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Individuals who are involved in meaningful work are positively engaged in their jobs, perceiving it as both significant and congruent with themselves. Considering that meaningful work is related to positive working and organizational outcomes, a valid and reliable scale of meaningful work may be useful in research contexts and consultation projects to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions aimed at increasing the perceived meaning of work. This study tested the psychometric properties of the Work and Meaning Inventory in the Italian context, verifying its measurement invariance across gender and its validity. Participants included 807 Italian adults, balanced by gender. The dimensions analysed are meaningful work, work engagement, organizational citizenship behaviour, flourishing, life satisfaction and job satisfaction. The results indicate good psychometric properties of the WAMI scale in the Italian context, confirming the original factor structure and showing good reliability indexes, measurement invariance across genders, and concurrent validity. Suggestions for further research and practical implications are discussed: the instrument can be useful in career counselling to reflect on the importance of meaningful work; organizations may benefit by promoting the meaningful work, as more engaged and more committed workers in turn will be more productive., Author(s): Magnano Paola [sup.1] , Zarbo Rita [sup.1] , Santisi Giuseppe [sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.440863.d, 0000 0004 0460 360X, Faculty of Human and Social Sciences, Kore University of Enna, [...]

Time-resolved spectroscopic and electron–ion coincidence techniques are essential to study dynamic processes in materials or chemical compounds. For this type of analysis, it is necessary to have detectors capable of providing, in addition to image-related information, the time of arrival for each individual detected particle (“x, y, time”). The electronics capable of handling such sensors must meet requirements achievable only with time-to-digital converters (TDC) with a resolution on the order of tens of picoseconds and the use of a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) to manage data acquisition and transmission. This study introduces the design and implementation of an innovative TDC based on two FPGAs working symbiotically with different tasks: the first (AMD/Xilinx Artix® 7) directly implements a TDC, aiming for a temporal precision of 12 picoseconds, while the second (Intel Cyclone® 10) manages the acquisition and connectivity with the external world. The TDC has been optimized to operate on eight channels (+ sync) simultaneously but is potentially extendable to a greater number of channels, making it particularly suitable for coincidence measurements where it is necessary to temporally correlate multiple pieces of information from various measurement systems.

Antithrombotic therapies (ATT) play a pivotal role in the management of cardiovascular diseases, aiming to prevent ischemic events while maintaining a delicate balance with the patient’s bleeding risk. Typically, ATT can be classified into antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapies. Their application spans a broad spectrum of cardiovascular conditions, ranging from ischemic heart disease to atrial fibrillation, encompassing venous thromboembolisms and innovative structural interventional cardiology procedures. The global burden of cardiovascular diseases is steadily increasing, often giving rise to overlapping clinical presentations. Accordingly, the adoption of combined pharmacological approaches becomes imperative, potentially disrupting the delicate equilibrium between ischemic and bleeding risk, thus leading to nuanced pharmacotherapeutic pathways. In this context, contemporary investigations strive to identify a convergence point that optimizes the duration of medical therapy while addressing the need for antithrombotic effects, especially in the context of ischemic heart disease. This review aims to comprehensively revisit the main antithrombotic strategies in cardiovascular diseases, with the intention of enhancing a systematic approach which is key for the effective clinical management of these patients. Also, the review will examine the most impactful studies that have established the groundwork for current scientific evidence, with acknowledgement of special populations. Finally, we will cast a gaze into the future of this dynamic and evolving research field, exploring forthcoming perspectives and advancements.

Introduction The healthcare systems in Europe are changing rapidly due to the increased complexity of healthcare needs, specifically for the ageing population with chronic diseases. Nurses play a key role in providing care for patients with chronic diseases, encouraging patients to take care of their own health improving their Health Literacy (HL) too. Previous works have highlighted the paucity of HL content in nursing curricula, and the need to prioritise the development of HL skills in academic teaching and assessment methods. The aim of this study is to analyse HL skills nursing literature to further develop scientific knowledge in this area of research.Methods and analysis This scoping review will be conducted following Arksey and O’Malley’s framework. This study is based on the Joanna Briggs Institute manual. A systematic search will be performed by four researchers using the electronic databases of MEDLINE (via PubMed), the Education Resources Information Centre, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. We will include any paper that focuses on HL skills and undergraduate nursing students. We will select every primary study (quantitative, qualitative and mixed method design) published in peer-reviewed journals up until February 2023, in both Italian and English language, without any time limit.Ethics and dissemination This scoping review is part of a large project of the University of Catania which aims at developing higher educational standards for nursing student. This project will not involve patients/public and does not require ethical committee approval. This scoping review will be submitted to international peer-reviewed journals.Registration details The protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework on 20 April 2023 (https://osf.io/cn8d7).

