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Background Sacubitril/valsartan has been proved to reduce mortality in heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (EF) and is currently recommended as first-line therapy. However, effects in patients with a systemic right ventricle (sRV) have not been systematically investigated yet. Purpose We aimed to assess safety and efficacy of sacubitril/valsartan in patients with a sRV Methods From September 2020 to April 2021, all patients with congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (TGA) or TGA after Senning/Mustard repair attending our tertiary centre were prospectively enrolled. Inclusion criteria were: age ≥18 years, 3-months of optimal medical therapy including ACEi/ARB and sRV EF≤40%. Patients with univentricular physiology, systolic blood pressure (SBP) 5.5 mEq/L were excluded. SBP and blood samples were obtained at 1-month of treatment. Other clinical and echocardiographic variables were reassessed at 6 and 12-month follow-up and the medication was progressively up-titrated to the highest tolerated dose. Results Fifty-one patients (38±11 years, 60% male, 34% ccTGA) were included. Up to March 2022, 48 (92%) patients were reviewed after 6 months of therapy and 35 (68%) completed the first year of follow-up. Baseline patients' characteristics are summarized in Table 1. At 1 month, treatment did not impact on the serum potassium values (4.5±0.3 vs 4.4±0.3 mEq/L, p=0.9) and GFR (112±33 vs 112±31 ml/min, p=0.3), while SBP dropped significantly (119±13 vs 108±18 mmHg, p=0.003). Two patients ceased the treatment due to symptomatic hypotension during the first month. One patient developed a nephrotic syndrome at 4 months of follow-up, which was likely unrelated to the treatment. No other major adverse events were reported. One patient was lost to follow-up after 3 months. Despite no significant change in the NYHA class (p=0.9), the 6-minute walking distance increased significantly at 6-month (Table 2). Nt pro BNP values were significantly decreased at 6-month, and returned to baseline at 12-month. Improved sRV systolic function was demonstrated at 6 and 12-month by significant increase in fractional area change, RV global longitudinal strain and sRV EF measured with 3D echocardiography. Conclusions Our mid-term results showed that sacubitril/valsartan is well tolerated in patients with a sRV and leads to signficant improvement of sRV systolic function, supporting its use in this complex population. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background Wolf-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) has been associated with reduced local myocardium deformation during systole. According to guidelines, when the left ventricle (LV) dysfunction is present catheter ablation of the accessory pathway may be required, even in asymptomatic patients. Purpose The study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of non-invasive myocardial work in predicting subtle myocardial abnormalities in children with WPW. Methods Eighty pediatric patients (age 7.91±3.2 years) were included in the study: 20 cases with manifest WPW and 60 age- and sex-matched controls (CTR). Global myocardial work index (MWI) was measured as the area of the LV pressure-strain loops. From MWI, global Constructive Work (MCW), Wasted Work (MWW) and Work Efficiency (MWE) were estimated. In addition, standard echocardiographic parameters of LV function were evaluated. Results Patients characteristics are summarized in the table. Despite normal LV EF and GLS, children with WPW had worse MWI (WPW 1292.90±307.67 mmHg% vs CTR 1658.73±241.74 mmHg%, p=0.0000005), MCW (WPW 1844.15±267.96 mmHg% vs CTR 2104.90±237.85 mmHg%, p=0.00009), MWW (WPW 101.5 [85–148.25] mmHg% vs CTR 72 [54.75–109.25] mmHg%, p=0.004) and GWE (WPW 94 [91.75–95] mmHg% vs 96 [95–97] mmHg%, p=0.00012) (table). In the WPW group, MWE (r=−0.6, p=0.009) and MWW (r=0.6, p=0.01) was found to correlate with a prolonged QRS (figure). A multiple regression model was generated to identify the relation between abnormal myocardial work indices (worst interquartile range as dependent variable) and several independent variables. QRS was the best independent predictor of impaired myocardial work. In particular, a QRS>110 msec showed an 86% sensibility and 85% specificity for abnormal MWE (AUC of 0.85), and a 75% sensibility and 83% specificity for abnormal MWW (AUC of 0.83) (figure). Conclusion In children with WPW, myocardial work indices were found significantly reduced, even in presence of normal LV EF and GLS. Prolonged QRS independently predicted myocardial impairment. In pediatric patients with WPW, myocardial work may represent a sensitive measure of LV dysfunction and help in the decision-making. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Background Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are a vulnerable population. Routine vaccination is the only strategy to prevent a life-threatening infection. However, concerns on the cardiac safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines have been raised. Aim To assess safety and efficacy of available COVID-19 vaccines in ACHD patients. Methods Data on COVID-19 infection and vaccines including booster doses and any suspected or confirmed adverse events were prospectively collected for all ACHD patients attending our tertiary centre from the beginning of the vaccination campaign (March 2021). A group of 75 healthy volunteers, matched per age and sex, was included for comparison. Antispike IgG titre was routinely obtained at the ACHD clinic. Patients' attitude towards COVID-19 was explored with a questionnaire. Results As of February 2022, 498 ACHD patients (36.7±16 years, 54% male,69% with moderate-complex defects, 48% with advanced physiological stage) were enrolled. Four hundred and sixty-one (92%) were fully vaccinated: the type of vaccine was Pfizer-BioNTech for 399 (86%) patients, Moderna for 20 (4%) and AstraZeneca for 26 (6%), 9 received a mixed vaccine regimen (2%). Forty-two (9%) had a history of previous COVID-19 infection and therefore received only one dose. Two-hundred and sixty-nine (58%) patients received a booster dose. Adverse events were mainly mild and transient. One patient complaining of chest pain following administration of mRNA-based vaccination was diagnosed with acute pericarditis, which made full remission after appropriate therapy. Two patients reported a non-specific increment of inflammatory markers. No other severe adverse events were reported. Thirty-seven (7%) refused COVID-19 vaccination being scared of potential cardiac/extra-cardiac adverse events. Among those not-vaccinated, 9 (24%) had a history of previous mild COVID-19 infection. IgG titre was measured in 243 patients at 1915 [835–5934] BAU/ml, which was significantly higher compared to controls (1196 [827–2048] BAU/ml, p=0.002). Three ACHD patients contracted COVID-19 infection after the first dose, while 65 (14%) fully vaccinated patients tested positive for COVID-19, all with mild to moderate symptoms. COVID-19 symptoms duration was significantly longer in case of infection before vaccination (10 [2.7–15] vs 3 [1.2–7], p=0.03). One Fontan patient was tested positive for COVID-19 twice, before and after COVID-19 vaccination, requiring hospitalization in both cases. Four hundred and seven patients completed the questionnaire: 128 (31%) declared to be scared of potential cardiac effects of the vaccine and that the discussion with the ACHD cardiologist was crucial to decide to undergo COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusions Our data provide real-world evidence on COVID-19 vaccines safety and efficacy in ACHD patients. Patients' education from the ACHD team may play a key role in vaccine acceptance in this vulnerable population. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. INTRODUCTION Exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is still underused in paediatric patients, and very little data is available for congenital heart diseases (CHDs). PURPOSE To describe the current application of ESE in our Paediatric Cardiology Departments. METHODS Data from patients who underwent ESE in our Centres, including baseline and under stress symptoms, vital parameters, ECG, and echocardiograms were retrospectively analyzed and compared, as well as clinical management plans formulated based on ESEs results. RESULTS Forty-five patients from Centre 1 (median age 16 years), including 87% of patients with CHDs, and 20 patients from Centre 2 (median age 11 years), mainly tested to rule out myocardial ischemia, were included. Among patients from Centre 1, 28 had previously been treated surgically, 6 percutaneously and 11 were under follow-up. Indications for ESE/patients’ native diagnosis are illustrated in the picture. Centre 1: Exercise was maximal in 17 patients, with 2 of them having symptoms at the peak of exercise. It was stopped beforehand in 28 patients because of dyspnea (3) and muscle fatigue (25). No arrhythmia was detected. ESE was considered as positive in 14 patients; after that, 3 patients underwent percutaneous interventions, 2 underwent cardiac surgery, 3 received indication for cardiac catheterization, 4 for advanced cardiac imaging and 2 for exercise restriction and medical therapy. Centre 2: Fifteen patients (75%) completed the exercise, and none of them developed symptoms. In the remaining 25%, exercise was stopped because of muscle exhaustion. No arrhythmia was detected, and all the ESEs were negative. Comparing the cohorts, no significant differences in terms of ejection fraction were noticed at rest and under stress. Patients in cohort 1 were older (p = 0,002), they achieved lower average maximal heart rate (p = 0,0001), performed less lasting exercise (p = 0,05) and ESE was maximal less frequently (p = 0,005). Lastly, they had significant changes in clinical decisions (p = 0,004). CONCLUSIONS ESE is a feasible and promising technique in paediatric cardiology, particularly in children with congenital heart diseases, and could influence significantly clinical management plans. Abstract Figure.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Blood speckle imaging (BSI) is a new speckle-tracking-based technique for the evaluation of blood flow. Ventricular flow vortices have been studied in sinus rhythm in normal and dysfunctional hearts, however, data are lacking in patients with Kent accessory pathway (KAP) and short atrio-ventricular (AV) conduction. Purpose We aimed to evaluate the characteristics of left ventricle blood vortices in children with KAP. Methods Nineteen paediatric patients (age 7 ± 2.9 years) were included in the study: 13 patients with manifest KAP (KAP group) and 6 age and sex -matched controls with normal AV conduction (CTR group). A thorough echocardiographic evaluation with 2D, color doppler and BSI was performed in all the included patients. BSI was recorded in apical 3-chamber view with a 6S-D probe. Vortices characteristic were analysed during filling phase of the left ventricle. We focused on the anterior vortex generated by mitral valve, which persisted longer during the cardiac cycle and is assumed to contribute to optimizing cardiac function. A standard 12-lead ECG was also recorded for each child in KAP group to esteem KAP localization. Results According to Arruda criteria for KAP localization, all patients in KAP group manifested the accessory pathway in the septal region. All patients in CTR group presented one major anterior vortex during filling phase, while in KAP group 10 patients out of 13 (p= 0.009) lacked of this main anterior vortex, showing instead fragmented different vortices. There were no differences in term of left ventricle function (KAPg 59.8 ± 4.02% vs CTRg 59.0 ± 2.5%, p= 0.6) and global longitudinal strain (KAPg -18.6 ± 1.0% vs CTRg -19.6 ± 3.1%, p= 0.5) between the two groups. Conclusion In our preliminary analysis, in patients with septal KAP, blood vortices adapted their diastolic traces to the septal dyssynchrony showing a fragmented pattern. We speculate this fragmentation may contribute to impair the performance of the left ventricle. Abstract Figure. BSI in control vs patient with WPW

