L’arte pittorica svelata attraverso la Spettrometria di massa

L’analisi chimica da sempre ricopre un ruolo fondamentale nella conservazione del nostro patrimonio culturale. La caratterizzazione di manufatti artistici, pittorici e archeologici aiuta a rispondere a domande cruciali tipo quando e come una specifica opera è stata realizzata, nonché a comprenderne i processi degradativi ed, anche, eventuale contraffazione. E’ necessario, tuttavia, che le analisi siano non invasive, non distruttive ma sensibili ed efficaci. Negli ultimi venti anni la chimica delle proteine e la spettrometria di massa si sono evolute e adattate per l’analisi di campioni nel campo dei beni culturali, tanto che è stato coniato il termine paleoproteomica, ad indicare la proteomica applicata al mondo delle proteine antiche [1-3]. Ad esempio tale analisi ha consentito l'identificazione dei materiali proteici presenti nello strato non originale del Gruppo di quattro clarisse, un frammento di un dipinto murale realizzato nella Sala Capitolare di San Francesco, a Siena, da Ambrogio Lorenzetti . Nello specifico, la spettrometria di massa tandem ha identificato la presenza di colla di pecora e mucca e proteine dell'albume d'uovo di gallina e anatra, ingredienti adoperati da artisti rinascimentali con l’intento di effettuare interventi di protezione o di restauro sull’affresco trecentesco. Risalendo alla tipologia di proteine animali impiegate e il danno da loro subito, è possibile effettuare interventi di restauro e di conservazione più mirati. Inoltre, dato che tale indagine può essere usata su dipinti, materiali e antichi strumenti musicali, una volta chiarito quali sono i materiali e le proteine usate da un determinato artista, si possono scovare eventuali falsi artistici e storici. Questo lavoro condotto da un team multidisciplinare di ricercatori (chimici, umanisti e restauratori) ha voluto sottolineare l’importanza della stretta collaborazione tra arte e scienza

Design and conduct of clinical trials in patients with osteoarthritis of the hand: recommendations from a task force of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International

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Which are the Parameters to be Controlled in Red Cell Products (Whole Blood, Red Cell Concentrates, Washed Red Cells, Leucocyte Poor Red Cell Concentrates, Frozen Red Cells) in Order that They May be Offered to the Medical Profession as Standardised Products with Specified Properties?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73259/1/j.1423-0410.1980.tb01863.x.pd

Science and Film-making

The essay reviews the literature, mostly historical, on the relationship between science and film-making, with a focus on the science documentary. It then discusses the circumstances of the emergence of the wildlife making-of documentary genre. The thesis examined here is that since the early days of cinema, film-making has evolved from being subordinate to science, to being an equal partner in the production of knowledge, controlled by non-scientists

Validation of a screening questionnaire for hip and knee osteoarthritis in old people

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To develop a sensitive and specific screening tool for knee and hip osteoarthritis in the general population of elderly people.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The Knee and Hip OsteoArthritis Screening Questionnaire (KHOA-SQ) was developed based on previous studies and observed data and sent to 11,002 people aged 60 to 90 years, stratified by age and gender, who were selected by random sampling. Algorithms of the KHOA-SQ were created. Respondents positive for knee or hip OA on the KHOA-SQ were invited to be evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon. A sample of 300 individuals negative for knee or hip OA on the KHOA-SQ were also invited for evaluation. Sensitivity and specificity were determined for the KHOA-SQ, as well as for KHOA-SQ questions. Classification and Regression Tree analysis was used to find alternative screening algorithms from the questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 11,002 individuals contacted, 7,577 completed the KHOA-SQ. Of 1,115 positive for knee OA, on the KHOA-SQ, 710 (63.6%) were diagnosed with it. For hip OA, 339 of the 772 who screened positive (43.9%) were diagnosed it. Sensitivity for the hip algorithm was 87.4% and specificity 59.8%; for the knee, sensitivity was 94.5% and specificity 43.8%. Two alternative algorithms provided lower specificity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The KHOA-SQ offers high sensitivity and moderate specificity. Although this tool correctly identifies individuals with knee or hip OA, the high false positive rate could pose problems. Based on our questions, no better algorithm was found.</p

Measuring the impact and distress of osteoarthritis from the patients' perspective

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To assess the internal construct validity of the Perceived Impact of Problem Profile (PIPP), a patient based outcome measure based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), which assesses impact and distress, in an osteoarthritis (OA) cohort.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A questionnaire comprising the 23-item PIPP, which assesses five domains (mobility, participation, self care, psychological well being and relationships), the Western Ontario McMasters University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the General Well-Being Index (GWBI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was posted to people with clinician diagnosed OA. Assessment of the internal construct validity of the PIPP was undertaken using Rasch analysis performed with RUMM2020 software and concurrent validity through comparator measures.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred and fifty-nine participants with OA responded. Analysis of the five individual domains of the PIPP indicated that there was good fit to the Rasch model, with high person separation reliability. One item required removal from the Mobility subscale and the Participation subscale. There were strong correlations between the PIPP Mobility scores and the WOMAC disability and pain subscales (rho = .73 and rho = .68), and between the PIPP Psychological well-being and HADS Depression (rho = .71) and GWBI (rho = -.69). High inter-correlations between the impact and distress subscales for each domain (range rho = .85 to .96), suggested redundancy of the latter.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study demonstrates that the PIPP has good psychometric properties in an OA population. The PIPP, using just the impact subscales, provides a brief, reliable and valid means of assessing the impact of OA from the individual's perspective and operationalizing the bio-psychosocial model by the application of a single multi-domain questionnaire.</p

Effect of TENS on pain in relation to central sensitization in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Central sensitization has recently been documented in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OAk). So far, the presence of central sensitization has not been considered as a confounding factor in studies assessing the pain inhibitory effect of tens on osteoarthritis of the knee. The purpose of this study is to explore the pain inhibitory effect of burst tens in OAk patients and to explore the prognostic value of central sensitization on the pain inhibitory effect of tens in OAk patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients with knee pain due to OAk will be recruited through advertisements in local media. Temporal summation, before and after a heterotopic noxious conditioning stimulation, will be measured. In addition, pain on a numeric rating score, WOMAC subscores for pain and function and global perceived effect will be assessed. Patients will be randomly allocated to one of two treatment groups (tens, sham tens). Follow-up measurements will be scheduled after a period of 6 and 12 weeks.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Tens influences pain through the electrical stimulation of low-threshold A-beta cutaneous fibers. The responsiveness of central pain-signaling neurons of centrally sensitized OAk patients may be augmented to the input of these electrical stimuli. This would encompass an adverse therapy effect of tens. To increase treatment effectiveness it might be interesting to identify a subgroup of symptomatic OAk patients, i.e., non-sensitized patients, who are likely to benefit from burst tens.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov: <a href="http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01390285">NCT01390285</a></p