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Daniele Zizolfi, Nicola Poloni, Ivano Caselli, Marta Ielmini, Giulia Lucca, Marcello Diurni, Greta Cavallini, Camilla CallegariDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Psychiatry, University of Insubria, Varese, VA 21100, ItalyBackground: Personal resources have been identified as important factors in predicting patient healing or symptoms control in schizophrenia. This observational retrospective study aims to explore the influence of resilience and recovery style on the modalities of clinical presentation of the disease, as well as individual functioning and quality of life.Methods: Participants were patients affected by schizophrenia spectrum disorders assessed at different mental health facilities. The rating scales considered are the following: Resilience Scale 10-items (RS); Recovery Style Questionnaire (RSQ); Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA); Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS); Life Skills Profile (LSP); Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results: Forty-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 46 years; the average length of the history of the disease at recruitment was 23 years with an average age at first episode of psychosis (FEP) of 23 years. General psychopathology, neurocognition, and integration recovery style can predict psychosocial functioning and explain ∼54% of the LSP variance; RS total score and PANSS general psychopathology score can predict and explain ∼29% of the LSP variance. A negative association between PANSS general psychopathology and LSP total score supports the need to reduce first the symptomatology, and then successfully apply other types of interventions. A strong positive association between neurocognition and life functioning was detected, showing that deficits in neurocognition have proved to be important predictors of the functional outcome. Integration was also proven to be significantly associated with a good functional outcome. Psychotic symptoms turn out to be a negative predictive factor, whereas resilience can be hypothesized as a protective factor.Conclusions: Resilience and recovery style “integration” can be considered as two complementary predictive resources for a good outcome; this result supports the need to set up personalized treatments, based on the characteristics of the patients.Keywords: mental health recovery, psychological resilience, schizophrenia, cognition, life quality, community functioning

Nicola Poloni, Daniele Zizolfi, Marta Ielmini, Roberto Pagani, Ivano Caselli, Marcello Diurni, Anna Milano, Camilla Callegari Department of Medicine and Surgery, Division of Psychiatry, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy Objective: Resilience is a multidimensional process of adaptation aimed to overcome stressful or traumatic life experiences; only in the last few years it has been considered as a personal resource in psychosis and schizophrenia. This study aimed to assess the relationship between intrapersonal and interpersonal resilience factors and schizophrenia, particularly whether and how resilience can improve the course of psychotic illness. Patients and methods: In this observational study, all patients recruited had to fulfill the following inclusion criteria: diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorder (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5); aged between 18 and 65 years; provided written informed consent; to be clinically stable (Clinical Global Impression Scale

Marta Ielmini,1 Nicola Poloni,1 Ivano Caselli,1 Jordi Espadaler,2 Miquel Tuson,2 Alessandro Grecchi,3 Camilla Callegari1 1Department of Medicine and Surgery, Division of Psychiatry, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy; 2AB-BIOTICS S.A, R&D Unit, Sant Cugat del Valles, Barcelona, Spain; 3ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo Borromeo, Division of Psychiatry, Milan, Italy Background: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a frequent cause of disability, health care costs, and risk of suicide. Pharmacogenetic tests (PGTs) could help clinicians to identify those patients predisposed to the occurrence of adverse events (AEs) improving the understanding of the correlation between genetic variants and drug response.Materials and methods: The study evaluated 30 patients affected by BD type I or II (according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, version 5) who underwent the PGT Neurofarmagen® (AB-BIOTICS SA, Barcelona, Spain) between March 2016 and March 2017. The primary aim of this study was to identify if the treatment prescribed by the psychiatrists was consistent with the treatment suggested by the PGT at T0 (corresponding to the test report communication). As a secondary aim, we wanted to assess if clinicians had changed the treatment (in case of discordance) at T1 (3-month follow-up visit) according to the results of the PGT.Results: At T0, only 4 patients (13%) had an optimal therapy in line with the PGT suggestions. At 3-month follow-up, 13 patients (40%) had received a change of therapy consistent to the test, showing a significant statistical improvement in the Clinical Global Impression item Severity (CGI-S) score over time compared to those not having changes consistent with the test. Regarding AEs, at baseline 9 out of 10 (90%) of the patients who received a therapy modification according to the test presented AEs, and a significant within-group reduction was observed after 3 months (p = 0.031).Conclusion: Despite the small sample size, the study shows promising data about the usefulness of PGT to support clinicians in reaching a more effective and tolerated treatment in the routine approach of BD. Keywords: pharmacogenetics testing, bipolar disorder, personalized medicine, pharmacogenetics, adverse events, tolerability, mood disorder

