1,160 research outputs found
Alexithymia and Plaque Psoriasis: Preliminary Investigation in a Clinical Sample of 250 Patients
No full text<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Psoriasis as a dermatological disorder has complex effects on mental health and the psychological status of the patient. Many authors proposed that assessing how psoriasis affects a patient's life is better than a body surface area measurement for delineating psoriasis severity. Alexithymia is a personality dimension characterized by difficulty identifying feelings, difficulty describing feelings, and externally oriented thinking observed in many clinical conditions, especially in psychosomatic disorders. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with plaque psoriasis compared with healthy participants, while taking into consideration demographic and clinical variables. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We enrolled 250 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, naïve to any systemic treatment, and 215 healthy individuals. The 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was used to assess alexithymia. Data analysis was done. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The mean TAS score was 53.5 (±15.3) for the patient group and 45.1 (±10.8) for controls (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). Compared to controls, the psoriasis group showed significant alexithymic features (32.4 vs. 9.3%), and no significant differences of alexithymia between patients with severe and mild psoriasis were observed. A significant relationship was determined between alexithymia and female gender and sensitive area involvement, such as the face, hands, and genital area. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This study suggests that the assessment of alexithymia should be a part of the comprehensive care of patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. For this purpose, the TAS-20 is a useful and simple tool to be used in daily clinical practice.</jats:p
Riccardo Chiaradonna e Gabriele Galluzzo (eds.), Universals in Ancient Philosophy, Edizioni della Normale, 2013, pp. 545
No full textThe text offers a Critical Review of "Universals in Ancient Philosophy" by Riccardo Chiaradonna and Gabriele Galluzzo. The author critically reflects on the book by considering its methodologies, its arguments, and its relation with other books of the same type and on the same subject.Il testo propone una Lettura Critica del libro "Universals in Ancient Philosophy" di Riccardo Chiaradonna e Gabriele Galluzzo. L'autore riflette criticamente sul libro considerandone le metodologie, gli argomenti e il nesso con altri libri dello stesso tipo e sullo stesso argomento
Genus as Matter in Aristotle’s Metaphysics. A Reconsideration
No full textThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher
Photo-recall cutaneous reaction to gemcitabine
No full textCutaneous reactions attributable to chemotherapy too often result in a modification of patients’ treatment plan. Most treatments remain largely unproven: only small series or case reports may indicate possible treatment options. Main observations: We reported the case of a male patient with gemcitabine-induced skin reaction occurred after a cycle of therapy with carboplatin plus gemcitabine following a 21 days’ schedule. The patient came to our attention for an extensive, well-demarked, erythematous, lilaceous, warm indurated lesion, covering his dorsal faces of both hands, without systemic symptoms. Clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment was prescribed as main therapy, followed by a cream containing boswellic acids. Conclusions: It is presumable that similar dermatological lesions consist in a ‘radiation recall reaction’ whereby an inflammatory reaction occurs in the area previously treated with radiotherapy or affected by a sun-burn in the past. In our patient, interestingly, there is no history of radiotherapy even if there is history of strong sun exposure. Pharmacological anti-inflammatory effect due to boswellic acids was studied and relieved only in radiation-induced dermatitis, and even if larger studies would have been set in order to have more effective results, it would be useful to study application of this compound in chemotherapy-induced cutaneous adverse reactions too
Type-2 fuzzy control of a fed-batch fermentation reactor
No full textThe aim of the paper is to present the application of type-2 fuzzy logic controllers (T2FLCs) to the control of a fed-batch fermentation reactor in which the penicillin production is carried out. The performance of the control system using T2FLCs is compared by simulation with that of a control system using type-1 fuzzy logic controllers (T1FLCs). The non linear model used for the simulation study is an unstructured model characterized by the presence of non linearities, parameter uncertainty and measurement noise. Simulation results confirm the robustness of the T2FLC which shows a better performance than its type-1 counterpart particularly when uncertainties are present in the control system
Type-2 Fuzzy Control of a Bioreactor
No full textAbstract—In this paper the control of a bioprocess using
an adaptive type-2 fuzzy logic controller is proposed.
The process is concerned with the aerobic alcoholic
fermentation for the growth of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae
a n d i s characterized by nonlinearity and parameter
uncertainty. Three type-2 fuzzy controllers heve been
developed and tested by simulation: a simple type-2
fuzzy logic controller with 49 rules; a type-2 fuzzyneuro-
predictive controller (T2FNPC); a t y p e -2 selftuning
fuzzy controller ( T2STFC). The T2FNPC
combines the capability of the type-2 fuzzy logic to
handle uncertainties, with the ability of predictive
control to predict future plant performance making use
of a neural network model of the non linear system. In
the T2STFC the output scaling factor is adjusted on-line
by fuzzy rules according to the current trend of the
controlled process. T h e advantage of the proposed
adaptive algorithms is to greatly decrease the number of
rules needed for the control reducing the computational
load and at same time assuring a robust control
Prospective Observational Study (ZORES Study) on analysis of genetic mutations and enzymatic activity of Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthetase (FPPS) as predictive factor of resistance to amino-bisphosphonates (N-BP) in patients with bone metastases from solid tumors
No full textTHE IMPACT OF II PILLAR ON THE MULTIFUNCTIONALITY IN ITALIAN FARMS: ANALYSIS ON THE FARM HOLIDAYS
No full textThis analysis has examined the relationships between the European funds for rural development and the multifunctionality during a short time, comparing two different situations before and after the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform. The main problem was to find a variable able to describe the multifunctionality; the agritourism, in particular, number of farm holidays farms, has been the dependant variable useful to value the rural multifunctionality and the impact of the increase of II pillar fund. The Principal Component Analysis and the model of Ordinary Least Square have confirmed the positive impact of European Agricultural funds in the rural development and in the increase of active farm holidays farms.agritourism, farm holidays farms, Italian agritourism, II pillar, certified quality food., Agricultural and Food Policy, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, C01, Q18.,
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