Future Scenarios of the Food System: Insights from the Consumers’ Perspective

 A careful analysis of contemporary society shows a radical evolution of the role and function of consumption. So-called post-modernity, along with the technological, economic and social transformations that have brought it on, inaugurate a different way of conducting relationships, of existing and of consuming. So consumptions evolve, assuming new expressions in extremely heterogeneous ambits, including that of food consumptions. The past decades have witnessed a progressive increase in the complexity of food consumptions due to the affirmation of increasingly more differentiated trends sensitive to territorial specificity and, at the same time, open to the globalisation of tastes. This topic represents a theme as interesting from the scientific viewpoint as it is decisive from the perspective of implementing food marketing strategies. In this framework, studying food consumptions and the sources that influence them in order to comprehend motivations and significances, implicates reflecting on and investigating into the way these practises can be the object of conditioning mediated by business communication, social practises and practises among friends, or by particular socio-economic conditions...

svr 24 achievement two weeks after a tripled dose of daclatasvir in an hcv genotype 3 patient

Abstract Directly-acting antivirals (DAA) have changed the chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection therapeutic scenario allowing virus eradication in more than 95% of patients, independently from the genotype, with 12 to 24-week treatment regimens. We describe a 51-year-old Pakistani man with a chronic HCV-genotype 3 (GT3a) infection with moderate liver fibrosis, who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) 24 after a tripled dose of Daclatasvir (DCV) taken erroneously associated to Sofosbuvir (SOF). The patient had a concomitant intestinal TB infection whose treatment had been delayed in order to firstly eradicate HCV to reduce the liver toxicity of anti-mycobacterial drugs. Thanks to the cultural mediator support, we explained to the patient the correct posology of each drug to take during the day consisting of 12 week SOF (400 mg daily) plus DCV (60 mg daily) regimen. He returned 13 days after for a programmed visit and we were surprised to learn that he had taken 3 pills of DCV (180 mg/daily) instead of one, thus ending DCV assumption after only 9 days while SOF was taken correctly. He complained no symptoms. We immediately performed blood test that showed alteration of lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, and creatin kinase MB activity. At day 15 we stopped SOF closely monitoring the patient. Blood test alterations returned normal after one week of treatment suspension, HCV viremia remained suppressed after 4, 12 and 24 weeks proving HCV eradication. If confirmed, these data could suggest that higher doses of DCV, if tolerated, might be employed in short-time HCV-GT3 treatment

The Impact of Tuberculosis among Immigrants: Epidemiology and Strategies of Control in High-Income Countries—Current Data and Literature Review

A significant reappearance of tuberculosis (TB) was observed in industrialized countries during the last two decades. This is due to the spread of HIV infection itself and to today\u27s migratory phenomenon as a consequence of wealth disparity, poverty, wars and political persecutions. This proportion is expected to increase and represents an important cause of the overall resurgence of the TB epidemic and drug‐resistant TB in Western Europe and the USA. TB is currently one of the leading causes of death worldwide and a health problem in high‐income countries. Although WHO global TB report 2015 with its “STOP TB” strategy has the goal to eliminate TB as a public health problem by 2050, TB shows no signs of disappearing despite some decline in high‐income countries. In order to intensify the fights against this deadly disease, further efforts should be aimed to improve examination/detection processes to accurately determine all kinds of TB, and how best to enhance TB control through a coordinated medical screening program of migrants for active TB. Migration in itself is not a definitive risk for TB. Stressful living condition, social isolation, poverty, political fear/persecution, and difficulties to access to health care can expose these individuals to the risk of TB infection during and after the migration process. This chapter aims to discuss and highlight all these issues

