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BackgroundSudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in young people represents a dramatic event, often leading to severe neurologic outcomes or sudden cardiac death (SCD), and is frequently caused by genetic heart diseases. In this study, we report the results of the Tuscany registry of sudden cardiac death (ToRSADE) registry, aimed at monitoring the incidence and investigating the genetic basis of SCA and SCD occurring in subjects < 50 years of age in Tuscany, Italy.Methods and resultsCreation of the ToRSADE registry allowed implementation of a repository for clinical, molecular and genetic data. For 22 patients, in whom a genetic substrate was documented or suspected, blood samples could be analyzed; 14 were collected at autopsy and 8 from resuscitated patients after SCA. Next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis revealed likely pathogenetic (LP) variants associated with cardiomyopathy (CM) or channelopathy in four patients (19%), while 17 (81%) carried variants of uncertain significance in relevant genes (VUS). In only one patient NGS confirmed the diagnosis obtained during autopsy: the p.(Asn480Lysfs*20) PKP2 mutation in a patient with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC).ConclusionSystematic genetic screening allowed identification of LP variants in 19% of consecutive patients with SCA/SCD, including subjects carrying variants associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) or AC who had SCA/SCD in the absence of structural cardiomyopathy phenotype. Genetic analysis combined with clinical information in survived patients and post-mortem evaluation represent an essential multi-disciplinary approach to manage juvenile SCD and SCA, key to providing appropriate medical and genetic assistance to families, and advancing knowledge on the basis of arrhythmogenic mechanisms in inherited cardiomyopathies and channelopathies.

Objectiveto evaluate the impact of 3D model for a comprehensive assessment of surgical planning and quality of partial nephrectomy (PN).Materials and methods195 patients with cT1-T2 renal mass scheduled for PN were enrolled in two groups: Study Group (n= 100), including patients referred to PN with revision of both 2D computed tomography (CT) imaging and 3D model; Control group (n= 95), including patients referred to PN with revision of 2D CT imaging. Overall, 20 individuals were switched to radical nephrectomy (RN). The primary outcome was the impact of 3D models-based surgical planning on Trifecta achievement (defined as the contemporary absence of positive surgical margin, major complications and ≤30% postoperative eGFR reduction). The secondary outcome was the impact of 3D models on surgical planning of PN. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of selective clamping and Trifecta’s achievement in patients treated with PN (n=175).ResultsOverall, 73 (80.2%) patients in Study group and 53 (63.1%) patients in Control group achieved the Trifecta (p=0.01). The preoperative plan of arterial clamping was recorded as clampless, main artery and selective in 22 (24.2%), 22 (24.2%) and 47 (51.6%) cases in Study group vs. 31 (36.9%), 46 (54.8%) and 7 (8.3%) cases in Control group, respectively (p

Proso millet has been proposed as an effective anti-diabetic food thanks to the combined action of polyphenols and starch. This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition of twenty-five accessions, in order to enhance this cereal as an alternative to available starch for food applications or to propose new food ingredients with health benefits. Proso millet contained a high percentage of starch, reaching values of 58.51%. The amylose content showed high variability, with values ranging from 1.36 to 42.70%, and significantly higher values were recorded for the white accessions than for the colored ones. High-resistant starch content (13.41–26.07%) was also found. The HPLC-MS analysis showed the same phenolic pattern in all the samples. Cinnamic acids are the most abundant compounds and significant differences in their total content were found (0.69 to 1.35 mg/g DW), while flavonoids were only detected in trace amounts. Statistical results showed significantly higher antiradical activity in the colored accessions than in the white ones.

