Motivations and Perceived Organizational Climate Among Volunteers of Italian Red Cross

AbstractWhat really motivates a person to do voluntary work is a complex question. However, understanding these motivations can be very useful to voluntary organisations in attracting, placing, and retaining volunteers.According to the functional approach to voluntarism, people engaged in similar acts may have different underlying motivations for doing so. The Volunteer Function Inventory model catalogues six functions of voluntarism which are correlated with volunteer's goals, benefits, and motives.Participants in this study were 112 volunteers of the Italian Red Cross (Sicilian section). The results indicated that the values function motivated to voluntarism more than other functions. The Self-centred functions were valued less incisive. The organizational climate was positively evaluated

Psychosocial Dimensions of Quality of Life among Elders: A Research of the Italian and Spanish Elderly

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The psychosocial dimensions of aging: a research project with italian elders, caregivers and young people and also spanish elders

El rápido aumento de las expectativas de vida es un fenómeno típico del mundo desarrollado. El envejecimiento ha sido considerado una simple espera a la muerte por mucho tiempo. Así, hoy más que nunca, es extremadamente importante reflexionar sobre la posibilidad de aumentar la calidad de vida de los ancianos. En el marco sistémico-ecológico, es una cuestión muy importante cómo cambiar las representaciones sociales sobre los ancianos y hacer significativos los años de la vejez. Según una diseñada escenografía, vamos a llevar a cabo una investigación, articulada en dos estudios: el primero se lleva a cabo involucrando a un grupo de ancianos y un grupo de jóvenes; el segundo se realiza con el fin de hacer comparaciones transnacionales entre Italia y España. Vamos a utilizar un cuestionario psicosocial, que incluye las siguientes medidas: un conjunto de temas relativos al modelo de resistencia al cambio y a las actividades que un anciano realiza durante el día; las asociaciones libres; la programación de Afecto Positivo y Negativo; La Escala temporal de satisfacción con la vida; WHO-QoL-Bref; la autoeficacia social percibida. Los resultados de nuestra investigación contribuirán a un conocimiento mejor y más articulado con respecto a los ancianos y a sus vidas.The quick increase of life expectations is a typical phenomenon of developed world. The aging has been considered simply waiting period of the death for long time. Thus, today more never, it becomes extremely important to reflect upon possibility increasing the quality of life among elders. In ecological-systemic framework, one question extremely important is how to change social representations on elders and make meaningful the years of the old age. According to designed scenery, we are going to carry out a research, which is going to be articulated in two studies: the first is going to carry out involving one group of elders and one group of young people; the second is going to carry out to make cross-national comparisons between Italy and Spain. We are going to use a psychosocial questionnaire, which includes the following measures: a set of items regarding to model of resistance to change and the activities which an elder usually does during the day; free associations; Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; Temporal Satisfaction With Life Scale; WHO-QoL-Bref; Perceived Social Self-efficacy. Results of our research will contribute to a better and more articulated knowledge regarding to elders and their lives.peerReviewe

The psychosocial dimensions of aging: a research project with italian elders, caregivers and young people and also spanish elders

El rápido aumento de las expectativas de vida es un fenómeno típico del mundo desarrollado. El envejecimiento ha sido considerado una simple espera a la muerte por mucho tiempo. Así, hoy más que nunca, es extremadamente importante reflexionar sobre la posibilidad de aumentar la calidad de vida de los ancianos. En el marco sistémico-ecológico, es una cuestión muy importante cómo cambiar las representaciones sociales sobre los ancianos y hacer significativos los años de la vejez. Según una diseñada escenografía, vamos a llevar a cabo una investigación, articulada en dos estudios: el primero se lleva a cabo involucrando a un grupo de ancianos y un grupo de jóvenes; el segundo se realiza con el fin de hacer comparaciones transnacionales entre Italia y España. Vamos a utilizar un cuestionario psicosocial, que incluye las siguientes medidas: un conjunto de temas relativos al modelo de resistencia al cambio y a las actividades que un anciano realiza durante el día; las asociaciones libres; la programación de Afecto Positivo y Negativo; La Escala temporal de satisfacción con la vida; WHO-QoL-Bref; la autoeficacia social percibida. Los resultados de nuestra investigación contribuirán a un conocimiento mejor y más articulado con respecto a los ancianos y a sus vidas.The quick increase of life expectations is a typical phenomenon of developed world. The aging has been considered simply waiting period of the death for long time. Thus, today more never, it becomes extremely important to reflect upon possibility increasing the quality of life among elders. In ecological-systemic framework, one question extremely important is how to change social representations on elders and make meaningful the years of the old age. According to designed scenery, we are going to carry out a research, which is going to be articulated in two studies: the first is going to carry out involving one group of elders and one group of young people; the second is going to carry out to make cross-national comparisons between Italy and Spain. We are going to use a psychosocial questionnaire, which includes the following measures: a set of items regarding to model of resistance to change and the activities which an elder usually does during the day; free associations; Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; Temporal Satisfaction With Life Scale; WHO-QoL-Bref; Perceived Social Self-efficacy. Results of our research will contribute to a better and more articulated knowledge regarding to elders and their lives.peerReviewe

