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Biomedical subjects

A Manfredi

Publications and source records attributed to A Manfredi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Microcirculation as a novel marker of membrane biocompatibility.

BACKGROUND: It is possible to consider microcirculation as a kind of OwitnessO of the complex biological reactions triggered by the dialytic treatment. The reactivity of microcirculation to the dialytic stress may represent a measure of the overall biocompatibility of the membrane. In this study we tested the hypothesis that different synthetic membranes may have different biological effects, particularly related to microcirculation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this crossover study, we observed 16 chronically hemodialyzed patients. All patients were treated with the EVAL membrane; we recorded the TcPO2 during the second treatment of the week. All patients were then switched to the hf-PS membrane. During the study observation we did not change the dialytic prescription or the pharmacologic treatment. RESULTS: From the beginning of the session until 90O, the behavior of TcPO2 is similar for both the membranes. From 120O to the end of the treatment in sessions with the EVAL membrane, the TcPO2 values come back to the starting level, whereas in the treatments with hf-PS the TcPO2, the values remain at a lower level; there was a significant difference between EVAL and hf-PS in the values recorded. Arterial blood gas values of paO2 and paCO2 are quite similar in the treatments with both the membranes, without any significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: The analysis of microcirculation by means of TcPO2 measurement is a useful tool to obtain a OclinicalO measure of biocompatibility of the dialytic treatment and different membranes may have different impacts on TcPO2.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Course of autism signs in the first year of life.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are thought to be present right from birth, even if a minority of children displays a normal course during infancy followed by a regression during the second year of life. However, established criteria are not yet available to differentiate these different courses of ASD, and data coming from different sources have not yet been organized into a clear definition. The aim of this study was to elucidate the time of onset, as well as type, frequency and stability of symptoms during the first year of life in ASD. The behavioral summarized evaluation scale, applied to 40 home movies of children later diagnosed as having ASD, showed that most of the subjects (87.5%) display symptoms within the first year of life, when only a small group (12.5%) is completely symptom free. A group of more rated symptoms was found, constituting a typical pattern characterized by being withdrawn, and displaying poor social initiative, hypoactivity, and lack of emotional modulation. The importance of these findings is discussed in relation to early diagnosis and treatment.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed2003

Familial autoimmunity as a risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus and vice versa: a case-control study.

The objective of this multicentric case-control study was to investigate if a history of autoimmune disease (AD) in first-degree relatives (FDR) is a risk factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to evaluate the risk of AD among FDR of SLE patients. Cases were Italian SLE patients consecutively enrolled. Controls were orthopaedic inpatients without any autoimmune diseases. The strength of the association between family history of AD and SLE was measured as an odds ratio (OR) calculated from the coefficient of an unconditional regression model. To calculate the risk of AD among FDR of SLE patients, the extended generalized estimating equation technique was used. In total, 154 SLE cases and 140 controls were enrolled. A family history of AD was reported by 22.7% of SLE patients and by 5.7% of the controls. The risk of SLE increased with the number of FDR with AD (one FDR affected, OR = 4.1; two or more, OR = 11.3). The probability of having AD was higher among FDR of SLE cases in comparison to FDR of controls (RR = 4.6; 95%CI 1.9-11.1). A female SLE patient conferred an increased risk of AD to her FDR; this risk is doubled in females (OR 10.3; 95% CI 3.1-34.4).

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A new polytopic bis-diazacrown-ether-polypyridine ligand and its complexes with Zn(II) salts and mononuclear and dendritic Ru(II) precursors. Synthesis, absorption spectra, redox behavior, and luminescence properties.

