On the Progenitor and Supernova of the SN 2002cx-like Supernova 2008ge

We present observations of supernova (SN) 2008ge, which is spectroscopically similar to the peculiar SN 2002cx, and its pre-explosion site that indicate that its progenitor was probably a white dwarf. NGC 1527, the host galaxy of SN 2008ge, is an S0 galaxy with no evidence of star formation or massive stars. Astrometrically matching late-time imaging of SN 2008ge to pre-explosion HST imaging, we constrain the luminosity of the progenitor star. Since SN 2008ge has no indication of hydrogen or helium in its spectrum, its progenitor must have lost its outer layers before exploding, requiring that it be a white dwarf, a Wolf-Rayet star, or a lower-mass star in a binary system. Observations of the host galaxy show no signs of individual massive stars, star clusters, or H II regions at the SN position or anywhere else, making a Wolf-Rayet progenitor unlikely. Late-time spectroscopy of SN 2008ge show strong [Fe II] lines with large velocity widths compared to other members of this class at similar epochs. These previously unseen features indicate that a significant amount of the SN ejecta is Fe (presumably the result of radioactive decay of 56Ni generated in the SN), further supporting a thermonuclear explosion. Placing the observations of SN 2008ge in the context of observations of other objects in the class of SN, we suggest that the progenitor was most likely a white dwarf.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures, accepted by A

Cannabis for Medical Use: Analysis of Recent Clinical Trials in View of Current Legislation

Cannabis has long been regarded as a recreational substance in the Western world. The recent marketing authorization of some medicinal products of industrial origin and the introduction onto the market of inflorescences for medical use mean that medical doctors can now prescribe Cannabis-based medicines in those countries which allow it. Nevertheless, there is still considerable controversy on this topic in the scientific community. In particular, this controversy concerns: the plant species to be used; the pathologies that can be treated and consequently the efficacy and safety of use; the routes of administration; the methods of preparation; the type and dosage of cannabinoids to be used; and, the active molecules of interest. As such, although medical Cannabis has been historically used, the results of currently completed and internationally published studies are inconclusive and often discordant. In light of these considerations, the aim of this work is to analyse the current legislation in countries that allow the use of medical Cannabis, in relation to the impact that this legislation has had on clinical trials. First of all, a literature search has been performed (PubMed and SciFinder) on clinical trials which involved the administration of Cannabis for medical use over the last 3 years. Of the numerous studies extrapolated from the literature, only about 43 reported data on clinical trials on medical Cannabis, with these mainly being performed in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Once the reference countries were identified, an evaluation of the legislation in relation to Cannabis for medical use in each was carried out via the consultation of the pertinent scientific literature, but also of official government documentation and that of local regulatory authorities. This analysis provided us with an overview of the different legislation in these countries and, consequently, allowed us to analyse, with greater awareness, the results of the clinical trials published in the last 3 years in order to obtain general interest indications in the prosecution of scientific research in this area

How to promote vaccinations: a pilot study in the North-West of Italy

Background: vaccines are one of the greatest medical discoveries. In various countries, pharmacists are authorised to administer vaccines directly in pharmacies; thus, leading to an increase in the immunisation rate and a notable gain in consensus amongst the population. The main objective was to evaluate the opinion of pharmacy customers regarding the proposal to authorise pharmacies to administer vaccines. Results: 85% of the respondents were in favour of the introduction of a vaccinating pharmacist. The data show more positive attitudes to the introduction of this service amongst subjects with an elderly dependant relative (PR = 1,10; p = 0.025). Furthermore, it can be noticed a higher probability of positive attitudes to the establishment of the vaccinating pharmacist amongst those with positive attitudes to vaccines (PR = 1,15; p = 0.039). Moreover, the pharmacist is seen as a reference on the subject of vaccines by only 8% of interviewees. Discussion: The data highlight the particularly positive feedback regarding the subject of pharmacists being authorised to administer vaccines. This service may, however, encounter obstacles such as economic problems and opposition from other health professionals. Materials and methods: Data were gathered through a face-to-face interview by means of questionnaires in eight pharmacies in the north-west of Piedmont (Italy). Descriptive statistics were performed. The comparison between the proportions and average values was performed by χ2 and t-test. The indicator used for the associations was the Prevalence Ratio (PR). The PR was calculated using a modified Poisson regression with robust standard errors. The level of significance was fixed at 0.05; IC at 95%

Emerging Issues in Occupational Disease: Mental Health in the Aging Working Population and Cognitive Impairment - A Narrative Review

Cognitive impairment has often been reported in scientific literature as a concern derived from chronic exposure to work-related stress. Organizational factors can contribute to the onset of this concern especially in a susceptible population such as elderly workers. The aim of our study was to review the last five years of scientific literature, focusing on experimental and epidemiological studies, possible mechanisms implicated in the onset of cognitive decline due to work-related stress, and the recent organizational strategies to prevent detrimental effects of stress on cognitive processes. A literature search was performed in scientific platforms Medline and Web of Science, by means of specific string search terms, restricting the search to the years of publication 2014–2019. Thirty-three articles were identified and qualitatively evaluated, reporting narratively the main point of interest. At this stage, six articles were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Only a few articles considered the population of the elderly workers, often with a short follow-up period. Strategies to manage stress with organizational procedures are scarce. Mechanisms implicated in the development of cognitive impairment due to stress are not fully explained and seem to include a chronical decrease in the inhibitory process of neurological pathways. Further research that focused on strategies to manage stress in elderly workers, with the aim of preventing cognitive impairment processes, is warranted

