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The fatty liver disease represents a complex, multifaceted challenge, requiring a multidisciplinary approach for effective management and research. This article uses conventional and advanced imaging techniques to explore the etiology, imaging patterns, and quantification methods of hepatic steatosis. Particular emphasis is placed on the challenges and advancements in the imaging diagnostics of fatty liver disease. Techniques such as ultrasound, CT, MRI, and elastography are indispensable for providing deep insights into the liver's fat content. These modalities not only distinguish between diffuse and focal steatosis but also help identify accompanying conditions, such as inflammation and fibrosis, which are critical for accurate diagnosis and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a method to extract an effective Lagrangian description for open bosonic strings, at zero transcendentality. The method relies on a particular formulation of its scattering amplitudes derived from color-kinematics duality. More precisely, starting from a (DF)2 + YM quantum field theory, we integrate out all the massive degrees of freedom to generate an expansion in the inverse string tension α′. We explicitly compute the Lagrangian terms through O (α′4), and target the sector of operators proportional to F4 to all orders in α′. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the current standard for preoperative planning of glioblastoma (GBM) surgery. However, recent data on the use of 11 C-methionine positron emission tomography (11[C]-MET PET) suggest its role in providing additional information beyond MRI. The purpose of this study is to establish if there is a correlation between anatomical and metabolic data. Methods: We retrieved all GBM cases treated from 2014 to January 2021. Preoperative MRI (Enhancing Nodule -EN-, FLAIR and Total Tumor Volume -TTV-), PET volumes and histological samples obtained from the different tumor regions were evaluated to analyze potential correlations between anatomical, metabolic and pathological data. Results: 150 patients underwent surgery for GBM and 49 of these were also studied preoperatively with 11[C]-MET PET; PET volume was evaluated in 47 patients. In 33 patients (70.21%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative EN volume and in 11 (23.4%) preoperative 11[C]-MET PET volume > preoperative TTV. We found a significant correlation between preoperative TTVs and PET volumes (p = 0.016) as well as between preoperative EN volumes and PET volumes (p = < 0.001). Histologically, 109 samples were evaluated. ENs samples exhibited the conventional GBM morphology while samples from the FLAIR regions showed white matter tissue, with focal to diffuse tumor cells infiltration and areas of reactive astrogliosis. Conclusion: We submit that 11[C]-MET PET volume generally overcome EN. The presence of neoplastic cells confirm these metabolic data. It should be considered in the surgical planning to achieve a Supra Total Resection (SupTR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is ge nerally accepted that glioblastoma (GBM) arise from cancer stem cells (CSC); however, there is little evidence on their anatomical distribution. We investigated the expression and distribution of SOX-2-positive and CD133-positive CSCs both in the enhancing nodule (EN) of GBM and in the FLAIR hyperintensity zones on a surgical, histopathological series of 33 GBMs. The inclusion criterion was the intraoperative sampling of different tumor regions individualized, thanks to neuronavigation and positivity to intraoperative fluorescence with the use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Thirty-three patients (20 males and 13 females with a mean age at diagnosis of 56 years) met the inclusion criterion. A total of 109 histological samples were evaluated, 52 for ENs and 57 for FLAIR hyperintensity zone. Considering the quantitative distribution of levels of intensity of staining (IS), ES (extent score), and immunoreactivity score (IRS), no difference was found between ENs and FLAIR regions for both the SOX-2 biomarker (respectively, IS p = 0.851, ES p = 0.561, IRS p = 1.000) and the CD133 biomarker (IS p = 0.653, ES p = 0.409, IRS p = 0.881). This evidence suggests to recalibrate the target of surgery for FLAIRECTOMY and 5-ALA could improve the possibility to achieve this goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seiberg-like dualities in 2 + 1d quiver gauge theories with 4 supercharges are investigated. We consider quivers made of various combinations of classical gauge groups U(N), Sp(N), SO(N) and SU(N). Our main focus is the mapping of the supersymmetric monopole operators across the dual theories. There is a simple general rule that encodes the mapping of the monopoles upon dualizing a single node. This rule dictates the mapping of all the monopoles which are not dressed by baryonic operators. We also study more general situations involving baryons and baryon-monopoles, focussing on three examples: SU − Sp, SO − SO and SO − Sp quivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to identify clinical, molecular and radiological correlates of activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with cerebellar atrophy caused by PMM2 mutations (PMM2-CDG), the most frequent congenital disorder of glycosylation. Twenty-six PMM2-CDG patients (12 males; mean age 13 ± 11.1 years) underwent a