Settlements of Three Buildings Founded on Stratified Soils

This paper describes the movements experienced by three residential buildings located in Avellino (South Italy). A common feature of the buildings is the unsymmetrical superstructure that, for lack of construction joints, makes the resultant of the vertical loads on foundation to be highly eccentric. At the end of December 1983, when most of the dead loads had been applied, the buildings exhibited conspicuous settlements, so construction was stopped and the vertical displacement of several points of the foundation was measured during a period of almost one year. The subsoil was investigated by boreholes, CPT and conventional laboratory tests; it consists of a sequence of compressible layers of silty sand and clayey silt, overlying a gravel formation. The thickness of these layers was found to be very different from borehole to borehole. An analysis of the movements occurred is conducted using a finite element code. Good agreement is found between theoretical prediction and experimental measurements. The analysis has also shown that the compressibility and heterogeneity of the subsoil along with the eccentricity of loads on foundation were the main causes for the movements occurred

Simplified Methods for the Dynamic Analysis of Single Pile in Layered Soils

In this paper, two simplified methods are used to calculate the impedance function of an axially loaded pile embedded in layered soils. The methods are: a semi-analytical procedure which uses the discrete layer stiffness matrices derived by Kausel and Roesset (1981), and the cone model which was developed by Wolf et al. (1992). A number of comparisons with more rigorous solutions are shown in order to assess the accuracy of the methods used

Contribution of the different modules in the utrophin carboxy-terminal region to the formation and regulation of the DAP complex

AbstractThe carboxy-terminal region of utrophin, like the homologous proteins dystrophin, Drp2 and dystrobrevins, contains structural domains frequently involved in protein–protein interaction. These domains (WW, EF hands, ZZ and H1–H2) mediate recognition and binding to a multicomponent complex of proteins, also known as dystrophin-associated proteins (DAPs) for their association with dystrophin, the product of the gene, mutated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We have exploited phage display and in vitro binding assays to study the recognition specificity of the different domains of the utrophin carboxy-terminus. We found that none of the carboxy-terminal domains of utrophin, when isolated from its structural context, selects specific ligand peptides from a phage-displayed peptide library. By contrast, panning with an extended region containing the WW, EF hands, and ZZ domain defines the consensus binding motif, PPxY which is also found in β-dystroglycan, a component of the DAP complex that interacts with utrophin in several tissues. WW-mediated binding to PPxY peptides and to β-dystroglycan requires the presence of the EF hands and ZZ domain. When the ZZ domain is either deleted or engaged in binding to calmodulin, the utrophin β-dystroglycan complex cannot be formed. These findings suggest a potential regulatory mechanism by means of which the attachment of utrophin to the DAP complex can be modulated by the Ca2+-dependent binding of calmodulin. The remaining two motifs found in the carboxy-terminus (H1–H2) mediate the formation of utrophin–dystrobrevin hybrids but do not select ligands in a repertoire of random nonapeptides

Nano-topography:Quicksand for cell cycle progression?

The 3-D spatial and mechanical features of nano-topography can create alternative environments, which influence cellular response. In this paper, murine fibroblast cells were grown on surfaces characterized by protruding nanotubes. Cells cultured on such nano-structured surface exhibit stronger cellular adhesion compared to control groups, but despite the fact that stronger adhesion is generally believed to promote cell cycle progression, the time cells spend in G1 phase is doubled. This apparent contradiction is solved by confocal microscopy analysis, which shows that the nano-topography inhibits actin stress fiber formation. In turn, this impairs RhoA activation, which is required to suppress the inhibition of cell cycle progression imposed by p21/p27. This finding suggests that the generation of stress fibers, required to impose the homeostatic intracellular tension, rather than cell adhesion/spreading is the limiting factor for cell cycle progression. Indeed, nano-topography could represent a unique tool to inhibit proliferation in adherent well-spread cells

Giant inframuscular lipoma disclosed 14 years after a blunt trauma: A case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Lipoma is the most frequent benign tumor of the soft tissue. This lesion is often asymptomatic except in cases of enormous masses compressing nervous-vascular structures. Although the diagnosis is mostly clinical, imaging tools are useful to confirm the adipose nature of the lesion and to define its anatomic border. Sometimes, lipomas may be the result of a previous trauma, such as in this patient.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 45-year-old man presented at our institution with a giant hard firm mass in the upper external quadrant of the right buttock disclosed after a weight loss diet. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging showed a giant adipose mass developed beneath the large gluteal muscle and among the fibers of the medium and small gluteal muscles. When questioned on his medical history, the patient reported a blunt trauma of the lower back 14 years earlier. He underwent surgery and histological examination confirmed a giant lipoma.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Lipomas might result from a previous trauma. It is hypothesized that the trigger mechanism is activated by cytokine and growth factors released after the trauma. We herein present an exceptional case of a giant post-traumatic lipoma which caused a painful compression on the right sciatic nerve.</p

