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N Aste

Publications and source records attributed to N Aste.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Ofuji papuloerythroderma.

Ofuji papuloerythrodema is a rare type of dermatosis marked by an erythrodermic manifestation which is intensely pruritic and results from the coalescing of brownish papules which in the main do not involve the great folds. The authors present the case history of a 72-year-old female, whose dermatosis appeared 8 years after the diagnosis of malignant lymphocytic lymphoma. The Authors describe the clinical and histopathological picture, illustrating the laboratory results and stressing the importance of the association of the two pathologies in a possible nosological overview.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Eosinophilic cellulitis (Well's syndrome): a new case description.

BACKGROUND: Wells' syndrome was first described by Wells in 1971 as a recurrent granulomatous dermatitis with eosinophilia and was later named eosinophilic cellulitis. It is defined by the following criteria: (i) sudden onset of annular or circinate erythematous-edematous patches that rapidly evolve to morphea-like blue-slate-colored plaques; (ii) a histological picture usually characterized by the presence of 'flame figures'; (iii) non-constant blood hypereosinophilia. METHODS: We describe the case of a 49-year-old woman who reported the sudden appearance of a few hard, pasty, oval-shaped, reddish-violet, moderately itchy, erythematous-edematous patches on both arms about 2 months before our observation. RESULTS: The remote pathologic history showed that the woman have been submitted to quadrantectomy with lymph node dissection followed by cobalt therapy for breast cancer. Based on the pharmacological history, intake of drugs was excluded. Routine blood chemistry and instrumental tests did not show any alteration, nor did assays of the main autoantibodies, complement, circulating immunocomplexes, or tumor markers. CONCLUSIONS: Histologically the picture was compatible with the diagnosis of Eosinophilic cellulitis. Following topical corticosteroid therapy the lesion healed rapidly. It relapsed 2 months later, and was again cured with the same topical treatment. No further relapses were observed in a 1 year follow-up.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1998

Anatomical and neurochemical definition of the nucleus of the stria terminalis in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

This study in birds provides anatomical, immunohistochemical, and hodological data on a prosencephalic region in which the nomenclature is still a matter of discussion. In quail, this region is located just dorsal to the anterior commissure and extends from the level of the medial part of the preoptic area at its most rostral end to the caudal aspects of the nucleus preopticus medialis. At this caudal level, it reaches its maximal elongation and extends from the ventral tip of the lateral ventricles to the dorsolateral aspects of the paraventricular nucleus. This area contains aromatase-immunoreactive cells and a sexually dimorphic population of small, vasotocinergic neurons. The Nissl staining of adjacent sections revealed the presence of a cluster of intensely stained cells outlining the same region delineated by the vasotocin-immunoreactive structures. Cytoarchitectonic, immunohistochemical, and in situ hybridization data support the notion that this area is similar and is probably homologous to the medial part of the nucleus of the stria terminalis of the mammalian brain. The present data provide a clear definition of this nucleus in quail: They show for the first time the presence of sexually dimorphic vasotocinergic neurons in this region of the quail brain and provide the first detailed description of this region in an avian species.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Distribution and effects of testosterone on aromatase mRNA in the quail forebrain: a non-radioactive in situ hybridization study.

