Biomedical subjects

C Lupo

Publications and source records attributed to C Lupo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Glucocorticoid receptors in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in relation to explosive performance in elite handball players.

Ten handball players, members of the Italian National Team (aged 20-25 years), were studied in two sessions corresponding to different performance levels. The first session occurred one week after the end of the regular season of the Italian Handball Federation: it corresponded to the beginning of the training cycle for the European Handball Championship. The second session occurred ten weeks after the first session. During this period, training consisted of 3 weeks of active recovery and 7 weeks of increasing workload. For each session, jumping performances (maximal height in a single jump, average mechanical power for a 15-s set of consecutive jumps) were evaluated. Venous blood samples were collected in resting conditions immediately before jumping performances to assess cortisol and testosterone plasma concentrations and glucocorticoid receptors (GcR) binding capacity and affinity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). All the parameters, except GcR binding affinity, increased in the second session. The trends of variation in jumping performances, steroid hormone levels and GcR binding capacity were similar. For testosterone, this agrees with the hypothesis that an adequate level of this hormone is a prerequisite for improvement in explosive performances. For cortisol, higher GcR binding capacity after 10 weeks of training (with respect to initial values) indicated an up-regulation of GcR concomitant with the increase in hormone levels and performances. These findings suggest that the adaptation to training, confirmed by the improvement in performance, is characterized by a high value of GcR binding capacity and that it is mediated, among other factors, by the hormone levels and up-regulation of the receptors.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Effects of gonadectomy and pain on interferon-gamma production in splenocytes of male and female rats.

The role of gonadal hormones and persistent pain (formalin test) in the regulation of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in splenocytes was investigated in male and female rats. Animals were either sham-operated (Intact) or gonadectomized (GDX) and, 3 weeks later, were subcutaneously injected with formalin (50 microl, 10%) or only pricked with a syringe needle in the dorsal hind paw. Sixty minutes after treatment the animals were deeply anesthetized and the spleens were dissected under aseptic conditions. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta for measurement of plasma steroids. IFN-gamma production was determined in vitro in the splenocytes after Con A stimulation. Splenocytes of Intact females showed higher IFN-gamma production than those of Intact males. This sex difference disappeared in GDX animals because of the lower levels in GDX females. Formalin decreased IFN-gamma in both Intact and GDX groups. In females, there was a positive correlation between IFN-gamma production in splenocytes and plasma estradiol levels. The present data demonstrate a sex difference in IFN-gamma production (due to the immunostimulating effect of estradiol in females) and an immunodepressive role of pain in both sexes.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Immunoreactivity for thyroid transcription factor-1 in stage I non-small cell carcinomas of the lung.

Thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) is a nuclear protein regulating the transcriptional activity of lung-specific genes in the normal and neoplastic bronchioloalveolar cells. It has been implicated in the normal growth and development of the lung, and the disruption of the TTF-1 locus leads to neonatal death with pulmonary hypoplasia. We evaluated retrospectively the prevalence and clinical significance of TTF-1 immunoreactivity in 222 patients with stage I non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) with a follow-up time of at least 5 years, and we investigated its relationship with other markers of tumor growth, namely cell proliferation and angiogenesis. TTF-1 immunoreactivity was documented by using the commercially available monoclonal antibody 8G7G3/1 in 72% of 97 adenocarcinomas, 5% of 119 squamous cell carcinomas, and in the glandular component of two adenosquamous carcinomas. Four large cell carcinomas were completely unreactive. In adenocarcinomas, but not squamous cell carcinomas, TTF-1 immunoreactivity correlated significantly with microvessel density (p = 0.04) and inversely with the tumor proliferation fraction assessed by Ki-67 immunostaining (p = 0.03). Also, TTF-1-immunoreactive adenocarcinomas showed a trend for a size less than 3 cm (p = 0.08). TTF-1 expression was not related to specific growth patterns, tumor grade, or tumor cell typing. TTF-1 immunoreactivity did not significantly affect patient survival, although patients with more than 75% immunoreactive neoplastic cells showed a trend for longer overall and disease-free survival. Our findings suggest that TTF-1 could be involved in the development of small pulmonary adenocarcinomas, but it has not prognostic implications in patients with stage I NSCLC.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2000

Preparatory versus main competitions: differences in performances, lactate responses and pre-competition plasma cortisol concentrations in elite male swimmers.

