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Purpose: Music stimulation is considered beneficial for people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. The purpose of this paper is to assess a tablet-based program to promote music-related hand responses and positive engagement (e.g. singing or moving the body with the music) in people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Design/methodology/approach: The program was implemented with 20 participants according to a non-concurrent multiple baseline design across participants. The participants were provided with a tablet whose screen worked as a sensor. During the intervention, sensor activations by hand responses led the tablet to present 10 s segments of preferred songs; an absence of sensor activation led the tablet to produce a prompt. Findings: The participants’ mean frequencies of hand responses (i.e. sensor activations) per 5 min session increased from mostly zero during baseline to between about 9 and 20 during the intervention. The mean percentages of observation intervals with participants’ positive engagement increased from 0 to 12 during the baseline to between 13 and 55 during the intervention. The differences between baseline and intervention data were statistically significant for all participants. Originality/value: A tablet-based program, such as that used in this study, may help people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease develop specific music-related responses and positive engagement.

This study assessed a technology-aided program for supporting leisure occupation in persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Eleven participants were included in the study. At the start of the sessions with the program, a computer presented visually and verbally the leisure options available (i.e., music, comedy, films, and television shows). As soon as the participant selected an option (e.g., music) by activating a simple microswitch, the computer presented three or four related alternatives (e.g., singers). Selection of a singer led the computer to present three or four songs of that singer. Selection of a song led the computer to play it and then to reset for a new choice sequence provided that the session time was not ended. All participants succeeded in using the program, activating leisure events (e.g., songs and comedy sketches), and being positively engaged for most of the sessions’ time. Twenty-two staff who were interviewed about the program provided highly positive scores for it and expressed personal interest in applying it. The technology-aided program seems to be a practical resource to support independent leisure occupation in persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

AbstractThe reproductive histories of 41 adult bottlenose dolphin females were analysed using photo-identification data collected between 2006 and 2014 in four sub-areas of the eastern Ligurian Sea (northwest Mediterranean). The Rapallo sub-area revealed the highest (highly significant) frequency of encounters (per unit effort) of reproductive females in association with young individuals, therefore emerging as a candidate nursery area in the region. The estimated fertility rate of adult females ranged between 290 and 407 births per 1000 individuals per year, higher than that of other known bottlenose dolphin populations, with a calving interval between 2.45 and 3.5 years. These results will be useful for projecting future trends of this (sub)population.

Background: Levocetirizine, the R-enantiomer of cetirizine dihydrochloride, is a new molecule with a potent and selective antihistamine activity. Objective: To investigate the evidence that levocetirizine is an effective therapy for allergic disease. Methods: Evaluation of published articles in English, or having an English abstract. Results: Clinical trials indicate that levocetirizine is safe and effective for the treatment of allergic rhinitis and chronic idiopathic urticaria. The compound shows a rapid onset of action, high bioavailability and affinity for the H1 receptor. Moreover, this molecule demonstrates many anti-inflammatory effects that enhance the clinical therapeutic benefit not only in short-term but also in long-term treatments, as reported in recent trials utilizing levocetirizine for several months. Conclusion: Levocetirizine confirms its safe effective activity for treatment of allergic disease in both adults and children.

Objective To assess the influence of etanercept, an anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α agent, on autonomic cardiovascular regulation in young patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis without cardiovascular risk factors.Methods Patients with psoriasis underwent 5-min electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings before and after 24 weeks of etanercept therapy. Linear heart rate variability (HRV) analysis was performed.Results The study recruited 19 patients. Frequency-domain analysis showed a significant decrease in oscillatory components attributable to sympathetic activity (LF%) and a significant decrease in low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio following etanercept therapy.Conclusion Treatment with etanercept in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis could affect cardiovascular autonomic regulation, and subsequently reduce cardiovascular risk.

In this paper the hybrid supervisory control architecture developed by Famularo et al. (2011) for constrained control systems is adopted with the aim to improve safety in aircraft operations when critical events like command saturations or unpredicted anomalies occur. The capabilities of a low-computational demanding predictive scheme for the supervision of non-linear dynamical systems subject to sudden switchings amongst operating conditions and time-varying constraints are exploited in the flight control systems framework. The strategy is based on command governor ideas and is tailored to jointly take into account time-varying set-points/constraints. Unpredictable anomalies in the nominal plant behaviour, whose models fall in the category of time-varying constraints, can also be tolerated by the control scheme. In order to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach, simulations both on a high altitude performance demonstrator unmanned aircraft with redundant control surfaces and the P92 general aviation aircraft are discussed.