standardized assessment to measure ADL, ataxia (brief ataxia rating scale, BARS) and phenotype severity (Nijmegen CDG rating scale, NCRS). MRI biometry of the cerebellum and the brainstem were performed in 23 patients (11 males; aged 5 months–18 years) and 19 control subjects with equal gender and age distributions. The average total ADL score was 15.3 ± 8.5 (range 3–32 out of 36 indicating severe functional disability), representing variable functional outcome in PMM2-CDG patients. Total ADL scores were significantly correlated with NCRS (r2 = 0.55, p < 0.001) and BARS scores (r2 = 0.764; p < 0.001). Severe intellectual disability, peripheral neuropathy, and severe PMM2 variants were all significantly associated with worse functional outcome. Higher ADL scores were significantly associated with decreased diameters of cerebellar vermis (r2 = 0.347; p = 0.004), hemispheres (r2 = 0.436; p = 0.005), and brainstem, particularly the mid-pons (r2 = 0.64; p < 0.001) representing the major radiological predictor of functional disability score in multivariate regression analysis. We show that cerebellar syndrome severity, cognitive level, peripheral neuropathy, and genotype correlate with ADL used to quantify disease-related deficits in PMM2-CDG. Brainstem involvement should be regarded among functional outcome predictors in patients with cerebellar atrophy caused by PMM2-CDG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider 3d N = 2 gauge theories with fundamental matter plus a single field in a rank-2 representation. Using iteratively a process of "deconfinement" of the rank-2 field, we produce a sequence of Seiberg-dual quiver theories. We detail this process in two examples with zero superpotential: Usp(2N) gauge theory with an antisymmetric field and U(N) gauge theory with an adjoint field. The fully deconfined dual quiver has N nodes, and can be interpreted as an Aharony dual of theories with rank-2 matter. All chiral ring generators of the original theory are mapped into gauge singlet fields of the fully deconfined quiver dual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-glycan analyses may serve uncovering disease-associated biomarkers, as well as for profiling distinctive changes supporting diagnosis of genetic disorders of glycan biosynthesis named congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG). Strategies based on liquid chromatography (LC) preferentially coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI) - mass spectrometry (MS) have emerged as powerful analytical methods for N-glycan identification and characterization. To enhance detection sensitivity, glycans are commonly labelled with a functional tag prior to LC-MS analysis. Since most derivatization techniques are notoriously time-consuming, some commercial analytical kits have been developed to speed up N-deglycosylation and N-glycan labelling of glycoproteins of pharmaceutical and biological interest such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We exploited the analytical capabilities of RapiFluor-MS (RFMS) to perform, by a slightly modified protocol, a detailed N-glycan characterization of total serum and single serum glycoproteins from specific patients with CDG (MAN1B1-CDG, ALG12-CDG, MOGS-CDG, TMEM199-CDG). This strategy, accomplished by Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography (HILIC)-UPLC-ESI-MS separation of the RFMS derivatized N-glycans, allowed us to uncover structural details of patients serum released N-glycans, thus extending the current knowledge on glycan profiles in these individual glycosylation diseases. The applied methodology enabled to differentiate in some cases either structural isomers and isomers differing in the linkage type. All the here reported applications demonstrated that RFMS method, coupled to HILIC-UPLC-ESI-MS, represents a sensitive high throughput approach for serum N-glycome analysis and a valuable option for glycan detection and separation particularly for isomeric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlamydophila pneumoniae is an intracellular pathogen responsible for respiratory tract infections. The isolation of the microorganism from clinical specimens is essential for a diagnosis. However, the identification of C. pneumoniae by cell cultures is very difficult besides strongly depending on the sample conditions. The study aimed to investigate, in adult patients with pharyngotonsillitis, the frequency of Chlamydophila pneumoniae detection by cell cultures and three conventional PCRs (a conventional PCR targeting the 16S rRNA gene and two nested PCRs, targeting the 16S rRNA gene and the ompA gene, respectively). The presence of chlamydial inclusion in cell cultures was observed in 11/94 samples (11.70%) by IFA. C. pneumoniae DNA was detected in 12/94 (12.76%) specimens by the 16S rRNA gene nested PCR, 4/94 (4.26%) by ompA gene nested PCR, and in 2/94 (2.13%) by 16S rRNA single-step PCR. Our data show poor agreement between the three applied DNA-amplification methods; in fact, only 16S rRNA gene nested PCR showed a statistically significant difference. Moreover, this result allowed us to achieve a definitive confirmation of the previous finding and to avoid the risk of an overestimation of the C. pneumoniae as a pathogen in pharyngotonsillitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus pandemic that started in December 2019 is mainly related to clinical pictures consistent with respiratory symptoms; nevertheless, reports