During 2016–2017 surveys, carried out for phytoplasma diseases in ornamental plants in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces, Iran, found symptoms of virescence, phyllody, reduced size of leaves and flowers in columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris). Total DNAs extracted from symptomatic and symptomless plants were tested for the presence of phytoplasma using P1/P7 and R16F2n/R16R2 primers in direct and nested PCR producing amplicons of about 1.8 and 1.2 kb, respectively, from all symptomatic A. vulgaris plants, but not from symptomless ones. The consensus sequence of the detected phytoplasma named Aquilegia phyllody (APh) was 100% identical with strains clustering to phytoplasmas enclosed in the 16SrI group as also confirmed by phylogenetic analyses. Both real and virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of R16F2n/R16R2 amplicons showed profiles that were identical to each other and indicated the affiliation of the APh phytoplasma to the 16SrI-R subgroup. This is the first report of a 16SrI-R phytoplasma associated with this A. vulgaris phyllody disease.

Introduction

Il presente contributo offre una prima approssimazione, trattandosi di una ricerca ancora in corso, al tema delle relazioni politiche fra le organizzazioni transnazionali dei partiti progressisti latinoamericani ed europei, fra la fine degli anni ’70 e i primi anni ’80. La ricerca prende in esame la nascita della Conferencia Permanente de Partidos Políticos de América Latina y el Caribe (Copppal) che, nata nel 1979, costituisce ancor oggi il foro dei partiti politici progressisti più grande della regione, sul quale non esistono studi accademici. La nascita e i primi anni di vita della Copppal sono strettamente intrecciati alle vicende dell’Internazionale Socialista (IS), considerata lo spazio storico di convergenza fra socialismo europeo ed americano, che proprio allora visse una fase di espansione in America Latina. A partire dall’analisi delle due organizzazioni, che condivisero in gran parte i medesimi attori politici, l’articolo apre uno spazio di riflessione sui punti di convergenza e divergenze del progressismo mettendo in discussione la validità assoluta di quei valori che la narrativa ufficiale europea ha da sempre considerato condivisi e su cui ha basato la retorica di un vincolo storico naturale con l’America Latina, offrendo spunti per una chiave di lettura che consideri le cause più profonde di una relazione altalenante che durante gli ultimi 20 anni non è riuscita a consolidarsi. [...]

Multisensory integration is quintessential to adaptive behavior, with clinical populations showing significant impairments in this domain, most notably hallucinatory reports. Interestingly, altered cross-modal interactions have also been reported in healthy individuals when engaged in tasks such as the Sound-Induced Flash-Illusion (SIFI). The temporal dynamics of the SIFI have been recently tied to the speed of occipital alpha rhythms (IAF), with faster oscillations entailing reduced temporal windows within which the illusion is experienced. In this regard, entrainment-based protocols have not yet implemented rhythmic transcranial magnetic stimulation (rhTMS) to causally test for this relationship. It thus remains to be evaluated whether rhTMS-induced acoustic and somatosensory sensations may not specifically interfere with the illusion. Here, we addressed this issue by asking 27 volunteers to perform a SIFI paradigm under different Sham and active rhTMS protocols, delivered over the occipital pole at the IAF. Although TMS has been proven to act upon brain tissues excitability, results show that the SIFI occurred for both Sham and active rhTMS, with the illusory rate not being significantly different between baseline and stimulation conditions. This aligns with the discrete sampling hypothesis, for which alpha amplitude modulation, known to reflect changes in cortical excitability, should not account for changes in the illusory rate. Moreover, these findings highlight the viability of rhTMS-based interventions as a means to probe the neuroelectric signatures of illusory and hallucinatory audiovisual experiences, in healthy and neuropsychiatric populations.

Pseudomonas syringae is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects a wide range of plants, causing significant economic losses in agricultural production. The pathogen exhibits a high degree of genetic and phenotypic diversity, which has led to the classification of P. syringae strains into different pathovars based on their host range and disease symptoms. Copper-based products have traditionally been used to manage infections in agriculture, but the emergence of copper-resistant strains has become a significant concern. Biological control is a promising strategy to manage P. syringae, as it offers an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to disease management. The review includes an overview of the biology and epidemiology of P. syringae, and of the mechanisms of action of various biological control agents, mainly microorganisms (antagonistic bacteria, and fungi) and bacteriophages. Specifically, this review highlights the renewed interest in bacteriophages (bacteria-infecting viruses) due to their advantages over other eco-friendly management methods, thanks to their bactericidal properties and potential to target specific pathogenic bacteria. The potential benefits and limitations of biological control are also examined, along with research directions to optimize the use of this approach for the management of P. syringae.

