ARUd’A (Università “G. d’Annunzio CHIETI -PESCARA)
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Quantitative targeted proteomics for occult cancer screening in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism: results from the prospective PLATO-VTE study
No full textBackground: About 5% of patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE) have occult cancer. Despite standard cancer screening, 50% of cancers remain undetected. Objectives: We used quantitative targeted proteomics to identify novel cancer biomarkers among patients with unprovoked VTE. Methods: Patients aged ≥40 years with a first unprovoked VTE and without a malignancy in the preceding 5 years were invited to an international prospective cohort study. Plasma samples were collected within 10 days after VTE. The primary outcome was an adjudicated cancer diagnosis during 12-month follow-up. Concentrations of 269 plasma proteins covering coagulation, complement, and cancer-associated pathways were measured using quantitative mass spectrometry-based targeted proteomics. In a nested case-control study, protein profiles of patients with cancer were compared with those of randomly sampled unique control patients (ratio 3:1). Proteins with an unadjusted P value < .05 and fold change ≥15% were combined in a multivariable logistic regression model. To address the variability in the obtained model, the protein selection and model-building approach were replicated in 250 bootstrap samples, and an optimism-adjusted c-statistic was calculated. Results: Of the 476 included participants, 28 (5.9%) were newly diagnosed with cancer. Plasma samples were available for 24 cases, which were compared with those of 75 control patients. Concentrations of P-selectin, β-2 microglobulin, complement component 7, intracellular adhesion molecule 1, and lumican were higher in cases than in controls, whereas coagulation factor (F)VII, FX, and FXII, β-Ala-His dipeptidase, and kalistatin were lower. The optimism-adjusted c-statistic of the multivariable logistic regression model including these proteins was 0.78 (95% CI, 0.70-0.87). Conclusion: Ten differentially abundant proteins were identified in patients with occult cancer, suggesting potential of plasma proteomic tests as novel biomarker for occult cancer in patients with unprovoked VTE
A NEW PLIOCENE SPERM WHALE FROM VIGLIANO D'ASTI, PIEDMONT, NORTHWEST ITALY
No full textA new sperm whale species is described from the late Zanclean (Early Pliocene) of Piedmont, northwest Italy, based on a partial vertebral column and parts of the forelimb. The new taxon, Eophyseter damarcoi gen. nov. sp. nov., is characterized by elongated vertebral centra in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the vertebral column, wider and higher articular facets for the occipital condyles in the atlas, elliptical and dorsoventrally compressed posterior articular facet of the axis-bearing block, ulna with posteriorly convex margin. These characters distinguish Eophyseter damarcoi gen. nov. sp. nov. from other physeteroids and show that the vertebral proportions are differently arranged with respect to those of the extant sperm whale species. A phylogenetic analysis was performed to understand the relationships of Eophyseter damarcoi gen. nov. sp. nov. by adding 20 postcranial characters to a previous character x taxon matrix; it revealed that E. damarcoi gen. nov. sp. nov. forms a clade with P. macrocephalus. A taphonomic analysis suggested that the carcass of the holotype specimen of Eophyseter damarcoi gen. nov. sp. nov. was exploited by sharks and colonized by barnacles and molluscs; however, a quick burial prevented its total destruction by other invertebrates, as usual in the cetacean fossil record from the Pliocene of Piedmont
Deciphering the Psychological Characteristics of Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy and Acute Myocardial Infarction
No full textBackground/Objectives: Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) shares many clinical features with acute myocardial infarction (AMI); however, its underlying pathophysiology remains elusive due to specific characteristics (i.e., reversibility, presence of stressors, and low mortality rate). Emerging evidence suggests that TTS often emerges following significant somatic, emotional, or psychological stressors. Several studies have investigated the biological factors that may contribute to the onset of TTS, including the release of stress hormones. However, the psychological characteristics associated with TTS, which may be useful for differentiating TTS from other cardiovascular conditions, remain poorly explored. This study aims to overcome these limitations by evaluating whether certain psychological features may allow this specific clinical condition to be differentiated from other cardiovascular conditions. Methods: This study compared three groups of individuals: patients with TTS (N = 56), patients with AMI (N = 52), and individuals without a history of cardiovascular disease (N = 56). Patients were examined three months after the acute phases. The objective was to identify and examine multiple psychological factors involved in TTS, including state and trait anxiety, symptoms of depression, psychological symptoms, distress, perceived social support, and health locus of control. Results: The results indicate that patients with TTS exhibited higher levels of somatization, trait anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, and overall psychological distress than patients with AMI and control groups. These findings were associated with an internal health locus of control and low-risk lifestyles. Conclusions: This psychological exploration of TTS reveals a multifaceted relationship between the mind and the heart, challenging traditional notions of cardiovascular pathophysiology and suggesting the importance of considering the cardio-psychological health of patients in both preventive and intervention programs
Predictive role of exteroceptive and interoceptive bodily dimensions to schizotypal personality traits
