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Biomedical subjects

S Galletti

Publications and source records attributed to S Galletti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Efficacy of silymarin-phospholipid complex in reducing the toxicity of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chicks.

Silymarin, the standardized extract of Silybum marianum, is used as a hepatoprotector in man, and is a potent antihepatotoxic agent. This study focused on the effects of a silymarin-phospholipid complex in reducing the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in broiler chickens. Twenty-one 14-d-old male commercial broilers were randomly allotted to 3 groups and treated as follows: basal diet alone [Group C (Control)]; AFB1 at 0.8 mg/kg of feed [Group B1]; AFB1 at 0.8 mg/kg of feed plus silymarin phytosome, a silymarin complexed form with phospholipids from soy, at 600 mg/kg of BW [Group B1+Sil]. Considering the whole growth cycle, BW gain and feed intake were lower in AFB1-treated birds with respect to controls (P < 0.05). In the B1+Sil group, BW gain and feed intake were higher with respect to birds receiving AFB1 alone (P < 0.05), and not different from the control birds. Serum biochemistry showed no difference among groups, except for a decrease of alanine amino transferase (ALT) in chicks treated only with AFB1. Alanine amino transferase activity in AFB1 plus silymarin phytosome treated birds was not different from the controls. No treatment differences were noted on liver weight. In conclusion, our results suggest that silymarin phytosome can provide protection against the negative effects of AFB1 on performance of broiler chicks.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed2004

Silymarin, a possible hepatoprotector in dairy cows: biochemical and histological observations.

Silymarin, a standardized extract from Silybum marianum seed, is a natural hepatoprotector used for the treatment of liver diseases in man. The aim of this study was to investigate its safety and efficacy in periparturient dairy cows. Ten treated and 10 control pregnant dairy cows were paired by parity, body condition score (BCS), health condition and previous milk production. Treatment consisted of daily 10 g per animal of silymarin extract administered as oral drenches, from 10 days prior to the calving date to 15 days after calving. Blood samples and liver biopsies were taken from each animal at 7 and 30 days after calving. Hepatic functions were evaluated by assay of plasma beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, triglyceride and total bilirubin. The histological aspect of the liver was assessed in biopsies. Clinical chemistry values were similar for both groups and effects at different times (day 7 versus day 30; P < 0.05) were attributed to physiological variations in periparturient cows. Histology showed fat accumulation in the liver of both groups, as it is expected in periparturient dairy cows. In treated cows, fat-rich hepatocytes were observed near the central vein. These observations suggest that, at the used dosage, S. marianum extract has no adverse effect on the liver of lactating cows, and presents no objective evidence for a hepatoprotective effect in this species.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

Effects of silymarin, a natural hepatoprotector, in periparturient dairy cows.

Silymarin, a natural acknowledged hepatoprotector used in humans to treat liver diseases, has been tested in dairy cows during peripartum, a period during which animals are subject to subclinical fatty liver. Ten grams of silymarin (76% pure extract consisting in flavonolignans, taxifolin, and other trace compounds) per day, was administered as a water suspension by an oral drench to 15 cows from d 10 before expected calving to 15 d after calving. Milk production was measured, and colostrum, milk, and blood samples were analyzed during the experimental period. Treated animals showed the peak of milk production at 55 +/- 1.85 d after calving, 1 wk before the control group (62 +/- 3.27 d); the average peak production was 41.6 +/- 1.05 kg for the treated group vs. 39.1 +/- 1.44 kg for the control; the treated animals maintained a greater milk production than control cows throughout lactation (9922.1 +/- 215.7 vs. 9597.8 +/- 225.4 kg). Milk composition was unaffected by treatment. No silymarin residues were detected in colostrum and all milk samples. After calving, body condition score (BCS) decrease was greater for control compared with treated cows. Glucose, urea, triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol, beta-hydroxibutyrate (BHBA), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) in plasma were unaffected by treatment. Plasma nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) on d-7 were higher in treated cows compared with the control group (741 vs. 181 micromol/L). From this evidence, it is possible to conclude that silymarin beneficially affected lactation performances and body condition of treated animals. Blood and milk parameters do not indicate any adverse effects of feeding this natural compound.

3-Hydroxybutyric Acid↗
PubMed2003

Determination of methylmercury in environmental samples using static headspace gas chromatography and atomic fluorescence detection after aqueous phase ethylation.

A rapid and automated method for the determination of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in environmental samples was developed using headspace gas chromatography with atomic fluorescence detection in combination with aqueous phase ethylation. Sample preparation steps were optimized for sediments, biological samples, and water samples using certified reference materials and real samples with a broad range of MMHg concentrations. Different extraction procedures were compared for both sediments and biological samples. The methods were applied in the intercomparison exercises for the certification of MMHg in sediments (IAEA 405) and in Oyster tissue (BCR 710) and the results were accepted for certification. The detection limits for MMHg are 0.002 ng Hg/g for sediments and biological samples and 0.01 ng Hg/L for water samples. The method was tested for methylation artifacts; no artifact was observed in the sediment samples and CRMs tested.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for osteosarcoma of the extremities with metastases at presentation: recent experience at the Rizzoli Institute in 57 patients treated with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and a high dose of methotrexate and ifosfamide.

BACKGROUND: Effective adjuvant or neoadjuvant regimens of chemotherapy have dramatically improved the prognosis of patients with high-grade osteosarcoma of the extremity, localized at diagnosis. Currently, little is known about patients with metastatic disease at presentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From May 1995 to May 2000, 57 patients with osteosarcoma of the extremity, metastatic at presentation, were treated according to the following scheme: primary chemotherapy, restaging, simultaneous resection of primary tumor and metastatic lesions, and maintenance chemotherapy. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients achieved remission. At a follow-up ranging from 2 to 7 years, seven remained continuously free of disease, one died of chemotherapy-related toxicity and 27 patients relapsed. Twenty-one of the 22 patients who never achieved remission died as a result of the tumor, as well as 20 of the 27 who achieved remission but then relapsed. Of the remaining seven relapsing patients, six are alive with uncontrolled disease, while one is alive and free of disease 24 months after the last post-relapse treatment. Two-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21% and 55%, respectively. These results are significantly poorer than those achieved in 128 contemporary patients with non-metastatic disease at presentation, treated with the same chemotherapy protocol (2-year EFS and OS of 75% and 94%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study confirm that the prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma of the extremity, metastatic at presentation, remains poor, despite the use of aggressive treatments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Gamma-linolenic acid and tocopherol contents in the seed oil of 47 accessions from several Ribes species.

Gamma-linolenic acid is an essential fatty acid for humans with delta-6-desaturase deficiency; it is a precursor of prostaglandins, prostacyclins, and tromboxanes; and it has antiinflammatory and antitumoral effects. Tocopherols are natural antioxidants with biological activity, heart/vascular, and cancer protective properties. The oil, gamma-linolenic acid, and tocopherol contents, as well as tocopherol composition, were investigated in the seed oil of a collection of 47 accessions belonging to various species of the genus Ribes. Differences for oil content among species were not significant. The highest total tocopherol content was found in R. nigrum (mean, 1716 mg kg(-1) oil), followed by R. rubrum (mean, 1442 mg kg(-1) oil). R. grossularia showed the lowest values for this trait (mean, 786 mg kg(-1) oil). The three species also differed strongly for tocopherol composition. R. rubrumwas distinguished by a higher concentration of delta-tocopherol (mean, 20.2%); R. grossularia displayed the highest percentage of gamma-tocopherol (mean, 70.0%), and R. nigrum showed the highest concentration for alpha-tocopherol (mean, 34.8%), the most biologically active among the four tocopherols. Regarding gamma-linolenic acid, the highest content was found in R. nigrum, which exhibited up to 15.8% of this essential fatty acid in the oil. R. grossularia and R. rubrum showed mean gamma-linolenic acid contents of 8% and 6.2%, respectively. The present study indicated that seeds of Ribes species, especially R. nigrum, could be used as sources of gamma-linolenic acid and natural vitamin E.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed2001

Preparation and biological activity of four epiprogoitrin myrosinase-derived products.

(5R)-5-Vinyl-1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione, (2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene, and two diastereoisomeric erythro-(2S)- and threo-(2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3,4-epithiobutanes were prepared in pure form starting from (2S)-2-hydroxybut-3-enyl glucosinolate (epiprogoitrin). This glucosinolate was isolated in almost pure form using ripe seeds of Crambe abyssinica and then hydrolyzed under different conditions. The hydrolysis was carried out using either myrosinase immobilized on nylon, to produce (5R)-5-vinyl-1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione, or the endogenous myrosinase contained in defatted crambe meals, to produce the other epiprogoitrin-derived products. After purification and physicochemical characterization, all four myrosinase degradation products were tested for their biological activity. A bioassay on Lactuca sativa was chosen as a simple test to determine their apparent action on living tissues. (5R)-5-Vinyl-1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione negatively affected mainly root growth, whereas (2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene affected the early phase of germination, and both (2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3,4-epithiobutane diastereoisomers appeared to negatively affect both germination and root growth at doses 5-10 times lower than those of (2S)-1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-butene or (5R)-5-vinyl-1,3-oxazolidine-2-thione.

