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Biomedical subjects

G Serra

Publications and source records attributed to G Serra.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Motor neuron disease in the province of Ferrara, Italy, in 1964-1982.

We carried out an intensive incidence, prevalence, and mortality survey of motor neuron disease (MND) in the province of Ferrara, northern Italy. Based on 72 patients, the mean incidence per year for the period 1964 through 1982 was 0.98 cases per 100,000. On December 31, 1981, the prevalence rate was 3.95 per 100,000. In the 19-year period the average mortality rate was 0.83 per 100,000 per year. The disease was more common in men, in individuals aged 50 to 70 years, and in residents in rural areas engaged in agricultural work. A retrospective case-control study, confirming a significantly higher frequency of MND in farmers and persons living in rural areas, revealed that the disease was more common in the lower social classes to which most unskilled and heavy laborers belong. In addition, a significantly increased risk for MND was found in patients with previous histories of trauma, but confounding variables may account for this association.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Antihypertensive and hemodynamic effects of slow-release nicardipine.

The antihypertensive efficacy, the hemodynamic effects and the tolerability of a new slow-release nicardipine (SR-Nic) formulation, capsules containing 40 mg of active drug, have been tested in a randomized, double-blind placebo (P)-controlled study. Thirty mild-to-moderate essential hypertensives were enrolled and after a one-week single-blind placebo run-in period randomly allocated to SR-Nic or P twice-day for six weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was measured after 1, 2, 4 and 6 weeks of treatment. Hemodynamic parameters were evaluated non-invasively by the impedance cardiography technique, using the Noninvasive Continuous Cardiac Output Monitor (NNCOM 3, BoMed Medical Manufacturing Ltd), after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment. All the determinations were made before the morning administration, i.e., 12-14 h after evening intake of SR-Nic or P. The blood pressure (p less than .01) and hemodynamic response (p less than .01 for the systemic vascular resistances) in the SR-Nic group significantly differed from those in the P group. At the end of the study, there were decreases in mean systolic/diastolic BP values of 17/12 in the sitting and of 18/12 mmHg in the standing position in the SR-Nic group; in the P group, the changes were +2/-2 in the sitting and +2/-1 mmHg in the standing position. Systemic vascular resistances were reduced by 17.3% in the SR-Nic and by 1.9% in the P group after 4 weeks of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1987

Yawning is elicited by D2 dopamine agonists but is blocked by the D1 antagonist, SCH 23390.

The subtype of dopamine (DA) receptors mediating the yawning response to DA agonists was determined in rats. Yawning was elicited both by the mixed D1-D2 agonist apomorphine and by the specific D2 agonist LY 171555, but not by the selective D1 agonist SKF 38393. Both apomorphine- and LY 171555-induced yawning were antagonized not only by the selective D2 antagonist sulpiride but, unexpectedly, also by the selective D1 antagonist SCH 23390. The results suggest that DA receptors mediating the yawning response are of the D2 type, and that these receptors are connected with D1 receptors in such a way that the blockade of the latter results in the functional inactivation of the former.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Hypophysectomy prevents ACTH-induced yawning and penile erection in rats.

The intracerebroventricular administration of ACTH1-24 (3-5 micrograms/rat) produced a behavioural syndrome characterized by recurrent episodes of penile erection and yawning in rats. Hypophysectomy prevented ACTH1-24-induced yawning and penile erection. These results suggest that pituitary has a "trophic" action not only on peripheral target organs but also on structures in brain controlling specific behavioural responses.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1986

Dopamine receptors mediating yawning: are they autoreceptors?

Yawning was induced in rats by the (+) enantiomer of 3PPP, while (-)-3PPP was inactive. Yawning was present 24, but not 1, 6 and 12 h after reserpine treatment. The (+)-3PPP-induced yawning was antagonized by haloperidol and sulpiride but not by domperidone. Reserpine-induced yawning was antagonized by sulpiride and by alpha-methyltyrosine suggesting that this behavior may be induced by endogenously released dopamine. Reserpine-pretreatment potentiated (+)-3PPP-induced yawning. The results argue against the view that yawning is the behavioural correlate of autoreceptor-mediated inhibition of DA transmission, and suggest that this behaviour is due to the stimulation of a special population of central postsynaptic DA receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Estrogens antagonize apomorphine-induced yawning in rats.

The administration of a small dose of apomorphine (50 micrograms/kg s.c.) induced repeated episodes of yawning in male rats. Short-term (3 days) treatment with 17 beta-estradiol antagonized apomorphine-induced yawning in male rats. Moreover, apomorphine induced yawning much less effectively in female than in male rats. These results suggest that both endogenous or exogenously administered estrogens induce subsensitivity of the DA receptors mediating yawning in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

[The effect of fatigue on the biopotential of muscle fiber cells].

Muscular fatigue is a biological situation which is very difficult to quantify. The Authors studied through a computer analysis the power spectrum of electromyogram, recorded from abductor digiti minimi muscle during maximal and minimal contraction effort before and after fatigue and after muscle prolonged relaxation in 8 normal subjects. No significant spectrum differences were found between maximal and minimal effort in each trial, and between the spectra obtained before fatigue and after muscle prolonged relaxation. On the contrary significant differences were found between the spectra obtained after fatigue and the other conditions. The power spectrum analysis appears, also, to be a reliable neurophysiological parameter for the study of biological aspects of muscular fatigue.

Adult↗