47,387 research outputs found
ACE Gene I/D Polymorphism and Acute Pulmonary Embolism in COVID19 Pneumonia: A Potential Predisposing Role
No full textMost recent studies have stressed a high risk of thromboembolism in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly in those with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. Counterbalance between angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) and ACE2 activities in COVID-19 disease may be crucially involved in the thrombo-inflammatory process. Currently, no study has investigated ACE I/D polymorphism involvement in COVID-19 disease complicated by pulmonary embolism, hence the aim of the present pilot study. This is a retrospective, single-center observational case-control study, conducted at the Sub-Intensive Care Unit of A.O.R.N. Ospedali dei Colli, Cotugno Hospital, Naples (Italy). We included 68 subjects with severe/critical COVID-19 pneumonia. COVID-19 patients were divided according to occurrence of PE (PE+, n = 25) or absence of thromboembolic complications (PE−, n = 43). Assessment of ACE I/D polymorphisms showed a statistically significant difference between PE+ and PE− patients (p = 0.029). Particularly, prevalence of D/D homozygous polymorphism was significantly higher in PE+ COVID-19 patients than in PE− (72 vs. 46.5%; p = 0.048), while heterozygote I/D polymorphism was significantly lower expressed in PE+ patients than in PE− (16 vs. 48.8%; p = 0.009). Computed tomographic pulmonary angiography showed predominantly mono/bilateral sub-segmental embolisms. In conclusion, our findings let us hypothesize a genetic susceptibility to thromboembolism in COVID-19 disease. ACE D/D polymorphism might represent a genetic risk factor, although studies on larger populations are needed
Whole plantar nerve conduction study: A new tool for early diagnosis of peripheral diabetic neuropathy
No full textAims: Peripheral neuropathy (PN) affects two-thirds of type 2 diabetes patients (T2DM). According to diabetic PN length-dependent pattern, neurophysiological evaluation of foot-sole nerves might increase NCS diagnostic sensitivity, hence allowing early diagnosis of PN. Thus, we aim to assess the ability of whole plantar nerve (WPN) conduction in diabetic PN early diagnosis. Methods: This is a single center prospective observational cohort study on 70 T2DM patients referred to Internal Medicine Unit of A.O.U. “Luigi Vanvitelli” between October 2019/October 2020. Primary endpoint was WPN efficacy assessment in PN early detection. As secondary, we evaluated (i) a potential cut-off of SNAPs amplitude by WPN and (ii) WPN diagnostic accuracy vs. gold-standard distal sural nerve conduction. Results: ROC curve analysis allowed to establish two potential cut-offs for people aged ≤60 years (AUROC: 0.83, 95%CI: 0.69–0.96, p < 0.001) and ≤60 years (AUROC: 0.76, 95%CI: 0.59–0.93, p = 0.017). In depth, we fixed a cut-off of WPN-SNAP amplitude of 4.55 μV and 2.65 μV, respectively, with subsequent 48 patients classified as PN-T2DM. Conclusions: Our data support WPN conduction study reliability in characterizing the most distal sensory nerve fibers at lower limbs. Thus, WPN may represent an extremely useful diagnostic tool for diabetic PN early detection
A 2 h periodic variation in the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1
No full textSpectroscopy of the low-mass X-ray binary Ser X-1 using the Gran Telescopio Canarias have revealed a ?2 h periodic variability that is present in the three strongest emission lines. We tentatively interpret this variability as due to orbital motion, making it the first indication of the orbital period of Ser X-1. Together with the fact that the emission lines are remarkably narrow, but still resolved, we show that a main-sequence K dwarf together with a canonical 1.4 M? neutron star gives a good description of the system. In this scenario, the most likely place for the emission lines to arise is the accretion disc, instead of a localized region in the binary (such as the irradiated surface or the stream-impact point), and their narrowness is due instead to the low inclination (?10°) of Ser X-1
Assessing vitamin D levels in an anti-DFS70 positive population: New insights emerging
No full textBackground: Anti-dense fine speckled 70 (DFS70) autoantibodies have more often been described in apparently healthy individuals than in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). The aim of this study was to explore the link between anti-DFS70 autoantibodies and vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in an Italian adult cohort. Methods: Serum samples from 34 (five males and 29 females) anti-DFS70 positive patients (index cases), 34 ANA-negative healthy controls, 34 ANA-positive anti-DFS70 negative SLE patients, both groups age- and gender-matched with the index cases, 23 ANA-positive anti-DFS70 negative healthy blood donors and six female SARD patients showing mixed DFS positive pattern were collected and tested for 25(OH)D levels. Relevant demographics and lifestyle practices, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, and use of medication were recorded for patients and healthy controls. Results: Mean serum levels of 25(OH)D were significantly higher in anti-DFS70 positive subjects (mean ± SD: 22.1 ± 9.8 ng/ml) than in ANA-negative healthy controls (mean ± SD: 17.3 ± 6.7 ng/ml; p = .03), ANA-positive healthy controls (mean ± SD: 15.2 ± 6.8 ng/ml; p = .01), SLE patients (16.6 ± 11.0 ng/ml; p = .01) and in patients with SARD (15.0 ± 5.6 ng/ml; p = .01). No statistically relevant differences in BMI, clinical, or demographic parameters were found. Conclusions: Our findings showed higher levels of vitamin D in anti-DFS70 positive subjects than in the controls, which is compatible with the hypothesis of the “benign” nature of anti-DFS70 antibodies
