Biomedical subjects

G Ciceri

Publications and source records attributed to G Ciceri.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

[Cornea donation: role of the local coordinator in monitoring and implementation].

BACKGROUND: In order to contribute to the dissemination of an organ and tissue donation culture, the authors report the results of a retrospective investigation into the donation of corneas for transplantation relative to the period from January 1997 to December 2001 at a leading hospital in the Milan area. METHODS: All cases of intra-hospital death (n=2137) were considered. The adoption of a selection protocol for potential donors, in accordance with the indications of the North Italy Transplant program, and constant monitoring on the part of the local coordinator, led to the collection of 348 corneal flaps using the procedure whereby all deaths have to be notified to the Health Department. RESULTS: Over this period, the donors/deaths ratio increased from 2.1 to 17.6%, while the collection index (real donors/potential donors including those wrongly excluded) increased from 40.8% in 1999-2000 to 67.8% in 2001. Most involved in the donor selection activity were the intensive care centres with an increase for Resuscitation of 12.7% and for First Aid of 33%, to a lesser extent non-intensive centres (increase of 11.2%). The causes of exclusion from cornea collection in the last three-year period were clinical contraindications in 51.2% of cases (sepsis, blood transfusions, diseases of the central nervous system of unknown aetiology), failure to activate the procedures in 17.4% of cases, opposition in 17%, unsuitability of the corneal tissues in 11.3%, inadequate age in 3%. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained indicate good prospects for technical implementation and for the development of a donation culture in respect of other organs and tissues.

Corneal Transplantation↗

PubMed2001

Analysis of FGFR3 gene mutations in multiple myeloma patients with t(4;14).

The t(4;14)(p16.3;q32) in multiple myeloma (MM) leads to an apparent deregulation of the FGFR3 and WHSC1/MMSET genes. FGFR3 mutations, known to be associated with genetic skeletal disorders, have also been identified in a few cases of MM (mainly cell lines) with t(4;14). We investigated FGFR3 mutations in a series of 53 MM cases; 11 cases with t(4;14) and FGFR3 overexpression were analysed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, while the remaining cases were studied at DNA level. The Arg248Cys mutation, which is associated with some lethal forms of skeletal disorders, was found in one case with t(4;14). Our results indicate that FGFR3 mutations occur in only a small fraction of MM cases with t(4;14).

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14↗

PubMed2000

Benthic fluxes of cadmium, lead, copper and nitrogen species in the northern Adriatic Sea in front of the River Po outflow, Italy.

Trace heavy metal (Cd, Pb and Cu) and nitrogen species (N-NO3, N-NO2 and N-NH4) fluxes between sediment and water were examined for approximately 4 days, in a coastal marine station located in the northern Adriatic Sea in front of the River Po outflow. An in situ benthic chamber, equipped with electronic devices for monitoring and adjustment of oxygen and pH and with a temperature detector, was used. The benthic chamber experiment enabled study of the temporal trend of metals and nutrients when oxygen concentration varied in a controlled environment. Although particular care was devoted to chamber deposition and parameter control, sediment resuspension occurred at the beginning of the experiment and O2 fluctuations were observed during the course of the experiment. Pb concentration was affected by both resuspension and oxic conditions in bottom water, which prevented determination of any reasonable Pb flux value. Cd and Cu, not influenced by oxygen fluctuations, reached an equilibrium phase in a short period with initial positive fluxes from sediment of 0.68 (S.D. = 0.07) and 6.9 (S.D. = 5.6) pmol cm(-2) h(-1), respectively. With regard to nitrogen species, the highest positive flux was that of N-NH4 (10.5, S.D. = 2.4, nmol cm(-2) h(-1)) whose concentration increased in the chamber, while nitrate concentration (initial flux of -5.7, S.D. = 1.5, nmol cm(-2) h(-1)) immediately decreased after the beginning of the experiment. Nitrite concentration was almost constant throughout the experiment and its flux was generally low (initial flux 0.1, S.D. = 0.9, nmol cm(-2) h(-1)).

Ammonia↗

PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclin D1 shows deregulated expression in multiple myeloma with the t(11;14).

The t(11;14)(q13;q32) chromosomal translocation, the hallmark of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), is recurrently found in multiple myelomas (MM) by means of conventional cytogenetics. Unlike MCL, recent molecular studies of MM-derived cell lines with t(11;14) have indicated that the breakpoints are highly dispersed over the 11q13 region; however, the fact that cyclin D1 is generally overexpressed in these cell lines suggests that this gene is the target of the translocation. To evaluate further the involvement of cyclin D1 in MM, we used immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization to investigate cyclin D1 expression and the presence of chromosome 11 abnormalities in a representative panel of 48 MM patients (40 at diagnosis and 8 at relapse). Cyclin D1 overexpression occurred in 12/48 (25%) of cases; combined immunohistochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization analyses in 39 patients showed cyclin D1 positivity in all of the cases (7/7) bearing the t(11;14), in two of the 13 cases with trisomy 11, and in one of the 19 cases with no apparent abnormalities of chromosome 11. Our data indicate that the t(11;14) translocation in MM leads to cyclin D1 overexpression and that immunohistochemical analysis may represent a reliable means of identifying this lesion in MM.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

[Anesthesia in Apert syndrome].

The anaesthetic technique chosen for a laparohysterectomy in a woman affected by Apert's acrocephalosyndactilia is described. Difficulties in performing tracheal intubation were overcome by mean of loco-regional anesthesia (LRA). In order to minimize the anaesthetic risk, a standardised preoperative evaluation and assessment integrating the usual investigations and the possibility of employing intubation techniques as alternative to direct laryngoscopy are suggested.

Acrocephalosyndactylia↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Protocol for preoperative chest X-rays in elective surgery].

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the effects of a protocol designed to optimize the use of preoperative chest X-rays (CXRs) in the evaluation of patients undergoing anesthesia for elective surgery. DESIGN: Observational prospective study. SETTING: General 350 bedded hospital, with main surgical branches. METHODS: a) PROTOCOL: routine CXRs can be avoided in patients aged less than 60 years, nonsmokers, without acute-chronic respiratory, cardiovascular symptoms, free from neoplastic diseases, not candidates to major vascular, abdominal or thoracic surgery, not treated with immunosuppressive therapy, nor immigrants from areas of endemic TB. b) All out patient subjects admitted to anesthesiology service for evaluation prior to elective surgery. RESULTS: Out of 5198 patients, 3795 were enrolled in the protocol; in 152 cases, preoperative CXRs were performed, 3456 patients (57.2% ASA 1; 42% ASA 2; 0.8% ASA 3) underwent surgery without CXRs. Thirty-four percent of patients had general anesthesia, 54.5% regional anesthesia, 20.6% regional-peripheral anesthesia with/without MAC. No critical events nor major complications were observed in the perioperative period in these subjects. Preoperative CXRs (performed in 152 cases) yelded useful informations with effect on the clinical management in 20 instances. CONCLUSIONS: In a context of adequate preoperative anesthesiologic evaluation, this protocol proved to be effective in reducing the number of routine preoperative CXRs in patients undergoing elective surgery. This resulted in a substantial reduction of radiation exposure both to the subject and to the general population, and costs saving, without evident negative side-effects.

Adolescent↗