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Soft optical transducers have the potential to fulfill the need for advanced tactile sensing in robotics. We present a fingertip-shaped soft sensor with optically transparent channels that relies on soft materials and sensor morphology to measure an applied triaxial force. The proposed 3D-channeled sensor has a volume of 2.5 cm3, and the experimental results reveal a 15-fold increase in voltage compared to its bulk analogous, showcasing a sensitivity of 0.34 and 0.09 N/mV to tangential and normal forces. A prototype with a diameter of 2 mm ( $0.4\times $ ) indicates the feasibility of scaling down the sensor. Force magnitude is estimated with a linear model and then decomposed into its ${F}_{\textit {xy}}$ and ${F}_{z}$ with an ${R}^{{2}}$ of 0.93 and 0.98 within a sensing range of 4.05 and 8.50 N, respectively. A coordinate transformation from a covariant to a Cartesian reference frame is used to retrieve the direction of the tangential component of the force. The sensor was integrated into a compliant robotic hand as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate real-time operation in typical grasping tasks. The results of this work show new possibilities for scalable optical soft sensors to provide complete local information about the interaction forces in soft/rigid robots.

The mechanical properties of Bituminous Stabilized Materials (BSMs) have been widely studied in the past, however the influence of temperature on their non-linear constitutive properties has never been addressed. In this research, the role of temperature on the mechanical properties of a BSM prepared with asphalt emulsion and hydrated lime was investigated. Triaxial shear strength tests were performed at different temperatures and confining pressures. The experimental results allowed the development of finite element models defining the local stress and temperature-dependent mechanical properties. An approach for incorporating plasticity and temperature effects through a 2D axisymmetric finite element model of multilayer pavement was developed. Three pavement structures were subjected to the same load applications at different temperatures. Their responses were compared to determine the most critical scenario. In conclusion, plasticity and temperature are key factors for BSMs analysis and design while linear-elastic assumptions lead to overestimating the service life of rehabilitated pavements.

Abstract: Creative professionals, e.g., chefs and perfumers, often report that adding seemingly insignificant amounts of key ingredients can have an impact on aroma or flavor. Though a few studies suggest that subthreshold odors can enhance the rated intensity of very weak suprathreshold tastes and smells, there is little published evidence that subthreshold odors can enhance the rated intensity of odors or tastes of moderate intensity, such as one might commonly experience in foods and beverages. In the current study, experimenters added subthreshold concentrations of acetic and butyric acids to concentrations of three common flavor compounds that gave rise to moderately intense odors. Relative to the odor of the pure flavor compounds, subthreshold acetic acid increased the rated intensity of all compounds tested to a small but statistically significant degree. Further research is needed to fully understand such effects, but the results show that subthreshold odors can have a measurable impact on even moderate suprathreshold odors.

Arts on Prescription at Home (AoP@Home) involves a professional artist visiting a person with dementia and their informal carer(s) in their own home to engage them in participatory art making. While there is evidence for the use of these programs, more work is needed to facilitate effective implementation. This study explored contextual barriers and enablers to implementation of AoP@Home within a real‐world community aged care service. Two remote focus groups were conducted at a community aged care provider in Sydney, Australia. Key stakeholders (n= 14) were recruited, representing: people with dementia, informal (family) carers, AoP artists, service referrers and community service managers. Focus group transcripts were analysed using qualitative content analysis and mapped onto the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Outcomes were reviewed against the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategy compilation to inform development of a tailored implementation strategy. Four overarching themes described the range of barriers and enablers to AoP@Home implementation: (1) “I don't know enough about it” (awareness and engagement within the sector), (2) artists delivering programs, (3) awareness and engagement of people impacted by dementia, (4) practicalities of implementation. All five domains of the CFIR were represented across the four themes. The ERIC compilation provided a list of practical strategies for implementation of AoP@Home. The implementation of psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia within a community aged care service is complex and multifactorial. So what?:Organisations planning implementation should consider conducting their own pre‐implementation analysis to identify context‐specific strategies.

