Biomedical subjects

A Brunello

Publications and source records attributed to A Brunello.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Which benefit from adding gemcitabine to vinorelbine in elderly (>or=70 years) women with metastatic breast cancer? Early interruption of a phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Since vinorelbine and gemcitabine are both active in breast cancer with moderate toxicity, in 2002 we started a phase II trial with a combination regimen in elderly patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: To evaluate complete plus partial response rates and toxicity of first-line vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 plus gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks, in women>or=70 years with advanced breast cancer and measurable lesions. All patients underwent multidimensional geriatric assessment before enrollment. A two-step design was applied, and the trial would be completed if an overall response rate>or=30% was obtained with a grade 3-grade 4 (G3-G4) toxicity rate or=70 years outside the setting of controlled clinical trials.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Modulation by cADPr of Ca2+ mobilization and oxidative response in dimethylsulfoxide- or retinoic acid-differentiated HL-60 cells.

In human phagocytic cells, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in response to N-formyl-L-Methionyl-L-Leucyl-L-Phenylalanine (fMLF) is largely dependent on cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPr) is able to regulate Ca2+ release from intracellular stores through the ryanodine receptor but its potential role in biological responses has so far not been determined. In this study, we examined whether extracellular and intracellular cADPr is required in fMLF-induced [Ca2+]i rise and consequently in the oxidative response in human neutrophil-like HL-60 cells differentiated with dimethylsulfoxide or all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). We establish that extracellular cADPr cannot elicit [Ca2+]i elevation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that 8-Br-cADPr, a functional antagonist of cADPr, inhibits Ca2+ entry into HL-60 cells differentiated with ATRA and stimulated with fMLF (95+/-4 and 148+/-5 nM respectively, n=3). Finally, we show that this partial inhibition of Ca2+ mobilization is unrelated to ROS production (10.0+/-0.3 vs. 9.6+/-0.5 A.U., n=3). In conclusion, we showed that cADPr can control fMLF-induced Ca2+ influx but is unable to regulate a Ca2+-dependent biological response, i.e. H2O2 production.

Calcium Signaling↗

PubMed2005

Adjuvant chemotherapy for elderly patients (> or =70 years) with early high-risk breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of 260 patients.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly women is currently perceived as one of the priorities in breast cancer (BC) research and, to date, we lack practical guidelines in this age group. Therefore we performed a retrospective analysis of the actual use of adjuvant chemotherapy according to each negative prognostic factor. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Charts of all consecutive elderly patients aged 70 years or more with operable BC referred to our institution between 1999 and 2003 were reviewed for tumour stage and treatment, and compared with an equal cohort of younger randomly selected postmenopausal patients (control group). RESULTS: A total of 260 elderly patients (mean age 75.6 years, age range 70-97 years) with histological diagnosis of early BC were eligible. Conserving surgery was performed in 54.6% of patients, nodal dissection in 84.6% and sentinel node biopsy in 5.8%. Tumour size was pT2-pT3 in 45.4% of patients; grading was G3 in 27.3%, hormonal status was negative (HR-) in 16.9% and lymph nodes were involved N+ in 36.1%. Of 188 patients presenting one or more risk factors (pT2-3, G3, N+, HR-), 48.4% were not proposed for adjuvant chemotherapy (compared with 7.2% in the control group), 39.8% of those with nodal involvement (compared with 4.3% of controls, P <0.0001) and 22.7% of those who were HR- (compared with 0.0% of controls, P=0.0002). Considering only patients receiving non-anthracycline-based chemotherapy, 20 elderly patients (25.9%) were unable to complete the planned number of cycles (compared with 4.7% of controls, P=0.0002). The 2-year disease-free survival was significantly decreased in N+ HR- patients compared with the remaining elderly patients (49.9% compared with 90.9%, P=0.0006). CONCLUSIONS: Elderly BC patients receive much less adjuvant chemotherapy, according to each prognostic factor. N+ HR- disease probably represents the most reasonable indication. As the toxicity of the CMF regimen frequently caused interruption of treatment, alternative regimens should be assessed in this age class.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

How to measure the bogoliubov quasiparticle amplitudes in a trapped condensate

We propose an experiment, based on two consecutive Bragg pulses, to measure the momentum distribution of quasiparticle excitations in a trapped Bose gas at low temperature. With the first pulse one generates a bunch of excitations carrying momentum q, whose Doppler line is measured by the second pulse. We show that this experiment can provide direct access to the amplitudes u(q) and v(q) characterizing the Bogoliubov transformations from particles to quasiparticles. We simulate the behavior of the nonuniform gas by numerically solving the time dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2000

Attitudes and knowledge about transplantation in dialyzed patients requesting a cadaveric kidney graft.

AIM: Eighty-two patients answered a multiple choice questionnaire aimed at identifying their presumed and actual knowledge regarding transplantation, given immediately before evaluation by our transplant team for inclusion on our kidney transplant waiting list. SUBJECTS, METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 78% stated that they had no or incomplete knowledge of transplantation and 22% were very well informed. The mean score for technical knowledge of transplantation (duration, requirement for removal of native kidneys, possibility of obtaining a second transplant, duration of immunosuppressive therapy and duration of the risk of rejection) was 3.1 +/- 0.15 SEM (maximal possible score 5), that for risk knowledge (risks of infections, unpleasant side effects, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, viral infections and cancer) was 1.4 +/- 0.15 (maximal possible score 6). A total of 23% knew that the spouse could donate a kidney, 74% stated that only a blood relative could and 3% that living donation was impossible. CONCLUSIONS: There is scarce knowledge about transplantation, especially with regard to the risks and living donation.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Beta 2-microglobulin removal by synthetic dialysis membranes. Mechanisms and kinetics of the molecule.

Beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-m) accumulation represents a possible complication of long term dialysis. It is therefore important to evaluate the capacity of removal of this molecule from the patient by different dialysis membranes. The present study is aimed at evaluating the mechanisms involved in beta 2-m removal by three different synthetic membranes: a) highly asymmetric hydrophobic polysulfone (Biosulfane, NMC), b) moderately asymmetric and hydrophobic polysulfone (PS600, Fresenius), c) Polyacylonitrile (AN69HF, Hospal). The adsorption capacity and sieving coefficients of the three membranes for native and labeled beta 2-m were studied in vitro utilizing human blood. The amount adsorbed by the membrane was measured by the elution of the molecule obtained with a detergent solution. Clearances, total removal and membrane adsorption were studied in six patients treated in a randomized sequence with the three membranes. For this purpose, plasma and dialysate measurements as well as total collection of spent dialysate and beta 2-m elution from the used dialyzers were carried out. Ex novo generation of beta 2-m did not take place during in vitro circulation. The molecule was removed by the studied membranes both by filtration and adsorption. The Biosulfane membrane removed beta 2-m mostly by adsorption while the PS600 membrane removed beta 2-m almost entirely by filtration. Intermediate behaviour was shown by AN69 membrane. Similar quantities of beta 2-m were removed from the patients with the three membranes. Total removal could only be precisely measured by adding the quantity of beta 2-m eluted from the membrane to the amount recovered in the spent dialysate. Out of total removal, adsorption was more than 90% with Biosulfane, while only 5% with the PS600. These findings contribute to the understanding of the discrepancy found between the clearance measured from the plasma side and that measured from the dialysate side. In conclusion, clearance and sieving measurements for beta 2-m cannot be correctly performed unless the capacity of adsorption of the membrane is taken into account.

Acrylic Resins↗

PubMed1993