M B Rocchi

Publications (10)10.87 Total impact

• Article: [Critical comparison of some questionnaires for the evaluation of the quality of life in children affected by asthma].

  M B Rocchi, S Bellagamba
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to critically compare 9 different questionnaires for the evaluation of the Quality of Life in children affected by asthma. The questionnaires were analyzed by considering their psychometric characteristics (reliability, validity, responsiveness, least clinically relevant difference), together with other practical and technical aspects (number of items, number and kind of domains, scaling of items, scoring, time to complete). Data were obtained from the scientific literature. Only 1 of the 9 analyzed questionnaires (Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire, PAQLQ) appears fully validated from a psychometrical standpoint. Moreover, it is the only one to have a validate translation into the Italian language. The authors suggest the use of the PAQLQ as tool of choice in the evaluation of the Quality of Life in children affected by asthma.
  Minerva pediatrica 09/2003; 55(4):377-83.
• Article: Is the birthdate a risk factor for congenital hypothyroidism? A statistical answer based on personal experience.

  M B Rocchi, C Perlini, R Ciatti, M Burroni
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  ABSTRACT: To verify statistically the hypothesis that birthdate represents a risk factor for Congenital Hypothyroidism, as proposed by some European Authors. Moreover, to verify the existence of seasonal cyclic trends in TSH levels. For the verification of birthdate as a risk factor, we considered retrospectively a data set of all consecutives newborns of Marche Region (Italy) affected by Congenital Hypothyroidism, in the period 1981-1996 (n = 92). For the evaluation of seasonal cyclic trends in TSH, we considered the level of the hormone in all newborns of Marche Region screened in the period 1989-1996. Data were collected from Neonatal Screening Register of Marche Region. All the statistical analyses are based on circular statistics techniques (Rayleigh test, Roger test, estimation of density by kernel method, Mardia test for circular-linear correlation, Maximization of Mean Vector Length). No cyclic trend was pointed out with regard to Congenital Hypothyroidism; neither seasonal rhythms nor other cyclic patterns of TSH levels were evidenced. Neither the hypothesis of birthdate as a risk factor for Congenital Hypothyroi-dism, nor the existence of seasonal variations in TSH hormone releasing were confirmed.
  Minerva pediatrica 01/2002; 53(6):531-6.
• Article: Fine structural modifications of liver, pancreas and brown adipose tissue mitochondria from hibernating, arousing and euthermic dormice.

  M Malatesta, S Battistelli, M B Rocchi, C Zancanaro, S Fakan, G Gazzanelli
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  ABSTRACT: An ultrastructural and morphometric study was performed on mitochondria of euthermic, hibernating and arousing hazel dormice (Muscardinus avellanarius), in order to investigate possible modifications during the seasonal cycle. Hepatocytes, pancreatic acinar cells and brown adipocytes were considered. Our results demonstrated that: (1) the general morphology of mitochondria of all cell types shows slight modifications during the seasonal cycle; (2) mitochondrial size and inner membrane length significantly increase from euthermia to hibernation and decrease upon arousal in all cell types; (3) mitochondrial matrix granules drastically increase in number during hibernation and decrease upon arousal in hepatocytes and pancreatic acinar cells, whereas they do not change in brown adipocytes. These structural modifications are probably related to the changes in cellular energy needs during the euthermia-hibernation-arousal cycle.
  Cell Biology International 02/2001; 25(2):131-8. · 1.48 Impact Factor
• Article: Intraseasonal pattern in the time distribution of suicides.

  M B Rocchi, C Perlini
  Crisis The Journal of Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention 02/2000; 21(2):95-7. · 1.09 Impact Factor
• Article: Some unexpected results in time distribution analysis of spontaneous deliveries.

  G Ghiandoni, R Seclì, M B Rocchi, G Ugolini, V Cancelli
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  ABSTRACT: To study time distribution of spontaneous deliveries. A retrospective analysis of 1,791 spontaneous deliveries over a 4-year period (1993-1996) was made at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Civil Hospital, Fano, Italy. Circular statistics techniques (maximization of mean vector length) were used. Some unexpected infradian disuniformities (with 60- and 90-hour periods) were observed. Moreover, a correlation between the distribution of spontaneous deliveries and the lunar phases was found. In this study, some unexpected infradian disuniformities were found. However, no biological explanations appear to be reasonable in light of current knowledge, so the interpretation of these results remains an open question.
  Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation 09/1998; 46(2):88-90. · 1.28 Impact Factor
• Article: Prognostic factors in gastric cancer evaluated by using Cox regression model.

  G Ghiandoni, M B Rocchi, P Signoretti, F Belbusti
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  ABSTRACT: To identify the most relevant short-term predictor variables in gastric cancer removal. A retrospective survival analysis executed by using the Cox regression model; the follow-up period is included between 18 and 90 months. A district general hospital surgery unit: "Divisione di Chirurgia Generale, Ospedale Civile di Urbino" (Marche, Italy). One hundred and twenty nine consecutive patients operated for gastric cancer. Surgery (total or subtotal gastrectomy). Survival times. Lymph node involvement (N) (p < 0.0001), cancer intraparietal extension (T) (p < 0.001) and the age of the patients (p < 0.05) have been recognized as significant prognostic factors. Results show that the short-term prognosis largely depends on both the earliness of the diagnosis and the age of the patients.
  Minerva chirurgica 06/1998; 53(6):497-504. · 0.77 Impact Factor
• Article: Does lunar position influence the time of delivery? A statistical analysis.

