Determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Italian university students during the Covid-19 outbreak: the leading role of sex, health concerns, and health engagement.

Background: The unprecedented changes in daily-life caused by Covid-19 restrictions had many psycho-logical and adverse effects, not only in sufferers but also in the general population, including university students. To date, little is known about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms experienced by university students during the peak of Covid-19 in Italy. Thus, the study describes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders related to the Covid-19 outbreak among Italian university students and identifies the psychological distress risk and protective factors. Study design: A multicentre observational cross-sectional study. Methods: Data collection was involved in a self-reported web questionnaire, using the on-line platform Qualtrics®, in March and April 2020, involving convenience and consecutive sampling of Italians university students in different Italy regions. Results: A sample of 720 Italian university students was enrolled. Data analysis highlighted the leading role of sex, health concerns, and health engagement as negative or positive determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders in Italian university students during the Covid-19 outbreak. In particular, it is very insightful having discovered that health engagement is a protective factor of students' mental health. Conclusions: This is the first study identifying sex, health issues and health commitment as positive or negative determinants of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders symptoms in Italian university students during the Covid-19 epidemic. Accordingly, this new achievement could be the starting point for the development of awareness campaigns for the psychological health of Italian university students.

The state of the evidence about the Synergy Model for patient care.

AIM: To systematically and critically summarize the state of the evidence about the Synergy Model and its utilization in nursing practice. BACKGROUND: The Synergy Model emphasizes the importance of alignment between patient needs and nurse competencies in achieving adequate patient- and nurse-related outcomes. It is a relatively new patient-centred care model developed at the end of the 1990s. INTRODUCTION: Despite the Synergy Model's potential to support patient-centred care, its practical application is still mainly limited. Thus far, literature about the Synergy Model has not yet been synthesized, undermining its broader utilization globally. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus. The authors used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement and checklist to guide the systematic search; 26 papers were included in this study. A critical interpretative synthesis was adopted to summarize the data extracted from the included papers. RESULTS: Five interpretative themes emerged: conceptualization, experiences from the field, nursing education, patient-related outcomes and system-related outcomes. Synergy Model shows a precise theoretical definition, and it was implemented in multiple clinical settings, mainly in critical care contexts. It seems to have a positive influence on patient-related, nurse-related and system-related outcomes. DISCUSSION: Synergy Model seems to be positively associated with specific susceptible outcomes, such as patient satisfaction, reduction of patient's complications, staff satisfaction, empowerment, and engagement of patients and healthcare providers. However, the level of evidence is still limited. CONCLUSION: Future international research should demonstrate the feasibility of implementing the Synergy Model at an international level. More empirical research is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the model on susceptible outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: This systematic review could support further development of international programmes based on the Synergy Model. The Synergy Model's implementation has the potential to optimize nursing competencies, patient- and nurse-related outcomes.

Shaping nursing profession regulation through history - a systematic review.

AIM: The aim of this systematic review was to provide a critical synthesis of the factors that historically shaped the advancements of nursing regulators worldwide. BACKGROUND: An in-depth examination of the different factors that moulded regulatory changes over time is pivotal to comprehend current issues in nursing. INTRODUCTION: In the light of global health scenarios, the researchers explored the factors that historically influenced the socio-contextual circumstances upon which governments made regulatory changes. METHODS: A systematic search was performed on the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, OpenGrey and ScienceDirect. The review included papers from January 2000 to October 2016 published in English. The authors used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and an inductive thematic approach for synthesis. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified: factors underpinning current challenges and historical and contextual triggers of regulation. The first theme was composed of three aspects: education, migration and internationalization, and policy and regulation; the second theme consisted of four attributes: demographics, economics, history of registration and wars, and historical changes in nursing practice. DISCUSSION: Factors that shaped nursing regulation were linked to changing demographics and economics, education, history of nursing registration, shifting patterns of migration and internationalization, nursing practice, policy and regulation and significant societal turns often prompted by wars. CONCLUSION: A deeper understanding of the developments of the nursing regulatory institutions provides the foundation for portable standards that can be applied across an array of jurisdictions to guarantee a better public safety. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Understanding factors that socially, legislatively and politically have influenced the development of regulatory bodies over time helps to mould local, national and international policies that have a stronger impact on health worldwide. To achieve this, there must be effective cooperation among systems of nursing regulations globally.

Development and validation of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale.

AIM: This study describes the development and validation of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale. BACKGROUND: Self-efficacy can be useful in predicting performance, job satisfaction or well-being. In the nursing field, there is a shortage of studies on self-efficacy with regard to nurses' global confidence in coping ability across a range of everyday, challenging work situations. METHODS: To define the theoretical framework of nursing professional self-efficacy, two focus groups and a literature review were performed. An empirical study was then conducted to test validity and reliability. Face and content validity, construct validity, concurrent validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. The content validity index was evaluated by 12 experts who suggested deleting 11 redundant items. The final developed tool was tested for construct analysis using a cross-validation approach, randomly splitting the overall sample of 917 nurses in two sub-groups. FINDINGS: The construct validity indicated two dimensions. The face and content validity were adequate. Test-retest reliability displayed a good stability, and internal consistency (Cronbach's α) was acceptable. Moreover, concurrent validity using the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale was in line with the theoretical framework. CONCLUSION: The scale showed evidence of validity and reliability. The major limitation is the strong influence of the Italian context in the tool development. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: The Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale could be a fruitful tool that facilitates the application of theories (i.e. social-cognitive theory) in the nursing field and even development of interventions. Furthermore, a measurement of self-efficacy could be used to predict nursing clinical performance.

