Spatial language in spoken Italian dialogues. A cognitive linguistics perspectives

La tesi studia le costruzioni in italiano parlato relative agli eventi di movimento introdotti ed elaborati da Talmy (1985, 2000). Il primo capitolo tratta la teoria dell’evento di movimento ed i vari sistemi di reperimento spaziale quali ad esempio il FRAME OF REFERENCE di Levinson (1996, 2003). Il secondo capitolo analizza i problemi teorici relativi alle costruzioni in italiano, cercando di chiarire la nozione di satellite. Il terzo capitolo illustra il corpus utilizzato: il map task corpus e un corpus di indicazioni stradali e il loro trattamento computazionale. Il quarto capitolo fornisce un’analisi qualitativa; si propongono nuove categorie di classificazione a livello sintattico-lessicale e a livello di semantica cognitiva. Il quinto capitolo fornisce un’analisi statistica: per misurare la ricchezza lessicale è stata usata la formula della frequenza media e della deviazione standard. Le conclusioni: aver trovato un continuum che va da verbi più specifici a verbi meno specifici

In vitro activity of ceftazidime/avibactam alone and in combination with fosfomycin and carbapenems against KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae

KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumonia (KPC-Kp) represents a major therapeutic challenge in critically ill patients. Ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI) is a new effective drug against KPC-Kp but, due to emerging resistant strains during monotherapy, the association with a second antibiotic has been advocated. Therefore, intravenous fosfomycin may be a possible choice for combination therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro susceptibility of CAZ-AVI alone and in combination with fosfomycin and carbapenems against KPC-Kp clinical isolates by E-test method. The combination of CAZ-AVI with carbapenems showed synergistic activity, whereas with fosfomycin showed addictive activity, suggesting that fosfomycin may be a carbapenem-sparing strategy in antimicrobial stewardship programs

Cerebellar haemorrhages and pons development in extremely low birth weight infants.

UNLABELLED Neuropathological and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) studies showed a high frequency of posterior fossa abnormalities in preterms. To assess whether cerebellar haemorrhages (CH) diagnosed with ultrasound and/or MRI affect pons development in ELBW infants. The anteroposterior diameter of the pons was measured manually on the midline sagittal T1 MR image in 75 ELBW babies consecutively scanned at term postmenstrual age. Subjects with CH were identified and compared to babies with no posterior fossa bleeding. Nine ELBW infants with CH (CH-Group: median gestational age -GA- 26 wks, range 23-27; birth weight -BW- 680 g, 425-980) were compared with 66 babies with normal cerebellum (Control-Group: GA 28 wks, 23-33; BW 815 g, 430-1000). The two groups were comparable for BW (p=0.088) while GA was significantly shorter in CH babies (p=0.005). The pontine diameter was significantly lower in CH-Group compared to Control-Group (12.8 +/- 2.2 vs 14.8 +/- 1.2 mm; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Cerebellar haemorrhages seem to affect the development of the pons in ELBW with the youngest GA

New Psychoactive Substances and Suicidality: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature

Submitted 23 April 2021. Minor revisions requested 31 May 2021. Revisions submitted 3 June 2021. Accepted 3 June 2021. Epub 6 June 2021.Background and Objectives: Over the past twenty years a large number of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) has entered and modified the recreational drug scene. Their intake has been associated with health-related risks, and especially so for vulnerable populations such as people with severe mental illness, who might be at higher risk of suicidality or self- injurious behaviour. This paper aims at providing an overview of NPS abuse and effects on mental health and suicidality issues, performing a literature review of the current related knowledge, thereby identifying substances that more than others are linked to suicidal behaviours. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive and updated overview of the literature regarding suicidality and NPS categories has been provided. An electronic search was performed, including all papers published up to March 2021, using the following keywords "NPS" OR "new psychoactive substances" OR "novel psychoactive substances" OR "synthetic cannabinoids" OR "phenethylamines" OR "synthetic cathinones" OR “tryptamines” OR “piperazines” OR “new synthetic opioids” OR “designer benzodiazepines”) AND ("suicide" OR "suicidality") NOT review NOT animal on the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science online databases. Results: Suicidality and self-injurious behaviour appear to be frequently associated with some NPS such as cathinones, synthetic cannabinoids, and new synthetic opioids. Results are organised according to substances recorded. Conclusion: The growing use of NPS has become a significant clinical issue, posing increasing concern and challenges for clinicians working in both mental health and emergency departments. Thus, considering the associations between NPS and suicidality or self-injurious behaviours, areas where suicide-prevention efforts and strategies might be focused are the early detection, monitoring and restriction of NPS.Peer reviewe

Focus on Over-the-Counter Drugs' Misuse: A Systematic Review on Antihistamines, Cough Medicines, and Decongestants

