A study of the presence of B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma (previously Ehrlichia) phagocytophilum, Rickettsia, and Babesia in Ixodes ricinus collected within the territory of Belluno, Italy.

In the years 2000 and 2001, we sampled ticks in order to establish the distribution of Ixodes ricinus in the province of Belluno; 5987 tick samples from 244 sites throughout the province were gathered, by dragging for a 5-min period. In 40 sites, seasonal variations and cycle stages of the parasites were studied at monthly intervals from March to September. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was used to identify the tick-infected sites. Of 1931 individual ticks, 8.23% were positive for Borrelia burgdorferi, 4.4% were positive for Ehrlichia, 1.6% were positive for Rickettsia, and 1.6% were positive for Babesia. The co-presence of Borrelia and Ehrlichia (1.2%) and Babesia (0.5%), Borrelia, Ehrlichia and Rickettsia (0.1%) was also found.

[Evaluation of blood flow using a reservoir flowmeter of several types of arteriovenous fistulas in chronic hemodialysis treatment]. / Valutazione del flusso ematico di alcuni tipi di fistole artero venose per il trattamento emodialitico cronico mediante "flussi metria a pozzetto".

Blood flow of nine end to end and eight side to side arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) at distal forearm for maintenance hemodialysis, was measured by blood flowmeter inserted in the arterial line between the pump and the dialyzer. The mean flow of the end to end and the side to side fistulas was 386.6 +/- 69.6 ml/min and 345 +/- 45 ml/min (p 0.01) respectively. Since, in addition, the end to end flow seems to be better than the side to side flow as regards local and general effects, we advocate the use of end to end fistulas.

[Behavior of plasma insulin and GIP in obese patients subjected to biliopancreatic bypass]. / Comportamento dell'insulina e del gip plasmatici in soggeti obesi sottoposti a bypass biliopancretico.

Biliopancreatic bypass for obesity entails a 2/3 distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction, being the small bowel transected at its midpoint and the enteroenteroanastomosis placed 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Insulin and GIP fasting and meal-stimulated plasma concentrations were determined in 13 nonobese healthy volunteers, in 13 nonoperated obese patients, in 11 subjects within two months, in 12 subjects four to twelve months, and in 7 subjects fifteen to twenty months after operation. Insulin in the obese patients was significantly higher than in the control group. Postoperatively these patients showed a sharp reduction in basal and postprandial values. Plasma insulin levels, both basally and following the test meal, were very similar in the 15-20 month and the control group. Plasma GIP fasting level, meal-stimulated peak and integrated response in the obese group were higher than in control group. Due to the extreme variability among subjects in the obese group, the difference was significant only for the mean peak response. All values were greatly reduced after surgery. The mean fasting level in the 15-20 month group was very similar to that in the control group, and both peak and integrated responses were significantly lower than in the preoperative and control groups.

[Behavior of plasma enteroglucagon and neurotensin in obese patients subjected to biliopancreatic bypass]. / Comportamento dell'enteroglucagone e della neurotensina plasmatici in soggetti obesi sottoposti a bypass biliopancreatico.

Biliopancreatic bypass for obesity entails a 2/3 distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction, being the small bowel transected at its midpoint and the enteroenteroanastomosis place 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Neurotensin and enteroglucagon fasting and meal-stimulated plasma concentrations were determined in 13 nonobese healthy volunteers, in 13 nonoperated obese patients, in 11 subjects within two months, in 12 subjects four to twelve months and in 7 subjects fifteen to twenty months after operation. Basal plasma enteroglucagon was significantly higher in the obese group than in the controls. However, there was no difference in the peak response, and a decrease, though not statistically significant, was seen in the integrated response. All three values were strikingly augmented in the 0-2 month group, with a highly significant difference from the preoperative group. The 4-12 and 15-20 month groups, in comparison with the 0-2 month group, showed no changes in fasting levels, a clear-cut decreased peak response and a sharp progressive reduction in integrated response, mean value in the 15-20 month group being significantly lower than that of 0-2 month group. Neurotensin basal and meal-stimulated peak plasma concentrations in the obese group were significantly higher than in the control group, whilst the integrated response was almost identical in the two groups. In postoperative groups no substantial changes in fasting levels and an increase in the peak response were observed, with a considerable progressive rise in the integrated response.

[Behavior of plasma pancreatic polypeptides and motilin in obese patients subjected to biliopancreatic bypass]. / Comportamento del polipeptide pancreatico e della motilina plasmatici in soggetti obesi sottoposti a bypass biliopancreatico.

Biliopancreatic bypass for obesity entails a 2/3 distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-y reconstruction, being the small bowel transected at its midpoint and the enteroenteroanastomosis placed 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal value. Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and motilin fasting and meal-stimulated plasma concentrations were determined in 13 nonobese healthy volunteers, in 13 nonoperated obese patients, in 9 subjects within two months, in 12 subjects four to twelve months, and in 7 subjects fifteen to twenty months after operation. There were no significant differences in PP fasting levels between either the obese and control groups or between the postoperative groups and the preoperative group. Both meal-stimulated peak and integrated response values were similar in the obese and control groups, and were strikingly and progressively reduced postoperatively, with statistically significant difference between all postoperative groups and preoperative group. Mean plasma motilin fasting and peak values were higher in the obese group than in the control group, and significantly reduced in the 4-12 and 15-20 month group. Despite the huge variability among data, the integrated response in the 0-2 month group was significantly decreased in comparison with the preoperative group, while a subsequent progressive increase was shown by the 4-12 and 15-20 month groups.

[Behavior of plasma gastrin in obese subjects subjected to biliopancreatic bypass]. / Comportamento della gastrina plasmatica in soggetti obesi sottoposti a bypass biliopancreatico.

Biliopancreatic bypass for obesity entails a 2/3 distal gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction, small bowel being transected at its midpoint and the enteroenterostomy placed 50 cm proximal to the ileocecal valve. Plasma fasting and meal-stimulated gastrin concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in 13 nonobese healthy volunteers, 13 pre-surgery obese patients, 11 patients within two months, 12 patients between four and twelve months and 7 patients between fifteen and twenty months after operation. There were no significant differences in fasting and meal-stimulated peak plasma gastrin levels between obese group and the control group and between any of the postoperative groups and the preoperative group. The 15-20 month post-surgery group mean fasting value was lower than in the other groups, whilst the mean peak value was unchanged. Integrated gastrin response was significantly higher in this group than in the preoperative group.