Clutter and rainfall discrimination by means of doppler-polarimetric measurements and vertical reflectivity profile analysis

The estimation of rainfall rate and other parameters from radar scattering volume is heavily affected by the presence of intense sea and ground clutter and echoes which appears in anomalous propagation condition. To deal with these non meteorological echoes we present a new clutter removal algorithm which combines the results of previous works. The algorithm fully exploits both the Doppler and polarimetric capabilities of the radar used and the analysis of vertical reflectivity profile in order to achieve the better identification of the meteorological and non-meteorological targets. The algorithm has been applied to the C-band radar of Monte Settepani (Savona, Italy), which runs in a high-topography environment. Preliminary results are presented

Operationalizing perpetrator studies. Focusing readers’ reactions to The Kindly Ones by Jonathan Littell

Within the field of Holocaust Studies the last decade has witnessed a turn to the figure of the perpetrator, who had hitherto received little attention due to ethical, legal and psychological reasons. A similar turn can also be observed in connection with the study of empathy. In this context, the concept of “negative empathy,” intended as a sharing of emotions with morally negative fictional characters, has become an increasingly discussed topic. For research in this area, the novel The Kindly Ones (2006) by Jonathan Littell takes up a privileged position in light of its intrinsic literary quality and due to its commercial and critical success. This novel recounts the memories of an SS-officer, Maximilian Aue, who participated in the Shoah. We have carried out an experiment using some passages of this novel to test the empathic reactions of (104) readers. Passages were presented under either of two conditions: as a fictional text or as part of an autobiography. Results showed that fictionalization has a significant effect on moral disengagement; readers who read the narrative presented to them as fictional experienced higher levels of moral disengagement compared to readers in the autobiography condition. Moreover, higher levels of moral disengagement led to significantly higher levels of empathy for the protagonist of the novel

Acculturation process and life domains: Different perceptions of native and immigrant adults in italy

Background: Acculturation process has taken up a relevant place in cross-cultural psychology by demonstrating the strong relationships between cultural context and individual behavioral development. Aim: The purpose of this study is to analyse acculturation strategies and attitudes in different life domains of native and immigrant adults living in Italy, following the Relative Acculturation Extended Model (RAEM). Methods: The participants were 250 Italian native and 100 immigrant adults who completed a questionnaire with items to measure their acculturation strategies (real plane) and attitudes (ideal plane), in general and related to different life domains (peripheral and central). Results: Results revealed that the acculturation attitude of immigrants is integration, whereas Italians prefer their assimilation. Conclusion: However, when different life domains are taken into account, immigrants claim to put in practice and prefer integration in most of the domains, whereas Italians perceive immigrants are separated but they prefer their assimilation or integration, depending on the specific domain

Outcome Prognostication of Acute Brain Injury using the Neurological Pupil Index (ORANGE) study: protocol for a prospective, observational, multicentre, international cohort study.

The pupillary examination is an important part of the neurological assessment, especially in the setting of acutely brain-injured patients, and pupillary abnormalities are associated with poor outcomes. Currently, the pupillary examination is based on a visual, subjective and frequently inaccurate estimation. The use of automated infrared pupillometry to measure the pupillary light reflex can precisely quantify subtle changes in pupillary functions. The study aimed to evaluate the association between abnormal pupillary function, assessed by the Neurological Pupil Index (NPi), and long-term outcomes in patients with acute brain injury (ABI). The Outcome Prognostication of Acute Brain Injury using the Neurological Pupil Index study is a prospective, observational study including adult patients with ABI requiring admission at the intensive care unit. We aimed to recruit at least 420 patients including those suffering from traumatic brain injury or haemorrhagic strokes, over 12 months. The primary aim was to assess the relationship between NPi and 6-month mortality or poor neurological outcome, measured by the Extended Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS-E, poor outcome=GOS-E 1-4). Supervised and unsupervised methods and latent class mixed models will be used to identify patterns of NPi trajectories and Cox and logistic model to evaluate their association with outcome. The study has been approved by the institutional review board (Comitato Etico Brianza) on 16 July 2020. Approved protocol V.4.0 dated 10 March 2020. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences. NCT04490005

Is \u201cLate Style\u201d measurable? A stylometric analysis of Johann Wolfgang Goethe\u2019s, Robert Musil\u2019s, and Franz Kafka\u2019s late works

Since the studies of Adorno, Broch, and Benn, the \u201clate\u201d condition of artistic creation has always been described in terms of an evident stylistic fracture. However, recent theorizations tend to evaluate it as nothing but \u201ca critical and ideological construct\u201d (McMullan, Smiles). With our contribution, we will test these theorizations with the computational methods of stylometry, that are generally used for authorship attribution and distant reading, and that proved to be very sensitive to the temporal component. By using the Kolimo corpus and the Stylo software, we will perform a series of broad-spectrum experiments on authors of modern German literature (Robert Musil, Franz Kafka), verifying for which authors a caesura is present on the chronological line, and if this corresponds \u2013 according to the intuition by Said \u2013 with an increased distance from contemporary authors. Special attention will be devoted to the case study of Goethe and to how stylometry imposes a re-questioning of the traditional concept of style

