L’integrazione delle esperienze di apprendimento tra scuola e lavoro: un’ipotesi di ricerca

School-work alternation projects allow students to clarify their own attitudes and abilities, sometimes increasing personal ideas about their own future, sometimes understanding that they have developed expectations about the professional future that are in conflict with the individual attitudes and skills. In this perspective, the study aimed to analyze the level of selfefficacy, decision-making, problem solving and the professional values and aspirations in students involved in school-work alternation projects. 290 high school students and 60 teachers took part in the experiment. The measures used are Clipper (Ideas and aspects on the future of scholastic-professional, My life as a student, How much confidence do I have in me?, MDMQ, I can deal with my problems ?, How do I behave with others?), WIS / SVP questionnaire - and SDS - Form R questionnaire, while the teachers have been offered a specific structured questionnaire. The data obtained highlighted the need to develop and further improvethese educational strategies in order to structure a more defined and stable professional identity, focusing more on individual characteristics and transversal skills that make a professional profile more functional and adaptive.I progetti di alternanza scuola-lavoro consentono allo studente di fare chiarezza sulle proprie propensioni e sulle proprie capacità, talvolta incrementando le idee personali relative al proprio futuro, talaltra conducendo il singolo a comprendere di aver sviluppato pensieri sul futuro contrastanti con le capacità dimostrate nella realtà. In questa prospettiva, lo scopo generale dello studio è analizzare il livello di autoefficacia, di decision-making, di problem solving e la formazione di valori e aspirazioni professionali in studenti coinvolti in progetti di alternanza scuola-lavoro. 290 studenti di scuola superiore e 60 docenti hanno preso parte alla ricerca. Gli strumenti utilizzati sono Clipper (Idee e aspetti sul futuro scolastico-professionale, La mia vita da studente, Quanta fiducia ho in me ?, MDMQ , So affrontare i miei problemi ?, Come mi comporto con gli altri?), il questionario WIS / SVP - Scala dei valori professionali e il questionario SDS - Forma R; mentre ai docenti è stato proposto un questionario costruito ad hoc. I dati ottenuti hanno evidenziato la necessità di sviluppare e migliorare ulteriormente tali strategie formative al fine di creare una maggiore consapevolezza professionale negli adolescenti, attraverso un’attenzione privilegiata alle caratteristiche individuali e alle competenze trasversali che rendono funzionale un profilo professionale

Use of Lung Ultrasound in Cystic Fibrosis: Is It a Valuable Tool?

cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem disorder characterized by progressive respiratory deterioration, significantly impacting both quality of life and survival. over the years, lung ultrasound (LUS) has emerged as a promising tool in pediatric respiratory due to its safety profile and ease at the bedside. In the era of highly effective CF modulator therapies and improved life expectancy, the use of non-ionizing radiation techniques could become an integral part of CF management, particularly in the pediatric population. the present review explores the potential role of LUS in CF management based on available data, analyzing all publications from January 2015 to January 2024, focusing on two key areas: LUS in CF pulmonary exacerbation and its utility in routine clinical management. nonetheless, LUS exhibits a robust correlation with computed tomography (CT) scans and serves as an additional, user-friendly imaging modality in CF management, demonstrating high specificity and sensitivity in identification, especially in consolidations and atelectasis in the CF population. due to its ability, LUS could be an instrument to monitor exacerbations with consolidations and to establish therapy duration and monitor atelectasis over time or their evolution after therapeutic bronchoalveolar lavage. on the basis of our analysis, sufficient data emerged showing a good correlation between LUS score and respiratory function tests. Good sensitivity and specificity of the methodology have been found in rare CF pulmonary complications such as effusion and pneumothorax. regarding its use in follow-up management, the literature reports a moderate correlation between LUS scores and the type, extent, and CT severity score of bronchiectasis. a future validation of ultrasound scores specifically in CF patients could improve the use of LUS to identify pulmonary exacerbations and monitor disease progression. however, further research is needed to comprehensively establish the role of LUS in the CF population, particularly in elucidating its broader utility and long-term impact on patient care

Integrated MRI–Immune–Genomic Features Enclose a Risk Stratification Model in Patients Affected by Glioblastoma

