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Copyright of Annali di Igiene, Medicina Preventiva e di Comunità is the property of Societa Editrice Universo s.r.l. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The role of the skin–gut axis in atopic dermatitis (AD) remains a subject of debate, limiting non-pharmacological interventions such as probiotics and prebiotics. To improve understanding of their potential as a monotherapy for stable mild cases, we conducted a real-life, multicenter, retrospective observational study in Italy. We administered three selected bacteria (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BS01, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP14, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR05) orally to patients with mild atopic dermatitis without a placebo control group, following up for 12 weeks. Clinical assessments using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and Three-Item Severity (TIS) score were conducted on 144 enrolled patients (average age: 25.1 ± 17.6 years). Notably, both pruritus and AD-related lesions (erythema, edema/papules, excoriation) exhibited significant clinical and statistical improvement (p < 0.001) after 12 weeks of exclusive probiotic and prebiotic use. These preliminary results suggest a potential link between the skin–gut microbiome and support the rationale for using specific probiotics and prebiotics in mild AD, even for maintenance, to reduce flares and dysbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this retrospective comparative study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 and delayed emergency department access on emergency surgery outcomes, by comparing the main clinical outcomes in the period March–May 2019 (group 1) with the same period during the national COVID-19 lockdown in Italy (March–May 2020, group 2). Methods: A comparison (groups 1 versus 2) and subgroup analysis were performed between patients' demographic, medical history, surgical, clinical and management characteristics. Results: Two-hundred forty-six patients were included, 137 in group 1 and 109 in group 2 (p = 0.03). No significant differences were observed in the peri-operative characteristics of the two groups. A declared delay in access to hospital and preoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were 15.5% and 5.8%, respectively in group 2. The overall morbidity (OR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.08–4.55, p = 0.03) and 30-day mortality (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 0.33–5.50, =0.68) were significantly higher in group 2. The delayed access cohort showed a close correlation with increased morbidity (OR = 3.19, 95% CI 0.89–11.44, p = 0.07), blood transfusion (OR = 5.13, 95% CI 1.05–25.15, p = 0.04) and 30-day mortality risk (OR = 8.00, 95% CI 1.01–63.23, p = 0.05). SARS-CoV-2-positive patients had higher risk of blood transfusion (20% vs 7.8%, p = 0.37) and ICU admissions (20% vs 2.6%, p = 0.17) and a longer median LOS (9 days vs 4 days, p = 0.11). Conclusions: This article provides enhanced understanding of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient access to emergency surgical care. Our findings suggest that COVID-19 changed the quality of surgical care with poorer prognosis and higher morbidity rates. Delayed emergency department access and a "filter effect" induced by a fear of COVID-19 infection in the population resulted in only the most severe cases reaching the emergency department in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We designed the PROXIMA study (Patient-Reported Outcomes and Xolair® In the Management of Asthma) to determine the proportion of patients with severe asthma sensitive to perennial allergens, and to evaluate asthma control and treatment adherence up to 12 months in patients treated with omalizumab in Italian population. In addition, an ancillary study was designed to explore protein biomarkers and characterize them in relation to severe allergic asthma and treatment effects by proteomic approach. Methods: PROXIMA is an observational, multicenter, cross-sectional and prospective cohort study conducted at 25 centers in Italy, in outpatient settings. The study consists of two phases: 1) a cross-sectional phase plans to enroll 600 patients with severe allergic asthma, in step 4 therapy as per GINA guidelines, aged ≥18 years, needing a step up in therapy, and 2) a longitudinal phase on patients who will start omalizumab add-on therapy per clinician's judgment at baseline visit (approximately 180-240 patients). The primary variable of the cross-sectional phase is the proportion of patients with severe asthma presenting with perennial form of allergy (skin prick test or in vitro test). The primary variable of longitudinal phase is proportion of patients who achieve disease control (assessed by Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ]) with omalizumab at 6 months, and maintain it at 12 months. Secondary variables are patient compliance to omalizumab, patient-reported perception of cognitive and emotional impact of the illness, assessed by Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (Brief IPQ) and the health related quality of life evaluated by the EuroQoL 5D-3 L (EQ-5D-3 L). Safety endpoints will be recorded during the course of the study. Patients participating in the longitudinal phase will be enrolled for ancillary study if they provide additional informed consent. Protein