Epoxy resin doped with Coumarin 6: Example of accessible luminescent collectors

We report on the preparation of luminescent collectors based on epoxy resins containing Coumarin 6 as fluorescent dye. Fluorescent epoxy slabs were obtained by carefully mixing from 60 to 150 ppm of the fluorophore with bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and 4,4′-methylenebis(2-methylcyclohexylamine) as curing agent. Spectroscopic (FT-IR, solid-state NMR, Raman) investigations and calorimetric analysis evidence the success of the preparation procedure in terms of slab homogeneity, fluorophore dispersibility and its role in promoting the crosslinking extent. The concentrating ability and the derived optical efficiencies of the epoxy-based collectors are determined with a properly designed set-up and result greater (∼10%) than that of poly(methyl methacrylate) concentrators with the same fluorophore and geometry. Optical efficiencies as high as 7.4% are obtained and enable the potential use of epoxy resins as bulk thermosetting materials for solar collectors

Association between a genetic variant of type-1 cannabinoid receptor and inflammatory neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis

Genetic ablation of type-1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1Rs) exacerbates the neurodegenerative damage of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the rodent model of multiple sclerosis (MS). To address the role on CB1Rs in the pathophysiology of human MS, we first investigated the impact of AAT trinucleotide short tandem repeat polymorphism of CNR1 gene on CB1R cell expression, and secondly on the inflammatory neurodegeneration process responsible for irreversible disability in MS patients. We found that MS patients with long AAT repeats within the CNR1 gene (≥12 in both alleles) had more pronounced neuronal degeneration in response to inflammatory white matter damage both in the optic nerve and in the cortex. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), in fact, showed more severe alterations of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and of the macular volume (MV) after an episode of optic neuritis in MS patients carrying the long AAT genotype of CNR1. MS patients with long AAT repeats also had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of increased gray matter damage in response to inflammatory lesions of the white matter, especially in areas with a major role in cognition. In parallel, visual abilities evaluated at the low contrast acuity test, and cognitive performances were negatively influenced by the long AAT CNR1 genotype in our sample of MS patients. Our results demonstrate the biological relevance of the (AAT)n CNR1 repeats in the inflammatory neurodegenerative damage of MS

Iniquidade socioeconômica na distribuição de equipamentos de imagem na saúde pública brasileira

This observational, crosscutting, descriptive study with a quantitative approach has the goal to assess the bioethical implications arising from the socioeconomic inequities regarding the distribution of imagery equipment in the Brazilian public health system. A significant result was found when making the ratio of diagnose equipment to 100.000 inhabitants and the percentage of population with income below the minimum wage. Only two states were found to provide optimum imagery equipment offers in the public health network and low poverty indexes. From the bioethics perspective, a bad distribution of diagnosis equipment can be seen as inequity generated by the public administration.El estudio de carácter observacional, transversal, descriptivo, con enfoque cuantitativo, tiene por objetivo evaluar las implicaciones bioéticas derivadas de la inequidad socioeconómica en relación con el reparto de equipos de imagen en la salud pública brasileña. Se encontró un resultado significativo cuando se relacionó el número de equipos de diagnóstico por 100.000 habitantes y el porcentaje de la población con renta inferior medio salario mínimo. Solo dos estados ofrecieron óptimas ofertas de equipos por imagen en la red del sistema público de salud y bajos índices de extrema pobreza. Desde la perspectiva bioética, la mala distribución de equipos de diagnóstico por imagen puede ser vista como una iniquidad generada por la gestión pública.Estudo de caráter observacional, transversal, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, com o objetivo de avaliar as implicações bioéticas decorrentes da iniquidade socioeconômica em relação à distribuição de equipamentos de imagem na saúde pública brasileira. Foi encontrado resultado significante quando relacionado o número de equipamentos de diagnósticos por 100.000 habitantes e a porcentagem da população com renda inferior a meio salário-mínimo. Apenas dois estadosofereceram ótimas ofertas de equipamentos por imagem na rede do sistema público de saúde e baixos índices de extrema pobreza. Na perspectiva bioética, a má distribuição de equipamentos de diagnóstico por imagem pode ser vista como uma iniquidade gerada pela gestão pública

