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Biomedical subjects

M Ferrari

Publications and source records attributed to M Ferrari.

At least 613 records · Page 34Linked to original sources

The efficacy of colostrum from cows vaccinated with rotavirus in protecting calves to experimentally induced rotavirus infection.

Calves which were continuously fed colostrum from vaccinated cows for the first ten days of life, were fully refractory to experimental infection with strain 81/36 F of bovine rotavirus. By contrast, the response to virus exposure of calves which were treated with normal colostrum was identical to that of the control calves, in that they underwent severe diarrhea and a significant slowing of the growth rate. The antibody titer in the milk of vaccinated cows tends to decline rapidly so that it no longer provides any protective effect. Two alternatives were considered feasible in improving prophylaxis for rotavirus infections: (a) the continuous feeding of calves with 1st day colostrum as part of the ration throughout the period of greatest risk (first week of life), or (b) enhancing the efficacy of the vaccine in pregnant cows to the point where antibody concentration in the milk would remain at a protective level.

Animals↗

A serologic survey of bovine rotavirus infection in Italy.

Serum neutralization tests conducted by microtiter procedure on 2970 serum samples from calves, heifers and adult cows from representative regions of Italy indicate that rotaviruses, and the infection which they cause, existed in Italy long before the virus was isolated. At the present time the infection is distributed fairly uniformly throughout the cattle population with both sexes and all age groups being equally susceptible.

Animals↗

Comparative study of rotavirus strains of bovine and rabbit origin.

Newborn calves were susceptible to infection with a rotavirus strain isolated from rabbits and, conversely, rabbits 4-5 weeks of age became ill and some died when inoculated with the rotavirus strain of bovine origin. However, the latter isolate appeared to be more virulent than the rabbit isolate in either calves or rabbits. Moreover, in reciprocal cross protection tests, carried out in calves and in rabbits, the rabbit rotavirus antiserum afforded only weak protection to challenge infection with either the homologous or the heterologous virus. By contrast, the protective level of the bovine rotavirus antiserum was relatively high.

Animals↗

Migraine, Tolosa-Hunt syndrome and pleocytosis. Correlation or coincidence?

A critical analysis is presented of the problem whether the migraine attack causes CSF-pleocytosis or vice versa, on the basis of a series of 3 cases, including one of Tolosa-Hunt syndrome due to sarcoidosis, the other two ultimately showing chronic leptomeningitis. The evidence leads to the conclusion that migraine does not cause pleocytosis and pleocytosis does not cause migraine: both are correlated by an underlying common denominator.

Adolescent↗

Chronic illness: psychosocial effects on siblings--I. Chronically ill boys.

Focusing on the adjustment of the siblings of three groups of male children: with pervasive developmental disability, diabetes and no known chronic illness, the present study failed to support the view that siblings of ill children are uniformly at greater risk for psychosocial impairment. However, several domains were identified in which siblings as well as parents of sick children were more susceptible to adjustment problems, though 'risk' seemed to relate more closely to illness-specific variables than the presence or absence of illness. Several sex differences were found suggesting that same-sexed siblings may be more vulnerable to maladjustment than opposite-sexed pairs. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for investigation and intervention for families with an ill member.

Child↗

Somnambulism in children with Tourette syndrome.

A total of 171 children, 57 with Tourette syndrome, 57 with learning disabilities and the rest with seizure disorders, were studied to discover the incidence of somnambulism. Of the 13 identified sleepwalkers, 10 had Tourette syndrome. It is argued that this may be due to a disturbance in serotonin metabolism.

Adolescent↗

First trimester fetal karyotyping in twin pregnancy.

Fetal chromosome analysis in a twin pregnancy during the first trimester is described. Problems of the reliability of tissue sampling are also discussed. The authors emphasise the advantage of direct cytogenetic analysis from the tissue specimens used for enzyme determination or DNA studies.

Female↗

Triploidy with cyclopia and identical HLA alleles in the parents.

A 22-week pregnancy was terminated after discovery of serious echographic abnormalities. Fetal examination showed cyclopia, sacral meningocele, and syndactyly. The karyotype was 69,XXX. The parents had identical HLA alleles A1, A2, and Bw21. The mechanism of the triploidy was determined by chromosome marker analysis to be digyny. The association of triploidy with holoprosencephaly and the parents' identical immunological status are discussed.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Disorders of arousal in Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome.

Disorders of arousal (somnambulism and night terrors) were significantly more common among children with Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (n = 57) than among children with seizure disorders (n = 58) or learning disabilities (n = 53). Neurohumoral disturbances may account for the differences.

Adolescent↗

Response of calves previously inoculated with inactivated herpes simplex virus to challenge exposure with Bovid herpesvirus 2.

