The measurement of a single-mode thermal field with a microwave cavity parametric amplifier

In this paper, we present the experimental study of a single-mode thermal field carried out using a microwave parametric amplifier tuned at 1.5 GHz and working at room temperature. The parametric amplifier is based on a variable capacitance diode placed inside a microwave resonant cavity. The measured distribution of the thermal photons inside the resonator follows the expected Bose–Einstein distribution probability

Acute and transient psychoses: Clinical and nosological issues

This article examines the clinical, epidemiological and nosological aspects of short-lived psychotic disorders as currently classified under \u2018acute and transient psychotic disorders\u2019 in ICD-10 and \u2018brief psychotic disorder\u2019 in DSM-5. After describing earlier diagnostic concepts such as bouff\ue9e d\ue9lirante, cycloid psychosis, reactive psychosis and schizophreniform psychosis, we present an overview of the literature and discuss implications for classification, diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, pointing out differences from longer-lasting psychotic disorders

Phage-Based Anti-HER2 Vaccination Can Circumvent Immune Tolerance against Breast Cancer

D16HER2 is a splice variant of HER2 and defined as the transforming isoform in HER2-positive breast cancer. It has been shown that D16HER2 promotes breast cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance. In the present work, we used in silico modeling to identify structural differences between D16HER2 and the wild-type HER2 proteins. We then developed DNA vaccines specifically against the D16HER2 isoform and showed that these immunotherapies hampered carcinogenesis in a breast cancer transplantable model. However, the vaccines failed to elicit immune protection in D16HER2 transgenic mice because of tolerogenic mechanisms toward the human HER2 self-antigen, a scenario commonly seen in HER2þ patients. Thus, we engineered bacteriophages with immunogenic epitopes of D16HER2 exposed on their coat for use as anticancer vaccines. These phage-based vaccines were able to break immune tolerance, triggering a protective anti-D16HER2 humoral response. These findings provide a rationale for the use of phage-based anti-HER2/D16HER2 vaccination as a safe and efficacious immunotherapy against HER2- positive breast cancers. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(12); 1486–98

Irreversible inhibition of Δ16HER2 is necessary to suppress Δ16HER2-positive breast carcinomas resistant to Lapatinib

HER2 tyrosine kinase receptor is a validated target in breast cancer therapy. However, increasing evidence points to a major role of Δ16HER2 splice variant commonly coexpressed with HER2 and identified as a clinically important HER2 molecular alteration promoting aggressive metastatic breast cancer. Consistently, mice transgenic for the human Δ16HER2 isoform (Δ16HER2 mice) develop invasive mammary carcinomas with early onset and 100% penetrance. The present study provides preclinical evidence that Δ16HER2 expression confers de novo resistance to standard anti-HER2-therapies such as Lapatinib and acquired resistance to the selective Src inhibitor Saracatinib in breast cancer. Of note, Dacomitinib, an irreversible small molecule pan-HER inhibitor, was able to completely suppress Δ16HER2-driven breast carcinogenesis. Thus, only Dacomitinib may offer benefit in this molecularly defined patient subset by irreversibly inhibiting Δ16HER2 activation

Perfil nutricional de crianças e suas mães em bolsões de pobreza do município de Campinas, SP - 1996 Nutritional profile of children and their mothers in poverty areas of Campinas, SP, Brazil - 1996

A desnutrição é ainda um problema de saúde pública no Brasil, apesar do declínio de sua prevalência mostrado em estudos nacionais. Contudo, dada a abrangência destes levantamentos, a situação em áreas de pobreza pode ser subestimada. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a desnutrição em áreas de pobreza do município de Campinas, SP, identificadas segundo os critérios de renda familiar, condições de construção da moradia e contigüidade, de acordo com o censo de 1991. A amostra foi composta de 125 crianças de 0 a 24 meses de idade e suas mães, com coleta de dados antropométricos (peso e altura) e socioeconômicos. Os resultados mostraram uma prevalência de 7,2% de desnutrição infantil, muito semelhante à média de 7,4% observada para a mesma faixa etária em levantamento nacional feito em 1989. Em relação ao estado nutricional das mães, os resultados mostraram que 27,3% apresentaram Índice de Massa Corporal superior a 25kg/m². A fim de promover o declínio da prevalência de desnutrição, as ações de saúde devem considerar a importância do problema em grupos socioeconômicos especiais, como os de baixo poder aquisitivo, desenvolvendo um sistema de vigilância alimentar e nutricional capaz de atuar em regiões onde as ações tradicionais parecem ser menos eficientes.<br>Malnutrition is one of the major public health problems in Brazil, although recent data show a progressive decrease in its prevalence. However, the validity of national surveys can underestimate the magnitude of malnutrition in poverty areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate malnutrition in poverty areas of Campinas, SP, and efforts were made to locate those urban areas, considering families income, building conditions, and geographic contiguity according to 1991 census. During the study period, a total of 125 children aged 0 to 24 months and their mothers were interviewed, and anthropometric and socioeconomic data were collected. Results show a prevalence of 7.2% of malnutrition, which is similar to the value of 7.4% observed for the same age in a 1989 national survey. Concerning mother nutritional status, the results show that 27.3% of women are at Body Mass Index of 25 kg/m² or higher. Thus, in order to properly achieve malnutrition decline, health promoters must consider the magnitude of the problem in special socioeconomic groups, developing a nutritional surveillance system designed to assist low income people, to whom traditional actions seems to be less efficient

