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D Testa

Publications and source records attributed to D Testa.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

An open-randomized clinical trial of selegiline in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Based on the hypothesis that free radicals play a general role in the neurodegenerative process in motor neuron disease, we tested selegiline in a group of patients affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to examine whether it might modify the progression of the disease. Patients were admitted if they were 25-80 years old and had a confirmed diagnosis of ALS with symptoms lasting no longer than 24 months. Patients with familial ALS, pure progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis or progressive muscle atrophy were excluded; a total of 111 patients were recruited. Fifty-three patients were randomly assigned to receive the drug (selegiline 10 mg/day orally for 6 months) and the remaining 58 were considered ALS controls. Mortality was similar in the two groups (4 and 5 patients respectively), though the difference was not statistically significant. Among the survivors, mean MRC and Norris disability scores and forced vital capacity were fairly similar in the two groups at all times and no statistically significant difference between treated and untreated patients was found. The results did not change when the data were related to age, duration and characteristics of onset of the disease. The rate of progression was significantly more rapid in patients with bulbar symptoms in both groups. Our data do not show any significant effect of selegiline in modifying the progression of ALS.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Differing patterns of psychiatric impairment in Alzheimer and demented parkinsonian patients.

Psychiatric symptoms were investigated and compared in 95 patients with Alzheimer type dementia (DAT) and in 39 patients with Parkinson's disease with dementia (PD-D). The diagnosis of the dementia and psychiatric disorders was based on DSM III R criteria; dementia stage was assessed using the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale (CDR). PD-D were significantly older than DAT patients. Delirium was more frequent in the advanced stages of both PD-D and DAT, being mainly of the hypoactive type in PD-D and the hyperactive type in DAT. Delusions and hallucinations predominated in the early CDR stages of both illnesses and did not differ between groups; the same was true for depression. The results revealed different psychopathological profiles in DAT and PD-D patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Interferon-alpha 2 produced by normal human leukocytes is predominantly interferon-alpha 2b.

Peripheral blood leukocytes, isolated from the buffy coats of greater than 10,700 normal healthy donors, were induced with Sendai virus to produce biologically active interferon alpha (IFN-alpha). The IFN-alpha was purified to near homogeneity by immunoaffinity chromatography, followed by size-exclusion chromatography. The resultant product, IFN-alpha n3, is reproducibly > or = 98% pure (to be reported elsewhere). The different IFN-alpha proteins in IFN-alpha n3 were separated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and the identity of the IFN-alpha 2 isolated by HPLC was determined by amino-terminal sequencing. IFN-alpha 2 was found to migrate as two closely eluting peaks on RP-HPLC, and they have been designated as peaks 1.1 and 1.2. Distinction among the three possible variants of IFN-alpha 2, i.e., IFN-alpha 2a, IFN-alpha 2b, and IFN-alpha 2c, was determined by amino-terminal sequencing of the first 35 amino acids in peaks 1.1 and 1.2. Protein sequence data showed that the discriminating amino acids found at positions 23 and 34 are Arg and His, respectively. The presence of Arg and not Lys at amino acid position 23 and His at amino acid position 34 argues that IFN-alpha 2b is the major component in the Sendai virus-induced leukocyte IFN-alpha 2 and that IFN-alpha 2a is not present. These findings were verified by subjecting RP-HPLC peaks 1.1 and 1.2 to CNBr cleavage, followed by separation of the fragments by RP-HPLC and sequencing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Clinical and magnetic resonance features of the classic and akinetic-rigid variants of Huntington's disease.

We studied 32 patients with confirmed Huntington's disease (HD); six (mean age, 31.7 years) had the akinetic-rigid form and 26 (mean age, 46.1 years) had the classic hyperkinetic form. Clinical examination included a count of abnormal involuntary movements, motor self-sufficiency evaluation by the Physical Disability Rating Scale, cognitive function assessment by the Mini-Mental State examination, and a verbal fluency test. Magnetic resonance imaging permitted measurement of bicaudate diameter, a sensitive indicator of caudate atrophy in HD. Patients with the akinetic-rigid form of HD were younger and had earlier disease onset than those with the classic form of HD. All patients with akinetic-rigid HD (group 1) had striatal hyperintensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images; seven patients with classic HD (group 2) had a similar abnormality. Groups 1 and 2 were in fact similar in all other respects, except that the number of abnormal involuntary movements was greater in group 2. Groups 1 and 2 together had significantly younger age at onset, lower Mini-Mental State Examination score, more severe motor disability, worse verbal fluency test result, and greater bicaudate diameter than the 19 patients with classic HD without magnetic resonance signal abnormality (group 3) and appear to be a uniform population, distinct from group 3. The abnormalities on magnetic resonance images indicated greater striatal damage in groups 1 and 2, which could be the neuroanatomic substrate of their greater motor and cognitive compromise.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Multiple system atrophy. Clinical and MR observations on 42 cases.

