Spirituality and prayer on teacher stress and burnout in an Italian cohort: A pilot, before-after controlled study

Teaching is a stressful profession that exposes workers to the risk of burnout. Techniques involving higher mental functions, such as transcendental meditation and prayer, have been used in stress and burnout prevention programs. In this study, we report the results of an experience conducted in a group of teachers of a religious institute, in which prayer was used as a technique to prevent burnout

Spirituality and Prayer on Teacher Stress and Burnout in an Italian Cohort: A Pilot, Before-After Controlled Study

Introduction: Teaching is a stressful profession that exposes workers to the risk of burnout. Techniques involving higher mental functions, such as transcendental meditation and prayer, have been used in stress and burnout prevention programs. In this study, we report the results of an experience conducted in a group of teachers of a religious institute, in which prayer was used as a technique to prevent burnout. Methods: Fifty teachers and support staff employed at a Catholic school of a Congregation of nuns volunteered for this study. They were randomized into two groups: prayer treatment (n = 25) or control group (n = 25). The treatment protocol was based on the combination of individual Christian prayer and a focus group of prayer-reflection. The participants received two 30 min training sessions a week over 2 months. Job satisfaction, well-being, and burnout symptoms (emotional exhaustion and depersonalization sub-scales) were measured at baseline and at followup (4 months) with the Italian versions of the Maslach Burnout Inventory validated for teaching and education sector, the General Health Questionnaire, and the Warr, Cook, and Wall\u2019s Job Satisfaction Scale. Results: At follow-up, a significant improvement of all outcome measures was observed. Emotional exhaustion (16.80\u20134.92, p < 0.001), depersonalization (3.72\u2013 0.60, p < 0.001) levels, and psychological impairment (10.08\u20132.04, p < 0.001) were significantly decreased, and job satisfaction (45.96\u201377.00, p < 0.001) was increased. The effect sizes (Glass\u2019 1) of the therapeutic interventions ranged from 0.53 (satisfaction level) to 2.87 (psychological health), suggesting moderate to large effects. Discussion: Prayer could be effective, no less than meditation and other spiritual or mind-body techniques, in contrasting the negative effects of occupational stress and preventing burnout among teachers and possibly other human service professionals

Body composition assessment: comparison of quantitative values between magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography.

Background The primary objective of this study was to compare measurements of skeletal muscle index (SMI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) at the level of L3, on subjects who underwent computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations within a three-month period. The secondary objective was to compare the automatic and semi-automatic quantifications of the same values for CT images. Methods Among subjects who underwent CT and MRI at our Institution between 2011 and 2020, exclusion criteria were: presence of extensive artifacts; images not including the whole waist circumference; CT acquired with low-dose technique and lack of non-contrast images. A set of three axial images (CT, MRI T1-weighted and T2-weighted) were used to extract the following measurements with semi-automatic segmentations: SMI [calculated normalizing skeletal muscle area (SMA) by the square height], SAT, VAT. For the CT images only, the same values were also calculated by using automatic segmentation. Statistical analysis was performed comparing quantitative MRI and CT measurements by Pearson correlation analysis and by Bland-Altman agreement analysis. Results A total of 123 patients were included. By performing linear regression analysis, CT and MRI measurements of SMI showed a high correlation (r2=0.81 for T1, r2=0.89 for T2), with a mean logarithmic difference between CT and MRI quantitative values of 0.041 for T1-weighted and 0.072 for T2-weighted images. CT and MRI measurements of SAT showed high correlation (r2=0.81 for T1; r2=0.81 for T2), with a mean logarithmic difference between CT and MRI values of 0.0174 for T1-weighted and 0.201 for T2-weighted images. CT and MRI measurements of VAT showed high correlation (r2=0.94 for T1; r2=0.93 for T2), with a mean logarithmic difference of 0.040 for T1-weighted and -0.084 for T2-weighted images. The comparison of values extracted by semi-automatic and automatic segmentations were highly correlated. Conclusions Quantification of body composition values at MRI from T1-weighted and T2-weighted images was highly correlated to same values at CT, therefore quantitative values of body composition among patients who underwent either one of the examinations may be compared. CT body composition values extracted by semi-automatic and automatic segmentations showed high correlation

Blood cell gene expression profiles: A narrative review of biomarkers and effects of low-dose ionizing radiation exposure

