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Biomedical subjects

P Cugini

Publications and source records attributed to P Cugini.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Comparison of floor sanitation methods.

Two methods for cleaning waxed polyvinylchloride and porcelain grès hospital room floors were compared in order to determine their decontamination capacity: dry wiping followed by damp washing, and damp washing followed by dry wiping. Dry wiping followed by damp washing did not produce any significant reduction in the average bacterial load. However, damp washing followed by dry wiping reduced the bacterial load for both types of flooring. The difference was statistically significant.

Colony Count, Microbial↗
PubMed2005

Carnitine deficiency in patients with coeliac disease and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) and coeliac disease (CD) are two pathological conditions which may lead, by different mechanisms, to malabsorption of various micronutrients, including carnitine, active in cardiac metabolism. The aim of the present investigation was primarily to evaluate differences in serum concentrations of total carnitine between IDCM patients and patients with IDCM associated with CD and then also to evaluate, in the latter, the effect of a gluten-free diet on serum concentrations of total carnitine. METHOD AND RESULTS: Serum carnitine was determined by enzymatic spectrophotometric assay in three groups of individuals: group A, 10 patients (5 males, 5 females), mean age 46.5+/-10.8 years, presenting isolated IDCM; group B, 3 patients (2 males, 1 female), mean age 34+/-8 years, with IDCM+CD; and group C, 10 healthy subjects (5 males, 5 females), mean age 38.6+/-11.1 years. All patients with IDCM belonged to class NYHA I-II. Mean concentrations of total serum carnitine in the group of patients with isolated IDCM (group A) were found to be lower than in the controls (group C). The concentrations in patients with IDCM associated with CD (group B) were lower than in the control group and also lower than in the isolated IDCM (group A). After 2 years on a gluten-free diet, patients presenting IDCM associated with CD showed a progressive increase in mean serum carnitine levels compared to values observed prior to the diet. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting IDCM associated with CD show a greater decrease in serum total carnitine levels than patients presenting the isolated form of IDCM. A gluten-free diet, in these patients, leads to a progressive increase in serum levels of this substance.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

A lower level of entropy in circadian rhythm of the sinus R-R intervals suggests a prevalence of the cardiac sympathetic regulation in early physiological pregnancy.

The study estimates the unpredictable disorder (chaos) within the 24 h pattern of sinus R-R intervals (SRRI) in clinically healthy pregnant women (CHPW) and clinically healthy non-pregnant women (CHNPW), in order to evaluate the early gestational changes in neurovegetative cardiac pacing. SRRI were provided by the 24-h Holter ECG of 10 CHPW and 10 CHNPW. SRRI were investigated by descriptive conventional statistics by means of the Time and Frequency Domain Analysis, and subsequently, in their chaotic component by means of entropy analysis. Both the SRRI and entropy were tested via the Cosinor method to better decipher whether or not the periodic disorder in heart rate variability is modified in pregnancy as a result of a gestational tonic resetting of the cardiac sympatho-vagal regulation. Cosinor analysis documented that the circadian rhythm of both the SRRI and entropy were preserved in CHNPW and CHPW. However, the circadian rhythm of SRRI and entropy in CHPW exhibited a significantly decreased 24 h mean. Via the analysis of the rhythmicity of entropy, this study has documented that the chaos in the 24 h pattern of SRRI is less prominent in CHPW than in CHNPW. Such a reduction of level in the deterministic periodic chaos of heart rate variability provides evidence that, in early pregnancy, a tonic elevation of the sympathetic activity regulates cardiac pacing.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Claude Bernard: a personal scientific fame that he probably would have not appreciated].

