Biomedical subjects

Athanasia Kotini

Publications and source records attributed to Athanasia Kotini.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Differentiation of myomas by means of biomagnetic and doppler findings.

AIM: To elucidate the hemodynamics of the uterine artery myomas by use of Doppler ultrasound and biomagnetic measurements. METHOD: Twenty-four women were included in the study. Sixteen of them were characterised with large myomas whereas 8 of them with small ones. Biomagnetic signals of uterine arteries myomas were recorded and analyzed with Fourier analysis. The biomagnetic signals were distributed according to spectral amplitudes as high (140-300 ft/ radicalHz), low (50-110 ft/ radicalHz) and borderline (111-139 ft/ radicalHz). Uterine artery waveform measurements were evaluated by use of Pulsatility Index (PI) (normal value PI < 1.45). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between large and small myomas concerning the waveform amplitudes (P < 0.0005) and the PI index (P < 0.0005). Specifically, we noticed high biomagnetic amplitudes in most large myomas (93.75 %) and low biomagnetic amplitudes in most small ones (87.5 %). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that the biomagnetic recordings of uterine artery myomas could be a valuable modality in the estimation of the circulation of blood cells justifying the findings of Doppler velocimetry examination.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Nonlinear analysis of biomagnetic signals recorded from uterine myomas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if there is any non-linearity in the biomagnetic recordings of uterine myomas and to find any differences that may be present in the mechanisms underlying their signal dynamics. METHODS: Twenty-four women were included in the study. Sixteen of them were characterised with large myomas and 8 with small ones. Uterine artery waveform measurements were evaluated by use of Pulsatility Index (PI) (normal value PI<1.45). RESULTS: Applying nonlinear analysis to the biomagnetic signals of the uterine myomas, we observed a clear saturation value for the group of large ones (mean = 11.35 +/- 1.49) and no saturation for the small ones. CONCLUSION: The comparison of the saturation values in the biomagnetic recordings of large and small myomas may be a valuable tool in the evaluation of functional changes in their dynamic behavior.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2004

Non linear analysis of magnetoencephalographic signals as a tool for assessing malignant lesions of the brain: first results.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Non linear signal analysis is a powerful technique that reveals qualitative and quantitative differentiations between different dynamical systems (biological or otherwise). Presented here are the first results of a work in progress to investigate the Magnetoencephalograms (MEG) from patients with malignant CNS lesions and from healthy volunteers. METHODS: We present MEG recordings of 10 patients diagnosed with malignant CNS lesions and the corresponding ones from 10 healthy volunteers. A 122-channel SQUID biomagnetometer in an electromagnetically shielded room was used to record the MEG signals and the Grassberger-Procaccia method for the estimation of the correlation dimension was applied on the phase space reconstruction of the recorded signal from each patient. RESULTS: Evidence linking MEG signal characteristics (existence of low dimensionality chaotic dynamics) with the existence of the tumour was found from this analysis. CONCLUSION: The obtained results substantiate our hypothesis of a relation between tumours of the brain and the mathematically chaotic nature of the neural dynamics derived from their MEG recordings.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma of the parotid gland. Cytological, histological and immunohistochemical features and review of the literature.

AIM: Polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma of the salivary glands (PLGA) is a low grade neoplasm that predominantly occurs in the minor salivary glands. In this site is amenable to biopsy and histologic diagnosis. However, experience with cytological findings in these tumors is limited. We describe the cytology of this entity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Touch imprint cytology of a primary parotid PLGA is specified and correlated with histology. RESULTS: Smears were hypercellular showing branching papillae, sheets and clusters of uniform cells with bland nuclei, dispersed chromatin and no nucleoli. The cells had a scant to moderate amount of eosinophilic cytoplasm. They formed tubular structures containing hyaline globules. CONCLUSIONS: The cytologic differential diagnosis of PLGA includes adenoid cystic carcinoma, pleomorphic adenoma, and monomorphic adenoma. PLGA should be considered in the differential diagnosis of head and neck tumors, where the cytology suggests on of the above mentioned tumors, even when the clinical findings (involvement of a major salivary gland, lymph node metastasis) is not typical of PLGA.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2004

