Bioaccumulation of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins (PCDDs) and Dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in Hediste diversicolor (Polychaeta: Nereididae)

The effectiveness and reliability of the polychaete Hediste diversicolor (O.F. Müller, 1776) to bioaccumulate polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs) was assessed in an in-situ passive biomonitoring study. Field collected specimens were sampled in five sites within the Venice Lagoon (Italy), selected along a PCDD/F contamination gradient. The homolog profiles in the tissues of the common ragworm were considerably different from those observed in the sediments, independent of sediment contamination. Moreover, H. diversicolor accumulated preferentially the less chlorinated 2,3,7,8-TCDD, 2,3,7,8-TCDF and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF compared to the more chlorinated and hydrophobic hexa-, hepta- and octa-substituted congeners, as evidenced by the significant and linearly decreasing trend of the Biota-to-Sediment Accumulation Factor (BSAF) with the increasing lipophilicity of the congeners, expressed as the logarithmic form of the octanol/water partition coefficient (logKOW). The BSAFs for dioxins and furans were generally low compared to other organochlorine compounds such as polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides, suggesting that H. diversicolor may eliminate both dioxins and furans efficiently

Pharmacologic modulation of clodronate in local therapy of periodontal and implant inflammation.

Bisphosphonates are drugs used in the treatment of a variety of osteometabolic diseases. Recently they have been the object of research and studies on their potential application in dentistry and orthopedics. In particular, clodronate (non-aminobisphosphonates) has been studied, due to its reversible activity in comparison to apoptotic osteoclasts, the intrinsic action which stimulates the differentiation and activity of the osteoblasts, their antinflammatory activity, antipain and antioxidant action, represent the rational to estimate their clinical efficacy, for local use in dentistry, implatology, orthopaedic, rheumatology, oncology and dermatology

Endoscopic endonasal resection of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the sinonasal tract and skull base

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a locally aggressive salivary gland malignancy prone to perineural invasion and local recurrences. In the literature, few data exist to guide treatment when this tumor involves the paranasal sinuses and skull base. We report our experience in the management of sinonasal adenoid cystic carcinoma through an endoscopic endonasal approach

Inhibition of Larval Development of Marine Copepods Acartia tonsa by Neonocotinoids

Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are neurotoxic pesticides widely used in agriculture due to their high effectiveness against pest insects. Despite their widespread use, very little is known about their toxicity towards marine organisms, including sensitive and ecologically relevant taxa such as copepods. Thus, we investigated the toxicity of five widely used NEOs, including acetamiprid (ACE), clothianidin (CLO), imidacloprid (IMI), thiacloprid (THI), and thiamethoxam (TMX), to assess their ability to inhibit the larval development of the copepod Acartia tonsa. The more toxic NEOs were ACE (EC50 = 0.73 μg L−1), TMX (EC50 = 1.71 μg L−1) and CLO (EC50 = 1.90 μg L−1), while the less toxic compound was IMI (EC50 = 8.84 μg L−1). Early life-stage mortality was unaffected by NEOs at all of the tested concentrations. The calculated toxicity data indicated that significant effects due to ACE (EC20 = 0.12 μg L−1), THI (EC20 = 0.88 μg L−1) and TMX (EC20 = 0.18 μg L−1) are observed at concentrations lower than established chronic aquatic life benchmarks reported by USEPA for freshwater invertebrates. Nevertheless, since environmental concentrations of NEOs are generally lower than the threshold concentrations we calculated for A. tonsa, the effects may be currently of concern only in estuaries receiving wastewater discharges or experiencing intense runoff from agricultur

Lifecycle-oriented design of ceramic tiles in Sustainable Supply Chains (SSCs)

Purpose \u2013 The purpose of this paper is to analyse the production cycle of glazed porcelain stoneware, from the extraction of raw materials to the packaging of the finished product, with the aim of verifying the effects of integrating an environmental impact assessment into the decision-making process for managing the life cycle, tomake it economically and ecologically sustainable, in a holistic approach along the supply-chain. Design/methodology/approach \u2013 The research is performed using the life cycle assessment and life cycle costing methodologies, to identify environmental impacts and costs, that occur during extraction of raw materials, transportation, ceramic tiles production, material handling, distribution and end-of-life stages within a cradle to grave perspective. Findings \u2013 Through the use of a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impact assessment and related externalities, three possible strategic options to improve the environmental performance and costs of ceramic tile production were formulated, leveraging sustainability as a competitive advantage

Multi dynamic extraction: An innovative method to obtain a standardized chemically and biologically reproducible polyphenol extract from poplar-type propolis to be used for its anti-infective properties

Antimicrobial activity is a well-known property of propolis, making it a candidate for antimicrobial surfaces in biomedical devices. Nevertheless, large-scale use of propolis as an anti-infective agent is limited by the heterogeneity of its chemical composition and consequent variation in antimicrobial activity. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that the multi dynamic extraction (M.E.D.) method produces standardized polyphenolic mixtures from poplar-type propolis, with reproducible chemical composition and anti-microbial activity, independently from the chemical composition of the starting raw propolis. Three raw propolis samples, from Europe, America, and Asia, were analyzed for their polyphenol chemical composition by means of HPLC-UV and then combined to obtain three mixtures of propolis, which werme submitted to the M.E.D. extraction method. The chemical composition and the antimicrobial activity of M.E.D. propolis against bacteria and fungi were determined. The three M.E.D. propolis showed similar chemical compositions and antimicrobial activities, exhibiting no relevant differences against antibiotic-susceptible and antibiotic-resistant strains. The batch-to-batch reproducibility of propolis extracts obtained with the M.E.D. method encourages the design of drugs alternative to traditional antibiotics and the development of anti-infective surface-modified biomaterials

Cahiers d’études médiévales, 2 : La Science de la nature : théories et pratiques, Montréal, Bellarmin et Paris, Vrin, 1974, 199 p.

Background: Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) sampling may significantly reduce surgical morbidity by avoiding needless radical lymphadenectomy. In gynaecological cancers, the current practice in the UK is testing the accuracy of SLN detection using radioactive isotopes within the context of clinical trials. However, radioactive tracers pose significant logistic problems. We, therefore, conducted a pilot, observational study to assess the feasibility of a novel optical imaging device for SLN detection in gynaecological cancers using near infrared (NIR) fluorescence. Methods: A novel, custom-made, optical imaging system was developed to enable detection of multiple fluorescence dyes and allow simultaneous bright-field imaging during open surgery and laparoscopic procedures. We then evaluated the performance of the system in a prospective study of 49 women with early stage vulval, cervical and endometrial cancer who were scheduled to undergo complete lymphadenectomy. Clinically approved fluorescent contrast agents indocyanine green (ICG) and methylene blue (MB) were used. The main outcomes of the study included SLN mapping detection rates, false negative rates using the NIR fluorescence technique and safety of the procedures. We also examined the association between injection sites and differential lymphatic drainage in women with endometrial cancer by fluorescence imaging of ICG and MB. Results: A total of 64 SLNs were detected during both open surgery and laparoscopy. Following dose optimisation and the learning phase, SLN detection rate approached 100 % for all cancer types with no false negatives detected. Fluorescence from ICG and MB detected para-aortic SLNs in women with endometrial cancer following uterine injection. Percutaneous SLN detection was also achieved in most women with vulval cancer. No adverse reactions associated with the use of either dyes were observed. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the successful clinical application of a novel NIR fluorescence imaging system for SLN detection across different gynaecological cancers. We showcased the first in human imaging, during the same procedure, of two fluorescence dyes in women with endometrial cancer. </p