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Two samples of high-density polyethylene with different molecular weight were processed in a batch mixer and the rheological and structural properties were investigated. In particular, the effect of different processing parameters and the eventual presence of different stabilizers were evaluated. Actually, two reactions may occur during processing: branching/crosslinking or chain scission. The results indicate that when the processing conditions promote a scarce mobility of the macromolecular chains (lower temperatures, lower mixing speed, and higher molecular weight), branching is more favored than chain scission. On increasing the mobility of the chain (higher temperature, higher mixing speed, and lower initial molecular weight), branching appears still the predominant reaction, but the chain scission becomes progressively more important. In both cases, no crosslinking occurs. The presence of stabilizers has different effects on the relative extent of branching or chain scission reactions depending on the kind and of the amount of stabilizer and on the processing condition adopted. The correct choice of a stabilizer system will, therefore, depend on the desired final Structure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 49:1316-1325, 2009. [C] 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers, INTRODUCTION All the polymeric materials display properties that are dependent on the molecular structure and on the interaction among the macromolecular chains. These properties can change dramatically when the chemical [...]

The use of natural organic fillers in addition to postconsumer recycled polymers is getting a growing interest during the last years; this is due to many advantages they can provide in terms of cost, aesthetic properties, environmental impact. In this work, several types of wood flour (differing each other with regard to production source and particle size) were added to a recycled polyethylene coming from films for greenhouses and the effects of filler type, content, and size were investigated. Investigation was then focused on the improvement of mechanical properties, through the addition of polar copolymers (ethylene-co-acrylic acid, ethylene-vinyl acetate) and a maleic anhydride-grafted-grafted polyethylene (Licocene® PE MA 4351 TP), in order to try to overcome the poor adhesion between polar filler particles and nonpolar polymer chains. Investigation was also based on SEM micrographs. An overall positive influence of these additives was observed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:1131-1139, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers, INTRODUCTION Polymer composites have been subject to increasing interest, study, and utilization for some decades. One of the main categories of polymer composites is represented by polymers filled with glass [...]

Introduction: The comorbidity between depression and anxiety is a common occurrence. The DSM-5 introduced the "anxious distress" (AD) specifier that can be applied to any depressive episode – both in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) – when symptoms such as feelings of tension, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and fear that something awful may happen or to lose control are present. Longitudinal data showed that the AD specifier may be an effective predictor of chronicity, time to remission, and functional disability in depressive disorders. In addition, evidence on AD proved its association with increased depressive symptom severity. Objectives: Available literature seems to suggest that AD occurs in a specific subgroup of patients, thus enabling a peculiar clinical profile to be outlined. To expand knowledge in this field, we performed a cross-sectional study aimed at identifying clinical correlates of AD in people with major depressive episodes. Methods: Adult people admitted to two psychiatric inpatient units in the northern area of the Metropolitan City of Milan from May 2020 to December 2022 were screened for a major depressive episode and relevant specifiers using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5). Data on socio-demographic and clinical variables were collected. The severity of depressive and manic symptoms was assessed using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), respectively. Univariate comparisons between participants with and without AD were conducted, and two multiple logistic regression models were arranged to investigate the association between AD and candidate explanatory variables. Results: We included 206 inpatients with a major depressive episode (mean age =48.4 ± 18.6 years; males = 38.8%), of whom 155 diagnosed with MDD and 51 with BD. AD was present in 137 participants (66.5%). Mixed features (p=0.049), higher YMRS scores (p=0.004), psychotic features (p<0.05), and a diagnosis of MDD (p<0.05) were found to be associated with AD in the multiple logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: Notwithstanding some limitations, such as the cross-sectional design and the inclusion of inpatient only, our study highlights the association of AD with mixed and psychotic features, as well as with MDD. Clinical implications of these results include the possible contribution in delineating a specific symptom profile in people with AD during a major depressive episode. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, recovery of zinc from real spent pickling solutions by liquid-liquid extraction with tributyl phosphate (TBP) was studied. In particular, the effects of some parameters were investigated, such as the volume ratio between the organic phase and real spent pickling liquor (O/A) (1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1), the stirring time (5-20-30 min) and the TBP concentration (10%-55%-100%), in order to determine the conditions leading to higher zinc extraction efficiency, as well as selectivity in relationships to other metals such as iron. After zinc extraction, TBP was successfully regenerated. Among several tested solutions, water allows zinc recovery higher than 90%, especially at 10% diluted TBP solution. In addition, a double stripping step with water led to a near complete regeneration of TBP. In the present work, a process flowsheet is also proposed, where TBP at 10% concentration is used for zinc extraction from a spent pickling solution and then regenerated in a double-step stripping stage with water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen Objetivo El sistema nervioso central (SNC) puede estar afectado en una variedad de enfermedades inflamatorias de los vasos sanguíneos, generalmente conocidas como vasculitis. El diagnóstico clínico de dicha afectación en etapas tempranas es difícil, ya que un leve deterioro cognitivo puede ser el único síntoma. Se planteó la hipótesis de que la SPECT de perfusion cerebral podría mostrar la afectación del SNC y podría servir para controlar el curso de la enfermedad. El propósito de este estudio fue evaluar si y cuándo una mejora de la perfusión cerebral puede ser registrada por SPECT durante el seguimiento de estas enfermedades. Material y métodos Dieciocho pacientes afectados por Lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES), 22 por vasculitis indiferenciada (VI), 5 por la enfermedad de Behcet (EB) y 5 por el síndrome de Sjogren Primario (SSp) se incluyeron en este estudio prospectivo. Se realizó una SPECT de perfusión cerebral con 99m Tc-HMPAO antes del tratamiento, y se repitió durante el seguimiento a diferentes intervalos de tiempo. El análisis de imagen se realizó en 10 áreas cerebrales utilizando un software específico. Resultados En los pacientes con LES no se encontró una mejora significativa de la perfusión cerebral. Por el contrario, en la VI la captación cerebral del trazador comenzó a mejorar significativamente desde el vigésimo cuarto mes (18/22 pacientes). Los pacientes con EB mostraron una mejora de los hallazgos gammagráficos (5/5 pacientes), mientras que sólo se obtuvo un resultado similar en dos de los pacientes con SSp. Conclusiones En conclusión, el SPECT cerebral parece ser capaz de monitorizar la enfermedad en VI, evaluando cuándo se puede registrar una mejoría de la perfusión cerebral. En los pacientes con LES, esta técnica gammagráfica no ha encontrado una mejoría significativa en la perfusión del SNC. Objective The central nervous system (CNS) may be involved in a variety of inflammatory diseases of the blood vessels, generally known as vasculitis. The clinical diagnosis of such involvement in early stages is difficult, since a mild cognitive impairment can be the only symptom. It was hypothesized that brain-perfusion SPECT would be able to reveal CNS involvement and to monitor the course of the disease. The purpose of this study was assess if and when an improvement of cerebral perfusion can be registered by SPECT during the follow-up of these diseases. Material and methods Eighteen patients affected by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), 22 by undifferentiated vasculitis (UV), 5 by Behcet's disease (BD) and 5 by primary Sjogren's Syndrome (pSS) were enrolled in this prospective study. A 99m Tc-HMPAO brain perfusion SPECT was performed before the treatment and was repeated during the follow-up at different time intervals. Image analysis was performed on 10 cerebral areas using a specific software. Results In the SLE patients, no significant improvement of brain perfusion was found. On the contrary, in the UV the cerebral uptake of the tracer significantly improved from the twenty-fourth month (18/22 patients). Patients with BD showed an improvement of scintigraphic findings (5/5 patients), while a similar result was obtained only in 2 of the patients with pSS. Conclusions In conclusion, brain SPECT seems to be able to monitor the disease in UV, indicating the moment when an improvement of the cerebral perfusion is achieved. In SLE patients this scintigraphic technique did not show a significant improvement in CNS perfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usefulness of any material, including polymer blends, depends on its degradability and durability. The blend composition can significantly affect the degradative behavior of a polymer blend and can differ from the degradation routes of the pure components since the interactions among different species in the blends during degradation, and among the degradation products, can occur. These reactions can lead either to an acceleration of the degradation rate or to a stabilizing effect in comparison with the pure components. Thus, the additive rule cannot be often applied in case of degradation of polymer blends and, therefore, it is difficult to predict the degradative behavior of a polymer blend on the base of the properties of pure components. This review aims to report the status of the research on degradation of polymer blends focusing on thermal, thermomechanical and photo-oxidative degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: In experimental investigations conducted in rats, raising serum uric acid (SUA) levels resulted in the stimulation of intrarenal renin expression. Studies in humans exploring the association of SUA with plasma renin activity (PRA) yielded conflicting results. Moreover, little is known about the relationship of SUA with plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC). The study aimed to assess the relationship between SUA levels, PRA, and PAC and the influence of age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and hyperuricemia on these relationships in subjects with essential hypertension (EH).Methods and Results: We enrolled 372 hypertensive patients (mean age 45 ± 12 years, men 67%) with uncomplicated EH that was not pharmacologically treated. The study population was divided in tertiles according to SUA levels. While PRA did not differ significantly across the three tertiles, PAC was higher in subjects belonging to the uppermost tertile of SUA than those in the lower ones (p = 0.0429); however, this difference lost statistical significance after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and serum creatinine. Univariate correlation analyses showed significant associations of SUA with PRA (r = 0.137; p = 0.008) and PAC (r = 0.179; p < 0.001). However, these relationships were not significant after correcting for confounding factors in multiple linear regression analyses. We did not observe statistically significant effect modification by gender, age, BMI, and hyperuricemia.Conclusion: SUA levels are weakly associated with PRA and PAC in adults with untreated EH. These relationships were lost after adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and serum creatinine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Polymer nanocomposites and their behavior have been widely investigated by several paths, including mechanical, rheological, and permeability tests, finding that several parameters (such as the polymer matrix, the nanofiller, their amounts, the presence of compatibilizers, processing parameters, etc.) can influence the main properties. However, less information is available regarding the creep response of polymer nanocomposites; in particular, few or no data are reported about the combined effect of different loads and different temperatures. In this article, the creep behavior of a low density polyethylene/organomodified clay nanocomposite has been investigated. The characterization of viscoelastic response has taken into account both the effects of applied load and temperature, which are often considered separately. Dynamic-mechanical and structural analysis was also performed in order to get a deeper understanding of the involved phenomena. The nanocomposite showed lower creep deformations (up to ∼20%) and the relative differences with the neat polymer matrix were found to be increasing upon increasing the applied load (up to ∼24%) and the temperature (up to ∼38%). © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44180. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, pyrohydrolysis techniques are widely applied for regeneration of spent pickling liquors providing an excellent environmental and economical strategy to the problem of waste disposal/recovery, also thanks to the high acid recovery efficiencies (>99%) achieved. In fact, in these processes, iron chlorides are converted into iron oxides and hydrogen chloride at high temperature in spray roasting or fluidized bed reactors. Though the state-of-the-art technologies have been successfully applied only to large-scale plants, the development of small-scale units, able to perform a delocalized regeneration of spent solutions where these latter are actually produced, would be strongly needed in order to minimize the transportation of hazardous spent pickling and fresh HCl solutions to/from pickling factories from/to large centralized regeneration plants. In the present work, a steady-state simulation model for regeneration of spent pickling liquor via spray roasting has been developed, aiming at the analysis of performance of a small-scale unit. The simulation and optimization of the process has been carried out using Aspen Plus simulator. A simplified model of the spray roaster, based on the data collected from studies reported in the literature, has been implemented and exported from Aspen Custom Modeler. Solid recovery from roaster off-gases has been obtained by a cyclone and a Venturi scrubber, where the spent pickling liquor is concentrated prior to be sprayed into the reactor. Hydrogen chloride is absorbed in an adiabatic absorber, where a sub-azeotropic (18–20 wt%) hydrochloric solution is obtained. Prior to the stack, a scrubber is required to wash off the exhaust gases. Several parametric studies have been performed. Different designs of solid separators have been compared in order to investigate the particulate separation efficiency of the process, while absorption column’s packing types and rinse water flow rates have been varied in order to investigate their effects on HCl recovery and acid gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Polymer blends of incompatible components need to undergo compatibilization, in order to give rise to a blend with good physical properties. At