about neurological complications have recently appeared in the medical literature. We describe a case of a 36-year-old coronavirus-positive patient that was admitted on emergency basis; his clinical presentation included neurological symptoms such as drowsiness and mild confusion. Imaging revealed findings consistent with meningoencephalitis complicated by intracerebral hematoma and subdural hematoma. The latter was surgically evacuated after it became chronic and evidence of coronavirus was found in the fluid. Our experience confirms that neurological complications might be a likely event in COVID-19. Although uncommon, the possible occurrence of meningoencephalitis should be kept in mind by physicians involved in the management of COVID-19 patients. Early recognition of brain involvement may provide better prognosis, preventing evolution into intracerebral hemorrhagic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gauge theories in four dimensions can exhibit interesting low energy phenomena, such as infrared enhancements of global symmetry. We explore a class of 4d N = 1 gauge theories arising from a construction that is motivated by duality walls in 5d gauge theories. Their quiver descriptions bear a resemblance to 4d theories obtained by compactifying 6d N = (1, 0) superconformal field theories on a torus with fluxes, but with lower number of flavours and different number of gauge singlets and superpotentials. One of the main features of these theories is that they exhibit a flavour symmetry enhancement, and with supersymmetry enhancement for certain models, in the infrared. Properties of the superconformal fixed points of such theories are investigated in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are genetic diseases characterized by deficient synthesis (CDG type I) and/or abnormal processing (CDG type II) of glycan moieties linked to protein and lipids. The impact of the molecular defects on protein glycosylation and in turn on the clinical phenotypes of patients with CDG is not yet understood. ALG12-CDG is due to deficiency of ALG12 α1,6-mannosyltransferase that adds the eighth mannose residue on the dolichol-PP-oligosaccharide precursor in the endoplasmic reticulum. ALG12-CDG is a severe multisystem disease associated with low to deficient serum immunoglobulins and recurrent infections. We thoroughly investigated the glycophenotype in a patient with novel ALG12 variants and immunodeficiency. We analyzed serum native transferrin, as first line test for CDG and we profiled serum IgG and total serum N-glycans by a combination of consolidated (N-glycan analysis by MALDI MS) and innovative mass spectrometry-based protocols, such as GlycoWorks RapiFluor N-glycan analysis coupled with LC-ESI MS. Intact serum transferrin showed, as expected for a CDG type I defect, underoccupancy of N-glycosylation sites. Surprisingly, total serum proteins and IgG N-glycans showed some specific changes, consisting in accumulating amounts of definite high-mannose and hybrid structures. As a whole, ALG12-CDG behaves as a dual CDG (CDG-I and II defects) and it is associated with distinct, abnormal glycosylation of total serum and IgG N-glycans. Glycan profiling of target glycoproteins may endorse the molecular defect unraveling the complex clinical phenotype of CDG patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine the relationship between multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) findings, management strategies, and ultimate clinical outcomes in patients with splenic injuries secondary to blunt trauma.Materials and Methods: This Institutional Review Board-approved study collected 351 consecutive patients admitted at the Emergency Department (ED) of a Level I Trauma Center with blunt splenic trauma between October 2002 and November 2015. Their MDCT studies were retrospectively and independently reviewed by two radiologists to grade splenic injuries according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) organ injury scale (OIS) and to detect intraparenchymal (type A) or extraparenchymal (type B) active bleeding and/or contained vascular injuries (CVI). Clinical data, information on management, and outcome were retrieved from the hospital database. Statistical analysis relied on Student's t, chi-squared, and Cohen's kappa tests.Results: Emergency multiphase MDCT was obtained in 263 hemodynamically stable patients. Interobserver agreement for both AAST grading of injuries and vascular lesions was excellent (k = 0.77). Operative management (OM) was performed in 160 patients (45.58% of the whole cohort), and high-grade (IV and V) OIS injuries and type B bleeding were statistically significant (p < 0.05) predictors of OM. Nonoperative management (NOM) failed in 23 patients out of 191 (12.04%). In 75% of them, NOM failure occurred within 30 h from the trauma event, without significant increase of mortality. Both intraparenchymal and extraparenchymal active bleeding were predictive of NOM failure (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Providing detection and characterization of parenchymal and vascular traumatic lesions, MDCT plays a crucial role for safe and appropriate guidance of ED management of splenic traumas and contributes to the shift toward NOM in hemodynamically stable patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ASTRI SST-2M is one of the prototypes of the small size class of telescopes proposed for the Cherenkov Telescope