Extracellular matrix characterization in plaques from carotid endarterectomy by a proteomics approach.

Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a fundamental component of multicellular organisms. Alteration of its structure and/or molecular composition are associated with several pathologies, among the others with atherosclerosis. To determine how the overall ECM architecture of a tissue as complex as the atheroma may change under varying pathological conditions constitutes a great technical challenge. This entails removing cell components and solubilisation of fibrillar proteins in order to allow enzymatic digestion and mass spectrometry analyses. This work aimed at testing and assessing an easy to use, standardized and reproducible proteomics protocol to map ECM proteins in carotid plaque specimens. To this end, plaques from endarterectomies were incubated in different buffers and the resulting solutions and tissue homogenates after incubation were processed for mass spectrometry. Comparison of the different workflows showed that 4M Guanidine treatment (following 0.5M NaCl and 0.08% SDS incubations) is the most promising in terms of ECM enrichment. The protocol can also be used to identify different and complementary classes of proteins both in plaque extracts and homogenates.

Increased renal echogenicity in the neonate.

We report data on newborn infants with increased renal echogenicity observed at the Division of Neonatal Intensive Care of Pavia during a five-year period. Review of 1600 abdominal ultrasonic evaluations revealed 103 newborn infants (56 females and 47 males, with birth weight from 560 to 3700 g and gestational age from 25 to 42 weeks) whose kidneys showed increased echogenicity. Three patients with infantile polycystic kidney disease, two with renal candidiasis, three with dysplastic kidney and two with renal vein thrombosis showed diffuse hyperechogenicity. Three patients with hemolytic-uremic syndrome showed cortical hyperechogenicity. Increased medullary echogenicity was observed in 90 infants with renal disease secondary to perinatal asphyxia. In 76 of these patients the evaluation of renal echogenicity and the renal function improved, while in the remaining 14 newborns the renal alteration persisted until death.

[Technics of general anesthesia in pediatric age. A clinico-statistical study]. / Tecniche di anestesia generale in età pediatrica. Indagine clinico-statistica.

A personal series is reported in regard to the clinical and instrumental assessment and possible anaesthetic treatment of the anaesthesia candidate.

[Total parenteral nutrition in resuscitation. A study of 31 cases]. / Nutrizione parenterale totale in rianimazione. Studio di 31 casi.

The authors analyse the results obtained above study of 31 patients managed with total parenteral nutrition for a period variant from 3 to 18 days. From these dates result importance of caloric and nitrogen administration both qualitatively and quantitatively. The authors analyse the nutritional requirements in the seriously patients, particularly with renal insufficiency.

[Chemical rhizotomy using phenol in the treatment of perineal pain of neoplastic origin]. / Rizotomia chimica con fenolo nel trattamento delle algie perineali di origine neoplastica.

The Authors report the results obtained in 53 patients treated with intrathecal injections of 5% phenol in glycerin for the control of serve pain caused by rectal and genital cancer. The method used for determining the sensory roots to be blocked and the technique of drug administration are described. The effects of subarachnoid phenol blockade have been evaluated on the basis of pain relief (measured by the visual analogue test) and improved general well being. The observed results indicate that this is one of the most effective and safest procedures in the management of perineal cancer cancer pain.

[Clinical experience with etomidate]. / Esperienza clinica con l'etomidate.

The effects of Etomidate, a new intravenous anaesthetic agent, were studied in 138 cases which underwent different procedures of variable duration under general anaesthesia. The effects on different organs and systems of this drug, alone or in association with other anaesthetics or adjuvants, were analyzed in this series. Clinical signs, plethysmography and electroencephalography were the main parameters studied. It was shown that Etomidate has a rapid, transient action and a high therapeutic index without any cumulative effects. In conclusion this drug is recommended as an excellent induction agent which could also be advantageously employed for short surgical procedures.

[Althesin-induced EEG changes in patients with central nervous system lesions]. / Modificazioni EEG indotte dall'althesin nei pazienti con lesioni del sistema nervoso centrale.

The EEG changes produced by Althesin (75 microliter/kg intravenously administered over 60 sec) were evaluated in 18 unpremedicated patients wih CNS diseases who were scheduled for cerebral angiography. Three parameters were analyzed: the EEG patterns of anaesthesia, the appearance of a fast activity during stabilized burst suppression (Level V), and enhancement of the registered epileptiform abnormalities. The EEG depth of anaesthesia was correlated with the EEG pattern at rest and the preexisting neurological signs. The 15 Hz fast activity which occurred during the suppression phase of Level V was recorded unilaterally over the healthy hemisphere, while it was observed bilaterally in a case involving lesion of the midline structures. The exaltation of the epileptiform EEG discharges following Althesin administration suggests that this agent might be utilized as a convenient provocative test in the diagnosis of epilepsy.

[Possible activating effect of subnarcotic doses of some anaesthetic drugs in clinical electroencephalography (author's transl)]. / Considerazioni sulle possibilità attivanti di dosi subnarcotiche di alcuni anestetici in electroencefalografia clinica.

The use of subnarcotic doses of anaesthetic agents has been proposed, in the last few years, as a practical method for enhancing EEG activities in epileptic patients. Barbiturates such as Evipan or Brietal were used in the present study. Both electrographic and clinical effects occurred not only with the intravenous administration fo Brietal and Evipan but also with Althesin (a new non-barbiturate drug), in two groups of suspected and confirmed epileptics having either a normal or specific EEG pattern. These results were then compared with a normal control group. In a high percentage of instances all these drugs were found to induce either focal or generalized increase of epileptiform activities, as well as the appearance of latent epileptic abnormalities. The AA. stress the advantages these new techniques as ascreening method in suspected epilepsy.