74 research outputs found
As-bearing new mineral species from Valletta mine, Maira Valley, Piedmont, Italy: II. Braccoite, NaMn2+5[Si5AsO17(OH)](OH), description and crystal structure
Adverse events in thyroid surgery: observational study in three surgical units with high volume/year
Background: Thyroid surgery, performed for benign or malignant pathologies, is one of the most frequently performed procedures and its frequency has even been increasing in recent years. Postoperative bleeding, recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy, associated to dysphonia, dysphagia, dyspnea, and hypoparathyroidism represent the most fearful and common complications. We conducted a multicenter, observational study of retrospectively collected data in three high-volume referral centers, enrolling all patients undergone to thyroid surgery between January 2016 and December 2017 in Parma University Hospital, Cagliari University Hospital and Ferrara University Hospital. Materials: Patients were divided into five groups, differentiated thyroid carcinoma, medullary thyroid carcinoma, non-toxic benign pathology, hyperfunctioning benign pathology and NIFTP (Non-invasive Follicular Thyroid neoplasm with Papillary-like nuclear features). A follow up at 7 and 30 days was executed, evaluating the onset of paresthesia, dysphonia and dysphagia. A 6-month follow-up was conducted in cases of early complications. Results: Totally, 1252 patients were eligible for the study: 907 female and 345 male, with a female to male ratio of 2.6:1 and an average age of 53.428. Total thyroidectomy was performed in 1022 cases, lobectomy in 230. After 6 months we recorded paresthesia in 0.5%, dysphonia in 1.8% and dysphagia in 0.5%. Conclusion: Our study confirms once again that a share of morbidity escapes the possibilities of prediction and control by the operator, depending on patient anamnestic, pathological or anatomical factors
Medication use, renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, and acute care utilization after hospitalization in patients with chronic kidney disease.
OBJECTIVES: The aims of this secondary analysis were to: (a) characterize medication use following hospital discharge for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and (b) investigate relationships of medication use with the primary composite outcome of acute care utilization 90 days after hospitalization.
METHODS: The CKD-Medication Intervention Trial (CKD-MIT) enrolled acutely ill hospitalized patients with CKD stages 3-5 not dialyzed (CKD 3-5 ND). In this post hoc analysis, data for medication use were characterized, and the relationship of medication use with the primary outcome was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models.
RESULTS: Participants were taking a mean of 12.6 (standard deviation=5.1) medications, including medications from a wide variety of medication classes. Nearly half of study participants were taking angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB). ACE inhibitor/ARB use was associated with decreased risk of the primary outcome (hazard ratio=0.51; 95% confidence interval 0.28-0.95;
CONCLUSIONS: A large number, variety, and complexity of medications were used by hospitalized patients with CKD 3-5 ND. ACE inhibitor or ARB use at hospital discharge was associated with a decreased risk of 90-day acute care utilization
Characterizing the Near-infrared Spectra of Flares from TRAPPIST-1 During JWST Transit Spectroscopy Observations
We present the first analysis of JWST near-infrared spectroscopy of stellar
flares from TRAPPIST-1 during transits of rocky exoplanets. Four flares were
observed from 0.6--2.8 m with NIRISS and 0.6--3.5 m with NIRSpec
during transits of TRAPPIST-1b, f, and g. We discover P and Br
line emission and characterize flare continuum at wavelengths from 1--3.5
m for the first time. Observed lines include H,
P-P, Br, He I 0.7062m, two Ca II
infrared triplet (IRT) lines, and the He I IRT. We observe a reversed Paschen
decrement from P-P alongside changes in the light curve shapes
of these lines. The continuum of all four flares is well-described by blackbody
emission with an effective temperature below 5300 K, lower than temperatures
typically observed at optical wavelengths. The 0.6--1 m spectra were
convolved with the TESS response, enabling us to measure the flare rate of
TRAPPIST-1 in the TESS bandpass. We find flares of 10 erg large enough
to impact transit spectra occur at a rate of 3.6 flare
d, 10 higher than previous predictions from K2. We measure
the amount of flare contamination at 2 m for the TRAPPIST-1b and f
transits to be 500450 and 2100400 ppm, respectively. We find up to
80% of flare contamination can be removed, with mitigation most effective from
1.0--2.4 m. These results suggest transits affected by flares may still be
useful for atmospheric characterization efforts.Comment: 29 pages, 17 figures, 3 tables, accepted to The Astrophysical Journa
ATOCA: an algorithm to treat order contamination. Application to the NIRISS SOSS mode
After a successful launch, the James Webb Space Telescope is preparing to
undertake one of its principal missions, the characterization of the
atmospheres of exoplanets. The Single Object Slitless Spectroscopy (SOSS) mode
of the Near Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS) is the only
observing mode that has been specifically designed for this objective. It
features a wide simultaneous spectral range (0.6--2.8\,\micron) through two
spectral diffraction orders. However, due to mechanical constraints, these two
orders overlap slightly over a short range, potentially introducing a
``contamination'' signal in the extracted spectrum. We show that for a typical
box extraction, this contaminating signal amounts to 1\% or less over the
1.6--2.8\,\micron\ range (order 1), and up to 1\% over the 0.85--0.95\,\micron\
range (order 2). For observations of exoplanet atmospheres (transits, eclipses
