Correlation between dental arch form and OSA severity in adult patients: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: The role of interdental widths and palatal morphology on the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has not been well investigated in adult patients yet. The aim of this paper was to assess the morphology of maxilla and mandibular dental arches on three-dimensional (3D) casts and to correlate these measurements with the severity of OSA. METHODS: Sixty-four patients (8 women and 56 men, mean age 52.4) with a diagnosis of mild-to-moderate OSA were retrospectively enrolled. On each patient, home sleep apnea test and 3D dental models were collected. Apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) and oxygen desaturation index (ODI) were recorded, as well as the dental measurements including inter-molar distance, anterior and posterior widths of maxillary and mandibular arches, upper and lower arch lengths, palatal height, and palatal surface area. The respiratory and dental variables were then correlated. RESULT: A statistically inverse correlation was found between ODI and anterior width of lower arch, maxillary arch length, palatal height, and palatal area. AHI showed a significant inverse correlation with anterior width of mandibular arch and maxillary length. CONCLUSION: A significant inverse correlation between maxillary and mandibular morphology and respiratory parameters was shown in the present paper.

Palliative care to cancer patients: how COVID-19 pandemic could affect quality of care.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the care delivered to hospitalized cancer patients in end-of-life. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of data of hospitalized patients with advanced solid tumors, who died under exclusive palliative care during first wave (March 2020 to July 2020) compared with the period previous pandemic (January 2018 to February 2020). RESULTS: A total of 190 oncologic patients were included, 161 patients before the pandemic, and 29 in the period from March 2020 to July 2020. The average hospitalization was 497.2 patients per month, before the pandemic, and dropped to an average of 46.5 in the pandemic, whereas the death rate decreased from an average of 6.3 patients per month to 4.8. Considering the benchmarks for quality of care during end-of-life care, preferences on life assistance were discussed prior to hospitalization for 34.4%, before the pandemic, and 13.8% during the pandemic (p=0.0298); 9.3% received chemotherapy 15 days prior to the date of death, before the pandemic, and 20.7%, in the pandemic (p=0.1012). CONCLUSION: Based on the present results, despite the decrease in oncology admissions, the advanced-stage cancer patients continued to seek hospital for end-of-life care. However, we could observe in our benchmarking analyses for palliative quality of care that talks about prognosis occurred less often during the pandemic.

Palliative care to cancer patients: how COVID-19 pandemic could affect quality of care

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the care delivered to hospitalized cancer patients in end-of-life. Methods A retrospective analysis of data of hospitalized patients with advanced solid tumors, who died under exclusive palliative care during first wave (March 2020 to July 2020) compared with the period previous pandemic (January 2018 to February 2020). Results A total of 190 oncologic patients were included, 161 patients before the pandemic, and 29 in the period from March 2020 to July 2020. The average hospitalization was 497.2 patients per month, before the pandemic, and dropped to an average of 46.5 in the pandemic, whereas the death rate decreased from an average of 6.3 patients per month to 4.8. Considering the benchmarks for quality of care during end-of-life care, preferences on life assistance were discussed prior to hospitalization for 34.4%, before the pandemic, and 13.8% during the pandemic (p=0.0298); 9.3% received chemotherapy 15 days prior to the date of death, before the pandemic, and 20.7%, in the pandemic (p=0.1012). Conclusion Based on the present results, despite the decrease in oncology admissions, the advanced-stage cancer patients continued to seek hospital for end-of-life care. However, we could observe in our benchmarking analyses for palliative quality of care that talks about prognosis occurred less often during the pandemic.

Potential exposure of bees, Apis mellifera L., to particulate matter and pesticides derived from seed dressing during maize sowing.

This paper assessed the potential exposure of bees (Apis mellifera L.) to pesticides during maize (Zea mays L.) sowing with pneumatic drills. Data were derived from tests carried out in field tests, comparing two configurations of a pneumatic precision drill: conventional drill; drill with air deflectors. In addition, static tests simulating the sowing under controlled conditions, were performed on the drill equipped with an innovative system developed at CRA-ING. During the field tests, the concentrations in the air of the active ingredients of four insecticides used in maize seed dressing (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiamethoxam and fipronil) were recorded. The concentrations of active ingredients in the air were used for assessing the quantities of active ingredients that a bee might intercept as it flies in a sort of virtual tunnel, the dimensions of which were dependent upon the bee body cross-section and the length of flight. The results of the field tests show that the air deflectors were not completely effective in reducing the amount of active ingredients dispersed in the air. The results of the static tests with drill equipped with the prototype indicated reductions of the active ingredient air concentrations ranging from 72 % up to 95 %, with reference to the conventional drill. Such ratios were applied to the amounts of active ingredients intercepted by the bees in the virtual tunnel contributing to a consistent reduction of the probability that sub-lethal effects can occur.

