Stroke after tadalafil use

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EFFECTS OF SHIFT WORK ON CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITY, SERUM CORTISOL AND WHITE BLOOD CELLS COUNT IN A GROUP OF ITALIAN FISHERMEN

We analyzed the effects of working activity and working shifts on the circadian rhythmicity and circadian phase relations of serum cortisol level, white blood cells count, resting heart rate and systolic/diastolic blood pressure in a group of italian fishermen. We observed a shift-induced displacement of cortisol secretion and a modification in leukocyte count. Moreover, systolic/diastolic blood pressure and resting heart rate were markedly influenced by the night shift, whereas no appreciable changes were observed after the morning and afternoon shifts, compared to pre-working values. These data suggest that the human circadian system is greatly influenced by shift work, and serum cortisol level, leukocyte count, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and resting heart rate are sensitive indicators of the biological responses to a stress workload in shift workers, especially after a night shif

Night-time shift work and related stress responses: A study on security guards

Work-related stress can induce a break in homeostasis by placing demands on the body that are met by the activation of two different systems, the hypothalamic\u2013pituitary\u2013adrenal axis and the sympathetic nervous system. Night-shift work alters the body\u2019s exposure to the natural light\u2013 dark schedule and disrupts circadian (daily) rhythms. The greatest effect of night-shift work is the disruption of circadian rhythms. The impact that these disruptions may have on the pathogenesis of many diseases, including cancer, is unknown. This study aims to discover the relationship among three different job activities of security guards and their stress-related responses by evaluating salivary cortisol levels and blood pressure. Methods: Ninety security guards, including night-time workers and night-time and daily-shift workers, were recruited for this study. Each security guard provided two saliva samples before and after three scheduled time points: (i) at 22:00, (ii) at 06:30, and (iii) at 14:00. Results: The results of the study showed a significant alteration in cortisol levels. Night-time shift cortisol levels significantly increased before and after the work shifts. A physiological prevalence of the vagal tone on the cardiocirculatory activity was found during night-shift work. Conclusions: This study indicates that cortisol levels and blood pressure are sensitive markers of biological responses to severe work stress. Shift-change consequences may occur at the end of the night shift when there is a significant increase in the cortisol level and a significant variation in cardiovascular parameters

A 12-year-old girl with absent radial pulse: arterial thoracic outlet syndrome with subclavian artery aneurysm and thrombosis of the brachial artery

Brachial arterial occlusion is rare in children and adolescents. Once a traumatic cause is excluded, the differential diagnosis consists of a variety of rare conditions. We report the case of a 12-year-old girl whose presenting symptoms—an absent radial pulse and Raynaud's phenomenon of the right hand—could be easily mistaken for a vasculitis. She was found to have arterial thoracic outlet syndrome with right subclavian artery compression and aneurysm formation caused by an anomalous first rib and consecutive thromboembolic occlusion of the brachial artery. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis of this condition are reviewe

Considerations on the Update of the Risk Assessment Document During the Pandemic State by COVID-19 in Italy

Immediately after the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (which had risen to the level of a pandemic according to the World Health Organization), the question arose whether or not to update the risk assessment, which, as required by Legislative Decree 81/2008, with the consequent updating of the prevention measures. In light of these forecasts, we asked ourselves whether the risk of coronavirus infection should be taken into account by the employer by updating the risk assessment or not. An in-depth analysis of current legislation has led to the conclusion that the biological risk from SARS-CoV-2 is to be considered specific only in health-related activities, in other activities it can be considered exclusively generic or generic aggravated. The Risk Assessment Document can therefore only be integrated