Abstract: Measured odor thresholds depend on both subject sensitivity and method. Yet, threshold methods have received relatively little systematic attention in olfaction. We measured psychometric (proportion correct detection versus concentration) functions for acetic acid. A two-out-of-five forced-choice procedure was used. Stimuli were precisely controlled using an air-dilution olfactometer. The output of the olfactometer was calibrated via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, using solid-phase microextraction to enhance analytical sensitivity. Four methodological parameters were manipulated: (1) practiced subjects versus unpracticed subjects (between-subjects variable); (2) a 15-s intertrial interval (ITI) versus 30-s ITI (within subjects); (3) resampling allowed (subjects could smell each of the five stimuli presented during a trial as many times as they wished) versus not allowed (within subjects); and (4) concentrations presented in blocked ascending order (lowest concentration first, moving up to the highest concentration) versus random order (within subjects). There was a statistically significant decrease in threshold (3.5-fold) when stimuli were presented in ascending rather than random order. Further, there was a significant decrease in threshold (5.9-fold) when subjects were allowed to resample. The effects of practice and ITI did not reach statistical significance, though thresholds were nominally lower for practiced subjects (1.8-fold). Relative to differences among published thresholds for a given compound, which often differ by orders of magnitude, the effects of these methodological differences were relatively small. These results suggest that much of the variance among published thresholds may be due to other factors, such as differences in stimulus presentation and control.

ABSTRACTIntroductionLonger treatment times, more comorbidity, more severe impairments in social, psychological, and emotional functioning, increased healthcare use, and more hospitalizations are all factors that are related to dysthymia. Given the significant prevalence of dysthymia (including persistent depressive disorder) worldwide, its comorbidity with several mental disorders, and the detrimental effects of these comorbidities, it is important to conduct a systematic review to compare the effects of pharmacological acute and maintenance treatments for dysthymia with placebo and standard care in the last 10 years, based on the publication of DSM5.Areas coveredThis systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Databases, including PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, were searched to assess the effects of pharmacological acute and maintenance treatments for dysthymia in comparison with placebo and treatment as usual.Expert opinionOur review shows that SSRIs and SNRIs present efficacy for dysthymia treatment, and L-Acetylcarnitine should be investigated further for this condition in elderly patients. The comparison of antidepressant medication versus placebo showed coherent results based on three studies favoring pharmacotherapy as an effective treatment for participants with dysthymia. However, the scarcity of research on continuation and maintenance therapy in people with dysthymia highlights the need for more primary research.

Describimos un caso de vasculopatía coroidea polipoidea con líquido subretiniano persistente a pesar de múltiples tratamientos intravítreos con bevacizumab, ranibizumab y aflibercept, así como aflibercept asociado a terapia fotodinámica. El paciente alcanzó la resolución completa después de la inyección intravítrea de brolucizumab, pero experimentó una recurrencia del líquido subretiniano 12 semanas después de la suspensión. Brolucizumab podría ser una opción para tratar el líquido subretiniano después del fracaso de otros agentes anti-VEGF asociados con la terapia fotodinámica.

Objective: The study explored the change in handwritten signature in neurodegenerative diseases by using of a rater-based approach. Methods: Four independent observers were required to compare a pair of signatures (on average, 5 years elapsed between the two signatures) made by 103 patients (mean age 72 years) with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and by 31 healthy participants (HC; mean age 73 years), judging their change according to a 0–1 rating scale (0 = similar or 1 = different). If a signature change was detected, the rater had also to report which signature features (spatial layout, omitted/added/switched letters or names, shape of letter, pen-flow) changed on the same 0–1 scale. For the AD and FTD groups, one signature was collected prior to the diagnosis of dementia, the other subsequent. Results: A signature change was reported by raters in 36% of AD patients, 44% of FTD, and 17% of HC, with significant differences between both clinical groups and HC (vs. AD, p = .01; vs.FTD, p = .001). There was not a distinctive marker of the signature change (i.e., feature change) in patients with dementia. Moreover, the signature changes in neurological patients were unrelated to their clinical and demographic characteristics (age, sex, education, time elapsed between the two signatures, Mini-mental State Examination score). Conclusion: The findings suggest a resistance of handwritten signature in neurodegenerative diseases and in physiological aging, also suggesting that the signature may be an unreliable indicator of the cognitive status in AD and FTD, at least if subjectively evaluated.

