The role of late adolescents' emotion regulation in the experience of COVID-19 lockdown: A longitudinal study

The COVID-19 pandemic may be considered a unique mass-trauma experience. This study examined the relations between Italian late adolescents' emotion regulation strategies, their anxiety states, and their experience of the lockdown (in terms of discomfort related to restrictions, capacities to create new functional daily routines, and to find positive changes in one's own life) during the first wave of this pandemic. We analysed how participants' reports of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression were associated with anxiety states during the 2020 Italian COVID-19 lockdown (large scale physical distancing and movement restrictions) and one month after the lockdown restrictions had been removed. We also examined how cognitive reappraisal, expressive suppression, and anxiety states were linked to late adolescents' experience of lockdown. The participants were 497 Italian adolescents, aged from 17 to 24 years (Mage  = 21.11, SD = 1.83). A longitudinal structural equation modelling showed that emotion regulation strategies and anxiety states were not associated across time. Cognitive reappraisal was positively associated with routine reorganization and positive changes. In contrast, participants' expressive suppression was negatively related to their discomfort related to restrictions, ability to functionally reorganise their daily routine, and ability to find positive changes related to the COVID-19 emergency. Anxiety was positively linked to discomfort related to restrictions. The findings are discussed in light of the current literature related to emotion regulation and anxiety. Limitations and implications for practice are presented

Changes Induced by Exposure of the Human Lung to Glass Fiber–Reinforced Plastic

The inhalation of glass dusts mixed in resin, generally known as glass fiber–reinforced plastic (GRP), represents a little-studied occupational hazard. The few studies performed have highlighted nonspecific lung disorders in animals and in humans. In the present study we evaluated the alteration of the respiratory system and the pathogenic mechanisms causing the changes in a group of working men employed in different GRP processing operations and exposed to production dusts. The study was conducted on a sample of 29 male subjects whose mean age was 37 years and mean length of service 11 years. All of the subjects were submitted to a clinical check-up, basic tests, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL); microscopic studies and biochemical analysis were performed on the BAL fluid. Tests of respiratory function showed a large number of obstructive syndromes; scanning electron microscopy highlighted qualitative and quantitative alterations of the alveolar macrophages; and transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of electron-dense cytoplasmatic inclusions indicating intense and active phlogosis (external inflammation). Biochemical analyses highlighted an increase in protein content associated with alterations of the lung oxidant/antioxidant homeostasis. Inhalation of GRP, independent of environmental concentration, causes alterations of the cellular and humoral components of pulmonary interstitium; these alterations are identified microscopically as acute alveolitis

Leucocyte Abnormalities in Synovial Fluid of Degenerative and Inflammatory Arthropathies

Genome damage has been related to the induction of autoimmune processes, chronic inflammation, and apoptosis. Recent studies suggest that some rheumatological diseases are associated with overall genomic instability in the T cell compartment. However, no data regarding leucocyte abnormalities in synovial fluid (SF) and their relationship with inflammation are available. The aim of this study was to investigate cellular phenotypes in SF collected from patients with different inflammatory arthropathies, including rhematoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), crystal-induced arthritis (CIA), and non-inflammatory arthropathies, such as osteoarthritis (OA). We found high percentage of micronuclei in SF from CIA compared to the other groups and a high frequency of pyknotic cell in RA and CIA patients. A correlation between pyknosis and immature polymorphonuclear cells with local inflammatory indices was observed. The study of the apoptosis process revealed an increased BAX expression in CIA and RA compared to OA and PsA, while Bcl-2 was higher in CIA. Caspase-3 activity was increased in SF from RA patients and correlates with inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our results showed that inflammatory SF is associated with genomic instability and abnormal cell subset

Bone marrow macrophages contribute to diabetic stem cell mobilopathy by producing Oncostatin M.

