Field emission from two-dimensional GeAs

GeAs is a layered material of the IV-V groups that is attracting growing attention for possible applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this study, exfoliated multilayer GeAs nanoflakes are structurally characterized and used as the channel of back-gate field-effect transistors. It is shown that their gate-modulated p-type conduction is decreased by exposure to light or electron beam. Moreover, the observation of a field emission current demonstrates the suitability of GeAs nanoflakes as cold cathodes for electron emission and opens up new perspective applications of two-dimensional GeAs in vacuum electronics. Field emission occurs with a turn-on field of ~80 V/{\mu}m and attains a current density higher than 10 A/cm^2, following the general Fowler-Nordheim model with high reproducibility.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

The Holocaust Is a Significant and Independent Risk Factor of Late-Onset Cancers: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Original Data on Jewish Israeli, Jewish Non-Israeli and Non-Jewish Non-Israeli Survivors.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Seventy-six years after Auschwitz Liberation, the Holocaust keeps on persecuting its surviving victims. As witnessed by the psychiatric and medical literature in the last decades, in fact, the Holocaust survivors (HS) appear to suffer from several Shoah-related late-onset diseases impacting their survival, such as internal illnesses and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Cancer represents a further severe pathology which seems to be connected with the Holocaust experience. Our aim was to review the existing knowledge of Holocaust-related cancer in HS in order to assess its real incidence and clinicoprognostic significance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We systematically reviewed the literature dealing with Israeli Jewish and non-Jewish non-Israeli HS developing cancer. We also reviewed and analyzed the cancer data of noted Jewish HS not resident or having resided in Israel available as public information. RESULTS: We found 16 and 15 studies on Israeli Jews and non-Jewish non-Israeli survivors, respectively. A statistically significant association between the Holocaust and development of late-onset cancer in HS was seen in most studies with cancer adversely impacting the survival. We also selected 330 noted Jewish non-Israeli HS: genocide-related late-onset cancer resulted to be a significant and independent risk factor of poor prognosis (p<0.0001) imparting shorter survival in affected versus non-cancer subjects (57 versus 64 years, respectively, p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: Although 76 years have passed, our review shows how the Holocaust keeps on burdening its survivors. Moreover, we offered the first analysis of Jewish HS not resident or having resided in Israel in terms of genocide-related late-onset diseases focusing on cancer. Further studies on Jewish non-Israeli HS are needed in order to corroborate our findings on late-onset cancer occurring in this targeted population

Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) varietal assortment and evolution in the Marche region (central Italy)

14openInternationalItalian coauthor/editorItaly is one of the richest countries in terms of grapevine varietal assortment, and the Marche region in central Italy has an ancient winegrowing tradition. Increasing interest in autochthonous grapevine varieties prompted efforts to recover and identify local minor germplasm also in this region, and to search for pedigree relationships and determine the evolution of varietal assortment. In the present study this was done using nuclear and chloroplast microsatellite markers and SNP markers from the Vitis18kSNP chip. Eighteen new genotypes were found, of which seventeen belonged to well-known, less known and even unknown vines found to be specific to the Marche region. The rearranged pedigree highlighted the complex intertwining relationships between Marche varieties. Second-degree relationships were also derived. Some minor Marche varieties have increased the number of parent-offspring related members of Garganega, Sangiovese, Crepolino/Visparola and Sciaccarello, which are varieties already recognised as founders or recurrent parents of many Italian cultivars. Crepolino/Visparola was shown to be a key variety in the evolution of the Marche varietal assortment, having played the role of parent and grandparent, as explained by the presence of this genotype in the region in ancient times. Surprisingly, Semidano, a well-known Sardinian variety, played a clear role as parent or grandparent of three minor Marche varieties, testifying to its presence in central Italy in ancient times. Incrocio Bruni 54 was confirmed as an offspring of Sauvignon and Verdicchio, as declared by the breeder. The parentage of Lacrima was completed: this variety was found to be a spontaneous cross between Nera Rada and Aleatico. A dendrogram of genetic similarity clearly resembled the groups defined with the pedigree reconstruction and it gave an indication of the genetic similarity of the varieties excluded from the strictest parentage links.openCrespan, Manna; Migliaro, Daniele; Larger, Simone; Pindo, Massimo; Palmisano, Massimo; Manni, Alvise; Manni, Elisa; Polidori, Enzo; Sbaffi, Francesco; Silvestri, Quintilio; Silvestroni, Oriana; Velasco, Riccardo; Virgili, Settimio; Camilli, GiuseppeCrespan, M.; Migliaro, D.; Larger, S.; Pindo, M.; Palmisano, M.; Manni, A.; Manni, E.; Polidori, E.; Sbaffi, F.; Silvestri, Q.; Silvestroni, O.; Velasco, R.; Virgili, S.; Camilli, G

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases’ cosegregation: epidemiological features

