Perceived health status and satisfaction with healthcare services of detained male individuals: a survey in Italy.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the perceived health status and satisfaction with prison healthcare services of detained male individuals in Italy. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed between March and June 2021. METHODS: Of 800 male detained individuals who were invited to participate in the study, 632 returned the self-administered questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 79%. RESULTS: Overall, 72.8% of participants reported that they were moderately or completely satisfied with their health status, and 27.2% stated that they were not at all satisfied. Moreover, 66.2% of participants reported that they had at least one health problem or disease, compared with 34% at the time of incarceration, with 35% reporting multiple health problems/diseases. In total, 10.1% of participants requested healthcare when a health problem occurred, and 12.4% were always satisfied with the healthcare that they received. Significant determinants of dissatisfaction with health status were older age, reported health problems/diseases, suicide attempts, emotional problems and no working activity in prison. Significant determinants of dissatisfaction with healthcare services were younger age, health problems at incarceration, suicide attempts and multiple experiences of incarceration. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that detained male individuals have multiple and frequently unmet health needs. Some of the reported health problems or diseases were present at the time of incarceration, but these often worsened and/or increased during detention. This study highlights the need to promote evidence-based intervention to strengthen the role of healthcare services provided in prisons.

X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy study of white decorations on tricolored ceramics from Northwestern Argentina.

White virgules, commas, and dot designs on tricolored ceramics are sporadically found in different archaeological sites located in Northwestern Argentina area, as Puna and Quebrada de Humahuaca. This decorating style has been reported in several articles, but few previous archaeometric studies have been carried out on the pigment composition. Fragments from Puna and Quebrada archaeological sites, belonging to Regional Development Period (900-1430 AD), were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy in order to characterize the pigments employed. Red and black pigments are based on iron and manganese oxides, as it has been extensively reported for the NW Argentina area. White pigments from white virgules, comma, and dot designs have shown different composition. Hydroxyapatite was found in samples from Doncellas site (North Puna region), and calcium and calcium-magnesium containing compounds, as vaterite and dolomite, along with titanium containing compounds were detected on samples from Abralaite (Central Puna region) and Gasoducto (Quebrada de Humahuaca region). It has been concluded that pigment composition is not characteristic of a unique region.

Speciation analysis of antimony in extracts of size-classified volcanic ash by HPLC-ICP-MS.

Although there is concern about the presence of toxic elements and their species in environmental matrices, for example water, sediment, and soil, speciation analysis of volcanic ash has received little attention. Antimony, in particular, an emerging element of environmental concern, has been less studied than other potentially toxic trace elements. In this context, a study was undertaken to assess the presence of inorganic Sb species in ash emitted from the Copahue volcano (Argentina). Antimony species were extracted from size-classified volcanic ash (<36 microm, 35-45 microm, 45-150 microm, and 150-300 microm) by use of 1 mol L(-1) citrate buffer at pH 5. Antimony(III) and (V) in the extracts were separated and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography combined on-line with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). Antimony species concentrations (microg g(-1)) in the four fractions varied from 0.14 to 0.67 for Sb(III) and from 0.02 to 0.03 for Sb(V). The results reveal, for the first time, the occurrence of both inorganic Sb species in the extractable portion of volcanic ash. Sb(III) was always the predominant species.

Solid state characterization of olanzapine polymorphs using vibrational spectroscopy.

FT-Raman, infrared and near infrared investigations of two polymorphs of olanzapine are presented, establishing the main features that allow the discrimination of these crystalline forms using vibrational spectroscopic methods. Ab initio calculations on the basis of the density functional theory were used to determine the stable conformations. The calculated vibrational spectra were compared to the experimental ones in order to identify the conformers corresponding to each polymorph and to assign the vibrational bands to the internal vibrations of the olanzapine molecule. Our results support the hydrogen bonding pattern proposed by the reported crystalline structure and provide valuable information on the structural and thermodynamical relationship between the investigated polymorphs.

Novel dynamical effects and persistent memory in phase separated manganites.

The time dependent response of the magnetic and transport properties of Fe-doped phase separated (PS) manganite La(0.5)Ca(0.5)MnO3 is reported. The nontrivial coexistence of ferromagnetic (FM) and non-FM regions induces a slow dynamics which leads to time relaxation and cooling rate dependence within the PS regime. This dynamics influences physical properties drastically. On one hand, metalliclike behavior, assumed to be a fingerprint of percolation, can be also observed before the FM phase percolates as a result of dynamical contributions. On the other hand, two novel effects for the manganites are reported, namely, the rejuvenation of the resistivity after aging and a persistent memory of low magnetic fields (<1 T), imprinted in the amount of the FM phase.