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Biomedical subjects

S Ardito

Publications and source records attributed to S Ardito.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Probiotics reduce the CD34+ hemopoietic precursor cell increased traffic in allergic subjects.

An increased traffic of circulating CD34+ Hemopoietic Precursors Cells (HPC) is an important feature of systemic allergic inflammation. Bacteria and bacterial products are capable of stimulating the transcription of the maturational cytokines IL12 and IFNs through the activation of Toll-Like-Receptor and the subsequent nuclear translocation of the NF-kappaB factor. In this study the probiotics differentiation/maturational effect potential on CD34+ HPC has been investigated. Fourteen consecutive subjects, 9M and 5F, aged 6-48, with clinical symptoms of asthma and /or conjunctivitis, rhinitis, urticaria, atopic dermatitis, food allergy and irritable bowel syndrome were enrolled. Allergen-specific serum IgE were found in twelve patients. Flow-cytometric measurement of peripheral blood CD34dim/bright HPC values were assessed before and after 30 days of therapy, consisting in the oral administration of one sachet a day of ENDOLAC (UCB Pharma, Turin, Italy). Each sachet contained a mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. delbrueckii and Streptococcus thermophilus for a total of 1 x 10(9) live bacteria. Circulating CD34+ cell values significantly (p < 0.001) reduced after the treatment. ENDOLAC, thus, may improve the efficacy of the standard treatments of allergic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Continuous self-improvement: systems thinking in a personal context.

BACKGROUND: Continuous quality improvement (CQI) thinking and tools have broad applicability to improving people's lives--in continuous self-improvement (CSI). Examples include weight loss, weight gain, increasing exercise time, and improving relationship with spouse. In addition, change agents, who support and facilitate organizational efforts, can use CSI to help employees understand steps in CQI. A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH: Team members should be involved in both the definition of the problem and the search for the solution. How do everyday processes and routines affect the habit that needs to change? What are the precursors of the event? Clients list possible solutions, prioritize them, and pilot test the items selected. One needs to change the daily routines until the desired behavior is accomplished habitually and with little external decision. DISCUSSION: CSI is successful because of its emphasis on habits embedded in personal processes. CSI organizes support from process owners, buddies, and coaches, and encourages regular measurement, multiple small improvement cycles, and public reporting.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) and fibular A/hypoplasia (FA/H): a model of a developmental field defect.

Proximal femoral focal deficiency (PFFD) and fibular a/hypoplasia (FAH) are distinct malformations of the lower limbs. Both can occur as isolated defects or in association with other limb malformations. In fact, fibular defects frequently are present in PFFD, and, conversely, femoral abnormalities can be found in the presence of a typical FAH picture. We report on 5 patients with a variable combination of femoral and fibular defects. In one of them unilateral PFFD was associated with lateral foot defects, in the absence of fibular abnormalities, and with a phenotype similar to that observed in the femoral hypoplasia/unusual face syndrome (FH/UFS). Another patient had isolated PFFD on one side, with controlateral absence of femur, fibula, and tibia. Another patient had a PFFD, fibular hypoplasia, and abnormalities of fibular foot rays, and the last 2 patients, a father and son, had, respectively, bilateral foot malformations plus fibular and tibial hypoplasia in the father and a PFFD in the son. These observations represent a further demonstration of the existence of a fibular developmental field, and contribute to the definition of its spatial boundaries. The variable involvement of elements comprised in the developmental field can be explained by multifactorial etiology.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1989

Two rare developmental defects of the lower limbs with confirmation of the Lewin and Opitz hypothesis on the fibular and tibial developmental fields.

We report on two unrelated patients with malformations of the lower limbs. One had a unilateral apparent doubling of the volume of the femur with distal bifurcation, shortness of the tibiae, absence of fibulae, and lateral ray deficiencies of both feet. The other had a partial duplication of the distal left femur, hypoplasia and proximal dislocation of the ipsilateral tibia, syndactyly of the right 1st and 2nd toes, and preaxial polydactyly of the left foot. This report supports the hypothesis of Lewin and Opitz on the presence of two distinct fields of development: the fibular and the tibial.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1986

Ichthyosis accompanied by neurological symptoms with special reference to epilepsy.

