[Newborn infants of drug-addicted mothers].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L Fogli.
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The Authors report the results of IgM and IgA assays in blood of the umbilical cord of 1694 newborns during the period from October 1973 to July 1974 after a rubella epidemic occurred in Piedmont. 11.67% of the newborns showed a IgM value higher than 20 mg/100 ml; 0.88% gave values higher than 40 mg/100 ml. For 3.49% IgA values were higher than 3 mg/100 ml; in 0.89% cases it was higher than 6 mg/100 ml. These newborns with high levels of IgM and IgA have been observed: the Authors conclude that there is no correlation between high levels of IgM and IgA and prenatal infection.
During the outbreak of rubella in Turin in 1973, 110 newborns, whose mother's pregnancy clash with the epidemic, were studied for the elimination of rubella virus. 708 samples were in total examined, through inoculation in primary cultures of African green monkey kidney (and study of the possible interference with ECHO-virus type 11), and partially in RK 13 and SIRC continuous cell lines. No strain of rubella virus was isolated, and the Authors conclude that the virus involved was particularly benign from a teratogenetic point of view.
Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the development of encephalopathy within eight weeks from the onset of the first symptoms, in the absence of previous hepatic disease. It is an uncommon but not rare disease, often fatal but potentially reversible. This article looks at the diverse aetiologies, clinical features, and current medical management, including orthotopic liver transplantation, and auxiliary orthotopic or eterotopic liver transplantation, that are the most recently adopted surgical procedures. Clinical experience with bio-artificial liver support systems of two of the most active research Groups in this field, concludes the paper.
Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a complex clinical syndrome, with an invariably high mortality rate, that follows many possible and different infectious, pharmacologic and surgical liver injuries. The appearance of the syndrome is similar whatever the etiology, but the mechanisms which lead to the development of FHF are greatly varied. In order to understand the possible pathways which drive to FHF, experimental animal models have been used for a long time. Six requirements should be fulfilled by any FHF animal model: 1) reversibility; 2) reproducibility; 3) death from liver failure; 4) the presence of a therapeutic window; 5) the need of large laboratory animal; 6) minimal hazard to personnel involved in the study. In the present paper a number of models are reported and described, and advantages and disadvantages are discussed. It is concluded that with respect to the aforementioned criteria, no available experimental model is yet as satisfactory as expected.
Hepatocyte based artificial liver support systems are under investigation to support acute liver failure patients. The main purpose of such systems is to serve as a bridge to liver transplantation, or to promote spontaneous liver recovery. Limitation in mass-transfer capacity makes hollow-fiber bioreactors unsuited for long-term functioning of hybrid devices. We developed a novel radial-flow bioreactor in which the fluid perfuses the module from the center to the periphery, after having diffused through a space occupied by a three-dimensional structure filled with the hepatocytes. Five grams of freshly isolated porcine hepatocytes were seeded into uncoated, woven-non woven, hydrophilic polyester fabric, overlaid by two polyethersulfone membranes. Liver cells were perfused with 37 degrees C-warm, oxygenated, serum-free tissue culture medium, in which NH4Cl and Lidocaine were added at the final concentration of 1 mM and 60 micrograms/ml, respectively. Ammonium chloride removal, urea synthesis, monoethylglycinexylide (MEGX), pO2, pCO2, and pH were measured throughout the 14 day duration of the study. In a separate set of experiments, a scaled-up version of the radial flow bioreactor containing 150 grams of cells was perfused for 7 h with recirculating human plasma and MEGX production was monitored. During the 2 weeks of the study, an increasing production of urea was paralleled by constant ammonium removal. MEGX concentration after Lidocaine addition increased throughout the 14 days of perfusion with tissue culture medium, as well as after 7 hour perfusion with human plasma. Under transmission and scanning electron microscopy cells appeared attached to the polyester and one to each other, displaying ultrastructural features typical of functioning hepatocytes. Our study showed that liver cells were metabolically active when perfused into the radial-flow bioreactor. This configuration allowed close contact between media, or plasma, and cells at a physiological flow rate, by equalizing the concentration of the perfusing components, including O2, throughout the module. Our results suggest a potential use of this system for temporary extracorporeal liver support in acute hepatic failure patients.
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This paper describes the clinical course of a 76-year-old woman surgically treated in our department (General Surgery) for obstructive jaundice in Mirizzi syndrome (II). Ultrasonography and ERCP failed to demonstrate the pathological situation at the level of the biliary tree. When laparotomy was decided because of the progressive worsening of the general clinical conditions of the patient, intraoperative cholangiography showed the presence of a cholecystocholedochal fistula with multiple residual stones eroded into the common bile duct. Surgical management consisted of partial cholecystectomy, removal of the stones, choledochoplasty and exploration of the distal part of the common bile duct by a transduodenal sphincteroplasty. The post-operative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged from our department nine days after surgery. Even though the surgical approach to Mirizzi syndrome generally includes procedures other than papillosphincteroplasty+partial cholecystectomy, our experience seems to substantiate the efficacy of the previously mentioned treatment under suitable conditions.