Recurrence in acromegaly: two tertiary centers experience and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Recurrence of acromegaly after successful surgery is a rare event, but no clear data are reported in the literature about its recurrence rates. This study aimed to evaluate the recurrence rate in a series of acromegalic patients treated by transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) with a long follow-up.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 283 acromegalic patients who underwent TSS at two pituitary units in Milan (Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico and IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital). The diagnosis and recurrence of acromegaly were defined by both elevated IGF-1 levels and a lack of GH suppression based on appropriate criteria for the assay used at the time of diagnosis.

RESULTS

After surgery, 143 patients (50%) were defined as not cured, 132 (47%) as cured and 8 (3%) as partially cured because of normalization of only one parameter, either IGF1 or GH. In the cured group, at the last follow-up (median time 86.8 months after surgery), only 1 patient (0.7%) showed full recurrence (IGF-1 + 5.61 SDS, GH nadir 1.27 µg/l), while 4 patients (3%) showed only increased IGF1. In the partially cured group at the last follow-up, 2/8 (25%) patients showed active acromegaly (IGF-1 SDS + 2.75 and + 3.62; GH nadir 0.6 and 0.5 µg/l, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

In the literature, recurrence rates range widely, from 0 to 18%. In our series, recurrence occurred in 3.7% of patients, and in fewer than 1%, recurrence occurred with elevation of both IGF-1 and the GH nadir. More frequently (25%), recurrence came in the form of incomplete normalization of either IGF-1 or GH after surgery.

Quantitative titanium imaging in fish tissues exposed to titanium dioxide nanoparticles by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Imaging studies by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry have been successfully developed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information on the presence/distribution of titanium (ionic titanium and/or titanium dioxide nanoparticles) in sea bream tissues (kidney, liver, and muscle) after exposure assays with 45-nm citrate-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Laboratory-produced gelatine standards containing ionic titanium were used as a calibration strategy for obtaining laser ablation-based images using quantitative (titanium concentrations) data. The best calibration strategy consisted of using gelatine-based titanium standards (from 0.1 to 2.0 μg g^-1) by placing 5.0-μL drops of the liquid gelatine standards onto microscope glass sample holders. After air drying at room temperature good homogeneity of the placed drops was obtained, which led to good repeatability of measurements (calibration slope of 4.21 × 10⁴ ± 0.39 × 10⁴, n = 3) and good linearity (coefficient of determination higher than 0.990). Under the optimised conditions, a limit of detection of 0.087 μg g^-1 titanium was assessed. This strategy allowed to locate prominent areas of titanium in the tissues as well as to quantify the bioaccumulated titanium and a better understanding of titanium dioxide nanoparticle spatial distribution in sea bream tissues.

Size-Resolved Redox Activity and Cytotoxicity of Water-Soluble Urban Atmospheric Particulate Matter: Assessing Contributions from Chemical Components

Throughout the cold and the warm periods of 2020, chemical and toxicological characterization of the water-soluble fraction of size segregated particulate matter (PM) (<0.49, 0.49−0.95, 0.95−1.5, 1.5−3.0, 3.0−7.2 and >7.2 μm) was conducted in the urban agglomeration of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Chemical analysis of the water-soluble PM fraction included water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), humic-like substances (HULIS), and trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd and Pb). The bulk (sum of all size fractions) concentrations of HULIS were 2.5 ± 0.5 and 1.2 ± 0.3 μg m−3, for the cold and warm sampling periods, respectively with highest values in the <0.49 μm particle size fraction. The total HULIS-C/WSOC ratio ranged from 17 to 26% for all sampling periods, confirming that HULIS are a significant part of WSOC. The most abundant water-soluble metals were Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn. The oxidative PM activity was measured abiotically using the dithiothreitol (DTT) assay. In vitro cytotoxic responses were investigated using mitochondrial dehydrogenase (MTT). A significant positive correlation was found between OPmDTT, WSOC, HULIS and the MTT cytotoxicity of PM. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) showed a good relationship between OPMDTT, HULIS and Cu.

