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D De Angelis

Publications and source records attributed to D De Angelis.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Methotrexate-added acrylic cement: biological and physical properties.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have demonstrated the suitability of adding different chemotherapeutic drugs to acrylic cement for the treatment of bone metastases. The best results so far have been obtained with methotrexate (MTX) for which diffusion from the implanted cement has been demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. In this study the suitability of adding MTX to acrylic cement as local adjuvant chemotherapy was investigated. METHODS: Using an in vitro model of human breast cancer cells we demonstrated that the drug is eluted in an active form able to exert a cytotoxic effect over a long period of time. The use of different concentrations of drug on the kinetic of elution and on the mechanical properties of cement was also evaluated. RESULTS: The results obtained suggest that the release of MTX is higher at the beginning and progressively decreases over time being affected by the concentration of drug used. Our results also demonstrated that the addition and the subsequent elution of MTX does not alter the compressive properties of the cement. CONCLUSION: These findings confirm the suitability of MTX-supplemented cement and support its use as an effective aid for the management of bone metastases requiring surgical curettage and acrylic cement implantation for structural support.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2002

Numbers of adults with diagnosed HIV infection 1996-2005--adjusted totals and extrapolations for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Using data from the annual surveys of individuals receiving HIV related treatment or other care from 1996 to 2000, trends in prevalent numbers of diagnosed HIV infections have been extrapolated to the years 2001-05. Results show that the adjusted prevalent number for 1996 was 14,205 and that this has increased by 62% by the end of 2000, and will have increased by 139% by the end of 2005. The drivers for this increase have been the sustained rise in diagnoses in infections heterosexually acquired in sub-Saharan Africa and the continuing numbers of new diagnoses in men who have sex with men.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Mobility status after inpatient stroke rehabilitation: 1-year follow-up and prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the stability of mobility status achieved by stroke patients during hospital rehabilitation treatment over time and to identify reliable prognostic factors associated with mobility changes. DESIGN: Follow-up evaluation in consecutive first-ever stroke patients 1 year after hospital discharge. Multiple logistic regressions were used to analyze increases and decreases in Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) scores (dependent variables) between discharge and follow-up. Independent variables were medical, demographic, and social factors. SETTING: Rehabilitation hospital. PATIENTS: A cohort of 155 patients with sequelae of first stroke, with a final sample of 141. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mobility status at 1-year follow-up, as measured by the RMI, and odds ratios (OR) for improvement and decline in mobility. RESULTS: Functionally, 19.9% improved the mobility levels achieved during the inpatient rehabilitation treatment; levels of 42.6% worsened. Patients with global aphasia (OR = 5.66; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50-21.33), unilateral neglect (OR = 3.01; 95% CI, 1.21-7.50), and age 75 years or older (OR = 5.77; 95% CI, 1.42-23.34) had a higher probability of mobility decline than the remaining patients. Postdischarge rehabilitation treatment (PDT), received by 52.5% of the final sample, was significantly and positively associated with mobility improvement (OR = 5.86; 95% CI, 2.02-17.00). Absence of PDT was associated with a decline in mobility (OR = 3.73; 95% CI, 1.73-8.04). CONCLUSIONS: In most cases, mobility status had not yet stabilized at hospital discharge. PDT was useful in preventing a deterioration in mobility improvement achieved during inpatient treatment and in helping increase the likelihood of further mobility improvement.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2001

