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A Napoli

Publications and source records attributed to A Napoli.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Determination of substituent effects on the proton affinities of natural nucleosides by the kinetic method.

The kinetics of the unimolecular dissociations of proton-bound dimers produced by fast-atom bombardment from nucleosides and reference amines enables the evaluation of the proton affinities (PA) of ribonucleosides. The PAs of cytosine, guanosine, adenosine, uridine and deoxyuridine have been thus determined. These values and those already available for the corresponding DNA homologues allow the evaluation of the effect of the hydroxyl group in position 2' of the sugar moiety, which lowers the PAs of RNA nucleosides by 0.6-1 kcal/mol, and of the methyl group in position 5 of the thymine ring which enhances the basicity of deoxythymidine over deoxyuridine by 0.6 kcal/mol.

Deoxyuridine↗
PubMed1994

Incidence of hepatitis B virus infection among an Italian military population: evidence of low infection spread.

In 1990, a prospective serological survey to estimate the rate of clinical and inapparent infection with hepatitis B virus was performed in a cohort of 1324 soldiers, 18-24 years old, during an eight-month period in Italy. At the time of enrollment the prevalence of hepatitis B markers was 4.6% (0.7% subjects positive for hepatitis B surface antigen [HBsAg], 3.0% positive for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen [anti-HBs], and 0.9% positive for antibody to hepatitis B core antigen [anti-HBc] alone. Among the 1263 susceptible subjects who were followed-up, only 2 (0.24/100 person-years of exposure) had seroconversion for HBV markers, none of which was associated with clinical illness. Among the 9 subjects HBsAg-positive at the time of enrollment, 1 (11.2%) had lost HBsAg at the end of follow-up. These data show a low spread of HBV infection among Italian young generations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Daily events are associated with a secretory immune response to an oral antigen in men.

To examine a hypothesized link between daily stressful events and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) antibody, 96 adults from the community completed daily event questionnaires and gave daily saliva samples for up to 12 weeks. They also ingested a capsule of a novel protein to challenge their secretory immune systems. The questionnaire yielded measures of negative and positive experiences, of their content, and of negative and positive affect. On a within-subjects, day-to-day basis, reporting more desirable events was related to more sIgA antibody, and reporting more undesirable events was related to less. Desirable events also had lagged (1 and 2 days), positive effects on sIgA levels. Undesirable work events and desirable leisure and household events were more strongly related to sIgA than events in other categories. Positive affect related directly to sIgA, and negative mood related inversely to same-day sIgA.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1993

Abnormal cervical PAP smear leading to the diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer without cervico-vaginal metastases.

We report the case of an unsuspected G.I. cancer in a patient with no clinical signs other than ascites and positive PAP-smear on admission. Histologically, neither endometrium nor cervix were involved. To date, only 2 cases of primary gastrointestinal (gastric) cancers with no metastases to the cervix, suspected by PAP-smear, have been reported in medical literature. A few more have been reported with cervical metastases. The suspicion of intraabdominal adenocarcinoma was based on the evidence of signet ring cells found in the smear with negative cervical biopsies and negative fractional curettage. A postmortem examination confirmed the absence of genital involvement. Our aim is to remind the clinician that an abnormal PAP-smear, due to non gynecological malignancies, can, on rare occasions, be observed. In order to obtain a positive cervico-vaginal PAP-smear by a non gynecologic intraabdominal exfoliating cancer, both previous literature and our case suggest peritoneal effusion to be of major importance.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Serum alpha-L-fucosidase. A useful marker in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: The value of serum alpha-L-fucosidase activity in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was investigated by determining the enzyme activity levels in 21 patients with HCC, 76 patients with cirrhosis, 22 patients with other malignant neoplasms, and 23 healthy subjects. RESULTS: The serum alpha-L-fucosidase activity level in patients with HCC (575.76 +/- 212.86 nmol/ml/h) was significantly higher than that found in patients with cirrhosis (274.55 +/- 138.97 nmol/ml/h; P less than 0.001) or other neoplasms (257.91 +/- 128.12 nmol/ml/h; P less than 0.001) and in controls (221.23 +/- 114.45 nmol/ml/h; P less than 0.001). No significant differences were found between controls and patients with cirrhosis and between controls and patients with other malignant neoplasms. When 443 nmol/ml/h is taken as the cutoff value (mean value of controls plus 2 standard deviations), alpha-L-fucosidase sensitivity and specificity were 76% and 90.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that alpha-L-fucosidase is a useful marker for detecting HCC, in conjunction with alpha-fetoprotein and ultrasonography.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Prevalence of moderate and severe Alzheimer dementia and multi-infarct dementia in the population of southeastern Sicily.

We have calculate the prevalence rates of moderate and severe dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) and of multi-infarct dementia (MID) in a Sicilian population sample aged 40 and over. For DAT the prevalence rate is 0.80% among the over 40s and 2.42% among the over 65s. The prevalence rates for both types, but especially for DAT, increase higher prevalence of primary degenerative dementia among females.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Morphometrical investigation of medulloblastoma nuclei by S.A.M. (Shape Analytical Morphometry) software system.

In order to characterize medulloblastomas and to get over the difficulties sometimes encountered in differential diagnosis, a double morphometric procedure has been applied to its nuclei. The first consisted of size measurements (maximum diameter, area and perimeter), the latter is represented by S.A.M. (Shape Analytical Morphometry) software-system specifically implemented to describe shape of biological structure by analytical parameters. Analytical and dimensional parameters submitted to Hotelling's multivariate discriminant analysis gave the best results when used together in convenient discriminant subsets, thereby allowing a good distinction between medulloblastoma in comparison with neuroblastoma, Ewing's tumor, lymphoblastic and lymphocytic lymphoma. These results underline the usefulness of morphometric characterization also for practical diagnostic purposes.

Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1992

Development of common cold symptoms following experimental rhinovirus infection is related to prior stressful life events.

Previous studies of rhinovirus infection indicate that about one third of the persons with confirmed viral infection do not show evidence of cold symptoms. Factors that determine which infected individuals will develop colds are not known. Using a rhinovirus inoculation protocol, the authors explored the possible role of recent life events, current mood, and perceived stress in the development of symptoms in individuals known to be infected. As part of a larger study, 17 subjects were exposed to a rhinovirus and were individually isolated for 5 consecutive days; cold symptoms, mucus weights, and tissue use were monitored on a daily basis during this period. Although all 17 subjects had confirmed rhinovirus infection, only 12 subjects developed clinical colds, as indicated by self-reported symptoms and by objective symptom indices. The average number of reported major life events for the previous year was significantly higher for those who developed colds than for those who did not (p < .05). Measures of affect and perceived stress before the inoculation were not different for those who did and did not develop colds. Complementing recent research demonstrating psychosocial influences on experimental infection rates, these results provide evidence that the development of cold symptomatology in experimentally infected individuals is related to prior life events.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

An alternative statistical treatment for summarizing the central tendency of replicate assay data.

Standard assay procedures call for multiple replicates for the purpose of averaging random error from individual replicate scores to obtain a reliable estimate of the true score and for the purpose of specifying the degree of variability within the assay. In this paper we focus on the variability and magnitude of within-assay replicates in order to improve the estimate of the true score. A rule is presented for deciding (1) when individual replicates should be omitted from the computation of the assay's summary score or (2) when an entire sample of replicates should be discarded based on the pattern of replicate scores. It is suggested that this rule improves the reliability of the estimated assay score and this is supported by an illustrative analysis of lymphocyte proliferation assays.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed1989

Influence of maternal metabolic control and insulin antibodies on neonatal complications and B cell function in infants of diabetic mothers.

Circulating insulin antibodies at birth and the degree of maternal metabolic control were measured in 68 infants of insulin-treated diabetic mothers. Their correlation with neonatal B cell function and with the clinical features of the infants was evaluated in order to better understand their influence on fetal outcome. Maternal metabolic control was assessed on the basis of blood glucose levels, glycosuria and the occurrence of hypoglycemia and/or ketonuria. All infants were clinically evaluated for gestational age, macrosomia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypocalcemia, and respiratory distress syndrome. Cord blood plasma glucose, C peptide, and IgG insulin antibodies were also measured. It was shown that poor maternal metabolic control was associated with a higher prevalence of fetal morbidity as well as with signs of B cell hyperfunction. Also the presence of circulating insulin antibodies correlated well with higher C peptide levels and with several neonatal complications. B cell hyperfunction, indicated by high C peptide levels in the infants of diabetic mothers, may possibly play a causal role in the pathogenesis of fetal morbidity. In conclusion, a good fetal outcome in insulin-treated diabetic pregnancies was associated with and may have depended upon: (1) good maternal metabolic control, and (2) absence or low levels of circulating insulin antibodies.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

A sensitive routine assay for urinary albumin based on the competitive binding to anti-albumin antibodies in solid phase.

