Development of a binary classifier model from extended facial codes toward video-based pain recognition in cancer patients.

Objectives: The Automatic Pain Assessment (APA) relies on the exploitation of objective methods to evaluate the severity of pain and other pain-related characteristics. Facial expressions are the most investigated pain behavior features for APA. We constructed a binary classifier model for discriminating between the absence and presence of pain through video analysis.

One-Year OCT Follow-Up Results of Overlapping Resorbable Magnesium Scaffolds: Mind the Gap!

In this paper we are reporting an unexpected evolution after multiple Resorbable Magnesium Scaffolds (RMS) implantations in overlap.

Role of Invasive and Non-invasive Imaging Tools in the Diagnosis and Optimal Treatment of Patients with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

Purpose Of Review: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a serious non-atherosclerotic disease, most frequently presenting as an acute coronary syndrome and affecting female patients. Considering that diagnosis of SCAD is often elusive, and its interventional treatment is associated to a higher rate of complications than obstructive atherosclerotic disease, we aim to review all the imaging tools currently available for the optimal diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Recent Findings: The developments in both invasive and non-invasive imaging alternatives to coronary angiography, such as intravascular ultrasound, optical coherence tomography, and computed coronary angiography, have largely contributed to appraise the epidemiology of SCAD, understand its causative pathophysiological mechanisms, and improve our ability to confirm doubtful cases of SCAD.

[Alcohol dependence in the Italian general population: diagnostic criteria according to general practitioners and to the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)].

Objectives: to identify the criteria used by general practitioners (GPs) for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence (AD) and to compare them with the criteria of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI).

Design: cross-sectional correlational study.

Setting And Participants: the 55 GPs of Friuli Venezia Giulia Region (Northern Italy) and Tuscany Region (Central Italy) who took part in the research conducted a clinical evaluation of the first 40 patients who came for a medical examination.

Detection of significant coronary artery disease by noninvasive anatomical and functional imaging.

Background: The choice of imaging techniques in patients with suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) varies between countries, regions, and hospitals. This prospective, multicenter, comparative effectiveness study was designed to assess the relative accuracy of commonly used imaging techniques for identifying patients with significant CAD.

Methods And Results: A total of 475 patients with stable chest pain and intermediate likelihood of CAD underwent coronary computed tomographic angiography and stress myocardial perfusion imaging by single photon emission computed tomography or positron emission tomography, and ventricular wall motion imaging by stress echocardiography or cardiac magnetic resonance.

The effects of the macro-environment on treatment retention for problem cocaine users.

Background: Client dropout is commonly used as an indicator of quality and effectiveness of drug treatment. Following increasing cocaine use in recent years, research has attempted to identify predictors of retention in treatment for cocaine users but there is no consensus about how individual characteristics and system variables (referral source, treatment setting), what we term here as the "macro-environment" - effect risk of dropout. This study sought to identify macro-environmental factors and examine the way these impact upon treatment retention.

Concordance and consistency of answers to the self-delivered ESPAD questionnaire on use of psychoactive substances.

Considering the prevalence of drug use in Italy, it is crucial to develop a reproducible screening test. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency are important indicators of a measurement's temporal stability and are a necessary condition for validity. The aim of the study was to assess the consistency and concordance of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) questionnaire; participating students completed the questionnaire twice, with a three-week interval.

Persistence of mortality risk in patients with acute cardiac diseases and mild thyroid dysfunction.

Introduction: There are no studies on the long-term prognostic role of abnormal thyrotropin value in patients with acute cardiac diseases. Aim of the study was to assess the incidence and persistence of risk of cardiac and overall deaths in patients with acute cardiac diseases.

Methods: A total of 1026 patients (mean age: 67.

Illegal substance use among Italian high school students: trends over 11 years (1999-2009).

Purpose: To monitor changes in habits in drug use among Italian high school students.

Methods: Cross-sectional European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) carried out in Italy annually for 11 years (1999-2009) with representative samples of youth attending high school. The sample size considered ranges from 15,752 to 41,365 students and response rate ranged from 85.

Association between increased mortality and mild thyroid dysfunction in cardiac patients.

Background: The effects of subclinical thyroid dysfunction on cardiac outcome are not well defined.

Methods: To assess the relationship between mild thyroid dysfunction and the incidence of death in cardiac patients, we evaluated 3121 cardiac patients. Cardiac and overall deaths were considered.