Functional Human Podocytes Generated in Organoids from Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells.

Generating kidney organoids using human stem cells could offer promising prospects for research and therapeutic purposes. However, no cell-based strategy has generated nephrons displaying an intact three-dimensional epithelial filtering barrier. Here, we generated organoids using murine embryonic kidney cells, and documented that these tissues recapitulated the complex three-dimensional filtering structure of glomerular slits in vivo and accomplished selective glomerular filtration and tubular reabsorption.

Dopamine receptor subtypes in the human coronary vessels of healthy subjects.

Objective: Dopamine D(1)-D(5) receptors subtypes were studied in human coronary vessels of healthy subjects to assess their localization and their expression.

Methods: Samples of intraparenchymal and extraparenchymal branches of human coronary arteries and veins were harvested from four normal native hearts explanted from four young brain dead heart donors in case of orthoptic transplant, not carried out for technical reasons. In all the samples morphological, biochemical, immunochemical, and morphometrical studies were performed including quantitative analysis of images and evaluation of data.

Cholinergic staining of bronchus- associated lymphoid tissue.

The cholinergic staining of human bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) was studied in humans. Morsels of the human lung (containing BALT) were harvested, after having obtained the appropriate approvals, during autopsies in 24 human subjects. The samples were stained by means of the enzymatic technique of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and/or the monoclonal immunohistochemical method of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT).

Pathogenesis of some neurological immune ultrastructural and morphometrical observations on rat thymus.

Numerous studies on neuro-immuno-modulation indicate that the thymus is involved in many neurological diseases, including experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE). Twenty Lewis rats were induced for EAE. At X, XII, XX and XXX days post-inoculation the animals were killed, and the thymus was recovered and harvested.

Distribution of catecholaminergic neurotransmitters and related receptors in human bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue.

Background: The functions of the bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) are under the control of the autonomic nervous system (sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers).

Objectives: The relationships between the adrenergic nerve fibers and beta-adrenergic receptors were studied in the human BALT with the aim to demonstrate a probable neuromodulation.

Methods: Morphological observations (staining with hematoxylin-eosin and scanning electron microscopy images) were carried out on samples of human BALT harvested during autopsies.

Amniotic fluid index versus largest vertical pocket in the prediction of perinatal outcome in post-term pregnancies.

We studied a cohort of 41 singleton pregnancies induced at term with prostaglandins and, when necessary, oxytocin. We evaluated with ultrasound the amniotic fluid index (AFI) and the largest vertical pocket (LVP), at least 2 days before the delivery, to compare the sonographic measurement of amniotic fluid with fetal distress and perinatal outcome. We analysed the incidence of fetal distress using intrapartum monitoring of fetal heart rate, considering the absence of variability, the presence of persistent severe variable and/or late decelerations.

Amnioreduction for treatment of severe polyhydramnios.

Between January 2000 and March 2003 we studied the pregnancies complicated by polyhydramnios in 10 patients. The objective was that of evaluating the efficacy of amnioreduction in improving the principal complications given by polyhydramnios such as maternal dyspnea and uterine activity. Our results showed that this procedure resolve maternal symptoms in all the cases but there is no significant reduction in uterine activity.

Ultrasound evaluation of amniotic fluid volume: methods and clinical accuracy.

Ultrasound evaluation of amniotic fluid volume (AFV) is frequently used to detect fetuses at high risk for an adverse outcome - an event that is often correlated with AFV abnormalities. As is well known, ultrasound is a non invasive procedure, which makes it ideal for application on a very large scale: in practice, it can be used for routine monitoring of all pregnancies and, not infrequently, for repeat AFV determination in those cases where there is the suspect of amniotic fluid abnormalities. Sonographic quantification of AFV, whether it is performed through a simple visual estimation or through biometric measurement of one or more amniotic fluid pockets, can never represent a true "quantitative" method and its actual reliability has not consistently been proved by scientific evidence.

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome: a review of treatment option.

Objective: The twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is a complication of monozygotic-monochorionic twinning and is a direct result of transplacental communication between the circulations of twins. When acute TTTS occurs in the second trimester, the perinatal mortality can be as high as 95% in the absence of treatment. For this reason, several aggressive, even desperate treatment modalities have been attempted including selective fetocide, umbilical cord ligation, maternal digoxin therapy.

Early complications of prenatal invasive diagnostics: perspective analysis.

In this retrospective analysis we studied 1489 women who underwent prenatal invasive diagnostic procedures between January 2000 and December 2002. We examine the influence of risk factors and the incidence of early complications following amniocentesis and chorion villus sampling, in particular the incidence of fetal loss. The study group included 438 women who underwent CVS and 1051 underwent amniocentesis.

Dopamine receptors in the human dura mater.

Dopamine receptors (Dar) were studied as a component of the nervous dopaminergic system in the human dura mater. Dar were stained in several dural zones (vascular, perivascular, intervascular) in different regions (basal, calvarial, tentorial, occipital, frontal, parietal, temporal) of the cranial meninges. Specimens of human dura mater were harvested from autopsies of 10 elderly male subjects (age range, 60-75 years).

Diabetic rats treated by low molecular weight heparin OP 2123/parnaparin: morphological changes in the kidney and heart.

Aim: Early morphological alterations in the rat kidney and heart due to experimentally induced diabetes are described in order to evaluate the possible therapeutic role of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH; OP 2123/parnaparin).

Methods: Our findings concern the alterations observed in the rat kidney and heart because these are the organs (together with the retina) mainly involved in the early morphological angiopathic modifications associated with diabetic damage of organs and tissues. In diabetic animals treated with LMWH, the Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction showed a slight decrease when compared with the diabetic control group.

Dopaminergic receptors in rat dura mater: pharmacological characteristics.

1. The location and distribution of dopaminergic receptors in rat dura mater was studied by examining several dural zones (vascular, perivascular, intervascular) in different cranial and spinal regions. 2.

Age-related changes in rat optic nerve: morphological studies.

Age-related changes of the optic nerve were studied in 3-month-old (young), 12-month-old (adult) and 24-month-old (aged) male Sprague-Dawley rats. Cross sections of the intracranial portion of the optic nerves of animals of different age groups were stained with haematoxylin-eosin and examined under a light microscope at low and high magnification. Other sections were stained with crystal violet for demonstration of glial cells.

Effect of interferon on human thymus microenvironment.

Interferon, a thymic immunostimulator, was used with the aim of assessing the importance of adrenergic nerve fibers (ANF) and/or AChE-positive nerve fibers (AChENF) in the regulation of some immunological functions in humans. Thymic normal control fragments and/or thymic fragments of immunostimulated patients were removed during surgical biopsies. Thymic slices were stained with eosin-orange (for the recognition of microanatomical details of the microenvironment) and with Bodian's method for staining of nerve fibers.

Occurrence of catecholaminergic nerve fibers in the human uveoscleral tissue in conditions of normal and raised intraocular pressure.

The distribution of catecholaminergic nerve fibers (CNF) in human uveoscleral tissue was studied in six human eyes with normal intraocular pressure and in five eyes with increased pressure. The eyes with increased pressure had no visual field alterations and the patients did not have any glaucoma-related optic neuropathies. The amount of norepinephrine in these structures was also analysed.

Morphological changes in the sciatic nerve of diabetic rats treated with low molecular weight heparin OP 2123/parnaparin.

This study points out the early alterations that affect the sciatic nerve of rats with experimentally induced diabetes. It emphasizes the advantages deriving from treatment with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) OP 2123/parnaparin and correlates these findings with observations emerging from a review of the relevant literature. In fact, the number and diameter of the capillaries within the sciatic nerve of diabetic rats appear to be increased consistent with a microangiopathy (the main characteristic of which is the fragility of new vessels), that is related to the evolution of diabetes in humans and animals.

Adrenergic nerve fibres and mast cells: correlation in rat thymus.

The interactions between adrenergic nerve fibres and mast cells (MCs) were studied in the thymus of adult and old rats by morphological methods and by quantitative analysis of images (QAIs). The whole thymus was drawn in adult (12 months old) rats: normal, sympathectomized or electrostimulated. Thymuses from the above-mentioned animals were weighed, measured and dissected.

Effect of interleukin 1beta on rat thymus microenvironment.

The effect of interleukin 1beta on the thymus of control and chemically sympathectomized adult and aged rats was studied with the aim of assessing the importance of adrenergic nerve fibres (ANF) in the regulation of some immunological functions. The whole thymus was removed from normal, sympathectomized (with the neurotoxin 6-OH-dopamine) and treated (interleukin 1beta) rats. Thymic slices were stained with eosin orange (for the recognition of microanatomical details of the thymic microenvironment) and with Bodian's method for staining of nerve fibres.

Occurrence of adrenergic nerve fibers in human thymus during immune response.

The adrenergic nerve fibers (ANF), the neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactive nerve fibers (NPY-NF) and the noradrenaline (NA) amount were studied in the human thymus in subjects previously treated or not treated with interferon therapy with the aim to identify the changes due to the interferon therapy. This therapy has been used in patients affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). Biochemical and morphological methods were used associated with quantitative analysis of images.

Interleukin 1beta as stimulator of the rat thymus.

The effects of interleukin 1beta administration on the thymus of adult and old rats were studied in order to study the interactions between the nervous and immune systems and to confirm the important role played by catecholaminergic nerve fibres (CNF) in the regulation of thymic functions. Moreover, chemical sympathectomy was performed in a group of rats to study the effects on thymus of the destruction of the majority of CNF. Our results indicate that thymic stimulation (performed by means of interleukin 1beta) induces substantial changes in the fresh weight of the whole thymus, as well as in the thymic microenvironment, thymic nerve fibres, CNF, neuropeptide Y (NPY)-like positive nerve fibres and total amount of both proteins and norepinephrine in rat thymic tissue homogenates.

A morphometric study of age changes in the rat optic nerve.

Age-related changes of the optic nerve fibres were studied in 3-month-old (young), 12-month-old (adult) and 24-month-old (aged) male Sprague-Dawley rats. The optic nerve was harvested with particular care from the intracranial portion. Cross sections from the optic nerve of animals of different age groups were stained with toluidine blue and examined under a light microscope at low and high magnification.

[Amnioinfusion: techniques, indications, and controlled retrospective study of 55 cases].

Amnioinfusion is a relatively recent procedure introduced among fetal medicine techniques. Its applications focus on two different methods: transcervical and transabdominal. The first procedure usually is carried out during "intrapartum amnioinfusion" to prevent or treat fetal heart rate (FHR) decelerations related to oligohydramnios or to dilute thick meconium staining of the amniotic fluid.

Sphenoidal metastasis from prostate carcinoma. Case report and review of the literature.

A case of an uncommon sphenoidal metastasis from prostate carcinoma with cranial nerve involvement is described. Current concepts of metastatic spread of this tumor to the skull base, clinical signs and therapeutic approaches are reviewed in the light of the available literature.