Assessing Diabetes-Relevant Data Provided by Undergraduate and Crowdsourced Web-Based Survey Participants for Honesty and Accuracy.

Background: To eliminate health disparities, research will depend on our ability to reach select groups of people (eg, samples of a particular racial or ethnic group with a particular disease); unfortunately, researchers often experience difficulty obtaining high-quality data from samples of sufficient size.

Objective: Past studies utilizing MTurk applaud its diversity, so our initial objective was to capitalize on MTurk's diversity to investigate psychosocial factors related to diabetes self-care.

Methods: In Study 1, a "Health Survey" was posted on MTurk to examine diabetes-relevant psychosocial factors.

[Temporary emergency cardiac pacing under continuous echocardiographic control. Feasibility and safety of the procedure without using fluoroscopy].

Background: Cardiac pacing often turns out to be the only effective treatment of severe brady-arrhythmias. Several invasive and noninvasive temporary pacing procedures are known, whose application is sometimes difficult or time-consuming. An alternative temporary cardiac pacing procedure is described in this article, which is based on echocardiographic control.

Comparison of subcutaneous calcium heparin and acetylsalicylic acid in the prevention of ischemic events and death after myocardial infarction: a randomized trial in a consecutive series of 90 patients.

This study compares the prophylactic effectiveness of calcium heparin (CH) with that of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in the long-term anticoagulant management of patients with myocardial infarct. Forty-four patients discharged from a coronary care unit after acute myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to receive 12,500 IU subcutaneous CH daily for 3 months, followed by 325 mg ASA daily for 3 months. This protocol was compared with the administration of 325 mg/day ASA to an additional 46 patients for 6 months.

[False left atrial mass caused by hiatal hernia: a clinical case and review of the literature].

Two-dimensional echocardiography is the technique of choice for identifying cardiac masses. Unfortunately, adjacent structures compressing the atrial wall may lead to misdiagnosis. Clinicians should promptly recognize this phenomenon and the related diagnostic features.

Use of Gianturco-Roubin stents for treating abrupt occlusion of unprotected left main stem during elective PTCA.

Abrupt occlusion of the left main during elective coronary angioplasty has a high mortality rate despite emergent surgery. Coronary stents are useful for managing abrupt occlusion during balloon angioplasty, but patients treated with bail-out stenting to obviate life-threatening occlusions are usually operated after stabilization. Two cases of multiple bail-out stenting of the left main as a stand-alone treatment and their long-term follow-up are reported.

[The use of a check list for quality assurance of the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in the coronary care unit].

Unlabelled: The implementation of Quality Assurance programs for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit may be specially important. In fact several therapeutic options are available in these patients, and delay in treatment must be as short as possible. A Quality Assurance program has been started in our center with a registry of all patients admitted within 24 hours of onset of acute myocardial infarction.

[Experience in primary prevention of cardiovascular risk factors in children].

Pathologic studies have shown that atherosclerosis may already be present in childhood as reversible fatty streaks in the aortic intima. These findings are directly related to total serum cholesterol and inversely related to serum HDL cholesterol. This study was aimed at screening children and young adolescents of Novara for cardiovascular risk factors and achieving a specific health educational program.

Cartilage chips synthesized with fibrin glue in rhinoplasty.

A new type of cartilage graft that is synthesized from cartilage fragments minced by our instrument and mixed with fibrin glue is described. This new material is useful when particular grafts are required in primary or secondary rhinoplasty.

Axiomatization of genetics 2. Formal development.

When certain assumptions are claimed to "found" a scientific theory, two kinds of controls are needed: it must be proved that every assertion of the theory is derived from the assumptions and that no assumption depends on (that is, derives from) the other ones. The formal approach (when possible) is the best method of achieving these results. In this paper the axiomatization of the elementary laws of genetics considered in Rizzotti & Zanardo (1986) is translated into a formal language and an axiomatic theory is defined in which the (translated) laws are deducible.

Axiomatization of genetics. 1. Biological meaning.

Axiomatization is a trend in science to settle and reduce fundamental assertions, from which all the others are deducible. Classical genetics has been extensively axiomatized and formalized by Woodger (1952), who resorted to 53 axioms and 12 theorems. The molecular settlement of modern genetics provides the basis for a different axiomatic theory.

The effect of extracellular matrix modifications on UDP-glucose dehydrogenase activity in cultured human skin fibroblasts.

The effect of modifications of the extracellular matrix on the biosynthesis of glycosaminoglycans was investigated in human skin fibroblast cultures by studying UDPGDH activity in order to evaluate: a), the histoenzymological and biochemical modifications induced by chondroitinase ABC treatment (new experimental conditions were developed in order to obtain minimum cell damage); b), the reversibility of these modifications; c), the effect of growing the cells in the presence of chondroitinsulfate; d), the specificity of the modifications induced. The results demonstrated that our experimental conditions specifically affected intracellular UDPGDH activity. Chondroitinase ABC treatment induced a reversible increase of UDP-glucuronic acid synthesis.

Influence of GABA on anaphylactic histamine release in vitro.

In this preliminary report an unreported inhibitory action of GABA on anaphylactic reaction has been described. In a functional model (Schultz-Dale reaction) GABA has been demonstrated to inhibit the antigen-evoked contraction. This effect depends on a modulation of anaphylactic histamine release.

The endocrine cells of the proper gastric glands of adult ox.

Unlike histochemical analysis, which permits only the certain identification of "EC" cells, an ultrastructural study on the bovine proper gastric glands shows the presence of "EC" cells of the gastric type, "ECL" and "D1" cells with the usual characteristics of their respective secretory granules. There are besides other cells whose granules show morphological and cytochemical characters resembling those of the "X" cells. All these endocrine cells are lacking in luminal connection and appear to be sorrounded by a folding of the cytoplasm of one or two exocrine cells, the most commonly being the parietal cells.

