Application of PestLCI model to site-specific soil and climate conditions: the case of maize production in Northern Italy

The calculation of emissions from the use of pesticides is a critical issue in LCA studies of agrifood products and only occasionally discussed in details in literature studies. The objective of this study is to assess the results of the application of PestLCI 2.0 model to the production of maize in Northern Italy using site-specific soil and climate data, which were added for this purpose in PestLCI database. In this way, the application of the tool and its database were tailored to that area. Moreover, the results were compared with those obtained assuming maize cultivation on other soil typologies in the surrounding areas. Results show that soil variation scarcely affects the emissions to air and surface water are whereas it affects significantly the emissions to groundwater. Finally, some features of PestLCI were highlighted and comments for a further improvement of the model were provided

Subtotal resection of vestibular schwannoma: evaluation with Ki-67 measurement, magnetic resonance imaging, and long-term observation

Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative clinical and radiological data of patients with vestibular schwannomas who were initially managed by near total resection (NTR) or subtotal resection (STR). The Ki-67 analysis results were compared with tumor regrowth to determine the presence of a correlation between this proliferative index and postoperative tumor regrowth. Study Design Seventeen adult patients (7 male, 10 female) were retrospectively reviewed. Nine (52.9%) and eight (47.1%) patients underwent NTR and STR, respectively. Postoperative clinical and radiological data associated with vestibular schwannoma growth were compared with the Ki-67 immunohistochemical analysis results. Results Evidence of clinically significant regrowth was observed in four (23.5%) patients. Patients who underwent NTR had a lower rate/incidence of tumor regrowth than did patients who underwent STR. Patients with a higher Ki-67 index had the highest tumor regrowth rates. Conclusions Our study indicates that assessment of the Ki-67 index may be useful for determining the probability of regrowth of vestibular schwannomas when only partial removal is accomplished

Methylphenidate in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Long-Term Follow up Naturalistic Study

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often co-occurs with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although methylphenidate (MPH) efficacy and safety are well-demonstrated for ADHD, evidences are scant in the context of ASD. This naturalistic study aimed to analyze long-term MPH efficacy and safety in 40 ADHD children and adolescents with comorbid ASD, comparing them with 40 ones affected by ADHD without ASD. Treatment lasted from 6 to 156 months (longer than 24 months in more than three quarters of patients). Efficacy and safety were measured by clinical global impression and children global assessment scales; influence of intellectual functioning was examined. Comparisons between groups were made by Wilcoxon or Friedmann tests; relationships between functioning scores and other characteristics were analyzed by ordinal logistic and linear regression. Results demonstrated that MPH in patients with ASD was associated with significative reduction of illness severity, clinical improvement and amelioration of global functioning, without significant differences with patients having ADHD without ASD. The trend of reduction of illness severity and increase of global functioning were favorably related with intellectual functioning. No serious adverse events were reported. The findings showed that long-term MPH was effective and well-tolerated in ADHD children and adolescents with comorbid high functioning ASD

L’evoluzione del contagio in relazione ai territori delle Marche

This chapter discusses the trend of contagion during the first wave of Covid-19 in the Marche Region, in relation to the specific demographic, socio-cultural and economic characteristics of the territory. In particular, the following aspects were taken into consideration: I) location of the main aggregative events that may have contributed to the spread of the virus, II) distribution and evolution of the infection, III) estimate of mortality attributable to the virus, IV) structure of the population by age group and aging index, V) structure of the social-health assistance system, VI) levels of NO2 and PM10 pollution, VII) production system and intra- and extra-regional commuting regimen. Results underline the significant influence of territorial and social dynamics in the spread of Covid-19 in the Marche Region

An IL-15 dependent CD8 T cell response to selected HIV epitopes is related to viral control in early-treated HIV-infected subjects.

