Differences of cultural capitol among students in transition to university some first survey evidences

The role played by ‘Cultural Capital’ is crucial in shaping students’ decisions with respect to the school university transition. This work is based on an ad hoc survey carried out on a sample of students enrolled in 2006 in the University of Cagliari. The ‘cultural capital’ is a latent variable which students are supposed to possess at a greater or lesser degree. It has been here operationalized in four sub-components: (i) built-up by activities made by students themselves; (ii) built up by activities made by students’ parents; (iii) transmitted by students’ parents; (iv) built-up by formal education experiences. Each sub-component has been evaluated via students’ responses to a battery of items in a questionnaire. Latent Class Analysis has been adopted in order to provide non arbitrary scaling of some of the sub-components and to sort out mutually exclusive classes of students, characterized by a different intensity of the latent variable. Moreover, Item Response Models have been used to assess the calibration of the questionnaire as an instrument to measure the cultural capital of the targeted population

Volumetric analysis of carotid plaque components and cerebral microbleeds: a correlative study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work was to explore the association between carotid plaque volume (total and the subcomponents) and cerebral microbleeds (CMBs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-two consecutive (male 53; median age 64) patients were retrospectively analyzed. Carotid arteries were studied by using a 16-detector-row computed tomography scanner whereas brain was explored with a 1.5 Tesla system. CMBs were studied using a T2*-weighted gradient-recalled echo sequence. CMBs were classified as from absent (grade 1) to severe (grade 4). Component types of the carotid plaque were defined according to the following Hounsfield unit (HU) ranges: lipid less than 60 HU; fibrous tissue from 60 to 130 HU; calcification greater than 130 HU, and plaque volumes of each component were calculated. Each carotid artery was analyzed by 2 observers. RESULTS: The prevalence of CMBs was 35.3%. A statistically significant difference was observed between symptomatic (40%) and asymptomatic (11%) patients (P value = .001; OR = 6.07). Linear regression analysis demonstrated an association between the number of CMBs and the symptoms (P = .0018). Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis found an association between the carotid plaque subcomponents and CMBs (Az = .608, .621, and .615 for calcified, lipid, and mixed components, respectively), and Mann-Whitney test confirmed this association in particular for the lipid components (P value = .0267). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study confirm the association between CMBs and symptoms and that there is an increased number of CMBs in symptomatic patients. Moreover, we found that an increased volume of the fatty component is associated with the presence and number of CMBs

Effects of exercise on balance in patients with non-specific low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: Non-specific low back pain (NS-LBP) is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions related to medical expenses and disability. Evidence suggests that changes in motion patterns could induce trunk instability and impaired postural control. Therefore, this systematic review investigated the effects of exercise on balance in patients with NS-LBP. Evidence acquisition: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Findings were reported following the 2020 PRISMA statement and the main databases were searched for RCTs. Studies were independently screened through a standardized form and their internal validity assessed by using the Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool. Pooled effects were calculated at post-treatment and quality of evidence was assessed through the GRADE framework. Evidence synthesis: Twelve articles were included in the review, eight in the meta-analysis. None of the studies were judged at low RoB. There is very low quality evidence that exercise is effective in reducing Centre of Pressure (CoP) displacement [-16.99 (-27.29, -6.68); p=0.001] and in improving single-leg stance test performance [-28.7 (-48.84, -8.67); p=0.005] and dynamic balance [-4.74 (-8.02, -1.46); p=0.005]. Conversely, no significant results were observed in "ellipse area" and in "limits of stability" indexes. Other results were summarized in a qualitative synthesis. Conclusions: Exercise could be effective in improving both static and dynamic balance in patients with NS-LBP over a short-term period. However, quality of evidence was estimated as very low, hence further double-blinded, high-quality RCTs are needed to address clinical practice and research

Analysis of Thunderstorms Producing Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes With the Meteosat Second Generation