IGF-IR Internalizes with Caveolin-1 and PTRF/Cavin in Hacat Cells

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor (RTK) associated with caveolae, invaginations of the plasma membrane that regulate vesicular transport, endocytosis and intracellular signaling. IGF-IR internalization represents a key mechanism of down-modulation of receptors number on plasma membrane. IGF-IR interacts directly with Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the most relevant protein of caveolae. Recently it has been demonstrated that the Polymerase I and Transcript Release Factor I (PTRF/Cavin) is required for caveolae biogenesis and function. The role of Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin in IGF-IR internalization is still to be clarified. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have investigated the interaction of IGF-IR with Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin in the presence of IGF1in human Hacat cells. We show that IGF-IR internalization triggers Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin translocation from plasma membrane to cytosol and increases IGF-IR interaction with these proteins. In fact, Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin co-immunoprecipitate with IGF-IR during receptor internalization. We found a different time course of co-immunoprecipitation between IGF-IR and Cav-1 compared to IGF-IR and PTRF/Cavin. Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin silencing by siRNA differently affect surface IGF-IR levels following IGF1 treatment: Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin silencing significantly affect IGF-IR rate of internalization, while PTRF/Cavin silencing also decreases IGF-IR plasma membrane recovery. Since Cav-1 phosphorylation could have a role in IGF-IR internalization, the mutant Cav-1Y14F lacking Tyr14 was transfected. Cav-1Y14F transfected cells showed a reduced internalization of IGF-IR compared with cells expressing wild type Cav-1. Receptor internalization was not impaired by Clathrin silencing. These findings support a critical role of caveolae in IGF-IR intracellular traveling. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These data indicate that Caveolae play a role in IGF-IR internalization. Based on these findings, Cav-1 and PTRF/Cavin could represent two relevant and distinct targets to modulate IGF-IR function

Caratterizzazione dimensionale dei composti solubili in acqua nella frazione ultrafine, fine e grossolana dell’aerosol urbano

Lo scopo di questo lavoro consiste nello studio della composizione chimica della frazione idrosolubile dell’aerosol atmosferico in funzione del diametro delle particelle in un’area urbana. La composizione chimica delle particelle in funzione della loro dimensione influisce notevolmente sul ruolo ambientale, tossicologico e legislativo dell’aerosol atmosferico. Per la prima volta, questo studio può fornire un utile strumento analitico ambientale per indagare la composizione della frazione ultrafine dell’aerosol urbano. Nel sito urbano di Mestre-Venezia sono stati raccolti 14 campioni di aerosol in un periodo compreso tra marzo e maggio 2016, utilizzando un impattore MOUDI II che ha permesso di suddividere l’aerosol in 12 frazioni dimensionali (>18 μm; 18-10 μm; 10-5.6 μm; 5.6-3.2 μm; 3.2- 1.8 μm; 1.8-1 μm; 1-0.56 μm; 0.56 -0.32 μm; 0.32-0.18 μm; 0.18-0.1 μm; 0.1-0.056 μm; <0.056 μm). Ciascuno dei 168 supporti campionati è stato pesato in un camera bianca ISO 7 ed estratto in acqua ultrapura con ultrasuoni. L’estratto acquoso è stato analizzato mediante IC-MS per la determinazione di specie ioniche (ioni maggiori, acido metansolfonico, acidi carbossilici) e zuccheri (alcol zuccheri, anidrozuccheri, mono- e disaccaridi) e mediante HPLC-MS/MS per la determinazione di L- e D- amminoacidi, composti fenolici, composti di degradazione dell’α-pinene. I risultati ottenuti evidenziano che le specie idrosolubili analizzate rappresentano mediamente tra il 14% ( 1 μm) sono il sodio, il calcio e il nitrato mentre la frazione fine (<1 μm) è caratterizzata da alte concentrazioni di solfato, ammonio e acidi carbossilici. Nitrato e solfato sono invece le specie caratteristiche della frazione nano (<100 nm). Per ciascuna classe di composti studiata è stata indagata la sorgente di emissione e la relativa distribuzione in funzione del diametro delle particelle. Ad esempio, lo studio di L e D-amminoacidi ha dimostrato che l’amminoacido a più alta concentrazione è la glicina, segue L-prolina, L-arginina, acido L-glutammico e D-alanina. Le alte concentrazioni della glicina, principalmente presente nella frazione fine (180 nm - 1 μm), sono legate alla stabilità del composto, mentre la L-prolina che deriva da spore si distribuisce maggiormente nella frazione grossolana. Considerato l’elevato numero di specie analizzate, è stato applicato un approccio chemiometrico che ha permesso di individuare quattro specifiche sorgenti di emissione: emissione marina primaria, emissione marina di specie secondarie, combustione di biomassa e una sorgente mista. Mentre i composti che caratterizzano la sorgente marina primaria si distribuiscono nella frazione grossolana dell’aerosol (>1 μm), i composti secondari di origine marina si distribuiscono sulle particelle più fini (<1 μm), come anche i composti specifici della combustione di biomassa

