Measurement of squalene in olive oil by fractional crystallization or headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography

Squalene is the most abundant component in the unsaponifiable fraction of olive oil with strong antioxidant properties. Its concentration in olive oils varies between 0.2 and 16.2 g/kg depending on the cultivar(s) used. The propose of this work was to determine the effectiveness of two different extraction methods for squalene determination by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to a flame ionization detector (FID) or to mass spectrometry (MS). In a first approach, oil samples were dissolved in methanol/acetone mixture 7:3 (v/v) and triglycerides separated by fractional crystallization at −20°C. The organic layer was removed, reduced to dryness and the residue reconstituted in n-heptane (containing squalane as external standard) and analyzed by GC-FID. A headspace (HS) solid phase microextraction (SPME) GC-MS method has been also developed in order to have an environmentally friendly (i.e. solventless) extraction procedure. The linear range investigated with both methods was 1.0-10 g/kg. Within-day and between days precision values, expressed as RSD%, were 4 and 7% (GC-FID), and 3 and 6% (GC-MS), respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) at a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 3 were 0.019 (GC-FID) and 0.003 (GC-MS) g/kg; the limit of quantification (LOQ) calculated at S/N = 10 were 0.063 (GC-FID) and 0.008 (GC-MS) g/kg, well below the typical squalene concentration levels found in olive oils. The obtained percentage recoveries were 70 ± 2 (GC-FID) and 98 ± 3 (GC-MS), and were not concentration dependent. The potential of the method has been demonstrated by the analysis of several different olive oil samples produced from different cultivars and different locations

Subtyping patients with somatic tinnitus: modulation of tinnitus and history for somatic dysfunction help identify tinnitus patients with temporomandibular joint disorders

Objective: Determine in a cohort of patients with normal hearing and chronic tinnitus if self-reported history for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction and a positive modulation of tinnitus in the TMJ region could be suggestive of an underlying TMJ disorder. Patients and Methods: The study included 226 patients presenting to the Head and Neck Service of our University Hospital. Following audiological and somatic tinnitus evaluation, patients were divided into two groups. The study group (n= 134) included subjects that met both the following criteria: A) a self-reported history for TMJ dysfunction and B) a positive modulation of tinnitus following somatic maneuvers in the TMJ region. The control group (n=92) included patients with similar demographic and tinnitus characteristics that did not meet the proposed criteria for somatic tinnitus. Afterwards, patients underwent clinical TMJ evaluation in the Service of Clinical Gnathology of our University. Results: One hundred thirty-one patients (57.9%) received a clinical diagnosis of TMJ disorder according to DC/TMD Axis I; 79.1% in the study group and 27.2% in the control group. Ninety-five (42.1%) patients were negative for TMJ disorders; 20.9% in the study group and 72.8% in the control group. A significantly higher number of TMJ disorders was found in patients in the study group compared to the control group (p<0.0001). Most patients had joint disorders (67.2%), followed by other (29.8%) and pain disorders (29%). Logistic regression analysis in the study group showed that female gender was more prevalent in patients with TMJ disorders. Conclusion: Our findings in patients with chronic tinnitus and normal hearing suggest that self-reported history for somatic dysfunction and modulation of tinnitus, when occurring simultaneously in the TMJ region, can be useful to preliminarily identify patients with TMJ disorders

Professional development of in-training museum educators: an experience of curriculum improvement in time of a pandemic

[EN] The present paper aims to illustrate the reorganization of two post-graduate courses, “Museum Education. Theoretical aspects” and “Advanced Studies in Museum Education” promoted by CDM (Center for Museum Studies) - Dept. of Education at Roma Tre University, carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to analyze the education strategies adopted in terms of museum professionals development to face the Covid-19 museum and universities 2020 Italian lockdown.The results emerging from the quantitative evaluation of the module “Museum and Social Networks”, taking into consideration the activities and digital tools proposed, show the efficacy of the courses reorganization, in terms of transverse and professional skills development in university students, critical thinking and collaboration in particular. Moreover, the data analysis give useful indications in term of university online lectures, laboratory activities and practices in e-learning mode, evaluation tools and methodologies aimed at solliciting professional development of in-training museum educators in university learning context.Poce, A.; Valente, M.; Re, MR.; Amenduni, F.; De Medio, C. (2021). Professional development of in-training museum educators: an experience of curriculum improvement in time of a pandemic. En 7th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'21). Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1377-1384. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd21.2021.12881OCS1377138

Minor mutations in HIV protease at baseline and appearance of primary mutation 90M in patients for whom their first protease-inhibitor ntiretroviral regimens failed

The association between minor mutations in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease at baseline and development of common primary mutation 90M at virological failure (conferring some resistance to all protease inhibitors [PIs]) was evaluated in 93 previously drug-naive patients experiencing failure of their first PI-based antiretroviral regimens. In logistic regression analysis, the probability of accumulating a new 90M mutation at virological failure was associated with the presence at baseline of minor mutation 36I (naturally occurring in ∼25% of HIV clade B and in >80% of HIV non-clade-B viruses) (adjusted odds ratio, 13.5 [95% confidence interval, 1.89–95.6]; P=.009) and, possibly, of 10I/V. This suggests a potential role for the presence of 36I at baseline in predicting the appearance of 90M at virological failure

Using different learning methodologies and tools to exploit the educational impact of a University Art Collection: a pilot phase at Roma Tre University (IT)

