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Literature supports the use of technological tools such as augmented reality, 3 D avatars and mobile devices to improve individuals with autism spectrum disorder skills. Possibilities of including these technological tools in intervention and the critical issues related to intervention design are essential research questions. The aim of the current work is to present an interdisciplinary research study on the design of an autism intervention considering these technologies. This study used qualitative evidence and thematic analysis to identify the main design guidelines. A semi-structured interview was administered to a total of twenty participants representing four stakeholder categories: ASD, clinicians, therapists and caregivers. Interviews focussed on three dimensions related to user, technology and environment since they represent a complex system within which the individual using technology is situated. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified a total of 10 themes considered central to the design of the technological intervention. Since the application of technology in autism intervention is a relatively new area, the guidelines related to the potential incentives and barriers of the proposed technology are helpful to inform future treatment studies.Implications for RehabilitationThis study highlights the strengths and barriers associated with the use of smartphones and augmented reality in autism spectrum disorder interventions considering the dimensions within which the user using assistive technology is located.Strengths and major concerns that emerged are key points to consider during the development of the technological intervention.Considering these points can foster the use of technology within the intervention and promote its effectiveness. This study highlights the strengths and barriers associated with the use of smartphones and augmented reality in autism spectrum disorder interventions considering the dimensions within which the user using assistive technology is located. Strengths and major concerns that emerged are key points to consider during the development of the technological intervention. Considering these points can foster the use of technology within the intervention and promote its effectiveness.

The aim of this study was to follow up the occurrence of burnout in therapists of children and adolescents with autism experiencing the 2009 earthquake in L'Aquila, and to discuss implications for burnout prevention after disasters. A longitudinal study was carried out, measuring burnout outcomes according to the Maslach Burnout Inventory in 11 exposed and 53 unexposed therapists. Staff in the exposed group appeared to report significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion after 1 and 2 years of follow-up than the unexposed staff. As to lack of personal accomplishment, the exposed groups shows increasingly lower scores with respect to the unexposed group, with personal accomplishment (PA) values falling from 41.0 [standard deviation (SD) 3.7] to 33.4 (SD 4.1) after 2 years, whereas PA values remain stable over time in the unexposed group. As to depersonalization, data show no significant difference between groups. Burnout occurrence is induced by the exceptional stressors related with natural disasters like earthquakes. Efforts are required to help mental health workers, including psychiatric nurses, to cope with the devastating situation determined by an earthquake. A periodical monitoring of mental health status is recommended in mental health works, especially with regard to help with post-traumatic stress disorder, coping with work and therapeutic relationships, family and social life and economic impact.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine associated with psoriasis pathogenesis. Anti-TNF-α therapies are effective in psoriasis. A significant weight gain has been reported in patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the body composition changes in psoriatic patients receiving anti-TNF-α therapies according with disease phenotype. Forty patients affected with psoriasis were followed up for 24 weeks and divided into two groups: psoriasis vulgaris (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Anthropometric, blood biochemical, body composition parameters, resting metabolic rate, and disease activity indexes were measured at baseline and at week 24. After 24 weeks of anti-TNF-α administration, the disease activity indexes and concentration of inflammatory markers were significantly decreased. Seventy-five percent of PsO and 60% of PsA patients had an increase in body weight. Weight changes correlated with fat mass gain in the PsO group, and with fat and lean mass gain in the PsA group. In the present study, we demonstrated that a blockage of TNF-α bioactivity is related with fat and lean mass gain in both PsO and PsA subjects. The anti-TNF-α therapies could play a key role in the cross talk between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, mediated by the reduction of TNF-α and interleukin-6 production.

