[On pericarditis due to tonsillitis. On a case with benign evolution appearing after Plaut-Vincent pseudomembranous angina].
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
G Ronco
Publications and source records attributed to G Ronco.
Worldwide distribution of human papillomavirus types in cytologically normal women in the International Agency for Research on Cancer HPV prevalence surveys: a pooled analysis.
BACKGROUND: The proportion of women infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) varies greatly across populations, as might the distribution of HPV types. We aimed to compare HPV-type distribution in representative samples of women from different world regions. METHODS: Women were randomly selected from the general population of 13 areas from 11 countries (Nigeria, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, the Netherlands, Italy, and Spain). A standardised protocol was used for cervical specimen collection. All HPV testing was by GP5+/6+ PCR-based EIA. The proportion of HPV-positive women infected with different HPV types was compared by study area and between pooled regions with age-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% floating CIs. FINDINGS: 15 613 women aged 15-74 years without cytological abnormalities were included in a pooled analysis. Age-standardised HPV prevalence varied nearly 20 times between populations, from 1.4% (95% CI 0.5-2.2) in Spain to 25.6% (22.4-28.8) in Nigeria. Although both overall HPV prevalence and HPV16 prevalence were highest in sub-Saharan Africa, HPV-positive women in Europe were significantly more likely to be infected with HPV16 than were those in sub-Saharan Africa (OR 2.64, p=0.0002), and were significantly less likely to be infected with high-risk HPV types other than HPV16 (OR 0.57, p=0.004) and/or low-risk HPV types (OR 0.44. p=0.0002). Women from South America had HPV-type distribution in between those from sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. Heterogeneity between areas of Asia was significant. INTERPRETATION: Heterogeneity in HPV type distribution among women from different populations should be taken into account when developing screening tests for the virus and predicting the effect of vaccines on the incidence of infection.
Adolescent↗
Promoting participation in a population screening program for breast and cervical cancer: a randomized trial of different invitation strategies.
AIMS AND BACKGROUND: Attendance level has been identified as a major determinant of cost-effectiveness of organized screening programs. We tested the effectiveness of 4 different invitation systems in the context of an organized population screening program for cervical and breast cancer. METHODS: Women eligible for invitation--8385 for cervical and 8069 for breast cancer screening--listed in the rosters of 43 and 105 general practitioners (GP), respectively, who had accepted to collaborate in the program, were randomized to 4 invitation groups: Group A--letter signed by the GP, with a prefixed appointment; Group B--open-ended invitation, signed by the GP, prompting women to contact the screening center to arrange an appointment; Group C--letter (same as for group A), signed by the program coordinator, with a prefixed appointment; Group D--extended letter (highlighting the benefits of early cancer detection) signed by the GP, with a prefixed appointment. Assignment to the interventions was based on a randomized block design (block=GP). RESULTS: Assuming Group A as the reference, the overall compliance with cervical cancer screening was reduced by 39% in Group B (RR=0.61; 95% CI, 0.56-0.68) and by 14% in Group C (RR=0.86; 95% CI, 0.78-0.93); no difference was observed for Group D (RR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.95-1.1). The response pattern was similar for breast screening (Group B: RR=0.71; 95% CI, 0.65-0.76; Group C: RR=0.87; 95% CI, 0.81-0.94; Group D: RR=1.01; 95% CI, 0.94-1.08). CONCLUSIONS: Personal invitation letters signed by the woman's GP, with preallocated appointments, induce a significant increase in compliance with screening. Efficiency can be ensured through the adoption of overbooking, provided that attendance levels are regularly monitored.
Adult↗
A first survey of organized cervical cancer screening programs in Italy. GISCi working group on organization and evaluation. Gruppo Italiano Screening Citologico.
