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Within the framework of the project entitled, H2020 C4S (“Communities for Sciences – Towards promoting an inclusive approach in Science Education»), the GiocheriaLaboratori educational service of the Municipality of Sesto San Giovanni, in collaboration with the University of Milano-Bicocca (Italian Hub), organised a professional development research pathway. This was aimed at educators and teachers involved in the project, including those practitioners who would be involved in the later pilot phase. The pathway was held on-line (because of the restrictions due to the COVID-19) from February to June 2020, over a total of 10 meetings, attended by 18 teachers and 5 educators from 3 Infant Schools in Sesto San Giovanni, i.e. Fante d’Italia, Monte San Michele and Primavera. The meetings, each lasting two hours, followed a recursive pattern of training and research-action. Therefore, they involved teachers and educators, between the meetings, conducting classroom scientific laboratories with children (140 in total), collecting the pedagogical documentation to review with the pathway leaders during the training. All meetings were videorecorded and fully transcribed; through a thematic analysis of the words of leaders, teachers and educators, the research team tried to answer the following questions: What conditions, according to teachers and educators, promote children’s active participation and inclusion in scientific activities? What are their representations of inclusive science education and their own professional development? Therefore, the analysis identified certain categories to examine the perspectives revealed by a teacher professional development research pathway in the Infant School, in terms of inclusive science.

The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and heterologous immunization approaches implemented worldwide for booster doses call for diversified vaccine portfolios. GRAd-COV2 is a gorilla adenovirus-based COVID-19 vaccine candidate encoding prefusion-stabilized spike. The safety and immunogenicity of GRAd-COV2 is evaluated in a dose- and regimen-finding phase 2 trial (COVITAR study, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04791423) whereby 917 eligible participants are randomized to receive a single intramuscular GRAd-COV2 administration followed by placebo, or two vaccine injections, or two doses of placebo, spaced over 3 weeks. Here, we report that GRAd-COV2 is well tolerated and induces robust immune responses after a single immunization; a second administration increases binding and neutralizing antibody titers. Potent, variant of concern (VOC) cross-reactive spike-specific T cell response peaks after the first dose and is characterized by high frequencies of CD8s. T cells maintain immediate effector functions and high proliferative potential over time. Thus, GRAd vector is a valuable platform for genetic vaccine development, especially when robust CD8 response is needed.

The acrothoracican genus Berndtia Utinomi, 1950 includes small barnacles known to bore into the calcareous skeleton of living scleractinian corals of the genera Psammocora Dana, 1846 and Leptastrea Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849. The six known species of Berndtia are restricted to the tropical Western Pacific. We provide the first record of Berndtia from the hydrocoral Millepora exaesa Forsskål, 1775 from the central Red Sea, Saudi Arabia, and the scleractinian coral Coscinaraea cf. monile (Forsskål, 1775) from the Arabian Sea, Oman. These findings extend the known range and host use of the genus and raise questions about Berndtia’s host specificity. A molecular analysis of Saudi Arabian and Omani specimens suggests that they belong to two new lineages that may represent new species of Berndtia, each associated with multiple hosts. Further sampling around the Arabian Peninsula and the Western Indian Ocean and exploration of additional potential hosts would provide new insights into the species diversity of the genus.

During two scientific expeditions between 2020 and 2022, direct surveys led to the discovery of free-living mesophotic foraminiferal-algal nodules along the coast of the NEOM region (northern Saudi Arabian Red Sea) where they form an unexpected benthic ecosystem in mesophotic water depths on the continental shelf. Being mostly spheroidal, the nodules are transported en masse down slope, into the deep water of the basin, where they stop accreting. Radiometric dating informs that these nodules can be more than two thousand years old and that they collectively contribute up to 66 g m−2 year−1 to the mesophotic benthic carbonate budget and account for at least 980 megatons of calcium carbonate, a substantial contribution considering the depauperate production of carbonate by other means in this light-limited environment. Our findings advance the knowledge of mesophotic biodiversity and carbonate production, and provide data that will inform conservation policies in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea.

In Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors, critical illness has an impact on an individual’s long-term health status and quality of life. Adults who have recovered from intensive care management could develop muscle weakness, neurocognitive impairment, difficulties in managing activities of daily living and to returning to work, and psychological problems such as depression and anxiety. A prospective, observational study was designed. Data were collected from January to December 2018 from a structured follow-up program, at 3 time points after ICU discharge: at seven days, a visit in the general ward, a phone interview at three months and an ambulatory visit at six months. A total of 95 patients were enrolled, 36% female, with a median age of 65 (55–73) years and a median ICU length of stay of 13 (8–20) days. At the seven days follow-up, patients who had a positive Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale showed a significantly longer time of intubation (p = 0.048) and length of ICU stay (p = 0.023). At three months, we observed a significant relationship between a positive Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and a median value of EuroQol-5D (p = 0.048). At six months, we observed that patients who had a positive Post-Traumatic Symptom Scale were significantly younger than the other group. Findings from the present study suggest that a longer time of intubation and length of ICU stay are associated with a higher level of anxiety and depression immediately after ICU discharge. Follow-up programs are recommended to assess and rehabilitate cognitive function at ICU discharge.

Background: Prolonged application time of helmet continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) leads to better outcomes, but its timing can be influenced by the patient's tolerance. Aims and objectives: To investigate patients' pain and tolerance experience related to different options of helmet fixing system: ‘armpits strap’ versus ‘counterweights system’. Design: This was a non–randomized crossover study performed in a 10-bed intensive care unit and referral extra corporeal membrane oxigenation (ECMO) centre of an Italian university hospital. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled. For helmet-CPAP cycles performed with the armpit straps option, the mean pain numerical rate on a 0–10 scale was: 0·5 ± 1·4 at T0 (baseline), 1·5 ± 2·0 at T1 (after 1 h) and 2·6 ± 2·5 at T2 (end of cycle) (p = 0·023). The same analysis was performed for the counterweights fixing option. The mean score was 0·3 ± 0·6 at T0, 0·3 ± 0·2 at T1 and 0·5 ± 0·7 at T2 (p = 0·069). The mean duration for CPAP cycles performed with armpits strap and counterweights system was 3·0 ± 1·0 and 3·9 ± 2·3 h, respectively (p < 0·001). The mean section of the Basilic vein that was investigated before wearing the helmet was equal to 0·23 ± 0·20 cm2. After 1 h of therapy with the counterweight option and armpit straps, the mean increase of the vein's section was 0·27 ± 0·21(p = 0·099) and 0·30 ± 0·25, respectively (p = 0·080). Conclusions: The fixing system options in use to anchor the helmet during CPAP could worsen the pain experience level and cause device-related pressure ulcers. When compared with the armpit straps option, the counterweights system appears to be a suitable approach to minimize the risks of pressure sores and pain during the treatment. Relevance to practice: The helmet CPAP is a reliable therapy to manage acute respiratory failure. Major improvements regarding pulmonary alveolar recruitment and oxygen levels are strictly related to a prolonged time of helmet CPAP cycles. Using a counterweight

SECRYPT 2021, Contains fulltext : 238046.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)

SECRYPT 2021, Contains fulltext : 237993.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the implementation of an intensive care unit (ICU) diary in an Italian general ICU. METHODS: A mixed-methods pilot study was performed, enrolling all patients who received an ICU diary in an Italian ICU during the study period. RESULTS: Study results are presented in 2 sections: (1) diary evaluation and content themes and (2) follow-up program results. Sixty-six patients were assessed for eligibility. Diary administration was possible in 31 patients (47%). The overall diary entries, in 31 analyzed diaries, were 1331, with a median of 25 entries (interquartile range, 16-57 entries) for each diary. Participants' relatives and friends wrote a median of 1.2 (0.3-1.6), and nurses wrote 1.1 (0.8-1.2). Other ICU staff wrote a total of 24 entries (2%). Follow-up results revealed low incidence of delirium detected in only 1 patient at the 7-day visit (3%). The median value of PTSS-10 (Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms) score was 12 (3.5-12) at the 7-day visit, 6 (1.5-12) at 3 months' telephone interview, and 12 (1.5-17) at 6 months' visit. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first Italian report about the introduction of an ICU diary. The diaries were easily implemented in our clinical practice as a "low-cost" initiative. In our study, nurses and participants' relatives and friends wrote a similar number of entries in each analyzed diary. This project could be effective in reducing survivors' delirium and post-traumatic stress disorder and in implementing mutual understanding between clinical staff and relatives during ICU stay.