Ivano Caselli, Nicola Poloni, Marta Ielmini, Marcello Diurni, Camilla Callegari Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Psychiatry, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy Abstract: A systematic search for all case reports and case series of adult patients with factitious disorders (FD) in the databases MEDLINE, Scopus, and PsycINFO was conducted. FD is a psychiatric disorder in which sufferers intentionally fabricate physical or psychological symptoms in order to assume the role of a patient, without any obvious gain. The clinical and demographic profile of patients with FD has not been sufficiently clear. Thus, the aims of this study were to outline a demographic and clinical profile of a large sample of patients with FD and to study the evolution of the position of FD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. One thousand six hundred thirty-six records were obtained based on key search terms, after exclusion of duplicate records. Five hundred seventy-seven articles were identified as potentially eligible for the study, of which 314 studies were retrieved for full-text review. These studies included 514 cases. Variables extracted included age, gender, reported occupation, comorbid psychopathology, clinical presentation, and factors leading to the diagnosis of FD. In the sample, 65.4% of patients were females. Mean age at presentation was 33.5 years. A health care profession was reported most frequently (n=113). Patients were most likely to present in psychiatry, neurology, emergency, and internal medicine departments. The broad survey of sociodemographic profile of the sample has highlighted some important points for early diagnosis and early psychiatric treatment. The study showed that the patients did not meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 diagnostic criteria in 11.3% of cases. Keywords: fabricated illness, factitious disorder, medically unexplained symptoms, Munchausen syndrome

Camilla Callegari,1 Lorenza Bertù,2 Melissa Lucano,1 Marta Ielmini,1 Elena Braggio,1 Simone Vender1 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine – Psychiatric Division, 2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Centre for Research EPIMED – Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy Background: In recent years resilience has gained clinical relevance in sociological, psychological, and medical disciplines, and a lot of scales measuring resilience have been developed and have been utilized in the western countries. The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the 14-item Resilience Scale (RS-14), by describing its validity and reliability. As agreed with the authors of the original English version of the RS-14, it was translated into Italian. Then the standard procedure for back-translation was followed. Methods: In total, 150 participants among the nursing and professional education students of the University of Insubria of Varese and health workers of the “ASST dei Sette Laghi-Ospedale di Circolo” of Varese were enrolled. The responses to the questionnaires were collected only from the students and the health workers between the ages of 18 and 65 years who gave their consent to participate in the study from April to September 2015. A subsample of 26 students and health workers was retested on the RS-14, 5 weeks after the first assessment. The questionnaires were handed out to 214 people, and 150 sets of questionnaires (70%) were returned, of which eight were subsequently removed because >60% of the answers were missing. In order to ensure anonymity, every completed questionnaire was identified only via a code. Results: No significant differences were found between the mean values of the resilience scores between women (76.1) and men (76.3), with unpaired t-test = –0.08 and P=0.93. Similarly, no difference between resilience scores were found between mean age group of 18–25 years (75.3) and 26–65 years (78.7), with t-test = 1.6. The overall Cronbach’s alpha of the RS-14 is 0.88, P=0.10. The RS-14 is negatively correlated with the Beck Depression Inventory-Primary Care Version and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and positively correlated with the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Brief Version. The test-retest reliability, assessed on the 26 subjects 5 weeks after the first evaluation, highlighted an intraclass correlation coefficient value equal to 0.65. Factor analysis retains three factors, and it considers the factor loadings >0.40: RS-14 ('I am determined') is loaded on all the factors and RS-14 ('In an emergency, I am someone people can generally rely on') is not loaded on any factor.Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the Italian RS-14 has psychometric properties with a good level of internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.88), an adequate concurrent validity, verified by relationships with the other scales and as it was expected from literature, and an acceptable test-retest reliability. Keywords: resilience, measuring scales, psychometrics, factor analysis, adolescence, adulthood

El Museo de la Educación de la Universidad de Padua se inauguró en 1993 y ahora forma parte del nuevo Departamento de Filosofía Sociología Pedagogía Psicología Aplicada-FISPPA. Los estudiosos han encontrado en el patrimonio histórico-educativo, progresivamente recogido y conservado, una gran cantidad de material documental que ha permitido llevar a cabo numerosas investigaciones. El museo cuenta con mucho material tanto de la escuela como de la vida extraescolar, especialmente de la infancia. Los fondos no sólo son objeto de la atención de numerosos escolares visitantes, sino también de estudiantes universitarios. Las colaboraciones con instituciones locales han dado lugar a exposiciones, inauguraciones especiales y actividades con familias y grupos.

