A New Methodology for the Digital Planning of Micro-Implant-Supported Maxillary Skeletal Expansion

Introduction: Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) appliances utilize the skeletal anchorage to expand the maxilla. One type of MARPE device is the Maxillary Skeletal Expander (MSE), which presents four micro-implants with bicortical engagement of the palatal vault and nasal floor. MSE positioning is traditionally planned using dental stone models and 2D headfilms. This approach presents some critical issues, such as the inability to identify the MSE position relative to skeletal structures, and the potential risk of damaging anatomical structures. Methods: A novel methodology has been developed to plan MSE position using the digital model of dental arches and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). A virtual model of MSE appliance with the four micro-implants was created. After virtual planning, a positioning guide is virtually designed, 3D printed, and utilized to model and weld the MSE supporting arms to the molar bands. The expansion device is then cemented in the patient oral cavity and micro-implants inserted. A clinical case of a 12.9-year-old female patient presenting a Class III malocclusion with transverse and sagittal maxillary deficiency is reported. Results: The midpalatal suture was opened with a split of 3.06 mm and 2.8 mm at the anterior and posterior nasal spine, respectively. After facemask therapy, the sagittal skeletal relationship was improved, as shown by the increase in ANB, A-Na perpendicular and Wits cephalometric parameters, and the mandibular plane rotated 1.6\ub0 clockwise. Conclusion: The proposed digital methodology represents an advancement in the planning of MSE positioning, compared to the traditional approach. By evaluating the bone morphol-ogy of the palate and midface on patient CBCT, the placement of MSE is improved regarding the biomechanics of maxillary expansion and the bone thickness at micro-implants insertion sites. In the present case report, the digital planning was associated with a positive outcome of maxillary expansion and protraction in safety conditions

Quality of life in carotid atherosclerosis: The role of co-morbid mood disorders

Introduction/Objective: To study in severe carotid atherosclerosis (CA): The frequency of mood disorders (MD); the impairment of quality of life (QoL); the role of co-morbid MD in such impairment. Methods: Case-control study. Cases: consecutive in-patients with CA (stenosis ≥ 50%). Controls: subjects with no diagnosis of CA randomized from a database of a community survey. Psychiatric diagnosis according to DSM-IV made by clinicians and semi-structured interview, QoL measured by the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results: This is the first study on comorbidity on CA disease and MD in which psychiatric diagnoses are conducted by clinicians according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) (17.4% vs 2.72%, P <0.0001) but not Bipolar Disorders (BD) (4.3% vs 0.5%, P = 0.99) was higher in cases (N=46) than in controls (N= 184). SF-12 scores in cases were lower than in controls (30.56±8.12 vs 36.81±6:40; p <0.001) with QoL comparable to serious chronic diseases of the central nervous system. The burden of a concomitant MDD or BD amplifies QoL impairment. Conclusion: Comorbid MD aggravates the impairment of QoL in CA. Unlike autoimmune diseases or degenerative diseases of the Central Nervous System, CA shows a strong risk of MDD than BD

The organic residues of lining in transport vessels from the Red Sea coast of Eritrea: a further element to understand past commercial relations

AbstractThe archaeological site of Adulis lays on the Red Sea Coast of Eritrea and during Late antiquity played a significant role in interregional commerce among the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean coasts. Contacts with the Eastern Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula and the Sasanian world have been attested from different classes of pottery that were brought to light from on-going excavations at the site. Transport vessels have attracted particular attention as they testify the extent of trades and exchange networks. Transport vessels were coated by organic materials to seal porosity and make them suitable to transport different liquids and/or food. The characterisation of coating materials helped shedding light on their function, and support the attribution to different classes of transport vessels found in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea worlds. Here, the characterisation of the organic lining detected on a set of samples identified as Late Roman Amphora 1 is discussed. Results from the chemical analyses, performed preliminarily by FT-IR and then by GC–MS, revealed that bitumen was used for lining the jars, thus leading to set the classification of the amphorae within the wide class of the so- called Torpedo jars. By overcoming the question of typological complexity posed from macroscopic examination of the sherds, the chemical investigation contributed here crucial information for the interpretation of past trading in the Indian Ocean. The research gave clues to broaden the distribution of the Torpedo jars to Adulis, giving an unexpected insight into the trading routes of the past

Seroprevalence and occupational risk survey for Coxiella burnetii among exposed workers in Sicily, Southern Italy.

Objectives: The aim of this survey was to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii) in subjects at risk of exposure in Sicily, Southern Italy. Material and Methods: Prevalence of IgG antibodies to C. burnetii phase II antigens was evaluated by ELISA in a group of 140 workers at risk of exposure (38 veterinarians, 38 slaughterhouse workers, 44 livestock handlers, 20 laboratory and technical personnel) included in a medical surveillance program and in 42 control subjects. Positive samples were classified as suggestive of prior exposure to C. burnetii. Results: Antibodies against C. burnetii were detected in 88 out of 140 (62.9%) exposed workers and in 6 out of 42 (14.3%) subjects of the control group. The variables evaluated did not seem to have a significant effect on seropositivity to Coxiella with the exception of symptoms in the last 6 months preceding the survey. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated a high seroprevalence of C. burnetii in the group of exposed workers in comparison to non-exposed subjects of the control group. Clinical illness appears to be rare; nevertheless, physicians should consider Q fever in patients with compatible symptoms and occupational exposure to animals and their products. As aerosols represent the main route of infection in animals and humans, these workers are strongly advised to wear respiratory masks. In addition, occupational physicians should consider routine serologic evaluation and vaccination of occupationally exposed workers

The contribution of colour measurements to the archaeometric study of pottery assemblages from the archaeological site of Adulis, Eritrea

Colorimetric evaluation was applied on archaeological pottery from the ancient port city of Adulis in the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. Pottery samples belong to the Ayla-Aksum typology, Late Roman Amphora 1 and dolia classes, which had never been analyzed by means of this approach. The survey consisted of colorimetric measurements from different parts of the ceramic bodies, to comprehend how these data could be related to the overall fabric classification. Differences in the colorimetric parameters provided helpful information on both technological manufacturing processes and fabric classification. Subtle variations in the colour coordinates were detected and aptly interpreted, so as to ascribe the related differences. Such an approach proved that the information provided by colour measurements can be partially correlated to observations from stereomicroscopy and optical microscopy, allowing a more in-depth description of the fabrics in the study of archaeological pottery

KIAA1840 mutations cause ARCMT2

Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease is a group of hereditary peripheral neuropathies that share clinical characteristics of progressive distal muscle weakness and atrophy, foot deformities, distal sensory loss, as well as diminished tendon reflexes. Hundreds of causative DNA changes have been found, but much of the genetic basis of the disease is still unexplained. Mutations in the ALS5/SPG11/ KIAA1840 gene are a frequent cause of autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia with thin corpus callosum and peripheral axonal neuropathy, and account for ∼40% of autosomal recessive juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The overlap of axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease with both diseases, as well as the common autosomal recessive inheritance pattern of thin corpus callosum and axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease in three related patients, prompted us to analyse the ALS5/SPG11/ KIAA1840 gene in affected individuals with autosomal recessive axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease. We investigated 28 unrelated families with autosomal recessive axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease defined by clinical, electrophysiological, as well as pathological evaluation. Besides, we screened for all the known genes related to axonal autosomal recessive Charcot–Marie-Tooth disease (CMT2A2/HMSN2A2/ MFN2 , CMT2B1/ LMNA , CMT2B2/ MED25 , CMT2B5/ NEFL , ARCMT2F/dHMN2B/ HSPB1 , CMT2K/ GDAP1 , CMT2P/ LRSAM1 , CMT2R/ TRIM2 , CMT2S/ IGHMBP2 , CMT2T/ HSJ1 , CMTRID/ COX6A1 , ARAN-NM/ HINT and GAN/ GAN ), for the genes related to autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia with thin corpus callosum and axonal peripheral neuropathy (SPG7/ PGN , SPG15/ ZFYVE26, SPG21/ ACP33 , SPG35/ FA2H , SPG46/ GBA2 , SPG55/ C12orf65 and SPG56/ CYP2U1 ), as well as for the causative gene of peripheral neuropathy with or without agenesis of the corpus callosum ( SLC12A6 ) . Mitochondrial disorders related to Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2 were also excluded by sequencing POLG and TYMP genes. An additional locus for autosomal recessive Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 2H on chromosome 8q13-21.1 was excluded by linkage analysis. Pedigrees originated in Italy, Brazil, Canada, England, Iran, and Japan. Interestingly, we identified 15 ALS5/SPG11/ KIAA1840 mutations in 12 families (two sequence variants were never reported before, p.Gln198* and p.Pro2212fs*5). No large deletions/duplications were detected in these patients. The novel mutations seemed to be pathogenic since they co-segregated with the disease in all pedigrees and were absent in 300 unrelated controls. Furthermore, in silico analysis predicted their pathogenic effect. Our results indicate that ALS5/SPG11/ KIAA1840 is the causative gene of a wide spectrum of clinical features, including autosomal recessive axonal Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease

X-ray tomography of large wooden artworks: The case study of "Doppio corpo" by Pietro Piffetti

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The Role of PIXE and XRF in Heritage Science: The INFN-CHNet LABEC Experience

Analytical techniques play a fundamental role in heritage science. Among them, Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques are widely used in many laboratories for elemental composition analysis. Although they are well-established, a strong effort is put on their upgrade, making them suitable for more and more applications. Over the years, at the INFN-LABEC (the laboratory of nuclear techniques for the environment and cultural heritage of the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics), the INFN-CHNet group, the network devoted to cultural heritage, has carried out many technological improvements to the PIXE and XRF set-ups for the analysis of works of art and archaeological finds. Among the many, we recall here the scanning external microbeam facility at the TANDEM accelerator and the MA-XRF scanner. The two instruments have shown complementary features: the former permits quantitative analysis of elements heavier than sodium, which is not possible with the latter in most of the case studies. On the contrary, the scanner has the undeniable advantage of portability, allowing it to work in situ. In this framework of technological developments in heritage science, INFN, CERN, and OPD are jointly carrying on the MACHINA (Movable Accelerator for Cultural Heritage In-situ Non-destructive Analysis) project for on-site Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) studies on cultural heritage