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51. Water and land, where the world ends. Ghirri, Celati, Ariosto, the Columns and the Embankment

Author

Corrado Confalonieri

Subjects
aby warburg, gianni celati, ludovico ariosto, luigi ghirri, po river, French literature - Italian literature - Spanish literature - Portuguese literature, PQ1-3999
Abstract

The article aims at offering a new interpretation of some photographs of Luigi Ghirri’s Il profilo delle nuvole. Once separated from the linear sequence in which they are arranged in the book and recomposed in a panel inspired by Aby Warburg’s Bilderatlas Mnemosyne, these images reveal a hidden genealogy that, taking into account both Luigi Ghirri’s suggestions and readings of his work by Marco Belpoliti and Gianni Celati, traces the figure of the columns back to 15th- and 16th-century motifs, in particular to the columns of Hercules in the Age of Discovery. It is then possible to create a connection between Il profilo delle nuvole and a text which is apparently distant from it, namely Ludovico Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, a poem that just like Ghirri’s photo-text feature two crucial elements of landscape in the Po Valley such as the columns and the embankment. By establishing what Carlo Ginzburg would call an intentionally anachronistic and asymmetric dialogue between these texts, a new hypothesis is made about Luigi Ghirri’s understanding of the relationship between the columns and the embankments, a relationship that is entrusted with the task of showing that it is possible to take care of reality by taking care of its representation.

Published
2023
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52. ID22 – the high-resolution powder-diffraction beamline at ESRF

Author

Andrew Fitch, Catherine Dejoie, Ezio Covacci, Giorgia Confalonieri, Ola Grendal, Laurent Claustre, Perceval Guillou, Jérôme Kieffer, Wout de Nolf, Sébastien Petitdemange, Marie Ruat, and Yves Watier

Subjects
powder x-ray diffraction, high resolution, esrf, pdf analysis, Nuclear and particle physics. Atomic energy. Radioactivity, QC770-798, Crystallography, QD901-999
Abstract

Following Phase 2 of the upgrade of the ESRF in which the storage ring was replaced by a new low-emittance ring along with many other facility upgrades, the status of ID22, the high-resolution powder-diffraction beamline, is described. The beamline has an in-vacuum undulator as source providing X-rays in the range 6–75 keV. ID22's principle characteristics include very high angular resolution as a result of the highly collimated and monochromatic beam, coupled with a 13-channel Si 111 multi-analyser stage between the sample and a Dectris Eiger2 X 2M-W CdTe pixel detector. The detector's axial resolution allows recorded 2θ values to be automatically corrected for the effects of axial divergence, resulting in narrower and more-symmetric peaks compared with the previous fixed-axial-slit arrangement. The axial acceptance can also be increased with increasing diffraction angle, thus simultaneously improving the statistical quality of high-angle data. A complementary Perkin Elmer XRD1611 medical-imaging detector is available for faster, lower-resolution data, often used at photon energies of 60–70 keV for pair-distribution function analysis, although this is also possible in high-resolution mode by scanning up to 120° 2θ at 35 keV. There are various sample environments, allowing sample temperatures from 4 K to 1600°C, a capillary cell for non-corrosive gas atmospheres in the range 0–100 bar, and a sample-changing robot that can accommodate 75 capillary samples compatible with the temperature range 80 K to 950°C.

Published
2023
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54. The effect of air pollution on COVID‐19 severity in a sample of patients with multiple sclerosis

Author

Bergamaschi, Roberto, Ponzano, Marta, Schiavetti, Irene, Carmisciano, Luca, Cordioli, Cinzia, Filippi, Massimo, Radaelli, Marta, Immovilli, Paolo, Capobianco, Marco, De Rossi, Nicola, Brichetto, Giampaolo, Cocco, Eleonora, Scandellari, Cinzia, Cavalla, Paola, Pesci, Ilaria, Zito, Antonio, Confalonieri, Paolo, Marfia, Girolama Alessandra, Perini, Paola, Inglese, Matilde, Trojano, Maria, Morra, Vincenzo Brescia, Pisoni, Enrico, Tedeschi, Gioacchino, Comi, Giancarlo, Battaglia, Mario Alberto, Patti, Francesco, Salvetti, Marco, Sormani, Maria Pia, Abbadessa, Gianmarco, Aguglia, Umberto, Allegorico, Lia, Allegri, Rossi Beatrice Maria, Alteno, Anastasia, Amato, Maria Pia, Annovazzi, Pietro, Antozzi, Carlo, Appendino, Lucia, Arena, Sebastiano, Baione, Viola, Balgera, Roberto, Barcella, Valeria, Baroncini, Damiano, Barrilà, Caterina, Battaglia, Mario A, Bellacosa, Alessandra, Bellucci, Gianmarco, Bergamaschi, Valeria, Bezzini, Daiana, Biolzi, Beatrice, Bisecco, Alvino, Bonavita, Simona, Borriello, Giovanna, Bosa, Chiara, Bosco, Antonio, Bovis, Francesca, Bozzali, Marco, Brambilla, Laura, Brescia, Morra Vincenzo, Buccafusca, Maria, Bucciantini, Elisabetta, Bucello, Sebastiano, Buscarinu, Maria Chiara, Cabboi, Maria Paola, Calabrese, Massimiliano, Calabria, Francesca, Caleri, Francesca, Camilli, Federico, Caniatti, Luisa Maria, Cantello, Roberto, Capra, Ruggero, Capuano, Rocco, Carta, Patrizia, Celani, Maria Grazia, Cellerino, Maria, Cerqua, Raffaella, Chisari, Clara, Clerici, Raffaella, Clerico, Marinella, Cola, Gaia, Conte, Antonella, Conti, Marta Zaffira, Cordano, Christian, Cordera, Susanna, Corea, Francesco, Correale, Claudio, Cottone, Salvatore, Crescenzo, Francesco, Curti, Erica, d'Ambrosio, Alessandro, and D'Amico, Emanuele

Subjects
Clinical Research, Neurosciences, Multiple Sclerosis, Brain Disorders, Autoimmune Disease, Neurodegenerative, Climate-Related Exposures and Conditions, Good Health and Well Being, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Air Pollution, COVID-19, Humans, Particulate Matter, SARS-CoV-2, MuSC-19 study group, air pollution, coronavirus, multiple sclerosis, Clinical Sciences, Neurology & Neurosurgery
Abstract

Background and purposeSome studies have shown that air pollution, often assessed by thin particulate matter with diameter below 2.5 µg/m3 (PM2.5), may contribute to severe COVID-19 courses, as well as play a role in the onset and evolution of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the impact of air pollution on COVID-19 has never been explored specifically amongst patients with MS (PwMS). This retrospective observational study aims to explore associations between PM2.5 and COVID-19 severity amongst PwMS.MethodsData were retrieved from an Italian web-based platform (MuSC-19) which includes PwMS with COVID-19. PM2.5 2016-2018 average concentrations were provided by the Copernicus Atmospheric Monitoring Service. Italian patients inserted in the platform from 15 January 2020 to 9 April 2021 with a COVID-19 positive test were included. Ordered logistic regression models were used to study associations between PM2.5 and COVID-19 severity.ResultsIn all, 1087 patients, of whom 13% required hospitalization and 2% were admitted to an intensive care unit or died, were included. Based on the multivariate analysis, higher concentrations of PM2.5 increased the risk of worse COVID-19 course (odds ratio 1.90; p = 0.009).ConclusionsEven if several other factors explain the unfavourable course of COVID-19 in PwMS, the role of air pollutants must be considered and further investigated.

Published
2022

56. Host-Based Treatments for Severe COVID-19

Author

Lucrezia Mondini, Francesco Salton, Liliana Trotta, Chiara Bozzi, Riccardo Pozzan, Mariangela Barbieri, Stefano Tavano, Selene Lerda, Michael Hughes, Marco Confalonieri, Paola Confalonieri, and Barbara Ruaro

Subjects
SARS-CoV-2, immune-system, cytokine storm, immunomodulation, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
Abstract

COVID-19 has been a global health problem since 2020. There are different spectrums of manifestation of this disease, ranging from asymptomatic to extremely severe forms requiring admission to intensive care units and life-support therapies, mainly due to severe pneumonia. The progressive understanding of this disease has allowed researchers and clinicians to implement different therapeutic alternatives, depending on both the severity of clinical involvement and the causative molecular mechanism that has been progressively explored. In this review, we analysed the main therapeutic options available to date based on modulating the host inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with severe and critical illness. Although current guidelines are moving toward a personalised treatment approach titrated on the timing of presentation, disease severity, and laboratory parameters, future research is needed to identify additional biomarkers that can anticipate the disease course and guide targeted interventions on an individual basis.

Published
2023
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57. Ocular Changes in Cystic Fibrosis: A Review

Author

Slawomir Liberski, Filippo Confalonieri, Szczepan Cofta, Goran Petrovski, and Jarosław Kocięcki

Subjects
cystic fibrosis, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, CFTR, eye, mucoviscidosis, ocular changes, Biology (General), QH301-705.5, Chemistry, QD1-999
Abstract

Cystic fibrosis (CF), also known as mucoviscidosis, is the most common autosomal recessive genetic disease in the Caucasian population, with an estimated frequency of 1:2000–3000 live births. CF results from the mutation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene localized in the long arm of chromosome 7. The product of CFTR gene expression is CFTR protein, an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that regulates the transport of chloride ions (Cl−) across the apical cell membrane. Primary manifestations of CF include chronic lung and pancreas function impairment secondary to the production of thick, sticky mucus resulting from dehydrated secretions. It is well known that CF can cause both anterior and posterior ocular abnormalities. Conjunctival and corneal xerosis and dry eye disease symptoms are the most characteristic manifestations in the anterior segment. In contrast, the most typical anatomical and functional changes relating to the posterior segment of the eye include defects in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), vascular abnormalities, and visual disturbances, such as reduced contrast sensitivity and abnormal dark adaptation. However, the complete background of ophthalmic manifestations in the course of CF has yet to be discovered. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding ocular changes in cystic fibrosis.

Published
2024
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58. Pirfenidone and Nintedanib in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Lights and Shadows

Author

Maria Chianese, Gianluca Screm, Francesco Salton, Paola Confalonieri, Liliana Trotta, Mariangela Barbieri, Luca Ruggero, Marco Mari, Nicolò Reccardini, Pietro Geri, Michael Hughes, Selene Lerda, Marco Confalonieri, Lucrezia Mondini, and Barbara Ruaro

Subjects
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Nintedanib, Pirfenidone, interstitial lung disease, forced vital capacity, Medicine, Pharmacy and materia medica, RS1-441
Abstract

Pirfenidone and Nintedanib are specific drugs used against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) that showed efficacy in non-IPF fibrosing interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Both drugs have side effects that affect patients in different ways and have different levels of severity, making treatment even more challenging for patients and clinicians. The present review aims to assess the effectiveness and potential complications of Pirfenidone and Nintedanib treatment regimens across various ILD diseases. A detailed search was performed in relevant articles published between 2018 and 2023 listed in PubMed, UpToDate, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate, supplemented with manual research. The following keywords were searched in the databases in all possible combinations: Nintedanib; Pirfenidone, interstitial lung disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The most widely accepted method for evaluating the progression of ILD is through the decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), as determined by respiratory function tests. Specifically, a decrease in FVC over a 6–12-month period correlates directly with increased mortality rates. Antifibrotic drugs Pirfenidone and Nintedanib have been extensively validated; however, some patients reported several side effects, predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms (such as diarrhea, dyspepsia, and vomiting), as well as photosensitivity and skin rashes, particularly associated with Pirfenidone. In cases where the side effects are extremely severe and are more threatening than the disease itself, the treatment has to be discontinued. However, further research is needed to optimize the use of antifibrotic agents in patients with PF-ILDs, which could slow disease progression and decrease all-cause mortality. Finally, other studies are requested to establish the treatments that can stop ILD progression.

Published
2024
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59. Vascular Endothelial Damage in COPD: Where Are We Now, Where Will We Go?

