Accidents on board merchant ships. Suggestions based on Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM) experience

Background: This statistical study was performed to find out the occurrence of accidents on board ships assisted by Centro Internazionale Radio Medico (CIRM) during the years 2010–2015, with the aim of providing suggestions in accident prevention, based on such a wide experience. Materials and methods: The case histories of CIRM in the years 2010–2015 were examined. The total number of accidents per year was calculated and compared as a percentage with the total number of cases assisted by CIRM per year. Results: The incidence of accidents on board in these years ranged between 14.4% and 18.4% of total cases assisted per year, which is constantly increasing. The most common injuries on board among cases treated by CIRM were contusions and wounds. Also burns and eye injuries were significantly represented. Multiple injuries and head injuries were found to be the most frequent cause of death on board due to an accident. Conclusions: More information on the occurrence and type of accidents and on the body injured areas should represent the basis for developing strategies and campaigns for their prevention.  

Children and ADRs (Adverse Drug Reactions)

Many medicines are prescribed to the paediatric population on an unlicensed or 'off-label' basis because they have not been adequately tested and/or formulated and authorized for use in appropriate paediatric age groups. Regulatory authorities also need to remind health professionals about the importance of their contribution towards the process of paediatric pharmacovigilance thanks to their reporting of adverse drug reactions

Excellence in Family Paediatricians: the FIMP-MCRN (Medicines for Children Research Network) becomes a member of ENPR-EMA (European Network of Paediatric Research at the European Medicines Agency)

One of the objectives of the Paediatric Regulation (EC) No 1901/2006, is to foster high quality ethical research on medicinal products to be used in children. To achieve this objective, the EMA is responsible for developing a European paediatric network of existing national and European networks and centres with specific expertise in research and clinical trials relating to paediatric medicines. The purpose of this article is to disseminate knowledge of the structure and goals of ENPR-EMA and to highlight the cultural and organizational difficulties for its implementation

THE FOSSIL VERTEBRATE DATABASE OF THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM OF FLORENCE AND HIGH-RESOLUTION MAGNETIC STRATIGRAPHY IN THE UPPER VALDARNO BASINS, AS A CLUE TO DATE OLD COLLECTIONS

The well established biochronologic sequence of the Villafranchian Stage in Italy is mainly based on faunal associations from the Upper Valdarno (UV) mostly collected since the late 18 hundreds, and housed in the Natural History Museum of Florence. The old collections were assembled from mostly unidentified stratigraphic levels, and their position possibly reconstructed from the surrounding geologic features. The recent magnetostratigraphic assessment of the sequence marked the earliest finds about 3.0 Ma in themid Pliocene. The end of the Pliocene was recorded by the Olduvai magnetochron in the Matassino and Poggio Rosso sites, and by other sparse assemblages. The Tasso Faunal Unit, assembled in the UV, is assigned to the Pleistocene, yet to be clarified by magnetostratigraphic data. The calibration of old, poorly timed faunas was greatly facilitatedby the computer automated catalogue of the Museum. The possibility of numerous feed-back controls enhanced any contradictory information in fossil collections and made them most fruitful for paleomagnetic calibrations: the Faella fauna and the Faella main outcrop are the ones that will be first re-examined. It is in fact now evidenced the potential role of the catalogue for accomplishing the calibration of old findings timed around the Olduvai chron, with an accuracy depending on the available record of their inferred stratigraphic levels. Numerical dates will make the old collections comparable to the new ones and both fitting into a comprehensive framework of faunal, chronologic, sedimentary evolution of the UV basin, and development in the Plio-Pleistocene climate changes.&nbsp

Peripheral nerve-derived VEGF promotes arterial differentiation via neuropilin 1-mediated positive feedback

In developing limb skin, peripheral nerves are required for arterial differentiation, and guide the pattern of arterial branching. In vitro experiments suggest that nerve-derived VEGF may be important for arteriogenesis, but its role in vivo remains unclear. Using a series of nerve-specific Cre lines, we show that VEGF derived from sensory neurons, motoneurons and/or Schwann cells is required for arteriogenesis in vivo. Arteriogenesis also requires endothelial expression of NRP1, an artery-specific coreceptor for VEGF^(164) that is itself induced by VEGF. Our results provide the first evidence that VEGF is necessary for arteriogenesis from a primitive capillary plexus in vivo, and show that in limb skin the nerve is indeed the principal source of this signal. They also suggest a model in which a `winner-takes-all' competition for VEGF may control arterial differentiation, with the outcome biased by a VEGF^(164)-NRP1 positive-feedback loop. Our results also demonstrate that nerve-vessel alignment is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for nerve-induced arteriogenesis. Different mechanisms therefore probably underlie these endothelial patterning and differentiation processes

Cardio-respiratory and hepatic functions evaluation in single ventricle patients treated with total cavo-pulmonary connection operation

