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G Gilli

Publications and source records attributed to G Gilli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Binding thermodynamics of serotonin to rat-brain 5-HT1A, 5HT2A and 5-HT3 receptors.

The thermodynamic parameters delta G degrees, delta H degrees and delta S degrees of the binding equilibrium of serotonin to 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A and 5-HT3 rat-brain membrane receptors have been determined by means of affinity constant measurements at six temperatures in the range 0 -35 degrees C and van't Hoff plots. At variance with 5-HT1A and 5-HT3, the binding at the 5-HT2A receptors is strongly endothermic and entropy-driven. Comparison with the results obtained by other authors on 5-HT2A receptors in rats and humans suggests that the observed differences can be explained by a single amino acid difference in the receptor sequence between these two species.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Impaired glucose tolerance leads to delayed diagnosis of Alström syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To emphasis the need for timely diagnosis of Alström syndrome. CASE: We report a case of late-detected Alström syndrome in a boy 15 1/2 years of age who was admitted because of poor wound healing and hyperglycemia. RESULTS: Diagnosis was made and the patient's impaired glucose tolerance improved by diet. CONCLUSIONS: Regular follow-ups are needed to recognize and possibly prevent late-appearing complications.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Benzene, toluene and xylenes in air, geographical distribution in the Piedmont region (Italy) and personal exposure.

The objectives of this study were the determination of: (a) benzene (B), toluene (T) and xylene (X) air pollution in three sites of the Piedmont region (north-western Italy), (b) the relationship between BTX pollution in indoor, outdoor and personal air measured for a group of non-smoking university students, (c) the influence of environmental tobacco smoke on the level of BTX exposure for indoor air environments. Results indicate (i) a direct relationship between human density and level of contamination and higher toluene pollution, (ii) an indoor/outdoor ratio of > 1 for all the three aromatics, (iii) a similar level of personal and indoor air contamination. Human exposure to BTX air pollution has been found to depend principally on indoor air contamination, not only on home pollution, but also, probably on many other confined environments.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1994

Prevention of aspiration pneumonia during long-term feeding by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: might cisapride play any role? An open pilot study.

The risk of aspiration during tube feedings has been reduced but not abolished by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). This open study was planned to evaluate whether cisapride may play some role in preventing aspiration in long-term enteral feeding via PEG. A group of 29 patients, unable to swallow because of head and neck cancer (14 cases) or neurological disorders (15 cases) entered the study; 7 neurological patients, fed via nasogastric tube before PEG placement, had suffered from aspiration pneumonia during nasogastric feeding. All patients underwent PEG, and 10 mg cisapride was routinely given via PEG before each administration of enteral feeding and 6 h after its initiation when the feeding was continued for 12 h or more. Only 1 minor complication was observed during the acute hospital setting (ileus, spontaneously resolving after 36 h). After hospital discharge, the patients were followed for a total of 4935 days of feeding (range 47-508 days, mean time per patient: 170 days) and assessed weekly for the development of complications. No episode of probable/possible aspiration pneumonia was observed during the follow-up. Two neurological patients with involuntary movements had rupture of the feeding tube, which was replaced without complications. These results support the hypothesis that cisapride might play some role in the prevention of aspiration in patients fed via PEG, and justify the planning of some controlled, double-blind trials to verify such a hypothesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Growth and skeletal maturation in children with phenylketonuria.

