PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Piccione

Publications and source records attributed to F Piccione.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

P300-based brain computer interface: reliability and performance in healthy and paralysed participants.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the use of the P300 event-related potential as a control signal in a brain computer interface (BCI) for healthy and paralysed participants. METHODS: The experimental device used the P300 wave to control the movement of an object on a graphical interface. Visual stimuli, consisting of four arrows (up, right, down, left) were randomly presented in peripheral positions on the screen. Participants were instructed to recognize only the arrow indicating a specific direction for an object to move. P300 epochs, synchronized with the stimulus, were analyzed on-line via Independent Component Analysis (ICA) with subsequent feature extraction and classification by using a neural network. RESULTS: We tested the reliability and the performance of the system in real-time. The system needed a short training period to allow task completion and reached good performance. Nonetheless, severely impaired patients had lower performance than healthy participants. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed system is effective for use with healthy participants, whereas further research is needed before it can be used with locked-in syndrome patients. SIGNIFICANCE: The P300-based BCI described can reliably control, in 'real time', the motion of a cursor on a graphical interface, and no time-consuming training is needed in order to test possible applications for motor-impaired patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Laparoscopic Burch colposuspension: a randomized controlled trial comparing two transperitoneal surgical techniques.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of two transperitoneal laparoscopic Burch procedures. METHODS: The sample size required was 30 subjects per group to detect a statistically significant estimated difference of 15% between two surgical procedures with an alpha = 0.05 and a power of 0.7. Sixty women affected by genuine stress incontinence (GSI) were enrolled and randomly assigned to two groups of 30 women each. All women were treated with the transperitoneal laparoscopic Burch procedure using nonabsorbable sutures (group A) or Prolene mesh (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ) fixed with tacks or staples (group B). The failure rate was defined subjectively and objectively. The subjective evaluation was performed by asking the women to rate their urine loss on a visual analog scale. The objective evaluation was a clinical evaluation using multichannel urodynamic studies. RESULTS: The subjective failure rate was not significantly different between the two groups at 3 months (0% for both groups), 6 months (3.7% versus 3.8% for groups A and B, respectively), and 12 months (7.4% versus 15.4% for groups A and B, respectively) after surgery. At 3 months (3.7% versus 3.8% for groups A and B, respectively) and 6 months (7.4% versus 15.4% for groups A and B, respectively) follow-up, the objective failure rate was not significantly different between the two groups. However, at 12 months after the surgical procedure, the objective failure rate was significantly lower in group A than in group B (11.1% versus 26.9%, respectively; P <.05). CONCLUSION: Transperitoneal laparoscopic Burch colposuspension performed using sutures was more effective than the mesh technique.

Colposcopy↗
PubMed2001

[Prenatal diagnosis of beta-thalassemia. A study based in Calabria].

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to underline, given the well-known incidence of beta thalassemia in Calabria, the possibility of establishing a prevention programme based on an increased awareness among the population using information and health education, genetic consultancy to identify high-risk subjects and prenatal diagnosis. METHODS: Between January 1992 and December 1999, we analysed 181 high-risk couples for beta thalassemia using chorionic villi sampling (CVS) performed with an echoguided transcervical or transabdominal route. A steady rise was observed over the years in the number of couples asking for prenatal diagnosis, thus demonstrating that patients and doctors are increasingly aware of the importance of a correct prenatal diagnosis. The variability of molecular defects found and the number of complications linked to the technique used are underlined. RESULTS: Prenatal diagnosis revealed 46 fetuses with the disease (24.8%), 97 heterozygotes (53.2%) and 41 healthy fetuses (22%). Only one malformation was observed in the 41 healthy fetuses. The authors also report the incidence of complications linked to CVS. In overall terms, 2.2% of pregnancies ended in spontaneous abortions (4 cases) and 2.75% with preterm births (5 cases). These complications could not be correlated with gestational age at the time of biopsy or the number of attempts made to obtain an appropriate sample.

