Background Twin gestations are at significantly higher risk of fetal growth restriction in comparison with singletons. Using fetal biometric charts customized for obstetrical and parental ...characteristics may facilitate an accurate assessment of fetal growth. Objective The objective of the study was to construct reference charts for the gestation of fetal biometric parameters stratified by chorionicity and customized for obstetrical and parental characteristics. Study Design Fetal biometric measurements obtained from serial ultrasound examinations in uncomplicated twin pregnancies delivering after 36 weeks of gestation were collected by 19 Italian fetal medicine units under the auspices of the Società Italiana di Ecografia Ostetrica e Ginecologica. The measurements acquired in each fetus at each examination included biparietal diameter, head circumference, abdominal circumference, and femur length. Multilevel linear regression models were used to adjust for the serial ultrasonographic measurements obtained and the clustering of each fetus in twin pregnancy. The impact of maternal and paternal characteristics (height, weight, ethnicity), parity, fetal sex, and mode of conception was also considered. Models for each parameter were stratified by fetal chorionicity and compared with our previously constructed growth curves for singletons. Results The data set included 1781 twin pregnancies (dichorionic, n = 1289; monochorionic diamniotic, n = 492) with 8923 ultrasonographic examinations with a median of 5 (range, 2–8) observations per pregnancy in dichorionic and 6 in (range, 2–11) monochorionic pregnancies. Growth curves of twin pregnancies differed from those of singletons, and differences were more marked in monochorionic twins and during the third trimester. A significant influence of parental characteristics was found. Conclusion Curves of fetal biometric measurements in twins are influenced by parental characteristics. There is a reduction in the growth rate during the third trimester. The reference limits for gestation constructed in this study may provide a useful tool for a more accurate assessment of fetal growth in twin pregnancies.
Abstract
The
$$^{27}\hbox {Al}(\hbox {p},\alpha )^{24}\hbox {Mg}$$
27
Al
(
p
,
α
)
24
Mg
reaction, which drives the destruction of
$$^{27}$$
27
Al and the production of
$$^{24}\hbox {Mg}$$
24
Mg
in ...stellar hydrogen burning, has been investigated via the Trojan Horse Method (THM), by measuring the
$$^2\hbox {H}(^{27}\hbox {Al},\alpha ^{24}\hbox {Mg})\hbox {n}$$
2
H
(
27
Al
,
α
24
Mg
)
n
three-body reaction. The experiment covered a broad energy range (
$$E_\mathrm{c.m.}\le \,1.5\,\hbox {MeV}$$
E
c
.
m
.
≤
1.5
MeV
), aiming to investigate those of interest for astrophysics. The results confirm the THM as a valuable technique for the experimental study of fusion reactions at very low energies and suggest the presence of a rich pattern of resonances in the energy region close to the Gamow window of stellar hydrogen burning (70–120 keV), with potential impact on astrophysics. To estimate such an impact a second run of the experiment is needed, since the background due the three-body reaction hampered to collect enough data to resolve the resonant structures and extract the reaction rate.
A phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Euphorbia spp., considered one of the most common elements of Mediterranean landascape, led to the isolation of a large number of bioactive plant ...metabolites, belonging to the diterpenes family. Above all, over seventy jatrophane, modified jatrophane, segetane, pepluane, and paraliane diterpenoids, fifty of them reported for the first time, were extracted, purified and characterized from Euphorbia dendroides, Euphorbia characias, Euphorbia peplus, Euphorbia paralias and Euphorbia helioscopia. These compounds showed interesting pharmacological activities. In particular, jatrophanes, modified jatrophanes and lathyranes exhibited a potent inhibitory activity against P-glycoprotein (Pgp), a membrane protein that confers cellular ability to resist lethal doses of certain cytotoxic drugs by pumping them to the outside, thus resulting in a reduced cytotoxicity. Among the others, our chemical survey led to isolation of the most powerful inhibitors of daunomycin-efflux activity isolated to date for this class of inhibitors, named euphodendroidin D and pepluanin A. Their efficiency was found to be at least two-fold higher than the conventional modulator cyclosporin A, taken as a reference. In addition, the isolation of a high number of natural structurally-related analogues allowed us to perform Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) studies, without any chemical modification, which gave information on the key pharmacophoric elements of these new class of promising drugs. A further set of diterpene analogues, very recently isolated from sun spurge, E. helioscopia, individually investigated for their Pgp- and BCRP-inhibiting properties, appeared to be specific inhibitors of Pgp since they showed no significant activity against BCRP, thus resembling to the third-generation class of specific MDR inhibitors.
