Central vein sign differentiates Multiple Sclerosis from central nervous system inflammatory vasculopathies.

In multiple sclerosis (MS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a sensitive tool for detecting white matter lesions, but its diagnostic specificity is still suboptimal; ambiguous cases are frequent in clinical practice. Detection of perivenular lesions in the brain (the "central vein sign") improves the pathological specificity of MS diagnosis, but comprehensive evaluation of this MRI biomarker in MS-mimicking inflammatory and/or autoimmune diseases, such as central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory vasculopathies, is lacking. In a multicenter study, we assessed the frequency of perivenular lesions in MS versus systemic autoimmune diseases with CNS involvement and primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS). In 31 patients with inflammatory CNS vasculopathies and 52 with relapsing-remitting MS, 3-dimensional T2*-weighted and T2-fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images were obtained during a single MRI acquisition after gadolinium injection. For each lesion, the central vein sign was evaluated according to consensus guidelines. For each patient, lesion count, volume, and brain location, as well as fulfillment of dissemination in space MRI criteria, were assessed. MS showed higher frequency of perivenular lesions (median = 88%) than did inflammatory CNS vasculopathies (14%), without overlap between groups or differences between 3T and 1.5T MRI. Among inflammatory vasculopathies, Behçet disease showed the highest median frequency of perivenular lesions (34%), followed by PACNS (14%), antiphospholipid syndromes (12%), Sjögren syndrome (11%), and systemic lupus erythematosus (0%). When a threshold of 50% perivenular lesions was applied, central vein sign discriminated MS from inflammatory vasculopathies with a diagnostic accuracy of 100%. The central vein sign differentiates inflammatory CNS vasculopathies from MS at standard clinical magnetic field strengths. Ann Neurol 2018;83:283-294

Il doppiaggio nella serie Netflix "Dear White People"

Lo scopo di questo elaborato è quello di approfondire il tema del doppiaggio, prima con un approccio teorico, poi pratico, analizzando il caso specifico della serie Netflix Dear White People. La prima parte di questo lavoro è dedicata alle tematiche e ai personaggi della serie, incentrata sulla vita universitaria di un gruppo di ragazzi afroamericani, ma anche alle motivazioni del regista e all’accoglienza da parte del pubblico. La seconda parte si occupa invece del doppiaggio dal punto di vista teorico, dandone una definizione e soffermandosi sugli aspetti più importanti e complessi di questa tipologia di traduzione audiovisiva. Infine, la terza parte di questo elaborato è dedicata allo studio del doppiaggio di un episodio della serie: la teoria del doppiaggio precedentemente osservata getta le basi e trova riscontro in quest’analisi, che prende in considerazione elementi culturali, slang, turpiloquio, modi di dire, espressioni tipiche dell’inglese e sincronizzazione labiale, per poi riflettere su alcuni passaggi più problematici dal punto di vista della traduzione, che, a mio avviso, non sono sempre stati risolti brillantemente

Comparison of Fixed and Live Cell-Based Assay for the Detection of AChR and MuSK Antibodies in Myasthenia Gravis