Two groups of elite male swimmers were studied using a similar protocol during the winter training seasons of two consecutive years. In the first season (September 1997-January 1998), eight male swimmers (age 19-25 years) of the Italian National Team participated, after 12 weeks of increased training volume, in a preparatory national competition (PWC) and then, after a further 6 weeks of specific training, in the World Championships (WC, both competitions in a 50-m pool), which represented the main competition at the end of the 18-week-long winter season. In the second season (September 1998-December 1998), a group of ten high-level male swimmers (18-22 years) participated, after 8 weeks of increased training volume, in a preparatory national competition (PIC) and then, after a further 6 weeks of specific training, in the Italian Championships (IC, both competitions in a 25-m pool), the main competition at the end of the 14-week-long winter season. A tapering period lasting 1-3 weeks was observed before the main competition in both seasons. All swimmers were competing at distances of up to 400 m; two of them participated in the study in both seasons. The swimming velocities and post-competition blood lactate concentrations were higher in the main competitions than in the preparatory competitions in both seasons. Pre-competition plasma cortisol (CORT) concentrations were higher than the initial values at the beginning of the season, reaching maximal values at the preparatory competitions and then decreasing before the main competitions in both seasons. The percentage increase in individual swimming velocity from the preparatory to the main competition was positively correlated with the corresponding increase in post-competition blood lactate (r = 0.63, P = 0.046) in the 1997 season (WC), and negatively correlated with the corresponding decrease in pre-competition CORT concentration (r = -0.66, P = 0.019) in the 1998 season (IC). Our results indicate that a decrease in pre-competition CORT could be a prerequisite for an improvement in swimming performance.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Neuroendocrine and behavioral effects of CRH blockade and stress in male rats.

Our previous data have shown that restraint (RT), a mild nonpainful stressor, acutely impairs nonsocial and social behavior in male rats. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a regulator of these behavioral responses. To evaluate whether CRH mediates the neuroendocrine and behavioral alterations present 24 h after restraint stress, we administered the CRH antagonist alpha-helical CRH(9-41) (alpha-hCRH) intracerebroventricularly to male rats and we compared its effects with those of saline. Twenty-four hours after treatment, nonsocial behaviors were significantly decreased by alpha-hCRH, this effect being independent of RT. Among social behaviors, only introductory activity showed significant differences as a result of both RT and alpha-hCRH. The concentrations of ACTH in the plasma and those of beta-endorphin in the anterior and neurointermediate lobes of the pituitary were affected by alpha-hCRH treatment. The effect on ACTH was simply related to the administration of the alpha-hCRH, while for beta-endorphin, significant interactions between alpha-hCRH and RT were found. On the whole, these results point to the role played by CRH in the control of neuronal mechanisms involved in the stress-induced effects.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMed1999

Emotional behavior in female rabbits: hippocampal EEG and neuroendocrine aspects.

Behavior, hippocampal electrical activity, plasma hormones and hippocampal choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) were considered in two groups of female rabbits, different in age and condition of breeding, both in the presence and absence of emotional stimuli. In the two groups of female rabbits (4 and 18 months old), permanent electrodes were implanted bilaterally in the two dorsal hippocampi and, one week later, the animals were exposed for three consecutive days to the following tests: Day 1, novel environment (NE); Day 2, object with odor (O); Day 3, sparrow hawk (SP). Behavior: in comparison with Day 1, exploration was decreased by the object and by the sparrow hawk in the older females and increased in the younger ones. Quiet and alert immobility was higher during the SP test, while freezing and pointing were lower in the older females than in the young ones. Electrical activity: peak frequency was lower in younger females than in the older ones. The frequency band distribution corresponding to exploration and immobility showed that in the older females the % of high frequency band increased from the first to the third day of testing, while an opposite trend was present in the younger females. In the case of freezing the hippocampal electric activity showed a more rhythmical component in younger females than in the older ones. Hormones: increased corticosterone levels after the SP test were directly correlated with exploration and inversely correlated with freezing. Dorsal hippocampal ChAT was directly correlated with quiet immobility. These data indicate a relationship between the responses to the anxious/fearful stimuli and the age and/or breeding experience of the female rabbits; this is shown by both the hippocampal electrical activity and the behavioral differences between the two groups.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Behavioural and hormonal effects of restraint stress and formalin test in male and female rats.

