Where does brain neural activation in aesthetic responses to visual art occur? Meta-analytic evidence from neuroimaging studies

Here we aimed at finding the neural correlates of the general aspect of visual aesthetic experience (VAE) and those more strictly correlated with the content of the artworks. We applied a general activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis to 47 fMRI experiments described in 14 published studies. We also performed four separate ALE analyses in order to identify the neural substrates of reactions to specific categories of artworks, namely portraits, representation of real-world-visual-scenes, abstract paintings, and body sculptures. The general ALE revealed that VAE relies on a bilateral network of areas, and the individual ALE analyses revealed different maximal activation for the artworks' categories as function of their content. Specifically, different content-dependent areas of the ventral visual stream are involved in VAE, but a few additional brain areas are involved as well. Thus, aesthetic-related neural responses to art recruit widely distributed networks in both hemispheres including content-dependent brain areas of the ventral visual stream. Together, the results suggest that aesthetic responses are not independent of sensory, perceptual, and cognitive processe

Christmas Festivities and COVID-19: A Foreseeable Risk to Anticipate

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Distance learning training in genetics and genomics testing for Italian health professionals: results of a pre and post-test evaluation

BACKGROUND: Progressive advances in technologies for DNA sequencing and decreasing costs are allowing an easier diffusion of genetic and genomic tests. Physicians' knowledge and confidence on the topic is often low and not suitable for manage this challenge. Tailored educational programs are required to reach a more and more appropriate use of genetic technologies. METHODS: A distance learning course has been created by experts from different Italian medical associations with the support of the Italian Ministry of Health. The course was directed to professional figures involved in prescription and interpretation of genetic tests. A pretest-post-test study design was used to assess knowledge improvement. We analyzed the proportion of correct answers for each question pre and post-test, as well as the mean score difference stratified by gender, age, professional status and medical specialty. RESULTS: We reported an improvement in the proportion of correct answers for 12 over 15 questions of the test. The overall mean score to the questions significantly increased in the post-test, from 9.44 to 12.49 (p-value < 0.0001). In the stratified analysis we reported an improvement in the knowledge of all the groups except for geneticists; the pre-course mean score of this group was already very high and did not improve significantly. CONCLUSION: Distance learning is effective in improving the level of genetic knowledge. In the future, it will be useful to analyze which specialists have more advantage from genetic education, in order to plan more tailored education for medical professionals

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Infections at Large Sports Gatherings: A Surprising Gap in Our Knowledge

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Gastrointestinal bleeding from gastric metastasis of renal cell carcinoma, treated by endoscopic polypectomy

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Genetic Determinants of Gastric Cancer

Results show that gastric cancer risk is increased by the inheritance of the variant alleles of the metabolic genes SULT1A1 and CYP2E1 *6, especially among smokers and drinkers, respectively. An additional increased risk is conferred by the inheritance of GSTT1 null variant, especially if combined with the NAT2 slow acetylator status. Additionally, the variant allele of MTHFR C677T, associated with inherited low serum folate levels, increases the risk of gastric cancer, especially among those with a low intake of fruit and vegetables. Lastly, I reported that a combination of p53 exon 4 and intron 6 variant alleles protects from gastric cancer, thus confirming recent evidences from other tumour sites. Meta-analyses showed that the c2 variant allele of the phase I enzyme CYP2E1*2 affect the risk of gastric cancer, especially by interacting with a key phase II enzyme as GTSM1, and that the phase II enzyme GSTT1 confer an increased risk of gastric cancer if combined with GSTM1 null. Pooled analysis confirmed the role of folate in gastric carcinogenesis, as individuals with the homozyogous MTHFR C677T variant genotype are at increased risk of gastric cancer especially if carrying a low folate status. In summary, several genetic polymorphisms of genes involved in the cellular metabolism, DNA synthesis and cell cycle regulation were associated with the risk of gastric cancer. MTHFR 677 TT genotype doubled the risk of gastric cancer among subjects carrying a low folate status. The merge of modern genome science with prospective population-based, epidemiological research may provide powerful tools for evaluating possible benefits of public health, preventive nutritional interventions in individuals at risk for gastric cancer

A FMEA clinical laboratory case study: how to make problems and improvements measurable

The authors have experimented the application of the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) technique in a clinical laboratory. FMEA technique allows: a) to evaluate and measure the hazards of a process malfunction, b) to decide where to execute improvement actions, and c) to measure the outcome of those actions. A small sample of analytes has been studied: there have been determined the causes of the possible malfunctions of the analytical process, calculating the risk probability index (RPI), with a value between 1 and 1,000. Only for the cases of RPI &gt; 400, improvement actions have been implemented that allowed a reduction of IPR values between 25% to 70% with a costs increment of &lt;1%. FMEA technique can be applied to the processes of a clinical laboratory, even if of small dimensions, and offers a high potential of improvement. Nevertheless, such activity needs a thorough planning because it is complex, even if the laboratory already operates an ISO 9000 Quality Management System

Food assistance to tuberculosis patients: lessons from Afghanistan.

Poverty, food insecurity and poor nutrition in the population are important contributors to the burden of tuberculosis (TB). For poor and food-insecure individuals, accessing and successfully completing anti-tuberculosis treatment over an extended period of time is challenging. Food and nutritional support as an incentive and enabler is employed by national TB control programmes (NTPs) worldwide as a means to encourage treatment initiation and adherence and to improve the nutritional status of patients with TB. It also offers a safety net for food-insecure households affected by TB to mitigate the financial consequences of the disease. This paper reports on the primary lessons from the review of the World Food Programme's (WFP's) Food Assistance Programme for TB patients in Afghanistan. It aims to inform the design, implementation and scale-up of TB programmes in settings where food insecurity and malnutrition are prevalent. It also documents qualitative findings that suggest that patients, their families and providers viewed food support as an important asset and an essential element of the national TB control strategy. While the impact on treatment success or case detection could not be quantified, it is likely that the WFP intervention had a positive impact on the patients and their households, therefore contributing to the success of the DOTS-based NTP