Neuro-Psychomotor intervention in children with neurodevelopmental disorders: An exploratory study by using parent-report tools

Neurodevelopmental disorders are a group of complex conditions with onset in the developmental period, that produce impairments of global functioning. For these features, the rehabilitative approaches should be flexible, tailored to the individual characteristics of each patient, and characterized by a standardized multidimensional view, for taking into consideration all the several areas of neurodevelopment. This single-arm clinical trial aims to investigate the features, feasibility, and limitations of Neuro-Psychomotor (NPM) intervention, an Italian naturalistic model for children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders. 30 children (16 with Mixed Specific Developmental Disorder vs 14 with Intellectual Disability) were recruited and their parents filled out two validated tools questionnaires (Developmental Profile-3 and Sensory Processing Measure), before and after 6 months of NPM intervention. Although with some limitations, findings showed that NPM intervention is reliable, flexible, and helpful for children with different neurodevelopmental disorders. Further studies are necessary to investigate its efficacy on a larger sample

LC-MS/MS-Based Determination of Ambroxol in Human Plasma and Cerebrospinal Fluid: Validation and Applicability in a Phase II Study on GBA-Associated Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Heterozygous mutations in the GBA1 gene, encoding the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), are major risk factors for Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Ambroxol, a small chaperone originally used as a mucolytic agent, has been shown to cross the blood–brain barrier, enhance GCase activity, and reduce α-synuclein levels, making it a promising therapeutic candidate for disease-modifying effects in GBA1-associated PD (GBA1-PD). This study aimed to develop a method to quantify ambroxol levels in human plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Ambroxol was determined by online solid-phase extraction (SPE), coupled with LC-MS/MS, by gradient elution on a monolithic column. Detection employed a 3200 QTRAP tandem mass spectrometer in the positive electrospray ionization mode. Calibration curves exhibited linearity across the analyzed ranges in both plasma and CSF. The recovery rate ranged from 106.7% to 113.5% in plasma and from 99.0% to 103.0% in CSF. No significant matrix effect was observed. Intra-day and inter-day precisions were below 11.8% in both matrices, and accuracy ranged from 89.9% to 103.1% in plasma and from 96.3% to 107.8% in CSF. We evaluated and confirmed the stability of the analyte in plasma and CSF across various storage conditions. The method was successfully validated according to European Medicine Agency (EMA) guidelines and its applicability was confirmed in the context of a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II study, designed to monitor the ambroxol levels in the plasma and CSF of GBA1-PD

Investigating the antiproliferative and antioxidant potential of xanthoxylin and of essential oil isolated from Pulicaria incisa (Lam.) DC. herbal medicine

In this study have been evaluated the antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of Israeli Pulicaria incisa (Lam.) DC. essential oil (Pi1), of essential oil partially purified by xanthoxylin (Pi2), one of its feature metabolites, and the isolated xanthoxylin (Xan). From the compositional analysis carried out by GC–MS oxygenated monoterpenes class was the main class (71.18 %), with cis-chrysanthenol (55.66 %) as the most abundant components, following by carvotanacetone (11.68 %). Other metabolites represented the second class (20.33 %), being xanthoxylin (15.35 %) the principal metabolites, isolated and characterized by NMR tecniques. Pi1 and Xan showed good antioxidant activity causing a clear reduction in ROS levels and an increase in CAT and SOD activity, while Pi2 showed a reduction in enzymatic activity. Furthermore, Pi1 and Xan demonstrated an apoptotic antiproliferative effect in a dose-dependent manner on solid and hematological tumors, unlike Pi2 which showed lower activity. These data showed that P. incisa EO had interesting antioxidant and antitumor activity and that the biological activities exhibited by the essential oil as a whole are mainly due to xanthoxylin

CA23 campania architettura. Territori plurali, festival di architettura

Attività di tutoraggio per il laboratorio living lab Marcianise curato da Francesca Castanò (DADI) e Giuseppe Guida (DADI), coordinato dalla Regione Campania, Direzione Generale Governo del Territorio, nell'ambito del festival Campania architettura 2023 (Campania, 15-28 aprile 2023)

