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Lava tubes are powerful heat insulators, allowing lava to practically keep the initial temperature and travel longer distances than when freely flowing on the ground surface. It is thus extremely important to recognize how, when and where these structures form within a lava flow field for hazard assessment purposes, in order to plan possible interventions should a lava flow approach inhabited areas. Often being formed within thick and complex lava flow fields, lava tubes are difficult to detect, study and explore. In this study, we analyse the 1792-93 Etna lava flow field emplaced on a steep slope (>4°) which comprises several lava tubes located at different distances from the eruptive fissure, at different levels within the lava flow field, and showing various inner morphologies, with peculiar inner features related to their maturity and eruptive history. Our aim is to verify whether it is possible to connect the underground features with features observed on the lava flow surface in order to reconstruct the extension of the tube network and unravel the genetic processes. Our results show that, in the studied lava flow field, a clear correspondence is possible between shallow tubes emplaced late during the lava flow field growth and surface textures. In addition, vertical and horizontal tube capture is very widespread, and might be the primary process for lava tube persistence and long life. Our results might be applicable to other lava tubes on Earth and other rocky planets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic and vibrational excitation of acrylonitrile induced by 3–50 eV energy electrons has been investigated by the electron energy loss spectroscopy. Electronic excitation spectra have been recorded for 30 and 50 eV impact energies at a 10° scattering angle in the energy loss range from 5.5 to 11.5 eV, corresponding to the excitation of electrons belonging to the outermost-valence-shell molecular orbitals. We have reviewed the assignment of the valence excited states occurring in the 5.5–9 eV energy loss region. The vibrational patterns associated with the two lowest-energy singlet valence excited states have also been re-examined. Moreover, we have proceeded for the first time to the analysis and attribution of several Rydberg series converging to the ionic ground state and to its two lowest-energy electronic excited states. The study of the excitation function of the C—H stretching modes of acrylonitrile in the 3–11 eV electron impact energy range has shown evidence of a broad shape resonance built on the electronic ground state of the molecule and centered at 5.85 eV. This resonance contributes to a preferential excitation of the C—H stretching modes suggesting that the charge distribution of the additional electron is very likely that of a σ*(C—H) valence molecular orbital. A comparison has been made between the resonances observed in C2H4 and CH2CHCN, in order to discuss the symmetry of the resonant state and also to analyze the substitution effect of the cyanogen group. © 1995 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article 'Algorithm for the management of patients at low, high and very high risk of osteoporotic fractures',written by J. A. Kanis, was originally published Online First without Open Access. After publication in volume [#], issue [#] and page [#-#], the author decided to opt for Open Choice and to make the article an Open Access publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discrepancy between self-reported smoking behavior and actual urine cotinine values among prenatal patients at four municipally operated clinical sites was examined. Face-to-face interview and birth certificate information about smoking behavior during pregnancy was compared with laboratory urine cotinine values for 74 patients. Almost three of every four (73%) self-reported nonsmokers had cotinine values greater than 80 mg/mL; one-half (48%) had values exceeding 100 ng/mL. Self-reported prenatal smoking behavior seems to be an unreliable indicator of actual smoking status among low-income prenatal patients, resulting in missed opportunities to lower tobacco-related exposure/risk among women with the poorest birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nutritional profile, physical activity level and sedentary behaviours, in preteen age, are determinants able to influence both short and long-term state of health, therefore succeeding in health education campaigns addressed to this age group is critical for the interested population. Is currently underway the multiannual follow-up of the Italian ‘‘sCOOL FOOD - Per un Futuro di tutto Rispetto’’ project of Monte dei Paschi Foundation of Siena, Tuscany, which offers year-round cycles of classes and workshops about the themes listed above. Our objective was to assess whether this intervention could significantly influence over time healthy, and unhealthy, behaviours of the participants. Methods: We structured the follow-up as a prospective cohort study with one-group pretest-posttest design. We used the CAWI technique, building a questionnaire based on the Italian ‘‘OKkio alla Salute’’ survey, and collected data from the whole population of students enrolled in the project (in the school year 2018-2019 they were 3787, aged from 7 to 12) before and after the intervention. Afterwards, we conducted paired data analysis on the frequencies of specific behaviours. Results: We analysed paired data from 310 respondents. Improvements were gained in: afternoon TV watching (OR 0.54; 0.34 - 0.84; p < 0.01), consumption of sweet (OR 0.39; 0.16 - 0.88; p < 