Self-efficacy and medicine use for headache among adolescents in Italy: results from the Italian HBSC 2010 study

This article aims first to investigate gender patterns in medicine use, and corresponding headache complaints, in Italian adolescents; second, to examine the association between self-efficacy and medicine use for headache. This study used data from 23,941 15-year-old students participating in the 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Survey. Self-complete questionnaires devised by the HBSC international group were administered in classrooms. Logistic regression models (controlling demographics: age, gender, and FAS) were used to investigate the association between medicine use for the associated health complaint, and perceived self-efficacy. Overall, prevalence of students reporting medicine use for headache (at least once a month) was 40.1%. Medicine use was significantly more common among girls than among boys for that somatic symptom. The use of medicines was significantly associated with the frequency of the corresponding health complaint. Selfefficacy was associated with a lower use of medicine for headache just for the group with low frequency of headache. In conclusion, self-efficacy may reduce the tendency to use medicines when adolescents report infrequent headaches

Archaeobotanical analysis from the long-term rural settlement of Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo): preliminary data

The project ¿Harvesting Memories: Ecology and Archaeology of Monti Sicani landscapes¿ aims to analyse the long-term relationship of landscape dynamics and settlement patterns in a Mediterranean inland of Central-Western Sicily. The project combined different interdisciplinary approaches of vegetation science, landscape ecology, history and archaeology in order to diachronically understand and reconstruct the human- society-environment interactions. From 2017 to 2019 a new rural settlement has been investigated in Contrada Castro (Corleone, Palermo). The excavation in Contrada Castro showed a clear case of long-term occupation of an hill-top site during Late Archaic/Classical age (6 th -5 th c. BC) and the Byzantine and Islamic period (7 th -11 th c. AD). Soils from the archaeological excavation were sampled to obtain evidences about paleo-vegetation and vegetal paleo-diet. Archaeobotanical data (seeds and charcoal remains) represent an informative source in human-environmental dynamics to collect specific data on a small scale in terms of chronology and topography (Hastorf, Popper 1988; Pearsall 2009). Furthermore, presence of edible plants as cereals, pulses and fruit characterize their use as economical resources. Unfortunately, archaeobotanical analyses from archaeological sites in Sicily are still not very common (see http://brainplants.successoterra.net/sites.html). For the reconstruction of the paleo-environment and the use of arboreal resources from the three chronological phases of the site, a total of 239 liters of soils were analysed. Taxonomical identification was made by optical microscopy through the comparison with the reference collection and specific atlases (fig.). More than 400 wood charcoals were observed, about 80% of them was identified. Thanks to comparisons with the current vegetation, so far 8 species have been identified - Quercus cfr. ilex (fig.), Pistacia cfr. terebinthus, Rhamnus alathernus, Fraxinus ornus, Ulmus canescens, Acer cfr. campestris, Ostrya carpinifolia, Populus cf. nigra; identification reached the detail of genus or subfamily in 6 cases - Quercus cf. robur / pubescens, Phillyrea sp., Sorbus sp., Rosacea cfr. Pirus sp. and maybe Moracea. The arboreal vegetation is therefore represented by evergreen oaks, semi- and deciduous oaks, maples, ash trees, associated with riparian species such as elm, poplar and hornbeam, and shrub species such as backthorn, terebinth, sorb, plum. Cultivated species are mostly not represented. Despite the widespread presence of the evergreen oaks in the whole record, differences between the three chronological phases were identified, highlighting a selective use of the wild species present in the area and a specific collection of wood for the hearths. 1) Hastorf C.A., Popper V.F.1988, Current Paleoethnobotany. Analytical Methods and Cultural Interpretations of Archaeological Plant Remains, Chicago. ISBN: 978022631893 2) Pearsall D. M. 2009, Paleoethnobotany: A Handbook of Procedures, Second Edition, Walnut Creek. ISBN-10: 1598744720 3) BRAIN Network, http://brainplants.successoterra.net/sites.htmlFinanciación: beca "Juan de la Cierva-incorporación, IJCI-2017-31494, MINECO), IJCI-2017-31494" y proyecto "Harvesting Memories" de la Universidad de Palermo (financiado por Bona Furtuna LLC)

Being online in the time of COVID-19: Narratives from a sample of young adults and the relationship with well-being