Assessing the impact of national anti-HIV sexual health campaigns: trends in the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in England.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the sexual component of AIDS and HIV campaigns on transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). DESIGN: Comparison of time series data. SETTING: England, 1971-1999. OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV transmission and diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSMs), rates of attendances and specific STI diagnoses (per 100 000 total population) at genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics. RESULTS: Awareness of AIDS and campaigns in 1983-4 among homosexual men coincided with substantial declines in transmission of HIV and diagnoses of syphilis among MSMs. During general population campaigns in 1986-7 new GUM clinic attendances requiring treatment fell by 117/10(5) in men and 42/10(5) in women. Rates for gonorrhoea fell by 81/10(5) and 43/10(5) and genital herpes by 6/10(5) and 4/10(5), respectively. Previous rises in genital wart rates were interrupted, while rates of attendances not requiring treatment (the "worried well") increased by 47/10(5) and 58/10(5) for men and women, respectively. Since 1987 diagnoses of HIV among MSMs have not declined, averaging 1300-1400 annually. Following a period of unchanging rates there have been substantial increases in GUM attendances requiring treatment, notably for gonorrhoea, syphilis, and viral STIs since 1995. CONCLUSIONS: Self help initiatives and awareness among homosexual men in 1983-4 contributed significantly to a fall in HIV transmission among MSMs, and the general campaigns of 1986-7 were associated with similar effects on all STI transmission. Both effects seem to have occurred through changing sexual behaviour, and probably contributed to the UK's low national HIV prevalence. Bacterial STI incidence has increased significantly since 1995 and there is no evidence that recent prevention initiatives have reduced HIV transmission among MSMs, hence sexual health initiatives need to be comprehensively reinvigorated in England.

Condylomata Acuminata↗
PubMed2001

Post-stroke depression, antidepressant treatment and rehabilitation results. A case-control study.

The aim of this study was to assess the specific influence of poststroke depression (PSD) on both basal functional status and rehabilitation results. We performed a case-control study in 290 stroke inpatients, matched for age (+/-1 year) and onset admission interval (+/-3 days) and divided in two groups according to the presence (PSD+) or absence (PSD-) of PSD. All PSD+ patients were treated with antidepressants (AD), mainly with fluoxetine. PSD+ patients, despite similar severity of stroke, showed greater disability in coping with activities of daily living (ADL) on admission and greater disability both in ADL and mobility at discharge than PSD- patients. Although both groups exhibited similar average functional improvement during rehabilitation, PSD- patients were nearly twice as likely to show excellent recovery both on ADL and mobility as PSD+ patients (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.01-3.75 and OR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.14-4.35, respectively). All AD drugs improved depressive symptoms. Few relevant side effects were observed: fluoxetine was discontinued in 2 patients because of insomnia and in 2 patients because of nausea; paroxetine was stopped in 1 patient because of nausea and dry mouth. Our results confirm the unfavorable influence of PSD on functional outcome, despite pharmacological treatment.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

The use of pHluorins for optical measurements of presynaptic activity.

Genetically encoded reporters for optical measurements of presynaptic activity hold significant promise for measurements of neurotransmission within intact or semi-intact neuronal networks. We have characterized pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein-based sensors (pHluorins) of synaptic vesicle cycling at nerve terminals. pHluorins have a pK approximately 7.1, which make them ideal for tracking synaptic vesicle lumen pH upon cycling through the plasma membrane during action potentials. A theoretical analysis of the expected signals using this approach and guidelines for future reporter development are provided.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1999

New therapy explains the fall in AIDS incidence with a substantial rise in number of persons on treatment expected.

BACKGROUND: A marked decline in the number of reported AIDS cases has been observed in the United Kingdom, as in many industrialized countries, in 1996 and 1997. In England and Wales, a large reduction in AIDS cases has been recorded among homosexual and bisexual men. OBJECTIVES: To investigate, using data from the homosexuals and bisexuals in England and Wales as an example, possible explanations for the above decline such as the effects of new anti-retroviral therapies, or a decrease in the incidence of HIV in recent years. METHODS: A multistage model of HIV infection, HIV diagnosis, treatment and of AIDS diagnosis has been used to represent the pattern of HIV and AIDS incidence in homosexual and bisexual men in England and Wales up to the end of 1995. Scenarios for the post-1995 period were examined under different assumptions about changes in HIV incidence in recent years and treatment uptake and efficacy. RESULTS: The fall in the incidence of AIDS is unlikely to be the result of a reduction in HIV transmission during the 1990s. The most plausible explanation for this fall is the effect of new, more effective, anti-retroviral therapies. As a consequence, the number of individuals on treatment is likely to increase by 50 to 100% compared with the pre-1996 levels by the year 2001. Also, if the effect of the new therapies has a limited duration, or the use of such therapies is not well tolerated, the incidence of AIDS will rise again in the near future. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that a substantial workload increase is under way for the healthcare system, and reiterate the need for measures to reduce HIV transmission as a means of bringing about a sustainable change in the incidence of AIDS.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1999

Anatomic variations of the inferior oblique muscle: a potential cause of failed inferior oblique weakening surgery.

