Impact of trans-stent gradient on outcome after PCI: results from a HAWKEYE substudy

To test whether quantitative flow ratio (QFR)-based trans-stent gradient (TSG) is associated with adverse clinical events at follow-up. A post-hoc analysis of the multi-center HAWKEYE study was performed. Vessels post-PCI were divided into four groups (G) as follows: G1: QFR >= 0.90 TSG = 0 (n = 412, 54.8%); G2: QFR >= 0.90, TSG > 0 (n = 216, 28.7%); G3: QFR < 0.90, TSG = 0 (n = 37, 4.9%); G4: QFR < 0.90, TSG > 0 (n = 86, 11.4%). Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the effect of baseline and prognostic variables. The final reduced model was obtained by backward stepwise variable selection. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was plotted and area under the curve (AUC) was calculated and reported. Overall, 449 (59.8%) vessels had a TSG = 0 whereas (40.2%) had TSG > 0. Ten (2.2%) vessel-oriented composite endpoint (VOCE) occurred in vessels with TSG = 0, compared with 43 (14%) in vessels with TSG > 0 (p < 0.01). ROC analysis showed an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI: 0.67 to 0.80; p < 0.001). TSG > 0 was an independent predictor of the VOCE (HR 2.95 [95% CI 1.77-4.91]). The combination of higher TSG and lower final QFR (G4) showed the worst long-term outcome while low TSG and high QFR showed the best outcome (G1) while either high TSG or low QFR (G2, G3) showed intermediate and comparable outcomes. Higher trans-stent gradient was an independent predictor of adverse events and identified a subgroup of patients at higher risk for poor outcomes even when vessel QFR was optimal (> 0.90)

The spectral imaging facility: Setup characterization

The SPectral IMager (SPIM) facility is a laboratory visible infrared spectrometer developed to support space borne observations of rocky bodies of the solar system. Currently, this laboratory setup is used to support the DAWN mission, which is in its journey towards the asteroid 1-Ceres, and to support the 2018 Exo-Mars mission in the spectral investigation of the Martian subsurface. The main part of this setup is an imaging spectrometer that is a spare of the DAWN visible infrared spectrometer. The spectrometer has been assembled and calibrated at Selex ES and then installed in the facility developed at the INAF-IAPS laboratory in Rome. The goal of SPIM is to collect data to build spectral libraries for the interpretation of the space borne and in situ hyperspectral measurements of planetary materials. Given its very high spatial resolution combined with the imaging capability, this instrument can also help in the detailed study of minerals and rocks. In this paper, the instrument setup is first described, and then a series of test measurements, aimed to the characterization of the main subsystems, are reported. In particular, laboratory tests have been performed concerning (i) the radiation sources, (ii) the reference targets, and (iii) linearity of detector response; the instrumental imaging artifacts have also been investigated. <P /

Off-label long acting injectable antipsychotics in real-world clinical practice: a cross-sectional analysis of prescriptive patterns from the STAR Network DEPOT study

Introduction Information on the off-label use of Long-Acting Injectable (LAI) antipsychotics in the real world is lacking. In this study, we aimed to identify the sociodemographic and clinical features of patients treated with on- vs off-label LAIs and predictors of off-label First- or Second-Generation Antipsychotic (FGA vs. SGA) LAI choice in everyday clinical practice. Method In a naturalistic national cohort of 449 patients who initiated LAI treatment in the STAR Network Depot Study, two groups were identified based on off- or on-label prescriptions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to test several clinically relevant variables and identify those associated with the choice of FGA vs SGA prescription in the off-label group. Results SGA LAIs were more commonly prescribed in everyday practice, without significant differences in their on- and off-label use. Approximately 1 in 4 patients received an off-label prescription. In the off-label group, the most frequent diagnoses were bipolar disorder (67.5%) or any personality disorder (23.7%). FGA vs SGA LAI choice was significantly associated with BPRS thought disorder (OR = 1.22, CI95% 1.04 to 1.43, p = 0.015) and hostility/suspiciousness (OR = 0.83, CI95% 0.71 to 0.97, p = 0.017) dimensions. The likelihood of receiving an SGA LAI grew steadily with the increase of the BPRS thought disturbance score. Conversely, a preference towards prescribing an FGA was observed with higher scores at the BPRS hostility/suspiciousness subscale. Conclusion Our study is the first to identify predictors of FGA vs SGA choice in patients treated with off-label LAI antipsychotics. Demographic characteristics, i.e. age, sex, and substance/alcohol use co-morbidities did not appear to influence the choice towards FGAs or SGAs. Despite a lack of evidence, clinicians tend to favour FGA over SGA LAIs in bipolar or personality disorder patients with relevant hostility. Further research is needed to evaluate treatment adherence and clinical effectiveness of these prescriptive patterns

The Role of Attitudes Toward Medication and Treatment Adherence in the Clinical Response to LAIs: Findings From the STAR Network Depot Study

