Showing papers by "University of Florence published in 2021"
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors summarize recent technological developments that are enabling natural product-based drug discovery, highlight selected applications and discuss key opportunities, and discuss the potential of using natural products as drug leads.
Abstract: Natural products and their structural analogues have historically made a major contribution to pharmacotherapy, especially for cancer and infectious diseases. Nevertheless, natural products also present challenges for drug discovery, such as technical barriers to screening, isolation, characterization and optimization, which contributed to a decline in their pursuit by the pharmaceutical industry from the 1990s onwards. In recent years, several technological and scientific developments — including improved analytical tools, genome mining and engineering strategies, and microbial culturing advances — are addressing such challenges and opening up new opportunities. Consequently, interest in natural products as drug leads is being revitalized, particularly for tackling antimicrobial resistance. Here, we summarize recent technological developments that are enabling natural product-based drug discovery, highlight selected applications and discuss key opportunities. Natural products have historically made a major contribution to pharmacotherapy, but also present challenges for drug discovery, such as technical barriers to screening, isolation, characterization and optimization. This Review discusses recent technological developments — including improved analytical tools, genome mining and engineering strategies, and microbial culturing advances — that are enabling a revitalization of natural product-based drug discovery.
1,297 citations
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TL;DR: This randomized clinical trial of hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and Pao2/Fio2 ratio between 200 and 300 mm Hg who received tocilizumab found no benefit on disease progression was observed compared with standard care, and further blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials are needed.
Abstract: Importance The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is threatening billions of people worldwide. Tocilizumab has shown promising results in retrospective studies in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia with a good safety profile. Objective To evaluate the effect of early tocilizumab administration vs standard therapy in preventing clinical worsening in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia. Design, Setting, and Participants Prospective, open-label, randomized clinical trial that randomized patients hospitalized between March 31 and June 11, 2020, with COVID-19 pneumonia to receive tocilizumab or standard of care in 24 hospitals in Italy. Cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction method with nasopharyngeal swab. Eligibility criteria included COVID-19 pneumonia documented by radiologic imaging, partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen (Pao2/Fio2) ratio between 200 and 300 mm Hg, and an inflammatory phenotype defined by fever and elevated C-reactive protein. Interventions Patients in the experimental arm received intravenous tocilizumab within 8 hours from randomization (8 mg/kg up to a maximum of 800 mg), followed by a second dose after 12 hours. Patients in the control arm received supportive care following the protocols of each clinical center until clinical worsening and then could receive tocilizumab as a rescue therapy. Main Outcome and Measures The primary composite outcome was defined as entry into the intensive care unit with invasive mechanical ventilation, death from all causes, or clinical aggravation documented by the finding of a Pao2/Fio2ratio less than 150 mm Hg, whichever came first. Results A total of 126 patients were randomized (60 to the tocilizumab group; 66 to the control group). The median (interquartile range) age was 60.0 (53.0-72.0) years, and the majority of patients were male (77 of 126, 61.1%). Three patients withdrew from the study, leaving 123 patients available for the intention-to-treat analyses. Seventeen patients of 60 (28.3%) in the tocilizumab arm and 17 of 63 (27.0%) in the standard care group showed clinical worsening within 14 days since randomization (rate ratio, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.59-1.86). Two patients in the experimental group and 1 in the control group died before 30 days from randomization, and 6 and 5 patients were intubated in the 2 groups, respectively. The trial was prematurely interrupted after an interim analysis for futility. Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial of hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and Pao2/Fio2ratio between 200 and 300 mm Hg who received tocilizumab, no benefit on disease progression was observed compared with standard care. Further blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm the results and to evaluate possible applications of tocilizumab in different stages of the disease. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT04346355; EudraCT Identifier:2020-001386-37
588 citations
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Novo Nordisk1, German Cancer Research Center2, University of Zurich3, University of Barcelona4, Newcastle University5, Medical University of Vienna6, University of Tübingen7, University Hospital Heidelberg8, Weizmann Institute of Science9, Max Planck Society10, Technische Universität München11, Heidelberg University12, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai13, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens14, University of Turin15, University of Cambridge16, University of Florence17, Paris Diderot University18, Humanitas University19, Hannover Medical School20, University of Hamburg21, University of Mainz22, University of Düsseldorf23, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center24, Cornell University25, Harvard University26, University of Cologne27, Leibniz Association28, University of Bern29, Mount Sinai Hospital30, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center31, Kindai University32, Taipei Veterans General Hospital33, National Yang-Ming University34, University of Grenoble35, French Institute of Health and Medical Research36, Imperial College London37, Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies38
TL;DR: The progressive accumulation of exhausted, unconventionally activated CD8+PD1+ T cells in NASH-affected livers provides a rationale for stratification of patients with HCC according to underlying aetiology in studies of immunotherapy as a primary or adjuvant treatment.
Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can have viral or non-viral causes1-5. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an important driver of HCC. Immunotherapy has been approved for treating HCC, but biomarker-based stratification of patients for optimal response to therapy is an unmet need6,7. Here we report the progressive accumulation of exhausted, unconventionally activated CD8+PD1+ T cells in NASH-affected livers. In preclinical models of NASH-induced HCC, therapeutic immunotherapy targeted at programmed death-1 (PD1) expanded activated CD8+PD1+ T cells within tumours but did not lead to tumour regression, which indicates that tumour immune surveillance was impaired. When given prophylactically, anti-PD1 treatment led to an increase in the incidence of NASH-HCC and in the number and size of tumour nodules, which correlated with increased hepatic CD8+PD1+CXCR6+, TOX+, and TNF+ T cells. The increase in HCC triggered by anti-PD1 treatment was prevented by depletion of CD8+ T cells or TNF neutralization, suggesting that CD8+ T cells help to induce NASH-HCC, rather than invigorating or executing immune surveillance. We found similar phenotypic and functional profiles in hepatic CD8+PD1+ T cells from humans with NAFLD or NASH. A meta-analysis of three randomized phase III clinical trials that tested inhibitors of PDL1 (programmed death-ligand 1) or PD1 in more than 1,600 patients with advanced HCC revealed that immune therapy did not improve survival in patients with non-viral HCC. In two additional cohorts, patients with NASH-driven HCC who received anti-PD1 or anti-PDL1 treatment showed reduced overall survival compared to patients with other aetiologies. Collectively, these data show that non-viral HCC, and particularly NASH-HCC, might be less responsive to immunotherapy, probably owing to NASH-related aberrant T cell activation causing tissue damage that leads to impaired immune surveillance. Our data provide a rationale for stratification of patients with HCC according to underlying aetiology in studies of immunotherapy as a primary or adjuvant treatment.
526 citations
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TL;DR: Increased UPF consumption was associated, although in a limited number of studies, with a worse cardiometabolic risk profile and a higher risk of CVD, cerebrovascular disease, depression and all-cause mortality.
Abstract: Increasing evidence suggests that high consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is associated with an increase in non-communicable diseases, overweight and obesity. The present study systematically reviewed all observational studies that investigated the association between UPF consumption and health status. A comprehensive search of MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar was conducted, and reference lists of included articles were checked. Only cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies were included. At the end of the selection process, twenty-three studies (ten cross-sectional and thirteen prospective cohort studies) were included in the systematic review. As regards the cross-sectional studies, the highest UPF consumption was associated with a significant increase in the risk of overweight/obesity (+39 %), high waist circumference (+39 %), low HDL-cholesterol levels (+102 %) and the metabolic syndrome (+79 %), while no significant associations with hypertension, hyperglycaemia or hypertriacylglycerolaemia were observed. For prospective cohort studies evaluating a total population of 183 491 participants followed for a period ranging from 3·5 to 19 years, highest UPF consumption was found to be associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in five studies (risk ratio (RR) 1·25, 95 % CI 1·14, 1·37; P < 0·00001), increased risk of CVD in three studies (RR 1·29, 95 % CI 1·12, 1·48; P = 0·0003), cerebrovascular disease in two studies (RR 1·34, 95 % CI 1·07, 1·68; P = 0·01) and depression in two studies (RR 1·20, 95 % CI 1·03, 1·40; P = 0·02). In conclusion, increased UPF consumption was associated, although in a limited number of studies, with a worse cardiometabolic risk profile and a higher risk of CVD, cerebrovascular disease, depression and all-cause mortality.
372 citations
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TL;DR: The pandemic of new severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) due to coronavirus (CoV) 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has stressed the importance of effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of clinical worsening and mortality.
Abstract: Background The pandemic of new severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to coronavirus (CoV) 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has stressed the importance of effective diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of clinical worsening and mortality. Epidemiological data showing a differential impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on women and men have suggested a potential role for testosterone (T) in determining gender disparity in the SARS-CoV-2 clinical outcomes. Objectives To estimate the association between T level and SARS-CoV-2 clinical outcomes (defined as conditions requiring transfer to higher or lower intensity of care or death) in a cohort of patients admitted in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU). Materials and methods A consecutive series of 31 male patients affected by SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia and recovered in the respiratory intensive care unit (RICU) of the "Carlo Poma" Hospital in Mantua were analyzed. Several biochemical risk factors (ie, blood count and leukocyte formula, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, D-dimer, fibrinogen, interleukin 6 (IL-6)) as well as total testosterone (TT), calculated free T (cFT), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined. Results Lower TT and cFT were found in the transferred to ICU/deceased in RICU group vs groups of patients transferred to IM or maintained in the RICU in stable condition. Both TT and cFT showed a negative significant correlation with biochemical risk factors (ie, the neutrophil count, LDH, and PCT) but a positive association with the lymphocyte count. Likewise, TT was also negatively associated with CRP and ferritin levels. A steep increase in both ICU transfer and mortality risk was observed in men with TT Discussion and conclusion Our study demonstrates for the first time that lower baseline levels of TT and cFT levels predict poor prognosis and mortality in SARS-CoV-2-infected men admitted to RICU.
