Fertility preservation in ovarian tumours

A considerable number of patients with a cancer diagnosis are of childbearing age and have not satisfied their desire for a family. Despite ovarian cancer (OC) usually occurring in older patients, 3%–14% are diagnosed at a fertile age with the overall 5-year survival rate being 91.2% in women ≤44 years of age when it is found at 1A–B stage. In this scenario, testing the safety and the efficacy of fertility sparing strategies in OC patients is very important overall in terms of quality of life. Unfortunately, the lack of randomised trials to validate conservative approaches does not guarantee the safety of fertility preservation strategies. However, evidence-based data from descriptive series suggest that in selected cases, the preservation of the uterus and at least one part of the ovary does not lead to a high risk of relapse. This conservative surgery helps to maintain organ function, giving patients of childbearing age the possibility to preserve their fertility. We hereby analysed the main evidence from the international literature on this topic in order to highlight the selected criteria for conservative management of OC patients, including healthy BRCA mutations carriers

DISTRIBUTION OF A NEW VARIANT GII.b/HILVERSUM OF NOROVIRUS IN RETAIL MYTILUS GALLOPROVINCIALIS

Norovirus is a common cause of gastroenteritis outbreaks associated with consumption of raw shellfish. The majority of norovirus infections world-wide are due to genogroup II noroviruses. Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) at the end of the commercial chain, the points of purchase, were sampled and screened by an hemi-nested RT-PCR specific for genogroup II noroviruses. Noroviral RNA was detected in 10% of the samples, with the lower frequency being observed in samples obtained from hypermarkets (8%) rather than in samples from open-air markets and fish shops (16% and 12%, respectively), suggesting more efficient systems of purification and control being enacted by shellfish producers and suppliers of large retail chains. By sequence analysis, the strains were characterized as norovirus variant GII.b/Hilversum

Immuno-inflammatory and thrombotic/fibrinolytic variables associated with acute ischemic stroke diagnosis.

towards diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We enrolled 120 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke and 123 consecutive hospitalized control patients without a diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke. We evaluated plasma levels of IL-1beta, TNF-beta, IL-6 and IL-10, E-selectin, P-selectin, sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 as markers of immuno-inflammatory activation, vWF plasma levels as a marker of endothelial dysfunction, TPA antigen and PAI-1 plasma levels as a marker of a prothrombotic state. RESULTS: TNF-alpha, PAI-1 and TPA on bivariate logistic regression were highly correlated to stroke diagnosis. Among the other variables maintained in the final model ILbeta, Selectin E, were significantly associated with acute ischemic stroke diagnosis, whereas IL-6, VICAM-1, ICAM-1 and neutrophil percentage showed only a slight or no association with stroke diagnosis. Furthermore, only the continuous values of TNF-alpha, PAI-1 and TPA showed a significant predictive value and likelihood ratio, with an area under the ROC curve of 98.6%, 97.1% and 99.9%, respectively. DISCUSSION: Our findings could suggest the high diagnostic power of these immuno-inflammatory and thrombotic/fibrinolytic variables in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Although our results are encouraging, additional studies are needed to establish the validity of this approac

Performance of the diamond active target prototype for the PADME experiment at the DAΦ\PhiNE BTF

The PADME experiment at the DA$\Phi$NE Beam-Test Facility (BTF) is designed to search for the gauge boson of a new $\rm U(1)$ interaction in the process e$^+$e$^-\rightarrow\gamma$+$\rm A'$, using the intense positron beam hitting a light target. The $\rm A'$, usually referred as dark photon, is assumed to decay into invisible particles of a secluded sector and it can be observed by searching for an anomalous peak in the spectrum of the missing mass measured in events with a single photon in the final state. The measurement requires the determination of the 4-momentum of the recoil photon, performed by a homogeneous, highly segmented BGO crystals calorimeter. A significant improvement of the missing mass resolution is possible using an active target capable to determine the average position of the positron bunch with a resolution of less than 1 mm. This report presents the performance of a real size $\rm (2x2 cm^2)$ PADME active target made of a thin (50 $\mu$m) diamond sensor, with graphitic strips produced via laser irradiation on both sides. The measurements are based on data collected in a beam test at the BTF in November 2015.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure

Fotemustine plus etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (FEAM) as a new conditioning regimen for lymphoma patients undergoing auto-SCT: A multicenter feasibility study

