Young@Heart: empowering the next generation of cardiovascular researchers.

In recognition of the increasing health burden of cardiovascular disease, the Dutch CardioVascular Alliance (DCVA) was founded with the ambition to lower the cardiovascular disease burden by 25% in 2030. To achieve this, the DCVA is a platform for all stakeholders in the cardiovascular field to align policies, agendas and research. An important goal of the DCVA is to guide and encourage young researchers at an early stage of their careers in order to help them overcome challenges and reach their full potential. Young@Heart is part of the DCVA that supports the young cardiovascular research community. This article illustrates the challenges and opportunities encountered by young cardiovascular researchers in the Netherlands and highlights Young@Heart's vision to benefit from these opportunities and optimise collaborations to contribute to lowering the cardiovascular disease burden together as soon as possible.

A one-dimensional arterial network model for bypass graft assessment.

We propose an arterial network model based on one-dimensional hemodynamic equations to study the behavior of different vascular surgical bypass grafts in the case of an arterial occlusive pathology: a stenosis of the Right Iliac artery. We investigate the performances of three different bypass grafts (Aorto-Femoral, Axillo-Femoral and cross-over Femoral) depending on the degree of obstruction of the stenosis. Numerical simulations show that all bypass grafts are efficient since we retrieve in each case the healthy hemodynamics downstream of the stenosed region while ensuring at the same time a global healthy circulation. We analyze in detail the behavior of the Axillo-Femoral bypass graft by performing hundreds of simulations where we vary the values of its Young's modulus [0.1-50 MPa] and radius [0.01-5 cm]. Our analysis shows that Young's modulus and radius of commercial bypass grafts are optimal in terms of hemodynamic considerations. Our numerical findings prove that this model approach can be used to optimize or plan patient-specific surgeries, to numerically assess the viability of bypass grafts and to perform parametric analysis and error propagation evaluations by running extensive simulations.

PI3K in cancer-stroma interactions: bad in seed and ugly in soil.

Over the past decade the phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) signaling pathway emerged as an important player for tumor initiation and growth and, currently, PI3K inhibition constitutes a promising therapeutic approach for solid and hematological tumors. Beside its role in tumor cell evolution, PI3K signaling also provides integral functions for noncancerous cells that reside in healthy tissues surrounding the tumor, also referred as tumor microenvironment (TME). This review will address how PI3K signaling participates to the tumorigenic process and discuss the interaction between tumor cells and the surrounding TME, with particular focus on the role of PI3Ks in tumor-associated immune responses, tumor angiogenesis and metastasis formation.

Test of "crab-waist" collisions at the DAPhiNE Phi factory.

The electron-positron collider DAPhiNE, the Italian Phi factory, has been recently upgraded in order to implement an innovative collision scheme based on large crossing angle, small beam sizes at the crossing point, and compensation of beam-beam interaction by means of sextupole pairs creating a "crab-waist" configuration in the interaction region. Experimental tests of the novel scheme exhibited an increase by a factor of 3 in the peak luminosity of the collider with respect to the performances reached before the upgrade. In this Letter we present the new collision scheme, discuss its advantages, describe the hardware modifications realized for the upgrade, and report the results of the experimental tests carried out during commissioning of the machine in the new configuration and standard operation for the users.

Direct measurement of the double emittance minimum in the beam dynamics of the sparc high-brightness photoinjector.

In this Letter we report the first experimental observation of the double emittance minimum effect in the beam dynamics of high-brightness electron beam generation by photoinjectors; this effect, as predicted by the theory, is crucial in achieving minimum emittance in photoinjectors aiming at producing electron beams for short wavelength single-pass free electron lasers. The experiment described in this Letter was performed at the SPARC photoinjector site, during the first stage of commissioning of the SPARC project. The experiment was made possible by a newly conceived device, called an emittance meter, which allows a detailed and unprecedented study of the emittance compensation process as the beam propagates along the beam pipe.

Identification of the macromolecular complex responsible for PI3Kgamma-dependent regulation of cAMP levels.

PI3Kgamma is a phosphoinositide 3-kinase characterized by both lipid and protein kinase activity. It is activated by G-protein-coupled receptors and is predominantly expressed in leucocytes; in addition, recent work showed its presence in the heart and its involvement in regulating cardiac functions. In this tissue, PI3Kgamma acts as a negative modulator of contractility, by decreasing cAMP concentration through a kinase-independent mechanism. Indeed, whereas PI3Kgamma-deficient mice show an abnormal cAMP elevation, cAMP levels in knock-in mouse mutants, expressing a kinase-dead PI3Kgamma, are comparable with wild-type controls. PI3Kgamma regulates cardiac cAMP homoeostasis by forming a macromolecular complex containing PDE3B (phosphodiesterase 3B). In this complex, PI3Kgamma could regulate PDE3B activity through protein kinase A, a PDE activator.

Charge density harmonics generation in free-electron relativistic parametric devices.

A single-particle theory of the evolution of the harmonic content of a bunched beam in a relativistic optical klystron is reported. The equations of motion of the electrons in the dispersive-magnetic-drift space are solved analytically, including the effects of the energy and angular spreads of the beam. The theory enables one to predict the optical efficiency of a coherent relativistic scatterer designed for the generation of the third harmonics of the charge density wave (lambda(sc) = 1766 A) induced on the electron beam of the Frascati storage ring, Adone, with gamma = 1200.

[The use of althesin in endoscopy]. / Utilizzazione dell'Althesin nelle pratiche endoscopiche.

Althesin was used on account of its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and its high therapeutic index in a search for a narcotic drug displaying minimal interference with metabolic and functional parameters in the aged. Continuous perfusion of the anaesthetic proved an extremely flexible method bearing in mind the varying length of the operations concerned. Stress is laid on the need for clinical control, especially at the moment of induction to ensure that timely action can be taken in the event of complications.

[Hypokalemic states in clinical practice. A case of severe hypokalemia combined with flaccid quadriplegia]. / Gli stti ipokaliemici in clinica. Presentazione di un caso di grave ipokaliemia con tetraparesi flaccida.

The biochemical data relating to the physiological distribution of potassium and its regulating factors in the normal human body are explained. Reference is then made to the clinical symptoms and aetiopathogenesis of hypokalaemia. A serious case coupled with flaccid quadriplegia in a 34-yr-old male is presented. Stress is laid on the usefulness of correct investigation of the history, and the fundamental resort to complete electrolytic screening in patients presenting with polyuria, polydipsia, arrhythmia and flaccid quadriplegia.

[Electric stimulation of the heart : treatment indications and criteria for choosing of pacemakers. Contribution of the Ospedale Santa Croce in Cuneo]. / L'elettrostimolazione cardiaca: indicazioni al trattamento e criteri di scelta dei pace-makers. Contributo dell'Ospedale Santa Croce di Cuneo

The various types of emergency electrical heart stimulation for the short and medium terms or permanent, are reviewed along with choice criteria. The personal series represting 5 years experience at the Cuneo S. Croce Hospital is reported.

[Ventilation and continued positive-pressure respiration in resuscitation]. / La ventilazione a pressione positiva continua in rianimazione

Expiratory positive pressured used as a routine procedure in patients with healthy lungs and those with serious pulmonary alterations since 1973 is described. It has been found that CPPV offers effective opposition to the gradual desaturation of arterial blood in O2 encountered with IPPV.