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F Greco

Publications and source records attributed to F Greco.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

N,N-dicarboxymethyl chitosan as delivery agent for bone morphogenetic protein in the repair of articular cartilage.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), associated with N,N-dicarboxymethyl chitosan, is used to induce or facilitate the repair of articular cartilage lesions. This association is intended for the synergistic potentiation of the respective biological effects. Data show that BMP-7 enhances the in vivo proliferation of cells with chondrocytes phenotype in the articular environment, leading to partial healing of the articular surface of the lesions. N,N-dicarboxymethyl chitosan is found to be useful as a molecular carrier or drug delivery agent.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Successful treatment of right heart thromboemboli with IV recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator during continuous echocardiographic monitoring: a case series report.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY OBJECTIVE: Echocardiographic detection of right heart thromboemboli (RHTE) during pulmonary embolism (PE) shows an uncommon but life-threatening event. The treatment of this condition is not well established. The aim of our study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in treating RHTE. METHOD: We performed a transthoracic echocardiogram within (mean +/- SD) 120+/-45 min from onset of symptoms on 30 consecutive patients with proven massive PE. Seven patients (23%) showed RHTE, four patients (57%) had cardiogenic shock; and all patients showed echocardiographic features of acute cor pulmonale. The seven patients with RHTE received an IV infusion of 100 mg rt-PA over a period of 2 h with continuous echocardiographic monitoring. RESULTS: We observed complete RHTE lysis at 45 to 60 min from the onset of rt-PA infusion and significant reductions at 2 h in the following: 14% in right ventricle (RV) end-diastolic diameter (reduction, 40.8 to 35 mm; p < 0.01); 12% in RV/left ventricular ratio (reduction, 0.83 to 0.73; p < 0.01); and 17% in tricuspid regurgitant flow velocity (reduction, 3.5 to 2.9 m/s; p < 0.01). The interventricular septal and RV wall motions improved. An excellent clinical outcome was achieved rapidly in all patients. No adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the rapid, effective, and safe action of rt-PA in RHTE resolution and an improvement in pulmonary perfusion. Our data confirm the important role of an early, systematic echocardiographic approach in order to detect RHTE quickly in patients with suspected massive PE.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Short stature, brachydactyly, nail dysplasia, and mental retardation: further observation of the Tonoki syndrome.

We studied a patient with microcephaly, short stature, type B brachydactyly, nail dysplasia, skeletal anomalies, and mental retardation. The mother of the propositus has brachydactyly of thumbs and a similar physiognomy without mental retardation. This appears to be another observation of the Tonoki syndrome, a distinct autosomal dominant or X-linked clinical entity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

4-Phenyl-4-oxo-butanoic acid derivatives inhibitors of kynurenine 3-hydroxylase.

Kynurenine 3-hydroxylase (KYN 3-OHase) is a key enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation and its inhibition may be an effective mechanism for counteracting neuronal excitotoxic damage. We present here a new class of inhibitors derived from a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of the benzoylalanine side-chain of 1. 2-hydroxy-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid (8) and 2-benzyl-4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-oxo-butanoic acid (10) emerged as the most interesting derivatives. Enantiospecific synthesis for both enantiomers of 8 and diastereomeric salt resolution for those of 10 were successfully applied.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Mobilization, collection, and characterization of peripheral blood hemopoietic progenitors after chemotherapy with epirubicin, paclitaxel, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor administered to patients with metastatic breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: As single agents, both paclitaxel and epirubicin in combination with cytokines can mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs). The authors have demonstrated previously that the combination of epirubicin and paclitaxel is very active against metastatic breast carcinoma and tolerated by patients. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with metastatic breast carcinoma received epirubicin 90 mg/m2 in combination with paclitaxel 200 mg/m2 given as a 3-hour infusion, and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) starting 24 hours after chemotherapy to mobilize PBPCs. An immunophenotypic analysis for CD3, CD4, CD8, CD 19, CD33, CD34, and CD38 antigen expression was performed on apheresis products. Eighteen patients underwent high dose chemotherapy and were engrafted with PBPCs primed with paclitaxel, epirubicin, and G-CSF. RESULTS: The median number of circulating CD34+ cells at peak was 70/microL; in the patients less heavily pretreated, it was 106.7/microL. The mean number of CD34+, CD34+/CD33-, and CD34+/CD38- cells/kg collected per apheresis was 6.3 x 10(6), 2.0 x 10(6), and 0.18 x 10(6), respectively. The mean number of CD34+ cells/kg per apheresis was 7.8 x 10(6) when the preleukapheresis CD34+ cell count was more than 50/microL and 0.9 x 10(6) when the CD34+ cell count was less than 50/microL. The mean number of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cells/kg collected per apheresis was 90 x 10(6), 50 x 10(6), and 30 x 10(6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Epirubicin plus paclitaxel in combination with G-CSF mobilizes PBPCs, including more primitive progenitors capable of supporting myeloablative treatment. Moreover, the mononuclear cells collected in this study contained high levels of cytotoxic effector cells suitable for ex vivo manipulation to augment the antitumor effect.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1998

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy associated with deep peroneal nerve entrapment.

Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD or causalgia) has been rarely reported in children. We now report a 10-year-old boy with RSD in whom we performed extensive ancillary investigations including thermography, bone scintigraphy and dermo-echography. The clinical, laboratory and ancillary studies reported here highlight the profound focal acquired autonomic disturbance in this disorder. The patient presented a compression of the deep peroneal nerve at the inferior extensor retinaculum in the affected limb. Surgical decompression lead to rapid improvement of the patient's condition. Peripheral nerve decompression should be considered as a possible treatment of RSD in children, particularly those that are refractory to conservative maneuvers.

Causalgia↗
PubMed1998

Reversible palsy of the hypoglossal nerve complicating infectious mononucleosis in a young child.

We report a 7-year-old boy with serologic evidence of active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection who developed transient unilateral hypoglossal nerve palsy, with complete recovery within 21 days. This is, to our knowledge, the youngest reported patient with isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy in the context of EBV infection. Acute EBV infection should be considered early in the evaluation of children with twelfth nerve palsy in order to avoid extensive ancillary testing.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Surgical treatment of atherosclerotic lesions of subclavian artery: carotid-subclavian bypass versus subclavian-carotid transposition.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze the short and long term results of two different surgical treatments in patients with subclavian lesions: common carotid-subclavian artery bypass (CSB) versus transposition of subclavian artery on the common carotid artery (SCT). METHODS: From 1981 until 1995, 40 non randomized patients with symptomatic subclavian steal underwent 20 CSBs and 20 SCTs. Risk factor rates were equally balanced in the two groups. Surgery was carried out routinely under general anesthesia, with electroencephalic continuous monitoring. Patency of revascularization was assessed by physical examination, brachial blood pressure determinations, ultrasound sonography and angiography whenever recurrence of symptoms developed or when the function of repair was in doubt. Patients were examined every year. In Spring 1996 (range 9-189 mos, average 7 years) a general clinical-instrumental follow-up was performed. RESULTS: In the short term (<30 days) mortality was 5%: one death (5%) for pulmonary embolism in a patient with CSB and one for myocardial infarction in a patient with SCT. The early thrombosis rate was 5% (1 CSB and 1 common carotid artery distal to a patent SCT). During follow-up 10 patients (25%) died and 6 were lost. The six-year actuarial patency rate was 100% for SCT and 66% for CSB. Moreover there were 3 thromboses of the vertebral artery homolateral to patent CSBs. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusions SCT should be considered the surgical technical choice for the treatment of proximal subclavian artery lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Quantitative analysis of anaerobic metabolism in resting anoxic muscle by 31P and 1H MRS.

31P and 1H MRS high resolution measurements at 4.7 T were carried out in isolated frog (Rana esculenta) gastrocnemius muscle during anoxia to assess, using reference compounds, the concentration of high energy phosphates (approximately P = phosphocreatine (PC) plus adenosinetriphosphate (ATP)), inorganic phosphate (P(i)), phosphomonoesters (PME) and lactate (La): Two sets of measurements were performed, with (p) and without (up) muscle IAA poisoning and the time course of the metabolite concentration changes was described. The rate of phosphocreatine hydrolysis during the first phase of anaerobiosis, when no lactate is accumulated in either case, appears to be greater in p than in up preparations. This finding can be explained with the sizeable accumulation of phosphomonoesters (PME) in the former. The efficiency of anaerobic glycolysis, i.e. the approximately P/La ratio, recalculated taking into account also PME changes, was found to be 1.48 +/- 0.28, a value higher than that obtained by previous chemical measurements and close to the maximum stoichiometric approximately P/La value. Hence, the in vivo substrate of glycolysis, in the resting anoxic frog gastrocnemius, appears to be almost exclusively glycogen.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1997

Application of NMR microscopy to the morphological study of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, during its metamorphosis.

Zero (ZQ) and double (DQ) quantum 2D chemical shift selective and spin-echo 3D NMR imaging at microscopy resolution, has been applied to the morphological study of silkworm, Bombyx mori, during its metamorphosis. Attention had been focused on the evolution of the internal structure of the insect during its postembryonal life occurring through the larval, pupal and adult development. A major objective of this work was the characterization of the silk glands, responsible for the synthesis and secretion of fibroin and sericin, through the changes of distribution and mobility of water, by imaging the water protons during postembryonal life stages. Moreover, alanine deriving from silk gland proteins was imaged during the last life stage of Bombyx mori.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[The role of 2D-doppler electrocardiography in the early diagnosis of massive acute pulmonary embolism and therapeutic monitoring].

