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Scontrarsi per incontrare l’altro: la Muay Thai. Una revisione sistematica nella prospettiva dell’inclusione
No full textLa presente ricerca si propone di indagare i benefici della Muay Thai, sport da combattimento a contatto, in età evolutiva, con particolare attenzione all’impatto che può avere su alunni con disturbi del neurosviluppo. È un ambito di studio poco esplorato, pertanto è stata condotta una revisione sistematica della letteratura, includendo articoli riguardanti arti marziali con caratteristiche simili alla Muay Thai. L’analisi dei dati ha evidenziato molteplici aspetti positivi, non solo fisici, ma anche mentali, quali il miglioramento del benessere psicologico, lo sviluppo delle funzioni cognitive ed esecutive e una migliore regolazione emotiva. In particolare: riduzione dello stress, sviluppo dell’auto-efficacia e capacità di adattamento alle situazioni. Inoltre, la Muay Thai sembrerebbe essere un efficace strumento di inclusione sociale e un supporto terapeutico per bambini con disturbi del neurosviluppo e bisogni speciali. Tuttavia, sono necessari ulteriori studi e approfondimenti in questo ambito, in quanto è un campo poco indagato. L’integrazione della Muay Thai in contesti educativi e terapeutici potrebbe rappresentare un’importante opportunità per massimizzare i benefici psicofisici di questa disciplina
Introduzione
No full textL'introduzione delinea il rapporto tra religione e crisi ecologica, al quale è dedicato il numero monografico di Hermeneutica 2025, utilizzando come filo conduttore il concetto di sacralità della natura
Targeted probiotic therapy in irritable bowel syndrome: a clinical evaluation on Clostridium butyricum CBM588 and Bifidobacterium longum W11.
Get PDFBackground: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional
gastrointestinal disorder characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain,
bloating, and altered bowel habits. Probiotic-based strategies are increasingly
being explored for IBS management, with growing interest in strain-specific
applications.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Clostridium
butyricum CBM588 and Bifidobacterium longum W11 in IBS patients with
diarrhea-predominant (IBS-D) and constipation-predominant (IBS-C)
symptoms, respectively.
Methods: A total of 51 IBS patients were recruited and stratified into two groups:
IBS-D patients received C. butyricum CBM588 (Butirrisan®), while IBS-C patients
received B. longum W11 (Bowell®). Symptom severity was assessed using the
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Severity Scoring System (IBS-SSS) before and after a
3-month intervention. Generalized linear models and regression analyses were
used to evaluate treatment effects.
Results: Both probiotic formulations significantly reduced IBS-SSS scores,
particularly improving bloating, abdominal pain, and overall quality of life. The
impact of treatment was independent of age, though greater improvements in
bloating and life interference were observed in older IBS-C patients. A direct
correlation between baseline symptom severity and symptom reduction was
identified, suggesting higher efficacy in more severe cases.
Conclusion: This study supports the use of C. butyricum CBM588 and B. longum
W11 as effective probiotic interventions for IBS-D and IBS-C, respectively. Their
strain-specific benefits highlight the potential of targeted probiotic strategies in
IBS management. Future studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up
periods are recommended to confirm and expand these findings
Prediction Capability of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in Badland Susceptibility Mapping: The Foglia River Basin (Italy) Case of Study
Get PDFBadland morphologies are prominent examples of linear erosion occurring on clay-rich slopes and are critical hotspots for sediment production. Traditional field-based mapping of these features can be both time-consuming and costly, particularly over larger basins. This research proposes a novel methodology for assessing badland susceptibility through a multi-criteria decision-making framework known as the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). This methodology, developed and tested in the Foglia River basin of the Marche region (Italy), facilitates the identification and mapping of badland areas. More in detail, our study resulted in the creation of a comprehensive badland inventory and susceptibility map for the 102 km2 study area, identifying 276 badlands using a combination of satellite imagery, historical orthophotos, existing regional inventories, and field inspections. Key predisposing factors, including geological, land use, topographical, and hydrometric elements, were systematically analyzed using the AHP approach. The research findings indicate that badlands develop in medium to steep slopes oriented towards the southern quadrants and in proximity to watercourses; their formation is predominantly influenced by clayey–sandy lithology. The resulting inventory and susceptibility map serve as relevant tools for monitoring, preventing, and mitigating slope instability risks within the region
Alkaloids’ wide world: Biological activity, extraction, quantification
No full textAlkaloids represent one of the widest categories of bioactive secondary metabolites with several biological activities, comprising beneficial and harmful effects on human health. They are naturally occurring in a variety of plant species and are categorized mainly from their precursor. Positive and negative biological effects on humans were largely studied in numerous in vivo and clinical studies, but new compounds are continuously discovered and annotated among alkaloid class generating a renewed interest and new research work. Well-known and latest evidence concerning alkaloids' activity is reported together with the recent techniques applied for their extraction in different matrices. Conventional and innovative analytical methods developed for alkaloid characterization are described, reporting limits of detection and quantification and the latest fast technologies based on analysis by sensors. This chapter covers all aspects related to alkaloids classification, biological properties, and their characterization in several types of matrices by traditional and advanced analytical tools
