Cardiomiopatia post-chemioterapia: curare oggi pensando al domani.

Dilated cardiomyopathy post-chemotherapy. We describe the case of a dilated cardiomyopathy with angiographically normal coronary arteries in a 32-year old man who underwent head and spine radiotherapy and high dose antracicline chemotherapy at the age of 5 year for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The long-term detrimental cytotoxic effect of remote life-saving chemotherapy should be considered in survivals of leukemia.Descriviamo il caso di un giovane di 32 anni affetto da cardiomiopatia dilatativa con quadro coronarografico normale trattato, all\u27et? di 5 anni, con radioterapia delle meningi e chemioterapia con antracicline ad alte dosi per leucemia linfoblastica acuta. L\u27effetto a lungo termine della citotossicit? di questo trattamento salvavita va considerato nei pazienti guariti da leucemia

Explaining deep convolutional models by measuring the influence of interpretable features in image classification

The accuracy and flexibility of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) have been highly validated over the past years. However, their intrinsic opaqueness is still affecting their reliability and limiting their application in critical production systems, where the black-box behavior is difficult to be accepted. This work proposes EBANO, an innovative explanation framework able to analyze the decision-making process of DCNNs in image classification by providing prediction-local and class-based model-wise explanations through the unsupervised mining of knowledge contained in multiple convolutional layers. EBANO provides detailed visual and numerical explanations thanks to two specific indexes that measure the features’ influence and their influence precision in the decision-making process. The framework has been experimentally evaluated, both quantitatively and qualitatively, by (i) analyzing its explanations with four state-of-the-art DCNN architectures, (ii) comparing its results with three state-of-the-art explanation strategies and (iii) assessing its effectiveness and easiness of understanding through human judgment, by means of an online survey. EBANO has been released as open-source code and it is freely available online

Mechanistic details on Pd(II)/5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin complex formation and reactivity in the presence of DNA

Abstract: Kinetics of coordination of Pd(II) by the macrocyclic porphyrin 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin (H2P4+) is investigated and confirms quantitative formation of a planar PdP4+complex at room temperature (formation rate 0.19 M-1 s-1 at 25 °C, 0.2 M NaCl, pH 3). Then, the binding ability to DNA of the pre-formed PdP4+complex is analysed. To achieve this aim, spectrophotometry, spectrofluorometry and viscometry are used. Thermodynamic parameters for binding, obtained by the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants, are deltaH = -71 kJ mol-1 and deltaS = -134 J mol-1 K-1. These values, being both highly negative, agree with full PdP4+intercalation into DNA. Moreover, kinetics of the binding reaction is analysed by the T-jump technique (reaction times in the 1-5 ms range). Experiments on the porphyrin ligand retention on negative SDS and positive DTAC micellar surfaces are also done. Taken altogether, these data provide mechanistic details on complex formation and on DNA binding and relevant energies and driving forces. It is found that interaction between PdP4+and base pairs is very strong (KabsDNA = 8.0E5 M-1 at 25 °C, 1.0 M NaCl), not only owing to the high positive charge borne by the complex, but also to the contribution of high hydrophobicity of the porphyrin ring. In the dye/DNA complex, PdP4+is buried into the helix, as confirmed also by fluorescence quenching tests. Both presence and type of metal ion play a major role, as lower affinity and lower induced helix conformation changes are found in the case of the H2P4+/DNA and CuP4+/DNA systems

Old Age and Women’s Identity

Female identity is a dynamic concept, and it has been a very discussed issue by contemporary cultural critic. How does old age affect identity construction and perception in elderly woman? Has feminine gender an impact in subjective well-being? Psychological changes of midlife women have been as conflicting as the idea that society has about them. Personality changes after young adulthood in women is a controversial matter. Erikson proposed that women might not develop identities in early adulthood as men do. In fact, he argued that women develop them later, in the context of an intimate relationship. Moreover, identity development appears to have important consequences for midlife well-being. For example, Vandewater et al. found that women’s midlife well-being was facilitated by earlier attainment of a well-articulated identity. In these situations accomplishment of developmentally earlier tasks (identity formation) sets the stage for later psychological health. Our work sheds additional light on how women live this period of life in terms of happiness and purpose of life

Characterization of surface and bulk features of SLM parts

An experiment-analytical procedure based on the building of an object in severe atmosphere resistant steel by SLM is proposed. The complex shape was investigated with the sectioning and laboratory observation of the physical object. The study evidenced the need to get a variable layer thickness to follow double curvature complex shapes. In particular the key variable in the process is the melt bath dimension by which the metal powder assumes by solidification the required global geometry. It was observed that the bath detected mainly in terms of the area of section tends to decrease when approaching to the surface of the physical model where the complex geometry needs to be described. Relationships describing the bath area behaviour and correlations between surface roughness and internal bath dimensions were found and proposed in detail. The surface roughness is highly correlated with the bath area in the zones of the section approaching the surface

Effect of the Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists on Autonomic Function in Subjects with Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: In addition to the metabolic effects in diabetes, glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists lead to a small but substantial increase in heart rate (HR). However, the GLP-1R actions on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in diabetes remain debated. Therefore, this meta-analysis evaluates the effect of GLP-1R agonist on measures of ANS function in diabetes. Methods: According to the Cochrane Collaboration and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, we conducted a meta-analysis considering clinical trials in which the autonomic function was evaluated in diabetic subjects chronically treated with GLP-1R agonists. The outcomes were the change of ANS function measured by heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiac autonomic reflex tests (CARTs). Results: In the studies enrolled, HR significantly increased after treatment (P<0.001), whereas low frequency/high frequency ratio did not differ (P=0.410); no changes in other measures of HRV were detected. Considering CARTs, only the 30:15 value derived from lying-to-standing test was significantly lower after treatment (P=0.002), but only two studies reported this measurement. No differences in other CARTs outcome were observed. Conclusion: The meta-analysis confirms the HR increase but seems to exclude an alteration of the sympatho-vagal balance due to chronic treatment with GLP-1R agonists in diabetes, considering the available measures of ANS function