Biomedical subjects

S Bini

Publications and source records attributed to S Bini.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Anti-tumor and immunomodulatory activity of intraperitoneal IFN-gamma in ovarian carcinoma patients with minimal residual tumor after chemotherapy.

Eight patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma persisting after chemotherapy, selected for having a residual tumor no larger than 1 cm in diameter, were treated intra-peritoneally (i.p.) with recombinant interferon-gamma twice weekly for 3 months. Toxicity consisted of fever and malaise in all patients and a transient rise in hepatic enzyme levels in 3 patients. The cytotoxic function of peripheral blood and peritoneal tumor-associated lymphocytes (TAL) and macrophages (TAM), was studied using cell lines as targets. I.p. IFN-gamma augmented the cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes: stimulation was more marked and more frequently observed with TAL and occasionally TAM than with blood effectors, suggesting preferential modulation at the site of tumor growth and IFN administration. Surgical laparotomy revealed that 1 patient had a complete response, 2 a partial response and 2 had stable disease, while 3 patients had progressive disease. In this small series of patients there was no obvious, strict correlation between immunomodulation by IFN-gamma and clinical response. These results indicate that, in contrast to its lack of activity in advanced ovarian carcinoma, IFN-gamma has definite immunomodulatory and antitumor activity in the presence of limited tumor burden.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

PubMed1991

Decrease in serum IgE associated with limited restriction in energy intake to treat toddler's diarrhea.

Toddler's diarrhea may be an allergic disease and its recurrences can be avoided with education to "internal spontaneity" in feeding, i.e., by education to a limited and reproducible decrease in eating incentives at the onset of meals. Serum IgE was thus investigated in 16 experimental children in a random comparison with 16 controls, all aged 1 to 4 years, before and after seven months' dietary treatment. Compliance was measured with a seven-day written diary, while serum IgE was measured by PRIST, before and after dietary treatment. A 21% decrease in energy intake (p less than 0.05) and about five times increase in fruit and nonstarchy vegetable intake amount was seen in treated children. A decrease in serum IgE level of 13.9 +/- 43.5 U/ml was found in the "internal spontaneity" group, as opposed to an increase of 33.2 +/- 50.5 U/ml in the control one (p less than 0.01). The differences between examinations were significantly correlated to the increase in NSV acceptance in all children plotted together (r = .51, p less than 0.005). The overall NSV effect on the changes of the 2 muscle areas, 2 symptoms, and 2 percent growth, 15 nutritional, 5 immune and 3 hepatic indices was significant with MANOVA (p less than 0.01). The education to "internal spontaneity" may be a useful tool for prevention of overeating, diarrhea recurrences and IgE increase in the second/third year of life.

Appetite↗

PubMed1991

Serum lipids in celiac children.

The plasma lipid levels were investigated in 45 celiac children under 3 years of age and 49 over this age at diagnosis (untreated groups), after gluten-free diet and in comparison with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) groups matched for size, gender, and age. Total and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly lower and triglycerides higher in celiac untreated children than in IBS control children in both age groups. HDL cholesterol significantly increased in both age groups after some months of gluten-free diet. Total and LDL cholesterol significantly increased and triglycerides decreased in the younger group of subjects after the period of gluten-free diet. These results may be useful for diagnostic purposes and to motivate a strict gluten-free diet in celiac children.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Choices at weaning: main factor in ingestive behavior.

"Spontaneous," i.e., self-promoted, feeding without the promotion of offering of energy-dense food (eating incentives), was maintained for 7 months in a randomized, controlled, prospective, semiblind investigation in 88 2-year-old diarrheic children. This behavior was associated with 30% lower energy intake throughout the investigation period while normal growth and blood assessments were maintained and intestinal functions improved. The dependence of a child's energy intake on maternal administrative behavior at each meal was proposed. The energy content of each meal was thus investigated in relation to a preprandial request for food, glycemia, and acceptance of nonstarchy vegetables (NSV). A sample of 210 meals eaten by 10 children with chronic nonspecific diarrhea in the second year of life before mothers were instructed in spontaneous feeding was compared with 210 meals after 1.5 months of spontaneous feeding. Compliance, food weight, preprandial glycemia, and outdoor activities were reported by the mothers in 7-day diaries. Requests for food by the child before the meal was seen and acceptance of more than two-thirds of the prescribed amount of NSV were associated with significantly lower preprandial glycemia and lower energy intake in the investigation of all meals before and after instructions were given. Feeding children on demand and habitual NSV administration may safely educate children to avoid overeating after weaning.

Blood Glucose↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Alpha-fetoprotein in the management of germ cell tumors of the ovary.

From 1982 to 1989 positive alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were detected after surgery in 3 patients with pure immature teratoma, 7 patients with mixed germ cell tumors and 16 patients with pure endodermal sinus tumor (EST) of the ovary. In the three patients with pure immature teratoma, AFP serum levels became spontaneously undetectable in one month without chemotherapy. The marker was thereafter negative, despite the persistence of tumor in 2 patients, and a relapse in the third one. The serum levels of AFP did not correlate with the stage of EST and mixed germ cell tumors. The monitoring of AFP serum levels during treatment correlated with response to chemotherapy: of the 16 patients with pure EST, 14 achieved a serological complete response and did not undergo second look surgery; two patients had a serological partial response. One of them reached a serological complete response after further chemotherapy. The other patient with liver extragonadic tumor underwent liver lobectomy with negative histology. Among 7 patients with mixed germ cell tumor, 6 achieved a serological and pathologic complete response. The 7th patient had a serological complete response, but microscopic residual tumor at second look laparotomy. The decrement curve of AFP was not predictive for recurrence. However, AFP monitoring was useful for an early diagnosis of relapse in 4 patients. AFP is a reliable marker for the diagnosis, treatment evaluation and follow-up of patients with pure EST and a useful marker in the clinical management of mixed germ cell tumors of the ovary.

Adolescent↗