Natural Hexavalent Chromium in the Pollino Massif Groundwater (Southern Apennines, Italy): Occurrence, Geochemistry and Preliminary Remediation Tests by Means of Innovative Adsorbent Nanomaterials.

In this study Cr(tot), Cr(VI), major and trace elements were determined in groundwater of northern sector of the Pollino Massif (southern Italy). The investigated area is characterized by ophiolitic rocks consisting of metabasites, shales and calcschists and fractured serpentinites. Two main hydro-facies were observed, reflecting low temperature water-rock interaction. The Mg-HCO3 hydrofacies is due to the weathering of serpentinites, Ca-HCO3 groundwaters are linked to the interaction with calcschist and metabasites. High Cr(VI) concentrations were detected, exceeding the maximum admissible concentrations by Italian regulation, due to the release of Cr(III) from ophiolitic rocks into water and its oxidation to the hexavalent state. Remediation tests were carried out using two synthetized nanomaterials, Fe(0) and magnetite, characterized by a mean size lower than 50 nm. The experiments were conducted at fixed nanoparticles/Cr(VI) molar ratio and according to previous studies. In addition, the kinetic data were interpreted with a suitable mathematical model.

Ethical Issues in the Use of Suboptimal Kidneys for Transplants: An Italian Point of View.

The shortage of organs leads to the need for utilizing suboptimal kidneys for transplantation. The distinction between optimal, marginal, and suboptimal kidneys leads surgeons to face not only technical problems but also ethical and legal issues related to clinical advantages offered by the transplant of a nonstandard kidney and the acquisition of consent. Between 1999 and 2015, we performed 658 transplants, 49 (7.5%) using suboptimal kidneys. All patients were alive and with vital graft throughout follow-up. We did not encounter any major surgical complications. From a technical point of view, our experience and literature review confirm that transplant of suboptimal kidney leads to good clinical results but exposes patients to a increased risks of surgical complications. Therefore, these interventions must take place in hospitals fully prepared for this type of surgery and performed by experienced transplant surgeons with proper matching between organ and recipient. Considering the insufficient resources available, from an ethical and legal point of view, doctors play an essential role in optimizing the use of these kidneys by avoiding wastage of organs, ensuring that transplants are done in suitable patients, and that patients are fully informed and aware of the risks and benefits associated with the specific suboptimal kidney being transplanted. We believe that, in highly specialized centers, the number of suboptimal kidney transplants should be increased, as their use has shown good clinical results and carries fewer ethical issues compared with marginal kidneys. Further, suboptimal kidneys may also be proposed for use in young patients with end-stage renal disease.

Gender differences in drug abuse in the forensic toxicological approach.

Gender differences in substance use/abuse have been the focus of research in the last 15 years. Initiation, use patterns, acceleration of disease course, and help-seeking patterns are known to be influenced by gender differences with regard to biological, psychological, cultural and socioeconomic factors. This paper presents a systematic review of published data on gender differences in the use/abuse of psychoactive and psychotic drugs, focusing on the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. The basis for this paper was obtained by Medline searches using the search terms "human" and "gender", combined with individual drug names or "drugs of abuse". The reference lists of these papers were further checked for other relevant studies. The gender difference in drug abuse is more evident in adults than in adolescents (13-19 years): adult men are 2-3 times more likely than women to develop drug abuse/dependence disorders and approximately 4 times as likely to have an alcohol use disorder. Such prevalence rates have not been observed in adolescents. Differences between men and women involve: (i) the biological response to the drug, (ii) the progression to drug dependence, and (iii) the comorbid psychiatric diagnoses, which may be due to both sociocultural factors and innate biological differences. A crucial role played by ovarian hormones (oestrogens and progesterone) has been documented in both human and animal model studies. Epidemiological data on how particular psychobiological and physiological characteristics in females influence vulnerability to both drug addiction and toxicological consequences of drugs are still in their infancy. Significant gaps remain in our knowledge, which are primarily attributable to the lack of empirical data that only a systematic and multidisciplinary approach to the topic can generate. The introduction of gender into forensic toxicological evaluations may help elucidate the relationship between the body's absorption of abused drugs (alone or in combination) and the onset of intoxications, both lethal and none.

The collection and conservation in Italy of stem cells from umbilical cord blood.

The blood contained in the umbilical cord offers a precious source of pluripotent stem cells, easily obtainable without invasive procedures, a source that, unlike embryonic stem cells, affords greater respect for ethical concerns. In relation to the therapeutic potential of these stem cells, personalized blood banks for newborns have been created and in various countries systems of research and cryoconservation of umbilical cord blood have been created, especially in private facilities. This facilitates promotion of the culture of donation and development of a network of umbilical cord blood sources, and spurs research to evaluate the real therapeutic potential of these cells. Italy has long prohibited management of umbilical cord blood in private form. Today, with new laws, Italy has achieved the indispensable legislative update in acknowledgment of social needs. Actually, the achieved system is solid autologous conservation. It guarantees to conserve a greater number of umbilical cords in public and private facilities.

[Leiomyosarcoma of the small intestines: case reports]. / Leiomiosarcoma del tenue: analisi casistica.

Intestinal malignant neoplasms are extremely rare (1% of all solid tumours) and leiomyosarcomas represent 20% of them. The authors report the experience of 5 cases (M:F ratio = 0.6), aged 30-69 yrs old, treated in the period 1985-95. The best results have been obtained in 2 cases, characterized by low grading and submitted to curative resections. The others presented local and distant (mostly hepatic) extensions with a poorer prognosis (1-3 yrs. survival). Leiomyosarcomas are particularly binding because of their rarity and aspecific symptomatology, determining late diagnosis in most cases. The clinical course, the surgical and complementary management, the istology and the prognosis have been analysed. Nowadays 5 yrs-survival is very low and the prognosis remains severe because of local and distant metastases, already present at laparotomy. New chances may come out from better diagnostic techniques and from new complementary chemotherapeutical associations.

Effects of arotinoids upon murine embryonal carcinoma cells.

Five arotinoids have been compared with all-trans- and 13-cisretinoic acids for their ability to promote differentiation of cells from murine embryonal carcinoma line Nulli-SCC1. Ro-13-7410, which contains a terminal carboxylic acid residue, and Ro-14-9572, the sodium sulfinate derivative, are potent inducers of differentiation. The sodium sulfonate derivative, Ro-14-3899, is somewhat less active, whereas the ethyl sulfone (Ro-15-1570) and Ro-15-0778, an arotinoid lacking a terminal group, have little or no effect on embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation. Competition by the arotinoids with all-trans-retinoic acid for sites on the cellular retinoic acid-binding protein is qualitatively consistent with their capacity for promoting differentiation. This relationship and the response of differentiation-defective embryonal carcinoma cells to Ro-13-7410 support the view that arotinoids and retinoids promote differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells via the same mechanism.

Teichomycins, new antibiotics from Actinoplanes teichomyceticus nov. sp. II. Extraction and chemical characterization.

The teichomycins are new antibiotics produced by Actinoplanes teichomyceticus nov. sp. Teichomycin A1 is a phosphorus-containing antibiotic, active in vitro and in vivo against gram-positive bacteria, and active only in vitro against gram-negative bacteria. Teichomycin A2 is a chlorine-containing antibiotic, active in vitro and in vivo against gram-positive bacteria. Isolation, purification and physical and chemical properties of the two antibiotics are reported. Teichomycin A1 is a member of the phosphoglycolipid class of antibiotics while teichomycin A2 is related to the group of the glycopeptide antibiotics.