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Biomedical subjects

E Albanese

Publications and source records attributed to E Albanese.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Splenic smooth-muscle tumors in children with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: report of two cases of this unusual location with evidence of an association with Epstein-Barr virus.

Smooth-muscle neoplasms are rarely located in the spleen. They have been previously reported in five cases of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Two cases of children with HIV infection/AIDS with autopsy and surgical pathology evidence of multiple smooth-muscle neoplasms with splenic involvement are presented. DNA was extracted from histology slides in both cases for analysis for Epstein Barr (EB) virus. In both cases, the presence of EB virus was confirmed. This paper documents two additional cases of the unusual phenomenon of splenic involvement by smooth-muscle neoplasms in the setting of AIDS in childhood and further supports the role of EB virus in the development of these neoplasms.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2000

Semantic category dissociations, familiarity and gender.

We carried out four experiments to assess the extent to which familiarity with certain objects in everyday life is related to gender and can account, at least partially, for the semantic category dissociation observed in a few brain-damaged patients. In the first experiment, 210 normal subjects, half males and half females, were given the names of 60 stimuli from the Snodgrass and Vanderwart's set, 30 belonging to living categories and 30 to non-living categories. The task was to rate their familiarity, based on the frequency with which one (i) thinks or speaks of a given item, (ii) sees it represented in the media, and (iii) is confronted with real exemplars. The three indices were highly correlated and their average value was, therefore, used. Females gave higher familiarity ratings to fruit, vegetables and furniture and males to tools. The second experiment was aimed to verify whether the gender difference was responsible for the category dissociation found following brain damage. A male patient with greater impairment for living categories and a female patient with greater impairment for non-living categories were requested to name the same 60 stimuli and their scores were analysed, partialling out the familiarity effect, measured both with the non-gender specific index of Snodgrass and Vanderwart and with the new gender-specific index. In either case, the category dissociation remained significant. To determine if the mean general population familiarity index was valid for the single subject, we studied whether a cohabitant first degree relative was able to predict a normal subject's familiarity better than the population index. Contrary to expectations, the better predictor was the population index. The test-retest reliability of each subject's familiarity ratings was satisfactory, but not higher than the correlation between the personal judgement of each subject and the population index.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

C282Y mutation and hepatic iron status in hepatitis C and cryptogenic cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Increased iron deposition in liver is seen in both primary and secondary hemochromatosis. However, it is not uncommon to see significant iron deposition in a liver biopsy, explant, or autopsy specimen without any significant clinical risk factor. Because of the discovery of the candidate gene (HFE) for hereditary hemochromatosis, we may now be able to screen high-risk patient populations for the abnormal mutation (C282Y). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study we analyzed the livers of 50 transplant patients with a diagnosis of either hepatitis C cirrhosis or cryptogenic cirrhosis for the prevalence of the more common C282Y mutation of the HFE gene and correlated the findings to hepatic iron concentration. RESULTS: Of the 26 cases of hepatitis C cirrhosis, 3 were found to be heterozygous for the C282Y mutation. Of the 22 cases of cryptogenic cirrhosis, 1 was found to be heterozygous for the C282Y mutation. Stainable iron was increased in hepatitis C cirrhosis (76.9%) as compared to cryptogenic cirrhosis (50%) (P =. 05). Of the 3 heterozygotes with hepatitis C cirrhosis, 2 showed hepatic iron concentrations of 3+ and 4+, and 1 showed 1+. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that patients with hepatitis C have an increased tendency to accumulate iron in the liver, and mutations in the HFE gene play a minor role in hepatic accumulation of iron in these patients.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed1998

Prevalence of factor V Leiden in African-Americans.

Factor V Leiden (FVL) refers to a mutation on the clotting factor, Factor V. Protein C is a factor involved in the fibrinolytic pathway. Activated protein C (APC) normally degrades activated Factor V. The presence of the Leiden mutation on Factor V makes this protein resistant to degradation by APC, leading to a hypercoagulable state. Previous studies reported a prevalence of FVL in various populations between 0-6% and absent in Africans. We studied two factor V alleles from one hundred random blood samples submitted for CBC. DNA was extracted, PCR was performed for wild-type allele and Leiden mutation with GH internal control for both reactions, and agarose gel electrophoresis was performed. Of 100 samples, five were heterozygous for FVL, which is in accord with other reports. Interestingly, four of 70 samples (5.8%) from African-Americans were positive for the mutation. The study indicates an apparent prevalence of 5% in the Newark, New Jersey population, including African-Americans.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Ifosfamide plus epirubicin at escalating doses in the treatment of locally advanced and/or metastatic sarcomas.