Claude Bernard has been a great medical physiologist of the ninenteenth century, who was able to convince biologists and physicians that the "experimental method" can and must be applied to the phenomena of living matter, as it is applied in physics and chemistry. With the concept of the "universality of the experimental method", the Modern Experimental Medicine begun to exist. However, C. Bernard deserves of further honor, having identified and promulgated a law of the living matter, i.e., the law concerning the "constancy of the interior biological environment". Such a law was later consacrated in 1929 by G.W. Cannon with the term "homeostasis". The homeostatic conception of biological functions had a great epistemological impact in the history of biology and medicine. As a matter of fact, all the modern biologists and physicians are today educated at the light of the homeostatic systems. Accordingly, C. Bernard is celebrated in his fame as the tutor of scientific medicine. Reading, however, what C. Bernard has written on the personalism and the eponimy of scientific ideas, one is prone to think that he would have not appreciated the dogmatic exaltation, the cult of his ideas on the biological constancy. He was aware that "... it is a fundamental rule in science to modify and change the ideas going on". And again "... But, since these ideas are not immutable verities, one must be ready to abandon and modify them when they cease to represent the reality". And again "The systems and doctrines are personal and pretend to be immortal and to preserve their personality. The experimental method, however, is impersonal; it zeroes the individuality and sacrifices the particular ideas of the a single person in favor of a general verity, which is established by means of the experimental criterion". And again "The great persons have never been promoters of absolute ed eternal verities in experimental sciences". And again "Any person who made the science to proceed, never pretended to define the limits; this person is destined to be surpassed and left apart by the progress of the future generations". And again "One of the most important obstacle that is encountered by humans along the course of knowledge is represented by the tendency of human acquisitions to be transformed into systems". With the discovery of chaos and biological systems in living matter, the law of homeostasis must be now revised.

Biology↗
PubMed2003

Circadian rhythm of hunger sensation in patients affected by cystic fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the daily pattern of hunger sensation (HS) in patients affected by a non-advanced form of cystic fibrosis (CF) in order to detect how the orectic stimulus (OS) behaves in fibrocystic patients (FP) who are obliged to eat frequently because of their pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study involved 27 out-patients (13 males and 14 females; mean age 18 +/- 4 years; mean BMI 18.77 +/- 2.17 kg/m2) with a non-advanced form of CF, and 19 clinically healthy subjects (CHS, 9 males and 10 females; mean age 24 +/- 2 years; mean BMI 21.00 +/- 1.70 kg/m2). The FP were used to eating frequent small meals between the three main meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner. All of the participants were asked to compile an "orexigram"' which was chrono-biometrically analysed by means of: 1) conventional statistical methods; 2) rhythmometric analysis of circadian rhythm (CR); and 3) spectral analysis of the harmonic structure substantiating the within-day variability of HS. RESULTS: HS in FP had 1) a significantly increased daily mean level; 2) a well-established CR, with a significantly increased oscillatory mesor and amplitude; and 3) a modified orexigram power spectrum affecting the ultradian harmonic components. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the orectic perception of CF patients is characterised by "daily hyperorexia", with the maintenance of HS CR. This condition seems to be a structured abnormality insofar as there are visible changes in the orexigram spectral resolution, particular in the ultradian harmonic components whose oscillatory frequency is responsible for the diurnal pattern of HS. The hyperorexia of the investigated FP indicates that their frequent small meals are not sufficient to satisfy their HS, which may cause a vicious circle leading to progressively disrupted mealtime behaviour.

Activity Cycles↗
PubMed2003

The orexigram in patients affected by morbid obesity: a preliminary report on daily hunger sensation before bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the orexigram, the time-qualified self-rated estimate of hunger sensation (HS), in patients affected by morbid obesity (MO) with the aim of detecting how daily HS behaves before morbidly obese patients (MOP) undergo bariatric surgery (BS). This article is therefore a preliminary report as it is necessary to make subsequent comparisons with post-BS orexigrams. Preoperative orexigrams may be helpful in selecting the MOPs who are candidates for surgical treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten MOPs (five males and five females, with a mean age of 34 +/- 11 yr and a mean BMI of 49.32 +/- 7.26 kg/m2), and 19 clinically healthy control subjects (CHS: nine males and ten females, with a mean age of 24 +/- 2 yr and a mean BMI of 21.00 +/- 1.70 kg/m2) gave their informed consent to participate in the study. All of the study participants were asked to compile a 24-h orexigram, which was then biometrically analysed by means of: 1) conventional methods for parametric statistics; 2) rhythm analysis for their circadian rhythms; and 3) spectral analysis for their harmonic structure. RESULTS: The orexigrams of the MOPs had significantly increased mean daily levels (daily hyperorexia), retained their circadian periodicity despite an increase in mesor, and were consistently modified in their ultradian spectral harmonic components. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the studied MOPs complain of a daily hyperorexia that is still perceived circadically. This perception is a structured abnormality, as demonstrated by the consistent changes in the spectral analysis, and so MOPs can be diagnosed as being affected by so-called "hyperorectic obesity". It will be interesting to see whether or not presurgical hyperorexia in MOPs is corrected by BS: if so, hyperorexia may become an additional indication, and presurgery orexigrams could be suggested as an additional means of selecting the hyperorectic MOPs who are candidates for surgical treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Quantification of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in essentially obese patients and normal-weight healthy subjects.

