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Biomedical subjects

G Angeli

Publications and source records attributed to G Angeli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Enzyme induction in rat lung and liver by condensates and fractions from main-stream and side-stream cigarette smoke.

Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and dimethylnitrosamine demethylase (DMND) activities in pulmonary and hepatic tissues of male Sprague-Dawley rats were assayed following pretreatment with known inducers (benzo[a]pyrene, 3-methylcholanthrene, Aroclor 1254, phenobarbital) and with main-stream (MS) and side-stream (SS) cigarette smoke condensates and their related fractions. Biochemical assays by spectrophotofluorimetry (AHH activity) and spectrophotometry (DMND activity) and by a biological assay (Ames test) were performed to detect AHH and DMND induction. Ames test proved to be much less sensitive than the spectrophotofluorimetric analysis for AHH determination. Both main-stream and side-stream cigarette smoke condensates and some fractions, containing water-soluble bases, water-insoluble bases, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, were found to induce AHH activity in lung and liver, the lung being induced to the greatest extent. The highest levels of AHH inducibility were found for the SS-smoke condensate and related fractions. In particular, the insoluble bases fractions gave the highest induction. On the contrary, pulmonary DMND activity was not affected by pretreatment with the same materials, while hepatic DMND response was only minimally induced by Aroclor and phenobarbital treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Diagnostic problems in spontaneous bacterial peritonitis].

In spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) the ascitic fluid culture (certain criterion of diagnosis) may be negative despite an evident clinical and biochemical picture. Therefore the diagnosis may be sometimes more "probable" than "certain". The authors performed a comparative analytical study--from a clinical, biochemical and prognostic point of view--between a group of 10 "probable" SBP (10 cirrhotic pts.) and 9 "certain" SBP (9 cirrhotic pts.). 115 "normal ascitic fluids" (negative culture in absence of any SBP-symptoms), collected from 82 cirrhotic pts., were used as control group. The ascitic concentration of white blood cells (WBC)/mmc and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN)/mmc was significantly different between the SBP and control group (p less than 0.001) and between the "certain" and "probable" SBP (p less than 0.02). The latter have a mean WBC and PMN/mmc count that is lower than the "certain" SBP and on the contrary a significantly higher ascitic glucose content (p less than 0.05). Probably that means a lower ascitic bacterial inoculum, which is below the threshold of detectability by current culture techniques. Serum laboratory tests showed no differences between the "probable" and the "certain" SBP groups, although, however they were worse than the control group. The symptoms and the prognosis resulted nearly the same in both groups. In spite of a high rate of recovery (57.9%) the global survival at the follow-up (10 +/- 5.2 months, range 6-19) was only 26.3%. The wide clinical, biochemical and prognostic overlap of the two groups leads us to consider as "certain" all the cases of "probable" SBP. Owing to the fact that only an early recognition and therapy are known to affect the prognosis significantly, the obvious conclusion is that in the SBP the suspicion is more important that the diagnostic certainty. Furthermore--in agreement with previous studies--the cutoff limit of 250 PMN/mmc has shown the best statistical diagnostic value for a rapid diagnosis (sensibility 100%, diagnostic accuracy 92.5%, negative predictive value 100%, likelihood ratio 1.9).

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Primary hepatocarcinoma. Epidemiologic case-control study in the province of Bergamo].

