Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to A Greco.
This article reviews the current clinical use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the abdomen with regard to recent technological advances, organ analysis and the integration of MRI in diagnostic imaging. The authors conclude that while MRI is not at present establishing itself as a leading diagnostic imaging method in the abdomen, if MRI machines were to become more widely available, abdominal applications could become a reality.
Treatment protocols are critical to the delivery of rapid nursing assessment and prompt patient intervention. These protocols must be developed to ensure patient standardization and quality of care. The key points to include in treatment protocols are guidelines for triage; inclusion-exclusion criteria; pretreatment and posttreatment standing orders; patient care management guidelines; and, if applicable, transport to a tertiary center and cardiac catheterization instructions.
To evaluate the relationship of serum cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain total bilirubin levels in asphyxia, an experiment was designed with 5 to 6-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The rats were randomized into control and experimental groups. All rats received intravenously 30 mg/kg of bilirubin. Four hours later the experimental group was asphyxiated. Forty-eight hours after asphyxiation, the bilirubin concentrations in blood, CSF, and brain were measured in both study groups. Mean CSF and brain bilirubin levels were significantly higher in the experimental compared to the control group; however, mean serum bilirubin levels were not different. Moreover, in the experimental group a significant correlation existed between CSF and brain bilirubin concentrations. In conclusion, an asphyxiatic insult resulted in disruption of both the blood-brain and the blood-CSF barriers.
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Twenty patients affected with endoscopically demonstrated duodenal ulcer were studied. They were randomly divided into two groups of ten individuals each. The first group was treated with famotidine 40 mg/die/os, the second one with cimetidine 800 mg/die/os; both drugs were administered in one medication at bedtime. In each group, eight patients completed the treatment: six out of eight famotidine treated and five out of eight cimetidine treated patients showed ulcer healing on upper digestive endoscopy after four weeks of treatment; after eight weeks of therapy, all patients of both groups displayed ulcer healing. Nevertheless, an overall quantitative evaluation of all peptic lesions (performed according to an endoscopic arbitrary score) indicated a higher effectiveness of famotidine. Famotidine did not affect humoral parameters of renal, hepatic and myelopoietic function and did not significantly change fasting serum gastrin levels.
Lung function studies were performed in 33 patients with lymphomyeloproliferative diseases (25 cases of multiple myeloma and 8 cases of Hodgkin's disease) who received cyclophosphamide, procarbazine, and melphalan therapy. Lung function was investigated by spirometric tests, indicative tests of small airways disease, and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DUCO). Indicative tests of small airways disease and other lung function tests such as forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), vital capacity (VC), total lung capacity (TLC) etc. were markedly improved in 18 patients (55%), whereas 24 patients (73%) showed a decreased diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Furthermore, most of the patients (77%-83%) showed contemporaneous involvement of spirometric tests and DUCO. The DUCO was also found more constantly impaired than other function tests because it had decreased with and without other spirometric tests. Impaired lung function tests were found to be related to a cumulative dose of antineoplastic drugs. The absence of increased lung toxicity was found to be related to several drugs administered in combination. In view of the absence of previous bronchopathies, lung involvement signs in multiple myeloma (25, 26) or lymphoma, and concomitant bronchopneumonias, the impaired functional tests could be ascibed to drug-induced lung toxicity. In the absence of clinical symptoms, roentgenographic and pathologic features, impaired lung function tests may play a role as early-onset signs of drug-induced lung toxicity.
