hCG, AFP, and uE3 patterns in the 14-20th weeks of Down's syndrome pregnancies.
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Chorionic Gonadotropin↗
Biomedical subjects
G Mancini
Publications and source records attributed to G Mancini.
Fertility and semen quality of workers exposed to high temperatures in the ceramics industry.
The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that chronic occupational exposure to high temperatures may be detrimental to male reproduction. The study was based on 92 healthy ceramics oven operators with a long exposure to high temperatures, and 87 controls, recruited from the shipment department of the same industry. Interviews with all subjects provided data on sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and fertility problems. Semen analysis was carried out on 46 of the workers exposed to high temperatures, and 14 of the controls, and included evaluation of the sperm concentration, morphology, and motility, including computer-assisted sperm motion analysis (velocity, linearity, ALH, BCF). The results of the questionnaire showed that exposed individuals had a higher incidence of childlessness and of self-reported difficulty in conceiving than controls. The semen analysis showed no significant differences except in sperm velocity. Although differences in semen parameters, taken singly, were not statistically significant, the overall evaluation of the sperm parameters indicated a higher prevalence of pathologic sperm profiles among the exposed compared to the controls.
Adult↗
Screening for fetal Down's syndrome with maternal serum markers--an experience in Italy.
The effectiveness of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, unconjugated oestriol, and human chorionic gonadotrophin in screening for Down's syndrome (DS) was evaluated on 840 women who underwent amniocentesis for fetal karyotype on account of their age. The risk of a DS pregnancy was established using the method of Wald et al. (1988b), which combines the age-specific risk with that indicated by the levels of the three serum markers. In women over 35, at cut-off risk levels of 1:250 and 1:380, the false-positive rate was 24 and 34 per cent, respectively. In all nine cases of DS, the estimated risk was higher than 1:250. The best screening strategy with the lowest false-positive rate was obtained by combining the three serum markers. The results suggest that this kind of screening can be proposed during genetic counselling for women under 35 and older women wishing to avoid the risk of miscarriage induced by amniocentesis.
Adult↗
MCS/SEL/BAS program--an overlapping clustering method with examples from mating type interactions of ciliated protozoa.
The MCS/SEL/BAS program provides a method for group recognition, based on a criterion of homogeneity within the groups. The basic aim of this clustering method is not to 'force' data into a number of separate groups, as it allows the possibility that a given element in the data set can be assigned to more than one group. Moreover, a parsimonious path through the groups is sought by selecting groups on the basis of two suitably chosen, peak-ordered criteria. This selection continues until a covering of the data set is obtained (i.e., until each element in the data set is assigned to at least one group). Then relationships occurring among the set of selected groups are investigated by means of two coefficients, called overlapping and cohesion coefficient, respectively. The utility of this program has been demonstrated here in elaborating large sets of data derived from mating type interactions of ciliates, but it can be used also for analyzing data derived from a wide spectrum of compatibility phenomena exhibited by other living organisms. Algorithms of this program are written in BASIC and formulated in a conversational mode for processing on a Macintosh. A computer program (MCS/SEL/BAS) is available from G. Mancini upon request.
Algorithms↗
Transcranial Doppler in acute hemispheric brain infarction.
We studied cerebrovascular anatomy using intra-arterial digital angiography, and blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography in 42 patients with acute hemispheric ischemic brain infarction. We compared angiography with TCD and the clinical findings within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. The location and extent of the chronic ischemic brain damage was assessed by CT performed 1 to 3 months after the ictus. Abnormal TCD, as manifested by either an unobtainable MCA flow signal or a significantly depressed MCA flow velocity, was highly associated with proximal MCA occlusions demonstrated by angiography. Abnormal TCD predicted both larger chronic CT lesions and more extensive ischemic change within the MCA territory. These data demonstrate that early TCD conveys useful information concerning cerebral tissue prognosis following hemispheric ischemia.
Adult↗
Clinical outcome of Wegener's granulomatosis. Personal data.
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Adult↗
[Controlled multicenter study on the therapeutic effectiveness of mesoglycan in patients with cerebrovascular disease].
One hundred and forty-five elderly patients affected by cerebrovascular diseases were included in the study. Patients were divided into two age-, sex- and clinically matched groups: the first group included 103 patients who were treated for six months with mesoglycan (100 mg/day), whereas the second group, which numbered 42 patients, received standard anti-platelet treatment over the same period. The results of the study confirm the clinical efficacy of mesoglycan compared to standard treatment with antiplatelet drugs in terms of ischemic events and the "quality of life" of cerebrovasculopathic patients.
