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F Castelli

Publications and source records attributed to F Castelli.

108 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

[Physical work capacity of the patient with myocardial infarction submitted to intensive rehabilitative training (author's transl)].

The Authors have examined two homogeneous groups of patients with myocardial infarction; one underwent (61 patient) to a rehabilitating training, the other underwent (42 patient) to a domiciliary physical program. Patients have been considered by means of bicycle ergometer test at 2, 4, 12 and 24 months from myocardial infarction. They have been taken into consideration clinical and Ecg factors and also, as an index of physical work capacity was considered the complete work developed, the VO2 max/Kg per min., the product B.P. x H. R. and the pulse O2. The average value of parameters have been statistically compared by means of the t of Student, analysis of variation x2, and the test of Kolmogorov-Smirnov; moreover the correlation with linear coefficient has been studied. Afterwards the many-varied discriminating analysis and the test F di Snedelor have been carried out just for the index of functionality. From the statistical analysis of the data considered it results an increase of the functional capacity and its maintenance long after in the group that underwent to the rehabilitating training. However, two years after, this increase of capacity did not result greater than that obtained, in the same period of time, by the group of patients who underwent to a domiciliary physical rehabilitating program. These considerations point out the necessity of keeping physical exercise indefinitely or at least of repeating it periodically. In that event they suggest the right time to programme further cycles of training.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A calorimetric study on diflunisal release from poly(lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres by monitoring the drug effect on dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes: temperature and drug loading influence.

Diflunisal release from poly-Lactide-co-Glycolide (50:50, 34,000 MW) microspheres loaded with two different amounts of drug (2.5 +/- 0.5% and 10 +/- 0.5% w/w) was monitored by following the effects exerted by the drug on the thermotropic behavior of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine unilamellar vesicles at different temperatures. The effects of the drug released from the microspheres on the thermotropic behavior of lipid aqueous dispersion containing different molar ratios of drug was detected by differential scanning calorimetry and was compared with the effects exerted by the free Diflunisal. Diflunisal affects mainly the temperature (Tm) of the transition characteristic of phospholipid vesicles as model biomembrane, causing a shift toward lower values. This shift was modulated by the drug molar fraction with respect to the lipid concentration in the aqueous dispersion. Afterward, calorimetric measurements were performed on suspensions of blank liposomes added to weighed amounts of unloaded and differently Diflunisal-loaded microspheres as well as free powdered Diflunisal after incubation for increasing times at three different temperatures (25, 37, and 50 degrees C). The Tm shifts of the lipid bilayer, caused by the drug released from polymeric system as well as by the free drug during incubation periods, were compared with that caused by free drug increasing molar fractions dispersed directly on the membrane, employed as a calibration curve to obtain the fraction of drug released. This in vitro study suggests that the kinetic process involved in drug release is influenced by the amount of drug loaded in the microspheres as well as by the temperature acting on drug solubility and membrane disorder. This drug release model, monitored by the calorimetric technique shows that a) the poly-Lactide-co-Glycolide microspheres are a good delivery system able to sustain the drug release; b) the differential scanning calorimetry technique applied on the drug interaction with biomembranes constitutes a good tool to follow the drug release; 3) this model, representing an innovative alternative in vitro model, should be used to determine the different kinetics involved in the drug transfer from a drug delivery system to a membrane as uptake site.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of pH on diclofenac release from Eudragit RS100 microparticles. A kinetic study by DSC.

The present work is aimed at investigating the release of Diclofenac (DCF) from Eudragit RS100 (RS) microparticles to a biological model membrane consisting of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) multilamellar vesicles (MLV). The microparticles were prepared by the Quasi-Emulsion Solvent Diffusion method (QESD). The drug release was monitored by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) technique, following the effects exerted by DCF on the thermotropic behaviour of DMPC multilamellar vesicles at different temperatures. DCF affects the transition temperature (Tm) of phospholipid vesicles, causing a shift towards lower values, which is modulated by the drug fraction entering into the lipid bilayer. Calorimetric measurements were performed at two different pH (4.0 and 7.4) on suspensions of blank liposomes added to weighed amounts of unloaded and DCF-loaded microspheres, as well as to the powdered free drug, after incubation at 37 degrees C. The Tm shifts, caused by the drug released from the polymeric system or by the free drug during incubation cycles, were compared to those caused by a chosen molar fractions of the free drug dispersed directly in the membrane. This in vitro study suggests as the kinetic process involved in drug release is influenced by the amount of drug loaded in the microspheres as well as by the pH value, acting on drug solubility and membrane disorder.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antiviral potency of HAART regimens and clinical success are not strictly coupled in real life conditions: evidence from the MASTER-1 study.

