Frontispiece: Rational Design of Semiconductor Heterojunctions for Photocatalysis

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Minilaparotomia versus laparoscopia nel trattamento della litiasi biliare: nostra esperienza

La chirurgia biliare tradizionale ha subito negli ultimi quarant’anni delle trasformazioni a sicuro vantaggio del paziente. La chirurgia open della calcolosi della colecisti tende oggi a ridurre la via di accesso a 5-6 cm e ad “orizzontalizzarla” il più possibile. Dal luglio 2002 ad aprile 2006 presso la nostra struttura sono state eseguite 82 colecistectomie, di cui 53 minilaparotomiche e 29 laparoscopiche. I due gruppi risultano omogenei per età, sesso, BMI, ASA. Tra i pazienti che hanno subito una colecistectomia minilaparotomica abbiamo osservato una rapida ripresa delle normali attività già dopo 24 ore dall’intervento, una durata del ricovero di 24-48 ore, un ottimo risultato estetico a distanza. L’approccio minilaparotomico per i risultati a breve e lungo termine risulta essere, a nostro parere, simile alla laparoscopia. Tuttavia, in conformità con la letteratura medica sull’argomento, preferiamo l’approccio laparoscopico ripiegando su quello laparotomico solo qu

Saliva variations in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

Abstract OBJECTIVES: The protective role of saliva in the case of oesophageal exposition to gastric acid has long been studied but some contradictions still remain. The main end-point of this study was to evaluate if a qualitative and quantitative alteration in salivary secretion exists in patients affected by GERD. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients (T group) with clinically and endoscopically diagnosed GERD, and 98 healthy subjects (C group) have been evaluated; salivary tests (i.e. basal flow rate, stimulated flow rate, pH, [Na(+)] and [K(+)]) were performed, socio-demographical variables and oral GERD-related symptoms were taken into account. SPSS 10.5 software was used for statistical univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: GERD patients and controls were found to have a similar basal flow rate but different stimulated salivary function [T group mean value 0.989 ml/min (+/-0.48718) vs. C group 1.2197 ml/min (+/-0.6108), pH [T group mean value 8.935 (+/-0.471) vs. C group 7.879 (+/-0.526)] and a higher K(+) concentration. In GERD patients we also registered a significant association with xerostomia [69/120 (57.5%) vs. 28/98 (28.7%)] and an oral burning sensation [58/120 (48.3%) vs. 19/98 (19.3%)]. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings assess that salivary secretion is altered in GERD patients and highlight the need for further investigations in order to define the role of saliva in the etiopathogenesis of GERD

Pro-inflammatory CX3CR1+ CD59+ TL1A+ IL-23+ monocytes are expanded in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and modulate ILC3 immune functions

Gut derived ILC3 have been demonstrated to participate in AS pathogenesis. CX3CR1+ mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) have been demonstrated to modulate ILC3 function in the gut. The aim of this study was to study the role of pro-inflammatory CX3CR1+ CD59+ MNP in modulating ILC3 function in AS patients