The helicopter for passenger transport on a regional scale.

Severity of Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis and Risk of Ipsilateral Hemispheric Ischaemic Events: Results from the ACSRS Study

Objectives. This study determines the risk of ipsilateral ischaemic neurological events in relation to the degree of asymptomatic carotid stenosis and other risk factors. Methods. Patients (n = 1115) with asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis greater than 50% in relation to the bulb diameter were followed up for a period of 6-84 (mean 37.1) months. Stenosis was graded using duplex, and clinical and biochemical risk factors were recorded. Results. The relationship between ICA stenosis and event rate is linear when stenosis is expressed by the ECST method, but S-shaped if expressed by the NASCET method. In addition to the ECST grade of stenosis (RR 1.6; 95% CI 1.21-2.15), histor…

Mitochondrial disruption and apoptosis in lymphocytes of an HIV infected patient affected by lactic acidosis after treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy

Aims: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) can induce an increase in lactic acid concentrations that seems to be caused by mitochondrial dysfunction induced by the interaction of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) with DNA polymerase γ in the mitochondria. Mitochondrial alterations have been described in liver and muscle cells of NRTI treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients. Because lymphocytes are the main target for HIV and because mitochondria are involved in apoptosis, we studied mitochondrial morphology and apoptosis in the lymphocytes of an HIV infected patient with severe lactic acidosis after treatment with stavudine, didanosine, and ind…

MODELLING THE ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC LOCAL TRANSPORT FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SERVICE. THE CASE STUDY OF ROCCELLA AREA IN PALERMO

This paper suggests a methodology to assess, through quantitative indicators, the public transport based accessibility inside an urban area. Such indicators derive from two functions, one called “activity function”, allowing for the presence of generators and attractors of mobility and another termed the “impedance function”, measuring the generalized cost of public transport journeys. The proposed method was tested and applied to a zone on the outskirts of Palermo (capital of the Sicilian Region), to evaluate the effects of a new tram line, which is under construction and will be activated by the end of 2012. The study shows that such a line is not sufficient to enhance significantly the a…

The size of juxtaluminal hypoechoic area in ultrasound images of asymptomatic carotid plaques predicts the occurrence of stroke

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the size of a juxtaluminal black (hypoechoic) area (JBA) in ultrasound images of asymptomatic carotid artery plaques predicts future ipsilateral ischemic stroke. METHODS: A JBA was defined as an area of pixels with a grayscale value 10 mm(2) (P 8 mm(2)) was still significant after adjusting for other plaque features known to be associated with increased risk, including stenosis, grayscale median, presence of discrete white areas without acoustic shadowing indicating neovascularization, plaque area, and history of contralateral TIA or stroke. Plaque area and grayscale median were not significant. Using the significant variables (stenosis, discr…