262 citations
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University of Bern1, University of London2, Emory University3, University of Florence4, University of Santiago de Compostela5, Nagasaki University6, Umeå University7, Monash University8, University of Tsukuba9, Arizona State University10, University of Buenos Aires11, University of São Paulo12, University of Ottawa13, Health Canada14, University of Los Andes15, Fudan University16, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic17, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague18, University of Tartu19, University of Oulu20, Finnish Meteorological Institute21, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens22, Imperial College London23, Hakim Sabzevari University24, Brunel University London25, University of Tokyo26, Harvard University27, Norwegian Institute of Public Health28, Cayetano Heredia University29, Kyoto University30, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge31, University of Porto32, University of Turin33, Seoul National University34, University of Valencia35, University of Basel36, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute37, National Institutes of Health38, National Taiwan University39, University of the Republic40, Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University41, European Space Agency42, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research43, Pablo de Olavide University44
TL;DR: In this article, the authors use empirical data from 732 locations in 43 countries to estimate the mortality burdens associated with the additional heat exposure that has resulted from recent human-induced warming, during the period 1991-2018.
Abstract: Climate change affects human health; however, there have been no large-scale, systematic efforts to quantify the heat-related human health impacts that have already occurred due to climate change. Here, we use empirical data from 732 locations in 43 countries to estimate the mortality burdens associated with the additional heat exposure that has resulted from recent human-induced warming, during the period 1991-2018. Across all study countries, we find that 37.0% (range 20.5-76.3%) of warm-season heat-related deaths can be attributed to anthropogenic climate change and that increased mortality is evident on every continent. Burdens varied geographically but were of the order of dozens to hundreds of deaths per year in many locations. Our findings support the urgent need for more ambitious mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize the public health impacts of climate change.
250 citations
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Vita-Salute San Raffaele University1, University of Foggia2, University of Milan3, University of Florence4, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary5, Selçuk University6, Istanbul University7, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria8, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven9, Manchester Royal Infirmary10, University of Catania11, Imperial College London12, University of Salerno13, Charing Cross Hospital14
TL;DR: The European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on male sexual health were updated in March 2019, with a last comprehensive update in January 2019 as mentioned in this paper, with a systematic review of the evidence or a consensus opinion from the expert panel.
231 citations
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French Institute of Health and Medical Research1, Claude Bernard University Lyon 12, UCL Institute of Neurology3, Autonomous University of Barcelona4, University Hospital of Basel5, University of Düsseldorf6, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens7, University of Florence8, University of Southern Denmark9, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia10, University of Pennsylvania11, Anschutz Medical Campus12, Children's Hospital at Westmead13, Harvard University14, University of Paris-Sud15, University of Strasbourg16, Fukushima Medical University17, Cleveland Clinic18, Walton Centre19, Ruhr University Bochum20, Medical University of Vienna21, John Radcliffe Hospital22, University of Glasgow23, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich24, Humboldt University of Berlin25, National Institute for Health Research26, University College London27, Moorfields Eye Hospital28, Mayo Clinic29, Innsbruck Medical University30, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul31, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn32, Istanbul University33, University of Paris34, University of British Columbia35, University of California, San Francisco36, Technische Universität München37
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) as a recently identified autoimmune disorder that presents in both adults and children as CNS demyelination.
Abstract: Myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) is a recently identified autoimmune disorder that presents in both adults and children as CNS demyelination. Although there are clinical phenotypic overlaps between MOGAD, multiple sclerosis, and aquaporin-4 antibody-associated neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) cumulative biological, clinical, and pathological evidence discriminates between these conditions. Patients should not be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or NMOSD if they have anti-MOG antibodies in their serum. However, many questions related to the clinical characterisation of MOGAD and pathogenetic role of MOG antibodies are still unanswered. Furthermore, therapy is mainly based on standard protocols for aquaporin-4 antibody-associated NMOSD and multiple sclerosis, and more evidence is needed regarding how and when to treat patients with MOGAD.
225 citations
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Shandong University1, Monash University2, University of London3, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague4, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic5, Hakim Sabzevari University6, University of Bern7, Harvard University8, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens9, Brunel University London10, Nagasaki University11, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge12, Universidade Nova de Lisboa13, Umeå University14, National Institutes of Health15, University of Valencia16, Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University17, University of Santiago de Compostela18, University of Tartu19, University of Ottawa20, Health Canada21, University of Turin22, Norwegian Institute of Public Health23, University of Florence24, University of California, San Diego25, Cayetano Heredia University26, Fudan University27, Seoul National University28, Babeș-Bolyai University29, University of Porto30, University of Oulu31, Finnish Meteorological Institute32, King's College London33, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute34, University of Basel35, University of Tokyo36, University of São Paulo37, University of Los Andes38, Emory University39, University of Buenos Aires40, University of the Republic41, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research42, Pablo de Olavide University43, Yale University44, University of Tsukuba45, National Taiwan University46
TL;DR: In this paper, the global, regional, and national mortality burden associated with non-optimal ambient temperatures was evaluated using time-series data collected from 750 locations in 43 countries and five meta-predictors.
