Advanced satellite technique for volcanic activity monitoring and early warning

Nowadays, satellite remote sensing is an important tool for volcanic activity monitoring, thanks to several operational satellite platforms providing data everywhere with high observational frequencies and generally at low cost. Among different techniques available, an advanced satellite method, named RST (Robust Satellite Technique), based on the multitemporal analysis of satellite data, has shown a high capability in volcanic activity monitoring. This approach has proved capable of identifying and tracking volcanic ash cloud and of correctly detecting and monitoring volcanic thermal anomalies. This paper analyzes some recent results, obtained applying this approach to the last eruptive events of Mt. Etna using both polar and geostationary satellites. In particular, for the first time, this approach is implemented on the present geostationary platform MSG-SEVIRI, with 15 min of temporal resolution. Preliminary results, together with a future potential of this implementation, are shown and discussed. Moreover, a differential RST index in time domain is also proposed for near real-time application, as a possible contribution to the development of an efficient early warning satellite system for volcanic hazard mitigation

Increase in the prevalence of the MTHFR 677 TT polymorphism in women born since 1959: potential implications for folate requirements

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Influenza vaccine effectiveness among high-risk groups: a systematic literature review and metaanalysis of case-control and cohort studies

Vaccination represents the most effective intervention to prevent infection, hospitalization and mortality due to influenza. This meta-analysis quantifies data reporting influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) on influenza visits and hospitalizations of case-control and cohort studies among high-risk groups. A systematic literature review including original articles published between 2007 and 2016, using a protocol registered on Prospero with No. 42017054854, and a meta-analysis were conducted. For three high-risk groups (subjects with underlying health conditions, pregnant women and health care workers) only a qualitative evaluation was carried out. The VE quantitative analysis demonstrated a clear significant overall effect of 39% (95%CI: 32%-46%) for visits and 57% (95%CI: 30%-74%) for hospitalization among children. Considering the elderly influenza VE had a clear effect of 25% (95%CI: 6%-40%) for visits and 14% (95%CI: 7%-21%; p<0.001) for hospitalization. This study showed the high VE of influenza vaccination among high-risk groups, representing a tool for public health decision-makers to develop evidence-based preventive interventions to avoid influenza outcome

Prevalence Survey of Healthcare-Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Use at the University Hospital ?Paolo Giaccone?, Palermo, Italy

Introduction. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance are well known major public health threats. The first goal of our study was to describe the prevalence of HAI, while the second goal was to describe the antibiotic consumption at our University Hospital, ?P. Giaccone? in Palermo, Italy. Methods. A standardized methodology for a combined Point Prevalence Survey (PPS) on healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospital developed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) was piloted across Europe. The teaching Hospital ?P. Giaccone? in Palermo, Italy, participated in the study Results. Out of 328 surveyed patients, 12 (3.6%) had an HAI and 159 (48.5%) were receiving at least one antimicro- bial agent. Prevalence results were highest in intensive care units, with 17.6% patients with HAI. Bloodstream infections represented the most common type (50%) of HAI. Surgical prophylaxis was the indication for antimicrobial prescribing in 59 (37.1%) out of 159 patients and exceeded 24 hours in 54 (91.5%) cases. Discussion. The results suggest that in our hospital there was a frequent and inappropriate use of antimicrobials, especially in the setting of surgical prophylaxis

Proteomic analysis of mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB mouse brain

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an inherited metabolic disease due to deficiency of α-N-Acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU) enzyme with subsequent storage of undegraded heparan sulfate (HS). The main clinical manifestations of the disease are profound intellectual disability and neurodegeneration. A label-free quantitative proteomic approach was applied to compare the proteome profile of brains from MPS IIIB and control mice to identify altered neuropathological pathways of MPS IIIB. Proteins were identified through a bottom up analysis and 130 were significantly under-represented and 74 over-represented in MPS IIIB mouse brains compared to wild type (WT). Multiple bioinformatic analyses allowed to identify three major clusters of the differentially abundant proteins: proteins involved in cytoskeletal regulation, synaptic vesicle trafficking, and energy metabolism. The proteome profile of NAGLU−/− mouse brain could pave the way for further studies aimed at identifying novel therapeutic targets for the MPS IIIB. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD017363

Is acidemia at birth a risk factor for functional gastrointestinal disorders?