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (WPW) has been associated with reduced local myocardium deformation during systole. Left ventricle (LV) dysfunction due to electrical dyssynchrony may require catheter ablation of the accessory pathway, even in asymptomatic patients. Purpose The study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of non-invasive myocardial work in predicting subtle myocardial abnormalities in patients with WPW. Methods Forty-four paediatric patients (age 8.2 ± 4.3 years) were included in the study: 12 cases with manifest WPW and 32 age-, sex- and arterial pressure- matched controls (CTR). LV ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were evaluated. Global myocardial work index (MWI) was measured as the area of the LV pressure-strain loops. From MWI, global Constructive Work (MCW), Wasted Work (MWW) and Work Efficiency (MWE) were estimated. Results Despite normal LV systolic function by standard echocardiographic parameters, patients with WPW had lower MWI (1233.5 ± 281.6 mmHg% in WPW vs 1624.0 ± 305.8 mmHg% in CTR, p = 0.0004), MCW (1833.4 ± 257.9 mmHg% in WPW vs 2069.0 ± 319.9 mmHg% in CTR, p= 0.03), MWW (187.6 ± 117.7 mmHg% in WPW vs 90.9 ± 58.9 mmHg% in CTR, p= 0.0008) and GWE (90.5 ± 4.8% in WPW vs 95.2 ± 2.2% in CTR, p= 0.00006). There were no significant differences in GLS and EF between patients with WPW and controls. Conclusion Myocardial work indices were found significantly reduced in patients with WPW, even in presence of normal LV EF and GLS. In patients with WPW, MWI may represent a sensitive measure of myocardial dysfunction and help in the decision-making for catheter ablation. Abstract Figure. Myocardial work in WPW Abstract Figure. Myocardial work in control patient

