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S Minelli

Publications and source records attributed to S Minelli.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Distribution of Ty3-gypsy- and Ty1-copia-like DNA sequences in the genus Helianthus and other Asteraceae.

Two repeated DNA sequences, pHaS13 and pHaS211, which revealed similarity to the int gene of Ty3-gypsy retrotransposons and the RNAse-H gene of Ty1-copia retroelements, respectively, were surveyed in Asteraceae species and within the genus Helianthus. Southern analysis of the genome of selected Asteraceae that belong to different tribes showed that pHaS13- and pHaS211-related subfamilies of gypsy- and copia-like retroelements are highly redundant only in Helianthus and, to a lesser extent, in Tithonia, a Helianthus strict relative. However, under low stringency posthybridization washes, bands were observed in almost all the other Asteraceae tested when pHaS13 was used as a probe, and in several species when pHaS211 was hybridized. FISH analysis of pHaS13 or pHaS211 probes was performed in species in which labelling was observed in Southern hybridizations carried out under high stringency conditions (Helianthus annuus, Tithonia rotundifolia, Ageratum spp., Leontopodium spp., Senecio vulgaris for pHaS13, and H. annuus, Tithonia rotundifolia, and S. vulgaris for pHaS211). Scattered labelling was observed over all metaphase chromosomes, indicating a large dispersal of both Ty3-gypsy- and Ty1-copia-like retroelements. However, preferential localization of Ty3-gypsy-like sequences at centromeric chromosome regions was observed in all of the species studies but one, even in species in which pHaS13-related elements are poorly represented. Ty1-copia-like sequences showed preferential localization at the chromosome ends only in H. annuus. To study the evolution of gypsy- and copia-like retrotransposons in Helianthus, cladograms were built based on the Southern blot hybridization patterns of pHaS13 or pHaS211 sequences to DNA digests of several species of this genus. Both cladograms agree in splitting the genomes studied into annuals and perennials. Differences that occurred within the clades of perennial and annual species between gypsy- and copia-like retroelements indicated that these retrotransposons were differentially active during Helianthus speciation, suggesting that the evolution of the 2 retroelement families was, within limits, independent.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Cytogenetics of Triticum x Dasypyrum hybrids and derived lines.

Genomic in situ hybridization was used to study Triticum x Dasypyrum wide hybrids and derived lines. A cytogenetic investigation was carried out in progenies of (i) amphiploids derived from T. turgidum var. durum (T. durum; 2n = 14; genomes AABB) x D. villosum (2n = 14; genome VV), (ii) three-parental hybrids (T. durum x D. villosum) x T. aestivum (2n = 42, genomes A'A'B'B'D'D'), and (iii) T. aestivum aneuploid lines carrying D. villosum chromosomes or chromatin. The amphiploids derived from T. durum x D. villosum showed a stable chromosomal constitution, made up of 14 V chromosomes, 14 chromosomes carrying the wheat A genome and 14 chromosomes carrying the B genome. High karyological instability was observed in the progenies of three-parental hybrids ([T. durum x D. villosum] x T. aestivum). Plants having the expected 14 A chromosomes, 14 B chromosomes, 7 D chromosomes, and 7 V chromosomes were rather rare (4.5%). Many progeny plants (45.5%) had the hexaploid wheat genome with 42 chromosomes and lacked any detectable D. villosum chromatin. Other plants (50%) had 14 A chromosomes and 14 B chromosomes, plus variable numbers of D and V chromosomes, the former being better retained than the latter in most cases. Some T. aestivum lines carrying D. villosum chromosomes or chromatin, as the result of addition, substitution, or recombination events or even a combination of these karyological events, were found to be stable. Other lines were unstable, and these lines carried 1V, 3V, or 5V chromosomes or their portions. Substitution or recombination events where 1V chromosomes were involved could concern the homeologous counterparts in both the A and B and D genomes of wheat. No line could be recovered where the shorter arm of 3V chromosomes was present. Changes in the morphology and banding pattern of V chromosomes were observed in hybrids that did not carry the entire D. villosum complement. By comparing the results of our cytogenetic analyses with certain phenotypic characteristics of the lines studied, genes for discrete traits could be assigned to specific V chromosomes or V chromosome arms. From the frequency of V chromosomes that were involved in chromatin exchanges with or substituted for one of their homeologous counterparts in the A, B, and D wheat genomes, it was inferred that D. villosum belongs to the same phyletic lineage as T. urartu (donor of the A genome of wheat) and Aegilops speltoides (B genome), and that Ae. squarrosa (D genome) diverged earlier from D. villosum.