Diabetes affects bone marrow (BM) structure and impairs mobilization of stem cells (SCs) into peripheral blood (PB). This amplifies multiorgan complications because BMSCs promote vascular repair. Because diabetes skews macrophage phenotypes and BM macrophages (BMMF) prevent SC mobilization, we hypothesized that excess BMMF contribute to diabetic SC mobilopathy. We show that patients with diabetes have increased M1 macrophages, whereas diabetic mice have increased CD169(+) BMMF with SC-retaining activity. Depletion of BMMF restored SC mobilization in diabetic mice. We found that CD169 labels M1 macrophages and that conditioned medium (CM) from M1 macrophages, but not from M0 and M2 macrophages, induced chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) expression by mesenchymal stem/stromal cells. In silico data mining and in vitro validation identified oncostatin M (OSM) as the soluble mediator contained in M1 CM that induces CXCL12 expression via a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-p38-signal transducer and activator of a transcription 3-dependent pathway. In diabetic mice, OSM neutralization prevented CXCL12 induction and improved granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and ischemia-induced mobilization, SC homing to ischemic muscles, and vascular recovery. In patients with diabetes, BM plasma OSM levels were higher and correlated with the BM-to-PB SC ratio. In conclusion, BMMF prevent SC mobilization by OSM secretion, and OSM antagonism is a strategy to restore BM function in diabetes, which can translate into protection mediated by BMSCs

Mutual intercultural relations among immigrant and autochthonous youth in Italy. Testing the integration, multiculturalism, and contact hypotheses

Italy is increasingly becoming a culturally complex society. This poses numerous challenges for developmental and educational psychology, mainly in terms of how to encourage adequate levels of social harmony by promoting positive development of both immigrant and autochthonous youth. Within this perspective, the current paper presents the Italian findings of the Mutual Intercultural Relations in Plural Societies (MIRIPS) international project, postulating the centrality of three core hypotheses: integration, multiculturalism, and contact. Two studies were performed to investigate these hypotheses. Study 1 comprised 188 Tunisian adolescents aged 13-18 (51% F; Mage=15.94), while Study 2 included 282 Italian adolescents aged 13-18 (58% F; Mage=16.34). Data collection involved completion of the Italian version of the MIRIPS questionnaires, including security, contact, attitudes, acculturation, and well-being measures. In both studies, hypotheses were simultaneously tested by a SEM approach. The tested theoretical models fit the data well. For Tunisian adolescents, establishing contacts with Italian peers was associated with acculturation outcomes of integration (contact hypothesis), that in turn were related to higher well-being (integration hypothesis). Also, higher levels of perceived discrimination were related to acculturation outcomes of separation (multiculturalism hypothesis). For Italian adolescents, feelings of security were linked to higher multicultural ideology and tolerance (multiculturalism hypothesis) as well as to higher contact with immigrants, that in turn were connected to lower segregationist attitudes (contact hypothesis). Moreover, higher levels of acculturation expectation of multiculturalism (the idea that non-dominant/immigrant groups should be integrated by both maintaining the original culture and adopting the dominant/hosting culture) were linked to higher self-esteem (integration hypothesis). The findings substantially supported the three core hypotheses and provided insights for decision-makers and practitioners to design effective social policies and educational programs to enhance the quality of intercultural relations among youth in Italy

Hematopoietic stem cells and metabolic deterioration in Alström syndrome, a rare genetic model of the metabolic syndrome

Purpose: Alström syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic disease caused by ALMS1 mutations, characterized by short stature, vision and hearing loss. AS patients develop the metabolic syndrome, long-term organ complications, and die prematurely. We explored the association between AS and shortage of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), which is linked with metabolic diseases and predict diabetic complications. Methods: We included patients with AS at a national referral Center. We measured HSPCs with flow cytometry at baseline and follow-up. We followed patients up to January 2022 for metabolic worsening and end-organ damage. We evaluated HSPC levels and mobilization as well as bone marrow histology in a murine model of AS. Results: In 23 patients with AS, we found significantly lower circulating HSPCs compared to healthy blood donors (-40%; p = 0.002) and age/sex matched patients (-25%; p = 0.022). Longitudinally, HSPCs significantly declined by further 20% in AS patients over a median of 36 months (IQR 30-44). AS patients who displayed metabolic deterioration over 5.3 years had lower levels of HSPCs both at baseline and at last observation, as compared to those who did not deteriorate. Alms1-mutated mice were obese and insulin-resistant and displayed significantly reduced circulating HSPCs, despite no overt hematological abnormality. Contrary to what observed in diabetic mice, HSPC mobilization and bone marrow structure were unaffected. Conclusion: We found depletion of HSPCs in AS patients, which was recapitulated in Alms1-mutated mice. Larger and longer studies will be needed to establish HSPCs shortage as a driver of metabolic deterioration leading to end-organ damage in AS