A number of studies have been devoted to the analysis of the anatomical distribution, control by steroids and functional significance of aromatase (the enzyme metabolizing testosterone into 17beta-estradiol) in the quail brain. In particular, the sexually dimorphic nucleus preopticus medialis has been the main focus of investigation because testosterone aromatization in this structure mediates the activation of male sexual behavior and aromatase activity is itself testosterone-dependent in this nucleus. No information on the anatomical distribution of aromatase gene expression is, however, available so far in this avian species. In the present study we applied a non-radioactive in situ hybridization technique to describe the distribution of aromatase mRNA containing neurons in the quail prosencephalon. We also analyzed, at a neuronal level of resolution, the induction by testosterone of this mRNA in the medial preoptic nucleus. Dense clusters of aromatase gene expressing neurons were observed within the medial preoptic nucleus, the nucleus of the stria terminalis, the ventro-medial hypothalamus and the tuberal region. Scattered neurons expressing lower levels of aromatase mRNA were also found in the dorsal thalamic area and central gray. The specificity of the staining was confirmed by demonstrating the absence of signal in sections that had been hybridized with a sense probe. Moreover, the distribution of the aromatase mRNA containing cells completely overlapped with the distribution of the aromatase-immunoreactive cells. Aromatase-mRNA expression was controlled by testosterone (or its metabolites) in the entire medial preoptic nucleus. Castration resulted in a decrease in the number of aromatase mRNA-containing cells and this effect was totally reversed by testosterone treatment. These data further support the idea that testosterone regulates the rate of its own aromatization by modulating the expression of aromatase rather than by acting at a post transcriptional level.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Tinea capitis in children in the district of Cagliari, Italy.

Between 1986 and 1995, 4104 children were observed in the Clinic of Dermatology in Cagliari, Italy. Three hundred and thirty-six children (8.2%), 188 boys and 148 girls, aged 1 month to 13 years, were affected by tinea capitis. Microsporum canis was detected in 278 cases (82.7%) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in 58 cases (17.3%). Systemic treatment with 20-25 mg kg-1 day-1 griseofulvin led to complete recovery in 30-40 days. None of the patients relapsed. The epidemiology of the infection was analysed according to age, sex and seasonal progression. Microsporum canis was the preponderant aetiological agent of tinea capitis in children in the district of Cagliari, Italy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Pityriasis rotunda: a survey of 42 cases observed in Sardinia, Italy.

BACKGROUND: Pityriasis rotunda (PR) is an uncommon dermatosis characterized by multiple, round or oval, sharply demarcated scaling patches that are dyschromic and asymptomatic. It has been described in Japanese and in blacks, usually in association with certain infective or malignant systemic diseases. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to further clarify this rare entity which in Italy seems to be confined to the island of Sardinia. METHODS: We studied 42 Sardinian patients, 22 males and 20 females, in an age range of 3-32 years. In 29 cases, the disease involved more than one family member. The patients were observed in Cagliari, the capital city of Sardinia. RESULTS: Bacterial, viral and fungal investigation yielded negative results. Haematochemical and immunological examination and thyroid, hypophyseal and adrenal hormones did not reveal any alterations. No systemic pathologies were found associated with the disease. CONCLUSIONS: The cases studied by us and those previously reported seem to indicate the presence of two distinct types of PR with significant prognostic differences.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Intracerebral sex differences in the vasotocin system in birds: possible implication in behavioral and autonomic functions.

The brain vasotocinergic system demonstrates clear sexual dimorphism in birds investigated so far. This paper examines the evidence obtained in studies on gallinaceous (domestic fowl, Japanese quail) and passerine (canary, junco, zebra finch) birds. Vasotocin (VT)-immunoreactive parvocellular neurons are present in the nucleus of stria terminalis of males, but they are less abundant or absent in the corresponding structure of females. A similar difference has been observed in the dorsal paraventricular area of domestic fowl. Sex-related differences in VT-gene expression have been confirmed by in situ hybridization. Moreover, overall brain content of VT mRNA in cockerels is about twice that of hens, suggesting that VT synthesis may also be sexually dimorphic in other brain areas where morphological sex differences have not yet been revealed. The vasotocinergic system in birds is implicated in body fluid homeostasis, and during ontogeny it starts to respond to osmotic challenges in a sexually dimorphic way. Photoperiod, aging, or castration--all associated with changes in circulating testosterone levels--affect sexually dimorphic VT pathways and cell clusters. Sexually dimorphic vasotocinergic circuits are distributed in regions containing steroid-concentrating cells and are closely intermingled with aromatase-containing neurons that may mediate activational effects of gonadal steroids on this peptidergic system. However, it remains undetermined whether the observed neuroanatomical sex differences are related to sexually dimorphic autonomic and behavioral effects induced by VT. Most likely, VT in birds has a modulatory rather than a specific regulatory function in control of male sexual behavior and vocalization.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Distribution of AVT gene expressing neurons in the prosencephalon of japanese quail and chicken.

