Italian validation of CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index and preliminary data in a sample of general population [Validazione italiana del CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index e dati preliminari in un campione di popolazione generale]

Introduzione. Il distress peritraumatico è un importante predittore del disturbo da stress post-traumatico e sebbene per la sua misurazione siano disponibili diversi questionari, nessuno di questi è specifico per CoViD-19. Il CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI), recentemente sviluppato in Cina, si caratterizza come strumento di rapida compilazione (10 minuti), facilmente comprensibile e apprezzato dalle persone. Scopo. Obiettivi di questo studio sono stati: 1) la validazione della versione italiana del CPDI e 2) la misura della prevalenza di stress peritraumatico in questa fase CoViD-19. Metodi. Per la traduzione del CPDI è stata utilizzata la procedura standard della forward-backward translation.Il questionario è stato poi somministrato online a 329 persone (191 di genere femminile e 137 di genere maschile, età media=46,49±13,58 anni). Il CPDI ha mostrato una coerenza interna, misurata con l’alpha di Cronbach, pari a 0,916. La validità del contenuto è stata giudicata soddisfacente da due psicologhe esperte di stress e trauma. La validità del costrutto è data dall’elevata correlazione con le dimensioni di Intrusione, Evitamento e Iperarousal come misurate dall’Impact of Event Scale-Revised (r=0,63, r=0,57, r=0,71, rispettivamente). Risultati. I risultati emersi dal nostro studio sono paragonabili a quelli cinesi. Un terzo delle persone ha manifestato sintomi di distress peritraumatico lieve/moderato e grave. Le femmine hanno punteggi più elevati dei maschi. Le persone anziane sono più resistenti di quelle più giovani, così come quelle che sono state in quarantena rispetto a quelle che non ci sono state. Dal modello di regressione logistica multivariata emerge che punteggi maggiori di distress sono associati a uso di psicofarmaci (AOR=4,28; IC 95%=1,55-11,85), utilizzo di rimedi per dormire (AOR=4,05;IC 95%=2,07-7,94), preoccuparsi di morire in caso di contagio CoViD-19 (AOR=3,33;IC 95%=1,83- 6,06), genere femminile (AOR=2,95; IC 95%=1,58-5,53), credo religioso (AOR=1,97; IC 95%=1,05-3,70). Avere un’età dai 51 ai 71 anni, essere stati in quarantena e aver ricevuto supporto psicologico sono variabili risultate associate a bassi punteggi di distress. Conclusioni. Le caratteristiche psicometriche della versione italiana sono risultate soddisfacenti e confermano che il CPDI è uno strumento veloce, non invasivo, che può essere somministrato online e quindi “sicuro” in una fase ad alto rischio di contagio. Permette, come una termografia psichica, di rilevare rapidamente i bisogni della popolazione e proporre interventi altrettanto rapidi.Introduction. Peritraumatic distress is an important predictor of post-traumatic stress disorder and although several questionnaires are available for its measurement, none of these are specific to CoViD-19. The new CoViD-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI), developed in China, is characterized as a rapid compilation tool (10 minutes), easily understandable and appreciated by people. Aim. The objectives of this study were: (1) the validation of the Italian version of the CPDI, and (2) the measurement of the prevalence of peritraumatic distress in this phase 1 CoViD-19. Method. CPDI has been translated using a standard forward-backward-translation procedure and offered online to 329 people (191 females and 137 males, aged 46.49 ± 13.58 years). The CPDI showed an internal-consistency of Cronbach’s α=0.916. Content validity was judged satisfactory by two psychologists experienced in stress and trauma. The construct validity is given by the high correlation with the dimensions of Intrusion, Avoidance and Hyperarousal as measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (r=0.63, r=0.57, r=0.71, respectively). Results. Our results are comparable to the Chinese ones. A third of people experienced symptoms of mild/moderate and severe peritraumatic distress. Females have higher scores, compared to males. Older people are more resilient, compared to younger, and those who have been in quarantine report less distress than those didn’t, as evidenced by the results of the multivariate logistic regression model. High distress was associated with use of psychotropic drugs (AOR=4.28; 95% CI=1.55-11.85), sleeping remedies (AOR=4.05; 95% CI=2.07-7.94), be worried about dying in case of contagion CoViD-19 (AOR=3.33; 95% CI=1.83-6.06), female gender (AOR=2.95; 95% CI=1.58-5.53) and have a religious belief (AOR=1.97; 95% CI=1.05-3.70). To be aged 51-71 years, to have been in quarantine and to have received psychological support were variables associated with lower distress scores. Conclusions. The psychometric properties of the Italian version are satisfactory and confirm that CPDI is a tool fast, non-intrusive, administered online, and therefore ‘safe’ in a phase with a high risk of contagion. It allows, like a psychic thermoscan, to quickly detect the needs of the population and propose equally rapid interventions

