Local and segmental dynamics in homopolymer and triblock copolymers with one semicrystalline block.

Thermally stimulated depolarization currents, TSDC, experiments have been performed on a series of poly(styrene)-b-poly(butadiene)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) triblock copolymers SBC with different proportions of the poly(epsilon-caprolactone) crystallizable block, PCL. The morphology of the segregated microphases varies with the PCL content and has been observed by transmission electron microscopy. The crystallinity of the PCL block is estimated by wide angle x-ray scattering, WAXS. The relaxation times distribution is extracted by a numerical decomposition of the TSDC spectra and it is shown that this distribution is not significantly changed on going from the homopolymer to the triblock copolymer with 16 wt % to 77 wt % of PCL in the original samples. Better segregation of the mesophase structure is reached when the samples are annealed at 413 K and important variations in the TSDC and WAXS spectra are observed as a result of the thermal treatment. For the S09B14C77 triblock copolymer the results obtained can be explained by postulating the existence of a rigid amorphous phase in the PCL block. Such rigid amorphous phase is located between the core-shell cylinders formed by the other blocks [with poly(styrene)(PS) as core and poly(butadiene)(PB) as shell] and is constrained by undulated lamellae of crystalline PCL material. In the case of S35B15C50 triblock copolymer, an important amount of diffuse PS-PCL interphase where the homopolymers are mixed must be present before annealing. The results for the material with the less abundant PCL block are explained as a result of the confinement in nanotubes of PCL surrounded by PB embedded in a vitreous PS matrix. Broadband dielectric experiments on these same materials confirm the results obtained by TSDC spectroscopy.

Evaluation of the efficacy of oral cromolyn sodium or an oligoantigenic diet in children with atopic dermatitis: a multicenter study of 1085 patients.

One thousand eighty-five children with atopic dermatitis were enrolled in a multicenter study to evaluate the efficacy of 4 weeks of oral sodium cromoglycate or 4 weeks of a restricted diet. One thousand-eleven children (93%) concluded the study. At the end of the trial there was a significant improvement in skin lesions in the two groups: 61% of the patients in the sodium cromoglycate group and 69% in the restricted diet showed a significant improvement in atopic dermatitis. We concluded that, at least in our experimental design, both sodium cromoglycate and a restricted diet are equally effective in atopic dermatitis.

[Food intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome of childhood: clinical efficacy of oral sodium cromoglycate and elimination diet]. / Intolleranza alimentare e sindrome dell'intestino irritabile del bambino: efficacia terapeutica del sodiocromoglicato orale e della dieta di esclusione.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is recognized to be a common cause of chronic diarrhea without failure to thrive in childhood. Several studies stressed the role of food intolerance as a major factor in the pathogenesis of IBS. The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the offending role of food in IBS and to compare the therapeutic role of oral sodium cromoglycate versus elimination diet. 153 patients (mean age 4 years) with diarrhea (> 3 stools per day for four days in a week) and abdominal pain for about 10 months were enrolled in this trial. About half of the patients had a family history positive for atopy and 70% of the cases complained of intestinal symptoms after food ingestion. In 17% of the patients Skin Prick test (SPT) resulted positive to at least one food allergen and 87% of positive reactions to SPT was provoked by common foodstuffs. 87% of patients treated with elimination diet (rice, lamb, turkey, lettuce, carrots, sweet potatoes, pears, oil, tea, salt, mineral water, brown sugar) and 97% of patients treated with SCG (mean 63 mg/kg/day) for one month showed a significant improvement of intestinal symptoms. An elimination diet for several weeks can produce, beside a bad compliance (23% of patients admitted to our study didn't strictly follow diet regimen) also a nutritional deprivation. The results of this trial suggest that it's correct to investigate the role of food in children with diarrhea not due to organic diseases and diagnosed such as IBS and to use oral SCG to obtain the improvement of these symptoms.

[Evaluation of the effectiveness of cisapride in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux]. / Valutazione dell'efficacia della cisapride nel trattamento del reflusso gastro-esofageo.

To evaluate the effectiveness of administration of oral cisapride in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux, we studied 25 children, aged 1 month-7 years (mean 16.2 months) affected with GER. At the time of diagnosis and 8 weeks after treatment, patients were clinically evaluated and underwent a 24-hour continuous esophageal pH-monitoring. After treatment a complete regression of symptoms was observed in 20/25 patients. Moreover we recorded a significant reduction in the percentage of reflux time (p < 0.0001) and in the Jolley score (p < 0.0001), a very accurate scoring system to evaluate the pH-metric tracing, after treatment. It is concluded that cisapride is a useful agent both for the relief of symptoms and for the improvement of pH-metric parameters in children with GER disease.