The endocrine cells of the pyloric glands of adult ox.

As part of a project to identify the endocrine cells ("EC" and "APUD" series) of the gastroenteric apparatus of ruminants, the ultrastructure of the mucosa of the pyloric glands of adult ox was studied morphologically and cytochemically, in parallel with a light microscope histochemical analysis. The results show that: the "EC" cells (producing 5-HT) are recognizable by their secretory granules which are heavily osmiophilic, argentaffin ("Masson") and argyrophilic ("Grimelius"). A further distinction is possible on the basis of their morphological features: the ""EC" cells of the gastric type (which belong to the "ECn" group) contain granules fairly homogeneous in shape and size, while the "EC" cells of the intestinal type (or "EC1") show granules which are more pleiomorphic and variable in size.

The endocrine cells of the rectum of adult ox.

In order to identify the endocrine cell types in various parts of the Ruminant gut, we have applied ultrastructural, both morphological and cytochemical, techniques, in parallel to the histochemical ones, to study the rectal mucosa of the adult Ox. In these studies we show that: "EC" cells, of the intestinal type, contain predominantly pleiomorphic granules, which are very electron dense and heavily reactive to "Masson" and "Grimelius" methods; "L" cells are recognizable by their numerous granules, which are fairly homogeneous in shape and osmiophilia. They do not react with "Masson" and are weak or negative to Grimelius's reaction.

The endocrine cells of the rectum of adult ox.

In order to identify the endocrine cell types in various parts of the Ruminant gut, we have applied ultrastructural, both morphological and cytochemical, techniques, in parallel to the histochemical ones, to study the rectal mucosa of the adult Ox. In these studies we show that: "EC" cells, of the intestinal type, contain predominantly pleiomorphic granules, which are very electron dense and heavily reactive to "Masson" and "Grimelius" methods; "L" cells are recognizable by their numerous granules, which are fairly homogeneous in shape and osmiophilia. They do not react with "Masson" and are weak or negative to Grimelius s reaction.

Experimental arthrosis from intra-articular vitamin A injection in the rabbit. Morphological and biochemical study: considerations on the pathogenesis of human arthrosis in relation to the experimental model.

The key to the pathogenesis of arthrosis lies in the mechanism responsible for the initial lesions. In this experimental work the possibility of producing arthrosic changes is demonstrated by activating lysosomal chondrocytic enzymes by the intra-articular injection of Vitamin A in rabbits. On the basis of the experimental results the authors discuss the possible role that activation of the lysosomal hydrolytic enzymes might play in producing primary and secondary arthrosis in humans.

Osteogenesis imperfecta: morphological, histochemical and biochemical aspects. Modifications induced by (+)-catechin.

Two patients affected with two different forms of Osteogenesis Imperfecta were examined in order to study collagen and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in skin and iliac crest cartilage. A sharp decrease of the galactosamine to glucosamine ratio due to a reduced content of chondroitin sulfate was evidenced in both patients. Moreover the structure of proteoglycans appeared altered, this being more evident in the severe form of the disease.

[Distribution of the enterochromaffin ("EC") cells and those of the "APUD" series in the gastrointestinal tract of the calf].

Based on morphological and histochemical data, the Authors describe the distribution of "EC" (5-HT-producing) and of the other endocrine cells of the "APUD" series (polypeptide hormone-producing) in the gastro intestinal tract of weaned and unweaned 3-4 month old calves. The results demonstrate that: -- no difference concerning the different diet can be correlated; -- no endocrine cell is present in the vorestomachs; -- the "EC" cells in the abomasum prevail in the fundus glands; they are demonstrable also in every tract of the intestine and are more numerous in the duodenum and in the rectum; -- within the "APUD" series four cellular types are demonstrable in the abomasum; two are in the cardias, one in the fundus and one in the pylorus glands; the last one probably corresponds to the gastrin-producing "G" cells. -- In the small intestine, particularly numerous in the duodenum, a probably heterogeneous family of endocrine cells is present, while in the coecum, in the colon and, above all, in the rectum, cells probably corresponding to "EG" cells are identifiable.

[Distribution of the enterochromaffin ("EC") cells and those of the "APUD" series in the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants].

The research was carried out on the vorestomachs, abomasum and on the various tracts of gut of adult Cattle, Sheep and Goat, because Ruminants, not previously studied with respect to this problem, have, as is well known, particular morpho-functional characteristics of the digestive system. The results can be synthetized as follows: 1) either "EC" (5-HT-producing) or "APUD" cells (peptide hormones-producing) are not demonstrable in the vorestomachs. 2) "EC" cells are present in the various areas of abomasum (particularly numerous in the fundus glands) and in the different tracts of the gut (predominantly in the duodenum and in the rectum).

[Histochemical demonstration of uridine diphospho-glucoso-4'-epimerase activity].

In the byosinthesis of glycosaminoglycans, UDP-glucose is utilized by two enzymes: UDP-glucose dehydrogenase which produces UDP-glucuronic acid (chondroitin sulphate precursor), and UDP-glucose 4'-epimerase which produces UDP-galactose (keratan sulphate precursor). The mechanisms regulating these two reactions have particular interest mainly considering that many connective tissues can modify its glycosaminoglycan production with aging; it is well-known that cartilage of young animals synthesizes almost exclusively chondroitin sulphate while cartilage of old animals synthesizes both chrondroitin sulphate and keratan sulphate. The kinetic parameters of both enzymes utilizing UDP-glucose have been recently investigated and some mechanisms responsible for UDP-glucose utilization in glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis have been evidenced.