Personality traits are summarized by five broad dimensions with pervasive influences on major life outcomes, strong links to psychiatric disorders and clear heritable components. To identify genetic ...variants associated with each of the five dimensions of personality we performed a genome-wide association (GWA) scan of 3972 individuals from a genetically isolated population within Sardinia, Italy. On the basis of the analyses of 362 129 single-nucleotide polymorphisms we found several strong signals within or near genes previously implicated in psychiatric disorders. They include the association of neuroticism with SNAP25 (rs362584, P=5 x 10(-5)), extraversion with BDNF and two cadherin genes (CDH13 and CDH23; Ps<5 x 10(-5)), openness with CNTNAP2 (rs10251794, P=3 x 10(-5)), agreeableness with CLOCK (rs6832769, P=9 x 10(-6)) and conscientiousness with DYRK1A (rs2835731, P=3 x 10(-5)). Effect sizes were small (less than 1% of variance), and most failed to replicate in the follow-up independent samples (N up to 3903), though the association between agreeableness and CLOCK was supported in two of three replication samples (overall P=2 x 10(-5)). We infer that a large number of loci may influence personality traits and disorders, requiring larger sample sizes for the GWA approach to confidently identify associated genetic variants.
Purpose
The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology of candidemia and antifungal susceptibility profiles of
Candida
isolates in Italy through a prospective surveillance study and to evaluate ...changes compared to a previous survey performed in one Italian region (Lombardy) in 1997–1999.
Methods
A prospective laboratory-based surveillance of candidemia was performed in Italy from January to December 2009. For each case a questionnaire was filled in, and the first isolate was collected and tested for in vitro antifungal susceptibility.
Results
During our 12-month survey, 467 episodes of candidemia were reported from 34 centres (30 located in Lombardy) and 464 isolates collected.
Candida albicans
was the predominant species (overall incidence 50.4 %), but the proportion varied considerably from 52.1 % in Lombardy hospitals to 45.2 % hospitals located outside this region. The second most frequent species was
C. glabrata
in Lombardy and
C. parapsilosis
in other regions. Comparison of the 1997–1999 and 2009 data on episodes of candidemia in Lombardy revealed a threefold increase in incidence (from 0.38 to 1.19 per 1,000 admissions), aging of infected patients, decline in crude mortality (from 35 to 27.1 %) and an increased proportion of
C. glabrata
etiology (from 12.8 to 20.3 %). Susceptibility testing confirmed the broad activity of amphotericin B and echinocandins. Decreased susceptibility to fluconazole was found in 24.9 % of the tested isolates.
Conclusions
The results of this latest survey confirm the high rate of candidemia in Italy and show changes in some of the epidemiological tracts, such as aging of infected patients, increased proportion of
C. glabrata
infections, increased diagnosis in medical wards, and improvement in patients’ survival.
COPD frequently coexists with HF with which shares several risk factors. A greater collaboration is required between cardiologists and pulmonologists to better identify and manage concurrent HF and ...COPD. This observational, retrospective study provides new data regarding the management of these patients.
from the Health Search Database which collects information generated by the routine activity of general practitioners, we selected 803 patients suffering from COPD or HF alone or combined analyzing similarities and differences regarding risk factors, diagnostic workup and therapeutic approaches.
Statistical analyses have evidenced significant differences regarding exposure to cigarette smoke and the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in the three groups of patients. As regard to the diagnostic workup, it has been found that the 63,9% of COPD patients and the 57,1% of COPD + HF patients performed a spirometry vs the 95,4% of HF patients and the 95,2% of COPD + HF patients that performed an ECG.
Regarding the pharmacologic treatment, the 47% of COPD patients was treated with an ICS/LABA association and the 22% with ICS/LABA + LAMA. In the COPD + HF group, 47% of patients were treated with ICS/LABA association, while 32% of these patients were treated with ICS/LABA + LAMA. The pharmacologic treatment most prescribed in HF was β-blockers (68%), diuretics (92.8%), antiplatelet therapy (55.6%) and ACE inhibitors (38.1%). In the COPD + HF group, β-blockers (40.1%), diuretics (89.8%), antiplatelet therapy (57.1%) and ACE inhibitors (44.9%) were prescribed.
this study has evidenced a disparity in performing instrumental diagnosis between COPD and HF groups that persists when both conditions coexist. Moreover, the pharmacological treatment of the two conditions shows a consistent under treatment with bronchodilators in COPD patients and with β-blockers in HF patients.
•COPD and HF are highly incident in the general population.•Their coexistence lead to prognosis worsening and to high mortality.•General practitioners manage differently COPD and HF during diagnostic workup.•Therapy is characterized by:1)under treatment of COPD patients with bronchodilators.•2) Under treatment of COPD-HF patients with bronchodilators and β-blockers.
Abstract
Aims
Despite alcohol consumption being a dose-dependent risk factor for breast cancer, a recent study conducted in the UK found <20% of women attending breast screening programmes were aware ...of this relationship and proposed proper information campaigns need to be conducted. We aimed to investigate the awareness of this relationship among a related sample of Italian women to evaluate whether similar information campaigns should also be conducted in Italy.
Methods
The questionnaire used by the UK study was translated into Italian, slightly modified for the Italian context, validated and submitted to a sample of Italian women.
Results
Overall 507 women were interviewed. Among them, 160 were classified as breast cancer screening attenders (SG), 44 as symptomatic breast clinic attenders (CAG) and 303 as non-screening group (NSG). Alcohol was correctly identified as a risk factor for breast cancer by 16.9, 11.4 and 14.9% of participants of SG, CAG and NSG, respectively without differences between the three groups. Despite the methodological differences, the rates of participants who correctly identified alcohol as a risk factor among women attending breast screening programmes were surprisingly similar between the study conducted in UK (15.7%) and the present study (16.9%).
