Investigating the relationship between interoceptive accuracy, interoceptive awareness, and emotional susceptibility

Interoception, the sense of the physiological condition of the body, provides a basis for subjective feelings and emotions. Anterior insular cortex activity represents the state of the body and varies according to personality traits, such as emotional susceptibility (ES)-the tendency to experience feelings of discomfort and vulnerability when facing emotionally-laden stimuli. The accuracy of perceiving one's own bodily signals, or interoceptive accuracy (IAc), can be assessed with the heartbeat perception task (HPT), which is the experimental measure used by most of the existing research on interoception. However, IAc is only one facet of interoception. Interoceptive awareness (IAw) is the conscious perception of sensations from inside the body, such as heart beat, respiration, satiety, and the autonomic nervous system sensations related to emotions, which create the sense of the physiological condition of the body. We developed an Italian version of the recent self-report Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), tested its psychometric properties (reliability, dimensionality, and construct validity), and examined its relationship to ES, as assessed using the Emotional Susceptibility Scale, in a sample (n = 321) of healthy Italian psychology students (293 females, mean age: 20.5 years). In a subgroup of females (n = 135), we measured IAc with the HPT. We used a series of correlation/regression analyses to examine the complex interplay between the three constructs. We provide further evidence for a substantial independence of the IAc and IAw measures, confirming previous reports and current theoretical models that differentiate between IAc and IAw. Our analyses elucidate the complex relationship between distinct dimensions of IAw and ES, highlighting the need for continued efforts to shed more light on this topic

Mondo greco occidentale ed Etruria. Il tema di “Hercle alla fonte” nella glittica

Parmi les gemmes considérées comme provenant de l’Occident grec, nous avons été en mesure d’en identifier une à Londres. Il s’agit d’un scarabée d’agate coupé, avec la représentation de Hercle qui recueille l’eau d’une source avec une amphore. La gemme possède une inscription déjà identifiée comme grecque, et lue αἰόνα (CIG 7317) (« jaillit! »), interprétée comme un ordre donné par le héros à la source. Dans cette étude, on propose d’identifier l’inscription comme étrusque (comme cela a été fait par H. Rix dans Etruskische Texte) et de la lire aithna. Le terme aithna pourrait être identifié avec celui de Aitna, nymphe de la Sicile, éponyme de la ville de Aitna et du volcan. Dans ce cas, la nymphe serait reliée à la Sicile orientale, localisation non définie par la carte de diffusion des places liées aux « eaux d’Hercule », publiée récemment. La découverte est importante parce que le scarabée a peut-être été fait par un artisan grec (provenant de la Sicile ?) travaillant en Étrurie à l’époque de Hiéron, fondateur de Aitna. La comparaison stylistique avec la gemme de Paris, trouvée en Étrurie, avec l’inscription eruchs (Eryx), montrant un athlète parfait, nous semble documenter le travail des artisans grecs en Étrurie, qui inscrivent dans la « nouvelle » situation des mythes et des traditions de leur patrie, s’adaptant euxmêmes à la culture locale de l’époque.Tra le gemme considerate greco-occidentali è stato possibile identificare e ritrovare a Londra una gemma, uno scarabeo d’agata tagliato, con la raffigurazione di Hercle che raccoglie acqua da una fonte con un’anfora. La gemma reca l’iscrizione già identificata come greca e letta αἰόνα (CIG 7317) (“sgorga!”) interpretata come l’ingiunzione rivolta dall’eroe alla fonte. Nello studio si propone di identificare l’iscrizione come etrusca (come già fatto da H. Rix negli Etruskische Texte) e di leggerla aithna. Il termine aithna potrebbe essere identificato con quello di Aitne, ninfa di Sicilia, eponima della città di Aitna e del vulcano; in questo caso la ninfa sarebbe collegata alla Sicilia orientale, non contemplata nella cartina di distribuzione dei luoghi relativi alle “acque di Ercole”, edite anche di recente. Il dato è rilevante perché lo scarabeo potrebbe essere stato realizzato da un artigiano greco (proveniente dalla Sicilia?) operante in Etruria proprio durante l’età di Ierone, fondatore di Aitna. Il confronto stilistico con il noto scarabeo di Parigi, rinvenuto in Etruria, con l’iscrizione eruchs (Erice) raffigurante un perfetto atleta, ci sembra documentare il lavoro in Etruria di artigiani greci, che inseriscono nella “nuova” realtà locale miti e tradizioni della loro terra d’origine, adattandoli alla cultura locale di età tardo arcaica

Archaeobotanical evidence of funerary plant offerings at the Southern Etrurian Necropolis of “Valle Santa nell’Agro Veientano” (Rome, Italy)

