Multigenerational tests on Daphnia spp.: a vision and new perspectives.

Multigenerational toxicity testing is a valuable tool for understanding the long-term effects of contaminants on aquatic organisms. This review focuses on the use of multigenerational tests with Daphnia, a widely used model organism in aquatic toxicological studies. The review highlights the importance of studying multiple generations to assess Daphnia spp. reproductive, growth, and physiological responses to various contaminants. We discuss the outcomes of multigenerational tests involving different contaminants, including nanoparticles, pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. The results reveal that multigenerational exposure can lead to transgenerational effects, where the impacts of contaminants are observed in subsequent generations even after the initial exposure has ceased. These transgenerational effects often manifest as reproduction, growth, and development alterations. Furthermore, we emphasize the need for standardized protocols in multigenerational testing to ensure comparability and reproducibility of results across studies. We also discuss the implications of multigenerational testing for ecological risk assessment, as it provides a more realistic representation of the long-term effects of contaminants on populations and ecosystems. Overall, this review highlights the significance of multigenerational tests with Daphnia in advancing our understanding of the ecological impacts of contaminants. Such tests provide valuable insights into the potential risks associated with long-term exposure to pollutants and contribute to the development of effective mitigation strategies for aquatic ecosystems.

A holistic picture of spatial distribution of river polluting loads in a highly anthropized area.

For many years, there has been a debate on the polluting loads affecting the Gulf of Naples, one of Italy's most spectacular and iconic landscape. The wide territory bordering the Gulf includes the Sarno river basin (SRB) managed by the Southern Apennines River Basin District Authority in the framework of Unit of Management Sarno (UoM-Sarno). The paper investigated the anthropogenic pressures and their spatial distribution in the UoM-Sarno, revealing as SRB represents a hotspot of pollution mainly due to the high population density and widespread hydro-demanding activities which are responsible of high organic and eutrophication loads. The pollution sources, variably distributed on the area, and potentially conveyed to the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located into SRB, were estimated considering the WWTPs treatment capacity as well. Results revealed a holistic picture of UoM-Sarno area allowing to establish the priorities of the interventions aimed at safeguarding the coastal marine resources. In particular, 2590 tons BOD/year were directly discharged into the Gulf of Naples due to the missing of sewers, and other 10,600 tons BOD/year are potentially discharged in the Sarno river reaching the sea, considering the contribution of population, industrial activity, and livestock.

13C urea breath test to identify Helicobacter pylori Infection in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding admitted to the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVE: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a cause of Emergency Department (ED) visits. Peptic ulcer secondary to H. pylori (HP) infection and/or to the use of NSAIDs is the most frequent cause. The aim of the study is to evaluate directly in the ED the prevalence of HP infection through Urea Breath test (UBT) in patients admitted to the ED for UGIB. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 87 patients (58M/29F) with a mean age of 63.8 + 11.7 yrs with an active UGIB who performed EGDS and UBT. RESULTS: 34.4% of patients performing EGDS and UBT resulted positive to HP. Peptic ulcer was present in 20/30 (66.7%) of HP+ compared to 20/57 (35.1%) of HP- (p<0.001), and also gastritis and/or duodenitis were mostly present in HP+ (23.3% vs. 15.8%) (p<0.05). A biopsy was performed in only 31% of patients with a positive rate of 33.3%. In 78% we obtained a correspondence between UBT and biopsy results. Compared to biopsy result, we obtained for UBT a positive predictive value (PPV) of 71% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 80%. Taking the UBT as a gold standard, we obtained for biopsies a PPV of 69% and a NPV of 85%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that the use of UBT directly in ED in patients with UGIB allows for a rapid, reliable and non-invasive diagnosis of HP infection as a causative agent for bleeding, thus permitting a right etiological treatment.

Magnesium sulphate in the Emergency Department: an old, new friend.

