"Minimum pruning", "minimal pruning" and "physiological pruning" as new techniques in grey mould agronomic eco-compatible (natural) control. Researches and considerations.

The aim of this work was to find agronomic eco-compatible ("natural") control solutions against grey mould of grapevine too. Our researches about "minimum pruning", "minimal pruning" and "physiological pruning" started in 1980, and in 1983 with specific relation to grey mould on vines of Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon and Chardonnay previously set in vegetative and productive growth balance. These researches were conducted to verify the affordability of innovative winter pruning techniques like "minimum pruning", "minimal pruning" and the so called 'physiological pruning", in the natural agronomic eco-compatible grey mould control. As a result we found that the new techniques contribute to limit the incidence of grey mould; especially "physiological pruning" followed by "minimal pruning" and 'minimum pruning". The best results were observed on Chardonnay, followed by Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon.

D.M.R. ("Double Reasoned Maturing"): innovative technique of agronomic ecologic control of grey mould on grapevine. trials and various considerations.

A study was carried out in order to identify agronomic ecologic solutions in the indirect grey mould control on grapevine. These specific trials started since 1990 and, after years of validation, now they are applied by the entrepreneur to the business practice in the different pedological and climatic area and on different cultivars and forms of growing. The technique of "Doppia Maturazione Ragionata" (D.M.R.) ("Doubles Reasoned Maturing") consists of far "completing" the maturing of the grape for wilting on the plant through the reasoned cut of the heads to fruit e/o of shoots. The application of D.M.R., besides determining valid and important technical and qualitative (organoleptic, economic and social quality) improvements on the product, is particularly effective in the indirect grey mould control on grapevine. Such technique, in fact, allows us to vintage the grape during the business demands and not when imposed by Botrytis cinerea; it has been possible, in some cases, to vintage in December and over, without problems of B. cinerea. The trials have shown the technical, economic, social sustainability of D.M.R. application. This paper reports all trials that have brought, by now from years, to apply in the practice DMR (Double Reasoned Maturing).

Predictor of the rate of CD4 lymphocyte loss in HIV-1-seropositive asymptomatic hemophiliacs by in vitro immunoglobulin synthesis.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic utility in determining the risk of AIDS progression in HIV-1-infected asymptomatic hemophiliacs by in vitro immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. With this aim, a cohort of 28 HIV-1-seropositive hemophiliacs were studied. All showed the number of CD4 lymphocytes higher than 400 positive cells/mm3. In all cases the spontaneous and pokeweed mitogen-induced in vitro production of Ig by peripheral blood lymphocytes was evaluated at the beginning of the study and the ratio stimulated/spontaneous (Stim/Spon) synthesis was calculated. At the same time, the absolute CD8+ cell count, IgA serum immunoglobulin, p24 HIV-1 antigenemia, and beta2 microglobulin were calculated. These data were monitored during the 4-year follow-up of patients and compared with the stimulated/spontaneous Ig synthesis ratio to evaluate the predictive significance on the progression of HIV infection. According to the stimulated/spontaneous Ig synthesis ratio, hemophilic patients were separated into two categories. Group I included 12 subjects with a Stim/Spon ratio higher than 2 (the lowest value of normal controls) and group II included 16 cases with a ratio lower than 2. As control, in 36 HIV-1-negative hemophiliac individuals the stimulated/spontaneous Ig ratio ranged between 2 and 42; mean +/- SEM, 12.9 +/- 1.8. At the end of the 4-year follow-up, group I patients showed a CD4 count and clinical staging consistent with those of the first evaluation; in contrast group II demonstrated a significant decrease in CD4 lymphocytes and deterioration of clinical conditions. Our results show that a low Stim/Spon Ig ratio when the CD4 lymphocyte count was still normal appears to predict the depletion of this lymphoid subset and progression to AIDS before T CD8, IgA immunoglobulin, p24 HIV-1 antigenemia, and beta2 microglobulin abnormalities. In this setting, the stimulated/spontaneous Ig ratio may represent a useful tool for clinical decisions in HIV-1-infected hemophiliacs.

[The prognostic significance of the initial thoracic radiogram in acute myocardial infarct]. / Significato prognostico del primo radiogramma del torace nell'infarto miocardico acuto.

Chest X-rays provide with indirect evaluation of left ventricular dysfunction after acute myocardial infarction, because of the effects of acute left heart decompensation on pulmonary circulation. To assess the prognostic value of the initial chest X-ray, radiographs were obtained from 194 patients within 24 hours of admission after acute transmural myocardial infarction; 90 patients were treated with thrombolysis and 56 of them presented findings of reperfusion. The one-year survival rate after acute myocardial infarction, correlated with radiographic findings of pulmonary congestion on admission chest X-rays, is significantly reduced (p < 0.01) in the patients with grades III and IV of pulmonary venous congestion (< 35%). Increased cardiothoracic ratio causes early mortality to rise, particularly in the patients with pulmonary congestion (p < 0.05). These results are plain in the group of patients treated with thrombolysis but without reperfusion, or in untreated patients. The present study emphasizes the prognostic role of the initial chest X-ray, which is a noninvasive and cost-effective technique, in the patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Hemofilia y AIDS / Hemophilia and AIDS

La población hemofilica tratada con concentraciones de factor VIII o IX liofilizado están expuestos a contraer el SIDA. El propósito de este trabajo es el dejar en claro si la infección por HIV por sí misma, independientemente de la dosis de anticoagulantes utilizados, sería capaz de producir alteraciones inmunológicas o clínicas. La conclusión fue que las fracciones de coagulantes liofilizados de factor VIII o IX existentes en el mercado, sí son capaces de producir alteraciones crónicas del I.C.M. y del I.V