Cytologic differential diagnostic problems in ulcerative cervicitis.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the detection rates in the determination of signs consistent with ulcerative cervicitis against signs of intraepithelial neoplasia, in PAP smears. STUDY DESIGN: We investigated the frequency of establishing a diagnosis of a simple ulcerative cervicitis by histology in a cohort of 58 females with cervical cytology suggestive of intraepithelial neoplasia. RESULTS: There was found a detection rate of 81.58% in the determination of ulcerative cervicitis by cytology and a rate of 100% in the determination of HPV-infection, CIN1, CIN2 and CIN3 respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between cytology and histology in the diagnosis of ultracerative cervicitis (p>0.5, chi-square). CONCLUSIONS: There is an overestimation of the cytological signs in the diagnosis of ulcerative cervicitis 18.42%). There is also an excellent agreement in the diagnosis of HPV-infection and CIN grades (100%) between cytology and histology, discordant with the literature (2.4%-71%).

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Does neoplastic cholecystokinin expression reflect the embryonal pattern of the protein? A study in human pancreas.

AIM: To determine the immunoreactivity of cholecystokinin (CCK) during the development of the human fetal pancreas and pancreatic adenocarcinoma, given that, CCK positive cells were demonstrated either in its embryonic anlage or in pancreatic cancer. In order to obtain possible parallels in the expression pattern of neoplastic cells in adults (well--moderately--poorly differentiated), we investigated the pattern of CCK expression in the pancreatic tissue during the various stages of development and compared these with the proliferation of tissue assessed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Tissue sections from 15 pancreatic fetal specimens, and equal number of ductal adenocarcinoma specimens, were assessed using immunohistochemical methods for CCK. RESULTS: The density of positive cells in the primitive exocrine ductal walls and outgrowing buds was significantly higher than the relevant density in the neoplastic pancreatic tissue of mixed (ductal-endocrine) and pure ductal type (p1=0.004, p2 < 0.0005, p3 < 0.0005 and p4=0.023 respectively). The above values were estimated from 20th to 22nd weeks of gestation. There was no significant difference in the density of positive cells in the islet cell epithelium from 25-30 weeks, and the neoplastic tissue of mixed (p5=0.10) and pure ductal type (p6=0.15). CONCLUSIONS: The immunostaining for CCK identifies a sub-group of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas with a neuroendocrine component (initially considered as pure ductal tumors), and mixed ductal-endocrine tumors. This pattern of expression in neoplasms recapitulates the normal pattern during the embryonal development of the organ, and may be important for the development of new therapeutic approaches with eventual clinical utility.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2004

Human decidual cells activity in women with spontaneous abortions of probable CMV aetiology during the first trimester of gestation. An immunohistochemical study with CMV-associated antigen.

AIM: To determine the expression of CMV-associated antigen in the human decidual endometrial stromal cells in spontaneous abortions with no evidence of maternal relapse during the first trimester of gestation. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We examined 15 placentas resulting from intrauterine fetal death after spontaneous abortion during the 8th, 10th, and 12th week of gestation respectively, and in which CMV reactivation was ruled out from serological evaluation of the pregnant women at admission, versus equal controls after voluntary abortion following well-documented maternal viral recurrence. In addition, a panel of monoclonal antibodies for the identification of leukocytes (CD45/LCA), B-lymphocytes (CD20/L-26), and T-lymphocytes (CD45RO/UCHL1), was performed. All women received hormonal medication to support gestation, in the cases of spontaneous abortions. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical examination using a specific antibody against cytomegalovirus showed large multinucleated infected cells with intranuclear inclusions, located primarily in the decidual stroma within a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate in the cases of spontaneous abortions. No evidence of infection was observed in the chorionic villi. In the cases of voluntary abortions same findings were observed in the relevant areas, and a strong evidence of infection was observed in the chorionic villi. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates 1) that the decidual endometrial stromal cells can express the CMV-associated antigen prior to serological manifestation of the viral replication, 2) the expression of the antigen is higher in cases of hormonal administration to support gestation. In these cases a mild mononuclear infiltrate of UCHL1 (T marker) positive cells, accompanies the CMV-associated antigen positive cells.

Abortion, Spontaneous↗

PubMed2003

Pancreatic-polypeptide in the human pancreas: expression and quantitative variation during development and in ductal adenocarcinoma.