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Adults with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) may present residual aortic obstruction and develop arterial vasculopathy and subclinical left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Myocardial work (MW) is a novel non-invasive index of myocardial efficiency calculated from echocardiographic LV pressure-strain loops, which yields incremental information over ejection fraction and global longitudinal strain. (GLS) Purpose Aim of the present study is to analyze LVMW in a cohort of adult patients with operated aortic CoA Methods CoA patients aged > 18 years who underwent transthoracic echocardiography between September 2020 and July 2021 at our tertiary centre were included. Exclusion criteria were significant recoarctation, impaired LVEF, significant valvular disease and suboptimal image quality. A group of healthy individuals with no cardiac abnormalities. GLS and peak strain dispersion(PSD) were measured. MW indices were calculated using the blood pressure measured in the right arm at the time of the exam. Results Sixty patients (26[22-33]years, 66%male) were included. Data on previous medical history, clinical status at last assessment and Coa-related echocardiographic findings are showed in table 1. No significant differences in traditional parameters of LV systolic and diastolic function were found between groups (EF 60[57-64] vs 57[53-61],p = 0.6), however Coa patients had higher LVmass (84[75-97] vs 68[56-75]g). GLS and MW indices in the study population and in the control group are reported in table 2. Coa group showed lower GLS values and higher PSD (p 0.0001). Conclusion MW indices assessment is feasible in Coa patients may provide a more comprehensive understanding of the overall myocardial mechanics and performance. In particular, MW demonstrated impaired LV efficiency, which was strongly related to increased mechanical dispersion in Coa patients. Abstract Figure. Abstract Figure.