Abstract Background The effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) on the risk of ventricular arrhythmias is controversial. Several studies reported a decreased risk, but some studies reported a potential proarrhythmic effect of epicardial left ventricular pacing resolved upon discontinuation of biventricular pacing (BiVp). Case Summary A 67‐year‐old woman with a history of heart failure due to nonischemic cardiomyopathy and left bundle branch block was hospitalized for CRT device implantation. Unpredictably, as soon as the leads have been connected to the generator, an electrical storm (ES) occurred with relapsing self‐resolving polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) triggered by ventricular extra beats with short‐long‐short sequences. The ES was resolved without interrupting BiVp switching to unipolar left ventricular (LV) pacing. This allowed to keep CRT active with extreme clinical benefit for the patient and to demonstrate that the cause of the PVT was the anodic capture of bipolar LV stimulation. Reverse electrical remodeling was also demonstrated after 3 months of effective BiVp. Discussion Proarrhythmic effect of CRT is a rare but significant complication of CRT, and it may compel to discontinuation of the BiVp. The reversal of the physiological transmural activation sequence of epicardial LV pacing and subsequent prolonging of corrected QT interval have been speculated as the most probable explanation, but our case highlights the possibility that the anodic capture may play a relevant role in PVT genesis.

Background: Favorable clinical outcomes are difficult to achieve in long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) with catheter ablation (CA). The CONVERGE (Convergence of Epicardial and Endocardial Ablation for the Treatment of Symptomatic Persistent Atrial FIbrillation) trial evaluated the effectiveness of hybrid convergent (HC) ablation vs endocardial CA. Objective: The study sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of HC vs CA in the LSPAF subgroup from the CONVERGE trial. Methods: The CONVERGE trial was a prospective, multicenter, randomized trial that enrolled 153 patients at 27 sites. A post hoc analysis was performed on LSPAF patients. The primary effectiveness was freedom from atrial arrhythmias off new or increased dose of previously failed or intolerant antiarrhythmic drugs (AADs) through 12 months. The primary safety endpoint was major adverse event incidence through 30 days with HC. Key secondary effectiveness measures included (1) percent of patients achieving ≥90% AF burden reduction vs baseline and (2) AF freedom. Results: Sixty-five patients (42.5% of total enrollment) had LSPAF; 38 in HC and 27 in CA. Primary effectiveness was 65.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 50.7%–80.9%) with HC vs 37.0% (95% CI 5.1%–52.4%) with CA (P = .022). Through 18 months, these rates were 60.5% (95% CI 50.0%–76.1%) with HC vs 25.9% (95% CI 9.4%–42.5%) with CA (P = .006). Secondary effectiveness rates were higher than CA with HC at 12 and 18 months. Freedom from atrial arrhythmias off AADs was 52.6% (95% CI 36.8%–68.5%) and 47.4% (95% CI 31.5%–63.2%) with HC at 12 and 18 months vs 25.9% (95% CI 9.4%–42.5%) and 22.2% (95% CI 6.5%–37.9%) with CA, respectively (12 months: P = .031; 18 months: P = .038). Three (7.9%) major adverse events occurred within 30 days of HC. Conclusion: Post hoc analysis demonstrated effectiveness and acceptable safety of HC compared with CA in LSPAF.