Contemporary Insights and Emerging Paradigms in Sedation and Analgesia Management for Ventilated Newborns
No full textPain management in the first 1000 days of life is crucial for neurodevelopmental outcomes and the quality of life in extremely preterm newborns, who often undergo mechanical ventilation. The use of drugs like midazolam in neonatal care offers advantages such as sedation and muscle relaxation, but can also lead to potential adverse effects. Morphine, a common opioid analgesic, is used in neonatal care for its dual analgesic and sedative properties. Uncertainties regarding short-term pulmonary outcomes and concerns about neurological effects in preterm infants remain. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is a first-line drug for rapid analgesia in various clinical scenarios. Adrenergic agonists and antioxidant substances, dexmedetomidine and melatonin, have shown the potential to be the first analgesic compounds suitable for both clinical trials and clinical use. Dexmedetomidine, an adrenergic agonist, stands out for its opioid-sparing effects and neuroprotective properties. Its efficacy in reducing cumulative morphine administration and supporting mechanical ventilation in certain conditions has been demonstrated. Melatonin has emerged as a neurohormone with potential analgesic properties, and various studies indicate its benefits in reducing pain-related oxidative stress and inflammation. In this educational review, we analyze and discuss pain assessment and management in patients subjected to mechanical ventilation, with a focus on pharmacological management during neonatal intubation, navigating the complexities of balancing effective analgesia and sedation while considering potential risks and outcomes in extremely preterm newborns. The positive effects of new drugs such as melatonin and dexmedetomidine on mechanically ventilated newborns mainly consist of improvements in pain management and amelioration of pulmonary function
The impact of providing non-human identity cues about sales agents on consumer responses: the role of social presence and speciesism activation
Get PDFPurpose
This work investigates how different strategies for providing cues about the non-human identity of a sales agent influence consumers’ perceptions and purchase-related outcomes, and how a social interaction style shapes these responses. Additionally, the authors explore the role of consumers’ speciesism against non-human entities in eliciting unfavourable responses to the disclosure of the agent’s artificial nature.
Design/methodology/approach
Three experimental studies were conducted using real chatbot interactions. Study 1 investigates how non-human identity cues impact consumer trust and, subsequently, attitude towards the firm and intention to purchase the product offered. Study 2 tests these effects across different levels of social presence. Study 3 examines consumer responses to different non-human identity disclosure strategies, considering speciesism’s moderating role.
Findings
Study 1 proves that disclosing (vs not disclosing) the artificial nature of a sales agent leads to a decline in trust towards the firm, which in turn negatively influences both attitude towards the firm and purchase intention. This finding reveals discrimination against disclosed (vs non-disclosed) artificial sales agents despite identical, flawless performance. However, Study 2 proves that the negative effects vanish when perceived social presence is high. Study 3 underlines that high speciesism leads to a trust decline if non-human identity cues are presented during the interaction but not if presented earlier in the journey before the interaction.
Research limitations/implications
The study highlights the negative effects of disclosure on important, firm-related outcomes. These insights advance current literature by showing that disclosing cues about the non-human nature of a sales agent can undermine psychological and behavioural responses–even when the disclosed agent performs just as effectively as its undisclosed counterpart. This result is noteworthy, as most prior research has linked aversive reactions to artificial agents with situations in which algorithms underperform, whereas this study examines agents that function flawlessly. Furthermore, the study reveals that these adverse effects are driven by speciesism–prejudices against non-human entities–offering a novel explanation for consumers’ negative responses.
Practical implications
The findings stress that transparency about the artificial nature of sales agents is penalised by customers and comes at a high cost for business-relevant outcomes. However, by transforming an artificial agent into a social actor through subtle design modifications, firms can overcome the unfavourable prejudice against artificial agents. By creating a social appearance, firms can harness the potential of automated sales services–even when disclosure of the agent’s artificial identity is required. As firms may soon be obliged to disclose the artificial identity of their sales agents, the critical question shifts from whether to disclose to how to disclose in order to mitigate negative consequences. Finally, we offer guidance on targeting the right consumers with artificial agents–specifically, those with lower levels of speciesism-related prejudices.
Originality/value
This work addresses pressing issues for managers concerned with the implementation of artificial sales agents. Results extend knowledge on speciesism towards digital agents, inform which consumers are particularly prone to respond negatively to such agents, and present levers for designing chat-based social interactions that prevent non-human-related prejudices that could undermine the effectiveness of conversational technologies
