Outcome in lacunar stroke: A cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated a prospective cohort of 150 patients under observation in our centre for lacunar strokes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome at time of discharge and 6 months after lacunar stroke, as well as the correlation with cardiovascular risk factors and selected biochemical parameters already evaluated on admission. Focus was to identify possible prognostic factors, which might be targeted through appropriate intervention concentrating on reduction in the incidence and impact of early clinical deterioration. METHODS: 150 patients with a lacunar stroke were included in the present study. A clinical 6-month follow-up was available for 98.7% of the patients. Infarcts were classified by size, shape and location. RESULTS: The most important predictors of high NIHSS score at time of discharge resulted NIHSS on admission (P < .001), leukocytosis (P = .013), in-hospital infections (P = .016) and size of lacunae (P = .005). Similarly, the most important predictors of poor outcome 6 months later were NIHSS on admission (P = .01), leukocytosis (P = .014), elevated CRP (P = .019), in addition to pre-admission Rankin (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Although infections are not causatively related to lacunar strokes, their prompt recognition and early treatment, control of inflammatory markers and fever are most important in influencing functional outcome in lacunar stroke.

Dispersion and Persistence of Trichogrammatoidea bactrae (Nagaraja) over Tuta absoluta (Meyrick), in Tomato Greenhouses.

Inundative biological control depends on the ability of natural enemies to disperse and persist in the environment. The objective was to evaluate the dispersion and persistence of Trichogrammatoidea bactrae (Nagaraja) on Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) eggs. Inundative releases of this parasitoid were performed in experimental tomato greenhouses. For vertical dispersion, leaves of the upper and middle third of plants were artificially infested with T. absoluta eggs; for horizontal dispersion, plants at increasing distances from a release point were infested. These eggs were renewed at days 2 and 4 to evaluate persistence. The amount of parasitized patches was registered. Logistic regression analysis was used. The position of the eggs in the plant did not affect the DE (discovery efficiency: proportion of parasitized patches). Time since release negatively affected the DE, while distance affected it only when plants were higher. These results could be used to adjust the release methodology of T. bactrae.

Quality of life and hormones after sex reassignment surgery.

BACKGROUND: Transpeople often look for sex reassignment surgery (SRS) to improve their quality of life (QoL). The hormonal therapy has many positive effects before and after SRS. There are no studies about correlation between hormonal status and QoL after SRS. AIM: To gather information on QoL, quality of sexual life and body image in transpeople at least 2 years after SRS,to compare these results with a control group and to evaluate the relations between the chosen items and hormonal status. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data from 60 transsexuals and from 60 healthy matched controls were collected. Testosterone,estradiol, LH and World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-100) self-reported questionnaire were evaluated. Student's t test was applied to compare transsexuals and controls. Multiple regression model was applied to evaluate WHOQOL's chosen items and LH. RESULTS: The QoL and the quality of body image scores intranspeople were not statistically different from the matched control groups' ones. In the sexual life subscale,transwomen's scores were similar to biological women's ones, whereas transmen's scores were statistically lower than biological men's ones (P = 0.003). The quality of sexual life scored statistically lower in transmen than intranswomen (P = 0.048). A significant inverse relationship between LH and body image and between LH and quality of sexual life was found. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights general satisfaction after SRS. In particular, transpeople's QoL turns out to be similar to Italian matched controls. LH resulted inversely correlated to body image and sexual life scores.