The impact of liver disease: a leading cause of hospital admissions in people living vith HIV

Background: This study reviews recent trends of HIV inpatient admissions over 5 Infectious diseases Units in Liguria, in 2012. Patients and Methods: Five infectious diseases Units in Liguria, Italy, collected data on inpatient HIV admissions from January to December 2012, including patient demographic, discharge diagnosis, CD4 Tcell count, viral load (VL) and combined anti-retroviral treatment (cART). Results: Rate of patient admissions per 100 years was 6.12 (number=257), in 62.6% (n=161) of admissions a VL under 50 copies/ml was observed. Furthermore, 86.4% (n=222) of admissions were on active cART. Median age was 49 years. Mortality rate was 10.2%. Hepatitis C coinfection occurred in 64.6% of patients (n=166). The most common diagnosis was infectious diseases (29.1%), respiratory diseases (16.6%) and neoplasms (15.%). Chronic HCV infection and its complications (cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma) accounted for 31% of all discharging diagnosis. Conclusions: The majority of inpatients admitted during 2012 in our Units were on cART and virologically suppressed. The complications of hepatitis C coinfection have a major impact on mortality rates and hospitalization rates in Italy. According to these observations, the availability of new drugs for chronic hepatitis C imposes a further effort to improve the quality of life of our patients

Spin Transfer from a Ferromagnet into a Semiconductor through an Oxide barrier

We present results on the magnetoresistance of the system Ni/Al203/n-doped Si/Al2O3/Ni in fabricated nanostructures. The results at temperature of 14K reveal a 75% magnetoresistance that decreases in value up to approximately 30K where the effect disappears. We observe minimum resistance in the antiparallel configurations of the source and drain of Ni. As a possibility, it seems to indicate the existence of a magnetic state at the Si/oxide interface. The average spin diffusion length obtained is of 650 nm approximately. Results are compared to the window of resistances that seems to exist between the tunnel barrier resistance and two threshold resistances but the spin transfer seems to work in the range and outside the two thresholds

Removability Efficiency of Heavy Metals with Modified Humate from Aqueous Media

The main aim of this work was to study the possibility of using amine-modified humate as a sorbent for the purification of water from heavy metal ions (Cu&Co). One of the effective methods of creating new sorbents of humic acids is chemical modification based on the high reactivity of the functional groups in the composition of humic acids. The possibility of modification of humic acid with bis(3-aminopropyl) amine was illustrated. Modification was carried out with the aim of increasing its sorption capacity. Metalhumate complexes were also obtained by an ion-exchange procedure with modified humate (Mod-Hum) by employing metal salts such as Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O, Co(CH3COO)2·4H2O. Maximum sorption percentages of Mod-Hum achieved were about 99.2% for Cu (II) and 90% for Co (II). The sorption degree depending on pH changes was studied in the range of 2 to 8, the sorption ability of the sorbents was stated to increase with the increase in pH. The degree of sorption of copper (ІІ) on Mod-Hum in the studied range of рН 5 was higher and of cobalt (II) for which the sorption is optimal at higher values (рН 7-8). It is stated that sorption degree increases with the increase in time from 15 min to 2 h. The adsorption of toxic metal ions with Mod-Hum was measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The experimental results on determination of the adsorption isotherm were evaluated with the Langmuir equation. It is shown that the sorbent develops a high sorption capacity in regard to ions of Cu (18.42 mg/g) and Со (16.25 mg/g). All the obtained complex compounds were analyzed and characterized by FT infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Neurobrucellosis with transient ischemic attack, vasculopathic changes, intracerebral granulomas and basal ganglia infarction: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Central nervous system involvement is a rare but serious manifestation of brucellosis. We present an unusual case of neurobrucellosis with transient ischemic attack, intracerebral vasculopathy granulomas, seizures, and paralysis of sixth and seventh cranial nerves.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 17-year-old Caucasian man presented with nausea and vomiting, headache, double vision and he gave a history of weakness in the left arm, speech disturbance and imbalance. Physical examination revealed fever, doubtful neck stiffness and left abducens nerve paralysis. An analysis of his cerebrospinal fluid showed a pleocytosis (lymphocytes, 90%), high protein and low glucose levels. He developed generalized tonic-clonic seizures, facial paralysis and left hemiparesis. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated intracerebral vasculitis, basal ganglia infarction and granulomas, mimicking the central nervous system involvement of tuberculosis. On the 31st day of his admission, neurobrucellosis was diagnosed with immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G positivity by standard tube agglutination test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples (the tests had been negative until that day). He was treated successfully with trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, doxycyline and rifampicin for six months.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our patient illustrates the importance of suspecting brucellosis as a cause of meningoencephalitis, even if cultures and serological tests are negative at the beginning of the disease. As a result, in patients who have a history of residence or travel to endemic areas, neurobrucellosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any neurologic symptoms. If initial tests fail, repetition of these tests at appropriate intervals along with complementary investigations are indicated.</p

Desempenho produtivo de porta-enxertos de macieira da série Geneva em solo de replantio

The objective of this work was to identify rootstocks with competitive agronomic potential to substitute those currently used in Southern Brazil for the Galaxy and Fuji Suprema apple scion cultivars cultivated on replanting soils. The experiment was carried out in the municipality of Lebon Regis, in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, from the 2009/2010 to the 2014/2015 crop season, in a randomized complete block design, with four replicates. The yield performance of the 'Galaxy' and 'Fuji Suprema' scions grafted on the G.056, G.202, G.213, G.814, G.896, G.969, M.9, and Marubakaido/M.9 rootstocks was evaluated. G.896 and G.814 stood out due to their superior annual and cumulative fruit yields, as well as to their greater yield regularity, although they showed lower ability of dwarfing the scion. The greatest average fruit weight of 'Galaxy' was obtained on G.056 and G.213. For 'Fuji Suprema', G.969 promoted smaller fruits, whereas the other rootstocks did not differ. All the evaluated rootstocks produced less suckers than Marubakaido/M.9 and less burrknots than M.9 and Marubakaido/M.9. In general, on replanting soil conditions, G.202 is promising among dwarfing rootstocks, mainly for 'Fuji Suprema'. G.056, G.814, and G.896 also stand out, and the two first are more specific for 'Fuji Suprema'.O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar porta-enxertos com potencial agronômico competitivo para substituir os tradicionalmente usados no Sul do Brasil para as cultivares-copa de macieira Galaxy e Fuji Suprema cultivadas em solo de replantio. O experimento foi conduzido em Lebon Regis, no Estado de Santa Catarina, nas safras de 2009/2010 a 2014/2015, em delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Avaliou-se o desempenho agronômico das copas 'Galaxy' e 'Fuji Suprema', enxertadas sobre G.056, G.202, G.213, G.814, G.896, G.969, M.9 e Marubakaido/M.9. G.896 e G.814 se destacaram pelas produções de frutos anual e acumulada superiores, bem como pela maior regularidade produtiva, embora tenham apresentado menor capacidade ananizante sobre a copa. As maiores massas médias de frutos de 'Galaxy' foram obtidas sobre G.056 e G.213. Para 'Fuji Suprema', G.969 proporcionou frutos menores, enquanto os demais porta-enxertos não diferiram entre si. Todos os porta-enxertos avaliados rebrotaram menos que Marubakaido/M.9 e produziram menos “burrknots” que M.9 e Marubakaido/M.9. No geral, nas condições de solo de replantio, G.202 mostra ser promissor entre os porta-enxertos ananizantes, principalmente para 'Fuji Suprema'. Destacam-se também G.056, G.814 e G.896, sendo os dois primeiros mais específicos para 'Fuji Suprema'