Comparison between adult and foetal adnexa derived equine post-natal mesenchymal stem cells

Background Little is known about the differences among adult and foetal equine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and no data exist about their comparative ultrastructural morphology. The aim of this study was to describe and compare characteristics, immune properties, and ultrastructural morphology of equine adult (bone marrow: BM, and adipose tissue: AT) and foetal adnexa derived (umbilical cord blood: UCB, and Wharton's jelly: WJ) MSCs. Results No differences were observed in proliferation during the first 3 passages. While migration ability was similar among cells, foetal MSCs showed a higher adhesion ability, forming smaller spheroids after hanging drop culture (P < 0.05). All MSCs differentiated toward adipogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages, only tenogenic differentiation was less evident for WJ-MSCs. Data obtained by PCR confirmed MHC1 expression and lack of MHC2 expression in all four cell types. Foetal adnexa MSCs were positive for genes specific for anti-inflammatory and angiogenic factors (IL6, IL8, IL beta 1) and WJ-MSCs were the only positive for OCT4 pluripotency gene. At immunofluorescence all cells expressed typical mesenchymal markers (alpha-SMA, N-cadherin), except for BM-MSCs, which did not express N-cadherin. By transmission electron microscopy, it was observed that WJ-MSCs had a higher (P < 0.05) number of microvesicles compared to adult MSCs, and UCB-MSCs showed more microvesicles than BM-MSCs (P < 0.05). AT-MSCs had a lower number of mitochondria than WJ-MSCs (P < 0.05), and mitochondrial area was higher for WJ-MSCs compared to UCB and AT-MSCs (P < 0.05). Conclusions Results demonstrate that MSCs from adult and foetal tissues have different characteristics, and foetal MSCs, particularly WJ derived ones, seem to have some charactestics that warrant further investigation into potential advantages for clinical application

Surface effects on the Mott-Hubbard transition in archetypal V2_2O3_3

We present an experimental and theoretical study exploring surface effects on the evolution of the metal-insulator transition in the model Mott-Hubbard compound Cr-doped V$_2$O$_3$. We find a microscopic domain formation that is clearly affected by the surface crystallographic orientation. Using scanning photoelectron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, we find that surface defects act as nucleation centers for the formation of domains at the temperature-induced isostructural transition and favor the formation of microscopic metallic regions. A density functional theory plus dynamical mean field theory study of different surface terminations shows that the surface reconstruction with excess vanadyl cations leads to doped, and hence more metallic surface states, explaining our experimental observations.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Cellular senescence in vascular wall mesenchymal stromal cells, a possible contribution to the development of aortic aneurysm