The formalin test was used to measure the analgesia induced by restraint in male and female rats. Animals were restrained for 30 min or left undisturbed in their cage and then (1) killed immediately to collect blood for hormonal determinations; or (2) subcutaneously injected with formalin in the hind paw (or sham-injected), introduced to an open field for recording of behaviour, and killed at the end of this procedure. In both experiments, corticosterone was found to be higher in females. In Experiment 1, the ability of restraint to be stressful was confirmed by the increase in corticosterone in both sexes and by the decrease of testosterone in males. In Experiment 2, restraint-treatment induced a reduction in licking and flexing that was limited to the second phase. The reduction occurred in different periods and to a different degree in the two sexes; it was greater in females. Spontaneous behaviours showed sex differences in restraint-treated but not in formalin-treated animals. The results show that the hormonal effects observed after restraint are not present after the formalin test and that the marked analgesia observed with phasic painful stimuli does not occur with a longer-lasting one such as that induced by formalin, after which only partial and short-lasting effects were observed.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1998

Influence of training on the response to exercise of adrenocorticotropin and growth hormone plasma concentrations in human swimmers.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the response of adrenocorticotropin ([ACTH]) and growth hormone ([GH]) concentrations to a typical aerobic swimming set during a training season. Nine top-level male endurance swimmers (age range 17-23 years) were tested during three training sessions occurring 6, 12 and 18 weeks after the beginning of the season. During each session, after a standard warm-up, the swimmers performed a training set of 15 x 200-m freestyle, with 20 s of rest between repetitions, at a predetermined individual speed. Blood samples were collected before warm-up and at the end of the training set. A few days before each session, the individual swimming velocity corresponding to the 4 mmol x 1(-1) blood lactate concentration (nu4) was assessed as a standard of aerobic performance. Aerobic training affected nu4 levels, which were highest 18 weeks after the beginning of the season; at the same time, while [ACTH] response was attenuated, [GH] response was enhanced. These results could be considered as adaptations to the exercise intensity. In our training programme, these adaptations seemed to have occurred between the 12th and 18th weeks of the training season.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

PubMed1997

Sexually selected vigilance behaviour of the grey partridge is affected by plasma androgen levels

In the grey partridge, Perdix perdixvigilance and calling activity are two sex-dimorphic behaviours that are critical for mate choice. To ascertain whether circulating levels of testosterone directly affect vigilance (i.e. the occurrence of upright alert posture), we compared vigilance scores of testosterone-implanted versus control males both during the normal activity of the flock and after the passage of a raptor silhouette; in the latter case, the calling activity was also recorded. Hormone-treated males were more vigilant than controls in both experimental situations. Vigilance was correlated with calling rate. Testosterone seems to act as a link, relating conspicuous behaviours involved in sexual selection to male quality and physical condition, because of the costs of having high levels of both signalling and androgens.Copyright 1997 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour1997The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour

Journal Article↗

PubMed1997

Glucocorticoid receptors in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in relation to age and to sport activity.

Glucocorticoid receptors (GR) are ubiquitous molecules and are present also in the hippocampus and in several other nervous and immune tissues. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are a good model for studies of GR in humans. Glucocorticoids are important for maintaining cellular and humoral homeostasis and are key mediators of neuroendocrine-immune regulatory interactions. The increase of cortisol is immunosuppressive and reduces GR concentration both in nervous and immune systems. Variation of glucocorticoids in healthy aged subjects and athletes has been shown. Prompted by these results, we have investigated in man a possible relationship between GR binding capacity in the PBMCs and age, in relation also to plasma testosterone and cortisol. The same parameters have been examined in a group of soccer players for comparison with the sedentary group. GR binding capacity was higher in younger subjects than in older ones, and lower in the group of athletes than in the younger and older sedentary subjects. In the sedentary group a negative correlation was present between GR binding capacity and age. Plasma cortisol was higher and testosterone lower in the athletes; they were negatively correlated in athletes and positively correlated in the sedentary subjects. The results for athletes agree with their lower anabolic/catabolic balance. The mechanism of reduced GR levels in relation to age and sport activity could involve a loss or an involution of receptor synthesis. However other possibilities, such as altered distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations with different receptor concentrations and with different cytokine production, cannot be excluded. Several neuroendocrine-immune interactions could be responsible for reduced GR levels with age and sport activity in man.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Differential effects of exercise on sex hormone-binding globulin and non-sex hormone-binding globulin-bound testosterone.

