Congenital complete absence of the pericardium: A multimodality imaging diagnostic approach

The complete congenital absence of the pericardium is a rare and benign condition, which often presents a diagnostic dilemma. We reported a case of essentially complete absence of the pericardium with an otherwise normal heart in a 16 year old that was imaged with both transthoracic echocardiography and MRI. \uc2\ua9 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc

post seismic relaxation and earthquake triggering in the southern adriatic region

SUMMARY An attempt at quantifying post-seismic relaxation triggered by decoupling earthquakes along the eastern thrusting border of the Adriatic plate (southern Dinarides) is carried out by finite element modelling, with a model constituted by an elastic lithosphere riding on a viscous asthenosphere. In particular, it is investigated the possibility that the above phenomenon is responsible for the fact that in the last two centuries most major earthquakes in the southern Dinarides (MS > 6) have been followed, within a few years, by intense, mainly tensional, earthquakes in southern Italy, i.e. the zone lying on the opposite margin of the Adriatic plate. This analysis has been applied to the last example of the supposed seismic interrelation, i.e. the triggering 1979 April 15 Montenegro event (MS= 6.7) and the presumably induced 1980 November 23 Irpinia earthquake in the southern Apennines (MS= 6.9). Results indicate that the strain induced in the southern Apennines by the triggering event has significant amplitude, since it largely exceeds the effect of earth tides, and the principal stress axes are consistent with those of southern Apenninic earthquakes. The order of magnitude of the time delay between the Montenegro and Irpinia events (1.6 yr) could be explained by assuming that earthquake triggering is most probable when the highest values of the induced strain rate reach the southern Apennines. In particular, this interpretation predicts the observed time delay when a model diffusivity of 400 m2 s−1 is assumed. The constraints that this diffusivity value may pose on the structural and rheological features of the crust–upper-mantle system in the study area are discussed. It is shown that the effects of the Montenegro event on the present velocity field are comparable to, though systematically lower than, the velocities suggested by geodetic observations in the Italian region. This suggests that geodynamic interpretations of geodetic data given without taking into account possible transient effects on the kinematic pattern, as those related to post-seismic relaxation, may be incorrect. Experiments carried out by tentatively simulating the presence of subducted lithosphere along the western margin of the Adriatic plate as a lateral variation of diffusivity, have shown that this structural feature may emphasize E–W tensional strains in the southern Apennines

Violenza di genere e violenza assistita. Percorsi di accompagnamento

Il volume presenta il fenomeno della violenza maschile contro le donne nelle relazioni di intimità e il sistema di accompagnamento e di protezione delle Associazioni e dei Servizi. Abbiamo condiviso con i diversi autori del volume la necessità di offrire, in particolare a coloro che sono in formazione come futuri assistenti sociali, uno strumento teorico ed operativo che permetta di saper accogliere e intervenire sostenendo le vittime di violenza di genere e i loro figli. La conoscenza della cornice normativa di riferimento, il costante confronto fra gli attori istituzionali e non presenti nella comunità, l’utilizzo di un approccio multidisciplinare sono elementi imprescindibili per saper riconoscere le molteplici forme di violenza e tutelare le vittime, in particolare le donne e i minori. Si ritiene importante approfondire il metodo di accoglienza e sostegno dei centri antiviolenza, il fenomeno della violenza assistita e degli orfani di crimini domestici attraverso una metodologia applicata che faciliti la comprensione di un fenomeno così complesso che richiede sempre più un approccio centrato sul lavoro di comunità

