Abstract: AIM: The aim of the present study is to obtain comprehensive epidemiological data of the incidence of oral and dental health conditions in an Italian homogeneous population of schoolchildren. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study has been performed on schoolchildren born, living and attending the primary school in Matera, Basilicata, Southern Italy. Such data have been compared with the alimentary habits of the participants to the study, as well as with the social-economic family situations and with the social-environmental data. RESULTS: The data show a marked difference in the habitude to the oral hygiene, and in the health status of the oral structures also, based on both the sex and the environment of life. CONCLUSIONS: Such differences in caries prevalence between different city areas and the behavioural habits related to sex and age ratios may be very useful findings for future regional prevention programs.
Abstract: The term gastroesophageal reflux refers to the regurgitation of gastric material into the oesophagus. When the reflux is accompanied by inflammation of the oesophageal mucosa and extra-oesophageal symptoms the complaint is classified as a pathological condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD is caused by backward expulsion of the gastric content into the oesophagus. It is characterized by a complex clinical picture that may include lesions of the oesophageal mucosa and lesions of a different nature and severity of the respiratory and stomatognathic apparatus. GERD is considered to be a proteiform complaint induced by many different pathogenetic mechanisms resulting in a wide spectrum of clinical and morphological manifestations secondary to the reflux. Among extra-oesophageal manifestations, those affecting the dental structures are particularly important, owing to their aesthetic and functional implications on the stomatognathic apparatus. The Authors present a recently observed and treated case of GERD with associated severe aesthetic lesions of the frontal teeth. The currently available treatment options for the primary disease are examined, as well as the possible forms of conservative treatment of the affected
Abstract: Introduction: Giardiasis, or Giardia lamblia infection, is the most common parasitosis of the human digestive tract. It is highly contagious and mostly occurs in warm climates. Children are especially susceptible to infection. Microbiological Features: The infection can sporadically occur anywhere and waterborne outbreaks have been reported in some countries. Hence, the prevention of giardiasis depends on proper sanitation. Once ingested through contaminated water, Giardia cysts adhere to the intestinal surface. The parasite feeds on the mucous secretions of the intestine and may produce severe infections which can interfere with nutrient absorption. Symptoms in affected individuals usually include diarrhoea, dehydration, stomach cramps, gas, and weight loss. Diagnosis: Diagnosis is based on the detection of cysts in fecal samples. Treatment includes the use of metronidazole and other drugs that are effective in clearing the infection within a few days. Case report: We report the recent case of a patient with Giardiasis who received dental hygiene procedures and discuss the interventions required in consideration of the patient's concomitant heart condition.
Abstract: Thromboembolic complications are the most frequent associated pathologies after knee replacement. The secondary deep vein thrombosis in the knee arthroplasty is often low symptomatic or asymptomatic and, sometime, it could lead to fatal pulmonary embolism. This is the main purpose recommending an antithrombotic prophylaxis. In this study 214 patients operated for knee arthroplasty and receiving low molecular heparin therapy were enrolled. They were clinically and echo/radiologically monitored for thromboembolic and/or hemorrhagic complications on the 2nd, 7th, 14th and 45th day from surgery. Results showed that only 45% of the cases developed DVT (deep vein thrombosis) out of which 17% could be objectively verified by ultrasonography and phlebography. In only one case massive pulmonary embolism with fatal evolution was discovered. It was not found any major bleeding except in four cases in which local haematomas were discovered (most probably related to anticoagulant treatment). This study concluded that the administration of low molecular weight heparin after knee arthroplasty significantly reduces the risks of thromboembolism in conditions where the increase of hemorrhagic complications doesn't result statistically significant.
Abstract: Abdominal sepsis is a rare but life threatening condition due to several causes. Although several advances in medicine have been performed in last years, abdominal sepsis could have a negative potential evolving beyond exitus. The authors present a review of the literature and a commentary of their own clinical experience.
Abstract: Strong interest exists about the biomolecular basis of the chronic liver diseases due to viral infections. It seems to be very interesting because of their evolutive potential. In this context the study of oncogenes and oncoproteins could be interesting as prognostic factors for chronic viral diseases of the liver. In this study the authors show the results obtained about EGF and p62 expression in 39 selected patients with cirrhosis and 3 different chronic viral hepatitis (persistent, lobular, and active).
