(e)motion: The interplay between emotional processing and the sensorimotor system

This thesis aimed to explore the relationship between emotional processing and the sensorimotor system, mainly focusing on one information source derived from emotional body language (EBL). We investigated such a relationship in four different experiments and through several methodologies ranging from behavioral to neurophysiological techniques, by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG), in healthy subjects (experiments 1, 2 and 3) and patients affected by Parkinson’s Disease (PD) (experiment 4). In the first experiment, whose aims were to explore the ability to process, discriminate and recognize emotional information carried by body language and to test motor response through response times (RTs) to emotional stimuli (i.e., EBL and IAPS), we found that fearful EBL is rapidly recognized and processed, probably because of a rapid and instinctual activation of several brain structures involved in defensive reactions. In the second experiment we investigated the effects of emotion processing (i.e., Fear, Happy and Neutral) on the sensorimotor system through a TMS protocol assessing short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI) at two timepoints (i.e., 120 and 300 ms). Our results showed that sensorimotor inhibition in the first 120 ms after stimulus onset is increased during processing of fearful emotional stimuli, reflecting the fact that automatic processing of threatening information can modulate attentional resources and cholinergic activity. In the third experiment, were a protocol involving hdEEG and a source localization workflow was implemented in the study of event-related potentials (ERPs) and mu-alpha and beta-bands rhythms during EBL processing, we confirmed what observed in the second experiment by showing that during processing of fearful body expressions there was an increased activity in the β frequency band in the somatosensory cortex which in turn may be one of the factors responsible for reducing the activation of motor related areas and, hence, increase sensorimotor inhibition. Lastly, in the fourth experiment we partly replicated the experimental design of the first experiment but in patients with Parkinson’s disease and using not only emotional body language stimuli and emotional scenes, but also emotional facial expressions. Our results showed that motor responses in PD patients are speeded when observing a potential threat, for both the embodied set of stimuli (EBL and facial expressions). We discussed this finding in relation to the “Kinesia paradoxa” phenomenon, defined as “the sudden transient ability of a patient with PD to perform a task he or she was previously unable to perform”

Characterization of the Fe(III)-Tiron System in Solution through an Integrated Approach Combining NMR Relaxometric, Thermodynamic, Kinetic, and Computational Data

The Fe(III)-Tiron system (Tiron = 4,5-dihydroxy1,3-benzenedisulfonate) was investigated using a combination of 1H and 17O NMR relaxometric studies at variable field and temperature and theoretical calculations at the DFT and NEVPT2 levels. These studies require a detailed knowledge of the speciation in aqueous solution at different pH values. This was achieved using potentiometric and spectrophotometric titrations, which afforded the thermodynamic equilibrium constants characterizing the Fe(III)-Tiron system. A careful control of the pH of the solution and the metal-to-ligand stoichiometric ratio allowed the relaxometric characterization of [Fe(Tiron)3]9-, [Fe(Tiron)2(H2O)2]5-, and [Fe(Tiron)(H2O)4]- complexes. The 1H nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion (NMRD) profiles of [Fe(Tiron)3]9- and [Fe(Tiron)2(H2O)2]5- complexes evidence a significant second-sphere contribution to relaxivity. A complementary 17O NMR study provided access to the exchange rates of the coordinated water molecules in [Fe(Tiron)2(H2O)2]5- and [Fe(Tiron)(H2O)4]- complexes. Analyses of the NMRD profiles and NEVPT2 calculations indicate that electronic relaxation is significantly affected by the geometry of the Fe3+ coordination environment. Dissociation kinetic studies indicated that the [Fe(Tiron)3]9- complex is relatively inert due to the slow release of one of the Tiron ligands, while the [Fe(Tiron)2(H2O)2]5- complex is considerably more labile

Strategies for management of strongyloidiasis in migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa recently arrived in Italy: A cost-effectiveness analysis

Abstract Background The Italian and the European Centre for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines both recommend a systematic serological screening for strongyloidiasis in sub-Saharan migrants (SSA), however, studies on clinical and economic impact of this strategy in the Italian and European settings are lacking. Methods A population of 100,000 migrants from SSA to Italy was considered and a Markov decision tree model was developed to assess the clinical and economic impact of two interventions for strongyloidiasis compared with the current practice (passive diagnosis of symptomatic cases): a) universal serological screening and treatment with ivermectin in case of positive test b) universal presumptive treatment with ivermectin. One and 10-year time horizon in the health-care perspective were considered. Results In the one and 10-year time horizon respectively the costs for passive diagnosis was €1,164,169 and €9,735,908, those for screening option was € 2,856,011 and € 4,959,638 and those for presumptive treatment was €3,538,474 and € 4,883,272. Considering the cost per cured subject in the one-year time horizon, screening appears more favorable (€209.53), than the other two options (€232.55 per presumptive treatment and €10,197.29 per current strategy). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICERs) of screening strategy and presumptive treatment were respectively 265.27 and 333.19. The sensitivity analysis identified strongyloidiasis' prevalence as the main driver of ICER. Conclusions Compared to the current practice (passive diagnosis) both screening and presumptive treatment strategies are more favorable from a cost-effectiveness point of view, with a slight advantage of the screening strategy in a one-year time horizon

