Analisi e modellizzazione numerica dell'interazione tra onde elettromagnetiche irradiate da terminali mobili ed il corpo umano

In questa Tesi verranno affrontate le problematiche dell'esposizione umana ai campi elettromagnetici con particolare riferimento all'effetto indotto dai telefoni cellulari operanti alle frequenze degli standard GSM, DCS ed UMTS sulla testa. Quest'ultima verrà modellata per via numerica dapprima in modo omogeneo ed in seguito in modo stratificato attraverso il solver Parallel CFDTD. Ambedue i modelli creati avranno opportune caratteristiche dielettriche variabili con la frequenza

Membrane transporters and protein traffic networks differentially affecting metal tolerance: a genomic phenotyping study in yeast

Genomic phenotyping was used to assess the role of all non-essential S. cerevisiae proteins in modulating cell viability after exposure to cadmium, nickel and other metals

OUTPATIENT CARE IN PSYCHIATRY FOR TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH (16 TO 24 YEARS OLD): WHICH TRAJECTORIES OF PSYCHIATRIC CARE IN FRENCH-SPEAKING BELGIUM?

Background: Transitional age youth (TAY) are a particularly at-risk population in mental health. They have specific needs, not currently covered between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS), mainly because of existing barriers. This retrospective study was carried out to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who attended a new outpatient program specifically conceived for TAY in Brussels, Belgium. Outcomes related to trajectories of psychiatric care were analysed, such referral and requester, and final orientation. Subjects and methods: The total sample included 243 patients aged from 16 to 24 years old who presented for care in this outpatient program between October 2019 and May 2021. Data were retrospectively extracted from each ps electronic medical records. Results: The sample was mainly composed by female participants; the average age was 18.7 (±2.0) years. General practitioner (18.9%), child and adolescent psychiatrist (18.1%), psychologist (11.5%) and adult psychiatrist (7.4%) referred patients. Leading symptoms were divided into three dimensions: internalizing (67.5%), externalizing (21.8%) and psychotic (10.7%) ones. After first assessment, 81.5% of youth were followed-up in our specific outpatient program. Overall, at the end of data collection, youth were orientated towards ongoing follow-up in this program (37%), AMHS care (21.8%), end of psychiatric care (17.3%) and CAMHS care (4.1%). 19.8% patients discontinued the proposed care. Conclusions: This psychiatric outpatient program for TAY represents an innovative contribution to reinforce CAMHS-AMHS interface in French-speaking Belgium. The analysis of trajectories in psychiatric care suggests positive outcomes of this TAYtailored clinical program to achieve high quality standard of care in youth mental health. Future research and clinical implementation programs should further explore which factors influence decision-making process in TAY psychiatric assessment and care

Are bank employees stressed? job perception and positivity in the banking sector: an italian observational study

Background: The epidemiology of stress on bank workers in Europe is only at the introductory stages. This study investigated for the first time the association between occupational stress level in bank-employees using the BEST8, Karasek-Model and socio-demographic and working factors in Italy. Methods: The observational pilot study involved 384 employees. Three questionnaires were adopted to collect data: Karasek-Model, BEST8 (p < 0.001) and Positivity-Scale. Results: 25% of the sample belonged to high stress group. The workers more stressed were older with a commercial role and consumer of antidepressants/sedatives. Women were much more likely to agree with the perception of feeling unsafe in a possible robbery (OR = 2.42; 95% CI: 1.50-3.91) and with that sales requests were in conflict with one's own personal moral code (OR = 2.31; 95% CI: 1.38-3.87). Older employees declared feeling inadequate in the workplace (OR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07-3.65) and younger employees referred to be anxious about meeting financial budget goals. Workers who had a low positivity had a lower probability of adaptation (OR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83-0.93). Conclusions: The occupational stress level in the banking sector involves many aspects: gender, type of bank, role, personal morals, high job-demands, low level of decision-making. This study recommended that banks should implement strategic interventions for well-being of employees, and consequently for their productivity

OUTPATIENT CARE IN PSYCHIATRY FOR TRANSITIONAL AGE YOUTH (16 TO 24 YEARS OLD): WHICH TRAJECTORIES OF PSYCHIATRIC CARE IN FRENCH-SPEAKING BELGIUM?

