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Biomedical subjects

C Foroni

Publications and source records attributed to C Foroni.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Perioperative myocardial infarction in noncardiac surgery: the diagnostic and prognostic role of cardiac troponins.

Despite the number of technologies used, the diagnosis of perioperative myocardial infarction is still a challenge. Studies conducted in surgical series have demonstrated that cardiac troponins (cTns) have both a superior diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, compared with other traditional techniques, and an independent power to predict short- and long-term prognosis. Nevertheless, some points need to be clarified. They include the usefulness of cTns in patients with end-stage renal failure; the standardization of the cTns cut-off for the diagnosis of myocardial injury; the timing of postoperative blood samplings; the cost-effectiveness of a screening in asymptomatic patients; and the possible therapeutic strategies.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1999

Coordinate modulation of maize sulfate permease and ATP sulfurylase mRNAs in response to variations in sulfur nutritional status: stereospecific down-regulation by L-cysteine.

To gain insight into the regulatory mechanisms and the signals responsible for the adaptation of higher plants to conditions of varying sulfate availability, we have isolated from a sulfate-deprived root library maize cDNAs encoding sulfate permease (ZmST1) and ATP sulfurylase (ZmAS1), the two earliest components of the sulfur assimilation pathway. The levels of ZmST1 and ZmAS1 transcripts concomitantly increased in both roots and shoots of seedlings grown under sulfate-deprived conditions, and rapidly decreased when the external sulfate supply was restored. This coordinate response, which was not observed under conditions of limiting nitrate or phosphate, correlated with the depletion of glutathione, rather than sulfate stores. However, drastically reducing glutathione levels through treatment with buthionine sulfoximine, a specific inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl cysteine synthetase, did not provide an adequate stimulus for the up-regulation of either sulfate permease or ATP sulfurylase messengers. Indeed, L-cysteine, but not D-cysteine, effectively down-regulated both transcripts when supplied to sulfur-deficient seedlings under conditions of blocked glutathione synthesis. Altogether, these data provide evidence for the coordinate regulation of sulfur assimilation mRNAs in higher plants and for the glutathione-independent involvement of cysteine as a stereospecific pretranslational modulator of the expression of sulfur status-responsive genes.

Anion Transport Proteins↗
PubMed1996

A maize gene encoding an NADPH binding enzyme highly homologous to isoflavone reductases is activated in response to sulfur starvation.

we isolated a novel gene that is selectively induced both in roots and shoots in response to sulfur starvation. This gene encodes a cytosolic, monomeric protein of 33 kD that selectively binds NADPH. The predicted polypeptide is highly homologous ( > 70%) to leguminous isoflavone reductases (IFRs), but the maize protein (IRL for isoflavone reductase-like) belongs to a novel family of proteins present in a variety of plants. Anti-IRL antibodies specifically recognize IFR polypeptides, yet the maize protein is unable to use various isoflavonoids as substrates. IRL expression is correlated closely to glutathione availability: it is persistently induced in seedlings whose glutathione content is about fourfold lower than controls, and it is down-regulated rapidly when control levels of glutathione are restored. This glutathione-dependent regulation indicates that maize IRL may play a crucial role in the establishment of a thiol-independent response to oxidative stress under glutathione shortage conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Continuous veno-venous hemofiltration in critically ill patients with multiple organ failure.

18 critically ill patients, with multiple organ failure (MOF) (from shock either septic, n = 15, or cardiogenic, n = 3), oliguria and increase in BUN and creatinine were treated with pump driven, high flux continuous veno-venous hemofiltration (CVVH). Replacement fluids were administered in predilution mode. All patients were under respiratory support and vasoactive drugs, and received early nutritional support (N input: 0.2-0.3 g/kg/day). Mean duration of treatment was 9.2 days and mean ultrafiltrate production was 21.4 l/day; treatment resulted in a significant reduction of both urea nitrogen and creatinine blood levels (-20 and -40% of initial values respectively) in spite of a very severe catabolism. The total amount of urea nitrogen removed through CVVH ranged from 15 to 73 g/day (mean 33.5), the median value of urea nitrogen clearance was 12.8 ml/min with a median ultrafiltration coefficient of 0.8. The mean duration of hemofilters was 69 hours (38-108); the efficacy of filters remained stable throughout the entire lifespan and changes were made in case of sudden decrease of ultrafiltration (< ml/min). No major complication was observed in over than 4000 hours of treatment. Pump driven, high flux CVVH proved effective in the control of water electrolyte balance and metabolic homeostasis in a group of critically ill, hemodynamically unstable, catabolic patients with MOF and acute renal failure. In no case we had to add intermittent hemodialysis or to use hemodiafiltration. The constant extracorporeal blood flow and the stable efficacy of hemofilters allowed an easy control of the overall effectiveness of this technique.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Intensive care of AIDS patients. Clinical experience].

Six patients with AIDS and severe respiratory failure from diffuse interstitial pneumonia, have been treated in one year in ICU. The authors describe diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics and management problems, underlining the good results in the short and medium term.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

[Propofol-ketamine vs propofol-fentanyl in short gynecologic surgery].

The study was performed to investigate efficacy and tolerability of the association propofol-ketamine as alternative to propofol-fentanyl. Forty female, classified ASA I-II, aged 18-50 years and scheduled for short gynecologic procedures under general anesthesia were included in a comparative, randomized, single blind study. Patients were divided in two groups; in group K anesthesia was induced with propofol 1.5 mg/kg and ketamine 1 mg/kg i.v. In group F anesthesia was induced with propofol 2.5 mg/kg and fentanyl 1.5 micrograms/kg. Arterial blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and arterial O2 saturation (SATO2) were measured. Though preliminary, our data suggest that the association propofol-ketamine reach an adequate level of anesthesia with few and negligible effects on cardiorespiratory system, thus allowing a better operability and safety. The incidence of post operative psychotic disturbances seems to be low and moderate. We can't draw any definitive conclusion, but we think that other studies should be performed to clarify the possible role of ketamine in propofol anesthesia.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oxidative stress and age-related cataract.

The authors review the available evidence supporting the possible role of oxidative stress in cataract formation from an epidemiological and a clinical point of view. They discuss in more detail what is presently known about the molecular mechanisms of response of the mammalian lens to an oxidative insult and report unpublished data on gene modulation upon oxidative stress in a bovine lens model. Main research endeavors that seem to be a most promising source of new insights into the problem of age-related cataract formation are briefly discussed.

Aging↗