Probable or possible multiple system atrophy (MSA) was diagnosed on strict clinical criteria in 42 patients: 20 with combined parkinsonism and cerebellar ataxia, 9 with striatonigral degeneration (SND) and 13 with olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA). All patients were then studied with 0.5 and/or 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance (MR) units. MR imaged putaminal abnormalities in all 9 patients with SND and posterior fossa abnormalities consistent with OPCA in all 13 patients with this diagnosis. Of the 20 patients with parkinsonism and cerebellar involvement, classified as probable MSA, 7 presented putaminal abnormalities only, 3 abnormalities consistent with OPCA only and 10 a combination of both. These findings show strong MRI support for the clinical diagnosis of MSA.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Activation and enhanced contact of human T-lymphocytes with autologous red blood cells are required for their stable adherence at 37 degrees.

The adherence of human red blood cells (RBC) to autologous T-cells does not occur in the body, and in vitro is elicited at 4 degrees. Autologous E-rosetting at 37 degrees has not previously been described. In this work, lymphocyte-RBC adherence has been studied in mixed leukocyte-RBC cultures and in whole blood from healthy donors. Vital, cytochemical and electron microscopic studies have shown that T-cells may form stable E-rosettes with autologous RBC at 37 degrees. As in the previously reported cold-dependent reversible rosetting, stable rosetting is mediated by the erythrocyte LFA3 and lymphocyte CD2 molecules. Uniquely, this phenomenon requires both T-cell activation and an enhanced contact between the T-cell and RBC membranes. These requirements were met by exposure of cell cultures to: (1) PHAE, the erythroagglutinating component of PHAP, or (2) to either non-erythroagglutinating mitogens, PHAL, Con A, OKT3 or SEA, or to antigens of typhus group rickettsiae or salmonellae, provided that the RBC membrane was desialyted. Cultures derived from individuals seropositive to rickettsiae or vaccinated with salmonellae demonstrated the adherence phenomenon after antigen exposure when neuraminidase was present in the culture medium. The system 2 described here can be used as a diagnostic tool for defining activated T-cells and T-cell clones with the memory to antigens capable of inducing cell-mediated immunity.

Cell Adhesion↗
PubMed1993

Cognitive and motor performance in multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease compared.

Nineteen patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) of striato-nigral degeneration type were tested to examine cognitive and motor performance. Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and healthy subjects served as controls. The MSA and PD patients showed similar cognitive dysfunction and motor impairment, performing poorly in the visuo-spatial organization, the construction tests and motor assessment tests. Movement times were much longer in MSA than PD patients. The association of nigral with putaminal damage may explain the more severe bradykinesia in MSA.

Atrophy↗
PubMed1993

Increased efficacy of human natural interferon alpha (IFN-alpha n3) versus human recombinant IFN-alpha 2 for inhibition of HIV-1 replication in primary human monocytes.

Natural IFN-alpha n3, a purified mixture of many different natural IFN alpha species, was 10- to 100-fold more effective than equal concentrations of human rIFN-alpha 2b or rIFN-alpha 2a for inhibition of HIV replication in primary human monocytes. This difference was highly reproducible in multiple side-by-side experiments using the identical HIV-1 inoculum and the same monocyte target cells: natural IFN-alpha n3 was more effective than rIFN-alpha 2b at lower concentrations for protection against a constant HIV-1 inoculum; cells treated with natural IFN-alpha n3 were protected against a greater HIV-1 challenge than were cells treated with the same concentration of rIFN-alpha 2b. Fractionation of natural IFN-alpha n3 by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) showed that most antiviral activity for HIV localized to discrete and reproducible peaks. The RP-HPLC peak that contained purified natural IFN-alpha 2b was the least effective fraction. These data suggest heterogeneity among IFN-alpha species for antiviral activity against HIV and may provide a molecular basis for more effective IFN-alpha therapy.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1993

Response to L-DOPA in multiple system atrophy.

