Peer victimization in Primary School. Gender difference

Purpose: The peer victimization is frequent phenomenon in the school. The aim of study was to investigate the gender distinction in the peer victimization, also considering the role that physical activity inside and outside school could have in this phenomenon. Methods: The study included 277 students (142 females; 134 males), between the ages of 8 and 10, attending the primary school. A questionnaire based on "Multi-dimensional Peer-Victimization Scale (MPVS)'' (Mynard et al., 2000), Italian version (Scarpa et al, 2010) and adapted to the age of the subjects, was given, to evaluate four areas of victimization (physical victimization, verbal victimization, social manipulation and attack on property). In addition, subjects were asked which physical activities they practiced in and out of school. Results: The results showed that the phenomenon victimization is present in a content way, and that males are more involved than females. Physical victimization falls more in the male gender (average value of 2±1.4 and 1.6±0.9 for the males and females, respectively), while the social manipulation in the women gender (average value of 1.9±1.2 and 1.7±1.1 for the females and males, respectively). The correlation between two or more macro-areas is there for the 74.32% of the cases and verbal victimization is the most widespread phenomenon in our sample (9.46%). The extra-school physical activity is performed by the majority of students (83.57%). Conclusions: The results confirm existing studies in the literature. The peer victimization includes not only being the obvious target of physical attacks but also includes more subtle forms of abuse, falling more in females behavior than in males

Electroactive Nanostructured Membranes (ENM): Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Redox Mediator-Modified Gold Nanoparticles Using a Dendrimer Layer-by-Layer Approach

The layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly process has become an important tool in the fabrication of nanostructured devices for electrochemical applications, especially in those cases where control at the molecular level is required. In this paper we present a system based on electroactive nanostructured membranes (ENM) with ITO-PVS/PAMAM-Au LbL electrodes, in which a redox mediator (Me) is electrodeposited around the Au nanoparticles to form an ITO-PVS/PAMAM-Au@Me system. The redox mediators used were Co, Fe, Ni and Cu hexacyanoferrates. The 3-bilayer ITO-PVS/PAMAM-Au@Me system was characterized electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. All hexacyanoferrate modified electrodes showed electrocatalytic activity towards hydrogen peroxide, thus demonstrating that this new approach can be used in biosensors and nanodevices, where a redox mediator is required

The Discriminant of an Algebraic Torus

For a torus T defined over a global field K, we revisit an analytic class number formula obtained by Shyr in the 1970's as a generalization of Dirichlet's class number formula. We prove a local-global presentation of the quasi-discriminant of T, which enters into this formula, in terms of cocharacters of T. This presentation can serve as a more natural definition of this invariant.Comment: 17 page

Molecular testing for the clinical diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma.

Fibrolamellar carcinoma has a distinctive morphology and immunophenotype, including cytokeratin 7 and CD68 co-expression. Despite the distinct findings, accurate diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma continues to be a challenge. Recently, fibrolamellar carcinomas were found to harbor a characteristic somatic gene fusion, DNAJB1-PRKACA. A break-apart fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was designed to detect this fusion event and to examine its diagnostic performance in a large, multicenter, multinational study. Cases initially classified as fibrolamellar carcinoma based on histological features were reviewed from 124 patients. Upon central review, 104 of the 124 cases were classified histologically as typical of fibrolamellar carcinoma, 12 cases as 'possible fibrolamellar carcinoma' and 8 cases as 'unlikely to be fibrolamellar carcinoma'. PRKACA FISH was positive for rearrangement in 102 of 103 (99%) typical fibrolamellar carcinomas, 9 of 12 'possible fibrolamellar carcinomas' and 0 of 8 cases 'unlikely to be fibrolamellar carcinomas'. Within the morphologically typical group of fibrolamellar carcinomas, two tumors with unusual FISH patterns were also identified. Both cases had the fusion gene DNAJB1-PRKACA, but one also had amplification of the fusion gene and one had heterozygous deletion of the normal PRKACA locus. In addition, 88 conventional hepatocellular carcinomas were evaluated with PRKACA FISH and all were negative. These findings demonstrate that FISH for the PRKACA rearrangement is a clinically useful tool to confirm the diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma, with high sensitivity and specificity. A diagnosis of fibrolamellar carcinoma is more accurate when based on morphology plus confirmatory testing than when based on morphology alone

Effect of peri-implant mucosal thickness on esthetic outcomes and the efficacy of soft tissue augmentation procedures: Consensus report of group 2 of the SEPA/DGI/OF workshop