or phase curves) where only temporal variations in flux matter, the
contamination signal typically biases the results by order of 1\% of the
planetary atmosphere spectral features strength. To address this problem, we
developed the Algorithm to Treat Order ContAmination (ATOCA). By constructing a
linear model of each pixel on the detector, treating the underlying incident
spectrum as a free variable, ATOCA is able to perform a simultaneous extraction
of both orders. We show that, given appropriate estimates of the spatial trace
profiles, the throughputs, the wavelength solutions, as well as the spectral
resolution kernels for each order, it is possible to obtain an extracted
spectrum accurate to within 10\,ppm over the full spectral range.Comment: Submitted to PASP. 22 pages, 12 figure
Atmospheric Reconnaissance of TRAPPIST-1 b with JWST/NIRISS: Evidence for Strong Stellar Contamination in the Transmission Spectra
TRAPPIST-1 is a nearby system of seven Earth-sized, temperate, rocky
exoplanets transiting a Jupiter-sized M8.5V star, ideally suited for in-depth
atmospheric studies. Each TRAPPIST-1 planet has been observed in transmission
both from space and from the ground, confidently rejecting cloud-free,
hydrogen-rich atmospheres. Secondary eclipse observations of TRAPPIST-1 b with
JWST/MIRI are consistent with little to no atmosphere given the lack of heat
redistribution. Here we present the first transmission spectra of TRAPPIST-1 b
obtained with JWST/NIRISS over two visits. The two transmission spectra show
moderate to strong evidence of contamination from unocculted stellar
heterogeneities, which dominates the signal in both visits. The transmission
spectrum of the first visit is consistent with unocculted starspots and the
second visit exhibits signatures of unocculted faculae. Fitting the stellar
contamination and planetary atmosphere either sequentially or simultaneously,
we confirm the absence of cloud-free hydrogen-rich atmospheres, but cannot
assess the presence of secondary atmospheres. We find that the uncertainties
associated with the lack of stellar model fidelity are one order of magnitude
above the observation precision of 89 ppm (combining the two visits). Without
affecting the conclusion regarding the atmosphere of TRAPPIST-1 b, this
highlights an important caveat for future explorations, which calls for
additional observations to characterize stellar heterogeneities empirically
and/or theoretical works to improve model fidelity for such cool stars. This
need is all the more justified as stellar contamination can affect the search
for atmospheres around the outer, cooler TRAPPIST-1 planets for which
transmission spectroscopy is currently the most efficient technique.Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical
Journal Letter
Homogeneous search for helium in the atmosphere of 11 gas giant exoplanets with SPIRou
The metastable helium triplet in the near-infrared (10833{\AA}) is among the
most important probes of exoplanet atmospheres. It can trace their extended
outer layers and constrain mass-loss. We use the near-infrared high-resolution
spectropolarimeter SPIRou on the CFHT to search for the spectrally resolved
helium triplet in the atmospheres of eleven exoplanets, ranging from warm
mini-Neptunes to hot Jupiters and orbiting G, K, and M dwarfs. Observations
were obtained as part of the SPIRou Legacy Survey and complementary open-time
programs. We apply a homogeneous data reduction to all datasets and set
constraints on the presence of metastable helium, despite the presence of
systematics in the data. We confirm published detections for HAT-P-11b,
HD189733b, and WASP-69b and set upper limits for the other planets. We apply
the p-winds open source code to set upper limits on the mass-loss rate for the
non-detections and to constrain the thermosphere temperature, mass-loss rate,
line-of-sight velocity, and the altitude of the thermosphere for the
detections. We confirm that the presence of metastable helium correlates with
the stellar mass and the XUV flux received by the planets. We investigated the
correlation between the mass-loss rate and the presence of metastable helium,
but it remains difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Finally, some of our
results are in contradiction with previous results in the literature, therefore
we stress the importance of repeatable, homogeneous, and larger-scale analyses
of the helium triplet to obtain robust statistics, study temporal variability,
and better understand how the helium triplet can be used to explore the
evolution of exoplanets.Comment: 28 pages, 13 figures, Accepted in A&A for publicatio
Patients with an Open Abdomen in Asian, American and European Continents: A Comparative Analysis from the International Register of Open Abdomen (IROA)
Background: International register of open abdomen (IROA) enrolls patients from several centers in American, European, and Asiatic continent. The aim of our study is to compare the characteristics, management and clinical outcome of adult patients treated with OA in the three continents. Material and methods: A prospective analysis of adult patients enrolled in the international register of open abdomen (IROA). Trial registration: NCT02382770. Results: 1183 patients were enrolled from American, European and Asiatic Continent. Median age was 63 years (IQR 49–74) and was higher in the European continent (65 years, p < 0.001); 57% were male. The main indication for OA was peritonitis (50.6%) followed by trauma (15.4%) and vascular emergency (13.5%) with differences among the continents (p < 0.001). Commercial NPWT was preferred in America and Europe (77.4% and 52.3% of cases) while Barker vacuum pack (48.2%) was the preferred temporary abdominal closure technique in Asia (p < 0.001). Definitive abdominal closure was achieved in 82.3% of cases in America (fascial closure in 90.2% of cases) and in 56.4% of cases in Asia (p < 0.001). Prosthesis were mostly used in Europe (17.3%, p < 0.001). The overall entero-atmospheric fistula rate 2.5%. Median open abdomen duration was 4 days (IQR 2–7). The overall intensive care unit and hospital length-of-stay were, respectively, 8 and 11 days (no differences between continents). The overall morbidity and mortality rates for America, Europe, and Asia were, respectively, 75.8%, 75.3%, 91.8% (p = 0.001) and 31.9%, 51.6%, 56.9% (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There is no uniformity in OA management in the different continents. Heterogeneous adherence to international guidelines application is evident. Different temporary abdominal closure techniques in relation to indications led to different outcomes across the continents. Adherence to guidelines, combined with more consistent data, will ultimately allow to improving knowledge and outcome