Sowing simulation tests of a pneumatic drill equipped with systems aimed at reducing the emission of abrasion dust from maize dressed seed.

The utilization of dressed seed for spring sowing is a widespread practice to control some pests with reduced doses of chemical products. However some insecticides employed in maize seed dressing, namely belonging to the neonicotinoid family and fipronil, have been claimed to play a role in the decline of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Pneumatic drills used in maize sowing are charged with contributing to the dispersion of the abrasion dust produced by dressed seeds, favoring the contamination of the honeybee habitat. Different devices similar to air deflectors have been introduced on pneumatic drills in order to reduce dust drift. During previous field tests carried out by the authors during recent years reduction of dust concentration both in the air and at soil surface has been shown as a consequence of their application. As field tests are affected by the variability of environmental parameters (namely wind speed and direction) the results are not always reliable, comparable and of a general validity. This paper refers to a sowing simulation test system in which pneumatic drills can be tested at a fixed point under controlled conditions of the main environmental parameters. In the test area, protected by external influences, artificial wind conditions are created by means of a fan. The drill, suitably placed in the test area, operates the seed distribution "sur place" by means of an electric engine connected to the drill's driving wheel. A 22.5 m long sampling area, leeward with respect to the drill position, has been identified. Along the sampling area a series of Petri dishes has been placed, with the aim of capturing the depositing dust and providing the concentration of the active ingredients (a.i.) at ground level. At the same time, three air samplers with PTFE diskette filters have been used for the detection of the a.i. The test system has been used for the test of a pneumatic drill, equipped with and without air deflectors, using maize seed dressed with four a. i. (imidacloprid, clothianidin, thiametoxam, fipronil). The results showed regularly decreasing of the concentrations as distance increased, both in the air and at ground level. Moreover, the difference determined by the adoption of the drift reducing device (air deflectors) resulted clear and it can be quantified at around 50 % of the a.i. amounts observed without deflectors. Finally, the paper proposes a data processing method that, from the values observed at fixed point, provides the theoretical a.i. concentration behavior that would occur in field, under the same conditions of wind speed and direction and working speed. The obtained results are coherent with previous field test.

Preliminary study on persistence in soil and residues in maize of imidacloprid.

The aim of this work was to study the distribution of imidacloprid in soil and its translocation to roots and aerial parts of maize plant. The main objective was to assess imidacloprid residues in field environment, in order to provide data on honeybees exposure level to such an active substance. Imidacloprid has been detected and quantified by Triple Quadrupole HPLC-MS-MS. Pesticide persistence in the soil and its residues in pollen and in maize plants have been evaluated during the growing of maize plants developed from seeds dressed with Gaucho 350 FS (imidacloprid: 1.0 mg/seed). The sowing has been performed by means of a pneumatic precision drill. Samples have been collected at 30, 45, 60, 80, 130 days after the sowing, as pollen samples have been collected at the tasseling. Imidacloprid presence in aerial part of maize plant declined to 2-3 µg/kg 80 days after the sowing, while concentration in kernel at harvest was <1 µg/kg. Maize pollen represents an important part of protein supply of beehives, and it is of critical importance to bee foraging. The values detected (imidacloprid residues <1 µg/kg) showed that maize pollen source should not be relevant for acute toxicity impact on honey bees.

Dieldrin uptake by vegetable crops grown in contaminated soils.

The aim of these trials was to study the distribution of dieldrin in soil and its translocation to roots and the aerial parts of vegetable crops grown in greenhouses and fields. The main objectives were to characterize dieldrin accumulation in plant tissues in relation to the levels of soil contamination; uptake capability among plants belonging to different species, varieties and cultivars. The presence of the contaminant was quantified by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). The results showed a translocation of residues in cucurbitaceous fruits and flowers confirming that zucchini, cucumber and melon are crops with high uptake capability. The maximum level of dieldrin residue at 0.01 mg/kg was found to be a threshold value to safeguard the quality production of cucurbits. Tomato, lettuce and celery were identified as substitute crops to grow in contaminated fields.