Search

Aims: Lower parental education has been linked to adverse youth mental health outcomes. However, the relationship between parental education and youth suicidal behaviours remains unclear. We explored the association between parental education and youth suicidal ideation and attempts, and examined whether sociocultural contexts moderate such associations. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis with a systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycINFO, Medline and Embase from 1900 to December 2020 for studies with participants aged 0–18, and provided quantitative data on the association between parental education and youth suicidal ideation and attempts (death included). Only articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals were considered. Two authors independently assessed eligibility of the articles. One author extracted data [e.g. number of cases and non-cases in each parental education level, effect sizes in forms of odds ratios (ORs) or beta coefficients]. We then calculated pooled ORs using a random-effects model and used moderator analysis to investigate heterogeneity. Results: We included a total of 59 articles (63 study samples, totalling 2 738 374 subjects) in the meta-analysis. Lower parental education was associated with youth suicidal attempts [OR = 1.12, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.04–1.21] but not with suicidal ideation (OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 0.98–1.12). Geographical region and country income level moderated the associations. Lower parental education was associated with an increased risk of youth suicidal attempts in Northern America (OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10–1.45), but with a decreased risk in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.54–0.96). An association of lower parental education and increased risk of youth suicidal ideation was present in high- income countries (HICs) (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05–1.25), and absent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.77–1.08). Conclusions: The association between youth suicidal behaviours and parental education seems to differ across geographical and economical contexts, suggesting that cultural, psychosocial or biological factors may play a role in explaining this association. Although there was high heterogeneity in the studies reviewed, this evidence suggests that the role of familial sociodemographic characteristics in youth suicidality may not be universal. This highlights the need to consider cultural, as well as familial factors in the clinical assessment and management of youth's suicidal behaviours in our increasingly multicultural societies, as well as in developing prevention and intervention strategies for youth suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine circovirus type 3 ( PCV3) was recently proposed as a new porcine circovirus. It has been described by researchers in the USA and China and associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome, reproductive failure and systemic inflammation disease. The study reports the occurrence of the new virus in Italy. PCV3 was detected in the tissues of foetuses and stillborn piglets coming from two farms located in the Po Valley. The genome sequences of the two Italian strains share 99.7% to 97.8% of nucleotide identity with those available in GenBank. Results strengthen the hypothesis of PCV3 as a new emerging porcine circovirus, widespread all over the world. It follows the urgency of investigating in depth epidemiology and pathogenicity associated with this new virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioural observations in the field of male Mediterranean damselfish Chromis chromis were combined with molecular analyses, using bi-parentally and maternally inherited markers, to investigate reproductive success patterns of alternative reproductive tactics ( ARTs) in terms of number of eggs sired and number of females contributing to each nest. Cuckoldry was observed in every nest sampled, with at least two and up to seven sneaker males per nest. The nesting male, however, always significantly fertilized the greater number of eggs (on average 49%) in each clutch, whereas each sneaker fertilized around 7% of the clutch. The average number of females whose eggs were fertilized by nesting males was 6·76 (range 2-13), while each sneaker on average fertilized the eggs of 1·74 (range 1-8) females. Using this sibship reconstruction, some of the factors involved in the regulation of the dynamic equilibrium of reproductive success were investigated between the two ARTs shown by C. chromis males. Results show that the sneakers' reproductive success was positively linked to egg clutch size; the density of individuals in the nesting area negatively affected the size of egg clutches; the rate of defence behaviours performed by nesting males negatively influenced the number of females contributing to each nest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to meet the telecommunication requirements for the management of the first-response phase of an emergency situation, SALICE project activities have been focused on two main research areas: achieving global coverage of the emergency area and providing the rescuers with advanced NAV/COM capable devices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

