Background The current trend in management of first-time primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) in children is to obtain a high resolution chest computerized tomography (HRCT) scan to look for bleb/bullae disease or other structural lung disease. We aimed to evaluate the significance of HRCT findings in relation to initial management strategies, and we hypothesized that these findings do not guide management. Methods We evaluated patients with first time PSP in a single-institution, retrospective, longitudinal study. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who underwent surgical intervention after HRCT. Results We identified ten children from 10-17 years old from January 2013 to November 2019 who met criteria for the study. Seven out of ten patients (70%) had HRCT after first-time PSP during the same hospital stay. Blebs/bullae were discovered in five out of seven (71%) of those patients. Two of those five patients had subsequent surgical intervention (40%). 28% of those who had a HRCT had surgery at that point. Of those treated conservatively with blebs/bullae identified on HRCT, 66% had recurrence of PSP and all patients subsequently underwent VATS with blebectomy and pleurodesis. Among the patients without initial HRCT, there were no recurrent cases of PSP noted. Conclusions There is value in obtaining HRCT after the first time PSP, as these results can be used to guide management strategies. Further studies in pediatric PSP are needed to validate the sensitivity of HRCT in bleb detection, the predictive value of bleb disease and recurrence, and the benefits and risks of early surgical intervention

Potential evapotranspiration (ET0) is an important expenditure item in the hydrological cycle. Quantitative estimation of the influence of meteorological factors on ET0 can provide a scientific basis for the study of the impact mechanism of climate change on the hydrological cycle. In this paper, the Penman-Monteith method was used to calculate ET0. The Mann-Kendall statistical test and the Inverse Distance Weighting method were used to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of the sensitivity coefficient of ET0 to meteorological factors and contribution rate of meteorological factors to ET0. And the reasons for the change of ET0 were quantitatively explored in combination with the change trend of meteorological factors. The results showed that the average ET0 in the Yanhe River Basin from 1978 to 2017 was 935.92mm. Except for Ganquan Station, ET0 showed an upward trend. Generally, the sensitivity coefficient of air temperature (0.08), wind speed (0.19) and solar radiation (0.42) was positive and the sensitivity coefficient of relative humidity (-0.41) was negative. But there were significant temporal and spatial differences. The upward trend of air temperature and solar radiation contributed 1.09% and 0.55% to ET0. Respectively, the downward trend of wind speed contributed -0.63% And the downward trend of relative humidity contributed to -0.85% of ET0. Therefore, the decrease of relative humidity did not cause the increase of ET0 in Yanhe River basin. The dominant factor of the upward trend of ET0 was air temperature. But the dominant factors of ET0 had significant temporal and spatial differences. The downward trend of wind speed at Ganquan Station contributed -9.16% to ET0, which indicated the dominant factor of “evaporation paradox” in Ganquan area was wind speed. Generally, the increase of ET0 was related to air temperature, wind speed and solar radiation. And the decrease of ET0 was related to relative humidity.

Objectives: Multimorbidity and polypharmacy in older adults always increase the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) and affect the quality of life of the older adults. The purposes of this study were aimed to investigate the prevalence of PIMs prescription and the most frequent PIMs among outpatients according to Beers criteria and to explore related risk factors for PIMs prescription. Methods: The cross-sectional retrospective study was conducted among elderly outpatients in Chengdu (a city in China) from January 2018 to December 2018. The 2015 Beers criteria was used to assess PIMs in elderly outpatients. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were adopted to determine the factors that may affect the prevalence of PIMs in elderly outpatients. Results: A total of 15523 patient prescriptions were enrolled, of which 4654 (29.98%) were identified with at least one PIM based on Beers criteria, and 6460 PIMs were detected. Of these PIM prescriptions, 76.32% were detected to receive 1 PIM, 16.54% were detected to receive 2 PIMs, and only 7.13% were found to have at least 3 PIMs. Benzodiazepines (2371, 50.95%), diuretics (1197, 25.72%), and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (439, 9.43%) were three common types of drugs that were the most frequent PIMs used. Sex, age, number of diseases, number of medications, and diseases or disease states were risk factors for PIMs in outpatients. Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the phenomenon of PIM was common among elderly outpatients in Chengdu. Risk factors for PIM in elderly outpatients include gender, age, number of diseases, number of medications, and sleep disorder.