With our study, we searched the medical literature to find magnesium (Mg) correlation with Emergency situations or its use in Emergency Medicine. Our aim is to fill the gap that we find in our daily routine between Mg studies on its role in Emergency and the real conception that doctors have of it in medical practice. We searched the literature for terms as magnesium or magnesium sulphate, magnesium in emergency, eclampsia, arrhythmias, acute asthma exacerbation, magnesium, and pediatric population. After a thorough research, we divided our discoveries into chapters to sort out a large amount often discordant articles.

Association between peripheral arterial disease and cardiovascular risk factors: role of ultrasonography versus ankle-brachial index.

OBJECTIVE: Most studies on atherosclerotic processes include peripheral arterial disease diagnosis only if patients report symptoms suggestive of peripheral arterial disease and/or an instrumental demonstration of lower limbs perfusion deficit is provided, rather than the sole presence of atherosclerotic lesions localized at lower limbs, this attitude leading to ignore early stages of the disease. To overcome these limitations, we have proposed a new ultrasonographic semiquantitative score to better identify all disease stages. The aim of this study is to compare ultrasonography versus ankle-brachial index in the association between peripheral arterial disease and cardiovascular risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study included subjects undergoing lower limbs evaluation through ultrasonography and ankle-brachial index determination because of symptoms suggestive of peripheral arterial disease or presence of known cardiovascular risk factors. Associations between ultrasonography and ankle-brachial index with cardiovascular risk factors were assessed by first fitting logistic regression models and then comparing the respective areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The areas under the Receiver Operating Characteristic for each cardiovascular risk factors were consistently larger in magnitude for ultrasonography compared with ankle-brachial index, this comparison being statistically significant for age, male gender, smoking status, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and previous cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that ultrasonography is a better method to screen peripheral arterial disease respect to ankle-brachial index in order to identify all disease stages. These findings are useful in particular when including peripheral arterial disease as organ damage marker in cardiovascular risk stratification.

Safety and efficacy of low doses of diclofenac on acute pain in the emergency setting.

Diclofenac is the most widely prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug worldwide. Data collected during the last 10 years reported a dose-duration dependent increasing of cardiovascular risk associated with the use of diclofenac, supporting the evidence of a close association with the degree of COX-2 inhibition achieved in vivo. Nevertheless, the amplitude of cardiovascular risk associated with the administration of diclofenac at low doses and for the short-term duration is still poorly defined. Indeed, data did not show a clear and strong increasing of the risk for daily doses of 75 and of 50 mg. Concerning duration, while the identification of a safe temporal window is less defined, some studies reported an absence or a very low risk when the exposure is shorter than 30 days. Today, new low-dosage diclofenac formulations are available, allowing to reduce the systemic exposure, the degree of COX-2 inhibition and possibly the risk of occurrence of cardiovascular events. This is the reason why those new formulations may represent the ideal drug for the management of pain in the emergency setting.

[Activity of pediatric acceptance in the Polyclinic of Modena: 1999 to 2003]. / Attività di accettazione pediatrica nel Policlinico di Modena: 1999-2003.

The activity of the pediatric emergency ward in 1999-2003 period is described. An increasing number of contacts was recorded. Most of them should be considered improper. An extra health-care information is required, specially directed to the foreign families, who recently settled in our town. A pediatric outpatient clinic for non-critical patient could cover Sundays and holidays, as in other italian centers.

[The short-stay observation unit: an experience of the Pediatric Department in Modena]. / Osservazione breve intensiva (OBI) in pediatria: l'esperienza del Policlinico di Modena.

The use of a short-stay observation unit (OBI) in a pediatric department has reduced the number of admissions. Significant cost savings and a better care for children and their families have been also achieved. During the year 2003 in our department 1759 children received OBI. 226 (12.8%) were then admitted. 1553 (87.2%) were discharged after a nine-hour mean stay. Descriptive statistics are used to outline the sample of patients and used treatments.

[Four cases of mesenteric cystic neoformations]. / Neoformazione cistiche mesenteriche. Presentazione di 4 casi.

