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Biomedical subjects

A Lentini

Publications and source records attributed to A Lentini.

70 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Correlation between the bone mass, psychometric performances, and the levels of autonomy and autosufficiency in an elderly Italian population above 80 years of age.

This study was aimed at evaluating the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and the psychophysical health status in an elderly study population (62 subjects, mean age 84+/-5 years, 21 males and 41 females), institutionalized (Group A) in various structures of Pozzallo, a marine locality of the Ragusa Province in Sicily. BMD was measured by using ultrasonography of the calcanear area (T-score, Z-score, stiffness). The alterations of the cognitive and affective spheres as well as the levels of autonomy and autosufficiency were estimated by means of psychometric scales like mini-mental state examination (MMSE), geriatric depression scale (GDS), activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Other biological, social and health-related factors, such as age, sex, body weight and height, nutritional and drug-taking habits, physical activity and previous pathologies, were also considered. These variables were compared to those obtained in a similar, but non-institutionalized controls (Group B) of 63 subjects (mean age 85+/-2 years, 27 males and 36 females), being similar in number and age distribution, frequenting the Geriatric Day Center of the same locality. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between Groups A and B: the BMD was considerably lower, but also the cognitive and affective performances were strongly reduced in Group A. These findings can be attributed to decreased psychosensorial stimuli and lost interest of the patients in Group A, resulting in a lower physical activity, accompanying the depressive state, and may represent the first signs of a decreased intellectual performance, which can later be transformed into dementia. The functional abilities and the levels of autonomy are also reduced, risking the loss of autosufficiency. Also, the drug usage was different in Group A: more sedative-hypnotics and anticoagulants were consumed. As regards the polymorbidities, arterial hypertension and consequent chronic renal failure, hepatopathies and thyreopathies were most frequent, these latter two being more frequent in the Group A.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alendronate reduces the daily consumption of insulin (DCI) in patients with senile type I diabetes and osteoporosis.

The use of Alendronate for the treatment of senile diabetes with osteopenia or osteoporosis is a common practice today, although the reasons for the success of this treatment are not completely understood. We investigated 40 elderly female patients, over 70 years of age, divided in two Groups (A and B) 20 cases of each, with insulin-dependent senile diabetes and fair metabolic balance, with an average disease duration of 30 +/- 4 years. They all had osteoporosis shown by the mean T-score of bone mineral densitometry. The Groups were treated as follows, Group A with 10 mg/day of Alendronate per os, with morning fasting plus a supplementation of calcium and vitamin D3, while the Group B received only calcium and vitamin D3 per os. Bone mineral density (BMD) expressed in mg/cm2, and in terms of T-score and Z-score at the spine (L1-L4) was monitored over time after 12 and 24 months, using dexa technique with a Lunar DPX densitometer. Moreover, the variation of daily consumption of insulin (DCI) of all the study population was calculated 12 and 24 months after the start of treatments. The data of Group A showed an improvement of osteoporosis, as evidenced by the increase of BMD at both times of measurement, accompanied by a significant reduction in the DCI (-21.6% by the 12th month, and -36.2% by the end of the observation period). In the Group B only small, statistically insignificant changes were observed in both the BMD and DCI. The most plausible explanation of reduction of DCI in Group A seems to be that Alendronate has improved the clinical symptoms of osteoporosis (pain, rigidity, and reduction of movements) through its action on the bone mass recovery and slowing down the bone turnover and under these conditions the diabetic patients improved their own physical performance. The better and more extensive movements certainly produced a reduction in the DCI, since a correct and adequate physical activity does contribute to an improved glucose metabolism.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A new method for diagnosing fever of unknown origin (FUO) due to infection of muscular-skeletal system in elderly people: leukoscan Tc-99m labelled scintigraphy.

Twenty patients affected by fever of unknown origin (FUO), due to a likely infection of the muscular or skeletal tissues, were studied by a Total Body scan with a monoclonal antibody fragment (Leukoscan) labelled with Tc-99m. The diagnostic procedure helped reach a final diagnosis in 8 out of the 20 patients because it identified the focus of the infection of the muscles or bones in joint proximity. Our data show that Leukoscan deserves to become a first line diagnostic procedure in the diagnostic algorithm for the evaluation of patients with FUO.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Receptor mediated endocytosis of N-acetylglucosamine and mannose exposing molecules by cultured chick embryo hepatocytes.