A large body of evidence supports that the dietary intake of polyphenols - particularly of flavonoids and the specific class of flavonoids named flavanols - might be able to exert some beneficial vascular effects and reduce the risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The review of epidemiological and mechanistic studies supports the role of flavonoids, particularly cocoa and tea flavanols, in protecting the cardiovascular system against cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, flavonoids are an heterogeneous group of natural molecules differently represented in fruit and vegetables and definitive data on cardiovascular benefits are lacking. The weakness of the available data include few and very small studies, no crossover designed studies and a wide range of dose and type of flavonoids tested. Thus, although flavonoid-rich foods and beverages are likely to protect cardiovascular system, further research is needed to characterize the mechanism of action on flavanol-rich foods. Long-term clinical trials are also needed to definitively clarify the benefits deriving from long-term consumption of flavanol-rich foods, particularly focussing on the lowest effective levels as well as synergism or antagonistic actions between different classes of flavonoids commonly found in foods.

The objective was to evaluate HLA DR/DQ alleles and their risk factor for type 1 diabetes in the Abruzzo region (central Italy). Sixty incident cases from the Abruzzo region were studied together with 120 unrelated control subjects living in the same administrative areas. The relative risk of diabetes associated with the alleles under study was calculated by deriving the odds ratio (OR) maximum likelihood estimates and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) by the exponentiation of the logistic regression beta-parameter. The combination DRB1*03/DQA1*0501/DQB1*0201 was found in 20.0% of patients and 7.1% of the control subjects, conferring an OR of 4.04 and a CI of 1.97-8.49. The combination DRB1*04/DQA1*0301/DQB1*0302 was found in 23.3% of diabetic patients and 6.7% of controls, giving an OR of 5.69 and a CI of 2.77-12.05. DRB1*11/DQA1*0505/DQB1*0301 and DQA1*0505/DQB1*0301 were negatively associated with type 1 diabetes (OR=0.27, CI 0.11-0.57; OR=0.07, CI 0.02-0.19). The DQA1 genotype at risk was found to be DQA1*0301/DQA1*0501: OR=23.80, CI 2.97-190.89, as it occurred with the highest frequency in the patient group. The DQB1 genotype at risk was found to be DQB1*0201/DQB1*0302, which occurred in 13.3% of patients but in only 1.1% of the control group (OR=29.75, CI 5.36-549.25). Our results shed further light on the risk of development of this disease during a specific time period in an area where the overall incidence of type 1 diabetes is known.

RIASSUNTOScopo - Descrivere Pimplementazione epidemiologica nella Regione Abruzzo di un servizio di prevenzione degli handicap psiconeurosensoriali dell'eta evolutiva; presentare i dati di prevalenza delle patologie osservate e i modelli di regressione esplicativi deU'occorrenza, discutere i dati di accesso ai servizi in termini di risposta alle necessità sociosanitarie. Setting e disegno - Sono stati utilizzati i dati forniti da un sistema informativo regionale, costituito da fonti informative primarie operanti presso le aziende USL (Servizio di Medicina scolastica, Medicina di base, Pediatria di base, Consultori familiari, Servizio di Riabilitazione) e da strutture specializzate di individuazione diagnostica (Équipe Multidisciplinari, Divisione Clinicizzata di Neuropsichiatna Infantile, Servizi Territoriali di NPI). Il modello di gestione dei dati è il registro epidemiologico di popolazione. La popolazione target e la popolazione abruzzese di eta inferiore ai 25 anni. Principali misure utilizzate - Vengono utilizzate in questo studio misure epidemiologiche di prevalenza, standardizzate per età, assumendo come standard la popolazione regionale (0-24 anni). La definizione delle patologie è stata effettuata sulla base delle nosografie standard 1CD-9 e ICD-10; la definizione di handicap sulla base della classificazione OMS (1981). Sono state esaminate le associazioni tra le variabili esplicative di tipo sociodemografico e anamnestico e le diverse tipologie di esito clinico attraverso modelli di regressione logistica. Risultati - Le stime di prevalenza per le principali patologie neuropsichiatriche infantili e per le patologie organiche e/o congenite generatrici di handicap nella popolazione dell'Abruzzo sono paragonabili a quelli riscontrati in letteratura in setting analoghi, ad eccezione dei disturbi ipercinetici che sembrerebbero indicare per I'Abruzzo un'alta occorrenza in entrambi i sessi. La riabilitazione risulta essere la necessita sanitaria maggiormente richiesta per tutti gli assi diagnostici; neH'ambito delle necessita sociali risulta relativamente poco rilevante il ricorso all'assistenza scolastica e, soprattutto, domiciliare. L'analisi di regressione logistica indica lo stato socioeconomico e la presenza di handicap in famiglia come fattori associati, rispettivamente, in modo negativo all'occorrenza di disturbi ipercinetici, e in modo positivo alFoccorrenza di ritardo mentale. Inoltre, lo stato di convivenza in famiglia naturale e associato negativamente aU'occorrenza di disturbi evolutivi. Conclusioni - Lo studio riporta i risultati preliminari dell'attivita di un registro specializzato per l'handicap psiconeurosensoriale in eta evolutiva. Tra le prime indicazioni operative emerge con chiarezza l'utilita della standardizzazione delle procedure diagnosu'che, della definizione di linee guida gestionali comuni nelle diverse aree territoriali, e, comunque, l'importanza della conoscenza epidemiologica del fenomeno handicap per una corretta impostazione di strategie di prevenzione e programmazione.

