Ultrasound in the assessment of musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: state of the art and perspectives.

Musculoskeletal manifestations are extremely common in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Transient and migratory arthralgia is frequently reported even without clinical signs of joint or tendon inflammation. In less than 15% of patients, joints may be more severely affected by deforming (Jaccoud's arthropathy) and/or erosive arthropathy (Rhupus syndrome). In recent years, ultrasound has emerged as a promising imaging technique for the assessment of musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus, having demonstrated the ability to detect inflammation and structural damage both at articular and periarticular level. Recent ultrasound studies have also revealed new insights into musculoskeletal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, some of them questioning the traditional concepts of systemic lupus erythematosus arthropathy, with potential clinical, prognostic and therapeutic implications. In daily clinical practice, the use of ultrasound in the assessment of joint and tendon involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is still limited. Several methodological issues encountered in ultrasound studies evaluating musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus patients need to be addressed in order to improve both the reliability and clinical usefulness of ultrasound findings. This paper reviews ultrasound studies assessing musculoskeletal involvement in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, highlighting certainty, limits, potential applications and future perspectives of ultrasound use in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Sinus floor elevation with a crestal approach using a press-fit bone block: a case series.

This prospective study aimed to provide detailed clinical information on a sinus augmentation procedure, i.e., transcrestal sinus floor elevation with a bone block using the press-fit technique. A bone block is harvested with a trephine burr to obtain a cylinder. This block is inserted into the antrum via a crestal approach after creation of a circular crestal window. Thirty-three patients were treated with a fixed prosthesis supported by implants placed on 70 cylindrical bone blocks. The mean bone augmentation was 6.08±2.87 mm, ranging from 0 to 12.7 mm. Only one graft failed before implant placement. During surgery and the subsequent observation period, no complications were recorded, one implant was lost, and no infection or inflammation was observed. This proof-of-concept study suggests that the use of a bone block inserted into the sinus cavity via a crestal approach can be an alternative to the sinus lift procedure with the creation of a lateral window. It reduces the duration of surgery, cost of treatment, and overall discomfort.

Antimutagenic and antigenotoxic effects of vegetable matrices on the activity of pesticides.

Two in vitro tests, one to detect bacterial mutagenicity (Ames test) on Salmonella typhimurium TA98, TA100, and TA1535 and the other the primary DNA damage (SOS Chromotest) on Escherichia coli PQ37, were applied to determine the overall genotoxic activity of 12 pesticides (azinphos methyl, chlorothalonil, chlorphyriphos ethyl, chlorphyriphos methyl, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, cyprodinil, fenazaquin, fludioxonil, indoxacarb, iprodione and penconazol). These were detected by gas chromatography (GC) analysis with electron capture (ECD) and nitrogen phosphorus detection (NPD) in 18 samples of vegetables. Some extracts of vegetables, found positive for pesticides with GC, were subjected to the Ames test and SOS Chromotest to evaluate the possible antimutagenic and/or antigenotoxic effects of vegetable matrices. The same bioassays were also performed on the mixtures of pesticides found in these samples to evaluate whether interactions could occur between pesticides and be responsible for the possible antimutagenic and/or antigenotoxic effects of the contaminated matrices. Experiments were also carried out to compare the results found for contaminated vegetables with their content of antioxidant components. Significant differences in mutagenicity and genotoxicity were found among the pesticides selected for this study. Of the 12 pesticides tested, only azinphos methyl, cyprodinil, fludioxonil and iprodione were found to be positive for both S. typhimurium and E. coli. No mutagenic/genotoxic activity was found in the extracts of vegetables contaminated by pesticides. S. typhimurium TA1535 showed a strong positive mutagenic effect for the mixtures of pesticides while they were not able to induce the SOS system. The data concerning the content of polyphenols and the total reducing activity of the contaminated vegetables indicated high amounts of antioxidants that could explain the inhibitory effect on the activity of pesticides shown by vegetables.

Occurrence of salmonella and Listeria spp. on retail poultry products in south Italy and comparison of conventional and rapid methods for their detection.