Background Exercise Stress Echocardiography (ESE) is currently applied to paediatric patients mainly to detect myocardial ischemia and few data is available for congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Purpose The aim of this study is to describe the current application of ESE in our Departments. Methods Data from patients who underwent ESE in our two centres were retrospectively analysed, as well as clinical management plans formulated based on ESEs results. Results Fifty-five patients (median age 15 years) were included. Among them, 19 had been previously treated surgically, 6 percutaneously and 30 were under follow-up. Indications for ESE were: hypertension and/or evaluation of aortic arch gradient in patients treated surgically (5) or percutaneously (1) for aortic coarctation (ACo); aortic/subaortic gradient in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) after balloon valvuloplasty (4), Ross (1), or under follow up (1); right ventricular and pulmonary valve function in Tetralogy of Fallot (3) and after percutaneous treatment of pulmonary atresia (1); atrio-ventricular valves gradient (1 for tricuspid dysplasia and 1 for left cor triatriatum); single ventricle function (1); pulmonary artery gradient (2) and myocardial ischemia (6) after Arterial Switch; rule out myocardial ischemia in coronary anomalies (4), chest pain (9), Kawasaki disease (KD 9), syncope (1) and in patients with ectopic beats under exercise (2); rule out dynamic obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM, 3). The exercise was maximal in 28 patients, with 2 of them having symptoms at the peak of exercise. In the other patients, peak heart rate ranged from 52% to 84% of targeted values. Mean exercise duration and reached Watts were 10 minutes and 112, respectively. Reasons for ending exercise were muscle fatigue in 25 patients and dyspnoea in 2 patients. No arrhythmia was detected. Clinical management changed in 10 of patients after ESE (20%), all having CHDs. Three patients underwent percutaneous interventions; 1 aortic balloon valvuloplasty, 1 stent dilation and 1 pulmonary valve replacement; 2 underwent surgery (1 aortic valve replacement and 1 subaortic membrane resection), 4 underwent further imaging including cardiac computed tomography (1), cardiac magnetic resonance (2) and cardiac catheterization (1); 1 received indication for restriction from intense physical activities. Conclusions ESE has an important clinical role in patients with congenital heart diseases, impacting clinical management. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Indications for ESEChangements in clinical management

Background Adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are frequently affected by thyroid diseases (TD). However, the clinical relevance of TD in ACHD remains unknown. Purpose We aimed to describe the prevalence of TD in the ACHD population and to ascertain whether TD are associated with worse outcome. Methods Clinical data on all consecutive patients aged >18 years attending our ACHD unit for a day-case between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively collected. For statistical analysis, a composite endpoint was created combining the following events at follow-up: hospitalization for heart failure, new-onset tachyarrhythmic or bradyarrhythmic events and death. Results Four hundred ninety-five ACHD patients with a median age of 32.2 [24.5–45.6] years (46% male) were included. There was an overall prevalence of patients with moderate or complex lesions (414=84%). Compared to the group with no history of TD, patients in the TD were older, (41.9 [29.7–53.5] vs 30.2 [24.3–39] years; p Median follow-up was 9.4 [4.5–13.1] years. Patients with TD had a higher unadjusted mortality rate, with a trend towards statistical significance (p=0.07). Sixty-four (42%) patients in the TD group and 43 (12.5%) met our composite endpoint, leading to a 10-year survival free from events of 53.7% Vs 86.5%, respectively (p Conclusion TD is a strong predictor of adverse outcome in the ACHD population after exclusion of potential confounding factors, being related to a fourfold increased risk of events at follow-up. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None. Figure 1Table 1

The article joins the debate on food waste, to promote a reflection on current policies’ ef-fectiveness and on possible future actions. Specifically, the analysis focusses on the actions promoted by Milan local administration, particularly active on these issues, and on their impact in the perceptions and behaviours of relevant groups of citizens. The data confirm the tendency to underestimate the impact of food waste and highlight the important role that institutions can play in correcting the perception of the potential of food waste reduction practices.

The purpose of this article is to frame the current debate about food waste in developed countries and to understand what kind of inclusiveness can be promoted through social action on this topic. The research developed in two steps: first quantitative data were collected (846 questionnaires) and analyzed; then critical issues were identified and 50 interviews were conducted to better understand the experience of one project initiative connecting food gatherers and selected food wasted by merchants. Results show that donation of food otherwise wasted during local markets is a common practice, but its impact and value is underestimated by merchants. The initiative is interesting and its potential for inclusion and normalization of the gathering phenomenon is rather clear. The research shows how participants to this project, both volunteers and users realize an inclusive community adopting the same practice of food saving, despite having a different motivation. Such an initiative represents a practice of social innovation as it is not only targeted at poor people, nor it is trying to solve one specific problem: it rather tries to disseminate a different kind of consciousness around food and its waste.

