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Biomedical subjects

A Mauri

Publications and source records attributed to A Mauri.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Reasons for exclusion from thrombolytic therapy following acute ischemic stroke.

Despite evidence for the efficacy of thrombolytic therapy in acute ischemic stroke, only 1 to 7% of patients receive this therapy. The authors sought to determine the reasons for exclusion from tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in an acute setting and found avoidable causes in 18% of patients. Improvements in intrahospital coordination would increase the number of patients who might benefit from tPA treatment at the authors' center.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2004

Total ranking models by the genetic algorithm variable subset selection (GA-VSS) approach for environmental priority settings.

Total order ranking (TOR) strategies, which are mathematically based on elementary methods of discrete mathematics, seem to be attractive and simple tools for performing data analysis. Moreover order-ranking strategies seem to be a very useful tool not only to perform data exploration but also to develop order ranking models, a possible alternative to conventional quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) methods. In fact, when data material is characterised by uncertainties, order methods can be used as alternative to statistical methods such as multilinear regression (MLR), because they do not require specific functional relationships between the independent and dependent variables (responses). A ranking model is a relationship between a set of dependent attributes, experimentally investigated, and a set of independent attributes, i.e. model attributes, which are calculated attributes. As in regression and classification models, the variable selection model is one of the main steps in finding predictive models. In this work the genetic algorithm-variable subset selection (GA-VSS) approach is proposed as the variable selection method for searching for the best ranking models within a wide set of variables. The models based on the selected subsets of variables are compared with the experimental ranking and evaluated by the Spearman's rank index. A case study application is presented on a TOR model developed for polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, which have been analysed according to some of their physicochemical properties which play an important role in their environmental impact.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

[Critical aspects of communication in intensive care].

The poor quality of interpersonal communication is the main reason for the dissatisfaction intensive care patients and their family members often experience. Yet interpersonal communication is considered an important means of conveying information, providing psychological support, and preventing conflicts which can arise when communication is ineffective and information is misunderstood. Good communication is, therefore, an essential part of therapy. This study examines the factors that can hinder communication between clinicians, patients and their family members and the strategies needed to overcome the obstacles to good communication. The results of the study showed that training in the development of relational skills and communicative competence within the intensive care setting should be directed towards the promotion of decision-making processes shared among medical personnel, patients and their family members. In this way, conflict can be reduced and the quality of medical care improved.

Communication↗
PubMed1999

Group A streptococcal meningitis in the antibiotic era.

A case of group A streptococcal meningitis is reported and the 51 cases reported in the literature since 1966 reviewed. A total of 24 men and 24 women were included in the study; the mean age (+/-SD) was 20.9+/-25.5 years. Fifty-eight percent of the patients had comorbid conditions, 80% had a distant focus of infection, and 65.8% had blood cultures positive for group A streptococci. Seventy-five per cent of the patients were treated with penicillin. The overall case-fatality rate was 12% (6 patients). Sequelae were more prevalent among children (44%) than among adults (7.7%) (OR=9.43; 95% CI, 1.02-438.95; P=0.03). Group A streptococcus is a rare cause of pyogenic meningitis, affecting mainly children or adults with comorbidity. Although the case-fatality rate is relatively low, neurological sequelae are frequent among survivors, especially children.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Nitric oxide production is increased in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of male rats during non-contact penile erections and copulation.

Male rats put in the presence of a receptive female rat that they can see, hear and smell, but cannot touch, show penile erection episodes. These non-contact erections occur concomitantly with an increase in nitric oxide production in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, as detected by the increase in the NO2- and NO3- concentration in the paraventricular dialysate obtained from these males by in vivo microdialysis. NO2- concentration increased from 0.81+/-0.12 to 2.51+/-0.43 microM and that of NO3- from 4.50+/-0.73 to 8.31+/-2.3 microM. The NO2- increase was prevented by the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (20 microg) given unilaterally in the paraventricular nucleus, which also prevented non-contact erections. In contrast, the nitric oxide scavenger haemoglobin (20 microg) prevented the NO2- increase, but not non-contact erections; while the guanylate cyclase inhibitor methylene blue (20 microg) was ineffective on either response. NO2-and NO3- concentration was also increased in the paraventricular dialysate of male rats during in copula penile erections, that is, when sexual activity was allowed with the receptive females. As found with non-contact erections, NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester prevented NO2- increase and impaired copulatory behaviour; haemoglobin prevented NO2- increase only; and methylene blue was ineffective on either response. The present results confirm that nitric oxide is a physiological mediator of penile erection at the level of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Interrelationships between oxytocin and eicosanoids in human fetal membranes at term gestation: which role for leukotriene B4?

