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Biomedical subjects

S Salmaso

Publications and source records attributed to S Salmaso.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Epidemiological use of drug prescriptions as markers of disease frequency: an Italian experience.

All Italian citizens are covered by the National Health Service (NHS) and medical records of individual drug prescriptions are routinely collected and processed. A procedure entitled EPIFAR has been developed which, on the basis of a computer routine, makes it possible to trace back the prescription history of each individual included in the NHS. The validity of information gathered through the EPIFAR procedure to provide estimates of tuberculosis (TB) prevalence has been evaluated. A comparison with routine surveillance data has been made. The EPIFAR procedure identified a total figure of TB patients seven times higher than that from official notifications. A sample survey was conducted among the prescribing physicians in order to quantify the proportion of TB cases among subjects receiving prescriptions of anti-TB drugs. According to general practitioner recall 66.4% of the patients were treated because of TB diagnosis, TB prophylaxis and TB relapse.

Antitubercular Agents↗
PubMed1991

Sexual lifestyles in injecting drug users in Italy: potential for HIV infection transmission. First Multicentre Study Group.

To better target efforts aimed at modifying sexual behaviour among injecting drug users (IDUs), we conducted a detailed analysis of sexual partners and practices reported by 1214 Italian heterosexual drug users during the period June 1985-June 1987. Females were more likely to have only drug-using partners (42.8% vs 17.1%), while males were more likely to have only non drug-using partners (50.5% vs 21.4%). Female drug users were more likely to report either one partner or greater than 10 partners, while males were more likely to report 2-10 partners. Nearly 90% of women with only drug-using partners had only one partner. Overall, 29% of women with only non drug-using partners reported that they always used condoms. This proportion increased to 65% among women with greater than 10 non drug-using partners. In Italy, male IDUs may play a greater role than female IDUs in sexual transmission of HIV infection to the heterosexual non drug-using partners.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Drug use and HIV-1 infection: report from the Second Italian Multicenter Study.

A cross-sectional study was carried out in October 1988 among clients of public health centers in Italy that provide assistance for drug dependency. In addition to estimating the frequency of HIV-1 infection and of risk factors related to drug use, the study estimated the temporal gap between relevant events in the drug history of each subject. Forty-eight centers participated, representing 16 of the 20 Italian regions. Among 1,038/1,348 subjects, 395 (38%) were carriers of HIV-1 antibodies. Seropositivity was related to the length of heroin use (with the risk of being seropositive increasing by 1% for each month of use), to frequency of sharing injection equipment, and to sexual intercourse with a seropositive partner. Women were more likely to have shared injection equipment and to have engaged in sexual intercourse with seropositive partners. Most subjects began sharing injection equipment within a year of initiating drug use, and the median temporal gap between first drug use and first visit to a drug dependency center was 5 years. A high proportion of both seropositive (87%) and seronegative (74%) subjects reported the adoption of safer drug-use practices. In both groups many behavioral changes (38%) were reported to have been introduced before the initial HIV test. These findings confirm that efforts to reduce HIV infection among drug users in Italy will need to concentrate both on prevention of drug use and on early intervention to reduce high-risk behaviors.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Risk behaviors for HIV-1 infection in Italian drug users: report from a multicenter study. First Drug User Multicenter Study Group.

In June 1987, a cross-sectional study was carried out on drug users attending public centers for drug dependency in Italy. Observed proportions of HIV seropositives among the 1,363 subjects from 34 public centers in 11 regions included in the study varied widely, with an overall seropositivity rate of 37%. Sharing syringes/needles, already used by other intravenous drug users, for preparing and injecting drugs represented independent risk factors for HIV-1 infection, while sexual lifestyle did not. Risk of infection increased with frequency of sharing equipment for preparing and for injecting drugs. Modification of risk behaviors in drug use was reported more frequently than in sexual lifestyle; both were significantly associated with knowledge of being seropositive for HIV-1 infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Survey on tuberculosis reports in a major Italian region.

