Dosimetry of microbeam radiotherapy by flexible hydrogenated amorphous silicon detectors.

Detectors that can provide accurate dosimetry for microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) must possess intrinsic radiation hardness, a high dynamic range, and a micron-scale spatial resolution. In this work we characterize hydrogenated amorphous silicon detectors for MRT dosimetry, presenting a novel combination of flexible, ultra-thin and radiation-hard features.Two detectors are explored: an n-type/intrinsic/p-type planar diode (NIP) and an NIP with an additional charge selective layer (NIP + CSC).

Proton Bragg curve and energy reconstruction using an online scintillator stack detector.

Real-time measurement and characterization of laser-driven proton beams have become crucial with the advent of high-repetition-rate laser acceleration. Common passive diagnostics such as radiochromic film (RCF) are not suitable for real-time operation due to time-consuming post-processing; therefore, a novel approach is needed. Various scintillator-based detectors have recently gained interest as real-time substitutes to RCF-thanks to their fast response for a wide range of dose deposition rates.

Healthy Aging and Dietary Patterns.

A number of factors contribute to the complex process of aging, which finally define whether someone will or not develop age-associated chronic diseases in late life. These determinants comprise genetic susceptibility as well as various behavioral, environmental, and dietary factors, all of which have been shown to influence specific pathways regulating the aging process and the extension of life, which makes longevity a multidimensional phenomenon. Although a "miraculous elixir" or a "nutrition pill" are not plausible, researchers agree on the notion that nutritional factors have major impact on the risk of age-associated chronic non-communicable diseases and mortality.

Benign pancreatic hyperenzymemia-Gullo's syndrome: focus on this clinical challenge. A monocentric retrospective study.

Background: An abnormal and chronic rise of pancreatic enzymes in the blood is most often due to pancreatic diseases, primarily inflammatory or neoplastic, or to numerous extra-pancreatic pathologies. Benign chronic pancreatic hyperenzymemia was described for the first time - as a separate nosological entity - in 1996 by Lucio Gullo et al. They demonstrated the existence of a benign chronic pancreatic hyperenzymemia in asymptomatic subjects and without clinical implications; however, a follow-up of at least 1-2 years is necessary during which no specific symptomatology or morpho-functional impairment of the pancreas should occur, also evaluated through the aid of instrumental diagnostic investigations such as ultrasonography (US), computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance cholangio pancreatography (MRCP).

The Higher Number and Longer Duration of Kenogen Hairs Are the Main Cause of the Hair Rarefaction in Androgenetic Alopecia.

The progressive reduction of the number of terminal hairs and the simultaneous increase in the number of vellus hairs (hair miniaturization) are the current explanation of human baldness. In a 2.5-year study on 43 male subjects with androgenetic alopecia (AGA), we found that oral finasteride augmented the total number of hairs by 55%, but failed to decrease the prevalence of vellus hairs.

Exogen Hairs in Women with and without Hair Loss.

Contrary to the classical view of the hair cycle, in which telogen is the resting phase that precedes the release of the hair shaft, another phase has been introduced, exogen. Exogen is the phase wherein the processes for the release of the hair shaft are initiated and successfully executed. Exogen ends when the shaft is liberated.

Polymorphous Light Eruption.

Polymorphous light eruption (PLE) is the commonest immuno-mediated photodermatosis. It occurs after solar or artificial UV-light exposure and affects only the sun-exposed areas with preference of the V-area of the chest, of arms and forearms, legs, upper part of the back, and rarely the face. The lesions are itching or burning, and vary morphologically from erythema to papules, vesico-papules and occasionally blisters, plaques, sometimes erythema multiforme-like, insect bite-like wheals and purpura.

Setting reference values in trichology.

Background: In clinical trichology, reference values are often arbitrary. The difficulty in setting them up depends mostly on the presence of the androgenetic alopecia (AGA) genotype in subjects with clinically unapparent forms. Prepubertal children, who lack 5α-reductase (a real indicator of the AGA phenotype), might provide reference values independent from AGA.

Enhanced expression of Stim, Orai, and TRPC transcripts and proteins in endothelial progenitor cells isolated from patients with primary myelofibrosis.

Background: An increase in the frequency of circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs), the only subset of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) truly belonging to the endothelial phenotype, occurs in patients affected by primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Herein, they might contribute to the enhanced neovascularisation of fibrotic bone marrow and spleen. Store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) activated by the depletion of the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3)-sensitive Ca2+ store drives proliferation in ECFCs isolated from both healthy donors (N-ECFCs) and subjects suffering from renal cellular carcinoma (RCC-ECFCs).

Additional methods for diagnosing alopecia and appraising their severity.

The clinical diagnosis of hair diseases should be supported by objective techniques. In fact many methods are able to make advantage in some genetic syndromes with the aid of the microscope or to assess the severity of hair loss, or to distinguish a true disease from a visionary complaint of the patient. More commonly qualitative and quantitative methods are useful to distinguish androgenetic alopecia from telogen effluvium, or to recognize mild and initial cicatricial alopecias or the association of different forms of hair diseases.

