791 Virtual visits in HF outpatient management during COVID-19-related lockdown

Aims Following the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdown period in Italy, people have experienced psycho-physical distress. Many hospitals were converted in COVID-19 healthcare places and many specialist outpatient’s services were drastically reduced. Virtual visits may represent a strategy to overcome the lack of HF outpatient’s services, during this period. Our own experience underlines the importance of virtual visits to face the clinical and health status deterioration, associated with COVID-19, in HF outpatients. Methods and results We conducted an observational study, enrolling consecutive HF outpatients, previously hospitalized at the Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences of Sapienza University of Rome, who were discharged within 31 March 2019, and 30 April 2019. Two follow-up periods were scheduled: (i) within 20–30 days after the beginning of lockdown (ii) at 3 months after lockdown’s end. Virtual visits were conducted through telephone, assessing changes in clinical and health status; the latter was assessed through the short version of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ-12). According to the presence of at least one sign of HF deterioration, patients were divided into two groups: Group 1: patients who experienced a modification in at least one clinical parameter suggestive of HF deterioration. Group 2: patients who do not experienced any modification of HF deterioration clinical parameter. KCCQ-12 mean scores were compared between the two groups, at both scheduled virtual visits, in order to evaluate any change in HF outpatients’ health status, during and after the COVID-19-related-lockdown. 160 HF outpatients have been included in the study: 63 in the group 1, 97 in the group 2. At the first virtual visit, group 1 reported significantly lower mean KCCQ-12 score, compared to group 2 [46.2 (±14.6) vs. 53.8 (±11); CI: 95% 11.6 to − 3.6; P = 0.0003]. At the second virtual visit, group 1 patients reported a slightly, but not statistically significant, lower mean KCCQ-12 score, compared to group 2 [52.2 (± 13.3) vs. 53.1(±14.4); 95% CI: −5.4 to 3.6; P = 0.69]. Comparing the KCCQ-12 mean scores of each group between the two scheduled virtual visits, group 1 reported a statistically significant increase at the second visit, compared to the first [52.2 (±13.3) vs. 46.2 (±14.6); CI: 95% 1.1–11; P = 0.017]. Group 2 showed no statistically significant variation of mean KCCQ-12 score between the two follow-up periods [53.1 (±14.4) vs. 53.8 (±11); CI: 95% −4.3 to 3; P = 0.704]. Conclusions we observed a significant worsening of health status in HF outpatients who have experienced clinical deterioration. Therefore, patients were either hospitalized or received the optimization of diuretic and anti-hypertensive therapies. A significant health status improvement was observed at three months after the end of the lockdown, suggesting the importance of virtual visit as an adequate method to follow-up HF outpatients, reporting particular benefits in those with worsening of HF clinical signs and health status.

The academic performance of students with a migrant background: evidence from a cohort enrolled at Sapienza University of Rome

This study investigates the demographic characteristics and academic performances of foreign students with an Italian educational background in a cohort of 1st-year Bachelor students enrolled at Sapienza University of Rome, in the a.y. 2012/2013, comparing them to Italian and to International students. First, we employed a discrete-time competing risk hazard model to analyse differences in academic performances between Italian, foreign students with an Italian educational background and foreign students with a foreign educational background. Second, we applied regression trees to investigate final grades and the time-to-degree completion of Bachelor’s degree holders. Results show differences in the academic performances of foreign students with an Italian educational background compared to Italian students. Policies are needed, these results suggest, that strengthen opportunities for students from a migrant background since high school.

A Concurrent Testing Facility Approach to Validate Small Satellite Combined Operations

Federated remote laboratories allow for the execution of experiments ex situ. The coordination of several laboratories can be used to perform concurrent experiments of combined space operations. However, the latency of the communications between facilities is critical to performing adequate real-time experiments. This paper presents an approach for conducting coordinated experiments between floating platforms at two remote laboratories. Two independently designed platforms, one at Luleå University of Technology and the other at La Sapienza University of Rome, were established for this purpose. A synchronization method based on the Simple Network Time Protocol was created, allowing the offset and delay between the agents to be measured.Both platforms exchange data about their measured time and pose through a UDP/IP protocol over the internet. This approach was validated with the execution of simulated operations. A first demonstrative experiment was also performed showing the possibility to realize leader/follower coordinated operations. The results of the simulations and experiments showed communication delays on the order of tens of milliseconds with no significant impact on the control performance. Consequently, the suggested protocol was proven to be adequate for conducting coordinated experiments in real time between remote laboratories.