Long-term proactive management of psoriasis with calcipotriol and betamethasone dipropionate foam: an Italian consensus through a combined nominal group technique and Delphi approach

none85Background: Although long-term management of psoriasis is paramount, this approach is challenging in clinical practice. In the recent PSO-LONG trial, a fixed-dose combination of betamethasone dipropionate (BD) and calcipotriol (Cal) foam applied twice a week on non-consecutive days for 52 weeks (proactive treatment) reduced the risk of relapse. However, the role of Cal/BD foam in the long-term management of psoriasis needs further clarifications. The ProActive Management (PAM) program, a nationwide Italian project, aims at reaching a consensus on the role of proactive management of psoriasis. Methods: A steering committee generated some statements through the nominal group technique (NGT). The statements were voted by an expert panel in an adapted Delphi voting process. Results: Eighteen statements were proposed, and the majority of them (14/18) reached a consensus during the Delphi voting. The need to provide long-term proactive topical treatment to reduce the risk of relapse for the treatment of challenging diseases sites or in patients where phototherapy or systemic therapies are contraindicated/ineffective was widely recognized. A consensus was reached about the possibility to associate the proactive treatment with systemic and biological therapies, without the need for dose intensification, thus favoring a prolonged remission. Moreover, the proactive treatment was recognized as more effective than weekend therapy in increasing time free from relapses. Approaches to improve adherence, on the other hand, need further investigation. Conclusions: The inclusion in guidelines of a proactive strategy among the effective treatment options will be a fundamental step in the evolution of a mild-moderate psoriasis therapeutic approach.noneDe Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Martella, Alessandro; Campanati, Anna; Campione, Elena; Errichetti, Enzo; Franchi, Chiara; Gambardella, Alessio; Megna, Matteo; Osti, Federica; Ribero, Simone; Zagni, Giovanni; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Amoruso, Giuseppe Fabrizio; Baglieri, Francesco; Biamonte, Anna Silvia; Bianchelli, Tommaso; Bigi, Laura; Bortoli, Jarno; Brunetti, Bruno; Buligan, Cinzia; Cagni, Elisabetta; Calderoni, Ombretta; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Campanati, Anna; Caputo, Alighiero; Carrera, Carlo Giovanni; Carugno, Andrea; Chersi, Karin; Cicchelli, Stefano; De Natale, Flora; De Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Di Maria, Domenico; Errichetti, Enzo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Ferrari, Angelo Salvatore; Fogli, Emanuela; Forconi, Riccardo; Franchi, Chiara; Galeazzi, Augusto; Gambardella, Alessio; Giovannini, Andrea; Giura, Maria Teresa; Iuculano, Massimo; Lazzaretti, Giuseppe; Leporati, Claudia; Magnanini, Massimiliano; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Marconi, Barbara; Martella, Alessandro; Maruccia, Adriana; Megna, Matteo; Miglietta, Roberta; Minuti, Anna; Mocci, Luigi; Modica, Sonia; Narcisi, Alessandra; Odorici, Giulia; Osti, Federica; Pazzaglia, Massimiliano; Peila, Rossana; Pertusi, Ginevra; Pezza, Michele; Pezzullo, Elio; Puccia, Nunzio; Raulo, Umberto; Ribero, Simone; Rossi, Mariateresa; Rusignuolo, Sergio; Sapienza, Giada; Savarese, Catello; Scalisi, Mariaelena; Strippoli, Davide; Stroppiana, Elena; Tiberio, Rossana; Trischitta, Antonino; Tucci, Maria Giovanna; Vaira, Fabrizio; Verrone, Anna; Villa, Lucia; Zagni, Fabio; Zoccali, AndreaDe Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Martella, Alessandro; Campanati, Anna; Campione, Elena; Errichetti, Enzo; Franchi, Chiara; Gambardella, Alessio; Megna, Matteo; Osti, Federica; Ribero, Simone; Zagni, Giovanni; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Amoruso, Giuseppe Fabrizio; Baglieri, Francesco; Biamonte, Anna Silvia; Bianchelli, Tommaso; Bigi, Laura; Bortoli, Jarno; Brunetti, Bruno; Buligan, Cinzia; Cagni, Elisabetta; Calderoni, Ombretta; Calzavara-Pinton, Piergiacomo; Campanati, Anna; Caputo, Alighiero; Carrera, Carlo Giovanni; Carugno, Andrea; Chersi, Karin; Cicchelli, Stefano; De Natale, Flora; De Simone, Clara; Dapavo, Paolo; Di Maria, Domenico; Errichetti, Enzo; Fabbrocini, Gabriella; Ferrari, Angelo Salvatore; Fogli, Emanuela; Forconi, Riccardo; Franchi, Chiara; Galeazzi, Augusto; Gambardella, Alessio; Giovannini, Andrea; Giura, Maria Teresa; Iuculano, Massimo; Lazzaretti, Giuseppe; Leporati, Claudia; Magnanini, Massimiliano; Malagoli, Piergiorgio; Marconi, Barbara; Martella, Alessandro; Maruccia, Adriana; Megna, Matteo; Miglietta, Roberta; Minuti, Anna; Mocci, Luigi; Modica, Sonia; Narcisi, Alessandra; Odorici, Giulia; Osti, Federica; Pazzaglia, Massimiliano; Peila, Rossana; Pertusi, Ginevra; Pezza, Michele; Pezzullo, Elio; Puccia, Nunzio; Raulo, Umberto; Ribero, Simone; Rossi, Mariateresa; Rusignuolo, Sergio; Sapienza, Giada; Savarese, Catello; Scalisi, Mariaelena; Strippoli, Davide; Stroppiana, Elena; Tiberio, Rossana; Trischitta, Antonino; Tucci, Maria Giovanna; Vaira, Fabrizio; Verrone, Anna; Villa, Lucia; Zagni, Fabio; Zoccali, Andre