Background People’s well-being after loss resulting from an earthquake is a concern in countries prone to natural disasters. Most studies on post-earthquake subjective quality of life (QOL) have focused on the effects of psychological impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the psychological dimension of QOL. However, there is a need for studies focusing on QOL in populations not affected by PTSD or psychological impairment. The aim of this study was to estimate QOL changes over an 18-month period in an adult population sample after the L’Aquila 2009 earthquake. Methods The study was designed as a longitudinal survey with four repeated measurements performed at six monthly intervals. The setting was the general population of an urban environment after a disruptive earthquake. Participants included 397 healthy adult subjects. Exclusion criteria were comorbidities such as physical, psychological, psychiatric or neurodegenerative diseases at the beginning of the study. The primary outcome measure was QOL, as assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF instrument. A generalised estimating equation model was run for each WHOQOL-BREF domain. Results Overall, QOL scores were observed to be significantly higher 18 months after the earthquake in all WHOQOL-BREF domains. The model detected an average increase in the physical QOL scores (from 66.6 ± 5.2 to 69.3 ± 4.7), indicating a better overall physical QOL for men. Psychological domain scores (from 64.9 ± 5.1 to 71.5 ± 6.5) were observed to be worse in men than in women. Levels at the WHOQOL domain for psychological health increased from the second assessment onwards in women, indicating higher resiliency. Men averaged higher scores than women in terms of social relationships and the environmental domain. Regarding the physical, psychological and social domains of QOL, scores in the elderly group (age > 60) were observed to be similar to each other regardless of the significant covariates used. Conclusions WHOQOL-BREF scores of the psychological domain displayed trends conditioned by age and education: older subjects experienced less satisfaction with psychological health on average. Less-educated subjects always demonstrated the worst QOL scores. Gender, age and education impacted the variability of QOL in the environmental dimension in the elderly.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α is a pro-inflammatory cytokine associated with psoriasis pathogenesis. Anti-TNF-α therapies are effective in psoriasis. A significant weight gain has been reported in patients treated with anti-TNF-α agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the body composition changes in psoriatic patients receiving anti-TNF-α therapies according with disease phenotype. Forty patients affected with psoriasis were followed up for 24 weeks and divided into two groups: psoriasis vulgaris (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Anthropometric, blood biochemical, body composition parameters, resting metabolic rate, and disease activity indexes were measured at baseline and at week 24. After 24 weeks of anti-TNF-α administration, the disease activity indexes and concentration of inflammatory markers were significantly decreased. Seventy-five percent of PsO and 60% of PsA patients had an increase in body weight. Weight changes correlated with fat mass gain in the PsO group, and with fat and lean mass gain in the PsA group. In the present study, we demonstrated that a blockage of TNF-α bioactivity is related with fat and lean mass gain in both PsO and PsA subjects. The anti-TNF-α therapies could play a key role in the cross talk between adipose tissue and skeletal muscle, mediated by the reduction of TNF-α and interleukin-6 production.

