Heat stress is one of the most critical issues jeopardising animal welfare and productivity during the warm season in dairy cattle farms. The global trend of increase in average and peak temperatures is making the problem more and more serious. Many devices have been introduced in livestock farms to monitor and control temperature-humidity index, as well as animal behaviour and production parameters. The consequent availability of collected databases has increasingly enhanced the research aimed to understand the consequences of heat stress in cattle, in relation to genetic, reproductive, productive and behavioural features. Moreover, these investigations laid the foundations for the development, calibration, validation and test of numerical models quantifying the individual responses to heat stress conditions. In this work, a generalised additive model with mixed effects has been developed to analyse the relationship between milk production, animal behaviour and environmental parameters based on data surveyed in 2016 in an Italian dairy farm. Each cow has been characterised in terms of her response to heat conditions, and the results led to define three classes of susceptibility to heat stress within the herd. These attributes have then been related to the various phenotypic parameters collected by the precision livestock farming devices used in the farm. The study provides a model to understand the effects of heat stress conditions on individual animals in relation to the main parameters describing their rearing conditions; moreover, the results contribute to improve the herd management by lending indications to define targeted treatments according to the cow’s characteristics.

Background: Lung cancer screening and tobacco treatment for patients at high-risk for lung cancer may greatly reduce mortality from smoking, and there is an urgent need to improve smoking cessation therapies for this population.

Aims: The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of two separate, sequential interventions to promote tobacco cessation/reduction compared to standard care in smokers considered high-risk for lung cancer.

Methods: The study will recruit 276 current smokers attending a lung cancer screening clinic or considered high-risk for lung cancer based on age and smoking history across two sites. Patients first will be randomized to either standard tobacco treatment (8 weeks of nicotine patch and five individual counselling sessions) or standard tobacco treatment plus personalized gain-framed messaging. At the 8-week visit, all patients will be re-randomized to receive biomarker feedback or no biomarker feedback. Repeated assessments during treatment will be used to evaluate changes in novel biomarkers: skin carotenoids, lung function, and plasma bilirubin that will be used for biomarker feedback. We hypothesize that personalized gain-framed messages and receiving biomarker feedback related to tobacco cessation/reduction will improve quit rates and prevent relapse compared to standard care. Primary outcomes include 7-day point-prevalence abstinence verified with expired carbon monoxide at 8 weeks and mean cigarettes per day in the past week at 6 months.

Conclusions: Study findings will inform the development of novel interventions for patients at risk for lung cancer to improve smoking cessation rates.

A high-throughput crystallographic investigation on several crystals of photosynthetic reaction center covalently bound to an ad-hoc synthesized artificial antenna (AE600) is presented. The investigation did not show a preferential binding site of the antenna molecule AE600 to the reaction center in the solid phase. An accurate crystallographic study allowed identifying a lysine residue sitting on periplasmic side of the protein as one of the bioconjugation sites. The residue sits on subunit M of the protein, in close proximity to the bacteriochlorophylls of the reaction center involved in the light absorption and conversion processes. Distances obtained from the crystallographic structure confirm that energy transfer between the antenna and the protein proceed with the Förster resonance mechanism.

The physics of active black holes (BHs) is governed by three key parameters: their mass, spin, and accretion rate. Understanding the cosmic evolution of these parameters is crucial for tracing back the growth of the BHs to the epoch of their formation. We have selected a unique AGN sample, in a narrow redshift range around z = 1.55, based on both BH mass and Eddingtion ratio, and we observed them with the X-Shooter instrument on the VLT, covering the rest wavelength range ~1200 to 9800 Å. This wide wavelength range allows us to study, simultaneously, more emission lines (i.e., CIV 1550 Å through H-alpha), and a larger portion of the global AGN SED, than any previous studies. We currently have a sample of 30 quasars already observed and spanning BH masses from ~108 to 109 Msolar and Eddington ratio from ~0.03 to 0.7. We focus here on our first science goal, comparing the observed AGN SED to thin accretion disk models in order to identify the origin of the SED. We also discuss the unique capability of this sample to identify any emission-line profile dependencies on BH mass and the Eddington ratio, and to compare mass determination methods based on four different emission-line profiles (Hα, Hβ, MgII 2800 Å, and CIV 1550 Å).

