U.V.A.C. MONITORING OF HEAVY METALS IN CONTROLLED MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS IN TURIN DURING 2007

The contamination of food by chemical is a worldwide public health concern and is a leading cause of trade problems internationally. Contamination may occur through environmental pollution of air, water and soil, such as heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hg, Pb), PCB and dioxins, or through the intentional use of various pesticides and other agrochemicals. The AA controlled, during 2007, 26 samples of milk, 2 samples of dessert and 32 samples of cheese coming from UE to the area of the City of Turin. The collected demonstrate that the environmental situation is under control and the milk, dessert and cheese fully satisfy this health requisite

Impact of intrauterine growth restriction on cerebral and renal oxygenation and perfusion during the first 3 days after birth

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with a higher incidence of perinatal complications as well as cardiovascular and renal diseases later on. A better insight into the disease mechanisms underlying these sequalae is important in order to identify which IUGR infants are at a higher risk and find strategies to improve their outcome. In this prospective case–control study we examined whether IUGR had any effect on renal and cerebral perfusion and oxygen saturation in term neonates. We integrated near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), echocardiographic, Doppler and renal function data of 105 IUGR infants and 105 age/gender-matched controls. Cerebral and renal regional oxygen saturation values were measured by NIRS during the first 12 h after birth. Echocardiography alongside Doppler assessment of renal and anterior cerebral arteries were performed at 6, 24, 48 and 72 h of age. Glomerular and tubular functions were also assessed. We found a left ventricular dysfunction together with a higher cerebral oxygen saturation and perfusion values in the IUGR group. IUGR term infants showed a higher renal oxygen saturation and a reduced oxygen extraction together with a subclinical renal damage, as indicated by higher values of urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and microalbumin. These data suggest that some of the haemodynamic changes present in growth-restricted foetuses may persist postnatally. The increased cerebral oxygenation may suggest an impaired transition to normal autoregulation as a consequence of intra-uterine chronic hypoxia. The higher renal oxygenation may reflect a reduced renal oxygen consumption due to a subclinical kidney damage

Fever of unknown origin: Diagnostic approach through a clinical case

The paper reports the case of a 12-year-old female affected by ulcerative colitis and treated with double immunosuppressant therapy (methotrexate and infliximab). The patient presented with 7 day-lasting fever associated with pharyngotonsillar hyperaemia, cheilitis, vesicular-bollous lesions on labial mucosa and rash on malar regions, chest and upper extremities. Since full blood count showed lymphocytosis and inflammatory markers were negative, a viral infection was suspected. Virological tests identified the presence of IgM against Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes and Mumps viruses, but Real-Time PCR was negative for the DNA detection of any of those viruses. Despite hospital admission and different investigations, fever persisted for more than 7 days without any explanation. Therefore, it was considered as Fever of unknown origin (FUO). FUO is often an unusual manifestation of a common disease but so far there is not a single validated diagnostic protocol. In the presented case only did the repetition of the Real-Time PCR test after a few days enable CMV DNA to be identified in the patient's blood and urine and CMV infection to be diagnosed

U.V.A.C. MONITORING OF HEAVY METALS IN CONTROLLED MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS IN TURIN DURING 2007

The contamination of food by chemical is a worldwide public health concern and is a leading cause of trade problems internationally. Contamination may occur through environmental pollution of air, water and soil, such as heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Fe, Hg, Pb), PCB and dioxins, or through the intentional use of various pesticides and other agrochemicals. The AA controlled, during 2007, 26 samples of milk, 2 samples of dessert and 32 samples of cheese coming from UE to the area of the City of Turin. The collected demonstrate that the environmental situation is under control and the milk, dessert and cheese fully satisfy this health requisite

RESEARCH OF HEAVY METALS, ORGANOCHLORINE AND ORGANOPHOSPHORUS PESTICIDES IN POWDERED INFANT FORMULA

During the period between october 2007 and november 2008 were collected 60 samples of powdered infant formula. The analysis for the detection of heavy metals, organochlorine and organophosphorus pesticides show that the environmental situation is under control and powdered infant formula satisfies this health requisite