Background: Long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotics are efficacious in managing psychotic symptoms in people affected by severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The present study aimed to investigate whether attitude toward treatment and treatment adherence represent predictors of symptoms changes over time. Methods: The STAR Network \u201cDepot Study\u201d was a naturalistic, multicenter, observational, prospective study that enrolled people initiating a LAI without restrictions on diagnosis, clinical severity or setting. Participants from 32 Italian centers were assessed at three time points: baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Psychopathological symptoms, attitude toward medication and treatment adherence were measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10) and the Kemp's 7-point scale, respectively. Linear mixed-effects models were used to evaluate whether attitude toward medication and treatment adherence independently predicted symptoms changes over time. Analyses were conducted on the overall sample and then stratified according to the baseline severity (BPRS &lt; 41 or BPRS 65 41). Results: We included 461 participants of which 276 were males. The majority of participants had received a primary diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder (71.80%) and initiated a treatment with a second-generation LAI (69.63%). BPRS, DAI-10, and Kemp's scale scores improved over time. Six linear regressions\u2014conducted considering the outcome and predictors at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up independently\u2014showed that both DAI-10 and Kemp's scale negatively associated with BPRS scores at the three considered time points. Linear mixed-effects models conducted on the overall sample did not show any significant association between attitude toward medication or treatment adherence and changes in psychiatric symptoms over time. However, after stratification according to baseline severity, we found that both DAI-10 and Kemp's scale negatively predicted changes in BPRS scores at 12-month follow-up regardless of baseline severity. The association at 6-month follow-up was confirmed only in the group with moderate or severe symptoms at baseline. Conclusion: Our findings corroborate the importance of improving the quality of relationship between clinicians and patients. Shared decision making and thorough discussions about benefits and side effects may improve the outcome in patients with severe mental disorders

La trasformazione industriale di frutta ed ortaggi

Indice 1. Struttura e produzione dell'industria delle conserve e semiconserve alimentari 2. Definizione di conserva e semiconserva 3. La conservazione degli alimenti mediante l'uso del calore 4. La conservazione degli alimenti mediante l'uso del sale 5. La conservazione degli alimenti mediante acidificazione 6. Ruolo dell'olio negli alimenti conservati 7. La conservazione degli alimenti mediante l'uso degli zuccheri 8. Le principali operazioni dell'industria delle conserve vegetali (il lavaggio, la cernita, la calibratura, la snocciolatura, la pelatura, la scottatura, la concentrazione mediante evaporazione, il riempimento dei contenitori, il liquido di governo, la degasatura, chiusura dei contenitori, trattamento termico, conservazione del prodotto finito 9. Processi di trasformazione (pomodoro, piselli appertizzati, fagiolini appertizzati, sottaceti e prodotti fermentati, legumi reidratati appertizzati al naturale, confetture, gelatine e marmellate, succhi e nettari di frutta, trasformazione industriale degli agrumi, conserve di frutta allo sciroppo, i canditi 10. Il contenitore classico delle conserve (la banda stagnata

La presenza italiana nella pubblicistica scientifica del settore delle scienze e delle tecnologie alimentari

L’ indagine ha analizzato il contributo italiano nell’ambito di tutte le recensioni FSTA, nel periodo 1990-2004. Sono state impiegate alcune tecniche avanzate di interrogazione del data-base elettronico FSTA, basate su operatori booleani, al fine di caratterizzare il contributo nazionale e di isolare il contributo dei principali centri di ricerca nazionali. L’indagine è stata completata nel mese di marzo 2005, con riferimento alle referenze censite entro il 2004. Il contributo italiano “accertabile” in ambito FSTA assomma ad oltre 11.000 referenze (11.172 per la preci-sione). E’ un contributo consolidato (circa 800-1000 riferimenti/anno), allineato con quello degli altri 2 Paesi mediterranei più importanti (Francia, oltre 11.000 riferimenti; Spagna, oltre 12.000), di circa un terzo inferiore a quello britannico (oltre 17.000) e tedesco (circa 19.000). Nella “classifica” internazionale la ricerca italiana nel settore è al 7° posto, preceduta, oltre che dai 4 Paesi europei menzionati, ovviamente da USA (circa 50.000 riferimenti) e Giappone (circa 20.000). Buona parte dei contributi italiani in ambito FSTA è pubblicata in lingua italiana, con riferimento ad un gruppo di riviste nazionali “storiche” recensite dall’IFIS. Il quadro italiano di contribuzione alla pubblicistica del settore alimentare ha subito dei mutamenti nel perio-do considerato in questa indagine, come si evince ripartendo i riferimenti nazionali sulla base del campo “Subject Code”, impiegato da FSTA per caratterizzare il sottosettore tematico o merceologico dei contributi. Se, ad esempio, nel periodo 1991-92 oltre il 25% dei contributi italiani riguardava studi relativi alle bevande alcoliche e non, oggi questa “specializzazione” è decisamente meno evidente. Per contro si assiste ad un incremento, talora percentualmente significativo, dei lavori concernenti, oltre alle scienze alimentari di base, settori quali grassi e derivati, cereali e derivati, carne, e settori più innovativi quali il “food packaging” e gli additivi e spezie. Considerando la classifica illustrata in figura 5 emerge comunque una costante presenza nei settori strategici per la vocazione nazionale del comparto: latte e formaggi, cereali e derivati, bevande al-coliche e non, frutta ed ortaggi, ai quali si aggiungono oggi quelli della carne, dei cereali e dei grassi. Un’ulteriore elaborazione ha riguardato il contributo italiano in ambito FSTA in funzione delle istituzioni di appartenenza degli autori. Degli oltre 11.000 riferimenti , oltre 6.600 (circa 60%) provengono dall’Università, poco più di 2000 (18% del totale) dalle Agenzie Governative (Istituti Superiori, Stazioni Sperimentali, labora-tori di controllo, includendo in questa categoria anche gli Istituti Zooprofilattici, che hanno una configurazione istituzionale a metà strada fra ministeriale e regionale), 550 (5%) da Agenzie Regionali (ARPA, USL, Centri regionali, Centri Ospedalieri IRCSS, etc.), oltre 400 (4% del totale) dai Centri e Laboratori CNR, circa 350 dalla sede FAO di Roma (in questo caso si tratta di riferimenti impropriamente attribuiti ad una origine “na-zionale”), 80 circa dalle sedi italiane di Agenzie Europee, mentre 1.000 circa (9% del totale) sono i riferimenti riconducibili ad aziende e centri privati, incluso l’UNI, che da solo contribuisce con 150 riferimenti