Search

The goal of this study was to test the usability and efficacy of a website designed to support intergenerational reminiscence. The website allows older persons to capture, digitally archive, and share their memories encapsulated in letters, newspaper clippings, postcards, photos and videos. The evaluation involved 44 seniors and 176 children and consisted in two main phases. In the first phase, the usability of the website was assessed in a sample of elderly participants. In the second phase, the efficacy of online reminiscence was tested against a control condition, in which elderly people shared personal memories with children without the support of technology. Main dependent measures included self-esteem, loneliness and enjoyment/engagement with the activity (flow). Findings showed that the website was usable and well-accepted. However, the use of the platform did not significantly improve the effects of intergenerational reminiscence, which is an activity that participants enjoyed in itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Host factors, including genetic polymorphisms, may explain some of the individual differences in cervical cancer occurrence, and susceptibility information may be useful to address effective and specific preventive strategies for different countries. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of p53 codon 72, glutathione S-transferase class mu (GSTM1), glutathione S-transferase class theta (GSTT1), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphisms on the risk for infection and/or of cervical intraepithelial lesions in women attending a colposcopy service in Catania, Sicily, with an already reported high prevalence of human papillomavirus.To identify the association among individual genetic polymorphisms, human papillomavirus infection, and histological findings, a case-control study was designed. Furthermore, to assess the combined effects of these polymorphisms on cervical cancer risk, combined genotype frequencies were compared among case patients and controls.Women homozygous for the p53 codon 72 Arg genotype were at a 5.6-fold higher risk for developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2 or 3 compared with those showing homozygosity for the Pro genotype or heterozygosity for the Pro/Arg genotype. The GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were overrepresented in infected patients and in women with CIN 2 or 3, although without any significant associations. A decreased risk for CIN of individuals homozygous for the MTHFR T allele was shown.After multiple logistic analyses, the presence of the allele 677T of the MTHFR gene was the best explaining protective factor against cervical carcinogenesis, and the allelic distribution in the control group followed the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations. However, the findings of our study still remain to be confirmed by additional and larger population-based surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been strongly and consistently associated with cervical carcinoma and its cytologic precursors, such as squamous intraepithelial lesions. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with the aim of estimating the prevalence of cervical HPV infection in women attending a service of colposcopy in Catania, Eastern Sicily, Italy.The prevalence of type-specific HPV was examined in women with negative colposcopic results and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grades 1, 2, or 3, with the aim of providing some cross-sectional figures on the local epidemiology of HPV infection.Human papillomavirus DNA was found in 62.1% of women with negative colposcopic results and in 73.2% with positive colposcopic results. Among high-risk types, a predominance of HPV-16 (51.5% of infected women) was shown followed by HPV-56 (29.7%). An age-related pattern was described with a peak in HPV prevalence among women younger than 25 years, followed by the expected decline in prevalence and a second characteristic peak in the perimenopausal or postmenopausal years, useful to design future control strategies.The age-related pattern of HPV prevalence and the presence of uncommon high-risk genotypes and their role in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer need to be addressed by specific epidemiologic studies to design large-scale screening programs and multivalent vaccine strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peculiar shallow-water reefs of the Tropical Southwestern Atlantic Ocean have thrived in conditions considered suboptimal (e.g., moderate turbidity, higher level of nutrients, and resuspension of sediments) under the optics of classical coral reefs. Recently, these marginal reefs have been hypothesized to provide climate-change refugia from natural and anthropogenic impacts; yet with little empirical evidence. Therefore, in this article we discuss the known effects of multiple pressures on the Brazilian reefs. A wide evaluation of the peer reviewed literature reported that bleaching events affected 26 species of scleractinians, hydrocorals, octocorals, and zoanthids in turbid-zone reefs over the last 26 years (1994–2020) in the Tropical SW Atlantic Brazil. Between 1994 and 2018 no species suffered post-bleaching mass mortality. However, the recent and intense heatwaves of 2019 and 2020 caused higher mortality rates in several key foundation corals (e.g., Millepora alcicornis , Millepora braziliensis , and Mussismilia harttii) showing that the SW Atlantic reefs are not long-term protected and universal refuges. Moreover, other direct and indirect human pressures threaten these tropical reefs. Local and regional (e.g., pollution and fisheries) and large-scale pressures (e.g., global warming and marine heatwaves) act simultaneously on the health of these reefs, which intensifies negative species-specific impacts. We outline the occurrence of pressures that have been important factors responsible for the reduction in species richness and reef fish biomass, changing geo-ecological functions, altered reef composition and dominant morpho-functional groups, as well as phase shifts. Along with large-scale climatic changes, such as heatwaves, fisheries, urbanization, mining disasters, oil spills, increased sedimentation, increased warming, marine debris, contamination by domestic, agricultural, and industrial effluents, and introduction of invasive species are likely the most severe pressures on Brazilian reefs. We discuss that the "Brazilian reef refuge hypothesis" could be partially applied for some stress-tolerant massive corals during acute disturbances (short-term refuge); yet should not be assumed as a reef ecosystem-wide feature under ongoing environmental change. Therefore, we argue that it is essential to alleviate the main local and regional human impacts and to adopt resilient-based management strategies at local and global scales to protect the low-functional redundancy and higher endemism of these unique marginal coral reefs. [Display omitted] • Bleaching events affected 26 reef species over the last 26 years. • The most reef-building corals did not exhibit post-bleaching mass mortality before 2019. • Occurrence of multiple human pressures are responsible for the decline of Brazilian reefs. • These marginal coral reefs are not long-term and universal refuges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to report, for the first time, the presence of an invasive coral (Tubastraea tagusensis) in an oil platform on the Brazilian equatorial continental shelf. This structure is located more than 1200 km north from other oil and gas structures colonized by this coral. We also discussed the retirement and decommissioning of old biofouling-encrusted oil and gas platforms (~62 platforms) from decreased production and the current oil crisis, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This presents an ecological concern due invasive coral range expansion and potential impacts to poorly studied ecosystems such as marginal shallow-water coral reefs and mesophotic ecosystems. It is imperative that mindful risk analysis and rigorous environmental studies must precede the installation of new oil and gas platforms. In addition, decommissioning of retired structures should take into consideration marine restoration and non-indigenous species dispersal, and more specifically, Tubastraea bioinvasion. • The presence of invasive coral in oil platform on the Brazilian equatorial coast was detected for the first time. • Colonized northernmost structures are located more than 1200 km away from other oil and gas structures. • Risk analysis must precede decommissioning of retired oil and gas platforms. • Rigorous environmental studies must precede new oil and gas platform installation due to high ecological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the PsychoPass method, a method for creating strong and easy to remember passwords. It states that the method proposes creation and memorizing of password by thinking an action sequence on the keyboard rather than a string of characters or word. It adds that the sequence combinations enable generation of infinite number of passwords, which have a nonsense sequence of numbers, symbols and letters that are resilient to attack.

Background: The recent convergence between technology and medicine is offering innovative methods and tools for behavioral health care. Among these, an emerging approach is the use of virtual reality (VR) within exposure-based protocols for anxiety disorders, and in particular posttraumatic stress disorder. However, no systematically tested VR protocols are available for the management of psychological stress.Objective: Our goal was to evaluate the efficacy of a new technological paradigm, Interreality, for the management and prevention of psychological stress. The main feature of Interreality is a twofold link between the virtual and the real world achieved through experiential virtual scenarios (fully controlled by the therapist, used to learn coping skills and improve self-efficacy) with real-time monitoring and support (identifying critical situations and assessing clinical change) using advanced technologies (virtual worlds, wearable biosensors, and smartphones).Methods: The study was designed as a block randomized controlled trial involving 121 participants recruited from two different worker populations-teachers and nurses-that are highly exposed to psychological stress. Participants were a sample of teachers recruited in Milan (Block 1: n=61) and a sample of nurses recruited in Messina, Italy (Block 2: n=60). Participants within each block were randomly assigned to the (1) Experimental Group (EG): n=40; B1=20, B2=20, which received a 5-week treatment based on the Interreality paradigm; (2) Control Group (CG): n=42; B1=22, B2=20, which received a 5-week traditional stress management training based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); and (3) the Wait-List group (WL): n=39, B1=19, B2=20, which was reassessed and compared with the two other groups 5 weeks after the initial evaluation.Results: Although both treatments were able to significantly reduce perceived stress better than WL, only EG participants reported a significant reduction (EG=12% vs. CG=0.5%) in chronic "trait" anxiety. A similar pattern was found for coping skills: both treatments were able to significantly increase most coping skills, but only EG participants reported a significant increase (EG=14% vs CG=0.3%) in the Emotional Support skill.Conclusions: Our findings provide initial evidence that the Interreality protocol yields better outcomes than the traditionally accepted gold standard for psychological stress treatment: CBT. Consequently, these findings constitute a sound foundation and rationale for the importance of continuing future research in technology-enhanced protocols for psychological stress management.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01683617; http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01683617 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6QnziHv3h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]