Affective evaluation of food images according to stimulus and subject characteristics.

BACKGROUND: The food-rich environment in which we live makes the regulation of food choices a very complex phenomenon determined by many factors, as well as their interactions. Much evidence suggests that the sensory perception of food can be considered as a central factor affecting individual food choices. Despite this, the approaches used to study the various food aspects usually do not distinguish between different types of food. METHODS: In the present study, a large and heterogeneous sample of 1149 participants aged 7-90 years was asked to judge food images that were labelled differently (i.e. Raw versus Cooked, Natural versus Transformed and Simple versus Complex) with respect to arousal, valence, typicality and familiarity. RESULTS: We observed that, across food dimensions (i.e., Raw versus Cooked, Natural versus Transformed and Simple versus Complex), arousal, valence and typicality judgments were principally affected by a subjective hunger level and gender (and their interaction) and, to a lesser extent, by age. CONCLUSIONS: As a whole, our findings suggest that the level of transformation (which includes cooking) and the complexity of a foodstuff could at least partially affect food processing, entailing that future research should also address these features.

Hemispheric lateralization in top-down attention during spatial relation processing: a Granger causal model approach.

Magnetoencephalography was recorded during a matching-to-sample plus cueing paradigm, in which participants judged the occurrence of changes in either categorical (CAT) or coordinate (COO) spatial relations. Previously, parietal and frontal lobes were identified as key areas in processing spatial relations and it was shown that each hemisphere was differently involved and modulated by the scope of the attention window (e.g. a large and small cue). In this study, Granger analysis highlighted the patterns of causality among involved brain areas--the direction of information transfer ran from the frontal to the visual cortex in the right hemisphere, whereas it ran in the opposite direction in the left side. Thus, the right frontal area seems to exert top-down influence, supporting the idea that, in this task, top-down signals are selectively related to the right side. Additionally, for CAT change preceded by a small cue, the right frontal gyrus was not involved in the information transfer, indicating a selective specialization of the left hemisphere for this condition. The present findings strengthen the conclusion of the presence of a remarkable hemispheric specialization for spatial relation processing and illustrate the complex interactions between the lateralized parts of the neural network. Moreover, they illustrate how focusing attention over large or small regions of the visual field engages these lateralized networks differently, particularly in the frontal regions of each hemisphere, consistent with the theory that spatial relation judgements require a fronto-parietal network in the left hemisphere for categorical relations and on the right hemisphere for coordinate spatial processing.

Is HE4 a useful endometrioma marker?

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: By the comparison between most used tumor marker trend (cancer antigen 125: CA 125 and human epididymal secretory protein E4: HE4) before and after laparoscopic surgery, the aim of the present study was to assess HE4 usefulness in ovarian benign cyst and endometrioma diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were enrolled in this prospective study: 25 women underwent unilateral endometriosis ovarian cyst excision, 13 underwent benign ovarian cyst incision, and 26 were healthy controls. CA 125 and HE4 serum levels were estimated before surgery (in the early proliferative phase of the cycle) and one month after surgery. RESULTS: A statistically significant decrease of CA 125 serum level was found after an endometrioma surgical excision but no decreases in HE4 serum level. CONCLUSION: In patients with endometrioma, no alteration was found in HE4 serum levels before and after surgery, while CA125 serum levels decreased after surgery. HE4 may better distinguish a malign cyst from benign one, but it is not useful in the diagnosis of low risk endometrioma.

Accuracy of hysteroscopy made by young residents in detecting endometrial pathologies in postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: The aim of the study was to analyze the diagnostic value of hysteroscopy made by young residents in evaluating uterine cavity compared to experienced hysteroscopists with histological diagnosis as reference in postmenopausal women, with particular attention to endometrial hyperplasia and cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 600 postmenopausal women that underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy (DH) between January 2011 and December 2013 were evaluated. The authors compared the first 200 hysteroscopic findings of each young resident with those of seniors that supervised all the procedures, regarding the same patients. Subsequent histological evaluation was obtained by operative hysteroscopy or endometrial biopsy. Residents' and seniors' data were compared with the final histological diagnosis established by anatomopathologist. RESULTS: No adverse effects such as vaso-vagal reactions or uterine perforations in DH neither in operative hysteroscopic procedures were reported. Hysteroscopy made by residents had 60%, 9.09%, and 70.4% sensitivity (SE) and 97.1%, 98.8%, and 99.1% specificity (SP) in detecting hyperplasia without atypia, hyperplasia with atypia, and endometrial cancer, respectively. On the other hand, DH made by seniors resulted in 85%, 72.7%, and 96.3% SE and 99.8%, 99.8%, and 100% SP, in detecting the same three histological findings. CONCLUSION: Outpatient hysteroscopy made by residents at their endoscopic experience beginning has good accuracy in detecting clear endometrial malignant lesions, unlike in detecting premalignant lesion as hyperplasia with atypia. This could signify that more than 200 hysteroscopies are necessary for a resident to well recognize premalignant and malignant lesions.