PURPOSE: To document the variations in normal anatomy that occur at the insertion of the inferior oblique muscle and in the vicinity of its surgical capture site (10 to 12 mm from the insertion). METHODS: One hundred intact cadaver orbits with no history of eye muscle or orbital disorders during life were carefully dissected to expose the entire length of the inferior oblique muscle. The number of divisions of muscle at the insertion, total width of the muscle belly, and variations in anatomy 10 and 12 mm from the insertion were recorded. RESULTS: Seventeen (17%) of the 100 inferior oblique muscles had multiple divisions at the insertion. Eight muscles (8%) had two bellies at 10 or 12 mm from the insertion. Among these eight, four had two distinct (bifid) bellies extending to the insertion, and four had dehiscences in the muscle. The mean muscle width among these eight specimens was 0.5 and 0.7 mm larger than the mean width of the other 92 specimens at the 10 mm and 12 mm positions, respectively. Neither difference was significant at the .05 level. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple insertions were found in 17% of inferior oblique muscles examined; duplications of the inferior oblique muscle at the surgical capture site were found in 8%. These duplications may account for some cases of recurrence or persistence of inferior oblique overaction after weakening surgery, owing to inadvertent incomplete capture of the muscle during surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Impact of HIV on adult (15-54) mortality in London: 1979-96.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the impact of HIV on mortality in men and women aged 15-54 in London. DESIGN: Combination of routine mortality statistics with reports of AIDS deaths adjusted for underreporting and change in address from time of report to time of death. Calculation of standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for males including and excluding HIV comparing inner London and outer London with the rest of England and Wales. METHODS: Comparison of trends in all cause mortality and SMRs in males over time. Comparison of trends in HIV related deaths with other main causes of deaths in males and females in London. RESULTS: Age standardised rates for the rest of England and Wales showed a continual decline from 1979 to 1996 but rates in inner London males (ages 15-54) stopped declining around 1984-5 leading to a considerable increase in the SMR for inner London from 127 for 1985-7 to 171 for 1994-6. SMRs excluding HIV related deaths for inner London, however, showed no significant change over this time. There was a fall in HIV related mortality in 1996, though HIV was still the leading cause of death in males and second leading cause of death in females in inner London, and the fourth commonest cause of death in males in outer London. CONCLUSION: These data are the first to indicate the impact of HIV on mortality within a significant population in England and Wales. They show that public health priorities in London are different from the rest of the country. Analyses of trends of all cause mortality in people under 65 may mislead unless they take account of HIV.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1997

A Markov model for HIV disease progression including the effect of HIV diagnosis and treatment: application to AIDS prediction in England and Wales.

Back-calculation is a widely used method to estimate HIV incidence rates, and is commonly based on times of AIDS diagnosis. Following up earlier work, we extend this method to also incorporate knowledge of times of HIV diagnosis (first positive test). This is achieved through the use of a Markov model which describes the progress of an HIV infected person through various stages, and which allows causal connections between events to be explicitly modelled. Estimation is based on maximum likelihood, the likelihood being calculated within a discretized version of the Markov model. The effect of sampling uncertainty and model uncertainty (sensitivity) is evaluated simultaneously by means of a combined bootstrap and simulation procedure. At each replication we resample both the data and the model (from a set of possible models described by randomizing one or more parameters). For instance, uncertain knowledge about the incubation distribution affects the estimates of some parameters, but not others. The Markov approach is applied to the prediction of AIDS incidence for homosexuals in England and Wales up to the year 2000.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗
PubMed1995

Visual alterations in de novo Parkinson's disease: pattern electroretinogram latencies are more delayed and more reversible by levodopa than are visual evoked potentials.