In ecological communities, interactions between consumers and resources lead to the emergence of ecological networks and a fundamental problem to solve is to understand which factors shape network structure. Empirical and theoretical studies on ecological networks suggest predator body size is a key factor structuring patterns of interaction. Because larger predators consume a wider resource range, including the prey consumed by smaller predators, we hypothesized that variation in body size favors the rise of nestedness. In contrast, if resource consumption requires specific adaptations, predators are expected to consume distinct sets of resources, thus favouring modularity. We investigate these predictions by characterising the trophic network of a species-rich Amazonian snake community (62 species). Our results revealed an intricate network pattern resulting from larger species feeding on higher diversity of prey, promoting nestedness, and specific lifestyles feeding on distinct resources, promoting modularity. Species removal simulations indicated that the nested structure is favored mainly by the presence of five species of the family Boidae, which because of their body size and generalist lifestyles connect modules in the network. Our study highlights the particular ways traits affect the structure of interactions among consumers and resources at the community level.

Objective: Cardiovascular involvement due to iron overload is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with beta-thalassaemia major (β-TM). However many patients remain asymptomatic until the late stage. In this study, we investigated the role of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) findings and endothelial dysfunction parameters in asymptomatic β-TM patients, and the relationship between these parameters and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2 * value. Methods: 51 asymptomatic β-TM patients who were receiving regular blood transfusions were evaluated by two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) and RT3DE examinations including endothelial dysfunction parameters. The study population was divided into two subgroups based on their cardiac MRI T2* values (MRI T2* ≤20ms and >20ms). The relationships between serum ferritin levels, 2DE and RT3DE measurements, endothelial dysfunction parameters, and cardiac MRI T2* values were investigated. Results: Although all left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) values obtained by 2DE were within normal limits (≥50%), they were not associated with MRI T2* values. LVEFRT3D (53.25 +2.33 vs 58.81 +1.02), SDI12 (6.53 +0.56 vs 2.85 +0.48), SDI16 (7.65 +0.75 vs 3.26 +0.49) were significantly different and negatively correlated between two groups respectively . Flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) (6.08% + 0.34 vs 14.46% + 1.12), aortic strain (7.79% + 2.19 vs 12.76% + 4.19), and serum ferritin values were significantly different and negatively correlated between two groups respectively. Conclusion: Decreased LVEF and increased SDI by RT3DE could be parameters of early cardiac deterioration. Decreased FMD and aortic strain may be good predictors of subclinical cardiovascular involvement in asymptomatic patients with β-TM.

Being of embryonal tissue origin, the teratomas are rare in adults, typically occurring either in the gonads or in the sacrococcygeal region in infancy and childhood. We present a case of a teratoma in the lesser sac of an adult female managed by en-bloc resection with the infiltrating stomach segment.

Background: Few and small studies have described the management of immunomodulant/immunosuppressive therapies or phototherapy in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: A national registry, named DA-COVID-19 and involving 35 Italian dermatology units, was established in order to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the management of adult AD patients treated with systemic immunomodulant/immunosuppressive medications or phototherapy. Demographic and clinical data were obtained at different timepoints by teledermatology during COVID-19 pandemic, when regular visits were not allowed due to sanitary restrictions. Disease severity was assessed by both physician- and patient-reported assessment scores evaluating itch intensity, sleep disturbances, and AD severity. Results: A total of 1831 patients were included, with 1580/1831 (86.3%) continuing therapy during pandemic. Most patients were treated with dupilumab (86.1%, 1576/1831) that was interrupted in only 9.9% (156/1576) of cases, while systemic immunosuppressive compounds were more frequently withdrawn. Treatment interruption was due to decision of the patient, general practitioner or dermatologist in 39.9% (114/286), 5.6% (16/286), and 30.1% (86/286) of cases, respectively. Fear of increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection (24.8%, 71/286) was one of the main causes of interruption. Sixteen patients (0.9%) resulted positive to SARS-CoV-2 infection, 3 of them (0.2%) were hospitalized but no cases of COVID-related death occurred. Conclusions: Most AD patients continued systemic treatments during COVID pandemicand lockdown period, without high impact on disease control, particularly dupilumab-treatedpatients.