Female↗
PubMed2000

[Pregnancy management in women with thalassemia].

Thanks to the improvement of the techniques of assisted fecundation, of the obstetric management and of the fetal and neonatal monitoring now it's possible for a woman suffering from beta-thalassemia to have a child. Our purpose is to stress the importance to control the high maternal and fetal risk through the monitoring of several scales. The problems, connected with pregnancy of beta-thalassemic women are discussed, emphasizing the connection between pregnancy management and gestational and neonatal outcome. A variety of problems should be considered such as the informed consent about maternal and fetal risks, the problems caused by infectious agents or due to the use of some antiviral; the difficulties connected with heart and endocrine diseases are also discussed. Personal experience, from 1995 to 1999, on 4 beta-thalassemic pregnant women (three with the intermediate type and one with the major type) is reported.

Female↗
PubMed1997

Botulinum toxin treatment of apraxia of eyelid opening in progressive supranuclear palsy: report of two cases.

We report two patients, with postural instability and dystonic parkinsonism whose adjunctive disabling feature was blindness due to an inability to reopen the eyes after voluntary closure of the eyelids, as in apraxia of lid opening (ALO). Supranuclear downgaze paresis permitted the diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) in one case. Electromyographic studies showed a loss of normal reciprocal inhibition between the levator palpebrae and the pretarsal portion of the orbicularis oculi, with a cocontraction of these two antagonist muscles. The evoked blink reflex, tested with the paired shock technique, showed enhanced recovery of R2 response. Botulinum toxin A injections directed toward the junction of the preseptal and pretarsal parts of the palpebral orbicularis oculi muscle improved eyelid motility in both patients. Successive static and dynamic balance training and development of compensatory strategies for visual scanning deficits reduced gait imbalance, the number of falls, and the disability level as measured on the Northwestern University Disability Scale.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Therapeutic synergism between hyaluronic acid and dexamethasone in the intra-articular treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a preliminary open study.

In vitro studies on the effects of dexamethasone on human synovial cells have shown that with high concentrations of the steroid in the culture medium cellular activity was completely blocked whereas with low concentrations (10(-6)M), cellular density decreased but there was an increase in the synthesis of RNA, DNA, protein and hyaluronic acid. These data, coupled with clinical experience of using intra-articular hyaluronic acid to treat patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, prompted the investigators to carry out an open, randomized study of the use of very small doses of dexamethasone in association with hyaluronic acid in 40 osteoarthritic patients. Twenty patients received a weekly intra-articular injection of 20 mg sodium hyaluronate in 2 ml phosphate buffer for 5 weeks; the other 20 patients followed a similar treatment regimen, the only difference being the addition of 0.4 mg dexamethasone phosphate to the first injection. Clinical examination of the knee was made before each injection, 7 days after the fifth injection and 60 days after the start of the trial. Rating scale assessments were made at each visit of spontaneous pain, pain during the day, at night, weight bearing and whilst walking. The results showed that whilst a progressive decrease in all pain parameters was evident and persisted after the end of treatment in both patient groups, pain intensity decreased more rapidly and to lower levels in all but weight-bearing pain, as did improvement in joint mobility, in the combined treatment group. Local tolerance was good with both treatment regimens, with no untoward signs or symptoms at any time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effects of dexamethasone on human synovial fibroblast-like cells, from osteoarthritic joints, in culture.

The effect of Dexamethasone (DEX) on cell division and macromolecular synthesis was investigated in a line (McCoy cells, A 9) of synovial fibroblast-like cells derived from human osteoarthritic joints. DEX markedly reduced the proliferation of McCoy cells in a time and dose-dependent manner. The maximal inhibition (45%) was found at 500 nM DEX 24 h after incubation and was accompanied by the appearance of giant macrophage-like cells. After DEX treatment cells showed increased content of DNA, proteins and RNA together with the reduction of [3H]-thymidine incorporation into the TCA-precipitable fraction.

