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Biomedical subjects

M Caputi

Publications and source records attributed to M Caputi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Comparative clinical evaluation of ceftriaxone in treating lower respiratory tract infections.

To evaluate the clinical and microbiological efficacy and safety of ceftriaxone in comparison with cefotaxime in treating acute lower respiratory tract infections two open randomized trials were performed. Sixty-two adult hospital in-patients were entered and 58 completed the study. The patients suffered from either acute (broncho-)pneumonia (19pts) or severe exacerbation of chronic bronchopneumonia (39 pts). Forty-one of the patients had severe underlying or concurrent diseases. Diagnoses were in all cases confirmed by isolation of the causative pathogen(s) from bronchial brushing or washing under fiberoptic bronchoscopy. Twenty-eight patients were administered at random with either a single 2g daily dose of ceftriaxone or 2g twice daily dose of cefotaxime (1st trial). Successively (2nd trial) ceftriaxone was administered at a dose of 1g once daily either i.v. or i.m. The duration of treatment ranged from 7 to 12 days. A satisfactory response was observed in all patients suffering from acute pneumonia or bronchopneumonia; the eradication rate of the causative pathogen was 73% and 62% for ceftriaxone and cefotaxime, respectively. Concerning the exacerbation of chronic bronchopneumonia (39 patients) an overall satisfactory response to both treatments was registered in about 80% of cases. No significant differences between the 1g and 2g single daily dosing regimens of ceftriaxone appeared. Both ceftriaxone and cefotaxime were well tolerated: no or minimal changes in laboratory values were noticed. It is concluded that a 1g or 2g single daily dose of ceftriaxone were at least as effective as a 2g twice daily dose of cefotaxime in treating acute lower respiratory tract infections due to susceptible pathogens.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bcl-2 protein expression correlates with nodal status in non small cell lung cancer.

We investigated the immunohistochemical expression of bcl-2 in 55 non small cell lung cancer patients in order to understand if the altered expression of this gene is involved in the development of this kind of neoplasm. Our results showed bcl-2 immunopositivity to be a frequent event in non small cell lung cancer (54.5%) with a higher expression in squamous carcinomas compared to adenocarcinomas (p = .04). In addition, we found a positive correlation between bcl-2 expression levels and nodal status (p < .003). We suggest that bcl-2 immunostaining could be considered as marker of loco-regional invasivity.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Frequent high expression of bax pro-apoptotic protein in non-small cell lung cancer.

Bax, bcl-2 and their homologues regulate a distal step in an evolutionary very well conserved pathway of apoptotic cell death. It plays a crucial role in the balance between proliferation rate and cell viability. Thus in the last years the attention of the scientific community towards these proteins has remarkably increased, in particular in the oncologic field. We developed an immunohistochemical assay allowing us to evaluate the bax expression in formalin fixed and paraffin embedded lung cancer tissues to investigate bax expression in a cohort of 55 patients affected by non-small cell lung cancer. We detected high expression of bax in 72.7% of our patients. When we statistically analyzed our data we did not find any correlation between bax expression and any clinicopathologic parameters (sex, age, TNM status, tumor grade, histological type). In conclusion, our study shows the frequent overexpression of bax, and this highlights the "apoptotic tendency" of cells during the neoplastic proliferation. But, the role of bax in non-small cell lung cancer pathogenesis still remains unclear and further studies of large numbers of patients, including different stage groups, are needed to better define the involvement of this protein in the complex mechanism of lung carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Expression of p21 in non small cell lung cancer relationship with PCNA.

The first cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor to be discovered was the p21 cdk interacting protein (a.k.a., WAF1, Cip1, CAP20, Sdi1, mda6). p21 expression may or may not be dependent on p53. This pathway also inhibits DNA replication by merit of p21's interaction with PCNA, but it has also been shown that this same inhibitory interaction with p21 does not affect PCNA DNA repair abilities. We assessed the immunohistochemical expression of p21 protein in 60 curative surgical resected non small cell lung cancers relating it to the expression of PCNA to clarify the contribution of the p21/PCNA pathway to the development of NSCLC. We did not find any relationship between PCNA and p21 expression. This last result may indicate that the mechanism by which PCNA controls the DNA repair is the most important activity of this protein during lung cancer progression and development, compared to its contribution to cell proliferation. In fact, this last event is strongly counteracted by p21 expression, which in this last case works as an inhibitor of PCNA expression. In conclusion this study highlighted the important role of the p21/PCNA pathway in lung carcinogenesis, pointing out the contribution of PCNA to the response to lung aggression and not only it's role as a proliferation index. Therefore, these results offer a background to further study to evaluate potential novel therapeutic approaches to lung cancer treatment.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intrapulmonary teratoma associated with thymic tissue.

A case of benign, cystic intrapulmonary teratoma occurring in the right lobe of a 22-year old female is described with grossly and microscopically findings. The connection between the tumor and the segmental bronchus, together with the absence of germ cell neoplasms in other locations, clearly established the true intrapulmonary nature of the lesion. The unusual finding of thymic tissue within the wall supports the possible origin from the third pharyngeal pouch.

Actins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Air pollution and respiratory pathology: lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most frequent cause of death from neoplastic pathology in the western world (28% of total mortality from neoplasia); in 90% of cases it is caused by tobacco smoke. In Italy, a stabilisation trend in males is observed, while female mortality is still increasing. During the first two decades of 2000, a more or less evident pathology decline is expected in males and a decline/stabilisation in females, according to the results of anti-smoking and anti-pollution campaigns. Lung cancer can be considered a pathology of multifactorial etiopathogenesis, where out- and indoor environmental risk factors, together with genetic factors and living habits, combine to explain the differences in increase of neoplasy incidence in exposed populations and categories. Several chemical, physical and biological agents have been identified as promoting or initiating factors of a series of genic modifications inducing "genetic instability" and subsequent alteration of the programmed cell death regulation ("apoptosis") and of the cell cycle responsible for somatic cell alterations ("transformed phenotype") in previously normal tissues. This paper outlines the different risk factors responsible for lung neoplasies, and discusses the molecular-biological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer.

Air Pollution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Diagnostic role of BAL in pulmonary alveolar microlithiasis].

From 1982-90, 3721 fiber bronchoscopies were performed for the diagnostics of diffused alveolar-septal pathologies; BAL was performed in 400 cases. Alveolar pulmonary microlithiasis was diagnosed in 6 patients, and two of them were related. The staging and the evolution of the pathology were evaluated as follows: chest x-ray in various projections, calcemia, lung function tests, fiber bronchoscopy with analysis of BAL and quantitative evaluation of macrophagic and lympho-monocytic elements and in percentage of calcosferitics. Four patients were treated with therapeutic BAL in the lungs with normal saline, and the cytological results and the percentage of calcosferitics were monitored for 24 months.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Cefotetan treatment of suppurative bronchopulmonary syndromes sustained by anaerobic germs].

The Authors have analyzed the effect of Cefotetan in 20 patients affected by bronchopulmonary pathologies supported by anaerobic bacterium. During 7 days doses of 50 mg. pro Kg/pro die were given. From beginning to end of the treatment clinical, hematochemical and radiological data were evaluated. Bacteriological analysis was made on samples drawn with BFS according to a traditional method and with microbiology specimen brush. Almost all the patients (95%) realized improvements in clinical symptomatology and in radiological picture.

Adolescent↗