Targeted protein degradation has emerged as a promising approach in drug discovery, harnessing a cell’s intrinsic machinery to eliminate disease-related proteins. Now, a study paves the way to translating this technology into potential anti-mycobacterial therapies, by exploiting the bacterial protein-degradation complex.

Host affiliation and entomopathogenic infections play a major role in shaping population dynamics of the forest tent caterpillar (FTC), Malacosoma disstriaHübner (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae). The effect of these individual factors has been studied, but it is unknown whether interactions between these factors significantly impact FTC life history traits. In the laboratory, we investigated a tritrophic interaction among larval diet, larval microsporidian infection, and FTC life history traits. Larvae were reared on foliage of trembling aspen, Populus tremuloidesMichx (Malpighiales: Salicaceae) or sugar maple, Acer saccharumMarshall (Sapindales: Sapindaceae), or an artificial diet. Natural levels of microsporidian infection were assessed through microscopy and categorized as none (0 spores), low (1–100 spores), or high (>100 spores). Microsporidian infection and larval diet individually, but not interactively, impacted FTC life history traits. Moths with high infection had smaller wings, but infection did not increase the probability of wing malformations. Wings of FTC reared on fresh maple foliage were significantly smaller, had a higher probability of wing malformation, and a lower likelihood of cocoon production than FTC reared on other diets, but displayed higher overall survival. While microsporidian infection did not influence FTC-diet interactions, we provide further evidence on how these main effects may individually contribute to shaping FTC adult life history traits, and, ultimately, cyclical population dynamics. Future research should consider how larval mortality, distinct infection levels, and geographical source of FTC populations affect this tritrophic interaction.

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical component of innate immunity that senses diverse pathogen- and host-derived molecules. However, its aberrant activation has been associated with the pathogenesis of multiple diseases, including cancer. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of aryl sulfonamide derivatives (ASDs) to inhibit the NLRP3 inflammasome. Among these, compounds 6c, 7n, and 10specifically inhibited NLRP3 activation at nanomolar concentrations without affecting the activation of the NLRC4 and AIM2 inflammasomes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that these compounds reduce interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in vivoand attenuate melanoma tumor growth. Moreover, metabolic stability in liver microsomes of 6c, 7n, and 10was studied along with plasma exposure in mice of the most interesting compound 6c. Therefore, we generated potent NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors, which can be considered in future medicinal chemistry and pharmacological studies aimed at developing a new therapeutic approach for NLRP3 inflammasome-driven cancer.

