IN "POLPO ... SITION" E ALTRI BREVI RACCONTI

Assalito dalla felicità corsi al mare, guardai l’acqua e fui preso da una forza, non mia, non umana che mi trascinò in acqua. Lì venni rapito da fantastiche sensazioni, l’adrenalina salì a mille, vidi un enorme creatura che suscitò in me delle emozioni mai provate prima, si era avvicinata talmente tanto che stava per toccarmi e, appena lo fece, il mio corpo si illuminò magicamente, le mie mani iniziarono pian piano ad assottigliarsi, il mio petto diventava sempre più piccolo e tondo e da lì a poco, ero diventato un polpo

Nanoscale Laser Terahertz Emission Microscopy

We implement Laser Terahertz Emission Microscopy (LTEM) in a near-field microscopy configuration where we simultaneously perform THz nanoscopy. By studying the approach curves of the two methods we obtain a similar spatial confinement on the order of a few 10s of nanometers emphasizing LTEM’s potential as a nanoscale imaging technique

Near-field terahertz nonlinear optics with blue light

Abstract The coupling of terahertz optical techniques to scattering-type scanning near-field microscopy (s-SNOM) has recently emerged as a valuable new paradigm for probing the properties of semiconductors and other materials on the nanoscale. Researchers have demonstrated a family of related techniques, including terahertz nanoscopy (elastic scattering, based on linear optics), time-resolved methods, and nanoscale terahertz emission spectroscopy. However, as with nearly all examples of s-SNOM since the technique’s inception in the mid-1990s, the wavelength of the optical source coupled to the near-field tip is long, usually at energies of 2.5 eV or less. Challenges in coupling of shorter wavelengths (i.e., blue light) to the nanotip has greatly inhibited the study of nanoscale phenomena in wide bandgap materials such as Si and GaN. Here, we describe the first experimental demonstration of s-SNOM using blue light. With femtosecond pulses at 410 nm, we generate terahertz pulses directly from bulk silicon, spatially resolved with nanoscale resolution, and show that these signals provide spectroscopic information that cannot be obtained using near-infrared excitation. We develop a new theoretical framework to account for this nonlinear interaction, which enables accurate extraction of material parameters. This work establishes a new realm of possibilities for the study of technologically relevant wide-bandgap materials using s-SNOM methods

Prognostic and Predictive Factors Affecting Course of Disease and Survival in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Background: The aim of this study was to determine both prognostic clinical-morphological and predictive biomolecular factors affecting course of disease and survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed (2004-2014) clinical and pathological data of 108 consecutive patients with diagnosis of MPM. Age, stage (WHO 2015), chemotherapy, histotype, nuclear atypia, mitotic count (1/mm2), Ki-67 percentage and 9p21 (p16/CDKN2A) deletion (43 cases) were analyzed and correlated to survival. Survival was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier method and statistical significance with Log-Rank test (SPSS software, 18.0). Results: There were 83 (76.9%) males, 25 (23.1%) females (ratio 3.3/1); median age at diagnosis was 68 (mean 67.2±9.8; range 42-90) years; 94 (87%) patients had asbestos exposure. Overall median survival was 13.3 (mean 19.15±22.4; range 1-136) months. Mean survival (months) was: 30.2±4.6 and 12.4±1.6 in age ≤ 65 and > 65 years (p=0.0001); 24±4.3 in stage I, 21.3±4.5 in II, 21.1±5.8 in III, 9.7±1.7 in IV (p=0.005); 25.9±2.8 and 5±1.3 in patients receiving complete (n=73) and palliative (n=35) chemotherapy (p=0.0001); 21.4±2.5, 11.6±2.7 and 8.5±2.3 in epithelioid, biphasic and sarcomatoid histotypes (p=0.0001); 26.3±3.3 and 12.4±2.5 in moderate and severe nuclear atypia (p=0.0001); 26±3.4 and 9.9±1,3 in low (≤ 5 mm2) and high (> 5 mm2) mitotic count (p=0.0001); 27.2±3.4 and 9.1±1.1 in low (≤ 25%) and high (> 25%) Ki-67 expression (p=0.0001); 35.8±7.7 in absence of p16/CDKN2A deletion, 17.4±3.4 in heterozygous and 8.9±1.9 in homozygous deletion (p=0.0001). Mean survival (months) in patients receiving complete chemotherapy compared to those receiving palliative one was: stage I 30.7±5.4 and 8.2±4.4 (p=0.0001), stage II 25.8±5.3 and 4.2±1.0 (p=0.0001), stage III 25.2±6.8 and 3.0±0.4 (p=0.0001), stage IV 17.7±2.5 and 3.8±0.7 (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Age, stage, chemotherapy, histotype, nuclear atypias, mitoses, proliferating index and loss of 9p21 gene are predictors of survival in MPM and strongly influence the therapeutic strategy. Chemotherapy significantly affects survival in different stages of MPM

