PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

P D Bertello

Publications and source records attributed to P D Bertello.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

Functional properties of Hb-J Calabria, beta 64 (E8) Gly-Asp.

A young male from Apulia region (Southern Italy), heterozygous carrier of Hb-J Calabria (beta 64(E8) Gly-Asp), was described here. He showed mild polycythemia, and his whole blood dissociation curve for oxygen was clearly left-shifted, with a decreased p50. But these characteristics were not only due to the hyperaffinity of the abnormal pigment, accounting for about one third of the total Hb; in fact, also Hb-A, the main pigment present, had relative hyperaffinity. Nevertheless, this subject was completely symptomless, suggesting that the abnormal Hb was almost completely excluded from respiratory exchange and traveled always oxygenated also in the venous-capillary bed. However, the level reached by Hb-A furnished a satisfactory functional compensation against tissue hypoxia.

Adult↗

[Effect of chronic alcohol consumption on blood lipid levels and angiopathy in diabetics].

It is known that chronic alcoholics and type II diabetics show hyperlipidemia, characterized by hypertriglyceridemia and in a minor degree by hypercholesterolemia. The mechanisms underlying the effect of ethanol and carbohydrates on plasma lipids seem to be different; therefore in diabetic subjects chronic alcohol consumption could produce a more severe hyperlipidemia and so accelerate atherosclerotic events. In order to verify it we have measured plasma cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides and investigated the presence of micro- and macroangiopathy in two groups of non-insulin-dependent diabetics, differing each other for daily alcohol intake (18 chronic male alcoholics and 30 male subjects consuming respectively more than 150 g and less than 50 g of alcohol daily). In alcoholics, no clinical features, laboratory and echographic findings of cirrhosis and pancreatic disease were present. In order to avoid a possible interference of other factors on the metabolism of plasma lipids, in our study patients were selected with the following criteria: 1) only male subjects; 2) age 40-60 years; 3) nonsmokers; 4) moderate coffee drinkers; 5) average physical activity; 6) with BMI less than 28; 7) in good diabetic control (HbA1c less than 6%, n.v. 4.4%-5.6%); 8) normal kidney function (plasma creatinine less than 1.3 mg%) and 24 hr proteinuria absent;) 9) in treatment with diet alone or diet plus low doses of sulphonylureas or biguanides. The data were analyzed by Student's "t" and chi-squared tests. No significant differences could be detected (alcoholics/occasional drinkers, means +/- 1 SD) either in the plasma levels of cholesterol (181.7 +2- 39.3/198.2 +/- 32.5), HDL-cholesterol (43.4 +/- 12.7/38.5 +/- 11.9), and triglycerides (105.5 +/- 56.4/159.7 +/- 114.8) and in the frequency of micro (22.2%/16.6%) and macroangiopathy (16.6%/26.6%) between the two studied groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[Obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Considerations on an epidemiological study].

We have investigated the age of onset of diabetes mellitus and the body weight in an ethnically homogeneous population of type II diabetics (737 subjects, of whom 248 newly diagnosed). In newly diagnosed diabetics the mean age of onset of diabetes was significantly (p less than 0.001) lower in males than in females. The mean percentage of overweight was significantly (p less than 0.001) higher in female than in male diabetics. In percent, newly diagnosed female diabetics were more obese than newly diagnosed male diabetics. In males, no correlation was found between age and weight, at the moment of diagnosis, while in females a poorly significant (p less than 0.05) negative correlation was found. Our results seem to indicate that in an ethnic group, besides overweight, other (genetic?, dietetic?, environmental?) factors can be prevalent causes of diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗

Functional properties of the whole blood in a carrier of Hb-Atlanta: beta 75 (E-19) Leu-Pro.

The Authors illustrate the main functional parameters of the whole blood in a heterozygous carrier of the unstable Hb-Atlanta. The most important results are represented by a right-shifted P50, by a lowered value of n and by an almost normal pH-depending Bohr effect. It is very likely that the first report depends on the relative Hb-A deficiency, whereas the second one could be due to the presence of the unstable Hb. Moreover, the linkage between this latter and DPG would be present.

Blood Physiological Phenomena↗

[Preliminary study on P50 and on other parameters correlated with hemoglobin function in normal subjects chosen at random].

In a wide survey on normal non-selected healthy adults, the Authors have found normal pHs in venous blood, a P50 slightly shifted to the left, in comparison with the mean values reported in other series for males and females, normal Hb amounts, normal 2,3-DPG levels, normal met-hemoglobin values and increased rates of Hb-CO. All these data and the possible relationship among them are discussed, with particular reference towards P50 and Hb-CO, which appears to be mainly raised, even if not only, in smokers people. At this regard the Authors hypothetize that if the four hemes of hemoglobin are fully saturated with CO, a right shifted oxy-hemoglobin dissociation curve of variable extent will be observed, whereas, if the hemes are not fully saturated, the curve could be shifted, more or less, towards the left. These two conditions could be coexisting in an unstable, non-enzymatic equilibrium, which could modify by itself the usual sigmoid shape (and the P50 values) of the whole blood oxygen affinity.

2,3-Diphosphoglycerate↗

[Non-endocarditic mitral insufficiency].

A case of non endocarditic mitral insufficiency in a 76 years old woman is described. After an extensive pathogenetical introduction, a comparison is made between clinical features of this case an its pathogenetical possibilities. The conclusion is drawn that there are most probabilities for an atherosclerosis of the antero-medial limbus of the mitral valve, arising from a coexisting atherosclerotic mild stenosis of the aortic valves.

Aged↗