Feasibility tests of transmission x-ray photoelectron emission microscopy of wet samples

We performed feasibility tests of photoelectron emission spectromicroscopy of wet samples in the water window (285-532 eV) soft x-ray spectral region. Water was successfully confined in an ultrahigh vacuum compatible compartment with x-ray transparent sides. This water cell was placed in the MEPHISTO spectromicroscope in a transmission geometry, and complete x-ray absorption spectra of the water window region were acquired. We also show micrographs of test samples, mounted outside of the compartment, and imaged through the water. This technique can be used to study liquid chemistry and, at least to the micron level, the microstructure of wet samples. Possibilities include cells in water or buffer, proteins in solution, oils of tribological interest, liquid crystals, and other samples not presently accessible to the powerful x-ray photoelectron emission spectromicroscopy technique

Professional activities of parents of High School students applicants to Health Sciences Courses

Modelo do estudo: Estudo baseado em coleta de informações por meio de Questionário Estruturado. Objetivo do estudo: Verificar indicadores da situação econômica e cultural das famílias de alunos do segundo grau que pleiteiam o ingresso em cursos destinados a formar profissionais da saúde. Metodologia: Questionários auto-administrados foram respondidos por 256 estudantes do segundo grau, visitantes de Feira das Profissões da USP (FPUSP-interior). Esses questionários continham perguntas relativas ao tipo de escola que frequentavam e as atividades laborais de seus genitores. Os 108 estudantes de Escolas Públicas constituíram o Grupo 1 e os 148 alunos de Escolas Particulares formaram o Grupo 2. Resultados: A atividade profissional paterna mais frequente no Grupo 1 foi a de “Técnico Manual”(42,15%) e no Grupo 2 a de “Profissional de Nível Universitário” (24,11%). O maior grupo de mães do Grupo 1 foi composto por “Donas de Casa” (22,33%) seguido pelo das que exerciam “Outras Profissões Manuais”( 21,36%). No Grupo 2 a categoria mais frequente para as mães foi “Profissionais de Nível Universitário” (23,18%) seguida por “Professores e Diretores de Escolas” (19,56%). Cinco participantes do Grupo 1 e 27 do Grupo 2 eram filhos de Profissionais da Saúde. Conclusões: Apesar das diferenças das atividades laborais predominantes em cada um dos grupos estudados, os resultados confirmam que aspiração de se tornar um Profissional da Saúde independe da formação ou das profissões dos pais.Study design: Study based on collection of information by means of a Structured Questionnaire. Objective of the study: To determine indicators of the economic and cultural situation of the families of high school students who intend to enroll in courses for the formation of health professionals. Methodology: Self-report questionnaires were answered by 256 high school students who were visiting the Professions Fair of USP (FPUSP- inland). The questionnaires contained questions about the type of school the students frequented and the work activities of their parents. Group 1 consisted of 108 Public School students and Group 2 consisted of 148 Private School students. Results: The most frequent paternal professional activity was “Manual Technician” (42.15%) for Group 1 and “University Level Professional” (24.11%) for Group 2 . The largest group of mothers in Group 1 consisted of “Housewives” (22.33%), followed by the group of mothers who had “Other Manual Professions” (21.36%). In Group 2, the most frequent category for the mothers was “University Level Professional” (23.18%), followed by “Teachers and Directors of Schools” (19.56%). Five participants in Group 1 and 27 in Group 2 were children of Health Professionals. Conclusions: Despite the differences in the work activities predominating in each group studied, the results confirm the ambition to become a Health Professional regardless of the training or profession of the parent

Clinical validation of 13-Gene DNA methylation analysis from oral brushing: a non invasive sampling procedure for early detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma. A multicentric study

1. Introduction In a recent study our research group described a non-invasive sampling procedure based on DNA methylation analysis of a set of 13 genes with a high level of accuracy (sensitivity 96.6%, specificity 100%) in the detection of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (OSCC) [1]. The purpose of the present study was to test the diagnostic performance of this non invasive sampling procedure in an italian multicentric study. 2. Materials and Methods Oral brushing specimens were collected in ten different italian units of oral medicine. Each oral medicine unit collected blindly 10 brushing specimens from patients affected by OSCC and an equal number of age and sex-matched healthy controls. 13-gene DNA methylation analysis was performed and each sample was considered positive or negative in relation to a predefined cut-off value. 3. Results 181 out of 200 planned specimens were analyzed. DNA could not be amplified in 4 cases (2.2%). 86/93 (92.5%) specimens derived from OSCC patients were detected as positive and 70/84 (83.3%) specimens derived from healthy donors showed a negative score. 4. Conclusions Data from multicentric study confirmed a high level of sensitivity of our procedure whereas level of specificity is slightly lower if compared to our previous study. These data suggest that our procedure may be proposed as a first level diagnostic test with the aim to avoid a diagnostic delay in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Conflicts of Interest: As a possible conflict of interest, L. Morandi and D.B.G. submitted a patent (the applicant is the University of Bologna) in November 2016 to the National Institute of 398 Industrial Property; however, we believe that this is a natural step of translational research (bench-to-bedside) 399 and guarantee that the scientific results are true. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing 400 interest

Outcomes and Risk Factors for Complications of Laser Ablation for Thyroid Nodules: A Multicenter Study on 1531 Patients

Image-guided laser ablation therapy (LAT) of benign thyroid nodules demonstrated favorable results in randomized trials with fixed modalities of treatment. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and complications of LAT in a large consecutive series of patients from centers using this technique in their routine clinical activity

