29 research outputs found
The dialogic construction of explanation in university language classrooms
No full textThe present study proposes an investigation of explanation as occurring in university second language classrooms, and compares the results of this analysis with those of a questionnaire on explanation carried on the same university context. The questionnaire examines educators' beliefs and opinions on explanation. It addresses issues related to: (a) the interactants' roles; (b) the triggering factors; (e) the content; (d) the delivery style, and (e) the relation of explanations to proficiency levels, and (f) activity variations. The classroom data (video-taped interactions), in contras!, report what educators really do in classroom settings and allow an investigation of five categories of variables related to: (1) the initiator and the real performer of explanatory sequences; (2) the type of on-going explanation; (3) the content of the same; (4) the factors which cause explanations to occur in the interaction, and (5) the style of the explanatory delivery. Both data were collected at the American Language Institute, University in Southern California, Los Angeles, in 1987-88. The comparative analysis of the data indicates interesting matches as well as discrepancies between what educators think of explanations and what they actually do in their classes during explanatory activities
Aerostasi in chirurgia toracica nell’Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma: introduzione nella pratica clinica del Tachosil, un sigillante registrato come farmaco
No full textA case of pheochromocytoma with renal artery stenosis and post-surgical watery diarrhea
No full textA 35-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the following complaints, headache, sweating, anxiety, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and severe hypertension. The technical images (abdominal CT, scintigraphic octreotide scan and renal arteriography) revealed the presence of a left adrenal pheochromocytoma and stenosis of the renal artery. Ten days following adrenalectomy, watery diarrhea appeared. The long-acting somatostatin analogue octreotide (LAR, 30 mg/month, i.m.), was started, and after 2 weeks diarrhea decreased and gradually disappeared. In conclusion, we were confronted with an unusual case of pheochromocytoma associated with renal artery stenosis and the appearance of watery diarrhea some days after surgical treatment. Treatment with octreotide brought about the remission of diarrhea in this patient. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel
Allestimento di formulazioni di bleomicina intralesionale per carcinoma spinocellulare in dermatologia chirurgica in un’Unità di Manipolazione Chemioterapici Antiblastici (UMaCA).
No full textOBIETTIVO DELLA RICERCA
Confermata l’efficacia di bleomicina intralesionale da un’analisi della letteratura scientifica, il presente studio si è proposto di:
- Analizzare il caso clinico di un paziente affetto da carcinoma spinocellulare non eleggibile alle terapie standard per età, condizioni cliniche generali complesse e preferenza del soggetto.
- Elaborare uno schema terapeutico per l’applicazione clinica del trattamento intralesionale con bleomicina.
- Mettere a punto un’ idonea Procedura di Allestimento della terapia oncologica presso l’Unità di Manipolazione Chemioterapici Antiblastici dell’Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma.
- Valutare gli esiti clinici derivanti dalla somministrazione del farmaco.
- Analizzare nuovi casi clinici per indagare ulteriormente l’efficacia della terapia intralesionale con bleomicina in campo dermatologico
Farmaci biologici nella terapia della psoriasi. Progetto PSOCARE: esperienza condotta nell'Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma
No full text
Adrenomedullin concentrations are elevated in plasma of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism
No full textThe aim of the study was to evaluate plasma adrenomedullin (AM) concentration in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) and its effect on the regulation of blood pressure. Forty-one patients with PHP (25 normotensive and 16 hypertensive), and 31 healthy subjects (HS) were included in the study. As expected the total and ionized calcium and i-PTH serum levels were significantly higher in patients with PHP than in HS (P < .001). No significant difference was found in calcium-phosphorus metabolism parameters between normotensive and hypertensive PHP patients. Serum i-PTH levels correlated positively with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.510; P < .02), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.586; P < .01) and heart rate (HR) (r = 0.486; P < .043) only in hypertensive PHP patients. Overall, mean plasma AM concentrations were significantly higher in PHP patients (16.1 +/- 7.9 pg/mL) than in HS (11.3 +/- 4.8 pg/mL) (P < .003) and correlated with i-PTH (r = 0.430; P < .005). However, in hypertensive PHP patients plasma AM levels (22.5 +/- 4.7 pg/mL) were higher than in normotensive PHP patients (11.6 +/- 1.8 pg/mL) (P < .001) and correlated with DBP (r = 0.902, P < .0029). In HS no correlation was found between plasma AM values and biohumoral, hormonal, or hemodynamic parameters. In conclusion, we demonstrated that in patients with PHP, plasma AM concentrations are increased and correlate with i-PTH and blood pressure values. We suggest that increased AM levels could be a compensatory factor in the defence mechanism against further blood pressure elevation. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved
Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and endothelin-1 systems in primary hyperparathyroidism associated with arterial hypertension
No full textAim of the study was to investigate the role of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in the pathogenesis of arterial hypertension in primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP). Methods. We studied 44 PHP patients (37 females, 7 males; mean age 55±13 yrs) divided into 2 groups: 25 (57%) normotensive and 19 (43%) hypertensive patients; 25 healthy subjects (NS: 13 males, 12 females; mean age 48±10 yrs) and 32 patients with essential hypertension (EH: 18 female, 14 males; mean age 52±11 yrs). In all groups we measured calcium-phosphorus metabolism and plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone (PAC) and ET-1 concentrations. Results. Results did not demonstrate significant differences in mineral metabolism parameters (Ca, Ca++, P, creatinine, ALP, iPTH) between normotensive and hypertensive PHP patients. In hypertensive PHP patients positive correlation between plasma iPTH and systolic (S) (r=0.517; p=0.023) and diastolic (D) blood pressure (BP) (r=0.586, p<0.001) and heart rate (HR), (r=0.485, p=0.043) was found. In hypertensive PHP patients PRA and PAC concentrations were significantly higher than in NS and normotensive PHP patients. Positive correlation in hypertensive PHP between iPTH and PRA (r=0.566, p=0.009) and PAC (r=0.684, p<0.001) was also found. No significant correlation was seen in normotensive PHP patients. In PHP patients with arterial hypertension, plasma ET-1 levels were significantly higher than in NS, normotensive PHP and EH patients. In these patients iPTH and ET-1 concentrations (r=0.554, p<0.019) were positively correlated as well as ET-1 and DBP (r=0.456, p<0.05). Conclusions. These results seem to indicate a pathogenetic role of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and endothelin-1 in hypertensive PHP patients
Endothelin-1 circulating levels increase in patients with orthotopic heart transplantation and in chronic therapy with cyclosporine
No full textBackground. The aim of the study was to investigate the behaviour of plasma levels of endothelin-1 (ET-1), an endothelial peptide with vasoconstrictive and proliferative actions, in patients with cardiac transplantation and in chronic treatment with cyclosporine A, some of whom became hypertensive after cardiac transplantation. Methods. We studied: 1) 18 consecutive patients (15 M, 3 F; mean age 53±7 yrs) who underwent cardiac transplantation about six months ago at least (range 6-108 months); 2) 15 patients with essential arterial hypertension (10 M, 5 F; mean age 42±15 yrs) without organ damage; 3) 21 normal subjects (15 M, 6 F; mean age 31±12 yrs). Plasma levels of ET-1 (RIA), haemodynamic and functional renal parameters were determined in all groups and plasma levels of cyclosporine were measured in patients with cardiac transplantation. Results. ET-1 was higher in patients with cardiac transplantation than in the other two groups (p0.05). A statistical difference was found between circulating ET-1 in hypertensive transplanted patients (61%) and those in normotensive transplanted patients. In heart transplanted patients a positive and significative correlation was found between plasma levels of ET-1 and systolic (r=0.792; p<0.0001) and diastolic (r=0.525; p<0.037) blood pressure. Conclusions. Our study shows that there is an increase of circulating ET-1 levels of in patients with heart transplanted patients and in particular in those who developed arterial hypertension. We can hypothesize that ET-1 plays an important role in the variation of systemic blood pressure
Risk of venous thromboembolism and stroke associated with oral contraceptives. Role of congenital thrombophilias
No full textTo assess the risk of thromboembolism in women using oral contraceptives (OCs), we identified through computer search in the hospitals of the province of Parma, Italy, all women aged 15-44 who were resident in the province and had a documented thromboembolic event in the years 1989-93. The number of users and nonusers of OCs was estimated by the drug sale data for the province and by the demographic statistics. In cases with venous thromboembolism (VT) the prevalence of concomitant deficiency of antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, and of factor V gene mutation Arg506GIn was evaluated. The incidence rate of VT was 37/59,603 woman-years in users (0.62 per 1000) and 13/303,954 woman-years in nonusers (0.042 per 1000), for a relative risk (RR) of 14.5 (95% confidence interval: 7.8-27.1; P < 0.001); the rate of stroke per 1000 woman-years was 0.17 in users and 0.036 in nonusers (RR = 4.6; 2.9-10.7; P < 0.01). A congenital thrombophilia involving the protein C anticoagulant system was documented in about 25% of young women developing venous thromboembolism while on OCs
