68 research outputs found
Gluten sensitivity in Meniere's disease
No full textOBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Wheat is one of the most common food allergens found in patients with Meniere's disease (MD). Gluten from wheat has been identified to have a etiopathogenetic role in celiac disease, IgE hypersensitivity to wheat disease, and recently to gluten sensitivity. The aim of this study was to verify the incidence of gliadin prick test response in patients affected by MD. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective individual case-control study. METHODS: There were 58 adult patients with definite MD, 25 healthy volunteers, and 25 patients with grass pollen rhinoconjunctivitis tested with skin prick test to gliadin. RESULTS: A total of 33 MD patients (56.9%) proved to be sensitive to gliadin, eight of whom were positive to prick test after 20 minutes, 13 after 6 hours, 11 after 12 hours, and one after 24 hours. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of gliadin skin test response in MD. Further studies are needed to define the relationship between immune response to wheat proteins and MD symptoms
The importance of hearing evaluation in the study of simulated visual impairment in speech reading abilities
No full textThe emitted dose of drug from a valved holding chamber using five pressurized metered dose inhalers
No full textBackground. The dose available at the mouth from a pressurised metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) cannot stay the same if it is used with a valved holding chamber (VHC). A different aerosol drug delivery system is created when the pMDI is used with the VHC and therefore the dose delivered to the patients is no longer that released from the pMDI alone, but the one emitted by the new system. This study aims to verify the emitted dose of five pMDI drugs when used with a VHC.
Methods. The emitted dose was expressed as the amount of drug within the respirable fraction available at the end of the VHC, i.e. the drug output (measured by high performance liquid chromatography) multiplied by the percentage of FDF determined using a laser diffraction analyser.
Results. the emitted doses were drastically reduced in comparison with the nominal doses (Beclomethasone from 250 to 90.5 μg, Budesonide from 200 to 100 μg, Ciclesonide from 160 to 102 μg Fluticasone from 250 to 116 μg, Salbutamol from 100 to 54 μg).
Conclusions. When pMDIs are employed with a VHC, the emitted dose drastically changes; it is more or less halved. In order to facilitate prescription by the physician, both the nominal and the emitted doses should be reported in the VHC package
Sound influence on vestibulo-spinal control
No full textIt has been known for a long time that the application of intense acoustic stimuli to the ear can induce reflex muscle responses. The classic physiology describes reflex responses of neck muscles aimed at turning the head towards the source of acoustic stimuli.
It is well known Tullio phenomenon (1929) which is a rare but remarkable clinical entity consisting of a rotatory vertigo and unsteadiness evoked by extremely loud sounds (ipsilateral nystagmus ).
The link between the vibratory energy and the vestibular response takes place in the saccule which is located between choclea and utriculus on one side and semicircular canals on the other side.
The acoustic stimulation induces movements of the stapes footplate which excite macular receptors of the sacculus, due to their close proximity. Therefore, acoustic stimulation activates the vestibulo-spinal pathway by stimulating saccular maculae EMG/ABR recording from ipsi SCM showes a P13/N23 biphasic complex
Vestibular rehabilitation in whiplash injuries
No full textWhiplash injury can be defined as a non-contact rapid acceleration-deceleration head-neck trauma during which the kinematics of the cervical spine are completely disrupted. Because of the impact a sudden violent head retro-flexion is followed by an as much as violent head antero-flexion.
The therapy influenced Tonic muscles by increasing labyrinthine percentage and induced a reduction in activity of Phasic muscles by decreasing Somatosensorial and Visive Percentag
The MCS (mechanic, cybernetics and synergetics) method in vestibular rehabilitation
No full textVertigo and dizziness are conscious symptoms and the disturbances are not disequilibrium or nystagmus but the consciousness of disequilibrium and nystagmus. Thus physical rehabilitation must not only be pointed to resolution of objective disorder but it must be aimed to resolution of subjective consciousness of the disorder itself.
MCS is the achronimus of mechanic , cybernetics and synergetics. We said that to prepare a particular protocol of treatment is necessary to have in mind a particular model of the Equilibrium system.
Under a mechanic point of view we can consider the Equilibrium function as the result of the sum of these reflexes, the contemporary but distinct activation of some or all of these reflexes, according to the need: gaze, standing, walking.
