The synergistic effect between positivity, socio-demographic factors and smoking cessation: results of a cohort study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent to which a effect does exist between Positivity (POS), smoking and socio-demographic factors in determining quitting smoking in subjects participating in a Group Counselling Program (GCP) for smoking cessation.METHODS: 481 subjects were contacted through a telephone call. A logistic regression analysis was carried out. Possible interaction between sociodemographic variables and POS level was tested using the Synergism Index (SI).RESULTS: For individuals with a POS level over or equal to 3.4 the odds of being smoker was significantly higher among females (OR = 1.55), who smoked at home (OR = 2.16) and lower if there had children at home (OR = 0.53). For individuals with a POS level under 3.4, the only significant variable associated with smoking was beinga female (OR = 2.58). As far concerns the synergistic effect between the variables considered does exist between POS levels and having children at home (SI=1.13) and female gender (SI = 2.8).CONCLUSIONS: The synergistic effect between POS and sociodemographic factors adds evidence on the use of POS as possible determinants of individual happiness

Vector and Tensor Contributions to the Luminosity Distance

We compute the vector and tensor contributions to the luminosity distance fluctuations in first order perturbation theory and we expand them in spherical harmonics. This work presents the formalism with a first application to a stochastic background of primordial gravitational waves.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

The Effect of the Association between Donepezil and Choline Alphoscerate on Behavioral Disturbances in Alzheimer's Disease: Interim Results of the ASCOMALVA Trial

BACKGROUND: Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are a group of psychological reactions, psychiatric symptoms, and behaviors commonly found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Four clusters of BPSD have been described: mood disorders (depression, anxiety, and apathy), psychotic symptoms (delusions and hallucinations), aberrant motor behaviors (pacing, wandering, and other purposeless behaviors), and inappropriate behaviors (agitation, disinhibition, and euphoria). Most of them are attributed to acetylcholine deficiency. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if a higher amount of acetylcholine obtained by associating donepezil and choline alphoscerate might have a favorable effect on BPSD. METHODS: BPSD were measured at baseline and after 24 months in 113 mild/moderate AD patients, included in the double-blind randomized trial ASCOMALVA, by the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Two matched groups were compared: group A treated with donepezil (10 mg/day) plus choline alphoscerate (1200 mg/day), and group B treated with donepezil (10 mg/day) plus placebo. RESULTS: Data of NPI revealed a significant decrease of BPSD severity and distress of the caregiver in patients of group A compared with group B. Mood disorders (depression, anxiety and apathy) were significantly decreased in subjects treated with donepezil and choline alphoscerate, while their severity and frequency was increased in the other group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients treated with donepezil plus choline alphoscerate showed a lower level of behavioral disturbances than subjects treated with donepezil only, suggesting that the association can have beneficial effect

Self-Criticism and Self-Compassion as Mediators of the Relationship between Alexithymia and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms

Postpartum depression (PPD) is common after birth and can have a profound effect on women and their families. It is therefore important to understand the conditions and factors that lead to the occurrence and maintenance of PPD. The first aim of the current study was to identify whether there is a relationship between alexithymia and postpartum depressive symptoms (PPDS) in a sample of Romanian mothers. The second aim was to explore whether self-criticism and self-compassion mediate the relationship between alexithymia and PPDS. The current cross-sectional study included 307 mothers with babies aged between four weeks and one year. The results show that alexithymia, self-compassion, self-criticism, PPDS all correlated with one another, and self-criticism, self-compassion and alexithymia are significant predictors of PPDS. Moreover, self-criticism and self-compassion mediated the relationship between alexithymia and PPDS. A psychological therapy that increases self-compassion and reduces alexithymia and self-criticism may be beneficial for preventing symptoms of PPD

Characterization of the Response of Magnetron Sputtered In2O3−x Sensors to NO2

The response of resistive In2O3−x sensing devices was investigated as a function of the NO2 concentration in different operative conditions. Sensing layers are 150 nm thick films manufactured by oxygen-free room temperature magnetron sputtering deposition. This technique allows for a facile and fast manufacturing process, at same time providing advantages in terms of gas sensing performances. The oxygen deficiency during growth provides high densities of oxygen vacancies, both on the surface, where they are favoring NO2 absorption reactions, and in the bulk, where they act as donors. This n-type doping allows for conveniently lowering the thin film resistivity, thus avoiding the sophisticated electronic readout required in the case of very high resistance sensing layers. The semiconductor layer was characterized in terms of morphology, composition and electronic properties. The sensor baseline resistance is in the order of kilohms and exhibits remarkable performances with respect to gas sensitivity. The sensor response to NO2 was studied experimentally both in oxygen-rich and oxygen-free atmospheres for different NO2 concentrations and working temperatures. Experimental tests revealed a response of 32%/ppm at 10 ppm NO2 and response times of approximately 2 min at an optimal working temperature of 200 °C. The obtained performance is in line with the requirements of a realistic application scenario, such as in plant condition monitoring

Effects of inhomogeneities on apparent cosmological observables: "fake" evolving dark energy

