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.

[A young patient with full visual acuity, small visual field defects, and normal fluorescence angiogram]. / Eine junge Patientin mit vollem Visus, kleinen Gesichtsfelddefekten und normalem Fluoreszenzangiogramm.

A 28-year-old female patient came to our clinic complaining of small central visual field defects in both eyes, without any impairments of visual acuity. She reported recent flu-like symptoms and work-related stress associated with high caffeine intake. Dark reddish cloverleaf-shaped lesions were noted in the macular region with red-free fundoscopy, and alterations of the external retinal layers were observed in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The visual field test (Octopus, program 32) revealed small central scotoma on both eyes. The fluorescein angiograms were normal. A suspected diagnosis of acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMNR) was made and the patient was scheduled for follow-up 4 weeks later. The follow-up examination showed persisting central scotoma as well as persistence of the lesions in the external retinal layers in OCT. The best-corrected visual acuity was still 20/20. In OCT angiography (OCT-A), a reduced correlation signal and therefore perfusion was detected in the outer retinal capillary plexus within the area of the fundoscopic macular lesions. Multimodal imaging, including SD-OCT and A­OCT, plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis of acute macular neuroretinopathy. Even though no serious impairments of visual acuity are reported, patients should be informed about the possibility of permanent central scotoma.

Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Is Efficient in Reducing Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in a Growing Rat Model and Does Not Promote Histologic Lesions in Distant Organs.

OBJECTIVE: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) was developed to diminish ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). There are two main ways of performing it: direct ischemic-preconditioning (DIP) and remote ischemic-preconditioning (RIP). The objectives of this study were to investigate local and systemic effects of DIP and RIP in liver IRI. METHODS: Thirty-two weaning rats (50-70 g body weight; 21 days old) were divided into 4 groups: control (C); ischemia followed by reperfusion (IR); DIP followed by ischemia and reperfusion; and RIP followed by ischemia and reperfusion. In the IR group, the vascular pedicles of medial and left lateral liver lobes were clamped for 60 minutes and then unclamped. In the DIP group, a 10-minute cycle of ischemia followed by a 10-minute reperfusion of the same lobes was performed before 60 minutes of ischemia. In the RIP group, three 5-minute cycles of clamping and unclamping of the femoral vessels were performed before liver ischemia. The animals were euthanized 24 hours after the surgical procedures. RESULTS: The serum levels of liver enzymes were significantly lower in the RIP group compared to the control and IR groups and to the DIP group. The scores of histologic hepatic lesions were significantly lower in RIP animals than those of IR animals (P = .002) and similar to the C group animals. The Bax/BCl-xl relation was lower in the DIP group than that in the RIP group (P = .045) and no differences were observed in histologic analyses of kidney, lung, intestine, and heart. CONCLUSION: In young animals, the beneficial effects of RIP are more evident than those of DIP.

Dynamics and Interaction of Vortex Lines in an Elongated Bose-Einstein Condensate.

We study the real-time dynamics of vortices in a large elongated Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of sodium atoms using a stroboscopic technique. Vortices are produced via the Kibble-Zurek mechanism in a quench across the BEC transition and they slowly precess keeping their orientation perpendicular to the long axis of the trap as expected for solitonic vortices in a highly anisotropic condensate. Good agreement with theoretical predictions is found for the precession period as a function of the orbit amplitude and the number of condensed atoms. In configurations with two or more vortices, we see signatures of vortex-vortex interaction in the shape and visibility of the orbits. In addition, when more than two vortices are present, their decay is faster than the thermal decay observed for one or two vortices. The possible role of vortex reconnection processes is discussed.

Compact high-flux source of cold sodium atoms.

We present a compact source of cold sodium atoms suitable for the production of quantum degenerate gases and versatile for a multi-species experiment. The magnetic field produced by permanent magnets allows to simultaneously realize a Zeeman slower and a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (MOT) within an order of magnitude smaller length than standard sodium sources. We achieve an atomic flux exceeding 4 × 10(9) atoms/s loaded in a MOT, with a most probable longitudinal velocity of 20 m/s, and a brightness larger than 2.5 × 10(12) atoms/s/sr. This atomic source allows us to produce pure Bose-Einstein condensates with more than 10(7) atoms and a background pressure limited lifetime of 5 min.

Agent-based station for on-line diagnostics by self-adaptive laser Doppler vibrometry.

