S100B protein expression in the heart of deceased individuals by overdose: a new forensic marker?

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of S100B protein expression in the human heart and its correlation with drug-related death. METHOD: Left ventricular samples were collected from 74 serial forensic autopsies (15 overdose-related deaths; 59 non-overdose-related deaths) from 2007 to 2010. Tissue sections from each sample were immunostained for S100B protein by a commercial antibody. RESULTS: The S100B protein was detected in the heart samples of all 15 cases of drug-related deaths; S100B immunoreactivity was mainly observed in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes and as globular deposits in the interstitial spaces. No reactivity or weak reactivity was found in the cardiomyocytes of the 59 subjects who died of other causes. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary data show that the S100B protein accumulates in injured cardiomyocytes during drug-related sudden death. Given the near absence of S100B protein in the heart of subjects who died from causes other than drug overdose, S100B immunopositivity may be used as a new ancillary screening tool for the postmortem diagnosis of overdose-related cardiac death

Hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced myocardial lesions in newborn piglets are related to interindividual variability and not to oxygen concentration

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of myocardial histological changes in an experimental animal model of neonatal hypoxiareoxygenation. METHODS: Normocapnic hypoxia was induced in 40 male Landrace/Large White piglets. Reoxygenation was initiated when the animals developed bradycardia (HR <60 beats/min) or severe hypotension (MAP <15 mmHg). The animals were divided into four groups based on the oxygen (O2) concentration used for reoxygenation; groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 received 18%, 21%, 40%, and 100% O2, respectively. The animals were further classified into five groups based on the time required for reoxygenation: A: fast recovery (<15 min); B: medium recovery (15-45 min); C: slow recovery (45-90 min); D: very slow recovery (>90 min), and E: nine deceased piglets. RESULTS: Histology revealed changes in all heart specimens. Interstitial edema, a wavy arrangement, hypereosinophilia and coagulative necrosis of cardiomyocytes were observed frequently. No differences in the incidence of changes were observed among groups 1-4, whereas marked differences regarding the frequency and the degree of changes were found among groups A-E. Coagulative necrosis was correlated with increased recovery time: this condition was detected post-asphyxia in 14%, 57%, and 100% of piglets with fast, medium, and slow or very slow recovery rates, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The significant myocardial histological changes observed suggest that this experimental model might be a reliable model for investigating human neonatal cardiac hypoxia-related injury. No correlation was observed between the severity of histological changes and the fiO2 used during reoxygenation. Severe myocardial changes correlated strictly with recovery time, suggesting an unreported individual susceptibility of myocardiocytes to hypoxia, possibly leading to death after the typical time-sequence of events

Current Challenges in Neonatal Resuscitation: What is the Role of Adrenaline?

Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine, is a hormone, neurotransmitter, and medication. It is the best established drug in neonatal resuscitation, but only weak evidence supports current recommendations for its use. Furthermore, the available evidence is partly based on extrapolations from adult studies, and this introduces further uncertainty, especially when considering the unique physiological characteristics of newly born infants. The timing, dose, and route of administration of adrenaline are still debated, even though this medication has been used in neonatal resuscitation for a long time. According to the most recent Neonatal Resuscitation Guidelines from the American Heart Association, adrenaline use is indicated when the heart rate remains\u2009<\u200960 beats per minute despite the establishment of adequate ventilation with 100% oxygen and chest compressions. The aforementioned guidelines recommend intravenous administration (via an umbilical venous catheter) of adrenaline at a dose of 0.01-0.03\ua0mg/kg (1:10,000 concentration). Endotracheal administration of a higher dose (0.05-0.1\ua0mg/kg) may be considered while venous access is being obtained, even if supportive data for endotracheal adrenaline are lacking. The safety and efficacy of intraosseous administration of adrenaline remain to be investigated. This article reviews the evidence on the circulatory effects and tolerability of adrenaline in the newborn, discusses literature data on adrenaline use in neonatal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and describes international recommendations and outcome data regarding the use of this medication during neonatal resuscitation

Analysis of the hysteresis in organic thin-film transistors with polymeric gate dielectric

Controlling threshold voltage (V(TH)) and field-effect mobility (mu(FET)) in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) is of primary importance to attain reliable devices that can be harnessed in more complicated circuits and eventually commercialized. In particular hysteresis in OTFT transfer curves is an issue that has to be better understood and analyzed. In this regard, even if the interface between organic dielectric and organic semiconductor seems to play an important role, our study shows that a further and relevant factor is played by the transport of charges across the bulk of the dielectric layer. Here, an analytical approach is applied to identify and understand the different components that give rise to the hysteresis in the transfer curves of pentacene-based OTFTs using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) cross-linked with ammonium dichromate (PVAad) as the (polymeric) gate dielectric. Transfer curves simulations which include charge transport in the PVA show a hysteretic behavior in good agreement with the experimental data. Moreover, the hysteresis measured in OTFTs can be reduced by the insertion of an underlying dielectric layer of SiO(2) that blocks the above-mentioned effect. The residual contribution to the hysteresis is then analyzed by investigating the chemistry nature of both PVA and PVAad, which show different electron trapping efficiency at the interface with the pentacene layer. Therefore, a consistent explanation of how the polymeric dielectric is able to impact the transfer curves requires considering all mentioned factors

Structural and cellular changes in fetal renal papilla during development

The mature renal papilla is characterized by medullary collecting ducts, Henle’s loops, vasa recta and the interstitium. Cortical and medullary stromal cells are essential for the regulation of urine concentration and other specialized kidney functions. Mechanisms that direct the renal papilla development are not clearly understood. In recent years, the renal papilla has been identified as a niche for renal stem/progenitor cells in the adult mouse. Studies on experimental animals evidenced a probably common interstitial progenitor for the medullary and cortical stromal cells, characterized by the Foxd1+/PAX2- phenotype. Moreover, Hox10 and Hox11 expression is required for differentiation and patterning of the multiple subtypes of developing medullary interstitial cells. Given the scarcity of morphological and molecular studies on the human renal papilla, this work aimed to evidence morphological changes during human gestation, both in the architecture of the medullary interstitium and in cell types differentiating between the collecting tubules and the Henle’s loops. Future immunohistochemical studies are needed to better identify different interstitial cell types giving rise to the mature interstitium of the renal papilla

Commentaries and cases on italian business law

This casebook deals with the basic principles of the Italian business law and focuses on certain recent and pivotal cases in which important rules governing the modern public company have been applied. After a short overview of the main corporate and securities laws and regulation applicable to Italian listed companies, certain leading cases which triggered the application of such rules are analyzed. The main interrelationships between and among the economic and legal elements are scrutinized for the purpose of highlighting the economic logic underlying corporate law. In the financial markets’ dynamics, the public company plays a vital role since it attracts the public savings coming from the investors in order to finance business plans and strategies which create growth and welfare. In such a scenario, financial intermediaries must act in the interest of the investors, selecting among the potential issuers those who are the most attractive for their clients. When companies are structurally organized to attract standardized equity or debt investments, by issuing listed shares, bonds or other financial instruments, their operational and governance rules change in order to safeguard the public savings coming from the investors. In the end, what makes this branch of law so interesting to students, practitioners, and scholars alike is the open-textured relationship between corporate law and securities regulation which plays a crucial role in such context. The cases selected in the second part of this book deal with significant topics in the Italian market practice and are briefly commented making reference to an updated set of laws and references. Therefore, this book can be used also with a focus on comparative legal systems for corporations taught in Italy or abroad