We present 12CO(1−0) and 12CO(2−1) observations of a sample of 20 star-forming dwarfs selected from the Herschel Virgo Cluster Survey, with oxygen abundances ranging from 12 + log (O / H) ~ 8.1 to ...8.8. CO emission is observed in ten galaxies and marginally detected in another one. CO fluxes correlate with the FIR 250 μm emission, and the dwarfs follow the same linear relation that holds for more massive spiral galaxies extended to a wider dynamical range. We compare different methods to estimate H2 molecular masses, namely a metallicity-dependent CO-to-H2 conversion factor and one dependent on H-band luminosity. The molecular-to-stellar mass ratio remains nearly constant at stellar masses ≲ 109 M⊙, contrary to the atomic hydrogen fraction, MHI/M∗, which increases inversely with M∗. The flattening of the MH2/M∗ ratio at low stellar masses does not seem to be related to the effects of the cluster environment because it occurs for both Hi-deficient and Hi-normal dwarfs. The molecular-to-atomic ratio is more tightly correlated with stellar surface density than metallicity, confirming that the interstellar gas pressure plays a key role in determining the balance between the two gaseous components of the interstellar medium. Virgo dwarfs follow the same linear trend between molecular gas mass and star formation rate as more massive spirals, but gas depletion timescales, τdep, are not constant and range between 100 Myr and 6 Gyr. The interaction with the Virgo cluster environment is removing the atomic gas and dust components of the dwarfs, but the molecular gas appears to be less affected at the current stage of evolution within the cluster. However, the correlation between Hi deficiency and the molecular gas depletion time suggests that the lack of gas replenishment from the outer regions of the disc is lowering the star formation activity.
Chemotherapy plus 1-year trastuzumab is the standard adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. The efficacy of less extended trastuzumab exposure is under investigation. The short-HER study ...was aimed to assess the non-inferiority of 9 weeks versus 1 year of adjuvant trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy.
HER2-positive breast cancer patients with node-positive or, if node negative, with at least one risk factor (pT>2 cm, G3, lympho-vascular invasion, Ki-67 > 20%, age ≤35 years, or hormone receptor negativity) were randomly assigned to receive sequential anthracycline–taxane combinations plus 1-year trastuzumab (arm A, long) or plus 9 weeks trastuzumab (arm B, short). This study was designed as a non-inferiority trial with disease-free survival (DFS) as primary end point. A DFS hazard ratio (HR) <1.29 was chosen as the non-inferiority margin. Analyses according to the frequentist and Bayesian approach were planned. Secondary end points included 2-year failure rate and cardiac safety.
A total of 1254 patients from 82 centers were randomized (arm A, long: n = 627; arm B, short: n = 626). Five-year DFS is 88% in the long and 85% in the short arm. The HR is 1.13 (90% CI 0.89–1.42), with the upper limit of the CI crossing the non-inferiority margin. According to the Bayesian analysis, the probability that the short arm is non-inferior to the long one is 80%. The 5-year overall survival (OS) is 95.2% in the long and 95.0% in the short arm (HR 1.07, 90% CI 0.74–1.56). Cardiac events are significantly lower in the short arm (risk-ratio 0.33, 95% CI 0.22–0.50, P < 0.0001).
This study failed to show the non-inferiority of a shorter trastuzumab administration. One-year trastuzumab remains the standard. However, a 9-week administration decreases the risk of severe cardiac toxicity and can be an option for patients with cardiac events during treatment and for those with a low risk of relapse.
EUDRACT number: 2007-004326-25; NCI ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT00629278.
Purpose
To date, few studies have addressed attitudes toward transgender individuals. In addition, little is known about health care providers’ (HCP) attitudes toward sexual minorities. The aim of ...the present study is to compare attitudes toward homosexual and transgender individuals between gender dysphoric individuals (GDs), general population controls (C) and HCP.
Methods
A total of 310 subjects were considered, including 122 GDs (63 transwomen and 59 transmen), 53 heterosexual HCP (26 males and 27 females) and 135 C. Participants completed the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS) and the Attitudes Toward Transgendered Individuals Scale (ATTI) in order to assess attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women and toward transgender individuals, respectively. In addition, GDs completed the Gender Identity/Gender Dysphoria Questionnaire (GIDYQ-AA) and ATTI to measure, respectively, gender dysphoria levels and internalized transphobia. Religious attitudes were evaluated by means of the Religious Fundamentalism Scale (RFS), and Discrimination and Stigma Scale (DISC-12) was used to measure perceived discrimination.
Results
(1) Men showed significantly higher levels of homophobia and transphobia when compared to women (
p
< 0.001); (2) perceived discrimination was higher in lesbian women compared to gay men and in transwomen compared to transmen (
p
< 0.001 and
p
< 0.05, respectively); and (3) religious fundamentalism was associated with both homophobia and transphobia (both
p
< 0.001).
