Dual applicator thermal ablation at 2.45 GHz: a numerical comparison and experiments on synchronous versus asynchronous and switched-mode feeding.

Purpose: This paper compares the results obtained with numerical simulations and ex vivo experiments involving a dual applicator microwave thermal ablation system operating at a 2.45 GHz frequency, both in synchronous and asynchronous modes. Our purpose was to demonstrate that at this frequency an asynchronous or switched-mode system performs essentially as well as the synchronous one, in spite of the prevailing belief that coherence would assure better thermal (TH) synergy.

[Evaluation of interferences in electronic platelet count].

A platelets count was performed on 100 subjects using both the electronic counter and a manual method; the results obtained concerning healthy subjects are overlapping. In subjects with structural alterations regarding platelets and red blood cells, the electronic counter method has overestimated the number, yet making note of it.

[Results and observations on the research of circulating immunocomplexes in subjects with suspected autoimmune pathology].

The authors have investigated the level of circulating immune complexes (CIC) in 409 patients (some hospitalized) suffering from disease in which the presence of CIC had been suspected. The 10% (forty-one) was positive, and clinical manifestations related have shown, in the majority of patients, a close relation with diseases in which there was, or it was possible to presume, an immunological pathogenic mechanism. Besides the authors examine a case with close association between high level of CIC and leptospirosis.

[Isolation frequency of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli in the Patro distric from 1974 to 1986].

In the Prato district in the years 1974-1986 the isolation frequency of serogropus of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli on 12,251 faeces samples pertinent to infantile diarrhoea has been studied. The research reveals a constant decrease in the isolation frequency of the serogroups considered. An hypothesis is quite difficult but this finding is taking world-wide consistency: furthermore some items are distinctive of the researched district and therefore quite interesting.

[Incidence of rotavirus in pediatric patients hospitalized with gastroenteric symptoms].

In winter, for four months from November 1986 to February 1987, in one hundred samples of stool from children admitted at Pediatric Department of Prato Civil Hospital with gastroenteric symptoms, was performed the research of rotavirus. This study revealed data strictly close to the ones reported in literature: 34% of children were found positive; from these, 55.9% were under one year old, 38.

[Evaluation of isoenzymes of creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase in cases of suspected acute myocardial infarct].

In 176 patients who were hospitalized with a suspected anterior myocardial infarction, the total enzymatic activity of CPK and LDH in addition to the percentage of various isoenzymes have been determined through electrophoretic separation. The blood samples were taken upon the patients admittance to the hospital and repeated every 6 hours until the 24th hour after admittance. We have considered significant an increase of CPK-MB of more than 6% of the total, along with the LDH1/LDH2 ratio greater than 1.

[Diagnostic study of 5 cases of allergic asthma due to sensitization to silk allergens in textile workers from the Prato area].

Five cases of allergic asthma due to sensitivity to silk allergens have been studied. All the patients worked in the Prato textile industry. The presence of specific antibodies against extracts of silk has been shown by the direct RAST and confirmed by the indirect RAST.

[Coulter counter model S Plus IV-D: new possibilities in hematologic diagnosis].

The following study concerns the evaluation of the diagnostic applications of a new counter which represents graphically the various hematic cellular populations according to their volumetric dimensions. A series of hematic samples taken from subjects of known pathology have been examined and then compared with others samples taken from subjects in an apparent healthy state, in order to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the apparatus. The results obtained confirm that a diagnostic survey of this kind has screening value, therefore reserving other exams such as the execution of the leukocytic formula for selected cases.

[Evaluation of an automatic system for the electrophoretic fracturing of serum proteins and a comparison with the manual method].

A few weeks ago, the automatized apparatus known as Hite System 600 for the electrophoretic separation of serum proteins was put into use for the first time in our laboratory. In order to evaluate the two methods, the automatized one and the previously used manual one, we conducted a series of quality checks concerning both accuracy and precision. In addition, the correlation between the two methods was studied.

[Squalene-cholesterol ratio in the amniotic fluid and gestational age: changes in the threshold in relation to the preparation of the sample].

The squalene/cholesterol ratio in pellets prepared from amniotic fluid is closely correlated to the gestation age and shows a marked increase in the 39th week of pregnancy. However, the absolute value of the squalene/cholesterol ratio may very considerably in relation to the process used to prepare the sample. The washing of the sedimentary cells seems to be critical point in this procedure; therefore, if it is not correctly standardized, erroneous result may be obtained.

[Slow-type familial alloalbuminemia].

After a brief introduction concerning bisalbuminemia, the authors go on to describe the specific cases they have observed: the subjects are all members of the same family. A total of 15 subjects have been observed; 8 of which have showed evidence of alloalbuminemia of the slow type. The parallel chemical and clinical investigations conducted have demonstrated no evidence of concomitant pathological situations.

[Complement. Evaluation of some complement fractions in patients affected by neoplasia undergoing chemotherapy (author's transl)].

Serum complement levels (UE50, C3, C4, act. C3, C1q) were determined in 75 healthy subjects and 130 cancer patients undergoing treatment. The results were correlated with statistical analysis.

A new abnormal human hemoglobin: Hb Prato (alpha 2 31 (B12) Arg leads to Ser beta 2).

An abnormal human hemoglobin was found in a hemolysate from a 5-year-old healthy child living in Prato (Tuscany, Italy). Strutctural studies demonstrated a previously unreported amino acid substitution, alpha 31 (B12) Arg leads to Ser (this is an alpha 1 beta 1 contact). The new variant has been named Hb Prato.