Clutter and rainfall discrimination by means of doppler-polarimetric measurements and vertical reflectivity profile analysis

International audienceThe estimation of rainfall rate and other parameters from radar scattering volume is heavily affected by the presence of intense sea and ground clutter and echoes which appears in anomalous propagation condition. To deal with these non meteorological echoes we present a new clutter removal algorithm which combines the results of previous works. The algorithm fully exploits both the Doppler and polarimetric capabilities of the radar used and the analysis of vertical reflectivity profile in order to achieve the better identification of the meteorological and non-meteorological targets. The algorithm has been applied to the C-band radar of Monte Settepani (Savona, Italy), which runs in a high-topography environment. Preliminary results are presented

catalase in the stratum corneum of patients with polymorphic light eruption

UV radiation generates reactive oxygen species, which may be involved in polymorphic light eruption. The endogenous enzymatic defense system includes catalase in the epidermis. Thirteen patients with a history of polymorphic light eruption, but free from lesions, and 13 controls were investigated from November to March. Catalase was analysed in the upper horny layer according to Colin et al.'s spectrophotometric technique. In polymorphic light eruption, catalase values were about 30% lower than in control subjects. Such deficiency was observed in patients free from the disease and not recently sun-exposed. The diminished skin catalase in irradiated polymorphic light eruption makes it possible that a longer restoration time of catalase is involved in the pathogenesis

Functional morphology of Bactrocera oleae Gmel. (Diptera: Tephritidae) tarsal chemosensilla involved in interactions with the host-plant

The Olive fruit fly, Bactrocera oleae (Gmel.), is the principal insect pest insect on olives in the Mediterranean Region. Observations through scanning and transmission electron microscopy evidence contact-chemosensilla trichodea on the ventral side of each 2nd to 5th prothoracic tarsomeri. These sensilla look very similar to one another, although rather varied in size, and show uniporous, bluntly tipped hair-shaft. Also the sensillum cellular components display almost the same features in all sensilla: 5 sensory neurons per sensillum, one of which ending with a tubular body at the hair-shaft base (hence representing a mechanosensory element), whereas the other 4 neurons send each an undivided dendrite into the dendritic channel of the biluminal hair- shaft. On the 5th tarsomere the mentioned sensilla are 8-10 distributed as follows: a pair medial at the tarsomere distal margin, and the rest in two subdistal, sublateral groups of 3-4 elements each. Detailed observations and relative illustrations of cuticular and cellular components of the 2 medial sensilla (“C”) are herein reported. Direct contacts between sensory neuron somata have been observed, which might be indicative of possible peripheral interactions between sensory neurons. Behavioural bioassays confirm oogenesis and oviposition stimulation in B. oleae female through tarsal contact with host-plant substances such as Oleuropein and its demolition products (e.g., Pyrocatechin). Electrophysiological bioassays on “C” sensilla evidence a response to Oleuropein and Pyrocatechin, and confirm the above mentioned possibility of interactions between the sensory neurons. Key words: behaviour, contact chemoreceptor, electrophysiology, Oleuropein, olive fruit fly, oogenesis stimulants, oviposition, Pyrocatechin, sensory neurons, sheath cells, somata contacts, ultrastructure. MORFOLOGIA FUNZIONALE DEI CHEMIOSENSILLI TARSALI DI bacTrocera oleae GMEL. (DIPTERA: TEPHRITIDAE) IMPEGNATI IN INTERAZIONI CON LA PIANTA OSPITE. La Mosca delle olive (Bactrocera oleae Gmel.) è notoriamente il principale insetto dannoso alle olive nella regione mediterranea. Prove comportamentali hanno dimostrato che sostanze contenute nelle drupe, come il glucoside Oleuropeina, provocano per contatto nella Mosca un aumento della oogenesi. È presumibile che in natura detta interazione insetto-pianta possa avvenire mediante i chemiorecettori tarsali della Mosca durante l’azione esplorativa della medesima sulle olive. Osservazioni al microscopio elettronico a scansione e a trasmissione mettono in luce la presenza di sensilli tricoidei gustativi sulla faccia ventrale di ciascuno dei tarsomeri protoracici dal 2° al 5°. Detti sensilli appaiono esteriormente molto simili tra loro, benché di varie dimensioni, nel senso che presentano tutti un pelo sensoriale con apice arrotondato e provvisto di un poro. Anche le componenti cellulari risultano molto simili, presentando, ciascuno dei sensilli, 5 neuroni sensoriali, dei quali uno terminante alla base del pelo con un corpo tubulare (elemento meccanorecettore), mentre gli altri 4 invadono indivisi il canale dendritico del pelo medesimo. Nel 5° tarsomero i sensilli in questione sono in numero di 8-10, un paio mediali al margine distale del tarsomero, e gli altri in due gruppi subdistali e sublaterali di 3-4 elementi ciascuno. Si riportano in dettaglio i risultati di osservazioni morfologiche fini e relativa documentazione elettronmicrografica dei due sensilli apicali menzionati (i sensilli “C”). In questi ultimi sono stati messi in luce anche contatti diretti tra somata dei neuroni sensoriali, i quali potrebbero rappresentare la base morfologica di interazioni periferiche tra neuroni dello stesso sensillo. Biosaggi comportamentali hanno confermato l’azione stimolante l’oogenesi e l’ovideposizione sulla Mosca, per contatto tarsale, da parte di sostanze contenute nelle olive, quali Oleuropeina e relativi prodotti di demolizione (es. Pirocatechina). Mentre parallelamente, biosaggi elettrofisiologici hanno evidenziato che i sensilli “C” rispondono al contatto con Oleuropeina e Pirocatechina, confermando inoltre la possibilità di interazioni periferiche tra i neuroni sensoriali del medesimo sensillo. Parole chiave: cellule avvolgenti, comportamento, contatti tra somata, elettrofisiologia, Mosca delle olive, neuroni sensoriali, Oleuropeina, Pirocatechina, sensilli gustativi, stimolazione oogenesi, ultrastruttura

