University of Pavia

About: University of Pavia is a education organization based out in Pavia, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 21173 authors who have published 52524 publications receiving 1610492 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Pavia & Università di Pavia.

Search for electroweak production of charginos and sleptons decaying into final states with two leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions using the ATLAS detector

Abstract: A search for the electroweak production of charginos and sleptons decaying into final states with two electrons or muons is presented. The analysis is based on 139 fb$^{-1}$ of proton–proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at $\sqrt{s}=13$ $\text {TeV}$. Three R-parity-conserving scenarios where the lightest neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle are considered: the production of chargino pairs with decays via either W bosons or sleptons, and the direct production of slepton pairs. The analysis is optimised for the first of these scenarios, but the results are also interpreted in the others. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectations are observed and limits at 95% confidence level are set on the masses of relevant supersymmetric particles in each of the scenarios. For a massless lightest neutralino, masses up to 420 $\text {Ge}\text {V}$ are excluded for the production of the lightest-chargino pairs assuming W-boson-mediated decays and up to 1 $\text {TeV}$ for slepton-mediated decays, whereas for slepton-pair production masses up to 700 $\text {Ge}\text {V}$ are excluded assuming three generations of mass-degenerate sleptons.

Outcomes of COVID-19 in 79 patients with IBD in Italy: an IG-IBD study.

Abstract: Objectives COVID-19 has rapidly become a major health emergency worldwide. Patients with IBD are at increased risk of infection, especially when they have active disease and are taking immunosuppressive therapy. The characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with IBD remain unclear. Design This Italian prospective observational cohort study enrolled consecutive patients with an established IBD diagnosis and confirmed COVID-19. Data regarding age, sex, IBD (type, treatments and clinical activity), other comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI)), signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and therapies were compared with COVID-19 outcomes (pneumonia, hospitalisation, respiratory therapy and death). Results Between 11 and 29 March 2020, 79 patients with IBD with COVID-19 were enrolled at 24 IBD referral units. Thirty-six patients had COVID-19-related pneumonia (46%), 22 (28%) were hospitalised, 7 (9%) required non-mechanical ventilation, 9 (11%) required continuous positive airway pressure therapy, 2 (3%) had endotracheal intubation and 6 (8%) died. Four patients (6%) were diagnosed with COVID-19 while they were being hospitalised for a severe flare of IBD. Age over 65 years (p=0.03), UC diagnosis (p=0.03), IBD activity (p=0.003) and a CCI score >1 (p=0.04) were significantly associated with COVID-19 pneumonia, whereas concomitant IBD treatments were not. Age over 65 years (p=0.002), active IBD (p=0.02) and higher CCI score were significantly associated with COVID-19-related death. Conclusions Active IBD, old age and comorbidities were associated with a negative COVID-19 outcome, whereas IBD treatments were not. Preventing acute IBD flares may avoid fatal COVID-19 in patients with IBD. Further research is needed.

Asthma control in Europe: a real-world evaluation based on an international population-based study

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic evidence related to asthma control in patients from the general population is scanty. OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess asthma control in several European centers according to the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) guidelines and to investigate its determinants. METHODS: In the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II (1999-2002), 1241 adults with asthma were identified and classified into inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) users and non-ICS users in the last year. Control was assessed in both groups by using the GINA proposal (controlled, partly controlled, and uncontrolled asthma), and it was related to potential determinants. RESULTS: Only 15% (95% CI, 12% to 19%) of subjects who had used ICSs in the last year and 45% (95% CI, 41% to 50%) of non-ICS users had their asthma under control; individuals with uncontrolled asthma accounted for 49% (95% CI, 44% to 53%) and 18% (95% CI, 15% to 21%), respectively. Among ICS users, the prevalence of uncontrolled asthma showed great variability across Europe, ranging from 20% (95% CI, 7% to 41%; Iceland) to 67% (95% CI, 35% to 90%; Italy). Overweight status, chronic cough and phlegm, and sensitization to Cladosporium species were associated with poor control in ICS users. About 65% and 87% of ICS users with uncontrolled and partly controlled asthma, respectively, were on a medication regimen that was less than recommended by the GINA guidelines. CONCLUSION: Six of 7 European asthmatic adults using ICSs in the last year did not achieve good disease control. The large majority of subjects with poorly controlled asthma were using antiasthma drugs in a suboptimal way. A wide variability in asthma control emerged across Europe. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Greater attention should be paid to asthma management and to the implementation of the GINA guidelines.

Chromogranin A, B and C immunoreactivities of mammalian endocrine cells. Distribution, distinction from costored hormones/prohormones and relationship with the argyrophil component of secretory granules.

Abstract: Antibodies specific for chromogranin A, B or C have been used to detect immunohistochemically these three anionic proteins. Pancreatic A, B and PP cells, gut argentaffin EC, argyrophil ECL and gastrin G cells, thyroid C cells, parathyroid cells, adrenal medullary cells, pituitary TSH, FSH and LH cells as well as some axons of visceral nerves have been found to react with chromogranin A antibodies. Pancreatic A, gut EC and G, adrenal medullary and pituitary cells as well as some gut nerve fibers showed chromogranin B immunoreactivity. Chromogranin C immunoreactivity has been detected in pancreatic A, pyloric D1, intestinal L, thyroid C, adrenal medullary and pituitary cells, as well as in some gut neurons and nerve fibers. No crossreactivity has been found in immunohistochemical tests between chromogranins A, B or C and costored monoamines or peptide hormones/prohormones, from which chromogranins can be separated by selective extraction during fixation. On both morphological and chemical grounds a relationship seems to exist between chromogranin A and Grimelius' argyrophilia. Sialooligosaccharide chains of chromogranin A and, possibly, chromogranins' phosphoserine/phosphothreonine groups, seem to interact with guanidyl, amino, and/or imidazole groups of non-chromogranin components to form silver complexing sites accounting for granules' argyrophilia, which can be removed or blocked without affecting chromogranin immunoreactivities. The abundant anionic groups of the three proteins should contribute substantially to granules' basophilia, the partly "masked" pattern of which supports the existence of a close interaction of such groups with other components of secretory granules, including monoamines and peptide hormones or prohormones. Chromogranins could play a role in hormone postranslational biosynthesis and intragranular packaging.