Στην βιολογία, το περιβάλλον μπορεί να καθοριστεί σαν ενα σύνολο κλιματικών, βιοτικών, κοινωνικών και εδαφικών παραγόντων που δρουν σε έναν οργανισμό και καθορίζουν την ανάπτυξη και την επιβίωση του. Έτσι, περιλαμβάνει οτιδήποτε μπορεί να επηρεάσει άμεσα τον μεταβολισμό ή τη συμπεριφορά των ζωντανών οργανισμών ή ειδών, όπως το φως, ο αέρας, το νερό, το έδαφος και άλλοι παράγοντες. Δείτε επίσης το άρθρο για το φυσικό περιβάλλον και τη φυσική επιλογή.
Στην αρχιτεκτονική, την εργονομία και την ασφάλεια στην εργασία, περιβάλλον είναι το σύνολο των χαρακτηριστικών ενός δωματίου ή κτιρίου που επηρεάζουν την ποιότητα ζωής και την αποδοτικότητα, περιλαμβανομένων των διαστάσεων και της διαρρύθμισης των χώρων διαβίωσης και της επίπλωσης, του φωτισμού, του αερισμού, της θερμοκρασίας, του θορύβου κλπ. Επίσης μπορεί να αναφέρεται στο σύνολο των δομικών κατασκευών. Δείτε επίσης το άρθρο για το δομημένο περιβάλλον.
Στην ψυχολογία, περιβαλλοντισμός είναι η θεωρία ότι το περιβάλλον (με τη γενική και κοινωνική έννοια) παίζει μεγαλύτερο ρόλο από την κληρονομικότητα καθορίζοντας την ανάπτυξη ενός ατόμου. Συγκεκριμένα, το περιβάλλον είναι ένας σημαντικός παράγοντας πολλών ψυχολογικών θεωριών.
Στην τέχνη, το περιβάλλον αποτελεί κινητήριο μοχλό και μούσα εμπνέοντας τους ζωγράφους ή τους ποιητές. Σε όλες τις μορφές της Τέχνης αποτελεί έμπνευση και οι Καλές Τέχνες φανερώνουν την επιρροή οπού άσκησε σε όλους τους καλλιτέχνες με όποιο είδος Τέχνης κι αν ασχολούνται. Ο άνθρωπος μέσα στο περιβάλλον δημιουργεί Μουσική, Ζωγραφική, Ποίηση, Γλυπτική, χορό, τραγούδι, θέατρο, αλλά και όλες οι μορφές τέχνης έχουν άμεση έμπνευση από το περιβάλλον.

Πέμπτη 4 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Clinician Attitudes and Beliefs About Deintensifying Head and Neck Cancer Surveillance

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This qualitative study surveys otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists regarding their opinions on deintensification of surveillance in patients with diagnosed head and neck cancer.
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The 5‐HT1A receptor agonist, 8‐OH‐DPAT, Attenuates Long‐Lasting Pain in Imiquimod‐Induced Psoriasis in Mice.

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ABSTRACT

Psoriasis pain is a common symptom underestimated and rarely evaluated in psoriasis clinical trials. This work aimed to investigate if the development of secondary chronic allodynia and hyperalgesia in the imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis mice model could be modulated by anti-inflammatory agents and compound 48/80 (C48/80) and to determine whether the activation of 5-HT1A receptor modulates these nociceptive behaviors. C57BL/6 male mice were treated with 5% IMQ for 7 days. The paw withdrawal responses to von Frey filaments (10 and 250 mN) were used to assess the allodynia and hyperalgesia. Nociceptive behaviors were also evaluated using ketorolac 15 mg/kg s.c; adalimumab 10 mg/kg s.c., and C48/80 10 mg/kg i.p. Then, the serum serotonin and the impact of 8-OH-DPAT (1 mg/kg s.c), a 5-HT1A receptor agonist, on long-lasting pain were examined. Mice receiving IMQ showed enhanced nociception, which decreased with all tested compounds. The serum serotonin in the IM Q-group showed a significant decrease (947.042 ng/ml) regarding the control group (1143.68 ng/ml). The pre-treatment with 8-OH-DPAT alleviated pain-related behaviors. These results suggest that the long-lasting pain resulting from psoriasis inflammation is also associated with the serotonergic system. The 5-HT1A receptor should be further explored as a potential therapeutic target for psoriasis pain modulation.

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Engineering Functional Skin Constructs: A Quantitative Comparison of Three‐Dimensional Bioprinting with Traditional Methods

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Abstract

Tissue engineering has been successful in reproducing human skin equivalents while incorporating new approaches such as three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. The latter method offers a plethora of advantages including increased production scale, ability to incorporate multiple cell types, and printing on demand. However, the quality of printed skin equivalents compared to those developed manually has never been assessed. To leverage the benefits of this method, it is imperative that 3D printed skin should be structurally and functionally similar to real human skin. Here, we developed four bilayered human skin epidermal-dermal equivalents: non-printed dermis and epidermis (NN), printed dermis and epidermis (PP), printed epidermis and non-printed dermis (PN), and non-printed epidermis and printed dermis (NP). The effects of printing induced shear stress [0.025 kPa (epidermis); 0.049 kPa (dermis)] were characterized both at the cellular and at the tissue level. At cellular level, no st atistically significant differences in keratinocyte colony forming efficiency (CFE) (p=0.1641), was observed. In the case of fibroblasts, no significant differences in the cell alignment index (p<0.1717), and their ability to contract collagen gel (p=0.851) were detected. At the tissue levels, all the four skin equivalents were characterized using histological and immunohistochemical analysis with no significant differences found in either epidermal basal cell count, thickness of viable epidermis, and relative intensity of filaggrin and claudin-1. Our results demonstrated that 3D printing can achieve the same high-quality skin constructs as have been developed traditionally, thus opening new avenues for numerous high-throughput industrial and clinical applications.

