University of Florence

About: University of Florence is a education organization based out in Florence, Toscana, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Carbonic anhydrase. The organization has 27292 authors who have published 79599 publications receiving 2341684 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli studi di Firenze & Universita degli studi di Firenze.

The epidemiology of fungal infections in patients with hematologic malignancies: the SEIFEM-2004 study.

Abstract: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and outcome of invasive fungal infections (IFI) in patients with hematologic malignancies. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients admitted between 1999 and 2003 to 18 hematology wards in Italy. Each participating center provided information on all patients with newly diagnosed hematologic malignancies admitted during the survery period and on all episodes of IFI experienced by these patients. RESULTS: The cohort was formed of 11,802 patients with hematologic malignacies: acute leukemia (myeloid 3012, lymphoid 1173), chronic leukemia (myeloid 596, lymphoid 1104), lymphoma (Hodgkin's 844, non-Hodgkin's 3457), or multiple myeloma (1616). There were 538 proven or probable IFI (4.6%); 373 (69%) occurred in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Over half (346/538) were caused by molds (2.9%), in most cases Aspergillus spp. (310/346). The 192 yeast infections (1.6%) included 175 cases of candidemia. Overall and IFI-attributable mortality rates were 2% (209/11802) and 39% (209/538), respectively. The highest IFI-attributable mortality rates were associated with zygomycosis (64%) followed by fusariosis (53%), aspergillosis (42%), and candidemia (33%). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Patients with hematologic malignancies are currently at higher risk of IFI caused by molds than by yeasts, and the incidence of IFI is highest among patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Aspergillus spp are still the most common pathogens, followed by Candida spp. Other agents are rare. The attributable mortality rate for aspergillosis has dropped from 60-70% to approximately 40%. Candidemia-related mortality remains within the 30-40% range reported in literature although the incidence has decreased.

[Responses of agricultural crops of free-air CO2 enrichment].

Abstract: Over the past decade, free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments have been conducted on several agricultural crops: wheat(Triticum aestivum L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and rice(Oryza sativa L.) which are C3 grasses; sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), a C4 grass; white clover (Trifolium repens), a C3 legume; potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a C3 forb with tuber storage; and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and grape (Vitis vinifera L.) which are C3 woody perennials. Using reports from these experiments, the relative responses of these crops was discussed with regard to photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, canopy temperature, water use, water potential, leaf area index, shoot and root biomass accumulation, agricultural yield, radiation use efficiency, specific leaf area, tissue nitrogen concentration, nitrogen yield, carbohydrate concentration, phenology, soil microbiology, soil respiration, trace gas emissions, and soil carbon sequestration. Generally, the magnitude of these responses varied with the functional type of plant and with the soil nitrogen and water status. As expected, the elevated CO2 increased photosynthesis and biomass production and yield substantially in C3 species, but little in C4, and it decreased stomatal conductance and transpiration in both C3 and C4 species and greatly improved water-use efficiency in all the crops. Growth stimulations were as large or larger under water-stress compared to well-watered conditions. Growth stimulations of non-legumes were reduced at low soil nitrogen, whereas elevated CO2 strongly stimulated the growth of the clover legume both at ample and under low N conditions. Roots were generally stimulated more than shoots. Woody perennials had larger growth responses to elevated CO2, while at the same time, their reductions in stomatal conductance were smaller. Tissue nitrogen concentrations went down while carbohydrate and some other carbon-based compounds went up due to elevated CO2, with leaves and foliage affected more than other organs. Phenology was accelerated slightly in most but not all species. Elevated CO2 affected some soil microbes greatly but not others, yet overall activity appears to be stimulated. Detection of statistically significant changes in soil organic carbon in any one study was impossible, yet combining results from several sites and years, it appears that elevated CO2 did increase sequestration of soil carbon. Whenever possible, comparisons were made between the FACE results and those from prior chamber-based experiments reviewed in the literature. Over all the data and parameters considered in this review, there are only two parameters for which the FACE- and chamber-based data appear to be inconsistent. One is that elevated CO2 from FACE appears to reduce stomatal conductance about one and a half times more than observed in prior chamber experiments. Similarly, elevated CO2 appears to have stimulated root growth relatively more than shoot growth under FACE conditions compared to chamber conditions. Nevertheless, for the most part, the FACE- and chamber-based results have been consistent, which gives confidence that conclusions drawn from both types of data are accurate. However, the more realistic FACE environment and the larger plot size have enabled more extensive robust multidisciplinary data sets to be obtained under conditions representative of open fields in the future high-CO2 world.

Epiluminescence Microscopy for the Diagnosis of Doubtful Melanocytic Skin Lesions: Comparison of the ABCD Rule of Dermatoscopy and a New 7-Point Checklist Based on Pattern Analysis

Abstract: Objective To compare the reliability of a new 7-point checklist based on simplified epiluminescence microscopy (ELM) pattern analysis with the ABCD rule of dermatoscopy and standard pattern analysis for the diagnosis of clinically doubtful melanocytic skin lesions. Design In a blind study, ELM images of 342 histologically proven melanocytic skin lesions were evaluated for the presence of 7 standard criteria that we called the "ELM 7-point checklist." For each lesion, "overall" and "ABCD scored" diagnoses were recorded. From a training set of 57 melanomas and 139 atypical non-melanomas, odds ratios were calculated to create a simple diagnostic model based on identification of major and minor criteria for the "7-point scored" diagnosis. A test set of 60 melanomas and 86 atypical non-melanomas was used for model validation and was then presented to 2 less experienced ELM observers, who recorded the ABCD and 7-point scored diagnoses. Settings University medical centers. Patients A sample of patients with excised melanocytic lesions. Main Outcome Measures Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the models for diagnosing melanoma. Results From the total combined sets, the 7-point checklist gave a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 75% compared with 85% sensitivity and 66% specificity using the ABCD rule and 91% sensitivity and 90% specificity using standard pattern analysis (overall ELM diagnosis). Compared with the ABCD rule, the 7-point method allowed less experienced observers to obtain higher diagnostic accuracy values. Conclusions The ELM 7-point checklist provides a simplification of standard pattern analysis because of the low number of features to identify and the scoring diagnostic system. As with the ABCD rule, it can be easily learned and easily applied and has proven to be reliable in diagnosing melanoma.

The causes and risk of stroke in patients with asymptomatic internal-carotid-artery stenosis. North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial Collaborators.

Abstract: Background The causes of stroke in patients with asymptomatic carotid-artery stenosis have not been carefully studied. Information about causes might influence decisions about the use of carotid endarterectomy in such patients. Methods We studied patients with unilateral symptomatic carotid-artery stenosis and asymptomatic contralateral stenosis from 1988 to 1997. The causes, severity, risk, and predictors of stroke in the territory of the asymptomatic artery were examined and quantified. Results The risk of stroke at five years after study entry in a total of 1820 patients increased with the severity of stenosis. Among 1604 patients with stenosis of less than 60 percent of the luminal diameter, the risk of a first stroke was 8.0 percent (1.6 percent annually), as compared with 16.2 percent (3.2 percent annually) among 216 patients with 60 to 99 percent stenosis. In the group with 60 to 99 percent stenosis, the five-year risk of stroke in the territory of a large artery was 9.9 percent, that of lacunar st...