[Activity of a new semisynthetic penicillin derivative: piperacillin. Clinical and experimental research].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Romeo.
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Immunohistochemical techniques were used to examine testis biopsy specimens in subjects of different ages, in whom histological examination of the seminiferous tubules revealed a reduction in number, immaturity or absence of germinal elements. Our aim was to detect changes in the expression of the vimentin and cytokeratin (8-18-19) intermediate filaments in Sertoli cells. The use of anti-vimentin antibodies demonstrated intense Sertoli cell positivity in all the cases studied, confirming that germinal alterations do not interfere with the expression of these filaments. The Sertoli cells of the subjects affected by pathological conditions also reacted positively to anti-cytokeratin antibodies. This finding was constant in all the testes, showing evident signs of germinal immaturity. In contrast, anti-cytokeratin positivity was not observed in the control specimens after the pre-pubertal stage. Our findings show that persisting co-expression of vimentin and cytokeratin filaments in the Sertoli cells of productive subjects may be a marker of germinal cell degeneration.
Immunohistochemical identification of nerve structures in the human pancreas was achieved using immunohistochemical techniques. The antibodies used are specific for the myelin present in the periphery of ganglia and pregangliar nerve fibers, and for adrenergic neurotransmitters as well. In this study we observed the presence of numerous ganglia and nerve fibers in the periacinar tissue and near vascular structures. Adrenergic neurotransmitters were detected within pancreatic islets. These results would reveal that the exocrine pancreatic component is mainly innervated by parasympathetic ganglia and pregangliar fibers, as observed in the alimentary canal. Diversely, the endocrine component seems to be regulated by nonmyelinic orthosympathetic postgangliar fibers and parasympathetic fibers forming the perivascular plexus. The morphology and distribution of nerve structures in the pancreas recall those of the alimentary canal because these organs share the same embryogenetic derivation.
The non specific nasal hypersensitivity (N.S.N.H.) is characterized by an exaggerated reaction towards various non-specific stimuli in rhinopathic subjects. This N.S.N.H. involves the afferent structure of nasal mucosa, the effector organ and the central modulation system. The physiopathogenetic and clinical implications induced the authors to study the N.S.N.H. behaviour in 218 subjects divided into 5 groups, as follows: control group, subjects with perennial rhinitis of non allergic origin, subjects with seasonal rhinitis due to allergy towards Graminaceae during seasonal crisis and not, subjects with perennial rhinitis due to allergy towards Dermatophagoides pteronissinus. All subjects moreover have been subdivided according to the years of illness. The N.S.N.H. behaviour has been studied with non-specific nasal provocation tests with methacholine, cold water solution and histamine, so the amount of sneezes were assessed. The results show a reduction of the reaction, previously high, to methacholine and cold water solution tests after 6-12 years of illness in subjects with perennial rhinitis, while the test with histamine always gives higher results. This could mean a reduction of N.S.N.H. during the years of illness, probably connected to the answer of the effector organ, without involvement of that afferent portion of nasal mucosa.
Reinke's edema is characterized by swelling of the vocal cords, which generally is bilateral but often is more pronounced in one cord. The disease is named after the anatomist Reinke, who undertook a morphological study of the subepithelial connective tissue of the vocal cords in order to investigate edematous spread. In general, swelling of the vocal cords develops gradually and may increase considerably over months or even years. To evaluate an eventual relation ship between airways (nasal and bronchial) and Reinke's edema of the vocal cords, the authors studied 9 subjects suffering from Reinke's edema. These patients underwent to an accurate clinical history, skin-test for inhalant pollens and mycetes to evaluate the eventual presence of specific allergies, non-specific nasal provocation test with Histamine, baseline RRM to evaluate the non-specific nasal hypersensitivity and besides the RRM values has been considered the number of sneezes after Histamine stimulation, finally a bronchial provocation test with ultrasonic fog to evaluate the presence of non-specific hypersensitivity of the lower airways.
