Traumi oculari al pronto soccorso oculistico. Ricerca condotta presso la Clinica Oculistica del Policlinico Umberto I di Roma su 81.825 casi in 10 anni. La prevenzione è sempre fondamentale per evitare danni oculari.

Abstract Obiettivo Determinare gli esiti funzionali a distanza dei traumi oculari gravi contusivi e perforanti che hanno necessitato di intervento chirurgico. Metodi Studio retrospettivo, effettuato tra gennaio 2003 e marzo 2013, di 672 pazienti con macrotraumi oculari, giunti al Pronto Soccorso (PS) della Clinica Oculistica, Dipartimento di Oftalmologia del Policlinico Umberto I di Roma. In particolare abbiamo focalizzato l’attenzione sui pazienti con traumi oculari contusivi o “a bulbo chiuso” e perforanti (ferite, corpo estraneo intraoculare – CEIO –, scoppio del bulbo) o “a bulbo aperto”. Risultati Il numero degli accessi per trauma è stato di 81.825 in 10 anni, di cui 672 (0,82%) con un macrotrauma che ha necessitato di intervento medico e chirurgico. Più frequenti (445; 66,18%) i traumi contusivi rispetto ai perforanti (227; 33,82%). Dei perforanti, 105 (46,3%) hanno avuto uno scoppio del bulbo che, assieme ai CEIO (67; 29,7%), sono le principali cause di prognosi infausta per l’occhio traumatizzato. Tra le complicanze più frequenti ci sono state, in ordine, quelle corneali (abrasioni ecc.) (94,2%), l’ipoema (86,3%) e la commotio retinae (edema di Berlin, 85,8%). Gli esiti funzionali a 6 mesi sono variati da visus normale (≤10/10 e >6/10) in 441 pazienti (65,7%), fino a cecità assoluta (MM, PL, NPL) in 57 pazienti (8,3%). L’OTS (ocular trauma score) e la tempestività d’intervento sono risultati essere un indice prognostico importante. Conclusioni Gli esiti funzionali (acuità visiva finale)dei traumi oculari contusivi e perforanti sono incrementabili con l’adeguatezza e la tempestività dell’intervento chirurgico del trauma in sé e delle complicanze che possono presentarsi contemporaneamente o successivamente. I traumi costituiscono una delle principali cause di ipovisione o cecità monoculare nei soggetti giovani adulti

Dominulin A and B: two new antibacterial peptides identified on the cuticle and in the venom of the social paper wasp Polistes dominulus using MALDI-TOF, MALDI-TOF/TOF, and ESI-ion trap.

Two new antibacterial peptides, denominated as Dominulin A and B, have been found on the cuticle and in the venom of females of the social paper wasp Polistes dominulus. The amino acidic sequence of the two peptides, determined by mass spectrometry, is INWKKIAE VGGKIL SSL for Dominulin A (MW = 1854 Da) and INWKKIAEIGKQVL SAL (MW = 1909 Da) for Dominulin B. Their presence on the cuticle was confirmed using MALDI-TOF by means of micro-extractions and direct analyses on body parts. The presence in the venom and the primary structure of the dominulins suggest their classification in the mastoparans, a class of peptides found in the venom of other Aculeate hymenoptera. Their antimicrobial action against Gram+ and Gram− bacteria fits in the range of the best natural antimicrobial peptides. Dominulins can represent an important defense of the colony of Polistes dominulus against microbial pathogens

IKs Computational Modeling to Enforce the Investigation of D242N, a KV7.1 LQTS Mutation

A KCNQ1 mutation, D242N, was found in a pair of twins and characterized at the cellular level. To investigate whether and how the mutation causes the clinically observed lost adaptation to fast heart rate, we performed a computational study. Firstly, we identified a new I Ks model based on voltage clamp experimental data. Then we included this formulation in the human action potential model of O'Hara Rudy (ORd) and simulate d the effects of the mutation. We also included adrenergic stimulation to the action potential, since the basal adrenergic tone is likely to affect the influence of I Ks on QTc in vivo. Finally, we simulated the pseudo-ECG, taking into account the heterogeneity of the cardiac wall. At the basal rate (60bpm), the mutation had negligible effects for all cell types, whereas at the high rate (180bpm), with concomitant β-adrenergic stimulation (mimicking exercise conditions), the mutant AP failed to adapt its duration to the same extent as the wild-type AP (e.g. 281ms vs. 267ms in M cells), due to a smaller amount of I Ks current. Pseudo-ECG results show only a slight rate adaptation, and the simulated QTc was significantly prolonged from 387ms to 493ms, similar to experimental recordings

Isotope correlations as a probe for freeze-out characterization: central 124Sn+64Ni, 112Sn+58Ni collisions

124Sn+64Ni and 112Sn+58Ni reactions at 35 AMeV incident energy were studied with the forward part of CHIMERA multi-detector. The most central collisions were selected by means of a multidimensional analysis. The characteristics of the source formed in the central collisions, as size, temperature and volume, were inspected. The measured isotopes of light fragments (3 <= Z <=8) were used to examine isotope yield ratios that provide information on the free neutron to proton densities.Comment: 4 pages, Contribution to 8th International Conference on Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, Moscow 200

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 7

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Abies, Actinidia, Alooe, Amaryllis, Anredera, Arctotheca, Bidens, Cardiospermum, Celosia, Commelina, Cotoneaster, Cyclamen, Eclipta, Euphorbia, Grevillea, Hedera, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Juglans, Kalanchoe, Koelreuteria, Lindernia, Melinis, Myriophyllum, Nandina, Nicotiana, Oenothera, Oxalis, Parthenocissus, Phoenix, Phyllanthus, Physalis, Plumbago, Pteris, Quercus, Setaria, Symphytum, Tagetes, and Washingtonia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 11

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1