Music exposure through the life cycle: musical sophistication in adults and the benefits of an online music program for children with cochlear implants and their mothers

This dissertation presents three studies: one focuses on aspects of musicality in the adult population and two emphasize the relational benefits of musical exposure in the pediatric clinical population. In particular, we investigate the impact of early exposure to interactive musical experiences in the home environment on the vocabulary of children with cochlear implants, and on their families’ well-being, The first study concerns the Italian adaptation and validation of the Goldsmiths Musi...

Impact of the Visceral Adipose Tissue on Bone Quality in Patients with Untreated mild-to-severe Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly prevalent sleep disorder characterised by upper airway obstruction during sleep, resulting in breathing pauses, intermittent hypoxia, and fragmented sleep. The strongest risk factor for OSA is obesity, in particular visceral obesity. The risk of OSA progressively rises with increases in BMI (body mass index). In a population-based study of more than 1,000 subjects, OSA (defined by an apnea-hypopnea index-AHI ≥ 15) was present in 11% of men havi...

Osteoporosis and fractures in systemic vasculitides: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Surgical aortic valve replacement with different generations of biological prostheses: haemodynamic valve performance and clinical outcome

Reconstruction of geometry and motion of the right heart for detailed computational haemodynamics

The right side of the heart has a fundamental role in several critical clinical situations. For this reason, understanding its function deeply is essential for preventing cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death worldwide. Moreover, the role of the right heart is pivotal in congenital heart diseases, where the right ventricle may act either as a subpulmonary or a systemic ventricle. An important example is the Tetralogy of Fallot, which involves the presence of a defect betwe...

Study of the adipose-muscle crosstalk in in vitro and ex vivo models

A growing body of evidence indicates that white adipose tissue (AT) can have detrimental effects on skeletal muscle integrity and function. Hypothesis: senescent and dysfunctional adipocytes impair skeletal muscle structure and regenerative capacity via paracrine signaling. Specific aims: (1) in vitro to test whether conditioned media (CM) from mature, aged, insulin-resistant or oxidative stress–exposed 3T3-L1 adipocytes alter C2C12 myotube morphology or/and differentiation, atrophy markers,...

Effects of urban, natural, and digital environments on physical activity and well-being. Addressing methodological issues in restorative environments research

Background. In recent years, the health benefits of exposure to natural environments have gained increasing attention across multiple fields, including psychology, public health, and urban planning. The growing body of research suggests that interaction with nature can support psychological and physiological well-being. While foundational theories such as the Stress Reduction Theory (SRT) and Attention Restoration Theory (ART) have laid the groundwork for understanding how nature influences...

Exploration and exploitation of the carotenoid pathway and the photoprotection mechanisms of Nannochloropsis oceanica

Ensuring food, energy, and raw materials for a growing global population presents a formidable challenge that necessitates innovative solutions. This thesis explores the domestication and genetic engineering of the microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica as a sustainable platform for the production of high-value biotechnological compounds. In Chapter 1, the unique characteristics of the Nannochloropsis genus are introduced, emphasizing its robust lipid accumulation and potential as a green bio-fac...

Multimodal ultrasonographic muscle assessment in patients with systemic sclerosis and correlations with body composition

Introduction Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) can present with a variable muscle involvement ranging from sub-clinical to severe. The pathogenesis of sclerodermic myopathy involves different pathways such as vasculopathy, athrophy, inflammation, fat sostitution, and fibrotic changes. Additionally, patients with SSc show an increased risk of sarcopenia compared to the general population unrelated to myopathic damage. Muscle loss either by sarcopenia or myopathic damage have been associa...