Simultaneous Determination of Squalene, α-Tocopherol and β-Carotene in Table Olives by Solid Phase Extraction and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection

Olives, the fruit of the Olea europaea tree, are highly appreciated in olive oil and table olives (20 % of crops) not only for their flavor but also for their nutritional properties, especially for antioxidant compounds such as squalling (SQ), α-tocopherol (TH) and β-carotene (BC). This paper presents a new analytical method for simultaneously determining SQ, TH and BC in table olives by using solid phase extraction (SPE) and high performanceliquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLCDAD), avoiding the classic saponification process. The correlation coefficients of calibration curves of the analyzed compounds ranged from 0.998 to 0.999, and the recoveries were in the range of 89.4–99.6 %. The validated method was used to analyze 30 table olive samples from Italy for their content of SQ (537–1,583 mg kg−1), TH (21–90 mg kg−1) and BC (0.4–2.6 mg kg−1). Finally, experiments with HPLC-MS were conducted to compare this novel method with the classic saponification procedure

ImprovingtheSwallowingin TotalGlossectomy With Laryngeal Preservation

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Prognostic value of H-index in patients surgically treated for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, a novel host-related index, the Host-index (H-index), including both inflammatory and nutritional markers, has been described and observed to stratify prognosis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity more accurately than other host-related indexes This study aimed to investigate the prognostic performance of the H-index using pretreatment blood tests in patients receiving up-front surgery for SCC of the larynx. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included a multicenter series of consecutive patients with SCC of the larynx diagnosed between 1 January 2009 and 31 July 2018, whose pretreatment blood tests were available and included the parameters necessary for the calculation of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the H-index. Their association with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was measured. RESULTS: A total of 231 patients were eligible for the present analysis (median [range] age, 68 [37-96] years; 191 [82.7%] men). The median follow-up was 73 months. In multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models, increasing age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.07 per year; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09), advanced pT stage (aHR = 1.71 95% CI: 1.07-2.71), and having close or positive surgical margins (aHR = 2.01; 95% CI: 1.21-3.33) were significantly associated with poor OS. Among blood parameters, a higher neutrophil count was a strong predictor of both worse DFS (aHR for recurrence/death = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.24-4.40) and OS (aHR for death = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.51-4.71). Among inflammatory blood indexes, while NLR was not significantly associated with DFS or OS, patients with H-index ≥8.37 showed a higher aHR for both recurrence/death (2.82; 95% CI: 1.65-4.79) and death (2.22; 95% CI: 1.26-3.89). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study confirms the prognostic value of pretreatment H-index, an easily measurable inflammatory and nutritional index, in patients with SCC of the larynx. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III

Temporomandibular Joint and Otitis Media: A Narrative Review of Implications in Etiopathogenesis and Treatment

Otitis media (OM) and its recurring (rAOM), effusive (OME), and chronic forms, represent a frequent clinical challenge. The middle ear, the mandible, and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) share several embryological and anatomical connections. Despite that, the role of mandibular malposition and TMJ dysfunction is frequently overlooked in the management of otitis media. In this narrative review, we present current evidence supporting the etiopathogenetic role of a dysfunctional stomatognathic system in the onset of OM and the effectiveness of orthognathic treatment in preventing rAOM and OME. In particular, a focus on the influence of TMJ on Eustachian tube function is provided

Diagnostic and Therapeutic Strategy for Vagal Schwannoma: Case Series and Literature Review

Background and Objectives: Clinical management of vagal schwannoma is a real diagnostic and therapeutic challenge because the medical history and clinical examination are often non-specific and vagal nerve injury following surgical resection still represents an unsolved problem. The aim of this paper is to provide a case series along with a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for vagal schwannoma of the head and neck, combining our experience with clinical evidence available in the literature. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a series of patients affected by vagal schwannoma who were treated between 2000 and 2020. In addition, a review of the literature on vagal schwannoma management was conducted. Based on the cases described and the literature review, we made a diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for the management of vagal schwannoma. Results: We were able to identify 10 patients affected by vagal schwannoma and treated between 2000 and 2020. All patients presented with a painless, mobile, slow-growing lateral neck mass with onset varying from a few months to years. The preoperative diagnostic workup included ultrasound (US) in nine cases, computed tomography (CT) with contrast in six patients and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the neck in seven cases. All patients included in this study were surgically treated. Conclusions: Vagal schwannoma management represents a true challenge for clinicians and surgery is currently the most effective therapeutic strategy. A multidisciplinary approach through the collaboration of otolaryngologist with other specialists is desirable to develop a tailored treatment plan for the patient

