Biomedical subjects

R Cavallini

Publications and source records attributed to R Cavallini.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

The impact of climate and traffic-related NO2 on the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors are likely to be involved in explaining the wide geographical variation in asthma and atopic diseases that has been documented in many recent epidemiological studies. AIM: To evaluate to what extent climate and outdoor NO2 pollution can explain the geographical variation in the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis, and to estimate the relative risk for exposure to different levels of these two factors. METHODS: The impact of climate and long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution on asthma and allergic rhinitis was assessed in a cross-sectional study, carried out during 1998 to 2000 on young adults aged 20 to 44 years (n = 18 873), living in 13 areas from two different Italian climatic regions (subcontinental and Mediterranean). RESULTS: Mediterranean areas had a significantly higher prevalence of asthma-like symptoms (P < 0.001), higher annual mean temperature (16.2 degrees C vs. 12.9 degrees C), lower temperature range (16.0 C degrees vs. 22.1 degrees C) and lower NO2 levels (31.46 microg/m3 vs. 57.99 microg/m3) than subcontinental ones. Mediterranean climate was associated with an increased risk of wheeze (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.35), tightness in the chest (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.11 to 1.33), shortness of breath (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.36) and asthma attacks (OR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.31). After adjusting for climate, an increase of 18.3 microg/m3 in NO2 levels moderately increased the risk of asthma attacks (OR = 1.13; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.32), tightness in the chest (OR = 1.11; 95% CI 0.98 to 1.26) and wheeze (OR = 1.11; 95% CI 0.96 to 1.28). When the levels of outdoor NO2 exposure rose, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis increased significantly in the Mediterranean region (OR = 1.38; 95% CI 1.12 to 1.69), but not in the subcontinental one (OR = 1.03; 95% CI 0.83 to 1.28). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the prevalence of asthma increases when annual mean temperature increases and temperature range decreases. Furthermore, climate interacts with NO2 outdoor exposure, increasing the risk for allergic rhinitis in people exposed to high stable temperatures. A long-term role for the effect of traffic pollution on asthma is also suggested.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Conditioned place preference induced by the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940: interaction with the opioid system.

Cannabinoids appear atypical as drugs of abuse since controversial data exist concerning the ability to lower the thresholds for electrical self-stimulation (Stark and Dews, 1980; Gardner et al., 1988; Gardner, 1992) and to support self-administration (Martellotta et al., 1998; Tanda et al., 2000) or conditioned place preference in animals (Lepore et al., 1995; Parker and Gillies, 1995; McGregor et al., 1996; Sañudo-Peña et al., 1997; Chaperon et al., 1998; Hutcheson et al., 1998; Mallet and Beninger, 1998; Cheer et al., 2000; Valjent and Maldonado, 2000). Opioids and cannabinoids share some pharmacological properties (Manzanares et al., 1999). The most interactions were found in antinociception (Welch and Stevens, 1992; Smith et al., 1994) and, to a lesser extent, in drug reinforcement (Chen et al., 1990; Vela et al., 1995; Tanda et al., 1997). In the present study we asked whether: (1) a potent synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist, [(-)-cis-3-[2-hydroxy-4-(1,1-dimethylheptil)-phenyl]-trans-4-(3-hydroxy propyl) cyclohexanol] (CP 55,940) (from 10 to 40 microg/kg), which binds to the brain cannabinoid receptors with high affinity (Herkenham et al., 1991), would induce conditioned place preference, in comparison with heroin (from 0.1 to 5 mg/kg); (2) what type of receptor was involved; (3) what kind of interaction there was between the two drugs, when given in combination, on reward. CP 55,940 elicited a conditioned place preference only at a dose of 20 microg/kg similar in intensity to that of heroin (2 mg/kg). The reinforcing properties of the cannabinoid agonist were fully antagonised by pretreatment with the brain cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB(1)) antagonist, [N-piperidino-5-(4-chlorophenyl) 1-(2,4-dichloro-phenyl)-4-methyl pyrazole-3-carboxamide hydrochloride] (SR 141716A) and naloxone. The combination of CP 55,940 and heroin, at the reinforcing doses, led to a reward which did not show any additive effect. Taken together these findings are important for understanding how the cannabinoids produce reward and the interconnection of the opioid and cannabinoid system in the motivation.

Analgesics↗

PubMed1998

Effects of a fibrin-fibronectin sealing system on proliferation and type I collagen synthesis of human PDL fibroblasts in vitro.

Fibrin glue (FG) is an agent widely used in many surgical disciplines for achieving hemostasis and tissue adhesion. The aim of this investigation was to determine the effectiveness of a highly concentrated FG (Tissucol) on the growth and phenotypic expression of human periodontal ligament (PDL) fibroblasts. PDL fibroblast strains were established from cells scraped from PDL, and cultured in the presence and absence of FG for 48 and 72 h. Cell proliferation was studied by counting cells and mitoses, and by immunocytochemical detection of the proliferation-associated Ki-67 nuclear antigen. Type-I collagen production was assessed by radioimmunological assay of the procollagen C-terminal peptide. Results showed that FG treatment was compatible with PDL fibroblast growth and type-I collagen synthesis, although a reduced trend in cell proliferation and collagen production was found in FG-supplemented cultures compared to control cultures. We conclude that FG may represent a suitable substrate for supporting PDL fibroblast growth and function.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Relationship between physical activity level and bone mineral density in two groups of female athletes.

