Biomedical subjects

G Santamaria

Publications and source records attributed to G Santamaria.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

ATM gene expression is associated with differentiation and angiogenesis in infiltrating breast carcinomas.

UNLABELLED: The product of the ATM gene, mutated in the human genetic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) plays a key role in the detection and repair of DNA double-strand breaks. A-T is defined by progressive cerebellar ataxia, telangiectasia, sensitivity to ionising radiation and genomic instability with cancer predisposition. On the other hand, increased angiogenesis is essential for tumor growth and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate ATM expression in breast carcinomas and its relationship to neoangiogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-two breast tumors from 51 patients, 38 of them with concomitant in situ component (CIS), were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the expression of ATM. CD34 expression was used for the morphometric evaluation of vasculature. ATM was positive in 1 to 10% of normal epithelial cells. ATM expression was reduced in 55.8% of infiltrating carcinomas, non-reduced in 34.6%, and increased in 9.6%. Expression of ATM in CIS was similar to the infiltrating component in 71% of cases and reduced in 23.7% of them. High-grade ductal infiltrating carcinomas showed lower ATM expression than low-grade ones. Reduced ATM expression also correlated with increased microvascular area. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced ATM expression in breast carcinomas correlated with tumor differentiation and increased microvascular parameters, supporting its role in neoangiogenesis and tumor progression in breast carcinogenesis.

Antigens, CD34↗

PubMed2005

Interferon-induced depression: prevalence and management.

BACKGROUND: Interferon-induced depression ranges from 0 to 50%. Interferon schedule and a history of psychiatric illnesses are not enough to predict who will develop symptoms and who will not. AIMS: To assess the prevalence of depression during interferon therapy; to test whether Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory is useful in clinical practice for the early identification of patients at risk of depression; whether and how the depression can be cured. PATIENTS: One hundred and eighty-five patients treated with interferon and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C. METHODS: Before therapy, all patients underwent a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and a clinical examination, specifically for the identification of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients developed a psychiatric disorder, 11 of them requiring treatment with anti-depressant drugs. Among the 18 patients with Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory positive tests, 16 developed a psychiatric disorder, 8 of them a severe disorder (sensitivity of 0.58; 0.73 for severe disorders). Among the 154 who did not develop psychiatric side effects, 152 had a negative Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (specificity: 0.99). Severe psychiatric disorders were successfully treated with anti-depressant drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric side effects are easy to see during interferon therapy. A psychiatric evaluation should be considered on all patients before treatment. If depression develops, it should be treated aggressively, and selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors are the anti-depressants of choice.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Comparison between local and general anaesthesia for carotid endarterectomy. A retrospective analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare by a retrospective analysis local anesthesia (LA) versus general anesthesia (GA) for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). METHODS: Two-hundred and 59 patients who underwent CEA, at the Ospedali Riuniti of Reggio Calabria in the period 2000-2001, were enrolled in this study. For analysis purposes, patients were divided into 4 groups, according to their neurological status and to the type of anesthesia. LA was induced either by deep and superficial cervical plexus block (side approach according to Moore). GA was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane. Monitoring of the neurological status was achieved by simple clinical evaluation of the state of consciousness under LA, and by continuous EEG under GA. RESULTS: With LA, a reduction in the duration of intervention and hospital stay, in the number of neurological complications and consequent intraoperative shunts was observed, and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was never required. With GA better blood pressure control was achieved, but more intraoperative shunts and admissions to ICU were required, thus increasing overall costs. CONCLUSION: In our experience, LA seems to be the approach of choice for CEA because 1) by preserving the state of consciousness, it allows a simple clinical monitoring of cerebral perfusion maintenance; 2) it reduces the number of intraoperative shunts and the risk of admission to the ICU; 3) it is cost-effective.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

A constructed surface flow wetland for treating agricultural waste waters.

