Assessment of "occasional" atherosclerotic lesions identified with computerized tomography. Analysis of tomodensitrometric findings and identification of "risk" groups in 1,500 patients

Atherosclerosis is a disease with a chronic-progressive course. We report on the statistic prevalence of vascular lesions in 1,500 asymptomatic patients with vascular diseases examined with Computed Tomography (CT) for different reasons. The aortoiliac arterial district was involved in 934/1,500 patients (62.3%), with simple or calcified plaques, thrombosis or dilatations. We investigated the involvement of other arterial vessels (47%) whenever feasible (57.7% of cases). The aorta was thrombosed in 107 patients (2.8%) and the thrombus associated with a calcification and a dilated vessel in 45 of them (42.1%). The aorta or the iliac arteries were enlarged in 62 patients (4.1%) and arterial diameter exceeded 4 cm in 20 patients (1.3%). Finally, the statistical significance was analyzed considering risk factors-i.e., smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes and hypolipoproteinemia. All the patients with 2 or more risk factors had positive CT findings; the prevalence was 75% in cigarette smokers, 83% in hypertensive, 81.3% in dislipidemic and 93.5% in diabetic patients. These data demonstrate that, in agreement with international literature reports, it is possible to single out the groups of patients that, because of their age, risk factors and sex, should be considered for color Doppler screening programs and the selected cases to be submitted to CT

Assessment of "occasional" atherosclerotic lesions identified with computerized tomography. Analysis of tomodensitrometric findings and identification of "risk" groups in 1,500 patients

Atherosclerosis is a disease with a chronic-progressive course. We report on the statistic prevalence of vascular lesions in 1,500 asymptomatic patients with vascular diseases examined with Computed Tomography (CT) for different reasons. The aortoiliac arterial district was involved in 934/1,500 patients (62.3%), with simple or calcified plaques, thrombosis or dilatations. We investigated the involvement of other arterial vessels (47%) whenever feasible (57.7% of cases). The aorta was thrombosed in 107 patients (2.8%) and the thrombus associated with a calcification and a dilated vessel in 45 of them (42.1%). The aorta or the iliac arteries were enlarged in 62 patients (4.1%) and arterial diameter exceeded 4 cm in 20 patients (1.3%). Finally, the statistical significance was analyzed considering risk factors-i.e., smoking, arterial hypertension, diabetes and hypolipoproteinemia. All the patients with 2 or more risk factors had positive CT findings; the prevalence was 75% in cigarette smokers, 83% in hypertensive, 81.3% in dislipidemic and 93.5% in diabetic patients. These data demonstrate that, in agreement with international literature reports, it is possible to single out the groups of patients that, because of their age, risk factors and sex, should be considered for color Doppler screening programs and the selected cases to be submitted to CT

Soil genesis, morphodynamic processes and chronological implications in two soil transects of SE Sardinia, Italy: Traditional pedological study coupled with laser ablation ICP-MS and radionuclide analyses

Soils are characterized by an intrinsic variability through time and space at different scales of observation and are often affected by morphodynamic processes strictly interacting with pedogenesis, under changing (paleo) environmental/climatic conditions. We focus on exploring this interplay in modern soils and paleosols of southeast Sardinia (Italy), integrating two innovative techniques to a traditional pedological study: (i) laser ablation ICP-MS spot analyses applied to detect microscale distribution of trace elements in discrete soil features of organic-mineral (A) and argillic (Bt) horizons in thin section, and (ii) radioactive disequilibria as tracers and chronometers of pedogenetic alteration and geomorphic dynamics. The Pleistocene paleosols developed mainly during interglacial periods, with important clay illuviation and rubification. The other soils are essentially characterized by organic matter incorporation into the profiles. Field discontinuities described within soil profiles, related to phases of sediment aggradation and/or surface erosion, are often supported by laboratory results, mainly micromorphological and geochemical data. LA-ICP-MS data show an overall trend of increase of most trace elements (REEs included) from skeletal rock fragments to both clayey and organic-rich soil matrix to clay coatings. This pathway is clearly controlled by the degree of weathering of primary minerals and by pedogenetic processes, where element adsorption onto reactive sites of organic matter and clay particles and clay illuviation play prominent roles. Recent trends of the studied soils/paleosols in terms of geomorphic stability (equilibrium) or morphodynamic processes (erosion/accumulation rates) are estimated using radionuclide disequilibria in the order of 1 cm/a or lower