189 citations
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TL;DR: The European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) portal has been used for the WeNMR project as mentioned in this paper since 2010 and has implemented numerous web-based services to facilitate the use of advanced computational tools by researchers in the field.
Abstract: Structural biology aims at characterizing the structural and dynamic properties of biological macromolecules with atomic details. Gaining insight into three dimensional structures of biomolecules and their interactions is critical for understanding the vast majority of cellular processes, with direct applications in health and food sciences. Since 2010, the WeNMR project (www.wenmr.eu) has implemented numerous web-based services to facilitate the use of advanced computational tools by researchers in the field, using the high throughput computing infrastructure provided by EGI. These services have been further developed in subsequent initiatives under H2020 projects and are now operating as Thematic Services in the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) portal (www.eosc-portal.eu), sending >12 millions of jobs and using around 4000 CPU-years per year. Here we review 10 years of successful e-infrastructure solutions serving a large worldwide community of over 23,000 users to date, providing them with user-friendly, web-based solutions that run complex workflows in structural biology. The current set of active WeNMR portals are described, together with the complex backend machinery that allows distributed computing resources to be harvested efficiently.
173 citations
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TL;DR: Tangram as mentioned in this paper aligns single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-seq data to various forms of spatial data collected from the same region, including MERFISH, STARmap, smFISH and histological images.
Abstract: Charting an organs' biological atlas requires us to spatially resolve the entire single-cell transcriptome, and to relate such cellular features to the anatomical scale. Single-cell and single-nucleus RNA-seq (sc/snRNA-seq) can profile cells comprehensively, but lose spatial information. Spatial transcriptomics allows for spatial measurements, but at lower resolution and with limited sensitivity. Targeted in situ technologies solve both issues, but are limited in gene throughput. To overcome these limitations we present Tangram, a method that aligns sc/snRNA-seq data to various forms of spatial data collected from the same region, including MERFISH, STARmap, smFISH, Spatial Transcriptomics (Visium) and histological images. Tangram can map any type of sc/snRNA-seq data, including multimodal data such as those from SHARE-seq, which we used to reveal spatial patterns of chromatin accessibility. We demonstrate Tangram on healthy mouse brain tissue, by reconstructing a genome-wide anatomically integrated spatial map at single-cell resolution of the visual and somatomotor areas.
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TL;DR: The possibility that the regulation of the systemic inflammatory network against the virus can be modulated starting from the initial phases of the nasal and nasopharyngeal response is explored and this may have several clinical and epidemiological implications starting from a mucosal vaccine development.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyzed the relationship between BDAC and business model innovation (BMI) by leveraging on the Dynamic Capabilities View (DCV) and found that BDAC had both direct and indirect positive effects on BMI, with the latter being mediated by EO.
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Charing Cross Hospital1, University of Foggia2, University of Milan3, University of Florence4, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary5, University of Aberdeen6, Selçuk University7, Istanbul University8, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven9, Manchester Royal Infirmary10, University of Catania11, University of Salerno12, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University13
TL;DR: The European Association of Urology (EAU) has updated its guidelines on sexual and reproductive health for 2021 as mentioned in this paper, including advances and areas of controversy in male infertility, and a strength rating for each recommendation was included that was based either on a systematic review of the literature or consensus opinion from the expert panel, where applicable.
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01 Jul 2021
TL;DR: A key role is identified in age-related chronic inflammation of CXCL9 in cardiac aging, adverse cardiac remodeling and poor vascular function and a metric for multimorbidity is derived that can be utilized for the early detection of age- related clinical phenotypes.
Abstract: While many diseases of aging have been linked to the immunological system, immune metrics capable of identifying the most at-risk individuals are lacking. From the blood immunome of 1,001 individuals aged 8–96 years, we developed a deep-learning method based on patterns of systemic age-related inflammation. The resulting inflammatory clock of aging (iAge) tracked with multimorbidity, immunosenescence, frailty and cardiovascular aging, and is also associated with exceptional longevity in centenarians. The strongest contributor to iAge was the chemokine CXCL9, which was involved in cardiac aging, adverse cardiac remodeling and poor vascular function. Furthermore, aging endothelial cells in human and mice show loss of function, cellular senescence and hallmark phenotypes of arterial stiffness, all of which are reversed by silencing CXCL9. In conclusion, we identify a key role of CXCL9 in age-related chronic inflammation and derive a metric for multimorbidity that can be utilized for the early detection of age-related clinical phenotypes. From the blood immunome of 1,001 individuals aged 8–96 years, the authors used deep learning to develop an inflammatory clock of aging (iAge) that tracks with multimorbidity, immunosenescence, frailty and cardiovascular aging, and is also associated with exceptional longevity in centenarians. The main contributor to iAge is the chemokine CXCL9, which is shown to control endothelial cell senescence and function.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the associations of self-reported COVID-19 infection and SARS-CoV-2 serology test results with persistent physical symptoms (e.g., fatigue, breathlessness, or impaired attention) in the general population during the COVID19 pandemic.