Cellular senescence is a hallmark of ageing and it plays a key role in the development of age-related diseases. Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an age related degenerative vascular disorder, characterized by a progressive dilatation of the vascular wall and high risk of rupture over time. Nowadays, no pharmacological therapies are available and the understanding of the molecular mechanisms that lead to AAA onset and development are poorly defined. In this study we investigated the cellular features of senescence in vascular mesenchymal stromal cells, isolated from pathological (AAA – MSCs) and healthy (h – MSCs) segments of human abdominal aorta and their implication in impairing the vascular repair ability of MSCs. Cell proliferation, ROS production, cell surface area, the expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors p21CIP1 and p16INK4a, the activation of the DNA damage response and a dysregulated autophagy showed a senescent state in AAA - MSCs compared to h-MSCs. Moreover, a reduced ability to differentiate toward endothelial cells was observed in AAA – MSCs. All these data suggest that the accumulation of senescent vascular MSCs over time impairs their remodeling ability during ageing. This condition could support the onset and development of AAA

Ultrastructural Patterns of Cell Damage and Death Following Gamma Radiation Exposure of Murine Erythroleukemia Cells

Radiation causes damage to cell surface membranes, cytoplasmic organelles, and the nuclear process of DNA synthesis and repair, and this eventually results in different modes of cell death. In this study we examined murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells, exposed to 15 and 60 Gy of 10 MeV photonic energy, and left in culture for up to 96 hours. Electron microscopical analysis was performed on conventionally embedded samples and freeze-fracture replicas, in order to detect ultrastructural patterns of cell damage and death. Of interest was the observation of chromatin condensates, nuclear membrane associations and nuclear pore redistribution during early apoptosis. Pronounced rearrangements of transmembrane particles during late stages of cellular necrosis were also found. The morphological damage induced by both doses of radiation as a function of time after exposure was only quantitatively but not qualitatively different

Seismic preprocessing and amplitude cross-calibration for a time-lapse amplitude study on seismic data from the Oseberg reservoir

The cross-calibration of different vintage data is an important prerequisite in attempting to determine the time-lapse seismic effects induced by hydrocarbon production in a reservoir. This paper reports the preprocessing and cross-calibration procedures adopted to modify the data of four seismic vintages (1982, 1989, 1992 and 1999) from the Oseberg field in the North Sea, for optimal conditions for a time-lapse seismic amplitude analysis. The final results, in terms of time-lapse variations, of acoustic impedance and of amplitude-versus-offset, are illustrated for selected data sets. The application of preprocessing to each individual vintage data set reduces the effects of the different acquisition and noise conditions, and leads to consistency in the amplitude response of the four vintages. This consistency facilitates the final amplitude cross-calibration that is carried out using, as reference, the Cretaceous horizon reflections above the Brent reservoir. Such cross-calibration can be considered as vintage-consistent residual amplitude correction. Acoustic impedance sections, intercept and gradie nt amplitude-versus-offset attributes and coherent amplitude-versus-offset estimates are computed on the final cross-calibrated data. The results, shown for three spatially coincident 2D lines selected from the 1982, 1989 and 1999 data sets, clearly indicate gas-cap expansion resulting from oil production. Such expansion is manifested as a decrease in acoustic impedance and a modification of the amplitude-versus-offset trends in the apical part of the reservoir

Roseate spoonbill reproduction as an indicator for restoration of the Everglades and the Everglades estuaries

Ecological monitoring is key to successful ecosystem restoration. Because all components within an ecosystem cannot be monitored, it is important to select indicators that are representative of the system, integrate system responses, clearly respond to system change, can be effectively and efficiently monitored, and are easily communicated. The roseate spoonbill is one ecological indicator species that meets these criteria within the Everglades ecosystem. Monitoring of roseate spoonbills in Florida Bay over the past 70 years has shown that aspects of this species’ reproduction respond to changes in hydrology and corresponding changes in prey abundance and availability. This indicator uses nesting location, nest numbers and nesting success in response to food abundance and availability. In turn, prey abundance is a function of hydrological conditions (especially water depth) and salinity. Metrics and targets for these performance measures were established based on previous findings. Values of each metric were translated into indices and identified as stoplight colors with green indicating that a given target has been met, yellow indicating that conditions are below the target, but within an acceptable range of it, and red indicating the measure is performing poorly in relation to the target