Recent research has shown that self-efficacy has a positive relationship with life satisfaction and with the perception of access to decent work. On the other hand, a perception of instability regarding the profession is negatively correlated with these dimensions. Few authors have studied these constructs within the same research. Therefore, the aim of the study was to fill this gap in the literature by testing a structural equation model in which the perception of access to decent work could mediate between perceived self-efficacy in one’s training and life satisfaction, and between perceived instability of the profession and life satisfaction. Data was collected through an online research survey. Five hundred and seventeen university students (104 males and 413 females) aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 22.50; ds = 2.61) from three different countries participated: 181 were Italian, 173 were Swiss, and 163 were Spanish. The results only partially confirmed our model. The idea of finding a decent work mediates the relationship between perceived job instability and life satisfaction, but not between self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Perceived self-efficacy together with the idea of finding a decent work have a direct effect on life satisfaction. In career development, counselors must take into account what the perception of job instability entails for students, which may be demotivating and not allow future workers to imagine a decent job.

BackgroundThe inappropriate use of antibiotics in clinical and non-clinical settings contributes to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Contemporary endeavours are focused on exploring novel technological methodologies, striving to create cost-effective and valuable alternatives for detecting microorganisms, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs), and/or antibiotics across diverse matrices. Within this context, there exists an increasingly pressing demand to consolidate insights into potential biosensors and their implications for public health in the battle against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).MethodsA scoping review was carried out to map the research conducted on biosensors for the detection of microorganisms, ARGs and/or antibiotics in clinical and environmental samples. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist was used. Articles published from 1999 to November 2022 and indexed in the following databases were included: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, BIOSIS Citation index, Derwent Innovations index, and KCI-Korean Journal.ResultsThe 48 studies included in the scoping review described the development and/or validation of biosensors for the detection of microorganisms, ARGs and/or antibiotics. At its current stage, the detection of microorganisms and/or ARGs has focused primarily on the development and validation of biosensors in clinical and bacterial samples. By contrast, the detection of antibiotics has focused primarily on the development and validation of biosensors in environmental samples. Asides from target and samples, the intrinsic characteristics of biosensors described in the scoping review were heterogenous. Nonetheless, the number of studies assessing the efficacy and validation of the aforementioned biosensor remained limited, and there was also a lack of comparative analyses against conventional molecular techniques.ConclusionPromoting high-quality research is essential to facilitate the integration of biosensors as innovative technologies within the realm of public health challenges, such as antimicrobial resistance AMR. Adopting a One-Health approach, it becomes imperative to delve deeper into these promising and feasible technologies, exploring their potential across diverse sample sets and matrices.

Background: Natural language processing, such as ChatGPT, demonstrates growing potential across numerous research scenarios, also raising interest in its applications in public health and epidemiology. Here, we applied a bibliometric analysis for a systematic assessment of the current literature related to the applications of ChatGPT in epidemiology and public health. Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted on the Biblioshiny web-app, by collecting original articles indexed in the Scopus database between 2010 and 2023. Results: On a total of 3431 original medical articles, “Article” and “Conference paper”, mostly constituting the total of retrieved documents, highlighting that the term “ChatGPT” becomes an interesting topic from 2023. The annual publications escalated from 39 in 2010 to 719 in 2023, with an average annual growth rate of 25.1%. In terms of country production over time, the USA led with the highest overall production from 2010 to 2023. Concerning citations, the most frequently cited countries were the USA, UK, and China. Interestingly, Harvard Medical School emerges as the leading contributor, accounting for 18% of all articles among the top ten affiliations. Conclusions: Our study provides an overall examination of the existing research interest in ChatGPT’s applications for public health by outlining pivotal themes and uncovering emerging trends.

La Estomatitis Papular Bovina (BPSV) es una enfermedad viral caracterizada por la formación de pápulas o nódulos en morro, labios, lengua y mucosa oral. En Argentina, existen escasos registros de su presencia. Se comunica un caso de BPSV observado en terneros de un establecimiento lechero. El comportamiento clínico-epidemiológico, los hallazgos patológicos y la identificación del agente mediante biología molecular son concluyentes para la confirmación del mismo. El sistema de crianza artificial y la falta de algunas medidas sanitarias, favorecieron la transmisión de la enfermedad entre los terneros. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8200683