© 2021 Schifano, Chiappini, Miuli, Mosca, Santovito, Corkery, Guirguis, Pettorruso, Di Giannantonio and Martinotti. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Background: Over the past 20 years or so the drug misuse scenario has seen the emergence of both prescription-only and over-the-counter (OTC) medications being reported as ingested for recreational purposes. OTC drugs such as antihistamines, cough/cold medications and decongestants, are reportedly the most popular in being diverted and misused. Objective: Whilst the current related knowledge is limited, the aim was here to examine the published clinical data on OTC misuse, focusing on: antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine, promethazine, chlorpheniramine, and dimenhydrinate); dextromethorphan (DXM)- and codeine-based cough medicines; and the nasal decongestant pseudoephedrine. Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out with the help of Scopus; Web of Science databases; and the related grey literature. For data gathering purposes, both the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and PROSPERO guidelines were followed (PROSPERO identification code CRD42020209261). Results: After completion of the selection, eligibility and screening phases, some 92 articles were here taken into consideration; case reports, surveys, and retrospective case series analyses were included. Findings were organised according to the specific OTC recorded. Most articles focussed here on DXM (n=54) and diphenhydramine (n=12). When specified, dosages, route(s) of administration, toxicity symptoms (including both physical and psychiatric ones), and outcomes were here reported. Conclusion: Results from the systematic review showed that the OTC misusing issues are both widespread worldwide and popular; vulnerable categories include adolescents and young adults, although real prevalence figures remain unknown, due to a lack of appropriate monitoring systems. Considering the potential, and at times serious, adverse effects associated with OTC misusing issues, healthcare professionals should be vigilant and ad hoc preventative actions should be designed and implemented.Peer reviewe

Iatrogenic Anetoderma of Prematurity: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Anetoderma is a skin disorder characterized by focal loss of elastic tissue in the mid dermis, resulting in localized areas of macular depressions or pouchlike herniations of skin. An iatrogenic form of anetoderma has been rarely described in extremely premature infants and has been related to the placement of monitoring devices on the patient skin. Because of the increasing survival of extremely premature infants, it is easy to foresee that the prevalence of anetoderma of prematurity will increase in the next future. Although it is a benign lesion, it persists over time and can lead to significant aesthetic damage with need for surgical correction. Sometimes the diagnosis can be difficult, especially when the atrophic lesions become evident after discharge. Here, we report on a premature infant born at 24 weeks of gestation, who developed multiple anetodermic patches of skin on the trunk at the sites where electrocardiographic electrodes were previously applied. The knowledge of the disease can encourage a more careful management of the skin of extremely premature babies and aid the physicians to diagnose the disease when anetoderma patches are first encountered later in childhood

The gender specific frequency of risk factor and CHD diagnoses prior to incident MI: A community study

BACKGROUND: CHD is a chronic disease often present years prior to incident AMI. Earlier recognition of CHD may be associated with higher levels of recognition and treatment of CHD risk factors that may delay incident AMI. To assess timing of CHD and CHD risk factor diagnoses prior to incident AMI. METHODS: This is a 10-year population based medical record review study that included all medical care providers in Olmsted County, Minnesota for all women and a sample of men residing in Olmsted County, MN with confirmed incident AMI between 1995 and 2000. RESULTS: All medical care for the 10 years prior to incident AMI was reviewed for 150 women and 148 men (38% sample) in Olmsted County, MN. On average, women were older than men at the time of incident AMI (74.7 versus 65.9 years, p < 0.0001). 30.4% of the men and 52.0% of the women received diagnoses of CHD prior to incident AMI (p = 0.0002). Unrecognized and untreated CHD risk factors were present in both men (45% of men 5 years prior to AMI) and women (22% of women 5 years prior to first AMI), more common in men and those without a diagnosis of CHD prior to incident AMI (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: A CHD diagnosis prior to incident AMI is associated with higher rates of recognition and treatment of CHD risk factors suggesting that diagnosing CHD prior to AMI enhances opportunities to lower the risk of future CHD events

Off-label use of rituximab for systemic lupus erythematosus in Europe

Objectives: Rituximab (RTX) is a biological treatment used off-label in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This survey aimed to investigate the off-label use of RTX in Europe and compare the characteristics of patients receiving RTX with those receiving conventional therapy. Methods: Data on patients with SLE receiving RTX were taken from the International Registry for Biologics in SLE retrospective registry and complemented with data on patients with SLE treated with conventional therapy. For nationwide estimates of RTX use in patients with SLE, investigators were asked to provide data through case report forms (CRFs). Countries for which no data were submitted through CRFs, published literature and/or personal communication were used, and for European countries where no data were available, estimates were made on the assumption of similarities with neighbouring countries. Results: The estimated off-label use of RTX in Europe was 0.5%-1.5% of all patients with SLE. In comparison with patients with SLE on conventional therapy, patients treated with RTX had longer disease duration, higher disease activity and were more often treated with immunosuppressives. The most frequent organ manifestations for which either RTX or conventional therapy was initiated were lupus nephritis followed by musculoskeletal and haematological. The reason for treatment was, besides disease control, corticosteroid-sparing for patients treated with conventional therapy. Conclusions: RTX use for SLE in Europe is restrictive and appears to be used as a last resort in patients for whom other reasonable options have been exhausted

Off-label use of rituximab for systemic lupus erythematosus in Europe

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