Negative symptoms as key features of depression among cannabis users: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: Cannabis use is frequent among depressed patients and may lead to the so-called "amotivational syndrome", which combines symptoms of affective flattening and loss of emotional reactivity (i.e. the so-called "negative" symptomatology). The aim of this study was to investigate the negative symptomatology in depressed patients with concomitant cannabis use disorders (CUDs) in comparison with depressed patients without CUDs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and concomitant CUD and fifty-one MDD patients were enrolled in the study. The 21-Item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the negative symptoms subscales of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were used to assess depressive and negative symptomatology. RESULTS: Patients with cannabis use disorders presented significantly more severe negative symptoms in comparison with patients without cannabis use (15.18 ± 2.25 vs 13.75 ± 2.44; t100 = 3.25 p = 0.002). DISCUSSION: A deeper knowledge of the "negative" psychopathological profile of MDD patients who use cannabis may lead to novel etiopathogenetic models of MDD and to more appropriate treatment approaches

Nature reappraisers, benefits for the environment: A model linking cognitive reappraisal, the “being away” dimension of restorativeness and eco-friendly behavior

In the last decades, an increasingly prominent role has been given to the motivational factors that can promote pro-environmental behavior. In this contribution, we focus on the role of the individual’s ability to shape the emotions originating from nature in engaging in pro-environmental behavior. In particular, we expect that an emotion regulation strategy as cognitive reappraisal should positively predict pro-environmental behavior, through enhanced perceived restorativeness attributed to the natural environment in terms of the experience of “being away.” One-hundred and fifteen visitors to an urban park (Parco Nord Milano) filled out a questionnaire including measures of cognitive reappraisal, the experience of “being away,” and pro-environmental behaviour while in the park. Results confirmed that cognitive reappraisal was positively and significantly related to pro-environmental behavior. Importantly, the indirect effect of cognitive reappraisal on pro-environmental behavior through the experience of “being away” was significant. Findings suggest the importance of implementing interventions aimed at promoting the habitual use of cognitive reappraisal to enhance the experience of “being away” and, thus, sustain pro-environmental behavior

Cervico-mediastinal schwannoma of the vagus nerve: resection with intraoperative nerve monitoring.

Schwannomas are usually benign, single, encapsulated, slow-growing tumours originating from cranial or spinal nerve sheaths. The vagus nerve involvement at the mediastinal inlet is very uncommon. For anatomical reasons, the resection of cervical and mediastinal schwannoma of the vagus nerve has a high risk of vocal fold paralysis. We describe the case of a 67-year-old female with a cervico-mediastinal schwannoma of the vagus nerve that we removed using the intraoperative neuromonitoring technique. The patient presented with mild hoarseness and complained of discomfort behind the jugular notch. Neck and chest computerized tomography described a 35 9 30 mm solid lesion behind the left clavi-sternal junction; preoperative fine needle aspiration cytology revealed schwannoma. Resection of the mass was performed with a cervical approach and the vagus nerve tumour was completely removed under continuous neuromonitoring (NIM-3 System), preserving the vagus and the recurrent laryngeal nerve function. Pathology on the resected mass documented A-type schwannoma with \u2018\u2018ancient schwannoma\u2019\u2019 areas. The intraoperative neurostimulation and neuromonitoring approach for the resection of vagus schwannoma are recommended because it may reduce the risk of injury to the vagus and to the recurrent laryngeal nerve

STOCHASTIC AND FULL-WAVEFIELD FINITE-FAULT GROUND-MOTION SIMULATIONS OF THE M7.1, MESSINA 1908 EARTHQUAKE (Southern Italy)

In the framework of an ongoing Italian national research project we are studying the Messina 1908 earthquake, the first to be recorded adequately by seismological and geodetic instrumentation that allowed subsequent quantitative investigations of its source properties. We use a high-frequency stochastic finite-fault modeling (Motazedian and Atkinson, 2005) to simulate the ground-shaking for a number of different source models (Basili et al. 2008), either constrained from past source studies of this event or simulated. Although inherently kinematic, our approach accounts for the physics of the source using a procedure to generate physically consistent earthquake-rupture models (Guatteri et al., 2004). Considering the width of the seismogenic zone and appropriate source-scaling relation, we generate heterogeneous slip models that obey to the source complexity of past earthquakes (Mai and Beroza, 2002). By also constraining the point of rupture initiation based on empirical findings and energy-balance arguments (Mai et al., 2005), we generate a suite of earthquake source models to compute far-field ground-shaking. The Housner parameter from the stochastic high-frequency simulations is than compared with the felt intensity (MCS scale). The developed procedure is a necessary tool to take into account the influence of directivity effects in simulating ground shaking scenarios using realistic slip distribution on the fault. Furthermore, we carry out full-wavefield ground-motion calculations (at frequencies f < 3 Hz) to compare those low-frequency simulations with (a) the stochastic simulations and (b) appropriate ground-motion prediction equations. The combined approach helps to examine the validation range of the two methods (distinguishing the influence of the near-field and far-field motions on the shaking level), and may serve as a basis to develop a hybrid technique which combines the two methods for generating fully broadband synthetic seismograms