In this paper a robust MPC scheme based on a partial-state availability is developed for uncertain discrete-time linear systems described by structured norm-bounded model uncertainties and subject to saturation and rate of variation constraints. The algorithm is based on the minimization, at each time instant, of a semi-definite convex optimization problem subject to Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI) feasibility constraints which are derived by a judicious use of S-Procedure arguments. Numerical comparisons with competitor algorithms are finally reported by dealing with the control augmentation problem of an High Altitude Performance Demonstrator (HAPD) unmanned aircraft with redundant control surfaces.

In this paper we address the obstacle avoidance motion planning problem for leader-follower vehicles configurations operating in static environments. By resorting to set-theoretic ideas, a receding horizon control algorithm is proposed for robots modelled by linear time-invariant (LTI) systems subject to input and state constraints. Terminal robust positively invariant regions and sequences of precomputed inner approximations of the one-step controllable sets are on-line exploited to compute the commands to be applied in a receding horizon fashion. Moreover, we prove that the design of both terminal sets and one-step ahead controllable regions is achieved in a distributed sense. An illustrative example is used to show the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

This paper presents the application of an H∞control technique to the control of a HAPD (High Altitude Performance Demonstrator) aircraft having redundant surfaces. The interaction of the controlling moments and forces with the aircraft flexible modes requires a careful use of the control resources in the frequency domain also considering that aerodynamic surface deflections are limited in amplitude and angular rates. A fixed structure H∞control problem design, inspired by the classical minimum norm allocation control approach, is formulated and solved in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities. Numerical simulations on the full nonlinear model of the HAPD including flexibility modes are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed technique on the whole flight envelope which is covered using a parameter dependent formulation of the linearized model plants.

La constipation en contexte postopératoire est un événement fréquent qui met en jeu des facteurs médicamenteux, chirurgicaux et hygiénodiététiques. La motricité intestinale peut être altérée par l’inflammation intestinale secondaire à une chirurgie, par la prise de médicaments tels que les morphiniques, les hypnotiques, les antisécrétoires, les anesthésiants ou par des modifications fonctionnelles dont la physiopathologie reste mal connue. Les traitements laxatifs disponibles sont nombreux. On retrouve dans l’usage courant les laxatifs de lest et les laxatifs osmotiques ainsi que les laxatifs d’action locale tels que les suppositoires et les lavements. Les laxatifs stimulants doivent jouer un rôle dans la prise en charge à court terme des constipations persistantes. Les antagonistes des récepteurs 5-HT4 sont recommandés dans la constipation réfractaire. D’autres thérapeutiques laxatives spécifiques peuvent également être proposées comme la méthylnaltrexone dans la constipation induite aux opiacés ou encore la néostigmine dans le syndrome d’Ogilvie. Ainsi la prévention et la détection précoce d’une constipation iatrogène en hospitalisation postopératoire ou non est essentielle et la connaissance de moyens médicamenteux et non médicamenteux permet d’améliorer le confort du patient et de réduire la durée des troubles moteurs digestifs notamment en postopératoires.

Airway remodelling, a central feature of asthma, is characterized by an alteration in the size, mass or number of tissue components which occur in and around the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles in the airways in response to injury and/or inflammation.

Asthma is a chronic airway disorder principally characterized by bronchial hyperreactivity and airflow obstruction. Increased epithelial and smooth muscle thickness, goblet cell hyperplasia, increased mucus secretion, abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components in the basement membrane (BM) layer and angiogenesis are all events which occur in asthma and are defined with the general term of remodeling. This is an important feature whose repetition and regeneration may bring to an abnormal or exaggerated response to airway insults. One of the characteristic aspects of asthma is an alteration in structural cell function. Airway smooth muscle cells (ASM), myofibroblasts and fibroblasts have the ability to secrete immunomodulatory cytokines and chemokines and to express cell surface receptors. These elements are all important for cell adhesion and leukocyte activation and may be integral components of the inflammatory response as well. In particular cells such as fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, important regulators in the development and maintenance of allergic airway inflammation, have been studied in depth by our group and several studies regarding their role in asthma therapy have been analyzed.

