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Biomedical subjects

M Lattanzi

Publications and source records attributed to M Lattanzi.

12 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Use of RAPD and killer toxin sensitivity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain typing.

AIMS: Two different strain characterization techniques, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and killer toxin sensitivity (KTS), were compared to assess their typing performance using a set of 30 certified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. METHODS AND RESULTS: A sequential random resampling procedure was employed to subdivide the 32 descriptors in eight sets, in order to compare the differential performances of the two techniques with diverse number of characters. Results showed that RAPD performs better than killer, although the complete differentiation of the strains under study could be obtained only by combining profiles from the two techniques. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of different typing techniques was useful when discriminating similar organisms. In such cases, the introduction of a second typing technique can be more advantageous than increasing the number of characters obtained with a single method. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The distribution of among-strains pairwise distances and the relative performance of the two techniques has implications for the study of biodiversity, taxonomy and microbial ecology.

DNA, Fungal↗
PubMed1999

Patterns of macrolide resistance determinants among community-acquired Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates over a 5-year period of decreased macrolide susceptibility rates.

Erythromycin resistance rates were found to be increased, from 7.1 in 1993 to 32.8% in 1997, among community-acquired Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates from the Siena area of central Italy. Most of the erythromycin-resistant isolates carried ermAM determinants and were also resistant to josamycin and clindamycin, whereas a minority (5.8%) carried mefA determinants and remained susceptible to the latter drugs.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1992

[Upper digestive hemorrhage in liver cirrhosis: clinical and endoscopic findings].

There are different opinions in respect to the main sources in upper gastrointestinal bleeding in hepatic cirrhosis. Some authors claim that ruptured esophageal varices are the cause of most of the hemorrhages. Recently, characteristic lesions have been showed in the gastric mucosa in portal hypertension (congestive gastropathy), and many believe that they are frequently the origin of the bleeding. We reviewed the records of 195 episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in cirrhosis, with endoscopy performed within 12 hours of entry, and report here the endoscopic findings and the bleeding sites. We also investigated the relation between the etiology and functional class of the hepatic disease and the bleeding source. We observed variceal hemorrhage in 52.2% of cases; by gastroduodenal mucosal lesions in 13.8%; by gastric and duodenal ulcers in 13.8%; undetermined origin in 14.8% (due to coexistence of two or more lesions, without active bleeding). We found no differences between alcoholic and nonalcoholic cirrhotics in the bleeding sources. Furthermore, the bleeding sites were not different either in child A, B and C patients. In contrast, in major hemorrhages, esophageal varices were more frequently the origin (73.5%) than in minor ones (40.4%) (p < 0.002). The mortality was significantly higher in CHild C group (25%), than in groups B (14.3%) and A (2.3%) (p < 0.05 and p < 0.002, respectively). We recommend to carry out early endoscopy in every cirrhotic patient suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding, by skilled performers who are able to recognize the gastric red signs, before making a decision about potentially dangerous therapeutic measures, such as surgery, balloon tamponade, etc.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

The Ryle Marital Patterns Test as a predictor of symptoms of anxiety and depression in couples in the community.

The associations between marital relationships, as measured by the Ryle Marital Patterns Test, and symptoms of anxiety and depression as measured by the Interval General Health Questionnaire (I-GHQ), were assessed in 98 married couples in the community. Logistic regression analyses showed that symptoms of anxiety and depression in wives were best predicted by low ratings of affection exchange. Occupational class interacted with husbands' affection ratings, suggesting that in the nonmanual class only lower affection ratings were significantly associated with more symptoms. Anxiety in men was best predicted by low affection ratings while depression was best predicted by unemployment, by an affection discrepancy score indicating that more affection is given than received, and by a marriage which was rated as relatively more wife-dominated by wives and as relatively more husband-dominated by husbands.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Life events, social problems and physical health status as predictors of emotional distress in men and women in a community setting.

The main aim of this study was to construct logistic models of emotional distress (defined as a GHQ-30 score of 6 or greater) in a community sample of 226 men and 225 women. The independent variables included were: sociodemographic characteristics, physical health status, social problems and undesirable life events. Univariate comparisons showed that in both sexes undesirable life events and social problems were associated with emotional distress; in men the presence of physical symptoms and widowed, separated or divorced status also showed such an association. Separate logistic regression models for men and women confirmed the importance of undesirable life events and social problems as predictors for emotional distress. In women there was also a significant interaction effect between the two variables on emotional distress. Sociodemographic characteristics and physical health status did not exert a statistically significant effect in these models.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1990

[Value of laboratory tests and echography in the diagnosis of biliary disease in the initial phase of acute pancreatitis].