Growth and skeletal maturation was evaluated in 82 children participating in the German Collaborative Study of Children Treated for Phenylketonuria (PKU). Height, weight, head circumference and bone age were recorded at regular intervals for the first 6 years of life. The mean SD score (SDS) for height was not significantly different from zero at study entry, but decreased mainly during the second year of life to a nadir of -0.78 in boys and -0.54 in girls at 2.5 years. During the subsequent years, a significant trend towards a regain of height SDS was noted in both sexes. Weight-for-height SDS was close to zero in both sexes, with a significant continuous increasing trend throughout the observation period. Head circumference SDS decreased in boys during the first year of life from -0.28 to -0.68, whereas girls showed only a minor change. During the further follow-up period, head circumference SDS remained at approximately -0.3 in boys and 0.0 in girls. While the mean verbal and performance IQ of the total study population at 5 and 6 years of age did not differ from a group of 212 healthy non-PKU children, patients with a head circumference SDS less than the population median at 2 years of age exhibited poorer cognitive abilities at school age than those patients with a relative head size greater than the population median. The children with a head circumference less than the median at 2 years had smaller head sizes already at birth; in addition, the change in relative head size during the first 2 years was correlated significantly with cognitive abilities at school age in boys. Mean bone age was identical to chronological age at each time point of observation. The rate of maturation was one year of bone age per year of chronological age. No correlation between phenylalanine intake or phenylalanine concentrations and the rates of body or head growth or skeletal maturation could be established. We conclude that despite adequate weight gain, moderate growth retardation occurred during the first 2 years of life in this group of children treated for PKU. Growth was more compromised in boys than in girls and tended to be compensated during later follow-up. Early infantile head circumference and growth appear to be predictors of cognitive development.

Age Determination by Skeleton↗
PubMed1994

[Primary lymphoma of the breast. Clinico-pathologic description of a case].

Primary malignant lymphomas of the breast are extremely rare, accounting for only 0.04% to 0.53% of all breast malignancies. Recently a connection between some primary breast lymphomas and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) has been reported identifying an extranodal lymphoma as MALT-type bears some biologic relevance, especially in terms of its spread to other mucosal sites, which sometimes occurs before disseminating into peripheral lymphoid tissue. The Authors report a case of primary breast lymphoma associated with a possible connective disease. Nevertheless the case reported cannot confirm a precise time relationship between malignant lymphomas and autoimmunity, we think that it can be possible.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Influence of spontaneous and surgical menopause on atherogenic metabolic risk.

We evaluated serum total-, LDL-, HDL-, cholesterol and triglycerides in 858 women. Sixty-seven were in premenopause, 307 in perimenopause, 326 in spontaneous menopause, and 158 women underwent hysterectomy. Of these, 101 had bilateral ovariectomy, 24 with unilateral ovariectomy and 33 with retention of both ovaries. After correcting for chronological age and body mass index by variance analysis, it was found that total-, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol significantly increased during menopause without changes in the total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides/HDL-cholesterol ratio. The changes gradually occurred during the months preceding spontaneous cessation of menses. Atherogenic metabolic risk (as relative risk of high total and LDL-cholesterol, estimated by logistic regression analysis) significantly increased in all groups of women in reference to premenopause. The risk observed in surgical menopause with bilateral ovariectomy was higher than in spontaneous menopause, and conservation of ovaries in hysterectomized women seems to protect only partially against such an increase.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Geographical and temporal patterns of air-borne and personal 1,1,1-trichloroethane exposure in Piedmont region (Italy).

During the summer of 1989 and the winter 1989-1990, we initiated measurements of 1,1,1-trichloroethane concentrations in indoor, outdoor, and 'personal' air, in urban and rural sites. In the Piedmont region (North-Western Italy) we have carried out an atmospheric monitoring study: in the centre of Turin city (urban site), in Cuorgnè (rural site), and in Banchetta (remote site). First results confirm a higher winter contamination (11.67 vs. 2.79 micrograms/m3) and a higher contamination at the urban site, compared to rural and remote sites. Excluding Cuorgnè in the summer, all indoor/outdoor ratios are greater than 1 and, in all cases, the 'personal' air shows higher 1,1,1-trichloroethane levels than indoor and outdoor air. In Turin the relationships between winter and summer all show a higher winter contamination, while, in Cuorgnè no differences are proven.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1991

Sympathetic and vagal influences on rate-dependent changes of QT interval in healthy subjects.

