93 research outputs found
Clinical-Psychological Aspects Involved in Gynecological Surgery: Description of Peri- Operative Psychopathological Symptoms and Illness Behavior
No full textAbstract.
Background. Within the current literature concerning the gynecological surgery, there are
only a few studies that focus on the psychological aspects that characterize the peri-operative
period. In this research, the psychopathological symptoms and the illness behavior were
assessed in order to confirm previous results about clinical variables such as the type and
method of intervention, as well as psychological aspects regarding the positive anamnesis
for mental disorders. Moreover, other factors including the desire for maternity and previous
surgical interventions and pregnancies were also investigated. Methods. In this observational
research, 58 women (age = 41.5±8.8), that undergone gynecological surgery (conservative
and non-conservative) for benign pathologies, were consecutively recruited. Information
on psychopathological symptoms was collected 15 days (T0) and one day before surgery
(T1), and at the time of discharge (T2) through the Symptom Questionnaire (SQ). At T2,
the Illness Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) was also administered. Results. The descriptive
analyzes conducted on the total sample demonstrated that while anxious activation and
irritable mood decrease from T0 to T1, somatizations and depression mood increase between
T1 and T2. Moreover, the comparisons between groups, dividing the sample according to
the clinical-medical and psychological variables, highlighted that the type and modality of
the intervention, as well as a positive history for the presence of psychological disorders,
the desire for maternity, and previous surgical interventions and pregnancies, can influence
the course of psychopathological symptoms. Conclusion. This study highlights the need to
include a clinical-psychological evaluation and to pay attention to specific clinical variables
regarding women that are undergoing a conservative or non-conservative gynecological surgery.
Considering the psychological impact of these type of interventions, the clinical history of these
women, as well as their fears and desires, could facilitate a better management of the patients
in terms of well-being, adherence to treatment, and recovery.
Resumen.
Fundamento. Dentro de la literatura actual referente a la cirugía ginecológica, existen pocos
estudios que se centren en los aspectos psicológicos que caracterizan el perioperatorio. En
esta investigación se evaluaron los síntomas psicopatológicos y la conducta de enfermedad
con el fin de confirmar resultados previos sobre variables clínicas como el tipo y método de
intervención así como aspectos psicológicos en cuanto a la anamnesis positiva para trastornos
mentales. Además, también se investigaron otros factores, como el deseo de maternidad y las
intervenciones quirúrgicas y embarazos previos. Métodos. En esta investigación observacional,
se reclutaron consecutivamente 58 mujeres (edad=41.5±8.8), sometidas a cirugía ginecológica
(conservadora y no conservadora) por patologías benignas. La información relativa a los
síntomas psicopatológicos se ha recogido durante 15 días (T0) y un día antes de la cirugía
(T1), y en el momento del alta (T2) a través del Cuestionario de Síntomas (SQ). En T2
también se administró el Cuestionario de Conducta de Enfermedad (IBQ). Resultados. Los
análisis descriptivos realizados sobre la muestra total demostraron que mientras la activación
ansiosa y el estado de ánimo irritable disminuyen de T0 a T1, las somatizaciones y el estado
de ánimo depresivo aumentan entre T1 y T2. Además, las comparaciones entre grupos,
dividiendo la muestra de acuerdo con las variables clínico-médicas y psicológicas, destacaron
que el tipologia y modalidad de la intervención, así como una historia positiva para la presencia
de trastornos psicológicos, deseo de maternidad y antecedentes quirúrgicos, las intervenciones
y los embarazos pueden influir en el curso de los síntomas psicopatológicos. Conclusión. Este
estudio pone de relieve la necesidad de incluir una evaluación clínico-psicológica y prestar
atención a variables clínicas específicas en mujeres que se someten a una cirugía ginecológica
conservadora o no conservadora. Considerando el impacto psicológico de este tipo de
intervenciones, la historia clínica de estas mujeres, sus miedos y deseos podría facilitar un mejo
"Tolkien": The Man Behind the Myth
