Food safety in collective catering: Knowledge, attitudes and correct application of GHP/GMP knowledge among foodservice workers

Food safety critically reliant on the behaviors adopted by foodservice personnel, involved in various stages of meal preparation, from the supply of raw food materials until its distribution to the consumer. The purpose of this work was to collect information on the level of knowledge on food safety, the correct application of the Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and the attitudes of the operators involved in collective catering. The survey was conducted among 15 social catering companies in Apulia (Italy) using a modified Sharif and Al-Malki (2010) anonymous questionnaire intended to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the food handlers. The results highlight the need to improve both knowledge and practices regarding food hygiene and safety in order to minimize the risk of transmitting foodborne diseases. More careful planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of training programs for foodservice workers is required, taking into consideration the provisions of European food laws

P-hydroxyphenylpyruvate, an intermediate of the Phe/Tyr catabolism, improves mitochondrial oxidative metabolism under stressing conditions and prolongs survival in rats subjected to profound hemorrhagic shock

The aim of this study was to test the effect of a small volume administration of p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate (pHPP) in a rat model of profound hemorrhagic shock and to assess a possible metabolic mechanism of action of the compound. The results obtained show that hemorrhaged rats treated with 2-4% of the estimated blood volume of pHPP survived significantly longer (p<0.001) than rats treated with vehicle. In vitro analysis on cultured EA.hy 926 cells demonstrated that pHPP improved cell growth rate and promoted cell survival under stressing conditions. Moreover, pHPP stimulated mitochondria-related respiration under ATP-synthesizing conditions and exhibited antioxidant activity toward mitochondria-generated reactive oxygen species. The compound effects reported in the in vitro and in vivo analyses were obtained in the same millimolar concentration range. These data disclose pHPP as an efficient energetic substrates-supplier to the mitochondrial respiratory chain as well as an antioxidant supporting the view that the compound warrants further evaluation as a therapeutic agent. © 2014 Cotoia et al

Search for Gravitational Waves from Primordial Black Hole Binary Coalescences in the Galactic Halo

We use data from the second science run of the LIGO gravitational-wave detectors to search for the gravitational waves from primordial black hole (PBH) binary coalescence with component masses in the range 0.2--$1.0 M_\odot$. The analysis requires a signal to be found in the data from both LIGO observatories, according to a set of coincidence criteria. No inspiral signals were found. Assuming a spherical halo with core radius 5 kpc extending to 50 kpc containing non-spinning black holes with masses in the range 0.2--$1.0 M_\odot$, we place an observational upper limit on the rate of PBH coalescence of 63 per year per Milky Way halo (MWH) with 90% confidence.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.

Synthesis of Recommendations From 25 Countries and 31 Oncology Societies: How to Navigate Through Covid-19 Labyrinth

Introduction: Pandemic COVID-19 is an unexpected challenge for the oncological community, indicating potential detrimental effects on cancer patients. Our aim was to summarize the converging key points providing a general guidance in order to support decision making, pertaining to the oncologic care in the middle of a global outbreak. Methods: We did an international online search in twenty five countries that have managed a surge in cancer patient numbers. We collected the recommendations from thirty one medical oncology societies. Results: By synthesizing guidelines for a) oncology service delivery adjustments, b) general and specific treatment adaptations, and c) discrepancies from guidelines comparison, we present a clinical synopsis with the forty more crucial statements. A Covid-19 risk stratification base was also created in order to obtain a quick, objective patient assessment and a risk-benefit evaluation on a case-by-case basis. Conclusions: In an attempt to face these complex needs and due to limited understanding of COVID-19, a variability of recommendations based on general epidemiological and infectious disease principles rather than definite cancer-related evidence has evolved. Additionally, the absence of an effective treatment or vaccine requires the development of cancer management guidance, capitalizing on comprehensive COVID-19 oncology experience globally