species in complex mixtures will be identified using innovative MudPIT (Multidimensional Protein Identification Technology) method. Conclusions: The results of this observational study will provide estimate of patient population allergic to perennial allergens in Italy and information on patient-reported outcomes with omalizumab therapy in a real-world setting. The exploratory proteomic analysis on asthma biomarkers could eventually provide new data to identify responder patients to anti IgE therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Istituto Ricovero Cura Carattere Scientifico, Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Italy, Candida pelliculosa accounted for 3.3 and 4.4 % of all Candida species other than Candida albicans collected during 1996 and 1998, respectively. Genetic variability was investigated by electrophoretic karyotyping and inter-repeat PCR, and the susceptibility to five antifungal agents of 46 strains isolated from 37 patients during these 2 years was determined. Combination of the two typing methods yielded 14 different DNA types. Although the majority of DNA types were randomly distributed among different units, one DNA type was significantly more common in patients hospitalized in a given unit compared with those from other wards (P=0.034), whereas another DNA type was more frequently isolated in patients hospitalized during 1996 than in those hospitalized during 1998 (P=0.002). Fluconazole, itraconazole and posaconazole MIC90 values were 16, 1 and 4 microg ml-1, respectively. All isolates but three were susceptible in vitro to flucytosine. All isolates were susceptible in vitro to amphotericin B. These data suggest that there are possible relationships among strains of C. pelliculosa, wards and time of isolation. Amphotericin B seems to be the optimal drug therapy in infections due to this yeast species.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has found the whole world unprepared for its correct management. Italy was the first European country to experience the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus at the end of February 2020. As a result of hospital overcrowding, the quality of care delivered was not always optimal. A substantial number of patients admitted to non-ICU units could have been treated at home. It would have been extremely useful to have a score that, based on personal and clinical characteristics and simple blood tests, could have predicted with sufficient reliability the probability that a patient had or did not have a disease that could have led to their death. This study aims to develop a scoring system to identify which patients with COVID-19 are at high mortality risk upon hospital admission, to expedite and enhance clinical decision making. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed to develop a multivariable prognostic prediction model. Results: Derivation and external validation cohorts were obtained from two Italian University Hospital databases, including 388 (10.31% deceased) and 1357 (7.68% deceased) patients with confirmed COVID-19, respectively. A multivariable logistic model was used to select seven variables associated with in-hospital death (age, baseline oxygen saturation, hemoglobin value, white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, platelet count, and creatinine value). Calibration and discrimination were satisfactory with a cumulative AUC for prediction mortality of 0.924 (95% CI: 0.893–0.944) in derivation cohorts and 0.808 (95% CI: 0.886–0.828) in external validation cohorts. The risk score obtained was compared with the ISARIC 4C Mortality Score, and with all the other most important scores considered so far, to evaluate the risk of death of patients with COVID-19. It performed better than all the above scores to evaluate the predictability of dying. Its sensitivity, specificity, and AUC were higher than the other COVID-19 scoring systems when the latter were calculated for the 388 patients in our derivation cohort. Conclusions: In conclusion, the CZ-COVID-19 Score may help all physicians by identifying those COVID-19 patients who require more attention to provide better therapeutic regimens or, on the contrary, by identifying those patients for whom hospitalization is not necessary and who could therefore be sent home without overcrowding healthcare facilities. We developed and validated a new risk score based on seven variables for upon-hospital admission of COVID-19 patients. It is very simple to calculate and performs better than all the other similar scores to evaluate the predictability of dying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emotion dysregulation, boredom, and problematic social media use are well-known vulnerability factors for psychopathology during adolescence; nevertheless, the interplay between these factors remains underinvestigated in the literature. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study aimed to explore the mediating role of boredom and problematic social media use in the relations between emotion dysregulation and both internalizing and externalizing problems in a non-clinical group of Italian adolescents. Method: 721 students (64.6% girls; Mage = 15.49 years ± 1.82) were involved and completed self-report tools assessing emotion dysregulation, boredom, problematic social media use, and psychopathological symptoms. Path analysis was used to test whether boredom and problematic social media use mediated the relation between emotion dysregulation and psychopathology, distinguishing between internalizing and externalizing problems. Results: Path models showed that emotion dysregulation predicted both internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as boredom and problematic social media use. Importantly, boredom mediated the associations between emotion dysregulation and both psychopathological dimensions, while problematic social media use mediated only the relation with externalizing problems. Conclusions: Our results highlight that the influence of emotion dysregulation on psychopathology can manifest through different paths, leading to specific symptomatology based on interactions between various variables. In particular, boredom seems to be a transdiagnostic factor for psychopathology in adolescence, whereas problematic social media use would be a dimension-specific factor. The practical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Good communication is key in cancer care, especially when doctors and patients come from different cultures or speak different languages. We studied 42 videos of doctors talking to Italian and foreign cancer patients during their visits. We looked at how they talked to each other, whether they misunderstood anything, whether there were interruptions, and how much trust and emotion were shown. The type of appointment and the doctor's personal style mattered more than whether the patient was Italian or foreign. This tells us that even when foreign patients can speak the language well, doctors cannot only rely on this to communicate effectively. Doctors should pay attention to interruptions and focus on taking care of the patient as a whole person. The methods we used in this study could help doctors improve their communication skills, which will lead to better care for all patients. Effective communication is crucial in cancer care due to the sensitive nature of the information and the psychosocial impact on patients and their families. Patient-centered communication (PCC) is the gold standard for providing quality cancer care, as it improves patient satisfaction, treatment adherence, clinical outcomes, and overall quality of life. However, doctor–patient communication can be complicated by ethnic, linguistic, and cultural differences. This study employed the ONCode coding system to investigate PCC practices in oncological visits (doctor's communicative behavior, patient's initiatives, misalignments, interruptions, accountability, and expressions of trust in participants' talk, Markers of uncertainty in doctor's talk, markers of emotions in doctor's talk). Forty-two video-recorded patient–oncologist encounters (with 22 Italian and 20 foreign patients), including both first and follow-up visits, were analyzed. Three discriminant analyses were conducted to assess differences in PCC between patient groups (Italian or foreign patients) according to the type of encounter (first visit or follow-up) and the presence or absence of companions during the encounters. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the PCC differences by oncologist age, patient age, and patient sex, controlling for the type of encounter, the presence of a companion during the visit, and patient group on ONCode dimensions. No differences were found in PCC by patient group in discriminant analyses and regressions. Doctor communication behavior, interruptions, accountability, and expressions of trust were higher in first visits than in follow-ups. The disparities in PCC were primarily linked to the type of visit and the age of the oncologist. However, a qualitative analysis showed notable differences in the types of interruptions during visits with foreign patients compared to Italian patients. It is essential to minimize interruptions during intercultural encounters to foster a more respectful and conducive environment for patients. Furthermore, even when foreign patients demonstrate sufficient linguistic competence, healthcare providers should not solely rely on this factor to ensure effective communication and quality care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, environmental benefits in terms of CO2 stored in chestnut wood in Italy have been calculated. Using one of the methodologies proposed under the LCA umbrella, a physical and formal balance sheet of CO2 has been built. Chestnut forests (Castanea sativa Mill.) are one of the most critical forest types in Europe. They cover an area of 800,000 hectares in Italy, most of which are managed as coppices. Chestnut wood's high-quality physical-chemical and mechanical characteristics and medium-long durability explains its widespread uses. In this case study a section of a public forest in Central Italy (Lazio Region) has been considered. In the section, during the rotation, two types of intervention were carried out: thinning at 19 years of age, and final cutting at the age of 32. A production of 416 and 93 m3ha−1 for final cutting and thinning, respectively, was recorded. The global amount of 507 m3 is the functional unit, which has stored 547,875 kgCO2. The combination of forest management and sawmill processing produces semi-finished chestnut timber products for 125 m3, which have a physical storage of 135,210 kgCO2. Using the formal balance sheet of CO2, total emissions from processing were recorded for a total of 27,766 kgCO2. At the exit of sawmill, products stored 107,444 kgCO2, which is the amount of Net-Carbon