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Toward the classification of social media use disorder: Clinical characterization and proposed diagnostic criteria
No full textEmpirical studies and theoretical models highlight that problematic use of social media can lead to significant
functional impairments in several domains, such as social, relational, occupational, and psychological functioning, as well as physical health. However, social media use disorder is not currently recognized as an official disorder in major diagnostic systems, limiting comparability among studies, precise prevalence estimation, and ad-hoc preventive and treatment program development. The present work aims to classify social media use disorder as a pathological condition sharing main mechanisms and maladaptive patterns with addictive behaviors. We discuss diagnostic criteria for social media use disorder by integrating peculiar features of this maladaptive behavior with criteria for substance use disorders and behavioral addictions from major diagnostic systems (i.e., DSM-5 and ICD-11). Moreover, we address some controversies related to the classification of social media use disorder as a behavioral addiction and highlight literature findings indicating social media use disorder shares main alterations in mechanisms and processes characterizing addiction (i.e., maladaptive activation of reward systems and impairment of inhibitory control mechanisms). Despite the lack of studies including clinical populations and the need for future research to validate the proposed criteria and refine knowledge of the mechanisms underlying this condition, our work provides a structured framework for classifying and identifying social media use disorder
Tethya wilhelma (Porifera) Is Highly Resistant to Radiation Exposure and Possibly Cancer
No full textThere are no reports of cancer in sponges, despite them having somatic cell turnover, long lifespans, and no specialized adaptive immune cells. In order to investigate whether sponges are cancer resistant, we exposed a species of sponge, Tethya wilhelma, to X-rays. We found that T. wilhelma can withstand 518 Gy of X-ray radiation. That is approximately 100 times the lethal dose for humans. A single high dose of X-rays did not induce cancer in T. wilhelma, providing the first experimental evidence of cancer resistance in the phylum Porifera. Following X-ray exposure, we found an overexpression of genes involved in DNA repair, signaling transduction pathways, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. T. wilhelma has the highest level of radiation resistance that has yet been observed in animals that have sustained somatic cell turnover. This may make them an excellent model system for studying cancer resistance and developing new approaches for cancer prevention and treatment
Relazione tra sviluppo puberale e carichi di allenamento in giovani atleti per il benessere e la prevenzione degli infortuni
Get PDFThis doctoral research aimed to investigate the relationship between chronological age, relative age, pubertal development, and their impact on performance in youth football players. The research involved two distinct studies: the first included 61 young players from the U14 category, while the second examined 259 elite-level players in the U14-U19 categories.
Both studies revealed considerable variability in pubertal development among players of the same chronological age, showing that this variability has a significant impact on physical performance, particularly in the CMJ test. Chronological age and relative age showed weak correlations with CMJ performance, whereas pubertal development had a stronger association. Biologically more mature players performed better in the CMJ, and this relationship became more pronounced as players progressed through the various stages of puberty. In younger categories, particularly U14, the Relative Age Effect (RAE) was strongly evident, with a significant overrepresentation of players born in the first quarter of the year. However, this effect tended to decrease in older categories (U17, U19), suggesting that selection processes based solely on chronological age can introduce biases, disadvantaging players born later or those who mature more slowly.
The studies also demonstrated that pubertal development accounted for a greater portion of the variance in CMJ performance compared to relative or chronological age. These findings highlight the importance of personalizing training programs based on biological maturity rather than chronological age. Moreover, strategies such as bio-banding, which groups players according to their biological age rather than birth year, are recommended to mitigate the relative age effect and ensure a fairer talent selection process.