Abstract: Importance After an infection by SARS-CoV-2, many patients present with persistent physical symptoms that may impair their quality of life. Beliefs regarding the causes of these symptoms may influence their perception and promote maladaptive health behaviors. Objective To examine the associations of self-reported COVID-19 infection and SARS-CoV-2 serology test results with persistent physical symptoms (eg, fatigue, breathlessness, or impaired attention) in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants Participants in this cross-sectional analysis were 26 823 individuals from the French population-based CONSTANCES cohort, included between 2012 and 2019, who took part in the nested SAPRIS and SAPRIS-SERO surveys. Between May and November 2020, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect anti–SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Between December 2020 and January 2021, the participants reported whether they believed they had experienced COVID-19 infection and had physical symptoms during the previous 4 weeks that had persisted for at least 8 weeks. Participants who reported having an initial COVID-19 infection only after completing the serology test were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures Logistic regressions for each persistent symptom as the outcome were computed in models including both self-reported COVID-19 infection and serology test results and adjusting for age, sex, income, and educational level. Results Of 35 852 volunteers invited to participate in the study, 26 823 (74.8%) with complete data were included in the present study (mean [SD] age, 49.4 [12.9] years; 13 731 women [51.2%]). Self-reported infection was positively associated with persistent physical symptoms, with odds ratios ranging from 1.39 (95% CI, 1.03-1.86) to 16.37 (95% CI, 10.21-26.24) except for hearing impairment (odds ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.82-2.55) and sleep problems (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.89-1.46). A serology test result positive for SARS-COV-2 was positively associated only with persistent anosmia (odds ratio, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.66-4.46), even when restricting the analyses to participants who attributed their symptoms to COVID-19 infection. Further adjusting for self-rated health or depressive symptoms yielded similar results. There was no significant interaction between belief and serology test results. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this cross-sectional analysis of a large, population-based French cohort suggest that persistent physical symptoms after COVID-19 infection may be associated more with the belief in having been infected with SARS-CoV-2 than with having laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 infection. Further research in this area should consider underlying mechanisms that may not be specific to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. A medical evaluation of these patients may be needed to prevent symptoms due to another disease being erroneously attributed to “long COVID.”
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TL;DR: A new benchmark consisting of recent advances in MS pansharpening is proposed, and optimized classical approaches [multiresolution analysis (MRA) and component substitution (CS)] are compared with methods belonging to the third generation of panshARPening, represented by variational optimization-based (VO) and machine learning (ML) techniques.
Abstract: Pansharpening refers to the fusion of a multispectral (MS) image and panchromatic (PAN) data aimed at generating an outcome with the same spatial resolution of the PAN data and the spectral resolution of the MS image. In the last 30 years, several approaches to deal with this issue have been proposed. However, the reproducibility of these methods is often limited, making the comparison with the state of the art hard to achieve. Thus, to fill this gap, we propose a new benchmark consisting of recent advances in MS pansharpening. In particular, optimized classical approaches [multiresolution analysis (MRA) and component substitution (CS)] are compared with methods belonging to the third generation of pansharpening, represented by variational optimization-based (VO) and machine learning (ML) techniques. The benchmark is tested on different scenarios (from urban to rural areas) acquired by different commercial sensors [i.e., IKONOS (IK), GeoEye-1 (GE-1), and WorldView-3 (WV-3)]. Both quantitative and qualitative assessments and the computational burden are analyzed in this article, and all of the implementations have been collected in a MATLAB toolbox that is made available to the community.
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TL;DR: Women’s expectations and concerns regarding childbirth changed significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, and women with a history of psychological disorders need particular attention.
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TL;DR: Reduced lymphocyte and platelet count, along with increased D-dimer levels, all significantly contributed to increased mortality and the optimization of glucose profile along with an adequate thrombotic complications preventive strategy must become routine practice in diseased SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.
Abstract: The presence of SARS-CoV-2 was officially documented in Europe at the end of February 2020. Despite many observations, the real impact of COVID-19 in the European Union (EU), its underlying factors and their contribution to mortality and morbidity outcomes were never systematically investigated. The aim of the present work is to provide an overview and a meta-analysis of main predictors and of country differences of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection-associated mortality rate (MR) in hospitalized patients. Out of 3714 retrieved articles, 87 studies were considered, including 35,486 patients (mean age 60.9 ± 8.2 years) and 5867 deaths. After adjustment for confounders, diabetes mellitus was the best predictors of MR in an age- and sex-dependent manner, followed by chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases and malignancies. In both the US and Europe, MR was higher than that reported in Asia (25[20;29] % and 20[17;23] % vs. 13[10;17]%; both p < 0.02). Among clinical parameters, dyspnea, fatigue and myalgia, along with respiratory rate, emerged as the best predictors of MR. Finally, reduced lymphocyte and platelet count, along with increased D-dimer levels, all significantly contributed to increased mortality. The optimization of glucose profile along with an adequate thrombotic complications preventive strategy must become routine practice in diseased SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.
