173,663 research outputs found
Iga deficiency
No full textIgA deficiency (D-IgA) in the paediatric population is often an occasional finding during tests performed for other reasons in children in whom an immunodeficiency disorder is not suspected. D-IgA is the most common primary immunodeficiency with a variable prevalence according to ethnicity, estimated on 1 case/600 in the Caucasian population. IgA should be dosed twice in a child > 4 years of age to confirm the deficiency, which is defined by the presence of serum IgA < 0.07 g/l. The other classes of immunoglobulins should always be dosed. Most patients with D-IgA will not require any treatment or follow-up (85% are asymptomatic), apart from screening for coeliac disease, which is 10 to 20 times more frequent in patients with D-IgA. In the case of a child with D-IgA with recurrent infections (mainly affecting the respiratory and, less commonly, the gastrointestinal tract), signs and symptoms of alarm must always be sought and valued for other types of primary immunodeficiency (especially the common variable immunodeficiency), which, although rarely, can be associated with D-IgA. Patients with D-IgA, in particular adolescents and adults, have a higher risk than the general population of developing autoimmune diseases. The family should be informed of this possible occurrence, but specific laboratory evaluations are not necessary. Four clinical cases are presented: an occasional finding of D-IgA in a healthy child, the association with coeliac disease, the association with juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and IgA deficiency in a patient with an immunodeficiency disorder (ataxia-telangectasia)
Electronic Detection of DNA Hybridization: Toward CMOS Microarrays
No full textLow-cost mass fabrication methods and label-free capacitive biosensors are needed for many applications. This article presents a electronic microarrays, with single-chip implementations in CMOS technology. Although biochemical operations in CMOS-based arrays are almost the same as in optical devices, the simple readout of integrated CMOS sensors greatly facilitates system integration. These chips can perform a significant amount of sensor data processing and produce digital output signals in standardized form. They can be easily connected to simple, inexpensive, handheld or even wearable readers. However, these devices are in their infancy. Only a small subset of them are at the level of complete single-die integration of sensors, transducers, and data-conditioning circuits. Our purpose in this article is to outline the main technology, design, and implementation challenges involved in developing these highly integrated research prototypes
Monthly Intramuscular Neridronate for the Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: Results of a 6-Year Prospective Italian Study
No full textPurpose. Oral bisphosphonates (BPs) are the most commonly used medications for osteoporosis (OP), but their poor gastrointestinal (GI) absorption and tolerance hamper compliance. Intramuscular (IM) neridronate (NE), an amino-BP, is an easy-to-administer, effective, and safe alternative to oral BPs. We assessed the 6-year effects of monthly IM NE on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover biomarkers (BMs) in postmenopausal OP. Methods. This single-center, prospective study enrolled postmenopausal osteoporotic outpatients with gastric intolerance to BPs (based on Tuscany Region's law GRT n. 836 20/10/2008). They received 25mg IM NE once a month (with vitamin D and calcium if necessary) for 6 years. BMD was evaluated at lumbar spine (L1-L4), femoral neck (FN), and total femur (TF) at baseline (BL) and every 12 months afterwards. At BL, month 3, and every 12 months after BL, total and ionized calcium, vitamin D, parathyroid hormone 1-84, bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin, and N- and C-terminal telopeptides were assayed. Results. Overall, 60 women (mean age: 62.3 +/- 7.5 years) received monthly IM NE for 6 years, with vitamin D and calcium supplementation in 81.3% of cases. Compared to BL, BMD increased significantly already after 1 year at all sites (4.5 +/- 0.9% for L1-L4, 4.5 +/- 0.8% for TF, and 2.1 +/- 0.6% for FN, P0.05), and the changes were maintained over time, whereas FN further improved up to year 3 and remained stable afterwards (P0.05). All BMs, except for total calcium and BALP, progressively decreased over time (P0.05). No fractures and significant adverse events were reported. Conclusion. The monthly administration of IM NE represents a manageable and effective option, in terms of BMD and bone BM improvement, for the long-term treatment of postmenopausal OP women with gastric intolerance to BPs. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03699150
La fosfatasi alcalina elevata quasi per caso
No full textE' descritto un caso di iperfosfasasemia alcalina transitoria dell'infanzi
Wireless sensor networks: Enabling technology for ambient intelligence
No full textWireless sensor networks are one of the most rapidly evolving research and development fields for microelectronics. Their applications are countless, and the market potentials are huge. However, many technical hurdles have to be overcome to achieve a widespread diffusion of wireless sensor network technology. This paper summarizes the trends of evolution in wireless sensor network nodes, focusing on hardware architectures and fabrication technology. We describe four generations of sensor networks (obtrusive, parasitic, symbiotic and bio-inspired), moving from the recent past to the future. We outline the key research challenges and the common themes in the field. [All rights reserved Elsevier
Insecure Internal Working Models (IWMs) of women with Eating Disorders with and without Borderline Personality Disorders
No full textIntroduction. Many studies supports the hypothesis that women with eating disorders (ED) show dismissing Internal Working Models (IWMs). However, others revealed that they often display both dismissing and preoccupied IWMs, or a prevalence of the latter. Moreover, a relevant presence of unresolved with respect to loss and/or trauma emerged among ED patients. In addition, no studies up to now have considered the issue of co-morbidity of ED with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
Objectives. Ours goals have been twofold. First we examined the IWMs of women with ED compared with a matched non-clinical group. Second, we explored the differences of IWMs among ED patients with and without BPD’s diagnosis.