the same way, polymer/clay nanocomposites show this problem because of different chemical nature of the polymer matrix and of the clay. Compatibilization is therefore more necessary if an incompatible polymer blend is filled with an organomodified clay in order to give a final material with good properties. In this work, a polyethylene/polyamide 6 blend filled with an organomodified clay has been compatibilized with a maleic anhydride grafted SEBS (styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene) copolymer and a glicidylmethacrylate-ethylene copolymer. The results show that compatibilization improves the mechanical properties in terms of elongation at break, as well as the rheological properties under nonisothermal elongational flow; furthermore, an unexpected effect has been found, since going from the isotropic to the anisotropic material, a fragile-ductile transition occurs, with a significant increase of the elongation values, while a small reduction of the elastic modulus was found, because of the lower crystallinity in comparison to isotropic samples. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:992-998, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polymer nanocomposites are gaining a growing interest both in the academia and in the industrial field, because of some specific properties they can assure. However, the rise in the attention from the industry is also leading to concerns about their processing, which can involve issues which are not present in traditional polymers processing; furthermore, additional issues can arise when nanocomposites are based on a polymer blend rather than a single polymer. In this work, a systematic study on thermomechanical degradation and reprocessing behaviour of LDPE/PA6/Cloisite 15A systems has been performed. The characterization was based on rheological, mechanical and morphological analysis. The investigation revealed a complex degradation behaviour, including the degradation phenomena involving the filler and those involving the two components of the polymer blend; furthermore, these phenomena are strongly dependent on the specific processing conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polymer nanocomposites are currently a topic of great interest. The increasing importance they are gaining also in the standpoint of industrial applications, is giving concerns regarding their environmental stability and, in general, their behaviour in outdoor applications, under direct solar irradiation. Papers available in the literature have highlighted the different influences of different nanosized fillers, in particular clay-based nanofillers; however, few data are available regarding other nanosized fillers. Furthermore, the research on polymer nanocomposites has clearly pointed out that the use of compatibilizers is required to improve the mechanical performance and the dispersion of polar fillers inside apolar polymer matrices, especially when complex mechanisms such as intercalation and exfoliation, typical of clay-filled nanocomposites, are involved. In this work, the photo-oxidation behaviour of polypropylene/clay and polypropylene/calcium carbonate nanocomposites containing different amounts of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PPgMA) and subjected to accelerated weathering, was investigated. The results showed significant differences between the two nanofillers and different degradation behaviours in presence of the compatibilizer. In particular, PPgMA modified the dispersion of the nanofillers but, on the other hand, higher amounts proved to lead to the formation of some heterogeneities. Furthermore, PPgMA proved to positively affect the photo-oxidation behaviour by decreasing the rate of formation of the degradation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been attracting increasing interest for the fabrication of polymer-based nanocomposites because of their excellent properties. Traditional methods for the preparation of polymer/CNTs nanocomposites are in situ polymerization, solution blending, and melt mixing. The achievement of a good CNT dispersion and a percolation network is important in order to obtain better mechanical and electrical properties. However, the rheological behavior of polymer/CNTs systems, in particular regarding the extensional flow, has not been much investigated so far. In this work we present, for the first time, rheological data in non-isothermal extensional flow and an investigation on the effect of the extensional flow upon the final properties of several polymer/CNTs systems was carried out as well. Extensional flow led to higher mechanical properties and higher melt strength, but only a slightly reduced breaking stretching ratio. This result could be particularly interesting in the view of potential industrial applications such as film blowing and spinning. Morphological analyses also showed higher degrees of dispersion and variation in the CNTs final dimensions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which examined the processing, the influence of different processing techniques and the effect of the filler particle size on the properties of Mater-Bi/wood flour composites. It notes that polymer composites are known for their properties in terms of environmental impact, manufacturing cost and esthetic features. Results of the study showed an increase of the elastic modulus and viscosity caused by single-screw extrusion.

