Smile esthetic evaluation of mucogingival reconstructive surgery

To assess the difference in smile esthetic impact of Coronally Advanced Flap (CAF) with or without the adjunct of a collagen matrix (CMX) used as root coverage procedures. Subjects with esthetic demands showing multiple upper gingival recessions of at least 2 mm, without interproximal attachment loss and cervical abrasion no more than 1 mm were recruited and randomized to CAF plus CMX or CAF alone. The Smile Esthetic Index (SEI) was adopted to quantify the quality of the smile recorded at baseline and 12 months after treatment for each treatment group. In addition, between group difference in the SEI was calculated. 24 Patients were treated and analysed. At baseline, mean gingival recession depths were 2.3 ± 0.7 mm for Test group and 2.6 ± 1.0 mm for Control group. After 1 year, the residual recession depth was 0.3 ± 0.4 mm in the CAF + CMX group and 0.6 ± 0.3 mm in the control group. The SEI at baseline was 8.1 ± 1.0 and 7.9 ± 0.7 for Test and Control group, respectively. The between groups difference at 12 months in SEI was 0.4 (95% C.I. − 0.0 to 0.8, P = 0.0697). Twelve months after treatment, CAF + CMX provided a similar SEI compared to CAF alone and the adjunct of a collagen matrix did not show a different impact on the smile esthetic appearance

Earthquake-Related Signals in Central Italy Detected by Hydrogeochemical and Satellite Techniques

Central Apennines are one of the highest seismic risk regions in Italy. A number of energetic events ((Formula presented.) > 5) struck the region during the period 2004–2017, killing several hundreds of people (e.g., 294 casualties associated with the August 24th, 2016, (Formula presented.) 6.0 event of Amatrice). These earthquakes impacted piezometric levels, springs discharges, and groundwater chemistry across a large area, even at distances of dozens of kilometers from the epicenters. Here we present a multidisciplinary dataset based on hydrogeochemical and satellite observations associated with the seismic events that occurred in Central Italy during the period 2004–2017, which combines information derived from the application of groundwater monitoring and satellite techniques. Groundwater monitoring techniques allowed for the detection of hydrogeochemical anomalies in spring and well waters (14 water sampling points in total, with 22 variations larger than (Formula presented.)), while satellite techniques were applied to detect time-space variations in ground thermal emissions. We detected two significant, almost synchronous, anomalies in 2009 and 2016–2017 with both techniques, and we tentatively correlated them to crustal deformation processes. Part of the observed signals were detected before mainshocks, and they appear to be related to aseismic slip or to seismic slip eventually induced by minor fluctuations in seismicity. We argue that the combination of two factors, i.e., the shallow depth of local earthquakes and the concurrent deepening of groundwater circulation paths to several km depth, allow for the recording of variations in the stress field by geofluids released at the surface

A study on the Abruzzo 6 April 2009 earthquake by applying the RST approach to 15 years of AVHRR TIR observations

A self adaptive approach (RST, Robust Satellite Technique) has been proposed as a suitable tool for satellite TIR surveys in seismically active regions devoted to detect and monitor thermal anomalies possibly related to earthquake occurrence. In this work, RST approach has been applied to 15 years of AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) thermal infrared observations in order to study the 6 April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake. Preliminary results show clear differences in TIR anomalies occurrence during the periods used for validation (15 March–15 April 2009) and the one (15 March–15 April 2008) without earthquakes with <i>M</i><sub>L</sub>≥4.5, used for confutation purposes. Quite clear TIR anomalies appears also to mark main tectonic lineaments during the preparatory phases of others, low magnitude(3.9<<i>M</i><sub>L</sub><4.6) earthquakes, occurred in the area in the same period

Possible added value of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) testing in the evaluation of thyroidal status of subjects with overweight or obesity

