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Biomedical subjects

E Cava

Publications and source records attributed to E Cava.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Serum levels of ochratoxin A in healthy adults in Tuscany: correlation with individual characteristics and between repeat measurements.

Ochratoxin A (OTA), a mycotoxin widely contaminating staple foods and beverages, has been classified as a "possible human carcinogen (Group 2B)" by the IARC. Serum levels of OTA were measured in a group of 138 healthy adults (age, 35-65 years) living in the area surrounding Florence (Tuscany, central Italy) and detected in all but four samples (97%). After the exclusion of one subject with a peak value of 57.2 ng/ml, OTA levels ranged between 0.12 and 2.84 ng/ml, with mean and median values of 0.56 and 0.48 ng/ml, respectively. OTA levels were significantly higher in men than in women (0.64 versus 0.50) and correlated positively with height. A strong association was found with the season in which blood samples were obtained, with summer values higher than autumn values. On the other hand, OTA levels tended to be negatively associated with blood pressure, either systolic or diastolic; no association was evident with age, weight, body mass index, and smoking history. The associations with height and season persisted in a multivariate regression analysis. A subgroup of subjects provided a repeat blood sample approximately 1 year later. The Spearman correlation coefficient between 68 pairs of original and repeat measurements was practically null (r = 0.05). Only two subjects (2.9%) had OTA levels of >1 ng/ml on both occasions. These results suggest that OTA contamination is widespread in foods consumed by this population, in agreement with previous reports from Italy and other countries. A strong seasonal variation, which possibly differs from year to year, was observed. OTA serum levels are a short-term biomarker with a high within-subject variability; therefore they have limited use at the individual level but can be used to characterize populations or subgroups of subjects. Additional analyses are needed to explore the dietary determinants of OTA levels in this population.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Ochratoxin A levels in human milk and related food samples: an exposure assessment.

Ochratoxin A (OA) is a mycotoxin detected in a variety of food and feeds mostly from countries with temperate or continental climate, because the fungi that produce it, mainly Aspergillus ochraceus, Penicillium verrucosum, and Penicillium viridicatum, can grow under a great variety of climate conditions. The aim of this article was, firstly, to confirm the occurrence of OA in human milk in Italy. Then, a preliminary calculation of OA intake via human milk was made, from ingested food. For this investigation, food and milk samples were collected, continuously for a week, from 4 lactating mothers. The obtained results revealed a significant exposure of sucklings and mothers to OA levels higher than the tolerable daily intake as estimated from animal models. On the basis of these data, a major effort in planning surveillance and research programs to control OA contamination in food, feed, and biological fluids should be pursued.

Beer↗
PubMed1986

[Contribution of immunocytochemical marking of benign cells to the diagnosis of serous effusions].

In pleural and peritoneal effusions, the distinction between mesothelial cells and histiocytic cells is fairly often difficult. This distinction is specially important in malignant effusions, where such reactive cells can be confused with tumoral ones. In order to increase the accuracy of cytological diagnosis, the immunocytochemical reactivity with 13 antibodies was studied. Four antibodies (vimentin, lysozyme, monoclonal keratin, OKM1) realise a panel specially useful for the characterization of mesothelial and histiocytic cells in most cases of benign or malignant effusions.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMed1985

[Brushings and bronchial biopsies in small-cell cancer. Comparison of results].

The typing of bronchial carcinoma is important for therapeutic decisions and may be made on bronchial brushings. Sixty six small cell and poorly differentiated squamous cancers were studied. Our personal method of preparing brushing is suggested. The cytological criteria which characterise the two tumour types were analysed. The results from the biopsies and particularly the brushings were related to the quality of the technique and the experience of the Pathologist. There is a good correlation between biopsy and brushing such that brushings may be considered reliable. In cases where the biopsy was not feasible or uninterpretable, brushings confirmed a cancer in all the cases and the type of cancer in eleven. The examination is inexpensive and avoids the need for ultrastructural studies in the majority of cases.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1984

Automated cytopathologic diagnosis of bronchial carcinoma. II. Preliminary results of classifying cytocentrifuged bronchial brushings.

An automated discrimination between healthy and neoplastic bronchial cells was performed on eight bronchial smears prepared by cytocentrifugation. An image analyzer was used to examine 415 cells in these smears. The nuclear surface of each cell was measured, as was the total integrated optical density for 25 programmed thresholds. The results show that it is possible to distinguish healthy from cancerous cells in a given subject using these two measured parameters and two new parameters deduced mathematically. It appears difficult, however, to demonstrate a typical healthy and typical cancerous bronchial cell that could be used as a reference for all subjects. It is thus the presence of cell heterogeneity in a given subject that enables him or her to be characterized as healthy or having cancer.

Bronchi↗
PubMed1981

[New trends in the cytodiagnosis of bronchial carcinoma (author's transl)].

Cytological examination of the sputum is nowadays mainly used for mass surveys among high-risk populations and in suspicious cases with normal X-ray films. In all other cases, bronchial brushing and percutaneous puncture-biopsy of the lung are preferred, being much more reliable. Several new bronchial cytology techniques have recently been developed but are not yet widely used. Their respective indications are governed by the facilities available and by the volume, site and characteristic features of the tumour.

Bronchial Neoplasms↗
PubMed1981

[Morphological aspects of non-tumoral bronchial cells recovered by brushing (author's transl)].

A series of 132 bronchial brushings studied according to a strict protocol, both in obtaining the specimens and their subsequent laboratory preparation, has allowed us to study the cells of the bronchial mucosa in greater detail. Until now the greater part of the work in this field has been on the characteristics of tumour cells and the variability in detecting cancer, slightly neglecting the analysis of normal, inflammatory or dystrophic cells. The brushings were compared to the cytology requests on sputum and/or corresponding aspirations by conventional methods. This work has shown that the different types of normal epithelial cells so recovered, as well as dystrophic cells, have a very different appearance than those same cells when observed using classical cytological methods (on sputa and aspirations). The cyto-pathologist ought to adjust the technique before interpreting the specimens. The differences are due to a better state of conservation of the recovered cells, thanks to improvement in current endoscopic technique. We infer that certain cytological appearances considered pathological until now, using classical expectoration or aspiration, may in reality only be artefacts.

Bronchi↗
PubMed1978

[Fibroadenoma and phyllode tumors. Cytopathological aspect].

Fibro-adenomas and phyllode tumors of the breast are a classical cause of errors in cyto-diagnosis. On the basis of six personal cases, the authors show that the cytological diagnosis of fibro-adenoma is possible and that there are certain minimal factors which favourise the presence of a phyllode tumour. They emphasize the differential characteristics between fibro-adenomas and carcinomas on the one hand, and between fibro-adenomas and mastitis on the other hand.

Adenofibroma↗
PubMed1976

[Urinary cytology in adult men].

Urinary cytology is a good test for estimation of woman's hormonal situation. In a previous paper, the authors showed an "estrogenic" like effect of digitalin, in urocytograms of post-menopausical women. In the present report, the urocytograms of 139 men, 17 to 84 years old, without any urinary disease and treated or not by digitalin, are studied. Normal urinary cytology in the adult and its modifications under digitalin treatment are shown.

Adolescent↗