Array. Its optical design is based on a dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder configuration, and the camera is composed by a matrix of monolithic multipixel silicon photomultipliers managed by ad-hoc tailored front-end electronics. This paper describes the procedures for the gain calibration on the ASTRI SST-2M. Since the SiPM gain depends on the operative voltage and the temperature, we adjust the operative voltages for all sensors to have equal gains at a reference temperature. We then correct gain variations caused by temperature changes by adjusting the operating voltage of each sensor. For that purpose the SiPM gain dependence on operating voltage and on temperature have been measured. In addition, we present the calibration procedures and the results of the experimental measurements to evaluate, for each pixel, the parameters necessary to make the trigger uniform over the whole focal plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volcanic rocks erupted during the January 2011 - April 2013 paroxysmal sequence at Mt. Etna volcano have been investigated through in situ microanalysis of mineral phases and whole rock geochemistry. These products have been also considered within the framework of the post-2001 record, evidencing that magmas feeding the 2011-2013 paroxysmal activity inherited deep signature comparable to that of the 2007-2009 volcanic rocks for what concerns their trace element concentration. Analysis performed on plagioclase, clinopyroxene and olivine, which are sensitive to differentiation processes, show respectively fluctuations of the An, Mg# and Fo contents during the considered period. Also major and trace elements measured on the whole rock provide evidence of the evolutionary degree variations through time. Simulations by MELTS at fixed chemical-physical parameters allowed the definition of feeding system dynamics controlling the geochemical variability of magmas during the 2011-2013 period. Specifically, compositional changes have been interpreted as due to superimposition of fractional crystallization and mixing in variable proportions with more basic magma ascending from intermediate to shallower levels of the plumbing system. Composition of the recharging end-member is compatible with that of the most basic magmas emitted during the 2007 and the early paroxysmal eruptions of 2012. Analysis of the erupted volumes of magma combined with its petrologic evolution through time support the idea that large volumes of magma are continuously intruded and stored in the intermediate plumbing system after major recharging phases in the deepest levels of it. Transient recharge from the intermediate to the shallow levels is then responsible for the paroxysmal eruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PMM2-CDG ( PMM2 gene mutations) is the most common congenital disorder of N-glycosylation. We conducted a nationwide survey to characterize the frequency, clinical features, glycosylation and genetic correlates in Italian patients with PMM2-CDG. Clinical information was obtained through a questionnaire filled in by the referral physicians including demographics, neurological and systemic features, neuroimaging data and genotype. Glycosylation analyses of serum transferrin were complemented by MALDI-Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Between 1996 and 2012, data on 37 Italian patients with PMM2-CDG were collected. All the patients with a severe phenotype were unable to walk unaided, 84 % had severe intellectual disability and 81 % microcephaly. Conversely, among 17 mildly affected patients 82 % had independent ambulation, 64 % had borderline to mild intellectual disability and 35 % microcephaly. Epilepsy and stroke-like events did not occur among patients with the mild phenotype. The rate and extent of systemic involvement were more pronounced in severely affected patients. The L32R misfolding mutation of the PMM2 gene occurred in 70 % of the patients with the mild phenotype and was associated with a less severe underglycosylation of serum Tf at MALDI-MS analyses. Despite their different disease severity, all patients had progressive (olivo)ponto-cerebellar atrophy that was the hallmark clinical feature for the diagnosis. A mild neurological phenotype of PMM2-CDG marked by preserved ambulatory ability and autonomy and associated with L32R mutation is particularly frequent in Italy. PMM2-CDG should be considered in patients with even mild developmental disability and/or unexplained progressive cerebellar atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the morphological and structural evolution of gold nanodots deposited on Si substrates has been monitored for 2.4 × 10 h. Gold nanodots on Si are of great scientific interest because they can be used in numerous ways, for example as subwavelength antennas in plasmonics, as electrical contacts in nanometric devices, or as catalysts for the formation of quasi-1dimensional nanostructures. Their characteristics have been studied in a very large number of papers in literature, and among the several aspects, it is known that continuous Au films peculiarly interact with Si by interdiffusion even at room temperature. It would be expected that also small nanostructures could undergo to an interdiffusion and consequent modifications of their structure and shape after aging. Despite the cruciality of this topic, no literature papers have been found showing a detailed morphological and