not a cofactor. The tissue distribution of KH activity in the rat suggested that the majority of active enzyme is located in liver and kidney. Detectable amounts were found in several other tissues, including brain which had low but significant levels of activity in every region assayed.
Animals↗
Laryngeal intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN). An analytical morphometric approach.
Laryngeal Intraepithelial Neoplasia (LIN) is graded in 3 levels (LIN Grade I-II-III), corresponding to the classic aspects of mild, moderate and severe dysplasia-in situ carcinoma, on the basis of the number and position of mitoses and of the undifferentiated or atypical cells limited to the basal or extended to the intermediate or the superficial layers of epithelium. In order to reduce the subjective imprecision of these parameters we have applied not only traditional dimensional evaluators but also procedures of analytical morphometry to the nuclear shape. By using the software system S.A.M. (Shape Analytical Morphometry) we have examined fifty nuclei of the basal layer in LIN grade I, II and III, fifty nuclei in normal laryngeal mucosa and fifty nuclei in invasive carcinoma of the larynx (twenty-five cases in all). Normal and dysplastic nuclei did not show any dimensional differences, while the carcinomatous nuclei were significantly larger. An asymmetric distortion of the nuclear contour was noted in the moderate and severe dysplasia, but not in carcinomatous cells. Also the Fourier parameters, increased in severe dysplasia, decreased dramatically in carcinomatous cells which showed nuclei with minor contour irregularities than the normal cells. These findings outline the discriminative power of the analytical morphometry and suggest a possible correlation between nuclear shape and cell biology.
Carcinoma in Situ↗
A new approach to the histologic study of ovarian tumors by analytical morphometry.
In recent years, borderline epithelial tumors of the ovary have been investigated by morphometric techniques to allow for a differential diagnosis from benign and malignant neoplasms. In order to enhance this discriminant power, we have applied a new analytical procedure to the evaluation of the nuclear shape in epithelial ovarian tumors. Sixty nuclei of benign ovarian serous neoplasms, 60 nuclei of serous borderline tumors and 60 nuclei of serous carcinomas (18 cases in all) were examined using the software system SAM (Shape Analytical Morphometry). The morphometric procedure consisted of three different phases: (i) extraction of nuclear fundamental curve: this is a function curve giving the smoothing of the original contour by two parametric equations (separately for x and y values as dependent variables); (ii) evaluation of nuclear contour irregularities by Fourier analysis; (iii) evaluation of nuclear shape asymmetry by SAE (Shape Asymmetry Evaluator): this is the ratio between the length of a segment of a parabola interpolating the original curve points and a straight line joining its extremities for a 180 degrees barycentric rotation according 10 degrees steps. All the obtained independent parameters were submitted to statistical analysis. Nuclei of borderline tumors showed dimensional parameters which were intermediate between those of benign and malignant tumors. Both the asymmetry and the irregularities of nuclear contour were greatest in carcinomas.
Journal Article↗
Variations of lymphocyte sub-populations in vulvar condylomata during therapy with beta-interferon.
Several experiences induced us to consider genital HPV infection as an expression of a local immunodeficiency. The aim of our study was to research the effect of immunotherapy on the lymphocyte subpopulations and Langerhans cells in vulvar condyloma. Twenty women with persistent vulvar condylomata, treated with 2,000,000 IU/die of beta-interferon for 15 days, were submitted to vulvar biopsy before and 2-5 months after medical treatment. The frozen sections obtained were assayed with the following monoclonal antibodies: OKT4 (T helper lymphocytes), OKT8 (T suppressor lymphocytes), OKB7 (B lymphocytes) and S-100 protein (Langerhans cells). Using a morphometric evaluation, the average number of both intraepithelial and stromal lymphocyte subsets and of the intraepithelial Langerhans cells was assessed. In all the biopsies preceding the medical treatment we found a low number of T helper lymphocytes both in the epithelium and stroma, with inversion of T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio and rare presence of Langerhans cells. In patients with a good therapeutic response (50-100% of condyloma reduction) we observed an increase in intraepithelial T4 lymphocytes and a decrease in both intraepithelial and stromal T8 lymphocytes. In cases with persistent disease after therapy, the histological pattern was similar to that observed in the first biopsy, with the exception of a significant increase in the average number of Langerhans cells. Our data correlate the clinical response to the immunotherapy with the histology of lymphocyte subsets in the vulvar condylomata. The increase in Langerhans cells observed in patients with negative response may be interpreted with a probable inability of these cells to promote the immune reaction.
Adult↗
Variations of lymphocyte sub-populations in vulvar condylomata during therapy with beta-interferon.
