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M Acca

Publications and source records attributed to M Acca.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Aging changes in vertebral morphometry.

We analyzed the vertebral morphometry of healthy premenopausal women and their changes with age and menopause in order to better define the reference population for the clinical and epidemiological evaluation of vertebral fractures. Vertebral morphometry has been performed on lateral thoracic and lumbar spine films from 50 premenopausal and 76 postmenopausal normal women, age range 39-74 years. Vertebral heights and the anterior height/posterior height ratio are significantly lower in postmenopausal compared with premenopausal women. Vertebral anterior height decreases about 1.5 mm/year, whereas middle and posterior height decreases about 1.3 and 1.2/mm year, respectively. A statistically significant reduction of vertebral heights by around 1 mm/vertebra was observed in postmenopausal (n = 16) compared with premenopausal women (n = 20) of the same age (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that vertebral heights are lower with advancing age and menopause and that the vertebral heights difference in elderly people is not only the consequence of a cohort effect. The results also contribute to better defining the reference population to be chosen for evaluating vertebral deformation.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Calcium and bone mass at different periods of life].

In this review we report some considerations on the relationships between calcium intake and bone density during life time, with particular regard to postmenopausal women. We also report some practical aspects concerning calcium salt supplementation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Clinical aspects of early increase in serum gamma-glutamyl transferase in cerebral infarction.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) serum levels were measured in 42 female patients within 72 hours, and on day 10, after an ischaemic cerebral infarction (CI) and correlated with neurological impairment at admission and with mortality during hospitalization. Mean +/- SEM GGT serum value within 72 hours after CI was significantly higher compared to the mean +/- SEM value observed in control subjects (26.7 +/- 2.5 vs 16.5 +/- 1.2 U/L, P < 0.001) and it correlated with the severity of neurological status and with mortality. A positive correlation between GGT and creatine kinase (CK) serum levels was also observed (r = 0.47, P < 0.01). On day 10 after CI, normalization of serum GGT values was found. We conclude that GGT serum level increases in CI as a consequence of brain damage and that this increment may be considered as a clinical and prognostic unfavourable index of the disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Hip fracture in Italy: epidemiology and preventive efficacy of bone-active drugs.

In this paper we report the results on the epidemiology of hip fracture and the preventive efficacy of bone-active drugs in Italy, observed in men and women aged 50 years or over, recruited in the three Italian centres participating in the Mediterranean Osteoporosis Study (MEDOS), namely Parma, Rome, and Siena. The number of fractures observed was 1,437 in a catchment area population of 847,508 individuals, with a total incidence of 169.6/100,000--a female-to-male ratio of 3.5 and a doubling-time of about 5.5 years. The female excess becomes evident in the age groups over 60 years. The mean age of fractures was 77 years in females and 73 in males. From the data collected, the estimated number of fractures per year in the Italian population aged over 50 years is 32,000. The pattern of use and the preventive efficacy of bone-active drugs was examined in women. Calcitonin and calcium were the drugs mainly used; less than 3% had taken vitamin D or oestrogen and only a minor percentage had taken anabolic steroids. Fluorides were not used at all. As seen in the European sample, the protective effect of calcium and calcitonin is statistically significant even in Italy, while vitamin D is not. The use of anabolic steroids was associated with a decrease in risk. Oestrogen administration does not seem to reduce the relative risk of hip fracture in Italian women, probably due to the small sample size.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Neurological state, infarct size and clinical outcome are related to early platelet count decrease in stroke.

We performed this study in order to verify the existence of a correlation between early platelet count reduction and initial neurological impairment, infarct extension and mortality or clinical outcome in an established ischemic cerebral infarction. The results demonstrate that the platelet consumption and/or accumulation in the infarct area, expressed by circulating platelet decrease, is related to the severity of neurological involvement, infarct size and poor clinical outcome.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Plasma fibrinogen and platelet count in stroke.

Plasma fibrinogen levels and platelet counts were evaluated in 30 patients with acute ischemic cerebral infarction (CI) three and nine days after the onset of symptoms. Hyperfibrinogenemia (379.4 +/- 80.3 vs 327.3 +/- 48.3 mg/dL of controls, p < 0.005), a reduction of platelet count (207.133 +/- 48.388 vs 288.375 +/- 61.373 x 10(9)/L of controls, p < 0.001), and an inverse correlation (r = -0.41, p < 0.05) between the two parameters were observed on day three. On day nine, platelet counts normalized while plasma fibrinogen levels slightly increased; the inverse correlation no longer occurred. The results suggest that in the earliest phase of stroke plasma fibrinogen levels may condition the extent of platelet accumulation or consumption in the ischemic area. This confirms in vivo that the platelet aggregation process is strictly dependent on fibrinogen concentration.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

A hospital survey of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia in malignancy.

