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Biomedical subjects

F Benedetti

Publications and source records attributed to F Benedetti.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

High serum levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor in patients with B chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

By using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the presence of the soluble form of the interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) was evaluated in the peripheral blood of 54 patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). Serum levels of sIL-2R were correlated with clinical features, relevant hematologic and immunological data, and in some cases, with in vitro functional studies. In 51 patients (94.4%), the levels of sIL-2R were increased as compared with normal age-matched controls (1,781 U/mL +/- 231 v 276 U/mL +/- 26, respectively; P less than .001). Although this increase was observed in all stages of the disease and independently of several hematologic and immunologic parameters, a trend toward lower levels of sIL-2R was documented in patients with a less-invasive disease. When the values were correlated with the functional status of the residual T cell population, it was found that patients with the lowest levels of sIL-2R showed the best mitogenic response and helper capacity. It is suggested that in B-CLL patients the high levels of serum sIL-2R, capable of binding to its ligand, may block the T cell-produced IL-2, thus contributing toward a defective physiological action by this lymphokine. In turn, this defective availability of IL-2 may play a part in the abnormal immunoregulation that is implicated in the hypogammaglobulinemia, susceptibility to infections, and incidence of second neoplasias often observed in this disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

There is less thalamic degeneration in neonatal-lesioned than in adult-lesioned cats after cerebral hemispherectomy.

In order to study age-related processes of degeneration and recovery, the left hemitelencephalon was surgically removed in 5 adult cats and 5 neonatal kittens which were compared to 5 intact controls. After long survival, brains were sectioned in the coronal plane and thionine-stained. Drawings of gross and microscopic thalamic structures were made at 4 planes and computer-digitized to provide 7 measures: total thalamic area at planes A 7.5 and A 8.5; counts of neuroglia, small neurons (31-100 microns2) and large neurons (101-1000 microns2); area of neuroglia, small neurons and large neurons. All cellular measurements were in the ventrobasal complex at planes A 8.0 and A 10.0. Morphological changes were found bilaterally in all lesioned cats. Ipsilateral to the ablation in adult-lesioned cats, thalamic area, large neuron count and glia cells size were markedly and significantly decreased (P less than 0.01), while in neonatal-lesioned cats these changes were present but significantly reduced in magnitude compared to adult-lesioned animals. In addition, adult-lesioned cats showed a marked increase in glial cell numbers (P less than 0.01) and a decrease in small neuron size (P less than 0.01), while kitten-lesioned animals did not show changes in these measures. In the intact side of the brain, the thalamus of adult-lesioned cats was decreased in size (P less than 0.01), and glial cells were decreased in number and size (P less than 0.05), while in kitten-lesioned brains there were few changes. In both lesioned groups large neurons showed a significant increase in size (P less than 0.01). We conclude that neonatal hemispherectomy results in markedly less thalamic atrophy, retrograde neuronal degeneration and gliosis than the equivalent lesion in adults. The changes are discussed in the context of the increased neuroanatomical reorganization and functional recovery which were reported in neonatal- vs adult-lesioned animals.

Aging↗
PubMed1986

Tactile diplopia (diplesthesia) on the human fingers.

The third and fourth fingertips of five subjects were pressed against each other so as to produce a skin displacement. A single spherical stimulus was then applied simultaneously to the two fingertips in order to test perceptual experiences with different amounts of skin displacement. The results show that the probability of detecting one stimulus when a single stimulus was applied to the skin in the resting position was 0.90. This probability decreased with increments in skin displacement. At the maximum skin displacement tested the probability of detecting one stimulus when a single stimulus was applied to the two displaced fingertip surfaces was only 0.04: this means that the single stimulus was perceived to be double with a probability of 0.96. The occurrence of this doubling, similar to Aristotle's crossed-finger illusion, shows that a diplopia-like phenomenon is present in the somesthetic system. How this 'tactile diplopia' could represent an interesting approach to the study of tactile perception is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Spatial organization of the diplesthetic and nondiplesthetic areas of the fingers.

Cutaneous points on different fingers were brought into contact with each other to ascertain whether one stimulus was perceived to be single or double. The perceptual responses were mapped on the five fingertip pads. The results show that there is an extensive cutaneous area on each fingertip pad which elicits one-stimulus perceptions when a single stimulus is applied between each finger and the thumb. This area decreases when the stimulus is applied to adjacent fingers (2-3, 3-4, 4-5), and even more so when it is applied to nonadjacent fingers (2-4, 2-5, 3-5). In fact, in adjacent and nonadjacent fingers the cutaneous surface eliciting a doubling of the single stimulus (diplesthesia) is very extensive. The spatial arrangement of the cutaneous areas eliciting single perceptions appears to be invariant in the proximo-distal plane. Instead, the shift from one kind of perception to another occurs in the medio-lateral plane. It is suggested that this perceptual organization could reflect a neural organization.

