Occupational health and psychological wellbeing in first line nurses during health crisis periods: reliability study of the SOIC tool.

Background: In 2020, the emergence of the new Coronavirus has put health professionals under enormous pressure, as they had to work in difficult and often disadvantaged situations. Prevention of symptoms such as stress, anxiety and burnout therefore become important health management goals. Aim: The aim of this pilot cross-sectional study was to assess the reliability and feasibility of a tool on Occupational Health Nurses after a Pandemic Period such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Salute Oc-cupazionale negli Infermieri in Periodo Pandemico Covid19 - SOIC) that aims to assess the occupational health and psychological wellbeing of nurses during periods of health crisis. Methods: This study was conducted from September to November 2022. The SOIC tool is composed by two preliminary sections and a third part including five validated questionnaires (measuring burnout, work engagement, psychological symptoms, resilience, and mindful awareness). An opportunistic sample of 202 nurses working in a Teaching Hospital of Rome and members of NurSind union were invited to participate: of these, 24 nurses completed the SOIC in two subsequent occasions (T1 and T2). Results: The test-retest assessment showed no differences between the two waves (T1 and T2) in terms of median scores for all questionnaires included in the SOIC tool. The Cronbach alphas, considering all items of each questionnaire included in the SOIC tool, showed good or excellent internal consistencies. Conclusion: The test-retest assessments and the reliability analyses encouraged the usability of the SOIC tool. Furthermore, consistent associations between the five questionnaires were obtained.

Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and risky behaviours: a survey among high school and university students.

INTRODUCTION: STIs are a serious public health problem. Worldwide, 500 million people a year acquire a STI, and young are the most affected. METHODS: This study was conducted administering an anonymous questionnaire to 1228 Sicilian students of high school and university. RESULTS: The students had variable understanding of STIs and their complications. The results demonstrate an extreme variability in the knowledge of STIs. Multiple linear regression showed that sexual health knowledge was associated with age and sexual orientation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that knowledge of STIs is poor and inadequate. This finding can put students at risk of STIs.

Young people, young adults and binge drinking.

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE: The consumption of alcohol among young people and young adults has undergone, in recent decades, a sharp upsurge with the increasingly frequent intake of large quantities of alcohol. The aim of our study was to investigate socio-demographic, economic and behavioural factors that have a major impact on the voluntary alcohol habit in young people. METHODS: The survey was conducted via administration of an anonymous questionnaire based on "the WHO Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test", disseminated on-line, to young people and young adults (aged 18 to 35). RESULTS: We examined a sample of 365 subjects. Consumption of wine and beer were predominant followed by super-alcohol mixes. We found correlations between alcohol use and the following variables: marital status (p < 0.001), parental education (mother p < 0.05; father p < 0.001), income level (p < 0.05), physical activity (p < 0.05) and voluptuous habits (smoke and coffee: p < 0.001.The 5% of men and 1% of women had car accidents during the previous year due to alcohol use and 15% said they did not remember what happened in an alcoholic evening once or twice a month. CONCLUSIONS: The phenomenon of alcohol consummation is deeply ingrained in our reality, with dangerous episodes of binge drinking in young adults with a higher prevalence in the female sex.

Epidemiological HIV infection surveillance among subjects with risk behaviours in the city of Messina (Sicily) from 1992 to 2015.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies are a key element in determining the evolution and spread of HIV infection among the world population. Knowledge of the epidemiological dynamics improves strategies for prevention and monitoring. METHODS: We examined 2,272 subjects who voluntarily underwent HIV testing from January 1992 to December 2015. For each subject, an anonymous form was completed to obtain information on personal data, sexual habits and exposure to risk factors. RESULTS: The number of subjects undergoing the screening test has increased over the years and the average age of the tested subjects has decreased over time. The main motivation for undergoing HIV testing is unprotected sex. Although heterosexual subjects taking the test were more numerous than homosexuals in this study, an increase in the latter over time should be highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: Although the number of tests performed has increased over the years, the persistence of unprotected sex shows an inadequate perception of risk. Therefore, it is necessary to implement programmes to increase the general awareness of HIV infection. It is also essential to undertake constant monitoring of behaviour, risk perception and the application of the screening test via surveillance systems in order to implement effective and efficient prevention.

