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Objective. Large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) are chronic inflammatory diseases that affect arteries. While a mere clinical-serological approach does not seem sensitive either in the initial evaluation nor in long-term monitoring, 18-FDG positron emission tomography (18-FDG PET) is currently considered a useful assessment tool in LVV. We aimed at exploring the utility of 18-FDG, compared with traditional assessments, in the short- and long-term follow-up of patients with LVV. In addition, we compared patterns of vascular involvement in patients with Takayasu’s arteritis (TAK) and giant cell arteritis (GCA). Method. We retrospectively analysed 47 patients affected by LVV, evaluating clinics, blood chemistry and 18-FDG PET results, at two time points, short-term (average 8 months after diagnosis) and long-term (average 29 months). Results. 18-FDG PET uptake, expressed as mean value of SUV max, decreased significantly during follow-up in all the patients. A low concordance between 18-FDG PET and acute phase reactants levels was observed, but also a good sensitivity in detecting the response to treatment. Conclusion. The results confirm the role of 18-FDG PET as a powerful tool in the evaluation of LVV, both at the time of diagnosis and during monitoring. Furthermore, the data confirm that GCA and TAK are part of the same disease spectrum.

International audience; Ce lexique multilingue a été établi dans le cadre des travaux du Groupement De Recherche Européen « Exploitation des matières osseuses dans l’Europe préhistorique » (GDRE PREHISTOS) du CNRS. Il est conçu comme un outil de travail qui vise à répertorier et à traduire dans les différentes langues parlées au sein du Groupement, les principaux termes - d’ordre technique, typologique ou fonctionnel - utilisés dans l’étude des industries en matières dures animales. Cette version fait suite à celle publiée en 2010 et propose une liste élargie de termes traduits en 12 langues (français, anglais, allemand, danois, espagnol, italien, portugais, roumain, bulgare, polonais, russe et hongrois).

This paper presents the results of a literature survey on visual displays used in automated driving. We describe six visual display designs: (1) a display with three main components, (2) a bird’s-eye view display, (3) an informative speedometer, (4) a head-up display, (5) eye-catching lights for informing, and (6) eye-catching lights for guiding. Finally, a discussion is provided regarding visual display features that could be included in a human-machine interface for automated driving.

Background: Several studies have searched for predictors of clinical outcome in patients with heart failure (HF). However, since they were collected in clinical trials, most data were subject to selection biases and do not specifically apply to patients with nonischemic heart disease. This study examined the impact of several variables on combined all-cause mortality and hospitalization for cardiac causes, in consecutive ambulatory patients with HF included in the ALPHA registry. Methods and Results: This analysis included 446 patients with HF and nonischemic heart disease, in New York Heart Association functional class II or III, and a left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction below 40%. In 126 patients (73%) the disease was idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, in 72 (16%) hypertensive, in nine (2%) valvular, and in 39 (9%) of other etiologies. The median age was 61 years (range 51–69 years) and 349 (78%) patients were men. Over a median follow-up of 31 months (range 23–40), 82 patients (18%) died or were hospitalized for cardiac causes. In a proportional hazard (Cox) regression model, maximal oxygen consumption (HR 0.9, P = 0.001), LV end-diastolic diameter (HR 1.07, P < 0.001), resting systolic blood pressure (HR 0.97, P < 0.005), and hemoglobin (HR 0.86, P < 0.05) were independent predictors of the combined study endpoint. Conclusions: In an unselected population of patients with HF and nonischemic heart disease, a reduced exercise capacity, large LV end-diastolic diameter, low systolic blood pressure, and hemoglobin were correlated with long-term all-cause mortality or hospitalization for cardiac causes. These observations may help stratifying and tailoring the treatment of patients with HF and nonischemic heart disease.

Estimates of the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in heart failure (HF) originate from patients enrolled in clinical trials.To assess the prevalence and clinical correlates of AF among HF patients in everyday clinical practice from HF patients screened for the T-wave ALternans in Patients with Heart fAilure (ALPHA) study; to investigate the correlation between AF and functional status.Consecutive patients (N=3513) seen at nine Heart Failure Clinics were studied; 21.4% were in AF. AF prevalence was greater with increasing age (OR 1.04/year, p0.001) in non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (OR 2.34, p0.001) and with increasing NYHA class (p0.0001). Multiple logistic regression predictors of AF were age70 years (OR 2.35), NYHA class II III or IV vs class I (OR 1.8, 4.4 and 3.1) and non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy (OR 3.2). A logistic model indicated that AF was associated with a 2.5 OR of being in NYHA class III-IV vs I-II while accounting for age, gender, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and aetiology of HF.The prevalence of AF in HF patients exceeds 20%, and increases with age and functional class. The presence of AF leads to a more severe NYHA class, indicating that AF contributes to the severity of heart failure.

A three-year survey was carried out in southern Sardinia (Pula, Cagliari) to assess natural whitefly parasitism on greenhouse tomatoes and to evaluate the contribution of parasitic wasps as biocontrol agents for Bemisia tabaci on other crops and weeds. The rates of apparent parasitism on protected tomato crops were low, reaching 18.8% in the most favourable of cases. The role played by parasitoids for the control of B. tabaci varied greatly among cultivated and weed species. Seven species of Aphelinid parasitic wasps were found to be associated with whiteflies. On this basis, the agroecosystem examined could be regarded as quite rich in terms of parasitoid species. This positive precondition did not, however, make a decisive contribution to whitefly management.

A clinical, haematological, biochemical and molecular study was carried out in 17 patients affected with thalassaemia intermedia, who were compound heterozygotes for the beta-thalassaemia mutation beta-87 C-->G to determine the genetic basis of their clinical heterogeneity. The beta-87 was found associated with haplotype VIII (beta-87/VIII) or V (beta-87/V). The 10 patients with the beta-87/VIII showed milder clinical conditions, with significantly higher levels of haemoglobin (Hb) (9.8 +/- 1.1 g/dl vs. 8.5 +/- 1.3 g/dl) and fetal haemoglobin (Hb F) (6.2 +/- 1.5 g/dl vs. 2.6 +/- 1.5 g/dl; P = 0.0034) and higher synthesis of (G)gamma ((G)gamma/(Total)gamma 69.4 +/- 2.6% vs. 42.8 +/- 16.2%; P = 0.0042) than the seven patients with the beta-87/V. The beta-87/VIII showed a configuration of rare polymorphisms in the 5' sub-haplotype, which have been reported to exert an increasing effect on Hb F. They were "T"-158 (G)gamma-globin gene, T-A-G in pre-(G)gamma framework, (TG)(11)(CG)(3) in the (G)gamma-IVS2, (AT)(9)N(12)(AT)(10) in LCR-HS2; in contrast, the haplotype V had, respectively, "C", T-G-A (TG)(19)(CG)(2)CACG in the (G)gamma-IVS2, and (AT)(10)N(12)(AT)(11). In all patients the beta-87 was associated with the (AT)(9)T(5) motif 5' beta-globin gene with increased affinity for the BP-1 protein, and with the (TG)(13) in the (A)gamma-IVS2. The high increase of the Hb F, mostly of the (G)gamma-type, strongly suggests the hypothesis that the 'T'-158 (G)gamma plays a principal role and that the other polymorphisms could exert a cooperative role in the modulation of Hb F in patients with erythropoietic stress.