The existence of a functional paracrine loop between oxytocin and prostaglandin F2-alpha in human placental cells has been demonstrated. The present study was undertaken to investigate further the possible interrelationships between oxytocin and eicosanoids in human intrauterine tissues at term gestation. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) on oxytocin (OT) production by explants of fetal membranes and amnion and the effect of oxytocin on the production of LTB4 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by both fetal membranes and amnion. In all cases studied (n = 25), short-term cultures of tissue explants (fetal membranes or amnion) have been carried out. The production of eicosanoids and oxytocin in culture medium was evaluated. Oxytocin measurement was carried out by radioimmunoassay following extraction of the substance with Sep Pak C18 cartridges, PGE2 and LTB4 were measured by radioimmunoassay directly in culture medium. Results show that LTB4 has no significant stimulatory effect on oxytocin production by fetal membranes or amnion tissue. On the other hand, oxytocin stimulates PGE2 release by both fetal membranes and isolated amnion, but has no effect on LTB4 production by these tissues. Taken together, these findings suggest the following conclusions: (1) a paracrine loop between LTB4 and oxytocin is lacking in fetal membranes and amnion at term pregnancy; (2) oxytocin exerts a stimulatory effect on PGE2 release by both fetal membranes and amnion; (3) the interrelationships between oxytocin and the different eicosanoids in the above tissues seem to be highly selective.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[A large symptomatic gastric leiomyoma. A case report and considerations of the treatment possibilities].

The authors describe the case of a female patient affected with large symptomatic gastric leiomyoma, six centimeters in diameter, who presented to clinical observation referring gastric pain and melena. The first gastroscopy showed massive bleeding from a submucosal gastric lesion. The lesion was not endoscopically resectable and the injective endoscopic treatment of bleeding failed. The patient was surgically treated with laparotomic excision of the leiomyoma. She was back home in ten days. The authors describe this case to discuss the possibility to resect large gastric leiomyomas using endoscopic resection indeed surgical approach. They also enhance the validity of surgical treatment for its safety and radical approach to large lesions.

Emergencies↗
PubMed1996

Startle reflex and emotion modulation impairment after a right amygdala lesion.

In the present study, startle responses during resting states as well as during the presentation of a set of emotive slides were recorded from a 32-year-old male patient with a rare localized lesion of the right amygdala. The startle reflex is a response modulated by affective states: it has been reliably used in the literature to measure the aversiveness of emotive stimuli. The animal literature has shown that the circuit of this reflex is directly influenced by amygdala projections. The startle responses of the patient were compared with those of eight age-matched normal subjects. The patient's startle amplitudes showed an overall impaired response and an inhibited reflex contralateral to the lesion. In addition, he failed to show the typical startle potentiation induced by an aversive emotive background. The data confirm, in the human, previous results from the literature in other species on amygdala involvement in startle and emotional responses. Furthermore, the observation of the importance of the right amygdala in the modulation of emotion is consistent with the hypothesis of right hemisphere specialization for aversive emotions. The results are discussed in the context of the literature on human amygdala lesions.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Opposite changes in the content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like immunoreactive peptides in the rat thymus during aging.

The content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like immunoreactive (IR) peptides was measured in the thymic extract of 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 month-old rats by radioimmunoassay before or after fractionation by high-pressure liquid chromatography. In both cases the content of the oxytocin-like IR peptide, which behaved like authentic oxytocin in the chromatography column, increased during aging. Compared to 2 month-old rats a significant 30% increase was observed in 5 month-old rats, whereas the maximal increase (200%) was found in 20 month-old rats. In contrast, the content of the vasopressin-like IR peptide, which behaved like authentic arg8-vasopressin in the chromatography column, decreased during aging. The decrease (30%) was evident in 5 month-old rats, and was maximal (80%) in 15 month-old rats. The present results suggest that the mechanisms regulating the content of oxytocin- and vasopressin-like IR peptides in the rat thymus undergo differential changes during aging. These processes might be linked to thymic involution.

