129 results match your criteria: "Institute H S. Raffaele[Affiliation]"

Human CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells obtained from bone marrow (BM), umbilical cord blood (UCB), and mobilized peripheral blood (MPB) were purified and investigated for the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand, stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1). CXCR4 was found present on the cell surface of all CD34(+) cells, although it was expressed at lower density on MPB with respect to BM CD34(+) cells. Freshly isolated and in vitro-cultured CD34(+) cells also coexpressed SDF-1 mRNA, as determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

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Progression of coronary artery disease that causes recurrent angina in patients who have already undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a challenge to cardiac surgeons. The presence of myocardial ischemia that is not due to bypass grafts occlusion, but to the quality of the coronary vessels characterized by diffuse atherosclerotic peripheral disease, makes the situation even more difficult, since it is not possible to perform myocardial revascularization either by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA) or by means of new grafts. We report the case of a patient who, 4 years after triple CABG, developed refractory angina despite patency of bypass grafts (to left anterior descending artery, obtuse marginal branch and posterior descending) and maximally tolerated conventional medical treatment.

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Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis: complete neuroradiologic evaluation and follow-up of two cases.

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol

January 1999

Department of Neuroradiology, Scientific Institute H. S. Raffaele, University of Milan, Italy.

Encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis (ECCL) is a rare neurocutaneous syndrome characterized by unilateral scalp, facial, and ocular lesions and ipsilateral cerebral malformations. To define the neuroimaging features of this disorder we studied two patients affected by ECCL and compared our data with those reported in the literature. Sonographic, CT, and MR imaging examinations showed quite specific CNS findings that are highly suggestive of the diagnosis of ECCL.

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Complementary information provided by Single Photon and Positron Emission Tomography (SPECT and PET) in nuclear cardiology allows a better comprehension of the physiopathology of the heart. In this work a surface matching registration technique is evaluated in the spatial correlation of SPECT and PET cardiac images. The method is based on matching correspondent anatomical surfaces extracted from transmission (TR) SPECT and PET studies, usually performed for attenuation correction.

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The inferior epigastric artery has been proposed as a suitable conduit for myocardial revascularization but its mid-term patency rate has not been assessed. A prospective clinical and angiographic study on the use of the inferior epigastric artery as an additional arterial conduit together with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting was conducted in 38 patients. No deaths or major postoperative complications occurred.

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Extraocular muscle size comparison between normal and myopic eyes using standardized A scan echography.

Ophthalmologica

October 1998

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.

The aim of this study was to establish the range of diameters of extraocular muscles in myopic patients and to obtain the baseline data to follow progression or regression of pathologies involving them. Standardized A scan and B scan ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of straight extraocular muscles at the muscle belly. No statistical differences were seen between right and left eyes.

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High-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy versus ultrasound and optical pachymetry for the measurement of corneal thickness.

Ophthalmologica

October 1998

Department of Opthalmology and Visual Science, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Milano, Italy.

The aim of this study was to correlate central corneal thickness measurements obtained using optical as well as ultrasound pachymeters and high-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), assuming UBM as reference. Each measurement was performed on 32 patients (60 eyes) by three observers unaware of the other's results, on 3 different days. Pearson correlation was used.

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It is widely accepted that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are not totally specific for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. White matter lesions that mimic those of multiple sclerosis may be detected in both normal volunteers and patients harbouring different diseases. Virtually all the characteristic features of multiple sclerosis are sometimes encountered in other conditions affecting predominantly the white matter.

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Intracranial vascular malformations.

Eur Radiol

July 1998

Department of Neuroradiology, Scientific Institute H. S. Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, I-20122 Milan, Italy.

Many efforts and much research have been dedicated to the field of non-invasive angiographic techniques in the past few years. Thanks first to magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) and subsequently to computed tomographic angiography (CTA), very interesting results have been obtained in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases. Neck vessels are most successfully evaluated by both MRA and CTA, and the need for digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examinations in patients at risk for vascular occlusions has significantly decreased.

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Recurrent acute transverse myelopathy associated with anticardiolipin antibodies.

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol

April 1998

Department of Neuroradiology, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milan, Italy.

In three patients with recurrent episodes of acute transverse myelopathy, spinal MR imaging during each episode showed areas of hyperintensity on proton density- and T2-weighted images with inconsistent contrast enhancement. Cranial MR imaging, laboratory screenings, and CSF analysis showed only increased titers of anticardiolipin antibodies. Although a causative role in neurologic conditions has not been established conclusively, an association between these antibodies and acute transverse myelopathy and its recurrences cannot be ignored.

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Keratometric index, videokeratography, and refractive surgery.

J Cataract Refract Surg

February 1998

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milan, Italy.

Purpose: To clarify the confusion resulting from the use of slightly different refractive indices in calculations related to optical modeling of the cornea for refractive surgery, corneal diagnostics, and cataract surgery.

Setting: Scientific Institute H.S.

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The mean normal prothrombin time (MNPT) is currently recommended as the denominator term in the expression of PT ratio or International Normalized Ratio (INR) values. The PT of lyophilized normal control plasmas might also be used in calculating PT ratios, but the overall accuracy of this approach and its dependence on reagents and endpoint detectors have not been evaluated in detail. In an IFCC collaborative study involving 15 expert laboratories and 58 PT systems, the PT ratios of 30 apparently healthy subjects were expressed with the use of the MNPT, the PT of fresh normal pooled plasma (FNPP) obtained from the same apparently healthy subjects, or the PT of plasma R82A--a lyophilized normal pooled plasma prepared by the Verband der Deutschen Geräte-Hersteller for in-house calibration of a large amount of control plasma--as the denominator term.

