253 research outputs found
Urinary tract infection in the newborn and the infant: state of the art
Urinary tract infection is one of the most common causes of infection in newborns. Obtaining a urinary tract infections (UTIs) diagnosis just on the basis of the clinical findings is frequently difficult, however, being the pediatrician's goal to reduce the risk of renal scarring, a prompt diagnosis and treatment is of extreme importance. The key instrument for the diagnosis of UTIs is represented today by urine culture. However, in reality, the caregivers and investigators are increasingly demanding fast and cheap methods for a rapid and effective diagnosis
Evidence-based treatment limitations prevent any therapeutic recommendation for acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis in children
The majority of children with the epidemic form of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) have an excellent prognosis, which contrasts with the poor long-term outcome of sporadic cases. Therapy is largely supportive. Rarely, the disease shows long-term complications, worsening to chronic kidney disease requiring long-term interventional measures. To compare the effectiveness of different therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of APSGN in childhood, the authors reviewed randomized controlled trials on the prevention and treatment of APSGN in children. Nine studies fit the inclusion criteria. Primary outcomes were the development of APSGN, the effectiveness of medication for controlling hypertension, and the development of chronic renal failure in patients with crescentic glomerulonephritis. No advantages of antimicrobials (cefuroxim, ceftibuten, and others) given for 5 days were found over penicillin V given for 10 days (4 trials). Nifedipine showed advantages in controlled acute hypertension (1 trial). ACE inhibitors (captopril and enalapril) had better control of blood pressure and echocardiographic changes than other antihypertensive drugs/diuretics (2 trials). The use of combined immunosuppressants for crescentic poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis showed no advantages over supportive therapy alone (1 study). The studies were of small number and with limitations that seriously weaken the results
Evidence-based treatment limitations prevent any therapeutic recommendation for acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis in children
The majority of children with the epidemic form of acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (APSGN) have an excellent prognosis, which contrasts with the poor long-term outcome of sporadic cases. Therapy is largely supportive. Rarely, the disease shows long-term complications, worsening to chronic kidney disease requiring long-term interventional measures. To compare the effectiveness of different therapeutic strategies for the prevention and treatment of APSGN in childhood, the authors reviewed randomized controlled trials on the prevention and treatment of APSGN in children. Nine studies fit the inclusion criteria. Primary outcomes were the development of APSGN, the effectiveness of medication for controlling hypertension, and the development of chronic renal failure in patients with crescentic glomerulonephritis. No advantages of antimicrobials (cefuroxim, ceftibuten, and others) given for 5 days were found over penicillin V given for 10 days (4 trials). Nifedipine showed advantages in controlled acute hypertension (1 trial). ACE inhibitors (captopril and enalapril) had better control of blood pressure and echocardiographic changes than other antihypertensive drugs/diuretics (2 trials). The use of combined immunosuppressants for crescentic poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis showed no advantages over supportive therapy alone (1 study). The studies were of small number and with limitations that seriously weaken the results
The behaviour of nuclear domains in the course of apoptosis.
none9Programmed cell death is activated, by different
stimuli and in many cell types, to regulate cell population
balance during tissue proliferation and embryogenesis.
Its initial event seems to be, in most cases, the
activation of a Ca2+-dependent endonuclease, causing
DNA cleavage into nucleosomic fragments. Its morphological
expression is characterized by deep nuclear
changes, consisting of typical cap-shaped chromatin
marginations, followed by nuclear fragmentation and final
formation of numerous micronuclei. Cytoplasmic
damage appears in a very late stage of the process and
the greatest part of the phenomenon appears to take
place despite good preservation of the plasma membrane
and organellar component. In the present study we analyzed
apoptosis in camptothecin-treated HL60 leukaemia
cells, and in freshly isolated mouse thymocytes treated
with dexamethasone. The process was first quantified and time monitored by flow cytometry. Subsequently the
specimens were processed for morphological examination
in order to investigate the behaviour of the different
nuclear domains. To follow DNA and RNA localization,
we utilized osmium ammine and DNase-colloidal gold
cytochemical reactions. The concentration of most DNA
in the cap-shaped structures was demonstrated by these
reactions. Confocal microscopy of cells processed by in
situ nick-translation suggested that DNA was firstly
cleaved and subsequently condensed in cup-shaped
structures. Despite the strong nuclear modifications, nucleoli
could be clearly recognized until the late apoptotic
stages.openFALCIERI E; ZAMAI L; SANTI S; CINTI C; GOBBI P.; BOSCO D; CATALDI A; BETTS C; VITALE MFalcieri, Elisabetta; Zamai, Loris; Santi, S; Cinti, C; Gobbi, Pietro; Bosco, D; Cataldi, A; Betts, C; Vitale, M
Renal function and volume of infants born with a very low birth-weight: a preliminary cross-sectional study.