L'intervento di connessione cavo-polmonare totale (TCPC) nei pazienti portatori di cuore univentricolare, a causa della particolare condizione emodinamica, determina un risentimento a carico di numerosi parenchimi. Scopo della ricerca è di valutare l'entità di questo danno ad un follow-up medio-lungo. Sono stati arruolati 115 pazienti, sottoposti ad intervento presso i centri di Cardiochirurgia Pediatrica di Bologna (52 pz) e Torino (63 pz). Il follow-up medio è stato di 125±2 mesi. I pazienti sono stati sottoposti ad indagine emodinamica (88 pz), test cardiopolmonare (75 pz) e Fibroscan ed ecografia epatica (47 pz). La pressione polmonare media è stata di 11.5±2.6mmHg, ed in 12 pazienti i valori di pressione polmonare erano superiori a 15mmHg. La pressione atriale media era di 6.7±2.3mmHg ed il calcolo delle resistenze vascolari polmonari indicizzate (RVP) era in media di 2±0.99 UW/m2. In 29 pazienti le RVP erano superiori a 2 UW/m2. La VO2 max in media era pari a 28±31 ml/Kg/min, 58±15 % del valore teorico. La frequenza cardiaca massima all'apice dello sforzo era di 151±22 bpm, pari al 74±17% del valore teorico. Il Fibroscan ha fornito un valore medio di 17.01 kPa (8-34.3kPa). Cinque pazienti erano in classe F2, 9 pazienti in classe F3 e 33 pazienti risultavano in classe F4. Nei pazienti con follow-up maggiore di 10 anni il valore di stiffness epatica (19.6±5.2kPa) è risultato significativamente maggiore a quello dei pazienti con follow-up minore di 10 anni (15.1±5.8kPa, p<0.01). La frequenza cardiaca massima raggiunta durante lo sforzo del test cardiopolmonare è risultata significativamente correlata alla morfologia del ventricolo unico, risultando del 67.8±14.4% del valore teorico nei pazienti portatori di ventricolo destro contro il 79.6±8.7% dei portatori di ventricolo sinistro (p=0.006). L'intervento di TCPC determina un risentimento a carico di numerosi parenchimi proporzionale alla lunghezza del follow-up, e necessita pertanto un costante monitoraggio clinico-strumentale multidisciplinare.Single ventricle patients are treated with total cavo-pulmonary connection (TCPC) operation that, for the particular hemodynamic condition, can cause a multiorgan damage. Aim of the research is to evaluate the amount of this damage at a medium-long term follow-up. One hundred fifteen patients, operated in the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department of Bologna (52 pts) and Torino (63 pts), were enrolled. Mean follow-up was 125±2 months. Patients underwent hemodynamic evaluation (88 pts), cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) (75 pts) and Fibroscan and hepatic echography (47 pts). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was 11.5±2.6mmHg, and in 12 patients was more than 15mmHg. Mean atrial pressure was 6.7±2.3 mmHg and mean pulmonary vascular resistances (PVR) was 2±0.99 WU/m2. In 29 patients, PVR were more than 2 WU/m2. Mean peak VO2 was 28±31 ml/Kg/min, 58±15 % of the theoretic value. Mean peak heart rate during exercise was 151±22 bpm, 74±17% of the theoretic value. Mean hepatic stiffness evaluation at Fibroscan was 17.01 kPa (8-34.3 kPa). Five patients were in Metavir class F2, 9 in F3 e 33 in F4 class. Among patients with a longer than 10 years follow-up, hepatic stiffness evaluation was significantly higher (19.6±5.2 kPa) than in patients with shorter follow-up (15.1±5.8 kPa, p<0.01). Peak heart rate at CPET was significantly related to single ventricle morphology, resulting 67.8±14.4% of the theoretic value in right single ventricle patients and 79.6±8.7% in left single ventricle patients (p=0.006). TCPC operation cause a multiorgan damage proportional to follow-up length, and for this reason deserve a constant multidisciplinary clinico-instrumental monitoring

From agricultural practices to boundaries' objects in the collective actions design

International audienceFrom 2 case studies we analyse how the concept of farming practices could be used as to elaborate an boundaries' objects while drive a collective action involving a wide range of actors and farmers

The FIMP Medicines for Children Research Network

The European Paediatric Regulation (EUPR) calls for the fostering of high quality ethical research and medicinal products to be used in children. The EUPR provides the background, goals, and requirements for paediatric clinical trials. Paediatric clinical trials in children are mandatory to generate data on new drugs as well as on drugs used off-label or for unlicensed indications. The Family Paediatricians Medicines for Children Research Network (FIMP-MCRN) was established in 2003 with the aim of developing competence, infrastructure, networking and education for paediatric clinical trials. The network, consisting of twenty Paediatric Regional Networks has progressed very well and has achieved valuable improvements concerning the conduct of paediatric clinical trials. Furthermore, ad hoc training programs have incremented knowledge about clinical trials in Family Paediatrician Investigators (FPI) and have made medical professionals as well as the public aware of the need and advantages of trials in children

Construction d une problématique et d’un partenariat sur la gestion du parasitisme lie au pâturage en élevage caprin en agriculture biologique

Construction d'une problématique et d’un partenariat sur la gestion du parasitisme lié au pâturage en élevage caprin en agriculture biologique

Time to be responsive in the process industry: a literature-based analysis of trends of change, solutions and challenges

The current uncertain and volatile business context is challenging firms worldwide, leading to the need to be responsive at a competitive cost. This trend is so substantial that it even affects industries traditionally competing in rather stable contexts, such as the process industry. Although the process industry includes multiple sectors with different technologies and processes, these share several aspects that make the industry as a whole distinctive to the discrete manufacturing industry. Based on a literature review, this study identifies and describes trends leading the process industry to the need for responsiveness, corresponding solutions to accommodate the need, and related challenges hindering the industrialization and diffusion of solutions in this industry. This study shows that trends, such as the uncertainty and volatility of market requirements, are challenging the process industry to develop reconfigurability solutions across multiple production levels. The development of reconfigurability solutions is hindered by modularity, integrability, co-ordination and collaboration challenges