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To evaluate intraocular pressure (IOP) and choroidal thickness (ChT) postural changes in multiple system atrophy (MSA), Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and healthy controls (HC). 20 MSA patients, 21 PD patients and 14 HC, were examined. All subjects underwent a complete examination, including corneal thickness, ChT, IOP and axial length (AL) measurements. IOP measurement was performed in supine, sitting, and standing positions, whereas ChT in sitting and standing positions. Supine to standing IOP variations were significantly higher in MSA vs PD(p = 0.01) and in MSA vs HC (p

Background Available evidence reports conflicting data on retinal thickness in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). In studies including healthy controls, PSP showed either the thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer, macular ganglion cell, inner nuclear, or outer retina layer. Objectives The goals of the present study were to describe retinal layer thickness in a large cohort of PSP compared to healthy controls and in PSP phenotypes using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The additional objective was to verify the relationship between retinal layers thickness and clinical variables in PSP. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, we examined retinal structure in 27 PSP patients and 27 controls using standard SD-OCT. Motor and cognitive impairment in PSP was rated with the PSP rating scale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment battery (MoCA), respectively. Eyes with poor image quality or confounding diseases were excluded. SD-OCT measures of PSP and controls were compared with parametric testing, and correlations between retinal layer thicknesses and disease severity were evaluated. Results PSP showed significant thinning of the inner retinal layer (IRL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner plexiform layer (IPL), and the outer plexiform layer (OPL) compared to healthy controls. PSP phenotypes showed similar retinal layer thicknesses. Retinal layer thickness correlated with MoCA visuospatial subscore (p Conclusions We demonstrated PSP patients disclosed thinner IRL, GCL, IPL, and OPL compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between visuospatial abilities and retinal layers suggesting the existence of a mutual relationship between posterior cognitive function and retinal structure.

The purpose of our study is to see how beneficial is tea tree oil (TTO) for treating chronic blepharitis topically, with a focus on the Demodex mite. To discover all possibly relevant published papers, an accurate Pubmed database search analysis of the current literature was undertaken from 2012 to December 2021. Fourteen papers dealing with the use of TTO to treat chronic blepharitis have been found. The effectiveness of TTO treatment was tested in vitro by 4 authors and in vivo by 10 authors. All studied confirmed efficacy of TTO treatment, even cyclic, on Demodex mite blepharitis. TTO can be used for lid scrubs, facial cleanser, eyelid patch, eyelid gel, eyelash shampoo or, more commonly, as TTO impregnated eyelid wipes. The scientific evidence of TTO for chronic blepharitis treatment gives a lot of confidence for the progress that this treatment may have in the future clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo compare corneal thickness (CT) measurements using the CEM-530 (Nidal, Gamagori, Japan) and Pentacam HR (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany).MethodsThe CT of 209 healthy subjects (209 right eyes) aged 24 to 89 years (71.35 ± 10.72 years) was measured at the corneal apex (CA), pupil center (PC), and thinnest point (TP) with the Pentacam HR and at the corneal center with the CEM-530 in random order at the same time of day.ResultsA good correlation but statistically significant difference was found between the CEM-530 and Pentacam HR measurements at the CA (6.10 ± 8.12 µm, R2 = 0.8947), PC (7.46 ± 8.57 µm, R2 = 0.8826), and TP (12.44 ± 10.04 µm, R2 = 0.8392). Comparison of the two devices produced the following regression formulas: y = 0.8859x + 57.644 for the CA, y = 0.8852x +56.657 for the PC, and y = 0.8557x + 68.148 for the TP, where x is the CT obtained with the CEM-530 and y is that obtained with the Pentacam HR.ConclusionsThese findings indicate that the CEM-530 produces a thicker corneal measurement than the Pentacam HR. The herein-proposed correcting factors are needed to reliably compare these devices.

Purpose To check if optical biometry can detect eventual corneal power (Km) and axial length (AL) cataract surgery-related changes that could influence the refractive outcome. Methods Patients scheduled for sequential bilateral cataract surgery between January and September 2017 were included in the present study. One hundred ninety-six eyes of 98 patients (48 males) were selected. Before surgery of the first eye, patients underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, including IOLMaster biometry; the same evaluations were repeated in both eyes the day before the fellow eye cataract surgery, performed at least 2 months after the first one. The differences in Km and AL in the first operated eyes were evaluated, and the fellow eyes were used as controls. Results Km differences in the operated eyes ranged from -1.97 to +0.98 diopter (D) (mean = -0.02 ± 0.36 D) (P = 0.89); in the nonoperated eyes they ranged from -0.6 to +0.7 D (mean = 0 ± 0.20 D) (P = 0.91). The AL differences (pseudophakic option) in the operated eyes ranged from -0.35 to +0.15 mm (mean = -0.10 ± 0.08 mm) (P < 0.001); with the aphakic option they ranged from -0.24 to + 0.26 mm (mean = 0.01 ± 0.08 mm) (P= 0.38). In the nonoperated eyes, the AL differences ranged from -0.04 to +0.06 mm (mean= 0 ± 0.02 mm) (P = 0.02). Conclusions The modern phaco-technique seems not to induce changes in Km and AL, supporting the hypothesis that the differences in AL are due to an incorrect estimation in pseudophakic eyes. Translational Relevance The results of our study may improve the AL measurements in pseudophakic eyes.

