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Biomedical subjects

E V Cosmi

Publications and source records attributed to E V Cosmi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Short-term effects of ritodrine, aminophylline and atropine on umbilical artery blood flow velocity waveform.

With the recent introduction of Doppler technology, a non-invasive methodology which enables to evaluate qualitative changes in circulatory vessels, it is possible to investigate the possible effects of various drugs on several parameters of utero-placental-fetal circulation. In the present study we evaluate the flow velocity waveform (FVW) of umbilical artery (UA) during and after administration of aminophylline, atropine and ritodrine to healthy pregnant women. In our study we did not observe any significant short-term variation of PI after the administration of these drugs. Slight variations were detected, and they may be interpreted on the basis of the mode of action of these drugs. Doppler technology may be a useful tool for monitoring some effects on the fetus of the maternal administration of therapeutic agents.

Aminophylline↗
PubMed1992

Perinatal AIDS.

AIDS is the major public health concern today. The short-term history of the disease adds considerable emphasis to the problem in that it has literally exploded in a few years. The pathophysiology and natural history and, what is most important, the treatment, remain enigmatic. Management of women at risk of HIV infection is colored by the nature of the illness, the subgroups of the people first infected, the mode of transmission, and the implication of vertical transmission.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Distribution of SP1, immunoreactivity among different plasma proteins: real molecular heterogeneity or adsorption of SP1-beta to other plasma proteins?

Three SP1-containing factors from pooled term pregnancy sera were subjected to crossed immunoelectrophoresis. New patterns as far as electrophoretic mobilities and shapes of the immunoprecipitates were revealed. The appearance of an additional anodic radioimmunoassayable activity in agarose electrophoresis of mixed SP1-alpha and SP1-beta suggested a binding capacity of SP1-alpha for SP1-beta determinants. In the serum of a single patient at the third trimester of pregnancy we also found two SP1 variants, possessing little radioimmunological reactivity and with crossed immunoelectrophoretic characteristics quite different from those of the 'usual' alpha and beta SP1 forms. These results suggest that, in this particular case, the overall SP1 production cannot be evaluated by competitive binding assay and, that in general, SP1 is a complex antigen the heterogeneity of which can be determined following adsorption of some beta epitopes to another serum protein.

Female↗
PubMed1992

Erythrocyte membrane composition in pregnancy-induced hypertension: evidence for an altered lipid profile.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the increased membrane fluidity postulated as a possible contributing factor to the hypertensive states of pregnancy is related to the lipid composition of the erythrocyte membrane. DESIGN: An observational case control study. SUBJECTS: 30 women with pregnancy induced hypertension, 26 normotensive pregnant women matched for gestational age, and 10 normotensive non pregnant nulliparous women. INTERVENTIONS: Erythrocyte membranes were prepared from venous blood samples obtained from all the women. MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES: Lipid analysis, including cholesterol to phospholipids ratio, distribution of phospholipid classes and fatty acid composition of total phospholipids in erythrocyte ghosts. RESULTS: The cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was significantly higher in the women with pregnancy induced hypertension compared with the normotensive pregnant women (mean 1.24, SD 0.31, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.35 vs mean 0.90, SD 0.09, 95% CI 0.86 to 0.94; P less than 0.01). Normotensive non-pregnant erythrocyte membrane cholesterol/phospholipid ratio was 0.88 (SD 0.11, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.96). The percentage distribution of different phospholipid classes and fatty acid composition was similar in all the four groups. CONCLUSIONS: The increased cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of the erythrocyte membrane found in pregnancy-induced hypertension represents one factor involved in the pathophysiology of this condition and a possible biochemical marker of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Abnormal platelet lipid membrane composition in pregnancy induced hypertension.

The cholesterol:phospholipid ratio (C/PL) was measured in platelet plasma membrane in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension [with proteinuria (PE), and without proteinuria (PIH)] and in matched normotensive gestational controls (NT). The C/PL was raised in the platelet membrane from PE (1.52 +/- 0.50, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.90) and PIH (1.38 +/- 0.34, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.67) compared with that from NT controls (0.88 +/- 0.13, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.95) (p less than 0.01, ANOVA test). No correlation was found when C/PL was regressed against total serum cholesterol levels. The abnormality of lipid composition of the platelet plasma membrane could account for some of the changes in platelet function that have been described in PIH.

Blood Platelets↗
PubMed1992

Collagen and elastin in rabbit fetal lung: ontogeny and effects of steroids.