Superfluid helium nanodroplets are often considered as transparent and chemically inert nanometer-sized cryo-matrices for high-resolution or time-resolved spectroscopy of embedded molecules and clusters. On the other hand, when the helium nanodroplets are resonantly excited with XUV radiation, a multitude of ultrafast processes are initiated, such as relaxation into metastable states, formation of nanoscopic bubbles or excimers, and autoionization channels generating low-energy free electrons. Here, we discuss the full spectrum of ultrafast relaxation processes observed when helium nanodroplets are electronically excited. In particular, we perform an in-depth study of the relaxation dynamics occurring in the lowest 1s2s and 1s2p droplet bands using high resolution, time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The simplified excitation scheme and improved resolution allow us to identify the relaxation into metastable triplet and excimer states even when exciting below the droplets' autoionization threshold, unobserved in previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research was conducted to examine the electronic absorption spectra of alkali atoms attached to H2 and He clusters. Langmuir-Taylor surface ionization detectors were employed in the beam depletion measurement of the spectra of Li, Na and K atoms attached to large (H2)(sub N) and (D2)(sub N) clusters. Experimental results were compared to theoretical predictions and to measurements done by means of conventional matrix isolation spectroscopy in bulk hydrogen.

High-intensity extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from a free-electron laser can be used to create a nanoplasma in clusters. In reference Michiels et al (2020 Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 22 7828–34) we investigated the formation of excited states in an XUV-induced nanoplasma in ammonia clusters. In the present article we expand our previous study with a detailed analysis of the nanoplasma evolution and ion kinetics. We use a time-delayed UV laser as probe to ionize excited states of H and in the XUV-induced plasma. Employing covariance mapping techniques, we show that the correlated emission of protons plays an important role in the plasma dynamics. The time-dependent kinetic energy of the ions created by the probe laser is measured, revealing the charge neutralization of the cluster happens on a sub-picosecond timescale. Furthermore, we observe ro-vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen ions being ejected from the clusters. We rationalize our data through a qualitative model of a finite-size non-thermal plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionization dynamics of pure He nanodroplets irradiated by Extreme ultraviolet radiation is studied using Velocity-Map Imaging PhotoElectron-PhotoIon COincidence spectroscopy. We present photoelectron energy spectra and angular distributions measured in coincidence with the most abundant ions He+, He2+, and He3+. Surprisingly, below the autoionization threshold of He droplets, we find indications for multiple excitation and subsequent ionization of the droplets by a Penning-like process. At high photon energies we observe inelastic collisions of photoelectrons with the surrounding He atoms in the droplets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the observation of time-resolved quantum beats in the helium fluorescence from the transition 1s3p → 1s2s, where the initial state is excited by XUV free electron laser radiation. The quantum beats originate from the Zeeman splitting of the magnetic substates due to an external magnetic field. We perform a systematic study of this effect and discuss the possibilities of studying this phenomenon in the XUV and x-ray regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoionizing hole states with electron configuration nsnp5mp are studied in Ar+ and Kr+. Total and partial photoionization cross sections, photoelectron spectra and photoelectron angular distributions in the region of the resonances are obtained theoretically in extensive R-matrix calculations. The states of Ar+ are observed by means of excitation by a free-electron laser operating in the vacuum- and extreme-ultraviolet wavelength regime combined with angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. Fine tuning of the photon energy allows scanning of the resonances and the observation of the shape of the partial cross section ratio, as well as the asymmetry parameter of the angular distribution of the photoelectrons. The calculations are in good agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ionization dynamics of helium droplets irradiated by intense, femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulses is investigated in detail by photoelectron spectroscopy. Helium droplets are resonantly excited to atomic-like 2p states with a photon energy of 21.5 eV and autoionize by interatomic Coulombic decay (ICD). A complex evolution of the electron spectra as a function of droplet size (250 to 106 He atoms per droplet) and XUV intensity (109–1012 W cm−2) is observed, ranging from narrow atomic-like peaks that are due to binary autoionization, to an unstructured feature characteristic of electron emission from a nanoplasma. The experimental results are analyzed and interpreted with the help of a numerical simulation based on rate equations taking into account all relevant processes—multi-step ionization, electronic relaxation, ICD, secondary inelastic collisions, desorption of electronically excited atoms, and collective autoionization (CAI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The beneficial effect of physical activity on a large spectrum of diseases is well known, with particular importance for elderly people. Among the different types of activity, adapted physical activity (APA) has been applied in a number of disease-related physical deficit. Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome of a six months APA program in elder patients with osteoarthritis concerning physical and functional health and as second endpoint to determine the potential effect of AFA on reducing the risk of institutionalization. Method. The clinical indexes used to assess the outcome included the Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS), the Psychological General Well Being Index (PGWBI), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), and the visual analogue scale (VAS). Results. A significant difference (p = 0.047) between the pre-APA and the post-APA value was found for BRASS, and highly significant differences (p <0.0001) were found for SPBB and VAS. Conclusion. These findings show that a six months APA program in elder patients with osteoarthritis improves physical function, reduces pain intensity and decreases the risk of institutionalization. Moreover the positive outcome of APA we found in elder patients with osteoarthritis suggests a more frequent use of such rehabilitation approach, also evaluating its economic impact on this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The two-body dissociation reactions of the dication, C2H22+, produced by 39.0 eV double photoionization of acetylene molecules, have been studied by coupling photoelectron-photoion-photoion coincidence and ion imaging techniques. The results provide the kinetic energy and angular distributions of product ions. The analysis of the results indicates that the dissociation leading to C2H++H+ products occurs through a metastable dication with a lifetime of 108 ± 22 ns, and a kinetic energy release (KER) distribution exhibiting a maximum at ∼4.3 eV with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of about 60%. The reaction leading to CH2++C+ occurs in a time shorter than the typical rotational period of the acetylene molecules (of the order of 10-12 s). The KER distribution of product ions for this reaction, exhibits a maximum at ∼4.5 eV with a FWHM of about 28%. The symmetric dissociation, leading to CH+ + CH+, exhibits a KER distribution with a maximum at ∼5.2 eV with a FWHM of 44%. For the first two reactions the angular distributions of ion products also indicate that the double photoionization of acetylene occurs when the neutral molecule is mainly oriented perpendicularly to the light polarization vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spectroscopy of alkali-metal complexes on helium droplets (HeN, N=1000–10 000) provides the unique opportunity to observe high-spin species, which exhibit prominent spin-orbit (SO) effects. In this work we present laser-induced-fluorescence and magnetic-circular-dichroism (MCD) spectra of the (2)4E′←(1)4A2′ band of Rb3 and K3 on HeN. For Rb3 we find a progression of four SO split bands, weakly perturbed by linear vibronic [Jahn–Teller (JT)] coupling. The K3 transition was previously observed and interpreted in terms of linear and quadratic JT effects in the (2)4E′ state [J. H. Reho et al., J. Chem. Phys. 115, 10265 (2001)]. The structure of the MCD spectrum, however, clearly reveals the importance of SO coupling also for the K3 transition and suggests a different assignment with weak linear JT and nonsignificant quadratic JT coupling. The observed strong C-type MCD spectra arise from different populations of the ground-state Zeeman sublevels. Thus a quantitative analysis allows a determination of the spin temperature, and since alkali-metal complexes are situated on the surface of the helium droplet this corresponds to a determination of the surface temperature. Our results from the trimer spectra are consistent with the value of ≈0.4 K, which is found in the interior of a droplet and which we already confirmed for the surface from the spectra of triplet-state alkali-metal dimers in a previous work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first steps in photochemical processes, such as photosynthesis or animal vision, involve changes in electronic and geometric structure on extremely short time scales. Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy is a natural way to measure such changes, but has been hindered hitherto by limitations of available pulsed light sources in the vacuum-ultraviolet and soft Xray spectral region, which have insufficient resolution in time and energy simultaneously. The unique combination of intensity, energy resolution, and femtosecond pulse duration of the FERMI-seeded free-electron laser can now provide exceptionally detailed information on photoexcitation–deexcitation and fragmentation in pump-probe experiments on the 50-femtosecond time scale. For the prototypical system acetylacetone we report here electron spectra measured as a function of time delay with enough spectral and time resolution to follow several photoexcited species through well-characterized individual steps, interpreted using state-of-the-art static and dynamics calculations. These results open the way for investigations of photochemical processes in unprecedented detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoelectron angular distribution and the circular dichroism in two-colour XUV+NIR above-threshold ionization of helium atoms have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically. Circularly polarized XUV pulses from the free electron laser FERMI have been spatially and temporally overlapped with circularly polarized optical pulses in the interaction region with an atomic helium jet. The emitted electrons were energy and angle analyzed by means of a velocity map imaging spectrometer. Asymmetry parameters of the angular distribution were determined and compared to theoretical predictions based on the strong field approximation and perturbation theory, respectively. For low NIR intensities, the ratio of the partial waves in the two-photon ionization process and their relative phase could be deduced. For high NIR intensities, the influence of multi-photon processes is discussed. Circular dichroism was revealed in both cases and is in good agreement with the results of the strong field approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]