Cooperative Intersection Crossing Over 5G

IEEE Autonomous driving is a safety critical application of sensing and decision-making technologies. Communication technologies extend the awareness capabilities of vehicles, beyond what is achievable with the on-board systems only. Nonetheless, issues typically related to wireless networking must be taken into account when designing safe and reliable autonomous systems. The aim of this work is to present a control algorithm and a communication paradigm over 5G networks for negotiating traffic junctions in urban areas. The proposed control framework has been shown to converge in a finite time and the supporting communication software has been designed with the objective of minimizing communication delays. At the same time, the underlying network guarantees reliability of the communication. The proposed framework has been successfully deployed and tested, in partnership with Ericsson AB, at the AstaZero proving ground in Goteborg, Sweden. In our experiments, three heterogeneous autonomous vehicles successfully drove through a 4-way intersection of 235 square meters in an urban scenario

The Trend of CEACAM3 Blood Expression as Number Index of the CTCs in the Colorectal Cancer Perioperative Course

Pathological stage seems to be the major determinant of postoperative prognosis of solid tumors, but additional prognostic determinants need to be better investigated. The most important tumor marker for colorectal cancer (CRC) is the cell-surface antigen, Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), and its assessment is considered a valuable index of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In this paper, CEACAM3 evaluation was applied given its great specificity in the CRC. Whole blood from the basilic vein of 38 CRC patients was collected before and at various time intervals after the curative resection. Also, from 20 of them, we have obtained two additional intraoperative samples. CEACAM3 expression was evaluated in all the samples by RT-PCR. CEACAM3 duct values showed a decreasing trend from preoperative through early and later postoperative to 6th-month samples (p<0.001). The average values of CEACAM3 were related to the cancer size (T stage) (p=0.034) and WHO stage (p=0.035). A significant effect of the baseline value of CEACAM3 dCt on the temporal trend has been observed (p<0.001). In this study, we have demonstrated the CEACAM3 specificity and a perioperative trend of CTCs which is coherent with the clinical/pathological considerations and with previous experimental findings in different cancer types

High Phosphate-Induced JAK-STAT Signalling Sustains Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Inflammation and Limits Calcification

Vascular calcification (VC) is an age-related complication characterised by calcium-phosphate deposition in the arterial wall driven by the osteogenic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The JAK-STAT pathway is an emerging target in inflammation. Considering the relationship between VC and inflammation, we investigated the role of JAK-STAT signalling during VSMC calcification. Human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) were cultured in high-inorganic phosphate (Pi) medium for up to 7 days; calcium deposition was determined via Alizarin staining and colorimetric assay. Inflammatory factor secretion was evaluated via ELISA and JAK-STAT members' activation using Western blot or immunohistochemistry on HASMCs or calcified aortas of Vitamin D-treated C57BL6/J mice, respectively. The JAK-STAT pathway was blocked by JAK Inhibitor I and Von Kossa staining was used for calcium deposits in murine aortic rings. During Pi-induced calcification, HASMCs released IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 and activated JAK1-JAK3 proteins and STAT1. Phospho-STAT1 was detected in murine calcified aortas. Blocking of the JAK-STAT cascade reduced HASMC proliferation and pro-inflammatory factor expression and release while increasing calcium deposition and osteogenic transcription factor RUNX2 expression. Consistently, JAK-STAT pathway inhibition exacerbates mouse aortic ring calcification ex vivo. Intriguingly, our results suggest an alternative link between VSMC inflammation and VC

Effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab in a matched cohort of elderly and nonelderly patients with inflammatory bowel disease: the IG-IBD LIVE study

Background Vedolizumab registration trials were the first to include elderly patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD), but few real-life data have been reported in this population. Aims We investigated the effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab in matched cohorts of elderly and nonelderly UC and CD patients. Methods The Long-term Italian Vedolizumab Effectiveness (LIVE) study is a retrospective-prospective study including UC and CD patients who started vedolizumab from April 2016 to June 2017. Elderly patients (&gt;= 65 years) were matched clinically 1:2 to nonelderly patients (18-64 years); the 2 groups were followed until drug discontinuation or June 2019. Results The study included 198 elderly (108 UC, 90 CD) and 396 matched nonelderly patients (205 UC, 191 CD). Nonelderly UC patients had a significantly higher persistence on vedolizumab compared to elderly patients (67.6% vs. 51.4%, p = 0.02). No significant difference in effectiveness was observed between elderly and nonelderly CD patients (59.4% vs. 52.4%, p = 0.32). Age &gt;= 65 years was associated with lower persistence in UC; for CD, previous exposure to anti-TNF-alpha agents, Charlson comorbidity index &gt;2 and moderate-to-severe clinical activity at baseline were associated with lower persistence. There were recorded 130 adverse events, with comparable rates between the two groups. A Charlson comorbidity index &gt;2 was associated with an increased risk of adverse events. Conclusion Vedolizumab can be considered a safe option in elderly IBD patients. Its effectiveness in elderly UC patients may be reduced, while no age-dependent effect on effectiveness was observed in CD

Lopinavir/Ritonavir and Darunavir/Cobicistat in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: Findings From the Multicenter Italian CORIST Study

