[Activity of the Campania Register of Mesothelioma from July 2003 to October 2007]. / Attività del Registro Mesoteliomi della Campania dal luglio 2003 all'ottobre 2007.

Campania Mesothelioma Register was established in 2002; its purpose is to record every case of malignant mesothelioma that occurs in the registered population of Campania. Its aim is to identify new dangerous asbestos sources, by giving patients a questionnaire about their working and living habits. The questionnaire used is by National Mesothelioma Register (ReNaM). Analyzing carefully the answers to the questionnaire, it is possible to classify patients' exposure with a code given by ReNaM. By means of a recognition identification network, COR Campania identified 492 cases of malignant mesothelioma (pleura, pericardium, peritoneum and tunica vaginalis of the testis) diagnosed between 1996-2007. The analysis of the ReNaM questionnaire confirms a prevalence of professional exposures (71%), however unknown exposures (15%) also play an important role. The economic sector that determined the greatest number of professional exposures are Construction (17.5%), Industrial Metalwork (13.13%), Railway Car (9.3%), Vehicle production and maintenance (8.16%), Ship building (7.5%).

[Case studies on the malignant mesothelioma in Pellezzano (SA)]. / Casistica di mesotelioma maligno nel comune di Pellezzano (SA).

41 malignant mesothelioma cases were reported between January 2000 and April 2007 in the province of Salerno. The small town of Pellezzano, near Salerno, has more cases than any other urban centre in the province; five mesothelioma cases (three male and two female) in Pellezzano (population 9,171 in 1991) means a standardized incidence rate of 32.7 males and 21.8 females per 100.000 inhabitants. That's very alarming, considering that in Italy mesothelioma standardized incidence rate per 100.000 inhabitants is 2,98 for males and 0,98 for females. Campania Mesothelioma Register aims to investigate which kind of exposure caused this abnormal incidence rate. All five patients answered the questionnaire and a team of doctors performed an on-the-spot investigation. The studies verified the existence of two kind of asbestos exposure, professional (Cotton Manufacture, Construction, Foundry) and environmental (cement-asbestos pre-fabricated since 1980 earthquake), that have to be analyzed further.

[Distribution of the incidence of pleural malignant tumors in Campania in the period 1988-1999 and 1995-1997]. / Distribuzione della incidenza dei tumori maligni della pleura in campania nei periodi 1988-1994 e 1995-1997.

From the comparative appraisal, an area is identified for the period 1995-1997, corresponding to the so-called inner zones, in which the "ex novo" emersion of consisting cluster of mesotheliomas is recorded. Such data are analyzed for a possible correlation with professional and/or extra professional causes.

[Biaggi law, transformation of the labor market, protection of health at the workplace]. / Legge Biagi, trasformazione del mercato del lavoro, tutela della salute nei luoghi di lavoro.

The new legislation on the labor market (Biagi Law, Ministerial Decree approved by the Council of Ministers on 06.06.2003) introduces new contractual profiles imprinted to the criterion of maximum mobility and flexibility. This new legislation does not appear equipped from a parallel legislation that guarantees occupational safety and the protection of the new professional figures.

Role of noise in image processing by the human perceptive system.

Two psychophysics experiments are described, pointing out the significant role played by stochastic resonance in recognition of capital stylized noisy letters by the human perceptive apparatus. The first experiment shows that an optimal noise level exists at which the letter is recognized for a minimum threshold contrast. A simple two-parameter model that best fits the experimental data is also discussed. In the second experiment we show that a dramatically increased ability of the visual system in letter recognition occurs in an extremely narrow range of increasing noise. Possible interesting future investigations suggested by these experimental results and based on functional imaging techniques are discussed.

