The role of intraoperative extensor digitorum brevis muscle MEPs in spinal surgery.

Purpose: Intraoperative muscle motor evoked potentials (m-MEPs) are widely used in spinal surgery with the aim of identifying a damage to spinal cord at a reversible stage. Generally, lower limb m-MEPs are recorded from abductor hallucis [AH] and the tibialis anterior [TA]. The purpose of this work is to study an unselected population by recording the m-MEPs from TA, AH and extensor digitorum brevis (EDB), with the aim of identifying the most adjustable and stable muscles responses intraoperatively.

[Physical and psychological stress in a group of Italian caregivers: a new medical emergency? A pilot study].

Introduction: this study aimed to evaluate physical and psychological stress in a group of italian caregivers.

Methods: 20 subjects were enrolled in the study and divided into 2 groups: 10 healthy controls and 10 caregivers. Every subject underwent an cognitive, clinical and instrumental assessment.

[Effect of AChE and BuChE inhibition by rivastigmin in a group of old-old elderly patients with cerebrovascular impairment (SIVD type)].

Aim: Vascular dementia (VaD) is defined as a loss of cognitive function resulting from ischemic, hypoperfusive, or hemorrhagic brain lesions due to cerebrovascular disease or cardiovascular pathology. The main types of VaD are: Small Vessel Disease Dementia (sVAD), Large vessel disease dementia, hypoperfusive-ischemic dementia and hemorragic dementia. The sVAD is divided into two main categories: subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) and cortical dementia.

Role of cardiovascular risk factors (CRF) in the patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Few therapeutic options are available nowadays to improve the prognosis of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). There are rather several evidences in literature that controlling vascular risk factors may be an effective intervention for modifying the course of this disease. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of CRF in 50 patients with MCI according to Petersens's criteria, and to evaluate their influence on cognitive and behavioral features of the disease and on the development of dementia.

[Appearance of proliferative activity in peritoneal macrophages cultured in vitro. Karyokinetic chronology and phases].

Contrast phase microscopy was employed to determine mitosis phase duration values in rat peritoneal macrophages in which proliferative activity had appeared following culture in vitro. Mitosis duration values were considerable and tended to increase in function of increases in culture time. These data are discussed in a general account of in vitro reproductive activity in peritoneal macrophages.

[Appearance of proliferative activity in peritoneal macrophages cultured in vitro. Stathmokinetic index and proliferative volume].

In the course of further studies of mitotic activity in vitro cultures of rat peritoneal macrophages, an increment in proliferative volume between the 2nd and 6th day was observed, followed by a decrease. The relationships between these variations and those of the mitotic index (previously reported) are discussed.

[Appearance of proliferative activity in peritoneal macrophages cultured in vitro. Mitotic index values and percent frequency of frequency of mitosis phase].

In vitro culture of rat peritoneal macrophages, cells generally considered devoid of proliferative activity, was found to lead to the appearance of mitosis. Mitotic index and percent phase incidence values were determined for these cells.