Liquid-chromatographic determination of neopterin in urine of thymoma patients.
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Biopterins↗
Biomedical subjects
G Flamini
Publications and source records attributed to G Flamini.
When is there a full recovery for a myasthenia gravis patient?
A myasthenia gravis (MG) patient who seems to have recovered can later have recurrence of myasthenic signs. Clearly clinical remission does not always correspond to the normalization of all the factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. In ten patients who had apparently recovered from MG, electromyographic tests of repetitive supramaximal stimulation were performed and the anti-acetylcholine receptor (anti-AChR) antibody was assessed. In two of the ten patients all these tests were normal, thus showing lack of electromyographic myasthenic fatigability and the absence of circulating anti-AChR antibodies. Our hypothesis is that for these two subjects the risk of a recurrence of MG is lower than for the others.
Adolescent↗
Systemic lupus erythematosus with only IgE-class antinuclear antibodies.
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Adolescent↗
Circulating immune complexes in myasthenia gravis: a study in relation to thymectomy, clinical severity and thymus histology.
Circulating immune complexes were assayed employing the method recently described by Barnett and Chia in a group of patients with myasthenia gravis. The subjects were classified according to clinical severity and immune complexes were sought before and after thymectomy. The operated subjects were further divided into those with thymoma or thymic hyperplasia. Antigen-antibody complexes were higher before thymectomy than after, in hyperplasias than in thymomas, and in severe myasthenia gravis than in mild disease. Circulating immune complexes and anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies did not correlate.
Antigen-Antibody Complex↗
Waldenström's macroglobulinemia and myasthenia gravis.
Until now, three patients with IgG and only one with IgM class monoclonal gammopathy (without the classical features of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia) have been reported in subjects with myasthenia gravis. A case of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia which occurred before thymectomy in a myasthenic patient is described in this paper. Both neuromuscular disease and the lymphocyte dyscrasia worsened after operation and before starting steroid treatment. No evidence of circulating immune complexes nor of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies belonging to the IgM class was found. The patient's HLA type shared A2 and B15 antigens with an IgG-lambda monoclonal gammopathy previously reported in a myasthenic woman, and his genotype included the Bw15 specificity which has been described to be frequent in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia. It appears that a persistent thymic abnormality, responsible for myasthenia gravis, may be associated with a lymphoreticular neoplasm.
Adult↗
Immunochemical and ultrastructural study of multiple myeloma with a heavy chain protein in the serum.
A patient with multiple myeloma had antigenically related monoclonal Fc-gamma fragments and complete IgG-kappa molecules in the serum. The urine contained only Fc-gamma fragments in the absence of Bence-Jones protein. The two distinct M-components in the serum showed electrophoretic identity but could be separated by chromatography. The simultaneous presence of complete monoclonal IgG molecules and Fc-gamma fragments, though difficult to detect, could be a frequent occurrence in multiple myeloma, and it could be defined as 'double paraproteinaemia'. A detailed ultrastructural study was performed in this case and showed fibril bundles being released from the malignant plasma cells; such fibrils could be the supramolecular organisation of the neosynthesised heavy chain fragments.
Aged↗
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated with double monoclonal immunoglobulin.
We describe an unusual case displaying the features of double monoclonal gammapathy (IgM-kappa plus IgG-lambda) associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In the last years monoclonal gammapathies have been sometimes found to be associated with NHLs; it is a very peculiar occurrence the association between a different class double monoclonal gammapathy and NHL, as the case reported in this paper.
Aged↗
IgD (kappa) "nonsecretory" multiple myeloma: report of a case.
A case of IgD "nonsecretory" multiple myeloma in a 46-yr-old woman is reported. Despite the presence of disseminated osteolytic lesions, both serum protein electrophoresis and serum and urine immunoelectrophoresis were normal. In addition, bone scintigraphic study was normal. Bone marrow biopsy and aspirate obtained from the left femur lytic lesion showed only myelomatous proplasmocytes; when examined by immunofluorescence with monospecifc antisera, the cytoplasm showed only the presence of delta and kappa chains, suggesting that the neoplastic plasma cells might belong to a single clone. Lymphocyte studies indicated the presence of a normal amount of both B and T cells.
Alpha-Globulins↗
Preparation and some properties of isolated beating myocytes from adult rabbit heart.
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Adenosine Diphosphate↗
Changes in liver function in acute poisoning by barbiturate, reserpine and amphetamine.
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Alkaline Phosphatase↗
Abnormalities in cell cycle control in cancer and their clinical implications.
Recent studies indicate that the functions of several genes that control the cell cycle are altered during the carcinogenic process and that these changes perturb both cell proliferation and genomic stability, thus promoting cell transformation and enhancing the process of tumor progression. The purpose of this paper is to review current information on the role of cyclins and related genes in the control of the mammalian cell cycle, the types of abnormalities in these genes found in human tumors and the possible clinical implications of these findings.
Animals↗
Biological characterization of central and peripheral primary non small cell lung cancers (NSCLC).
