Personality biomarkers of pathological gambling: A machine learning study.

BACKGROUND: The application of artificial intelligence to extract predictors of Gambling disorder (GD) is a new field of study. A plethora of studies have suggested that maladaptive personality dispositions may serve as risk factors for GD. NEW METHOD: Here, we used Classification and Regression Trees algorithm to identify multivariate predictive patterns of personality profiles that could identify GD patients from healthy controls at an individual level. Forty psychiatric patients, recruited from specialized gambling clinics, without any additional comorbidity and 160 matched healthy controls completed the Five-Factor model of personality as measured by the NEO-PI-R, which were used to build the classification model. RESULTS: Classification algorithm was able to discriminate individuals with GD from controls with an AUC of 77.3% (95% CI 0.65-0.88, p<0.0001). A multidimensional construct of traits including sub-facets of openness, neuroticism and conscientiousness was employed by algorithm for classification detection. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHOD(S): To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that combines behavioral data with machine learning approach useful to extract multidimensional features characterizing GD realm. CONCLUSION: Our study provides a proof-of-concept demonstrating the potential of the proposed approach for GD diagnosis. The multivariate combination of personality facets characterizing individuals with GD can potentially be used to assess subjects' vulnerability in clinical setting.

Immunization status of internationally adopted children in Rome, Italy.

AIMS: International adoption medicine is a relatively new specialty in pediatrics that has emerged to address the specific health care needs of internationally adopted children in high-income countries. This study ascertains the seroprotection rate for vaccine-preventable diseases, especially against pneumococcal diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 67 internationally adopted children that reached the International Adoption Unit of Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome-Italy. We collected demographic information, data from preadoption immunization records, results of laboratory testing for immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases (tetanus, pneumococcus, hepatitis B, hemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), measles), as well as results of screening for HIV, hepatitis C, quantiferon, immunological and nutritional status. RESULTS: For children that had received ≥3 vaccine doses of tetanus, overall protection was 94% of 31 vaccinated children; with 1-2 vaccine doses for hepatitis B and Hib respectively, protection was 45% of 29 vaccinated children and 63% of 8 vaccinated children, respectively. For children with one or more doses of measles vaccine, protection was 63% of 32 vaccinated children. Regarding pneumococcus vaccine (documented for eight children), 88% of children with one or more doses of vaccine had developed protective immunity. CONCLUSIONS: International adoptees without a valid vaccine record need to undergo a complete schedule in accordance with their age and should receive all the vaccines in the adoptive country's schedule.

[Clinical trial in a child population with bronchial asthma]. / Trial clinico di una popolazione infantile affetta da asma bronchiale.

A review of 104 children affected with respiratory tract allergies and or rhinoconjunctivitis in hyposensitizing therapy against gramineae pollens or moulds or house dust or Mix dermatophagoides is presented. Clinical evaluations were carried out in order to evaluate the clinical improvement after 1 year and after 4 years therapy (TIS). The best results were detected after 4 years obviously and in some allergic diseases more improvement were found from the authors. The most important results were obtained in bronchial asthma; the worse benefits were detected in allergic conjunctivitis.

[Chlamydia trachomatis pneumonia in childhood. An underestimated problem?]. / Polmoniti da chlamydia trachomatis in età pediatrica. Un problema sottostimato?

The study of infections due to Chlamydia trachomatis in children has advanced remarkably during the past ten years. It has been established that Chlamydia trachomatis is a major etiologic agent of conjunctivitis in newborns and genital infections among sexually active persons. Chlamydial pneumonia has come to be recognized as one of the most common forms of pneumonia during the first three months of life. The Authors reported a case of a child admitted to Bambino Gesù Hospital of Rome, affected by Chlamydia trachomatis afebrile pneumonia. The diagnosis was made on the basis of direct and indirect laboratory findings. The remarkable improvement in direct and indirect diagnostic techniques can help the clinicians in diagnostic and therapeutic evaluations.

Trisomy for the short arm of chromosome 10. Report of a new case resulting from segregation of a maternal balanced translocation t(10qter----q11::14p11----qter).

A 6-month-old boy with trisomy 10pter----q11 is reported. He presented facial dysmorphism very similar to that found on most other cases of trisomy 10p syndrome, dextrocardia, umbilical hernia, hypotonia and mental retardation. The chromosome anomaly was inherited by 3:1 segregation of a balanced maternal translocation, t(10qter----q11 ::14p11----qter).