Methods of hair loss evaluation: a comparison of TrichoScan(®) with the modified wash test.

The reliability of the methods currently used for diagnosing hair loss is ill defined. We studied 41 subjects complaining of hair loss, including androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium, and compared the results obtained with the modified wash test (MWT) and TrichoScan(®) . Data were analysed statistically with the t-test and the Cohen κ statistic.

[Efficacy and tolerability of 5% minoxidil solution (Carexidil®) in male and female androgenetic alopecia: a 6-month open multicentric study].

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of 5% Carexidil solution®, applied twice a day on the scalp, on male and female androgenetic alopecia.

Methods: The 6 month-study was performed in three Italian dermatological centers. Evaluation of efficacy was performed with subjective and objective methods, including operator and patient assessments, global photography and videodermoscopy.

Assessing the reliability of the Modified Wash Test.

Aim: The aim of this paper was to find a simple method to evaluate reliably diagnosis and severity of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and telogen effluvium (TE).

Methods: We adopted the modified wash test (MWT), which accomplishes such task through assessing the number of shed hair and the vellus percentage. To evaluate its reliability, 25 subjects were submitted to MWT once a week for 4 consecutive weeks according to the procedure published elsewhere.

Polymorphous light eruption and benign summer light eruption in Italy.

Background/purpose: Polymorphous light eruption (PLE) heterogeneity has been postulated, but the existence of benign summer light eruption (BSLE) is controversial. We studied the prevalence of the clinical patterns, criteria distinguishing BSLE from PLE, and diagnostic usefulness of phototest.

Methods: Five Italian Photodermatology Centres recruited retrospectively 346 patients with typical clinical history and/or presentation of PLE.

Reliability of hamilton-norwood classification.

Background: Hamilton-Norwood scale (HNS) has been largely used to assess clinically the severity of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), especially for therapeutical trials and even to establish its association with important diseases such as ischemic heart disease and prostate cancer.

Objective: To study HNS reproducibility in the hands of dermatologists and dermatology residents.

Materials And Methods: Seven dermatologists and 16 residents in dermatology classified 43 photographs of male heads with different degrees of AGA.

Sensitivity to ultraviolet B is a risk factor for cutaneous melanoma in a Mediterranean population: results from an Italian case-control study.

Background: Sun sensitivity is one of the predictors of melanoma risk, together with other individual characteristics such as skin and eye colour and number of naevi. However, it is unclear how best to measure sun sensitivity in order to quantify the individual risk of melanoma.

Objectives: In this case-control study, the relationship between minimal erythema dose (MED) and skin colour (both instrumentally assessed) was investigated, and their possible role as independent risk factors for melanoma in a Mediterranean population evaluated.

Photopatch tests: an Italian multicentre study from 2004 to 2006.

Background: Evaluation of possible photoallergic contact dermatitis in at-risk populations is often not undertaken, and an agreed methodology for investigation is uncommonly used.

Objectives: We conducted a retrospective multicentre study to determine the prevalence of photoallergic contact dermatitis in Italy.

Methods: A total of 1082 patients with histories and clinical features suggestive of photoallergic contact dermatitis were evaluated.

Serum antioxidant capacity in polymorphic light eruption.

Polymorphic light eruption is one of the few dermatological diseases in which some antioxidants have been said to be reduced in both the epidermis and the blood. This study measured the hydrosoluble antioxidant capacity in the serum of patients with polymorphic light eruption, using a commercially available kit. All patients were tested in winter, in order to avoid the influence of exposure to ultraviolet light.

Distinguishing androgenetic alopecia from chronic telogen effluvium when associated in the same patient: a simple noninvasive method.

Background: Distinguishing chronic telogen effluvium (CTE) from androgenetic alopecia (AGA) may be difficult especially when associated in the same patient.

Observations: One hundred consecutive patients with hair loss who were clinically diagnosed as having CTE, AGA, AGA + CTE, or remitting CTE. Patients washed their hair in the sink in a standardized way.

Measures of late effects in conservative treatment of breast cancer with standard or hypofractionated radiotherapy.

Aims And Background: To confirm the equivalence in terms of late effects between two fractionation schedules of radiotherapy in conservative treatment of breast cancer.

Methods: Fifty-eight patients treated at our institution from 1999 to 2002, with a median follow-up of 15 months (range, 7-46 months), were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-nine patients (group A) were treated with standard fractionation: 5000 cGy/25fx/5 weeks, and 29 patients (group B) were treated with a hypofractionated schedule: 4500 cGy/15fx/5 weeks, three fractions per week.

Kenogen in female androgenetic alopecia. A longitudinal study.

Background: Kenogen indicates the physiological interval of the hair cycle in which the hair follicle remains empty after the telogen hair has been extruded and before a new anagen hair emerges. Kenogen frequency and duration are greater in men and women with androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

Objective: To study the relationship of kenogen with female AGA.