1,721,063 research outputs found
CFD modelling of a mixing chamber for the realisation of functionally graded scaffolds
Full text linkBiological tissues are characterised by spatially distributed gradients, intricately linked with functions. It is widely accepted that ideal tissue engineered scaffolds should exhibit similar functional gradients to promote successful tissue regeneration. Focusing on bone, in previous work we proposed simple methods to obtain osteochondral functionally graded scaffolds (FGSs), starting from homogeneous suspensions of hydroxyapatite (HA) particles in gelatin solutions. With the main aim of developing an automated device to fabricate FGSs, this work is focused on designing a stirred tank to obtain homogeneous HA-gelatin suspensions. The HA particles transport within the gelatin solution was investigated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling. First, the steady-state flow field was solved for the continuous phase only. Then, it was used as a starting point for solving the multi-phase transient simulation. CFD results showed that the proposed tank geometry and setup allow for obtaining a homogeneous suspension of HA micro-particles within the gelatin solution
Impatto delle crisi economiche, dell'organizzazione del lavoro e della riabilitazione mediante inserimenti lavorativi sulla salute mentale in Italia
No full textNel primo capitolo viene studiata la relazione tra ospedalizzazioni dovute a disturbi psichiatrici e la grave crisi economica iniziata nel 2008; viene inoltre approfondito il possibile effetto moderatore esercitato dalla protezione sociale. Tra le donne, l'aumento della disoccupazione è risultato associato ad aumento delle ospedalizzazioni dovute a disturbi senili e organici, mentre la riduzione del Prodotto Interno Lordo (PIL) è risultata associata ad aumento delle ospedalizzazioni dovute a tutti i disturbi psichiatrici, ai disturbi dell'umore, e ai disturbi da uso di alcol e sostanze. Tra gli uomini l'aumento della disoccupazione è risultato associato ad aumento delle ospedalizzazioni dovute a tutti i disturbi psichiatrici, ai disturbi dell'umore, alla schizofrenia e ad altri disturbi psicotici, e ai disturbi senili organici. La riduzione del PIL è risultata associata ad aumento delle ospedalizzazioni dovute a tutti i disturbi psichiatrici e ai disturbi da uso di alcol e sostanze. La protezione sociale è risultata in grado di assorbire le conseguenze negative per la salute mentale provocate dalla riduzione del PIL in entrambi i sessi, per quanto riguarda i disturbi da uso di alcool. Tra il 2008 e il 2014 i costi di ospedalizzazione per disturbi psichiatrici a livello nazionale hanno superato i 79,425,797 di euro, cioè 11,346,542 euro all’anno, mediamente.
Nel secondo capitolo è stata indagata l'efficacia e l'efficienza dei programmi di inserimento lavorativo condotti presso il dipartimento di salute mentale di Modena, e il loro impatto sull’occupabilità degli utenti coinvolti in tali programmi nel 2018. Si tratta di 62 utenti (donne 29, 46%; età media 43±13 anni), in cui l'analisi pre-post ha mostrato che dopo l'inizio dei percorsi di inserimento lavorativi il numero i giorni di ospedalizzazione si sono ridotti significativamente e non si è ricorso ad alcun trattamento sanitario obbligatorio. Inoltre, la mediana di interventi urgenti è significativamente diminuita. Nel 2018, i percorsi di inserimento lavorativo hanno reso possibile una riduzione dei costi di ricovero fino a 49,243.50 euro, cioè 794.25 euro per utente. Al 31 dicembre 2018, 27 erano occupati (44% del campione); 11 utenti avevano un contratto a tempo indeterminato, mentre 16 avevano un contratto a tempo determinato.
