This large cross-sectional study suggests that postmenopausal women are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes after allowance for the effect of age. Other main determinants of risk of type 2 diabetes in women around menopause were low socioeconomic status and being overweight. Diabetes was found less frequently in those taking hormone replacement therapy.

We study the recognition capabilities of the Hopfield model with auxiliary hidden layers, which emerge naturally upon a Hubbard-Stratonovich transformation. We show that the recognition capabilities of such a model at zero temperature outperform those of the original Hopfield model, due to a substantial increase of the storage capacity and the lack of a naturally defined basin of attraction. The modified model does not fall abruptly into the regime of complete confusion when memory load exceeds a sharp threshold. This latter circumstance, together with an increase of the storage capacity, renders such a modified Hopfield model a promising candidate for further research, with possible diverse applications.

The possible role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the aetiology of papillary tumor of the bladder has been evaluated and a review of the literature concerning this issue was made. A group of 17 patients affected by bladder papillary tumor was analysed. Surgical specimens were collected for virological and histological analysis. The DNA of the following viruses was searched by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): Adenovirus, Herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV ·1), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV.2), Human Papillomaviruses (HPV), Polyomaviruses (BKV and JCV). The results showed that 15/17 (88 %) patients with papillary bladder tumor were found negative for each viral-searched DNA; only one sample was positive for HPV (6 % ) genotype 6, which is considered to convey a low risk for cancer development and only one was positive for BKV (6%). From the results obtained there seems to be no relationship between viral infection and the presence of bladder papillary tumor. Moreover, in the examined population the association bladder carcinoma-HPV, found by others, has not been confirmed. The homogeneity of the specimens studied was such that it would not be affected by the temporal factor, as were cases of more or less advanced cancers. Nonetheless specimens from patients with advanced cancers (G III) were negative to HPV infection. The data do not appear indicative for a correlation between viral DNA presence and histological parameters. Thus, in the light of the data emerging from this investigation, no causal relationship can be established between HPV infection and papillary bladder tumors.Urothelial cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the most common form of bladder cancer. Approximately 80% of these bladder tumors are superficial papillary lesions, confined to the mucosa or invading the lamina propria. (1). Most malignant bladder lesions are transitional cell carcinomas, whereas the remaining neoplasms are squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas. Approximately 30% of bladder carcinomas appear as multiple lesions at the time of initial diagnosis.Tumors are graded according to the degree of cellular abnormality, with the most atypical cells designated as high-grade tumors, while staging is based on the depth of invasion into the bladder muscle and surround structures. The stage refers to how far a cancer has progressed anatomically, while the grade refers to cell appearance (differentiation) and DNA make up. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) to define bladder cancer has designated staging by TNM classification. The stage is determined by the depth in which the tumor has penetrated the bladder wall (T), by the assessment of invasion of lymph nodes (N) and other surrounding organs and tissues (M).

Introduction We report the case of a 52–year–old patient with a history of multiple myeloma undergoing chemotherapy treatment according to the DaraRD scheme and currently in remission. Associated with haematological pathology, infiltrative hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of ndd is highlighted. Following haematological and instrumental screening tests, the patient underwent a heart transplant for frequent exacerbations of heart failure. Case Report A 52–year–old patient, suffering from multiple myeloma for about 1 year, for which he began chemotherapy treatment with DaraRD scheme and good response to therapy. The patient also presented dyspnoic symptoms and declining edema with echocardiographic finding of infiltrative hypertrophic heart disease for which he undergoes diagnostic investigations. He performs: • Serial echocardiograms which showed marked uniform hypertrophy with ground glass appearance of the left ventricle and severely reduced systolic function; • PET–CT with no hyperaccumulation of the radiopharmaceutical; • Cardiac MRI with evidence of severely hypocontractile left ventricle and wall changes which could be associated with amyloid infiltration; • myocardial scintigraphy that does not give evidence for the deposit of the amyloid substance of the ATTR type in the heart; • biopsy of umbilical fat and cardiac biopsy, both negative for deposition of substance AL with Congo Red staining; • Right cardiac catheterization with evidence of post–capillary pulmonary hypertension. The patient was subjected to several exacerbations of heart failure which required continuous infusion therapy with inotropes and, ultimately, heart transplantation. At the time of surgery, the heart appeared enlarged, extremely hypocontractile and with rigid walls, with poor compliance of the ventricular muscle wall. The patient responded well to the surgical procedure, in the absence of signs and symptoms of rejection, with improvement of general clinical condition. Conclusions At the end of the surgical procedure and the rehabilitation period, the patient was discharged home, without showing signs and symptoms of graft rejection or multiple myeloma exacerbations, in stable and satisfactory general clinical conditions.

PIRCHE–II is an algorithm used to estimate the risk for developing alloreactivity towards HLA mismatches. A 35–year–old man with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy with several previous hospitalizations for heart failure is admitted to our unit for a new episode in August 2021. After evaluation, the patient was placed on the waiting list for transplant. The following month the patient underwent heart transplant. The donor had a compatible CDC crossmatch and was negative for anti–HLA antibodies. After 46 days, the patient was discharged at home in stable conditions after 2 negative endomyocardial biopsies (EMB): ISHLT’04 0. In January 2021, the patient was newly admitted for dyspnea and oliguria. Imaging revealed bilateral severe pleural effusion, biventricular cardiac disfunction; EMB showed acute rejection (ISHLT’04 3R). Panel–reactive antibody (PRA) screening found 93 % of class I PRA, 3 % of class II PRA with IgM and IgG donor–specific antibodies (DSA), C1q–positive. After 2 months, the patient was placed again on the transplant waitlist for a persistent severe biventricular disfunction, massive tricuspid regurgitation and diffuse myocardial fibrosis; class I PRA was decreasing (41 % in March 2022, 31 % in April 2022). Unfortunately, the patient died of infection before re–transplantation. After the event, which was recognized as AMR caused by class I DSA, a form rarely described in literature, we employed the PIRCHE (Predicted Indirectly Recognizable HLA Epitopes) algorithm to predict indirect donor–recipient alloreactivity: PIRCHE–II was 54. Is a high PIRCHE–II score a reliable predictor of AMR following heart transplant? More data and deeper understanding is surely needed. A correct after–transplant serologic monitoring is definitely needed to search for de–novo DSA.