Endoscopic removal of tracheobronchial foreign bodies: results on a series of 51 pediatric patients

Purpose: Rigid bronchoscopy (RB) is still considered the gold standard approach for the removal of airway foreign bodies (FBs) in children; however, flexible bronchoscopy (FOB) has recently been proposed both as diagnostic and therapeutic means. Our purpose was to evaluate the outcomes of FOB, associated with the Dormia basket, for the removal of FBs. Methods: Retrospective data about 124 children who underwent bronchoscopy for the suspicion of a FB aspiration between January 2008 and January 2019 in our department were collected. Results: In a total of 51 cases, FBs were removed through FOB or RB associated with forceps or Dormia basket. Male to female ratio was 1.8:1, mean age 30 ± 26.1 months. Thirty-four (67%) FBs were directly removed through FOB, in most of the cases using Dormia basket and twelve (23%) patients underwent RB. The overall left-versus-right distribution was 57% vs. 43%. The mean retrieval procedural time was 36.29 ± 24.99 min for FOB and 52.5 ± 29.74 min for RB; the success rate of the procedures was 97% vs. 67%. Conclusion: FOB can be used not only as a diagnostic procedure, but also as the first method for the removal of airway FBs. The Dormia basket is a useful tool, especially to remove peripherally located FBs

CT angiography-based collateral flow and time to reperfusion are strong predictors of outcome in endovascular treatment of patients with stroke

Collateral flow (CF) is an effective predictor of outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with potential to sustain the ischemic penumbra. However, the clinical prognostic value of CF in patients with AIS undergoing mechanical thrombectomy has not been clearly established. We evaluated the relationship of CF with clinical outcomes in patients with large artery anterior circulation AIS treated with mechanical thrombectomy

Multidisciplinary Approach in the Treatment of Descending Necrotizing Mediastinitis: Twenty-Year Single-Center Experience

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is an acute, rare, severe condition with high mortality, but the optimal management protocol is still controversial. We retrospectively analyzed the results of multidisciplinary management in patients treated for DNM at our center over the last twenty years. Fifteen male patients, mean age 49.07 ± 14.92 years, were treated: 9 with cervico-pharyngeal etiopathogenesis, 3 peri-tonsillar/tonsillar, 2 odontogenic, 1 post-surgical; 6 with DNM type I, 6 with type IIA, and 3 with type IIB (Endo’s classification). Mean time between diagnosis and treatment was 2.24 ± 1.61 days. In all cases, mediastinum drainage via thoracotomy was performed after neck drainage via cervicotomy, associated with tooth treatment in two; one required re-operation; tracheostomy was necessary in 9, temporary intensive care unit stay in 4; 6 developed complications, without post-operative mortality. Main isolated germs were Staphylococci and Candida; 7 had polymicrobial infection. The most used antibiotics were meropenem, metronidazole, teicoplanin, third-generation cephalosporins and clyndamicin; anti-fungal drugs were fluconazole, caspofungin and anidulafungin. On multivariate analysis, presence of cardiovascular disease was statistically significantly associated with longer chest tube duration and hospital stay. DNM requires early diagnosis and treatment to reduce mortality and morbidity. The most effective treatment should provide a multidisciplinary approach, combining cervicotomy and thoracotomy to drain all infectious collections with administration and monitoring of the proper antimicrobial therapy