Henrich et al.'s critical review demonstrating that psychology research is over-reliant on WEIRD samples is an important contribution to the field. Their stronger claim that “WEIRD subjects are particularly unusual” is less convincing, however. We argue that WEIRD people's apparent distinct weirdness is a methodological side-effect of psychology's over-reliance on WEIRD populations for developing its methods and theoretical constructs.

The secretion of prolactin and growth hormone (GH), together with subjective ratings of sedation and hunger, were determined in 13 in-patients with anorexia nervosa and 15 controls during the intravenous infusion of L-tryptophan (100 mg/kg). Prolactin responses were not different between groups but GH responses were markedly blunted in patients. In addition sedation responses in patients were attenuated compared with controls. Hunger ratings were reduced by the infusion in controls but were too variable to be interpreted in the patients. Plasma amino acid levels were also determined before and after infusion of L-tryptophan. Tryptophan levels were comparable in the two groups as were the levels of tyrosine, phenyl alanine, valine, leucine and iso-leucine. The results suggest that some aspects of 5-hydroxytryptamine function may be attenuated in anorexia nervosa. However, they undoubtedly contrast with the finding of enhanced hormonal responses in acute dieting and may be relevant to the interpretation of similar experiments in depressive illness.

The endocrine responses to Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone (LHRH) of eight drug-free males with mania were determined. Basal levels of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and the plasma levels following injection of LHRH were elevated in patients compared with controls; Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and testosterone were not different. Elevated levels of LH have been described previously in recovered manic patients and have been suggested to be state-independent features of mania. In order to clarify the status of this finding, the effects of lithium administration upon hormone responses to LHRH in six male volunteers were also investigated, together with the effects upon Thyrotrophin Releasing Hormone (TRH) stimulation of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and prolactin release. Lithium increased the basal levels of LH and levels after injection of LHRH without effect upon FSH and testosterone. Lithium also increased basal and TRH stimulated release of TSH and basal prolactin levels. Lithium was without effect upon prolactin responses to TRH. The results are discussed in relation to current information on the mechanism of lithium's action. The implications for neuroendocrine work on recovered patients taking lithium are also explored.

The hypothesis that ECT produces selective effects on hypothalamic–pituitary activity was investigated by determining the effect of ECT on pituitary hormone release in nine depressed patients. After ECT there were massive and rapid increases in the plasma concentrations of nicotine-and oestrogen-stimulated neurophysin (NSN and ESN), prolactin (PRL) and adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), smaller increases in plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) and cortisol, a significant decrease in plasma growth hormone (GH) concentration but no change in plasma thyrotropin (TSH). There was significant attenuation of PRL responses with repeated ECT. The hormonal responses to ECT cannot simply be attributed to stress, since a similar pattern of increases in plasma hormone concentrations did not occur in psychologically normal patients in whom plasma hormone concentrations were measured during induction of anaesthesia and abdominal incision for cholecystectomy. Analysis of these hormonal responses in terms of the knowledge available on the neurotransmitter control of pituitary hormone release suggests that some of these hormonal responses to ECT may be mediated by the activation of serotonergic neurones, while others are probadly due to direct stimulation of the neuroendocrine neurones themselves.

The responses of thirteen patients with bulimia nervosa and sixteen controls matched for age and weight are described following the ingestion of a carbohydrate and a calorie-free placebo mixture in simulated binges. Psychological, hormonal and biochemical parameters were measured before and at 15 minute intervals for two hours after the simulated binge.

At baseline, the bulimics were clearly more symptomatic than the controls. The control population showed a specific satiating effect of carbohydrate upon hunger ratings. Bulimic patients responed differently showing a blunting of the normal sensation of hunger and an enhanced rating for nausea.

Prolactin, growth hormone (GH) and cortisol failed to show a carbohydrate-mediated stimulation in either population. The bulimic patients showed a different pattern of GH release, but this was independent of the challenge condition. Large neutral amino acid (LNAA) levels fell following carbohydrate ingestion, but produced an increase of up to 20% in the trytophan: LNAA ratio in both bulimic patients and the control group. Thus, while this increase in tryptophan availability failed to provoke hormone release, the time course of the carbohydrated specific effect on the sensations of hunger and nausea is compatible with a mechanism based on increased tryptophan availability. The confusion of satiety with nauseas may provide a useful focus for the future treatment of patients with bulimia nervosa.

