33 research outputs found
A case of total bilateral congenital ulnar artery absence detected with CT angiography
Here we report a case of bilateral ulnar artery absence discovered during the treatment of a deep wound in the forearm. Variations and anomalies in the anatomy of the upper limb arteries are frequent, but the one that we found, to our knowledge, has never been described in other clinical cases
The Effect of Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination and Infection on Humoral and Cellular Immunity in a Cohort of Patients with Immune-Mediated Diseases: A Pilot Study
Immunization against COVID-19 is needed in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). However, data on long-term immunity kinetics remain scarce. This study aimed to compare the humoral and cellular response to COVID-19 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) compared to healthy controls. We compared the humoral and cellular response to SARS-Cov-2 elicited by vaccination and/or infection in a prospective cohort of 20 IMID patients compared with a group of 21 healthcare workers (HCWs). We assessed immunity before and after the third and fourth dose of BNT162b2 or after COVID-19 infection using quantitative IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike antibody (anti-S-IgG), neutralization assay, and specific interferon-gamma (IFN-g) release assay (IGRA). The responses were compared with those of healthy controls. The two groups were similar in age and total exposure, becoming infected for the first time, mainly after the third dose. Neutralizing antibodies and IGRA were negative in 9.5% of IMID patients but not in any HCWs. No significant difference was found between neutralization titers to BA.1 in the IMID and the HCW groups. The study highlights the SARS-CoV-2 immunological responses in healthy controls and IMID patients, suggesting that the combined stimuli of vaccination and infection in IMID patients could promote a more profound immunological response
New Horizons in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Prognostic Role of CD44 Expression
Background: The transmembrane glycoprotein CD44, the major hyaluronan (HA) receptor, has been proven to regulate cell growth, survival, differentiation, and migration. It is therefore widely considered to be involved in carcinogenesis. Its role as a new therapeutic target in solid tumors is under evaluation in clinical trials. The prognostic value remains controversial. Here, we aimed to investigate the correlation between CD44 expression and the clinicopathological features and survival in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. Methods: Data from 65 mCRC patients of the Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital and University of Cagliari were retrospectively collected from 2008 to 2021. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed at the Pathology Division, University Hospital of Cagliari on 3 ÎŒm thick sections obtained from paraffin blocks. The intensity of immunohistochemical staining was subclassified into four groups: score 0 if negative or weak membrane staining in less than 10% of tumor cells; score 1+ if weak membrane staining in at least 10% of tumor cells or moderate membrane staining in less than 10% of tumor cells; score 2+ if moderate membrane staining in at least 10% of tumor cells or intensive membrane staining in less than 10% of tumor cells; score 3+ if intense membrane staining in at least 10% of tumor cells. Based on this score, we distinguished patients into low CD44 expression (score 0, 1+, 2+) and high CD44 expression (score 3+). Statistical analysis was performed with MedCalc (survival distribution: Kaplan-Meier; survival comparison: log-rank test; association between categorical variables: Fisher's exact test). Results: Patients' median age was 66 years (range 49-85). Regarding CD44 expression, score was 0 in 18 patients, 1+ in 15 patients, 2+ in 18 patients, and 3+ in 14 patients. Median overall survival (mOS) was 28.1 months (95%CI: 21.3-101). CD44 overexpression (3+) was correlated with poor prognosis (p = 0.0011; HR = 0.2), with a mOS of 14.5 months (95%CI 11.7 to 35.9) versus 30.7 months (95%CI 27.8 to 101) in lower CD44 expression. Higher CD44 expression was associated with clinically poor prognostic features: age â„ 70 years (p = 0.0166); inoperable disease (p = 0.0008); stage IV at diagnosis (p = 0.0241); BRAF mutated (p = 0.0111), high-grade tumor (p = 0.0084). Conclusions: CD44 markedly correlated with aggressive tumor behavior and contributed to the earlier progression of disease, thus suggesting its role as a novel prognostic marker and potential therapeutic target for mCRC patients
Evolving trends in the management of acute appendicitis during COVID-19 waves. The ACIE appy II study
Background: In 2020, ACIE Appy study showed that COVID-19 pandemic heavily affected the management of patients with acute appendicitis (AA) worldwide, with an increased rate of non-operative management (NOM) strategies and a trend toward open surgery due to concern of virus transmission by laparoscopy and controversial recommendations on this issue. The aim of this study was to survey again the same group of surgeons to assess if any difference in management attitudes of AA had occurred in the later stages of the outbreak.
Methods: From August 15 to September 30, 2021, an online questionnaire was sent to all 709 participants of the ACIE Appy study. The questionnaire included questions on personal protective equipment (PPE), local policies and screening for SARS-CoV-2 infection, NOM, surgical approach and disease presentations in 2021. The results were compared with the results from the previous study.
Results: A total of 476 answers were collected (response rate 67.1%). Screening policies were significatively improved with most patients screened regardless of symptoms (89.5% vs. 37.4%) with PCR and antigenic test as the preferred test (74.1% vs. 26.3%). More patients tested positive before surgery and commercial systems were the preferred ones to filter smoke plumes during laparoscopy. Laparoscopic appendicectomy was the first option in the treatment of AA, with a declined use of NOM.
Conclusion: Management of AA has improved in the last waves of pandemic. Increased evidence regarding SARS-COV-2 infection along with a timely healthcare systems response has been translated into tailored attitudes and a better care for patients with AA worldwide
The high-frequency upgrade of the Sardinia Radio Telescope
We present the status of the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) and its forthcoming update planned in the next few years. The post-process scenario of the upgraded infrastructure will allow the national and international scientific community to use the SRT for the study of the Universe at high radio frequencies (up to 116 GHz), both in single dish and in interferometric mode. A telescope like SRT, operating at high frequencies, represents a unique resource for the scientific community. The telescope will be ideal for mapping quickly and with relatively high angular resolution extended radio emissions characterized by low surface brightness. It will also be essential for spectroscopic and polarimetric studies of both Galactic and extragalactic radio sources. With the use of the interferometric technique, SRT and the other Italian antennas (Medicina and Noto) will operate within the national and international radiotelescope network, allowing astronomers to obtain images of radio sources at very high angular resolution
Status of the High-Frequency Upgrade of the Sardinia Radio Telescope
The Sardinia Radio Telescope is going
through a major upgrade aimed at observing the
universe at up to 116 GHz. A budget of 18.700.000 E
has been awarded to the Italian National Institute of
Astrophysics to acquire new state-of-the-art receivers,
back-end, and high-performance computing, to develop
a sophisticated metrology system and to upgrade the
infrastructure and laboratories. This contribution draws
the status of the whole project at eight months from the
end of the funding scheme planned for August 2022
SiPM-matrix readout of two-phase argon detectors using electroluminescence in the visible and near infrared range
Proportional electroluminescence (EL) in noble gases is used in two-phase detectors for dark matter searches to record (in the gas phase) the ionization signal induced by particle scattering in the liquid phase. The âstandardâ EL mechanism is considered to be due to noble gas excimer emission in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV). In addition, there are two alternative mechanisms, producing light in the visible and near infrared (NIR) ranges. The first is due to bremsstrahlung of electrons scattered on neutral atoms (âneutral bremsstrahlungâ, NBrS). The second, responsible for electron avalanche scintillation in the NIR at higher electric fields, is due to transitions between excited atomic states. In this work, we have for the first time demonstrated two alternative techniques of the optical readout of two-phase argon detectors, in the visible and NIR range, using a silicon photomultiplier matrix and electroluminescence due to either neutral bremsstrahlung or avalanche scintillation. The amplitude yield and position resolution were measured for these readout techniques, which allowed to assess the detection threshold for electron and nuclear recoils in two-phase argon detectors for dark matter searches. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first practical application of the NBrS effect in detection science
Design and construction of a new detector to measure ultra-low radioactive-isotope contamination of argon
Large liquid argon detectors offer one of the best avenues for the detection of galactic weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) via their scattering on atomic nuclei. The liquid argon target allows exquisite discrimination between nuclear and electron recoil signals via pulse-shape discrimination of the scintillation signals. Atmospheric argon (AAr), however, has a naturally occurring radioactive isotope, 39Ar, a ÎČ emitter of cosmogenic origin. For large detectors, the atmospheric 39Ar activity poses pile-up concerns. The use of argon extracted from underground wells, deprived of 39Ar, is key to the physics potential of these experiments. The DarkSide-20k dark matter search experiment will operate a dual-phase time projection chamber with 50 tonnes of radio-pure underground argon (UAr), that was shown to be depleted of 39Ar with respect to AAr by a factor larger than 1400. Assessing the 39Ar content of the UAr during extraction is crucial for the success of DarkSide-20k, as well as for future experiments of the Global Argon Dark Matter Collaboration (GADMC). This will be carried out by the DArT in ArDM experiment, a small chamber made with extremely radio-pure materials that will be placed at the centre of the ArDM detector, in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory (LSC) in Spain. The ArDM LAr volume acts as an active veto for background radioactivity, mostly Îł-rays from the ArDM detector materials and the surrounding rock. This article describes the DArT in ArDM project, including the chamber design and construction, and reviews the background required to achieve the expected performance of the detector
Sistema di valutazione dei manufatti per unâinterpretazione socio economica del sito di Miranduolo fra VIII e inizi X secolo.
Dopo le teorie introdotte con la New Archaeology, i metodi matematici e gli approcci quantitativi sono stati ampiamente utilizzati in archeologia. Partendo dallâosservazione del sito di Miranduolo, proponiamo unâanalisi numerica multivariata per testare una distribuzione normale ed elementi di ricchezza positivi e/o negativi, valutando i livelli stratigrafici e i loro manufatti. Vetri, metalli e ceramiche sono le migliori prove materiali per comprendere la struttura della societĂ . Per ognuno di questi manufatti dobbiamo stabilire un valore diverso basato sul livello quantitativo e qualitativo per definire la misura della ricchezza, o perlomeno un indice di complessitĂ . In particolare, utilizziamo uno specifico tipo di analisi intra-site (local density analysis) e sperimentiamo lâuso della network analysis allâinterno di un sito archeologico. In questo modo sarĂ possibile osservare âquantoâ e âqualâĂšâ lâimpatto sulla valutazione della ricchezza, o perlomeno degli indici di complessitĂ . Lo scopo di queste analisi Ăš definire gli elementi gerarchici distintivi per la popolazione dellâinsediamento di Miranduolo. Intorno allâVIII secolo, lâinterpretazione stratigrafica suggerisce un villaggio con due âclausureâ in cui vengono conservate le derrate alimentari, due zone intermedie (di cui una di pertinenza di un fabbro) e le capanne dei contadini. Miranduolo nel IX secolo ha unâorganizzazione âcurtenseâ: una zona di potere con la famiglia che controlla il sito (casa dominica), il dominicum e il massaricium. Con questo contributo si vuole proporre un metodo analitico per aiutare i ricercatori a comprendere le differenze socio-economiche allâinterno dellâinsediamento
Sistema di valutazione dei manufatti per unâinterpretazione socio economica del sito di Miranduolo fra VIII e inizi X secolo
Dopo le teorie introdotte con la New Archaeology, i metodi
matematici e gli approcci quantitativi sono stati ampiamente utilizzati in archeologia. Partendo dallâosservazione del sito di Miranduolo, proponiamo
unâanalisi numerica multivariata per testare una distribuzione normale ed
elementi di ricchezza positivi e/o negativi, valutando i livelli stratigrafici e i
loro manufatti. Vetri, metalli e ceramiche sono le migliori prove materiali per
comprendere la struttura della societĂ . Per ognuno di questi manufatti dobbiamo stabilire un valore diverso basato sul livello quantitativo e qualitativo
per definire la misura della ricchezza, o perlomeno un indice di complessitĂ .
In particolare, utilizziamo uno specifico tipo di analisi intra-site (local density analysis) e sperimentiamo lâuso della network analysis allâinterno di un sito
archeologico. In questo modo sarĂ possibile osservare âquantoâ e âqualâĂšâ
lâimpatto sulla valutazione della ricchezza, o perlomeno degli indici di complessitĂ . Lo scopo di queste analisi Ăš definire gli elementi gerarchici distintivi
per la popolazione dellâinsediamento di Miranduolo. Intorno allâVIII secolo,
lâinterpretazione stratigrafica suggerisce un villaggio con due âclausureâ in cui
vengono conservate le derrate alimentari, due zone intermedie (di cui una
di pertinenza di un fabbro) e le capanne dei contadini. Miranduolo nel IX
secolo ha unâorganizzazione âcurtenseâ: una zona di potere con la famiglia
che controlla il sito (casa dominica), il dominicum e il massaricium. Con questo
contributo si vuole proporre un metodo analitico per aiutare i ricercatori a
comprendere le differenze socio-economiche allâinterno dellâinsediamento