The role of 13C excited states in α+9Be reaction and scattering cross sections

The spectroscopy of 13 C excited states above the alpha emission threshold has been investigated by studying data on 9 Be( α,α ) 9 Be and 9 Be( α ,n) 12 C collisions at bombarding energies in the range E α ≈2-10 MeV. A multichannel R -matrix fit allowed us to better constrain the spectroscopy of 13 C states above the α threshold (10.65 MeV). Preliminary results on this analysis will be discussed

Severe and fatal measles-associated pneumonia during an outbreak in Italy: data from the heart of the epidemic

Introduction: Measles is a contagious disease that re-emerged among young adults as a consequence of suboptimal vaccination coverage. Since in the pre-vaccination era measles affected mainly children, little is known about measles-associated respiratory complications in adults. The aim of this study was to describe clinical and radiological findings in adults affected by measles who developed respiratory complications during a recent measles outbreak. Material and methods: In this retrospective chart review-based study we analyzed data from patients admitted for measles from January to June 2018 to a large tertiary care hospital, in one of the main cities in the south of Italy. This city has been the country’s heart of the epidemic with a high morbidity and mortality rate. Results: Among 177 patients (mean age 26 ± 9 years), only 2 were vaccinated. Thirty patients (16.9%) had signs of pneumonia on chest radiography. Computed tomography scan showed the following abnormalities: centrilobular nodules (63%), ground-glass attenuation (63%), air-space consolidation (36%), pleural effusion (16%) and pneumothorax (10%). Five patients developed severe lung injury and hypoxemia requiring admission to Intensive Care Unit. Two young unvaccinated women with no past medical history died from acute respiratory failure. The death was sudden and unpredictable. Conclusions: Measles-associated pneumonia in unvaccinated young adults can cause severe respiratory impairment and death. Our findings support the need for a mandatory vaccination policy

Novi zapisi dviju bitnica s jugoistočne obale Sicilije (Jonsko more) i razmatranja o njihovoj prisutnosti i obilju

New records of Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793) are reported from the Mediterranean Sea. During the period 2013-2017, we have collected several records of both species from the south-east coast of Sicily (Ionian Sea). On the basis of our and published data, we can consider S. fasciata as a relatively common species in the area, commonly caught with purse seine around FADs in summer and autumn; while, P. dentex remains basically a rare species, occasionally caught with trammel nets or gillnets. This work represents the first well-documented records of both carangid species in the south-east coast of Sicily.U ovom radu se iznosi novi nalaz šnjurka Pseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) i Seriola fasciata (Bloch, 1793) u Sredozemnom moru. Tijekom razdoblja 2013.-2017. autori su za obje vrste prikupili nekoliko zapisa o nalazu s jugoistočne obale Sicilije (Jonsko more). Na temelju autorskih i drugih objavljenih podataka, S. fasciata može se smatrati relativno čestom vrstom na tom području, obično uhvaćenom mrežom plivaricom oko FAD-ova u ljeto i jesen; dok je P. dentex rijetka vrsta povremeno ulovljena trostrukim ili jednostrukim mrežama stajaćicama. U ovom se radu iznose dokumentirani nalazi obje bitnice na jugoistočnoj obali Sicilije

Androgen receptor polymorphisms and testicular cancer risk

Testicular cancer (TC) is currently the most common malignant solid tumour in Caucasian males aged 15-39 years. Epidemiological evidence suggests that its onset may be due to an imbalance in the action of steroidal sex hormones and their receptors. A faulty androgen receptor signalling pathway can, in fact, cause various male reproductive disorders. The androgen receptor (AR) gene has two polymorphic segments consisting of CAG and GGC repeats. The length of CAG repeats has been shown to affect the regulation of AR activity. In our study, we used fragment analysis to evaluate the AR gene repeats of 302 TC patients and 322 controls, to establish if there is any association between repeat number and TC. This study of the largest Italian caseload investigated to date highlighted three particularly significant aspects. First, a CAG repeat number of ≥25 may be considered a risk factor for the onset of TC, given its greater frequency in patients in comparison with controls. This difference became significant for the non-seminoma group. Second, men with CAG repeats below 21 or above 24 were found to have a, respectively, 50 and 76% higher risk of TC than those with CAG 21-24, suggesting that these too can be considered a risk factor for TC. Finally, stage II patients were more likely to have a CAG repeat number 24 than stage I patients. © 2014 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology

Prvi potvrđeni zapis o vrsti Pomatoschistus microps(Krøyer,1838) (Pisus: Gobiidae) iz Jonskog mora s bilješkama o staništu i rasprostranjenosti

Two specimens of the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps) were observed in the estuarine environment of the River Asinaro (Sicily). These records represent the easternmost and southernmost observations of the species in the Mediterranean Sea, and the first confirmed record in the Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean Sea). We also provide notes about its habitat and current distribution in the Mediterranean Sea.Dvije jedinke vrste Pomatoschistus microps zabilježene su u okolišu ušća rijeke Asinaro (Sicilija).Ovaj nalaz predstavlja najistočniji i najjužniji nalaz vrste u Sredozemnom moru i prvi potvrđeni nalaz u Jonskom moru. Također se navodi njegovo stanište kao i trenutna rasprostranjenost u Sre-dozemnom moru