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Biomedical subjects

G Ventura

Publications and source records attributed to G Ventura.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Meningococcal meningitis in Italy: 1887-1986.

In Italy three epidemic peaks of meningococcal meningitis have occurred reflecting pandemic recrudescence of the disease. The seasonal distribution of the disease is similar in the epidemic or non-epidemic periods. There is no significant difference in the regional distribution of the disease. The disease is more prevalent among young males. The prevalent serogroup of Neisseria meningitidis is C. There has been a decrease in resistance to sulphonamides and an increase to rifampin among the isolated strains.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Pneumocystis carinii stimulates in vitro production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by human macrophages.

The ability of Pneumocystis carinii to induce tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha release by monocytes/macrophages from immunocompetent humans was investigated. Monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy individuals produced an increased amount of TNF-alpha when exposed to P. carinii cysts obtained from rats with steroid-induced pneumocystosis. The cysts induced increased TNF-alpha production in a dose-dependent manner; baseline TNF-alpha production was restored after addition of an anti-P. carinii hyperimmune serum. Kinetics experiments showed that the secretion of TNF-alpha occurs early and reaches a maximal peak after 8 h. Since TNF-alpha is directly lethal to P. carinii in vitro, it is suggested that the production of this cytokine in response to the cysts may be one of the mechanisms for the control of this parasitic infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

The management of cervical carcinoma in the Gynaecologic and Obstetric Institute of Sassari in ten-year period 1980-89.

We have considered 91 cases of uterine cervical carcinoma observed in the period 1980-89, of which 31 (34%) at stage 0, and 23 (25.2%) at stage IB. The operative index was of 85.7%. Of 78 cases operated, 22 (28.2%) were treated with post-surgical adjuvant radiotherapy because of the presence of risk factors. The relapse incidence (follow-up 8-118 months) was in total 14.6% (12 relapses) with an NED-survival of 79.1% (at the first stage B 4.3% of relapses with an NED-survival of 95.6%). We have emphasized the importance of adjuvant radiotherapy which has allowed the progressive improvement in the therapeutic results of the last years.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Leiomyoma of the esophagus compressing the left atrium].

An unusual case of leiomyoma of the middle third of the esophagus compressing the left atrium is reported. The patient was a 35-year-old man with a clinical picture mimicking pericarditis. 2-D echocardiography revealed a mediastinal mass. Leiomyoma of the esophagus was suspected on the basis of CT scan of the chest, MR study and esophagogram. The diagnosis was confirmed at operation and by histological examination.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Use of recombinant human hematopoietic growth factors and autologous bone marrow transplantation to attenuate the neutropenic trough of high-dose therapy.

This manuscript summarizes our experience with recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) with high-dose Cytoxan, carmustine and etoposide (CBV in Hodgkin's disease). rhG-CSF regularly shortened the neutropenic phase following autologous bone marrow transplantation. However, this effect was more marked on the latter part of neutrophil recovery than the early part of granulocyte recovery to 100 granulocytes/microliters. The frequency of afebrile episodes was not reduced by rhG-CSF administration, but there was a tendency for the duration of fever to be shortened. Increasing doses and continuous infusion did not hasten the early part of neutrophil recovery needed to prevent the onset of infection, but was more effective than bolus infusion in increasing the rate of late neutrophil recovery. If fevers are to be prevented in this patient population, the duration of an absolute granulocyte count of less than 100/microliters will have to last only a few days. Recombinant hematopoietic growth factors alone do not hasten recovery fast enough to prevent the onset of afebrile episodes. Studies are described using both recombinant growth factor and peripheral blood and bone marrow cells to see if the neutropenic trough can be further shortened over that achievable with growth factor and autologous transplant alone.

Agranulocytosis↗
PubMed1990

Fecal contamination of shanty town toddlers in households with non-corralled poultry, Lima, Peru.

We used direct observer techniques to measure the frequency with which toddler-aged children were contaminated by poultry feces in homes in a peri-urban shanty town in Lima, Peru. The mean number of fowl was 5.4 (SD 3.1), with 10.0 (SD 10.7) poultry defecations per 12 hours. Toddlers' hand contact with poultry feces occurred a mean of 2.9 (SD 3.0) times/12 hours. A mean of 3.9 (SD 4.6) feces-to-mouth episodes per household/12 hours occurred both by direct hand-to-mouth contamination and indirectly by handling soiled objects which were then placed in the mouth. There was a strong correlation between feces-to-hand contamination and feces-to-mouth contamination (r = 0.94). There was also an association between feces-to-mouth contamination and the number of stools deposited in the house (r = 0.66). For each additional chicken stool deposited during the day, there was an average increase of 0.27 in feces-to-mouth episodes. We collected feces from 68 infected chickens and found viable Campylobacter jejuni for up to 48 hours after deposition. Yet, a survey of 108 families demonstrated that free-roaming poultry were often not thought of as a health risk for children. An intervention program to reduce oral-fecal contamination should emphasize that all poultry be corralled and not allowed access into the house.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Cellular dyskeratosis as predictive factor in condylomatosis histologically confirmed by biopsy].

Human papillomavirus infection (HPV) causes cellular alterations which are detectable from a cervico-vaginal smear. Cells marked by these alterations are defined as koilocytes and diskeratocytes. Whereas koilocytes are pathognomonic of HPV infection, diskeratocytes, found in isolation on a smear, do not always play a reliable diagnostic role. In this study, a sample group of 82 women aged between 25 and 60 (mean age 44 years) were examined who, following cytological tests, revealed isolated or agglutinated diskeratocytes as the sole element of suspected genital condylomatosis. A biopsy sample of the portio was collected from all patients during colposcopy, and histrological tests confirmed the existence of condylomatosis in 69%, often associated with preneoplastic pathologies: this percentage is considered statistically significant, thus confirming the positive association between dyskeratocytes detected on the smear and condylomatous alterations.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Wertheim-Meigs operation in the Gynaecologic and Obstetric Institute of Sassari in the ten-year period 1980-89.