W-band (75-110 GHz) is proposed nowadays as a valuable alternative to intensively-exploited Ku- and Ka-bands for high-speed transmission over satellite networks. In such a framework, some experiments are being carried out, which are targeted to verify the feasibility of exploitation of W-band for broadband service deployment. From a theoretical viewpoint, the large bandwidth availability and the scarce amount of interference typical of W-band should guarantee high capacities. Nevertheless, many crucial aspects are still to be carefully investigated, e.g., signal propagation issues, RF impairments, choice of modulation and coding, efficient antenna design, etc. In this paper, an overview is made on the low Earth orbit (LEO) nano-satellite mission in-orbit key-test and validation of W-band (IKNOW). IKNOW mission is an ongoing advanced feasibility study part of an Italian Space Agency Project, named W-band analysis and verification (WAVE), coordinated by the Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Rome ldquoTor Vergatardquo. The main objective of the IKNOW mission is to tackle some of the unexplored critical aspects concerning W-band satellite transmission. In such a perspective, IKNOW should be regarded as a ldquopilot mission,rdquo whose results will be used for a first uplink-downlink satellite channel characterization, in-orbit validation of W-band technology, and space qualification processes. This paper is focused on the research work carried out in a preliminary phase of the IKNOW study and will also consider a number of elements related to the mission configuration, payload architecture, link analysis, potential RF impairment factors, and atmospheric effects. Proposed analysis and preliminary results shown can provide to interested readers the basic guidelines that will drive the practical implementation of IKNOW mission, as well as the most relevant issues to be faced by future developers of W-band missions using small LEO satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In Entre Ríos, Argentina, corn is one of the most important cereal grains produced, being an important income for the regional economy. The aim of this work was to assess aflatoxins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol (DON) and fumonisins (FB) in corn harvest in 2003 and 2004 in the most contaminated departments found in previous studies in selected sampling places. At the harvest time, when the trucks arrived to store plants, samples of corn were taken from seven different positions of the trucks and from five in the trailer. Composite samples were randomised reduced to 10 kg. The samples were analysed by immunological tests, by thin layer chromatography (TLC), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and/or gas liquid chromatography-electron capture detector (GLC-ECD). In 2003 average contamination was 3.19 u.g/kg for aflatoxins, 118.5 μg/kg for deoxynivalenol, 230.8 μg/kg for zearalenone and 10200 μg/kg of total fumonisins (HPLC and ELISA quantification showed a linear correlation (r2 =0.9618), but RIDASCREEN®FAST values were 1.7 higher than HPLC values); in 2004 deoxynivalenol and zearalenone were not detected and an average of 2.0 μg/kg for aflatoxins and 4700 μg/kg for total fumonisins was found. This province, with the earliest harvested corn in the country each summer, tends to display different contaminations from the rest of the provinces, probably due to climate characteristics, particularly hotter weather. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summarizes the clinical course and exposure history of two rapidly fatal cases of rat-bite fever (RBF) in Washington and Florida identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Unexplained Deaths and Critical Illnesses (UNEX) Project in 2003. Importance of including RBF in the differential diagnoses of acutely ill patients with reported rat exposures; Significance of preventing zoonotic infections among persons with occupational or recreational exposure to rats; Length of time before patients in the described cases died.

In this letter, a real-world working case of interfering signals coming to an antenna array with random arrivals modeled as a Poisson process is considered. A procedure based on a suitable genetic algorithm for adaptive array control is assessed by means of numerical simulations. Selected results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 1997, outbreaks of classical swine fever occurred in wild boar and domestic pigs in the Italian province of Varese (Lombardy region). Statutory animal health measures were imposed, and a control plan aimed at preventing the virus from spreading outside the infected hunting zone of 108 km² was implemented. However, in 1998, virologically positive wild boar were found outside this zone, including within Swiss territory. The infected zone was then enlarged to include the three other hunting areas of the northern province of Varese and the neighbouring Swiss territory. Italian and Swiss veterinary services initiated a joint policy to control the disease by hunting young wild boar and conserving older, immune animals. The percentage of virologically positive animals gradually decreased, the last being found in July 2000. The seroprevalence initially increased, but in 2000 and 2001 it decreased from 42·2 per cent to 8·8 per cent, indicating that the wild boar population had had no further contact with the virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents views on public health issues and concerns. Epidemic occurrence of Neisseria meningitis serogroup W135 in Saudi Arabia; Cases of human gnathosmosis in Mexico; Report on human granulocytic ehrlichiosis in France; Phylogenetic analysis of the Chinese Rickettsia isolate BJ-90.

