Thermo-hygrometric comfort in the lecture hall of a library: methodology and experimental evidence.

The present study verifies the thermo hygrometric comfort conditions in subjects of a university library users, evaluating the differences and peculiarities in the data collected at the measurement campaign. Particularities of the investigation is the period studied concerning the time frame of the Middle season, which is not expected to power the air conditioning systems. Based on assumptions on the thermal resistance of clothing in the spring and the metabolic type of subjects, the environmental parameters were monitored in some work position in the reading hall in the library of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Palermo. The article presents analyses of the measured data correlating the passive structure behavior and the variation of the internal temperature increases caused by the occupants and by the external temperature gradient. These results are compared with the limits and the guidelines provided by legislation for the main variables measured and derived, and which constitute the essential support to test the tolerability of the occupiers against the thermal environment with which they interact. Keywords: PMV PPD Indexes, Thermo-hygrometric comfort, acceptability classes

Analysis of appeals against the ruling of occupational physicians lodged with the Prevention and Occupational Epidemiology Operative Unit, ASP Palermo (Palermo Health Authority), from 2008-2010

Introduction: The responsibility of the Department for Prevention and Safety at the workplace of the Palermo Health Authority (ASP) is to monitor and coordinate the activity of occupational physicians operating in Palermo and its province. One of its obligations is to examine appeals “against the judgment of occupational physicians”, “...and, after carrying out further investigation, confirm, modify or reverse the ruling itself ” (art. 41, par. 6, legislative Decree 81/08). Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the appeals lodged against a “judgment of fitness for work” submitted to the “Health Prevention and Occupational Epidemiology Operative Unit” of the Department of Prevention and Safety at the Workplace of the ASP Palermo, from 2008 to 2010. Methods: The total number of appeals lodged during the three-year period was 211, 174 of which were finalized. Results: The most frequent job category among the appellants was that of blue-collar workers, in various sectors, covering 44.5% of the subjects under study (93 cases). In 64.2% of the processed appeals (131 cases), the judgment of the physician was modified, while in the remaining 36.8% (73 cases) it was confirmed.The work fitness judgment with restrictions was the category against which most appeals were lodged, and the diseases in question mostly concerned the osteoarticular and cardiovascular systems. Conclusion: In a context of continuous change in the labour field and the related risks to the health and safety of workers, the occupational physician must approach the worker in a comprehensive manner,through an assessment of the possible health problems and the working environment in which he/she operates

An Analysis of the Neutralizing Antibodies against the Main SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Healthcare Workers (HCWs) Vaccinated against or Infected by SARS-CoV-2

: Although the anti-COVID-19 vaccination has proved to be an effective preventive tool, "breakthrough infections" have been documented in patients with complete primary vaccination courses. Most of the SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies produced after SARS-CoV-2 infection target the spike protein receptor-binding domain which has an important role in facilitating viral entry and the infection of the host cells. SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the ability to evolve by accumulating mutations in the spike protein to escape the humoral response of a host. The aim of this study was to compare the titers of neutralizing antibodies (NtAbs) against the variants of SARS-CoV-2 by analyzing the sera of recovered and vaccinated healthcare workers (HCWs). A total of 293 HCWs were enrolled and divided into three cohorts as follows: 91 who had recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection (nVP); 102 that were vaccinated and became positive after the primary cycle (VP); and 100 that were vaccinated with complete primary cycles and concluded the follow-up period without becoming positive (VN). Higher neutralization titers were observed in the vaccinated subjects' arms compared to the nVP subjects' arms. Differences in neutralization titers between arms for single variants were statistically highly significant (p < 0.001), except for the differences between titers against the Alpha variant in the nVP and in VP groups, which were also statistically significant (p < 0.05). Within the nVP group, the number of subjects with an absence of neutralizing antibodies was high. The presence of higher titers in patients with a complete primary cycle compared to patients who had recovered from infection suggested the better efficacy of artificial immunization compared to natural immunization, and this further encourages the promotion of vaccination even in subjects with previous infections

Esposizione a campi elettromagnetici a bassa frequenza (ELF) in ambito occupazionale e nella popolazione generale

Scopo del presente lavoro \ue8 quello di verificare l\u2019eventuale riscontro di alterazioni della frequenza cardiaca e del ritmo cardiaco in un campione di soggetti esposti professionalmente a campi elettromagnetici, nello specifico lavoratori di centrali elettriche e sottostazioni, afferenti presso l\u2019ambulatorio di cardiologia della Sezione di MDL dell\u2019AOUP di PA, posti a confronto con soggetti di pari et\ue0 e sesso non esposti al fattore di rischio considerato. I dati raccolti sono stati messi in relazione ai rilievi ambientali dei campi elettromagnetici a bassa frequenza effettuati dall\u2019ARPA Sicilia (1). Sono stati quindi analizzati i risultati ottenuti nelle due popolazioni in esame al fine di evidenziare eventuali differenze statisticamente significative. Unico dato da segnalare \ue8 il riscontro nella popolazione esposta professionalmente ad ELF di 55 casi di bradicardia sinusale (20,3%), non spiegabile anamnesticamente con pratica di attivit\ue0 sportiva di tipo agonistico o amatoriale n\ue9 con cardiopatie note. Pertanto, si \ue8 giunti alla conclusione che l\u2019esposizione cronica ad ELF, che nelle nostre osservazioni si \ue8 sempre mantenuta nel range dei limiti consentiti dalla legge (1), non ha influenzato altri parametri elettrocardiografici nei soggetti da noi valutati

SOLVENTI ORGANICI COME FATTORI DI RISCHIO PER LE MALATTIE AUTOIMMUNI: RIVALUTAZIONE A DIECI ANNI DI ANA E COMPLEMENTEMIA IN OPERATORI AFFERENTI AI LABORATORI DEL DIPARTIMENTO STEBICEF DELL\u2019UNIVERSIT\uc0 DEGLI STUDI DI PALERMO

solventi, ANA, complementemi

IL LAVORATORE DIABETICO: LA GESTIONE INTEGRATA DELL\u2019IDONEIT\uc0 LAVORATIVA SPECIFICA

diabete, idoneit\ue0 lavorativ