Effect of hyperbaric oxygen on the immunoreactivity to substance P in the nasal mucosa of cluster headache patients

Exposure to hyperbaric oxygen has been shown to be effective in cluster headache, but the mechanism of the action is still not clear. Primary nociceptive neurons, containing neuropeptides such as substance P and particularly those innervating the nasal mucose, could be involved in the pathogenesis of cluster headache. The present study evaluated the effect of an exposure to hyperbaric oxygen on the content of substance P in the nasal mucosa of patients affected by cluster headache. The results were compared with those observed in another group of cluster headache patients who underwent a placebo procedure. The samples of nasal mucose were analyzed by immunocytochemical methods. A qualitative analysis of the slides was carried out by an operator under ''blinded conditions.'' A marked decrease in the content of immunoreactivity for substance P was found in the patients exposed to hyperbaric oxygen. The decrease was statistically significant when compared with the findings of the placebo procedure. The results of the present study indicate that an influence on the content of peripheral neuropeptides could be involved in the mechanism of action of the beneficial effect of hyperbaric oxygen in cluster headache

Comparative study of aroma profile and phenolic content of Montepulciano monovarietal red wines from the Marches and Abruzzo Regions of Italy using HS-SPME-GC-MS and HPLC-MS

Montepulciano is one of the most famous and important red-berried grapes of Italy. This article presents and discusses a comparative study of aroma profile and phenolic content of the Montepulciano wine from the Marches and the Abruzzo regions. The volatile composition of wines was determined by using head- space solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The PDMS fibre was chosen. The dominating esters in Montepulciano wines were ethyl hexa- noate, ethyl decanoate, and ethyl octanoate, whereas phenyl ethanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol were dom- inating alcohols. Phenolic compounds, namely gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, trans-ferulic acid, caffeic acid, trans-resvera- trol, (+)-catechin and ( )-epicatechin, were examined using HPLC–MS with direct injection of wine sam- ples. The total phenolic content of the analysed wines was in the range of 30.4–61.9 mg l 1. The presence of high amounts of esters seems to characterise the volatiles of Montepulciano wines from the Marches, whereas a high level of alcohols was found in Montepulciano wines from Abruzzo. Moreover, multivar- iate chemometric techniques, such as cluster analysis and principal component analysis, supported this thesis. Headspace solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry were used to analyse 20 commercial wine samples (Montepulciano monovarietal red wines) from the Marches (10 samples) and Abruzzo (10 samples)

Supracricoid partial laryngectomy for radiorecurrent laryngeal cancer: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis

Purpose: The objective of the current systematic review with meta-analysis was to report the pooled survival outcomes of supracricoid partial laryngectomy in the setting of radiorecurrent laryngeal cancer to investigate if and when an organ-sparing surgical treatment is adequate. Methods: The search included all original papers from 1990 to December 2017. The search terms included the following: cricohyoepiglottopexy; cricohyoidopexy; cricohyopexy; horizontal laryngectomy; and partial, subtotal, supracricoid, and supraglottic laryngectomy. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) data clearly distinguish results of partial laryngeal procedures; (2) clear description of tumor stage and selection criteria; (3) clear description or derivability of local control and survival rates. Results: Eleven out of 270 papers were analyzed, and a total of 251 cases were included. Two-year LC, 3-year DFS, and 5-year OS were 92, 80, and 79%, respectively. Heterogenicity evaluated with the I2parameter was 14, 0, 0%, respectively. The larynx preservation rate was 85.2%, the decannulation rate was 92.1%, and swallowing recovery was 96.5% (PEG dependence and the aspiration pneumonia rate were 3.5 and 6.4%, respectively). Conclusions: SCPL is oncologically sound, guaranteeing a high percentage of success. The homogeneity of data should encourage the use of SCPL as salvage treatment for recurrent LSCC