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Biomedical subjects

F Nardo

Publications and source records attributed to F Nardo.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Pinopode expression during human implantation.

Implantation failure is considered the major impediment to successful in vitro fertilization pregnancy rate. Despite recent advances in reproductive medicine, the role played by uterine receptivity in contributing to human infertility remains unclear. Several clinical studies suggest the importance of blastocyst implantation in a narrow window of uterine receptivity, between 6 and 8 days after ovulation. This brief and precise period, called "implantation or nidation window", lasts less than 48 h and coincides with the formation of large and smooth projections, called "pinopodes", on the apical membranes of the endometrial epithelial cells. Pinopode expression appears to advance or retard depending on the hormonal treatments and an individual's particular response. This displacement can be followed through endometrial biopsy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Therefore, pinopode expression could be considered a useful biological marker to assess endometrial receptivity and to locate the implantation window.

Embryo Implantation↗
PubMed2001

Concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein-3 in the follicular fluid of women undergoing ovarian hyperstimulation with different gonadotropin preparations.

Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) have an important regulatory role in follicular development and oocyte maturation. The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blind study was to measure the concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in follicular fluids collected from infertile women undergoing ovarian hyperstimulation using three different gonadotropin preparations. Twenty infertile women (mean age 33 years, range 28-40) undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs were recruited. After a written informed consent, each woman randomly underwent a long-protocol for ovarian hyperstimulation using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-analog and one of the following recombinant- and urinary-gonadotropins--alpha-follitropin, beta-follitropin or urofollitropin. Serum 17 beta-estradiol (E2) levels and follicle growth were assessed during the follicular phase. The concentrations of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in the follicular fluid of aspirated dominant follicles were measured directly. Women treated with alpha-follitropin needed significantly lower doses of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) compared to those receiving beta-follitropin (p < 0.05). No other statistically significant differences were detected between groups. Serum E2 levels increased in the three groups from early to late follicular phase. Follicular fluid IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations did not differ significantly in the three groups of women. A statistically significant relationship was observed between follicular fluid IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels (r = 0.41, p = 0.001). Oocyte maturation correlated in a positive manner with IGF-I (r = 0.34, p = 0.01) and IGFBP-3 (r = 0.29, p = 0.03). These findings show that both recombinant- and urinary-gonadotropin preparations were equally effective in releasing IGF-I and IGFBP-3 in the follicular fluid of dominant follicles, and confirmed the role of these compounds on oocyte maturation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

CO(2) laser vaporization as primary therapy for human papillomavirus lesions. A prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus manifestations occur with increased frequency and severity amongst sexually active people. Several therapeutic approaches have been suggested to treat this viral disease. The aim of this prospective observational study was to assess the effectiveness of CO(2) laser vaporization for human papillomavirus warts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty healthy sexually active women with cytologically, colposcopically and histologically diagnosed human papillomavirus urogenital and perianal warts were enrolled and then treated by CO(2) laser (16-18 W). Male partners were also investigated, and interferon-beta was eventually administered. All patients were then followed up for twelve months consecutively. RESULTS: At twelve-month follow-up, warts clearance was observed in 70 (87.5%) women. Recurrence was reported in ten (12.5%) women with multiple partners and affected by flat or endophytic condiloma of the cervix. Moreover, there were no complaints of pain, scar tissue deformity or other side effects. CONCLUSIONS: CO(2) laser vaporization is an effective, as well as safe and simple therapeutic approach for treatment of human papillomavirus warts. Its use should be encouraged for condyloma acuminata not associated with malignancy, as well as during pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Results of multiple follicular growth with CC + pure FSH + HCG and intrauterine insemination with washed semen].

The Authors have treated 40 women affected by primary or secondary infertility due to various etiologies (with the exclusion of the tubal factor as cause of infertility) for 123 cycles with clomiphene citrate (CC) 50 mg/daily/6 days from day cycle IV to/days from day cycle IX+pure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) 75 IU/daly from day cycle VII day cycle IX and 150 IU/d of pure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from day cycle 10th to day cycle XII/XIII. In all patients human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG 5000IU) was administered when the level of 17 B-estradiol was > or = 900 pg/ml and the follicular diameter > or = 19 mm. After 24 hours from the administration of human chorionic gonadotropins (HCG), the patients underwent intrauterine insemination with washed semen and the insemination was repeated in all patients 24 hours after the first-one. This protocol has allowed to obtain 12 pregnancies (30%); the cancelled cycles were 9 (of whom 5, equal to 4.06%, for mild hyperstimulation and 4, equal to 3.25%, for non compliance). Our results confirm the value of the protocol and the low risk of ovarian hyperstimulation following the use of pure follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in association with clomiphene citrate (CC).

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Therapeutic protocols compared in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporotic disease].

The authors have compared the results obtained using four main drugs (calcitonin, ipriflavone, transdermal estrogens, fluorine-calcium) actually employed for the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis, administered to four groups of fast loser patients (442) in natural (months mean 19.97 +/- 5.99) and surgical (months mean 16.94 +/- 4.29) menopause. After six months of treatment, the efficacy of therapy has been evaluated on the basis of BD (bone density) and osteoarticular pain changes. The BD results have been compared with those of 100 non-treated patients, in the same clinical conditions. The authors have noticed an increase in bone mass (from +0.47% to +1.59%) and a great improvement in osteoarticular pain with all therapeutical protocols used while in the control group there was a progressive decrease of BMC (-1.23%) and a worsening pain. Comparing the results obtained with different therapies, the difference of mean mineralometric gain is not particularly significant among several treatments; but this difference is very significant between treated and non-treated patients who have continued to lose bone mass. The collateral effects, observed during administration of different drugs, have been minimal and the suspension of therapy has been always associated to their disappearance. In the opinion of the authors the good results, achieved with different therapies, depend on the precocity of the treatment, but also on the fact that, in peri-menopausal period, their effect has been increased by the estrogens. Being osteoporosis a multifactorial pathology, a careful control of the risk factors is appropriate and needs to be enforced in order to carry out a precocious treatment with specific drugs on bone metabolism and try to balance the natural turnover with the loss of bone mass.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Primary adenocarcinoma of the fallopian tube.

