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Biomedical subjects

G Angeli

Publications and source records attributed to G Angeli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Role of IgM antibody to hepatitis B core antigen in the diagnosis of hepatitis B exacerbations.

IgM anti-HBc levels were measured by the IMx Core-M Abbott assay in 939 serum samples in order to define a specific and sensitive cut-off value for diagnosis of chronic hepatitis B. The sera used were obtained from 52 chronic HBV patients and 10 HBV carriers with HCV or HDV co-infections and 155 asymptomatic subjects without evidence of liver disease. A Youden index value of 95.4% with 98% sensitivity and 97.4% specificity was obtained for an IMx Index value of 0.204 as cut-off. A one-year follow-up study with monthly tests has shown that quantitative analysis of IgM anti-HBc can serve as a noninvasive tool for monitoring HBV infection, and provides an accurate diagnosis of hepatitis B exacerbations. Significant elevations of IgM anti-HBc levels were associated with hepatitis B exacerbations in 96.2% of the cases but with none of the ALT flare-ups observed in HCV or HDV infected individuals. These results suggest that quantitative analysis of IgM anti-HBc provides the highest degree of confidence in definition of spontaneous and therapy-induced exacerbations or remissions of hepatitis B.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A neuropathological autopsy study of 21 cases.

In a neuropathological autopsy study of 21 cases of AIDS-associated PML no fundamental morphological differences to non-AIDS PML were found. PML in AIDS often showed very large foci as well as necrotizing lesions. Partial involvement of cerebral cortex and deep gray matter were common findings; infratentorial lesions could be observed in more than three quarters of cases. Perivascular mononuclear infiltrates within PML foci were frequent and obviously not associated with a more benign clinical course. Possible reasons for these peculiarities of PML in AIDS are discussed. In 7 cases evidence of concomitant HIV encephalopathy was found; this may be one relevant factor contributing to severity of PML in AIDS. PML has to be regarded as a common complication of HIV infection, which may show atypical morphological and neuroradiological features.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1993

AIDS-myelopathy. A neuropathological study.

Vacuolar myelopathy belongs to the AIDS-associated diseases. It is characterized by vacuolation and infiltration of the long tracts of the spinal cord by macrophages. The clinical and morphological findings of 8 AIDS-patients with vacuolar myelopathy are reported here. The syndrome developed during the final stages of AIDS and was associated with HIV-encephalopathy in 5 cases. The vacuoles were mainly due to intramyelinic swelling and vacuolation. Vacuolated macrophages and axons contributed only to a minor degree. In one case only, HIV-antigens were detected immunohistochemically. The results are discussed in the light of modern pathogenetical concepts of HIV-related diseases.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1992

Some tools for the diffusion of biomedical information using research networks.

Research and academic computer networks provide e-mail and other services to all members of participating institutions. Their usage by biomedical researchers and clinicians is still limited because of several reasons, including limited awareness of the available network resources. An increased use of these networks within the biomedical community would allow fast, effective communications and convenient remote access to information sources. As an example and pilot study, we prepared two network tools to make some information services maintained by our institution also accessible through e-mail. Both tools were implemented using PMDF e-mail software on a DEC MicroVAX connected to the Italian academic and research network (GARR), which is linked to the U.S. Internet. A network server takes care of automatic distribution of documents (files) reporting results of an oncology research/education project. An information server provides for semiautomated support of a consulting service on use of drugs. The feasibility of implementing these tools, based on existing software, further illustrates the potential usefulness of research computer networks for the dissemination of biomedical information.

Computer Communication Networks↗
PubMed1991

[The CNS in AIDS and in asymptomatic HIV positive patients].

Neuropathological investigations were carried out on 166 autopsies of HIV-seropositive patients, with and without AIDS. Opportunistic infections and lymphomas were present in about 50% of cases; 65 patients were bearers of HIV-encephalopathy. HIV core protein p24 was detected in few mono- and multinucleated macrophages (HIV-cells), only in cases with HIV-encephalopathy. In the CNS of HIV-positive, asymptomatic patients no histological or immunohistochemical abnormalities were seen. These findings let suppose that AIDS-Dementia is a result of a late infiltration of HIV-infected macrophages from the bloodstream into the brain and not due to an impairment of neuronal or glial cells infected by HIV in the early stages of the disease.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1991

[Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in AIDS: morphological and topographical characteristics].

