Factors influencing effectiveness of deferiprone in a thalassaemia major clinical setting.

The effectiveness of deferiprone (L1) and the influence of other factors were determined in a clinical setting. Patients of Southern Italian origin, affected by beta-thalassaemia major (n = 13: 7 M, 6 F), aged 10-28 years (median 18 years), were treated with L1 within a 'Controlled Programme' of the Italian Ministry of Health. Desferrioxamine could not be administered in these patients because of anaphylactic reactions or other serious side effects.

[Blood lead levels during pregnancy in th the newborn period. Study of the population of Bari].

Blood lead levels during pregnancy and in neonates immediately after birth have been evaluated, showing higher values in mothers compared to neonates (5.81 +/- 3.05 vs 4.

Maternal and neonatal lead exposure in southern Italy.

We evaluated the blood lead levels in 159 pregnant women and in their healthy newborns at birth. The blood lead levels were higher in mothers as compared with neonates, with a linear correlation between maternal and neonatal levels. The blood lead levels were also higher in neonates as compared with infants aged 6-12 months, and, besides, 2.

[Presence of zinc in food and diet in pediatric age].

The authors determined the zinc content in the foods of eight diets recommended for different groups of subjects between four and a half months and twelve years. Then the average daily intake was calculated at any age. The highest values were found in meat products, the lowest ones in fruit and vegetables.

Ascitic fluid-associated lymphocytes in patients with metastatic ovarian cancer. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets and of phenotypical changes induced by "in vitro".

Ascitic fluid and peripheral blood samples, from seven patients affected by peritoneal carcinomatosis secondary to ovarian tumors, were analyzed to examine the phenotypic properties of ascitic fluid-associated lymphocytes (AFAL) and then asses T-cell activities in the presence of different interleukins. The AFALs showed a relative enrichment of CD2+, CD3+, CD5+, CD4+ T cells compared to the peripheral blood samples, while the contrary was true for CD56+ and CD57+ cells. The same phenomenon was observed in both CD3+, CD56+ and CD2+, CD56+ cell populations.