The application of Boltzmann statistics to a complete distribution of molecular conformation energies of simplified homo‐ and copolymer models gives meaningful information about temperatures at which phase transitions take place in the bulk. We have calculated in the conformation statistical distribution (CSD) approximation Helmholtz free energy variation versus temperature δF= δU–TδS, where Uand Sare, respectively, the internal molecular energy and the Gibbs statistical entropy of the considered polymeric model. The deepest minima correspond to glass‐transition temperature (Tg) and melting temperature (Tm) of modelled polymers, while the remaining peaks are related to some other transitions, the existence of which is also experimentally proven. The adopted method is able to give Tgand Tmas a function of the molecular weight of polymers. Some indications can also be achieved about the instability of polymers. The same procedure has been applied to copolymers and blends and has given acceptable results for Tgand Tmas functions of the material microstructure and composition. Other thermal and mechanical properties, such as moduli, mobilities, chemical resistance to oxidation, physical tendency to miscibility, have been directly or indirectly estimated.

Reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickness and airway responses to inhaled methacholine (MCh) were studied in perennial allergic asthma (n= 11), perennial allergic rhinitis (n= 8), seasonal allergic rhinitis (n= 5), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n= 9). RBM was significantly thicker in asthma (10.1 ± 3.7 μm) and perennial rhinitis (11.2 ± 4.2 μm) than in seasonal rhinitis (4.7 ± 0.7 μm) and COPD (5.2 ± 0.7 μm). The dose (geometric mean) of MCh causing a 20% decrease of 1-s forced expiratory volume (FEV1) was significantly higher in perennial rhinitis (1,073 μg) than in asthma (106 μg). In COPD, the slope of the linear regression of all values of forced vital capacity plotted against FEV1during the challenge was higher, and the intercept less, than in other groups, suggesting enhanced airway closure. In asthma, RBM thickness was positively correlated (r= 0.77) with the dose (geometric mean) of MCh causing a 20% decrease of FEV1and negatively correlated (r= −0.73) with the forced vital capacity vs. FEV1slope. We conclude that1) RBM thickening is not unique to bronchial asthma, and2) when present, it may protect against airway narrowing and air trapping. These findings support the opinion that RBM thickening represents an additional load on airway smooth muscle.

A strict relationship between allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma has been seen recently, and in many ways respiratory allergy could be seen as a single disorder of the airways. The link between rhinitis and asthma can be elucidated only by studying the natural history of the disease over long periods. We describe the follow-up of 99 allergic patients up to 10 years and the evolution of their disease. Ninety-nine patients (50 male, 49 female, mean age 31 years) out of 142, suffering from allergic rhinitis or allergic asthma, could be monitored up to 10 years after the initial diagnosis. Demographics, sensitizations and smoke habit were assumed as evaluation parameters. At baseline, 44 patients suffered from AR alone, 12 from AA alone and 43 from AR+AA. After 10 years, 31·8% of the AR patients developed developed AA and 50% of the patients with AA developed AR. Only the familial history for atopy significantly influenced the disease's evolution, whereas gender, age, smoking habit and skin sensitization did not. Sixty-five percent of patients with a single sensitization at the beginning developed new sensitizations. In conclusion, this long-term survey confirms that a relevant percentage of patients with AR alone or AA alone have a progression of the disease.

Abstract: The crystal structure of metalaxyl (C15H21NO4) was determined by three-dimensional X-ray analysis from diffractometer data. The crystals are monoclinic,P21/c,a=7.851(3) Å,b=13.119(10) Å,c=15.107(7) Å,beta=101.71(6)°,Z=4,D x=1.218 g cm–3, mgr (MoKa)=0.095 mm–1. FinalR=0.079 for 1203 observed reflections. The dimethylphenyl ring is almost perpendicular to the amidic plane of the molecule.

