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Negli ultimi anni i Sassi di Matera sono passati da vergogna a orgoglio nazionale. L’insieme delle chiese rupestri, degli scavi nelle rocce, dei numerosi ipogei, cisterne e palombari sono un sistema architettonico, ingegneristico e paesaggistico unico al mondo riconosciuto dall’UNESCO. La gestione delle risorse idriche è un elemento che ha condizionato fortemente lo sviluppo e l’assetto complessivo dei Sassi di Matera. In particolare, la città antica presenta una serie di opere e di sistemi diffusi di accumulo che consentirono uno sviluppo urbano significativo in cui le acque piovane venivano parsimoniosamente raccolte e accumulate in sistemi di cisterne spesso connesse tra loro. Nella presente memoria si riportano le evidenze di tale sistema e alcuni esempi emblematici relativi al complesso sistema di gestione delle risorse idriche.

Undernutrition causes long-term damages on the physical and cognitive development and half of deaths among children under 5 y. Most of the current interventions are concentrated on improving nutrition among young children and mothers. However, malnutrition is also prevalent among older children and adolescents, especially in Africa and in South-East Asia. It has adverse effects on their global development because of the high requirements in energy, protein and micronutrients resulting from growth and brain development spurts occurring these periods of life. Our research evaluated the prevalence of malnutrition and their determinants factors among school-aged children and adolescents in Senegal and Cambodia, as well as the effectiveness of micronutrient fortified food in schools in Cambodia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of ~ 600 children aged from 5 to 17 years from primary state schools of Dakar area, selected through a two-stage random cluster sample (30 schools × 20 children). Elevated rates of thinness (19%) and micronutrient deficiencies (iron 39%, iodine 33%, zinc 26%) were showed. The food consumption survey revealed insufficient micronutrients and energy intake, as well as contribution to total energy intake insufficient in proteins and excessive in lipids, which reveals poor conditions among school children in Senegal. In Cambodia, a cluster-randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial was conducted among 2400 children aged 6-16 y to measure the impact of fortified rice consumed during 6 months within the school feeding program of WFP on their micronutrient status and cognitive performance. Before the intervention, poor cognitive performance was associated to stunting, iron deficiency and parasite infestation. The growth was positively associated to zinc status, which was negatively associated to parasite infestation. Rice fortified with vitamin A improved vitamin A status and rice with the highest iron concentration had a positive impact on cognitive performance. Data from Senegal and Cambodia were analyzed to study indicators of malnutrition among school-aged children and adolescents. According to the WHO recommendations, we suggested mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) cut-offs to screen for acute malnutrition among children above 5 years in Cambodia (15.5 cm, 16.4 cm and 18.2cm in boys and 15.4 cm, 16.6 cm and 17.9 cm in girls aged 5-7.9y, 8-11.9 y, and 11-13.9 y). We confirmed the need to correct plasma concentrations of retinol-binding-protein and ferritin according to inflammatory status, and showed the interest of a similar correction for transferrin receptor, these corrections improving the estimation of prevalence of vitamin A and iron deficiencies in populations where inflammation is endemic. Undernutrition remains a public health issue among school-aged children and adolescents in Senegal and Cambodia. Determination of malnutrition in this age range could be improved by research on indicators taking into account intra variability populations, environmental factors and specific needs of these populations. School-based interventions like the one in Cambodia have positive effects on nutrition and development of children, advocating for extension of school feeding, including in disadvantaged urban areas. Distribution fortified food in existing school canteens is a cost-effective strategy to improve nutrition and health. More research and efforts should be shifted to the nutritional status of adolescent girls because of the risk of early childbearing, still commonly practiced in developing countries, and the importance of adequate nutrition during pregnancy. Investing in nutrition in this age range is an opportunity to consolidate the progress achieved in pregnant women and young children through a life-cycle approach and to optimize the development of next generations in developing countries.; La dénutrition est responsable de dommages à long terme sur le développement physique et cognitif et de la moitié des décès chez les enfants de moins de 5 ans. La majorité des interventions est concentrée sur la nutrition des jeunes enfants et des mères. Cependant, la malnutrition, également prévalente chez les enfants plus âgés et les adolescents, notamment en Afrique et en Asie du Sud-Est, a des conséquences sur leur développement global, en raison des besoins élevés en énergie, protéines et micronutriments induits par les pics de croissance et de développement cérébral durant ces périodes de la vie. Nos travaux ont évalué la prévalence des malnutritions et leurs facteurs déterminants chez des enfants d’âge scolaire et des adolescents au Sénégal et au Cambodge, ainsi que l’efficacité d’une intervention avec une alimentation enrichie en micronutriments en milieu scolaire au Cambodge. Une étude transversale fut conduite sur un échantillon représentatif de 600 enfants des écoles primaires publiques de la région de Dakar sélectionnés par un échantillonnage aléatoire en grappes. Des taux élevés de maigreur (19%) et de carences en micronutriments (fer 39%, iode 33%, zinc 26%) ont été démontrés. L’enquête de consommation alimentaire a révélé des apports en micronutriments et en énergie insuffisants, ainsi qu’une contribution à l’apport énergétique déficitaire pour les protéines et en excédent pour les lipides, révélant des conditions précaires de ces scolaires en milieu urbain au Sénégal. Au Cambodge, un essai contrôlé randomisé en grappes en double aveugle conduit sur 2400 enfants a permis de mesurer l’impact de riz enrichis en micronutriments consommés pendant 6 mois, dans le cadre du programme d’alimentation scolaire du PAM, sur leurs statuts en micronutriments et leurs performances cognitives. Avant l’intervention, les faibles performances cognitives étaient associées au retard de croissance, à la carence en fer et aux infections parasitaires. La croissance était positivement associée au statut en zinc, lui-même négativement associé à l’infection parasitaire. Les riz enrichis en vitamine A ont amélioré le statut en vitamine A et le riz avec la concentration en fer la plus élevée a eu un impact positif sur les performances cognitives. Les données du Sénégal et du Cambodge ont été analysées pour étudier les indicateurs de malnutrition chez ces enfants d’âge scolaire et adolescents. Comme recommandé par l’OMS, nous avons déterminé les valeurs seuils du périmètre brachial pour détecter la malnutrition aigüe chez les enfants de plus de 5 ans au Cambodge. Nous avons confirmé la nécessité de corriger les concentrations plasmatiques de RBP et de ferritine en fonction du statut inflammatoire et démontré l’intérêt d’une telle correction pour les récepteurs de la transferrine pour améliorer l’estimation de la prévalence des carences en vitamine A et en fer dans ces populations ou l’inflammation est endémique. La dénutrition reste un problème de santé publique chez les enfants d’âge scolaire et les adolescents au Sénégal et Cambodge. La détermination des malnutritions dans cette tranche d’âge pourrait être améliorée par des recherches sur les indicateurs prenant en compte la variabilité intra populations, les facteurs environnementaux et les besoins spécifiques de ces populations. Des interventions scolaires comme au Cambodge ont des effets positifs sur la nutrition et le développement, plaidant en faveur d’une extension des programmes d’alimentation scolaire y compris dans les zones urbaines défavorisées. La distribution d’aliments fortifiés dans les cantines scolaires existantes est une stratégie peu couteuse d’amélioration de la nutrition et de la santé. La nutrition des adolescentes requiert une attention particulière en raison du risque de grossesse précoce élevé dans de nombreux pays du Sud.

