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Biomedical subjects

N Di Daniele

Publications and source records attributed to N Di Daniele.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Resting metabolic rate incremented by pulsating electrostatic field (PESF) therapy.

Pulsating electrostatic field (PESF) therapy was investigated to assess the possibility of increasing the resting metabolic rate (RMR) in 14 adult females. The pumping effect of positive calcium and hydrogen ions was obtained by 30 min daily exposure to negative PESF, adjusted individually between 2 and 9 kV. This treatment could result in a buffering effect on blood pH and reduction of the rouleaux formation of erythrocytes, thus ameliorating the oxygen exchange potential and the red cell circulation in the capillary system. After PESF therapy, the average RMR (measured by indirect calorimetry) of 1255 kcal was increased on average by 323 kilocalories, indicating a possible role of PESF in the obesity treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Effect of different sports on body cell mass in highly trained athletes.

The objective of this study was to verify the impact of various sports on body cell mass (BCM). Ninety-eight male subjects, 17-33 years of age, participated in the study. The sample included athletes from three professional Italian football (soccer) teams, representing three different divisions (A, n=16; B, n=14; and C, n=18), judo athletes (J, n=10), and water polo athletes (W, n=14) who all competed at the national level. Twenty-six age-matched individuals served as the control group (CG). Fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), percent body fat (%BF), and BCM were assessed using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS). There were no significant differences in body weight and FFM among the groups. A and B were significantly taller than J and CG. B had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI; kg/m(2)) than CG, while C had a significantly lower BMI than J and CG. CG had a significantly greater FM and %BF than A, B, and C. C had a significantly lower BCM than Aand B. CG had a significantly lower BCM than A, B, J, and W. In conclusion, differences in BCM exist among athletes of different sports, and among athletes within the same sport who compete at different levels.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2003

Lipid profile, BMI, body fat distribution, and aerobic fitness in men with metabolic syndrome.

Obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and insulin resistance are wellknown components of metabolic syndrome and are associated to increased cardiovascular morbidity. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationships between cardiorespiratory fitness, body fat distribution, and selected coronary heart disease risk factors. A total of 22 untrained subjects affected by one or more features of metabolic syndrome and without clinical history of cardiovascular disease were studied. Nondiabetic subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test for glucose and insulin measurement; fasting glucose and insulin were measured in diabetic patients. Complete lipid profile, thyroid hormones, and thyroid-stimulating hormone were measured in all subjects. Basal energy expenditure and cardiorespiratory fitness were measured using a K4 analyzer. Cardiorespiratory fitness ( VO(2max)/kg) was assessed using a treadmill graded exercise test. Peak aerobic capacity ( VO(2max)/kg) was predicted by body fat distribution, insulin sensitivity index, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol ( p<0.001). A significant relationship was found between cardiorespiratory fitness ( VO(2max)/kg) and body mass index (BMI), insulin sensitivity index, and LDL cholesterol ( r=0.60, p<0.05; r=0.66, p<0.01 and r=0.54, p<0.05, respectively). Data demonstrated that aerobic fitness is related to metabolic parameters and to body fat distribution, and suggest that its modification may improve well-known predictors of coronary artery disease.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2003

How fat is obese?

The aim of the study was a comparison between body fat measurements and body mass index. We analyzed the data of 890 subjects, 596 females and 294 males, ranging in age from 18 to 83 years, in body mass index (BMI) from 14 to 54 kg/m(2), and in body fat percentage (BF%) from 4% to 57%. A considerable number of subjects, both males and females, could not be classified as obese based on their BMI alone. Such a misclassification is undesirable, especially in general practice, and it calls for diagnostic criteria other than the BMI alone to be used for obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2003

Body composition analysis for healthy Italian vegetarians.

The elementary nutritional needs of vegetarians are totally, or in great part, supplied by vegetarian food; thus the body composition of vegetarians could differ from that of omnivorous persons. The objective of the present study was to compare healthy Italian vegetarians to healthy omnivorous individuals in terms of body composition, determined using dual X-ray absorptiometry. The study population consisted of 20 vegetarians [mean age (+/-SD), 34.78+/-15.07 years; mean BMI, 22.41+/-2.15 kg/m(2)] and 10 omnivorous persons matched for age and BMI. We found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of fat mass, lean body mass, soft tissue, bone mineral content, or bone mineral density. These findings suggest that the vegetarian diet does not induce negative alterations in body composition.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed2003

Predicting bone mineral density of postmenopausal healthy and cirrhotic Italian women using anthropometric variables.

