Biomedical subjects

M Labate

Publications and source records attributed to M Labate.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

[Benefit from bio-enteric Intra-gastric balloon (BIB) to modify lifestyle and eating habits in severely obese patients eligible for bariatric surgery].

AIM: The therapeutic model for severe obesity includes bariatric surgery, representing the safest way to keep weight down and to prevent relapses. The selection of patients for the most suitable type of surgery implies multidisciplinary approach (nutritionist, dietist, clinical psychologist and surgeon). The intragastric balloon may represent a relatively invasive method to help the medical team to select and prepare severely obese patients for restrictive bariatric surgery. METHODS: In our study we considered 48 severely obese patients: initial weight 111+/-14.8 kg, BMI 43+/-5.02, excess weight 77.47+/-16.14%. These patients have been treated with intragastric balloon (BIB) filled to a volume of 500 cc for 6 months. We considered variations induced by BIB treatment on a number of parameters--clinical, anthropometric, food intake, partition of nourishing elements and psychological and psychometric data. RESULTS: At the end of the treatment the patients showed significant reductions of excess weight (67.35+/-20.19%), of weight (103.4+/-16.72 kg) and food intake, without modification of the items in the EDI2 test, but with important motivational support for a change in life style between the beginning and the end of the treatment, clearly resulting from the medical, dietist and clinical-psychological follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: BIB is a relatively invasive means capable of modifying eating habits in the short term; it induces weight loss, may help to reduce the anaesthesiological risk and to foster a change in the patient's behaviour. In our experience treatment with BIB is useful from the educational point of view and can be used to select patients for bariatric surgery only within a multidisciplinary team. Further clinical studies are necessary.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Prenatal exposure to low levels of carbon monoxide alters sciatic nerve myelination in rat offspring.

Prenatal exposure to low concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO, 75 and 150 ppm from day 0 to day 20 of gestation), resulting in maternal blood HbCO concentrations equivalent to those maintained by human cigarette smokers, leads to subtle myelin alterations in the sciatic nerve of male rat offspring. The rapid growth spurt in pup body weight was related to the period of maximal increase in myelin sheath thickness in both control and CO-exposed animals. A significant reduction in myelin sheath thickness of sciatic nerve fibers, paralleled by changes in the frequency distribution, occurred in both 40- and 90-day-old rats exposed in utero to CO (75 and 150 ppm). Myelin deficit observed in 75 and 150 ppm CO-exposed animals showed up only after the major spurt in myelination but not early during development. The subtle myelin alterations observed in CO-exposed offspring were not accompanied by changes in developmental pattern of axon diameters and did not result in a gross impairment of motor activity. These results suggest that the myelination process is selectively targeted by a prenatal exposure model simulating the CO exposure observed in human cigarette smokers.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical evidence of seasonal changes of gonadotropes in male ruin lizard (Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta).

The pars distalis from the pituitary gland of adult male ruin lizards (Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta), captured during the five periods of the annual sexual cycle (emergence from hibernation, reproductive period, summer regression, autumnal recrudescence, winter arrest), was studied immunohistochemically using specific antibodies against hFSHbeta, hLHbeta, oFSHbeta, and oLHbeta with the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) procedure to monitor the seasonal changes in shape, size and percentage area taken up from gonadotropes. FSH containing cells were specifically identified with anti-hFSHbeta and anti-oFSHbeta sera, whereas the LH cells were localized by anti-hLHbeta. The anti-oLHbeta serum showed cross-reactivity with the cells immunostained by the three above antisera (anti-hFSHbeta, anti-oFSHbeta, and anti-hLHbeta). None of the cells contained both gonadotropic hormones as shown by the double-immunostaining procedure. Generally, FSH cells were larger and more numerous than LH cells. FSH cells were elongated or pyriform in shape from spring to autumn, whereas they were round or oval during the winter stasis and until the emergence from hibernation. The size and the percentage area occupied by FSH cells showed an annual pattern with two distinct peaks in the reproductive and in the autumnal recrudescence periods. LH cells did not show seasonal changes in shape, being round or oval throughout the reproductive cycle, whereas their size and the area they occupied underwent seasonal variations. The LH cells reached the largest size during the reproductive period and the smallest size during the summer regression. The percentage area occupied by LH cells in the pars distalis peaked at the emergence from hibernation and during the summer refractory period, when FSH cells displayed their lowest values.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Immunohistochemical localization of FSH and LH in the pituitary of male ruin lizards (Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta).

