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Biomedical subjects

S Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to S Ferrari.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Membrane fatty acids and erythrocyte Li-Na countertransport in nephrotic syndrome and their relationship.

Cholesterol/phospholipids molar ratio and fatty acid composition have been estimated in erythrocyte membrane of 12 patients suffering from nephrotic syndrome and compared to values obtained in 23 normal subjects matched for sex and age. The membrane lipid composition has been correlated with the activity of erythrocyte Li-Na countertransport of the same subjects. The results show a significant increase in cholesterol/phospholipids ratio and total saturated fatty acids when erythrocytes of nephrotic patients are compared to normal erythrocytes, whereas total unsaturated fatty acids were lower in nephrotics (p less than 0.002). Li-Na countertransport was higher in nephrotics (p less than 0.001) and it was positively correlated with the total amount of saturated fatty acids of the erythrocyte membrane (r = +0.451; p less than 0.01). On the contrary, Li-Na countertransport was negatively correlated with the total amount of unsaturated fatty acids (r = -0.468; p less than 0.01).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cord blood cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoprotein electrophoresis in 124 Italian infants.

Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and lipoproteins (by electrophoresis on agarose gel) were determined in the cord blood of 124 Italian infants (Verona area). The mean TC and TG values, when compared with the values reported in other studies, turned out to be remarkably uniform, suggesting common genetic determinants in the modulation of blood lipids; no sex differences were observed. The TG distribution curve was skewed, overlapping the adult pattern. Cord blood TC and TG were not modified by the presence of perinatal factors. Both beta and alpha bands (on agarose gel electrophoresis) were present in all the cases. The pre-beta band was clearly detectable in 90% of the cases; it was barely visible for TG values below 20 mg/100 ml; occasionally a discrepancy between the intensity of the pre-beta band and the cord blood TG was observed, indicating a variable lipid composition of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). In 4% of the cases a small band at the origin of the electrophoretic run was observed, consistent with the presence of chylomicrons. In the serum of both a newborn infant and its mother we detected a double band migrating in the pre-beta region. This finding confirms the hypothesis of a familial transmission of this abnormality.

Cholesterol↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Membrane fatty acids, glutathione-peroxidase activity, and cation transport systems of erythrocytes and malondialdehyde production by platelets in Laurence Moon Barter Biedl syndrome.

The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane, the glutathione-peroxidase activity of erythrocytes and platelets, the production of malondialdehyde by platelets and the activity of the main systems of transmembrane cation transport have been studied in 5 members of a family, 2 of whom affected by Laurence-Moon-Barter-Biedl Syndrome. A remarkable increase of polyunsaturated fatty acids (particularly arachidonic acid) and of cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio has been noted. This pattern of membrane lipids was associated to an increment of malondialdehyde production and an increase activity of glutathione-peroxidase. Serum retinol and a-tocopherol were in the normal range, whereas serum selenium was low in 3 out of 5 members. Moreover, the alteration of membrane lipids was associated to a decrease of the maximal velocity of Li-Na countertransport. We speculate that the enrichment of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the cell membranes may represent a condition favoring the lipoperoxidation and therefore the development of the retinitis pigmentosa characteristic feature of Laurence-Moon-Barter-Biedl Syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Absolute alcohol in esophageal vein sclerosis.

Absolute alcohol is a potentially optimal agent for sclerotherapy of esophageal varices. It is cheap and readily available. We compared the efficacy and safety of alcohol with those of a commonly used sclerosing agent, polidocanol. The study was planned to include patients with previous bleeding from esophageal varices randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. After the inclusion of the first 11 patients (6 in the polidocanol group and 5 in the alcohol group), however, the trial was interrupted because of serious complications in patients treated with alcohol (four major bleeding episodes and one esophageal stenosis). The two agents were of comparable efficacy in the small sample of patients studied. The complications were related to the presence of iatrogenic esophageal ulcers which were more frequent (100% vs. 30%) and significantly larger (mean, 1.4 cm vs. 0.7 cm, p less than 0.05) in patients treated with alcohol.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Relations between serum apha-antitrypsin level and neoplasms].

Alpha1-antitrypsin levels were determined in patients with bronchopneumopathies and in others with various forms of neoplasia. No relationship between levels and disease was noted in the first group, whereas a marked increase in values was observed in the second, particularly in the case of subjects with lung cancer. The interestiang aspects of this finding are discussed.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Ewing's sarcoma of the bone. Anatomoclinical study of 424 cases].

The clinic-epidemiologic and prognostic features of 424 cases of Ewing sarcoma observed at "Rizzoli" Institute between 1972-1990 are reported. The incidence of the tumor was higher in the second decade of life with slight predominance in the male sex. The primary lesion was especially localized in the extremity and the ratio lower/upper extremity was 5/1. We did not find, in contrast with other Authors, differences in height or in incidence of congenital malformations when compared to controls. The pain was the first common symptom at debut (90%) followed by swelling (50%) and fever (40%). Diagnosis was made 5.5 months after the first symptom and the delay was due to wrong diagnosis at debut in 3/4 of the patients. Laboratory tests showed anemia in about half of the patients and increased value of ESR (60%) and LDH (40%). Seventy-one of the patients were metastatic at presentation, none of these patients were still living after three years. At a median follow-up of 9 years 43% of the patients with localized disease, treated with adjuvant and neo-adjuvant chemotherapy remained continuously disease free, 53% developed metastatic disease and/or local recurrences and 2% had a second malignancy. In 24% of the patients metastases and/or local recurrences appeared three years after the beginning of treatment. Better prognosis was observed in female patients, without fever at diagnosis, with tumor localized at extremities and with normal value of hemoglobin, ERS and LDH. Regarding the type of treatment, better results were obtained by surgery of the primary tumor and by chemotherapy with four drugs (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin dactinomycin) in comparison to radiotherapy of the primary tumor and chemotherapy with three drugs (vincristine, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin).

