Limit on the Radiative Neutrinoless Double Electron Capture of 36^{36}Ar from GERDA Phase I

Neutrinoless double electron capture is a process that, if detected, would give evidence of lepton number violation and the Majorana nature of neutrinos. A search for neutrinoless double electron capture of $^{36}$Ar has been performed with germanium detectors installed in liquid argon using data from Phase I of the GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) experiment at the Gran Sasso Laboratory of INFN, Italy. No signal was observed and an experimental lower limit on the half-life of the radiative neutrinoless double electron capture of $^{36}$Ar was established: $T_{1/2} >$ 3.6 $\times$ 10$^{21}$ yr at 90 % C.I.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Valutare la stabilit\ue0 proteica alle condizioni enologiche

Vengono valutati varie metodiche per la valutazione della stabilit\ue0 proteica dei vini bianch

Un impianto ad hoc per reidratare i lieviti

Vengono descritte le caratteristiche e performances di un impisnto studiato per la reidratazione dei lieviti secchi di uso enologic

Reidratazione: uno studio approfondito

Vengono illustrate le problematiche inerenti alla reidratazione del lievito secco per uso enologic

Categories of congruence between inpatient self-reported pain and nurses evaluation

Objective: To enhance the awareness that biased pain estimation may undermine its treatment, we sought to determine the congruence categories (CCs) between inpatient self-reported pain (PSRP) and nurse pain-evaluation (NEP) and to look for associations between CCs and inpatient and situational moderators. Design: A point cross-sectional survey. Subjects: The inpatient population [(n = 869), P6 years old and hospitalised for at least 24 h] and n = 115 nurses of the University of Bologna\u2019s teaching hospital, Italy. Measures: Using numerical rating scale, inpatients self-reported their pain while nurses indirectly rated these patients\u2019 pain using information acquired during their professional activity prior to the study and by reviewing patients\u2019 medical charts. Outcome measures: Congruence moderator data were: gender, age, marital status, clinical area and length of hospital stay. The study was set to assess: PSRP\u2013NEP mean of absolute difference (MAD), agreement and correlation; and to analyse the CCs dependence upon the PSRP and the congruence moderator variables. Results: PSRP\u2013NEP agreement and correlation were mild and moderate, respectively, while their MAD = 2.0 (95% CI 1.8\u20132.2). Congruence was found in 50% of the cases. Under-estimation (21%) was directly proportional to the PSRP severity, while congruence and over-estimation (29%) were inversely proportional to it. The \u2018PSRP effect\u2019 on the CCs detected was further modulated by the moderators studied. Conclusions: PSRP\u2013NEP congruence was limited while CCs were associated with PSRP, inpatient and situational moderators. Further prospective studies are needed to verify generalization and whether the studied moderators operate through patient stereotyping mechanisms. Awareness of the influence of such mechanisms on pain evaluation may ameliorate pain assessment. 2008 European Federation of Chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Publishe

Obesity: The influence of expressed emotion, anxiety and life events

Background Expressed Emotion (EE) can be described as a measure of the emotional temperature of the family climate and plays a role in disease course and outcome, especially in chronic illnesses. Overweight and obesity are severe problems with serious implications as far as health risks are concerned. The literature suggests having a high EE caregiver correlates with a worse treatment compliance in obese patients. Objectives To measure level of EE, stressful events and anxiety in obese patients and their caregivers; to investigate the possible correlations between treatment compliance and EE. Methods We recruited 190 obese patients and 125 caregivers. Socio-demographic features were recorded. Assessment included: Level of Expressed Emotion Scale (LEE), one version for patients and one for relatives in order to evaluate 4 dimensions: Intrusiveness, Emotional Response, Attitude toward Disease, Tolerance and Expectation; the Paykel's Interview for Recent Life Events; STAI Y1 concerning state anxiety and STAI Y2 concerning trait anxiety; BMI (Body Mass Index) was measured at T0 and after 3,6 and 9 months. Results We have found a correlation between gender and trait anxiety, and an inverse correlation between age and trait anxiety both in patients and caregivers. The decrease of BMI during follow-up is statistically significant and this reduction seems to be affected by tolerance and expectation perceived by patients and the emotional response on behalf of caregivers. Conclusions Levels of EE should be considered when planning treatment interventions to enhance compliance in obese patients and to support change in their life-style

Identification of naive HCV-1 patients with chronic hepatitis who may benefit from dual therapy with peg-interferon and ribavirin

Aim. The pool of HCV genotype 1 patients likely to be cured by peg-interferon and ribavirin remains to be quantified. Methods. In 1045 patients treated with peg-interferon and ribavirin, two therapeutic strategies were confronted: the first one evaluated only baseline variables associated with sustained virological response (SVR), and the second one included the rapid virological response (RVR). Attaining a >80% SVR was the threshold rate to retain a strategy as clinically relevant. Results: Overall, 414 patients (39%) attained SVR. In the first strategy, the hierarchy of independent predictors of SVR were IL28B CC genotype (OR 4.953; CI 3.560-6.890), low (80% SVR threshold. Only 25.1% of no-RVR patients attained SVR. For 287 RVR patients, the likelihood of SVR was 66.7% in those with unfavorable predictors, >80% in the presence of a single predictor, and 100% when both predictors were present. By using this model, 200 patients (19.1%) were predicted to have a >80% chance of being cured with dual therapy. Conclusion: A consistent subset of na\uefve HCV-1 patients, identified by their interferon responsiveness and some baseline predictors , may benefit from conventional treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin

An a priori prediction model of response to peginterferon plus ribavirin dual therapy in na\uefve patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C.

Background: Aim was to select na\uefve patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C of response to Peg-interferon + ribavirin therapy. Methods: In 1073 patients (derivation cohort), predictors of rapid and sustained virological response were identi\ufb01ed by logistic analysis; regression coef\ufb01cients were used to generate prediction models for sustained virological response. Probabilities at baseline and treatment week 4 were utilized to develop a decision rule to select patients with high likelihood of response. The model was then validated in 423 patients (validation cohort). Results: In the derivation cohort, 257 achieved rapid virological response and 818 did not, with sustained virological response rates of 80.2% and 25.4%, respectively; interleukin-28B polymorphisms, \ufb01brosis staging, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and viral load predicted sustained virological response. Assuming a <30% sustained virological response probability for not recommending Peg-interferon + ribavirin, 100 patients (25.6%) in the validation cohort were predicted a priori to fail this regimen. Assuming a 6580% sustained virological response probability as a threshold to continue with Peg-interferon + ribavirin, 61 patients were predicted to obtain sustained virological response, and 55 of them (90.2%) eventually did. Conclusions: This model uses easily determined variables for a personalized estimate of the probability of sustained virological response with Peg-interferon + ribavirin, allowing to identify patients who may bene\ufb01t from conventional therapy