ZNF804A Gene Variants Have a Cross-diagnostic Influence on Psychosis and Treatment Improvement in Mood Disorders

Marco Calabrò,Laura Mandelli,Concetta Crisafulli,Marco Di Nicola,Roberto Colombo,Luigi Janiri,Soo-Jung Lee,Tae-Youn Jun,Sheng Min Wang,Prakash S Masand,Ashwin A Patkar,Changsu Han,Chi-Un Pae,Alessandr 대한정신약물학회 2020 CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE Vol.18 No.2

Objective: Genetic variations in the gene encoding zinc finger protein 804A gene (ZNF804A) have been associated with major depression and bipolar disorder. In this work we focused on the potential influence of ZNF804A variations on the risk of developing specific sub-phenotypes as well as the individual response to available treatments. Methods: We used two samples of different ethnic origin: a Korean sample, composed by 242 patients diagnosed with major depression and 132 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and 326 healthy controls; an Italian sample composed 151 major depression subjects, 189 bipolar disorder subjects and 38 outpatients diagnosed for a primary anxiety disorder. Results: Our analyses reported an association of rs1344706 with psychotic phenotype in the cross-diagnostic pooled sample (geno p = 4.15 × 10−4, allelic p = 1.06 × 10−4). In the cross-diagnosis Italian sample but not in the Korean one, rs7597593 was involved with depressive symptoms improvement after treatment (geno p = 0.025, allelic p = 0.007). Conclusion: The present study evidenced the role of ZNF804A alterations in symptoms improvement after treatment. Both manic and depressive symptoms seem to be modulated by ZNF804A, though the latter was observed in the bipolar pooled sample only. The role of this factor is likely related to synaptic development and maintenance; however, further analyses will be needed to better understand the molecular mechanics involved with ZNF804A.

Technology Choice and the Evolution of the Elasticity of Substitution in South Korea

Marco Di Pietro 고려대학교 미래성장연구소 2021 미래성장연구 Vol.7 No.1

This paper estimates a dynamic general equilibrium model incorporating technology choice, in line with what proposed by León-Ledesma and Satchi (2019). This framework allows to determine how the capital/labour share and the long-run elasticity of substitution have evolved along the long-run growth path in South Korea in the last 30 years. We also compare the empirical performance of this model, in terms of the model s ability to explain the data, with several alternative specifications of the production function, namely the Cobb-Douglas and CES functions. Our estimates show the superiority of the technology choice specification over both the Cobb-Douglas and CES technology.

Flow-induced pressure fluctuations of a moderate Reynolds number jet interacting with a tangential flat plate

Marco, Alessandro Di,Mancinelli, Matteo,Camussi, Roberto Techno-Press 2016 Advances in aircraft and spacecraft science Vol.3 No.3

The increase of air traffic volume has brought an increasing amount of issues related to carbon and NOx emissions and noise pollution. Aircraft manufacturers are concentrating their efforts to develop technologies to increase aircraft efficiency and consequently to reduce pollutant discharge and noise emission. Ultra High By-Pass Ratio engine concepts provide reduction of fuel consumption and noise emission thanks to a decrease of the jet velocity exhausting from the engine nozzles. In order to keep same thrust, mass flow and therefore section of fan/nacelle diameter should be increased to compensate velocity reduction. Such feature will lead to close-coupled architectures for engine installation under the wing. A strong jet-wing interaction resulting in a change of turbulent mixing in the aeroacoustic field as well as noise enhancement due to reflection phenomena are therefore expected. On the other hand, pressure fluctuations on the wing as well as on the fuselage represent the forcing loads, which stress panels causing vibrations. Some of these vibrations are re-emitted in the aeroacoustic field as vibration noise, some of them are transmitted in the cockpit as interior noise. In the present work, the interaction between a jet and wing or fuselage is reproduced by a flat surface tangential to an incompressible jet at different radial distances from the nozzle axis. The change in the aerodynamic field due to the presence of the rigid plate was studied by hot wire anemometric measurements, which provided a characterization of mean and fluctuating velocity fields in the jet plume. Pressure fluctuations acting on the flat plate were studied by cavity-mounted microphones which provided point-wise measurements in stream-wise and spanwise directions. Statistical description of velocity and wall pressure fields are determined in terms of Fourier-domain quantities. Scaling laws for pressure auto-spectra and coherence functions are also presented.