HIV-1 spreads efficiently through direct cell-to-cell transmission at virological synapses (VSs) formed by interactions between HIV-1 envelope proteins (Env) on the surface of infected cells and CD4 receptors on uninfected target cells. Env-CD4 interactions bring the infected and uninfected cellular membranes into close proximity and induce transport of viral and cellular factors to the VS for efficient virion assembly and HIV-1 transmission. Using novel, cell-specific stable isotope labeling and quantitative mass spectrometric proteomics, we identified extensive changes in the levels and phosphorylation states of proteins in HIV-1 infected producer cells upon mixing with CD4+ target cells under conditions inducing VS formation. These coculture-induced alterations involved multiple cellular pathways including transcription, TCR signaling and, unexpectedly, cell cycle regulation, and were dominated by Env-dependent responses. We confirmed the proteomic results using inhibitors targeting regulatory kinases and phosphatases in selected pathways identified by our proteomic analysis. Strikingly, inhibiting the key mitotic regulator Aurora kinase B (AURKB) in HIV-1 infected cells significantly increased HIV activity in cell-to-cell fusion and transmission but had little effect on cell-free infection. Consistent with this, we found that AURKB regulates the fusogenic activity of HIV-1 Env. In the Jurkat T cell line and primary T cells, HIV-1 Env:CD4 interaction also dramatically induced cell cycle-independent AURKB relocalization to the centromere, and this signaling required the long (150 aa) cytoplasmic C-terminal domain (CTD) of Env. These results imply that cytoplasmic/plasma membrane AURKB restricts HIV-1 envelope fusion, and that this restriction is overcome by Env CTD-induced AURKB relocalization. Taken together, our data reveal a new signaling pathway regulating HIV-1 cell-to-cell transmission and potential new avenues for therapeutic intervention through targeting the Env CTD and AURKB activity.

Purpose: To assess functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy versus combined with verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation (RAP).Methods: Studies reporting outcomes of intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy and/or in combination with verteporfin PDT in RAP eyes with a follow-up ≥ 12 months were searched. The primary outcome was the mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months. Mean change in central macular thickness (CMT) and mean number of injections were considered as secondary outcomes. The mean difference (MD) between pre- and post-treatment values was calculated along with 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). Meta-regressions were performed to assess the influence of anti-VEGF number of injections on BCVA and CMT outcomes.Results: Thirty-four studies were included. A mean gain of 5.16 letters (95% CI = 3.30–7.01) and 10.38 letters (95% CI = 8.02–12.75) was shown in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively (anti-VEGF group vs. combined group, p < 0.01). A mean CMT reduction of 132.45 µm (95% CI = from −154.99 to −109.90) and 213.93 µm (95% CI = from −280.04 to −147.83) was shown in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively (anti-VEGF group vs. combined group, p < 0.02). A mean of 4.9 injections (95% CI = 4.2–5.6) and 2.8 injections (95% CI = 1.3–4.4) were administered over a 12-month period in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively. Meta-regression analyses showed no influence of injection number on visual and CMT outcomes. High heterogeneity was found across studies for both functional and anatomical outcomes.Conclusion: A combined approach with anti-VEGF and PDT could provide better functional and anatomical outcomes in RAP eyes compared with anti-VEGF monotherapy.

A pseudoaneurysm or false aneurysm is the consequence of a persistent blood leak caused generally by iatrogenic rupture of a vessel wall. The blood leak creates a new cavity delimited by surrounding tissues and allows blood flow to remain in continuity between this cavity and the vessel. In hemodialysis fistula, pseudoaneurysm generally results from repeated puncturing of the vein at the same site, leading to a bulging anatomical defect in the vein. Over the past few years, interventional radiological treatment has evolved and taken the place of surgery, with different kinds of percutaneous and endovascular treatment methods in pseudoaneurysm management. We reported a case report of successful treatment of arteriovenous fistula pseudoaneurysm with no-measurable neck. We performed ultrasound-guided percutaneous direct thrombin injection while an inflated balloon transiently obstructed flow out of the pseudoaneurysm, in order prevent non-target embolization.

Renal artery occlusion represents an early diagnostic urgency to prevent kidney injury or, even more grave, kidney failure. However, diagnosis is often a challenge due to nonspecific and sporadic symptoms and signs, resulting in misdiagnosis, missed, or delayed diagnosis. The patient ought to be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team to select the best treatment.We describe a 62-year-old man's case study. The patient had a left solitary kidney with an aortorenal artery bypass thrombosis. The renal function resumes 24 hours after the interventional radiology procedure. Based on our experience, revascularization of aortorenal artery bypass thrombosis may save renal function even after long ischemia times of over 24 hours.

