482 research outputs found
COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Data Into Context
Background and objectives: It is unclear how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to compare COVID-19-related outcomes collected in an Italian cohort of patients with MS with the outcomes expected in the age- and sex-matched Italian population. Methods: Hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death after COVID-19 diagnosis of 1,362 patients with MS were compared with the age- and sex-matched Italian population in a retrospective observational case-cohort study with population-based control. The observed vs the expected events were compared in the whole MS cohort and in different subgroups (higher risk: Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score > 3 or at least 1 comorbidity, lower risk: EDSS score †3 and no comorbidities) by the Ï2 test, and the risk excess was quantified by risk ratios (RRs). Results: The risk of severe events was about twice the risk in the age- and sex-matched Italian population: RR = 2.12 for hospitalization (p < 0.001), RR = 2.19 for ICU admission (p < 0.001), and RR = 2.43 for death (p < 0.001). The excess of risk was confined to the higher-risk group (n = 553). In lower-risk patients (n = 809), the rate of events was close to that of the Italian age- and sex-matched population (RR = 1.12 for hospitalization, RR = 1.52 for ICU admission, and RR = 1.19 for death). In the lower-risk group, an increased hospitalization risk was detected in patients on anti-CD20 (RR = 3.03, p = 0.005), whereas a decrease was detected in patients on interferon (0 observed vs 4 expected events, p = 0.04). Discussion: Overall, the MS cohort had a risk of severe events that is twice the risk than the age- and sex-matched Italian population. This excess of risk is mainly explained by the EDSS score and comorbidities, whereas a residual increase of hospitalization risk was observed in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and a decrease in people on interferon
DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France
We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39â3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18â0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon
Multidifferential study of identified charged hadron distributions in -tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV
Jet fragmentation functions are measured for the first time in proton-proton
collisions for charged pions, kaons, and protons within jets recoiling against
a boson. The charged-hadron distributions are studied longitudinally and
transversely to the jet direction for jets with transverse momentum 20 GeV and in the pseudorapidity range . The
data sample was collected with the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy
of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.64 fb. Triple
differential distributions as a function of the hadron longitudinal momentum
fraction, hadron transverse momentum, and jet transverse momentum are also
measured for the first time. This helps constrain transverse-momentum-dependent
fragmentation functions. Differences in the shapes and magnitudes of the
measured distributions for the different hadron species provide insights into
the hadronization process for jets predominantly initiated by light quarks.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any
supplementary material and additional information, are available at
https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-013.html (LHCb
public pages
Study of the decay
The decay is studied
in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of TeV
using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5
collected by the LHCb experiment. In the system, the
state observed at the BaBar and Belle experiments is
resolved into two narrower states, and ,
whose masses and widths are measured to be where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second
systematic. The results are consistent with a previous LHCb measurement using a
prompt sample. Evidence of a new
state is found with a local significance of , whose mass and width
are measured to be and , respectively. In addition, evidence of a new decay mode
is found with a significance of
. The relative branching fraction of with respect to the
decay is measured to be , where the first
uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from
the branching fractions of charm hadron decays.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and
additional information, are available at
https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-028.html (LHCb
public pages
Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions and
The ratios of branching fractions
and are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a
sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb of
integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The
tau lepton is identified in the decay mode
. The measured values are
and
, where the first uncertainty is
statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these
measurements is . Results are consistent with the current average
of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the
predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and
additional information, are available at
https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-039.html (LHCb
public pages
RET/PTC rearragements in Hashimotoâs thyroiditis nodules.
An association between Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and thyroid carcinoma, particularly
papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC), has been postulated for decades, although definitive
molecular links remain elusive. The majority of PTC is characterized by alterations or
rearrangements along the MAPK signaling cascade. Activation of RET/PTC oncogene has
been reported in both non-neoplastic and neoplastic HT thyroid follicular cells (Tallini et
al., 2006), but the issue is still controversial. We have investigated cells from HT nodules
for RET rearrangement, using interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (I-FISH).