This is the first epidemiological study of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in the province of Bergamo, an area well-known to have a high incidence of HBsAg (9.1%) and chronic alcoholic liver disease. 72 cases of HCC (60 male, 12 female) al from the province of Bergamo and encountered in 1980-84 were subjected to an epidemiological case-control study. Analysis of the results confirmed the role of certain known Risk Factors (RF) with a prevalence of male sex (83.3%), age (mean age 63), association with live cirrhosis (79.2%) and HBsAg+ (31.9%). Such findings are in line with the Italian average found in previous studies. No difference between the sexes was found in these RF except for alcoholic abuse which was significantly higher in the males (53.3%, p less than 0.05). The case-control correlation analysis revealed no difference in the prevalence of alcohol addiction and previous HBV infection (HBV-Ab+) between the HCC (with or without cirrhosis) and the various control groups (Group A: patients with no liver pathology. Group B: patients with cirrhosis of the liver). HBsAg+ was significantly higher among HCC patients without cirrhosis (46.6%, p less than 0.001), but there was no significant difference between HCC + cirrhosis and cirrhosis alone (88%). The difference between "expected" and "observed" HCC-HBsAg+ was highly significant (p less than 0.001). The overall Relative Risk (RR) of HCC for the RF-HBsAg+ was 4.6. When divided into subgroups this gave: RR = 1 for patients with cirrhosis of the liver. RR = 11.5 for patients with no liver pathology. These data confirm the importance of current HBV infection (HBsAg+), in the province, though the presence or absence of cirrhosis probably influences its significance. The approximate incidence of HCC is 9.7%/100,000/year. Considering the limitations of data on a small monocentric study in a limited area (USSL no. 30) the figure is probably underestimated and the real incidence probably higher.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Gastric choriocarcinoma; an immunohistochemical study.

A case is reported of primary gastric choriocarcinoma occurring in a 73-year-old man, associated with a high serum level of beta hCG. Both primary and lymph node metastases contained exclusively cyto and syncytiotrophoblastic elements. Immunohistochemical localization of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), placental lactogen (hPL) and pregnancy-specific glycoprotein (SP 1) is described in relation to cytotrophoblastic differentiation. An intramucosal focus of adenocarcinoma supports the hypothesis of the origin of choriocarcinoma from usual gastric cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

[Autonomic neuropathy in reduced glucose tolerance].

33 subjects belonging to I.G.T. class according to N.D.D.G. criteria and controlled in our ambulatory, have been studied for the response to the tests usually employed for the investigation of parasympathetic and sympathetic cardiovascular innervation. We have found pathological values for the SL1 test and borderline values for SL2 and LS tests; on the contrary all the other tests presented normal values. The Authors conclude that signs of deterioration of cardiac and vascular innervation, especially regarding the parasympathetic nervous system, can be present also in the subjects showing a small glucose metabolism alteration. This subclinical alterations do not depend on factors which can interfere with the responses to the tests (as age, boyd weight, sex and presence or absence of diabetic familiarity) but on glucose metabolism alteration. Hence also the subjects with I.G.T. have to be considered as a at risk population, like the neuropathic diabetics.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Mutagenicity studies and D-glucaric acid determination in urine of workers exposed to mineral oils.

Urine from workers of a cold-rolling steel plant exposed to mineral oils were tested for the mutagenic activity by the Salmonella/microsome assay, and for D-glucaric acid content as a measure of hepatic mixed-function oxidase activity. An occupationally unexposed group served as control. The biological monitoring phase followed an environmental phase carried out in the working environment that showed a substantially low mutagenic/carcinogenic risk for the exposed workers. Urine samples were collected before, during and after work. From the results it was observed that the urinary mutagenicity was detectable only with TA98 strain in the presence of enzymatic activation (+ S9 mix). Further addition of beta-glucuronidase did not give any enhanced mutagenic effects. There was a significant difference in urinary mutagenicity between the exposed and control workers. However, in both groups the highest mutagenicity data was found in smokers: both exposed smoking workers and smoking controls had significantly higher urine mutagenicity than the non-smoking exposed and control workers. The results suggested a synergistic effect of smoking with exposure to mineral oils: the mutagenicity of urine from exposed smokers was significantly higher than that of control smokers. There was no difference in urinary D-glucaric acid results between exposed and unexposed groups, however, smokers of both groups had a significant increase in D-glucaric acid excretion. The authors suggest that even for this workplace with its low mutagenic/carcinogenic risk, smoking could interact with the complex mixtures present in the environment, and thus modify urinary mutagenicity data.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Chemotherapy in hairy cell leukemia. Preliminary results of a nonaggressive regimen.