IL “DECRETO SICUREZZA” E IL SUO CONTESTO. IL SISTEMA PENALE NEL CREPUSCOLO DELLA DEMOCRAZIA

Il “decreto sicurezza” si inserisce in un quadro di progressivo indebolimento delle garanzie individuali correlato a una crescente enfatizzazione delle istanze securitarie. In questa prospettiva, si caratterizza tuttavia per un significativo “salto di qualità”. Non più semplice espressione di obiettivi simbolico-repressivi, è infatti connotato da un’evidente declinazione illiberale del Salus rei publicae suprema lex, con scelte d’incriminazione socialmente selettive e scarsamente tolleranti nei confronti del dissenso. Il contributo ne ricostruisce il contesto politico e ideologico, interrogandosi circa la possibilità di cogliere nel principio di colpevolezza un potenziale argine nei confronti delle derive autoritarie del sistema

Altercentrism and a change in perspective on the self: The relationships of visuospatial perspective-taking with rumination and mindfulness

Rumination, a dysfunctional way of thinking, can be counteracted by mindfulness. One leading mechanism through which mindfulness works is a change in perspective on the self, i.e., looking at one’s own mental contents from a decentered perspective. Here, we tested whether a change in perspective on the self is grounded in a well-known cognitive capacity, visuospatial perspective-taking (VSPT), allowing individuals to adopt another’s visuospatial viewpoint. We measured rumination and dispositional mindfulness through self-report questionnaires and evaluated VSPT using a task requiring participants (N=345) to judge the left/right location of an object with which an agent could interact by gazing, grasping, combining the two cues or adopting a still posture. Cluster analysis identified a group of participants (N=59) systematically judging the object location from the agent’s (altercentric) perspective. In this group, the main results showed that the altercentric responses in the task condition in which the agent gazed towards the object significantly predicted both mindfulness and rumination. The higher was the proportion of the altercentric responses the higher was the mindfulness score and the lower was the rumination one. These findings provide the first evidence that a change in perspective on the self, involved in dispositional traits like rumination and mindfulness, can be grounded in the altercentric perspective-taking

Collazione e assenza di relictum.

The paper, examining Luigi Cariota Ferrara’s reflections on succession, focuses on the complex framing of the collation, with reference to its direct impact on the modus operandi of the institute in relation to the absence of relictum, highlighting in particular the methodological rigour and systematic coherence with which the Maestro directs subsequent studies on the subject.Il contributo, ripercorrendo la riflessione di Luigi Cariota Ferrara in materia successoria, si incentra sul complesso inquadramento del fenomeno collatizio, con particolare riguardo alla sua diretta incidenza sulla sfera di operatività dell’istituto in rapporto all’assenza di relictum, valorizzando in particolare il rigore e la coerenza sistematica con i quali il Maestro riesce a orientare i successivi sviluppi della dottrina in materia

Lateral based dermal flap in breast contouring in reduction mammaplasty

Background and introduction: Reduction mammaplasty surgery constitutes one of the plastic surgery procedures with the greatest impact on patients' quality of life. It is necessary to ensure an appropriate mammary contouring. Over time, various techniques have been proposed to overcome these problems, based mainly on the use of dermal, dermo fascial, or myoglandular flaps. In this case report we describe the use of a laterally vascularized dermal flap to provide better breast contouring. Case presentation: A 34-year-old female patient underwent reduction mammaplasty surgery using a dermal flap to reshape her breast profile. The flap was set up with a lateral base, degreased and anchored with a dermal loop to the pectoralis muscle to ensure adequate breast contouring. Clinical discussion: An optimal aesthetic result was obtained with contour shaping of the medial quadrants and a reduction in bulging of the lateral quadrants, with increased satisfaction of the patient's breast aesthetics. Conclusion: The use of dermal flaps for breast contouring in reduction mammaplasty is described in various modalities in the literature. The use of a laterally based dermis allows the bulging of the lateral quadrants to be reduced and the contouring of the medial quadrants to be redefined with a quick and easy technique that also allows for a more stable result and greater patient satisfaction