ARUd’A (Università “G. d’Annunzio CHIETI -PESCARA)
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Complications After Surgery for Anorectal Malformations: An ARM-Net consortium Registry Study
No full textObjective: Establishing the incidence and types of complications following surgical intervention for ARM, primarily after reconstruction. Patient- and treatment-related risk factors were also determined. Background: Postoperative complications of ARM surgery vary widely, with data predominantly derived from single-center retrospective studies with limited number of patients. Whether factors such as ARM type, associated congenital anomalies, prior enterostomy, or type of reconstructive surgery affect complication incidence remains unclear. Methods: This multicenter cohort study was performed using the ARM-Net registry with prospectively collected data. Enterostomy-related and post-reconstructive complications in patients who underwent reconstructive surgery before the age of five years were recorded. Patients with more than 25 % missing data, unknown sex, ARM type, or reconstruction date, or without (information on) reconstruction or complications, were excluded. Multivariable analyses identified independent risk factors for the development of complications. Results: A total of 2,043 patients were eligible for analysis. Complications after enterostomy formation and closure occurred in 25 % and 12 % of patients, respectively. Post-reconstructive complications occurred in 25 % of patients, with wound complications comprising half of the complications. In a multivariable analysis, recto-bladder neck fistula, any associated anomaly, and the LAARP procedure were identified as independent risk factors for post-reconstructive complications. In contrast, anoplasty and mini-PSARP reduce the risk of complications. Conclusions: Post-reconstructive complications in ARM patients are common, and certain patient- and treatment-related characteristics affect postoperative outcomes. These results aid counselling and clinical decision-making, and may guide the operative planning of ARM types that are amenable to several different surgical approaches
Exploring the psychological outcomes of cancer diagnosis on parental role and parent–child relationships: validation of the Italian Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ)
No full textDespite the widespread prevalence of cancer diagnoses among parents of underage children, there is a limited body of research in this specific area, and even fewer tools have been developed to assess the impact of cancer on parenting roles. The present cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), including its convergent validity with parents’ and children’s psychological distress. A total of 411 adults with cancer and minor children (i.e., < 18 years old; mean age = 12.15 years; SD = 5.11) completed the PCQ and measures of anxiety, depression, children’s emotional and behavioral problems, and quality of parent–child relationship. Statistical analyses indicated good psychometric properties of the PCQ and demonstrated small to moderate correlations with the psychological distress experienced by both parents (anxiety and depression) and children (emotional and behavioral problems). The PCQ proves to be a valuable screening tool that can be easily used by healthcare professionals to identify specific parenting concerns and challenges faced by parents with cancer
Bidirectional Relationship Between Periodontal Disease and Reproductive Disorders: Focus on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
No full textBackground: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder characterized by hyperandrogenism, irregular ovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology. The severity of periodontal inflammation in PCOS may be linked to elevated levels of inflammatory mediators, like interleukins (IL-6, IL-17), and matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8), found in both serum and saliva samples. This systematic review aims to assess the presence, nature, and variations in salivary inflammatory biomarkers in individuals with PCOS and their potential connection to periodontal disease (PD). Materials and Methods: Selected databases were PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The search strategy included the following terms: “oral inflammatory biomarkers”, “Salivary mediators,” “metabolic indicators,” “periodontal diseases,” “periodontitis,” “polycystic ovary syndrome,” “PCOS,” and “ovulatory dysfunction.” Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. Results: Several salivary inflammatory biomarkers are present in women with PCOS, including cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), reactive oxygen species (ROS), MMPs, and microbial diversity alterations. Additionally, the reviewed studies suggest a correlation between PCOS and PD, as patients with PCOS exhibit greater periodontal alterations compared to healthy women. The heightened periodontal response in PCOS appears to be associated with a systemic inflammatory state, probably increasing the susceptibility to PD. Conclusions: Salivary inflammatory biomarkers in PCOS patients are a useful diagnostic tool for evaluating the heightened risk of periodontal disease. Further research with stricter protocols is necessary to better define the diagnostic potential of these biomarkers for PCOS patients and determine their role in the early detection of periodontal disease
LA FAMIGLIA ETRUSCA NELLE FONTI ARCHEOLOGICHE DI ETÀ ORIENTALIZZANTE E ARCAICA
No full textSintesi dei dati relativi alle conoscenze archeologiche sullo sviluppo, assetto e formazione della famiglia di età orientalizzante e arcaica, a partire dai contesti domestici e funerar
An Integrated Statistical, Geostatistical and Hydrogeological Approach for Assessing and Modelling Groundwater Salinity and Quality in Nile Delta Aquifer
Get PDFThe phenomenon of seawater intrusion is becoming increasingly problematic, particularly in low-lying coastal regions and areas that rely heavily on aquifers for their freshwater supply. It is, therefore, vital to address the causes and consequences of this phenomenon in order to ensure the security of water resources and the sustainable use of water. The ob-jective of this paper was twofold: firstly, to delineate zones with different salinization lev-els over time; secondly, to investigate the factors controlling seawater intrusion of the Nile Delta aquifer. Aquifer data were collected in Sharkia governorate, Egypt, over three histor-ical periods of years: 1996, 2007, and 2018. The dataset used to create the linear model of coregionalization consisted of hydrogeological (water level), hydrodynamic (pH, EC, Na, Mg, K, Ca, HCO3, SO4), and auxiliary (distances from salt and freshwater sources) varia-bles. Cokriging was applied to produce spatial thematic maps of the studied variables for the three years of the survey. In addition, factorial cokriging was applied to understand the processes beyond the change in the aquifer water quality and map the zones with sim-ilar characteristics. Results of mapping the first factor at long range over the three years indicated that there was an increase in seawater intrusion, especially in the northeastern part of the study area. The main cause of aquifer salinization over time was the depletion of the groundwater resource due to overexploitation
