Minimally-invasive treatments for benign thyroid nodules: recommendations for information to patients and referring physicians by the Italian Minimally-Invasive Treatments of the Thyroid group

Purpose: In this paper, the members of the Italian Working Group on Minimally-Invasive Treatments of the Thyroid (MITT group) aim to summarize the most relevant information that could be of help to referring physicians and that should be provided to patients when considering the use of MITT for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules. Methods: An interdisciplinary board of physicians with specific expertise in the management of thyroid nodules was appointed by the Italian MITT Group. A systematic literature search was performed, and an evidence-based approach was used, including also the knowledge and the practical experience of the panelists to develop the paper. Results: The paper provides a list of questions that are frequently asked by patients to operators performing MITT, each with a brief and detailed answer and more relevant literature references to be consulted. Conclusions: This paper summarizes the most relevant information to be provided to patients and general practitioners/referring physicians about the use of MITT for the treatment of benign thyroid nodules

Precision Measurement of the Proton Flux in Primary Cosmic Rays from Rigidity 1 GV to 1.8 TV with the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

A precise measurement of the proton flux in primary cosmic rays with rigidity (momentum/charge) from 1 GV to 1.8 TV is presented based on 300 million events. Knowledge of the rigidity dependence of the proton flux is important in understanding the origin, acceleration, and propagation of cosmic rays. We present the detailed variation with rigidity of the flux spectral index for the first time. The spectral index progressively hardens at high rigidities.</p

Validation of the Italian version of the Non Motor Symptoms Scale for Parkinson&apos;s disease

Objective To validate the adapted Italian version of the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), a tool to assess non-motor symptoms (NMS) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods A cross cultural adaptation of the NMSS into Italian and a psychometric analysis of the translated version of the NMSS was carried out in patients with PD from two university centres\u2013affiliated hospitals. The quality of data and the acceptability, reliability and construct validity of NMSS were analyzed. The following standard scales were also applied: Hoehn and Yahr staging, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part III, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Beck Depression Inventory, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Autonomic Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Motor, Movement Disorder Society-Sponsored Revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part I and Modified Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Levodopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD) was calculated. Results Seventy-one patients with PD were assessed (mean age years 69.8\ua0\ub1\ua09.6 SD; 31% women; mean length of disease 6.3\ua0\ub1\ua04.6 years; H&Y median: 2). Mean NMSS was 39.76 (SD 31.9; skewness 0.95). The total score of NMSS was free of floor or ceiling effects and showed a satisfactory reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient on total score was 0.72 [range for domains: 0.64\u20130.73], SEM value was 3.88 [\ubd SD\ua0=\ua031.90]). Significant positive correlations were found among total NMSS and other NMS standard tests, but no significant correlation appeared with UPDRS part III, CIRS and LEDD. Conclusions The Italian NMSS is a comprehensive and helpful measure for NMS in native Italian patients with PD

Adaptation and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Non-Motor Symptoms Questionnaire for Parkinson&#8217;s disease

Although non-motor symptoms (NMS) of Parkinson\u2019s disease (PD) are very common also in early stages of the disease, they are still under-recognized. Screening tools for non-motor symptoms, such as non-motor symptoms questionnaire (NMSQuest), help clinicians to recognize NMS and to evaluate if patients could require further assessment or specific treatments. To validate an adapted Italian version of NMSQuest and study its psychometric properties, Italian PD patients self-completed Italian NMSQuest, and then underwent a standard clinical evaluation including motor assessment (by Hoehn and Yahr staging, unified Parkinson\u2019s disease rating scale part III) and non-motor assessment (by Montreal cognitive assessment, Beck depression inventory, neuropsychiatric inventory, Epworth sleepiness\ua0scale, scale for outcomes in Parkinson\u2019s disease-Autonomic and movement disorder society-sponsored revision of the unified Parkinson\u2019s disease rating scale part I). Somatic comorbidities were quantified using the modified cumulative illness rating scale (CIRS). Seventy-one subjects were assessed (mean age years 69.8\ua0\ub1\ua09.6 SD; 31% women; mean duration of disease 6.3\ua0\ub1\ua04.6\ua0years; H&Y median 2). Italian NMSQuest showed adequate satisfactory clinimetrics in terms of data quality, precision, acceptability, internal consistency and reliability. A significant correlation was found between NMSQuest and most of non-motor assessment scales, while no significant correlation appeared with motor severity as well as with age of patients, disease duration, levodopa equivalent daily dose, l-DOPA/dopamine agonists assumption and CIRS total score. The Italian version of the NMSQuest resulted as a reliable instrument for screening NMS in Italian PD patients

Correction to: Is diet partly responsible for differences in COVID-19 death rates between and within countries? (Clinical and Translational Allergy, (2020), 10, 1, (16), 10.1186/s13601-020-00323-0)

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors identified an error in the affiliation list. The affiliation of author G. Walter Canonica should have been split up into two affiliations: • Personalized Medicine, Asthma and Allergy – Humanitas Clinical and Research Center – IRCCS, Rozzano (MI), Italy • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele (MI), Italy The corrected affiliation list is reflected in this Correction. © 2020, The Author(s)