XQR-30: The ultimate XSHOOTER quasar sample at the reionization epoch

The final phase of the reionization process can be probed by rest-frame UV absorption spectra of quasars at z ≳ 6, shedding light on the properties of the diffuse intergalactic medium within the first Gyr of the Universe. The ESO Large Programme 'XQR-30: the ultimate XSHOOTER legacy survey of quasars at z ≃ 5.8-6.6' dedicated ∼250 h of observations at the VLT to create a homogeneous and high-quality sample of spectra of 30 luminous quasars at z ∼6, covering the rest wavelength range from the Lyman limit to beyond the Mg ii emission. Twelve quasar spectra of similar quality from the XSHOOTER archive were added to form the enlarged XQR-30 sample, corresponding to a total of ∼350 h of on-source exposure time. The median effective resolving power of the 42 spectra is R ≃ 11 400 and 9800 in the VIS and NIR arm, respectively. The signal-to-noise ratio per 10 km s-1 pixel ranges from ∼11 to 114 at λ ≃ 1285 Å rest frame, with a median value of ∼29. We describe the observations, data reduction, and analysis of the spectra, together with some first results based on the E-XQR-30 sample. New photometry in the H and K bands are provided for the XQR-30 quasars, together with composite spectra whose characteristics reflect the large absolute magnitudes of the sample. The composite and the reduced spectra are released to the community through a public repository, and will enable a range of studies addressing outstanding questions regarding the first Gyr of the Universe

Antiphospholipid syndrome; its implication in cardiovascular diseases: a review

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) is a rare syndrome mainly characterized by several hyper-coagulable complications and therefore, implicated in the operated cardiac surgery patient. APLS comprises clinical features such as arterial or venous thromboses, valve disease, coronary artery disease, intracardiac thrombus formation, pulmonary hypertension and dilated cardiomyopathy. The most commonly affected valve is the mitral, followed by the aortic and tricuspid valve. For APLS diagnosis essential is the detection of so-called antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) as anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) or lupus anticoagulant (LA). Minor alterations in the anticoagulation, infection, and surgical stress may trigger widespread thrombosis. The incidence of thrombosis is highest during the following perioperative periods: preoperatively during the withdrawal of warfarin, postoperatively during the period of hypercoagulability despite warfarin or heparin therapy, or postoperatively before adequate anticoagulation achievement. Cardiac valvular pathology includes irregular thickening of the valve leaflets due to deposition of immune complexes that may lead to vegetations and valve dysfunction; a significant risk factor for stroke. Patients with APLS are at increased risk for thrombosis and adequate anticoagulation is of vital importance during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). A successful outcome requires multidisciplinary management in order to prevent thrombotic or bleeding complications and to manage perioperative anticoagulation. More work and reporting on anticoagulation management and adjuvant therapy in patients with APLS during extracorporeal circulation are necessary

Hypofibrinolysis in diabetes: a therapeutic target for the reduction of cardiovascular risk

An enhanced thrombotic environment and premature atherosclerosis are key factors for the increased cardiovascular risk in diabetes. The occlusive vascular thrombus, formed secondary to interactions between platelets and coagulation proteins, is composed of a skeleton of fibrin fibres with cellular elements embedded in this network. Diabetes is characterised by quantitative and qualitative changes in coagulation proteins, which collectively increase resistance to fibrinolysis, consequently augmenting thrombosis risk. Current long-term therapies to prevent arterial occlusion in diabetes are focussed on anti-platelet agents, a strategy that fails to address the contribution of coagulation proteins to the enhanced thrombotic milieu. Moreover, antiplatelet treatment is associated with bleeding complications, particularly with newer agents and more aggressive combination therapies, questioning the safety of this approach. Therefore, to safely control thrombosis risk in diabetes, an alternative approach is required with the fibrin network representing a credible therapeutic target. In the current review, we address diabetes-specific mechanistic pathways responsible for hypofibrinolysis including the role of clot structure, defects in the fibrinolytic system and increased incorporation of anti-fibrinolytic proteins into the clot. Future anti-thrombotic therapeutic options are discussed with special emphasis on the potential advantages of modulating incorporation of the anti-fibrinolytic proteins into fibrin networks. This latter approach carries theoretical advantages, including specificity for diabetes, ability to target a particular protein with a possible favourable risk of bleeding. The development of alternative treatment strategies to better control residual thrombosis risk in diabetes will help to reduce vascular events, which remain the main cause of mortality in this condition

L'atteggiamento degli psicologi nei confronti dell'omosessualità. Report sull'indagine svolta in Puglia.