A self-adaptive diagnostic system based on laser vibrometry is proposed for quality control of mechanical defects by vibration testing; it is developed for appliances at the end of an assembly line, but its characteristics are generally suited for testing most types of electromechanical products. It consists of a laser Doppler vibrometer, equipped with scanning mirrors and a camera, which implements self-adaptive bahaviour for optimizing the measurement. The system is conceived as a Quality Control Agent (QCA) and it is part of a Multi Agent System that supervises all the production line. The QCA behaviour is defined so to minimize measurement uncertainty during the on-line tests and to compensate target mis-positioning under guidance of a vision system. Best measurement conditions are reached by maximizing the amplitude of the optical Doppler beat signal (signal quality) and consequently minimize uncertainty. In this paper, the optimization strategy for measurement enhancement achieved by the down-hill algorithm (Nelder-Mead algorithm) and its effect on signal quality improvement is discussed. Tests on a washing machine in controlled operating conditions allow to evaluate the efficacy of the method; significant reduction of noise on vibration velocity spectra is observed. Results from on-line tests are presented, which demonstrate the potential of the system for industrial quality control.

[Presumptive clinical diagnosis of malaria in children in a hospital in the North Region (Cameroon)]. / Diagnostic clinique présomptif du paludisme chez l'enfant en milieu hospitalier au Nord Cameroun.

The authors studied the correlation between the prescription of antimalarial drugs and the results of a rapid diagnostic test (RDT) and thick smear during dry and rainy seasons in a regional hospital outpatient clinic in North Cameroon. Clinical diagnosis, essentially based on the presence of fever, has a positive predictive value of 2% when compared with laboratory results during the dry season, against 44% during the rainy season. This study confirms the epidemic nature of malaria in the Sahelian zone of the North Region and challenges the currently available hospital statistics. In this epidemiological context, the authors recommend routine laboratory diagnosis of malaria before any treatment, especially during the dry season. This is justified both therapeutically and economically.

Improved cellular uptake of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) due to their unique structural and physicochemical properties, have been proposed as delivery systems for a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic agents. However, SWNTs have proven difficult to solubilize in aqueous solution, limiting their use in biological applications. In an attempt to improve SWNTs' solubility, biocompatibility, and to increase cell penetration we have thoroughly investigated the construction of carbon scaffolds coated with aliphatic carbon chains and phospholipids to obtain micelle-like structures. At first, oxidized SWNTs (2370 ± 30 nmol mg(-1) of SWNTs) were covalently coupled with an alcoholic chain (stearyl alcohol, C(18)H(37)OH; 816 nmol mg(-1) of SWNTs). Subsequently, SWNTs-COOC(18)H(37) derivatives were coated with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or -serine (PS) phospholipids obtaining micelle-like structures. We found that cellular uptake of these constructs by phagocytic cells occurs via an endocytotic mechanism for constructs larger than 400 nm while occurs via diffusion through the cell membrane for constructs up to 400 nm. The material that enters the cell by phagocytosis is actively internalized by macrophages and localizes inside endocytotic vesicles. In contrast the material that enters the cells by diffusion is found in the cell cytosol. In conclusion, we have realized new biomimetic constructs based on alkylated SWNTs coated with phospholipids that are efficiently internalized by different cell types only if their size is lower than 400 nm. These constructs are not toxic to the cells and could now be explored as delivery systems for non-permeant cargoes.

Stiff skin syndrome versus scleroderma: a report of two cases.

Stiff skin syndrome is a rare cutaneous disease, scleroderma-like disorder that presents in infancy or early childhood with rock-hard skin, limited joint mobility, and mild hypertrichosis. Normally, it occurs in the absence of visceral or muscle involvement. Patients do not present immunologic abnormalities or vascular hyperactivity. We describe two adults who initially were diagnosed suffering from scleroderma but fit criteria for stiff skin syndrome. A review of the clinical range of this disorder and discussion of the differential diagnosis with scleroderma is presented.

Effect of macrophage depletion on viral DNA rebound following antiretroviral therapy in a murine model of AIDS (MAIDS).

In the attempt to eradicate HIV-1 infection, a strategy to eliminate macrophages, one of the most important cellular reservoirs in sustaining virus replication during HAART, could be of great benefit in the suppression of viral rebound. Aware of the ability of clodronate to cause macrophage depletion, the effect of the administration of clodronate encapsulated in erythrocytes on disease progression and on viral rebound was evaluated in a murine model of AIDS (MAIDS). One group of LP-BM5 retroviral complex-infected C57BL/6 mice received oral administrations of azidothymidine and dideoxyinosine daily for 12 weeks; two other groups received in addition, either clodronate-loaded erythrocytes or free clodronate at 7-10 day intervals. At the end of the treatment, the three groups maintained parameters characterizing disease progression similar to those of uninfected mice and showed a significantly lower level of BM5d DNA than infected mice in all organs and cells tested. To assess the viral rebound, some animals were left for an additional 4 month period without any treatment. After this time, the BM5d DNA content in blood leukocytes increased in all groups, but the group having received clodronate-loaded erythrocytes, in addition to transcriptase inhibitors, showed a significant delay in viral rebound.