Dioxide Surplus (Net-CDS). Transportation from sawmill to market reduces the sequestered CO2 by 0.77 kgCO2/km. The Net-CDS represents a competitive advantage in the timber market. If tree species have the same physical, chemical, mechanical and price parameters, the timber consumer would prefer to buy wood with the highest Net-CDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, dismissed mines are considered significant local tangible and intangible cultural heritage elements and they are more and more often at the core of dedicated enhancement processes, being sometimes inscribed in the UNESCO list; included in geoparks; transformed worldwide into industrial museums; or reused. Italy has a peculiar approach to the topic even if it has been underestimated, and research in the field might be improved. Which models should be looked at? Is it possible to identify some basic criteria to look at to obtain positive results? If yes, where should one start? Our proposal is that the application to the newly born class underground built heritage (UBH) can provide instruments for their historical functional classification and introducing several criteria for their interpretation and reuse could eventually support future enhancement projects in this specific sector. This methodology has been already applied worldwide to this category of good, giving positive results and motivating the authors to continue the research following this hypothesis, with the aim of creating a framework of good practices to be used as a reference for new projects. This paper summarizes the authors' research in this direction. After the introduction of the academic scenario and the UBH theoretical approach, this study proposes the results from applying this new methodology to several worldwide case studies from Greece, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Poland in order to evaluate best practices and/or unsuccessful stories. This study, based on data collected during onsite inspections by the authors within several international financed projects, consists of two steps. In the first, a general overview of all the aspects connected to the historical and contemporary reuses of dismissed mines under analysis was carried out, proposing a reclassification on the basis of the UBH methodology. The second section is dedicated to a new case study: Valle Imperina dismissed mines complex. This section includes an analysis of tangible and intangible values connected to the site and that of the state of the art of the corresponding enhancement. At the end, an evaluation of its potentialities and some critical issues was conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios Románicos is the property of Servicio de Publicaciones de la Universidad de Murcia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Forma y Funcion is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas, Departamento de Linguistica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: A significant proportion of patients with severe asthma may also suffer from nasal polyposis, which is commonly defined as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), the presence of which may adversely affect asthma treatment outcomes. The biologic agent omalizumab is effective as add-on therapy in patients with severe allergic asthma. The aim of this post hoc analysis of the PROXIMA study was to compare the efficacy of omalizumab between patients with severe allergic asthma, with and without comorbid CRSwNP. Methods: PROXIMA was a prospective observational 2-part study conducted in Italy in adult patients with severe allergic asthma, where, in the second part, patients eligible for add-on omalizumab initiated treatment for 12 months. Patient baseline data such as comorbidities and history of exacerbations were collected. Outcomes were asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ]), lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1]) and exacerbation rate. The post hoc analysis compared these outcomes between the cohort with comorbid CRSwNP and the cohort without CRSwNP. Results: Of 123 patients included in this analysis, 17 (13.8%) were in the CRSwNP cohort. There was no significant difference between cohorts in baseline clinical characteristics or in change from baseline at 12 months in ACQ values, % of predicted FEV1 or annual asthma exacerbation rate, although results were numerically in favor of the CRSwNP cohort versus the non-CRSwNP cohort. The proportion of patients who achieved an improvement in all three outcomes was numerically greater in the CRSwNP cohort (35.7% vs 23.0%). Conclusions: In an observational real-world setting, add-on omalizumab for severe allergic asthma was effective in improving asthma control, lung function and in reducing exacerbations, including in those patients with CRSwNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intradermal therapy, known as mesotherapy, is a technique used to inject a drug into the surface layer of the skin. In particular, it involves the use of a short needle to deposit the drug in the dermis. The intradermal microdeposit modulates the drug's kinetics, slowing absorption and prolonging the local mechanism of action. It is successfully applied in the treatment of some forms of localized pain syndromes and other local clinical conditions. It could be suggested when a systemic drug-sparing effect is useful, when other therapies have failed (or cannot be used), and when it can