AIM: The aim of our study was to compare the function and volumes of kidneys of very low birth-weight (VLBW) and of extremely low birth-weight (ELBW) infants at pre-school ages.PATIENTS AND METHODS: We did a revision of the neonatal records of infants born in our hospital that weighed < or =1500 g at birth. The children were divided into two groups according to their weight at birth: ELBW (<1000 g) and VLBW (1000-1500 g). At the age of 5.7 +/- 1.4 years, the children underwent clinical, laboratory and ultrasound renal assessments.RESULTS: Sixty-nine children fulfilled the requirements for the study. The rate of neonatal treatment with aminoglycosides was higher in ELBW preterms. Renal function parameters, i.e. estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria, did not differ between the two groups of children. Urinary alpha1-microglobulin excretion was significantly higher and kidneys were significantly smaller in the ELBW group than in the VLBW group.CONCLUSION: No impairment or differences in renal parameters were found in pre-school children born ELBW compared with those born with VLBW, except for differences in kidney volume, renal cortical thickness and urinary alpha1-microglobulin excretion. Thus, patients born with ELBW would require a longer follow-up period
Study of chemical and optical properties of biomass burning aerosols during long-range transport events toward the arctic in Summer 2017
Producción CientíficaBiomass burning related aerosol episodes are becoming a serious threat to the radiative balance of the Arctic region. Since early July 2017 intense wildfires were recorded between August and September in Canada and Greenland, covering an area up to 4674 km2 in size. This paper describes the impact of these biomass burning (BB) events measured over Svalbard, using an ensemble of ground-based, columnar, and vertically-resolved techniques. BB influenced the aerosol chemistry via nitrates and oxalates, which exhibited an increase in their concentrations in all of size fractions, indicating the BB origin of particles. The absorption coefficient data (530 nm) at ground reached values up to 0.6 Mm–1, highlighting the impact of these BB events when compared to average Arctic background values, which do not exceed 0.05 Mm–1. The absorption behavior is fundamental as implies a subsequent atmospheric heating. At the same time, the AERONET Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) data showed high values at stations located close to or in Canada (AOD over 2.0). Similarly, increased values of AODs were then observed in Svalbard, e.g., in Hornsund (daily average AODs exceeded 0.14 and reached hourly values up to 0.5). Elevated values of AODs were then registered in Sodankylä and Andenes (daily average AODs exceeding 0.150) a few days after the Svalbard observation of the event highlighting the BB columnar magnitude, which is crucial for the radiative impact. All the reported data suggest to rank the summer 2017 plume of aerosols as one of the biggest atmosphere related environmental problems over Svalbard region in last 10 years
La tutela dei diritti umani in Europa tra sovranit\ue0 statale e ordinamenti sovranazionali
Il Volume si propone di offrire una visione dei sistemi di tutela dei diritti umani esistenti a livello europeo, pur nella consapevolezza che gli argomenti trattati non permettono di delineare un quadro esaustivo delle diverse problematiche. Nella scelta degli argomenti si \ue8 comunque tenuto conto di alcune delle principali questioni che animano l\u2019attuale dibattito scientifico. Nella redazione dell\u2019opera, a cui hanno partecipato diversi studiosi italiani e stranieri, si \ue8 perseguito l\u2019intento di coniugare il rigore dell\u2019indagine critica ad un\u2019attenzione particolare per le esigenze della didattica, al fine di offrire uno strumento rivolto non solo agli operatori giuridici, ma anche agli studenti universitari. In particolare, allo scopo di agevolare l\u2019uso didattico del Volume, si \ue8 ritenuto opportuno articolare l\u2019opera in cinque parti distinte, impiegabili indipendentemente l\u2019una dall\u2019altra ovvero secondo differenti combinazioni
Underwater intervention robotics: An outline of the Italian national project Maris
The Italian national project MARIS (Marine Robotics for Interventions) pursues the strategic objective of studying, developing, and integrating technologies and methodologies to enable the development of autonomous underwater robotic systems employable for intervention activities. These activities are becoming progressively more typical for the underwater offshore industry, for search-and-rescue operations, and for underwater scientific missions. Within such an ambitious objective, the project consortium also intends to demonstrate the achievable operational capabilities at a proof-of-concept level by integrating the results with prototype experimental systems
Measurement of Gamma(phi -> eta' gamma)/Gamma(phi -> eta gamma) and the pseudoscalar mixing angle
We have measured the radiative decays phi -> eta gamma, phi ->etaprime gamma
selecting pi+ pi- gamma gamma gamma final state in a sample of about 5 times
10^7 phi mesons produced at the Frascati phi factory DAFNE. We obtain Gamma(phi
-> etaprime gamma)/Gamma(phi -> eta gamma)=(4.70 +- 0.47 +- 0.31) times 10^-3.
From this result we derive new accurate values for the branching ratio BR(phi
->etaprime gamma) = (6.10 +- 0.61 +- 0.43) times 10^-5, and the mixing angle of
pseudoscalar mesons in the flavour basis phi_P=(41.8 +1.9 -1.6) degrees.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.
Study of the Decay phi --> eta pi0 gamma with the KLOE detector
In a sample of 5.3x10^7 phi-decays observed with the KLOE detector at the
Frascati phi-factory Dafne we find 605 eta pi0 gamma events with eta -->
gamma\gamma and 197 eta pi0 gamma events with eta --> pi+ pi- pi0. The decay
phi --> eta pi0 gamma is dominated by the process phi --> a0 gamma. From a fit
to the eta pi0 mass spectrum we find BR(phi --> ao(980) gamma)= (7.4 +-
0.7)x10^-5.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys.Lett.
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