Cell-based drug delivery.

Drug delivery has been greatly improved over the years by means of chemical and physical agents that increase bioavailability, improve pharmacokinetic and reduce toxicities. At the same time, cell based delivery systems have also been developed. These possesses a number of advantages including prolonged delivery times, targeting of drugs to specialized cell compartments and biocompatibility. Here we'll focus on erythrocyte-based drug delivery. These systems are especially efficient in releasing drugs in circulations for weeks, have a large capacity, can be easily processed and could accommodate traditional and biologic drugs. These carriers have also been used for delivering antigens and/or contrasting agents. Carrier erythrocytes have been evaluated in thousands of drug administration in humans proving safety and efficacy of the treatments. Erythrocyte-based delivery of new and conventional drugs is thus experiencing increasing interests in drug delivery and in managing complex pathologies especially when side effects could become serious issues.

Inhibition of HIV-1 replication in macrophages by red blood cell-mediated delivery of a heterodinucleotide of lamivudine and tenofovir.

Homo- and heterodimers of nucleoside/nucleotide analogues as reverse transcriptase inhibitors are effective on HIV-1-infected human monocyte-derived macrophages (M/M) compared to the single drugs or their combination. Since the combined treatment of lamivudine (3TC) and tenofovir ((R)PMPA) has an antiretroviral efficacy and a synergic effect respect to separate drugs, the heterodinucleotide 3TCpPMPA was synthesized. A single administration of the dimer as free drug or 3TCpPMPA-loaded RBC selectively targeted to M/M was able to almost completely protect macrophages from "de novo" infection.

Long-term treatment with autologous red blood cells loaded with dexamethasone 21-phosphate in pediatric patients affected by steroid-dependent Crohn disease.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) present in childhood in 15% to 25% of cases. The aim of therapy in children is not only to guarantee normal growth but also to prevent relapse and to maintain remission. Steroids are effective to induce remission; however, resistance, dependency, and irreversible side effects can develop. The aim of this study was to determine whether treatment with repeated infusions of autologous red blood cells (RBCs) loaded with dexamethasone 21-phosphate (Dex 21-P) is safe and allows maintenance of long-term remission in children with steroid-dependent Crohn disease (CD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen consecutive pediatric patients who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the study. Infusions of autologous RBCs loaded with Dex 21-P were performed every 4 weeks; the mean duration of treatment was 24 months. At the beginning of treatment and after 6, 12, and 24 months, we performed clinical evaluation according to the Pediatric Crohn Disease Activity Index (pCDAI). Assessment of body mass in dexamethasone and bone mineral density by means of computerized bone mineralometry-dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, endoscopic evaluation, and hematic morning cortisol determination were also performed. RESULTS: During treatment, the mean pCDAI significantly decreased (P < 0.05); 78% of patients discontinued steroids. Determination of morning cortisol showed suppression only on the first day after infusion, followed by normalization of values. Endoscopic findings showed remission in 44% of patients. None of the patients experienced serious side effects. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that repeated infusions of RBCs loaded with Dex 21-P can be safe and useful to maintain long-term remission in pediatric patients with moderately active CD.

Administration of fludarabine-loaded autologous red blood cells in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected sooty mangabeys depletes pSTAT-1-expressing macrophages and delays the rebound of viremia after suspension of antiretroviral therapy.

A major limitation of highly active antiretroviral therapy is that it fails to eradicate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection due to its limited effects on viral reservoirs carrying replication-competent HIV, including monocytes/macrophages (M/M). Therefore, therapeutic approaches aimed at targeting HIV-infected M/M may prove useful in the clinical management of HIV-infected patients. In previous studies, we have shown that administration of fludarabine-loaded red blood cells (RBC) in vitro selectively induces cell death in HIV-infected M/M via a pSTAT1-dependent pathway. To determine the in vivo efficacy of this novel therapeutic strategy, we treated six naturally simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected sooty mangabeys (SMs) with either 9-[2-(R)-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine (PMPA) only, fludarabine-loaded RBC only, or PMPA in association with fludarabine-loaded RBC. The rationale of this treatment was to target infected M/M with fludarabine-loaded RBC at a time when PMPA is suppressing viral replication taking place in activated CD4+ T cells. In vivo administration of fludarabine-loaded RBC was well tolerated and did not induce any discernible side effect. Importantly, addition of fludarabine-loaded RBC to PMPA delayed the rebound of viral replication after suspension of therapy, thus suggesting a reduction in the size of SIV reservoirs. While administrations of fludarabine-loaded RBC did not induce any change in the CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell compartments, we observed, in chronically SIV-infected SMs, a selective depletion of M/M expressing pSTAT1. This study suggests that therapeutic strategies based on the administration of fludarabine-loaded RBC may be further explored as interventions aimed at reducing the size of the M/M reservoirs during chronic HIV infection.

The polymorphism of multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) does not influence the pharmacokinetics of dexamethasone loaded into autologous erythrocytes of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: We have recently demonstrated that low doses of Dexamethasone 21-P (Dex 21-P), loaded in autologous erythrocytes and administered at monthly intervals, have been able to maintain steroid-dependent patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) in clinical remission with a progressive and complete tapering of systemic steroids. AIM: Since multi-drug resistance 1 gene (MDR1) has a potential influence on Dexamethasone (Dex) bioavailability, we designed this study to investigate the correlation between MDR1 genotype and Dex pharmacokinetic after its delivery in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen steroid-dependent consecutive patients with IBD (10 UC mean age 36 +/- 12, and 7 Crohn's disease mean age 31 +/- 5) were consecutively recruited. The C3435T polymorphism of MDR1 gene was studied by Denaturing High Performance Liquid Chromatography (DHPLC). Serum level of Dex were determined at the end of the infusion and after 15 days by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The mean dose of Dex 21-P administered was 9.9 mg +/- 4 (range 2.7-20.3), while the mean levels of Dex at the end of the infusion and after 15 days were 0.66 +/- 0.23 mM and 0.06 +/- 0.06 mM, respectively. Concerning the C3435T genotype, two patients were wild-type, eleven heterozygotes, and four homozygotes. No correlation between basal or 15-days plasma level of Dex and MDR1 genotype was found (r = 0.19 and r = 0.21, respectively). CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrated that Dex plasma level, after infusion of autologous erythrocytes loaded with Dex 21-P are completely independent by the MDR 1 gene polymorphism. This could be another potential advantage of this modality of drug delivering.

Effect of listeriolysin O-loaded erythrocytes on Mycobacterium avium replication within macrophages.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of erythrocytes loaded with the haemolytic toxin listeriolysin O against Mycobacterium avium replication within human macrophages. METHODS: Recombinant listeriolysin O was loaded in human erythrocytes by a procedure of hypotonic dialysis and isotonic resealing. Loaded erythrocytes were modified to allow them to be recognized and taken up by human macrophages infected with M. avium. The antimycobacterial activity of the erythrocytes loaded with listeriolysin O was evaluated by supernatant and intracellular cfu counts on days 4 and 7 post-erythrocyte administration. RESULTS: Recombinant listeriolysin O was encapsulated in human erythrocytes to reach final concentrations ranging from 1 to 4 ng/mL of erythrocytes. Erythrocytes loaded with increasing quantities of recombinant protein were able to reduce (at most by 50%) M. avium replication in a dose-dependent fashion when administered to infected macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: Erythrocytes loaded with listeriolysin O are effective against M. avium replication within macrophages. We are confident that the strategy presented could be useful against mycobacteria other than M. avium (such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae) by itself or as part of an antimycobacterial treatment.

Advanced diagnostic tools: virtual colonoscopy and magnifying chromoendoscopy.

Early endoscopic diagnosis of colorectal cancers (CRCs) represents the best tool for the reduction of CRC mortality, but the conventional colonoscopic view seems unable to clarify faint changes of colorectal mucosa. For these reasons, during the last few decades, two new techniques have been developed in order to better define, diagnose and treat colorectal lesions: chromoendoscopy (CE) and magnifying chromoendoscopy (MC). The authors herein highlight the benefits of both and compare the results of conventional endoscopy and CE with 0.2% indigo carmine solution, evaluating 995 consecutive selected patients referred for colonoscopy between January 1999 and March 2003 at the International Health Union of Rome. CE showed new neoplastic patterns not detectable with conventional endoscopy in 102 patients (10.2%). The incidence of high-grade dysplasia and early carcinomas was 9.9% for protruded, 13.1% for flat and 60% for depressed lesions. Our comparative study on 995 consecutive selected patients confirmed the existence of flat and depressed neoplasms in Italy and shows the high accuracy rate of CE over conventional endoscopy for the detection of non-polypoid lesions. CE should be used routinely in order to enhance the early diagnosis of CRCs, while MC in experienced hands represents a significant advance in colonoscopic practice improving the diagnosis of every single lesion, enhancing therapeutic efficacy of colorectal tumours.