Pregnancy outcome after laparoscopic myomectomy.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: Main purpose of this study was to analyze the reproductive and obstetrical outcome as delivery mode and incidence of major complications (uterine bleeding and uterine rupture) after laparoscopic myomectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors conducted an observational study in patients who underwent laparoscopic myomectomy. Inclusion criteria were: surgery performed for single and or multiple myomas sized between five and 15 cm and pregnancy desire. Exclusion criteria were: surgery for pedunculated myomas and male or tubal infertility. Collected data on pregnancy desire, success in obtaining pregnancy surgical interval time before pregnancy, performing assisted reproductive medicine, gestational weeks, mode of delivery, indicating a possible cesarean section, and complications. On collected data the authors calculated pregnancy and abortion rates. RESULTS: Among patients aged between 19 and 42 years who answered a telephonic questionnaire, the authors selected 185 patients with pregnancy willing. A total number of 426 myomas were removed; 115 (62.2%) patients reported 151 pregnancies, nine in a total of 17 patients achieved it with reproductive assistance, 38 pregnancy ended in abortion, and two had an ectopic implantation. The authors finally reported 111 successful pregnancy, with seven preterm deliveries (6.3%). Mode of delivery had been cesarean section in 69 cases (63.4%) and vaginal delivery in 42 cases (36.6%), with a respective mean interval time between surgery and delivery of 24.6 +/- 20.0 months and 19.2 +/- 13.3 months. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic myomectomy proved to be an effective procedure feasible for women who wish to become pregnant with a subsequent good reproductive outcomes, both in terms of pregnancy and abortion rates that were comparable with the literature. If laparoscopic suturing of the fovea myometralis is adequate, there are no contraindications for vaginal delivery, regardless of the patient's age, the number, size, and location of the myomas removed.

Risk of recurrent menorrhagia after hydrothermoablation: role of GnRH analogues neoadjuvant treatment in long-term successful rate.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of presurgical therapy with GnRH analogues in patients who underwenthydrothermal endometrial ablation (HTA) for menorrhagia and assess the relationship between sonographically measured myometrium thickness and pelvic pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized control study comparing 15 women (Group A) with presurgical subcutaneous triptorelin depot injection before HTA with controls (Group B, n = 15). Inclusion criteria were: recurrent menorrhagia, uterus length < 12 cm, no previous hormonal therapy for at least six month, and family plan completed. Student's t test was applied, as appropriate, to compare continuous variables. Proportion were compared with chi-squared. RESULTS: After 12 months of follow-up, Group A showed a significantly lower (0% vs 20%; p = 0.03) failure rate after hydrothermoablation than the Group B and a generally higher successful rate at 24 and 48 months. The discomfort, evaluated with VAS, showed a mean value of 47.6 +/- 15.9 +/- SD); 96.7% of women reported a mild-moderate postoperative pain. No perioperative and late complications were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Presurgical treatment with GnRH analogues seems to improve long-term efficacy of HTA. Perioperative pelvic pain seems to not be affected by myometrium thickness.

How birds use their eyes: Opposite left-right specialization for the lateral and frontal visual hemifield in the domestic chick.

Recent evidence has demonstrated that, in animals with laterally placed eyes, functional cerebral asymmetry is revealed by preferential use of either the left or right eye in a range of behaviors (birds: [1, 2, 3]; fish: [4, 5]; reptiles: [6, 7]). These findings pose a theoretical problem. It seems that there would be disadvantages in having a substantial degree of asymmetry in the use of the two eyes; a deficit on one side would leave the organism vulnerable to attack on that side or unable to exploit resources appearing on one side. We here report a possible solution to the problem. We have found that domestic chicks show selective use of the lateral visual field of the left eye and of the right hemifield in the binocular, frontal visual field when they peck at strangers but not at cagemates. Thus, during social recognition, there seems to be opposite and complementary left-right specialization for the lateral and frontal visual fields of the two eyes. These findings can reconcile the computational advantages associated with asymmetry of the left and right sides of the brain with the ecological demands for an animal to perceive and respond equally well to the left and right sides of its midline.