BACKGROUND: Chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis of the liver, have been shown to cause bone osteometabolic disease giving rise to osteoporosis and osteomalacia. AIMS: To develop mathematical prediction equations for the lumbar-spine, pelvis and total bone mineral density based on the osteoporosis risk factors age and body mass index in cirrhotic and healthy postmenopausal women. PATIENTS: Twenty-seven postmenopausal women with liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh class A) and well-preserved liver function (Late postmenopausal cirrhotic), 27 women matched for age and body mass index (Late postmenopausal healthy) and 27 younger women matched only for body mass index (Early postmenopausal healthy). METHODS: Segmental and total fat mass, lean body mass and bone mineral density were measured for all participant women using dual X-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Segmental and total fat mass and bone mineral density were significantly lower for Late postmenopausal cirrhotic women as compared with Late and Early postmenopausal healthy women. Segmental and total lean body mass were comparable among the three study groups. CONCLUSIONS: The mathematical equations based on the variables age and body mass index were capable of predicting lumbar-spine bone mineral density, pelvis bone mineral density and total bone mineral density for the three groups of postmenopausal women with the lowest standard error of estimation and root mean square residuals of predictions for equations describing the Late postmenopausal healthy group.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2002

The impact of body-weight components on forced spirometry in healthy italians.

Many studies have investigated lung function in relation to age and height among Caucasians, however, most of these studies did not consider the individual components of body weight. The objective of the present study was to study the effect of body weight components [bone-free lean body mass (BF-LBM), bone mineral content (BMC), and fat mass (FM)] measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) on the lung-function variables (FVC, FEV1, and PEF) and to derive prediction equations for these variables in healthy adult Italians. Dynamic spirometric tests and body composition analysis by DXA were performed on 58 nonsmoking males, mean age ( +/-SE) 26.72 +/- 1.98 years and BMI 25.51 +/- 0.64 kg/m2, and 60 nonsmoking females matched for age and BMI (29.61 +/- 1.65 years and 26.45 +/- 1.05 kg/m2, respectively). Bivariate linear regression analysis showed the variables age, height, BF-LBM, BMC, and the interaction term BF-LBM*Height, but not weight and FM, to correlate significantly with lung-function variables for males and for females separately. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex, age, height, and BF-LBM*Height were significantly associated with FVC, FEV1, and PEF. The prediction equations developed for FVC, FEV1, and PEF on the basis of the independent variables i.e. sex, age (y), height (m), and BF-LBM*Height (kg. m) had a significantly higher cumulative correlation coefficient and a lower SEE compared with those based on age and height only. The present report suggests that the BF-LBM, expressed independently from height, can be considered for predicting lung-function variables.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Predicting Type 2 diabetes using an electronic nose-based artificial neural network analysis.

Diabetes is a major health problem in both industrial and developing countries, and its incidence is rising. Although detection of diabetes is improving, about half of the patients with Type 2 diabetes are undiagnosed and the delay from disease onset to diagnosis may exceed 10 yr. Thus, earlier detection of Type 2 diabetes and treatment of hyperglycaemia and related metabolic abnormalities is of vital importance. The objectives of the present study were to examine urine samples from Type 2 diabetic patients and healthy volunteers using the electronic nose technology and to evaluate possible application of data classification methods such as self-learning artificial neural networks (ANN) and logistic regression (LR) in comparison with principal components analysis (PCA). Urine samples from Type 2 diabetic patients and healthy controls were processed randomly using a simple 8-sensors electronic nose and individual electronic nose patterns were qualitatively classified using the "Approximation and Classification of Medical Data" (ACMD) network based on 2 output neurons, binary LR analysis and PCA. Distinct classes were found for Type 2 diabetic subjects and controls using PCA, which had a 96.0% successful classification percentage mean while qualitative ANN analysis and LR analysis had successful classification percentages of 92.0% and 88.0%, respectively. Therefore, the ACMD network is suitable for classifying medical and clinical data.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Validity and reliability of a new portable telemetric calorimeter designed to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the precision and the accuracy of a new portable telemetric calorimeter developed for the measurement of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production and pulmonary ventilation. DESIGN: An in vitro validation study. METHODS: An experimental protocol was designed to generate a series of tidal volumes (from 100 ml to 6000 ml at 200 ml steps) at different respiratory rates (5, 8, 14, 20, 40, 60, 75 breaths-min(-1)). For this purpose, a standardized pulmonary waveform generator system was utilized. Moreover, in order to evaluate the measure of O2 and CO2 concentrations at different temperatures (-10 degrees, 0 degrees, 15 degrees, 25 degrees, 40 degrees C), the instrument was placed inside an adjustable temperature and humidity chamber. RESULTS: The accuracy of flow measurements was within +/-3% in respect to the real values throughout the entire range of physiological values, whereas the measurements of gas concentrations were within +/-1% between 0 and 25 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: The new portable telemetric calorimeter represents an easy to use instrument for the measure of energy expenditure during the activities of daily living.