The response of total testosterone (T), free testosterone (fT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and non-SHBG-bound testosterone (NST) to the same exercise protocol was evaluated in two different experiments on long distance runners. The first experiment was performed in the morning at 0900 hours with nine athletes, while the second was carried out in the afternoon at 1500 hours with seven athletes. During each experiment, each athlete ran for 1 h at the previously determined speed corresponding to 2 mmol.l-1 blood lactate concentration. Three venous blood samples were collected in each experiment: before exercise, at the end of running and after 1 h of recovery. Total T and SHBG showed similar responses: in the first experiment they had decreased after exercise, while in the second they had increased at the end of running. A positive correlation between total T and SHBG concentrations was found at the end of exercise. In both experiments, NST and fT had increased after exercise and decreased to initial concentrations during recovery. The results would suggest the existence of a compensatory mechanism which maintains adequate concentrations of biologically active T when total T concentrations decrease.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Influence of training on the response of androgen plasma concentrations to exercise in swimmers.

In eight top-level male endurance swimmers the aerobic performance and the response to exercise of total testosterone (T), free testosterone (fT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), non-SHBG-bound testosterone (NST) and cortisol (C) were evaluated during a training season. The swimmers participated in three test sessions which occurred 6, 12 and 24 weeks after the beginning of the season. During each session, after a standard warm-up, the swimmers performed a set of 15 x 200-m freestyle, with a 20-s rest between repititions, at a predetermined individual speed. Three blood samples were collected: before warm-up, at the end of the set, and after 1 h of recovery. A few days before each session, the individual swimming velocity associated with a 4 mmol.l-1 blood lactate concentration (v4) was assessed as a standard of aerobic performance. The values of v4 were lower in the second session than in the third one. The concentrations of C. which increased after the exercise, showed the highest values in the second session. The values of T and the T:SHBG ratio increased after the exercise but returned to their initial concentrations during the recovery period. The values of fT and NST increased after the exercise in the first and third sessions. In the initial two sessions, when the aerobic performance was still low, the concentrations of NST decreased to below the initial values after recovery. In session III, when the adaptation to the training workload was complete, NST returned to resting concentrations after recovery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Responses of atrial natriuretic peptide and other fluid regulating hormones to long distance swimming in the sea.

The plasma hormonal response following a swimming competition in the sea (18 km) was evaluated in 12 top level male endurance swimmers. At the end of the effort, while plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone concentration (ALDO) were unchanged, a significant increase in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and antidiuretic hormone (ADH) concentrations were recorded. These changes were associated with a decrease in haematocrit and an increase in Na+ and Cl- plasma concentrations. The individual variations of ANP (difference between the final and initial concentrations) were inversely correlated with the corresponding individual variations of PRA and ADH. The results suggest that, during prolonged swimming, ANP may exert an inhibitory effect on the PRA-ALDO axis and have a modulatory role with regard to ADH secretion.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Decrease of hippocampal choline acetyltransferase activity induced by formalin pain.

The involvement of the hippocampal choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in the response to tonic pain was investigated in rats injected with formalin, either 50 microliters 10% or 50 microliters 0.1%. Hippocampal ChAT activity was found to be reduced both 30 and 60 min after injection of the higher concentration of formalin but only 30 min after the lower one. Results indicate that the decrease in ChAT activity depends upon the presence of the nociceptive input rather than its magnitude. The hippocampal formation is involved in the specific behavioural response to pain, namely licking.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1993

Immune and neuroendocrine response to restraint in male and female rats.

