[Risks for construction workers: analysis of the upper limb posture]. / Rischi nel comparto edile: analisi della postura degli arti superiori.

Our work focuses on the analysis of risks associated with onset of cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) among construction workers, and the goal is to evaluate the different degree of involvement of articular segments of the upper limbs. A number of workers with different qualification were analyzed using the OCRA Index and check-list protocols, applied to highly or moderate repetitive activities. In order to evaluate the involvement of the various upper limbs segments, we have extracted the information contained in the "posture section" of the protocols, before they are grouped together in the final posture risk value, and analyzed them considering the observed working activities. We obtained an "involvement index" related to any of the upper limb segments, highlighting the information about local involvement during the various phases of work. This "involvement index" may help in analyzing and evaluating the ergonomic risk referring to each articular segment during activity, and can be useful in the analysis and prevention of work related CTDs.

La importancia de la RNM dinámica en el estudio y detección de fístulas LCR post TEC grave / The importance of RNM dinamic at the detection and study of LCR fistula post TEC severe

El TEC representa un grave problema en la salud pública constituyendo la primer causa de muerte en menores de 45 años, surgiendo en la población que sobrevive complicaciones relacionadas con desgarros durales y/o fístulas de LCR (4-8 por ciento). Presentamos tres pacientes con TEC grave cuya complicación fue la infección alejada (miningitis a Diplococo Pneumoniae), sospechándose una comunicacción anormal entre cavidades sinusales con endocráneo en quienes evaluamos los estudios de diagnóstico por imágenes para la detección de fístulas de LCR post TEC grave, diagnosticándola en todos mediante RNM Cisternográfica dinámiva. Los hallazgos mencionados fueron correlacionados con los hallazgos quirúrgicos, por lo que el método presentó una sensibilidad y especificidad del 100 por ciento para el diagnóstico de fístulas de LCR. Creemos que este método, aunado con la TAC de alta resolución y la asistencia del laboratorio en cuanto a la busqueda de B2 transferrina, disminuyen al minimo las extensas "exploraciones" a ciegas, que frecuentemente resultan infractuosas y desalentadora para el neurocirujano.

La importancia de la RNM dinámica en el estudio y detección de fístulas LCR post TEC grave / The importance of RNM dinamic at the detection and study of LCR fistula post TEC severe

El TEC representa un grave problema en la salud pública constituyendo la primer causa de muerte en menores de 45 años, surgiendo en la población que sobrevive complicaciones relacionadas con desgarros durales y/o fístulas de LCR (4-8 por ciento). Presentamos tres pacientes con TEC grave cuya complicación fue la infección alejada (miningitis a Diplococo Pneumoniae), sospechándose una comunicacción anormal entre cavidades sinusales con endocráneo en quienes evaluamos los estudios de diagnóstico por imágenes para la detección de fístulas de LCR post TEC grave, diagnosticándola en todos mediante RNM Cisternográfica dinámiva. Los hallazgos mencionados fueron correlacionados con los hallazgos quirúrgicos, por lo que el método presentó una sensibilidad y especificidad del 100 por ciento para el diagnóstico de fístulas de LCR. Creemos que este método, aunado con la TAC de alta resolución y la asistencia del laboratorio en cuanto a la busqueda de B2 transferrina, disminuyen al minimo las extensas "exploraciones" a ciegas, que frecuentemente resultan infractuosas y desalentadora para el neurocirujano. (AU)

Angiotensin II increases calponin expression in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) action on vascular smooth muscle cells is not limited to contraction, but includes long term effects such as hypertrophy and hyperplasia. This implies a complex pattern of gene modulation, which remains largely unknown. We used the mRNA differential display method to screen rat aortic smooth muscle cells cultured with or without Ang II. We demonstrated that Ang II induces the expression of calponin, a 34-kD protein, which has been shown to regulate smooth muscle cell contraction and to be a marker of smooth muscle cell differentiation. We demonstrated this induction both at gene and protein level in vascular smooth muscle cells. Calponin mRNA was dose-dependently induced by Ang II, with an effect still evident at 5 x 10(-9)M, and it did not require active protein synthesis, since cycloheximide treatment did not suppress this induction. Calponin gene expression was maximal at 3 h, while protein expression was maximal at 8 h. Calponin expression was completely abolished by the AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan, at 1 x 10(-6)M. Our data demonstrate that Ang II increases calponin gene expression and protein level in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro.

Ticks infesting domestic animals in Italy: current acarological studies carried out in Sardinia and Basilicata regions.

The note reviews published and unpublished data on acaralogical studies carried out by different parasitologists' groups in Sardinia and Basilicata regions. In Sardinia 72 collecting sites were investigated and a total of 4,086 ticks were collected from hosts (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) and from soil. So far 2,413 ticks belonging to six genera have been identified: Rhipicephalus (67.2%), Haemaphysalis (24.1%), Hyalomma (2.7%), Boophilus (0.7%), Dermacentor (4.9%), Ixodes (0.3%). Host-associated ticks were collected from 50 out of 200 selected farms in Basilicata. About 4,000 tick specimens were collected and 1,794 ticks have been identified (of which 1,215 were adults, 6 larvae and 573 nymphs). The following genera were identified: Ixodes (20%), Rhipicephalus (27%), Hyalomma (31%), Haemaphysalis (18%), Dermacentor (6%). The seasonal distribution of the species identified in the two regions studies is discussed from a geographical and climatic point of view.

Prognostic significance of ras/p21 alterations in human ovarian cancer.

Ras/p21 oncoprotein expression and K-ras mutations were analysed by Western blot and/or K-ras oligonucleotide hybridization in 78 primary ovarian cancers, 20 omental metastases, two low malignant potential tumours (LMP), nine benign ovarian tumours and 10 normal ovaries. A cut-off value of an integral of absorbance (i.a.) of 2.20, obtained by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, was shown to be the best cut-off for defining p21 positivity. p21 levels were higher in malignant tumours than in benign tumours (median 2.10 i.a. vs median 1.22 i.a.; P = 0.014) and in omental metastases than in primary ovarian carcinomas (median 2.54 i.a. vs median 2.1 i.a.; P = 0.0089). p21 overexpression did not correlate with any of the clinicopathological parameters examined. Follow-up data were available for 63 patients. A significant relationship was shown between p21 positivity and a shorter overall survival (OS) (P < 0.03) and progression-free survival (PFS) (P < 0.03). In multivariate analysis only the presence of ascites, p21 levels and epidermal growth factor receptor status retained an independent prognostic role. K-ras gene mutations were frequently detected in benign and low malignant potential tumours (71.4%), which were mostly mucinous (P = 0.0152).