Sex, Age, and Previous Herpes Zoster Infection Role on Adverse Events Following Immunization with Adjuvanted Recombinant Vaccine.

Adverse events following immunizations (AEFIs) with recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) are underexplored in fragile populations. This study aims to assess incidence, duration, and characteristics of AEFIs, focusing on the impact of sex, age, and prior Herpes Zoster (HZ) infection in a frail population, including solid organ transplant recipients. We conducted an observational study on patients receiving RZV, and AEFIs were classified as local or systemic and analyzed for incidence, duration, and patterns across groups.

An Exploratory Investigation of Representations of Herpes Zoster and Adjuvanted Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccination in a Sample of Fragile Adults in Italy.

In the context of the Italian National Herpes Zoster Vaccine program, an exploratory survey was conducted on a sample of fragile adult patients to investigate the representations of the disease and its prevention to build future local vaccination campaigns. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered to 271 fragile adult patients who had adjuvanted recombinant Herpes Zoster vaccination to detect the following: knowledge and perception of the disease and its risks; information sources and confidence in the information sources used; and perception of the Herpes Zoster vaccination. Fragile adult patients have the representation of Herpes Zoster as a serious disease (86.

The behavioral phenotype in a cohort of patients with chromosome 18 anomalies: a retrospective observational study.

Background: Genetic syndromes resulting from chromosome 18 structural abnormalities constitute a broad spectrum of conditions characterized by significant clinical heterogeneity. Most studies in the literature focus on case reports and clinical observations; the present study aims to assess the cognitive, communicative, behavioral, and adaptive abilities of different chromosome 18 abnormalities. In addition, this work aims to identify phenotype-genotype correlations by comparing individuals with 18p deletion, 18q deletion, and 18p tetrasomy.

A Microfluidic Approach for Intracellular Delivery into Red Blood Cells: A Deeper Understanding of the Role of Chemical/Rheological Properties of the Cellular Suspension.

Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are a promising drug delivery system candidate for many drugs. Using autologous cells helps to overcome biocompatibility issues, while microfluidics allows accurate control of the intracellular delivery of molecules through fluidic shear stress. With the ultimate goal of exploiting this delivery technique for clinical applications, we investigate how the chemical/rheological characteristics of the suspension and the properties of the RBCs in different animals influence the delivery mechanism.

Access to health services by women subjected to violence: findings from administrative healthcare data from the metropolitan area of northern Italy.

Background: In Italy, approximately 50% of women report experiencing episodes of psychological and/or physical violence. The Emergency Department (ED) is widely recognized as one of the health services to which victims of violence seek treatment for injuries and within which situations of domestic violence and abuse can be recognized. This work aims to estimate the phenomenon of violence in the population of the Health Protection Agency (ATS) of Milan using data from emergency room access and hospital admissions.

Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Antibiotic Consumption and Stewardship Program in a Southern Italian Hospital.

Background/objectives: Antibiotic resistance is a growing global threat that significantly impacts public health and healthcare costs. The Italian National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (PNCAR) was introduced in 2017 to address this issue by improving antibiotic stewardship. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the PNCAR in enhancing antibiotic management practices in a hospital in southern Italy before and after its implementation.

Spa Therapy Efficacy in Mental Health and Sleep Quality Disorders in Patients with a History of COVID-19: A Comparative Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left behind mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders among survivors. This study assessed the efficacy of spa therapy in enhancing psychological well-being and sleep quality in individuals with chronic arthro-rheumatic, respiratory, and otorhinolaryngological diseases, including COVID-19 recoverees. Our prospective observational study included 144 Caucasian subjects from three Italian spas who underwent a 2-week spa therapy cycle, involving balneotherapy and/or inhalation treatments.

Neurodevelopment in Young Children With Sex Chromosome Trisomies Diagnosed Before Birth: A Cluster Analysis Study.

Many studies have investigated the neuropsychological profile of individuals with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) and have identified some fragilities in language development within a wide individual variability. However, only a few studies have focused on children in the second year of life (12-24 months), a crucial stage for neurodevelopment. The present study aimed to identify and describe neurodevelopmental patterns in young children with SCTs.

Safety of Adjuvanted Recombinant Herpes Zoster Virus Vaccination in Fragile Populations: An Observational Real-Life Study.

Background: Vaccination is the most effective strategy for preventing infectious diseases and related complications, and proving its efficacy is crucial for its success and adherence, especially for newly introduced vaccines, such as adjuvanted recombinant herpes zoster virus vaccination (RZV). In this observational real-life study, we recorded adverse effects following immunization (AEFIs) after RZV administration in frail populations.

Methods: A total of 271 subjects underwent RZV at Vaccination Center, University Hospital "San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona", Salerno, Italy.

Impact of Spa Therapy on Symptoms and Quality of Life in Post-COVID-19 Patients with Chronic Conditions.

With limited pharmacological interventions, post-COVID-19 condition is a clinical challenge, and supplementary therapies are essential for symptom relief and enhancing quality of life (QoL). In our prospective observational study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of Salus per aquam (Spa) therapy on post-COVID-19 symptoms and QoL in individuals who suffer from chronic joint, musculoskeletal, skin, and/or respiratory conditions. A total of 159 individuals undergoing Spa therapy were enrolled, and 78 of them had post-COVID-19 symptoms, assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and modified British Medical Research Council Questionnaire (mMRC-DS scales), as well as the Short Form 36 Health Status Survey (SF-36) questionnaire for QoL.

Reaction to Diagnosis and Parental Concerns in Parents of Children and Young Adults With XYY Syndrome.

