A New, Thorough Look on Unusual and Neglected Group III-VI Compounds Toward Novel Perusals.

The attention on group III-VI compounds in the last decades has been centered on the optoelectronic properties of indium and gallium chalcogenides. These outstanding properties are leading to novel advancements in terms of fundamental and applied science. One of the advantages of these compounds is to present laminated structures, which can be exfoliated down to monolayers.

Orbital atherectomy of calcified coronary ostial lesions.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and safety of coronary orbital atherectomy (OA) for the treatment of calcified ostial lesions.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is increasingly being completed in complex patients and lesions. OA is effective for severely calcified coronary lesions; however, there is a dearth of evidence on the use of OA in ostial lesions, especially with long-term outcome data.

Multicenter prospective longitudinal study in 34 patients with Dravet syndrome: Neuropsychological development in the first six years of life.

The objective of this study was to identify developmental trajectories of developmental/behavioral phenotypes and possibly their relationship to epilepsy and genotype by analyzing developmental and behavioral features collected prospectively and longitudinally in a cohort of patients with Dravet syndrome (DS). Thirty-four patients from seven Italian tertiary pediatric neurology centers were enrolled in the study. All patients were examined for the SCN1A gene mutation and prospectively assessed from the first years of life with repeated full clinical observations including neurological and developmental examinations.

Ultrafast Synthesis and Coating of High-Quality β-NaYF:Yb,Ln Short Nanorods.

An ultrafast route to prepare up-converting single β-phase NaYF:Yb,Ln (Ln: Er, Tm, or Tb) short nanorods (UCNRs) of high quality was developed. This new procedure affords reactive-surface nanorods that are easily coated by direct injection of suitable capping ligands. Thus highly crystalline nanorods with excellent UC fluorescence and good solvent-selective dispersion are obtained, which represents a significant advance in the field and enlarges their use for biomedical and other technological applications.

Outlining a core neuropsychological phenotype for Dravet syndrome.

An up-to-date review on neuropsychological phenotypes in Dravet syndrome is reported. After recalling the results of various though not numerous studies in the literature, primarily retrospectively, the hypothesis of an original neuropsychological phenotype in Dravet syndrome is presented, consisting of a defect in sensorimotor integration, especially of visuoconstructive abilities. That is particularly evident in the less impaired patients and in the first several years of life.

Cognitive-behavioral profiles in teenagers with Dravet syndrome.

Aim: To investigate behavior and cognitive performances of teenage patients with Dravet syndrome (DS).

Methods: We enrolled 20 teenage patients (12 females and 8 males) with DS, followed in the Child Neurology Unit of the Catholic University (Rome). Patients underwent a full clinical examination including behavioral and cognitive assessments (respectively, CBCL and Wechsler scales).

Disorders of early language development in Dravet syndrome.

The aim of this study was to investigate language disorders prospectively in patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) during the first years of life in order to identify their features and possibly the underlying mechanisms of the disease. At the Child Neurology Unit of Catholic University in Rome (Italy), thirteen patients with typical findings of DS were enrolled in the study. Full clinical observations, including neurological examination and long-term EEG monitoring, were prospectively and serially performed until a mean of 6years of age (range: 4years to 7years and 8months).

Sleep-potentiated epileptiform activity in early thalamic injuries: Study in a large series (60 cases).

Objective: The study aims at a better definition of continuous spike-waves during sleep (CSWS) with an early thalamic lesion, focusing on various grades of sleep-potentiated epileptiform activity (SPEA). Their possible relationship with different clinical features was studied to try to define prognostic factors of the epileptic disorder, especially relating to behavior/cognitive outcome, in order to improve prevention and treatment strategies.

Methods: Sixty patients with early thalamic injury were followed since the first registration of SPEA with serial neurological, long term EEG monitoring and neuropsychological examinations, as well as neuroimaging and a detailed clinical history.

A prospective longitudinal study on visuo-cognitive development in Dravet syndrome: Is there a "dorsal stream vulnerability"?

