Why Do First and Second-Generation Young Migrants Volunteer? The Migrant Volunteerism Motivation Model (MVMM)

The following study aims at inquiring into the motivations behind young migrants' volunteerism in civic organizations in Italy, namely in starting and maintaining their engagement (preliminary vs. maintenance phase). The term "young migrants" refers to first and second generation of migrants who deal with two challenges: the transition to adulthood and the acquisition of a cultural identity. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 37 Sub-Saharan young migrants living in Italy (18-32 years old), 19 of first generation (1G) and 18 of second generation (2G). The Omoto and Snyder's Volunteer Process Model (VPM, 1995) was used as an underpinning theoretical framework and a guide for the interpretations of the results. The findings indicate that a) motivations included in the VPM are also found for young migrants, b) some of these motivations take particular meaning for young migrants, c) some motivations are not included in the VPM and are specific of this sample. We named these last motivations: social norms, advocacy and ethno-cultural. In addition, some considerations may be advanced regarding the generation and the phase of motivation: 1G migrants are particularly moved by the importance of integration in the Italian context and by the promotion of their ethnic group while 2G migrants reported mostly the desire to understand their roots. The values, the concern for the community and the longing to develop relationships are the motivations for which all young migrants continue to volunteer; however, 1G migrants are also sustained by advocacy and ethno-cultural motivations. Implications and future directions are discussed

Gender Prejudice Within the Family: The Relation Between Parents' Sexism and Their Socialization Values

Gender inequalities are still persistent despite the growing policy efforts to combat them. Sexism, which is an evaluative tendency leading to different treatment of people based on their sex and to denigration (hostile sexism) or enhancement (benevolent sexism) of certain dispositions as gendered attributes, plays a significant role in strengthening these social inequalities. As it happens with many other attitudes, sexism is mainly transmitted by influencing parental styles and socialization practices. This study focused on the association between parents' hostile and benevolent sexism toward women and their socialization values (specifically, conservation and self-transcendence), that are the values parents would like their children to endorse. We took both parents' and children's sex into account in the analyses. One-hundred-sixty-five Italian parental couples with young adult children participated in the study. Parents, both the mother and the father, individually filled in a self-report questionnaire composed of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory and the Portrait Values Questionnaire. Findings showed that mothers' benevolent sexism was positively related to their desire to transmit conservation values to their sons and daughters. This result was also found for fathers, but with a moderation effect of children's sex. Indeed, the positive relationship between fathers' benevolent sexism and conservation was stronger in the case of sons than of daughters. Moreover, fathers' benevolent sexism was positively associated with self-transcendence values. Finally, fathers' hostile sexism was positively associated with conservation and negatively with self-transcendence. Limitations of the study, future research developments, and practical implications of the results are discussed

Development and validation of a multidimensional motivations to study abroad scale (MMSAS) among European credit mobility students

The aim was to establish and validate the Multidimensional Motivations to Study Abroad Scale (MMSAS) to measure university Credit Mobility Students’ (CMSs) reasons (e.g., academic, cross-cultural, personal growth) for studying abroad. The instrument was administered to a multi-language sample of 1333 European CMSs. The final measure included 27 items. Results supported nine factors for the English (both for native English speakers and the version for non-native English speakers), French, German, Italian, and Spanish versions; invariance across languages was demonstrated and evidence for construct validity is provided. Further research should explore the relevance of this measure to other populations (e.g., other languages, degree mobility students) and determine the relationship with students’ experiences and behaviours abroad. Abbreviations MMSAS, Multidimensional Motivations to Study Abroad Scale; CMS, Credit Mobility Students Keywords Motivations; Study abroad; Credit mobility programmes; Scale development; Confirmatory factor analysis; Scale invarianc

Deposition of Antioxidant and Cytocompatible Caffeic Acid-Based Thin Films onto Ti6Al4V Alloys through Hexamethylenediamine-Mediated Crosslinking