The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD), the European College for the Study of Vulval Disease (ECSVD), and the European Federation for Colposcopy (EFC) developed consensus statements on pre-invasive vulvar lesions in order to improve the quality of care for patients with vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VaIN). The management of VaIN varies according to the grade of the lesion: VaIN 1 (low grade vaginal squamous intraepithelial lesions (SIL)) can be subjected to follow-up, while VaIN 2–3 (high-grade vaginal SIL) should be treated. Treatment needs individualization according to the patient’s characteristics, disease extension and previous therapeutic procedures. Surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment and should be performed if invasion cannot be excluded. Total vaginectomy is used only in highly selected cases of extensive and persistent disease. Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser may be used as both an ablation method and an excisional one. Reported cure rates after laser excision and laser ablation are similar. Topical agents are useful for persistent, multifocal lesions or for patients who cannot undergo surgical treatment. Imiquimod was associated with the lowest recurrence rate, highest human papillomavirus (HPV) clearance, and can be considered the best topical approach. Trichloroacetic acid and 5-fluorouracil are historical options and should be discouraged. For VaIN after hysterectomy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3, laser vaporization and topical agents are not the best options, since they cannot reach epithelium buried in the vaginal scar. In these cases surgical options are preferable. Brachytherapy has a high overall success rate but due to late side effects should be reserved for poor surgical candidates, having multifocal disease, and with failed prior treatments. VaIN tends to recur and ensuring patient adherence to close follow-up visits is of the utmost importance. The first evaluation should be performed at 6 months with cytology and an HPV test during 2 years and annually thereafter. The implementation of vaccination against HPV infection is expected to contribute to the prevention of VaIN and thus cancer of the vagina. The effects of treatment can have an impact on quality of life and result in psychological and psychosexual issues which should be addressed. Patients with VaIN need clear and up-to-date information on a range of treatment options including risks and benefits, as well as the need for follow-up and the risk of recurrence.

In this article, we present a reconstruction method for mapping a wide range of pressure stimuli in a multitouch soft optical waveguide skin (MSOWS). Distributed sensing information is typically obtained from wired soft sensing units. This approach hardly adapts to different shapes and has limited durability against stresses and shocks. In our MSOWS, the spatial tactile transduction relies on a continuum sensitive area of graded-stiffness polydimethylsiloxane, with a virtual grid free from electronics and connections. The sensing range of each cell is up to 234 kPa, and the spatial resolution is 5 mm. We use a time-delay neural network to reduce the hysteresis of the soft material to less than 1%. In addition, a fault-tolerant mechanism makes the entire system robust to component failure. These results may open the way to a new generation of distributed soft skins that are versatile due to material design and processing.

The European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD), the European College for the Study of Vulval Disease (ECSVD), and the European Federation for Colposcopy (EFC) developed consensus statements on pre-invasive vulvar lesions in order to improve the quality of care for patients with vulvar squamous intraepithelial neoplasia, vulvar Paget disease in situ, and melanoma in situ. For differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia (dVIN), an excisional procedure must always be adopted. For vulvar high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (VHSIL), both excisional procedures and ablative ones can be used. The latter can be considered for anatomy and function preservation and must be preceded by several representative biopsies to exclude malignancy. Medical treatment (imiquimod or cidofovir) can be considered for VHSIL. Recent studies favor an approach of using imiquimod in vulvar Paget’s disease. Surgery must take into consideration that the extension of the disease is usually wider than what is evident in the skin. A 2 cm margin is usually considered necessary. A wide local excision with 1 cm free surgical margins is recommended for melanoma in situ. Following treatment of pre-invasive vulvar lesions, women should be seen on a regular basis for careful clinical assessment, including biopsy of any suspicious area. Follow-up should be modulated according to the risk of recurrence (type of lesion, patient age and immunological conditions, other associated lower genital tract lesions).

In this paper, the performance of a new CVD reactor (called PE1O8) designed by LPE and developed in the European project REACTION to process uniform 4H-SiC homoepitaxy on 200 mm substrate is reported. Its tunable multi-zone injection system and new gas delivery configuration ensure the uniform gas distribution throughout the substrate. Excellent thickness and doping uniformity on 200 mm substrates are achieved with run-to-run variation less than 1.4% and 5.6% respectively.