Abstract Background The paced morphology of right bundle branch block (RBBB) pattern is one of the parameters which can be used to confirm the left bundle branch capture during left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) implantation. However, changes of paced morphology after LBBP performed in patients with RBBB have not been well discussed. Objective To compare the paced morphology in patients with RBBB before and after LBBP and to discuss the possible mechanisms behind such changes. Methods Patients with RBBB who underwent LBBP implantation were selected. The QRS duration was measured before and after the implantation of LBBP for each patient and compared Student t test. Results We included 34 consecutive patients (median age 72.76 years, 73.53% male), of whom 3 had sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and 31 had high-grade atrioventricular conduction block (AVB). The average QRS duration was 144.87±5.22ms before LBBP implantation and 116.18±6.15ms after LBBP implantation, with a mean decrease in QRS duration of 28.70±3.30ms (95% CI: 27.55-29.85 ms, P < 0.01). Conclusion In patients with RBBB, the QRS duration after LBBP is narrower than that before LBBP. The specific mechanism is still unclear.

A clear understanding by the patient and family of airway pathology caused by vascular rings can be difficult to achieve. The pathology is three-dimensional in nature, and is a compilation of differing anatomic structures. Patient confusion can lead to misunderstandings regarding the nature of the operation, attendant risks, and the expected post-operative course. In this review we describe our use of 3D printing in the setting of circumflex aorta and double aortic arch to help guide a child and their family through the decision for treatment of what can be a difficult problem in both diagnosis and management. Our patient underwent two operations. First, a thoracoscopic division of a left ligamentum and atretic distal left aortic arch. While symptoms improved somewhat post-operatively, moderate dysphagia and dyspnea persisted. Based on further evaluation we concluded that the circumflex aorta was the etiology of the ongoing symptoms, so an aortic uncrossing procedure under circulatory arrest was recommended and performed. We used a 3D model in the education of the patient and family prior to the second surgery and greatly enhanced their understanding of why a repeat operation was required to address an additional component of this complex vascular ring. The use of 3D printing in preoperative discussions facilitated better understanding of complex three dimensional anatomy for the patient and patient's family. In addition, this communication strategy helped frame expectations regarding the post-operative course and convalescence.

Objective: To determine whether viral coinfection is a risk for severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI). Working Hypothesis: Children with viral coinfection had a higher risk for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) than those with a single virus infection. Study Design: Retrospective, observational study for ten years. Patient-Subject Selection: Children between 1-60 months of age hospitalized with LRTI. Methodology: We defined severe LRTI as admission to the ICU for high-flow nasal cannula oxygen/bilevel positive airway pressure/invasive ventilation and assessed demographic and laboratory data with potential risk factors from the patients’ medical records. Results: Of 2115 children hospitalized with LRTI, 562 had severe, and 1553 had mild disease. Viral coinfection was present in 28.3% of all patients, and those with viral coinfection were at a higher risk of severe LRTI than those with a single virus infection (43.8% vs. 22.7%; aOR, 3.44; 95% CI, 2.74-4.53). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus (except for between 25-60 months) coinfections were associated with severe LRTI in all ages, whereas parainfluenza virus-3 (PIV3; 7-24 months) and bocavirus (7-12 months) coinfections led to severe LRTI in early childhood. Moreover, influenza-A coinfection caused severe LRTI in children between 7-12 and 25-60 months. Other risk factors included young age, prematurity, history of atopy, exposure to tobacco smoke, underlying condition, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, and high CRP value. Conclusion: Children with viral coinfection, particularly with rhinovirus, RSV, influenza-A, PIV3, and bocavirus, may be followed closely regarding the clinical changes.