A poor response to L-DOPA in addition to parkinsonian, cerebellar, and autonomic signs is commonly regarded as indicative of clinical multiple system atrophy (MSA). We compared the motor response to a single oral administration of 250 mg L-DOPA/25 mg carbidopa in eight MSA patients and eight Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with the "on-off" phenomenon, evaluating L-DOPA peripheral pharmacokinetics. Motor response was consistently good in all PD patients, but only four MSA patients had a (moderate) response. Pharmacokinetic parameters did not differ between the groups. The varying extent of putaminal damage could be responsible for the differing motor response to L-DOPA in MSA patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The role of H2 antagonists in perennial allergic rhinitis.

The biological effects of anti-H2 in allergic reactions are dose dependent: low doses enhance, and high doses significantly decrease the reaction of hypersensitivity. The administration of cimetidine H2 antagonist to 20 perennial allergic rhinitis patients brought about an abatement in the symptoms and a decrease in the total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in 72% of treated patients, but no variation was perceived in placebo-treated patients. These results strengthen the hypothesis of anti-H2-induced immunoregulatory effects and suggest a possible way of inhibiting IgE synthesis in vivo.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Chronic treatment with L-threonine in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a pilot study.

Thirty patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis were included in an open therapeutical trial. They were randomized to receive either L-threonine (Thr), a precursor of the inhibitory amino acid glycine, or vitamin B or carnitine. Thirteen patients (9 patients on Thr and 4 control subjects) completed the 1-year trial. No statistical differences were observed between the treated group and the control patients in the decline of the clinical assessment score. Nevertheless, Thr-treated patients complained less frequently of respiratory failure than the control group despite bulbar involvement being more common in the Thr group at entry.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

Absence of neutralizing antibodies to interferon in condyloma acuminata and cancer patients treated with natural human leukocyte interferon.

Human leukocyte-derived interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha n3) was used to treat condyloma acuminata patients in a double-blind placebo-controlled clinical study. The incidence of antibody formation to IFN-alpha was evaluated in matched patient sera from the control placebo and the IFN-alpha n3 treatment groups. Sera from IFN-alpha n3-treated phase I cancer patients and untreated healthy donors were also evaluated. Three sensitive assay methods (ELISA, competitive immunoradiometric, and antiviral neutralization) were used in these evaluations. The overall levels of detectable binding anti-IFN-alpha antibodies in the patients were similar to those of the normal donors. No neutralizing antibodies were generated in the patients after repeated treatment with natural IFN-alpha n3.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1992

Trace amounts of murine immunoglobulin in affinity purified leukocyte interferon alpha are not immunogenic.

Human leukocyte-derived interferon alfa-n3 (Alferon N Injection) is purified to very high specific activity over a murine immunoaffinity column specific for human interferon alpha. Trace amounts of murine immunoglobulin copurify with the interferon alfa-n3. Three populations of individuals were studied for the development of human anto-murine antibodies (HAMA), that is, normal donors, Condylomata acuminata patients receiving interferon alfa-n3, and Condylomata acuminata patients receiving placebo. High and variable endogenous levels of HAMA were observed in all three populations. The same relative increase in HAMA was seen in the placebo as in the interferon alfa-n3 treatment groups. The data demonstrate that intralesional injection of the interferon alfa-n3 did not induce the development of HAMA.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Site-specific mutagenesis method which completely excludes wild-type DNA from the transformants.

A highly efficient site-specific mutagenesis method has been devised to exclude wild-type DNA from incorporation into the transformed cells. Two complementary oligonucleotides, corresponding to a target sequence of a DNA molecule and containing an insertion mutation which created an endonuclease restriction site, were synthesized. By using the wild-type DNA molecule flanked by two restriction sites on each side of the target region as a template, the two oligonucleotide primers were extended, enriched, and isolated. The extended products, in turn, were used as templates in a polymerase chain reaction to obtain a mutagenized double-stranded DNA fragment which was conveniently cloned into plasmids by using the flanking restriction sites. Escherichia coli cells transformed by these plasmids were subject to large-scale analysis. One hundred percent of the transformants examined by colony hybridization, restriction enzyme analysis, and DNA sequencing were found to contain the mutant DNA sequence.

Base Sequence↗