Background: Transitional age youth (TAY) are a particularly at-risk population in mental health. They have specific needs, not currently covered between child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services (AMHS), mainly because of existing barriers. This retrospective study was carried out to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients who attended a new outpatient program specifically conceived for TAY in Brussels, Belgium. Outcomes related to trajectories of psychiatric care were analysed, such referral and requester, and final orientation. Subjects and methods: The total sample included 243 patients aged from 16 to 24 years old who presented for care in this outpatient program between October 2019 and May 2021. Data were retrospectively extracted from each ps electronic medical records. Results: The sample was mainly composed by female participants; the average age was 18.7 (±2.0) years. General practitioner (18.9%), child and adolescent psychiatrist (18.1%), psychologist (11.5%) and adult psychiatrist (7.4%) referred patients. Leading symptoms were divided into three dimensions: internalizing (67.5%), externalizing (21.8%) and psychotic (10.7%) ones. After first assessment, 81.5% of youth were followed-up in our specific outpatient program. Overall, at the end of data collection, youth were orientated towards ongoing follow-up in this program (37%), AMHS care (21.8%), end of psychiatric care (17.3%) and CAMHS care (4.1%). 19.8% patients discontinued the proposed care. Conclusions: This psychiatric outpatient program for TAY represents an innovative contribution to reinforce CAMHS-AMHS interface in French-speaking Belgium. The analysis of trajectories in psychiatric care suggests positive outcomes of this TAYtailored clinical program to achieve high quality standard of care in youth mental health. Future research and clinical implementation programs should further explore which factors influence decision-making process in TAY psychiatric assessment and care

AVALIAÇÃO PRELIMINAR DO POTENCIAL DE REÚSO DE EFLUENTE GERADO EM INDÚSTRIA DE ALIMENTOS DEGRADADO POR VIA FOTOQUÍMICA

The effluent reuse in industrial processes is an interesting alternative, especially nowadays, because of the serious environmental problems faced by the population every day. This practice reduces wastewater generation and saves money for the companies. This study aimed to evaluate the possible reuse of a food industry effluent through the use of a photochemical process, with direct UV radiation incidence. The samples of the raw and treated effluent were tested to measure pH, conductivity, total organic carbon (TOC), spectrophotometry, turbidity, total solids, fixed and volatile solids and toxicity. The photochemical treatment caused complete removal of the effluent color, a 92% reduction of the total organic carbon, and a reduction of the levels of acute toxicity, what indicates the efficiency of the photodegradation in removing contaminating agents in industrial effluents. The inorganic carbon value was high, indicating a high concentration of carbonate and bicarbonate dissolved in the effluent. To classify this treated effluent, according to current legislation, it is necessary to monitor other parameters in details. According to the tests performed for this work, it is possible to conclude that a company can make use of an effluent generated on the production line and, in a not very distant future, direct on the production line.O reúso de efluente gerado no processo industrial é uma alternativa interessante, principalmente nos dias atuais, em que sérios problemas ambientais são enfrentados diariamente pela população. Essa prática reduz a geração de águas residuárias e gera economia para as empresas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar o potencial de reúso de um efluente gerado em um segmento industrial alimentício por meio da utilização de processo fotoquímico, com incidência de radiação UV direta. As amostras do efluente bruto e tratado foram submetidas aos ensaios de pH, condutividade, carbono orgânico total (TOC), espetrofotometria, turbidez, sólidos totais, fixos e voláteis e toxicidade. Com o tratamento fotoquímico houve a completa descoloração do efluente, e uma redução de 92% da quantidade de carbono orgânico total e redução nos níveis de toxicidade aguda, o que indica a eficiência desse processo para a remoção de agentes contaminantes em efluentes industriais. O valor de carbono inorgânico mostrou-se elevado, indicativo de uma concentração elevada de carbonatos e bicarbonatos dissolvidos no efluente. Para classificar este efluente tratado, conforme legislação vigente, necessita-se de um detalhado monitoramento de outros parâmetros. Com os ensaios realizados para este trabalho, pode-se concluir que um efluente gerado na linha de produção pode ser aproveitado pela empresa e, para um futuro não muito longe, direto na linha de produção

Glial cells, blood brain barrier and cytokines in seizures: Implications for therapeutic modalities

