[Microbiology of chronic lung diseases in children (author's transl)]

The bacterial flora was studied in the bronchial, pharyngeal secretions and sputum of 80 children with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and of 21 children with other chronic lung diseases, treated at the Pediatric Clinic (Respiratory Unit), University of Genoa. Staphylococcus aureus was found in 52% of patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 48%, Proteus in 5%. According to the age, the patients have been distinguished into four groups; in the 6-10 and 11-15 year-old group Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest pathogen isolated, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa was found much more commonly in the 16-20 year-old group. Details are given of antibiotic-sensitivity for single strains grown. Intensive care programs, based on specific antibiotic-sensitivity, for in-patients and out-patients, are reported: positive results in treatment courses with Gentamicin, Cephalosporins and Tobramycin are presented.

Antidepressant treatment with maprotiline in the management of emotional disturbances in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a controlled study

In coronary artery disease the patients usually manifest both anxiety and depression disturbances. A controlled clinical study was conducted to test the efficacy of a new antidepressant agent, maprotiline, in the early stages of acute myocardial infarction. The sample consisted of 126 patients, sixty-three receiving orally 25 mg of maprotiline twice daily and the remainder 5 mg of diazepam twice daily. Treatment lasted on an average two weeks (ten days to eight weeks). The depressive and/or anxiety conditions were rated on the basis of a questionnaire administered before and after treatment. Depression improved markedly in patients receiving maprotiline, while the two drugs developed a comparable anxiolytic action. Tolerability was good. No clinical or ECG evidence of cardiotoxic signs was detected. The importance of a drug with these characteristics in the management of emotional disturbances in the early stages of coronary artery disease is emphasized.

[Radiologic and clinico-functional correlations in chronic lung diseases during congestive heart failure]

Two groups of patients were studied with serial correlated radiological functional analysis. Each group had a previous history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; however, on admission, only one group exhibited the clinical signs of this superimposed disease. The results of this research showed that chronic pulmonary disease is better defined by functional studies while cardiac failure (even in early stages) is always revealed by radiological examination.

Plasma lipids during extracorporeal circulation

Total lipids, lipid classes, and per cent composition of fatty acids were investigated in plasma and stored subcutaneous fats of 19 subjects undergoing extracorporeal circulation (ECC). The tests were made before and 3, 20, 40, and 60 minutes after ECC was started. Hemodilution caused a general fall in total lipids and lipid classes. Evaluation of the lipid classes as percentages of the total lipids assumed to be 100 per cent allow the lipid variation due to hemodilution to be disregarded. A linear correlation between an increase in free fatty acids (FFA) and a decrease in triglycerides can thus be observed. This has been attributed to action of the lipase lipoproteic (LLP) activity stimulated by heparin, which is usually employed in ECC hemodilution. The hypothesis that FFA's are mobilized from stored subcutaneous fats was discounted.

Determination of Benzo(a)pyrene in Mineral Tars for Pharmaceutical Use

A method for determining benzo(a)pyrene in mineral tars is described. The procedure: 1) extraction of the aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons from tar with cyclohexane, 2) separation of benzo (a) pyrene by two different thin layer chromatographic systems in succession (System I: silica gel, eluent: n-hexane-orthodichlorobenzol-pyridine 20:2:1; System II: acetylated cellulosa-alumina 1:2; eluent: ethanol-toluene-water 17:4:4), spectrophotometric assay of the hydrocarbon at 383 mμ. This procedure was used for screening samples of mineral tar for pharmaceutical use and samples of proprietaries containing mineral tar. All the tars analysed, except two, obtained with special purification procedures, proved to contain benzo (a) pyrene at concentrations ranging from 0.33 to 0.69%.

Fertility as a function of the woman's age and year of birth in Italy

A mathematical model is suggested to represent the trend of the fertility coefficient in the Italian woman as a function of her age and year of birth. The study has been based on data from the fertility tables by Livi Bacci-Santini interpreted by one single formula.