[Well-being and safety awareness in the context of hospital units related to work place quality]. / Percezione del benessere e della sicurezza in ambito ospedaliero correlata alla qualità dell'ambiente di lavoro.

Several studies founded a positive relationship between environmental work stresses, perceived safety of work places and number of injuries. This study tested the relationship between cognitive dimensions of environmental quality, dimensions of affective quality, and perceived safety in the context of hospital units. A total of 204 hospital workers filled in a questionnaire measuring Perceived Hospital Environment Quality Indicators (PHEQIs: Fornara et al., 2006), Affective Qualities of Places (Perugini et al., 20021, and the Work Safety (WSS: Hayes et al., 1998). Results show a positive relationship between subjective indicators (both cognitive and affective) of environmental quality and specific dimensions of perceived safety in hospital units.

Structural properties of trimers and tetramers of ribonuclease A.

Ribonuclease A aggregates (dimers, trimers, tetramers, pentamers) can be obtained by lyophilization from 40% acetic acid solutions. Each aggregate forms two conformational isomers distinguishable by different basic net charge. The crystal structure of the two dimers has recently been determined; the structure of the higher oligomers is unknown. The results of the study of the two trimeric and tetrameric conformers can be summarized as follows: (1) RNase A trimers and tetramers form by a 3D domain-swapping mechanism. N-terminal and C-terminal types of domain swapping could coexist; (2) the secondary structures of the trimeric and tetrameric conformers do not show significant differences if compared with the secondary structure of monomeric RNase A or its two dimers; (3) a different exposure of tyrosine residues indicates that in the aggregates they have different microenvironments; (4) the two trimeric and tetrameric conformers show different susceptibility to digestion by subtilisin; (5) dimers, trimers, and tetramers of RNase A show unwinding activity on double-helical poly(dA-dT) x poly(dA-dT), that increases as a function of the size of the oligomers; (6) the less basic conformers are more stable than the more basic ones, and a low concentration in solution of trimers and tetramers favors their stability, which is definitely increased by the interaction of the aggregates with poly(dA-dT) x poly(dA-dT); (7) the products of thermal dissociation of the two trimers indicate that their structures could be remarkably different. The dissociation products of the two tetramers allow the proposal of two models for their putative structures.

Sensorial saturation: an effective analgesic tool for heel-prick in preterm infants: a prospective randomized trial.

Pain is traumatic for preterm infants and can damage their CNS. We wanted to assess whether multisensorial stimulation can be analgesic and whether this effect is only due to oral glucose or sucking. We performed a randomized prospective study, using a validated acute pain rating scale to assess pain during heel-prick combined with five different procedures: (A) control, (B) 10% oral glucose plus sucking, (C) sensorial saturation (SS), (D) oral water, and (E) 10% oral glucose. SS is a multisensorial stimulation consisting of delicate tactile, vestibular, gustative, olfactory, auditory and visual stimuli. Controls did not receive any analgesia. We studied 85 heel-pricks (5 per baby) performed for routine blood samples in 17 preterm infants (28-35 weeks of gestational age). We applied in random order in each patient the five procedures described above and scored pain. SS and sucking plus oral glucose have the greater analgesic effect with respect to no intervention (p < 0.001). The effect of SS is statistically better than that of glucose plus sucking (p < 0.01). SS promotes interaction between nurse and infant and is a simple effective form of analgesia for the NICU.

Different susceptibility of the two dimers of ribonuclease A to subtilisin. Implications for their structure.

RNase A and its minor and major dimers were digested with subtilisin under controlled conditions. The major dimer was found to be slightly more resistant, the minor dimer markedly less resistant to subtilisin than monomeric RNase A. Two S-proteins formed for each RNase A species, one starting with Ser-21, the other with Ser-22. Their relative proportions indicate that the structure of the minor dimer, whose identity with that of a RNase A dimer shown to be 3D domain-swapped is strongly suggested by recent work [S. Sorrentino et al. (2000) FEBS Lett. 466, 35-39], makes its peptide bond between Ser-21 and Ser-22 more accessible to subtilisin than it is in RNase A and its major dimer. Moreover, (i) both subunits constituting the minor dimer are more susceptible to subtilisin than monomeric RNase A, and (ii) the susceptible bonds in one of its two exchanging N-terminal arms are more accessible to the protease than in the other. The properties of the major dimer suggest that its structure could be different.

[Cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung. A case report]. / La malformazione adenomatoide cistica del polmone. Osservazione di un caso.

Fetal cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung is a rare pulmonary abnormality characterized by excessive growth of terminal respiratory structures. In newborn the malformation can be responsible of respiratory distress of variable degree with immediate or delayed onset after birth. The Authors present a case of cystic adenomatoid malformation diagnosed in utero by ultrasound discussing pathological, clinical, radiological and echographic aspects of the lesion.

[Anatomical knowledge in relation to the female genitalia in adolescent girls]. / Le nozioni anatomiche relative ai genitali femminili di ragazze adolescenti.

The purpose of the research was to analyse drawings of the inside of the body and the female genital apparatus produced by 275 female adolescents aged 11 to 18, with particular interest in the quality and structural properties of the drawings and in the female genital elements best known to the subjects. The results reveal the presence of a progressive process of integration of the genital parts into the representation of the inside of the body and show how knowledge of the female genitals evolves in the age group considered.

Adolescent girls' representations of their genital inner space.

Psychoanalytical theory and research based on Freud's observations have viewed female sexual development mainly in terms of the fantasies and sensations aroused by the external genitals of the child. Other authors refer to the significance of females' inner sexual organs that define the cavity surrounded by body mass, included in the body image. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between girls' representative modalities of their genital inner space and their identity formation. Randomly selected adolescent girls (n = 275) aged 11 to 18 years were asked to make a drawing (1) of the inside of their body and (2) of their sexual organs. Analysis of the main qualitative features of the drawings indicates that structuration and integration of genital inner space in the body image is a slow developmental process.

[Experience with and remarks 1 year's application of the abortion law 194]. / Esperienze e considerazioni su di un anno di applicazione della legge 194.

PIP: Between June 1978 and June 1979 514 voluntary interruptions of pregnancy were done at the Valdarno Aretino Hospital Board, Montevarchi, Italy. The operations were performed by the Karman method on women in their first trimester of pregnancy, and on an outpatient basis. 97% of patients were in the age group 18-30; 46% were unmarried, and 49% married. 95% had at least a high school diploma, and most were working outside the house; nulliparous patients were 48%, and multiparous 52%. There were 2 cases of uterine perforation, and no infections or hemorrhage. Most women had been referred to the hospital not by a family planning center but by their private physician. It was unfortunately noted that only few patients had sometimes been on OC (oral contraception); most patients had never used effective contraception. During the same period of time and in the same hospital, the number of the so called spontaneous abortions decreased 7%, and the number of deliveries decreased 13%.^ieng