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TL;DR: The study confirms that surveys via the web are a suitable method to evaluate and track attitudes during infectious disease outbreaks and assess health literacy skills about vaccination, which can be useful to adapt medical communication strategies, for a better understanding of the value of immunization.
Abstract: The COVID-19 infodemic can be countered by scientific evidence, clear and consistent communication, and improved health literacy of both individuals in need of information and those providing it. A...
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National and Kapodistrian University of Athens1, Mayo Clinic2, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart3, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven4, University of Colorado Boulder5, Stanford University6, HCL Technologies7, University of Milan8, Institut Gustave Roussy9, Charité10, University of Kiel11, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center12, University of Zurich13, Regeneron14, University of Ioannina15, University of Mainz16, University of Florence17, Hannover Medical School18, Carlos III Health Institute19
TL;DR: Cemiplimab, a PD-1 antibody, is approved for treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and has shown clinical activity as monotherapy in first-line non-small-cell lung cancer as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Summary Background Before February, 2021, there was no standard treatment regimen for locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after first-line hedgehog inhibitor (HHI) therapy. Cemiplimab, a PD-1 antibody, is approved for treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and has shown clinical activity as monotherapy in first-line non-small-cell lung cancer. Here, we present the primary analysis data of cemiplimab in patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after HHI therapy. Methods We did an open-label, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial across 38 outpatient clinics, primarily at academic medical centres, in Canada, Europe, and the USA. Eligible patients (aged ≥18 years and with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1) with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic basal cell carcinoma (group 1) or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma (group 2) who had progressed on or were intolerant to previous HHI therapy were enrolled. Patients were not candidates for further HHI therapy due to progression of disease on or intolerance to previous HHI therapy or having no better than stable disease after 9 months on HHI therapy. Patients received cemiplimab 350 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 93 weeks or until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response by independent central review. Analyses were done as per the intention-to-treat principle. The safety analysis comprised all patients who received at least one dose of cemiplimab. The primary analysis is reported only for group 2; group 1 data have not reached maturity and will be reported when the timepoint, according to the statistical analysis plan, has been reached. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT03132636 , and is no longer recruiting new participants. Findings Between Nov 16, 2017, and Jan 7, 2019, 84 patients were enrolled and treated with cemiplimab. At data cutoff on Feb 17, 2020, median duration of follow-up was 15 months (IQR 8–18). An objective response per independent central review was observed in 26 (31%; 95% CI 21–42) of 84 patients, including two partial responses that emerged at tumour assessments before the data cutoff and were confirmed by tumour assessments done subsequent to the data cutoff. The best overall response was five (6%) patients with a complete response and 21 (25%) with a partial response. Grade 3–4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 40 (48%) of 84 patients; the most common were hypertension (four [5%] of 84 patients) and colitis (four [5%]). Serious treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 29 (35%) of 84 patients. There were no treatment-related deaths. Interpretation Cemiplimab exhibited clinically meaningful antitumour activity and an acceptable safety profile in patients with locally advanced basal cell carcinoma after HHI therapy. Funding Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi.
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Oslo University Hospital1, Boehringer Ingelheim2, University of Pécs3, University of Florence4, university of lille5, Peking Union Medical College Hospital6, University of Zurich7, University of Lübeck8, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens9, Medical University of Białystok10, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli11
TL;DR: SSc-ILD shows a heterogeneous and variable disease course, and thus monitoring all patients closely is important, and novel treatment concepts, with treatment initiation before FVC decline occurs, should aim for prevention of progression to avoid irreversible organ damage.
Abstract: OBJECTIVES
To identify overall disease course, progression patterns and risk factors predictive for progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated ILD (SSc-ILD), using data from the European Scleroderma Trials And Research (EUSTAR) database over long-term follow-up.
METHODS
Eligible patients with SSc-ILD were registered in the EUSTAR database and had measurements of forced vital capacity (FVC) at baseline and after 12±3 months. Long-term progressive ILD and progression patterns were assessed in patients with multiple FVC measurements. Potential predictors of ILD progression were analysed using multivariable mixed-effect models.
RESULTS
826 patients with SSc-ILD were included. Over 12±3 months, 219 (27%) showed progressive ILD: either moderate (FVC decline 5% to 10%) or significant (FVC decline >10%). A total of 535 (65%) patients had multiple FVC measurements available over mean 5-year follow-up. In each 12-month period, 23% to 27% of SSc-ILD patients showed progressive ILD, but only a minority of patients showed progression in consecutive periods. Most patients with progressive ILD (58%) had a pattern of slow lung function decline, with more periods of stability/improvement than decline, whereas only 8% showed rapid, continuously declining FVC; 178 (33%) experienced no episode of FVC decline. The strongest predictive factors for FVC decline over 5 years were male sex, higher modified Rodnan skin score and reflux/dysphagia symptoms.