Phytoplasma-associated diseases are mainly insect-transmitted and are present worldwide. Considering that disease detection is a relevant environmental factor that may elucidate the presence of these diseases, a review reporting the geographic distribution of phytoplasma taxa in geographically consistent areas helps manage diseases appropriately and reduce their spreading. This work summarizes the data available about the identification of the phytoplasma associated with several diverse diseases in South America in the last decades. The insect vectors and putative vectors together with the plant host range of these phytoplasmas are also summarized. Overall, 16 'Candidatus Phytoplasma' species were detected, and those most frequently detected in agricultural-relevant crops such as corn, alfalfa, grapevine, and other horticultural species are 'Ca. P. pruni', 'Ca. P. asteris', and 'Ca. P. fraxini'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticoagulants reduce embolic risk in atrial fibrillation (AF), despite increasing hemorrhagic risk. In this context, validity of congestive heart failure, hypertension, age ≥ 75 years, diabetes, stroke, vascular disease, age 65–74 years and sex category (CHA2DS2-VASc) and hypertension, abnormal renal/liver function, stroke, bleeding history or predisposition, labile international normalized ratio, elderly, drugs/alcohol concomitantly (HAS–BLED) scales, used to respectively evaluate thrombotic and hemorrhagic risks, is incomplete. In patients with AF, brain MRI has led to the increased detection of “asymptomatic” brain changes, particularly those related to small vessel disease, which also represent the pathologic substrate of intracranial hemorrhage, and silent brain infarcts, which are considered risk factors for ischemic stroke. Routine brain MRI in asymptomatic patients with AF is not yet recommended. Our aim was to test predictive ability of risk stratification scales on the presence of cerebral microbleeds, lacunar, and non-lacunar infarcts in 170 elderly patients with AF on oral anticoagulants. Ad hoc developed R algorithms were used to evaluate CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS–BLED sensitivity and specificity on the prediction of cerebrovascular lesions: (1) Maintaining original items' weights; (2) augmenting weights' range; (3) adding cognitive, motor, and depressive scores. Accuracy was poor for each outcome considering both scales either in phase 1 or phase 2. Accuracy was never improved by the addition of cognitive scores. The addition of motor and depressive scores to CHA2DS2-VASc improved accuracy for non-lacunar infarcts (sensitivity = 0.70, specificity = 0.85), and sensitivity for lacunar–infarcts (sensitivity = 0.74, specificity = 0.61). Our results are a very first step toward the attempt to identify those elderly patients with AF who would benefit most from brain MRI in risk stratification.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this article is to present a single-surgeon, open retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) series for testicular cancer in a high-volume center. Materials and Methods: We reviewed data from patients who underwent RPLND performed by an experienced surgeon at our institution between 2000 and 2019. We evaluated surgical and perioperative outcomes, complications, Recurrence-Free Survival (RFS), Overall Survival (OS), and Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS). Results: RPLND was performed in primary and secondary settings in 21 (32%) and 44 (68%) patients, respectively. Median operative time was 180 min. Median hospital stay was 6 days. Complications occurred in 23 (35%) patients, with 9 (14%) events reported as Clavien grade ≥ 3. Patients in the primary RPLND group were significantly younger, more likely to have NSGCT, had higher clinical N0 and M0, and had higher nerve-sparing RPLND (all p ≤ 0.04) compared to those in the secondary RPLND group. In the median follow-up of 120 (56–180) months, 10 (15%) patients experienced recurrence. Finally, 20-year OS, CSS, and RFS were 89%, 92%, and 85%, respectively, with no significant difference in survival rates between primary vs. secondary RPLND subgroups (p = 0.64, p = 0.7, and p = 0.31, respectively). Conclusions: Open RPLND performed by an experienced high-volume surgeon achieves excellent oncological and functional outcomes supporting the centralization of these complex procedures.

