Study of pituitary secretion in relation to retinopathy in patients with juvenile diabetes mellitus

Fifteen juvenile diabetic patients with normal eye fundus, 6 with non proliferative retinopathy, 5 with proliferative retinopathy and 5 healthy control subjects were studied in order to investigate pituitary function in relation to diabetic retinopathy. ACTH values at 08(00) and 18(00), hPRL and TSh secretion in response to 200 microgram TRH i.v., and GH secretion in response to 500 mg oral L-dopa were evaluated. In all diabetic subjects, 08(00) ACTH levels were lower than in controls. Basal hPRL, TSH and GH values of the diabetics did not differ from those of the controls. No significant differences were found in hPRL levels in response to TRH, whereas significantly lower TSH responses were found in the diabetics. L-dopa caused a significantly different response of GH in the diabetic subjects compared to controls. There is thus a considerable derangement in pituitary hormone secretion in juvenile diabetics mellitus.

[Clinico-immunological studies of 32 cases of bone tumors]

We have studied 32 patients with different bone neoplasias. 18 had osteogenic sarcoma. Clinical and immunological observations led us to consider our results as a general approach to the problem. No specific conclusions can be made. We describe 3 patients treated with levamisole therapy and two with transfer factor. In single patients some useful observations are connected about relationship between treated and non-treated patients.

Fat graft interposition: an adjunct to resection of calcaneonavicular bar: a case report

A case of bilateral calcaneonavicular coalition is presented. Treatment included post-resectional interpostion of fat. Technique and results are discussed.

Artificial excretion of weakly bound middle molecules by hemoanadiafiltration

The concept of a subtractive therapeutic intervention in several diseases (shock, acute liver, failure, poisoning) to remove toxic middle molecules (MM) has led to the devising of a particular ultrafiltration system (anadiafiltration) to clear weakly bound MM. Clinical hemoanadiafiltration (HADF) with a polyacrylonitrile filter and in vitro experiments with a series of marker substances, have shown HADF efficacy in clearing MM, irrespective of their molecular weight, with protein binding K between 50 and 150.

[Respiratory work in panting in swine]

The dynamic work of breathing (Wdyn) has been measured during thermal tachypnea in pig anaesthetized and tracheotomized. During euthermia Wdin(cm H2O/R1/min-1) increases with ventilation (L.P.S.) according to Wdyn = 1,09 V2 + 1,33 V3; when body temperature rose above 39 degrees C for a given ventilation Wdyn decreases. In all animals has been observed a change of airways size and probably of respiratory tract of Weibel.

[Thermal tachypnea in pigs]

In anaesthetised and tracheotomised pig, the reflex of panting has been evaluated. The thermal tachypnea showed two phases: initially respiratory frequency increases likely to body temperature but at 41,4 degrees C is observed apnea. When temperature rose above 42 degrees C the respiratory frequency further increased the changes in blood CO2, O2 and pH were not significant. During apnea is present a slight alkalosis.

[Determination of antibodies against influenza viruses, using the ELISA method]

A microplate method of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adapted for the demonstration of antibodies to influenza A and B in 25 paired acute and convalescent sera taken from patients with influenza A infection, in 11 single convalescent sera collected from patients with acute respiratory infection and serological evidence of influenza B infection, in 14 paired sera collected from volunteers who were vaccinated with an aqueous inactivated influenza A and B vaccine, and in 15 serum samples from normal subjects. Comparison showed that ELISA was more sensitive than the hemagglutination-inhibition test. The enzyme-immunoassay gave equally reliable and reproducible results and requires very small amounts of antigen and sera. This simple test may be suitable for use in large seroepidemiological surveys.

[Comparative evaluation of different immunological technics for detection of HBsAg]

260 sera from healthy subjects and patients with various diseases (140 subjects with viral hepatitis during the acute stage, 30 with extra-hepatic diseases, 90 blood donors) were tested for HBsAg by the following methods: immunodiffusion according to Ouchterlony, counter-immunelectrophoresis, complement fixation test, passive hemagglutination test, radioimmunoassay. Radioimmunoassay proved to be the more sensitive method. However, the passive hemagglutination test for its simplicity and sensibility, represents the method of choice for screening large population.

[Determination of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against influenza virus A/Port Chalmers/1/73 in samples from the Roman population (1962-1974). Relation of antibody titers to those obtained against previous influenza A strains]

The h.i.a. titer has been determined against the strain of the A/Port Chalmers/1/73 influenza virus in 805 serum samples obtained in Rome from as many adults during six distinct periods between spring 1962 and summer-autumn 1974.

Reflection holographic filters for compacting optical processors

Character recognition experiments, carried out with reflection matched filters, are described. The reflection filters are obtained by means of volume holograms, recorded in photographic emulsion and suitably processed. These filters allow a good discrimination among similar characters and exhibit large positioning tolerances. They turn out to be well comparable with transmission hologram filters. An advantage of reflection filters is that the filtering operation can be performed with one-lens processor, thus reducing by one-half the size and the cost of the processor.

Geodesic lenses for guided optical waves

Two-dimensional lenses are essential elements in integrated optics. As an alternative to the techniques already suggested and tested to obtain such optical systems, a different method is reported that consists of extending to thin film optics the principle of configuration lenses already studied for application to microwave antennas. The working principle of such lenses is that the propagation occurs along a curved surface in a two-dimensional Riemann space. The rays are the geodesics of the surface. Two optical geodesic lenses having planar input and output have been constructed and tested. They can be easily inserted in planar film circuits. The advantage of these optical systems is that the substrate can be prepared in advance with the accuracy of glass optics. Then the dielectric film can be deposited with the same method used for planar components.