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This study aims to highlight the importance of early diagnosis, timing, optimal treatment sequence and multidisciplinary approach as key factors in the orthodontic management of impacted and retained teeth associated with odontomas.Literature about classification, epidemiology, aetiopathogenesis, histopathology and therapeutic options about odontomas and impacted teeth in orthodontics was reviewed. Two case reports are presented, showing different timing in diagnosis and surgical removal of odontomas and some biomechanical approaches.An early removal of the odontoma is certainly a more effective and simpler procedure in the approach to this problem.

During June 2018, several symptomatic fig (Ficus carica) cuttings, showing twig blight, subcortical discolouration and apical dieback were collected from a nursery in Catania province, Sicily (Italy). Isolations from diseased tissue consistently showed the presence of the same fungal colony. Morphology of the fungal isolates together with sequence data of the nuclear rDNA internal transcriber spacer (ITS) region, translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1) gene and partial beta-tubulin (tub2) gene of representatives isolates revealed the presence of the fungus Neofusicoccum parvum. Pathogenicity tests were conducted by inoculating fig cuttings with mycelial plugs. After 10 days, the inoculated plants developed cankers similar to those observed in the greenhouse and after 26 days all inoculated plants were dead. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report worldwide of N. parvum causing disease on this host.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is revolutionizing healthcare delivery. The aim of the study was to reach consensus among experts on the possible applications of telemedicine in colorectal surgery. A group of 48 clinical practice recommendations (CPRs) was developed by a clinical guidance group based on coalescence of evidence and expert opinion. The Telemedicine in Colorectal Surgery Italian Working Group included 54 colorectal surgeons affiliated to the Italian Society of Colo-Rectal Surgery (SICCR) who were involved in the evaluation of the appropriateness of each CPR, based on published RAND/UCLA methodology, in two rounds. Stakeholders’ median age was 44.5 (IQR 36–60) years, and 44 (81%) were males. Agreement was obtained on the applicability of telemonitoring and telemedicine for multidisciplinary pre-operative evaluation. The panel voted against the use of telemedicine for a first consultation. 15/48 statements deemed uncertain on round 1 and were re-elaborated and assessed by 51/54 (94%) panelists on round 2. Consensus was achieved in all but one statement concerning the cost of a teleconsultation. There was strong agreement on the usefulness of teleconsultation during follow-up of patients with diverticular disease after an in-person visit. This e-consensus provides the boundaries of telemedicine in colorectal surgery in Italy. Standardization of infrastructures and costs remains to be better elucidated. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13304-021-01139-8.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

In the originally published article the collaborators of the Telemedicine in Colorectal Surgery Italian Working Group were not tagged correctly. The original article has been updated.

Background Excisional haemorrhoidectomy is the gold standard technique in patients with III and IV degree haemorrhoidal disease (HD). However, it is associated with a significant rate of post-operative pain. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of mesoglycan in the post-operative period of patients who underwent open excisional diathermy haemorrhoidectomy (OEH). Methods This was a retrospective multicentre observational study. Three hundred ninety-eight patients from sixteen colorectal referral centres who underwent OEH for III and IV HD were enrolled. All patients were followed-up on the first post-operative day (T1) and after 1 week (T2), 3 weeks (T3) and 6 weeks (T4). BMI, habits, SF-12 questionnaire, VAS at rest (VASs), after defecation (VASd), and after anorectal digital examination (VASe), bleeding and thrombosis, time to surgical wound healing and autonomy were evaluated. Results In the mesoglycan group, post-operative thrombosis was significantly reduced at T2 (p Conclusions The use of mesoglycan led to a significant reduction in post-operative thrombosis and pain with consequent early resumption of autonomy. Trial registration NCT04481698—Mesoglycan for Pain Control After Open Excisional HAEMOrrhoidectomy (MeHAEMO) https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04481698?term=Mesoglycan+for+Pain+Control+After+Open+Excisional+HAEMOrrhoidectomy+%28MeHAEMO%29&draw=2&rank=1

Aim To describe the current oral health status of primary school children in Southern Italy, to investigate if there is an association between malocclusions and temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), and to investigate if there is an association between dental caries and periodontal disease. Methods Study design: Transversal epidemiological study. We examined 1086 children, considering them of the same socioeconomic status (medium). The Decayed, Missing, Filled (DMF) index and the Community Periodontal Index (CPI) were used to assess decay and periodontal status. Moreover, orthodontic and gnathologic evaluations were performed. Results Children had a mean age of 10.3±0.72 yrs, 41.6% had active dental caries in permanent teeth and 54.8% experienced periodontal problems. The 54.3% of patients had Angle Class I, 40.1% Class II and 5.5% Class III. The 13.8% of children had a deviated opening pattern of the mandible, and 2.2% of them had TMJ pain. DMF indices greater than 0 were associated with positive CPI. Males were more susceptible to periodontal disease, compared to females. TMJ pain was found associated with a decreased overbite. Statistics: Descriptive statistics for continuous data, and frequencies and percentages for categorical and ordinal data were calculated. Univariate linear and logistic regression model, with ß calculations, was used to assess associations between dental caries status and CPI, and between malocclusions and gnathologic aspects. Conclusions This study found a noticeable prevalence of oral diseases among children of Southern Italy and an association between malocclusions and TMDs, periodontal disease and dental decay. Thus, a higher number of preventive interventions are recommended in the area.

The article presents the results of a wider research carried out by a multidisciplinary group (archaeologists and engineers) of the University and the CNR-ISPC of Catania in the South-Western Quarter of the Minoan Palace of Phaistos (Crete). The article focuses on two digital survey campaigns carried out respectively in 2014, laser scanning, and 2019, Structure from Motion. Starting from the point cloud by laser scanner, the most recent, low cost and user-friendly photogrammetric tools (GoPro camera and software Agisoft Metashape) have been used during the 2019 campaign in order to update and to improve the previous dataset, which was used as a grid for georeferencing and scaling the new virtual model. Special attention was addressed to the comparison of the two datasets and to the reuse of the first one for georeferencing and scaling the second one. Furthermore, the research has been focused on the opportunity to exploit the obtained virtual model both for scientific purposes and for the outreach. The lack of accessibility of the South-Western Quarter of Phaistos Palace to the visitors attributes a special interest to this output. The virtual environment thus realized constituted an ideal starting point for the development of an educational fruition project based on a Serious Game approach. The cooperation of archaeologists and engineers in the development of the Phaistos game ensures a gaming experience not only pleasant but also provided with a strong educational profile.

Genetic variability and mefenoxam sensitivity are described for Phytophthora spp. isolates recovered from nine ornamental plant species at four locations in Sicily, Southern Italy. Fifty-four isolates of Phytophthora spp. were obtained from symptomatic plant tissues. Mating type analyses revealed that all isolates are heterothallic, consisting of mating type A1. Fungicide sensitivity assays determined that all isolates are sensitive to mefenoxam. Characterisation of 48 isolates was performed using molecular and phylogenetic analyses of the internal transcribed spacer of ribosomal DNA (rDNA-ITS), beta-tubulin (β-tub) and elongation factor 1 alpha (EF-1α) regions. The isolates belonged to Phytophthora nicotianae (34 isolates), P. arecae (syn. palmivora) (five) and P. niederhauserii (nine). The pathogenicity of three representative isolates was tested on seedlings or cuttings of each host, grown in a growth chamber. All isolates were pathogenic and reproduced symptoms identical to those observed in the nursery. This is the first report of disease caused by P. nicotianae, P. arecae or P. niederhauserii on several ornamental plants in Italy, and of the sensitivity of these Phytophthora species to mefenoxam.