University of Udine
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Comparative Efficacy and Safety of Colchicine and Anti–Interleukin- 1 Agents in Recurrent Pericarditis: A Pairwise and Network Meta- Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Get PDFBACKGROUND: The management of recurrent pericarditis includes colchicine and anti–interleukin- 1 agents, given the limited efficacy and adverse effects of NSAIDs and corticosteroids. We conducted a pairwise and network meta- analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of colchicine and anti–interleukin- 1 agents in recurrent pericarditis. METHODS: We conducted a comprehensive search on various databases to retrieve relevant randomized controlled trials. Pairwise meta- analyses were performed in R using the exact Mantel–Haenszel method. We also performed a network meta- analysis with a colchicine group as the comparator. Downloaded from http://ahajournals.org by on July 3, 2025 RESULTS: A total of 6 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta- analysis. The risk of pericarditis recurrence was significantly decreased by colchicine (risk ratio [RR], 0.46 [95% CI, 0.37–0.58]) and anti–interleukin- 1 agents (RR, 0.12 [95% CI, 0.03–0.54]) compared with placebo or standard therapy. Colchicine significantly decreased the risk of treatment failure (RR, 0.42 [95% CI, 0.31–0.57]) and pericarditis- related rehospitalization (RR, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.10–0.70]) but did not have a significant impact on the risk of adverse events (RR, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.31–3.62]). Anti–interleukin- 1 agents were associated with a significantly increased risk of adverse events (RR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.60–2.21]). The network meta- analysis showed that anti–interleukin- 1 agents were associated with a greater reduction in pericarditis recurrence than colchicine (RR, 0.27 [95% CI, 0.11–0.67]), with no significant difference with respect to adverse events (RR, 1.77 [95% CI, 0.88–3.57]). CONCLUSIONS: Both colchicine and anti–interleukin- 1 agents are effective in reducing the risk of recurrent pericarditis. Anti interleukin- 1 agents are associated with more frequent nonserious adverse events, but evidence on serious adverse events remains inconclusive
Gold leaf electrodes for UV/Vis spectroelectrochemical determination of ortho-diphenols in extra virgin olive oil
Get PDFA simple and easily replicable technique is here presented for assembling planar electrochemical cells based on gold-leaf electrodes using ordinary tools and a do-it-yourself approach. These devices have been profitably used to perform spectroelectrochemical measurements in the reflectance mode demonstrating for the first time how the use of gold-leaf electrodes can offer a viable and low cost alternative to traditionally used electrochemical platforms assembled by gold vapor deposition or screen printing. After optimization of fabrication parameters, the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterization of these cells was performed by using potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) as redox probe. Then, hydroxytyrosol has been selected as model to develop an innovative and so far never presented spectroelectrochemical method for the determination and quantification of ortho-diphenol antioxidants in extra virgin olive oil. The results achieved allowed us to preliminary evaluate the electrochemical oxidation mechanism of hydroxytyrosol at gold leaf electrodes and then to select the best wavelength for its spectroelectrochemical determination. The approach developed enabled to evaluate hydroxytyrosol concentrations from both the electrochemical and spectroscopic signals with repeatable and comparable results. Comparison between electrochemical and optical determinations performed on real sample demonstrates that the two methods can be used indistinctively, proving that spectroelectrochemistry represents an autovalidated technique able to provide reliable results thanks to complementary information that are simultaneously obtained from electrochemistry and spectroscopy
Educating nurses on prioritization: insights from a mixed-methods study on unfinished nursing care
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CD94-driven in vitro expansion of highly functional adaptive NKG2C+ NKG2A- CD57+ NK cells from CMV+ healthy donors
Get PDFBackground: Adaptive human natural killer (NK) cells are an NK cell subpopulation arising upon cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. They are characterized by CD94/NKG2C expression, a mature CD57+KIR+NKG2A– phenotype, a prolonged lifespan, and remarkable antitumor functions. In light of these features, adaptive NK cells represent suitable candidate to design next-generation therapies, based on their enhanced effector function which could be further boosted by Chimeric Antigen Receptors-engineering, or the combination with cell engagers. For therapeutic approaches, however, it is key to generate large numbers of functional cells. Purpose: We developed a method to efficiently expand adaptive NK cells from NK-enriched cell preparations derived from the peripheral blood of selected CMV-seropositive healthy donors. The method is based on the use of an anti-CD94 monoclonal antibody (mAb) combined