185 research outputs found
Busulfan
No full textBusulfan is a useful, sufficiently safe drug in the treatment of patients with CML. At higher dosages, busulfan is a fundamental part of myeloablative therapies for patients undergoing BMT. As the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of busulfan is further understood, there is great potential for improving treatment outcome. An assessment of maximal tolerated exposure determined by therapeutic drug monitoring may decrease the incidence and lethality of regimen-related toxicities
Plasma levels after oral methotrexate in children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.
No full textPlasma levels of methotrexate (MTX) after oral administration of 6.4 to 11.2 mg/m2/week (mean 8.5 mg/m2/week) were studied in 33 children with severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). MTX concentrations were measured by a fluorescence polarization immunoassay (TDx) at 1, 2, 3, and 24 h after administration. The maximum level was observed in most patients after 1 h. No significant correlation was found between MTX dosage and the 1, 2, and 3-h plasma levels. No patient showed values in the range of probable toxicity 24 h after administration. A stepwise multiple regression analysis on 1, 2, and 3-h MTX levels, selected clinical features, dosage and duration of MTX therapy, and concomitant drug treatment showed that MTX concentrations at the different time points tend to be closely related; among the other variables, only concurrent treatment with salicylates was found to affect significantly the 3-h level. Serial determinations performed in 20 patients at the same oral dosage showed a wide interindividual and intraindividual variability of the plasma levels from the first dose to the next. Variable and unpredictable levels were observed also in most of the 8 patients studied after one or more increases of MTX dosage. No difference in MTX concentrations was observed between patients who responded to treatment and those who failed to respond, and between patients who had serum transaminase elevation and those who did not. Our results suggest that, until the pharmacokinetics of low dose MTX is clarified, routine therapeutic monitoring of MTX has a limited value in the clinical management of children with JRA
Comparative effects of quinidine and dihydro-quinidine on ventricular ectopy after acute and cronic administration.
No full textHigh-performance liquid chromatography method for anlayzing the antiretroviral agent efavirenz (EFV, DMP 266) in human plasma
No full textRituximab for the treatment of refractory autoimmune hemolytic anemia in children
No full textAutoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) in children is sometimes characterized by a severe course, requiring prolonged administration of immunosuppressive therapy. Rituximab is able to cause selective in vivo destruction of B lymphocytes, with abrogation of antibody production. In a prospective study, we have evaluated the use of rituximab for the treatment of AIHA resistant to conventional treatment. Fifteen children with AIHA were given rituximab, 375 mg/m(2)/dose for a median of 3 weekly doses. All patients had previously received 2 or more courses of immunosuppressive therapy; 2 patients had undergone splenectomy. After completing treatment, all children received intravenous immunoglobulin for 6 months. Treatment was well tolerated. With a median follow-up of 13 months, 13 patients (87%) responded, whereas 2 patients did not show any improvement. Median hemoglobin levels increased from 7.7 g/dL to a 2-month posttreatment level of 11.8 g/dL (P <.001). Median absolute reticulocyte counts decreased from 236 to 109 x 10(9)/L (P <.01). An increase in platelet count was observed in patients with concomitant thrombocytopenia (Evans syndrome). Three responder patients had relapse, 7, 8, and 10 months after rituximab infusion, respectively. All 3 children received a second course of rituximab, again achieving disease remission. Our data indicate that rituximab is both safe and effective in reducing or even abolishing hemolysis in children with AIHA and that a sustained response can be achieved in the majority of cases. Disease may recur, but a second treatment course may be successful in controlling the disease
Educational farms in the Emilia-Romagna region: their role in food habit education
No full textEducational Farms are farms which offer educational tours to visitors so that they can get to know specific information concerning agriculture, the environment and nutrition. These enterprises are involved in activities which complement their main work, which can bring benefits, including economic ones, to them as entrepreneurs, as well as having important social value. The objective of this paper is to present an authentic local example of this: the Italian Emilia-Romagna region, where Educational farms are particularly widespread and supported by the public administration. In particular, it highlights the role played by the Educational Farms regarding food habits and discusses the relationship between the enterprise’s educational function and business strategies. This analysis is an attempt to view the above from a marketing point of view, highlighting its features and reporting on potential factors to consider regarding improvement and development strategies. After a brief description of the general situation, we present data available from Regional sources as well as from surveys conducted by private entities and by DEIAgra, processed directly. The educational farms’ role in regional education policies regarding food consumption will be highlighted. Finally we offer some considerations concerning possible analysis in accordance with the framework of the marketing concept
Pharmacokinetic profile of mycophenolic acid in piglets after small bowel transplantation
No full textClinical pharmacokinetics of high dose busulfan in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation
No full textEsperienze nell’applicazione di tecniche “compression pre-cracking” per prove di propagazione frattura
No full textConsiderando tecniche di progettazione moderne quali la “Damage Tolerance”, la caratterizzazione delle curve di propagazione è uno degli elementi fondamentali, per la valutazione e la progettazione dell’integrità strutturale dei componenti in servizio, insieme alla performance dei controlli non distruttivi e alla determinazione dei carichi di esercizio. La zona della soglia di propagazione risulta poi particolarmente critica in quanto è lecito pensare che la maggior parte della vita di un componente avvenga nel suo ambito.
Recentemente, è stato però dimostrato che le metodologie tradizionali per la determinazione della soglia di propagazione, quali il “K-decreasing” e il “Kmax=const.”, influenzano il risultato in maniera non conservativa, ovvero possono produrre soglie di propagazione più alte di quelle naturali del materiale. E’ quindi stata proposta una metodologia innovativa basata sulla pre-criccatura in compressione. Tale tecnica, data la sua recente introduzione, è stata finora applicata a pochi casi applicativi. I materiali considerati ad oggi sono le leghe di alluminio, le leghe di titanio e gli acciai ad alta resistenza sollecitati mediante geometrie M(T) e C(T) e a rapporti di ciclo positivi.
La presente memoria si è quindi incentrata nell’applicazione della metodologia innovativa all’acciaio dolce strutturale A1N (tipicamente utilizzato per produrre assili ferroviari) in forma di provini SE(B) sollecitati da un ampio raggio di rapporti di ciclo tra R=-2 e R=0.85
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