In Italy, where no national screening program for cervical cancer exists, organized programs have developed on a local basis. We performed the first survey of existing organized programs by mailing a standard questionnaire to a large network of possibly involved services. For the present survey, a program was defined as organized if personal invitations were sent. We identified 29 already active organized programs and 4 others in a starting phase. The target population of active programs included 2,074,820 women in the age range 25-64 years, corresponding to 13.5% of the Italian female population of the same age. The situation is rapidly evolving since many regional programs are being implemented. Most programs followed Italian and European recommendations as regards the age limits, interval between screening rounds, presence of a fail-safe system for women referred for colposcopy, presence of protocols for diagnostic workup and treatment, and presence of referral centers for such phases. However, many programs did not meet national guidelines as regards the size of laboratories interpreting smears, which were frequently small. Second-level referral centers also frequently had a very small activity. The average (weighted for size of the invited population) compliance to invitation and coverage (proportion of women with at least one test in the last 3 years) was 32.6% and 66.0%, respectively, therefore needing to be improved. Compliance to colposcopy (weighted for number of referred women) was 81.4%. We found a very high variability in the proportion of women referred for colposcopy that could only be partly explained by different referral protocols and could depend on different criteria of smear interpretation: the average (weighted for number of tested women) was 2.01%. A need for improvement in the process of evaluation and for homogenization of criteria of cytology interpretation was identified: work in this regard is on-going.
Adult↗
[Structure-activity relationship of a new family of calcium antagonist molecules derived from monosaccharides].
The Ca++ antagonist effects of new drugs derived from monosaccharides were tested in the rat duodenal muscle preparation in vitro. The structure-activity relationship shows that: 1. The monoacetonide products (nR-O-MAG and nR-S-MAG) with alkyl chain from 8 to 9 C atoms induce a maximal reduction of muscular tonus and contraction. 2. The inhibitory effect rapidly decreases when the alkyl chain has a number of C atoms smaller than 7 or larger than 9. 3. The diacetonide (DAG) and acetonide (G) products induce an inhibition of less extent. 4. The Ca++ antagonist effect is very slightly changed by the type of heteroatom (O or S) linking the alkyl chain to the monosaccharide. 5. The type of monosaccharide affects the Ca++ antagonist activity.
Animals↗
[Use of molecular tests of human papilloma virus (HPV) as screening test for cervix cancer: a review].
Infection from some types of human papillomavirus has been recognised as carcinogenic for the uterine cervix. With reliable techniques (PCR and Hybrid Capture II) "high risk" HPV types are found in a very high proportion of women with invasive cancer and high-grade pre-invasive lesions. On the other hand prevalence is low in cytologically normal women, except in young women, who seem to have a high frequency of transient infections in the years following the beginning of sexual activity. Some studies found a role of the presence and persistence of "high-risk" HPV types in the progression of low-grade pre-invasive lesions vs. high-grade rather then vs. spontaneous regression. For these reasons HPV testing has been suggested as a possible tool for primary screening. A few studies suggest that it could allow increasing sensitivity, although problems of extrapolability of results exist. It must, however, be considered that traditional cytological screening is already very protective and that simply adding a further test would lead to an unfavourable cost-benefit ratio. An appealing possibility is applying HPV testing with long intervals between screening rounds. This would reduce the burden for women and plausibly allow reaching higher coverage at each round. A key element is the duration of infection before progression to pre-invasive lesion. A long duration would allow selecting women at low risk of developing a lesion for years (those HPV-negative), who could have long-interval test, and others (those HPV-positive) at high risk, to be followed more strictly. Published data from longitudinal studies are limited and don't allow an adequately precise estimate. Therefore the use of HPV testing for primary screening is very promising but to the moment must be considered as a research object.
DNA Probes, HPV↗
[Financial law and tumor screening].
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Financing, Organized↗
Morphology and intermediate filament composition of human mammary epithelial cells treated with stable butyrate derivative.
A new stable butyrate derivative monobut-3 was previously shown to inhibit proliferation and promote differentiation in human mammary established cell lines. The present study on monobut-3's effects on mammary epithelial cells cultured from human non-malignant and malignant breast tissues demonstrated pronounced morphological alterations suggestive of cellular differentiation. In addition, some degree of architectural differentiation was also evident in treated primary cultures. Monobut-3 did not affect the expression of vimentin and cytokeratin 18 when assessed in human breast cell lines expressing one or both types of intermediate filaments. However, it did induce expression of cytokeratin 19, characteristic of fully differentiated mammary cells, in one of the two cell lines devoid of this cytokeratin subtype. Furthermore, the network of intermediate filaments was often more largely extended in cells treated with monobut-3 than in untreated ones. These results indicate that monobut-3 can induce subtle changes in intermediate filaments which may contribute to its ability to promote differentiation in human mammary cells.
Antineoplastic Agents↗
Differential effects of butyrate derivatives on human breast cancer cells grown as organotypic nodules in vitro and as xenografts in vivo.