We evaluated the incidence of hypo- versus hypercalcemia and hypo- versus hyperphosphatemia in a survey of 158 patients with malignancy; 55/158 had bone metastases. When serum calcium levels were corrected for albuminemia, the incidence of hypo- and hypercalcemia was respectively 10.8% and 10.1%. Hypophosphatemia was found in 29.7% patients, hyperphosphatemia in 2.5%. The incidence was slightly different in presence of bone metastases. Hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia prevailed in osteoblastic metastases and hypercalcemia in osteolytic metastases. The incidence of hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia in malignancy was therefore surprisingly high, even apart from the presence of bone metastases. Both hypo- and hypercalcemia were associated with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels. Moreover, a calcium-phosphorus product reduction was observed in osteoblastic metastases, suggesting a condition of secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia in cancer patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia and the relationship between calcium and magnesium serum levels in 82 hospitalized cancer patients, 61 of whom were in the terminal phase of the disease. The frequency of hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia was 13.4% and 17.1% respectively. The incidence of hypocalcemia in patients with hypomagnesemia was 28.6%, while in those with normal or high magnesium serum levels it was 10.3%. The lowest magnesium serum level was observed in hypocalcemic patients. It may thus be concluded that hypocalcemia and hypomagnesemia are a frequent complication of malignant tumors mostly in the terminal stage of the disease, and that even hypomagnesemia could contribute to the development of tumor-associated hypocalcemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Total reconstitution of active large ribosomal subunits of the thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus.

The large ribosomal subunit of the extremely thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus has been reconstituted from the completely dissociated RNA and proteins by a two-step incubation procedure at high temperatures. Successful reconstitution requires a preliminary incubation of the ribosomal components for 45 min at 65 degrees C, followed by a second heat-treatment at 80 degrees C for 60 min. Structural reassembly depends upon high concentrations of K+ (300-400 mM) and Mg2+ (20-40 mM) ions. In addition, complete recovery of subunit function stringently requires the presence of a polyamine, thermine (or spermine). The reconstituted archaebacterial subunits are essentially indistinguishable from the native ones by a number of structural and functional criteria.

Archaea↗
PubMed1985

Insensitivity of archaebacterial ribosomes to protein synthesis inhibitors. Evolutionary implications.

The effect on Sulfolobus solfataricus (an extremely thermoacidophilic archaebacterium) of selected inhibitors affecting reactions of the polypeptide elongation cycle has been tested by using poly(U) and poly(UG) directed cell-free systems. The results reveal a unique pattern of antibiotic sensitivity of Sulfolobus ribosomes with an inhibitory effect observed for only three of 60 compounds tested. Through comparison with suitable eubacterial and eukaryotic cell-free systems the insensitivity of Sulfolobus ribosomes to most inhibitors of protein synthesis appears to reflect a phylogenetic distinction of ribosome structure, rather than the high temperature conditions of the Sulfolobus assay system. In this respect ribosomes of thermoacidophilic archaebacteria differ not only from their eubacterial and eukaryotic counterparts, but also from ribosomes of archaebacteria belonging to the methanogenic-halophilic branch of the 'third' kingdom. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[A digital radiology method for assessing vertebral osteoporosis].

The radiologic identification of vertebral fractures is usually subjective and reproducibility is poor. This paper describes a new digital radiologic method to perform vertebral morphometry, i.e. osteoradiometry (ORM). Lateral radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar spine were obtained in 50 premenopausal women and digitalized by means of a video camera. A special computer software enables to calculate the anterior (Ha), middle (Hm), and posterior (Hp) heights of vertebral bodies (T4-L5) and the morphometric indices of vertebral fractures. ORM reproducibility was assessed by comparing repeated measurements made by two radiologists: the intra- and interobserver variation coefficients (CV) were respectively 1.5% and 2.3% for Hp; 1.3% and 2% for Hm; 1.4% and 2.1% for Ha. The normal range for vertebral dimensions was therefore established. The anterior and posterior heights increased from T4 to L2, but for L3-L5 the posterior height was lower than the anterior height (Ha/Hp > 1). Vertebral heights positively correlated with the standing heights of the subjects (r = 0.2, p < 0.05). Weight and the body mass index (BMI) were not correlated with vertebral heights. These normal values, compared with those found in osteoporosis patients, will allow to assess ORM diagnostic efficacy in identifying vertebral fractures.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