15 autopsy cases of PML in AIDS are presented. Frequent findings were: Very large, confluent PML-lesions (7 cases), lesions with prominent necrotic features (10 cases) and with marked perivascular mononuclear infiltrates (6 cases). In 9 cases additional PML-foci were seen in the cerebellum and/or the brain stem, and in 1 case there was even an exclusive involvement of those structures. Such characteristics regarding severity and topography of PML in AIDS, may be due to additional toxic factors. In 7 cases HIV-encephalopathy with multinucleated macrophages was present.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1990

Renal carcinoma metastasis to the parotid gland.

Metastatic tumours in major salivary glands are uncommon with a higher incidence of primary sites from the head and neck. The lungs and breast are the common primary sites, while metastases from the kidney are very rarely found. The authors describe a case of renal clear-cell carcinoma with metastasis to the parotid gland. The incidence of a metastasis in the parotid gland from a primary renal carcinoma, even if rare, should not be overlooked in making a correct differential diagnosis with acinic cell carcinoma and monomorphic clear cell adenoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

Thioethers, mutagens, and D-glucaric acid in urine of operating room personnel exposed to anesthetics.

Mutagenic hazards related to occupational exposure to nitrous oxide and enflurane was studied in the personnel of five operating rooms using a coupled environmental and biological monitoring approach. The environmental monitoring revealed air concentrations of the two anesthetics exceedings the TLVs by 10-15-fold. These values were correlated individually with the concentrations of the two anesthetics in the expired air of the exposed subjects. The biological monitoring was carried out by determining two parameters associated with mutagen exposure (urinary mutagenicity and thioethers) and a parameter associated with the enzymatic induction (D-glucaric acid) in the urine of exposed and unexposed subjects (N = 64 and N = 37, respectively). The results showed no difference in the two groups for urine mutagenicity and D-glucaric acid, but urine thioethers were significantly increased among highly exposed subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Urinary excretion of mutagens, thioethers and D-glucaric acid in workers exposed to bitumen fumes.

The authors carried out biological monitoring of the mutagenic/carcinogenic hazards associated with exposure to bitumen fumes during paving operations, analysing some biological parameters in the urine of a group of exposed workers. The urine samples were studied for mutagenicity by the Ames test and for thioethers concentration. D-Glucaric acid urine excretion was also determined to investigate the enzymatic induction potential of bitumens. Even though, in a previous environmental monitoring phase, a low content of mutagenic/carcinogenic compounds was found in bitumen and air samples, urinary mutagenicity data of exposed workers were statistically higher than those of a group of unexposed subjects. The urinary mutagenicity increased further if exposure to bitumens was associated with cigarette smoking. Thioethers were higher only in subjects exposed simultaneously to bitumens and cigarettes. D-Glucaric acid excretion did not increase significantly. The authors think that this type of coupled environmental and biological monitoring is a valid tool for a better evaluation of the mutagenic/carcinogenic exposure to bitumens or similar complex mixtures.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1989

Chemical composition and genotoxic activity of petroleum derivatives collected in two working environments.

Pitch and bitumen, two complex petroleum derivative mixtures, were studied for both their chemical composition and their mutagenic/DNA damaging activity. While bitumen revealed no genotoxic effect and low polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentration, petroleum pitch showed a high concentration of mutagenic/carcinogenic PAHs, and also an elevated mutagenic activity when assayed by the Ames test, in the presence of postmitochondrial rat liver fractions. The in vitro mutagenic activity was detectable as frameshift mutation by assaying the pitch both as an in toto mixture and after HPLC fractionation, the most polar fractions being the most active. In contrast, both derivatives showed no in vivo DNA damage in rat liver, using the DNA alkaline elution technique and the fluorometric assay of DNA unwinding.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

gamma-Glutamyl-transpeptidase in diabetics: a case control study.