The main aim of this article is to reflect on the status of ecomuseums in China. There have been both ecomuseums and discourse about them for many years in China. However, despite the existence of academic literature on ecomuseums and therefore to the general theory of ecomuseums, from some points of view Chinese ecomuseums do not seem to be aligned with general ecomuseum principles. This article reflects both on how well ecomuseums in China fit the ecomuseum characteristics defined by the theory and, ultimately, on what we can learn from the Chinese experience. Our discussion is developed on the basis of both the existing academic literature and interviews conducted by the authors.

Binge eating is a heritable trait associated with eating disorders and refers to the rapid consumption of a large quantity of energy-dense food that is, associated with loss of control and negative affect. Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the United States; however, the genetic basis is unknown. We previously identified robust mouse inbred strain differences between C57BL/6J and DBA/2J in binge-like eating of sweetened palatable food in an intermittent access, conditioned place preference paradigm. To map the genetic basis of changes in body weight and binge-like eating (BLE) and to identify candidate genes, we conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis in 128 C57BL/6J x DBA/2J-F2 mice combined with PheQTL and trait covariance analysis in GeneNetwork2 using legacy BXD-RI trait datasets. We identified a QTL on Chromosome 18 influencing changes in body weight across days in females (log of the odds [LOD] = 6.3; 1.5-LOD: 3-12 cM) that contains the candidate gene Zeb1. We also identified a sex-combined QTL influencing initial palatable food intake on Chromosome 5 (LOD = 5.8; 1.5-LOD: 21-28 cM) that contains the candidate gene Lcorl and a second QTL influencing escalated palatable food intake on Chromosome 6 in males (LOD = 5.4; 1.5-LOD: 50-59 cM) that contains the candidate genes Adipor2 and Plxnd1. Finally, we identified a suggestive QTL in females for slope of BLE on distal Chromosome 18 (LOD = 4.1; p = 0.055; 1.5-LOD: 23-35 cM). Future studies will use BXD-RI strains to fine map loci and support candidate gene nomination for gene editing.

The opioid epidemic led to an increase in the number of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) cases in infants born to opioid-dependent mothers. Hallmark features of NOWS include weight loss, severe irritability, respiratory problems, and sleep fragmentation. Mouse models provide an opportunity to identify brain mechanisms that contribute to NOWS. Neonatal outbred Swiss Webster Cartworth Farms White (CFW) mice were administered morphine (15mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily for postnatal days (P) 1-14, an approximate of the third trimester of human gestation. Male and female mice underwent behavioral testing on P7 and P14 to determine the impact of opioid exposure on anxiety and pain sensitivity. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and daily body weights were also recorded. Brainstems containing pons and medulla were collected during morphine withdrawal on P14 for RNA-sequencing. Morphine induced weight loss from P2-14, which persisted during adolescence (P21) and adulthood (P50). USVs markedly increased at P7 in females, emerging earlier than males. On P7 and P14, both morphine exposed female and male mice displayed hyperalgesia on the hot plate and tail flick assays, with females having greater hyperalgesia than males. Morphine-exposed mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the open-field arena at P21. Transcriptome analysis of the brainstem (medulla plus pons), an area implicated in opioid withdrawal and NOWS, identified pathways enriched for noradrenergic signaling in females and males. We also found sex-specific pathways related to mitochondrial function and neurodevelopment in females and circadian entrainment in males. Sex-specific transcriptomic neuroadaptations implicate unique neurobiological mechanisms underlying NOWS-like behaviors.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTNeonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is a poorly understood condition that has both a genetic and environmental component and is thought to be mechanistically distinct from opioid withdrawal in adults. The development of murine models for measuring neurobehavioral responses is critical for informing the neurobiological adaptations underlying NOWS. Using outbred mice that more closely model human genetic variation, we discovered a surprising degree of sexual dimorphism in behavioral timing and severity of NOWS-model behaviors as well as transcriptomic adaptations in brain tissue that together suggest distinct mechanisms and sex-specific therapeutics for reversing withdrawal symptoms and restoring brain function.