Aging↗
PubMed1995

Melanocortins and opioids modulate early postnatal growth in rats.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of melanocortins and opioids on rat early postnatal body and organ growth. Among melanocortins tested desacetyl-alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) at dosages of 0.3 and 3 micrograms/g/day was effective in stimulating neonatal growth with a weight gain of 7 and 5.6%, respectively, after 2 weeks of treatment. Likewise, a weight rise of 4.2 and 3% was obtained with 3 micrograms/g/day of both alpha-MSH and Nle4-D-Phe7 alpha-MSH. As far as opioids were concerned, while N-acetyl-beta-endorphin (beta-End) was ineffective, the activity of beta-End was dependent on dosage. Indeed, newborns treated with 0.03 microgram/g/day showed a slight, but significant, increase in weight, whereas a marked decrease in growth followed treatment with 0.3 and, mainly, 3 micrograms/g/day, with a final weight loss of 3.4 and 5.5%, respectively. All melanocortins exerted a positive action on muscular and brain trophism and, in addition, desacetyl-alpha-MSH also induced a rise of fat deposits. On the contrary, while the 0.03 microgram/g/day beta-End dose caused an increase in muscular and brain weight, the higher dosages of the opioid were detrimental, not only for muscle and brain, but also for both liver and spleen weight. A slight, although significant (P < 0.05), enhancement of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) level was found after the injection of 0.3 microgram/g desacetyl-alpha-MSH, whereas both the 0.3 and 3 micrograms/g doses of desacetyl-alpha-MSH and the 3 micrograms/g dose of alpha-MSH determined the rise of plasma androstenedione (P < 0.05). All tested melanocortins and opioids failed to modify the concentrations of corticosterone. Our results suggest that melanocortins and opioids can modulate early postnatal growth in rats either by direct or indirect mechanisms.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Obstetric and perinatal outcome in human immunodeficiency virus-infected pregnant women with and without opiate addiction.

This study was undertaken to assess the impact on gestation played by the simple human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive status either alone or complicated by opiate abuse in the absence of other confounding variables. To this purpose the main obstetric complications and the perinatal outcome were prospectively evaluated in 38 simple HIV-infected women, 14 of whom were simple carriers and 24 under methadone treatment, and in 76 uninfected women, 16 of whom were methadone users and 60 controls. In simple HIV-carriers maternal weight gain (P < 0.001) and both 1- and 5-min Apgar scores (P < 0.005) were reduced whereas the incidence of miscarriage was increased (P < 0.05). Worse obstetric and perinatal outcomes were found in HIV-seropositive drug addicts, in which gestational length (P < 0.001), maternal weight gain (P < 0.001) and Apgar scores were lower (P < 0.005 and P < 0.001, respectively) and the rate of preterm labour, small for gestational age newborns, vaginal and urinary infections as well as of unexplained fever (P < 0.05) was higher. Outcomes were similar in HIV-seropositive and seronegative drug addicts and in both groups a positive correlation (r = 0.62 P < 0.001, and r = 0.44, respectively) was found between the number of infectious episodes throughout pregnancy and the mean dose of opiate consumed daily. Our results suggest that HIV-seropositive condition might exert slight direct and indirect detrimental effects on pregnancy. Whatever the maternal serologic status, opiate intake not only causes a further worsening of gestational and perinatal outcomes, but also increases the susceptibility towards pathogens.

Female↗
PubMed1995

Release of arachidonic acid metabolites by human fetal membranes: interrelationship between leukotriene B4 and prostaglandin E2.

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether human fetal membranes metabolize arachidonic acid preferentially through the lipoxygenase rather than the cyclooxygenase pathway before labor and whether an interaction between lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase products is present in these tissues. Reflected fetal membranes were obtained from 8 healthy women at term gestation who were delivered by elective repeat cesarean section before the onset of labor. Tissues were cultured either in the presence or in the absence of the calcium ionophore A23187 for 60 minutes. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured in culture medium by radioimmunoassays. Moreover, the effect of different concentrations of exogenously added LTB4 on PGE2 release was evaluated. The basal and stimulated output of LTB4 by tissues was significantly higher than that of PGE2. Addition of LTB4 significantly decreased PGE2 release by tissues. These findings suggest that in the above tissues: 1) the arachidonate lipoxygenase pathway is highly active before labor; 2) LTB4 might play a role in the regulation of PGE2 production.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1995

Oxytocin in human intrauterine tissues at parturition.

