Personality profiles of adolescents with risky attitudes towards food, dieting, and their body image

Disordered eating (ED) clinical and subclinical conditions have a considerable impact on the population. Anticipating vulnerable profiles is crucial thereby in order to prevent the development of such pathological conditions [1, 2, 3]. Previous research has consistently shown that individual differences in Self-esteem, Impulsiveness, Obsessiveness, Ineffectiveness, and Interoceptive Awareness represent significant correlates of eating disorders [4]. The present longitudinal study was aimed at exploring distinctive personality profiles of non-clinical adolescents with stable risky attitudes towards food, dieting, and their body image. EDI-2 and a selected subset of MMPI-A content scales were administered twice, with a 7-month interval, to a sample of 142 adolescents. For the present study, we focused on the subsample of participants with reliably stable scores on the critical EDI-2 scales of Drive for Thinness (DT), Bulimia (Bu), and Body Dissatisfaction (BD) across the two measurement occasions, t1 and t2. When average profiles of adolescents with higher (> 85° percentile) vs lower (≤ 85° percentile) scores on the three EDI-2 scales at t1 were compared along the EDI- 2 and MMPI-A scales via one-way ANOVA, results indicated that adolescents with higher stable levels of DT revealed higher dissatisfaction with their body, higher Obsessiveness and depression levels and lower self-esteem levels; adolescents very dissatisfied with their body referred high DT scores, but they did not report higher Obsessiveness levels; adolescents with higher scores on Bu revealed lower Interoceptive Awareness and higher impulsivity, but did not refer higher levels of BD or DT. These differences in profile shapes were observed at t1 as well as at t2. Consistent with literature [5-10] our findings suggest that distinctive profile shapes might help to early identify adolescents who are at risk of developing EDs

Personality and Eating Disorders: A Longitudinal Study on a Non-Clinical Sample of Adolescents

The present longitudinal study is aimed at analyzing how adolescents change their dysfunctional attitudes towards their body and eating behaviors in relation to personality characteristics across a six-month time span. Via multiple regression analyses we investigated whether MMPI-A Obsessiveness, Low Self-Esteem, Depression, Family Problems and Concern for health are temporal antecedents of EDI-2 eating disorders, and vice versa. Our main findings revealed a bidirectional relationship between eating attitudes and personality. In fact, Obsessiveness, Low self-esteem, Depression, and Family problems significantly predicted changes in different dysfunctional eating attitudes, but also EDI-Interpersonal distrust and Ineffectiveness predicted changes in different MMPI-A scale scores. All together, findings suggest that personality development in adolescence is sensitive to attitudes towards eating and body appearance, and vice versa

A prospective study on the reciprocal influence between personality and attitudes, behaviors, and psychological characteristics salient in eating disorders in a sample of non-clinical adolescents

Eating disorders are mostly likely to occur for the first time in adolescence. Delineating vulnerable personality profiles of unhealthy conditions helps prevent their onset and development. This study investigated a non-clinical sample of 142 adolescents and how some theoretically salient individual differences in personality contribute to predict changes in behaviors, attitudes and psychological characteristics that are clinically significant in eating disorders (ED). The results from cross-lagged pattern analyses supported the influence of depression, obsessiveness, and self-esteem in the trajectories favoring the development of psychological characteristics, such as ineffectiveness and interoceptive awareness, which are salient in the ED risk process. Results also confirmed that BMI (Body Mass Index), perfectionism, and body dissatisfaction predict increases in dysfunctional concerns with weight control and food consumption. Empirical support for an impact of ED-relevant variables on personality self-views emerged as well. Trajectories linking ED and personality in relation to sex differences and permeability to transitory psychological conditions in adolescence were also confirmed

Treatment of osteochondral lesions of the knee with an innovative aragonite scaffold: results at two years follow-up