A novel life for antitumor combretastatins: Recent developments of hybrids, prodrugs, combination therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates
Get PDFSince their discovery from natural sources, the potent cytotoxic effects of combretastatins were widely studied for the application in antitumor therapy. However, major pharmacokinetic issues as low water solubility and chemical instability of the double bond configuration prevented their use in therapy. A lot of efforts have been directed towards the search of novel strategies, allowing a safer use of combretastatins as anticancer agents. This review analyses the recent landscape in combretastatin research, characterized by the identification of hybrids, prodrugs, and novel combination treatments. Interestingly, the potent cytotoxic agent combretastatin A4 (CA4) was recently proposed as payload in the construction of novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), allowing an efficient targeting of the cytotoxic agent to specific tumors
Learning a Foreign Language in Older Adults Shapes the Functional Connectivity of Distinct Cerebellar Sub‐Regions With Cortical Areas Rich in CB1 Receptor Expression
Get PDFBackground: Foreign language learning (FLL) in older adults is a comprehensive cognitive enhancement tool that integrates linguistic, cognitive, and social components to stimulate neuroplasticity and promote brain reorganization to counteract age-related decline. While previous studies have investigated the impact of FLL on the cortical connectome, its effects on subcortical-cortical resting-state functional connectivity (rs-FC) remain unexplored. The present study focuses on the connectivity of the cerebellum, based on its involvement in learning and aging. We hypothesize that FLL primarily modulates the rs-FC of the most "cognitive" cerebellar sub-regions, such as the crus and the posterior lobules. Methods: The rs-FC pattern was analyzed in 27 participants who underwent a 4-week FLL (n = 14) or a control (n = 13) protocol. Using distinct cerebellar regions as seeds in voxel-wise analyses, we evaluated FLL-induced changes in cerebellar-neocortical connectivity. Furthermore, we quantitatively assessed the spatial overlap between the connectivity modulations and the expression of neurotransmitter receptors associated with neuroplasticity, using data from publicly available repositories. Results: The FLL group showed distinct changes in cerebellar-neocortical rs-FC, including reduced connectivity between Crus I/Vermis IV-V and the visual cortex and increased connectivity between Lobule VI/VIIb and frontal regions. The connectivity changes involving Crus I and Lobule VI spatially overlapped with the distribution of CB1 receptors and, to a lesser extent, between the connectivity changes of Crus I/Lobule VI and Vermis IV-V and mGluR5/GABAa receptors. Conclusions: We provide new insights into the involvement of the cerebellum in the beneficial effects of FLL in aging, further highlighting the role of CB1 receptors and, secondarily, mGluR5/GABAa receptors
Data, Analysis, and Immersive Digital Models for the Multi-risk Assessment of Built Heritage: The Interconnecting Project
No full textCultural heritage sites are increasingly at risk from environmental changes, degradation, and extreme events such as earthquakes. These hazards threaten the integrity of historical structures and artistic assets, highlighting the need for advanced conservation strategies that incorporate accurate data management, predictive modelling, and risk assessment tools.
Previous research emphasizes the need to integrate multi-risk analysis and modern tools to support decision-making and the definition of intervention strategies. On the other hand, current approaches often fail to integrate diverse data sources, limiting their ability to offer comprehensive solutions. Additionally, only a few recent studies have started to consider the potential of immersive technologies for decision-making in conservation planning. This gap underscores the need for innovative approaches that combine advanced technology with environmentally sustainable solutions in heritage conservation.
This paper provides an overview of the INTERCONNECTING project, which aims to develop an integrated platform for managing heterogeneous data and historical research. It will utilize Digital Twin models, multirisk analysis, and decision-making tools to optimize conservation strategies.
INTERCONNECTING’s novelty lies in combining immersive virtual reality, multirisk analysis, and sustainable decision-making methods. It will integrate historical data and predictive models to create a comprehensive approach to conservation. The project will develop a platform to manage and analyze data, improve risk assessment with surrogate models, simulate heritage site responses to risks, and identify areas vulnerable to climate change. It will also catalogue sustainable materials for restoration
Validation of clinical risk assessment scores for venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer: a population-based cohort study
No full textBackground: Guidelines recommend using risk assessment tools to identify ambulatory patients with cancer at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Objectives: We aimed to validate a new cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT) risk score in a population-based healthcare setting. Methods: We used healthcare registry data and electronic medical records from the Central Denmark Region to calculate the new CAT risk score and the guideline-recommended Khorana score in patients with a first-time cancer diagnosis who initiated systemic cancer therapy. Patients were followed for 6 months after initiation of therapy. The outcome was any VTE identified through hospital discharge diagnoses. Discrimination was assessed using C statistics. Results: We included 12 471 patients from 2012 to 2020. Of these, 416 (3.3%) developed VTE. The C statistic was 0.71 (95% CI, 0.68-0.74) for the new CAT score and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.63-0.70) for the Khorana score. The 6-month cumulative VTE incidence was 5.0% in 6175 patients classified as high risk by the new CAT score compared with 1.7% in 6296 patients classified as low risk. The 6-month cumulative VTE incidence was 5.2% in 4263 patients classified as high risk by the Khorana score compared with 2.4% in 8208 patients classified as low risk. Conclusion: The new CAT score had a discriminatory ability similar to that reported in the derivation study. The C statistic was numerically higher than that of the Khorana score. Our findings support the implementation of the new CAT score to identify ambulatory patients with cancer who are at high risk of VTE