Calorimetry, Indirect↗
PubMed1995

Efficacy of low-dose GnRH analogue (Buserelin) in the treatment of hirsutism.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of low dose GnRH analogue (Buserelin) on gonadal steroid secretion and hair growth in hirsute women. The drug was administered as a nasal spray (200 micrograms tid) to reduce gonadal steroid secretion. Eight hirsute women were treated for six month with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog. All had subclinical polycystic ovary syndromes on the basis of ultrasound or hormonal data, together with ovary dysfunctions and irregular menses. None had adrenal or pituitary dysfunction. The score of hirsutism was evaluated according to Ferriman and Gallway; pituitary function was evaluated measuring the FSH and LH response to GnRH stimulation and gonadal steroid secretion by measuring estradiol, progesterone, total plasma testosterone, androstenedione and androstanediol. Sex hormone binding globulin, insulin, prolactin and DHEA-S were also measured. The suppression of ovarian steroid secretion was confirmed by reductions in total plasma testosterone, and rostenedione and androstanediol that were detectable after one month of treatment. FSH and LH responses to GnRH stimulation were inhibited consistent with pituitary desensitization. No significant side effects were observed and all patients completed the trial. The score of hirsutism was 24 +/- 5 before, 19.6 +/- 6 by the 3rd month and 16.8 +/- 5.1 by the 6th month of treatment (p < 0.001); the effect was still evident 1 and 6 months after the withdrawal of the therapy (14.8 +/- and 15.8 +/- 5 respectively; p < 0.001). Our findings indicate that Buserelin is useful in the treatment of non adrenal hirsutism when other forms of therapy are contraindicated or poorly tolerated by the patient.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

[Preparation of 125I-labelled monoclonal antibodies of the insulin receptor].

Three monoclonal anti-insulin receptor antibodies have been labelled with 125I according to various methods (Cloramine T, Lactoperoxidase and IODO-GEN). The effect of labelling on antibody structure and function has been characterized using the following parameters: a) specific activity obtained in four different labelling procedures, at least; b) TCA labelled antibody precipitable 90 days after labelling; c) interaction between labelled antibodies and the insulin receptor; d) ability of antibodies to inhibit insulin-stimulated receptor auto-phosphorylation. Cloramine T method produced labelled antibody with constant specific activity; however, some preparations were unstable and showed reduced capacity to recognize the insulin receptor. Lactoperoxidase method produced stable antibodies; however, specific activity was highly variable and antibodies had low capacity to interact with the insulin receptor. The IODO-GEN method produced antibodies with constant specific activity, stable, high capacity to interact with the insulin receptor, and, moreover, maintaining in full the capacity to inhibit the insulin-stimulated auto-phosphorylation of the insulin receptor, since it does not induce antibody alterations which in turn affect antibody-receptor interaction biological action.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment of total body potassium in healthy Italian men.

BACKGROUND: Whole-body (40)K counting is a valuable tool for assessing cellular changes in body composition with ageing. AIM: The objectives of this study were to assess total body potassium (TBK) and body cell mass (BCM) differences with age, and to compare TBK and BCM between individuals with a body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg m(-2) versus > 25 kg m(-2). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Body composition of 840 healthy Italian men, 18-70 years of age, was measured by whole-body counting of (40)K. BCM (kg) was calculated as 0.00833 x TBK (mmol). RESULTS: Body weight did not differ among groups. TBK, TBK/height, TBK/body weight, and BCM were significantly lower for the 51-70-year-old group compared with all other groups. The 51-70-year-old group with a BMI < 25 kg m(-2) had significantly lower TBK, TBK/height, and BCM than all other decades with a BMI < 25 kg m(-2); whereas TBK/body weight was significantly lower than the 18-30 and 31-40-year-old groups. The 51-70-year-old group with a BMI > 25 kg m(-2) had significantly lower TBK, TBK/height, TBK/body weight, and BCM than all other decades with a BMI > 25 kg m(-2). CONCLUSION: TBK and BCM decrease significantly with ageing, which could result in decreased functional capacity in older adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Body fluid compartments in hypertension.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There is a correlation between the fluid and ionic homeostasis and blood pressure but it is not known if these body fluid changes represent the cause or rather the effect of the blood pressure rise. We have estimated the compartmental distribution of body fluids by means of the Bioimpedance Spectroscopy (BIS) analysis in a hypertensive cohort compared to control subjects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have enrolled 28 hypertensive patients (14 females, 14 males, mean age 47 +/- 5) and a sex- and age-matched control group of 37 healthy subjects (17 females and 20 males, mean age 45 +/- 8). They underwent anthropometric measurements, then extracellular (ECW) and intracellular water (ICW) were assessed using BIS. RESULTS: Both mean weight and BMI of hypertensive patients resulted significantly higher than of the control group (p < 0.05). We found higher ICW values in hypertensive compared to normotensive subjects. This difference was proportional to the difference of mean blood pressure values, reaching significance only as regards the stage II hypertensive subgroup (p < 0.03). DISCUSSION: Our data confirm that the blood pressure increases are associated to TBW, and caused mainly by ICW increases. The BIS, a simple, reliable, non invasive and cost effective methodical approach, estimating the distribution of body fluids, offers new possibility of the management of the hypertensive disease, to establish a more appropriate antihypertensive treatment. Moreover, the BIS, estimating the volume restoration of the different body compartments, may be helpful in evaluating the effectiveness of the pharmacological treatment.

Anthropometry↗