The prevalence of antibodies against hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in an unselected series of 45 mixed cryoglobulinemia patients was assessed by an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (Chiron ELISA HCV, Second Generation). The anti-HCV specificity was evaluated by a recombinant based immunoblot assay (Chiron RIBA HCV, Second Generation Assay). HBV-related markers and HIVAb were detected in the same samples. The prevalence of anti-HCV observed in mixed cryoglobulinemia was compared with 80 patients with other immunological systemic diseases. Anti-HCV were found in 91% of mixed cryoglobulinemia patients, and confirmed by RIBA in all cases; on the other hand, anti-HCV were practically absent in other control diseases. HBV markers were recorded in 49% of mixed cryoglobulinemia subjects; while HIVAb were constantly absent. These data give us new insights into the etiopathogenesis of mixed cryoglobulinemia.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Are reactive oxygen species involved in Alzheimer's disease?

Alzheimer's disease has a multifactorial pathogenesis. Among the various factors involved, this review examines, in particular, the possibility of oxidative stress, meaning an imbalance between the formation and spread of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the antioxidant defenses. This theory is supported by the following observations: (a) the alteration of mitochondrial function, which is likely to lead to the electron leakage in the respiratory chain and the consequent formation of superoxide radicals; (b) the unbalanced high activity of superoxide dismutase and monoamine oxidase B which causes the production of more H2O2; (c) the alteration of iron homeostasis which, in combination with the superoxide and H2O2, gives rise to the most deleterious hydroxyl radicals; (d) the increased lipid peroxidation and membrane alterations; (e) the pro-aggregating effect of ROS on beta/A4 protein and the C-terminal fragment of amyloid precursor (A4CT). Most of these changes are already present in the normal aging brain but are aggravated in AD presumably over a number of years. However, further investigations are needed to confirm these theories particularly regarding the alterations of another target of ROS, the proteins. Peroxidative stress is presumably present in the AD brain. This stress might not be a primary factor in the pathogenesis of AD, but a consequence of the tissue injury. In any case, it could contribute considerably to the pathology, in a vicious cycle of actions and reactions resulting in a critical mass of metabolic errors, responsible in the end for this disease.

Alzheimer Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Studies on lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in the aging brain.

Lipid peroxidation (LP) and protein oxidation (PO) were investigated in hippocampus and frontal cortex homogenates from young (5 months), mature (13 months) and old (24 months) Wistar rats and young (5 months) and old (24 months) Brown Norway rats. LP and PO were determined in basal conditions and after incubation without iron (spontaneous condition) or with iron (stimulated condition). LP was measured as HPLC-assayed malondialdehyde (MDA) and PO as protein carbonyl (CO) content. Brain homogenates formed considerable amounts of MDA and CO spontaneously and, to an even greater extent, in the presence of Fe2+. Old rats showed greater iron-stimulated LP in the cortex than young rats, but the difference was not significant. Basal (but not spontaneous or stimulated) PO was significantly increased (19%) in the hippocampus of old compared to young rats. This study does not confirm the age-related increase in LP reported in the literature and only partially confirms the findings concerning PO.

Aging↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Beauvericin and fumonisin B1 in preharvest Fusarium moniliforme maize ear rot in Sardinia.

Six selected samples of preharvest maize ear rot, from different localities in Sardinia, Italy, were examined for causal Fusarium species and associated mycotoxins. All samples were almost exclusively found to be affected by Fusarium moniliforme, which was isolated from all infected ear sample kernels (100%). In two samples, in addition to F. moniliforme, F. proliferatum was also present but in a reduced percentage of kernels (up to 42%). All samples were found to be contaminated by fumonisin B1 (up to 250 mg/kg). Four samples were also found to be contaminated by beauvericin (up to 10 mg/kg), with higher concentration in samples also infected by F. proliferatum. When cultured on autoclaved maize kernels for 4 weeks at 25 degrees C, all 13 strains of F. moniliforme examined produced fumonisin B1 (up to 3750 mg/kg), whereas only three strains also produced beauvericin, but in very low amounts (5 mg/kg). In the same assay, four isolates of F. proliferatum also produced high amounts of fumonisin B1 (up to 2500 mg/kg) but this was associated with higher concentrations of beauvericin (up to 175 mg/kg). This is the first indication of the production of beauvericin by F. moniliforme, as well as of its co-occurrence with fumonisin B1 in preharvest F. moniliforme maize ear rot.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Influence of endogenous androgens on carotid wall in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE: There is increasing evidence of a direct association between normal androgen levels and reduced cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in women. After menopause the influence of estrogens declines, whereas that of androgens increases. Therefore, we investigated the effects of androgens on atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women, by using carotid artery intimal-medial thickness as a marker of vascular damage. DESIGN: Blood pressure, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstenedione, total and free testosterone, estrone, insulin, lipid profile, and glucose were evaluated in 44 women in stable physiological menopause. All subjects underwent carotid ultrasound (Biosound 2000 II s.a. high-resolution unit). RESULTS: Spearman correlation coefficients indicated that serum androstenedione and free testosterone were negatively associated with several carotid intimal-medial thickness measures with correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.477 to 0.397 (p < 0.01-0.04). Moreover, age-adjusted androstenedione and free testosterone highest tertiles showed intimal-medial thickness values significantly (p < 0.03-0.05) lower than the other tertiles. There was a favorable association between hormones and the most important cardiovascular risk factors. This association, however, did not reach statistical significance. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the inverse relationships between the hormones (androstenedione and free testosterone) and several intimal-medial thickness measures were maintained (F: 4.15-6.07, p < 0.05-0.02) after adjustment for major cardiovascular risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that in postmenopausal women endogenous steroid precursors and androgens are inversely related to carotid intimal-medial thickness, an established marker of atherosclerosis. In addition, these hormones show favorable associations with cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, our study suggests that, after menopause, normal androgen levels may benefit the carotid artery wall.

Androgens↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of renovascular disease and of renovascular hypertension.

Treatment of occlusive lesions of renal arteries, defined as renovascular disease (RVD), is aimed both at preventing ischemic renal disease (IRD) and rescuing renal function through revascularization procedures, such as PTRA, endovascular stenting and surgical revascularization, as well as curing or improving hypertension in the presence of renovascular hypertension (RVH), i.e. hypertension caused by these vascular lesions. Preventive treatment of IRD is still an individual decision making process based on the type of renal lesions, degree of renal stenosis and progressive loss of renal mass as well as on immediate and late technical success of revascularization procedures together with their rate of complications. Rescue of renal function and-or prediction of the outcome of renal function after successful revascularization depends not only on the possibility of clarifying whether the decrease in renal function is a functioning-reversible phenomenon linked to renal hypoperfusion but also on the potential risk that the revascularization procedure may induce irreversible kidney damage. The rationale for treating RVH through revascularization procedures derives from the possibility of establishing a pathogenetic link between the occlusive lesions and hypertension, mainly through renal vein renin measurement and captopril renography and possibly their combination. Finally, medical treatment of hypertension is needed in patients who cannot undergo or refuse revascularization and whose blood pressure is not normalized by these procedures.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Single dose of octreotide stabilize metastatic gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumours.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Somatostatin analogues are able to control symptoms and to detect tumour localisation in gastro-entero-pancreatic endocrine tumour patients. Few studies have evaluated the efficacy of somatostatin analogues in controlling tumoural growth during long-term treatment and, generally, a low efficacy has been reported in studies using multiple daily octreotide dosages. In the present study a single daily dose of octreotide (500 micrograms) for 1 year was used in the treatment of 10 patients with progressive gastro-entero-pancreatic metastatic tumour. PATIENTS: Ten consecutive patients (3 females, 7 males age range 40-62 years) were studied of whom 4 had Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (2 with MEN-1), 3 had a carcinoid syndrome, and 3 had a non-functional neuro-endocrine tumour. All patients, 6-12 months before octreotide treatment, showed tumour progression. In all patients, somatostatin receptor status was assessed by Somatostatin Receptor Scintigraphy and tumoural lesions by Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Appropriate tumoural markers were also evaluated. RESULTS: At the three-month control, two patients (non-functional) showed an aggressive progression of tumoural growth despite treatment and were excluded from the study. One patient was lost during follow-up. Of the 7 remaining patients, imaging evaluation studies revealed, after 1 year of treatment, stable disease in 6 patients, whereas a partial tumoural response was observed in one patient (gastrinoma). Biochemical tumoural markers decreased with respect to basal values of 53-78% in these seven patients at the end of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that one year of octreotide in a single daily dose (500 micrograms) is effective in the long-term stabilization of tumoural progression in metastatic gastro-entero-pancreatic tumour patients.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The hyoid bone in reconstructive laryngeal and cervical surgery].

The hyoid bone, with its complex system of connected muscles, ligaments and membranes, provides a highly resistant anchor point in all cases of larynx tumour surgery requiring a "pexy" to reconstruct the upper respiratory tract. This bone can also be important in reconstructive cervical surgery employing myocutaneous flaps, especially after extensive tissue removal, such as in locally advanced larynx tumours (primary T4 lesions or recurrences after partial or subtotal operations) and some primary or recurring malignant cancers of the thyroid, parathyroid or pharyngoesophageal tract involving the larynx. In this study the importance is underlined of preserving the hyoid bone in all cases of cervical surgery in which a strong anchor is needed for repair, due to the radical nature of intervention. The clinical-surgical data are reported of 39 patients, 38 of whom affected with epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx with various degrees of differentiation and 1 with "tall cell" papilliferous thyroid carcinoma, observed and treated over the last three years. In horizontal supraglottic laryngectomy (HSL), but particularly in subtotal larynx surgery with cricohyoidoepiglottopexy (CHEP) and cricohyoidopexy (CHP), the hyoid bone allows a sort of anastomosis to be performed, using residual cartilage to make a "neo-larynx". In reconstructive cervical surgery after extensive tissue removal, such as in forward widened total laryngectomy (FWTL), the hyoid bone offers an excellent anchor for myocutaneous pedunculate "repair" flaps, which may be thoraco-dorsal or free revascularized, to ensure continuity between the muscle tissue of the base of the tongue and of the flap itself. The hyoid bone and connected structures thus provide a real support apparatus whose great versatility, due to its resistance and extreme mobility, makes it particularly useful during the reconstructive phase of cervical surgery.

Adult↗