Purpose: An increase in serum TSH concentrations in the absence of thyroid disease, named isolated hyperthyrotropinemia, is frequently observed in subjects with obesity. It is directly associated with body mass index, and it is reversible following weight loss. Autoimmune hypothyroidism is frequently associated with obesity, it is usually progressive and needs replacement treatment with L-thyroxine. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) to define the thyroidal status in subjects with overweight or obesity. Methods: This is a retrospective study including 749 consecutive adult patients with overweight or obesity. Of those, 76 were excluded from the analysis due to hyperthyroidism, previous thyroidectomy or radioiodine therapy for hyperthyroidism, hemiagenesis or drug-induced hypothyroidism. Serum thyrotropin (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), free 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (FT3), TgAb and thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) were measured in all patients. Results: Out of 673 patients, 408 did not have thyroid disease. Among patients with thyroid disease (n = 265), 130 had nodular disease with no humoral signs of thyroid autoimmunity and 135 (20%) had autoimmune thyroiditis, defined by the presence of TPOAb and/or TgAb. The prevalence of hyperthyrotropinemia, either directly measured or presumed based on L-thyroxine treatment at the time of data collection, was 63.9% in patients with both TgAb and TPOAb, 47.1% in those with isolated positivity of TPOAb, 42.8% in patients with isolated positivity of TgAb, and 14.5% in those with no detectable TgAb or TPOAb. Conclusions: Our results confirm a high prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis (20%) in patients with obesity. TgAb may be associated with hypothyroidism in the absence of TPOAb. TgAb measurement may turn helpful to unravel a proportion of subjects that may have or may develop primary hypothyroidism requiring specific substitutive treatment

Evidence of CO2-gas emission variations in the central Apennines (Italy) during the L’Aquila seismic sequence (March-April 2009)

The occurrence of intense CO2 degassing processes generating hundreds of cold CO2- rich gas emissions is typical of the central Apennines. In 2009, significant anomalies were detected coinciding with the L’Aquila seismic sequence as a consequence of a wide degassing process. Over the same time-span, space-time anomalies in Thermal InfraRed (TIR) satellite imagery possibly related to the increase of green-house gas (such as CO2, CH4, etc.) emission rates were detected in central Italy during the seismic swarm by a Robust Satellite Technique (RST) data analysis. A gas geochemical survey carried out in the L’Aquila area confirms the deep crustal origin of the anomalous gas emission detected by ground measurements. Anomalous fluid related signals were recorded some days before the mainshock coinciding with the most marked TIR anomalies independently detected by the RST analysis over 3 different types of satellite data. Anomalous gas emissions detected by ground measurements lasted some weeks, putting in evidence relationships with crustal deformative processes associated with the seismic sequence. Together with previous ground observations in the Umbria-Marche area, present ground and satellite TIR observations, are compatible with the hypothesis that a central Apennines area, much wider than the L’Aquila (March-April 2009) epicentral one, was actually affected by anomalous increases in CO2 release thus providing new tools to better understand the processes occurring behind a seismic shock

Evidences of CO2-gas emission variations in Central Apennines (Italy) during the L’Aquila seismic sequence (March-April 2009)

The occurrence of intense CO2 degassing processes generating hundreds of cold CO2-rich gas emissions is typical of the central Apennines. In 2009, significant anomalies were detected coinciding with the L'Aquila seismic sequence as a consequence of a wide degassing process. Over the same time-span, space-time anomalies in Thermal InfraRed (TIR) satellite imagery possibly related to the increase of green-house gas (such as CO2, CH4, etc.) emission rates were detected in central Italy during the seismic swarm by a Robust Satellite Technique (RST) data analysis. A gas geochemical survey carried out in the L'Aquila area confirms the deep crustal origin of the anomalous gas emission detected by ground measurements. Anomalous fluid related signals were recorded some days before the mainshock coinciding with the most marked TIR anomalies independently detected by the RST analysis over 3 different types of satellite data. Anomalous gas emissions detected by ground measurements lasted some weeks, putting in evidence relationships with crustal deformative processes associated with the seismic sequence. Together with previous ground observations in the Umbria-Marche area, present ground and satellite TIR observations, are compatible with the hypothesis that a central Apennines area, much wider than the L'Aquila (March-April 2009) epicentral one, was actually affected by anomalous increases in CO2 release thus providing new tools to better understand the processes occurring behind a seismic shock