Trajectories of Pure and Co-Occurring Internalizing and Externalizing Problems from Age 2 to Age 12: Findings from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care

According to previous research, internalizing and externalizing problems tend to be comorbid or co-occur at different ages in development (Angold, Costello, & Erkanli, 1999). The question that this dissertation addresses is how and why internalizing and externalizing problems, two disorders that represent separate forms of psychopathology, co-occur in children. This is an important question for the developmental psychopathology perspective because an appreciation of the concept of co-occurrence is essential for explaining the development and taxonomy of internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and for understanding the etiology and course of these symptoms (Achenbach, 1990). Attempts to explain co-occurrence have proposed that co-occurring psychopathology might represent distinct, meaningful syndromes (Angold & Costello, 1992; O’Connor et al., 1998), and in support of this idea, evidence of the existence of pure and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems has been found (Keiley et al., 2003). However, no previous study has identified heterogeneous developmental patterns of pure or combined internalizing and externalizing problems within a dynamic framework by taking trajectories of change into account. This dissertation uses data from the NICHD study of Early Child Care to explore the co-occurrence between internalizing and externalizing problems from age 2 to 12 with the use of Latent Class Growth Analysis. The sample included 1232 children (52% male). Different groups of children exhibiting low/normative, pure internalizing, pure externalizing, and co-occurring internalizing and externalizing problems across the 10 year period were identified. The higher risk groups deviated from the low/normative group in terms of antecedents, SES risk, medical risk, difficult temperament, and home environment. Moreover, children who exhibited pure moderate externalizing problems, and children who exhibited chronic externalizing problems, with and without co-occurring internalizing problems, engaged in more risky behaviors and were more likely to have friends who also engaged in risky behaviors. Furthermore, the pure chronic externalizing group and the groups scoring high on internalizing problems, with and without co-occurring externalizing problems, were more asocial with peers. Finally, children exhibiting chronic co-occurring externalizing and internalizing problems were more excluded by peers in comparison to the rest of the sample’s population

The Parent-Adolescent Relationship and College Adjustment over the Freshman Year

This study investigates whether the parent-adolescent relationship is related to the academic, social, and personal-emotional expectations of adjustment and actual adjustment to college during the transition to college. The mother-adolescent relationship was more consistently linked to college adjustment than the father-adolescent relationship both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and students identified their parents and especially their mother amongst the first people who they go to for support. More African Americans than students from other ethnic backgrounds and more dormitory residents than commuters identified their mother as their first supportive figure, suggesting that the students’ living arrangements and their cultural backgrounds need to be taken under consideration when studying this transitional period

Design of a Low-Cost Microstrip Directional Coupler with High Coupling for a Motion Detection Sensor

A coupled-line coupler based on the asymmetric cascade connection of two coupled line sections is used to achieve a high coupling factor using low-cost material and technology in the X frequency band, and its performance is compared with a standard quarter-wave, coupled-line coupler, showing an increase in the coupling factor of about 3 dB. The proposed coupler can be effectively used in a Doppler motion detection sensor, due to its strong coupling and relatively high isolation. The coupler is designed through a simple, yet rigorous, equivalent circuital model. Then,anoptimizationprocedurewasperformedusingthecommercialsoftwareAnsysHFSSinorder to compensate for losses and second order effects. A prototype of the designed coupler was realized, and the measured data show very good agreement with simulations

Upgrading Italy's Industrial Capacity: Industry 4.0 across Regions and Sectors

How are Industry 4.0 investments distributed across Italian regions and sectors? Which are the main drivers of diffusion? To address these questions, in this study we exploit rich firm survey data on the adoption of the new digital technologies and examine their adoption patterns. On the one hand, we produce novel insights into the drivers of structural change in the Italian economy, and on the other, we provide evidence on the technological upgrading of Italy's production capacity that is relevant for policy. The results of econometric tests on region-sector pairs indicate that corporate governance characteristics, innovation patterns and type of industrial relations are significant predictors of the uneven regional and sectoral distribution of Industry 4.0 investments

