Flammer Syndrome in Aesthetic Medicine: The Importance of Recognizing Signs and Symptoms

Purpose Flammer syndrome (FS), a clinical entity characterized by primary vascular dysregulation of blood flow together with various signs and symptoms, has been reported in both healthy individuals and those with certain diseases. Adequate management of FS requires personalized treatment and preventive measures. In the field of aesthetic medicine, proper regulation of blood flow is crucial for optimal wound healing. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of FS signs and symptoms among individuals seeking aesthetic intervention. Methods A total of 207 patients seeking aesthetic intervention at the Beauty2Go clinic in Lucerne answered a standardized questionnaire consisting of 15 signs and symptoms of FS. Results Overall, 189 (91.3%) patients were female and 18 (8.7%) were male. The mean age was 36.0 years (standard deviation [SD] 12.1) and the median age was 35.0 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 14.0−67.0). Several signs and symptoms of FS were present among patients undergoing aesthetic surgery. Compared to a control group patients showed a higher tendency towards cold hands (25.1% [95% confidence interval [CI]: 19.5–31.7]), feeling cold (21.7% [95% CI: 16.4–28.1]) and low blood pressure (27.3% [95% CI: 21.0–34.7]). Other signs and symptoms included Increased response to certain drugs (8.4% [95% CI: 4.8–14.3]) a low Body Mass Index (BMI) (58.0% [95% CI: 50.9–64.7]), Reversible skin blotches (7.2% [95% CI: 4.3–11.9]) and a tendency towards perfectionism (53.6% [95% CI: 46.6–60.5]). Accompanying symptoms of migraines were lower in the patient group (5.0% [95% CI: 2.2–10.4]) than in the control group. Conclusions The prevalence of FS is notable among individuals seeking aesthetic interventions. Acknowledging this fact not only enables the treatment of FS in patients but also empowers the field of aesthetic medicine to devise proactive strategies for enhancing blood flow regulation through personalized treatment in this population. This research paper emphasizes the significance of identifying FS in the context of aesthetic procedures and highlights the potential benefits of personalized preventive treatments

New national and regional Annex I Habitat records: from #26 to #36

New Italian data on the distribution of the Annex I Habitats 1510*, 2130*, 2250*, 3180*, 3260, 5230*, 6410, 7140, 7220*, 9320 are reported in this contribution. Specifically, 14 new occurrences in Natura 2000 sites are presented and 20 new cells are added in the EEA 10 km × 10 km reference grid. The new data refer to the Italian administrative regions of Abruzzo, Apulia, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Molise, Sardinia, Sicily, Tuscany and Umbria

An overview of the Italian forest biodiversity and its conservation level, based on the first outcomes of the 4th Habitat Report ex-Art. 17

In 2019 the 4th Report ex-Art. 17 on the conservation status (CS) of Annex I Habitats of the 92/43/EEC Directive was expected by every EU/28 country, with reference to the period 2013-18. In Italy, the process was in charge to the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), on behalf of the Ministry for Environment, Land and Sea Protection (MATTM), with the scientific support of the Italian Botanical Society (SBI). A large group of thematic and territorial experts elaborated the available data concerning the 124 types of terrestrial and inland water Habitats present in Italy, 39 of which are represented by Forest Habitats (Group 9),. The main aim of the work was the evaluation of the overall CS of each Habitat by Biogeographic Region (Mediterranean, Continental and Alpine), for a total amount of 294 assessments. A high proportion of these (92, corresponding to 31% of the total) referred to Forest Habitats, including 20 marginal types for which the CS was not requested. The analysis was carried out at different scales: a) administrative territory, through the data contained in the ISPRA database, whose compilation was in charge to the Regions and Autonomous Provinces; b) Natura 2000 site, with the latest updates available (Standard Data Forms updated to 2018); c) national scale, implementing the distribution maps for each Habitat based on the European grid ETRS89-LAEA5210 (10x10 km2 mesh); d) Biogeographic Region, scale of the final assessment. Cartographic outcomes, associated databases and additional data used for the assessments will be available online on the ISPRA Portal as soon as the validation process by the European Commission will be completed. A dedicated archive named "HAB_IT" has been created in the national database "VegItaly" (1), managed by the Italian Society of Vegetation Science, where the phytosociological relevés representative of the various Annex I Habitats in Italy will be archived and freely accessible. An overview of the results regarding the Forest habitats is here provided, including a comparison with the outcomes of the former reporting cycle, the 3rd Report ex-Art. 17 (2). In several cases (e.g. 9120, 91L0), the distribution maps have been remarkably improved due to better knowledge and more fitful interpretation. The conservation status resulted as Favourable (FV) for 6,7%, Inadequate (U1) for 58,7% and Bad (U1) for 32,0% of the 72 assessed forest Habitat types. In no case there was an improvement of the conservation status, while in 6 cases a worsening of the conditions resulted from the data analysis, pointing out the Habitats types with a higher need of action. Similarly to other projects carried out as a team by the network of Annex I Habitat experts of the Italian Botanical Society and the Italian Society for Vegetation Science (e.g. 3, 4), this is another step in the direction of supporting the implementation of the 92/43/EEC "Habitat" Directive in Italy and Europe. On this ground, the high biodiversity of the Italian forest Habitats could be emphasized, however results pointed out that some rare or endemic types (e.g. Alnus cordata or Betula aetnensis-dominated forests) are still scarcely acknowledged by the most prominent EU conservation tools such as the Annex I to the "Habitat" Directive. 1) F. Landucci et al. (2012) Plant Biosyst., 146(4), 756-763 2) P. Genovesi et al. (2014) ISPRA, Serie Rapporti, 194/2014 3) E. Biondi et al. (2009) Società Botanica Italiana, MATTM, D.P.N., http://vnr.unipg.it/habitat/ 4) D. Gigante et al. (2016) Plant Sociology, 53(2), 77-8

