Writing Technique Across Psychotherapies—From Traditional Expressive Writing to New Positive Psychology Interventions: A Narrative Review

Writing Therapy (WT) is defined as a process of investigation about personal thoughts and feelings using the act of writing as an instrument, with the aim of promoting self-healing and personal growth. WT has been integrated in specific psychotherapies with the aim of treating specific mental disorders (PTSD, depression, etc.). More recently, WT has been included in several Positive Interventions (PI) as a useful tool to promote psychological well-being. This narrative review was conducted by searching on scientific databases and analyzing essential studies, academic books and journal articles where writing therapy was applied. The aim of this review is to describe and summarize the use of WT across various psychotherapies, from the traditional applications as expressive writing, or guided autobiography, to the phenomenological-existential approach (Logotherapy) and, more recently, to the use of WT within Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Finally, the novel applications of writing techniques from a positive psychology perspective will be analyzed. Accordingly, the applications of WT for promoting forgiveness, gratitude, wisdom and other positive dimensions will be illustrated. The results of this review show that WT yield therapeutic effects on symptoms and distress, but it also promotes psychological well-being. The use of writing can be a standalone treatment or it can be easily integrated as supplement in other therapeutic approaches. This review might help clinician and counsellors to apply the simple instrument of writing to promote insight, healing and well-being in clients, according to their specific clinical needs and therapeutic goals

Surface nano-patterning through styrene adsorption on Si(100)

We present an ab initio study of the structural and electronic properties of styrene molecules adsorbed on the dimerized Si(100) surface at different coverages, ranging from the single-molecule to the full monolayer. The adsorption mechanism primarily involves the vinyl group via a [2+2] cycloaddition process that leads to the formation of covalent Si-C bonds and a local surface derelaxation, while it leaves the phenyl group almost unperturbed. The investigation of the functionalized surface as a function of the coverage (e.g. 0.5 -- 1 ML) and of the substrate reconstruction reveals two major effects. The first results from Si dimer-vinyl interaction and concerns the controlled variation of the energy bandgap of the interface. The second is associated to phenyl-phenyl interactions, which gives rise to a regular pattern of electronic wires at surface, stemming from the pi-pi coupling. These findings suggest a rationale for tailoring the surface nano-patterning of the surface, in a controlled way.Comment: 19 pages (preprint), 4 figures, supplementary materia

Adapted Physical Activity Can Increase Life Appreciation in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Objectives: This study aimed to measure the effect of a treatment of adapted physical activity (APA) on motor symptoms and on positive psychological resources in a group of patients with PD. Methods: 37 patients with PD (M age = 71.5; 70.3% male) completed measures of disability level, motor performance, distress, well-being, and quality of life before and after participating in a program of APA (duration: 7 months). Analysis of variance - repeated measures was performed to evaluate the effect of APA on disability, distress, and well-being. Results: After intervention, patients reported significant improvements in their motor autonomy, disability level, psychological distress, and in life appreciation. Discussion: A brief physical activity program was beneficial not only to patients’ motor functioning, but also to their mental health, by reducing distress and promoting life appreciation

Improving Purpose in Life in School Settings

Background and aim: The dimension of purpose in life (PiL) is one of the core features of eudaimonia and plays a crucial role in developmental settings. However, few studies have examined purpose in life in younger generations and verified if it is amenable to improvements following a wellbeing-promoting intervention. The aim of the present investigation is to explore correlates and predictors of purpose in life in school children and to test if it can be ameliorated after school-based wellbeing interventions. Methods: A total of 614 students were recruited in various schools in Northern Italy. Of these, 456 belonged to junior high and high schools and were randomly assigned to receive a protocol of School Well-Being Therapy (WBT) or a psychoeducational intervention (controls). A total of 158 students were enrolled in elementary schools and received a positive narrative intervention based on fairytales or were randomly assigned to controlled conditions. All students were assessed pre- and post- intervention with Ryff scales of eudaimonic wellbeing (short version) and with other self-report measures of anxiety, depression and somatization. Additionally, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was administered to their schoolteachers as observed–rated evaluation. Results: In both elementary and high schools, purpose in life after the intervention was predicted by initial depressive symptoms and by group assignment (positive interventions vs. controls). In older students, PiL was predicted by female gender and anxiety levels, while no specific strengths identified by teachers were associated with PiL. Conclusions: PiL plays an important and strategic role in developmental settings, where students can develop skills and capacities to set meaningful goals in life. Depressive symptoms and anxiety can be obstacles to developing PiL in students, while positive school-based interventions can promote this core dimension of eudaimonia