Fingers↗
PubMed1985

Processing of tactile spatial information with crossed fingers.

The erroneous perception of two objects when one object is touched with crossed fingers has been explained as an inability of the brain to correctly perceive the crossed fingers' positions. This account is examined in Experiment 1, in which the perceived position of stimuli touching the crossed fingers is mapped. Crossing the third finger over the fourth displaced the perceived stimulus position counter-clockwise; crossing the third under the fourth displaced perceptions clockwise. In Experiment 2, perceived positions were found to fit a model of tactile saturation past the point of the functional range of action of the fingers. Two major conclusions are drawn: (a) Tactile stimuli are always perceived as if fingers were uncrossed, and (b) spatial mapping is present only within the functional range of finger excursion.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Metabolic activity of intracerebellar nuclei in the rat: effects of inferior olive inactivation.

Metabolic activity of the intracerebellar nuclei during cryoinactivation of the inferior olive was studied in the anaesthetized rat by using the 14C-2-deoxyglucose method. Single unit recording of Purkinje cells was simultaneously monitored in the cerebellar cortex. Local inactivation in the inferior olive resulted in regional suppression of complex spike discharges in the cerebellar cortex. An increased metabolic activity was observed in the cerebellar nuclei contralateral to the cryoinactivation site correlating the somatotopically arranged olivo-cerebello-nuclear circuit. This increase was shown to be due specifically to inactivation of the inferior olive, since it was not obtained in a rat in which the inferior olive was previously destroyed by neurotoxic doses of 3-acetylpyridine. The results are interpreted as being due to an increased presynaptic activity of the terminals of the Purkinje cells which fire simple spikes at high rates after climbing fibre deafferentation.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Inferior olive lesion induces long-lasting functional modification in the Purkinje cells.

In recent experiments Montarolo et al. (1982) have shown that reversible inferior oliver (IO) inactivation of up to 90 s induces a marked increase of the Purkinje cell (PC) simple spike (SS) frequency which lasts as long as the disappearance of the complex spikes (CS). The present work was aimed at studying how long this SS frequency increase lasts. We recorded the electrical activity of 724 PCs from rats (Nembutal anaesthesia 20-40 mg/kg) in which the IO was destroyed by means of cryocoagulation, electrocoagulation and 3-acetylpyridine injection. The SS activity was followed up to 1 month from the lesion. The average SS frequency of the first 5 days is 52.7 (+/- 22.6 S.D.). The difference from the control (22.6 +/- 13.7 S.D.) is highly significant (P less than 0.001; Mann-Whitney U-test). Later the SS discharge shows a gradual decrease, to reach a value (24.2 +/- 12.1 S.D.) similar to the control at the 4th week. Our results demonstrate that the increase of the SS activity, due to the IO lesion, undergoes an adaptation. The time course of such an adaptation is well correlated with the metabolic changes in the intracerebellar nuclei, following an IO permanent lesion, described by Bardin et al. (1983).

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Inferior olive inactivation decreases the excitability of the intracerebellar and lateral vestibular nuclei in the rat.

In rats under sodium pentobarbitone anaesthesia the inferior olive region has been reversibly inactivated by applying a cooling probe to the ventral surface of the medulla. Unitary activity has been recorded from the fastigial, interpositus and Deiters nuclei. Identification of units was based on the presence of a dye spot, left by the recording micropipette. In the Deiters nucleus, an additional criterion of identification was the antidromic activation from spinal cord stimulation. Following cooling of the inferior olive of one side, we have observed suppression of the activity of all the fourteen Deiters neurones and of seventeen out of twenty neurones recorded from the intracerebellar nuclei. In two out of seven Deiters neurones tested the antidromic invasion elicited by spinal cord stimulation was suppressed. In rats, whose inferior olive was previously destroyed, cooling of the inferior olive region was not followed by the powerful depression of spike activity seen in the vestibular and cerebellar nuclei cells in the intact rats. These results indicate that the olivocerebellar system is very important in regulating the level of excitability of the subcerebellar structures and therefore in controlling both postural mechanisms and the processing of information relating to sensorimotor integration.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sleep phase advance and lithium to sustain the antidepressant effect of total sleep deprivation in bipolar depression: new findings supporting the internal coincidence model?