Introduction: Patients who require invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) often represent a sequence of care between the emergency department (ED) and intensive care unit (ICU). Despite being the most populous state, little information exists to define patterns of IMV use within the state of California.Methods: We examined data from the masked Patient Discharge Database of California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development from 2000-2009. Adult patients who received IMV during their stay were identified using the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision and Clinical Modification procedure codes (96.70, 96.71, 96.72). Patients were divided into age strata (18-34yr, 35-64yr, and >65yr). Using descriptive statistics and regression analyses, for IMV discharges during the study period, we quantified the number of ED vs. non-ED based admissions; changes in patient characteristics and clinical outcome; evaluated the marginal costs for IMV; determined predictors for prolonged acute mechanical ventilation (PAMV, i.e. IMV>96hr); and projected the number of IMV discharges and ED-based admissions by year 2020.Results: There were 696,634 IMV discharges available for analysis. From 2000–2009, IMV discharges increased by 2.8%/year: n=60,933 (293/100,000 persons) in 2000 to n=79,868 (328/100,000 persons) in 2009. While ED-based admissions grew by 3.8%/year, non-ED-based admissions remained stable (0%). During 2000-2009, fastest growth was noted for 1) the 35–64 year age strata; 2) Hispanics; 3) patients with non-Medicare public insurance; and 4) patients requiring PAMV. Average total patient cost-adjusted charges per hospital discharge increased by 29% from 2000 (from $42,528 to $60,215 in 2014 dollars) along with increases in the number of patients discharged to home and skilled nursing facilities. Higher marginal costs were noted for younger patients (ages 18-34yr), non-whites, and publicly insured patients. Some of the strongest predictors for PAMV were age 35-64 years (OR=1.12; 95% CI [1.09-1.14], p

Alpha oscillations (7–13 Hz) are the dominant rhythm in both the resting and active brain. Accordingly, translational research has provided evidence for the involvement of aberrant alpha activity in the onset of symptomatological features underlying syndromes such as autism, schizophrenia, major depression, and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, findings on the matter are difficult to reconcile due to the variety of paradigms, analyses, and clinical phenotypes at play, not to mention recent technical and methodological advances in this domain. Herein, we seek to address this issue by reviewing the literature gathered on this topic over the last ten years. For each neuropsychiatric disorder, a dedicated section will be provided, containing a concise account of the current models proposing characteristic alterations of alpha rhythms as a core mechanism to trigger the associated symptomatology, as well as a summary of the most relevant studies and scientific contributions issued throughout the last decade. We conclude with some advice and recommendations that might improve future inquiries within this field.

Pistachio crops have a great economic potential, as their global production has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Therefore, it is important to maintain the healthy phytosanitary status of pistachio crops. In a Chilean pistachio orchard, a dieback of the trees was observed, with blighting of twigs and severe necrosis in the trunk and twigs. Bacterial isolation, pathogenicity tests and molecular characterization were conducted to determine the causal agent of the observed disease. The bacterial isolation and analysis of 16S rRNA gene led to the identification of Pantoea genus bacteria. Pathogenicity tests carried out on fruits inoculated with Pantoea isolates induced large necrosis seven days post-inoculation. Further inoculations were carried out on pruning cuttings and on the trunk of 18-month-old pistachio plants. Thirty-one weeks after inoculation, necrotic lesions were observed in the wood of pistachio plants. Sequence analysis of housekeeping genes enabled the isolated bacterium to be identified as Pantoa agglomerans, and to verify its role as the causal agent of the pistachio dieback with necrotic lesions. This is the first report of an occurrence of P. agglomerans inducing dieback in pistachio.