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Biomedical subjects

F Meloni

Publications and source records attributed to F Meloni.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Headache in Horton's disease: the clinical picture and physiopathogenetic mechanisms].

Headache is no doubt one of the most frequent symptom in Horton's disease. Nevertheless it has neither received a clear definition nor it has been studied in its pathogenetic aspects. The authors report 32 cases of Horton's disease in acute phase with arteritic localizations in different areas. Among them 24 (75%) had headache which appeared with different features from case to case. The authors identify 3 different kinds of headache, all recognizable in the secondary medical forms: epicritic headache (the most frequent), deep headache and generic headache (the rarest). The characters and the pathogenetic mechanisms of each form are also described.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Biopsy of the minor salivary glands in Sjögren's syndrome].

Twenty subjects, 17 females and 3 males, mean age 55.9, with Sjögren's syndrome (13 cases: classical or secondary form--7 cases: sicca syndrome) were submitted to biopsy of the minor salivary glands of the lower lip. The histopathological findings from the salivary glands and the clinical aspects of each patient were separately evaluated, in order to find a possible connection between the degree of glandular impairment and the severity of the disease. As a result of their findings, the authors conclude that the biopsy of the salivary glands, while constituting an important element for diagnosis, cannot be considered a determining factor for making a prognosis, or for therapy, because of the extreme polymorphism in the histopathological findings, and for the relative nature of the respondents with the severity of the clinical aspects.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatinum and 5-fluorouracil in advanced head and neck cancer.

Forty-one patients affected by solid tumors of the head and neck were treated with neoadjuvant therapy before radiotherapy or surgery. All patients received therapy with cisplatinum 100 mg/m2 day 1 and 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/day for days 1-5 by continuous infusion with a portable chronoinfusor. After three cycles, we observed an objective response in 34/41 patients (82.9%), with 9 (21.9%) complete remissions and 25 (61%) partial remissions. The main side effects were few and controllable. In our experience, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was able to induce a significant remission in 4/5 of patients, with better prospects for subsequent surgery and/or radiotherapy.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1989

[Familial occurrence of leukemia. Cytogenetic considerations apropos of 2 cases].

The authors describe a case of family leukemia: an acute myeloid leukemia preceded by Pelger's anomaly in a 77 year old brother and a chronic myeloid leukemia chromosome Ph + in a 71 years old sister, sixteen years after the first one. The authors formulate a hypothesis that both haematologic diseases may have in common a mistake of transcription caused by an anomalous m RNA.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Hematoporphyrin uptake by experimentally induced cholesteatomas in an animal model.

Photodynamic therapy is based on the production of a cytotoxic factor by porphyrins, particularly hematoporphyrin (HP), when exposed to light of a suitable wavelength and intensity. The uptake of HP is notably large in tissues with a high mitotic index. Although cholesteatomas are not malignant tumors, our working hypothesis was that their high lipid content might result in their exhibiting a remarkable affinity to HP, which is normally carried in the blood by lipoproteins. Cholesteatomas were induced in rabbits using the Tübingen procedure (closure of the auditory canal by sutures). Animals were killed 30-40 days later at intervals of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h following intravenous HP administration (5 mg/kg). Specimens were divided into two portions, one for histological examination and the other for biochemical study. The latter revealed that HP accumulates in experimental cholesteatomas, with a maximum uptake after 3 h. The level then gradually decreases, although at a lower rate than in the liver, but remains considerably high even after 24 h. These results suggest that the photodynamic treatment of cholesteatomas should be feasible in our animal model, although such treatment is still speculative in man.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Volume receptors in guinea pig labyrinth: relevance with respect to ADH and Na control.

