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Beyond Conventional Treatments: The Role of Complementary Therapies in Head and Neck Cancer
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: Head and neck cancer is one of the most common cancers globally, with high mortality and significant treatment-related side effects. Conventional therapies, including surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, have improved survival but often have serious consequences for patients’ quality of life. For this reason, there is growing interest in complementary therapies such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, cannabinoids, traditional Chinese medicine, and mind-body therapies. Methods: This review was conducted through a systematic analysis of the scientific literature available on PubMed and Scopus, selecting studies about the use of alternative therapies in patients with head and neck cancer according to strict criteria. Results: Acupuncture has shown benefits in the management of xerostomia and dysphagia, while some herbal medicines have shown potential anticancer effects, although with limitations related to bioavailability. Vitamins and antioxidants showed mixed results: some studies suggest a protective effect, while others report a possible increased risk of cancer progression. Cannabinoids are a controversial topic, with possible palliative benefits but also a higher risk of head and neck cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine and mind-body therapies, such as yoga, have shown positive effects on patients’ well-being, although their direct impact on cancer progression remains uncertain. Conclusions: Alternative therapies could be a useful support in managing symptoms and improving the quality of life patients with head and neck cancer. However, solid scientific evidence on their effectiveness and safety is still lacking. Rigorous clinical studies are needed to assess their therapeutic potential and define a safe integration into multidisciplinary cancer management
Solving the sulfur isotope discrepancy in Central America
Get PDFSulfur has considerable leverage on the redox budget of subducted materials due to its presence as both sulfide (S2−) and sulfate (S6+). Recent work has revealed a discrepancy: arc magmas have positive δ34S values, while much of the S entering subduction zones should be hosted in pyrite, which is likely to have negative sulfur isotopic values. To address this discrepancy, we focus on the Central American subduction zone, where previous work has revealed positive δ34S values in parental arc magmas. We report the first comprehensive study of the sedimentary S input to any subduction zone with S concentration and sulfur-isotopic measurements of ODP Site 1040 sediments. Sedimentary S input for Central America is greater than previously thought (1.71 ± 0.38 × 108 mol S/yr/100 km), although insufficient to supply the S output from the arc without contributions from subducting oceanic crust. Furthermore, ~90 % of the sedimentary S input is hosted in pyrite, leading to a bulk sedimentary δ34S of −19.5 ‰. In assessing the mass balance for Central America, we find that selective removal of sulfate does not provide enough S to support arc output and thus, additional S must be mobilized by the oxidation of pyrite with several per mil rock-fluid δ34S fractionation to positive values. Our results agree with existing evidence that subduction zones act as efficient redox reactors, with oxidized portions of the slab (e.g., altered oceanic crust) providing the oxidizing power to supply sulfate to the arc, while a reduced and 32S-enriched complement sinks into the deeper mantle
Editorial on “Hybrid clay materials” Special Issue
Get PDFThe present Special Issue reports recent advancements in hybrid
materials obtained by the combination of biocompatible compounds (e.
g. polymers, clay nanoparticles and natural wastes) that can be
perspective for biomedical and technological applications. The blending
of inorganic fillers and organic macromolecules into natural or synthetic
clays represents a powerful tool to fabricate green composites with
tunable mesoscopic properties depending on their structure and surface
characteristics leading to the development of a framework of functional
materials. These materials offer cost-effective and eco-friendly solutions
across various industries, including environmental remediation, catalysis, and energy storage, making them valuable for addressing realworld challenges
Age and sex differences in the efficacy of early invasive strategy for non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome: A comparative analysis in stable patients.
Get PDFObjective: Previous works have struggled to clearly define sex-specific outcomes based on initial management in NSTE-ACS patients. We examined if early revascularization (<24 h) versus conservative strategy impacts differently based on sex and age in stable NSTE-ACS patients upon hospital admission.
Methods: We identified 8905 patients with diagnosis of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) in the ISACS-TC database. Patients with cardiac arrest, hemodynamic instability, and serious ventricular arrhythmias were excluded. The final cohort consisted of 7589 patients. The characteristics between groups were adjusted using inverse probability of treatment weighting models. Primary outcome measure was all-cause 30-day mortality. Risk ratios (RRs) with their 95 % CIs were employed.
Results: Of the 7589 NSTE-ACS patients identified, 2450 (32.3 %) were women. The data show a notable reduction in mortality for the older women (aged 65 years and older) undergoing early invasive strategy compared to those receiving an initial conservative (3.0 % versus 5.1 %; RR: 0.57; 95 % CI: 0.32 - 0.99) Conversely, younger women did not exhibit a significant association between early invasive strategy and mortality reduction (2.0 % versus 0.9 %; RR: 2.27; 95 % CI: 0.73 - 7.04). For men, age stratification did not markedly alter the observed benefits of an early invasive strategy over a conservative approach in the overall population, with reduced death rates in both older (3.1 % versus 5.7 %; RR: 0.52; 95 % CI: 0.34 - 0.80) and younger age groups (0.8 % versus 1.7 %; RR: 0.46; 95 % CI: 0.22 - 0.94). These age and sex-specific mortality patterns did not significantly change within subgroups stratified by the presence of NSTEMI, or a GRACE risk score>140.
