Among once-daily regimens, single tablet regimens (STRs) are associated with better adherence

Previous published evidences showed that taking HAART once-daily (OD) is associated to better adherence when compared to BID or TID regimens. However, no further studies investigated whether, among OD regimens, adherence levels can be differently influenced. Aim of the study was to evaluate levels of self-reported adherence in HIV+ people according to type of HAART dosing (STR, OD with more than one pill or BID). To limit reporting biases, the study was performed in five different non-clinic settings covering North and Central Italy. A total of 230 patients on stable HAART were asked to complete a semi-structured, anonymous questionnaire reporting their attitude toward HAART, their adherence and the acceptability of their regimen. Self-perception of adherence was also investigated with a single item for comparison with real adherence behavior. Most of the subjects were males (66%) with a mean age of 46 years, with higher education level (72%) and a long history of HIV infection (mean 13.6 years). 17% of patients were on a first-line regimen. 21% reported to miss at least one dose during the past week (STR: 6%; OD >1 pill 23% and BID 21%; p<0.05). People taking STR and BID tend to report less discontinuations (all the drug of the day for at least 3 times in a month) compared to OD>1 pill (6 and 4% vs 11%). People taking therapies other than HAART reported similar adherence levels of people taking only HAART, even when stratified for dosing groups. Even people judging their adherence as ‘optimal’ or ‘very good’, 10 and 17% respectively, reported having missed a dose during the last week. At stepwise regression model, optimal adherence was correlated to being male (OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.19–4.74), younger (OR: 3.04; 95% CI: 1.01–9.13) and with a shorter HIV infection (OR: 3.58; 95% CI: 1.04–12.38). People taking simpler once-daily STR tend to report better adherence than people taking OD>1 pill or BID. Perception of optimal adherence is largely variable among HIV-infected people taking HAART, although only a minority of subjects showing less than perfect adherence do judge their behavior as ‘optimal’

The correlates and consequences of alcohol consumption in elderly social drinkers

This study focused on the correlates and consequences of alcohol consumption in elderly social drinkers. The research examined the effects of moderate levels of alcohol consumption on cognitive and psychological functioning. Specifically, this study examined the applicability of the continuity and specificity hypotheses of alcohol-related cognitive effects to moderate drinking and also tested the effects of alcohol consumption on subjective well-being. The continuity hypothesis espouses a dose-response relationship between high levels of alcohol consumption and cognitive functioning. The specificity hypothesis states that alcohol-related cognitive declines are specific to frontal functions. Theoretically relevant sociodemographic, intellectual and psychosocial variables were also included in the study as control variables and to replicate previous findings. The sample consisted of 124 male and female elderly social drinkers between the ages of 61 and 90. They completed questionnaires on health, extraversion, neuroticism, locus of control, social support, activities, well-being, intelligence and alcohol consumption. Tests of frontal and temporal neuropsychological functions were also completed during two separate sessions. The results from regression analyses indicated the importance of education and gender in predicting lifetime alcohol consumption for elderly social drinkers. No support was found for the continuity and specificity hypotheses of alcohol consumption. As expected, age-related declines were observed for cognitive functioning. Intelligence and good physical health emerged as positive predictors of frontal functioning. Education played a more important role in temporal cognitive functioning. There were no effects of alcohol on subjective well-being for this sample. In line with previous research, well-being was associated with good self-reported physical health, internal locus of control, low neuroticism, and involvement in socially oriented activities. The results also suggested that some demographic variables (age, education, health) and intelligence are of greater importance than personality and other psychosocial variables, in accounting for alcohol consumption levels and cognitive functioning in elderly social drinkers. Limitations of this study including a small sample size and the low levels of alcohol consumption may have influenced the present findings

Durchflußzytometrische Untersuchung zum Leukozytengehalt von leukozytenreduzierten Thrombozytenkonzentraten

