Identification and management of prediabetes: results of the Latin America Strategic Prediabetes Meeting.

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Prevalence of obesity in 6- and 9-year-old children living in Central-North Italy. Analysis of determinants and indicators of risk of overweight.

The objective of our article is to survey the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6- and 9-year-old children in Emilia-Romagna, a region of Central-North Italy, and to study the eating habits and behaviours of these children and their families. During 2003 and 2005, we analysed a stratified sample of the general population of children attending pre-school (2681 children aged 6 years) and primary school (2955 children aged 9 years). Their height and weight were measured by healthcare workers.

Alkaptonuria, ochronosis, and ochronotic arthropathy.

Objectives: To describe the clinical presentation and course of a relatively large group of Italian adult patients screened for mutation of the homogentisate dioxygenase gene causing alkaptonuria (AKU) and ochronosis, and to review typical and atypical facets of this condition.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 9 patients affected by ochronotic arthropathy who were observed in our institutions between 1979 and 2001. All patients were diagnosed as having AKU through a rapid urine test with alkali.

Glucose oxidase catalyses the reduction of O2 to H2O2 in the presence of irradiated TiO2 and isopropyl alcohol.

Catalytic amounts of glucose oxidase from Aspergillus niger (GO) are active in the reduction of O2 to H2O2 in the presence of irradiated suspensions of TiO2 and isopropyl alcohol as electron donor. An explanation of this behaviour is given on the basis of the ability of the enzyme to capture electrons from the photoexcited TiO2 instead of its natural substrate, glucose. This process has a marked positive effect on both the oxidation of isopropyl alcohol to acetone and the formation of radical intermediates, which have been detected, for the first time, by EPR-spin trapping investigation.

Photoinitiated catalysis in Nafion membranes containing palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin and iron(III) meso-tetrakis-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin for O2-mediated oxidations of alkenes.

Immobilisation of both palladium(II) meso-tetrakis(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin (PdTMPyP4+) and iron(III) meso-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl)porphyrin (FeTDCPP+) in the same membrane of Nafion creates a new composite system, in which the photoexcited palladium complex induces the O2-mediated oxidation of cyclohexene to the corresponding allylic hydroperoxide and the iron porphyrin works as a catalyst for specific oxygenations of cyclohexene and cyclooctene. The role of PdTMPyP4+ is to induce the photoactivation of O2 with visible light (lambda > 500 nm) to generate singlet oxygen (1O2) by means of energy transfer from the excited triplet state. Consequently, the 1O2-mediated oxidation of cyclohexene to cyclohexenyl hydroperoxide can be realised with a selectivity greater than 90%.

Photochemically driven models of oxygenases based on the use of iron porphyrins.

Photoexcited iron porphyrins can be used to mimic the catalytic activity of cytochrome P-450 oxygenases both in the reduction of halogenated alkanes and in the oxidation of hydrocarbons by O2 itself at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The results reported indicate that there is a similarity and a complementarity of photonic activation with other more conventional methods of activation of model systems of oxygenases. In fact, by irradiating at suitable wavelengths, it is possible to induce redox reactions which mimic those of natural oxygenases, avoiding the difficulties caused by parallel processes which could be expected when chemical reagents are used.

Effective treatment of osteoarthritis with a 150 mg prolonged-release of diclofenac sodium.

A new oral dosage form of diclofenac sodium, enabling the single administration of the daily dose of 150 mg, has been tested for treatment of 20 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the spine. A control group of 20 patients with the same diagnosis instead received 3 enteric-coated tablets/day, each containing 50 mg of the drug. Treatments lasted in both groups one month.

Inspiratory muscle strength and respiratory drive in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

In 15 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 12 age- and sex-matched normal subjects, we evaluated inspiratory muscle strength and respiratory control system. Inspiratory muscle strength was assessed by measuring maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP). Respiratory drive was assessed by evaluating surface electromyographic activity of the diaphragm (EMGd) during both room-air breathing and hypercapnic rebreathing.

Chick heart peptidergic innervation: localization and development.

