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Biomedical subjects

L D'Angelo

Publications and source records attributed to L D'Angelo.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Hyoscine-resistant peristalsis in guinea-pig ileum.

The effect of hyoscine on the peristaltic activity of the proximal and distal ileum of the guinea-pig was studied. Hyoscine strongly impaired peristalsis as indicated by the elevation of the threshold pressure and by the increased number of incomplete peristalses and blockades. Functional activity of the circular musculature was more markedly impaired. However, particularly in the distal ileum, complete peristalses occurred even after 70 min exposure to hyoscine at a concentration of 10(-6) g/ml. A tenfold increase in hyoscine concentration failed to produce further impairment of peristaltic activity and of the oral reflex contraction. The activity which remained in the presence of hyoscine was blocked by methysergide and by d-tubocurarine. The hypothesis is advanced that once the muscarinic receptors have been blocked, increased radial stretch of the circular coat results in activation of a separate, tetrodotoxin sensitive, excitatory nervous pathway, which is sufficient to maintain a discrete degree of peristaltic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effects of oxolinic acid on the sleep-wakefulness cycle of the rat.

1 A study was carried out in rats (prepared for chronic sleep recording) of the effects of oxolinic acid on the sleep-wakefulness cycle.2 In addition, the actions of oxolinic acid on the sleep-wake cycle were assessed after pretreatment with drugs interfering with central catecholamine mechanisms or facilitating central gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity.3 Oxolinic acid (8-32 mg/kg) induced a significant and dose-related increase of waking EEG, while slow wave and REM sleep were decreased.4 The effects of oxolinic acid on waking, slow wave and REM sleep were antagonized by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (50-100 mg/kg) which interferes with the synthesis of catecholamines.5 FLA-63 (25 mg/kg) which is a specific inhibitor of noradrenaline synthesis, was effective in blocking oxolinic acid-related increase of waking and decrease of slow wave sleep.6 Haloperidol (0.4-0.6 mg/kg) which blocks central dopamine and noradrenaline receptors, reversed oxolinic acid-induced actions on waking and slow wave sleep. Spiroperidol (2-4 mg/kg) which interferes with dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine mechanisms, only antagonized the effect of oxolinic acid on light slow wave sleep. REM sleep was further decreased by both neuroleptic agents.7 gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (25-50 mg/kg), which acts as a GABA agonist and amino-oxyacetic acid (20 mg/kg), which considerably increases central GABA levels, were ineffective in blocking oxolinic acid-related disruption of the sleep-wake cycle.8 Our results suggest that the catecholamines are involved in the arousing effect of oxolinic acid.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

The effects of the combined administration of gamma-hydroxybutyrate and diazepam on sleep parameters in the rat.

The actions of diazepam and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) were assessed on the sleep-wakefulness cycle of male Wistar rats. One and 2 mg/kg diazepam and 12.5 mg/kg GHB had no effects on the sleep variables. After 25 mg/kg GHB, slow wave sleep (SWS2) was significantly increased. Following the combined administration of non-effective doses of GHB and diazepam, significantly higher amounts of SWS2 at the expense of wakefulness were obtained. The injection of a subconvulsant dose of bicuculline (2.5 mg/kg) prior to treatments which significantly increased SWS2 prevented this effect to show up. It is suggested that the actions of GHB and diazepam on the sleep-awake cycle are related to the same neurotransmitter system.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Mitochondrial enzymatic adaptation of skeletal muscle to endurance training.