Conclusion: Early coronary revascularization is associated with improved 30-day survival in older men and women and younger men who present to hospital in stable conditions after NSTE-ACS. It does not confer a survival advantage in young women. Further studies are needed to more accurately risk-stratify young women to guide treatment strategies
Dino Buzzati e l'autolegittimazione del doppio talento
No full textBuzzati è stato un artista dai multipli talenti: giornalista e scrittore per
tutta la sua vita, e parallelamente pittore, disegnatore, illustratore; inoltre
in alcune stagioni è stato cronista d'arte, sceneggiatore e scenografo, seppure con impegno e intensità diversi. La necessità più volte manifestata da Dino Buzzati di autolegittimare il proprio doppio talento,e in particolare la propria pittura accanto alla scrittura, può fornire alcune chiavi di lettura per affrontare la questione più generale dell'istanza autoriale nella Doppelbegabung. La sua
doppia consapevolezza artistica e la difficile accettazione della stessa da
parte della critica ha indotto Buzzati a dovere difendere la sua passione per
la pittura e il disegno e a utilizzare varie strategie di autolegittimazione per
essere riconosciuto un autore dal doppio talento.Buzzati was an artist of multiple talents: a journalist and writer for
his entire life, and at the same time a painter, draughtsman and illustrator; furthermore,
in some seasons he was an art chronicler, scriptwriter and set designer, albeit with different commitment and intensity. Dino Buzzati's frequently expressed need to self-validate his double talent, and in particular his painting alongside his writing, may provide some keys to addressing the more general issue of the authorial instance in the Doppelbegabung. His dual artistic awareness and the difficult acceptance of it by critics led Buzzati to have to defend his passion for
painting and drawing and to use various strategies of self-legitimisation in order to be recognised as an author of dual talent
The Nursing Student Self-Efficacy in Clinical Skills Scale (NSSE-CS): A development and psychometric validation study
Get PDFAim: Develop and validate a scale that measures nursing students’ self-efficacy (SE) in performing core clinical skills typically acquired during undergraduate clinical placements. Background: Student perceptions of SE can enhance motivation, foster improvement and serve as a robust predictor of academic achievement. For nursing students, success relies not only on theoretical knowledge but also on performing core clinical skills, usually acquired during undergraduate clinical placements. Therefore, it is necessary to assess students’ SE in clinical skills. Design: A multicenter, cross-sectional, descriptive, validation study. Methods: We developed the Nursing Student Self-Efficacy in Clinical Skills Scale (NSSE-CS) and conducted an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to evaluate its construct validity. An online survey was administered to third-year nursing students at the end of their final clinical placements in October 2024. Results: Overall, 393 nursing students from five universities across Italy completed the survey. EFA revealed four factors for the 48-item NSSE-CS: “Fundamental care”, “Assessment and planning”, “Low-complexity care” and “High-complexity care”. SE scores were positively correlated with the frequency of practicing core skills during placements. SE was also significantly associated with gender, nationality, university affiliation and completion of the clinical placement examination. The omega composite reliability was good (ω =.98). Conclusion: The NSSE-CS is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing third-year nursing students’ SE in clinical skills. By encouraging students to reflect on their own SE, nurse educators can provide more targeted support and tailored learning opportunities, helping students effectively master core clinical skills
A REVIEW OF THE ADVP METHOD IN THE LIGHT OF THE NEUROEDUCATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
Get PDFIl contributo revisiona il modello ADVP (Pelletier et al., 1974)
attraverso le lenti della neuroeducazione. Esso analizza il legame tra
alcune funzioni cognitive e i processi mentali attivati dagli studenti
nel momento della scelta professionale e, in linea con il Teaching
brain (Gola, 2024), orienta i docenti nella progettazione di percorsi di
insegnamento-apprendimento che, analogamente al framework
UDL, promuovono l’agency dello studente, stimolando la riflessione,
l’engagement e la capacità decisionale.This paper revisits the ADVP model (Pelletier et al., 1974) through the
lens of neuroeducation. It elucidates the connection between specific
cognitive functions and the mental processes activated by students
during career decision-making. The revised model aligns with the
concept of the teaching brain (Gola, 2024), guiding educators in
designing teaching–learning processes that, akin to the UDL
framework, foster student agency, encouraging reflection, authentic
engagement, and strategic decision-making
Meso-scale topological cues to promote endothelial cell proliferation on macro-scale, blood-contacting polymeric substrates
Get PDFOBJECTIVE: Mesoscopic-topological-cues are a challenging and promising alternative to promote a stable endothelial cell layer formation able, long-term, to impact the thrombogenicity of medical devices. The use of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-micropatterned-films and substrates has shown limitations, such as slow degradation rate, low surface-to-volume ratio, low permeability, and a rather limited scalability which all affected biocompatibility. In this preliminary study, we introduce a hybrid lithography/electrodeposition method to fabricate permeable, large, fiber-based substrates with mesoscale patterns putatively able to mimic basement membrane and promote functional endothelium formation.
