Does counseling increase sustained benefit of HAART among prison inmates after release to the community?

The lack of sustained effectiveness of HAART after release to the community of HIV-infected inmates treated in prison was well demonstrated by Springer et al. in a recent article. This disappointing result occurred even though all of the patients scheduled for release were referred for transitional case management services to a community-based organization and were provided with a 2-week supply of medications, a medical appointment with an HIV care provider, emergency housing and food, and assistance with other identified unmet needs

WILDFIRE PREVENTION IN NATURALISTIC AREAS: THE ROLE OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Negli ultimi dieci anni le regioni europee del bacino mediterraneo (Italia, Spagna, Portogallo, Francia e Grecia) hanno registrano una perdita media annua di circa 500000 ettari di territorio a causa degli incendi boschivi. Anche per le aree boscate della Sardegna il fenomeno degli incendi boschivi rappresenta una seria minaccia con importanti conseguenze non solo da un punto di vista ecologico, ma soprattutto per gli effetti sul sistema socioeconomico. Un elevato numero di ignizioni si verifica nelle aree a vegetazione erbacea che ricopre il cinquanta percento della superficie dell’isola. Fra queste, i pascoli e pascoli arborati, spesso adiacenti ad aree a macchia e ad aree a boschi di latifoglie, costituiscono una combinazione di biomasse combustibili vegetali le cui quantità possono avere degli effetti sul comportamento degli incendi, in particolare sulla propagazione verso le aree boscate adiacenti, caratterizzate spesso da rilevante interesse naturalistico. La protezione delle aree boschive rappresenta per la Regione Sardegna una delle priorità, anche al fine di una loro valorizzazione, funzionale all’ampliamento dell’offerta turistica sia attraverso l’allungamento della stagione turistica, sia attraverso l’ampliamento delle opportunità di fruizione dei beni naturali localizzati sia nelle aree costiere, sia soprattutto nelle aree interne. Gli obbiettivi principali del presente lavoro sono quelli di dimostrare come le moderne tecnologie basate sui sistemi informativi geografici siano un valido strumento per i) lo studio ed elaborazione di piani di prevenzione dagli incendi, finalizzati alla protezione di un’area a forte valenza naturalistica ubicata nel centro Sardegna, e ii) la valutazione dell’efficacia di pratiche silvo-pastorali nella riduzione del rischio di incendio e nella contemporanea promozione di uno sviluppo sostenibile del settore silvo-pastorale. Lo studio è stato condotto presso la foresta demaniale di Monte Pisanu, una delle principali aree boscate del centro Sardegna; all’interno di quest’area è presente la foresta di Sos Nibberos, recentemente dichiarata “monumento naturale” con un decreto della Regione Sardegna. Quest’area ha una estensione di 7 ettari ed è popolata da tassi millenari con fusto alto fino a 15 metri e diametro di 1 metro. Ampie aree forestali caratterizzate da coperture arboree non elevate sono destinate al pascolamento ovino e bovino controllato

Postpartum depression screening through artificial intelligence: preliminary data through the Talking About algorithm

Postpartum depression (PD) is the most widespread perinatal psy­chiatric disorder, also representing the most frequent non-obstetric birth-related complication. From an epidemiological point of view, it has an average prevalence of 17-18% worldwide. This psychiatric disorder may have long-standing effects on the health of both the mother and the child, but also on the relationship with the partner (including paternal PD). Therefore, an early diagnosis is fundamental to treat this disorder immediately and avoid such complications. Talking About, by the company GPI (Trento, Italy), is a project focused on voice analysis as a medium to access human emotions. It consists of a series of Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) algorithms. The aim of the study is to evaluate the application of the artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm Talking About on the mothers’ emotions analysis. Talking About investigates the unconscious aspects of voice that usually cannot be controlled or voluntarily modified, aiming at identifying the subjects’ emotions. Thus, all bias, characterising all classic screening questionnaires, should be neutralised, achieving a sharper overview of the mothers’ emotional state. The mother’s emotional results are displayed in 5 main categories: 2 positive, 3 negative. This study has engaged a total of 154 mothers who gave birth at the “Policlinico Universitario D. Casula” and/or carried out a pediatric examination at the “ambulatorio SOS MAMI” (which is a PostNatal Care Service). They underwent both the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) test and the Talking About voice test. Despite this study’s sample limitations, our preliminary data related to PD symptoms identification are promising and encouraging, leading the way to further investigations related to the application of AI as a PD screening support. Indeed, further studies are needed to improve our knowledge on this topic and possibly apply this tool in clinical practice in the future, even considering PD of the father