We studied the receptor mediated endocytosis of a modified glycoprotein (N-acetylglucosamine-BSA) and mannan in cultured hepatocytes isolated from 19-days-old embryos. The binding sites for molecules exposing terminal N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNac) and mannose residues were localized and quantified at the ultrastructural level by means of protein-gold complexes. The binding sites were found to be randomly distributed as single gold particles on cultured hepatocyte cell surfaces not restricted to specialized areas of the plasma membrane. The gold ligands were internalized following a receptor mediated pathway, which was studied at different interval times (15, 30 and 60 min.) after incubating the cells with the electron dense markers.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Lateral cervical metastases from unknown primary].

The authors report their experience about cervical metastasis of unknown primitive neoplasms. Epidemiology, histological type and topography are exposed. Primaries which are responsible, in a high incidence, of the preceding cervical localizations are described. Diagnostic iter, non-invasive/low-price clinical and instrumental procedures, advanced endoscopic and radiologic procedures are discussed. 64 patients were treated. Only in one case we could diagnose the primitive site of the neoplasm with non-invasive procedures. The other cases (63 patients) underwent the excision-biopsy of the cervical nodes. In 52 cases we have been able to define the primitive site of the neoplasm. 11 patients, in which the primary was unknown, underwent the radiotherapy of the cervical nodes and the eventual primitive "foci"; we had no survival, on the average, after six months for the diffuse dissemination of the neoplastic disease.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Surgical treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinomas: results in 440 cases operated between 1970 and 1994].

The authors report their experience and surgical treatment of 440 patients with differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid (DCT) from 1970 to 1990 in the III Surgical Dept. at the University of Rome "La Sapienza". Considering 305 cases of papillary carcinoma, 103 Total Thyroidectomy (TT), 118 TT with Functional Regional Lymphadenectomy (FRL), 32 TT with Node-Picking, 51 TT with curative FRL and one TT with Radical Neck dissection were performed. In 135 cases of follicular carcinoma TT associated with Node-picking were performed on two patients, TT associated with FRL on 8 patients and TT associated with RND on 2 patients. Overall survival to 10 years was 90%; 98% for N- papillary carcinoma and 66% for N+ follicular carcinoma. There were no permanent recurrence of disease. Out of the patients who did not undergo cervical lymphadenectomy 30% developed temporary hypocalcemia; 53% (mediastinal lymphadenectomy) to 87% (FRL) of the patients submitted to lymphadenectomy developed temporary hypocalcemia with permanent hypoparathyroidism in 0.9%-23% of the cases. On the base of what has been observed by Pasieka and Grant, the Authors believe TT as the absolute solution for patients with DCT because it allows the removal of both the original tumor and the possible neoplasms in the residual gland tissue, and enables early identification of other metastases which can be treated efficaciously with I131.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Small cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a case report].

The authors present the case of a primitive small cell esophageal carcinoma. It is a rare and biologically aggressive neoplasm which occurs mainly in the elder male. The case observed concerns a 69 year old female treated with surgical therapy consisting in esophagectomy and intrathoracic esophagealgastrictype plasty. Diagnostic problems either histological or immunohistochemical and the choice of the following treatment are discussed. The cases of patients treated in other Surgical or Oncological centers are reported. Therapeutic orientation adopted by our group is stressed. In this case we have chosen surgical therapy because a sure diagnosis come be given only on the base of the attent histological examination of the entire specimen (endoscopic biopsies are not sufficient); survival data reported are in favour of surgical treatment where secondary metastases are not evident in the respect of antiblastic therapy and/or radiotherapy. Neoplastic recurrence occurred ten months after and a metallic endoscopic esophageal prothesis was positioned. The patient died 1 year after surgery by mediastinal syndrome.

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PubMedDate not supplied

What women nursing students want & what nursing education owes them.

What do women want from nursing? Students have needs, motivations, and expectations related to their selection of a career. What are they? These questions were the subject of a research project in which women nursing students were given the opportunity to speak "in their own voices." The findings were both interesting and disturbing. While some of the results could be anticipated, others were unexpected. Only a brief summation of the research project will be presented here; a detailed description will be reported elsewhere. Instead, we will focus on what the findings reveal and what they imply for the nursing profession.

Career Choice↗