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Biomedical subjects

A Novarini

Publications and source records attributed to A Novarini.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
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Free amino acids in plasma and skeletal muscle of patients with liver cirrhosis.

Free amino acids were measured under postabsorptive conditions in plasma and intracellular water of skeletal muscle obtained by needle biopsy in nine healthy controls and 14 subjects suffering from clinically stable liver cirrhosis. The aromatic amino acids phenylalanine and tyrosine in cirrhotics were elevated to the same extent in plasma and in muscle water. Branched-chain amino acids were uniformly reduced in plasma, but in muscle water only valine was significantly lower (222 +/- 92 mumoles per kg intracellular water vs. 368 +/- 82, p less than 0.001), while isoleucine (142 +/- 63 vs. 103 +/- 30), leucine (223 +/- 88 vs. 226 +/- 36) and branched-chain amino acids as a whole (589 +/- 186 vs. 681 +/- 88) were normal or elevated with an increased muscle:plasma ratio (3.12 +/- 2.03 vs. 1.41 +/- 0.37, p less than 0.05 for isoleucine; 3.00 +/- 1.28 vs. 1.85 +/- 0.27, p less than 0.025 for leucine; 2.24 +/- 0.64 vs. 1.69 +/- 0.13, p less than 0.05 for total branched-chain amino acids. Our data show that, in cirrhosis, plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids do not reflect their levels in muscle cellular water; only the intracellular pool of valine is severely depleted. This suggests that higher amounts of valine supplementation may be useful in nutritional treatment of liver cirrhosis. The elevated muscle:plasma gradients for branched-chain amino acids may result from abnormalities in their transport through muscle-plasma membrane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
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Low sodium cotransport in red cells with physiological internal sodium concentration in essential hypertension.

Ouabain-resistant Na and Li effluxes in erythrocytes from 18 normal subjects and 19 hypertensive subjects were studied in fresh cells that contained about 9 mmol Li and 2.5 or 6.5 mmol Na per liter of erythrocytes after intact cells had been incubated for 5 hours in 110 mM Li, 40 mM Na medium, with or without ouabain 10(-4) M. Outward Na cotransport was estimated at both internal Na concentrations as the furosemide-sensitive unidirectional 22Na efflux from erythrocytes into a Na free-medium containing 75 mM MgCl2. The changes in furosemide-sensitive outward Na transport between the two levels of internal Na were considered as a measure of the response of Na cotransport to the changes in internal Na within its physiological range. At both levels of internal Na, outward Na cotransport was reduced in the majority but not in all of the patients with essential hypertension (p less than 0.05 at 2.5 mmol; p less than 0.001 at 6.5 mmol). The ratio of the changes in Na cotransport to those in internal Na was lower in the hypertensive patients than in the control subjects (17.2 mumol/liter red blood cells/hr/1 mmol in internal Na increase vs 42.2, p less than 0.001). The Li-Na countertransport was increased in a few patients with essential hypertension, with no relationship to cotransport. We conclude that, in essential hypertension, the outward Na + K cotransport is impaired in fresh erythrocytes not treated with PCMBS (2,5 p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate) or nystatin, even when internal Na is around its physiological range.

4-Chloromercuribenzenesulfonate↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Acid-base modifications induced by treatment with concentration-reinfusion of ascitis fluid in cyrrhosis (author's transl)].

In 9 cyrrhotic patients with ascites we have studied the acid base status and the renal acidogenic capacity (urinary titrable acidity, ammonia) before, during and after reinfusion of concentrated ascitic fluid. Acid-base parameters have been evaluated also in the ascitic fluid and in the concentrated reinfusion fluid. The treatment does not determine any significant variation of acid base equilibrium in the cyrrhotic patients, while there is a remarkable loosing of CO2 with lowering of pCO2 in the concentrated ascitic fluid. We discuss the main physiopathological factors involved in such a type of treatment.

Ascitic Fluid↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The university and the needs of the society: what professional models?

An overview of the complex Italian situation and the consequences of the European integration, which puts an emphasis on the role of research and education involving the universities and the specific faculties, is given. Attention is then focused on the characteristics of the evolution of the medical activity and health services as for prevention, health education, more extensive knowledge and the need for continuing education. Different problems are tackled and pertinent suggestions are offered. The cultural and professional perspectives of the doctor should be considered within a new psychosocial approach to the illness, super- and hyper-specialization, collaboration and skills in non traditional fields. Medical education should be based on tutorial teaching and student-centered rather than on the traditional teacher centered-academic teaching. For better health care medical education and training should be updated with respect to the doctor-patient relationship as well as to the technological advances and team-work in medicine. The ethical aspects of the medical profession should be evidenced to be able to tackle the involved problems. The main features of the doctor of the future are the need and the difficulty of updating and life-long learning.

Education, Medical↗