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The importance of the patient's perspective in function-sparing parotid surgery for benign neoplasms: clinical reappraisal

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Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Oct;41(5):410-418. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N1463.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Function-sparing surgery is the cornerstone for the treatment of benign parotid neoplasms. We assessed the incidences and determinants of the main postoperative complications, reappraising their influence on the patient's quality of life (QoL).

METHODS: Patients who underwent parotid surgery for benign neoplasms were reviewed (2016-2019). Parotidectomy Outcome Invento ry-8 (POI-8) and condition-specific questionnaires were used to investigate the patient's perspective.

RESULTS: We enrolled 211 patients. Preservation of the posterior branch of the great auricular nerve (GAN) seemed to reduce early dysfunction (87% vs 96%, p = 0.053), but not the late one. Deep lobe dissection and resection of more than one parotid segment favoured first bite syndrome (FBS) and Frey's syndrome (FS), respectively (16% vs 3%, p = 0.003; 37% vs 15%, p = 0.003). Neither GAN impairment, FBS, nor FS influenced patient QoL. Facial weakness affected 19 patients (9%), being more likely after total parotidectomy (23% vs 7%, p = 0.034). According to POI-8, QoL was mainly jeopardised by fear of revision surgery, especially in females (p = 0.005) and those experiencing early complications (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS: Reappraisal of the patient's perspective after functional parotid surg ery is fundamental to tailor preoperative counselling.

PMID:34734576 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N1463

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Olfactory dysfunction in primary Sjogren's syndrome and its correlation with dry eye

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Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Oct;41(5):443-449. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N1344.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the olfactory function in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients and investigate its correlation with dry eye parameters.

METHODS: Thirty-eight pSS patients (49.47 ± 10.06 years) and 20 healthy volunteers (47.40 ± 8.92 years) were enrolled in the study. All participants underwent ENT and eye examinations including a modified Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) test, tear break-up time (TBUT), ocular surface staining (OSS) and Schirmer test. The parameters were compared between the two groups using Student-t test, and Pearson test was used to evaluate the correlations.

RESULTS: Mean Schirmer and TBUT values were 2.39 ± 1.48 mm/5 min and 3.66 ± 1.5 sec in pSS and 18.30 ± 6.16 mm/5 min and 14.60 ± 3.64 sec in healthy subjects (p < 0.001, both). There was a significant decrease in mean odour threshold, odour identification, CCCRC and VAS scores in the pSS group (p < 0.001). Dry eye parameters showed moderate correlations with CCCRC parameters (r = 0.4-0.6, p < 0.001) and olfaction VAS score (r = 0.4-0.75, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: There is a mild clinical impairment in smell sense in patients with pSS which seems to be correlated with dry eye parameters. Therefore, smell complaints should be queried in pSS patients suffering from severe dry eye.

PMID:34734580 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N1344

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VITOM-3D-assisted retroauricular neck surgery (RANS-3D): preliminary experience at Candiolo Cancer Institute

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Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital. 2021 Oct;41(5):419-431. doi: 10.14639/0392-100X-N1293.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The recent introduction of 3D exoscopic surgery has engendered interesting technical improvements in head and neck surgery. The main goal of this study was to describe the application of 3D exoscopic technology on a wide range of pathologies of the neck, benign and malignant, through a minimally invasive retroauricular approach.

METHODS: In the period January-December , 2019, 40 consecutive patients underwent neck surgery with a retroauricular approach, enhanced by using a 3D exoscope at the Head and Neck Oncological Unit of Candiolo Cancer Institute.

RESULTS: Data regarding time to drain removal, length of hospitalisation, degree of pain experienced, need for opioid drugs during hospitalisation and after discharge, and intra-operative and post-operative complications were collected. All patients were followed for a minimum of 90 days with possible complications evaluated at each post-operative visit. Post-operative outcomes were evaluated at 3 months after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS: The current study indicates that VITOM-3D-assisted retroauricular neck surgery (RANS-3D) may be an interesting approach for neck surgery. The hybrid execution of neck dissection under direct and exoscopic vision represents a valid alternative to video-assisted endoscopic- and robot-assisted techniques.

PMID:34734577 | DOI:10.14639/0392-100X-N1293

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Reconstruction of Large Tissue Defects After the Resection of Brain Tumors Using a Skin Flap With Vascular Pedicle

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J Craniofac Surg. 2021 Nov-Dec 01;32(8):2692-2694. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000007610.

ABSTRACT

The reconstruction of large tissue defects after the resection of brain tumors is challenging for every neurosurgeon. The authors describe the benefits of a skin flap with vascular pedicle in the reconstruction of large tissue defects after the resection of brain tumors. In this retrospective analysis, a skin flap with vascular pedicle reconstruction was used in 5 patients who underwent intracranial tumor resection, accompanied by tissue defects, cerebrospinal fluid leakage and scalp infection. The surgical techniques are described, and the outcomes were discussed. The harvested flaps showed well-vascularized healing of the transplanted skin without partial necrosis in all 5 patients. One patient had cerebrospinal rhinorrhea, which was successfully treated by endoscopic repair. Another patient had cerebrospinal fluid leakage, which was successfully treated by continuous lumbar drainage. A skin flap with vascular pedicle is an effective choice for the reconstruction of large tissue defects after the resection of brain tumors.

PMID:34727473 | PMC:PMC8549454 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000007610

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