Some mitochondrial enzymatic activities (succinate dehydrogenase, NADH cytochrome reductase, cytochrome oxidase) were studied in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscle of the rat. The modifications of the enzyme activity, induced by endurance training, were found to be functions of 1) daily work load and 2) total training time. The treatment with an effective dose of vasodilating substances (papaverine, nicergoline, dipyridamole, and bamethan) showed that 1) nicergoline, bamethan, and dipyridamole were differently able to shorten the time of appearance of the increase in the enzymatic activities; 2) however, long-term treatments with these drugs did not prove able to modify the plateau level of the enzymatic activity increase, for a given amount of endurance training; 3) the pharmacodynamic effect on enzymatic activities was in no way related to the vasodilating effect of these drugs, since the effect was not observed with papaverine. The transition from a given level of endurance training to a lower one led to a proportional decrease of the mitochondrial enzymatic activities, thus pointing out the relation between amount of training and enzymatic activity. The drugs studied were unable to modify the decrease of enzymatic activity induced by lower work load.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on the effect of a standardized ginseng extract on psychomotor performance in healthy volunteers.

Various tests of psychomotor performance were carried out in a group of 16 healthy male volunteers given a standardized preparation of Korean ginseng (G 115; 100 mg twice a day for 12 weeks) and in a similar group given identical placebo capsules under double-blind conditions. A favourable effect of G 115 relative to baseline performance was observed in attention (cancellation test), processing (mental arithmetic, logical deduction), integrated sensory-motor function (choice reaction time) and auditory reaction time. However, end performance of the G 115 group was superior statistically to the placebo group only in mental arithmetic. No difference between G 115 and placebo was found in tests of pure motor function (tapping test), recognition (digit symbol substitution) and visual reaction time. No adverse effects were reported. It is concluded that G 115 may be superior to placebo in improving certain psychomotor functions in healthy subjects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Reliability and validity of the Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment.

This article assesses the reliability and validity of the Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA), a measure of cocaine abstinence signs and symptoms. Interrater reliability and scale internal consistency were high. Initial CSSA scores were significantly higher in cocaine-dependent subjects than in alcohol-dependent subjects. Initial CSSA scores were highly correlated with recent cocaine use and with severity measures from the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) including the interviewer severity rating and composite score in the drug section. Among cocaine-dependent subjects, initial CSSA scores were higher for those who failed to achieve abstinence or who subsequently dropped out of treatment. Further, CSSA scores showed consistent and marked declines over time for subjects who continued in treatment and remained abstinent. The CSSA appears to be a reliable and valid measure of cocaine abstinence symptoms and a useful predictor of negative outcomes in cocaine dependence treatment.

Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Activation of the complement system during immunotherapy of cancer with interleukin-2: a possible explanation of the capillary leak syndrome.

The capillary leak syndrome, responsible for fluid loss into the interstitial space, represents one of the major cardiovascular toxicities of IL-2 during the immunotherapy of cancer. The mechanisms involved in the increased vascular permeability have still to be better understood. The present study was carried out to investigate the role of the complement system in mediating the IL-2 vascular toxicity. The study was performed in metastatic renal cancer patients, treated with IL-2 through a 24-hour i.v. infusion at a daily dose of 3 x 10(6) U/m2 for 5 consecutive days, corresponding to one IL-2 course. Six IL-2 courses were evaluated. C3 and C4 were measured daily during IL-2 infusion, and 2 and 5 days after its interruption. IL-2 administration induced a significant decrease in both C3 and C4 mean levels, which became within the normal range 5 days after the end of IL-2 infusion. These results show that IL-2 administration may directly activate the complement system through the classical pathway, which might play a role in determining the increased vascular permeability.

Capillary Permeability↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nurse practitioners--co-providers of health care.

What single program can a group practice institute to increase patient satisfaction, contain costs, improve provider accessibility, expand patient education and other services, increase market share, and most importantly, improve the overall quality of patient care? Expanding the role of nurses as co-providers of care can do all this and more for your group. The experience over the past eight years of a large multispecialty group in central Illinois offers many lessons in the successful integration of a nurse practitioner/clinician program into a group practice. Discussed in this thorough report are the scope of practice, benefits to patients and the organization, and identification of issues needing further resolution: legality, third-party reimbursement, income, distribution, and control of practice.

Consumer Behavior↗