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the literature in terms of the effect of peri‐implant mucosal thickness on esthetic outcomes and the efficacy of soft tissue augmentation procedures to increase the mucosal thickness with autogenous grafts or soft tissue substitutes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two systematic reviews (SR) were performed prior to the consensus meeting to assess the following questions. Review 1, focused question: In systemically healthy patients with an implant‐supported fixed prosthesis, what is the influence of thin as compared to thick peri‐implant mucosa on esthetic outcomes? Review 2, focused question 1: In systemically healthy humans with at least one dental implant (immediate or staged implant), what is the efficacy of connective tissue graft (CTG), as compared to absence of a soft tissue grafting procedure, in terms of gain in peri‐implant soft tissue thickness (STT) reported by randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials (CCTs)? Review 2, focused question 2: In systemically healthy humans with at least one dental implant (immediate or staged implant), what is the efficacy of CTG, as compared to soft tissue substitutes, in terms of gain in peri‐implant STT reported by RCTs or CCTs? The outcomes of the two SRs, the consensus statements, the clinical implications, and the research recommendations were discussed and subsequently approved at the consensus meeting during the group and plenary sessions. CONCLUSIONS: There was a tendency of superior esthetic outcomes in the presence of a thick mucosa. The connective tissue graft remains the standard of care in terms of increasing mucosa thickness

Pseudo-single crystal electrochemistry on polycrystalline electrodes : visualizing activity at grains and grain boundaries on platinum for the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox reaction

The influence of electrode surface structure on electrochemical reaction rates and mechanisms is a major theme in electrochemical research, especially as electrodes with inherent structural heterogeneities are used ubiquitously. Yet, probing local electrochemistry and surface structure at complex surfaces is challenging. In this paper, high spatial resolution scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) complemented with electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is demonstrated as a means of performing ‘pseudo-single-crystal’ electrochemical measurements at individual grains of a polycrystalline platinum electrode, while also allowing grain boundaries to be probed. Using the Fe2+/3+ couple as an illustrative case, a strong correlation is found between local surface structure and electrochemical activity. Variations in electrochemical activity for individual high index grains, visualized in a weakly adsorbing perchlorate medium, show that there is higher activity on grains with a significant (101) orientation contribution, compared to those with (001) and (111) contribution, consistent with findings on single-crystal electrodes. Interestingly, for Fe2+ oxidation in a sulfate medium a different pattern of activity emerges. Here, SECCM reveals only minor variations in activity between individual grains, again consistent with single-crystal studies, with a greatly enhanced activity at grain boundaries. This suggests that these sites may contribute significantly to the overall electrochemical behavior measured on the macroscale

Patient-Reported Burden of Severe Alopecia Areata: First Results from the Multinational Alopecia Areata Unmet Need Survey

Anthony Bewley,1 Ignasi Figueras-Nart,2 Jainzhong Zhang,3 Mariana Guerreiro,4 Nicole Tietz,4 Sami Chtourou,4 Frederick Durand,4 Ulrike Blume-Peytavi5 1Department of Dermatology, The Royal London Hospital & Queen Mary University, London, UK; 2Department of Dermatology, University Hospital de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain; 3Department of Dermatology, Peking University People’s Hospital, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 4Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 5Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Berlin, GermanyCorrespondence: Anthony Bewley, Department of Dermatology, The Royal London Hospital & Queen Mary University, London, UK, Tel +44 020 7767 3200, Email [email protected]: Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by hair loss that has significant psychosocial implications. This study aims to describe the patient-reported burden of severe AA, coping mechanism and information needs using data from the multinational AA Patient Satisfaction and Unmet Need Survey.Patients and Methods: Participants with current or previous ≥ 50% scalp hair loss (n = 747) were recruited from 11 countries and completed a web-based survey that assessed demographics, clinical characteristics, disease burden and psychosocial impact. Data were stratified according to sex, current age, disease duration and current severity of scalp hair loss.Results: The mean (SD) age of participants was 43.8 (7.1) years, 55.3% were women, and 63.5% reported AA symptoms within 6 months of diagnosis. Most participants had black or brown hair (88.4%), reported a disease duration of 2 years or more (75.6%) and had current scalp hair loss of ≥ 50% (87.4%). Severe hair loss also extended to eyebrow (46.9%), eyelash (48.7), beard (61.5%) and body hair (73.2%). Participants commonly reported comorbidities such as anxiety (26.1%), depression (18.1%) and sleep problems (28.1%). The Dermatology Life Quality Index revealed a severe impact on quality of life; 86.2% of participants scored > 10. Mental health/mood was significantly affected; 55.8% of participants reported a substantial impact. Long-term effects included decreased self-esteem (32.9%), poor mental health (28.1%) and challenges in day-to-day activities (27.2%). Information needs were centered around treatment expectations, mental health, and available treatment options. More severe symptoms and a greater daily impact were reported by women and those with a longer disease duration.Conclusion: The study emphasizes the substantial burden, including impaired quality of life and psychological well-being, of severe AA on the lives of surveyed participants. The findings highlight the importance of comprehensive disease management strategies that address both physical and psychosocial aspects of AA.Plain language summary: Alopecia areata (AA) is a disease that results in hair loss and can greatly affect quality of life and well-being. The authors wanted to understand how this condition affects people’s lives and what they need to cope with it. A survey was completed by adults from 11 different countries who had current or past severe AA. The participants were asked about their demographics, their experiences with the condition and how it impacted their daily lives. The results showed that AA has a severe impact on their quality of life, including their mental health and daily activities. Participants also experienced decreased self-esteem and faced challenges in their relationships and daily routines, and many reported feeling anxious, depressed, and having trouble sleeping. Participants found different ways to cope with their condition and expressed a need for realistic expectations about treatment results, information about mental health, and treatment options. The study also found that women and those with a longer duration of AA tended to have more severe symptoms and the impact on their lives was greater. Overall, this study shows that current or previous episodes of severe AA had a significant impact on people’s lives, including their mental health and daily activities. It emphasizes the need for information about the condition and treatment options with realistic expectations. The findings help to better understand the experiences of people with AA and may aid the provision of appropriate support and information.Keywords: burden of disease, quality of life, disease managemen