We tested the hypothesis that changes in extracellular fluid volume are reflected by pressure changes within structures of the inner ear and that through neural pathways, a control mechanism exerts an influence on antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release and Na excretion. The study was performed on 35 guinea pigs. In protocol 1, 13 animals were studied before and after decompression of the inner ear by bilateral fluid withdrawal in an experimental setting of sustained isotonic expansion that kept the osmoreceptor partially activated and the intrathoracic volume receptors suppressed. A group of six sham-operated animals served as control. In protocol 2, nine animals were studied before and after a unilateral rise in their inner ear pressure during slightly hypertonic low-rate infusions that kept the osmoreceptor and thoracic volume receptors stimulated. A group of seven sham-operated guinea pigs served as controls. Decompression of the inner ear was attended by a rise in plasma ADH from 11.9 +/- 2.4 to 29.1 +/- 6.9 pg/ml, in urine osmolality (Uosmol) from 470 +/- 48 to 712 +/- 46 mosmol/kg (P less than 0.001), and a fall in urine flow rate (V) from 184 +/- 47 to 71 +/- 11 microliters/min (P less than 0.01), whereas plasma Na (PNa) and osmolality (Posmol) did not change. During inner ear hypertension, plasma ADH fell from 25.6 +/- 3.9 to 18.4 +/- 3.1, Uosmol from 829 +/- 58 to 627 +/- 43 (P less than 0.001), and V rose from 51 +/- 11 to 130 +/- 23 (P less than 0.001), whereas glomerular filtration rate, PNa, and Posmol did not change.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Secretory dynamics of bioactive and immunoreactive prolactin in polycystic ovary syndrome.

To further investigate prolactin (PRL) secretion in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO), the authors evaluated immunoreactive (immuno) and bioactive (bio) PRL levels in the basal state and in response to provocative testing with intravenous dopamine (DA), metoclopramide (MCP), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), before and after disulfiram. Basal measurements of immuno-PRL, bio-PRL, and the ratio of bio/immuno-PRL were similar in PCO and controls. The immuno-PRL decrement after DA was greater than that of bio-PRL in both groups (P less than 0.05). After MCP, immuno-PRL increased more than bio-PRL in PCO (P less than 0.01), and this immuno-PRL increment was greater than that of controls (P less than 0.05). Bio-PRL and immuno-PRL increased after GnRH in PCO, but not controls, and these responses were inhibited by disulfiram. These data confirm PRL hypersecretion in some women with PCO, which is better expressed by immunoreactivity than bioactivity. Given the assay systems and patients studied, bioactivity

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Recombinant gamma-interferon induces in vitro monocytic differentiation of blast cells from patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

gamma-Interferon (IFN-gamma) has previously been found to induce monocytic differentiation in established leukemic cell lines, such as HL-60 and U937. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the differentiative effect of highly purified recombinant (r)IFN-gamma on fresh bone marrow cells from patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (n = 11) or myelodysplastic syndromes (n = 3). Blast cells were cultured in suspension in the presence or absence of rIFN-gamma (10-10(3) U/ml). While 6 out of 14 cases were unresponsive to rIFN-gamma in vitro, the remaining 8 patients showed a significant increase (0.05 greater than p greater than 0.001) in the percentage of cells expressing C3bi receptors, detected by OKM1 (median value in control cell, 9.5; median value in rIFN-gamma-treated cells, 31) and Mo1 (8.5 vs. 36), and in the percentage of cells expressing the monocytic antigens detected by Mo2 (8 vs. 28) and MY4 (6.5 vs. 32.5). In the responsive patients morphologic changes consistent with monocytic maturation, as well as a strong increase of alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase activity and of nitroblue tetrazolium reducing capability were observed upon culture with rIFN-gamma. We conclude that (a) rIFN-gamma may induce in vitro monocytic differentiation of blasts from acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome patients, and that (b) this agent should be investigated for its capacity to be active in vivo.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1988

Can deferoxamine be considered an ototoxic drug?

Some uncertainty about deferoxamine ototoxicity is to be found in the literature. Therefore, 100 patients affected by beta-thalassemia were checked audiologically. Twelve of them showed a sensorineural hearing impairment which in most cases was confined to 4 and 8 kHz. If these results are compared with a sample of "normal" population, no significant difference can be observed, therefore excluding that deferoxamine, at least at present dosages, may be considered as a certain cause of cochlear impairment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Lymphoproliferative disorder of large granular lymphocytes: reversal of lymphocyte proliferation, anemia and neutropenia with chlorambucil.