  G Ghiandoni, R Seclì, M B Rocchi, G Ugolini
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  ABSTRACT: To study the relationship between lunar position and the day of delivery; to investigate the synodic distribution of spontaneous deliveries, especially in relation to the presence of a full moon. Retrospective analysis of 1248 spontaneous full-term deliveries in three-year period (36 lunar months), setted at Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Civil Hospital, Fano (Marche, Italy), using circular statistics techniques. A connection between the distribution of spontaneous full-term deliveries and the lunar month was found. The effect of the phases of the moon seems to be particularly relevant in multiparae and plurigravidae; in these cases, the mean day of delivery corresponds to the first or second day after the full moon. In this paper the effect of lunar phases on the time of delivery is shown. This influence seems to be especially relevant in the case of multiparae and plurigravidae. Nevertheless, it is too weak to allow for prediction regarding the days with the highest frequency of deliveries.
  European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 03/1998; 77(1):47-50. · 1.97 Impact Factor
• Article: Evaluation of factors influencing 5-fluorouracil-induced diarrhea in colorectal cancer patients. An Italian Group for the Study of Digestive Tract Cancer (GISCAD) study.

  S Cascinu, S Barni, R Labianca, E Del Ferro, M B Rocchi, M Ligi, M A Pessi, M Cazzaniga, G Zamparelli, A Ardizzoia, G Ugolini, G Ghiandoni, G Luporini, G Catalano
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  ABSTRACT: Diarrhea is one of the dose-limiting toxicities for administration of fluorouracil (5FU) in patients with colorectal cancer and can result in severe morbidity and mortality. No well-defined prognostic factors influencing 5FU-associated diarrhea have been identified, which means its occurrence is unforeseeable. The aim of this study was to check whether any characteristics related to patients or chemotherapy could allow the identification of subsets of patients at higher risk of developing diarrhea while receiving a regimen containing 5FU. A logistic regression analysis was performed with age, sex, site of primary tumor, presence of primary tumor, presence of colostomy, time since surgery, number of courses of chemotherapy, diarrhea in previous courses, season of treatment, and chemotherapeutic regimens used as model parameters to predict occurrence of diarrhea in 258 colorectal cancer patients receiving a 5FU-containing regimen. Presence of primary tumor (P = 0.004), previous episodes of chemotherapy-related diarrhea (P = 0.00005) and summer season (P = 0.014) were found to be significant risk factors for developing diarrhea. The other variables examined, such as age, sex, chemotherapeutic regimen, site of primary tumor, presence of colostomy, and time since surgery, were not significantly correlated to diarrhea. Chemotherapeutic regimen was the only parameter that allowed prediction of the severity of diarrhea: 5FU/6S-leucovorin/interferon caused more severe diarrhea, followed by 5FU/leucovorin weekly. Although the analysis of these clinical features does not seem to allow the definition of a well-defined subset of colorectal cancer patients at higher risk of 5FU-induced diarrhea, it can be recommended that patients with primary tumor, or who have experienced diarrhea in earlier courses of chemotherapy or are receiving treatment in summer should be carefully monitored, especially in the first cycles.
  Supportive Care Cancer 08/1997; 5(4):314-7. · 2.60 Impact Factor
• Article: [Incidence of lunar position in the distribution of deliveries. A statistical analysis].

  G Ghiandoni, R Seclì, M B Rocchi, G Ugolini
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  ABSTRACT: To point out the influence of the lunar position on the distribution of deliveries. We examined all the full-term spontaneous deliveries that occurred at the Civil Hospital in Fano (March) throughout 24 synodic months in a 2-year period (1993-1994). In order to perform the statistical analysis, each delivery was considered as a single measure. We used techniques of circular statistics to execute data analysis. A significant relationship between lunar position and distribution of deliveries was pointed out in multigravidae (in detail, the deliveries resulted clustered around the full moon phase). On the contrary, no significant relation was observed in primigravidae. The observed results evidence a significant influence of the position of the moon on the distribution of deliveries, especially in multigravidae.
  Minerva ginecologica 04/1997; 49(3):91-4.
• Article: Inhibition of NK binding to K562 cells induced by MAb saturation of adhesion molecules on target membrane.

  S Papa, A Gregorini, E Pascucci, M Bartolucci, M B Rocchi, M Valentini
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  ABSTRACT: Cell to cell interaction play a major role in the induction of a immune response. NK cells represent a special lymphoid subset which displays its cytotoxic function without the engagement of MHC system. In order to investigate the role of different adhesion molecules in the mechanism of binding of the NK cell to the classic tumor target K562 cell, we have employed different unclustered mAbs of the Adhesion session (5th "CD" Workshop, Boston 1993) mostly of the CAM (cell adhesion molecule) subpanel. After their reactivity characterization both on lymphocytes and K562 cells, those that demonstrate reactivity against the tumor target were tested in the binding assay. The target was pretreated with the monoclonal in order to block a possible reacting molecule for the effector. Then, after the incubation of lymphocytes with PE-labelled anti CD16 mAb, their ability to bind to the target was tested in flow. While the majority of the mAbs did not induce any significant change in the binding capacity of the NK subset, few of them did, and precisely anti-CD58 (LFA-3) and anti-CD54 (ICAM-1) which showed different level of inhibition, particularly drastic with S002, S083 and S100. Other mAbs, such as the S011 (anti-CD59), due to the presence of the PI-linked glycoprotein recognized on both target and effector membranes, and to its capacity to stimulate NK activity, produced a total binding of the NK population. The coincubation of targets with anti-CD54 and anti-CD58 allowed to reduce at the lowest level this function. This data seem to support the hypothesis of specific surface molecules involved in the binding process of the NK cell, after recognition of the target.
  European journal of histochemistry: EJH 02/1994; 38 Suppl 1:83-90. · 1.69 Impact Factor