Model of organizational management: barriers and opportunities in thecreation and strengthening of an institutional network of healthresearch. Descriptive study of transverse cutting

La gestión implica comprender la lógica de las instituciones para poder construir redes de trabajo que significan interrelación entre sujetos, organizaciones e instituciones, considerar las micro prácticas locales para la implementación de prácticas contextualizadas Objetivo: describir los factores que favorecen y/u obstaculizan la constitución de una red institucional de investigación para la salud, desde las percepciones de los distintos actores del ministerio de salud de las provincias del nuevo cuyo y de las instituciones académicas de Mendoza

Modelo de gestión organizacional: barreras y oportunidades en la conformación y fortalecimiento de una red institucional de investigación en salud

En este proyecto se pretende describir los factores que favorecen y/u obstaculizan la constitución de una red institucional de investigación para la salud, desde las propias expresiones de los actores/agentes del Estado (Ministerio de Salud) y de las instituciones académicas de la provincia de Mendoza. Es un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal, que realizará un análisis centrado en el concepto de problema, desde la concepción de planificación situacional. Se utilizarán técnicas de recolección de información con una metodología mixta cuanti y cualitativa. La población accesible de este estudio está conformada por las áreas de investigación formalmente establecidas, por norma, de los ministerios de Salud de las provincias de Mendoza, San Luis y La Rioja y las Universidades con sus unidades académicas y/o facultades del sector público y privado de la provincia de Mendoza, quedando excluidas las universidades y/o facultades que no posean carreras afines a la salud de la provincia de Mendoza, y el área de investigación del ministerio de Salud de San Juan por no contar con referente técnico de investigación a nivel ministerial. Se pretende indagar sobre factores que permitan la posterior elaboración de indicadores para medir las acciones de la red local y la posible construcción de una red regional como política de Salud

Development of a 3D CZT Spectrometer System with Digital Readout for Hard X/Gamma-Ray Astronomy

We report on the development and of a complete X/γ rays detection system (10-1000 keV) based on CZT spectrometers with spatial resolution in three dimensions (3D) and a digital electronics acquisition chain. The prototype is made by packing four linear modules, each composed of one 3D CZT sensors. Each sensors is realized using a single spectroscopic graded CZT crystal of about 20×20×5 mm3. An electrode structure consisting of 12 collecting anodes with a pitch of 1.6 mm and 3 drift strips between each pair of anodes for 48 strips (0.15 mm wide) on the anodic side was adopted. The cathode is made of 10 strips with a pitch of 2 mm and orthogonal to anode side strips. Since the reading of the drift strips will carried out by putting in parallel all the strips that occupy the same place with respect to a collecting anode, the channels number for each sensors is only 25. The detector readout front-is based on custom designed low noise charge sensitive pre-amplifiers (CSP) implemented in hybrid 16 channels board. The CZT module and its CSP front-end provide the signals to a multichannel Digital Pulse Processing FPGA based system able to digitize and process continuously the signals. The digital system implement an innovative firmware that allow performing fine time-tagging, online pulse shape and height analysis with good energy resolution

Optimized EGFR blockade strategies in <i>EGFR</i> addicted gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas

Purpose: Gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinomas represent the third leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Despite significant therapeutic improvement, the outcome of patients with advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma is poor. Randomized clinical trials failed to show a significant survival benefit in molecularly unselected patients with advanced gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma treated with anti-EGFR agents.Experimental Design: We performed analyses on four cohorts: IRCC (570 patients), Foundation Medicine, Inc. (9,397 patients), COG (214 patients), and the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori (206 patients). Preclinical trials were conducted in patient-derived xenografts (PDX).Results: The analysis of different gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma patient cohorts suggests that EGFR amplification drives aggressive behavior and poor prognosis. We also observed that EGFR inhibitors are active in patients with EGFR copy-number gain and that coamplification of other receptor tyrosine kinases or KRAS is associated with worse response. Preclinical trials performed on EGFR-amplified gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma PDX models revealed that the combination of an EGFR mAb and an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) was more effective than each monotherapy and resulted in a deeper and durable response. In a highly EGFR-amplified nonresponding PDX, where resistance to EGFR drugs was due to inactivation of the TSC2 tumor suppressor, cotreatment with the mTOR inhibitor everolimus restored sensitivity to EGFR inhibition.Conclusions: This study underscores EGFR as a potential therapeutic target in gastric cancer and identifies the combination of an EGFR TKI and a mAb as an effective therapeutic approach. Finally, it recognizes mTOR pathway activation as a novel mechanism of primary resistance that can be overcome by the combination of EGFR and mTOR inhibitors

Defining Kawasaki disease and pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Italy: results from a national, multicenter survey

Background: There is mounting evidence on the existence of a Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome-temporally associated to SARS-CoV-2 infection (PIMS-TS), sharing similarities with Kawasaki Disease (KD). The main outcome of the study were to better characterize the clinical features and the treatment response of PIMS-TS and to explore its relationship with KD determining whether KD and PIMS are two distinct entities. Methods: The Rheumatology Study Group of the Italian Pediatric Society launched a survey to enroll patients diagnosed with KD (Kawasaki Disease Group - KDG) or KD-like (Kawacovid Group - KCG) disease between February 1st 2020, and May 31st 2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory data, treatment information, and patients' outcome were collected in an online anonymized database (RedCAP®). Relationship between clinical presentation and SARS-CoV-2 infection was also taken into account. Moreover, clinical characteristics of KDG during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (KDG-CoV2) were compared to Kawasaki Disease patients (KDG-Historical) seen in three different Italian tertiary pediatric hospitals (Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste; AOU Meyer, Florence; IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa) from January 1st 2000 to December 31st 2019. Chi square test or exact Fisher test and non-parametric Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney test were used to study differences between two groups. Results: One-hundred-forty-nine cases were enrolled, (96 KDG and 53 KCG). KCG children were significantly older and presented more frequently from gastrointestinal and respiratory involvement. Cardiac involvement was more common in KCG, with 60,4% of patients with myocarditis. 37,8% of patients among KCG presented hypotension/non-cardiogenic shock. Coronary artery abnormalities (CAA) were more common in the KDG. The risk of ICU admission were higher in KCG. Lymphopenia, higher CRP levels, elevated ferritin and troponin-T characterized KCG. KDG received more frequently immunoglobulins (IVIG) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) (81,3% vs 66%; p = 0.04 and 71,9% vs 43,4%; p = 0.001 respectively) as KCG more often received glucocorticoids (56,6% vs 14,6%; p &lt; 0.0001). SARS-CoV-2 assay more often resulted positive in KCG than in KDG (75,5% vs 20%; p &lt; 0.0001). Short-term follow data showed minor complications. Comparing KDG with a KD-Historical Italian cohort (598 patients), no statistical difference was found in terms of clinical manifestations and laboratory data. Conclusion: Our study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection might determine two distinct inflammatory diseases in children: KD and PIMS-TS. Older age at onset and clinical peculiarities like the occurrence of myocarditis characterize this multi-inflammatory syndrome. Our patients had an optimal response to treatments and a good outcome, with few complications and no deaths

Computer-Aided Diagnosis System for the Identification Carotid Atherosclerosis

Carotid atherosclerosis represents one of the most important cause of brain stroke. The degree of stenosis is up to now considered one of the most important features for determining the risk of brain stroke. Ultrasound (US) is a non-invasive technique, relatively inexpensive, portable, which has an excellent temporal resolution. Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) has became one of the major research field in medical imaging and diagnostic radiology. This work presents a CAD system, an automatic prototype software used for carotid plaque detection. We studied US images of 44 subjects, 22 subjects with carotid artery stenosis and 22 subjects without carotid artery stenosis. The CAD system automatically performed the following processing steps: registration of images, detection of lesions by a segmentation method using Watershed algorithm, extraction of dynamic and morphologic features, and classification of plaques through Cluster Analysis. Investigations has been carried out on 287 suspect regions including 61 plaques and 226 non-plaques cases. The area under the Receiver Operationg Characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.89. The experimental results also show that the proposed methods is feasible, and have a good agreement with the expert neurologist. Without the need of any user-interaction, the proposed method generates a detection out-put that may be useful in second opinion