Candida
gut colonization and yeast biofilm production capacity were investigated, by means of XTT reduction assay, in
Clostridioides difficile
infected (CDI) patients, in non-CDI diarrheic patients, ...and in healthy donors in two different time periods (2013–2015 and 2018–2019 respectively).
Candida
gut colonization was significantly (
p
< 0.001) associated to
C. difficile
infection, and to patients infected with hypervirulent
C. difficile
strains bearing the
tcdC
deletion at nucleotide 117 (
p
= 0.0003). Although there was not a prevalent yeast species in CDI patients,
C. albicans
was the species significantly (
p
< 0.001) associated to both the infections sustained by the non-hypervirulent
C
.
difficile
strains and those caused by the hypervirulent strain (
p
= 0.001). The biofilm production by the yeasts isolated from the CDI patients and from non-CDI diarrheic patients did not differ significantly. However, a significantly (
p
= 0.007) higher biofilm production was observed in the
Candida
strains, particularly
C. albicans
, isolated from healthy donors compared to that of the yeasts cultured from CDI patients. Seasonal occurrence was observed in the isolation rate of CDI and non-CDI diarrheic cases (
p
= 0.0019), peaking in winter for CDI patients and in spring for non-CDI diarrheic patients. Furthermore, seasonality emerged in the gut colonization by
Candida
of CDI patients in the winter. It seems, therefore, that the reduced capacity of biofilm production by
Candida
strains isolated from CDI patients might have a role in the development of
C. difficile
infection, probably facilitating the spread of the bacteria into the gut thus amplifying their pathogenic action.
Perception of mattering, the feeling of being important to others (Rosenberg & McCullogh in Community Ment Health J 2:163–182, 1981), is receiving increasing attention as a factor that promotes ...well-being. Individual well-being has been defined in different ways, such as hedonic, as in a deep satisfaction with life (Diener & Lucas in Well-being: Foundations of Hedonic Psychology 213, 1999), eudaimonic, as in the realization of the true self (Ryff in Curr Dir Psychol Sci 4(4):99–104, 1995), and holistic, which is satisfaction across all domains of life (Prilleltensky et al., in J Community Psychol 43(2):199–226, 2015). The present study aims to systematize this body of literature on mattering and well-being to clarify whether the two constructs are linked independently from their conceptualization; to this end, a meta-analysis of 30 studies, following the PRISMA framework, was conducted. A significant medium effect size emerged between mattering and well-being (r = 0.41*** 95% CI 0.33, 0.49), with eudaimonic well-being showing a higher effect size in association with mattering (r = 0.55*** 95% CI 0.46, 0.64). The results indicate that mattering is a relevant construct when studying the positive functioning of individuals; in particular, mattering was found to be a key factor in the process of defining one’s sense of worth and purpose in life.
The present study aimed to examine the protective role of perceived mattering to family and friends on psychological well-being in the Italian context during the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the ...mediating role of emotion regulation.
Data were collected during the first lockdown (March-April, 2020; time 1) and in other two moments (August and November, 2020; times 2 and 3). Cross-sectional analyses were conducted considering participants who completed the first wave (N = 457), while longitudinal analyses were performed on participants who completed the three waves (N = 109). Main outcome measures. Participants were administered the Mattering to Others Questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and a short form of the Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale.
Results of correlational analyses supported the hypothesised link between perceived mattering and psychological well-being, which was mediated by difficulties in emotion regulations. Results of multilevel SEMs showed that individuals who experienced more mattering to family than others across a 9 months period, reported also lower levels of difficulties in emotion regulation and higher psychological well-being than others.
Our findings clearly show that the perception of being important for family and friends could favour emotion regulation, thus protecting individuals from the negative psychological consequences of social isolation.
This study aimed to examine the mediating role of body image coping strategies in the relationship between positive body image and wellbeing. Three hundred and seventy-two women and three hundred and ...seventy-seven men completed a questionnaire assessing body appreciation, body appreciation functionality, body compassion, body image coping strategies (appearance fixing, avoidance, positive rational acceptance), self-acceptance and overall psychological wellbeing. Path analysis showed that avoidance significantly mediated the relationship between body appreciation and overall psychological wellbeing among both women and men; its mediating role was confirmed for men's but not for women's self-acceptance. Positive rational acceptance was a significant mediator of the relationship between body compassion and both psychological wellbeing and self-acceptance among men but not among women. These findings show that higher body appreciation is associated with a lower tendency to avoid appearance-related cognitions or thoughts that are interpreted as threatening, with an indirect effect on women's and men's psychological wellbeing. Analogously, but only for men, body compassion is associated with mental activities and self-care behaviors that foster rational self-talk and the acceptance of one's experiences, which, in turn, are linked to higher wellbeing. These findings can help to plan programs aimed at fostering individuals' wellbeing by focusing on their positive body image considering gender differences.
The present research aimed at understanding individuals’ vaccination intentions and protective behaviours against COVID-19 through two different studies. In Study 1 (N = 213, 73% women; mean age = ...24.03) the Protection Motivation Theory model was tested considering the fear of COVID-19 as a possible mediator between threat appraisal (in terms of both health and social life) and intentions to get vaccinated when the vaccination was not yet available. Study 2 (N = 1111, 68.9% women; mean age = 38.33) was conducted when the vaccine became available for the entire population. Through this study, by adopting the 5C model of vaccine hesitancy as a theoretical framework, we aimed to understand how people who got vaccinated and the ones who did not differed, considering fear of vaccination, personality and vaccination hesitancy. In Study 1, social limitations, perceived severity and COVID-19 perceived vulnerability were significantly and positively related to fear of COVID-19. Contrary to what we expected, fear of COVID-19 was not a significant predictor of vaccination intention, which was predicted by both response efficacy and self-efficacy. In Study 2, in line with previous studies, vaccine hesitancy was negatively related to vaccination. More specifically, the social-oriented dimension of collective responsibility was the strongest predictor of effective behaviour. Our findings provide insights into the complexity of vaccine acceptance and emphasise the need for targeted interventions to promote vaccination and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
The present study aimed to examine the link between late middle-aged adults’ stereotypical and meta-stereotypical beliefs and their psychological wellbeing, considering the role of aging anxiety. ...Participants were 307 people aged between 50 and 64 years living in Italy, who completed a questionnaire assessing warmth and competence stereotypes and metastereotypes referred to their age group, aging anxiety, and psychological wellbeing. Path analysis revealed that competence metastereotypes were associated with psychological wellbeing via aging anxiety, while the link between either stereotypes or warmth metastereotypes, aging anxiety and wellbeing was not significant. These findings showed that metastereotypes significantly contribute to late middle-aged people’s psychological functioning, especially for what concerns meta-perceived competence. Social and community interventions aimed at improving positive metastereotypes concerning late middle-aged people’s abilities might reduce feelings of anxiety related to aging, with favourable outcomes on individuals’ wellbeing.
Objective
To evaluate the changes in (1) residual myometrial thickness (RMT), (2) cesarean scar defect (CSD) size, and (3) clinical symptoms, before and after channel‐like (360°) hysteroscopic ...resection for the treatment of CSD.
Methods
A single‐center, observational, prospective, cohort study was carried out enrolling all symptomatic patients of childbearing age, diagnosed with CSD and routinely scheduled for channel‐like (360°) hysteroscopic resection from July 2020 to July 2021 at the Division of Gynecology and Human Reproduction Physiopathology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero‐Univeristaria di Bologna. University of Bologna, Italy. The primary outcome was the difference in mean RMT before and after the procedure. Secondary outcomes were the differences before and 4 months after the surgery in: (1) CSD size measured by transvaginal ultrasound, (2) visual analog scale (VAS) scores for the symptoms, and (3) abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) rate. Lastly, patients' satisfaction was assessed by the global impression of improvement (PGI‐I) score.
Results
We found a significant difference before and after the procedure in: (1) mean RMT (+2.0 mm; P < 0.001); mean size of the CSD (base: +1.6 mm; height: −2.5 mm; transverse diameter: −3.2 mm; volume: −263.7 mm3; P < 0.001); (2) mean VAS score for dyspareunia (−5.84; P < 0.001), dysmenorrhea (−8.94; P < 0.001), pelvic pain (−2.94; P < 0.001); (3) AUB rate (91% vs. 3%; P < 0.001). Lastly, the mean PGI‐I score ± SD was 1.7 ± 0.9.
Conclusion
Channel‐like (360°) hysteroscopic resection for the treatment of patients with symptomatic CSD may lead to an increase in RMT, decrease in CSD, and improvement of symptoms after the procedure, with high patient satisfaction.
Synopsis
Channel‐like (360°) hysteroscopic resection for symptomatic cesarean scar defect may increase residual myometrial thickness, decrease defect height, transverse diameter, and volume, and improve symptoms.
This study aimed to compare perspective‐taking with a hypothetical target and perspective‐taking occurring during a real interaction with an outgroup member in reducing prejudice toward people with ...disabilities and other groups (e.g., immigrants, homosexual people), via increased empathy. We adopted an experimental design with two treatment groups (Hypothetical target vs. Real target) and one control group (no intervention), one pretest and two posttest measures. Participants, who were 437 students aged 11–17 years (M = 14.28; SD = 1.17), were randomly assigned to the various conditions on a classroom basis. Perspective‐taking was facilitated asking participants to travel in a wheelchair on a path that simulated a real pavement in the presence (or not) of an individual with a motor disability. Findings showed that perspective‐taking in the presence of a real target was more effective in reducing prejudice toward people with disabilities than perspective‐taking task without encountering an outgroup member. Perspective‐taking with a hypothetical target was not sufficient to increase participants' empathy toward people with disabilities, which instead was enhanced when the task was performed at the presence of a real member of that group. Positive effects produced by perspective‐taking (with both a hypothetical and a real target) were transferred to immigrants and homosexuals. These findings suggest that, when possible, perspective‐taking in the presence of the target, which can improve empathy by favoring a two‐way exchange process, is highly recommended to improve attitudes toward different stigmatized groups, not necessarily targeted by the intervention.
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