Plants exhibit a range of responses in growth and reproduction to attack by herbivores from loss, to no effect, to overcompensation. We assessed herbivore impact on branch architecture, growth, and sexual reproduction by flowering dogwood, Cornus florida, for four years after attack by a specialist stem gall-forming fly, Resseliella clavula. We estimated the immediate and long-term consequences of herbivory for vegetative growth and flower and fruit production on marked shoots that were galled or ungalled at the outset of our study. The responseof dogwood trees to herbivory was complex with an initial negative effect on flower and fruit production, followed by compensatory shoot elongation and inflorescence production after three years, and a tendency toward overcompensation after four years. When observations on fruit production were terminated at the end of year three, fruit production on galled shoots was still suppressed relative to ungalled shoots. Attack by the gall-former in the initial year of the study causedan immediate reduction in shoot survival and a 46% decrease in inflorescence and 79% loss in fruit production relative to ungalled shoots. After four years, compensation in both vegetative growth and inflorescence production was detected. A tendency toward overcompensation within the fourth year was indicated by 24% greater shoot elongation and 90% more inflorescence production on galled shoots than on ungalled shoots. Compensation in vegetative growth on surviving galled shoots involved increases in the average length and the number of vegetative modules produced. Reproductive compensation occurred because a greater number of vegetative modules gave rise to reproductive buds on galled shoots than on ungalled shoots in the third and fourth years ofthe study. Our results suggest that in long-lived species, the initial response of the plant may not be an adequate measure of the impactof herbivores on plant fitness. Responses to herbivores may extend for s [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple nitrogen pumped dye laser is described which, sequentially in time, generates two pulses, one due to superradiance and the other to laser action. The duration of both the pulses can be changed continuously on a nanosecond time scale, down to a few tenths of a nanosecond for the superradiant pulse. Pulses as short as 0.4 nsec have been obtained for the superradiant beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the IFN-inducible p204 as growth regulator was investigated by transfecting an expression vector constitutively expressing p204 into several cell lines. Like pRB and p107, p204 is a potent growth inhibitor in sensitive cells, as demonstrated by the cell focus assay. Since stable transfectants of sensitive lines constitutively overexpressing p204 could not be established in vitro, we inserted the 204 cDNA into a vector bearing an heavy-metal-inducible promoter. Here we show that proliferation of B6MEF fibroblasts lacking endogenous p204 is strongly inhibited by transient p204 expression in the nucleus. p204 delays G1 progression into the S-phase and cells accumulate with a DNA content equivalent to cells arrested in late G1. Moreover, the role of p204 in the control of cell growth in vivo was investigated by generating transgenic mice in which the Ifi 204 gene was constitutively expressed in all tissues. To this end, expression vectors bearing the 204 cDNA under the control of the SV40 viral promoter were constructed. The overexpression of the p204 transgene achieved by injecting fertilized mouse eggs with these vectors was compatible with embryo development up to the four-cell stage in an in vitro follow-up of 4.5 days. However, no viable animals with an intact copy of the transgene were obtained, suggesting that high and constitutive levels of p204 expression can impair normal embryo development. These findings indicate that p204 plays a negative role in growth regulation and provide new information about the molecular mechanisms exploited by IFNs to inhibit cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common and visually significant complication of both extracapsular and endocapsular cataract extractions is the formation of a secondary cataract because of the proliferation of retained lens epithelial cells. The intraocular distribution of Photofrin II uptake after endocapsular lensectomy and lavage has been quantified to evaluate the feasibility of photodynamic therapy to prevent proliferation. Intraocular distribution was determined by measuring the fluorescence decay curves in sections of eyes using a microspectrofluorometer with high spatial and temporal resolution. An equal affinity for lens epithelium, corneal endothelium, iris and ciliary body was noted. No significant uptake in the retina was detected. Evaluation of photodynamic therapy to prevent lens epithelial proliferation will require specific localization of the drug to lens epithelium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous wave and time-resolved fluorescence microscopy have been extensively used