We recently reported the cloning of a rearranged human oncogene following transfection of DNA from Kaposi's sarcoma into NIH 3T3 cells. To identify the protein(s) encoded in two novel mRNAs of 3.5 and 1.2 kb expressed in NIH 3T3 transformants, we constructed a cDNA library. One of the cDNA clones isolated (KS3) corresponded to the 1.2 kb mRNA and transformed NIH 3T3 cell when inserted into a mammalian expression vector. The 1152 nucleotide KS3 cDNA encodes a protein of 206 amino acids with significant homology to the growth factors basic FGF and acidic FGF. Expression of the KS3 product as a bacterial fusion protein or in COS cells allowed us to determine that both proteins had significant growth-promoting activity and that the COS cell protein was glycosylated. Thus one of the mRNAs transcribed from the KS oncogene encodes a growth factor that could transform cells by an autocrine mechanism and appears to represent a new member of the FGF family.
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We have cloned a human cDNA that complements the mutation of ts11, a temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of the BHK hamster cell line that at the nonpermissive temperature is blocked in progression through the G1 phase of the cell growth cycle. After transfecting human chromosomal DNA into ts11 cells and selecting for cells that had acquired a non-ts phenotype, we screened a genomic library constructed in the EMBL3 lambda vector from a secondary non-ts transformant and isolated a recombinant phage containing human DNA sequences that were uniformly present in primary and secondary non-ts transformants. Genomic probes that recognized an mRNA of about 2 kilobases in human cells were used to isolate from a cDNA expression library two cDNA plasmids that could efficiently transform ts11 cells to a non-ts phenotype. Sequencing of one of these cDNAs revealed a single open reading frame, which could encode a 540 amino acid protein. The ts11 gene has at least two other homologs in human DNA and thus it appears to be part of a small gene/pseudogene family. Experiments with serum-synchronized cells indicate that the expression of the ts11 gene, which is necessary for G1 progression, is itself cell-cycle regulated, being induced in approximately mid-G1.
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We have cloned the human genomic DNA and the corresponding cDNA for the gene which complements the mutation of tsBN51, a temperature-sensitive (Ts) cell cycle mutant of BHK cells which is blocked in G1 at the nonpermissive temperature. After transfecting human DNA into TsBN51 cells and selecting for growth at 39.5 degrees C, Ts+ transformants were identified by their content of human AluI repetitive DNA sequences. Following two additional rounds of transfection, a genomic library was constructed from a tertiary Ts+ transformant and a recombinant phage containing the complementing gene isolated by screening for human AluI sequences. A genomic probe from this clone recognized a 2-kilobase mRNA in human and tertiary transformant cell lines, and this probe was used to isolate a biologically active cDNA from the Okayama-Berg cDNA expression library. Sequencing of this cDNA revealed a single open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 395 amino acids. The deduced BN51 gene product has a high proportion of acidic and basic amino acids which are clustered in four hydrophilic domains spaced at 60- to 80-amino-acid intervals. These domains have strong sequence homology to each other. Thus, the tsBN51 protein consists of periodic repetitive clusters of acidic and basic amino acids.
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The pathology, in vitro growth pattern and karyotype of an Ewing's sarcoma are reported. Light and electron microscopic findings of a talus biopsy showed pathologic characteristics typical of Ewing's sarcoma. In vitro tumor cells grew on a monolayer as small, plump, refractile cells. Tumor cells were also capable of proliferating in soft agar. Chromosome studies of cultured cells showed two consistent abnormalities: trisomy 8 and a translocation, t(11;22)(q24;q13), which has been reported previously in Ewing's sarcoma. Since this tumor is frequently difficult to distinguish from other small cell tumors, the use of several techniques (electron microscopy, tissue culture, chromosome studies) may aid the diagnosis.
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The authors describe a family showing coloboma of the optic nerve associated with chorioretinal coloboma and coloboma of the iris. The absence of its occurrence in association with extraocular malformations points to an autosomal dominant mode of transmission, with reduced penetration. The authors describe the probable pathogenetic mechanism of the disorder and discuss the differential diagnosis both for chorioretinal coloboma (inflammatory chorioretinitis, especially by toxoplasma) and for colobomas of the optic disc (papillary pits and morning glory syndrome). The molecular basis of the malformation is however still unknown and thus a prenatal diagnosis is impossible.