The Lisbon Strategy for social inclusion and the Common Agricultural Policy (Strategia di Lisbona per l'inclusione sociale e politica agricola comune: un esempio della difficile coerenza tra azioni di policy europee)

This paper represents a first attempt to evaluate the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the most relevant EU policy in financial terms, on social inclusion, one of the most important issues included in the Lisbon Strategy, launched by the EU in 2000. To do so, the paper focuses on how the various CAP measures have affected rural poverty in the EU and tries to identify the elements of congruence and conflict between the CAP and social inclusion goals. Market-oriented actions seem to exacerbate differences between rich and poor farmers, because they tend to favour those areas where agriculture is already more competitive. By contrast, rural development measures may be more helpful, even if they are still not adequately financed and pose some problems in terms of governance. The new 2007-2013 programming cycle brings some positive innovations, but synergies between the CAP and social inclusion could be more fully exploited.rural poverty; social inclusion; Common Agricultural Policy

Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural Areas. Final Study Report

This study aims at analysing the main and specific features of poverty and social exclusion in rural areas; on the policy side, it analyses those policies, implemented by local, national or EU authorities, that have an impact on rural poverty. After identifying rural areas in the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA),the study concentrates on fifteen countries for the description of the main features of poverty in rural areas. The fifteen countries are selected in order to present a balanced sample of different geographical regions (Northern, Southern, Western and Eastern Europe) and social models. one EEA country – Norway

In vitro activity against Leishmania and human skin permeation of miltefosine ultradeformable liposomes

Introducción: los liposomas ultradeformables de miltefosina (LUD-MIL) constituyen una opción para el tratamiento tópico en leishmaniasis cutánea penetrando los estratos de la piel hasta la dermis, sitio donde habita el parásito. Objetivo: diseñar LUD-MIL y determinar su actividad contra L. (Viannia) panamensis y L. (V.) braziliensis y la permeación en piel humana. Métodos: los LUD-MIL, liposomas convencionales de fosfatidilcolina (LConv) y LUD-MIL-fluorescente (LUD-MIL-Fluo) fueron preparados por el método de rehidratación de película lipídica. Se caracterizaron fisicoquímicamente y se determinaron: la liberación en membrana semisintéticas, la retención en las capas de la piel y la permeación en piel humana. La citotoxicidad en THP-1 fue determinada por el ensayo colorimétrico de MTT y la actividad en promastigotes y amastigotes intracelulares por recuento microscópico. Resultados: el tamaño, índice de polidispersión, potencial Z y concentración de fosfolípidos de los LUD-MIL fue de 100,7 nm, 0,147, -12,0 mV y 53,24 mM respectivamente. El flujo de MIL a través de la membrana fue mayor con LUD-MIL que con MIL-libre. El tratamiento con LUD-MIL indujo menor acumulación de la MIL en el estrato corneo y mayor permeación que el tratamiento con MIL libre. Los LUD-MIL y los LConv-MIL mantuvieron la actividad de la MIL en los parásitos y células. Los LUD-MIL fueron más tóxicos para las células que los LConv y la MIL y más activos en amastigotes intracelulares de L. (V.) braziliensis. Conclusión: los LUD-MIL preparados conservaron la actividad anti-Leishmania de la MIL y permitieron la liberación del compuesto en membranas y piel humana. Ensayos en modelos experimentales de leishmaniasis cutánea para evaluar la actividad de estas formulaciones son urgentes de realizar.Introduction: miltefosine ultradeformable liposomes (MIL-LUD) are an option for the topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis penetrating the skin layers to the dermis where the parasite inhabits. Objective: to design MIL-LUD and determine their in vitro activity against L. (Viannia) panamensis and L. (V.) braziliensis and to determine human skin permeation. Methods: MIL-LUD, phosphatidylcholine liposomes (MIL-LConv) and fluorescent MIL-LUD (MIL-LUD-Fluo) were prepared by lipid film rehydration method. They were physicochemically characterized to determine drug release in semisynthetic membrane, retention in skin layers and permeation on human skin membranes. Cytotoxicity in THP-1 was determined by the MTT colorimetric test and activity in promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes by microscopic counting. Results: the size, the polydispersion index, the Zeta potential and phospholipid content were 100.7 nm, 0.147, -12.0mV and 53.24mM, respectively for MIL-LUD. MIL flow through the semisynthetic membrane was greater with MIL-LUD than MIL-free treatment. MIL-LUD treatment induced lower MIL accumulation in the stratum corneum and increased permeation than MIL free treatment. The MIL-LUD and MIL-Conv maintained MIL activity in parasites and cells. The MIL-LUD was more toxic to cells than MIL-Conv and more active against intracellular amastigotes of L. (V.) braziliensis. Conclusion: prepared LUD -MIL retained the anti-leishmanial activity of the MIL and allowed the compound release in human skin and membranes. Testing of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis models to evaluate the activity of these formulations are urgently neededFil: Hernandez, Indiira Paola. Universidad Industrial Santander; ColombiaFil: Martinetti Montanari, Jorge Anibal. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico La Plata. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Celular (i); Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Escobar Rivero, Patricia. Universidad Industrial Santander; Colombi