Simple Summary: Despite crucial scientific advances, Glioblastoma (GB) remains a fatal disease with limited therapeutic options and a lack of suitable biomarkers. The unveiled competence of the brain immune system together with the breakthrough advent of immunotherapy has shifted the present translational research on GB towards an immune-focused perspective. Several clinical trials targeting the immunosuppressive GB background are ongoing. So far, results are inconclusive, underpinning our partial understanding of the complex cancer-immune interplay in brain tumors. High throughput Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging has shown the potential to decipher GB heterogeneity, including pathologic and genomic clues. However, whether distinct GB immune contextures can be deciphered at an imaging scale is still elusive, leaving unattained the non-invasive achievement of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Along these lines, we integrated genetic, immunopathologic and imaging features in a series of GB patients. Our results suggest that multiparametric approaches might offer new efficient risk stratification models, opening the possibility to intercept the critical events implicated in the dismal prognosis of GB. Abstract: Background: The aim of the present study was to dissect the clinical outcome of GB patients through the integration of molecular, immunophenotypic and MR imaging features. Methods: We enrolled 57 histologically proven and molecularly tested GB patients (5.3% IDH-1 mutant). Two- Dimensional Free ROI on the Biggest Enhancing Tumoral Diameter (TDFRBETD) acquired by MRI sequences were used to perform a manual evaluation of multiple quantitative variables, among which we selected: SD Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR), SD and mean Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC). Characterization of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment (TIME) involved the immunohistochemical analysis of PD-L1, and number and distribution of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs) and CD163+ Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAMs), focusing on immune-vascular localization. Genetic, MR imaging and TIME descriptors were correlated with overall survival (OS). Results: MGMT methylation was associated with a significantly prolonged OS (median OS = 20 months), while no impact of p53 and EGFR status was apparent. GB cases with high mean ADC at MRI, indicative of low cellularity and soft consistency, exhibited increased OS (median OS = 24 months). PD-L1 and the overall number of TILs and CD163+TAMs had a marginal impact on patient outcome. Conversely, the density of vascular-associated (V) CD4+ lymphocytes emerged as the most significant prognostic factor (median OS = 23 months in V-CD4high vs. 13 months in V-CD4low, p = 0.015). High V-CD4+TILs also characterized TIME of MGMTmeth GB, while p53mut appeared to condition a desert immune background. When individual genetic (MGMTunmeth), MR imaging (mean ADClow) and TIME (V-CD4+TILslow) negative predictors were combined, median OS was 21 months (95% CI, 0–47.37) in patients displaying 0–1 risk factor and 13 months (95% CI 7.22–19.22) in the presence of 2–3 risk factors (p = 0.010, HR = 3.39, 95% CI 1.26–9.09). Conclusion: Interlacing MRI–immune–genetic features may provide highly significant risk-stratification models in GB patients

Biological Role and Clinical Implications of microRNAs in BRCA Mutation Carriers

Women with pathogenic germline mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have an increased risk to develop breast and ovarian cancer. There is, however, a high interpersonal variability in the modality and timing of tumor onset in those subjects, thus suggesting a potential role of other individual’s genetic, epigenetic, and environmental risk factors in modulating the penetrance of BRCA mutations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that can modulate the expression of several genes involved in cancer initiation and progression. MiRNAs are dysregulated at all stages of breast cancer and although they are accessible and evaluable, a standardized method for miRNA assessment is needed to ensure comparable data analysis and accuracy of results. The aim of this review was to highlight the role of miRNAs as potential biological markers for BRCA mutation carriers. In particular, biological and clinical implications of a link between lifestyle and nutritional modifiable factors, miRNA expression and germline BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations are discussed with the knowledge of the best available scientific evidence

Cure indicators and prevalence by stage at diagnosis for breast and colorectal cancer patients: A population‐based study in Italy

People alive many years after breast (BC) or colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses are increasing. This paper aimed to estimate the indicators of cancer cure and complete prevalence for Italian patients with BC and CRC by stage and age. A total of 31 Italian Cancer Registries (47% of the population) data until 2017 were included. Mixture cure models allowed estimation of net survival (NS); cure fraction (CF); time to cure (TTC, 5-year conditional NS >95%); cure prevalence (who will not die of cancer); and already cured (prevalent patients living longer than TTC). 2.6% of all Italian women (806,410) were alive in 2018 after BC and 88% will not die of BC. For those diagnosed in 2010, CF was 73%, 99% when diagnosed at stage I, 81% at stage II, and 36% at stages III-IV. For all stages combined, TTC was >10 years under 45 and over 65 years and for women with advanced stages, but <= 1 year for all BC patients at stage I. The proportion of already cured prevalent BC women was 75% (94% at stage I). Prevalent CRC cases were 422,407 (0.7% of the Italian population), 90% will not die of CRC. For CRC patients, CF was 56%, 92% at stage I, 71% at stage II, and 35% at stages III-IV. TTC was <= 10 years for all age groups and stages. Already cured were 59% of all prevalent CRC patients (93% at stage I). Cancer cure indicators by stage may contribute to appropriate follow-up in the years after diagnosis, thus avoiding patients' discrimination

The Silent Epidemic of Diabetic Ketoacidosis at Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes in Children and Adolescents in Italy During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020

To compare the frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) at diagnosis of type 1 diabetes in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with the frequency of DKA during 2017-2019