Tumour sublines with different metastatic capacity induce similar blood coagulation changes in the host.

This paper is aimed at investigating how metastatic tumour growth influenced the haemostatic system of the host. Blood platelet count, blood fibrinogen level, the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and the prothrombin time (PT) were determined at various intervals during growth and metastasis of a murine fibrosarcoma (mFS6) or one of its sublines with different metastatic capacity. Progressive thrombocytopenia and increase in fibrinogen level were observed during development of the tumour in all the animal groups studied, irrespective of the metastatic potential of the various sublines. No significant changes were observed in the PT or APTT values. These data support the concept that primary rather than metastatic growth influences the haemostatic system of tumour-bearing animals

Evaluating the Relationship Between Visual Acuity and Utilities in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema Enrolled in Intravitreal Aflibercept Studies

PURPOSE. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between visual acuity and utility (health-related quality of life) in diabetic macular edema (DME) using intravitreal aflibercept data. METHODS. The relationship between visual acuity in the best-seeing eye (BSE) and worseseeing eye (WSE) and utility was explored using ordinary least squares (OLS) and randomeffects models adjusted for different covariates (age, age2 , sex, body mass index, smoking status, glycated hemoglobin, diabetes severity, comorbidities, and geographic region). Utility was measured using the EuroQoL-five dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) and Visual Functioning Questionnaire-Utility Index (VFQ-UI). For each model, coefficients (R2 ) were reported, and WSE/BSE was expressed as the ratio of coefficients (OLS models). Models were independent of treatment effects, and outcomes from all time points (up to week 100) were included where available. RESULTS. Data from 1320 patients with DME were analyzed. In all models, the association between visual acuity (BSE > WSE) was stronger with VFQ-UI– than EQ-5D–derived utilities. The estimated relationship between VFQ-UI and visual acuity in the BSE and WSE was robust, even with an increasing number of covariates. WSE/BSE coefficient ratios were similar across VFQ-UI OLS models (32%) compared with EQ-5D models (41%–48%). Actual (unadjusted) versus predicted data plots also showed a better fit with VFQ-UI– than EQ-5D–derived utilities. CONCLUSIONS. These analyses show that VFQ-UI was more sensitive than EQ-5D–derived utilities for measuring the impact of visual acuity in the BSE and WSE. Visual acuity in the BSE was a major contributor to utility, but WSE is also important though to a lesser degree as shown by the coefficient ratios. These new data will be useful for health technology assessments in DME, where utilities data are lacking. Keywords: diabetic macular edema, intravitreal aflibercept, utilit

Dysfunctional Tissue Correlates of Unrelated Naming Errors in Acute Left Hemisphere Stroke

Most naming error lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) studies have focused on semantic and/or phonological errors. Anomic individuals also produce unrelated word errors, which may be linked to semantic or modality-independent lexical deficits. To investigate the neural underpinnings of rarely-studied unrelated errors, we conducted LSM analyses in 100 individuals hospitalised with a left hemisphere stroke who completed imaging protocols and language assessments. We used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to capture relationships between naming errors and dysfunctional brain tissue metrics (regional damage or hypoperfusion in vascular territories) in two groups: participants with and without impaired single-word auditory comprehension. Hypoperfusion—particularly within the parietal lobe—was an important error predictor, especially for the unimpaired group. In both groups, higher unrelated error proportions were associated with primarily ventral stream damage, the language route critical for processing meaning. Nonetheless, brain metrics implicated in unrelated errors were distinct from semantic error correlates

Caracterização de forrageiras do nordeste utilizando a técnica de produção de gases, quantificação de taninos e composição química. 2. Plantas do estado do Ceará.

Objetivou-se caracterizar por meio da técnica ?in vitro?, quantificação de taninos e análises químicas o potencial forrageiro de quatro espécies de plantas: catingueira 'Caesalpinia bracteosa', jucazeiro 'Caesalpinia ferrea', jurema preta 'Mimosa hostilis' e sabiá 'Mimosa caesalpinifolia'. Os conteúdos de fenóis totais e taninos totais foram analisados pelo método Folin-Ciocalteu e taninos condensados pelo método butanol-HCl e a avaliação da qualidade das plantas foi feita pela técnica de produção de gases. Jucazeiro e catingueira foram as plantas que apresentaram menores valores de taninos condensados e os melhores resultados em relação à produção potencial de gases. As plantas com altos teores de taninos condensados podem interferir no consumo dos animais

Impact of Baseline Retinal Nonperfusion and Macular Retinal Capillary Nonperfusion on Outcomes in the COPERNICUS and GALILEO Studies

To evaluate the impact of baseline retinal capillary nonperfusion (RNP) and macular retinal capillary nonperfusion (MNP) status on outcomes at week 24 (W24)

Correzioni gravimetriche per la rete di livellazione geometrica italiana: stato dell’arte e l’esempio della Provincia di Trento

Riassunto Il sistema di riferimento altimetrico ufficiale italiano è definito attraverso una rete di livellazione geometrica materializzata e periodicamente rilevata dall’Istituto Geografico Militare (IGM). Le quote dinamiche, ortometriche e normali dei capisaldi di una rete di livellazione si ottengono dalla compensazione ai minimi quadrati dei dislivelli geometrici osservati, opportunamente corretti per gli effetti di gravità. Il Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), nell’ambito di una convenzione con l’IGM, sta effettuando il calcolo delle correzioni (dinamiche, ortometriche e normali) da apportare alle nuove osservazioni di livellazione eseguite nel contempo dall’IGM sull’intero territorio nazionale per l’aggiornamento del sistema di altezze italiano. I valori di gravità necessari al calcolo delle correzioni sono ricavati dal database utilizzato per il nuovo Geoide Italiano. Il Servizio Catasto della Provincia Autonoma di Trento in accordo con IGM e POLIMI partecipa all’acquisizione delle osservazioni della sotto-rete trentina e al successivo calcolo delle relative correzioni. Lo stato dell’arte nella definizione del sistema di riferimento delle altezze, con richiami sul calcolo delle correzioni gravimetriche classiche e su una nuova formulazione sviluppata di recente nell’ambito della teoria di Molodensky costituiscono l’oggetto della presente comunicazione insieme ai risultati preliminari ottenuti sui dati del Trentino.Abstract The official italian height system is defined through a spirit leveling network periodically surveyed by the Istituto Geografico Militare (IGM). Dynamic, orthometric and normal heights of the network benchmarks are obtained form the least squares adjustment of the observed height differences, properly corrected for the gravity effects. In agreement with IGM, the Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI) is computing the corrections (dynamic, orthometric and normal) for the new spirit leveling observations, carried out in the meanwhile by the IGM to update the italian height datum. The gravity observations needed to evaluate the corrections are obtained from the same database used for the Italian Geoid. The Cadastral service of Provincia Autonoma di Trento in agreement with IGM and POLIMI is involved in the observation collection of the Trentino sub network as well as in the connected correction computation. The presentation is about the state of the art in the definition of the italian height datum and a short review on the gravity correction formulas as well as on a new formulation of the normal correction term in the framework of Molodensky’s theory. Preliminary results on the Trentino sub network will be presented as well

Outcomes and Risk Factors for Complications of Laser Ablation for Thyroid Nodules: A Multicenter Study on 1531 Patients

Image-guided laser ablation therapy (LAT) of benign thyroid nodules demonstrated favorable results in randomized trials with fixed modalities of treatment. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to assess the effectiveness, tolerability, and complications of LAT in a large consecutive series of patients from centers using this technique in their routine clinical activity