There are increased latencies of pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and electroretinograms (PERGs) in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients who have not received therapy. This study aimed to evaluate whether these delays are present in the early stage of PD and whether they are dopamine-sensitive. The results show that both PERG P50 and VEP P100 latencies are increased (p < 0.0001) in a group of patients with de novo PD (13 subjects; 13.3 +/- 5.6 months' mean disease duration) before therapy in comparison with an age-matched control group (eight subjects). A larger latency increase (9.9% at the 47% contrast level and 7.8% at the 96% contrast level) was present in PERG recordings than in VEPs (6.2% at the 47% contrast level and 3.9% at the 96% contrast level). Levodopa therapy produced recovery of both PERG and VEP latency increases at both contrast levels, but only the PERG recovery at 47% of contrast was statistically significant. Before therapy, five eyes from PD patients showed no reproducible PERG at the 47% contrast level although the simultaneously recorded VEP was present. Both potentials were recordable in the same eyes at the 96% contrast level. During therapy, four of those five eyes showed a clear PERG even at the 47% contrast level. We conclude that, using an adequate midspatial frequency, both VEPs and PERGs are delayed even in the early stage of PD, and that PERGs are more sensitive if low contrast (47%) is used. The larger alterations, as well as the larger recovery during levodopa therapy, seem to correlate the PERG response more than the VEP response to dopaminergic transmission.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome predictions for England and Wales (1992-97): sensitivity analysis, information, decision.

Some implications of the use of the back-calculation method for estimating future trends in HIV infections and AIDS incidence in England and Wales are explored. "This paper explores in...detail some aspects of the latest projections which have only been hinted at in the report published by the Public Health Laboratory Service in 1993. The value of additional information on the HIV epidemic in discriminating between different, otherwise equally plausible, scenarios is demonstrated. The role of the backcalculation approach in determining whether, and how, the incubation distribution has been affected by increased uptake of pre-AIDS prophylaxis and treatment is discussed."

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

AIDS predictions.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

AIDS: the statistical basis for public health.

The backcalculation method has been extensively used in AIDS modelling and forecasting. Knowledge of reported AIDS cases, information on the time between HIV infection and onset of AIDS, and assumptions on the rate at which infections occurs, can be used to reconstruct the past history of the HIV epidemic, as well as to provide short term predictions of AIDS incidence. Uncertainty in the three components of the backcalculation method and the increasingly available information on HIV prevalence must be taken into account in order to provide realistic projections. In this paper we discuss ways of acknowledging uncertainty and suggest a Bayesian formulation of the backcalculation idea as a means of combining into a single model both random and systematic variation as well as prior information.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

Isoprenoid modification permits 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase to bind to membranes.

The myelination-related enzyme 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNP), a relatively abundant protein in the CNS possesses the C-terminal isoprenylation consensus domain found in a small family that includes the ras oncoproteins and their relatives, some G-proteins, and nuclear lamins. We found that CNP, like these other proteins, is modified posttranslationally by an isoprenoid derived from mevalonic acid. It appears that only the smaller of the two CNP isoforms (CNP1) is isoprenylated, but similar modification of CNP2 cannot be excluded. Inhibition of isoprenoid synthesis by Lovastatin blocks the binding of newly synthesized CNP to cell membranes; binding is restored upon addition of mevalonate to the culture medium. This shows that isoprenylation is permissive for the well-known avid association of CNP with membranes.

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗
PubMed1989

[Orthodontic treatment in adults].

The characteristic problems of an orthodontic treatment of the adult must be well known and analyzed with greatest attention by the specialist. It is, first of all, necessary to try to respect and, if possible, to meet the particular psychological requirements which the adult presents. This will help the relation between the orthodontist and the patient for the whole period of the treatment and will allow the orthodontist to make the most of the necessary collaboration that the patient can give. It is, therefore, necessary to consider the physiological limitations imposed by the age of the patient whose growth has come to an end. Only by means of analysis and application of such therapeutic requirements will it be possible to reach the success of our intervention.

Adult↗