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Biomedical subjects

F Bianchini

Publications and source records attributed to F Bianchini.

45 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effect of dietary fat, starch and cellulose on fecal bile acids in mice.

The effect of dietary fat, starch and cellulose on individual and total fecal bile acids was studied in mice after 4 wk of feeding diets containing different levels of fat (5 and 29%), starch (3, 36 and 57-65%) and cellulose (2 and 10%). Diet affected the fecal concentration of deoxycholic acid, beta-muricholic acid and total bile acids. Increasing dietary fat from 5 to 29% significantly increased the level of deoxycholic acid and total bile acids. An increase in dietary cellulose from 2 to 10% significantly decreased the level of deoxycholic acid, beta-muricholic acid and total bile acids. High levels of dietary starch (36 and 57-65%) did not significantly affect the excretion of deoxycholic, beta-muricholic and total fecal bile acids. Starch was able to bind bile acids in vitro and to affect the level of fecal free bile acids. In high fat diets, the level of free bile acids was lower in the feces of animals fed 36% starch diets than in those fed 3% starch diets. This reduction of free bile acids was accompanied by a reduction in colon proliferative activity. We suggest that free, rather than total, bile acids are the effective damaging agents for colon mucosa, and may represent a risk factor in the development of cancer.

Animals↗

Nuclear aberrations and micronuclei induction in the digestive tract of mice treated with different iron salts.

Toxic effects of ferrous sulfate and of ferric chloride were determined in the gastrointestinal tract by measuring the induction of nuclear aberrations and micronuclei. In fasting animals ferric chloride induced a dose-related increase of nuclear aberrations in the stomach, whereas ferrous sulfate was not active. In normally feeding animals no increase of nuclear aberrations was observed. The effects of the iron compounds on the duodenum were minimal. In fasting animals a dose-related increase of nuclear aberrations was observed at the level of the colon, with no clear difference between ferrous and ferric compounds. A modest increase of nuclear aberrations of the colon was seen in feeding animals only with ferrous sulphate. By intrarectal administration, nuclear aberrations were induced especially by ferric chloride. An increase of the frequency of micronuclei was not observed at the level of the stomach, duodenum and colon, with the exception of ferric chloride, that induces a significant, although small increase of colon micronuclei when administered intra-rectally. The data demonstrate that iron compounds have an intrinsic cellular toxicity when not administered with food, but do not seem to carry any genotoxic potential for the gastrointestinal tract.

Animals↗

Pharmacological activity of FPP028 (2-phenylpyrazolo-4-ethyl-4,7-dihydro [1,5a]pyrimidin-7-one) a new non-steroid anti-inflammatory agent.

The activity of 2-phenylpyrazolo-4-ethyl-4,7-dihydro [1,5a]pyrimidin-7-one (FPP028), a non-acidic, analgesic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory compound, was investigated in a number of pharmacological tests performed in rats. The anti-inflammatory properties of FPP028 were evaluated through the carrageenan induced paw edema and the cotton pellet induced granuloma and compared with the activity of indomethacin, phenylbutazone, and isoxicam; as a result, the activity of FPP028 was shown to be similar to that of the latter compounds. To assess the analgesic properties of FPP028 in comparison with indomethacin and phenylbutazone, the Randall and Sellitto and the mouse-writhing tests were used; in both tests, FPP028 demonstrated a significant analgesic activity. FPP028 was shown to possess antipyretic properties in the test of yeast-induced pyrexia. The gastro-erosive activity of phenylbutazone and FPP028 was studied in restraint-stressed rats; in such test the ulcerogenic activity of phenylbutazone appeared to be dose-related; conversely, FPP028 demonstrated a gastro-protective effect since the number of gastric lesions induced either by stress or phenylbutazone treatment was decreased bu FPP028. Our data show that FPP028 is endowed with most of the pharmacological properties of the classic antiinflammatory drugs. Further studies are however needed to more fully elucidate its mechanism of action because our in-vivo data indicate that FPP028 is not an inhibitor of prostaglandin biosynthesis.

Adrenalectomy↗

Nuclear damage of colon epithelial cells by the food carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ) is modulated by dietary lipids.

Intestinal damage in C57BL/6J female mice was quantified by measuring the frequency of nuclear aberrations in colonic crypts. The animals were maintained on the following diets: standard (5% lipids, 5% cellulose); low- and high-cellulose (0-20% cellulose); high lipids (20% maize oil or 20% olive oil). All groups of animals were treated by gavage either with saline or 250 mg/kg of the dietary carcinogen 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ). After 24 h their colons were removed and stained and the nuclear aberrations scored under the microscope. The administration of IQ markedly increased the number of colon aberrations in all of the treated animals. Variations in dietary fiber did not modify the colon-damaging activity of this compound. Maize oil slightly increased the colon-damaging activity, whereas significant protection was observed in the animals on a high-lipid olive-oil diet. These results show that composition of the diet may vary the genotoxic effect of this dietary carcinogen.

