Assessment of impulsivity using an automated, self-adjusting delay discounting procedure.

Modelling delay discounting behavior in rodents is important for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying cognitive control and associated impulsivity disorders. Conventional rodent delay discounting procedures require extensive training and frequent experimenter interaction, as rodents are tested in separate operant chambers away from their home cage. To address these limitations, we adapted and characterize here a self-adjusting delay discounting procedure to an automated CombiCage setup.

Cognitive effort increases the intensity of rewards.

An important body of literature suggests that exerting intense cognitive effort causes mental fatigue and can lead to unhealthy behaviors such as indulging in high-calorie food and taking drugs. Whereas this effect has been mostly explained in terms of weakening cognitive control, cognitive effort may also bias behavioral choices by amplifying the hedonic and emotional impact of rewards. We report parallel findings with animals and humans supporting this hypothesis.

Reliability of EuroSCORE II on Prediction of Thirty-Day Mortality and Long-Term Results in Patients Treated with Sutureless Valves.

EuroSCORE II (ES2) is a reliable tool for preoperative cardiac surgery mortality risk prediction; however, a patient's age, a surgical procedure's weight and the new devices available may cause its accuracy to drift. We sought to investigate ES2 performance related to the surgical risk and late mortality estimation in patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with sutureless valves. : Between 2012 and 2021, a total of 1126 patients with isolated aortic stenosis who underwent surgical AVR by means of sutureless valves were retrospectively collected from six European centers.

Early outcomes of aortic valve replacement with Perceval PLUS sutureless valve: results of the prospective multicentric MANTRA study.

Background: The aim of this study is to report the preliminary real-word clinical and hemodynamic performance from the MANTRA study in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with Perceval PLUS sutureless valve.

Methods: MANTRA is an ongoing "umbrella" prospective, multi-center, international post-market study to collect real-life safety and performance data on Corcym devices (Corcym S.r.

Tobacco Images Choice and its Association With Craving and Dependence in People Who Smoke Cigarettes.

Introduction: Increased salience of drug-related cues over nondrug reinforcers can drive drug use and contribute to tobacco use disorder (TUD). An important scientific and clinical goal is to effectively measure this elevated drug-seeking behavior in TUD. However, most TUD assessments rely on self-reported cravings and cigarette consumption, not providing an objective measure of the impact of drug cues on biasing behavior toward drugs.

Smokers with higher positive or negative urgency have lower rates of smoking cessation success 12 months after a quit attempt.

Impulsivity dimensions have been shown to be associated with smoking status and tobacco use disorder severity. However, it is important to determine the specific impulsivity traits associated with smoking relapse. This study aimed at investigating the associations between impulsivity traits and smoking cessation success among adult smokers at 12 months after a quit attempt.

Clinical Features and Patient Outcomes in Infective Endocarditis with Surgical Indication: A Single-Centre Experience.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is marked by a heightened risk of embolic events (EEs), uncontrolled infection, or heart failure (HF).

Methods: Patients with IE and surgical indication were enrolled from October 2015 to December 2018. The primary endpoint consisted of a composite of major adverse events (MAEs) including all-cause death, hospitalizations, and IE relapses.

Effects of Highly Palatable Diet on motivation for food and resistance to punishment in rats: Role of sex and age of exposure.

Exposure to highly palatable food is believed to induce behavioral and neurobiological changes that may produce addiction-like behavior and increase the risks of obesity and overweight. Studies in rodents have led to conflicting results suggesting that several factors such as sex and age of exposure contribute to the development of maladaptive behaviors towards food. In addition, it is not clear whether effects of exposure to highly palatable diets (HPD) persist after their discontinuation, which would indicate long-term risks to develop addiction-like behavior.

Delay of punishment highlights differential vulnerability to developing addiction-like behavior toward sweet food.

Resistance to punishment is commonly used to measure the difficulty in refraining from rewarding activities when negative consequences ensue, which is a hallmark of addictive behavior. We recently developed a progressive shock strength (PSS) procedure in which individual rats can titrate the amount of punishment that they are willing to tolerate to obtain food rewards. Here, we investigated the effects of a range of delays (0-12 s) on resistance to punishment measured by PSS break points.