The Effect of Magnesium on Retinal Venous Pressure of Patients with Normal-Tension Glaucoma and Flammer Syndrome

Purpose: To measure the retinal venous pressure (RVP) in both eyes of patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) and Flammer Syndrome before and 6 weeks after treatment with magnesium. Methods: This retrospective study included 30 patients with NTG and Flammer-Syndrome who were treated with magnesium (12 mmol daily). RVP (mmHg) was measured in all patients bilaterally at baseline and six weeks later using contact lens ophthalmodynamometry. Ophthalmodynamometry was performed by applying increasing pressure on the eye via a contact lens. The minimum force required to induce a venous pulsation is called ophthalmodynamometric force (ODF). The RVP is defined and calculated as the sum of ODF and intraocular pressure (IOP) [RVP = ODF + IOP]. Results: Out of the 30 NTG patients included, 16 were male (53%) and 14 were female (47%). There was no difference in IOP before and 6 weeks after magnesium intake but there was a significant decrease in RPV of 2.15 (95% CI: 1.68–2.62). Conclusions: Treatment with magnesium may decrease RVP in both eyes of NTG patients with Flammer Syndrome. This effect could be due to the partial inhibition of endothelin-1 (ET-1) by magnesium

Adonis distorta Ten.: un esempio di studio per implementare le conoscenze sulla biologia, ecologia, distribuzione, dinamica delle popolazioni e stato di conservazione delle specie di interesse comunitario

Sono riportati i primi risultati degli studi in corso su Adonis distorta Ten., endemismo dell'Appennino centrale, per aumentare le conoscenze sulla biologia, rapporti sistematici intercorrenti con specie affini, informazioni sulla consistenza e struttura delle popolazioni, stato di conservazione nei vari siti di crescita

New occurrence of reed bed decline in southern Europe: Do permanent flooding and chemical parameters play a role?

Based on the experimental design proposed in similar studies, macromorphological and ecological traits of common reed beds were analysed at Lake Chiusi (Central Italy), together with selected chemical parameters in sediments and interstitial waters and aerial images of the site, in order to investigate reed decline and search for possible correlations among data. Typical symptoms of the reed dieback syndrome were detected, thus enlarging the occurrence of this phenomenon in southern Europe. Permanently dry, permanently flooded and partially flooded stands show different levels of decline, with the permanent flooding always co-occurring with reed dieback. Only few of the considered chemical parameters seem to play a role in reed decline (nitrates, rubidium, nickel, barium, manganese), although no clear pattern was identified. Data suggest that the cooccurrence of some chemicals with stressing conditions might affect the growth even of an efficient metal accumulator, as reed is generally considered

Application of IUCN red listing criteria at the regional level: a case study with Boletales across the Apennine province ecoregion and EU-habitats of Central Italy

A Red List of the 100 Boletales (Agaricomycetidae) species recorded in Apennine Province ecoregion Subsections “Tuscan Basin, 1C1b” and “Umbria and Marche Apennine, 1C2a” (central Italy) is provided. According to the IUCN categories and criteria, 67% of the assessed species are classified as threatened, whereas 19% are Near Threatened (NT), 11% are Least Concern (LC) and 3% are Data Deficient (DD). As a consequence of the downlisting applied to the majority of the assessed taxa, no species results Critically Endangered (CR), while 44.78% of the threatened species are Endangered (EN) and 55.22% Vulnerable (VU). The distribution of Non-Threatened (NT, LC) species across 1C1b and 1C2a subsections is quite uniform, whereas the distribution of the Threatened species varies in a dissimilar way. In fact, the two subsections share 33 (4 EN, 29 VU) Threatened species, while 23 (18 EN, 5 VU) are present exclusively in 1C1b subsection and 11 (8 EN, 3 VU) only in 1C2a subsection. The present assessments will allow in future to assess these species also against the criterion A of the IUCN protocol, given that it will be possible to define a trend of the populations and to highlight a possible reduction

Gentiana lutea L. s.l.

Assessment di Gentiana lutea a scala nazionale nelle Schede per una Lista Rossa della Flora vascolare e crittogamica Italiana