Banco de dados de pragas quarentenárias A1: apoio ao sistema de análise de risco de introdução e estabelecimento de pragas quarentenárias do Estado de São Paulo.

A análise de risco de introdução e estabelecimento de pragas quarentenárias demanda tanto o levantamento de pragas com potencial quarentenário quanto à organização e a agilidade na recuperação de informações detalhadas sobre essas pragas. O Laboratório de Quarentena ?Costa Lima? da Embrapa Meio Ambiente, no âmbito de projeto aprovado no Edital MAPA/CNPq Nº 64/2008, vem desenvolvendo um sistema informatizado (SysRiskQuarantine) para subsidiar essa análise de risco para os cultivos de eucalipto, citros, cana-de-açúcar e flores/plantas ornamentais no Estado de São Paulo. O sistema, desenvolvido em servidor Apache 2.0 e linguagens MySQL/HTML/PHP, viabilizará bancos de dados com informações sobre os principais municípios produtores do estado e sobre as pragas (presentes e quarentenárias), acessadas via formulários eletrônicos elaborados para a recuperação dinâmica on-line dos dados neles inseridos. O presente trabalho apresenta o banco de dado de pragas quarentenárias A1 do SysRiskQuarantine. O trabalho recuperou informações sobre 376 das 430 pragas A1 da Instrução Normativa nº 41 de 01 de julho de 2008 do MAPA (não incluídas 66 plantas infestantes/parasitas) quanto ao ataque aos cultivos. Fez uso de informações de literatura técnico-científica, de contatos com pesquisadores da área e de sites na internet para classificá-las, sempre que possível. Como resultado, 155 pragas A1, dentre as que foram recuperadas, apresentaram potencial para atacar eucalipto, citros, cana-de-açúcar e/ou flores e plantas ornamentais, prioritárias para estudos no projeto

Validation of a questionnaire for young women to assess knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards cervical screening and vaccination against HPV in Italy

Background: Despite knowledge about HPV may be an important determinant for vaccine acceptance and uptake, only few studies have assessed HPV-related knowledge in young females. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the questionnaire, in Italian women ≥18 years old, as a tool to examine knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards screening and vaccination against HPV and reliable source of information. Methods: The questionnaire was administered to 30 girls in anonymous, voluntary and self -administered form with close-ended type of questions, except for the socio-demographic characteristics. It was composed in 3 sections for a total of 69 items. Participation in the study was entirely voluntary and anonymous. Descriptive analyses were performed using frequencies, percentages, and frequency table for categorical variables. Reliability analysis was tested and content validity was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha to check internal consistency and avoid misinterpretation of the results. The study was conducted in 4 Italian cities: Ferrara, Rome, Cassino and Palermo, to represent the different Italian geographical areas and knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards screening and vaccination against HPV and reliable source of information. Data were collected in October 2010. Statistical analysis was performed with the statistical software for Windows SPSS, version 19.0. Results: The highest value of Cronbach's alpha resulted on 24 items (alpha= 0,774); the addition of other items, one at a time, decreased the value. Cronbach's alpha on all the 3 sections together resulted in a value of 0, 059. Young women generally knew that HPV can cause cervical cancer (93.3%) and genital warts (16.7%) and 76.7% of them recognized Pap-test as a screening tool. The main sources of information about HPV vaccination are represented by magazines / books (33.3%), TV (26.7%), and gynecologists (23.3%). Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrated that a short version of the questionnaire has very good reliability properties in the study and this needs to be taken into account for future studies

PGI12 Organizational and Economic Issues Related to the Introduction of Boceprevir in the Treatment of Patients with Genotype 1 Chronic Hepatitis C in Italy

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Has VZV epidemiology changed in Italy? Results of a seroprevalence study

