[A survey of preventive measures against infection risk in dental surgery]

In dental healthcare surgeries, both workers and patients are regularly exposed to various infectious agents. It is essential therefore that dental healthcare workers have a good knowledge of disinfection systems and that dentists' surgeries be effectively managed so as to reduce or even eliminate the risk of cross infections. In order to evaluate infectious risk prevention methods and describe the procedures used by dental healthcare workers on a daily basis, a sample of dentists who work in public surgeries were asked to anonymously fill up a questionnaire. The results of this survey show that dental healthcare workers are sufficiently well-informed about the infectious hazards present in the workplace and are aware of the high risk of exposure to infections but seem to be especially concerned about blood-borne infections (hepatitis, AIDS). Only 67.5%, however, are immunised against HBV. Individual safety devices are used correctly while there seems to be a lack of knowledge about the proper use of disinfection and sterilization systems. In addition, some dental healthcare workers still today refuse to treat HIV-positive patients

[Importance of oral signs in the diagnosis of atypical forms of celiac disease]

The dramatic improvement in knowledge concerning celiac disease (CD) has disclosed the pattern of the associated clinical manifestations and the often atypical or silent presentation of this disease, which makes clinical diagnosis difficult. Also oral manifestations, mostly recurrent apthous stomatitis (RAS) and dental enamel hypoplasia, are atypical signs of CD. Our opinion about the possibility of performing mass-screening to reveal atypical or silent CD is in agreement whit who is asserting that a sistematical case-finding is, at present, the most suitable epidemiological approach. So, we think that patients affected by RAS, or dental enamel hypoplasia, should be considered, even in the absence of any gastrointestinal symptom, at-risk subjects, and should therefore undergo diagnostic procedure for CD

Detecting autologous blood transfusion in doping control: biomarkers of blood aging and storage measured by flow cytofluorimetry

Background: Blood transfusions are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a form of "blood doping". A method of detection of homologous blood transfusion (HBT) has been implemented by the accredited anti-doping laboratories worldwide; however, no internationally recognized method has been finalized so far for the direct detection of autologous blood transfusions, which can at present be revealed only by targeted longitudinal profiling of key blood parameters

Influence of Oxygen Impurities on the Electrochromic Response of Viologen-Based Plastic Films

This paper concerns the coloring kinetics of electrochromic films obtained by dispersing viologen molecules in a thermoplastic polyacrylate matrix. The experimental data show that the oxygen molecules, which are originally dissolved as ubiquitous impurities in film chemical precursors, and are not eliminated during the film preparation, play a relevant role with respect to the speed of the electrochromic response in the coloring stage. The presence of oxygen can speed up the electrochromic response of the viologen cations or slow it down, depending on the degree of polymerization of the plastic matrix. In stiffer films oxygen accelerates the electrochromic response, while the contrary occurs in less stiff films. A theoretical model of the viologen kinetic electrochromic response has been developed to justify the experimental findings. This takes into account the possible electron exchange reactions with the oxygen molecules. A coherent interpretation of the experimental data has been obtained on the basis of this model

Can chronic myeloid leukaemia in children and adolescents be successfully treated without haematopoietic stem cell transplant? A single centre experience

We analysed the long-term outcome of 35 children and adolescents (<20 years at diagnosis) with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) in chronic phase: 20 patients had received interferon-alpha and/or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), and 15 underwent a haematopoietic stem cell transplant. The 10-year survival probabilities were similar in transplanted and non-transplanted patients (73·3% vs. 72·1%, respectively), whereas the survival probability was significantly lower in patients diagnosed before 1999 compared to those diagnosed afterwards (62·1% vs. 100%, P = 0·0384). The availability of TKIs and the standardized molecular monitoring have significantly improved treatment, management and outcome in children and adolescents with CML

Incidence of Clinically Significant (<= 10 g/dL) Late Anemia in Elderly Patients with Newly Diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Treated with Imatinib

Background: In elderly patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) responsive to imatinib, the incidence of clinically significant (CS) late chronic anemia is still unknown. Materials and Methods: To highlight this issue, we revised retrospectively 81 CML patients aged &gt;60 years treated at our Institution with front-line imatinib for at least 24 months in durable complete cytogenetic response (CCyR). CS late chronic anemia was defined as the presence of persistent (&gt;6 months) and otherwise unexplained Hb levels &lt;= 10 g/dL, which occurred &gt;6 months from imatinib start. Results: A condition of CS late chronic anemia occurred in 22 out of 81 patients (27.2\%) at different intervals from imatinib start. Seven out of 22 patients (31.8\%) needed packed red cell transfusions during the follow-up. At diagnosis, patients who developed CS late chronic anemia were significantly older and had a lower Hb median level. Six out of 22 patients with CS late chronic anemia received subcutaneous recombinant alpha-erythropoietin (EPO) at the standard dosage of 40,000 IU weekly: all 6 patients achieved an erythroid response. A significantly worse event-free survival (EFS) in patients with untreated CS late chronic anemia was observed (p = 0.012). Conclusions: CS late chronic anemia during long-term treatment with imatinib is a common complication in responsive elderly patients, with worse EFS if untreated. Results with EPO are encouraging, but larger studies are warranted to define its role