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C Cattaneo

Publications and source records attributed to C Cattaneo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A review of the methodological aspects of aspartic acid racemization analysis for use in forensic science.

Accurate age determination of adult cadavers and human remains is a key requirement in forensic practice. The current morphological methods lack accuracy and precision, require specialist training and are costly. The use of aspartic acid racemization (AAR) in human dentine provides a simple, cost-effective solution and the method can achieve accuracies of +/- 3 years at best. Currently, there are differences in AAR methodology between laboratories which produce different results on the rate of racemization in teeth. These inconsistencies must be resolved if the technique is to be successfully applied to age determinations in forensic cases. This paper reviews the differences in protocol which have been used, discusses how each method will affect the results obtained from AAR analysis and gives recommendations for optimization of the methological protocol as a first step towards international standardization.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Determining the human origin of fragments of burnt bone: a comparative study of histological, immunological and DNA techniques.

In situations where badly burnt fragments of bone are found, identification of their human or non-human origin may be impossible by gross morphology alone and other techniques have to be employed. In order to determine whether histological methods were redundant and should be superseded by biomolecular analyses, small fragments of artificially burnt bone (human and non-human) were examined by quantitative and standard light microscopy, and the findings compared with newer biomolecular analyses based on identifying specific human albumin by ELISA and amplifying human mitochondrial DNA by PCR. For quantitative microscopy, reference data were first created using burnt bones from 15 human and 20 common domestic and farm animals. Measured osteon and Haversian canal parameters were analysed using multivariate statistical methods. Highly significant differences were found between values for human and non-human bone, and a canonical discriminant function equation was derived, giving a predicted correct classification of 79%. For the main study, samples of cortical bone were taken from three fresh cadavers, six human skeletons and ten freshly slaughtered animals and burnt by exposure to temperatures ranging from 800 to 1200 degrees C; charred fragments of human cortical bone from two forensic cases were also tested. Quantitative microscopy and canonical discriminant function gave the correct origin of every sample. Standard microscopy falsely assigned burnt bone from one human skeleton and one forensic case to a non-human source, but otherwise gave correct results. Human albumin was identified in five individuals, including one of the forensic cases, but mitochondrial DNA could not be amplified from any of the human bone. No false positive test results were seen with either biomolecular method; and human albumin and mitochondrial DNA were correctly identified in all unburnt control specimens. It was concluded that histological methods were not redundant and that quantitative microscopy provided an accurate and consistent means of determining the human or non-human origin of burnt bone and was more reliable than standard microscopy or the newer immunological and DNA techniques tested here.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Low plasma stem cell factor levels correlate with in vitro leukemic growth in myelodysplastic syndromes.

We evaluated the effect of SCF on myeloid differentiation by correlating clonogenic potential (as CFU-GM), bone marrow (BM) plasma SCF levels and CD34/c-kit expression in 57 MDS samples. There was a significant correlation between low SCF levels and 'leukemic' in vitro growth, the number of clusters and the colony/cluster ratio. No correlation was found between BM plasma SCF levels, the pattern of growth and CD34+ c-kit+ expression. These data seem to exclude any direct effect of SCF on leukemogenesis, but suggest that low plasma SCF levels may be at least partially responsible for leukemic growth in MDS.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C markers among a cadaver population in Milan.

AIMS: To examine the distribution of serological markers for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a medicolegal population; to compare prevalence of HIV and HCV markers and cause of death; and to evaluate the risk of potential infection to personnel involved in medicolegal incidents and procedures. METHODS: Blood samples were collected at necropsy from 328 males and 69 females, aged 16 to 50 years at time of death, and tested for antibodies to HIV and HCV. The individuals were classified according to cause of death and whether there was known antemortem risk of infection. RESULTS: Overall, 134 subjects gave positive test results: 20 for anti-HIV, 69 for anti-HCV, and 45 for both. By cause of death, the total number of positives (and negatives) with the pairs of figures referring, respectively, to patients with and without known antemortem risks were: natural causes 3 (1), 8 (32); AIDS 2 (0), 0 (0); homicide 0 (2), 5 (24); suicide 3 (0), 9 (69); road traffic accidents 1 (0), 9 (81); other accidents 2 (3), 1 (12); drug overdose 74 (17), 7 (9); unknown causes 3 (2), 7 (11). CONCLUSIONS: The cases tested represented a predominantly young male population with a high prevalence of serological markers for HIV and HCV infection. The distribution of HIV and HCV positivity varied with the cause of death, probably reflecting the known association between high risk behaviour and infection. However, a substantial number of cases with no known risks also had markers for HIV and HCV, suggesting that there is a large unrecognised pool of potential infection in medicolegal practice.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

In vitro effects of IL-12 and IL-2 on NK cells, cytokine release and clonogenic activity in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).

