Effects of low exposure to inorganic mercury on psychological performance.

The effects of low exposure to inorganic mercury on psychological performance was investigated: the study groups included eight chronically exposed workers and 20 who were only occasionally exposed. These were compared with a control group of 22 subjects from the same plant who were not exposed to mercury. All subjects were administered the WHO test battery to detect preclinical signs of central nervous system impairment: the battery includes the Santa Ana (Helsinki version) test, simple reaction time, the Benton test, and the Wechsler digit span and digit symbol.

[Results and indications of sphincteroplasty in the treatment of complicated biliary lithiasis].

Sphincteroplasty is an internal biliary drainage technique that, along with choledochoduodenostomy, is offered to surgeons as one of the most effective techniques. We report our results and conclusions in a two-year study of a group of 46 patients. We prefer sphincteroplasty in the majority of patients with papillary sclerosis and consider it the most anatomic and physiologic drainage technique, since it eliminates the persistence of a cul de sac and the possible reflux of intestinal contents.

[Topical therapy with placental polydeoxyribonucleotide in cervical ectopy and ectropion].

Twenty outpatients, aged 18-45 yrs, with cervical ectropion have been treated with vaginal suppositories of PDRN (a placental derivate). The drug has been given randomly in two preparations of 5 g and 10 g, however both containing the same amount of the active component (5 mg). The results show the effectiveness of the eutrophic and antiphlogistic action of both preparations, with a remarkable reduction of the leukorrhea.

Comparison of axillary, rectal and skin-based temperature assessment in preschoolers.

This study describes a clinical comparison of temperatures taken by rectal and axillary routes and by the Clinitemp II fever detector, which is a forehead-adhering strip that measures body temperature. Simultaneous temperatures were taken on a convenience sample of 70 ambulatory preschool children. Readings obtained by the Clinitemp II were found to be similar to those obtained using a rectal thermometer.

[Left atrial myxoma: radioisotopic diagnosis].

A case of left atrial Myxoma shown on an equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography is presented. The finding were consistent with the ecocardiographic patterns and the gross anatomy of the tumour. The analysis of various parameters obtained with gated radionuclide cardiac blood pool scan shows that the Fourier phase image is another method to detect and study this disease.

[Fixed subvalvular aortic stenosis. Monodimensional echocardiographic findings].

19 patients affected by discrete subvalvular aortic stenosis were studied by M-mode echocardiography. The diagnosis was confirmed by cardiac catheterism and angiocardiography and by anatomic evidence in operative room. The most frequent echocardiographic pattern was the abnormal protosystolic movement of aortic valve leaflets, that was found in all the patients.

[Dyslipidemia and coronary disease. Clinico-coronarographic study].

An inverse relationship between alpha-cholesterol and coronary atherosclerosis was observed in 200 male patients given coronographies. Specifically the lowest alpha-cholesterol levels were observed in patients with the most serious and widespread atherosclerotic lesions. This inverse correlation was maintained at the same level in all age groups.

[The natural development of arteriosclerotic coronary disease. Coronarographic study in time intervals].

In 96 patients with coronary artery disease a coronary arteriography was performed twice at least with some months' interval, in order to establish the rate of progression of coronary atherosclerosis and the factors which could affect this progression. It was possible to select patients with progression of the coronary arteria lesions from patients with no increase of coronary stenosis. From the angiographic point of view, the progression of angina and the appearance of myocardial infarction are connected with a general progression of arterial lesions on all main coronary branches.

Growth-phase-dependent immunodeterminants of Rhizobium trifolii lipopolysaccharide which bind trifoliin A, a white clover lectin.

The lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Rhizobium trifolii 0403 was isolated at different stages of growth and was examined for its (i) ability to bind a white clover lectin (trifoliin A), (ii) immunochemical properties, and (iii) composition. There was significantly more binding of trifoliin A to purified LPS and cells in the early stationary phase than to cells in the exponential phase. Immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays indicated that new antigenic determinants of the LPS appeared for brief periods on cells at the end of the lag phase and again at the beginning of the stationary phase.

[Aortic valve disease and coronary atherosclerosis. Clinical and coronarographic study (author's transl)].

77 patients with aortic valve disease have undergone heart catheterization in prevision of valve replacement: in this group the incidence of angina pectoris and the incidence of coronary artery disease associated with the valvular disease have been evaluated. The most important data resulting from out study are: 1) High frequency of angina pectoris both aortic stenosis and in aortic regurgitation: respectively about 60% and 50%. 2) The frequency of coronary atherosclerosis associated with aortic valve disease is much higher in aortic stenosis than in aortic regurgitation: respectively 35% versus 15%.