Disseminated and Relapsing Cryptococcosis: What We Still Have to Learn—a Case Series and Review of Literature

AbstractTwo cases of disseminated cryptococcosis are described. The first was an HIV-infected patient where cryptococcosis was diagnosed as "unmasking immune reconstitution syndrome"; the second was an immunosuppressed patient with multiple myeloma. In both cases, a definitive healing could not be reached despite long therapeutic approaches. This review summarizes both the most recent and relevant studies about disseminated and refractory form of cryptococcal infections and identifies research gaps. Given the limited data, we draw some conclusions with respect to management from literature: not clear and accepted indication are available regarding disseminated cryptococcosis, no specific schemes were identified, and the duration of therapy is usually decided case by case and supported only by case reports. In this perspective, usually standard therapeutic schemes and duration of induction depend on multiple factors (e.g., neurologic deficit, non-HIV/non transplant status, CSF culture positivity at 2 weeks, etc.). We found that there are no empiric and literature data that support a role of cryptococcal serum antigen (CRAG) in guiding the antifungal therapy; with the data collected, we think that although is possible, it is very rare to find disseminated cryptococcosis with negative CRAG. We looked also for the more important risk factor of recurrence. Some possible causes explored are risk of azole resistant strains, pre-existent conditions of patients that play a permissive role and the common situation where flucytosine is unavailable that led to suboptimal induction phase of therapy. Herein, we discuss disseminated cryptococcosis with a particular attention to antifungal therapy, role of cryptococcal antigen, and risk factors for recurrence of disease

Sensorimotor inhibition during emotional processing

Visual processing of emotional stimuli has been shown to engage complex cortical and subcortical networks, but it is still unclear how it affects sensorimotor integration processes. To fill this gap, here, we used a TMS protocol named short-latency afferent inhibition (SAI), capturing sensorimotor interactions, while healthy participants were observing emotional body language (EBL) and International Affective Picture System (IAPS) stimuli. Participants were presented with emotional (fear- and happiness-related) or non-emotional (neutral) EBL and IAPS stimuli while SAI was tested at 120 ms and 300 ms after pictures presentation. At the earlier time point (120 ms), we found that fear-related EBL and IAPS stimuli selectively enhanced SAI as indexed by the greater inhibitory effect of somatosensory afferents on motor excitability. Larger early SAI enhancement was associated with lower scores at the Behavioural Inhibition Scale (BIS). At the later time point (300 ms), we found a generalized SAI decrease for all kind of stimuli (fear, happiness or neutral). Because the SAI index reflects integrative activity of cholinergic sensorimotor circuits, our findings suggest greater sensitivity of such circuits during early (120 ms) processing of threat-related information. Moreover, the correlation with BIS score may suggest increased attention and sensory vigilance in participants with greater anxiety-related dispositions. In conclusion, the results of this study show that sensorimotor inhibition is rapidly enhanced while processing threatening stimuli and that SAI protocol might be a valuable option in evaluating emotional-motor interactions in physiological and pathological conditions

Synthesis, biological evaluation, and SAR study of novel pyrazole analogues as inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: Part 2. Synthesis of rigid pyrazolones

Two series of novel rigid pyrazolone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the causative agent of tuberculosis. Two of these compounds showed a high activity against MTB (MIC = 4 μg/mL). The newly synthesized pyrazolones were also computationally investigated to analyze if their properties fit the pharmacophoric model for antitubercular compounds previously built by us. The results are in agreement with those reported by us previously for a class of pyrazole analogues and confirm the fundamental role of the p-chlorophenyl moiety at C4 in the antimycobacterial activity

Transition product design. A framework proposal for a holistic approach to systemic design

The Transition Design (TD) discipline is based on a design framework and methodology that prioritises social and environmental well-being and the goals of local resilience and radical changes in socio-technical contexts. Terry Irwin (2019) sees two aspects of TD as fundamental: the idea that entire societies will face a transition to sustainable futures and the realisation that this will entail changes at the systemic level. As part of the ongoing disciplinary debate, this contribution investigates the potential of new design drivers, such as territorial value and local resilience, linked to specific case studies that can be seen as best practices. The result is a theoretical framework of eight guidelines that aims to answer some of the TD process’s problems and model the requirements that can then be replicated