AbstractIn this paper, an integrated approach targeting sustainability, safety and resilience is envisioned for the renovation of the post-Second World War RC buildings clustered in urban outskirts. The solution stems as an enhancement of the widespread camouflage practice, which targets energy efficiency and architectural restyling by complementing the building with a technological double skin, self-supported on an independent exoskeleton. Based on this integrated approach, the exoskeleton can be further engineered to also enable structural safety and resilience. Life cycle thinking is addressed to re-conceive traditional structural design approaches, guaranteeing safety, while minimising costs and environmental impacts over the building life cycle. Accurate selection of materials and dry technologies enables adaptability, reparability and maintenance, and total recyclability/reuse at end-of-life. The intervention is carried out from outside, avoiding relocation of the inhabitants and possible building downtime. The paper introduces a possible framework for engineers, technologists and architects to design new holistic renovation interventions, for which innovative solution sets are required. Possible structural techniques to be coupled with energy refurbishment are proposed. As a proof of concept, the envisaged holistic renovation strategy is applied to a reference building, and benefits entailed in combining structural safety measures within an integrated intervention are commented.

AbstractOne of the main purposes of Ecohydraulics is to predict the effects of riparian vegetation on aquatic ecosystems within real water channels. The interaction between water flow and riparian plants significantly affects flow dynamics, hydraulic conveyance, and water quality of vegetated water bodies. This study aimed at quantifying analytically the uncertainty in flow average velocity estimations associated with the uncertainty of Leaf Area Index (LAI) of Phragmites australis (Cav.)Trin. ex Steudel covering a vegetated channel. The impacts of this species on the hydrodynamics of vegetated streams are far to be completely understood. The uncertainty in flow average velocity was assessed through the first-order second-moment statistical method, by comparing direct and indirect LAI measurements of mature Phragmites australisplants. Indirect LAI values were obtained using the LICOR® LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer device. The results of this study suggest that the uncertainties in flow average velocity estimations are comparable to those associated with experimental measurements of streamwise velocity components retrieved in real vegetated flows fully covered by mature Phragmites australisplants.

Purpose: Scarce information on the prevalence and characteristics of olfactory disfunction (OD) in type 2 diabetic (T2D) patients are available. The aims of this study were (1) to assess the olfactory function in T2D patients and to compare it with a control group of individuals without T2D, and (2) to evaluate the differences in OD within T2D patients according to the presence of diabetic complications. Methods: A group of 39 T2D patients and a control group of 39 healthy individuals were enrolled. Each subject underwent an evaluation of the olfactory performance using the Sniffing Olfactory Screening Test (SOST) and completed a questionnaire assessing the subjective perception of olfaction. According to the presence of diabetic complications, the group of T2D patients was divided into two subgroups. Non-parametric tests and regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: No differences in the subjective perception of olfaction were demonstrated among T2D patients (with and without complications) and controls. A significant difference for the SOST score was demonstrated among the different groups. In particular, OD was more frequent in T2D patients than in controls. In addition, OD was far more frequent in T2D patients with complications. Regression analysis did not demonstrate any significant association between OD and clinical/demographic characteristics of T2D patients. Conclusion: T2D patients were more frequently affected by OD. The subgroup analysis suggested a possible relationship between OD and diabetic complications since patients with T2D diabetic complications demonstrated lower olfactory abilities than controls subjects and T2D patients without diabetic complications.

Purpose: This study was set up to investigate the reliability, factorial, concurrent, and criterion validity of the Italian version of the 34-item Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) and its shorter versions. Methods: The study included 231 patients diagnosed with an eating disorder and 58 putatively healthy people (comparison sample). The Italian BSQ-34 was administered to participants together with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Information on body mass index, caloric intake at baseline, and the number of episodes of self-vomiting per week was also acquired. Results: Cronbach’s alpha of BSQ-34 was 0.971 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.965–0.976) in patients and 0.960 (0.944–0.974) in controls. Test–retest stability in patients (n= 69), measured with intraclass correlation coefficient, was 0.987 (0.983–0.991). Confirmatory factor analysis of the single-factor model yielded acceptable fit for all versions of the BSQ. On all BSQ versions, patients scored higher than controls with a large effect size when calculated as Cliff’s delta. BMI and mean caloric intake at baseline had a stronger association with BSQ-34 than levels of anxiety and depression. The analysis with the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve showed that the BSQ-34 distinguished patients with an eating disorder from controls with good accuracy (Area Under the Curve = 86.5; 95% CI 82.2–90.7). Conclusion: The Italian version of the BSQ possesses good psychometric properties, in both the long and the shortened versions, and it can be applied to measure body dissatisfaction for both clinical and research purposes. Level of evidence: Level III, Evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case–control analytic studies.

