Health information systems in Malta : past, present and future

It is well documented and recognized internationally that good quality health information is essential to public health in its endeavor to protect and promote the health of a nation. The need for dedicated health information systems within the Ministry for Health in Malta was felt more than 30 years ago, when the Chief Government Medical Officer at the time called for the introduction and implementation of a health service information system. This led to the development of a dedicated unit with the aims of providing basic statistical and epidemiological information, conducting surveys and evaluating health programmes. Over the years, this unit has developed into the current Directorate for Health Information and Research which is now responsible for maintaining ten population-based Health Registers and a five yearly National Health Interview Survey, in addition to other ad hoc research. This article traces the development of health information systems in Malta from their inception in the early 1980s to date.peer-reviewe

Aroma Volatiles in Tomato Fruits: The Role of Genetic, Preharvest and Postharvest Factors

International audienceOver the last few decades, the improvement of tomato aroma and flavour has gained growing attention among breeders, agronomists and food technologists, as it is reputed as a key tool to further consolidate tomato consumption in the global market. However, this represents a difficult task, since more than 400 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) differently contribute to tomato aroma and its flavour perception. The recent development of molecular tools has allowed us to identify some of the major alleles influencing the volatile composition of tomatoes. Nonetheless, such composition involves an intricate weave of polygenic systems, highly influenced by external, pre and postharvest factors. With few exceptions, our knowledge about the effects of these determinants is still scarce, making it difficult to draw sound conclusions to best manage the future genetic potential. The present review examines the existing knowledge on major VOCs influencing tomato organoleptic quality, including their classification, metabolic pathways, genetics, and technical features that affect their concentrations in fruits. Particular emphasis is placed on preharvest and postharvest factors influencing their quantitative and qualitative expression, whose integrated study with omic tools will be increasingly necessary for the perspective of disseminating reliable operational indications throughout the production/distribution chain

Influence of Harvest Stage and Rootstock Genotype on Compositional and Sensory Profile of the Elongated Tomato cv. “Sir Elyan”

The present experiment addressed the effects of two harvest stages, namely breaker (S1) and turning (S2), on compositional and sensory profile of grafted, greenhouse elongated tomatoes cv. “Sir Elyan”. The rootstocks “He-Man”, “Interpro”, and “Armstrong” were used. The S1 fruits showed a higher dry matter content, firmness and titratable acidity when compared to the S2 ones (by 6%, 3%, and 15%, respectively). They showed, also, the highest L-ascorbic acid concentration and antioxidant activity. Differently, soluble solid content, lycopene and β-carotene increased in the S2 fruits (by 4%, 92%, and 26%, respectively). Excepting methyl salicylate, all the volatiles detected peaked in the S2 fruits, which were scored by panelists as sweeter and more flavorful than the S1 ones. Among the rootstock genotypes, “He-Man” promoted fruits firmness, carotenoids concentration and antioxidant activity, irrespective of the harvest stage. “Interpro” enhanced the sensory attributes of the S1 fruits in terms of bitterness, sourness, sweetness and flavor. Differently, sweetness, sourness, and tomato flavor of the S2 fruits were promoted by “Armstrong”. The results highlight the influence of rootstock genotype on the nutraceutical and sensorial profile of “Sir Elyan” fruits harvested at early ripening stages

Analysis of RBFOX1 gene expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines of Italian discordant autism spectrum disorders sib-pairs

Several lines of evidence suggest that RBFOX1 is a key regulator of transcriptional and splicing programs in neural cells during development, and that it is expressed in a neuronal module enriched for known autism susceptibility genes. We have investigated its expression by semiquantitative RT-PCR in accessible nonbrain resources in eighteen autism spectrum disorder sib-pairs belonging to the Italian Autism Network cohort. RBFOX1 gene expression was detected in lymphoblastoid cell lines but not in lymphocytes. No significant differences between autism spectrum disorders and non-affected brothers were found. We were not able to replicate in lymphoblastoid cell lines the previously reported RBFOX1 gene downregulation in autism, even if a trend was observed. This might be due to less pronounced transcription level differences in RBFOX1 gene expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines than in brain samples. \ua9 2014 Elsevier Ltd

Visual and Hearing Impairment Are Associated With Delirium in Hospitalized Patients: Results of a Multisite Prevalence Study

Sensory deficits are important risk factors for delirium but have been investigated in single-center studies and single clinical settings. This multicenter study aims to evaluate the association between hearing and visual impairment or bi-sensory impairment (visual and hearing impairment) and delirium