Search

As the climate crisis intensifies, its impact on mental health becomes more apparent, leading to psychological distress such as eco-anxiety. Driven by growing scientific interest, standardized assessment tools for evaluating eco-anxiety are gaining traction. This study comprehensively validates the Hogg Eco-Anxiety Scale (HEAS) on a large sample of nearly 1300 participants across Italy and four generations. The scores obtained using the Italian HEAS demonstrate excellent reliability and support valid inferences regarding eco-anxiety levels. The original four-factor structure of the scale was upheld. Nonetheless, the scale proved to be reliable also in terms of a unique factor. Internal consistency was satisfactory, but stability over three months was not confirmed. The overall HEAS score was linked to pro-environmental behavior and reduced meat consumption. Additionally, the scale effectively identifies individuals engaged in public pro-environmental actions. Normative data were provided for age, gender, and education levels. These findings confirmed and extended the HEAS's validity and reliability, highlighting the importance of standardized assessment tools in this burgeoning research field and in clinical practice. Further exploration of its diagnostic efficacy in clinical settings for eco-anxiety detection is suggested.

(1) Background: Cultivating microgreens is emerging as an excellent market opportunity. Their easy, short, and sustainable production methods are the main reasons they are approved by growers. However, a feature that still prevents its further spread is the microbiological risk and their rapid senescence. The present study was conducted to evaluate the post-harvest storage and shelf life of arugula microgreens in different packaging through microbiological, physico-chemical, and sensory parameters; (2) Methods: Plants were stored at 5 °C in open air, vacuum sealed, and under modified atmosphere bags and tested at 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days; (3) Results: Microgreens stored in all packaging were safe for consumption within ten days. Regarding physical and chemical parameters, open packaging proved to be promising, with less weight loss and slower chlorophyll degradation. The sensory analysis demonstrated that the microgreens stored in the vacuum-sealed packaging showed a decrease in quality from the fifth day onwards for all attributes. However, the MAP presented good scores with a better visual quality, similar to the fresh microgreens.

Considering the need for functional foods and the use of by-products of the food industry, a potentially functional ice cream was developed, using soy extract, soy kefir and dehydrated jaboticaba peel. Five ice creams were produced using soy kefir (K) and soy extract (S): (1) GS—100% S; (2) GK1-75% S/25% K; (3) GK2-50% S/50% K; (4) GK3-25% S/75% K and (5) GK-100% K; The products were evaluated by physicochemical, microbiological and sensory (check all that apply) analyses. The addition of kefir was found to increase the acidity of the products. The concentrations of total phenolic compounds in the formulations with kefir were approximately ten times higher than the GS formulation. All products presented concentrations of thermotolerant coliforms Salmonella ssp. The viability of Lactobacillus ssp., Streptococcus spp. and Bifidobacterium ssp. was higher than 10 log CFU/g during the whole storage period. The GS and GK1 formulations had the lowest scores, while GK ice cream was preferred. The formulations showed distinct sensory profiles in the CATA, and the ice cream with 100% kefir was associated with desirable attributes. The ice creams exhibited microbiological and sensory characteristics that meet the expectations of the product’s target audience.

The COVID-19 poses an ongoing threat to lives around the world and challenges the existing public health and medical service delivery. The lockdown or quarantine measures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has caused the interruption in ongoing care and access to medical care including to patients with existing neurological conditions. Besides the passivity, isolation, and withdrawal, patients with neurodegenerative diseases experience difficulties in communication due to a limited access to leisure opportunities and interaction with friends and relatives. The communication difficulties may exacerbate the burden on the caregivers. Therefore, assistive-technologies may be a useful strategy in mitigating challenges associated with remote communication. The current paper presents an overview of the use of assistive technologies using virtual reality and virtual body ownership in providing communication opportunities to isolated patients, during COVID-19, with neurological diseases and moderate-to-severe communication difficulties. We postulate that the assistive technologies-based intervention may improve social interactions in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and acquired brain injury-thereby reducing isolation and improving their quality of life and mental well-being.