The Internet of Drones (IoD) is an emerging paradigm generated over the Internet of Things (IoT) framework, where things are replaced with drones. IoD facilitates inter-drone communication and provides a mechanism for automatically controlling the drones from a remote location, even in non-line-of-sight conditions. IoD also consists of the onboard controller for making smart decisions by using artificial intelligence. This article highlights the role of IoD in precision agriculture, which helps in achieving qualitative and quantitative improvement in agricultural products, improving the financial benefits of farmers and exact climate predictions. Next, we describe the different challenges and corresponding solutions that may be encountered while using IoD in precision agriculture. We also depict a taxonomy of these challenges and solutions. Finally, we discuss different research opportunities in IoD-based precision agriculture.

A sensing system is an emerging paradigm for making smart buildings. The system's success depends on correctly communicating the sensing information from a building to the end-user within the given constraints. An autonomous network can maintain and reconfigure itself in a dynamic environment without human intervention. A sensing system using an autonomous network takes decision based on the current scenario and makes the system smarter. In this article, we propose an energy-efficient smart building system. The system uses the LoRa protocol for communicating the information. The system consists of compression-decompression and autonomous network models for reducing the size of the sensing information and automatically selects the suitable compression ratio of the sensing information that can be communicated to the operator with the given constraints. Our results demonstrate the impact of the proposed compression-decompression and autonomous network models on the system's delay, energy consumption, and accuracy.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.Acute macular neuroretinopathy is a condition characterized by an acute paracentral scotoma and subsequent vision loss. Acute macular neuroretinopathy may be triggered by many disorders including viral infections, such as influenza. However, this is to our knowledge the first report of AMN associated with COVID-19 infection.

Background: Despite the relevance of telephone-based cognitive screening tests in clinical practice and research, no specific test assessing executive functioning is available. The present study aimed at standardizing and providing evidence of clinical usability for the Italian telephone-based Frontal Assessment Battery (t-FAB). Methods: The t-FAB (ranging 0–12), comprising two subtests, has two versions: one requiring motor responses (t-FAB-M) and the other verbal responses (t-FAB-V). Three hundred and forty-six Italian healthy adults (HPs; 143 males; age range = 18–96 years; education range = 4–23 years) and 40 participants with neurological diseases were recruited. To HPs, the t-FAB was administered along with a set of telephone-based tests: MMSE, verbal fluency (VF), backward digit span (BDS). The in-person version of the FAB was administered to both HPs and clinical groups. Factorial structure, construct validity, inter-rater and test–retest reliability, t-FAB-M vs.t-FAB-V equivalence and diagnostic accuracy were assessed. Norms were derived via Equivalent Scores. Results: In HPs, t-FAB measures yielded high inter-rater/test–retest reliability (ICC = .78–.94), were internally related (p≤ .005) and underpinned by a single component, converging with the telephone-based MMSE, VF, BDS (p≤ .0013). The two t-FAB versions were statistically equivalent in clinical groups (ps of both equivalence bounds < .001). Education predicted all t-FAB scores (p< .001), whereas age only the t-FAB-M score (p≤ .004). t-FAB scores converge with the in-person FAB in HPs and clinical groups (rs= .43–.78). Both t-FAB versions were accurate in discriminating HPs from the clinical cohort (AUC = .73-.76). Discussion: The t-FAB is a normed, valid, reliable and clinically usable telephone-based cognitive screening test to adopt in both clinical and research practice.