Abstract Pregnancy represents a crucial period in which several exposures—and especially maternal diet—might shape children’s health. Thus, identifying how maternal dietary intakes early affect biological aging in children represents a public health mission. We aimed to assess the relationship between maternal intake of nutrients in early pregnancy and telomere length of cell-free circulating DNA (cfDNA) from amniotic fluid. We used data and samples from the ongoing prospective “Mamma & Bambino” study, which recruits mother–child pairs from Catania at the first prenatal visit. Maternal nutrient intakes were assessed using a Food Frequency Questionnaire, while relative telomere length of cfDNA was assessed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our analysis included 174 mother–child pairs. The intakes of iron, vitamin B1, and magnesium were positively correlated with relative telomere length (p-values

Attitude toward smart working reflects feelings of favorableness towards this object; attitudes influence intentions, which in turn guide behaviors. Recent research confirms the positive influence that attitude toward smart working has on expected usage of it. Despite a direct influence, other factors could interact in the context of opportunities for ICT usage for teleworkers; among these factors, work engagement stands out. In turn, work engagement influences the perception of job satisfaction and life satisfaction. Considering that literature suggests that among the antecedents of work engagement are attitudes, the present study analyzes the role of positive attitude towards smart working on work engagement, and consequently on job satisfaction and on life satisfaction, hypothesizing that work engagement could mediate between positive attitude towards smart working and job and life satisfaction. The participants were 342 workers (115 males and 227 females) in private and public organizations, aged 24 to 66 years. The results showed that a positive attitude towards smart working, along with work engagement as a mediator, positively influences job satisfaction and life satisfaction. This means that employers and human resources managers (HRM) can organize training sessions to enhance the positive attitude toward smart working and this can help workers feel more engaged and satisfied.