Up to now, only few works focused on the meteorological context leading to the production of Terrestrial Gamma ray Flashes (TGFs). In this study, we carry out, for the first time, an analysis on large scale of the meteorological scenario linked to 278 TGFs detected by RHESSI, AGILE, and Fermi, by using the Meteosat Second Generation geostationary satellites. These satellites are useful as they continuously monitor the same geographic region in time, allowing investigations on thunderstorms' development; moreover, they are endowed with channels and products that provide information about the meteorological context under analysis, such as the cloud top temperature and altitude, the cloud extension, the drop effective radius and the cloud phase. Our work confirms what previously found in other studies about the TGF‐associated thunderstorms, by using a different approach and by using for the first time the Meteosat satellites: we find TGFs mostly linked to the development phase of deep convective thunderstorm systems, exhibiting typical characteristics of tropical storms, and providing a first picture on large scale of the TGF‐associated thunderstorm systems.publishedVersio

The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire: cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Italian version in people with chronic low back pain

Background and aim: There is evidence to suggest that assessing back-specific altered self-perception may be useful when seeking to understand and manage low back pain (LBP). The Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ) is a patient-reported measure of back-specific body perception that has never been adapted and psychometrically analysed in Italian. Hence, the objectives of this research were to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Italian version of this outcome measure (namely, the FreBAQ-I), to make it available for use with Italians suffering from chronic LBP. Methods: The FreBAQ-I was developed by forward and backward translation, review by a committee skilled in patient-reported measures and test of the pre-final version to assess its clarity, acceptability, and relevance. The statistical analyses examined: structural validity based on Rasch analysis; hypotheses testing by investigating correlations of the FreBAQ-I with the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), a pain intensity numerical rating scale (PI-NRS), the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), and the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK) (Pearson's correlations); reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC (2,1)); and measurement error by determining the minimum detectable change (MDC). After the development of a consensus-based translation of the FreBAQ-I, the new outcome measure was delivered to 100 people with chronic LBP. Results: Rasch analysis confirmed the substantial unidimensionality and the structural validity of the FreBAQ-I. Hypothesis testing was considered good as at least 75% of the hypotheses were confirmed; correlations: RMDQ (r = 0.35), PI-NRS (r = 0.25), PCS (r = 0.41) and TSK (r = 0.38). Internal consistency was acceptable (alpha = 0.82) and test-retest repeatability was excellent (ICC (2,1) = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.92). The MDC95 corresponded to 6.7 scale points. Conclusion: The FreBAQ-I was found to be a unidimensional, valid, and reliable outcome measure in Italians with chronic LBP. Its application is advised for clinical and research use within the Italian speaking community

Energy Blockchain for Public Energy Communities

This paper suggests an application of blockchain as an energy open data ledger, designed to save and track data regarding the energy footprint of public buildings and public energy communities. The developed platform permits writing energy production and consumption of public buildings using blockchain-enabled smart meters. Once authenticated on the blockchain, this data can be made available to the public domain for techno-economic analyses for either research studies and internal or third parties audits, increasing, in this way, the perceived transparency of the public institutions. A further feature of the platform, starting on the previously disclosed raw data, allows calculating, validating, and sharing sustainability indicators of public buildings and facilities, allowing the tracking of their improvements in sustainability goals. The paper also provides the preliminary results of a field-test experimentation of the proposed platform on a group of public buildings, highlighting the possible benefits of its widespread exploitation

Glycated hemoglobin for the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes: Diagnostic impact on obese and lean subjects, and phenotypic characterization

Aims/Introduction Measurement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) has been recommended for the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes. However, epidemiological studies have shown significant discordance between HbA1c and glucose-based tests. Of the factors that could influence agreement between HbA1c and the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), bodyweight has not been fully evaluated. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the impact of HbA1c criteria to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes compared with OGTT, and to examine HbA1c in relation to body mass index. Materials and Methods Two cohorts were studied, one from an obesity clinic (n = 592) and one from subjects undergoing screening for diabetes (n = 462). All underwent OGTT and HbA1c measurement. Results In the obese cohort, HbA1c ≥6.5% (≥48 mmol/mol) showed a sensitivity of 69.3% for diabetes, whereas HbA1c 5.7–6.4% (39–46 mmol/mol) did not identify prediabetes well (sensitivity 39.1%). In the diabetes screening cohort, HbA1c h

Abnormal cognition, sleep, eeg and brain metabolism in a novel knock-in alzheimer mouse, plb1