Dual-color I-FISH experiments, using home-brew breakapart DNA probe, able to detect
RET disruptions were performed on 207 fine needle aspiration biopsies on unselected
nodules from 168 patients and 38 corresponding surgical samples. Normal tissue nuclei
cutoff value (mean ±3DS) was ℠3%. In addition, RET/PTC was investigated by RT-PCR.
Coexistent overt autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) was assessed by serological (antithyroid
autoantibodies, ATA), clinical and echographic data. RET breakage (FISH+) was
observed in 13/207 (6.3%) samples. RET/PTC was confirmed by RT-PCR (RT-PCR+) in
2/12 available FISH+ nodules (16.6%). RT-PCR+ corresponded to FISH+ value â„ 8%.
No correlation between RET rearrangement and ATA (5/92 patients ATA +; 8/115
ATA-), or between AITD (6/78 AITD+; 7/129 AITD-) was observed. Nodules with RET
disruption were observed along the whole cytological spectrum, with prevalence
significantly higher in suspect or malignant cytology (13.6% in 66 TIR 3-5 vs 3.1% in 129
TIR 2 nodules: p=0.005 by X2test). 7 of 13 FISH+ nodules were surgically removed and
available for I-FISH. RET breakage was confirmed in 3 samples, all of which were
classified as classic PTC type. According to our results, RET rearrangement does not
seem to correlate with the HT phenotype. The number of FISH+ nodules within the
cytological classes, increases according to the risk of malignancy. Sensitivity of
breakapart I-FISH strategy, able to detect gene disruption in single nuclei, could explain
the difference between I-FISH and RT-PCR results. Since in our experimental condition,
RET-PTC m-RNA transcript can be detected in â„ 8% FISH+ samples , the oncogenic
potential of nodules below this value remains to be clarified, and FISH+ nodules with
benign cytology should be considered for a careful follow-up
RET/PTC rearrangement in Hashimotoâs thyroiditis nodules: contribution to an ongoing debate.
An association between Hashimoto thyroiditis (HT) and thyroid carcinoma, has been postulated for decades, although definitive molecular links remain elusive. Activation of RET/PTC oncogene (typical of papillary thyroid carcinoma) has been reported in both non-neoplastic and neoplastic HT thyroid follicular cells (Tallini et al., 2006), but the issue is still controversial. To contribute new insight to this issue, we have investigated RET rearrangement on 207 fine needle aspiration biopsies on unselected nodules from 168 patients and 38 corresponding surgical samples. I-FISH with a homebrew-breakpart DNA probe was used. Normal tissue nuclei cutoff value (mean ± 3DS) was 3%. In addition, RET/PTC was investigated by RT-PCR. Coexistent overt autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) was assessed by serological (antithyroid autoantibodies, ATA), clinical and echographic data.
RET breakage (FISH+) was observed in 6.3% samples. RET/PTC was confirmed by RT-PCR (RT-PCR+) in 23% FISH+ nodules. RT-PCR+ corresponded to FISH+ value â„ 6,8%. No correlation between RET rearrangement and ATA (5/92 nodules ATA +; 8/115 ATA-), or between AITD (6/78 AITD+; 7/129 AITD-) was observed. Nodules with FISH+ were observed along the whole cytological spectrum, with prevalence significantly higher in suspect or malignant cytology (13.6% TIR 3-5 vs 3.1% TIR 2 nodules). 7/13 FISH+ nodules were surgically removed and available for I-FISH. FISH+ was confirmed in 3 samples, classified as PTC classic type. Our results suggest no association between RET rearrangement and HT. The percentage of FISH+ nodules increases according to the risk of malignancy. Difference between I-FISH and RT-PCR results was observed, presumibly due to the sensitivity of I-FISH strategy. Since we detected RET-PTC m-RNA transcript in â„ 6,8% FISH+ samples, the oncogenic potential of nodules below this value remains to be clarified, and FISH+ nodules with benign cytology should be considered for a careful follow-up
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