Introduction: COVID-19 emerged in China leading to worldwide morbidity and mortality, including depression and anxiety. As the pandemic spread throughout Italy and Europe, mental health concerns emerged for people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF), who are at increased risk. This led to development of a Telehealth Psychological Support Intervention to help adolescents/young adults with CF and caregivers cope with the stress and emotional challenges of the lockdown which began in Italy in March 2020. Methods: This intervention utilized cognitive behavioral skills (e.g., relaxation training, cognitive reframing). Participants included 16 adolescents/adults and 14 parents, who completed 4 individual video sessions with a psychologist. Stress ratings, PHQ-8 and GAD-7 were completed electronically. Feasibility and Satisfaction were rated. Results: Ratings of stress significantly decreased from pre to post-testing for both pwCF (paired t=-4.06 (14), p<.01) and parents (paired t=-5.2, p< 001). Most participants reported clinically elevated depression and anxiety at the pre-test, with statistically significant reductions in depression for pwCF (pre: M=8.0 to post M=4.7; paired t (14)=2.8, p <.05) but not anxiety (pre: M=6.9 to post: M=5.6, t (14)=1.2, p=NS). Reductions in depression were found for parents (pre: M=6.4 to post: M 5.1, (14) t=-2.5, p<.05) but not anxiety (pre: M=8.1 to post: M=7.9, t (14)=-0.2, p=ns). Positive ratings of Feasibility and Satisfaction were documented. Conclusion: This brief telehealth intervention yielded significant reductions in stress and depression for participants. Anxiety was not reduced, possibly because COVID was ongoing. This intervention was effective for improving mental health and was highly feasible and satisfactory.

Improving clinical practice in ENT: lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemicJames R Tysome, Cambridge University Hospitals, UKEditor-in-Chief, Clinical OtolaryngologyWhile currently in the midst of another wave of COVID-19 infections, putting untold strain on both healthcare systems and healthcare workers around the globe, it is important to reflect on the changes that we have all had to make. All ENT departments, within a very short timeframe, restructured clinical services to prioritise the delivery of patient care to those with the greatest clinical need, while increasing services such as tracheostomy for the high number of patients with COVID-19 in intensive care. We also changed the methods that we use to teach our trainees and share knowledge with colleagues. Many of these changes have been successful and should now be maintained in the future.It has been fascinating to see the how the research community built new research networks and redirected focus to projects related to understanding SARS-CoV-2 infection; surveillance and public health measures, optimising patient management of the disease and understanding the impact of COVID-19 on different healthcare systems. This resulted in over 89,000 peer reviewed publications relating to COVID-19 in 2020 and the development of new research structures such as CovidSurg , a global collaborative platform of studies aiming to explore the impact of COVID-19 on surgical patients.1Two papers in this issue demonstrate how clinical practice in ENT adapted to COVID-19. The first explores the publication of guidance relevant to ENT.2 Both national bodies and specialist societies across the globe published guidance on how services should be reconfigured, patients prioritised, and ENT surgeons protected, particularly with respect to aerosol generating procedures given the potential high risk of infection. It is the speed of publication that was particularly impressive. Of the 175 online publications of COVID guidance related to ENT, 41% were published between the third and fourth week of March 2020.The second study explores the impact of this guidance on clinical care through a prospective audit of the management of tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess in 86 hospitals across the UK following the publication of guidelines by ENT UK, the professional body representing ENT surgeons in the UK. This provided a pathway that aimed to prevent hospital admission when safe to do so.3 Increased use of single doses of intravenous dexamethasone and antibiotics resulted in return to swallowing in many patients, allowing patients to be discharged safely, without later increases in re-presentation or admission.These studies show the strong clinical leadership has been demonstrated within the ENT community, removing traditional barriers to change. Clinicians have taken the initiative to develop new pathways and new ways of working. An almost overnight change from face-to-face appointments to remote appointments took place in many hospitals, showing how we can adapt when needed. Remote appointments, either by telephone4 or video calls,5 are suitable for many ENT patients, preferred by many and are certainly here to stay.There has been rapid scaling of technology such as digital consultation platforms to enable this remote service delivery. Video conferencing facilitates multidisciplinary team meetings, bringing together clinicians at distant locations to discuss patient management in an efficient manner without the need to spend hours travelling to meet in the same location. Virtual patient consultations can allow sharing of digital information such as imaging without the patient needing to leave their home, reduced footfall in previously over-crowded outpatient departments.New teaching and training opportunities have arisen through the use of digital conferencing platforms, replacing traditional teaching programmes and allowing us to reach larger audiences.6Entire conferences have successfully moved to virtual participation. These opportunities have the potential to significantly enrich training and teaching in the future.We have seen many examples of enhanced local system working. ENT and intensive care teams have needed to work more closely together to manage patients with COVID-19 requiring a tracheostomy.7 It is important that these closer relationships are maintained in the future for patient benefit.The ENT community has demonstrated strong clinical leadership, adaptability to rapid change, enhanced clinical pathways and local networks, widespread use of digital technology for consultation and teaching and redirection of research programmes. These have permanently changed the way we work and, when the current global pandemic improves as COVID-19 infections drop and vaccination programmes are rolled out, we should ensure that the positive changes that have been made are embedded in clinical practice to improve patient care.Globalsurg.org. Covidsurg, NIHR Global Health Research Unit on Global Surgery [Cited 2020 Jan 18]. Available from https://globalsurg.org/covidsurg/Cernei st al. Timing and volume of information produced for the Otolaryngologist during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. A review of the volume of online literature. Clin Otolaryngol;46(2):???????Smith M, et al. Admission avoidance in tonsillitis and peritonsillar abscess: a prospective national audit during the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clin Otolaryngol;46(2):???????Sharma S and Daniel M. Telepmedicine in paediatric otorhinolaryngology: lessons learnt from remote encounters during the COVID19 pandemic and implications for future practice. Int J Paediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2020:139:110411.Fieux M, et al. Telemedicine for ENT: effect on quality of care during COVID-19 pandemic. Eur Ann Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Dis 2020; 137(4):257-261.Herman A, et al. National, virtual otolaryngology training day in the United Kingdom during the COIVD-19 pandemic: results of a pilot survey. J Surg Educ. 2020; S1931-7204McGrath BA, et al. Multidisciplinary guidance for safe tracheostomy care during the COVID-19 pandemic: the NHS National Patient Safety Improvement Programme (NatPatSIP). Anaesthesia 2020;75(12):1659-1670.