Abstract: The mechanical properties of Mater-Bi® are, in general, not adequate for certain applications and the addition of a filler is therefore necessary. Among the different fillers, natural fibres are particularly interesting because they potentially allow improving the performance of the material without compromising its biodegradability. In order to improve the basic mechanical properties of a Mater-Bi grade and to obtain a new, fully biodegradable material, wood flour based composites were prepared by different processing methods. To simulate actual and not laboratory bacterial attack on the prepared materials, in this work we studied the biodegradation of the composites in a real active sewage sludge reactor. In particular, the biodegradation rates were investigated with reference to different pre-treatments of the materials and different environmental conditions (summer and winter). The results showed that wood flour enhances the biodegradability of the materials. The results indicated also strong relationships between the surface roughness and the biodegradation rates (in particular, higher roughness leads to wider bacterial attack). The different processing techniques had direct effects on the overall biodegradation rates. In particular, when higher smoothness and packing is achieved, the biodegradation rate is lower. The mechanical analysis indicated that adding wood flour to Mater-Bi has positive effects on the elastic modulus, but when the bacterial attack becomes critical, a general sudden drop of the mechanical properties is observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polymer composites filled with natural organic fillers have gained a significant interest during the last few years, because of several advantages they can offer compared with properties of inorganic-mineral fillers. However, these composites (based, in most cases, on polyolefins) often show a reduction in some mechanical properties. This is mainly due to the problems regarding dispersion of the polar filler particles in the non-polar polymer matrix and their interfacial adhesion with polymer chains. In this work, polypropylene–wood flour composites were prepared and the effect of the addition of a maleated polypropylene was investigated. The two materials were compounded by an industrial co-rotating twin screw extruder, with two different compositions, without and with addition of Licomont AR504® (maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene wax). The extruded material was then compression molded, which provided the specimens for tensile and impact tests. Water uptake was measured; the morphology of the fracture surfaces of the samples coming out from mechanical tests was investigated through SEM analysis. Rheological characterization was carried out as well. The addition of the adhesion promoter allowed a decrease in water uptake; mechanical properties were improved as well, especially elastic modulus and tensile strength; impact strength increased in the case of unnotched samples, while notched ones did not show remarkable differences. SEM analysis of the fracture surfaces also showed an overall change in the morphology as a consequence of the utilization of the adhesion promoter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent preclinical and clinical studies have shown that the [gamma]-aminobutyric acid-B agonist baclofen may be an effective treatment for reducing alcohol consumption. This preliminary open-label investigation examined the tolerability and effect of a 30-mg daily baclofen dose for reducing drinking, subclinical anxiety and depressive symptoms, and craving in alcohol-dependent subjects.Methods: Nine men and three women participated in a 12-week trial during which they took baclofen on a 10 mg thrice-daily regimen and received four sessions of motivational enhancement therapy. Each participant received a comprehensive physical and psychiatric screening before being enrolled. At each visit, side effects were monitored with a revised version of the Systematic Assessment of Treatment Emergent Events-General Inquiry, and drinking data were collected via the timeline follow-back interview. Participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Penn Alcohol Craving Scale at each visit.Results: Baclofen was reasonably tolerated. Two participants discontinued because of side effects. No serious adverse events were noted. Six other individuals did not complete the trial. Overall, there were statistically significant reductions in the number of drinks per drinking day and the number of heavy-drinking days, and there was an increase in the number of abstinent days. Significant decreases in anxiety and craving were also shown.Conclusions: These findings suggest that baclofen is reasonably tolerated in an alcohol-dependent population, although the high dropout rate in the study is of concern. Baclofen may be effective for the reduction of drinking, anxiety, and craving for some alcohol-dependent individuals. A larger-scale placebo-controlled study is needed to further explore these effects and to determine the characteristics of those who respond to this medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer based nanocomposites are increasingly attracting interest from academia and industry, and the use of polymer blends as matrices greatly increase their potential field of application. In order to improve their characteristics, the use of compatibilizers acting on the blend components is mandatory. However, this also leads to rising concerns regarding the behaviour of polymer blend based nanocomposites upon being subjected to photo-oxidative degradation. It is known that morphology can deeply influence the photo-oxidative behaviour, and this can be therefore deeply influenced by the blend components and by the use of compatibilizers. In this work, polymer