A prognostic score for predicting survival in patients with pancreatic head adenocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma

Background/aim: Survival of patients with pancreatic cancer remains poor despite improvements in therapeutic strategies. This study aims to create a novel preoperative score to predict prognosis in patients with tumors of the pancreaticobiliary head. Patients and methods: Data on 190 patients who underwent to pancreaticoduodenectomy at Sapienza University of Rome from January 2010 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. After exclusion criteria, 101 patients were considered eligible for retrospective study. Preoperative biological, clinical and radiological parameters were considered. Results: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [hazard ratio (HR)=1.995, 95% confidence intervaI (CI)=1.1-3.3; p=0.01], carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA 19.9) >230 U/ml (HR=2.414, 95% CI=2.4-1.5, p<0.0001) and Wirsung duct diameter >3 mm (HR=1.592, 95% CI=1.5-0.9; p=0.08) were the only parameters associated with poor prognosis. Through these parameters, a prognostic score (PHT score) was developed which predicted worst survival when exceeding 2 and better survival when ≤2. Conclusion: The PHT score may have a potential impact on predicting overall survival and consequently modulate the timing and type of treatment (up-front surgery vs. neoadjuvant therapy) patients are offered

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and distal cholangiocarcinoma: a proposal of preoperative diagnostic score for differential diagnosis

Purpose:The differential diagnosis between primary adenocarcinoma of the pancreas head and distalcholangiocarcinoma remains a clinical challenge. Recent studies have shown important differences in terms ofsurvival between these tumors. Therefore, different treatments should be considered, but the preoperativehistological diagnosis is still difficult. Aim of this study is to create a preoperative diagnostic score for differentialdiagnosis between primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma and primary distal cholangiocarcinoma.Methods:One hundred eighty consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at SapienzaUniversity of Rome from January 2010 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Inclusion criteria werepancreatic or biliary histologic origin obtained by definitive postoperative histological examination. Exclusion criteriawere diagnosis of ampullary carcinoma, non-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic metastasis, andbenign disease. One hundred one patients were considered eligible for the retrospective study. Preoperativebiological, clinical, and radiological parameters were considered.Results:CRP > 10 mg/dL (p= 0.001), modified Glasgow Prognostic Score 2 (p= 0.002), albumin < 35 g/L (p= 0.05),CA 19-9 > 230 U/mL (p= 0.001), and Wirsung diameter > 3 mm (p< 0.001) were significant at univariate logisticanalysis. Multivariate logistic analysis has shown that parameters independently associated with primary pancreaticadenocarcinoma were CRP > 10 mg/dL (p= 0.012), CA 19-9 > 230 U/mL (p= 0.043), and diameter of the Wirsung> 3 mm (p= 0.005). Through these parameters, a diagnostic score has been developed to predict a primarypancreatic adenocarcinoma when > 1 and a primary distal cholangiocarcinoma when < 1.Conclusion:This feasible and low-cost diagnostic score could have a potential impact to differentiate pancreaticcancer histologic origin and to improve target therapeutic strategy

Preventive Effect of Cow's Milk Fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on Common Infectious Diseases in Children: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Fermented foods have been proposed to prevent common infectious diseases (CIDs) in children attending day care or preschool

Southern African Large Telescope Spectroscopy of BL Lacs for the CTA project

In the last two decades, very-high-energy gamma-ray astronomy has reached maturity: over 200 sources have been detected, both Galactic and extragalactic, by ground-based experiments. At present, Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) make up about 40% of the more than 200 sources detected at very high energies with ground-based telescopes, the majority of which are blazars, i.e. their jets are closely aligned with the line of sight to Earth and three quarters of which are classified as high-frequency peaked BL Lac objects. One challenge to studies of the cosmological evolution of BL Lacs is the difficulty of obtaining redshifts from their nearly featureless, continuum-dominated spectra. It is expected that a significant fraction of the AGN to be detected with the future Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) observatory will have no spectroscopic redshifts, compromising the reliability of BL Lac population studies, particularly of their cosmic evolution. We started an effort in 2019 to measure the redshifts of a large fraction of the AGN that are likely to be detected with CTA, using the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). In this contribution, we present two results from an on-going SALT program focused on the determination of BL Lac object redshifts that will be relevant for the CTA observatory

