X-ray crystallographic studies of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 and related superantigens

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Visualisation analysis for exploring prerequisite relations in textbooks

Building automatic strategies for organising knowledge contained in textbooks has a tremendous potential to enhance meaningful learning. Automatic identification of prerequisite relation (PR) between concepts in a textbook is a well-known way for knowledge structuring, yet it is still an open issue. Our research contributes for better understanding and exploring the phenomenon of PR in textbooks, by providing a collection of visualisation techniques for PR exploration and analysis, that we used for the design of and then the refinement of our algorithm for PR extraction

PRET: Prerequisite-enriched terminology. A case study on educational texts

In this paper we present PRET, a gold dataset annotated for prerequisite relations between educational concepts extracted from a computer science textbook, and we describe the language and domain independent approach for the creation of the resource. Additionally, we have created an annotation tool to support, validate and analyze the annotation

Non-specific bronchial hyper-responsiveness in children with allergic rhinitis: relationship with the atopic status

An increased prevalence of bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) has been demonstrated in children from a general population, and in non-asthmatic adults with allergic rhinitis. Thus, also children with allergic rhinitis are expected to be at higher risk of BHR. We evaluated the prevalence of BHR in a sample of non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis by means of the methacholine (Mch) bronchial challenge, and by monitorizing the airway patency using the daily peak expiratory flow variability (PEFv). Fifty-one children (ranged 6-15 years of age) with allergic rhinitis, ascertained by skin prick test to inhalant allergens, underwent a 14-day peak expiratory flow monitoring, and a Mch bronchial provocation challenge. Thirty healthy children matched for age, and sex served as control group. Thirty-one children in the rhinitis group (61%), and six (20%) in the control group were Mch+ (Mch provocative dose causing a 20% fall of forced expiratory volume in 1 s respect to baseline <2250 microg, equivalent to 11.50 micromol). In rhinitic children the PEFv did not significantly differ between Mch+ and Mch- subjects, but the total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) were higher among Mch+. The persistent form of rhinitis was significantly associated to Mch positivity. Non-asthmatic children with allergic rhinitis displayed a high prevalence of BHR. The BHR was significantly associated with persistent rhinitis and with higher total IgE levels. Nevertheless, the spontaneous changes in airway patency, as expressed by PEFv, were within normal limits both in Mch+ and Mch- children

Bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children with atopic rhinitis: a 7-year follow-up

A high prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) was found in atopic subjects with rhinitis. Those subjects may be at higher risk for developing bronchial asthma. We evaluated, in a 7-year follow-up, BHR and atopy in a homogeneous population of nonasthmatic children with allergic rhinitis (AR), and their role in asthma development

Cross-cultural adaptation and patients' judgments of a Question Prompt List for Italian-speaking cancer patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Question Prompt Lists (QPLs) have proven very effective in encouraging cancer patients to ask questions, allowing them to take up a more active role during visits with the oncologist. As no such tool has yet been validated for Italian-speaking users, we carried out the cross-cultural adaptation and evaluation of an existing Australian Question Prompt List.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Cross-cultural adaptation was performed in accordance with the five steps described by Guillemin and Beaton. Forward and back translations of the original tool were carried out, and the products discussed by an Expert Committee who agreed on a prefinal version of the Italian QPL, which was submitted to 30 volunteer patients for evaluation. They rated each question's adequacy of content, clarity of wording, usefulness, and generated anxiety, on a 3-point Likert scale. Based on the analysis of patient ratings, the final version of the Italian QPL was produced.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Few discrepancies between the two back translations and the original version of the instrument were noted, indicating that the Italian translation (synthesis of the 2 forward translations) was substantially accurate. Most volunteer patients felt that the questionnaire was adequate, easy to understand and useful. Only a few minor criticisms were expressed. Certain questions on diagnosis and prognosis generated the highest level of anxiety. Patient comments and ratings on clarity highlighted the need to clarify common health care terms which are not widely used by the public (i.e. guideline, multidisciplinary team and clinical trial)</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This cross-cultural adaptation has produced an Italian Question Prompt List that is now available for multi-center international studies and can be safely used with Italian-speaking cancer patients.</p

Adherence issues related to sublingual immunotherapy as perceived by allergists

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is a viable alternative to subcutaneous immunotherapy to treat allergic rhinitis and asthma, and is widely used in clinical practice in many European countries. The clinical efficacy of SLIT has been established in a number of clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, because SLIT is self-administered by patients without medical supervision, the degree of patient adherence with treatment is still a concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the perception by allergists of issues related to SLIT adherence.We performed a questionnaire-based survey of 296 Italian allergists, based on the adherence issues known from previous studies. The perception of importance of each item was assessed by a VAS scale ranging from 0 to 10.Patient perception of clinical efficacy was considered the most important factor (ranked 1 by 54\% of allergists), followed by the possibility of reimbursement (ranked 1 by 34\%), and by the absence of side effects (ranked 1 by 21\%). Patient education, regular follow-up, and ease of use of SLIT were ranked first by less than 20\% of allergists.These findings indicate that clinical efficacy, cost, and side effects are perceived as the major issues influencing patient adherence to SLIT, and that further improvement of adherence is likely to be achieved by improving the patient information provided by prescribers

The clinical efficacy of a sublingual monomeric allergoid at different maintenance doses: a randomized controlled trial

Sublingual immunotherapy is widely recognized as a viable treatment for allergic rhinitis and asthma, but the optimal dosage is still under debate, expecially with modified allergens. We assessed the clinical effects of a monomeric allergoid across 3 different maintenance doses in mite-monosensitized patients with rhinitis and intermittent asthma. Eighty-nine patients allergic to HDM were randomized to 3 maintenance doses of monomeric allergoid (Lais®, Lofarma) or medications only. All the patients recorded their symptoms and rescue drug consumption in a diary card from November to February. Additionally, nasal eosinophil count, spirometry and methacholine bronchial challenge were performed at the beginning of the study and after 3 years. The symptom scores showed a clear improvement in all the three active arms versus baseline and versus the controls, irrespective of the dose. Likewise, a similar improvement versus baseline was seen for nasal inflammation and bronchial hyperreactivity. The SLIT with monomeric allergoids produces clinically significant results across a wide range of doses. The absence of significant side effects, even at high doses, is probably due to their low level of allergenicity