Butane-related deaths in post-mortem investigations: A systematic review

Volatile substance abuse is widespread among adolescents due to its easy availability and methods of consumption. Inhalant abuse represents a current problematic issue, causing significant morbidity and mortality due to direct toxicity on several target organs and displacement of gas which results in a lack of oxygen. This review aims to evaluate post-mortem and toxicological investigations in cases of suspected butane intoxication. We performed comprehensive research using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review (PRISMA) standards. Forty scientific papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A total of 58 cases of butane-related deaths were found. Among these, we found 11 cases of suicide (18%), 1 case of homicide (2%), 44 cases of accidental poisoning (76%), and 2 cases of work-related deaths (4%). Autopsy and post-mortem examinations were performed in 54 cases, whereas toxicological analyses were presented in 56 cases. In autopsy, pulmonary edema (51%) and poli-visceral congestion (59%) were the most common findings. When death by butane inhalation is hypothesized, autopsy and histological findings may be nonspecific, therefore toxicological investigations assume a crucial role along with attention to the methods used to collect biological samples.

miRNAs and Substances Abuse: Clinical and Forensic Pathological Implications: A Systematic Review

Substance addiction is a chronic and relapsing brain disorder characterized by compulsive seeking and continued substance use, despite adverse consequences. The high prevalence and social burden of addiction are indisputable; however, the available intervention is insufficient. The modulation of gene expression and aberrant adaptation of neural networks are attributed to the changes in brain functions under repeated exposure to addictive substances. Considerable studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are strong modulators of post-transcriptional gene expression in substance addiction. The emerging role of microRNA (miRNA) provides new insights into many biological and pathological processes in the central nervous system: their variable expression in different regions of the brain and tissues may play a key role in regulating the pathophysiological events of addiction. This work provides an overview of the current literature on miRNAs involved in addiction, evaluating their impaired expression and regulatory role in neuroadaptation and synaptic plasticity. Clinical implications of such modulatory capacities will be estimated. Specifically, it will evaluate the potential diagnostic role of miRNAs in the various stages of drug and substance addiction. Future perspectives about miRNAs as potential novel therapeutic targets for substance addiction and abuse will also be provided.

Survey of Oral Hygiene Habits and Knowledge among School Children: a cross-sectional study from Italy

AIM

This study is aimed to investigate the oral hygiene practice, knowledge and attitude of young adults, assessing their awareness about the impact of a certain "risk" behaviour on their oral and dental health.

MATERIALS

This is a cross-sectional survey study conducted on 829 students (350 males and 479 females, mean age 13-20 years) attending high school in Milan and surrounding areas. They were asked to complete anonymous questionnaire during the first semester of the 2019-2020 school year, under the supervision of a teacher and/or an assigned interviewer. The questionnaire was created by "Laboratorio Adolescenza", in collaboration with the International Alliance of Responsible Drinking (IARD) Research Institute and the University of Milan. All of the data was compiled into table or graph form and analysed.

CONCLUSION

There is a general awareness among Italian school children about the risks of bad oral habits, however, there is a need to improve the oral health knowledge, attitude and practices in the target population with emphasis on improvement of oral hygiene practices.

Headaches in Domestic Medicine by William Buchan

In this paper, we consider the chapter on headaches contained in William Buchan's Domestic Medicine, a book that enjoyed great success during the second half of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, and belongs to the series of public education treatises that began with the publication of Avis au Peuple sur la Sante by Simon Andrè Tissot. In line with the ideals of the Enlightenment, Buchan's aim was to satisfy the needs of people who had no opportunity of consulting a physician by providing them with information about the symptoms and treatment of the most common diseases. One of the distinguishing characteristics of the book is the space dedicated to preventive medicine. In the chapter on headaches, as well as dealing extensively with their etiology, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics and treatment within the conceptual context of humoral medicine, the author also proposed a number of preventive measures that can still be considered fully acceptable today.

The role of CSF ventricular drainage in controlling intracranial hypertension in patients with brain lesions. Comparison of three methods. Preliminary results

Results obtained with three different CSF ventricular drainage methods (intermittent with no outflow resistance, continuous against a positive pressure, continuous with pre-arranged positive pressure), were evaluated in fifty nine cases of traumatic cerebral lesions and spontaneous intracerebral hematomas with intracranial hypertension. Continuous CSF withdrawal gives better clinical results and is more effective in controlling intracranial pressure than intermittent drainage (50% vs 13% successes respectively). Results obtained with continuous drainage against a steady positive pressure and with a pre-arranged pressure ("tidal drainage") are almost similar. However an outflow resistance 3-5 mmHg higher than diastolic level of ICP represents a rational approach to the problem.