Energetic valorization of MSW compost valorization by selecting the maturity conditions.

MSW compost valorization under combustion, at two different composting process conditions, have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The composting operating parameters such as aeration and moisture affect the biodegradability of compost and results of the combustion (different gross heating values for each reactors). The obtained TGA showed that maximum weight loss for 10-12% (245-247 °C), 32-34% (407-411 °C) and 44-46% (760-769 °C) in correspondence to hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin-humic-fulvic acids decomposition for each reactor are observed. Obtained valued in kinetic study (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method) results in suitable coefficients of determination. In that form, to establish the assumption that combustion of compost under a first-order reaction may be appropriate. Moreover, in both reactors, the conversion rate increased and the activation energy decreased with composting time is found. The maximum gross heating value versus minimum activation energy (for α = 0.25 and α = 0.5) corresponds to final composts and under aeration of 0.050 and 0.175 Lair kg-1 d-1 and moisture of 40% and 55% for R1 and R2 reactors respectively. For MSW, under proper conditions, composting could be used as a suitable biodrying process, stabilizing and concentrating the heating value.

Topical hyaluronic acid in rhinitis medicamentosa: could our perspective be changed?

This study was designed to prospectively evaluate the role of nebulized hyaluronic acid (HA) administered for 10 days as treatment for patients with rhinitis medicamentosa (RM). RM is a pathological condition of the nasal mucosa induced by prolonged, excessive or improper use of topical decongestants. It is characterized by persistent nasal congestion that can lead the patient to increase the frequency of application and the quantity of the substance being applied, resulting in dependence on topical nasal decongestants. Twenty-five patients were treated with HA nebulized via Spray-sol twice a day for 10-days (T1) (HA Spray-sol treatment group). Subsequently, after 3 days of washout, patients were treated with physiological saline nebulized via Spray-sol twice a day for 10 days. (T2) (saline Spray-sol treatment group). The HA Spray-sol treatment group (tp) significantly improved visual analogue scale (VAS) scores (T0=6.25±1.64 vs T1=3.91±1.30; p less than 0.05), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in the saline Spray-sol treatment group (tp) (p>0.05), results confirmed by the anterior active rhinomanometry (AAR) data (HA Spray-sol tp T0=1.193±0.83 vs T1=0.44±0.25, p less than 0.05; saline Spray-sol tp (p>0.05). An improvement in the Global Rhinitis Score (GRS) was recorded in both groups (T0=15.37±5.16 vs T1=5.54±3.23, p less than 0.05; saline Spray-sol tp T0=15.37±5.16 vs T2=10. 7±5.43; p less than 0.05). Both groups showed a significant reduction in mucosal oedema and nasal secretions. Patients treated with HA Spray-sol reduced or even eliminated (11/25 patients) the use of topical decongestant within 10 days of treatment with HA. The results of this study suggest nebulized topical 9-mg sodium hyaluronate plays a pivotal role in the management of RM.

Systematic review: the efficacy of topical hyaluronic acid on oral ulcers.

The management of oral ulcers is a challenge for clinicians. Whilst there is widespread use of topical corticosteroids, antibiotics and antimicrobial, there is only weak evidence for the effectiveness of any of the topical treatments. Hyaluronic Acid (HA) has been recently proposed for topical administration in the treatment of oral ulcers and other painful oral lesions. The aim of the study is to systematically review the published literature regarding all the therapeutic effects of HA on painful oral lesions such as oral ulcers and oral lichen planus. Relevant published studies were found in PubMed, Google Scholar and Ovid using a combined keyword search or medical subject headings. At the end of our study selection process, 4 relevant publications were included: two regarding oral lichen planus, one Behcet’s Disease and Recurrent Aphthous ulcer and one in oral ulcers in general. Both subjective parameters such as healing period, VAS for pain and objective assessments such as number of ulcers, maximal area of ulcer and inflammatory signs, significantly improved after HA treatment. These data allow us to suggest that HA may play a pivotal role in the treatment of oral ulcers.

The efficacy of topical hyaluronan in rhinosinusitis: a systematic review.

Rhinosinusitis is one of the most common inflammatory conditions of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses and is one of the most common causes of absence from work and for visits to the family doctor. The treatment strategy in both acute rhinosinusitis (ARS) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is to reduce the severity of the symptoms, minimize the duration of the disease and prevent complications. Topical therapy has become an important tool in otolaryngologists’ armamentarium for rhinosinusitis treatment. Recently, topical hyaluronic acid (HA), the major component of many extracellular matrices that promotes tissue healing, including activation and moderation of the inflammatory responses, cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis, has been proposed for ARS and CRS adjuvant tool. The aim of the study is to systematically review the published literature regarding all the therapeutic effects of HA on the ARS and CRS. Relevant published studies were found in PubMed, Google Scholar and Ovid, using a combined keyword search or medical subject headings. At the end of our study selection process, 5 relevant publications were included: 2 of them investigated the potential role of HA in reducing symptoms and preventing exacerbations of CRS in adult population, two of them in paediatric patients affected by upper respiratory tract infections and one of them in cystic fibrosis patients with bacterial rhinopharyngitis. Data deriving from the present review of 5 clinical studies showed that the use of topical HA represents a relevant therapeutic advance in rhinosinusitis to minimize symptoms and prevent reacutization with a significant improvement of their quality of life, as it avoids systemic side effects and increases local drug activity. Further studies on larger populations and with new specific nebulization devices for upper airway are needed to confirm these encouraging results.

Hybrid hyaluronic acid versus high molecular weight hyaluronic acid for the treatment of osteoarthritis in obese patients.

Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is one of the most relevant and debilitating health problems. Obesity represents one of the major risk factor for early development of OA. In the obese population, knee replacement should be delayed and eventually avoided and prefer conservative treatments including intrarticular hyaluronic acid (HA) viscosupplementation. In the present clinical randomized trial, we present a comparison between two groups of 24 obese patients which were randomized to be treated with two intrarticular injections of hybrid (low and high molecular weight) hyaluronic acid (Group A) or two injections of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (Group B). Patients were followed-up through to 6 months and assessed though IKDC and KOOS scores, pain was evaluated with VAS. All patients reported a significant improvement when compared to baseline value in all outcome measures. At 3-month follow-up, IKDC had significantly improved in patients of Group A, compared to Group B (53.1±1.9 vs 51.4±2.4, p=0.0079) and the same for KOOS (52.1±2.0 vs 50.1±2.9, p=0.010). Furthermore, the difference in KOOS was persistently significant at 6-month follow-up (54.7±2.3 vs 51.7±4.9, p=0.014). The VAS reduced significantly more in Group A at 3 months (3.7±0.5 vs 5.2±0.7, p less than 0.001). In an obese population, where basal inflammatory pattern increases symptoms of OA and conservative treatment is recommended, HA viscosupplementation improved function and pain of the knee. The treatment with hybrid HA showed better outcomes than high molecular weight HA in obese patients. The combination of the anti-inflammatory action of low molecular weight HA on chondrocytes and the biomechanical role of high molecular weight HA might explain the different results.

Identification of valid reference housekeeping genes for gene expression analysis in tumor neovascularization studies

INTRODUCTION: Real time RT-PCR is a widely used technique to evaluate and confirm gene expression data obtained in different cell systems and experimental conditions. However, there are many conflicting reports about the same gene or sets of gene expression. A common method is to report the interest gene expression relative to an internal control, usually a housekeeping gene (HKG), which should be constant in cells independently of experimental conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, the expression stability of ten HKGs was considered in parallel in two cell systems (endothelial and osteosarcoma cells): beta actin (ACTB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), TATA box binding protein (TBP), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase 1 (HPRT1), Cyclophilin A (PPIA), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), glucuronidase beta (GUSB), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha1 (EEF1A1), transferrin receptor (TFRC), ribosomal protein S18 (RPS18). In order to study the stability of candidate reference genes, data have been also analyzed by several algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and delta-Ct method). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The overall analysis obtained by the comprehensive ranking showed that RPS18 and PPIA are appropriate internal reference genes for tumor neovascularization studies where it is necessary to analyze both systems at the same time (AU)

Multi slice computed tomography in the study of pulmonary metastases.