Purpose: An elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure is the main finding in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which is estimated with an algorithm using echocardiographic parameters recommended by the recent American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)/European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) guideline. In this study, we sought to determine the efficacy of LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) to estimate the elevated LV filling pressure. Methods and Results: 73 prospectively selected patients undergoing left ventricular catheterization (mean age 63.19±9.64, 68.5% male) participated in this study. Using the algorithm, the LV filling pressure was estimated with the echo parameters obtained within 24hrs before the catheterization. The LV GLS was measured using the automated functional imaging system (GE, Vivid E9 USA). Invasive LV pre-A pressure corresponding to mean left atrial pressure (LAP) was used as a reference, and >12 mm Hg was defined as elevated. The invasive LV filling pressure was elevated in 43 (58.9%) and normal in 30 patients (41.1%). In 9 (12.3%) patients of 73 are defined as indeterminate based on the 2016 algorithm. Using the ROC method, -18.1% of LV GLS estimated the LV filling pressure (AUC=0.79, 73% specificity, 84% sensitivity) with higher sensitivity compared with the algorithm (AUC=0.76, 77% specificity, 72% sensitivity). Conclusions: We confirmed that the LV GLS is feasible and reproducible in estimating LV filling pressure. In addition, LV GLS highly predicts elevated LAP as E/e’ and TR jet velocity and may be used as major criteria for the diagnosis of HFpEF

Atrial tachycardia (AT) in the right atrium often occurs following open-heart surgery. Catheter ablation for these AT is challenging and can lead to unintended conduction block. We performed late-gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI) prior to catheter ablation and predicted wavefront propagation during SR as well as the slow conduction zone during tachycardia. LGE-MRI may assist predicting the conduction disturbance and reducing the risk of unexpected sinus exit block.

Aims of the Study: A radiographic examination is a significant part of the clinical routine for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of the disease. Artificial intelligence in dentistry shows that the deep learning technique high enough quality and effective to diagnose and interpret the images in the dental practice. For this purpose, it is aimed to evaluate diagnostic charting on panoramic radiography using a deep-learning AI system in this study. Methods: 1084 anonymized dental panoramic radiographs were labeled for 10 different dental situations including crown, pontic, root-canal treated tooth, implant, implant-supported crown, impacted tooth, residual root, filling, caries, and dental calculus. AI Model (Craniocatch, Eskişehir, Turkey) based on a deep CNN method was proposed. A Faster R-CNN Inception v2 (COCO) model implemented with Tensorflow library was used for model development. The training and validation data sets were used to predict and generate optimal CNN algorithm weight factors. Results: The proposed artificial intelligence model has promising results for detecting dental conditions in panoramic radiographs except for caries and dental calculus. The most successful F1 Scores were obtained from the implant, crown, and implant-supported crown as 0,9433, 0,9122, 0,8947, respectively. Conclusion: Thanks to the improvement of the success rate of AI models in all areas of dentistry radiology, it is predicted that they will help physicians especially in panoramic diagnosis and treatment planning, as well as digital-based student education, especially in this pandemic period when online training is on our agenda.

