Knowledge, attitude and behaviours towards recommended vaccinations among healthcare workers

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are an important group of professionals exposed to biological risk during their work activities. So, the aim of this study is to perform a survey on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of Italian HCWs towards the vaccinations recommended by the Ministry of Health. A cross-sectional study was carried out during the period September 2014-August 2015 in the Lazio region. The study was conducted by recruiting HCWs and biomedical students. The sample was comprised of 571 responders, of whom 12.4% were physicians, 18.9% were nurses, 34.3% were other HCW, and 34.3% were biomedical students (medical and nurses students). Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is perceived as a risk for personal health by 457 (80%) participants; TB is also worrying (434; 76%). Moreover, HBV (70.9%) and tuberculosis (TB) (79.2%) are perceived as a risk for health, while influenza is not considered so by most participants (46.2%). There is an underestimation of the role of influenza, perceived as a risk for 137 respondents (24%). The vaccination rate among these HCWs is highest for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) (82%), and lowest for influenza (28.5%) and varicella (40.3%). The vast majority of responders are in favour of HBV (77.8%) and TB (64.8%) vaccines. For other vaccinations there is less interest (between 33% and 40% for measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis and influenza). This study shows that knowledge of recommended occupational vaccinations is insufficient in HCWs, with few exceptions represented by HBV and TB. There is a need for novel approaches in this field, with the aim of enhancing vaccine coverage among HCW

Integrated Optics and Photonics for Optical Interferometric Sensing

Integrated optics (IO) microsystems, based on guided wave and photonics structures, can find interesting developments for optical interferometric analysis in sensing applications. In fact, IO interferometric microsystems can act as transducers of the information carried on by an optical signal and originated along the signal optical path. In addition, the application of Integrated Optics and Photonics techniques, allow producing very small size and reduced power consumption instrumentation. These features explain the reason why the IO microsystems for interferometric analytics know an increasing interest in many areas such as Astrophysics, Environment, Biosciences, Space and Earth Exploration, Safety and Security. This chapter starts by synthetically describing the basics of the main analytical techniques covered by IO micro-devices. A discussion of the integrated micro-device fabrication procedures, with an analysis of the implied performance limitations, follows. Finally, a description of new generation optical interferometric microsystems, applied to different scientific and technical areas, completes the chapter

Reliability and use of Copenhagen Burnout Inventory in italian sample of university professors

Academics often have to face with burnout syndrome at work. This cross-sectional study evaluates the reliability of the Italian version of the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) in a sample of Academics of Sapienza University of Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, through an online questionnaire composed of the CBI, SF12 Health Survey, and Positivity Scale. Univariate, bivariate, multivariate analyses, and Cronbach α coefficients of CBI were performed. Ninety-five participants completed the questionnaire (response rate 85%). Cronbach’s α of the three domains were high (0.892, 0.868, and 0.836). Women, younger and part time professors reported higher score in personal (p = 0.025; 0.060) and work burnout. In multivariate analysis decreasing age (β = −0.263; p = 0.001); being a professor in environmental technicians (β = −0.120; p = 0.098); and low mental (β = −0.263; p = 0.020), physical (β = −0.319; p ≤ 0.001) and positivity scores (β = −0.237; p = 0.031) predict significantly higher personal burnout. Low physical (β = −0.346; p < 0.001) and mental (β = − 0.249; p = 0.013) positivity (β = −0.345; p = 0.001) scores; fewer years of work (β = −0.269; p ≤ 0.001); and being a medical or nursing professor (β = 0.169; p = 0.016) predicts high work burnout. Low MCS predicts a high level of student burnout. Results suggest that the Italian version of the CBI is a reliable instrument. Further research should focus on the prevalence of burnout in academics

Quantification of newly produced B and T lymphocytes in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The immune defects occurring in chronic lymphocytic leukemia are responsible for the frequent occurrence of infections and autoimmune phenomena, and may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of the malignant clone. Here, we evaluated the quantitative defects of newly produced B and T lymphocytes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The output of B and T lymphocytes from the production and maturation sites was analyzed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and healthy controls by quantifying kappa-deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs) and T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) by a Real-Time PCR assay that simultaneously detects both targets. T-lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by six-color flow cytometric analysis. Data comparison was performed by two-sided Mann-Whitney test.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>KRECs level was reduced in untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients studied at the very early stage of the disease, whereas the release of TRECs⁺cells was preserved. Furthermore, the observed increase of CD4⁺lymphocytes could be ascribed to the accumulation of CD4⁺cells with effector memory phenotype.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The decreased number of newly produced B lymphocytes in these patients is likely related to a homeostatic mechanism by which the immune system balances the abnormal B-cell expansion. This feature may precede the profound defect of humoral immunity characterizing the later stages of the disease.</p

Abnormal "low grade" transformation zone: current diagnostic gold standard

The aim of this work was to examine different methods of investigation in the diagnosis of the abnormal "low grade" transformation zone of the portio. Over a period of one year 41 patients subjected to colposcopic examination underwent exo-endocervical sampling for oncologic evaluation and for detection of viral and bacterial infections (HPV, HSV. adenovirus, mycoplasmas and chlamydia trachomatis), as well as portio biopsy. A 65.8% correlation was found between cytology and the HPV-DNA test results. while histology and the presence of the HPV virus agreed in 51.4% of cases. In those cases in which minimal histological alterations were found (koilocytosis) a high percentage of HPV negativity was found. In discordant negative cytologic tests that were however positive for HPV by PCR. the genotypes identified were always 6 and 11

Immunoglobulin free light chains and GAGs mediate multiple myeloma extracellular vesicles uptake and secondary NfkB nuclear traslocation