No full textThe paper explores Dome Karukoski’s "Tolkien" (2019), a biopic portraying the formative years of the renowned fantasy author. The movie is discussed in connection with Humphrey Carpenter’s 1977 biography, aptly considered as a nodal point in the rhizomatic network of the Tolkien phenomenon. The fortune of Tolkien in the media landscape is investigated in terms of cultural dynamics and intermedial exchange, of appropriation and adaptation, and of commodification and mediatisation. This is done by reconstructing its most salient features and phases, with an eye to safeguarding two distinct but interrelated interests: on the one hand, literary legacy and on the other, financial gains. The case study offers a glimpse into several key issues, most notably the narrative shape given in this biopic to the connections between the life and works of a celebrity writer, the difficulty of presenting them on screen, the ideological interpretation of omissions and additions and, ultimately, the wavering relationship between the man and his myth – between Tolkien and the cultural meanings attached to his name
Dataset of mRNA levels for dopaminergic receptors, adrenoceptors and tyrosine hydroxylase in lymphocytes from subjects with clinically isolated syndromes
No full textThis data article presents a dataset of mRNA levels for dopaminergic receptors, adrenoceptors and for tyrosine hydoxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of catecholamines, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells as well as in CD4+ T effector and regulatory cells from subjects with clinically isolated syndromes (CIS), which is a first episode of neurological disturbance(s) suggestive of multiple sclerosis. CIS subjects are divided into two groups according to their eventual progression, after 12 months from CIS, to clinically established multiple sclerosis. The data reported are related to the article entitled "Dopaminergic receptors and adrenoceptors in circulating lymphocytes as putative biomarkers for the early onset and progression of multiple sclerosis" (M. Cosentino, M. Zaffaroni, M. Legnaro, R. Bombelli, L. Schembri, D. Baroncini, A. Bianchi, R. Clerici, M. Guidotti, P. Banfi, G. Bono, F. Marino, 2016
COVID-19: Psychological and Behavioral Effects and Clinical Implications
No full textStarting from the most recent news on the psychological, social and psychopathological consequences
of the COVID-19 pandemic, the author underlines the importance of a primary and secondary
multidisciplinary prevention intervention organized on individual realities. These interventions must
be aimed at both those who tested positive but asymptomatic or with benign symptoms, serious
patients who left the intensive care units and healthcare professionals. The latter in particular have
experienced serious risk situations for their own health and have at times already developed burnout
syndromes that require current and targeted interventions in order not to precipitate the symptoms in
real diseases. Lastly, a level of intervention on the general population can be structured with centers
equipped for multidisciplinary and multidimensional diagnoses for mostly secondary prevention
Infrapatellar fat pad-derived mesenchymal stromal cells from osteoarthritis patients: In vitro genetic stability and replicative senescence
No full textDifferent sources of mesenchymal stromal cells can be considered for regenerative medicine applications. Here we analyzed human adipose-derived stromal cells from infrapatellar fat pad (IFPSC) of osteoarthritis patients, representing a very interesting candidate for cartilage regeneration. No data are available concerning IFPSC stability after in vitro expansion. Indeed, replicative potential and multipotency progressively decrease during culture passages while DNA damage and cell senescence increase, thus possibly affecting clinical applications. To investigate whether in vitro expansion influences the genetic stability and replicative senescence of IFPSC, we performed long-term cultures and comparatively analyzed cells at different culture passages. Stromal vascular fraction was harvested from infrapatellar fat pad of 11 osteoarthritis patients undergoing knee replacement surgery. Cell recovery, growth kinetics, surface marker profile, and differentiation ability in inductive culture conditions were recorded. Genetic integrity maintenance was estimated by microsatellite instability analysis and mismatch repair gene expression, whereas telomere length and telomerase activity were assessed to evaluate replicative senescence. Anchorage-dependent growth was tested by soft agar culture. IFPSC displayed a phenotype similar to mesenchymal stromal cells from subcutaneous fat and showed differentiation ability. No microsatellite instability was documented even at advanced culture times in accordance to a sustained expression of mismatch repair genes, thus highlighting stability of short repeated sequences in the genome. No significant telomere attrition nor telomerase activity were documented during culture and cells did not lose anchorage-dependent growth ability. The presented data support the suitability and safety of in vitro expanded IFPSC from osteoarthritis patients for applications in regenerative medicine approaches