Characterization of vine canopy through two dimensional imaging

In the last decade, reconstruction of plant dimensions and volume has gained a noticeable importance, in particular for the possibility of collecting data correlated to biomass, leaves area, etc. This is specifically of interest in the case of vineyards, where knowledge of variability can be not only a useful mean to evaluate the health condition of the vines and of the grapes, but also an important input to allow variable management practices. Different sensing technologies are available for shape reconstruction, as for instance ultrasonic sensors, laser scanners or depth cameras, however, their practical application is still limited by low quality information, high costs, or high speed data processing demand. For the present work two-dimensional imaging is proposed as a viable solution for shape reconstruction of canopies. The method takes advantage of low cost 2D commercial cameras, which can be installed on board the tractor allowing on the go collection of images of plants from the bottom. The paper describes the instrumentation set up and integration with a specific thresholding algorithm allowing segmentation of canopy profile. Tests were carried out on 20 different dates on a glera vineyard in an experimental farm in the North of Italy. The results were correlated with the number of leaves, leaf area index and canopy volume. High correlation was identified in the case of volume with coefficients of determination R\ub2 > 0.7 in most of the cases

ENGINEERING FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERIZATION OF VINE CANOPY THROUGH TWO DIMENSIONAL IMAGING

Abstract. In the last decade, reconstruction of plant dimensions and volume has gained a noticeable importance, in particular for the possibility of collecting data correlated to biomass, leaves area, etc. This is specifically of interest in the case of vineyards, where knowledge of variability can be not only a useful mean to evaluate the health condition of the vines and of the grapes, but also an important input to allow variable management practices. Different sensing technologies are available for shape reconstruction, as for instance ultrasonic sensors, laser scanners or depth cameras, however, their practical application is still limited by low quality information, high costs, or high speed data processing demand. For the present work two-dimensional imaging is proposed as a viable solution for shape reconstruction of canopies. The method takes advantage of low cost 2D commercial cameras, which can be installed on board the tractor allowing on the go collection of images of plants from the bottom. The paper describes the instrumentation set up and integration with a specific thresholding algorithm allowing segmentation of canopy profile. Tests were carried out on 20 different dates on a glera vineyard in an experimental farm in the North of Italy. The results were correlated with the number of leaves, leaf area index and canopy volume. High correlation was identified in the case of volume with coefficients of determination R² > 0.7 in most of the cases. Keywords: canopy, profile, imaging, segmentation. Introduction The opportunity of analyzing the variable profile of vineyard canopies is of the highest relevance for the possibility of precisely quantifying local biomass. Such interest arises from the correlation, which is typically found between the canopy size and plant needs in terms of water and nutrients as well as with the yield and quality Many researches and approaches have been proposed in the last decade, which allow quantification of the plant dimensions [1; 3; 4], also taking advantage of the availability of miniaturized low cost sensors and of an increased speed in data processing [5; 6]. Available technologies can be referred mainly to ultrasonics, laser sensors and other optical methods Ultrasonic technology is a low cost solution, which relies on the sound waves echoing off of a given target [8; 9] to provide its external contour. Its performance is influenced by ultrasound propagation, which often exhibits parasitic signals or losses especially in the cases of thin targets or high reflection angles, as is in the case of small branches or in the case of badly oriented leaves. Additionally, ultrasonic sensors are very much sensitive to humidity, dust and high temperatures, however, their practical implementation has provided interesting results especially coupled with some recent spraying machines, to allow variable rate distributions. Laser based techniques include an interesting group of sensors, which take advantage of coherent light sources shined into the scene. The three dimensional reconstruction is achieved by implementing either a triangulation or a time of flight approach, and the effectiveness of the method has been already demonstrated in a number of applications, including vineyards [4; 10]. Main limitations are ascribable to distortions and noise mainly caused by sunlight exposure and to high computational complexity. Other optical methods are based on two-dimensional RGB images taken with standard CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) cameras. In the so called structure from motion approach, images captured from adjacent positions are collected and processed applying well known principles of photogrammetry to provide three-dimensional profiling. Other approaches use spectral information to allow canopy identification and segmentatio