Development and psychometric testing of a theory-based tool to measure self-care in diabetes patients: the Self-Care of Diabetes Inventory

Background: Self-care is essential for patients with diabetes mellitus. Both clinicians and researchers must be able to assess the quality of that self-care. Available tools have various limitations and none are theoretically based. The aims of this study were to develop and to test the psychometric properties of a new instrument based on the middle range-theory of self-care of chronic illness: the Self-Care of Diabetes Inventory (SCODI). Methods: Forty SCODI items (5 point Likert type scale) were developed based on clinical recommendations and grouped into 4 dimensions: self-care maintenance, self-care monitoring, self-care management and self-care confidence based on the theory. Content validity was assessed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted in a consecutive sample of 200 type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients. Dimensionality was evaluated by exploratory factor analyses. Multidimensional model based reliability was estimated for each scale. Multiple regression models estimating associations between SCODI scores and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index, and diabetes complications, were used for construct validity. Results: Content validity ratio was 100%. A multidimensional structure emerged for the 4 scales. Multidimensional model-based reliabilities were between 0.81 (maintenance) and 0.89 (confidence). Significant associations were found between self-care maintenance and HbA1c (p = 0.02) and between self-care monitoring and diabetes complications (p = 0.04). Self-care management was associated with BMI (p = 0.004) and diabetes complications (p = 0.03). Self-care confidence was a significant predictor of self-care maintenance, monitoring and management (all p < 0.0001). Conclusion: The SCODI is a valid and reliable theoretically-grounded tool to measure self-care in type 1 and type 2 DM patients

Functional Progression in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease Resulted Positive to Antisynthetase Antibodies: A Multicenter, Retrospective Analysis

Antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by serologic positivity for antisynthetase antibodies. Anti-Jo1 is the most frequent, followed by anti PL-7, anti PL-12, anti EJ, and anti OJ antibodies. The lung is the most frequently affected organ, usually manifesting with an interstitial lung disease (ILD), which is considered the main determinant of prognosis. Some evidences suggest that non-anti-Jo-1 antibodies may be associated with more severe lung involvement and possibly with poorer outcomes, while other authors do not highlight differences between anti-Jo1 and other antisynthetase antibodies. In a multicenter, retrospective, "real life" study, we compared lung function tests (LFTs) progression in patients with ILD associated with anti-Jo1 and non-anti-Jo1 anti-synthetase antibodies to assess differences in lung function decline between these two groups. Therefore, we analyzed a population of 57 patients (56% anti-Jo1 positive), referred to the outpatient Clinic of four referral Centers in Italy (Modena, Monza, Siena, and Trieste) from 2008 to 2019, with a median follow-up of 36 months. At diagnosis, patients showed a mild ventilatory impairment and experienced an improvement of respiratory function during treatment. We did not observe statistically significant differences in LFTs at baseline or during follow-up between the two groups. Moreover, there were no differences in demographic data, respiratory symptoms onset (acute vs. chronic), extrapulmonary involvement, treatment (steroid and/or another immunosuppressant), or oxygen supplementation. Our study highlights the absence of differences in pulmonary functional progression between patients positive to anti-Jo-1 vs. non anti-Jo-1 antibodies, suggesting that the type of autoantibody detected in the framework of ASSD does not affect lung function decline