[Conditioned behaviour and learning in laboratory animals].
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
M Verga
Publications and source records attributed to M Verga.
Cytomegalovirus infection after autologous stem cell transplantation: incidence and outcome in a group of patients undergoing a surveillance program.
This study was performed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), with the aim of performing preemptive therapy in patients with antigenemia. Starting from 2001, 171 consecutive ASCTs were performed in 136 patients; 102 of these patients were seropositive for CMV at the onset of hematological disease. In all these patients, a CMV pp65 antigenemia assay was determined weekly, starting from the day when the absolute neutrophil count went above 500/microL, and until day 60 after ASCT; subsequently, antigenemia was determined only when a CMV infection was suspected. Among the 136 transplanted patients, 40 (29.4%) presented a positive antigenemia; all of them were seropositive for CMV before ASCT; and no cases of primary infection were seen. The incidence of CMV infection in the seropositive population was 40/102 (39.3%); 6 patients (5 with multiple myeloma and 1 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) who received 2 ASCTs developed CMV infections after both transplantations, so that positive antigenemia developed after 46/171 (26.9%) transplantations. First positive antigenemia presented a median of 32 days (range 7-57) after stem cell reinfusion. The median antigenemia level at the first appearance was 2/200,000 (range 1-1000). No significant prognostic factors could be shown. Enteritis was present in 5 patients; 2 of them also had fever, and 1 of them also had thrombocytopenia. In 5 patients fever without any other clinical signs or symptoms was present; 30 patients were asymptomatic. Fourteen patients were treated with anti-CMV drugs. CMV reactivation was successfully treated in all patients, and no patient died from CMV disease.
Antiviral Agents↗
An association study between schizophrenia and the dopamine receptor genes DRD3 and DRD4 using haplotype relative risk.
Our work investigates the relationship between genetic factors and schizophrenia, seeking to identify a gene or genes associated with the clinical form of the disease in a group of Italian patients. In pursuit of the 'dopaminergic hypothesis' of schizophrenia, we explored a possible etiologic role of two dopamine receptor genes, DRD3 and DRD4, that have been repeatedly suggested as factors in the pathophysiology of the disease. We typed DNA polymorphisms in each of the genes that code for variation in the amino acid sequence of the receptor protein. An innovative design using parental chromosomes as controls--the 'haplotype relative risk' strategy--represents a significant improvement over previous association studies in psychiatric genetics. Our results suggest that, at least in our well-defined population, the candidate genes DRD3 and DRD4 do not appear to play a major role in the genetic etiology of schizophrenia.
Adult↗
Evidence for an association between the dopamine D3 receptor gene DRD3 and schizophrenia.
Association of the dopamine D3 receptor gene (DRD3) and schizophrenia was examined in unrelated Israeli and Italian schizophrenic patients and ethnically matched normal control subjects. In the combined sample, there was a significant excess of DRD3 allele 2 among the schizophrenic patients (chi2 = 4.70, d.f. 1, p = 0.03). Comparison of genotype frequencies revealed an excess of the 2-2 genotype in the combined schizophrenic sample (chi2 = 8.30, d.f. 1, p = 0.01) and in the non-Ashkenazi Israeli schizophrenics alone (chi2 = 5.70, d.f. 2, p = 0.05). DRD3 2-2 genotype conferred a significantly increased risk of schizophrenia (chi2 = 8.21, d.f. 1, p = 0.004; OR = 2.87, CI 95% = 1.36-5.76) in the combined sample and in the non-Ashkenazi Israeli schizophrenics (chi2 = 7.22, d.f. 1, p = 0.04; OR = 7.22, CI 95% = 1.04-24.83). In the combined and Italian samples, allele 2 was associated with early age of onset as was the 2-2 genotype in the combined sample and non-Ashkenazi group. The 2-2 genotype was associated with poor response to neuroleptics, particularly in the non-Ashkenazi, Israeli schizophrenics. The possibility that DRD3 or a locus in linkage disequilibrium with it may play a role in the transmission of schizophrenia, is considered in relation to previous positive and negative reports.
Adult↗
[New operating rooms: problems related with ventilation and air quality].
Realizing the project of the new operating theatres, We bring out the importance of creating bright environments, rational and wide ways, a good indoor air quality, thermal comfort and occupational hygiene. Therefore for the first time We've installed an automatic system for permanent monitoring of gases, vapours and particles, associated with the study of ventilation, to evaluate the real condition of the mantenance and of staff behaviour.
Air Pollution, Indoor↗