A promising approach for advanced bone implants is thedepositionon titanium surfaces of organic thin films with improved therapeuticperformances. Herein, we reported the efficient dip-coating depositionof caffeic acid (CA)-based films on both polished and chemically pre-treatedTi6Al4V alloys by exploiting hexamethylenediamine (HMDA) crosslinkingability. The formation of benzacridine systems, resulting from theinteraction of CA with the amino groups of HMDA, as reported in previousstudies, was suggested by the yellow/green color of the coatings.The coated surfaces were characterized by means of the Folin-Ciocalteumethod, fluorescence microscopy, water contact angle measurements,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), zeta-potential measurements,and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, confirming the presenceof a uniform coating on the titanium surfaces. The optimal mechanicaladhesion of the coating, especially on the chemically pre-treatedsubstrate, was also demonstrated by the tape adhesion test. Interestingly,both films exhibited marked antioxidant properties (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyland ferric reducing antioxidant power assays) that persisted overtime and were not lost even after prolonged storage of the material.The feature of the coatings in terms of the exposed groups (XPS andzeta potential titration evidence) was apparently dependent on thesurface pre-treatment of the titanium substrate. Cytocompatibility,scavenger antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties of thedeveloped coatings were evaluated. The most promising results wereobtained in the case of the chemically pre-treated CA/HMDA-based coatedsurface that showed good cytocompatibility and high reactive oxygenspecies' scavenging ability, preventing their intracellularaccumulation under pro-inflammatory conditions; moreover, an anti-foulingeffect preventing the formation of 3D biofilm-like bacterial aggregateswas observed by scanning electron microscopy. These results open newperspectives for the development of innovative titanium surfaces withthin coatings from naturally occurring phenols for bone contact implants

Implicit learning deficit in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Evidence for a cerebellar cognitive impairment?

This study aimed at comparing implicit sequence learning in individuals affected by Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy without intellectual disability and age-matched typically developing children. A modified version of the Serial Reaction Time task was administered to 32 Duchenne children and 37 controls of comparable chronological age. The Duchenne group showed a reduced rate of implicit learning even if in the absence of global intellectual disability. This finding provides further evidence of the involvement of specific aspects of cognitive function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and on its possible neurobiological substrate

What are the predictors of sexting behavior among adolescents? The positive youth development approach

Introduction: Research supporting adolescent sexual health and empowerment is needed. The study investigates sexting among adolescents using the resources that characterized the Positive Youth Development Approach (PYD) and considering the impact of parental monitoring. The study aims to describe sexting among three different groups of adolescents (i.e., Non Sexters [NS], Passive Sexters [PS], and Active Sexters [AS]) considering age and sex (first aim). It also seeks to identify predictors among the PYD's resources and parental monitoring that explain the probability of falling into the sexter or the non sexter groups (second aim) as well as the probability of falling into the active or the passive sexter groups (third aim). Method: The national representative sample was composed of 1866 Italian adolescents: 980 girls and 886 boys aged between 13 and 19 years old (M = 16.26; SD = 1.49). Participants completed a questionnaire that measured sexting behavior, PYD resources, and parental monitoring scales. Chi-squared and multivariate logistic regressions were performed. Results: Almost half of the participants (46.0%) were NS, 36.2% were PS, and 17.8% were AS. Results show that sex, age, Connection, and Child Disclosure are significant predictors of sexting behavior. Conclusions: Results highlighted that sexting can be seen as a relational activity that adolescents use to establish connections as part as their sexual exploration. A parenting approach that promotes disclosure may help adolescents explore safely their sexuality and be accountable. Results also indicate that parents need to build educational alliances with schools to promote sexual health and empowerment among teenagers while preventing risk of harm

