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Biomedical subjects

F Patti

Publications and source records attributed to F Patti.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Elevated serum levels of interleukin-12 in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.

The serum levels of the heterodimeric cytokine IL-12 were measured by solid-phase ELISA in a group of healthy subjects, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with secondary chronic progressive course of the disease and patients suffering from other neurological diseases (OND). Serum levels of IL-12 higher than 5 pg/ml (limit of sensitivity of the assay) were only found in 2/30 (6.7%) of the healthy subjects and none of the 8 subjects with OND. In contrast, IL-12 was found in the majority of CPMS patients' sera (10/15, 66.7%) with values ranging between 5.5 and 18.6 pg/ml. These results are suggestive for an up-regulated production of IL-12 in CPMS.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Prevalence of stroke: a door-to-door survey in three Sicilian municipalities. Sicilian Neuroepidemiologic Study (SNES) Group.

As part of a door-to-door survey, we screened for stroke among the inhabitants of three Sicilian municipalities (n = 24,496 as of November 1, 1987). Neurologists then investigated those subjects suspected to have had a stroke. Diagnoses of first-ever strokes were based on specified criteria and were reviewed by an adjudication panel. We found 189 subjects who had experienced at least one completed stroke (180 definite, 9 possible); 15 strokes were hemorrhagic, 71 ischemic, and 103 uncertain. The prevalence (cases/100,000) was 771.6 in the total population and 1,893.6 in those aged 40 years or over. The prevalence increased steeply with age, was higher in men between 60 and 79 years, but was higher in women thereafter. Age-specific figures were similar in the three study municipalities. Although all first-ever strokes had been previously diagnosed, 40% of the subjects had not been hospitalized for this condition.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Reliability of death certificates in the study of stroke mortality. A retrospective study in a Sicilian municipality.

The subjects who died in the Sicilian municipality of Riposto between 1985 and 1992, and whose death certificates reported diagnoses of cerebrovascular disease, were re-evaluated with the aim of verifying the reliability of the certificates themselves. The relatives of the deceased were interviewed to confirm or exclude stroke, and about 35% of the cases proved to be false positives. Among the causes reported on the death certificates, "stroke", "cerebral hemorrhage" and "cerebral thrombosis" presented the smallest number of false positives. Our results show that the sensitivity and specificity of the death certificates was poor, and there would also seem to be a large number of false negatives. However, the official mortality rates for cerebrovascular disease are probably not very far from the truth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Prevalence of Parkinson's disease and other types of parkinsonism: a door-to-door survey in three Sicilian municipalities. The Sicilian Neuro-Epidemiologic Study (SNES) Group.

We investigated the prevalence of Parkinson's disease and other types of parkinsonism in a Sicilian population using a door-to-door two-phase approach. This design called for the administration of a brief screening instrument to all subjects who, on November 1, 1987, were residents of Terrasini (Palermo Province), Santa Teresa di Riva (Messina Province), and Riposto (Catania Province), Sicily (N = 24,496). Study neurologists using specified diagnostic criteria extensively investigated those subjects who screened positive. We found 63 subjects affected by Parkinson's disease, 21 with secondary parkinsonism, and seven with unspecified parkinsonism. The crude prevalence per 100,000 population was 371.5 for all types of parkinsonism and 257.2 for Parkinson's disease; for both entities, prevalence increased steeply with age and showed an inconsistent sex pattern. Our prevalence figures for Parkinson's disease are higher than those previously reported in Italy or elsewhere, which may be due, in part, to more complete case-ascertainment.

Female↗
PubMed1989

Effects of calcitonin on morphine tolerance and withdrawal syndrome in morphine physically dependent rats.

We investigated the effect of acute or chronic peripheral administration of [Asu1.7]eel-calcitonin on the development of tolerance to the analgesic effect of morphine and on the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome in morphine-dependent rats. Neither the analgesic effect of acute morphine nor the development of tolerance to the antinociceptive effect of this drug was modified by calcitonin. However, the chronic but not the acute administration of calcitonin attenuated some signs and symptoms of morphine withdrawal.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Synopsis of French experimental and in situ research on the terrestrial and marine behavior of Tc.