Collagen-based tissue engineering strategies for vascular medicine

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) account for the 31% of total death per year, making them the first cause of death in the world. Atherosclerosis is at the root of the most life-threatening CVDs. Vascular bypass/replacement surgery is the primary therapy for patients with atherosclerosis. The use of polymeric grafts for this application is still burdened by high-rate failure, mostly caused by thrombosis and neointima hyperplasia at the implantation site. As a solution for these problems, the fast re-establishment of a functional endothelial cell (EC) layer has been proposed, representing a strategy of crucial importance to reduce these adverse outcomes. Implant modifications using molecules and growth factors with the aim of speeding up the re-endothelialization process has been proposed over the last years. Collagen, by virtue of several favorable properties, has been widely studied for its application in vascular graft enrichment, mainly as a coating for vascular graft luminal surface and as a drug delivery system for the release of pro-endothelialization factors. Collagen coatings provide receptor-ligand binding sites for ECs on the graft surface and, at the same time, act as biological sealants, effectively reducing graft porosity. The development of collagen-based drug delivery systems, in which small-molecule and protein-based drugs are immobilized within a collagen scaffold in order to control their release for biomedical applications, has been widely explored. These systems help in protecting the biological activity of the loaded molecules while slowing their diffusion from collagen scaffolds, providing optimal effects on the targeted vascular cells. Moreover, collagen-based vascular tissue engineering substitutes, despite not showing yet optimal mechanical properties for their use in the therapy, have shown a high potential as physiologically relevant models for the study of cardiovascular therapeutic drugs and diseases. In this review, the current state of the art about the use of collagen-based strategies, mainly as a coating material for the functionalization of vascular graft luminal surface, as a drug delivery system for the release of pro-endothelialization factors, and as physiologically relevant in vitro vascular models, and the future trend in this field of research will be presented and discussed

A Research Publication on the Economic Value of the Third Sector in Italy

The crisis of the welfare state as we have known it in Italy and Europe over the last few decades has forced countries and the societies of those so-called "advanced countries" to review their priorities and the methods by which social services are provided. In this way a process has begun, which reflects on how to support the organization of a renewed sense of civic responsibility, able to satisfy demand and requirements where the Public and the Market, for various reasons, are not able to provide an adequate response. The entire sector, according to the information gathered during the 8th General Census of Industry and Services carried out by Istat (the National Institute for Statistics) in 2001, adjusted in the 2003 annual report, includes: 2 5,232 non-profit institutions, equal to 5.4% of all institutional units; approximately 488,000 employees and independent workers, equal to 2.5% of all assigned workers; approximately 4 million individuals involved as volunteers 38 billion in revenue (over 3.3% of the GDP); 35 billion in costs, with a surplus of 3 billion reinvested in the activities carried out. These figures will obviously need to be updated following the growth in the world of non-profits over the last decade, but they are even more significant when accompanied by a calculation of the social savings deriving from the labour hours provided free of charge by the four million volunteers and, even more so, the material and immaterial well-being provided to those who benefited from their work, their help and their compassion. In 2012, in cooperation with IPSOS and UniCredit's Territorial Research and Strategies, UniCredit Foundation promoted and carried out an investigation into the economic value of the third sector in Italy. The study looks at the situation in the Italian non-profit sector and the growth trends registered by the sector in recent years

A complex pheotype in a girl with a novel heterozygous missense variant (p.Ile56Phe) of the GNAS gene

Background: GNAS is a complex gene that encodes Gsα, a signaling protein that triggers a complex network of pathways. Heterozygous inactivating mutations in Gsα-coding GNAS exons cause hormonal resistance; on the contrary, activating mutations in Gsα result in constitutive cAMP stimulation. Recent research has described a clinical condition characterized by both gain and loss of Gsα function, due to a heterozygous de novo variant of the maternal GNAS allele. Patients and methods: We describe a girl with a complex combination of clinical signs and a new heterozygous GNAS variant. For the molecular analysis of GNAS gene, DNA samples of the proband and her parents were extracted from their peripheral blood samples. In silico analysis was performed to predict the possible in vivo effect of the detected novel genetic variant. The activity of Gsα protein was in vitro analyzed from samples of erythrocyte membranes, recovered from heparinized blood samples. Results: We found a new heterozygous missense c.166A > T-(p.Ile56Phe) GNAS variant in exon 2, inherited from the mother that determined a reduced activity of 50% of Gsα protein function. The analysis of her parents showed a 20-25% reduction in Gsα protein activity in the mother and a normal function in the father. Clinically our patient presented a multisystemic disorder characterized by hyponatremia compatible with a nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis, subclinical hyperthyroidism, subclinical hypercortisolism, precocious thelarche and pubarche and congenital bone abnormalities. Conclusions: This is the first time that the new variant c.166A > T (p.Ile56Phe) on exon 2 of GNAS gene, originated on maternal allele, has been described as probable cause of a multisystemic disorder. Although the mutation is associated with a reduced activity of the function of Gsα protein, this unusual phenotype on the contrary suggests a mild functional gain