A group of five DS patients whose first development was already reported were longitudinally followed up till the scholar age. Beside the general and epileptic clinical evolution, visual and cognitive functions were investigated in order to define their trajectory and possibly provide information about mechanisms of cognitive decline as well as to improve prognosis and tertiary prevention. Neuropsychological assessment was performed with a test battery investigating the development of visual function that progressively integrates into extrastriate components and higher cognitive skills (global form and motion coherence, stereopsis, crowding cards, ABCDEFV battery, general intelligence and specific cognitive tests).

Behavioral assessment of language brain processing in the first year of life.

An up-to-date review of the behavioral assessments of language development in the first year of life is reported. After recalling the anatomical bases of the early development of the auditory system, the different stages of language development during the first year of life are considered: discrimination, transition and perception. The different kinds of behavioral assessment during the course of the first year are then described by stressing their indications and limitations.

Cognitive decline in Dravet syndrome: is there a cerebellar role?

Purpose: The aim of the study was to perform a detailed assessment of cognitive abilities and behaviour in a series of epileptic patients with Dravet syndrome (DS) in order to establish a possible cerebellar-like pattern.

Methods: Nine children with DS without major behavioural disturbances and with cognitive abilities compatible with the assessment of specific cognitive skills (IQ>45) were enrolled in the study, in parallel with another group of nine epileptic patients (cryptogenic or symptomatic with minor brain injuries) consecutively admitted into the hospital matched for chronological age and IQ. All cases underwent neurological examination, long term EEG monitoring, neuroimaging and genetic analysis as well as a neuropsychological assessment including specific cognitive skills.

Posterior resection for childhood lesional epilepsy: neuropsychological evolution.

The aim of this study was to provide information on the neuropsychological evolution of children with symptomatic epilepsy who have undergone surgical resection of posterior (occipitoparietal) lesions. Twelve children with epilepsy with parietal and/or occipital lesions were enrolled in the study and followed after surgical resection: full clinical and epileptic examinations were performed before and after surgery, as was a neuropsychological study of both general and specific cognitive abilities. Epilepsy evolution was generally good (Engel classification IA in nine cases) with persistent selective neurological impairments (eye field defects, sensory unilateral spatial neglect) in some cases, consistent with the lesion site.

Auditory processing in infancy: do early abnormalities predict disorders of language and cognitive development?

Increasing attention has been devoted to the maturation of sensory processing in the first year of life. While the development of cortical visual function has been thoroughly studied, much less information is available on auditory processing and its early disorders. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the assessment techniques for early auditory processing.

Neuropsychological development in children with Dravet syndrome.

Purpose: Aim of this study is to report a detailed profile of neuropsychological development in children with Dravet syndrome.

Methods: Twelve children with Dravet syndrome were longitudinally assessed using a detailed clinical and neuropsychological evaluation. Six had typical features of severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SMEI) whereas the other six resulted borderline.

Cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children with Dravet syndrome: an overview.

We report an overview on early development of children with Dravet syndrome. After a historical outline of literature data, we refer to an Italian multicentric project, partially still in course. Because in the first year of life development seems impaired in Dravet syndrome as studies on precognitive abilities would show, defects in early development of visual function were detected heralding the subsequent cognitive decline.

Pretreatment neuropsychological deficits in children with brain tumors.

Treatment of childhood brain cancer has been associated with long-term cognitive morbidity in children. In the present study, the cognitive status of children with brain tumors was examined prior to any treatment to single out the role of tumor and tumor-related factors in cognitive deficits. Eighty-three children with newly diagnosed brain tumors (mean age, 8.

Cognitive development in Dravet syndrome: a retrospective, multicenter study of 26 patients.

Purpose: To clarify the role of epilepsy and genetic background in determining the cognitive outcome of patients with Dravet syndrome.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical history and cognitive development of 26 patients who had been followed with standardized evaluations since seizure onset. The cognitive outcome was quantified as differential general quotient (dGQ) between ages 12 and 60 months.

Early development in Dravet syndrome; visual function impairment precedes cognitive decline.