Early diagnosis is important for the prognosis of patients affected with pulmonary embolisms. The mortality rate ranges from 30% in untreated cases to 10% in cases getting early treatment. In this context, it is essential to obtain a correct diagnosis in order to start the best treatment for each patient. The aim of our study is to evaluated the contribution of mono- bidimensional echocardiography and color-doppler for the early diagnosis of acute massive pulmonary embolism. We examined 23 patients (14 women with a mean age of 67 +/- 13 years; 9 men with a mean age of 58 +/- 16 years) who were referred to us for observation over a 30-month period. These patients had been admitted to the intensive care unit for suspected acute massive pulmonary embolism and the diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by a pulmonary scintigraphy. None of the 23 patients showed a positive case history of previous heart disease and/or pulmonary disease. The patients were checked using 2D-doppler echocardiography, 120 +/- 45 minutes from the onset of the symptoms. They were then divided into two groups (A and B) based on the presence or absence of thromboembolus in the right cavity of the heart. Seven patients (30%) revealed thromboemboli and were treated effectively with rt-PA (100 mg/2 hours). An increase in the size of the right ventricle with an affected rate RV/LV > 0.6 and the abnormal kinetics of the ventricular septum proved to be the most sensitive parameters for right ventricular overload, as signs of acute massive pulmonary ambolisms were observed in all 23 patients. Tricuspid regurgitation speed (from 2.9 to 3.6 m/sec) and peak systolic pulmonary pressure (67 mmHg) were recorded in all patients. Our observations suggest that the hemodynamic effects of an acute massive pulmonary embolism can be enumerated and monitored by analyzing ventricle size and septum kinetics. To summarize, echocardiography proved to be a simple and realistic test. It enabled correct diagnosis and made it possible not only to start thrombolytic therapy without requiring other exams, but also to monitor and evaluate the effects of this therapy.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Distribution of elastic fiber types in the epiphyseal region.

Three types of elastic fibers have been described: mature elastic fibers, elaunin fibers, and oxytalan fibers. To our knowledge, their location in the immature epiphysis has never been previously reported. The aim of the present study was to use histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy to demonstrate the distribution of each type of elastic fiber in the epiphyseal region of growing humans and rabbits. Histological samples were collected from the knees of 10 immature New Zealand White rabbits and four children of various ages. The Weigert resorcin-fuchsin, Gomori aldehyde-fuchsin, Verhoeff iron haematoxylin, and Fullmer-Lillie methods were used for histochemistry; anti-elastin monoclonal antibodies, for immunohistochemistry; and tannic acid, uranyl acetate, and lead citrate stain, for transmission electron microscopy analysis. Elastic fibers were detected in the perichondrium, the epiphyseal vessels, and the outer and middle zones of Ranvier's groove. Their orientation was longitudinal in the outer zone and circumferential in the middle zone of the groove. Oxytalan fibrils (i.e., bundles of filaments of 10-12 nm in diameter that do not contain elastin) and elaunin fibers (i.e., filaments that cross discontinuous aggregates of elastin) were more plentiful in the middle zone and decreased with age, whereas mature fibers were more numerous in the outer zone and increased with age. This organization of elastic fibers seems to indicate an age-related process of maturation of the elastic network. The contribution of these fibers to the mechanical properties of the epiphyseal plate and to the growth process remains to be determined.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1996

Transthoracic forequarter amputation and left pneumonectomy.

We describe a variation of the technique of transthoracic forequarter amputation, consisting of a completely anterior approach, removal of the left forequarter en bloc with the chest wall and lung, and sparing of the scapula. This latter bone is mobilized and is used, along with the transposition of the lower ribs, to stabilize the chest wall.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Fetal chondral homografts in the repair of articular cartilage defects.

Lesions of the articular cartilage were bilaterally induced in the patella and the femoral condyle of adult NZW rabbits. A fresh fetal chondral homograft was implanted in one side, the untreated side serving as control. Fetal chondral tissue appeared to survive when implanted at the site of articular injury in adult animals, with no histological evidence of cell-mediated immune response. Fetal chondroblasts showed some signs of maturation and induced endochondral ossification at the base of the graft, with sound anchoring of the graft to the host tissue. In most cases, the homograft fused directly with the adjacent articular cartilage restoring the continuing of the articular surface. However, at implantation the graft could not be easily kept in place, and therefore some grafts had poor mechanical stability. Condylar grafts were incorporated better than patellar grafts. The healing process seemed to be related to the mechanical stability of the graft and to the anatomical site of injury.

Animals↗