The antiproliferative and cytodifferentiating effects of a new stable butyric derivative, monobut-3, were compared using human MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells grown in three dimension as either in vitro tumor nodules or in vivo xenograft tumors. In in vitro tumor nodules, monobut-3 exhibited marked growth inhibitory effects consistent with the results obtained in monolayer cell cultures. Some functional cell differentiation was also detected in treated nodules. In in vivo xenografts, monobut-3 significantly decreased MDA-MB-231 tumor take but did not affect the rate of tumor growth. No difference was noted in the histological characteristics of the xenografts between untreated and treated mice. Moreover, once monobut-3 treatment was discontinued, tumor growth rapidly resumed in tumor-free animals. The decreased efficacy of monobut-3 in in vivo MDA-MB-231 xenografts as compared to in vitro tumor nodules indicates that factors related to host environment may still limit the clinical effectiveness of this compound.
Animals↗
Low level toxicity and antitumor activity of butyric mono- and polyester monosaccharide derivates in mice.
This study compares the antitumor activity of five mono- and polyesters of n-butyric acid derived from monosaccharides in the murine model of Crocker 180 TG Sarcoma. Tumor incidence at ten days, mean survival time and final survival rate were significantly affected in all cases. Combined treatment by butyric esters, alpha/beta interferon (IFN) and/or Corynebacterium parvum used as immunestimulator improved the antitumor protection. Studies of acute toxicity in mice, performed by i.p. and oral routes, showed the low toxicity of butyric esters, which were devoid of detectable side effects with no incidence on ponderal growth when administered per os in rats daily for one month. Finally, a comparative study of antitumor activity, toxicity and water-solubility of various butyric esters enabled us to select among these new molecules two isomers (carbon-3 and carbon-6 of the glucose ring substituted with n-butyric acid) derived from monoacetone glucose for further investigations of their biological mechanism in vivo and in vitro.
Animals↗
[Lung tumors and occupational exposure in an industrial area of northern Italy].
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Carcinogens↗
[Chronic lead poisoning in childhood: clinical experience].
Since 1978, 818 children living near an industrial source of pollution have been screened for lead poisoning. Biochemical evidences of increased lead absorption have been found in 114 cases and in 62 of them it was of such degree to guarantee further investigations. Those 62 children received a thorough neuropsychologic evaluation revealing a significant reduction of IQ, learning difficulties, poor concentration and behavioral abnormalities. We also documented an increased rate of abnormal mathafases and breaks of chromatides in children with increased lead absorption compared with age and sex matched controls.
Brain↗
[Reference values of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid in children].
Delta-aminolaevulinic acid is well known to be an intermediate in the synthesis of haeme and small amounts are normally excreted in urine (ALA-U). An increased excretion of this substance occurs in porphyria and in lead poisoning. The urine specimens of 670 children (362 boys and 308 girls), aging from less than one to fifteen years and who had no evidence of abnormal exposure to lead, have been collected in order to find out the range of normal values of ALA-U expressed in mg/l for the different age and sex group. Our data can be usefull, together with zincprotoporphyrin (ZPP), for screening of anemias and for monitoring lead exposure.
Adolescent↗
[Bone and neurological complications in a patient undergoing prolonged hemodialysis].
A case observed by chance and thereafter examined and treated is reported. It involved a vertebral fracture which failed to be recognized in a patient undergoing prolonged haemodialysis.
Bone Resorption↗
[The inhibitory action of a saccharide derivative on a calcium channel in the oocyte of Xenopus].
Endogenous calcium channels of Xenopus oocyte membrane do not fit with pharmacological classification of calcium channels. The present study demonstrates that the saccharidic derivate, OC8-MAGlu-MAGlu, has potent inhibitory effect on this channel activity.
Animals↗
[Effects of the monosaccharide derivative 8RN-DAGal on the putative P-type calcium channel expressed in Xenopus oocytes].
P-type calcium channels are expressed in Xenopus oocytes after injection of rat cerebellar mRNA. The FTX and omega-Aga-IVa toxins extracted from Agelenopsis aperta venom are known to inhibit the activity of this channel. The present results demonstrate that 8RN-DAGal is also a antagonist of P-type calcium channels. The inhibition of the current, obtained with Ba2+, as charge carrier, is voltage dependent.
Animals↗