Left atrial size and function after spontaneous cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and their relation to N-terminal atrial natriuretic peptide

In conclusion, higher levels of N-ANP during AF were independently associated with spontaneous conversion, as well as with smaller LA volume.An inverse correlation existed between LA volume and N-AN

Rendimiento académico de los estudiantes del nivel secundario en Argentina

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo determinar los factores económicos, sociales y culturales que influyen en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes del nivel secundario en Argentina. Para ello se plantea una función de producción educativa para explicar el rendimiento escolar en Lengua y en Matemática a partir de ciertas variables económicas, sociales y culturales. Además, en un segundo momento se incorporan variables relacionadas a la escuela y trayectoria escolar, para mejorar así la predicción. Asimismo, se controla los resultados por región geográfica. La base de datos utilizada corresponde a las pruebas estándar de Argentina Aprender 2017.Fil: Mattioli, Gianina Paola. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas

Sudden stops en Latinoamérica : evidencia empírica

El trabajo desarrollado persiguió, en primer lugar, identificar los episodios de sudden stop que han ocurrido en los principales países de Latinoamérica. En segundo lugar, corroborar si se han presentado los efectos anticipados por el trabajo de Calvo, Izquierdo y Mejía (2004) y otros relacionados. Finalmente –y como una derivación de los temas abordados– analizar qué tanto de la volatilidad de los TCR depende de los sudden stops. Las conclusiones preliminares refieren a una amplia variedad de casos, frente a los cuales se vuelve necesario examinar –lo que se lleva a cabo de modo exploratorio en el presente trabajo– cómo respondieron los distintos gobiernos ante un episodio de sudden stop: vendiendo reservas para evitar un incremento brusco del TCN o incrementando la tasa de interés, teniendo en cuenta que no en todos los casos los gobiernos se encuentran con la posibilidad de utilizarla dado su efecto contractivo sobre la economía. Si el hacedor de política económica puede (y elige) subir la tasa de interés, el sudden stop debería morigerarse, aunque en relación a ello surgirá como un elemento central, la credibilidad. Todo lo anterior condiciona la reacción de las variables económicas ante episodios de sudden stop.Fil: Mattioli, Gianina Paola. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Poblete, Ana Paula. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas

Antisense to Epstein Barr virus-encoded LMP1 does not affect the transcription of viral and cellular proliferation-related genes, but induces phenotypic effects on EBV-transformed B lymphocytes

It is generally accepted that Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latent genes EBNA-2, EBNA-3A, -3C, EBNA-LP and LMP1 are essential for growth transformation and immortalization of B lymphocytes. Among these genes, LMP1 plays a key role in the survival and dissemination of the infected B cells by inducing anti-apoptotic genes and surface expression of several activation antigens and adhesion molecules. We have previously shown that antisense oligodeoxynucleotides directed to LMP1 mRNA, effectively suppress LMP1 gene expression and substantially reduce B95.8 cell proliferation. In this study, we have used antisense LMP1 oligomers to investigate whether LMP1 suppression might influence the expression of latent EBV genes with oncogenic potential, anti-apoptotic genes, or affect the phenotype of EBV-infected B95.8 cells. Our data show that LMP1 suppression does not affect the transcription of EBNA-2, EBNA-3A, -3B and -3C genes, or that of bcl-2 and mcl-1 anti-apoptotic genes. In contrast, consistent modifications in the expression of CD39, CD54, CD23, CD11 and CD10 molecules were observed in B95.8 cells after treatment with antisense LMP1. Our findings support the possibility for using LMP1 antisense oligomers as therapeutics in EBV-associated tumors

Road traffic pollution and childhood leukemia: a nationwide case-control study in Italy

Background The association of childhood leukemia with traffic pollution was considered in a number of studies from 1989 onwards, with results not entirely consistent and little information regarding subtypes. Aim of the study We used the data of the Italian SETIL case-control on childhood leukemia to explore the risk by leukemia subtypes associated to exposure to vehicular traffic. Methods We included in the analyses 648 cases of childhood leukemia (565 Acute lymphoblastic–ALL and 80 Acute non lymphoblastic-AnLL) and 980 controls. Information on traffic exposure was collected from questionnaire interviews and from the geocoding of house addresses, for all periods of life of the children. Results We observed an increase in risk for AnLL, and at a lower extent for ALL, with indicators of exposure to traffic pollutants. In particular, the risk was associated to the report of closeness of the house to traffic lights and to the passage of trucks (OR: 1.76; 95% CI 1.03–3.01 for ALL and 6.35; 95% CI 2.59–15.6 for AnLL). The association was shown also in the analyses limited to AML and in the stratified analyses and in respect to the house in different period of life. Conclusions Results from the SETIL study provide some support to the association of traffic related exposure and risk for AnLL, but at a lesser extent for ALL. Our conclusion highlights the need for leukemia type specific analyses in future studies. Results support the need of controlling exposure from traffic pollution, even if knowledge is not complete

A systematic study of the valence electronic structure of cyclo(Gly–Phe), cyclo(Trp–Tyr) and cyclo(Trp–Trp) dipeptides in the gas phase

The electronic energy levels of cyclo(glycine–phenylalanine), cyclo(tryptophan–tyrosine) and cyclo(tryptophan–tryptophan) dipeptides are investigated with a joint experimental and theoretical approach. Experimentally, valence photoelectron spectra in the gas phase are measured using VUV radiation. Theoretically, we first obtain low-energy conformers through an automated conformer–rotamer ensemble sampling scheme based on tight-binding simulations. Then, different first principles computational schemes are considered to simulate the spectra: Hartree–Fock (HF), density functional theory (DFT) within the B3LYP approximation, the quasi-particle GW correction, and the quantumchemistry CCSD method. Theory allows assignment of the main features of the spectra. A discussion on the role of electronic correlation is provided, by comparing computationally cheaper DFT scheme (and GW) results with the accurate CCSD method

Genome-wide CRISPR interference screen identifies long non-coding RNA loci required for differentiation and pluripotency

Although many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exhibit lineage-specific expression, the vast majority remain functionally uncharacterized in the context of development. Here, we report the first described human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines to repress (CRISPRi) or activate (CRISPRa) transcription during differentiation into all three germ layers, facilitating the modulation of lncRNA expression during early development. We performed an unbiased, genome-wide CRISPRi screen targeting thousands of lncRNA loci expressed during endoderm differentiation. While dozens of lncRNA loci were required for proper differentiation, most differentially expressed lncRNAs were not, supporting the necessity for functional screening instead of relying solely on gene expression analyses. In parallel, we developed a clustering approach to infer mechanisms of action of lncRNA hits based on a variety of genomic features. We subsequently identified and validated FOXD3-AS1 as a functional lncRNA essential for pluripotency and differentiation. Taken together, the cell lines and methodology described herein can be adapted to discover and characterize novel regulators of differentiation into any lineage

The still under-investigated role of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis

Background: Despite cognitive deficits frequently represent the first clinical manifestations of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Natalizumab-treated MS patients, the importance of cognitive deficits in PML diagnosis is still under-investigated. The aim of the current study is to investigate the cognitive deficits at PML diagnosis in a group of Italian patients with PML. Methods: Thirty-four PML patients were included in the study. The demographic and clinical data, the lesion load and localization, and the longitudinal clinical course was compared between patients with (n = 13) and without (n = 15) cognitive deficit upon PML suspicion (the remaining six patients were asymptomatic). Clinical presentation of cognitive symptoms was described in detail. Result: After symptoms detection, the time to diagnosis resulted to be shorter for patients presenting with cognitive than for patients with non cognitive onset (p = 0.03). Within patients with cognitive onset, six patients were presenting with language and/or reading difficulties (46.15%); five patients with memory difficulties (38.4%); three patients with apraxia (23.1%); two patients with disorientation (15.3%); two patients with neglect (15.3%); one patients with object agnosia (7.7%), one patient with perseveration (7.7%) and one patient with dementia (7.7%). Frontal lesions were less frequent (p = 0.03), whereas temporal lesions were slightly more frequent (p = 0.06) in patients with cognitive deficits. The longitudinal PML course seemed to be more severe in cognitive than in non cognitive patients (F = 2.73, p = 0.03), but differences disappeared (F = 1.24, p = 0.29) when balancing for the incidence of immune reconstitution syndrome and for other treatments for PML (steroids, plasma exchange (PLEX) and other therapies (Mefloquine, Mirtazapine, Maraviroc). Conclusion: Cognitive deficits at PML onset manifest with symptoms which are absolutely rare in MS. Their appearance in MS patients should strongly suggest PML. Clinicians should be sensitive to the importance of formal neuropsychological evaluation, with particular focus on executive function, which are not easily detected without a formal assessment

Carpal tunnel syndrome in cardiac amyloidosis: implications for early diagnosis and prognostic role across the spectrum of aetiologies

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Patients with paediatric-onset multiple sclerosis are at higher risk of cognitive impairment in adulthood: an Italian collaborative study

Background: Patients with paediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS) could be at an increased risk for cognitive impairment (CI), given the potential harmful effects of disease activity in neurodevelopment. However, there is scarce information on their long-term cognitive outcomes. Objective: To compare the prevalence and profile of CI between adults with a history of POMS and those with classic, adult-onset multiple sclerosis (AOMS). Methods: Cognitive performance was assessed through the Brief Repeatable Battery (BRB) and the Stroop Test in consecutive patients referred to six Italian MS centres. CI was defined as impairment in ⩾2 cognitive domains. Results: In all, 119 patients with POMS and 712 with AOMS were included in this analysis. The prevalence of CI was 48.0% in AOMS, 44.5% in POMS; with similar neuropsychological profile between the two groups. However, when adjusting for current age, we found a significantly increased risk for CI (odds ratio (OR) = 1.71; p = 0.02) and for impairment in information processing speed (OR = 1.86; p < 0.01) in patients with POMS. A higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) was also identified in POMS (p = 0.03) compared with AOMS patients.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article: This study was in part financed through an FISM (Italian Federation of Multiple Sclerosis) research grant