Micromorphological and phytochemical survey of Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth.

Within the Open Science project entitled 'Botanic Garden, factory of molecules', a multidisciplinary study approach was applied to Ballota acetabulosa (L.) Benth., at the Ghirardi Botanic Garden (Toscolano Maderno, BS, Italy). Micromorphological and histochemical investigations were performed on the secreting structures of the vegetative and reproductive organs under light, fuorescence and electronic microscopy. Concurrently the characterization of the volatiles spontaneously emitted from leaves and flowers were examined. Four trichome morphotypes were identified: peltate and short-stalked, medium-stalked and long-stalked capitate trichomes, each with a specific distribution pattern. The histochemical analysis was confirmed using ultrastructural observations, with the peltates and long-stalked capitates as the main sites responsible for terpene production. The head-space characterization revealed that sesquiterpene hydrocarbons dominated both in leaves and flowers, with γ-muurolene, ß-caryophyllene and (E)-nerolidol as the most abundant compounds. Moreover, a comparison with literature data concerning the ecological roles of the main compounds suggested their dominant roles in defence, both at the leaf and flower level. Hence, we correlated the trichome morphotypes with the production of secondary metabolites in an attempt to link these data to their potential ecological roles. Finally, we made the obtained scientific knowledge available to visitors of the Botanic Garden through the realization of new labelling dedicated to B. acetabulosa that highlights the 'invisible', microscopic features of the plant.

Lactose and galactose content in cheese results in overestimation of moisture by vacuum oven and microwave methods.

Moisture determination in cheese is a critical test for regulatory compliance, functionality, and economic reasons. Common methods for moisture determination in cheese rely upon the thermal volatilization of water from cheese and calculation of moisture content based on the resulting loss of mass. Residual sugars, such as lactose and galactose, are commonly present in cheeses at levels ranging from trace amounts to 5%. These sugars are capable of reacting with other compounds in cheese, especially under the thermal conditions required for moisture determination, to yield volatile reaction products. The hypothesis of this work is that residual sugars in cheese will be converted into volatile compounds over the course of moisture determination at a level sufficient to result in overestimated cheese moisture. A full-factorial statistical design was used to evaluate the effects of cheese type, sugar type, sugar level, method type, and all interactions. Cheddar and low-moisture, part-skim (LMPS) Mozzarella cheeses were prepared with 1, 3, and 5% added lactose or galactose, and subjected to either vacuum oven or microwave-based moisture determination methods. Browning index and colorimetry were measured to characterize the color and extent of browning. Volatile analyses were performed to provide chemical evidence of the reactions proposed. The presence of residual sugars altered moisture calculations as a function of cheese type, sugar type, sugar level, method type, and numerous interactions. At higher concentrations of residual sugar, the percentage moisture determinations were increased by values of up to 1.8. Measures of browning reactions, including browning index, colorimetry, and volatile profiles demonstrate that the proposed browning reactions played a causative role. This work establishes the need to consider cheese type, sugar type, sugar levels, and method type as a means of more accurately determining moisture levels.

Invited review: Environmental impacts of dairy processing and products: a review.

The objective of this review is to summarize research efforts and case studies to date of the environmental impacts from dairy processing. The pervasiveness of greenhouse gas emission, water use, consumer waste, and other environmental impacts of dairy are described. An outline of the method of choice, the life cycle assessment, for conducting research and deciding appropriate allocation of the impacts is provided. Specific research examples in dairy processing highlight how the representative final product is associated with environmental impacts to air, water, and land. The primary conclusion from the study was the usefulness of life cycle assessment methodology and the need for further research due to limited studies, variable data, and the magnitude of environmental impact.

A preliminary study revealing a new association in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: manganism symptoms and T1 hyperintense changes in the basal ganglia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients undergoing parenteral nutrition and those with portosystemic encephalopathy secondary to chronic liver disease and acquired and congenital portosystemic venous shunts frequently present manganese deposition in the basal ganglia, detected by MR imaging as hyperintense areas on T1-weighted sequences. We also observed similar abnormalities in the basal ganglia of patients with chronic renal failure undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Our aim was to evaluate the pallidal signal intensity on T1-weighted images in a series of patients undergoing hemodialysis, with further evaluation of serum manganese levels and neurologic correlation, comparing them with patients with chronic renal failure without dialytic treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed MR imaging examinations in 9 patients with chronic renal failure, 5 of whom were undergoing hemodialysis. An experienced neuroradiologist scrutinized the presence of symmetric hyperintensities in the basal ganglia on T1-weighted sequences. We also determined the serum manganese levels and performed the neurologic evaluations in all patients. RESULTS: All patients undergoing hemodialysis presented elevated serum manganese levels and symmetric hyperintensities within the globus pallidus. In this group, 4 patients presented with parkinsonian symptoms, myoclonus, and syndromes with vestibular and vestibular-auditory symptoms. The patients without dialytic treatment presented with neither bilaterally increased T1 MR imaging signal intensity within the globus pallidus nor symptoms of manganism. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results demonstrated the occurrence of bilateral pallidal hyperintensity on T1-weighted images in all patients undergoing hemodialysis associated with high serum manganese levels, revealing a new association.