The implications of these findings go beyond physical performance, suggesting that coaches and strength and conditioning professionals must be aware of the crucial role that maturation plays in athletic development. Individualized training programs, tailored to biological maturity, could ensure a more balanced and sustainable development pathway for young football players, while promoting the overall health and well-being of the young athlete
Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Exercise Tolerance and Related Psychophysiological Responses
Get PDFDuring fatiguing exercise, a myriad of peripheral and central physiological perturbations occur in the brain and in the central nervous system, which impair the capability to produce force or power through muscle contractions. The capacity to tolerate such conditions is a determinant factor for exercise capacity in healthy and clinical populations, which in turn impacts physical performance . Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), which involves the transmission of a weak electrical current through the scalp for several minutes, is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that aims to alter the level of cortical excitability of the stimulated area. It has been proposed as an ergogenic tool to counteract central fatigue mechanisms and alter the physiological responses and perceived exertion of healthy individuals during different types of exercise, including ones requiring whole-body dynamic contractions. Conflicting results emerge from the literature, often due to a lack of tDCS and exercise protocol standardization. Furthermore, a precise cause-effect relationship and the related mechanisms have yet to emerge. Therefore, two studies were conducted in this dissertation. In Study 1, twelve participants were enrolled and visited the laboratory on four experimental trials after a preliminary visit for cardiorespiratory and anthropometrics assessments. They performed, in a randomized and counterbalanced order, two constant work-rate cycling in the heavy domain (Δ15%) and two in the severe domain (Δ75%) following a 20-minute of either anodal (2 mA) or sham primary motor cortex (M1) tDCS session. No significant differences in exercise tolerance and related psychophysiological responses were found between real and sham conditions. In Study 2, a similar design was employed to assess differences in exercise tolerance and related psychophysiological responses, especially the rate of perceived exertion, during constant work-rate cycling in the heavy domain (Δ25%), following a 10-minute 1 mA of either anodal, cathodal, or sham tDCS of the supplementary motor area (SMA). No significant differences in all studied parameters were found between the conditions. The findings suggest that one session of M1 or SMA tDCS stimulation is incapable of affecting exercise tolerance and related psychophysiological responses during exercise involving dynamic contraction of large muscle mass in young, healthy, active males. More studies are needed to compare different protocols and investigate the neurophysiological rationale for exercise capacity enhancement through tDCS
Formare alla transizione ecologica. Tra attivismo giovanile consapevole e nuove competenze
No full textEducare alle transizioni chiama in causa la responsabilità di fare pedagogia e di dedicare studi e ricerche alle persone, in una congiuntura difficile sui piani ambientale, economico e sociale. Il contributo avvalora un convinto impegno a contrastare quel senso di disempowerment sul ruolo dei giovani nella società, la cui spinta al cambiamento si configura decisiva. Al riguardo, gli obiettivi per la gioventù europea individuano gli ambiti intersettoriali che hanno un impatto sulla vita dei giovani e indicano le sfide che devono essere affrontate, con una specifica attenzione all’ambito della sostenibilità (European Commission, 2018). Tuttavia, nonostante diverse ricerche internazionali e nazionali attestino un crescente attivismo giovanile connesso con la volontà di contribuire all’edificazione di società coese e inclusive (European Union, 2023; Ipsos, 2023), aumenta anche la sfiducia dei giovani nei confronti delle istituzioni, il declino della partecipazione democratica, il senso di impotenza per l’irreversibilità dei danni causati al pianeta e l’angoscia per il futuro.
In prospettiva pedagogica può allora essere interessante considerare il rapporto che intercorre tra educazione delle giovani generazioni e capacità di compiere scelte di partecipazione attiva in favore dell’ambiente, coerentemente agli obiettivi di sviluppo sostenibile dell’Agenda 2030 che indicano questioni cruciali per generare reti di relazioni solidali e resilienti (United Nations, 2015).
In questo quadro, il progetto “Social, sostenibilità ambientale, Generazione Z”, frutto della collaborazione fra la cattedra di Pedagogia e formazione per la transizione ecologica dell’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, l’Alta Scuola per l’Ambiente e Silea Spa vuole esplorare opinioni e sentire della Generazione Z in ordine allo sviluppo sostenibile e porre in essere nuove opportunità formative per la costruzione di un protagonismo giovanile consapevole e responsabile
Changes in Tendon Thickness After Chondrovita FIT® Supplementation in Elite Skaters: Findings from a Quasi-Experimental Study
No full textRegional implications of the Italian inner areas strategy
No full textThe National Strategy for the Inner Areas is an Italian place-based policy aimed at revitalising the economic and social vibrancy of lagging municipalities facing remoteness by leveraging on tourism as a key instrument for local development. This paper evaluates the policy effects on tourism over the period 2014–22 through a difference-in-difference approach at the municipal level. Overall nights of stay have been positively affected by 6% since the subsides’ disbursement begun. Results are largely driven by geographical heterogeneity and marked by direct expenditure mechanisms, with prevailing effects on foreign tourism in northern regions and predominant effects on domestic tourism in the Mezzogiorno
Prophylactic drain placement after emergency general surgery procedures? A scoping review of the literature challenging common practice
No full textBackground
This scoping review aims to map the existing literature on the use of prophylactic drainage (PD) after Emergency General Surgery procedures (EGS) and to change the current practice according to evidence.
Methodology
Data from an exhaustive literature search conducted across Embase (Ovid), Medline(R) ALL (Ovid), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was summarized. Literature published between January 2013 and December 2024 was included.
Results
Most studies found better outcomes for the no-drain group. Implementing a drain after EGS procedures potentially increases hospital stays, postoperative pain, and surgical site infection rates. For conditions such as peritonitis and perforated ulcers, only a few studies were available, with some showing benefits of PD.
Conclusion
For some conditions, like colorectal emergencies, there is a scarcity of evidence. The outcomes suggest that PD is not recommended in most EGS cases. In high-risk cases, there are some reports on improved outcomes for PD use. Further research is imperative to create science-based clinical guidelines, especially for less-researched conditions