Introduzione La cartilagine articolare è un tessuto altamente specializzato che non rigenera spontaneamente in seguito a lesioni. Negli ultimi anni, diversi compositi bioingegnerizzati sono stati sviluppati per la riparazione dell’intera unità osteocondrale. Scopo di questo studio è valutare i risultati clinici e strumentali a breve termine di un innovativo scaffold acellulare bifasico di aragonite, nel trattamento di lesioni osteocondrali del ginocchio. Materiali e metodi Dodici pazienti sono stati valutati prospetticamente, dopo approvazione del comitato etico dell’Università di Anversa. I pazienti sono stati rivalutati clinicamente, attraverso la somministrazione di score clinici KOOS, Lysholm, IKDC e Tegner e con risonanza magnetica a 6, 12, 18 e 24 mesi dall’intervento chirurgico. Il test non parametrico dei ranghi di Wilcoxon per campioni non indipendenti è stato condotto per l'analisi dei risultati. Risultati Le lesioni erano situate sul CFM in 3 pazienti, sul CFL in 4 e sulla troclea femorale in 5 pazienti. 9 pazienti erano uomini e 3 donne, età media di 31.4±8.0 anni. I pazienti hanno riportato un aumento statisticamente significativo di tutti gli score clinici, con un aumento dello score KOOS da 47.3±13.6 pre-operatorio a 85.6±11.7 ad ultimo follow-up (p=0.005). Un trend simile si è avuto per gli altri score. I pazienti hanno riportato anche un aumento del tegner score, da un basale di 2.75±1.6 ad un valore di 4.8±1.2 a due anni dall’intervento chirurgico. La risonanza magnetica ha dimostrato un riempimento della lesione del 96.4%±5.7 a due anni di follow-up. Conclusioni I risultati a breve termine di questo innovativo scaffold di aragonite dimostrano che la tecnica è sicura, riproducibile. I risultati sono promettenti con un aumento di tutti gli score clinici ed anche dell’attività sportiva. I risultati della risonanza magnetica sono davvero singolari. Uno studio randomizzato, multicentrico è tuttora in corso in Europa, Stati Uniti e Israele.Introduction The articular cartilage is a very complex tissue that does not repair on it's own. In these last years, different bioengineered scaffolds have been developed to repair the entire osteochondral lesion. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical and MRI results at short term follow-up of this innovative, aragonite based, acellular scaffold. Materials and methods Twelve patients have been prospectively enrolled after approval of the University of Antwerp ethical commitee. Patients were evaluated clinically and by MRI at 6-12-18 and 24 months. The non parametric test of Wilcoxon has been conducted for the analysis of clinical results. Results In 3 patients the lesion was located on the MFC, in 4 patients on the LFC and in 5 on the throclea. 9 patients were man, 3 females. Mean age was 31.4±8.0 years. All patients reported a significant increase of all clinical scores. KOOS went from 47.3±13.6 at baseline to 85.6±11.7 at last follow-up (p=0.005). An increase of the tegner score was also reported by all patients, from a basal score of 2.75±1.6 to 4.8±1.2 at last follow-up. The MRI showed a 96.4 % filling of the lesion at two years control. Conclusions The results at short term follow-up demonstrate that this technique is safe and reproducible. Results are promising with an increase of all clinical scores. Also MRI results are unique. A randomized controlled trial is now ongoing in USA, Europe and Italy

Fattori psicologici di rischio e protettivi rispetto al benessere psicofisico in persone obese sottoposte a intervento bariatrico: un’indagine longitudinale a medio termine

L’obesità rappresenta un problema di salute pubblica di rilevanza globale. Il rapporto 2022 sull’obesità in Europa, pubblicato dall’Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, stima che ben il 59% degli adulti è in sovrappeso o affetto da obesità, mettendo in luce che tale problematica è di proporzioni epidemiche in questa parte del mondo. L’obesità espone le persone che ne soffrono a patologie come diabete e malattie cardiovascolari. L’intervento di chirurgia bariatrica per la riduzione del peso è considerato il trattamento più efficace dell’obesità severa. Tale intervento implica la modifica dell’apparato digerente del paziente ed ha un impatto estremamente rilevante sulla sua vita, poiché comporta dei cambiamenti sostanziali dello stile di vita ed il funzionamento psicologico. Il nostro contributo, nell’equipe multidisciplinare dell’ambulatorio di chirurgia bariatrica dell’Ospedale di Cattinara di Trieste, è stato sia di ricerca che clinico, avendo come obiettivo quello di migliorare la valutazione psicologica del paziente in fase pre e postoperatoria elaborando dati empirici su cui poggiare interventi volti ad incrementare il benessere psico-fisico dei pazienti

Tissue-engineered grafts from human decellularized extracellular matrices: A systematic review and future perspectives

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine involve many different artificial and biologic materials, frequently integrated in composite scaffolds, which can be repopulated with various cell types. One of the most promising scaffolds is decellularized allogeneic extracellular matrix (ECM) then recellularized by autologous or stem cells, in order to develop fully personalized clinical approaches. Decellularization protocols have to efficiently remove immunogenic cellular materials, maintaining the nonimmunogenic ECM, which is endowed with specific inductive/differentiating actions due to its architecture and bioactive factors. In the present paper, we review the available literature about the development of grafts from decellularized human tissues/organs. Human tissues may be obtained not only from surgery but also from cadavers, suggesting possible development of Human Tissue BioBanks from body donation programs. Many human tissues/organs have been decellularized for tissue engineering purposes, such as cartilage, bone, skeletal muscle, tendons, adipose tissue, heart, vessels, lung, dental pulp, intestine, liver, pancreas, kidney, gonads, uterus, childbirth products, cornea, and peripheral nerves. In vitro recellularizations have been reported with various cell types and procedures (seeding, injection, and perfusion). Conversely, studies about in vivo behaviour are poorly represented. Actually, the future challenge will be the development of human grafts to be implanted fully restored in all their structural/functional aspects

