Preti A, Rocchi MBL, Sisti D, Camboni MV, Miotto P. A comprehensive meta‐analysis of the risk of suicide in eating disorders.
Objective: Past meta‐analyses on suicide in eating disorders included ...few available studies.
Method: PubMed/Medline search for papers including sample n ≥ 40 and follow‐up ≥5 years: 40 studies on anorexia nervosa (AN), 16 studies on bulimia nervosa (BN), and three studies on binge eating disorder (BED) were included.
Results: Of 16 342 patients with AN, 245 suicides occurred over a mean follow‐up of 11.1 years (suicide rate = 0.124 per 100 person‐years). Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) was 31.0 (Poisson 95% CI = 21.0–44.0); a clear decrease in suicide risk over time was observed in recent decades. Of 1768 patients with BN, four suicides occurred over a mean follow‐up of 7.5 years (suicide rate = 0.030 per 100 person‐years): SMR was 7.5 (1.6–11.6). No suicide occurred among 246 patients with BED (mean follow‐up = 5.3 years).
Conclusion: AN and BN share many risk factors for suicide: the factors causing lower suicide rates per person‐year in BN compared to AN should be investigated.
Short rotation woody crops (SRWCs) can be a sustainable solution for producing biomass for bioenergy and, at the same time, mitigating CO2 emissions. Although the contribution SRWCs can give to the ...transition to a low-carbon energy economy, farmers are hesitant to introduce them, as they have a low added value and there are uncertain economic prospects for cultivating SRWCs. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the economic sustainability of poplar woodchip production in Central Italy. Thus, the work compares three plantations, characterized by different durations (one year, two years, and five years) and harvesting systems, to identify the solution with the optimal duration. The results show that the quinquennial harvesting system is the most advantageous according to all the indicators, whereas the biennial performs the worst.
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•Cultivation of short rotation woody crops is still economical uncertain.•We performed economic sustainability of woodchip production of poplar in Central Italy.•3 plantations, characterized by different duration and harvesting systems, have been compared.•Quinquennial harvesting system has best performance according to all the indicators
The aim of this study was to assess the sustainability of three different poultry production systems, in order to evaluate their suitability to address human food need, as well as their environmental ...sustainability, economic feasibility and animal welfare. The three systems compared were: a conventional intensive indoor system, a free range system and a free range system combined with an olive orchard (where chickens grazed in an orchard instead of in an area used solely for the grazing). A model based on multicriteria decision analysis was developed, using environmental, social and economic criteria. Environmental criteria were estimated using a life cycle assessment, while economic and social criteria were both collected on farms and from the literature. The analysis considered the preferences of different stakeholders involved in the production i.e. farmers, consumers, and scientists. The combined system ranked at the top position according to all three groups of stakeholders, followed by the free range and then the intensive systems. The stability of results was verified by performing a sensitivity analysis, in particular a weight stability analysis. The results showed that the final ranking was quite stable, as only four out of the 20 criteria considered had rank reversal (i.e. the ability to change the relative positions of two cases in a ranking). For these four criteria (i.e. Mortality Rate, Feed Conversion, Fossil Fuels and Land Use), rank reversal was easier between the free-range and the intensive systems, than between the combined and the intensive systems.
•Sustainability of three poultry systems was compared with a multicriteria approach.•Three groups of stakeholders (farmers, consumers, scientists) were involved.•Rearing free range chickens in an olive orchard was preferred by all stakeholders.•A sensitivity analysis indicated that results were stable.
Abstract
In reaction time (RT) tasks corticospinal excitability (CSE) rises just prior to movement. This is preceded by a paradoxical reduction in CSE, when the time of the imperative (“GO”) stimulus ...is relatively predictable. Because RT tasks emphasise speed of response, it is impossible to distinguish whether reduced CSE reflects a mechanism for withholding prepared actions, or whether it is an inherent part of movement preparation. To address this question, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to estimate CSE changes preceding 1) RT movements; 2) movements synchronized with a predictable signal (predictive timing or PT movements); and 3) self-paced movements. Results show that CSE decreases with a similar temporal profile in all three cases, suggesting that it reflects a previously unrecognised state in the transition between rest and movement. Although TMS revealed reduced CSE in all movements, the TMS pulse itself had different effects on movement times. TMS given ~200 ms before the times to move speeded the onset of RT and self-paced movements, suggesting that their initiation depends on a form of trigger that can be conditioned by external events. On the contrary, PT movements did not show this effect, suggesting the use of a different triggering strategy prioritizing internal events.
Social isolation has adverse effects on mental health, physical exercise, and dietary habits. This longitudinal observational study aimed to investigate the effects of mood states and exercise on ...nutritional choices, on 176 college students (92 males, 84 females; 23 ± 4 years old) during the COVID-19 lockdown. During 21 days, nutrition and exercise were daily monitored, and the mood states assessed. A factor analysis was used to reduce the number of nutritional variables collected. The relationships between exercise, mood and nutrition were investigated using a multivariate general linear model and a mediation model. Seven factors were found, reflecting different nutritional choices. Exercise was positively associated with fruit, vegetables and fish consumption (
= 0.004). Depression and quality of life were, directly and inversely, associated with cereals, legumes (
= 0.005;
= 0.004) and low-fat meat intake (
= 0.040;
= 0.004). Exercise mediated the effect of mood states on fruit, vegetables and fish consumption, respectively, accounting for 4.2% and 1.8% of the total variance. Poorer mood states possibly led to unhealthy dietary habits, which can themselves be linked to negative mood levels. Exercise led to healthier nutritional choices, and mediating the effects of mood states, it might represent a key measure in uncommon situations, such as home-confinement.
the influence of pulse width, pulse waveform and current direction on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) outcomes is of critical importance. However, their effects have only been investigated ...indirectly with motor-evoked potentials (MEP). By combining TMS and EEG it is possible to examine how these factors affect evoked activity from the cortex and compare that with the effects on MEP.
we used a new controllable TMS device (cTMS) to vary systematically pulse width, pulse waveform and current direction and explore their effects on global and local TMS-evoked EEG response.
In 19 healthy volunteers we measured (1) resting motor threshold (RMT) as an estimate of corticospinal excitability; (2) global mean field power (GMFP) as an estimate of global cortical excitability; and (3) local mean field power (LMFP) as an estimate of local cortical excitability.
RMT was lower with monophasic posterior-to-anterior (PA) pulses that have a longer pulse width (p < 0.001). After adjusting for the individual motor threshold of each pulse type we found that (a) GMFP was higher with monophasic pulses (p < 0.001); (b) LMFP was higher with longer pulse width (p = 0.015); (c) early TEP polarity was modulated depending on the current direction (p = 0.01).
Despite normalizing stimulus intensity to RMT, we found that local and global responses to TMS vary depending on pulse parameters. Since EEG responses can vary independently of the MEP, titrating parameters of TMS in relation to MEP threshold is not a useful way of ensuring that a constant set of neurons is activated within a cortical area.
•We explored the cortical effects of TMS pulse width, waveform and current direction.•We used for the first time a novel controllable TMS device in combination with EEG.•Local and global responses to TMS vary according to pulse width and waveform.•Early TEP polarity was modulated depending on the current direction.•Pulse parameters influence “what” is stimulated and “where” TMS is effective.
Interventions including physical exercise may help improve the outcomes of late-life major depression, but few studies are available.
To investigate whether augmenting sertraline therapy with ...physical exercise leads to better outcomes of late-life major depression.
Primary care patients (465 years) with major depression were randomised to 24 weeks of higher-intensity, progressive aerobic exercise plus sertraline (S+PAE), lower-intensity, non-progressive exercise plus sertraline (S+NPE) and sertraline alone. The primary outcome was remission (a score of ≤10 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression).
A total of 121 patients were included. At study end, 45% of participants in the sertraline group, 73% of those in the S+NPE group and 81% of those in the S+PAE group achieved remission (P = 0.001). A shorter time to remission was observed in the S+PAE group than in the sertraline-only group.
Physical exercise may be a safe and effective augmentation to antidepressant therapy in late-life major depression.
Real-time PCR analysis is a sensitive DNA quantification technique that has recently gained considerable attention in biotechnology, microbiology and molecular diagnostics. Although, the ...cycle-threshold (Ct) method is the present "gold standard", it is far from being a standard assay. Uniform reaction efficiency among samples is the most important assumption of this method. Nevertheless, some authors have reported that it may not be correct and a slight PCR efficiency decrease of about 4% could result in an error of up to 400% using the Ct method. This reaction efficiency decrease may be caused by inhibiting agents used during nucleic acid extraction or copurified from the biological sample. We propose a new method (Cy0) that does not require the assumption of equal reaction efficiency between unknowns and standard curve.
