1,229 research outputs found
Patterns of Hand Variation – New Data on a Sardinian Sample
This study is an analysis of the patterns of variation of the human hand, particularly the metric characters of palm,
fingers and distal phalanges. Anthropometric measurements were performed on 146 Sardinian men and women, aged
21 to 31 years. The data were analyzed by inferential statistics (paired Student’s t test, analysis of variance), and Principal
Components Analysis. The results indicate that size factors are the principal source of variation. A residual adimensional
component of variability is related to diversification between the fingers as a whole and the distal phalanges,
and between the thumb and the other fingers. Sexual dimorphism is evident. Men present greater dimensions and
greater relative length of the thumb with respect to the other fingers than women
Body Composition Variations in Ageing
Age-related physiological variations of body composition concern both the fat-free mass (FFM) and the fat mass (FM).
These variations expose the elderly person to the risk of malnutrition and could lead to conditions of disability. This paper
aims to review the current state of knowledge on body composition in the aged population. The pattern of qualitative
variations in body composition in old age is fairly well defined. In adulthood, the physiological variation of body mass
involves a first increasing phase followed by a decreasing trend. The reduction is due mainly to the loss of fat-free mass,
especially muscle mass. Total body water and bone mass also decrease. Fat mass tends to decrease and the reduction
seems to be due mainly to the loss of subcutaneous fat. The quantitative aspects of the age of onset, rate and intensity of
the physiological variations are still not completely clear. This poor quantitative definition is due to the variable and
multifactorial phenomenology of ageing, the heterogeneity of assessment techniques and sampling models, and the limited
number of empirical observations in oldest-old individuals
Somatotype in Elderly Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Somatotyping is a practical technique for the description of physique. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are characterized
by physical peculiarities, such as overweight, obesity and a central pattern of body fat distribution. Somatotype applications
to diabetes are limited. The objective of this study is to describe the somatotype of elderly type 2 diabetes patients.
The sample consisted of 110 patients with type 2 diabetes (45 men, mean age 69.4±7.0 years; 65 women, mean age
72.9±7.1 years). The pathological subjects were compared with a control group consisting of 280 healthy individuals
(134 men, mean age 74.2±7.3 years; 146 women, mean age 74.9±7.4 years). The Heath-Carter somatotype was applied.
Diabetic men and women (mean somatotype, respectively: 6.8–5.6–0.6 and 8.6–6.4–0.2) presented significantly higher
values of endomorphy than the controls (p=0.043 in men, p=0.003 in women); men also had a lower mesomorphic component
(p=0.000). The somatotype method revealed physical peculiarities in type 2 diabetes patients. The marked endomorphy
in the pathological individuals can be related to general fatness, which is a well known disease risk factor. The
somatotype appears to be a suitable technique for the assessment of physique in type 2 diabetes patients
Paraganglioma of the cauda equina region
BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Cauda equina paragangliomas (CEPs) are rare neuroendocrine tumors.
The difficulty in differential diagnosis with other tumors of this region may be misleading for
surgical planning and prognostic expectations.
PURPOSE: To report on a rare case of CEP and review the most current information regarding the
diagnosis, treatment options, and outcomes.
STUDY DESIGN: Case report and literature review.
PATIENT SAMPLE: One patient affected by CEP.
METHODS: We report on a 33-year-old woman with a 2-month history of worsening low back
pain, aggravated by sitting, bending, and coughing. Neurological examination revealed normal
power and muscular tone, no sensory or sphincter abnormality, and normal reflex. Magnetic resonance
imaging of the lumbar spine demonstrated an intradural extramedullary lesion at L3, with
homogeneous contrast enhancement and hypointense punctate foci. The patient underwent an L3
laminectomy and tumor removal. Relevant articles covering CEPs from 1970 to the present were
reviewed.
RESULTS: The histopathological examinations described paraganglioma features. The postoperative
coursewas uneventful, and all the symptoms resolved, with no tumor recurrence after 3 years’ follow-up.
CONCLUSIONS: Cauda equina paragangliomas are rare, benign, and slow-growing tumors. Except
for its secreting tumor characteristics, preoperative CEP diagnosis is very difficult.Magnetic resonance
imaging is important andmay suggest specific radiological features for these tumors; however, these are
only relative, and it is rare that diagnosis ismade before surgery.Diagnosis is established by histological
examination and electron microscopy, and immunohistochemical techniques must be used to achieve a
correct diagnosis. Cauda equina paragangliomas arewell-encapsulated tumors that may be cured by surgery
alone, whereas radiotherapy is reserved for incompletely resected tumors. Overall, prolonged postoperative
observation is mandatory because of the slow tumor evolution and the possibility of tumor
relapse even up to 30 years after surgery
POPULATION DYNAMICS AND SEASONAL ABUNDANCE OF THAUMASTOCORISPEREGRINUSIN EUCALYPTUSPLANTATIONS IN SARDINIA (ITALY)
Thaumastocoris peregrinusis a eucalyptus pest native to Australia. It is currently the only species belonging to theThaumastocoridae family in Europe. In Italy, it was reported for the first time in Latium in 2011, whereas in Sardinia itwas detected in January 2015 on a Eucalyptus camaldulensis plantation located in the south of the island. Our researchteam carried out a monitoring program for two-years in order to verify its geographical distribution, the main periods ofinfestation, the flight peaks of the adults and to also detect the presence of unhatched eggs on leaves. During the firstyear, the occurrence of adults of T. peregrinuswas verified by yellow sticky traps placed in twelve areas distributedthroughout the island where Eucalyptus plantations were located. In the second year, the population dynamics and theoccurrence of eggs on leaves were evaluated only in three representative study areas, already included in the previousmonitoring program, located in the north, centre and south of the island, respectively. Field surveys showed thepresence of T. peregrinusin all the monitored locations. The highest adult population was observed from late summer toinitial autumn, with a significant increase in adults caught by yellow sticky traps from August, which reached its peakin September and gradually decreased in the following months. The presence of eggs of T. peregrinuson leaves fromJune to December also indicates that the insect is currently well established in the region
PRELIMINARY RESULTS ON THE SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIABILITYOF GLYCASPIS BRIMBLECOMBEI(HEMIPTERA PSYLLIDAE) POPULATIONSFROM A THREE-YEAR MONITORING PROGRAM IN SARDINIA (ITALY)
The red gum lerp psyllid Glycaspis brimblecombeiis an invasive insect species worldwide. Prolonged attacksby this psyllid may cause both direct and indirect damages to Eucalyptustrees, such as plant weakening, developmentalreductions and phylloptosis, resulting in death within 2-3 years. After the first report in Campania (Italy) in 2010 onEucalyptus camaldulensis trees, it quickly spread to all surrounding central-southern regions of Italy. In Sardinia, G.brimblecombeiwas first recorded in 2011, and is currently found throughout the island. From 2013 to 2015 amonitoring program was carried out in 11 locations throughout Sardinia in order to estimate the density pattern of bothits adults and preimaginal stages, as well as the general population trend of G. brimblecombeiover the years. Ananalysis of G. brimblecombei population abundance showed an almost stable level of infestation over the years, and aseasonal pattern with a population peak in the summer. However, an earlier peak of population abundance was detectedin 2015 compared to the previous years. A spatial heterogeneity of the level of infestation was observed throughout theisland, highlighting the potential effects of environmental conditions in regulating the populations of both G.brimblecombeiand its natural enemies
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