Aim of the study was to describe prospectively the early neuropsychological evolution including the first pre-cognitive stages of the Severe Myoclonic Epilepsy in Infancy (SMEI) or Dravet syndrome. Five cases, four of whom since before a diagnostic evidence of the Dravet syndrome, were followed up. Full clinical assessment including developmental, visual function and behaviour assessments were serially performed.

How does the residential care system change? A longitudinal survey in a large region of Italy.

To describe 5-year changes in the provision of Residential Facilities (RFs) in a large Italian Region and in the characteristics of their staffing and patients. 2000 census data of all RFs with >4 residential beds in the Emilia-Romagna Region were compared with 2005 census data. The number of residential beds increased from 3.

Epilepsy surgery of posterior quadrant dysplasia in the first year of life: experience of a single centre with long term follow-up.

Posterior quadrant dysplasia (PQD) is a rare variant of cortical dysplasia involving the posterior regions of a single hemisphere. It is always associated with early onset, refractory epilepsy often characterized by a "catastrophic" evolution. The experience on its surgical management during the first year of life is limited to sporadic, isolated cases.

Room-temperature synthesis of nickel borides via decomposition of NaBH(4) promoted by nickel bromide.

We report the formation of nickel borides, at room temperature and pressure, from the decomposition of NaBH(4) promoted by the addition of nickel bromide at different concentrations in a dispersing organic medium, tetrahydrofuran and pentane. The nickel borides, formed as amorphous powders, were analyzed, and the structure information served as input for modeling a periodic lattice structure with the same composition. Experimentally, the nickel boride phases were predominantly composed of a boron-rich phase with composition NiB(3).

Surgery of children with frontal lobe lesional epilepsy: neuropsychological study.

Aim Of The Study: was to provide new data about the evolution of neuropsychological findings in patients with lesional frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) operated on with lesion excision.

Patients And Methods: Twelve patients with lesional FLE underwent full clinical examination including neurological, neuropsychological and developmental assessments, high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ictal and interictal prolonged EEG monitoring and evaluation of seizure semeiology before and after surgery. The mean follow-up duration was 2 years and 10 months (range=14 months-7 years).

Early development of epileptic infants with pre- or perinatal brain injuries: role of the epileptic disorder.

To try to understand the causative role of epilepsy PER SE in the developmental deterioration of brain injured infants, twenty-eight infants affected with early acquired, pre- and perinatal brain injuries were enrolled and divided into three groups, a) those with West syndrome, b) those with other non-West epilepsies, and c) those without epilepsy. Developmental monitoring consisted of a full clinical assessment, including examination of visual function, Griffiths developmental scales, standard EEG, long-term monitoring when necessary, and MRI, from the seizure onset or the first observation to the end of follow-up. Patients with epilepsy showed at study onset abnormal clinical features (neurological and developmental) distinct from those of non-epileptic patients, partially due to the varying severity of their brain injuries.

First-ever admitted psychiatric inpatients in Italy: clinical characteristics and reasons contributing to admission: findings from a national survey.

The aim of this study was to describe the sociodemographic, clinical and treatment-related characteristics of patients admitted to any acute psychiatric inpatient facilities in Italy for the first time in their life, and to identify reasons contributing to admission. Data from the PROGRES-Acute Project, a national survey on facilities admitting acute psychiatric patients in Italy, were used. A cluster analysis was carried out in order to identify patients' groups sharing similar sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

Visual and visuoperceptual function in children with Panayiotopoulos syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess behavioral aspects of visual function and visuoperceptual abilities in patients with Panayiotopoulos syndrome (PS), and their possible associations with clinical and electroencephalography (EEG) findings in order to establish the possible effect of interictal paroxysmal activity on visual performance.

Methods: The cohort included 28 patients (14 male and 14 female) of ages ranging between 4 and 15 years. All patients underwent serial videopolygraphic studies and a detailed battery of tests assessing visual abilities, including assessment of acuity, stereopsis, visual fields, and visuoperceptual abilities; tests included the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, the Visuo Motor Integration tests, and evaluation of motion and form coherence threshold.