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Biomedical subjects

G Maltoni

Publications and source records attributed to G Maltoni.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Radon measurements in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory.

Systematic radon monitoring in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory was performed in order to determine the background radon contribution to the sophisticated experimental apparatus and to check health physics standards for the personnel. As expected, the radon concentrations were found to depend strongly on the ventilation in the three experimental halls. Considerable reductions in the radon concentrations were obtained in 1993, when fresh air was drawn into the laboratory through a pipe and exhaust air was routed into the highway tunnel.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗
PubMed1992

Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein in central and peripheral venous blood of patients with testicular tumors.

From January 1989 to June 1991, 18 patients ranging in age from 19 to 41 (mean 34) years with testicular tumor were examined. 14 patients had seminoma (11 typical and 3 spermatocytic) and 4 patients had a mixed form (2 seminoma + embryonal tumor and 2 seminoma + teratocarcinoma). Serum levels of beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and alpha-fetoprotein from peripheral venous blood and from spermatic venous vessel were evaluated in every patient. All patients with seminoma and in a patient with mixed tumor (seminoma + embryonal tumor) the markers were regular. The increase of the markers was found in the peripheral and in spermatic blood of 3 patients (2 seminoma + embryonal carcinoma and 1 seminoma + teratocarcinoma). For these reasons the values of spermatic vessels are an important confirmation of the level of peripheral markers.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Sexual dysfunction after excision of the rectum.

From January 1986 up January 1988 a series of 18 patients--age average 49--were studied. All of them had undergone the amputation of the rectum for carcinoma with the Miles resection technique (15 p.), or for ulcerous rectumcolitis (3 p.). Six months after operation the patients were given a questionnaire in order to obtain information about their sexual activity. Exams on the liverkidney functioning, the hormone dosage (FSH, LH, prolactin, testosterone), penile Doppler flowmetry, and the sacral latency test were performed. The patients were also given a Jonas erectiometer to be used at home. The procedures followed have shown in most patients normal hormonal, vascular, and neurologic parameters, thus confirming the absence of relevant erectile deficits. Only one patient no longer had erections after the surgical intervention. It was reported a decrease and some sort of difficulty in the sexual intercourse owing to the presence of colostomy conditioning the physical and psychological relations with the partner. Spermatic fluid results altered after operation: absent in 8 cases, backwards in 3, diminished in 6, and normal in 4.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1989

Chemical prosthesis.

The approach to patients suffering from erectile failure includes medical and sexual anamnesis, Doppler ultrasound, Jonas erectiometer and Sacral Latency Test. At present, the use of papaverine directly in corpora cavernosa seems indicated in performance anxiety dysfunctions used together with psycotherapy and in slight arterial deficiencies, diabetes, after destructive pelvic surgery and in neurological lesions. From January 1986 we have performed 150 I.C. injections of papaverine. Experience in 60 patients is described. Seven patients are now self-injecting.

Erectile Dysfunction↗
PubMed1986

A case-control study of the efficacy of a non-randomized breast cancer screening program in Florence (Italy).

In a rural area near Florence a population-based screening program for breast cancer was started in 1970, offering a mammography test every 2.5 years to all women between 40 and 70 years of age. In order to evaluate the efficacy of this program a case-control study has been carried out comparing the screening history of all women who died from breast cancer in this area in the years 1977-1984, and who had been diagnosed after the start of the program, with that of a matched group of living controls. The case-control study showed that the overall O.R. of dying from breast cancer in the study period for "screened" versus "never-screened" women was 0.53 (95% C.I. = 0.29-0.95). After evaluation of other variables as potential confounders the adjusted O.R. estimates were respectively 0.57 (95% C.I. = 0.35-0.92) and 0.32 (95% C.I. = 0.20-0.52) for women screened only once or at least twice. No significant protective effect was shown for women below the age of 50 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

[Screening for colo-rectal neoplasms by the study of fecal occult blood].

