Climatological predictions of the auroral zone locations driven by moderate and severe space weather events.

Auroral zones are regions where, in an average sense, aurorae due to solar activity are most likely spotted. Their shape and, similarly, the geographical locations most vulnerable to extreme space weather events (which we term 'danger zones') are modulated by Earth's time-dependent internal magnetic field whose structure changes on yearly to decadal timescales. Strategies for mitigating ground-based space weather impacts over the next few decades can benefit from accurate forecasts of this evolution.

Late plasma exosome microRNA-21-5p depicts magnitude of reverse ventricular remodeling after early surgical repair of primary mitral valve regurgitation.

Introduction: Primary mitral valve regurgitation (MR) results from degeneration of mitral valve apparatus. Mechanisms leading to incomplete postoperative left ventricular (LV) reverse remodeling (Rev-Rem) despite timely and successful surgical mitral valve repair (MVR) remain unknown. Plasma exosomes (pEXOs) are smallest nanovesicles exerting early postoperative cardioprotection.

Increase of continuous treatments and regional citrate anticoagulation during renal replacement therapy in the ICUs of the North-West of Italy from 2007 to 2015.

Background: Few reports have addressed the change in renal replacement therapy (RRT) management in the Intensive care Units (ICUs) over the years in western countries. This study aims to assess the trend of dialytic practice in a 4.5-million population-based study of the northwest of Italy.

A 5G-Enabled Smart Waste Management System for University Campus.

Future university campuses will be characterized by a series of novel services enabled by the vision of Internet of Things, such as smart parking and smart libraries. In this paper, we propose a complete solution for a smart waste management system with the purpose of increasing the recycling rate in the campus and provide better management of the entire waste cycle. The system is based on a prototype of a smart waste bin, able to accurately classify pieces of trash typically produced in the campus premises with a hybrid sensor/image classification algorithm, as well as automatically segregate the different waste materials.

Long-Term Preservation of Renal Function in Septic Shock Burn Patients Requiring Renal Replacement Therapy for Acute Kidney Injury.

Background: The real impact of septic shock-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) on the long-term renal outcome is still debated, and little is known about AKI-burn patients. In a cohort of burn survivors treated by continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and sorbent technology (CPFA-CRRT), we investigated the long-term outcome of glomerular and tubular function.

Methods: Out of 211 burn patients undergoing CRRT from 2001 to 2017, 45 survived, 40 completed the clinical follow-up (cumulative observation period 4067 months, median 84 months, IR 44-173), and 30 were alive on 31 December 2020.

Equatorial auroral records reveal dynamics of the paleo-West Pacific geomagnetic anomaly.

Localized regions of low geomagnetic intensity such as the South Atlantic Anomaly allow energetic particles from the Van Allen radiation belt to precipitate into the atmosphere and have been linked to a signature in the form of red aurora-like airglow visible to the naked eye. Smoothed global geomagnetic models predict a low-intensity West Pacific Anomaly (WPA) during the sixteenth to nineteenth centuries characterized by a simple time dependence. Here, we link the WPA to an independent database of equatorial aurorae recorded in Seoul, South Korea.

Plesio-geostrophy for Earth's core: I. Basic equations, inertial modes and induction.

An approximation is developed that lends itself to accurate description of the physics of fluid motions and motional induction on short time scales (e.g. decades), appropriate for planetary cores and in the geophysically relevant limit of very rapid rotation.

Case series of six kidney transplanted patients with COVID-19 pneumonia treated with tocilizumab.

Few reports described the outcome of kidney transplanted patients (KTs) affected by COVID-19 treated with interleukin-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ). We report our case series of 6 KTs with COVID-19 pneumonia who received TCZ: All were of male gender, with a mean age of 55.5 ± 8.

Procalcitonin, white blood cell count and C-reactive protein as predictors of S. aureus infection and mortality in infective endocarditis.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is characterized by high rates of in-hospital death, and Staphylococcus aureus infection predicts a worse prognosis. We aimed to assess if admission inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell - WBC - count, C-reactive protein - CRP, and procalcitonin) are informative on microbiological etiology and short-term outcomes.

Methods: Data from 236 patients admitted for IE from January 2013 to June 2018 were retrieved from a multicenter registry.

Online Hemodiafiltration Inhibits Inflammation-Related Endothelial Dysfunction and Vascular Calcification of Uremic Patients Modulating miR-223 Expression in Plasma Extracellular Vesicles.

Decreased inflammation and cardiovascular mortality are evident in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease treated by online hemodiafiltration. Extracellular vesicles (EV) are mediators of cell-to-cell communication and contain different RNA types. This study investigated whether mixed online hemodiafiltration (mOL-HDF) beneficial effects associate with changes in the RNA content of plasma EV in chronic kidney disease patients.

Characterization of columnar inertial modes in rapidly rotating spheres and spheroids.

We consider fluid-filled spheres and spheroidal containers of eccentricity in rapid rotation, as a proxy for the interior dynamics of stars and planets. The fluid motion is assumed to be quasi-geostrophic (QG): horizontal motions are invariant parallel to the rotation axis , a characteristic which is handled by use of a stream function formulation which additionally enforces mass conservation and non-penetration at the boundary. By linearizing about a quiescent background state, we investigate a variety of methods to study the QG inviscid inertial wave modes which are compared with fully three-dimensional (3D) calculations.

Transapical transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve implantation versus minimally invasive surgery for failed mitral bioprostheses.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare early outcomes and survival of patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve replacement through a right anterior minithoracotomy (MIMVR) versus patients undergoing transcatheter transapical mitral valve-in-valve (M-VIV) implantation for a failed mitral bioprostheses.

Methods: From 2005 to 2015, 61 patients with a failed mitral bioprosthesis underwent either MIMVR ( n  = 40 patients, 65.6%) or M-VIV implantation ( n  = 21, 34.

N-terminal fragment of B-type natriuretic peptide predicts coexisting subclinical heart and vessel disease.

Background: Identification of preclinical cardiovascular disease represents a challenge. We evaluate N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptides (NT-proBNP) as markers of both cardiac and vascular subclinical disease in a community-based study including asymptomatic middle- aged study participants.

Methods And Results: In total, 807 study participants without previous cardiovascular disease were recruited.

Low versus high dose erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in hemodialysis patients with anemia: A randomized clinical trial.

The increased risks of death and adverse events with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) therapy targeting a higher hemoglobin level are established. It is uncertain whether the adverse effects of ESA therapy are related to dose and are mitigated when a fixed low ESA dose is used. We conducted a multicenter, prospective randomized open-label, blinded-endpoint (PROBE) trial to evaluate fixed low versus high dose ESA therapy on patient outcomes.

Large Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in a High-Risk Surgical Patient: Combined Percutaneous Transfemoral TAVI and EVAR Procedure.

A 78-year-old man was referred for surgical treatment of a 55 x 59 mm abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). However, clinical and instrumental data revealed a more complex case than was initially thought, the patient having a large AAA in the setting of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis with multiple comorbidities. Following multidisciplinary discussion, a combined transcatheter aortic valve implantation and endovascular aneurysm repair was performed.

N-terminal prob-type natriuretic peptide is a marker of vascular remodelling and subclinical atherosclerosis in asymptomatic hypertensives.

Background: Arterial hypertension is a main determinant of arterial remodelling and atherosclerosis. Coronary artery calcium score and carotid intima-media thickness are recognized indices of vascular remodelling. Established biohumoral markers for the diagnosis of atherosclerosis are still lacking in asymptomatic subjects with hypertension.

A load volume suitable for reaching dialysis adequacy targets in anuric patients on 4-exchange CAPD.

Introduction: Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) depuration indexes are targeted to get a minimum total weekly peritoneal urea clearance (Kt/V) of 1.70 and creatinine clearance/1.73 m(2) (pCrCL) of 50 l.

Von Willebrand factor antigen predicts response to double dose of aspirin and clopidogrel by PFA-100 in patients undergoing primary angioplasty for ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is an emerging risk factor in acute coronary syndromes. Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA-100) with Collagen/Epinephrine (CEPI) is sensitive to functional alterations of VWF and also identifies patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR). The objective of this study was to verify the effect of double dose (DD) of aspirin and clopidogrel on HPR detected by PFA-100 and its relation to VWF and to its regulatory metalloprotease ADAMTS-13.

The peritoneal dialysis catheter.

The results obtained from the positioning and management of the catheter for peritoneal dialysis depend on the techniques used, but also and above all, on the experience of the practitioners. A comparison between practitioners may help to change their convictions, as well as to further improve results, in the interests of patient welfare. This is the aim of these Best Practice Guidelines.

When should commence dialysis: focusing on the predialysis condition.

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as defined by the NFK-KDOQI (the national kidney foundation kidney disease outcomes quality initiative) guidelines, is a glomerular filtration rate less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) or the presence of microalbuminuria. CKD is increasing worldwide, leading to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Sexual dysfunction in women with ESRD requiring hemodialysis.

Background And Objectives: The few existing studies of sexual dysfunction in women on hemodialysis are limited by small sample size. This large, cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence and correlates of female sexual dysfunction in advanced kidney disease. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, METHODS: A total of 1472 women with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis were recruited to a multinational, cross-sectional study conducted within a collaborative dialysis network in Europe and South America.

Prevalence and correlates of erectile dysfunction in men on chronic haemodialysis: a multinational cross-sectional study.

Background: Factors associated with erectile dysfunction in men on haemodialysis are incompletely identified due to suboptimal existing studies. We determined the prevalence and correlates of erectile dysfunction and identified combinations of clinical characteristics associated with a higher risk of erectile dysfunction using recursive partitioning and amalgamation (REPCAM) analysis.

Methods: We conducted a multinational cross-sectional study in men on haemodialysis within a collaborative network.

[Indications from the first audit on peritoneal dialysis in Piedmont and Aosta valley].

In March 2009 a clinical audit was held in Turin on peritoneal dialysis in order to analyze the problems that still hinder the effective deployment of the technique in Piedmont-Aosta Valley. Various data about epidemiological and clinical management were collected by means of a questionnaire that all 26 nephrology centers of the two regions responded to. The two major critical issues highlighted were the role of the outpatient facility dedicated to uremic patients and why the peritoneal technique was not chosen for new dialysis patients.

[Door-to-balloon time and in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-evaluation myocardial infarction: a network experience in a province in northwest Tuscany, Italy].

Background: A network system for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients offers a quick diagnosis and a rapid transfer to a specialized center for primary percutaneous coronary intervention. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between door-to-balloon time and in-hospital mortality in our network of STEMI patients.

Methods: Our Hub & Spoke network in the province of Massa-Carrara in the northwest of Tuscany Region, Italy, began in April 2006.