PURPOSE: To compare in a real clinical setting the largely unknown midterm clinical effectiveness of two protease inhibitor (PI)-based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens with different potency and tolerability profiles in naïve patients. METHOD: This study was a multicenter, open-label, randomized trial in naïve patients with less than 400 CD4+ cell count/microL, regardless of viral load. Treatment arms were hard gel capsule saquinavir (HGC-SQV)-based HAART (Arm A), with an expected more favorable tolerability profile, and indinavir (IDV)-based HAART (Arm B), with more potent virologic activity. While viro-immunological surrogate markers and World Health Organization (WHO) grade III toxicity (secondary endpoints) were regularly monitored, primary endpoints of the study were clinical and defined as any AIDS-defining event, AIDS-related death, WHO grade IV toxicity, drop outs, and protocol violations. RESULTS: 262 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study from March 1, 1997 to December 31, 1997, in 24 different Italian clinical centers (132, Arm A; 130, Arm B). After 24 months of follow-up, patients who were enrolled in Arm B showed a significantly higher rate of virological success (75% had viremia below 500 copies/mL, CI = 12.9%, in the on-treatment analysis) and immunological gain (mean CD4+ cell count increase of 274 CD4+ cells/microL, SD = 234) when compared to patients enrolled in arm A (57%, CI = 15.5% and 223 CD4+ cells/microL, SD = 192; p =.0353 and.026, respectively). Despite the significant difference observed in surrogate markers, the number of total primary endpoints did not differ in the two groups (55 out of 132 in Arm A vs. 58 out of 130 person-years in Arm B; p =.86). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, after 24 months of follow-up in a real clinical setting, a PI-based HAART induces significant clinical benefits in naïve patients even in the absence of a complete suppression of viral replication. However, the long-term clinical impact of the possible accumulation of viral mutations in the presence of low-grade viral replication remains to be elucidated.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Malaria in illegal Chinese immigrants, Italy.

A cluster of 22 imported malaria cases, 21 caused by Plasmodium falciparum, was observed among illegal Chinese immigrants in northern Italy in the summer of 2000. The rate of severe disease was high because the patients were not immune and they sought health-care services late in their illness because of their clandestine status. Recognition of the outbreak was delayed because no regional alert system among infectious diseases hospitals was in place.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The liver in patients with beta-thalassemia major. Determination of iron levels with magnetic resonance].

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the clinical usefulness of liver MRI in a large multicenter study because the control of iron concentration (LIC) is crucial in thalassemia major (TM) prognosis and conflicting results have been reported in small and heterogeneous groups of patients using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), the only very common non-invasive procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One hundred and eight consecutive TM patients, selected according to a specific protocol, were included in the study. In 29 of these LIC was measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry on liver biopsy and expressed as microgram/gr dry weight. MRI was performed with a 0.5 T superconducting unit. The ratio of the average signal intensity (SIR) of the liver to that of paraspinal muscle was calculated and expressed as a percentage. RESULTS: Mean +/- (SD) of SIR was 100 +/- 26% (test for normality: p = 0.02) and of LIC was 3677 +/- 4662 micrograms/g/dry liver (test for normality: p < 0.00001). The logit transformation of LIC (lLIC) achieved both normality of distribution of lLIC and linear regression of lLIC on SIR (t = 7.36; p < 0.00001) according to the equation: Y = -0.0136 + SIR* (0.157) = lLIC log10 (K-LIC/LIC) where K = 79.433. Thus the values of LIC are expressed by the equation LIC K/(1 + 10 y) micrograms/g/dry liver. Moreover, a mild correlation was found between SIR and AST (p = 0.01; r = -0.30), ALT (p = 0.02; r = -0.21), gamma GT (p = < 0.01; r = -0.37; r = -0.25). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that LIC can be calculated as a function of SIR. A validation study is necessary before introducing this prediction rule in clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Glenoid hypoplasia. Description of a clinical case and analysis of the literature.

Glenoid hypoplasia, or dysplasia of the scapular neck, is a relatively rare alteration that in most cases involves the pectoral girdle in a bilateral and symmetrical manner. In general, glenoid hypoplasia is associated with skeletal changes such as hypoplasia of the humeral head, or changes in the morphology of the acromion and of the coracoid. The authors describe a case of unilateral glenoid hypoplasia, which was symptomatic for a few years, reporting the clinical-radiographic findings and based on the data published in the literature reporting how this disease, which often goes unrecognized, is much more frequent than is imagined.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of the coagulation and fibrinolysis system in 54 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: correlations with lipid metabolism and blood glucose control].

Diabetic patients have increased morbidity and mortality attributable to myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease and peripheral vascular disease, due to a high incidence of premature atherosclerosis. Abnormalities of hemostasis have been reported in many studies on diabetes over almost thirty years, but unfortunately the results have often appeared contradictory. The hemostatic alterations could lead to increased risk of vascular disease in diabetic patients. We have studied some coagulation factors (Fibrinogen, Factor II, Factor VII) and coagulation inhibitors (Protein C, Protein S), and plasminogen in fifty-four type 2 diabetic patients. The possible relationship between coagulation factors and coagulation inhibitors and parameters for glyco-metabolic control (glycosylated hemoglobin, fructosamine) and disturbed lipid metabolism (cholesterol, triglycerides) have ben analyzed. Our results show increase of fibrinogen, correlated with the metabolic control of the disease, positive correlation between plasminogen, factor II, protein S and hypertriglycerides, decreased levels of protein C correlated neither with metabolic control of disease neither with disturbed lipid metabolism.

Aged↗