Contatto e relazione: dai Touchpoint di Brazelton al massaggio infantile AIMI. Linee di pensiero tra T.B. Brazelton e Vimala McClure ai tempi del Covid-19

The two authors, both attentive to parenting support and child development, not only meet in the theoretical and operational lines of views, highlighted in the eight points in common, but show us how their ideas are today more current than ever. We live in a time where action often precedes thought and we are called to adapt and respond to the expectations of others on how we should be. We know how counterproductive this is in raising children. This paper offers reflections, attentions and views to those involved in supporting families and the relationship between professionals and children in the first 1000 days of life. The proposed reflection leads back to lines of an educating community with listening skills, time, empathy and social skills for the well-being of children and families. These lines are in sync with the current indications that have emerged in scientific research, in the field of epigenetics and neuroscience

Hingeless arm for space robotics actuated through shape memory alloys

Operating outside the spacecraft via remotely controlled structures is an important opportunity in different space applications. The research in this area is focused on designing robots that are sufficiently flexible to allow inspection in locations where access is difficult or impossible for astronauts, while minimizing weight and bulk. The purpose of the research is to design a borescope for space applications with no hinges or other mechanisms, exploiting biomimetic design concepts. This is pursued by giving to the borescope a backbone exoskeleton provided by a continuous structure made of fibre reinforced composite material and using NiTi wires as tendons, taking advantage of their low weight and dimensions, which allow them to be embedded between the composite layers during the lamination process. After a study of the state of the art of flexible structures, concentrated in the medical and robotic fields, the research work unfolded in two phases. In the first design phase, several composite layup solutions were considered and analysed using finite element models, leading to the definition of the borescope geometrical parameters and to an initial estimate of the displacements that can be achieved. In the second experimental phase, seven prototypes were produced and tested, with one or more wires, to validate the design and to search for a configuration that can be actuated in different directions. The borescope prototypes resulted flexible enough to achieve an extended degree of bending and at the same time sufficiently rigid to allow complete rearm of the NiTi wires. The numerical and experimental study led to the definition of the design parameters, the number of wires, and the manufacturing technique to integrate NiTi actuators

Il Piemonte nel sistema globale

Contributi di ricerca ; n.228/2009- Indice #4- Introduzione #5- La cooperazione allo sviluppo in Piemonte #8- La cooperazione internazionale e la cooperazione decentrata in Italia #12- Internazionalizzazione del sistema formativo #16- Internazionalizzazione del sistema universitario piemontese #22- Il sistema delle Nazioni Unite in Piemonte #38- Imprenditoria straniera #44- L'internazionalizzazione tramite investimenti diretti esteri delle imprese piemontesi #5

Computer-Aided Rehabilitation Supported by Zygomatic Implants: A Cohort Study Comparing Atrophic with Oncologic Patients after Five Years of Follow-Up

The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival and clinical success rate, complications, and patients’ quality of life after computer-aided rehabilitation supported by zygomatic implants in cases of severe maxillary atrophy (ten patients) and in bone defects in oncologic patients (ten patients). All patients underwent computer-aided planning and surgery. Seventy-three zygomatic implants were placed. The mean follow-up period was 39.9 months. Implant survival and clinical success rate, the effectiveness of planning the implant length, biological and prosthetic complications, and the quality of life were evaluated. The five-year implant survival rate for patients with maxillary atrophy and oncologic patients was 97.4% and 96.7%, respectively. The prosthetic survival rate was 100%. Two implant failures occurred in the first year. One implant failure was observed in each group. Minor biological and prosthetic complications occurred in both groups without significant differences. All complications were managed without affecting the treatment. The quality of life increased by 71.3% in the atrophic group and by 82.9% in the oncologic group. Zygomatic implant rehabilitation seems to be a reliable technique for patients with maxillary atrophy and for oncologic patients. The three-dimensional computer-aided approach allows the surgeon to plan the surgery and increase its predictability. Early prosthesis loading certainly allows for better functional outcomes

PRNP P39L variant is a rare cause of frontotemporal dementia in Iialian population