Under a cybernetics point view all the structures, peripheral and central, that contribute to the BOR and BSR constitute a system. A System is a network of different structures interconnected , interacting to reach a common goal. In this case the goal is human balance. The structures that provide the BOR and the BSR consitute the so-called Equilibrium System. Lackner remembered that the so-called vestibular nuclei are real polisensorial relays and that they are not only correlated to the activity of the vestibule. Thus it is uncorrected to define those nuclei as vestibular nuclei. They are true Balance nuclei that act together cerebellum and reticular formations to provide the sub-cortical component of human Equilibrium. Under the neurophysiological point of view the Equilibrium system (ES) is the Vestibular system. In order to reduce misinterpretation we prepose to refer to the Equilibrium System comprehending also the vestibular part of informations and reflexes.
Synergetics model is based on the papers of Haken. He proposed his model to simplify complex functions such as macroeconomics processes, some physics phenomena such as clouds formation
and many other complex phenomena. He proposed that every phenomenon, every function, is the macroscopic result of microscopic arrangements of the components that acts together to produce the phenomenon itself (that is to perform the function). By this point of view a system can be subdivided into different functional levels. Each lower, microscopic, level is directly communicating and interconnected with the upper, macroscopic, level.</p
Agenti fisici ed udito. Nuove conoscenze sugli effetti del rumore in infanzia/adolescenza: le misure preventive.
No full textAssent
Relationship Between Bio-Climatic and Milk Composition Data of Dairy Sheep Farms: Comparison Between THI and Multivariate Weather Index
No full textMilk yield and its composition show individual variation due to the effects of the environment. Previous studies suggest that meteorological variables exert negative effects on milk yield and composition, especially during summer. This study aimed to examine the effects of meteorological variables on bulk milk composition in the Sardinian sheep production system. In this work, a total of 218,170 records belonging to 4562 dairy sheep farms were merged with the meteorological data provided by 60 meteorological stations located on Sardinia Island (Italy). Milk composition in the late spring and summer recorded during a 5-year period was used to evaluate the impact of climate exposure on bulk milk traits. The milk quality was analyzed using a linear mixed model that included the fixed effects of the year of sampling, the flock size, the temperature humidity index (THI) and the random effect of the flock. The variability of milk composition explained by flock and management ranged from 30 to 64%. The flock size exerted a significant effect on milk composition: large flocks characterized by advanced management and feeding techniques resulted in higher milk quality (e.g., higher protein and fat, lower lactose) compared to traditionally managed small flocks. The impact of THI on milk composition was statistically significant across different milk quality traits (p < 0.001); the effect of thermal stress varied according to the month of lactation. For instance, milk fat content in May increased by +0.4% for THI > 76. In June, no relevant differences were observed, whereas a decrease in fat percentage was observed in July as THI values increased (up to −0.5% for THI > 76). While somatic cell counts remained relatively stable across different conditions, total bacterial count showed greater seasonal variability, peaking during warmer periods. In addition, using factor analysis, we developed a multivariate meteorological index (MMI), which explained 51% of the variance of the original meteorological data. MMI was highly correlated with THI (r = 0.75). The same linear mixed model applied for modeling THI was used to assess the effect of MMI on milk traits. Fat, protein fractions and lactose showed significant variation across MMI classes (p-value < 0.001) in the same direction as those based on THI. Overall, our findings underscore the impact of both flock size and environmental conditions on milk quality, with heat stress and traditional versus modern management practices leading to measurable differences in milk traits
Electromyographic activity of sternocleidomastoid and masticatory muscles in patients with vestibular lesions
No full textThis study evaluated the electromyographic characteristics of masticatory and neck muscles in subjects with vestibular lesions. Surface electromyography of the masseter, temporalis and sternocleidomastoid muscles was performed in 19 patients with Ménière's disease, 12 patients with an acute peripheral vestibular lesion, and 19 control subjects matched for sex and age. During maximum voluntary clenching, patients with peripheral vestibular lesions had the highest co-contraction of the sternocleidomastoid muscle (analysis of covariance, p=0.02), the control subjects had the smallest values, and the patients with Ménière's disease had intermediate values. The control subjects had larger standardized muscle activities than the other patient groups (p=0.001). In conclusion, during maximum voluntary tooth clenching, patients with vestibular alterations have both more active neck muscles, and less active masticatory muscles than normal controls. Results underline the importance of a more inclusive craniocervical assessment of patients with vestibular lesions
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