The aim of this study was to quantify the degree of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in essentially obese patients (EOP) and normoponderal healthy subjects (NHS) in order to identify quantitative differences based on mean scores and percentages (the latter in cases showing a tendency towards pathological anxiety and depression indicated by a score of > or = 8). The study involved 69 EOP (age: 13-72 years; BMI: > 25.0 and < 35.0 kg/m2) and 66 NHS (age: 18-68 years; BMI: > 18.5 and < or = 25.0 kg/m2). The scores, expressed in Anxiety Units (AU) and Depression Units (DU), were computed using ad hoc questionnaires (the ASQ and CDQ) validated for the Italian population. The mean scores of sub-clinical anxiety and depression in the EOP were significantly higher (both p = 0.001) than those of the NHS (6.33 +/- 2.38 vs 5.02 +/- 2.22 AU; 6.42 +/- 2.42 vs 5.02 +/- 2.03 DU), as were the percentages of cases with a tendency towards pathological anxiety and depression (42% vs 18%, and 43% vs 12%) (both p = 0.001). The significantly higher mean sub-clinical anxiety and depression score in the EOP indicate that a worse mood status is associated with obesity in a non-random manner. The significantly higher percentages of EOP with a tendency towards pathologic anxiety and depression indicate that obesity is a clinical condition that predisposes to the development of clinically relevant affective disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Hospital use of decontaminating mats.

Decontaminating mats made of several layers of adhesive sheets (water-based acrylic 6 g/m2) supplemented with a bactericidal agent (3-1 benzoisothiazolin) at a concentration of 25% were placed in the passages providing access to the operating rooms of an orthopaedic service. Contact plates containing tryptone soy agar were used to assess bacterial concentration at specific points in front of and beyond the mats. For trolley passageways two areas were defined: central and lateral paths, corresponding to the areas walked upon by the personnel pushing the trolleys and to the paths covered by the trolley wheels, respectively. In order to exclude a simple mechanical effect, a comparison of bacterial loads at defined sites beyond the mats was carried out in the presence and in the absence of decontaminating mats. Bacterial colony counts in the presence of decontaminating mats were substantially and statistically significantly reduced compared with the absence of mats. The lower mean number of colony-forming units detected at points located beyond the mats parallels this finding; this difference is also statistically significant. We thus conclude that decontaminating mats are potentially useful in decreasing micro-organism carry-over due to personnel or the passage of trolleys into areas at high risk of infection such as operating rooms.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2002

Circadian rhythm of some parameters of body composition in the elderly investigated by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis.

We studied the within-day determinations of some body composition (BC) parameters in clinically healthy elderly subjects with the aim of investigating their circadian rhythms (CR), which are known to vary in a circadian manner in clinically healthy young adults. The study involved six non-smoking, clinically healthy elderly males (mean age: 75 +/- 4 years; mean weight: 71.07 +/- 10.26 kg; mean height: 170 +/- 5 cm, mean BMI: 24 +/- 1 kg/m2). The BC parameters were determined by means of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) at 2-hour intervals during the day and night, with the subjects lying horizontally in bed. The time-qualified BC estimates were analysed using the Cosinor method. The analysis revealed that the healthy elderly subjects had lost the CR of a number of the BC parameters, including fat body mass, cell body mass, extracellular body mass, total body water, extracellular body water, intracellular body water, and the Na and K exchangeable pools. However, they still retained the CR of body weight and lean body mass, with the expected nocturnal phase of oscillation. The abolition of the CR of the majority of BC parameters in the elderly suggests that human senescence is characterised by consistent changes in the daily rhythmic patterns of fat, water and electrolyte metabolism.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2002

Erythema annulare centrifugum: report of a case with neonatal onset.