Several experiences induced us to consider genital HPV infection as an expression of a local immunodeficiency. The aim of our study was to research the effect of immunotherapy on the lymphocyte subpopulations and Langerhans cells in vulvar condyloma. Twenty women with persistent vulvar condylomata, treated with 2,000,000 IU/die of beta-interferon for 15 days, were submitted to vulvar biopsy before and 2-5 months after medical treatment. The frozen sections obtained were assayed with the following monoclonal antibodies: OKT 4 (T helper lymphocytes), OKT 8 (T suppressor lymphocytes), OKB 7 (B lymphocytes) and S-100 protein (Langerhans cells). Using a morphometric evaluation, the average number of both intraepithelial and stromal lymphocyte subsets and of the intraepithelial Langerhans cells was assessed. In all the biopsies preceeding the medical treatment we found a low number of T helper lymphocytes both in the epithelium and stroma, with inversion of T4/T8 lymphocyte ratio and rare presence of Langerhans cells. In patients with a good therapeutic response (50-100% of condyloma reduction) we observed an increase in intraepithelial T4 lymphocytes and a decrease in both intraepithelial and stromal T8 lymphocytes. In cases with persistent disease after therapy, the histological pattern was similar to that observed in the first biopsy, with the exception of a significant increase in the average number of Langerhans cells. Our data correlate the clinical response to the immunotherapy with the histology of lymphocyte subsets in the vulvar condylomata. The increase in Langerhans cells observed in patients with negative response may be interpreted with a probable inability of these cells to promote the immune reaction.
Adult↗
Multiparametric discrimination of serous ovarian tumors by analytical morphometry.
In order to enhance the discrimination power in the field of serous ovarian tumors, we applied the software system SAM (Shape Analytical Morphometry) to the analytic studies of biological forms. Besides the usual dimensional evaluations (perimeter, area, maximum diameter and shape index), this procedure permits the description of the nuclear form using analytical parameters: 1) extraction of nucleus fundamental curve; that is a functional curve giving the "smoothing" of the original contour by two parametric equations (separately for x and y values as independent variables); 2) evaluation of nuclei contour irregularities by Fourier analysis; 3) evaluation of shape asymmetry by SAE (Shape Asymmetry Evaluator); that is the ratio between the length of a segment of a parabola interpolating the original curve points, and a straight line joining its extremities for a 180 degrees barycentric rotation according 10 degrees steps. All parameters resulted to be independent and were submitted to multivariate discriminant analysis. We studied 180 nuclei from 18 cases of serous ovarian tumors, (6 benign, 6 borderline and 6 malignant tumors). With respect to the dimensional parameters, the application of analytical morphometry permitted us to reduce the minimum percentage error in the discrimination of the different classes. In fact, in the distinctions of benign and malignant nuclei, the minimum percentage error was 13.30%, against the 18.3% error when using dimensional morphometry. Furthermore, in the comparison of malignant and borderline nuclei there was a reduction of error from 23.3% to 22.5%, and in the comparison of benign and borderline nuclei, the error was reduced from 37.5% to 30%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cell Nucleus↗
Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of dermorphin in rats.
The cardiovascular and respiratory effects of dermorphin (D) have been evaluated in freely moving or anesthetized normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive male rats. Intravenously or intracerebroventricularly administration of D produced arterial hypotension with sinus bradycardia and respiratory depression. Naloxone antagonized the effects of D. Atrial natriuretic antipeptide IgG reduced the cardiovascular responses without any significant modification of respiratory response. ICI 174864, naloxonazine and binaltorphimine did not reduce the cardiovascular and respiratory effects. In hypertensive rats D produced more intense and longer cardiovascular effects than those seen in normotensive animals. D effects involve the activation of mu and k opioid receptors for cardiovascular responses and mu 2 opioid receptors for respiratory depression without any significant effect on delta receptors. The release of atrial natriuretic peptide also appears to be involved in the cardiovascular effects of D.
Analgesics, Opioid↗
[Effect of some drugs on physiological icterus in the newborn].
The Authors have correlated neonatal jaundice with the administration of oxytocin and prifinium bromide to the mother either alone or in association during labour. The percentage of neonatal jaundice in women treated with ritodrine hydrochloride during the second and third trimester of pregnancy was also calculated. A total of 1.101 deliveries were taken into consideration between January 1984 and June 1986. Thirty-three patients were treated with oxytocin alone; 444 patients with oxytocin and prifinium bromide; 81 patients with ritodrine hydrochloride during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and 192 patients were untreated. This study indicates that all drugs may contribute to producing neonatal jaundice, as shown in the graphs, and drugs during labour should be used with extreme caution and be limited in quantity and period.
Female↗