Joint commitment: An analysis of emotions and non-verbal behaviors

According to Margaret Gilbert, a joint commitment (JC) is a commitment of two or more agents, called the parties of the JC, to engage in a common project. Creating a JC often involves an explicit agreement, carried out in a conversa-tional interaction through overt communication. We ex-plored aspects of such interactions that can be considered as complementary to verbal exchanges, focusing on how a JC is managed by the parties by means of emotional and other non-verbal bodily expressions. We analyzed three phases of the JC lifecycle (creation, maintenance, and violation), and in particular the emotional reaction of the participants to two types of violations by the experimenter. In our analysis we used standardized tools such as the Ethological Coding System for Interviews, the Mind Reading Emotional Library, and the Facial Action Coding System. Our results show that certain non-verbal behaviors in the phase of JC creation are characteristic of the participants who later did not fulfill their commitment. Moreover, the participants’ emotional reactions to JC violation by the experimenter turned out to depend on the type of violation. Finally, the creation and maintenance of JC, and the emotional reaction to its violation, appear to be independent of the participants’ personality and empathic disposition

Serum Thymus and Activation-Regulated Chemokine Level Monitoring May Predict Disease Relapse Detected by PET Scan after Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Patients with Hodgkin Lymphoma

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The Bifidobacterium dentium Bd1 Genome Sequence Reflects Its Genetic Adaptation to the Human Oral Cavity

Bifidobacteria, one of the relatively dominant components of the human intestinal microbiota, are considered one of the key groups of beneficial intestinal bacteria (probiotic bacteria). However, in addition to health-promoting taxa, the genus Bifidobacterium also includes Bifidobacterium dentium, an opportunistic cariogenic pathogen. The genetic basis for the ability of B. dentium to survive in the oral cavity and contribute to caries development is not understood. The genome of B. dentium Bd1, a strain isolated from dental caries, was sequenced to completion to uncover a single circular 2,636,368 base pair chromosome with 2,143 predicted open reading frames. Annotation of the genome sequence revealed multiple ways in which B. dentium has adapted to the oral environment through specialized nutrient acquisition, defences against antimicrobials, and gene products that increase fitness and competitiveness within the oral niche. B. dentium Bd1 was shown to metabolize a wide variety of carbohydrates, consistent with genome-based predictions, while colonization and persistence factors implicated in tissue adhesion, acid tolerance, and the metabolism of human saliva-derived compounds were also identified. Global transcriptome analysis demonstrated that many of the genes encoding these predicted traits are highly expressed under relevant physiological conditions. This is the first report to identify, through various genomic approaches, specific genetic adaptations of a Bifidobacterium taxon, Bifidobacterium dentium Bd1, to a lifestyle as a cariogenic microorganism in the oral cavity. In silico analysis and comparative genomic hybridization experiments clearly reveal a high level of genome conservation among various B. dentium strains. The data indicate that the genome of this opportunistic cariogen has evolved through a very limited number of horizontal gene acquisition events, highlighting the narrow boundaries that separate commensals from opportunistic pathogens

Joint Commitment: An Analysis of Emotions and Non-Verbal Behaviors

According to Margaret Gilbert, a joint commitment (JC) is a commitment of two or more agents, called the parties of the JC, to engage in a common project. Creating a JC often involves an explicit agreement, carried out in a conversational interaction through overt communication. We explored aspects of such interactions that can be considered as complementary to verbal exchanges, focusing on how a JC is managed by the parties by means of emotional and other non-verbal bodily expressions. We analyzed three phases of the JC lifecycle (creation, maintenance, and violation), and in particular the emotional reaction of the participants to two types of violations by the experimenter. In our analysis we used standardized tools such as the Ethological Coding System for Interviews, the Mind Reading Emotional Library, and the Facial Action Coding System. Our results show that certain non-verbal behaviors in the phase of JC creation are characteristic of the participants who later did not fulfill their commitment. Moreover, the participants’ emotional reactions to JC violation by the experimenter turned out to depend on the type of violation. Finally, the creation and maintenance of JC, and the emotional reaction to its violation, appear to be independent of the participants’ personality and empathic disposition

Valutazione e percorsi di trattamento del rischio autolesivo in carcere. L\u2019esperienza nella Casa Circondariale di Monza

