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The present study, carried out during the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, aimed at investigating the mental health of mothers and children during the nationwide lockdown. More specifically, the study investigated children's depression and mothers' individual distress and parenting stress, in comparison with normative samples. The mediating effect of mothers' parenting stress on the relationship between mothers' individual distress and children's depression was also explored. Finally, the study analyzed whether children's biological sex and age moderated the structural paths of the proposed model. A sample of 206 Italian mothers and their children completed an online survey. Mothers were administered self-report questionnaires investigating individual distress and parenting stress; children completed a standardized measure of depression. Mothers' individual distress and parenting stress and children's depression were higher than those recorded for the normative samples. Mothers' parenting stress was found to mediate the association between mothers' individual distress and children's depression. With respect to children, neither biological sex nor age emerged as significant moderators of this association, highlighting that the proposed model was robust and invariant. During the current and future pandemics, public health services should support parents—and particularly mothers—in reducing individual distress and parenting stress, as these are associated with children's depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore fathers' adjustment and father–child relationships during the first peak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak (April 2020). More particularly, the study analysed paternal perceptions of changes concerning familial economic conditions and children's psychological difficulties (viz., emotional problems and hyperactivity) during the lockdown produced by the current pandemic. Furthermore, we investigated the following correlates of fathers' parenting stress: socio‐demographic condition, paternal individual stress, anxiety, depression and changes in the father–child relationship during the outbreak. Methods: A total of 102 fathers (mean age = 41.60 years; SD = 11.54) with minor children were recruited through an online survey and reported data about their socio‐economic condition, anxiety, and depressive levels, parenting stress, offspring's adjustment, and changes in their relationship with their children. Results: As for the economic conditions, participants were equally distributed between those who did not perceive changes and those who perceived a worsening. With regard to changes in the child's psychological difficulties, results showed that levels of children's emotional problems and inattention/hyperactivity had significantly increased during the lockdown period. A multiple linear regression analysis highlighted that the principal predictor of paternal parenting stress was living in the regions most affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic, followed by high levels of paternal anxiety symptomatology and high levels of worsening of the relationship with the child during the pandemic. Conclusions: Overall, our study suggests to consider the effects of COVID‐19 on fathers as well, as they have been rather overlooked by previous research that has mainly focused on mothers, and to plan specific interventions able to also take them into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

On March 10, 2020, Italy went into lockdown due to the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The World Health Organization highlighted how the lockdown had negative consequences on psychological well-being, especially for children. The present study aimed to investigate parental correlates of children's emotion regulation during the COVID-19 lockdown. Within the Social Cognitive Theory framework, a path model in which parenting self-efficacy and parental regulatory emotional self-efficacy mediated the relationship between parents' psychological distress and both children's emotional regulation, and children's lability/negativity, was investigated. A total of 277 parents of children aged from 6 to 13 years completed an online survey that assessed their psychological distress, regulatory emotional self-efficacy, and parenting self-efficacy. Parents reported also children's emotional regulation and lability/negativity. A structural equation model (SEM) using MPLUS 8.3 was tested. Results showed that the hypothesized model exhibited excellent fit, chi-square (83) = 140.40, p < 0.01, RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96, SRMR = 0.04. The influences of parents' psychological distress and parents' regulatory emotional self-efficacy on children's emotional regulation and lability/negativity were mediated by parenting self-efficacy. The mediation model was invariant across children's biological sex and age, and geographical residence area (high risk vs. low risk for COVID-19). Results suggested how parents' beliefs to be competent in managing parental tasks might be a protective factor for their children's emotional well-being. Implications for intervention programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The article discusses the results of a study which aims to monitor the prevalence of borna disease virus (BDV) infection among Italian children. According to the authors, the neurotropic virus could have a bad effect on the brain development of predisposed subjects. It was found that 1,204 out of 2,101 children demonstrated one marker of infection, circulating immune complex (CIC) or antibody. more...