The present study concerns the archaeobotanical analysis of soil samples and vase fillings from Etruscan tombs from the Necropolis of “Valle Santa nell’Agro Veientano”, found along via di Boccea, north of Rome (Italy). While the site was in use between the Archaic and Late Roman Age, the studied vestibule tombs belong to the Etruscan necropolis (second half of the 6th – beginning of the 4th centuries BC). Archaeological data, based on the incineration rite and funerary equipment, suggest that these were used by one high-status family (or two) originally from Veio. Carpological analyses reveal the presence of food plants comprised of cereals, pulses and fruits. Furthermore, anthracological data give indications concerning the past environment, with a prevalence of deciduous and semi-deciduous oaks, accompanied by other taxa such as evergreen oaks, hornbeam, ash and Rosaceae Prunoideae. This is in accordance with the present-day vegetation of northern Latium. Finally, remains of synanthropic weeds (e.g., Asteraceae, Caryophyllaceae and Polygonaceae) suggest a heavily anthropized environment. This study represents a step forward in the understanding of the still under-explored human-plant interactions of Etruscans

MASTER IN “GEOGRAPHY, GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMICS. INSTRUMENTS, METHODS AND GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR TERRITORIAL MANAGEMENT” OF UNIVERSITY OF VERONA. OVERVIEW, REFERENCE DOCUMENTS AND CARTOGRAPHIC PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

Analisi del territorio, interpretazione della sua complessità, individuazione delle dinamiche di sviluppo (o di regressione) e formulazione di scenari funzionali alle scelte politiche territoriali rappresentano idee guida intorno alle quali si è strutturata l’iniziativa formativa cui si riferisce nel presente contributo. Si mostreranno in sintesi, inoltre, la “mappa” del cofinanziamento al servizio della formazione, gli obiettivi programmati, i protagonisti, i quadri strategici e le priorità di intervento sulla base dei quali si sono realizzate esperienze di stage nell’ambito della rappresentazione cartografica strettamente connessa ad un quadro di sviluppo relativo alle nuove tecnologie ICT applicate al territorio. Fondi strutturali, politiche di coesione, regolamenti CE, obiettivi connessi, in primis, la cooperazione territoriale e la competitività della Regione Veneto si intersecano ed esplicano attraverso la creazione di competenze rivolte alla gestione di territori complessi. All’interno di questi ultimi si innervano dinamiche strettamente legate alla nascita di sistemi locali e di innovativi approcci di governance per il governo del territorio.Territorial analysis, interpretation and identification of development paths, scenario-building exercises represent the concepts to which we referred when structuring the master degree henceforth presented. The paper is divided into two parts (reflecting the organization given to the course). In the first one - in order to facilitate the understanding of current trends - we describe the rational behind such a project and discuss its theoretical underpinnings [making explicit reference to the debate over local (economic) development)]. Emerging local and regional systems act progressively more as gateways through which (economic) knowledge is transferred and as key nodes of the worldwide network channelling economic efficiency and growth. Policies aimed at enhancing competitiveness gain more relevance, also because of the societal and territorial re-organization those processes imply. In order for the students to acquire the theoretical tools necessary to better understand territorial dynamics, part of the degree focuses on analysing participatory governance mechanisms currently implemented (baring in mind the role social relationships play as a structuring factor that triggers interactive learning and interconnects individuals and organizations). In the second part of the article, we offer an overview of the EU co-funding schemes aimed at improving human capital training. We give information on objectives, actors involved, national and regional strategic frameworks programmes and priorities, structural funds regulations and the cohesion policy. A final paragraph will be specifically dedicated to describe internship experiences. The latter have been designed, in fact, in such a way that students were asked to both work within the field of cartographic/territorial research and use the latest ICT tools available (the training for which was given in a specific module)

Sources and pattern of protein intake and risk of overweight or obesity in young UK twins

High protein intake in young children is associated with excess gains in weight and body fat, but the specific role of different protein sources has yet to be described. The study aimed to investigate the role of different types of protein in the post-weaning stage on weight, BMI and overweight/obesity at 60 months. Intakes of animal, dairy and plant protein and a dietary pattern characterising variation in protein types at 21 months of age were estimated using a 3-d diet diary in a cohort of 2154 twins; weight and height were recorded every 3 months from birth to 60 months. Longitudinal mixed-effect models investigated the associations between sources of protein intake or dietary pattern scores and BMI, weight and overweight/obesity from 21 months up to 60 months. Adjusting for confounders, dairy protein intake at 21 months was positively associated with greater weight (46 (95 % CI 21, 71) g and BMI up to 60 months (0·04 (95 % CI 0·004, 0·070) kg/m2) and the odds of overweight/obesity at 3 years (OR 1·12; 95 % CI 1·00, 1·24). Milk showed associations of similar magnitude. A dietary pattern low in dairy protein and high in plant protein was associated with lower weight gain up to 60 months, but not overweight/obesity. Intake of dairy products in early childhood is most strongly associated with weight gain, compared with other protein sources. A dietary pattern characterised by lower protein intake and greater protein source diversity at 2 years may confer a lower risk of excess weight gain