Late-stage neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are β-amyloid (βA) and hyperphosphorylated tau peptides, aggregated into plaques and tangles, respectively. Corresponding phenotypes have been mimicked in existing transgenic mice, however, the translational value of aggressive over-expression has recently been questioned. As controlled gene expression may offer animal models with better predictive validity, we set out to design a transgenic mouse model that circumvents complications arising from pronuclear injection and massive over-expression, by targeted insertion of human mutated amyloid and tau transgenes, under the forebrain- and neurone-specific CaMKIIα promoter, termed PLB1 Double. Crossing with an existing presenilin 1 line resulted in PLB1 Triple mice. PLB1 Triple mice presented with stable gene expression and age-related pathology of intra-neuronal amyloid and hyperphosphorylated tau in hippocampus and cortex from 6 months onwards. At this early stage, pre-clinical 18FDG PET/CT imaging revealed cortical hypometabolism with increased metabolic activity in basal forebrain and ventral midbrain. Quantitative EEG analyses yielded heightened delta power during wakefulness and REM sleep, and time in wakefulness was already reliably enhanced at 6 months of age. These anomalies were paralleled by impairments in long-term and short-term hippocampal plasticity and preceded cognitive deficits in recognition memory, spatial learning, and sleep fragmentation all emerging at ~12 months. These data suggest that prodromal AD phenotypes can be successfully modelled in transgenic mice devoid of fibrillary plaque or tangle development. PLB1 Triple mice progress from a mild (MCI-like) state to a more comprehensive AD-relevant phenotype, which are accessible using translational tools such as wireless EEG and microPET/CT.</p

Lack of Neuronal IFN-β-IFNAR Causes Lewy Body- and Parkinson's Disease-like Dementia.

Neurodegenerative diseases have been linked to inflammation, but whether altered immunomodulation plays a causative role in neurodegeneration is not clear. We show that lack of cytokine interferon-β (IFN-β) signaling causes spontaneous neurodegeneration in the absence of neurodegenerative disease-causing mutant proteins. Mice lacking Ifnb function exhibited motor and cognitive learning impairments with accompanying α-synuclein-containing Lewy bodies in the brain, as well as a reduction in dopaminergic neurons and defective dopamine signaling in the nigrostriatal region. Lack of IFN-β signaling caused defects in neuronal autophagy prior to α-synucleinopathy, which was associated with accumulation of senescent mitochondria. Recombinant IFN-β promoted neurite growth and branching, autophagy flux, and α-synuclein degradation in neurons. In addition, lentiviral IFN-β overexpression prevented dopaminergic neuron loss in a familial Parkinson's disease model. These results indicate a protective role for IFN-β in neuronal homeostasis and validate Ifnb mutant mice as a model for sporadic Lewy body and Parkinson's disease dementia.Support to S.I.-N. was from Danish Council For Independent Research (DFF)-Medical Sciences, Alzheimer-forskningsfonden, Danish Multiple Sclerosis Society, Danish Cancer Society and Lundbeck Foundation. D.C.R. is a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellow.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2015.08.06

Clot characterization by multidisciplinary approach: biochemical and imaging parameters in a hypocoagulative setting. A pilot study.

Background: Clot characterization is, to the present days, a multimodal approach: scanning the clot by electron microscopy (SEM) is helpful for the visualization of fibrin structure along with laboratory parameters such as the clot waveform analysis (CWA) and thrombin generation in different settings of clot abnormalities. This study aimed to assess whether the coagulative parameters were consistent with the clot images texture acquired by SEM, and therefore to propose a more generalist and integrative approach to clots classification.Design and Methods: In this pilot study, the examined population consists of eight healthy subjects, seven patients affected by Acquired Hemophilia A (AHA) and seven patients treated with Vitamin K Antagonists (VKAs), similar for age and gender. We studied the velocity and acceleration (1st and 2nd derivative of the aPTT) of clot formation (CWA), the thrombin generation, and the clots' scanning by SEM. Images acquired with SEM were then analyzed with the MATLAB software with the "Texture Analysis" methods to perform classification. Among the various texture parameters, we reported Contrast and Energy.Results: Significant differences among healthy subjects, patients with AHA and those treated with VKAs were detected for the coagulative parameters. We found no differences between VKAs and AHA patients. Contrast and energy highlighted a significant difference among the three groups in agreement with the laboratory's parameters. We found no significant differences between VKAs and AHA patients.Conclusions: The use of SEM, CWA and thrombin generation parameters may be a starting point for studies aimed to demonstrate the general characteristics of clot formation in different clinical conditions with a multiparametric approach