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (APh) and real time ultrasonography (US) in distinguishing between gallstone and non gallstone related acute pancreatitis (A.P.). The second aim was to evaluate whether or nor there was biliary tract hypertension. Both aims were designed in order to evaluate them in the early stage of A.P. Two Groups of patients were studied. Group 1--gallstone related A.P., 63 pts. Group 2--Non gallstone related A.P. 21 pts. Fifty nine (93.6%) of Group 1 and 11 (52.3%) of Group 2 had surgical confirmation. In the other, the diagnosis was based on US and C.T. Blood samples were taken during the three days after admission for biochemical test and US was performed within the same period. Statistical evaluation and Student's t test were used. Biochemical test: when the cut off level was expressed by the upper limit of normal (ULN), the highest diagnostic sensibility was (table 1): ALT 85.7%, APH 80.9%. AST 71%, bilirubin 65%. When the cut off level was chosen at twice the ULN (Table 1), the sensibility was: ALT 61.9%, bilirubin and AST 47%, APh 30%, Group 2 (Table 2) values higher than the ULN were: AST 42.8%, bilirubin 33%, ALT 19%, APh 14.2%. The differences between the two Groups were statistically significant: APh and bilirubin P less than 0.001, ALT less than 0.05 m AST, NS. Ultrasonography: Group 1: gallstones were detected in 96.6% (58/60). Biliary tree was not visualized in 10 (15.8%), diagnosed as normal in 38 (60.3%) and pathologic (dilatation and/or lithiasis) in 15 (23.8%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1989

Psychosocial factors in women who undergo cholecystectomy. A case-control study.

Thirty women admitted to hospital for cholecystectomy were compared with a healthy community control group. Univariate comparisons showed that patients had significantly more social problems, manifested greater psychological distress and reported poorer social support. Logistic multiple regression analysis indicated that patient status was best predicted by manual occupational class and the interaction between employment and presence/absence of young children. The findings are discussed within the framework of illness behaviour.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The pancreatic enzymes value in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and acute biliary tract diseases.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of lipase and isoamylases in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and to determine if its use permits differential diagnosis between acute pancreatitis and acute biliary tract disease. Three groups of patients were studied. a) CONTROL: 60 patients without abdominal diseases. b) Acute pancreatitis: 60 patients, the diagnosis was made according to clinical symptoms, biochemical tests, U.S. and C.T. in 24 (40%), in the remainder 36 (60%) surgical confirmation was obtained. c) Acute biliary tract disease without macroscopic pancreatic damage, 30 patients, the diagnosis was made according to biochemical tests and U.S. in 4 (13.3%) whereas in the remainder 26 (86.6%) surgical confirmation was accomplished no later than a week of the beginning of the symptoms. Biochemical tests: serum and urine amylase, lipase, and total pancreatic and salivary isoamylases were evaluated. In the group of acute pancreatitis the highest diagnostic sensibility was: pancreatic isoamylase 95.5%, lipase 95%, total serum amylase 93.3% urine amylase 90%, serum amylase 78.3%. In acute biliary tract diseases a high number of elevated enzyme values were also found: pancreatic isoamylase 83.3%, total isoamylase 73.3%, urine amylase 66.6%, lipase 63.3%, serum amylase 53.3%. The mean enzyme values of both groups were compared statistically and showed no significant difference. We conclude that lipase and isoamylases are the best markers for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and the differential diagnosis with acute biliary diseases is difficult because an elevation of these enzymes is a characteristic shared by both pathologies. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis based only in clinical symptoms and hyperamylasemia can be erroneous.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1978

[Warty dyskeratoma. Analysis and case reports].

Warty dyskeratoma (WD) may be observed in both whites and negros. It is usually small single isolated brown nodule with a prevalent localization of the head of aged males. During the last 4 1/2 years 20 cases were recognized at the Perugia Dermatological Clinic, representing 3.8% of 522 biopsied clinically similar skin tumors. The ratio of WD with keratoacanthoma was 1.3 and with squamous-cell carcinoma 1:5. In 4 cases a lesion clinically similar to squamous-cell carcinoma but with histological picture of WD was localized of the lower prolabium. The excision was the treatment of choice. On the basis of our findings and from a survey of the literature a clinico-pathological picture of the disease is described. Three points are emphasized: 1. WD is frequently localized on the head; when localized on the lower prolabium squamous-cell carcinoma mast be considered in differential diagnosis; 2. no clinical feature is peculiar of the disease; 3. surgical excision is essential for a correct diagnosis when histological examinations are performed on orthogonal and medial sections.

Adult↗