Il terzo capitolo ha indagata retrospettivamente l'associazione tra caratteristiche dell'ambiente di lavoro e rischio di depressione dopo il pensionamento, utilizzando dati dalla Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), wave 6 e 7. Quest'ultima ha fornito dati retrospettivi sulle caratteristiche di lavoro dei rispondenti prima del pensionamento. Si sono effettuate regressioni logistiche binarie per analizzare l'associazione tra presenza di depressione dopo il pensionamento (individuata dalla scala Euro-D) e caratteristiche dell'ambiente di lavoro in 584 individui. L’equità del salario percepito è risultata significativamente associata a una riduzione del rischio di depressione dopo il pensionamento (OR=0.75, p=0.047). Sesso femminile, numero di malattie croniche presenza del partner nel nucleo domestico sono risultati associati ad aumentato rischio di depressione (OR=1.84, p<0.01; OR=1.58, p<0.01; OR=1.45, p<0.01, rispettivamente), mentre un elevato livello di istruzione riduceva il rischio (OR=0.88, p=0.048). Per quanto riguarda la personalità, il rischio di depressione dopo il pensionamento aumentava all'aumentare dei livelli di nevroticismo (OR=1.49, <0.01), mentre diminuiva all'aumentare dei livelli di coscienziosità (OR=0.73, p=0.06).In the first paper, the relationship between hospital admissions due to psychiatric disorders and the severe economic downturn caused by the 2008 financial crisis was studied. Also, the buffering mechanism exerted by social protection (SP) was considered. Among women, increased unemployment was associated with increased hospitalizations due to organic and senile mental disorders, while decreased gross domestic product (GDP) was associated with increased hospitalizations due to all psychiatric disorders, mood disorders, alcohol-related disorders, and substance-related disorder. Among men, increased unemployment was associated with increased hospitalizations due to all psychiatric disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, and organic and senile mental disorders. Decreased GDP was associated with increased hospitalizations due to all psychiatric disorders and alcohol-related disorders. SP buffered the negative mental health outcomes caused by decreased GDP in both genders, specifically with respect to alcohol-related disorders. Between 2008 and 2014 hospitalizations cost exceeded 79,425,797 euros at national level, 11,346,542 euros per year.
In the second paper, the efficacy and effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation programs (VRPs) carried out at the Modena Mental Health Department (MHD), and their impact on users’ employability were assessed. A retrospective study was used. All users of the Modena MHD included in VRPs in 2018 were enrolled. A before-after analysis was carried out. Also, exposed users were compared to a non-experimental control group, made up of users not included in VRPs in 2018, homogeneous in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and variables, diagnoses and severity level. In 2018, 62 users ended the VRP (women 29, 46%; mean age 43±13 years old), thus representing the sample of exposed users. The before-after comparison showed that after the beginning of VRPs, the number and days of hospitalization significantly decreased, and no compulsory hospitalization was needed. Also, the median of urgent health interventions declined. In 2018, VRPs made it possible to reduce costs up to 49,243.50 euros, i.e. 794.25 euros per user. Of the 62 users who ended VRPs, on 31 December 2018 twenty-seven were employed (44% of the sample). Eleven users had an open-end contract while sixteen users had a fixed-term contract. Of the latter, six were later changed in open-term contracts.
The third paper investigated the association between work environment factors and risk of depression after retirement. A secondary retrospective analysis was carried out using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), wave 6 and 7. The latter provided retrospective data on the respondents’ working conditions before retirement. Binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the association between presence of depression after retirement (detected by the Euro-D scale) and work environment factors in 584 individuals. With respect to work environment factors only fair salary was associated with reduced risk of depression after retirement (OR=0.75, p=0.047). Female gender, number of chronic diseases and presence of the partner in the household increased the risk of depression (OR=1.84, p<0.01; OR=1.58, p<0.01; OR=1.45, p<0.01, respectively), while higher education decreased it (OR=0.88, p=0.048). With respect to personality, the risk of depression after retirement increased a higher level of neuroticism (OR=1.49, <0.01). Differently, increased consciousness was associated with decreased risk of depression (OR=0.73, p=0.06)
Sample, testing and analysis variables affecting liver mechanical properties: A review
No full textGiven the critical role of liver mechanics in regulating cell response and directing the development of tissue fibrosis, accurately characterising its mechanical behaviour is of relevance for both diagnostic purposes as well as for tissue engineering and for the development of in-vitro models. Determining and quantifying the mechanical behaviour of soft biological tissues is, however, highly challenging due to their intrinsic labile nature. Indeed, a unique set of values of liver mechanical properties is still lacking to date; testing conditions can significantly affect sample status and hence the measured behaviour and reported results are strongly dependent on the adopted testing method and configuration as well as sample type and status. This review aims at summarising the bulk mechanical properties of liver described in the literature, discussing the possible sources of variation and their implications on the reported results. We distinguish between the intrinsic mechanical behaviour of hepatic tissue, which depends on sample variables, and the measured mechanical properties which also depend on the testing and analysis methods. Finally, the review provides guidelines on tissue preparation and testing conditions for generating reproducible data which can be meaningfully compared across laboratories. Statement of Significance Soft tissue mechanics is widely investigated, but poorly understood. This review identifies and discusses sample and testing variables which can influence the mechanical behaviour of hepatic tissue and consequently the measured mechanical properties. To encourage the biomaterial community towards more standardized testing of soft tissues and enable comparisons between data from different laboratories, we have established new testing methods and experimental recommendations for sample preparation and testing. The review could be of wide interest to scientists involved in biomaterials research because it addresses and proposes guidelines for several issues related to the mechanical testing of soft tissues whose implications have not been considered together before
How does economic recession in Italy affect the health of Italian people?