The pars distalis from the pituitary gland of adult male ruin lizards (Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta), captured during the reproductive period (May and June), was studied immunohistochemically using specific antibodies against hFSH beta, hLH beta and oLH beta with the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) procedure to determine the localization of both gonadotropins. The immunostaining with anti-hFSH beta and anti-hLH beta allowed identification of morphologically distinct FSH containing cells and LH containing cells, whereas anti-oLH beta serum showed cross-reactivity with cells immunostained with the anti-hFSH beta and anti-hLH beta sera. The gonadotropic cells took up approximatively 10.5% of the area of the pars distalis: 10% was positive for FSH, whereas only 0.5% was positive for LH. The FSH cells were distributed throughout the pars distalis, whereas the LH cells were only located in the rostral region. Double-immunostaining procedure did not reveal cells containing both gonadotropic hormones. The findings indicate that FSH and LH are produced in separate pituitary cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Glycoconjugates during the annual sexual cycle in lizard epididymal ductuli efferentes: a histochemical study.

The epididymal ductuli efferentes of the lizard Podarcis sicula campestris De Betta are lined with simple, columnar, nonciliated and ciliated cells. The use of lectin histochemistry has provided information about changes of sugars associated with glycoconjugates of epithelial cells and intraluminal spermatozoa which are conveyed from the longitudinal canal to the cranial region of the ductus epididymis. Epithelial cells exhibited residues of alpha-D-mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, and beta-D-galactose-(1-4)-N-acetylglucosamine as revealed with lectins Con A, WGA and RCA120, respectively, throughout the sexual cycle. An increase of RCA120 staining was observed on microvilli of nonciliated cells and in the cytoplasm of ciliated cells during the reproductive period. However, during the following refractory period, when the organ was in regression, there was a decreased staining with Con A on microvilli and the absorbent surface of nonciliated cells, with WGA in nonciliated cells and the cytoplasm of ciliated cells, and with RCA120 on microvilli and the cytoplasm of both cell types. Terminal alpha-D-galactose residues were increasingly stained from autumn up to the reproductive period with BS I-B4 on microvilli, the absorbent surface and cilia, whereas they were entirely lacking during the refractory period. UEA I revealed alpha-L-fucose residues on the absorbent surface of nonciliated cells during the abortive and reproductive periods, increasing in the latter period when cilia also expressed this sugar. Terminal alpha/beta-D-N-acetylgalactosamine was evidenced with SBA on the absorbent surface of nonciliated cells during the reproductive period. The terminal beta-D-galactose-(1-3)-N-acetylgalactosamine dimer was never found with PNA, whereas O- and N-linked sialoglycoconjugates were present only during the reproductive period. The spermatozoa head exhibited N-linked glycans with high-mannose content, and beta-D-galactose-(1-4)-N-acetylglucosamine as well as O- and N-linked sialoglycoconjugates throughout the year. During the reproductive period, oligosaccharides with alpha-D-mannose residues increased, and oligosaccharides with terminal alpha-D-galactose, alpha-L-fucose and sialic acid-N-acetylgalactosamine dimer were also present. Unlike spermatozoa of seminiferous tubules, the spermatozoa head of the lizard epididymal ductuli efferentes exhibited seasonal variability in the lectin binding pattern which may be related to time-dependent changes in the glycoconjugate profiles of epithelial cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Lectin binding pattern of Schwann cells and macrophages in 2,5-hexanedione-induced axonal degeneration in rats.

The lectin binding pattern of both Schwann cells and macrophages has been studied during axonal degeneration induced in the rat sciatic nerve by chronic administration of 2,5-hexanedione (0.8 ml/kg per day i.p. for 20 days). In particular, the present study aimed to establish a possible relationship between macrophage activation and expression of lectin binding sites. To identify and distinguish between Schwann cells and macrophages, electron microscopy was combined with the lectin staining method. On 2,5-hexanedione injury, a drastic disorganization of both axon and myelin sheath occurred and nerve fibers were replaced by a chain of ovoids. Besides the well-established concept that Schwann cells and macrophages cooperate in the removal of the myelin debris during axonal degeneration, evidence is presented that expression of binding sites to lectins is closely related to macrophage activation. Monocytes occasionally present in control nerves were labelled only by Con A and sialidase-peanut sequence; in 2,5-hexanedione degeneration monocytes, prephagocytes (macrophages with minute bubbles) and phagocytes (macrophages with large bubbles) were labelled also by peanut, wheat germ and BSA I-B4; moreover, phagocytes were labelled by soybean as well, thus showing a clearly differentiation-dependent binding pattern. Since changes in lectin binding pattern may reflect changes in complex carbohydrate structures, the results show that the expression of certain glycoproteins may be closely related to activation of macrophages in response to toxic injuries.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Histochemical analysis of lizard testicular glycoconjugates during the annual spermatogenetic cycle.