Screening antimycobacterial activity of Baccharis dracunculifolia, Centella asiatica, Lantana camara and Pterodon emarginatus / Atividade anti-micobacteriana de Baccharis dracunculifolia, Centella asiatica, Lantana camara e Pterodon emarginatus

ABSTRACT The permanent investigation of new antimycobacterial drugs is necessary for the eradication programs of tuberculosis and other mycobacterium-related diseases. The aim of the present study is to search for new sources of antimycobacterial drugs using plant materials. In this study, 11 plant materials (extracts, essential oils and some fractions) obtained from 4 species of medicinal plants traditionally used as general therapeutics for different illnesses and specifically as treatment of tuberculosis, were evaluated using the microplate resazurin assay against 2 species of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex and 3 nontuberculous mycobacteria. The results showed the hexane extract and the essential oil from fruits of Pterodonemarginatus (Vogel) as potential sources of antimycobacterial drugs against 4 species of tested mycobacteria. The hexane fraction of methanol extract from leaves of Centella asiatica also presented significant mycobacterial growth inhibition, but against M. chelonae only. In conclusion, it was possible to contribute to the antimycobacterial investigations by presenting three new samples of plants with significant antimicrobial activity against four Mycobacteriumspp and suggest future studies about the antimycobacterial properties of fruits from P. emarginatus.

RESUMO A investigação permanente de novas drogas antimicobacterianas é necessária no programa de erradicação da tuberculose e de outras doenças relacionadas com micobactérias. O objetivo deste estudo foi buscar novas fontes de drogas antimicobacterianas usando material vegetal. Neste estudo, 11 materiais de base vegetal (extratos, óleos essenciais e algumas frações) foram avaliados contra 5 espécies de micobactérias. Estes materiais foram obtidos a partir de 4 espécies de plantas medicinais tradicionalmente utilizadas como terapêutica geral para diferentes doenças e, especificamente, no tratamento de tuberculose (Baccharis dracunculifolia, Centella asiatica, Lantana camara, Pterodon emarginatus). Os ensaios foram realizados em microplacas com resazurina contra duas espécies do Complexo Mycobacteriumtuberculosis e 3 espécies de micobactérias não tuberculosas. Os resultados mostraram o extrato hexânico e o óleo essencial de frutos de P.emarginatus como potenciais fontes para drogas antimicobacterianas contra quatro espécies de micobactérias testadas. A fração hexânica do extrato metanólico das folhas de C. asiatica também apresentou significativa inibição do crescimento de micobactérias apenas contra M.chelonae. Em conclusão, foi possível contribuir para as investigações de antimicobacterianos por apresentar três novas amostras de plantas com atividade antimicrobiana significativa contra quatro Mycobacterium spp e sugerir a realização de estudos futuros sobre as propriedades antimicobacterianas de frutos de P. emarginatus.

Centella asiatica water extract inhibits iPLA2 and cPLA2 activities in rat cerebellum.

Centella asiatica (L.) Urb an is distributed widely in South America and Asia and is known as a therapeutic agent in folk medicine, capable of improving memory and treating several neurological disorders. Asiaticoside is one of the compounds found in C. asiatica leaves that is suggested to be responsible for its pharmacological potential. Phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) is a group of enzymes that has abnormal activity in the central nervous system in some neuropsychiatric diseases. In this work, the asiaticoside present in C. asiatica water extract was quantified by HPLC analysis. We also evaluated the activity of subtypes of PLA(2) in cerebellar samples from rats after C. asiatica water extract treatment using a radioenzymatic assay. Asiaticoside was the major compound (84%) found in Centella water extract. We found a dose-dependent inhibitory effect of C. asiatica water extract on the activity of Ca(2+)-independent PLA(2) (iPLA(2)) and cytosolic PLA(2) (cPLA(2)). The inhibition of these enzymes in the brain suggests that C. asiatica may be useful to treat conditions associated with increased PLA(2) activity in the brain, such as epilepsy, stroke, multiple sclerosis and other neuropsychiatric disorders.

Perinuclear and cytoplasmic distribution of desmoglein in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

The desmosomal glycoproteins desmoglein (Dsg) and desmocollin (Dsc) are members of the cadherin family of cell adhesion molecules. They play an important role in epithelial adhesion. To observe the distribution pattern of Dsg in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), immunohistochemical and immunoelectron microscopic analyses were performed. Immunohistochemically, normal esophageal squamous cells strongly expressed Dsg at the cell-cell boundaries, while moderately differentiated esophageal SCC cells showed a perinuclear distribution in addition to the cell boundary staining. At the ultrastructural level, the reaction product was concentrated at the desmosomes in the cell membrane region of normal epithelial cells, but was reduced at the membrane and found throughout the cytoplasm as well as in the surrounding outer nuclear envelope in SCC cells. These results demonstrate an aberrant distribution of Dsg in SCC cells. This may have important consequences for invasion and metastasis, as it may indicate loosened intercellular adhesion.