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Biomedical subjects

R Manfredini

Publications and source records attributed to R Manfredini.

141 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Haematological profile in cancer patients: analysis of circadian pattern.

This study was intended to evaluate whether unusual circadian patterns in blood cells exist in cancer patients. Ten patients (five men and five women) suffering from advanced malignancy were compared with a control group of apparently healthy volunteers, of comparable age and sex. After synchronization of daily activities, meals and rest of the two groups, blood samples were taken four times (at 8.00 a.m., 12.00 a.m., 4.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m.) in a single day. The total red and white cell counts, haemoglobin, platelet count, and neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil, monocyte and basophil differential white cell counts were analysed by both conventional (Student's t-test; multifactorial analysis of variance) and inferential statistics (single and mean cosinor). The average values for platelets (P = 0.04), white blood cells (P = 0.004) and lymphocytes (P << 0.001) showed significant changes with time, independently of disease state. Cosinor analysis indicated a circadian rhythmicity for haemoglobin (P = 0.02), eosinophils (P = 0.014), and lymphocytes (P = 0.001) in healthy subjects, and for eosinophils only (P = 0.024) in cancer patients.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Seasonal variations in the incidence of cranial nerve paralysis.

The aim of the study was to verify whether there is a seasonal pattern in the occurrence of cranial nerve paralysis. All patients admitted to the Emergency Department of St Anna Hospital, Ferrara, Italy, from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1997, were reviewed. Cranial nerve paralysis was diagnosed in 126 cases: the oculomotor nerve accounted for 46 cases, the trochlear nerve for 14, and the abducens nerve for 66. The frequencies of cases involving the oculomotor nerve and of all cases were significantly higher in winter than in the other seasons. Compared with other 2-month periods, the highest number of total cases occurred in November to December. Chronobiological analysis of the data for individual months showed a rhythmic 12-month pattern for the total population, with a weakly significant peak in January.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Standard melatonin intake and circadian rhythms of elite athletes after a transmeridian flight.

Many transmeridian travellers, including top athletes, regularly take melatonin to reduce negative jet lag symptoms. Standard (rather than individually tailored) doses are often used. We examined the effects of a standard dose of melatonin on the body temperature rhythms of 12 elite biathletes (eight men and four women) after an eastward transmeridian flight to an international competition. The different effects on body temperature rhythms in men versus women underscore the need for personalized dosing schedules to avoid potential undesirable consequences.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The association of low serum cholesterol with depression and suicidal behaviours: new hypotheses for the missing link.

Several observational studies indicate that reduction of serum cholesterol levels is related to an increase in violent deaths and suicide but the nature of this possible relationship remains unclear. Many confounding factors, e.g. poor health, depression and loss of appetite may play a role in the apparent relationship between serum cholesterol levels and suicide. Two separate phenomena should be considered: lowering total cholesterol and low total cholesterol. This review considers the evidence from epidemiological studies on serum cholesterol lowering and psychiatric disturbances. The available evidence does not seem to substantiate the view that large-scale intervention to reduce cholesterol concentrations could lead to more violent and aggressive behaviour, and generally greater unhappiness. In recent trials using statin treatment, there were slightly fewer deaths from accidents and suicide in the treated group compared with the placebo group. We believe that clinicians should not be deterred from prescribing cholesterol-lowering drugs, to reduce the risk of death from coronary heart disease, when they are indicated.

Aggression↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of acute and long-term administration of ramipril on circadian rhythm of blood pressure in essential hypertension.

Ambulatory monitoring was used to evaluate the antihypertensive efficacy and effect on circadian rhythms of blood pressure and heart rate of a single dose and long-term administration of ramipril in 20 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Patients initially were randomized to receive either placebo or a single 5-mg dose of ramipril, followed 1 week later by 5 mg of ramipril daily for 6 months. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and heart rate were measured every 20 minutes for 24 hours. Single-dose ramipril reduced both SBP and DBP (P < .001) without affecting heart rate. Long-term treatment produced a small additional antihypertensive effect, again without modifying heart rate. Cosinor analysis demonstrated that both administrations of ramipril effectively lowered SBP and DBP mesors (P < .001), compared to placebo; circadian rhythms remained undisturbed. Heart rate also was not modified on any circadian parameter. A significant reduction (P < .001) of blood pressure amplitude, however, occurred after long-term treatment and may have importance in terms of preventing cardiac damage.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hypoparathyroidism in chronic alcohol intoxication: a preliminary report.

It is well known that osteoporosis is more common in chronic alcoholists than in age-matched controls. Possible aetiological factors could be: malabsorption of calcium and vitamin D, liver disease, abnormal parathyroid function. With this study, the authors investigated parathyroid hormone (PTH) behaviour in thirteen selected patients with alcohol abuse, free from any clinical or humoral sign of hepatopathy, and in ten healthy subjects as a control group. In alcohol abusers a significant reduction of plasmatic PTH, compared to normal calcium levels were found. A possible direct interaction effect between ethyl alcohol and PTH may be suggested, even if further studies are required.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Seasonal variation in onset of acute appendicitis.