Dependence of QT interval duration on cardiac heart rate has been well established and is considered to be an intrinsic property of ventricular myocardium. Conclusive results of autonomic influences on such phenomena are lacking. To evaluate whether rate-dependent changes of QT interval are conditioned by the autonomic nervous system, 28 normal subjects with no heart disease and a normal QT interval were electrophysiologically assessed. The QT interval was calculated at 6 paced cycle lengths (600, 540, 500, 460, 430 and 400 ms) during the basal state, and after beta blockade (propranolol 0.2 mg/kg) and autonomic blockade (propranolol plus atropine 0.04 mg/kg). Because of atrioventricular nodal conduction limits, intrapatient cross-comparisons were performed in 10 subjects (aged 42 +/- 15 years). Single regression lines, evaluated in each subject, showing correlation between pacing cycle length and QT duration at each of the 3 states were analyzed. The mean slope observed after autonomic blockade (b = 0.10 +/- 0.04) was significantly lower than that seen during the basal state (b = 0.22 +/- 0.12, p less than 0.05) and after beta blockade (b = 0.23 +/- 0.08, p less than 0.05); nonsignificant differences were found between slopes during the basal state and after beta blockade. Results showed that vagal tone increased intrinsic dependence of QT at increasing cycle length, whereas sympathetic tone did not seem to interfere significantly. Since (in each subject) beta blockade was performed--or achieved--before atropine administration, the vagal influences are likely to be directly exerted on the ventricular electrophysiologic substrate.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Receptor binding at two different temperatures to discriminate agonist and antagonist behaviour of adenosine A1 receptor ligands in rat brain.

The inhibitory binding constants, Ki, at the adenosine A1 receptor in rat brain have been measured at 0 and 25 degrees C for 25 typical ligands. The Ki ratios at the two temperatures are greater and smaller than unity for adenosine agonists and xanthine antagonists, respectively. These results suggest that two-temperature measurements of in-vitro Ki constants represent a simple method of discriminating between in-vivo agonistic and antagonistic behaviour of A1 adenosine receptor ligands.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1991

Coagulation disorders and tumor markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Twenty patients (42-80 years old of whom 9 women) affected by instrumentally ascertained pancreatic cancer (7 cases were operated on) were studied. In all of them the following coagulation indices (fibrinopeptide A, FpA; beta-thromboglobulin, BTG; platelet factor IV, PF4; fibrinogen degradation products, XDP) and tumor markers (gastrointestinal cancer associated antigen, GICA; tissue polypeptide antigen, TPA; carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA; alpha-fetoprotein, or AFP) were assessed at the time of diagnosis, and 10 and 30 days after diagnosis, to test whether and which of the above parameters are more sensitive for entertaining the underlying affection. In both operated and nonoperated patients FpA was shown to be the most sensitive index. Lesser sensitivity was shown by XDP, GICA, and BTG. AFP proved to be quite useless as its serum levels constantly fell within the normal range.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Production of mutagenic compounds during the water purification treatment of surface water].

In the last years many studies have reported the presence of mutagenic/carcinogenic compounds in treated waters. These substances can be present in raw water, but are also produced during drinking water purification. Mutagens are formed as by-products of chemical reactions between oxidants/disinfectants used in treatments and organic load of the raw water (humic and fulvic acids). The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of mutagenic substances during the main phases of the Po river water treatment ("PO3" plant) in Turin. Water samples (50 litres), collected from February 1989 to August 1990, were concentrated with XAD-2/XAD-8 resins mixture. Extracts were tested for mutagenicity at different doses (1, 2.5, 5 and 10 litres) by Ames Salmonella assay, using TA 100 and TA 98 strains, without microsome fraction (S9). Raw water was rarely mutagenic while, in particular at the highest doses (5 and 10 litres), sometimes showed toxic effect. After ozonation treatment only few samples were mutagenic with TA 100 strain, while 43% of the samples were mutagenic with TA 98. The following treatment of clariflocculation and chlorination with NaClO produced mutagens in 95% of the samples assayed with TA 100 and in 85% of the samples assayed with TA 98. The next GAC/sand filtration step seems to reduce the mutagenic load produced in the previous phases. Finally, drinking water after chlorination with ClO2 showed weak mutagenicity at 1 litre dose (26% and 21% of positive samples with TA 100 and TA 98 respectively) and this effect increased at the higher dosages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Carcinogenicity Tests↗
PubMed1990

An overview of atmospheric pollution in Italy before the use of new gasoline.

