The first absolute gravity and height reference network in Sicily.

The purpose of this work is to provide the methodological and instrumental framework for the establishment of a new absolute gravity and height reference network in Sicily. The aim of the network is to contribute to the new reference systems in the Italian area, useful for the scientific and technological activities related to the gravity field and to the proper definition of a modern height system in this region. The network is composed of 5 stations, evenly distributed to form a large mesh, which roughly covers the entire Sicily. Since four of the five selected stations were measured also in the 1990s, it was also possible to evaluate whether long-term gravity changes occurred at these sites (basic requirement for a reference network) and check the long-term ground deformation patterns, using data from the closest GPS/GNSS stations. The observed gravity changes over a time interval of about 30 years at the absolute stations and in the surrounding areas, confirm the long-term stability of the selected areas/sites.

Flapless Cone Beam Computed Tomography-Guided Implant Surgery with Contextual Transcrestal Sinus Lift Augmentation Using New Bone Compactor Tools.

In the present paper, the authors present a case report of premolar edentulism in the upper jaw treated through a guided flapless oral implant surgery with contextual crestal sinus lift, performed with a system of manual screw-tapered bone expanders (B&B Dental, San Benedetto, BO, Italy). The surgery was planned by means of dedicated software, through which the data obtained from the CBCT and from intraoral scanner impression were matched, with consequent production of a surgical template. The proposed surgical procedure is minimally invasive, very simple, and fast and ensures good comfort for the patient by avoiding the elevation of mucoperiosteal flaps and uncomfortable malleting maneuvers. In addition, the presented method shows a good degree of correspondence between the ideal position of the implant in the planning phase and the actual one detectable after the surgery.

Arterial blood gas analysis utility in predicting lung injury in blunt chest trauma.

BACKGROUND: thoracic trauma is one of the leading causes of death in all age groups and accounts for 25-50 % of all traumatic injuries. With the term lung injury in blunt chest trauma, we identified a spectrum of conditions: lung contusion, pneumothorax and haemothorax. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of arterial blood gas analysis parameters in predicting lung injury in blunt chest trauma. METHODS: we included 51 patients presenting to the Emergency Department of "C.T.O." Hospital in Naples [Italy] for blunt chest trauma. The patients were assigned to the Lung Injury Group or to the Non-Lung Injury Group basing on CT scan findings. For each patient, we calculated the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient [AaDO2], the AaDO2 augmentation, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen deficit [PaO2 Deficit] and the ratio between arterial partial pressure of oxygen and fraction of inspired oxygen [P/F]. Areas under the curve [AUC] and receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve were used to compare the performance of each different test in relation to the detection of lung injury in blunt chest trauma. RESULTS: patients with lung injury had lower oxygen saturation, arterial partial pressure of oxygen, P/F and higher PaO2 Deficit, AaDO2, AaDO2 augmentation than patients without lung injury. PaO2 Deficit, AaDO2 and AaDO2 augmentation showed a good accuracy to predict lung injury in blunt chest trauma. CONCLUSION: our study demonstrates that the combination of different arterial blood gas analysis variables may be a fast approach for identifying patients with lung injury in the setting of blunt chest trauma in the Emergency Department.

Age estimation by the Cameriere's normalized measurements (CNM) of the single permanent mandibular tooth on a panoramic radiograph.

In this study Cameriere's normalized measurements (CNM) of a single mandibular tooth were evaluated for age estimation on a sample of ortopantomographies (OPTs) of 2223 Italian children aged between 4 and 15years. Dental maturity was radiographically evaluated by CNM of the seven left permanent mandibular teeth (CNMi=Ai/Li, i=1,…,7); in monoradicular teeth, the distance (Ai, i=1,…,5) between the inner sides of the open apex was measured while in biradicular teeth (Ai, i=6, 7), the sum of the distances between the inner sides of the two open apices was calculated. Ai was normalized by the tooth length (Li, i=1,…,7). The intra- and inter-observer agreement of CNM measurements was almost perfect. Overall, analyzed mandibular teeth finished their development up to the age of 13, but the distribution of CNM varied among different locations. The final models included a tooth-specific CNM as the independent variable and explained from 76% (second molars) to 39% (first incisors) of the variance in chronological age. The bias and accuracy of these models, when applied to real-life data with no age limitation, were within acceptable range of differences in the forensic anthropology of children. Specifically, in all models mean of absolute differences between estimated and real age was within one year (0.67 for first incisors to 1.00 for canines). In conclusion this study showed that all mandibular teeth do not have equal applicability for age estimation suggesting that further evaluation on different samples is necessary to evaluate the usefulness of a single mandibular tooth for age estimation.

Balancing bulk gas accumulation and gas output before and during lava fountaining episodes at Mt. Etna.

We focus on a sequence of 9 lava fountains from Etna that occurred in 2011, separated by intervals of 5 to 10 days. Continuous measurements allowed to discover the occurrence of gravity decreases before the onset of most fountaining episodes. We propose that the gravity changes are due to the pre-fountaining accumulation of a foam layer at shallow levels in the plumbing system of the volcano. Relying on the relationship between amount of gas trapped in the foam and amount of gas emitted during each episode, we develop a conceptual model of the mechanism controlling the passage from Strombolian to lava fountaining activity. Gas leakage from the foam layer during the late stages of its accumulation increases the gas volume fraction at upper levels, thus inducing a decrease of the magma-static pressure in the trapping zone and a further growth of the foam. This feedback mechanism eventually leads to the collapse of the foam layer and to the onset of lava fountaining. The possibility to detect the development of a foam layer at depth and to set quantitative constraints on the amount of trapped gas is important because of the implications for forecasting explosive eruptions and predicting their intensity.

Surgical Management of Compound Odontoma Associated with Unerupted Tooth.

Odontomas represent the most common type of odontogenic benign jaws tumors among patients younger than 20 years of age. These tumors are composed of enamel, dentine, cementum, and pulp tissue. According to the World Health Organization classification, two distinct types of odontomas are acknowledged: complex and compound odontoma. In complex odontomas, all dental tissues are formed, but appeared without an organized structure. In compound odontomas, all dental tissues are arranged in numerous tooth-like structures known as denticles. Compound odontomas are often associated with impacted adjacent permanent teeth and their surgical removal represents the best therapeutic option. A case of a 20-year-old male patient with a compound odontoma-associated of impacted maxillary canine is presented. A minimally invasive surgical technique is adopted to remove the least amount of bone tissue as far as possible.

Today prospects for tissue engineering therapeutic approach in dentistry.

In dental practice there is an increasing need for predictable therapeutic protocols able to regenerate tissues that, due to inflammatory or traumatic events, may suffer from loss of their function. One of the topics arising major interest in the research applied to regenerative medicine is represented by tissue engineering and, in particular, by stem cells. The study of stem cells in dentistry over the years has shown an exponential increase in literature. Adult mesenchymal stem cells have recently been isolated and characterized from tooth-related tissues and they might represent, in the near future, a new gold standard in the regeneration of all oral tissues. The aim of our review is to provide an overview on the topic reporting the current knowledge for each class of dental stem cells and to identify their potential clinical applications as therapeutic tool in various branches of dentistry.