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Biomedical subjects

F Benvenuti

Publications and source records attributed to F Benvenuti.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Subjective and metabolic effects of clodronate in patients with advanced breast cancer and symptomatic bone metastases.

Twenty postmenopausal women (aged between 46 and 67 years old) with skeletal metastases from breast carcinoma were treated with clodronate 450 mg i.v. daily for 5 days and thereafter with 100 mg i.m. daily for 10 days. All patients received standard hormonal therapy (tamoxifen). Symptomatic pain (evaluated according to a linear analog scale), performance status (according to Karnofsky), serum alkaline phosphatase, serum creatinine and osteocalcin were measured before and after treatment on days 5, 15, 30 and 45. Scanning by radiology were performed pre- and post-therapy. Bone pain was significantly reduced in 15 out of 20 patients. After clodronate treatment the base line value of circulating osteocalcin (3.2 +/- 1.6 ng/ml) showed a significant increase on days 30 and 45 (p less than 0.001). Radiological assessment of bone lesions showed stable disease in 18 patients and progression in two patients. No adverse side effects were observed. These data show that clodronate provided pain relief in 75% of treated patients and the increase in circulating osteocalcin levels can be considered a marker of the stabilization of skeletal metastatic lesions.

Aged

[Risk hypothesis in the use of "non-carbon copy paper"].

Some kinds of "carbon less copy-paper" presently used in Italy were examined. The analysis showed the presence on the paper of mycrocapsules containing special inks formed by organic dyes dissolved in mineral oil and, sometimes, polychlorobyfenils. Therefore there is a possible risk for the workers using carbon less copy-paper. It is necessary therefore to complete the research in order to demonstrate this hypothesis also from biological point of view.

Coloring Agents

[Aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons in plants using bituminous materials].

In recent years bituminous materials have been frequently used in several industrial works for waterproofing, protection and insulation of many amterials such as paper, (asphalted) cardboard, wood, etc. Constant components of these materials are the polyciclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), of which we know the biological activity and, for some of them, the cancerogenic effects. The aim of this work is to evaluated the possible risk from exposure to polycicilic aromatic hydrocarbons for workers in operations with bituminous materials. By an analytical method for the determination of PAH, we have examined the polycicilic aromatic hydrocarbons in asphalt, air-blown asphalt, tars and, then, in fumes from hot treatments of those materials. After analysing the fumes developed under controlled conditions, in laboratory, and those taken from work-environment, we have reported the results of our search.

Air Pollutants

Alterations of ballistic movements in epileptic patients with phenytoin intoxication.

We assessed the effects of phenytoin (PHT) overdosage on ballistic arm abduction movements in nine epileptic patients receiving long-term PHT treatment. During the overdosage period, all but one showed clinical abnormalities referable to impaired cerebellar function; one also had slowness of movement. Ballistic movements showed abnormalities in all of the patients although a great variability was present in the type and severity of abnormalities. In four patients, kinematic and EMG recordings differed least from the normal, in four they resembled those described in patients with cerebellar deficits, and in one those described in patients with Parkinson disease. The type and severity of clinical disturbances of voluntary motor control as well as alterations of ballistic movements were not related to specific PHT plasma concentrations. One month after the adjustment of PHT dosage, the patients who had clinical abnormalities completely recovered or markedly improved. Previously observed kinematic and EMG abnormalities completely disappeared or improved markedly.

Adult