The new polytopic receptor 1 containing two terpyridine, one phenanthroline, and two diazacrown-ether sites has been prepared using a modular approach. Such a new species contains several pieces of information in its structure which can be processed by different metal ions to give different supramolecular inorganic architectures. Actually, reaction of 1 with Zn(CH(3)COO)(2) in methanol, and subsequent anion exchange, afforded the intramolecular ring-type [Zn(1)](2+) complex, which appears to be formed by a self-assembling reaction. A different synthetic approach, stepwise synthesis, allowed us to synthesize the two multicomponent compounds [(bpy)(2)Ru(mu-1)Ru(bpy)(2)](4+) (Ru2; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) and [[(bpy)(2)Ru(mu-2,3-dpp)](2)Ru(mu-1)Ru[(mu-2,3-dpp)Ru(bpy)(2)](2)](12+) (Ru6; 2,3-dpp = 2,3-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine). The absorption spectra and luminescence properties of 1 and [Zn(1)](2+) are dominated by pi --> pi transitions and excited states. The absorption spectra of the ruthenium compounds are dominated by ligand-centered (LC) bands in the UV region and metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) bands in the visible. The latter compounds undergo several reversible metal-centered oxidations and ligand-centered reductions in the potential window investigated (-2.0/+2.0 V versus SCE) and exhibit MLCT luminescence in both acetonitrile fluid solution at room temperature and in butyronitrile rigid matrix at 77 K. Both the redox and photophysical properties of Ru2 and Ru6 can be assigned to specific subunits of the multicomponent structures. The data indicate that the [Ru(bpy)(2)](2+) and the dendritic [Ru[(mu-2,3-dpp)Ru(bpy)(2)](2)](6+) fragments appended to the polytopic 1ligands behave as independent components of the multicomponent arrays.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Long-term results in patients with disk displacement without reduction treated conservatively.

Sixty-eight patients (seven men, 61 women) treated for disk displacement without reduction with extraoral mandibular manipulation followed by splint insertion, physical and drug treatment as needed, were re-examined at the end of treatment and after a subsequent period, ranging from 18 to 147 months. Two parameters were considered: 1. degree of spontaneous mandibular opening; and 2. presence of pain (score 1-4). Mean opening was 28.78 mm before treatment, 42.85 mm after treatment and 43.5 mm at long-term (P < .001 after paired T-test and one-way ANOVA). Mean pain level dropped from 2.91 before treatment to 1.22 after treatment and 1.38 at long-term (P < .001 after Friedman non-parametric test). It was concluded, that in the majority of cases, disk displacement without reduction can successfully be treated by conservative means.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Oxygen-induced retinopathy in the newborn rat: effects of hyperbarism and topical administration of timolol maleate.

BACKGROUND: Lesions resembling those of human retinopathy of prematurity can be provoked in newborn Wistar rats by exposure to an FiO2 of 80% for the first 5 days of life followed by 5 days recovery under room-air conditions. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of moderate hyperbarism (+60.75 kPa, i.e. 455 mmHg or 0.6 atm) and topical administration of 0.25% timolol maleate on oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) in this experimental model. RESULTS: OIR (including neovascularization in most cases) was observed in 100% of the retinas of normobaric oxygen-reared ratlings that did not receive timolol. OIR was less frequent in oxygen-reared ratlings treated with hyperbarism (60%) or timolol (65%). Hyperbaric oxygen supplementation combined with timolol treatment during both the hyperoxic and room-air phases reduced the incidence of OIR to 30%. There was no sign of vasoproliferation in any of the retinas from the latter three groups. CONCLUSIONS: The highly significant protective effects of hyperbarism and timolol observed in this study are not fully understood. We speculate that vasoconstriction induced by the hyperbarism reduces the amount of oxygen that reaches the retina from the choroid during O2 supplementation, while an increased ocular perfusion pressure caused by timolol-induced reduction of the intraocular pressure might decrease the stimulus to vasoproliferation that normally occurs with room-air recovery.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed1990

Enantioselective oxidations of sulfides catalyzed by chloroperoxidase.

The chloroperoxidase-catalyzed and horseradish peroxidase catalyzed oxidations of sulfides by tert-butyl and other peroxides have been investigated. The former metal enzyme afforded the corresponding sulfoxides having R absolute configuration in up to 92% enantiomeric excess (ee), whereas the latter gave racemic products. The various factors that control the enantioselectivity of the oxygenation have been examined.

Chloride Peroxidase↗
PubMed1990

Chronic treatment with a long-acting somatostatin analogue in a patient with intestinal carcinoid tumor: occurrence of cholelithiasis.

