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Biomedical subjects

L Sacchi

Publications and source records attributed to L Sacchi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

[Furuncular myiasis caused by Cordylobia anthropophaga: description of a case from Tanzania].

We report a case of a tourist, coming back from Tanzania, who presented with a foruncle on the left thigh diagnosed as a bacterial infection, which eventually turned out to be a myiasis foruncle. The patient said he had sat on the ground in short trousers. The lesion was covered with petroleum jelly and the larva was observed migrating from the lesion and subsequently extracted with forceps. The morphology of larval spiracles allowed to characterize the species as Cordylobia anthropophaga. Behaviour of the most common myiasis-producing flies, their life cycle and the way of infection are briefly described. Foruncular myiasis is a typical example of a tropical disease that can be misdiagnosed by clinicians in Western Countries where this pathology is uncommon.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Isolation and identification of Encephalitozoon hellem from an Italian AIDS patient with disseminated microsporidiosis.

Microsporidia are primitive mitochondria-lacking spore-forming eukaryotic protozoa that infect a wide variety of animals and also humans. Of the five genera (Encephalitozoon, Enterocytozoon, Septata, Nosema and Pleistophora) that cause infections in humans, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Septata intestinalis, and Encephalitozoon hellem are being increasingly identified in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). E. bieneusi causes gastrointestinal disease, S. intestinalis causes gastrointestinal and disseminated disease, and E. hellem causes ocular as well as disseminated disease. We have established in continuous culture a strain of microsporidia isolated from the urine and throat washings of an Italian AIDS patient and identified it as Encephalitozoon hellem, based on its ultrastructural morphology, antigenic pattern, and polymerase chain reaction-amplified small subunit ribosomal RNA. We believe that this is the first time that a strain of microsporidia has been isolated from the throat washings of a patient with microsporidiosis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1992

[Continuous monitoring of O2 saturation in cerebral blood. A guide for the nursing of brain trauma patients in coma].

Manual ventilation is frequently performed by nurses to control increases in intracranial pressure (ICP) or during physiotherapy in head injured comatose patients. The effects of manual ventilation (n = 251) on ICP, cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and EEG have been studied in 18 mechanically ventilated patients. A fall in ICP was easily obtained but a fall in arterial blood pressure was often present at the same time. Thus a reduction in CPP resulted in 36% of occasions. Prophylactic boluses of thiopental (n = 67) before noxious stimuli obtained a fall in ICP in 99% of occasions but resulted in a decrease in CPP in 46%. The fall in ICP, due to the decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) by hypocapnia or metabolic depression and/or arterial hypotension, may be beneficial in hyperaemic brains but may precipitate cerebral hypoxia in ischaemic lesions. Relevant information about cortical metabolism (CMR) may be obtained from EEG monitoring by Cerebral Function Monitor but, unfortunately, no data about CBF are clinically available. The Authors suggest that the continuous monitoring of jugular bulb oxygen saturation (SjO2) may offer a clinically useful index of CBF adequacy to CMR. Findings from a preliminary study in 5 patients demonstrate that a severe decrease in SjO2 has been frequently caused by manual ventilation, hypothetically related to severe cerebral ischemia. High levels of SjO2 have been induced by endotracheal suction and physiotherapy, probably related to severe hyperemia. As prevention of ischaemic and hyperaemic insults is a major goal of treatment, the A. suggest that these undesirable effects of nursing might be avoided if nurses could take advantage of continuous monitoring of SjO2.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Effects of thiopentone and mannitol on cerebral perfusion pressure and E.E.G. in head injured patients with intracranial hypertension.

The effects on intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and EEG monitored by Cerebral Function Monitor (CFM) were compared after bolus administration of mannitol (n = 55) and thiopentone (n = 67) to control intracranial hypertension in 18 severely head injured patients. Mannitol increased CPP in 89% of occasions and thiopentone in only 54% (p < 0.001). Thiopentone caused a mean increase in CPP +0.6 kPa (+5.0 +/- 1.6 mmHg) when the minimum pre-bolus voltage of CFM was above 4 microV and a fall in CPP -0.5 kPa (-4.1 +/- 1.6 mmHg) when cortical electrical activity was already severely depressed (p < 0.0002). When pre-bolus CFM was below 4 microV mannitol was superior to thiopentone. This different effect on CPP was due to a significantly greater fall in mean arterial pressure in the thiopentone sub-group -1.6 versus -0.3 kPa (-12.4 +/- 1.5 mmHg, -2.8 +/- 1.2 mmHg; p < 0.001). Severe and unpredictable hypotension occurred, particularly in the thiopentone low CFM sub-group. This symptomatic therapy seems inadequate but a targeted treatment of intracranial hypertension could be possible only with a more sophisticated monitoring, including continuous data on cerebral blood flow and adequacy to metabolic demand.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Histochemical demonstration of oxidoreductase activities in the fat body and symbionts of Blattella germanica (Blattodea) following chlortetracycline-treatment.