Ontogeny of lung collagen and elastin were studied in fetal rabbit from day 25 to term. Collagen (isolated by hot trichloroacetic acid treatment) and elastin (contained in the residue) were hydrolyzed and the hydroxyproline and desmosine quantitated by hplc. Hydroxyproline slightly increased from day 25 to day 30 (204 to 244 micrograms/100g dry weight). Over the same period desmosine increased from 2.2 to 5.1 micrograms/100 mg dry weight (P < 0.01). The effect of antenatal corticosteroids on the lung of prematurely-delivered fetuses was also evaluated. Betamethasone (B) was given to pregnant does at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg 24 and 48 h before delivery of the fetuses at 26, 27 and 28 days. In treated animals elastin concentration increased significantly by about 22% on day 26 (P = 0.05), by 29% on day (P < 0.02) and by 47% on day 28 (P < 0.02). Hydroxyproline was not affected by steroid treatment at any gestational age. This suggests that steroids affect fetal lung development also via changes in connective tissue.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

CA 125 in peritoneal fluid: reliable values at high dilutions.

Forty-three samples of peritoneal fluid from women undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopy for various gynecologic diseases were examined to determine and characterize CA 125 antigen. The data were compared with the corresponding serum levels. CA 125 levels in undiluted peritoneal fluid ranged between 41-301 U/mL and were significantly higher than levels in serum, except in cases of ovarian carcinoma. However, when CA 125 of peritoneal fluid was measured at dilutions greater than 1:50, higher antigen levels were measured (1120-31,500 U/mL), with the highest CA 125 values in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Measurements at dilutions of less than 1:50 were also affected but did not show any decreased binding of the antigen. Immunoblotting analysis of serum and peritoneal fluid indicated the presence of two main bands in each. The monoclonal antibody OC 125 reacted strongly with peritoneal fluid CA 125, in agreement with the CA 125 values obtained by immunoradiometric assay using high dilutions. These data suggest that CA 125 measurements in peritoneal fluid are unreliable unless the samples are diluted 1:50 or more. Furthermore, the statistical difference found between patients with benign and malignant tumors and those with leiomyomata uteri and controls suggests that diluted peritoneal fluid could have a role in identifying abnormal antigen levels.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1991

Regulation of CA 125 production by amnion and WISH cells in culture.

Amnion and human amnion-derived WISH cells release CA 125 antigen into culture medium. CA 125 output was higher in WISH cells than in amnion cells. In this study we showed that release of the antigen is regulated, with both amnion and WISH cells responding in a similar manner to the tested agents. Release of CA 125 decreased in the presence of dexamethasone (10(-6) mol/L) or cycloheximide (0.1 micrograms/ml) and increased when colchicine (0.01 micrograms/ml) was added to the culture medium. Stimulatory and inhibitory effects were more apparent after 3 days in culture. The precise mechanisms by which some of these agents (colchicine and dexamethasone) affect CA 125 release remain unknown. We propose that amnion and WISH cells in culture represent a useful model to investigate some regulatory aspects of the production of CA 125 in normal tissues.

Amnion↗
PubMed1990

Identification of an intermediate form of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase in chorionic villi.

A minor form of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase has been found in chorionic villi, in addition to the major forms A and B. This form does not hydrolyze the 4-methylumbelliferyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside-6-sulpha te substrate, is thermostable, has a higher mol mass (120,000) than A and B (100,000) and on analytical isoelectric focusing, it shows a microheterogeneity with values ranging between 6.3 and 7.0. For these characteristics, it resembles beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidase P from pregnancy serum, from which is chromatographically indistinguishable.

Anions↗
PubMed1990

Fate of human albumin microsphere and spherocyte radioaerosols in the human tracheobronchial tree.

Human albumin microspheres (99mTc-HAM; 7-25 microns) and spherocytes (99mTc-S; 4-4.5 mu) are particles used for lung mucociliary clearance (MCC) measurements. If radiolabelled HAM aerosols are sent through an airway model to a screen, they appear peripherally distributed, whereas S present a more central and homogeneous distribution. The radioscanning evaluation of particle sedimentation in saline-filled tubes shows quite a different behavior pattern for S, HAM, and surfactant-coated HAM (S-C HAM). In these experimental conditions, S-C HAM and HAM floating properties were better than those of S. This could be explained by physical-chemical factors. Looking for the fate of organic particles after inhalation, we performed multiple bronchial biopsies in seven bronchitic patients, 2 h following inhalation of HAM and S. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that most of S was floating on the mucus layer, while HAM appeared deeply imbedded inside the mucus and partially digested. The same study performed on three bronchitic patients after S-C HAM inhalation, shows that S-C HAM float like S. In vitro, the time-course of tryptic digestion is similar for HAM and for S. However, in vivo, the different location of each particle on the bronchial surface might lead to a different digestion by trypsin and by PZ-peptidase, which are dosable in pathologic mucus. In our opinion, if HAM are coated with surfactant, this should improve the mucus-HAM interaction, thus helping to control variability in lung radioaerosol MCC studies.

