Publications by authors named "P Bignami"

Human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is involved in SARS-CoV-2 virulence and plays a pivotal role in lung infection of patients infected by COVID-19. In healthy individuals, HNE activity is balanced by α1-antitrypsin (AAT). This is a 52 kDa glycoprotein, mainly produced and secreted by hepatocytes, that specifically inhibits HNE by blocking its activity through the formation of a stable complex (HNE-AAT) in which the two proteins are covalently bound.

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Delayed gastric emptying after distal gastrectomy and reconstruction of alimentary tract with a gastroenteric anastomosis can significantly influence early and late postoperative course and the length of hospital stay. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect on postoperative functional recovery of two different Roux-en-Y reconstructions: at the gastric greater curvature and at the transected gastric staple line in the Scopinaro's biliopancreatic diversion. We conducted comparative study; 80 patients were enrolled and divided in two groups: group A (RY-GC) and group B (RY-SL) with 40 patients in each group.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined the expression and functionality of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in different cell types of the gut, focusing on its role in recognizing bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS).
  • TLR4 was found to be expressed in smooth muscle and myenteric plexus cells, but not in enterocytes, with the receptor showing functional activity like nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB after LPS exposure.
  • The research suggests that smooth muscle and myenteric plexus cells play a role in intestinal immune defense, while the lack of TLR4 on enterocytes may explain the reduced immune response of the intestinal epithelium to LPS.
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The study analyses the results of surgical treatment and intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemotherapy on a group of 22 patients, affected by peritoneal carcinomatosis of different origins, and treated at Policlinico Multimedica (Milan) between June 2001 and December 2004. Surgical major complications were present in the 23% of the patients, and post-operative mortality rate was 13%. None of the patients presented chemotherapy related toxicity.

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