Background and ObjectivesLive cell-based assay (CBA) can detect acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) or muscle-specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibodies (Abs) in a proportion of patients with radioimmunoassay (RIA)-double seronegative myasthenia gravis (dSN-MG). A commercial fixed CBA for AChR and MuSK Abs has recently become available; however, comparative studies on fixed and live CBAs are lacking. In this study, we compared the performance of fixed and live CBAs in patients with RIA-dSN MG and assessed their sensitivity in RIA-positive MG samples and their specificity.MethodsAChR and MuSK Abs were tested in 292 serum samples from 2 Italian MG referral centers by live and fixed CBAs: 192 from patients with MG and 100 from controls. All samples had been previously assessed by RIA: 66 were AChR positive, 40 MuSK positive, and 86 dSN. All controls were negative. Two independent raters assessed the CBA results. Fixed and live CBAs were compared with the McNemar test; interrater and interlaboratory agreement were assessed with Cohen's kappa or interclass correlation coefficient (ICC), as appropriate.ResultsIn 86 RIA-dSN samples, fixed CBA detected Abs in 10 cases (11.6%, 95% CI 5.7-20.3), whereas live CBA detected Abs in 16 (18.6%, 95% CI 11.0-28.5) (p = 0.0143). Of these sera, those positive by fixed CBA were also positive by live CBA. In addition, live CBA could detect MuSK Abs in 4 and AChR Abs in 2 samples that were negative by fixed CBA, providing an 8% (95% CI 2.9-16.6) further increase in the Ab detection rate. These results were confirmed by flow cytometry. In the RIA-positive cohort, the sensitivity for AChR Abs was 98.5% (95% CI 91.9%-99.9%) for fixed CBA and 100% (95% CI 94.6-100) for live CBA (p = 0.1573). For both assays, the sensitivity for MuSK Abs was 100% (95% CI 91.2-100), and the specificity was 100% (95% CI 96.4-100). Interrater agreement was almost perfect for live and fixed CBAs (Cohen's kappa 0.972 and 0.978, respectively), alike interlaboratory agreement. Interrater agreement for the CBA score ranged from good to excellent (ICC: 0.832-0.973).DiscussionFixed CBA represents a valuable alternative to RIA for AChR and MuSK Ab detection in patients with MG and could be considered as a first-step diagnostic test. Live CBA can be useful in the serologic evaluation of RIA- and fixed CBA-negative samples

Assessment of dynamic membrane filtration for biological treatment of old landfill leachate

This study investigated the behaviour of dynamic membrane (DM) filtration for the treatment of stabilised landfill leachate in a bench-scale pre-anoxic and aerobic submerged dynamic membrane bioreactor (DMBR). Four meshes with different openings (10, 52, 85 and 200 μm) were tested to support the development of DM. Differences were observed among the meshes in supporting the development of the cake layer constituting the DM. The treatment of landfill leachate had an impact on sludge characteristics resulting in deteriorated filtration performance of the DM. Effluent turbidity was often higher than 100 NTU for larger mesh pore size (85 and 200 μm). Low effluent turbidity was achieved with meshes with 10 and 52 μm (13 ± 2 and 26 ± 4 NTU, respectively) although at membrane fluxes lower than 10 L m− 2 h−1. The bioreactor exhibited a moderate organics removal of 50–60% and an ammonia oxidation between 80 and 90%. Incomplete nitrification was observed due to increased concentrations of free ammonia and free nitrous acid, with nitrite effluent concentrations up to 1062 mgNO2--N L−1. Due to the large presence of refractory organic matter in landfill leachate, denitrification was limited resulting in a total nitrogen removal of approximately 20%

Aprendizaje cooperativo y desarrollo de habilidades sociales

Deseamos compartir con nuestros colegas, algunos resultados obtenidos en la tesis de maestría de la autora de este trabajo titulada ―Desarrollo de habilidades sociales en un entorno de aprendizaje cooperativo en estadística en ingeniería. El trabajo de campo que cimenta la investigación fue realizado en la cátedra de probabilidad y estadística ubicada en el segundo nivel de la currícula de las distintas especialidades de ingeniería de la Universidad Tecnológica Nacional, Facultad Regional Santa Fe. La enseñanza técnica universitaria actual atraviesa ciertas problemáticas en función de las distintas transformaciones que experimenta el mercado laboral y que contribuyen al éxito de los profesionales formados en sus aulas. Entre las exigencias formuladas por las empresas, a la hora de contratar un profesional, podemos destacar: iniciativa en las tareas a realizar, facilidad para comunicarse, excelentes relaciones interpersonales y una fuerte predisposición para el trabajo en equipo. Constituyen éstos, valores humanos que, a pesar de estar mencionados en las currículas de las asignaturas de las carreras universitarias, muy rara vez el docente realiza acciones directas para desarrollarlos. Los valores humanos son las características ―buenas que nos diferencian y permiten ser más solidarios, generosos y comprensivos. La primera y más notoria de todas estas cualidades es el altruismo, entendido como solidaridad. Ser altruista significa dar prioridad al bien del conjunto por sobre el propio y es justamente en esta premisa sobre la que se construye el aprendizaje cooperativo