Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D Mazzotta.
Recently an important role for magnesium in establishing the threshold for migraine attacks has become evident. Accordingly, we measured serum and red blood cell magnesium levels in juvenile migraine patients with and without aura interictally. In comparison with normal subjects, migraineurs had significantly lower serum and red blood cell magnesium levels.
A standard immunoradiometric technique was used to investigate the distribution of the intracellular aspartic proteinase cathepsin D in 33 malignant and in the corresponding histologically-proven non-malignant fragments obtained from lymph node negative patients suffering from larynx cancer. In both tissues the androgen, glucocorticoid, oestrogen and progesterone receptors were also assayed. Our data indicate that cathepsin D was present in both tissues, with level significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in the cancerous fragments (with a mean of 33 +/- 3.4 pmol/mg protein) than in the corresponding non-cancerous specimen (with a mean of 20.8 +/- 2 pmol/mg protein). A significant positive association (P < 0.001) between cathepsin D and PR concentration values in the cancerous larynx was observed; accordingly, tumours expressing PR had significantly (P = 0.0005) higher cathepsin D levels than the tumours which did not contain the receptor. In contrast, such a relationship was absent in the non-malignant specimens. As regards the other steroid receptors, no significant relationship between them and cathepsin D was observed. We conclude that cathepsin D may have a role also in laryngeal carcinoma and that its association with the PR could indicate a possible role of the receptor in the biology of this disease.
Lumbar bone mass (LBM) determination by quantitative computerized tomography in pre-, peri- and postmenopausal women was utilized to identify subjects at risk to develop osteoporosis. The results were related to determinations of bone metabolic markers (serum osteocalcin and urinary calcium excretion). Osteocalcin was the only metabolic marker which underwent significative changes. However, we found very poor correlations between LBM and metabolic markers and it is concluded that bone mass determination remains the method of choice to select women for preventive therapy.
Magnesaemia is often decreased in solid tumours, but magnesium (Mg) is mainly an intracellular cation and serum levels do not reflect actual body stores. In this study serum Mg (SMg) and erythrocyte Mg (EMg) concentrations were measured in 40 healthy controls and in 108 patients affected by various types of tumour (50 lung cancers, 25 breast cancers, 18 ovarian cancers, and 15 oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal cancers). EMg was higher (P < 0.05) and SMg lower P < 0.001) in neoplastic patients than in controls. All tumour types behaved in the same way, though in the lung cancer group the increase in EMg did not reach statistical significance in comparison with the control group (P = 0.05). The extent to which EMg was increased and SMg decreased was positively correlated with the advancement in the stage of malignancy. These results suggest that in neoplastic disease Mg requirement is not only increased in tumour tissue, but also in erythrocytes. The increase in EMg may derive from a change in the red blood cell membrane, facilitating intracellular concentration of magnesium for transport to the tumour. The concomitant decrease in SMg may be the consequence of the enhanced erythrocyte uptake of magnesium from the extracellular circulating pool.
Twenty patients (42-80 years old of whom 9 women) affected by instrumentally ascertained pancreatic cancer (7 cases were operated on) were studied. In all of them the following coagulation indices (fibrinopeptide A, FpA; beta-thromboglobulin, BTG; platelet factor IV, PF4; fibrinogen degradation products, XDP) and tumor markers (gastrointestinal cancer associated antigen, GICA; tissue polypeptide antigen, TPA; carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA; alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP) were assessed at the time of diagnosis, and 10 and 30 days after diagnosis, to test whether and which of the above parameters are more sensitive for entertaining the underlying affection. In both operated and nonoperated patients FpA was shown to be the most sensitive index. Lesser sensitivity was shown by XDP, GICA, and BTG. AFP proved to be quite useless as its serum levels constantly fell within the normal range.
