The patenting activity of the top IRI Scoreboard Companies: an introductory note

The present note contains an explorative and introductory analysis of the patenting activity exhibited by the top 100 companies of the IRI Scoreboard, and intends to identify strengths and weaknesses for its possible future extension to the whole Scoreboard. With respect to these companies, patent data are drawn from Patstat, on the basis of which patent families are built up, and crossed with other data on their R&D investments. Both the R&D and the patent applications of the investigated sample of companies increase over time. At the same time, important sector specificities in the R&D-patent relationship have been found. The analysis of the technological competences of the overall sample yields promising results. A first examination of the IPC classes of the patent applications suggests a certain concentration in the kind of technological knowledge that companies master. The analysis of the knowledge base and, more specifically, the companies' involvement in the creation of key enabling technologies (KETs) also highlights that important sector specificities go along with firm specific factors. All-in-all “augmenting” the Scoreboard data with company level patent information appears to be an interesting extension to be pursued.JRC.J.2-Knowledge for Growt

Autophagy and apoptosis: studies on the effects of bisthiosemicarbazone copper(II) complexes on p53 and p53-null tumour cell lines

A comparative study between two bisthiosemicarbazones, 2,3-butanedione bis(4,4-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone) and 2,3-butanedione bis(2-methyl-3-thiosemicarbazone), and their copper(II) complexes is reported. The four compounds have been tested on leukemia cell line U937 and on adenocarcinoma cell line A549. The study includes cell viability, cell cycle, morphological changes, assessment of apoptosis, analysis of autophagy, measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and of lipid peroxidation, protein determination, assessment of the expression of p53 and cellular uptake of metal complexes. Tests about the copper uptake under normoxic and hypoxic conditions were also carried out on solid tumour cell line A549. The four compounds under study elicit different effects on the two lines adopted as representatives of p53 and p53-null cells. The role of the metal is relevant and it is likely that the metal-mediated oxidative stress plays an essential role in the whole process. The mechanisms induced by these molecules differ not only as a function of cell line but also of dose. The responses include two distinct self-destructive processes, autophagy and apoptosis

Atypical intracranial calcifications in a conventional Radiographic exam

An 18-year-old male patient of consanguineous parents, delivered at full-term by cesarean section and having no changes in neurodevelopment, presented with skin blisters that evolved to eruptions and scars immediately after birth. In childhood, he developed lesions and diffuse tongue hypertrophy, with cutaneous hyperkeratosis and periods of exacerbation after sun exposure or trauma. In regular outpatient appointments with the medical assistant team, neurological symptoms were not observed. He underwent surgery because of an obstruction of the salivary duct with local abscess. A biopsy of skin lesion was performed and its histological analysis suggested lipoid proteinosis

Transjugular liver biopsy: experiencewith the trucut needle

OBJECTIVES: We describe the use of transjugular liver biopsy with the automated trucut needle and emphasize the benefits of this procedure in patients with cirrhosis and fibrosis.METHODS: Puncture of the right or left internal jugular vein was performed. A needle was advanced into the right hepatic vein through guides and catheters. Biopsies were obtained from the right liver lobe. Thirty-six transjugular biopsies were performed in 35 patients with clinical diagnosis of hepatopathy; all patients presented contraindication to the standard percutaneous liver biopsy.RESULTS: Out of 36 transjugular liver biopsies, one patient had to repeat the procedure because the initial specimen did not allow diagnosis. In two patients, it was not possible to complete the biopsy due to inability to advance the needle into the right hepatic vein and due to the occurrence of extrasystole; in these cases, the procedure was discontinued. Biopsy was successfully performed in 34 patients (94%), and a conclusive diagnosis was obtained in 32 (89%). There were no relevant complications.CONCLUSIONS: Transjugular liver biopsy allowed histopathological diagnosis in a group of patients presenting contraindications to the standard percutaneous technique. With the trucut needle, it was possible to obtain large, nonfragmented specimens, even in patients with cirrhosis and fibrosis.OBJETIVOS: O estudo descreve o uso de biópsia hepática transjugular com a agulha trucut automatizada e salienta os benefícios deste procedimento em pacientes com cirrose e fibrose hepática.MÉTODOS: Foi realizada punção da veia jugular interna direita ou esquerda. Através de fio guia e cateteres, uma agulha foi introduzida na veia hepática direita. As biópsias foram realizadas no lobo direito do fígado. Trinta e seis biópsias hepáticas transjugulares foram realizadas em 35 pacientes com diagnóstico clínico de hepatopatia; todos os pacientes apresentavam contra-indicação à biópsia hepática percutânea.RESULTADOS: Das 36 biópsias hepáticas transjugulares, um paciente precisou repetir o procedimento porque a amostra inicial não permitiu um diagnóstico conclusivo. Em dois pacientes, não foi possível completar a biópsia devido à impossibilidade de passar  a agulha para a veia hepática direita e devido à ocorrência de extra-sístole; os procedimentos foram suspensos em ambos os casos. A biópsia foi efetuada com sucesso em 34 pacientes (94%), e um diagnóstico conclusivo foi obtido em 32 (89%). Não tivemos nenhuma complicação relevante.CONCLUSÕES: A biópsia hepática transjugular permitiu o diagnóstico histopatológico em um grupo de pacientes que apresentava contra-indicação à biópsia hepática percutânea. Com a agulha trucut, foi possível obter amostras maiores, não fragmentadas, mesmo em pacientes com cirrose e fibrose