Soil genesis, morphodynamic processes and chronological implications in two soil transects of SE Sardinia, Italy: traditional pedological study coupled with laser ablation ICP-MS and radionuclide analyses

""Soils are characterized by an intrinsic variability through time and space at different scales of observation and. are often affected by morphodynamic processes strictly interacting with pedogenesis, under changing (paleo). environmental\\\/climatic conditions. We focus on exploring this interplay in modern soils and paleosols of. southeast Sardinia (Italy), integrating two innovative techniques to a traditional pedological study: (i) laser. ablation ICP-MS spot analyses applied to detect microscale distribution of trace elements in discrete soil. features of organic-mineral (A) and argillic (Bt) horizons in thin sections, and (ii) radioactive disequilibria as. tracers and chronometers of pedogenetic alteration and geomorphic dynamics. The Pleistocene paleosols. developed mainly during interglacial periods, with important clay illuviation and rubification. The other soils. are essentially characterized by organic matter incorporation into the profiles. Field discontinuities described. within soil profiles, related to phases of sediment aggradation and\\\/or surface erosion, are often supported by. laboratory results, mainly micromorphological and geochemical data. LA-ICP-MS data show an overall trend. of increase of most trace elements (REEs included) from skeletal rock fragments to both clayey and organicrich. soil matrix to clay coatings. This pathway is clearly controlled by the degree of weathering of primary. minerals and by pedogenetic processes, where element adsorption onto reactive sites of organic matter and. clay particles and clay illuviation play prominent roles. Recent trends of the studied soils\\\/paleosols in terms of. geomorphic stability (equilibrium) or morphodynamic processes (erosion\\\/accumulation rates) are estimated. using radionuclide disequilibria in the order of 1 cm\\\/a or lower"

Constraining Holocene sea levels using U-Th ages of phreatic overgrowths on speleothems from coastal caves in Mallorca (Western Mediterranean)

Phreatic overgrowths on speleothems (POS) are carbonate formations deposited at the water table of caves in unique karstic coastal settings having morphologies that can be directly related to sea level at the time of formation. The U-Th ages of calcite and aragonite overgrowths collected from the modern water table in coastal caves on Mallorca (Cova de Cala Varques A and Cova des Pas de Vallgornera) were determined using high-precision MC-ICPMS techniques. U-Th ages indicate that phreatic carbonate deposition occurred between ca 2·8 and at least 0·6 ka BP and are in accord with an archeologically estimated age of 3·7–3·0 ka BP for a drowned prehistoric construction at a depth of 1 m below current sea level in a cave from the same area. Speleothem δ13C and δ18O and chemical composition of cave pools provide supportive evidence that POS refl ect mixing between seawater and brackish water tabl

Comparison of 14C and U-Th ages of two Holocene phreatic overgrowths on speleothems from Mallorca (Western Mediterranean): Environmental implications

""This investigation reports on the comparison between ICP-MS U-Th and AMS 14C ages of Phreatic Overgrowths on Speleothems (POS) from two different caves on the island of Mallorca (Spain). These speleothem encrustations form at the water table of coastal caves in a low-amplitude tide-controlled microenvironment and are used to reconstruct past sea level changes. The aim of this study is to evaluate if this particular type of speleothem is datable using 14C method and to investigate possible problems connected with the incorporation of dead carbon inherited from the dissolution of 14C-free limestone. The results show that 14C ages are strongly site dependent and appear related to local residence time of water infiltration through the soil and epikarst. When short transit time and limited interaction with soil and bedrock, as in Cova de Cala Varques A, the so-called “reservoir” effect is negligible and 14C and U-Th ages corresponds within the error range. When the residence time is longer, as in Cova des Pas de Vallgornera, 14C ages are steadily 2,300-2,400 years older than the U-Th data, as shown by the mean value (25%) of estimated percent dead carbon proportions and by higher and better correlated contents of major and trace elements in the vadose support of this speleothem encrustation. The potential use of this multi-method approach to paleoenvironmental studies is also suggested"