In some early-treated HIV+ patients, Structured Treatment Interruption (STI) is associated to spontaneous control of viral rebound. Thus, in this clinical setting, we analyzed the immunological parameters associated to viral control. Two groups of early treated patients who underwent STI were retrospectively defined, according to the ability to spontaneously control HIV replication (Controller and Non-controller). Plasma cytokine levels were analyzed by multiplex analysis. CD8 T cell differentiation was determined by polychromatic flow cytometry. Antigen-specific IFN-Γ production was analyzed by ELISpot and intracellular staining after stimulation with HIV-peptides. Long-term Elispot assays were performed in the presence or absence of IL-15. Plasma IL-15 was found decreased over a period of time in Non-Controller patients, whereas a restricted response to Gag (aa.167–202 and 265–279) and Nef (aa.86–100 and 111–138) immunodominant epitopes was more frequently observed in Controller patients. Interestingly, in two Non-Controller patients the CD8-mediated T cells response to immunodominant epitopes could be restored in vitro by IL-15, suggesting a major role of cytokine homeostasis on the generation of protective immunity. In early-treated HIV+ patients undergoing STI, HIV replication control was associated to CD8 T cell maturation and sustained IL-15 levels, leading to HIV-specific CD8 T cell responses against selected Gag and Nef epitopes

The Association Between Intolerance of Uncertainty, Emotion Dysregulation, and Anxiety in Italian Non-Clinical Pre-Adolescents and Adolescents

Background: Anxiety symptoms are rather frequent in adolescence and associated with long-term negative consequences. Therefore, expanding knowledge on the factors that may underlie anxiety symptomatology is extremely relevant; to this end, intolerance of uncertainty and emotion dysregulation are of key interest. This study aimed to deepen the relation between intolerance of uncertainty and emotion regulation difficulties and to explore the role of these constructs in explaining anxiety levels in adolescence. Methods: Three hundred and fifty Italian non-clinical pre-adolescents and adolescents (age range: 11-17, 53.4% boys) entered the study between November 2021 and March 2022. We administered an online survey containing the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale-Revised, Self-Administered Psychiatric Scales for Children and Adolescents-Anxiety scale, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21. Pearson’s correlations were calculated to examine the relation between intolerance of uncertainty, emotion dysregulation dimensions, and different anxiety symptoms. A hierarchical linear regression was performed to test the predictive role of intolerance of uncertainty and specific emotion regulation strategies on generalized anxiety symptoms. Results: All emotion dysregulation dimensions, except Awareness, were significantly correlated with intolerance of uncertainty and the different anxiety manifestations. Intolerance of uncertainty was associated with all anxiety symptoms, but to a greater extent with generalized and school-related anxiety. Finally, both intolerance of uncertainty and specific emotion dysregulation dimensions (i.e., Goals and Strategies) predicted generalized anxiety symptoms; however, the emotion dysregulation block led to a higher increase in explained variance than intolerance of uncertainty did. Conclusion: Intolerance of uncertainty, emotion dysregulation, and anxiety symptoms emerged to be strictly associated. Moreover, the contribution of both intolerance of uncertainty and specific emotion regulation difficulties to the putative development of generalized anxiety in adolescence has been tentatively supported. Particularly, emotion dysregulation seems to play a more relevant role in generalized anxiety compared to intolerance of uncertainty

A pattern of cerebral perfusion anomalies between major depressive disorder and Hashimoto thyroiditis

Background. This study aims to evaluate relationship between three different clinical conditions: Major Depressive Disorders (MDD), Hashimoto Thyroiditis (HT) and reduction in regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF) in order to explore the possibility that patients with HT and MDD have specific pattern(s) of cerebral perfusion. Methods. Design: Analysis of data derived from two separate data banks. Sample: 54 subjects, 32 with HT (29 women, mean age 38.8 ± 13.9); 22 without HT (19 women, mean age 36.5 ± 12.25). Assessment: Psychiatric diagnosis was carried out by Simplified Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDIS) using DSM-IV categories; cerebral perfusion was measured by 99 mTc-ECD SPECT. Statistical analysis was done through logistic regression. Results. MDD appears to be associated with left frontal hypoperfusion, left temporal hypoperfusion, diffuse hypoperfusion and parietal perfusion asymmetry. A statistically significant association between parietal perfusion asymmetry and MDD was found only in the HT group. Conclusion. In HT, MDD is characterized by a parietal flow asymmetry. However, the specificity of rCBF in MDD with HT should be confirmed in a control sample with consideration for other health conditions. Moreover, this should be investigated with a longitudinally designed study in order to determine a possible pathogenic cause. Future studies with a much larger sample size should clarify whether a particular perfusion pattern is associated with a specific course or symptom cluster of MDD

ERRATUM: Effects of combined endurance and resistance training in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A pilot, randomized, controlled study

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