CONCLUSION
SSc-ILD shows a heterogeneous and variable disease course, and thus monitoring all patients closely is important. Novel treatment concepts, with treatment initiation before FVC decline occurs, should aim for prevention of progression to avoid irreversible organ damage.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the performance of the reconstruction and identification algorithms for electrons and photons with the CMS experiment at the LHC is presented, based on proton-proton collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and recorded in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136 fb$^{-1}$.
Abstract: The performance is presented of the reconstruction and identification algorithms for electrons and photons with the CMS experiment at the LHC. The reported results are based on proton-proton collision data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and recorded in 2016-2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136 fb$^{-1}$. Results obtained from lead-lead collision data collected at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}=$ 5.02 TeV are also presented. Innovative techniques are used to reconstruct the electron and photon signals in the detector and to optimize the energy resolution. Events with electrons and photons in the final state are used to measure the energy resolution and energy scale uncertainty in the recorded events. The measured energy resolution for electrons produced in Z boson decays in proton-proton collision data ranges from 2 to 5%, depending on electron pseudorapidity and energy loss through bremsstrahlung in the detector material. The energy scale in the same range of energies is measured with an uncertainty smaller than 0.1 (0.3)% in the barrel (endcap) region in proton-proton collisions and better than 1 (3)% in the barrel (endcap) region in heavy ion collisions. The timing resolution for electrons from Z boson decays with the full 2016-2018 proton-proton collision data set is measured to be 200 ps.
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Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre1, Johns Hopkins University2, Sheba Medical Center3, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki4, University of Florence5, University of Barcelona6, Thomas Jefferson University7, Dubai Health Authority8, University of Queensland9, University of São Paulo10, Rabin Medical Center11, Tel Aviv University12, University College Dublin13, University of Southampton14, The Chinese University of Hong Kong15, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev16, University of Lisbon17, University of Toronto18, National Institutes of Health19
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive summary of available evidence along with practical recommendations concerning the care of pregnancies at risk of or complicated by FGR, with the overall goal to decrease the risk of stillbirth and neonatal mortality and morbidity associated with this condition.
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TL;DR: In this paper, a prospective cross-sectional study on 43 sexually active men who were known to have recovered from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection was performed.
Abstract: Study question How is the semen quality of sexually active men following recovery from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection? Summary answer Twenty-five percent of the men with recent SARS-Cov-2 infections and proven healing were oligo-crypto-azoospermic, despite the absence of virus RNA in semen. What is known already The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in human semen and its role in virus contagion and semen quality after recovery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still unclear. So far, studies evaluating semen quality and the occurrence of SARS-CoV-2 in semen of infected or proven recovered men are scarce and included a limited number of participants. Study design, size, duration A prospective cross-sectional study on 43 sexually active men who were known to have recovered from SARS-CoV2 was performed. Four biological fluid samples, namely saliva, pre-ejaculation urine, semen and post-ejaculation urine, were tested for the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Female partners were retested if any specimen was found to be SARS-CoV-2 positive. Routine semen analysis and quantification of semen leukocytes and interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels were performed. Participants/materials, setting, methods Questionnaires including International Index of Erectile Function and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire Short Form were administered to all subjects. The occurrence of virus RNA was evaluated in all the biological fluids collected by RT-PCR. Semen parameters were evaluated according to the World Health Organization manual edition V. Semen IL-8 levels were evaluated by a two-step ELISA method. Main results and the role of chance After recovery from COVID-19, 25% of the men studied were oligo-crypto-azoospermic. Of the 11 men with semen impairment, eight were azoospermic and three were oligospermic. A total of 33 patients (76.7%) showed pathological levels of IL-8 in semen. Oligo-crypto-azoospermia was significantly related to COVID-19 severity (p Limitations, reasons for caution Although crypto-azoospermia was found in a high percentage of men who had recovered from COVID-19, clearly exceeding the percentage found in the general population, the previous semen quality of these men was unknown, nor is it known whether a recovery of testicular function was occurring. The low number of enrolled patients may limit the statistical power of study. Wider implications of the findings SARS-CoV-2 can be detected in saliva, urine and semen in a small percentage of men who recovered from COVID-19. One-quarter of men who recovered from COVID-19 demonstrated oligo-crypto-azoospermia indicating that an assessment of semen quality should be recommended for men of reproductive age who are affected by COVID-19. Study funding/competing interest(s) None. Trial registration number n/a.