Abstract: Periodontitis is a condition of suffering of gingival and periodontal tissues. To the light of the available knowledges till now on the pathogenetic mechanisms of such affection is possible to affirm that the different risk factors can influence onset of it, evolution and therapeutic possibility. In the examination of the risk factors in the development of the periodontal pathology the effects of the systemic conditions on the health of the oral cavity has been considered, as well as the influence of the periodontal pathology on the onset and on the evolution of several systemic pathologies and related to some physiological conditions (e.g. the pregnancy).
Abstract: The intestinal obstruction accounts for the 20% of the acute surgical affections and represents one of the most common indications for the urgent surgery. The clinical scenarios of the intestinal occlusion are rather diversified, with a series of signs not always contemporary present, since they are related to the site (left colon in most cases) and type (neoplastic, by adhesions, or hernia complication) of the obstruction. The authors report their experience about 149 patients clinically observed and treated along a period of 7 years and 3 months.
Abstract: In 1950 EJ Gardner first described a new syndrome characterized by (1) familial colonic polyposis, (2) multiple osteomas, (3) soft tissues cysts and (4) fibrous lesions. Thereafter, in 1975 Watne and coll. have demonstrated the occurence, in patients affected by Gardner syndrome, of the early onset of osteomas and dental inclusions in maxillary bones. Gardner syndrome is actually considered a severe life treathening condition due to the poor quality of life and the evolutive pattern of colonic polyps to colon cancer in 100% of cases. The aim of this paper is the review of the pathophysiologic and clinical aspects of Gardner syndrome, with report of institutional clinical data about epidemiology and clinical presentation of such condition, attempting to elaborate a clinical protocol for early detection of that.
Abstract: During the last years the importance of the correct nutritional assessment as a part of the therapeutic process of the human pathologies has a greatly increased relevance. Still more in oncology, such relationship among nutritional assessment and good result of the therapeutic treatment have a fundamental importance. Among the neoplastic diseases those of the head and the neck result to be particularly aggressive, both for their nature and for the particular anatomical organization of such body areas, and the affected patients also need a precise evaluation of the nutritional assessment to obtain an optimal therapeutic result. On the basis of such premises and to their own clinical experience, the authors describe the main nutritional problems of the patients with tumours of the head and the neck and the possible therapeutic solutions.
Abstract: The biological effects of specific interactions occurring between drugs and foods may greatly vary, determining severe side effects in some people. A lot of factors may influence such interactions, i.e. age, sex, dietary composition, and so. In addition, further interaction may be determined by cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse and coffee consumption. Older people, as well as children, chronic ill and malnourished people seems to be most commonly affected by side effects due to food/drugs interaction. The aim of this review is to give a synopsis of the drug/food interactions most commonly occurring in clinical practice.
Abstract: During the last two decades several new data have been acquired about tumor biology and therapy. Breast cancer is one of the more common cancers occurring, determining life threatening and depression in affected females. By the way a great interest has been developed during the time attempting to reach the earliest diagnosis and the more conservative treatment. However, breast cancer is now considered as a disease which meet the interests of several specialists (oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, and so), all dedicated to reduce the consequences of such pathology. The aim of this review is the resume of the progresses made in the last century about breast cancer knowledge.
Abstract: The nasopharyngeal colonization rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae and its antibiotic susceptibility was determined in a given population of 317 young children (ages 1-7 years) in the area of Bari, Italy. 18.29% of the cultures were positive for S. pneumoniae. 8.62% of the strains were intermediately resistant to penicillin. Erythromycin-(65.51%) and cotrimoxazole-(17.24%) resistance was also observed whereas all the strains resulted uniformely susceptible to cefotaxime and ceftriaxone. The high rate of nasopharyngeal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae along with the resistance to antibiotics widely used in the community suggests the importance of epidemiological surveillance as well as the application of new vaccine strategies.
Abstract: The high incidence of the colorectal cancer in the industrialized countries has drawn the interest of the scientific community to detect and investigate its morphologic precursors. Growth factors and oncoproteins could be useful to investigate the morphologic and biologic evolution of precancerous lesions of the large bowel. Therefore the Authors report the results obtained from 30 selected patients with hyperplastic and adenomatous polyps, and different histotypes of colorectal cancer, investigated using the EGF-r and p62 protein expression. The results show the potential usefulness of such markers to evaluate the biology of intestinal tumors.