Concentrated antigen of Herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2, previously inactivated with Triton 100X, were inoculated into calves. Thirty-two days later the calves were challenge exposed either by the intradermal or the intravenous route with Bovid herpesvirus 2 (BHV 2). The HSV-immune calves responded to BHV 2 infection with clinical signs which were much less severe that those observed in the challenge control calves. The skin lesions in the calves exposed to intravenous inoculation of BHV 2, were fewer in the calves in the HSV-immune group, whereas they were heavily disseminated, covering the skin of the entire body, in the control calves. In the case of calves which received BHV 2 intradermally, the titer of the virus underwent a reduction of more than one log unit in the pre-immunized calves. The most significant serologic finding was that the HSV-preimmunized calves produced antibody to the BHV 2 challenge virus at an earlier time than did the control calves. The immunologic relationship between BHV 2 and HSV was confirmed by the results of this study.

Animals↗

Role of intraoperative manometry in renal artery compression by a pheochromocytoma.

A case of renal artery stenosis due to compression by a neurofibrous cord (histologically a pheochromocytoma) and resolved by the débridment of the vessel and angioplasty with a patch in the saphenous vein, is reported. After the compression has been relieved, the vessel appeared normal at inspection and palpation (pulsation); the manometric control, recorded distally and proximally to the area of compression by the pheochromocytoma showed a significant gradient of pressure that led to the exploration of the vessel, partially obstructed by a recent thrombus. These lesions were not detectable solely on inspection and palpation. It is stressed that a restored normal aspect after removal of the extrinsic pressure on the renal artery may not represent an equivalent optimal restoration of function. Only manometric control or rate of flow measurements are able to assess the efficacy of surgical reconstruction.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

[Pharmacological and clinical research on the interaction of digitalis and amiodarone in heart disease patients with varying degrees of cardiac insufficiency].

The increasing use of amiodarone as antiarrhythmic drug has raised the possibilities of dangerous effects from amiodarone-digitalis interaction. We have studied twelve patients who were taking digitalis and to whom amiodarone was administered because of arrhythmias. We found a 75,42% increase of digitalis plasma levels (p less than 0,001) in the early days of amiodarone therapy, and a 52,1% increase (p less than 0,001) in the medium term. An inverse correlation was found (r = -0,65; p less than 0,05) between the plasma levels of digitalis during the steady-state control period and during the following 2-to-6 months evaluation. Acute episodes of cardiac failure caused in our patients an abrupt increase of digitalis plasma levels: in three patients digitalis toxicity occurred. Based on our experience, we recommend that the dose of digitalis be halved when the two drugs are given together in patients with various degree of cardiac failure; moreover digitalis plasma levels should be frequently monitored in these patients. On the other hand digitalis administered according to age, sex, weight, kidney function, together with amiodarone, can be given at full dosage in patients without cardiac failure.

Adult↗

Children with Tourette syndrome: results of psychological tests given prior to drug treatment.

There have been several recent reports on the neuropsychological integrity of children and adults with Tourette syndrome (TS). However, the possible effects of tic-controlling medications on the test performance of subjects have not been thoroughly investigated, although drugs commonly used in the treatment of TS, such as haloperidol, have been shown to affect learning and behavior. In this study, 10 children diagnosed as having Gilles de la Tourette syndrome were individually administered a battery of psychological tests prior to starting drug treatment. Since a wide range of deficits and processing inefficiencies has been reported in association with the psychological functioning of children with Tourette's disorder, the test battery used was designed to include both measures of contemporary global functioning and measures designed to focus upon particular functional areas. Data analyses revealed a number of specific impairments in TS children relative to age-appropriate levels and levels of global functioning (i.e., IQ scores). The study revealed a number of graphomotor, nonmotor visual-perceptual, and receptive verbal deficits. In addition, a high frequency (50%) of the sample manifested significant Verbal-Performance IQ discrepancies. Results of this study, on a population of nonmedicated TS children, substantiated and extended findings of several previous reports which identified a number of circumscribed weaknesses in the functioning of children with Tourette's disorder.

Adolescent↗

Antenatal diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies by improved method of isoelectric focusing of haemoglobins.

An improved method of isoelectric focusing (IEF) of haemoglobins, utilizing a spacer molecule to increase the separation between HbA and acetylated HbF, was carried out in parallel with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) chromatography in 85 antenatal diagnoses for haemoglobinopathies (mainly thalassaemia). In 19 of 21 affected fetuses no HbA band was detectable on IEF while in two a very faint band was observed; in heterozygotes or normal fetuses a more obvious HbA band was present. Moreover, IEF was useful for the demonstration of HbLepore in two cases at risk for beta-thalassaemia/ HbLepore and for interpreting a radioactive pre-beta globin peak on CMC chromatography. Pure fetal blood is needed for IEF. It can therefore be used for most cases in centres using fetoscopy for fetal blood sampling. About 80% of antenatal diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies may be carried out by IEF which is a very simple, rapid and inexpensive method.

Female↗