METHODS: Lithography was performed through a direct-laser-writing-system(LW405E, Microtech srl) that selectively removed the photoresist and engraved the pattern on a three-layer substrate composed of soda-lime-glass, AZ1518-photoresist, and chrome. The conductive chrome-layer enabled the wafer to serve directly as a collector for the electrodeposition. The alternated conductive/non-conductive regions of the target were designed to attract the electrospun fibers selectively, processing values were investigated in the range V(Δ14kV),d(10cm),t(30min), T(22°C),HR(35%),Q(0,4ml/hr),needle(21G). Two different patterns depths were evaluated: 1μm, and 4μm. Patterns were investigated via SEM and quantitative analysis (%patterns on polymer substrate/patterns on CAD model) to prove the method capacity to prescribe a mesoscale pattern regardless of its shape: square and honeycombs both with a side of 60μm and 20μm gaps. Scaffolds were seeded with vascular smooth muscle cells to assess topological cues impact on cellular metabolic activity via Alamar blue test.
RESULTS: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of SEM images confirmed the ability to transfer a pattern geometry regardless of its shape with an accuracy of 84% and 98% respectively for 1μm and 4μm. This proprietary technique (US2024/0016983A1) demonstrates higher cellular activity than casted-non-fibrous patterns.
CONCLUSIONS: This study showed how photolithography and electrodeposition can be combined to process micro-fiber-based substrates 4cmx4cm with mesoscale-patterns of desired shape feasible for applications at organ level scale enhancing cellular viability
Use of the Calibrated Curve Number and a Runoff-Driven USLE Model to Estimate Event Soil Loss From Sparacia (Sicily, Southern Italy) Plots
Get PDFThe Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)-curve number (CN) method was originally proposed to predict runoff on small and midsize catchments, but it has also been used at the scale of erosion plots. In this case, uncertainties exist with reference to the factors, for example, scale effects, affecting the experimental CN values. In this study, the reliability of the CN method in reproducing plot runoff is analysed by using data collected at the Sparacia erosion plots (Sicily, Southern Italy), which are characterised by different sizes and steepness. This investigation aimed to test the possibility of using simulated runoff within universal soil loss equation (USLE)-type models, including runoff as a term in the erosivity factor. This analysis pointed out that the experimentally determined value of the initial abstraction ratio of the CN method was very low (0.0001). For each plot type (i.e., fixed length and steepness), the calibration was performed for 18 combinations of three rainfall ranges (all data, rainfall depth less than the median, and exceeding the median), two calibration approaches (least-squares and median value) and three datasets (all data, interrill, and rill). The best CN model fit was systematically produced for data with rainfall depth less than the median. The least-squares calibration approach generally performed slightly better than the median value one. Results showed that the CN method can be considered effective only for events producing rills. The CN values generally increased with plot steepness and decreased as plot length increased. For each plot type, CN tendentially increased for increasing soil moisture before the rainfall event, but moisture and rainfall depth were able to explain a minor part (from 19.5% to 41%) of CN variance. Finally, the USLE-MB that incorporates runoff simulated by the CN method was found to satisfactorily predict (relative standard error = 0.69, Nash and Sutcliffe Efficiency Index = 0.54) event soil loss caused by simultaneous interrill and rill erosion due to the higher rainfall depths recorded at the Sparacia station
3D Facial Approximation of Ava, a Scottish woman from 3,800 years ago
No full textThis study presents a novel 3D facial approximation of “Ava,” a young woman associated with the Beaker culture, whose remains were discovered in 1987 at Achavanich, Scotland. Building on the foundation laid by the Achavanich Beaker Burial Project and integrating anthropological, genetic, and digital modeling techniques, the present work reconstructs Ava’s face using open-access 3D data and forensic methods. The process involved anatomical deformation, projection based on statistical and morphometric data, and adaptation to DNA-based phenotypic predictions. The model was developed in Blender 3D using the OrtogOnBlender add-on. The resulting approximation incorporates not only skeletal analysis but also genomic insights into pigmentation traits. Endocranial volume was also assessed and contextualised with comparative cranial datasets. This reconstruction contributes to public engagement with Scottish prehistory and exemplifies how interdisciplinary and open-access approaches can extend the reach and impact of forensic facial approximation