A parallel study of the modification in the opioid and immunological systems induced by acute restraint (RT) was carried out in male and female rats 24 hr after the treatment. beta-Endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-ELI) was measured in two brain areas (ventral hypothalamus [HYP] and periaqueductal gray matter [PAG]) and in the pituitary (anterior and neurointermediate lobes), together with plasma corticosterone (C) and ACTH. Immune function was measured as mitogen-induced Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by splenocytes. RT reduced beta-ELI levels in the PAG in males and females. Plasma levels of C and ACTH did not differ from the basal levels in restrained animals. RT reduced IFN-gamma production in both sexes, but this effect was more marked in females than in males. The possible relationship between the immune and opioid system is discussed.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMed1993

Effects of formalin-induced pain on exploratory behaviour in rabbits.

We have used formalin to assess the long-term behavioural and hormonal effects of persistent pain in rabbits. Behaviour has been recorded over 10 min sessions both before and after 10 min, 4 and 24 hours after injection of formalin. A low dose of formalin (0.1 ml at 5%) elicited licking of the injected paw which lasted only a few minutes. Exploratory behaviour was greater than in the control (sham-injected) animals in all post-injection sessions. Following a larger dose of formalin (0.5 ml at 8%) licking occurred in all post-injection sessions, while exploration was lower than the controls only immediately after injection. Twenty-four hours after the formalin injection, testosterone levels were unaffected. Corticosterone levels increased over the course of the experiment but this increase was equal for the experimental and the control groups. Results suggest that different pain intensities and durations have opposite effects on exploratory behaviour in rabbits.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Changes in the exercise-induced hormone response to branched chain amino acid administration.

It was the aim of the present experiment to detect possible effects of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) on the endocrine response to 1 h of continuous running. Blood samples were collected from 14 long-distance runners (age 24-42 years) in two different trials performed at 1-week intervals. In both trials (E and P) blood samples were collected at the following times: 9 a.m. (basal values sample), 10.30 a.m. (sample 90), 11.30 a.m. (sample 150), 12.30 p.m. (sample 210); the athletes performed 1 h of running at a constant predetermined speed between samples 90 and 150. Following the basal sample a mixture containing BCAA (E trial), or not containing BCAA (P trial) was ingested. In both trials no hormone basal concentrations, except insulin, were changed before exercise. In P trial, following exercise (sample 150), human growth hormone (HGH), prolactin (PRL), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (C) increased, while testosterone (T) decreased. In sample 210, after 1 h of rest, while ACTH, PRL and HGH had recovered to basal concentrations, C remained elevated and T displayed a further decrease. In the E trial a similar pattern of change was observed in sample 150 for HGH, PRL, ACTH and C; in sample 210 HGH and PRL displayed significantly lower values than in the corresponding P trial samples. The T was not modified by the running exercise and increased during the recovery period. It is, therefore, suggested that BCAA administration before exercise affects the response of some anabolic hormones, mainly HGH and T.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

PubMed1992

[Perforation of the esophagus during attempted endotracheal intubation].

A case is reported of oesophageal perforation which occurred during an attempt to carry out endotracheal intubation. A 54-year-old female patient was scheduled for mastectomy. She had no clinical features likely to predict a difficult endotracheal intubation. After induction with thiopentone, phenoperidine and suxamethonium, three attempts were made to carry out tracheal intubation with a Mallinckrodt Lo-pro tube, internal diameter 7.5 mm. During the third attempt, the oesophagus was accidentally intubated. The diagnosis was made before any insufflation was carried out. Another anaesthetist took over, and intubated the patient. At that time, there was left-sided cervical emphysema which quickly spread. An oesophageal perforation was suspected, and the patient was given 500 mg of metronidazole and 1 g of cefotetan. Postoperatively, the antibiotics were continued, and the patient had nothing by mouth. Oesophagography showed a posterior fistula in the upper third. Conservative treatment was continued until the seventh day, when another oesophagography was carried out. This showed that the perforation had completely healed. This rather rare complication of endotracheal intubation may have a poor prognosis if it results in mediastinitis. The diagnosis and prognosis of this complication and its treatment, whether conservative or surgical, are discussed.

Esophageal Perforation↗