European consensus conference on faecal microbiota transplantation in clinical practice

Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is an important therapeutic option for Clostridium difficile infection. Promising findings suggest that FMT may play a role also in the management of other disorders associated with the alteration of gut microbiota. Although the health community is assessing FMT with renewed interest and patients are becoming more aware, there are technical and logistical issues in establishing such a non-standardised treatment into the clinical practice with safety and proper governance. In view of this, an evidence-based recommendation is needed to drive the practical implementation of FMT. In this European Consensus Conference, 28 experts from 10 countries collaborated, in separate working groups and through an evidence-based process, to provide statements on the following key issues: FMT indications; donor selection; preparation of faecal material; clinical management and faecal delivery and basic requirements for implementing an FMT centre. Statements developed by each working group were evaluated and voted by all members, first through an electronic Delphi process, and then in a plenary consensus conference. The recommendations were released according to best available evidence, in order to act as guidance for physicians who plan to implement FMT, aiming at supporting the broad availability of the procedure, discussing other issues relevant to FMT and promoting future clinical research in the area of gut microbiota manipulation. This consensus report strongly recommends the implementation of FMT centres for the treatment of C. difficile infection as well as traces the guidelines of technicality, regulatory, administrative and laboratory requirements.Peer reviewe

Exercise Improves the Impact of Chronic Pain in Older Adults: Results of an RCT

Background: Chronic Pain (CP) is a crucial determinant for disability in older adults. CP amplifies the impact of other common age-related diseases and increases cardiovascular risk. Physical exercise can improve CP. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) with high-intensity exercise in older adults excluded people with Moderate Chronic Illness (MCI) and CP. Objective: This study aimed at evaluating in an RCT whether moderate exercise training can improve chronic pain in a sample of older adults, including people with MCI, and if any modification persists over time. Methods: A sample of 120 older adults was randomly selected for a moderate-intensity exercise program or cultural activities (control group). Chronic pain was assessed at t0, at t12 (end of the trial), and t48 weeks, by means of the Italian version of the SIP-Roland Scale. Results: Seventy-nine participants completed the follow-up (age 72.3±4.7, women 55.3%). At the end of RCT, an improvement in the SIP scale score was found in the exercise group (p=0.035), showing a lower score than the control group; this difference was not maintained at 48 weeks (p=0.235). Conclusion: Our study highlighted that a moderate-intensity exercise intervention reduced chronic pain in older adults, but this effect disappeared at follow-up after 36 weeks from the end of the training program. These findings suggested that such kinds of programs, easily accessible to old people even with MCI, should be implemented and supported over time, thus promoting active aging and preventing CP of age-related diseases. Clinical Trial Registration: Clinical.Trials.gov.NCT03858114