BACKGROUND: Non Small Cell Lung Carcinomas (NSCLC) comprise 90% of all lung carcinomas. Studies have demonstrated a preferential central (bronchus-derived) localization for squamous cells, whereas adenocarcinomas are frequently peripheral (bronchiolo-alveolus derived). It has been suggested that exposure to carcinogenic insults including cigarette smoke, may induce different types of tumors in different locations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty one NSCLC patients staged according to WHO and TNM were considered for localization and biological parameters (p53 expression, cell ploidy and S-phase). RESULTS: p53 overexpression was found more frequently in central than in peripheral tumors (69% vs 39%) (p = 0.074). Central tumors were more aneuploid (69%) than peripheral ones (46%) (p = 0.03) No difference in smoking habit was observed in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that there is no apparent biological difference between these two groups of NSCLCs, and that the smoking does not play a role in either histotype determination or biological behavior.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Analysis of 4-ABP-DNA adducts and p53 alterations in urinary bladder carcinoma.
BACKGROUND: Activated intermediates of 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) are able to covalently interact with DNA to form adducts. There is a large body of evidence indicating that carcinogen-DNA adduct formation can be one of the cancer initiating mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: (4-ABP)-induced DNA damage in association with p53 overexpression and mutations were evaluated in specimens of urothelial bladder cancers from 106 patients. RESULTS: 4-ABP-DNA adduct levels resulted higher in smokers compared to non smokers, with a borderline statistical value. p53 nuclear overexpression was related to tumor grading, while no significant correlation with stage, 4-ABP-DNA adducts, smoking habit, and disease recurrence could be observed. Concerning molecular analysis, p53 point mutations were found in 17 of 106 cases (16%) and mutational pattern was significantly associated both with higher grade and stage, but no correlation was found with disease recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that other sources, in addition to tobacco smoke, may contribute to 4-ABP-DNA adducts formation in bladder tissue and that p53 expression/mutation cannot be considered a prognostic factor in bladder cancer.
Aminobiphenyl Compounds↗
Evaluation of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in human oral cells: the importance of tobacco smoke and urban environment.
The DNA adduct 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been widely used as a sensitive biomarker for oxidative damage. To investigate the role of environmental factors on oxidative DNA damage formation, the level of 8-OHdG was determined in oral cells from 109 healthy volunteers by an immunohistochemical method. A statistically significantly higher content of 8-OHdG was detected in oral cells from smokers (111 +/- 55, n = 38) compared with non smokers (78 +/- 48, n = 71), (p < 0.01). Moreover, subjects living in an urban area showed a higher level of oxidative damage with respect to those living in a countryside-suburban area (99 +/- 53, n = 58 vs. 78 +/- 51, n = 51), (p = 0.03). No significant association was detected between 8-OHdG in oral cells and other variables such as passive smoke, oral infections, alcohol or vitamin intake and grilled food consumption. This work suggests that tobacco smoke and environmental exposure to pollutants lead to a measurable increase of oxidative damage in oral cells and confirms that the immunoperoxidase method is an appropriate approach for epidemiological analyses.
8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗
Diagnosis of T1 bladder transitional cell carcinoma by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis urinalysis.
OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis and follow-up of patients with T1 bladder cancer relies invasive procedures. We developed a non-invasive method for detection of T1 bladder cancer based on a feasible non-radioactive molecular approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urine DNA samples were collected from 24 patients with T1 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder and were processed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis. Urine samples obtained from 10 individuals with no clinical evidence of genitourinary malignancy were used as controls. RESULTS: Ten patients out of 24 (41%) had p53 mutations in their tumor samples. Seven of these presented the same mutation in matched urine samples. The p53 mutation pattern found in urine was always identical to that identified in the primary tumor. Decision diagnostic criteria showed that molecular screening by DGGE of amplified DNA from urine sediment had 69.2 % sensitivity, 100% specificity, 95.8 % accuracy, 100% prediction of positive result and 95.4 % prediction of negative result, respectively. No p53 mutation was found in the urine from control subjects. CONCLUSION: DGGE analysis of urine samples could be a useful tool for the early detection of T1 bladder cancer or its recurrence, potentially leading to a reduction in the frequency of invasive procedures used for the management of this disease.
Aged↗
[Early diagnosis of sepsis in the preterm neonate].
The usefulness of the neutrophil blood cell count, the ratio of band forms to total neutrophils, the platelet count, the quantitative determination of serum IgM, C-reactive protein, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein and haptoglobin for the early identification of the serious neonatal infections was evaluated in 70 preterm newborns: 15 with sepsis, 2 with serious infections, 53 without infections. None of these tests has proved sensitive and predictive enough to be used as a single measure. The combination of 2 or more of them had improve the sensitivity (76.4%) and the predictive value of negative test (91.6%). The authors suggest that the greatest potential value of the tests is to exclude infections, with a more than 90% probability, if they are negative.
Bacterial Infections↗
[Rubella seroepidemiology. proposal of a predictive mathmatical model (author's transl)].
This paper deals with time dependent epidermic behaviour of rubella. The hypothesis that ten classes of immuno-response (Stewart test) can be reduced to three is assumed (= low, intermediate and high level). Upon these conditions a mathematical model is developed and tested using experimental data measured during six years over 1288 subjects. Initial conditions, time-constants and transition probability for the model are also estimated from experimental data.
Age Factors↗
New prognostic factors in oncology.
The relevant role played by reliable prognostic factors in oncology, at times more determining and useful than therapy, is stressed. The possibilities offered by the present biological, cellular and molecular information in this rapidly evolving field, are then considered. Factors that can play a prognostic role, dependent on the identification of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes (TSG) hyperexpression, mutation or deletion and factors related with the determination of some parameters of cell kinetics in the neoplastic tissue (DNA index, phase S), are examined. Based on some instances, the relevance of factors examined in clinical oncology, is evaluated.
Biomarkers↗