Chromosomes, Plant↗
PubMed2003

Intra-individual variability of self-esteem in adolescents with spina bifida.

The purpose of this study was to explore intra-individual variability of global self-esteem and physical self-worth in adolescents with spina bifida (n = 3). Three adolescents were assessed in their schools by auto-evaluation over a period of 12 weeks (three times a week) with the Physical Self Inventory-6, a six-item questionnaire with a visual analogue scale. Statistical analyses included auto-correlation function (ACF) for studying the time series. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that in all the dimensions of physical self and global self-esteem, participants showed great variability over time. Auto-correlation function indicated 20 non-stationary and unstable time series, and four stationary time series. The non-stationary evolution of physical self, and global self-esteem in the three adolescents with spina bifida studied may explain the absence of consensus in the literature on the level of the self-perception. Future longitudinal research needs to be engaged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Ty1 /copia- and Ty3 /gypsy-like DNA sequences in Helianthus species.

Two repeated DNA sequences isolated from a partial genomic DNA library of Helianthus annuus, p HaS13 and p HaS211, were shown to represent portions of the int gene of a Ty3 /gypsy retroelement and of the RNase-Hgene of a Ty1 /copia retroelement, respectively. Southern blotting patterns obtained by hybridizing the two probes to BglII- or DraI-digested genomic DNA from different Helianthus species showed p HaS13 and p HaS211 were parts of dispersed repeats at least 8 and 7 kb in length, respectively, that were conserved in all species studied. Comparable hybridization patterns were obtained in all species with p HaS13. By contrast, the patterns obtained by hybridizing p HaS211 clearly differentiated annual species from perennials. The frequencies of p HaS13- and p HaS211-related sequences in different species were 4.3x10(4)-1.3x10(5) copies and 9.9x10(2)-8.1x10(3) copies per picogram of DNA, respectively. The frequency of p HaS13-related sequences varied widely within annual species, while no significant difference was observed among perennial species. Conversely, the frequency variation of p HaS211-related sequences was as large within annual species as within perennials. Sequences of both families were found to be dispersed along the length of all chromosomes in all species studied. However, Ty3 /gypsy-like sequences were localized preferentially at the centromeric regions, whereas Ty1/ copia-like sequences were less represented or absent around the centromeres and plentiful at the chromosome ends. These findings suggest that the two sequence families played a role in Helianthusgenome evolution and species divergence, evolved independently in the same genomic backgrounds and in annual or perennial species, and acquired different possible functions in the host genomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

The chromosome complement of Olea europaea L.: characterization by differential staining of the chromatin and in-situ hybridization of highly repeated DNA sequences.

The chromosome complement of olive (Olea europaea L.) has been characterized by differential staining of the chromatin and chromosomal localization of highly repeated DNA sequences and ribosomal cistrons. DAPI staining produces different-sized positive bands in various locations on all the chromosomes. By combining this band pattern with the results obtained from cytological hybridization of OeTaq80, OeTaq178, and OeGEM86 DNA tandem repeats, most of the pairs can be distinguished from each other, in spite of the large number of chromosomes (2n = 46), their small size and similar morphology. Different tandem-repeated DNA sequences may be contained into single heterochromatic chromosome regions, even though there are regions where repeats of only one family are present. OeTaq80- and OeGEM86-related DNA sequences are rather specific to the heterochromatin at the chromosome ends, while most sequences related to the longer OeTaq178 probe are confined to interstitial heterochromatin. Some exceptions suggest that major chromosomal rearrangements occurred during genome evolution. Polymorphism, which may differentiate olive cultivars, was observed within chromosome pairs I, V, and VII.

Chromatin↗
PubMed1999

A family of dispersed repeats in the genome of Vicia faba: structure, chromosomal organization, redundancy modulation, and evolution.