A survey was carried out on all cases of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis reported in the Latium region of Italy during 1986, in order to characterize them from bacteriological and epidemiological points of view. A total of 497 TB notifications were investigated; reliable medical records were traced and consulted for 458 of these. Seventy-six percent of cases was classified as respiratory tb, 21.8% non-respiratory tb and 2% both. Ninety-two percent of all cases had been hospitalized for long periods (mean: 69 days/median: 63 days for cases of respiratory TB and mean: 40/median 29 days for non-respiratory patients). Contrary to the definition of a reportable case in Italy, evidence of Mycobacteria on direct or cultural examination was present in only half of all reported patients. Twenty-seven percent of respiratory cases and 33.3% of non-respiratory had a previous diagnosis of TB mentioned on the clinical record. High daily alcohol intake is reported more frequently among TB patients with respect to the general population, while drug abusers, immigrants and HIV seropositives represent a very low proportion. Delays in notification have been observed and current notification system is evaluated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Immunization coverage in Italy.

In Italy information on immunization coverage against pertussis, measles, and rubella is absent or incomplete. In 1985 the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) organized a series of immunization coverage surveys for these diseases in several local health units (Unità Sanitaria Locale) (USL). The surveys were conducted simultaneously in 80 USLs in 1985 with modified EPI cluster sampling techniques, using schools attended by children aged 3 to 10 years as the clusters. Information on previously performed immunizations was collected for each child sampled. The total immunization coverage and proportion of immunized children in eight birth cohorts were calculated.Low immunization coverage was reported by the USLs surveyed, and regional differences in the coverage were apparent between the north, centre, and south of Italy. In addition, a steady or decreasing trend in the use of pertussis vaccine was found, while an increasing coverage was observed for measles and rubella immunizations.

Child↗
PubMed1983

Outbreak of Salmonella napoli infection caused by contaminated chocolate bars.

An outbreak of Salmonella napoli infection in England and Wales in 1982 was detected by the surveillance of routine reports of salmonella infections from hospital and public-health laboratories. Epidemiological investigation quickly identified two types of small chocolate-covered bars, imported from Italy, as the vehicles of infection, and subsequently both were found to be contaminated with the organism. The prompt recognition of this outbreak and rapid identification of the vehicle of infection enabled four-fifths of the consignment of contaminated chocolate to be withdrawn from the market. The 245 reported cases resulted from the sale of 600 000 bars; as these were presumably only a small fraction of the total number of cases, it is likely that many thousands of infections were prevented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

[Seasonal variations and trends in cardiovascular disease mortality in Naples, 1974-1978].

Death certificates of people who died from cardiovascular diseases in the City of Naples from 1974 through 1978 were reviewed. Data were classified according to three different groups of causes of death: 1. from all cardiovascular diseases (codes of the International Classification of Diseases-ICD-, VIII Revision from 393.0 through 458.9), 2. from ischaemic heart diseases (ICD from 410.0 through 411.9) and 3. from acute ischaemic heart diseases (ICD from 410.0 through 411.9). The monthly number of deaths in each group was analyzed using time series techniques to assess the seasonal pattern and the secular trend. A clear seasonal pattern was found in all groups, though in group 3 it was less evident. The maximum number of deaths per month was found to occur during the cold season and the minimum during the summer. The secular trend was found to be stable for groups 1 and 2. Group 3 showed an evident increase over the five years under study.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1981

Distribution and respiratory properties of sheep hemoglobins A and B containing the II alphaHis chain.

We recently reported the discovery of a second alpha chain, differing from the common alpha chain by the replacement 113 (or 114) Leucine leads to Histidine, in the hemoglobin of several domestic sheep. The ratio of the common alpha chain, here called alpha Leu, to the variant one, here called II alpha His, was either about 1.8:1 or about 4:1. In this study, the distribution of the II alpha His chain in 217 sheep from 8 domestic breeds was investigated: the II alpha His chain is present in 30% of animals from different breeds. Oxygen equilibrium determination showed no differences in the oxygen affinity, the Bohr effect and the heme-heme interaction of Hb A (alpha 2 beta 2A) and Hb B (alpha 2 beta 2B), each containing one of the three possible alpha chain phenotypes.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Recurrence of Pelecypod-associated cholera in Sardinia.