synergize with other pharmacological or nonpharmacological therapies. Despite the lack of randomized clinical trials in some fields of application, a general consensus is also reached in nonpharmacological mechanism of action, the technique execution modalities, the scientific rationale to apply it in some indications, and the usefulness of the informed consent. The Italian Mesotherapy Society proposes this position paper to apply intradermal therapy based on scientific evidence and no longer on personal bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A significant proportion of patients with severe asthma may also suffer from nasal polyposis, which is commonly defined as chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), the presence of which may adversely affect asthma treatment outcomes. The biologic agent omalizumab is effective as add‐on therapy in patients with severe allergic asthma. The aim of this post hoc analysis of the PROXIMA study was to compare the efficacy of omalizumab between patients with severe allergic asthma, with and without comorbid CRSwNP. Methods: PROXIMA was a prospective observational 2‐part study conducted in Italy in adult patients with severe allergic asthma, where, in the second part, patients eligible for add‐on omalizumab initiated treatment for 12 months. Patient baseline data such as comorbidities and history of exacerbations were collected. Outcomes were asthma control (Asthma Control Questionnaire [ACQ]), lung function (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1 ]) and exacerbation rate. The post hoc analysis compared these outcomes between the cohort with comorbid CRSwNP and the cohort without CRSwNP. Results: Of 123 patients included in this analysis, 17 (13.8%) were in the CRSwNP cohort. There was no significant difference between cohorts in baseline clinical characteristics or in change from baseline at 12 months in ACQ values, % of predicted FEV1 or annual asthma exacerbation rate, although results were numerically in favor of the CRSwNP cohort versus the non‐CRSwNP cohort. The proportion of patients who achieved an improvement in all three outcomes was numerically greater in the CRSwNP cohort (35.7% vs 23.0%). Conclusions: In an observational real‐world setting, add‐on omalizumab for severe allergic asthma was effective in improving asthma control, lung function and in reducing exacerbations, including in those patients with CRSwNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread of sharing economics platforms in the world of travels has highlighted the little known phenomenon of the rental of houses and apartments with a non-enterprise management. These accommodations in Italy do not require any guest registration or start-up notification, but the use of websites such as Airbnb has led to a heated debate among the actors operating in the travel and tourism industry. In fact, the regulatory vacuum and the easy-to-use websites would help circumvent the rules in order to "hide away" some business activities. Based on these assumptions, this paper analyses the case of Iseo Lake in the Northern Italy, pointing out the discussions about this new trend in travels and involving not only economic and legal aspects, but also social issues that cannot be ignored. The paper presents "sharing tourism" as an opportunity for territorial regeneration in destinations characterized by the presence of few hotel facilities, but also of many empty apartments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morchella species are known as famous and prized edible fungi due to their culinary flavor and medicinal properties. The asomata are collected throughout the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. Morchella spp. taxonomy has long been debated as a result of the high phenotypic plasticity charaterizing the genus. Most morels are considered saprobic but some species has been reported to interact with roots of many plant species forming different types of associations. In Emilia-Romagna (Italy), morels became a part of the culinary tradition, especially for the populations of the coastal areas. This work aimed to describe and identify the ascomata collected on the white dune habitat as well as to verify the extent of the interaction with plant species growing in the same area. All ascomata collected since 2001 shared a similar morphology with a range of variability mainly due to the harvesting period. Ascomata collected in 2017 were grouped within the Mes-17 clade, in the Esculenta group, based on their ITS rDNA sequences. Nine different plant species were found to be connected with morel ascomata through characteristic sand-mycelial structures never described before. The amount of the ascomata collected on the sand dunes demonstrates that the study area is particularly suitable for morel fruiting. Therefore, the protection of the dune system is imperative for preserving Morchella genetic diversity within the local population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the manner by which Italian stage actor and author Marco Paolini portrayed the life and times of Italian scientist Galileo Galilei through his theatrical piece "ITIS Galileo" and how he problematized the dichotomy between free scientific inquiry and religion featured in the play "Life of Galileo" by Bertolt Brecht. Topics discussed include the narrative theater style and how "ITIS Galileo" offers a more biographical and sociological reading of the scientist.