Abstract: The high incidence of intestinal cancer has aroused strong interest in researching and trying to discover its morphologic precursors. In this contest the study of nucleolar organizing regions could be interesting as prognostic factor for bowel neoplasm and useful for differential diagnosis of intestinal diseases. The Authors report on the results of their study performed on 30 selected samples from 6 different bowel lesions.
Abstract: The high incidence of liver chronic diseases has aroused strong interest in researching and trying to discover the biomolecular basis. In this context the study of nucleolar organizing regions could be interesting as a prognostic factor for chronic hepatitis and for liver neoplastic disease. The Authors report on the results of their study performed on 39 selected samples from 4 different inflammatory hepatic disorders.
Abstract: The cervical region, despite to its little extension, is very important by the surgical and anatomical point of view. This region, occupied by a lot of organs, sometimes is the site of metastasis from carcinomas located in various parts of the body. In some cases the origin site of cancer stays unknown. The aim of this paper is the retrospective analysis of 110 cases of latero cervical swellings and the related problems of differential diagnosis.
Abstract: Routine observation of stained histological preparations for the detection of Helicobacter pylori (HP) has shown a variable presence of mast cells in the mucosa of patients suffering from gastritis. Our aim was to verify whether any correlations exist between HP positivity, type of gastritis and presence of mast cells. We examined 300 bioptic fragments of gastric mucosa obtained by diagnostic oesophagogastroduodenoscopy. The study population consisted of 88 patients with chronic superficial gastritis and 12 with chronic atrophic gastritis (59 males and 41 females). HP detection was performed on Giemsa-stained preparations. Mast cell detection was performed on Giemsa- and PAS-stained preparations. Seventy percent of chronic superficial gastritis cases were found to be HP-positive and mast cells were present in 90% of these and absent in 10%. In the chronic atrophic gastritis cases 50% were HP-positive and mast cells were present in 50% and absent in the rest. HP is regarded as the causal agent of type B gastritis. On the basis of our data a significant correlation was found (86%) between HP-positivity and presence of mast cells in the inflammatory gastric mucosa.
Abstract: Virtual reality is a relatively new application for rehabilitative neurology, and achieve many successes in assessment and treatment of CNS damages. The Authors describe a prototype computer simulation for virtual environment reconstruction to assess the fundamental living skills of every day dedicated to persons in which CNS injury was occurred.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Catenins belong to a family of proteins that mediate the binding between intracytoplasmic domain of cadherins and cytoskeleton. Few data on distribution of beta and gamma catenins in non-neoplastic tissues are available from current literature. This study aims to evaluate distribution of beta and gamma catenins in oral epithelium. METHODS: Nine formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded samples of oral epithelium were retrieved from files of Department of Oral Pathology of the University of Naples "Federico II". These samples were tested with anti-beta and anti-gamma monoclonal antibodies revealed by standard streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase technique. Sections have been evaluated by two observers by optical microscope using a 40X objective. The number of positive cells has been evaluated using a semi-quantitative method. RESULTS: The results of this study show that beta and gamma catenins were mostly distributed in the upper two-thirds of oral epithelial thickness, except for keratinized areas which appear negative. Basal layer is positive except for the basal side of basal cells. Keratinized layers are negative for beta and gamma catenins. CONCLUSIONS: In physiologic conditions staining pattern for beta and gamma catenins is almost exclusively membranous, sometimes cytoplasmic but never nuclear. This staining is well-represented even in conditions of chronic inflammation and leucoplakia.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: It is known that tumoral progression towards a metastatic stage is identifiable with a genomic instability. This instability leads to both primary and secondary genetic alterations. It can give some selective proliferative advantages. This study aims to review the literature on instability of the microsatellite sequences of DNA associated with genetic alterations in tumors of the head and neck. In particular, the studies on relations between instability of micro-satellite sequences and expression of MLH1, MSH2, PMS1, PMS2 genes have been reviewed. Further aim of this study is to present preliminary results of a research project into distribution of hMLH1 and hMLH2 proteins in oral tissues. METHODS: Nine formalin fixed and paraffin embedded samples (8M/1F; mean age 58 years) of oral squamous cell carcinomas tissues have been analysed for the presence of hMSH2 and hMLH1 by using streptavidin-biotin immunoperoxidase technique. Samples have been analysed by optical microscope by two observers evaluating the positive cell percentage for three representative fields. RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that hMLH1 and hMSH2 are widely expressed nuclear proteins in oral tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The localization of hMLH1 and hMSH2 in oral epithelium are consistent with the biochemical function of these proteins in DNA mismatch repair.