Genetic algorithm for the determination of binodal curves in ternary systems polymer-liquid(1)-liquid(2) and polymer(1)-polymer(2)-solvent.

A simple genetic algorithm for the numerical evaluation of binodal curves in ternary systems polymer-liquid (1)-liquid (2) and polymer (1)-polymer (2)-solvent is presented. The technique exploits a specifically developed restarting technique based on a combined elitist and zooming strategy on the last population at each iteration. The objective function (fitness) is represented by the weighted sum of the squared differences of chemical potentials of the two phases of each component, obtained evaluating first derivatives of Gibbs free energy of the mixture with respect to the number of moles of the components. The method proposed (a) is numerically stable since it does not require the evaluation of first derivatives of the objective function and (b) can be applied in a wide range of cases changing the equation of state. Several comparisons with simplified iterative procedures presented in the past in the technical literature both for mixtures of two polymers with identical characteristics in a solvent and for mixtures of solvent-nonsolvent-polymer with solvent-polymer interaction parameter equal to zero are reported. Finally, a comparison between present results and the "alternating tangent approach" is reported for two technically meaningful binary systems, when a simplified PC-SAFT equation of state is adopted. The comparisons show that reliable results can be obtained by means of the algorithm proposed and suggest that the procedure presented can be used for practical purposes.

Feedback stabilization of multiple resistive wall modes.

Active feedback stabilization of multiple independent resistive wall modes is experimentally demonstrated in a reversed-field pinch plasma. A reproducible simultaneous suppression of several nonresonant resistive wall modes is achieved. Coupling of different modes due to the limited number of the feedback coils is observed in agreement with theory. The feedback stabilization of nonresonant RWMs also has an effect on tearing modes that are resonant in the central plasma, leading to a significant prolongation of the discharge pulse.

Control of neoclassical tearing modes by sawtooth control.

The onset of a neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) depends on the existence of a large enough seed island. It is shown in the Joint European Torus that NTMs can be readily destabilized by long-period sawteeth, such as obtained by sawtooth stabilization from ion-cyclotron heating or current drive. This has important implications for burning plasma scenarios, as alpha particles strongly stabilize the sawteeth. It is also shown that, by adding heating and current drive just outside the inversion radius, sawteeth are destabilized, resulting in shorter sawtooth periods and larger beta values being obtained without NTMs.

Some aspects of erythrocyte metabolism in a dog with polycythaemia vera.

An 11-year-old female crossbred dog showed signs of polyuria, polydipsia, vomiting, posterior weakness and ataxia. Clinical and laboratory findings suggested the diagnosis of polycythaemia vera. The haematological values shown over a six-month period are presented. In four samples some aspects of erythrocyte function (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] and pyruvate kinase [PK] activities, 2,3 diphosphoglycerate [2,3 DPG] concentration, osmotic fragility and intracellular sodium and potassium concentrations) were studied. Variable activities of G6PD and PK, probably related to different reticulocyte number, were detected together with normal osmotic fragility and intracellular sodium and potassium concentrations. 2,3 DPG concentration was higher than normal in all four samples. This could be interpreted as a response to a low tissue perfusion rather than a higher content of 2,3 DPG in red blood cells from the polycythaemic dog.

Cutaneous manifestations of marantic endocarditis.