Bufavirus, Cosavirus, and Salivirus in Diarrheal Italian Infants

Three newly discovered viruses have been recently described in diarrheal patients: Cosavirus (CosV) and Salivirus (SalV), 2 picornaviruses, and bufavirus (BuV), a parvovirus. The detection rate and the role of these viruses remain to be established in acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in diarrheal Italian infants. From November 2016 to November 2017, stool samples were collected from 160 children <5 years old suffering from AGE and attending the Children's Hospital in Turin, Italy. During the study period, 1 (0.5%) sample was positive for 1 of the 3 investigated viruses: 0 (0%) CosV, 1 (0.5%) SalV, and 0 (0%) BuV, whereas 42 (26.0%) children were infected with rotavirus and 2 (1%) with adenovirus. No mixed infections involving the 3 viruses were found. Although these viruses are suspected to be responsible for AGE in children, our data showed that this association was uncertain. Therefore, further studies with large cohorts of healthy and diarrheal children will be needed to evaluate their clinical role in AGE

Crying Time and RORγ/FOXP3 Expression in Lactobacillus reuteri DSM17938-Treated Infants with Colic: A Randomized Trial

Objectives To evaluate crying time, retinoid-related orphan receptor-γ (RORγ) and forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) messenger RNA levels (transcription factors that can modulate T cell responses to gut microbes), and to investigate gut microbiota and fecal calprotectin in infants treated with Lactobacillus reuteri for infantile colic. Study design A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted in primary care in Torino from August 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016. Patients suffering from infantile colic were randomly assigned to receive daily oral L reuteri (1 × 10 8  colony forming unit) or placebo for 1 month. Daily crying times were recorded in a structured diary. FOXP3 and RORγ messenger RNA in the peripheral blood was assessed with real-time TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Gut microbiota and fecal calprotectin were evaluated. Results After infants with colic were supplemented with L reuteri DSM 17938 for 30 days, crying times were significantly shorter among infants with colic in the probiotic group compared with infants in the placebo group (74.67 ± 25.04 [IQR = 79] minutes /day vs 147.85 [IQR = 135] minutes /day [ P  = .001]). The FOXP3 concentration increased significantly ( P  = .009), resulting in decreased RORγ/FOXP3 ratios: 0.61 (IQR = 0.60) at day 0 and 0.48 (IQR = 0.28) at day 30 ( P  = .028). Furthermore, the probiotic increased the percentage of Lactobacillus ( P  = .049) and decreased fecal calprotectin ( P  = .0001). Conclusions Infants with colic treated with L reuteri for 30 days had a significantly decreased crying time and an increased FOXP3 concentration, resulting in a decreased RORγ/FOXP3 ratio. The treatment reduced fecal calprotectin. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT00893711

Aichivirus in Children with Diarrhea in Northern Italy.

Objective: Since its discovery, Aichivirus (AiV) A has been detected, with an incidence of 0.9–4.1%, primarily when studying outbreaks of diarrhea in children or young adults. In this paper, we report the first detection of AiV in Piedmont, Italy, in pediatric patients. Methods: A total of 159 fecal specimens (from 96 males and 63 females) previously screened for rotaviruses, adenoviruses, noroviruses, human parechoviruses, saliviruses, and sapoviruses were collected from infants and children with acute gastroenteritis. Results: The most commonly detected virus was norovirus GII (33.80%), fol lowed by rotavirus (21.30%), astrovirus (18.87%), boca virus (13.92%), sapovirus (10.90%), parechovirus (8%), norovirus GI (6.70%), adenovirus (1%), and salivirus (0.52%). Real-time polymerase chain reaction detected AiV A in 1 (0.62%) case subjects. AiV A was detected in monoinfection only in January. Conclusions: Our results indicate that AiV may be associated with a limited number of diarrhea cases in pediatric patients

La disciplina giuridica della consulenza tecnica d'ufficio

The Authors comment on the articles of the civil code of procedures inherent to the role of Court appointed experts, in particular, forensic specialists, in civil suits, hereby outlining all of the activities required for supplying judges with the technical expertise they needs from taking on the obligation up to the accurate drafting of the expert opinion, hereby paying special attention to operational aspects and recent legislative reforms. They point out the sensitiveness and importance of the tasks assigned to the Court appointed expert, whose «replies» may «influence» the outcome of a trial

Psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professional Student's version: an Italian validation study with nursing students.

This methodological study was conducted to test the psychometric properties of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Health Professional Student's version (JSE-HPS). It used a convenience sample of 797 Italian nursing students and also aimed to describe their empathic engagement. Data were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, test-retest, correlation analysis, t-test, and analysis of variance method. Principal component factor extraction with Oblimin rotation on the first half of the sample was conducted. The analysis suggested a three-factor solution for 14 items: compassionate care/emotional engagement, perspective-taking, and standing in the patient's shoes. Confirmatory factor analysis on the second half of the sample showed good fit indexes for the 14-item solution, indicated by the exploratory factor analysis, and the 20 item solution of the scale, with the exception of one item. Test-retest correlation was 0.50 (P < -0.001) for the overall scale. Results from group comparisons and correlations are also provided and discussed. The Italian version of the JSE-HPS is a psychometrically sound tool. The translated 20-item solution is also suitable to carry out cross-cultural comparisons