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Biomedical subjects

L Bellini

Publications and source records attributed to L Bellini.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Renal hemodynamics, plasma amino acids and hormones after a meat meal in progressive nephron loss.

Ten patients with chronic renal failure (GFR 29-97 ml/min), on free diets providing 1 g/kg B.W. of proteins, ingested an oral protein load (meat meal, 2 g/kg B.W.). GFR and RPF increased significantly over baseline with no change in filtration fraction. Within 30 min of the meal and for the next 3 h a statistically significant increase was observed in the plasma concentrations of the following amino acid groups: essential, non-essential, total, branched-chain, ketogenic, glycogenic, glycogenic and ketogenic, basic, acid, polar and non-polar. At 30 min the smallest increase was seen in acid and polar amino acids (6.7% and 7.6%, respectively). At 180 min the largest increase (78.8%) was seen for glycogenic and ketogenic amino acids and total plasma amino acids were 1.58 times baseline. After the meat meal plasma glucagon and insulin rose significantly, while growth hormone, plasma renin activity and aldosterone did not vary.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Changes induced by progesterone treatment in the sulphatides of the frog oviduct.

Sulphatides have been studied by histochemical and biochemical procedures in the oviduct of the frog in different experimental conditions. In ovariectomized or hypophysectomized animals, compared to sham-operated, an increase in sulphatides was observed. The progesterone treatment did not significantly modify this lipid fraction in ovariectomized frogs, while in hypophysectomized frogs it induced a further increase. Densitographic profiles of the sulphatides, obtained by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and also recorded by Tesak equipment, were similar in ovariectomized or hypophysectomized frogs following hormone treatment because they showed three distinct fractions in both experimental groups of animals. The appearance of a third fraction never previously observed was probably induced by the progesterone treatment. Moreover, under the effects of this hormone, the phospholipid fractions (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine) also showed different densitographic profiles.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Sialic acid and neuraminidase activity in the frog oviduct: comparative biochemical investigation in the different tracts during the reproductive cycle.

1. A biochemical study was carried out on the protein-bound and lipid-bound sialic acid, and neuraminidase activity in the different tracts of the oviduct of the frog Rana esculenta during the reproductive cycle. 2. Plasma sexual steroids were also investigated by RIA. 3. Fluctuations in neuraminidase activity are related to that of glycoprotein sialic acid and plasma estradiol. Glycolipid sialic acid does not have a close relationship either with neuraminidase or plasma estradiol. 4. Very high plasma concentration of progesterone before ovulation and, on the contrary, its drop after ovulation were observed. 5. The results are discussed and hypotheses advanced to explain fluctuations of the studied parameters during the reproductive cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

The renal hemodynamic response following a meat meal in children with chronic renal failure and in healthy controls.

The renal hemodynamic response to a meat meal (2 g/kg BW) was studied in 11 healthy children and in 10 children with a mean plasma creatinine concentration of 2.6 +/- 0.1 mg/dl due to chronic renal failure (CRF) of various etiologies. In the healthy status, after a meat meal, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) increased significantly from a baseline value of 119.0 +/- 5.0 to a peak of 159 +/- 5.8 ml/min x 1.73 m2; in CRF baseline GFR averaged 49 +/- 4.0 and at peak 76.6 +/- 7.2 ml/min x 1.73 m2 (p less than 0.005). The peak GFR response was reached earlier in healthy subjects than in CRF (p less than 0.05) and did not correlate with age or with baseline GFR. Renal plasma flow (RPF) in healthy controls increased from 532 +/- 32 at baseline to 646 +/- 42.9 ml/min x 1.73 m2 after the meal (p less than 0.005). Also in CRF after a meat meal there was a significant increase in RPF from 278 +/- 51 to 65 +/- 66 ml/min x 1.73 m2 (p less than 0.005). The filtration fraction was not affected. The percent increase over baseline values of GFR and RPF at the peak was significantly higher in diseased children. Renal reserve averaged 28.1 +/- 5.3 ml/min in diseased children and 39.7 +/- 5.2 ml/min (p less than 0.01). The data indicate that (1) a meat meal is a suitable method to recruit renal reserve in normal children and in children with chronic renal failure, and (2) the renal reserve is normal in chronic renal failure.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Arylsulphatase activity in the oviduct of the frog Rana esculenta. II. Progesterone-induced changes following ovariectomy and hypophysectomy.

The effects of progesterone treatment on arylsulphatase activity were studied histochemically and biochemically in the frog oviduct under different experimental conditions. In ovariectomized animals, the hormone induced a large increase in enzyme activity, while in hypophysectomized ones there was a large decrease in this activity. These results indicate that the facilitatory and inhibitory effects of progesterone on arylsulphatase activity are influenced by the presence in situ of the gonad. Hypotheses are advanced to explain different effects of the progesterone treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Neuropsychological assessment of functional central nervous system disorders. I. Hemispheric functioning characteristics in schizophrenia and affective illness.

