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Biomedical subjects

A Calligaro

Publications and source records attributed to A Calligaro.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Lymph vessels of the rabbit heart: distribution and fine structure in ventricles.

We examined the distribution and fine morphology of small lymph channels in the rabbit heart, and particularly in the ventricular myocardium. Light microscopy showed many small subendocardial lymphatics in both ventricles and especially in the subendocardium of papillary muscles and right side of the septum. Electron microscopy revealed that the endothelial ultrastructure of these lymphatics was similar at different sites. The cytoplasm exhibited frequent adluminal expansions and contained numerous micropinocytotic vesicles opening both into the lumen and surrounding interstitium. Bundles of microfilaments, commonly arranged in a parallel fashion, were also visible. Between laminations of the endothelial wall were relatively dense, finely granular material. Intercellular contacts were characterized by cell superimpositions and interlockings, specialized junctions and occasionally maculae adherentes. The basal membrane was discontinuous and often of variable thickness. In the surrounding connective tissue, thin filaments appeared adjacent to the abluminal surface of the endothelial wall. Although the fine structure of the walls of small lymphatics in the rabbit ventricular myocardium was similar to that of small lymphatics at other sites, their distribution varied from other mammalian species.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The immotile-cilia syndrome. Functional and ultrastructural alterations.

Literature was critically reviewed on the grounds of the ultrastructural and clinical observations made on three subjects carriers of Kartagener's syndrome. The relationship between the various ultrastructural aspects (lack of dynein arms and casual orientation of the central microtubular doublet) and the clinical evidence elicited in all the sites lined with ciliated epithelia (auditory apparatus, vestibular apparatus, genital organs and central nervous system). Attribution of the genesis of situs viscerum inversus to lack of ciliar motion was brought up for discussion again.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Kinetics of D-histidine diffusion across rat intestine in vitro.

A five-compartment linear model for diffusion in vitro across rat jejunum has been proposed for the study of the kinetic constants of D-histidine transport. Once preliminary experiments using 2,4-dinitrophenol and L-methionine have proved that D-histidine gives rise to passive transport only, the validity of the model was tested and its parameters estimated through a best-fitting procedure by using experimental data concerning D-histidine transport. D-Histidine diffusion was studied in everted and unreverted loops mounted in an oxygenated bath system. Both mucosa to serosa and seroa to mucosa movements of D-histidine (3-30 mM) were evaluated by measuring chemically the amount of D-histidine transported into intestinal lumen every 5 min for 60 min. Results obtained proved that D-histidine transport in each direction (mucosa to seroa or seroa to mucosa) was dependent-concentration process. Nevertheless different values of gain and time constants were estimated for the transport in the two directions.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Clinical significance of fluoroscopic patterns specific for the mitotic spindle in patients with rheumatic diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical significance of anti-NuMA and anti-HsEg5 antibodies in a group of patients affected with rheumatic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Indirect immunofluorescence on HEp-2000 cells at serum dilution of 1:40 was used to examine 26 sera which had previously showed a "mitotic spindle" fluoroscopic pattern type during laboratory routine. RESULTS: 21 sera (80,7%) were identified with NuMA and 5 (19,3%) with HsEg5 patterns alone or associated with other ANA patterns. However only patients with isolated positivity and that is 15 with NuMA and 4 with HsEg5 stainings were included in this study. Of the NuMA positive patients 5 were affected with arthropathies associated to different forms of thyroiditis, 2 with seronegative arthritis, 2 with antiphospholipid syndrome, 1 with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 1 with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 with sicca syndrome, 1 with undifferentiated connective tissue disease, 1 with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection and 1 with retinal thrombosis. Of the HsEg5 positive patients 3 were affected with SLE and 1 with seronegative arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: NuMA does not prevail in any defined rheumatic disease, while HsEg5 staining were more frequent (75%) in patients affected with SLE all of whom showing high antibody titres.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Isolated congenital heart block in undifferentiated connective tissue disease and in primary Sjögren's syndrome: a clinical study of 81 pregnancies in 41 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence and the features of congenital heart block (CHB) in patients with undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) and primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: We studied 81 pregnancies of 41 women attending the Outpatients' Clinic of the Rheumatology Unit of University Hospital of Padova from July 1989 to March 2004. Twenty five of these (61%) were affected with UCTD and 16 (39%) with pSS. Serologic inclusion criteria was anti-Ro/La positivity, assessed by counterimmunoelectrophoresis and ELISA. RESULTS: CHB was found in 2 out of the 46 (4.3%) pregnancies followed by our Staff and in 2 out of the 35 (5.7%) included in the retrospective part of the study. In 3 cases CHB was a 3rd degree block, causing pregnancy termination in 2. The only 2nd degree block was identified in one patient at the 22nd week of gestation and treated with dexamethasone and plasma-exchange. All of the women were positive to 52 kd and 60 kd Ro autoantibodies. CHB mothers had higher titer antibodies to 52 kd Ro protein than did the mothers with healthy infants (P = 0.026). Electrocardiographic abnormalities at birth were found in 3 out of 29 asymptomatic infants. One presented sinus bradycardia, the second abnormalities of ventricular repolarization, both regressed spontaneously, while the third ventricular extrasystoles which continue even now at 5 months. CONCLUSIONS: These results showed that in UCTD and pSS there is a higher incidence of CHB than that reported in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Electrocardiographic screening in all infants born to mothers with anti-Ro/La antibodies would seem an important measure to identify those with irreversible heart conduction abnormalities.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Primary antiphospholipid syndrome and hyperhomocysteinemia: a study of a group of 29 patients].

OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the potential role of hyperhomocysteinemia as an additional risk factor for thrombotic events, we studied its prevalence in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and evaluated its association with different clinical features. METHODS: We enrolled 29 patients without any current evidence of underlying connective tissue disorder and fulfilling the Sapporo preliminary classification criteria for APS. RESULTS: Ten (34,4%) patients showed mild hyperhomocysteinemia (18,34 micromol/L +/- 2,04 DS). Nine had history of cerebrovascular disease, isolated (3 cases) or more often (6 cases) in association with other APS features. All patients, but one, showed multiple ischemic cerebral lesions. Seven of the 10 patients with hyperhomocysteinemia had multiple antiphospholipid antibody positivity and presented more frequently (6 cases) multi-site vascular involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with primary APS is not negligible and appears to be associated with cerebral microangiopathic disease, multiple antiphospholipid antibody positivity and the simultaneous involvement of different vascular districts. For this reason and because hyperhomocysteinemia can be easily corrected with safe and relatively inexpensive therapeutic interventions, we advocate the measurement of homocysteinemia in every patient affected by APS and possibly in subjects with positive antiphospholipid antibody without a history of thrombosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Morphological aspects of an artificial skin.

Culture technology have permitted the generation of an artificial skin using human neonatal stem cells. A major advantage of this model is that epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are maintained. We have studied some morphological aspects concerning tissue organisation and cell differentiation using immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy. The epidermal equivalent was composed by a stratified and keratinized epithelium. The cells of this epithelium were cytokeratin-positive and disposed in different layers corresponding to natural skin, i.e. basal, spinous, granular and keratinized layers. The ultrastructural aspects concerning keratinocyte differentiation were comparable to natural epidermis. The dermal equivalent was composed by a loose connective tissue. The cells of the dermal equivalent were vimentin-positive and belonged to the fibroblast lineage. Although poorly developed, a basement membrane was detectable in the dermo-epidermal junction. The organ architecture and the high level of cell differentiation suggest that this bioengineered skin might be considered a useful substitute for natural skin in clinical, biological and pharmacological applications.

Basement Membrane↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Presence of the regulatory peptide endothelin in the vascular endothelium of the human nasal mucosa].

Endothelin is a 21-amino acid peptide originally isolated from cultured endothelial cells. Besides being the most potent vasoconstrictor peptide. Endothelin is known to produce a wide range of biological effects: contraction of smooth airway muscle, stimulation of cell growth and modulation of hormone and neurotransmitter release. The aim of the present study was to use immunocytochemical techniques in investigating the possible occurrence of endothelin in normal human nasal mucosa. Endothelial cells of both capacitance and resistance blood vessels of the mucosa displayed endothelin-like immunoreactivity. It is reasonable to presume that endothelin, produced and released locally by endothelial cells, may play a role in controlling blood flow, in neuromodulation and in wound healing via a paracrine mechanism.

Endothelins↗