Aerosols↗
PubMed1990

CA 125 is released by human amnion cells in culture.

CA 125 was measured in the medium of human amnion cells in primary culture after confluence. The antigen accumulated as a function of time with a median value of 1897 U/mg protein after 7 days in culture. CA 125 was detectable by immunoperoxidase staining in the cells, which supports the possibility that amnion cells play a role as a source of the CA 125 found in the amniotic fluid.

Amnion↗
PubMed1990

Multiple primer pairs polymerase chain reaction for the detection of human papillomavirus types.

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the use of multiple primers enabling the simultaneous detection of HPV-6b, -11, -16 and -18 in a single tube reaction was developed and validated on cervico-vaginal specimens, including tissues embedded in paraffin. This PCR setting proved to be specific and sensitive, allowing the detection of as few as 200 viral particles per specimen.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Ontogeny of CA 125 antigen in pregnancy: immunoradiometric determination in amniotic fluid and immunohistochemical localization in fetal membranes.

CA 125 antigen was measured in amniotic fluid, maternal blood, cord blood, and fetal urine by a commercially available immunoradiometric assay kit. The amniotic fluid was obtained from 99 normal pregnancies at various gestational ages. The mean antigen levels were 29,676, 3350, and 1680 U/ml in amniotic fluid of the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively. In maternal blood, 12.5% of pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy showed elevated levels of CA 125 (65 to 100 U/ml). Late in gestation, CA 125 levels in cord blood and fetal urine were always less than 65 U/ml. Immunohistochemical study of CA 125 in fetal membranes, placenta, and decidua showed the presence of antigen only in the amnion. These results suggest that CA 125 is shed into amniotic fluid directly from the amniotic membrane.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1989

Lung surfactant enhancement in utero.

Over the last 10 years the strategy for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has been directed towards the acceleration of fetal lung maturity in utero by means of drugs administered to the mother, the most thoroughly investigated being glucocorticoids (GC). Many reports indicate that the administration of GC decreases the incidence of RDS in the neonate delivered between 28 and 32 weeks and weighing less than 1500 g. The type of GC and the drug-delivery interval are critical. Harmful potential side effects of GC have led to the testing of other drugs capable of accelerating fetal lung maturity, among them ambroxol and aminophylline. Ambroxol has been shown to reduce significantly RDS compared to placebo, without causing important adverse effects either on the mother or the baby. Our experimental studies on aminophylline have shown that the drug exerts only minor beneficial effects on fetal lung maturation and surfactant production. Recently we have evaluated the association of GC with inositol. The sugar alcohol dramatically affected pregnant rabbit fetal lung mechanisms, reducing GC-adverse effects such as decrease in lung DNA and protein content. In attempts to minimize the risk of neonatal RDS it is important (1) to identify pregnant women at risk for preterm labor; (2) to establish specific guidelines for the use of any prenatal drug to be administered for the prevention of RDS; (3) to assess fetal lung maturity; (4) to intensively monitor the fetus intrapartum; and (5) to prevent birth asphyxia.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Prevention and treatment of fetal lung immaturity.

In the last 10 years the strategy for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) has been directed towards the acceleration of fetal lung maturity in utero by means of drugs administered to the mother, the most thoroughly investigated being glucocorticoids (GC), and to the development of surfactant substitutes for the treatment of surfactant deficiency at birth or following the development of RDS. GC decreases the incidence of RDS in the neonate delivered between 28 and 32 weeks and weighing less than 1,500 g. The type of GC and the drug-delivery interval are critical. Harmful potential side effects of GC have led to the testing of other drugs capable of accelerating fetal lung maturity, among which are ambroxol and aminophylline. Ambroxol has been shown to significantly reduce RDS compared to placebo without causing important adverse effects in either mother or baby. Our experimental studies on aminophylline have shown that the drug exerts only minor beneficial effects on fetal lung maturation and surfactant production. We have evaluated the association of GC with inositol. The sugar alcohol administered to the mother dramatically affected fetal lung mechanics, reducing GC adverse effects such as the decrease of lung protein content. More recently supplementary surfactant instilled into the trachea has been shown to improve oxygenation of premature babies and to reduce the severity of RDS.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