MIDDLE JURASSIC - EARLY CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY (AMMONITES, CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS AND CALPIONELLIDS) OF THE CONTRADA DIESI SECTION (SOUTH-WESTERN SICILY, ITALY)

Facies and biostratigraphic analyses of the Contrada Diesi succession, cropping out along the northern slope of Mt. Magaggiaro (Sciacca, SW Sicily), provided new data on the Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous pelagic sedimentation in the Saccense domain. The richness in ammonites allowed the identification of Bathonian-Kimmeridgian Biozones and Subzones, while the Tithonian-Valanginian interval was defined mainly by calpionellids and calcareous nannofossils. Facies and microbiofacies analyses of the Jurassic-Cretaceous pelagic sediments of the area, together with ammonite, calpionellid and calcareous nannofossil integrated biostratigraphy, were very effective tools for comparison of biostratigraphic events. Many gaps in sedimentation were recognized, the most important spanning the middle and late Berriasian and part of the early Berriasian. The Contrada Diesi succession provides new litho-biostratigraphic data on the Saccense Domain. It suggests a high degree of internal variability tied to the irregular paleotopography of the carbonate platform substrate (Inici Fm.), derived from Early Jurassic tectonics. Gaps in sedimentation in the Contrada Diesi sections indicate that the environment of the Saccense Domain was characterized by a variable rate of sedimentation and energy changes

MIDDLE JURASSIC - EARLY CRETACEOUS INTEGRATED BIOSTRATIGRAPHY (AMMONITES, CALCAREOUS NANNOFOSSILS AND CALPIONELLIDS) OF THE CONTRADA DIESI SECTION (SOUTH-WESTERN SICILY, ITALY)

Facies and biostratigraphic analyses of the Contrada Diesi succession, cropping out along the northern slope of Mt. Magaggiaro (Sciacca, SW Sicily), provided new data on the Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous pelagic sedimentation in the Saccense domain. The richness in ammonites allowed the identification of Bathonian-Kimmeridgian Biozones and Subzones, while the Tithonian-Valanginian interval was defined mainly by calpionellids and calcareous nannofossils. Facies and microbiofacies analyses of the Jurassic-Cretaceous pelagic sediments of the area, together with ammonite, calpionellid and calcareous nannofossil integrated biostratigraphy, were very effective tools for comparison of biostratigraphic events. Many gaps in sedimentation were recognized, the most important spanning the middle and late Berriasian and part of the early Berriasian. The Contrada Diesi succession provides new litho-biostratigraphic data on the Saccense Domain. It suggests a high degree of internal variability tied to the irregular paleotopography of the carbonate platform substrate (Inici Fm.), derived from Early Jurassic tectonics. Gaps in sedimentation in the Contrada Diesi sections indicate that the environment of the Saccense Domain was characterized by a variable rate of sedimentation and energy changes

Penile Length Assessment of Children Treated for Primary Buried Penis: Can Satisfying Penile Growth Always Be Achieved?

Primary buried (BP) penis is describes as a small penis caused by a penile ligaments anomaly; it is unclear if a primary BP could reach a normal length. We selected 49 patients treated at our institution between 2015 and 2020 in order to post-operatively evaluate the SPL after one year. SPL was evaluated according to the PH Tanner staging system for pre-pubertal patients according to age-normalized values. A micropenis was detected if the SPL was below 2.5 SD. A normal SPL was found in thirty-two patients, eighteen were in PH Stage 1, four were in PH Stage 2, six were in PH Stage 3, and four were in PH Stage 5. Seventeen patients showed a reduced SPL; in seven of these (four in PH Stage 4 and three in PH Stage 5), their SPL was <2.5 ST. The difference in micropenis prevalence between the pre-pubertal and post-pubertal patients was significant (p = 0.038). A primary BP grows normally during the pre-pubertal period, where patients frequently showed a normal SPL, but it seems to be unable to reach a normal length in the higher PH stages, where the SPL is used to detect a micropenis. We suggest that a primary BP should be considered not as a simple defect of the penile ligaments and surrounding tissues, but as an incomplete manifestation of a micropenis due to a growth slowdown of the organ in late puberty