UR 3.13 - MAXIMUM OBSERVABLE SHAKING (MOS) MAPS OF ITALY

The main goal of UR 3.13 is to establish a work flow for a multi-layer map that includes the seismicity of Italy in terms of Maximum Observable Shaking (MOS), and the near-field/far-field boundaries (NF/FF) with respect to the major seismogenic faults mapped within the DISS database. Here we will discuss only the procedure to derive the MOS-map of Italy. Our approach merges updated knowledge on the Italian regional tectonic setting and on the Source Zone (SZ) definition and broadband scenario-like calculation of expected maximum shaking on a given area. For a given SZ, broadband ground shaking is computed for a rupture model derived from a Maximum Credible Earthquake (MCE) and its associated Typical Fault (TF). Amplitude spectra for deterministic Low Frequency and stochastic High Frequency waveforms are reconciled at intermediate frequency, where their domain of validity overlaps, to derive broadband synthetics and compute the associated shaking. As the MCE and TF float along the SZ, broadband ground motion is computed at each point surrounding the given fault and the maximum among observable shaking according to that scenario is plotted on the MOS map. So far the procedure was entirely successfully tested on the Macro Region MR4 (central-northern Apennine), while more detailed analysis is done on the MCE and TF suggested for the Colfiorito earthquake. Here our broadband ground motion scenario shows, besides a complex pattern of variation, a southwestern area of high PGA values, at about 20 km distance from the fault, likely associated to with the properties of the spatio-temporal complexity of the rupture process. For the purpose of the project a complete new map of SZ and MCE is under compilation, grouping seismogenic sources according to Mw and faulting mechanisms. This goal can be achieved most efficiently by targeted numerical simulations that cover the parameter range of interest (in terms of magnitude and distance etc) and consider a large suite earthquake rupture scenarios

Deliverable 2 # A3.13.8

We examine possibilities to delineate the boundaries between near-field and far-field radiation of seismic waves. Near-field (NF), intermediate-field (IF) and far-field (FF) terms represent different properties of the seismic wave-field: the near-source motions are sensitive to the spatio-temporal details of the rupture process, while far-field terms tend to carry the overall signature of the rupture. Due to the longer propagation path of far-field waves through complex Earth structure, their waveform properties also depend more strongly on media properties (scattering; intrinsic attenuation), than it is the case for the NF-wavefield

Evaluating the Factor Structure of the Emotion Dysregulation Scale-Short (EDS-s): A Preliminary Study

Emotion dysregulation (ED) can be considered a psychopathological transdiagnostic dimension, the presence of which should be reliably screened in clinical settings. The aim of the current study was to validate the Italian version of the Emotion Dysregulation Scale-short (EDS-s), a brief self-report tool assessing emotion dysregulation, in a non-clinical sample of 1087 adults (768 women and 319 men). We also assessed its convergent validity with scales measuring binge eating and general psychopathology. Structural equation modeling suggested the fit of a one-factor model refined with correlations between the errors of three pairs of items (χ2 = 255.56, df = 51, p &lt; 0.001, RMSEA = 0.08, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.93, SRMR = 0.04). The EDS-s demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (ordinal alpha = 0.94). Moreover, EDS-s scores partly explained the variance of both binge eating (0.35, p &lt; 0.001) and general psychopathology (0.60, p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, the EDS-s can be considered to be a reliable and valid measure of ED

Deliverable 1 # A3.13.1-2-3-4-5

We investigate wave motion through numerical simulations that take into account primarily the ground acceleration in response to a given earthquake rupture that radiates seismic waves. The shaking that potential sources might cause is plotted on maps that provide a general overview of the hazard over a large area, and that can be used as the starting point for further detailed investigations. Here, we establish a procedure to compute ground motion that spans the entire frequency range of engineering interest (i.e., broad-band), and we derive the maximum shaking that is caused by expected earthquakes throughout Italy (i.e. the maximum observable shaking; MOS). Our approaches merge updated knowledge of the Italian regional tectonic setting and of source-zone definitions (Valensise and Pantosti, 2001; Basili et al., 2008) and scenario-like calculations of the expected MOS in any given area