3,123 research outputs found
Age-related differences in the neural correlates of remembering time-based intentions
Full text linkThe present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to explore the effect of age on the neural correlates of monitoring processes involved in time-based prospective memory.In both younger and older adults, the addition of a time-based prospective memory task to an ongoing task led to a sustained ERP activity broadly distributed over the scalp. Older adults, however, did not exhibit the slow wave activity observed in younger adults over prefrontal regions, which is considered to be associated with retrieval mode. This finding indicates that age-related decline in intention maintenance might be one source of the impaired prospective memory performance displayed by older adults. An 'anterior shift' in scalp distribution of the P3 was observed in older adults, and was related to lower levels of accuracy in prospective memory performance. This relationship suggests that possible factors responsible for age-related decline in prospective memory performance include the decreased efficiency of executive/frontal functions as well as the reduced amount of resources available for the prospective memory task. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd
Eloge
No full textOverview of the typology of the encomiastic epigram, from the archaic to the Byzantine period. Silvia Barbantani is author of the section on Greek epigram Rosario Moreno Soldevila is author of the section on the latin epigram
Electrophysiological Correlates of Strategic Monitoringin Event-Based and Time-Based Prospective Memory
Full text linkProspective memory (PM) is the ability to remember to accomplish an action when a particular event occurs (i.e., eventbased
PM), or at a specific time (i.e., time-based PM) while performing an ongoing activity. Strategic Monitoring is one of the
basic cognitive functions supporting PM tasks, and involves two mechanisms: a retrieval mode, which consists of
maintaining active the intention in memory; and target checking, engaged for verifying the presence of the PM cue in the
environment. The present study is aimed at providing the first evidence of event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with
time-based PM, and at examining differences and commonalities in the ERPs related to Strategic Monitoring mechanisms
between event- and time-based PM tasks. The addition of an event-based or a time-based PM task to an ongoing activity
led to a similar sustained positive modulation of the ERPs in the ongoing trials, mainly expressed over prefrontal and frontal
regions. This modulation might index the retrieval mode mechanism, similarly engaged in the two PM tasks. On the other
hand, two further ERP modulations were shown specifically in an event-based PM task. An increased positivity was shown at
400–600 ms post-stimulus over occipital and parietal regions, and might be related to target checking. Moreover, an early
modulation at 130–180 ms post-stimulus seems to reflect the recruitment of attentional resources for being ready to
respond to the event-based PM cue. This latter modulation suggests the existence of a third mechanism specific for the
event-based PM; that is, the ‘‘readiness mode’’
The National Labour Policies in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy and of the European Economic Governance
No full textThe National Labour Policies in the context of the Europe 2020 strategy and of the European Economic Governance, by Silvia Borelli
The author presents the main priorities of the Europe 2020 strategy and the different steps of the European Semester of the European Economic Governance. The system of the European measures to solve the economic crisis is completed by the analysis of the “Six Pack”, the EuroPlus Pact and the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance. The author clarifies how the European Employment Strategy has been fully absorbed by the European Economic Governance. After considering some of the new European economic framework’s consequences on Member States’ labour policies and on social dialogue, the author focuses on the recent review of Italian labour policies, performed by European Commission as part of the European Semester
An overview of immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer
Full text linkAlthough breast cancer is not traditionally considered an immunogenic type of tumor, the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy has recently emerged as a novel treatment option in triple-negative subtype in the advanced setting and other similar combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy are expected to become part of the neoadjuvant management in the near future. In addition, encouraging results have been observed with the combination of immune checkpoint blockade with diverse biological agents, including anti-HER2 agents, CDK 4/6 inhibitors, PARP-inhibitors. The present review summarized the available evidence coming from clinical trials on the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in the management of breast cancer, both in advanced and early setting
Solution and solid-phase synthesis of aminoalkylguanidines inhibiting polyamine oxidase and nitric oxid synthase
No full textAnalogs of N-isoprenylagmatine have been synthesized either in soln. or on solid support. These compds. showed moderate to potent activity against NOS-II and M-PAO, with good selectivity with respect to NOS-I and B-PAO, resp. In particular, compd. 2 proved to be as potent as Guazatine, the most potent M-PAO inhibitor reported so far. Polyamine oxidases (PAOs) are flavoproteins which oxidize polyamines at the secondary amino group, giving different reaction products, depending on the source of the enzyme. Animal PAOs transform N1-acetyl derivs. of spermidine and spermine into putrescine and spermidine, resp., plus acetamidopropanal and H2O2, thus participating in the interconversion metab. of polyamines (Figure 1). Conversely, plant and bacterial PAOs oxidize spermidine and spermine to the corresponding aminoaldehyde, diaminopropane and H2O2
Cognitive and mental health changes and their vulnerability factors related to COVID-19 lockdown in Italy
Full text linkThe COVID-19 pandemic and government imposed social restrictions like lockdown exposed most individuals to an unprecedented stress, increasing mental health disorders worldwide. We explored subjective cognitive functioning and mental health changes and their possible interplay related to COVID-19-lockdown. We also investigated potential risk factors to identify more vulnerable groups. Across Italy, 1215 respondents completed our Qualtrics-based online-survey during the end of a seven to 10-week imposed lockdown and home confinement (from April 29 to May 17, 2020). We found subjective cognitive functioning and mental health severely changed in association with the lockdown. Under government regulations, cognitive complaints were mostly perceived in routine tasks involving attention, temporal orientation and executive functions—with no changes in language abilities. A paradoxical effect was observed for memory, with reduced forgetfulness compared to pre-lockdown. We found higher severity and prevalence of depression, anxiety disorders, abnormal sleep, appetite changes, reduced libido and health anxiety: with mild-to-severe depression and anxiety prevalence climbing to 32 and 36 percent, respectively, under restrictions. Being female, under 45 years, working from home or being underemployed were all identified as relevant risk factors for worsening cognition and mental health. Frequent consumers of COVID-19 mass media information or residents in highly infected communities reported higher depression and anxiety symptoms, particularly hypochondria in the latter. If similar restrictions are reimposed, governments must carefully consider these more vulnerable groups in their decisions, whilst developing effective global and long-term responses to the cognitive and mental health challenges of this type of pandemic; as well as implementing appropriate psychological interventions with specific guidelines: particularly regarding exposure to COVID-19 mass-media reports
Lavorare per la rivoluzione. Un'impresa commerciale tra Italia e Cina
No full textThe volume collects the biographical testimony of Fabio Matteini who, starting from the ’60s, undertook an import activity of Chinese handcra products with the aim of supporting the political and cultural initiative of the Edizioni Oriente of Milan, the main center for the spread of Maoism in Italy. The testimony is accompanied by a prefatory essay by Gilda Zazzara on Matteini work culture and by a selection of photographs taken by the author during the years of the Cultural Revolution, chosen and introduced by Silvia Calamandrei
Cardiac metastasis from renal cell carcinoma successfully treated with pazopanib: impact of TKIs' antiangiogenic activity.
No full textCardiac metastasis from renal cell carcinoma, especially without neoplastic thrombosis of the vena cava, is extremely rare. The prognosis of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma has been radically influenced by the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, but very few reports in the literature have described their activity in heart metastasis. We report the case of a woman with a left ventricle metastasis from kidney cancer without renal vein involvement, who was treated with pazopanib. The patient achieved a prolonged partial response, with clear signs of metastasis devascularization and a favorable toxicity profile
Experiential verbs in Homeric Greek
No full textIn Experiential verbs in Homeric Greek. A constructional approach Silvia
Luraghi offers a comprehensive account of construction variation with
two-place verbs belonging to different sub-domains of experience
(including bodily sensation, perception, cognition, emotion and
volitionality) in the Homeric language. Traditionally, variation is
ascribed to the independent meaning of cases that mark the second
argument, and explanations have focused on properties of the latter.
By taking a constructional approach, the author shows that construction
variation also brings about differences in the conceptualization of the
subject/experiencer by pointing to different degrees of control and
awareness. Variation is then shown to refl ect the embodied construal
of experience along with the social dimension of emotion
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