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Biomedical subjects

F Pagani

Publications and source records attributed to F Pagani.

161 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment with pertussis toxin does not prevent central effects of eel calcitonin.

To determine whether or not the CNS inhibitory activity of eel calcitonin (eCT) on adenylyl cyclase is the endocellular mechanism underlying the antinociceptive effect of the peptide, as shown for morphine analgesia, we administered Bordetella pertussis toxin (PTX) by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection (0.5 microgram/rat) to block the receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. In PTX-treated rats there was no change in eCT (2.5 micrograms/rat, ICV)-induced antinociceptive activity (hot-plate test) nor in eCT (100 ng/rat, ICV) inhibition of gastric acid secretion (Shay test) whereas morphine (5 micrograms/rat, ICV) analgesia was significantly reduced. In vitro studies showed no reduction of eCT binding in the CNS of rats treated with PTX in vivo. Moreover, PTX treatment did not change the inhibitory effect of eCT on adenylyl cyclase in isolated membranes from rat striatum in contrast with opiates (DAME and morphine) whose effects were lost. As PTX is known to inactivate the guanidine binding inhibitory protein Gi, these data suggest that a G protein, distinct from the Gi protein involved in the coupling of opiate receptors into a functional response, could be responsible for regulating the intracellular pathways resulting in eCT-induced antinociceptive effect and inhibition of gastric acid secretion.

Adenylate Cyclase Toxin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The sensitivity of cardiac markers: an evidence-based approach.

The aim of this study was to determine whether, using an evidence-based approach, the results of the papers found in the literature are valid and sufficiently scientifically rigorous to be used to definitely address the problem of cardiac marker sensitivity in detection of acute myocardial infarction. In particular, the diagnostic sensitivities of myoglobin, creatine kinase (CK)-MB isoenzyme, determined as mass concentration, CK-MB isoforms, and of the two cardiac troponins, troponin I and troponin T, were reviewed using a priori formulated inclusion/exclusion criteria for judging the eligibility of studies to be included in the analysis. A clear final message derived from this systematic analysis is the unacceptably poor diagnostic sensitivity of all evaluated markers at patient admission, with substantial failure rate to rule out myocardial infarction at this time. Myoglobin is at present the most sensitive of the markers studied for excluding early AMI with an optimum timing of sampling at patient presentation and approximately 4 h later. However, this marker cannot be used by itself as a proportion of patients admitted to the hospital with a late infarction could be missed. The early rate of rise of CK-MB mass and troponin T is similar. Maximum sensitivity of these two parameters is achieved by the analysis of a second sample 6 to 12 h after admission. Additional larger studies are needed to address the question which troponin shows earlier release after myocardial damage, and to clarify the role of CK-MB isoforms as a possible early marker of myocardial infarction.

Biomarkers↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bovine seminal plasma contains factors that enhance lymphocyte transformation in vitro.

The important immunosuppressive properties of seminal plasma have significant functions in the processes of reproduction. They mask the presence of an immunostimulating activity. From bovine seminal plasma two active factors have been isolated and characterized with marked enhancing activity for in vitro PHA-dependent lymphocyte transformation. They have inosine and hypoxanthine structures, as confirmed by UV absorption profiles, TLC, mass spectrometry, HPLC patterns, behavior to enzymatic treatments, and breaking of purine ring after acid treatment. Nevertheless, their biological activities are about two orders of magnitude higher than those of commercially available inosine and hypoxanthine standards. Biological activities became practically identical when these were processed (HPLC) in the same way as native molecules. A study to explain such a discrepancy is in progress.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Diagnostic value of prostatic acid phosphatase and prostate-specific antigen in patients with prostatic cancer.

To compare the clinical usefulness of the measurement of prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in serum of patients with prostatic carcinoma, we studied 128 patients with prostatic pathology, sixty (46.9%) of whom had prostatic cancer. Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed and the underlying areas were calculated and compared to study clinical efficiency of the two markers regardless of the cutoff level selected. The area for PSA (0.90 +/- 0.30) was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than that of PAP (0.71 +/- 0.05) showing that PSA was a better discriminator of the patients with or without prostatic cancer. The maximal clinical efficiency of the two tests at selected cutoff levels (0.8 U/L for PAP and 10 micrograms/L for PSA) was 0.787 and 0.883, respectively, confirming the superiority of PSA. However, the associated determination of the two markers improved the clinical specificity with no false-positive cases.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A model for studying saliva secretion in the conscious dog.

Parotid saliva secretion was studied in conscious dogs in which a chronic fistula of the parotid duct was provoked by a simple surgical procedure. To validate the technique employed, the responsiveness of the gland to various stimuli was examined. The volume of secretion was measured as well as the concentrations of Na+, K+ and calcium. Secretion was elicited by administering bethanechol i.v. or by feeding a meat meal. These stimuli, applied repetitively in the same animal, evoked reproducible secretory responses. In addition, the dose-response curve to bethanechol could also be constructed. The parotid secretion is controlled by muscarinic receptor activation, as illustrated by atropine blockade and its insensitivity to adrenergic drugs. The preparation is a versatile model which allows to investigate secretion evoked by both direct and reflex activation. The advantages of the preparation, which avoids invasive techniques, are accurate measurements and reproducible responses over long periods in a conscious animal.

Animals↗