[The distribution of intermediate filaments, histiocytic antigens and neural crest-related antigens in the adult dental pulp. An immunocytochemical approach]. / Distribuzione di filamenti intermedi, antigeni istiocitari e antigeni correlati alla cresta neurale nella polpa dentaria dell'adulto. Approccio immunocitochimico.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten human healthy teeth were extracted for orthodontic or surgical purposes and processed for histological and immunocytochemical examination with the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method. Highly purified antibodies were used to reveal the distribution of intermediate filaments (vimentin, desmin, alpha-smooth muscle actin), histiocytic antigens (alpha-1-antitrypsin, lysozyme), neural and neural-crest-associated antigens (neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin-A, S-100, synaptophysin, glial fibrillary acidic protein, neurofilaments) in the adult pulp tissue. RESULTS: Vimentin immunostaining was strongly positive in the network of pulpal fibroblasts. Desmin and alpha-smooth muscle actin were present only in the vessel walls. Staining for alpha-1-antitrypsin and lysozyme reveals a number of macrophage-like cells in the central portion of the pulp. Macrophages were the most dominating immunocompetent cells. Negative immunostaining for chromogranin-A demonstrated the absence of neuroendocrine antigens in the adult dental pulp. Immunostaining for neuron-specific enolase, S-100 protein, synaptophysin, glial fibrillary acidic protein and neurofilaments were positive, with different intensity, in nerve fibres, but no pulp cell was found to be immunoreactive. CONCLUSIONS: The conclusion is drawn that the lack of labelling of pulp cells by the neural associated antibodies could be due to differentiation processes during tissue development.

[Physiopathology of beta and gamma catenin expression in the oral epithelium]. / Fisiopatologia dell'espressione della beta e gamma catenine nell'epitelio orale.

BACKGROUND: Catenins belong to a family of proteins that mediate the binding between intracytoplasmic domain of cadherins and cytoskeleton. Few data on distribution of beta and gamma catenins in non-neoplastic tissues are available from current literature. This study aims to evaluate distribution of beta and gamma catenins in oral epithelium. METHODS: Nine formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of oral epithelium were retrieved from files of Department of Oral Pathology of the University of Naples "Federico II". These samples were tested with anti-beta and anti-gamma monoclonal antibodies revealed by standard streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. Sections have been evaluated by two observers by optical microscope using a 40X objective. The number of positive cells has been evaluated using a semi-quantitative method. RESULTS: The results of this study show that beta and gamma catenins were mostly distributed in the upper two-thirds of oral epithelial thickness, except for keratinized areas which appear negative. Basal layer is positive except for the basal side of basal cells. Keratinized layers are negative for beta and gamma catenins. CONCLUSIONS: In physiologic conditions staining pattern for beta and gamma catenins is almost exclusively membranous, sometimes cytoplasmic but never nuclear. This staining is well-represented even in conditions of chronic inflammation and leucoplakia.

[The role of syndecan and tenascine during tooth development. Review o the literature]. / Il ruolo del sindecano e della tenascina durante lo sviluppo dentario. Revisione della letteratura.

Morphogenesis and cell differentiation in the developing tooth are controlled by a series of reciprocal interactions between the epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. The exact molecular mechanisms operating in these interactions are unknown at present, but both structural components of the extracellular matrix and cellular receptors have been suggested to be involved. In this review we resume our knowledge about tenascin and syndecan distribution and activity.

Factors affecting variations in pulmonary diffusing capacity resulting from postural changes.

The relation of postural changes to the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) was investigated in 12 normal nonsmokers in order to evaluate the influence of body position on several components of lung resistance to gas diffusion. The well-known increase in CO diffusing capacity in the supine position was obtained only for data corrected for alveolar volume (KCO: 6.18 +/- 0.75 vs. 5.45 +/- 0.67 ml/min/mm Hg/l; p less than 0.005). Moreover, only the membrane component (Dm) increased significantly in supine subjects (KDm = 2.81 +/- 1.32 vs. 1.82 +/- 0.54 ml/min/mm Hg/l; p less than 0.05), the increase in capillary blood volume (Vc) being not significant (KVc = 12.54 +/- 4.22 vs. 11.17 +/- 3.79 ml/l; NS). These data could be interpreted as a demonstration of a more homogeneously distributed ventilation with respect to diffusion surface in healthy young people in a supine position. The amount of surface available for diffusion seems therefore to be a limiting factor to gas flow across the lungs in these subjects. Thus a straightforward attribution of posturally influenced changes in CO diffusing capacity exclusively to factors affecting Vc is not recommended, particularly in pathological conditions, if information about variation in distribution of ventilation is unavailable.