7 research outputs found
"Running with cancer": A qualitative study to evaluate barriers and motivations in running for female oncological patients
Nowadays, it is widely acknowledged that low physical activity levels are associated with an increase in terms of both disease recurrence and mortality in cancer survivors. In this light, deciphering those factors able to hamper or facilitate an active lifestyle is crucial in order to increase patients' adherence to physical activity. The purpose of this study was to explore barriers and motivations in a sample of female oncological patients, practising running using the ecological model and compare them with healthy controls. Focus group interviews were conducted at Verona University. Participants were 12 female cancer survivors and 7 matched healthy controls who had participated at "Run for Science" project. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using content analysis. Transcripts were categorized according to the ecological model, identifying barriers and motivations as themes. About motivations, three sub-themes were included: personal, interpersonal and environmental/organizational factors. Regarding barriers, another sub-theme was recognized: community/policy factors. Compared to healthy controls, survivors expressed motivations and barriers specifically related to their oncological disease. Running was a challenge with their cancer and a hope to give to other patients. Main barriers were represented by treatment-related side effects, inexperienced trainers and external factors, e.g. delivery of incorrect information. Running programs dedicated to oncological patients should consider intrinsic obstacles, related to cancer and its treatment. The interventions should offer a personalized program performed by qualified trainers, together with a motivational approach able to improve participants' adherence to an active lifestyle
Psychological impact of Covid-19 pandemic on oncological patients: a survey in Northern Italy
The psychological impact of the Covid 19 pandemic on cancer patients, a population at higher risk of fatal consequences if infected, has been only rarely evaluated. This study was conducted at the Departments of Oncology of four hospitals located in the Verona area in Italy to investigate the psychological consequences of the pandemic on cancer patients under active anticancer treatments. A 13-item ad hoc questionnaire to evaluate the psychological status of patients before and during the pandemic was administered to 474 consecutive subjects in the time frame between April 27th and June 7th 2020. Among the 13 questions, 7 were considered appropriate to elaborate an Emotional Vulnerability Index (EVI) that allows to separate the population in two groups (low versus high emotional vulnerability) according to observed median values. During the emergency period, the feeling of high vulnerability was found in 246 patients (53%) and was significantly associated with the following clinical variables: female gender, being under chemotherapy treatment, age 64 65 years. Compared to the pre-pandemic phase, the feeling of vulnerability was increased in 41 patients (9%), remained stably high in 196 (42%) and, surprisingly, was reduced in 10 patients (2%). Overall, in a population characterized by an high level of emotional vulnerability the pandemic had a marginal impact and only a small proportion of patients reported an increase of their emotional vulnerability
Osteomalacia: The Missing Link in the Pathogenesis of Bisphosphonate-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws?
none13noAbstractBackground. Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) is a well-documented adverse event from treatment with nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates (NBPs). During a preliminary histomorphometric study aimed at assessing the rate of bone remodeling in the jaws of patient with surgically resected BRONJ, we found a defect of bone mineralization (unpublished data). We hypothesized that osteomalacia could be a risk factor for BRONJ in patients taking NBPs. Therefore, we looked for static and dynamic histomorphometric evidence of osteomalacia in biopsies from subjects with and without BRONJ.Methods. This case-control study used histomorphometric analysis of bone specimens of patients using NBPs (22 patients with BRONJ and 21 patients without BRONJ) who required oral surgical interventions for the treatment/prevention of osteonecrosis. Patients were given tetracycline hydrochloride according to a standardized protocol before taking bone biopsies from their jaws. Biopsies with evidence of osteomyelitis or necrosis at histology were excluded from the study. Osteomalacia was defined as a mineralization lag time >100 days, a corrected mean osteoid thickness >12.5 mm, and an osteoid volume >10%.Results. In all, 77% of patients with BRONJ were osteomalacic compared with 5% of patients without BRONJ, according to histomorphometry. Because osteomalacia was found almost exclusively in NBP users with BRONJ, this is likely to be a generalized process in which the use of NBPs further deteriorates mechanisms of bone repair.Conclusions. Osteomalacia represents a new and previously unreported risk factor for disease development. This finding may contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and help with the development of strategies to increase the safety of NBP administration.mixedA. Bedogni;G. Saia;G. Bettini;A. Tronchet;A. Totola;G. Bedogni;P. Tregnago;M. T. Valenti;F. Bertoldo;G. Ferronato;P. F. Nocini;S. Blandamura;L. Dalle CarbonareBedogni, Alberto; Saia, Giorgia; Bettini, G.; Tronchet, A.; Totola, A.; Bedogni, G.; Tregnago, P.; Valenti, M. T.; Bertoldo, F.; Ferronato, Giuseppe; Nocini, P. F.; Blandamura, Stella; Dalle Carbonare, L
Osteomalacia: The Missing Link in the Pathogenesis of BisphosphonateâRelated Osteonecrosis of the Jaws?
Modifying the Size of Ultrasound-Induced Liquid-Phase Exfoliated Graphene: From Nanosheets to Nanodots
Ultrasound-induced
liquid-phase exfoliation (UILPE) is an established
method to produce single- (SLG) and few-layer (FLG) graphene nanosheets
starting from graphite as a precursor. In this paper we investigate
the effect of the ultrasonication power in the UILPE process carried
out in either <i>N</i>-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) or <i>ortho</i>-dichlorobenzene (<i>o</i>-DCB). Our experimental
results reveal that while the SLGs/FLGs concentration of the NMP dispersions
is independent of the power of the ultrasonic bath during the UILPE
process, in <i>o</i>-DCB it decreases as the ultrasonication
power increases. Moreover, the ultrasonication power has a strong
influence on the lateral size of the exfoliated SLGs/FLGs nanosheets
in <i>o</i>-DCB. In particular, when UILPE is carried out
at âŒ600 W, we obtain dispersions composed of graphene nanosheets
with a lateral size of 180 nm, whereas at higher power (âŒ1000
W) we produce graphene nanodots (GNDs) with an average diameter of
âŒ17 nm. The latter nanostructures exhibit a strong and almost
excitation-independent photoluminescence emission in the UV/deep-blue
region of the electromagnetic spectrum arising from the GNDsâ
intrinsic states and a less intense (and strongly excitation wavelength
dependent) emission in the green/red region attributed to defect states.
Notably, we also observe visible emission with near-infrared excitation
at 850 and 900 nm, a fingerprint of the presence of up-conversion
processes. Overall, our results highlight the crucial importance of
the solvent choice for the UILPE process, which under controlled experimental
conditions allows the fine-tuning of the morphological properties,
such as lateral size and thickness, of the graphene nanosheets toward
the realization of luminescent GNDs