The pre-launch characterization of SIMBIO-SYS/VIHI imaging spectrometer for the BepiColombo mission to Mercury. II. Spectral calibrations.

The Visible and near Infrared Hyperspectral Imager (VIHI) is the VIS-IR spectrometer with imaging capabilities aboard the ESA BepiColombo mission to Mercury. In this second paper, we report the instrument spectral characterization derived by the calibration campaign carried out before spacecraft integration. Complementary measurements concerning radiometric and linearity responses, as well as geometric performances, are described in Paper I [G. Filacchione et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 88, 094502 (2017)]. We have verified the VIHI spectral range, spectral dispersion, spectral response function, and spectral uniformity along the whole slit. Instrumental defects and optical aberrations due to smiling and keystone effects have been evaluated, and they are lower than the design requirement (<1/3 pixel). The instrumental response is uniform along the whole slit, while spectral dispersion is well represented by a second order curve, rather than to be constant along the spectral dimension.

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermal ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency thermal ablation is the first therapeutic option in percutaneous treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma but data on its long-term efficacy and safety are not conclusive. AIM: This study reports a prospective survey on radiofrequency thermal ablation in north-east Italy. METHODS: Data were collected on 401 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (males 301, mean age: 68 years) treated by radiofrequency thermal ablation in 13 centres. Indication to treatment was: single nodule not eligible for surgery in 77% of patients, 2-3 nodes in 18% and multiple lesions in 5%. Mean size was 3 cm (1-8 cm). Treatment response was assessed at 1 month by spiral computerized tomography and then with ultrasound examination and new spiral computerized tomography. RESULTS: Complete response was obtained in 67% of patients and in 27% response was 75-99%. Complete response raised to 77% in lesions smaller than 3 cm. The morbidity rate was 34%; the mortality was 0.5%, seeding was observed in four patients. Ten patients presented an unexpected rapid disease progression. CONCLUSION: The above data show that by radiofrequency thermal ablation, complete response can be achieved only in about two-third of the cases, clearly less than expected, and that, beyond seeding, unexpected progression can be observed.

Spatial cognition based on geometry and landmarks in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus).

Recent evidence suggest that encoding of spatial information based on extended surfaces may differ from encoding based on discrete arrays of local elements. Here we investigated the use of these different frames of reference in domestic chicks. Chicks were trained to search for food hidden under sawdust in the center of the floor of a square-shaped landmark array, with its center in coincidence with the center of a square-shaped enclosure. Displacement of the array to a corner caused a shift of searching behavior toward the array, the search activity spanning between the center of the arena and the center of the array. After changing distances between landmarks, chicks still searched in the central area. Asymmetries were apparent in chicks tested in monocular conditions, with left-eyed chicks being more affected by the overall enclosure and right-eyed chicks by local landmarks. These results suggest that chicks can use both distances from extended surfaces and local information provided by the landmarks of the array to orient in space. However, chicks do not seem to perceive the array as a whole configuration, rather they tend to rely only on single landmarks to locate the goal.

Staging and therapy monitoring of multiple myeloma by 99mTc-sestamibi scintigraphy: a five year single center experience.

The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the diagnostic value of 99mTc-sestamibi (MIBI) in the detection of bone marrow involvement in patients suffering from multiple myeloma (MM) and its possible role in the follow-up. Between 1998 and 2003, 68 patients with MM and 42 pts with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) were consecutively enrolled in this study. 51/68 MM patients had active disease (AD), 11/62 were in complete remission (CR) and 6/68 in partial remission (PR) after chemotherapy. 18 patients with MM repeated a 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphic study at least 2 months after high-dose chemotherapy. All the scans were scored semi quantitatively according to extension and intensity of tracer uptake. All MGUS pts had a negative 99mTc-MIBI. As far as the MM pts are concerned, 54/68 (49%) pts (48 with AD, 5 with PR and 1 with CR) had a positive 99mTc-MIBI scan, while the 99mTc-MIBI scan was negative in 14/68 pts (10 with CR, 1 with PR and 3 with AD). The overall sensitivity of the 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy was 92%; specificity was 96%. In the follow up of the pts treated with chemotherapy 99mTc-MIBI closely paralleled the activity of myeloma bone disease. In conclusion, these results indicate that 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy closely reflects myeloma disease activity in the bone marrow, and that a negative 99mTc-MIBI scan in patients with suspected MM clearly, though not absolutely, indicates absence of disease or clinical remission. The results of this study suggest a clear diagnostic value of 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy in patients with MM and its potential role during the follow-up for the monitoring of MM bone disease.