Boardgames as an innovative approach to promote life skills and well-being among inmates: A scoping review protocol.

Over the past few decades, a growing body of evidence has emerged regarding the positive impact of boardgames in promoting life skills and well-being in various settings including health, education, and military schooling. However, the use of boardgames with inmates for cultural and educational purposes is still an unexplored and fragmented area of research. Incorporating boardgames into correctional settings can be a complex challenge for correctional stakeholders who seek to identify innovative tools to enhance inmate education and promote integration into society after incarceration.

Objective Non-Invasive Bio-Parametric Evaluation of Regenerated Skin: A Comparison of Two Acellular Dermal Substitutes.

Several dermal substitutes are available on the market, but there is no precise indication that helps surgeons choose the proper one. Few studies have tried to compare different xenogeneic bioengineered products, but no objective bio-parametric comparison has been made yet. Fifteen patients who underwent skin reconstruction with Integra or Pelnac were retrospectively evaluated.

Successful control measures to treat the transmission of Candida auris in Northern Italian Hospital.

Candida auris has emerged globally as a multidrug-resistant health care-associated fungal pathogen. In the literature, nosocomial outbreaks are reported worldwide. In addition, C.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Degenerated Perceval Bioprosthesis: Clinical and Technical Aspects in 32 Cases.

Background: Sutureless aortic bioprostheses are increasingly being used to provide shorter cross-clamp time and facilitate minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. As the use of sutureless valves has increased over the past decade, we begin to encounter their degeneration. We describe clinical outcomes and technical aspects in patients with degenerated sutureless Perceval (CorCym, Italy) aortic bioprosthesis treated with valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV-TAVR).

Tobacco Images Choice and Its Association with Craving and Dependence in Cigarette Smokers.

Introduction: Increased salience of drug-related cues over non-drug reinforcers can drive drug use and contribute to tobacco use disorder (TUD). An important scientific and clinical goal is to effectively measure this elevated drug-seeking behavior in TUD. However, most TUD assessments rely on self-reported cravings and cigarette consumption, not providing an objective measure of the impact of drug-cues on biasing behavior towards drugs.

Clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of the Perceval sutureless aortic valve from a real-world registry.

Objectives: Perceval sutureless valve has been in clinical use for >15 years. The aim of this study is to report the real-word clinical and haemodynamic performance from the SURE-aortic valve replacement international prospective registry in patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with Perceval valve.

Methods: From 2011 to 2021, patients from 55 institutions received a Perceval valve.

The Positive Impact of Early Frailty Levels on Mortality in Elderly Patients with Severe Aortic Stenosis Undergoing Transcatheter/Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement.

Frailty is highly common in older patients (pts) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), and it is associated with poor outcomes. The selection of patients who can benefit from this procedure is necessary and challenging. The aim of the present study is to evaluate outcomes in older severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) pts, selected by a multidisciplinary approach for surgical, clinical, and geriatric risk and referred to treatment, according to frailty levels.

Effect of environmental enrichment on relapse rates in patients with severe alcohol use disorder: protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) ranks among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders worldwide. Despite current treatments, more than half of patients relapse within weeks after treatment. In animal models, exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) has been shown to be a promising approach to reduce relapse.

Ten-year experience with sutureless Perceval bioprosthesis: single-centre analysis in 1157 implants.

Aims: We describe long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in the largest single-centre cohort of patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with sutureless Perceval (CorCym, Italy) bioprosthesis.

Methods: Between March 2011 and March 2021, 1157 patients underwent AVR with Perceval bioprosthesis implantation. Mean age was 77 ± 6 years (range: 46-89 years) and mean EuroSCORE II was 6.

Hamartoma of mature cardiomyocytes presenting with atypical angina, F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography uptake, and myocardial bridging: a case report.

Aim: Hamartoma of mature cardiomyocytes is a rare tumor and the present case shows a complex diagnostic pathway to understand its nature and treatment options in a young patient. The myocardial bridge was also part of the clinical evaluation discovered during the diagnostic workout.

Methods And Results: A 27-year-old woman with atypical chest pain and a normal electrocardiogram received the diagnosis of neoformation of the interventricular septum with F-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) uptake, and evidence of myocardial bridging on coronary angiography.