Animals↗

Glycosyl albumin and diabetic microalbuminuria: demonstration of an altered renal handling.

In attempt to elucidate the link between the nonenzymatic glycosylation of proteins and the diabetic functional nephropathy, renal handling of glycosyl albumin has been evaluated in 15 normal subjects and 29 insulin-dependent diabetic patients divided in three groups according to their urinary excretion rates of albumin (Ualb): (group A) ten diabetic patients with Ualb less than 10 micrograms/m', (group B) 12 patients with Ualb between 10 and 100 micrograms/m', and (group C) seven patients with Ualb greater than 100 micrograms/m'. Albumin was purified with Blue-Sepharose CL-6B. The carbohydrate bound to albumin was determined chemically with thiobarbituric acid after the acid hydrolysis of the protein. Serum glycosyl albumin concentration in normal subjects was 0.1256 +/- 0.009 nmoles of hydroxymethylfurfural per nanomole of albumin, in group A, 0.1900 +/- 0.0124; in group B, 0.2199 +/- 0.0177; and in group C, 0.2224 +/- 0.02732. Urinary glycosyl albumin concentration was 1.8467 + 0.2132 in normal subjects, 1.4369 +/- 0.3355 in group A, 1.008 +/- 0.1584 in group B, and 0.2614 + 0.0295 in group C. In normal subjects and patients without apparent nephropathy (groups A and B), the clearance of albumin correlated with the serum concentration of glycosyl albumin. In all patients (groups A, B, and C) the urinary-serum glycosyl albumin concentration ratio was correlated inversely with albumin clearance. These data show that in normal subjects and diabetic patients with normal excretion rates of albumin and microalbuminuric diabetic patients the passage of glycosyl albumin through the glomerular wall is facilitated in contrast to normal albumin and that glycosyl albumin plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic functional nephropathy.

Adolescent↗

[Emergency surgical treatment of infectious endocarditis. Experience developed on 19 consecutive cases].

Our experience with the emergency surgical treatment of 19 consecutive cases of infective endocarditis (IE) is reported. The aortic valve was always affected, either alone (n = 16) or together with the mitral valve (n = 3). All patients were male. In 10 cases it was possible to identify the infecting agent (a staphylococcus was found in 6). Congestive heart failure (CHF) was the principal indication for surgery in 14 cases (in 6 active IE was associated). Five patients (1 with CHF) underwent operative treatment because of systemic emboli. Fifteen patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class IV, 3 in class III and 1 was in class II. Two patients (10.5%), both operated on for CHF, died in the early postoperative period. Early prosthetic valve dehiscence occurred in 2 cases, reoperation was successful in both. Follow-up of operative survivors ranges between 7 and 108 months (mean = 53.24 +/- 41.89). One patients died 10 months after operation with CHF following late prosthetic dehiscence. Out of 16 currently surviving patients 14 are in NHYA functional class I, 1 is in class II and 1 in class III. No one of them has had relapse of IE.

Adolescent↗

[Epicardial lipoma. Report of a surgical case and review of the literature].

A case of massive epicardial lipoma in an asymptomatic patient is presented. The diagnosis of solid intrapericardial mass was achieved by two-dimensional echocardiography without cardiac catheterization. The complications of postoperative course, which included myocardial infarction, cerebral embolism, and the patient's late sudden death, suggest that the cardiopulmonary bypass should be used in similar circumstances. Lipomas of the heart should be kept in mind in patients with unexplained enlargement of the cardiac silhouette whenever pericardial effusion and heart disease may be excluded.

Electrocardiography↗

Inhibition of the mutagenic activity of some heterocyclic dietary carcinogens and other mutagenic/carcinogenic compounds by rat organ preparations.

The mutagenic activity of some dietary mutagens, 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (IQ), 2-amino-6-methyldipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-1) and 2-amino-dipyrido[1,2-a:3',2'-d]imidazole (Glu-P-2), was inhibited in the Salmonella-plate test preincubated with heat-inactivated rat intestinal preparations. A similar inhibition was observed by preincubating intestinal preparations with 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). The effect was not specific for small intestine and was also obtained with spleen, liver, lung, colon and stomach preparations. Mutagenic activity was not inhibited by beef muscle proteins. Lipids extracted from intestinal mucosa preparations were equally effective as inhibitors of the mutagenic activity. Lipid fractions from intestinal mucosa were capable of inhibiting the formation of activated IQ by mammalian S9, and other components of the intestinal preparations were able to bind the promutagens and their active metabolites. The mutagenic activity of 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole (metronidazole) and of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) was also inhibited by intestinal preparations, but not by their lipid fractions. A binding of IQ to intestinal preparations was also demonstrated with HPLC techniques. The data indicate that tissue components may reduce the mutagenic activity of chemicals by interfering with the activation process and by reducing the concentration of the promutagens and their active metabolites at target sites.

2-Acetylaminofluorene↗