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Biomedical subjects

L Baschieri

Publications and source records attributed to L Baschieri.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Serum thyroglobulin in newborns' cord blood, in childhood and adolescence: a physiological indicator of thyroidal status.

Serum thyroglobulin (Tg) was measured in the cord blood of 635 newborns and serum thyroxine (T4) reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), TSH and T3 were measured in about 200 of them. Cord Tg was detectable in all newborns with a mean +/- SE value (50 +/- 1.3 ng/ml) higher than that found in the serum of adult subjects (n = 144; Tg = 13 +/- 1.1; p less than 0.0001). Cord Tg had a log-normal distribution. A low, but positive correlation was found between cord Tg and cord TSH (n = 242; r = 0.17; p less than 0.05) but not with cord T4 or cord rT3. Gestational age was negatively correlated with cord Tg or cord rT3 (rS = 0.97; p less than 0.01; rS = -0.89; p less than 0.02, respectively) while was positively correlated with cord T4 or cord TSH (rS = 0.85; p less than 0.05; rS = 0.86; p less than 0.01, respectively). Birth weight, maternal diabetes, induction of labor with oxitocin, cesarian section and newborns' illness showed no influence on cord Tg levels when considered alone, but decreased cord Tg levels were found in ill newborns delivered by cesarian section. On the contrary, increased cord Tg levels were present in cord blood of newborns who developed hypoglycemia soon after birth and in small for gestational age newborns. In 24 newborns studied daily for the first 6 days of life, serum Tg was always detectable with mean values not different from those found in the cord blood.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Follow-up study of patients with respiratory disease due to toluene diisocyanate (TDI).

The outcome of the respiratory symptoms, pulmonary function tests and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was studied in forty-seven workers with respiratory disease due to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) (twenty-seven asthmatic and twenty non-asthmatic subjects) after about 2 years from the first examination. Eight of twelve asthmatic subjects who left the industry after the first examination complained at the follow-up of dyspnoea and wheezing, but pulmonary function tests were unchanged; bronchial hyperresponsiveness decreased in three, but most were still positive to challenge test with bethanechol at the follow-up. Fifteen subjects who continued their exposure to TDI showed at the follow-up a significant decrease of the spirometric parameters and an increase of the bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and symptoms of chronic bronchitis were more frequent at the second examination. Non-asthmatic subjects, both exposed and non-exposed to TDI at the second examination, showed a significant decrease of the pulmonary function tests but no relevant changes in bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Our data suggest that stopping occupational exposure to TDI frequently did not produce an improvement of the TDI bronchial asthma, and persistence of the occupational exposure causes a more rapid decline in the respiratory function.

Asthma↗
PubMed1984

A solid phase immunoradiometric assay for gastric parietal cell antibodies.

We recently described a solid phase immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid microsomal antibodies. In the present study a similar IRMA for gastric parietal cell antibodies (PCA) has been developed. Samples to be tested are incubated within wells of polyvinyl microtitre plates coated with solubilized gastric microsomal antigen. After removal of unbound material, PCA is detected by adding purified 125I-anti-human IgG antibody. A good correlation was found with the results of PCA assays obtained by indirect immunofluorescence. In contrast, negative PCA by IRMA were consistently obtained in sera containing high titres of several other organ specific and non-organ specific autoantibodies. PCA determinations by IRMA were than carried out in a series of normal controls and patients with autoimmune or non-autoimmune thyroid disorders. Positive results were obtained in three of 70 (4.3%) apparently normal subjects, in 16 of 87 (18.4%) patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, in 10 of 48 (20.8%) with idiopathic myxoedema, in 25 of 95 (25.6%) with Graves' disease and in five of 64 (7.8%) with other non-autoimmune thyroid disorders. Preliminary results showed that quantitative measurements of PCA by IRMA could be performed using a serum containing high levels of PCA as standard reference. In conclusion, PCA may be easily and specifically detected using the same IRMA procedure previously developed for anti-thyroid antibodies. We therefore suggest that the present IRMA may be proposed as a general technique for the detection of different organ specific autoantibodies.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1984

[Role of tobacco smoking in the determination of CO diffusion impairment in silicotic patients].

Alveolar-capillary diffusion of CO was evaluated in 48 silicotics with predominantly small irregular opacities at low profusion. The mean value of CO diffusion lay between 82 and 87% of the reference values, except for DLCOSS2 which was slightly reduced (74% of theoretical). There was no correlation between the functional data and duration of work but there was a significant reduction of the CO diffusion values according to smoking, which was greatest in those smoking more than 15 pack-years. Subjects with small irregular opacities presented lower values than those with small "p" or "q" opacities, but this difference was not apparent when only non-smokers were considered.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

TSH-displacing activity versus TSH-binding inhibiting activity of immunoglobulins from patients with Graves' disease.

Inhibition of binding of TSH to thyroid plasma membranes by immunoglobulins G (IgG) from patients with Graves' disease has been interpreted as evidence of an interaction with the TSH receptor, but other explanations may account for this phenomenon. Displacement of receptor-bound TSH might be a more direct index of such an interaction. The aim of the present study was to assess TSH-displacing activity (TDA) of Graves' IgG by a newly developed assay and compare TDA to TSH-binding inhibiting activity (TBIA) and thyroid-stimulating antibody (TSAb) activity. TDA was assessed by preincubating 125I-TSH with thyroid plasma membranes and by measuring residual bound 125I-TSH after addition of IgG. TBIA was evaluated by determining binding of 125I-TSH to thyroid plasma membranes preincubated with IgG. Results were expressed as % TSH-displacing or binding inhibition activities of test IgG with respect to normal control IgG. The percent of TDA positive Graves' IgG preparations (72.7%) was greater than that of TBIA positive (48.5%). There was no correlation between TDA and TBIA results, since 11 Graves' IgG preparations were TDA positive but TBIA negative, and 6 were TDA negative but TBIA positive. Hashimoto's or idiopathic myxedema IgG preparations were positive in 2/7 in the TDA and in 1/7 in the TBIA assays, respectively. Neither TDA nor TBIA correlated with TSAb determined by cAMP accumulation in thyroid plasma membrane. The TDA assay developed in this study appeared to be more sensitive than the more widely used TBIA assay.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Antibodies↗
PubMed1983

Absence of IgG antibodies to TDI-HSA in a radioimmunological study.

Sera of ninety-one workers with respiratory symptoms related to occupational exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) were tested by a solid phase radioimmunoassay using polyvinyl plates, in an attempt to demonstrate specific IgG antibodies to a conjugate of TDI with human serum albumin (TDI-HSA). Different conjugates were prepared. In our radioimmunoassay a TDI-HSA 1600 (1600 micrograms TDI/mg HSA), obtained at alkaline pH with borate buffer, was used; this conjugate was immunologically reactive and did not contain protein macro-aggregates. No difference in percent of binding of radiolabelled anti-human IgG to TDI-HSA coated on plastic plates was found between exposed workers (asthmatic and non-asthmatic) and fifteen normal subjects. This may suggest that either TDI-induced bronchial asthma is not mediated by IgG antibodies, or TDI-HSA conjugate is unsuitable to be detected by anti-isocyanate IgG.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Orbital cobalt irradiation combined with systemic corticosteroids for Graves' ophthalmopathy: comparison with systemic corticosteroids alone.

The effects of different methods of treatment of Graves' ophthalmopathy were evaluated in a series of 48 patients. Thirty-six patients were given combined treatment with orbital cobalt irradiation and systemic 6 alpha-methylprednisolone (methylprednisolone). Included in this group were 12 of 24 consecutive patients who were randomly assigned to either combined therapy or systemic methylprednisolone alone. The degree of ocular involvement and responses to treatment were evaluated by numerical scoring (ophthalmopathy index) and clinical assessment. Of the 36 patients treated by combined therapy, 12 (33%) showed excellent responses, 14 (39%) showed good responses, 9 (25%) showed slight responses, and 1 (3%) had no response. Treatment was more effective for soft tissue involvement, newly developed ophthalmoplegia, and optic neuropathy, while proptosis and longstanding ophthalmoplegia were less responsive. There was an inverse relationship between the duration of ophthalmopathy and the efficacy of treatment, more favorable results being observed when symptoms had been present for less than 2 yr. Treatment with systemic methylprednisolone alone was also effective, but, in general, responses were less satisfactory; 4 of the 12 patients of this group (33%) had good responses, 6 (50%) had slight responses, and 2 (17%) had no response. The results obtained in the 24 patients randomly assigned to combined therapy or steroid treatment alone were compared by evaluating changes in the ophthalmopathy index. Mean initial ophthalmopathy indices (6.4 vs. 6.2, respectively) showed no significant differences between the 2 groups, whereas the mean decrease in the group receiving combined therapy (4.8) was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) than that in the other group (3.2). In conclusion, the present study indicates that both orbital cobalt irradiation combined with systemic methylprednisolone treatment and systemic methylprednisolone therapy alone are valuable methods of treatment for Graves' ophthalmopathy, but the combined therapy proved to be more effective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

High-performance liquid chromatography for the quantitative determination of the urinary metabolites of toluene, xylene, and styrene.

A new high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for simultaneous quantitative determination of the urinary metabolites of toluene, m-xylene, and styrene (hippuric acid, m-methylhippuric acid, phenylglyoxylic acid, mandelic acid) is described. The extraction procedure was performed on acidified urines, after addition of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid as internal standard, using a butylchloride/isopropanol mixture and drying 0.5 ml of the organic layer under nitrogen flow. The residue obtained was dissolved in 0.1 ml water/acetonitrile and 5 microliters were injected into an HPLC apparatus equipped with a 0.26 X 25 cm HC ODS SIL X column. Absorbance measures were performed at 225 nm throughout the investigation. All metabolites were clearly separated in a short time (12 min) and the amounts of other urinary compounds affecting the analysis were so small that the measurement of low concentrations of the urinary metabolites could be easily performed. Linear calibration curves were obtained from 0.1 to 3 mg/ml and a correlation coefficient greater than 0.99 was found between concentrations of the standards and areas of the peaks. Statistical analysis confirms that this method, which has a high reproducibility, is simple, reliable, and useful for the biologic monitoring of industrial exposure to aromatic compounds.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1982

Serum myoglobin in primary hypothyroidism and effect of L-thyroxine therapy.

Serum myoglobin (Mb) concentrations have been measured by radioimmunoassay in normal subjects, in hypothyroid patients examined 20 days after withdrawal of thyroid hormone therapy ("short-term" hypothyroidism), and in untreated hypothyroids ("long-term" hypothyroidism). In "short-term" hypothyroids, serum Mb levels were significantly higher (p less than 0.01) than those observed in normal controls, although only a minority or patients showed elevated Mb levels. In "long-term" hypothyroids, serum Mb concentrations were significantly higher than that found in normal controls (p less than 0.0001) and in "short-term" hypothyroids (p less than 0.001). In "long-term" hypothyroidism a significant inverse correlation was found between serum thyroid hormones and Mb, whereas no similar correlation was observed in "short-term" hypothyroidism. The administration of progressively increasing doses of L-T4 untreated hypothyroids was followed by normalization of serum Mb, but serum TSH levels still remained elevated. These data indicate that the duration and the severity of hypothyroidism are important factors in the rise of serum Mb, and that the normalization of serum Mb is faster than that of serum TSH and requires less L-T4 than that needed for normal TSH secretion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Bronchial asthma due to inhaled wood dust: Tanganyika aningré.

Three cases of bronchial asthma due to wood dust from Tanganyika anigré are reported. All patients were woodworkers and had symptoms of dyspnoea, cough and wheezing, and sometimes itchiness and rhinorrhoea, after exposure to Tanganyika aningré. The intradermal skin tests were positive for antigenic extract of Tanganyika aningré. In two patients the bronchial provocation test with the wood dust and with the soluble extract inhaled by aerosol was positive showing an immediate reaction; in the same patients bronchial hyperreactivity was also found. Atopy was present in one subject. No precipitins or specific IgE were found in patient sera by the immunodiffusion technique or by RAST.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Comparison between thyroid stimulating and tsh-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins of Graves' disease.

In the sera of patients with Graves' disease abnormal thyroid 'stimulating' immunoglobulins have been demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro assay systems. Conflicting results have been reported when thyroid stimulating and thyrotrophin (TSH)-binding inhibiting activities have been compared. The present study was performed in forty-nine hyperthyroid Graves' patients to ascertain the relationships among TsH-binding inhibiting immunoglobulins (TBII), measured by a radio-receptor assay, thyroid stimulating antibody(TSAb), assayed by stimulation of adenylate cyclase-cAMP system in human thyroid plasma membranes, and LATS, measured by McKenzie's mouse bioassay.TBII was detected in twenty-one of forty-nine (42.9%), TSAb in thirty-five of forty-nine (71.4%) and LATS in nineteen of forty-nine (38.8%).TBII was also present in four of sixteen (25%) patients with other thyroid autoimmune disorders. When the results obtained with the different techniques were compared, correlation was found between LATS response and TSAb activity ( =0.53, P less than 0.001), while there was no correlation between TSAb and TBII activities and between LATS response and TBII activity. These data conform that TSAb is specific and sensitive marker of Graves' disease and suggest that TBII activity is not necessarily synonymous with thyroid stimulation, and could reflect a different phenomenon concomitantly produced.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

A study of short-term effect of rehabilitative therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

51 male patients with mild degree chronic airway obstruction underwent detailed evaluation of pulmonary function tests, blood gas analysis and exercise tolerance test before and after a short-term therapy. The patients were randomly assigned to medical therapy alone or to medical and rehabilitative therapy. 23 patients treated with medical and rehabilitative therapy showed a significant decrease of respiratory rate and PaCO2 and a significant increase of TV, FEV 1.0, FEV 0.75 x 40, PaO2, SaO2 and exercise tolerance after a month of therapy. 28 patients treated with medical therapy alone showed a significant increase of VC and FEV 0.75 x 40. These data suggest that rehabilitative therapy is a valid adjunct to medical therapy in the short-term treatment of chronic airway obstruction.

Blood Gas Analysis↗
PubMed1980

Serum thyroglobulin concentrations and 131I whole body scans in the diagnosis of metastases from differentiated thyroid carcinoma (after thyroidectomy).

Measurements of circulating thyroglobulin (hTg) and 131I whole body scan were performed in 101 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma who had been subjected to surgical thyroidectomy and 131I ablation of remaining thyroid tissue. All 45 patients with positive scans (i.e. functioning metastases) had elevated hTg concentrations. Of fifty-six patients with negative scans forty-two had undetectable or very low hTg levels and were considered to be free of metastatic thyroid tissue, whereas fourteen showed the presence of non-functioning metastases in the clinical and/or radiological examination. In this group of patients, eleven had elevated serum hTg levels while the other three patients had detectable hTg concentrations within the normal range. These results indicate that serum hTg measurements correlate very well with scan findings and have the added advantage of detecting non-functioning metastases which would not be detected by scanning. We concluded that measurement of serum hTg may be used together with scanning, as the first step in the follow-up of thyroidectomized patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1979

Solubilization of human thyroid microsomal antigen.

The ability of detergents (Triton X-100 and deoxycholate), high ionic strength solution (3 M KC1), and proteolytic enzymes (papain and trypsin) to solubilize human thyroid microsomal antigen was studied. Antigenic activity released from thyroid microsomal preparation into the incubation mixture was separated by centrifugation at 143,000 x g for 90 min and measured using 125I-labeled human immunoglobulin G (IgG) with elevated antimicrosomal (anti-M) and undetectable anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (anti-M IgG). All solubilized materials were shown to bind [125I]anti-M IgG and to inhibit its binding to untreated thyroid microsomes. These effects were specific and dose related. Measurements of specific activity and total amount of solubilized antigen by an absorption technique showed that Triton X-100 was the most effective agent, followed by deoxycholate, papain, trypsin, and 3 M KC1 in decreasing order. Affinity chromatography with the deoxycholate-solubilized material coupled to Sepharose 4B resulted in a 15.6-fold purification of [125I]anti-M antibodies. The present results indicate that thyroid microsomal antigen may be solubilized by several agents and this can provide the basis for its identification and purification.

Antigens↗