blend nanocomposites, based on low density polyethylene and polyamide 6 have been prepared, containing organically modified clay as nanosized filler and two different functionalized polymers as compatibilizers, and processed in a film blowing operation in order to evaluate the effect of the compatibilization on photo-oxidation. The presence of the compatibilizer significantly improves the photo-resistance of the blend, while this improvement is less relevant in the nanocomposites since the photo-oxidation rate seems to be mainly dependent on the clay content and its direct effects on the photo-oxidative phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of computerized medical recording systems in healthcare facilities has made data retrieval tasks easier, compared to manual recording. Nevertheless, the potential of the information contained within medical records remains largely untapped, mostly due to the time and effort required to extract data from unstructured documents. Natural Language Processing (NLP) represents a promising solution to this challenge, as it enables the use of automated text-mining tools for clinical practitioners. In this work, we present the architecture of the Virtual Dementia Institute (IVD), a consortium of sixteen Italian hospitals, using the NLP Extraction and Management Tool (NEMT), a (semi-) automated end-to-end pipeline that extracts relevant information from clinical documents and stores it in a centralized REDCap database. After defining a common Case Report Form (CRF) across the IVD hospitals, we implemented NEMT, the core of which is a Question Answering Bot (QABot) based on a modern NLP model. This QABot is fine-tuned on thousands of examples from IVD centers. Detailed descriptions of the process to define a common minimum dataset, Inter-Annotator Agreement calculated on clinical documents, and NEMT results are provided. The best QABot performance show an Exact Match score (EM) of 78.1%, a F1-score of 84.7%, a Lenient Accuracy (LAcc) of 0.834, and a Mean Reciprocal Rank (MRR) of 0.810. EM and F1 scores outperform the same metrics obtained with ChatGPTv3.5 (68.9% and 52.5%, respectively). With NEMT the IVD has been able to populate a database that will contain data from thousands of Italian patients, all screened with the same procedure. NEMT represents an efficient tool that paves the way for medical information extraction and exploitation for new research studies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to perform a descriptive analysis of oropharyngeal adverse events (AEs) related to drugs and/or vaccines in order to provide useful information for clinicians., Methods: Data related to three regions of Italy were analyzed from 2019 to 2021 by using the National Pharmacovigilance database., Results: Among overall 67,384 cases, 2773 (4.1%) reported at least one oropharyngeal AE. Most cases referred to females (71.0%) and adults (70.8%). The majority of cases were reported as not serious (68.4%) and the outcome was mainly positive (73.5%). The cases related to drugs (52.2%) were slightly more than those related to vaccines (47.8%), the latter nearly completely represented by COVID-19 vaccines. Among 3324 oropharyngeal AEs, the most commonly reported were oropharyngeal conditions (65.9%). The most reported AEs related to vaccines were paresthesia oral and oropharyngeal pain, whereas the most reported AEs related to drugs were throat tightness and angioedema. A marked under-reporting of osteonecrosis of the jaw (2.9%) was observed, despite this risk was well documented in the same country., Conclusions: This analysis suggested an under-reporting of oropharyngeal AEs and the need to better train dentists, dental hygienists, and also general practitioners., (© 2024 The Author(s). Oral Diseases published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether invisible social control provided by a romantic partner is associated with improved objective glucose outcomes for patients with Type 2 diabetes. Social control reflects a partner's attempt to modify or influence a patient's health behaviors. We hypothesized that the best outcome for all continuous glucose monitoring measures would be captured by an interaction condition reflecting invisible social control., Method: Patients with Type 2 diabetes and their partners ( N = 63 couples) completed an 8-day daily diary period between 2016 and 2017. Self-report measures of social control receipt and provision were obtained each evening from patients and partners and patients wore a continuous glucose monitor throughout the diary period. Outcomes of daily glucose mean, standard deviation, time in range, and coefficient of variation were computed and two-way interactions between social control receipt and social control provision were probed and plotted., Results: The two-way interaction significantly predicted daily glucose mean, standard deviation, and time in range, such that when patients reported no social control receipt, but partners reported social control provision, patients showed improvements in objective glucose measures. We found no significant effect for coefficient of variation., Conclusions: This study was the first to use an invisible social control framework to examine the daily dyadic associations between partner social control provision, patient social control receipt, and four objectively measured continuous glucose monitoring outcomes. Findings suggest that the visibility of social control provided by a romantic partner may be predictive of glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Purpose: Partners of breast cancer (BC) survivors report high rates of psychological distress including fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). Research suggests that partners may have poorer physical health outcomes than the general population, but little