Author

Gianluca Screm, Lucrezia Mondini, Francesco Salton, Paola Confalonieri, Liliana Trotta, Mariangela Barbieri, Antonio Romallo, Alessandra Galantino, Michael Hughes, Selene Lerda, Marco Confalonieri, and Barbara Ruaro

Subjects
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC), endothelial dysfunction, nitric oxide (NO), Medicine (General), R5-920
Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has higher rates among the general population, so early identification and prevention is the goal. The mechanisms of COPD development have not been completely established, although it has been demonstrated that endothelial dysfunction plays an important role. However, to date, the measurement of endothelial dysfunction is still invasive or not fully established. Nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC) is a safe, non-invasive diagnostic tool that can be used to easily evaluate the microcirculation and can show any possible endothelial dysfunctions early on. The aim of this review is to evaluate if nailfold microcirculation abnormalities can reflect altered pulmonary vasculature and can predict the risk of cardiovascular comorbidities in COPD patients. Methods: A systematic literature search concerning COPD was performed in electronic databases (PUBMED, UpToDate, Google Scholar, ResearchGate), supplemented with manual research. We searched in these databases for articles published until March 2024. The following search words were searched in the databases in all possible combinations: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), endothelial damage, vascular impairment, functional evaluation, capillaroscopy, video capillaroscopy, nailfold video capillaroscopy. Only manuscripts written in English were considered for this review. Papers were included only if they were able to define a relationship between COPD and endothelium dysfunction. Results: The search selected 10 articles, and among these, only three previous reviews were available. Retinal vessel imaging, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and skin autofluorescence (AF) are reported as the most valuable methods for assessing endothelial dysfunction in COPD patients. Conclusions: It has been assumed that decreased nitric oxide (NO) levels leads to microvascular damage in COPD patients. This finding allows us to assume NVC’s potential effectiveness in COPD patients. However, this potential link is based on assumption; further investigations are needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Published
2024
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63. Teaching School Psychology to Psychologists

Author

Ligorio, M. Beatrice, Cacciamani, Stefano, Confalonieri, Emanuela, Zumbach, Joerg, Section editor, Bernstein, Douglas A., Section editor, Narciss, Susanne, Section editor, Marsico, Giuseppina, Section editor, Zumbach, Joerg, editor, Bernstein, Douglas A., editor, Narciss, Susanne, editor, and Marsico, Giuseppina, editor

Published
2023
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64. A Smart Work Cell to Reduce Adoption Barriers of Collaborative Robotics

Author

Montini, Elias, Agbomemewa, Lorenzo, Daniele, Fabio, Cutrona, Vincenzo, Confalonieri, Matteo, Ferrario, Andrea, Rocco, Paolo, Bettoni, Andrea, Rannenberg, Kai, Editor-in-Chief, Soares Barbosa, Luís, Editorial Board Member, Goedicke, Michael, Editorial Board Member, Tatnall, Arthur, Editorial Board Member, Neuhold, Erich J., Editorial Board Member, Stiller, Burkhard, Editorial Board Member, Stettner, Lukasz, Editorial Board Member, Pries-Heje, Jan, Editorial Board Member, Kreps, David, Editorial Board Member, Rettberg, Achim, Editorial Board Member, Furnell, Steven, Editorial Board Member, Mercier-Laurent, Eunika, Editorial Board Member, Winckler, Marco, Editorial Board Member, Malaka, Rainer, Editorial Board Member, Alfnes, Erlend, editor, Romsdal, Anita, editor, Strandhagen, Jan Ola, editor, von Cieminski, Gregor, editor, and Romero, David, editor

Published
2023
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67. Flt1 produced by lung endothelial cells impairs ATII cell transdifferentiation and repair in pulmonary fibrosis

Author

Maria Concetta Volpe, Giulio Ciucci, Giulia Zandomenego, Roman Vuerich, Nadja Anneliese Ruth Ring, Simone Vodret, Francesco Salton, Pietro Marchesan, Luca Braga, Thomas Marcuzzo, Rossana Bussani, Andrea Colliva, Silvano Piazza, Marco Confalonieri, and Serena Zacchigna

Subjects
Cytology, QH573-671
Abstract

Abstract Pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating disease, in which fibrotic tissue progressively replaces lung alveolar structure, resulting in chronic respiratory failure. Alveolar type II cells act as epithelial stem cells, being able to transdifferentiate into alveolar type I cells, which mediate gas exchange, thus contributing to lung homeostasis and repair after damage. Impaired epithelial transdifferentiation is emerging as a major pathogenetic mechanism driving both onset and progression of fibrosis in the lung. Here, we show that lung endothelial cells secrete angiocrine factors that regulate alveolar cell differentiation. Specifically, we build on our previous data on the anti-fibrotic microRNA-200c and identify the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor receptor 1, also named Flt1, as its main functional target in endothelial cells. Endothelial-specific knockout of Flt1 reproduces the anti-fibrotic effect of microRNA-200c against pulmonary fibrosis and results in the secretion of a pool of soluble factors and matrix components able to promote epithelial transdifferentiation in a paracrine manner. Collectively, these data indicate the existence of a complex endothelial-epithelial paracrine crosstalk in vitro and in vivo and position lung endothelial cells as a relevant therapeutic target in the fight against pulmonary fibrosis.

Published
2023
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68. Applying multidimensional computerized adaptive testing to the MSQOL-54: a simulation study

Author

Andrea Giordano, Silvia Testa, Marta Bassi, Sabina Cilia, Antonio Bertolotto, Maria Esmeralda Quartuccio, Erika Pietrolongo, Monica Falautano, Monica Grobberio, Claudia Niccolai, Beatrice Allegri, Rosa Gemma Viterbo, Paolo Confalonieri, Ambra Mara Giovannetti, Eleonora Cocco, Maria Grazia Grasso, Alessandra Lugaresi, Elisa Ferriani, Ugo Nocentini, Mauro Zaffaroni, Alysha De Livera, George Jelinek, Alessandra Solari, and Rosalba Rosato

Subjects
Multiple sclerosis, Bifactor model, Item response theory, Multidimensional computerized adaptive test, Health-related quality of life, MSQOL-54, Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics, R858-859.7
Abstract

Abstract Background The Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQOL-54) is one of the most commonly-used MS-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures. It is a multidimensional, MS-specific HRQOL inventory, which includes the generic SF-36 core items, supplemented with 18 MS-targeted items. Availability of an adaptive short version providing immediate item scoring may improve instrument usability and validity. However, multidimensional computerized adaptive testing (MCAT) has not been previously applied to MSQOL-54 items. We thus aimed to apply MCAT to the MSQOL-54 and assess its performance. Methods Responses from a large international sample of 3669 MS patients were assessed. We calibrated 52 (of the 54) items using bifactor graded response model (10 group factors and one general HRQOL factor). Then, eight simulations were run with different termination criteria: standard errors (SE) for the general factor and group factors set to different values, and change in factor estimates from one item to the next set at

Published
2023
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69. Determinants of circulating calcitonin value: analysis of thyroid features, demographic data, anthropometric characteristics, comorbidities, medications, and smoking habits in a population with histological full exclusion of medullary thyroid carcinoma

Author

Pierpaolo Trimboli, Giuseppe Peloni, Dorotea Confalonieri, Elena Gamarra, Tommaso Piticchio, Francesco Frasca, Petra Makovac, Arnoldo Piccardo, and Lorenzo Ruinelli

Subjects
calcitonin, determinants, thyroid nodules, medullary thyroid carcinoma, anthropometric characteristics, drugs, Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens, RC254-282
Abstract

ObjectiveCalcitonin (Ctn) measurement is crucial for the early diagnosis of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). However, Ctn levels can be skewed/elevated due to other reasons, and the Ctn upper reference value remains controversial. In this field, studies have heterogeneous settings, published data are controversial, and no evidence has been achieved. The study’s aim was to evaluate all previously investigated Ctn determinants in a population with histological exclusion of MTC.MethodsThe institutional records from 2010 to 2022 were reviewed to select patients with thyroid nodules who had undergone total thyroidectomy with histological exclusion of MTC and who had tested for Ctn just before surgery. Thyroid features, demographic and anthropometric data, comorbidities, medications, and lifestyle information were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.ResultsA total of 127 cases were included. The median age for thyroidectomy was 51 years. Median Ctn was 1.04 pg/mL (interquartile range (IQR) 1.04–2.77), with two cases having values above 10 pg/mL. In univariate analysis, Ctn was correlated with gender (p < 0.001), body weight (p = 0.016), height (p = 0.031), body surface area (p = 0.016), thyroid size (p = 0.03), thyroglobulin (p < 0.001), and chronic kidney disease (p < 0.001). After multivariate analysis, the model with the highest accuracy included gender, chronic kidney disease, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) with an adjusted R-squared of 0.4.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates, in a population histologically proven as MTC-free, that the Ctn value is mainly influenced by gender, anthropometric/thyroid features, and chronic kidney disease, with the further impact of TSH.

Published
2024
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70. Predicting rice blast disease: machine learning versus process based models

Author

Nettleton, David F., Katsantonis, Dimitrios, Kalaitzidis, Argyris, Sarafijanovic-Djukic, Natasa, Puigdollers, Pau, and Confalonieri, Roberto

Subjects
Quantitative Biology - Quantitative Methods, Computer Science - Machine Learning, Statistics - Machine Learning
Abstract

Rice is the second most important cereal crop worldwide, and the first in terms of number of people who depend on it as a major staple food. Rice blast disease is the most important biotic constraint of rice cultivation causing each year millions of dollars of losses. Despite the efforts for breeding new resistant varieties, agricultural practices and chemical control are still the most important methods for disease management. Thus, rice blast forecasting is a primary tool to support rice growers in controlling the disease. In this study, we compared four models for predicting rice blast disease, two operational process-based models (Yoshino and WARM) and two approaches based on machine learning algorithms (M5Rules and RNN), the former inducing a rule-based model and the latter building a neural network. In situ telemetry is important to obtain quality in-field data for predictive models and this was a key aspect of the RICE-GUARD project on which this study is based. According to the authors, this is the first time process-based and machine learning modelling approaches for supporting plant disease management are compared.

Published
2020
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71. High resolution propagation-based lung imaging at clinically relevant X-ray dose levels

Author

Jonas Albers, Willi L. Wagner, Mascha O. Fiedler, Anne Rothermel, Felix Wünnemann, Francesca Di Lillo, Diego Dreossi, Nicola Sodini, Elisa Baratella, Marco Confalonieri, Fulvia Arfelli, Armin Kalenka, Joachim Lotz, Jürgen Biederer, Mark O. Wielpütz, Hans-Ulrich Kauczor, Frauke Alves, Giuliana Tromba, and Christian Dullin

Subjects
Medicine, Science
Abstract

Abstract Absorption-based clinical computed tomography (CT) is the current imaging method of choice in the diagnosis of lung diseases. Many pulmonary diseases are affecting microscopic structures of the lung, such as terminal bronchi, alveolar spaces, sublobular blood vessels or the pulmonary interstitial tissue. As spatial resolution in CT is limited by the clinically acceptable applied X-ray dose, a comprehensive diagnosis of conditions such as interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis or the characterization of small pulmonary nodules is limited and may require additional validation by invasive lung biopsies. Propagation-based imaging (PBI) is a phase sensitive X-ray imaging technique capable of reaching high spatial resolutions at relatively low applied radiation dose levels. In this publication, we present technical refinements of PBI for the characterization of different artificial lung pathologies, mimicking clinically relevant patterns in ventilated fresh porcine lungs in a human-scale chest phantom. The combination of a very large propagation distance of 10.7 m and a photon counting detector with $$100\,\upmu \hbox {m}$$ 100 μ m pixel size enabled high resolution PBI CT with significantly improved dose efficiency, measured by thermoluminescence detectors. Image quality was directly compared with state-of-the-art clinical CT. PBI with increased propagation distance was found to provide improved image quality at the same or even lower X-ray dose levels than clinical CT. By combining PBI with iodine k-edge subtraction imaging we further demonstrate that, the high quality of the calculated iodine concentration maps might be a potential tool for the analysis of lung perfusion in great detail. Our results indicate PBI to be of great value for accurate diagnosis of lung disease in patients as it allows to depict pathological lesions non-invasively at high resolution in 3D. This will especially benefit patients at high risk of complications from invasive lung biopsies such as in the setting of suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Published
2023
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72. Nailfold Video-Capillaroscopy in Sarcoidosis: New Perspectives and Challenges.

Author

Chianese, Maria, Screm, Gianluca, Confalonieri, Paola, Salton, Francesco, Trotta, Liliana, Da Re, Beatrice, Romallo, Antonio, Galantino, Alessandra, D'Oria, Mario, Hughes, Michael, Bandini, Giulia, Confalonieri, Marco, Baratella, Elisa, Mondini, Lucrezia, and Ruaro, Barbara

Subjects
CONNECTIVE tissue diseases, SYSTEMIC scleroderma, BLOOD flow, DISEASE management, BLOOD vessels
Abstract

Introduction: Nailfold video-capillaroscopy (NVC) is a non-invasive cost-effective technique involving the microscopic examination of small blood vessels of the distal nailfold with a magnification device. It provides valuable information regarding the microcirculation including anomalies such as tortuous or dilated capillaries, hemorrhages, and avascular areas, which can characterize connective tissue diseases. The utility of NVC in the diagnosis and monitoring of systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been investigated in numerous studies allowing the distinction of the specific microvascular pattern of scleroderma from different conditions other than scleroderma (non-scleroderma pattern). Sarcoidosis (SA) is a systemic inflammatory disease that can affect various organs, including the lungs, skin, and lymph nodes. The purpose of our review was to evaluate the current state of the art in the use of NVC in the diagnosis of SA, to understand the indications for its use and any consequent advantages in the management of the disease in different settings in terms of benefits for patients. Materials and Methods: We searched for the key terms "sarcoidosis" and "video-capillaroscopy" in a computerized search of Pub-Med, extending the search back in time without setting limits. We provided a critical overview of the literature, based on a precise evaluation. After our analysis, we examined the six yielded works looking for answers to our questions. Results: Few studies have evaluated that microcirculation is often compromised in SA, with alterations in blood flow and consequent tissue damage. Discussion: Basing on highlighted findings, NVC appears to be a useful tool in the initial evaluation of sarcoidosis patients. Furthermore, capillaroscopy is useful in the evaluation of the coexistence of sarcoidosis and scleroderma spectrum disorder or overlap syndromes. Conclusions: In conclusions, no specific pattern has been described for sarcoidosis, and further re-search is needed to fully understand the implications of nailfold capillaroscopy find-ings in this disease and to establish standardized guidelines for its use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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73. Safety of Nintedanib in a Patient with Chronic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Kidney Disease.

