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Biomedical subjects

M Bianchi

Publications and source records attributed to M Bianchi.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Protocols and procedures].

Evidence-based nursing increases behavior uniformity during everyday activities and in critical or complex situations. A recorded and programmed activity, the foreseeing of resources, the checking of application modalities and outcome evolution, and warning of complications, are the basis for a good pre-ordered flow chart. Nurses themselves build valuable protocols for every care procedure. This study describes central venous catheter (CVC) care as an example of a useful procedure.

Catheterization, Central Venous↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Removal of Cryptosporidium and Giardia in drinking water treatment in a Tuscan area].

Five drinking water treatment plants in the Tuscan area, differing in relation to the treatments employed, were monitored for the presence of Cryptosporidium and Giardia (oo)cysts in order to estimate their removal capacity of each works. Twenty-eight water samples (16 from inflow raw water and 12 from outflow drinking water) were analysed during the one-year survey. The US EPA 1623 method was used, obtaining, according to the PHLS quality control system, a recovery rate of 51.3 +/- 22.9% for Cryptosporidium oocysts and 48.8 +/- 20.7% for Giardia cysts. The results showed that both the protozoa were present in surface raw waters: Cryptosporidium in 62.5% and Giardia in 87.5% of the samples. Considering the outflow drinking waters, the removal capacity varied from 100% in the technologically more complex plant (which supplies most of the area), to at least 90% in the remaining four plants, where less complex treatments are carried out. The occurrence of (oo)cysts was not associated with seasonality, turbidity or Clostridium perfringens (Cl. perfringens seems to be related with Cryptosporidium oocysts in surface raw waters; in this respect, our legislation states that the protozoa have to be searched for whenever a water sample is positive for Cl. perfringens). We confirmed the validity of the US-EPA 1623 method in assessing and managing the risk associated with waterborne protozoa, thus a valid tool to safeguard the population from exposure to such pathogens.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The surgical therapy of normally functioning multinodular goiter: our experience].

Surgical treatment of multinodular goiter is still now discussed: total versus subtotal thyroidectomy. Advantages of partial thyroidectomy are the low incidence of laryngeal nerve injury and the low risk of hypoparathyroidism. Disadvantages are the increased recurrent disease, the risk of carcinoma, the elevated possibility of laryngeal nerve lesions and permanent hypoparathyroidism after reoperations. Own experience regarding 401 thyroid operations is reported; 60 patients were operated for multinodular goiter; 48 subtotal and 12 total thyroidectomy were performed. Among those 1 (1.65%) inferior laryngeal lesion and 1 (1.65%) permanent hypoparathyroidism occurred. Anatomic knowledge and correct surgical procedure give a reduction in the mobility of total thyroidectomy which in selective case can be considered the treatment of choice.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Antibiotic prevention with aztreonam in urologic surgery in children].

In a group of 51 children aged 3 days-17 years old, 40 were given operative 8 endoscopic and 3 percutaneous surgery, while all received antibiotic prophylaxis with Aztreonam (Squibb Azactam) for the prevention of surgical infections. Preoperative uroculture revealed sterile urine in all 51 but 49 needed excretory catheters at various levels: urethral, pyelic. Drug treatment was started preoperatively at the time of narcosis and continued until catheter removal. Aztreonam was chosen for its anti-Gram negative action and absence of toxicity as reported in the literature. Urine cultures at the end of treatment and 7 days later revealed sterile urine in 49 (96%) of the children, while 2 presented asymptomatic infection by Gram positive bacteria. No significant side effects definitely attributable to the drug were encountered.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Endogenous opioids and their receptors in stress-induced analgesia.

Stress can induce a naloxone reversible and a naloxone non reversible analgesia according to its parameters. We showed that naloxone non reversible analgesia can be reversed by antagonists of the kappa opiate receptor and that naloxone reversible analgesia can be related to mu receptors and beta-endorphin, while the kappa receptor mediated analgesia can be related to dynorphin. We have also shown that the characteristics of the receptors might change in consequence to stress and that the analgesic responses might be modulated by benzodiazepine agonists and antagonists.

Analgesia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dissociation of the effects of acute chlomipramine on morphine analgesia and plasma concentrations.

Morphine-induced analgesia and plasma concentrations were evaluated in rats after the administration of the opiate alone or together with chlomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant drug. As expected, chlomipramine increased antinociceptive thresholds, but also increased morphine-induced analgesia in a dose-related fashion. Plasma concentrations of free morphine were higher in rats that had been administered chlomipramine, but the increase in plasma concentrations was not related to the increase in analgesic thresholds. In conclusion, the data reported indicate that chlomipramine increases the analgesic effect of morphine, but this is not related to plasma concentrations of the opiate.

Analgesics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

ELISA determined IgM, IgG and IgA rheumatoid factors in rheumatoid arthritis and in other connective tissue diseases.

We used an adaptation of an enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA) to determine serum levels of IgM, IgG and IgA rheumatoid factors (RF) in 50 patients with classic or definite rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to the ARA criteria, balanced for positive or negative-routine Latex-RF reaction. A control group of 50 young normal subjects and a reference group of 44 patients with other connective tissue diseases (OCTD) were also studied. We confirmed the high sensibility of the method, together with its good specificity and reproducibility. For the IgM RF a very significant correlation was found between ELISA results and Latex-RF titration (p less than 0.001). Many Latex-RF negative RA patients had high ELISA levels of IgM RF, suggesting that this assay reveals, at least in part, hidden or non-agglutinating IgM RF. Among the OCTD group only some SLE cases, mainly Latex-RF positive, had enhanced IgM RF on ELISA. Considered quantitatively, IgG RF did not play a significant diagnostic role for RA (p greater than 0.05), because they were also found, with widely dispersed values, in normal subjects, and because the mean increase in RA patients was relatively small. Interestingly, IgA RF were above the normal range in many RA patients, both Latex-RF positive or negative. The mean values differed significantly from those of controls (p less than 0.005), and a correlation was observed between IgA RF levels and IgA containing immune-complexes. Normal IgA RF values were observed in SLE patients, even if Latex-RF positive, suggesting that their increase in RA patients is not the mere expression of a polyclonal B cell activation.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