PURPOSE: This study was undertaken to assess the performance of 16-slice computed tomography (MSCT) using Multi-Planar Reformatting (MPR), Maximum Intensity Projection (MIP) and Volume Rendering (VR) reconstructions to study pulmonary metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CT studies of 32 patients with pulmonary metastases were retrospectively reviewed. Images were assessed for the following parameters: number, size, location, distribution of the nodules and the presence of the "mass-vessel sign". These parameters were evaluated by two observers on axial-source images and on MPR, MIP and VR reconstructions. Sensitivity of each reconstruction and interobserver agreement were calculated. RESULTS: Two-dimensional (2D) axial images and MIP and VR reconstructions exhibited 100% sensitivity for lesions >10 mm. For nodules 6-10 mm, sensitivity was 49%-55% for the 2D images, 90% for MIP and 80%-85% for VR reconstructions. For metastasis

Identification and Detection of Phoma tracheiphila, Causal Agent of Citrus Mal Secco Disease, by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction.

Phoma tracheiphila is the causal agent of a tracheomycotic disease of citrus called mal secco causing the dieback of twigs and branches. This pathogen is of quarantine concern; therefore, fast and reliable protocols are required to detect it promptly. A specific primer pair and a dual-labeled fluorogenic probe were used in a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the Cepheid Smart Cycler II System (Transportable Device TD configuration) to detect this fungus in citrus samples. Real-time PCR assay was compared to modified conventional PCR assay. The sensitivity of the former was evaluated by testing P. tracheiphila DNA dilutions, and the minimum amount detectable was about 500 fg, whereas the linear quantification range was within 100 ng to 1 pg. Conventional PCR sensitivity was 10 pg. Conventional and real-time PCR successfully detected the fungus in woody samples of naturally infected lemon and artificially inoculated sour orange seedlings. Nevertheless, real-time PCR was about 10- to 20-fold more sensitive than conventional PCR, and preliminary results indicate that the former technique achieves quantitative monitoring of the fungus in tissues. Simple and rapid procedures to obtain suitable DNA samples from fungal cultures and citrus woody samples for PCR assays enable diagnosis to be completed in a short time.

Birth weight discordancy in twins: new definition and standard.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to improve the definition of birth weight discordancy based on its distribution in the population after a correction in the unlike sex pairs. STUDY DESIGN: The analysis was conducted on 849 Italian twin pairs. Male's birth weight in the unlike sex pairs was corrected by the physiological birth weight difference estimated on 21.595 Italian twins data. Birth weight discordancy was computed as a percentage of the larger twin's birth weight and it was compared by sex pairs and by gestational ages (Kruskal-Wallis test). Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to fit a normal distribution to the square-root transformed birth weight discordancy. RESULTS: The estimated physiological birth weight difference between males and females was 4.39%, without any difference among gestational ages. The 90th centile of birth weight discordancy was 23.9% and the 95th centile was 29.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Ninetieth and 95th centiles of the fitted distribution are proposed as cut-off values for the definition of mild and severe birth weight discordancy.

Randomised controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of a booklet on the duration of breast feeding.

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of an information booklet to increase the duration of breast feeding. RESEARCH DESIGN: Randomised design, stratifying by maternal residence and working activity. Two hundred women were recruited, 103 received the booklet and verbal counselling and 97 verbal counselling only. POPULATION: Infants observed from 15 September 1993 to 15 June 1994 in the well baby outpatient clinic of the Paediatric Institute of the Catholic University of Rome, Italy. MAIN RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in the prevalence of exclusive or complementary breast feeding at 6 months of age: 48.5% and 59.2% in the intervention group, 43.7% and 51.5% in the control group. The median duration of exclusive or complementary breast feeding was 24 and 27 weeks in the treated group, 22 and 25 in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The information booklet alone does not seem to increase the duration and the prevalence of breast feeding at 6 months of age. The use of written material with a more individualised support and more extensive use of randomised clinical trials in the evaluation of health promoting programmes is recommended.

Social and geographical inequalities in prenatal care in Italy.

The purpose of this study was to find out possible differences in prenatal diagnosis (PD) by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling and ultrasound examination before 16 weeks' gestation (early ultrasound examination, EUE), according to area of residence and level of education of the mothers. Data come from a multicentre study in Italy involving 43 maternity hospitals (Mercurio project) and were collected through structured interviews a few days after delivery. Study subjects were 1541 mothers of single non-malformed infants born between April 1992 and March 1994. Overall, the incidence of PD and EUE was 5.8 and 80 per cent, respectively. After adjustment for maternal age and other possible confounders, the odds ratios for PD were 2.19 (95 per cent confidence interval (CI) = 1.26-3.81) when women residing in the northern regions were compared with those residing in the southern regions, and 2.06 (95 per cent CI = 1.12-3.79) and 4.08 (95 per cent CI = 1.97-8.42) when women with medium and high levels of education were compared with those with low level. For EUE, the odds ratios were 1.77 (95 per cent CI = 1.32-2.36) and 2.88 (95 per cent CI = 1.56-5.29) when comparing women with medium and high levels of education with those with low level. No relationship was found between area of residence and EUE. These geographical and social inequalities in prenatal care in Italy should be taken into account for the organization, delivery, and evaluation of pregnancy services in the coming years.

[The catarrhal child]. / Il bambino catarrale.

The first seven years of a child's development are often described as the catarrhal stage. This is because of the increased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. Nasal obstruction in the children is common and symptoms are often distressing. The authors report a rational approach to this problem to produce effective treatment of recurrent nasal obstruction. In particular clinical features, diagnosis, and therapy of recurrent rhinitis, adenoid hypertrophy, and tonsillar obstruction are described. The indications for adenoidectomy, tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy has been questioned.

[Implementation of a computerized pharmacological database for pediatric use]. / Realizzazione di un archivio farmacologico computerizzato ad uso pediatrico.

The authors present a pharmacological database to support teaching and care activity carried out in the Divisional Paediatric Ambulatory of the Catholic University of Rome. This database is included in a integrated system, ARPIA (Ambulatory and Research in Pediatric by Information Assistance), devoted to manage ambulatory paediatric data. ARPIA has been implemented by using a relational DBMS, very cheap and highly diffused on personal computers. The database specifies: active ingredient and code number related to it, clinical uses, doses, contra-indications and precautions, adverse effects, besides the possible wrapping available on the market. All this is showed on a single for that appears on the screen and allows a fast reading of the most important elements characterizing every drug. The search of the included drugs can be made on the basis of three different detailed lists: active ingredient, proprietary preparation and clinical use. It is, besides, possible to have a complete report about the drugs requested by the user. This system allows the user, without modifying the program, to interact with the included data modifying each element of the form. In the system there is also a fast consultation handbook containing for every active ingredient, the complete list of italian proprietary medicines. This system aims to give a better knowledge of the most commonly used drugs, not only limited to the paediatrician but also to the ambulatory health staff; an improvement of the therapy furthering, a more effective use of several pharmacological agents and first of all a training device not only to specialists but also to students.

[Evaluation of the locomotor system during pediatric health examinations and elements of kinesitherapy]. / La valutazione dell'apparato locomotore durante i bilanci di salute pediatrici ed elementi di chinesiterapia.

The pediatrician, being a primary health care physician, has the task of bringing the small patient and his parents to the resolution of all those problems which are erroneously referred to a subspecialist. With this in mind, the authors believe that even common orthopedic problems must be evaluated by the pediatrician. He would decide if and when to refer the child to an orthopedic specialist. Certain problems such as congenital hip dysplasia or scoliosis require specific treatment, whereas others (tibial bowing, genu varum-valgum, flatfoot, metatarsus varus) resolve themselves over time. The authors therefore emphasize the role of the pediatrician in preventing any iatrogenic pathology due to inappropriate treatment.