A Human-readable Explanation for the Similarity of RDF Resources
No full textEvaluating the similarity of RDF resources is nowadays a thoroughly investigated research problem, with reference to a variety of contexts. In fact, several tools are available for the comparison of pairs and/or groups of resources in a knowledge graph, mostly based on machine learning techniques. Unfortunately such tools, though extensively tested and fully scalable, return non-explainable (often numerical) similarity results also when comparing RDF resources, treating them according to their vector embeddings. and making no use of the semantic information carried by RDF triples. In this work, we propose a tool able to compute the commonalities of compared resource and explain them through a text in English, produced by a Natural Language Generation approach. The proposed approach is logic-based and is grounded on the computation of the Least Common Subsumer (re)defined in RDF. The feasibility of the tool is demonstrated with reference to the similarity of Twitter accounts
Faenza, 1565 e 1630. Due rappresentazioni urbane tra il concilio tridentino e la peste manzoniana
No full textThe aim of this paper is to discuss two sixteenth- and seventeenth-century cartographic representations of the city of Faenza. In 1565, Terenzio Manzoni created a map of the city which is still preserved today. In this plan, the churches are represented in axonometry: it is therefore plausible that it was realized for religious purposes and it probably served as a topographical basis for the pastoral visits of Bishop Giovanni Battista Sighicelli. In 1630 Virgilio Rondinini drew a large map of the city; the purpose of this representation is to preserve the memory of the city of Faenza, in a moment when the town, like the whole Italian peninsula, was devastated by wars and plagues. The two cartographic representations show different purposes and approaches to the ecclesiastical power. The 1565 map is functional to a proper counter-reformed perspective, in which the episcopal power uses the religious feeling of the population for social and territorial control. The 1630 map, conversely, is surprisingly lacking in sacral connotations: it is likely that the author wanted to underline a purely political link between his family and his city and the family of the reigning pope, Urban VIII.Il contributo tratta in dettaglio di due rappresentazioni cartografiche della città di Faenza realizzate nel Cinquecento e nel Seicento. Nel 1565 il perito Terenzio Manzoni realizza la prima pianta presa in esame, ancora oggi conservata, in cui le chiese sono rappresentate in assonometria: è plausibile quindi pensare che sia stata realizzata per fini religiosi, come base topografica per le visite pastorali del vescovo Giovanni Battista Sighicelli. Nel 1630 Virgilio Rondinini realizza una grande mappa della città, con lo scopo di preservare la memoria della città di Faenza in un periodo nel quale l’Italia è devastata da guerre e pestilenze. Le rappresentazioni cartografiche prese in esame mostrano differenti finalità e differenti approcci nel rapportarsi con il potere ecclesiastico: la mappa del 1565 è funzionale a un’ottica decisamente controriformata, in cui il potere episcopale si serve del sentimento religioso della popolazione per il controllo sociale e territoriale della città. La mappa del 1630 è invece sorprendentemente priva di connotazioni sacrali: è probabile che il suo autore abbia voluto sottolineare un legame prettamente politico tra la sua famiglia e la sua città e la famiglia del papa regnante, Urbano VIII
Regional risk and resilience analysis of interdependent critical infrastructure
No full textThe student, Roberto Guidotti, accepted the attached license on 2018-07-05 at 18:26.Critical infrastructure (such as water and wastewater, electric power, transportation, and telecommunication systems) constitute the backbone of modern society. They provide essential goods and services to communities, supporting the population’s well-being. Hazard events of past years revealed that the vulnerability of communities is related to the vulnerability of their critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure are exposed to low-probability high-consequence hazard events. Reductions and interruptions in their functionality may result in considerable impacts on society. A prompt recovery of the critical infrastructure leads to a prompt recovery of the economic vitality and the general well-being of the impacted communities. Interdependencies among infrastructure and between infrastructure and social systems may increase the vulnerability of communities and exacerbate the impact of hazard events, often resulting in widespread disruption and slower recovery.