Introduction: Prurigo nodularis is a distressing condition characterized by the presence of multiple nodules associated with intense pruritus. Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of betamethasone valerate 0.1% tape and a moisturizing itch-relief cream in prurigo nodularis. Methods: Twelve patients were enrolled in this pilot comparison of betamethasone valerate 0.1% tape versus a moisturizing itch-relief cream containing feverfew. The study period was 4 weeks. Clinical evaluation was performed weekly. Results: Eleven subjects completed the 4 weeks of therapy. The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) for pruritus at baseline was 8.75 for both sides of the body. The side treated with betamethasone valerate 0.1% tape showed a higher clinical response (VAS score at week 4: 3.9; p < 0.005) compared with the side treated with moisturizing itch-relief cream (VAS score at week 4: 5.6; p < 0.005). Conclusion: Both treatments were effective. However, the occlusive dressing enhanced the efficac...

We evaluated risk factors such as socio-demographic characteristics, smoking habits and alcohol consumption, associated with hypertension, diabetes and obesity in psoriasis patients, in order to plan health education programs that could prevent the onset or progression of co-morbidities. The study population consisted of 1376 patients with psoriasis who were consecutively recruited at 21 Italian Departments of Dermatology. Information concerning socio-demographic variables, smoking and alcohol consumption, and the presence of chronic disorders such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and obesity was collected. The risk of co-morbidities according to the various exposure variables was calculated using logistic regression models. Psoriasis patients living in extremely urban areas showed the highest risk of diabetes (OR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.06-5.23) and obesity (OR = 2.60, 95% CI 1.10-16.12), as compared to patients living in rural areas. The OR for hypertension was higher for smokers (> 15 cigarettes per day, OR = 1.37, 95% CI 1.01-2.03) and drinkers (> 2 glasses/day of wine, OR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.31-3.40). The OR for diabetes or obesity was higher for drinkers: 1 drink/day (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.01-3.67) and > 1 drink/day of spirits (OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.43-5.82), respectively. The results of our survey highlight the need to detect psoriasis patients with different susceptibilities to co-morbidities in order to plan specific health campaigns aimed at changing people's lifestyles with respect to smoking, drinking and diet.

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I) are known to affect the endothelial function decreasing the formation of the potent vasoconstrictor angiotensin II and increasing the bioavailability of the vasodilators bradykinin and nitric oxide. In order to test the potential differences among the class of ACE-I, we have evaluated their effects on endothelin-1 and nitric oxide availability, and on reactive oxygen species generation in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) obtained from umbilical cord veins. HUVECs were cultured in the presence of either sulfhydryl-containing ACE-I (zofenoprilat or captopril) or nonsulfhydryl-containing ACE-I (enalaprilat or lisinopril). After 24 hours, all ACE-I reduced endothelin-1 secretion and increased nitric oxide production. However, zofenoprilat ( − 42% after 8 hours of incubation) was more effective ( 𝑃 < . 0 5 ) than enalaprilat ( − 25%), lisinopril ( − 21%), and captopril ( − 30%) in reducing endothelin-1 secretion. Similarly, zofenoprilat (+110% after 8 hours of incubation) was more effective ( 𝑃 < . 0 5 ) than enalaprilat (+64%), lisinopril (+63%), and captopril (+65%) in increasing nitrite plus nitrate production. The effect of ACE-I on the nitric oxide availability and on endothelin-1 secretion is mediated by the activation of bradykinin B 2 receptor being reverted, at least in part, by a specific antagonist. Zofenoprilat and, to a lesser extent, captopril also blunted tumour necrosis factor (TNF) 𝛼 -stimulated production of reactive oxygen species and decreased TNF 𝛼 -stimulated glutathione consumption in endothelial cells. In conclusion, structural differences among the class of ACE-I play a role in their interaction with mediators that influence the homeostasis of the endothelium. The marked antioxidant effects exerted by zofenoprilat due to its sulphydryl group and lipophilia seem to be responsible for its greater endothelium protective activity.