A family of repeated DNA sequences of about 1200 bp in length and bordered by well-conserved, 18 bp inverted repeats (VfB family) was found in the nuclear genome of Vicia faba. The structure, chromosomal organization, redundancy modulation and evolution of these sequences were investigated. They are enriched in A+T base pairs (about 40% G+C) and lack any obvious internally repeated motif. A 64%-73% nucleotide sequence identity was found when pairwise comparisons between VfB sequences were carried out (average 69%). Direct repeats were not found to flank the inverted repeats that border these DNA sequences. The results obtained by hybridizing VfB repeats to Southern blots of V. faba genomic DNA digested with EcoRI indicated that these DNA elements are interspersed in the genome. The appearance of bands in these Southern blots and comparison of the structure of the sequences that flank different VfB elements showed that these repeats might be part of other, longer repeated DNA sequences. A high degree of dispersion throughout the genome was confirmed by cytological hybridization, which showed VfB sequences to be scattered along the length of all chromosomes and to be absent or rare only at heterochromatic chromosomal regions. These sequences contribute to intraspecific alterations of genomic size. Indeed, dot-blot hybridizations proved that their redundancy, which is positively correlated with the overall amount of nuclear DNA in each accession, varies between V. faba land races (27x10(3)-230x10(3) copies per 1C DNA). Southern blot hybridization of VfB repeats to restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNAs of V. faba, V. narbonensis, V. sativa, Phaseolus coccineus, Populus deltoides, and Triticum durum revealed nucleotide sequence homology of these DNA elements, whatever the stringency conditions, only to the DNAs of Vicia species, and to a reduced extent to the DNAs of V. narbonensis and V. sativa compared with that of V. faba. It is concluded that VfB repeats might be descended from mobile DNA elements and contribute to change genomic size and organization during evolution.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1999

Amount and organization of the heterochromatin in Olea europaea and related species.

The amount and spatial organization of the heterochromatin in nuclei of the shoot meristem and the frequency in the nuclear DNA of sequences belonging to a family of tandem repeats were investigated in cultivars of Olea europaea and related species. Significant differences between Olea species and between cultivars of O. europaea were observed: (i) in the spatial organization of the heterochromatin in interphase nuclei as determined by the number and surface area of the chromocentres; (ii) in genome size; and (iii) in the amount of condensed chromatin as measured by cytophotometry carried out at different thresholds of optical density. DNA elements belonging to a family of tandem repeats about 80 bp in length (OeTaq80 repeats) were isolated from the genomic DNA of an olive cultivar. It was shown: (i) by nucleotide sequence comparisons, that these repeats display variability in structure even within the same array, where different elements may share no more than 74% homology; (ii) by in situ hybridization, that OeTaq80-related DNA sequences are mainly localized in the heterochromatin at the chromosome ends; (iii) by dot-blot hybridization experiments, that these sequences are highly represented in the genome of all the olive cultivars and the majority of Olea species studied, and that their frequency may differ significantly even between olive cultivars; and (iv) by calculating the copy number of OeTaq80-related sequences per haploid (1C) genome, that the redundancy of these DNA elements may differ significantly between the genomes tested. It is suggested that the inter- and intraspecific changes in the nuclear and genomic traits observed can contribute to the understanding of the phylogenetic relationships between Olea species and in defining parameters to be exploited in varietal identification within cultivated olives.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1998

CMF + radiotherapy in the primary treatment of operable breast cancer: preliminary results of a phase II pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been investigated in several studies about their role in primary (neoadjuvant) treatment before surgery in breast cancer. We proposed a pilot study to evaluate a primary scheme of alternate radio-chemotherapy in the treatment of operable (T2- small T3) breast cancer. METHODS: 14 patients were recruited. Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) were administered on days 1 and 8, every 4 wk, for two cycles. Radiotherapy was administered during the 3rd and 4th wk (5 d/wk) after the beginning of chemotherapy. The patients were operated on within 24 wk. All the patients received four additional cycles of chemotherapy within 1 mo after surgery. RESULTS: We observed: 1 (8.3%) complete remission (CR), 8 (66.7%) partial remission (PR), 3 (25%) stationary disease (SD); no progressive disease was observed. Modified radical mastectomy was performed on 7 patients (58.3%). Conservative surgery was performed on 5 cases (41.7%). No major complications were observed. No patient has shown local or distant recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the feasibility of a primary chemoradiotherapy treatment for breast cancer. But to evaluate the impact of this therapy on overall survival and recurrence risk and its possible introduction in clinical practice, we need larger series and longer follow-up.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Truncal vagotomy, antrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy in the treatment of duodenogastric reflux disease.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The surgical treatment of duodenogastric reflux (DGR), resistant to medical therapy, in patients with intact stomach is difficult to standardize. The aim of this study is to present our experience on 5 patients, all cholecystectomized, with severe DGR disease treated surgically. METHODS: Out of a group of 223 patients suffering from nonulcerous dispeptic pathology presenting to our department, we selected 5 patients suffering from alkaline reflux gastritis in intact stomach. The diagnosis of primary DGR was made using Wilson's criteria. The surgical procedure adopted consisted of a truncal vagotomy, antrectomy, and a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy. RESULTS: No perioperative mortality was observed. Twelve months after surgery all patients expressed satisfaction with the result of the operation and complained of no severe disturbances. A sense of postprandial fullness with a sense of pain in the left shoulder persisted in one case only, requiring the consumption of small and frequent meals. Radiological examination of the upper gastrointestinal tract of these patients showed notably delayed emptying of the gastric stump, while the endoscopic picture was completely normal. CONCLUSION: The antrectomy and Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is a better known operation, easily executed, and has the advantage that it can be performed on patients previously operated on for gastric resection and therefore suffering from secondary reflux. It also has the advantage of removing the gastric antrum where mucous atrophy is more frequent and is susceptible to neoplastic degeneration. However, at the present time the choice between different types of operation depends exclusively on the personal conviction and experience of the surgeon.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y↗
PubMed1996

[The echographic anatomy of the larynx and the perilaryngeal structures].

