Biomedical subjects

F Maggioni

Publications and source records attributed to F Maggioni.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1981

Effect of antiepileptic drugs on the cerebral amino acid uptake in vitro.

The effects of four commonly used antiepileptic drugs (phenobarbital, diphenylhydantoin, clonazepam and dipropylacetate) on the uptake of amino acids were investigated in mouse cerebral slices. Phenobarbital and diphenylhydantoin showed a net influence on the transport of the neutral amino acids that are also precursors of monoamine neurotransmitters, increasing their uptake. A similar effect was observed for diphenylhydantoin on GABA uptake. The increase in phenylalanine and valine uptake induced by phenobarbital was at least partly due to a decreased release of these metabolites. No major effects were observed for clonazepam and dipropylacetate. Our findings seem to indicate that some antiepileptic drugs may influence cerebral transport of neurotransmitter substances; further investigations are needed to find out whether these effects play a role in the antiepileptic action of these drugs.

Absorption↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the hepatocyte-specific contrast agent gadobenate dimeglumine for MR imaging of acute hepatitis in a rat model.

This work was conducted to test the hypothesis that contrast-enhanced MRI with hepatocyte-specific contrast agents facilitates quantitation and mapping of diffuse liver diseases such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. Gadobenate dimeglumine (Gd-BOPTA/Dimeg, Bracco SpA, Millano, Italy) is a new paramagnetic hepatocyte-specific contrast agent currently undergoing clinical trials. We have assessed the usefulness of gadobenate dimeglumine for the diagnosis of diffuse liver diseases in a rat model of chemically induced hepatitis. The study was based on the measurements of in vivo liver relaxation times as well as on the acquisition of standard SE images. Acute hepatitis considerably reduced the degree of T1 shortening of liver parenchyma caused by intravenous injection of .25 mmol/kg of gadobenate dimeglumine. Analogously, the enhancement of the MRI signal intensity of the liver of rats with hepatitis observed in T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) images was inferior, in terms of both strength and duration, to that recorded in control rats at doses of .25 mmol/kg and .075 mmol/kg of gadobenate dimeglumine. Our results show that gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MR imaging has the potential for visualization of hepatitis and for assessment of liver function. Our conclusions differ from those previously published on this subject by other authors. The reasons that led to differing conclusions are discussed.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Accumulation of glutamic acid and glycine in human cerebral tumors in vitro].

Preliminary results are given on transport of glycine and L-glutamate into human cerebral tissue, normal and tumoral. In comparison with normal tissue, glycine transport is diminished in meningioma and oligodendroblastoma, unaffected in neurinoma, sharply increased in medulloblastoma. Glutamic acid transport is lowered in neurinoma and oligodendroblastoma; increased in medulloblastoma. Such preliminary observations are briefly discussed.

Brain↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Case of Horton's arteritis with development of simultaneous bilateral amaurosis].

The Authors report a case of temporal arteritis which started with a sudden onset of bilateral amaurosis. They considered this case worth recording, on account of its unusual and striking way of manifestation. Moreover, the importance of an early diagnosis of the disease is underlined, since an adequate steroid therapy, carried out in time, often allows to avoid the serious complications which may arise, particularly blindness. Recent epidemiological studies which showed the elevated incidence of the disease in patients above the age of 50, underline the necessity of considering temporal arteritis as one of the diagnostical possibilities, even if the symptomatology is defective or unclear.

Aged↗