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) detected by ECG has been shown to be associated with a higher prevalence of ventricular arrhythmias in members of the general population, in a case-control series of hypertensive patients and in never-treated hypertensive patients. In-keeping with this, it has been observed that hypertension-induced LVH increases the risk of sudden cardiac death. Furthermore, a consistent bulk of data suggests antihypertensive therapy targeted at regression or prevention of electrocardiographic LVH may reduce the incidence of arrhythmias. In this regard, recent clinical trials showed that antihypertensive therapy may delay or prevent the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in patients with hypertension. Porthan et al. hypothesized that an antihypertensive therapy might also rapidly affect ventricular repolarization and sought to investigate the short-term electrophysiological effects of four common antihypertensive drugs, represented by an angiotensin II receptor blocker (losartan), a beta-blocker (bisoprolol), a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine) and a thiazide diuretic (hydrochlorothiazide) in hypertensive men. Porthan et al. showed that losartan and bisoprolol favorably affected ventricular repolarization, with beneficial effects on ECG parameters of ventricular repolarization duration and heterogeneity. On the contrary, hydrochlorothiazide significantly increased repolarization heterogeneity, while amlodipine administration did not affect ECG repolarization measures. Thus, the observed findings suggest an intriguing hypothesis on the possible role of antihypertensive therapy in favouring or preventing cardiac arrhythmias.

Atherosclerotic plaque plays a crucial role for the development of ischaemic diseases and, therefore, its early diagnosis and feature can help to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events. Detection of early atherogenesis and characterization of plaque feature are the major end-points of research in cardiovascular imaging. Different techniques have been proposed as instrument for morphological and functional study of vascular walls. The purpose of this review is to underline the possibility of in vivo detecting the different stages of atherogenesis by using imaging techniques as well as their relationship with other risk factors in an attempt to assess the meaning of vascular lesions. Very promising results seem to emerge by the analysis of the literature on the subject, although different patterns are yet to be clarified.

The main objectives of type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) management include keeping glycemia levels within the euglycemic range to prevent complications. Daily self-monitoring is an important problem for many diabetic patients, particularly for adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the determinants of poor daily self-monitoring, focusing on the patients' parents' perception of the problem. In order to evaluate parents' awareness of their children's disease-monitoring status, we carried out a cross-sectional investigation of a sample of children and adolescents from a population-based register, with the corresponding population of parents. To collect our data, we used a 33-item questionnaire, separately administered by diabetologists to both parents and children. We estimated the concordance with respect to patients' and parents' answers. Adolescents followed their overall medical prescriptions more regularly (48.8%) than children (29.7%), but most frequently they forgot to use glycemic tests (adolescents 42.4%, children 29.7%). A major duration of disease affected HbA1c levels (values > 8%) of patients younger than 14 years (pFisher = 0.016). Our results indicate a worse compliance of adolescents with respect to children in attending to daily self-monitoring, not just regarding daily glycemic levels but also the course of daily activities such as going to school, studying, working, and simulating symptoms and signs of hypo-hyperglycemia. Parents mostly ignored their child's self-monitoring status and the related motivations.

Epidemiological evidence supports the concept that diets rich in fruits and vegetables promote health and attenuate or delay the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although a variety of factors contribute to the beneficial effects of plant foods, much attention has been addressed to plant polyphenols. In this regard, in the daily Western diet, both black and green teas contribute to a relevant proportion of total phenol intake. The more abundant class of flavonoids that is present in teas is represented by flavanols, i.e., catechin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate. Studies using animal models of atherosclerosis indicate that dietary flavonoid consumption delays atherosclerotic plaque development. Accordingly, an inverse association between tea intake and CVD has been demonstrated. Further, flavonoids can reduce endothelial dysfunction, i.e., the key step in the development of atherosclerosis. Concordantly, human data suggest that tea may reduce blood pressure levels. Despite this, although they often show that tea may have cardiovascular protective effects, results from epidemiological studies exploring the association between tea and health are controversial. Conflicting results may be caused by disparate study designs and flavonoid contents in different kinds of tea. Thus, because tea is a popular beverage worldwide, and several studies have shown that it is protective against CVD, further studies are needed to determine the role of tea in primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention.