Bounds on Lorentz Invariance Violation from MAGIC Observation of GRB 190114C

On January 14, 2019, the Major Atmospheric Gamma Imaging Cherenkov telescopes detected GRB 190114C above 0.2 TeV, recording the most energetic photons ever observed from a gamma-ray burst. We use this unique observation to probe an energy dependence of the speed of light in vacuo for photons as predicted by several quantum gravity models. Based on a set of assumptions on the possible intrinsic spectral and temporal evolution, we obtain competitive lower limits on the quadratic leading order of speed of light modification.

Impact of COVID-19 epidemic on maxillofacial surgery in Italy

Maxillofacial departments in 23 surgical units in Italy have been increasingly involved in facing the COVID-19 emergency. Elective surgeries have been progressively postponed to free up beds and offer human and material resources to those infected. We compiled an inventory of 32 questions to evaluate the impact of the SARS-COV2 epidemic on maxillofacial surgery in 23 selected Italian maxillofacial departments. The questionnaire focused on three different aspects: the variation of the workload, showing both a reduction of the number of team members (-16% among specialists, -11% among residents) due to reallocation or contamination and a consistent reduction of elective activities (the number of outpatient visits cancelled during the first month of the COVID-19 epidemic was about 10 000 all over Italy), while only tumour surgery and trauma surgery has been widely guaranteed; the screening procedures on patients and physicians (22% of maxillofacial units found infected surgeons, which is 4% of all maxillofacial surgeons); and the availability of Personal Protective Equipment, is only considered to be partial in 48% of Maxillofacial departments.

This emergency has forced those of us in the Italian health system to change the way we work, but only time will prove if these changes have been effective.

Thyroid profile during the alternative Sunitinib dosing 2/1 schedule in metastatic renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Hypothyroidism is a common side effect of Sunitinib (SUN) treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients. We aimed to evaluate thyroid profile during the alternative 2/1 SUN treatment schedule and to assess the predictive value of hypothyroidism in terms of survival.

METHODS

We performed a prospective observational study enrolling 42 consecutive mRCC patients starting first-line alternative SUN dosing 2/1 schedule. Thyroid function was assessed at baseline and during the first three SUN cycles (1 cycle = 6 weeks = 2 ON/1 OFF + 2 ON/1 OFF), and then after 6 and 12 months. Thyroid ultrasound was performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months.

RESULTS

Subclinical hypothyroidism developed in 24% of patients during the first cycle; in other 24% in the second cycle and in 14% in the third cycle. The highest TSH values were reached during the second cycle, ON phase (6.58 ± 5.74 μI U/l). We observed a reduction in thyroid size, in echogenicity and in parenchymal perfusion in all patients. Progression-free survival (PFS) tended to be longer in patients with TSH ≥ 5 μI U/ml during the second cycle (p = 0.069). TSH level was an independent risk factor for PFS in men (p = 0.009) but not in women (p = 0.285).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study investigating functional and morphological effects on thyroid during the alternative 2/1 SUN schedule in mRCC patients. We detected an early onset of subclinical hypothyroidism, observing the association between TSH ≥ 5 μI U/ml and: (i) longer PFS in men; (ii) progressive decrease of thyroid size in absence of significant changes in autoimmune thyroid profile.

Atypical presentation of acute pancreatitis: a single center case-match analysis of clinical outcomes

OBJECTIVE

Acute pancreatitis (AP) may present an aspecific clinical picture without abdominal symptoms (atypical AP). We compared clinical outcomes between typical and atypical AP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty out of 1163 patients (2.6%) presented an atypical AP. Demographic, clinical data, laboratory and radiological findings, management type, length of hospital stay (LOS) and mortality rate were retrospectively reviewed. A case match analysis 2:1 was performed. The final groups comprised 50 typical APs (TAP group) and 25 atypical APs (AAP group).

RESULTS

The AAP patients presented fever (36%), syncope (32%) and dyspnea (16%) as the most frequent symptoms. Laboratory values showed similarity between the two groups. We noted a comparable edematous AP rate in both groups (p=0.36). Ten (20%) TAP and 3 (12%) AAP patients needed ERCP, respectively (p=0.38). Cholecystectomy was similarly performed in both cohorts (p=0.81). One TAP patient underwent a percutaneous drainage and subsequent surgical necrosectomy compared to none in the AAP cohort (p=0.47). LOS and mortality rate were comparable (p=0.76 and 0.3, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Similar outcomes have been reached in the two groups. Routine evaluation of the serum amylase values fundamentally contributed to early diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

[Treatment of a hip and patella luxation in a toy dog]

INTRODUCTION

The present case report describes the surgical treatment of a traumatic craniodorsal luxation of the hip and a concomitant medial congenital luxation of the patella (3rd grade) in an 11-year-old Yorkshire Terrier. First the hip luxation was corrected with a cemented hip prosthesis. The femoral stem was inserted in slight anteversion (15°) with respect to the preoperative condition (5°), this contributed contrasting the medial traction of the femoral quadriceps on the patella, improving patellar luxation from 3rd to 2nd grade. However, the persistent patellar luxation and intermittent lameness reduced limb function and made a second intervention necessary. Four weeks after prosthetic surgery, a femoral trocleoplasty and lateral transposition of the tibial crest were performed to definitively re-establish a correct replacement of the patella in the femoral trochlea. No perioperative complications were found. At the final examination the patient did not show any lameness or pain that could be evoked when manipulating the surgically corrected limb. The surgical treatment allowed a restoration of the hip function and the alignment of the extensor mechanism of the femoral quadriceps and ensured a complete return to normal motor activities.

Interlaboratory Trial Validation of an Event-Specific Qualitative Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based Detection Method for Genetically Modified RT73 Rapeseed

The qualitative event-specific polymerase chain reaction detection method of genetically modified (GM) RT73 rapeseed was developed based on the cloned 3 end flanking sequence of RT73 rapeseed integration. The specificity of the method for GM RT73 rapeseed was validated using several different GM rapeseed lines, GM maize lines, GM soybean line, non-GM rapeseed, and other non-GM crops. In this study, the developed method was validated through an interlaboratory study by 12 laboratories from 6 countries. The sensitivity of this method was evaluated using several mixed rapeseed meals with different GM RT73 rapeseed contents from 5.0 to 0.01 prepared by our laboratory. The evaluated results showed that all of the rapeseed endogenous reference high mobility group protein gene (HMG I/Y), figwort mosaic virus 35S (FMV 35S) promoter, and RT73 event-specific fragment could be detected from rapeseed samples at 0.1 (w/w) with a confidence level of more than 95. All results from the 12 laboratories indicated that the developed method could be considered fit for the detection and identification of GM RT73 rapeseed.