0000000000683914
AUTHOR
Cristoforo Pomara
showing 26 related works from this author
Post-mortem findings in vaccine-induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia
2021
Greinacher et al.1 and Schultz et al.2 were the first to independently report the main clinical and laboratory features of 11 and five respective patients from Germany, Austria and Norway who developed life-threatening thrombohemorrhagic complications 5 to 16 days after the administration of the first dose of the chimpanzee adenoviral vector vaccine ChAdOx1nCoV-19 against SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Subsequently Scully et al.3 reported similar findings in 23 patients treated with the same vaccine in the United Kingdom. More recently, See et al.4 reported a case series of 12 patients from the USA with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis following the vaccination with Ad26.CoV2.S employing a human …
Heterozygous nonsense SCN5A mutation W822X explains a simultaneous sudden infant death syndrome.
2008
The sudden, unexpected, and unexplained death of both members of a set of healthy twins (simultaneous sudden infant death syndrome (SSIDS)) is defined as a case in which both infants meet the definition of sudden infant death syndrome individually. A search of the world medical literature resulted in only 42 reported cases of SSIDS. We report the case of a pair of identical, male, monozygotic twins, 138 days old, who suddenly died, meeting the full criteria of SSIDS and where a genetic screen was performed, resulting in a heterozygous nonsense SCN5A mutation (W822X) in both twins. Immunohistochemistry was performed on cardiac tissue samples utilizing polyclonal antibodies anti-Na+ CP type V…
MDMA Administration and Heat Shock Proteins Response: Foreseeing a Molecular Link
2010
Molecular and cellular mechanisms of MDMA-induced toxicity have been extensively studied in a number of experimental models. Nevertheless, only few studies investigated the involvement of HSPs ("molecular chaperones") in MDMA organs toxicity. In the present minireview we highlight this subject analysing the results of these studies conducted especially on brain tissue. Despite of it seems obvious that HSPs overexpression is a protective reaction against MDMA treatment, the molecular mechanisms for exerting their action are far to be undiscovered. At the same time, we need of comprehensive studies concerning the whole range of Hsps/chaperones expressions in all organs after acute and chronic…
COVID-19 Vaccine and Death: Causality Algorithm According to the WHO Eligibility Diagnosis
2021
The current challenge worldwide is the administration of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. Even if rarely, severe vascular adverse reactions temporally related to vaccine administration have induced diffidence in the population at large. In particular, researchers worldwide are focusing on the so-called “thrombosis and thrombocytopenia after COVID-19 vaccination”. This study aims to establish a practical workflow to define the relationship between adverse events following immunization (AEFI) and COVID-19 vaccination, following the basic framework of the World Health Organization (WHO). Post-mortem investigation plays a pivotal role to support this c…
Pathological Findings in COVID-19 as a Tool to Define SARS-CoV-2 Pathogenesis. A Systematic Review
2021
Introduction: The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. COVID-19 still represents a worldwide health emergency, which causesa severe disease that has led to the death of many patients. The pathophysiological mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 determining the tissue damage is not clear and autopsycan be auseful tool to improve the knowledge of this infection and, thus, it can help achieve a timely diagnosis and develop an appropriate therapy. This is an overview of the main post-mortem findings reporting data on the infection effects on several organs.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed database searching for articles from 1 January to A…
COVID-19 Deaths: Are We Sure It Is Pneumonia? Please, Autopsy, Autopsy, Autopsy!
2020
The current outbreak of COVID-19 severe respiratory disease, which started in Wuhan, China, is an ongoing challenge, and a major threat to public health that requires surveillance, prompt diagnosis, and research efforts to understand this emergent pathogen and to develop an effective response. Due to the scientific community’s efforts, there is an increasing body of published studies describing the virus’ biology, its transmission and diagnosis, its clinical features, its radiological findings, and the development of candidate therapeutics and vaccines. Despite the decline in postmortem examination rate, autopsy remains the gold standard to determine why and how death ha…
Nandrolone decanoate interferes on testosterone biosynthesis and alters blood-testis barrier.
