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Background and ObjectivesA variety of neurologic disorders have been reported as presentations or complications of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. The objective of this study was to determine their incidence dynamics and long-term functional outcome.MethodsThe Neuro-COVID Italy study was a multicenter, observational, cohort study with ambispective recruitment and prospective follow-up. Consecutive hospitalized patients presenting new neurologic disorders associated with COVID-19 infection (neuro-COVID), independently from respiratory severity, were systematically screened and actively recruited by neurology specialists in 38 centers in Italy and the Republic of San Marino. The primary outcomes were incidence of neuro-COVID cases during the first 70 weeks of the pandemic (March 2020-June 2021) and long-term functional outcome at 6 months, categorized as full recovery, mild symptoms, disabling symptoms, or death.ResultsAmong 52,759 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, 1,865 patients presenting 2,881 new neurologic disorders associated with COVID-19 infection (neuro-COVID) were recruited. The incidence of neuro-COVID cases significantly declined over time, comparing the first 3 pandemic waves (8.4%, 95% CI 7.9-8.9; 5.0%, 95% CI 4.7-5.3; 3.3%, 95% CI 3.0-3.6, respectively; p = 0.027). The most frequent neurologic disorders were acute encephalopathy (25.2%), hyposmia-hypogeusia (20.2%), acute ischemic stroke (18.4%), and cognitive impairment (13.7%). The onset of neurologic disorders was more common in the prodromic phase (44.3%) or during the acute respiratory illness (40.9%), except for cognitive impairment whose onset prevailed during recovery (48.4%). A good functional outcome was achieved by most patients with neuro-COVID (64.6%) during follow-up (median 6.7 months), and the proportion of good outcome increased throughout the study period (r = 0.29, 95% CI 0.05-0.50; p = 0.019). Mild residual symptoms were frequently reported (28.1%) while disabling s

BACKGROUND: In patients with atrial fibrillation who suffered an ischemic stroke while on treatment with nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, rates and determinants of recurrent ischemic events and major bleedings remain uncertain. METHODS: This prospective multicenter observational study aimed to estimate the rates of ischemic and bleeding events and their determinants in the follow-up of consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation who suffered an acute cerebrovascular ischemic event while on nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment. Afterwards, we compared the estimated risks of ischemic and bleeding events between the patients in whom anticoagulant therapy was changed to those who continued the original treatment. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up time of 15.0±10.9 months, 192 out of 1240 patients (15.5%) had 207 ischemic or bleeding events corresponding to an annual rate of 13.4%. Among the events, 111 were ischemic strokes, 15 systemic embolisms, 24 intracranial bleedings, and 57 major extracranial bleedings. Predictive factors of recurrent ischemic events (strokes and systemic embolisms) included CHA2DS2-VASc score after the index event (odds ratio [OR], 1.2 [95% CI, 1.0–1.3] for each point increase; P=0.05) and hypertension (OR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.0–5.1]; P=0.04). Predictive factors of bleeding events (intracranial and major extracranial bleedings) included age (OR, 1.1 [95% CI, 1.0–1.2] for each year increase; P=0.002), history of major bleeding (OR, 6.9 [95% CI, 3.4–14.2]; P=0.0001) and the concomitant administration of an antiplatelet agent (OR, 2.8 [95% CI, 1.4–5.5]; P=0.003). Rates of ischemic and bleeding events were no different in patients who changed or not changed the original nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants treatment (OR, 1.2 [95% CI, 0.8–1.7]). CONCLUSIONS: Patients suffering a stroke despite being on nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant therapy are at high risk of recurrent ischemic stroke and bleeding. In these

Traditional rice cultivation consumes up to 2500 L of water per kg yield and new strategies such as the ‘Alternate Wetting and Drying’ (AWD) might be promising water-saving alternatives. However, they might have large impacts on the soil microbiology. In this study, we compared the bacterial and archaeal communities in experimental field plots, cultivated under continuously flooding (CF) and AWD management, by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We analysed alpha and beta diversity in bulk soil and on plant roots, in plots cultivated with two different rice cultivars. The strongest difference was found between soil and rootcommunities. Beside others, the anaerobic methanotroph Methanoperedens was abundant in soil, however, we detected a considerable number of ANME-2a-2b on plant roots. Furthermore, root communities were significantly affected by the water management: Differential abundance analysis revealed the enrichment of aerobic andpotentially plant-growth-promoting bacteria under AWD treatment, such asSphingomonadaceae and Rhizobiaceae (both Alphaproteobacteria), and Bacteroidetes families.Microorganisms with an overall anaerobic lifestyle, such as various Delta- and Epsilonproteobacteria, and Firmicutes were depleted. Our study indicates that the bulk soil communities seem overall well adapted and more resistant to changes in the water treatment, whereas the root microbiota seems more vulnerable.

Dopo un periodo in cui la pianificazione urbana e dei trasporti ha riconosciuto molta importanza alla velocità dello spostamento, al trasporto privato motorizzato e, più recentemente, a quello pubblico di massa, nel campo degli studi urbani e dei trasporti crescente attenzione è rivolta alla mobilità pedonale (walking) e alla pedonalità (walkability) degli ambienti urbani, ossia alla possibilità dei luoghi di essere raggiunti, fruiti, attraversati e visitati a piedi (Colleoni et al., 2017). In questo quadro, il contributo presenta i risultati di una ricerca sulle percezioni della pedonalità delle aree turistiche di un campione di residenti con 65 anni e più, residenti nel comune di Milano. L’obiettivo è di analizzare il rapporto tra tourist attractiveness e pedestrian friendliness dei territori e di individuare i gruppi di over 65 più vulnerabili sotto il profilo della pedonalità. Nella prima parte, verrà presentata una breve rassegna del rapporto tra popolazioni anziane, attrattività turistica e accessibilità pedonale e delle determinanti della pedonalità. In seguito, verranno presentati il metodo e i risultati per discutere, in sede conclusiva, il contributo dello studio per le politiche turistiche urbane che mirino a costruire città a misura d’anziano., After a period in which transport and urban planning attribute great importance to motorized private transport and, more recently, to public transport, nowadays increasing attention is paid to walking and the walkability of urban environments, namely the possibility of places and destinations to being reached, used, crossed and visited on foot. Walking is indeed crucial to be studied as it is an important mean for increasing the quality of life in cities, given its potential role in countering car-dependent urban development, improving the health status of citizens, and increasing the attractiveness and vitality of public spaces, accessibility to opportunities, social inclusion, and neighborhoods’ social relations. Research generally showed the relevance of environment’s characteristics such as land-use, urban design and furniture, landscape, etc. However, it is crucial to consider that the features enhancing the urban environments’ walkability may vary according to the needs, preferences, and perceptions of different urban populations, as in the case of tourists and the elders. The paper presents the results of a research on the perceptions about tourist areas’ pedestrian friendliness of a sample of over 65 years old residents living in Milan. The results show a general assonance between tourist attractiveness and the elderly people’ perceptions and a dissonance, namely in the case of women and oldest-old respondents. In this sense, we argue the need for urban policies and tourist policies to improve different walkability assessments in order to guarantee an increasing attractiveness and inclusiveness of the city of Milan.