Background/Objectives: Breast milk is a dynamic, personalized nutrition source, influenced by maternal diet, lifestyle, and environmental factors, which shape its composition and impact infant health. This review synthesizes evidence on the associations between maternal lifestyles (e.g., diet, physical activity, smoking), breast milk composition, and child health, offering insights for interventions to optimize breastfeeding benefits. Methods: We searched Web of Science, Medline, Embase, and PubMed for studies published up to March 2024 using predefined terms. Results: Out of 5244 articles, 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Maternal Body Mass Index and macronutrient intake significantly affected breast milk fatty acid composition, influencing infant growth, cognitive development, and metabolic health. Micronutrient intake, particularly iodine, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins, was linked to better neurodevelopment and reduced atopic risks. Maternal diet and supplementation improved breast milk nutrient profiles and infant outcomes, though exposure to toxins like ochratoxin A raised concerns. Smoking was associated with altered milk composition, including lower osteopontin levels, potentially affecting infant immunity and growth. Conclusions: This review emphasizes that adequate intake of key nutrients is essential for infant development, highlighting the need for policies that address nutritional deficiencies, promote healthy lifestyles, and reduce socio-economic barriers. These efforts can improve outcomes for both mothers and children, enhancing public health and reducing disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the proposal of a new method to transform an f (R) metric gravity theory into a general relativistic theory including an auxiliary scalar field, recently introduced by Cotsakis et al. We argue that (i) the fact that the fourth-order equations of f (R) metric gravity can be recast (via a Legendre transformation) into Einstein equations without any conformal rescaling has been thoroughly clarified in the previous literature, and (ii) the newly proposed method produces a set of equations that are not equivalent to the original theory. In the conclusion, a comment is added on another aspect of the Legendre transformation which seems to be generally overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union's Farm-to-Fork Strategy and Green Deal underscore organic farming's critical role in promoting sustainability and addressing socio-economic issues, including precarious, seasonal, and undeclared labor. The EU's objective to have at least 25% of the agricultural land dedicated to organic farming by 2030 highlights the need for research into the social implications of organic practices, particularly concerning labor conditions, which remains largely unexplored. While existing literature often focuses on organic agriculture's job creation potential, the specifics of labor conditions within this sector remain insufficiently examined. Limited attention has been paid to how private certification schemes shape labour processes, or to the effects of increased preventive measures on organic farmworkers' workloads. This study conducts a systematic review of 41 articles to assess how labor issues are framed within the organic farming sector, identifying three main themes: 1. regulatory frameworks; 2. production practices; 3. farmworkers' employment conditions. These themes are contextualized within the global agri-food value chain, demonstrating how organic agriculture is embedded in a globalized industry. The findings suggest that the social role of organic agriculture is often framed as an economic opportunity for farmers and rural communities or as a means of promoting rural development and increasing revenues through job creation. However, such perspectives risk overlooking the sector's potential to improve labor conditions. The review reveals an urgent need for qualitative studies that explore the experiences of marginalized groups, including migrant and female workers, in organic farming. It advocates for future research that incorporates labor issues into policy discourse, aiming to enhance labor standards within organic certification schemes. Empirical research is therefore essential to deepening our understanding of the intersection between social and environmental sustainability, particularly in relation to the varied labor regimes present in organic agriculture. This work offers a foundational basis for future studies on the evolving relationship between organic agriculture and social sustainability in the context of the green transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: During the pre-conceptional period, addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) is essential for reducing maternal health disparities, particularly among disadvantaged groups. Key SDOH factors such as income, education, and healthcare access significantly influence maternal and infant outcomes, increasing risks like miscarriage, preterm birth, and pregnancy complications. Here, we aimed to explore maternal and neonatal characteristics according to socio-economic status. Thus, we identified clusters of pregnant women with similar social and behavioral characteristics and explored their variability in terms of neonatal outcomes. Methods: Data from 1512 pregnant women in the "MAMI-MED" cohort at ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima in Catania were analyzed. A two-step cluster analysis grouped the women based on education level, employment status, pre-pregnancy nutritional status, and Mediterranean diet score (MDS). Results: Two clusters of pregnant women were identified. Cluster 1 (n = 739) consisted of women with lower educational attainment who were unemployed, overweight and/or obese, and had a lower mean MDS. Instead, cluster 2 (n = 773) was mostly characterized by women with a medium–high level of education who were employed, had normal weight, and had a higher average MDS. Women in cluster 1 had significantly higher proportions of preterm births (p = 0.004), low-birth weight newborns (p = 0.002), and large-for-gestational-age newborns. Differences in gestational week (p < 0.001), birth weight (p < 0.001), and newborn length (p = 0.004) were also noted between the two clusters. Conclusions: Cluster analysis can help identify high-risk groups who may benefit from personalized public health interventions. Our results highlight the need to examine the complex interactions between socio-demographic, behavioral, and genetic factors that contribute to maternal–infant health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study emerges at the intersection of adult development and systems theory frameworks and their contributions to understanding migration experiences and associated cultural transitions. The adult development approach enables a deep understanding of the complexities that adults experience when they move from exploring themselves and their environment in emerging adulthood to establishing their identities and roles during middle adulthood. The systems theory framework, on the other hand, provides insights into the role of social and cultural dimensions in the lives of emerging and middle-adult immigrants who have navigated diverse cultures, roles, and identities. The study highlights the patterns and dynamic interactions of diverse systems of influences and their roles in shaping the self and relational identities of thirty emerging and middle-aged adults who have experienced migration.

This project developed and examined the psychometric properties of an Italian version of the Courage Measure, the reduced version composed of six items as suggested by Howard and Alipour (J Posit Psychol 9:449-459, 2014). Two studies were conducted with independent samples of Italian adults, providing psychometric support for the Italian adaptation of the inventory. This short scale is proposed as a useful tool in the fields of mental health and career counselling for assessing the propensity of individuals to behave courageously and to persist despite perceived risks. Scores may indicate potential to overcome personal challenges related to everyday life as well as career-related problems.

Retention and persistence in college are related to academic adjustment and success. Academic adjustment is the ability of students to deal with educational demands and feel satisfied with the academic environment. Academic adjustment is affected by both cognitive dimensions and non-intellective factors, and it is related to academic satisfaction. The aim of the study presented was to understand whether and how non-intellective factors related to academic performance affect college satisfaction both directly and with the mediation of academic performance. The participants included 661 Italian university students, and the survey was composed of the college competence scale, the college satisfaction scale, the average grade, and an efficiency index. The results revealed that each area of an individual's non-intellective competence affects at least one specific domain satisfaction area, without the mediation of the performance's indicators.