Per i soggetti reclusi, i principali fattori di rischio autolesivo descritti in letteratura possono essere riassunti in due categorie: quella situazionale, relativa all\u2019evento detentivo, e quella di importazione con riferimento alle variabili socio-demografiche, alle caratteristiche cliniche dell\u2019individuo antecedenti la detenzione. Per la specificit\ue0 del contesto detentivo, considerare l\u2019agito autolesivo come il risultato dell\u2019interazione tra differenti categorie di fattori di rischio sembra essere la modalit\ue0 pi\uf9 appropriata per orientare adeguatamente gli interventi clinici. Nella Casa Circondariale di Monza, dal settembre 2012, viene applicato un protocollo finalizzato alla prevenzione dell\u2019agito auto/etero lesivo, a tutta la popolazione che accede in istituto entro 72 ore dall\u2019ingresso al Servizio Nuovi Giunti. Oltre al colloquio clinico, viene somministrato un assessment testale, finalizzato ad un esame multidimensionale, con i seguenti strumenti standardizzati sulla popolazione detenuta: i) Jail Screening Assessment Tool (J-Sat), intervista semistrutturata che permette di indagare la situazione giuridica (tipo di reato, detenzioni), anamnesi degli agiti aggressivi (auto/etero diretti), valutazione psicosociale (relazioni significative, supporto sociale, lavoro), uso di sostanze, presenza di disturbo psichiatrico (in anamnesi e nell\u2019attualit\ue0), rischio suicidario/autolesivo, presenza di sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva; ii) Barratt Impulsiveness Scale 11 (BIS11) scala autosomministrata mirata alla misurazione dell\u2019impulsivit\ue0; iii) Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM), scala autosomministrata che permette di valutare il livello del distress psicologico, utilizzata anche come strumento di valutazione d\u2019esito dell\u2019intervento attivato. In caso di positivit\ue0 allo screening, avviene l\u2019assunzione in cura del detenuto valutando l\u2019evoluzione del quadro clinico, si procede alla richiesta di valutazione psichiatrica ed all\u2019inserimento in un piano di monitoraggio, con misure di sorveglianza a carattere precauzionale. Entro 2 settimane dal primo colloquio, viene somministrato il Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCM-III), questionario finalizzato ad approfondire la struttura ed il funzionamento della personalit\ue0. Il protocollo di valutazione utilizzato consente di indagare, sia i fattori situazionali sia quelli di importazione come categorie di rischio, oltre che la loro interazione, su questa base il clinico procede alla definizione dell\u2019intervento pi\uf9 appropriato. La fase di valutazione iniziale permette di identificare le aree di fragilit\ue0 da affrontare e di definire gli obiettivi dell\u2019intervento, condividendoli con il paziente detenuto

How Age, Comorbidities and Concomitant Medications Influence Ibrutinib Management and Survival in Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia

Although Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia (WM) typically affects the elderly, no studies so far have specifically addressed the impact of age, comorbidities, ECOG-PS and concomitant medications on treatment outcomes. Data on WM receiving ibrutinib outside of clinical trials are sparse, showing 18-20% and 8-35% of pts requiring permanent dose reduction (PDR) and toxicity-related definitive treatment discontinuation (Tox-DTD). Furthermore, the impact of polypharmacy and drug interference while on ibrutinib is still unexplored. The aim of this study is to evaluate which fitness parameters are significant for treatment outcome and management in patients with WM receiving ibrutinib in clinical practic

Caloric Restriction Promotes Immunometabolic Reprogramming Leading to Protection from Tuberculosis

There is a strong relationship between metabolic state and susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection, with energy metabolism setting the basis for an exaggerated immuno-inflammatory response, which concurs with MTB pathogenesis. Herein, we show that controlled caloric restriction (CR), not leading to malnutrition, protects susceptible DBA/2 mice against pulmonary MTB infection by reducing bacterial load, lung immunopathology, and generation of foam cells, an MTB reservoir in lung granulomas. Mechanistically, CR induced a metabolic shift toward glycolysis, and decreased both fatty acid oxidation and mTOR activity associated with induction of autophagy in immune cells. An integrated multi-omics approach revealed a specific CR-induced metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic signature leading to reduced lung damage and protective remodeling of lung interstitial tightness able to limit MTB spreading. Our data propose CR as a feasible immunometabolic manipulation to control MTB infection, and this approach offers an unexpected strategy to boost immunity against MTB

PML risk is the main factor driving the choice of discontinuing natalizumab in a large multiple sclerosis population: results from an Italian multicenter retrospective study

Background: Natalizumab (NTZ) is an effective treatment for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). However, patients and physicians may consider discontinuing NTZ therapy due to safety or efficacy issues. The aim of our study was to evaluate the NTZ discontinuation rate and reasons of discontinuation in a large Italian population of RRMS patients. Materials and methods: The data were extracted from the Italian MS registry in May 2018 and were collected from 51,845 patients in 69 Italian multiple sclerosis centers. MS patients with at least one NTZ infusion in the period between June 1st 2012 to May 15th 2018 were included. Discontinuation rates at each time point were calculated. Reasons for NTZ discontinuation were classified as "lack of efficacy", "progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) risk" or "other". Results: Out of 51,845, 5151 patients, 3019 (58.6%) females, with a mean age of 43.6 ± 10.1 years (median 40), were analyzed. Out of 2037 (39.5%) who discontinued NTZ, a significantly higher percentage suspended NTZ because of PML risk compared to lack of efficacy [1682 (32.7% of 5151) vs 221 (4.3%), p < 0.001]; other reasons were identified for 99 (1.9%) patients. Patients discontinuing treatment were older, had longer disease duration and worse EDSS at the time of NTZ initiation and at last follow-up on NTZ treatment. The JCV index and EDSS at baseline were predictors for stopping therapy (HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.22-4.75; p = 0.02; HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.18-5.41; p = 0.04). Conclusions: Roughly 60% of MS patients stayed on NTZ treatment during the observation period. For those patients in whom NTZ discontinuation was required, it was mainly due to PML concerns