Pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin after intracoelomic administration in Tortoises (Testudo hermanni)

Enrofloxacin belongs to the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics. It is commonly used in a variety of reptile species due to its wide spectrum of efficacy, partly due to its formation of an active metabolite ciprofloxacin. Enrofloxacin shows wide disposition variability among all species resulting in large differences in the plasma concentrations of both enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin after a single intracoelomic injection of 10 mg/kg of enrofloxacin in 9 tortoises (Testudo hermanni). Blood samples were collected at 0, 0.5, 2, 4, 10, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240 and 264 h and analyzed using a validated high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) florescence method. Plasma concentrations of enrofloxacin were quantifiable in all subjects for up to 240 h, while ciprofloxacin was detected in all subjects up to 120 h. The C (s) of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were 8614 ± 1116 ηg/mL obtained at 2.19 h and 605 ± 43 ηg/mL obtained at 4.23 h, respectively. The values of C/MIC ratio and AUC/MIC ratio of enrofloxacin with a MIC value of 0.5 μg/mL were 17.23 and 132.78, respectively. In conclusion, an administration of 10 mg/kg of enrofloxacin via the intracoelomic route in Hermann’s tortoises produced optimal pharmacodynamic parameters

Reliability and inter-observer agreement of dermoscopic diagnosis of melanoma and melanocytic naevi

The aim of this study was to analyse the reliability and the inter- observer agreement of dermoscopy in the diagnosis of melanocytic skin lesions. Nine dermatologists, with a different training experience and who routinely used dermoscopy in different hospitals in Italy, evaluated clinical and dermoscopy photographs of 15 melanocytic lesions (four invasive melanomas, four histologically common naevi, and seven naevi with histological atypia). A further series of dermoscopic photographs of 40 melanocytic lesions was evaluated to quantify inter-observer concordance in recognizing dermoscopic criteria. Compared to the true (histological) diagnosis, clinical diagnosis (categories: melanoma, common naevus, atypical naevus) was correct in 40% of cases (range, 27-53%). The percentage raised to 55% (40-73%) by the use of dermoscopy, with an average improvement of 15.6%. Concerning melanoma, clinical diagnosis resulted in a sensitivity of 41.9%, specificity of 77.8%, positive predictive value (PPV) of 36.1%, negative predictive value (NPV) of 81.8%. By using dermoscopy, an improvement of diagnostic performance was found (sensitivity 75%, specificity 88.8%, VPP 71.0%, VPN 90.7%). The inter-observer agreement in melanoma diagnosis, by using dermoscopy, was similar to that obtained by clinical examination (k statistics = 0.54 and 0.52, respectively). Concerning dermoscopic criteria, the best agreement among observers was found for pseudopods, a dermoscopic parameter related to the radial growth phase of melanoma. We conclude that dermoscopy is an useful tool for a non-invasive diagnosis of melanocytic skin lesions, improving the diagnostic performance compared to clinical examination

Epiluminescence microscopy: Criteria of cutaneous melanoma progression

Background: Cutaneous melanoma develops through a series of evolutionary steps (intraepidermal, radial, and vertical growth phases) that are traceable in specific histologic features. Epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) is an in vivo technique that enables the visualization of morphologic structures in pigmented lesions correlated with specific histologic architectural characteristics. Many ELM criteria associated with cutaneous melanoma have been described, but their correlation with tumor progression has not yet been established. Objective: In this preliminary study our purpose was to explore the possibility of recognizing ELM criteria that allow the in vivo detection of the various phases of melanoma progression as well as tumor depth. Methods: Seventy-two cutaneous melanomas (41 'thin' melanomas [TnM], 0.75 mm thickness) were investigated with ELM for the presence of nine standard ELM criteria; their significance was determined by calculating the chi-square test of independence. Results: A significant association is found between the presence of pigment network and TaM and between the presence of gray-blue areas, vascular pattern, and TkM. Moreover, pigment network plus radial streaming is the most significant association of ELM criteria in TnM, whereas gray-blue areas plus vascular pattern is the greatest in TkM. Conclusion: This study shows a good correlation between certain ELM criteria and the histologic architecture of cutaneous melanoma for a preoperative evaluation of the tumor thickness. Further investigation is needed for verifying on a larger number of cases our pilot estimates of sensitivity and specificity of ELM criteria in thin and thick melanomas

Clinical and dermatoscopic criteria for the preoperative evaluation of cutaneous melanoma thickness