Il contributo presenta i risultati di una ricerca empirica condotta in Puglia con l'obiettivo di verificare qual è l'atteggiamento degli psicologi nei confronti dell'omosessualità. Tale indagine si inserisce in un progetto nazionale più ampio promosso e coordinato dalla cattedra di Valutazione Clinica e Diagnosi del prof. Vittorio Linguiardi (Università Sapienza Roma)

Importance of Helicobacter pylori CagA and VacA natural variants upon the regulation of AGS cell cycle phase progression in vitro.

H. pylori infection is the principal cofactor for gastric cancer (GC) development. Both GC cells and colonized gastric epithelium show alterations of cell cycle progression; nonetheless, the role played by the main virulence determinants of such species, CagA and VacA, in cell turnover perturbation is not clear. Four cagA and VacA natural variants of H. pylori were examined. They were characterized for cagA, and vacA genes, CagA and VacA proteins and cytotoxicity. All strains possessed vacA. The other strain characteristics are: CCUG 17874, cagA+/CagA+/VacA+/cytotoxic; G50, cagA-/CagA-/VacA-/non-cytotoxic; G12, cagA+/CagA-/VacA+/non-cytotoxic; Ba142, cagA-/CagA-/VacA-/cytotoxic. Semiconfluent AGS cells in culture were infected in vitro with cell/organism ratios of 1:100. Uninoculated medium was the negative control. Flasks were incubated overnight; cell proliferation was evaluated by a FACS scan flow cytometer (Beckton and Dickinson, USA). Tests were performed in duplicate and results are expressed as means of the two assays. The mean percentages of cells in phase S+G2-M and infected by strains CCUG 17874, G50, G12 and Ba142, as well as uninfected cells, were respectively 24.19, 32.42, 34.63, 34.88 and 35.58 (P < 0.05, CCUG 17874 vs. the other strains and negative control). These in vitro findings suggest that only CCUG 17874 strain was able to disturb cell proliferation and that, in order to inhibit cell cycle progression in vitro, the infecting H. pylori organisms have to possess cagA, express its product, produce VacA immune reacting with an anti-VacA serum and be cytotoxic. These results may help understanding the pathogenesis of GC development

Interferons and their receptors in human papillomavirus lesions of the uterine cervix.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: In this study we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of specific types of interferon (IFN) in human papillomavirus (HPV) associated cervical lesions. METHODS: Reactivity to anti-IFN-alpha,-beta and -gamma and to anti-IFN-alpha/beta- and gamma-receptors was tested in 33 cervical punch biopsies from 24 HPV-infected women and nine healthy controls. The HPV-infected cases were subdivided into low-risk and high-risk groups, according to the known "oncogenic" potential of the HPV-types detected by PCR. RESULTS: Cervical epithelium and stroma in HPV-negative as well as low-risk HPV-positive samples were diffusely stained by anti IFN-alpha, beta and gamma antibodies. In contrast, a significantly lower percentage of high-risk HPV-infected tissues was immunoreactive to IFN-beta in the stroma and IFN-gamma in the epithelium. There were no relevant differences between control and HPV cases in the expression of IFN-receptors. CONCLUSION: We show that a decreased production of some specific classes of IFN is associated with high-risk-type HPV lesions suggesting an important role of IFN distribution patterns in the pathogenesis of HPV lesions

Hepatic fibrosis plays a central role in the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

The pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in chronic hepatitis is not well known. This study evaluated the relationship between liver injury, serum thrombopoietin, splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia in chronic viral hepatitis. Two hundred and nine patients were enrolled, 85 with splenomegaly and 124 without. Thrombocytopenia was present in 71% and 23% of patients with or without splenomegaly respectively. In subjects with low platelet count, those with splenomegaly showed significantly lower platelet numbers than those without splenomegaly. The spleen size correlated with portal hypertension. An inverse correlation between spleen size and platelet count was observed (r = -0.54; P < 0.0001). In patients without splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia was associated with the grade of fibrosis; platelet counts were the highest in patients with fibrosis 0-2, lower in those with grade 3 (P < 0.008) and lowest in those with grade 4 (P < 0.05). These findings were independent of demographic and biochemical characteristics, hepatic necroinflammatory activity, portal hypertension and splenomegaly. Patients with normal platelet counts showed higher thrombopoietin levels than those with low platelet counts (P < 0.0001). An inverse correlation between thrombopoietin levels and fibrosis grade was observed (r = - 0.50; P < 0.0001). Median thrombopoietin levels were 58 and 27 pg/ml for fibrosis grade 0-1 and grade 4 respectively (P < 0.001). These data indicate that advanced hepatic fibrosis, causing an altered production of thrombopoietin and portal hypertension, plays the central role in the pathogenesis of thrombocytopenia in chronic viral hepatitis