Terrestrial environment studies have been essentially concerned with the evolution of soil deposition and soil-plant transfers. Experimentally determined coefficients of distribution in soils are low: 60-80% of Tc remains hydrosoluble during the first months. Technetium emissions resulting from microbiological activity have been quantified. Antagonistic effects on Mo and Tc retention by soils are dependent on their respective concentrations. Four areas of soil-plant transfers have been studied: 1) root absorption kinetics relative to deposition of Tc, 2) interaction of stable Mo (environmental parameter) with the transfer of Tc to plants, 3) interaction of some long-lived radioisotopes (effluent parameters) with the transfer of Tc to plants, and 4) long-term soil-plant transfer and aging of deposited material. Of aquatic systems, only the marine environment has been studied. Under anoxic conditions in the presence of reducing sediments, the distribution coefficients (Kd) were very high (10(3)). Concentration factors (CF) from water to organisms were generally very low (1 to 10); however, CF greater than 1000 have been observed for some biota such as macrophytic brown algae, worms and lobsters. Biochemical analysis showed that Tc was essentially free and partially bonded to proteins. The transfer factors between sediments and species were very low (TF less than 0.5). The biological half-time was determined in some marine organisms that had accumulated Tc from water, food or sediments; the loss is biphasic. Uptake in edible parts was low. The physiochemical form affects the accumulation and loss of Tc. Analyses have quantified 99Tc in marine fauna and biota in the English Channel in relation with releases of the reprocessing plant of La Hague. Brown algae are the best bioindicators for following 99Tc dispersion in marine ecosystems.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Controlled study on the anxiolytic activity of a newly-developed benzodiazepine, metaclazepam.

A double-blind, parallel group study was carried out in 50 patients with an anxiety disorder to compare the anxiolytic efficacy and tolerability of a recently developed benzodiazepine, metaclazepam, with that of bromazepam. Patients were allocated at random to receive treatment for 2 weeks with either 15 mg metaclazepam or 4 mg bromazepam per day in two divided doses. Assessments were made using the Hamilton anxiety rating scale (physician) on entry and after 7 and 13-days' treatment, and a visual analogue scale (patients) on entry and at the end of the study. The results showed that there was a significant, marked reduction in anxiety rating scores after 1 and 2 weeks in both groups and a significant improvement in the patients' subjective assessment of their condition after treatment. Few side-effects were reported in either group.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Effect of sulpiride on chronic abstinence syndrome in addicted patients.

A total of 410 patients (342 men and 68 women) addicted to heroin for at least 38 months, with or without previous methadone treatment experience, were treated with sulpiride before the appearance of withdrawal syndrome. The drug was injected intramuscularly in a single administration at a dosage of 600 mg. Successively, sulpiride was injected intramuscularly at a dosage of 200 mg 3 times per day from days 2-21 of hospitalization, and then at a dosage of 100 and 50 mg 3 times per day (days 22-25 and 26-29, respectively). All patients showed a suppression of withdrawal signs and symptoms within 6 days of treatment, as assessed by subjective and objective scores. The effect of sulpiride was compared with that of placebo administered to a control group of 10 heroin addicts. Because prolactin has been shown to reduce the dependence of rats to heroin and the naloxone-precipitated withdrawal syndrome in morphine-addicted animals, the effects of sulpiride on heroin addiction may be related to the hyperprolactinemic action of this drug.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Generalized and focal dystonic syndromes: possible therapy with salmon calcitonin.

We report that repeated administration of salmon calcitonin (20-40 micrograms daily for 30 days) improves dystonic symptoms in patients affected by idiopathic torsion dystonia, blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia syndrome or writer's cramp syndrome. These results support the suggestion that calcitonin may act at central level influencing the extrapyramidal motor system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Effects of systemic administration of kainic acid on GABAergic and glutaminergic transmission in various areas of the brain].

In the present study that Authors have investigated the effects of systemic injection of kainic acid on aminoacidergic transmission of different rat brain regions. Kainic acid has been used to produce an experimental model of limbic epilepsy characterized by two different phases (KA1 and KA2). Results obtained show a significant decrease of glutamic and aspartic acids (excitatory aminoacids) and glicine and taurine (inhibitory aminoacids) in both phases at hippocampal level. On the contrary GABA concentration seems to be increased.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Calciotropic hormones as possible modulators of rat extrapyramidal motor system.

In the present study the Authors have investigated the effects of chronic treatment with calcitonin and parathyroid hormone on rat extrapyramidal motor system. Although it seems that calcitonin and parathyroid hormone may act as a neuromodulators at extrapyramidal level by influencing, directly or indirectly, nigro-striatal dopaminergic transmission, the role played by calcium metabolism at peripheral level, is not clear. In order to put light on this matter, different groups of animals were treated with calciotropic hormones plus EDTA, which is a drug that blocks Ca2+ ions, or EDTA alone. The results obtained don't show any change either in nigral GAD activity or apomorphine induced hyperactivity in EDTA injected animals. Furthermore, EDTA doesn't seem to modify the effects of both PTH and ct, as shown by results obtained in animals treated with ct or PTH plus EDTA.

Animals↗