Encoding of geometric and landmark information in the left and right hemispheres of the Avian Brain.

Chicks were trained binocularly to find food buried under sawdust in the center of a square enclosure. When tested in an enclosure made larger or smaller in size, binocular and left-eyed chicks searched mainly on the basis of relative distance of the food from the enclosure walls, whereas right-eyed chicks searched on the basis of absolute distance. Moreover, binocular and left-eyed chicks relied mainly on global spatial information (i.e., distances from the walls), whereas right-eyed chicks also used information provided by visual landmarks. These results suggest that the right hemisphere of the avian brain (fed mostly by the left eye) is primarily concerned with encoding of relational spatial information, whereas the left hemisphere (fed mainly by the right eye) is concerned with absolute metric information, possibly as part of an encoding strategy based primarily on local (both spatial and nonspatial) cues.

Lateral asymmetries due to preferences in eye use during visual discrimination learning in chicks.

Chicks were trained to discriminate between two boxes of the same colour (white) on the basis of their positions using the pecking response. Some chicks were trained to peck at the box on their right side, some at the box on their left side. They were then retrained with two boxes of different colours (one red the other green): in one group of chicks the position of the two boxes was randomly alternated in the various trials (thus making colour a conspicuous but irrelevant cue), in the other it was maintained unchanged. A control group was retrained with two white boxes identical to those used during training. In all of the three groups chicks had to discriminate between the two boxes on the basis of their positions. During training, chicks took less trial and errors to learn when the positive box was placed on their right side and the same occurred during retraining with boxes that maintained a fixed position and during retraining in the control condition. During retraining with position alternation, on the contrary, chicks took less trials and errors to learn when the positive box was placed on their left side. Video recording of the chicks' behaviour while approaching the boxes showed that these lateral asymmetries reflect head and body turning associated to preferences in eye use, likely due to the different specializations of contralateral brain structures. It is argued that position cues engage the right hemisphere, with consequent head turning to the right to allow lateral viewing by the left eye; object-specific cues engage the left hemisphere, with consequent head turning to the left to allow lateral viewing by the right eye.

Eye use in search is determined by the nature of task in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus).

In Experiments 1-3 chicks were trained to find, using both eyes, food covered by a cap, using wide-angle search so as to involve lateral and frontal visual fields, with either local or positional cues, or both, identifying the baited site. At test they used right, left or both eyes (RE, LE, Bin). When both types of cue were relevant, LE made greater use of positional cues than the other two groups, as has been previously found, whereas RE made greater use of local (colour) cues. However, when only one type of cue was relevant, RE and LE were equally able to use positional or local cues. Right/left differences emerge when RE and LE can be used in different ways during training. In Experiments 4-5 Bin chicks were shown to turn preferentially to the right during wide-angle search, when relying on local, and to the left when relying on positional cues. In search, parallel processing of RE and LE inputs appears to allow competition which is usually won by the eye system more suited to the task, which then initiates targeting to objects which are visible to its eye.

Searching for the center: spatial cognition in the domestic chick (Gallus gallus).

Chicks learned to find food hidden under sawdust by ground-scratching in the central position of the floor of a closed arena. When tested inan arena of identical shape but a larger area, chicks searched at 2 different locations, one corresponding to the correct distance (i.e., center) in the smaller (training) arena and the other to the actual center of the test arena. When tested in an arena of the same shape but a smaller area, chicks searched in the center of it. These results suggest that chicks are able to encode information on the absolute and relative distance of the food from the walls of the arena. After training in the presence of a landmark located at the center of the arena, animals searched at the center even after the removal of the landmark. Marked changes in the height of the walls of the arena produced some displacement in searching behavior, suggesting that chicks used the angular size of the walls to estimate distances.

Figure ground segregation modulates perceived direction of ambiguous moving gratings and plaids.

A translating oriented grating viewed through a circular aperture with an occluding area in the middle appeared to move alternately in an oblique or in a vertical direction depending on the foreground/background assignment on the central occluding area. The effect occurred even when the central area was simply removed from the display, thus giving rise to a 'subjective' occluder. Parametric studies revealed that the probability of seeing oblique or vertical motion was affected by the size of the central area but not by its contrast relationships with the grating. Similar phenomena of ambiguous motion direction were observed using changes in colour along a translating grating that produced neon colour spreading effects, or using oriented edge discontinuities that collapsed into subjective plaids composed of two one-dimensional gratings. These results are discussed with respect to the hypothesis that surface segmentation mechanisms play a crucial part in the interpretation of motion signals.

