Could SARS-CoV-2 Have Bacteriophage Behavior or Induce the Activity of Other Bacteriophages?

SARS-CoV-2 has become one of the most studied viruses of the last century. It was assumed that the only possible host for these types of viruses was mammalian eukaryotic cells. Our recent studies show that microorganisms in the human gastrointestinal tract affect the severity of COVID-19 and for the first time provide indications that the virus might replicate in gut bacteria. In order to further support these findings, in the present work, cultures of bacteria from the human microbiome and SARS-CoV-2 were analyzed by electron and fluorescence microscopy. The images presented in this article, in association with the nitrogen (15N) isotope-labeled culture medium experiment, suggest that SARS-CoV-2 could also infect bacteria in the gut microbiota, indicating that SARS-CoV-2 could act as a bacteriophage. Our results add new knowledge to the understanding of the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and fill gaps in the study of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and non-mammalian cells. These findings could be useful in suggesting specific new pharmacological solutions to support the vaccination campaign

Production test of microstrip detector and electronic frontend modules for the STAR and ALICE trackers

We revisit Shin et al.’s leakage-resilient password-based authenticated key establishment protocol (LR-AKEP) and the security model used to prove the security of LR-AKEP. By refining the Leak oracle in the security model, we show that LR-AKE (1) can, in fact, achieve a stronger notion of leakage-resilience than initially claimed and (2) also achieve an additional feature of traceability, not previously mentioned

Genotypic classification of patients with Wolfram syndrome: insights into the natural history of the disease and correlation with phenotype

Purpose: Wolfram syndrome is a degenerative, recessive rare disease with an onset in childhood. It is caused by mutations in WFS1 or CISD2 genes. More than 200 different variations in WFS1 have been described in patients with Wolfram syndrome, which complicates the establishment of clear genotype-phenotype correlation. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the role of WFS1 mutations and update the natural history of the disease. Methods: This study analyzed clinical and genetic data of 412 patients with Wolfram syndrome published in the last 15 years. Results: (i) 15% of published patients do not fulfill the current ­inclusion criterion; (ii) genotypic prevalence differences may exist among countries; (iii) diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy might not be the first two clinical features in some patients; (iv) mutations are nonuniformly distributed in WFS1; (v) age at onset of diabetes mellitus, hearing defects, and diabetes insipidus may depend on the patient"s genotypic class; and (vi) disease progression rate might depend on genotypic class. Conclusion: New genotype-phenotype correlations were established, disease progression rate for the general population and for the genotypic classes has been calculated, and new diagnostic criteria have been proposed. The conclusions raised could be important for patient management and counseling as well as for the development of treatments for Wolfram syndrome

Image-guided multisession radiosurgery of skull base meningiomas

Background: The efficacy of single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (sSRS) for the treatment of intracranial meningioma is widely recognized. However, sSRS is not always feasible in cases of large tumors and those lying close to critically radiation-sensitive structures. When surgery is not recommended, multi-session stereotactic radiosurgery (mSRS) can be applied. Even so, the efficacy and best treatment schedule of mSRS are not yet established. The aim of this study is to validate the role of mSRS in the treatment of skull base meningiomas. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients with skull base meningiomas treated with mSRS (two to five fractions) at the University of Messina, Italy, from 2008 to 2018, was conducted. Results: 156 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median follow-up period was 36.2 \ub1 29.3 months. Progression-free survival at 2-, 5-, and 10-years was 95%, 90%, and 80.8%, respectively. There were no new visual or motor deficits, nor cranial nerves impairments, excluding trigeminal neuralgia, which was reported by 5.7% of patients. One patient reported carotid occlusion and one developed brain edema. Conclusion: Multisession radiosurgery is an effective approach for skull base meningiomas. The long-term control is comparable to that obtained with conventionally-fractionated radiotherapy, while the toxicity rate is very limited

Diagnostic Performance of CLEIA Versus FEIA for KL-6 Peripheral and Alveolar Concentrations in Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Multicentre Study

Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) is a group of lung disorders characterized by interstitial lung thickening due to in-flammatory and fibrotic processes. Krebs von den Lungen-6 (KL-6) is a molecule secreted by damaged type II alveolar pneumo-cytes in the alveolar space. The goal of the present study was to compare two detection methods of KL-6 in both bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and serum from ILD patients at the moment of diagnosis. Methods: Patients with suspicious of ILD and followed at two Italian referral centres for rare lung diseases were included in the study. BAL fluid and serum were collected and analysed by chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA) and fluorescent enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) methods provided by Tosoh Biosciences. Results: A total of 158 (mean age +/- standard deviation, 61.5 +/- 13.7, 65 females) patients were enrolled. A total of, 36 had diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), 74 sarcoidosis, 15 connective tissue disease-ILD (CTD-ILD) and 33 other ILD. Diagnostic agreement between two methods was demonstrated for both BAL (r = 0.707, p < 0.0001) and serum (r = 0.816, p < 0.0001). BAL KL-6 values were lower than serum (p < 0.0001). IPF patients had higher serum KL-6 concentration than other ILDs (p = 0.0294), while BAL KL-6 values were lower in IPF than in non-IPF (p = 0.0023). Conclusion: This study explored KL-6 concentrations through the CLEIA method in serum and BAL of patients with various ILDs, showing significant differences of biomarkers concentrations between IPF and other non-IPF ILDs. Our findings are promising as they provided further knowledge concerning KL-6 expression across different ILDs and may suggest its utility in differential diagnosi

Giant secreting adrenal myelolipoma in a man: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign neoplasm that is usually asymptomatic, unilateral and nonsecreting. It develops within the adrenal gland and is composed of mature adipose tissue with elements of the hematopoietic series. We describe the case of what is, to the best of our knowledge, one of the largest secreting adrenal myelolipomas reported in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 52-year-old Caucasian man of medium build who had had moderate hypertension for three years presented to our hospital. He had no other significant symptoms. His hypertension was pharmacologically treated. He came to our hospital to undergo abdominal ultrasonography during a clinical checkup. The ultrasound scan showed the presence of a voluminous hyperechoic mass interposed between the spleen and the left kidney. It was reported as a myelolipoma of the left kidney on the basis of its structural characteristics and position. Computed tomography confirmed our diagnosis. All preoperative biochemical tests were normal, with the exception of high serum cortisol, which was being overproduced by the lesion and was probably responsible for the patient's hypertension. He underwent successful surgery, and his postoperative course was uneventful. The pathologic examination of the lesion confirmed the diagnosis of adrenal myelolipoma. The patient's blood pressure returned to within the normal range.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The "incidental" discovery of an adrenal mass requires careful diagnostic study to plan adequate therapeutic management. Both of the primary investigations at our disposal, ultrasound and blood tests (adrenal hormones), helped in rendering the diagnosis and allowed us to move toward the most appropriate treatment, taking into account the size of the tumor and its probable hormonal production.</p

Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) and behavior impairment: Comorbidity or specific profile?

Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in perceiving and processing verbal and non-verbal information. It is usually accompanied by impaired academic skills leading to school dropout and emotional disturbances, resulting in significant distress and behavioral problems. Methods: A cognitive, academic, and emotional-behavioral assessment was performed at T0 and T1 in children and adolescents with SLD. Participants received psychotherapy and speech therapy treatment from T0 to T1. Results: In SLD,the most compromised cognitive functions were working memory and writing skills. An impact on academic abilities was found. Children and adolescents with SLD experience greater anxiety and depression levels compared to their control peers. Conclusions: SLD may adversely influence psychological well-being. To counteract such a consequence, more specific cognitive and academic skill-oriented strategies should be taken into consideration