La valutazione di impatto sanitario. Tra principio di integrazione e proliferazione di subprocedimenti

Il saggio analizza la riforma dell'istituto della VIA operata dal legislatore italiano al fine di recepire la direttiva europea del 2014. Nel fare ci\uf2 il contributo si sofferma su un istituto specifico, ossia la valutazione di impatto sanitario, offrendo dello stesso un'analisi critica

Dall'accesso alla giustizia in materia ambientale alla giustizia ambientale

The article analyses the judicial protection of environmental interests especially from the perspective of the Italian administrative jurisdiction. The research moves from the assumption that the environmental justice issue arises recently as a consequence of the environmental interests’ emersion. In doing so, the essay underlines that while initially this issue has been identified with the problem of the conditions for the access to the Court, nowadays the new way of understanding the environment and its relationship with the economic development (i.e. circular economy) permits to expand the perspective and to talk about the rise of an environmental justice system

Sviluppo industriale, ambiente e semplificazione. Considerazioni a partire da un recente caso in materia di aiuti di Stato

La pandemia da Covid-19 ha avuto un forte impatto anche sull\u2019economia e sul sistema produttivo-industriale, il quale nel nostro Paese scontava gi\ue0 ritardi a causa anche di ostacoli di ordine burocratico e normativo. Onde evitare il deteriorarsi della situazione, il Governo italiano nei mesi scorsi ha varato una serie di misure tra cui il d.l. n. 76/2020 (c.d. decreto semplificazione). L\u2019articolo si propone di riflettere sulla efficacia di tali misure e, in particolare, di quelle a vario modo incidenti in materia di industria ed economia circolare. Nel fare ci\uf2, lo studio si sofferma specialmente sulla analisi di un caso che interessa il settore degli aiuti di Stato, il quale consente di evidenziare come al fine di operare una reale semplificazione e dare slancio alla ripresa economica non sia sufficiente (n\ue9 necessario) un decreto ma occorra specialmente l\u2019elaborazione di un programma di sviluppo che abbracci una prospettiva di lungo raggio e \u201cdi sistema\u201d

Magnetic field computation in a physically large domain with thin metallic shields

A three-dimensional edge element procedure is presented to analyze the magnetic field around thin shields embedded in a physically large domain. The shield region is eliminated from the computational domain and coupled boundary conditions named impedance network boundary conditions are imposed on the new boundary surfaces to take into account the field discontinuity produced by the eliminated shield. An experimental setup is built and the measured magnetic fields are compared to the results obtained by the proposed procedure

Finite-Element Analysis of Temperature Increase in Vascularized Biological Tissues Exposed to RF Sources

A new model of numerical dosimetry is proposed for RF exposure. First, the specific absorption rate (SAR) is computed. Then, the heat transfer governed by the bio-heat equation with convection term is numerically solved by a finite-element method (FEM) procedure considering the discrete vascular model of the perfused tissue. By some manipulations of the FEM equations and by generating an adequate FEM mesh, it is possible to solve the thermal convection in the blood vessels considering a one-dimensional domain embedded in the fully three-dimensional domain where only the thermal diffusion is analyzed

Immunodominant proteins α-1 giardin and β-giardin are expressed in both assemblages A and B of Giardia lamblia

