Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Mauri

Publications and source records attributed to R Mauri.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Haemoglobin levels and blood requirement in thalassaemia.

The relationship between blood requirement and the mean level of maintained haemoglobin was examined in 392 patients with homozygous beta-thalassaemia. Pre- and post-transfusional haemoglobin levels and the amounts of blood transfused were measured during a 1-year period. No significant differences were noted in the blood requirements of patients (splenectomised or not) irrespective of the haemoglobin level. It may be supposed that if the mean haemoglobin level is high the haematopoietic activity is inhibited, and hence the bone marrow mass and total blood volume are reduced. High haemoglobin levels may thus be obtained with no increase in blood intake.

Adolescent↗

Transport properties of EVAl-starch-alpha amylase membranes.

We investigated the influence of various physicochemical parameters on the morphology and time-porosity formation of membranes composed of ethylene-vinyl alcohol, starch, and alpha-amylase. In particular, we determined that (1) it is possible to obtain a membrane with desired porosity by phase inversion in an appropriate water-ethanol mixture and (2) the enzymatic bioerosion is controlled by the amount of alpha-amylase present in the blend. Although no experiments involving drugs were carried out, the delivery properties of the film were determined by measuring the Darcy permeability, the effective diffusivity, and the mean reaction rate of the membranes, relating them to the modality of membrane preparation, the amount of enzyme present within the membrane, and the incubation time of the samples in a buffer solution. Simple theoretical models of the delivery properties of the membranes were developed, leading to predictions that were in good agreement with the experimental results.

Biological Transport↗

Ultradian chronomodulation by melatonin of a Placebo effect upon human killer cell activity.

The effect of melatonin injection evaluated earlier with respect to placebo-treated controls is reevaluated, also with reference to spontaneous changes in natural killer cell activity. This effect consists, first, of stimulation of natural killer cell activity over and above any changes brought about by placebo (saline). After 6 h, the melatonin effect appears to be an inhibition as compared to values from placebo-treated subjects, or no effect as compared to values from untreated subjects. In this case, amplification and attenuation of the placebo effect by melatonin are found within the relatively short span of 1/4 of a day, rather than within a day or a week. An ultradian 'feed-sideward' by melatonin may be aligned with the corresponding previously reported circadian and infradian chronomodulation.

Activity Cycles↗