Optimal polynomial meshes and Caratheodory-Tchakaloff submeshes on the sphere

Using the notion of Dubiner distance, we give an elementary proof of the fact that good covering point configurations on the 2-sphere are optimal polynomial meshes. From these we extract Caratheodory-Tchakaloff (CATCH) submeshes for compressed Least Squares fitting

Genetic Diversity of Fusarium Wilt Disease of Banana

Bananas and plantains (Musa spp.) represent the fourth most important crop in the world. In 2017, an area of 5,637,508 hectares and a production of 153 million tons were reported. Fusarium wilt caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), is considered one of the most destructive diseases of bananas and plantains worldwide. The pathogen Foc causes a typical wilt syndrome on infected plants, it has a saprophytic and parasitic phase in its life cycle. Fusarium wilt is a “polycyclic” disease. This pathogen shows a relatively diverse population genetic structure for a fungus apparently of asexual reproduction and is composed of different evolutionary lineages, which has 24 groups of vegetative compatibility (VCGs), two clades and nine clonal linage. Foc is a genetically diverse pathogen, although the available evidence so far indicates that it does not use the mechanisms of sexual reproduction, such as recombination, to increase its genetic diversity. Furthermore, the population of this fungus in Southeast Asia shows a high degree of variation, suggesting that Foc lineages evolved together with their hosts in Southeast Asia. Alternatively, it has been suggested that Foc has multiple independent evolutionary origins, both within and outside of the Musaceae origin center

Insight from an Italian Delphi Consensus on EVAR feasibility outside the instruction for use: the SAFE EVAR Study

BACKGROUND: The SAfety and FEasibility of standard EVAR outside the instruction for use (SAFE-EVAR) Study was designed to define the attitude of Italian vascular surgeons towards the use of standard endovascular repair (EVAR) for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) outside the instruction for use (IFU) through a Delphi consensus endorsed by the Italian Society of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery (Societa Italiana di Chirurgia Vascolare ed Endovascolare - SICVE). METHODS: A questionnaire consisting of 26 statements was developed, validated by an 18 -member Advisory Board, and then sent to 600 Italian vascular surgeons. The Delphi process was structured in three subsequent rounds which took place between April and June 2023. In the first two rounds, respondents could indicate one of the following five degrees of agreement: 1) strongly agree; 2) partially agree; 3) neither agree nor disagree; 4) partially disagree; 5) strongly disagree; while in the third round only three different choices were proposed: 1) agree; 2) neither agree nor disagree; 3) disagree. We considered the consensus reached when >70% of respondents agreed on one of the options. After the conclusion of each round, a report describing the percentage distribution of the answers was sent to all the participants. RESULTS: Two -hundred -forty-four (40.6%) Italian Vascular Surgeons agreed to participate the first round of the Delphi Consensus; the second and the third rounds of the Delphi collected 230 responders (94.3% of the first -round responders). Four statements (15.4%) reached a consensus in the first rounds. Among the 22 remaining statements, one more consensus (3.8%) was achieved in the second round. Finally, seven more statements (26.9%) reached a consensus in the simplified last round. Globally, a consensus was reached for almost half of the proposed statements (46.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The relatively low consensus rate obtained in this Delphi seems to confirm the discrepancy between Guideline recommendations and daily clinical practice. The data collected could represent the source for a possible guidelines' revision and the proposal of specific Good Practice Points in all those aspects with only little evidence available

TEVAR for ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm: case report

Abstract A ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (rDTAA) is a life-threatening condition associated with high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular treatment for rDTAA promotes effective aneurysm exclusion with a minimally invasive approach. The authors report a case of a 76-year-old man with hemodynamically unstable 9-cm-diameter rDTAA treated with emergency thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR)

Comparison of Open and Endovascular Surgery for the Treatment of the Infections of the Thoracic Aorta

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to compare the results of open and endovascular treatment for the infections of the thoracic aorta. Materials and Methods: Between 1993 and 2015, 1516 patients were treated in our institution for diseases of the thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aorta, including 49 for infection at the thoracic level. Twenty-six primitive mycotic aneurysms, 13 cases of infected thoracic aortic grafts and 10 cases of infected thoracic stentgrafts were operated. In this group a fistula with the esophagus and/or the bronchial tree was observed in 24 cases (49%). Results: In the group of the patients treated for mycotic aneurysm, 16 (61%) had an open surgical treatment with the replacement of the thoracic aorta with a silver impregnated prosthesis. In this group five procedures associated an esophageal repair and one pulmonary lobectomy were necessary. Peroperative mortality was 19% (three patients). The other ten patients (39%) were treated with ndovascular treatment (TEVAR) with antibiotic impregnated stentgrafts. In this group technical success was 100% in absence of perioperative deaths. After an average follow-up of 84\ub120 months, mortality was 25% (four patients) after open treatment (25%) and 10% after TEVAR (one patient). In the group of the prosthetic infections open surgical treatment was carried out in 17 patients with 11 procedures of associated visceral repair. TEVAR was carried out in six cases with a procedure of associated visceral repair. Perioperative mortality after open treatment was 30% (n\ubc5); no perioperative death was observed after TEVAR. After a follow-up of 61\ub128 months, mortality was 53% and 50% after open surgery and TEVAR, respectively; the rate of reintervention was 6% after open surgery and 33% after TEVAR. Conclusion: The infections of the thoracic aorta present a very high mortality in the event of fistula with the esophagus and/or the bronchial tree requiring an associated surgical treatment. In our series TEVAR gave a higher survival rate for the treatment of primitive mycotic aneurysms than for the infections of surgical grafts or of stentgrafts. In the event of prosthetic infection TEVAR was associated with a higher rate of reintervention

The use of EndoAnchors in endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms with challenging proximal neck: Single-centre experience

Objectives The aim of this study was to present a single-centre experience with EndoAnchors in patients who underwent endovascular repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms with challenging proximal neck, both in the prevention and treatment of endograft migration and type Ia endoleaks. Methods We retrospectively analysed 17 consecutive patients treated with EndoAnchors between June 2015 and May 2018 at our institution. EndoAnchors were applied during the initial endovascular aneurysm repair procedure (primary implant) to prevent proximal neck complications in difficult anatomies (nine patients), and in the follow-up after aneurysm exclusion (secondary implant) to correct type Ia endoleak and/or stent-graft migration (eight patients). Results Mean time for anchors implant was 23 min (range 12–41), with a mean of 5 EndoAnchors deployed per patient. Six patients in the secondary implant group required a proximal cuff due to stent-graft migration ≥10 mm. Technical success was achieved in all cases, with no complications related to deployment of the anchors. At a median follow-up of 13 months (range 4–39, interquartile range 9–20), there were no aneurysm-related deaths or aneurysm ruptures, and all patients were free from reinterventions. CT-scan surveillance showed no evidence of type Ia endoleak, anchors dislodgement or stent-graft migration, with a mean reduction of aneurysm diameter of 0.4 mm (range 0–19); there was no sac growth or aortic neck enlargement in any case. Conclusions EndoAnchors can be safely used in the prevention and treatment of type Ia endoleaks in patients with challenging aortic necks, with good results in terms of sac exclusion and diameter reduction in the mid-term follow-up