Occult blood testing has been proposed as a screening tool for colorectal cancer. At the present time guaiac testing is considered the most suitable for mass screening. The specificity of the test is affected by diet. For this reason it is necessary to adhere to a meat-free diet while the necessity of eliminating peroxidase containing foods as uncooked vegetables and fruit is controversial. The sensitivity of guaiac test is affected by the intermittence of colorectal cancer bleeding, by the quantity of ascorbic acid and fibers in the diet and by the development modality of the test. The experience of the authors is based on a screening protocol applied on some populations in the province of Florence (Italy). The protocol is based on guaiac test and an anamnestic selection of high-risk patients. 6029 patients have performed guaiac test. In 1159 patients, the results of occult blood testing and sigmoidoscopy have been compared. This analysis accounts for a predictive value of 50%, a specificity of 95.6%, and a sensitivity of 68% for carcinomas and 21.3% for adenomas. In conclusion, guaiac testing seems to warrant a good cost/benefit ratio but because its sensitivity is too low, it is necessary to include other selective tools (the anamnestic questionnaire) as well as an over-all major effort in the research of more sensitive ways of testing.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1980

Gastric carcinoma: preliminary data of a cooperative program for early diagnosis.

The results of a program of early gastric cancer detection, carried out in the Oncologic Institutes of Genoa, Forlì and Florence, are evaluated. General practitioners screened subjects, according to possible anamnestic and clinical risk indicators (age, family history, previous gastric lesions, digestive complaints, etc.). The diagnostic consisted of medical examinations, endoscopy with cytology and/or directed biopsy, and possibly air contrast barium X-ray. Of 3,180 subjects examined, 224 had gastric cancers (7 %), 29 of which were early cancers, and 688 had high risk lesions; 1,478 cases of other pathology were detected. The authors stress that the proportion of early cancer is clearly higher than that found in routine diagnosis, yet still lower compared to the results of screening programs carried on the general population. Moreover, the high diagnostic sensitivity of each method in early gastric cancer detection and, on the other hand, the difficulties in the detection of high risk lesions, which require systematic multiple biopsies, are emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed1978

Mass screening for early breast cancer detection.

In 1969 the Center for Social Diseases of Florence started a screening program for early breast cancer detection. The female population over 40 years of age of a group of outlying towns of the District was invited. From January 1969 till March 1977, 21,725 women have been examined in the program. Mammography was the diagnostic procedure of choice, followed by physical examination if necessary. Negative cases were controlled with biennial mammography. This paper summarizes and evaluates the results of this screening program. At first mammography, 67 cancers were detected, 37% of which were clinically unapparent, 62.3% staged T1A, and 52% N--. The average stage at diagnosis is certainly better than the average stage of cancers diagnosed in unscreened women, thus a better prognosis is expected. Actuarial survival rate of detected cancers was 94 +/- 3.7% at 5 years. False negative and false positive cases are reported. The possibility of hazards in the use of repeated mammography in mass screening is discussed. According to reported data the value of this screening program in terms of secondary prevention (early diagnosis) is confirmed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Critical evaluation of several years' activity aimed at the diagnosis of asymptomatic diabetes in the Province of Florence. Revision of method.

The authors have based this critical evaluation on the methods at present adopted for mass screening for symptomatic diabetes in a group of 39,405 subjects, in full working activity. The results obtained from these tests confirm the social importance of this illness in the active population. However, the authors suggest that the glycosuria test be abandoned as the primary discriminating criterium and suggest that blood glucose assay in specimens drawn two hours after a standard glucose and load (50 g as proposed by WHO) and the singling out of potential diabetic individuals by reason of their family and physiological background be adopted for this purpose. The relationship between diabetes, obesity, dysmetabolism and cardiovascular alterations lead us to stress once more the importance of primary prevention, aimed at correcting the eating habits and life style of patients with a potential predisposition to the illness.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Neck motion evaluation after whiplash: a radiographic and kinematic protocol.

Evaluation of functional damage is the main aspect in the diagnosis of whiplash injury, therefore some type of instrumental testing is strongly needed. We describe an instrumental protocol to test subjects with whiplash, to support clinical evaluation, in order to solve the difficulty of evaluating the functional injury and the lack of fixed parameters capable of identifying this kind of injury. Eighty subjects suffering from after effects of whiplash and seventy five normal subjects undergo two instrumental tests: kinematic examination of neck mobility, and measurements of extension-flexion X-rays of the cervical spine. The results exhibited by the traumatized patients have been compared with the normal range of motion obtained from the data bank of the normal subjects. This is a report in progress of a larger research on whiplash evaluation in a clinical setting.

Accidents, Traffic↗