The metabolic apport of prokaryotic symbionts in the fat body of Blattella germanica was investigated by histoenzymatic methods, using chlortetracycline-treated and normal strains. In the experimental insects, bacteriocytes showed a decreased oxidoreductase activity, whereas the staining intensity of the other cell types was generally unchanged. Electron microscopic observations showed that some bacteria were still present in the bacteriocytes of the treated insects, but exhibited degeneration patterns to a different extent; therefore, they are not likely to carry on any enzymatic activity. Hence, chlortetracycline, an antibiotic that blocks the transovaric transmission of the symbionts, is active also on the endocellular symbionts of the fat body.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1984

Occurrence of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus (Apicomplexa, Haemosporina) in Falconiformes and Strigiformes of Italy.

Blood smears from Falconiformes (91 birds of 10 species) and Strigiformes (23 birds of 5 species) captured in Italy, were examined for haematozoa. Leucocytozoon were found in Falco tinnuculus, Buteo buteo, Circus cyaneus, Circus pygargus, Accipiter nisus from Falconiformes and in Strix aluco, from Strigiformes. Haemoproteus were found in Falco tinnuculus and Strix aluco; this latter species harbored mixed infections Leucocytozoon-Haemoproteus. Prevalences were 20.80% in Falconiformes and 21.74% in Strigiformes.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Multiple forms with glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in Musca domestica L. as revealed by electrophoresis on cellulose acetate gel.

Single newly emerged males of Musca domestica, WHO strain, usually show five electrophoretic bands of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity. Of these five molecular forms, designated with Roman numerals in order from the origin, we have considered the first three: these have been characterized with respect to their substrate and coenzyme specificity and to their sensitivity to some sulfhydryl inhibitors. The data show band III to be G6P specific, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dependent and to be a type I enzyme according to Kamada and Hori's classification. Bands I and II, on the other hand, show wide substrate specificity and low sensitivity to the sulfhydryl inhibitors assayed. In addition, in the absence of an exogenous substrate and in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a coenzyme, fairly weak bands, which can be ascribed to the so called "nothing dehydrogenase" effect, are seen in the position I and II. Nevertheless, the data reported do not allow a clear definition of the enzymatic type corresponding to bands I and II of G6PD activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

The in vitro conversion of a specific molecular form of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase from Musca domestica L.

A nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate dependent glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), belonging to type I of Kamada and Hori's classification, is present on the zymograms of newly emerged males of Musca domestica. It is capable of undergoing tryptic degradation and being thus transformed into a different active enzymatic form, with some of its catalytic properties unchanged, but with different electrophoretic mobility. We show in this paper that this specific G6PD form of gut origin in M. domestica is not a tissue-specific enzyme, but rather a product of hydrolytic degradation by gut proteinases which act during the process of homogenization. Besides, the G6PD of type I in the housefly is shown to be sensitive to the "storage effect" and to protection by mercaptoethanol, contrary to its hydrolytic gut form which is not sensitive to these processes. In this connection, we discuss the possible reasons for these differences in behavior.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Microsporidian spore wall: ultrastructural findings on Encephalitozoon hellem exospore.

A study of the spore wall of Encephalitozoon hellem was performed on thin sections, freeze-fracture, and deep-etched samples to obtain information on spore wall organization and composition. Our observations demonstrate that the spore wall is formed by an inner 30-35 nm electron-lucent endospore and an outer 25-30 nm electron-dense exospore. The exospore is a complex of three layers: an outer spiny layer, an electron-lucent intermediate lamina and an inner fibrous layer. Freeze-fracture and deep-etching techniques reveal that the intermediate lamina and the inner fibrous layer result from the different spatial disposition of the same 4-nm thick fibrils. In thin sections the endospore reveals a scattered electron-dense material that appears in the form of trabecular structures when analyzed in deep-etched samples. The presence of chitin in the exospore is discussed.

Animals↗