Medical tattooing, the new frontiers: a case of nail bed reconstruction.

The primary objective of medical tattooing is to restore part of a patient’s physical integrity. Moreover, the procedure seeks to assist in psychological recovery from the physical and/or psychological consequences of disease, surgery or trauma. The method described in this brief note marks a step forward in the field of such tattooing. The treatment simulates reconstruction of the nail bed, as the nails of the big toes had previously been removed through a surgical avulsion procedure. This treatment, agreed with the physician and performed by a tattooist with proven experience in medical tattooing, also involved the use of specific colour nuances that resulted in an extremely realistic outcome

Osservatorio Territoriale Droga e Tossicodipendenze. Il fenomeno delle dipendenze nel territorio della ASL della Provincia di Sondrio. Dati anno 2008.

Report on the state of legal and illegal substances use in the territory of Sondrio Province.Il Report analizza il fenomeno delle dipendenze nella provincia di Sondrio. La descrizione del fenomeno si sviluppa intorno all\u27analisi degli indicatori individuati dall\u27Osservatorio Europeo delle Dipendenze di Lisbona (OEDT): 1-uso di sostanze nella popolazione generale (questo indicatore va a rilevare i comportamenti nei confronti di alcol e sostanze psicoattive da parte della popolazione generale); 2-prevalenza d\u27uso problematico delle sostanze psicoattive; 3-domanda di trattamento degli utilizzatori di sostanze; 4-mortalit? degli utilizzatori di sostanze; 5-malattie infettive. Altri due importanti indicatori che si stanno sviluppando, e che vengono qui illustrati, sono l\u27analisi delle Schede di Dimissione Ospedaliera (SDO) e gli indicatori relativi alle conseguenza sociali dell\u27uso di droghe (criminalit? droga correlata). Inoltre sono state applicate diverse metodologie standard di stima sia per quantificare la quota parte sconosciuta di utilizzatori di sostanze che non afferiscono ai servizi, sia per identificarne alcune caratteristiche

Rational Vaccine Design in Times of Emerging Diseases: The Critical Choices of Immunological Correlates of Protection, Vaccine Antigen and Immunomodulation.

Vaccines are the most effective medical intervention due to their continual success in preventing infections and improving mortality worldwide. Early vaccines were developed empirically however, rational design of vaccines can allow us to optimise their efficacy, by tailoring the immune response. Establishing the immune correlates of protection greatly informs the rational design of vaccines. This facilitates the selection of the best vaccine antigens and the most appropriate vaccine adjuvant to generate optimal memory immune T cell and B cell responses. This review outlines the range of vaccine types that are currently authorised and those under development. We outline the optimal immunological correlates of protection that can be targeted. Finally we review approaches to rational antigen selection and rational vaccine adjuvant design. Harnessing current knowledge on protective immune responses in combination with critical vaccine components is imperative to the prevention of future life-threatening diseases

Il Fenomeno delle Dipendenze nella Provincia di Varese. Anno 2010

Report on the state of legal and illegal substances use in the territory of the Local Healthcare Service VareseIl Report analizza il fenomeno delle dipendenze nella ASL di Varese. La descrizione del fenomeno si sviluppa intorno all\u27analisi degli indicatori individuati dall\u27Osservatorio Europeo delle Dipendenze di Lisbona (OEDT): 1-uso di sostanze nella popolazione generale (questo indicatore va a rilevare i comportamenti nei confronti di alcol e sostanze psicoattive da parte della popolazione generale); 2-prevalenza d\u27uso problematico delle sostanze psicoattive; 3-domanda di trattamento degli utilizzatori di sostanze; 4-mortalit? degli utilizzatori di sostanze; 5-malattie infettive. Altri due importanti indicatori che si stanno sviluppando, e che vengono qui illustrati, sono l\u27analisi delle Schede di Dimissione Ospedaliera (SDO) e gli indicatori relativi alle conseguenza sociali dell\u27uso di droghe (criminalit? droga correlata). Inoltre sono state applicate diverse metodologie standard di stima sia per quantificare la quota parte sconosciuta di utilizzatori di sostanze che non afferiscono ai servizi, sia per identificarne alcune caratteristiche

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p < .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p < .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come

Intrarenal Hemodynamic Parameters Correlate with Glomerular Filtration Rate and Digital Microvascular Damage in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