Fluoro-Aryl Substituted &#945;,&#946;2,3-Peptides in the Development of Foldameric Antiparallel &#946;-Sheets: A Conformational Study

\u3b1,\u3b22,3 -Disteroisomeric foldamers of general formula Boc(S-Ala-\u3b2-2R,3R-Fpg)n OMe or Boc(S-Ala-\u3b2-2S,3S-Fpg)n OMe were prepared from both enantiomers of syn H-2-(2-F-Phe)-h-PheGly-OH (named \u3b2-Fpg) and S-alanine. Our peptides show two appealing features for biomedical applications: the presence of fluorine, attractive for non-covalent interactions, and aryl groups, crucial for \u3c0-stacking. A conformational study was performed, using IR, NMR and computational studies of diastereoisomeric tetra- and hexapeptides containing the \u3b22,3-amino acid in the R,R- and S,S-stereochemistry, respectively. We found that the stability of peptide conformation is dependent on the stereochemistry of the \u3b2-amino acid. Combining S-Ala with \u3b2-2R,3R-Fpg, a stable extended \u3b2-strand conformation was obtained. Furthermore, \u3b2-2R,3R-Fpg containing hexapeptide self-assembles to form antiparallel \u3b2-sheet structure stabilized by intermolecular H-bonds and \u3c0,\u3c0-interactions. These features make peptides containing the \u3b22,3-fluoro amino acid very appealing for the development of bioactive proteolytically stable foldameric \u3b2-sheets as modulators of protein-protein interaction (PPI)

Effectiveness of patients’ involvement in a medical and nursing pain education programme: a protocol for an open-label randomised controlled trial including qualitative data

Introduction Pain is a multidimensional experience that varies among individuals and has a significant impact on their health. A biopsychosocial approach is recommended for effective pain management; however, health professionals’ education is weak on this issue. Patient involvement is a promising didactic methodology in developing a more holistic perspective, however there is a lack of reliable evidence on this topic. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of patient involvement in pain education in undergraduate medicine and nursing students. Methods and analysis An open-label randomised controlled trial including qualitative data will be conducted. After an introductory lesson, each student will be randomly assigned to the intervention group, which includes an educational session conducted by a patient–partner along with an educator, or to the control group in which the session is exclusively conducted by an educator. Both sessions will be carried out according to the Case-Based Learning approach. Primary outcomes will be students’ knowledge, attitudes, opinions and beliefs about pain management, whereas the secondary outcome will be students’ satisfaction. The Pain Knowledge and Attitudes (PAK) and Chronic Pain Myth Scale (CPMS) will be administered preintervention and postintervention to measure primary outcomes. Students’ satisfaction will be measured by a questionnaire at the end of the session. Two focus groups will be conducted to evaluate non-quantifiable aspects of learning. Ethics and dissemination The protocol of this study was approved by the independent Area Vasta Emilia Nord ethics committee

Epidemiology and Microbiology of Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: Preliminary Results of a National Registry

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) represent a wide range of clinical conditions characterized by a considerable variety of clinical presentations and severity. Their aetiology can also vary, with numerous possible causative pathogens. While other authors previously published analyses on several types of SSTI and on restricted types of patients, we conducted a large nationwide surveillance programme on behalf of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases to assess the clinical and microbiological characteristics of the whole SSTI spectrum, from mild to severe life-threatening infections, in both inpatients and outpatients. Twenty-five Infectious Diseases (ID) Centres throughout Italy collected prospectively data concerning both the clinical and microbiological diagnosis of patients affected by SSTIs via an electronic case report form. All the cases included in our database, independently from their severity, have been managed by ID specialists joining the study while SSTIs from other wards/clinics have been excluded from this analysis. Here, we report the preliminary results of our study, referring to a 12-month period (October 2016–September 2017). During this period, the study population included 254 adult patients and a total of 291 SSTI diagnoses were posed, with 36 patients presenting more than one SSTIs. The type of infection diagnosed, the aetiological micro-organisms involved and some notes on their antimicrobial susceptibilities were collected and are reported herein. The enrichment of our registry is ongoing, but these preliminary results suggest that further analysis could soon provide useful information to better understand the national epidemiologic data and the current clinical management of SSTIs in Italy