Background: There is a growing interest in exploring parents' views on the benefits of early diagnosis and awareness of sex chromosome trisomies. However, only a few studies focus specifically on the experience of parents of children with XYY syndrome. The present study aimed to assess, in parents of individuals with XYY, the perceived severity of their children's condition, their level of satisfaction with the disclosure process and their concerns about their children's present and future condition.

Analyzing Pre-operative Hospital Stay and Incidence of Hospital Acquired Infection: A Retrospective Study.

Background And Objectives: Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) pose a significant challenge, impacting patient safety and treatment effectiveness. This retrospective study investigates the correlation between pre-operative hospital stays and HCAIs in ICU cardiac surgery patients.

Materials And Methods: Medical records of 35 patients who died post-cardiac surgery in the ICU were analyzed, focusing on the duration of pre-operative hospitalization.

Same therapy, same calcium mobilization? Exploring calcium exchange across body compartments using a patient-specific predictive model.

Background: Comprehensive, patient-specific models are essential to study calcium deposition and mobilization during dialysis. We aim to develop tools to support clinical prescriptions with a more accurate approach for the prediction of calcium mobilization while also considering major electrolytes and catabolites.

Methods: We modified a multi-solute model predicting patient-specific dialysis response by incorporating a calcium buffer to represent bone exchanges.

A novel low-cost uterine balloon tamponade kit to tackle maternal mortality in low-resource settings.

The 3.1 target of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations aims to reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births by 2030. The last updates on this target show a significant stagnation in the data, thus reducing the chance of meeting it.

Anti-Herpes Zoster Vaccination of Fragile Patients in Hospital Setting: A Nudge Intervention in Italy.

Background: A nudge intervention against Herpes Zoster, created and implemented in Italy, is presented in order to administer the Shingrix vaccine on a sample of frail patients, as required by the National Prevention Plan. Individual and contextual factors associated with vaccine adherence were investigated.

Method: 300 frail adult subjects underwent a full vaccine cycle with recombinant-Shingrix vaccine (RZV vaccine).

Analysis of the Mechanical Characteristics of Human Pancreas through Indentation: Preliminary In Vitro Results on Surgical Samples.

Pancreatic surgery is extremely challenging and demands an extended learning curve to be executed with a low incidence of post-operative complications. The soft consistency of the human pancreas poses a primary challenge for pancreatic surgeons. This study aimed to analyze the preliminary mechanical characteristics of the human pancreas to develop a realistic synthetic phantom for surgical simulations in the near future.

Maternal input to 24-month-old children with sex chromosome trisomies.

Background: Maternal input plays an important role in influencing linguistic development during the first years of life, and it is evident that mothers adapt their language according to their child's characteristics. Recently, it was demonstrated that maternal input addressed to children with sex chromosome trisomies (SCTs) at 8 months of age is prosodically and functionally different from that addressed to typically developing (TD) peers.

Aims: The study aimed at analysing maternal input at 24 months when the presence of a language delay could be more evident than during the preverbal stage.

Improving maternal safety: Usability and performance assessment of a new medical device for the treatment of postpartum haemorrhage.

Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is an obstetric emergency causing nearly one-quarter of maternal deaths worldwide, 99% of these in low-resource settings (LRSs). Uterine balloon tamponade (UBT) devices are a non-surgical treatment to stop PPH. In LRSs, low-cost versions of UBT devices are based on the condom balloon tamponade (CBT) technique, but their effectiveness is limited.

A participatory process to design an app to improve adherence to anti-osteoporotic therapies: A development and usability study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to develop an app to improve patients' adherence to therapy for osteoporosis and to test its usability.

Methods: In Phase I, the app functions needed to improve medication adherence were identified through a focus group with six patients with osteoporosis and a joint interview with two bone specialists. The app prototype was then developed (Phase II) and refined after its feasibility testing (Phase III) for 13-25 days by eight patients.

A three-dimensional method for morphological analysis and flow velocity estimation in microvasculature on-a-chip.

Three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques (e.g., confocal microscopy) are commonly used to visualize in vitro models, especially microvasculature on-a-chip.

Marked Reduction of Oxidant Species after Sulfureous Crenotherapy in Females with Joint Diseases and Psoriasis: A Retrospective Real-Life Study.

Oxidative stress, a condition induced by an excessive amount of free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), shows several gender-related differences in basal cellular redox state and antioxidant responses. Crenotherapy with sulfureous mineral water can improve the cellular redox state. In this retrospective observational study, gender-related differences in the efficacy of sulfureous crenotherapy in decreasing oxidant species were investigated.

Sensitivity analysis of a multi-physics model for the vascular microenvironment.

The vascular microenvironment is the scale at which microvascular transport, interstitial tissue properties and cell metabolism interact. The vascular microenvironment has been widely studied by means of quantitative approaches, including multi-physics mathematical models as it is a central system for the pathophysiology of many diseases, such as cancer. The microvascular architecture is a key factor for fluid balance and mass transfer in the vascular microenvironment, together with the physical parameters characterizing the vascular wall and the interstitial tissue.

Mental Health among Italian Children and Adolescents during and after the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Professionals' Focus Group Study.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic had a negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents. Eight focus groups and six individual hearings were conducted to gain insights from the perspectives of 97 Italian professionals from a variety of disciplines, including child and adolescent neuropsychiatrists, pediatricians, general practitioners, social workers, psychologists, teachers, school deans, non-governmental organizations, and a researcher. Urban and rural settings were represented.