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Arizona State University1, Forschungszentrum Jülich2, Mersin University3, National Institutes of Health4, Pennsylvania State University5, Yale University6, University of Tennessee7, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign8, Centre national de la recherche scientifique9, University of Buenos Aires10, University of Toulouse11, University of Bari12, University of California, Irvine13, Utrecht University14, Technische Universität München15, Monell Chemical Senses Center16, University of Helsinki17, University of Oslo18, Karunya University19, National Centre for Biological Sciences20, Qatar Airways21, Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology22, Sultan Qaboos University23, San Diego State University24, Goethe University Frankfurt25, Universidade Estadual de Londrina26, University of Queensland27, University of Florence28, University College London29, University of California, San Diego30, University of Graz31, Howard University32, Geneva College33, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc34, International School for Advanced Studies35, University of Gastronomic Sciences36, Stockholm University37, University of East Anglia38, Towson University39, University of Padua40, Oregon State University41, Karolinska Institutet42, University of Insubria43, IBM44, University of Extremadura45, Dresden University of Technology46, Hebrew University of Jerusalem47, University of Florida48, Temple University49
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness.
Abstract: In a preregistered, cross-sectional study, we investigated whether olfactory loss is a reliable predictor of COVID-19 using a crowdsourced questionnaire in 23 languages to assess symptoms in individuals self-reporting recent respiratory illness. We quantified changes in chemosensory abilities during the course of the respiratory illness using 0-100 visual analog scales (VAS) for participants reporting a positive (C19+; n = 4148) or negative (C19-; n = 546) COVID-19 laboratory test outcome. Logistic regression models identified univariate and multivariate predictors of COVID-19 status and post-COVID-19 olfactory recovery. Both C19+ and C19- groups exhibited smell loss, but it was significantly larger in C19+ participants (mean ± SD, C19+: -82.5 ± 27.2 points; C19-: -59.8 ± 37.7). Smell loss during illness was the best predictor of COVID-19 in both univariate and multivariate models (ROC AUC = 0.72). Additional variables provide negligible model improvement. VAS ratings of smell loss were more predictive than binary chemosensory yes/no-questions or other cardinal symptoms (e.g., fever). Olfactory recovery within 40 days of respiratory symptom onset was reported for ~50% of participants and was best predicted by time since respiratory symptom onset. We find that quantified smell loss is the best predictor of COVID-19 amongst those with symptoms of respiratory illness. To aid clinicians and contact tracers in identifying individuals with a high likelihood of having COVID-19, we propose a novel 0-10 scale to screen for recent olfactory loss, the ODoR-19. We find that numeric ratings ≤2 indicate high odds of symptomatic COVID-19 (4 < OR < 10). Once independently validated, this tool could be deployed when viral lab tests are impractical or unavailable.
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TL;DR: Some clues supporting the hypothesis that type 2 conditions do not represent a risk factor for COVID-19 disease are shared, despite the most morbidity occurring due to SARS-CoV-2 induced lung damage.
Abstract: To the Editor, As well as age, co-morbidities including cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, malignancies and diabetes, and other host-related factors are adverse prognostic factors for COVID-19 disease.1 Asthma is a heterogenous condition, characterized by a type 2 eosinophilic inflammation in more than 50% of those with a formal asthma diagnosis. Despite a prevalence of 4.2%, surprisingly to us, asthma was not listed in co-morbidities in a Chinese study on 140 hospitalized patients.2 These findings are consistent with our observation of a low occurrence of asthmatics among admitted COVID-19 cases (3 out of 275 individuals, one requiring ICU) in Prato (Italy), a city with 200 000 inhabitants of whom at least 10 000 are expected to be asthmatic. Further, none of the 2500 asthmatic patients referring to our Allergy Unit has been hospitalized. To date, there are no published reports of other type 2 conditions associated with severe COVID-19. Herein, we share some clues supporting the hypothesis that type 2 conditions do not represent a risk factor, despite the most morbidity occurring due to SARS-CoV-2 induced lung damage. Immune responses to viruses are characterized by initial activation of innate immunity and production of type I and III Interferons (IFN-α/β and -λ, respectively), crucial to control propagation.3 Upon stimulation with viruses, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are
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Raul G Nogueira1, Mohamad Abdalkader2, Muhammed M. Qureshi2, Michael Frankel1 +269 more•Institutions (98)
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors measured the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of the volumes for medical care in the United Kingdom and the United States.
Abstract: BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic led to profound changes in the organization of health care systems worldwide.AimsWe sought to measure the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes for m...
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TL;DR: In this paper, a review aims to point out the intimate relationship between immunosenescence and inflammaging and how these processes impact unsuccessful aging rather than longevity, and discuss how these phenomena could influence the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection.
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University of Bologna1, National Research Council2, Humanitas University3, University of Turin4, University of Florence5, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart6, University of Rome Tor Vergata7, University of Milano-Bicocca8, University of Insubria9, University of Milan10, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico11, King's College London12, Marche Polytechnic University13, Carlos III Health Institute14, Leipzig University15, University of Paris16
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors integrate these genomic features into disease classification and prune classification in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) using a genetic algorithm.
Abstract: PURPOSERecurrently mutated genes and chromosomal abnormalities have been identified in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We aim to integrate these genomic features into disease classification and pr...