Health Literacy, Socioeconomic Status and Vaccination Uptake: A Study on Influenza Vaccination in a Population-Based Sample

Background: Health Literacy (HL) has been recently hypothesized to affect the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health conditions. However, to date no study has yet assessed the potential contribution of HL in the pathway through which SES affects influenza vaccination status. We aim to examine the relationships among HL, SES factors, and influenza vaccination uptake in Tuscan (Italy) residents belonging to different high-risk groups (HRGs) for influenza. Methods: The study was performed within the Tuscan population sample selected in the Italian Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2017–2018. HL was assessed using the Italian version of the 6-items European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q6). Mediation analyses were conducted using SES variables as independent variables, influenza vaccination status as dependent variable and HL as mediator variable. Results: A total of 3278 people belonged to HRGs for influenza. In the whole sample, 19.4% of the participants were vaccinated against influenza. Participants who were not employed or had a poor financial status were more likely to be vaccinated against influenza (OR 1.56, 95%CI 1.26–1.94, p < 0.001, and OR 1.21, 95%CI 1.00–1.48, p = 0.047 respectively). HL did not mediate the relationship of any of the independent variables with influenza vaccination status. Conclusions: Some SES determinants resulted to influence influenza vaccination uptake, while HL did not affect the likelihood of influenza vaccination uptake among HRGs. Universal health care systems, as in the case of Italy, offering influenza vaccination free of charge to HRGs help in reducing inequalities and mitigating HL demands

Communication and basic health counselling skills to tackle vaccine hesitancy

Introduction. The Italian law 119/2017 mandates ten childhood vaccinations to allow population aged 0-16 attend educational places and state school. This law enforcement is due to low coverage rates for some vaccine-preventable diseases and a complex phenomenon as known as vaccine hesitancy.Methods. Within a broad e-learning course programme promoted by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità to public health professionals, a specific training module was developed on communication and basic health counselling skills which represent relevant resources to let healthcare workers effectively address vaccine hesitancy in the population.Results. We indicated recommended communication approaches and basic health counselling skills to be applied by public health professionals according to the specific target population with vaccine deficit, that means people not at all or partially reached by vaccinations.Discussion and conclusions. Public health professionals are called to know, acquire, use, and adapt basic health counselling skills to effectively address vaccine hesitancy diversely affecting different groups of population

Negative Feedback Regulation of Auxin Signaling by ATHB8/ACL5–BUD2 Transcription Module

ABSTRACT The role of auxin as main regulator of vascular differentiation is well established, and a direct correlation between the rate of xylem differentiation and the amount of auxin reaching the (pro)cambial cells has been proposed. It has been suggested that thermospermine produced by ACAULIS5 (ACL5) and BUSHY AND DWARF2 (BUD2) is one of the factors downstream to auxin contributing to the regulation of this process in Arabidopsis . Here, we provide an in-depth characterization of the mechanism through which ACL5 modulates xylem differentiation. We show that an increased level of ACL5 slows down xylem differentiation by negatively affecting the expression of homeodomain-leucine zipper ( HD–ZIP ) III and key auxin signaling genes. This mechanism involves the positive regulation of thermospermine biosynthesis by the HD–ZIP III protein ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA HOMEOBOX8 tightly controlling the expression of ACL5 and BUD2 . In addition, we show that the HD–ZIP III protein REVOLUTA contributes to the increased leaf vascularization and long hypocotyl phenotype of acl5 likely by a direct regulation of auxin signaling genes such as LIKE AUXIN RESISTANT2 ( LAX2 ) and LAX3 . We propose that proper formation and differentiation of xylem depend on a balance between positive and negative feedback loops operating through HD–ZIP III genes

A real-time FFT-KLT implementation for SETI research at the Sardinia Radio Telescope

The Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) is a project whose goal is to find possible life signatures emitted (intentionally or unintentionally) by possible civilizations from other habitable planets. Historically, the narrow-band FFT approach has been used, since a quasi-monochromatic signal is the most probable signal one would use to send a message to another world, that is in the case of intentionally- transmitted signals. Nevertheless, we could receive an unintentionally-transmitted signal as well. In that case, it would most certainly not be a quasi-monochromatic signal, but would probably be similar (with a wider bandwidth, of the order of MHz) to the signals that we use for conventional communications on Earth. The Kahrunen-Loève Transform (KLT) is a powerful algorithm for such a kind of research. However, a real-time implementation of the KLT has thus far not worked due to a lack of technological resources. We describe a hardware-software infrastructure at the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT) that, in real-time, makes it possible to perform the KLT in parallel to the FFT

