The Effect of Spironolactone on the Pathogenesis of Ligatureinduced Alveolar Bone Loss in Wistar Rats

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that has a straight relationship with tissue  destruction in the pathogenesis of periodontitis. Inhibitory effects of TNF production have been attributed  to spironolactone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of spironolactone on the pathogenesis of  ligature-induced alveolar bone loss in rats. Experimental periodontitis was induced in 38 Wistar rats by ligature  placement in the left second maxillary molar. The contra-lateral maxillary molar served as intragroup  control. Animals were randomly divided into 4 groups and treated with spironolactone (50, 100, 200  mg·kg-1) or saline. Morphometrical registration of maxillary alveolar bone was performed after 28 days of  experimental periodontitis. Intra-group comparisons showed significantly higher alveolar bone loss mean  values in maxillary sides with ligature (paired sample t test, p<0.05). Mean alveolar bone loss was not significantly  different between groups, independently of the dosage (range: 0.63 – 0.66 mm, one-way  ANOVA, p>0.05). Although spironolactone has recognized TNF-inhibitory properties, the possibility of its  use on modulation of host immune-inflammatory response in periodontal disease was not confirmed.

Rib biomechanical properties exhibit diagnostic potential for accurate ageing in forensic investigations

Age estimation remains one of the most challenging tasks in forensic practice when establishing a biological profile of unknown skeletonised remains. Morphological methods based on developmental markers of bones can provide accurate age estimates at a young age, but become highly unreliable for ages over 35 when all developmental markers disappear. This study explores the changes in the biomechanical properties of bone tissue and matrix, which continue to change with age even after skeletal maturity, and their potential value for age estimation. As a proof of concept we investigated the relationship of 28 variables at the macroscopic and microscopic level in rib autopsy samples from 24 individuals. Stepwise regression analysis produced a number of equations one of which with seven variables showed an R2=0.949; a mean residual error of 2.13 yrs ±0.4 (SD) and a maximum residual error value of 2.88 yrs. For forensic purposes, by using only bench top machines in tests which can be carried out within 36 hrs, a set of just 3 variables produced an equation with an R2=0.902 a mean residual error of 3.38 yrs ±2.6 (SD) and a maximum observed residual error 9.26yrs. This method outstrips all existing age-at-death methods based on ribs, thus providing a novel lab based accurate tool in the forensic investigation of human remains. The present application is optimised for fresh (uncompromised by taphonomic conditions) remains, but the potential of the principle and method is vast once the trends of the biomechanical variables are established for other environmental conditions and circumstances

Awareness of emotionally competent responding in work contexts and its relationship with personal traits and well-being

This study - funded by Cariparo Foundation - tested the extent to which young adults - who often are just starting their professional career - are emotionally competent in their responding to problematic interpersonal situations in the work context (PISIWC; e.g., your work is criticized by your boss; you have to deal with an annoying customer; a colleague is depressed because she did not get an expected promotion; you find it difficult to be integrated in a new work group). Italian participants (sample completing all measures: N 347; 30% males) evaluated the adequacy of each (3 to 4) behavioral response to each of 18 scenarios depicting a variety of PISIWC. Participants' alexitimia level, job involvement and job satisfaction, and well being (e.g., loneliness level) were also assessed. Several statistical analyses of participants' answers were performed. The results showed that behavioral responses to the scenarios were characterized by 3 factorial dimensions: Empathic communication (EC; 20 items, alpha .91), an emotionally-competent behavioral response type, preferred significantly more by women than by men, Aggressivity and superior attitude (ASA) 18 items, alpha .88), least preferred by 27-year-olds or older participants in comparison to 18-23 and 24-26 year-olds, and Individualism and closure (IC) 18 items, alpha .86), a type of response more frequent in the youngest age group. The latter two emotionally-incompetent factors were highly correlated (r = ,689**). Preferences for the response dimensions showed significant associations with participants' traits and well-being indexes. In particular, EC was positively related to higher Job involvement and Job satisfaction, and negatively related to the alexitimia dimension of Externally-oriented thought; ASA was positively related to Emotional Loneliness, and to all three alexitimia dimensions (e.g., Difficulty in identifying feelings); IC was positively related to all three alexitimia dimensions (e.g., Difficulty in communicating feelings). The study has implications for counselling

Patterns of Emotional functioning and Well being in Health care workers

:Health care workers (HCW) represent a specially-at-risk population as regards their psychological well-being given theirtypical job characteristics -that include several and frequent stressors, and a constant contact with illness. The present study -partially founded by CARIPARO - address issues of psychophysical well-being (WB) in relation to various self-evaluated aspects -during several brief online measurement sessions- of emotion-related functioning (ERF) and work features. Participants were 240young and older HCW (men 20%). The sample's scores were later compared to a larger sample (LS) of about 2000 people working invarious other sectors (e.g., scientific and technical professios, commerce). The results obtained from the analysis of participants'answers to several self-report scales showed that HCW generally displayed a positive pattern of features and did not differ from LS asregards most ERF aspects (e.g., felt affect, emotion awareness, regulation, coping), except for their lower scores on TAS-externaloriented thought. HCW showed also greater job satisfaction than LS. Both age and gender differences were observed within HCW.Men reported more negative affect, emotional labor, use of emotion-expression suppression, and alexithimia than women, whereaswomen used cognitive reappraisal, coped by seeking social support, and expressed their emotions more than men did. Overall theyounger age group (25 yrs or less) showed a more-at-risk profile than the older one - e.g., lesser emotion awareness and coping bysocial support, greater coping by avoidance and suppression, greater alexithimia, as well as lesser job involvement and lower health.Altogether the study shows that several aspects of emotion-related functioning and of the psychological orientation to work-aspectscontribute to define HCW psychophysical well-being, and, as a consequence, their functioning within the organizatio