Conclusion
The results of the present study confirm the limited awareness of the relationship between alcohol consumption and risk of developing breast cancer among women and suggest the urgent need to conduct proper awareness-raising campaigns to counter this in the Italian female population.
Short summary: Less than 20% of women across different populations were aware of the relationship between alcohol consumption and risk of developing breast cancer. There is an urgent need to conduct proper awareness-raising campaigns in the Italian female population.
We present a 1:25,000 scale map of the coseismic surface ruptures following the 30 October 2016 M
w
6.5 Norcia normal-faulting earthquake, central Italy. Detailed rupture mapping is based on almost ...11,000 oblique photographs taken from helicopter flights, that has been verified and integrated with field data (>7000 measurements). Thanks to the common efforts of the Open EMERGEO Working Group (130 people, 25 research institutions and universities from Europe), we were able to document a complex surface faulting pattern with a dominant strike of N135°-160° (SW-dipping) and a subordinate strike of N320°-345° (NE-dipping) along about 28 km of the active Mt. Vettore-Mt. Bove fault system. Geometric and kinematic characteristics of the rupture were observed and recorded along closely spaced, parallel or subparallel, overlapping or step-like synthetic and antithetic fault splays of the activated fault systems, comprising a total surface rupture length of approximately 46 km when all ruptures were considered.
•Typical values of z-resolution for different Digital Breast Tomosynthesis systems.•Z-resolution appeared to be affected by angular range and reconstruction algorithm.•Technical evaluation of DBT ...z-resolution also using 2D mammograpy phantoms.
The aim of the present study, conducted by a working group of the Italian Association of Medical Physics (AIFM), was to define typical z-resolution values for different digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) models to be used as a reference for quality control (QC). Currently, there are no typical values published in internationally agreed QC protocols.
To characterize the z-resolution of the DBT models, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the artifact spread function (ASF), a technical parameter that quantifies the signal intensity of a detail along reconstructed planes, was analyzed. Five different commercial phantoms, CIRS Model 011, CIRS Model 015, Modular DBT phantom, Pixmam 3-D, and Tomophan, were evaluated on reconstructed DBT images and 82 DBT systems (6 vendors, 9 models) in use at 39 centers in Italy were involved.
The ASF was found to be dependent on the detail size, the DBT angular acquisition range, the reconstruction algorithm and applied image processing. In particular, a progressively greater signal spread was observed as the detail size increased and the acquisition angle decreased. However, a clear correlation between signal spread and angular range width was not observed due to the different signal reconstruction and image processing strategies implemented in the algorithms developed by the vendors studied.
The analysis led to the identification of typical z-resolution values for different DBT model-phantom configurations that could be used as a reference during a QC program.
This paper explores structure and spatial distribution of fish assemblages in an area of the central-western Mediterranean Sea (south Sardinian deep-waters) at depths between 546 and 1598 m. A total ...of 67 species (12 chondrichthyes and 55 teleosteans) were sampled. Multivariate analysis showed a clear pattern of zonation. Three main assemblages were identified within the vertical range investigated: the first situated in the shallower area between 546 and 699 m, the second group between 720 and 1099 m, and the third between 1145 and 1598 m. Abundance values declined with increasing depth. Highest biomass values were found at depths of 720-1099 m with the presence of larger species such as Galeus melastomus, Mora moro, Trachyrhynchus scabrus and Alepocephalus rostratus. Species richness decreased with depth. The deepest bottoms of the central-western Mediterranean Sea shelter an ichthyofauna dominated by small to medium-sized species living in a food-scarce environment in which some large mobile fishes are widespread.
Stick insects have been studied mainly for non-conventional reproduction modes, such as parthenogenesis, hybridogenesis and androgenesis. Parallel karyological investigations have evidenced extensive ...numerical and structural chromosome re-patterning, particularly evident in hybrid parthenogenetic taxa. Chromosome sets of bisexual Leptynia (Pantel) species show an evolutionary trend from 40 to 36 chromosomes and are characterized by cytological satellites of variable size and localization. We performed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using 45S ribosomal genes and pentameric (TTAGG)n telomere sequences as probes in two strictly related but karyotypically distinct species, L. montana Scali (2n = 38/37; XX/XO) and L. attenuata Pantel (2n = 36). L. attenuata has recently been split into three subspecies (L. attenuata attenuata, L. attenuata iberica and L. attenuata algarvica), and found to share an XX/XY sex chromosome formula, unusual for stick insects. FISH by 45S rDNA sequences consistently labelled the short arm of the 4th chromosome pair, often of a variable size. Silver staining showed that nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) are active. FISH of the telomeric repeats, besides ordinary telomeres, also labelled the short arm of this same pair. The use of both probes in double FISH analysis fully confirmed the co-localization of ribosomal and telomeric highly repeated sequences. Since it is increasingly emerging that the co-localization of NORs and telomeric sequences appears to be a feature shared by evolutionarily distant animals, its possible role is discussed.
A
bstract
Limits are set on the pair production of scalar leptoquarks, where all possible decays of the leptoquark into a quark (
t
,
b
) and a lepton (
τ
,
ν
) of the third generation are ...considered. The limits are presented as a function of the leptoquark mass and the branching ratio into charged leptons for up-type (LQ
3
u
→
tν
/
bτ
) and down-type (LQ
3
d
→
bν
/
tτ
) leptoquarks. Many results are reinterpretations of previously published ATLAS searches. In all cases, LHC proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of
s
= 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016 are used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb
−1
. Masses below 800 GeV are excluded for both LQ
3
u
and LQ
3
d
independently of the branching ratio, with masses below about 1 TeV being excluded for the limiting cases of branching ratios equal to zero or unity.
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