In order to evaluate the possible relationships among hormonal status, physical activity and bone density, we carried out a study on two groups of female athletes engaged in different levels of physical activity. We measured the following hormones: luteinizing hormone (LH), folliculo-stimulating hormone (FSH), 17-beta-oestradiol (E2), progesterone (PRG), prolactin (HPRL), estrone (E1), thyreo-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and the markers of phosphate-calcium metabolism: calcitonine (CT), parathormone (PTH), and osteocalcine (BGP). We also measured bone mineral density (BMD). All of these variables were related to the amount of work performed during training. The groups were defined as follows: medium workload (group M, n = 10) and heavy workload (group H, n = 20), engaged in 10 and 18 hours of weekly training at 35 and 60 average percent of VO2max, respectively. All of the hormones and the markers of calcium-phosphate metabolism studied were normal; BMD was also normal for all subjects except for two sisters in group M with reduced BMD. The group H athletes with regular menstrual cycles were found to have an upper limit normal BMD. From these data we conclude that in regularly menstruating athletes an increase in BMD induced by heavy physical activity is evident, while in dysmenorrhoeic athletes the effect of physical activity compensates, to some extent, for the hypothetical bone mineral reduction possibly caused by the hormonal imbalance.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Cyclosporin-A increases type I procollagen production and mRNA level in human gingival fibroblasts in vitro.

In order to study the pathogenesis of gingival overgrowth induced by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine-A (CyA), we investigated its effect on 3H thymidine incorporation and on collagen production and mRNA levels in fibroblast cultures obtained from normal human gingiva. At concentrations of 100, 500 and 1000 ng/ml, CyA did not modify thymidine incorporation after 24 and 72 h of incubation. However, after 24 h it significantly increased the level of 3H proline-containing proteins in the medium. In addition, CyA increased alpha-procollagen chains by up to three times. This CyA-induced change was related to a rise in the level of type I procollagen. The CyA effect on fibroblasts was markedly reduced by cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, and it correlated well with an increase of type I procollagen mRNA. Overall, our data indicate a direct stimulatory action of CyA on collagen synthesis, but not on DNA synthesis, in human gingival fibroblasts.

Collagen↗

PubMed1991

Atrial natriuretic peptide and urinary sodium balance during physical exercise.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone and urinary fractional excretion of sodium (%FENa) were measured in 22 athletes before and after 1 h running. After exercise the hormones increased significantly, while %FENa decreased. In fact, the percent PRA increases resulted higher than the percent ANP increases with a significant inverse correlation. It is concluded that hemodynamic changes during strenuous and prolonged physical exercise lead to the inhibition of the natriuretic properties of ANP by stimulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, although a feedback mechanism of modulation between ANP and PRA seems to occur.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Circadian rhythms of atrial natriuretic peptide, renin, aldosterone, cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate in normal and hypertensive subjects.

The occurrence and extent of a circadian rhythm in the circulating concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are still matters of controversy. Only a few data are available in humans relating the time structure of plasma ANP levels with the circadian patterns of other hormones and cardiovascular variables. In a group of hospitalized normal volunteers (six men and four women, 16-76 years old), and in a group of hospitalized hypertensives (seven men and three women, 18-76 years old), we investigated the circadian variability of ANP and its temporal relationship with the circadian rhythms of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), and plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA) and plasma cortisol (PC) levels, by using a chronobiological inferential statistic method. At the end of a synchronizing period of 1 week (the diet and daily schedule were standardized), the subjects underwent automatic BP and HR monitoring, and blood sampling for 24 h. A statistically significant mean circadian rhythm was demonstrated for ANP, BP, HR, PRA, PA and PC in both normal and hypertensive subjects. The mean circadian acrophase of ANP (calculated to occur at around 04.00 h) anticipated the corresponding acrophases of the other hormones; BP and HR rhythms appeared to be in antiphase with ANP rhythm, i.e. the peak of BP and HR rhythms more or less coincided with the trough in ANP rhythm. A significant increase in the daily levels (assessed by the circadian mesor) of ANP was present in hypertensive subjects when compared with normal controls. In essential hypertension the circadian rhythm of ANP was set at higher circulating levels, but otherwise it was similar to the circadian rhythm found in normals. ANP mesors correlated significantly with renin and aldosterone mesors in normal subjects but not in hypertensive patients. ANP appears to anticipate awakening in its circadian periodic rise. On the basis of the considerable acrophase asynchronism, it seems possible to exclude any causal relations between the periodic changes of ANP and the rhythmic fluctuations of the other hormones that we studied. In contrast, important relations may be hypothesized between ANP levels and BP and HR values, on the basis of their antiphase rhythms.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed1985