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are common in early childhood. It has been demonstrated that neonatal acidemia at delivery can lead to significant neonatal morbidity. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between acidemia at birth and the development of FGIDs, as regurgitation, colic, and constipation, in term infants. Term newborns born at the Foggia University Hospital, Italy during the year 2020 were included in the study. As per routine clinical practice, a cord blood gas analysis on a blood sample drawn from the umbilical artery (UA) of each infant immediately after birth was performed, and Apgar score was recorded. One year after birth, each infant's parents were interviewed through a phone call to investigate development of FGIDs, feeding practices, and morbidities. During the study period, 1574 term newborns met the inclusion criteria. The prevalence of infantile colic, regurgitation, and constipation was higher in infants with low UA pH (colic 51.5% vs. 25.4%, p &lt; 0.001; regurgitation 30.6% vs. 15.2%, p &lt; 0.001; constipation 24.6% vs. 16.0%, p = 0.015), with infants having moderate-severe acidemia facing the highest risk for all the examined FGIDs. In binary logistic regression analyses, UA pH and perinatal antibiotic exposure proved to be independently associated with the later diagnosis of each FGID. Conclusion: Newborns with acidemia at birth appear to face a higher risk of FGIDs in infancy. Avoiding low cord blood pH should continue to be the goal for obstetricians, while enhanced long-term surveillance for infants who experienced birth acidemia should be required

C. elegans expressing human β2-microglobulin: a novel model for studying the relationship between the molecular assembly and the toxic phenotype.

Availability of living organisms to mimic key step of amyloidogenesis of human protein has become an indispensable tool for our translation approach aiming at filling the deep gap existing between the biophysical and biochemical data obtained in vitro and the pathological features observed in patients. Human β(2)-microglobulin (β(2)-m) causes systemic amyloidosis in haemodialysed patients. The structure, misfolding propensity, kinetics of fibrillogenesis and cytotoxicity of this protein, in vitro, have been studied more extensively than for any other globular protein. However, no suitable animal model for β(2)-m amyloidosis has been so far reported. We have now established and characterized three new transgenic C. elegans strains expressing wild type human β(2)-m and two highly amyloidogenic isoforms: P32G variant and the truncated form ΔN6 lacking of the 6 N-terminal residues. The expression of human β(2)-m affects the larval growth of C. elegans and the severity of the damage correlates with the intrinsic propensity to self-aggregate that has been reported in previous in vitro studies. We have no evidence of the formation of amyloid deposits in the body-wall muscles of worms. However, we discovered a strict correlation between the pathological phenotype and the presence of oligomeric species recognized by the A11 antibody. The strains expressing human β(2)-m exhibit a locomotory defect quantified with the body bends assay. Here we show that tetracyclines can correct this abnormality confirming that these compounds are able to protect a living organism from the proteotoxicity of human β(2)-m

Indexed left atrial volume is superior to left atrial diameter in predicting nonvalvular atrial fibrillation recurrence after successful cardioversion: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Although indexed left atrial volume (iLAV) is the most accurate measure of left atrial size, it has not been evaluated prospectively as predictor of recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AFib) after successful cardioversion (CV). METHODS: We prospectively selected 76 patients (mean age 66.1 ± 13.6 years, 65.8% men) with AFib who underwent successful CV. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were obtained before CV. LAV was measured using Simpson's method and indexed to body surface area. All patients were scheduled for follow-up visit at 1, 6, 12 months, and then annually. A 24-hour Holter ECG was performed within 6 months and each time the patients reported symptoms suggestive of arrhythmia. RESULTS: The 52 patients (68.4%) with AFib recurrence had larger iLAV (35.5 ± 8.9 mL/m(2) vs 27.0 ± 6.7 mL/m(2) , P < 0.001). Anteroposterior LA diameter was not associated with AFib relapse (OR 1.08, 95% CI: 0.96-1.21, P = 0.09). Each unit increase in iLAV was associated with a 1.15-fold increased risk of recurrence (OR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06-1.25, P < 0.001). In a multivariable model, iLAV remained the only independent predictor of relapse (adjusted OR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02-1.28, P = 0.02). The area under ROC curves, generated to compare LA diameter, and iLAV as predictors of AFib recurrence were 0.56 (SE 0.07) versus 0.78 (SE 0.05), respectively (P = 0.003). CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study to show that larger iLAV, as a more accurate measure of LA remodeling than anteroposterior diameter, is strongly and independently associated with a higher risk of AFib recurrence after CV

A study on the Abruzzo 6 April 2009 earthquake by applying the RST approach to 15 years of AVHRR TIR observations

A self adaptive approach (RST, Robust Satellite Technique) has been proposed as a suitable tool for satellite TIR surveys in seismically active regions devoted to detect and monitor thermal anomalies possibly related to earthquake occurrence. In this work, RST approach has been applied to 15 years of AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) thermal infrared observations in order to study the 6 April 2009 Abruzzo earthquake. Preliminary results show clear differences in TIR anomalies occurrence during the periods used for validation (15 March–15 April 2009) and the one (15 March–15 April 2008) without earthquakes with &lt;i&gt;M&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;L&lt;/sub&gt;&amp;ge;4.5, used for confutation purposes. Quite clear TIR anomalies appears also to mark main tectonic lineaments during the preparatory phases of others, low magnitude(3.9&lt;&lt;i&gt;M&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sub&gt;L&lt;/sub&gt;&lt;4.6) earthquakes, occurred in the area in the same period