Brassicaceae↗
PubMed1988

[Angiographic evaluation of the response of osteosarcoma to neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

Modern therapeutic osteosarcoma protocols, including both pre- and post-operative cycles of chemotherapy, have helped improving the quality of the prognosis and marking the local control of the neoplasm more reliable, with a subsequent increase in conservative surgery. Angiographic results of the chemotherapeutic response in 76 patients with primitive high-grade bone osteosarcoma are reported. The need to repeat angiographic controls under the same technical conditions is emphasized. The comparison of the above findings with data from the histological evaluation of the specimen, shows that angiography is a reliable means of evaluating the response to chemotherapy. Angiography is thus emphasized as a valid method in an early evaluation of the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of osteosarcoma of the extremities: preliminary results in 131 cases treated preoperatively with methotrexate and cisdiamminoplatinum.

The results of 131 cases of classic non-metastatic osteosarcoma of the extremities treated with preoperative chemotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy are reported. Preoperatively, the patients were given Methotrexate (MTX) intravenously (high and average doses) and Cisplatinum (CDP) intraarterially. For postoperative chemotherapy, the drugs and treatment protocols were based on the degree of necrosis observed (good, fair, poor). Conservative surgery was performed in 73% of the cases and amputation in 27%. At an average 30 month follow-up (9-48 months) 59.5% of the patients had remained disease-free, 37.5% had developed metastases, and 3% had developed local recurrence. The percentage of disease-free patients was higher for those treated with high doses of MTX (68% vs. 51%) and for those in whom preoperative chemotherapy had induced good necrosis (75% vs. 44%). Neither the age or sex of the patients, nor the site of the tumor or type of surgery performed influenced prognosis.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Current trends in chest wall malignant tumor.

Surgery used to treat chest wall sarcomas requires preoperative evaluation in order to document their margins, and to reveal any nodules of recurrence. Because of its considerable sensitivity and specificity ultrasound was associated with routine imaging techniques. The results obtained are useful in defining superficial and lateral tumor margins, but particularly in determining micro-nodules of recurrence which would otherwise go unrecognized. Based on the data obtained using routine methods of diagnosis and ultrasound, we submitted patients to excision that each and every time proved to be wide on histological examination. A particular surgical method was used for reconstruction, involving a polypropylene mesh fixed to one or two mouldable plates. This method exploits the elasticity of polypropylene, which is indispensable for the correct respiratory dynamics of the rib cage, thus avoiding paradoxical or harmful movement. Oncological and functional results were satisfactory.

Follow-Up Studies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intraoperative ultrasonography imaging in spinal surgery (technique and indications).

Intraoperative ultrasonography was conducted in 20 patients; the technique of intraoperative ultrasonography for use in spinal surgery is described. The authors emphasize that this non-invasive method obtains real time images of considerable diagnostic importance, allowing for a significantly minor use of image intensifier, with a consequent reduction in doses for both the patient and the staff.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ultrasonography detection of early bone erosions in the metacarpophalangeal joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in their capability to detect bone erosions in early-advanced rheumatoid arthritis, where no erosion was evident on conventional radiography (X-ray). METHODS: Metacarpophalangeal (MCP), radiocarpal and ulnocarpal joints of 13 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, with bone erosion that was not detected by conventional X-ray, were examined by US and MRI. Ten controls underwent examination of the same joints by US. RESULTS: None of the controls showed bone erosions at US examination. No significant difference between US and MRI in detecting bone erosion was observed in wrist joints, whereas a significantly higher number of erosions was detected by US in MCP joints. CONCLUSION: US is at least as sensitive as MRI in detecting bone erosions in MCP and wrist joints. Since US examination is a more easily available and less expensive procedure than MRI, our findings justify its use as a diagnostic tool for early arthritis. In addition US may also be utilized in the follow up of patients with an established diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The echo-guided treatment of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.

The authors report the results of percutaneous mini-invasive treatment of chronic calcific tendinitis of the rotator cuffs. A total of 39 patients have been treated by echo-guided injection under local anaesthesia since June 2000 with a follow-up of about 2 years. Considerable reduction in symptoms was obtained in 34 patients within a few days of treatment; improvement was moderate in 5 cases, there were no complications in any of the cases. Complete regression of calcification was observed in 21 patients, there was a more than 60% reduction in calcific deposits in 11 patients, there was little reduction in 5, and the calcification remained unchanged in 2. The method, based on our experience, proved to be simple to execute, low-cost and easily repeatable, offering good results from a symptomatological point of view as well. It is the purpose of this study to determine and maximize mini-invasive treatment that will allow for the elimination or reduction of calcifications by means of percutaneous and echo-guided access.

Calcinosis↗