Background: Melanoma thickness measured according to the Breslow method is used to determine surgical margin and in patient selection for sentinel node biopsy. Previous studies did not confirm the reliability of melanoma palpability for clinical prediction of tumor thickness. Recently we reported the usefulness of epiluminescence microscopy (dermatoscopy) for in vivo detection of the phases of melanoma progression, as well as tumor depth. Objective: Our purpose was to determine whether the combination of clinical and dermatoscopic criteria could increase the accuracy in preoperative evaluation of melanoma thickness with respect to the clinical elevation and dermatoscopic assessments considered separately. Methods: In a blind retrospective study, 122 cutaneous melanomas were studied to evaluate the presence of several clinical and dermatoscopic criteria and their relation with the histologic thickness. An algorithm of combined criteria was constructed and statistically assessed. Results: Combinations of palpability, diameter of more than 15 mm, pigment network, gray-blue areas, and atypical vascular pattern allowed correct prediction of thickness in 89% of melanomas when categorized in two groups of less than 0.76 mm and more than 0.75 mm thickness, compared with 75% using palpability, and 80% using dermatoscopic criteria. Lower values were obtained in the further subdivision of melanomas into groups of 0.76 to 1.5 mm and more than 1.5 mm thickness. Conclusion: The combination of clinical and dermatoscopic criteria is a more precise guide for the preoperative evaluation of melanoma thickness than either is alone. However, further studies are needed to verify its applicability in establishing the surgical approach to cutaneous melanoma

Fare design e artigianato: nuovi approcci, comunità e territorI

La riflessione sul rapporto tra design e territorio è più che mai accesa, ed evidenzia che l’accezione di comunità si è evoluta oltre le connotazioni locali e i confini culturali andando a considerare, come campo d’azione, un mondo dilatato, da riscoprire e reinventare attraverso riflessioni multidisciplinari sul rapporto con le risorse, le culture materiali ad esse legate e la dimensione stessa della nostra presenza sul pianeta. Ai designer e agli artigiani si affiancano figure nuove (dai sociologi ai maker) e insieme entrano a far parte delle comunità sviluppando sperimentazioni in cui il territorio locale è il primo destinatario, ma non l’unico, di azioni che si configurano come best practice cui ispirarsi liberamente

Epiluminescence microscopy for the diagnosis of doubtful melanocytic skin lesions: Comparison of the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy and a new 7-point checklist based on pattern analysis

Objective: To compare the reliability of a new 7-point checklist based on simplified epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) pattern analysis with the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy and standard pattern analysis for the diagnosis of clinically doubtful melanocytic skin lesions. Design: In a blind study, ELM images of 342 histologically proven melanocytic skin lesions were evaluated for the presence of 7 standard criteria that we called the 'ELM 7-point checklist.' For each lesion, 'overall' and 'ABCD scored' diagnoses were recorded. From a training set of 57 melanomas and 139 atypical non-melanomas, odds ratios were calculated to create a simple diagnostic model based on identification of major and minor criteria for the '7-point scored' diagnosis. A test set of 60 melanomas and 86 atypical non-melanomas was used for model validation and was then presented to 2 less experienced ELM observers, who recorded the ABCD and 7-point scored diagnoses. Settings: University medical centers. Patients: A sample of patients with excised melanocytic lesions. Main Outcome Measures: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the models for diagnosing melanoma. Results: From the total combined sets, the 7-point checklist gave a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 75% compared with 85% sensitivity and 66% specificity using the ABCD rule and 91% sensitivity and 90% specificity using standard pattern analysis (overall ELM diagnosis). Compared with the ABCD rule, the 7-point method allowed less experienced observers to obtain higher diagnostic accuracy values. Conclusions: The ELM 7-point checklist provides a simplification of standard pattern analysis because of the low number of features to identify and the scoring diagnostic system. As with the ABCD rule, it can be easily learned and easily applied and has proven to be reliable in diagnosing melanoma

Polarization Response in InAs Quantum Dots: Theoretical Correlation between Composition and Electronic Properties

III-V growth and surface conditions strongly influence the physical structure and resulting optical properties of self-assembled quantum dots (QDs). Beyond the design of a desired active optical wavelength, the polarization response of QDs is of particular interest for optical communications and quantum information science. Previous theoretical studies based on a pure InAs QD model failed to reproduce experimentally observed polarization properties. In this work, multi-million atom simulations are performed to understand the correlation between chemical composition and polarization properties of QDs. A systematic analysis of QD structural parameters leads us to propose a two layer composition model, mimicking In segregation and In-Ga intermixing effects. This model, consistent with mostly accepted compositional findings, allows to accurately fit the experimental PL spectra. The detailed study of QD morphology parameters presented here serves as a tool for using growth dynamics to engineer the strain field inside and around the QD structures, allowing tuning of the polarization response.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; accepted for publication in IOP Nanotechnology journa