Der Leukozytengehalt von Thrombozytenkonzentraten verursacht Komplikationen in der Transfusionsmedizin. Der COUNCIL OF EUROPE schreibt eine maximale Leukozytenkontamination von 1x106 pro Bluteinheit bei einer Prüffrequenz von 1% aller Blutproben vor, wobei 90% aller Proben diesem Kriterium entsprechen müssen. Es wurden 991 leukozytendepletierte Thrombozytenkonzentrate mittels durchflußzytometrischer Messung untersucht. In Gegensatz zur Prüfmethode der Ballastzählkammer bietet die Durchflußzytometrie eine automatisierte Messung mit höherer Sensitivität. Insgesamt wurden 59 verdächtige Proben festgestellt, hiervon überschritten 7 Produkte die erlaubte Leukozytenzahl. Durch Beurteilung mittels Ballastzählkammer und durch immunologischen Nachweis konnten 7 leukozyten- und 52 debriskontaminierte Konzentrate gefunden werden. Somit wurden die Richtlinien zwar eingehalten, die Wahrscheinlichkeit, alle kontaminierten Proben bei einer Prüfung von 1% zu detektieren, jedoch gegen Null geht

The Mean Drift: Tailoring the Mean Field Theory of Markov Processes for Real-World Applications

The statement of the mean field approximation theorem in the mean field theory of Markov processes particularly targets the behaviour of population processes with an unbounded number of agents. However, in most real-world engineering applications one faces the problem of analysing middle-sized systems in which the number of agents is bounded. In this paper we build on previous work in this area and introduce the mean drift. We present the concept of population processes and the conditions under which the approximation theorems apply, and then show how the mean drift is derived through a systematic application of the propagation of chaos. We then use the mean drift to construct a new set of ordinary differential equations which address the analysis of population processes with an arbitrary size

Impairment of enzymatic antioxidant defenses is associated with bilirubin-induced neuronal cell death in the cerebellum of Ugt1 KO mice

Severe hyperbilirubinemia is toxic during central nervous system development. Prolonged and uncontrolled high levels of unconjugated bilirubin lead to bilirubin-induced encephalopathy and eventually death by kernicterus. Despite extensive studies, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of bilirubin toxicity are still poorly defined. To fill this gap, we investigated the molecular processes underlying neuronal injury in a mouse model of severe neonatal jaundice, which develops hyperbilirubinemia as a consequence of a null mutation in the Ugt1 gene. These mutant mice show cerebellar abnormalities and hypoplasia, neuronal cell death and die shortly after birth because of bilirubin neurotoxicity. To identify protein changes associated with bilirubin-induced cell death, we performed proteomic analysis of cerebella from Ugt1 mutant and wild-type mice. Proteomic data pointed-out to oxidoreductase activities or antioxidant processes as important intracellular mechanisms altered during bilirubin-induced neurotoxicity. In particular, they revealed that down-representation of DJ-1, superoxide dismutase, peroxiredoxins 2 and 6 was associated with hyperbilirubinemia in the cerebellum of mutant mice. Interestingly, the reduction in protein levels seems to result from post-translational mechanisms because we did not detect significant quantitative differences in the corresponding mRNAs. We also observed an increase in neuro-specific enolase 2 both in the cerebellum and in the serum of mutant mice, supporting its potential use as a biomarker of bilirubin-induced neurological damage. In conclusion, our data show that different protective mechanisms fail to contrast oxidative burst in bilirubin-affected brain regions, ultimately leading to neurodegeneration. \ua9 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved

Analysis of parametric biological models with non-linear dynamics

In this paper we present recent results on parametric analysis of biological models. The underlying method is based on the algorithms for computing trajectory sets of hybrid systems with polynomial dynamics. The method is then applied to two case studies of biological systems: one is a cardiac cell model for studying the conditions for cardiac abnormalities, and the second is a model of insect nest-site choice.Comment: In Proceedings HSB 2012, arXiv:1208.315

Preliminary Monte Carlo study of CZT response to BNCT (n+γ) background

Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) effectiveness depends on the therapeutic dose delivered in tumour when targeted by a sufficient amount of 10B atoms and exposed to a proper flux of thermal neutrons. Presently these quantities are measured indirectly. The availability of an in vivo and real time dose monitoring tool would be a tremendous achievement to fully exploit BNCT. To this end, a Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) can measure the 478keV γ-ray emitted after 94% of 10B capture reactions. Presently, the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) is supporting the 3CaTS project whose aim is to develop a dedicated BNCT-SPECT based on CdZnTe (CZT) semiconductor detectors. A BNCT-SPECT must operate in a highly intense (n + γ) radiation field. Thus, it is important to study the response of CZT detectors when working in such challenging conditions. In the present work we focused on three main aspects: i) the spectra of the radiation background expected in an accelerator-based BNCT treatment room; ii) the interaction of the thermal neutrons with cadmium present in the crystal; iii) the estimation of the recorded photon counts spectrum when a 478keV photon source is simulated inside a tissue equivalent phantom