The distribution of glycoconjugates in the testis of lizard Podarcis s. campestris De Betta was investigated by HRP-conjugated lectins during the annual spermatogenetic cycle. In addition, pretreatments of sections with neuraminidase and removal of alkali-labile O-linked sequences by beta-elimination allowed the structure of glycoconjugates to be further explored. Leydig cells displayed changes of lectin-binding sites during annual cycle, and during the abortive spermatogenesis period lacked N-linked sialylgalactosyl glycans. Sertoli cells stained by Con A, WGA, RCA120, BS I-B4, showed, except in July, O-linked sialylgalactosyl glycans. Spermatogonia bound Con A and WGA. Spermatocytes bound also BS I-B4, SBA, UEA I, and during spring spermatogenesis, revealed O-linked sialylgalactosyl glycans. The acrosomes of spermatids were also stained by RCA120 and PNA, whereas the heads of spermatozoa did not bind SBA and PNA. During the abortive spermatogenic period, the acrosomes showed O-linked sialylgalactosyl glycans and N-linked glycans terminating in beta-galactosyl residues. During the reproductive period, the acrosomes of spermatozoa expressed O- and N-linked sialylgalactosyl glycans and beta-galactosyl terminal residues on O- and N-linked glycans. This, in the testis of lizard, the two spermatogenesis periods show the emergence of different types of glycosylation.

Acrosome↗

PubMed1986

[A biological marker in drug dependence: microcirculatory homeostasis].

In 25 heroin addicts examined an initial alteration in microcirculatory homeostasis was found ond held to be responsible for the addiction. As in other cases it is thought possible to use the chronobiological course of haemodynamic balance and imbalance as a biological marker for prevention and treatment.

Biological Clocks↗

PubMed1986

[Chronobiological evaluation of hemodynamic equilibrium in the developmental years].

Knowledge of the incidence of haemodynamic imbalance syndromes and consequent pathologies in growing children at various ages may be a useful aid to the preventive measures that make for effective treatment of the organs involved in the psychological and physical development of school children. The oscillation between haemodynamic balance and imbalance was monitored in 849 subjects aged 3-18 on the basis of periods of absence relatable to the biorhytmic cycle of each pupil within the daily and seasonable rhythm. The survey identifies the instruments that facilitate natural haemodynamic balance and reduce desynchronising stimuli.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1985

[Chronobiologic resolution of disabling pathologies in shift workers].

The annual sequence of sickness leaves was studied in 162 industrial workers with a high absenteeism level. An investigation of the swings in haemodynamic balance, and imbalances linked to alternations in vessel constriction and dilation throughout the biorhythmic cycle influenced by the alternation of night and day, hot and cold seasons, showed that each period of sick leave coincided with each period of haemodynamic balance caused by particular shifts. It was thus possible to identify groups of workers with syndromic sub groups whose performance was affected by night work and particular seasons. For optimal shift-worker deployment it is therefore suggested that workers should be assigned to shifts to which they are biologically suited.

Biological Clocks↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Up-regulation of polysialic acid in peripheral myelinated axons of rat chronically exposed to 2,5-hexanedione.

Myelinated nerve fibres isolated from Wistar rats chronically exposed to 2,5-hexanedione (0.8 ml/kg/day, intraperitoneally) over a period of 20 days, were stained with lectin-horseradish peroxidase conjugates. The lectins with high affinity for terminal D-galactopyranosyl residues, Bandeiraea simplicifolia-B4 (BSA I-B4) and peanut agglutinin (PNA), showed glycoconjugates in the control nodes of Ranvier. In the treated animals, application of PNA-HRP caused weak reactivity to the node of Ranvier; digestion with sialidase prior to the application of PNA-HRP conjugate enhanced reactivity, thus revealing the presence of a sialoglycoprotein. The results indicate that glycoconjugates of the Ranvier node undergo a rearrangement during exposure to 2,5-hexanedione. In particular, neutral glycoproteins with terminal galactose are replaced by sialoglycoproteins. These findings are consistent with the proposed role of polysialic acid as a regulator of axonal behaviour during regeneration.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Histological and immunohistochemical investigation on ovarian development and plasma estradiol levels in the swordfish (Xiphias gladius L.).

The paper reports a histological and immunohistochemical description of oocyte growth and ultrastructural aspects of zona radiata (ZR) formation as well as the relationship between plasma estradiol-17beta, (E2) levels and ovarian development in swordfish (Xiphias gladius L.) from the Mediterranean Sea. Ovaries were inactive during March to mid April; maturation occurred during late April to June and spawning in June and July. Zona radiata formation starts, as Pas positive material, in oocytes at the lipid stage. In this stage a deposit of electrondense material between oolemma and follicular cells appears. In the cortical alveoli stage and through the early vitellogenic stage, the deposition of a moderately electrondense material occurred on the inner side of the ZR. Finally, in late vitellogenic oocytes a third layer, made of microfibrillar material, appeared. The immunohistochemical analyses revealed that the initial internalisation of hepatic zona radiata proteins (Zrp) in the swordfish oocyte starts before the uptake of vitellogenin (Vtg) and that it is associated with the low previtellogenic E2 plasma levels, while a significant E2 increase in plasma is associated with the beginning of Vtg uptake. This would appear to confirm the hypothesis that the differential and sequential induction of zonagenesis and vitellogenesis may reflect a general feature of teleost oogenesis.

Animals↗