The detection of microalbuminuria has a high prognostic value in diabetic patients with no symptoms of clinical nephropathy. Attention has been focused on the development of a simple, reproducible, specific, and, above all, sensitive method to detect albuminuria in the urine. The method is based on the competitive binding between albumin in the urine to be tested and a fixed amount of radiolabelled albumin to anti-albumin immunoglobulins in solid phase. The immunoglobulin C fraction of a rabbit anti-human albumin antiserum was left to coat highly adsorbent polystyrene microtitre tubes. While the aspecific tube binding was overcome by saturation with a solution of gelatine, increasing dilutions of standard albumin or the diluted urine samples to be tested were left to incubate with an equal volume of radiolabelled albumin at room temperature for 1 hour. The cold/hot albumin mixture was added to anti-albumin immunoglobulin-coated tubes, which had been repeatedly washed, and left to incubate. After washing, radioactivity was assessed. This assay has proved to be fast, simple and highly sensitive since it detects up to 25 ng of albumin per ml and is of value in large-scale screening for microalbuminuria in diabetic patients.

Albumins↗
PubMed1986

Urinary immunoglobulin G: a routine and highly sensitive technique based on competitive binding.

The evaluation of both small amounts of urinary immunoglobulins and the albumin/immunoglobulin ratio are important indices during the early stages of diabetic nephropathy. For this reason there is at present a need for highly-sensitive and specific routine tests for urinary immunoglobulins. A technique has been designed based on the competition between radiolabelled immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulins in the urine to be tested in binding to an anti-immunoglobulin antibody in solid phase. The immunoglobulin fraction of a rabbit anti-human immunoglobulin antiserum in a basic Ca-carbonate buffer is left to coat highly adsorbent polystyrene microtitre tubes. After the antibody-coated tubes have been saturated with gelatine, a 1/5 dilution of the urine to be tested and an equal volume of purified and radiolabelled human immunoglobulin G are left to incubate and are then added to the antibody-coated tubes. After incubation and repeated washings, radioactivity is counted. This technique has the characteristics of a routine assay for the accurate detection of immunoglobulin G in the urine. It requires only a few microliters of urine, takes only 3 hr to complete (after having coated the tubes) and detects about 120 ng of immunoglobulin G/ml, well below what is needed to assess physiological or pathological values.

Binding, Competitive↗
PubMed1984

[Syphilitic gastritis with secondary malabsorption syndrome (exudative hypoproteinemia). A clinical case and review of syphilitic gastropathies].

The case is described of a 39 year old man referred for clinical treatment of widespread oedema in the lower half of the body, especially the lower extremities. He was suffering from a gastroenteric protein malabsorption syndrome caused by syphilitic hypertrophic gastritis (tertiary syphilis). The syphilitic origin of the gastropathy was confirmed ex iuvantibus by penicillin treatment which cured the condition completely. The various forms of gastric lues, gastrointestinal malabsorption syndromes and ex iuvantibus criteria are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Influence of glucoregulation with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion on nerve conduction velocity and beat to beat variation in diabetics.

Limited and contrasting data are available on the relationship between metabolic control and diabetic neuropathy. In eight type I diabetics peripheral and autonomic neuropathy were studied, first in conditions of poor metabolic control and then after one and three months during which an improved control of glycemic levels had been obtained by continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Autonomic neuropathy was investigated by evaluating beat to beat variation during deep breathing; peripheral neuropathy by measuring maximum motor conduction velocity of peroneal and median nerves and sensory conduction velocity of median nerve. Our data showed significant improvement of motor conduction velocity in both nerves studied, whilst sensory conduction velocity did not show any significant variation. The changes observed in beat to beat variation in five subjects with initially abnormal scores might reflect an improvement in autonomic nervous function, even if long-term studies are needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Transfer benefits of biofeedback: a research note.

Three subjects who were given training in reduction of frontalis-upper trapezius tension maintained lower muscular tension during vigilance than 3 controls without biofeedback training. Perhaps linking biofeedback with practice may facilitate transfer.

Attention↗