Inhalation therapy in the next decade : Determinants of adherence to treatment in asthma and COPD

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Testis Sparing Surgery of Small Testicular Masses: Retrospective Analysis of a Multicenter Cohort

PURPOSE: We evaluated possible factors predicting testicular cancer in patients undergoing testis sparing surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of all patients who underwent testis sparing surgery for a small testicular mass at a total of 5 centers. All patients with 1 solitary lesion 2 cm or less on preoperative ultrasound were enrolled in the study. Testis sparing surgery consisted of tumor enucleation for frozen section examination. Immediate radical orchiectomy was performed in all cases of malignancy at frozen section examination but otherwise the testes were spared. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed and ROC curves were produced to evaluate preoperative factors predicting testicular cancer. RESULTS: Overall 147 patients were included in the study. No patient had elevated serum tumor markers. Overall 21 of the 147 men (14%) presented with testicular cancer. On multivariate analysis the preoperative ultrasound diameter of the lesion was a predictor of malignancy (OR 6.62, 95% CI 2.26-19.39, p=0.01). On ROC analysis lesion diameter had an AUC of 0.75 (95% CI 0.63-0.86, p=0.01) to predict testicular cancer. At the best cutoff of 0.85 the diameter of the lesion had 81% sensitivity, 58% specificity, 24% positive predictive value and 95% negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that small testicular masses are often benign and do not always require radical orchiectomy. Preoperative ultrasound can assess lesion size and the smaller the nodule, the less likely that it is malignant. Therefore, we suggest a stepwise approach to small testicular masses, including tumorectomy, frozen section examination and radical orchiectomy or testis sparing surgery according to frozen section examination results

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the anal canal: an unusual presentation

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) of the stomach are the most frequent followed by those of the intestinal tract, while colon and rectum represent rare sites. GIST of the anal canal are extremely rare. They have been studied along with GIST of the rectum, as a single entity, and along with them they represent 5% of GIST. GIST arising from the anal canal account for only 2%–8% of the anorectal GIST. Thus anal GIST must be considered an exceptional case. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old man was referred to our Institution for an anal mass, in absence of any symptom. The patient was treated by local excision. An histological diagnosis of a low grade GIST was made. No further treatment was necessary. No local recurrence of distant metastases were found at follow-up. CONCLUSION: At the moment, only ten cases of c-kit positive anal GIST are reported in the literature. These few data are not sufficient to establish a widely accepted approach for this neoplasia. We recommend to perform an initial local excision, to define the risk of aggressive behavior and the resection margins and proceed to a more aggressive treatment, if the GIST belongs to high or very high risk group. The role of adjuvant therapy is still uncertain. Although inhibitors of tyrosine-kinase receptor needs further studies before their routine use, their role in case of distant or local recurrence has been accepted. Patients' close follow up is mandatory to disclose as soon as possible local recurrences or metastases

Epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 cases in non-Italian nationals notified to the Italian surveillance system

BACKGROUND: International literature suggests that disadvantaged groups are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 infection due to poorer living/working conditions and barriers to healthcare access. Yet, to date, there is no evidence of this disproportionate impact on non-national individuals, including economic migrants, short-term travellers and refugees. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Italian surveillance system of all COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed cases tested positive from the beginning of the outbreak (20th of February) to the 19th of July 2020. We used multilevel negative-binomial regression models to compare the case fatality and the rate of admission to hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) between Italian and non-Italian nationals. The analysis was adjusted for differences in demographic characteristics, pre-existing comorbidities, and period of diagnosis. RESULTS: We analyzed 213 180 COVID-19 cases, including 15 974 (7.5%) non-Italian nationals. We found that, compared to Italian cases, non-Italian cases were diagnosed at a later date and were more likely to be hospitalized {[adjusted rate ratio (ARR)=1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-1.44]} and admitted to ICU (ARR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.07-1.32), with differences being more pronounced in those coming from countries with lower human development index (HDI). We also observed an increased risk of death in non-Italian cases from low-HDI countries (ARR=1.32, 95% CI: 1.01-1.75). CONCLUSIONS: A delayed diagnosis in non-Italian cases could explain their worse outcomes compared to Italian cases. Ensuring early access to diagnosis and treatment to non-Italians could facilitate the control of SARS-CoV-2 transmission and improve health outcomes in all people living in Italy, regardless of nationality