Background: The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET) is listed in the National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Domain Criteria as a tool apt to measure the understanding of others’ mental states. People diagnosed with anorexia nervosa (AN) showed poorer performances on the RMET than healthy controls. Less data are available concerning other eating disorders. Methods: Systematic review of four major databases from inception to July 15, 2021 following the PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analysis of cross-sectional observational studies comparing the scores of the RMET between patients with eating disorders and age- and-gender matched control groups. Results: Out of 21 studies, we retrieved 29 independent samples of patients diagnosed with an eating disorder. Patients with active AN (n= 580) showed worse performances on the RMET than controls (n= 1019). Year of publication accounted for 61% of the (substantial: I2= 81%) heterogeneity in the meta-analysis. Earlier studies were more likely to find worse performances on the RMET of patients with active AN than later studies. Patients with bulimia nervosa (n= 185) performed poorly as compared to controls (n= 249), but the results were not statistically significant on the random-effect model. Obese patients with binge-eating disorder (n= 54) did not differ on the RMET from obese controls (n= 52). Patients with eating disorder not otherwise specified (n= 57) showed minimal differences compared to controls (n= 96). Study quality was good in six studies only. Conclusions: Patients with eating disorders do not suffer from an impaired understanding of others’ mental states, except for a still-to-be-identified subgroup of patients with active AN. Level of evidence: I, systematic review and meta-analysis.

AbstractBackgroundDepression is considered to be the most difficult to treat phase of bipolar disorder as patients experience residual symptoms causing long-term disability. This work aims to explore the role of add-on stimulant and stimulant-like medication in resistant bipolar depression patients.MethodsSystematic review of add-on stimulants and stimulant-like drugs in resistant bipolar depression by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Analysis was performed using the random-effects models. Heterogeneity was evaluated with Cochran’s Q and I2statistics.ResultsSix randomized controlled trials of add-on modafinil, armodafinil, and lisdexamphetamine (LDX) (n = 813) vs placebo (n = 815) in the treatment of resistant bipolar depression were included. These drugs were more likely to induce remission from an episode of resistant bipolar depression (relative risk [RR] = 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-1.77; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome = 16). Moreover, they did not induce more dropouts than placebo (RR = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.91-1.18), nor did they increase the risk of adverse effects (53/772 vs 41/771) at the end of treatment (RR = 1.30; 95% CI: 0.81-2.10; number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome = 62). Suicidality and manic switch were not affected by active treatment. Heterogeneity was low (Cochran’s Q: P> .05), but sometimes with a large CI.ConclusionsLDX, modafinil, and armodafinil seem to offer a reasonably well-tolerated and safe treatment in resistant bipolar depression. Treatment guidelines should, therefore, be revised to include these medications earlier in the therapeutic algorithm for resistant acute bipolar depression. Further research is, however, necessary for the elucidation of the clinical usefulness of these and other similar compounds.

Hydrated lime has been used in hot mix asphalt (HMA) to reduce moisture sensitivity and stripping since 1910 in the United States. During the past 40 years, researchers from all over the world have focused on this topic finding that hydrated lime can actually provide many other benefits to asphalt mixtures. In this paper, the use of a high surface area (HSA) hydrated lime as a filler in asphalt mixtures was investigated to assess the influence of lime microstructure on mixtures cracking behaviour. Two different open-graded friction course (OGFC) asphalt mixtures were prepared using different types of filler (calcium carbonate, calcium carbonate + hydrated lime and calcium carbonate + HSA hydrated lime) and tested using the SuperPave indirect tensile test protocol. The cracking behaviour of the mixtures was evaluated according to the HMA fracture mechanics approach developed at the University of Florida. The results show that HSA hydrated lime is able to improve the fracture performance of OGFC mixtures, even more significant than the traditional one.

We present the outcomes of 2 cases of cystoid macular edema, complicating an eccentric macular hole, treated with argon laser therapy to barricade the macular hole.

