1,721,050 research outputs found
Effectiveness of Home_Positivity: A VR Program for Promoting Positive Mental Health. A Pilot Feasibility Study
Full text linkVirtual reality (VR) has been recently used for the treatment of mental health conditions. While research shows symptom reduction, further investigation is required to ascertain the impact of VR on well-being indicators. This pilot study aims to assess the effectiveness of a new VR software, H.O.M.E (How to Observe and Modify Emotion)_Positivity, in promoting positive mental health, which implies addressing both psychological distress and well-being. A sample of 16 healthy college students participated in a six-session intervention involving individual interviews and VR experiences using H.O.M.E delivered at the university of Bologna. They were assessed before and after intervention and at 3-month follow-up with indicators of negative symptoms (i.e., Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS) and the Negative affect scale of (PANAS) and of well-being (i.e., Mental Health Continuum (MHC) and the Positive Affect (PA) subscale of the PANAS. Moreover, they were asked to report their satisfaction and comments on the experience of the VR software. Following the intervention, participants reported significantly lower scores at DASS and higher scores at MHC and PA. In contrast, NA subscale score did not change significantly after the intervention or at three months follow-up. The results provide support to the use of H.O.M.E_Positivity for the promotion of positive mental health. Participants reported a reduction of psychological distress and improvement in well-being, and they were all highly satisfied and engaged while using the VR software. These findings indicate the potential value of this intervention, particularly in an increasingly digital society
Positive mental health, depression and burnout in healthcare workers during the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic
Full text linkWhat is known on the subject?: In the past 2 years, the COVID-19 pandemic had a robust negative impact on the mental health of healthcare providers, with increasing rates of depression, anxiety, acute stress and burnout. Healthcare workers experiencing poor mental health are reluctant to seek help and treatment because they are afraid of being stigmatized and excluded by their colleagues and employers. During the pandemic positive emotions, resilience and psychological well-being buffered distress and burnout in healthcare workers. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: This paper describes positive mental health, depression, anxiety and burnout in healthcare workers during the second wave of the pandemic. Forty-eight per cent of healthcare workers were flourishing (high levels of positive emotions and well-being), 10% languishing (absence of well-being and positivity). Flourishing individuals reported lower levels of depression, anxiety and burnout. These findings documented a relevant number of resilient healthcare workers, who restored/maintained their well-being also under stressful conditions. Vulnerable healthcare workers were less than 20%, and they reported severe anxiety, depression and burnout. No differences emerged between languishing and moderate mental health groups in their levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. What are the implications for practice?: The condition of flourishing is the only one that provides protection from depression and anxiety and burnout, while moderate mental health does not differ substantially from the languishing state. The study confirms the importance of maintaining and/or promoting the well-being of healthcare workers. Interventions for promoting positive mental health of vulnerable workers are needed. Mental health nurses can have the skills and expertise for evaluating early symptoms of psychological distress and for implementing interventions for promoting and restoring well-being. These interventions may include informational campaign (i.e. preparing and distributing pamphlets and guidelines) and emotional support programmes (psychoeducation and training, mental health support team, peer support and counselling) that can be delivered also via digital platforms. Abstract: Introduction: Few studies focused on healthcare workers' positive mental health (i.e. high levels of psychological well-being) and its association with anxiety, depression and burnout in the second wave of the pandemic. Aims: To evaluate the protective role of well-being in buffering burnout and psychological distress. Methods: We evaluated 173 Italian healthcare workers with indicators of psychological distress (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales [DASS]-21), burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory [CBI]) and positive mental health (Mental Health Continuum) and we cross-classified them according to their levels of mental health (flourishing, languishing and moderate mental health) and their levels of anxiety, depression and burnout. Results: Forty-eight per cent of health workers were classified as flourishing, 10% as languishing and 42% as moderate mental health. Flourishing individuals presented lower scores on DASS and CBI scales, whereas no differences emerged between languishing and moderate mental health groups. More than 80% of health workers with clinically significant symptoms of anxiety, depression and risk of burnout were classified as not flourishing. Discussion: This investigation documented the presence of flourishing mental health in almost half of the sample of Italian healthcare workers. However, those with moderate or languishing mental health manifested higher levels of anxiety, depression and higher risks of burnout. Implication for Practice: The study confirms the importance of maintaining and/or promoting the well-being of this population, with a crucial role of mental health nurses who can easily approach other healthcare workers and provide them informational (training, guidelines) and emotional support programmes (psychoeducation, mental health support team, peer support and counselling) when facing adverse working conditions
Genetically modified immunocompetent cells in HIV infection
Full text linkEven in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), gene therapy (GT) can remain a promising approach for suppressing HIV infection, especially if complemented with other forms of pharmacological and immunological intervention. A large number of vectors and targets have been studied. Here we discuss the potential of genetically treated, antigen-specific immunocompetent cells for adoptive autologous immunotherapy of HIV infection. Cellular therapies with gene-modified CD8 and CD4 lymphocytes are aimed at reconstituting the antigen-specific repertoires that may be deranged as a consequence of HIV infection. Even if complete eradication of HIV from the reservoirs cannot be achieved, reconstitution of cellular immunity specific for opportunistic pathogens and for HIV itself is a desirable option to control progression of HIV infection and AIDS pathogenesis better
Role of flanking variable sequences in antigenicity of consensus regions of HIV gp120 for recognition by specific human T helper clones
No full textKinetic immunodominance: functionally competing antibodies against exposed and cryptic epitopes of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase are produced in time sequence
No full textThe murine antibody response to Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (GZ) was analyzed in vivo and in vitro by focusing on two families of antibodies that exert distinct conformational/functional activity on the antigen. Activating antibodies--defined by their capacity to increase the enzymatic activity of defective GZ produced by mutant strains of E. coli--are detected early after secondary challenge. Inhibiting antibodies, which interfere with antibody-mediated enzyme activation, appear later and cause the abrupt fall of activating titer, a scenario suggesting either idiotype/anti-idiotype interaction or opposite pulsions exerted on the antigen molecule. Supporting the latter mechanism, the confrontation of mAbs of the two families produced classical competitive inhibition curves when the readout was enzyme activation, although they recognize two different epitopes of the same molecule: the activating mAb a quaternary conformation-dependent site of wild-type GZ, the inhibiting mAb a sequential determinant exposed only in denatured or in defective enzyme. The different timing of generation of these antibodies during the response may depend on a processing step necessary for unfolding of native antigen and consequent display of certain cryptic epitopes before they can trigger specific B cells. A picture emerges where the response to the various epitopes of a complex antigen is sequentially connected and where the uptake by antigen-presenting cells of antigen complexed with antibodies specific for the exposed epitopes may favor revelation of the cryptic one
Rational reconstitution of the immune repertoire in AIDS with autologous antigen-specific in vitro expanded CD4 lymphocytes.
No full textI.F. 1,54
Kinetic immunodominance: functionally competing antibodies against exposed and cryptic epitopes of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase are produced in time sequence.
No full text
Effect of antigen/antibody ratio on macrophage uptake, processing, and presentation to T cells of antigen complexed with polyclonal antibodies.
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