Authors studied nasal hypersensitivity (NH) behaviour on 41 subjects suffering from recurrent adenoids disease during their paediatric age. All subjects underwent clinical history, ENT examination, skin-test, RAST and non-specific nasal provocation test with histamine and assessment of the amount of sneezes. The results showed a familial transmission of the NH in 53.6% of cases, a hypogammaglobulinemia in 14.6% of cases. NH was present in 57% of subjects, much more with higher number of phlogosis, with higher possibility of familial transmission and with premature socialisation. These data showed a strict correlation between NH and recurrent adenoids disease. This NH didn't reduce in subjects undergone adenoidectomy and with time it conditioned the answer of the whole airways which could be noticed also in adulthood subjects. The presence of this NH had remarkable significance for diagnosis and therapeutic behaviour.
An association between asthma and gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) is well recognized but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. The authors suggest that could exist an association between GER and upper airways hyperreactivity and this association could represents the mechanism underlying the lower esophageal sphincter releasing, that determine the reflux. In fact they suppose that, the noxious injury of acid reflux follows a course that could be: pharynx-->larynx-->bronchi-->1/3 inferior of the esophagus-->reflux. From these presuppositions the authors carried out a study on the possible relationship between GER and non-specific hyperreactivity of upper airways on 14 subjects, divided in 2 groups: 10 subjects with functional GER, 4 subjects suffering from GER caused by hiatus hernia as control group. All patients had a thorough medical history, ENT examination with rigid and flexible endoscope, anterior Rhinomanometry (RRM), skin-test for inhalant and alimentary allergens, RAST, audiometric exam, non-specific nasal provocation test (NSNPT) with histamine, using as control the number of sneezes. From a through analysis of objective examination and from the results of the NSNPT with histamine resulted that all subjects with functional GER were rhinopathics. In all tests both in vivo (Skin-test) and in vitro(RAST) for the most common allergens (pollens-inhalant-mycophites-alimentary) the results were negative. The authors also found an involvement of paranasal sinuses that raised: 91% in the patients with recurrents phlogosis due to non specific nasal hyperreactivity; 40.9% in the allergic subjects (20% in the Graminacee +; 32% in the Parietaria O. +; 76% in the Dermatophagoides Pt. +; others 4%); 100% in the ASA-intolerance subjects. The NSNSPT with histamine showed in the group with functional GER a hyperreactivity with sneezes in 6/10 subjects, and 1/4 subjects of the group with GER with hiatus hernia. The RRM variations showed an unilateral nasal hyperreactivity in 6/10, bilateral in 3/10 subjects of the group with functional GER. In the group with GER with hiatus hernia only 1/4 subject showed reliable unilateral RRM variation. From the analysis of data resulted that subjects with functional GER showed a completely involvement of the upper airways and not only of the pharynx and larynx, caused by non specific hyperreactivity at the NSNPT with histamine, associated with a chronic pathology.
Bicarbonate excretion in bile is a major function of the biliary epithelium. It is driven by the apically located Cl-/HCO3- exchanger which is functionally coupled with a cAMP-dependent Cl- channel (CFTR). A number of hormones and/or neuropeptides with different mechanisms and at different intracellular levels regulate, in concert, the processes underlying bicarbonate excretion in the biliary epithelium. Secretin induces a bicarbonate rich choleresis by stimulating the activity of the Cl-/HCO3- exchanger by cAMP and protein kinase A mediated phosphorylation of CFTR regulatory domain. Protein phosphatase 1/2A are involved in the run-down of secretory stimulus after secretin removal. Acetylcholine potentiates secretin-choleresis by inducing a Ca(++)-calcineurin mediated "sensitization" of adenyl cyclase to secretin. Bombesin and vasoactive intestinal peptide also enhance the Cl-/HCO3- exchanger activity, but the intracellular signal transduction pathway has not yet been defined. Somatostatin and gastrin inhibit basal and/or secretin-stimulated bicarbonate excretion by down-regulating the secretin receptor and decreasing cAMP intracellular levels induced by secretin.