RationaleAddiction to methamphetamine (MA) is a major public health issue in the United States. While psychostimulant use disorders are heritable, their genetic basis remains poorly understood. We previously identified heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H1 (Hnrnph1; H1) as a quantitative trait gene underlying sensitivity to MA-induced locomotor activity. Mice heterozygous for a frameshift deletion in the first coding exon of H1 (H1+/-) showed reduced MA phenotypes including oral self-administration, locomotor activity, dopamine release, and dose-dependent differences in MA conditioned place preference. However, the effects of H1+/- on innate and MA-modulated reward sensitivity are not known.ObjectivesWe examined innate reward sensitivity and modulation by MA in H1+/- mice via intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS).MethodsWe used intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) of the medial forebrain bundle to assess shifts in reward sensitivity following acute, ascending doses of MA (0.5-4.0 mg/kg, i.p.) using a within-subjects design. We also assessed video-recorded behaviors during ICSS testing sessions.ResultsH1+/- mice displayed reduced normalized maximum response rates, H1+/- females showed lower normalized M50 values compared to wild-type females following MA, and H1+/- influenced ICSS responding relative to maximum baseline rates. There was a dose-dependent reduction in distance to the response wheel following MA administration, providing an additional measure of reward-related behavior.ConclusionsH1+/- mice displayed reduced reward facilitation following MA in a sex- and dose-dependent manner. This result expands upon the set of MA-induced phenotypes observed in H1+/- mice.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the relationship among food, city and space by adopting a social sciences viewpoint. Since the 1990s, not only in sociology but in the social sciences in general, the level of attention given to the role played by space in the production of social phenomena has increased. To describe this trend, certain authors have coined the expression “spatial turn”, which is analogous to the “linguistic turn” that influenced poststructuralist sociology (Warf and Arias 2009; Löw and Steets 2014). The definition of urban food policies, like production of a food product and distribution, the fact that it is more or less accessible and generates surpluses, and its transformation through an industrial process or its use for a domestic recipe, are processes that provide a good example of the interaction among biophysical, economic and socio-cultural aspects, in which all the geographical and climatic characteristics of the places where these processes take place play a role, as do cultural influences, the skills of the actors, and their power relations. In this article, the associations among food, city, and space are shown through the presentation of examples, highlighting certain of the principal topics, and clarifying how the numerous issues relating to food can lead to problems of a micro, mesa or macro nature. In our conclusions, we will stress the value added of the specialist perspective in the study of issues relating to food.

Within the current debate on food-related issues, special attention is drawn on food sharing initiatives: forms of sharing that rely on the use of online platforms and allow reuse of extra food, reducing wastage. The article shows the results of an exploratory survey carried out in Milan during EXPO 2015 (1,119 cases), investigating the level of awareness and integration of these practices on the daily life of citizens. Results show positive representations connected with food-sharing, but the need of stronger support for active participation.

This article is part of the debate on the governance of food systems and sets out to highlight some of the key issues in this context through the presentation of a case study. The aspects of the food governance the article focuses on concern the importance of defining a governance system that is neither national, nor urban, but that it is rather supra-urban, metropolitan, regional, or even better that works on the communication between all these levels. The proposed case study concerns the city of Portland, characterized by strong communication between different levels of food system governance

The opioid epidemic led to an increase in the number of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) cases in infants born to opioid-dependent mothers. Hallmark features of NOWS include weight loss, severe irritability, respiratory problems, and sleep fragmentation. Mouse models provide an opportunity to identify brain mechanisms that contribute to NOWS. Neonatal outbred Swiss Webster Cartworth Farms White (CFW) mice were administered morphine (15mg/kg, s.c.) twice daily for postnatal days (P) 1-14, an approximate of the third trimester of human gestation. Female and male mice underwent behavioral testing on P7 and P14 to determine the impact of opioid exposure on anxiety and pain sensitivity. Ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) and daily body weights were also recorded. Brainstems containing pons and medulla were collected during morphine withdrawal on P14 for RNA-sequencing. Morphine induced weight loss from P2-14, which persisted during adolescence (P21) and adulthood (P50). USVs markedly increased at P7 in females, emerging earlier than males. On P7 and P14, both morphine-exposed female and male mice displayed hyperalgesia on the hot plate and tail flick assays, with females showing greater hyperalgesia than males. Morphine-exposed mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior in the open-field arena on P21. Transcriptome analysis of the brainstem, an area implicated in opioid withdrawal and NOWS, identified pathways enriched for noradrenergic signaling in females and males. We also found sex-specific pathways related to mitochondrial function and neurodevelopment in females and circadian entrainment in males. Sex-specific transcriptomic neuroadaptations implicate unique neurobiological mechanisms underlying NOWS-like behaviors. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is a poorly understood condition that has both a genetic and environmental component and is thought to be mechanistically distinct from opioid withdrawal in adults. The development of murine models for measuring neurobehavioral responses is critical for informing the neurobiological adaptations underlying NOWS. Using outbred mice that more closely model human genetic variation, we discovered several sex differences in behavioral timing and severity of NOWS-model behaviors as well as transcriptomic adaptations in brain tissue that together suggest distinct mechanisms and sex-specific therapeutics for reversing withdrawal symptoms and restoring brain function.