The neuropsychological characteristics of a group of schizophrenic and affective patients were assessed by mean of a comprehensive neuropsychological tool, the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Batter (LNNB), to determine the lateralized hemispheric neurofunctional characteristics in major functional central nervous system disorders. The results showed that schizophrenics had more right-hemisphere impairment than affectives. They do not substantiate the hypothesis of right hemisphere-lateralized malfunctioning in functional mood disorders. Psychopharmacological treatment influences neuropsychological test performance, neuroleptics having the greatest effects. Pharmacological effects other than anticholinergic ones are responsible for the negative influence on neuropsychological test performance.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Arylsulphatase activity in the oviduct of the frog Rana esculenta. I. Oestradiol-induced changes following ovariectomy and hypophysectomy.

The effects of oestradiol treatment on arylsulphatase activity in the frog oviduct are reported. Oestradiol-induced changes were also investigated in ovariectomized and hypophysectomized animals. Under all the experimental conditions, hormonal treatment causes an increase in enzyme activity. This can be observed biochemically and also histochemically on frozen sections. Hypotheses are advanced to explain fluctuations in arylsulphatase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Arylsulphatase activity and cerebroside sulphates in the frog oviduct during the reproductive cycle.

The presence of arylsulphatase A and cerebroside sulphates in different tracts of Rana esculenta oviduct during different phases of the reproductive cycle were investigated by histochemical and biochemical procedures. The results indicate that enzyme activity shows seasonal fluctuations connected with the phase of the sexual cycle. The concentrations of cerebroside sulphates (the natural substrates of arylsulphatase A) is related to the activity of this hydrolytic enzyme. The role of arylsulphatase A activity in regulating the substrate concentration, and particularly that of sulphatides, is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neurofunctional assessment of lateralized hemispheric asymmetries in affective illness.

Performances of 59 affective patients, 59 schizophrenics and 59 normal controls on the Quality Extinction Test (QET), which has been proven to be valuable for detecting abnormal hemisphere functioning in neurological and psychiatric patients, are presented. Frequencies of the left and right extinctions of the affective patients did not exceed those of normal controls. Compared to schizophrenics, fewer affective patients had left and right extinctions and the number of these extinctions was significantly lower in affective patients. These results would indicate that affective patients do not differ from controls relative to lateralized cerebral malfunctioning as measured by the QET. The differences between affective and schizophrenic patients' QET performances may be explained by differences in the course and chronicity of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of fluvoxamine and citalopram in maintaining abstinence in a sample of Italian detoxified alcoholics.

A 16-week, randomized study was performed to test the efficacy of two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluvoxamine and citalopram, in decreasing relapse and craving in alcoholics, and to investigate possible differences in their clinical profile. After detoxification, each of the 81 patients (55 males and 26 females) was randomly assigned to one of three groups: 23 subjects did not receive any pharmacological treatment, 25 were treated with fluvoxamine, 150mg/day, and 33 with citalopram, 20 mg/day. All patients received standard cognitive-behavioural therapy. Craving was assessed twice a month using a 10-step scale. Every intake of alcohol was considered a relapse and the subject was taken out of the study. At the end of the study, both the fluvoxamine and citalopram groups showed a statistically higher rate of continuous abstinence (63.6 and 60.7%, respectively) compared to the group without pharmacological treatment (30.4%). Relapse severity did not differ among the three groups. Only citalopram showed a significant effect on craving throughout the study period. This study confirmed the efficacy of SSRIs as an adjunct to psychotherapy to prevent relapse in alcoholics. The relationship between the effects of these SSRIs on abstinence and craving, as well as the differences between their profiles, are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Renal handling of sodium after an oral protein load in adult humans.

This investigation was designed to study (1) renal sodium handling after an oral protein load and (2) its relationship to some known determinants of the hemodynamic response (glucagon, insulin, growth hormone, renin, aldosterone, and plasma amino acid concentration). To this end of group of 8 adult subjects was studied before (three 30-min clearances) and after a meat meal (MM; five 30-min clearances at 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 min). The MM provided 2 g/kg BW of protein. Within 30 min from the MM an hyperfiltration response was seen, which was paralleled by a 2-fold increase in plasma alanine concentration while total plasma amino acid concentration was not different from the baseline values. The hemodynamic response was associated with a normally operating tubuloglomerular feedback mechanism independent of renin-aldosterone activity, but possibly associated with an early increase in plasma glucagon concentration and later on with a modest increase in postmeal plasma insuling concentration.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Brain-gut peptides and the renal hemodynamic response to an oral protein load: a study of gastrin, bombesin, and glucagon in man.

With the aim of disclosing a possibility for gastrin and bombesin to participate in the postprandial regulation of the renal hemodynamic response, 10 healthy males were studied before and after a meat meal (2 g/kg BW of proteins as cooked red meat). We evaluated the time course changes of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) renal plasma flow (RPF), and the plasma concentrations of gastrin, bombesin, glucagon, and total amino acids. After the meat meal a significant increase in GFR and RPF was seen, within 30 min, along with an increase in plasma gastrin and glucagon. Bombesin and amino acid concentrations increased at a later time. The data suggest but cannot demonstrate a causal role for gastrin and glucagon in the genesis of the hyperfiltration response to acute protein administration.

Adult↗