A real-time KLT implementation for radio-SETI applications

SETI, the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence, is the search for radio signals emitted by alien civilizations living in the Galaxy. Narrow-band FFT-based approaches have been preferred in SETI, since their computation time only grows like N*lnN, where N is the number of time samples. On the contrary, a wide-band approach based on the Kahrunen-Lo`eve Transform (KLT) algorithm would be preferable, but it would scale like N*N. In this paper, we describe a hardware-software infrastructure based on FPGA boards and GPU-based PCs that circumvents this computation-time problem allowing for a real-time KLT

Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna

Monitoring of vibrational eigenmodes of an elastic body excited by gravitational waves was one of the first concepts proposed for the detection of gravitational waves. At laboratory scale, these experiments became known as resonant-bar detectors first developed by Joseph Weber in the 1960s. Due to the dimensions of these bars, the targeted signal frequencies were in the kHz range. Weber also pointed out that monitoring of vibrations of Earth or Moon could reveal gravitational waves in the mHz band. His Lunar Surface Gravimeter experiment deployed on the Moon by the Apollo 17 crew had a technical failure rendering the data useless. In this article, we revisit the idea and propose a Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna (LGWA). We find that LGWA could become an important partner observatory for joint observations with the space-borne, laser-interferometric detector LISA, and at the same time contribute an independent science case due to LGWA's unique features. Technical challenges need to be overcome for the deployment of the experiment, and development of inertial vibration sensor technology lays out a future path for this exciting detector concept.Comment: 29 pages, 17 figure

SETI in Sardinia: status of scientific and technological developments

Since 2013, several staff members of the Cagliari Astronomical Observatory have been involved with SETI activities, both from a technological and a scientific perspective. One major asset related to this research area is the presence, in the territory, of one of the most modern single-dish antennas: the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT). In this paper, we outline all aspects of our initiatives in the framework of the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence. We describe the development of SRT instrumentation for the purpose of receiving data that could potentially contain signs of life, as well as the directions that we are investigating for studying and analyzing these data, including in an international context

SETI scientific activities in Sardinia: Search for ET, pulsars and Fast Radio Bursts

The Sardinia Radio Telescope, which was inaugurated in 2013, is getting ready to participate in the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence (SETI) observations. This involves, in collaboration with the SETI collaboration and the ``Breakthrough Listen initiative", the onsite installation of the SERENDIP VI setup for SETI observations. In parallel, a scientific team at the Cagliari Astronomical Observatory is becoming acquainted with SETI search algorithms: both standard algorithms using the Fast Fourier Transform; and more versatile algorithms using the Kahrunen-Loève Transform (KLT) as well as Wavelets. The team is also investigating the possibility to pursue, with the SERENDIP VI setup, the simultaneous search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, pulsars and Fast Radio Bursts

Modifiable Risk Factors, Health Profile and Well-Being of the Elderly Diagnosed with Cancer in Italy: Passi d’Argento Surveillance System 2016–2019 Results

(1) Cases of cancer are expected to increase in the next years and the risk of cancer increases with age. Data 2016–2019 from the Italian population-based surveillance PASSI d’Argento (PdA) allow the description of the physical and psychosocial well-being of people aged ≥65 years diagnosed with cancer (Ca), and the comparison with elderly suffering from other chronic conditions (Ch) and healthy older individuals (H). (2) Data are collected by Local Health Units’ professionals using a standardized questionnaire during telephone interviews. (3) A total of 8051 out of the 56,352 interviewees reported a previous diagnosis of cancer: an annual average cancer prevalence of 12.8% (95% CI 12.4–13.3%) corresponding to 1.725 million elderly residing in Italy. In comparison to the H, Ca were more likely to refer bad health (aPR = 4.21; 95% CI: 3.70–4.79), suffer from depressive symptoms (aPR = 2.65; 95% CI: 2.35–2.99), disability (aPR = 2.50; 95% CI: 2.22–2.81) or sensory problems (aPR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.40–1.63), be frail (aPR = 1.45; 95% CI: 1.30–1.61). Ca are often current smokers (aPR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.11–1.45) and sedentary (aPR = 1.10; 95% CI: 1.03–1.18). (4) PdA provides valuable information to researchers and policy-makers by showing the difficulties for older people with cancer in contributing socially and accessing basic social and health services, which amplifies the risk of cognitive decline, isolation, and psychological deterioration