Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population

Purpose: Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. Methods: Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18-86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six different age groups: 18-29 years (N = 157), 30-39 years (N = 129), 40-49 years (N = 99), 50-59 years (N = 106), > 60 years (N = 142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Sniffin' Sticks 16-item Odor Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. Results: About 27% of participants showed an odor identification score < 12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was significantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. Conclusion: This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in different Italian regions

Threats on conservation associated to land-use in the terrestrial ecoregions of Argentina

Por su continuidad espacial y su relativa homogeneidad ecológica y biofísica, las ecorregiones son un nivel de organización apropiado para discutir y planificar iniciativas de conservación del ambiente a escala regional y nacional. Las interacciones complejas entre las características ecológicas de las ecorregiones, los cambios socioeconómicos locales y globales, y los cambios en el uso de la tierra ocasionan que las amenazas y la oportunidades para conservar dentro y entre ecorregiones se distribuyan de manera heterogénea. En este artículo realizamos un diagnóstico actualizado de las presiones de conservación asociadas al uso de la tierra en las distintas ecorregiones terrestres de la Argentina. Entendemos por presiones a las actividades antrópicas que modifican el estado de los recursos naturales e impactan sobre su funcionamiento. Luego de identificar las principales presiones por ecorregión realizamos un análisis de agrupamiento para identificar grupos de ecorregiones en función de la similitud de sus presiones. La ganadería comercial y la agricultura estuvieron dentro de las principales presiones asociadas al uso de la tierra en ocho y siete de las ecorregiones terrestres de la Argentina, respectivamente. Otras presiones de incidencia más específicas fueron muy relevantes en algunas ecorregiones, en especial en aquellas con limitantes para las actividades agropecuarias orientadas a los mercados globales. Identificamos cuatro grupos en función de la incidencia de las presiones asociadas al uso de la tierra: 1) Monte, Puna y Altos Andes; 2) Bosques Patagónicos; 3) Selva Paranaense y Selva de las Yungas, y 4) Campos y Malezales, Chaco Húmedo, Chaco Seco, Delta e Islas del Paraná, Espinal, Esteros del Iberá, Estepa Patagónica y Pampa. Este agrupamiento por presiones comunes de ecorregiones distantes en el espacio contribuiría a organizar geográficamente políticas de gestión de los recursos naturales integradas a nivel regional.Ecoregions are a suitable organization level for the discussion and planning of conservation initiatives at a regional level, due to their spatial continuity and ecological and biophysical homogeneity. The complex interactions between ecological characteristics of ecoregions, local and global socioeconomic changes and land-use change determine that threats and opportunities for conservation within and among ecoregions are unequally distributed. In this article, we performed an updated diagnosis of the main conservation issues associated with land-use change in the terrestrial ecoregions of Argentina. Also, in each ecoregion we identified the main conservation threats derived from land-use change (defined as the anthropic activities that modify the state of natural resources, impacting on their functioning) and organized ecoregions in groups according to their similarity in the incidence of the respective threats, through a cluster analysis. Commercial livestock production and agriculture were among the main threats associated with land-use change in eight and seven terrestrial ecoregions of Argentina, respectively. Other more local threats were also relevant in certain ecoregions, especially for those that are unsuitable for intensive land-uses. We identified four groups according to the incidence of the threats: 1) Monte, Puna and Altos Andes; 2) Bosques Patagónicos; 3) Selva Paranaense and Selva de las Yungas, and 4) Campos y Malezales, Chaco Húmedo, Chaco Seco, Delta e Islas del Paraná, Espinal, Esteros del Iberá, Estepa Patagónica and Pampa. Such grouping of distant ecoregions by common threats would contribute to spatially organize integrated natural resource management policies that go beyond administrative boundaries.Fil: Nanni, Ana Sofía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Piquer Rodríguez, María. Freie Universität Berlin; AlemaniaFil: Rodriguez, Maria Daniela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Núñez Regueiro, Mauricio Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Periago, Maria Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Provincia de Mendoza. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Argentino de Investigaciones de las Zonas Áridas; ArgentinaFil: Aguiar, Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura; ArgentinaFil: Ballari, Sebastián A.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Administración de Parques Nacionales. Parque Nacional "Nahuel Huapi"; ArgentinaFil: Blundo, Cecilia Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Ecológicas de las Yungas; ArgentinaFil: Derlindati, Enrique Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Di Blanco, Yamil Edgardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; ArgentinaFil: Eljall, Ana. Fundación Vida Silvestre; ArgentinaFil: Grau, Hector Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Herrera, Lorena Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Huertas Herrera, Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Izquierdo, Andrea Elisa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Lescano, Julián Norberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; ArgentinaFil: Macchi, Leandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Mazzini, Flavia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy; ArgentinaFil: Milkovic, Mayra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; ArgentinaFil: Montti, Lia Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Geología de Costas y del Cuaternario; ArgentinaFil: Paviolo, Agustin Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Pereyra, Mariana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Quintana, Ruben Dario. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigación e Ingeniería Ambiental; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, Verónica Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Bosque Atlántico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Biología Subtropical. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Instituto de Biología Subtropical; ArgentinaFil: Renison, Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Beade Santos, Mario. Administración de Parques Nacionales; ArgentinaFil: Schaaf, Alejandro Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; ArgentinaFil: Gasparri, Nestor Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentin

Demographic, clinical, and service-use characteristics related to the clinician’s recommendation to transition from child to adult mental health services

Purpose: The service configuration with distinct child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) may be a barrier to continuity of care. Because of a lack of transition policy, CAMHS clinicians have to decide whether and when a young person should transition to AMHS. This study describes which characteristics are associated with the clinicians’ advice to continue treatment at AMHS. Methods: Demographic, family, clinical, treatment, and service-use characteristics of the MILESTONE cohort of 763 young people from 39 CAMHS in Europe were assessed using multi-informant and standardized assessment tools. Logistic mixed models were fitted to assess the relationship between these characteristics and clinicians’ transition recommendations. Results: Young people with higher clinician-rated severity of psychopathology scores, with self- and parent-reported need for ongoing treatment, with lower everyday functional skills and without self-reported psychotic experiences were more likely to be recommended to continue treatment. Among those who had been recommended to continue treatment, young people who used psychotropic medication, who had been in CAMHS for more than a year, and for whom appropriate AMHS were available were more likely to be recommended to continue treatment at AMHS. Young people whose parents indicated a need for ongoing treatment were more likely to be recommended to stay in CAMHS. Conclusion: Although the decision regarding continuity of treatment was mostly determined by a small set of clinical characteristics, the recommendation to continue treatment at AMHS was mostly affected by service-use related characteristics, such as the availability of appropriate services

Cohort profile : demographic and clinical characteristics of the MILESTONE longitudinal cohort of young people approaching the upper age limit of their child mental health care service in Europe

Purpose: The presence of distinct child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS) impacts continuity of mental health treatment for young people. However, we do not know the extent of discontinuity of care in Europe nor the effects of discontinuity on the mental health of young people. Current research is limited, as the majority of existing studies are retrospective, based on small samples or used non-standardised information from medical records. The MILESTONE prospective cohort study aims to examine associations between service use, mental health and other outcomes over 24 months, using information from self, parent and clinician reports. Participants: Seven hundred sixty-three young people from 39 CAMHS in 8 European countries, their parents and CAMHS clinicians who completed interviews and online questionnaires and were followed up for 2 years after reaching the upper age limit of the CAMHS they receive treatment at. Findings to date: This cohort profile describes the baseline characteristics of the MILESTONE cohort. The mental health of young people reaching the upper age limit of their CAMHS varied greatly in type and severity: 32.8% of young people reported clinical levels of self-reported problems and 18.6% were rated to be ‘markedly ill’, ‘severely ill’ or ‘among the most extremely ill’ by their clinician. Fifty-seven per cent of young people reported psychotropic medication use in the previous half year. Future plans: Analysis of longitudinal data from the MILESTONE cohort will be used to assess relationships between the demographic and clinical characteristics of young people reaching the upper age limit of their CAMHS and the type of care the young person uses over the next 2 years, such as whether the young person transitions to AMHS. At 2 years follow-up, the mental health outcomes of young people following different care pathways will be compared. Trial registration number: NCT03013595

An Italian population-based study of the prevalence of olfactory impairment

The loss of sense of smell decreases quality of life and may contribute to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in the daily life, it would be important to recognize undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction in order to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown because of a lack of epidemiological studies. The aim of the present study is to present the current data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in an Italian sample to provide random, population-based data of olfactory dysfunction in adults, based on psychophysical testing and to relate dysfunction to age, sex, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve and depression level. A total of 703 participants (mean age: 50.6; SD: 19.5; range: 18-94) from eight different Italian regions took part in the study. The sample was stratified in proportion to sex and six age groups: 18-29 (N = 127); 30-39 (N = 115); 40-49 (N = 105), 50-59 (N = 115), 60-69 (N = 89); >70 (N = 152). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve and depression were assessed respectively with: “Sniffin’ Sticks” Identification Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, sociodemographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information was collected. About 38% of our sample presented olfactory impairments. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age, sex, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve and depressive symptoms explained a total of 28.5% of the variance in olfactory scores. Higher odor identification scores were associated with female sex, lower age, higher level of cognitive functioning, higher cognitive reserve but, surprisingly, more depressive symptoms