Author

Maggisano, Marta, Mondini, Lucrezia, Chernovsky, Maria, Confalonieri, Paola, Salton, Francesco, Reccardini, Nicolò, Kodric, Metka, Geri, Pietro, Confalonieri, Marco, Hughes, Michael, Cifaldi, Rossella, and Ruaro, Barbara

Subjects
IDIOPATHIC pulmonary fibrosis, RENAL fibrosis, PULMONARY fibrosis, CHRONIC kidney failure, POISONS, LUNGS
Abstract

Nintedanib, an intracellular inhibitor that targets multiple tyrosine kinase, is an important drug for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. Until now, no studies have been published reporting the nintedanib tolerability or its efficacy in patients with chronic pulmonary lung disease and chronic kidney disease comorbidity. The safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of nintedanib have not been studied in patients with severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance < 30 mL/min) and for this reason it is contraindicated in these patients. We describe a case of use of nintedanib in a patient affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) who started, from 2022, nintedanib 150 mg twice a day with careful monitoring of liver and kidney function. Due to the onset of stage 3/4 chronic kidney disease associated with proteinuria, nintedanib was suspended for two months, and the patient received Prednisone at a dose of 12.5 mg/day. During the two months of suspension, the renal function did not improve, unlike the respiratory status worsened. In the past a renal biopsy was performed which showed no correlation with nintedanib use. Nintedanib therapy started again following the decline in lung function and desaturation below 90% in the 6-min walking test (6MWT). Patient showed a good tolerability of nintedanib with sporadic episode of diarrhea and an improvement of pulmonary function leading to a stable state of chronic pulmonary fibrosis disease. For this reason, in mutual agreement with the patient, we decided to maintain nintedanib therapy even when the patient required hemodialysis. No toxic effects appeared. This case report revealed the safety of nintedinab in patient with concomitant kidney failure, but more studies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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74. Gastrointestinal Manifestations of Sarcoidosis: A State-of-the-Art, Comprehensive Review of the Literature—Practical Clinical Insights and Many Unmet Needs on Diagnosis and Treatment.

Author

Nicolosi, Salvatore, Chernovsky, Maria, Angoni, Darina, Hughes, Michael, Bandini, Giulia, McMahan, Zsuzsanna, Maggisano, Marta, Salton, Francesco, Mondini, Lucrezia, Barbieri, Mariangela, Screm, Gianluca, Confalonieri, Marco, Baratella, Elisa, Confalonieri, Paola, and Ruaro, Barbara

Subjects
DELAYED diagnosis, LITERATURE reviews, SMALL intestine, SYMPTOMS, GASTROINTESTINAL diseases, GASTROINTESTINAL system
Abstract

This comprehensive literature review explores the involvement of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in sarcoidosis, a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology. GI sarcoidosis presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its rarity and nonspecific clinical manifestations, including overlap with other gastrointestinal diseases. We conducted a comprehensive screening of articles addressing the clinical features, diagnostic approaches, and treatment strategies for GI sarcoidosis. Our findings reveal that GI sarcoidosis can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, with the stomach and small intestine being the most involved. Clinical presentations range from asymptomatic cases to severe complications such as obstruction and perforation, with reflux being a common symptom. Diagnosis is often delayed due to the nonspecific nature of symptoms and the need for histopathological confirmation. Therapeutic approaches are poorly defined, typically involving corticosteroids as the mainstay of treatment. However, the long-term efficacy and safety of these treatments remain uncertain in this patient group, given the significant risks and complications associated with prolonged glucocorticoid therapy. There is a clear need to develop accurate diagnostic protocols to distinguish GI sarcoidosis from other conditions and to establish standardized therapeutic guidelines to optimize patient outcomes. Further research is essential to enhance our understanding and management of this complex condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2024
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79. Complement protein C1q stimulates hyaluronic acid degradation via gC1qR/HABP1/p32 in malignant pleural mesothelioma

Author

Andrea Balduit, Romana Vidergar, Paola Zacchi, Alessandro Mangogna, Chiara Agostinis, Micaela Grandolfo, Cristina Bottin, Francesco Salton, Paola Confalonieri, Andrea Rocca, Fabrizio Zanconati, Marco Confalonieri, Uday Kishore, Berhane Ghebrehiwet, and Roberta Bulla

Subjects
hyaluronic acid, hyaluronidase, C1q, HYAL2, gC1qR/HABP1/p32, reactive oxygen species, Immunologic diseases. Allergy, RC581-607
Abstract

Complement component C1q can act as a pro-tumorigenic factor in the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is rich in C1q and hyaluronic acid (HA), whose interaction enhances adhesion, migration and proliferation of malignant cells. HA-bound C1q is also capable of modulating HA synthesis. Thus, we investigated whether HA-C1q interaction would affect HA degradation, analyzing the main degradation enzymes, hyaluronidase (HYAL)1 and HYAL2, and a C1q receptor candidate. We first proceeded with the characterization of HYALs in MPM cells, especially HYAL2, since bioinformatics survival analysis revealed that higher HYAL2 mRNA levels have an unfavorable prognostic index in MPM patients. Interestingly, Real-Time quantitative PCR, flow cytometry and Western blot highlighted an upregulation of HYAL2 after seeding of primary MPM cells onto HA-bound C1q. In an attempt to unveil the receptors potentially involved in HA-C1q signaling, a striking co-localization between HYAL2 and globular C1q receptor/HABP1/p32 (gC1qR) was found by immunofluorescence, surface biotinylation and proximity ligation assays. RNA interference experiments revealed a potentially regulatory function exerted by gC1qR on HYAL2 expression, since C1QBP (gene for gC1qR) silencing unexpectedly caused HYAL2 downregulation. In addition, the functional blockage of gC1qR by a specific antibody hindered HA-C1q signaling and prevented HYAL2 upregulation. Thus, C1q-HA interplay is responsible for enhanced HYAL2 expression, suggesting an increased rate of HA catabolism and the release of pro-inflammatory and pro-tumorigenic HA fragments in the MPM TME. Our data support the notion of an overall tumor-promoting property of C1q. Moreover, the overlapping localization and physical interaction between HYAL2 and gC1qR suggests a potential regulatory effect of gC1qR within a putative HA-C1q macromolecular complex.

Published
2023
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80. Nailfold Capillaroscopy Analysis Can Add a New Perspective to Biomarker Research in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis

Author

Gianluca Screm, Lucrezia Mondini, Paola Confalonieri, Francesco Salton, Liliana Trotta, Mariangela Barbieri, Marco Mari, Nicolò Reccardini, Rossana Della Porta, Metka Kodric, Giulia Bandini, Michael Hughes, Mattia Bellan, Selene Lerda, Marco Confalonieri, and Barbara Ruaro

Subjects
vasculitis, nailfold video capillaroscopy, ANCA-associated vasculitis, disease severity, microvascular abnormality, autoimmune disease, Medicine (General), R5-920
Abstract

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) includes granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), all of which are characterised by inflammation of small–medium-sized vessels. Progressive understanding of these diseases has allowed researchers and clinicians to start discussing nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC) as a future tool for many applications in daily practice. Today, NVC plays a well-established and validated role in differentiating primary from secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon correlated with scleroderma. Nevertheless, there has not been sufficient attention paid to its real potential in the ANCA-associated vasculitis. In fact, the role of NVC in vasculitis has never been defined and studied in a multicentre and multinational study. In this review, we carried out a literature analysis to identify and synthesise the possible role of capillaroscopy for patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. Methods: Critical research was performed in the electronic archive (PUBMED, UpToDate, Google Scholar, ResearchGate), supplemented with manual research. We searched in these databases for articles published until November 2023. The following search words were searched in the databases in all possible combinations: capillaroscopy, video capillaroscopy, nailfold-video capillaroscopy, ANCA-associated vasculitis, vasculitis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis, EGPA, and microscopic polyangiitis. Results: The search identified 102 unique search results. After the evaluation, eight articles were selected for further study. The literature reported that capillaroscopy investigations documented non-specific abnormalities in 70–80% of AAV patients. Several patients showed neoangiogenesis, capillary loss, microhaemorrhages, and bushy and enlarged capillaries as the most frequent findings. Furthermore, the difference between active phase and non-active phase in AAV patients was clearly discernible. The non-active phase showed similar rates of capillaroscopy alterations compared to the healthy subjects, but the active phase had higher rates in almost all common abnormalities instead. Conclusions: Microvascular nailfold changes, observed in patients affected by vasculitis, may correlate with the outcome of these patients. However, these non-specific abnormalities may help in the diagnosis of vasculitis. As such, new analysis analyses are necessary to confirm our results.

Published
2024
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81. Functional Progression after Dose Suspension or Discontinuation of Nintedanib in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Real-Life Multicentre Study

Author

Barbara Ruaro, Andrea Salotti, Nicolò Reccardini, Stefano Kette, Beatrice Da Re, Salvatore Nicolosi, Umberto Zuccon, Marco Confalonieri, Lucrezia Mondini, Riccardo Pozzan, Michael Hughes, Paola Confalonieri, and Francesco Salton

Subjects
idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), interstitial pneumonia, interstitial lung disease (ILD), Nintedanib (NTD), pulmonary function tests (PFTs), high-resolution computed tomography (HRTC), Medicine, Pharmacy and materia medica, RS1-441
Abstract

Background. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease with rapidly progressive evolution and an unfavorable outcome. Nintedanib (NTD) is an antifibrotic drug that has been shown to be effective in slowing down the progression of the disease. The aim of our study was to examine the efficacy, especially in terms of the functional decline, and the safety profile of NTD in patients treated with the recommended dose and subjects who reduced or suspended the therapy due to the occurrence of adverse reactions. Methods. We conducted a real-life retrospective study based on the experience of NTD use in two centers between 2015 and 2022. Clinical data were evaluated at baseline, at 6 and 12 months after the NTD introduction in the whole population and in subgroups of patients who continued the full-dose treatment, at a reduced dosage, and at the discontinuation of treatment. The following data were recorded: the demographic features, IPF clinical features, NTD therapeutic dosage, tolerability and adverse events, pulmonary function tests (PFTs), the duration of treatment upon discontinuation, and the causes of interruption. Results. There were 54 IPF patients who were included (29.6% females, with a median (IQR) age at baseline of 75 (69.0–79.0) years). Twelve months after the introduction of the NTD therapy, 20 (37%) patients were still taking the full dose, 11 (20.4%) had reduced it to 200 mg daily, and 15 (27.8%) had stopped treatment. Gastrointestinal intolerance predominantly led to the dose reduction (13.0%) and treatment cessation (20.4%). There were two deaths within the initial 6 months (3.7%) and seven (13.0%) within 12 months. Compared to the baseline, the results of the PFTs remained stable at 6 and 12 months for the entire NTD-treated population, except for a significant decline in the DLCO (% predicted value) at both 6 (38.0 ± 17.8 vs. 43.0 ± 26.0; p = 0.041) and 12 months (41.5 ± 15.3 vs. 44.0 ± 26.8; p = 0.048). The patients who continued treatment at the full dose or a reduced dosage showed no significant differences in the FVC and the DLCO at 12 months. Conversely, those discontinuing the NTD exhibited a statistically significant decline in the FVC (% predicted value) at 12 months compared to the baseline (55.0 ± 13.5 vs. 70.0 ± 23.0; p = 0.035). Conclusions. This study highlights the functional decline of the FVC at 12 months after the NTD initiation among patients discontinuing therapy but not among those reducing their dosage.