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The use of 201T1 has been proposed for the differential diagnosis of lymphomas and non-neoplastic brain masses in AIDS patients. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of three different semi-quantitative methods for the analysis of 201T1 SPET brain images in individuals with AIDS and brain lesions. Thirty-seven AIDS patients with contrast-enhancing brain lesions underwent 201T1 SPET.

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Iris fluorescein angiography in clinical practice.

Surv Ophthalmol

September 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Italy.

Iris fluorescein angiography is a valuable technique for elucidating a wide range of eye pathologies, among them developmental anomalies, degenerative disease, retinal vascular occlusions, diabetic microangiopathy, uveitis of various etiologies, glaucoma, tumor, and surgical or accidental trauma. In fact, IFA is more sensitive than biomicroscopy in the evaluation of iris abnormalities. Moreover, it provides indirect but reliable information on the retinal circulation when this cannot be examined directly.

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A method for matching a digital brain anatomical atlas to multimodal medical images (MRI, PET, and SPET) was implemented. The digital atlas was derived from anatomical templates of the brain, cut according to the orbitomeatal orientation. The atlas consists of a set of contiguous slices schematically describing the brain as anatomical contours and of a set of regions of interest (ROIs) classifying the brain into functionally homogeneous areas.

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Interaction between infrared radiation and vitreous substitutes.

Arch Ophthalmol

July 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H S. Raffaele, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.

Objective: To characterize the interaction between midintrared radiation of cutting lasers used or proposed for vitreoretinal surgery and fluid vitreous substitutes commonly used in vitreoretinal surgery.

Methods: Optical transmittance of vitreous substitutes was measured with a double-beam spectrophotometer. Measurements were performed in a wide spectral range of infrared radiation, including the 2120-nm wavelength of the holmium-YAG laser and the water absorption peaks at 1440, 1930, and 2940 nm.

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Indocyanine green angiography in angioid streaks.

Acta Ophthalmol Scand

June 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Italy.

Purpose: To define the indocyanine green angiographic aspects of angioid streaks, peau d'orange and choroidal new vessels.

Methods: Fifty-seven consecutive patients (112 eyes) with angioid streaks were evaluated by fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography.

Results: Indocyanine green angiography showed angioid streaks in all eyes.

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5-Methoxy-1-[4-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]-1-pentanone-O-(2-aminoethyl)oxi me (fluvoxamine), a potent clinically used antidepressant, was labelled with carbon-11 (t1/2 = 20.4 min) as a potential radioligand for the non-invasive assessment of serotonin uptake sites in the human brain with positron emission tomography (PET). The two-step radiochemical synthesis consisted of O-methylation of an amino-protected desmethyl precursor with [11C]methyl iodide under mild conditions in the presence of tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetonitrile, followed by deprotection with trifluoroacetic acid.

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A motorized hand piece for injectable lenses.

Ophthalmic Surg Lasers

June 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Scientific Institute H.S. Raffaele, University of Milan, Italy.

Foldable lenses represent a major breakthrough in the effort to achieve ever smaller incisions. The plate-haptic or "taco-style" lenses are folded and implanted by a device called an injector. Although customized for each manufacturer's lens, the injectors all have a common design principle: the intraocular lens (IOL) is folded within a funnel-like structure of the tip and is advanced by a plunger that pushes and delivers the lens.

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Semen sample analysis is routinely performed by microscopical evaluation and manual techniques by laboratory operators; the analysis is affected by a wide imprecision related to variability among observers, influencing its clinical validity. Our aim was to automate sperm analysis with the use of flow cytometry for evaluation of cell counts and typing and with the use of a new membrane-permeant nucleic acid stain for evaluation of sperm viability. Statistical analysis of the comparison between manual and automated methods for sperm counts was performed by the Bland and Altman method; the mean difference was 0.

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OCT images and surgery of juvenile Macular retinoschisis.

Eur J Ophthalmol

August 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Italy.

We describe three cases of X-linked juvenile retinoschisis confined to the posterior pole of the eye, one of which surgically treated. In the first two cases, in vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) had revealed a cleavage plane in both nerve fiber and outer retinal layers. In the two similar operated eyes of the third case, postoperative OCT had revealed the disappearance of macular schisis in the eye with good recovery of visual function after surgery.

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Positron emission tomography (PET) was used to identify cortical and subcortical regions involved in the control of reaching to visual targets. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured in eight healthy subjects using H2(15)O PET during the performance of three different tasks. All tasks required central fixation while a 400-ms target was flashed every 5 s at a random location around a virtual circle centered on the fixation target.

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The aims of this ancillary study to the Italian Longitudinal Study of Aging were: (1) to provide reliable prevalence data on headache in an elderly population, (2) to classify the subtypes of headache according to International Headache Society criteria, and (3) to identify possible risk factors and associated pathologies in the elderly. A total of 312 subjects were examined, 148 women and 164 men, with a mean age of 73 years (SD 5.5).

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Laser photocoagulation of choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks.

Retina

May 1997

Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Scientific Institute H S. Raffaele, University of Milano, Italy.

Purpose: To determine if laser photocoagulation of macular choroidal neovascularization in angioid streaks may be effective in preventing severe loss of vision.

Methods: Sixty-six consecutive eyes of 52 patients with extrafoveal, well-defined choroidal neovascularization secondary to angioid streaks who underwent direct laser photocoagulation were followed for 3-108 months (mean, 34.5 months; median, 20 months).

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