Background: No papers have examined the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and cognitive performance in oldest old subjects (i.e, > = 80 years old) asking for driving license renewal. We hypothesize that, even in this highly functioning population, age, sex, and education influence cognitive performance, expressed as total or single domain (raw) test scores. This research question allows to describe, identify, and preserve independence of subjects still able to drive safely. Methods: We examined cross-sectionally a cohort of > = 80 years old subjects (at enrollment) asking for driving license renewal in the Milan area, Italy, 2011-2017. The analysis was restricted to 3378 first and 863 second visits where individual's cognitive performance was evaluated. According to the study protocol, the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) test was administered at the first visit for driving license renewal and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test at the second visit, following an additional renewal request. Ordinary least squares regression models were fitted at either time points. In each model, we included age, sex, and education as independent variables, whereas the dependent variable was total or single domain score for either test. In total, we fitted 15 regression models to assess our research hypothesis. Results: The median subject in our sample reached the maximum scores on domains targeting operational and tactical abilities implied in safe driving, but had sub-optimal scores in the long-term memory domain included among the strategic abilities. In multiple models, being > = 87 (versus 80-< 86 years old) significantly decreased the mean total and memory scores of MMSE, but not those of the MoCA. Females (versus males) had significantly higher mean total and long-term memory scores of either tests, but not other domains. Mean total and single domain scores increased for increasing education levels for either tests, with increments for high school graduates being~2 of those with (at most) a junior high school diploma.

Criminological rehabilitative treatments of abusive partners have always been considered of key importance from a preventive point of view. Criminological research, and our experience as criminologists, has proved that even the most abusive partners—including uxoricides—after their convictions repeat the same violent relationship pattern. That said, the Chair of Criminology (University of Milan) set up the first action and research program in Italy offering treatment for perpetrators of domestic violence, called S.A.Vi.D. (Stop Alla Violenza Domestica – an Italian acronym meaning: Stopping Domestic Violence) in 2010. Information about all the subjects treated will also be described and discussed: age, legal status motives, offender behavior prior to treatment, whether and how behavior changed after treatment.

Gli Autori hanno svolto una ricerca su un campione di 1.009 persone in tema di scelte etiche in periodo pandemico (aprile 2020) somministrando un apposito questionario online (web interviews). Di questo campione, il 10% ha dichiarato in sede di compilazione di svolgere una professione dell’area sanitaria. Partendo dall’analisi di questi dati e alla luce della letteratura di riferimento e delle raccomandazioni del SIAARTI/SIMLA “Decisioni per le cure intensive in caso di sproporzione tra necessità assistenziali e risorse disponibili in corso di pandemia da COVID-19”, gli Autori propongono alcune riflessioni in tema di dilemmi etici.

Facial asymmetry is considered a marker of psychological, emotional and physiological distress, while anxiety is a behavioural, psychological and physiological response to a threat to well-being. Since individuals respond to anxiety with specific patterns (e.g., muscular tension), it is reasonable to hypothesize that anxiety could contribute to facial tension and therefore facial asymmetry. Instead, since facial asymmetry is perceived as "unpleasant" from peers, its presence may be a hindrance to social adaptation contributing to generate anxiety. In this study, we investigated whether resting facial asymmetry and anxiety are associated in young population. Full frontal facial photographs of 56 Caucasian males were taken in resting state to obtain indices of asymmetry in six facial landmarks. Anxiety status was assessed using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y). Analysis of the face showed that asymmetry and laterality of specific facial landmarks were associated with anxiety. State anxiety was associated with eyebrow and lateral angle of the eye, while trait anxiety was associated with eyebrow and lateral angle of the mouth. Moreover, as compared with contralateral landmarks, the left landmarks were lifted/expanded in subjects with elevated trait/state anxiety, whereas the right landmarks were lifted/expanded in subjects with low-trait/state anxiety.

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