research has examined the physiological biomarkers by which distress may impact partner health outcomes. The current study examined the associations between FCR and changes in hair cortisol among BC partners., Methods: Male partners (N = 73) of early-stage BC survivors provided hair samples during two visits, one after completion of survivors' adjuvant treatment (T1) and again 6 months later (T2). Two subscales from the Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory and one subscale from the Concerns about Recurrence Scale comprised a latent FCR factor at T1. A latent change score model was used to examine change in cortisol as a function of FCR., Results: Partners were on average 59.65 years of age (SD = 10.53) and non-Hispanic White (83%). Latent FCR at T1 was positively associated (b = 0.08, SE = 0.03, p = .004, standardized β = .45) with change in latent hair cortisol from T1 to T2., Conclusions: Results indicated that greater FCR was associated with increases in hair cortisol in the months following adjuvant treatment. This is one of the first studies to examine the physiological correlates of FCR that may impact health outcomes in BC partners., Implications for Cancer Survivors: Findings highlight the need for further research into the relationship between FCR and its physiological consequences. Interventions to address partner FCR are needed and may aid in improving downstream physical health outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The widespread and increasing use of plastic-based goods in the present-day world has been raising many concerns about the formation of microplastics, their release, their impacts on the environment and, ultimately, on living organisms. These concerns are even greater regarding nanoplastics, i.e., nanosized microplastics, which may have even greater impacts. In this brief review, although without any claim or intention to exhaustively cover all the aspects of such a complex and many-sided issue, the very topical problem of the formation of microplastics, and the even more worrisome nanoplastics, from polymer-based products was considered. The approach is focused on a terse, straightforward, and easily accessible analysis oriented to the main technological engineering aspects regarding the sources of microplastics and nanoplastics released into the environment, their nature, some of the consequences arising from the release, the different polymers involved, their technological form (i.e., products or processes, with particular attention towards unintentional release), the formation mechanisms, and some possible mitigation pathways.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a common sleep disorder characterized by an urge to move the legs that is responsive to movement (particularly during rest), periodic leg movements during sleep, and hyperarousal. Recent evidence suggests that the involvement of the adenosine system may establish a connection between dopamine and glutamate dysfunction in RLS. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive electrophysiological technique widely applied to explore brain electrophysiology and neurochemistry under different experimental conditions. In this pilot study protocol, we aim to investigate the effects of dipyridamole (a well-known enhancer of adenosinergic transmission) and caffeine (an adenosine receptor antagonist) on measures of cortical excitation and inhibition in response to TMS in patients with primary RLS. Initially, we will assess cortical excitability using both single- and paired-pulse TMS in patients with RLS. Then, based on the measures obtained, we will explore the effects of dipyridamole and caffeine, in comparison to placebo, on various TMS parameters related to cortical excitation and inhibition. Finally, we will evaluate the psycho-cognitive performance of RLS patients to screen them for cognitive impairment and/or mood-behavioral dysfunction, thus aiming to correlate psycho-cognitive findings with TMS data. Overall, this study protocol will be the first to shed lights on the neurophysiological mechanisms of RLS involving the modulation of the adenosine system, thus potentially providing a foundation for innovative "pharmaco-TMS"-based treatments. The distinctive TMS profile observed in RLS holds indeed the potential utility for both diagnosis and treatment, as well as for patient monitoring. As such, it can be considered a target for both novel pharmacological (i.e., drug) and non-pharmacological (e.g., neuromodulatory), "TMS-guided", interventions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Lanza et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: Most people with major depressive episodes meet the criteria for the anxious distress (AD) specifier defined by DSM-5 as the presence of symptoms such as feelings of tension, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, and fear that something awful may happen. This cross-sectional study was aimed at identifying clinical correlates of AD in people with unipolar or bipolar depression., Methods: Inpatients with a current major depressive episode were included. Data on socio-demographic and clinical variables were collected. The SCID-5 was used to diagnose depressive episodes and relevant specifiers. The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) were used to assess the severity of depressive and manic (mixed) symptoms, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify clinical correlates of AD., Results: We included 206 people (mean age: 48.4 ± 18.6 yrs.; males: 38.8%) admitted for a major depressive episode (155 with major depressive disorder and 51 with bipolar disorder). Around two-thirds of the sample (N = 137; 66.5%) had AD. Multiple logistic regression models showed that AD was associated with mixed features, higher YMRS scores, psychotic features, and a diagnosis of major depressive disorder ( p  < 0.05)., Conclusion: Despite some limitations, including the cross-sectional design and the inpatient setting, our study shows that AD is likely to be associated with mixed and psychotic features, as well as with unipolar depression. The identification of these clinical domains may help clinicians to better contextualize AD in the context of major depressive episodes.