Published
2024
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83. Editorial: Evolution in respiratory pharmacology

Author

Barbara Ruaro, Riccardo Pozzan, Alessia Giovanna Andrisano, Marco Confalonieri, and Nilesh Sudhakar Ambhore

Subjects
respiratory medicine, lung diseases, respiratory pharmacology, airway inflammation, airway dysfunction, Therapeutics. Pharmacology, RM1-950
Published
2023
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84. An Internet- and Kinect-Based Multiple Sclerosis Fitness Intervention Training With Pilates Exercises: Development and Usability Study

Author

Andrea Tacchino, Michela Ponzio, Paolo Confalonieri, Letizia Leocani, Matilde Inglese, Diego Centonze, Eleonora Cocco, Paolo Gallo, Damiano Paolicelli, Marco Rovaris, Loredana Sabattini, Gioacchino Tedeschi, Luca Prosperini, Francesco Patti, Placido Bramanti, Elisabetta Pedrazzoli, Mario Alberto Battaglia, and Giampaolo Brichetto

Subjects
Information technology, T58.5-58.64, Public aspects of medicine, RA1-1270
Abstract

BackgroundBalance impairments are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), with reduced ability to maintain position and delayed responses to postural adjustments. Pilates is a popular alternative method for balance training that may reduce the rapid worsening of symptoms and the increased risk of secondary conditions (eg, depression) that are frequently associated with physical inactivity. ObjectiveIn this paper, we aimed to describe the design, development, and usability testing of MS Fitness Intervention Training (MS-FIT), a Kinect-based tool implementing Pilates exercises customized for MS. MethodsMS-FIT has been developed using a user-centered design approach (design, prototype, user feedback, and analysis) to gain the target user’s perspective. A team composed of 1 physical therapist, 2 game programmers, and 1 game designer developed the first version of MS-FIT that integrated the knowledge and experience of the team with MS literature findings related to Pilates exercises and balance interventions based on exergames. MS-FIT, developed by using the Unity 3D (Unity Technologies) game engine software with Kinect Sensor V2 for Windows, implements exercises for breathing, posture, and balance. Feedback from an Italian panel of experts in MS rehabilitation (neurologists, physiatrists, physical therapists, 1 statistician, and 1 bioengineer) and people with MS was collected to customize the tool for use in MS. The context of MS-FIT is traveling around the world to visit some of the most important cities to learn the aspects of their culture through pictures and stories. At each stay of the travel, the avatar of a Pilates teacher shows the user the exercises to be performed. Overall, 9 people with MS (n=4, 44% women; mean age 42.89, SD 11.97 years; mean disease duration 10.19, SD 9.18 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale score 3.17, SD 0.75) were involved in 3 outpatient user test sessions of 30 minutes; MS-FIT’s usability was assessed through an ad hoc questionnaire (maximum value=5; higher the score, higher the usability) evaluating easiness to use, playability, enjoyment, satisfaction, and acceptance. ResultsA user-centered design approach was used to develop an accessible and challenging tool for balance training. All people with MS (9/9, 100%) completed the user test sessions and answered the ad hoc questionnaire. The average score on each item ranged from 3.78 (SD 0.67) to 4.33 (SD 1.00), which indicated a high usability level. The feedback and suggestions provided by 64% (9/14) of people with MS and 36% (5/14) of therapists involved in the user test were implemented to refine the first prototype to release MS-FIT 2.0. ConclusionsThe participants reported that MS-FIT was a usable tool. It is a promising system for enhancing the motivation and engagement of people with MS in performing exercise with the aim of improving their physical status.

Published
2023
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85. Development and preclinical evaluation of bioactive nerve conduits for peripheral nerve regeneration: A comparative study

Author

Elena Stocco, Silvia Barbon, Diego Faccio, Lucia Petrelli, Damiana Incendi, Annj Zamuner, Enrico De Rose, Marta Confalonieri, Francesco Tolomei, Silvia Todros, Cesare Tiengo, Veronica Macchi, Monica Dettin, Raffaele De Caro, and Andrea Porzionato

Subjects
Peripheral nerve injuries, Nerve conduits, Bioactivation, Nerve regeneration, Self-assembling peptides, Medicine (General), R5-920, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
Abstract

In severe peripheral nerve injuries, nerve conduits (NCs) are good alternatives to autografts/allografts; however, the results the available devices guarantee for are still not fully satisfactory. Herein, differently bioactivated NCs based on the new polymer oxidized polyvinyl alcohol (OxPVA) are compared in a rat model of sciatic nerve neurotmesis (gap: 5 mm; end point: 6 weeks). Thirty Sprague Dawley rats are randomized to 6 groups: Reverse Autograft (RA); Reaxon®; OxPVA; OxPVA + EAK (self-assembling peptide, mechanical incorporation); OxPVA + EAK-YIGSR (mechanical incorporation); OxPVA + Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) (adsorption). Preliminarily, all OxPVA-based devices are comparable with Reaxon® in Sciatic Functional Index score and gait analysis; moreover, all conduits sustain nerve regeneration (S100, β-tubulin) without showing substantial inflammation (CD3, F4/80) evidences. Following morphometric analyses, OxPVA confirms its potential in PNI repair (comparable with Reaxon®) whereas OxPVA + EAK-YIGSR stands out for its myelinated axons total number and density, revealing promising in injury recovery and for future application in clinical practice.

Published
2023
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86. Exploring the cost-effectiveness of high versus low perioperative fraction of inspired oxygen in the prevention of surgical site infections among abdominal surgery patients in three low- and middle-income countries