Abatacept, Cenicriviroc, or Infliximab for Treatment of Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Randomized Clinical Trial
IMPORTANCE: Immune dysregulation contributes to poorer outcomes in COVID-19.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether abatacept, cenicriviroc, or infliximab provides benefit when added to standard care for COVID-19 pneumonia.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled clinical trial using a master protocol to investigate immunomodulators added to standard care for treatment of participants hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. The results of 3 substudies are reported from 95 hospitals at 85 clinical research sites in the US and Latin America. Hospitalized patients 18 years or older with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection within 14 days and evidence of pulmonary involvement underwent randomization between October 2020 and December 2021.
INTERVENTIONS: Single infusion of abatacept (10 mg/kg; maximum dose, 1000 mg) or infliximab (5 mg/kg) or a 28-day oral course of cenicriviroc (300-mg loading dose followed by 150 mg twice per day).
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was time to recovery by day 28 evaluated using an 8-point ordinal scale (higher scores indicate better health). Recovery was defined as the first day the participant scored at least 6 on the ordinal scale.
RESULTS: Of the 1971 participants randomized across the 3 substudies, the mean (SD) age was 54.8 (14.6) years and 1218 (61.8%) were men. The primary end point of time to recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia was not significantly different for abatacept (recovery rate ratio [RRR], 1.12 [95% CI, 0.98-1.28]; P = .09), cenicriviroc (RRR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.86-1.18]; P = .94), or infliximab (RRR, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.99-1.28]; P = .08) compared with placebo. All-cause 28-day mortality was 11.0% for abatacept vs 15.1% for placebo (odds ratio [OR], 0.62 [95% CI, 0.41-0.94]), 13.8% for cenicriviroc vs 11.9% for placebo (OR, 1.18 [95% CI 0.72-1.94]), and 10.1% for infliximab vs 14.5% for placebo (OR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.39-0.90]). Safety outcomes were comparable between active treatment and placebo, including secondary infections, in all 3 substudies.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Time to recovery from COVID-19 pneumonia among hospitalized participants was not significantly different for abatacept, cenicriviroc, or infliximab vs placebo.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04593940
Elective Cancer Surgery in COVID-19-Free Surgical Pathways During the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: An International, Multicenter, Comparative Cohort Study.
PURPOSE: As cancer surgery restarts after the first COVID-19 wave, health care providers urgently require data to determine where elective surgery is best performed. This study aimed to determine whether COVID-19-free surgical pathways were associated with lower postoperative pulmonary complication rates compared with hospitals with no defined pathway. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This international, multicenter cohort study included patients who underwent elective surgery for 10 solid cancer types without preoperative suspicion of SARS-CoV-2. Participating hospitals included patients from local emergence of SARS-CoV-2 until April 19, 2020. At the time of surgery, hospitals were defined as having a COVID-19-free surgical pathway (complete segregation of the operating theater, critical care, and inpatient ward areas) or no defined pathway (incomplete or no segregation, areas shared with patients with COVID-19). The primary outcome was 30-day postoperative pulmonary complications (pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, unexpected ventilation). RESULTS: Of 9,171 patients from 447 hospitals in 55 countries, 2,481 were operated on in COVID-19-free surgical pathways. Patients who underwent surgery within COVID-19-free surgical pathways were younger with fewer comorbidities than those in hospitals with no defined pathway but with similar proportions of major surgery. After adjustment, pulmonary complication rates were lower with COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.2% v 4.9%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.86). This was consistent in sensitivity analyses for low-risk patients (American Society of Anesthesiologists grade 1/2), propensity score-matched models, and patients with negative SARS-CoV-2 preoperative tests. The postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rate was also lower in COVID-19-free surgical pathways (2.1% v 3.6%; aOR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.76). CONCLUSION: Within available resources, dedicated COVID-19-free surgical pathways should be established to provide safe elective cancer surgery during current and before future SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks
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