Parental Resources in Parents of Children with Special Needs (SNs) at the Time of COVID-19

Background. The limitations imposed by governments for containing the spread of COVID-19 have affected familial relationships, especially those of families dealing with children with special needs or chronic illness conditions. The current study aims to better understand what pathological/disability condition has impacted parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of children's executive functioning the most. Methods. A sample of 648 parents was asked to answer a survey assessing children's condition (typical development, specific learning disorder, autism spectrum syndrome, chronic illness), parental resources, parenting sense of competence (distinguished into parental satisfaction and self-efficacy), and parents' perception of their children's executive functioning. A MANOVA model was performed to assess differences in parental resources, sense of competence, and perception of the children's executive functions according to their condition. A path analysis model was performed to examine the impact of sense of competence and children's condition on parental resources and children's executive functions. Results. Parents with children with specific learning disorder reported lower scores of parental resources in terms of total scores, common antecedents, and specific antecedents compared to parents with typically developed children (total scores: MD = 56.45, p < 0.001; common antecedents: MD = 22.28, p < 0.00; specific antecedents: MD = 34.17, p < 0.001), parents with autistic children (total scores: MD = 62.79, p = 0.01; common antecedents: MD = 24.03, p = 0.01; specific antecedents: MD = 38.76, p = 0.02) and parents of children with chronic illness (total scores: MD = 37.42, p = 0.04; common antecedents: MD = 16.59, p = 0.01). The path analysis model shows a direct effect of parental satisfaction (beta = 0.26) and pathology/disability (beta = -0.10) on parental resources that, in turn, influence parents' perception of their children's executive functioning (beta = 0.24). Conclusion. Although no data about the prepandemic situation is available, the current study highlights that parental stress influence children's cognition. Moreover, parents of children with special needs seemed to be challenged during COVID-19, especially parents of children with specific learning disorders, that are already stressed out by their children's condition. Therefore, academic services should undertake preventive measures to preserve parental well-being and to provide a supportive environment for children, especially for those with atypical development

The Case of Insertional Adductor Tendinopathy of an International-Level 3,000-m Steeplechase Runner

Background: Groin pain is a frequent condition among athletes. One of the causes of groin pain is tendinopathy, a frequently diagnosed medical condition, which can also occur in the adductor muscles. Despite the high prevalence of this medical condition among athletes, it is infrequent to observe tendinopathic groin pain in steeplechase runners. The aim of this case study is to describe the case of an international-level 3,000-m steeplechase runner with groin pain, who was subsequently diagnosed with adductor insertional tendinopathy. Case Presentation: We present the case of an Italian 3,000-m steeplechase and long distance runner, Ala Zoghlami (180 cm, 57 kg), with groin pain, diagnosed as insertional adductor tendinopathy. The runner, after manifesting the painful symptomatology, underwent medical screening (ultrasound and MRI). The radiological investigations highlighted adductor tendinopathy. After refraining from training, the runner underwent medical and physical therapy which, in the first phase, did not improve the painful symptomatology. Further evaluation, after 6 months from the initial training cessation, highlighted a case of malocclusion. Such was treated from a dentistry perspective with the creation of a personalized dental bite. Results: A multidisciplinary approach which included medical and physical therapy, osteopathy, and dentistry, in adjunct with refraining from training, was able to reduce the symptomatology and allowed a correct return to run (after 9 months from the first painful manifestation) of the steeplechase runner. To date, Ala Zoghlami has fully recovered and was able to win the 3,000-m steeplechase race during the 2021 national Italian competition

Charging induced asymmetry in molecular conductors

We investigate the origin of asymmetry in various measured current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of molecules with no inherent spatial asymmetry, with particular focus on a recent break junction measurement. We argue that such asymmetry arises due to unequal coupling with the contacts and a consequent difference in charging effects, which can only be captured in a self-consistent model for molecular conduction. The direction of the asymmetry depends on the sign of the majority carriers in the molecule. For conduction through highest occupied molecular orbitals (i.e. HOMO or p-type conduction), the current is smaller for positive voltage on the stronger contact, while for conduction through lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (i.e. LUMO or n-type conduction), the sense of the asymmetry is reversed. Within an extended Huckel description of the molecular chemistry and the contact microstructure (with two adjustable parameters, the position of the Fermi energy and the sulphur-gold bond length), an appropriate description of Poisson's equation, and a self-consistently coupled non-equilibrium Green's function (NEGF) description of transport, we achieve good agreement between theoretical and experimental I-V characteristics, both in shape as well as overall magnitude.Comment: length of the paper has been extended (4 pages to 6 pages), two new figures have been added (3 figures to 5 figures), has been accepted for PR