Author

Mwayi Kachapila, Mark Monahan, Adesoji O. Ademuyiwa, Yakubu Momohsani Adinoyi, Bruce M. Biccard, Christina George, Dhruva N. Ghosh, James Glasbey, Dion G. Morton, Osaheni Osayomwanbo, Rupert Pearse, Tracy E. Roberts, Atul Suroy, Saidu Yusuf Yakubu, Raymond Oppong, Aneel Bhangu, Maria Lorena Aguilera, Philip Alexander, Sara W. Al-Saqqa, Giuliano Borda-Luque, Ainhoa Costas-Chavarri, Thomas M. Drake, Faustin Ntirenganya, J. Edward Fitzgerald, Stuart J. Fergusson, J.C. Allen Ingabire, Lawani Ismaïl, Hosni Khairy Salem, Anyomih Theophilus Teddy Kojo, Marie Carmela Lapitan, Richard Lilford, Andre L. Mihaljevic, Dion Morton, Alphonse Zeta Mutabazi, Dmitri Nepogodiev, Adewale O. Adisa, Riinu Ots, Francesco Pata, Thomas Pinkney, Tomas Poškus, Ahmad Uzair Qureshi, Antonio Ramos-De la Medina, Sarah Rayne, Catherine A. Shaw, Sebastian Shu, Richard Spence, Neil Smart, Stephen Tabiri, Ewen M. Harrison, Azmina Verjee, Emmy Runigamugabo, Chetan Khatri, Midhun Mohan, Zahra Jaffry, Afnan Altamini, Andrew Kirby, Kjetil Søreide, Gustavo Recinos, Jen Cornick, Maria Marta Modolo, Dushyant Iyer, Sebastian King, Tom Arthur, Sayeda Nazmum Nahar, Ade Waterman, Michael Walsh, Arnav Agarwal, Augusto Zani, Mohammed Firdouse, Tyler Rouse, Qinyang Liu, Juan Camilo Correa, Peep Talving, Mengistu Worku, Alexis Arnaud, Vassilis Kalles, Basant Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Radhian Amandito, Roy Quek, Luca Ansaloni, Ahmed Altibi, Donatas Venskutonis, Justas Zilinskas, Tomas Poskus, John Whitaker, Vanessa Msosa, Yong Yong Tew, Alexia Farrugia, Elaine Borg, Zineb Bentounsi, Tanzeela Gala, Ibrahim Al-Slaibi, Haya Tahboub, Osaid H. Alser, Diego Romani, Sebestian Shu, Piotr Major, Aurel Mironescu, Matei Bratu, Amar Kourdouli, Aliyu Ndajiwo, Abdulaziz Altwijri, Mohammed Ubaid Alsaggaf, Ahmad Gudal, Al Faifi Jubran, Sam Seisay, Bettina Lieske, Irene Ortega, Jenifa Jeyakumar, Kithsiri J. Senanayake, Omar Abdulbagi, Yucel Cengiz, Dmitri Raptis, Yuksel Altinel, Chia Kong, Ella Teasdale, Gareth Irwin, Michael Stoddart, Rakan Kabariti, Sukrit Suresh, Katherine Gash, Ragavan Narayanan, Mayaba Maimbo, Besmir Grizhja, Shpetim Ymeri, Gezim Galiqi, Roberto Klappenbach, Diego Antezana, Alvaro Enrique Mendoza Beleño, Cecilia Costa, Belen Sanchez, Susan Aviles, Claudio Gabriel Fermani, Rubén Balmaceda, Santiago Villalobos, Juan Manuel Carmona, Daniel Hamill, Peter Deutschmann, Simone Sandler, Daniel Cox, Ram Nataraja, Claire Sharpin, Damir Ljuhar, Demi Gray, Morgan Haines, Dush Iyer, Nithya Niranjan, Scott D'Amours, Morvarid Ashtari, Helena Franco, Ashrarur Rahman Mitul, Sabbir Karim, Nowrin F. Aman, Mahnuma Mahfuz Estee, Umme Salma, Joyeta Razzaque, Tasnia Hamid Kanta, Sayeeda Aktar Tori, Shadid Alamin, Swapnil Roy, Shadid Al Amin, Rezaul Karim, Muhtarima Haque, Amreen Faruq, Farhana Iftekhar, Margaret O'Shea, Greg Padmore, Ramesh Jonnalagadda, Andrey Litvin, Aliaksandr Filatau, Dzmitry Paulouski, Maryna Shubianok, Tatsiana Shachykava, Dzianis Khokha, Vladimir Khokha, Fernande Djivoh, Francis Dossou, Djifid Morel Seto, Dansou Gaspard Gbessi, Bruno Noukpozounkou, Yacoubou Imorou Souaibou, Kpèmahouton René Keke, Fred Hodonou, Ernest Yemalin Stephane Ahounou, Thierry Alihonou, Max Dénakpo, Germain Ahlonsou, Alemayehu Ginbo Bedada, Carlos Nsengiyumva, Sandrine Kwizera, Venerand Barendegere, Philip Choi, Simon Stock, Luai Jamal, Georges Azzie, Sameer Kushwaha, Tzu-Ling Chen, Chingwan Yip, Irene Montes, Felipe Zapata, Sebastian Sierra, Maria Isabel Villegas Lanau, Maria Clara Mendoza Arango, Ivan Mendoza Restrepo, Ruben Santiago Restrepo Giraldo, Edgar Domini, Robert Karlo, Jakov Mihanovic, Mohamed Youssef, Hossam Elfeki, Waleed Thabet, Aly Sanad, Gehad Tawfik, Ahmed Zaki, Noran Abdel-Hameed, Mohamed Mostafa, Muhammad Fathi Waleed Omar, Ahmed Ghanem, Emad Abdallah, Adel Denewar, Eman Emara, Eman Rashad, Ahmad Sakr, Rehab Elashry, Sameh Emile, Toqa Khafagy, Sara Elhamouly, Arwa Elfarargy, Amna Mamdouh Mohamed, Ghada Saied Nagy, Abeer Esam, Eman Elwy, Aya Hammad, Salwa Khallaf, Eman Ibrahim, Ahmed Saidbadr, Ahmed Moustafa, Amany Eldosouky Mohammed, Mohammed Elgheriany, Eman Abdelmageed, Eman Abd Al Raouf, Esraa Samir Elbanby, Maha Elmasry, Mahitab Morsy Farahat, Eman Yahya Mansor, Eman Magdy Hegazy, Esraa Gamal, Heba Gamal, Hend Kandil, Doaa Maher Abdelrouf, Mohamed Moaty, Dina Gamal, Nada El-Sagheer, Mohamed Salah, Salma Magdy, Asmaa Salah, Ahmed Essam, Ahmed Ali, Mahmoud Badawy, Sara Ahmed, Mazed Mohamed, Abdelrahman Assal, Mohamed Sleem, Mai Ebidy, Aly Abd Elrazek, Diaaaldin Zahran, Nourhan Adam, Mohamed Nazir, Adel B. Hassanein, Ahmed Ismail, Amira Elsawy, Rana Mamdouh, Mohamed Mabrouk, Lopna Ahmed Mohamed Ahmed, Mohamed Hassab Alnaby, Eman Magdy, Manar Abd-Elmawla, Marwan Fahim, Bassant Mowafy, Moustafa Ibrahim Mahmoud, Meran Allam, Muhammad Alkelani, Noran Halim El Gendy, Mariam Saad Aboul-Naga, Reham Alaa El-Din, Alyaa Halim Elgendy, Mohamed Ismail, Mahmoud Shalaby, Aya Adel Elsharkawy, Mahmoud Elsayed Moghazy, Khaled Hesham Elbisomy, Hend Adel Gawad Shakshouk, Mohamed Fouad Hamed, Mai Mohamed Ebidy, Mostafa Abdelkader, Mohamed Karkeet, Hayam Ahmed, Israa Adel, Mohammad Elsayed Omar, Mohamed Ibrahim, Omar Ghoneim, Omar Hesham, Shimaa Gamal, Karim Hilal, Omar Arafa, Sawsan Adel Awad, Menatalla Salem, Fawzia Abdellatif Elsherif, Nourhan Elsabbagh, Moustafa R. Aboelsoud, Ahmed Hossam Eldin Fouad Rida, Amr Hossameldin, Ethar Hany, Yomna Hosny Asar, Nourhan Anwar, Mohamed Gadelkarim, Samar Abdelhady, Eman Mohamed Morshedy, Reham Saad, Nourhan Soliman, Mahmoud Salama, Eslam Ezzat, Arwa Mohamed, Arwa Ibrahim, Alaa Fergany, Sara Mohammed, Aya Reda, Yomna Allam, Hanan Adel Saad, Afnan Abdelfatah, Aya Mohamed Fathy, Ahmed El-Sehily, Esraa Abdalmageed Kasem, Ahmed Tarek Abdelbaset Hassan, Ahmed Rabeih Mohammed, Abdalla Gamal Saad, Yasmin Elfouly, Nesma Elfouly, Arij Ibrahim, Amr Hassaan, Mohammed Mustafa Mohammed, Ghada Elhoseny, Mohamed Magdy, Esraa Abd Elkhalek, Yehia Zakaria, Tarek Ezzat, Ali Abo El Dahab, Mohamed Kelany, Sara Arafa, Osama Mokhtar Mohamed Hassan, Nermin Mohamed Badwi, Ahmad Saber Sleem, Hussien Ahmed, Kholoud Abdelbadeai, Mohamed Abozed Abdullah, Muhammad Amsyar Auni Lokman, Suraya Bahar, Anan Rady Abdelazeam, Abdelrahman Adelshone, Muhammad Bin Hasnan, Athirah Zulkifli, Siti Nur Alia Kamarulzamil, Abdelaziz Elhendawy, Aliang Latif, Ahmad Bin Adnan, Shahadatul Shaharuddin, Aminah Hanum Haji Abdul Majid, Mahmoud Amreia, Dina Al-Marakby, Mahmoud Salma, Mohamad Jeffrey Bin Ismail, Elissa Rifhan Mohd Basir, Citra Dewi, Mohd Ali, Aya Yehia Ata, Maha Nasr, Asmaa Rezq, Ahmed Sheta, Sherif Tariq, Abd Elkhalek Sallam, Abdelrhman K.Z. Darwish, Sohaila Elmihy, Shady Elhadry, Ahmed Farag, Haidar Hajeh, Abdelaziz Abdelaal, Amro Aglan, Ahmed Zohair, Mahitab Essam, Omar Moussa, Esraa El-Gizawy, Mostafa Samy, Safia Ali, Esraa Elhalawany, Ahmed Ata, Mohamed El Halawany, Mohamed Nashat, Samar Soliman, Alaa Elazab, Mostada Samy, Mohamed A. Abdelaziz, Khaled Ibrahim, Ahmed mohamed Ibrahim, Ammar Gado, Usama Hantour, Esraa Alm Eldeen, Mohamed Reda loaloa, Arwa Abouzaid, Mostafa Ahmed Bahaa Eldin, Eman Hashad, Fathy Sroor, Doaa Gamil, Eman Mahmoud Abdulhakeem, Mahmoud Zakaria, Fawzy Mohamed, Marwan Abubakr, Elsayed Ali, Hesham Magdy, Menna Tallah Ramadan, Mohamed Abdelaty Mohamed, Salma Mansour, Hager Abdul Aziz Amin, Ahmed Rabie Mohamed, Mahmoud Saami, Nada Ahmed Reda Elsayed, Adham Tarek, Sabry Mohy Eldeen Mahmoud, Islam Magdy El Sayed, Amira Reda, Martina Yusuf Shawky, Mohammed Mousa Salem, Shahinaz Alaa El-Din, Noha Abdullah Soliman, Muhammed Talaat, Shahinaz Alaael-Dein, Ahmed Abd Elmoen Elhusseiny, Noha Abdullah, Mohammed Elshaar, Aya AbdelFatah Ibraheem, Hager Abdulaziz, Mohammed Kamal Ismail, Mona Hamdy Madkor, Mohamed Abdelaty, Sara Mahmoud Abdel-Kader, Osama Mohamed Salah, Mahmoud Eldafrawy, Ahmed Zaki Eldeeb, Mostafa Mahmoud Eid, Attia Attia, Khalid Salah El-Dien, Ayman Shwky, Mohamed Adel Badenjki, Abdelrahman Soliman, Samaa Mahmoud Al Attar, Farrag Sayed, Fahd Abdel Sabour, Mohammed G. Azizeldine, Muhammad Shawqi, Abdullah Hashim, Ahmed Aamer, Ahmed Mahmoud Abdelraouf, Mahmoud Abdelshakour, Amal Ibrahim, Basma Mahmoud, Mohamed Ali Mahmoud, Mostafa Qenawy, Ahmed M. Rashed, Ahmed Dahy, Marwa Sayed, Ahmed W. Shamsedine, Bakeer Mohamed, Ahmad Hasan, Mahmoud M. Saad, Khalil Abdul Bassit, Nadia Khalid Abd El-Latif, Nada Elzahed, Ahmed El Kashash, Nada Mohamed Bekhet, Sarah Hafez, Ahmed Gad, Mahmoud Elkhadragy Maher, Ahmed Abd Elsameea, Mohamed Hafez, Ahmad Sabe, Ataa Ahmed, Ahmed Shahine, Khaled Dawood, Shireen Gaafar, Reem Husseiny, Omnia Aboelmagd, Ahmed Soliman, Nourhan Mesbah, Hossam Emadeldin, Amgad Al Meligy, Amira Hassan Bekhet, Doaa Hasan, Khaled Alhady, Ahmad Khaled Sabe, Mahmoud A. Elnajjar, Majed Aboelella, Ward Hamsho, Ihab Hassan, Hala Saad, Galaleldin Abdelazim, Hend Mahmoud, Noha Wael, Ahmedali M. Kandil, Ahmed Magdy, Shimaa Said Elkholy, Badr Eldin Adel, Kareem Dabbour, Saged Elsherbiney, Omar Mattar, Abdulshafi Khaled Abdrabou, Mohammed Yahia Mohamed Aly, Abdelrahman Geuoshy, Ahmedglal Elnagar, Saraibrahim Ahmed, Ibrahem Abdelmotaleb, Amr Ahmed Saleh, Manar Saeed, Shady Mahmoud, Badreldin Adel Tawfik, Samar Adel Ismail, Esraay Zakaria, Mariam O. Gad, Mohamed Salah Elhelbawy, Monica Bassem, Noha Maraie, Nourhan Medhat Elhadary, Nourhan Semeda, Shaza Rabie Mohamed, Hesham Mohammed Bakry, A.A. Essam, Dina Tarek, Khlood Ashour, Alaa Elhadad, Abdulrahman Abdel-Aty, Ibrahim Rakha, Sara Mamdouh Matter, Rasha Abdelhamed, Omar Abdelkader, Ayat Hassaan, Yasmin Soliman, Amna Mohamed, Sara Ghanem, Sara Amr Mohamed Farouk, Eman Mohamed Ibrahim, Esraa El-Taher, Merna Mostafa, Mohamed Fawzy Mahrous Badr, Rofida Elsemelawy, Aya El-Sawy, Ahmad Bakr, Ahmad Abdel Razaq Al Rafati, Sten Saar, Arvo Reinsoo, Nebyou Seyoum, Tewodros Worku, Agazi Fitsum, Matti Tolonen, Ari Leppäniemi, Ville Sallinen, Benoît Parmentier, Matthieu Peycelon, Sabine Irtan, Sabrina Dardenne, Elsa Robert, Betty Maillot, Etienne Courboin, Alexis Pierre Arnaud, Juliette Hascoet, Olivier Abbo, Amir Ait Kaci, Thomas Prudhomme, Quentin Ballouhey, Céline Grosos, Laurent Fourcade, Tolg Cecilia, Colombani Jean-Francois, Francois-Coridon Helene, Xavier Delforge, Elodie Haraux, Bertrand Dousset, Roberto Schiavone, Sebastien Gaujoux, Jean-Baptiste Marret, Aurore Haffreingue, Julien Rod, Mariette Renaux-Petel, Jean-François Lecompte, Jean Bréaud, Pauline Gastaldi, Chouikh Taieb, Raquillet Claire, Echaieb Anis, Nasir Bustangi, Manuel Lopezv, Aurelien Scalabre, Maria Giovanna Grella, Aurora Mariani, Guillaume Podevin, Françoise Schmitt, Erik Hervieux, Aline Broch, Cecile Muller, Dickson Bandoh, Francis Abantanga, Martin Kyereh, Hamza Asumah, Eric Kofi Appiah, Paul Wondoh, Adam Gyedu, Charles