with IL-2 or IL-15. Results: By setting this method we were able to expand high numbers of NK cells showing the typical adaptive phenotype, CD94/NKG2C+ CD94/NKG2A- CD57+, and expressing a single self-inhibitory KIR. Expanded cells maintained the CMV-induced molecular signature, exhibited high ADCC capabilities and degranulation against a HLA-E+ target. Importantly, mAb-expanded adaptive NK cells did not upregulate PD-1 or other regulatory immune checkpoints that could dampen their function. Conclusions: By this study we provide hints to improve previous expansion methods, by eliminating the use of genetically modified cells as stimulators, and obtaining effectors not expressing unwanted inhibitory receptors. This new protocol for expanding functional adaptive NK cells is safe, cost-effective and easily implementable in a GMP context, suitable for innovative immunotherapeutic purposes
Matters of the Heart: Cardiotoxicity Related to Target Therapy in Oncogene-Addicted Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Get PDFThe treatment of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) has been revolutionised by the introduction of targeted therapies. With the improvement of response and frequently of overall survival, however, a whole new set of adverse events emerged. In fact, due to the peculiar mechanism of action of each one of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors and other targeted therapies, every drug has its own specific safety profile. In addition, this safety profile could not fully emerge from clinical trials data, as patients in clinical practice usually have more comorbidities and frailties. Cardiotoxicity is a well-known and established adverse event of anti-cancer therapies. However, only recently it has become a central topic for targeted therapies in NSCLC, due to the unknown real range and frequency. Management of this toxicity begins with prevention, and must balance the need of continuing an effective anticancer treatment versus low risk of even fatal events and the preservation of long-term quality of life. The aim of this review is to summarise the current knowledge focusing on currently used targeted therapies in NSCLC
Alkaloid profile of Italian alpine milk
Get PDFAbstract: This study examines the alkaloid profiles in alpine milk. Alkaloids could pose a health concern but also prove interesting from a geographic traceability perspective. Over three consecutive days, 48 daily milk samples were collected from 16 lactating cows grazing on two alpine pastures in Northeast Italy, with 8 cows from each pasture. Simultaneously, alpine herbs selecting by the cows during grazing were collected using the hand-plucking technique. Additionally, 12 milk mass samples were obtained from an entire herd of 110 cows. Liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry was employed to analyze both herbage and milk samples, identifying 41 alkaloids with pure standards and putatively identifying another 116. The results revealed a transfer of 0.4% for pyrrolizidine alkaloids, 2.7% for indole alkaloids, and 12% for steroidal alkaloids from herbs to milk. A partial least squares—discriminant analysis model based on the alkaloid profiles achieved a correct reclassification of 67% of milk samples from cows grazing on the two distinct pastures. Despite the minimal transfer, which should be considered positive in terms of health, it opens the door to interesting studies on the use of alkaloids as traceability markers for mountain products. Practical Application: The study provides a novel perspective interaction between alpine grazing systems and milk composition. This research could be useful for enhancing mountain pasture products in terms of healthiness and can help prevent fraud on the declaration of origin
Improved prediction of 100-meter sprint records
No full textIn the last years, prediction of sport records has received increased attention by the scientific community. In particular, it is of great interest the evaluation of the goodness of a record. The application of extreme value theory in this context is quite natural. In this work, we use the Gumbel model to analyze the annual speed records in men’s and women’s 100-meter sprint races from 2001 to 2024. We propose the use of a new calibration procedure in order to correctly estimate the probability of future records and the expected time needed to break the current world record
Search for a light charged Higgs boson in t→H±b decays, with H±→cs, in pp collisions at s=13TeV with the ATLAS detector
Get PDFA search for a light charged Higgs boson produced in decays of the top quark, t→H±b with H±→cs, is presented. This search targets the production of top-quark pairs tt ̄→WbH±b, with W→lν (l=e,μ), resulting in a lepton-plus-jets final state characterised by an isolated electron or muon and at least four jets. The search exploits b-quark and c-quark identification techniques as well as multivariate methods to suppress the dominant tt ̄ background. The data analysed correspond to 140fb-1 of pp collisions at s=13TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. Observed (expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fraction B(t→H±b), assuming B(t→Wb)+B(t→H±(→cs)b)=1.0, are set between 0.066% (0.077%) and 3.6% (2.3%) for a charged Higgs boson with a mass between 60 and 168 GeV