Studying the governance of a smart city food system, this paper offers a critical synthesis of the literature on the governance of smart cities and goes on to use the insights it offers as a basis to examine the claim made about the food system emerging from the 2015 World Expo in Milan. In particular, the claim made about the infrastructure developments underlying this urban and regional innovation as doing nothing less than building a smart city food system from the ground up. In going some way to qualify this claim, the paper suggests that while such a statement does reflect much of what is currently understood about the infrastructure developments underlying this urban and regional innovation, the claim made about the World Expo building a smart city food system from the ground up, offers more of an insight into the state-of-the-art on the governance of smart cities than it does into the critical nature of the food system surfacing from the Expo in Milan. The paper suggests the reason for the partial synthesis of smart cities as food systems, rest with the claims made about the Expo in Milan failing to recognise the: (1) need for the governance of smart cities not to be in strictly technical, but wider social, cultural and environmental terms; (2) requirement for the infrastructure developments underpinning this urban and regional innovation to also support the sustainable growth of food systems; (3) pressure there is to re-direct the participatory governance agenda of smart cities towards urban policies whose management of natural resources is wise in meeting the human expectation of and social need for food and requirement there is for the municipal strategies and capacity-building exercises underpinning food systems, to be systematic in cultivating an environment able to support the inclusive growth of them across regions; (4) call for the resilience of any such sustainable and inclusive growth to constitute a material condition of the infrastructure developments underlying this urban and regional innovation and surfacing as a smart food system in the City of Milan.

The main aim of this paper is to document the complex relationships between competitiveness and social cohesion. These relationships are illustrated via a case study of the Pilsen Mexican neighbourhood in the city of Chicago. The Pilsen neighborhood has been part of the city since its incorporation in 1837 and lies approximately three miles southwest of Chicago’s lakeside downtown district, known as the “Loop”. The fieldwork upon which this article is based was conducted using qualitative research methods. Specific methodologies used include semi-structured interviews, collection of photographs and document analysis (drawing from both academic and public policy documents). As observed in the Pilsen case study, Chicago drew on a variety of urban policies (ranging from festival funding and neighborhood tours to the crafting of TIF zones) with the aim of achieving enhanced revenues via cultural planning and urban regeneration. While these strategies have activated gentrification and beautification, they are also driving out low-income inhabitants who can no longer afford rising rents. These development strategies aim to achieve the competitiveness goals, but have met with less success in achieving the social cohesion goals. In such processes, Pilsen local ethnic communities are not passive , but via civic enterprises or cultural institutions, economically struggling minority communities have not only registered their disappointment but have organized protests attempting to push back against top-down planning. As the Pilsen case suggests, even though competitiveness is often unable to reinforce social cohesion, new emergent actors appears to offer a promising avenue towards safe-guarding social cohesion and capacity building

L’articolo propone un metodo e degli indicatori per l’analisi del sistema cibo con l’intento di fornire uno strumento di monitoraggio per le politiche urbane alimentari. Poiché le politiche alimentari urbane e il sistema cibo sono un tema di studio e ricerca relativamente recente in Italia, il saggio è premesso da un’introduzione volta a chiarire cosa si intenda con i termini poc’anzi menzionati. Quindi si sofferma sulla presentazione degli obiettivi e del metodo della ricerca condotta a Milano e, nella terza parte, sui principali risultati di indagine. Nelle conclusioni, infine, si evidenziano le difficoltà a raccogliere dati relativi al funzionamento del sistema cibo alla scala urbana ed alcune criticità del territorio investigato This paper proposes a method and a list of indicators for analyzing the urban food system and the urban food policies in the city of Milan. Because of the urban food policies and the urban food system have been introduced only very recently in the Italian scientific debate, this article starts with a brief introduction about the food policies and the food system. Then, it focuses on the presentation of the goals, methods and indicators of the research conducted in Milan and, in the third part, the main survey results are presented.

This article explores one aspect of the debate concerning the role of museums in contemporary society. From dusty storage facilities for ancient artefacts that are considered important by a handful of scholars, museums have become ‘social agents’, able not only to assume social responsibility, but also to trigger changes by developing capacity building. This idea is an evolution and an active expression of the school of thought known as ‘New Museology’ that emerged between the 1960s and 1970s. New museology focused on how museums might assist disadvantaged communities and boost processes of societal, cultural and environmental transformation. In order to discuss, how museums are changing their role in the contemporary society and are tackling new challenges, an analysis of the Cultural Connection Programme implemented in 1998 by The Field Museum (Chicago, IL, USA) and the Chicago Cultural Alliance consortium is presented.

Obiettivo dell’articolo e dimostrare che i principi slow sono parte del dibattito sulla citta smart. A tal fine sono prima presentati i concetti di citta smart e di citta slow, quindi sono discusse le dimensioni slow della citta smart. In merito a queste ultime si propone una prima lista di questioni. Si tratta di questioni centrate sul governo del territorio e su come la governance delle citta contemporanee, pur allineandosi alla citta smart, stia mettendo in pratica principi slow.