In 1991 an Italian law will impose a lead reduction in gasoline from 0.4 to 0 g/l. In the present paper we show the actual level (1988) of contamination in Turin city air, in relationship to: lead, some Volatile Halogenated Hydrocarbon and carbonyls that are also bound (directly or indirectly) to emissions from automobiles filled with leaded gasoline. The results confirm the presence in atmosphere of some important "risk factors" for public health that could be substituted with some other ones.

Air Pollution↗
PubMed1990

Normal phase HPLC as a model system of specific benzodiazepine-receptor binding.

The hypothesis that benzodiazepines interact with their receptors in the CNS via hydrogen bonding mediated by the carbonyl and imine groups has been studied by correlating a physicochemical parameter affected by hydrogen bonds potentially accepted or donated by benzodiazepines with their binding constants to synaptosomal rat brain membranes. The reference physicochemical system chosen was normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography on mu-Bondapack NH2 (propylamine groups chemically bonded to porous silica) eluted with mixtures of n-hexane and 2-propanol. A strong correlation has been found for binding of the implicated groups to the column and to the receptor.

1-Propanol↗
PubMed1989

Use of leaded gasoline and volatile halogenated hydrocarbon emission from automotive exhaust.

The presence of volatile halogenated hydrocarbons (VHH) in the atmosphere of the urban areas of Piedmont and its possible correlation with traffic has been studied. Automotive exhausts of leaded and unleaded gasoline were tested, according to the "European Cycle" of the EEC guidlines N.C. 181/89, 7/9/1982, for the presence of seven VHH. The results show that VHH are produced in concentrations roughly proportional to the number of kilometres covered by each car. Cars filled with unleaded gasoline were substantially free of VHH. Thus, some of the VHH found in the atmosphere may arise from automotive (leaded petrol) exhausts.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1988

Temperature dependence of the binding of mu, delta and kappa agonists to the opiate receptors in guinea-pig brain.

Membrane preparations from guinea-pig brain were used to study the effects of temperature on the interaction of [3H][D-Ala2-MePhe-Gly-ol5] (DAGO), a selective mu agonist, [3H][D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE), a nearly selective delta agonist and (+/-)[3H]ethylketazocine (EKC), a selective kappa agonist when binding was measured in the presence of an excess of DAGO and DADLE. Binding was endothermic (delta H0 = 10-17 kJ mol-1) and thus driven by the large increase in entropy (delta S0 = 200-230 J mol-1 K-1) for all ligands under examination. Van't Hoff plot for DAGO and DADLE showed a breakdown beyond 303 K which could have been due to lower in vitro stability of the proteins to conformational changes in the receptor proteins and/or to phase changes in the membranes. The present results do not agree with the hypothesis that agonist binding is associated with very small or negative delta S0 (in opposition to antagonists) in view of the information transfer involved (the biological effect).

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Relationship between atmospheric lead concentration and blood lead level in Turin (Italy).

On July 1, 1981 the Italian government received and implemented an E.E.C. directive dated 1978 calling for the reduction of lead in fuels from 0.6 to 0.4 g/L. The effectiveness of this legislative measure is evaluated here by comparison of data on atmospheric lead levels in the city of Turin, and blood lead levels in A.V.I.S. (Italian Association of Blood Donors) donors in Turin and the countryside (control group), before (1977) and after (1986, 1987) the enforcement of the law. The results show that the implementation of the law has contributed to a decrease in the atmospheric lead levels. The analysis of blood lead concentration revealed an evident biological response to this environmental change: there was a decrease in blood lead level between 1977 and 1987, in both the countryside (control group) and, to a lesser extent, in the city.

Adult↗