Multiplemyeloma(MM) is a hematological malignancy caused by a microenviromentally aided persistence of plasmacells in the bone marrow. Monoclonal plasmacells often secrete high amounts of immunoglobulin free light chains(FLCs)that could induce tissue damage. Recently, we showed that FLCs are internalized in endothelial and myocardial cell lines and secreted in extracellular vesicles(EVs). MM serum derived EVs presented phenotypic differences if compared with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)serum derived EVs suggesting their involvement in MM pathogenesis or progression. To investigate the effect of circulating EVs on endothelial and myocardial cells, we purified MM and MGUS serum derived EVs with differential ultracentrifugation protocols and tested their biological activity. We found that MM and MGUS EVs induced different proliferation and internalization rates in endothelial and myocardial cells, thus we tried to find specific targets in MM EVs docking and processing. Pre-treatment of EVs withanti-FLCs antibodies or heparin blocked the MM EVs uptake, highlighting that FLCs and glycosaminoglycans are involved. Indeed, only MM EVs exposure induced a strong nuclear factor kappa B nuclear translocation that was completely abolished afteranti-FLCs antibodies and heparin pre-treatment. The protein tyrosine kinase c-src is present on MM circulating EVs and redistributes to the cell plasma membrane after MM EVs exposure.The anti-FLCs antibodies and heparin pre-treatments were able to block the intracellular redistribution of the c-src kinase and the subsequent c-src kinase containing EVs production. Our results open new insights in EVs cellular biology and in MM therapeutic and diagnostic approaches

Immunoglobulin free light chains and GAGs mediate multiple myeloma extracellular vesicles uptake and secondary NfkB nuclear traslocation

Multiplemyeloma(MM) is a hematological malignancy caused by a microenviromentally aided persistence of plasmacells in the bone marrow. Monoclonal plasmacells often secrete high amounts of immunoglobulin free light chains(FLCs)that could induce tissue damage. Recently, we showed that FLCs are internalized in endothelial and myocardial cell lines and secreted in extracellular vesicles(EVs). MM serum derived EVs presented phenotypic differences if compared with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS)serum derived EVs suggesting their involvement in MM pathogenesis or progression. To investigate the effect of circulating EVs on endothelial and myocardial cells, we purified MM and MGUS serum derived EVs with differential ultracentrifugation protocols and tested their biological activity. We found that MM and MGUS EVs induced different proliferation and internalization rates in endothelial and myocardial cells, thus we tried to find specific targets in MM EVs docking and processing. Pre-treatment of EVs withanti-FLCs antibodies or heparin blocked the MM EVs uptake, highlighting that FLCs and glycosaminoglycans are involved. Indeed, only MM EVs exposure induced a strong nuclear factor kappa B nuclear translocation that was completely abolished afteranti-FLCs antibodies and heparin pre-treatment. The protein tyrosine kinase c-src is present on MM circulating EVs and redistributes to the cell plasma membrane after MM EVs exposure.The anti-FLCs antibodies and heparin pre-treatments were able to block the intracellular redistribution of the c-src kinase and the subsequent c-src kinase containing EVs production. Our results open new insights in EVs cellular biology and in MM therapeutic and diagnostic approaches

Quality assessment of medical record as a tool for clinical risk management: a three year experience of a teaching hospital Policlinico Umberto I, Rome

Introduction: The medical record was defined by the Italian Ministry of Health in 1992 as "the information tool designed to record all relevant demographic and clinical information on a patient during a single hospitalization episode". Retrospective analysis of medical records is a tool for selecting direct and indirect indicators of critical issues (organizational, management and technical). The project’s aim being the promotion of an evaluation and self-evaluation process of medical records as a Clinical Risk Management tool to improve the quality of care within hospitals. Methods: The Authors have retrospectively analysed, using a validated grid, 1,184 medical records of patients admitted to the Teaching Hospital “Umberto I” in Rome during a three-year period (2013-2015). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS for Windows © 19:00. All duly filled out criteria (92) were examined. “Strengths” and "Weaknesses" were identified through data analysis and Best and Bad Practice were identified based on established criteria. Conclusion: The data analysis showed marked improvements (statistically significant) in the quality of evaluated clinical documentation and indirectly upon behaviour. However, when examining some sub-criteria, critical issues emerge; these could be subject to future further corrective action

Comano's (Trentino) thermal water interferes with interleukin-6 production and secretion and with cytokeratin-16 expression by cultured human psoriatic keratinocytes: Further potential mechanisms of its anti-psoriatic action

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Cardiac and Vascular Synergic Protective Effect of Olea europea

This study was aimed at investigating the cardiovascular effects of an Olea europea L. leaf extract (OEE), of a Hibiscus sabdariffa L. flower extract (HSE), and of their 13 : 2 w/w mixture in order to assess their cardiac and vascular activity. Both extracts were fully characterized in their bioactive compounds by HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The study was performed using primary vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) to investigate the antioxidant and cytoprotective effect of the extracts and their mixture and isolated guinea-pig left and right atria and aorta to evaluate the inotropic and chronotropic activities and vasorelaxant properties. In cultured HUVECs, OEE and HSE reduced intracellular reactive oxygen species formation and improved cell viability, following oxidative stress in dose-dependent manner. OEE and HSE exerted negative inotropic and vasorelaxant effects without any chronotropic property. Interestingly, the mixture exerted higher cytoprotective effects and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the mixture exerted an inotropic effect similar to each single extract, while it revealed an intrinsic negative chronotropic activity different from the single extract; its relaxant activity was higher than that of each single extract. In conclusion OEE and HSE mixture has a good potential for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical application, thanks to the synergistic effects of the single phytochemicals