[The effect of the use of sinusoidal modulated currents on the recovery of athletes]. / Effetto dell'applicazione delle correnti sinusoidali modulate nel recupero degli atleti.

Modular sinusoidal currents were used to optimize the recovery process of the force of athletes' muscles. 113 elite athletes were analyzed. They were participants in rowing, cycling, tennis and Greco-Roman wrestling. In all cases the modular sinusoidal currents were applied to the dorso-cervical and lumbar regions. It was found that applications to the dorso-cervical regions normalize the altered parameters of the cardiovascular system and increase the capacity of the humeral muscles to contract. Furthermore they stabilize the adrenergic sympathetic zone and stimulate the immune system.

[Meteoropathy: a syndrome continuously on the increase]. / Meteoropatia: una sindrome in continuo aumento.

The authors describe the different kinds of meteoropathies, pointing out how these disorders are becoming ever more frequent in countries belonging to the consumer and welfare society due to the progressive lowering of body resistance and immunologic responses. These "unfavourable meteosyndromes", as meteoropathies should be called, develop when wave disturbances arrive, and are more manifest and persistent in subjects with neurologic disturbances, i.e. in the presence of anxiety, stress, hypertension, coronary artery disease, arthropathy, hyperthyroidism, etc. The different moments in which meteoropathies are more frequent and the possible therapies are also discussed.

[Correction by physiotherapy of immune disorders in high-grade athletes]. / Correzione mediante fisioterapia dei disturbi immunitari negli atleti di alto livello.

It is well known that during intense training and competitions athletes show a remarkable reduction of their immunological responses. As a matter of fact, during these periods athletes very frequently (five to ten times more than average) fall ill. In order to correct this situation, in the USSR immunomodulator drugs are used together with high frequency electromagnetic waves which are applied on the body surface corresponding to the adrenal glands. In this way body desensitisation is accelerated. One hundred high-level athletes received an application of electromagnetic waves on the body surface corresponding to the thyroid gland and thymus, so as to lower glucocorticoid activity and activate lymphoid tissue. Indices of immunologic reactivity and hormonal levels after electromagnetic treatment were measured in all athletes.

[Effects of beta blocking agent iontophoresis by modulated sinusoidal current]. / Effetti della ionoforesi con beta-bloccanti con corrente sinusoidale modulata.

The action of the transcutaneous application of propranolol using modulated sinusoidal current iontophoresis was studied. When this way of administration is used, the drug, while maintaining its negative chronotropic effect, loses the negative inotropic one. Investigations were performed on 58 men aged 32 to 62 who underwent an aortocoronary bypass for myocardial ischemia. Thirty-four patients had already had myocardial infarction. The drug reduced the heart rate and increased cardiac contractility. Moreover, the study showed that only the levogyral isomer of propranolol (the only active one) passes through the skin.

Ultrasonography and gastric emptying: evaluation in infants with gastroesophageal reflux.

We have applied ultrasonography to the evaluation of gastric emptying in children. Two different populations have been investigated: normal children and children with gastroesophageal reflux. All the patients were less than 6 months of age. The diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux was defined by 24-h pH measurement. The technique, used to measure gastric emptying, is the one described by Bolondi et al. In this research we used the simplified method. All children had been submitted to the examination after 4-h fasting. The standard meal was the usual milk formula, 300 ml/m2 body surface area (BSA). A cross-section area of the gastric antrum was determined before a meal and every 15 min for 2 h. The examination was concluded after two measurements were equal to the basal one. The normal gastric emptying curve was determined by a control group. Patients with gastroesophageal reflux showed three different kind of gastric emptying: (a) normal gastric emptying in 20% of cases, (b) abnormal gastric emptying in 15% of cases, and (c) intermediate cases in which the plateau curve is abnormal but the end time of gastric emptying is normal. We defined these three kinds of curves as type I or normal, type III or abnormal, and type II or intermediate. The estimate of frequency in patients with gastroesophageal reflux is similar to the reported data of the literature.

Use of ass' milk in multiple food allergy.

We report a study of realimentation techniques in 9 unweaned infants with multiple food hypersensitivity. The patients had presented severe symptoms of cow's milk allergy and successive attempts using milk containing soy protein and/or a semielemental formula in their alimentation did not improve their clinical condition, due to the onset of hypersensitivity to these allergens as well. After a short period of parenteral alimentation the infants were refed per os with ass' milk (250 ml/kg/day) + medium chain triglycerides (40 ml/L milk). This food was well tolerated by all patients. No negative clinical reactions were recorded and during hospitalisation average weight increase was 39.8 g/day. The follow-up of the patients showed that ass' milk was tolerated without any problems up to an age ranging from 15 to 20 months, when cow's milk was reintroduced in some patients.

[Magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux]. / Idrossido di magnesio e idrossido di alluminio nel trattamento del reflusso gastro-esofageo.

Fifteen children with gastro-esophageal reflux took part in a treatment trial with a regimen of magnesium hydroxide and aluminium hydroxide for 8 weeks period (700 mmol/1.73 mq/die). All children were evaluated clinically and underwent a 24-hour continuous esophageal pH-monitoring both at diagnosis and after 8 weeks of treatment. After therapy 12/15 children were cured and 3/15 improved. Moreover the total percentage of time during which pH was less than 4, the number of reflux episodes and the number of refluxes lasting than 5' recorded during 24-hour continuous esophageal pH-monitoring were significantly reduced after treatment. The Authors conclude that antacids in large quantities are effective in medical treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux.

[Cardiovascular effects of sodium chloride bath and underwater shower in coronary ischemia]. / Effetti cardiovascolari del bagno cloruro-sodico e della doccia subacquea nell'ischemia coronarica.

Two hundred and eighteen patients (209 males and 9 females, mean age 57.1 +/- 0.6 years) with I class coronary ischemia were subdivided into two groups of 109 subjects each. Group I received NaCl baths, group II underwater massage-showers. On days 2-3 and 23-24 of treatment all underwent incremental stress testing until exhaustion. In group I, only subjects with moderate maximal muscular power improved their stress endurance. In group II, stress endurance significantly improved in all subjects: all hemodynamic indices (cardiac, output, stroke volume, systemic vascular resistances) showed variations indicative of improved cardiorespiratory function and peripheral blood supply.

[Effects of sauna on the values of blood circulation studied by the isometric exercise test]. / Effetto della sauna sui valori della circolazione del sangue studiata con il test a carico isometrico.

Cardiovascular responses to isometric muscular exercise were evaluated during sauna. Nine healthy men aged 26 to 46 underwent testing during 5-6 saunas with one week interval between sessions. Each sauna included 2-6 heatings of 8-15 minutes (80-85 degrees C, humidity 15%) followed by complete cooling. Cardiovascular response during handgrip (45 seconds) were measured before sauna, after the first interval and 25 minutes after the end of sauna treatment.

[Rehabilitative physiotherapy in Soviet medicine]. / La fisioterapia riabilitativa nella medicina sovietica.

There are three different levels of rehabilitational physical therapy in heart diseases in the Soviet Union. Natural methods are used such as climate therapy, baths, sunshine and physiotherapy as well as artificial methods including laser, electric and mechanical energy, etc. Artificially produced mineral waters which are identical to natural ones are also applied. All these methods yield good results in myocardial infarction, cerebral ictus, coronary diseases, cerebral ischemia, hypothyroidism, etc.

[Effects of short-wave therapy in patients with chronic pyelonephritis]. / Effetto della marconiterapia in pazienti con pielonefrite cronica.

One hundred and twenty patients (64 men and 56 women, aged 19 to 63) with chronic pyelonephritis were subdivided into two groups: a control group of 30 subjects and an experimental one of 90 subjects. Experimental subjects underwent short wave therapy (460 MHz, 50-60 W, for 8-20 minutes) in the lumbar area. Lumbosacral pain disappeared in 87 out of 90, subjects, intercostal pain in 20 out of 28, headache mitigated in 40 out of 53, asthenia was markedly reduced in 49 out of 50. Systolic and diastolic hypertension was reduced, as well as the Kakorski-Addis count in urine. Diurnal diuresis and lysozyme increased, while IgG, IgA and IgM were reduced.

[Climate and psychosomatic medicine]. / Clima e medicina psicosomatica.

In the last few years, psychosomatic medicine has accomplished very important and interesting analyses of several medical syndromes. On the contrary, medical climatology, even with the development of new tools for climate research, has remained linked to old ideas which need to be revised in order to keep pace with the latest discoveries in this field. It is therefore desirable to undertake research on the action of different climates and microclimates on the human organism, and also to take into account the patients, tendencies and aspirations, because "the climate that will yield the best results is the climate the patient likes best". In conclusion, taking into account a patient's personality and aspirations, thermal therapies and climate treatments may be coupled. As a matter of fact, in our country it is possible to find spas with the same kind of waters but with completely different climates.