AIM: To determine the immunoreactivity of pancreatic-polypeptide (PP) during the development of the human fetal pancreas and ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, given that, PP positive cells were demonstrated either into its embryonic anlage or into pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Tissue sections from 15 pancreatic fetal specimens, and equal number of ductal adenocarcinoma specimens, were assessed. RESULTS: The density of positive cells in the primitive exocrine ductal epithelium and endocrine epithelium was significantly higher than the relevant density in the neoplastic pancreatic tissue of mixed (ductal - endocrine) and pure ductal type (p1 = 0.001, p2 < 0.0005, p3 = 0.046 and p4 < 0.0005 respectively). The above values were estimated during the 10th to 12th week. There was no significant difference in the density of positive cells in the mantle zone of the islets from the 13th to the 24th week, and the neoplastic tissue of mixed (p5 = 0.11) and pure ductal type (p6 = 0.23). CONCLUSION: The immunostaining for PP identifies a subgroup of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas with a neuroendocrine component, initially considered as pure ductal tumors, and mixed ductal and neuroendocrine tumors. This pattern of expression in neoplasms recapitulates the normal pattern during the embryonal development of the organ, raising the question of therapeutic efficacy of PP and analogues as potential adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2003

Prevalence of CD8/CD4 ratio in the fetal thymic parenchyme in Down's syndrome.

AIM: The maturation of most T-lymphocyte precursors takes place within the meshwork of thymic epithelial cells. Different steps of this process can be defined by immunologic phenotyping. The prothymocytes are positive for the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and give rise to cortical thymocytes, which express CD1, CD2, CD3, CD5, and both CD4 and CD8. These CD4 and CD8 double-positive cortical thymocytes differentiate into two lineages: CD4+ or CD8+ lymphocytes of the thymic medulla, by the tenth week of gestation. Our study points towards the determination of the CD8 cytotoxic/suppressor capacity of the fetal thymus in Down's syndrome. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A quantitative comparison of T-lymphocytes (CD3, CD4, and CD8) in the thymic parenchyme in embryos after voluntary abortion during 2nd trimester of gestation and embryos with Down's syndrome, respectively, was performed. RESULTS: Our results showed: 1) A statistically significant depletion in the total number of T-cells (CD3 positive) in the cases of embryos with Down's syndrome over those after voluntary abortion, during the second trimester of gestation (p<0.0001, t-test). 2) A significant difference in the CD8/CD4 ratio in the cases of embryos with Down's syndrome, during the second trimester of gestation which was numerically stronger with the progress of fetal development (20th week: p<0.025; 24th week: p<0.01, chi-square). CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of increased CD8/CD4 ratio in the cases with Down's syndrome, in the second trimester of gestation, underlines the cytotoxic/suppressor property of the thymus in the affected fetuses.

CD4-CD8 Ratio↗

PubMed2002

Fetal magnetoencephalography in intrauterine growth retarded pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the fetal brain activity in pre-eclamptic and normal pregnancies. Biomagnetic measurements were performed by means of a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) in an electrically shielded room of low magnetic noise. METHODS: The study population included 28 pre-eclamptic (34-37 weeks' gestation) and 19 normal pregnancies (34-37 weeks' gestation). The pre-eclamptic group consisted of 11 cases with birth weight below the 10th percentile (1969 +/- 129 g) and 17 cases above the 10th percentile (2496 +/- 257 g). Biomagnetic signals (waveforms) recorded from fetal brains were expressed in terms of magnetic power spectral amplitudes. RESULTS: The total corresponding spectral amplitudes in the frequency range 2-7 Hz were high (719 +/- 69 Ft/ radical Hz in neonates <10th percentile and 537 +/- 105 Ft/ radical Hz in neonates >10th percentile) in most (82%) pre-eclamptic pregnancies and low (382 +/- 35 Ft/ radical Hz) in most normal pregnancies (95%). The difference between normal and all pre-eclamptic pregnancies was highly significant (Student's t-test: p < 0.0001). Comparing the two groups of pre-eclampsia we found also a highly significant difference (Student's t-test: p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Biomagnetic measurements of fetal brain activity could be useful in the assessment of fetal central nervous system development.

Adult↗