0.05) and salty (0.42; 0.18 - 0.90; p < 0.05) snacks, attitude to play outdoors after school (OR 2.6; 1.21 - 6.04; p < 0.01), sedentary behaviour in leisure time (OR 0.27; 0.16 - 0.44; p < 0.0001), mean weekly sport activity (+0.14 days; +0.02 - +0.27; p < 0.05). No variable has deteriorated. Conclusions: The improved compliance with healthy behaviours in the participants at this project suggests its viability as a health promotion campaign. Further parallel surveys on control groups are pending, in order to control potential confounders such as the seasonality of some habits and the awareness of the participants on the addressed subjects. Key messages: A coordinated and cross-disciplinary food and lifestyle yearround education campaign at school can affect health determinants of children. School can correct unfavourable eating and lifestyle behaviours determined by family habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The activity of olpadronate labelled with technetium-99m(Tc) was monitored in plasma and urine samples after single oral (925 MBq Tc/10 mg, coadministered with 50 mg cold drug) and intravenous (925 MBq Tc/5 mg) administrations to two groups of patients with different rates of bone turnover. The first group comprised high bone turnover (HBTO) patients suffering from Paget's bone disease; the second group comprised patients with normal to low bone turnover (NBTO) having the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and secondary osteoporosis. Kinetic variables were correlated with anthropomorphometric variables, biological markers of bone metabolism and plasma proteins. Data were also obtained after repeatedly dosing the HBTO patients. Additionally, Paget's bone and healthy bone (PB/HB) uptake before and after low-dose oral treatment were assessed by means of scintigraphy. Results showed that most of the kinetic variables did not differ between the two groups of patients, except for a greater V and smaller blood area under the curve AUC in the patients with HBTO. After a repeated-dose administration period, the blood AUC activity and Whole Body Retention (WBR) of the HBTO patients tended to be similar to those of the NBTO patients. In both groups, after oral dosing, the C was 20 times lower than the C after i.v. injection, and the oral bioavailability ranged from 3% to 4%. Finally, the plasma tβ ranged from 9 to 14 h. Correlation coefficients were obtained from multiple regression analysis; kinetic variables showed very low correlations with anthropomorphometric measurements. In contrast the V and WBR were significantly correlated with serum alkaline phosphatase levels and the V also with urine hydroxyproline levels. Plasma protein concentration was also correlated with excretion parameters such as CL and plasma tβ after an oral dose. Scintigraphic studies in the HBTO group allowed bone selectivity to be seen through skeletal drug uptake. The 15 Pagetic lesions analysed in the HBTO group showed a decrease in PB/HB ratio from 3.8 in the basal study to 2.7 after olpadronate administration for 30 days at the rate of 50 mg/day. In conclusion, the kinetic profile of Tc-labelled olpadronate, mainly AUC and WBR, showed a dependence upon bone metabolism and seemed unrelated to body size variables. HBTO patients showed a lower blood AUC but a higher V. Both variables may have been reflecting the fact that the drug binds selectively with calcified tissues and, in turn, with the target compartment. Scintigraphy confirmed the labelled-compound bone selectivity as a desirable feature for a bone-scanning agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Low bone mineral density (BMD) has been demonstrated in some patients with chronic intestinal disorders accompanied by diarrhea and malabsorption. However, very few studies have evaluated BMD in patients with pancreatic insufficiency due to cystic fibrosis. Our aim was to assess the prevalence and severity of bone loss in a cohort of patients with pancreatic insufficiency as a consequence of chronic pancreatitis. Methods: Fourteen patients with chronic pancreatitis were studied. All of them presented with severe pancreatic insufficiency (secretin test: bicarbonate ≤ 40 mEq/L) and steatorrhea (fecal fat ≥7g/day) and had been abstinent from alcohol for a median of 2.5 yr (range 1-15 yr). BMD was measured with a total-body scanner for dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results were expressed as T-score (number of SD by which a patient density differs from the mean of sex-matched 30-yr-old healthy controls) in lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck. Total serum calcium, 25-(OH)D3, alkaline phosphatase, and midmolecular parathyroid hormone were determined. Results: Ten patients demonstrated osteopenia (T-score -1 to -2.5) in the lumbar spine and in the femoral neck. Three patients displayed osteoporosis (Tscore < -2.5) in the lumbar spine and two in the femoral neck. Mean T-scores (± SEM) were -1.44 ± 0.37 in the lumbar spine and -1.79 ± 0.27 in the femoral neck. Total and ionic serum calcium, serum parathyroid hormone, and alkaline phosphatase were in the normal range in all patients. Serum 25-(OH)D3 was below normal range in 7 of 12 patients. T-scores of patients with pancreatitis of alcoholic etiology (n = 10) were similar to those of nonalcoholic patients (n = 4). BMD did not correlate with age, bicarbonate secretion, fecal fat excretion, stool volume, parameters of mineral metabolism, duration of alcoholism, or mean alcohol intake. Conctusions: Most patients with pancreatic insufficiency as a consequence of chronic pancre... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]