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It is widely believed that oxygen-deficient defects in germano-silicate glass play a crucial role in the photosensitivity of this material to ultraviolet radiation. In this article, it is shown that germano-silicate glass that is defect-free and hydrogen-loaded also exhibits photosensitivity to 248 nm light. In fact, photosensitivity in defect-free germano-silicate glass is shown to require the presence of hydrogen. However, oxygen-deficient defects increase the photosensitivity of germano-silicate glass to light with a wavelength of 248 nm, in both the hydrogen-free and the hydrogen-loaded case. Comparisons are made among four types of otherwise identical germano-silicate glass. Each glass sample studied either does or does not contain oxygen-deficient defects and, each glass sample either does or does not contain hydrogen.

This paper describes the main characteristics of ecomuseums as a prelude to analyzing the ways in which they interpret the relationship between nature and culture. It appears that ecomuseums have the capability to interpret this relationship as a dynamic process. However, ecomuseum practices are not simply dedicated to conserving aspects of heritage, but also provide a system of norms and values that contribute to shaping habitus and where “genius loci“ or sense of place can manifest itself. If society is to contribute to the preservation and valorization of nature, then frames of reference - such as the ecomuseum - can seek to inform and change attitudes and perceptions of the nature-culture dynamic. Consequently, people, communities, and democracy lie at the heart of ecomuseum philosophy, encouraging groups and individuals to work together to contribute to improving the environment. Social actions and the negotiation of forms of capital are essential to the process.

We performed laser-strengthening experiments on a number of glasses and glass-ceramics. The objective of this study was to identify the mechanism of strengthening and to establish the correlation between the residual stress and the apparent fracture-toughness increase. After the laser exposure, the stress was measured by interpreting the resulting birefringence pattern (Polscope™). The apparent fracture toughness was measured by a Double-Torsion method, which required a minimal number of samples to reliably detect the effect of laser treatment as compared with the four-point bending test. We discovered that the apparent fracture-toughness increase is proportional to the magnitude of laser induced stress. We also present the results on how the glass strengthening is influenced by the irradiation pattern and laser parameters.We performed laser-strengthening experiments on a number of glasses and glass-ceramics. The objective of this study was to identify the mechanism of strengthening and to establish the correlation between the residual stress and the apparent fracture-toughness increase. After the laser exposure, the stress was measured by interpreting the resulting birefringence pattern (Polscope™). The apparent fracture toughness was measured by a Double-Torsion method, which required a minimal number of samples to reliably detect the effect of laser treatment as compared with the four-point bending test. We discovered that the apparent fracture-toughness increase is proportional to the magnitude of laser induced stress. We also present the results on how the glass strengthening is influenced by the irradiation pattern and laser parameters.

A photochemical method is described whereby light guiding structures can be directly written with a focused laser beam in a high silica glass that is initially porous. The process mechanism is exemplified using titanocene dichloride as the visible-light sensitive compound impregnated into the porous glass. Examples of the guiding structure realizable from this method are provided. An analysis of the refractive index profile produced by the focused Ar ion laser is given along with a discussion of the limitation of our method.

The magnetic and optical properties of thin films prepared by chemical vapor deposition in the system (1-x)Fe 3 O 4 .xFe 8/3 O 4 are a strong function of x. In particular, the coercive field increases significantly with x. Considering the solid solution of magnetite and λ-Fe 2 O 3 as a defect vacancy form of magnetite, Fe3+[Fe3+ 1+2δ Fe2+ 1-3δ box$^b$ δ ]O 4 where δ = x/3, it is suggested that the increase in H c with x is due to a Fe2+- box$^b$ interaction producing a preferred alignment of the vacancy on an octahedral site, which in turn would produce an additional uniaxial anisotropy superimposed on the cubic anisotropy. This interpretation is supported by the observed variation of H c with time for compositions within the system. The optical absorption coefficient at 0.63 μm and the optical Faraday effect also are functions of the value of x. The decrease in α with x is associated with the decrease in Fe2+content, while the decrease in θ is associated with the near equality of the opposing contribution to the rotation of the Fe3+ions on the octahedral and tetrahedral sites, respectively. Thin films of compositions in the above system have been deposited on glass disks suitable for disk-file applications. Typical recording outputs are shown.

The linear and circular birefringent properties of low-loss single-mode glass fibers are found to depend upon length. Depolarization is about 1 percent/km. Some anomalous behavior can be explained in terms of properties varying locally along the fiber and a resultant upper information rate of over 1012bits/s is estimated. Very small stress distributions or core ellipticities could give rise to the observed effects.

This work focuses on the communication strategies implemented by the European Commission in the aftermath of the referendum failures in France and the Netherlands (2005). Following a critical and interdisciplinary approach to discourse analysis, the work frames the strategy in its political context and then tries to investigate the micro-textual variables that subsume the attempt to restructure participants’ identities (institutions, European workers and social players), their roles and functions.