A total of 46 consecutive patients were entered into this study to assess the efficacy and toxicity of an epirubicin/ifosfamide combination in treating locally advanced and/or metastatic adult sarcomas (38 soft-tissue sarcomas and 7 bone sarcomas in 45 evaluable patients). Epirubicin was given at escalating doses (from 50 to 100 mg/m2) as an intravenous (i.v.) bolus on day 1, and ifosfamide was given i.v. at 1.2 g/m2 daily on days 1-5. Cycles were repeated every 4 weeks. The overall response rate was 38% (17 of 45 patients), reaching 42% (16 of 38) in the soft-tissue sarcoma group and 44% (17 of 39) in patients who had not been treated previously. In all, 4 complete responses (CRs, 9%) and 13 partial responses (PRs, 29%) were obtained. Most responses (about 68%) were reached within the first 2 cycles. The high-dose intensity of epirubicin (P < 0.04), the histologic type (P < 0.03), the presence of metastatic lesions only (P < 0.01), and the lack of previous treatment (P < 0.04) were found to be positively correlated with the probability of response. The median duration of response was 8 months. The median survival period was 10 months for all evaluable patients and 21 months for those achieving CRs and PRs (P < 0.01). The tumor grade, performance status, and extent of disease at entry into the study correlated with survival. The treatment was well tolerated; no case of sepsis occurred, and neither acute nor cumulative cardiotoxicity was observed. Epirubicin in combination with ifosfamide is therefore effective in advanced and/or metastatic disease with acceptable toxicity. The activity of this combination as compared with that of either of the two drugs given alone at optimal doses needs to be evaluated in prospective randomized trials.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and transforming growth factor alpha in human larynx carcinoma.

Altered expression of growth factors and growth factor receptors is frequently described in human tumors and human tumor cell lines. This further supports the hypothesis that oncogenesis is due to the subversion of mitogen-responsive pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) in 13 larynx carcinomas and 2 carcinomas of the oral cavity. We found receptor overexpression in 7 out of 15 tumors at mRNA and/or protein level but low expression in the majority of the normal adjacent tissues. TGF alpha was expressed only in 1 case, but no tyrosine kinase activity of the receptor was detected by antiphosphotyrosine antibody.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Effect of direct vasodilation with hydralazine versus angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition with captopril on mortality in advanced heart failure: the Hy-C trial.

To compare the benefit of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and direct vasodilation on the prognosis of advanced heart failure, 117 patients evaluated for cardiac transplantation who had severe symptoms and abnormal hemodynamic status at rest were randomized to treatment with either captopril or hydralazine plus isosorbide dinitrate (Hy-C Trial). Comparable hemodynamic effects of the two regimens were sought by titrating vasodilator doses to match the hemodynamic status achieved with nitroprusside and diuretic agents, attempting to achieve a pulmonary capillary wedge pressure of 15 mm Hg and a systemic vascular resistance of 1,200 dynes.s.cm-5. Treatment with the alternate vasodilator was started because of poor hemodynamic response or side effects (40% of patients in the captopril group and 22% in the hydralazine group). Adequate hemodynamic response in patients with a serum sodium level less than 135 mg/dl was more likely with hydralazine than with captopril (71% vs. 33%, p = 0.04). Isosorbide dinitrate was prescribed in 88% of the hydralazine-treated patients and 84% of the captopril-treated patients. The hemodynamic improvements from each regimen were equivalent. After 8 +/- 7 months of follow-up, the actuarial 1-year survival rate was 81% in the captopril-treated patients and 51% in the hydralazine-treated patients (p = 0.05). The improved survival with captopril resulted from a lower rate of sudden death, which occurred in only 3 of 44 captopril-treated patients compared with 17 of 60 hydralazine-treated patients (p = 0.01). In the subset of patients who continued treatment with the initial vasodilator, results were similar to those for the entire treatment group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Actuarial Analysis↗
PubMed1992

Treatment of oral leukoplakia with beta-carotene.

Over the past few years, beta-carotene has progressively gained ground as a drug chosen in the treatment of oral leukoplakias, thus making it possible to reduce the use of 13-cis-retinoic acid, which was shown by many studies to be highly toxic while beta-carotene has proved to have no significant side effects and hence to be much more suitable in oral premalignancy. In 1989, a phase II study of patients showing oral leukoplakias and treated with beta-carotene (90 mg/day) was begun. A total of 23 patients (aged between 17 and 85) were included in the study and 18 (8 male and 10 female) were evaluated. Eight patients (44.4%) had objective responses (6 complete, 2 partial). Four CR and a PR appeared unexpectedly within 2-7 months after the end of the therapy. The lesions were macroscopically and histologically examined at entry; in the evaluated patients, two types of alterations were found: atypical hyperplasia (16 patients) and dysplasia (2 patients). No signs of significant toxicity were detected; only in 1 patient treatment had to be interrupted for 1 week. The results of this study show the fair efficacy of beta-carotene against oral leukoplakias, but further confirmations through controlled clinical studies are needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Treatment of leg ulcers with cryopreserved allogeneic cultured epithelium. A multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: In the past few years, several authors have described the usefulness of cultured allogeneic epidermal sheets in promoting wound healing of burns, leg ulcers, and donor sites. This study reports clinical results obtained by different departments in the treatment of chronic leg ulcers by cryopreserved cultured allogeneic epithelium. The freezing procedure and the assessment of viability of the cryopreserved epithelium are also described. A total of 30 ulcers were treated using 138 cryopreserved allografts. OBSERVATIONS: Twenty ulcers (66.6%) healed completely within 12 weeks. Four ulcers showed a 30% to 84.4% reduction in size by 3 weeks but did not heal completely; the remaining six ulcers did not show any improvement. A strong stimulation of granulation tissue formation and of reepithelialization from the wound edge were observed. RESULTS: The results indicate that frozen cultured epidermis, stored in a skin bank, is a valid and generally applicable alternative therapy for the treatment of chronic ulcers.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

In vitro effects of beta-carotene on human oral keratinocytes from precancerous lesions and squamous carcinoma.

Human keratinocytes, obtained from bioptic specimens of healthy and preneoplastic oral mucosa, and from human cell lines from oral cavity tumors (KB and SCC-25) were treated with beta-carotene (10 microM). The colony forming efficiency (CFE), the proliferation rate and the frequency of micronucleated cells were measured in these cultures. CFE was significantly reduced (p less than 0.05) by beta-carotene treatment in cells from healthy mucosa and in KB cells. Decreases (p greater than 0.05; NS) were also observed in cells from pathological mucosa and in SCC-25 cells. Cell proliferation rate was not substantially affected by beta-carotene in all cultures. Finally, a decreased frequency of micronucleated cells was found in treated cultures, but significant reductions (p less than 0.05) were only observed in cultures from oral mucosa (healthy and pathological) as well as in KB cell cultures. Our results indicate that beta-carotene is able to reduce the clonogenic activity (CFE), even if it does not seem to influence cell proliferation, and that it has a protective effect against genotoxic damage.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Selenium therapy in patients with precancerous and malignant oral cavity lesions: preliminary results.

Baseline selenium (Se) levels in serum samples were collected from 22 patients with precancerous and 19 with malignant oral cavity lesions as well as from 13 healthy controls of the same geographic areas. Mean serum Se levels were 105, 101, and 77.03 ng/ml in the precancerous, controls, and malignancy groups, respectively. A statistically significant difference (p less than 0.005) was found between the neoplastic and both the precancerous and control groups. After careful clinical evaluation, precancerous patients received three 4-week cycles of Se, in either inorganic or organic form. Of the 22 precancerous patients entering the study, 18 were available for evaluation of clinical response. The analysis of serum Se variations revealed that serum Se levels tended to increase after the first and second cycles and then gradually returned to baseline values. At the end of the therapy, there were two complete responses (CR), five partial responses (PR), six minor responses (MR), and five stable diseases (SD) with an objective response (CR + PR) of 38.8%. Progression after suspension of therapy occurred in 7 of 18 patients; this may indicate the need of a longer treatment period with this essential trace element.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Evidence that human oral epithelium reconstituted in vitro and transplanted onto patients with defects in the oral mucosa retains properties of the original donor site.