Background: Protease inhibitors have been considered as possible therapeutic agents for COVID-19 patients. Objectives: To describe the association between lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) or darunavir/cobicistat (DRV/c) use and in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 patients. Study Design: Multicenter observational study of COVID-19 patients admitted in 33 Italian hospitals. Medications, preexisting conditions, clinical measures, and outcomes were extracted from medical records. Patients were retrospectively divided in three groups, according to use of LPV/r, DRV/c or none of them. Primary outcome in a time-to event analysis was death. We used Cox proportional-hazards models with inverse probability of treatment weighting by multinomial propensity scores. Results: Out of 3,451 patients, 33.3% LPV/r and 13.9% received DRV/c. Patients receiving LPV/r or DRV/c were more likely younger, men, had higher C-reactive protein levels while less likely had hypertension, cardiovascular, pulmonary or kidney disease. After adjustment for propensity scores, LPV/r use was not associated with mortality (HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.13), whereas treatment with DRV/c was associated with a higher death risk (HR = 1.89, 1.53 to 2.34, E-value = 2.43). This increased risk was more marked in women, in elderly, in patients with higher severity of COVID-19 and in patients receiving other COVID-19 drugs. Conclusions: In a large cohort of Italian patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in a real-life setting, the use of LPV/r treatment did not change death rate, while DRV/c was associated with increased mortality. Within the limits of an observational study, these data do not support the use of LPV/r or DRV/c in COVID-19 patients

ALTERAZIONI PRECLINICHE CAROTIDEE E PATTERN PRESSORI IN UNA POPOLAZIONE DI BAMBINI E ADOLESCENTI CON DIABETE MELLITO DI TIPO 1: STUDIO PRELIMINARE

OBIETTIVI Il diabete mellito tipo 1 (DMT1) è caratterizzato da un’ elevata mortalità per cardiovasculopatie e l’ipertensione contribuisce signifi cativamente allo sviluppo e progressione del processo aterosclerotico. Scopo di questo studio è quello di valutare, in bambini e adolescenti con DMT1, la prevalenza di anomalie dei pattern pressori rilevati dal monitoraggio ambulatoriale 24h della pressione arteriosa (ABPM) e di alterazioni morfologiche precliniche carotidee. METODI I soggetti affetti da DMT1, in trattamento insulinico multiiniettivo, normoalbuminurici e con durata di malattia > di 2 anni, sono stati reclutati tra quelli afferenti alla U.O.S. di Diabetologia Pediatrica della U.O.C. Clinica Pediatrica di Palermo. L’ABPM è stato effettuato mediante registratore oscillometrico validato. Lo spessore miointimale carotideo (cIMT) è stato determinato attraverso esame Eco-color-Doppler dei tronchi sovraortici (TSA) RISULTATI Dei 56 soggetti arruolati (26 maschi, età media 14,2 ± 2,8 anni; durata media di malattia 6,1 ± 3,6 anni) il 60% dei soggetti, presentava valori di cIMT > del 95 percentile per l’età e il 62% > del 95 percentile per l’altezza. La valutazione clinica della pressione arteriosa (PA), ha evidenziato valori tensivi compatibili con ipertensione e preipertensione rispettivamente nell’11% e nel 7% dei soggetti. Tra i 24 soggetti sottoposti ad ABPM, l’82% mostrava alterazioni del profi lo circadiano della PA: il 75% aveva un pattern non dipping, (riduzione PAS media notturna PAS media diurna). Dall’analisi comparata dei dati ottenuti dell’ABPM e dalla misurazione della PA “clinica”, è emerso che il 42% dei soggetti erano normotesi, il 29%, aveva un’ ipertensione mascherata, il 21% presentava un’ ipertensione notturna e l’8% aveva un’ipertensione da camice bianco CONCLUSIONI risultati preliminari del nostro studio hanno evidenziato, nei bambini e negli adolescenti con DMT1, un’ elevata prevalenza di elevati valori di cIMT e di anomalie dei profi li pressori all’ABPM con signifi cato clinico rilevante, in quanto forti predittori di forme di ipertensione sostenuta e di eventi cardiovascolari sottolineando l’importanza dell’utilizzo di strumenti affi dabili e poco invasivi, come l’ABPM e la valutazione ecografi ca dei TSA, nella valutazione del rischio cardiovascolare nella popolazione pediatrica con DMT1

Effects of RAGE Deletion on the Cardiac Transcriptome during Aging

Cardiac aging is characterized by increased cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, myocardial stiffness, and fibrosis, which enhance cardiovascular risk. The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) is involved in several age-related diseases. RAGE knockout (Rage&minus;/&minus;) mice show an acceleration of cardiac dimension changes and interstitial fibrosis with aging. This study identifies the age-associated cardiac gene expression signature induced by RAGE deletion. We analyzed the left ventricle transcriptome of 2.5-(Young), 12-(Middle age, MA), and 21-(Old) months-old female Rage&minus;/&minus; and C57BL/6N (WT) mice. By comparing Young, MA, and Old Rage&minus;/&minus; versus age-matched WT mice, we identified 122, 192, and 12 differently expressed genes, respectively. Functional inference analysis showed that RAGE deletion is associated with: (i) down-regulation of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation of exogenous antigen, adaptive immune response, and cellular responses to interferon beta and gamma in Young animals; (ii) up-regulation of genes related to fatty acid oxidation, cardiac structure remodeling and cellular response to hypoxia in MA mice; (iii) up-regulation of few genes belonging to complement activation and triglyceride biosynthetic process in Old animals. Our findings show that the age-dependent cardiac phenotype of Rage&minus;/&minus; mice is associated with alterations of genes related to adaptive immunity and cardiac stress pathways