Prevalence of Low Back and Cervical Back Pain in Military Helicopter Crews: An Underestimated Italian Problem.

Background: Studies have highlighted the incidence and prevalence of chronic pain, which is an epidemic problem in all career sectors, as well as estimated the economic loss that follows its pathology. Several studies have indicated a high incidence of chronic osteoarticular pain in military service members, particularly in flight personnel. To date, no studies have estimated the incidence of pain pathology in the Italian military population, despite the implications related to flight qualification.

High Prevalence of Spinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Asymptomatic Young Adults (18-22 Yrs) Candidate to Air Force Flight.

Study Design: Cross-sectional, retrospective, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging study, performed during cadets' selection procedures of the Italian Air Force Academy.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of spinal MR imaging findings in asymptomatic young adults (18-22 yrs) candidate to Air Force Flight.

Summary Of Background Data: Spinal MR imaging findings are frequently detected in asymptomatic subjects.

Discriminant and convergent validity of TEMPS-A[P] correlation with MMPI and the emotional-affective state following a stressful situation.

Background: The temperament evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego questionnaire (TEMPS), in its rater-wise and its self-evaluation forms, has been designed to evaluate temperamental characteristics in clinical and non-clinical populations. The validation process is currently in progress in various countries. In order to improve this validation process we have extended the area of correlations of its self-evaluation form (TEMPS-A[P]) to MMPI, and to a special RS that allows assessment of the emotional-affective state following a stressful situation.

TEMPS-A[p] temperament profile related to professional choice: A study in 1548 applicants to become a cadet officer in the Italian air force.

Background: Temperaments have been described with respect to their adaptive roles. Thus, depressive traits seem to increase sensitivity to suffering, cyclothymic traits appear relevant to creativity, and hyperthymic traits have been implicated in territoriality and leadership and more generally in active pursuits.

Methods: The temperaments of 1548 candidates applying to become a cadet officer in the Italian air force, who had taken the 2005 entrance examination, were compared with deviant and non-deviant peers.

The relationship between facial skeletal class and expert-rated interpersonal skill: an epidemiological survey on young Italian adults.

Background: The facial region plays a major role in determining physical attractiveness, so we assessed the hypothesis that the capability of successfully managing interpersonal relationships in young adults might be related to the facial skeletal class.

Methods: 1,014 young subjects applying to the Military Academy of Pozzuoli, Italy, were enrolled and the cephalometric evaluation was performed by calculating the angular relationships between skeletal points localized by the lateral cephalogram of the face, sorting the subjects in three groups corresponding to each major facial skeletal class. Concurrently, the subjects were evaluated by a team of psychiatrists administering the MMPI-2 test followed by a brief colloquium with each candidate, in order to identify those subjects characterized by low skills for managing interpersonal relationships.