Application of LC-MS/MS for the Identification of Drugs of Abuse in Driver's License Regranting Procedures.

Drugged driving is associated with an increased risk of road accidents worldwide. In Italy, driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol and drugs is a reason for driving disqualification or revocation of the driving license. Drivers charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs must attend a Local Medical Commission (LMC) to undergo mandatory examinations to regain the suspended license.

Forensic Application of Genetic and Toxicological Analyses for the Identification and Characterization of the Opium Poppy ( L.).

Background: A reliable and science-based taxonomic determination of L. (opium poppy), the illegal species of the genus , may have practical and legal implications for law enforcement. is a controlled plant because of its narcotic substances, such as morphine and codeine.

Post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety symptoms in COVID-19 outpatients with different levels of respiratory and ventilatory support in the acute phase undergoing three months follow-up.

Background: The well-known COVID-19 pandemic totally transformed people's lives, paving the way to various psychopathological symptoms. In particular, patients may experience a short- and long-term decreasing in their wellbeing. In this vein, the aim of this paper was to assess the COVID-19 patients' psychopathological profile (post-traumatic stress disorder, distress, anxiety and depression symptoms), detecting possible differences linked to the ventilatory treatments.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing in COVID-19 patients at 3 months follow-up.

Background: Long-term effects of Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) are of utmost relevance. We aimed to determine: 1) the functional capacity of COVID-19 survivors by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET); 2) the characteristics associated with cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) performance; 3) the safety and tolerability of CPET.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled consecutive patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 from Azienda Sanitaria Locale 3, Genoa.

Evaluation of the Diesse Cube 30 touch erythrocyte sedimentation method in comparison with Alifax test 1 and the manual Westergren gold standard method.

The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is a traditional nonspecific laboratory test used for the assessment of inflammation. Even if its usefulness is nowadays being largely debated, it is still considered a valuable laboratory test in selected clinical conditions, such as rheumatoid diseases, orthopedic infections and Hodgkin's lymphoma, and it can be used for the infectious, inflammatory, malignancies, and autoimmune diseases follow-up. The introduction of new methodologies on semi-automated and automated analyzers started about four decades ago and opened a new era of ESR analysis characterized by shorter assay time, use of (EDTA) undiluted blood, that increases sample stability and allows using a single sample for also other hematologic tests, and greater safety for laboratory personnel.

Benzene-Exposed Army Soldiers: Nasal Cytology as a Screening Tool.

Objective: Assessment of the nasal cytology in revealing early nasal mucosa alteration of workers exposed to benzene.

Methods: Nasal cytology was compared among non-exposed and exposed workers to benzene. A comparison of the two groups was performed considering rhino-cytological features.

Serum Levels of Granulocyte-Macrophage-colony-stimulating Factor and Stem-cell Factor During Liver Regeneration after Partial Hepatectomy in Humans.

Background: Multiple biological functions have been recognized regarding Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) and Stem Cell Factor (SCF).

Aim: To evaluate the serum changes of GM-CSF and SCF in patients undergoing surgical resection for liver tumor, in the regenerative phase after surgery in order to identify the possible relationship with the patient, tumor or surgical variables.

Methods: Thirty-two consecutive patients (50% male, median age 66), undergoing hepatic resection of liver neoplasm, were evaluated.

New HPLC instrument performance evaluation in HbA determination and comparison with capillary electrophoresis.

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA) measurement provides the most important medium to long-term marker of time-averaged glycemic status. Its relationship to clinical outcome in diabetes has been convincingly demonstrated for both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The main HbA measurement methods for clinical routine are as follows: ion-exchange chromatography; affinity chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, immunoassay and enzymatic methods.

Evaluation of a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii from naturally and experimentally infected pigs.

Background: Toxoplasmosis is one of the most frequent parasitic infections in animals causing reproductive disorders and thus notable economic losses in productivity. Among food animals, pigs along with sheep and goats possess the highest incidence of Toxoplasma gondii cysts in meat, and play a role as a source of human infection.

Methods: The commercial ELISA kit (PrioCHECK® Toxoplasma Ab SR, Prionics Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland) for the detection of specific antibodies against T.

Levamisole in Illicit Trafficking Cocaine Seized: A One-Year Study.

Cocaine use is increasing around the world and its purity is frequently altered through dilution, substitution, contamination, and adulteration. Sugars, talc, starch, and carbonates represent the principal diluents of cocaine, while phenacetin, levamisole, caffeine, and lidocaine are its major adulterants in Europe. Levamisole is used because it is an odorless powder, with physical properties similar to cocaine, and it has reasonable cost and availability, being widely used in veterinary medicine.

Bivalirudin or heparin in primary angioplasty performed through the transradial approach: results from a multicentre registry.

Background: Data on the effect of bivalirudin therapy in primary percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed through the transradial approach are limited. The aim of our study was to evaluate bleeding complications and clinical outcomes in primary PCI performed through the transradial approach with bivalirudin therapy.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated primary PCI performed through the transradial approach from January 2008 to June 2013.

Acute phase proteins response in hunting dogs.

Haptoglobin (Hp), serum amyloid A (SAA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cells (WBC) were assessed in 20 dogs divided into 2 groups. The dogs of group A were not subjected to hunting exercise (control group), while the dogs of group B were subjected to hunting exercise for 3 hr (experimental group). Blood samples were collected from each animal before hunting (T0), immediately after 3 hr of hunting (T1), and after 1 hr of recovery (T2).

Canine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs): characterization in relation to donor age and adipose tissue-harvesting site.

Adipose tissue as a stem cell source is ubiquitously available and has several advantages compared to other sources, for example it is easily accessible in large quantities with minimal invasive harvesting procedure, and isolation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) yields a high amount of stem cells, essential for stem cell-based therapies and tissue engineering. We have explored the effect of donor age, and the anatomical origin of the adipose tissue on several aspects of MSCs in dogs, such as cell yield, proliferative ability, multi-differentiation potential, colony-forming capacity, stemness marker expression. We also assessed the effect of cell passaging on the MSCs stemness.