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The vaccination of pregnant women against influenza and COVID-19 may reduce the risk of severe illness in both the women of this population and their babies. Although the risks of non-vaccination are more serious than the side effects, maternal immunization is still the least-used method of prevention due to a lack of information leading to concerns about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, resulting in a low prevalence rate among pregnant individuals. Our study investigates vaccination coverage and the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of COVID-19 in pregnant women at a university hospital. A questionnaire was created with the following three scores: a vaccination propensity score, a knowledge score and a hesitancy score. The first observation in the results was the very low number of immunized women (only 4.7% received their first dose). The main barrier towards vaccination was found to be fear of adverse events. We noticed a low percentage of influenza and diphtheria tetanus pertussis vaccination compared to other studies. Vaccination propensity was higher when healthcare workers educated their patients. As immunization is a crucial part of public health policy, measuring coverage to identify gaps and monitor trends, especially for individuals considered at high risk, and developing new strategies in order to increase awareness of vaccination during pregnancy is particularly timely and relevant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) are a group of nanocarriers employed in a wide range of applications. Characterization is a fundamental step in PNPs formulation and many basic techniques are available to provide chemical-physical information such as dimensions, surface potential, stability and solubility. Recently, these techniques have been implemented with more innovative ones to obtain more precise knowledge of the nanomaterials. In this review we analyzed the state of the art in the field of polymeric nanoparticles produced by Italian laboratories. We described all methods available for PNPs characterization with their applications as drug delivery systems. We also reported the different types of molecules that were recently used for PNPs functionalization, a fundamental step in delivering drugs specifically to their targets and then resulting in reduced side effects in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To report a study of Italian nurses' understanding of genetics. The objectives were to explore nurses' basic knowledge of genetics, their perceptions of the relevance of genetics and their opinions about the role of the genetic nurse. Background As the knowledge of the genetic basis for disease has developed, pressure to give genetic healthcare services for a larger number of individuals has increased. Specialist genetic nurses currently work in many countries; however, there are very few specialist genetic nurses in Italy and the preparedness of Italian nurses to give care for people with or at risk for genetic conditions is unclear. Design A cross-sectional survey. Methods The survey was administered over 3 months during 2011. Registered Nurses aged 21-65 years were recruited via the website of the Italian nurse registration body, social network sites, hand-distributed flyers and email. Three hundred and eight-five (90%) nurses completed the survey. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests for distribution and Spearman's Rho analysis of correlations. Results The majority of respondents correctly answered at least four of five genetics knowledge questions. There were no statistically significant difference between knowledge scores when analysed according to age, but scores were positively correlated with higher academic qualifications and previous genetics education. A minority of respondents believed genetics was highly relevant to the nursing role. Conclusion It is essential to ensure that educational provision for nurses includes not only the genetic concepts underpinning health and disease, but also how these are applied to nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schinus molle (L.) is a dioecious plant of the Anacardiaceae family, originating in South America and currently widespread in many regions throughout the world. In this work leaf extracts and derived low-pressure column chromatography (LPCC) fractions of S. molle L. male and female plants were investigated for the antimicrobial activity. Leaf extracts were tested on microbes Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and Bacillus subtilis. Furthermore, the extracts showing antimicrobial activity were fractionated by LPCC and the obtained fractions tested on the same microorganism strains. Positive fractions were investigated by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and were seen to be rich in sesquiterpenes, sesquiterpenoids and other terpens. The obtained effects highlighted the antimicrobial properties of S. molle (L.) leaf compounds and revealed their importance as a source of bioactive molecules of potential pharmaceutical interest. To our knowledge, this is the first paper reporting investigations on the chemical composition of the extracts and derived positive fractions from Schinus molle (L.) plants grown in central Italy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]