Inter-annual variability of source contributions to PM10, PM2.5, and oxidative potential in an urban background site in the central mediterranean

Airborne particulate matter (PM) is studied because of its effects on human health and climate change. PM long-term characterisation allows identifying trends and evaluating the outcomes of environmental protection policies. This work is aimed to study the inter-annual variability of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations and chemical composition in an urban background site (Italy). A dataset of daily PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ was collected in the period 2016-2017, including the content of OC, EC, major water-soluble ions, main metals, and compared to a similar dataset collected in the period 2013-2014. Oxidative potential using DTT assay (dithiothreitol) was evaluated and expressed in DTT_V as 0.39 nmol/min·m³ in PM₁₀ and 0.29 in PM_2.5 nmol/min·m³. PM source apportionment was computed using the EPA PMF5.0 model and source contributions compared with those of a previous dataset collected between 2013 and 2014. Multi linear regression analysis identified which source contributed (p < 0.05) to the oxidative potential of each size fraction. Inter-annual trends were more evident on PM_2.5 with reductions of biomass burning contribution and increases in traffic contribution in the 2016-2017 period. Crustal contributions were similar for the two periods, in both size fractions. Carbonates were comparable in PM₁₀ with a slight increase in PM_2.5. Sea spray decreased in PM₁₀. The DTT_V of PM_2.5 peaked during cold periods, while, the DTT_V of the PM_10-2.5 fraction peaked in summer, suggesting that different sources, with different seasonality, influence OP in the PM_2.5 and PM_10-2.5 fractions. Analysis showed that sea spray, crustal, and carbonates sources contribute ∼13.6% to DTT_V in PM_2.5 and ∼62.4% to DTT_V in PM_10-2.5. Combustion sources (biomass burning and traffic) contribute to the majority of DTT_V (50.6%) in PM_2.5 and contribute for ∼26% to DTT_V in PM_10-2.5. Secondary nitrate contributes to DTT_V in both fine and coarse fraction; secondary sulphate contribute to DTT_V in PM_2.5 with negligible contributions to DTT_V in PM_10-2.5.

Inter-comparison of carbon content in PM10 and PM2.5 measured with two thermo-optical protocols on samples collected in a Mediterranean site

Scientific interest is focusing on different approaches for characterising organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and equivalent black carbon (eBC), although EUSAAR2 protocol has been established and frequently used in EU for regulatory purposes. Discrepancies are observed due to thermal protocols used for OC/EC determinations and the effect of the chemical-physical properties of aerosol using optical measurements for eBC. In this work, a long-term inter-comparison of carbon measurements with two widely used protocols (EUSAAR2 and NIOSH870) was performed on PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ samples. The influence of the protocol on the evaluation of secondary organic aerosol (SOC) and on the correlation between EC and eBC was investigated. An extensive check of repeatability gave typical uncertainties of ~ 5% for TC and OC, and ~ 10% for EC for both thermal protocols. Results show that OC is statistically comparable between the two protocols but EC is significantly higher with EUSAAR2, especially during the warm season. The ratio OC/EC is lower with EUSAAR2, also showing a seasonality (lower values in the warm season) not observed with NIOSH870. Despite the differences in OC/EC ratios, the contribution of SOC to OC (~ 50%), evaluated using the EC-tracer method, did not differ significantly between the two protocols and for both size fractions. Further, SOC/OC ratios were comparable in cold and warm periods. eBC/EC ratios larger than one for both protocols were obtained, 1.62 (EUSAAR2) and 1.92 (NIOSH870), and also correlated with the ratio OC/EC for both protocols, especially in the cold season.

Spectroscopic Characterization and Nanosafety of Ag-Modified Antibacterial Leather and Leatherette

The development of antibacterial coatings is of great interest from both industry and the consumer's point of view. In this study, we characterized tanned leather and polyurethane leatherette, typically employed in the automotive and footwear industries, which were modified by photo-deposition of antibacterial silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Material surface chemical composition was investigated in detail by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The material's antibacterial capability was checked against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as representative microorganisms in cross transmissions. Due to the presence of silver in a nanostructured form, nanosafety issues were considered, as well. Ionic release in contact media, as well as whole nanoparticle release from treated materials, were quantitatively evaluated, thus providing specific information on potential product nanotoxicity, which was further investigated through cytocompatibility MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assays, also after surface abrasion of the materials. The proved negligible nanoparticle release, as well as the controlled release of antibacterial ions, shed light on the materials' potentialities, in terms of both high activity and safety.