structural characterization of aged Au nanodots. Au nanoparticles have been deposited by sputtering on Si and stored in air at temperature between 20 and 23 °C and humidity of about 45 %, simulating the standard storage conditions of most of the fabrication labs. The morphological and structural characterizations have been performed by bright field transmission electron microscopy (TEM). A specific procedure has been used in order to avoid any modification of the material during the specimen preparation for the TEM analysis. A digital processing of the TEM images has allowed to get a large statistical analysis on the particles size distribution. Two different types of nanoparticles are found after the deposition: pure gold crystalline nanodots on the Si surface and gold amorphous nanoclusters interdiffused into the Si subsurface regions. While the nanodots preserve both morphology and structure all over the time, the amorphous agglomerates show an evolution during aging in morphology, structure, and chemical phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to report on our ample experience with the medial cord to musculocutaneous (MCMc) nerve transfer. The MCMc technique is a new type of neurotization which is able to reanimate the elbow flexion in multilevel avulsive injuries of the brachial plexus provided that at least the T1 root is intact. A series of 180 consecutive patients, divided into four classes according to the quality of hand function, is available for a long-term follow-up after brachial plexus surgery. The patients enrolled for the study have in common a brachial plexus palsy showing multiple cervical root avulsive injuries at two (C5-C6), three (C5-C6-C7) and four (C5-C6-C7-C8) levels. The reinnervation of the musculocutaneous nerve is obtained via an end-to-end transfer from two donor fascicles located in the medial cord. The selected fascicles are those directed principally to the flexor carpi radialis, ulnaris and, to a lesser degree, the flexor digitorum profundus. Under normal anatomic conditions, they are located in the medial cord, and their site corresponds to the inverted V-shaped bifurcation between the internal contribution of the median nerve and the ulnar nerve. The technique has no failure and no complications when the hand shows a normal wrist and finger flexion and a normal intrinsic function. In case of suboptimal conditions of the hand, the technique has proved technically more challenging, but still with 67 % satisfactory results. In the four-root avulsive injuries, however, this method shows its limitations and an alternative strategy should be preferred when possible. EMG analysis shows a reinnervation in both the biceps and the brachialis muscles, explaining the high quality of the observed results. Moreover, this technique theoretically offers the possibility of a 'second attempt' at a more distal level in case of failure of the first surgery. This procedure is quick, safe, extremely effective and easily feasible by an experienced plexus surgeon. The ideal candidate is a patient harbouring a C5-C6 avulsive injury of the upper brachial plexus with a normally functioning hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity and liver steatosis are both currently attributed to inappropriate lifestyle and nutrition. Higher prevalence of human adenovirus Ad36 seropositivity (Ad36+) is reported only in obesity. Aims: To investigate whether a lifestyle-nutritional intervention achieves different outcomes in NAFLD patients, i.e., if is blunted or enhanced according to Ad36 seropositivity status. Methods: One-year nutritional intervention was planned and accomplished for 62 non-alcoholic fatty liver disease overweight-obese patients, studied by liver ultrasound, evaluating Bright Liver Score (BLS), by Homeostatic Model assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA), by body composition and Ad36+ assay. Lower salt/lower calories Mediterranean diet, physical activity increase, smoking withdrawal and lifestyle counseling, provided by a health psychologist, were given. Results: Ad36 seropositive patients have baseline greater BMI with the same level of BLS. Different prevalence of post-interventional response, significantly greater among Ad36+ patients, is observed: greater decrease of obesity, assessed by BMI, greater reduction of insulin resistance, assessed by HOMA and higher prevalence of bright liver disappearance. A BMI-adjusted multiple linear regression model explains significantly 23.8% ( p < 0.04) of the variance; significant predictive variables are Ad36 seropositivity ( p < 0.012) and fat mass loss ( p < 0.011) accounting for the variance of the occurrence of bright liver disappearance. Conclusions: Ad36 previous infection is significantly associated with enhanced weight loss, bright liver disappearance, and recovery of insulin sensitivity through the chosen tailored nutritional interventional treatment. Nonetheless, Ad36 seronegative NAFLD patients' fatty liver pattern improves, at a lower extent, also without significant weight loss: an effect of dietary changes profile, Mediterranean diet, not only of lowered food caloric intake, is conceivably operating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated a simple and low-cost route for the formation of metallic nanodots on Si substrates ordered in size and position and laterally isolated by SiO2. The method was based on a two-step process: (i) the formation of a nanopattern of