The article discusses the expertise of poet Giacomo Leopardi in depicting the popular Italian sound. Topics covered include the comparison of Leopardi's works with one of the greatest language theoretician of Italy Dante, the fundamental theme of both the lyrics and the prose of Leopardi, and parts of the famous Italian literary work "Divina commedia."

Degraded areas due to extraagricultural activity (such as quarries, dumps, ski runs, methane tracks, etc.) or to natural events (such as landslides) are present in a wide part of Italian territory and for this reason is extremely necessary an effective restoration in order to reduce erosion risks and to permit their better integration in the surrounding landscape. Revegetation is usually performed using commercial mixtures constituted by species with a forage aptitude. The aim of this work was to analyse the evolution of revegetation performed on different areas of methane pipeline in Tuscany (central Italy), both in Mediterranean environments and in mountain areas. Knowledge of mixture used during revegetation and time of intervention allowed, on one hand, to discriminate species introduced by revegetation from those coming out from native recolonisation of tracks, on the other hand, to know the age of canopies at time of botanical analysis. The following variables were assessed on the studied herbaceous resources: ground cover, floristic composition, biodiversity, level of recolonization by native species, similarity with natural areas. Data collection permitted the evaluation of efficiency of studied revegetation, the awareness of the role played by sown and native species, the estimation of the level of native species in order to integrate the restoration with the environment and the analysis of most important parameters that affect vegetal evolution in these peculiar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the formative role of the World War II experience in shaping politically relevant memories in postwar Italy. Rather than considering the past a legacy or a heritage--something abstract, malleable and susceptible to serving political interests--the focus here is on the meaning-giving power of memories and symbols in the historical evolution. The birth of Italian democracy after the war was preceded by disruptive events that could have divided the nation. This article illustrates how contested and fragmented interpretations of critical events were structured by and through the dimension of cultural memory, which sustained social and political imaginations, eventually shaping characters and outcomes of the Italian political transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Italy is a country with a rich natural heritage that is having difficulty in finding the right areas for acquiring knowledge, protection and improvement. In particular, the geological component of the landscape has not yet acquired a sufficient value as a cultural asset which people can learn about and share. Within the Italian territory geotourism activities and products are recently widespread and, in this paper, some examples of activities carried out in the Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Abruzzo regions (northern-central Italy) are illustrated. They show different possible approach to the realization of geotourism maps, geological itineraries, portable and on site illustrative materials, web based projects, geosites analysis. These activities are targeted at various potential users, tourists, local residents, young people, schools etc., and are aimed at the enhancement of geological and geomorphological aspects of the natural heritage making it available to the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forests of the Tolfa-Ceriti mountains (Latium, central Italy) were investigated through a phytosociological approach. 249 relevés were performed and treated with multivariate analysis. 13 woodland communities were identified, of which 7 belong to Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, 1 to Fagetalia sylvaticae, 1 to Populetalia and 4 to Quercetalia ilicis. The thermophilous Turkey oak-forests occurring on the trachytic hills of the Ceriti Mountains and on the flysch substrates of the Tolfa Mountains were included in Rubio peregrinae-Quercetum cerridis ass. nova. Quercus cerris and Fraxinus angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa woodland communities of the footslopes have been ascribed to Fraxino oxycarpae-Quercetum cerridis, while the widespread mesophilus Turkey oak forests have been ascribed to Melico-Quercetum cerridis. Cephalantero longifoliae-Quercetum