Influenza D virus: Serological evidence in the Italian population from 2005 to 2017

Influenza D virus is a novel influenza virus, which was first isolated from an ailing swine in 2011 and later detected in cattle, suggesting that these animals may be a primary natural reservoir. To date, few studies have been performed on human samples and there is no conclusive evidence on the ability of the virus to infect humans. The aim of this serological study was to assess the prevalence of antibodies against influenza D virus in human serum samples collected in Italy from 2005 to 2017. Serum samples were analysed by haemagglutination inhibition and virus neutralization assays. The results showed that the prevalence of antibodies against the virus increased in the human population in Italy from 2005 to 2017, with a trend characterized by a sharp increase in some years, followed by a decline in subsequent years. The virus showed the ability to infect and elicit an immune response in humans. However, prevalence peaks in humans appear to follow epidemics in animals and not to persist in the human population

Emergence of qualia from brain activity or from an interaction of proto-consciousness with the brain: which one is the weirder? Available evidence and a research agenda

This contribution to the science of consciousness aims at comparing how two different theories can explain the emergence of different qualia experiences, meta-awareness, meta-cognition, the placebo effect, out-of-body experiences, cognitive therapy and meditation-induced brain changes, etc. The first theory postulates that qualia experiences derive from specific neural patterns, the second one, that qualia experiences derive from the interaction of a proto-consciousness with the brain\u2019s neural activity. From this comparison it will be possible to judge which one seems to better explain the different qualia experiences and to offer a more promising research agenda

Consensus Development and Application of ICD-9-CM Codes for Defining Chronic Illnesses and their Complications

Background: One particularly difficult challenge in evaluating disease management (DM) programs is defining the scope of economic outcomes to include in the evaluation. Measuring `all-cause utilization' or `total costs' assumes that a DM intervention impacts the entire spectrum of services rendered and reduces total medical costs, while limiting the evaluation to `disease-specific' costs of the conditions under management may fail to capture any effect the program may have on complications directly related to that primary condition. An acceptable compromise between the two options is to include costs associated with diagnostic codes for the primary condition and those of medical complications directly related to that condition. Objective: To develop consensus on the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes defining the primary conditions and complications of coronary artery disease (CAD), congestive heart failure (CHF), asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: A modified Delphi technique, involving two panels of three physicians each (one consisting of cardiologists and the other of pulmonologists) and a physician consultant, was conducted via email and used to establish 100% consensus on the ICD-9-CM codes to be included in order to capture the appropriate costs for each of the primary conditions considered and their complications. The codes for primary conditions included by the panel were compared with those included in industry references. Results: Total consensus on the codes to be included for each of the primary conditions was reached within three rounds. Near-consensus on the codes to be used for complications for conditions was reached after the first round; however, four additional rounds were required for total consensus. Regarding the primary conditions, greatest agreement between the codes included by the panel and the various industry references was seen for asthma, with poor agreement observed between sources of codes for CAD and CHF. Conclusion: It is suggested that these lists of ICD-9-CM codes developed by consensus be used in evaluations across the industry to define the utilization and/or costs associated with DM interventions. The consistent use of these codes will greatly strengthen the validity of the current evaluation approach and consequently substantiate the value proposition offered by the industry.Asthma, Chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease, Congestive-heart-failure, Coronary-artery-disease, Cost-analysis

"Kant und die 'Kategorien der Freiheit'": recenti discussioni in Germania

Il capitolo della Critica della ragion pratica kantiana intitolato “Tavola delle categorie della libertà, in relazione ai concetti del bene e del male”, a cui quest’anno è stato dedicato il convegno di Bonn “Kant und die 'Kategorien der Freiheit', suscita ancora oggi molti interrogativi: la tavola delle categorie della libertà è sufficiente a ricoprire l’intero dominio pratico, anche quello dell’empiricamente condizionato? E se questo è il caso, qual è il significato del genitivo “della libertà”, a quale concetto di libertà kantiano le categorie devono il loro nome? Sono esse concetti del volere autonomo, riferibili esclusivamente al bene e al male in quanto Gut e Böse o anche al Wohl e al Weh? E dato che “i concetti pratici a p r i o r i […] diventano tosto conoscenze” (KpV A 116), in cosa consiste la conoscenza pratica, e qual è il suo rapporto con la coscienza pratica del soggetto, con il Gewissen? Nel panorama attuale della ricerca kantiana tedesca Heiner F. Klemme, Jochen Bojanowski, Dieter Sturma, José M. Torralba, Christian Krijnen, Stephen Zimmermann e Hans F. Fulda tentano una risposta a tali questioni e apportano un importante contributo alla ricerca attuale sulle problematiche kantiane del giudizio pratico e dei significati della libertà e delle funzioni logiche delle categorie

Treatment of Inflammatory Acne with a Combination Therapy with Lymecycline and Adapalene Followed by Maintenance Treatment with Adapalene

Oral antibiotics, especially tetracyclines, are commonly used to treat moderate to moderately severe acne vulgaris. There are hints suggesting that a combination treatment with oral tetracyclines and topical retinoids can cause a greater and prompter improvement of acne than monotherapy with tetracyclines. We evaluated the clinical activity of a 12-week combined therapy with oral lymecycline (300mg/day for 2 weeks and then 150mg/day) and topical adapalene (gel or cream) in 419 patients with inflammatory acne. A significant reduction in the number of acne lesions was noted at 4 and 12 weeks (P<0.0001). Thereafter, 400 patients underwent a maintenance treatment with adapalene alone for 12 weeks. At week 24 a relevant improvement of acne lesions still persisted (P<0.0001) in most patients. Only 16 patients relapsed and required additional use of oral lymecycline which proved again successful. No substantial differences were noted in the magnitude of clinical response between patients treated with adapalene gel and those treated with cream formulation. Treatment was well tolerated. Local adverse reactions occurred in 11.7 % of patients and resulted in premature discontinuation of treatment in 1.4 %. Systemic (gastrointestinal) untoward effects developed in 1.2 % of patients and caused treatment interruption in 0.7 % of cases. No serious adverse events occurred

Treatment of inflammatory acne with a combination therapy with lymecycline and adapalene followed by maintenance treatment with adapalene

Oral antibiotics, especially tetracyclines, are commonly used to treat moderate to moderately severe acne vulgaris. There are hints suggesting that a combination treatment with oral tetracyclines and topical retinoids can cause a greater and prompter improvement of acne than monotherapy with tetracyclines. We evaluated the clinical activity of a 12-week combined therapy with oral lymecycline (300mg/day for 2 weeks and then 150mg/day) and topical adapalene (gel or cream) in 419 patients with inflammatory acne. A significant reduction in the number of acne lesions was noted at 4 and 12 weeks (p<0.0001). Thereafter, 400 patients underwent a maintenance treatment with adapalene alone for 12 weeks. At week 24 a relevant improvement of acne lesions still persisted (p<0.0001) in most patients. Only 16 patients relapsed and required additional use of oral lymecycline which proved again successful. No substantial differences were noted in the magnitude of clinical response between patients treated with adapalene gel and those treated with cream formulation. Treatment was well tolerated. Local adverse reactions occurred in 11.7% of patients and resulted in premature discontinuation of treatment in 1.4%. Systemic (gastrointestinal) untoward effects developed in 1.2% of patients and caused treatment interruption in 0.7% of cases. No serious adverse events occurred. Copyright © by BIOLIFE