The reliability of gait parameters captured via instrumented walkways: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Electronic pressure-sensitive walkways are commonly available solutions to quantitatively assess gait parameters for clinical and research purposes. Many studies have evaluated their measurement properties in different conditions with variable findings. In order to be informed about the current evidence of their reliability for optimal clinical and scientific decision making, this systematic review provided a quantitative synthesis of the test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change of the captured gait parameters across different test conditions (single and cognitive dual-task conditions) and population groups. Evidence acquisition: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus until November 2021 to identify articles that examined the test-retest reliability properties of the gait parameters captured by pressure-sensitive walkways (gait speed, cadence, stride length and time, double support time, base of support) in adult healthy individuals or patients. The methodological quality was rated using the "Consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments" checklist. Data were meta-analyzed on intraclass correlation coefficient to examine the test-retest relative reliability. Quantitative synthesis was performed for absolute reliability, examined by the weighted average of minimal detectable change values. Evidence synthesis: A total of 44 studies were included in this systematic review. The methodological quality was adequate in half of the included studies. The main finding was that pressure-sensitive walkways are reliable tools for objective assessment of spatial and temporal gait parameters both in singleand cognitive dual-task conditions. Despite few exceptions, the review identified intraclass correlation coefficient higher than 0.75 and minimal detectable change lower than 30%, demonstrating satisfactory relative and absolute reliability in all examined populations (healthy adults, elderly, patients with cognitive impairment, spinocerebellar ataxia type 14, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, spinal cord injury, stroke or vestibular dysfunction). Conclusions: Current evidence suggested that, despite different populations and testing protocols used in the included studies, the test-retest reliability of the examined gait parameters was acceptable under single and cognitive dual-task conditions. Further high-quality studies with powered sample sizes are needed to examine the reliability findings of the currently understudied and unexplored pathologies and test conditions

Role of evaluating tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes, programmed death‑1 ligand 1 and mismatch repair proteins expression in malignant mesothelioma

The tumor immune microenvironment (TME) and immune checkpoints have been reported to serve a role in the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and treatment outcome. Additionally, mismatch Repair (MMR) deficiency appears to enhance the response to checkpoints blockade in several tumors. The aim of the present study was to analyze programmed death‑1 ligand 1 (PD‑L1) expression in MM and to characterize the TME. This could help to understand the immune response, and evaluate its prognostic and predictive values. We also investigated MMR protein expression. We retrospectively analyzed 55 mesotheliomas to determine PD‑L1, CD4+, CD8+, mutL homolog 1 (MLH1), mutS homolog 2 (MSH2), mutS homolog 6 (MSH6) and PMS1 homolog 2, mismatch repair system component (PMS2) expression. We used an immunoscore (1+, 2+ and 3+) to evaluate tumor‑infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). TILs were observed in all but two samples (53/55); the majority had an immunoscore 1+ (30/53), while 2+/3+ was reported for 23/53 samples. A predominance of CD8+ was highlighted in 8 cases (15%). PD‑L1 expression of ≥1% on tumor cells was displayed in 40 cases; in 9 of these, ≥50% expression was reported. Of note, alterations in MMR staining was not observed. In addition, survival analysis revealed that epithelioid subtype was associated with better prognosis. We observed a trend towards poorer prognosis for ≥50% PD‑L1 expression on tumor cells, lower immunoscore (1+) and CD8+ TIL predominance. The present study highlighted the importance of exploring the TME and the standardization of PD‑L1 assessment guidelines to apply in the field of immunotherapy

An Automatic Identification Procedure to Promote the use of FES-Cycling Training for Hemiparetic Patients.

Cycling induced by Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) training currently requires a manual setting of different parameters, which is a time-consuming and scarcely repeatable procedure. We proposed an automatic procedure for setting session-specific parameters optimized for hemiparetic patients. This procedure consisted of the identification of the stimulation strategy as the angular ranges during which FES drove the motion, the comparison between the identified strategy and the physiological muscular activation strategy, and the setting of the pulse amplitude and duration of each stimulated muscle. Preliminary trials on 10 healthy volunteers helped define the procedure. Feasibility tests on 8 hemiparetic patients (5 stroke, 3 traumatic brain injury) were performed. The procedure maximized the motor output within the tolerance constraint, identified a biomimetic strategy in 6 patients, and always lasted less than 5 minutes. Its reasonable duration and automatic nature make the procedure usable at the beginning of every training session, potentially enhancing the performance of FES-cycling training