Motor control by vision and the evolution of cerebral lateralization.

Chicks (4 or 5 days old), which are able to use either eye freely, use the right eye (RE) preferentially in approach to a food dish when a lid, which has to be removed, is visible during approach. They use the left eye (LE) instead when no manipulation is required, but the same dish is similarly visible. The RE is also used preferentially in selecting food grains scattered over the floor; RE use in these two contexts is thus associated with visual control which brings the bill in planned contact with a visible target rather than with approach to a site where it is anticipated that feeding will occur. Zebrafish also use the RE preferentially when preparing to bite a target; during purely visual examination of the same target, this preference disappears. This evidence is used together with evolutionary evidence to support a new hypothesis for the origin of cerebral lateralization: paired anterior eyes evolved in filter-feeding ancestors of the vertebrates as part of the acquisition of prey catching. A key use for early vision was to predict likely contact with prey so as to inhibit reflexes of rejection and avoidance normally elicitated by tactile input to the mouth and so to allow ingestion. Innervation of mouth structures by the left side of the CNS caused control of mouth reflexes to become predominantly a left CNS affair. As visual abilities developed this starting condition meant that control of manipulation (which is by the mouth for most vertebrates) remained predominantly with the left side of the CNS.

Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity from red grape marc extracts.

The aims of this work were to determine the amounts of the different classes of phenolic compounds in an ethanolic extract from red grape marc and its components, peels and seeds, and to evaluate their antioxidant activities by the beta-carotene bleaching test for their utilization as natural antioxidants. The results showed that red grape marc was rich in polyphenol compounds with a clear antioxidant activity. The extracts, in fact, at very low concentration (20 ppm) in total phenols showed an antioxidant activity (AA) higher than 43% on average, while at higher concentration (80-160 ppm) all the fractions had an AA comparable to that of butlylated-hydroxytoluene. Grape seeds seemed to give the highest contribution to such AA, as they contained high quantities of proanthocyanidines, a type of flavonoid known for its high antioxidant properties.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and changes in the trophic structure of polychaete assemblages in sediments of Todos os Santos Bay, Northeastern, Brazil.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the trophic structure of polychaete assemblages were studied in sediments at 28 stations in Todos os Santos Bay. Total PAH concentrations varied from 8 to 4163 ng g(-1) dry weight. The indexes used for the determination of PAH origin suggested both pyrolytic and petrogenic sources. A total of 397 individuals of polychaetes was recorded which were classified in three trophic groups. The PCA ordination resulted in the formation of three groups of stations, Group I characterised by sandy sediments, low organic content, low total PAH concentration and percentage of potentially harmful PAH was dominated by subsurface deposit-feeders. The other two groups (IIa and IIb), showed similar percentages of silt and clay, however, Group IIb formed by those stations with high total organic carbon, total nitrogen, sulphur contents, high total PAH concentration and percentage of potentially harmful PAH was dominated by carnivores. Trophic changes could be explained by the level of exposure to PAH effects relative to differences in the life style and feeding strategies between deposit-feeders and carnivores.

Neuromagnetic responses reveal the cortical timing of audiovisual synchrony.

Multisensory processing involving visual and auditory inputs is modulated by their relative temporal offsets. In order to assess whether multisensory integration alters the activation timing of primary visual and auditory cortices as a function of the temporal offsets between auditory and visual stimuli, a task was designed in which subjects had to judge the perceptual simultaneity of the onset of visual stimuli and brief acoustic tones. These were presented repeatedly with three different inter-stimulus intervals that were chosen to meet three perceptual conditions: (1) physical synchrony perceived as synchrony by subjects (SYNC); (2) physical asynchrony perceived as asynchrony (ASYNC); (3) physical asynchrony perceived ambiguously (AMB, i.e. 50% perceived as synchrony, 50% as asynchrony). Magnetoencephalographic activity was recorded during crossmodal sessions and unimodal control sessions. The activation of primary visual and auditory cortices peaked at a longer latency for the crossmodal conditions as compared to the unimodal conditions. Moreover, the latency in the auditory cortex was longer in the SYNC than in the ASYNC condition, whereas in the visual cortex the latency in the AMB condition was longer than in the ASYNC condition. These findings suggest that multisensory processing affects temporal dynamics already in primary cortices, that such activity can differ regionally and can be sensitive to the temporal offsets of multisensory inputs. In addition, in the AMB condition the conscious awareness of asynchrony might be associated to a later activation of the primary auditory cortex.