Happiness and socio-emotional well-being of children and adolescents: a multi-method and multi-informant perspective

The present dissertation explores individual and family happiness and socio-emotional well-being in children and adolescents within the family environment, identifying risk and protective factors that influence happiness during childhood and adolescence. This doctoral thesis is divided into three chapters comprising three closely related studies. Specifically, Chapter 1 provides an overview of the theoretical frameworks used in the present dissertation. The first study represents the first systematic literature review to examine the relationship between happiness (defined to encompass subjective well-being, life satisfaction, and positive affect) and family functioning during the developmental stage (age range: 6-18 years). Of the 2,683 retrieved documents, 124 original articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The review results prove a positive relationship between happiness and family functioning across different cultures and age groups. Family dimensions (e.g., cohesion, communication) strongly predicted children’s and adolescents’ happiness. Chapter 2 encompasses the second study of this doctoral thesis, which aims to explore the happiness of children and pre-adolescents within the family context, utilizing a multi-method and multi-informant approach. Specifically, the narratives of happy moments spent with mothers and fathers were qualitatively examined within a sample of 154 families, each with at least one child aged between 6 and 13 years. Furthermore, this study seeks to underscore potential differences in perspective among children, mothers, and fathers. Six main themes related to children’s happy moments emerged from the transcripts: (1) Activities outside the home; (2) Shared activities; (3) Play; (4) Affection; (5) Gifts; (6) Non-specified. Emotional interactions characterized the happiest moments reported with mothers, while those with fathers were more frequently playful and fun situations. Chapter 3 contains the third study employing qualitative and quantitative approaches and a multi-informant perspective for exploring potential age and gender disparities in happiness between 77 pre-adolescents and adolescents (age range: 6-18 years) and their respective mothers and fathers. The results revealed that pre-adolescents report higher happiness levels than adolescents and lower levels of loneliness. Through Thematic Analysis, five primary sources of happiness emerged: (1) Social relationships, (2) Family relationships, (3) Personal interests, (4) Achievement, and (5) Entertainment. Pre-adolescents exhibited a higher occurrence of the Entertainment and Family relationships themes than adolescents. Parents notably more frequently mentioned Achievement than children. Overall, the findings of this dissertation could provide valuable insights to parents and educators on how to help children and adolescents promote their happiness

Novel methods for the synthesis and functionalisation of sulfoximines and sulfonimidamides: new pharmacophores for the medicinal chemist’s toolbox

Sulfoximines, the monoaza analogues of sulfones, have recently gained considerable recognition as a new and versatile structural motif in the life sciences.Therefore our group, in collaboration with Bayer AG (Berlin), is investigating a simple scalable and efficient methodology to make valuable chiral sulfoximines with control of stereochemistry. In the first chapter of this report we describe a novel synthetic route towards sulfoximine synthesis. Two types of key precursors are investigated: sulfoxides and phenylalanine templates. With these substrates in hand, we investigated their use in S(O)=N transfer chemistry to obtain enantioenrieched sulfoximines. Synthetic methodology for sulfoximine preparation has progressed significantly over the last decade. In contrast, sulfonimidamides, the monoaza-analogues of sulfonamides have been neglected in the life sciences so far, even though they seem to offer very interesting properties. It can be speculated that the use of sulfonimidamides in the life sciences has been hampered substantially by the lack of commercial availability and limited synthetic methods. In this context, we also investigated a facile synthesis of NH sulfonimidamides by NH transfer to tertiary sulfinamides. Racemic NH sulfonimidamides have been prepared in yields from good to excellent in a one-pot transformation. Given the limited availability of synthetic methods to produce enantioenrieched sulfonimidamides, we expanded our work towards the synthesis of tertiary enantiopure sulfinamides, which will be used as starting material for sulfonimidamide synthesis. Sulfonimidamides, like sulfoximines, offer an additional point for substitution, the =NH group. We have now developed new methods for the functionalisation of this NH group by arylation, alkylation, trifluoromethylation, cyanation, sulfonylation, alkoxycarbonylation, and aminocarbonylation. Finally, to gain further insight into the medicinal relevant properties of sulfonimidamides, a variety of structurally diverse sulfonimidamides were analysed in the same in vitro panel

Helicopter mothers and helicopter fathers : Italian adaptation and validation of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument

The aim of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI), a self-report instrument that evaluate adolescents’ and young adults’ perception of parenting behaviors. The term helicopter parenting describes a style of child-rearing characterized by parents who are over-involved in every aspect of their children’s lives in inappropriate ways, compromising their autonomy. The HPI (maternal and paternal version) was administered to 602 adolescents (356 females), between 14 and 18 years of age (Mfemales = 16.56; SD = 1.43; Mmales = 16.63; SD = 1.41). The factorial analysis confirmed the original one-factor structure for both versions. The two versions of the instrument demonstrated good concurrent and divergent validity and the reliability was high. In general, our participants perceived mothers with higher levels of helicopter parenting than fathers, regardless of gender and age of the participants. In conclusion, the instrument demonstrated good psychometric properties, indicating that it may be a valid measure for evaluating parental overparenting in the Italian context

