74 research outputs found
Free-living marine nematode communities: In San Jorge gulf, Argentina
The aim of this study was to investigate the patterns of nematode diversity and community structure in San Jorge Gulf, Argentina, in order to improve knowledge of this key group of organisms. Free-living marine nematodes were sampled at 13 stations in February 2014 during an expedition aboard R/V Coriolis II. We found a total of 188 species (101 of which were new to science) belonging to 98 genera. The statistical results indicated the presence of three different assemblages of free-living marine nematodes distributed spatially in three distinct zones in the gulf: the central part, the outer thermal front at both sides of the entrance, and the south thermal front area. Diversity increased from the coast to the entrance of the gulf, and the highest diversity was found in areas with coarser sediment. Sediment and salinity were the environmental parameters that best matched nematode community distribution.Fil: Pastor de Ward, Catalina T.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; ArgentinaFil: Lo Russo, Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral; ArgentinaFil: Varisco, Martin Alejandro. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia Golfo San Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia Golfo San Jorge. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Centro de Investigaciones y Transferencia Golfo San Jorge; Argentin
Children with Kawasaki disease or Kawasaki-like syndrome (MIS-C/PIMS) at the time of COVID-19: are they all the same? Case series and literature review.
Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak started, children have been considered marginally involved compared to adults, with a quite significant percentage of asymptomatic carriers. Very recently, an overwhelming inflammatory activation, which shares clinical similarities with Kawasaki disease (KD), has been described in children exposed to COVID-19. We report three KD-like cases that occurred during the pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a highly affected area of Northern Italy. The clinical presentation was characterized by the presence of unremitting fever, diarrhea and elevated inflammatory markers. Case #1 and Case #2 occurred one week apart and shared other clinical features: laboratory tests confirmed COVID-19 exposure and high inflammatory activation with myocardial involvement. Case #3 followed a more typical pattern for KD. Interestingly, this patient showed lower levels of procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, D-dimers, and ferritin compared to the other two cases, whereas platelet count was higher. We hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 might act in children as a trigger, either inducing a classical KD phenotype or causing a systemic inflammatory response leading to a severe KD-like phenotype, eventually characterized by myocardial impairment. We think that bringing these cases and their differences to the attention of the rheumatology community during the COVID-19 pandemic will be beneficial in order to highlight the importance of early diagnosis and to increase awareness of this new phenomenon
Farmers' attitudes and landscape change: evidence from the abandonment of terraced cultivations on Lesvos, Greece
Agricultural landscapes are the product of the interaction of the natural environment of an area and the practices of its farmers. In this paper, farmers' practices are examined in order to describe and understand processes of landscape change in terraced fields on the island of Lesvos, Greece. We examine the changes of the terraced fields of each farmer and the reasons for these changes, practices concerning the maintenance of terraces and how farmers view this landscape change. The concept of farming systems is used to link farmers' practices at the farm level with changes at the landscape level. Data come from research via questionnaires to farmers in order to record their practices, to explore changes in land use and the landscape elements and the reasons behind these changes, and finally to record their opinions on the landscape change that result. Findings indicate that although farm households in the case study areas depend on farming incomes by very different degrees, they employ similar cultivation and landscape management practices. At the same time, "hobby" farm households may be more prone to abandonment of fields and negligence of landscape elements (here terraces)
Multi-technique investigation of silicon nitride/aluminum membranes as optical blocking filters for high-energy space missions