Epilepsy is a chronic, common, neurological disorder marked by transient, paroxysmal and hypersynchronous activity of the brain neurons, behaviorally manifested as seizures. It is developed through the process of epileptogenesis which alters neuronal excitability, establishes critical interconnections and develop neuronal hyperexcitability and degeneration, as well as the neuronal network reorganization as its main mechanisms. There are a number of different mechanisms of epileptogenesis, including neuroinflammation as a recently highlighted important novel mechanism. In this review paper, our focus will be to light up the latest findings about neuroinflammation as a pathogenic factor in epileptogenesis. Neuroinflammation is characterized by the structural and functional alteration of the CNS glial cells and peripherally derived immune cells with the presence of blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction as main mechanisms. Disequilibrium in the CNS microenvironment is often followed by increased synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ) and chemokines. The interplay between glial alteration, BBB dysfunction, cytokines and chemokines establish a positive feedback cascade for further epileptogenesis. It is still unclear if neuroinflammation is causing epileptogenesis or whether in a consequence of that, but, there are clear findings about positive feedback between these two processes. This interconnection could be a helpful key to better target therapeutic treatment of neuroinflammation for providing beneficial effects for patients with epilepsy

Evaluation of health parameters, use of drugs, and alcohol intake among an elderly population in São José dos Campos, SP, Brazil

AIM:To evaluate health parameters (blood pressure, heart rate and blood glucose), the use of medicines and alcohol consumption in elderly residents in the city of S&#227;o Jos&#233; dos Campos, SP, Brazil.METHODS:A sample of 500 elderly individuals (98 men and 402 women, with mean age of 69.5 years) was examined. Personal data and medicines used by the patients were recorded, general health aspects were assessed and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was applied to survey alcohol consumption.RESULTS:Two hundred and four patients (40.8%) presented high blood pressure and 93 patients (18.6%) had hyperglycemia. The most used pharmacological groups were antihypertensive drugs, antilipidemics, drugs to control hypothyroidism and hypoglycemic agents. Possible pharmacological interactions with alcohol were present in 60.9% of the used medicines. The AUDIT results showed that 91% of the sample presented a low-level intake of alcohol and only 1% presented characteristics of alcohol addiction. Associations were found among AUDIT scores with age (p=0.037), since a larger number of alcohol addicts were found among younger patients, and use of drugs (p=0.046), since patients who consumed more daily medicines made less use of alcohol (low-level).CONCLUSIONS:The studied sample presented a high prevalence of hypertension and relatively low incidence of diabetes. A low use of drugs was verified and women made more use of daily medications than men. Low alcohol consumption was also observed, and women consumed less alcohol than men.768

Study Protocol: Transition_psy a Multicenter Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study Assessing Risk and Protective Factors to Develop Psychopathology in Transitional Age Youth in Belgium

Introduction: Emerging adults are a particularly at-risk population in mental health. The primary aim of the Transition_psy study is to evaluate changes in mental health care need and quality of life during transition from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to Adult Mental Health Services (AMHS). The relationship between these changes and genetic or environmental vulnerabilities and clinical dimensions representing risk and protective factors to the development of psychopathology will be analyzed. We also aim to explore how each factor plays, specifically, a role in developing internalizing and externalizing symptoms, in order to predict the most common paths of psychopathology in transitional age youth (TAY).Methods and Analysis:Transition_psy is a multicenter prospective longitudinal cohort study. The transversal and trans-diagnostic approach consists of a dimensional evaluation: 300 youth at the age of 17 will be included in a cohort of in-patients, out-patients and control group. Participants will be assessed at baseline (T0) and 24 months later (T1). The primary objective to determine changes in self-rated Health Of The Nation Outcome Scales For Children And Adolescents (HONOSCA-SR) and WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scores between T0 and T1. Pearson correlation and mediation analysis will be performed. A secondary objective analysis using mediation and moderation models with several dimensional aspects, including self-reported and cognitive measures, will be conducted to disentangle the potential relationships between the two scores.Discussion: Transition from CAMHS to AMHS occurs at a crucial age in terms of the continuum between adolescent and adulthood psychopathology. This collaborative and cohesive protocol between CAMHS and AMHS represents the first national cohort study about Transition Psychiatry in French-speaking Belgium.Ethics and Dissemination: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) of the three participating sites. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and disseminated at national and international conferences. This trial was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT04333797) on 3 April 2020