Evaluation of Anal Sphincter with High Resolution Anorectal Manometry and 3D Reconstruction in Patients with Anorectal Malformation

Background: Patients with anorectal malformation (ARM) need long-term follow-up, in order to evaluate fecal continence; the main predictors of longer-term success are the type of ARM, associated anomalies and sacral integrity. Three-Dimensional High Resolution Anorectal Manometry (3D-HRAM) gives detailed information on pressure on the anal complex profile. Our objective was to analyze anal sphincter activity in ARM patients with 3D-HRAM establishing the correlation between manometric and clinical data. Methods: Forty ARM patients were submitted to 3D-HRAM: manometric, anatomical and clinical scores were correlated with each other and with the bowel management response (BM). Results: A positive correlation between all scores and types of ARM was found: in high ARM and in patients with spinal anomalies (regardless to ARM type) lower scores were reported and even after BM they did not achieve good continence. Conclusions: 3D-HRAM gives detailed data on the functional activity of the anal sphincter complex. Our study revealed a correlation between manometric parameters and clinical outcomes, confirming spinal malformations and ARM type as the most important prognostic risk factors for a bad outcome. Specific sphincteric defects can also be explored with manometry, allowing for tailored bowel management strategies

Endoscopic Approach for Urinary Tract Pathologies

Outline the real indications for the endo scopic procedure in pediatric urology. • Describe the instrumentation suitable for the endoscopy. • Describe the most used endoscopic techniques. • Report the results of endoscopic treatment. • Share tips and tricks of how to act endoscopical

Archaeometric constraints by multidisciplinary study of Richborough 527 amphorae and yellow clays from the C.da Portinenti pottery workshop (Lipari Island, Italy)

During the archeological excavations carried out from 1993 to 1995 at C.da Portinenti, at Lipari Island, a pottery workshop dated to Roman age—including a kiln dump containing both Richborough 527 type amphora wastes and ceramic shreds—was discovered. The Richborough 527 amphorae had been used to transport local volcanic and hydrothermal products throughout the Roman Empire. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinary archaeometric study carried out with the aim to shed light on the provenance of the raw materials used in the production of the Richborough 527 amphorae. To achieve this goal, amphora wastes and a sample of yellow clays stored in the archeological excavation area have been analyzed, and the data were compared to those available for clays coming from Lipari and from the Messina Province. The overall results indicate that (i) a volcanic sand from Portinenti Valley was used as temper in the ceramic mixture; (ii) the geochemical features and the fossils present in the ceramic paste are compatible with marine Pleistocene clayey deposits of the Messina Province and incompatible with the clays of Lipari island; (iii) the yellow clays found in the excavation area were not used to produce the Richborough 527; and (iv) the analyzed wastes are the results of a poorly controlled firing temperature during the ceramic artifact production.Published2957–29706A. Geochimica per l'ambiente e geologia medicaJCR Journa

Quality of life improving after propranolol treatment in patients with Infantile Hemangiomas

Infantile hemangiomas may affect the quality of life (QoL) of patients and their family members, as anxiety and worry may commonly occur in parents, also linked to the social adversion they experience. We underline the beneficial impact of oral propranolol therapy on QoL of patients with infantile hemangiomas (IH) and of their relatives. A specific questionnaire measuring QoL was administered to parents of IH patients at beginning and end of a treatment with oral propranolol. Different aspects were investigated: site of the lesion, age of patients at starting therapy, length of treatment, occurrence of adverse effects and persistence/recurrence of the vascular anomaly. In all cases the questionnaire revealed a significant improvement of QoL, which was independent from all analyzed factors. It showed that oral propranolol administration in these patients combines optimal clinical results with relevant improvement of QoL, especially in cases of early management. The improvement of QoL seems unrelated to site of lesion, timing and duration of therapy, occurrence of drug-related adverse effects and persistence/recurrence of disease