Starting from the standard concepts related to the utility function of the agents, we build a general theory on the imposed punishment. This general theory can be theoretically applied to every situation in which a rule is violated, and it can be directly applied to crimes that can be easily monetized. Indeed, we show that the “expected punishment” has to exceed (but has to be commensurate with) the maximum utility gain that can be obtained from the violation of the rule. Therefore, the required imposed punishment can be quantified dividing the gain that can be obtained from the violations with the probability that the violation is discovered. We find that, in order to reduce the delinquency rate, the regulator can: (i) improve the “social responsibility” or increase the “social stigma”; (ii) improve the probability of discovering the violations; (iii) increase the punishment of the discovered criminal. Every choice has costs and benefits. The increased punishment for the discovered criminals is probably the least expensive choice, but it is the least socially fair.

Depression is characterized by a decrease of the tone of the mood that is associated, as a rule, with a slowing down (hard or slight) of some cognitive functions (attention, perception, ideation) and with a decline of the psychomotricity. Recently some studies have shown that music and movement generate healthy effects to depressed patients. The aim of this research is to demonstrate that the method of body percussion BAPNE may be used as a possible means of rehabilitation for depression. This method, effective both at an interpersonal and an intrapersonal level, fosters the cognitive, social-emotional, psychomotor stimulation, and the start up of all the brain lobes. We expect the level of attention to be stimulated, as well as executive functions, ability to focus, self-confidence, visual-spatial abilities, with a consequent improvement of patient's quality of life, decreasing of the stress, and suicidal risk.

This article describes the evolution of the Italian Constitution since 1990. A distinction is made between a “rigid” Constitution and an applied or “living” Constitution. Laws that have constitutional status and their limits are also examined. Moreover, the changing destiny of the various “seasons of reform” of the Constitution and the long road towards the “implemental” integration of the Constitution is also discussed. Finally, the role of the Constitutional Court in relation to the Constitution and as the “guarantor of the constitutional conformity” of the entire legal system is explained.

Un’indagine circa la natura costituzionale dell’istituto dell’incandidabilita alla carica dei parlamentari non trova affermazioni espresse e dirette della giurisprudenza costituzionale e per questo motivo l’Autore argomenta in via induttiva, tenendo presente il dettato Costituzionale, le pronunce della Corte costituzionale e rispettando il principio della stretta interpretazione. La Consulta ha gia ammesso l’incandidabilita per le rappresentanze elettive regionali e locali, anche se per i consiglieri regionali la Costituzione fa espressamente rinvio soltanto all’ineleggibilita e all’incompatibilita. L’incandidabilita alla carica parlamentare prevista dal d.lgs. n. 235 del 2012 costituisce una “particolarissima” forma di ineleggibilita, e impone che il cittadino non deve aver portato le condanne penali definitive previste dalla legge. Tale istituto introdotto per i parlamentari rientra nella disciplina legislativa relativa ai “requisiti di accesso alle cariche pubbliche” prevista dall’art 51 Cost., ed e congruo con il regime giuridico previsto dalla Costituzione per la verifica esclusiva da parte delle Camere, circa la sussistenza di ogni aspetto che per legge puo limitare, incidere o comprimere il diritto all’elettorato passivo. Allorche l’incandidabilita sara applicata anche a sentenze pronunciate prima della sua entrata in vigore, ovvero concerne condotte delittuose avvenute prima dell’entrata in vigore della disposizione in esame, il risultato finale sarebbe la violazione del principio di irretroattivita.

Although motor speech disorders represent an early and prominent clinical feature of multiple system atrophy (MSA), the potential usefulness of speech assessment as a diagnostic tool has not yet been explored. This cross-sectional study aimed to provide a comprehensive, objective description of motor speech function in the parkinsonian (MSA-P) and cerebellar (MSA-C) variants of MSA. Speech samples were acquired from 80 participants including 18 MSA-P, 22 MSA-C, 20 Parkinson's disease (PD), and 20 healthy controls. The accurate differential diagnosis of dysarthria subtypes was based on quantitative acoustic analysis of 14 speech dimensions. A mixed type of dysarthria involving hypokinetic, ataxic and spastic components was found in the majority of MSA patients independent of phenotype. MSA-P showed significantly greater speech impairment than PD, and predominantly exhibited harsh voice, imprecise consonants, articulatory decay, monopitch, excess pitch fluctuation and pitch breaks. MSA-C was dominated by prolonged phonemes, audible inspirations and voice stoppages. Inappropriate silences, irregular motion rates and overall slowness of speech were present in both MSA phenotypes. Speech features allowed discrimination between MSA-P and PD as well as between both MSA phenotypes with an area under curve up to 0.86. Hypokinetic, ataxic and spastic dysarthria components in MSA were correlated to the clinical evaluation of rigidity, cerebellar and bulbar/pseudobulbar manifestations, respectively. Distinctive speech alterations reflect underlying pathophysiology in MSA. Objective speech assessment may provide an inexpensive and widely applicable screening instrument for differentiation of MSA and PD from controls and among subtypes of MSA.