Valutazione dell'andamento perioperatorio e delle complicazioni in corso di chirurgia toracica: confronto tra toracotomia intercostale, sternotomia e toracoscopia

Riassunto Obbiettivo: confrontare l’andamento perioperatorio in interventi di toracotomia intercostale, sternotomia e toracoscopia nel cane per valutare i vantaggi e gli svantaggi di ciascun approccio. Materiali e metodi: sono stati impiegati nello studio 21 cani sottoposti a toracotomia intercostale, 6 sottoposti a sternotomia e 12 sottoposti a toracoscopia. I pazienti sono stati seguiti nel periodo perioperatorio per registrare: le durate delle chirurgie, la temperatura corporea ad inizio (T0) e a fine intervento (T1), dopo sei ore (T2) e dopo dodici ore (T3) dall’intervento, il presentarsi di bradicardia o ipotensione intraoperatorie; il posizionamento di un drenaggio toracico e la sua permanenza in situ; la durata del ricovero in terapia intensiva. La mortalità in seguito a tali interventi è stata valutata mediante un questionario telefonico effettuato sui proprietari dei cani. Risultati: la durata degli interventi di toracoscopia è risultata significativamente più breve di quella degli interventi di toracotomia intercostale e di sternotomia. Per le temperature, nelle toracoscopie non sono state rilevate differenze statisticamente significative tra nessuno dei tempi di misurazione, al contrario delle toracotomie intercostali e delle sternotomie, in cui abbiamo un forte calo della temperatura tra l’inizio e la fine delle chirurgie. È stata riscontrata una percentuale minore di complicazioni in corso di toracoscopia, mentre non vi è molta differenza tra la percentuale riscontrata nelle toracotomie intercostali rispetto alle sternotomie. Il posizionamento del drenaggio, la durata della sua permanenza e la durata del ricovero in terapia intensiva sono risultati dipendenti dal tipo di intervento eseguito e dalla patologia, non permettendo un confronto tra i tre approcci. La mortalità intraoperatoria e nel ricovero riscontrata è molto bassa. La mortalità a lungo termine è legata ad una diagnosi di neoplasia precedente ed è maggiormente concentrata nei primi 3 mesi dopo l’intervento. Conclusioni: quando possibile, l’utilizzo della toracoscopia è preferibile per una minore durata della chirurgia, una minore dispersione di calore e complicazioni intraoperatorie meno frequenti. Se è necessario effettuare una toracotomia, è consigliabile considerare anche l’utilizzo della sternotomia oltre della toracotomia intercostale. In generale i pazienti hanno dimostrato di tollerare bene interventi di chirurgia toracica, con una durata media del ricovero non elevata e una mortalità a breve termine ridotta. Abstract Purpose: to compare the perioperative period in intercostal thoracotomy, sternotomy and thoracoscopy in the dog to assess benefits and disadvantages of each overtures. Methods: for this study were enrolled 21 dogs underwent intercostal thoracotomy, 6 dogs underwent sternotomy and 12 dogs underwent thoracoscopy. Patients were followed in perioperative period and surgeries duration, body temperature at start (T0) and at the end of surgery (T1), after six hours (T2) and after twelve hours (T3) from surgery, the report of intraoperative bradycardia or hypotension were registered as well as the placement of chest drain and its time of in-situ permanence and hospitalization duration. Mortality after these surgeries were assessed with a telephone questionnaire carried out on owners. Results: duration of thoracoscopic surgeries was significantly shorter than Intercostal thoracotomy and sternotomy. About the temperature, in thoracoscopy were not noticed statistically significant differences between any of measurement times, contrary to intercostal thoracotomy and sternotomy, in which we have a severe temperature drop between the start and the end of surgeries. A lower rate of intraoperative complications were observed in thoracoscopy, while there is not much difference between intercostal thoracotomy rate and sternotomy rate. The placement of chest drain, its time in-situ permanence and hospitalization duration results are dependent on the type of surgery performed and on the pathology, not allowing a comparison between the three overtures. Intraoperative mortality and mortality during the hospitalization was low. The long-term mortality is linked to a previous neoplasia diagnosis and is mainly concentred in the first 3 month after surgery. Conclusions: when it’s possible, the use of thoracoscopy is preferable due to shorter duration of surgery, less heat dispersion and less frequent intraoperative complications. If is required a thoracotomy, is advisable to consider also the use of sternotomy over intercostal thoracotomy. The majority of patients proved to tolerate well this surgery, with a short hospitalization time and a low perioperative mortality