X-ray detectors for space astrophysics missions are susceptible to noise caused by photons with energies outside the operating energy range; for this reason, efficient external optical blocking filters are required to shield the detector from the out-ofband radiation. These filters play a crucial role in meeting the scientific requirements of the X-ray detectors, and their proper operation over the life of the mission is essential for the success of the experimental activity. We studied thin sandwich membranes made of silicon nitride and aluminum as optical blocking filters for high-energy detectors in space missions. Here, we report the results of a multitechnique characterization of SiN membranes with thicknesses in the range from 40 nm to 145 nm coated with few tens of nanometers of aluminum on both sides. In particular, we have measured the X-ray transmission at synchrotron radiation beamlines, the rejection of ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared radiation, the amount of native oxide on the aluminum surfaces by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the morphology of the sample surfaces by atomic force microscopy, and the aging effects under proton irradiation
Appendiceal mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas, a rare entity that can present as a Krukenberg tumor: case report and review of the literature
Nationwide survey on the management of pediatric pharyngitis in Italian emergency units
Background: Acute pharyngitis is a frequent reason for primary care or emergency unit visits in children. Most available data on pharyngitis management come from primary care studies that demonstrate an underuse of microbiological tests, a tendency to over-prescribe antibiotics and a risk of antimicrobial resistance increase. However, a comprehensive understanding of acute pharyngitis management in emergency units is lacking. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of rapid antigen test use to diagnose acute pharyngitis, as well as other diagnostic approaches, the therapeutic attitude, and follow-up of children with this condition in the emergency units. Methods: A multicentric national study was conducted in Italian emergency departments between April and June 2022. Results: A total of 107 out of 131 invited units (response rate 82%), participated in the survey. The results showed that half of the units use a scoring system to diagnose pharyngitis, with the McIsaac score being the most commonly used. Most emergency units (56%) were not provided with a rapid antigen diagnostic test by their hospital, but the test was more frequently available in units visiting more than 10,000 children yearly (57% vs 33%, respectively, p = 0.02). Almost half (47%) of the units prescribe antibiotics in children with pharyngitis despite the lack of microbiologically confirmed cases of Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus. Finally, about 25% of units prescribe amoxicillin-clavulanic acid to treat Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus pharyngitis. Conclusions: The study sheds light on the approach to pharyngitis in emergency units, providing valuable information to improve the appropriate management of acute pharyngitis in this setting. The routinary provision of rapid antigen tests in the hospitals could enhance the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to pharyngitis
Clinical characteristics and outcomes of vaccinated patients hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection: Multi-IPV, a multicentre study in Northern Italy
Background: Despite the well-known efficacy of anti-COVID-19 vaccines in preventing morbidity and mortality, several vaccinated individuals are diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection, which might require hospitalisation. This multicentre, observational, and retrospective study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of vaccinated vs. non -vaccinated patients, both hospitalised with SARS-CoV-2 infection in 3 major hospitals in Northern Italy. Methods: Data collection was retrospective, and paper and electronic medical records of adult patients with a diagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection were pseudo-anonymised and analysed. Vaccinated and non -vaccinated individuals were manually paired, using a predetermined matching criterion (similar age, gender, and date of hospitalisation). Demographic, clinical, treatment, and outcome data were compared between groups differing by vaccination status using Pearson's Chi-square and Mann -Whitney tests. Moreover, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the impact of vaccination status on ICU admission or intra-hospital mortality. Results: Data from 360 patients were collected. Vaccinated patients presented with a higher prevalence of relevant comorbidities, like kidney replacement therapy or haematological malignancy, despite a milder clinical presentation at the first evaluation. Non -vaccinated patients required intensive care more often than their vaccinated counterparts (8.8% vs. 1.7%, p = 0.002). Contrariwise, no difference in intra-hospital mortality was observed between the two groups (19% vs. 20%, p = 0.853). These results were confirmed by multivariable logistic regressions, which showed that vaccination was significantly associated with decreased risk of ICU admission (aOR=0.172, 95%CI: 0.039-0.542, p = 0.007), but not of intra-hospital mortality (aOR=0.996, 95%CI: 0.582-1.703, p = 0.987). Conclusions: This study provides real -world data on vaccinated patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Northern Italy. Our results suggest that COVID-19 vaccination has a protective role in individuals with higher risk profiles, especially regarding the need for ICU admission. These findings contribute to our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection outcomes among vaccinated individuals and emphasise the importance of vaccination in preventing severe disease, particularly in those countries with lower first -booster uptake rates
Effect of a quality improvement program on compliance to the sepsis bundle in non-ICU patients: a multicenter prospective before and after cohort study
ObjectiveSepsis and septic shock are major challenges and economic burdens to healthcare, impacting millions of people globally and representing significant causes of mortality. Recently, a large number of quality improvement programs focused on sepsis resuscitation bundles have been instituted worldwide. These educational initiatives have been shown to be associated with improvements in clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a multi-faceted quality implementing program (QIP) on the compliance of a “simplified 1-h bundle” (Sepsis 6) and hospital mortality of severe sepsis and septic shock patients out of the intensive care unit (ICU).MethodsEmergency departments (EDs) and medical wards (MWs) of 12 academic and non-academic hospitals in the Lombardy region (Northern Italy) were involved in a multi-faceted QIP, which included educational and organizational interventions. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock according to the Sepsis-2 criteria were enrolled in two different periods: from May 2011 to November 2011 (before-QIP cohort) and from August 2012 to June 2013 (after-QIP cohort).Measurements and main resultsThe effect of QIP on bundle compliance and hospital mortality was evaluated in a before–after analysis. We enrolled 467 patients in the before-QIP group and 656 in the after-QIP group. At the time of enrollment, septic shock was diagnosed in 50% of patients, similarly between the two periods. In the after-QIP group, we observed increased compliance to the “simplified rapid (1 h) intervention bundle” (the Sepsis 6 bundle – S6) at three time-points evaluated (1 h, 13.7 to 18.7%, p = 0.018, 3 h, 37.1 to 48.0%, p = 0.013, overall study period, 46.2 to 57.9%, p < 0.001). We then analyzed compliance with S6 and hospital mortality in the before- and after-QIP periods, stratifying the two patients’ cohorts by admission characteristics. Adherence to the S6 bundle was increased in patients with severe sepsis in the absence of shock, in patients with serum lactate <4.0 mmol/L, and in patients with hypotension at the time of enrollment, regardless of the type of admission (from EDs or MWs). Subsequently, in an observational analysis, we also investigated the relation between bundle compliance and hospital mortality by logistic regression. In the after-QIP cohort, we observed a lower in-hospital mortality than that observed in the before-QIP cohort. This finding was reported in subgroups where a higher adherence to the S6 bundle in the after-QIP period was found. After adjustment for confounders, the QIP appeared to be independently associated with a significant improvement in hospital mortality. Among the single S6 procedures applied within the first hour of sepsis diagnosis, compliance with blood culture and antibiotic therapy appeared significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality.ConclusionA multi-faceted QIP aimed at promoting an early simplified bundle of care for the management of septic patients out of the ICU was associated with improved compliance with sepsis bundles and lower in-hospital mortality
The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit: a consolidated design for the system requirement review of the preliminary definition phase
Instrumentatio
Antiarrhythmic efficacy of Penticainide and comparison with Disopyramide, Flecainide, Propafenone and Mexiletine by acute oral drug testing.
The antiarrhythmic efficacy of a new class I agent, penticainide, was evaluated by acute oral drug testing and compared in the same patient population with the efficacy of disopyramide, flecainide, mexiletine and propafenone. Twenty-five patients with high-grade chronic ventricular arrhythmias entered the study. During acute oral drug testing, penticainide (7 mg/kg) was effective (more than 90% reduction in ventricular premature complexes and complete abolition of class 4A and 4B arrhythmias) in 17 of 25 subjects (68%). The mean plasma level of the drug at 90 minutes was 4.4 +/- 1.9 micrograms/ml; at the same time increases in the PQ interval (from 168 +/- 27 to 189 +/- 31 ms, p less than 0.0001) and QRS duration (from 89 +/- 14 to 96 +/- 18 ms, p less than 0.001) were observed. The QTc was slightly but not significantly shortened in the overall population; however, in the subgroup with a basally prolonged QTc (n = 8), a significant reduction was observed (from 456 +/- 8 to 440 +/- 18 ms, p less than 0.02). No adverse effects were reported. The antiarrhythmic efficacy of the other drugs tested in the same population was: disopyramide, 12 of 19 (63%); flecainide, 13 of 24 (54%); propafenone, 13 of 24 (54%); and mexiletine, 7 of 20 (35%). Penticainide appears to be a well-tolerated and effective compound of potential value for treatment of ventricular arrhythmias
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