Darier's erythema annulare centrifugum (EAC) is often associated with infectious, autoimmune or neoplastic disease, nevertheless, most cases of EAC remain unexplained. We report a case of EAC with neonatal onset and a clinical course of over 20 years. The patient presented from the 6th day of life with erythematous papules that enlarged centrifugally to form figurate, annular or policyclic plaques involving the entire cutaneous surface. The clinical picture had a chronic course, disappearing only during unrelated febrile episodes. Histologic examination revealed a normal epidermis and a dense perivascular lymphohistiocytic infiltrate and numerous eosinophils in the superficial and reticular dermis. Today the patient is 24 years old and his lesions are still unchanged. Recently, clinical evaluation revealed a diffuse sderodermic induration. A second biopsy showed a diffuse thickening of collagen fibers in the dermis. To our knowledge, this is the second report of EAC with neonatal onset and such a long and peculiar clinical course.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed2001

Circadian rhythm of hunger sensation in obese patients: effects of a short-term, moderately hypocaloric diet with a substitutive meal.

This investigation deals with the circadian rhythm (CR) of hunger sensation (HS) in obese patients before and after a four-week, moderately hypocaloric diet with a substitutive meal. The study was performed on 25 non-diabetic obese patients (5 males and 20 females, mean age: 39.7 +/- 7, mean BMI: 27.9 1.4 Kg/m2), whose obesity was not associated with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), binge eating, nor endocrine diseases. Their daily HS profile (orexigram) was analysed chronobiometrically. The moderately hypocaloric diet with a substitutive meal reduced the daily HS by about 10% by the fourth week. This reduction was apparently due to a tonic and amplitude modulation of the HS CR and was not accompanied by its disruption. No conclusions, however, could be drawn with regard to its orectic and clinical effects beyond four weeks.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Is melatonin circadian rhythm a physiological feature associated with healthy longevity? A study of long-living subjects and their progeny.

The study investigates the circadian rhythm (CR) of urinary 6-sulphatoxy-melatonin (aMT6s) in long-living (longevous) subjects and their progeny. The aim is to detect whether or not the melatonin CR is a physiological feature associated with healthy longevity. The aMT6s CR was investigated in 10 longevous subjects, 8 of their children and 9 of their grandchildren, all in good health. Control data were obtained respectively from 13 adult subjects and 9 young subjects, in good health, but characterized by a negative family history for longevity. All the subjects were born and living in the same city. The study was performed in the summer of 1996. The aMT6s CR was found to persist in longevous subjects, being characterized by a lower mesor and amplitude. The aMT6s CR was found not to show properties consistently different in children and grandchildren as compared respectively to their adult and young controls. Because of its preservation in longevous subjects, it can be argued that the melatonin CR is a physiological feature associated with healthy longevity. Because of the comparability of aMT6s CR in children and grandchildren, with respect to their controls without a positive family history of longevity, it can be argued that the melatonin CR is not a marker that can be used for an earlier identification of the candidates for longevity.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Daily hunger sensation monitoring as a tool for investigating human circadian synchronization.

This study investigates within-day hunger sensation (HS) variability in Clinically Healthy Subjects Adapted to Living in Antarctica (CHSALA), as compared to their coeval subjects living in their mother country. The aim is to detect how the orectic stimulus behaves in those environmental conditions and occupational schemes, in order to investigate the individual synchronization to sleep-wake alternation and meal time schedule. HS was estimated via a self-rating score of its intensity on a Visual Analog Scale, repeating the subjective perception every 30 min, unless sleeping. The individual HS time-qualified scores (orexigram) were analyzed according to conventional and chronobiological procedures. The orexigrams of the CHSALA were seen to show a more cadenced intermittence during the diurnal part of the day, strictly related to the meal timing, and a preserved circadian rhythm as well. In addition, these orexigrams were resolved in a spectrum of harmonic components which indicated a subsidiary number of ultradian formants. These findings are convincing evidence that the individual orexigram may be used to investigate whether or not a single subject is synchronized to sleep-wake cycle, meal time schedule and socio-occupational routines, instead of using more complex and expensive techniques, involving automated equipments and biohumoral assays.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed2000

Endoscope washers--a protocol for their use.