X-ray emission from the Sombrero galaxy: discrete sources

We present a study of discrete X-ray sources in and around the bulge-dominated, massive Sa galaxy, Sombrero (M104), based on new and archival Chandra observations with a total exposure of ~200 ks. With a detection limit of L_X = 1E37 erg/s and a field of view covering a galactocentric radius of ~30 kpc (11.5 arcminute), 383 sources are detected. Cross-correlation with Spitler et al.'s catalogue of Sombrero globular clusters (GCs) identified from HST/ACS observations reveals 41 X-rays sources in GCs, presumably low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs). We quantify the differential luminosity functions (LFs) for both the detected GC and field LMXBs, whose power-low indices (~1.1 for the GC-LF and ~1.6 for field-LF) are consistent with previous studies for elliptical galaxies. With precise sky positions of the GCs without a detected X-ray source, we further quantify, through a fluctuation analysis, the GC LF at fainter luminosities down to 1E35 erg/s. The derived index rules out a faint-end slope flatter than 1.1 at a 2 sigma significance, contrary to recent findings in several elliptical galaxies and the bulge of M31. On the other hand, the 2-6 keV unresolved emission places a tight constraint on the field LF, implying a flattened index of ~1.0 below 1E37 erg/s. We also detect 101 sources in the halo of Sombrero. The presence of these sources cannot be interpreted as galactic LMXBs whose spatial distribution empirically follows the starlight. Their number is also higher than the expected number of cosmic AGNs (52+/-11 [1 sigma]) whose surface density is constrained by deep X-ray surveys. We suggest that either the cosmic X-ray background is unusually high in the direction of Sombrero, or a distinct population of X-ray sources is present in the halo of Sombrero.Comment: 11 figures, 5 tables, ApJ in pres

Complete response for advanced liver cancer during sorafenib therapy: Case Report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common neoplasia in the world. In the past, treatment of advanced HCC with conventional antineoplastic drugs did not result in satisfactory outcomes: recently, in this patient population the oral multikinase inhibitor sorafenib has been able to induce a statistically significant improvement of overall survival. Similarly to other anti-angiogenic drugs employed in other tumour types, also sorafenib seldom induces the dimensional tumour shrinking usually observed with conventional cytotoxic drugs: data gathered from studies carried out with sorafenib and other competitors under development do not report any complete response in HCV-induced HCC.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>An 84-year old man with a long-lasting history of chronic HCV hepatitis was referred to our Institution for an ultrasonography investigation of a focal hepatic lesion. To better characterize the liver disease and clearly define the diagnosis of the focal hepatic lesion, the patient was hospitalized in our department. Laboratory and instrumental investigations confirmed the clinical picture of HCV-related liver cirrhosis and identified a hepatic lesion of about 6 cm featuring infiltrating HCC with thrombosis of the portal trunk. Due to the advanced stage of the disease, therapy with sorafenib 400 mg bid was started. Right from one month after the treatment was started, a reduction of alpha-fetoprotein level was observed which, by the third month, turned down within the normal limits. In addition the CT scan showed 50% reduction of the neoplastic lesion along with canalization of the portal trunk. At the sixth month the normalization of the alpha-fetoprotein level at the lower limit of normality was confirmed and the MRI showed complete disappearance of the neoplasia. In addition a reduction of a metallo-proteinase serum level was obserdved. At the twelfth month a further MRI confirmed complete response had been maintained. At present the patient is in a follow-up program to evaluate the duration of the complete response.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This case is worth mentioning since, to the best of our knowledge, it represents the first evidence of complete response to sorafenib in an elderly patient with advanced HCV-related HCC.</p