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet might influence daily functioning in both positive and negative ways. Within the conceptual framework of the semiotic cultural psycho-social theory, this study examines the meanings of being online during the COVID-19 pandemic based on narratives collected from Italian university students (Mean age = 22.78; SD = 2.70). Computer-assisted content analysis was used to map the main Dimensions of Meaning (DM) characterizing their texts; ANOVA was used to examine (dis)similarities between DM related to sociodemographic characteristics and connotations of Internet use; Pearson's correlations were computed to examine the relationships between DM and well-being. Two DM emerged: (a) being online in daily life ('rupture' versus 'continuity') and (b) Internet functions during the pandemic ('health emergency' versus 'daily activities'). Notably, participants high on the 'daily activities' polarity of Internet functions connoted the Internet as a resource and reported higher levels of well-being, whereas participants high on the opposite polarity of "health emergency" connoted the Internet as a refuge and reported lower levels of well-being. Findings suggest that Internet use and its impact on well-being during the pandemic relates to the personal and social cultural meanings attributed to being onlin

Lost in facebook: individual and social correlates of problematic facebook use in adolescents and young adults

Over the last decade, Social Networking Sites (SNSs) have become increasingly important in the way people interact with others and social groups (Ryan, Chester, Reece, & Xenos, 2014). Facebook is the most popular SNS in the world, with about 2 billion users. Despite the resources and the innovative social features offered by Facebook (Lee, Cheung, & Thadani, 2012), research has been indicating that its use may become problematic especially amongst adolescents and young adults (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011a) suggesting that the problematic use of Facebook may manifest as a new potential mental health problem (Kuss & Griffiths, 2011a). However, there are currently no accepted diagnostic criteria nor theories assessing Problematic Facebook Use. Therefore, for the purpose of the current thesis, we adapted Caplan’s Generalized Problematic Internet Use model (2010) to the Facebook context. We conceptualized Problematic Facebook Use as the maladaptive use of Facebook characterized by cognitive and behavioural factors which negatively impact users’ well-being. While in recent years researchers have been showing an increasing interest in the conceptualization of Problematic Facebook Use, and its associations with individual characteristics and psychological adjustment, it is becoming difficult to have a full picture of its correlates and specific characteristics. Therefore, the first aim of this work is to systematically synthesize findings from research on Problematic Facebook Use. Study 1: The meta-analysis aimed to understand the specific features of Problematic Facebook Use (that is, the associations with the time spent online and the broader concept of Internet addiction), the individual characteristics of problematic Facebook users (including gender differences, personality traits, self-esteem levels, and motivations for using Facebook), and the associations between Problematic Facebook Use and psychological distress and well-being. Fifty-four independent samples with a total of 26707 participants (59.49% females; mean age = 25.31 years, SD = 4.75) were included. Briefly, results showed a small gender effect favoring females and a positive association between Problematic Facebook Use, time spent online and Internet addiction, whereas a negative association was found with self-esteem. Neuroticism and conscientiousness were the most clearly personality traits associated with Problematic Facebook Use, and the strongest associations were observed between Problematic Facebook Use and motives with internal source and motives with negative valence. Finally, Problematic Facebook Use was positively correlated with signs of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, whereas a comparatively smaller negative correlation between Problematic Facebook Use and well-being (including life satisfaction and other indices of subjective well-being) emerged. This comprehensive meta-analysis makes contributions to understanding the phenomenon of Problematic Facebook Use and its correlates. As a second aim, three studies have been conducted with the purpose of clarifying some debated results emerged in the meta-analysis. Study 2: The aim of the second study was to examine the unique role of personality traits and social influence processes (i.e., subjective norms, group norms, and social identity) to frequency of Facebook Use and Problematic Facebook Use in a sample of adolescents. A total of 968 Italian adolescents (37.7% females; mean age = 17.19, SD = 1.48) participated in the study. Structural equation modeling showed that emotional stability, extraversion, conscientiousness and subjective norms directly predicted Problematic Facebook Use, whereas group norms and social identity predicted frequency of Facebook use. In conclusion, both personal and social variables appear to explain frequency of Facebook use and Problematic Facebook Use among adolescents. Study 3: The third study aimed to test a model designed to assess the unique contribution of personality traits, motives for using Facebook and metacognitions on Problematic Facebook Use among young adults. A total of 815 Italian university students (77.2% females; mean age = 21.17, SD = 2.16) participated in the study. Path analysis revealed that three of the four motives to use Facebook, and two of the five metacognitions, predicted Problematic Facebook Use. Moreover, only one personality trait (extraversion) appeared to be directly linked to Problematic Facebook Use, while emotional stability indirectly influenced Problematic Facebook Use via motives (coping and conformity) and metacognitions (negative beliefs about worry and cognitive confidence). Study 4: The aim of the fourth study was to test whether, and how much, specific objective Facebook behaviours are more frequent in problematic than in non-problematic Facebook users. Differences between problematic and non-problematic Facebook users in objective Facebook behaviours were examined using both frequentist and Bayesian t-tests. Participants were 297 undergraduate students (80.8% females; mean age = 21.05, SD = 1.88). A specific R package was developed to obtain information about objective Facebook behaviours (friendship activities, events, wall activities, and text messages). T-tests indicated that non-problematic and problematic users significantly differ in several objective Facebook behaviours. Bayesian analyses confirmed t-test results and supported that problematic users scored higher than non-problematic users in several dependent variables, such as number of friendships established, number of events attended, all wall activities (e.g., number of “like”), and private messages sent. The analysis of data about objective Facebook behaviours goes beyond the self-reported information about such activities, and helps to understand the role of its potentially addictive activities in predicting Problematic Facebook Use. In conclusion, taken together, the findings of the four studies suggested possible emotional and behavioural (dis)regulation mechanisms underlying Problematic Facebook Use. Therefore, the current thesis may have some important implications for the theoretical conceptualization of Problematic Facebook Use, for clinical interventions tackling problematic Facebook use, and for prevention programmes for young users