BEAM is a widely used conditioning regimen for relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients undergoing auto-SCT. We conducted a multicenter study with an alternative regimen (fotemustine plus etoposide, cytarabine and melphalan (FEAM)) in which BCNU was substituted by the chloroethylnitrosourea fotemustine (FTM). Eighty-four patients with relapsed/refractory Hodgkin's (n20) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n64) were conditioned with a FEAM regimen (FTM 150 mg/m 2 on days -7, -6, etoposide 200 mg/m 2 and cytarabine 400 mg/m 2 on days -5, -4, -3, -2 and melphalan 140 mg/m 2 on day -1). Patients were evaluated for toxicity and engraftment parameters. Median times to neutrophil (500 × 10 9 /l) and plt (20 000 × 10 9 /l) engraftment were 11 and 13 days, respectively. Grade 3 mucositis occurred in 19 patients (23%), while G3 nausea/vomiting and G3 diarrhea were observed in 13 (15%) and 6 (7%) patients, respectively. No severe hepatic, renal or pulmonary toxicity was detected. Seven patients (7%) experienced G4 mucositis, while no other G4 toxicities or unexpected adverse events of any grade were recorded. Transplant-related mortality was 2.4%. We conclude that a FEAM regimen is feasible and safe. Although toxicity and engraftment times compared favorably with BEAM, longer follow-up is needed to evaluate fully its efficacy and long-term safety. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved

Examining the nature of the ultraluminous X-ray source Holmberg II X-1

© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/We present a comprehensive spectral analysis of the ultraluminous X-ray source Holmberg II X-1 using broadband and high-resolution X-ray spectra taken with the XMM-Newton satellite over a period of 19 yr, taking advantage of data from a recent campaign. We tested several models for the broadband spectra, including a double thermal component provided a reasonable description for the continuum between 0.3 and 10 keV and enabled us to constrain the properties of the accretion disc. The luminosity–temperature trends of the inner and outer disc components broadly agree with the expectations for a thin disc, although the exact values of the slopes are slightly sensitive to the adopted model. However, all tested models show L − T trends that deviate from a power law above a bolometric luminosity of about 5 × 1039 erg s−1, particularly for the hot thermal component associated with the inner accretion flow. Assuming that such deviations are due to the accretion rate exceeding its Eddington limit or, most likely, the super-critical rate, a compact object with a mass of 16–36 M⊙ was inferred, specifically, a stellar-mass black hole. The time-averaged (2021) high-resolution spectra present narrow emission lines at 1 keV primarily from Ne IX-X and a very strong at 0.5 keV from N VII, which indicate Ne–N-rich gas with non-solar abundances. This favours a nitrogen-rich donor star, such as a blue or red supergiant, which has escaped from its native stellar cluster characterised by a low-metallicity environment.Peer reviewe

Hepatobiliary disease resection in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: prognostic role and optimal cytoreduction

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety in terms of prognostic significance and perioperative morbidity and mortality of cytoreduction in patients affected by advance ovarian cancer and hepato-biliary metastasis. Methods: Patients with a least one hepatobiliary metastasis who have undergone surgical treatment with curative intent of were considered for the study. Perioperative complications were evaluated and graded with Accordion severity Classification. Five-year PFS and OS were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier curve. Results: Sixty-seven (20.9%) patients had at least one metastasis to the liver, biliary tract, or porta hepatis. Forty-four (65.7%) and 23 (34.3%) patients underwent respectively high and intermediate complexity surgery according. Complete cytoreduction was achieved in 48 (71.6%) patients with hepato-biliary disease. In two patients (2.9%) severe complications related to hepatobiliary surgery were reported. The median PFS for the patients with hepato-biliary involvement (RT = 0 vs. RT > 0) was 19 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 16.2–21.8] and 8 months (95% CI 6.1–9.9). The median OS for the patients with hepato-biliary involvement (RT = 0 vs. RT > 0) 45 months (95% CI 21.2–68.8 months) and 23 months (95% CI 13.9–32.03). Conclusions: Hepatobiliary involvement is often associated with high tumor load and could require high complex multivisceral surgery. In selected patients complete cytoreduction could offer survival benefits. Morbidity related to hepatobiliary procedures is acceptable. Careful evaluation of patients and multidisciplinary approach in referral centers is mandatory

The metal-poor end of the Spite plateau: II. Chemical and dynamical investigation

Context. The study of old, metal-poor stars deepens our knowledge on the early stages of the universe. In particular, the study of these stars gives us a valuable insight into the masses of the first massive stars and their emission of ionising photons. Aims. We present a detailed chemical analysis and determination of the kinematic and orbital properties of a sample of 11 dwarf stars. These are metal-poor stars, and a few of them present a low lithium content. We inspected whether the other elements also present anomalies. Methods. We analysed the high-resolution UVES spectra of a few metal-poor stars using the Turbospectrum code to synthesise spectral lines profiles. This allowed us to derive a detailed chemical analysis of Fe, C, Li, Na, Mg, Al, Si, CaI, CaII, ScII, TiII, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Sr, and Ba. Results. We find excellent coherence with the reference metal-poor First Stars sample. The lithium-poor stars do not present any anomaly of the abundance of the elements other than lithium. Among the Li-poor stars, we show that CS 22882-027 is very probably a blue-straggler. The star CS 30302-145, which has a Li abundance compatible with the plateau, has a very low Si abundance and a high Mn abundance. In many aspects, it is similar to the α-poor star HE 1424-0241, but it is less extreme. It could have been formed in a satellite galaxy and later been accreted by our Galaxy. This hypothesis is also supported by its kinematics