cerridis has been restricted to acid and oligotrophic soils. Quercus petraea woodlands, occurring on trachytic substrates have been described as a new association named Carici olbiensis-Quercetum petraeae ass. nova. All these mixed oak woods have been included in the alliance Crataego laevigatae-Quercion cerridis Arrigoni 1997. The nomenclatural problems concerning the prior name Teucrio siculi-Quercion cerridis Ubaldi 1988 are also discussed. The beech forests of the higher altitudes have been included in Fraxino orni-Fagetum sylvaticae, while the Alnus glutinosa ravine woodlands have been described as belonging to the new association Polysticho setiferi-Alnetum glutinosae. Secondary communities of Acer monspessulanum and Acer campestre developed on flysch substrates, and of Erica arborea and Arbutus unedo (Erico-Arbutetum unedonis) developed on trachytic substrates, have also been identified. Finally two types of Quercus ilex wood have been identified: Cyclamino repandi-Quercetum ilicis, on sandstones, and the new association Arbuto unedonis-Quercetum ilicis ass. nova on volcanic soils. This latter community can be considered as a coenological and geographical vicariant in central Italy of the sicilian Erico-Quercetum ilicis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the last decade many studies have definitely shown that human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the major cause of cervical carcinogenesis and, in the last few years, HPV testing has been proposed as a new and more powerful tool for cervical cancer screening. This issue is now receiving considerable attention in scientific and non scientific press and HPV testing could be considered the most important change in this field since the introduction of cervical cytology. This paper reports our prevalence data of HPV infection collected in the '90s, while a follow up of these patients is ongoing. Methods: For this study we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to search HPV DNA sequences in cervical cell scrapings obtained from 503 asymptomatic women attending regular cervical cancer screening program in the city of Genova, Italy. All patients were also submitted to a selfadministered, standardized, questionnaire regarding their life style and sexual activity. On the basis of the presence of HPV DNA sequences women wereseparated into two groups: "infected" and "non infected" and a statistical analysis of the factors potentially associated with the infection group membership was carried out.Results: The infection rate was 15.9% and the most frequent viral type was HPV 16.Conclusion: Our HPV positivity rate (15.9%) was consistent to that reported by other studies on European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diarrhea is a common symptom that many HIV patients experience either as a consequence of HIV infection or of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A multicenter, prospective observational study was conducted in 11 AIDS clinics in Italy to determine the effect of diarrhea on health-related quality of life among patients receiving HAART. The study enrolled 100 consecutive HIV positive patients who had diarrhea while on HAART. For each enrolled patient a control patient with matching disease stage who did not have diarrhea was identified using existing data from another prospective observational study conducted in 34 AIDS clinics (including the 11 in current study). Quality of life was measured by MOS-HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV). Paired t-test and multiple regression analysis were used to compare the quality of life among patients with and without diarrhea. Mean patient age was 40 +/- 7 years; 69% were male. Mean CD4 cell count was 342 +/- 239 cells/mm3; 59% had AIDS. Of the cases, 49 patients had severe diarrhea (> 5 bowel movements or > 3 watery per day) and 46 patients had moderate diarrhea (3-5 bowel movements). Compared to matched control patients, cases experiencing diarrhea while on HAART had significantly lower MOS-HIV scores in all domains. The significant adverse effect of diarrhea on quality of life should be considered when choosing the appropriate antiretroviral drugs regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the spread of the legend of Pippo in Italy during World War II. Legend's expression of the toll that war had upon the collective imagination of the common folk; Description of Pippo as a mysterious aircraft that the Italians were certain was specifically after them and their loved ones; Ways in which Pippo served many Italians as a means to concretize their fears.