Title page Chronic duloxetine treatment normalizes altered BDNF expression in serotonin transporter knockout rats through the modulation of specific neurotrophin isoforms. Molecular Pharmacology Fast Forward. Running title page Running title: Duloxetine m

Abstract Dysfunction of the serotonergic system is implicated in the etiology of many psychiatric disorders, including major depression. Major vulnerability genes for mood disorders are also related to the serotonergic system: one of these genes encodes for the serotonin transporter (SERT), which represent a major target for the action of antidepressant drugs. We have recently demonstrated that SERT knockout (KO) rats, generated by ENU-induced mutagenesis, show reduced expression of the neurotrophin BDNF in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex suggesting that depression vulnerability can be associated with impaired neuronal plasticity. In the present study we demonstrate that chronic treatment with the antidepressant duloxetine (DLX) was able to normalize the expression of BDNF mRNA coding exon (IX) in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of SERT KO rats, through the modulation of selected neurotrophin transcripts, whose expression was up regulated by DLX only in SERT KO rats. Conversely, the modulation of BDNF protein by DLX in frontal cortex was abolished in mutant rats. In summary, these data suggest that animals with a genetic defect of the serotonin transporter maintain the ability to show neuroplastic changes in response to AD drugs. Since these animals show depression-like behavior, the region and isoform-specific increase of BDNF levels may be a mechanism activated by chronic antidepressant treatment to restore normal plasticity that is defective under genetic dysfunction of the serotonin transporter

Correlation between olfactory function, age, sex, and cognitive reserve index in the Italian population

Purpose Loss of smell decreases the quality of life and contributes to the failure in recognizing hazardous substances. Given the relevance of olfaction in daily life, it is important to recognize an undiagnosed olfactory dysfunction to prevent these possible complications. Up to now, the prevalence of smell disorders in Italy is unknown due to a lack of epidemiological studies. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in a sample of Italian adults. Methods Six hundred and thirty-three participants (347 woman and 286 men; mean age 44.9 years, SD 17.3, age range 18–86) were recruited from 10 distinct Italian regions. Participants were recruited using a convenience sapling and were divided into six diferent age groups: 18–29 years (N=157), 30–39 years (N=129), 40–49 years (N=99), 50–59 years (N=106),>60 years (N=142). Olfactory function, cognitive abilities, cognitive reserve, and depression were assessed, respectively, with: Snifn’ Sticks 16-item Odor Identifcation Test, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Cognitive Reserve Index, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Additionally, socio-demographic data, medical history, and health-related lifestyle information were collected. Results About 27% of participants showed an odor identifcation score<12 indicating hyposmia. Multiple regression analysis revealed that OI was signifcantly correlated with age, sex, and cognitive reserve index, and young women with high cognitive reserve index showing the highest olfactory scores. Conclusion This study provides data on the prevalence of olfactory dysfunction in diferent Italian region

"Delirium Day": A nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background: To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods: This is a point prevalence study (called "Delirium Day") including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium was assessed on the same day in all patients using the 4AT, a validated and briefly administered tool which does not require training. We also collected data regarding motoric subtypes of delirium, functional and nutritional status, dementia, comorbidity, medications, feeding tubes, peripheral venous and urinary catheters, and physical restraints. Results: The mean sample age was 82.0 ± 7.5 years (58 % female). Overall, 429 patients (22.9 %) had delirium. Hypoactive was the commonest subtype (132/344 patients, 38.5 %), followed by mixed, hyperactive, and nonmotoric delirium. The prevalence was highest in Neurology (28.5 %) and Geriatrics (24.7 %), lowest in Rehabilitation (14.0 %), and intermediate in Orthopedic (20.6 %) and Internal Medicine wards (21.4 %). In a multivariable logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.03, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.05), Activities of Daily Living dependence (OR 1.19, 95 % CI 1.12-1.27), dementia (OR 3.25, 95 % CI 2.41-4.38), malnutrition (OR 2.01, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), and use of antipsychotics (OR 2.03, 95 % CI 1.45-2.82), feeding tubes (OR 2.51, 95 % CI 1.11-5.66), peripheral venous catheters (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.06-1.87), urinary catheters (OR 1.73, 95 % CI 1.30-2.29), and physical restraints (OR 1.84, 95 % CI 1.40-2.40) were associated with delirium. Admission to Neurology wards was also associated with delirium (OR 2.00, 95 % CI 1.29-3.14), while admission to other settings was not. Conclusions: Delirium occurred in more than one out of five patients in acute and rehabilitation hospital wards. Prevalence was highest in Neurology and lowest in Rehabilitation divisions. The "Delirium Day" project might become a useful method to assess delirium across hospital settings and a benchmarking platform for future surveys