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Biomedical subjects

P Boccaccio

Publications and source records attributed to P Boccaccio.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Measuring the imaged-object distance with a stationary high-spatial-resolution scintillation camera.

A method to measure the detector-to-object distance from the images obtained with stationary high-spatial-resolution gamma-ray cameras for in vivo studies has been developed. It exploits the shift of the imaged object in the image plane, obtained at a certain tilt of the parallel-hole collimator. A linear dependence of the image displacement on the distance to the object has been measured using a high-spatial-resolution scintillation camera employing an yttrium-aluminium perovskite (YAP) scintillator. It is shown that the modified YAP camera can be used to obtain three-dimensional information without moving the camera or the object. The method could be applied in scintimammography and radioguided surgery, in lymphoscintigraphy, as well as in the analysis of the biodistribution of radiopharmaceuticals.

Algorithms↗

Performance measurements of a high-spatial-resolution YAP camera.

Physical properties of a position-sensitive camera for the analysis of biodistributions of gamma- and beta-emitting radiopharmaceuticals in small animals have been studied, in order to achieve optimal operating conditions. The camera consisted of a highly segmented yttrium-aluminate perovskite (YAP) scintillator, coupled to a position-sensitive photomultiplier. The energy resolution, the detection efficiency, the spatial resolution, the spatial linearity and the count-rate linearity of the YAP camera have been determined. Images related to initial activity levels and successive biodistribution evolution in mice organs are presented as an illustration of the camera performance.

Aluminum↗

ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease of nodular sclerosing type in 2 siblings.

Familial clustering of Hodgkin's disease (HD) and increased risk of developing the disease among the siblings of affected patients suggest that both environmental and genetic factors may play an important role in its pathogenesis. An association between Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and HD has been widely demonstrated. Recently, latent membrane protein of EBV has also been detected in CD30-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Familial aggregation of HD and a three- to seven-fold-increased risk among the siblings of affected patients suggest increased genetically determined susceptibility. No data about genetic factors are available for anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. In this study, the authors report the case of a woman with anaplastic-lymphoma-kinase (ALK)-negative CD30-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma, whose brother had developed HD 11 years previously. The clinical, histologic, and immunohistochemical features of the 2 lymphomas were studied. Both siblings showed bulky mediastinal involvement, effacement of normal lymph node architecture by large, atypical cells, resembling Reed-Sternberg cells, expression of EBV latent membrane protein-1 in the lymph node specimens, concordance of both HLA classes I and II. The clinical presentations and immunological studies disclose numerous similarities between the 2 cases and can suggest that their association is not fortuitous. At present, in problematic cases, a combination of morphologic, immunophenotypic and genetic studies may contribute to better define the tumour type.

Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase↗

The effect of delta rays on the ionometric dosimetry of proton beams.

The interface effects arising in the measurement of absorbed dose by ionization chambers, owing to the inhomogeneity between the walls and the gas, have been evaluated by an analytical model. The geometrical situation considered here is appropriate for representing the behaviour of a plane-parallel ionization chamber exposed to a radiotherapeutic beam of protons. Two gases, dry air and tissue equivalent gas (methane based), as well as six materials commonly used in ionization chamber walls, i.e. graphite, A-150 tissue equivalent plastic, C-522 air equivalent plastic, nylon type 6, polymethyl methacrylate and polystyrene, have been examined. The analysis of the results shows that, within the limits of the detector dimensions and proton energies commonly used in the dosimetry of radiotherapeutic beams, these effects, if not taken into account in the measurement interpretation, can entail deviations of up to about 2% with respect to the correct absorbed dose in gas.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia following essential thrombocythaemia.

We report a male patient in whom a diagnosis of essential thrombocythaemia was made at the age of 25. The clinical course was characterised by recurrent thrombotic episodes during the first few years of the disease, followed by a relatively benign course. He was treated with 32P, nitrogen mustard and plateletpheresis. A transformation into myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia was revealed 20 years after ET diagnosis. The length of the disease and the 32P therapy are discussed as factors favouring this metamorphosis.

Humans↗

[Therapeutic aspects of hairy cell leukemia].

