Entropic Bounds on the Average Length of Codes with a Space.

We consider the problem of constructing prefix-free codes in which a designated symbol, a , can only appear at the end of codewords. We provide a linear-time algorithm to construct -optimal codes with this property, meaning that their average length differs from the by at most one. We obtain our results by uncovering a relation between our class of codes and the class of one-to-one codes.

Long-Term Survivors in a Cohort of People Living with HIV Diagnosed between 1985 and 1994: Predictive Factors Associated with More Than 25 Years of Survival.

Although the mortality rate among individuals diagnosed during the pre-Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment era has been substantial, a considerable number of them survived. Our study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of HIV long-term survivors in a cohort of People Living with HIV diagnosed between 1985 and 1994 and to speculate about potential predictive factors associated to long survival. This is a retrospective single-center study.

Clinical characteristics and predictors of death among hospitalized patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Sicily, Italy: A retrospective observational study.

Since late December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has spread across the world, which resulted in the World Health Organization declaring a global pandemic. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) presents a highly variable spectrum with regard to the severity of illness. Most infected individuals exhibit a mild to moderate illness (81%); however, 14% have a serious disease and 5% develop severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), requiring intensive care support.

Post-infectious ST elevation myocardial infarction following a COVID-19 infection: A case report.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been shown to increase the risk of thrombotic events due to a hypercoagulable state caused by several factors. The case of a 59-year-old woman affected by hypertension and metabolic disorders, treated for a COVID-19 infection who developed cardiac symptoms during the first days of hospitalization is reported. Electrocardiogram analysis and cardiac-ultrasound confirmed ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) diagnosis, thus the patient underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, which was successful.

Immunological and Clinical Impact of DAA-Mediated HCV Eradication in a Cohort of HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: Monocentric Italian Experience.

HCV treatment became available for all infected patients regardless of their comorbidities, especially for HIV coinfected subjects, leading to an improvement in both clinical and immunological conditions. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of HIV/HCV coinfected patients treated with DAA therapies; data regarding epidemiological, viral-immunological, and hepatic parameters before and after DAA administration have been collected. Drug-drug interactions between DAA and both antiretroviral therapy and non-ART-drugs were also evaluated; the study showed the efficacy of DAA schedules in HCV eradication also for HIV/HCV patients with multiple comorbidities and assuming many different drugs.

Is it Safe and Cost Saving to Defer the CD4+ Cell Count Monitoring in Stable Patients on Art with More than 350 or 500 cells/μl?

Background: CD4+ lymphocyte cell count represents the main immunological marker used to monitor HIV infection. However, frequent monitoring may be unnecessary, could cause anxiety to the patient as well as burdening healthcare with extra expenses.

Objectives And Methods: A two-step retrospective (safety and cost-saving) analysis was performed to evaluate the probability of maintaining a safe number of more than 350 CD4+ cells/μl in HIV-positive subjects under treatment during a three-year follow up and secondarily to estimate in the cost of the CD4+ determinations in a 3 years period, speculating on possible cost-saving strategies.

Rapid emergence of cryptococcal fungemia, Mycobacterium chelonae vertebral osteomyelitis and gastro intestinal stromal tumor in a young HIV late presenter: a case report.

Background: Highly active antiretroviral therapy has significantly changed the natural history of HIV infection, leading to a dramatic reduction of HIV-related morbidity and mortality. Late Presenters, Very Late Presenters and AIDS presenters still represent, also in Europe, including Italy, a huge challenge in terms of diagnostic and therapeutic management.

Case Presentation: A 35-year-old male with a history of fever and back pain.

Preferences of orthopedic surgeons for treating midshaft clavicle fracture in adults.

Objective: To determine the current clinical practice in Latin America for treating midshaft clavicle fractures, including surgical and non-surgical approaches.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using a descriptive questionnaire. Shoulder and elbow surgeons from the Brazilian Society of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery and from the Latin American Society of Shoulder and Elbow were contacted and asked to complete a short questionnaire (SurveyMonkey®) on the management of midshaft fractures of the clavicle.

Interaction of demographic factors with the results of the surgery for degenerative disease of the cervical spine: a retrospective evaluation.

Objective: Degenerative disease of the cervical spine is a frequent source of intermittent neck pain, where the predominant symptom is axial neck pain. The indications for surgical treatment are reserved for the cases where the conservative treatment has not relieved the symptoms or the patient presents progressive neurological impairment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic factors involved in patients submitted to surgical treatment of the cervical spine.

Generalized dimensions for fluctuations in the solar wind.

We analyze time series of velocities of the solar wind plasma including the outward-directed component of Alfvénic turbulence within slow wind observed by the Helios 2 spacecraft in the inner heliosphere. We demonstrate that the influence of noise in the data can be efficiently reduced by a singular-value decomposition filter. The resulting generalized dimensions show a multifractal structure of the solar wind attractor in the inner heliosphere.