Flavor Symmetric Sectors and Collider Physics

We discuss the phenomenology of effective field theories with new scalar or vector representations of the Standard Model quark flavor symmetry group, allowing for large flavor breaking involving the third generation. Such field content can have a relatively low mass scale \lesssim TeV and O(1) couplings to quarks, while being naturally consistent with both flavor violating and flavor diagonal constraints. These theories therefore have the potential for early discovery at LHC, and provide a flavor safe "tool box" for addressing anomalies at colliders and low energy experiments. We catalogue the possible flavor symmetric representations, and consider applications to the anomalous Tevatron t-tbar forward backward asymmetry and B_s mixing measurements, individually or concurrently. Collider signatures and constraints on flavor symmetric models are also studied more generally. In our examination of the t-tbar forward backward asymmetry we determine model independent acceptance corrections appropriate for comparing against CDF data that can be applied to any model seeking to explain the t-tbar forward backward asymmetry.Comment: 71 pages, 14 Figures, 12 Table

Dental Health and Mortality in People With End-Stage Kidney Disease Treated With Hemodialysis: A Multinational Cohort Study

Background Dental disease is more extensive in adults with chronic kidney disease, but whether dental health and behaviors are associated with survival in the setting of hemodialysis is unknown. Study Design Prospective multinational cohort. Setting & Participants 4,205 adults treated with long-term hemodialysis, 2010 to 2012 (Oral Diseases in Hemodialysis [ORAL-D] Study). Predictors Dental health as assessed by a standardized dental examination using World Health Organization guidelines and personal oral care, including edentulousness; decayed, missing, and filled teeth index; teeth brushing and flossing; and dental health consultation. Outcomes All-cause and cardiovascular mortality at 12 months after dental assessment. Measurements Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression models fitted with shared frailty to account for clustering of mortality risk within countries. Results During a mean follow-up of 22.1 months, 942 deaths occurred, including 477 cardiovascular deaths. Edentulousness (adjusted HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.10-1.51) and decayed, missing, or filled teeth score ≥ 14 (adjusted HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.33-2.17) were associated with early all-cause mortality, while dental flossing, using mouthwash, brushing teeth daily, spending at least 2 minutes on oral hygiene daily, changing a toothbrush at least every 3 months, and visiting a dentist within the past 6 months (adjusted HRs of 0.52 [95% CI, 0.32-0.85], 0.79 [95% CI, 0.64-0.97], 0.76 [95% CI, 0.58-0.99], 0.84 [95% CI, 0.71-0.99], 0.79 [95% CI, 0.65-0.95], and 0.79 [95% CI, 0.65-0.96], respectively) were associated with better survival. Results for cardiovascular mortality were similar. Limitations Convenience sample of clinics. Conclusions In adults treated with hemodialysis, poorer dental health was associated with early death, whereas preventive dental health practices were associated with longer survival

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

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Nurses' perceptions of aids and obstacles to the provision of optimal end of life care in ICU

Contains fulltext : 172380.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Helicobacter pylori: A foodborne pathogen?

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is an organism that is widespread in the human population and is sometimes responsible for some of the most common chronic clinical disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract in humans, such as chronic-active gastritis, duodenal and gastric ulcer disease, low-grade B-cell mucosa associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the stomach, and gastric adenocarcinoma, which is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The routes of infection have not yet been firmly established, and different routes of transmission have been suggested, although the most commonly accepted hypothesis is that infection takes place through the faecal-oral route and that contaminated water and foods might play an important role in transmission of the microorganism to humans. Furthermore, several authors have considered H. pylori to be a foodborne pathogen because of some of its microbiological and epidemiological characteristics. H. pylori has been detected in drinking water, seawater, vegetables and foods of animal origin. H. pylori survives in complex foodstuffs such as milk, vegetables and ready-to-eat foods. This review article presents an overview of the present knowledge on the microbiological aspects in terms of phenotypic characteristics and growth requirements of H. pylori, focusing on the potential role that foodstuffs and water may play in the transmission of the pathogen to humans and the methods successfully used for the detection of this microorganism in foodstuffs and water