The present study aimed to: (a) validate the factor structures of three scales assessing driving behavior, attitudes toward traffic safety (ATTS) and self-regulation in driving, in a sample of Italian older adults, through confirmatory factor analyses and (b) to determine the effectiveness of these measures in predicting the likelihood and the frequency of collision involvements in the following year. A 28-item driver behavior questionnaire (DBQ), a 16-item ATTS, a 21-item extended driving mobility questionnaire (DMQ-A) were administered to 369 active Italian drivers, aged between 60 and 91 years. Results showed a four-factor structure for the DBQ, a five-factor structure for the ATTS and a two-factor structure for the Extended DMQ-A, as the best fitting models. Hurdle model analysis of count data with extra-zeros showed that all factors of DBQ predicted the likelihood of road collisions. Risky behavior, except for aggressive violations, self-regulation and attitudes toward traffic rules were associated with the frequency of collision involvement. The aforementioned three scales seemed to be a useful and concise suite of instruments assessing risky as well as protective factors of driving behavior in elderly.

Il presente studio è finalizzato a valutare l’efficacia di un intervento riabilitativo di comunicazione alternativa aumentativa mediato dal computer per due bambini con paralisi cerebrale infantile e conseguenti disabilità multiple. Per entrambi i bambini è stata messa a punto un’interfaccia personalizzata in grado di facilitare la comunicazione di bisogni primari e ludici. I risultati mostrano un aumento significativo delle loro abilità comunicative durante la fase di intervento rispetto alla baseline. La successiva fase di mantenimento conferma il consolidamento dell’apprendimento dei due partecipanti. Gli studenti universitari, coinvolti in una procedura di validazione sociale per uno dei due partecipanti, forniscono valutazioni compatibili con l’ipotesi dell’efficacia riabilitativa dell’intervento. Questi risultati corroborano la validità clinica dell’intervento di comunicazione alternativa aumentativa mediato dal computer per bambini con disabilità multiple/profonde.

We further extended the use of a microswitch-cluster technology to promote object manipulation and to reduce tongue protrusion in seven children with Angelman syndrome. Study I included seven participants with severe to profound developmental disabilities. An ABB[superscript 1]AB[superscript 1] experimental sequence was implemented. During the baselines (i.e., A phases) the technology was available but inactive. During the intervention (i.e., B phase) the adaptive responding was positively reinforced irrespective of the challenging behavior. During the cluster (i.e., B[superscript 1] phases) the adaptive responding was contingently reinforced only if it occurred free of the challenging behavior. A long-term follow-up (i.e., 24 months) was conducted. Intervals with indices of positive participation as an outcome measure of the participants' constructive engagement and favorable occupation were additionally recorded. Study II recruited 56 external raters (i.e., equally divided in 4 groups among caregivers, physiotherapists, psychologists, and teachers) in a social validation procedure. Results evidenced the effectiveness and the suitability of the technology to pursue the dual goal (i.e., increasing the adaptive responding and simultaneously decreasing the challenging behavior). All the participants consolidated their learning process and positively participated along the intervention phases. Social raters favorably scored the use of the technology. Educational, clinical, psychological, and rehabilitative implications of the findings were critically discussed. Some useful insights for future research and practice were emphasized.

(1) Background: Cultivating microgreens is emerging as an excellent market opportunity. Their easy, short, and sustainable production methods are the main reasons they are approved by growers. However, a feature that still prevents its further spread is the microbiological risk and their rapid senescence. The present study was conducted to evaluate the post-harvest storage and shelf life of arugula microgreens in different packaging through microbiological, physico-chemical, and sensory parameters; (2) Methods: Plants were stored at 5 °C in open air, vacuum sealed, and under modified atmosphere bags and tested at 0, 3, 5, 7, and 10 days; (3) Results: Microgreens stored in all packaging were safe for consumption within ten days. Regarding physical and chemical parameters, open packaging proved to be promising, with less weight loss and slower chlorophyll degradation. The sensory analysis demonstrated that the microgreens stored in the vacuum-sealed packaging showed a decrease in quality from the fifth day onwards for all attributes. However, the MAP presented good scores with a better visual quality, similar to the fresh microgreens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]