Life expectancy in Italy is estimated to rise to 77.9 and 84.4 years in next years. Increased life expectancy is associated with a greater frailty of elderly people and an increased prevalence of chronic and degenerative illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. The impact of osteoporotic hip fractures in Italy is very similar to that of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and there is a need for further epidemiological investigations concerning both the pathologies, as well as for a better understanding of possible mechanisms of their cosegregation. Actually, calcium metabolism is involved both in the development of osteoporosis and in the raise of cardiovascular risk. We have reviewed the most recent publications concerning epidemiological trends of both osteoporosis and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and also the trials addressing cosegregation of these pathologies. According to the publications examined, in the Italian population (both ³ 45 and > 65 years old), the number of hospitalizations following hip fracture and AMI are comparable. Both hip fractures and cardiovascular diseases represent in Italy a serious medical problem and a leading health cost driver, according to what has already been reported for many other Countries in the industrialized world, thus requiring a global clinical approach. Low calcium intake could represent one of the possible pathogenic paths underlining the association between hypertension and osteoporosis. Low calcium serum levels has been proved to enhance PTH and vitamin D3 production, which result in a remarkable lypogenesis performed by adypocites and switch on mechanisms leading to the raise of blood systolic pressure, the development of atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular events. Although many trials have suggested that bone mineral density may be included in the list of cardiovascular risk factors, more studies are needed in order to deeply investigate the causal relationships between calcium metabolism and cardiovascular diseases

COVID-19 Severity in Multiple Sclerosis: Putting Data Into Context

Background and objectives: It is unclear how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the severity of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to compare COVID-19-related outcomes collected in an Italian cohort of patients with MS with the outcomes expected in the age- and sex-matched Italian population. Methods: Hospitalization, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and death after COVID-19 diagnosis of 1,362 patients with MS were compared with the age- and sex-matched Italian population in a retrospective observational case-cohort study with population-based control. The observed vs the expected events were compared in the whole MS cohort and in different subgroups (higher risk: Expanded Disability Status Scale [EDSS] score &gt; 3 or at least 1 comorbidity, lower risk: EDSS score ≤ 3 and no comorbidities) by the χ2 test, and the risk excess was quantified by risk ratios (RRs). Results: The risk of severe events was about twice the risk in the age- and sex-matched Italian population: RR = 2.12 for hospitalization (p &lt; 0.001), RR = 2.19 for ICU admission (p &lt; 0.001), and RR = 2.43 for death (p &lt; 0.001). The excess of risk was confined to the higher-risk group (n = 553). In lower-risk patients (n = 809), the rate of events was close to that of the Italian age- and sex-matched population (RR = 1.12 for hospitalization, RR = 1.52 for ICU admission, and RR = 1.19 for death). In the lower-risk group, an increased hospitalization risk was detected in patients on anti-CD20 (RR = 3.03, p = 0.005), whereas a decrease was detected in patients on interferon (0 observed vs 4 expected events, p = 0.04). Discussion: Overall, the MS cohort had a risk of severe events that is twice the risk than the age- and sex-matched Italian population. This excess of risk is mainly explained by the EDSS score and comorbidities, whereas a residual increase of hospitalization risk was observed in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and a decrease in people on interferon

DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;2.05, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.39–3.02, p&nbsp;&lt;&nbsp;0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.42, 95%CI&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.18–0.99, p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

The sapheno-femoral junction valvuloplasty in the post-thrombotic syndrome: a proposal with the use of a new device

Before developing deep venous thrombosis (DVT), most patients suffering from postthrombotic syndrome (PTS) have a normal great saphenous vein (GSV). After DVT, the GSV plays a vicarious function, but many patients develop secondary varicose veins (VVs) and the previous positive contribution of the GSV vanishes. In these cases the ablative strategy is generally implemented with positive results in the short-term, but commonly with late varicose recurrences. In two cases the authors preferred a different approach to preserve and recover the GSV vicarious function by sapheno-femoral junction (SFJ) valvuloplasty. Out of 43 cases we treated with SFJ stretching valvuloplasty performed with the new OSES device (V-OSES), we proposed this operation to two patients (A and B) suffering from PTS and secondary VVs at an early stage, classified as C3 and C4 (Clinical-Etiology-Anatomy- Pathophysiology classification, CEAP). In the VOSES operation a gentle stretching force is applied onto the apex of the opposite valve commisures so that the valve cross-section becomes oval and the cusp’s length excess is retrieved. The operation was performed on the SFJ valve having incompetent, but floating cusps visible on ultrasound (US) scan. This reparative technique was undertaken under local anesthesia and was combined with disconnection of the incompetent tributaries and/or perforators. The US-duplex scanning showed that the SFJ valves were competent at month 16 (B) and 20 (A) follow-up after surgery and the GSV vicarious function was preserved. The stretching valvuloplasty operation is intended to repair the SFJ valve incompetence and preserve the GSV vicarious function. This approach may be useful in primary VVs, but especially in PTS when superficial reflux appears and secondary VVs are at early stage. The SFJ reparative operation may be combined with the conventional GSV conservative strategies, including incompetent tributaries ablation/ disconnection. This approach does not seem to have been already reported in the literature and needs further confirmation