We evaluated the in vitro effects of IL-12, alone and in association with IL-2 on MDS bone marrow and peripheral blood cells. Thirty-six patients and 14 healthy subjects were studied. Natural killer-activity (NK-a) levels and lymphocyte immunophenotypes were determined in fresh bone marrow (BMMNC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC), which then were resuspended in medium containing IL-2, IL-12 or IL-2 + IL-12 for 7 days. Re-evaluation of NK-a levels, lymphocyte immunophenotypes, clonogenic activity and cytokine release showed that, unlike IL-2, IL-12 did not significantly increase NK-a or CD3-/56+ cell levels in either bone marrow or peripheral blood; IL-2 + 12 led to a significant increase that fell between the values reached by each cytokine alone. IL-2 + 12 and, although to a lesser extent, also IL-12 alone induced the release of large amounts of gamma-IFN and alpha-TNF. In addition, the number of clusters particularly decreased in the samples treated with IL-2 + 12 and IL-12 alone. Clonogenic activity was not modified after stimulation with any of the treatment. These data suggest that IL-12 induces the release of inhibitory cytokines in normal as well as MDS cells and that it could be used in patients with elevated bone marrow blastosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of three DNA extraction methods on bone and blood stains up to 43 years old and amplification of three different gene sequences.

Extraction of amplifiable DNA-from degraded human material in the forensic context remains a problem, and maximization of yield and elimination of inhibitors of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are important issues which rarely feature in comparative studies. The present work used PCR amplification of three DNA sequences (HLA DPB1, amelogenin and mitochondrial) to assess the efficiency of three methods for extracting DNA (sodium acetate, magnetic beads and glass-milk) from 32 skeletal samples and 25 blood stains up to 43 years old. The results, analyzed using multivariate statistics, confirmed that the extraction method was crucial to the subsequent detection of amplification products; the glass-milk protocol performed better than sodium acetate, which was better than magnetic beads. Successful amplification also depended on gene sequence, multiple copy mitochondrial sequences performing best; however, with the singly copy sequences, the longer HLA DPB1 (327 bp) being detected just as often as the shorter amelogenin (106/112 bp). Amplification products were obtained more frequently from blood stains than bone, perhaps reflecting differences inherent in the material, and from younger compared with older specimens, though plateauing seemed to occur after 10 years. PCR inhibitors were more frequent in sodium acetate extracts.

Amelogenin↗
PubMed1996

In vitro effects of IL-2 on NK-activity, clonogenic potential, blast cell proliferation and cytokine release of MDS bone marrow patients.

To evaluate the clinical usefulness of IL-2 in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) the in vitro effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) on blast cell proliferation, clonogenic activity, cytokine release and cell mediated cytotoxicity were examined in 49 MDS patients. Morphological analyses of bone marrow (BM) cytospin preparations showed a significant decrease in the number of blast cells in MDS after incubation with IL-2. Incubation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) with IL-2 induced a significant increase in the number of CFU-GM in comparison with untreated controls. gamma-IFN and GM-CSF, but not alpha-TNF were found to be released in significant amounts by the BMMNCs cultured with IL-2. No significant differences in the surface phenotypes of fresh lymphocytes were observed between the normal and MDS subjects. After incubation with IL-2, we observed a significant increase in the number of CD3-/CD56+ cells in both normal and MDS subjects. Peripheral blood (PB) and BM NK activity against K562 was significantly greater in MDS after stimulation with IL-2. These data suggest the clinical usefulness of IL-2 in a large subgroup of patients as it may reduce the percentage of blasts and increase clonogenic capacity and cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A simple method for extracting DNA from old skeletal material.

