Non invasive subsurface imaging to investigate the site evolution of Machu Picchu.

The construction history of a site is partially preserved underground and can be revealed through archaeological investigations, including excavations, integrated with earth observation (EO) methods and technologies that make it possible to overcome some operational limits regarding the areal dimensions and the investigation depths along with the invasiveness of the excavations themselves. An integrated approach based on EO and archaeological records has been applied to improve the knowledge of Machu Picchu. The attention has been focused on the first construction phase of Machu Picchu, and for this reason the investigations were directed to the imaging and characterization of the subsoil of the Plaza principal, considered the core of the whole archaeological area. Archaeological records and multiscale remote sensing (including satellite, UAS, and geophysical surveys) enabled the identification and characterization of the first construction phase of the site, including the preparation phases before building Machu Picchu. The interpretative hypothesis on the constructive history of Machu Picchu started from the identification and use of the quarry, followed by the planification and set of the drainage systems and by the next steps based on diverse reshaping phases of what would be the central plaza.

[Overweight and obesity among adult immigrant populations resident in Italy]. / Capitolo 4: Sovrappeso e obesità nella popolazione immigrata adulta residente in Italia.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate sociodemographic and behavioural factors associated with overweight and obesity among immigrant population in Italy. DESIGN: cross-sectional study on the representative sample of foreign population resident in Italy of the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) survey "Social conditions and integration of foreign citizens in Italy", carried out in 2011-2012. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the study was conducted on a subsample of 15,195 foreigners aged 18-64 years, corresponding to an estimate of 2,986,202 foreign citizens among the resident population in Italy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: study outcome is the presence of overweight and obesity, conditions identified according to WHO criteria, namely body mass index (BMI) values ≥25 kg/m2 and ≥30 kg/m2, respectively. BMI was calculated based on weight (expressed in kg) and height (expressed in cm) information collected through the questionnaire. A multivariate log-binomial model was used to evaluate association between overweight/obesity and the following factors: gender, age, origin, length of stay in Italy, occupational status, presence of Italians in the household, educational level, dietary, smoking habits. RESULTS: among foreigners in Italy, 30.9% is overweight (40.3% among men and 23.2% among women) and 7.5% is obese (no differences were found between males and females). The multivariate log-binomial model shows lower probability of being overweight/obese among women (PRR: 0.65) and among families with at least one Italian person (PRR: 0.80); probability increases with age: 35-45 years show a PRR of 1.48; 46-55 years a PRR of 1.73; 56-64 years a PRR of 1.77. The probability is higher if the length of stay in Italy is between 5 and 10 years (PRR: 1.11) or longer than 11 years (PRR: 1.09); it is higher also among not employed (PRR: 1.05) and less educated people (PRR: 1.06). If compared to European people, probability is lower among people who come from Sub-Saharan Africa (PRR: 0.89) and Central-Western Asia (PRR: 0.93), whereas it is higher among people from the Americas (PRR: 1.08). CONCLUSIONS: overweight/obesity prevalence among immigrants has the same dimensions as for Italians. This is a worrying result, also considering the increasing demographic weight of second-generation immigrants. Multifactorial public health interventions in each community are advisable, both acting on dietary habits and on the promotion of physical activity, even trough culturally oriented messages.

[Factors associated to medical visits: comparison among Italians and immigrants resident in Italy]. / Capitolo 6: Fattori associati al ricorso a visite mediche: confronto tra cittadini italiani e stranieri residenti in Italia.

OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the role of factors potentially associated with the use of medical visits by the immigrant population living in Italy, making a comparison with the Italian population. DESIGN: cross-sectional study based on the representative sample of the population residing in Italy considered in the Survey "Health and use of health services" conducted by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) in 2013. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: the study was conducted on a sample of citizens aged 18-64 years (72,476 individuals) representing a population of 37,290,440 residents in Italy (33.9 million Italians and 3,390,440 foreigners) in 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: an indicator on the use of medical visits has been used as an outcome, based on people who had replied affirmatively to the question: «In the last four weeks, have you been examined by the family doctor, by the pediatrician, or by medical specialists, as an eye doctor, dentist, etc.?¼. Starting from this outcome, the question «Can you indicate the main reason of the visits made in the last 4 weeks?¼ was used to build two additional outcome variables for separately evaluating the use of medical examinations for "diseases or disorders" from the use of medical examination for "health check in the absence of diseases or disorders". For each outcome, a logistic regression model was fitted, considering as independent variables information related to socioeconomic status and to the respondent's health condition. RESULTS: 21.4% of foreigners (18-64 years) living in Italy used medical visits during the four weeks before the interview, a percentage lower than the one recorded among Italian citizens (27.0%). Taking into account the socioeconomic characteristics, lifestyle and health status of respondents, the results of logistic regression models showed that foreigners have a lower probability than Italians to make a medical examination, both for visits motivated by any health problems (OR: 0.80; 95%CI 0.73-0.87), and in case of medical examination carried out for preventive purposes (OR: 0.72; 95%CI 0.64-0.82). CONCLUSION: the more the time living in the host Country increases, the more immigrants residing in Italy tend to have the same health problems of the most disadvantaged groups of the autochthonous population, maybe beacuse of the deterioration of the so-called "healthy immigrant effect". In this context, they should be considered as more vulnerable in terms of health, and special attention must be paid to prevention. The lower use of medical visits highlights inequities in access to services. In order to reduce health inequalities, barriers that affect equitable access to health care should be removed, taking into account the heterogeneity of these sub-groups, characterized by different cultures and attitudes towards the health system.

Employment insecurity and mental health during the economic recession: An analysis of the young adult labour force in Italy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: A growing body of scientific literature highlights the negative consequences of employment insecurity on several life domains. This study focuses on the young adult labour force in Italy, investigating the relationship between employment insecurity and mental health and whether this has changed after years of economic downturn. It enhances understanding by addressing differences in mental health according to several employment characteristics; and by exploring the role of respondents' economic situation and educational level. DATA AND METHODS: Data from a large-scale, nationally representative health survey are used to estimate the relationship between employment insecurity and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI), by means of multiple linear regressions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrates that employment insecurity is associated with poorer mental health. Moreover, neither temporary workers nor unemployed individuals are a homogeneous group. Previous job experience is important in differentiating the mental health risks of unemployed individuals; and the effects on mental health vary according to occupational status and to the amount of time spent in a condition of insecurity. Further, the experience of financial difficulties partly explains the relationship between employment insecurity and mental health; and different mental health outcomes depend on respondents' educational level. Lastly, the risks of reporting poorer mental health were higher in 2013 than in 2005.

Risk factors of one year increment of coronary calcifications and survival in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart and coronary calcifications in hemodialysis patients are of very common occurrence and linked to cardiovascular events and mortality. Several studies have been published with similar results. Most of them were mainly cross-sectional and some of the prospective protocols were aimed to evaluate the results of the control of altered biochemical parameters of mineral disturbances with special regard to serum calcium, phosphate and CaxP with the use of calcium containing and calcium free phosphate chelating agents. The aim of the present study was to evaluate in hemodialysis patients classic and some non classic risk factors as predictors of calcification changes after one year and to evaluate the impact of progression on survival. METHODS: 81 patients on hemodialysis were studied, with a wide age range and HD vintage. Several classic parameters and some less classic risk factors were studied like fetuin-A, CRP, 25-OHD and leptin. Calcifications, as Agatston scores, were evaluated with Multislice CT basally and after 12-18 months. RESULTS: Coronary artery calcifications were observed in 71 of 81 patients. Non parametric correlations between Agatston scores and Age, HD Age, PTH and CRP were significant. Delta increments of Agatston scores correlated also with serum calcium, CaxP, Fetuin-A, triglycerides and serum albumin. Logistic regression analysis showed Age, PTH and serum calcium as important predictors of Delta Agatston scores. LN transformation of the not normally distributed variables restricted the significant correlations to Age, BMI and CRP. Considering the Delta Agatston scores as dependent, significant predictors were Age, PTH and HDL. A strong association was found between basal calcification scores and Delta increment at one year. By logistic analysis, the one year increments in Agatston scores were found to be predictors of mortality. Diabetic and hypertensive patients have significantly higher Delta scores. CONCLUSIONS: Progression of calcification is of common occurrence, with special regard to elevated basal scores, and is predictive of survival. Higher predictive value of survival is linked to the one year increment of calcification scores. Some classic and non classic risk factors play an important role in progression. Some of them could be controlled with appropriate management with possible improvement of mortality.