Aged↗
The crown odontoblasts of rat molars from primary dentinogenesis to complete eruption.
The involution of crown odontoblasts after primary dentinogenesis in teeth of limited eruption is discussed. The odontoblasts of rat first lower molars were analyzed morphometrically from the tenth day to the 40th day of age, i.e., from the late phase of primary dentinogenesis to complete eruption. All the organelles underwent atrophy, but at different rates. In particular, the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum decreased progressively in surface area from day 10 to day 40, whereas those of the Golgi apparatus decreased significantly between day 10 and day 14, and then remained practically unchanged in size. The volume of the lysosome compartment never increased beyond that during primary dentinogenesis. The profile length of the endoplasmic reticulum in each observed cell section was taken as an estimate of secretory activity. At day 40, this organelle was smaller in approximately 95% of the cells than it had been in any cell at day 10. These results suggest that cell atrophy may occur without any increase in the degradation processes of the cytoplasmic components and that the organelles along the secretory pathway may have independent regulatory systems. In the odontoblasts, as in several types of secretory epithelial cells, only a small fraction of the cells is engaged in appreciable secretory activity. This occurs, however, when the overall activity of the same cell population is relatively low.
Analysis of Variance↗
Transplant of a polycystic kidney because of organ shortage.
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Adult↗
Protein and nucleic acid analysis of influenza B viruses isolated in Italy in 1984.
Genomic and phenotypic analysis of 30 influenza B viruses, isolated in Italy in 1984, antigenically closely related to the B/USSR/100/83 prototype virus, was carried out using T1-oligonucleotide fingerprinting of total RNA and one-dimensional peptide mapping. The results of fingerprinting analysis indicated an oligonucleotide spot homology of 90-96%, corresponding to a nucleotide sequence variation of only 0.75-0.3%. All the strains appear to belong to the same evolutionary line. Nevertheless, heterogeneity was found at the structural and antigenic level, when the viruses were compared by peptide mapping and monoclonal antibody analysis. No correlation between the biochemical variability of the viruses and the epidemiological characteristics of the different strains was established, which is consistent with the hypothesis that distinct variants, arisen at different times from a parental strain, co-circulate during an epidemic, although the additional occurrence of random mutations during the evolution of the epidemic cannot be excluded.
Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
Influenza vaccination in elderly residents in nursing homes: immune response to trivalent and monovalent inactivated influenza virus vaccine in the season 1986-87.
Immune responses to trivalent inactivated whole virus and monovalent subunit influenza vaccines, used in the season 1986-87, were analyzed in elderly residents in nursing homes. Higher levels of induced antibody were found in the group receiving two doses of trivalent vaccine. This suggests that high risk aged patients should receive a booster dose of vaccine annually. The antibody response to administration of supplemental vaccination, using monovalent subunit preparation, did not reach the high level of antibodies found following trivalent influenza vaccine.
Aged↗
Comparative analysis of alternating purine-pyrimidine tracts and potential Z-DNA sequences in DNA plant viruses.
The DNAs of several plant viruses were analyzed for the presence of alternating purine-pyrimidine sequences that can potentially undergo B to Z transition. The DNA of the caulimoviruses (plant retroviruses) was compared with that of the geminiviruses, with the cDNA of an RNA plant virus, and with several computer-generated random sequences. Our analysis indicates that potential Z-DNA sites tend to be restricted in the DNA of the caulimoviruses, whereas the same does not occur significantly in the other viral DNAs examined. This result is discussed in relation to the mode of replication of the caulimoviral DNA and offers additional evidence of the existence of selection processes regulating the frequency and distribution of the Z-DNA sites in the different genomes.
Base Composition↗
Carrier-mediated [125I]-T3 uptake by mouse thymocytes.
Thyroid hormone entry into the thymocyte, a thyroid hormone target, was investigated by incubating the cells with tracer amounts of [125I]L-T3. At 37 C T3 uptake was linear with time up to 2 min, and then approached a plateau. The specific T3 uptake, obtained by subtracting the uptake in the presence of excess unlabeled T3, represented 48 +/- 6% of the total at equilibrium. Unlabeled L-T4, D-T3, and triiodothyroacetic acid were less effective than L-T3 in reducing [125I]T3 uptake. Kinetic studies on the initial rate of T3 uptake indicated, for the saturable process, a maximum velocity of approximately 1 pmol/10(6) cells.min and a Km of approximately 0.8 nM. Lowering incubation temperature to 4 C resulted in a two thirds reduction of the total T3 uptake. Washout experiments indicated a different hormone release, being more rapid for cells incubated at 4 C than at 37 C; at 30 min 70% of labeled T3 was released when incubation was carried out at 4 C compared to only 35% after incubation at 37 C, indicating the major intracellular location of the hormone at the latter temperature. An energy requirement of T3 uptake in thymocytes was shown by sensitivity to oligomycin; the effect was dose dependent, showing a maximal decrease in specific uptake of 85%. The involvement of cation movement in the entry process of T3 was indicated by the sensitivity to ouabain. These results indicate the existence of a stereospecific, energy-dependent, saturable process for T3 entry in thymocytes.