Identification and molecular characterization of the --CAMPANIA deletion, a novel alpha zero-thalassemic defect, in two unrelated Italian families

We describe a novel deletion form of alpha-thalassemia which removes a region of 31 kilobase encompassing the entire a-globin gene cluster. In association with the - alpha+ 3.7 deletion this defect gave rise to a typical hemoglobin H (HbH) disease in two unrelated boys of Southern Italian descent. The molecular characterization of the deletion revealed involvement of Alu repeat sequences, indicating that this rearrangement was originated from an event of unequal recombination. Furthermore, sequence analysis of the junctional region and genotyping of polymorphic sites flanking the 5’ and 3’ breakpoints suggest a unique origin for this mutation in these two patients. Our study contributes to define the wide spectrum of mutations that underlie the thalassemia syndromes in the Mediterranean area and provides support to prevention programs of a-thalassemia based on molecular screening and prenatal diagnosis in couples at risk

The seismogenic fault system of the 2017 <i>M</i>_w 7.3 Iran–Iraq earthquake: constraints from surface and subsurface data, cross-section balancing, and restoration

The 2017 Mw 7.3 Iran–Iraq earthquake occurred in a region where the pattern of major plate convergence is well constrained, but limited information is available on the seismogenic structures. Geological observations, interpretation of seismic reflection profiles, and well data are used in this paper to build a regional, balanced cross section that provides a comprehensive picture of the geometry and dimensional parameters of active faults in the hypocentral area. Our results indicate (i) the coexistence of thin- and thick-skinned thrusting, (ii) the reactivation of inherited structures, and (iii) the occurrence of weak units promoting heterogeneous deformation within the palaeo-Cenozoic sedimentary cover and partial decoupling from the underlying basement. According to our study, the main shock of the November 2017 seismic sequence is located within the basement, along the low-angle Mountain Front Fault. Aftershocks unzipped the up-dip portion of the same fault. This merges with a detachment level located at the base of the Paleozoic succession, to form a crustal-scale fault-bend anticline. Size and geometry of the Mountain Front Fault are consistent with a down-dip rupture width of 30 km, which is required for an Mw 7.3 earthquake

Hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia in neonatal encephalopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Importance Although hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia represent the most common metabolic problem in neonates, there is still uncertainty regarding the effects of glucose homeostasis on the neurological outcomes of infants with neonatal encephalopathy (NE). Objective To systematically investigate the association between neonatal hypo and hyperglycaemia with adverse outcome in children who suffered from NE. Study selection We searched Pubmed, Embase, and Web of Science databases to identify studies which reported prespecified outcomes and compared infants with NE who had been exposed to neonatal hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia with infants not exposed. Data analysis We assessed the risk of bias (ROBINS-I), quality of evidence (GRADE) for each of the studies. REVMAN was used for meta-analysis (inverse variance, fixed effects). Main outcome Death or neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 months of age or later. Results Eighty-two studies were screened, 28 reviewed in full, and 12 included. Children who were exposed to neonatal hypoglycaemia had higher odds of neurodevelopmental impairment or death (6 studies, 685 infants; 40.6 vs. 25.4%; OR= 2.17, 95%CI=1.46– 3.25; p=0.0001). Neonatal exposure to hyperglycaemia was associated with death or neurodisability at 18 months or later (7 studies, 807 infants; 46.1 vs. 28.0%; OR=3.07, 95%CI=2.17– 4.35; p<0.00001). These findings were confirmed in the subgroup analysis, which included only the infants who underwent therapeutic hypothermia. Conclusions These data suggest that neonatal hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia may be associated with the neurodevelopmental outcome later on in infants with NE. Further studies with long-term follow-up are needed to optimise the metabolic management of these highrisk infants