Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità
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Prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors among oil and gas and energy company workers
Get PDFIntroduction. Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the biggest cause of disability and premature death throughout the world. Aim. The aim of this study was to describe and determine the prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors emerged at the first medical examination carried out by a group of an oil and gas contractor company workers in the observation period 2000-2010. Methods. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted on 1073 workers (mean age 41 years, SD = 9.5) presenting overweight BMI (body mass index) values, hypertension and cholesterol problems. Results. In particular, we found that workers > 45 years had significant higher risk to have obesity (OR = 3.8, CI 95% = 2.5-5.7), hypertension (OR = 2.7, CI 95% = 2.1-3.6), high blood fasting glucose (OR = 2.6, CI 95% = 1.2-5.5), high cholesterol (OR = 2.7, CI 95% = 2.0-3.6), high triglycerides (OR = 1.8, CI 95% = 1.4-2.4) compared to younger (< 45 years)
Nurses’ reporting of suspect adverse drug reactions: a mixed-methods study
Get PDFObjective. To assess nurses’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) towards spontaneous adverse drug reactions (ADRs) reporting. Methods. The mixed-method study was conducted following a quanti-qualitative sequential approach: a survey (using a KAP questionnaire) followed by a focus group was performed. ,Results. In the quantitative findings, responders (570 hospital nurses) declared that they were unaware of the pharmacovigilance system (58.1%, n = 331); where to find the reporting form (63.5%, n = 362); how fill it in (71.6%, n = 408); to whom and how to send it (65.8%, n = 375). Only 11.1% (n = 63) reported ADRs. The qualitative phase supported the quantitative findings and provided new information about other factors that condition ADR reporting: misinterpretation of the meaning of “reporting”, unawareness of nurses’ autonomy in ADR reporting and fear of consequences after ADR reporting. Conclusion. Nurses are not fully aware of their role in ADR reporting. We recommend educational interventions and management changes
A study on prophagic and chromosomal sodC genes involvement in Escherichia coli O157:H7 biofilm formation and biofilm resistance to H2O2
Get PDFIntroduction. Escherichia coli O157:H7 possesses one chromosomal and two prophagicsodC genes encoding for Cu,Zn superoxide dismutases. We evaluated the contribution ofsodC genes in biofilm formation and its resistance to hydrogen peroxide.Methods. The biofilm of sodC deletion mutants has been studied, in presence or absenceof hydrogen peroxide, by crystal violet in 96-well plates and Scanning Electron Microscopyon glass coverslips.Results. Deletion of prophagic sodC genes had no effect on biofilm construction, in contrastto the chromosomal gene deletion. Hydrogen peroxide treatment showed highercell mortality and morphological alterations in sodC deletion mutants respect to wildtype. These effects were related to the biofilm development stage.Conclusion. The role of the three SodCs is not redundant in biofilm formation and theresistance to oxidative damage. The stage of biofilm development is a crucial factor foran effective sanitization
Nutritional habits in Italian university students
Get PDFIntroduction. Dietary habits have been indicated by research as key elements in both disease pathogenesis and prevention and health promotion. Materials and methods. We analyzed data collected from Italian university students regarding consumption of fruits, vegetables, fast-foods, sweets, energizing drinks, and coffee, average number of eating episodes per day and regularity of breakfast habits. Results. 44% of the university student population eats in average at least 1 portion of fruit per day. 22.5% eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. 8.5% eats in average 5 times per day with 48.6% declaring an average of 3 eating episodes per day. 11.3% consumes eccessive amounts of caffeine. 49.1% of the females reaches the recommended consumption of fruit, compared to only 33.8% of males (p < 0.05). 27.7% of females eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day, compared to 12.0% of males (p < 0.05). Eccessive coffee drinkers pass from 8.9% in the 18-21 age group to 16% in the 25-30 year old age group (p < 0.05). Discussion. This study showed that the eating habits of young adults do not follow national recommendations. Less than 50% of university students eats at least 1 portion of fruit per day and less than 1 out of 4 eats at least 2 portions of vegetables per day. Less than 10% of the students eats in average 5 times per day and more than 1 out of 3 does not have breakfast regularly every morning. Conclusion. Interventions targeting university students are required in order to increase their knowledge on healthy eating habits and to ameliorate their dietary behaviours.