Normal human skin--derived keratinocytes cultured in vitro reconstitute a stratified epidermis suitable for grafting onto burn patients and patients with skin defects such as giant nevi or chronic leg ulcers. In vitro experiments and long-term studies of patients receiving cultured epidermis autografts on muscular fascia suggest that skin keratinocytes possess an intrinsic site specific differentiation program that is fully expressed only when the reconstituted epidermis is transplanted in vivo to different body sites. In this study we cultivated for the first time palate-derived epithelial cells that were able to reconstitute a palatal epithelium. We also demonstrate that this epithelium can be successfully transplanted onto patients presenting lack of adherent keratinizing gingival mucosa and is able, in a relatively short time, to fully express the differentiation program typical of the original donor site. The possibility of obtaining large quantities of cultured epithelium, able to retain properties of the original donor site, starting from 1-3-mm2 biopsies, could prove extremely useful in the reconstructive surgery of the mouth and of other mucosal body areas.

Epithelium↗
PubMed1990

[Biological aspects and perspectives applicable to the chemoprevention of cancer of the upper respiratory-digestive tract].

After defining chemoprevention a description is given of the phases of differentiation in normal epithelial cells and the features of proliferation in neoplasias developing in this epithelium. The latest studies on carcinogenesis indicate various types of prevention with which one can alter this transformation process. Epidemiological studies have shown that subjects with low serum levels of Vit-A or Beta carotenoids are at high risk of developing epithelial cancer. Three main categories of agents inducing cell transformation are described: a) physiological induction agents; b) non physiological induction agents; c) cytotoxic drugs. In regard to clinical use, some studies have focussed on the importance of Vit-A in chemoprevention of risk conditions (pre-cancerous lesions) and in prevention of cancer recurrence. The authors point out the increasing interest in the use of retinoids in the chemoprevention of head and neck cancer and report some personal clinical experience.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Anterior speech region. Asymmetry and weight-surface correlation.

Results of this work show, in the inferior frontal gyrus and in the different portions into which it was divided, asymmetry of weight and cortical surface and left predominance in the posterior portion, which is concerned with language. In spite of the difference among the absolute individual values, the correlation between weight and surface values is excellent in all cases, and the weight and surface ratio is the same for the portions related to language and different for the remainder of the inferior frontal gyrus.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Multicentre experience in the treatment of burns with autologous and allogenic cultured epithelium, fresh or preserved in a frozen state.

This report describes the clinical results obtained from a multicentre experience of the use of autologous and allogenic cultured human epidermal cells in the treatment of partial and full skin thickness burns. A laboratory has been organized to supply cultured epithelium to Burns Units in different cities. From May 1986 to December 1988, 58 patients with an age range of 1 to 59 years, and with burns covering between 7 and 95 per cent of the body surface area, have been treated. Graftable cultured epithelium can be frozen and remain viable if stored in a skin bank. Such grafts were used successfully to treat patients with partial and full skin thickness wounds.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Coculture of human keratinocytes and melanocytes: differentiated melanocytes are physiologically organized in the basal layer of the cultured epithelium.

Human epidermal keratinocytes differentiate in vitro into a stratified epithelium suitable for grafting on burned patients. In this paper, we show that differentiated melanocytes are present in the cultured epithelium. In particular, we have found that i) melanocytes proliferate in the same culture conditions that allow keratinocyte growth, ii) during the culture the ratio between keratinocytes and melanocytes tends to remain constant, iii) melanocytes organize into the basal layer of the cultured epithelium independently of the presence of dermis, develop dendritic arborizations with melanosome-containing processes and transfer melanosomes into keratinocyte cytoplasm.

Cell Differentiation↗