Extraction of DNA from old skeletal material is of great importance in the identification of human remains, but is particularly difficult because the methods currently employed, especially those using phenol/chloroform, are not always satisfactory. A simple technique based on the removal of non-nucleic acid material by salting out (precipitation) with saturated sodium acetate is described; the presence of DNA in the extract being confirmed by amplification of selected sequences of the HLA-DRB1 gene using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The method was applied to fresh bone (five femoral heads and six vertebral bodies) and to bone from two forensic cases, 3 and 9 months post-mortem, respectively. Parallel extractions using the phenol/chloroform technique were performed on all samples in order to compare the efficiency of the two methods. Using sodium acetate precipitation, amplifiable DNA was consistently extracted from fresh bone, as well as from the two forensic cases. With the phenol/chloroform method, amplification was successful in only 7 out of 11 instances with the fresh bone samples and failed in both forensic cases. The studies also showed that an effective way of removing PCR inhibitors is to subject the extract to agarose gel electrophoresis, isolate the high molecular weight area and re-extract the DNA from the gel by boiling. It was concluded that the sodium acetate method is a valid alternative to established techniques for extracting DNA from bone and that it offers the advantages of being simple, quick, inexpensive and avoids using hazardous reagents.

Acetates↗
PubMed1995

A rare complication of mitral valve replacement: sudden cardiac death for immobilization of disc valve by an unraveled suture.

Disc immobilization caused by an unraveled suture in a mitral valve prosthesis represents a rare extrinsic complication in heart valve replacement. We report a case of a 54-year-old white male who underwent mitral valve replacement because of a severe mitral regurgitation. A Björk-Shiley tilting disc was implanted with interrupted "U" shaped 3/0 silk sutures. There were no complications and the patient was discharged in the 10th postoperative day. Twenty days after surgery the patient died for acute pulmonary edema. Autopsy revealed an unraveled suture producing interference with the tilting disc as a cause of disc prosthesis immobilization in closed position. The possible explication of this rare complication is the combination between unraveled suture and the pleating held by Teflon sewing ring after restoring heart function. A flaccid heart can produce an overestimation of the annulus size and the valve ring can bring an anomalous interference with the valve mechanism. In conclusion disc immobilization by an unraveled suture is a complication that can occur very rarely but an accurate prevention must be warrant particularly with a tilting disc more than a beleaflet prosthesis.

Death, Sudden, Cardiac↗
PubMed1993

Effects of acute doses of oxiracetam in the scopolamine model of human amnesia.

The scopolamine model of amnesia has been used to test the pharmacodynamic efficacy of oxiracetam in 12 healthy volunteers. The subjects were divided into four experimental groups, according to a double-blind cross over incomplete randomized block design. After a baseline neuropsychological examination, each subject received in two separate sessions one of the following treatments, as acute oral doses: oxiracetam 800, 1600, 2400 mg or placebo. One hour after treatment scopolamine hydrobromide (0.5 mg) was given subcutaneously. The cognitive performance was tested before and 1, 2, 3 and 25 h after scopolamine administration. Scopolamine caused a deterioration of performance of verbal episodic memory, semantic memory and attention tests. In comparison to placebo, oxiracetam improved the overall test performance, with a statistically significant difference at the dose of 1600 mg on delayed recall of word lists, and showed dose-related antagonism of scopolamine-induced effects also on semantic memory and attention. The efficacy of an acute dose of oxiracetam in reducing scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment supports the potential usefulness of this pharmacological model of amnesia for studying the effects of cognition enhancers in humans.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Reliable identification of human albumin in ancient bone using ELISA and monoclonal antibodies.

In order to help reconstruct ancient dietary, domestic, and ritual behaviour, a method was developed to identify the blood protein albumin in ancient skeletal material. This was an inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a monoclonal antibody of IgG class against human albumin. With fresh material, the technique gave consistent and specific results and could detect as little as 10 ng of albumin. Extracts of bone from the English Civil War (A.D. 1644), Mediaeval (A.D. 1100-1400), Early Saxon (A.D. 450-600), Roman (A.D. 100-200), Iron Age (ca 400 B.C.) and Bronze Age (2200-1700 B.C. cal.) periods were then tested, samples of fresh human and animal bone being included as positive and negative controls, respectively. Albumin was demonstrated in human bone from all periods; there was no evidence of cross-reactivity with animal material. Detection seemed to depend largely on amount of sample and chronological age; other factors, such as physical integrity of the specimen and soil characteristics, appeared to be less important. Preliminary studies of other ancient skeletal remains showed that animal species could be readily identified and that albumin was probably still detectable in cremated material. It is concluded that our method provides a tool specific and sensitive enough for the reliable identification of the species-origin of small fragments of bone (and possibly of blood stains) and will thus allow insight into past behaviour patterns. ELISA may also be suitable for identifying other molecules (such as HLA and ABO) which would help determine racial affiliation and disease predisposition among ancient populations.

Albumins↗
PubMed1992

Detection of human proteins in buried blood using ELISA and monoclonal antibodies: towards the reliable species indentification of blood stains on buried material.

