University of Udine

About: University of Udine is a education organization based out in Udine, Italy. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Large Hadron Collider. The organization has 6745 authors who have published 20530 publications receiving 669088 citations. The organization is also known as: Università degli Studi di Udine & Universita degli Studi di Udine.

The e-ASTROGAM mission: Exploring the extreme Universe with gamma rays in the MeV – GeV range

Abstract: e-ASTROGAM (‘enhanced ASTROGAM’) is a breakthrough Observatory space mission, with a detector composed by a Silicon tracker, a calorimeter, and an anticoincidence system, dedicated to the study of the non-thermal Universe in the photon energy range from 0.3 MeV to 3 GeV – the lower energy limit can be pushed to energies as low as 150 keV, albeit with rapidly degrading angular resolution, for the tracker, and to 30 keV for calorimetric detection. The mission is based on an advanced space-proven detector technology, with unprecedented sensitivity, angular and energy resolution, combined with polarimetric capability. Thanks to its performance in the MeV-GeV domain, substantially improving its predecessors, e-ASTROGAM will open a new window on the non-thermal Universe, making pioneering observations of the most powerful Galactic and extragalactic sources, elucidating the nature of their relativistic outflows and their effects on the surroundings. With a line sensitivity in the MeV energy range one to two orders of magnitude better than previous generation instruments, e-ASTROGAM will determine the origin of key isotopes fundamental for the understanding of supernova explosion and the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The mission will provide unique data of significant interest to a broad astronomical community, complementary to powerful observatories such as LIGO-Virgo-GEO600-KAGRA, SKA, ALMA, E-ELT, TMT, LSST, JWST, Athena, CTA, IceCube, KM3NeT, and the promise of eLISA.

Measures of Outcome in Metastatic Breast Cancer: Insights From a Real-World Scenario

Abstract: No gold standard treatment exists for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Clinical decision making is based on knowledge of prognostic and predictive factors that are extrapolated from clinical trials and, sometimes, are not reliably transferable to a real-world scenario. Moreover, misalignment between endpoints used in drug development and measures of outcome in clinical practice has been noted. The roles of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) as primary endpoints in the context of clinical trials are the subjects of lively debate. Information about these parameters in routine clinical practice is potentially useful to design new studies and/or to interpret the results of clinical research. This study analyzed the impact of patient and tumor characteristics on the major measures of outcome across different lines of treatment in a cohort of 472 patients treated for MBC. OS, PFS, and postprogression survival (PPS) were analyzed. The study showed how biological and clinical characteristics may have different prognostic value across different lines of therapy for MBC. After first-line treatment, the median PPS of luminal A, luminal B, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive groups was longer than 12 months. The choice of OS as a primary endpoint for clinical trials could not be appropriate with these subtypes. In contrast, OS could be an appropriate endpoint when PPS is expected to be low (e.g., triple-negative subtype after the first line; other subtypes after the third line). The potential implications of these findings are clinical and methodological.

Fostamatinib for the treatment of adult persistent and chronic immune thrombocytopenia: Results of two phase 3, randomized, placebo-controlled trials.

Abstract: Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) signaling is central to phagocytosis-based, antibody-mediated platelet destruction in adults with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Fostamatinib, an oral Syk inhibitor, produced sustained on-treatment responses in a phase 2 ITP study. In two parallel, phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials (FIT1 and FIT2), patients with persistent/chronic ITP were randomized 2:1 to fostamatinib (n = 101) or placebo (n = 49) at 100 mg BID for 24 weeks with a dose increase in nonresponders to 150 mg BID after 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was stable response (platelets ≥50 000/μL at ≥4 of 6 biweekly visits, weeks 14-24, without rescue therapy). Baseline median platelet count was 16 000/μL; median duration of ITP was 8.5 years. Stable responses occurred in 18% of patients on fostamatinib vs. 2% on placebo (P = .0003). Overall responses (defined retrospectively as ≥1 platelet count ≥50 000/μL within the first 12 weeks on treatment) occurred in 43% of patients on fostamatinib vs. 14% on placebo (P = .0006). Median time to response was 15 days (on 100 mg bid), and 83% responded within 8 weeks. The most common adverse events were diarrhea (31% on fostamatinib vs. 15% on placebo), hypertension (28% vs. 13%), nausea (19% vs. 8%), dizziness (11% vs. 8%), and ALT increase (11% vs. 0%). Most events were mild or moderate and resolved spontaneously or with medical management (antihypertensive, anti-motility agents). Fostamatinib produced clinically-meaningful responses in ITP patients including those who failed splenectomy, thrombopoietic agents, and/or rituximab. Fostamatinib is a novel ITP treatment option that targets an important mechanism of ITP pathogenesis.

Design and Evaluation of PCR Primers for Analysis of Bacterial Populations in Wine by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

Abstract: Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is routinely used to compare levels of diversity of microbial communities and to monitor population dynamics. While using PCR-DGGE to examine the bacteria in wine fermentations, we noted that several commonly used PCR primers for amplifying bacterial 16S rDNA also coamplified yeast, fungal, or plant DNA present in samples. Unfortunately, amplification of nonbacterial DNA can result in a masking of bacterial populations in DGGE profiles. To surmount this problem, we developed two new primer sets for specific amplification of bacterial 16S rDNA in wine fermentation samples without amplification of eukaryotic DNA. One primer set, termed WLAB1 and WLAB2, amplified lactic acid bacteria, while another, termed WBAC1 and WBAC2, amplified both lactic acid bacterial and acetic acid bacterial populations found in wine. Primer specificity and efficacy were examined with DNA isolated from numerous bacterial, yeast, and fungal species commonly found in wine and must samples. Importantly, both primer sets effectively distinguished bacterial species in wine containing mixtures of yeast and bacteria.