Three patients with hairy cell leukemia, only one splenectomized, were treated with a combination of vinblastine plus bleomycin at low doses. One achieved a complete remission and another achieved a good partial hematologic and bone marrow remission. Neither of them has relapsed after follow-up periods of 34 and 17 months, respectively. The third patient, although achieving a hematologic improvement, died because of a cytomegalovirus pneumonitis after 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is not usually employed in the initial management of hairy cell leukemia. However, if life-threatening neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occur secondary to severe bone marrow leukemia infiltration and an improvement does not take place using alternative therapeutic strategies, chemotherapy should be taken into consideration. The nonaggressive chemotherapeutic regimen the authors propose induces a cytoreduction without an evident myelosuppression, and can be also employed on an outpatient basis.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Acquired hemoglobin H disease in a case of refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) evolving into acute nonlymphoid leukemia.

A new case of refractory anemia with excess of blasts (RAEB) with acquired Hemoglobin H disease (HbH) evolving into acute nonlymphoid leukemia (ANLL) is reported. In this patient, both family and personal history were negative for alpha thalassemia. At time of diagnosis of RAEB, 'golf ball' erythrocytic inclusions, typical of HbH, were found. The cellulose acetate electrophoresis (pH 8.9) revealed a fast moving band, corresponding to HbH. An evolution into ANLL, M1 subtype, 25 months later, has been documented.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Experimental studies on mice challenged intracerebrally with Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Intact or immunodepressed mice of different strains were challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells by the peritoneal or intracerebral route, in order to establish experimental models which may mimic the clinical conditions of compromised hosts experiencing local or systemic invasion by the opportunistic pathogen. The possible role played by host sensitization alone or in combination with chemotherapy was also studied.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

In vitro reconstitution of 35S ribonucleoprotein complexes.

Ribonucleoprotein complexes (hnRNP) sedimenting at 30-40 S and containing fragments of heterogeneous nuclear RNA (hnRNA) have been extracted from HeLa cell nuclei. Besides hnRNA fragments (8-12 S), the complexes contain eight mostly basic core proteins of Mr 31 000-41 000 as shown by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Other proteins (mostly of higher molecular weight) seem to be peripherally associated since they are lost after pelleting and recentrifugation of the hnRNP complexes. The particle dissociates into its protein components after digestion of the endogenous hnRNA fragments by micrococcal nuclease. After inactivation of the nuclease and addition of a wide variety of exogenous RNAs [MS2 phage RNA, poly(U), poly(C), poly(A), and poly(A,U)], a RNP particle is re-formed which resembles the native hnRNP complex according to its sedimentation value (35 S), its appearance in the electron microscope, its density in metrizamide, and its protein composition. No particles are formed on double-stranded RNA [poly(A) . poly(U)] or native DNA whereas denatured DNA allows complex formation. On MS2 RNA (3569 nucleotides), the formation of tri- and tetrameric complexes is observed. This indicates the presence of 900-1200 nucleotides per particle. In vivo, 40S hnRNP particles are a unit component of larger RNP structures. Hence, we conclude from our results that the hnRNP core proteins have the intrinsic capability to associate with nascent single-stranded hnRNA regions to form these RNP complexes. Because of the lack of any sequence specificity, the complexes may function in packaging of the hnRNA and in connection with other nuclear components may provide a scaffold for subsequent processing reactions.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1981

[Comparative photodynamic effect of methylene blue in solution and immobilized on Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis].

The photodynamic activity of Methylene Bleu (MB) in homogeneous aqueous solution and in heterogeneous phase was compared in order to experiment the disinfection of waters and waste waters using the photosensitation technique. Insolubilized MB was obtained by covalent bonding on a styrene - 2% Divinylbenzene copolymer. E. coli and B. subtilis were used as gram-positive and gram-negative test microorganism. In the present experimental condition high inactivation towards both microorganism was obtained without substantial difference between homogeneous and heterogeneous phases. Therefore the photooxidation with immobilized BM seem to exalte the potential advantage of this technique in water disinfection for the remarkable bactericidal activity associated with the oossibility of the reuse of the photosensitizer.

Bacillus subtilis↗