Mitochondrial ATP-Mg/phosphate carriers transport divalent inorganic cations in complex with ATP

The ATP-Mg/phosphate carriers (APCs) modulate the intramitochondrial adenine nucleotide pool size. In this study the concentration-dependent effects of Mg²⁺ and other divalent cations (Me²⁺) on the transport of [³H]ATP in liposomes reconstituted with purified human and Arabidopsis APCs (hAPCs and AtAPCs, respectively, including some lacking their N-terminal domains) have been investigated. The transport of Me²⁺ mediated by these proteins was also measured. In the presence of a low external concentration of [³H]ATP (12 μM) and increasing concentrations of Me²⁺, Mg²⁺ stimulated the activity (measured as initial transport rate of [³H]ATP) of hAPCs and decreased that of AtAPCs; Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ stimulated markedly hAPCs and moderately AtAPCs; Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ markedly AtAPCs and moderately hAPCs; and Cu²⁺ decreased the activity of both hAPCs and AtAPCs. All the Me²⁺-dependent effects correlated well with the amount of ATP-Me complex present. The transport of [¹⁴C]AMP, which has a much lower ability of complexation than ATP, was not affected by the presence of the Me²⁺ tested, except Cu²⁺. Furthermore, the transport of [³H]ATP catalyzed by the ATP/ADP carrier, which is known to transport only free ATP and ADP, was inhibited by all the Me²⁺ tested in an inverse relationship with the formation of the ATP-Me complex. Finally, direct measurements of Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ showed that they are cotransported with ATP by both hAPCs and AtAPCs. It is likely that in vivo APCs transport free ATP and ATP-Mg complex to different degrees, and probably trace amounts of other Me²⁺ in complex with ATP.

Fourier Transform Raman and Statistical Analysis of Thermally Altered Samples of Amber

We report the experimental results that refer to a Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) survey of thermally altered Baltic and Romanian amber and the related statistical interpretation of data using principal component analysis (PCA). Although FT-Raman spectra show several small changes in the characteristic features of the investigated amber samples which may be used for discrimination, their visual recognition is relatively difficult, especially when interpreting data from archeological samples, and thus multivariate data analysis may be the solution to more accurately assign the geological origin based on overall characteristic spectral features. The two categories of amber have different behavior in terms of degradation during the experimental alteration, and Romanian amber is more susceptible to physico-chemical transformations by the aggressive environment when compared with Baltic amber. The obtained data were in accordance with the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) remarks published previously in a dedicated journal. The Raman technique is an alternative method that requires little to no sample preparation, water does not cause interference, and the spectra can be collected from a small volume (1-50 μm in diameter).

Integrated investigations for the characterisation of Roman lead-glazed pottery from Pompeii and Herculaneum (Italy)

A multi-analytical approach was used to investigate Roman lead-glazed ceramic artefacts from archaeological excavations at Pompeii and Herculaneum (Italy) aiming at defining the production technology of both glaze and ceramic body, by way of integrated investigations. The chemical, structural, and micro-morphological characterisations were performed using a combination of laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Fragments of artefacts (skyphoi, oil lamps, bowls, askoi, amphorae, krateres) of great historical and archaeological interest were sampled. LA-ICP-MS was used to determine the elemental composition by virtue of its effective lateral resolution, its ability to detect most elements and also to analyse comparably small samples. All the archaeological objects were coated with a lead-based glaze produced using a lead oxide-plus-quartz mixture, with sodium/potassium feldspars added as a flux and two different metals used: copper and iron. Two types of ceramic pastes have been identified, but chemometric techniques support the hypothesis of a Campanian provenance for the raw materials. Degradation phenomena such as the partial devitrification of the glaze, i.e. the slow structural reorganisation towards stable crystalline phases, and the leaching by mineral dissolution in the soil, were determined.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy of archaeological findings with calibration-free inverse method: comparison with classical laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and conventional techniques

A modified version of the calibration-free (CF) method was applied to the analysis of a set of archaeological brooches made of various copper-based alloys and coming from the archaeological site of Egnatia (Apulia, Southern Italy). The developed methodology consists in determining the plasma temperature by reversing the set of equations employed in the usual CF algorithm, and it is thus referred to as "inverse method". The plasma temperature is determined for one certified standard, by using its known elemental composition as an input data, and then applied to the set of unknown samples to evaluate their composition in a CF mode. The feasibility of such an approach is demonstrated by comparing the results obtained with classical LIBS (drawing calibration lines with a series of matrix-matched certified standards) and with independent measurements performed with a conventional technique (LA-ICP-MS).