Angioma serpiginosum is a rare benign nevoid disorder affecting the small vessels of the upper dermis. We are presenting a case of this rare disease in an 11-year-old girl who presented with this condition on abdomen in zosteriform pattern which is rare presentation and is the first of its type.

Since the first description of phloem sap composition nearly 60 years ago, it is generally assumed that phloem sap does not contain nitrate and that there is little or no backflow of nitrate from shoots to roots. While it is true that nitrate can occasionally be absent from phloem sap, there is now substantial evidence that phloem can carry nitrate and furthermore, transporters involved in nitrate redistribution to shoot sink organs and roots have been found. This raises the question of why nitrate may or may not be present in phloem sap, why its concentration is generally kept low, and whether plant shoot-root nutrient cycling also involves nitrate. We propose here that phloem sap nitrate is not only an essential component of plant nutritional signaling but also contributes to physical properties of phloem sap and as such, its concentration is controlled to ensure proper coordination of plant development and nutrient transport.

Pustular psoriasis is a rare, acute form of psoriasis. It can be triggered by pregnacy, infection, hypocalcemia, and medications. We describe a case of annular pustular psoriasis Milian Katchoura type, a rare variant of pustular psoriasis, that occurred secondary to reducing the dose of oral corticosteroids.

The role of Immunotherapy in Chronic Urticaria is unclear, except for isolated circumstances. Hymenoptera sting causes acute urticaria and no report of CU after Hymenoptera sting can be found in the literature. We describe a case of onset of CU after multiple wasp stings that remitted during venom immunotherapy.

Ad oggi si sente sempre più spesso parlare del problema del surriscaldamento globale dovuto ad un sempre maggiore inquinamento atmosferico da parte delle industrie, agricoltura, automobili ecc., tutto ciò sta portando il nostro pianeta a frequenti e pericolosi disastri ambientali. Molti studi infatti evidenziano che se non ci sarà un inversione di tendenza arriveremo ad un punto di non ritorno oltre il quale la Terra arriverà al collasso. Ad oggi tra le tecnologie in uso per ridurre questo fenomeno la più utilizzata risulta la "Carbon Capture and Storage" la quale nonostante sia stata ampiamente sviluppata, questa risulta estremamente costose e richiedono molta energia. Essa rappresenta semplicemente una soluzione temporanea, che rende irrealizzabile uno sviluppo completo sulla scala richiesta .Una soluzione tecnologica che sta dando risultati incoraggianti circa la cattura dell’anidride carbonica è la “Biological Carbon Capture and Utilizations”. Quest'ultima consiste nel bio-sequestro della CO2 attraverso fabbriche di cellule microalgali, le quali poi potranno essere utilizzata per la produzione di biofuel, bioenergia e altri prodotti a valore aggiunto

Background: The role of combination regimens in the treatment of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in patients with hematologic malignancies remains unclear. This study was aimed to demonstrate experience data about combined antifungal therapy (CAT) in pediatric IFI patients with haematological malignancies. Methods: Between January 2014 and December 2017, a total of 33 IFI episodes in 28 patients with hematological malignancies were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Of the patients (19 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and 9 with acute myeloblastic leukemia), 21 (75%) had leukemia relapse and 7 (25%) had remission. IFI was classified as possible in 26 (78.8%) episodes, probable in 5 (15.1%) episodes, and proven in 2 (6.1%) episodes. LamB (%50) was the most preferred agent in monotherapy. Mean duration of monotherapy was 12.84 ± 4.28 (5-24) days. LamB plus voriconazole (54.5%) were the most common combination preference in CAT. Mean duration of CAT was 42.36 ± 36.4 days, and unchanged according to combination regimen type (p = 0.571). Total mortality rate and IFI attributable mortality rate were 60.7% vs 76.5%. Mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with relapse (p = 0.006). Complete response was obtained in 81.8% of surviving patients. Duration of neutropenia and CAT, and recovery time were not found statistically different in the episodes with/without death and according to relapse or remission status. Side effects due to CAT use were observed quite low level. Conclusion: CAT has been found to be safe in IFI episodes of pediatric leukemia. The result will contribute to the data about combined antifungal use in daily clinical practice in pediatric haematological patients with IFI.