Several investigators have reported high levels of gamma-glutamyl-transpeptidase (GGT) in the diabetic population. Therefore, we undertook a study to see the prevalence of 'isolated' high GGT in a large population of diabetics without chronic liver disease (CLD), as compared to an age- and sex-matched control group of non-diabetic subjects without CLD, and the role of extrahepatic factors in 'isolated' high GGT, as possible etiopathogenetic causes. We selected 351 diabetics with normal hepatologic screening, without echographic abnormalities of the hepatic parenchyma or the biliary tract. Age, duration and therapy of diabetes, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1), and the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) were studied to see if they are related to high GGT. The control group included 260 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic subjects. We did not find any significant difference between diabetics and the control group in the prevalence of high GGT (mean: 17.5% vs. 23%; women: 16% vs. 14.5%). Multiple regression analysis showed that alcohol consumption plays the major role in the high GGT of both men and women.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

[Insulin therapy with microinfusion devices. Review of the literature].

The aim of the present work is to review the most recent data in the literature about the problems, true advantages and limits of continuous infusion of insulin in the therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. After a report on the kinds of microinfusors available today and the possible ways of continuously administering insulin, some aspects of CSII (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion) are reviewed: indications, side effects, patterns of insulin flow programming and psychological aspects. The need for preliminary selection of the patients who are to undergo instructive courses is emphasized. Then the data from the literature about the effects of continuous infusional therapy in relation to metabolic alterations and the later complications of diabetes are analysed. These important aspects are compared with the results of conventional insulin therapy. Finally, the effects of continuous infusional therapy during pregnancy, on brittle diabetes, on insulin sensitivity and on the "down phenomenon" are analysed. It is concluded that, even if you cannot formulate a definitive opinion about this topic, microinfusors can be a functional means of achieving excellent metabolic control. Nevertheless, their greater efficiency in comparison with the so-called optimized insulin therapy has not been unequivocably demonstrated, and the real need for them at the present time appears to be exceptional.

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1↗
PubMed1987

[Pseudoaldosteronism caused by licorice. Review of the literature and description of 4 clinical cases].

Metabolic and toxic effects caused by prolonged daily ingestion of Liquorice are well known in the literature. Such acquisition doesn't seem to be known enough by practitioners and by common people. Besides active substances such as Glycyrrhizin , Liquorice contains even steroids similar to the adrenocortical ones; among these the most important is Beta-Glycyrrhetinic acid. This one, in vivo and in vitro, produces salt and water retention by means of a "DOCA-like" mineral-corticoid mechanism, and clear suppression of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone axis. A low plasmatic level of Renin and Aldosterone is a common feature. The clinical picture in many ways is similar to the primary Aldosteronism and for this reason the above mentioned syndrome is usually called "Pseudoaldosteronism". Symptoms and signs can be classified into the following main groups: symptoms linked with water and salt retention: oedemas, hypertension, cardiac involvement. Symptoms linked with serum Potassium depletion: asthenia, paralysis (due to Potassium deficiency), myopathy with myoglobinuria. The diagnosis is essential based on an accurate pharmacological dietetic history, aimed to recognise an excessive use of Liquorice (pure or more often as substitute) in the screening of hypertension with or without hypopotassemia. Finally, the more or less quick normalisation of blood pressure and biochemical signs--as an "ex juvantibus" criterion--is the most important reason for the diagnosis. After a wide survey of the literature, the clinical and biological picture in four patients with chronic Liquorice ingestion and Pseudoaldosteronism syndrome is described.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Environmental monitoring of mutagenic/carcinogenic hazards during road paving operations with bitumens.

Environmental monitoring of mutagenic/carcinogenic hazards associated with occupational exposure to bitumen fumes was performed during road paving operations. Bitumen samples were collected and analysed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content by HPLC and for mutagenicity by the Ames test. The exposure of sixteen road workers to bitumen fumes was studied. Time-weighted average values of bitumen fumes were determined by personal samplers. PAH concentration in the air and the mutagenicity of airborne particulates were also analysed. The results showed that bitumen samples contained low levels of total PAH (microgram/g) and were not mutagenic. Environmental monitoring showed a low level of exposure to bitumen fumes, which were found to contain only trace levels of PAH and not to be mutagenic. The authors suggest that these workers' exposure to mutagenic/carcinogenic agents is low.

Air Pollutants↗