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Biomedical subjects

R Tenconi

Publications and source records attributed to R Tenconi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Partial duplication of 17 long arm.

Three subjects from 2 unrelated families with partial duplication of 17q, derived from a reciprocal parental translocation between chromosomes 11 and 17 with different breakpoints, are described. A female patient from one family with a 46,XX,-11,+der(11),t(11;17)(q24;q23.2)pat chromosome complement had died at 2 months of age. In the second family, a male propositus and a subsequent fetus, identified by cytogenetic prenatal diagnosis, showed a 46,XY,-11,+der(11),t(11;17)(q2505,q24.3) mat chromosome complement. Twelve other cases involving partial duplication of chromosome 17 have been reported, 11 of these derived from a balanced translocation, and 1 was a duplication. All these cases showed psychomotor and mental retardation, cranial contour anomalies, micrognathia, bulbous nose, short neck, skeletal anomalies, and CNS defects. The phenotypic and clinical observations in the three subjects of this report are compared with previously reported findings.

Adult↗

An inheritable anomaly of red-cell oxalate transport in "primary" calcium nephrolithiasis correctable with diuretics.

We measured the rate of oxalate flux across the red-cell membrane in the steady state in 114 patients with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones and in 25 controls. Of the patients, 98 had recurrent, "idiopathic" kidney stones, 8 had primary hyperparathyroidism, 7 had renal or urinary tract malformations, and 1 had primary hyperoxaluria. Oxalate exchange was significantly higher in the 98 patients with idiopathic stone formation than in the controls (-1.10 +/- 0.95 [SD] X 10(-2) min-1 vs. -0.31 +/- 0.12 X 10(-2); P less than 0.001); it was above the upper limits of normal in 78 of these patients. All 8 patients with hyperparathyroidism and the patient with primary hyperoxaluria had values in the normal range; 2 of the patients with renal or urinary tract malformation had values at the upper normal limit. A study of five families indicated that the abnormality is an autosomal monogenic dominant trait with complete penetrance and variable expressivity. Oxalate-tolerance tests were carried out in five pairs of brothers. One brother in each pair had the abnormality in oxalate flux, and had a significantly higher percentage of oxalate excretion at two hours after oxalate loading (18.09 +/- 3.07 [SD] vs. 10.37 +/- 3.08 percent; t = 3.97; P less than 0.005) and four hours (14.87 +/- 2.91 vs. 9.89 +/- 2.93 percent; t = 2.70; P less than 0.05). Treatment with oral hydrochlorothiazide (50 mg per day) or amiloride (5 mg per day) or both restored normal or nearly normal red-cell oxalate exchange in all of 33 patients who initially had increased rates. We conclude that an inherited cellular defect in oxalate transport may be a factor in "primary" calcium oxalate stone formation and that this defect may be corrected with diuretics.

Adolescent↗

Another Italian family with mandibuloacral dysplasia: why does it seem more frequent in Italy?

We describe three patients (one female and two males in a sibship of 11) with mandibuloacral dysplasia. Only eight families have been reported previously, and of these, four were of Italian origin. The phenotypic spectrum of the condition is delineated and its variability is stressed. The observation of three affected members of both sexes with normal parents supports the hypothesis of autosomal recessive inheritance. The reasons for the high frequency of the condition in Italy are discussed; a local selective advantage for heterozygotes and founder effect might be involved.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Aortic elastin abnormalities in osteogenesis imperfecta type II.

Skin and aortic samples from two patients who died by lethal perinatal Osteogenesis Imperfecta (O.I.) were studied by optical and electron microscopy and compared with similar samples from two normal human fetuses and one newborn child. No significant abnormalities were observed in the dermis of O.I. patients apart from small differences in the diameter of reticular collagen fibrils. On the contrary, in the aortas of both patients collagen fibrils were significantly smaller than in the controls; moreover, elastin lamellae were deeply altered and consisted of roundish aggregates of elastin, massively permeated by cytochemically recognizable glycosaminoglycans. As identical features were described in experimental lathyrism by using inhibitors of the enzyme lysyl oxidase (Pasquali Ronchetti et al., 1984), the conclusion is reached that in the two cases of lethal perinatal O.I. examined, a severe lysyl oxidase deficiency could account for the observed ultrastructural abnormalities of elastin and that, besides defects of collagen type I, additional alterations of cellular metabolism might be responsible for the clinical heterogeneity of the disease.