Dally, Kwabena Agbedinu, Michael Amoah, Abiboye Yifieyeh, Frank Owusu, Mabel Amoako-Boateng, Makafui Dayie, Richmond Hagan, Sam Debrah, Micheal Ohene-Yeboah, Joe-Nat Clegg-Lampety, Victor Etwire, Jonathan Dakubo, Samuel Essoun, William Bonney, Hope Glover-Addy, Samuel Osei-Nketiah, Joachim Amoako, Niiarmah Adu-Aryee, William Appeadu-Mensah, Antoinette Bediako-Bowan, Florence Dedey, Mattew Ekow, Emmanuel Akatibo, Musah Yakubu, Hope Edem Kofi Kordorwu, Kwasi Asare-Bediako, Enoch Tackie, Kenneth Aaniana, Emmanuel Acquah, Richard Opoku-Agyeman, Anthony Avoka, Kwasi Kusi, Kwame Maison, Frank Enoch Gyamfi, Gandau Naa Barnabas, Saiba Abdul-Latif, Philip Taah Amoako, Anthony Davor, Victor Dassah, Enoch Dagoe, Prince Kwakyeafriyie, Elliot Akoto, Eric Ackom, Ekow Mensah, Ebenezer Takyi Atkins, Christian Lari Coompson, Nikolaos Ivros, Christoforos Ferousis, Vasileios Kalles, Christos Agalianos, Ioannis Kyriazanos, Christos Barkolias, Angelos Tselos, Georgios Tzikos, Evangelos Voulgaris, Dimitrios Lytras, Athanasia Bamicha, Kyriakos Psarianos, Anastasios Stefanopoulos, Ioannis Patoulias, Dimitrios Sfougaris, Ioannis Valioulis, Dimitrios Balalis, Dimitrios Korkolis, Dimitrios K. Manatakis, Georgios Kyrou, Georgios Karabelias, Iason-Antonios Papaskarlatos, Kolonia Konstantina, Nikolaos Zampitis, Stylianos Germanos, Aspasia Papailia, Theodosios Theodosopoulos, Georgios Gkiokas, Magdalini Mitroudi, Christina Panteli, Thomas Feidantsis, Konstantinos Farmakis, Dimitrios Kyziridis, Orestis Ioannidis, Styliani Parpoudi, Georgios Gemenetzis, Stavros Parasyris, Christos Anthoulakis, Nikolaos Nikoloudis, Michail Margaritis, Maria-Lorena Aguilera-Arevalo, Otto Coyoy-Gaitan, Javier Rosales, Luis Tale, Rafael Soley, Emmanuel Barrios, Servio Tulio Torres Rodriguez, Carlos Paz Galvez, Danilo Herrera Cruz, Guillermo Sanchez Rosenberg, Alejandro Matheu, David Monterroso Cohen, Marie Paul, Angeline Charles, Justin Chak Yiu Lam, Man Hon Andrew Yeung, Chi Ying Jacquelyn Fok, Ka Hin Gabriel Li, Anthony Chuk-Him Lai, Yuk Hong Eric Cheung, Hong Yee Wong, Ka Wai Leung, Tien Seng Bryan Lee, Wai Him Lam, Weihei Dao, Stephanie Hiu-wai Kwok, Tsz-Yan Katie Chan, Yung Kok Ng, T.W.C. Mak, Chi Chung Foo, James Yang, Ankur Bhatnagar, Vijaid Upadhyaya, Uday Muddebihal, Wasim Dar, K.C. Janardha, Neerav Aruldas, Fidelis Jacklyn Adella, Anthonius Santoso Rulie, Ferdy Iskandar, Jonny Setiawan, Cicilia Viany Evajelista, Hani Natalie, Arlindawati Suyadi, Rudy Gunawan, Herlin Karismaningtyas, Lusi Padma Sulistianingsih Mata, Ferry Fitriya Ayu Andika, Afifatun Hasanah, T. Ariani Widiastini, Nurlaila Ayu Purwaningsih, Annisa Dewi Fitriana Mukin, Dina Faizatur Rahmah, Hazmi Dwinanda Nurqistan, Hasbi Maulana Arsyad, Novia Adhitama, Wifanto Saditya Jeo, Nathania Sutandi, Audrey Clarissa, Phebe Anggita Gultom, Matthew Billy, Andreass Haloho, Nadya Johanna, Felix Lee, Radin Mohd Nurrahman Radin Dorani, Martha Glynn, Mohammad Alherz, Wennweoi Goh, Haaris A. Shiwani, Lorraine Sproule, Kevin C. Conlon, Miklosh Bala, Asaf Kedar, Luca Turati, Federica Bianco, Francesca Steccanella, Gaetano Gallo, Mario Trompetto, Giuseppe Clerico, Matteo Papandrea, Giuseppe Sammarco, Rosario Sacco, Angelo Benevento, Luisa Giavarini, Mariano Cesare Giglio, Luigi Bucci, Gianluca Pagano, Viviana Sollazzo, Roberto Peltrini, Gaetano Luglio, Arianna Birindelli, Salomone Di Saverio, Gregorio Tugnoli, Miguel Angel Paludi, Pietro Mingrone, Domenica Pata, Francesco Selvaggi, Lucio Selvaggi, Gianluca Pellino, Natale Di Martino, Gianluca Curletti, Paolo Aonzo, Raffaele Galleano, Stefano Berti, Elisa Francone, Silvia Boni, Laura Lorenzon, Annalisa lo Conte, Genoveffa Balducci, Gianmaria Confalonieri, Giovanni Pesenti, Laura Gavagna, Giorgio Vasquez, Simone Targa, Savino Occhionorelli, Dario Andreotti, Giacomo Pata, Andrea Armellini, Deborah Chiesa, Fabrizio Aquilino, Nicola Chetta, Arcangelo Picciariello, Mohamed Abdelkhalek, Andrea Belli, Silvia De Franciscis, Annamaria Bigaran, Alessandro Favero, Stefano M.M. Basso, Paola Salusso, Martina Perino, Sylvie Mochet, Diego Sasia, Francesco Riente, Marco Migliore, David Merlini, Silvia Basilicò, Carlo Corbellini, Veronica Lazzari, Yuri Macchitella, Luigi Bonavina, Daniele Angelieri, Diego Coletta, Federica Falaschi, Marco Catani, Claudia Reali, Mariastella Malavenda, Celeste Del Basso, Sergio Ribaldi, Massimo Coletti, Andrea Natili, Norma Depalma, Immacolata Iannone, Angelo Antoniozzi, Davide Rossi, Daniele Gui, Gerardo Perrotta, Matteo Ripa, Francesco Ruben Giardino, Maurizio Foco, Erika Vicario, Federico Coccolini, Gabriela Elisa Nita, Nicoletta Leone, Andrea Bondurri, Anna Maffioli, Andrea Simioni, Davide De Boni, Sandro Pasquali, Elena Goldin, Elena Vendramin, Eleonora Ciccioli, Umberto Tedeschi, Luca Bortolasi, Paola Violi, Tommaso Campagnaro, Simone Conci, Giovanni Lazzari, Calogero Iacono, Alfredo Gulielmi, Serena Manfreda, Anna Rinaldi, Maria Novella Ringressi, Beatrice Brunoni, Giuseppe Salamone, Mirko Mangiapane, Paolino De Marco, Antonella La Brocca, Roberta Tutino, Vania Silvestri, Leo Licari, Tommaso Fontana, Nicolò Falco, Gianfranco Cocorullo, Mostafa Shalaby, Pierpaolo Sileri, Claudio Arcudi, Isam Bsisu, Khaled Aljboor, Lana Abusalem, Aseel Alnusairat, Ahmad Qaissieh, Emad Al-Dakka, Ali Ababneh, Oday Halhouli, Taha Yusufali, Hussein Mohammed, Justus Lando, Robert Parker, Wairimu Ndegwa, Mantas Jokubauskas, Jolanta Gribauskaite, Justas Kuliavas, Audrius Dulskas, Narimantas E. Samalavicius, Kristijonas Jasaitis, Audrius Parseliunas, Viktorija Nevieraite, Margarita Montrimaite, Evelina Slapelyte, Edvinas Dainius, Romualdas Riauka, Zilvinas Dambrauskas, Andrejus Subocius, Linas Venclauskas, Antanas Gulbinas, Saulius Bradulskis, Simona Kasputyte, Deimante Mikuckyte, Mindaugas Kiudelis, Tomas Jankus, Steponas Petrikenas, Matas Pažuskis, Zigmantas Urniežius, Mantas Vilčinskas, Vincas Jonas Banaitis, Vytautas Gaižauskas, Edvard Grisin, Povilas Mazrimas, Rokas Rackauskas, Mantas Drungilas, Karolis Lagunavicius, Vytautas Lipnickas, Dovilè Majauskyté, Valdemaras Jotautas, Tomas Abaliksta, Laimonas Uščinas, Gintaras Simutis, Adomas Ladukas, Donatas Danys, Erikas Laugzemys, Saulius Mikalauskas, Elena Zdanyte Sruogiene, Petras Višinskas, Reda Žilinskienė, Deividas Dragatas, Andrius Burmistrovas, Zygimantas Tverskis, Arturas Vaicius, Ruta Mazelyte, Antanas Zadoroznas, Nerijus Kaselis, Greta Žiubrytė, Finaritra Casimir Fleur Prudence Rahantasoa, Luc Hervé Samison, Fanjandrainy Rasoaherinomenjanahary, Todisoa Emmanuella Christina Tolotra, Cornelius Mukuzunga, Chimwemwe Kwatiwani, Nelson Msiska, Feng Yih Chai, Siti Mohd Desa Asilah, Khuzaimah Zahid Syibrah, Pui Xin Chin, Afizah Salleh, Nur Zulaika Riswan, April Camilla Roslani, Hoong-Yin Chong, Nora Abdul Aziz, Keat-Seong Poh, Chu-Ann Chai, Sandip Kumar, Mustafa Mohammed Taher, Nik Ritza Kosai, Dayang Nita Abdul Aziz, Reynu Rajan, Rokayah Julaihi, Durvesh Lacthman Jethwani, Muhammad Taqiyuddin Yahaya, Nik Azim Nik Abdullah, Susan Wndy Mathew, Kuet Jun Chung, Milaksh Kumar Nirumal, R. Goh Ern Tze, Syed Abdul Wahhab Eusoffee Wan Ali, Yiing Yee Gan, Jesse Ron Swire Ting, Samuel S.Y. Sii, Kean Leong Koay, Yi Koon Tan, Alvin Ee Zhiun Cheah, Chui Yee Wong, Tuan Nur'Azmah Tuan Mat, Crystal Yern Nee Chow, Prisca A.L. Har, Yishan Der, Fitjerald Henry, Xinwei Low, Ya Theng Neo, Hian Ee Heng, Shu Ning Kong, Cheewei Gan, Yi Ting Mok, Yee Wen Tan, Kandasami Palayan, Mahadevan Deva Tata, Yih Jeng Cheong, Kuhaendran Gunaseelan, Wan Nurul 'Ain Wan Mohd Nasir, Pigeneswaren Yoganathan, Eu Xian Lee, Jian Er Saw, Li Jing Yeang, Pei Ying Koh, Shyang Yee Lim, Shuang Yi Teo, Nicole Grech, Daniela Magri, Kristina Cassar, Christine Mizzi, Malcolm Falzon, Nihaal Shaikh, Ruth Scicluna, Stefan Zammit, Sean Mizzi, Svetlana Doris Brincat, Thelma Tembo, Vu Thanh Hien Le, Tara Grima, Keith Sammut, Kurt Carabott, Ciskje Zarb, Andre Navarro, Thea Dimech, Georgette Marie Camilleri, Isaac Bertuello, Jeffrey Dalli, Karl Bonavia, Samantha Corro-Diaz, Marisol Manriquez-Reyes, Amina Abdelhamid, Abdelmalek Hrora, Sarah Benammi, Houda Bachri, Meryem Abbouch, Khaoula Boukhal, Redouane Mammar Bennai, Abdelkader Belkouchi, Mohamed Sobhi Jabal, Chaymae Benyaiche, Maarten Vermaas, Lucia Duinhouwer, Javier Pastora, Greta Wood, Maria Soledad Merlo, Akinlabi Ajao, Omobolaji Ayandipo, Taiwo Lawal, Abdussemiu Abdurrazzaaq, Muslimat Alada, Abdulrasheed Nasir, James Adeniran, Olufemi Habeeb, Ademola Popoola, Ademola Adeyeye, Ademola Adebanjo, Opeoluwa Adesanya, Adewale Adeniyi, Henry Mendel, Bashir Bello, Umar Muktar, Adedapo Osinowo, Thomas Olagboyega Olajide, Oyindamola Oshati, George Ihediwa, Babajide Adenekan, Victor Nwinee, Felix Alakaloko, Adesoji Ademuyiwa, Olumide Elebute, Abdulrazzaq Lawal, Chris Bode, Mojolaoluwa Olugbemi, Alaba Adesina, Olubukola Faturoti, Oluwatomi Odutola, Oluwaseyi Adebola, Clement Onuoha, Ogechukwu Taiwo, Omolara Williams, Fatai Balogun, Olalekan Ajai, Mobolaji Oludara, Iloba Njokanma, Roland Osuoji, Stephen Kache, Jonathan Ajah, Jerry Makama, Ahmed Adamu, Suleiman Baba, Mohammad Aliyu, Shamsudeen Aliyu, Yahaya Ukwenya, Halima Aliyu, Tunde Sholadoye, Muhammad Daniyan, Oluseyi Ogunsua, Lofty-John Anyanwu, Abdurrahaman Sheshe, Aminu Mohammad, Samson Olori, Philip Mshelbwala, Babatunde Odeyemi, Garba Samson, Oyediran Kehinde Timothy, Sani Ali Samuel, Anthony Ajiboye, Isaac Amole, Olajide Abiola, Akin Olaolorun, Torhild Veen, Arezo Kanani, Kristian Styles, Ragnar Herikstad, Johannes Wiik Larsen, Jon Arne Søreide, Elisabeth Jensen, Mads Gran, Eirik Kjus Aahlin, Tina Gaarder, Peter Wiel Monrad-Hansen, Pål Aksel Næss, Giedrius Lauzikas, Joachim Wiborg, Silje Holte, Knut Magne Augestad, Gurpreet Singh Banipal, Michela Monteleone, Thomas Tetens Moe, Johannes Kurt Schultz, Taher Al-Taher, Ayah Hamdan, Ayman Salman, Rana Saadeh, Aseel Musleh, Dana Jaradat, Soha Abushamleh, Sakhaa Hanoun, Amjad Abu Qumbos, Aseel Hamarshi, Ayman, Taher, Israa Qawasmi, Khalid Qurie, Marwa Altarayra, Mohammad Ghannam, Alaa Shaheen, Azher Herebat, Aram Abdelhaq, Ahmad Shalabi, Maram Abu-Toyour, Fatema Asi, Ala Shamasneh, Anwar Atiyeh, Mousa Mustafa, Rula Zaa'treh, Majd Dabboor, Enas Alaloul, Heba Baraka, Jehad Meqbil, Alaa Al-Buhaisi, Mohamedraed Elshami, Samah Afana, Sahar Jaber, Said Alyacoubi, Yousef Abuowda, Tasneem Idress, Eman Abuqwaider, Sara Al-Saqqa, Alaa Bowabsak, Alaa El Jamassi, Doaa Hasanain, Hadeel Al-Farram, Maram Salah, Aya Firwana, Marwa Hamdan, Israa Awad, Ahmad Ashour, Fayez Elian Al Barrawi, Ahmed Al-Khatib, Maha Al-Faqawi, Mohamed Fares, Amjad Elmashala, Mohammad Adawi, Ihdaa Adawi, Reem Khreishi, Rose Khreishi, Ahed Ghaben, Najwa Nadeem, Muhammad Saqlain, Jibran Abbasy, Abdul Rehman Alvi, Noman Shahzad, Kamran Faisal Bhopal, Zainab Iftikhar, Muhammad Talha