Using the exact Lemaitre-Bondi-Tolman solution with a non-vanishing cosmological constant $\Lambda$, we investigate how the presence of a local spherically-symmetric inhomogeneity can affect apparent cosmological observables, such as the deceleration parameter or the effective equation of state of dark energy (DE), derived from the luminosity distance under the assumption that the real space-time is exactly homogeneous and isotropic. The presence of a local underdensity is found to produce apparent phantom behavior of DE, while a locally overdense region leads to apparent quintessence behavior. We consider relatively small large scale inhomogeneities which today are not linear and could be seeded by primordial curvature perturbations compatible with CMB bounds. Our study shows how observations in an inhomogeneous $\Lambda$CDM universe with initial conditions compatible with the inflationary beginning, if interpreted under the wrong assumption of homogeneity, can lead to the wrong conclusion about the presence of "fake" evolving dark energy instead of $\Lambda$.Comment: 22 pages, 19 figures,Final version to appear in European Physical Journal

First-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Based Sequential Therapies for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Rationale for Future Trials

Atezolizumab (ATEZO) plus bevacizumab (BEVA) represents the new standard of care for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the choice of the second-line treatment after the failure of immunotherapy-based first-line remains elusive. Taking into account the weaknesses of the available evidence, we developed a simulation model based on available phase III randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to identify optimal risk/benefit sequential strategies. Methods: A Markov model was built to estimate the overall survival (OS) of sequential first- and second-line systemic treatments. Sequences starting with first-line ATEZO plus BEVA followed by 5 second-line treatments (sorafenib [SORA], lenvatinib [LENVA], regorafenib, cabozantinib, and ramucirumab) were compared. The probability of transition between states (initial treatment, cancer progression, and death) was derived from RCTs. Life-year gained (LYG) was the main outcome. Rates of severe adverse events (SAEs) (≥ grade 3) were calculated. The incremental safety-effectiveness ratio (ISER) was calculated as the difference in probability of SAEs divided by LYG between the 2 most effective sequences. Results: ATEZO plus BEVA followed by LENVA (median OS, 24 months) or SORA (median OS, 23 months) was the most effective sequence, producing a LYG of 0.50 and 0.42 year, respectively. ATEZO plus BEVA followed by SORA was the safest sequence (SAEs 63%). At a willingness-to-risk threshold of 10% of SAEs for LYG, ATEZO plus BEVA followed by second-line SORA was favored in 72% of cases, while at a threshold of 30% of SAEs for LYG, ATEZO plus BEVA followed by second-line LENVA was favored in 69% of cases. Conclusion: Our simulation model provides a strong rationale to support ongoing trials evaluating second-line tyrosine-kinase inhibitors after first-line ATEZO plus BEVA. Future evidence from ongoing RCTs and prospective real-world studies are needed to prove the net health benefit of sequential treatment options for advanced HCC

Abnormalities of sodium handling and of cardiovascular adaptations during high salt diet in patients with mild heart failure.

BACKGROUND: Sodium retention and hormonal activation are fundamental hallmarks in congestive heart failure. The present study was designed to assess the ability of patients with asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic heart failure and no signs or symptoms of congestion to excrete ingested sodium and to identify possible early abnormalities of hormonal and hemodynamic mechanisms related to sodium handling. METHODS AND RESULTS: The effects of a high salt diet (250 mEq/day for 6 days) on hemodynamics, salt-regulating hormones, and renal excretory response were investigated in a balanced study in 12 untreated patients with idiopathic or ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and mild heart failure (NYHA class I-II, ejection fraction < 50%) (HF) and in 12 normal subjects, who had been previously maintained a 100 mEq/day NaCl diet. In normal subjects, high salt diet was associated with significant increases of echocardiographically measured left ventricular end-diastolic volume, ejection fraction, and stroke volume (all P < .001) and with a reduction of total peripheral resistance (P < .001). In addition, plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) levels increased (P < .05), and plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations fell (both P < .001) in normals in response to salt excess. In HF patients, both left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes increased in response to high salt diet, whereas ejection fraction and stroke volume failed to increase, and total peripheral resistance did not change during high salt diet. In addition, plasma ANF levels did not rise in HF in response to salt loading, whereas plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentrations were as much suppressed as in normals. Although urinary sodium excretions were not significantly different in the two groups, there was a small but systematic reduction of daily sodium excretion in HF, which resulted in a significantly higher cumulative sodium balance in HF than in normals during the high salt diet period (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These results show a reduced ability to excrete a sodium load and early abnormalities of cardiac and hemodynamic adaptations to salt excess in patients with mild heart failure and no signs or symptoms of congestion

Effects of back-side He irradiation on MOS-GTO performances

A new version of a 1200V-20A MOS-GTO with 0.4 cm2 die area is presented. The improvements of the switching performances have been achieved thanks to a new He irradiation technique performed from the back side of the device in order to avoid the degradation of the surface gate oxide. The high energy He irradiation allowed us to kill the lifetime in proximity of the N−/N+ interface in such a way to significantly improve the device switching performances as suggested by the simulations. The irradiation did not affect the on-state characteristics. Instead, a reduction by a factor ∼4 in the storage time and more than 30% decrease in the turn-off energy losses have been measured on irradiated samples with respect to not irradiated ones