The normal laryngeal and perilaryngeal structures (neither nodal nor vascular) of 120 healthy and informed volunteers and of 46 patients with extralaryngeal neck conditions were studied with ultrasonography (US). The study was performed with a high-frequency linear probe on the transverse and sagittal planes; the patients were examined supine, with neck hyperextension, during quiet breathing, in inspiratory and expiratory breath-holding, during Valsalva maneuver or phonation. Axial scans clearly depict, in cranio-caudal direction, the base of the tongue, the hyoid and adjacent muscular structures. At the laryngeal vestibule epiglottis is always clearly demonstrated as a thin hypoechoic curvilinear rim and the pre-epiglottic space as a fat-filled and markedly echogenic structure. Pyriform sinuses are more difficult to study with US and should therefore be always distended by air during Valsalva because no suitable US contrast agent is available for their exploration yet. The ossification of thyroid laminae prevents or hinders the exploration of endolaryngeal structures because of consequent posterior acoustic shadow. In case of partial ossification or cartilaginous thyroid laminae, paraglottic spaces are easily demonstrated with US, as well as the false cords and, partially, arytenoids and posterior laryngeal wall muscles. The muscular structure of the true cords, their mobility in the M-mode and, in half of the cases, the thin vocal plicae joining anteriorly in the anterior commissure, are easily depicted with US. To conclude, US permits to demonstrate normal laryngeal anatomy by a quick and harmless examination in several breathing and phonation phases, which is an essential premise to the correct interpretation of abnormal US findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

FokI DNA repeats in the genome of Vicia faba: species specificity, structure, redundancy modulation, and nuclear organization.

Tandemly repeated DNA sequences about 60 bp in length, which may be isolated by digestion with FokI restriction endonuclease, were studied by means of molecular and cytological hybridization in Vicia faba and other Vicia species. The results obtained can be summarized as follows: (i) FokI repeats are almost species specific to V. faba, since they hybridize to a minimum extent to genomic DNA of only two out of five related species; (ii) these tandemly repeated elements display variability in structure even within one and the same array, where different repeats may share not more than 71% homology; (iii) their redundancy in the genome of V. faba is remarkably high and varies largely between land races (copy numbers per haploid, 1C, genome range from 21.51 x 10(6) to 5.39 x 10(6)); (iv) FokI repeats are clustered in differing amounts in each subtelocentric pair of the chromosome complement and are missing or present in a nondetectable amount in the submetacentric pair; (vi) chromosome regions that bear these repeats associate closely to varying degrees in interphase nuclei. These results are discussed in relation to possible functional roles that tandemly repeated DNA sequences such as the FokI elements might play.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Videolaparoscopic treatment of spleen injuries. Report of two cases.

Splenectomy is very frequently used to manage splenic lesions. Nevertheless, spleen-injured patients who have undergone splenectomy are exposed to hyposplenism. Authors report two patients with splenic lesions treated by conservative surgery (with fibrin glue) using the videolaparoscopic method. In both cases the preservation of the spleen was achieved. The conservative treatment allows one to avoid the risk of hyposplenism and the videolaparoscopy provides the possibility to treat the patient with minimal surgical stress.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The anterior chamber angle is different in different racial groups: a gonioscopic study.

The purpose of the study was to determine racial and sexual differences and age-related changes in the anterior chamber angle to evaluate the reliability of a standardised gonioscopic grading system. The anterior chamber angle was studied prospectively in 291 patients who included Afro-Americans, Caucasians and Far East Asians. No statistically significant difference was found between the angle width of these three groups, but the iris joins the scleral wall more anteriorly in Asians, slightly more posteriorly in Afro-Americans, and most posteriorly in Caucasians (p = 0.03). The anterior chamber tends to be narrower in females (p = 0.002) and to become narrower with increasing age (p < 0.0001) in all ethnic groups. Refractive error significantly affects both the level of iris insertion (p < 0.003) and the angle width (p < 0.001). The consistency of the angle grading system in this project is demonstrated by a close agreement between the examiners. It is concluded that the difference in the angle configuration may account for racial differences in the incidence of angle-closure glaucoma, this being least common in Caucasians, more common in Afro-Americans and most common in Asians.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Regression of retinoblastoma after plaque radiotherapy.

A review of 400 consecutive patients with retinoblastoma disclosed that 103 tumors in 103 eyes were treated with solitary plaque radiotherapy. The tumors were from 1 to 16 mm (mean, 7 mm) in basal diameter and from 1 to 8 mm (mean, 4 mm) in thickness. Thirty-one tumors were treated with plaque radiotherapy as initial treatment, whereas 72 tumors were treated with plaque radiotherapy as secondary treatment after failure of other methods. Of the 102 tumors on which adequate follow-up data were available, all responded initially to plaque radiotherapy with tumor regression. Over the mean follow-up of 38 months (range, six to 192 months), 89 tumors (87%) showed persistent regression and 13 (13%) showed tumor recurrence. The recurrence occurred at a mean interval of five months (range, one to 11 months) after plaque radiotherapy. A statistical analysis of tumor size, tumor location, tumor proximity to the optic disk and foveola, presence of vitreous seeds, radioactive plaque diameter, plaque shape, radioisotope, and primary or secondary treatment disclosed no important predictors of tumor recurrence. Carefully selected retinoblastoma, even juxtapapillary and macular tumors and those with localized vitreous seeds, can be successfully treated with plaque radiotherapy.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1993

Plaque radiotherapy in the management of retinoblastoma. Use as a primary and secondary treatment.

BACKGROUND: Radioactive episcleral plaque brachytherapy is a treatment method for selected retinoblastomas. The authors have used this technique since 1976 as both a primary and a secondary treatment method after other methods failed to achieve tumor control. METHODS: A review of the records of 400 consecutive children with retinoblastoma showed that solitary plaque radiotherapy was used as a method of management in 103 cases. The authors' overall experience was evaluated, and the results between primary and secondary plaque therapies were compared in these 103 cases. RESULTS: Of the 103 tumors, the mean basal diameter was 7 mm, and the mean thickness was 4 mm. Overlying vitreous seeds were clinically apparent in 50 cases (48%). The mean proximity of the tumor margin to the optic disc margin was 6 mm and to the foveola was 6 mm. The mean follow-up period was 40 months. In 89 cases (86%), the tumor was controlled by one plaque application, whereas in 13 cases (13%), tumor recurrence after initial tumor shrinkage necessitated subsequent treatment. Final visual outcome was good in 63 cases (62%), poor in 30 (29%), enucleation in 9 (9%), and unknown in 1 case. The poor vision was due to foveal retinoblastoma (with or without amblyopia) in 25 cases (83%). Eight of the nine enucleated eyes were treated initially with external beam radiotherapy then later with plaque radiotherapy. In 31 cases (30%), plaque radiotherapy was used as a primary treatment to the tumor, while in 72 cases (70%), it was a secondary form of management after failure of other methods to control the tumor. Statistical analysis showed that tumors treated with plaque radiotherapy as a primary measure were more likely to be larger in in base (P = 0.01) and thickness (P = 0.01) than secondary treated tumors. The secondary treated retinoblastomas were more likely to have vitreous seeds (P = 0.02) than the primary treated tumors. The rate of tumor control and patient survival was similar between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Plaque radiotherapy is very effective in treating selected retinoblastomas with a high rate of tumor control and patient survival. It can be used successfully as a primary or a secondary treatment for tumors that have not been adequately controlled by other therapeutic methods.

Brachytherapy↗
PubMed1993

[Arthrography in the diagnosis and treatment of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis].

The painful shoulder--i.e., adhesive capsulitis--present two basic symptoms: painful and impaired motion. Clinics allow the diagnosis to be made, but treatment is difficult. In our opinion, shoulder arthrography is very useful to distinguish idiopathic from secondary capsulitis involving bones and joints: moreover, in the patients with adhesive capsulitis, arthrography is useful when removing adhesions by repeated forceful distensions of the joint capsule. January 1990 through December 1991, forty-five patients with adhesive capsulitis were studied with shoulder arthrography; 19 patients with primary adhesive capsulitis underwent forceful distension with lidocain and contrast medium and the intraarticular injection of 40 mg of triamcinolone enantate to eliminate local adhesions. Arthrographic brisement yielded good results: improved motion was observed in all patients, lasting 2 to 7 months. Forceful joint capsule distension is easy to perform and complication-free and yields valuable results; all of the above make the procedure advisable as a good alternative to surgery in primary adhesive capsulitis patients.

Arthrography↗