No full textAbstracts of the 20th European Congress of Psychiatr
Psychiatry between politics and ethics: opinions of final-year medical students
No full textAbstracts of the 20th European Congress of Psychiatr
Bioinspired liver scaffold design criteria
No full textMaintaining hepatic functional characteristics in-vitro is considered one of the main challenges in engineering liver tissue. As hepatocytes cultured ex-vivo are deprived of their native extracellular matrix (ECM) milieu, developing scaffolds that mimic the biomechanical and physicochemical properties of the native ECM is thought to be a promising approach for successful tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications. On the basis that the decellularized liver matrix represents the ideal design template for engineering bioinspired hepatic scaffolds, to derive quantitative descriptors of liver ECM architecture, we characterised decellularised liver matrices in terms of their biochemical, viscoelastic and structural features along with porosity, permeability and wettability. Together, these data provide a unique set of quantitative design criteria which can be used to generate guidelines for fabricating biomaterial scaffolds for liver tissue engineering. As proof-of-concept, we investigated hepatic cell response to substrate viscoelasticity. On collagen hydrogels mimicking decellularised liver mechanics, cells showed superior morphology, higher viability and albumin secretion than on stiffer and less viscous substrates. Although scaffold properties are generally inspired by those of native tissues, our results indicate significant differences between the mechano-structural characteristics of untreated and decellularised hepatic tissue. Therefore, we suggest that design rules - such as mechanical properties and swelling behaviour - for engineering biomimetic scaffolds be re-examined through further studies on substrates matching the features of decellularized liver matrices
Short-term effects of the 2008 Great Recession on the health of the Italian population: an ecological study
No full textPurpose To report on the effects on health that the 2008 Great Recession is producing in Italy, by comparing the consistency of Italian data with general observations reported in the scientific literature, and by pointing out consequences on the rates of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, male suicidal behaviours, daytime alcohol drinking and traffic fatalities.
Methods This is an ecological study in which MEDLINE, PsycINFO and PubMed were searched for the literature with combinations of the following keywords: economic recession, financial crisis, unemployment, health, suicide and mental health. Data from two Italian government agencies (Italian Institute of Statistics, ISTAT, and Italian Agency of Drugs, AIFA) in the years from 2000 to 2010 were obtained and analysed, by producing models of multiple linear regressions.
Results After the recession onset, all-cause mortality remained stable, and was not associated with the economic fluctuations. Differently, cardiovascular mortality was associated with the rate of unemployment, and showed a significant increase in 2010. Alcohol consumption increased in 2009, the year with the worst real GDP decrease (-5.1 %). Though the total rate of suicide was not associated with the economic situation, male completed and attempted suicides due to financial crisis were significantly associated with the rate of unemployment and the real GDP. The increasing diffusion of antidepressants was not associated with a lowering of the rate of suicide.
Conclusions The data on the Italian situation here discussed are sufficiently reliable to conclude that a link exists between the ongoing economic recession and health and mental health of Italians. Further research is needed to understand more in detail and with stronger reliability such link, to support primary and secondary preventive interventions and orient the development of effective sociopolitical interventions
Situazione, qualità della vita e trattamento di persone dimesse dall'Ospedale Psichiatrico Giudiziario di Reggio Emilia: Follow up a due anni
No full textIl processo di superamento degli Ospedali Psichiatrici Giudiziari (OPG) Italiani ha comportato la dimissione della maggioranza
delle persone recluse. Scopo dello studio è effettuare un follow-up dei pazienti dimessi da un reparto dell’OPG di
Reggio Emilia. Attraverso la somministrazione di questionari rivolti a pazienti e operatori sono stati valutati: funzionamento
del percorso di dimissione, recidive di violenza, condizioni psicopatologiche, terapia e qualità della vita dei pazienti. I risultati
relativi a 23 pazienti mostrano che la dimissione verso strutture a minore intensità assistenziale è possibile e apprezzata. Non
si sono rilevate correlazioni significative tra gli esiti e le misure di valutazione del rischio pre-dimissione. Fenomeni che necessitano
di monitoraggio sono alcuni casi di suicidio nella coorte iniziale di 63 pazienti e il ricorso a terapie farmacologiche
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