This work considers the new advances in hairy cell leukemia therapy. During the last decades the only useful treatments were splenectomy, or, in case of failure or relapse, various chemotherapeutic approaches. Sometimes leukapheresis, radiotherapy, androgens, allogenic bone marrow transplantation, corticosteroids and lithium salts were used with few good results. Interferon and 2-deoxicoformycin recently introduced for the treatment of HCL have determined a dramatic change in the outlook of this disease, producing a high percentage of complete and partial remission.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Karyotype evolution in CML: high frequency of translocations other than the Ph.

The karyotypes of 33 Philadelphia-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia patients during the blastic phase are reported. Only three patients (9%) had a Philadelphia clone without further chromosomal aberrations, whereas, all the others had karyotype evolution. Aside from some nonrandom abnormalities (+8, i(17q), +Ph, +19) we found a higher frequency of clones with random structural rearrangements (13 cases, 39.4%) than previously reported. From a clinical point of view, however, the additional chromosomal (structural) abnormalities do not significantly influence the patients' survival.

Adolescent↗

Acute myelogenous leukemia with translocation t(8;21): a cytogenetic study of seven cases.

Seven cases of acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia showing t(8;21)(q22;q22) at diagnosis are described. Involvement of a sex chromosome was found in all patients (in six cases as a loss, and in one as a Y duplication), thus, confirming the suggestion of a correlation between these two chromosomal abnormalities. The constitutional folic acid-sensitive fragile site fra(8)(q22) was not detected, in spite of careful analysis of over 300 metaphases of cells grown in folic acid-free medium. Morphologic diagnoses and clinical aspects are briefly discussed.

Adult↗

Unusual Ph translocations in CML: four new cases.

Four variants of the Ph chromosome translocation in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients are described. Two had an unusual simple translocation involving chromosomes #7 and #17. In two cases, the translocation, aside from involving #9 and #22, involved a third chromosome, chromosome #6 and chromosome #11, respectively. Three cases showed also karyotypic evolution during the blastic phase of the disease: in two cases, a new reciprocal translocation was found that involved a chromosome #9 at band q34. The clinical and cytogenetic significance of these results is briefly discussed.

Adolescent↗

Impaired in vitro growth of PHA induced T lymphocyte colonies in hemodialyzed renal failure patients.

Using an in vitro method that allows the study of the colony forming capacity of phytohemagglutinin stimulated peripheral blood T lymphocytes, we have detected an impaired T cell colony formation in hemodialyzed renal failure patients. By contrast a near normal pattern of responses was observed in patients treated with a conservative therapy. The poor in vitro T cell responsiveness of hemodialyzed patients was not corrected by supplementing the cultures with an adherent cell contitioned medium prepared from normal donors. We conclude that an intrinsic defect of the T cell colony forming capacity exists in hemodialyzed patients.

Adult↗

Coincidence between fragile site expression and interstitial deletion of chromosome 11 in a case of myelofibrosis.

Cytogenetic examination of multiple peripheral blood cultures of a patient with myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia revealed the presence of an interstitial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 11, del(11)(q13q21). A folic acid dependent fragile site fra(11)(q13) was found in about 12% of the cells. The possible correlation between constitutional fragile site and acquired chromosomal alteration is discussed briefly.

Chromosome Deletion↗

[Disseminated intravascular coagulation. II. Therapeutic problems].

The treatment of DIC often presents problems that are not easily solved given the difficulty of interpreting symptoms and haematological findings, the seriousness of the clinical situation and the rapid development of disease phenomena. Diagnostic questions must be answered before physiopathologically rational therapy can be applied. The identification and cure of the condition which triggers coagulation are also of primary importance in selecting a therapeutic response. Apart from specific treatment of the causal disease, the treatment of DIC is based on the one hand on the use of anticoagulants (heparin) to halt intravascular coagulation and transfusional integration with haemoderivatives and platelet concentrates to correct the haemostasis deficiency secondary to such massive consumption. On the other, direct methods are needed to control the state of shock, cardiorespiratory compromise and acute renal insufficiency which often complicate the course of the defibrination syndrome. Therapeutic success depends on timely intervention allied to the employment of adequate measures for each individual case.

Antifibrinolytic Agents↗