Recent European studies suggested that sleep phase advance (SPA) could sustain the effects of total sleep deprivation (TSD) both with or without a combined antidepressant drug treatment. Previous studies by our group showed that an ongoing lithium treatment could enhance and sustain the effect of repeated TSD. In the present study we studied the effect of a single TSD followed by 3 days SPA (beginning with sleep allowed from 17:00 until 24:00, with daily shiftbacks of 2 h) in consecutively admitted bipolar depressed inpatients who were taking a chronic lithium salts treatment (n=16) or who were devoid of psychotropic medications (n=14). Changes in mood during treatment were recorded with self administered visual analogue scales and with Hamilton rating scale for depression. Results showed that SPA could sustain the acute antidepressant effect of TSD, and that lithium enhanced the effect of the chronobiological treatment. According to the internal coincidence model, the better clinical effects observed in lithium-treated patients could be due to the phase delaying effect of lithium on biological rhythms, leading to a better synchronization of biological rhythms with the sleep-wake cycle.

Antimanic Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Worsening of delusional depression after sleep deprivation: case reports.

Five patients (three bipolars and two unipolars) affected by a major depressive episode with psychotic features were treated with total sleep deprivation (TSD) without concurrent psychotropic medication. After TSD we observed a worsening in psychotic as well as in depressive symptoms as rated on the Dimension of Delusional Experience Rating Scale and on Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, respectively. TSD is known to markedly enhance the activity of brain monoaminergic pathways. Given the interaction between brain serotonergic and dopaminergic systems in delusional depression, it is possible that an enhancement in dopaminergic activity may be responsible of the symptomatological worsening in delusional depressives observed after TSD.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Adhesion ileus in patient with previous diagnosis of Ogilvie's syndrome].

A case of a 72-year-old man with abdominal pain and ileus is reported. Previous surgery for Ogilvie's syndrome had been performed. Despite conservative therapy, the occlusive symptoms worsen. Therefore the patient was submitted to surgery. At laparotomy two abdominal adhesions were found and sectioned. The differential diagnosis between mechanical ileus and pseudoobstruction for neuro-mechanics dissociation (Ogilvie's syndrome) is difficult, particularly in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Rectal stenosis after stapler hemorrhoidopexy].

We report a case of a 52-year-old woman with hemorrhoids submitted to Procedure for Prolapse and Hemorrhoids (PPH), i.e. stapled hemorrhoidopexy, using a modified Longo's technique (double purse string) to treat an associated rectocele and rectal prolapse; the STARR technique (Stapled Trans Anal Rectal Resection) was not yet codified. The post-operative course was uneventful and the patient is discharged in II p.o. day. In fifth post-operative day the patient came back with an unusual rectal stenosis due to the superior purse string. The stricture was easily resolved by 'opening' the purse string with a transanal approach in outpatient setting.

Constriction, Pathologic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Role of the INAIL].

This report has to describe the activity of INAIL for improve information and training in the field of occupational health and safety. The discussion start from accident and professional illness data and gives evidence about social and economic cost of this phenomenon. INAIL want work together with other institution, social body, professional association for promote the integration of occupational health and safety in businesses management. The principal target are SMEs - Small and Medium size Enterprises. Information and training must follow this approach and sustain it. Information and training have to develop knowledge, competence and awareness like value for the organisations. This report describe models and tools for information and training which INAIL's improving even for the building sector.

Academies and Institutes↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Aneurysm of the popliteal artery: diagnostic and therapeutic considerations].

The authors settle the roles of the most recent diagnostic methodologies useful to frame the popliteal aneurysm pathology namely digital arteriography, N.M.R., and doppler-flowmetry. They emphasize, in an observed case, the adopted therapeutic criteria, that is basically interventional. The thinness of saphenous veins draws toward the employing of "Goretex".

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mesorectal resection in oncologic surgery].

A surgical technique to "en bloc" resect the mesorectum while performing an anterior resection is here described. The procedure aims at preserving those nerves whose injury is responsible for a series of neurological sequalae, which affect the patient's quality of life. Fifteen dissections were carried out in order to demonstrate the possibility to perform an accurate mesorectal lymphadenectomy while preserving, in most cases, the nervi erigentes and, in some cases, the hypogastric plexus.

Erectile Dysfunction↗