Localization and development of chick heart peptidergic innervation (Substance P, VIP and Somatostatin) were investigated by means of immunofluorescence technique. The peptidergic component of the heart innervation was observed, for the first time, in older than 11 day chick embryos, i.e.

Aortic connective tissue in atherosclerotic aorta--a biochemical study.

Biochemical analysis of the extracellular matrix of human aortas was performed on samples of ascending and descending aortas affected by atherosclerosis in comparison with a control group of nonatherosclerotic aortas. Ulcerated or heavily calcified atheromas were excised and excluded from the analysis in order to differentiate biochemical alterations leading to the formation of atheromas from those due to complications of already formed atheromas. Our results show that the development of atheromas brings about an extensive destruction of elastic fibers and muscular cells, and their place is occupied by other components of the extracellular matrix, most notably, collagen, non-uronic sugars, water, and lipids, which were found significantly increased.

Aortic connective tissue in ageing--a biochemical study.

The biochemical analysis of samples of aortic connective tissue was carried out in 22 subjects from 9 to 84 years old. Aortic samples were taken at necropsy performed after sudden or, more often, traumatic death. The results suggest that aging of the aorta is accompanied by an increase both in collagen content and in total sugar content when expressed as mg/cm2 while the elastin content, when expressed in the same way, does not undergo any variation.

Biochemical analysis of dermal connective tissue in subjects affected by primary uncomplicated varicose veins.

Biochemical analysis of dermal connective tissue was carried out in 14 subjects affected by primary uncomplicated varicose veins and 14 controls. Skin samples were taken, according to fixed criteria, from operation pieces of total mastectomy for breast cancer. The results suggest that the dermal tissue in these subjects is just thinner than that of controls, confirming previous similar clinical findings.

Connective tissue in aging lung.

Collagen, elastin and structural glycoproteins were measured in 21 intact lungs taken at postmortem examination after sudden death from subjects aged from 15 to 83. The data were expressed as milligrams per cubic centimeter of lung peripheral parenchyma inflated and fixed at the standard pressure of 25 cm H2O to exclude the pitfall of referring to dried tissue weight. The volume/weight ratio of inflated dried lung parenchyma increased significantly with aging; likewise the collagen content decreased and so did the collagen/elastin ratio, while the elastin content did not show any significant correlation with age.

[Incidence of the manifestations of the so-called status varicosus of Curtius in subjects with idiopathic varices of the lower extremities].

Two groups of subjects have been studied: the first one affected by varicose veins in lower legs, the second one as control (both groups include 138 subjects, mostly corresponding about age, sex and general health conditions). Acrocyanosis, blue sclerae, juvenile spontaneous epistaxis, hand's primary osteoarthrosis, articular hypermobility, thin skin and hernia were present more frequently in the group affected by varicose veins, the difference being statistically very significant. We suggest that mechanical revealing factors lead to the development of varicose veins in subjects who have a constitutional and probably hereditary systemic weakness of connective tissue network.

Connective tissue in varicose veins.

The collagen, elastin, total sugar, and nonscleroprotein content was evaluated in 32 samples of saphenous varicose vein and in 34 controls. A significantly lower collagen and elastin content was found in the varicose samples without correlation with the degree of pathologic broadening. Otherwise the total sugars and the soluble nonscleroproteins were found to be increased in varicose samples.

Collagen, elastin and sugar content in primary varicose veins.

The collagen, elastin and total sugar content was evaluated in 32 samples of saphenous varicose veins and in 34 controls. A significantly lower collagen and elastin content was found in the varicose samples. In addition, the total sugars and the soluble non-scleroproteins were found to be increased in varicose samples.

Amino-oxidase and dermal connective tissue in scoliosis.

The amino-oxidase and collagen content of dermal tissue was evaluated in 10 patients with severe idiopathic scoliosis and in a control group of 7 patients with poliomyelitic scoliosis, that were to undergo surgical correction of their skeletal deformity. A greater dermal content of neutral salt souble collagen was found in the patients with idiopathic scoliosis, compared with the control group. Statistically the difference was highly significant.