The realization of a project aimed at reducing the plasmatic lipid level in a large Italian population improves the mean calcium daily intake: the Brisighella Study.

OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of the impact of a coronary heart disease prevention program on calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin D dietary intake in respect of recommended daily allowances in a large Italian rural population. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of the Brisighella Study dietary data. The Brisighella Study started in 1972 as a longitudinal study on atherosclerosis risk factors. SETTING: Brisighella, a rural North Italian village. SUBJECTS: The Brisighella population's dietary habits were monitored from 1980 every 4 h through a dietary record sheet. 1,350 constantly tested subjects were subdivided according to NHI Consensus Conference on Calcium RDA. INTERVENTION: In 1986, the studied subjects were invited to reduce their consumption of animal fats and cholesterol through a Nutrition Educational Program (NEP). RESULTS: Before NEP, calcium intake was low in each sex and age category: 20-40% of the populatioin had a daily intake < 550 mg. In 1988, among the 1350 subjects who constantly completed the questionnaire (M = 651, F = 699), the mean calcium intake significantly rose in all age categories: M = 1,003 (25-65 y) and 877 ( > 65) mg/24h (P < 0.001 vs 1984); F = 923 (25-50), 860 (51-65) and 767 (> 65)mg/24h (P < 0.05). In 1992, 3y after the NEP conclusion, calcium intake dropped in each sex and age category. The NEP influenced vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium intakes less. CONCLUSIONS: A collective NEP aimed at lowering saturated fats and cholesterol intakes, improves the calcium intake; in order to maintain their efficacy on nutritional habit changes, these programs must become an ongoing item.

[A query system for the "SINTESI" database in scientific research and medical practice]. / II ruolo del modulo di interrogazione della banca dati "SINTESI" tra ricerca scientifica e pratica medica.

"SINTESI release 1.0" is an application for Windows that was designed to enable a practical approach to day-hospital evaluation and management of several metabolic and instrumental parameters. "SINTESI" provides electronic archives such as demographics, history, follow-up, laboratory, electrocardiogram, Doppler echocardiography, vascular echo-Doppler, Holter ECG, nuclear imaging, radiology, ergometric testing, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, hemodynamics. We have improved the first release (1.0) with a new application that queries the database ("SINTESI release 2.0"). The new query application, developed in collaboration with experts of the Italian Group for the Study of Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Diseases, was designed with the central file displaying buttons that recall electronic archives, allowing to select the variables for the query. At the end of each operation, the user always returns to the central file, where it builds the query formula by "AND/OR" logic operators. Query formula and results can be recorded to be used whenever needed. The results of the query can be exported as DBF or ASCII files for analysis with statistical packages. This feature allows the use of the data bank for medical research.

[The SINTESI Project: software in cardiovascular prevention]. / "Progetto SINTESI": un software nella prevenzione cardiovascolare.

Coronary heart disease is the most important cause of mortality in adults. New approaches may reduce the cardiovascular risk in population. "SINTESI" is an original data base designed in collaboration with the Italian Group for the Study of Metabolism Disease and Atherosclerosis to improve the evaluation of the major risk factors in the population and to create a data bank for medical research. It runs in Windows. The software includes the following electronics archives: Demographics; History; Follow-up; ECG; Laboratory; Doppler-echocardiography; Stress test-ECT; Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; Holter-ECG; Nuclear imaging; Vascular echo-Doppler; Hemodynamics; Radiology. We named the most important file "Main Working Area" (MWA). This displays all the most important information on the clinical status of the patients and represents the "console" for using the software. In fact, in MWA "buttons" are displayed to enter all the electronic archives. The software displays graphics and the flow-chart of clinical history. We implemented "routines" for automatic evaluation of several variables. We also simplify the statistical use of the data implementing functions for "query" that permit the management of data bank. The use of this software may facilitate the correct evaluation and stratification of the cardiovascular risk. In conclusion, "Progetto SINTESI" is an easy, synthetic organization of patient's clinical data and a complete data bank. It is our opinion that the use of this software may promote a standard way of collecting a large number of data to improve the stratification of cardiovascular risk.

Brief footshock analgesia: long-lasting enhancement induced by cathinone, an amphetamine-like agent.

In view of the analgesic effects produced by cathinone (CATH), an amphetamine-like agent, and of the interaction of amphetamines with stressful environmental stimuli, the present study evaluated in rats the influence of CATH on the nonopioid analgesia induced by a brief electric footshock (FSA; 3 min of continuous 2.5 mA current). The influence of this combination on body temperature was also evaluated. CATH (5 mg/kg, i.p.) alone induced a brief and slight increase in latency during the hot plate test (HPT), but enhanced and prolonged the analgesic effect induced by FS. In addition, the presentation of the environment (shock box with unelectrified grid) where other rats received FS, caused CATH to induce a slow-rising analgesic effect for 180 min. A hyperthermic response paralleling the analgesic effect was observed in shocked and nonshocked rats receiving CATH. After 24 h, rats that had received both CATH and FS on the previous day showed prolonged latencies on the HPT before and after a 1-min presentation of unelectrified grid. These animals also showed an increased analgesic response to the subsequent application of a 15-second FS. At the same time no differences in body temperature were observed between treatment groups. These results suggest that CATH can interact with environmental stimuli to induce an analgesic effect, the time-course of which depends upon the intensity of the stimulus applied.