No full text: The phenomenological approach to schizophrenia emphasizes the role of bodily experiences in the onset and manifestation of positive, negative and disorganized psychotic symptoms. According to the dimensional approach to psychosis, there exists a continuum ranging from individuals with low levels of schizotypy to diagnosed schizophrenia patients, with schizotypy encompassing positive-like, negative-like, and disorganized-like symptoms of schizophrenia. Empirical evidence suggests that along this continuum, both exteroceptive (external sensory) and interoceptive (internal bodily) dimensions might be distorted. Understanding the contribution of these bodily dimensions in the manifestation of psychotic symptoms, even in schizotypy, might help target early interventions for individuals at risk of developing psychotic disorders. This study investigated the potential contribution of exteroceptive and interoceptive bodily dimensions to schizotypal personality traits, such as cognitive-perceptual traits (positive-like symptoms), interpersonal traits (negative-like symptoms), and disorganization traits (disorganized-like symptoms). Partial Least Squares Regression was used to integrate several bodily dimensions to understand their impact on schizotypy, revealing specific and non-specific contributions of exteroceptive and interoceptive dimensions to different traits. In particular, exteroceptive bodily dimensions generally predicted all schizotypal traits, with specific associations to positive-like symptoms, while interoceptive dimensions mostly predicted interpersonal-like and disorganized-like symptoms. These results suggest a difference in how exteroceptive and interoceptive bodily dimensions contribute to the three schizotypal traits. This highlights specific aspects of interoceptive and exteroceptive body representations that could serve as targets for early intervention. Particularly, interoception emerges as a potential prodromal marker, suggesting that early intervention in this area could be crucial
Xylazine as an emerging new psychoactive substance; focuses on both 5‐HT7 and κ‐opioid receptors' molecular interactions and isosteric replacement
No full textXylazine, traditionally used as a veterinary sedative, has recently emerged as a newpsychoactive substance, being typically ingested in combination with fentanyl de-rivatives and hence raising significant public health concerns. Despite its increasingprevalence, little is known about its molecular interactions with human neuror-eceptors, specifically the serotonin 7 (5‐HT 7R) and kappa‐opioid (KOR) receptors,which play critical roles in mood regulation, consciousness and nociception. Hence,the binding affinity and molecular interactions of xylazine with both 5‐HT 7R andKOR through docking simulations and molecular dynamics calculations wereinvestigated. These computational approaches revealed critical insights into receptorbinding motifs and highlighted structural modifications that could enhance receptoraffinity. The isosteric replacements within the xylazine structure to improve itsbinding efficacy were assessed, demonstrating that minimal structural modificationscan potentiate its interaction with 5‐HT 7R and KOR. These findings may welladvance our understanding of xylazine's mechanism of action, possibly contributingto identifying suitable treatment/management approaches in treating xylazine‐related overdoses
Biological characterization of nanostructured biomaterials treated with plasma for ureter regeneration: in vitro studies
No full textThe FiLA Observatory: A Hub of Connections for Territorial Experimentation
No full textCome può la riattivazione di una filiera contribuire alla crescita di un territorio e delle sue comunità? Come può un prodotto la lana italiana, attualmente considerato un rifiuto che grava sugli allevatori e che è sottoposta ad un confronto impari nel campo del tessile con le lane d’importazione, diventare volano di nuove economie? Come sfruttare le caratteristiche della lana italiana per pensare ad usi differenti da quelli più comuni? In che modo mettere in comunicazione il sapere tradizionale con le innovazioni nel campo dello sviluppo di prodotti innovativi? Sono queste alcune delle domande alle quali la ricerca FiLA – Filiera Produzione Sostenibile Lane Autoctone, finanziato nell’ambito del partenariato esteso MICS (Made in Italy Circolare e Sostenibile) del PNRR, ha cercato di rispondere. E lo ha fatto attraverso la creazione di un network che tiene insieme attori di filiera e ricerche, produzione e mondo accademico, sia attraverso la progettazione di una piattaforma digitale georeferenziata, sia sul campo, facendosi tramite tra produttori delle diverse fasi della filiera e ricercatori, avviando diverse sperimentazioni con i territori
Archetipi Territoriali
No full textL’uso dei modelli nella composizione, da non confondere con la copia,
deriva da un’antica scuola di pensiero che alimenta la migliore tradizione
dell’architettura moderna. Nel primo libro della poetica, Aristotele, in
riferimento ai generi letterari, conclude che le arti della scrittura sono diversi
modi di imitazione. La tragedia imita attività umane tristi, la commedia imita
eventi a lieto fine: i generi letterari dipendono dalle storie imitate, e quindi dai
modelli. Dai diversi modi di imitazione scaturiscono i generi letterari. Quindi
anche le architetture sono diversi modi di imitazione
Dementia Is Associated with In-Hospital Mortality and Prolonged Length of Stay: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis on Administrative Data
No full textBackground/Objectives: To investigate the relationship between dementia and hospital outcomes (in-hospital mortality and prolonged length of stay). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted considering all hospital admissions performed between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2023 in the Abruzzo region, Italy. The study was conducted on a large sample including all elderly patients admitted to hospital in a Southern Italian region during a six year period. To compare outcomes between patients with and without dementia, a propensity score matching procedure was performed using a multivariable logistic model adjusted for age and gender and comorbidities. Odds ratios for primary and secondary outcomes were computed using logistic regression models. Results: After the matching procedure, 25,476 patients were included in the analyses: 12,738 with dementia and 12,738 controls. Logistic regression models showed that dementia was associated with in-hospital mortality (OR: 2.02; 95% CI 1.91–2.18; p < 0.001) and prolonged length of stay (OR: 1.44; 95% CI 1.29–1.58; p < 0.001). Conclusions: In a large cohort of Italian patients, dementia was associated with in-hospital mortality and prolonged length of stay