A case-control investigation of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia was conducted in the town of Carbonia (Sardinia, Italy). Parents of 9 cases diagnosed between 1980 and 1989 and 36 controls were ...interviewed at their respective residences. None of the risk factors analyzed was associated significantly with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The following were associated with an increased risk for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: parents born outside of Carbonia, family history of cancer, alcohol consumption by fathers that exceeded 60 g/d, exposure of fathers to solvents at their workplaces, maternal smoking, use of antinausea medications during pregnancy, and presence of a well in the backyard. Chance and recall bias likely played a role in generating positive associations. The increases in childhood leukemia risk associated with the presence of a well and with use of antinausea medications during pregnancy are consistent with previous reports and require further investigation.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) represents the standard treatment for patients with locally advanced (≥ T3 or N+) rectal cancer (LARC). Approximately ...15% of patients with LARC shows a complete response after CRT. The use of pre-treatment MRI as predictive biomarker could help to increase the chance of organ preservation by tailoring the neoadjuvant treatment. We present a novel machine learning model combining pre-treatment MRI-based clinical and radiomic features for the early prediction of treatment response in LARC patients. MRI scans (3.0 T, T2-weighted) of 72 patients with LARC were included. Two readers independently segmented each tumor. Radiomic features were extracted from both the "tumor core" (TC) and the "tumor border" (TB). Partial least square (PLS) regression was used as the multivariate, machine learning, algorithm of choice and leave-one-out nested cross-validation was used to optimize hyperparameters of the PLS. The MRI-Based "clinical-radiomic" machine learning model properly predicted the treatment response (AUC = 0.793, p = 5.6 × 10
). Importantly, the prediction improved when combining MRI-based clinical features and radiomic features, the latter extracted from both TC and TB. Prospective validation studies in randomized clinical trials are warranted to better define the role of radiomics in the development of rectal cancer precision medicine.
A new strategy for the integrated management of water and energy in large water supply networks with the aim of reducing the energy costs of the energy intensive water facilities via the installation ...of photovoltaic plants is proposed. To address the non-dispatchability of photovoltaic systems, the integration of pumped hydroelectric storage plants based on the upgrading of existing pumping stations is also proposed. As case study, the proposed integrated solution is applied to two different pumping stations: the “Basso Flumendosa” pumping station, which is also candidate for the conversion to a pumped hydroelectric storage section due to its low utilization factor, and the “Monteleone-Roccadoria” one. A mathematical model is developed with the objective of maximizing the energy self-consumption. Different photovoltaic and turbine sizes are investigated to assess the achievable self-sufficiency rate and economic performance. The effect of the availability of the pumping station for storage purposes and the shape of the daily demand curves on the main result parameters are also evaluated. The results demonstrate that self-sufficiency rates higher than 65% are achievable only with the integration of the pumped hydroelectric storage section. Full self-sufficiency of the two pumping stations can be reached but a reduction of the profitability occurs.
•Increasing of the energy self-sufficiency of water supply networks via PV plants.•Existing pumping stations can be converted to pumped hydroelectric storage plants.•The PV-PHES system was investigated with a case study based on two pumping stations.•Full self-sufficiency of two pumping stations is achievable but not profitable.•Annual water transfer required by water management policy is a central parameter.
The optical design of the BOREAS beamline operating at the ALBA synchrotron radiation facility is described. BOREAS is dedicated to resonant X‐ray absorption and scattering experiments using soft ...X‐rays, in an unusually extended photon energy range from 80 to above 4000 eV, and with full polarization control. Its optical scheme includes a fixed‐included‐angle, variable‐line‐spacing grating monochromator and a pair of refocusing mirrors, equipped with benders, in a Kirkpatrick–Baez arrangement. It is equipped with two end‐stations, one for X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism and the other for resonant magnetic scattering. The commissioning results show that the expected beamline performance is achieved both in terms of energy resolution and of photon flux at the sample position.
BOREAS is a beamline operating at the ALBA Synchrotron Light Source, dedicated to resonant X‐ray absorption and scattering experiments using soft X‐rays, in an unusually extended photon energy range from 80 to >4000 eV, with full polarization control. Here its optical scheme and the first commissioning results are described.