Primary carcinoma of the Fallopian tube is one of the rarest malignancies of the female genital tract. The Authors report a case of primary carcinoma of the uterine tube and review the treatment of this disease reported in literature. Since this tumor is so rare, debatable viewpoints remain and thus new proposals and modifications of methods of staging continue to emerge. The Authors conclude by suggesting that the setting up of a National Registry for collection of data available in Italy should be organized.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1982

Aromatization of testosterone by adipose tissue and sexual behavior of castrated male rats.

The influence of aromatization of testosterone occurring in adipose tissue has been studied in castrated obese male rats. The treatment for 30 days with a subliminal dose (115 micrograms/kg per day) of testosterone propionate improved significantly the sexual performance of castrated obese male rats as compared to the nonobese controls. Untreated castrated obese animals did not show any enhancement of sexual behavior. Furthermore, obesity failed to improve sexual performance in intact male rats. Measurements of plasma levels of testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol showed an increase in aromatization of testosterone in obese rats. Present data suggest that adipose tissue can be considered an important site for aromatization of testosterone to 17 beta-estradiol, and that aromatization is involved in the activation of sexual behavior in castrated male rats.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1978

Polyamine levels in human semen of unfertile patients: effect of S-adenosylmethionine.

Polyamine content has been determined in the seminal plasma of unfertile men before and after S-adenosylmethionine treatment. Spermine and spermidine levels in azoospermic patients were found very low (80 and 24 microgram/ml) with respect to normospermic (1500 and 60 microgram/ml): S-adenosylmethionine treatment enhanced polyamine content (50-300%) in oligospermic patients. Furthermore, an increase of sperm count and motility has been observed in these patients.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endometrial lesions after tamoxifen therapy in breast cancer women.

Tamoxifen, a nonsteroidal antiestrogen with a partial estrogen-antagonist activity, is widely used as a hormonal adjuvant therapy for breast cancer in women with positive receptors for estrogens. Its prolonged administration has been associated with a series of collateral effects, among which the endometrial carcinoma is the most important. The aim of our study was to investigate an eventual correlation between a therapy with tamoxifen and the onset of endometrial lesions. We recruited 228 postmenopausal patients who had been operated on for breast cancer. They were divided into two groups according to the presence of positive or negative estrogen receptors. The group with positive receptors was subjected to hormonal adjuvant therapy by tamoxifen (20 mg/day for 5 years), while the group with negative receptors was not treated. All the patients underwent a hysteroscopic evaluation of the uterine cavity before and after treatment. The follow-up carried out 5 years later showed the presence of a statistically higher risk (p < 0.00001) of endometrial lesions, such as low glandular hyperplasia and polyps, than in the treated patients compared with untreated patients. On the other hand, because there was no onset of endometrial carcinoma, the risk of this kind of lesion turned out to be practically absent. In all the treated patients who did not evidence any endometrial lesions (n = 90) and in all those with negative receptors (n = 104) the endometrium seemed to have an atrophic aspect. In conclusion, according to these data, we believe that hormonal adjuvant therapy by tamoxifen (20 mg/day), associated with a periodic hysteroscopic evaluation, and eventually a directed biopsy of the endometrium in order to keep under control the frequent onset of benign endometrial lesions, does not absolutely seem to increase the risk of endometrial carcinoma.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Results of intrauterine insemination after induction of multiple follicular growth].

The authors used multiple ovulation induction by CC+hMG+hCG and intrauterine insemination with capacitized sperm in 63 women, aged between 22 and 43 (mean age 32.474 +/- 5.364) with primary or secondary infertility of various origins (tubal problems being excluded) to enhance the chances of pregnancy and evaluate the pregnancy rate. Partners were aged between 26 and 47 (mean age 36.571 +/- 6.709). The following parameters were considered in all patients: mean age of the partners of the couple, parity, seminal fluid characteristics, duration of infertility, dose of each drug administered, mean number of ampuls per patient and mean 17 beta-estradiol level at the time of administration of hCG. There were 189 cycles induced and 26 suspended (13.75%) including 7 (3.70%) because of protocol drop-out, 13 (6.87%) because of the development of slight hyperstimulation and 6 (3.17%) because of marked hyperstimulation. There were 27 pregnancies (42.85%), 4 of which ended in miscarriage between 7 and 10 weeks. There were 4 twin pregnancies, i.e. 14.81%. Of the 27 pregnancies, 13 (48.14%) were obtained during the first cycle, 9 (33.33%) during the second cycle and 5 (18.51%) during the 3rd cycle. The rate of pregnancies per cycle was 14.89%. With regard to 17 beta-estradiol levels at the time of administration of hCG, 18 pregnancies (69.23%) were obtained in patients with a 17 beta-estradiol level > or = to 1300, 7 (25.92%) in patients with a 17 beta-estradiol level > or = to 1000 and < or = to 1300 pg/ml and 3 (11.11%) in those with a 17 beta-estradiol level < or = to 900 pg/ml.

Adult↗