Betamethasone to Prevent Symptomatic Hypocalcaemia and Other Complications after Total Thyroidectomy: a Case-control Study

Marcello Picchio,Annalisa Romina Di Filippo,Martina Spaziani,Simone Orelli,Riccardo Bellagamba,Giuliano Guttoriello,Alessandro De Cesare,Erasmo Spaziani 대한갑상선-내분비외과학회 2021 The Koreran journal of Endocrine Surgery Vol.21 No.3

Purpose: The study aims to determine whether postoperative infusion of betamethasone reduces the risk of symptomatic hypocalcaemia (SHC) and other complications after total thyroidectomy. Methods: We compared a group of patients receiving betamethasone (beta group) postoperatively to a group without any perioperative glucocorticoid infusion (no beta group). Plasma levels of parathyroid hormone, total calcium, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured pre- and postoperatively. Complications were recorded within a 30-day follow-up. Postoperative SHC was the primary outcome. Results: In the beta group and the no beta group, 54 patients and 47 patients were included, respectively. In the beta group, the incidence of SHC (4 pts vs. 14 pts in the no beta group; P=0.003) was reduced. In the beta group, serum calcium levels were higher on postoperative day 1 (8.6 mg/dL vs. 8.2 mg/dL in the no beta group; P=0.001) and day 2 (8.7 mg/dL vs. 8.1 mg/dL in the no beta group; P<0.000). In the beta group, serum C-reactive protein levels were lower postoperatively. In a univariate analysis, American Society of Anaesthesiology score > I (odds ratio [OR], 0.19; P=0.002), no betamethasone treatment (OR, 0.19; P=0.006), and parathyroid glands remaining in situ (PGRIS) score <3 (OR, 6.00; P=0.005) were related to postoperative SHC; in a multivariate analysis, betamethasone treatment (OR, 0.09; P=0.007) and PGRIS score <3 (OR, 8.41; P=0.045) were related to postoperative SHC. No difference was observed in postoperative complications. Conclusion: Postoperative use of betamethasone reduces the incidence of SHC after thyroid surgery without affecting other complications.

Worldwide trends in blood pressure from 1975 to 2015: a pooled analysis of 1479 population-based measurement studies with 19·1 million participants

Zhou, Bin,Bentham, James,Di Cesare, Mariachiara,Bixby, Honor,Danaei, Goodarz,Cowan, Melanie J,Paciorek, Christopher J,Singh, Gitanjali,Hajifathalian, Kaveh,Bennett, James E,Taddei, Cristina,Bilano, Ve Elsevier 2017 The Lancet Vol.389 No.10064

<P><B>Summary</B></P> <P><B>Background</B></P> <P>Raised blood pressure is an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and chronic kidney disease. We estimated worldwide trends in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of, and number of people with, raised blood pressure, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or higher.</P> <P><B>Methods</B></P> <P>For this analysis, we pooled national, subnational, or community population-based studies that had measured blood pressure in adults aged 18 years and older. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1975 to 2015 in mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure, and the prevalence of raised blood pressure for 200 countries. We calculated the contributions of changes in prevalence versus population growth and ageing to the increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure.</P> <P><B>Findings</B></P> <P>We pooled 1479 studies that had measured the blood pressures of 19·1 million adults. Global age-standardised mean systolic blood pressure in 2015 was 127·0 mm Hg (95% credible interval 125·7–128·3) in men and 122·3 mm Hg (121·0–123·6) in women; age-standardised mean diastolic blood pressure was 78·7 mm Hg (77·9–79·5) for men and 76·7 mm Hg (75·9–77·6) for women. Global age-standardised prevalence of raised blood pressure was 24·1% (21·4–27·1) in men and 20·1% (17·8–22·5) in women in 2015. Mean systolic and mean diastolic blood pressure decreased substantially from 1975 to 2015 in high-income western and Asia Pacific countries, moving these countries from having some of the highest worldwide blood pressure in 1975 to the lowest in 2015. Mean blood pressure also decreased in women in central and eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and, more recently, central Asia, Middle East, and north Africa, but the estimated trends in these super-regions had larger uncertainty than in high-income super-regions. By contrast, mean blood pressure might have increased in east and southeast Asia, south Asia, Oceania, and sub-Saharan Africa. In 2015, central and eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, and south Asia had the highest blood pressure levels. Prevalence of raised blood pressure decreased in high-income and some middle-income countries; it remained unchanged elsewhere. The number of adults with raised blood pressure increased from 594 million in 1975 to 1·13 billion in 2015, with the increase largely in low-income and middle-income countries. The global increase in the number of adults with raised blood pressure is a net effect of increase due to population growth and ageing, and decrease due to declining age-specific prevalence.</P> <P><B>Interpretation</B></P> <P>During the past four decades, the highest worldwide blood pressure levels have shifted from high-income countries to low-income countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa due to opposite trends, while blood pressure has been persistently high in central and eastern Europe.</P> <P><B>Funding</B></P> <P>Wellcome Trust.</P>

Analytical model of the drain current in amorphous silicon junction field effect transistors

