[Plasma, intraerythrocytic and spinal fluid amino acid levels in a case of ulcero-mutilating acropathy]. / Dosaggio degli aminoacidi plasmatici intraeritrocitari e liquorali in un caso di acropatia ulcero-mutilante.

In a patient affected by Thevenard's disease (degenerative disease of the spinal ganglia and posterior roots) we measured levels of intraerythrocytic, plasmatic and cerebrospinal fluid aminoacids. In the plasma we found an increased concentration of taurine and glycine, expression of hypercatabolism, which was confirmed by the presence of a decreased level of the free intraerythrocytic aminoacids. In the cerebrospinal fluid we found increased concentrations of methionine, valine and lysine which indicates the presence of an enzymatic inhibition that involves the systemic transport of aminoacids at the barrier level. The increased levels of glutamic acid and arginine suggests an alteration of the synthesis of alpha-guanino butyric acid. We have also found an increase in the levels of valine, methionine, glycine, tyrosine which suggests the presence of an enzymatic alteration in the collateral reactions that biochemically feed into the Krebs cycle. The authors therefore conclude that the basis of this disease may be found in a metabolic defect biochemical synthesis.

[Identification of drugs in toxic doses in biological fluids using infrared Spectrophotometry]. / Riconoscimento di farmaci in dose tossica nei liquidi biologici mediante spettrofotometria I.R.

A method permitting rapid analysis of biological samples from patients suspected of being intoxicated is reported. The method is based on: a) extraction of the active principles of biological samples with chloroform; b) drying and preparation of a disc of KBr; c) spectrophotometric analysis; d) integration of data from laboratory analyses with the clinical data from the patient. A number of clinical cases are also reported in which adoption of the method permitted rapid diagnosis of the possible aetiology of the toxic pictures observed.

[Cerebral amino acid metabolism in acute barbiturate poisoning]. / Metabolismo aminoacidico cerebrale nell'intossicazione acuta da barbiturici.

An experimental study on the protein and aminoacid cerebral metabolism in Barbiturate poisoning coma has been carried out. Some significant alterations in central aminoacid pattern have been found. These changes suggested Hypothesis on particular biochemical pathways of brain tissue related to the pathological status. An attempt of correlation between the aminoacid alterations and cerebral energetic need is also reported.