Extracting Boer-Mulders functions from p+D Drell-Yan processes
No full textWe extract the Boer- Mulders functions of valence and sea quarks in the proton from unpolarized p + D Drell- Yan data measured by the FNAL E866 Collaboration. Using these Boer- Mulders functions, we calculate the cos2 phi asymmetries in unpolarized pp Drell- Yan processes, both for the FNAL E866/ NuSea and the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider experiments. We also estimate the cos2 phi asymmetries in the unpolarized p (P) over bar Drell- Yan processes at GSI.Astronomy & AstrophysicsPhysics, Particles & FieldsSCI(E)37ARTICLE5null7
Predictors of long-term mortality in left-sided infective endocarditis: an historical cohort study in 414 patients
No full textIntroduction:: Very limited data are available on the long-term outcome of infective endocarditis (IE) and its determinants. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of long-term mortality in patients affected by left sided IE (LSIE). Methods:: This was an historical retrospective observational study on prospectively collected data from patients with LSIE hospitalized in our Unit (January 2000-December 2017). Multiple variables relevant to history, physical examination, laboratory tests, echocardiography, comorbidities, complications and outcome were analysed by Cox regression to identify predictors of long-term mortality. Results:: 414 patients were included, and followed up for a median of 39 months [IQR 11-74]. Median age was 59 years [range 3-89], and most patients were male. Over 50% showed at least one comorbidity. Hyperglycaemia, increased creatinine and an indication for surgery predicted in-hospital mortality, while a prior myocardial infarction, chronic kidney disease (CKD) on hemodialysis and a larger vegetation were independent predictors of 1-year mortality. At multivariate analysis, peripheral arterial disease (p= 0.017), hyperglycemia on admission (p=0.013) and a higher BMI (p=0.009) were independent predictors of long-term mortality in 1-year survivors. At multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, peripheral arterial disease (p=0.002), hyperglycemia (p=0.041) and CKD on hemodialysis (p=0.025) confirmed to be independently associated with an increased risk of long-term mortality in the overall 414 patient cohort. Conclusions:: Cardiovascular and metabolic risk signals, specifically peripheral arterial disease and hyperglicemia, affect long-term mortality of LSIE. An active and long-term follow up seems warranted in IE survivors showing these conditions at outset
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
IMPACT OF TYPE II DIABETES ON HCC APPEARANCE IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH DIRECT ACTING ANTIVIRALS
No full textAbstract – Objective: Diabetes mellitus is closely associated with chronic HCV infection, which contributes to the 25% of the global hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases. The aim of this study was the assessment of diabetes impact on HCC occurrence in HCV patients treated with Direct Act- ing Antivirals (DAAs).
Patients and Methods: According to Italian ministerial guidelines for DAAs treatment, 208 HCV patients treated with DAAs were enrolled. Abdominal ultrasound was performed before starting anti- viral therapy and, thereafter, repeated every six months. HCC and diabetes diagnosis were performed according to the international guidelines. Liver stiffness measurement and all laboratory tests were performed before the treatment.
Results: HCC was diagnosed in 31 patients with chronic HCV infection under DAAs interfer- on-free therapy. The prevalence of diabetes was 32.3%. At the univariate analysis, HCC devel- opment was associated with older age (p=0.0007), sex (p<0.0001), liver stiffness (median 35.8 vs. 20.6 kPa; p<0.0001), smoke (p=0.010), metabolic syndrome (p<0.0001), bright liver (p=0.007) and number of focal lesions (p<0.0001). At the multivariate analysis, age (p=0.045), liver stiffness (p=0.007), platelet (p=0.002) count and Child-Pugh B score (p=0.048) at baseline revealed as in- dependent predictors of HCC development. The Kaplan Meier analysis showed a statistically sig- ni cant difference in terms of HCC cumulative risk based on diabetes mellitus duration, strati ed according to metabolic syndrome presence/absence (log-rank p=0.002).
Conclusions: Diabetes and MS are two important risk factors associated with cancer. Even in cirrhotic patients who have obtained the viral clearance, a careful ultrasound monitoring is man- datory, especially in inveterate cirrhosis
"Closing the R&D Gap, Evaluating the Sources of R&D Spending"
No full textBoth spending and tax policies have been implemented in the United States with the goal of stimulating private sector research and development (R&D). Karier questions whether current R&D policy, especially the research and experimentation tax credit, can contribute to closing the gap between nondefense expenditures on R&D in the United States and such expenditures in other countries, such as Japan and Germany. He also explores possible changes to our current R&D policy to make it more effective.
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