New frontiers on adjuvants drug strategies and treatments in periodontitis

Causes of the progression of periodontitis such as an imbalance between the immune response by the host by the release of inflammatory mediators in the response of the oral pathogenic dysbiotic biofilm have been identified. New insights on specific cell signaling pathways that appear during periodontitis have attracted the attention of researchers in the study of new personalised approaches for the treatment of periodontitis. The gold standard of non‐surgical therapy of perio-dontitis involves the removal of supra and subgingival biofilm through professional scaling and root planing (SRP) and oral hygiene instructions. In order to improve periodontal clinical outcomes and overcome the limitations of traditional SRP, additional adjuvants have been developed in recent decades, including local or systemic antibiotics, antiseptics, probiotics, anti‐inflammatory and anti-resorptive drugs and host modulation therapies. This review is aimed to update the current and recent evolution of therapies of management of periodontitis based on the adjunctive and target therapies. Moreover, we discuss the advances in host modulation of periodontitis and the impact of targeting epigenetic mechanisms approaches for a personalised therapeutic success in the management of periodontitis. In conclusion, the future goal in periodontology will be to combine and personalise the periodontal treatments to the colonising microbial profile and to the specific response of the individual patient

Impact of Periodontitis on Glycemic Control and Metabolic Status in Diabetes Patients: Current Knowledge on Early Disease Markers and Therapeutic Perspectives

Diabetes mellitus and periodontitis are two of the most common chronic diseases affecting the world's population, and they are intimately linked. For several years, in fact, it has been known that there is an interdependent relationship between the two diseases: Diabetes promotes the destruction of periodontal tissues, and periodontal disease negatively affects glycemic control. In relation to the control of dental plaque and oral dysbiosis responsible for periodontal disease, both nonsurgical and surgical therapy associated with proper home hygiene procedures have emerged as essential for good glycemic control. Moreover, several evidences suggest the essential role played by the control of periodontal disease in preventing the onset of the most common complications of diabetes: cardiovascular diseases, retinopathies, and other systemic diseases. The aim of this study is to update the current knowledge on the bi-univocal relationship between diabetes and periodontitis and the impact of therapy in the optimal management of these two disorders. From the information found in the literature, it has emerged that the correct treatment of periodontal disease in diabetic patients represents one of the main mechanisms and means currently established and valid to control periodontal disease and glucose metabolism and prevent the onset or development of diabetic complications

Visualization, navigation, augmentation. The ever-changing perspective of the neurosurgeon

Introduction: The evolution of neurosurgery coincides with the evolution of visualization and navigation. Augmented reality technologies, with their ability to bring digital information into the real environment, have the potential to provide a new, revolutionary perspective to the neurosurgeon. Research question: To provide an overview on the historical and technical aspects of visualization and navigation in neurosurgery, and to provide a systematic review on augmented reality (AR) applications in neurosurgery. Material and methods: We provided an overview on the main historical milestones and technical features of visualization and navigation tools in neurosurgery. We systematically searched PubMed and Scopus databases for AR applications in neurosurgery and specifically discussed their relationship with current visualization and navigation systems, as well as main limitations. Results: The evolution of visualization in neurosurgery is embodied by four magnification systems: surgical loupes, endoscope, surgical microscope and more recently the exoscope, each presenting independent features in terms of magnification capabilities, eye-hand coordination and the possibility to implement additional functions. In regard to navigation, two independent systems have been developed: the frame-based and the frame-less systems. The most frequent application setting for AR is brain surgery (71.6%), specifically neuro-oncology (36.2%) and microscope-based (29.2%), even though in the majority of cases AR applications presented their own visualization supports (66%). Discussion and conclusions: The evolution of visualization and navigation in neurosurgery allowed for the development of more precise instruments; the development and clinical validation of AR applications, have the potential to be the next breakthrough, making surgeries safer, as well as improving surgical experience and reducing costs