The recent detection of oxytocin (OT) mRNA in human gestational tissues suggests that OT may be locally synthesized and released to act on the uterus as a local mediator in the mechanism of parturition. In order to investigate this possibility the OT immunoreactive (I.R.) content was examined directly in placental decidua and amniochorial membranes after term and preterm delivery and in their culture media at term gestation. I.R.OT concentrations were also measured in maternal, retroplacental and umbilical plasma as well as in amniotic fluid in the presence or the absence of labour. Low I.R.OT concentrations (below 15 fmol g-1 wet tissue) were found in both amniochorial membranes and placental decidua. Moreover, whereas in amniochorion they were higher (P < 0.05) after preterm than term spontaneous parturition, in decidua they were higher (P < 0.05) after term than preterm vaginal delivery. Detectable amounts (below 15 fmol g-1 wet tissue per h) of I.R.OT were also found in culture media from explants of the above tissues. Among all the examined maternal and fetal fluids a rise in I.R.OT content at parturition was detected only in the amniotic liquor (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that I.R.OT concentrations in intrauterine tissues are very low; however, considering that OT is the most potent endogenous uterotonic agent, OT as such concentrations might play a paracrine function in the biochemical events leading to human parturition. Therefore, a role for amniotic OT in parturition can not be excluded.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Efficacy on hyperandrogenism and safety of a new oral contraceptive biphasic formulation containing desogestrel.

A new biphasic oral contraceptive (OC) containing ethinylestradiol and desogestrel (DGS) in both phases of the cycle (7 days 40/25 micrograms + 15 days 30/125 micrograms) was tested for its reliability, tolerability, safety and effectiveness on endocrine correlates of hyperandrogenism and acne in normal women (n = 30) and women suffering from acne (n = 33). Contraceptive efficacy was absolute and, despite 3 drop-outs in the group with acne (4.7% of total patients), subjective complaints were limited to a small number of women. Cycle control was satisfactory in both groups. Fibrinopeptide A remained stable under the treatment, whereas HDL-chol increased and the ratio between LDL-chol and HDL-chol decreased during pill intake. Other advantageous effects were obtained on the circulating androgen profile with increased sex hormone binding globulin concentrations coupled with significantly reduced total and free testosterone levels. In 23 out of 30 patients with acne (76.6%) the skin disease disappeared after 9 months of therapy and in 3 severely affected subjects the pathology changed into a pattern of mild or moderate degree. Our results indicate that the tested new biphasic OC combination is reliable, well tolerated, safe and effective against hyperandrogenism.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1994

Category-specific semantic impairment in Alzheimer's disease and temporal lobe dysfunction: a comparative study.

In this paper we report an in-depth case study of a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease who presented with a category-specific disorder relating to processing of knowledge about animate objects in the presence of spared knowledge of inanimate objects. Impairments appeared not only in a confrontation naming task but also on a range of visual knowledge tasks, such as drawing from memory or part-whole matching. The pattern of impairment was compared to that shown by a post-encephalitic patient who manifested a well-documented category-specific deficit for animate objects. Both patients' performance was compatible with an interpretation in terms of impairment at the level of the structural description of objects within the semantic system, as general encyclopaedic knowledge was largely preserved. Temporal lobe damage may be the cause of memory breakdown in both patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Apomorphine-and oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning in intact and castrated male rats: effect of sexual steroids.

The effect of apomorphine (80 micrograms/kg s.c.) and oxytocin (30 ng i.c.v.) on penile erection and yawning was studied in intact and castrated male rats. In castrated rats both apomorphine and oxytocin responses were abolished. In these animals, testosterone (100 microgramS/kg s.c. once a day for 3 days), restored penile erection while estradiol benzoate (10 micrograms/kg s.c. once a day for 3 days) restored yawning induced by both compounds. 5-Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or progesterone (each at a dose of 100 micrograms/kg s.c. once a day for 3 days) were ineffective. Given together, estradiol benzoate and DHT partially restored apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced yawning and penile erection, whereas estradiol benzoate and progesterone restored only yawning. Estradiol benzoate-induced recovery of yawning was prevented by the antiestrogen tamoxifen (1 mg/kg s.c. once a day for 3 days). In intact rats, progesterone increased and estradiol benzoate decreased apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced yawning without modifying penile erection, although oxytocin-induced yawning was prevented much less by estradiol benzoate than that induced by apomorphine. Testosterone or DHT were ineffective on both responses. Estradiol benzoate inhibition of apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced yawning was prevented by tamoxifen, which per se failed to modify apomorphine and oxytocin responses, as well as by testosterone or progesterone. The present results suggest that apomorphine- and oxytocin-induced penile erection and yawning are endocrine-dependent and differentially modulated by sexual steroids, suggesting that the mechanisms controlling the two behaviors are different even though they are often associated.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Foreign body decubitus: unusual cause of acute appendicitis].

The authors describe the origin and the physiopathological events in acute appendicitis. They show an uncommon case of acute appendicitis. The aetiology was an opaque radiation foreign body causing a subacute abdominal disease. At operation the authors discovered the above body free in the abdominal cavity; the appendix was not in ischemic phase but completely cut off bycecal plant. They suppose aetiology to be of a decubitus origin.

Acute Disease↗