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Biomedical subjects

P Giusti

Publications and source records attributed to P Giusti.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Analgesic properties of N-terminal substituted phenylalanyl-alanine.

Phenylalanylalanine, an in vitro inhibitor of enkephalinase, and some of its N alpha-derivatives are shown to possess an analgesic action when injected i.p. and i.c.v. into mice in the presence or absence of Leu5-enkephalin. In the second case a synergistic response is observed. The intensity of the analgesic response depends markedly on the nature of the N-terminal substituent which affects the hydrophobic character of the resulting dipeptide, its subsequent transport and probably its rate of biotransformation by cleaving enzymes.

Acylation↗
PubMed1981

[Cases of acute poisoning hospitalized in the Veneto region. Preliminary results in 1721 cases].

An epidemiological study has been made of acute poisoning cases hospitalised in the Veneto region in 1978 and 1979 and the present paper reports an initial sizeable group of 1721 cases. Young people are most affected (60% of cases below the age of 30), particularly in the first decade of life. The male sex is mainly involved in poisoning due to voluntary substances (alcohol, heroin) while females are most affected by psychoactive drugs. The commonest toxic substances are: psychoactive drugs (26%), alcohol (20%), domestic products (19%), heroin (10%), non-narcotic analgesics (4%), agricultural products (3%) and cardiovascular drugs (2%). In 3% of cases it proved impossible to identify the compound in question and in 13% of poisonings different drugs and substances were involved. The average duration of admission was 41/2 days and support treatment was carried out regularly. Mortality was 0.4% (7 cases), 4 of them due to poisoning by domestic products.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Record of hospitalized acute intoxication cases: a proposed statistical-epidemiological form.

A form is presented for recording acute toxicological case histories for statistical purposes. It includes personal data, case history, social and environmental data, characteristics of the poison(s), history of the intoxication, general and prevailing signs and symptoms, criteria of diagnosis, emergency measures, specific and antagonistic treatment before and during hospitalization, clinical laboratory findings, toxicological analysis, and progression of symptoms until full or partial recovery or death. This form was developed in the course of retrospective research, and can be used either for telephone emergency calls or as a part of the clinical file. Through the elaboration of the compiled forms a strict cooperation between the assisting services and the Specialized Toxicology Centre may allow for better preventive and therapeutic measures.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1981

Sample research of hospitalized acute intoxication cases using an epidemiological form.

A form for recording acute toxicological cases has been preliminarily applied to a sample of 436 subjects admitted during 1978 into the hospitals of two districts of the Venetian Region. One was predominately manufacture and industry, and the other a mountain-agricultural area. The latter had medical facilities less uniformly distributed. Through epidemiological analysis, the acute poisoning cases from psychoactive drugs (benzodiazepines, barbiturates, antipsychotic agents, and tricyclic antidepressants) prevailed (37.9%). They were followed by acute cases from street heroin or other opiates in addicts (25.7%) that only occurred in the main town of the more industrialized district. The incidence of the other poisoning cases were in the following decreasing order: household poisons (9.8%), nonnarcotic analgesics (5.1%), agricultural poisons (4.1%), cardiovascular drugs (3.7%), miscellaneous drugs (1.4%), food and plants (1.4%), oral contraceptives (1.0%), viper envenomization (0.7%), and insect bites (0.7%). A rate of 8.5% was due to unidentified compounds. Mortality was 0.9% and death occurred after exposure to corrosives, carbon monoxide, or undetermined substances. Between the two districts there were no marked differences in emergency and general measures that mainly consisted in supportive treatment with forced diuresis (13.9%) and gastric lavage (only 21.4%).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Proposed method for double-blind study of reflexotherapy phenomena].

The Authors report their experience with the placebo, an essential step in the clinical study of reflexotherapy. They assert that also in this branch of medicine it is possible to carry out a "double blind" clinical experimentation by means of placebo, that is, an essential condition in order to develop a scientific assessment of both the limits and the potentialities of reflexotherapy.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1979

Some cases of acute intoxications from compulsive use of isoaminile.

Isoaminile (Peracon) has found in Italy a certain success as a substitute for hard narcotcis. Three observations are reported in which five young adults have been intoxicated by the i.v. administration of the cough suppressant. On the basis of two opposed points of view suggested by the Literature to explain the compulsive abuse of this drug, the A. have studied its physical dependence capacity by using an original technique. The isoaminile cyanide release has been measured too. The experimental results demonstrate that isoaminile does not determine a physical dependence; a slight CN- release activity occurs in vivo only with high doses.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed1979

Synthetic enkephalins. Addicting properties and conformational studies in solution.

The addicting properties of [Leu5]enkephalin in mice are conserved in the LSer3 analogue and lost both in the L-Ser2 analogue and in all the L-Cha4 derivatives of the above peptides. Fluorescence measurements in water show the presence of hydrogen-bonded tyrosul OH groups in [Leu5]-enkephalin and in its LSer2 analogue. The Phe4/Cha replacements do not influence these equilibria, but they affect the near u.v. dichroism of the hydrogen bonded tyrosyl residues. In the peptide absorption region in water solution, only [Leu5]-enkephalin and its cyclohexylalnyl derivative show a positive dichroism towards high frequencies, which is maintained in 8 M ura. No clear relation is found between conformation(s) in solution and biological activity. A II' beta-turn, with residues in positions 2 and 3 at the corners, is suggested for the conformation of enkephalin bound to the receptors involved in the bioassay here used.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Multidetector CT and virtual endoscopy in the evaluation of the esophagus.

In this prospective study, we assessed the diagnostic capabilities of multidetector computed tomography (CT) in various esophageal pathologic conditions. Thirty-three patients underwent a multidetector CT study after esophageal distention by means of effervescent powder administered after induction of pharmacologic esophageal hypotonia. All acquired images were post-processed with two- and three-dimensional software tools. The CT data were compared with the results of conventional radiology (33), endoscopy (28), endoscopy ultrasonography (14), or surgery (14). Follow-up ranged between 4 and 15 months. Esophageal distention in the upper and middle thirds was classified as "good" in 32 of 33 cases (97%); in the lower third, esophageal distention was "good" in 21 of 33 cases (64%). Final diagnoses were leiomyoma (six cases), squamous cell carcinoma (six), adenocarcinoma (four), esophageal infiltration by thyroid cancer (two), benign polyposis (two), chronic esophagitis (five), post-sclerotherapy stenosis (one), no abnormalities (seven). When good distention was achieved, the thickness of unaffected esophageal wall was less than 3 mm (range, 1.5-2.4 mm; mean, 1.9 mm). Pathologic wall thickening was observed in 25 of 33 cases (76%), with values ranging between 3.6 and 36 mm (mean, 9.6 mm). Spiral CT demonstrated 21 true positive cases, and seven true negative cases. There were four false negative cases and one false positive case. Sensitivity was 84%, specificity was 87%, diagnostic accuracy was 85%, positive predictive value was 95%, and negative predictive value was 64%. Evaluation of the esophagus with multidetector CT is a promising technique and easy to use, allowing panoramic exploration, virtual endoluminal visualization, accurate longitudinal and axial evaluations, and simultaneous evaluation of T and N parameters.

Esophageal Diseases↗