Personality and eating disordered behaviors in adolescent boys

There is increasing evidence showing that gender specific attitudes and behaviors predict the onset of eating behaviors. Excessive exercise to gain weight and muscularity typically reveal body dissatisfaction and predict eating disorders in males. The present study explored how personality characteristics predict body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia, in a sample of adolescent boys (N = 178) who provided selfreports along personality and body image concerns questionnaires. Results from regression analyses showed that Dynamism and low Constraint concurrently accounted for a significant variance proportion in Muscle Dysmorphia. Perfectionism, Obsessiveness, and Ineffectiveness predicted higher scores on Body Dissatisfaction. Results were controlled for age and BMI. A second data wave will be collected soon in order to explore personality antecedents of changes in body dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia. The results will help understand how personality self-views represent risk factors for dysfunctional body images and related eating disordered attitudes, in young males

Torre Alfina Deep Geothermal Reservoir

The Castel Giorgio-Torre Alfina (CG-TA, central Italy) is a geothermal reservoir whose fluids are hosted in a carbonate formation at temperatures ranging between 120°C and 210°C. Data from deep wells suggest the existence of convective flow. We present the 3D numerical model of the CG-TA to simulate the undisturbed natural geothermal field and investigate the impacts of the exploitation process. The open source finite-element code OpenGeoSys is applied to solve the coupled systems of partial differential equations. The commercial software FEFLOW® is also used as additional numerical constraint. Calculated pressure and temperature have been calibrated against data from geothermal wells. The flow field displays multicellular convective patterns that cover the entire geothermal reservoir. The resulting thermal plumes protrude vertically over 3 km at Darcy velocity of about  m/s. The analysis of the exploitation process demonstrated the sustainability of a geothermal doublet for the development of a 5 MW pilot plant. The buoyant circulation within the geothermal system allows the reservoir to sustain a 50-year production at a flow rate of 1050 t/h. The distance of 2 km, between the production and reinjection wells, is sufficient to prevent any thermal breakthrough within the estimated operational lifetime. OGS and FELFOW results are qualitatively very similar with differences in peak velocities and temperatures. The case study provides valuable guidelines for future exploitation of the CG-TA deep geothermal reservoir

On a Rare Cutaneous Metastasis from a Sacrococcygeal Chordoma

Chordomas are rare malignant tumors of notochordal origin and are rare locally aggressive ones with a metastatic potential. The skin rarely is seen as metastatic site. We describe a case of an adult woman with cutaneous metastasis of a primary sacral chordoma excised ten years before, which appeared as a painless cutaneous mass located in the dorsal region. Once removed, the surgical specimen was formalin fixed and in paraffin embedded. Sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin, and histochemical and immunohistochemical investigations were performed. Histologically, the neoplasia was characterized by cords or single tumor cells with an abundant myxoid stroma, conspicuous pale vacuolated cytoplasm (the classic "physaliphorous cells"), and mild nuclear atypia. Mitotic activity was scanty. At immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for S-100 protein, pan-keratins, EMA, and vimentin. A diagnosis of cutaneous metastasis of chordoma was performed. This case illustrates a diagnostic challenge because of the unusual presentation of an already rare tumor

Eating disorders and personality correlates in men: A validity study of the Eating Disorder Assessment for Men (EDAM) in the Italian language

Personality and eating disorders are associated in women, less is known however about how they are associated in men. The present study aimed at validating the Eating Disorder Assessment for Men (EDAM, Stanford & Lemberg, 2012) in the Italian language and exploring its correlates with personality variables. A non-clinical sample of Italian men (MAge = 39.0) provided self-ratings along EDAM and the HEXACO-PI and SD3 personality questionnaires. Principal component analysis of EDAM items suggested 5 contentcoherent dimensions: Vigorexia, Compensatory strategies, Body satisfaction, Overeating, and Drive for thinness. They did not fully replicate the expected structure. Regression analysis showed distinctive personality-EDAM domain associations, with Vigorexia positively correlating with SD3 Machiavellism, Compensatory strategies being positively associated with SD3 Narcisism, lower Control over eating with lower HEXACO-PI Conscientiousness, and higher Drive for thinness with lower Extraversion. Results are discussed in relation to gender differences in eatin