A protocol for the disinfection of gastroduodenoscopes, retrograde cholangiopancreatography endoscopes and colonoscopes using endoscope washers is described. The process recommends initial manual washing with a disinfectant containing didecyldimethylammonium chloride, surfactants and enzymes, a second washing in the endoscope washer using a detergent associated with a bacteriostatic, fungistatic substance (benzoisothiazolone) and finally the use of a 2% glutaraldehyde product buffered at pH6. After treatment with 2% Steranios added to the washer, less than 1 micro-organism/ml liquid was found in the following units: 83% of the colonoscopes, 83% of the oesophagogastroduodenoscopes, 83% of the main channels of the retrograde cholangiopancreatography endoscopes and 75% of the auxiliary channels of the latter instruments. In 14% of the colonoscopes, 42% of the gastroduodenoscopes, 42% of the main and 50% of auxiliary channels in the retrograde cholangiopancreatography endoscopes there were no signs of microbial growth in the wash liquid. The results obtained indicated that this protocol allowed adequate disinfection of the endoscope channels, structurally the most difficult part of the instrument to disinfect. Emphasis is given to the degree by which instrument contamination can increase during overnight storage, suggesting that endoscopes need to be submitted to further disinfection after overnight storage. Moreover, the water flowing into the washers can also cause instrument recontamination, particularly during the final rinses. Therefore, to better safeguard the health of patients undergoing endoscopy, special care must be taken to maintain the filters and disinfect the washers themselves, no matter how effective the disinfection protocol used may be.

Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde↗
PubMed1999

Daily hunger sensation and body compartments: II. Their relationships in obese patients.

Hunger sensation (HS) is a signal whose levels change during the 24-h day. The daily mean level of HS was correlated with the human body compartments, as investigated by bioelectrical impedance analysis, to detect the relationship between the orectic perception and both the free fat mass (FFM) and the fat body mass (FBM) in 22 clinically healthy subjects (CHS) (2 M, 20 W, BMI: 18.5-24.0 kg/m2) and 48 obese patients (OP) (4 M, 44 W, BMI: 25.2-54.7 kg/m2). In CHS, the daily mean level of HS correlated positively with the FFM and negatively with the FBM. These correlations were not present in OP. This lack of relationships between HS and the body compartments where energy is maximally consumed (i.e., the FFM) and maximally stored (i.e., the FBM) indicates that the orectic response to energy expenditure and the orectic inhibition to fat accumulation are feedback mechanisms which are impaired in obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1999

Anxiety, depression, hunger and body composition: III. Their relationships in obese patients.

The present paper explores the relationships between anxiety, depression, hunger sensation and body composition in obese patients (OP). The aim is to detect whether or not there are abnormalities in these relationships in OP as compared to clinically healthy subjects (CHS). The study was performed on 22 CHS (2 M, 20 W; mean age = 24 +/- 2 years; mean body mass index = 21 +/- 2 kg/m2) and 48 OP (4 M, 44 W; mean age = 40 +/- 17 years; mean body mass index = 32 +/- 7 kg/m2). Anxiety and depression were found to be correlated, negatively, with the relative lean body mass, and, positively, with the fat body mass in OP but not in CHS. These findings corroborate the idea that anxiety and depression can reach an abnormal expression when obesity shows its worst loss in lean body mass and its highest expansion in adipocyte mass. As hunger sensation was found not to correlate with either anxiety or depression in OP, the opinion is expressed that the impairment of anxio-depressive integrity is a corollary of obesity rather than a primary affective disorder leading to obesity via an enhanced food intake.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Preserved blood pressure and heart rate circadian rhythm in early stage Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the blood pressure (BP) values over the day-night period in 11 noninstitutionalized patients affected by probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) in its early stage. The scientific aim was to detect whether the BP circadian rhythm (CR) was preserved, given the fact that CR disruption was observed in advanced or institutionalized AD patients. METHODS: The BP within-day values were gathered via noninvasive ambulatory monitoring. The BP time series were analyzed according to the chronobiological procedure, called Cosinor method with three harmonic components. RESULTS: The biometric analysis was able to document that BP changes over the 24-h scale in AD patients as a function of a significant CR. Such a preserved circadian regulation is, however, compromised in the second and third harmonic component, suggesting that the BP within-day variability is desynchronized by the environmental clues that act as synchronizers during the diurnal part of the day. CONCLUSIONS: The preservation of the BP CR in the early stage of AD suggests using such a finding as a clinical tool for confirming the recent onset of the disease. As a matter of fact, it is presumed that the disease is not evolved enough to reach the suprachiasmatic nuclei, wherein is located the BP circadian pacemaker. The abolition of the ultradian components is another precocious sign that, in turn, indicates early-stage AD patients to be particularly compromised in their synchronization to diurnal cues, such as social routines, meal timing schedule, psycho-physical activity, and occupational schemes.

Aged↗