Seed’s maturity and integrity are essential requirements for germination, and they rely on nutrients availability and a correct phytohormones’ balance. These aspects are prerequisites for prompt ...germination at the end of the dormancy period and strictly depend on chloroplast metabolism and photosynthesis. In the present work, capsules of
Nicotiana tabacum
were grown in dark during the whole post-anthesis period. Among others, photosynthetic rates, dormancy, and phytohormones levels in seeds were found to be significantly different with respect to controls. In particular, etiolated capsules had expectedly reduced photosynthetic rates and, when compared to controls, their seeds had an increased mass and volume, an alteration in hormones level, and a consequently reduced dormancy. The present findings show how, during fruit development, the presence of light and the related fruit’s photosynthetic activity play an indirect but essential role for reaching seeds maturity and dormancy. Results highlight how unripe fruits are versatile organs that, depending on the environmental conditions, may facultatively behave as sink or source/sink with associated variation in seed’s reserves and phytohormone levels.
A variety of autoimmune diseases, including MS, amplify sex-based physiological differences in immunological responsiveness. Female MS patients experience pathophysiological changes during ...reproductive phases (pregnancy and menopause). Sex hormones can act on immune cells, potentially enabling them to modify MS risk, activity, and progression, and to play a role in treatment.
Scientific papers (published between 1998 and 2021) were selected through PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science literature repositories. The search was limited to publications analyzing the hormonal profile of male and female MS patients during different life phases, in particular focusing on sex hormone treatment.
Both men and women with MS have lower testosterone levels compared to healthy controls. The levels of estrogens and progesterone increase during pregnancy and then rapidly decrease after delivery, possibly mediating an immune-stabilizing process. The literature examined herein evidences the neuroprotective effect of testosterone and estrogens in MS, supporting further examinations of their potential therapeutic uses.
A correlation has been identified between sex hormones and MS clinical activity. The combination of disease-modifying therapies with estrogen or estrogen plus a progestin receptor modulator promoting myelin repair might represent an important strategy for MS treatment in the future.
The objective of this study was to document the convulsant properties of thiocolchicoside in rats, and to characterise the electroclinical pattern of epileptic seizures. Experiments were carried out ...in three groups of male Wistar rats: in group A, thiocolchicoside was applied topically to the pia, or given by microinjection to the cerebral cortex (2
μg/
μl); in group B, the drug was administered parenterally (6
mg/kg) to rats with minimal lesions of the dura and arachnoid membranes; in group C, thiocolchicoside was administered parenterally (up to 12
mg/kg) to intact rats. In all animals, electroclinical activity was continuously monitored for at least 3
hours after thiocolchicoside injection or application. In group A, electrographic and behavioural activity of focal motor seizures occurred in 100% of animals, developing into a focal status epilepticus; in group B, a multifocal epileptic pattern with secondary generalisation, clinically characterised by clonic or tonic–clonic seizures occurred in 100% of animals, until a secondarily generalised convulsive status epilepticus; in group C, none of animals showed either electrographic or behavioural seizure activity. Our study documents that thiocolchicoside has a powerful convulsant activity in the rat, perhaps due to an antagonistic interaction of the compound with a cortical subtype of the GABA
A receptor.
Selecting units of rare blood for transfusion to patients with complex immunisation is one of the most critical processes of a Transfusion Centre. In January 2005 the 'Rare Blood Components Bank - ...Reference Centre of the Region of Lombardy' w as established with the following goals: 1) identifying regional rare blood donors; 2) creating a regional registry of rare donors; 3) organising a regional bank of liquid and frozen rare blood units; 4) setting up a regional Immunohaematology Reference Laboratory (IRL) to type donors and resolve complex cases.
The key elements in establishing the Bank were periodic meetings organised by the directors and representatives of the regional Departments of Transfusion Medicine and Haematology (DTMH) and the institution of three working groups (informatics, regulations, finance).
The regional IRL was set up, the relevant operating procedures were distributed region-wide, software features were defined and later validated upon activation, and the funds assigned were allocated to various cost items. The number and characteristics of the donors to be typed were identified and 14 regional DTMHs started to send samples. Overall, 20,714 donors were typed, for a total of 258,003 typings, and 2,880 rare donors were identified. Of these, 97% were rare donors because of combinations of antigens (2,139 negative for the S antigen and 659 negative for the s antigen) and 3% (n=82) because they were negative for high-frequency antigens. In the first 2 years of activity, the IRL carried out investigations of 140 complex cases referred from other Centres and distributed 2,024 units with rare phenotypes to 142 patients.
The main goal achieved in the first 24 months from the start of the project was to set up a regional network able to meet the transfusion needs of patients with complex immunisation.
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