Search

This is a note about early attempts of Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve cultivation in the northern part of Apulia region (southern Italy). This species, which occupies the driest parts along the edges of coastal lagoons on mudflats or sands that are inundated in winter, has a long history of gathering from the wild as a source of food. At our knowledge, no information has been reported about the domestication of S. patula in Italy. In the Gargano area of Apulia region, this species was domesticated forty years ago as a minor cultivation limited to private gardens. The growing market demand of this vegetable for both fresh consumption and for processing packinghouses is very recently encouraging some farmers to cultivate it for marketing. S. patula might become an attractive new cash crop for marsh marginal lands, but prerequisites to its success are the selection of superior genotypes and the set-up of its right agro-technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based minimal residual disease (MRD) analysis is a useful prognostic tool in multiple myeloma (MM), although its long-term impact still needs to be addressed. This report presents the updated results of the GIMEMA-VEL-03-096 trial. Thirty-nine MM patients receiving bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone after autologous transplantation were monitored for MRD by both nested and real-time quantitative-PCR until relapse. Our data confirm the strong impact of MRD on survival: overall survival was 72% at 8 years median follow-up for patients in major MRD response versus 48% for those experiencing MRD persistence (P=0.041). In addition, MRD kinetics resulted predictive for relapse: indeed median remission duration was not reached for patients in major MRD response, 38 months for those experiencing MRD reappearance and 9 months for patients with MRD persistence (P<0.001). Moreover: (1) 26 patients achieving major MRD response (67%) benefit of excellent disease control (median TNT: 42 months); (2) MRD reappearance heralds relapse, with a TNT comparable to that of MRD persistence (9 versus 10 months, P=0.706); (3) the median lag between MRD reappearance and need for salvage treatment is 9 months. These results suggest the usefulness of a long-term MRD monitoring in MM patients and the need for maintenance or pre-emptive treatments ensuring durable responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose:To determine the feasibility of induction chemotherapy and chemo-IMRT in head and neck squamous cell cancers at risk of bilateral nodal spread (midline tumours) and to evaluate whether bilateral superficial lobe parotid-sparing IMRT can reduce the incidence of ⩾G2 subjective xerostomia.Methods:Patients with midline tumours were enrolled to a phase II trial to receive induction platinum/5-fluorouracil and concomitant platinum with combined superficial lobe parotid-sparing IMRT. The primary site and involved nodal levels received 65 Gy in 30 fractions (f) and at risk nodal levels, 54 Gy/30f. Incidence of ⩾G2 subjective xerostomia was defined as the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included incidences of acute and late toxicities and survival outcomes dependent on human papilloma virus (HPV) status.Results:One hundred and twenty patients with midline cancers completed treatment between December 2005 and May 2010 with median follow-up of 50 months. Incidences of ⩾G2 acute toxicities were: dysphagia 75%; xerostomia 65%; mucositis 86%; pain 83%; and fatigue 64%. At 12 months, ⩾G2 subjective xerostomia was observed in 21% (17% in HPV +ve). Two-year loco-regional progression-free survival (PFS) was 90.7% (95% CI: 85.2-96.2). According to HPV status, there was a significant difference for 2-year loco-regional PFS, 76.8% (HPV-negative) vs 98.6% (HPV-positive), P=0.001. 2-year overall survival was 93% for HPV-positive compared with 52% for HPV-negative cases, P<0.001.Conclusions:Sequential chemotherapy/chemo-IMRT for midline tumours is feasible, with excellent survival outcomes. At 1 year, 21% experience ⩾G2 subjective xerostomia. Two-year survival outcomes differ significantly between HPV-positive and HPV-negative disease, suggesting development of different treatment schedules for the different disease entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among 230 patients undergoing ultrasound (US) guided renal biopsy, 218 had postbiopsy sonography. Clinical records were reviewed to correlate symptoms to US findings. In each case of large hematoma (thickness above 1 cm), all postbiopsy sonographic studies were analyzed to look for findings indicative of unfavorable outcome. A total of 96 subcapsular/perirenal hematomas were found. Large hematomas were observed in 20 patients (20/230 = 8.7%), seven of these (3%) were severely symptomatic. In the absence of clinical signs of bleeding, no patient had clinical consequences. In the presence of clinical signs of bleeding, serious complications occurred only in patients with large hematomas. US thickness of retroperitoneal hematoma correlated to clinical outcome: whenever measured thickness was less than 2 cm, clinical evolution was very favorable, whereas a thickness above 2 cm was invariably associated to clinical signs of bleeding. In six of seven cases of thickness exceeding 3 cm, severe complications developed. An unfavorable evolution was associated with increasing thickness and an echogenicity inappropriate with respect to the time elapsed since biopsy. Hydroureteronephrosis, peritoneal effusion, and anomalous vascular images were indicators of deterioration. We conclude that sonography is indicated only for symptomatic patients and that the monitoring of both thickness and changing echogenicity of retroperitoneal blood collections supplements clinical follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic constipation is often diagnosed and treated by general practitioners (GPs). The aim of the study was to evaluate the management of constipation by a cohort of Italian GPs. Methods: Over the course of 1 month, 41 GPs recorded tests and therapies suggested to patients complaining of chronic constipation. They were classified according to the Rome III criteria as constipated irritable bowel syndrome (C-IBS), functional constipation (FC), or 'self-perceived constipation' (SPC) (not consistent with the Rome criteria). Results: The most frequently prescribed tests for the 229 patients (147 FC, 50 C-IBS, 32 SPC) were routine blood tests (59.3 %), abdominal ultrasounds (37.2 %), thyroid function (36.7 %), fecal occult blood tests (36.7 %), and tumor markers (35 %). Patient sex and age, GP age, and whether the diagnosis was new influenced the GP's request, but FC, C-IBS, or SPC status did not. Dietary suggestions (81.9 %), fiber supplements (59.7 %), reassurance (50.9 %), and laxatives (30.5 %) were the most frequently