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Biomedical subjects

M Milano

Publications and source records attributed to M Milano.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Recent advances in targeted therapies for colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in the molecular biology and genetics of colorectal cancer have led to the identification of potential therapeutic targets such as epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor and endothelial receptors. OBJECTIVE: This review will examine the major therapeutic advances along with the preclinical basis justifying their combination with conventional therapeutic tools. This review will also critically consider current possibilities offered to identify responding patients. DATA SOURCES: Preclinical and primary clinical trial results published in peer-review journals. The authors examined the relevance and subsequent inclusion of the data. CONCLUSIONS: Cetuximab and bevacizumab provide new benefits in terms of the response rate and survival. There remain, however, important questions concerning, for instance, optimal combinations between conventional cytotoxic agents and targeted therapies and also between targeted drugs themselves. These new targeted treatments are costly and in this context the question of the identification of the right drug for the right patient is particularly relevant. Adequate tools in predicting the efficacy of targeted treatments are still needed.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗
PubMed2005

[EGF receptor in head and neck cancer].

EGFR is overexpressed and is associated with a poor prognosis in head and neck cancer. Among the biological and cellular effects resulting from EGFR targeting in head and neck cancer there is the capacity to restore apoptotic capacities. Other experimental results put into evidence that DNA-repair activity was reduced by the application of EGFR targeting agents. This context was in favor of a research oriented towards combination between anti-EGFR drugs and cytotoxic agents, particularly irradiation. Supra-additive cytotoxic effects have been observed at the experimental level when combining anti-EGFR drugs with irradiation in head and neck cancer. These experimental data were recently confirmed at the clinical level in locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2005

Erythropoietin and neuroprotection: a therapeutic perspective.

Recombinant erythropoietin (EPO) is used to correct for anaemia caused by chronic renal failure or cancer therapy. Improvement of the quality of life of anaemic patients treated with EPO was recently demonstrated and preliminary clinical results suggest an improvement of cognitive functions in patients receiving EPO. High expression of EPO and its receptor in the brain during embryonic development has led to the investigation of not only the neurotrophic role of EPO but also its neuroprotective properties. The neuroprotective effects of EPO have various complementary actions including antagonism of the effects of glutamate, increased expression of antioxidant enzymes, changes in production of neurotransmitters and induction of neuroglobin. Convincing experimental results suggest a blood-brain transport of EPO whereas clinical pharmacokinetic data do not as yet support this. The neuroprotective effects of EPO and its therapeutic promise need to be underlined.

Anemia↗
PubMed2000

Infantile botulism: clinical and laboratory observations of a rare neuroparalytic disease.

A 3-month-old male infant was admitted to the University Hospital of Los Andes with a history of constipation, weak crying, poor feeding, flaccidity and later bilateral ptosis and hyporeflexia. The admission diagnosis was septicaemia until an electrophysiological study reported postetanic facilitation with 50 Hz/seg stimulations four days later. The Clostridium botulinum toxin type B was isolated from the infant's stool samples and the organism grew in anaerobic cultures. The patient recovered completely and was discharged 2 months later. Although infant botulism is an uncommon disease in our environment, this diagnosis must be suspected in all afebrile infants with constipation, affected cranial nerves and generalized hypotonia. The principal differential diagnoses are Landry-Guillain-Barré syndrome, poliomyelitis, myasthenia gravis and infant muscular atrophy.

Botulism↗
PubMed2000

Compomer materials and secondary caries formation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of compomers in secondary caries formation in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 36 human teeth with caries-free enamel (coronal) and root surfaces underwent a fluoride-free prophylaxis. Class V cavities were prepared in buccal and lingual coronal and root surfaces. The teeth were divided into two groups with 3 treatment subdivisions [12 teeth per restorative material (6 with coronal restorations and 6 with root surface restorations)]). The preparations were restored with: (1) filled composite (Filtek Z250 with Single Bond), (2) fluoride-releasing compomer [Hytac with Prompt L-Pop (fluoride-releasing water-based adhesive)]; or (3) fluoride-releasing compomer [Dyract AP with Prime & Bond NT (fluoride-releasing acetone-based adhesive)]. 24 cavities (6 teeth with 2 cavities/tooth) were available with each treatment. The teeth were thermocycled (500 cycles at 5-50 degrees C) in synthetic saliva prior to artificial caries formation. After lesion formation, 5 longitudinal sections were taken from each specimen for polarized light evaluation. Mean surface lesion depths and wall lesion frequencies were determined. RESULTS: The Filtek Z250 group had significantly (P < 0.05, ANOVA, DMR) greater mean body of the lesion depths in coronal (205 microm) and root surfaces (221 microm) than either the Hytac (119 microm coronal and 161 microm root surfaces) or the Dyract AP (127 microm coronal and 149 microm root surfaces) groups. Likewise, wall lesion frequency was significantly higher (P < 0.05, ANOVA, DMR) for the Filtek Z250 group (41% coronal and 37% root surfaces) compared with either the Hytac (31% coronal and 25% root surfaces) or Dyract AP (26% coronal and 21% root surfaces) groups. No differences in outer body of the lesion depths or wall lesion frequencies were found between Hytac and Dyract AP for coronal and root surface restorations (P > 0.05, ANOVA, DMR).