Salmonella and Listeria spp. are frequently detected in poultry meats. Conventional isolation and identification methods to detect these microrganisms in food are laborious and time-consuming. In the present study the occurrence of Salmonellae and Listeriae on 362 samples of retail poultry in Caserta, South Italy was evaluated and standard microbiological and rapid methods were compared. Furthermore, the samples were collected and analyzed twice a week, on Monday and Friday to establish their possible variability from storage. Both methods showed a strong contamination of samples by Listeria spp. (about 50% for both methods) with 12% Listeria monocytogenes while the contamination of Salmonella was poorer (14-15%). The two procedures showed a good agreement for the detection of Listeriae while the sensitivity of the Rapid test for Salmonellae was poorer (75%). Data about sampling on Monday and Friday highlighted a significant increase in Listeria spp. at the end of the week.

Chemical and toxic evaluation of a biological treatment for olive-oil mill wastewater using commercial microbial formulations.

Olive-oil-mill wastewater (OMW) has significant polluting properties due to its high levels of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), and phenols. In the present study, different commercial bacterial formulations were used in the biological treatment of OMW. COD and toxicity testing using primary consumers of the aquatic food chain (the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus and the crustacean Daphnia magna) were employed to evaluate abatement of the organic load and reduction of the toxic potential. In addition, the four most active formulations were tested mixed pair-wise on the basis of their unique characteristics in order to evaluate the improvement of treatment. The effect of treatment was assessed by measuring COD removal, reduction of total phenols, and decreased toxicity. The results obtained with the mixed formulations showed that the maximum removal of the organic load was about 85%, whereas phenols were reduced by about 67%. The toxicity for rotifers decreased by 43% and for crustaceans by about 83%.

[Environmental quality of Volturno river with toxic and genotoxic findings]. / Stato di qualità ambientale del fiume Volturno integrato da indagini di tossicità e genotossicità.

In order to assess the environmental quality of Volturno river in Southern Italy, the Extended Biotic Index, chemical and microbiological parameters were determined in nine sampling points as provided for D. Lgs. 152/99. Furthermore, this study reported toxicity of surface waters and pore waters from sediments and genotoxicity of pore waters to improve the definition of the ecological condition of the investigated watercourse. Results showed that toxicity and genotoxicity testing contributed to assess environmental quality and pore waters are an useful tool to combine investigations.

[Quality evaluation multiapproach of sediments in water bodies in Southern Italy]. / Approccio integrato per la valutazione della qualità dei sedimenti dei corpi idrici in provincia di Napoli.

This study reports the toxicity of sediments from rivers and canals collected at two six-month intervals from 19 sampling points of the province of Naples in Southern Italy. The toxicity of the pore-water from sediments was determined with a battery composed of different freshwater microbiotests. The toxicity varied substantially from station to station, but none of the Toxkit tests was either the most or the least sensitive for all stations. Chemical analyses were accomplished on some heavy metals. Furthermore, the in situ biological communities of macroinvertebrates were assessed. Most of tested sediments were found to be very toxic for several if not all the microbiotests as well as the biological communities (EBI). Comparison between toxicological data and heavy metals revealed a positive correlation for zinc and copper. This study confirms that only an integrated approach is suitable for the evaluation of contaminated sediments and that single parameters are not always able to define a situation of environmental deterioration.

Antialgal furano-diterpenes from Potamogeton natans L.

Six furano-ent-labdanes, 19-acetoxy-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-ent-labdatrien-20-al, 15,16-epoxy-12-oxo-8(17),13(16),14-ent-labdatrien-20,19-olide, 12(S)-hydroxy-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-ent-labdatrien-20,19-olide, 10alpha,19-dihydroxy-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-nor-ent-labdatriene, 19,20-dihydroxy-15,16-epoxy-8(17),13(16),14-ent-labdatriene, 15,16-epoxy-12-oxo-8(17),13(16),14-ent-labdatrien-19,20-olide, were isolated, together with the known potamogetonin, from the aquatic plant Potamogeton natans. Their structures were determined on the basis of their chemical and spectral data. The compounds showed in vitro phytotoxicity against Raphidocelis subcapitata, a microalga used in aquatic tests.