Gamma-ray large area space telescope (GLAST) is a next generation high-energy gamma-ray space observatory designed for observations of celestial gamma-ray sources in the energy band extending from 10 MeV to more than 100 GeV. The main instrument, the large area telescope (LAT), consists of a microstrip silicon tracker, a calorimeter, an anticoincidence detector, and the data acquisition (DAQ) system. This paper summarizes the results obtained during the radiation testing of the ASIC chips used in the LAT tracker. Both single event effects (SEE) and total ionizing dose effect (TID) tests have been performed, as part of the radiation hardness assurance (RHA) for the planned 5-yr mission. Heavy-ion SEE tests have been performed at the SIRAD irradiation facility at the INFN National Laboratories of Legnaro, Italy (LNL) and at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Cyclotron Institute, with LET values ranging up to ∼80 MeV × cm²/mg. The tolerance of the chips to ionizing radiation has been evaluated with heavy ions and by irradiating chips with the spherical 60Co gamma source of the LNL CNR-ISOF laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The article highlights a study which evaluated the sero-prevalence of Borna disease virus (BDV) infection in Latium, Italy. 1588 serum samples were tested for virus-specific immune complexes (CIC), BDV antigens and antibodies by a triple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that uses antibody-stabilized BDV high specific monoclonal antibodies against the major antigens as a basic immune module. 37.3% of the samples had one marker of infection, CIC or antibody, while 7 of 559 CIC positive samples were also antigen positive. more...

The article highlights the results of a survey on the serological evidence for Borna Disease Virus (BDV) infection in children, cats and horses in Sicily, Italy. It was found that the prevalence of BDV infection was lower in Sicily compared with a national level. The lower prevalence or the absence of the infection in older children is also accounted. more...

The article highlights a study which examined Borna disease virus (BDV) infection in children with psychiatric disorders. The study involved children from Rome, Italy who have either psychiatric diseases or participated in an epidemiological study and their sera were tested for BDV infection by a triple enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). No significant differences were found between the antibodies, antigens and circulating immune complexes (CIC) in the two groups. more...

Objective: To investigate the association between male factor infertility and openness to discussing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment with levels of depression among men undergoing infertility treatment.Design: Cross-sectional.Setting: Not applicable.Patient(s): Three hundred forty participants (170 men and their partners) undergoing ART treatments.Intervention(s): Administration of a set of questionnaires.Main Outcome Measure(s): Depressive symptoms were detected by means of the Zung Depression Self-Rating Scale. Participants' willingness to share their infertility treatment experience with other people was assessed by means of self-report questionnaires.Result(s): In this study, 51.8% of males chose not to discuss their ART treatments with people other than their partner. In addition, the decision to discuss or not discuss the ART treatments with others was significantly associated with men's depressive symptoms. Male factor infertility was significantly associated with depression when considered together with the decision not to discuss ART treatments with others. A general disposition characterized by a lack of openness with others seemed to be a significant predictor of depression.Conclusion(s): There is a need for routine fertility care to pay greater attention to men's emotional needs. Before commencing reproductive treatment, male patients may benefit from undergoing routine screening for variables (i.e., male factor infertility and openness to others about ART) that may affect their risk of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• During a sudden and unprecedented event, such as the current pandemic, healthcare workers may be inadequately prepared and supported to cope with stressors and this negatively affected working environment. • For healthcare professionals, a positive attitude towards the stressful situation was the main protective factor, while female gender, seeking social support, avoidance strategies and working with COVIDCOVID-19 patients were risk factors. • It is important to investigate the response of healthcare professionals to the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of perceived stress and coping strategies, in order to implement targeted prevention and intervention programs. Starting from China, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) contagion spread unexpectedly and quickly all over the world, particularly affecting Italy. In the early stages of the epidemic, healthcare professionals have been in the front-line to manage the infection. The current study aimed to analyse the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on healthcare professionals and to detect some risk and protective factors of their distress levels, with regard to socio-demographic variables, direct exposure to COVID-19 and the coping strategies used to deal with stress. The data were collected during the peak of the infection. A total of 595 healthcare professionals enrolled in the study and completed the measures of socio-demographical and professional data, perceived stress (PSS) and coping strategies (COPE- NVI-25). Overall, we found that a positive attitude towards the stressful situation was the main protective factor, while female gender, seeking social support, avoidance strategies and working with COVID-19 patients were risk factors. Economic status, problem solving ability and turning to religion were not associated with stress levels. This study, one of the first on this topic, highlighted the main coping strategies used by healthcare professionals in facing the highly stressful situation caused by the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

With the exception of a few countries that chose a different approach, the worldwide reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic was a (longer or shorter) period of national lockdown. While the economic consequences of shutting down national economies were immediately evident, the sociopsychiatric implications of the social confinement of the entire population remain hidden and not fully understood. Italy has been the first European country to be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, to which it responded through strict lockdown measurements. The results of a timely survey on mental and social health, carried out by students and teachers of a middle school in Rome, might help identify the most vulnerable groups of the population. This evidence could be crucial in conceiving and enacting targeted public health policies to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on mental health and to prevent intolerance to containment measures in some population segments, which could hamper worldwide efforts in the fight against COVID-19. more...