The aim of the study was to evaluate if and how varicella prevalence has changed in Italy. In particular a seroprevalence study was performed, comparing it to similar surveys conducted in pre-immunization era. During 2013–2014, sera obtained from blood samples taken for diagnostic purposes or routine investigations were collected in collaboration with at least one laboratory/center for each region, following the approval of the Ethics Committee. Data were stratified by sex and age. All samples were processed in a national reference laboratory by an immunoassay with high sensitivity and specificity. Statutory notifications, national hospital discharge database and mortality data related to VZV infection were analyzed as well. A total of 3707 sera were collected and tested. In the studied period both incidence and hospitalization rates decreased and about 5 deaths per year have been registered. The seroprevalence decreased in the first year of life in subjects passively protected by their mother, followed by an increase in the following age classes. The overall antibody prevalence was 84%. The comparison with surveys conducted with the same methodology in 1996–1997 and 2003–2004 showed significant differences in age groups 1–19 y. The study confirms that in Italy VZV infection typically occurs in children. The impact of varicella on Italian population is changing. The comparison between studies performed in different periods shows a significant increase of seropositivity in age class 1–4 years, expression of vaccine interventions already adopted in some regions

Nb2 O5 Pellets with Inactive Biomass for Adsorption of Mn2+ Ions: Kinetic, Isothermal and Reuse Study.

This paper aims to explore the production of porous Nb2 O5 pellets by pressing and adding anaerobic biomass (sludge) in order to evaluate the microstructure porosity. The thermal treatment temperature of the pellets varied between 300 ºC and 900 ºC. Their structural, morphological, and physical properties were measured, and the adsorption potential of Mn2+ and their reuse were evaluated. All samples had a monoclinic phase. Density average values of samples pressed using sludge ranged between 2.45 and 2.52 g.cm-3, while the one obtained without sludge pressing achieved higher values of around 2.72 g.cm-3. All samples presented high porosity values after the heat treatment (above 40%), which confirms the efficiency of sludge as a means to enhance porosity. These pellets were used for Mn2+ ions adsorption in aqueous medium. The Langmuir isotherm model was the one that achieved the best goodness-of-fit. In kinetic studies, the adsorption reaction was in accordance with second-order kinetics. Adsorbents in the form of pellets are environmentally friendly on account of their significant reuse and recycling potential. However, the particulate matter might become an environmental liability and incur high treatment costs. The samples proved to be reusable, promoting the adsorption of 67% of the Mn2+ after the fifth reuse cycle

Preparedness and response to the covid-19 emergency: Experience from the teaching hospital of Pisa, Italy

In Italy, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency took hold in Lombardy and Veneto at the end of February 2020 and spread unevenly among the other regions in the following weeks. In Tuscany, the progressive increase of hospitalized COVID-19 patients required the set-up of a regional task force to prepare for and effectively respond to the emergency. In this case report, we aim to describe the key elements that have been identified and implemented in our center, a 1082-bed hospital located in the Pisa district, to rapidly respond to the COVID-19 outbreak in order to guarantee safety of patients and healthcare workers

Recent advances in understanding Cushing disease: resistance to glucocorticoid negative feedback and somatic USP8 mutations

Cushing’s disease is a rare disease with a characteristic phenotype due to significant hypercortisolism driven by over-secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone and to high morbidity and mortality if untreated. It is caused by a corticotroph adenoma of the pituitary, but the exact mechanisms leading to tumorigenesis are not clear. Recent advances in molecular biology such as the discovery of somatic mutations of the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8) gene allow new insights into the pathogenesis, which could be translated into exciting and much-needed therapeutic applications

The Pixel Luminosity Telescope: a detector for luminosity measurement at CMS using silicon pixel sensors

The Pixel Luminosity Telescope is a silicon pixel detector dedicated to luminosity measurement at the CMS experiment at the LHC. It is located approximately 1.75 m from the interaction point and arranged into 16 “telescopes”, with eight telescopes installed around the beam pipe at either end of the detector and each telescope composed of three individual silicon sensor planes. The per-bunch instantaneous luminosity is measured by counting events where all three planes in the telescope register a hit, using a special readout at the full LHC bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz. The full pixel information is read out at a lower rate and can be used to determine calibrations, corrections, and systematic uncertainties for the online and offline measurements. This paper details the commissioning, operational history, and performance of the detector during Run 2 (2015–18) of the LHC, as well as preparations for Run 3, which will begin in 2022