Methods. Clinical participants were 50 patients with ED, all between 16 and 25 years, and without any concurrent severe psychiatric disturbance on Axis-I (e.g. psychosis, etc). Moreover, 50 non clinical participants were recruited from community and matched for sex, age, years of education. The Adult Attachment Interview (AAI) was used to assess the attachment’s IWMs. All AAI transcripts were analyzed by two expert and blinded coders on the AAI’s coding system, yielding five global categories: free-autonomous, insecure-dismissing, insecure-preoccupied, unresolved and cannot classify.
Results. An over-representation of insecure-dismissing attachment IWMs was revealed among eating disordered women. Moreover patients who had a double diagnosis of ED and BPD showed higher scores on involving anger and unresolved loss compared with those with only ED.
Discussion. These results seem to be in line with Dozier’s hypothesis suggesting that individuals with psychological disorders leading to an outward focus (“externalizing” perspective) –such as ED– would go together with a more dismissive stance to their own attachment experiences and a minimization of their attachment needs. Further longitudinal research, using a larger community, both at risk and clinical samples, could be useful to explore the causal process direction
Genitorialità, attaccamento e clima familiare nei contesti relazionali atipici: il caso dell'affido familiare.
No full textEpidemiology that "counts" in vaccination choices: The case of pertussis in newborns and infants
No full textFrom June to August 2018, 6 infants with pertussis aged between 1 and 9 months (4 were 3 months old, and the other two 1 month and 9 months old respectively) were admitted to a General Paediatrics Operating Unit. Their hospitalization period lasted between 3 and 11 days (mean 7.2 days). Three infants required oxygen therapy. No complications occurred. None of the mothers had been offered vaccination against pertussis during pregnancy. The epidemiology of pertussis is changing in Italy as well as in other countries with high vaccination coverage. The disease is now increasing as an incidence in adolescents (and adults) who have lost their immune protection, and especially in new-born infants who have not started or completed the primary vaccination course yet. The data from the European Annual Epidemiological Report for 2016 report the highest notification rate in children <1 year (73.6 cases per 100,000 population), similar to that observed in 2015 (73.1). The vaccination of pregnant women against pertussis is considered an effective and available preventive option adopted for some years and in a systematic way in different international contexts. Also in Italy, in the 2017-2019 National Vaccination Plan there is a recommendation to recall in pregnancy the immunization from pertussis with the trivalent vaccine (whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria). The period indicated is between the 27th and the 36th week, ideally around the 28th week. The vaccine strategy for pertussis in pregnant women is effective in reducing neonatal deaths due to the disease, the need for hospitalization and the severity of the infection in infants under the age of 3 months. The vaccine does not pose any risk for pregnant women and newborns. Pertussis prevention in newborns and infants is an urgent measure of public health
Wireless sensor networks: Enabling technology for ambient intelligence
No full textWireless sensor networks are one of the most rapidly evolving research and development fields for microelectronics. Their applications are countless, and the market potentials are huge. However, many technical hurdles have to be overcome to achieve a widespread diffusion of wireless sensor network technology. This paper summarizes the trends of evolution in wireless sensor network nodes, focusing on hardware architectures and fabrication technology. We describe four generations of sensor networks (obtrusive, parasitic, symbiotic and bio-inspired), moving from the recent past to the future. We outline the key research challenges and the common themes in the field. [All rights reserved Elsevier
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