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The prognostic value of serum alkaline phosphatase in osteosarcoma of the limbs.

The values for serum alkaline phosphatase were evaluated in 340 patients affected with osteosarcoma of the limbs. The percentage of patients with high values for the enzyme at the onset of disease was significantly higher in the 69 cases who presented with metastases at the time of diagnosis, as compared to the 271 cases in which the neoplasm still appeared to be localized (81% vs 62%: p less than 0.001). In this last group of patients, treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, an evident relationship between values for alkaline phosphatase and prognosis was demonstrated. The percentage of patients who developed metastases was in fact 22% in the group with normal serum values for the enzyme at the onset of the disease and 40% for the patients with high values of the same (P less than 0.001). These data confirm the prognostic value for serum alkaline phosphatase in osteosarcoma, which should be taken into consideration when planning chemotherapy and in classifying patients for randomized therapeutic studies.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma osteocalcin levels in liver cirrhosis.

Osteocalcin, a recently identified protein, is produced by osteoblasts in the bone tissue. Its plasma level is a good marker of bone metabolism and is reduced in the presence of 'osteodystrophia', commonly found in cholostatic liver diseases. We assayed plasma osteocalcin levels in 20 cirrhotic patients and compared the values with those of 22 healthy controls. In the same patients we also measured the liver function, clotting and mineral metabolism indexes and calcitonin plasma levels. Osteocalcin levels were significantly lower in liver disease patients than in controls (5.53 ng/ml S.D. 2.57 vs 7.79 ng/ml S.D. 2.23; p less than 0.01) and calcitonin plasma levels were much higher in cirrhotics (130.18 pg/ml S.D. 212.30 vs 28.9 pg/ml S.D. 13.09; p less than 0.05). We think that the low osteocalcin levels observed in cirrhotics may be a consequence of "hepatic osteodystrophy" due to low vitamin D and calcium plasma levels.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Ablative cesarean section and post-partum hysterectomy: review of 11 years of obstetric practice].

Obstetric hysterectomy is often performed as an emergency life-saving procedure. This retrospective report reviews the 11 years experience (1-1 1980 through 31-12-1990) at Mangiagalli Hospital, Milan. During this time 50 obstetric hysterectomies (incidence rate = 0.12%) were performed; cesarean hysterectomies were 30 (60%), hysterectomies after cesarean section 14 (28%) and after vaginal delivery 6 (12%). Its rate during or after cesarean section was 0.44% and after vaginal delivery was 0.02%. Thirty-six per cent of patients were nulliparous. Main indications were placental disorders, uterine atony with uncontrollable bleeding, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). In 7 cases was performed an elective operation, in 4 cases for neoplasia and in 3 cases for myomata uteri. Maternal mortality rate was 2.04%, five patients (10%) developed hematomas and required further interventions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Coordinate change of c-myc, transferrin receptor and H3 gene expression precedes induction of haemoglobin-producing cells of the leukaemia K562 cell line treated with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II).

Erythroid cell differentiation can be achieved in vitro by means of several chemical or natural agents. Cell differentiation is accompanied by biochemical and molecular changes which show that the inducer is active at different molecular levels. Among the chemical agents that are able to induce cell differentiation, the anticancer drugs are of great interest for the emerging study of in vitro and in vivo models for differentiation treatment. Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum II (CDDP), a crosslinking DNA compound, is usually employed at a high dosage in treating solid tumors. We have demonstrated that CDDP was also able to induce K562 cells towards erythroid differentiation. In our experiment 2.5 micrograms/ml of CDDP caused expression of alpha-globin chain gene and production of haemoglobulin. Continuous presence of the drug was not necessary to induce the cell to produce haemoglobin. Five days after CDDP treatment, the expression of c-myc oncogene had risen, while H3 histone mRNA expression fell to undetectable levels within 24 hours. Transferrin (Tf) receptor mRNA was reduced but later (about 48 hours) than c-myc and H3 messenger RNAs. The inhibition of cell proliferation was correlated both with the reduced expression of Tf receptor mRNA and low expression of the protein. However, expression of the cytoskeleton vimentin gene was only slightly affected during the time-course of the experiment. Data show that at least three phases were present in the irreversible CDDP induction of haemoglobin synthesis in the K562 cell. The erythroid differentiation was first preceded by a rise of c-myc mRNA, which probably precommits the cell towards the erythroid lineage. The mRNA levels of the cell-cycle dependent genes, H3 and Tf receptor, decreased and inhibition of DNA synthesis and loss of cell proliferation were detected. Finally, the alpha-globin chain gene was actively transcribed and the cell produced haemoglobin.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Controlled study on the prevention of respiratory distress syndrome with betamethasone in pregnancy and ACTH and cortisol levels in the premature newborn infant].

The influence of maternal corticosteroid administration was studied on the ACTH and cortisol concentrations in neonatal blood of 24 premature infants whose mothers received betamethasone for prevention of RDS, compared with 11 untreated subjects. Cord blood was taken at birth and from venous sample in 5th day. All samples were analyzed for ACTH and Cortisol by radioimmunoassay. No statistically significant differences between these groups were noted. Additional analysis of ACTH and Cortisol levels in 9 RDS premature infants versus 26 control ones failed to demonstrate any deficiency of corticosteroids in newborn infants with RDS. The findings provide a justification for the prepartum treatment of respiratory distress syndrome with glucocorticoids because this dose of betamethasone does not expose the newborn to potentially harmful effects.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