QSAR models for the prediction of dietary biomagnification factor in fish

Xenobiotics released in the environment can be taken up by aquatic and terrestrial organisms and can accumulate at higher concentrations through the trophic chain. Bioaccumulation is therefore one of the PBT properties that authorities require to assess for the evaluation of the risks that chemicals may pose to humans and the environment. The use of an integrated testing strategy (ITS) and the use of multiple sources of information are strongly encouraged by authorities in order to maximize the information available and reduce testing costs. Moreover, considering the increasing demand for development and the application of new approaches and alternatives to animal testing, the development of in silico cost-effective tools such as QSAR models becomes increasingly important. In this study, a large and curated literature database of fish laboratory-based values of dietary biomagnification factor (BMF) was used to create externally validated QSARs. The quality categories (high, medium, low) available in the database were used to extract reliable data to train and validate the models, and to further address the uncertainty in low-quality data. This procedure was useful for highlighting problematic compounds for which additional experimental effort would be required, such as siloxanes, highly brominated and chlorinated compounds. Two models were suggested as final outputs in this study, one based on good-quality data and the other developed on a larger dataset of consistent Log BMFL values, which included lower-quality data. The models had similar predictive ability; however, the second model had a larger applicability domain. These QSARs were based on simple MLR equations that could easily be applied for the predictions of dietary BMFL in fish, and support bioaccumulation assessment procedures at the regulatory level. To ease the application and dissemination of these QSARs, they were included with technical documentation (as QMRF Reports) in the QSAR-ME Profiler software for QSAR predictions available online

Coronavirus disease 2019: the second wave in Italy

PurposeThis paper describes how Italy addressed the first Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wave and analyzes the possible causes of the current second wave.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive analysis of critical points and differences in the containment strategies between the first and the second waves in Italy.FindingsItaly's strict lockdown has been credited with getting the initial major outbreak under control. Furthermore, the way Italy handled the first wave was considered a lesson for other countries. On the contrary, a decentralized and highly bureaucratic political system with low coordination and political conflicts between government, regions and stakeholders led to a relaxation of individual health behaviors, poor and conflicting communication to the general public, poor management of the public transport and the reopening of schools and companies after the summer, that in turn generated the second wave, which is showing signs of becoming worse than the first.Originality/valueThis is a commentary piece

Spirituality and prayer on teacher stress and burnout in an Italian cohort: A pilot, before-after controlled study

Teaching is a stressful profession that exposes workers to the risk of burnout. Techniques involving higher mental functions, such as transcendental meditation and prayer, have been used in stress and burnout prevention programs. In this study, we report the results of an experience conducted in a group of teachers of a religious institute, in which prayer was used as a technique to prevent burnout

Proper Respirators Use Is Crucial for Protecting Both Emergency First Aid Responder and Casualty from COVID-19 and Airborne-Transmitted Infections

We read with great interest the paper by Barycka et al. [...

New and Old Indices for Evaluating Heat Stress in an Indoor Environment: Some Considerations. Comment on Kownacki, L.; Gao, C.; Kuklane, K.; Wierzbicka, A. Heat Stress in Indoor Environments of Scandinavian Urban Areas: A Literature Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16 (4), 560. doi:10.3390/ijerph16040560

In their review, Kownacki et al. showed some practical and easy to use workplace heat indices that are useful for indoor environments, namely the \u201cWet Bulb Globe Temperature\u201d (WBGT), the \u201cPredicted Heat Strain\u201d (PHS) model, the \u201cThermal Work Limit\u201d (TWL), the \u201cEquivalent Temperature\u201d (ET) and the thermal comfort index \u201cPMV/PPD\u201d. In this letter, the authors explain why the modified PMV/PPD method together with the indices combining temperature with humidity, such as the \u201cHumidex Index\u201d and the \u201cHeat Index\u201d, could be a more feasible and useful tool for evaluating potential thermal stress in indoor environments for both the occupational and general populatio

Burnout Syndrome and Meta-Analyses: Need for Evidence-Based Research in Occupational Health. Comments on Prevalence of Burnout in Medical and Surgical Residents: A Meta-Analysis. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public. Health. 2019, 16, doi:10.3390/ijerph16091479

In their meta-analysis of observational studies, Low et al. showed a high prevalence of burnout syndrome (BOS) among medical and surgical residents across the globe with an aggregate prevalence of burnout as 51.0% (CI: 45.0\u201357%). However, the sample size in many of the included studies was quite low (only 26 out of 47 included studies had a sample size of more than 100 participants), and almost all of the 47 studies reported a rate of respondents of less than 80% (43 out of 47, 91.4%). Furthermore, in many of them, the rate of respondents was unknown (5 out of 47) or less than 50% of eligible persons (23 out of 47 studies). As BOS is a self-reported syndrome, healthcare professionals who decided to participate in those studies were many of those affected by BOS, making the percentage of respondents potentially overstated due to the nonresponse bias. Policy decision-making in public health relies on evidence-based research; therefore, quality evaluation of studies in meta-analysis is essential to draw useful data for policymakers

West Nile virus infection in Europe: need for an integration of occupational health practice and public health activities. Commentary

In these days, the West Nile virus (WNV), which is the most widespread arthropodborne virus infection in the world, is an emerging issue in Europe, wherein 2018, partial figures (until 25 October) showed a number of WNV infection cases more than doupled in comparison with previous five years. This mosquito-transmitted disease is surely a challenge for policymakers, but it is an occupational hazard for outdoor workers, as well. Occupational medicine is a public health discipline based on the principles of epidemiology. Therefore, we argue that addressing the WNV hazard may be an opportunity for integrating the occupational health practice with public health activities to boost their respective preventive strategies

Letter to the editor (January 1, 2019) concerning the paper "Impact of air pollution on depression and suicide"

G\u142adka et al. [1], in their careful review of the literature, gave indications of how air pollution can influence the suicide rate. We must remember, however, that air pollution and global warming are both consequences of climate change and are deeply associated [2]. There is strong evidence that high ambient temperature is associated with the suicide risk, and increased morbidity and mortality among people with known mental health problems [3]. Many studies have highlighted the close relationships existing between heat waves and mental disorders, such as psychological exhaustion, anxiety, mood disorders, and dementia, as well as the association of extreme heat exposures with aggressive behaviors [4]. Our understanding of the combined effects of heat and air pollution on mental health and suicide is still limited [5]. Among other things, the increase in temperature accelerates metabolism, and this could increase the toxic effect of environmental pollutants. At present, we cannot say whether the association between the 2 factors is additive or multiplicative. Ultimately, we agree with G\u142adka et al. [1] that further research is needed to explore depression morbidity and suicide statistics. The comparison of geographical areas with high average concentrations of pollutants to those with low pollutants may be useful, but research should not neglect the confounding role played by heat wave. An epidemiological approach based on large population surveys, and the increasing availability of environmental and public health databases across the world [6], could be useful in gaining a better understanding of these complex relationships