The long-acting somatostatin analogue SMS 201-995 has been used efficaciously in the therapy of metastatic carcinoid tumor, vasoactive intestinal peptide producing islet cell carcinoma, acromegaly, and TSH secreting pituitary tumors. We report the development of a gallstone in a patient treated for 23 months with a long acting somatostatin analogue for a metastatic carcinoid tumor. Symptomatic improvement and a reduction in the urinary excretion of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid occurred. There was no evidence of a gallstone on ultrasound and CT scan of the abdomen prior to somatostatin therapy. A progressively enlarging, asymptomatic gallstone developed during therapy.

Carcinoid Tumor↗
PubMed1990

Improvement of continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH) and hemofiltration (HF) efficiency by adding hemoperfusion (HP).

Aiming to improve the efficiency of the blood purification convective methods either with spontaneous (CAVH) or with pump-assisted (HF) extracorporeal circulation we inserted after the hemofilter a cartridge containing 70 g of collodion-coated activated charcoal (CAC) microencapsulated, obtaining so hemofiltration and hemoperfusion in series (HF+HP). The obtained results show that in both methods HP addition gives a negligible increase of urea clearance and a practically null increase of phosphate clearance, whereas creatinine and uric acid clearances increase is remarkable especially, in percentage, with low blood flows (CAVH). In the HF+HP system we have also been studying B2-microglobulin (B2-M) clearance aiming at examining the possibility of increasing the removal of substances with higher molecular weight. We have been finding HP addition increases further on B2-M clearance already high in HF. Therefore we think HP addition to convective methods is an interesting step in the attempt to carry out highly efficient blood purification methods.

Creatinine↗
PubMed1989

[Hemofiltration and hemoperfusion performed in series for the purpose of removing beta 2 microglobulin].

With the objective to develop most efficient method for Beta-2-microglobulin elimination, the authors, using extracorporeal circulation placed behind the haemofilter a capsule containing 70 g of collodion coated with activated medicinal charcoal. This combination was used in 3 haemofilters made from different membranes. The results showed polysulphon to be the highest efficiency membrane out of those tested for Beta-2 microglobulin elimination. In combination with haemoperfusion, its efficiency increases significantly. Even if haemoperfusion increases efficiency by considerable percentage, the Beta-2 microglobulin elimination using other types of membranes lasts long and the total clearance remains low.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[Unusual anatomo-clinical features of thyroid metastasis].

The authors report a case of metastatic tumor from clear cell carcinoma in the thyroid gland occurred in a patient who had his primary tumor previously treated with right nephrectomy. The time interval before the appearance of the metastasis was 6 years. The diagnosis was made preoperatively because of the peculiar biological behavior of the primary tumor. In fact, the metastasis and the primary presented with neoplastic invasion of the middle thyroid vein and the renal vein respectively. The ultrasound examination revealed the vein thrombus arising from the thyroid and reaching the internal jugular vein through the middle thyroid vein. Subsequent fine needle aspiration biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of metastasis from clear cell renal carcinoma. The low grade of malignancy of the primary from the clinical point of view and the absence of other metastatic locations influenced the therapeutic approach.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗
PubMed1989

Total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease: when and why.

Surgical complications after total thyroidectomy (TT) and subtotal thyroidectomy (STT) are analysed in a series of 364 patients operated on over a 36-month period. All operations were carried out because of the following 3 groups of disease: malignant tumors, multinodular goiter and Graves' disease. The difference among the incidence of surgical complications resulted to be not statistically significant when as discriminating factors the type of surgery or disease were used, while the difference was statistically significant when the results obtained in the 2 groups of patients operated only once or undergoing reoperative surgery for recurrence, were compared. Based on these observations, the surgical approach consistent with the above mentioned types of thyroid disease is reported, and the preference for total thyroidectomy is justified to a larger extent by what has been done to-date also in case of benign thyroid disease. The choice of the type of surgery should always be made, based on a careful clinical and intraoperative assessment of each case.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of methimazole, methimazole and sodium ipodate, and methimazole and saturated solution of potassium iodide in the early treatment of hyperthyroid Graves' disease.

