Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to R Troccoli.
Clinical microscopy is a worthwhile method to monitor patients with kidney transplants. The authors describe their experience in 5,800 urinary cytological specimens. The study includes several methods of collecting, processing and staining of the specimens, showing the different cytological pictures: background, hematopoietic-inflammatory cells, renal epithelial cells and casts.
A case of alloalbuminaemia of the fast type was described in a family living in the district of Pesaro. This was one of the few cases of this particular type and the first observed in this region. Being related to electrophoretic mobility, it is classified as: very fast, type gent. This anomaly has been evidenced by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate, while immunoelectrophoresis with an anti-protein total serum does not reveal the immunological differences referred to in normal albumine.
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Total hydroxyproline and creatinine concentrations as well as their ratios were determined in 29 amniotic fluid samples from normal pregnancies between the 16th and 20th week of gestation. Total hydroxyproline and creatinine levels, and their ratios, were not statistically different considering either the values at each week or those of the whole 5-week period. Our results, compared with the few others reported in the literature, can provide indications useful for defining the normal range in amniotic fluid, in relation to the weeks of gestation.
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and cholinesterase levels in amniotic fluid were determined and the efficiency of these laboratory tests in the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects was examined. Using the AFP test with cut-off levels correlated to gestational age, we have detected 8 cases of neural tube defects and one case of abdominal wall defect in about 1,200 pregnancies; false-negative values were absent. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase activities were measured and the electrophoretic pattern of AChE was examined in 100 amniotic fluid samples. The diagnosis of neural tube defects was always confirmed. There were no diagnostic problems due to blood-contaminated amniotic fluid samples. The results obtained using different quantitative methods for the determination of cholinesterase activity, as well as the potential use of these tests in routine examinations, are discussed.
Experiments were aimed at assessing a possible different sensitiveness to seizures in aggressive vs. nonaggressive rates. Thirty-nine muricidal rats were selected by using a sedated mouse. Six of these killer rats (K) showed electroencephalographic (EEG) spontaneous syncronous wave-and-spike discharges, 6-11 c/s. None of nonkiller animals (NK) showed a similar pattern. These 6 K were not used for the subsequent experiments. Intraperitoneal pentylentetrazole (PTZ; 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) or bicuculline (BIC; 2 and 4 mg/kg) was given to both NK and K. K were more sensitive than NK to the epileptogenic effects of 20 mg/kg PTZ and 2 mg/kg BIC, as revealed by the significant increased number of convulsive rats and longer duration of EEG seizures. No difference in EEG or convulsant behavior was observed between K and NK after the administration of the lower dose of PTZ and the high dose of PTZ or BIC. The use of K rats as a possible new sensitive model of petit mal is discussed.
The results of dosage of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in 75 breast cyst fluids taken from 61 patients suffering from breast gross cystic disease (BGCD), 13 of which had multiple mono and/or bilateral cysts are discussed. The corresponding sera were also examined. Assays were carried out using the ELISA method. For comparison, HCG levels were also determined in 21 breast cyst fluids using RIA method. In 66.7% of the breast cyst fluids examined the hormone levels were higher than normal serum values. Corresponding sera showed HCG to be within the range of normal levels. In 5 patients the multiple and/or bilateral cysts showed widely differing hormone levels. The importance of these observations is discussed.
Circulating immune complexes, the major classes of immunoglobulins and electrolyte concentrations were measured in sixty-two breast cyst fluids aspirated in women affected by gross cystic breast disease. Two main classes of cysts were defined according to the Na/K ratio. Appreciable levels of immunoglobulins were found in almost all samples examined; 66% of breast cyst fluids showed increased levels of immune complexes. A highly significant linear correlation between increased values of immune complexes and immunoglobulin M (p less than 0.001) was found in apocrine cysts, characterized by Na/K ratio less than 3. However, a significant inverse linear correlation was found between positive values of immune complexes and lowered levels of immunoglobulins A (p less than 0.001) and G (p less than 0.001) in epithelial cysts with Na/K ratio greater than 3. These data suggest and confirm that the menstrual cycle can also influence or modulate the metabolic activity of human breast cells as a part of the secretory immune system. The relationship between immune complexes and immunoglobulins and electrolyte profiles may provide further knowledge about the immunological features of breast cyst fluid and suggest the possible alteration of immune-response in cystic breast lesions associated with increased cancer risk.
The purpose of this study was to determine the role of Tissue Polypeptide Antigen (TPA) immunostaining in the evaluation of aspiration smears from solid breast nodules and to discuss its possible clinical applications. Seventy-one cytologic specimens were studied; 52 were carcinomas, 15 fibroadenomas and 4 fibrocystic dysplasia. TPA was visualized with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method, using 3-3' diaminobenzidine as chromogen and hematoxylin as counterstaining. The incidence of TPA-positive aspiration smears was 88.5% in the carcinomas and 26.7% in the fibroadenomas. The four cases of fibrocystic dysplasia showed variable behaviour. The intensity of the TPA staining varied from - to and was most frequently high in the carcinomas. The results of this research show a good correlation between a diagnosis of carcinoma and TPA positivity in fine needle aspirates of solid breast nodules.
Since the administration of cyclophosphamide and busulfan can cause hemorrhagic cystitis and changes in urothelial cells, an investigation was carried out to see whether patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT) who were treated with these drugs showed such urothelial changes and whether exfoliative urinary cytology can contribute to the early diagnosis and monitoring of such changes. Morphologic and morphometric analyses were performed on cytocentrifuged, Papanicolaou-stained preparations of 700 samples from 107 patients. Various degrees of urothelial cell changes were found in 30.8% of the cases. These changes consisted mainly of a considerable increase in the size of the nucleus and of a cytoplasm that was often bizarrely shaped. Even the structures of the nucleus and the cytoplasm changed. The results of this study showed that exfoliative urinary cytology permits an early diagnosis and monitoring of urothelial cell changes related to the administration of busulfan and cyclophosphamide in connection with BMT.
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The role of urinary cytology in the early diagnosis of cyclosporin nephrotoxicity was studied in 20 bone marrow transplant recipients. There was an evident cyclosporin cytopathy in 35% of bone marrow transplant recipients examined, consisting mainly of degenerative and necrotic abnormalities in cells of the proximal convoluted tubules seen in urinary samples. These findings regressed to normal after reduction of the cyclosporin dose. Urinary cytology proved to be a useful method for the early diagnosis of cyclosporin nephrotoxicity.
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