Emergency surgery in a tertiary hospital: The covid-19 experience

Objective: Evaluate the impact of Covid-19 in a critical area and analyze the changes in the daily activities in an Emergency Department of a tertiary COVID-Hospital. Methods: We reported and compared the surgical procedures performed for acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis between two periods (March and April 2019 and March and April 2020) at Emergency Surgery Department of Parma University Hospital, a tertiary COVID-Hospital. Results: A total of 72 patients underwent surgery between March and April 2019 and 36 between March and April 2020 for acute appendicitis and cholecystitis. The average length of stay was comparable in the two considered years for LA (4.23±1.69 days in 2019 versus 4.5±2.33 days in 2020). The average length of stay in patients with acute cholecystitis was 5.9±3.8 days in 2019 and 8.23±5.5 days in 2020(P=0.038). The average hospitalization was comparable with 2019 data (5.62±3.77 days)n March 2020;whereas, April 2020 was statistically significantly longer 10.5±6 days (P= 0.023). Conclusions: Half of the emergency centers reported a drop in the overall number of urgent cases as confirmed in our department, where the number of total appendicectomy and cholecystectomy was halved comparing the two months in 2019 and 2020, 72 operations in 2019 versus 36 operations in 2020.During the pandemic, the confidence of the population to the healthcare systems was poor, and this can explain the delayed access to the emergency department of patients who suffered from an acute illness. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.19(0) 2020 p. S 66-S 6

2019 WSES guidelines for the management of severe acute pancreatitis.

Although most patients with acute pancreatitis have the mild form of the disease, about 20-30% develops a severe form, often associated with single or multiple organ dysfunction requiring intensive care. Identifying the severe form early is one of the major challenges in managing severe acute pancreatitis. Infection of the pancreatic and peripancreatic necrosis occurs in about 20-40% of patients with severe acute pancreatitis, and is associated with worsening organ dysfunctions. While most patients with sterile necrosis can be managed nonoperatively, patients with infected necrosis usually require an intervention that can be percutaneous, endoscopic, or open surgical. These guidelines present evidence-based international consensus statements on the management of severe acute pancreatitis from collaboration of a panel of experts meeting during the World Congress of Emergency Surgery in June 27-30, 2018 in Bertinoro, Italy. The main topics of these guidelines fall under the following topics: Diagnosis, Antibiotic treatment, Management in the Intensive Care Unit, Surgical and operative management, and Open abdomen

Different ways to manage Indocyanine green fluorescence to different purposes in liver surgery. A systematic review.

Fluorescent properties of indocyanine green (ICG) for hepatic tumor identification and features have been recently studied. The aim is to review the published data on the use of ICG enhanced fluorescence surgery during liver resection. A systematic search of literature was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web of Science libraries. For all eligible studies, the following data were extracted: study design, number of cases, management of indocyanine green (dose, time and method of administration), type of surgery, outcome variables, false positive and accuracy value, if reported. For statistical analysis, it was considered significant P<0.05, when published. 19 articles were fully analyzed and data were extracted. A total of 718 cases were globally analyzed as study group. No side effects of ICG were reported in any articles. 12 prospective observational, 1 randomized and 2 case-control studies were found. Three case reports and one experimental on animal model were also included. Detection of superficial lesions, segmental staining, biliary anatomy investigation (biliary leakage detection, biliary tree anatomy) were the main clinical application of fluorescence liver guided surgery. The overall quality of the data currently available is limited but the role of fluorescence guided liver surgery seems promising