The crystal structure of the title compound (C20H23NO3) was determined by three-dimensionalx-ray analysis from diffractometer data. Crystal data are: monoclinic,C2/c,a=22.425(18) Å,b=11.201(5) Å,c=15.388(16) Å,ß=108.95(7)°,Z=8,Dx=1.182 g·cm-3,µ (MoKa)=0.075 mm-1. FinalR=0.083 for 1148 observed reflexions. The 2,6-dimethylphenyl ring is almost perpendicular to the amidic plane of the molecule (dihedral angle of 92.5°) whereas the phenyl group of the phenylacetyl moiety is inclined at 65.4° with respect to the plane through the central part of the molecule. The distance between the two carbonyl oxygens is 3.095 Å, i.e., within the hitherto observed range of 3.028–3.100 Å for related systemic acylanilide fungicides.

The crystal structure of the title compound (C15H19NO4, MW 277.3 amu) was determined by three-dimensional X-ray analysis from diffractometer data. Crystal data are: monoclinic,P21/n,a=9.600(3) Å,b=11.964(6) Å,c=12.802(4) Å,β=101.25(3)°,V=1442.1(16) Å3,Z=4;Dx=1.277 Mg m−3;μ(MoKα)=0.10 mm−1. FinalR=0.055 for 1686 observed reflections having 2θ (MoKα)<50° andI>2.5 σ(I). The compound is isostructural withN-(2-methoxyacetyl)-N-(2,6-xylyl)-3-amino-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one. The dimethylphenyl ring is almost perpendicular to the amidic plane of the molecule (dihedral angle 81.9°); the butyrolactone ring is in the typical envelope conformation.

The crystal structure of the title compound (C14H18N2O4) was determined by three-dimensional X-ray analysis from diffractometer data. Crystal data are: monoclinic,P21/n,a=9.363(1) Å,b=12.715(1) Å,c=12.360(1) Å,ß=102.64(10)°,Z=4,Dx=1.288 Mg m-3,µ(MoKa)=0.10 mm-1. FinalR=0.062 for 1175 observed reflections. The dimethylphenyl group and the planar portion of the oxazolidinone ring are steeply inclined to the amidic plane of the molecule (76.0° and 66.5°, respectively); the oxazolidinone ring is in a half-chain form.

Abstract: A crystalline modification of the title compound (C17H19NO4) was determined by three-dimensional X-ray analysis from diffractometer data. Crystal data: monoclinic,Cc,a=15.997(12) Å,b=7.929(7) Å,c=14.664(11) Å,beta=118.70(5)°,Z=4;Dx=1.227 Mg m–3,mgr(MoKagr)=0.094 mm–1. FinalR=0.068 for 852 observed reflections. The dimethylphenyl ring is strongly twisted (94.9°) with respect to the amidic plane of the molecule, which almost coincides with the furan ring (6.9°).

A correlative approach is illustrated in which some conformational features of Lewis bases used in Ziegler-Natta heterogeneous catalysts for isotactic poly(propylene) proved to be molecular descriptors strongly correlating with stereoregulating power and polymerization yield. They are both steric and statistical descriptors and have been obtained through the analysis of the entire rotational hypersurface of the considered compounds. The correlative study selected some of their values as necessary conditions for a good stereoregulating effect. Their calculation for new molecules led to the predictive evaluation of new chemical classes as efficient stereoregulating electron donors and to the choice of the most effective ones.

SummaryFifteen patients with cutaneous signs and symptoms caused by adverse reactions to foods were treated in an open trial with ketotifen for 4 to 6 weeks. Seven subjects were allergic and 8 had food intolerance. Each patient was treated with a single dose of ketotifen daily: 2 mg half an hour before going to sleep. Clinical improvement was achieved in 6 out of 7 allergic patients and in 6 out of 8patients with food intolerance. Since several drugs have been demonstrated to have an influence on immune response, the in vitro effects of ketotifen on some immunological parameters were also studied. Ketotifen showed a significant inhibitory effect on autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction responsiveness.

È stato condotto uno studio su un gruppo di 296 pazienti affetti da atopia respiratoria residenti nella provincia di La Spezia. I soggetti erano sottoposti a prick test e/o RAST. Veniva considerata l'incidenza dei singoli allergeni. Dai dati emerge l'importanza delle Graminacee quali maggior responsabili di sensibilizzazioni al contrario di altre zone della Liguria ove è predominante la Parietaria.