2018
Nandrolone decanoate (ND) is a synthetic testosterone analogue considered one of the most commonly abused anabolic androgenic steroids by adolescents and athletes. ND is alleged to promote an increase in muscle mass and improves both physical appearance and sporting performance, but ND abuse is often associated with serious adverse effects, interfering with the endocrine system and the reproductive system. In a previous study, we demonstrated that ND treatment of Leydig cells interferes with the biosynthesis of testosterone in a dose increase-dependent fashion (1). As a consequence of the results obtained in vitro, in this study an animal model was utilized to better understand the side eff…
Effects of Nandrolone Stimulation on Testosterone Biosynthesis in Leydig Cells
2016
Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are among the drugs most used by athletes for improving physical performance, as well as for aesthetic purposes. A number of papers have showed the side effects of AAS in different organs and tissues. For example, AAS are known to suppress gonadotropin‐releasing hormone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle‐stimulating hormone. This study investigates the effects of nandrolone on testosterone biosynthesis in Leydig cells using various methods, including mass spectrometry, western blotting, confocal microscopy and quantitative real‐time PCR. The results obtained show that testosterone levels increase at a 3.9 μM concentration of nandrolone and return to the ba…
Role(s) of the 5-HT2C receptor in the development of maximal dentate activation in the hippocampus of anesthetized rats.
2014
Aims: Substantial evidence indicates that 5-HT2C receptors are involved in the control of neuronal network excitability and in seizure pathophysiology. Here, we have addressed the relatively unexplored relationship between temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), the most frequent type of intractable epilepsy, and 5-HT2CRs. Methods: In this study, we investigated this issue using a model of partial complex (limbic) seizures in urethane-anesthetized rat, based on the phenomenon of maximal dentate activation (MDA) using 5-HT2C compounds, electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting techniques. Results: The 5-HT2C agonists mCPP (1 mg/kg, i.p) and lorcaserin (3 mg/kg, i.p), but not RO60-0…
Histological and immunohistochemical findings in a fatal case of thrombotic thrombocytopenia after ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccination
2021
This case report describes a fatal case of a young woman with superior sagittal, transverse and sigmoid sinus thrombosis after administration of the ChAdOx1 nCov-19 vaccination. Eleven days post-vaccination she was found unconscious and transferred to the Emergency Department. Blood parameters showed low platelets, and a CT scan showed an extensive left intracranial hemorrhage and the presence of an occlusive thrombus of the superior sagittal sinus. She under-went a craniectomy, but after the intervention, she remained in a comatose state. After a few days, her clinical conditions worsened, and she died. A complete autopsy was performed which showed a thrombosis of the cerebral venous distr…
Early effects of fluoro-edenite: correlation between IL-18 serum levels and pleural and parenchymal abnormalities.
2016
Fluoro-edenite (FE) is a natural mineral asbestos-like fibrous species first isolated in Biancavilla, Sicily. In order to clarify potential involvement of IL-18 in the pathogenesis of FE-induced chest abnormalities, we analyzed IL-18 serum levels in FE-exposed workers (FEEW) and correlated them with pleural and parenchymal abnormalities. A total of 21 FEEWs, residing in Biancavilla for >30 years, with a working seniority of 17 ± 6.1 years were examined. High-resolution computed tomography scans revealed low grade of fibrosis in 8 (38%) FEEWs, and pleural plaques (PPs) in 13 (62%) FEEWs. The mean IL-18 level was 203.13 ± 90.43 pg/ml. Pearson correlation showed a significant association (…
Nandrolone decanoate interferes with testosterone biosynthesis altering blood-testis barrier components
2017
Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate whether nandrolone decanoate (ND) use affects testosterone production and testicular morphology in a model of trained and sedentary mice. A group of mice underwent endurance training while another set led a sedentary lifestyle and were freely mobile within cages. All experimental groups were treated with either ND or peanut oil at different doses for 6 weeks. Testosterone serum levels were measured via liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis and quantitative real‐time PCR were utilized to determine gene and protein expression levels of the primary enzymes implicated in testosterone biosynthesis and gene expression leve…
The Role of Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Disruption of the Physiological Function in Discrete Areas of the Central Nervous System
2017
: Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) abuse is often associated with a wide spectrum of adverse effects. These drugs are frequently abused by adolescents and athletes for esthetic purposes, as well as for improvement of their endurance and performances. In this literature review, we evaluated the correlation between AAS and anxiety or aggression. Two pathways are thought to be involved in AAS-induced behavioral disorders. Direct pathway via the amygdalo-fugal pathway, which connects the central nucleus of the amygdala to the brainstem, is involved in cognitive-emotive and homeostatic processes. The latter is modified by chronic AAS use, which subsequently leads to increased anxiety. Indirect…
The Post-Lockdown Era: What Is Next in Italy?