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from selected Apulia coastal sites evaluated by GC-HRMS

Samples of Mytilus galloprovincialis were examined to investigate the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the Apulia's marine environment, a region in the South of Italy. The levels of nine PBDE congeners were measured in 40 mussel samples taken from the aquaculture farms in the South of Adriatic Sea and North Ionian Sea along the Apulia coast. While accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) was the extraction technique adopted using acetone/n-hexane (1:1, v/v), the content of PBDEs was evaluated by using gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) via electron ionization (EI) in the multiple ion monitoring (MIM) mode (two ions for each compound). The (13)C mass-labeled compounds were used to establish the levels of PBDEs in M. galloprovincialis samples. The total concentration of PBDEs (ΣPBDEs) ranged from 0.2 to 6.9 ng/g dry mass, with the highest concentrations found around coastal areas of Salento. With regard to the composition of PBDE congeners, BDE-47, BDE-99 and BDE-100 were the predominant congeners in most of the samples. The present study is the first to report levels of PBDEs occurring in aquatic organisms living in aquaculture farms of Apulia region.

Palladium/zirconium oxide nanocomposite as a highly recyclable catalyst for C-C coupling reactions in water

Palladium nanoparticles have been electrochemically supported on zirconium oxide nanostructured powders and all the nanomaterials have been characterized by several analytical techniques. The Pd/ZrO(2) nanocatalyst is demonstrated to be a very efficient catalyst in Heck, Ullmann, and Suzuki reactions of aryl halides in water. The catalyst efficiency is attributed to the stabilization of Pd nanophases provided by tetra(alkyl)- ammonium hydroxide, which behaves both as base and PTC (phase transfer catalyst) agent.

SELECTIVE TRANSITION METAL EXTRACTION BY REVERSE MICELLES

In this report we have studied the extraction of a series of heavy metals ions (Cu2+, Ni2+, Fe3+, Cr3+, CrO4(2-)) from water bulk solutions by means of reverse micelles. The parameters explored are the nature and concentration of the accompanying electrolyte, as well as the surfactant nature and its concentration. The extracted metals can be recovered and eventually concentrated in a new water solution carrying out a back extraction. The extracted amount of metal is strongly dependent on the charge of the metal to be extracted. Therefore the extracted water solution is enriched in higher charge metal. Anions of amphoteric metals, like the chromate ions, can be quantitatively separated from their positive cations, like Cr3+ by properly choosing the cationic or the anionic surfactants. The transfer of the metal is essentially controlled by electrostatic forces. A model based on the Poisson-Boltzmann distribution allow us to get the potential profile inside the water pool by determining the concentrations of the surfactant counter ions. From the potential profile and mass balance it is possible calculate the extraction percentage.

Determination of the acid dissociation constant of bromocresol green and cresol red in water/AOT/isooctane reverse micelles by multiple linear regression and extended principal component analysis

The pKa of 3',3",5',5"tetrabromo-m-cresolsulfonephtalein (Bromocresol Green) and o-cresolsulphonephtalein (Cresol Red) was spectrophotometrically measured in a water/AOT/isooctane microemulsion in the presence of a series of buffers carrying different charges at different water/surfactant ratios. Extended Principal Component Analysis was used for a precise determination of the apparent pKa and of the spectra of the acid and base forms of the dye. The apparent pKa of dyes in water-in-oil microemulsions depends on the charge of the acid and base forms of the buffers present in the water pool. Combination with multiple linear regression increases the precision. Results are discussed taking into account the profile of the electrostatic potential in the water pool and the possible partition of the indicator between the aqueous core and the surfactant. The pKa corrected for these effects are independent of w0 and are close to the value of the pKa in bulk water. On the basis of a tentative hypothesis it is possible to calculate the true pKa of the buffer in the pool.

Application of Multiple Linear Regression and Extended Principal-Component Analysis to Determination of the Acid Dissociation Constant of 7-Hydroxycoumarin in Water/AOT/Isooctane Reverse Micelles

The apparent pK(a) of dyes in water-in-oil microemulsions depends on the charge of the acid and base forms of the buffers present in the water pool. Extended principal-component analysis allows the precise determination of the apparent pK(a) and of the spectra of the acid and base forms of the dye. Combination with multiple linear regression increases the precision. The pK(a) of 7-hydroxycoumarin (umbelliferone) was spectrophotometrically measured in a water/AOT/isooctane microemulsion in the presence of a series of buffers carrying different charges at various different water/surfactant ratios. The spectra of the acid and base forms of the dye in the microemulsion are very similar to those in bulk water in the presence of Tris and ammonia. The presence of carbonate changes somewhat the spectrum of the acid form. Results are discussed taking into account the profile of the electrostatic potential drop in the water pool and the possible partition of umbelliferone between the aqueous core and the surfactant. The pK(a) values corrected for these effects are independent of w(0) and are close to the value of the pK(a) in bulk water. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.