With the increasing usage of cold recycling techniques on maintenance of flexible pavements, increases also the need to better characterise the properties of cold recycled mixtures, usually composed of aggregates, reclaimed asphalt – RAP, active filler and bitumen. Understanding the mechanical behaviour of cold recycling mixtures is necessary to set the design process on a performance based approach. This study was designed to evaluate evolution of mechanical behaviour related with the use of quicklime (calcium oxide) as active filler in a BSM mixture; the quicklime was added on different contents up to 5%, considering that its chemical reaction with water can be very convenient to deal with environmental limitations on the construction of a BSM layer. Alongside, this study also compares in a qualitative way the changes in mechanical properties when lime or cement are used as active filler. Indirect tension tests and monotonic triaxial tests were run on BSM mixtures produced with either quicklime or cement added in different amounts. The results show that the use of quicklime may bring various advantages to cold recycling operations, with negligible performance variation even when added in higher amounts. Results also indicate that mixtures designed with cement are more susceptible to mechanical behaviour changes when compared to the ones designed with lime, which suggests that mixtures designed with cement need a more precise mix design and specially a more accurate mixing control in field operations.

Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys, is native to Asia and has invaded North America and Europe inflicting serious agricultural damage to specialty and row crops. Tools to monitor the spread of H. halysinclude traps baited with the two-component aggregation pheromone (PHER), (3S,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol and (3R,6S,7R,10S)-10,11-epoxy-1-bisabolen-3-ol, and pheromone synergist, methyl (2E,4E,6Z)-decatrienoate (MDT). Here, an international team of researchers conducted trials aimed at evaluating prototype commercial lures for H. halysto establish relative attractiveness of: 1) low and high loading rates of PHER and MDT for monitoring tools and attract and kill tactics; 2) polyethylene lure delivery substrates; and 3) the inclusion of ethyl (2E,4E,6Z)-decatrieonate (EDT), a compound that enhances captures when combined with PHER in lures. In general, PHER loading rate had a greater impact on overall trap captures compared with loading of MDT, but reductions in PHER loading and accompanying lower trap captures could be offset by increasing loading of MDT. As MDT is less expensive to produce, these findings enable reduced production costs. Traps baited with lures containing PHER and EDT resulted in numerically increased captures when EDT was loaded at a high rate, but captures were not significantly greater than those traps baited with lures containing standard PHER and MDT. Experimental polyethylene vial dispensers did not outperform standard lure dispensers; trap captures were significantly lower in most cases. Ultimately, these results will enable refinement of commercially available lures for H. halysto balance attraction and sensitivity with production cost.

Alterations in activity and connectivity of brain circuits implicated in emotion processing and emotion regulation have been observed during resting-state for different clinical phases of bipolar disorders (BD), but longitudinal investigations across different mood states in the same patients are still rare. Furthermore, measuring dynamics of functional connectivity patterns offers a powerful method to explore changes in the brain’s intrinsic functional organization across mood states. We used a novel co-activation pattern (CAP) analysis to explore the dynamics of amygdala connectivity at rest in a cohort of 20 BD patients prospectively followed-up and scanned across distinct mood states: euthymia (20 patients; 39 sessions), depression (12 patients; 18 sessions), or mania/hypomania (14 patients; 18 sessions). We compared them to 41 healthy controls scanned once or twice (55 sessions). We characterized temporal aspects of dynamic fluctuations in amygdala connectivity over the whole brain as a function of current mood. We identified six distinct networks describing amygdala connectivity, among which an interoceptive-sensorimotor CAP exhibited more frequent occurrences during hypomania compared to other mood states, and predicted more severe symptoms of irritability and motor agitation. In contrast, a default-mode CAP exhibited more frequent occurrences during depression compared to other mood states and compared to controls, with a positive association with depression severity. Our results reveal distinctive interactions between amygdala and distributed brain networks in different mood states, and foster research on interoception and default-mode systems especially during the manic and depressive phase, respectively. Our study also demonstrates the benefits of assessing brain dynamics in BD.