The survival of human proteins in blood stains on fragments of cloth buried in exposed soil was examined in a 15-month investigation carried out from September 1990 to December 1991. During this period there was a wide variety of weather conditions. Samples were exhumed at 4-weekly intervals for 16 weeks and finally at 65 weeks; extracts of the stains were tested for albumin and IgG using a highly specific and sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) performed with monoclonal antibodies. Human albumin survived well throughout the 15 months of study, but IgG could be detected only in the 4- and 8-week samples. The reactions for IgG were weaker than those for albumin, although the method's sensitivity (10 ng) was the same for each protein. Appropriate buried and non-buried control experiments were carried out using cloth, either unstained or stained with human blood or animal sera; there was no cross-reactivity between human and the other species investigated and soil did not affect the assay; under laboratory conditions, IgG and albumin survived equally well. The system's versatility was illustrated by using monoclonal anti-bovine-albumin to detect specific albumin in the extracts of buried cloth which has been stained with bovine serum. It was concluded that ELISA performed with monoclonal antibodies could be of great value in identifying blood stains for forensic purposes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Clinical studies with oxiracetam in patients with dementia of Alzheimer type and multi-infarct dementia of mild to moderate degree.

The cognitive and behavioral effects and the safety of oxiracetam therapy during a placebo-controlled trial and the relevant follow-up up to 1 year in patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID) of mild to moderate degree were studied. Sixty male and female outpatients participated in the double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, randomized trial, comparing the effects of oxiracetam 800 mg b.i.d. and placebo during 90 days of treatment. At the end of therapy, statistical analysis evidenced significant improvements in the group receiving oxiracetam in respect to the placebo group on Mini Mental State Examination, Auditory Continuous Performance Test, Rey's 15 Words Test, Block Tapping Test, Mattis Word Fluency, Luria Alternating Series and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Afterwards, 29 of the 30 patients who received oxiracetam, participated in the open follow-up study, receiving 800 mg b.i.d. oxiracetam for a total standard period of 1 year. Statistical improvements in comparison to baseline were again found on the same tests of the first 90 days (except for Rey's 15 Words Test) and on the Memory item of the Inventory of Psychic and Somatic Complaints Elderly. During the late phase of the follow-up, statistically significant worsenings in comparison to baseline were observed on Digit Span Backward, Gibson's Spiral and some non-memory items of IPSC-E. Neither severe adverse events were observed during the whole study, nor changes in routine laboratory examinations. In conclusion, in the present population of patients with mild to moderate degree dementia, the safety of 1,600 mg/day of oxiracetam also up to 1 year of treatment was confirmed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Raman spectroscopy for the study of porous composite alumina coating.

A new acetabular cup prosthesis made of alumina and bioactive glass was studied and evaluated using nondestructive and noninvasive Raman laser spectroscopy. The prosthesis consists of an alumina socket coated with a double layer of alumina beads bonded to the prosthesis with a layer of glass. Raman spectroscopy showed that both the socket and the beads are composed of alpha-Al2O3 (corundum), while the bioactive glass (alkaline and alkaline earth alumosilicate with a small quantity of zirconium oxide) showed this to have an intermediate structure between that of vitreous silica and that of the alkaline and alkaline earth disilicate glasses. The Raman spectra of the contact surfaces between the bioactive glass and the alumina of the assembled prosthesis and of an alumina disk coated with the same glass showed the presence of new bands which may be correlated with a chemical interaction between the components of the prosthesis.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1983

Levallorphan methyl iodide (SR 58002), a potent narcotic antagonist with peripheral selectivity superior to that of other quaternary compounds.

The peripheral selectivity of the newer quaternary narcotic antagonist levallorphan methyl iodide (SR 58002) was found superior in mice to those of the previously available compounds N-allyl levallorphan (CM 32191), N-methyl nalorphine (MNph) and N-methyl naloxone (MNx). SR 58002 and MNph were the most potent (ID50, mg/kg s.c., 3.6 and 3.7) in preventing constipation by s.c. morphine (charcoal meal). Antinociception (hot-plate) of s.c. morphine was completely prevented by MNx, MNph and CM 32191 (ID50, mg/kg s.c., 1.6, 8.6 and 15.2) but only partially antagonized by 30 mg/kg s.c. SR 58002. Constipation elicited centrally by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) morphine was prevented by either s.c. MNx or MNph but not by SR 58002 or CM 32191, up to 60 mg/kg.

Animals↗