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Biomedical subjects

A Baroni

Publications and source records attributed to A Baroni.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

[Spatial-temporal parameters of ballistic arm abduction in normal subjects and patients with Parkinson's disease].

Spatio-temporal parameters of ballistic arm abduction movements were studied in healthy control subjects and in patients with Parkinson's disease. Arm abduction was performed during a step-tracking task. Patients showed longer reaction times, slower mean velocities and lesser accuracy, with a marked tendency to undershooting. In patients, "ballistic" movements (taken as initial movements completed within a mean reaction time or less) were fewer and more inaccurate. Moreover, their motor performance was greatly impaired in motor tasks including slight expected perturbations during the movement: evident changes in velocity or even arrests, together with inability to overcome the obstacle were observed. The motor performance of all tested subjects did not differ significantly in visual open-loop conditions. The present results: i) support the hypothesis that Parkinsonism interferes with the generation of accurate ballistic actions and ii) contribute to the understanding of bradykinesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

An electron microscope study of human arachnoid villi.

The fine structure of human arachnoid villi obtained by surgical biopsy during operations for intracranial diseases was investigated by electron microscopy. The observation of the cerebrospinal fluid-blood interface, represented by the endothelial covering of arachnoid villi, provided ultrastructural evidence for both "closed" and "open" systems for CSF reabsorption. Ultrastructural findings such as micropinocytotic vesicles, giant intracellular vacuoles, gaps between endothelial cells and tubul-like endothelium-lined structures, previously identified in animals by other workers, were for the first time demonstrated in human specimens.

Absorption↗
PubMed1979

Effect of infused hypothalamic phospholipids on the maturation of foetal rabbit lungs.

The effect of hypothalamic phospholipids on the maturation of foetal lung was investigated in a series of experiments in rabbits. Sixteen pregnant does were injected with hypothalamic phospholipids (2 mg day-1 kg-1) from day 21 of gestation. A second group of 16 does was injected with saline, and served as controls. The foetuses were delivered at gestational ages between 27 and 28 days by means of caesarean section under intravenous pentothal anaesthesia. Foetuses born from treated mothers were more active, breathed better, and their lungs expanded to a greater extent compared with the foetuses born to control mothers. In the animals of treated mothers there was, on electron microscopy, evidence of accelerated maturation of alveolar epithelial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

[Immunological determination of various blood proteins in clinical nephrology].

The serum levels of certain proteins were determined in 130 nephropathics collected into 8 different diagnostic groups, and in 20 normal subjects considered as a control group. The purpose was mainly to assess the clinico-diagnostic interest of such a measurement in nephrological practice. The results point to its clinical usefulness, particularly in differential diagnosis. It is possible to formulate interesting physiopathological interpretations notwithstanding the limitations of the eminently clinical features of the research.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

Histological and ultrastructural study of intracranial saccular aneurysmal wall.

The material studied consists of 10 cases of intracranial saccular aneurysms. Four came from autopsies, and in each of the other six aneurysmal wall was obtained at surgery after clipping of the aneurysm. The most significant findings from this pathological study are the almost complete disappearance of the internal elastic lamina at the level of the aneurysmal neck, sclerosis of the muscle coat, and in satellite vessels and vasa vasorum disruption of the internal elastic lamina and partial luminal occlusion. The importance of ischaemic changes in the aneurysmal wall is discussed. Rupture of the aneurysm at the distal extremity of the sac depends probably on the progressive brittleness of its wall which becomes sclerotic and less resistant to the blood pressure within. Splitting or rupture of the aneurysm appears to be dependent on degenerative ischaemic alterations in its wall.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of Cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate on the adherence of Gardnerella vaginalis, Mobiluncus curtisii, and Lactobacillus acidophilus to vaginal epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A decreased concentration or total disappearance of Lactobacillus acidophilus in the vagina constitutes a frequent observation in bacterial vaginosis. GOAL OF THE STUDY: Cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate has been evaluated in vitro to detect antiadhesive properties at subinhibitory concentrations for Gardnerella vaginalis and Mobiluncus curtisii to vaginal epithelial cells (VEC). STUDY DESIGN: Bacterial strains 14C- and or 3H-labeled were tested for adherence and competition to binding sites in VECs before and after treatment at sub-MIC with cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate. RESULTS: In control tests of adherence, G. vaginalis and M. curtisii had their maximal adhesion at pH 5.4, L. acidophilus at pH 4.4. Preincubation of G. vaginalis and M. curtisii with cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate 2.5 mg/mL (subinhibitory concentration) at pH 5.4 reduced adherence to VECs respectively by 48.3% and 34.1%. The same treatment of L. acidophilus showed no statistically significant difference. Treatment of VECs alone did not modify adherence. Competition tests between L. acidophilus and G. vaginalis and between L. acidophilus and M. curtisii showed that, in small quantities, L. acidophilus could compete with G. vaginalis and M. curtisii for binding sites in VECs at pH 4.4, when pretreated with cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate. At a higher pH (4.8 and 5.4), L. acidophilus in higher quantities did not compete for binding sites occupied by G. vaginalis and M. curtisii. CONCLUSIONS: Cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate at subinhibitory concentrations modifies the adhesiveness of G. vaginalis and M. curtisii to VECs, reducing it by 48.3% and 34.1%, respectively. Adhesion of L. acidophilus to VECs is not impaired by pretreatment with cetyltrimethylammonium naproxenate at pH 4.4, even if they are in low number and compete for binding sites against pathogens. At higher pH levels, L. acidophilus did not compete for binding sites occupied by G. vaginalis and M. curtisii.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of a new topic amikacin formulation on chemotaxis and release of profibrotic factors by human monocytes.

Aminoglycosides, widely used because of their large-spectrum antibiotic effects, should not interfere with the healing process of an ulcer or an infected wound. We evaluated the effects of amikacin or the excipients present in the topic formulation BG 90, powder 2. 5% (Boniscontro e Gazzone S.r.l., Rome, Italy), on human monocyte chemotaxis and the release of profibrotic factors by resting or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated monocytes. The chemotactic response of monocytes to zymosan-activated serum is not modified in vitro by pre-incubation of the cells with amikacin (2 and 10 microg/ml/10(6) cells) or excipients. Unstimulated monocytes did not secrete appreciable amounts of cytokines. Vice versa, amikacin-stimulated cells released platelet-derived growth factor AB (PDGF-AB) (about 340 pg/ml), transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 (about 10 pg/ml), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (over 1,100 pg/ml); among excipients, ZnO and vitamin E induced PDGF-AB release (about 320 and, respectively, 200 pg/ml), while stimulation of monocyte monolayers by the other excipients did not lead to appreciable cytokine release. As expected, LPS-activated human monocytes produced PDGF-AB, TGF-beta1, and TNF-alpha. When monocytes were co-stimulated with LPS and amikacin, the PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 values almost overlapped with those from the stimulation of cells with LPS alone, while TNF-alpha production was slowly reduced. The results show a stimulating effect of aminoglycoside on the production of profibrotic factors and, therefore, on the healing process of wounds in addition to a modulating effect on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha. Moreover, ZnO and tocopherol (free-radical scavengers), used as excipients in the topic formulation, induce the release of growth factors with profibrotic activity (PDGF-AB). Further research is warranted to explore the effects of this formulation in vivo, verifying whether the association of the antibiotic with scavengers has a double advantage in topical amikacin: on the one hand, it could limit the damage from free radicals, and on the other it could favour tissue healing.

Administration, Topical↗