Dati archivistici relativi a opere d ’arte conservate nella cattedrale di Vigevano

Il saggio presenta alcuni dati provenienti dall'operazione di riordino dell’archivio della Curia Vescovile di Vigevano. Si tratta di ricevute di pagamento dei lavori compiuti in occasione della fondazione della Diocesi, avvenuta nel 1530, relative a opere d'arte e più in generale alla fabbrica della cattedrale

Dati archivistici relativi a opere d ’arte conservate nella cattedrale di Vigevano

Il saggio presenta alcuni dati provenienti dall'operazione di riordino dell’archivio della Curia Vescovile di Vigevano. Si tratta di ricevute di pagamento dei lavori compiuti in occasione della fondazione della Diocesi, avvenuta nel 1530, relative a opere d'arte e più in generale alla fabbrica della cattedrale

Attachment and problematic Facebook use in adolescents: the mediating role of metacognitions

Background and aims: Recent research used attachment theory and the metacognitive tenet as frameworks to explain problematic Facebook use (PFU). This study aims to test, in a single model, the role of different attachment styles and metacognitions in PFU among adolescents. Methods: Two separate studies were conducted in order to establish the link between security (Study 1) and insecurity (Study 2), metacognitions, and PFU. A total of 369 and 442 Italian adolescents (age: 14–20 years old) participated in Study 1 and Study 2, respectively. Results: Path analyses revealed the relative importance of different attachment dimensions with mother and father in predicting PFU and the mediating role of metacognitions between attachment styles and PFU. Discussion and conclusion: In conclusion, since attachment styles and PFU may significantly affect adolescents’ development and well-being, the results of this study may provide some practical indications for researchers and practitioners

Electromagnetic Fields, Oxidative Stress, and Neurodegeneration

Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) originating both from both natural and manmade sources permeate our environment. As people are continuously exposed to EMFs in everyday life, it is a matter of great debate whether they can be harmful to human health. On the basis of two decades of epidemiological studies, an increased risk for childhood leukemia associated with Extremely Low Frequency fields has been consistently assessed, inducing the International Agency for Research on Cancer to insert them in the 2B section of carcinogens in 2001. EMFs interaction with biological systems may cause oxidative stress under certain circumstances. Since free radicals are essential for brain physiological processes and pathological degeneration, research focusing on the possible influence of the EMFs-driven oxidative stress is still in progress, especially in the light of recent studies suggesting that EMFs may contribute to the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders. This review synthesizes the emerging evidences about this topic, highlighting the wide data uncertainty that still characterizes the EMFs effect on oxidative stress modulation, as both pro-oxidant and neuroprotective effects have been documented. Care should be taken to avoid methodological limitations and to determine the patho-physiological relevance of any alteration found in EMFs-exposed biological system