Genetic Reconstruction of Protozoan rRNA Decoding Sites Provides a Rationale for Paromomycin Activity against Leishmania and Trypanosoma

Aminoglycoside antibiotics target the ribosomal decoding A-site and are active against a broad spectrum of bacteria. These compounds bind to a highly conserved stem-loop-stem structure in helix 44 of bacterial 16S rRNA. One particular aminoglycoside, paromomycin, also shows potent antiprotozoal activity and is used for the treatment of parasitic infections, e.g. by Leishmania spp. The precise drug target is, however, unclear; in particular whether aminoglycoside antibiotics target the cytosolic and/or the mitochondrial protozoan ribosome. To establish an experimental model for the study of protozoan decoding-site function, we constructed bacterial chimeric ribosomes where the central part of bacterial 16S rRNA helix 44 has been replaced by the corresponding Leishmania and Trypanosoma rRNA sequences. Relating the results from in-vitro ribosomal assays to that of in-vivo aminoglycoside activity against Trypanosoma brucei, as assessed in cell cultures and in a mouse model of infection, we conclude that aminoglycosides affect cytosolic translation while the mitochondrial ribosome of trypanosomes is not a target for aminoglycoside antibiotics

High Efficiency Colloidal Quantum Dot Infrared Light Emitting Diodes via Engineering at the Supra-Nanocrystalline Level

Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) deliver a compelling performance in the visible, yet infrared CQD LEDs underperform their visible-emitting counterparts, largely due to their low photoluminescence quantum efficiency. Here we employ a ternary blend of CQD thin film that comprises a binary host matrix that serves to electronically passivate as well as to cater for an efficient and balanced carrier supply to the emitting quantum dot species. In doing so, we report infrared PbS CQD LEDs with an external quantum efficiency of ~7.9% and a power conversion efficiency of ~9.3%, thanks to their very low density of trap states, on the order of 1014 cm−3, and very high photoluminescence quantum efficiency in electrically conductive quantum dot solids of more than 60%. When these blend devices operate as solar cells they deliver an open circuit voltage that approaches their radiative limit thanks to the synergistic effect of the reduced trap-state density and the density of state modification in the nanocomposite.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Long-Lasting Efficacy of Radio Electric Asymmetric Conveyer Neuromodulation Treatment on Functional Dysmetria, an Adaptive Motor Behavior

BackgroundFluctuating asymmetry (FA) is widely defined as the deviation from perfect bilateral symmetry and is considered an epigenetic measure of environmental stress. Rinaldi and Fontani hypothesized that the FA morpho-functional changes originate from an adaptive motor behavior determined by functional alterations in the cerebellum and neural circuits, not caused by a lesion, but induced by environmental stress. They called this phenomenon functional dysmetria (FD). On this premise, they developed the radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC) technology, a neuromodulation technology aimed at optimizing the best neuro-psycho-motor strategies in relation to environmental interaction.AimsPrevious studies showed that specific REAC neuro postural optimization (NPO) treatment can induce stable FD recovery. This study aimed to verify the duration of the NPO effect in inducing the stable FD recovery over timeMaterials and methodsData were retrospectively collected from a population of 29,794 subjects who underwent a specific semiological FD assessment and received the NPO treatment, regardless of the pathology referred.ResultsThe analysis of the data collected by the various participants in the study led us to ascertain the disappearance of FD in 100% of the cases treated, with a stability of the result detected up to 18 years after the single administration of the REAC NPO treatment.ConclusionsThe REAC NPO neurobiological modulation treatment consisting of a single administration surprisingly maintains a very long efficacy in the correction of FD. This effect can be explained as the long-lasting capacity of the NPO treatment to induce greater functional efficiency of the brain dynamics as proven in previous studies

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) from HIV patients’ perspective: comparison of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures among people living with hiv (PLWH) and other chronic clinical conditions

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) are generally known to suffer from a lower quality of life compared to the one of general population, but still very few is known about the self-perception of quality of life when comparing HIV to non-communicable diseases. We performed a comprehensive assessment of patient’s reported outcomes measures (PROMs) among PLWH and patients affected by other chronic conditions (OC) such as diabetes mellitus type 1, rheumatoid arthritis, breast cancer in hormonal therapy, in order to investigate differences in PROMs outcomes between PLWH and other pathologies. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was performed by using questionnaires investigating health-related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey), work productivity (WPI), and global health status (EQ-5D-3L). They were administered to patients affected by chronic diseases consecutively observed at a single University Hospital during a 10 months period, with comparable disease related aspects. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between disease group (HIV vs OC) and PROMs. Results: 230 patients were enrolled (89 PLWH, 143 OC). Mean age: 49 years (SD 10), mean time of disease 12 years (10), 96% were Caucasian, 35% assumed polypharmacy, 42% of male were PLWH versus 16% OC (p < 0.001), 19% PLWH versus 6% OC had clinical complications (p < 0.001). HIV infection was independently associated to a better health-related quality of life in several domains compared with the other conditions, except in mental health, whereas a worst health-related quality of life in most domains was reported by older patients and those experiencing polypharmacy. Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with chronic conditions followed within the same health setting, PLWH showed better self-reported health outcomes compared to other chronic conditions with comparable characteristics of chronicity. The potential detrimental role of older age and polypharmacy in most outcomes suggests the need of longitudinal assessment of PROMs in clinical practice