Forest cover influence on regional flood frequency assessment in Mediterranean catchments

The paper aims at evaluating to what extent the forest cover can explain the component of runoff coefficient as defined in a regional flood frequency analysis based on the application of the rational formula coupled with a regional model of the annual maximum rainfall depths. The analysis is addressed to evaluate the component of the runoff coefficient which cannot be captured by the catchment lithology alone. Data mining is performed on 75 catchments distributed from South to Central Italy. Cluster and correlation structure analyses are conducted for distinguishing forest cover effects within catchments characterized by hydro-morphological similarities. We propose to improve the prediction of the runoff coefficient by a linear regression model, exploiting the ratio of the forest cover to the catchment critical rainfall depth as dependent variable. The proposed regression enables a significant bias correction of the runoff coefficient, particularly for those small mountainous catchments, characterised by larger forest cover fraction and lower critical rainfall depth

Non-perturbative renormalisation and running of BSM four-quark operators in Nf=2 QCD

We perform a non-perturbative study of the scale-dependent renormalisation factors of a complete set of dimension-six four-fermion operators without power subtractions. The renormalisation-group (RG) running is determined in the continuum limit for a specific Schrödinger Functional (SF) renormalisation scheme in the framework of lattice QCD with two dynamical flavours (Nf= 2). The theory is regularised on a lattice with a plaquette Wilson action and O(a)-improved Wilson fermions. For one of these operators, the computation had been performed in Dimopoulos et al. (JHEP 0805, 065 (2008). arXiv:0712.2429); the present work completes the study for the rest of the operator basis, on the same simulations (configuration ensembles). The related weak matrix elements arise in several operator product expansions; in Δ F= 2 transitions they contain the QCD long-distance effects, including contributions from beyond-Standard Model (BSM) processes. Some of these operators mix under renormalisation and their RG-running is governed by anomalous dimension matrices. In Papinutto et al. (Eur Phys J C 77(6), 376 (2017). arXiv:1612.06461) the RG formalism for the operator basis has been worked out in full generality and the anomalous dimension matrix has been calculated in NLO perturbation theory. Here the discussion is extended to the matrix step-scaling functions, which are used in finite-size recursive techniques. We rely on these matrix-SSFs to obtain non-perturbative estimates of the operator anomalous dimensions for scales ranging from O(Λ QCD) to O(MW)

GABAergic neuroactive steroids: A new frontier in bipolar disorders?

Neurosteroids are synthesized in the brain and modulate brain excitability. There is increasing evidence of their sedative, anesthetic and antiseizure properties, as well as their influence on mood. Currently neurosteroids are classified as pregnane neurosteroids (allopregnanolone and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone), androstane neurosteroids (androstanediol and etiocholanone) or sulfated neurosteroids (pregnenolone sulfate and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate). Both preclinical and clinical findings indicate that progesterone derivative neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone and allotetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone play a role in mood disorders. Clozapine and olanzapine, which were shown to be effective in stabilizing bipolar disorder, elevate pregnenolone levels in rat hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and serum. In lithium-treated mice, the blood levels of allopregnanolone and pregnenolone were elevated compared to control levels. Women diagnosed with bipolar disorder typically show symptomatic exacerbation in relation to the menstrual cycle, and show vulnerability to the onset or recurrence of mood disorders immediately after giving birth, when the levels of neurosteroid derivatives of progesterone drop. Whereas in women who had recovered from bipolar disorder, the plasma concentration of allopregnanolone was elevated compared to either healthy controls or women with major depressive disorder during the premenstrual period. During depressive episodes, blood level of allopregnanolone is low. Treatment with fluoxetine tends to stabilize the levels of neurosteroids in depression. These findings converge to suggest that these steroids have significant mood-stabilizing effect. This hypothesis is consistent with the observation that a number of anticonvulsants are effective therapies for bipolar disorder, a finding also consistent with the antiseizure properties of neurosteroids. Further exploration of action of neuroactive steroids is likely to open new frontiers in the investigation of the etiology and treatment of mood disorders, particularly bipolar disorders

Insight into susceptibility genes associated with bipolar disorder: A systematic review

