The spread of COVID-19 pandemic was not homogeneous in Italy, with Northern regions bearing the greatest burden of the disease. In the Abruzzo region, in Central Italy, the province of L'Aquila is the closest to Rome, where the first two imported SARS-CoV-2positive cases have been detected as of January 29, 2020. With a population of 303 239 individuals and a total of 123 COVID-19 cases (40.6/100 000) as of March 31, 2020, the area was among the less affected in Italy (Figure S1, panel A). Specifically, no cases were recorded in the province of L'Aquila before March 3, 2020. A total of 6 patients tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the same area as of March 11, 2020 (15.8% of total regional cases [n.38]). As of March 31, 2020, 8.8% (N = 123) of total cumulative cases in the region (N = 1401) was from the province of L'Aquila. Preliminary evidence indicates a reduction in hospital admissions for acute coronary syndromes following the COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Italy. 1 In parallel, a decrease in coronary revascularization procedures in association with the pandemic has been described in Southern Italy. 2 Herein, the authors aimed at assessing whether the even marginal COVID-19 burden in the area of L'Aquila had an impact on cardiovascular hospitalizations and outcomes.

No abstract

Background Identifying the cause of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is relevant to optimize its management. We aimed to assess the applicability and utility of the Edinburgh CT criteria for cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) in an unselected cohort of hospitalized patients. Patients and Methods We retrospectively applied the Edinburgh criteria to the first available brain CTs of patients hospitalized for a first-ever lobar ICH in the district of L’Aquila from 2011 to 2017. ICH characteristics and outcomes were compared according to the presence of the Edinburgh CT criteria, including associated subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and finger-like projections (FLPs). The outcome of ICH in-hospital mortality was assessed with multivariate logistic regression analysis. We adopted the Edinburgh criteria, age, NIHSS and Glasgow Coma Scale scores, systolic blood pressure, antiplatelet treatment, ICH volume, and intraventricular extension on admission as covariates. Results Of 178 patients with lobar ICH, 52 (29.2%) had aSAH+FLPs, 60 (33.7%) aSAH only, 1 (0.6%) FLPs, and 65 (36.5%) none. Patients with aSAH+FLPs were older (79.0 ± 9.2 years) than those with only one criterion or none (74.0 ± 15.3 and 72.2 ± 13.8 years, respectively; P = 0.020). Patients with aSAH+FLPs also had more severe ICH at onset, higher in-hospital case-fatality (log rank test P = 0.003) and higher mRS scores at discharge (P < 0.001) as compared to those fulfilling one or none of the Edinburgh criteria. Low Glasgow Coma Scale score was the only factor independently associated to in-hospital case-fatality (odds ratio per point increase 0.51; 95% confidence interval, 0.32–0.91; P = 0.021). Discussion Our data suggest the applicability of the Edinburgh CT criteria in a hospital setting. The presence of those criteria reflects ICH clinical severity. Conclusions Applying the Edinburgh CT criteria might help refining the diagnosis and improving the management of patients with lobar ICH.

The aim of the present work was to investigate the oxidation of pure copper samples and of those cut out from circuit boards by using optical ellipsometry XPS and AES, in order to establish whether ellipsometry alone could be used as a simple, economical means for routine analysis at the wiring line of circuit boards. Samples of pure copper, with a polished surface or after treatment in an ENTEK solution, were oxidized for different lengths of time at 180°C, the temperature at which circuit boards are heated before the soldering and wiring process. The oxide growth rate is constant for thicknesses of the oxide layer up to ∼ 100 Å. The thicknesses measured by XPS/AES depth profiles agree well with those measured by ellipsometry provided that two oxide films, Cu2O and CuO, are present for oxidation, while CuO begins to form at later stages. An empirical correlation between the experimental ellipsometric and Auger spectroscopy data on 50 samples cut out from circuit boards, before and after the wiring process, permitted the oxide thickness and the quality of the copper surface of the circuit boards to be estblished by ellipsometry alone. An ellipsometer was installed on the assembly line of the circuit boards and is used for routine analysis of the copper surface of the boards.

The aim of these measurements is to study how a silica saturated solution influences leaching from a HLW glass matrix. Cylindrical samples of I117 borosilicate glasses were suspended in polycarbonate vials containing a SiO2 saturated solution and leached at temperature of 50 or 80°C for different times (from 1/2 to 28 days). Mass loss, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and nuclear reaction techniques were applied for post leaching tests on the glass samples.Analysis of boron and sodium released from the glass were performed in the leachate. Sodium and boron release followed a square root time dependence at all the observed leaching times.XPS measurements revealed a surface increase of silicon content with respect to unleached samples, with aluminium showing the same behaviour as silicon. The presence of the layer enriched in silicon and aluminium does not stop the release of sodium and boron, whereas the mass loss does slow down because of the formation of aluminio-silicate compounds.