From Oct. 30 to Nov. 7, 1979, 10 people in the Sardinian province of Cagliari had onset of bacteriologically confirmed cholera. Two symptom-free excretors of Vibrio cholerae O:1 were detected in household contacts of the patients. There were no deaths. All but 1 of the 12 people with V. cholerae O:1 infection gave a history of recent consumption of marine bivalves known locally as arselle (pelecypods). Triplicate matched neighbourhood controls for each of the first 7 cases identified were also interviewed; none had recently eaten arselle. V. cholerae O:1 was also recovered from samples of water and bivalves obtained from a lagoon on the outskirts of the city of Cagliari. Arselle had also been implicated as the vehicle of transmission in 1973 in the last outbreak of cholera in Sardinia. It seems unlikely that cholera transmission had persisted locally in the interim.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Higher oxygen affinity of sheep Hb C compared to Hb A and Hb B.

Sheep which have Hb A, synthesize the perinatal Hb C in response to severe tissue hypoxia. It is known that Hb A displays a higher oxygen affinity than Hb B. The results of this study indicate that Hb C exhibits an oxygen affinity and a Bohr effect higher than those of Hb A and Hb B.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predictors of adverse events after the administration of acellular and whole-cell diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccines.

Recurrence of adverse events, the effect of site of injection, and concurrent administration of oral polio vaccine (OPV) and hepatitis B vaccine (HBV) on reactogenicity were assessed in recipients of two acellular pertussis vaccines given in combination with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTaP), one whole-cell DTP vaccine (DTPwc) and one DT vaccine during a double blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Local and systemic side reactions were more likely to recur after the administration of DTaP and DT compared with DTPwc. In all vaccine groups, injection in the buttock was associated with a lower rate of common adverse events compared with injection in the thigh, while simultaneous administration of OPV and/or HBV did not increase the risk of onset of side reactions.

Diphtheria↗
PubMedDate not supplied

"SMART" drug delivery systems: double-targeted pH-responsive pharmaceutical nanocarriers.

To develop targeted pharmaceutical carriers additionally capable of responding to certain local stimuli, such as decreased pH values in tumors or infarcts, targeted long-circulating PEGylated liposomes and PEG-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE)-based micelles have been prepared with several functions. First, they are capable of targeting a specific cell or organ by attaching the monoclonal antimyosin antibody 2G4 to their surface via pNP-PEG-PE moieties. Second, these liposomes and micelles were additionally modified with biotin or TAT peptide (TATp) moieties attached to the surface of the nanocarrier by using biotin-PE or TATp-PE or TATp-short PEG-PE derivatives. PEG-PE used for liposome surface modification or for micelle preparation was made degradable by inserting the pH-sensitive hydrazone bond between PEG and PE (PEG-Hz-PE). Under normal pH values, biotin and TATp functions on the surface of nanocarriers were "shielded" by long protecting PEG chains (pH-degradable PEG(2000)-PE or PEG(5000)-PE) or by even longer pNP-PEG-PE moieties used to attach antibodies to the nanocarrier (non-pH-degradable PEG(3400)-PE or PEG(5000)-PE). At pH 7.4-8.0, both liposomes and micelles demonstrated high specific binding with 2G4 antibody substrate, myosin, but very limited binding on an avidin column (biotin-containing nanocarriers) or internalization by NIH/3T3 or U-87 cells (TATp-containing nanocarriers). However, upon brief incubation (15-30 min) at lower pH values (pH 5.0-6.0), nanocarriers lost their protective PEG shell because of acidic hydrolysis of PEG-Hz-PE and acquired the ability to become strongly retained on an avidin column (biotin-containing nanocarriers) or effectively internalized by cells via TATp moieties (TATp-containing nanocarriers). We consider this result as the first step in the development of multifunctional stimuli-sensitive pharmaceutical nanocarriers.

Drug Carriers↗