Four cases of mesenteric cystic neoformations personally observed in the last years are reported. This pathology should not be underestimated, since not only does it present several problems regarding diagnosis and treatment, but a nosologic classification is also difficult to make. Since such cysts present with aspecific symptoms, a definite diagnosis cannot always be reached by a preliminary X-ray investigation, which may lead to various interpretations, but often requires a subsequent histologic examination of operative specimen.

[Adenocarcinoma of pancreas with situs viscerum inversus totalis]. / Adenocarcinoma del pancreas in situs viscerum inversus totalis.

A case of adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas in a patient with situs viscerum inversus totalis, an association described for the third time in literature, is reported. The possible coexistence of malformations of transposed organs and the specular anatomosurgical situation requires particular attention in the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation as well as a careful reorientation of the surgical perspective and a correct surgical conduct.

[Giant ovarian cyst. A case weighing 23 kg (50.6 lb). Literature review]. / Cisti ovarica gigante. Presentazione di un caso del peso di 23 kg e revisione della letteratura.

The ovarian cysts are one of the most common affections for females. Besides non-neoplastic functional cysts (follicular or luteal) with relatively small sizes, the neoplastic types, generally benign and that can be ascribed to serous tumors, of 10-15 cm or even bigger should be included. Nowdays, these neoformations are diagnosed relatively early, before they become of big dimensions, even if often they present few symptoms. Then it seems to be interesting to report a case recently observed of an ovarian cyst of 35x45x50 cm and weighing 23 kg in 29-year-old woman.

[Phantom rectum after Miles' operation]. / Il retto fantasma dopo intervento di Miles.

The authors observed symptoms relating to the existence of a phantom rectum, a phenomenon about which little is still known, in 233 cases (32.1%) in a series of 724 patients undergoing amputation of the abdomino perineal rectum due to malignant neoplasm. The genesis of this phenomenon is attributed to an abnormal reactivity of the cortical and thalamic projection areas with greater response to stimuli from the stump or aspecific visceral stimuli, or even stimuli from the adjacent cortical regions. The psychodynamic aspects linked to the patient's need to develop a different body awareness should not be underestimated; this has to integrate a new anatomic reality, such as colostomy in the place of the anorectum, entailing the relinquishment of the previous body scheme. Prevention and treatment of phantom rectum, which is painful in 27% of cases, is essential for a correct operating technique, adequate psychotherapeutic support, the patient's active participation in a reeducation programme for colostomy management. It should not be forgotten that painful phantom rectum, especially with late onset, may be diagnostically significant as an indicator of the recurrence of neoplastic pathology, sometimes allowing diagnosis to be anticipated by several months. This underlines the importance of carrying out a careful postoperative clinical, biohumoral and radiological control in these patients, including pelvic CT. In the authors' experience of 233 patients suffering from phantom rectum, it was possible to document the presence of neoplastic recidivation in 30 cases (12.8%) using pelvic CT. In these cases, symptoms appeared after a disease-free interval of 26.3 months (range 3-75 months), whereas the presence of phantom rectum without recidivation is usually described in the first 2 months after surgery.

Morphologic alterations in the cilia of a cat.

Based upon ultrastructural findings and computed tomography, a presumptive diagnosis of feline primary ciliary dyskinesia was made in a 2.5-year-old cat. The cat demonstrated morphologic alterations in the ultrastructure of oviductal cilia. In the oviduct, axonemal abnormalities were detected in 132 (20%) of 660 cross-sectioned cilia. The main ultrastructural ciliary defects were a lack of central microtubules, transposition of peripheral doublets to the center of the axoneme, supernumerary microtubules, and morphologic abnormalities of peripheral doublets. Computed tomography of the chest was consistent with early lesions of bronchiectasis, suggesting chronic stagnation of respiratory secretions, attributed to abnormal function of respiratory cilia. Specifically, the cranial branches of the cat's bronchi were wider and thicker than those of five healthy controls. Foci of pleural thickening and interstitial enlargement were also observed.