to characterize the behaviour of haematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) both in solution and in single cells. In this work, we report experimental evidence for the presence of a 580 nm-emitting species, occurring as a consequence of modifications in HPD induced by the cellular microenvironment. The fact that the formation of this 'modified' species seems to be favoured in tumour cells might increase sensitivity in the diagnostic use of HPD for the localization of early-stage tumours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to characterize the stages in the development of thymidine-induced cell death. L-cells were characterized by both morphologic and quantitative techniques and evaluated at 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment. Cells first enlarged (stage I); about 50% of these enlarged cells then decreased in size with blebbing and compacting (stage II). This residual cell body transformed into a smooth eosinophilic hyaline body (stage III) by 72 h, many of which could be identified within the vacuolar system of viable cells. These changes were reflected in morphologic counts and Coulter sizing. Cell death (loss of labeled DNA) began in stage II and was most prominent in stage III. No cleavage of DNA into oligonucleosomal fragments was detected by agarose gel electrophoresis at any stage. The similarity of these changes to the complete spectrum of apoptosis in vivo is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of gall-forming sawflies were each frequently found to have clumped distributions among shoots within their willow host plant across four sites and three years. When all species were considered together by clone, year, and site, species showed independence of distribution among shoots two thirds of the time and showed positive covariance one third of the time. When pairs of species were considered separately, but clones were combined within sites and years, 60% of the chi-square tests of association were significant. All but one of the significant tests showed positive associations between pairs of species. The stem galler was positively associated with the leaf folder at all sites in all years, and the petiole galler was positively associated with the stem galler and leaf folder for most year by site combinations. When species paris co-occurred on shoots they were usually found at the same or higher density as when found alone on shoots. Only 2 of 100 tests showed a depressed density of a species when co-occurring on shoots with heterospecifics. All sawfly species were found on shoots that were significantly larger (mean node number) than on shoots without sawflies, and species responded to shoot size variation similarly. Sizes of shoots occupied by heterospecific species combinations were usually significantly larger than shoots with only conspecifics, for all species. These data supported the hypothesis that similar species' responses to within-plant variation would lead to positive rather than negative or random species associations. The data do not support the hypothesis that interspecific competition was important in determining shoot choice or species density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The densities of four species of gall-forming sawflies were found to vary significantly among willow host plant clones. Two of the speices varied among host plants at four sites in each of three years. The other two species varied in density among host plants at most of the sites in two of the three years. Total sawfly density also varied significantly among clones. Individual species densities on willow clones were significantly positively correlated between years when all sites were combined and frequently when sites were considered separately. Most pairwise species combinations were independent in density between years, but some negative correlations existed between the stem galler and the leaf galler. Gall-former densities also were largely independent among clones within years with all sites combined and with sites considered separately. The significant correlations were nearly all positive. At all four sites the combination of significant variation in sawfly densities among willow clones in the field and independence of species densities among clones resulted in significantly different communities (relative abundance of species) among willow clones in three years. Although sawfly abundances differed substantially among the four sites, this remained true. It is argued that the pattern of community structure among clones is the result of variation in host plant quality of clones. We propose an hypothesis to account for patterns of herbivore species associations based on intrapopulation host plant variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Il Nuovo Cimento della Societa Italiana di Fisica: B is the property of Springer Nature 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 Il Nuovo Cimento della Societa Italiana di Fisica: B is the property of Springer Nature 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.)