Detailed anatomical studies about the distribution of arginine-vasotocin (AVT) gene expressing neurons in the avian brain are so far non-existent. Most of the investigations are limited to discrete brain nuclei in the chicken and concern particular experimental conditions. Since no data on AVT gene expression are up to now available in Japanese quail, we report here the distribution of AVT mRNA containing neurons within the prosencephalon of this bird and a comparison with the same system of the chicken. The AVT mRNA containing perikarya were detected with a specific AVT cDNA probe directed toward the distal 3' glycopeptide encoding part of the chicken AVT gene. The specificity of the probe was tested by Northern and Southern blot analysis. The AVT gene expressing neurons showed the same pattern of distribution in both species; however, a larger number of labelled neurons was observed in the chicken by visual inspection of the sections. AVT gene expressing neurons were distributed within the hypothalamus (in the medial and ventral aspects of the rostral preoptic area, in the lateral forebrain bundle, close to the ependyma of the third ventricle and in several periventricular hypothalamic nuclei) and in some extrahypothalamic regions (around the nucleus rotundus, close to the nucleus commissurae pallii and in a region probably corresponding to the nucleus strial terminalis). AVT gene expressing neurons were observed close to the organum septi laterale of the chicken. Taken together, these results confirm the specificity of the employed probe and its suitability for further studies on the modulation of AVT gene expression in quail.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Testosterone effects on the neuronal ultrastructure in the medial preoptic nucleus of male Japanese quail.

Dorsolateral neurons of the medial preoptic nucleus (POM) of male Japanese quail are sensitive to the plasma levels of testosterone: their volume and optical density in Nissl-stained sections increase in castrated birds treated with testosterone. The present study was performed on castrated male quail treated or not with Silastic implants filled with testosterone to describe the ultrastructural variations induced by testosterone in these neurons. Gonadally intact male birds were included as controls. The ultrastructure of neurons, taken from the dorsolateral portion of the POM, was dramatically affected by the endocrine manipulations. Quantitative evaluations demonstrated a significant decrease in castrated birds of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), of free polyribosomes, of Golgi complexes, and of dense bodies; these changes paralleled the decrease in cell size. The cell size and the percentage of volume occupied by the intracellular organelles in castrated birds treated with testosterone were comparable to values observed in controls. These ultrastructural changes are similar to those observed in neuronal targets for other gonadal hormones, supporting the idea that testosterone stimulates the development of cytoplasmic structures involved in protein synthesis and secretion. In addition, exposure to testosterone affects the synaptic inputs to POM. These ultrastructural changes are presumably related to the physiological effects (e.g., activation of male sexual behavior) exerted by testosterone on this preoptic region.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1995

Mapping of neurochemical markers in quail central nervous system: VIP- and SP-like immunoreactivity.

The distribution of cells and fibres containing vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P (SP) was investigated in the brain of Japanese quail focussing on the centers involved in reproductive activities. SP-immunoreactive (ir) structures were chiefly present within the ventral telencephalic regions, the periventricular hypothalamus and the dorsal aspects of thalamus. VIP immunopositive structures were rarely associated with recognizable nuclei and they were observed in the organum septi laterale (LSO), the lobus paraolfactorius (LPO), the eminentia mediana (ME), the nucleus striae terminalis (nST) and the area ventralis of Tsai (AVT). SP- and VIP-ir structures were both associated with regions implicated in the control of reproduction. SP was mainly distributed within regions that control male copulatory behavior (the preoptic region, the anterior hypothalamus and the central gray), whereas VIP was prevalently located in the mediobasal hypothalamus that is implicated in the control of female reproductive activities.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Vasotocinergic innervation of sexually dimorphic medial preoptic nucleus of the male Japanese quail: influence of testosterone.

