A Southern addiction evaluation project: investigating the impact of addiction through a survey HBSC based.

Background: Adolescence is a critical phase of development characterized by numerous physical, psychological and social changes. During this stage, individuals may engage in experimentation and risky behavior, leading to increased vulnerability to addiction. This article aims to present the results of a survey based on the HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) surveillance model in a province of Southern Italy for primary and secondary school students. Methods: We conducted a prospective study from March 2020 to April 2023 through the administration of a questionnaire to students of the healthcare faculties of the University of Messina and primary and secondary school students, composed of 19 items and based on HBSC surveillance. Results: We collected a total of 664 questionnaires. We found that smoking habits increase with age: approximately 31% of secondary school students declare they are real smokers compared to 40% of HCP students. At least once, in the three study groups, students experienced alcohol consumption at different rates, with younger students having a greater propensity to drink than older students. Fortunately, in our sample, no middle school students had tried cannabis. At the same time there is a surprising decrease in gambling in all categories compared to national data. Conclusions: The presence of addictive behaviors in our sample was found to be widespread despite being in line with the national trend. Furthermore, we have observed a reduction in recent years which needs to be investigated to assess the reasons. Primary prevention is probably the main weapon in the hands of politicians and must be applied early in school and community settings to reduce prevalence.

Dataset and species aggregation method applied to food-web models in the Northern Ionian Sea (Central Mediterranean Sea).

The ecological roles of the species in the food web are studied through the Ecopath with Ecosim modelling approach. In this modelling approach, the food web is described by means of functional groups, each representing a species, a life stage of a species, or a group of species with similar trophic, ecological and physiological features. Links between the groups are formally described by a set of linear equations, informed with ecological and fishing data. Here, the data input collected to implement 3 Ecopath models in the Northern Ionian Sea (Central Mediterranean Sea) from 1995 to 2015 are reported. This dataset applied to study the ecological roles of the demersal Chondrichthyes in the study area could be useful to explore different fishing management scenarios. A large dataset of over 300 taxa is shown detailing the ecological inputs, such as Biomass (kg km-2), Production and Consumption rates (y-1), Diet information (weight in %), and fishing data represented by Landings and Discards (t km-2 y-1). In particular, the fishery data described the catches of trawls, longlines, passive nets, other gears and purse seine. In addition, a description of the aggregation method of the species is shown.

A geo-chemo-mechanical study of a highly polluted marine system (Taranto, Italy) for the enhancement of the conceptual site model.

The paper presents the results of the analysis of the geo-chemo-mechanical data gathered through an innovative multidisciplinary investigation campaign in the Mar Piccolo basin, a heavily polluted marine bay aside the town of Taranto (Southern Italy). The basin is part of an area declared at high environmental risk by the Italian government. The cutting-edge approach to the environmental characterization of the site was promoted by the Special Commissioner for urgent measures of reclamation, environmental improvements and redevelopment of Taranto and involved experts from several research fields, who cooperated to gather a new insight into the origin, distribution, mobility and fate of the contaminants within the basin. The investigation campaign was designed to implement advanced research methodologies and testing strategies. Differently from traditional investigation campaigns, aimed solely at the assessment of the contamination state within sediments lying in the top layers, the new campaign provided an interpretation of the geo-chemo-mechanical properties and state of the sediments forming the deposit at the seafloor. The integrated, multidisciplinary and holistic approach, that considered geotechnical engineering, electrical and electronical engineering, geological, sedimentological, mineralogical, hydraulic engineering, hydrological, chemical, geochemical, biological fields, supported a comprehensive understanding of the influence of the contamination on the hydro-mechanical properties of the sediments, which need to be accounted for in the selection and design of the risk mitigation measures. The findings of the research represent the input ingredients of the conceptual model of the site, premise to model the evolutionary contamination scenarios within the basin, of guidance for the environmental risk management. The study testifies the importance of the cooperative approach among researchers of different fields to fulfil the interpretation of complex polluted eco-systems.

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation Improves Exercise Tolerance in Healthy Subjects.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) increases peripheral blood flow by attenuation of the muscle metaboreflex, improving oxygen supply to working muscles. We tested the hypothesis that application of TENS at ganglion improves exercise performance. 11 subjects underwent constant-work rate tests (CWR) to the limit of tolerance (Tlim) while receiving TENS or placebo. Oxygen uptake (V.O2), carbon dioxide (V.CO2), minute ventilation (V.E), ventilatory equivalent (V.E/V.CO2), heart rate (HR) and oxygen pulse (V.O2/HR) were analyzed at isotime separated by percentile and Tlim. V.O2 was lower and V.CO2 was higher at 100% of isotime during TENS, while there were no differences in V.E and V.E/V.CO2. HR was lower during exercise with TENS, and V.O2/HR increased at peak exercise (17.96±1.9 vs. 20.38±1 ml/min/bpm, P<0.05). TENS increased mechanical efficiency at isotime and Tlim (4.10±0.50 vs. 3.39±0.52%, P<0.05 and 3.95±0.67 vs. 3.77±0.45%, P<0.05) and exercise tolerance compared to P-TENS (390±41 vs. 321±41 s; P<0.05). Our data shows that the application of TENS can potentially increase exercise tolerance and oxygen supply in healthy subjects.

Safety and cardiovascular behavior during pulmonary function in patients with Marfan syndrome.

Marfan syndrome (MS) is a dominant autosomal connective tissue disease that impacts multiple systems, such as the cardiovascular system, tissue viscoelastic properties, bone calcification matrix and, most specific to the present investigation, pulmonary parenchyma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function (PF) in patients with MS and relate it to thoracic cage abnormalities (TCA) and the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias during the spirometric exam (SE). A sample of 75 subjects (46 with MS) underwent clinical, anthropometric, echocardiographic, radiographic and PF evaluation; 51 subjects (33 with MS) had their electrocardiogram (ECG) information evaluated during PF. These individuals were matched and compared with a healthy control group (CG). Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV) in the first second (FEV(1)) in the patients with MS were significantly lower in comparison with the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.0006) and predicted values (p = 0.04 and 0.003). Subgroup analysis based on TCA revealed differences between patients with MS with two combined abnormalities (scoliosis + pectus) in comparison with both the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.002) and patients without abnormalities (p = 0.05 and 0.006). There were no differences regarding the occurrence of arrhythmia during exertion on the SE. There was a correlation between clinical history, cardiovascular behavior and PF. PF is reduced in patients with MS, and deformities in the thoracic cage appear to contribute to this reduction. Despite the apparent structural alterations in the cardiovascular system in this population, exertion during the SE appears to be safe.

Cold bone defect on granulocytes labelled with technetium-99m-HMPAO scintigraphy: significance and usefulness for diagnosis and follow-up of osteoarticular infections.

We wished to determine the frequency and significance of cold bone defect on granulocytes labelled with technetium-99-m-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO-PMN) in non-spinal bone infection. Cold bone defect was investigated as part of a retrospective review during a 2-y period. Patients who had possible osteoarticular infection underwent bone scintigraphy combined with 99mTc-HMPAO-PMN for diagnosis and follow-up. Osteomyelitis was confirmed by isolation of the responsible pathogen. Among 210 patients who had possible infection, 17 (8%) demonstrated a cold bone defect. The site of cold bone defect was for all patients the hip. All 17 patients had proven bacterial orthopaedic hardware-related infection. The single causative micro-organism was staphylococcus. Whatever the outcome, cold bone defect was constant regardless of follow-up equal to or longer than 18 months. These data suggest that this uncommon scintigraphic pattern is an indication of an infectious process similar to increased uptake.