We have evaluated three regimens for the rapid control (10 days' therapy) of thyrotoxicosis in hyperthyroid Graves' disease: methimazole (MMI, 40 mg/day), MMI and sodium ipodate (MMI + Na Ipodate, 1 g/day and MMI and saturated solution of potassium iodide (MMI + SSKI, 6 drops twice daily). When serum T4 and T3 concentrations were analysed as the percent change from pre-treatment values, the following results were observed. Serum T4 concentration decreased in the three treatment groups and the decrease was similar in the MMI and MMI + SSKI groups but significantly lower than in the MMI + Na ipodate group. The serum T3 concentration decreased to the normal range in all seven MMI + Na Ipodate treated patients by the fourth day of treatment and the per cent decrease in serum T3 from pre-treatment values was significantly greater than in the MMI and MMI + SSKI treated patients. The decrease in serum T3 was similar in the latter two groups. Heart rate decreased in all three groups, but the decrease was significantly more in the MMI + Na Ipodate-treated patients. The present findings suggest that the rapid control of hyperthyroid Graves' disease is similar in patients treated with MMI and MMI + SSKI and that the combination of MMI + Na Ipodate is more efficacious since the decrease in serum T3 concentrations and heart rate was significantly greater in the MMI + Na ipodate-treated patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Design, synthesis and evaluation of fluorocarbons and surfactants for in vivo applications. New perfluoroalkylated polyhydroxylated surfactants.

The progress achieved since the advent of Fluosol-DA is summarized in this paper, with special focus on the synthesis and evaluation of more adequate, reliable, industrially feasible fluorocarbons, structure/property relationships--molecular weight being recognized as the pre-eminent determining factor of both the fluorocarbon's excretion rate and the emulsion's stability-, the preparation of significantly more concentrated, more efficacious emulsions, etc. The key to further progress and better mastery of the emulsions' characteristics, especially in relation to increased shelf-life, prolonged i.v. persistence, and versatility, now lies in the development of new surfactants, better adapted to this objective. New families of well defined, monodisperse perfluoroalkylated polyhydroxylated surfactants derived from sugars and related compounds have been synthesized and fully characterized. Preliminary evaluation of their surface-active properties, emulsion stabilizing capacity and biocompatibility are reported.

Biocompatible Materials↗
PubMed1988

Pathophysiology and predictivity of postoperative hypothyroidism.

In a series of 107 patients operated on for hyperthyroidism, the incidence of postoperative hypothyroidism has been evaluated, stressing its major causes. These appear related to a decreased function of residual parenchyma, autoimmune diseases, previous irradiation of the neck, preexisting defects of the hormonogenesis. The importance of the thyroid remnant has been enphasized together with the preservation of its blood supply. A higher incidence of hypothyroidism has been observed after more extensive operations, particularly subtotal thyroidectomy, in patients affected by Graves' disease. Finally, the need for short and long term follow-up after surgery is outlined and whether a replacement therapy is required or not. It is concluded that, postoperative hypothyroidism should not be considered a complication but a predictable consequence.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Adenosine induced production of a soluble factor affecting lymphocyte activation.

We show that a brief exposure of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to adenosine or to theophylline results in a mitomycin C resistant regulatory activity. Adenosine induced suppression is also detectable in a lymphocyte subpopulation (T4+ enriched, originally described as helper inducer) resistant to the theophylline induced loss of capacity to form spontaneous rosettes with sheep erythrocytes (TTR). This activity is apparently dependent on the production of a soluble factor(s) since supernatants from adenosine treated TTR (SnA) exert a significant inhibition on the proliferative response of resting lymphocytes. On the contrary SnA increases the concanavalin A (ConA) preactivated lymphocytes proliferation. Similar results are detectable on the proliferative response in the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Perhaps these effects are related to different Interleukin 2 (Il 2) receptor expression on the cell surface of the resting and preactivated populations. A slow moving band corresponding to a protein of Mr of 64,500 and isoelectric point 7.6 is present in SnA. Only a slight Il 2 activity is detectable either in SnA and in control supernatant (SnC). These findings suggest that SnA may be a dynamic regulator of the early stages of lymphocyte activation.

Adenosine↗