Animals↗
Tissue air ratio in total body irradiation. An in vivo evaluation.
On the basis of dose readings in 102 patients treated with total body irradiation (TBI), a 'tissue air ratio (TAR) curve' has been produced. It could be useful to precalculate treatment time in TBI, for dose prescription to a specific point, provided the same source (60Co) and treatment setting (lateral irradiation; 3 m source-axis distance; reference point at thighs bifurcation, near the perineum) is used. The TAR curve produced, and the formula relating tissue depth to TAR value, are presented, and compared to preexisting data for 'magna fields' treatments. This curve is exponential, and in semilog representation becomes straight, as every classic TAR curve; it is lower than others, reflecting non full-scatter situation in patient irradiation.
Adolescent↗
[Control of subunit influenza vaccines].
Influenza subunit vaccines contain essentially only the envelope spike proteins, haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). It is important to check the purity of each monovalent batch of these vaccines, in comparison with whole virus preparation. The authors have standardized a biochemical analysis for the laboratory control of this kind of vaccines, using PAGE test. All the vaccine manufactures are required to demonstrate, by this method, that the subunit vaccine contains HA and NA, with no more than trace amounts of internal proteins.
Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
[Efficacy and length of action of a slow-release formulation of isosorbide-5-mononitrate in stable effort angina].
This double-blind randomized placebo-controlled study was designed to evaluate the acute effects of orally administered slow-release isosorbide-5-mononitrate (SR IS-5-MN) in 12 patients with chronic stable angina. After a prestudy screening to assess the reproducibility of exercise response, the patients entered the study lasting 5 days. On the first and fourth day of the trial, each patient underwent a bicycle exercise test 4, 8 and 24 hours after acute administration of SR IS-5-MN 50 mg or placebo. Statistic analysis of the results was performed using a 2-way analysis of variance for cross-over design. Compared to placebo, 4 hours after administration, SR IS-5-MN prolonged the exercise time from 525 +/- 162 s to 685 +/- 207 s (p less than 0.05; 30%) and - 1mm time from 437 +/- 147 s to 562 +/- 219 (p less than 0.05; 29%). After 8 hours SR IS-5-MN prolonged the exercise time from 510 +/- 145 s to 615 +/- 189 s (p:ns; 21%), and - 1mm time from 415 +/- 128 s to 522 +/- 205 s (p less than 0.05; 26%). No significant changes were observed 24 hours after SR IS-5-MN administration. The maximal rate-pressure product was significantly increased by SR IS-5-MN 4 hours after administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adult↗
[Regressive atypical histiocytosis (or Ki-1 lymphoma of the skin). Presentation of a case with an immunohistochemical study].
The Authors report a case of regressing atypical histiocytosis (or lymphoma Ki-1 of the skin) a primary cutaneous neoplasm composed by atypical cells resembling histiocytes and proliferating on a inflammatory background. The course is more frequently indolent with healing, although cases with evolution to a systemic lymphoma are referred. The case reported concerns a 52 years old man with multiple lesions in several sites of the body. Ours immuno-histochemical investigations have shown positivity for Ber H2 (equivalent to Ki-1) and for T line monoclonal antibodies in the proliferating cells. Our results agree with the recent reports of literature and therefore that lesion, at first believed as composed by histiocytes, is more probably a neoplasia of the T cells lineage.
Biopsy↗
Surveillance of influenza A and B viruses in Italy between 1984 and 1987.
Antigenically heterogeneous strains and new variants of influenza A viruses, both A (H3N2) and (H1N1) subtypes, as well as influenza B strains were detected in Italy in a period, between 1984-1987, characterized by a moderate degree of influenza activity. Each year the evaluation, by SRH technique, of antibodies, in the population, to currently circulating viruses, has confirmed the extent of infection and often the prevalent virus.
Adolescent↗