A 70-year-old patient with a history of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was referred for evaluation of necrotic toes. The patient had a history of several cerebrovascular accidents during the previous month. Initially, she developed sudden-onset left upper extremity weakness which, over the ensuing 4 days, progressed to complete left-sided weakness. This was followed by the development of acute dysarthria. A transesophageal echocardiogram revealed moderate left ventricular hypertrophy, several vegetations on her tri-leaflet aortic valve associated with moderate aortic regurgitation, and a large right atrial thrombus with a mobile component. Bubble studies failed to reveal any septal defects. The patient's electrocardiogram was nonspecific. As serial blood cultures were negative despite fevers of up to 39.8 degrees C, the patient was treated with a 6-week course of intravenous ceftriaxone, ampicillin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin for a presumed diagnosis of culture-negative endocarditis. Fungal cultures of the blood were negative. The patient, however, progressed and developed several necrotic toes. Physical examination was significant for ischemic changes of the left first, second, third, and fifth toes, as well as the right first and second toes. Diffuse subungual splinter hemorrhages in the toenails, numerous 2-4-mm palpable purpuric papules on the lower extremities, and nontender hemorrhagic lesions of the soles were also noted. Peripheral and carotid pulses were intact and no carotid bruits were heard. Cardiopulmonary and abdominal examinations were unremarkable. Neurologic examination revealed a disoriented, dysarthric patient with left central facial nerve paralysis, as well as spasticity, hyperactive reflexes, and diminished strength and sensation in the left upper and lower extremities. A left visual field defect and left hemineglect were also present. The patient's last brain computerized tomogram revealed areas of low attenuation consistent with cerebral infarctions in three distinct areas of the brain. These included the left occipitotemporal area, the right parieto-occipital area, and the right posterior frontal region. The regions affected were in the distribution of both the anterior and posterior circulation. No evidence of hemorrhage was noted. The patient subsequently complained of abdominal discomfort. A computerized tomogram of the abdomen with oral and intravenous contrast revealed a 4-cm x 3-cm irregular mass in the tail of the pancreas with several low-attenuation lesions throughout the liver which were consistent with infarctions or metastases. Several splenic infarctions were also present. A biopsy of the tumor revealed pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The patient's carcinoembryonic antigen level was 18. 4 ng/mL (0-3) and the CA 19-9 antigen level was 207,000 U/mL (0-36). The alpha-fetoprotein level was normal. Other significant laboratory findings included a prothrombin time of 16.7 (international normalized ratio, 1.4), an activated partial thromboplastin time of 32 (ratio, 1.3), and a platelet count of 85,000/mm3. The Russell viper venom time, sedimentation rate, and C3 levels were normal, and the patient was negative for antinuclear antibodies, anticardiolipin antibodies, and antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens. Of note, the patient was not receiving any anticoagulation. Blood cultures for mycobacteria and fungi, human immunodeficiency virus serology, and urinalysis and culture were negative. The patient subsequently developed an inferior wall myocardial infarction and was transferred to the coronary care unit. In line with the family's request, aggressive care was ceased and the patient expired. The patient's family refused an autopsy.

Laser microsurgery for superficial T1-T2 basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid margins.

BACKGROUND: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common malignancy of the eyelid margins, poses therapeutic problems. Surgery, radiation therapy, and cryotherapy are the currently accepted methods for the treatment of this affliction. To verify the technical and clinical effectiveness of the surgical laser method, a specific approach was developed by performing laser-combined procedures under microscopic control. METHODS: A series of 26 patients underwent carbon dioxide (CO2) laser microsurgical excision of 27 primary superficial BCCs of the eyelid margins. Eighteen tumors were T1 and 9 were T2. The lesions were located at the lid margins in 18 and at the canthus in 9 cases. The eyelash line was involved in all cases, whereas intermarginal space was involved in 17 cases, without extension to the conjunctival border. Six lesions were in the lacrimal region. Median linear extent of the lesion was 5 mm (range, 4-10 mm). Treatment was performed with the patient under local anesthesia in a Day Hospital regimen. The authors used the microscope-mounted CO2 laser as a scalpel to excise the tumor mass, thus obtaining the specimen for histologic evaluation. The authors treated the deep and lateral resection margins with laser vaporization and left the wound bed to heal by secondary intention. RESULTS: No significant complications were observed. As full-thickness eyelid resections were avoided, the authors noted conservation of lid function and cosmetic aspect in all patients. With a median follow-up of 73 months (range, 18-118), only one patient had tumor recurrence after 22 months. This tumor, located at the outer canthus, had a second microsurgical laser excision, and the patient is disease free 51 months after the last treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Laser microsurgery appears to be a safe and effective treatment method for primary superficial T1 and T2 BCC of the eyelid margins without conjunctival extension.