Aorta↗

Pachyonychia congenita Jackson-Lawler type: a distinct malformation syndrome.

A family with three members in two generations affected by pachyonychia congenita, hyperkeratosis and hyperhidrosis of the palms and soles, follicular keratosis, neonatal teeth and epidermoid cysts (Jackson-Lawler syndrome) is described. The nosological autonomy of this condition is proposed and a further heterogeneity is suggested on the basis of histopathological changes in the subcutaneous cysts.

Adult↗

Frequency of consanguineous marriages among parents and grandparents of Down patients.

The existence of a rare autosomal gene which in the homozygous state would cause mitotic nondisjunction in the Down zygote has been hypothesized in the past by Alfi et al. (1980). This hypothesis can be supported or contradicted by the study of the frequency of consanguineous marriages among parents of affected children. Our study on 242 children affected with Down syndrome does not show any increase in the frequency of consanguineous marriages among their parents with respect to the general population, and therefore does not support the hypothesis of an autosomal gene controlling mitotic nondisjunction. Our data do not show any increase in the frequency of consanguineous marriages even among paternal and maternal grandparents of the affected children, thus not supporting the other possible explanation of an autosomal recessive condition in one of the patient's parents which would cause meiotic nondisjunction.

Adolescent↗

Popliteal pterygium syndrome presenting with orofacial abnormalities. Report of a family.

A family with popliteal pterygium syndrome is reported: two children presented a mild form of the syndrome, while their mother exhibited full expression of the gene. Only 11 families with 29 affected members and 25 sporadic cases have been published. This malformation syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, but environmental factors or genetic heterogeneity cannot be excluded in sporadic occurrences. The variability of expression is discussed and a comparison with previously published familial cases is made: minor anomalies, if present in relatives of patients with full gene expressions, are as helpful in making the diagnosis as are major abnormalities. Careful evaluation of the proband's family is essential for diagnosis and subsequent genetic counselling.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Frequency of abnormal karyotypes in relation to the ascertainment method in females referred for suspected sex chromosome abnormality.

Cytogenetic investigation was carried out on 231 female patients referred for suspected sex chromosome abnormality. Cases were classified into five groups according to reason for referral and chromosome abnormality frequency was estimated. The overall frequency of abnormal karyotypes was 38.5%. The rate of positive identification of chromosome abnormality ranges from 0 in patients with secondary amenorrhoea to 80% in those with Turner phenotype. Our data demonstrate that the indications for referral of female patients with suspected sex chromosome abnormality are not only primary amenorrhoea alone or short stature and primary amenorrhoea without Turner stigmata, but also short stature of unknown etiology without any additional anomaly during childhood.

Adolescent↗

Ring chromosome 21 in phenotypically apparently normal persons: report of two families from Switzerland and Italy.

If a ring 21, originating from breaks close to the telomere of 21q and anywhere in 21p, replaces a normal 21, it may be associated with an apparently normal phenotype. An apparently normal mother and son were ascertained by a prenatal chromosome study. A second mother, with a ring 21 but without gross anomalies, is short of stature, has epilepsy and has a low normal intelligence. He daughter is a mosaic: 46,XX/47,XX,+r(21) and has the Down's syndrome. None of these four persons was found to have mitoses with more than one ring 21 or with rings of double size.

Adult↗

Replication patterns of human X isochromosomes by high-resolution banding.

The DNA replication patterns of eight cases of X isochromosomes, five idic(X) and three i(Xq), were studied. R-banded prometaphases and metaphases from lymphocyte cultures after synchronization with methotrexate and incorporation of 5-bromodeoxyuridine were analyzed. No significant differences in the frequency of metaphases with symmetric and asymmetric replication patterns between dicentric and monocentric isochromosomes were found. Furthermore the distribution of the frequencies of R-positive bands was similar and comparable to that of the normal late-replicating X. Our data suggest that the DNA replication pattern of Xq isochromosomes is not correlated with the mechanism of their origin.

Chromosome Banding↗