prescribed treatments. Antispasmodics were more frequently suggested for C-IBS patients; dietary suggestions, fiber, and enemas were more frequently prescribed in SPC patients. Patient and GP age and whether the diagnosis was new influenced the GP's choice of treatment. Conclusions: The Rome III criteria do not influence diagnostic strategies and only slightly influence therapeutic strategies of GPs. Other factors (age, gender, new or old diagnosis) have more influence on GPs choice of investigations and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccoides (Körn. ex Asch. et Graebn.) Thell. (AABB), the immediate progenitor of tetraploid and hexaploid wheats, is a species characterised by a wide range of protein polymorphism and by high protein content. Surveys on polymorphism and genetic control of the high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) present in this species, in two forms x- and y-type at the Glu- A1 and Glu- B1 loci, are still considered useful, both to improve technological properties of breeding varieties and to study the genome evolutionary process in wheats. Comparative Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoretic and Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatographic analyses (SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC) of the HMW-GS present in several accessions of T. turgidum subsp. dicoccoides allowed the detection of new alleles of Glu- A1 and Glu- B1 loci, with x- and y-type glutenin subunits, apparently similar to those present in cultivated wheats in molecular weight, but different in surface hydrophobicity. In addition, changes in the number of x- and y-type subunits at the glutenin loci were also ascertained. The y-type subunits at the Glu- A1 locus, which are never expressed in cultivated bread and durum wheats, and single y-type expressed glutenin subunits at the Glu- B1 locus were also identified in several accessions. DNA extracted from samples, differing in number or type of HMW-GS and corresponding to x- and y-type genes at Glu- 1 loci, were amplified using specific primers, two of which were constructed within the transposon-like sequence of Chinese Spring DNA and analysed by polymerase chain reaction. The results showed this insertion in some accessions of T. turgidum subsp. dicoccoides and also the presence of silent Ax, Bx and By type genes. The usefulness for breeding of these comparative analyses carried out on different HMW-GS alleles detected in Triticum turgidum subsp. dicoccoides, is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When fitting dose–response models to entomological data it is often necessary to take account of natural mortality and/or overdispersion. The standard approach to handle natural mortality is to use Abbott’s formula, which allows for a constant underlying mortality rate. Commonly used overdispersion models include the beta-binomial model, logistic-normal, and discrete mixtures. Here we extend the standard natural mortality model by including a random effect to account for overdispersion. Parameter estimation is based on a combined EM Newton–Raphson algorithm, which provides a simple framework for maximum likelihood estimation of the natural mortality model. We consider the application of this model to data from an experiment on the use of a virus ( PhopGV) for the biological control of worm larvae ( Phthorimaea operculella) in potatoes. For this natural mortality model with a random effect we introduce the likelihood ratio test, effective dose, and the use of a simulated residual envelope for model checking. Comparisons are made with an equivalent beta-binomial model. The procedures are implemented in the R system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional characterization of SMAs for actuation is typically performed by measuring the specimen deformation under constant load during a controlled thermal cycling across transformation temperatures. Under dynamic actuation, transformation temperatures different from those measured in quasi-equilibrium conditions have been observed. The aim of this work is to better investigate and understand these phenomena. Direct and indirect heating of shape memory wires under several loading conditions are examined in detail. According to the experimental results, the hypothesis is to consider the observed differences as an effect of the thermal cycling rate on the internal friction. However, the presented data seem do not fully confirm this idea. Further experiments will be carried out in order to directly measure the internal friction of the material under the same working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corona discharge in argon at atmospheric pressure has been studied by means of a 2D model. The reduced characteristic derived from the experimental data has been described by linear regressions for the different pressures and the two studied inter-electrode distances thus confirming the validity of Townsend's approximation also in case of point to plane configuration and argon as process gas. The model validated this hypothesis which has been attributed to the minor influence of space charge in the ionization zone. Its effect is, on the other hand, more significant in the drift zone where the electric field is greatly enhanced, leading, for higher currents, to the formation of a spark gap. Electron and ion distributions allow the influence of structural (electrode configurations and distance) and operative (pressure and discharge current) parameters to be evaluated including the current loss due to diffusion through different confining boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The skeletal isomerization of 3,3-dimethyl-1-butene over AlPO (Al/P=1), CrPO (Cr/P=1), and CrPO−AlPO (CrAlP, 5-10 wt.% AlPO) catalysts is a first order reaction. Catalytic performance is affected by the precipitation agent. CrPO catalysts obtained in propylene oxide-aqueous ammonia showed the highest activity. Moreover, the incorporation of AlPO to CrPO developed CrAlP catalysts that exhibited increased activity, irrespective of the precipitation method, as compared with both AlPO and CrPO catalysts. Besides, CrAlP catalysts prepared in propylene oxide-aqueous ammonia were the more active ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vapor-phase catalytic alkylation of phenol with methanol and dimethyl carbonate on a series of differently prepared CrPO (Cr/P=1) and CrPO-AlPO (CrAIP) catalysts, has been studied at different temperatures (473-673 K). The reaction is first order in phenol, giving a mixture of O- and C-alkylated products (C-alkylation taking place preferentially at the ortho-position). Moreover, dimethyl carbonate is a better methylating agent than methanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor about the endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal tuberculosis.