Objective: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe disorder, and it is associated with an increased risk of mortality. About 25% of patients with BD have attempted and 11% have died by suicide. All these characteristics suggest that the disorders within the bipolar spectrum are a crucial public health problem. With the development of molecular genetics in recent decades, it was possible to more easily detect risk genes associated with this disorder. This study aimed at summarizing the findings of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on the topic and assessing the quality of the available evidence. Materials and Methods: PubMed/Medline and Web of Science were searched to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses published during 2013-2019. Standard methodology was applied to synthesize and assess the retrieved literature. Results: This systematic review identifies a number of potential risk genes associated with bipolar disorder whose mechanism of action has yet to be confirmed. They are divided into several groups: 1) a list of the most significant susceptibility genetic factors associated with BD; 2) the implication of the ZNF804A gene in BD; 3) the role of genes involved in calcium signaling in BD; 4) DNA methylation in BD; 5) BD and risk suicide genes; 6) susceptibility genes for early-onset BD; 7) candidate genes common to both BD and schizophrenia; 8) genes involved in cognitive status in BD cases; 9) genes involved in structural alteration in BD brain tissue; 10) genes involved in lithium response in BD. Conclusions: Future research should concentrate on molecular mechanisms by which genetic variants play a major role in BD. Supplemental research is needed to replicate the applicable results

PRIMI RISULTATI DI UN INDAGINE SULLO STATO DELLE SISTEMAZIONI IDRAULICO-FORESTALI NEL BACINO DELL’ARNO

Il presente lavoro è relativo ai risultati ottenuti con il primo stato d’avanzamento di una ricerca sullo stato delle Sistemazioni Idraulico-Forestali per assegnate aree di indagine comprese nel bacino del fiume Arno affidata dall’ Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Arno al Dipartimento di Ingegneria Agraria e Forestale dell’Università degli Studi di Firenze. Innanzi tutto, è stata condotta un’analisi preventiva, mediante un database, di documentazione relativa alle opere idrauliche già censite in precedenti lavori (prof. Grazi) con identificazione della posizione geografica delle opere stesse con l’ausilio di software GIS. A questa prima fase sono seguiti la predisposizione di una opportuna scheda di rilievo (sia cartacea sia elettronica) e quindi sopralluoghi in campo condotti mediante l’ausilio di un GPS collegato a computer palmare per il supporto cartografico di base. Rilievi di dettaglio sono stati condotti nei torrenti dell’area del Mugello, già oggetto di studi risalenti a una trentina di anni fa per la valutazione delle pendenze di compensazione (Falciai et al.) che sono stati utilizzati spesso in letteratura (Ferro et al., Pica et al., etc.). Con riferimento ad altre zone campione del bacino (es. Casentino e Area Fiorentina), la documentazione storica ed il sopralluogo in campo (su base statistica) ha avuto lo scopo di rintracciare le opere esistenti e verificare l’attendibilità e la confrontabilità dei vari censimenti eseguiti anche da altri Enti preposti. In particolare si è analizzato il dimensionamento delle opere ed il loro stato attuale di conservazione ed efficienza, confrontandolo con quanto riportato in eventuali elaborati progettuali e nei censimenti precedenti. Eventuali danneggiamenti dei manufatti possono essere derivati dalle valutazioni in sede progettuale, da scarsa o inesistente manutenzione o da mutate caratteristiche in alveo e nel bacino. Per avere qualche indicazione in proposito si è valutata la portata di progetto a partire dalle dimensioni delle gavete considerate come stramazzi in parete grossa e se ne è stimato il tempo di ritorno, mediante i modelli AlTo (Regione Toscana) e Idrarno (Autorità di Bacino). Questa fase ha richiesto un lavoro preventivo di queries spaziali che hanno lo scopo di attribuire il codice dell’asta a cui appartengono le opere idrauliche in esame (all’interno del reticolo idrografico del modello AlTo e all’interno del reticolo “Sistema Acque” dell’Autorità di Bacino dell’Arno). Questa operazione consente, inoltre, il collegamento tra il contenuto informativo del geodatabase dell’Autorità di Bacino con il sistema di regionalizzazione delle portate di piena della Regione Toscana. Mediante la misura delle caratteristiche dimensionali dell’opera si sono cercate di ricavare anche indicazioni statistiche riguardo alla pendenza di compensazione dei corsi d’acqua in esame. Le verifiche in campo ha permesso anche una descrizione delle condizioni generali dell’alveo in cui sono situate le opere e dei versanti siti in prossimità delle opere stesse. I dati raccolti sono stati immessi in un geodatabase opportunamente costruito secondo lo standard di quello esistente presso l’Autorità di Bacino del Fiume Arno e quindi elaborati per la ricerca delle relazioni tra le caratteristiche delle opere e la pendenza attuale dell’alveo nonché la stima della necessità, per i corsi d’acqua esaminati, di opere atte a garantire la continuità fluviale per la ittiofauna (Pini Prato e Barneschi)