Active elderly and health-can moderate exercise improve health and wellbeing in older adults? Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background: Aging is marked by a progressive rise in chronic diseases with an impact on social and healthcare costs. Physical activity (PA) may soothe the inconveniences related to chronic diseases, has positive effects on the quality of life and biological rhythms, and can prevent the decline in motor functions and the consequent falls, which are associated with early death and disability in older adults. Methods: We randomized 120 over-65 males and females into groups of similar size and timing and will give each either moderate physical activity or cultural and recreational activities. Being younger than 65 years, inability to participate in physical activity for any medical reason, and involvement in a massive program of physical exercise are the exclusion criteria. The primary outcome measures are quality of life, walking speed, and postural sway. Participants are tested at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month (24 weeks) and 12-month (48 weeks) follow-ups. Discussion: This study aims at improving the quality of life, wellness, and cognitive functioning in the elderly through a low-cost affordable program of moderate physical activity. Given the growing aging of the world population and the social and economic burden of disability in the elderly, our results might have a major impact on future practices

International consensus conference on stool banking for faecal microbiota transplantation in clinical practice

Although faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has a well-established role in the treatment of recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), its widespread dissemination is limited by several obstacles, including lack of dedicated centres, difficulties with donor recruitment and complexities related to regulation and safety monitoring. Given the considerable burden of CDI on global healthcare systems, FMT should be widely available to most centres. Stool banks may guarantee reliable, timely and equitable access to FMT for patients and a traceable workflow that ensures safety and quality of procedures. In this consensus project, FMT experts from Europe, North America and Australia gathered and released statements on the following issues related to the stool banking: general principles, objectives and organisation of the stool bank; selection and screening of donors; collection, preparation and storage of faeces; services and clients; registries, monitoring of outcomes and ethical issues; and the evolving role of FMT in clinical practice, Consensus on each statement was achieved through a Delphi process and then in a plenary face-to-face meeting. For each key issue, the best available evidence was assessed, with the aim of providing guidance for the development of stool banks in order to promote accessibility to FMT in clinical practice.Peer reviewe

Alignment of the CMS silicon tracker during commissioning with cosmic rays

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published version of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe CMS silicon tracker, consisting of 1440 silicon pixel and 15 148 silicon strip detector modules, has been aligned using more than three million cosmic ray charged particles, with additional information from optical surveys. The positions of the modules were determined with respect to cosmic ray trajectories to an average precision of 3–4 microns RMS in the barrel and 3–14 microns RMS in the endcap in the most sensitive coordinate. The results have been validated by several studies, including laser beam cross-checks, track fit self-consistency, track residuals in overlapping module regions, and track parameter resolution, and are compared with predictions obtained from simulation. Correlated systematic effects have been investigated. The track parameter resolutions obtained with this alignment are close to the design performance.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)

Commissioning and performance of the CMS pixel tracker with cosmic ray muons

This is the Pre-print version of the Article. The official published verion of the Paper can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2010 IOPThe pixel detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment consists of three barrel layers and two disks for each endcap. The detector was installed in summer 2008, commissioned with charge injections, and operated in the 3.8 T magnetic field during cosmic ray data taking. This paper reports on the first running experience and presents results on the pixel tracker performance, which are found to be in line with the design specifications of this detector. The transverse impact parameter resolution measured in a sample of high momentum muons is 18 microns.This work is supported by FMSR (Austria); FNRS and FWO (Belgium); CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP (Brazil); MES (Bulgaria); CERN; CAS, MoST, and NSFC (China); COLCIENCIAS (Colombia); MSES (Croatia); RPF (Cyprus); Academy of Sciences and NICPB (Estonia); Academy of Finland, ME, and HIP (Finland); CEA and CNRS/IN2P3 (France); BMBF, DFG, and HGF (Germany); GSRT (Greece); OTKA and NKTH (Hungary); DAE and DST (India); IPM (Iran); SFI (Ireland); INFN (Italy); NRF (Korea); LAS (Lithuania); CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI (Mexico); PAEC (Pakistan); SCSR (Poland); FCT (Portugal); JINR (Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan); MST and MAE (Russia); MSTDS (Serbia); MICINN and CPAN (Spain); Swiss Funding Agencies (Switzerland); NSC (Taipei); TUBITAK and TAEK (Turkey); STFC (United Kingdom); DOE and NSF (USA)