COMPARISON OF TWO METHODS FOR THE DETECTION OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of the conventional methods for detection of Listeria monocytogenes in food using media Oxford and ALOA (Agar Listeria acc. to Ottaviani & Agosti) in according to the ISO 11290-1 to a new chromogenic medium "CHROMagar Listeria" standardized in 2005 AFNOR ( CHR – 21/1-12/01). A total of 40 pre-packed ready-to-eat food samples were examined. Using two methods six samples were found positive for Listeria monocytogenes but the medium "CHROMagar Listeria" was more selective in comparison with the others. In conclusion this study has demonstrated that isolation medium able to target specifically the detection of L. monocytogenes such as "CHROMagar Listeria" is highly recommendable because of that detection time is significantly reduced and the analysis cost is less expensive

Early and stable difficulties of everyday executive functions predict autism symptoms and emotional/behavioral problems in preschool age children with autism: a 2-year longitudinal study

IntroductionLongitudinal studies of autistic children show that autism symptoms and emotional/behavioral problems vary and change over time. However, the factors that affect this variability remain far from certain and very little is known about what take place in the preschool period and the role of executive functions (EF).MethodsHere, we test the influence of stable difficulties in everyday executive functioning (EEF) during early childhood across 2 years on autistic symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems. Twenty-nine autistic children (24 males and 5 females) were assessed twice within the space of 2 years. At baseline (M = 29 months, SD =5.6 months), participants were assessed for EEF, cognitive development, autistic symptoms, and emotional/behavioral problems. At follow-up, we repeated the same assessment except for cognitive development.ResultsThe group with stable difficulties (across 2 years) in EEF during early childhood showed a worsening in the severity of autistic symptoms and emotional and behavioral problems compared with children without EEF difficulties (p < 0.05), and these effects cannot be attributable to cognitive development.DiscussionOur results suggest that early and stable EEF plays the role of a modifier by interacting with the core domains of autism, in particular with the social affect domain (SA CSS), influencing social cognition and exacerbating or lessening symptom expression and emotional behavioral problems. These short-term longitudinal and preliminary findings underscore the importance of EEF as necessary target for early intervention in children with autism

Cultural adaptation of the Italian version of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Event (PRO-CTCAE®)

Introduction: US National Cancer Institute's (NCI) Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE®) is a library of 78 symptom terms and 124 items enabling patient reporting of symptomatic adverse events in cancer trials. This multicenter study used mixed methods to develop an Italian language version of this widely accepted measure, and describe the content validity and reliability in a diverse sample of Italian-speaking patients. Methods: All PRO-CTCAE items were translated in accordance with international guidelines. Subsequently, the content validity of the PRO-CTCAE-Italian was explored and iteratively refined through cognitive debriefing interviews. Participants (n=96; 52% male; median age 64 years; 26% older adults; 18% lower educational attainment) completed a PRO-CTCAE survey and participated in a semi-structured interview to determine if the translation captured the concepts of the original English language PRO-CTCAE, and to evaluate comprehension, clarity and ease of judgement. Test-retest reliability of the finalized measure was explored in a second sample (n=135). Results: Four rounds of cognitive debriefing interviews were conducted. The majority of PRO-CTCAE symptom terms, attributes and associated response choices were well-understood, and respondents found the items easy to judge. To improve comprehension and clarity, the symptom terms for nausea and pain were rephrased and retested in subsequent interview rounds. Test-retest reliability was excellent for 41/49 items (84%); the median intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.83 (range 0.64-0.94). Discussion: Results support the semantic, conceptual and pragmatic equivalence of PRO-CTCAE-Italian to the original English version, and provide preliminary descriptive evidence of content validity and reliability

Il porto di Venezia. Dall\u2019Unit\ue0 alla Grande Guerra

Il saggio discute alcuni importanti contributi scientifici relativi all\u2019evoluzione dell\u2019industria navale (Arsenale e cantieri privati) e dell\u2019attivit\ue0 marittimo-commerciale (stazione marittima, interconnessione fra trasporto su acqua e ferrovia, progettazione di Porto Marghera) di Venezia negli anni compresi fra il 1866 e il 1914, inserendolientro un quadro cronologico-tematico

Storia orale e storia ambientale

The questions in the field of environmental history to which oral sources can respond are manifold. Oral sources can help us to understand man\u2019s perceptions of the environment in which he or she lives and works and the effects on nature of economic activities and political choices. Moreover, they can reveal the different perspectives from which many environmental disputes originate. For example, oral history can enquire into how transformations in a given environment have been perceived and experienced, how they have affected the lifestyles of those living in it, to what degree the local population is aware of the risks involved in living in a certain locality, how prepared the people responsible for land management are to deal with emergencies, in which ways land use has changed in recent decades and why, and lastly, how strong environmental awareness and participation in or \u2018sympathy\u2019 for environmental movements is in various communities. This essay deals with a number of significant environmental history studies which are based on a series of interviews and have pointed the way for other similar research experiences. In the age of \u2018digital humanities\u2019, oral history plays an increasingly important role. It is stories told in the first person, scholars\u2019 privilege and opportunity to directly question their witnesses that make oral sources particularly significant in some fields of study. At the same time, as in many of the projects presented here, modern technologies have transformed the way in which these sources can be stored and \u2018given back\u2019 to the public. Oral History and Environmental History are undoubtedly two disciplines in fertile dialogue

Terra di bonifica. Il ruolo dello Stato e dei privati nel Veneto dalla Serenissima al fascismo.

L'opera di bonifica nel Veneto costituisce un aspetto essenziale della storia della trasformazione ambientale della regione. Il presente lavoro esamina, in particolare, l'aspetto economico della bonifica, il ruolo svolto dai privati e dallo Stato, il funzionamento del sistema creditizio. Lo studio ha individuato quattro fasi distinte dell'evoluzione della bonifica nella regione: l'epoca compresa fra il XVI secolo e la caduta della Repubblica Serenissima, ricca di esperienze legislative e di progresso nel campo delle tecniche; il periodo che vide l'imporsi del modello consorziale veneto nella legislazione del nuovo Regno; la fase dominata dal nuovo Testo Unico del 1900 e dal dibattito sull'entit\ue0 della partecipazione economica dello Stato ai lavori di bonifica; infine, l'intervallo di tempo che dalla ricostruzione delle opere danneggiate durante la prima guerra mondiale port\uf2 alla nascita della Federazione dei Consorzi Veneti e Mantovani e al Congresso di San Don\ue0 di Piave, nel quale giunse ad una piena maturit\ue0 il concetto di \u2018bonifica integrale', lasciato poi in eredit\ue0 al regime fascista