Conclusions
Our results underline the need to promote awareness and acceptance of the sexual minorities, who are more at risk of discriminatory attitudes, which are strongly dependent on religious precepts and dogma.
A set of 31 isolates were obtained from apricot (
Prunus armeniaca
L.) orchards showing symptoms of blast and gummosis in orchards located in north-eastern Italy, mostly during three subsequent ...growing seasons (2014–2016). These isolates were identified by means of their colony morphology, pathogenicity (hypersensitive reaction in tobacco leaves and the detection of both syringomycin and coronatine coding genes), genetic features (BLASTn analysis of the
rpoD
gene) and physiological tests (GATTa) as
Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
syringae
and
P. syringae
pv.
morsprunorum
race 1 and race 2 strains, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on the
rpoD
gene sequence showed that the two pathovars and two races are well separated and highlighted high intrapathovar/race variation for both
P. syringae
pv.
syringae
and
P. syringae
pv.
morsprunorum
race 2.
Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
morsprunorum
race 1 formed a unique clade that had high sequence homology. Repetitive element-based polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting analysis using the ERIC, REP and BOX primers again showed both high intra-pathovar variation within the
P. syringae
pv.
syringae
isolates, which grouped into six distinct clusters, and notable intra-race genetic diversity within both
P. syringae
pv.
morsprunorum
races. All 31 strains showed tolerance to copper at 200 ppm in vitro. Among these isolates, 13 were highly resistant (up to 500 ppm) and revealed the presence of the
cusCBA
gene cluster. All
P. syringae
pv.
syringae
strains showed ice nucleation activity, and nine were markedly active (up −3 °C) and characterised by the presence of the
INAz
gene
.
Finally, this study is the first report of the isolation of
P. syringae
pv.
morsprunorum
race 2 strains from apricot in Italy.
Background
Associating liver partition with portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) represents a new surgical technique for the resection of advanced hepatic malignancies with predicted ...insufficient future liver remnant. In some patients, ALPPS can be associated with an increased risk of poor outcomes. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has been proposed in combination with ALPPS with the intent to minimize this risk. We systematically evaluated the outcomes of MIS-ALPPS cases to compare the relative outcomes of open ALPPS versus MIS-ALPPS.
Methods
A systematic review was done in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Search terms utilized included the following: (“ALPPS”Title/Abstract OR “associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy”Title/Abstract OR “in situ split”Title/Abstract) AND (“minimally invasive”Title/Abstract OR “laparoscopic”Title/Abstract OR “robotic”Title/Abstract).
Results
Fifteen articles were identified, with a total of 27 patients reported. Colorectal metastatic disease was the most commonly observed indication for MIS-ALPPS (66.7%), followed by hepatocellular carcinoma (25.9%). Time passed from the first to the second stage ranged 7–30 days. MIS-ALPPS patients did not experience procedure failures between the first and second stages. Only four (15.4%) subjects had a grade IIIb complication. No perioperative mortality after the first or second stage was reported. Compared with open ALPPS, MIS-ALPPS demonstrated better results. Hospital stay duration ranged 8–33 days with a follow-up ranging 1–20 months.
Conclusions
MIS-ALPPS appears to be safe, with potentially lower morbidities and mortalities relative to open patients. The present results should be considered with caution. A limited number of articles exist on this topic. Furthermore, selection biases exist when comparing open versus MIS-ALPPS data. Registry studies are needed to better define the outcomes of patients undergoing MIS-ALPPS.
Background
Telemedicine is emerging as an easy way to communicate between patients and surgeons. Use of telemedicine increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. WhatsApp is one ...of the most common smartphone applications for user-friendly telemedicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient perception of health quality and positive outcomes using a diary sent by the patient to the surgeon via WhatsApp during the first post-discharge week after proctologic surgery.
Methods
Ninety-eight patients discharged after proctologic surgery at the Israelite Hospital of Rome and the AOU Policlinico Umberto I of Rome in 1 January–31 December 2019 were divided into two groups: the WhatsApp group (group A), (
n
= 36) and the no WhatsApp group (group B) (
n
= 62). Group A patients received a protocol to follow for the day-by-day diary during the first post-discharge week and sending it by WhatsApp to the surgeon. Group B patients only received recommendations at discharge. The tool's usefulness was assessed by a questionnaire one month after the intervention.
Results
The two groups were homogeneous for age, sex, schooling, employment, and proctologic pathology. Group A patients had less difficulty keeping a diary (
p
< 0.0001). Group A patients had the perception of better follow-up post-discharge (
p
= 0.002). The use of the diary sent by WhatsApp significantly improved the perception of positive post-intervention outcomes (
p
= 0.007). WhatsApp was the only independent predictor of perception of post-surgical positive outcomes (odds ratio = 4.06; 95% CI 1.35–12.24;
p
= 0.01).
Conclusions
The use of WhatsApp in the post-discharge period improves the lifestyle quality of the patients and their perception of the safety and quality of care received.
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