The distribution of vasotocin (VT)-immunoreactive (IR) fibers was described in the preoptic and septal regions of the male quail brain. The density of VT-IR fibers was measured in the sexually dimorphic preoptic nucleus (POM) and lateral septum (SL) of adult male quail (Coturnix japonica) by means of quantitative image analysis. Experimental manipulations of the hormonal environment in the peripubertal period influenced this distribution. In both regions, the VT immunoreactivity was reduced or absent when males were castrated. The immunoreactivity was restored to its original level in castrated males by Silastic implants of testosterone. These changes were anatomically specific as evidenced by the fact that the density of VT fibers did not vary in the hypothalamo-neurohypohysial tract as a function of the endocrine condition of the subjects. No change was also observed in the number of VT-IR cells in the periventricular region close to the POM. Previously published data show that VT or its mammalian homolog, vasopressin are implicated in the control of a wide range of instinctive behaviors. The steroid-dependent VT afferents to the POM, a key area controlling male copulatory behavior in quail could therefore be involved in the control of the sexual behavior in this species. The outputs of the POM which contains steroid-receptors could therefore be modulated by steroids in two different ways: directly through the steroid receptors it contains and indirectly through its steroid-sensitive peptidergic afferents.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The density of melatonin receptors is dependent upon the prevailing photoperiod in the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

Two groups of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) were exposed to two different photoperiods (short and long days: LD 8:16 and LD 16:8, respectively), and their brains examined for the presence and distribution of melatonin receptors by means of quantitative in vitro autoradiography. Animals belonging to the LD 8:16 group expressed a significantly higher melatonin receptor density in the optic tectum and nucleus triangularis, while the LD 16:8 animals had a higher density of receptors in the hyperstriatum and nucleus preopticus dorsalis. These data demonstrate an apparent influence of the photoperiod on the density of melatonin receptors, especially in nuclei of the tectofugal pathway, related to the control of visual pattern and intensity discrimination, localization and orientation.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Topographical distribution of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase in the brain of the Japanese quail.

The distribution of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase activity was histochemically investigated in the Japanese quail brain. This enzyme is now considered responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide, a novel neural messenger whose distribution has not been described in the avian brain until now. The histochemical technique provides a simple and reliable method for staining selected populations of neurons throughout the avian brain. In the telencephalon several regions showed heavily stained NADPH-diaphorase positive neurons and processes. In particular the paleostriatal-paraolfactory lobe complex showed the greatest presence of both positive cells and processes. Neurons and processes were also observed in several regions of the hyperstriatum as well as in the archistriatal nucleus taeniae. Some regions, such as the ectostriatum and the hippocampus, had no positive elements. In the diencephalon, the magnocellular hypothalamic system, which in mammals shows NADPH-diaphorase activity, did not show any particular accumulation of reaction product. On the contrary, retinorecipient areas, such as the visual suprachiasmatic nucleus and the lateral geniculate complex, displayed a composite structure of both positive neurons and processes. The brainstem revealed a large NADPH-diaphorase positive population extending through the tegmental nuclei to the locus coeruleus and subcoeruleus. A complex organization was also observed in the optic lobe, where fusiform elements were distributed within the stratum griseum and superficialis of the tectum. In the medulla, a dense terminal field was observed at the level of the nucleus of the solitary tract, whereas scattered neurons were located within the reticular nuclei. Although the staining of neurons and tracts was highly selective, the positive cells did not correspond to any single known neurotransmitter, neuropeptide, or neuroactive molecule system. Several sensory pathways were heavily stained for the NADPH-diaphorase, including part of the olfactory, visual, and auditory pathways. The findings of the present study reveal that the NADPH-diaphorase-containing systems in the avian brain are organized according to a pattern comparable, because of its complexity, to that observed in mammals. However, important interspecific differences suggest that this novel neural system might be involved in diverse tasks.

Animals↗