New models for the steric environment of Ti isospecific polymerization sites for poly(propylene) on MgCl2microcrystals are proposed. They directly involve a donor molecule in order to obtain isospecific activable Ti atoms otherwise belonging to isolated adsorbed TiCl4molecules or Ti2Cl8dimers which are lacking of the required chirality for stereocontrol. The donor molecules able to attain at best this effect keep to some peculiar conformational rules settled by the authors in a previous theoretical‐correlative study on highly active Lewis bases. The new 1,3‐dimethoxypropane series suggested by the authors and recently patented by Montell has been examined in detail. Essentially three different types of closeness between Ti atoms and donor molecules can take place, in which different moieties of the diether compound help to build the ‘right’ steric environment in the site's neighbouring. In the three proposed models S1, S2, S3 the stereocontrol is attained through, respectively, one of the methoxy moieties, one of the methyls, and one of the central carbon atom substituents. New hypotheses on the role of Lewis bases in the preparation of isospecific heterogeneous Ziegler‐Natta catalysts are discussed.

A correlative approach is illustrated in which some conformational features of Lewis bases used in Ziegler‐Natta heterogeneous catalysts for isotactic poly(propylene) proved to be molecular descriptors strongly correlating with stereoregulating power and polymerization yield. They are both steric and statistical descriptors and have been obtained through the analysis of the entire rotational hypersurface of the considered compounds. The correlative study selected some of their values as necessary conditions for a good stereoregulating effect. Their calculation for new molecules led to the predictive evaluation of new chemical classes as efficient stereoregulating electron donors and to the choice of the most effective ones.

The Riedel’s thyroiditis is an uncommon form of chronic thyroiditis characterized by an invasive fibrosclerosis of the gland, often involving the surrounding tissues. Usually, the only possible treatment is the surgical decompression of the tissues. We describe a case of aggressive Riedel’s thyroiditis with severe compression and dislocation of thrachea and esophagus. The surgical approach was uneffective, while an “ex juvantibus” steroid treatment, resulted in a dramatic regression of fibrosclerosis and a complete clinical remission. This report points out the possible effectiveness of corticosteroids in the treatment of selective disorders involving increased fibrogenesis.

ABSTRACTUnder physiological conditions, PD-1/PD-L1 interactions regulate unwanted over-reactions of immune cells and contribute to maintain peripheral tolerance. However, in tumor microenvironment, this interaction may greatly compromise the immune-mediated anti-tumor activity. PD-1+NK cells have been detected in high percentage in peripheral blood and ascitic fluid of ovarian carcinoma patients. To acquire information on PD-1 expression and physiology in human NK cells, we analyzed whether PD-1 mRNA and protein are present in resting, surface PD-1−, NK cells from healthy donors. Both different splicing isoforms of PD-1 mRNA and a cytoplasmic pool of PD-1 protein were detected. Similar results were obtained also from both in vitro-activated and tumor-associated NK cells. PD-1 mRNA and protein were higher in CD56dimthan in CD56brightNK cells. Confocal microscopy analyses revealed that PD-1 protein is present in virtually all NK cells analyzed. The present findings are compatible with a rapid surface expression of PD-1 in NK cells in response to appropriate, still undefined, stimuli.

ABSTRACTNatural Killer (NK) cells are capable of recognizing and killing cancer cells and play an important role in tumor immunosurveillance. However, tumor-infiltrating NK cells are frequently impaired in their functional capability. A remarkable exception is represented by NK cells isolated from malignant pleural effusions (PE) that are not anergic and, upon IL2-induced activation, efficiently kill tumor cells. Although IL2 is used in various clinical trials, severe side effects may occur in treated patients. In this study, we investigated whether also other clinical-grade cytokines could induce strong cytotoxicity in NK cells isolated from pleural fluid of patients with primary or metastatic tumors of different origins. We show that PE-NK cells, cultured for short-time intervals with IL15, maintain the CD56brightphenotype, a high expression of the main activating receptors, produce cytokines and kill tumor cells in vitrosimilarly to those treated with IL2. Moreover, IL15-activated PE-NK cells could greatly reduce the growth of established tumors in mice. This in vivoantitumor effect correlated with the ability of IL15-activated PE-NK cells to traffic from periphery to the tumor site. Finally, we show that IL15 can counteract the inhibitory effect of the tumor pleural microenvironment. Our study suggests that IL15-activated NK cells isolated from pleural fluid (otherwise discarded after thoracentesis) may represent a suitable source of effector cells to be used in adoptive immunotherapy of cancer.