Neapolitan volcanic area Tide Gauge Network (Southern Italy): Ground Displacements and Sea-Level Oscillations

Abstract. In this study, we investigate the oscillations of relative sea level through the analysis of tide gauge records about 10-year long collected in the Gulfs of Pozzuoli and Napoli (Southern Italy). The main goal of this study is to provide a suitable resolution model of the sea tides including low frequency (seiches), tidal bands and non-linear tides. The spectral analyses of the tide gauge records lead us to identify a number of seiche periods some of them already known from the literature and some other unknown. Furthermore, we target a non-conventional purpose of the tidal analysis, namely extracting from the tide gauge records the volcano-tectonic signal (vertical ground displacement) in the resurgent Campi Flegrei caldera. We suggest a method to filter out the volcano-tectonic signal (bradyseism) from the tide gauge records by deconvolving it from two records, one collected in the active volcanic area (Pozzuoli) and the other one collected in a tectonically stable station (Napoli), located beyond the caldera rim. Finally, we retrieve the relative mean sea level change in the Gulf of Naples and compare it with the trend found in five tide gauges spread along the Italian coast

Pharmacological treatment for social cognition: Current evidence

Cognitive impairment is currently considered a core feature of schizophrenia (SZ) and is gaining attention as a fundamental therapeutic target. Standard treatment for SZ involves the use of antipsychotics that are successfully used to control positive symptoms and disorganized behaviour. However, it is still unclear whether they are effective on social cognition (SC) impairment. Furthermore, different medications are currently being studied to improve SC in patients with SZ. A literature search on this topic was conducted using the PubMed database. All kinds of publications (i.e., reviews, original contributions and case reports) written in English and published in the last 15 years were included. The aim of our literature review is to draw a picture of the current state of the pharmacological treatment of SC impairment in SZ

Italian traditional tomato varieties: a focus on the Campania region

[EN] The long tradition of tomato cultivation in Italy has allowed the evolution of a wide diversity of traditional varieties or landraces that have been cultivated for centuries and many of them are still common in the local markets. Adaptation to peculiar climatic and edaphic conditions, the geographical isolation of several growing areas, the specific agro-technique, the local gardners’ selection, also based on consumers’s sensory preferences, have resulted in groups of landraces distributed not only by region but also by sub-regional areas. In most cases, the cultivation of these Italian landraces covers very limited areas being carried out in family gardens for personal consumption and/or in small-size farms that, therefore, play a key role in the on farm maintenance of this precious germplasm, which in many cases is risking extinction. The Campania region has been, and still is, an important area for tomato production with a long tradition in the selection, cultivation and processing of the crop, resulting in a rich reservoir of valuable tomato landraces. So far, only three Italian tomato landraces have been granted a Protected Geographical Status under European Union law, the PGI “Pomodoro di Pachino” form Sicily, and the two PDOs “Pomodoro S. Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino” and the “Pomodorino del Piennolo del Vesuvio” from Campania. This short review will address some of the most popular landraces of the Campania region, with a particular focus on the two PDOs.[ES] La larga tradición del cultivo del tomate en Italia ha permitido la evolución de una amplia diversidad de variedades tradicionales o variedades autóctonas que han sido cultivadas durante siglos, muchas de las cuales siguen siendo comunes en los mercados locales. La adaptación a las peculiares condiciones climáticas y edáficas, el aislamiento geográfico de varias zonas de cultivo, las técnicas de cultivo específicas, la selección de los agricultores locales, también basada en las preferencias sensoriales de los consumidores, han dado como resultado grupos de variedades locales distribuidas no sólo por regiones, sino por áreas sub-regionales. En la mayoría de los casos, el cultivo de estas variedades autóctonas italianas cubre áreas muy limitadas y se están llevando a cabo en huertos familiares para consumo personal y / o en fincas pequeñas que, por lo tanto, desempeñan un papel clave en el mantenimiento de este valioso germoplasma, que en muchos casos está en peligro de extinción. La región de Campania ha sido, y sigue siendo, un área importante para la producción de tomate con una larga tradición en la selección, cultivo y procesamiento de este cultivo, resultando en un rico reservorio de variedades autóctonas de tomate valiosas. Hasta el momento, sólo tres variedades autóctonas de tomate italiano han obtenido el estatus de protección geográfica conforme a la legislación de la Unión Europea, la IGP “Pomodoro di Pachino” de Sicilia y las dos DOP “Pomodoro S. Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino” y “Pomodorino Del Piennolo del Vesuvio" de Campania. Esta breve revisión abordará algunas de las razas tradicionales más populares de la región de Campania, con especial atención a las dos DOP.This work was supported by the European Commission Horizon 2020 program (TRADITOM grant 634561 to S.G. and P.S.).Sacco, A.; Cammareri, M.; Vitiello, A.; Palombieri, S.; Riccardi, R.; Spigno, P.; Grandillo, S. (2020). Italian traditional tomato varieties: a focus on the Campania region. En I Congrés de la Tomaca Valenciana: La Tomaca Valenciana d'El Perelló. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 179-193. https://doi.org/10.4995/TOMAVAL2017.2017.6526OCS17919

Therapeutic sequences in patients with grade 1−2 neuroendocrine tumors (NET): an observational multicenter study from the ELIOS group

Purpose: Many different treatments are suggested by guidelines to treat grade 1−2 (G1−G2) neuroendocrine tumors (NET). However, a precise therapeutic algorithm has not yet been established. This study aims at identifying and comparing the main therapeutic sequences in G1−G2 NET. Methods: A retrospective observational Italian multicenter study was designed to collect data on therapeutic sequences in NET. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was compared between therapeutic sequences, as well as the number and grade of side effects and the rate of dose reduction/treatment discontinuation. Results: Among 1182 patients with neuroendocrine neoplasia included in the ELIOS database, 131 G1–G2 gastroenteropancreatic, lung and unknown primary NET, unresectable or persistent/relapsing after surgery, treated with ≥2 systemic treatments, were included. Four main therapeutic sequences were identified in 99 patients: (A) somatostatin analogs (SSA) standard dose to SSA high dose (n = 36), (B) SSA to everolimus (n = 31), (C) SSA to chemotherapy (n = 17), (D) SSA to peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) (n = 15). Median PFS of the second-line treatment was not reached in sequence A, 33 months in sequence B, 20 months in sequence C, 30 months in sequence D (p = 0.16). Both total number and severity of side effects were significantly higher in sequences B and C than A and D (p = 0.04), as well as the rate of dose reduction/discontinuation (p = 0.03). Conclusions: SSA followed by SSA high dose, everolimus, chemotherapy or PRRT represent the main therapeutic sequences in G1−G2 NET. Median PFS was not significantly different between sequences. However, the sequences with SSA high dose or PRRT seem to be better tolerated than sequences with everolimus or chemotherapy

Assessing the impact of a community-based pro-active monitoring program addressing the need for care of community-dwelling citizens aged more than 80: protocol for a prospective pragmatic trial and results of the baseline Assessment

The aim of this paper is to describe the protocol of a study assessing the impact of a Community-based pro-Active Monitoring Program, by measuring the effect in counteracting the adverse outcomes related to frailty