A study was conducted between December 1997 and December 1998 in NE Italy on a 3,200 m2 surface flow vegetated wetland receiving agricultural drainage water from a cultivated field of about 6 ha and occasional applications of organic wastes. The study aimed at evaluating: 1) biomass and seasonal nitrogen dynamics in above- and below-ground biomass of Phragmites australis Cav. (Trin.) and Typha latifolia (L.) grown in separate zones; 2) the effectiveness of the wetland in removing nutrients and sediments coming from the fields; 3) the possibility that wetland could treat occasional applications of organic wastes and 4) to collect some general information on whether the wetland can receive heavy loads coming from storm water runoff. Monthly observations showed that, in both species, aboveground biomass, nitrogen concentration and nitrogen content reached maximum values in summer and minimum values in winter. The contrary occurred in below-ground biomass. The total input of water in the wetland was 66,000 m3 ha(-1), of which 7,700 were drained. Total nitrogen input was 526 kg ha(-1), of which 58 were discharged out of the wetland.

Agriculture↗

PubMed2000

cDNA sequence and genomic structure of the rat RET proto-oncogene.

The RET proto-oncogene, a member of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase family, plays a crucial role during the development of the excretory system and the enteric nervous system, as demonstrated by in vivo animal studies and by its involvement in the pathogenesis of several human neurocristopathies like Hirschsprung disease and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2. Using a multistep RT-PCR approach we have isolated and sequenced the cDNA of the whole rat RET proto-oncogene, reporting the deduced amino acid sequence in comparison with the human and mouse counterparts. Moreover, two different isoforms (RET9 and RET51) have been confirmed in the rat, while a third RET isoform demonstrated in human (RET43) has not resulted to be conserved in this species. Finally, we have determined the genomic structure of the rat RET proto-oncogene comparing the exon-intron boundaries and intron sizes with the known structure of the human homologous gene. Our findings will facilitate the molecular study of appropriate rat models of RET related human diseases.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1997

Somatic in frame deletions not involving juxtamembranous cysteine residues strongly activate the RET proto-oncogene.

Somatic RET mutations have been identified in a variable proportion (about 30-70%) of sporadic Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) cases. They are represented by the Met918Thr substitution (exon 16) typical of Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) and, to a lesser extent, by nucleotide changes occurring at one of five critical cysteine residues (exons 10 and 11) typical of MEN type 2A (MEN2A). An in vitro transforming activity has already been demonstrated for these mutations. A few different MTC somatic mutations have been reported so far whose biological activity has still to be tested. In this paper we report the identification, in two MTC tumor samples, of two interstitial deletions of 48 bp and 6 bp occurred in exons 10 and 11 respectively. Both were somatic heterozygous in frame mutations, not involving any cysteine residue. Moreover, the expression of a full length RET cDNA carrying one of the two deletions demonstrated a strong transforming capacity in NIH3T3 cells.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1997

Antrochoanal autopolypectomy: CT findings.

Antrochoanal polyp (Killian polyp) is an infrequent, benign lesion of maxillary origin. We describe the basic characteristics of this lesion and a rare case of autopolypectomy. Coronal and axial CT images are presented before and after autoexpulsion of an antrochoanal polyp in a patient with long-standing nasal obstruction. The initial CT examination revealed a typical left antrochoanal polyp filling all the maxillary sinus and passing through the ethmoid infundibulum until the choana. The CT after autopolypectomy showed the secondary mass effect at surrounding structures and residual inflammatory changes.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

The physical map of the human RET proto-oncogene.

The RET proto-oncogene, a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor, is involved in the development of at least five different disease phenotypes. RET is activated through somatic rearrangements in a number of cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma while germ-line point mutations are associated with three inherited cancer syndromes MEN 2A, MEN 2B and FMTC. Moreover, point mutations or heterozygous deletions of RET are found in the dominant form of Hirschsprung disease or congenital colonic aganglionosis. We cloned the entire RET genomic sequence in a contig of cosmids encompassing 150 kb, from the CA repeat sTCL-2 to the region upstream the RET promoter, and established the position of the 20 exons of the RET gene with respect to a detailed restriction map based on eight endonucleases. A new highly polymorphic CA repeat sequence was identified within intron 5 of RET (RET-INT5). Finally the orientation of RET on chromosome 10q11.2 made it possible to orientate three other genes rearranged with RET in papillary thyroid carcinomas, namely H4/D10S170 on 10q21, R1 alpha on 17q23 and RFG2/Ele1 on 10q11.2.

Animals↗

PubMed1981