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Biomedical subjects

A Zito

Publications and source records attributed to A Zito.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Biomarkers predictive for clinical efficacy of taxol-based chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Several studies looked for tumor biomarkers predictive for paclitaxel sensitivity but till now no reliable biomarkers are available. The aim of this study was to verify the potential predictive value of beta-tubulin III and IV, vascular endothelial growth factor-receptor (VEGFR-1), HER2/neu and microvessel density (mVD), in a group of 70 patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) treated with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis (ICA) of HER2, VEGFR-1, mVd, beta-tubulin III and beta-tubulin IV expression were performed in a series of 72 advanced breast cancer. Furthermore apoptotic fraction with TUNEL analysis was evaluated. RESULTS: beta-tubulin III ICA expression was predictive of progression after chemotherapy. In fact only 2% of the patients with low beta-tubulin III expression progressed after paclitaxel chemotherapy vs 38% of those with high beta-tubulin III tumor expression (P=0.000; by chi(2)). This evidence was confirmed by a logistic regression analysis (OR 28.789; 95% CI 3.212-258,072; P=0.004). There was not a significant association between other biomarkers' characteristics and clinical response to chemotherapy. A Cox multivariate analysis, with overall survival as a dependent variable, showed that only HER2 expression was independently associated (OR 2.39; 95% CI 1.09-5.23; P=0.03) with overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that class III beta-tubulin immunohistochemical expression analysis could be a potentially relevant tumor biomarker for paclitaxel resistance in advanced breast cancer patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Collateral circulation in internal carotid artery occlusion. A study by duplex scan and magnetic resonance angiography.

BACKGROUND: Clinical effects of internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion may range from the absolute absence of symptoms to lethal hemispheric stroke. In this paper symptoms of patients with ICA occlusion have been related to the development of collateral circulation, different types of developed collateral circulation have been assessed, and the degree of sensitivity and specificity of duplex scan has been appraised. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with ICA occlusion or subocclusion, 24 males and 24 females, aged between 50 and 83 years (67.7+/-7.15), underwent duplex scan and magnetic resonance (MR) angiography. Nineteen patients were completely asymptomatic, 20 patients showed permanent neurological symptoms and 9 patients had shown transient symptoms. RESULTS: Twelve patients (25%) did not show any collateral circulation, 29 patients (60%) showed collateral circulation through homolateral external carotid artery branches and 7 patients (15%) showed collateral circulation through other circuits. Of the 20 patients with permanent symptoms only 8 showed collateral circulation. On the contrary, all the 19 asymptomatic patients and the 9 patients with transient symptoms showed collateral circulation. Eventually, duplex scan showed 78% sensitivity, 100%, specificity and 83% diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: Our data show: 1) a clear-cut prevalence of collateral circulation through homolateral external carotid artery branches with respect to other possible collateral circulation; 2) an inverse relationship between the development of collateral circulation and the appearance of permanent symptoms; 3) a good diagnostic accuracy of duplex scan in revealing collateral circulation in the case of ICA occlusion.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Solitary plasmacytoma of bone and extramedullary plasmacytoma: two different nosological entities?

BACKGROUND: The relationship between solitary plasmacytoma and multiple myeloma is still unclear, but they can be distinguished by their different clinical course. Indicators of disease activity and extension, and of a possible evolution to multiple myeloma, have not been identified as yet. METHODS: Two cases of solitary plasmacytoma are described: one of the mandible and one extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) of the rhinopharynx. Pathologic data included immunohistochemical staining for heavy and light Ig chains, and for the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Analysis of the peripheral immunological status and serum parameters (beta 2 microglobulin, thymidine kinase, IL-2, IL-6 and soluble IL-2 receptor) was performed and correlation was made with the clinical status. Flow cytometry analysis of nuclear DNA content and S-phase cell fraction were also studied in both neoplasms. RESULTS: Solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SPB) showed important basal immunologic alterations and a marked increase in all serum parameters considered with respect to EMP. Ploidy analysis demonstrated an almost complete aneuploidy cell population for the SPB patient (80%), whereas in the EMP patient only 2% of the cells were aneuploid. The S-phase cells were 16% and 4%, respectively. PCNA index was 60% in SPB and 10% in EMP. CONCLUSIONS: Solitary plasmacytoma of the bone appeared to be a more aggressive form of plasmacellular neoplasia, distinct from EMP and similar to multiple myeloma. The study of serum parameters, together with analysis of PCNA, ploidy and S-phase fraction, can aid in better understanding disease activity, and in the choice of more adequate treatment. Moreover, serial analysis of some serum factors might be useful markers for monitoring the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Slow wave sleep dreaming.