Precision and efficiency of a mechanized delivery system of solid feeds for veal calves

To improve animal health and welfare of veal calves, since 1997, the European Union made mandatory the provision of a minimum daily amount (50 to 250 g) of fibrous feed in addition to the milk replacer diet. However more recently, the high costs of milk replacer ingredients have become an economic incentive to increase the amount of fibrous feed provided to the calves as partial substitute of the milk replacer. Solid feed provision has been shown to decrease abnormal behaviours such as oral stereotypes and improving calves rumination and rumen development. Moreover, increasing labour cost and herd sizes of the Italian veal sector have supported a growing interest by the calf producers towards the mechanization of the solid feed delivery. The main purpose of this paper is to show how the implementation of mechanized feeding systems can improve feed intake control, feeding rate and delivery efficiency if compared to the manual delivery of the solid portion of calves diet. Indeed, manual feeding is the most diffused system in veal calves dairy farm but exhibits many disadvantages in terms of distribution homogeneity and labour costs for the livestock farm. The study focuses on the results of an electric self-propelled prototype tested in a veal calves farm, allowing mixing of all solid feed ingredients and control of the weight of the feed delivered to each manger. It is shown how nutritional homogeneity can be improved, reducing deviations by a factor of 4 with respect to manual delivery in the case of crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. Additionally it is shown how single ration quantity variability can be reduced from over 30% in the case of manual delivery to less than 10% in the case of mechanized delivery

Measuring Comfort Behaviours in Laying Hens Using Deep-Learning Tools

Image analysis using machine learning (ML) algorithms could provide a measure of animal welfare by measuring comfort behaviours and undesired behaviours. Using a PLF technique based on images, the present study aimed to test a machine learning tool for measuring the number of hens on the ground and identifying the number of dust-bathing hens in an experimental aviary. In addition, two YOLO (You Only Look Once) models were compared. YOLOv4-tiny needed about 4.26 h to train for 6000 epochs, compared to about 23.2 h for the full models of YOLOv4. In validation, the performance of the two models in terms of precision, recall, harmonic mean of precision and recall, and mean average precision (mAP) did not differ, while the value of frame per second was lower in YOLOv4 compared to the tiny version (31.35 vs. 208.5). The mAP stands at about 94% for the classification of hens on the floor, while the classification of dust-bathing hens was poor (28.2% in the YOLOv4-tiny compared to 31.6% in YOLOv4). In conclusion, ML successfully identified laying hens on the floor, whereas other PLF tools must be tested for the classification of dust-bathing hens

Guidelines on Vaccinations in Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Patients

Objective. Vaccinations are the most important tool to prevent infectious diseases. Chemotherapy-induced immune depression may impact the efficacy of vaccinations in children. Patients and Methods. A panel of experts of the supportive care working group of the Italian Association Paediatric Haematology Oncology (AIEOP) addressed this issue by guidelines on vaccinations in paediatric cancer patients. The literature published between 1980 and 2013 was reviewed. Results and Conclusion. During intensive chemotherapy, vaccination turned out to be effective for hepatitis A and B, whilst vaccinations with toxoid, protein subunits, or bacterial antigens should be postponed to the less intensive phases, to achieve an adequate immune response. Apart from varicella, the administration of live-attenuated-virus vaccines is not recommended during this phase. Family members should remain on recommended vaccination schedules, including toxoid, inactivated vaccine (also poliomyelitis), and live-attenuated vaccines (varicella, measles, mumps, and rubella). By the time of completion of chemotherapy, insufficient serum antibody levels for vaccine-preventable diseases have been reported, while immunological memory appears to be preserved. Once immunological recovery is completed, usually after 6 months, response to booster or vaccination is generally good and allows patients to be protected and also to contribute to herd immunity