a pliosaurid plesiosaurian from the rosso ammonitico veronese formation of italy

Plesiosauria is a clade of medium to large bodied marine reptiles with a cosmopolitan distribution ranging from the latest Triassic to the end of the Cretaceous. In Europe, the fossil record of Plesiosauria is mainly known from the Northern latitudes, whereas it is much rarer from the Southern and Mediterranean areas. Here, we report the first articulated skeleton of an Italian plesiosaurian, from the Callovian-Oxfordian deposits of the Rosso Ammonitico Veronese Formation of Kaberlaba (Veneto). The specimen is referred to Pliosauridae based on the large size of the skull, compared to the appendicular skeleton, the presence of the lacrimal, and a distinct anterolateral projection of the prefrontal into the orbital margin. Mandibular and vertebral symplesiomorphies support the placement of the Italian taxon among the "gracile-longirostrine grade" of basal pliosaurids. The Kaberlaba plesiosaurian represents the second reptile clade recovered from the Rosso Ammonitico Veronese Formation, after Thalattosuchia

GLUT1 expression patterns in different Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes and progressively transformed germinal centers

Background: Increased glycolytic activity is a hallmark of cancer, allowing staging and restaging with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron-emission-tomography (PET). Since interim-PET is an important prognostic tool in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), the aim of this study was to investigate the expression of proteins involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism in the different HL subtypes and their impact on clinical outcome. Methods: Lymph node biopsies from 54 HL cases and reactive lymphoid tissue were stained for glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) and lactate exporter proteins MCT1 and MCT4. In a second series, samples from additional 153 HL cases with available clinical data were stained for GLUT1 and LDHA. Results: Membrane bound GLUT1 expression was frequently observed in the tumor cells of HL (49% of all cases) but showed a broad variety between the different Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes: Nodular sclerosing HL subtype displayed a membrane bound GLUT1 expression in the Hodgkin-and Reed-Sternberg cells in 56% of the cases. However, membrane bound GLUT1 expression was more rarely observed in tumor cells of lymphocyte rich classical HL subtype (30%) or nodular lymphocyte predominant HL subtype (15%). Interestingly, in both of these lymphocyte rich HL subtypes as well as in progressively transformed germinal centers, reactive B cells displayed strong expression of GLUT1. LDHA, acting downstream of glycolysis, was also expressed in 44% of all cases. We evaluated the prognostic value of different GLUT1 and LDHA expression patterns; however, no significant differences in progression free or overall survival were found between patients exhibiting different GLUT1 or LDHA expression patterns. There was no correlation between GLUT1 expression in HRS cells and PET standard uptake values. Conclusions: In a large number of cases, HRS cells in classical HL express high levels of GLUT1 and LDHA indicating glycolytic activity in the tumor cells. Although interim-PET is an important prognostic tool, a predictive value of GLUT1 or LDHA staining of the primary diagnostic biopsy could not be demonstrated. However, we observed GLUT1 expression in progressively transformed germinal centers and hyperplastic follicles, explaining false positive results in PET. Therefore, PET findings suggestive of HL relapse should always be confirmed by histology

Effects of Carasau Dough Composition on the Microwave Dielectric Spectra up to 20 GHz