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multisystem and multifactorial disorder and, therefore, the application of modern genetic techniques may assist in unraveling its complex pathophysiology. We conducted a clinical-demographic evaluation of 126 patients with PD, all of whom were Caucasian and of Sicilian ancestry. DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood for each patient, followed by sequencing using a Next-Generation Sequencing system. This system was based on a custom gene panel comprising 162 genes. The sample underwent further filtering, taking into account the allele frequencies of genetic variants, their presence in the Human Gene Mutation Database, and their association in the literature with PD or other movement/neurodegenerative disorders. The largest number of variants was identified in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 ( LRRK2 ) gene. However, variants in other genes, such as acid beta-glucosidase ( GBA ), DNA polymerase gamma catalytic subunit ( POLG ), and parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase ( PRKN ), were also discovered. Interestingly, some of these variants had not been previously associated with PD. Enhancing our understanding of the genetic basis of PD and identifying new variants possibly linked to the disease will contribute to improved diagnostic accuracy, therapeutic developments, and prognostic insights for affected individuals., Competing Interests: Author Angela Cordella was employed by the company Genomix4Life Srl. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The funder had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to characterize the experiences and overall satisfaction of patients and providers with the March 2020 transition to telehealth in a psychiatric setting (telepsychiatry). The study also investigated how socio-demographic and clinical characteristics impact an individual's experiences and satisfaction with telepsychiatry., Methods: Responses were collected from 604 patients and 154 providers engaged in clinical care at one of three participating Johns Hopkins Medicine outpatient psychiatric clinics between January 2020-March 2021. Survey data were collected by self-report via Qualtrics or telephone follow-up., Results: Respondents were predominately female and White. Over 70% of patients and providers were generally satisfied with telepsychiatry. However, providers were more likely to favor in-person care over telepsychiatry for post-pandemic care 48% to 17% respectively, while 35% rated both modalities equivalently. Patients were more evenly divided with 45% preferring telepsychiatry compared to 42% for in-person care, and only 13% rating them equivalently. Among providers, technical difficulties were significantly associated with both less satisfaction and lower preference for telepsychiatry [odds ratio for satisfaction (OR S ) = 0.12; odds ratio for preference (OR P ) = 0.13]. For patients, factors significantly associated with both lower satisfaction and lower preference for telepsychiatry included technical difficulties (OR S  = 0.20; OR P  = 0.41), unstable access to the internet (OR S  = 0.46; OR P  = 0.50), worsening depression (OR S  = 0.38; OR P  = 0.36), and worsening anxiety (OR S  = 0.41; OR P  = 0.40). Factors associated with greater satisfaction and higher preference for telepsychiatry among patients included higher education (OR S  = 2.13; OR P  = 1.96) and a decrease in technical difficulties over time (OR S  = 2.86; OR P  = 2.35)., Discussion: Patients and providers were satisfied with telepsychiatry. However, there were greater differences between them in preferences for continuing to use telepsychiatry post-pandemic. These findings highlight factors that influence patient and provider preferences and should be addressed to optimize the use of telepsychiatry in the future., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Morreale, Cohen, Van Wert, Beccera, Miller, Narrow, Schweizer, Straub, Zandi and Ruble.)

Versatility of the anionic algal polysaccharide carrageenan has long been discussed and explored, especially for their affinity towards water molecules. While this feature is advantageous in certain applications such as water remediation, wound healing, etc., the usefulness of this biopolymer is extremely limited when it comes to applications such as food packaging. Scientists around the globe are carrying out research works on venturing diverse methods to integrate hydrophobic nature into these polysaccharides without compromising their other functionalities. Considering these foregoing studies, this review is designed to have an in-depth understanding of diverse methods and techniques adopted for tuning the hydrophobic nature of carrageenan-based bionanocomposites, both via surface alterations or by changes made to their chemical structure and attached functional groups. This review article mainly focuses on how the hydrophobicity of carrageenan bionanocomposites varies as a function of the type and refinement of carrageenan, and with the incorporation of additives including plasticisers, nanofillers, bioactive agents, etc. Incorporation of nanofillers such as polysaccharide-based nanoparticles, nanoclays, bioceramic and mineral based nanoparticles, carbon dots and nanotubes, metal oxide nanoparticles, etc., along with their synergistic effects in hybrid bionanocomposites are also dealt with in this comprehensive review article.