Caputo Domenico,Lovecchio Nicola,Di Laurenzio Sara,de Cesare Giampiero 한국물리학회 2022 Current Applied Physics Vol.41 No.-

This paper presents an analytical model of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) junction field effect transistor (JFET) based on a p-type/intrinsic/n-type stacked structure. The p-doped layer is connected to the transistor gate electrode, while the n-layer acts as the device channel. The analysis shows the effect of the geometrical and physical parameters of the intrinsic and n-doped layers on the transistor characteristics. In particular, the intrinsic layer thickness plays a central role in determining the depletion region of the n-channel and, as a consequence, the device threshold voltage. The drain current behavior achieved with a modeled parametric analysis is in very good agreement with the experimental drain current measured on fabricated JFET, both in triode and pinch-off regions. This demonstrates the model feasibility as an effective tool to design thin film electronic circuit as a sensor signal amplifier based on a-Si:H p-i-n junction.

Impact of different shades of light-emitting diode on fecal microbiota and gut health in broiler chickens

Ianni, Andrea,Bennato, Francesca,Di Gianvittorio, Veronica,Di Domenico, Marco,Martino, Camillo,Colapietro, Martina,Camma, Cesare,Martino, Giuseppe Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2022 Animal Bioscience Vol.35 No.12

Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize the fecal microbiota of broiler chickens reared in the presence of different shades of light-emitting diode (LED) lights, correlating this information with biochemical and molecular evidence that allowed drawing conclusions on the state of health of the animals. Methods: Overall, the metagenomic approach on fecal samples was associated with evaluations on enzymes involved in the cellular response to oxidative stress: glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase and catalase; while the inflammatory aspect was studied through the dosage of a proinflammatory cytokine, the interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the evaluation of the matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP-2) and 9 (MMP-9). Specifically, analysis was performed on distinct groups of chickens respectively raised in the presence of neutral (K = 3,300 to 3,700), cool (K = 5,500 to 6,000), and warm (K = 3,000 to 2,500) LED lightings, and a direct comparison was performed with animals reared with traditional neon lights. Results: The metagenomic analysis highlighted the presence of two most abundant bacterial phyla, the Firmicutes and the Bacteroidetes, with the latter characterized by a greater relative abundance (p<0.05) in the group of animals reared with Neutral LED light. The analysis on the enzymes involved in the antioxidant response showed an effect of the LED light, regardless of the applied shade, of reducing the expression of GPX (p<0.01), although this parameter is not correlated to an effective reduction in the tissue amount of the enzyme. Regarding the inflammatory state, no differences associated with IL-6 and MMP-9 were found; however, is noteworthy the significant reduction of MMP-2 activity in tissue samples obtained from animals subjected to illumination with neutral LED light. Conclusion: This evidence, combined with the metagenomic findings, supports a potential positive effect of neutral LED lighting on animal welfare, although these considerations must be reflected in more targeted biochemical evaluations.

Acupuncture as an alternative or in addition to conventional treatment for chronic non-specific low back pain: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Giovanardi Carlo Maria,Gonzalez-Lorenzo Marien,Poini Alessandra,Marchi Eleonora,Culcasi Antonio,Ursini Francesco,Faldini Cesare,Martino Alberto Di,Mazzanti Umberto,Campesato Emanuela,Matrà Annunzio,Ce 한국한의학연구원 2023 Integrative Medicine Research Vol.12 No.3

Background Conventional therapies (CTs), pharmacological (PH) and non–pharmacological (NPH), do not always achieve benefits in the treatment of chronic low back pain (CLBP). We assessed efficacy and safety of acupuncture for CLBP as alternative or addition to CT. Methods We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing acupuncture alone or in combination with CT to CT. We searched Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase up to May 2022. We assessed risk of bias with the original Cochrane tool and GRADE certainty of evidence. Results were pooled through meta-analysis. Results Ten RCTs (2122 participants) were included comparing acupuncture versus CT and 6 (374 participants) comparing acupuncture plus CT to CT alone. Comparing acupuncture with NPH or PH, no differences were found for pain and disability. Comparing with combined PH and NPH, pain and disability were reduced (SMD=-0.50, 95%CI-0.62 to -0.37; SMD=-0.71, 95%CI-1.17 to -0.24). Comparing acupuncture plus NPH with NPH alone, pain and disability were reduced (SMD=-0.70, 95%CI-0.94 to -0.46; SMD=-0.95, 95%CI-1.36 to -0.54). Comparing acupuncture plus PH with PH alone, pain and disability were reduced (MD=-0.21,8 95%CI-433.28 to -10.42; MD=-3.1, 95%CI-4.87 to -1.83). Comparing acupuncture plus combined treatment versus combined treatment alone, no differences were found in pain, while disability was reduced (MD=-3.40 95%CI-5.17 to -1.63). No studies assessed adverse event. Certainty of evidence ranged from moderate to very low. Conclusion We are uncertain whether acupuncture is more effective and safer than CT. In the comparisons without estimates’ imprecision, acupuncture showed promising results. Acupuncture could be an option based on patients’ preferences.