Butt, Syed Asaat Ul Razi, Asdaq Ahmed, Ali Khan Niazi, Ibrahim Raza, Fatima Baluch, Ahmed Raza, Ahmad Bani-Sadar, Muhammad Adil, Awais Raza, Mahnoor Javaid, Muhammad Waqar, Maryam Ali Khan, Mohammad Mohsin Arshad, Mohammadasim Amjad, Gustavo Miguel Machain Vega, Jorge Torres Cardozo, Marcelo O´Higgins Roche, Gustavo Rodolfo Pertersen Servin, Helmut Alfredo Segovia Lohse, Larissa Ines Páez Lopez, Ramón Augusto Melo Cardozo, Fernando Espinoza, Angel David Pérez Rojas, Diana Sanchez, Camila Sanchez Samaniego, Shalon Guevara Torres, Alexander Canta Calua, Cesar Razuri, Nadia Ortiz, Xianelle Rodriguez, Nahilia Carrasco, Fridiz Saravia, Hector Shibao Miyasato, María Valcarcel-Saldaña, Ysabel Esthefany Alejos Bermúdez, Juan Carpio, Walter Ruiz Panez, Pedro Angel Toribio Orbegozo, Carolina Guzmán Dueñas, Kevin Turpo Espinoza, Ana Maria Sandoval Barrantes, Jorge Armando Chungui Bravo, Lorena Fuentes-Rivera, Carmen Fernández, Bárbara Málaga, Joselyn Ye, Ricardo Velasquez, Jannin Salcedo, Ana Lucia Contreras-Vergara, Angelica Genoveva Vergara Mejia, Maria Soledad Gonzales Montejo, Marilia Del Carmen Escalante Salas, Willy Alcca Ticona, Marvin Vargas, George Christian Manrique Sila, Robinson Mas, Arazzelly del Pilar Paucar, Armando José Román Velásquez, Alina Robledo-Rabanal, Ludwing Alexander Zeta Solis, Kenny Turpo Espinoza, José Luis Hamasaki Hamaguchi, Erick Samuel Florez Farfan, Linda Alvi Madrid Barrientos, Juan Jaime Herrera Matta, John Jemuel V. Mora, Menold Archee P. Redota, Manuel Francisco Roxas, Maria Jesusa B. Maño, Marie Dione Parreno-Sacdalan, Christel Leanne Almanon, Maciej Walędziak, Rafał Roszkowski, Michał Janik, Anna Lasek, Dorota Radkowiak, Mateusz Rubinkiewicz, Cristina Fernandes, Jose Costa-Maia, Renato Melo, Liviu Muntean, Aurel Sandu Mironescu, Lucian Corneliu Vida, Mariuca Popa, Hogea Mircea, Mihaela Vartic, Bogdan Diaconescu, Matei Razvan Bratu, Ionut Negoi, Mircea Beuran, Cezar Ciubotaru, Norbert Uzabumwana, Dieudonne Duhoranenayo, Elio Jovine, Nicola Zanini, Giovanni Landolfo, Murad Aljiffry, Faisal Idris, Mohammed Saleh A. Alghamdi, Ashraf Maghrabi, Abdulmalik Altaf, Aroub Alkaaki, Ahmad Khoja, Abrar Nawawi, Sondos Turkustani, Eyad Khalifah, Adel Albiety, Sarah Sahel, Reham Alshareef, Mohammed Najjar, Ahmed Alzahrani, Ahmed Alghamdi, Wedyan Alhazmi, Ghiath Al Saied, Mohammed Alamoudi, Muhammed Masood Riaz, Mazen Hassanain, Basmah Alhassan, Abdullah Altamimi, Reem Alyahya, Norah Al Subaie, Fatema Al Bastawis, Afnan Altamimi, Thamer Nouh, Roaa Khan, Milan Radojkovic, Ljiljana Jeremic, Milica Nestorovic, Jia Hao Law, Keith Say Kwang Tan, Ryan Choon Kiat Tan, Joel Kin Tan, Lau Wen Liang Joel, Xue Wei Chan, Faith Qi Hui Leong, Choon Seng Chong, Sharon Koh, Kai Yin Lee, Kuok Chung Lee, Kent Pluke, Britta Dedekind, Puyearashid Nashidengo, Mark Ian Hampton, Johanna Joosten, Sanju Sobnach, Liana Roodt, Anthony Sander, James Pape, Niveshni Maistry, Phumudzo Ndwambi, Kamau Kinandu, Myint Tun, Frederick Du Toit, Quinn Ellison, D.C. Grobler, Sule Burger, Lawrence Bongani Khulu, Rachel Moore, Vicky Jennings, Astrid Leusink, Nazmie Kariem, Juan Gouws, Kathryn Chu, Heather Bougard, Fazlin Noor, Angela Dell, Stephanie Van Straten, Arvin Khamajeet, Serge Kapenda Tshisola, Kalangu Kabongo, Victor Kong, Yoshan Moodley, Frank Anderson, Thandinkosi Madiba, Flip du Plooy, Leila Hartford, Gareth Chilton, Parveen Karjiker, Matlou Ernest Mabitsela, Sibongile Ruth Ndlovu, Maria Badicel, Robert Jaich, Jaime Ruiz-Tovar, Luis Garcia-Florez, Jorge L. Otero-Díez, Virginia Ramos Pérez, Nuria Aguado Suárez, Javier Minguez García, Sara Corral Moreno, Maria Vicenta Collado, Virginia Jiménez Carneros, Javier García Septiem, Mariana Gonzalez, Antonio Picardo, Enrique Esteban, Esther Ferrero, Eloy Espin-Basany, Ruth Blanco-Colino, Valeria Andriola, Lorena Solar García, Elisa Contreras, Carmen García Bernardo, Janet Pagnozzi, Sandra Sanz, Alberto Miyar de León, Asnel Dorismé, Joseluis Rodicio, Aida Suarez, Jessica Stuva, Tamara Diaz Vico, Laura Fernandez-Vega, Carla Soldevila-Verdeguer, Fatima Sena-Ruiz, Natalia Pujol-Cano, Paula Diaz-Jover, José Maria Garcia-Perez, Juan Jose Segura-Sampedro, Cristina Pineño-Flores, David Ambrona-Zafra, Andrea Craus-Miguel, Patricia Jimenez-Morillas, Angela Mazzella, A.B. Jayathilake, S.P.B. Thalgaspitiya, L.S. Wijayarathna, P.M.S.N. Wimalge, Hakeem Ayomi Sanni, Ogheneochuko Okenabirhie, Anmar Homeida, Abobaker Younis, Omer Abdelbagi Omer, Mustafa Abdulaziz, Ali Mussad, Ali Adam, Ida Björklund, Sandra Ahlqvist, Anders Thorell, Fredrik Wogensen, Arestis Sokratous, Michaela Breistrand, Hildur Thorarinsdottir, Johanna Sigurdadottir, Maziar Nikberg, Abbas Chabok, Maria Hjertberg, Peter Elbe, Deborah Saraste, Wiktor Rutkowski, Louise Forlin, Karoliina Niska, Malin Sund, Dennis Oswald, Georgios Peros, Rafael Bluelle, Katharina Reinisch, Daniel Frey, Adrian Palma, Dimitri Aristotle Raptis, Lucius Zumbühl, Markus Zuber, Roger Schmid, Gabriela Werder, Antonio Nocito, Alexandra Gerosa, Silke Mahanty, Lukas Werner Widmer, Julia Müller, Alissa Gübeli, Grzegorz Zuk, Osman Bilgin Gulcicek, Talar Vartanoglu, Emin Kose, Servet Rustu Karahan, Mehmet Can Aydin, Nuri Alper Sahbaz, Ilkay Halicioglu, Halil Alis, Ipek Sapci, Can Adıyaman, Ahmet Murat Pektaş, Turgut Bora Cengiz, Ilkan Tansoker, Vedatcan Işler, Muazzez Cevik, Deniz Mutlu, Volkan Ozben, Berk Baris Ozmen, Sefa Bayram, Sinem Yolcu, Berna Buse Kobal, Ömer Faruk Toto, Haluk Cem Çakaloğlu, Kagan Karabulut, Vahit Mutlu, Bahar Busra Ozkan, Saban Celik, Anil Semiz, Selim Bodur, Enisburak Gül, Busra Murutoglu, Reyyan Yildirim, Bahadir Emre Baki, Ekin Arslan, Mehmet Ulusahin, Ali Guner, Nathan Walker, Nikhita Shrimanker, Simon Cole, Ryan Breslin, Ravi Srinivasan, Mohamed Elshaer, Kristina Hunter, Ahmed Al-Bahrani, Ignatius Liew, Nora Grace Mairs, Alistair Rocke, Lachlan Dick, Mobeen Qureshi, Debkumar Chowdhury, Naomi Wright, Clare Skerritt, Dorothy Kufeji, Adrienne Ho, Tharindra Dissanayake, Athula Tennakoon, Wadah Ali, Shujing Jane Lim, Charlene Tan, Stephen O'Neill, Catrin Jones, Stephen Knight, Dima Nassif, Abhishek Sharma, Oliver Warren, Rebecca White, Aia Mehdi, Nathan Post, Eliana Kalakouti, Enkhbat Dashnyam, Frederick Stourton, Ioannis Mykoniatis, Chelise Currow, Francisca Wong, Ashish Gupta, Veeranna Shatkar, Joshua Luck, Suraj Kadiwar, Alexander Smedley, Rebecca Wakefield, Philip Herrod, James Blackwell, Jonathan Lund, Fraser Cohen, Ashwath Bandi, Stefano Giuliani, Giles Bond-Smith, Theodore Pezas, Neda Farhangmehr, Tomas Urbonas, Miklos Perenyei, Philip Ireland, Natalie Blencowe, Kirk Bowling, David Bunting, Lydia Longstaff, Kenneth Keogh, Hyunjin Jeon, Muhammad Rafaih Iqbal, Shivun Khosla, Anna Jeffery, James Perera, Ahmad Aboelkassem Ibrahem, Tariq Alhammali, Yahya Salama, Shaun Oram, Thomas Kidd, Fraser Cullen, Christopher Owen, Michael Wilson, Seehui Chiu, Hannah Sarafilovic, Jennifer Ploski, Elizabeth Evans, Athar Abbas, Sylvia Kamya, Norzawani Ishak, Carly Bisset, Cedar Andress, Ye Ru Chin, Priya Patel, David Evans, Aidan Haslegrave, Adam Boggon, Kirsten Laurie, Katie Connor, Thomas Mann, Anahita Mansuri, Rachel Davies, Ewen Griffiths, Aized Raza Shahbaz, Calvin Eng, Farhat Din, Ariadne L'Heveder, Esther H.G. Park, Ramanish Ravishankar, Kirsten McIntosh, Jih Dar Yau, Luke Chan, Susan McGarvie, Lingshan Tang, Hui Lim, Suhhuey Yap, Jay Park, Zhan Herr Ng, Shahrukh Mirza, Yun Lin Ang, Luke Walls, Chloe Roy, Simon Paterson-Brown, Julian Camilleri-Brennan, Kenneth Mclean, Michelle S. D'Souza, Savva Pronin, David Ewart Henshall, Eunice Zuling Ter, Dina Fouad, Ashish Minocha, William English, Catrin Morgan, Dominic Townsend, Laura Maciejec, Shareef Mahdi, Onyinye Akpenyi, Elisabeth Hall, Hanaan Caydiid, Zakaria Rob, Tom Abbott, Hew D. Torrance, Robin Johnston, Mohammed Akil Gani, Gianpiero Gravante, Shivanchan Rajmohan, Kiran Majid, Shiva Dindyal, Christopher Smith, Madanmohan Palliyil, Sanjay Patel, Luke Nicholson, Neil Harvey, Katie Baillie, Sam Shillito, Suzanne Kershaw, Rebecca Bamford, Peter Orton, Elke Reunis, Robert Tyler, Wai Cheong Soon, Guled M. Jama, Dharminder Dhillon, Khyati Patel, Shayanthan Nanthakumaran, Rachel Heard, Kar Yan Chen, Behrad Barmayehvar, Uttaran Datta, Sivesh K. Kamarajah, Sharad Karandikar, Sobhana Iftekhar Tani, Eimear Monaghan, Philippa Donnelly, Michael Walker, Jehangirshaw Parakh, Sarah Blacker, Anil Kaul, Arjun Paramasivan, Sameh Farag, Ashrafun Nessa, Salwa Awadallah, Jieqi Lim, James Chean Khun Ng, Ravi P. Kiran, Alice Murray, Eric Etchill, Mohini Dasari, Juan Puyana, Nadeem Haddad, Martin Zielinski, Asad Choudhry, Celeste Caliman, Mieshia Beamon, Therese Duane, Mamta Swaroop, Jonathan Myers, Rebecca Deal, Erik Schadde, Mark Hemmila, Lena Napolitano, Kathleen To, Alex Makupe, Joseph Musowoya, Niels Van Der Naald, Dayson Kumwenda, Alex Reece-Smith, Kars Otten, Anna Verbeek, Marloes Prins, Alibeth Andres Baquero Suarez, Ruben Balmaceda, Chelsea Deane, Emilio Dijan, Mahmoud Elfiky, Laura Koskenvuo, Aurore Thollot, Bernard Limoges, Carmen Capito, Challine Alexandre, Henri Kotobi, Julien Leroux, Kalitha Pinnagoda, Nicolas Henric, Olivier Azzis, Olivier Rosello, Poddevin Francois, Sara Etienne, Philippe Buisson, Sophian Hmila, Joe-Nat Clegg-Lamptey, Osman Imoro, Owusu Emmanuel Abem, Dimitrios Papageorgiou, Vasiliki Soulou, Sabrina Asturias, Lenin Peña, Donal B. O’Connor, Alberto Realis Luc, Alfio Alessandro Russo, Andrea Ruzzenente, Antonio Taddei, Camilla Cona, Corrado Bottini, Giovanni Pascale, Giuseppe Rotunno, Leonardo Solaini, Marco Maria Pascale, Margherita Notarnicola, Mario Corbellino, Michele Sacco, Paolo Ubiali, Roberto Cautiero, Tommaso Bocchetti, Elena Muzio, Vania Guglielmo, Eugenio Morandi, Patrizio Mao, Emilia De Luca, Farah Mahmoud Ali, Justas Žilinskas, Kestutis Strupas, Paulius Kondrotas, Robertas Baltrunas, Juozas Kutkevicius, Povilas Ignatavicius, Choy Ling Tan, Jia Yng Siaw, Sir Young Yam, Ling Wilson, Mohamed Rezal Abdul Aziz, John Bondin, Carmina Diaz Zorrilla, Anass Majbar, Danjuma Sale, Lawal Abdullahi, Olabisi Osagie, Omolara Faboya, Adedeji Fatuga, Agboola Taiwo, Emeka Nwabuoku, Marte Bliksøen, Zain Ali Khan, Jazmin Coronel, Cesar Miranda, Idelso Vasquez, Luis M. Helguero-Santin, Jennifer Rickard, Adesina Adedeji, Saleh Alqahtani, Max Rath, Michael Van Niekerk, Modise Zacharia Koto, Roel Matos-Puig, Leif Israelsson, Tobias Schuetz, Mahmut Arif Yuksek, Meric Mericliler, Mehmet Uluşahin, Bernhard Wolf, Cameron Fairfield, Guo Liang Yong, Katharine Whitehurst, Natalie Redgrave, Caroluce K. Musyoka, James Olivier, Kathryn Lee, Michael Cox, Muhamed M.H. Farhan-Alanie, Rory Callan, Chali Chibuye, Tebian Hassanein Ahmed Ali, Syrine Rekhis, Muna Rommaneh, Zi Hao Sam, Thays Brunelli Pugliesi, Gabriel Pardo, and Ruth Blanco

Subjects
abdominal surgery, cost-effectiveness analysis, global surgery, high fraction of inspired oxygen, low-and middle-income countries, surgical site infection, Anesthesiology, RD78.3-87.3
Abstract

Background: This study assessed the potential cost-effectiveness of high (80–100%) vs low (21–35%) fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) at preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) after abdominal surgery in Nigeria, India, and South Africa. Methods: Decision-analytic models were constructed using best available evidence sourced from unbundled data of an ongoing pilot trial assessing the effectiveness of high FiO2, published literature, and a cost survey in Nigeria, India, and South Africa. Effectiveness was measured as percentage of SSIs at 30 days after surgery, a healthcare perspective was adopted, and costs were reported in US dollars ($). Results: High FiO2 may be cost-effective (cheaper and effective). In Nigeria, the average cost for high FiO2 was $216 compared with $222 for low FiO2 leading to a −$6 (95% confidence interval [CI]: −$13 to −$1) difference in costs. In India, the average cost for high FiO2 was $184 compared with $195 for low FiO2 leading to a −$11 (95% CI: −$15 to −$6) difference in costs. In South Africa, the average cost for high FiO2 was $1164 compared with $1257 for low FiO2 leading to a −$93 (95% CI: −$132 to −$65) difference in costs. The high FiO2 arm had few SSIs, 7.33% compared with 8.38% for low FiO2, leading to a −1.05 (95% CI: −1.14 to −0.90) percentage point reduction in SSIs. Conclusion: High FiO2 could be cost-effective at preventing SSIs in the three countries but further data from large clinical trials are required to confirm this.

Published
2023
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87. Trepan Reloaded: A Knowledge-driven Approach to Explaining Artificial Neural Networks

Author

Confalonieri, Roberto, Weyde, Tillman, Besold, Tarek R., and Martín, Fermín Moscoso del Prado

Subjects
Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence
Abstract

Explainability in Artificial Intelligence has been revived as a topic of active research by the need of conveying safety and trust to users in the `how' and `why' of automated decision-making. Whilst a plethora of approaches have been developed for post-hoc explainability, only a few focus on how to use domain knowledge, and how this influences the understandability of global explanations from the users' perspective. In this paper, we show how ontologies help the understandability of global post-hoc explanations, presented in the form of symbolic models. In particular, we build on Trepan, an algorithm that explains artificial neural networks by means of decision trees, and we extend it to include ontologies modeling domain knowledge in the process of generating explanations. We present the results of a user study that measures the understandability of decision trees using a syntactic complexity measure, and through time and accuracy of responses as well as reported user confidence and understandability. The user study considers domains where explanations are critical, namely, in finance and medicine. The results show that decision trees generated with our algorithm, taking into account domain knowledge, are more understandable than those generated by standard Trepan without the use of ontologies.

Published
2019

91. A Species delimitation approach to uncover cryptic species in the South American fire ant decapitating flies (Diptera: Phoridae: Pseudacteon).

Author

Sánchez-Restrepo, Andrés F, Chifflet, Lucila, Confalonieri, Viviana Andrea, Tsutsui, Neil D, Pesquero, Marcos Antônio, and Calcaterra, Luis Antonio

Subjects
General Science & Technology
Abstract

South American fire ant decapitating flies in the genus Pseudacteon (Diptera: Phoridae) are potential biocontrol agents of the invasive fire ants Solenopsis invicta and S. richteri in the United States and other regions of the world due to their high host specificity and the direct and indirect damage to their host ants. Despite their importance and the fact that several flies have already been released in the US, little is known about the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships of Pseudacteon flies parasitizing South American fire ants in the Solenopsis saevissima species-group. A species delimitation analysis was conducted using a distance-based method (ABGD) and two tree-based methods (GMYC and mPTP) using COI sequences of 103 specimens belonging to 20 of the 22 Pseudacteon species known from southern South America. Additionally, phylogenetic relationships between the already described and new candidate species were inferred using mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (wingless) sequences. The species delimitation analysis suggests that species richness in these flies has been previously underestimated, due to the existence of putative cryptic species within nominal Pseudacteon obtusus, P. pradei, P. tricuspis, P. cultellatus, and P. nudicornis. Geographic distribution and host fire ant species seem to support cryptic lineages, though additional morphological data are needed to corroborate these results. All phylogenetic analyses reveal that South American fire ant decapitating flies are grouped into two main clades, with Pseudacteon convexicauda sister and well differentiated relative to these clades. Neither host nor geographic association appeared to be related to the differentiation of these two main clades within South American fire ant decapitating flies. This work provides information that will allow testing whether the putative cryptic phorid fly species show differences in their effectiveness as biocontrol agents against the highly invasive imported fire ants.

Published
2020

92. Rheological and Low Field NMR Characterisation of Cystic Fibrosis Patient’s Sputum

Author

G. Staltari, A. Biasin, L. Grassi, F. Gerin, M. Maschio, M. Confalonieri, G. Grassi, M. Grassi, and M. Abrami

Subjects
rheology, low field nmr, cystic fibrosis, shear modulus, mesh size, saliva contamination, Chemical engineering, TP155-156
Abstract

The shear modulus G of the sputum obtained by expectoration from cystic fibrosis patients is fundamental to determine the mesh size of the polymeric network pervading the sputum, a parameter related to lung functionality. The Akaike criterion revealed that in 55.2 % of the examined samples, the best approach (among those considered) to determine G relied on the mechanical spectrum fitting by the generalised Maxwell model with relaxation times scaled by a factor 10. Thus, this approach was adopted to evaluate the mesh size distribution combining G knowledge with the determination of the average magnetic relaxation time (T2m) of sputum. As G and T2m determination can be negatively affected by sputum contamination by saliva, whose presence increases T2m and depresses G, we developed a proper “decontamination” procedure to obtain more reliable T2m and G estimations (necessary in 21 % of the samples). This procedure allowed to strengthen the T2m correlation with lung functionality evaluated by FEV1 (normalised air volume emitted in the first second during a spirometry test).

Published
2023
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93. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy and pulmonary fibrosis: A never-ending story?

Author

Barbara Ruaro, Stefano Tavano, Paola Confalonieri, Riccardo Pozzan, Michael Hughes, Luca Braga, Maria Concetta Volpe, Giovanni Ligresti, Alessia Giovanna Andrisano, Selene Lerda, Pietro Geri, Marco Biolo, Elisa Baratella, Marco Confalonieri, and Francesco Salton

Subjects
Pulmonary fibrosis (PF), Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), Interstitial lung disease (ILD), Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC), Surgical lung biopsy (SLB), Bronchoscopy, Science (General), Q1-390, Social sciences (General), H1-99
Abstract

Background: The diagnostic process of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is often challenging, requires a collaborative effort of several experts, and often requires bioptic material, which can be difficult to obtain, both in terms of quality and technique. The main procedures available to obtain such samples are transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) and surgical lung biopsy (SLB). Objective: The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence for the role of TBLC in the diagnostic-therapeutic process of PF. Methods: A comprehensive review was performed to identify articles to date that addressed the role of TBLC in the diagnostic-therapeutic process of PF using the PubMed® database. Results: The reasoned search identified 206 papers, including 21 manuscripts (three reviews, one systematic review, two guidelines, two prospective studies, three retrospective studies, one cross-sectional study, one original article, three editorials, three clinical trials, and two unclassifiable studies), which were included in the final review. Conclusions: TBLC is gaining increasing efficacy and improving safety profile; however, there are currently no clear data demonstrating its superiority over SLB. Therefore, the two techniques should be considered with careful rationalization on a case-by-case basis. Further research is needed to further optimize and standardize the procedure and to thoroughly study the histological and molecular characteristics of PF.

Published
2023
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97. Do patients’ and referral centers’ characteristics influence multiple sclerosis phenotypes? Results from the Italian multiple sclerosis and related disorders register

Author

Bergamaschi, Roberto, Beghi, Ettore, Bosetti, Cristina, Ponzio, Michela, Santucci, Claudia, Lepore, Vito, Mosconi, Paola, Aguglia, U., Amato, M. P., Ancona, A. L., Ardito, B., Avolio, C., Balgera, R., Banfi, P., Barcella, V., Barone, P., Bellantonio, P., Berardinelli, A., Bergamaschi, R., Bertora, P., Bianchi, M., Bramanti, P., Morra, V. Brescia, Brichetto, G., Brioschi, A. M., Buccafusca, M., Bucello, S., Busillo, V., Calchetti, B., Cantello, R., Capobianco, M., Capone, F., Capone, L., Cargnelutti, D., Carrozzi, M., Cartechini, E., Cavaletti, G., Cavalla, P., Celani, M. G., Clerici, R., Clerico, M., Cocco, E., Confalonieri, P., Coniglio, M. G., Conte, A., Corea, F., Cottone, S., Crociani, P., D’Andrea, F., Danni, M. C., De Luca, G., de Pascalis, D., De Riz, M., De Robertis, F., De Rosa, G., De Stefano, N., Corte, M. Della, Di Sapio, A., Docimo, R., Falcini, M., Falcone, N., Fermi, S., Ferraro, E., Ferrò, M. T., Fortunato, M., Foschi, M., Gajofatto, A., Gallo, A., Gallo, P., Gatto, M., Gazzola, P., Giordano, A., Granella, F., Grasso, M. F., Grasso, M. G., Grimaldi, L. M. E., Iaffaldano, P., Imperiale, D., Inglese, M., Iodice, R., Leva, S., Luezzi, V., Lugaresi, A., Lus, G., Maimone, D., Mancinelli, L., Maniscalco, G. T., Marfia, G. A., Marini, B., Marson, A., Mascoli, N., Massacesi, L., Melani, F., Merello, M., Meucci, G., Mirabella, M., Montepietra, S., Nasuelli, D., Nicolao, P., Passantino, F., Patti, F., Peresson, M., Pesci, I., Piantadosi, C., Piras, M. L., Pizzorno, M., Plewnia, K., Pozzilli, C., Protti, A., Quatrale, R., Realmuto, S., Ribizzi, G., Rinalduzzi, S., Rini, A., Romano, S., Romeo, M., Ronzoni, M., Rossi, P., Rovaris, M., Salemi, G., Santangelo, G., Santangelo, M., Santuccio, G., Sarchielli, P., Sinisi, L., Sola, P., Solaro, C., Spitaleri, D., Strumia, S., Tassinari, T., Tonietti, S., Tortorella, C., Totaro, R., Tozzo, A., Trivelli, G., Ulivelli, M., Valentino, P., Venturi, S., Vianello, M., Zaffaroni, M., Zarbo, R., Trojano, Maria, Battaglia, Mario Alberto, Capobianco, Marco, Pugliatti, Maura, Ulivelli, Monica, Mosconi, Paola, Gasperini, Claudio, Patti, Francesco, Amato, Maria Pia, Bergamaschi, Roberto, and Comi, Giancarlo

Published
2022
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100. Contributors

Author

Alkan, Cemil, primary, Arumuga Perumal, D., additional, Biswas, Prasanta K., additional, Castelain, Cathy, additional, Chavan, Santosh, additional, Combrinck, Madelein, additional, Confalonieri, Chiara, additional, Deshpande, Madhura D., additional, Faraj, Jalal, additional, Faraj, Khaireldin, additional, Gariboldi, Elisabetta, additional, Gumtapure, Veershetty, additional, Hachem, Farouk, additional, Hakami, Abdullatif, additional, Jain, Pawan Kumar, additional, Kali, Ravi, additional, Kenisarin, Murat, additional, Khaled, Mahmoud, additional, Kizildag, Nuray, additional, Kulkarni, Prashant S., additional, Mahkamov, Khamid, additional, Makhkamova, Irina, additional, Militky, Jiri, additional, Padya, Balaji, additional, Pielichowska, Kinga, additional, Pielichowski, Krzysztof, additional, Rao, Akshay, additional, Raut, Sandesh S., additional, Ravikiran, Nowduru, additional, Savvakis, Nikolaos, additional, Selvaraj, M., additional, Silva, Tiago, additional, Srinivasan, Sesha S., additional, Stefanakos, Elias K., additional, Szatkowski, Piotr, additional, Tsoutsos, Theocharis, additional, Venkataraman, Mohanapriya, additional, Vicente, Romeu, additional, Wiener, Jakub, additional, and Yang, Kai, additional

Published
2023
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