Cell Count↗
PubMed1986

Immune therapy of osteoarthritis: an open assessment of clinical results with heterologous antibodies to articular tissue ('Serocytol').

Forty-three out-patients received treatment (6 months in 13 cases of spondylarthrosis, 12 months in 30 cases of gonarthrosis) with heterologous antibodies to articular tissue, given as 1 rectal suppository once every other day for periods of 4 weeks out of every 5. The treatment produced complete freedom from symptoms and signs of the illness in 5 (12%) patients and overall positive therapeutic results in 36 (84%), equally distributed in the disorders of the vertebral column and of the knee. This was accompanied by a significant improvement, both in terms of percentage improvement and the percentage of patients improved, of all monitored symptoms. The percentage improvement was similar for all components of the illness: pain, mobility and inflammatory-reactive component. No local or systemic side-reactions were recorded throughout the observation period, and there were no adverse effects on haematology, haematochemistry or renal function. A high percentage of patients reported a remarkable improvement in their quality of life, an overall measure of the therapeutic benefit-risk ratio as experienced by the individual patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Ultrastructural appearance of human synovial membrane in the reabsorption phase of acute haemarthrosis.

Using the electron transmission microscope, the writers studied the ultrastructural appearances of the synovial membrane obtained during acute haemarthrosis, with the aim of elucidating the morphological basis of he mechanism of reabsorption of the various components of the blood. It was observed that all the elements of the synovial intima showed substantial modifications of the cytoplasm and of the plasmalemma. The cytoplasm showed: (a) marked abundance of lysosomes and lysophagosomes; (b) the presence of conspicuous cavities crammed with erythrocytic fragments; (c) marked reduction of normal cytoplasmic organelles. The plasmalemma, on the surface bordering the joint cavity, showed numerous philopods and lamellipods. These modifications, which affected all the cellular elements of the intimal stratum, demonstrate that they are macrophagically differentiated.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1980

Ultrastructural comparisons of human synovial membrane in joints exposed to varying stresses.

The writers used the electron transmission microscope to study the ultrastructure of the synovial membrane in joints or synovial areas that varied in their exposure to weight bearing or other mechanical stresses. They used fragments of synovial membrane obtained surgically from the knee and from the elbow joints. In the joints or synovial areas little exposed to weight bearing or traction, the three strata of which the synovial membrane is composed were well differentiated from the fibrous capsule. The intima contained abundant cells with a trophic function (chiefly A cells); the subintima was intensely vascularised and had numerous fat cells but few fibres; the subsynovia was predominantly fibrous. On the other hand, in joints or synovial areas notably exposed to weight bearing or traction stresses, the synovial membrane was thinner, with few cellular elements (mostly resembling fibroblasts) and few blood vessels, while the fibrillar component was particularly marked. These differences in the ultrastructure confirm Franceschini's hypothesis that the synovial fluid is produced in those areas of the synovia that are less exposed to mechanical stress.

Elbow Joint↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Masked myoclonus in corticobasal degeneration: neurophysiological study of a case.

A single case study of a 58 year-old male with right asymmetric apraxia and akinetic-rigid syndrome is described. Brainimaging scans (MRI, SPECT) indicated asymmetric cortical atrophy compatible with the diagnosis of Corticobasal Degeneration. Reflex myoclonus was absent and myoclonic discharges only appeared in response to pharmacological treatment of limb dystonia and rigidity. Electromyographic evidence of jerky movements was recorded only in the affected right hand and forearm after muscle relaxation, and myoclonus was not preceded by an EEG paroxysm. The cortical components of the correspondent SEPs were not increased in amplitude while LLRs recordings showed a late response over the muscles of the affected side. Furthermore, the duration of post MEP silent period was bilaterally reduced. This single case study report points out that sometimes myoclonus in Corticobasal Degeneration can be masked by the presence of increased muscle tone.

Apraxias↗