Emerging Issues in Occupational Disease: Mental Health in the Aging Working Population and Cognitive Impairment - A Narrative Review

Cognitive impairment has often been reported in scientific literature as a concern derived from chronic exposure to work-related stress. Organizational factors can contribute to the onset of this concern especially in a susceptible population such as elderly workers. The aim of our study was to review the last five years of scientific literature, focusing on experimental and epidemiological studies, possible mechanisms implicated in the onset of cognitive decline due to work-related stress, and the recent organizational strategies to prevent detrimental effects of stress on cognitive processes. A literature search was performed in scientific platforms Medline and Web of Science, by means of specific string search terms, restricting the search to the years of publication 2014-2019. Thirty-three articles were identified and qualitatively evaluated, reporting narratively the main point of interest. At this stage, six articles were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria. Only a few articles considered the population of the elderly workers, often with a short follow-up period. Strategies to manage stress with organizational procedures are scarce. Mechanisms implicated in the development of cognitive impairment due to stress are not fully explained and seem to include a chronical decrease in the inhibitory process of neurological pathways. Further research that focused on strategies to manage stress in elderly workers, with the aim of preventing cognitive impairment processes, is warranted

A mutation in caspase-9 decreases the expression of BAFFR and ICOS in patients with immunodeficiency and lymphoproliferation

Lymphocyte apoptosis is mainly induced by either death receptor-dependent activation of caspase-8 or mitochondria-dependent activation of caspase-9. Mutations in caspase-8 lead to autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation and immunodeficiency. This work describes a heterozygous H237P mutation in caspase-9 that can lead to similar disorders. H237P mutation was detected in two patients: Pt1 with autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation, severe hypogammaglobulinemia and Pt2 with mild hypogammaglobulinemia and Burkitt lymphoma. Their lymphocytes displayed defective caspase-9 activity and decreased apoptotic and activation responses. Transfection experiments showed that mutant caspase-9 display defective enzyme and proapoptotic activities and a dominant-negative effect on wild-type caspase-9. Ex vivo analysis of the patients' lymphocytes and in vitro transfection experiments showed that the expression of mutant caspase-9 correlated with a downregulation of BAFFR (B-cell-activating factor belonging to the TNF family (BAFF) receptor) in B cells and ICOS (inducible T-cell costimulator) in T cells. Both patients carried a second inherited heterozygous mutation missing in the relatives carrying H237P: Pt1 in the transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) gene (S144X) and Pt2 in the perforin (PRF1) gene (N252S). Both mutations have been previously associated with immunodeficiencies in homozygosis or compound heterozygosis. Taken together, these data suggest that caspase-9 mutations may predispose to immunodeficiency by cooperating with other genetic factors, possibly by downregulating the expression of BAFFR and ICO

Prolyl 3‐hydroxylase 2 is a molecular player of angiogenesis

Prolyl 3‐hydroxylase 2 (P3H2) catalyzes the post‐translational formation of 3‐ hydroxyproline on collagens, mainly on type IV. Its activity has never been directly associated to angiogenesis. Here, we identified P3H2 gene through a deep‐sequencing transcriptome analysis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) stimulated with vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A). Differently from many previous studies we carried out the stimulation not on starved HUVECs, but on cells grown to maintain the best condition for their in vitro survival and propagation. We showed that P3H2 is induced by VEGF‐A in two primary human endothelial cell lines and that its transcription is modulated by VEGF‐A/VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR‐2) signaling pathway through p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK). Then, we demonstrated that P3H2, through its activity on type IV Collagen, is essential for angiogenesis properties of endothelial cells in vitro by performing experiments of gain‐ and loss‐of‐function. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the overexpression of P3H2 induced a more condensed status of Collagen IV, accompanied by an alignment of the cells along the Collagen IV bundles, so towards an evident pro‐angiogenic status. Finally, we found that P3h2 knockdown prevents pathological angiogenesis in vivo, in the model of laser‐induced choroid neovascularization. Together these findings reveal that P3H2 is a new molecular player involved in new vessels formation and could be considered as a potential target for anti‐angiogenesis therapy

Disappearance of the Progenitor of Supernova iPTF13bvn

Supernova (SN) iPTF13bvn in NGC 5806 was the first Type Ib SN to have been tentatively associated with a progenitor candidate in pre-explosion images. We performed deep ultraviolet (UV) and optical Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations of the SN site 740 days after explosion. We detect an object in the optical bands that is fainter than the pre-explosion object. This dimming is likely not produced by dust absorption in the ejecta; thus, our finding confirms the connection of the progenitor candidate with the SN. The object in our data is likely dominated by the fading SN, which implies that the pre-SN flux is mostly due to the progenitor. We compare our revised pre-SN photometry with previously proposed progenitor models. Although binary progenitors are favored, models need to be refined. In particular, to comply with our deep UV detection limit, any companion star must be less luminous than a late-O star or substantially obscured by newly formed dust. A definitive progenitor characterization will require further observations to disentangle the contribution of a much fainter SN and its environment.Comment: 8 pages, 3 tables, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