Quantum erasure within the Optical Stern-Gerlach Model

In the optical Stern-Gerlach effect the two branches in which the incoming atomic packet splits up can display interference pattern outside the cavity when a field measurement is made which erases the which-way information on the quantum paths the system can follow. On the contrary, the mere possibility to acquire this information causes a decoherence effect which cancels out the interference pattern. A phase space analysis is also carried out to investigate on the negativity of the Wigner function and on the connection between its covariance matrix and the distinguishability of the quantum paths.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Autonomic response to the adult attachment projective in anorexia nervosa

Purpose: Cardiovascular complications associated with anorexia nervosa (AN) are well recognized. Whether a wide array of studies has investigated autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning at rest in people with AN, few is yet known on their reactivity ability during stress conditions. The aim of the current study is testing ANS reactivity to a stressful task activating attachment system among adolescents with AN. Methods: Heart rate (HR) and its variability, as derived by high-frequency-heart rate variability (HF-HRV), were continuously assessed while 13 AN patients and 12 healthy controls (HCs) responded to a set of attachment-related drawings (Adult Attachment Projective, AAP). Results: Findings showed that patients with AN displayed a stronger parasympathetic activity, as indicated by generally a lower heart rate (HR) during the entire task and a higher HF-HRV for drawings eliciting dyadic interactions compared to HCs. Conclusion: The study findings suggest a novel understanding of cardiovascular functioning in AN. Level of evidence: Level V, descriptive study

How adolescents with anorexia nervosa and their parents perceive family functioning?

This study aims at examining whether adolescent girls diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and their parents differ in perceiving the different aspects of family functioning. Moreover, the discrepancy between adolescent girls and healthy controls on Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales dimensions, family communication, and family satisfaction is investigated. The study includes 36 female anorexia patients and their parents and 36 healthy controls. The results showed a different view between mothers and their daughters with regard to the dimension of rigidity. In addition, girls with anorexia nervosa were less satisfied about family environment and rated their families as less communicative, flexible, cohesive, and more disengaged, compared to controls

Relevance of Tc-99m-HYNIC-tir-octreotide scintigraphy in a patient affected by sarcoidosis with lung and joints involvement and secondary Sjogren's syndrome treated with infliximab: Case report

We report the case of a 59 years old woman affected by lung and joint sarcoidosis, secondary Sjogren's syndrome refractory to common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that regressed with infliximab and methotrexate. Tc-99m-HYNIC- TOC scintigraphy was useful in diagnosis, choice of treatment and follow-up

Relevance of Tc-99m-HYNIC-tir-octreotide scintigraphy in a patient affected by sarcoidosis with lung and joints involvement and secondary Sjogren's syndrome treated with infliximab:Case report

We report the case of a 59 years old woman affected by lung and joint sarcoidosis, secondary Sjogren's syndrome refractory to common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that regressed with infliximab and methotrexate. 99mTc-HYNIC- TOC scintigraphy was useful in diagnosis, choice of treatment and follow-up

Relevance of Tc-99m-HYNIC-tir-octreotide scintigraphy in a patient affected by sarcoidosis with lung and joints involvement and secondary Sjogren's syndrome treated with infliximab:Case report

We report the case of a 59 years old woman affected by lung and joint sarcoidosis, secondary Sjogren's syndrome refractory to common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that regressed with infliximab and methotrexate. Tc-99m-HYNIC- TOC scintigraphy was useful in diagnosis, choice of treatment and follow-up.</p

Are adolescents with anorexia nervosa better at reading minds?

ntroduction: The present study aimed to investigate mindreading abilities in female adolescent patients with AN compared to healthy controls (HCs), analysing differences for emotional valence of facial stimuli. Methods: The Eating Disorder Inventory) for evaluating psychological traits associated with eating disorders and the Children’s version of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test for evaluating mindreading abilities were administered to 40 Italian female patients (mean age = 14.93; SD= 1.48) with restrictive diagnosis of anorexia nervosa (AN) and 40 healthy females (mean age = 14.88; SD= 0.56). Results: No significant differences between the AN group and HCs for the Eyes Total score were found. Even when analysing emotional valence of the items, the two groups were equally successful in the facial recognition of positive, negative and neutral emotions. A significant difference was revealed for the percentage of correct responses of item 10 and item 15, where the AN group was less able to correctly identify the target descriptor (Not believing) over the foils than HCs. A significant difference was revealed in discriminating for affective emotions versus cognitive states; only for affective but not for cognitive states, patients with AN were found to perform better than controls on the mindreading task. Conclusions: Our study highlighted the importance of analysing and discriminating for different valences of facial stimuli when assessing mindreading abilities in adolescents with AN, so that more precise and specific treatment approaches could be developed for female adolescents with A