Francesca Facchini, Senior Art Exhibition

This document represents the Senior Art Exhibition Portfolio of Francesca Facchini, which was exhibition in the Bush Art Center in Spring of 2022.https://digitalcommons.snc.edu/artportfolios/1073/thumbnail.jp

Quiet Time- A School Program Based on Meditation for Promoting Well-Being in Children: Results from a Controlled Investigation

Various investigations have applied meditation protocols in the school context, with beneficial effects. Transcendental meditation, however, received little attention in primary school settings and few controlled studies are available. The present study is aimed: 1) to investigate the implementation of a school protocol (Quiet Time-QT) based on Transcendental Meditation ™ in a primary school setting 2) to test its efficacy in promoting strengths and resilience in children, using a controlled research, with a cross over design. 92 students attending fourth and fifth class of a primary school were assigned to either the QT intervention, or to a waiting list condition. Children assigned to the waiting list received the QT protocol after few months. Before and after the intervention children were evaluated by their teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA). A Repeated Measures MANOVA was applied to compare the two groups. After the QT intervention children in the experimental condition showed fewer emotional and behavioral difficulties (SDQ) compared to children in the waiting list. An overall positive effect of QT was observed in the total sample in improving children’s strengths and emotional well-being. Participants enjoyed the practice of meditation in the school setting. Conclusions: the results of this controlled investigation showed that the QT school protocol is feasible in the school setting, and it yielded improvements in children’s strengths and well-being. Meditation programs could be easily included in the educational system to sustain children positive development

How dendritic cells sense and respond to viral infections.

Abstract The ability of dendritic cells (DCs) to sense viral pathogens and orchestrate a proper immune response makes them one of the key players in antiviral immunity. Different DC subsets have complementing functions during viral infections, some specialize in antigen presentation and cross-presentation and others in the production of cytokines with antiviral activity, such as type I interferons. In this review, we summarize the latest updates concerning the role of DCs in viral infections, with particular focus on the complex interplay between DC subsets and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite being initiated by a vast array of immune receptors, DC-mediated antiviral responses often converge towards the same endpoint, that is the production of proinflammatory cytokines and the activation of an adaptive immune response. Nonetheless, the inherent migratory properties of DCs make them a double-edged sword and often viral recognition by DCs results in further viral dissemination. Here we illustrate these various aspects of the antiviral functions of DCs and also provide a brief overview of novel antiviral vaccination strategies based on DCs targeting

Dispersion of the QT Interval in Subjects with Frequent Nonsustained Ventricular Arrhythmias and No Underlying Heart Disease: Arrhythmogenic Substrate or Mechanoelectrical Feedback of Arrhythmias?

Background: QT dispersion (QTd) on the ECG is thought to reflect the temporal and spatial inhomogeneity of repolarization in the underlying myocardium. In myocardial infarction, ischemia, and long QT syndromes, an increased QTd is associated with a propensity for malignant ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We investigated this feature of the repolarization process in subjects with frequent ventricular arrhythmias and structurally normal hearts. Methods: Forty-nine patients referred for frequent, nonsustained ventricular arrhythmias (45 ± 14 years, ×± SD, 61% female) had normal ventricular dimensions and function, no late potentials, and normal ECG. They were compared with 30 controls (42 ± 13 years, 50% female). QTd was measured as the difference between the longest and the shortest QT in the six precordial leads at a paper speed of 50 mm/s. Results: In patients, QTc was similar to that of controls: 395 ± 21 versus 386 ± 20. However, QTd was greater: 49 ± 20 ms versus 32 ± 14 ms, P < 001. Moreover, 18 patients (36%) had QTd exceeding 60 ms—a value superior to the mean normal value of 2 SD—compared to only 1 control (3%) (P < 0.01). Finally, patients with more frequent ventricular arrhythmias had larger QTd. Conclusions: In patients with frequent nonsustained ventricular arrhythmias and otherwise normal hearts, QT interval dispersion is increased. We speculate that, instead of representing a specific electrophysiological substrate of arrhythmias, QT dispersion in this specific population could result from arrhythmias themselves through a possible mechanoelectrical feedback

Towards a CAD-based automatic procedure for patient specific cutting guides to assist sternal osteotomies in pectus arcuatum surgical correction

Abstract Pectus Arcuatum, a rare congenital chest wall deformity, is characterized by the protrusion and early ossification of sternal angle thus configuring as a mixed form of excavatum and carinatum features. Surgical correction of pectus arcuatum always includes one or more horizontal sternal osteotomies, consisting in performing a V-shaped horizontal cutting of the sternum (resection prism) by means of an oscillating power saw. The angle between the saw and the sternal body in the V-shaped cut is determined according to the peculiarity of the specific sternal arch. The choice of the right angle, decided by the surgeon on the basis of her/his experience, is crucial for a successful intervention. The availability of a patient-specific surgical guide conveying the correct cutting angles can considerably improve the chances of success and, at the same time, reduce the intervention time. The present paper aims to propose a new CAD-based approach to design and produce custom-made surgical guides, manufactured by using additive manufacturing techniques, to assist the sternal osteotomy. Starting from CT images, the procedure allows to determine correct resection prism and to shape the surgical guide accordingly taking into account additive manufacturing capabilities. Virtually tested against three case studies the procedure demonstrated its effectiveness. Highlights Patient-specific surgical guide improves the chances of success in sternal osteotomy. A CAD-based approach to design and produce custom-made surgical guides is proposed. The proposed framework entails both a series of automatic and user-guided tasks

Preparation method and growth factor content of platelet concentrate influence the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells

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Per una gestione Lean degli Accessi Vascolari

L'accesso vascolare per dialisi continua a sfuggire a una precisa organizzazione, capace di dare risposte al complesso problema demografico e clinico di pazienti comorbidi e sempre più anziani. Descriviamo l'intero processo gestionale alla luce dei principi del Lean Management (LM), filosofia gestionale divenuta un metodo di produzione industriale. I concetti cardine sono quelli di valore aggiunto per il paziente, di scarto (inteso come esposizione a un rischio) e di partecipazione del paziente e dell' operatore alla revisione continua del prodotto (servizio) fornito. Si parte dalla materia prima (patrimonio vascolare), passando per la progettazione (riferimento tempestivo e controllo del territorio), la realizzazione chirurgica e il controllo del prodotto funzionante (monitoraggio). Per esempio, in termini consoni al LM, i CVC sono un magazzino troppo grande di parti di ricambio con un'elevata percentuale di difetti di produzione. La loro manutenzione (antibiotici, ricoveri, sostituzioni, trombolisi e stenting dei vasi centrali) costa molto e causa un elevato tasso di incidenti sul lavoro (per pazienti e operatori). Si tratta di un contratto non conveniente, perché serve a finanziare un'attività di scarso valore aggiunto e con un interesse passivo troppo elevato. Questo approccio richiede una crescita culturale che parte dalla creazione di un gruppo coordinato: gli attori sono stati più volte individuati (nefrologo, chirurgo vascolare, radiologo e infermiere di dialisi), ma spesso non esiste il coordinatore, che proponiamo di individuare secondo il modello organizzativo dei trapianti. Anche le Direzioni Sanitarie dovrebbero essere coinvolte in un cambiamento organizzativo cruciale per il contenimento prospettico dei costi