Evaluation of Anal Sphincter with High Resolution Anorectal Manometry and 3D Reconstruction in Patients with Anorectal Malformation

Background: Patients with anorectal malformation (ARM) need long-term follow-up, in order to evaluate fecal continence; the main predictors of longer-term success are the type of ARM, associated anomalies and sacral integrity. Three-Dimensional High Resolution Anorectal Manometry (3D-HRAM) gives detailed information on pressure on the anal complex profile. Our objective was to analyze anal sphincter activity in ARM patients with 3D-HRAM establishing the correlation between manometric and clinical data. Methods: Forty ARM patients were submitted to 3D-HRAM: manometric, anatomical and clinical scores were correlated with each other and with the bowel management response (BM). Results: A positive correlation between all scores and types of ARM was found: in high ARM and in patients with spinal anomalies (regardless to ARM type) lower scores were reported and even after BM they did not achieve good continence. Conclusions: 3D-HRAM gives detailed data on the functional activity of the anal sphincter complex. Our study revealed a correlation between manometric parameters and clinical outcomes, confirming spinal malformations and ARM type as the most important prognostic risk factors for a bad outcome. Specific sphincteric defects can also be explored with manometry, allowing for tailored bowel management strategies

Bone marrow mesenchymal cells improve muscle function in a skeletal muscle re-injury model.

Skeletal muscle injury is the most common problem in orthopedic and sports medicine, and severe injury leads to fibrosis and muscle dysfunction. Conventional treatment for successive muscle injury is currently controversial, although new therapies, like cell therapy, seem to be promise. We developed a model of successive injuries in rat to evaluate the therapeutic potential of bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMMC) injected directly into the injured muscle. Functional and histological assays were performed 14 and 28 days after the injury protocol by isometric tension recording and picrosirius/Hematoxilin & Eosin staining, respectively. We also evaluated the presence and the fate of BMMC on treated muscles; and muscle fiber regeneration. BMMC treatment increased maximal skeletal muscle contraction 14 and 28 days after muscle injury compared to non-treated group (4.5 ± 1.7 vs 2.5 ± 0.98 N/cm2, p<0.05 and 8.4 ± 2.3 vs. 5.7 ± 1.3 N/cm2, p<0.05 respectively). Furthermore, BMMC treatment increased muscle fiber cross-sectional area and the presence of mature muscle fiber 28 days after muscle injury. However, there was no difference in collagen deposition between groups. Immunoassays for cytoskeleton markers of skeletal and smooth muscle cells revealed an apparent integration of the BMMC within the muscle. These data suggest that BMMC transplantation accelerates and improves muscle function recovery in our extensive muscle re-injury model

Bone marrow mesenchymal cells improve muscle function in a skeletal muscle re-injury model

Skeletal muscle injury is the most common problem in orthopedic and sports medicine, and severe injury leads to fibrosis and muscle dysfunction. Conventional treatment for successive muscle injury is currently controversial, although new therapies, like cell therapy, seem to be promise. We developed a model of successive injuries in rat to evaluate the therapeutic potential of bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMMC) injected directly into the injured muscle. Functional and histological assays were performed 14 and 28 days after the injury protocol by isometric tension recording and picrosirius/Hematoxilin & Eosin staining, respectively. We also evaluated the presence and the fate of BMMC on treated muscles; and muscle fiber regeneration. BMMC treatment increased maximal skeletal muscle contraction 14 and 28 days after muscle injury compared to non-treated group (4.5 ± 1.7 vs 2.5 ± 0.98 N/cm2, p<0.05 and 8.4 ± 2.3 vs. 5.7 ± 1.3 N/cm2, p<0.05 respectively). Furthermore, BMMC treatment increased muscle fiber cross-sectional area and the presence of mature muscle fiber 28 days after muscle injury. However, there was no difference in collagen deposition between groups. Immunoassays for cytoskeleton markers of skeletal and smooth muscle cells revealed an apparent integration of the BMMC within the muscle. These data suggest that BMMC transplantation accelerates and improves muscle function recovery in our extensive muscle re-injury model