The changes in serum and erythrocyte Mg concentrations and in renal Mg excretion induced by a single dose of cisplatin (100 mg/mq body surface area) were investigated in 16 patients with lung cancer. Magnesuria increased significantly (P less than 0.001) the day after cisplatin administration, returned to basal levels in the following days, and increased again on the 7th day (P less than 0.05). Magnesaemia decreased gradually and after 7 was significantly lower than before treatment (P less than 0.05). Erythrocyte Mg decreased significantly on days 1 (P less than 0.05) and 2 (P less than 0.001) after cisplatin administration, began to increase on day 4, and recovered to pretreatment values on day 7. These results suggest that, besides the well known damage to tubular function with consequent increase in renal Mg wasting, cisplatin may also interfere with Mg metabolism at cellular and subcellular levels. The activity of the drug on nucleic acids and membrane transport systems, where Mg is abundant and exerts important stabilizing functions, could induce Mg mobilization and increased membrane permeability, with a consequent shift of Mg from cells into the blood stream. This would counterbalance the increase in magnesuria, and magnesaemia would decrease significantly only when intracellular Mg returns to pretreatment levels.
Erythrocitary and serum magnesium (Mg) were determined in a group of 11 well-trained athletes before and after a 25-km running race, and in a group of 30 sedentary controls. The significant increase of mean erythrocitary Mg (EMg) concentration observed in the athletes after physical strain (2.58 +/- 0.34 mEq/l before, 3.10 +/- 0.45 mEq/l after the race: significance level = 5%) leads to the assumption that the possible Mg uptake is effected by the red blood cell to enhance some enzymatic reactions. The decrease of mean serum Mg concentration observed in the same subjects after the effort (1.70 +/- 0.14 mEq/l before, 1.64 +/- 0.15 mEq/l after the race) is not significant. The difference between mean Mg concentrations observed in the athletes' group before the race and in the sedentary group (EMg: 2.58 +/- 0.34 mEq/l in athletes, 3.67 +/- 0.38 mEq/l in sedentaries, significance level = 1%; serum Mg: 1.70 +/- 0.14 mEq/l in athletes, 1.96 +/- 0.15 mEq/l in sedentaries, significance level = 1%) suggests that athletes suffer from a Mg deficiency, partially due to physical exercise. The two hypotheses and the possible causes of the observed phenomena are discussed.
Spinal and cortical SEP responses were recorded during tibial and median nerve stimulation in 58 HIV+ subjects (8 IV/C1, 24 IV/C2 & IV/A, 11 III and 15 II), all asymptomatic from a neurological point of view. The electrophysiological features were compared with clinical assessment and serum HIV markers for purposes of prognosis and therapy. In group IV we observed a slowing of conduction along the afferent pathway in the spinal tracts and afferent ways to the cortex. The major part of the delay occurred in the mid and lower medullary tract. These results agree with neuropathological finding from post-mortem examination in AIDS pts.
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The likely first case of Campylobacter laridis bacteraemia in AIDS is reported. Microbiological, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of C. laridis human infection are also described.
The Authors focused on the new isolates' important role in human infections (particularly pylori, laridis, hyointestinalis and Campylobacters like- organisms) by clinical, microbiological and research data. Recent knowledge about pathogenetic mechanisms of classical Campylobacters is also reported.
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Erythrocyte and serum magnesium (Mg) concentrations have been assayed in a group of sedentary heterozygote beta-thalassaemic subjects (beta-thal), in a group of non-thalassaemic well trained runners before and after a 25 km running race, and in a group of sedentary healthy controls. The mean erythrocyte Mg concentration (EMg) found in beta-thal (2.72 mEq/litre) and in runners, both before and after the race (2.58 mEq/litre before, 3.10 after), was significantly lower than the EMg values from the control group (3.69 mEq/litre). We propose various hypotheses to explain the reductions observed.
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The synthesis of pyrazolyl-amides of aminoacids and peptides is described. The chemicals were tested for antifungal activity against wheat powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis DC.), cucumber powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum DC.), wheat brown rust (Puccinia recondita Rob. ex Desm. f. sp. tritici Erikss et Henn.), celery leaf spot (Septoria Apii Briosi ed Cav. Chest.) and collar rot (Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn). Some of these compounds showed antifungal activity.
The synthesis of 4-nitroso-5-amminopyrazoles and of 4-nitroso-5-pyrazolylurethans and -ureas is described. The chemicals were tested for antifungal activity against Erysiphe graminis, Erysiphe cichoracearum, Puccinia recondita, Septoria apii and Rhizoctonia solani. A number of the described compounds showed some antifungal activity.
4-Thiocyanato-5-amino or acylaminopyrazoles were prepared and their antifungal activity was tested against Candida albicans and Trichophyton mentagrophytes: the 4-thiocyanato-5-aminopyrazoles were the most effective in both tests.