Objectives: To evaluate intrarenal arterial stiffness by Doppler ultrasound and examine the correlation between renal Doppler indices, glomerular filtration rate, and digital microvascular damage in systemic sclerosis patients. Methods: Thirty systemic sclerosis patients and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Doppler indices of intrarenal arterial stiffness, peak systolic flow velocity, end diastolic flow velocity, resistive index, pulsative index, and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio were measured on the interlobar artery of both kidneys. Glomerular filtration rate was measured using Tc-99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). Equation 7 from the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease was used to estimate glomerular filtration rate. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy findings were classified as early, active, and late patterns. Results: The intrarenal arterial stiffness, evaluated by Doppler indices, was higher in systemic sclerosis patients than healthy controls. In systemic sclerosis patients pulsative index (r = -0.69), resistive index (r = -0.75), and S/D ratio (r = -0.74) showed a negative correlation with measured glomerular filtration rate (P < 0001). High correlation (P = 0008) was observed between measured and estimated glomerular filtration rate (r = 0.55). Pulsative index, resistive index, and S/D ratio significantly increased with progression of capillaroscopic damage. Conversely, measured glomerular filtration rate significantly decreased with capillaroscopic damage progression. Conclusions: Doppler indices of intrarenal arterial stiffness are noninvasive diagnostic tests to evaluate renal damage in SSc patients. Intrarenal arterial stiffness and glomerular filtration rate correlate with capillaroscopic microvascular damage. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Semin Arthritis Rheum 41:815-82

Recycling of Stoma Losses: A Good Practice for Neonates with High Output Stomas—Our Experience and Comparison with Literature

Introduction: The recycling of proximal stoma losses is known as a good practice to manage patients with high output stoma. In our center, we introduced this practice about 10 years ago. We revised our series before and after recycling protocol and we reviewed the literature. Methods: This is a retrospective study. We included all neonates who underwent ileostomy between 2000 and 2019. They were divided into two groups, Group A and Group B, before and after the introduction of recycling of stoma losses. Demographic data were included. Outcomes evaluated to demonstrate the efficacy of stools recycling were: weight at the time of anastomosis and at discharge, length of total parenteral nutrition, and time (expressed in days) between anastomosis and passage of the stools. Data were analyzed using Student’s t-test. P values &lt;.05 were considered significant. Results: A total of 85 patients (29 females, 56 males) were included—Group A: 20 (24%) (13 males/7 females); Group B: 65 (76%) (43 males/22 females); Group A: 12/enterocolitis, 5/meconium-related ileum (MRI), 3/single intestinal perforation; Group B: 45 enterocolitis, 10/MRI, 8/single intestinal perforation, 1/an ileal atresia, 1/meconial peritonitis. Outcome about weight at anastomosis and discharge and about time of canalization were significant. Conclusion: We believe that the recycling of stoma losses is a safe and effective practice in neonates with ileostomy. Our technique of recycling is simple and practical. The benefit/risk rate is certain, in our opinion, in favor of the benefits as showed from our data. © 2021 National Neonatology Forum

Chitin-induced activation of immune signaling by the rice receptor CEBiP relies on a unique sandwich-type dimerization

Perception of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) through pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) triggers various defense responses in plants. This MAMP-triggered immunity plays a major role in the plant resistance against various pathogens. To clarify the molecular basis of the specific recognition of chitin oligosaccharides by the rice PRR, CEBiP (chitin-elicitor binding protein), as well as the formation and activation of the receptor complex, biochemical, NMR spectroscopic, and computational studies were performed. Deletion and domain-swapping experiments showed that the central lysine motif in the ectodomain of CEBiP is essential for the binding of chitin oligosaccharides. Epitope mapping by NMR spectroscopy indicated the preferential binding of longer-chain chitin oligosaccharides, such as heptamer-octamer, to CEBiP, and also the importance of N-acetyl groups for the binding. Molecular modeling/docking studies clarified the molecular interaction between CEBiP and chitin oligosaccharides and indicated the importance of Ile(122) in the central lysine motif region for ligand binding, a notion supported by site-directed mutagenesis. Based on these results, it was indicated that two CEBiP molecules simultaneously bind to one chitin oligosaccharide from the opposite side, resulting in the dimerization of CEBiP. The model was further supported by the observations that the addition of (GlcNAc)(8) induced dimerization of the ectodomain of CEBiP in vitro, and the dimerization and (GlcNAc)(8)-induced reactive oxygen generation were also inhibited by a unique oligosaccharide, (GlcNβ1,4GlcNAc)(4), which is supposed to have N-acetyl groups only on one side of the molecule. Based on these observations, we proposed a hypothetical model for the ligand-induced activation of a receptor complex, involving both CEBiP and Oryza sativa chitin-elicitor receptor kinase-1