5 patients with ichthyosis had a neurological accompaniment: epilepsy in 4, congenital palpebral ptosis, facial pain and neurosis in 1. In one patient epilepsy was combined with multiple malformations (normal dwarfism, prematurely old face, skeletal abnormalities) and oligophrenia. There was considerable variability genetically: 2 sporadic cases, 1 with X-linked transmission, 1 with autosomal dominant and 1 with apparent autosomal recessive heredity. In one case the co-existence of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency provided proof of X-linked transmission. Further study of larger case-series is needed for a better definition of the nosographic and genetic aspects of non blastomatous neuroectodermatoses in which ichthyosis figures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Pseudovisceral pain due to posterior joint pathology in the dorsolumbar spine.

In cases presenting with abdominal pain in which the clinical findings and investigations are negative there is often associated dorsolumbar pain. The pathology in such cases often resides in the posterior apophyseal spinal joints, which should therefore be investigated as follows: a) Clinical. The abdomen is examined for areas of hypoaesthesia. The level of vertebral anomaly and related referred pain are determined using the Maigne test. b) The affected area of the spine is investigated by standard and dynamic radiographs and CT scan for evidence of transitional anomalies or signs of instability. Is should be noted that in many cases these tests are negative. Local infiltration of the posterior joints has given satisfactory results, as also has manipulation in some cases. The temporary use of a lumbar support and physiotherapy is advised to prevent recurrence.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1983

[Proglumetacin: a simple and practical anti-inflammatory agent for the treatment of hospitalized orthopedic patients].

Forty-six in-patients with osteoarticular and tendon inflammatory, traumatic, degenerative and neoplastic diseases were treated with 600 mg/day of proglumetacin for variable periods ranging between 16 and 60 days. Therapeutic efficacy was considerable, with a significant improvement of all symptoms, regardless of the disease condition the patients were suffering from. Tolerance resulted more than satisfactory, as in no case it was rated less than "good".

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

A radio-isotopic investigation of the morphological and functional changes in pathological conditions of the synovial membrane of the knee joint.

Patients with hydrarthrosis of the knee, whatever its origin, always exhibit a change in synovial permeability. This can be detected by scintigraphy (visualization of the site and extent of the hydrarthrosis) and scintimetric investigation. In the present study, patients with hydrarthrosis of the knee of a degenerative, inflammatory or traumatic origin, received an appropriate dose of 99mTc pertechnetate, and a gamma camera was used as the detector. At the same time a scintimetric study was carried out to provide a quantitative assessment of the rate of absorption of the radio-isotope. This indicates the functional state of the synovial membrane. The results of these investigations are of value both in diagnosis and in treatment.

Humans↗
PubMed1978

Radioisotopic evaluation of the treatment of Sudek's syndrome with calcitonin.

The authors report their investigations in ten patients suffering from Sudek's syndrome of the foot, studied by the use of the radioosteotrope 99mTc-Pirophosphate. Through this radioindicator it has been possible to evaluate qualitatively (scintigraphy) as well as quantitatively (scintimetry) the modifications of the metabolism induced by the administration of calcitonin. The evaluation, whose radioisotopic method is described in detail, has been carried out at various intervals during treatment with calcitonin (from two to six months). The normalization of the readjustment of the bone generally corresponded with marked clinical recovery of the patient.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Neurological complications in drug dependence with special reference to the development of epileptic syndromes].

33 drug abusers were examined and all of them were addicts to several drugs and always to heroin. Neurological complications occurred rather frequently. One patient had subarachnoid hemorrhage and angiography showed no arteriovenous malformations nor other pathology. Polyneuropathy has been found in one case. 7 patients (21,2%) developed psychotic episodes. Epileptic attacks were found in 5 cases (15,1%). Latency between the onset of drug-abusing and occurrence of the attacks was found to be at least 1 year in two cases and 3 years in the other three. 4 cases suffered from partial complex seizures with secondary generalization and one patient had generalized tonic-clonic attacks. Fits occurred rarely in all cases; one patient had two episodes of partial status. Further research is required because there are few clinical reports in comparison with the experimental ones.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Determination of serum levels of tumor necrosis factor in pediatric practice: usefulness and limitations].

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a prototypical inflammatory cytokine with a wide spectrum of biological activities. Therefore it could play a role in many immunologic and non immunologic disorders. We made a review of the literature concerning the significance of high TNF serum levels in pediatrics and also reported our preliminary results on TNF-alpha values in several pediatric immunologic diseases. Our data seem to confirm the importance of TNF in many immunologic disorders and suggest the opportunity of a more extensive analysis of TNF-alpha serum levels in pediatrics.

Age Factors↗