Can Electroacupuncture Be Useful in Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia? A Case Report

Di Carlo Marco,D’Addario Antonio,Salaffi Fausto 사단법인약침학회 2023 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.16 No.5

Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is characterized by a paradoxical increase in pain sensitivity following opioid exposure. Although animal models indicate that electroacupuncture (EA) is effective against pain sensitization, there are no reports of its clinical application in OIH treatment. This case report involves an adult patient with osteomalacia complicated by multiple vertebral fragility fractures. The patient developed OIH following the use of oxycodone to treat severe disabling lower back pain that was refractory to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. After hospitalization and treatment with low EA-frequency (2-10 Hz) sessions, the patient exhibited significant pain reduction and functional recovery after the first session, which was accompanied by steady progressive improvement as the treatment continued. This case report illustrates the clinical efficacy of EA in OIH treatment and indicates that EA, which has multiple modes of action on the neurobiology of chronic pain, has potential applications in the management of complex and difficult-to-manage conditions, such as OIH.

Natural Convection in the Presence of an Electric Field under Variable Gravity Conditions

Paolo Di Marco,Walter Grassi 대한기계학회 1998 Heat transter conference Vol.3 No.1

Towards defi ning a simplifi ed procedure for COTS system-on-chip TID testing

Stefano Di Mascio,Alessandra Menicucci,Gianluca Furano,Tomasz Szewczyk,Luigi Campajola,Francesco Di Capua,Andrea Lucaroni,Marco Ottavi 한국원자력학회 2018 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.50 No.8

The use of System-on-Chip (SoC) solutions in the design of on-board data handling systems is animportant step towards further miniaturization in space. However, the Total Ionizing Dose (TID) andSingle Event Effects (SEE) characterization of these complex devices present new challenges that areeither not fully addressed by current testing guidelines or may result in expensive, cumbersome testconfigurations. In this paper we report the test setups, procedures and results for TID testing of a SoCmicrocontroller both using standard 60Co and low-energy protons beams. This paper specifically pointsout the differences in the test methodology and in the challenges between TID testing with proton beamand with the conventional gamma ray irradiation. New test setup and procedures are proposed whichare capable of emulating typical mission conditions (clock, bias, software, reprogramming, etc.) whilekeeping the test setup as simple as possible at the same time.

The Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique: European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery Position and Bologna Experience

Luca Di Marco,Antonio Pantaleo,Alessandro Leone,Giacomo Murana,Roberto Di Bartolomeo,Davide Pacini 대한흉부외과학회 2017 Journal of Chest Surgery (J Chest Surg) Vol.50 No.1

Complex lesions of the thoracic aorta are traditionally treated in 2 surgical steps with the elephant trunk technique. A relatively new approach is the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique, which potentially allows combined lesions of the thoracic aorta to be treated in a 1-stage procedure combining endovascular treatment with conventional surgery using a hybrid prosthesis. These are very complex and time-consuming operations, and good results can be obtained only if appropriate strategies for myocardial, cerebral, and visceral protection are adopted. However, the FET technique is associated with a non-negligible incidence of spinal cord injury, due to the extensive coverage of the descending aorta with the excessive sacrifice of intercostal arteries. The indications for the FET technique include chronic thoracic aortic dissection, acute or chronic type B dissection when endovascular treatment is contraindicated, chronic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta, and chronic aneurysm of the distal arch. The FET technique is also indicated in acute type A a ortic dissection, especially when the tear is localized in the aortic arch; in cases of distal malperfusion; and in young patients. In light of the great interest in the FET technique, the Vascular Domain of the European Association for cardio-thoracic Surgery published a position paper reporting the current knowledge and the state of the art of the FET technique. Herein, we describe the surgical techniques involved in the FET technique and we report our experience with the FET technique for the treatment of complex aortic disease of the thoracic aorta.

Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Peyronie’s Disease: Clinical Efficacy and Safety from a Single-Arm Observational Study

Marina di Mauro,Giorgio Ivan Russo,Pier Andrea Della Camera,Fabrizio di Maida,Gianmartin Cito,Nicola Mondaini,Marco Capece,Marco Falcone,Francesco Sessa,Andrea Mari,Riccardo Campi,Carlotta Sabini,Serg 대한남성과학회 2019 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.37 No.3

ItalyPurpose: In this study, we aimed to determine the role of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) in the management of Peyronie’s disease (PD). Materials and Methods: A total of 325 patients suffering from PD were enrolled in this single-arm clinical study. All patients were received ESWT using a schedule of 1 treatment/wk. Penile curvature was measured by a goniometer after intracavernosal drug-induced erection using Alprostadil. Plaque size was measured with a ruler and sexual function assessed by the international index of erectile function (IIEF)-15 score. Severity of erectile dysfunction was classified as severe (IIEF-15 ≤10), moderate (IIEF-15 between 11 and 16), or mild (IIEF-15 between 17 and 25). Results were evaluated at baseline and 3 months after the treatment.Results: All the patients completed the study protocol. Median age was 59.0 years (55.0–64.0 years). After treatment, the median (interquartile range, IQR) plaque size reduced from 1.78 cm2 (1.43–2.17 cm2) to 1.53 cm2 (1.31–1.96 cm2) (p<0.001); the median (IQR) penile length in erection increased from 13.0 cm (12.0–14.0 cm) to 14 cm (13.0–15.0 cm) (p<0.001) and the median (IQR) penile curvature from 30.4° (22.2°–35.4°) to 25.0° (20.2°–30.4°) (p<0.001). We also observed a decrease in pain assessed by visual analogue scale (7 vs. 3; p<0.001), an improvement in each of the IIEF sub-domains (p<0.001) and an improvement in all three PD questionnaire domains (p<0.001). Conclusions: Based on our findings, ESWT could be considered a safe and efficient minimally invasive option for the management of the patients suffering from PD.

Optimal number of neoadjuvant chemotherapy cycles prior to interval debulking surgery in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of progression-free survival and overall survival

Camelia Alexandra Coada,Giulia Dondi,Gloria Ravegnini,Stella Di Costanzo,Marco Tesei,Enrico Fiuzzi,Marco Di Stanislao,Susanna Giunchi,Claudio Zamagni,Alessandro Bovicelli,Patrizia Hrelia,Sabrina Angel 대한부인종양학회 2023 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.34 No.6

Objective: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) represents a treatment option in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (AEOC) who are not good candidates for primary debulking surgery. Usually, 3 cycles of chemotherapy before surgery have been considered the best option for patient survival, although quite often some patients receive more than 3 cycles. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to identify the optimal number of NACT cycles reporting better survival in AEOC patients. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched for original articles that analyzed the relationship between the number of chemotherapy cycles and clinical outcomes in AEOC patients before interval debulking surgery (IDS). The main outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 22 studies comprising 7,005 patients diagnosed with AEOC were included in our analysis. In terms of survival, the reviewed studies dividing the patients in ≤3 NACT cycles vs. >3, showed a trend for a decrease in PFS and a significant reduction in OS with an increasing number of cycles, while a difference in both PFS and OS was revealed if early IDS included patients with 4 NACT cycles. These results should be interpreted with caution due to the complex characteristics of AEOC patients. Conclusion: In conclusion, our review and meta-analysis revealed that there is not enough evidence to determine the optimal number of NACT treatments before surgery. Further research in the form of well-designed randomized controlled trials is necessary to address this issue.

The Natural History of Peyronie's Disease

Di Maida Fabrizio,Cito Gianmartin,Lambertini Luca,Valastro Francesca,Morelli Girolamo,Mari Andrea,Carini Marco,Minervini Andrea,Cocci Andrea 대한남성과학회 2021 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.39 No.3

Peyronie’s disease (PD), a fibrotic disorder of the tunica albuginea fully described in 1793 by French physician Francois de la Peyronie, is characterized by pain, plaque formation, penile deformity, and ultimately sexual function decline. The epidemio-logical data on PD vary considerably across previous studies, with recent evidence reporting a prevalence of up to 9%. PD is generally divided into two different phases: active or acute and stable or chronic. Plaque formation generally occurs during the acute phase, while during chronic phase pain usually tends to complete resolution and penile deformity stabilizes. PD’s pathophysiology is still subject of great discussion. Tunical mechanical stress and microvascular trauma are major contribu-tory factors. However, better understanding of the molecular pathophysiology of this condition remains paramount towards an in-depth comprehension of the disorder and the development of newer and more effective disease-targeted interventions. In this review we provide a detailed overview of natural history of PD, specifically focusing on clinical manifestations and the underlying molecular regulation patterns.