A retrospective review of 240 patients with T1/T2 squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx was performed. Seventy-two per cent had glottic primaries, 27 per cent had supraglottic tumours and one per cent had subglottic disease. Sixty-nine per cent presented with T1 disease and 31 per cent had T2 staged tumours. All patients were treated with definitive radiotherapy between 1973 and 1997.

With a median follow-up of 68 months, 68 patients (28 per cent) have developed 72 other cancers. Ten of 68 presented with synchronous primaries (15 per cent). Thirty per cent of glottic patients and 25 per cent of the supraglottic/subglottic patients developed second cancers. The most frequent second malignancy was lung cancer: 28/72 (39 per cent). Fifteen patients developed second head and neck cancers (21 per cent). Other second primary sites included oesophagus (eight), prostate (six), colorectal (five), breast (two) and others (eight). The median time from radiotherapy until the development of a second cancer was 31 months. The Kaplan-Meier survival estimate at five years was significantly less for those patients developing second cancers (55 per cent) compared to those not developing second malignancies (70 per cent), (p<0.05). The median survival from the development of a second cancer was 14 months. More died as a result of a second cancer (41 patients) than their primary laryngeal cancer (40 patients). Second cancers are common and deadly in patients with early stage laryngeal carcinoma.

The SUSI control system is a distributed real-time system currently consisting of 17 processors. A custom real-time operating system and network protocols ensure synchronous operation of servo loops across multiple processors.

Discriminant function analyses were performed on plasma concentrations of prolactin, growth hormone, Cortisol, TSH, and the neurophysins measured over 17 hours in 70 newly admitted drug-free psychiatric patients and 35 control subjects. The hormone data distinguished between patients with different classes of drug-free psychosis (26 schizophrenic, 12 with manic disorder, 10 with major depressive disorder, psychotic subtype, 9 with schizoaffective mania (SAM)). Higher plasma Cortisol and lower TSH concentrations separated eight of nine SAM patients from all others.

Plasma concentrations of prolactin, growth hormone, cortisol, TSH, and the neurophysins were measured over 17 hours in 98 newly admitted psychiatric patients and 35 control subjects. Seventy patients had been free of psychotropic medication for three months. Patients with schizoaffective mania (SAM) differed significantly from control subjects by increased plasma Cortisol concentrations and decreased night-time TSH concentrations. The latter were also significantly lower than in both schizophrenic and manic disorder patients. Plasma Cortisol was increased to a lesser extent in other psychotic subgroups, and increases in prolactin were most marked in the affective psychoses. There was little diagnostic specificity for psychoses other than SAM. Higher Cortisol and prolactin levels may be due to the stimulatory effect of serotonergic pathways, but the neural mechanisms underlying lower night-time TSH levels in SAM are not known. The findings are not consistent with the view (a) that the hormonal changes of the psychoses simply reflect a non-specific response to stress, or (b) that the biological abnormalities of the psychoses can be accounted for by a single continuum of disturbance.

A systematic endocrine investigation in dementia, depression and control subjects showed that plasma growth hormone (GH) was higher in the morning and plasma TSH concentrations were higher throughout the day in Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD) than in age-matched depressed patients (MDD), and plasma TSH concentrations were also higher throughout the day in female ATD compared with age-matched female control subjects. The increased plasma TSH concentrations could not be due to reduced negative feedback because plasma T3, T4 and rT3 were in the normal range. Plasma concentrations of oestrogen-stimulated neurophysin (ESN) were lower throughout the day in ATD compared with MDD and controls and lower in the morning compared with other dementias. The high plasma GH and TSH concentrations in ATD may reflect the reduced hypothalamic content of somatostatin in ATD, and the reduced concentrations of ESN may reflect reduced cholinergic activity in ATD prain. These selective hormonal changes provide a useful diagnostic test for Alzheimer's disease.

From an original cohort of 471 admissions of male schizophrenics (260 individuals) to Leverndale Hospital, Glasgow, in the years 1967–70 inclusive, 39 patients were found who in December 1973 had become long-term residents by virtue of over three years' stay. These patients were followed up two years later, when it was found that 33 remained. Three had died and two had been discharged, though one was later admitted elsewhere. Those remaining had an average age of 45.4 years, and an average duration of illness of 15 years. The patients are considered in terms of their clinical state, management problems, accommodation, occupational grade, and social circumstances. It is concluded that they represent a hard core and that very few of them are likely to be suitable for such alternative forms of care as are at present available.