The genus Zelkova contains species which are nowadays distributed in an extremely fragmentary, mainly Asiatic, area. The Island of Crete retains geographically the species nearest to Italy. Fossil leaves and pollen discovered in some sites of Central Italy furnish evidence of the distribution of these trees before and during the Last (Eemian) Interglacial and of their persistence during part of the Last (Wurmian) Glaciation. The evidence is seen in two pollen diagrams from boreholes at Castiglione and Fucino which have stratigraphic continuity; at the base of the series Zelkova reaches conspicuous peaks in a phase which can be correlated with the Eemian Interglacial. During the climatic fluctuations of the last glacial Zelkova disappears in steppe periods and spreads again in favourable times up to the time of extinction, which seems to occur in both series somewhat before the latest glacial acme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on findings on early works of Titian. Stages of Titian's work on the 'Murder of a Wife'; Information on Titian's first and most literal borrowing from Michelangelo; Art-historical problem presented by the comparison between the Sistine 'Temptation' and the 'Murder of a Wife.'

Discusses several paintings found in Venice, Italy in the 1950s. Figures portrayed in the paintings; Background of the practice of decorating palace walls in Europe; Literature on the revival of the interest in antique biographical form in Italy.

This paper presents selected highlights from the 'Engaging with society' session of EFSA's third Scientific Conference 'Science, Food and Society' (Parma, Italy, 18–21 September 2018). The social dimension for scientific advisory bodies largely concerns science communication and public engagement. The political, economic and technological transformation of contemporary societies is challenging conventional structures and approaches in these areas. The disintermediation of communication and the proliferation of misinformation, it is argued, herald the onset of the post‐truth society. A better understanding of the way individuals consume information today has led to the development of tools to guide mediators such as journalists and communication specialists in countering these trends. Public engagement can reinforce confidence in regulatory bodies and potentially contribute to the quality of the scientific process. Scientific advisory bodies in Europe have created strategies and mechanisms to engage the public that are designed to increase transparency and representativeness. To be effective, several engagement mechanisms are needed, although factors such as resource constraints, institutional culture and public/stakeholder attitudes may limit their development. In conclusion, a more vigorous role for social research is needed to place scientific risk assessment within broader socio‐economic and political contexts. Social science expertise can help to define more impactful public information strategies and to explore the potential opportunities that engaged stakeholders and citizens can make to sustain and strengthen regulatory science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims The spatial correlation of the presence of people and species has been suggested to be scale-dependent. At local scales, large numbers of people often result in species impoverishment. At coarse scales, species-rich regions tend to be densely inhabited. Recently, broad-scale human presence has been shown to be correlated not only with numbers of species but also with their abundance, as predicted by the more-individuals hypothesis. However, it is not known whether the species abundance–human presence correlation could also be scale-dependent. Methods This hypothesis was tested by use of a database of veteran trees in Italy. Veteran tree species richness and number of individuals were modelled as a function of human population size at two grains of analysis (provinces and regions), controlling for variations in area, latitude and spatial autocorrelation. Key Results A positive correlation was found between human presence and veteran tree species. As predicted, this correlation was stronger at a coarser resolution. However, only at the provincial but not regional level was there a positive correlation between human presence and veteran tree abundance when controlling for area and latitude. These results were confirmed for native and exotic trees. Conclusions The present findings rule out the more-individuals hypothesis as an explanation of the scale-dependence of the species–people correlation for veteran trees in Italy. Potential mechanisms behind the observed spatial coincidence of high numbers of people and veteran tree species are discussed and implications for conservation are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]