Knowledge sharing networks and performance

Examines the relationship between knowledge sharing behaviours and performance. Social Network analysis was used to individuate central individuals in networks of employees of a big portoguese company, and relate their knowledge sharing behaviours to actual performance

Arthroscopic treatment of a osteochondritis dissecans of the femoral trochlea [Trattamento artroscopico di una osteocondrite dissecante della troclea femorale]

The juvenile osteochondritis dissecans of femoral trochlea is an uncommon lesion. Review of the literature reveals few reported cases of the medial or lateral trochlea. We report on 11-year-old child with a complete separate trochlea fragment. MRI and arthroscopy have shown a 2,5 7 2,2 cm osteochondral lesion. The fragment was reduced and synthesised by 3 absorbable pins using arthroscopic approach. At 6 months follow-up, the patient did not complain of knee pain, had full range of motion and returned to all the activities performed before the traumatic event. MRI and Athro-MRI showed healing of the lesion and continuity of the articular surface without any cleft between the fragment and the surrounding cartilage

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new 2-amino-6-(trifluoromethoxy)benzoxazole derivatives, analogues of riluzole

This manuscript describes the synthesis of a new series of 2-amino-6-(trifluoromethoxy)benzoxazole derivatives (1\u20135) and a benzothiazine derivative (6) structurally related to riluzole, the only neuroprotective drug currently approved for the treatment of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Preliminary results indicate that the synthesized compounds, in particular benzamide derivatives 3 and 4, are able to antagonize voltage-dependent Na+ channel currents, and therefore they could be exploited as new inhibitors of these channels. Moreover, all compounds possess low binding affinity for GABA and NMDA receptors

Quantitative cytochemistry of human leukocyte elastase compared with plasma elastase and acute phase proteins in inflammatory diseases.

Plasma levels of human leukocyte elastase, a serine proteinase stored in the azurophilic granules of polymorphonuclear granulocytes, increase in the early stages of several inflammatory diseases. We studied the intracellular enzyme activity by cytochemical quantitative image analysis and the amount of elastase released in plasma by an automatic immunoactivation immunoassay method in 66 patients with inflammatory diseases and in a control group. The patients were divided into two groups with infective disease (severe and moderate) and one group with non-infective inflammation. Intracellular activity and plasmatic levels of elastase were also compared with other inflammatory markers, i.e. erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, alpha 1-antitrypsin, haptoglobin, alpha 1-acid glycoprotein and fibrinogen. Our studies suggest that plasma and leukocyte elastase are correlated both with etiology and with the severity of the inflammation