0000000000560281
AUTHOR
Elena Maggi
Objective Assessment of Pulmonary Embolism Can Be Deferred without Increased Risk
Abstract Background. Management of patients with suspected Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is problematic if diagnostic imaging is not available. Pretest Clinical Probability (PCP) and D-dimer (D-d) assessment were shown to be useful to identify those high risk patients for whom empirical, protective anticoagulation is indicated (Siragusa S et al. Arch Intern Med2004;164:2477–82). Objective of the study. In consecutive patients with suspected PE, we evaluated whether PCP and D-d assessment, together with the use of low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), allow objective appraisal of PE to be deferred for up to 72 hours. Methods. In case of deferment of diagnostic imaging for PE, patients identified …
Effectiveness of European Atlanto-Mediterranean MPAs: Do they accomplish the expected effects on populations, communities and ecosystems?
The success of MPAs in conserving fishing resources and protecting marine biodiversity relies strongly on how well they meet their planned (or implicit) management goals. From a review of empirical studies aiming at assessing the ecological effects of Mediterranean and Macaronesian MPAs, we conclude that establishing an MPA is successful for (i) increasing the abundance/biomass, (ii) increasing the proportion of larger/older individuals, and (iii) enhancing the fecundity of commercially harvested populations; also, MPAs demonstrated to be effective for (iv) augmenting local fishery yields through biomass exportation from the protected area, and (v) inducing shifts in fish assemblage structu…
Deferral of assessment of pulmonary embolism
We evaluated a simplified algorithm for safely postponing diagnostic imaging for pulmonary embolism (PE). At the index visit, patients were identified as being at high or low risk of PE; the former received full dosage low molecular weight heparin while the latter were left untreated until performance of diagnostic imaging (max 72 hours). During this period, no thromboembolic events occurred in low-risk patients (0/211, 0.% [upper 95% CI 0.9%]); only one event occurred in those at high-risk (1/125, 0.8% [upper 95% CI, 1.2]). Our study demonstrates that diagnostic imaging for PE can be safely deferred for up to 3 days.
Latitudinal- and local-scale variations in a rocky intertidal interaction web
Natural assemblages are structured by a complex combination of positive and negative interactions, and the relative importance of each interaction can vary across spatial scales. By using a simple interaction web (barnacles-grazers-microphytobenthos) in a rocky intertidal system, we tested the hypothesis that the relative strength of positive and negative interactions would vary as a function of different environmental stress between 2 latitudinal levels and local environmental conditions. We manipulated the cover of barnacles and the presence of limpets at 2 sites in northern and southern Italy and non-destructively examined the response of microphyto - benthos (MPB) (photosynthetic biomas…