Installazione nell'area etnea di un clinometro digitale in foro profondo 30 metri.

Questo lavoro riporta i risultati della prima installazione clinometrica ad alta profondità effettuata su aree vulcaniche italiane. L'installazione, nata da una collaborazione fra INGV-CT e Provincia Regionale di Catania, è stata possibile grazie all'utilizzo di strumentazione digitale autolivellante di nuova generazione; lo strumento utilizzato è un clinometro modello AGI (Applied Geomechanics Incorporation) con sensibilità pari a 0.005 microradianti (AGI Mod. LILY). Sono illustrati i dettagli dell’installazione e i primi due mesi di dati che evidenziano l’ottima qualità dei dati che risultano essere priva di effetti legati alla temperatura e le cui uniche oscillazioni, dell’ordine di 0.1-0.2 microrad, sono legate alle mareali

Appendiceal-sigmoid fistula presenting in a man with ulcerative colitis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease characterized by diffuse mucosal inflammation limited to the colon. It mostly affects young adults, yet a large number of middle-aged and older patients with ulcerative colitis have also been reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 58-year-old Caucasian man presented to our hospital in August 2006 with continuous and diffuse abdominal pain, meteorism, fever and bloody diarrhea. He had a two-year history of ulcerative colitis. Our patient was treated with intravenous medical therapy. As his condition worsened, he underwent surgery. An explorative laparotomy revealed that the entire colon was distended and pus was found around an appendiceal-sigmoid fistula.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Therapy for ulcerative colitis <b/>is a rapidly evolving field, with many new biological agents under investigation that are likely to change therapeutic strategies radically in the next decade. Indications for surgery are intractability (49%), stricture, dysplasia, toxic colitis, hemorrhage and perforation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of an appendiceal-sigmoid fistula in a patient affected by ulcerative colitis reported in the literature. Fistulae between the appendix and the sigmoid tract are rarely reported in cases of diverticular disease and appendicitis.</p

Installazione nell'area etnea di un clinometro digitale in foro profondo 30 metri.

Questo lavoro riporta i risultati della prima installazione clinometrica ad alta profondità effettuata su aree vulcaniche italiane. L'installazione, nata da una collaborazione fra INGV-CT e Provincia Regionale di Catania, è stata possibile grazie all'utilizzo di strumentazione digitale autolivellante di nuova generazione; lo strumento utilizzato è un clinometro modello AGI (Applied Geomechanics Incorporation) con sensibilità pari a 0.005 microradianti (AGI Mod. LILY). Sono illustrati i dettagli dell’installazione e i primi due mesi di dati che evidenziano l’ottima qualità dei dati che risultano essere priva di effetti legati alla temperatura e le cui uniche oscillazioni, dell’ordine di 0.1-0.2 microrad, sono legate alle mareali.Istituto Nazionale Geofisice e Vulcanologia CTPublished1.3. TTC - Sorveglianza geodetica delle aree vulcaniche attiveope

A multidisciplinary study of an active fault crossing urban areas: The Trecastagni Fault at Mt. Etna (Italy)

The Trecastagni Fault is a NNW–SSE tectonic structure in the densely inhabited southern flank of Mt. Etna, characterised by evident morphological scarps and movements of normal and right-lateral type that directly affect roads and buildings. The fault is affected by continuous dynamics with intermittent accelerations accompanied with shallow seismicity. It has an important role in the instability affecting Mt. Etna's south-eastern flank and represents part of the southern boundary of the unstable sector. The motion of the fault between 2005 and 2011 has been analysed by using a multi-disciplinary approach involving terrestrial and satellite ground deformation data. Active monitoring systems able to investigate the fault in detail are extensometers, a levelling network and InSAR. Two episodes of acceleration were recorded at the end of 2009 and during 2010. Data evidences that the acceleration episodes affected only portions of the fault and that stress may accumulate and be periodically released. Although bothmagmatic processes (inflation or intrusive episodes) and flank dynamics influence the occurrence of the TF acceleration episodes, the dragging effect of the overall seaward sliding of the south-eastern flank is evident and it causes the subsidence of the hangingwall, accumulating stress on the fault that is periodically seismically released

“Over-the-counter” cannabidiol (CBD) sold in the community pharmacy setting in Colorado

Introduction: The use of cannabidiol is becoming so popular that even pharmacies now carry over-the-counter (OTC) cannabidiol products in Colorado, USA. Objective: The primary goal of this study was to evaluate cannabidiol products sold in the community pharmacy setting to determine the content of cannabidiol and other active ingredients and the safety information that may be provided to individuals considering the use of these products. Methods: Documentation of cannabidiol products available for purchase in pharmacies was compiled by visiting chain and independent pharmacies within the state of Colorado. Cannabidiol products were documented for claims of use, dose, route, administration, additional ingredients, and cost. Results: In total, 60 cannabidiol products (15 oral, 44 topical, and one transdermal) were found in 35 pharmacies. The concentrations of oral cannabidiol varied from 10 to 60 mg/mL. In total, 13 (87%) of the oral products were labeled as “full spectrum.” Six (40%) of the oral cannabidiol products listed medium-chain triglycerides, a compound with evidence of increasing oral bioavailability. The amount of cannabidiol labeled on topical products varied from 30 mg cannabidiol/15 mL to 1000 mg cannabidiol. Some products did not indicate any quantity of cannabidiol or did provide the amount of hemp extract/oil but did not specify how much cannabidiol was present. In total, 29 (66%) of the topical products contained additional active ingredients: arnica, camphor, capsaicin, menthol, peppermint oil, white willow bark (salicylic acid), tea tree oil, and trolamine salicylate. Only one type of transdermal product for cannabidiol delivery was found, which provided a dose of 20 mg cannabidiol/24 h. Conclusion: The findings of this study illustrate the extensive variability of cannabidiol products and the importance of communication with people considering their use. Counseling those utilizing these products may help to avoid drug–drug or drug–supplement interactions and adverse events

Incidence of dementia: Evidence for an effect modification by gender. The ILSA Study

Background: Gender differences for incidence of dementia among elderly people have been usually investigated considering gender as a predictor and not as a stratification variable. Methods: Analyses were based on data collected by the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (ILSA), which enrolled 5,632 participants aged 65–84 years between 1992 and 2000. During amedian follow-up of 7.8 years, there were 194 cases of incident dementia in the participants with complete data. Cox proportional hazard models for competing risks, stratified by sex, were defined to determine risk factors in relation to developing dementia. Results: The incidence rate of dementia increased from 5.57/1,000 person-years at 65–69 years of age to 30.06/1,000 person-years at 80–84 years. Cox proportional hazard models for competing risks of incidence of dementia and death revealed that, among men, significant risk factors were heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, family history of dementia, mild depressive symptomatology and age, while triglycerides were associated with a lower risk of developing dementia. Significant risk factors in women were age, both mild and severe depressive symptomatology, glycemia 109 mg/dL, and a BMI < 24.1 kg/m2. Even as little as three years of schooling was found to be a significant protective factor against the incidence of dementia only for women. Conclusions: Our results suggest that there is an effect modification by gender in our study population in relation to the association between low education level, lipid profile, BMI, and glycemia and dementia