CHROMOSOME AND GENOTYPE CHARACTERIZATION IN SOME RICE BIOTYPES SHOWING GRAIN SHATTERING

Red rice (Oryza sativa var. silvatica L.) is a common weed in rice crop, very troublesome to control due to high shattering. The aim of the present research was to analyse the genome of some biotypes of red rice in order to promote innovatives methods for its control. In the first year, morphological and karyotypical analysis of some phenotypically different red rice biotypes in comparison with the rice cultivar \u2018Loto\u2019 were carried out. The seeds of rice and red rice were sown in greenhouse and afterwards the root tips of the seedlings were employed for the cytological analysis. The chromosome preparations were made by the standard air-drying technique, after enzymatic maceration, and stained with a 4% Giemsa solution for 20 min., according to Fukui and Iijima\u2019s method (1992). The analysis, by means of a computerized chromosome image method (CHIA\u2013EA), showed that in red rice various translocations occur, which always involve a chromosome of the first pair together with other elements of the set. Previous results clearly indicated that each red rice biotype is characterized by a specific translocation, showing a relationship among different phenotypes and karyotypes. It is important to note that in Oryza sativa one gene for shattering maps to the long arm of chromosome 1, which is always involved in the translocations. The project is divided into three phases: the field growing and observations, the laboratory analysis and the computer analysis. The first results that we have obtained support the proposed assumption. An increase in the dose of the genes frequently alters the phenotype, depending upon the effect of the genes involved. In the second year, the research was based on the molecular analysis. Since the shattering gene is located on the long arm of the chromosome 1, which is involved in the translocation process, I have analyzed this genomic locus by both cytogenetic and molecular biology techniques. The shattering character relies on the presence of a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) which can explain about 70% of the non-shattering character associated to this gene whereby this SNP probably affects a regulatory region. In my experimental results, the CDS of the eight biotypes of Oryza sativa var. silvatica coincides with a rice genome presenting a high non- shattering character, except for the case of the qSH1-SNP, located outside the CDS, coinciding with the low non-shattering genome rice. In the third year, in order to ascertain if the shattering gene is displaced, breaks or remains on chromosome 1, we made use of the FISH method. The FISH cytogenetic method is employed in order to identify specific sequences of nucleic acids in the chromosome. It represents a significant contribution to standard cytogenetic for the identification of chromosome numerical and structural anomalies. It led however to an encouraging result for two different biotypes: the discovery that the shattering gene does not undergo translocation. Other QTLs for shattering character were noticed on chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 7, 8 and 11, in other cultivated rice species which partially explain the shattering character, although the responsible gene was identified only in three of these QTLs: 1, 4 and 7. The analysis of the involved genes of chromosomes 4 and 7 in our eight red rice biotypes has revealed that the QTLs found on these chromosomes are probably not involved in the shattering character. These analysis provide a wide overview of a possible correlation between the different phenotypes of the eight biotypes, shattering level, karyotypic differences connected with a specific translocation for each biotype and the fact that both these translocations and the gene responsible for the shattering of the eight biotypes are always present in chromosome 1. The investigation of the relationship between the various translocations and the expression of the shattering gene would require further and more sophisticated analyses

"Twin lesions". which one is the bad one. improvement of clinical diagnosis with reflectance confocal microscopy

BACKGROUND: In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a novel non-invasive diagnostic tool, which is used to differentiate skin lesions. Even in lesions with similar dermatoscopic images, RCM may improve diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: Three sets of false "twin lesions" with similar macroscopic and dermatoscopic images are matched. All lesions are evaluated with RCM and lesions are excised for further evaluation. Corresponding features in confocal images, dermatoscopy and histopathology are discussed. RESULTS: In all matched pairs, one of the lesions was diagnosed as melanoma with the observation of melanoma findings such as: epidermal disarray, pagetoid cells in epidermis and cellular atypia at the junction. Benign lesions were differentiated easily with RCM imaging. CONCLUSION: Examining dermatoscopically difficult and/or similar lesions with RCM facilitates diagnostic and therapeutic decision making. Using RCM in daily practice may contribute to a decrease in unnecessary excisions

Tailoring the electronic properties of silicon with cysteine: A first principle study

We discuss the electronic structure modifications induced on the dihydride-terminated Si(001) surface upon cysteine adsorption by means of ab initio calculations: several stable functionalization schemes are presented, providing different routes for biological recognition, surface nanostructuring, and biomolecular electronics applications. The resulting hybrid systems are discussed and compared in terms of stability, structural, and electronic properties. Based on our results, we propose STM and photoemission experiments to determine unambiguously the adsorption mechanism involved and the attached functional group

Exciton binding energies in carbon nanotubes from two-photon photoluminescence

One- and two-photon luminescence excitation spectroscopy showed a series of distinct excitonic states in single-walled carbon nanotubes. The energy splitting between one- and two-photon-active exciton states of different wavefunction symmetry is the fingerprint of excitonic interactions in carbon nanotubes. We determine exciton binding energies of 0.3-0.4 eV for different nanotubes with diameters between 0.7 and 0.9 nm. Our results, which are supported by ab-initio calculations of the linear and non-linear optical spectra, prove that the elementary optical excitations of carbon nanotubes are strongly Coulomb-correlated, quasi-one dimensionally confined electron-hole pairs, stable even at room temperature. This alters our microscopic understanding of both the electronic structure and the Coulomb interactions in carbon nanotubes, and has direct impact on the optical and transport properties of novel nanotube devices.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Partnering for sustainability in agri-food supply chains: the case of Barilla Sustainable Farming in the Po Valley

This is the final version. Available on open access from Springer via the DOI in this recordAvailability of data and materials: Not applicableThe objective of the paper is to understand the process of designing a multi-stakeholder partnership in the adoption of sustainable innovations in value chains. More specifically, the focus is on the design of feasible types of horizontal agreements and contractual formulas to be implemented in the agri-food supply chain in order to introduce sustainable agricultural practices. To this purpose, the Barilla Sustainable Farming initiative, which is currently in the first phase of designing an MSP, is used as a case study.European Union Horizon 202