Search results for "Amy"
showing 10 items of 1486 documents
The Influence of Insulin on Local Amyloidosis of the Islets of Langerhans and Insulinoma
1980
Summary Amyloid-containing islets of Langerhans from the pancreas of 75 diabetics and one case of an amyloid-containing insulinoma were investigated. By light and electron microscopy, amyloid deposits were observed between the B cells and adjacent capillaries. The cytoplasm of B cells and extracellular amyloid display immunohistological binding of anti-insulin antibody. Correspondingly, ferritin-labeled anti-insulin antibody was found by electron microscopy on and between the amyloid fibrils. Insulin or proinsulin (or a protein closely related to insulin) thus appears to be a.component of the protein which constitutes the amyloid. The molecular weight and mode of deposition of this form of …
The eye-tracking computer device for communication in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
2013
Objective To explore the effectiveness of communication and the variables affecting the eye-tracking computer system (ETCS) utilization in patients with late-stage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods We performed a telephone survey on 30 patients with advanced non-demented ALS that were provisioned an ECTS device. Median age at interview was 55 years (IQR = 48–62), with a relatively high education (13 years, IQR = 8–13). A one-off interview was made and answers were later provided with the help of the caregiver. The interview included items about demographic and clinical variables affecting the daily ETCS utilization. Results The median time of ETCS device possession was 15 months …
Small intestine bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome-related symptoms: Experience with Rifaximin
2009
AIM: To estimate the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in our geographical area (Western Sicily, Italy) by means of an observational study, and to gather information on the use of locally active, non-absorbable antibiotics for treatment of SIBO. METHODS: Our survey included 115 patients fulfilling the Rome II criteria for diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); a total of 97 patients accepted to perform a breath test with lactulose (BTLact), and those who had a positive test, received Rifaximin (Normix®, Alfa Wassermann) 1200 mg/d for 7 d; 3 wk after the end of treatment, the BTLact was repeated. RESULTS: Based on the BTLact results, SIBO was present in about 5…
Experimental and methodological factors affecting test-retest reliability of amygdala BOLD responses.
2018
Previous studies reported poor to fair test-retest reliability of amygdala BOLD responses to emotional stimuli. However, these findings are very heterogeneous across and within studies. The present study sought to systematically examine experimental and methodological factors that contribute to this heterogeneity. Forty-six young subjects were scanned twice with a mean test-retest interval of 7 weeks. We compared amygdala reliability across three tasks: A face-matching task, passive viewing of emotional faces, and passive viewing of emotional scenes. We also explored whether extraction of physiological noise can affect the stability of amygdala responses. We assessed test-retest reliability…
Selection of optimal prophylactic aminoglycoside dosage in cancer patients: population pharmacokinetic approaches.
1994
We report an alternative dose-finding approach for the selection of optimal prophylactic aminoglycoside dosage in specific (sub)populations of patients. Relative a priori utility of several intervals of gentamicin or tobramycin (AMG) peak and trough serum levels were assigned by a group of pharmacokinetics experts, assuming prophylactic administration for laryngectomy interventions. A group of 27 adult patients, with normal renal function, undergoing elective surgery for laryngeal problems and treated prophylactically with gentamicin (80 mg t.i.d.) or tobramycin (100 mg t.i.d.) was studied. Two blood samples (peak and trough) were drawn at steady-state for AMG assay. Three different methods…
Neural correlates of an attentional bias to health-threatening stimuli in individuals with pathological health anxiety
2017
Background: An attentional bias to health-threat stimuli is assumed to represent the primary pathogenetic factor for the development and maintenance of pathological health anxiety (PHA; formerly termed “hypochondriasis”). However, little is known about the neural basis of this attentional bias in individuals with PHA.Methods: A group of patients with PHA, a group of depressed patients and a healthy control group completed an emotional Stroop task with health-threat (body symptom and illness) words and neutral control words while undergoing functional MRI.Results: We included 33 patients with PHA, 28 depressed patients and 31 controls in our analyses. As reflected in reaction times, patients…
Expression of PSA-NCAM and synaptic proteins in the amygdala of psychiatric disorder patients.
2011
Neuroimaging has revealed structural abnormalities in the amygdala of different psychiatric disorders. The polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM), a molecule related to neuronal structural plasticity, which expression is altered in schizophrenia, major depression and in animal models of these disorders, may participate in these changes. However, PSA-NCAM has not been studied in the human amygdala. To know whether its expression and that of presynaptic markers, was affected in psychiatric disorders, we have analyzed post-mortem sections from the Stanley Neuropathology Consortium, which includes controls, schizophrenia, bipolar and major depression patients. PSA-NCAM was expr…
Phosphomannosyl receptors of lysosomal enzymes of skeletal muscle in neuromuscular diseases.
1988
The phosphomannosyl receptor system is responsible for both the receptor-mediated endocytosis and the intracellular transport of lysosomal enzymes. In the present study this receptor system was examined in affected muscles of patients with various neuromuscular diseases. The total activity of beta-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase, a marker enzyme of lysosomal hydrolases, was significantly elevated in the patients with myopathies (polymyositis and muscular dystrophies) but only slightly increased in those with neurogenic muscle atrophies (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, polyneuropathy or other neurogenic muscle disease). The increase was most prominent in the group of polymyositis. The content of pho…
Macroamylasaemia after treatment with hydroxyethyl starch
1977
After infusion of 500 ml of 6% hydroxyethyl starch into fifty-four patients an increase of serum amylase was observed which in fifty-one cases exceeded the upper limit of normal (190 U/l). In most cases serum amylase reached twice the basal value. Renal function influenced the duration of the increase in serum amylase, but not the maximum increase (201+/-15 U/l; mean+/-SEM). In patients with advanced renal failure (glomerular filtration rate (GFR) = 2-10 ml/min) serum amylase was still markedly elevated after 72 h (298+/-24 U/l; mean+/-SEM). In patients with normal renal function (GFR greater than 90 ml/min) serum amylase decreased to 183+/-40 U/l (mean+/-SEM) within 72 h without reaching b…
Pancreatic enzymes in chronic renal failure and transplant patients.
1992
The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency and degree of elevated serum levels of Total Amylase (TA), Pancreatic Amylase (PA), and Lipase (L) activity in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on conservative therapy; CRF on periodical hemodialysis (HD); in renal transplant (RT) and in a control Group (C). Mean values were significantly higher in all groups than Group C for TA (p < 0.005), PA (p < 0.0001) and L (p < 0.0001). A statistically significant correlation was found between TA and L vs creatininemia values in CRF patients, but only up to a certain level (creatininemia < 6 mg %) (p < 0.03 and p < 0.05), above which there was no correlation. The enzyme most frequen…