GENERAZIONE Z I giovani trentini durante la pandemia

L’adolescenza è quella fase del ciclo di vita in cui si verifica la transizione dallo stato di bambino a quello di adulto, attraverso profondi cambiamenti fisici, intellettivi, sociali, psicologici e morali (Confalonieri & Grazzani Gavazzi, 2002). All’interno di questi cambiamenti, l’adolescente deve affrontare alcuni compiti di sviluppo: la creazione di un’immagine mentale della propria corporeità, la costruzione di una rete amicale, la sperimentazione di una relazione di coppia e dei propri valori di riferimento, ecc. È un tempo della vita caratterizzato sia da un patrimonio di possibilità, sia da faticosa incertezza (Modell & Goodman, 1990), che coinvolge non solo gli adolescenti, ma tutto il mondo adulto che sta loro accanto. Le richieste e le sfide che si pongono davanti agli adolescenti sono numerose ed essi devono potersi sperimentare in molteplici contesti di vita (la famiglia, la scuola, il gruppo dei pari ecc.) e mettere alla prova i differenti ruoli sociali che è possibile ricoprire (Scabini, Marta & Lanz, 2006). L’esito di questo processo non può essere definito a priori e “trovare una bussola”, per riuscire efficacemente nella transizione, non è impresa facile. Sorge quindi spontanea e provocatoria una domanda: come si possono coniugare questi compiti (e necessità) di sviluppo con le misure di contenimento messe in atto per fronteggiare una pandemia?Il presente report di ricerca non può non affrontare la tematica che tanto preoccupa oggi il mondo adulto: come gli adolescenti trentini hanno affrontato la pandemia, quali ripercussioni ha avuto su di loro e, soprattutto, quali risorse stanno mettendo in campo per farvi fronte? Il report presenta i risultati ottenuti tramite i questionari compilati da- gli adolescenti di 13 scuole del Trentino nel periodo compreso tra il 26 marzo e l’1 giugno 2021 e i focus group condotti tra la fine di maggio e l’inizio di giugno 2021.Il presente report consta di tre parti. La prima si pone come obiettivo di offrire alcuni brevi spunti teorici sull’adolescenza, coniugandoli con le sfide poste dalla pandemia. Particolari riflessioni saranno dedicate al mondo delle relazioni, al contesto scolastico e alla DAD. La seconda parte presenta la metodologia utilizzata e i risultati della parte quantitativa, ovvero condotta attraverso la compilazione di un questionario da parte di 948 studenti trentini. Infine, la terza parte riporta i risultati dei 4 focus group a cui hanno partecipato 25 adolescenti trentini

BNT162B2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in heart and lung transplanted young adults: is an alternative SARS-CoV-2 immune response surveillance needed?

[no abstract available

Evaluation of Postsurgical Hyperalgesia and Sensitization After Open Inguinal Hernia Repair: A Useful Model for Neuropathic Pain?

Cutaneous mechanical hyperalgesia can be induced in healthy volunteers in early phase analgesic studies to model central sensitization, a key mechanism of persistent pain. However, such hyperalgesia is short-lived (a matter of hours), and is used only for assessing only single drug doses. In contrast, postsurgical peri-incisional hyperalgesia may be more persistent and hence be a more useful model for the assessment of the efficacy of new analgesics. We undertook quantitative sensory testing in 18 patients at peri-incisional and nonoperated sites before open inguinal hernia repair and up to the 24th postsurgical week. The spatial extent of punctate hyperalgesia and brush allodynia at the peri-incisional site were greatest at weeks 2 and 4, but had resolved by week 24. Heat allodynia, suggestive of local inflammation or peripheral sensitization, was not observed; instead, there were deficits in cold and heat sensory detection that persisted until week 24. The findings suggest that central sensitization contributes significantly to mechanical hyperalgesia at the peri-incisional site. The prolonged duration of hyperalgesia would be advantageous as a pain model, but there was considerable variability of mechanical hyperalgesia in the cohort; the challenges of recruitment may limit its use to small, early phase analgesic studies. PERSPECTIVE: Peri-incisional mechanical hyperalgesia persists for ≥4 weeks after open inguinal hernia repair and reflects central sensitization; this may have usefulness as a model of chronic pain to assess the potential of antineuropathic analgesics.Unrestricted educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline U