Influenza vaccination among Health Care Workers at a Regional University Adult Acute-Care Hospital in Genoa, Liguria, Italy: results from a project promoting awareness and active offer during the period 2005-2011

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Relationships linking primary production, sea ice melting, and biogenic aerosol in the Arctic

AbstractThis study examines the relationships linking methanesulfonic acid (MSA, arising from the atmospheric oxidation of the biogenic dimethylsulfide, DMS) in atmospheric aerosol, satellite-derived chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and oceanic primary production (PP), also as a function of sea ice melting (SIM) and extension of the ice free area in the marginal ice zone (IF-MIZ) in the Arctic. MSA was determined in PM10 samples collected over the period 2010–2012 at two Arctic sites, Ny Ålesund (78.9°N, 11.9°E), Svalbard islands, and Thule Air Base (76.5°N, 68.8°W), Greenland. PP is calculated by means of a bio-optical, physiologically based, semi-analytical model in the potential source areas located in the surrounding oceanic regions (Barents and Greenland Seas for Ny Ålesund, and Baffin Bay for Thule). Chl-a peaks in May in the Barents sea and in the Baffin Bay, and has maxima in June in the Greenland sea; PP follows the same seasonal pattern of Chl-a, although the differences in absolute values of PP in the three seas during the blooms are less marked than for Chl-a. MSA shows a better correlation with PP than with Chl-a, besides, the source intensity (expressed by PP) is able to explain more than 30% of the MSA variability at the two sites; the other factors explaining the MSA variability are taxonomic differences in the phytoplanktonic assemblages, and transport processes from the DMS source areas to the sampling sites. The taxonomic differences are also evident from the slopes of the correlation plots between MSA and PP: similar slopes (in the range 34.2–36.2 ng m−3of MSA/(gC m−2 d−1)) are found for the correlation between MSA at Ny Ålesund and PP in Barents Sea, and between MSA at Thule and PP in the Baffin Bay; conversely, the slope of the correlation between MSA at Ny Ålesund and PP in the Greenland Sea in summer is smaller (16.7 ng m−3of MSA/(gC m−2 d−1)). This is due to the fact that DMS emission from the Barents Sea and Baffin Bay is mainly related to the MIZ diatoms, which are prolific DMS producers, whereas in the Greenland Sea the DMS peak is related to an offshore pelagic bloom where low-DMS producer species are present. The sea ice dynamic plays a key role in determining MSA concentration in the Arctic, and a good correlation between MSA and SIM (slope = 39 ng m−3 of MSA/106 km2 SIM) and between MSA and IF-MIZ (slope = 56 ng m−3 of MSA/106 km2 IF-MIZ) is found for the cases attributable to bloomings of diatoms in the MIZ. Such relationships are calculated by combining the data sets from the two sites and suggest that PP is related to sea ice melting and to the extension of marginal sea ice areas, and that these factors are the main drivers for MSA concentrations at the considered Arctic sites

Optimal Territorial Resources Placement for Multipurpose Wireless Services Using Genetic Algorithms

This paper presents a study for finding a solution to the placement of territorial resources for multipurpose wireless services considering also the restrictions imposed by the orography of the territory itself. To solve this problem genetic algorithms are used to identify sites where to place the resources for the optimal coverage of a given area. The used algorithm has demonstrated to be able to find optimal solutions in a variety of considered situations

Quantitative Interpretation of Air Radon Progeny Fluctuations in Terms of Stability Conditions in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Determining the mixing height using a tracer can improve the information obtained using traditional techniques. Here we provide an improved box model based on radon progeny measurements, which considers the vertical entrainment of residual layers and the variability in the soil radon exhalation rate. The potential issues in using progeny instead of radon have been solved from both a theoretical and experimental perspective; furthermore, the instrumental efficiency and the counting scheme have been included in the model. The applicability range of the box model has been defined by comparing radon-derived estimates with sodar and lidar data. Three intervals have been analyzed (“near-stable”, “transition” and “turbulent”), and different processes have been characterized. We describe a preliminary application case performed in Rome, Italy, while case studies will be required to determine the range limits that can be applied in any circumstances

Feasibility and effectiveness of cognitive remediation in the treatment of borderline personality disorder

Several studies have demonstrated that borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with neuropsychological deficits and there is evidence that the neurocognitive profile of patients with BPD may be related to the outcome of this disorder. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and the effectiveness of a cognitive remediation intervention in patients with BPD. Thirty patients with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of BPD were assessed on clinical, neuropsychological and functional outcome measures at baseline and after 16 weeks of a computer-assisted cognitive remediation (CACR) intervention or treatment as usual (TAU). Patients who received CACR showed a greater improvement in working memory and psychosocial functioning measures than patients treated with TAU. Symptom severity was not significantly affected by CACR treatment. The findings of this pilot study suggest the feasibility and potential effectiveness on specific cognitive domains, but modest clinical usefulness of a computerised modality of cognitive remediation in the treatment of BPD

Effectiveness of different modalities of cognitive remediation on symptomatological, neuropsychological, and functional outcome domains in schizophrenia: A prospective study in a real-world setting

We investigated the effects of individualised combined resistance and aerobic exercise on microvascular and macrovascular function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Forty age-matched, gender-matched and body mass index (BMI)-matched patients were allocated to either an exercise group, receiving a 6 months tailored aerobic and resistance exercise intervention, or controls receiving only information about the benefits of exercise. Participants were assessed for microvascular (acetylcholine (Ach) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)) and macrovascular (flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)) endothelial function, maximal oxygen uptake, disease activity and severity (C-reactive protein (CRP), disease activity score 28 and health assessment questionnaire). Data were collected at baseline, 3 months and at the end of the intervention (6 months). At baseline, demographic, anthropometric, disease-related characteristics and endothelial function parameters were similar between the exercise and control groups (p>0.05). Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a significant improvement in endothelial function parameters at 3 (GTN: p<0.001) or 6 months (Ach: p=0.016, SNP: p=0.045, FMD: p=0.016) in the exercise but not in the control group. Generalised estimated equations detected that maximal oxygen uptake was a strong predictor for the observed changes in Ach (p=0.009) and GTN (p<0.001) whereas logCRP for SNP (p=0.017) and GTN (p=0.008). An exercise programme designed to meet individual needs and physical abilities significantly improves microvascular and macrovascular function in parallel with disease-related characteristics in RA patients. The potential long-term beneficial effects of such interventions at reducing cardiovascular risk in these patients merit further exploratio