AIM: To review benign and malignant paratesticular lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A non-systematic review of the English literature in the National Library of Medicine Database (MEDLINE) was performed using the key words "spermatic cord", "inguinal canal", "neoplasms" (focusing on soft tissue sarcomas). The 74 most significant contributions were selected. RESULTS: Although generally benign (lipoma is the most frequent), paratesticular tumors have a high incidence of malignancy (30%). Ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging represent the main tools in the evaluation of a solid paratesticular mass. Most malignant tumors are sarcomas and commonly spread via local invasion to adjacent structures. The definitive diagnosis is made postoperatively. Surgical excision in the form of radical orchiectomy and wide local resection of tumor margins is mandatory and represents the mainstay of treatment options. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of paratesticular tumors is fundamental in order to determine the histology so as to define the correct follow-up for each patient.

We have analyzed the composition of the tumor stroma and the expression of cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion molecules in 11 cases of fibrolamellar carcinoma of the liver (FLC), in comparison with 34 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma and 8 cases of focal nodular hyperplasia. Fibrolamellar carcinoma was characterized by the presence of large amounts of tenascin in tumor stroma and by the scarce expression of basement membrane components at the contact of neoplastic clusters. Like normal hepatocytes, neoplastic cells constantly expressed the alpha1 integrin chain, lacked the beta4 integrin chain, and coexpressed E-cadherin and the hepatocyte N-related cadherin. Abnormalities in the expression of cell adhesion molecules, including altered cadherin expression, alphaV integrin chain induction, and CD44 expression, were detected in the majority of cases. The composition of the tumor stroma and the pattern of expression of cell adhesion molecules in fibrolamellar carcinoma were reminiscent of those observed in grade III and grade IV hepatocellular carcinomas. Our results therefore show that, despite its slow local growth and good prognosis, fibrolamellar carcinoma expresses many characteristics usually associated with clinically aggressive malignancies. Further studies are needed to identify the factors responsible for the apparent dissociation between clinical behavior and biological characteristics in this tumor.

Abnormalities of the locus chromosome 3p and the entire chromosome 3 are involved in the cancerogenesis of clear cell renal carcinoma and may be detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (interphase FISH). We observed a variable detection rate of chromosome 3p/3 abnormalities in different series of clear cell renal carcinoma. Therefore, we focused on problematic issues when performing analysis on routinely available formalin-fixed and paraffin embedded tissue. A group of studies encountered a single approach to chromosome 3p detection, by using probe/s to map different codes of the short arm 3p without a control of the entire chromosome 3. Deletion of chromosome 3p and monosomy of chromosome 3 ranged from 38% to 100% in clear cell renal carcinoma. Cut-off values for the threshold were chosen randomly or obtained by calculation of the mean value plus 1 or 2 or 3 standard deviations. Loss of chromosome 3p was assessed either as the percentage of single signals on the total number of nuclei, or applying a double approach with corrections of control chromosome 3. Moreover, cut off values were sometimes arbitrarily corrected with the findings from normal adjacent renal parenchyma. A consensus of experts in the field is needed in order to define the best methodological approach and the appropriate threshold in assessment 3p deletion when interphase FISH is performed in clear cell renal carcinoma. This harbours relevant diagnostic and therapeutic implications, at light also of targeted therapies recently available to clear cell renal carcinoma.

A review of the different types of reproductive cycles in Amphibia and their hormonal and environmental regulation

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