Age- and sex-related variations in platelet count in Italy: a proposal of reference ranges based on 40987 subjects' data

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although several studies demonstrated that platelet count is higher in women, decreases with age, and is influenced by genetic background, most clinical laboratories still use the reference interval 150-400×10(9) platelets/L for all subjects. The present study was to identify age- and sex-specific reference intervals for platelet count. METHODS: We analysed electronic records of subjects enrolled in three population-based studies that investigated inhabitants of seven Italian areas including six geographic isolates. After exclusion of patients with malignancies, liver diseases, or inherited thrombocytopenias, which could affect platelet count, reference intervals were estimated from 40,987 subjects with the non parametric method computing the 2.5° and 97.5° percentiles. RESULTS: Platelet count was similar in men and women until the age of 14, but subsequently women had steadily more platelets than men. The number of platelets decreases quickly in childhood, stabilizes in adulthood, and further decreases in oldness. The final result of this phenomenon is that platelet count in old age was reduced by 35% in men and by 25% in women compared with early infancy. Based on these findings, we estimated reference intervals for platelet count ×10(9)/L in children (176-452), adult men (141-362), adult women (156-405), old men (122-350) and, old women (140-379). Moreover, we calculated an extended reference interval that takes into account the differences in platelet count observed in different geographic areas. CONCLUSIONS: The age-, sex-, and origin-related variability of platelet count is very wide, and the patient-adapted reference intervals we propose change the thresholds for diagnosing both thrombocytopenia and thrombocytosis in Italy

Magnetic properties in a partially oxidized nanocomposite of Cu-CuCl

Magnetism of a very thin antiferromagnetic (AFM) surface CuO has been investigated with the partially oxidized nanocomposites of Cu-CuCl, ~ 200 nm. The samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray-excited Auger electron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope and magnetic measurements. The characterizations indicate that the composites have a core-shell structure. Before the oxidation, it is (Cu)core/(CuCl)shell, and after the oxidation, (Cu)core/(Cu2O+CuCl+minuteCuO)shell. The magnetic measurements have revealed that a ferromagnetic (FM) like open hysteresis exists at the temperature below the freezing point, TF. In the high field region, a paramagnetic (PM) response appears without showing a sign of saturation. Also, the field dependent magnetization (M-H) measurement is PM-like at T > TF. These interesting magnetic properties are evident to arise from the AFM CuO on the outer surface. They are attributed to the uncompensated surface spins of Cu2+ and the effect of surface random potential. More interestingly, the magnetic susceptibility is greatly enhanced in the presence of Cl- anions at T < TF, according to the field-cooled/zero-field-cooled (FC/ZFC) measurements. This further supports the point that the disorder or frustration effect of the impurity would reduce the AFM ordering of CuO and increase the level of uncompensated spins.Comment: 8 pages including 7 figures, Nanotechnology In Pres

Ultra-processed food consumption and its correlates among Italian children, adolescents and adults from the Italian Nutrition & Health Survey (INHES) cohort study

Objective: To assess ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption and its socio-demographic, psychosocial and behavioural correlates in a general population of Italian children, adolescents and adults. Design: Cross-sectional telephone-based survey Setting: Italy, 2010-2013. Participants: In total, 9078 participants (5-97 years) from the Italian Nutrition &amp; Health Survey. Dietary intakes were collected by a 1-d 24-h dietary recall. UPF was defined by the NOVA classification and expressed as percentage of total energies. Results: Average energy intake from UPF (95 % CI) was 17·3 % (17·1 %, 17·6 %) among adults and 25·9 % (24·8 %, 27·0 %) in children/adolescents. Top sources of UPF were processed meats (32·5 %) and bread substitutes (16·7 %). Among adults, age (β = -3·10; 95 % CI (-4·40, -1·80) for &gt;65 years v. 20-40 years; βs are dimensionless) and residing in Southern Italy (β = -0·73; 95 % CI (-1·32, -0·14) v. Northern) inversely associated with UPF. Screen view during meals was directly linked to UPF, as well as poor self-rated health (β = 5·32; 95 % CI (2·66, 7·99)), adverse life events (β = 2·33; 95 % CI (1·48, 3·18)) and low sleep quality (β = 2·34; 95 % CI (1·45, 3·23)). Boys consumed two-point percent more UPF of the total energy than girls (β = 2·01; 95 % CI (0·20, 3·82)). For all ages, a Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with UPF (β = -4·86; 95 % CI (-5·53, -4·20) for good v. poor adherence in adults and (β = -5·08; 95 % CI (-8·38, -1·77) for kids). Conclusions: UPF contributes a modest proportion of energy to the diets of Italian adults while being one-quarter of the total energies in children/adolescents. UPF was associated with several psychosocial factors and eating behaviours. Increased adherence to Mediterranean diet would possibly result in lower UPF consumption

