Cardiac Surgery in Patients With Liver Cirrhosis (CASTER) Study: Early and Long-Term Outcomes

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Selection of protein conformations for structure-based polypharmacology studies

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Dual photoacoustic/ultrasound multi-parametric imaging from passion fruit-like nano-architectures

Ultrasound (US) imaging is a well-established diagnostic technique to image soft tissues in real time, while photoacoustic (PA) is an emerging imaging technique employed to collect molecular information. Integration of PA and US imaging provides complementary information enhancing diagnostic accuracy without employing ionizing radiations. The development of contrast agents able to combine PA and US features is pivotal to improve the significance of PAUS imaging and for PAUS-guided treatment of neoplasms. Here, we demonstrate in relevant ex-vivo models that disassembling passion fruit-like nano-architectures (pfNAs) can be employed in PAUS imaging. pfNAs are composed by silica nanocapsules comprising aggregates of commercial NIR-dyes-modified polymers and ultrasmall gold nanoparticles. The intrinsic US and PA features of pfNAs have been fully characterized and validated in tissue-mimicking materials and in ex vivo preparations. Moreover, the application of a multi-parametric approach has allowed the increase of information extrapolated from collected images for a fine texture analysis.     

Molecular epidemiology of Blastocystis sp. in dogs housed in Italian rescue shelters

Blastocystis is a ubiquitous protozoan with a wide range of hosts. In humans, its presence has been associated with gastrointestinal disorders, although its role as a pathogen still needs to be elucidated. Until now, 17 Blastocystis subtypes (STs) have been identified, with ST1–ST4 the most commonly found in humans. Among domestic animals, the same STs reported in humans have been detected in dogs. An epidemiological survey on dog kennels was carried out to evaluate the prevalence of Blastocystis and the STs involved. Overall, 99 faecal samples were collected from the rescue shelters. Blastocystis detection was performed through conventional barcoding PCR targeting the 1800-bp SSU-rDNA, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Blastocystis DNA was found in 21 faecal samples (21.2%), and all samples were successfully sequenced and identified as ST3 in a unique monophyletic group. The presence of Blastocystis was reported for the first time in dogs from Italy, with the identification of ST3, the subtype most commonly found in humans.

     

Kinetic Modeling of Cr(VI) Reduction by nZVI in Soil: The Influence of Organic Matter and Manganese Oxide

The effect of soil composition on the reduction of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) by zero valent iron nanoparticles was studied. A model was proposed, to investigate both the effect of manganese oxide and the simultaneous effect of manganese dioxide and soil organic matter on the kinetic of Cr(VI) reduction. Fe(0) nanoparticles consumption by the reaction with dissolved oxygen, water and soluble Cr(VI) was taken into account. The model was validated through experimental tests performed on soil samples collected at an industrial polluted site, and on artificially contaminated samples from the same site, in the presence of selected amount of leonardite.     

Oral and maxillofacial manifestations of Gardner's syndrome associated with growth hormone deficiency: case report and literature review

Gardner's syndrome (GS) is a hereditary disorder inherited as autosomal dominant with complete penetrance and variable expression. GS is a variant of familial adenomatous polyposis characterized by extracolonic manifestations including osteomas, dental anomalies, and epidermoid cysts. The association between GS and endocrine abnormalities has been well documented but a direct pituitary involvement has never been reported. We present a case of oral and maxillofacial manifestations in an adult patient affected by GS associated with growth hormone deficiency, a hitherto unreported association. The possible pathogenic mechanisms are discussed.     

TGF alpha has low protein expression in nonsyndromic clefts

Genetic studies have demonstrated that nonsyndromic cleft is composed of two separate entities: the cleft palate only and cleft of the lip, alveolus with or without cleft palate; both have a heterogeneous genetic background and environmental factors contribute to the onset of these malformations. The role of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-A) was considered possible, but conflicting results have been reported. To detect if TGF-A is involved in the onset of cleft diseases, a series of patients with nonsyndromic clefts and control subjects were analyzed with regard to protein expression. Forty-three patients with nonsyndromic clefts and 21 unaffected subjects were enrolled in this study. Paraffin-embedded specimens were matched with TGF-A antibody and then scanned with a computerized image analyzer. TGF-A was scored as absent, moderately (from 10% to 30%), and highly expressed in epithelium, gland, and muscle. Data were statistically analyzed with a Kruskal-Wallis test. Comparison between control subjects and patients with clefts showed that only gland and epithelium reached a significant P value. A subsequent comparison between cleft of the lip, alveolus with or without cleft palate and cleft palate only groups demonstrated a statistically significant difference only for gland. TGF-A was decreasingly expressed in unaffected, cleft of the lip, alveolus with or without cleft palate, and patient with cleft palate only and thus further strength has been given to its role in the onset of the disease.     

Reimpianto dentale in soggetto affetto da paralisi cerebrale infantile: problemi di valutazione medico-legale del danno

Objectives

Analysis of the parameters used for the medicolegal assessment of damages in a case of tooth avulsion and replantation in a child with cerebral palsy.

Materials and methods

The authors report a case of traumatic tooth avulsion in a child with cerebral palsy. During recess at school, the girl fell out of her wheelchair, which was being pushed by her schoolmates, and suffered maxillofacial trauma associated with superior incisor avulsion. The tooth was replanted within 60 minutes, but it fell out 6 years later. Because the traumatic event leading to the avulsion had occurred at school, the parents filed a claim for damages with the school's insurance company.

Discussion

The authors review the procedure for arriving at a fair assessment of the damage, based on the child's condition before the trauma and data in the literature on life expectancy in subjects with cerebral palsy and factors affecting the duration of the tooth replants.     

Fracture and displacement of lingual cortical plate of mandibular symphysis following bone harvesting: case report

This article describes a unique complication after chin bone harvesting. The complication consisted of fracture and posterior displacement of the lingual cortical plate that did not occur at the time of the operation but during the healing phase. The bone was harvested for a bilateral sinus lift procedure. Diagnosis was made by chance with the aid of a postoperative CT scan that was taken to study the sinus area. The mandibular scans revealed a bony fragment 2 to 4 mm in width and 3 cm in length fractured and displaced 1 cm posteriorly. This bony fragment was pedicled to the geniohyoid and genioglossus muscles. The patient was asymptomatic, and no treatment was carried out. The patient is still symptom-free 16 months after the initial diagnosis of the fracture.     

No evidence for a role of CRISPLD2 in non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in an Italian population

Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (NSCLP) is a malformation with variable phenotypes, resulting from a mixture of genetic and environmental factors. Some studies have supported a role for the 16q24 region and its candidate gene, CRISPLD2, in clefting. A replication study is necessary to confirm these findings. The aim of the present study was to test, by genetic linkage and association analyses, whether the candidate gene, CRISPLD2, represents a risk factor for NSCLP. The analysis of 39 multigenerational families provided formal exclusion of a linkage between NSCLP and the CRISPLD2 locus under different genetic models and non-parametric analyses. The family-based study of 239 unrelated probands and their parents revealed no association between any particular allele or haplotype and NSCLP. Therefore, the present investigation did not support the hypothesis of the involvement of CRISPLD2 in NSCLP malformation, at least with regard to the Italian population.