PURPOSE: Several acute diseases exhibit a circannual pattern. The present study was aimed to verify the possible existence of a seasonal variability in the onset of acute appendicitis (AA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All cases of AA diagnosed at the St Anna Hospital of Ferrara, Italy, from 1998 to 2004, were considered. The total sample was divided into subgroups by gender, age (< or = 19 and > or = 20 years), and ICD9-CM code. For statistical analysis, the distribution of symptom onset was tested for uniformity by the chi2 test for goodness of fit, and chronobiological analysis was performed by applying partial Fourier series. RESULTS: In the 7-year period analysis, 1331 consecutive cases of AA (673 males) were observed. The analysis showed, for total population, a seasonal variation with a peak in summer and a nadir in spring. Subjects < or = 19 years (n = 654) showed a higher frequency of events in winter (winter = 191 cases, 29.2%; spring = 154 cases, 23.5%, summer = 142 cases, 21.7%, autumn = 167 cases, 25.5%, chi2 = 8.07 p = 0.046), whereas subjects > or = 20 years (n = 677) showed a higher frequency in summer (winter = 150, 22.2%, spring = 151, 22.3%, summer = 214, 31.6%, autumn = 162, 23.9%, chi2 = 16.33 p = 0.001; difference between the two groups: chi2: 19.2, p < 0.001). Cases of AA with peritonitis (ICD-9 540.0, n = 90), were more frequent in summer (winter = 18, 20%, spring = 19, 21.17%, summer = 38, 42.2%, autumn = 15, 16.7%, chi2 = 14.22, p = 0.002), and chronobiological analysis found a statistically significant peak of higher incidence in July (PR 68.2, 95%CL: May-September, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The existence of a seasonal pattern in the onset of AA is confirmed, with differences in relation to age.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A "plethora", minor and transient, as an immediate cause of a cerebrovascular accident].

Even if the well-known predisposing factors play an essential role in the realization of cerebrovascular accidents, in these last years the possible importance of the hemoreologic parameters is still a topic under discussion. The authors found a significant increase of the considered hemoreologic parameters (HT, Hb, RBC) in the patients hospitalized for cerebrovascular accidents compared to controls, without differences for gender, even if this increase remained into the limits of normal range. Conversely, no significant differences were found concerning the considered metabolic parameters.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acute sublingual nifedipine and adrenergic activation: a chronobiologic attempt of optimized administration in healthy subjects.

Nifedipine has been shown to increase heart rate and plasma catecholamines, due to an adrenergic activation. Two healthy male subjects, after a period of sinchronization, have self-measured heart rate (HR) every 30 min for two consecutive days through a portable, non invasive, automatic device. The data were then analysed by means of chronobiologic procedures, to verify their personal HR acrophase. Forty-eight hours later, the same subjects repeated the trial, assuming 20 mg of sublingual nifedipine just one hour before their calculated HR acrophase, and data were analysed at the same way. After drug assumption, both HR acrophases and mesors failed to show any modification.

Administration, Sublingual↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Temporal organization of cerebrovascular accidents: a retrospective, preliminary study about stroke in Ferrara, Italy.

An epidemiologic retrospective study was conducted from January 1984 to December 1988 on subjects admitted into the Institute of Semeiotica Medica of the University of Ferrara (as a general medicine, unselective department) and presenting a stroke. Year, month and hour of onset of symptoms in 141 patients (all resident in Ferrara, mean age 74.3 +/- 8.3 years) were carefully recorded. The definition of precise clock hour was reached only in 108 cases. The data were then analyzed by means of Halberg's single cosinor. Time series analysis showed a seasonal pattern of disease onset, characterized by a circannual rhythm with acrophase in late winter - early spring (-83.9 degrees). A significant circadian rhythm was found too, with acrophase at afternoon (-242.8 degrees).

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Mitochondrial DNA deletion in a case of progressive ophthalmoplegia].

Mitochondria are unique among intracellular organelles because they contain their own DNA, which can be transcribed and translated to form proteins. Mitochondrial diseases include myopathies and multisystem disorders. The case of a patient showing bilateral ophthalmoplegia with proximal limb weakness, severe dysphagia and short stature, without family history, is described. The analysis of mitochondrial DNA of the patient muscle revealed a deleted form accounting for 65% of the total mitochondrial DNA. The Southern Blot Analysis of mtDNA allows a rather precise localization of deletions giving new insights in the pathogenesis of mitochondrial myopathies and representing a new precious diagnostic tool in these diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Expression of lactoferrin and myeloperoxidase genes in blasts of acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

The myeloperoxidase (MPO) and lactoferrin genes are strictly associated to the granulocytic differentiation pathway. Many reports show that immunologic and molecular cell markers, though to be lineage specific, are in fact expressed in cells of different lineages. We have identified lymphoid blast cell populations expressing the MPO gene at the mRNA level, but lacking any detectable MPO protein. We addressed this issue studying the expression of the MPO and lactoferrin genes in extremely homogeneous Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) blast cell populations. The study was carried out by solution hybridization of total cellular mRNA extracted from the leukemic populations with an antisense RNA transcribed by riboprobes. Either MPO or lactoferrin mRNAs were detectable in some ALL populations.

Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic↗