Reviewer Acknowledgements

International Journal of Social Science Studies (IJSSS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether IJSSS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue.Reviewers for Volume 9, Number 6António Calha, Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, PortugalAurora Pestaño, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR), PhilippinesDaniel Tia, University of Félix Houphouët-Boigny Abidjan, GRATHEL, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)Emilio Greco, Sapienza University of Rome, ItalyEnzo Loner, University of Trento, ItalyGülsüm Depeli, Hacettepe University, TurkeyIoannis Makris, High School of Pedagogical and Technical Education, GreeceIvan Lenard, Elementary school Ladimirevci, CroatiaJehu Onyekwere Nnaji, University of Naples II,Italy and Globe Visions Network Italy, ItalyJesster Pasule Eduardo, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, PhilippinesJulia M. Mack, Gannon University, USAK.O. Aramide, The Polytechnic Ibadan, NigeriaKatja Eman, Univerza v Mariboru, SloveniaMd. Nasir Uddin, Prime Minister’s Office, BangladeshMei-Ling Lin, National Open University, TaiwanNAZIAH ABD. KADIR, Universiti Selangor, MalaysiaPeriyasami Anbarasan, Indian Institute of technology Delhi, IndiaQingzhi Huan, Peking University, ChinaRachita Shrivastava Roy, Department of Higher Education,Chhatisgarh-India, IndiaSusheelabai Srinivasa, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, United StatesWahyu Nugroho, Sahid University of Jakarta, IndonesiaXian-Liang Tian, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, ChinaYanzhe Zhang, Jilin University, China, China/Australia James YoungEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of International Journal of Social Science StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://ijsss.redfame.com

Telling lives in medicine: the impact of biography collections in medical education

This article briefly discusses the value and impact of biography collections in medical education by illustrating the case of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome (UCBM) Library. The UCBM Library collects, curates, and provides access to a special biography collection with the purpose of documenting the history of men and women who contributed in the field of medicine and related sciences. This article highlights the importance of academic medical libraries collecting biographical works in order to transmit knowledge and values in medical school curriculum.

Nanosecond Q-Switched 1064/532 nm Laser to Treat Hyperpigmentations: A Double Center Retrospective Study

(1) Benign hyperpigmentations are a common problem in cosmetic dermatology. Melasma, solar lentigo, and other acquired hyperpigmentations represent an aesthetic issue for an increasing number of patients. The gold standard in managing this condition is currently 1064/532 nanometers (nm) Q-Switched lasers. This study reports our experience on the use of a Q-switched laser with a nanosecond pulse to treat these conditions. (2) Methods: A total of 96 patients asking for benign hyperpigmentation removal were consecutively enrolled at the Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro and Tor Vergata University of Rome. Treating parameters were the following: 1064 nm with a pulse duration of 6 nanoseconds (ns) for dermic lesions and 532 nm with 6 ns for epidermal ones. Up to five treatments with a minimum interval between laser treatments of thirty days were performed. A follow-up visit three months after the last session assessed patient satisfaction with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Two blinded dermatologists assessed the cosmetic result using a five-point scale comparing pictures before treatment and at follow-up. (3) Results: 96 patients were included; 47 participants were women (49.0%) and 49 men (51.0%). The mean reported age was 50.0 ± 17.3 years. All patients reached a good to complete hyperpigmentation removal at the dermatological evaluation with a mean VAS score of 8.91 ± 1.07. (4) Conclusions: Q Switched 1064/532 nm laser may be considered the gold standard treatment for benign hyperpigmentations. Our results confirm the literature findings on the effectiveness of these devices.

High pro-neurotensin levels in individuals with type 1 diabetes associate with the development of cardiovascular risk factors at follow-up

Aims Neurotensin (NT) is a gut hormone that promotes lipids absorption and controls appetite. Elevated circulating pro-NT, the stable precursor of NT, is associated with cardiovascular (CV) disease, metabolic syndrome (MS) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Features of MS and insulin resistance are reported also in type 1 diabetes (T1D), with detrimental impact on the overall CV risk profile. Aims of the study were to evaluate plasma pro-NT in T1D patients and to test whether its levels are associated with and/or predictive of CV risk factors and overall risk profile. Methods For this longitudinal retrospective study, we analyzed clinical data from 41 T1D individuals referring to the diabetes outpatient clinics at Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, collected at the baseline and after 10 years. Fasting plasma pro-NT levels were measured in T1D subjects at the baseline and in 34 age-, sex-, BMI-comparable healthy individuals recruited in the same period. Results Pro-NT did not differ significantly between patients and controls (median[range] pro-NT: 156.3 [96.6–198.2] vs. 179.4 [139.7–230.7] pmol/L, p = 0.26). In T1D, greater fasting pro-NT associated with poor glycemic control at baseline and predicted increased waist circumference, reduced insulin sensitivity, dyslipidemia and hypertension at 10-year follow-up. High pro-NT predicted 10-year very-high CV risk with adjusted OR = 11 (95%C.I.: 1.4–94.5; p = 0.029). Conclusions In T1D individuals, elevated pro-NT levels predict the development of adverse metabolic profile, which translates in higher CV risk profile at 10-year follow-up. Pro-NT represents a novel predictor/marker of CV risk factors in adults with T1D.