Use of information and communication technologies improves healthy and unhealthy elderly people's quality of life – the key role of the training setting

The link between the use of ICT and QoL has only been recently theorized because ICT is not, per se, a correct and easy tool to improve elderly people's QoL. We conducted a research consisting of two studies: the first one involved healthy and unhealthy seniors and the second one was a pilot study inspired by Action Research. We aimed to investigate whether elderly people's QoL was influenced by higher beliefs, self-efficacy and positive attitudes towards ICT. Regarding the first study, most participants did not have any digital skills or only a very low level. Their perceived QoL was quite good. Their self-efficacy beliefs were very high. Their attitudes towards ICT were on the the mid-point scale. The QoL was affected by self-efficacy. In respect to the second study, data were collected before and after tests focused on improving the seniors' digital skills. The post-training data were significantly more positive than pre-training. Self-efficacy was significantly higher after training, as was perceived QoL. The results provide evidence that seniors perceive their own lives as better than other age cohorts attribute to them. The quality of the relationship between seniors and trainers represents a main point that positively affects the QoL.Keywords: Seniors, Information and Communication Technology, Quality of Life, Active Training, Relationshi

Distanza sociale e disabilità: gli atteggiamenti degli insegnanti curriculari e di sostegno

L’obiettivo di questo studio era di indagare la percezione che gli insegnanti curriculari e gli insegnanti di sostegno hanno nei confronti della disabilità. A tale scopo, abbiamo somministrato un questionario a 56 soggetti per rilevare i vissuti di distanza sociale riferiti a quattro tipi specifici di disabilità (Sensoriale, Motoria, Intellettiva, Psichiatrica). I risultati mostrano che entrambi i gruppi di insegnanti hanno atteggiamenti simili per i vari tipi di disabilità ma atteggiamenti diversi verso la disabilità intesa come categoria generica.The aim of this study was to investigate the perception that regular education teachers and special education teachers have towards disability. To this end, a questionnaire investigating feelings of social distance referred to four specific types of disability (Sensory, Physical, Intellectual, Mental) was administrated to 56 participants. Results showed that both groups of teachers had same attitudes towards different kinds of disability; moreover, the two groups of teachers had different attitudes towards disability as a general category

Time-dependent metabolic disorders induced by short-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.

Abstract In the modern society, plastic has achieved a crucial status in a myriad of applications because of its favourable properties. Despite the societal benefits, plastic has become a growing global concern due to it is persistence and bioavailability as microplastics (MPs) to aquatic biota. In order to provide mechanistic insights into the early toxicity effects of MPs on aquatic invertebrates, a short-term (up to 72 h) exposure to 3 µm red polystyrene MPs (50 particles/mL) was conducted on marine mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis, selected as model organism for their ability to ingest MPs and their commercial relevance. The use of protonic Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H NMR)-based metabolomics, combined with chemometrics, enabled a comprehensive exploration at fixed exposure time-points (T24, T48, T72) of the impact of MPs accumulated in mussel digestive glands, chosen as the major site for pollutants storage and detoxification processes. In detail, 1H NMR metabolic fingerprints of MP-treated mussels were clearly separated from control and grouped for experimental time-points by a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Numerous metabolites, including amino acids, osmolytes, metabolites involved in energy metabolism, and antioxidants, participating in various metabolic pathways significantly changed over time in MP-exposed mussel digestive glands related to control, reflecting also the fluctuations in MPs accumulation and pointing out the occurrence of disorders in amino acid metabolism, osmotic equilibrium, antioxidant defense system and energy metabolism. Overall, the present work provides the first insights into the early mechanisms of toxicity of polystyrene MPs in marine invertebrates

Porphyromonas gingivalis, Periodontal and Systemic Implications: A Systematic Review

