Efficacy of a new nutraceutical formulation: L-tryptophan, probiotics, charcoal, chamomile, mint, and licorice (COLONIR®) in the improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms in subjects with irritable bowel syndrome.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders. IBS is characterized by recurrent chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits in the absence of organic damage. Although there are reviews and guidelines for treating IBS, the complexity and diversity of IBS presentation make treatment difficult.

Radon fluxes at four uranium mill tailings disposal sites after about 20 years of service.

To evaluate the properties of earthen covers over uranium mill tailings disposal cells after about 20 years of service, we measured Rn-222 fluxes and radon barrier properties at the Falls City, TX, Bluewater, NM, Shirley Basin South, WY, and Lakeview, OR disposal sites in western USA. A total of 115 in-service Rn fluxes were obtained at 26 test pit locations from the top surface of the exposed Rn barrier (i.e.

Non-gadolinium dynamic angiography of the neurovasculature using arterial spin labeling MRI: preliminary experience in children.

Objective: We demonstrate the potential clinical utility of a 4D non-gadolinium dynamic angiography technique based on arterial spin-labeling called contrast inherent inflow enhanced multi-phase angiography (CINEMA) in pediatric patients.

Materials And Methods: CINEMA was qualitatively compared to conventional time-of-flight (TOF) angiography in a cohort of 31 pediatric patients at 3 Tesla.

Results: CINEMA data were successfully acquired and reconstructed in all patients with no image artifacts.

Assessment of cerebral blood perfusion reserve with acetazolamide using 3D spiral ASL MRI: Preliminary experience in pediatric patients.

Purpose: To demonstrate the clinical feasibility of a new non-Cartesian cylindrically-distributed spiral 3D pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse sequence in pediatric patients in quantifying cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to an acetazolamide (ACZ) vasodilator challenge.

Materials And Methods: MRI exams were performed on two 3 Tesla Philips Ingenia systems using 32 channel head coil arrays. After local institutional review board approval, the 3D spiral-based pCASL technique was added to a standard brain MRI exam and evaluated in 13 pediatric patients (average age: 11.

A curcumin-based 1-week triple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection: something to learn from failure?

Background: Curcumin is the principal element of turmeric powder extracted from the root of Curcuma longa. Studies on curcumin have demonstrated some anti-Helicobacter pylori activity as well as immunomodulating properties. N-acetylcysteine and lactoferrin with their respective mucolytic and antibacterial activities might also be effective in H.

[Analysis of the problem of "difficult hospital discharges" in the University Hospital of Parma].

We analyzed, in a middle-sized hospital, the problems related to the so-called "difficult discharges", conceived as situations involving an economic, human and organizational burden exceeding patients' and their families' capacities and requiring a specific involvement of territorial services. During a whole year (July 1, 2001-June 30, 2002) the cases found were 591. We demonstrated that the problem concerns mainly elderly patients, almost equally distributed between males and females, a quarter of the sample being represented by patients who had recently undergone surgery and whose discharge difficulties were mostly related to mixed social and sanitary problems.

Effect of carbamazepine on EEG background activity and on interictal epileptiform abnormalities in focal epilepsy.

The effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) on EEG background activity and on interictal epileptiform abnormalities (IEA) was studied in 15 patients with focal epilepsy who started antiepileptic drug treatment (AED) for the first time. A computerized EEG study, performed before and two months after starting therapy, utilized spectral analysis and automatic recognition of IEA. The occurrence of seizures was considered in order to clarify the relationship between IEA and the seizures themselves.

EEG changes induced by carbamazepine therapy at rest and during mental processes.

The effects of carbamazepine (CBZ) on EEG background activity have been studied, at rest and during mental processes, in 18 epileptic patients suffering from focal epilepsy and starting antiepileptic treatment for the first time. The EEGs were recorded before and after CBZ therapy, at rest with eyes closed (EC), during blocking reaction (BR), fixation (FIX) and mental arithmetic (MA) tasks, and then evaluated by spectral analysis. All data underwent statistical evaluation utilizing the ANOVA and correlation coefficient.

Lateralization of the epileptogenic focus by computerized EEG study and neuropsychological evaluation.

The localization of the epileptogenic focus relies on different factors. In patients with partial seizures, asymmetries in EEG background activity were measured by a statistical evaluation of spectral data. Neurophysiological results were compared with neuropsychological findings and MRI.

Effect of carbamazepine treatment on EEG changes induced by different cortical activation patterns in newly referred epileptic patients.

Sixteen epileptic patients suffering from focal epilepsy who underwent antiepileptic drug treatment with carbamazepine (CBZ) for the first time were studied. The EEG was recorded at rest with eyes closed, during blocking reaction (BR), fixation (FIX) and mental arithmetic tasks. The computerized EEG study, performed before and after CBZ therapy, utilized spectral analysis.

Comparison of neuropsychological, MRI and computerized EEG findings in a case of prosopoagnosia.

We present the case of a patient suffering from prosopoagnosia (PA). The MRI, performed at the onset of the disease, showed a lesion, strictly confined to the right temporo-occipital region; whereas the computerized EEG documented a functional impairment of the posterior regions of both hemispheres. A control performed two months later indicated a partial recovery of the neuropsychological deficit coupled with an improvement of EEG abnormalities, which was more prominent on the left side.

Toxic effects of high-dose deferoxamine treatment in patients with iron overload: an electrophysiological study of cerebral and visual function.

Background And Methods: It is well known that deferoxamine (DFO) treatment in thalassemia major can produce ocular toxicity. In one experience, Visual evoked potentials (VEPS) to pattern reversal were formed to be altered in 4 out of 10 patients under conventional treatment with DFO, before supplementary high-dose i.v.

Intracerebral metastasis in Ewing's sarcoma.

The evidence of CNS involvement in Ewing's sarcoma is uncommon and very often due to a direct extension of the tumor to extradural space and meninges. We report a case of a 14-year old girl with a primary ischio-pubic localization of Ewing's sarcoma. Body CT scan showed a bone lesion involving the left fronto-temporal region of the skull without affecting the brain.

[State of the liver after radiotherapy of cancer of the stomach and larynx with metronidazole radiosensitization].

The use of metronidazole in radiation therapy of laryngeal cancer (SFD = 20 Gy) as a radiosensitizer of tumor hypoxic cells resulted in changes of the liver function tests: a decrease in the cholinesterase activity, a decrease in the level of cholesterol and albumin esters in the blood serum that characterize synthetic liver function. Similar though more noticeable in amounts shifts were marked in stomach cancer patients following preoperative irradiation (SFD = 20 Gy). A slight decrease in AP activity and a decrease in LDH activity below the initial level were simultaneously noted in the latter group as opposed to the group of laryngeal cancer patients.

[Kidney function during radiosensitization with metronidazole].

Renal function was studied in patients with laryngeal cancer during radiation therapy performed under the conditions of mean fractionation in the presence of metronidazole radiosensitization up to the summary focal dose of 20 Gy. As compared to the findings before treatment an increase in the level of residual nitrogen, urea, uric acid and a decreased amount of creatinine in the plasma were noted. Decreased clearance of the urea, elevated Ambard's urosecretory constant were observed.