Fifty volunteers slept two nonconsecutive nights in a sleep laboratory under electropolygraphic control. They were awakened for one report per night. Awakenings were made, in counterbalanced order, from slow wave sleep (SWS--stage 3-4 and stage 4) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Following dream reporting, subjects were asked to identify memory sources of their dream imagery. Two independent judges reliably rated mentation reports for temporal units and for several content and structural dimensions. The same judges also categorized memory sources as autobiographical episodes, abstract self-references, or semantic knowledge. We found that REM reports were significantly longer than SWS reports. Minor content SWS-REM differences were also detected. Moreover, semantic knowledge was more frequently mentioned as a dream source for REM than for SWS dream reports. These findings are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that dreaming is a continuous process that is not unique to REM sleep. Different levels of engagement of the cognitive system are responsible for the few SWS-REM differences that have been detected.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Granulocyte function in coronary artery disease.

Granulocytes defend the body against invading microbes by producing a complex armamentarium of toxic substances, such as proteolytic enzymes, oxygen radicals and arachidonic acid metabolites. Under certain circumstances, however, such compounds may be released in the absence of phagocytosable particles, resulting in injury to normal cell and connective tissue degradation. Recent experimental studies have emphasized the potential role of granulocytes in the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia. Clinical investigations have also shown alterations in neutrophil function in stable and unstable clinical manifestations of ischemic heart disease. "Priming" of granulocytes in stable forms of coronary disease may predispose to the subsequent development of acute coronary events, whereas activation of neutrophils may lead to alterations in vascular permeability and coronary flow regulation, leading to further myocardial and endothelial injury in acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina and coronary angioplasty.

Coronary Disease↗
PubMed1986

[Current diagnostic technics in the prediction of the functional recovery of a urographically silent kidney].

25 patients with a silent kidney, because of obstructive uropathy, have been studied. Authors' aim was to find out some parameters which could be able to predict renal function recovery once the obstruction was removed. 99m Tc DTPA renal scintiscanning, renal ultrasonography, and the study of renal clearances on the urine obtained via a percutaneous nephrostomy were executed. The authors observed that when the nuclide renal uptake is absent a minimal functional recovery is still possible and it may be foretold only analysing the urine collected through a percutaneous nephrostomy.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison between the heart of young athletes and of young healthy sedentary subjects: a morphometric and morpho-functional study by echo-color-doppler method.

Morphologic and morpho-functional heart differences between healthy young athletes and healthy young subjects who do not practice agonistic sport have been studied using Color Doppler Echography (CDE). Overall, 68 subjects were enrolled in the study (age range: 19-26 yrs). Of them, 34 subjects (17 men and 17 women) were practicing sport agonistically; the 34 controls (17 men and 17 women) did not practice any sport on a regular basis. In each subject, age, height, weight, body mass index, practiced sport, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded. CDE measures included telediastolic left and right ventricular diameters (LVDd and RVDd, respectively), interventricular septum thickness (IVSd), posterior wall thickness of the left ventricle (PLVWd), left and right atrium diameters during ventricular systole (LAD and RAD respectively), and continence of each heart valve (mitral; tricuspid; aortic; pulmonic). In women, LADd was significantly higher in the athletes than in the controls (35.04+/-4.13 vs 31.81+/-3.34; p<0.02). Physiological regurgitation in at least one heart valve was observed in 15 out of 17 (88.2%) of the athletes; in 12 cases only one valve was involved: the mitral valve presented physiological regurgitation in 8 women, the tricuspid in 4, the aortic in 2 and the pulmonic in 6. In the control female population (17 persons), only 2 women showed evidence of regurgitation. In men, except for RVDd, CDE measurements were all significantly higher in the athletes than in the controls: LVDd (49.4+/-3.13 vs 46.02+/-4.46; p<0.02); IVSd (9.79+/-1.24 vs 8.59+/-0.91; p<0.003); PLVWd (8.63+/-1.29 vs 7.48+/-0.66; p<0.002). Physiological regurgitation through one or more heart valves was demonstrated in all the 17 male athletes studied; in 9 cases (52.9%) only one valve was involved. Mitral regurgitation was ob- served in 8 cases (47%); tricuspid in 6 (35.3%). No physiological regurgitation through the aortic valve was found, while 15 cases (88.2%) presented a pulmonic regurgitation. Among male controls, physiological regurgitation was demonstrated only in 2 persons out of 17 (11.8%), both involving the pulmonic and the aortic valve. In the total population of athletes compared to controls, analyzing men and women jointly, we found that LAD (p<0.001),RAD (p<0.001), LIVD (p<0.01) were significantly larger in cases than in controls, while for RVD, IVSd and PLVWd such a difference did not reach statistical significance. No relationship was fouhd between CDE data and either age, height, weight or blood pressure.

Adult↗