In recent scientific literature, oral infections and systemic manifestations, or correlations between oral health and systemic diseases are a topic of discussion. Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the bacteria implicated in the biofilm formation of bacterial plaque, and plays an important role in the progression of periodontal disease. In this systematic review authors have evaluated the literature of the last 10 years on P. gingivalis and all the systemic implications proven. This study therefore evaluates all the districts of the organism in which this bacterium may have implications. From the results it emerges that P. gingivalis has implications in the onset of different systemic pathologies, including rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular pathologies, and neurodegenerative pathologies. Surely, understanding the mechanisms of diffusion of this bacterium, it would be possible to prevent a series of pathologies. Thus, putting the dentist clinician at the center of prevention for these diseases

Viaje a través de los "campos" del envejecimiento, del "mundo de los mayores" al "mundo de los mayores"

We conducted some researches in order to explore “fields” or dimensions of elderly people’s Quality of Life (QoL), both as self-perception and hetero-perception. A set of researches were conducted in Italy and Spain, involving seniors and university students. The aim was to explore the seniors’ QoL from both their and the students’ point of view. Results showed elderly people perceived their own life better than the “other” attributed to them; they were quite good at managing Positive and Negative Emotions. Spanish university students represented more positively the elderly people’s QoL than Italian colleagues. A Positive Affect as well as an empathic attitude towards seniors affected a better representation about elderly people’s QoL. Another set of studies was focused on the elderly people’s QoL and New Technologies (NTs) as these may offer opportunities both to maintain an independent lifestyle and to being involved in relevant activities. Most participants had nor any digital skills neither prejudices on the NTs; the perceived QoL was quite positive; Self-Efficacy believes were really high. The QoL was affected only by Self-Efficacy. A workshop was held, involving a small group of both disabled and healthy seniors; it was focused on the NTs, as tools to promote an active citizenship. After Training our seniors improved their Digital Skills and their own Quality of Life. In the end, a study was conducted in order to verify how both empathy (Empatic Concern; Perspective Taking), Theory on Mind (RMET) and contact worked well to improve QoL levels attributed to elders by a group of university students. On an applicative plan, empathy and TOM should represent the backdrop in supervised experiences of contact between students and elders. Further research will be conduct on this path.Llevamos a cabo algunas investigaciones para explorar los "campos" o las dimensiones de la Calidad de Vida (CdV) de las personas mayores, como autopercepción y heteropercepción. Se llevaron a cabo un conjunto de investigaciones en Italia y España, en las que participaron personas mayores y estudiantes universitarios. El objetivo era explorar la CdV de los adultos mayores tanto desde su punto de vista como el de los estudiantes. Los resultados mostraron que las personas mayores perciben su propia vida mejor que el "otro" que se les atribuye; fueron bastante buenos en la gestión de Emociones Positivas y Negativas. Los estudiantes universitarios españoles representan más positivamente la CdV de las personas mayores que los colegas italianos. Un Afecto Positivo así como una actitud empática hacia las personas mayores afectó a una mejor representación sobre la CdV de las personas mayores. Otro conjunto de estudios se centró en la CdV y las Nuevas Tecnologías (NT) de las personas mayores, ya que pueden ofrecer oportunidades tanto para mantener un estilo de vida independiente como para participar en actividades relevantes. La mayoría de los participantes no tenían ni habilidades digitales ni prejuicios sobre los NT; la QoL percibida fue bastante positiva; La autoeficacia cree que era realmente alta. La CdV se vio afectada solo por la autoeficacia. Se llevó a cabo un taller en el que participaron un pequeño grupo de ancianos discapacitados y sanos; se centró en los NT, como herramientas para promover una ciudadanía activa. Después del entrenamiento, nuestros adultos mayores mejoraron sus habilidades digitales y su propia calidad de vida. Al final, se realizó un estudio para verificar cómo la empatía (Empatic Concern, Perspective Taking), Theory on Mind (RMET) y el contacto funcionó bien para mejorar los niveles de CdV atribuidos a los mayores por un grupo de estudiantes universitarios. En un plan de aplicación, la empatía y TOM deben representar el telón de fondo en las experiencias supervisadas de contacto entre estudiantes y ancianos. La investigación adicional será la conducta en este camino

Growth of Large-Area, Stress-Free, and Bulk-Like 3C-SiC (100) Using 3C-SiC-on-Si in Vapor Phase Growth

We report on the reproducible growth of two inch 3C-SiC crystals using the transfer of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown (100) oriented epitaxial layers. Additional experiments, in which the diameter of the free-standing layers is increased, are presented, indicating the upscale potential of this process. The nucleation and growth of cubic silicon carbide is supported by XRD and Raman measurements. The rocking curve data yield a full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) between 138 to 140 arc sec for such grown material. Analysis of the inbuilt stress of the bulk-like material shows no indications of any residual stress