Biological Rhythms in People from North Macedonia with Bipolar Disorder: Application of the Macedonian Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN)

Objective: The Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (BRIAN) is a tool aimed at clinically evaluating disturbances in biological rhythm. In this study, we examined the reliability and validity of the Macedonian version of the BRIAN. Methods: A total of 100 participants, including 50 subjects with bipolar disorder (BD) and 50 control healthy subjects, were recruited. Construct validity was tested by comparing the mean BRIAN scores of the BD patients and control subjects. Results: No difference by gender or age was noticed, but patients differed from controls in education and occupation. Reliability, as measured with Cronbach’s alpha, was good in BD individuals, except for the Rhythms subscale. Reliability in controls was less good, especially for the Sleep and Rhythms subscales. The tool was able to discriminate patients with controls, with large differences on all subscales. However, since the reliability was suboptimal for some of these subscales, these differences cannot be entirely trusted. Conclusion: The study suggests that the Macedonian version of this instrument has good psychometric characteristics and also encourages the chance of developing mixed screening tools by incorporating elements of biological rhythm dysregulation into the routine evaluation of mood

The Current Quality of Web-Based Information on the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Search

Background: An important aspect of managing chronic disorders like bipolar disorder is to have access to relevant health information. This study investigates and compares the quality of information on the treatments of bipolar disorder that is available on English websites, as an international language, and on Italian websites, as a popular local language. Methods: A systematic review search was obtained from four search engines. We excluded unrelated materials, scientific papers, and duplicates. We analyzed popularity with PageRank; technological quality with Nibbler; readability with the Flesh Reading Ease test and Gulpease index; quality of information with the DISCERN scale, the JAMA benchmark criteria, and on the extent of adherence to the HONCode. Results: 35 English and 31 Italian websites were included. The English websites were found to have a higher level of quality information and technological quality than the Italian ones. Overall, the websites were found to be difficult to read, requiring a high level of education. Conclusions: These results can be important to inform guidelines for the improvement of health information and help users to reach a higher level of evidence on the websites. Users should find the benefits of treatment, support for shared decision-making, the sources used, the medical editor’s supervision, and the risk of postponing treatment

Metabolic fate of extracellular NAD in human skin fibroblasts

Extracellular NAD is degraded to pyridine and purine metabolites by different types of surface-located enzymes which are expressed differently on the plasmamembrane of various human cells and tissues. In a previous report, we demonstrated that NAD-glycohydrolase, nucleotide pyrophosphatase and 5'-nucleotidase are located on the outer surface of human skin fibroblasts. Nucleotide pyrophosphatase cleaves NAD to nicotinamide mononucleotide and AMP, and 5'-nucleotidase hydrolyses AMP to adenosine. Cells incubated with NAD, produce nicotinamide, nicotinamide mononucleotide, hypoxanthine and adenine. The absence of ADPribose and adenosine in the extracellular compartment could be due to further catabolism and/or uptake of these products. To clarify the fate of the purine moiety of exogenous NAD, we investigated uptake of the products of NAD hydrolysis using U-[(14)C]-adenine-NAD. ATP was found to be the main labeled intracellular product of exogenous NAD catabolism; ADP, AMP, inosine and adenosine were also detected but in small quantities. Addition of ADPribose or adenosine to the incubation medium decreased uptake of radioactive purine, which, on the contrary, was unaffected by addition of inosine. ADPribose strongly inhibited the activity of ecto-NAD-hydrolyzing enzymes, whereas adenosine did not. Radioactive uptake by purine drastically dropped in fibroblasts incubated with (14)C-NAD and dipyridamole, an inhibitor of adenosine transport. Partial inhibition of [(14)C]-NAD uptake observed in fibroblasts depleted of ATP showed that the transport system requires ATP to some extent. All these findings suggest that adenosine is the purine form taken up by cells, and this hypothesis was confirmed incubating cultured fibroblasts with (14)C-adenosine and analyzing nucleoside uptake and intracellular metabolism under different experimental conditions. Fibroblasts incubated with [(14)C]-adenosine yield the same radioactive products as with [(14)C]-NAD; the absence of inhibition of [(14)C]-adenosine uptake by ADPribose in the presence of alpha-beta methyleneADP, an inhibitor of 5' nucleotidase, demonstrates that ADPribose coming from NAD via NAD-glycohydrolase is finally catabolised to adenosine. These results confirm that adenosine is the NAD hydrolysis product incorporated by cells and further metabolized to ATP, and that adenosine transport is partially ATP dependent