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus genotypes in southern Italy.

HCV is ubiquitous. In 50% of all cases it causes chronic hepatitis that often evolves into liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recently HCV has been classified in 5 genotypes by Okamoto. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of 5 genotypes in Campania, a region of southern Italy, where the prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies ranges from 0.87 to 4%, and to evaluate the correlation between the HCV genotypes and the severity of histological damage. One-hundred- and-thirty-five anti-HCV positive patients were enrolled and tested by PCR to identify HCV-RNA. One-hundred-and-twenty-four patients resulted HCV-RNA positive. Genotyping was performed as described by Okamoto et al. with minor modifications of the specific primer to type III proposed by Silini et al. Eight patients were negative for all genotypes. Eight patients were positive for type I(1a), 61 for type II(1b), 39 for type III(2a), 11 for type IV(2b) and 1 for type V(3a). In 4 cases two different genotypes were present in the same sample [II(1b)-IV(2b), III(2a)-II(1b) twice, III (2a)-IV(2b)]. Histological evaluation of liver damage showed: CPH (22 cases), minimal CAH (56), severe CAH (31) and liver cirrhosis (15). There was no statistically significant correlation between the 5 genotypes and the severity of histological damage. Data on the prevalence of genotype II (1b) in Italy are similar to those reported for other European countries. The prevalence of genotypes in southern Italy is similar to that reported in the population of northern Italy.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Tropical pyomyositis. A case report].

Tropical pyomyositis is an infection of large muscle groups that can lead to sepsis and death. The most common etiologic agent is Staphylococcus aureus. It usually occurs in patients living in the tropics but is seen with increasing frequency in temperate climates, particularly in immunosuppressed patients, where it may be misdiagnosed and may cause severe morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis is based on the examination of pus from a muscle aspirate and treatment consists of surgical incision, drainage and appropriate antibiotic therapy. It is stressed to take into account pyomyositis in the differential diagnosis of immunocompromised patients with "cryptic" myalgia.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Pseudomemory and age regression: an exploratory study.

Hypnotizable (N = 9) and simulating subjects (N = 8) were age regressed to the previous week's hypnosis session and received a suggestion to hear a phone ring during the earlier session (no phone actually rang). Pseudomemory rates in response to open-ended questions were low in this study (0% hypnotizable and simulating subjects) and in previous research (Lynn, Weekes, & Milano, 1989; 12.5% hypnotizable; 10% simulating subjects) in which the phone-ring suggestion was not embedded in the context of age regression. In response to a forced-choice question, 22.22% of the hypnotizable and 25% of the simulating subjects indicated that the suggested phone ring was an actual event, a pseudomemory rate somewhat higher than our previous study in which none of the subjects reported pseudomemories in response to a forced-choice question. When the occurrence of the target stimulus of a pseudomemory suggestion is publicly verifiable, the pseudomemory rate is low.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Hypnosis and pseudomemories: the effects of prehypnotic expectancies.

Contrary to predictions, the pseudomemory rate of subjects who received prehypnotic information that hypnosis increased recall was indistinguishable from the pseudomemory rates of subjects who received information that hypnosis did not increase recall and of subjects who received no specific prehypnotic information. Indeed, by the last recall trial, none of the 47 subjects exhibited pseudomemory. Subjects exhibited faulty memory of events that actually occurred (i.e., pencils spilling), and were as uncertain of events that actually occurred, as they were of suggested events that did not occur during the session (telephone ringing). Subjects were generally consistent in their certainty, or lack of it, across events. Finally, subjects led to believe that hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness were less aware of external events, and had the lowest rate of recall of target suggestions compared with subjects in the comparison groups.

Adult↗