ordered cylindrical pores on oxidized Si substrates through self-assembly of diblock copolymers, and successive oxide dry etching down to the Si; (ii) the deposition of gold nanodots and thermal diffusion over the nanopatterned oxide substrates. After diffusion, the nanodot density outside the nanopores was found to decrease, and most of the nanodots were found to saturate the nanopores. The process was followed in situ by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ex situ by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis for different thermal budgets. This patterned substrate can be used for catalyst mediated growth, for example, through vapor-liquid-solid (VLS), of nanowires for the formation of absorber materials in novel photovoltaic architectures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:Infection with specific pathogens may lead to increased adiposity: a specific adiposity-promoting effect of Ad36 human adenovirus, without the involvement of neurological mechanisms, was reported. The aim of this study is to investigate whether non-diabetic patients with earlier Ad36 infection show greater degrees of overweight obesity, of Insulin Resistance (IR), assessed by homoeostasis-model assessment (HOMA), and/or of other related factors. Moreover, the relationship, if any, among these factors and an earlier Ad36 infection, and the hypothesis of a mechanism involving IR are investigated.Subjects:Ad36 seropositivity is assessed in 68 obese and 135 non-obese subjects, along with body composition, HOMA and laboratory investigations.Results:Age, body mass index (BMI), waist–hip ratio, blood pressure, insulin, HOMA and triglycerides are significantly greater in the Ad36 seropositive group. Ad36 seropositivity, along with HOMA and total cholesterol, explains BMI variance. No Ad36 seropositivity effect to HOMA could be envisaged by the same statistical model.Conclusion:A significant association of Ad36 seropositivity with obesity and with essential hypertension in human beings is suggested by our study; this association is mostly significant in women. Our results do not support that any Ad36 adipogenic adenovirus effect is operating in human obesity through an insulin-resistance-related mechanism. Ad36 seropositive status could also be a hallmark of a clinical-metabolic profile possibly preceding obesity and diabetes in non-obese patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With our understanding of human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer, the availability of HPV testing, and the known limitations of cervical cytology, it is time to reassess cervical cancer screening technologies. This article reviews recent randomized trials comparing primary HPV testing with cervical cytology in screening for cervical cancer, and also analyzes the impact of the HPV vaccine on screening cytology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common peroneal nerve palsy associated with inversion sprains of the ankle has been mentioned in the literature on a case presentation basis only and is consequently regarded to be a rare complication. The etiologic mechanisms responsible for the nerve impairment have not been clearly identified. The onset of the palsy may be delayed and recovery seems to occur mostly spontaneously. Yet, some of the cases reported in the literature eventually required a surgical treatment, which was always followed by complete recovery. In this paper we present 5 additional cases of this peculiar neuropathy: all the patients were surgically treated, but only in 2 cases we observed a neurological recovery. The relevant literature is also briefly reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors report their experience in the treatment of common peroneal nerve (CPN) injuries using a one-stage procedure of nerve repair and tibialis posterior tendon transfer. A series of 45 patients with traumatic injury and graft repair of the CPN is presented. From 1988 to 1991, the six patients elected for surgery had only nerve repair: five ultimately did not recover, while muscle contraction in the remaining patient was graded M1-2. Since 1991, nerve surgery in our clinic was associated with tendon transfer procedures (39 cases) which were followed by a satisfactory reinnervation rate. Nerve transection and iatrogenic injuries, torsion/dislocation of the knee, complex biosseous fractures of the leg, and gunshot wounds showed excellent to fair results in decreasing order: in nerve sections, muscle recovery scored M3 or M4+ in all the patients, and in nerve ruptures due to severe dislocation of the knee, it was M3 or M4+ in 85% of cases. The association of microsurgical nerve repair and tendon transfer has changed the course of CPN injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activities of Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and glutathione reductase in neuronal and glial cell-enriched fractions obtained from the cerebral cortex of rat brain during aging (15, 30, 90, 350, 750 days of age) were assayed. Our results showed that glutathione peroxidase, catalase and glutathione reductase activities varied little during the examined periods. Only the Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase activity decreased notably from 15th to 750th day of age in both neuronal and glial cells, moreover the activities of all enzymes studied were always detected at lower levels in neuronal cells with respect to glial cells. In