Toxicity evaluation of natural and synthetic phenanthrenes in aquatic systems.

Seven natural 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes were isolated from the common reed Juncus effusus by means of chromatographic processes and identified by spectroscopic means. Furthermore, mimics of natural isolated compounds were synthesized to try to evaluate the influence of functional groups on the dihydrophenanthrene skeleton. Syntheses of compounds were based on the cross-coupling of 1-(2-iodo-5-methoxy)phenyl-ethanol with variously substituted iodobenzenes by zerovalent nickel. All the chemicals were tested to evaluate their effects on freshwater organisms from different trophic levels. Toxicity tests were performed on reducers (the bacterium Escherichia coli); producers (the alga Raphidocelis subcapitata, previously known as Selenastrum capricornutum); and consumers including a rotifer (Brachionus calyciflorus), a cladoceran (Daphnia pulex), and an anostracan (Thamnocephalus platyurus). Results suggested no one organism was uniquely sensitive to the chemicals tested. Toxicity depended on the kind and position of substituents on the aromatic skeleton.

Lactone diterpenes from the aquatic plant Potamogeton natans.

Four lactone diterpenes and two related glucosides with a labdane skeleton have been isolated from the aquatic plant Potamogeton natans. The structures of three new compounds were determined as 19-acetoxy-20-oxo-8(17),13-ent-labdadien-15-->16 lactone, 8(17), 13-ent-labdadien-15-->16,19-->20 dilactone and 6'-acetyl-19-glucopyranosyloxy-8(17),13-ent-labdadien-15-->16 lactone, respectively, by means of spectral analysis. Antialgal assays showed inhibitory activity for some compounds.

Antialgal ent-labdane diterpenes from Ruppia maritima.

Seven ent-labdane diterpenes have been isolated from Ruppia maritima. The structures 15,16-epoxy-ent-labda-8(17),13(16),14-trien-19-al; 15,16-epoxy-ent-labda-8(17),13(16),14-trien-19-ol acetate; methyl 15,16-epoxy-12-oxo-ent-labda-8(17),13(16),14-trien-19-oate; 15,16-epoxy-ent-labd-8(17),13E-dien-15-ol and 13-oxo-15,16-bis-nor-ent-labd-8(17)-ene have been assigned to the five new compounds by spectroscopic means and chemical correlations. The phytotoxicity of the diterpenes has been assessed using the alga Selenastrum capricornutum as organism test.

[Physiological and psychopathological aspects of eating behavior]. / Aspetti fisiologici e psicopatologici della condotta alimentare.

Eating behaviour variations are often observed in medical practice. Sometimes they are physiological manifestations, rarely they are paraphysiological, many times they amount to pathological behaviour. Their heterogeneity could account for treatment problems met by the family doctor. Our study was aimed to increase the family doctor's attention to the eating behaviour of their patients. Greater awareness in family doctors of problems in their patients' eating behaviour may be apt to lead to an improvement in dietary habits and consequently to greater psychologic and physical wellbeing of the patients.

Acoustic and electrically elicited startle reaction: similar patterns of habituation and reflex modifications in humans.

The present study was performed in order to verify two relevant phenomena related to Startle Reaction in normal subjects: 1) the response habituation, that consists of an exponential decrement of the R2 component of Blink Reflex after repeated identical stimuli, and 2) the modification of R1 magnitude, R2 magnitude and latency when the startle eliciting stimulus is preceded by a warning stimulus. Our data confirm: 1) that habituation is independent of paradigm and type of stimulation (acoustic vs electrocutaneous), and 2) an electrical prestimulus has a facilitatory effect on the R2 latency of the electrically elicited Blink Reflex onset with an inhibition of R2 magnitude. The present study support the view of a systemic supramodal central mechanism of information processing and sensorial gating with super-imposable effects on the different sensorial pathways.