Carasau bread is a traditional product from Sardinia (IT). This flat bread is experiencing industrial advancement, through automation, and has great market potential. However, there is lack of understanding of how the composition (water content, salt and yeast concentration) affects the product quality. In this work, a microwave dielectric spectroscopy study is performed to investigate how the composition of Carasau bread doughs influences the spectra of this food product up to 20 GHz. A third-order Cole-Cole model was used for the physical and quantitative understanding of the electromagnetic properties of this food product. Then, we it has been studied how salt, yeast, and water variations affected the model parameters. This work could pave the route to the development of non-destructive, contactless microwave sensors for Carasau bread quality assessment

Monitor and sensors 2.0 for exposure assessment to airborne pollutants

In recent years, the issue of exposure assessment to airborne pollutants has become increasingly popular, both in the occupational and environmental fields. The increasingly stringent national and international air quality standards and exposure limit values both for indoor environments and occupational exposure limit values have been developed with the aim of protecting the health of the general population and workers. On the other hand, this requires a considerable and continuous development of the technologies used to monitor the concentrations of the pollutants to ensure the reliability of the exposure assessment studies. In this regard, one of the most interesting aspects is certainly the development of “new generation” instrumentation for monitoring airborne pollutants (“Next Generation Monitors and Sensors” – NGMS). The main purpose of this work is to analyze the state of the art regarding the afore-mentioned instrumentation, to be able to investigate any practical applications within exposure assessment studies. In this regard, a systematic review of the scientific literature was carried out using three different databases (Scopus, PubMed and Web of Knowledge) and the results were analyzed in terms of the objectives set out above. What emerged is the fact that the use of NGMSs is increasingly growing within the scientific community for exposure assessment studies applied to the occupational and environmental context. The investigated studies have emphasized that NGMSs cannot be considered, in terms of the reliability of the results, to be equal to the reference measurement tools and techniques (i.e., those defined in recognized methods used for regulatory purposes), but they can certainly be integrated into the internal exposure assessment studies to improve their spatial-temporal resolution. These tools have the potential to be easily adapted to different types of studies, are characterized by a small size, which allows them to be worn comfortably without affecting the normal activities of workers or citizens, and by a relatively low cost. Despite this, there is certainly a gap with respect to the reference instrumentation, regarding the measurement performance and quality of the data provided; the objective to be set, however, is not to replace the traditional instrumentation with NGMSs but to integrate and combine the two typologies of instruments to benefit from the strengths of both, therefore, the desirable future developments in this sense has been discussed in this work

Smart-working VS office work: how does personal exposure to different air pollutants change?

The COVID-19 pandemic is raging all over the world, with possible structural effects on the work: the smart-working (WFH -Working From Home) role is therefore emphasized by the fact that it could become a traditional way of working in many work sectors. Several scientific papers have recently analyzed the WFH phenomenon under different aspects, but scientific studies have not yet been conducted considering the differences between WFH and WFO (Working From Office), in terms of evaluation of personal exposure assessment to selected airborne pollutants. This study, therefore, aims to evaluate, using portable monitors, the differences in terms of personal exposure to selected airborne pollutants, during different working conditions (WFO vs WFH), over long periods of time (from days to weeks), extending the results to even longer periods (years), to adhere to the approach proposed by the concept of the exposome. The preliminary results of this study refer to three separate phases of the work (i) re-analyses of literature data via Monte Carlo simulation, and assessment of personal exposure to different air pollutants during different working conditions, during (ii) “long term” campaign and (iii) a “short term” monitoring campaign. During the two different measurement campaigns, portable instrumentation was used, because of the ability of these kinds of instruments to obtain data characterized by a high spatial and temperature resolution. The re-elaborations of the data obtained from the literature show how, under different conditions, the exposure concentrations to different PM fractions are statistically lower in WFH working conditions, compared to WFO conditions. These results are in contrast with the preliminary results obtained from exploratory monitoring (both for the “long term” and for the “short term” campaigns). The results obtained from these exploratory monitoring show that the WFH condition has a greater impact on the daily exposure of the monitored subjects, compared to the WFO condition