In a retrospective study we examined 42 radical hysterectomies according to Wertheim-Meigs in the ten year period 1980-89, of whom 39 for carcinoma of the cervix, two for endometrial carcinoma at stage II one for microinvasive vaginal carcinoma. The incidence of relapses was 11.9% (5 cases) globally, with 3.7% at pathologic stage I, while the actuarial survival was 95.4% at stage I. The intraoperative, perioperative and postactinic complications related to integrated treatment are described, underlining the importance of post-surgical Radiotherapy in cases at risk.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Chemotherapy for resistant and relapsing multiple myeloma.

This report summarizes a broad experience in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma resistant to standard chemotherapy. The VAD regimen has induced remissions in about 50% of relapsing patients but in only about 25% of previously unresponsive patients. In patients resistant to VAD, high-dose therapies with intravenous melphalan, a CBV combination (cyclophosphamide-BCNU-VP-16) or an EDAP regimen (VP-16 -platinum) produced responses in about 40% of patients. However, these treatments usually required autologous bone marrow or blood stem cell support and the median duration of control was only 6 months. With an even more intensive program using high-dose melphalan and total body irradiation supported by autologous bone marrow, all patients who survived the early treatment period responded for a median duration of about 1 year. Results indicated a dose-response effect of chemoradiotherapy on VAD-resistant myeloma with the potential that such intensive regimens will prolong disease-free survival time.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1989

Collection and transfusion of single donor platelets and their clinical response.

The success of transfusing platelet concentrates depends on a variety of factors; those factors are to a certain extent the subject of this paper. The quantity and quality of platelets transfused is discussed in relation to peripheral blood platelet concentration. The data obtained do not yet allow a final conclusion at present, so that further investigations are required.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed1989

Stimulation of nonclonal hematopoiesis and suppression of the neoplastic clone after treatment with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in a patient with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome.

A complete hematologic remission was achieved in a patient with therapy-related preleukemia and transfusion-dependent pancytopenia after treatment with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The patient remained in remission for nearly 1 year despite the discontinuation of GM-CSF treatment. Several lines of evidence suggest that normal hematopoiesis was restored after GM-CSF treatment. First, the cytogenetic anomaly, which was present before GM-CSF, completely disappeared after three cycles of treatment. Cytogenetic conversion was documented by conventional karyotypic evaluation of mitotic bone marrow cell preparations as well as by premature chromosome condensation analysis of the nonmitotic cells of bone marrow and peripheral blood. Second, the growth pattern and cycle status of bone marrow granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) and erythroid (BFU-E) progenitor cells were found to be normal during remission. Third, X chromosome-linked restriction fragment length polymorphism-methylation analysis of DNA from mononuclear cells (greater than 80% lymphocytes) and mature myeloid elements showed a polyclonal pattern. These findings suggest that restoration of hematopoiesis in this patient after GM-CSF treatment may have resulted from suppression of the abnormal clone and a selective growth advantage of normal elements.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Stimulation of myelopoiesis in patients with aplastic anemia by recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

Aplastic anemia is a syndrome in which pancytopenia occurs in the presence of hypocellularity of the bone marrow. To assess the biologic activities of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in aplastic anemia, we gave GM-CSF (60 to 500 micrograms per square meter of body-surface area) to 10 patients with moderate or severe disease, by continuous intravenous infusion daily for two weeks, and repeated the treatment after a two-week rest period. The treatment increased the white-cell count (1.6- to 10-fold) in all patients, primarily because of an increase in the numbers of neutrophils (1.5 to 20-fold), eosinophils (12- to greater than 70-fold), and monocytes (2- to 32-fold). Rates of hydrogen peroxide production in purified granulocyte fractions increased during GM-CSF treatment. Increases in bone marrow cellularity, myeloid precursor cells, and myeloid:erythroid cell ratios accompanied the white-cell response. Despite the in vivo response of the white-cells, the concentration of colony-forming cells remained the same. Measurable concentrations of interleukin-2 (2 to 15 units per milliliter) were found in the serum of 8 patients, and high levels of erythropoietin (81 to 1200 IU per liter) were found in 10 patients. The predominant side effects were constitutional symptoms. These results indicate that recombinant human GM-CSF is effective in stimulating myelopoiesis in patients with severe aplastic anemia and may benefit some patients in whom the disorder is refractory to standard forms of therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Ten years of brucellosis in Italy (1977-1986).

In the decade 1977-1986 the total number of cases of brucellosis recorded in Italy was 25,165. The reported cases probably reflect only a minority of the total number of the effective cases due to lack of reporting. The epidemiological and clinical features of 62 cases of brucellosis, observed by the authors are reported as a sample of the total number of cases.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Neurological features in AIDS patients: studies on cerebrospinal fluid.

The relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of HIV infection and the spectrum of neurological manifestations were studied in 15 AIDS patients (13 with and 2 without confirmed neurological disorders). We demonstrated the presence of intrathecally synthesized anti-HIV antibodies. Antibodies to HIV envelope proteins were present in all patients but those to HIV core proteins in 9/13 cases only. HIV antigen and HIV p24 antigen were present in 6/14 and 4/12 cases respectively. HIV was not isolated from 6 samples of CSF. We have demonstrated that CSF markers of HIV infection were present in all AIDS patients, with or without neurological manifestations. Moreover HIV p24 antigen seems to be a very reliable marker of HIV infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