Migratory behaviour of tumor cells: a scanning electron microscopy study
No full textBackground. Tumour cells utilize different migration strategies to invade surrounding tissues and elude anticancer treatments. It is therefore important to understand the mechanisms underlying migration process, in order to aid the development of therapies aimed at blocking the dissemination of cancer cells. Aims. In this study tumour cell lines of different histological origin were analysed by combining 2D and 3D in vitro assays, biochemical tests and high resolution imaging by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to look insight strategies adopted by tumour cells to invade extracellular matrix. Results. Quantitative (computer-assisted colour camera equipped-light microscopy) and qualitative analysis (SEM) indicated that the most aggressive tumour cells adopt an “individual” behaviour. The analysis of intracellular signalling demonstrated that the vhighest invasive potential was associated with the activation of AKT, ERK, FAK and ERM proteins. The “individual” behaviour was positively related to the expression of VLA-2 and inversely related with the E-cadherin expression. Conclusions. The combination of 2D and 3D in vitro assays, biochemical tests and ultrastructural investigations proved to be a suitable test for the investigation of tumour cell migration and invasion. The high resolution imaging by SEM highlighted the nterrelationships between cells in different migratory behaviours of tumour cells.
A cost-consequence analysis of hepatitis B screening in an immigrant population
Get PDFIntroduction. Prevalence of infection with HIV-1 non-B subtypes in Italy has been reported to raise, due to increased migration flows and travels. HIV-1 variants show different biological and immunological properties that impact on disease progression rate, response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and sensitivity of diagnostic tests with important implications for public health. Therefore, a constant surveillance of the dynamics of HIV variants in Italy should be a high public health priority. Organization of surveillance studies requires building up a platform constituted of a network of clinical centers, laboratories and institutional agencies, able to properly collect samples for the investigation of HIV subtypes heterogeneity and to provide a database with reliable demographic, clinical, immunological and virological data. Aim. We here report our experience in building up such a platform, co-ordinated by the National AIDS Center of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità, taking advantage of a pilot study aimed at evaluating HIV subtypes diversity in populations of HIV-infected migrant people in Italy. Materials and methods. Four hundred and thirty four HIV-infected migrants were enrolled in 9 Italian clinical centers located throughout the Italian territory. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for sample collection were provided by the National AIDS Center to each clinical center. In addition, clinical centers were required to fill up a case report form (crf) for each patient, which included demographic, clinical, immunological and virological information. Results. All centers properly collected and stored samples from each enrolled individual. Overall, the required information was correctly provided for more than 90% of the patients. However, some fields of the crf, particularly those including information on the last HIV-negative antibody test and presence of co-infections, were properly filled up in less than 80% of the enrolled migrants. Centers from Northern and Central Italy showed a better tendency to report correct information in the crf than centers from the South. These results provide evidence that procedures for establishing a platform for the surveillance of HIV subtype heterogeneity are affordable by all the components of the network and lay the ground for the organization of a broader HIV subtypes surveillance in Italy
EU guidelines for the care and welfare of an “exceptional invertebrate class” in scientific research
Get PDFCephalopods have been defined as “advanced invertebrates” due to the complexity of their nervous system and to their sophisticated behavioural repertoire. However, until recently, the protection and welfare of this class of invertebrates has been mostly disregarded by EU regulations on the use of laboratory animals. The inclusion of “live cephalopods” in the Directive 2010/63/EU has been prompted by new scientific knowledge on the “sentience” of animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes, a fundamental criterion to which animal species are included or not under the protective umbrella of the Directive. In this scenario, the imminent publication of the “Guidelines for the Care and Welfare of Cephalopods in Research” as an initiative by the CephRes-FELASA-Boyd Group is a sign of ethical progress in the consideration of animals in research, and is likely to have a significant impact on both scientific and practical aspects of research with these animals
Ethical issues in public health surveillance: drawing inspiration from ethical frameworks
Get PDFThe issues raised by public health surveillance are typical of those involved in public health ethics. Surveillance calls, in particular, for the balancing of individual rights and collective interests, which are often in conflict. One of the issues most closely linked with public health surveillance is the collection and use of personal data for purposes of public concern. Numerous frameworks (proposed by institutions, working groups or single individuals) are available for use in assessing the ethical correctness of public health interventions in general or, more specifically, of public health surveillance. While heterogeneous in nature, these frameworks are nonetheless built on a foundation of common values that are similar to those typically encountered in a clinical setting and to which bioethics has traditionally devoted considerable attention. However, it is necessary to apply these values to the specific context of public health, where the focus is more on the interests of the public at large than on those of the individual