Objective: The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) rapidly escalated from its origin in an animal market in Wuhan, China in December 2019 to a global pandemic, and the lungs are the most frequently affected organ. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pulmonary function test parameters and laboratory parameters in COVID-19. Method: A total of 60 patients who were admitted to the chest diseases department and intensive care unit of our hospital and were diagnosed with COVID-19 by real-time PCR analysis of nasopharyngeal swabs were evaluated. Pulmonary function tests and laboratory parameters at admission and on day 7 of treatment were analyzed. Results: On day 7 of treatment, white blood cell count, CRP, and fibrinogen level were significantly lower than at admission (p=0.002, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively), while forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) values were significantly higher compared to admitting values (p=0.001 for both). Correlation analysis of the changes in respiratory function values and laboratory parameters during follow-up (day 1 to day 7 of treatment) revealed that CRP level was positively correlated with FEV1 (r=0.616, p=0.01) and FVC values (r=0.51, p=0.01). Fibrinogen level was also positively correlated with FEV1 (r=0.345, p=0.01) and FVC (r=0.357, p=0.01). Conclusion: Fibrinogen and CRP levels are easily accessible parameters that may help identify improvement or deterioration in pulmonary function in COVID-19 patients during follow-up and discharge while reducing the risk of transmission.

Aim: In this feasibility study, we aimed to implement a pilot telemedicine service at our healthcare facility in Faisalabad, Pakistan, and describe our experience. Methods: Telemedicine service was established by Faisalabad Medical University at two of its affiliated locations: 1) A 24-hour COVID-19 Telephone Helpline was established at Director Emergency Office, Allied Hospital and District Headquarter (DHQ) Hospital. 2) A Telemedicine Clinic comprising consultants and postgraduate residents from different specialties was established at Chief Office, Allied Hospital. The data related to the number and categories of calls and advice provided was collected from 27th March 2020 till 31st July 2020. Results: A total of 4582 calls were received, at both locations, during the study period, out of which 2325 callers (51%) were male, and 2257 (49%) were females. At Allied Hospital, 172 patients were advised accordingly for their complaints, whereas, at DHQ Hospital, 320 patients were advised accordingly for their complaints. At the telemedicine clinic only, a total of 2436 calls were received during the study period, 1474 (60%) callers were male, and 962 (40%) were female. The majority of the calls were received by medicine (43%), dermatology (21%), and pediatrics (11%) specialties, respectively. Conclusion: Despite some limitations, the benefits of telemedicine in this COVID-19 era are enormous and it is feasible to implement telemedicine services in developing countries. The developing countries must invest in the internet and technology access to facilitate telemedicine and other e-health services for not only curbing this pandemic but also to promote a more efficient healthcare system after the pandemic.

Land development is rapidly occurring on sand--dominant soils that cover substantial areas of the Lower Mekong Basin. Sands are at risk of degradation on sloping uplands where agriculture is expanding and on lowland landscapes where intensification of cropping is occurring. Sandstone and granitic geology explain the prevalence of sand-dominant texture in profiles. The sand terrains in uplands of Cambodia and southern Laos mostly have not been comprehensively mapped and their diversity and edaphic properties are poorly understood. On high permeability sands, lowland rainfed rice crops are drought-prone, while nutrient losses from leaching are also a risk. Furthermore, waterlogging, inundation and subsoil hardpans are significant water-related hazards that influence the choice of field crops and forages for lowland soils. Land use change in the lowlands to alternative field crops and forages on sands is contingent on their profitability relative to rice, the amounts and reliability of early wet season rainfall and amounts of stored water available after harvesting rice. Soil acidity, low nutrient status, hard-setting and shallow rooting depth are significant constraints for crops and forages on sands in the lowlands. Low soil fertility and soil acidity are limitations to the productivity of farming systems on the sand profiles in uplands, while erosion, low soil organic matter levels and water balance are concerns for their sustainable use. There is a need for widespread land suitability assessment and the development of sustainable farming systems before uncontrolled expansion of agriculture causes degradation of sandy terrain of the Lower Mekong Basin.