Knowledge of sexually transmitted infections among younger subjects of the city of Messina (Sicily).

INTRODUCTION: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are considered a serious public health problem worldwide, affecting especially young people. The international monitoring data indicate that 70% of patients with STIs are aged between 15 and 24 years and the World Health Organization estimates that one out of 20 teenagers contracts an STI each year. We wanted to evaluate, through this work, what high school students of Messina know about the STIs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From February to May 2013 questionnaires were distributed to students of the last three classes of seven high schools, three of which belonging to humanistic area and four to technical area. The completed questionnaires collected were 1588. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The investigation carried out showed a better knowledge of the STIs by students of humanistic schools than students of technical-scientific schools, the percentage of correct answers was 74% and 60% respectively; this probably also depends on the family context, in fact, there is a statistically significant correlation between the percentage of correct answers and parents education level. Young people have a limited knowledge on the subject. We concluded our work by stressing the importance and the need to deepen and improve the training and information of the medical staff teachers and families, as it is from their knowledge and their ability to provide complete and accurate information about the risks posed by STIs that can derive knowledge and choices of appropriate lifestyle between the youth population.

Detection of human papillomavirus E6/E7 mRNA in women with high-risk HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45 which are associated with the development of human cervical cancer.

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: The aim of our study was to increase the clinical meaningfulness of the virological data through mRNA E6/E7 oncoprotein identification, and to find a correlation between codon 72 polymorphism of the p53 gene and integration of HPV in host cell genomes. METHODS: We analyzed 80 cervical samples from women with HPV DNA types 16, 18, 31, 33 and 45. Transcripts of HPV were detected by the NucliSense EasyQ HPV assay and genotyping of the TP53 polymorphism was conducted using a TaqMan assay. RESULTS: Twenty percent of 80 tested samples were positive for mRNA Papillomavirus. The frequency of Arg/Pro heterozygotes in controls was over-represented compared with mRNA positive samples while there were no significant differences in the distribution of Pro/Pro and Arg/Arg alleles. CONCLUSION: The introduction of HPV mRNA testing in clinical analysis improved diagnostic accuracy of HPV infections. Our data suggest that a structural difference at codon 72 of the p53 gene may not be a sufficient risk factor for cervical carcinogenesis.

Seroprevalence study on the diffusion of the West Nile virus among blood donors, healthcare workers, jockeys, grooms and fowlers, veterinary surgeons and hunters in Messina (Italy).

INTRODUCTION: West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted flavivirus widely distributed in Africa, Middle East, Asia, Southern Europe and in 1999 was first identified in the United States as a cause of disease in New York City. It mainly circulates among birds, but can infect many species of mammals. Epidemics can occur in rural as well as urban areas. METHODS: 1,280 sera were collected during 2006 from 80 stable workers, as jockey and grooms, 100 fowlers, 500 blood donors, 600 healthcare workers, 100 veterinary surgeons and 100 hunters in the Messina province to evaluate the prevalence of the WNV infection, by ELISA test, in relation to risk exposure or not. RESULTS: None of the 1280 subjects examined has shown positive for antibodies anti WN virus. CONCLUSION: Among the strategies of control and surveillance, finally, in our opinion, are and will be indispensable the programs of continuous antibody survey in all the risk categories and in the general population in order to succeed to preview which effects could have the presence of infections from WNV, also imported from other zones where the virus is constantly present, in future and which it could be the impact of geographic factors on the epidemic spread of the disease.

Increased transglutaminase activity was associated with IL-6 release in cultured human gingival fibroblasts exposed to dental cast alloys.

Molecular mechanisms underlying gingival and periodontal inflammation caused by dental alloys are still poorly understood. Recently, it has been demonstrated that tissue transglutaminase can be involved in inflammatory cell response. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of exposure to orthodontic materials on transglutaminase in cultured human gingival fibroblasts. The incubation with Ni-Ti heat-activated (T3) or Ni-Ti super-elastic (T4), and with Ni-Cr-Co (T2) alloys produced respectively 2.5-fold and 8-fold increases in IL-6 release compared with control cultures. Transglutaminase activity was significantly increased in cells exposed to T3 and T4 alloys (about 170% of control; p < 0.05), where it was mainly localized close to inner part of cell membrane. The exposure to T3 and T4 specimens significantly up-regulated also tTG expression compared with control cultures. These data first show an association between IL-6 release and tissue transglutaminase increases, suggesting that TGase-mediated reactions may play a major role in periodontal inflammation.

