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We investigate the accuracy and precision of triaxial dynamical orbit models by fitting 2D mock observations of a realistic N -body merger simulation resembling a massive early-type galaxy with a supermassive black hole. We show that we can reproduce the triaxial N -body merger remnant's correct black hole mass, stellar mass-to-light ratio and total enclosed mass (inside the half-light radius) for several different tested orientations with an unprecedented accuracy of 5–10 per cent. Our dynamical models use the entire non-parametric line-of-sight velocity distribution (LOSVD) rather than parametric LOSVDs or velocity moments as constraints. Our results strongly suggest that state-of-the-art integral-field projected kinematic data contain only minor degeneracies with respect to the mass and anisotropy recovery. Moreover, this also demonstrates the strength of the Schwarzschild method in general. We achieve the proven high recovery accuracy and precision with our newly developed modelling machinery by combining several advancements: (i) our new semiparametric deprojection code probes degeneracies and allows us to constrain the viewing angles of a triaxial galaxy; (ii) our new orbit modelling code SMART uses a 5-dim orbital starting space to representatively sample in particular near-Keplerian orbits in galaxy centres; (iii) we use a generalized information criterion AICp to optimize the smoothing and to compare different mass models to avoid biases that occur in χ2-based models with varying model flexibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alterations in nutritional and metabolic status, in particular sarcopenia, have been extensively associated with a poor prognosis in cirrhotic patients regardless of the etiology of liver disease. Less is known about predictive value of myosteatosis, defined as pathological fat infiltration into the skeletal muscle, in this context. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 151 cirrhotic patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent their 1st trans-arterial embolization (TAE) between March 1st 2011 and July 1st 2019 in our Institution. Demographic, clinical and biochemical data were collected. Sarcopenia was assessed using the L3-SMI method. We calculated myosteatosis with a dedicated segmentation suite (3D Slicer), using a single slice at an axial plane located at L3 and calculating the IMAC (Intramuscular Adipose Tissue Content Index). The sex-specific cut-off values for defining myosteatosis were IMAC > -0.44 in male and > -0.31 in female. In our cohort of 151 patients, 115 (76%) patients were included in the myosteatosis group; 128 (85%) patients had a coexistent diagnosis of sarcopenia. Patients with myosteatosis were significantly older and showed higher BMI than patients without myosteatosis: male gender and alcoholic or metabolic-related cirrhosis were most represented in the myosteatosis group. Myosteatosis was not associated with different HCC burden, length of hospitalization, complication rates and readmission in the first 30 days after discharge. Overall survival was not influenced by the presence of myosteatosis. Myosteatosis didn't significantly affect the main outcomes of cirrhotic patients with HCC undergoing locoregional treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Different strategies of DAAs treatment are currently possible both pre‐ and postliver transplantation (LT). Clinical and economic consequences of these strategies still need to be adequately investigated; this study aims at assessing their cost‐effectiveness. A decision analytical model was created to simulate the progression of HCV‐infected patients listed for decompensated cirrhosis (DCC) or for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Three DAAs treatment strategies were compared: (i) a 12‐week course of DAAs prior to transplantation (PRE‐LT), (ii) a 4‐week course of DAAs starting at the time of transplantation (PERI‐LT) and (iii) a 12‐week course of DAAs administered at disease recurrence (POST‐LT). The population was substratified according to HCC presence and, in those without HCC, according to the MELD score at listing. Data on DAAs effectiveness were estimated using a cohort of patients still followed by 11 transplant centres of the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association and by data available in the literature. In this study, PRE‐LT treatment strategy was dominant for DCC patients with MELD<16 and cost‐effective for those with MELD16‐20, while POST‐LT strategy emerged as cost‐effective for DCC patients with MELD>20 and for those with HCC. Sensitivity analyses confirmed PRE‐LT as the cost‐effective strategy for patients with MELD≤20. In conclusion, PRE‐LT treatment is cost‐effective for patients with MELD≤20 without HCC, while treatments after LT are cost‐effective in cirrhotic patients with MELD>20 and in those with HCC. It is worth reminding, though, that the final choice of a specific regimen at the patient level will have to be personalized based on clinical, social and transplant‐related factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pd(0) is able to catalyze oxygen-involving reactions because of its capability to convert molecular oxygen to the very reactive atomic form. Consequently, the embedding of a little amount of Pd(0) clusters in polymeric phases can be technologically exploited to enhance the incineration kinetic of these polymers. The effect of nanostructuration on the Pd(0) catalytic activity in the polymer incineration reaction has been studied using poly( N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) ( $$ \overline{Mw} $$ = 10,000 gmol) as polymeric model system. A change in the PVP incineration kinetic mechanism with significant increase in the reaction rate was experimentally found. The kinetic of the Pd(0)-catalyzed combustion has been studied by isothermal thermogravimetric analysis. After a short induction time, the combustion in presence of Pd(0) clusters shifted to a zero-order kinetic from a second-order kinetic control, which is operative in pure PVP combustion reaction. In addition, the activation energy resulted much lowered compared to the pure PVP incineration case (from 300 to 260 kJ/mol). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Percutaneous biliary drainage (PTBD) is indicated in the management of jaundice and cholangitis caused by biliary obstructions. In an era of increasing prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria the risk of post-PTBD infection is not well established. The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of post PTBD sepsis driven by MDR bacteria and to identify clinical and epidemiological variables associated with MDR Bacteria. We retrospectively collected data of all consecutive patients who underwent PTBD in our Hospital from January 2015 to January 2020.We recorded the overall incidence of post-procedural sepsis and analyzed various clinical features for their contribution to MDR-sepsis incidence using multivariate linear regression analysis. A total of 99 PTBD were performed in 73 patients during the selected period. The most frequent etiology of biliary obstruction was malignant: Cholangiocarcinoma in 40(54%), Hepatocellular Carcinoma(HCC) in 10(13%) and biliary involvement from other neoplasms in 15 (20%). The median age was 68(range 31-86), male sex was predominant (61%) with 23% of patients having a concomitant chronic liver disease. The majority of patients received cancer treatment prior to PTBD (surgery in 36%, chemotherapy 27%, locoregional treatment in 19%, radiotherapy 19%). Twenty-nine patients (39%) had at baseline a bacterial cholangitis, with only 1 patient infected by a MDR micro-organism prior to PTBD. After PTBD 34/73 (46%) patients developed sepsis, in 9 cases (9/34,26%) was caused by MDR bacteria(5 ESBL, 2 Amp-C, 2 VRE). At multivariate analysis the only risk factors associated with MDR sepsis were previous local radiotherapy (p=0.01) and baseline AST value (p=0.009). Post PTBD sepsis is frequent in patients undergoing treatment of biliary obstruction. MDR sepsis was found mostly in patients who underwent radiotherapy and had high AST values. Further studies to assess the need for pre PTBD screening for MDR colonization are warranted [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]