This dissertation proposes a novel probabilistic methodology to quantify the reliability and resilience of interdependent critical infrastructure. Infrastructure are modeled mathematically as networks, extending to civil engineering applications well-established tools of graph theory. Topology and flow-based approaches are used to translate the physical damage of the single components into loss or reduction of network functionality and to develop network capacity and demand models. Network capacity and demand models are integrated in a time-varying network reliability and resilience analysis to assess the network response in the immediate aftermath of a hazard event and at different times during recovery process, as the network components are repaired. To capture the role of interdependencies and propagate the loss or reduction of functionality across all dependent networks, this dissertation presents a novel multi-layer heterogeneous network model. In the proposed model, the heterogeneity comes from having different components in each infrastructure (i.e., generation, storage, transmission and distribution components). The different classes of interdependency (e.g., physical, geographical, social, etc.) are modeled as different layers.
This dissertation applies the proposed methodology to a series of example testbeds, including isolated and interdependent, virtual and real critical infrastructure. Results shed light into the role of interdependencies among infrastructure and between infrastructure and social systems in the recovery of communities. Results of this dissertation aim to benefit civil engineers to develop cost-effective mitigations measures and practices in infrastructure design, construction and planning, as well as emergency managers, planners and the community to be better prepared for future hazard events.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2020-08-01The student, Roberto Guidotti, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2018-07-05 at 18:43.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2018-07-06 at 11:48.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #12745 on 2018-09-27 at 11:36:08Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-27T16:47:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3
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Previous issue date: 2018-07-06Embargo set by: Seth Robbins for item 107890
Lift date: 2020-09-27T16:47:41Z
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IKKα affects the susceptibility of primary human osteoarthritis chondrocytes to oxidative stress-induced DNA damage by tuning autophagy
No full text: The functional derangement affecting human chondrocytes during osteoarthritis (OA) onset and progression is sustained by the failure of major homeostatic mechanisms. This makes them more susceptible to oxidative stress (OS), which can induce DNA damage responses and exacerbate stress-induced senescence. The knockdown (KD) of IκB kinase α (IKKα), a dispensable protein in healthy articular cartilage physiology, was shown to increase the survival and replication potential of human primary OA chondrocytes. Our recent findings showed that the DNA Mismatch Repair pathway only partially accounts for the reduced susceptibility to OS of IKKαKD cells. Here we therefore investigated other ROS-mediated DNA damage and repair mechanisms. We exposed IKKαWT and IKKαKD chondrocytes to sub-cytotoxic hydrogen peroxide and evaluated the occurrence of double-strand breaks (DSB), 8-Oxo-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG) and telomere shortening. ROS exposure was able to significantly increase the number of γH2AX foci (directly related to the number of DSB) in both cell types, but IKKα deficient cells undergoing cell division were able to better recover compared to their IKKα proficient counterpart. 8-oxo-dG signal proved to be the highest DNA damage signal among those investigated, located in the mitochondria and with a slightly higher intensity in IKKα proficient cells immediately after OS exposure. Furthermore, ROS significantly reduced telomere length both in IKKαWT and IKKαKD, with the former showing more pervasive effects, especially in dividing cells. Assessment of the HIF-1α>Beclin1>LC3B axis after recovery from OS showed that IKKα deficient cells exhibited a more efficient autophagic machinery that allowed them to better cope with oxidative stress, possibly through the turnover of damaged mitochondria. Higher Beclin1 levels likely helped in rescuing dividing cells (identified by coupled cell cycle analysis) because of Beclin1's involvement in both autophagy and mitotic spindle organization. Therefore, our data further confirm the higher capacity of IKKαKD chondrocytes to cope with oxidative stress-induced DNA damage
Polymorphic Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Isotactic 1-Butene?Ethylene Copolymers from Metallocene Catalysts
No full text- …