agreement with diminished SOD activity, the lipid peroxidation showed an elevated increase with aging; this fact is more evident in neuronal than in glial cells. In conclusion our data show that Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase is the most affected antioxidant enzymatic system of brain aging and it could be responsible for the increased lipid peroxidation in both cell types examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report we describe the antiviral activity of 5,5′-diphenyl-3,3′-diisothiazole disulfide (DID) and discuss its mode of action. DID selectively inhibits the replication of poliovirus type 1 (therapeutic index=255) by affecting some early process of the virus growth cycle. The compound does not interfere with adsorption and internalization of virus to HEp-2 cells, nor with uncoating of the viral RNA. However, no viral RNA synthesis occurs after 2h post-infection in the presence of 50µM DID. Thus, we investigated some molecular events in poliovirus replication occurring between uncoating and viral RNA synthesis. In our experimental design, we studied the activity of RNA polymerase complex isolated from HEp-2 infected cells in the presence or absence of DID. Our results showed that the RNA polymerase complex was formed in the presence of DID. On the contrary, DID markedly inhibited poliovirus RNA synthesis in a cell-free system using RNA polymerase complex isolated from infected cells. These findings indicate that DID may exert its antiviral activity by preventing viral RNA chain elongation via the inhibition of replicase activity and/or interfering with viral RNA polymerase complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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An investigation of the distribution of the cyclic oligomers of poly(lactic acid), formed both by pyrolysis of the polymer and by equilibration with a catalyst, has been performed by Negative Chemical Ionization and Thermospray Mass Spectrometry. The results indicate that the two methods can be used to obtain information on the relative amounts of the oligomers present in the mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prospective study was performed to verify whether early administration of prednisone could be useful in preventing the development of nephropathy in anaphylactoid purpura. Only patients without signs of nephropathy upon initial presentation entered into the study. A total of 84 patients received delta-prednisone (1 mg/kg per day per os for 2 weeks), and 84 patients did not receive steroids. The patients were followed for 24-36 months. None of the 84 patients treated with steroids and 10 (11.9%) of the 84 control patients developed nephropathy 2-6 weeks after the acute episode. In 2 other patients of the untreated group, signs of renal involvement appeared 2 and 6 years after the acute episode respectively. The difference in the prevalence of nephropathy between the two groups is highly significant (P less than 0.001). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report our experience in the treatment of common peroneal nerve (CPN) palsy following knee dislocations: a twelve-year surgical series of 26 patients presenting with a traumatic injury of the lateral sciatic nerve and no spontaneous recovery is reviewed. From 1988 to 1991, we performed nerve surgery alone on 3 patients. Their results were highly disappointing and in none did we observe muscle recovery. Since 1991 nerve surgery was associated with a palliative procedure for 23 patients. Although at surgical exploration, severe nerve damage was found in 87% of these patients (thereby indicating the need for graft repair), the overall outcome was good, with a score of M3 on the BMRC scale in about 75% of the cases. These results suggest that the one-stage association of microsurgical nerve repair and tibialis posterior tendon transfer changed the destiny of these injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspects of three dimensional N = 2 gauge theories with monopole super-potentials and their dualities are investigated. The moduli spaces of a number of such theories are studied using Hilbert series. Moreover, we propose new dualities involving quadratic powers for the monopole superpotentials, for unitary, symplectic and orthogonal gauge groups. These dualities are then tested using the three sphere partition function and matching of the Hilbert series. We also provide an argument for the obstruction to the duality for theories with quartic monopole superpotentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemochromatosis is a common recessive disorder characterized by progressive iron overload, which may lead to severe clinical complications. Most patients are homozygous for the C282Y mutation in HFE on 6p (refs 1?5). A locus for juvenile haemochromatosis (HFE2) maps to 1q (ref. 7). Here we report a new locus (HFE3) on 7q22 and show that a homozygous nonsense mutation in the gene encoding transferrin receptor-2 (TFR2) is found in people with haemochromatosis that maps to HFE3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a middle class Sicilian girl who at 8 months of age suffered from acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis documented by clinical history, a positive type 12 β-haemolytic streptococcus throat culture, a raised anti-sterptolysin O titre and a low C3 rising to normal after 8 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]