A 54-year-old woman presented with hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, neutropenia and lymphocytosis. Most peripheral blood lymphocytes had the surface antigens T3+, Leu11+ and were morphologically large granular lymphocytes. Bone marrow presented 60% lymphoid infiltration. Treatment with chlorambucil produced complete reversal of hepatosplenomegaly, anemia, neutropenia and lymphocytosis, and reduction of marrow infiltration. The patient is well 12 months after discontinuation of therapy.

Anemia↗
PubMed1987

Relationship of human oocyte maturity, fertilization, and cleavage to follicular fluid prolactin and steroids.

Follicular fluid (FF) levels of prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2), progesterone (P), and androstenedione (delta 4A) were related to diversities in oocyte maturation, fertilization, and cleavage among oocytes obtained for in vitro fertilization. Follicles with mature stage I oocytes contained similar concentrations of PRL and E2, more P, and less delta 4A compared to follicles containing immature oocytes. Follicles with mature stage II oocytes had higher amounts of P and E2 but similar levels of PRL and delta 4A compared to follicles with mature stage I oocytes. Prolactin was lower and E2 higher in FF associated with fertilizable oocytes than in those with unfertilized gametes. Follicles which yielded gametes that ultimately divided to more than four cells had the highest E2 levels, while the lowest E2 concentrations were associated with fertilized, uncleaved eggs. P, delta 4A, and PRL levels in FF were not related to oocyte cleavage. We conclude that human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) treatment does not necessarily lead to a synchrony or uniformity of preovulatory follicles, maturation of oocytes is associated with rising levels of progesterone and decreasing levels of delta 4A in FF, an increased cleavage rate in vitro is associated with higher FF levels of E2, and high levels of PRL in FF are associated with unfertilized oocytes. These findings emphasize that differences in the hormonal milieu surrounding oocytes may have profound effects on the success of in vitro fertilization.

Androstenedione↗
PubMed1987

Relationships between polypronuclear fertilization and follicular fluid hormones in gonadotropin-treated women.

Similar incidences of congenital abnormalities in in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) pregnancies and births in the general population have not supported earlier concerns that IVF may increase chromosomal aberrations. Nevertheless, polypronuclear fertilization is a common, undesirable, and poorly understood outcome of IVF. We evaluated hormone levels in 20 follicular fluids that were associated with mature oocytes that have fertilized abnormally (greater than or equal to pronuclei) and compared them to follicles with mature oocytes that cleaved normally, fertilized but failed to cleave, or did not fertilize. Progesterone (P), androstenedione, estradiol, percent free estradiol, sex hormone-binding globulin, insulin, and prolactin were measured. P levels were significantly higher in follicular fluids associated with oocytes that fertilized abnormally than in the other groups. Levels of the other hormones were similar in all the study groups. We conclude that IVF of oocytes from highly luteinized follicles as judged by P levels may result in polypronuclear fertilization.

Body Fluids↗
PubMed1987

Characteristics of a ferritin-binding protein present in human serum.

The ferritin present in human serum differs from the ferritins found in tissues and other body fluids in having negligible proportions of H subunits. This has been related to the possible presence of binding factors which would form complexes with H-subunit containing ferritins and thereby determine their rapid clearance and/or interference with immunoassays ('serum inhibition'). In this work we have tried to identify and characterize these binding factors. Dotting and blotting experiments demonstrated an interaction between tissue ferritins and human serum. This was stronger with human heart and recombinant H-type ferritin obtained from E. coli than with human liver ferritin. The serum binder appeared to be a glycoprotein migrating in the beta-2 region and with a molecular weight of about 200,000 and pI between 4 and 5. Two different approaches to purification of the ferritin-binding protein yielded enriched fractions containing also the complement proteins C3 and C4, the plasma protease inhibitor alpha-2-macroglobulin, and immunoglobulins. These in vitro findings may have physiological relevance.

Blood Proteins↗