Sexual Minority Status, Anxiety–Depression, and Academic Outcomes: The Role of Campus Climate Perceptions among Italian Higher Education Students

Students from sexual minorities generally describe Higher Education contexts as unwelcoming and chilly environments. Based on the Minority Stress theory, these disparities in climate perceptions may lead sexual minority students to negative health and academic outcomes. To date, research documenting the experience of sexual minority students within European Higher Education Institutions is limited. Framed within campus climate literature, the current study aimed to expand on previous knowledge by investigating the associations between sexual minority status, students’ perceptions of campus climate and psychological (i.e., anxiety–depression), and academic outcomes (i.e., intellectual and academic success and considering leaving the university) using a self-selected sample of 868 Italian university students (17.9% sexual minority students). The results showed that sexual minority status was associated with negative perceptions of campus climate, which, in turn, were associated with higher levels of anxiety–depression symptoms, lowered academic success, and a high probability of considering leaving university. Further research is needed to investigate the experience of sexual minority students within European Higher Education contexts and to explore possible actions that could contribute to fostering a greater sense of belonging to the campus community for all students, and particularly for students from sexual minority groups

Surgical outcome and indicators of postoperative worsening in intra-axial thalamic and posterior fossa pediatric tumors: Preliminary results from a single tertiary referral center cohort

Background: Shared indications about the best management of intra-axial thalamic (IAT) and posterior fossa (PF) pediatric tumors are still lacking. The aim of this study was to analyze neurosurgical outcome in these tumors and to investigate factors associated with postoperative worsening. Methods: A retrospective single-center study on IAT and PF pediatric tumor patients treated surgically over a 7-year period was conducted. The Lansky Scale (LS) was used to assess patients' functional status. Surgical complexity was graded with the Milan Complexity Scale (MCS). The following analyses were performed: a longitudinal analysis of the preoperative, discharge, and 3 months' follow-up (FU) LS, a comparison between improved/unchanged and worsened patients, and an analysis of the predictive value of single MCS items. Results: 37 cases were collected: 20 PF and 17 thalamic. Mean MCS score was 6 ± 1.7. Mean preoperative, discharge and FU LS were 80.8, 74.6 and 80.3 respectively. Surgical mortality was 0%.The longitudinal analysis showed a neurological worsening at discharge compared to preoperative status (p = 0.011) and an improvement at FU compared to discharge (p < 0.004), both statistically significant. None of the variables analyzed showed a significant predictive value of early postoperative change; however, higher MCS scores were associated with a greater risk of worsening. Conclusions: The surgical management of IAT and PF pediatric brain tumors remains challenging; early postoperative worsening is possible, but most deficits tend to improve at FU. The MCS seems to be a valuable tool to estimate the risk of early postoperative worsening and to facilitate parents' informed consent

Angitola lake sediments: preliminary data and biotic indices

The Angitola lake is an artificial basin located in Calabria Region, in South Italy, part of the “Natural Regional Park of Serre”. Its surface area is 1.96 km2 and it is approximately 3 km away from Sant’Eufemia gulf. The basin was created in 1966 by damming the homonymous river. Four major rivers enter the lake: three in the far southeast, the fourth, smaller and active only during the winter period, in the southwest area. The international Ramsar Convention includes the basin and surroundings; in light of the Rio Convention, its directives have been transposed in the “Birds Directive” (BD) and “Habitats Directive” (HD). The Angitola lake, entrusted to the WWF Calabria, is one of the 2299 Italian SIC (code IT9340086): this area significantly contributes in maintaining and restoring the endangered freshwater habitat listed in HD, in protecting biodiversity of the region and it is part of the Natura 2000 network. The present study is part of the Angitola FISH2O project (European Fisheries Fund/FEP code 02/BA/12) and it aimed to examine the benthic macro-invertebrates community of the southeast part of Angitola lake. The first 15 cm in depths of sediments have a very variable composition, from fine sand to mud (rich in organic matter). This variability can be explained by the different characteristic of the chosen sampling transepts. Fauna sampling, carried out by core drills and plankton nets, shows presence of Diptera and Tricoptera larvae and some Nematoda, Polichaeta and Mollusca. Preliminary conclusion is that the Angitola lake is a diversified environment in which areas with different anthropic interference are present. The benthic macro-invertebrates community might be involved by possible disturbances induced by chemicals (e.g. water pollution) and/or physical variations (e.g. high sedimentation). Medium and long-term investigations are imperative to protect and promote the lake biodiversity, to verify the effects of seasonal fluctuations and how these are related to human activities such as tourism, demographic increase and industrial activities