Indications, results and techniques of radiotherapy in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: To define the role of radiotherapy in the treatment of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) on the basis of clinical data reported in the medical literature. METHODS: Published reports are critically reviewed, with particular attention to randomized trials. RESULTS: Thoracic radiotherapy has an important role in improving local control and 3-year survival in limited-stage SCLC; radiation should be delivered early in the course of the chemotherapy program, avoiding large volumes and total doses exceeding 40-50 Gy. Thoracic radiotherapy probably has no role in resected patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy and may even be detrimental in patients with extensive SCLC. Prophylactic cranial irradiation has been shown to reduce the risk of brain relapse, but it is not associated with a consistent increase in survival or cure rate: its use in clinical practice is therefore not advised. CONCLUSIONS: Survival rates approaching 50% at 2 years are now possible in limited SCLC with the integrated effort of the surgeon, the medical oncologist and the radiation oncologist; their strict cooperation appears to be of the utmost importance in the earliest phase of treatment planning.

[Advantages of a system of positioning and localization made of thermo-conformable materials for irradiation of cervicofacial and encephalic lesions treated with stereotactic fractionated radiation]. / Vantaggi offerti da un sistema di posizionamento e localizzazione di materiale termoconformabile per l'irradiazione di lesioni cervico facciali ed encefaliche trattate con tecnica stereotassica in frazionamento.

In this work we first analyzed the reliability of materials supplied by the main firms, which must be considered when defining the lesion and planning target volume. The coordinates of specific target landmarks, i.e., bone, calcium deposition or catheters, on baseline CT scans were compared with those measured on control scans. Since the PLATO-SRS system yields 3 coordinates for each target, the final error is calculated by the evaluation of the shift of the different coordinates. The mean error reported for the first material (ORFIT) was 5 mm (13/23 patients). This margin of error is too high and was considered unacceptable; a second material was then tested. The latter, which is not recyclable and softens at higher temperatures, exhibited a mean error of 2.5 mm (10/23 patients), which allows daily repositioning of greater reliability. Treatment was repeated in 4/20 arcs in all, which number depended mainly on fraction size. Correct lesion location and patient positioning were allowed by laser landmarks on the mask made directly on the treatment couch. The laser too was checked before each treatment session, i.e., preferentially at the end of an ordinary working day.

A summary of the Milan experience with multimodality therapies in patients with small cell lung cancer: attempts to improve long-term outcome.

From February 1985 to June 1993, 173 consecutive, previously untreated patients with small cell lung cancer received individualized treatment tailored to disease extent. Almost all patients (14 of 16) with stage I and II disease and 30 patients with operable stage III disease were submitted to surgery preceded or followed by chemotherapy. Chest irradiation and prophylactic brain radiotherapy (in complete responders) were administered at the end of treatment in 42 of 44 cases. Patients with inoperable limited disease received chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy in 67 of 71 cases, while chemotherapy alone or followed by radiotherapy in sites of either initially bulky or residual disease was administered to 58 patients with extensive disease. The overall response rate was 77% (complete response, 45%; partial response, 32%). Complete responses were documented more frequently in limited disease than in extensive disease (57% v 22%; P < .001). The 2- and 5-year freedom from progression rates (24% and 16%, respectively), as well as overall survival rates (31% and 16%, respectively) were significantly affected by disease extent. No patient with extensive disease was progression free and alive at 2 years, while more than half of stage I and II patients were disease free and alive at 5 years. This retrospective analysis performed on a large number of consecutive, nonrandomized patients suggests that, at least in patients with limited disease, it is possible to achieve favorable long-term results using treatment tailored to disease extent. Nonetheless, the disappointing results commonly achieved in the treatment of small cell lung cancer strongly support the need for either prospective, randomized studies to confirm recently reported improved results or new pilot studies with investigation of entirely innovative approaches.

Determination of platinum in plasma of patients affected by inoperable lung carcinoma treated with radiotherapy and concurrent low-dose continuous infusion of cis-dichlorodiammine platinum(II).

Platinum microquantities were determined in plasma of patients affected by lung carcinoma during treatment with radiotherapy (RT) and concurrent low-dose continuous infusion of cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) (CDDP). RT was given at 50 Gy in continuous course; CDDP was continuously infused at 4 mg/m2 daily for 100 h/week for 5 weeks, and the infusions were separated by 68 h of rest. The percentage of free drug versus total drug in plasma was about 3%. It did not vary with therapy duration and was not significantly different from that found in 5-day continuous infusions at much higher daily doses. Nevertheless, maximal values of free Pt in plasma were very low and agreed with the low level of CDDP toxicity encountered on the present administration schedule.