Il Macrozoobenthos

EnMacrobenthic samples were collected in 4 sites inside the Acquatina lake (3 replicates for each site in two times: July 2006 and January 2007). A total of 5029 individuals belonging to 50 taxa were found, with molluscs taxonomically dominant (26 taxa), followed by polychaetes (19 taxa), which was instead numerically dominant due to the massive presence of the species Heteromastus filiformis. Data were analysed by multivariate techniques. The assemblage was quite homogeneous within the lake, with more quantitative than qualitative differences among sites. Statistical analysis showed two sites, representing the two extreme of the biotope condition, as the most variable ones and separated from the others, located in the middle of the investigated biotope. The separation of the two sites from this central more homogeneous area was due to a different distribution between molluscs and polychaetes species. The comparison of the polychaete distribution between data relative to a previous period of study and present ones revealed a more diversified assemblage, with the disappearance of some opportunistic forms, and with an homogenization within the basin, underlining the disappearance of the strong salinity gradient

Multicenter Observational/Exploratory Study Addressed to the Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of Pharmacological Therapy in Opioid-Dependent Patients in Maintenance Therapy in Southern Italy

A multicenter-observational study was performed to assess the effectiveness of rac-methadone, levomethadone, and buprenorphine in opioid-dependent patients in polytherapy in Southern Italy. The primary endpoint was the reduction of urinary positivity to the substances and the maintaining doses. Patients (N = 266, age = 44.80 ± 5.65, male = 79.70%, female = 20.30%) have been recruited. At recruitment, 75% of them were on treatment with rac-methadone, levomethadone, and buprenorphine/naloxone. The patients were grouped into three clusters. The levomethadone patients of Cluster A (N patients = 211), after 180 days, showed stability in urinary methadone posi-tivity, with a marked decrease in heroin −53 ± 4%, cannabinol’s −48 ± 2%, and cocaine −37 ± 6% positivity, with no differences between treatments. A lower QTcF value of 426 ± 8.4 ms was recorded in the levomethadone patients (delta = −19 ms) vs. rac-methadone, at significantly lower doses of levomethadone (−34%, −50.2% in males) (p < 0.05). The Cluster B data were collected from 37 patients, with a high prevalence of comorbidity infections (HIV/HCV/HPV), monitored for 21 months during COVID-19. High doses of levomethadone (58.33 ± 31.58 mg/day) were needed to stabilize those that were negative for opioids and cannabinoids, in contrast to the rac-methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone patients that showed positive toxicology. Eighteen patients of the Cluster C in double diagnosis (major depressive 38.90%, bipolar 27.78%, and schizophrenia 16.67%) were stabilized with high doses of racemate 97.5 ± 8 mg/day, 51.8 ± 5 mg/day of levomethadone (−46.8% vs. rac-methadone; −71% in men), and 2.5 ± 1 mg/day of buprenorphine/naloxone. Three patients in remission were treated with tapering doses of levomethadone. Significantly reduced QTcF values were recorded with levomethadone (delta −32 ms vs. rac-methadone) in the bipolar patients, as well as the schizophrenia patients in remission (delta −45.19 ms vs. rac-methadone). Our patients were safely stabilized. Levomethadone, compared to the racemate, contributes to reducing the illicit use, especially of opioids and cannabinoids at significantly lower doses with cardiovascular safety, which, in bipolar patients, is clinically significant

A Novel Manufacturing Technology for RF MEMS Devices on Ceramic Substrates

Microelectromechanical systems are often used for their enormous capability and good qualities in T/R modules especially for space modular applications. High isolation and very low insertion loss are guaranteed by their intrinsic working principle. This is a very robust, flexible, and low-cost technology, and it provides high reliability, good reproducibility, and complete fulfillment of technical requirements

Intrathoracic solitary fibrous tumor - an international multicenter study on clinical outcome and novel circulating biomarkers

Intrathoracic solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare disease. Radical resection is the standard of care. However, estimating prognosis and planning follow-up and treatment strategies remains challenging. Data were retrospectively collected by five international centers to explore outcome and biomarkers for predicting event-free-survival (EFS). 125 histological proven SFT patients (74 female; 59.2%; 104 benign; 83.2%) were analyzed. The one-, three-, five- and ten-year EFS after curative-intent surgery was 98%, 90%, 77% and 67%, respectively. Patients age (>/=59 vs. 10 cm vs. 5 vs. < 5 HR 3.91, CI 1.40-10.89, p = 0.009) were prognostic after univariate analyses. After multivariate analyses tumor-dignity and fibrinogen remained as independent prognosticators. Besides validating the role of age, tumor-dignity, tumor-size, stage and resection margins, we identified for the first time inflammatory markers as prognosticators in SFT