The missense P39L variant in the prion protein gene (PRNP) has recently been associated with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Here, we analyzed the presence of the P39L variant in 761 patients with FTD and 719 controls and found a single carrier among patients. The patient was a 67-year-old male, with a positive family history for dementia, who developed apathy, short term memory deficit, and postural instability at 66. Clinical and instrumental workup excluded prion disease. At MRI, bilateral frontal lobe atrophy was present. A diagnosis of FTD was made, with a mainly apathetic phenotype. The PRNP P39L mutation may be an extremely rare cause of FTD (0.13%)

Caracterización hidrogeoquímica de efluentes de escombreras en el grupo minero la Zarza-Perruna

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk Calculators in Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review

Introduction: Early recognition of bipolar disorder improves the prognosis and decreases the burden of the disease. However, there is a significant delay in diagnosis. Multiple risk factors for bipolar disorder have been identified and a population at high-risk for the disorder has been more precisely defined. These advances have allowed the development of risk calculators to predict individual risk of conversion to bipolar disorder. This review aims to identify the risk calculators for bipolar disorder and assess their clinical applicability. Methods: A systematic review of original studies on the development of risk calculators in bipolar disorder was performed. The studies' quality was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form for Cohort Studies and according to recommendations of the Transparent Reporting of a multivariable prediction model for Individual Prognosis or Diagnosis Initiative. Results: Three studies met the inclusion criteria; one developed a risk calculator of conversion from major depressive episode to bipolar disorder; one of conversion to new-onset bipolar spectrum disorders in offspring of parents with bipolar disorder; and the last one of conversion in youths with bipolar disorder not-otherwise-specified. Conclusions: The calculators reviewed in this article present good discrimination power for bipolar disorder, although future replication and validation of the models is needed

Mutua disponibilità, prezzi e rimborsabilità di farmaci autorizzati con procedura centralizzata europea

The european pharmaceutical market doesn’t seem to be a common integrated european market as far as prices and reimbursements within different countries are concerned. Moreover, to better define such differences, little information is available because of the lack of homogeneous and updated european databases. The aim of this study is to assess mutual availability, prices and reimbursements of innovative drugs authorised by EMEA under European Centralised Procedure between 1995-2000 and marketed in five european countries (Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, France and Denmark). Our results demonstrate that the adoption of different drug-price definition models, within different Member States, is the main cause of the heterogeneity. Currently, in countries adopting a controlled drug-price system, prices are lower than prices set in countries that adopt an uncontrolled drug-price system. In this regard, Italy ranks in a middle position as products marketed in Italy generally have prices lower than in the United Kingdom and Denmark, and higher than in France and Spain. Product availability and level of drug breakthrough in the national markets seem to greatly affect the variations we noted among prices and reimbursements in different countries. Differences we observed emphasize the need of finding a common methodology at european level, in order to define the proven “therapeutic benefit” and the “therapeutic advantage” of innovative drugs, allowing a “right price” and reimbursement to the entitled

Ion implantation in β-Ga2O3 : Physics and technology

Gallium oxide, and in particular its thermodynamically stable β-Ga2O3 phase, is within the most exciting materials in research and technology nowadays due to its unique properties. The very high breakdown electric field and the figure of merit rivaled only by diamond have tremendous potential for the next generation “green” electronics enabling efficient distribution, use, and conversion of electrical energy. Ion implantation is a traditional technological method used in these fields, and its well-known advantages can contribute greatly to the rapid development of physics and technology of Ga2O3-based materials and devices. Here, the status of ion implantation in β-Ga2O3 nowadays is reviewed. Attention is mainly paid to the results of experimental study of damage under ion irradiation and the properties of Ga2O3 layers doped by ion implantation. The results of ab initio theoretical calculations of the impurities and defect parameters are briefly presented, and the physical principles of a number of analytical methods used to study implanted gallium oxide layers are highlighted. The use of ion implantation in the development of Ga2O3-based devices, such as metal oxide field-effect transistors, Schottky barrier diodes, and solar-blind UV detectors, is described together with systematical analysis of the achieved values of their characteristics. Finally, the most important challenges to be overcome in this field of science and technology are discussed