Perceived built environment, health-related quality of life and health care utilization

Previous research has shown that the built environment plays a crucial role for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and health care utilization. But, there is limited evidence on the independence of this association from lifestyle and social environment. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate these associations, independent of the social environment, physical activity and body mass index (BMI). We used data from the third follow-up of the Swiss study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart diseases In Adults (SAPALDIA), a population based cohort with associated biobank. Covariate adjusted multiple quantile and polytomous logistic regressions were performed to test associations of variables describing the perceived built environment with HRQoL and health care utilization. Higher HRQoL and less health care utilization were associated with less reported transportation noise annoyance. Higher HRQoL was also associated with greater satisfaction with the living environment and more perceived access to greenspaces. These results were independent of the social environment (living alone and social engagement) and lifestyle (physical activity level and BMI). This study provides further evidence that the built environment should be designed to integrate living and green spaces but separate living and traffic spaces in order to improve health and wellbeing and potentially save health care costs

Defective dystrophic thymus determines degenerative changes in skeletal muscle.

In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), sarcolemma fragility and myofiber necrosis produce cellular debris that attract inflammatory cells. Macrophages and T-lymphocytes infiltrate muscles in response to damage-associated molecular pattern signalling and the release of TNF-α, TGF-β and interleukins prevent skeletal muscle improvement from the inflammation. This immunological scenario was extended by the discovery of a specific response to muscle antigens and a role for regulatory T cells (Tregs) in muscle regeneration. Normally, autoimmunity is avoided by autoreactive T-lymphocyte deletion within thymus, while in the periphery Tregs monitor effector T-cells escaping from central regulatory control. Here, we report impairment of thymus architecture of mdx mice together with decreased expression of ghrelin, autophagy dysfunction and AIRE down-regulation. Transplantation of dystrophic thymus in recipient nude mice determine the up-regulation of inflammatory/fibrotic markers, marked metabolic breakdown that leads to muscle atrophy and loss of force. These results indicate that involution of dystrophic thymus exacerbates muscular dystrophy by altering central immune tolerance

Resonant tunnelling features in the transport spectroscopy of quantum dots

We present a review of features due to resonant tunnelling in transport spectroscopy experiments on quantum dots and single donors. The review covers features attributable to intrinsic properties of the dot as well as extrinsic effects, with a focus on the most common operating conditions. We describe several phenomena that can lead to apparently identical signatures in a bias spectroscopy measurement, with the aim of providing experimental methods to distinguish between their different physical origins. The correct classification of the resonant tunnelling features is an essential requirement to understand the details of the confining potential or predict the performance of the dot for quantum information processing.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures. Short review article submitted to Nanotechnology, special issue on 'Quantum Science and Technology at the Nanoscale

Valley filter and valley valve in graphene

It is known that the lowest propagating mode in a narrow ballistic ribbon of graphene may lack the twofold valley degeneracy of higher modes. Depending on the crystallographic orientation of the ribbon axis, the lowest mode mixes both valleys or lies predominantly in a single valley (chosen by the direction of propagation). We show, using a tight-binding model calculation, that a nonequilibrium valley polarization can be realized in a sheet of graphene, upon injection of current through a ballistic point contact with zigzag edges. The polarity can be inverted by local application of a gate voltage to the point contact region. Two valley filters in series may function as an electrostatically controlled ``valley valve'', representing a zero-magnetic-field counterpart to the familiar spin valve.Comment: RevTeX, 4 pages, 5 figure

Treatment of psychoses in patients with epilepsy: an update.

Psychotic disorders represent a relatively rare but serious comorbidity in epilepsy. Current epidemiological studies are showing a point prevalence of 5.6% in unselected samples of people with epilepsy going up to 7% in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, with a pooled odds ratio of 7.8 as compared with the general population. This is a narrative review of the most recent updates in the management of psychotic disorders in epilepsy, taking into account the clinical scenarios where psychotic symptoms occur in epilepsy, interactions with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and the risk of seizures with antipsychotics. Psychotic symptoms in epilepsy can arise in a number of different clinical scenarios from peri-ictal symptoms, to chronic interictal psychoses, comorbid schizophrenia and related disorders to the so-called forced normalization phenomenon. Data on the treatment of psychotic disorders in epilepsy are still limited and the management of these problems is still based on individual clinical experience. For this reason, guidelines of treatment outside epilepsy should be adopted taking into account epilepsy-related issues including interactions with AEDs and seizure risk. Second-generation antipsychotics, especially risperidone, can represent a reasonable first-line option because of the low propensity for drug-drug interactions and the low risk of seizures. Quetiapine is burdened by a clinically significant pharmacokinetic interaction with enzyme-inducing drugs leading to undetectable levels of the antipsychotic, even for dosages up to 700 mg per day