Lipid composition of pea (Pisum sativum L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) root plasma membrane and membrane-bound peroxidase and superoxide dismutase

Plasma membrane was isolated from roots of pea and maize plants and used to analyze POD and SOD isoforms, as well as lipid composition. Among lipids, phospholipids were the main lipid class, with phosphatidylcholine being the most abundant individual component in both pea and maize plasma membranes. Significant differences between the two plant species were found in the contents of cerebrosides, free sterols, and steryl glycosides. Most maize POD isoforms were with neutral and anionic pI values, but the opposite was observed in pea. While both anionic and cationic SOD isoforms were isolated from maize, only two anionic SOD isoforms were detected in pea

Herbal supplements in the print media: communicating benefits and risks

Background The rise in use of food supplements based on botanical ingredients (herbal supplements) is depicted as part of a trend empowering consumers to manage their day-to-day health needs, which presupposes access to clear and accurate information to make effective choices. Evidence regarding herbal supplement efficacy is extremely variable so recent regulations eliminating unsubstantiated claims about potential effects leave producers able to provide very little information about their products. Medical practitioners are rarely educated about herbal supplements and most users learn about them via word-of-mouth, allowing dangerous misconceptions to thrive, chief among them the assumption that natural products are inherently safe. Print media is prolific among the information channels still able to freely discuss herbal supplements. Method This study thematically analyses how 76 newspaper/magazine articles from the UK, Romania and Italy portray the potential risks and benefits of herbal supplements. Results Most articles referenced both risks and benefits and were factually accurate but often lacked context and impartiality. More telling was how the risks and benefits were framed in service of a chosen narrative, the paucity of authoritative information allowing journalists leeway to recontextualise herbal supplements in ways that serviced the goals and values of their specific publications and readerships. Conclusion Providing sufficient information to empower consumers should not be the responsibility of print media, instead an accessible source of objective information is required.</p

Outcomes of pregnancies after kidney transplantation: lessons learned from CKD. A comparison of transplanted, nontransplanted chronic kidney disease patients and low-risk pregnancies: a multicenter nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: Kidney transplantation (KT) may restore fertility in CKD. The reasons why materno-foetal outcomes are still inferior to the overall population are only partially known. Comparison with the CKD population may offer some useful insights for management and counselling.Aim of this study was to analyse the outcomes of pregnancy after KT, compared with a large population of non-transplanted CKD patients and with low-risk control pregnancies, observed in Italy the new millennium. METHODS: We selected 121 live-born singletons after KT (Italian study group of kidney in pregnancy, national coverage about 75%), 610 live-born singletons in CKD and 1418 low-risk controls recruited in 2 large Italian Units, in the same period (2000-2014). The following outcomes were considered: maternal and foetal death; malformations; preterm delivery; small for gestational age baby (SGA); need for the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); doubling of serum creatinine or increase in CKD stage. Data were analysed according to kidney diseases, renal function (staging according to CKD-EPI), hypertension, maternal age, partity, ethnicity. RESULTS: Materno-foetal outcomes are less favourable in CKD and KT as compared with the low-risk population. CKD stage and hypertension are important determinants of results. KT patients with e-GFR >90 have worse outcomes compared with CKD stage 1 patients; the differences level off when only CKD patients affected by glomerulonephritis or systemic diseases ('progressive CKD') are compared with KT. In the multivariate analysis, risk for preterm and early-preterm delivery was linked to CKD stage (2-5 versus 1: RR 3.42 and 3.78) and hypertension (RR 3.68 and 3.16) while no difference was associated with being a KT or a CKD patient. CONCLUSIONS: The materno-foetal outcomes in patients with kidney transplantation are comparable with those of nontransplanted CKD patients with similar levels of kidney function impairment and progressive and/or immunologic kidney diseas

Clinical Features, Cardiovascular Risk Profile, and Therapeutic Trajectories of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Candidate for Oral Semaglutide Therapy in the Italian Specialist Care

Introduction: This study aimed to address therapeutic inertia in the management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) by investigating the potential of early treatment with oral semaglutide. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October 2021 and April 2022 among specialists treating individuals with T2D. A scientific committee designed a data collection form covering demographics, cardiovascular risk, glucose control metrics, ongoing therapies, and physician judgments on treatment appropriateness. Participants completed anonymous patient questionnaires reflecting routine clinical encounters. The preferred therapeutic regimen for each patient was also identified. Results: The analysis was conducted on 4449 patients initiating oral semaglutide. The population had a relatively short disease duration (42%  60% of patients, and more often than sitagliptin or empagliflozin. Conclusion: The study supports the potential of early implementation of oral semaglutide as a strategy to overcome therapeutic inertia and enhance T2D management

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio