0000000000262675
AUTHOR
M. Melluso
Morphea after silicone gel breast implantation for cosmetic reasons in an HLA-B8,DR3-positive woman
We describe an HLA-B8, DR3-positive patient with localized morphea after silicone gel breast implantation for cosmetic reasons. We believe that this case suggests that a genetic background, i.e. HLA-B8, DR3 haplotype, is involved in the autoimmune response to silicone.
Prevalence of organ-specific and non organ-specific autoantibodies in healthy centenarians.
In the present study we have investigated the prevalence of organ-specific and non organ-specific autoantibodies in 26 healthy centenarians (6 men, 20 women; age range 101-106 years), using as controls 54 healthy old (33 men and 21 women, age range 71-93) and 56 young subjects (29 men and 27 women, age range 26-60). We assayed sera of each group for the following organ-specific autoantibodies, anti-gastric mucosa (anti-PCA), anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg) and non organ-specific autoantibodies, anti-cardiolipin (anti-APA IgG and IgM), anti-nuclear antigens (anti-ANA), anti-double strand DNA (anti-ds-DNA), anti-extractable nuclear antigens (anti-ENA). Finally, natural anti-alpha-galactosyl (ant…
Efficacy, tolerability, and effects on quality of life of inhaled salmeterol and oral theophylline in patients with mild-to-moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Abstract The aims of management in mild-to-moderate stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are to improve symptoms and quality of life (QOL), reduce decline in lung function, prevent and treat complications, increase survival while maintaining QOL, and minimize the adverse effects of treatment. Bronchodilator therapy is the keystone of improving COPD symptoms and functional capacity. The primary objective of this open-label study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of salmeterol 50 μg BID administered by metered-dose inhaler versus oral, titrated, sustained-release theophylline BID, both given for 3 months to patients with a clinical history of chronic bronchitis. The …
Fuzzy Adaptive EKF Motion Control for Nonholonomic and Underactuated Cars with Parametric and non Parametric Uncertainties
A new fuzzy adaptive motion control system including on-line extended Kalman''s filter (EKF) for wheeled underactuated cars with non-holonomic constraints on the motion is presented. The presence of parametric uncertainties in the kinematics and in the dynamics is treated using suitable differential adaptation laws. We merge adaptive control with fuzzy inference system. By using fuzzy system, the parameters of the kinematical controller are functions of the lateral, longitudinal and orientation errors of the motion. In this way we have a robust control system where the dynamics of the motion errors is with lower time response than the adaptive control without fuzzy. Also Lyapunov''s stabili…
Comparison of the effects of salmeterol and salbutamol on clinical activity and eosinophil cationic protein serum levels during the pollen season in atopic asthmatics
In atopic asthma there is strong evidence of eosinophils playing an active role in pathogenesis. Some investigations demonstrated that eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) serum levels increased in atopic patients with asthma during pollen season.The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of short-term (1 week) beta 2-agonist treatment on lung function and eosinophil activity in asthmatic patients.We used an open, randomized, cross-over design to compare the effects of salbutamol (200 micrograms q.i.d.) and salmeterol (50 micrograms b.i.d.) on peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), blood eosinophil count and serum levels of ECP as a measure of eosinophil activity in 20 mild atopic asthmatics.…
gamma-Interferon, interleukin-4 and interleukin-6 in vitro production in old subjects.
It is well known that ageing is associated with various alterations of the lymphoid cell functions. Although both B and T cell are affected, the last appear to be more sensitive to ageing process. During the past years, to gain insight into thé mechanism(s) of this impairment, effort has been centered on the helper T cells specifically engaged in the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) because of the pivotal role played by this cytokine in the activation of several immune functions. The results have demonstrated that the ability to produce IL-2 declines with age. In this paper we report the results of a study performed to determine the influence of age on the capacity to produce gamma-interf…