To date, eight assemblages of Giardia lamblia have been described, but only assemblages A and B are known to infect humans. Despite the fact that the genomic, biological, and clinical differences found between these two assemblages has raised the possibility that they may be considered different species, there is relatively limited information on their phenotypic differences. In the present study, we developed monoclonal antibodies against alpha-1 and beta giardin, two immunodominant proteins produced during G. lamblia infection, and studied their expression and localization in WB (assemblage A) and GS trophozoites (assemblage B).Results: The polyclonal antibodies generated against WB trophozoites, particularly those recognizing intracellular proteins as well as the proteins present at the plasma membrane (variable-specific surface proteins), showed crossreactivity with intracellular proteins in GS trophozoites. The use of monoclonal antibodies against beta giardin indicated ventral disc localization, particularly at the periphery in WB trophozoites. Interestingly, although beta giardin was also restricted to the ventral disc in GS trophozoites, the pattern of localization clearly differed in this assemblage. On the other hand, monoclonal antibodies against alpha-1 giardin showed plasma membrane localization in both assemblages with the bare area of GS trophozoites also being distinguished. Moreover, the same localization at the plasma membrane was observed in Portland-1 (Assemblage A) and in P15 (Assemblage E) trophozoites.Conclusions: We found differences in localization of the beta giardin protein between assemblages A and B, but the same pattern of localization of alpha-1 giardin in strains from Assemblages A, B and E. These findings reinforce the need for more studies based on phenotypic characteristics in order to disclose how far one assemblage is from the other.Fil: Feliziani, Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Merino, María C.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; ArgentinaFil: Rivero, Maria Romina. Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto para el Desarrollo Agroindustrial y de la Salud; ArgentinaFil: Hellmann, Lena. Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Ltd.; SueciaFil: Pistoresi, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Ropolo, Andrea Silvana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra; Argentin

Plant-Derived Epi-Nutraceuticals as Potential Broad-Spectrum Anti-Viral Agents

Although the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be diminishing, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants represents a threat to humans due to their inherent transmissibility, immunological evasion, virulence, and invulnerability to existing therapies. The COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 500 million people and caused over 6 million deaths. Vaccines are essential, but in circumstances in which vaccination is not accessible or in individuals with compromised immune systems, drugs can provide additional protection. Targeting host signaling pathways is recommended due to their genomic stability and resistance barriers. Moreover, targeting host factors allows us to develop compounds that are effective against different viral variants as well as against newly emerging virus strains. In recent years, the globe has experienced climate change, which may contribute to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases through a variety of factors. Warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns can increase the geographic range of disease-carrying vectors, increasing the risk of diseases spreading to new areas. Climate change may also affect vector behavior, leading to a longer breeding season and more breeding sites for disease vectors. Climate change may also disrupt ecosystems, bringing humans closer to wildlife that transmits zoonotic diseases. All the above factors may accelerate the emergence of new viral epidemics. Plant-derived products, which have been used in traditional medicine for treating pathological conditions, offer structurally novel therapeutic compounds, including those with anti-viral activity. In addition, plant-derived bioactive substances might serve as the ideal basis for developing sustainable/efficient/cost-effective anti-viral alternatives. Interest in herbal antiviral products has increased. More than 50% of approved drugs originate from herbal sources. Plant-derived compounds offer diverse structures and bioactive molecules that are candidates for new drug development. Combining these therapies with conventional drugs could improve patient outcomes. Epigenetics modifications in the genome can affect gene expression without altering DNA sequences. Host cells can use epigenetic gene regulation as a mechanism to silence incoming viral DNA molecules, while viruses recruit cellular epitranscriptomic (covalent modifications of RNAs) modifiers to increase the translational efficiency and transcript stability of viral transcripts to enhance viral gene expression and replication. Moreover, viruses manipulate host cells' epigenetic machinery to ensure productive viral infections. Environmental factors, such as natural products, may influence epigenetic modifications. In this review, we explore the potential of plant-derived substances as epigenetic modifiers for broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, reviewing their modulation processes and anti-viral effects on DNA and RNA viruses, as well as addressing future research objectives in this rapidly emerging field

Calcifilassi peniena: una rara complicanza in corso di emodialisi

La calcifilassi rappresenta una condizione clinica severa ed assai grave che si manifesta prevalentemente - ma non esclusivamente - in pazienti affetti da malattia renale cronica (CKD) sottoposti a terapia sostitutiva. Colpisce circa 1′1– 4% della popolazione dialitica (1, 2) e presenta una mortalità assai elevata (60–80%) (3). È caratterizzata clinicamente dalla presenza di ulcerazioni ischemiche a carico della cute e da necrosi conseguente allo sviluppo di calcificazioni distrofiche delle arteriole sottocutanee. L'interessamento penieno è assai raro ed in letteratura ne sono riportate - fino ad oggi - circa 40 segnalazioni. A tale proposito viene descritto il caso di un paziente di 50 anni, seguito presso la nostra UOC che sviluppò tale grave e, purtroppo fatale, complicanza clinica