2020
The current outbreak of the COVID-19 infection, which started in December 2019 in Wuhan (China), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 11th of March, 2020.
Immunohistochemical marker for Na+ CP type Vα (C-20) and heterozygous nonsense SCN5A mutation W822X in a sudden cardiac death induced by mild anaphyl…
2009
A sudden death likely due to mild anaphylactic reaction in a young man is described. Autoptic, histologic, immunohistochemical, and laboratory findings were strongly consistent with the diagnosis of a mild anaphylactic reaction. Genetic molecular analysis, performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, showed a mutation described as W822X in a family with electrocardiographic pattern typical of Brugada Syndrome. It results in a nonsense mutation generating a truncated form of the channel protein. The mutation is due to a point substitution of a guanine with an adenine residue (G2466A). Immunohistochemistry and laser scanning confocal microscopy on sections from heart formalin-fixed…
Morphological Alterations and Stress Protein Variations in Lung Biopsies Obtained from Autopsies of COVID-19 Subjects
2021
Molecular chaperones, many of which are heat shock proteins, play a role in cell stress response and regulate the immune system in various ways, such as in inflammatory/autoimmune reactions. It would be interesting to study the involvement of these molecules in the damage done to COVID-19-infected lungs. In our study, we performed a histological analysis and an immunomorphological evaluation on lung samples from subjects who succumbed to COVID-19 and subjects who died from other causes. We also assessed Hsp60 and Hsp90 distribution in lung samples to determine their location and post-translational modifications. We found histological alterations that could be considered pathognomonic for CO…
TRPA1 channel is a cardiac target of mIGF-1/SIRT1 signaling.
2014
Cardiac overexpression of locally acting muscle-restricted (m)IGF-1 and the consequent downstream activation of NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) trigger potent cardiac antioxidative and antihypertrophic effects. Transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channel A1 (TRPA1) belongs to the TRP ion channel family of molecular detectors of thermal and chemical stimuli that activate sensory neurons to produce pain. Recently, it has been shown that TRPA1 activity influences blood pressure, but the significance of TRPA1 in the cardiovascular system remains elusive. In the present work, using genomic screening in mouse hearts, we found that TRPA1 is a target of mIGF-1/SIRT1 sign…
Hsp60 response in experimental and human temporal lobe epilepsy
2015
The mitochondrial chaperonin Hsp60 is a ubiquitous molecule with multiple roles, constitutively expressed and inducible by oxidative stress. In the brain, Hsp60 is widely distributed and has been implicated in neurological disorders, including epilepsy. A role for mitochondria and oxidative stress has been proposed in epileptogenesis of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Here, we investigated the involvement of Hsp60 in TLE using animal and human samples. Hsp60 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus, measured by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, was increased in a rat model of TLE. Hsp60 was also increased in the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons somata and neuropil and hippocampus proper …
Dog-bite-related attacks: A new forensic approach
2020
Dog attacks today represent a health hazard considering that prevention strategies have not always been successful. The identification of the dog that attacked the victim is necessary, considering the civil or criminal consequences for the animal's owner. An accurate scene analysis must be performed collecting a series of important information.Forensic investigations in dog attacks involve different methods, such as the evaluating of the canine Short Tandem Repeat (STR) typing in saliva traces on wounds or bite mark analysis, however, these techniques cannot always be applied. The effort to find new methods to identify the dog that attacked the victim represents a very interesting field for…
More than Pneumonia: Distinctive Features of SARS-Cov-2 Infection. From Autopsy Findings to Clinical Implications: A Systematic Review
2020
Despite safety recommendations for the management of corpses with COVID-19 infection and the high number of deaths worldwide, the post-mortem investigation rate is extremely low as well as the scientific contributions describing the pathological features. The first results of post-mortem investigations provided interesting findings and contributed to promoting unexplored therapeutic approaches and new frontiers of research. A systematic review is provided with the aim of summarizing all autopsy studies up to February 2020 in which a complete post-mortem investigation in patients with COVID-19 disease was performed, focusing on histopathological features. We included case reports, case serie…
Effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Associated With Endurance Exercise on Muscle Fibres and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Coactivator …
2016
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been reported to improve muscle hypertrophy, steroidogenesis, physical activity, and endurance capacity in mice, although the molecular mechanisms of its actions are not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to identify whether CLA alters the expression of any of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) isoforms, and to evaluate the possible existence of fibre-type-specific hypertrophy in the gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles. Mice were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo sedentary, CLA sedentary, placebo trained, or CLA trained. The CLA groups were gavaged with 35 μl per day of Tonalin® FFA 8…
A brief anatomo-surgical dissection guide to human mediastinal anatomy: results of the collaboration between the University of Palermo and the Univer…
2018
In the summer of 2017, thanks to an agreement between the University of Malta and the University of Palermo, a group of students from the University of Palermo, who had already taken the anatomy exams and had a good knowledge of English, went for a 4 week period to the University of Malta to follow a dissection course . The students dissected skin, the sternum, the vessels, the nerves, analyzed the pericardium, the lungs and all the mediastinal organs. This work proves to be a small dissection guide for young medical students who want to learn the basics of dissection and the relevant topographical anatomy. The students were selected by the University of Palermo because of the good quality …
A brief anatomo-surgical dissection guide to the human neck: results of a collaboration between the University of Palermo and the University of Malta.
2018
The aim of this work was to offer a guide to young students and medical doctors that want to learn the bases of neck dissection. In the summer of 2017 a group of students from the University of Palermo that had already passed the Human Anatomy exams took a 4 weeks dissection course at the University of Malta Medicine is a science that requires both a practical and theoretical approach, and the last one, unfortunately, often is not valued by our University. Studying Human Anatomy, which is the basis for a doctor's education, exclusively through books and atlases, is indeed partially lacking. For this reason a group of students from the University of Palermo have been selected, based on their…
ANATOMICAL DISSECTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE STRUCTURES OF THE UPPER LIMB
2017
In 2015, a whole body dissection course was proposed by the University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy, thanks to the cooperation with the University of Malta, Msida, Malta. The purpose of this study was to show the the difference between the studyof anatomy on books and on corpses. The article focuses its attention on the dissection method of the upper limb. The astudy was performed on two corpses, a male and a female, by using a basic surgeon kit. Blunt dissection method was used for fasciae, innards and to isolate vascular-nervous structures from the fat; we used scalped for cutis, sub cutis, muscles, fasciae, veins, arteries and nerves of the upper limb from the shoulder to the hand. The upp…
Hsp60 response in experimental and human temporal lobe epilepsy due to hyppocampal sclerosis
2015
Hsp60 is widely distributed in the brain, and its alteration has been involved in different neurological disorders. Epilepsy is considered one of the most common neurological disorders and typically involves the hippocampal formation. Compelling evidence describes a role of mitochondria, oxidative stress and both innate and adaptive immunity during epileptogenesis in temporal lobe epilepsy due to hyppocampal sclerosis (TLE-HS). Here, we investigate the Hsp60 involvement in experimental and human epilepsy. Firstly, expression and distribution of Hsp60 in epileptic hippocampi of a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), based on the phenomenon of maximal dentate gyrus activation (MDA), usi…
Effects of Conjugated Linoleic Acid Associated With Endurance Exercise on Muscle Fibres and Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Coactivator …
2016
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been reported to improve muscle hypertrophy, steroidogenesis, physical activity, and endurance capacity in mice, although the molecular mechanisms of its actions are not completely understood. The aim of the present study was to identify whether CLA alters the expression of any of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC1α) isoforms, and to evaluate the possible existence of fibre-type-specific hypertrophy in the gastrocnemius and plantaris muscles. Mice were randomly assigned to one of four groups: placebo sedentary, CLA sedentary, placebo trained, or CLA trained. The CLA groups were gavaged with 35 μl per day of Tonalin® FFA 8…