The Cy0 method is based on the fit of Richards' equation to real-time PCR data by nonlinear regression in order to obtain the best fit estimators of reaction parameters. Subsequently, these parameters were used to calculate the Cy0 value that minimizes the dependence of its value on PCR kinetic. The Ct, second derivative (Cp), sigmoidal curve fitting method (SCF) and Cy0 methods were compared using two criteria: precision and accuracy. Our results demonstrated that, in optimal amplification conditions, these four methods are equally precise and accurate. However, when PCR efficiency was slightly decreased, diluting amplification mix quantity or adding a biological inhibitor such as IgG, the SCF, Ct and Cp methods were markedly impaired while the Cy0 method gave significantly more accurate and precise results.
Our results demonstrate that Cy0 represents a significant improvement over the standard methods for obtaining a reliable and precise nucleic acid quantification even in sub-optimal amplification conditions overcoming the underestimation caused by the presence of some PCR inhibitors.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Robust biomarkers for anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) activity in the human brain are essential to increase the probability of successful drug development. The frequency analysis of ...electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, either spontaneous or evoked by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS-EEG) can provide cortical readouts for AEDs. However, a systematic evaluation of the effect of AEDs on spontaneous oscillations and TMS-related spectral perturbation (TRSP) has not yet been provided. We studied the effects of Lamotrigine, Levetiracetam, and of a novel potassium channel opener (XEN1101) in two groups of healthy volunteers. Levetiracetam suppressed TRSP theta, alpha and beta power, whereas Lamotrigine decreased delta and theta but increased the alpha power. Finally, XEN1101 decreased TRSP delta, theta, alpha and beta power. Resting-state EEG showed a decrease of theta band power after Lamotrigine intake. Levetiracetam increased theta, beta and gamma power, while XEN1101 produced an increase of delta, theta, beta and gamma power. Spontaneous and TMS-related cortical oscillations represent a powerful tool to characterize the effect of AEDs on in vivo brain activity. Spectral fingerprints of specific AEDs should be further investigated to provide robust and objective biomarkers of biological effect in human clinical trials.
•The aim of this work is to analyse the opportunities of Nature-based tourism development in Natura 2000 network in Umbria (Central Italy).•Within Natura 2000 network, a balance between nature-based ...tourism development and ecological protection should be reached.•A spatial multicriteria analysis has been carried out to understand the potentiality of the N2K at territorial level.•Results show, according to preferences set by three different kinds of experts, that only a small bunch of N2K sites could be suitable for an increase of the NBT.
Because of its high naturalness and biodiversity, Natura 2000 network (N2K) is becoming increasingly important for recreational opportunity, providing benefits in terms of physical and mental health through outdoor experiences. Nature-based tourism (NBT) is tourism based on the natural attractions of an area: the greater the recreation opportunities, the greater the attractiveness to people. N2K sites are suitable places to favour the development of the NBT, as N2K is not a system of strict nature reserves from which all human activities would be excluded. The approach to conservation and sustainable use of N2K areas is much wider, largely centred on people working with nature rather than against it. To do this, a balance between nature-based tourism development and ecological protection should be reached. In this work, we propose the application of spatial multicriteria analysis, in order to analyse multiple conflicting dimensions interacting over time, considering in particular both criteria related to NBT development and ecological protection. The aim of the work was to analyse the opportunities of Nature-based tourism development in N2K in Umbria, one of the Regions of central Italy, which consists of 102 sites. In particular, the work considered the conditions of biodiversity conservation, flora and fauna, as well as the leisure opportunities provided by the sites and the pressure produced by human activities on them. A spatial multicriteria analysis has been carried out to understand the potentiality of the N2K at territorial level. In particular, the proposed methodology would like to support decision makers in the identification of N2K sites in which NBT activities could be improved and developed, in a balanced way according to biodiversity conservation. Results show, according to preferences set by three different kinds of experts, that only a small bunch of N2K sites could be suitable for an increase of the NBT.
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