El capital psíquico a través del ciclo vital adulto

The present work studied, in a sample of 614 participants of both sexes of the City of Santa Fe (Argentina), the mental capital, defi ned as the set and interrelation of personal character strengths (i.e., mental, emotional and psycho-social resources), that allow a better adaptation through preventive behaviors. For this research two primary aims were proposed: a) analyze the properties of the CAPPSI scale, and b) verify signifi cant differences by age groups, sex and educative level. In order to fulfi ll the fi rst objective, an analysis of main components was realized, which threw the presence of a single factor good differentiated that explains a 66.93% of the total variance of the test. Also, the instrument showed a high reliability (alpha of Cronbach = 0.9103). In response to the second objective, signifi cant differences by age groups and educative level were verifi ed. Although the investigation did not throw signifi cant differences in the mental capital of men and women, it did verify interactions between genre and educative level, and between genre and ageEl presente trabajo estudió, en una muestra de 614 sujetos de ambos sexos de la Ciudad de Santa Fe (Argentina), el capital psíquico, definido como el conjunto e interrelación de fortalezas de carácter personal (es decir, recursos cognitivos, emocionales y psicosociales), que le permiten al sujeto una mejor adaptación a través de conductas preventivas. Para esta investigación fueron propuestos dos objetivos principales: a) analizar psicométricamente la escala CAPPSI, y b) verificar diferencias significativas por grupos de edad, sexo y nivel educativo. Para cumplir con el primer punto, se realizó un análisis de componentes principales, el cual arrojó la presencia de un solo factor bien diferenciado que explica un 66,93% de la varianza total de la prueba. Asimismo, el instrumento mostró una alta confiabilidad (alpha de Cronbach = 0,9103). En respuesta al segundo objetivo, se verificaron diferencias significativas por grupos de edad y nivel educativo. Si bien la investigación no arrojó diferencias significativas en el capital psíquico de varones y mujeres, sí verificó interacciones entre género y nivel educativo alcanzado, y entre género y edad

CCNE1 and survival of patients with tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma: An Ovarian Tumor Tissue Analysis consortium study

BACKGROUND: Cyclin E1 (CCNE1) is a potential predictive marker and therapeutic target in tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC). Smaller studies have revealed unfavorable associations for CCNE1 amplification and CCNE1 overexpression with survival, but to date no large-scale, histotype-specific validation has been performed. The hypothesis was that high-level amplification of CCNE1 and CCNE1 overexpression, as well as a combination of the two, are linked to shorter overall survival in HGSC. METHODS: Within the Ovarian Tumor Tissue Analysis consortium, amplification status and protein level in 3029 HGSC cases and mRNA expression in 2419 samples were investigated. RESULTS: High-level amplification (>8 copies by chromogenic in situ hybridization) was found in 8.6% of HGSC and overexpression (>60% with at least 5% demonstrating strong intensity by immunohistochemistry) was found in 22.4%. CCNE1 high-level amplification and overexpression both were linked to shorter overall survival in multivariate survival analysis adjusted for age and stage, with hazard stratification by study (hazard ratio [HR], 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.47, p = .034, and HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.05-1.32, p = .015, respectively). This was also true for cases with combined high-level amplification/overexpression (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.09-1.47, p = .033). CCNE1 mRNA expression was not associated with overall survival (HR, 1.00 per 1-SD increase; 95% CI, 0.94-1.06; p = .58). CCNE1 high-level amplification is mutually exclusive with the presence of germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants and shows an inverse association to RB1 loss. CONCLUSION: This study provides large-scale validation that CCNE1 high-level amplification is associated with shorter survival, supporting its utility as a prognostic biomarker in HGSC

La dilatazione idraulica a palloncino (Rigiflex TTS): un metodo sicuro ed efficace per le dilatazioni strumentali delle stenosi esofagee benigne

Il metodo Rigiflex TTS rappresenta, in ordine di tempo, l’ultimo metodo di dilatazione strumentale dell’esofago e si pone come la più valida alternativa alle tecniche filoguidate. Infatti, il Rigiflex TTS consiste in un dilatatore a palloncino costituito da un materiale assolutamente anelastico che permette che vengano raggiunte elevate pressioni interne senza che si modifichi il diametro esterno del palloncino che viene introdotto, attraverso il canale operativo di un endoscopio, sotto visione diretta nella stenosi. Dal punto di vista tecnico la dilatazione con il Rigiflex offre alcuni vantaggi rispetto alle tecniche filoguidate: a) consente di eseguire la dilatazione sotto visione diretta e di controllarne le varie fasi, dal posizionamento all’estrazione; b) consente di esercitare una dilatazione di tipo “radiale”, meno pericolosa per il rischio di rotture del viscere rispetto a quella “longitudinale” delle tecniche filoguidate; c) consente di sostituire i palloncini di calibro diverso senza dover rimuovere l’endoscopio, evitando il continuo trauma cui sono sottoposti i pazienti con le altre tecniche; ciò si traduce in una maggiore tollerabilità che rende più applicabile il metodo, anche se ripetuto per numerose sessioni. Gli AA. riportano l’esperienza dell’Istituto di Chirurgia Toracica e Cardiovascolare dell’Università di Messina con tale nuova metodica, sottolineando come i fattori che abbiamo prima elencato abbiano condotto ad una maggiore efficacia, all’assoluta assenza di complicanze e, fattore molto importante, ad una elevata tollerabilità alla dilatazione, paragonabile a quella di un esame endoscopico routinario

Extension of Self Consistent RPA method to off-site Hubbard Model

We are interested in the possibility that a generalization of Self Consistent Random Phase Approximation (SCRPA) to the Extended Hubbard Model can lead us to accurate estimations of the ground state energy, for closed chains in one dimension with periodic boundary conditions: N=2 (two states problem). We have considered an extended Hubbard model including on-site and off-site interactions, we have compared the SCRPA with a Direct Analytical (DA) results for the ground state energy, and have shown that SCRPA solves the two states problem exactly for any value of U (on-site interaction energy), 2 (off-site interaction energy with opposite spins) and (off-site interaction energy with same spins). V 1

Right heart function by 3D-echocardiography and 2D-speckle tracking in scleroderma patients in absence of pulmonary hypertension

Purpose: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) involves the right heart (RH) with the appearance of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Whether SSc can directly affect RH function in absence of PH is unknown. Recently, 3D-echocardiography (3DE) and 2D-speckle tracking (2D-STE) have been validated to assess heart chamber function and mechanics. Therefore, we used3DEand 2D-STE to assess right ventricular (RV) andright atrial (RA) function in patients with SSc without PH. Methods: 34 SSc patients without PH were compared with 34 age and gender-matched healthy volunteers. All subjects underwent a complete echocardiogram, including 3DE RV volumes and ejection fraction (EF) and global RV and RA longitudinal strain (Ls) by 2D-STE. Results: SSc patients demonstrated similar RV size with lower RV function but no differences about RV global Ls (p=NS) (Table). Pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) were higher in SSc patients (Table). RA appeared larger in patients, but with lower active contraction (RA-LsNeg). At bivariate analysis, PVR was inversely correlated with RV EF (r=-0.34, p= 0.008) and RA-LsNeg (r= -0.27, p=0.04) and directly correlated with RA maximum volume increase (r=0.31,p=0.012). Conclusions: a slightly increased afterload in SSc patients appared to be associated to an impairment of RV pump function, with normal RV myocardial mechanics, paralleled by an increase of RA volume with an impairment of RA active myocardial contraction

Do a vendor-specific and a vendor-independent software for 3D echocardiographic analysis provide similar values for left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction?

Purpose: Intervendor differences of 2D/3D strain measurements are well known issues that significantly limit their adoption in clinical routine. Whether a similar discordance affects also the quantitation of left ventricular (LV) geometry and function and the LV normative ranges for different 3D echo softwares has not been investigated. Methods: Full-volume LV 3D data sets (35\ub16 vps) have been acquired in 235 healthy volunteers (44\ub114 years, range 18\u201376 years, 104 men) using a GE Vivid E9 scanner. Exclusion criteria were athletic training, pregnancy, body mass index > 30 kg/m2, and poor apical acoustic window. An experienced researcher analyzed all LV data sets using a vendor-specific software (EchoPac BT12, GE Healthcare, N). Three months later, the same researcher repeated the analysis with a vendor-independent DICOM-based software (4D LV Analysis 3.1, TomTec, D), being blinded from previous measurements. Results: Despite the differences in LV parameters obtained with the two softwares were statistically significant (Table), Bland-Altman analysis shows a clinically irrelevant bias and reasonable limits of agreement for LV volumes and EF. LV mass measurements by EchoPac were slightly larger than those by TomTec and had relatively wider limits of agreement than LV volumes. Both softwares showed significant and consistent relationships of LV 3D parameters with age, gender and body size in healthy subjects (p<0.0001 for all relationships). Conclusion: Our data shows that converting 3D data sets in DICOM format does not significantly affect the normative values for LV volumes and ejection fraction with respect to those provided by proprietary software. The availability of vendor-independent softwares and respective normative values will encourage the adoption of 3D echocardiography for routine LV quantitation in multi-vendor echo labs