Long-Term COVID: Case Report and Methodological Proposals for Return to Work

Almost two years after the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the knowledge of which in the infectious and therapeutic spheres is constantly evolving, attention paid to the medicolegal aspects linked to this emergency phenomenon has mainly focused on the liability implications falling on healthcare personnel. With regard to the medicolegal assessment of the outcomes of COVID-19 illness, although it is a procedure that is commonly used, and although references in the assessment tables in force have been adhered to, a specific assessment protocol has not been standardized that takes into account, from an objective point of view, the degree of severity of the long-term residual outcomes and their impact on the social and working lives of subjects. This shortcoming appears to be attributable to the immediate need to categorize the results of COVID-19, but, in our opinion, it deserves an in-depth study and protocols to enable evaluation committees to draw up an assessment as precisely as possible and that is free of gaps, which could be the subject of legal disputes. The aim of the present work, in light of a worldwide problem, is to arrive at specific and univocal evaluation criteria for COVID-19 disease outcomes, applicable in different operational contexts of reemployment

Diagnostic and prognostic value of three micrornas in environmental asbestiform fibers-associated malignant mesothelioma

Fluoro-edenite (FE) is an asbestiform fiber identified in Biancavilla (Sicily, Italy). Environmental exposure to FE has been associated with a higher incidence of malignant mesothelioma (MM). The present study aimed to validate the predicted diagnostic significance of hsa-miR-323a-3p, hsa-miR-101-3p, and hsa-miR-20b-5p on a subset of MM patients exposed to FE and matched with healthy controls. For this purpose, MM tissues vs. nonmalignant pleura tissues were analyzed through droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to evaluate differences in the expression levels of the selected miRNAs and their MM diagnostic potential. In addition, further computational analysis has been performed to establish the correlation of these miRNAs with the available online asbestos exposure data and clinic-pathological parameters to verify the potential role of these miRNAs as prognostic tools. ddPCR results showed that the three analyzed miRNAs were significantly down-regulated in MM cases vs. controls. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed high specificity and sensitivity rates for both hsa-miR-323a-3p and hsa-miR-20b-5p, which thus acquire a diagnostic value for MM. In silico results showed a potential prognostic role of hsa-miR-101-3p due to a significant association of its higher expression and increased overall survival (OS) of MM patients

Role of cannabinoids in the treatment of Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a frequent symptom in audiological clinical practice characterized by an abnormal noise perceived in one or both ears or in the head, in which a patient has a conscious hearing percept in absence of external sound. Tinnitus might be caused by a homeostatic response of central dorsal cochlear nucleus auditory neurons that makes them hyperactive in compensation to auditory input loss. One hypothesis suggests that tinnitus is a sensory form of epilepsy that involves the cochlear nucleus and the inferior colliculus, which display impairment in the electrical activity in the auditory system. This alteration determines a synaptic plasticity in the dorsal cochlear nucleus that becomes a target for pharmacological compounds able to treat tinnitus. There is no effective drug treatment for tinnitus, but different studies propose the use of cannabinoid receptors agonist for their anti-epileptic activity, although their practical effects are still unclear. In this review, we want to analyze the emerging pharmacological approaches of cannabinoid receptor agonists to the therapy of tinnitus

Oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers after exposure to pesticides

Background: Recent epidemiological studies on workers describe that exposure to pesticides can induce oxidative stress by increased production of free radicals that can accumulate in the cell and damage biological macromolecules, for example, RNA, DNA, DNA repair proteins and other proteins and/or modify antioxidant defense mechanisms, as well as detoxification and scavenger enzymes. This study aimed to assess oxidative stress and DNA damage among workers exposed to pesticides. Methods: For this purpose, 52 pesticide exposed workers and 52 organic farmers were enrolled. They were assessed: the pesticide exposure, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), total glutathione (TG), oxidized glutathione levels (GSSG), and 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2\u2032-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG), levels. Results: Correlation between pesticide exposure was positively associated with high TBARS and 8-oxodG levels (p < 0.001). A negative association was founded with TG and GSSG and pesticide exposure. Conclusions: The present investigation results seem to indicate a mild augment in oxidative stress associated with pesticide exposure, followed by an adaptive response to increase the antioxidant defenses to prevent sustained oxidative adverse effects stress