Mt. Etna, the largest volcano in Europe, is periodically interested by intensive eruption activity sometimes causing environmental problems for the neighbouring urban areas such as Catania. The ...volcanic ash deposited on the roads is classified as waste (code 20 03 03 – municipal waste from European Waste Catalogue - EWC). In this work, with the aim to transform waste materials into useful product, two samples of ashes resulting from different explosive activities were treated by hydrothermal aging with distilled water and seawater. The results showed that the hydrothermal process determined mineralogical and magnetic changes in volcanic ashes. The data in fact indicated that X-type zeolite and sodalite were formed at 45, 60 and 70 °C of aging temperature. Moreover, magnetic characterization suggests an evolution of ferromagnetic materials to antiferromagnetic ones during zeolite formation. The presence of these new magnetic phases was responsible for the variety of magnetic behaviour. The applicability of obtained zeolite as novel adsorbent material in the field of water treatment was also evaluated. Batch adsorption experiments were carried to assert the adsorption capacity of novel synthetized zeolite in removing cesium ions from aqueous solutions thus confirming a possible End-of-Waste alternative.
Display omitted
•Volcanic ash deposited on ground is classified as waste (European Waste Catalogue).•Volcanic ashes from different explosive activities of Etna are used to form zeolites.•Fe3O4 in raw ashes can be transformed in α-Fe2O3 during the zeolite synthesis.•Synthetic products show a variety of magnetic behaviour in zeolites.•Zeolites from volcanic ash can be used for Cs removal from aqueous solution.
A Geant4-based Monte Carlo package named G4DS has been developed to simulate the response of DarkSide-50, an experiment operating since 2013 at LNGS, designed to detect WIMP interactions in liquid ...argon. In the process of WIMP searches, DarkSide-50 has achieved two fundamental milestones: the rejection of electron recoil background with a power of ~10^7, using the pulse shape discrimination technique, and the measurement of the residual 39Ar contamination in underground argon, ~3 orders of magnitude lower with respect to atmospheric argon. These results rely on the accurate simulation of the detector response to the liquid argon scintillation, its ionization, and electron-ion recombination processes. This work provides a complete overview of the DarkSide Monte Carlo and of its performance, with a particular focus on PARIS, the custom-made liquid argon response model.
Coronary revascularization using imaging guidance is rapidly becoming the standard of care. Intravascular optical coherence tomography uses near-infrared light to obtain high resolution intravascular ...images. Standard optical coherence tomography imaging technique employs iodinated contrast dye to achieve the required blood clearance during acquisition. We sought to systematically evaluate the technical performance of saline as an alternative to iodinated contrast for intravascular optical coherence tomography assessment. We performed bench top optical coherence tomography analysis on nylon tubing with sequential contrast/saline dilutions to empirically derive adjustment coefficients. We then applied these coefficients in vivo in an established rabbit abdominal stenting model with both saline and contrast optical coherence tomography imaging. In this model, we assessed the impact of saline on both quantitative and qualitative vessel assessment. Nylon tubing assessment demonstrated a linear relationship between saline and contrast for both area and diameter. We then derived adjustment coefficients, allowing for accurate calculation of area and diameter when converting saline into both contrast and reference dimensions. In vivo studies confirmed reduced area with saline versus contrast 7.43 (5.67-8.36) mm.sup.2 versus 8.2 (6.34-9.39) mm.sup.2, p = 0.001 and diameter 3.08 mm versus 3.23 mm, p = 0.001. Following correction, a strong relationship was achieved in vivo between saline and contrast in both area and diameter without compromising image quality, artefact, or strut assessment. Saline generates reduced dimensions compared to contrast during intravascular optical coherence tomography imaging. The relationship across physiologic coronary diameters is linear and can be corrected with high fidelity. Saline does not adversely impact image quality, artefact, or strut assessment.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
In Italy, a recent irregular movement of people raised concerns among the host population on possible introduction of diseases that have long been controlled in the host countries. This study ...evaluates the health conditions of illegal immigrants landed on the north-eastern Sicilian territory, to provide information on the clinical and epidemiologic burden of infectious diseases among migrants and how the local population feel about these landings.
The study design is a cross-sectional study.
The study considered all migrants landed illegally in the city of Messina, Sicily, between January 2014 and July 2018. Analysing the data of hospital admissions and disease notifications, we calculated the frequency of infectious diseases among migrant population. Furthermore, through a survey conducted by a well-known online newspaper, we analysed the perception that the local population has about the health risk represented by migrants.
In the considered five-year period, 108 landings, for a total of 38,608 migrants occurred at the Messina port. The percentage of hospitalisation was rather low (3.5%), and it concerned mainly pregnant women. The notifications of infectious diseases were contained, with exception of scabies and tuberculosis. Finally, from the online survey, resulted that there is a large part of local population that considers migrants a potential danger to community health.
Our data show that the presence of migrants should not have to date any impact on the health conditions of the resident population. However, monitoring over time the health of migrants and screening for infectious diseases as soon as possible after landing are advantageous for both migrants and host country.
•Southern Italy is a favourite destination for the landings of illegal migrants.•A part of host population considers migrants a possible source of infectious diseases.•Migrants have not changed the epidemiology of infection diseases in our territory.•The hospital admission for TB in migrants caused an increase in health expenditure.
The neutron capture reaction
10
B(n,
α
)
7
Li has been investigated via the Trojan Horse Method from 0 to 1 MeV. The
α
0
and
α
1
channels, corresponding to
7
Li in its g.s. and 1st excited level ...respectively, have been analyzed and cross sections have been measured for the two reaction channels. Angular distributions for the
11
B energy levels in the explored range have been extracted and compared with literature, while the J
π
of the level at
E
11
B
=
11.450
MeV (4 keV before the
α
emission threshold) has been clearly determined for the first time.
Abstract
Aims
The hypothesis of ‘metabolically healthy obesity’ implies that, in the absence of metabolic dysfunction, individuals with excess adiposity are not at greater cardiovascular risk. We ...tested this hypothesis in a large pan-European prospective study.
Methods and results
We conducted a case-cohort analysis in the 520 000-person European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (‘EPIC-CVD’). During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, we recorded 7637 incident coronary heart disease (CHD) cases. Using cut-offs recommended by guidelines, we defined obesity and overweight using body mass index (BMI), and metabolic dysfunction (‘unhealthy’) as ≥ 3 of elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridaemia, low HDL-cholesterol, hyperglycaemia, and elevated waist circumference. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) within each country using Prentice-weighted Cox proportional hazard regressions, accounting for age, sex, centre, education, smoking, diet, and physical activity. Compared with metabolically healthy normal weight people (reference), HRs were 2.15 (95% CI: 1.79; 2.57) for unhealthy normal weight, 2.33 (1.97; 2.76) for unhealthy overweight, and 2.54 (2.21; 2.92) for unhealthy obese people. Compared with the reference group, HRs were 1.26 (1.14; 1.40) and 1.28 (1.03; 1.58) for metabolically healthy overweight and obese people, respectively. These results were robust to various sensitivity analyses.
Conclusion
Irrespective of BMI, metabolically unhealthy individuals had higher CHD risk than their healthy counterparts. Conversely, irrespective of metabolic health, overweight and obese people had higher CHD risk than lean people. These findings challenge the concept of ‘metabolically healthy obesity’, encouraging population-wide strategies to tackle obesity.
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