Ionizing radiation (IR) is a ubiquitous environmental agent whose effects on organisms are well known. This review provides a summary about definitions and man-made low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) sources and dosimeters used in radiation protection. Moreover, the main purpose of this article was to overview the pro-oncogenic effects of LDIR, and to provide experimental evidence that reinforce the use of gene expression data as biomarkers of LDIR effects. Our review showed that basic studies on biological response to LDIR are considered priority. Further, understanding occupational exposure to LDIR may provide valuable information to organize the prevention and prevent from the onset of long-term health effects in radiation workers. Currently, the biodosimetry-based assessment in certain high risk occupational groups may be performed by using peripheral blood cells as samples for testing and validation of biomarkers specificity and sensitivity. Most of the studies on this topic are aimed at establishing new biomarkers and approaches to biological dosimetry, for allowing non-invasive monitoring of long-term health effects of LDIR. Analysis on changes in gene-expression, which is an early specific biological response to LDIR, could provide rapid estimates of individual dose in occupational cohorts, improving the management of periodical medical examination in subjects exposed to LDIR sources

Nurse burnout before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic comparative review

IntroductionThis review aimed to compare available evidence examining burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) in nurses before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific objective was to compare nurse burnout scores in terms of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted for studies on nurses' burnout using the MBI published between 1994 and 2022. In total, 19 studies conducted prior to the pandemic and 16 studies conducted during the pandemic were included and compared using the criteria from the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Tool.ResultsSurprisingly, the results indicated that nurses' burnout scores did not differ significantly before (N = 59,111) and during (N = 18,629) the pandemic. The difference observed was qualitative rather than quantitative.DiscussionThe outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated an already critical situation, and while COVID-19 may serve as an additional triggering factor for staff mental illness, it cannot solely explain the observed burnout levels. These findings underscore the need for long-term clinical and preventive psychological interventions, suggesting that psychological resources should not be limited to emergencies but extended to address the ongoing challenges faced by nurses.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=399628, identifier: CRD42023399628

SARS/MERS/SARS-CoV-2 Outbreaks and Burnout Syndrome among Healthcare Workers. An Umbrella Systematic Review

The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is putting a severe strain on all healthcare systems. Several occupational risk factors are challenging healthcare workers (HCWs) who are at high risk of mental health outcomes, including Burnout Syndrome (BOS). BOS is a psychological syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses concerning BOS and coronavirus (SARS/MERS/SARS-CoV-2) outbreaks was carried out on PubMed Central/Medline, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO, and Epistemonikos databases. Data relating to COVID-19 is insufficient, but in previous SARS and MERS outbreaks about one-third of HCWs manifested BOS. This prevalence rate is similar to the figure recorded in some categories of HCWs exposed to chronic occupational stress and poor work organization during non-epidemic periods. Inadequate organization and worsening working conditions during an epidemic appear to be the most likely causes of BOS. Preventive care and workplace health promotion programs could be useful for protecting healthcare workers during pandemics, as well as during regular health activities

Volunteer-aholism: A comprehensive model of personality, burnout, and mental distress in a sample of healthcare first responders of the Italian red cross auxiliary corps

Introduction: Whether burnout can be extended to explain occupational distress in unwaged personnel is an ongoing debate. Possible divergences could be observed for burnout among non-traditional working figures. Methods: A total of 823 first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic were surveyed among Red Cross volunteers enrolled in the Italian Auxiliary Corps to the Armed Forces. An online questionnaire was proposed as composed of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment, Patient Health Questionnaire, Single-item PTSD Screener, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Big Five Inventory. A comprehensive model accounting for both personality and mental distress in influencing burnout dimensions was carried over through structural equation modeling. Results: Almost perfect goodness of fit was achieved for the model (TLI >0.99; CFI >0.99; RMSEA <0.03). Emotional stability was negatively associated with depression (beta=-0.21) and anxiety (beta=-0.25). Conscientiousness (beta=0.29) and emotional stability (beta=0.21) were positively associated with personal accomplishment. Depression, anxiety, and personal accomplishment were positively associated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (minimum beta=0.2, maximum beta=0.36, all p[removed]

Does Nox2 Overactivate in Children with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease?

It is unknown whether nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 2 (Nox2) activation is early associated with endotoxemia and liver damage in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). To address this issue, we evaluated Nox2 activation, oxidative stress, gut permeability, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) serum levels in 67 children with biopsy-proven NAFLD and 73 controls. Compared with controls, NAFLD patients had higher Nox2 activity, isoprostane, zonulin, and LPS levels. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), homeostatic model assessment-estimated insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), LPS, and isoprostanes were independently associated with Nox2-derivative peptide (sNox2-dp) levels. Within the NAFLD group, patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) had significant higher levels of sNox2-dp, isoprostanes, LPS, triglycerides, HOMA-IR, fasting glucose and insulin, and lower HDL than those without NASH. Furthermore, sNox2-dp levels were linearly associated with the histological grading of steatosis, inflammation, ballooning, fibrosis, and NAFLD activity score. This study provides evidence that children with NAFLD have Nox2 overactivation compared with controls and significant association with the degree of liver damage. The close relationship between Nox2 and LPS serum levels leads to hypothesize a potential role for gut-derived LPS in eliciting systemic Nox2 activation