The Centre for Museum Studies based at University Roma Tre (IT) has designed and implemented a museum educational programme aimed at promoting the “Tito Rossini” contemporary art collection donated by the artist in 2017 to the Department of Education. The educational programme foresees the use of innovative and digital education methodologies and tools (e.g. Digital Storytelling, Augmented Reality and Gamification) and is addressed to university and external users. A pilot study with university students was carried out in order to verify the achievement of some objectives of the programme designed for the exhibition. This experience addresses the need for personalised educational museum paths in view of promoting social inclusion and transverse skills, focusing on critical thinking in particular

Recurrent atypical meningiomas: combining surgery and radiosurgery in one effective multimodal treatment

OBJECTIVE: Owing to their rarity and proteiform pathologic features, the clinical behavior of atypical meningiomas is not yet well characterized. Though the extent of resection is believed to be a key determinant of prognosis, limited data exist regarding optimal management of patients with recurrent disease. METHODS: In this 20-year retrospective case series, we reviewed the medical records of 46 patients with recurrent atypical meningiomas (185 lesions, 89 of which were local, 78 marginal, and 18 distant recurrences); treatment was radiosurgery (n = 60), surgery (n = 56), or both (n = 8). The median follow-up period was 53 months. Outcome measures were length of overall survival and disease-free intervals and prognostic factors for survival. RESULTS: Overall, the median progression-free survival was 26 months at the first recurrence and 100 months thereafter (the sum of the later intervals). Multivariate analysis showed that no treatment-related factors influenced prognosis, whereas recurrence at the skull base was a significant tumor-related factor limiting further treatment. Irrespective of treatment type, the recurrence-free interval was increasingly shorter during the clinical course, with a higher occurrence of marginal and distant lesions migrating to the midline and to the skull base. In sporadic cases, disease-free intervals were longer after wide craniotomy, tumor and dural resection with tumor-free margin. CONCLUSIONS: The disease-free interval was substantially similar after surgery and radiosurgery for treating recurrent disease in patients with atypical meningiomas. Surgery is the mainstay for prolonging survival, while radiosurgery can be an adjuvant strategy to gain time for clinical observation and planning aggressive surgical treatment

A Virtual Reality Etruscan Museum Exhibition–Preliminary Results Of The Participants’ Experience

The current global health emergency has posed the need to reflect upon how to guarantee high standard of quality in 100% virtual exhibition. In this case study, we present one of the possible solutions to design a VR museum exhibition for educational purposes. The Centre for Museum Studies designed “The E-Trouria App”, a VR exhibition which is aimed at providing participants with personalised learning path based on an Etruscan museum collection in Rome. The App was designed by combining different pedagogical methods such as Digital Storytelling and Reflective Questioning. The goals of the research were to understand visitors' evaluation of their experience. 20 postgraduate students (F = 17; M = 3; Average age = 36 years) in Museum Education took part in the pre-pilot experimentation. Participants expressed very positive evaluation on the visit and their features (narratives, soundtrack and multimodality). Participants were emotionally engaged during the visit and the most reported emotions were “pleasure” and “wondering”. Future research steps are illustrated

Role of fetal MRI in the evaluation of isolated and non-isolated corpus callosum dysgenesis: results of a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to characterize isolated and non-isolated forms of corpus callosum dysgenesis (CCD) at fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to identify early predictors of associated anomalies. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 104 fetuses with CCD undergoing MRI between 2006 and 2016. Corpus callosum, cavum septi pellucidi, biometry, presence of ventriculomegaly, gyration anomalies, cranio-encephalic abnormalities and body malformations were evaluated. Results of genetic tests were also recorded. RESULTS: At MRI, isolated CCD was 26.9%, the rest being associated to other abnormalities. In the isolated group, median gestational age at MRI was lower in complete agenesis than in hypoplasia (22 vs 28 weeks). In the group with additional findings, cortical dysplasia was the most frequently associated feature (P = 0.008), with a more frequent occurrence in complete agenesis (70%) versus other forms; mesial frontal lobes were more often involved than other cortical regions (P = 0.006), with polymicrogyria as the most frequent cortical malformation (40%). Multivariate analysis confirmed the association between complete agenesis and cortical dysplasia (odds ratio = 7.29, 95% confidence interval 1.51-35.21). CONCLUSIONS: CCD is often complicated by other intra-cranial and extra-cranial findings (cortical dysplasias as the most prevalent) that significantly affect the postnatal prognosis. The present study showed CCD with associated anomalies as more frequent than isolated (73.1%). In isolated forms, severe ventriculomegaly was a reliable herald of future appearance of associated features

Malocclusion and rhinitis in children: an easy-going relationship or a yet to be resolved paradox? A systematic literature revision

Objective: The relation between nasal flow and malocclusion represents a practical concern to pediatricians, otorhinolaryngologists, orthodontists, allergists and speech therapists. If naso-respiratory function may influence craniofacial growth is still debated. Chronic mouth-breathing is reported to be associated also with a characteristic pattern of dental occlusion. On the other hand, also malocclusion may reduce nasal air flows promoting nasal obstruction. Hereby, the aim of this review was to describe the relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion in children. Methods: An electronic search was conducted using online database including Pubmed, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Embase. All studies published through to January 30, 2017 investigating the prevalence of malocclusion in children and adolescents (aged 0-20 years) affected by rhinitis and the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion were included. The protocol was registered at PROSPERO - International prospective register of systematic reviews under CRD42016053619. Results: Ten studies with 2733 patients were included in the analysis. The prevalence of malocclusion in children with rhinitis was specified in four of the studies ranging from as high as 78.2% to as low as 3%. Two out of the studies reported the prevalence of rhinitis in children with malocclusion with a rate ranging from 59.2 to 76.4%. Conclusion: The results of this review underline the importance of the diagnosis and treatment of the nasal obstruction at an early age to prevent an altered facial growth, but the data currently available on this topic do not allow to establish a possible causal relationship between rhinitis and malocclusion