Clinico-statistical, morphologic and microstructural analysis of 400 cases of sialolithiasis

Abstract After reviewing the successive phases of lithogenesis, from dyschylia to outright calculosis, the clinico-epidemiological data on 400 cases of salivary calculosis with incidence according to location (94% submandibular, with 72% intraductal calculi), sex (70% male), age (86% between the second and fifth decades), concomitant pathologies (diabetes mellitus in 25% of cases, arterial hypertension in 20% of cases, chronic hepatopathies in 10% of cases) are presented. The morphological and microstructural aspects of the calculi, observed in polarised light under the optical microscope are reported. The scanty quantity of inorganic tissue contained and the presence of multiple and multidirectional growth nuclei in every calculus examined are pointed out

Survey on the presence of

90Sr is one of the most biologically hazardous radionuclides produced in nuclear fission processes and decays emitting high-energy beta particles turning 90Y. 90Sr is transferred from soil-plant to cow’s milk and then to humans if it is introduced into the environment. Radiostrontium is chemically similar to calcium entering the human body through several food chains and depositing in bone and blood-forming tissue (bone marrow). Among main foodstuffs assumed in human diet, milk is considered of special interest for radiostrontium determination, especially in emergency situations, because the consumption of contaminated milk is the main source of internal radiation exposure, particularly for infants. In this work an analytical method for the determination of radiostrontium in milk was developed and validated in order to determine low activity levels by liquid scintillation counting (LSC) after achieving 90Y secular equilibrium condition. The analytical procedure was applied both in surveillance and routine programmes to detect radiocontamination in cow’s, goat and sheep milk samples

Comitê de sanidade vegetal do Cone Sul (COSAVE) aprova regulamentação para registro experimental e comercial de agentes microbianos de controle de pragas.

O Comitê Diretivo do COSAVE realizou um importante avanço na harmonização regional de regulamentações fitossanitárias, aprovando em 1997, 2 normas elaboradas pelo Grupo de Trabalho Permanente em Controle Biológico (GTP-CB) relacionados com os Requisitos para o Registro de Agentes de Controle Biológico Microbiano, Produtos Técnicos Microbianos e Produtos Microbianos Formulados (ACMs). Os testes e informações exigidos por ocasião do Registro Experimental incluem: (1) analise do produto; (2) avaliação tóxico-patológica em mamíferos e outros organismos benéficos não visados: aves, artrópodes inimigos naturais, polinizadores, plantas, peixes e outros invertebrados; (3) análise de resíduos e (4) informações sobre eficiência agronômica. A implementação dessa regulamentação na Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Paraguai e Uruguai devera ter inicio em 1998. Laboratórios credenciados realizarão ensaios padronizados para a região COSAVE, os quais deverão ter validade para qualquer pais da região para fim de registro junto as Organizações Nacionais de Proteção Fitossanitária (ONPF). O tratamento uniforme dos produtos comercializados no Mercosul visa evitar duplicação de trabalho e de custos e favorece o intercâmbio técnico e comercial na região Informações sobre as atividades do GTP-CB poderão ser obtidas em http://www.bdt.org.br/bdt/biocontrol

Effects of low-dose X-ray medical diagnostics on female gonads: Insights from large animal oocytes and human ovaries as complementary models

Diagnostic imaging has significantly grown over the last thirty years as indispensable support for diagnostic, prognostic, therapeutic and monitoring procedures of human diseases. This study explored the effects of low-dose X-ray medical diagnostics exposure on female fertility. To aim this, cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) recovered from the ovaries of juvenile sheep and human ovaries were used as complementary models for in vitro studies. In the sheep model, the effects of low-dose X-rays on oocyte viability and developmental competence were evaluated. In human ovaries originated from two age group (21–25 and 33–36 years old) subjects with gender dysphoria, X-rays effects on tissue morphology, follicular density and expression of apoptosis-related (NOXA, PUMA, Bcl2, Bak, γH2AX) and cell cycle-related genes (p21 and ki67) were investigated. It was noted that in sheep, the minimum dose of 10 mGy did not influence most of examined parameters at oocyte and embryo levels, whereas 50 and 100 mGy X-ray exposure reduced oocyte bioenergetic/oxidative activity but without any visible effects on oocyte and embryo development. In addition, blastocyst bioenergetic/oxidative status was reduced with all used doses. Overall data on human ovaries showed that low-dose X-rays, similarly as in sheep, did not alter any of examined parameters. However, in women belonging to the 33–36 year group, significantly reduced follicular density was observed after exposure to 50 and 100 mGy, and increased NOXA and Bax expression after exposure at 50 mGy. In conclusion, used low-doses of X-ray exposure, which resemble doses used in medical diagnostics, produce weak damaging effects on female fertility with increased susceptibility in advanced age

Quality in Emergency Department: a study on 3,285,440 admissions

Introduction. A multi-centre study has been conducted, during 2005, by means of a questionnaire posted on the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) web page. Our intention was to carry out an organisational and functional analysis of Italian Emergency Departments (ED) in order to pick out some macroindicators of the activities performed. Participation was good, in that 69 ED (3,285,440 admissions to emergency services) responded to the questionnaire. Methods. The study was based on 18 questions: 3 regarding the personnel of the ED, 2 regarding organisational and functional aspects, 5 on the activity of the ED, 7 on triage and 1 on the assessment of the quality perceived by the users of the ED. Results and conclusion. The replies revealed that 91.30% of the ED were equipped with data-processing software, which, in 96.83% of cases, tracked the entire itinerary of the patient. About 48,000 patients/year used the ED: 76.72% were discharged and 18.31% were hospitalised. Observation Units were active in 81.16% of the ED examined. Triage programmes were in place in 92.75% of ED: in 75.81% of these, triage was performed throughout the entire itinerary of the patient; in 16.13% it was performed only symptombased, and in 8.06% only on-call. Of the patients arriving at the ED, 24.19% were assigned a non-urgent triage code, 60.01% a urgent code, 14.30% a emergent code and 1.49% a life-threatening code. Waiting times were: 52.39 min for non-urgent patients, 40.26 min for urgent, 12.08 for emergent, and 1.19 for life-threatening patients

Quality in emergency departments: a study on 3,285,440 admissions

INTRODUCTION: A multi-centre study has been conducted, during 2005, by means of a questionnaire posted on the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine (SIMEU) web page. Our intention was to carry out an organisational and functional analysis of Italian Emergency Departments (ED) in order to pick out some macro-indicators of the activities performed. Participation was good, in that 69 ED (3,285,440 admissions to emergency services) responded to the questionnaire. METHODS: The study was based on 18 questions: 3 regarding the personnel of the ED, 2 regarding organisational and functional aspects, 5 on the activity of the ED, 7 on triage and 1 on the assessment of the quality perceived by the users of the ED. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The replies revealed that 91.30% of the ED were equipped with data-processing software, which, in 96.83% of cases, tracked the entire itinerary of the patient. About 48,000 patients/year used the ED: 76.72% were discharged and 18.31% were hospitalised. Observation Units were active in 81.16% of the ED examined. Triage programmes were in place in 92.75% of ED: in 75.81% of these, triage was performed throughout the entire itinerary of the patient; in 16.13% it was performed only symptom-based, and in 8.06% only on-call. Of the patients arriving at the ED, 24.19% were assigned a non-urgent triage code, 60.01% a urgent code, 14.30% a emergent code and 1.49% a life-threatening code. Waiting times were: 52.39 min for non-urgent patients, 40.26 min for urgent, 12.08 for emergent, and 1.19 for life-threatening patients