The use and beauty of ultra-high-resolution seismic reflection imaging in Late Quaternary marine volcaniclastic settings, Bay of Naples, Italy

A Nápolyi-öbölben felvett ultra nagy felbontású egycsatornás (IKB-Seistec™) reflexiós szeizmikus szelvények korábbi geológiai és geofizikai vizsgálatok eredményeivel együtt kivételes, eddig soha nem látott felbontású szeizmikus leképezését nyújtják a Flegrei-mezők és a Somma-Vezúv felszín alá süllyedt késő-pleisztocén–holocén rétegtani felépí - tésének. A szeizmikus szelvényeken látott geometria és gravitációs magvevővel nyert üledékek adatainak összevetéséből Campania partközeli kontinentális talapzatán számos olyan üledékes és vulkáni szerkezet, valamint hidrotermális jelenség került leképezésre, melyek a legutolsó glaciális maximum (kb. 18 000 év) óta keletkeztek. A Pozzuoli-öbölben mért Seistec szelvények jól mutatják a beomlott kaldera gyűrűs vetőjét, a kb. 15 ezer éves Nápolyi Sárga Tufa (NYT) lerakódáshoz vezető kitöréskor felújuló boltozatot, és alátámasztják a deformáció későnegyedidőszaki korára és stílusára vonatkozó hipotéziseket. A szeizmikus szelvényeken látható a NYT rétegeinek töréses szerkezete, valamint hidrotermális fluidum-feláramlások és vulkáni/szubvulkáni intrúziók a gyűrűs vetők mentén. A Somma-Vezúv rétegvulkán előterében a kontinentális talapzat felett mért szeizmikus szelvények leképezték a Vezúv i.sz. 79-es kitörésekor Herculaneum városát elpusztító piroklaszt-ár tengervízbe érésekor keletkező, gravitációsan összeomló homokhullámok szerkezetét is. A Somma-Vezúv és a Pozzuoli-öböl közti, buckás felszínű Banco della Montagna területén mért szelvények és fúrómagok vulkanoklasztos diapírok sorát tárták fel. Ezeket a konszolidálatlan horzsakőből álló testeket a fluidum - feláramlás és aktív kigázosodás hatására kialakult mélybeli túlnyomás hozta fel a tengerfenékre.Very high-resolution, single channel (IKB-Seistec™) reflection seizmic profiles acquired in the Bay of Naples, com - plemented with geological and geophysical data from the literature, provide unprecedented, superb seismic imaging of the latest Pleistocene–Holocene stratigraphic architecture of the submerged sectors Campi Flegrei and Somma-Vesuvius volcanic districts. Seismic profiles were calibrated by gravity core data and document a range of depositional systems, volcanic structures and hydrothermal features that evolved after the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum (~ 18 ka BP) over the continental shelf on the Campania coastal zone. Seistec profiles from the Pozzuoli Bay yield high-resolution images of the shallow structure of the collapse caldera-ring fault — resurgent dome system associated with the eruption of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) (ca 15 ka) and support a working hypothesis to assess the timing and the styles of deformation of the NYT resurgent structure throughout the latest Quaternary. Seismic images also revealed the nature of the fragile deformation of strata along the NYT ring fault system and the occurrence of hydrothermal fluids and volcanic/subvolcanic intrusions ascending along the ring fault zone. Seismic data acquired over the continental shelf off the Somma-Vesuvius stratovolcano, display evidence of gravit - ational instability of wavy bedforms representing the submarine prosecution of pyroclastic flows originated from the Vesuvius during the eruption that destroyed the Roman city of Herculaneum in 79 CE. At the Banco della Montagna, a hummocky seafloor knoll located between the Somma-Vesuvius and the Pozzuoli Bay, seismic profiles and gravity core data revealed the occurrence of a field of volcaniclastic diapirs formed by the dragging and rising up of unconsolidated pumice, as a consequence of fluid overpressure at depth associated with active degassing and fluid venting at the seafloor

Diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of a case of Wolman disease with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis

: Wolman Disease (WD) is a severe multi-system metabolic disease due to lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) deficiency. We report on a WD infant who developed an unusual hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) phenotype related to WD treated with sebelipase alfa. A male baby came to our attention at six months of life for respiratory insufficiency and sepsis, abdominal distension, severe hepatosplenomegaly, diarrhea, and severe growth retardation. HLH was diagnosed and treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, steroids, cyclosporine, broad-spectrum antimicrobial therapy, and finally with the anti-IL-6 drug tocilizumab. WD was suspected for the presence of adrenal calcifications and it was confirmed by LAL enzyme activity and by molecular analysis of LIPA. Plasma oxysterols cholestan-3β,5α,6β-triol (C-triol), and 7-ketocholesterol (7-KC) were markedly increased. Sebelipase alfa was started with progressive amelioration of biochemical and clinical features. The child died from sepsis, 2&nbsp;months after sebelipase discontinuation requested by parents. Our case shows the importance of an early diagnosis of WD and confirms the difficulty to reach a diagnosis in the HLH phenotype. Sebelipase alpha is an effective treatment for LAL deficiency, also in children affected by WD. Further data are necessary to confirm the utility of measuring plasma c-triol as a biochemical marker of the disease

Adolescents’ knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in São Paulo: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: To assess the knowledge of students from public high schools in poor communities about HPV and Sexually Transmitted Infections and their attitude towards and prevention of such diseases. Patients and methods: Cross-sectional study with adolescents from public schools of São Paulo – Brazil. Participants were selected for an interview by a randomization program. A questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes, and preventive practices regarding STIs, including HPV, according to sex was administered and answers were analyzed by the Poisson regression model with robust variance. Results: Median age of the 269 participants was 16 years. The majority was of African descent (68.8%, n&nbsp;=&nbsp;185), most (74%, n&nbsp;=&nbsp;199) were religious and the vast majority (90.7%, n&nbsp;=&nbsp;244) lived with their parents. The Poisson regression revealed statistically significant sex-related differences regarding the following questions: “Do you know how it is prevented?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.12 [1.03‒1.23], p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.007); “Have you ever been concerned with HPV?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.10 [1.02‒1.19], p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.011); “Have you ever sought health care due to concerns about HPV?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.09 [1.04‒1.14], p &lt; 0.001); “Do you know what a Pap Smear is?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.24 [1.13‒1.36], p &lt; 0.001); “Do you know what the cervix is?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.23 [1.13‒1.34], p &lt; 0.001); “Do you know what cervical cancer is?” (PR&nbsp;=&nbsp;1.13 [1.04‒1.22], p&nbsp;=&nbsp;0.004). Conclusions: The present results show that adolescents from public schools in poor communities in São Paulo City know little about HPV and cervical cancer. Male adolescents know less than female adolescents and are less concerned with health care

Nirmatrelvir treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected mice blunts antiviral adaptive immune responses

Alongside vaccines, antiviral drugs are becoming an integral part of our response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Nirmatrelvir-an orally available inhibitor of the 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease-has been shown to reduce the risk of progression to severe COVID-19. However, the impact of nirmatrelvir treatment on the development of SARS-CoV-2-specific adaptive immune responses is unknown. Here, by using mouse models of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we show that nirmatrelvir administration blunts the development of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody and T cell responses. Accordingly, upon secondary challenge, nirmatrelvir-treated mice recruited significantly fewer memory T and B cells to the infected lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes, respectively. Together, the data highlight a potential negative impact of nirmatrelvir treatment with important implications for clinical management and might help explain the virological and/or symptomatic relapse after treatment completion reported in some individuals

COMT val158met Genotype Affects Recruitment of Neural Mechanisms Supporting Fluid Intelligence

Fluid intelligence (gf) influences performance across many cognitive domains. It is affected by both genetic and environmental factors. Tasks tapping gf activate a network of brain regions including the lateral prefrontal cortex (LPFC), the presupplementary motor area/anterior cingulate cortex (pre-SMA/ACC), and the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). In line with the “intermediate phenotype” approach, we assessed effects of a polymorphism (val158met) in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene on activity within this network and on actual task performance during spatial and verbal gf tasks. COMT regulates catecholaminergic signaling in prefrontal cortex. The val158 allele is associated with higher COMT activity than the met158 allele. Twenty-two volunteers genotyped for the COMT val158met polymorphism completed high and low gf versions of spatial and verbal problem-solving tasks. Our results showed a positive effect of COMT val allele load upon the blood oxygen level–dependent response in LPFC, pre-SMA/ACC, and IPS during high gf versus low gf task performance in both spatial and verbal domains. These results indicate an influence of the COMT val158met polymorphism upon the neural circuitry supporting gf. The behavioral effects of val allele load differed inside and outside the scanner, consistent with contextual modulation of the relation between COMT val158met genotype and gf task performance