Evaluation of antiherpesvirus-1 and genotoxic activities of Helichrysum italicum extract.

The antiherpes virus-1 and genotoxic activities of diethyl ether extract from flowering tops of Helichrysum italicum (Compositae) were investigated. The extract showed significant antiviral activity at concentrations ranging from 400 to 100 microg/ml. This activity was not due to cytotoxic effect of the extract since Vero cells exhibited altered morphology or growth characteristics indicative of cytotoxic effects at higher concentration (800 microg/ml). Moreover H. italicum extract showed no DNA-damaging activity at concentrations up to 2000 microg/disk.

Is diabetes mellitus a risk factor for HCV infection?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not the diabetes mellitus may be considered a risk factor for the HCV infection. The HCV seroprevalence was evaluated in 254 diabetic subjects, whose anamnestic data and risk factors are known, in comparison to 223 first-time blood donors, carefully age- and gender-matched. The statistical analysis showed that the studied groups belonged to the same population (Mann-Whitney U test) and that there were no significant differences between cases and controls as regards HCV prevalence (Yates corrected chi 2 test). The obtained data underline the importance of the control group selection, especially in the studies considering age-related pathologies. The authors disprove type 2 diabetes as a risk factor for the HCV infection and consider that this is a valid hypothesis only when the hepatitis C was unknown and not adequate prevention was used.

[Chlamydia pneumoniae and Helicobacter pylori infections in acute myocardial infarction]. / Infezione da Chlamydia pneumoniae e da Helicobacter pylori nell'infarto miocardico acuto.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests an acute or chronic linkage between infection and acute coronary syndromes. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of Chlamydia pneumoniae (CP) and Helicobacter pylori (HP) antibodies in patients with angiographically defined acute myocardial infarction and in population controls. Case patients and controls were drawn from the same geographic area (city of Messina and its province). METHODS: Blood samples were collected in 206 incident cases of acute myocardial infarction presenting to the Coronary Care Unit (196 men, 10 women, mean age 58+/-7 years) in the period from March 1997 to June 1999. Case patients were selected if they were non-smokers, non-diabetic and if they had no history of hypertension. The control group consisted of 142 healthy subjects, without a known history of smoking, diabetes, and hypertension. Controls were matched to acute myocardial infarction patients for age, sex and socio-economic status. Commercial ELISA assay was used to measure IgG antibody to HP (positive titer > 8 IU/ml) and indirect immunofluorescence method was used to assess IgG antibody anti-CP (IgG titer > 1:64 was considered a marker of chronic infection). RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the frequency of HP antibodies in acute myocardial infarction patients and in the control group (43.3 vs 41.5%, p = NS, odds ratio-OR 1, 95% confidence interval-CI 0.7-1.6). On the contrary, CP titers were increased in 83% of acute myocardial infarction patients, and in 57% of control subjects (p < 0.001, OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.2-5.7). In acute myocardial infarction patients seropositivity for CP was associated with increased basal fibrinogen levels (539 vs 445 mg/dl). No correlation was found between seropositivity to CP and C-reactive protein, and with total or fractionated cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The present data indicate that, in our sample, acute myocardial infarction was associated with an increased frequency of CP seropositivity. The presence of CP antibodies was not associated with elevated levels of C-reactive protein. Our data support the need for controlled studies to investigate the role of these infective agents as a trigger of acute coronary syndromes.

Oxidative protein damage and degradation in lymphocytes from patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

It has been proposed that oxidative stress is the common mediator of apoptotic cell death in AIDS. However, mechanistic relationships between oxidative damage and cell death are far from clear. It is reported here that the mitogenic activation of T lymphocytes from human immunodeficiency virus-positive subjects involves perturbation of redox balance, as indicated by the increase in hydroethydine intracellular oxidation and manganese superoxide dismutase adaptive induction. Principal molecular targets of oxidative injury are cellular proteins whose content in carbonyl groups increases together with a dramatic increase in degradation of newly synthesized proteins catalyzed by the ATP- and ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system. The major consequence of this metabolic anomaly is the decrease in protein cell mass leading to cells that are smaller than normal at lethal mitosis.