Ehrlichioses and anaplasmoses: (re)emerging tickborne zoonoses in humans and in animals

Review No Summar

A survey on planning, expectations and factors influencing the stabilization process of migrating people in Palermo, Western Sicily

Background. Europe constitutes a major pole of attraction for the migratory fluxes. The migrating population is made up of many different individuals, carrying different projects of life and expectations. The consistence of the phenomena, in few decades, will be responsible for deep changes in the demographic structure of the European population. The purpose of this investigation was to attempt to draw an identikit of migrating people and to evaluate those factors which may be considered important to positively influence the process of stabilization. Moreover, the research tried to evaluate the differences among those migrating people who have recently arrived, still considering this country as a landing shore, and those who have definitely settled in Sicily. Methods. The research was carried out through a 42 items multiple choice answer questionnaire administered to two groups of individuals who were born in a non European Union (EU) country. Individuals, who were still trying to settle (group A), were chosen at random in the streets of the city, while individu- als with a solid and integrated family were chosen at random from the municipality of Palermo, Sicily. To compare the two different groups of individuals Student?s t and Chi square tests were used together with standard descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis. Results. Results seem to indicate that positive factors for integra- tion are years of residence in the same place, support from the family since the very beginning of the migratory project, stable interethnic social structure. What did not seem to constitute determining factors in the territory analysed are: age, gender, country of origin, religion. Higher education levels apparently play a negative role. Child bearing indexes are higher than European levels. Birth rate was use in the attempt of modelling a projection of population growth. Discussion. The collected data brings forth the snapshot of the typical immigrant as a young strong healthy individual, longing to start a family on safe values, who accepts transitory precari- ous living conditions in order to improve them. The major nega- tive factors in the migratory project are those of social nature. Governments have generally adopted a politics of control on entry and of managing the emergency. There is a need for a politics of empowerment and exploitation of the capacity of the migrants. Deep changes occurring in the demographic structure of the European population might influence the social contest. Decrease European birth rate and increasing immigration may create a melting pot, where Europeans may take a role of an endangered species

A survey on knowledge and perceptions regarding head lice on a sample of teachers and students in primary schools of north and south of Italy

High rates of pediculosis are found in every part of the world. The age-range most affected is between 3 and 12 years. No-nit policies are ineffective in preventing infestations. On the other hand, misdiagnosis and overuse of pediculicides, increase resistance to treatment. Lack of information leads people to consider this kind of infestation to be associated to low social classes and immigrants. This research has been implemented to find out about the information level on pediculosis on a sample of students (722) and teachers (408) of some primary schools in northern and southern Italy, and to highlight the role of personal aspects such as age, gender, cultural level, geographical position which may influence this topic and, eventually, allow the use of the correct knowledge in developing appropriate procedures within the school district. Data was obtained through a questionnaire containing 21 multiple choice questions for the teachers and 14 for the students. Standard descriptive statistics were computed. ?2 tests were applied to highlight statistical association among observed variables; test for the difference of two proportions were applied to confirm significant differences among the observed proportions. The level of information for students seems to be, approximately, the same both for northern and southern Italy. There was a slight prevalence of correct answers from southern teachers, probably because the phenomenon of pediculosis has a positive trend of growth in the south. The number of correct answers was, for all, on average about 60.0%; a negative result in itself, considering the simplicity of the questions. Knowledge about the biology of the louse was virtually absent. The area of prevention showed lack of information and need for improvement. Most of the teachers believe that there are specific products that can prevent infestation by louse. Most of the teachers have information which does not come from scientific sources. Students receive some short and incomplete information from their parents. Deficiencies in teachers? knowledge indicate that they are inadequately equipped to manage lice infestation. Educational interventions with teachers and families and, as a consequence, with students should be taught at school to allow a correct understanding of the pediculosis, increasing the teachers? competence and, consequently, as soon as the infestation should manifest, a rapid alert of the Health Service so that proper treatment could be provided

Enhancing the significance of gravitational wave bursts through signal classification

The quest to observe gravitational waves challenges our ability to discriminate signals from detector noise. This issue is especially relevant for transient gravitational waves searches with a robust eyes wide open approach, the so called all- sky burst searches. Here we show how signal classification methods inspired by broad astrophysical characteristics can be implemented in all-sky burst searches preserving their generality. In our case study, we apply a multivariate analyses based on artificial neural networks to classify waves emitted in compact binary coalescences. We enhance by orders of magnitude the significance of signals belonging to this broad astrophysical class against the noise background. Alternatively, at a given level of mis-classification of noise events, we can detect about 1/4 more of the total signal population. We also show that a more general strategy of signal classification can actually be performed, by testing the ability of artificial neural networks in discriminating different signal classes. The possible impact on future observations by the LIGO-Virgo network of detectors is discussed by analysing recoloured noise from previous LIGO-Virgo data with coherent WaveBurst, one of the flagship pipelines dedicated to all-sky searches for transient gravitational waves

Covered self-expandable metal stents for pancreatic duct stricture: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and study aims Placement of a covered (C)-self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) has been recently investigated as an alternative endoscopic treatment for main pancreatic duct stricture (MPDS) in chronic pancreatitis. Our aim was to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies quantifying efficacy and safety of C-SEMSs in the management of MPDS.Methods A multiple database search was performed, including MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane Library, from January 2000 to September 2020, to identify studies reporting the efficacy and safety of C-SEMSs in patients with MPDS. Stricture and pain resolution were investigated. Other outcomes included technical success, stent migration, stricture recurrence and need for repeated stent placement. Pancreatitis, severe abdominal pain requiring stent removal and de-novo stricture were recorded as complications.Results Nineteen studies were identified, which included a total of 300 patients. C-SEMSs showed a pooled stricture resolution rate of 91 % [95 % confidence interval (CI), 85 %-96 %] and a pooled pain resolution rate of 92 % (95 % CI, 85 %-98 %). The pooled proportion for stricture recurrence was equal to 6 % (95 % CI, 1 %-14 %), while stent migration occurred in 33 of 300 patients, the pooled proportion being 7 % (95 % CI 1 %-15 %). The pooled mean stent duration was 133 days (95 % CI, 100-166 days). The most common complication was pancreatitis (3 %, 95 % CI 0 %-8 %), while de-novo stricture pooled proportion was 2 % (95 % CI, 0 %-5 %).Conclusions C-SEMSs are effective and safe in the treatment of MPDS. However, there is a significant need for further high-quality, well-designed studies to produce evidence-based data on short and long-term efficacy, safety, costs of C-SEMSs, and also optimal stent duration

Corrigendum: Effects of a 3-week inpatient multidisciplinary body weight reduction program on body composition and physical capabilities in adolescents and adults with obesity

A correction has been made to Funding. The correct Funding statement is: “Research funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.” The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated

Summer Distribution, Relative Abundance and Encounter Rates of Cetaceans in the Mediterranean Waters off Southern Italy (Western Ionian Sea and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea)

In summer 2010 and summer 2011, weekly cetacean surveys were undertaken in "passing mode", using ferries as platform of opportunity, along the "fixed line transect" between Catania and Civitavecchia (Southern Italy). Of the 20 species of cetaceans confirmed for the Mediterranean sea, 8 were sighted within the survey period: 7 species represented by Mediterranean subpopulations (Balaenoptera physalus, Physeter macrocephalus, Stenella coeruleoalba, Delphinus delphis, Grampus griseus, Tursiops truncatus and Ziphius cavirostris) and one considered visitor (Steno bredanensis). We had a total of 220 sightings during the 2010 and a total of 240 sightings in the 2011. The most frequent species was S. coeruleoalba. By the comparison of the data from the two sampling seasons, a significant increase of D. delphis sightings and a decrease of sightings of B. physalus and P. macrocephalus was observed from 2010 to 2011. While all the other species were observed in both sampling seasons, Z. cavirostris and Steno bredanensis were observed only during 2011. The presence of mixed groups of odontocetes was documented too: we sighted groups composed by S. coeruleoalba and D. delphis, by S. coeruleoalba and T. truncatus, and by S. coeruleoalba and G. griseus. The results of this research add useful information on cetacean species in a very poorly known area and highlight the need to standardize large scale and long term monitoring programs in order to detect variation in presence, abundance and distribution of cetaceans populations and understand the effect of anthropogenic factors

Pulmonary and chest wall function in obese adults

Obesity is frequently associated with breathing disorders. To investigate if and how the highest levels of obesity impact respiratory function, 17 subjects with obesity (median age: 49 years; BMI: 39.7 kg/m2, 8 females) and 10 normal-weighted subjects (49 years; 23.9 kg/m2, 5 females) were studied. The abdominal volume occupied 41% in the obese group, being higher (p < 0.001) than the normal-weighted group (31%), indicating accumulation of abdominal fat. Restrictive lung defect was present in 17% of subjects with obesity. At rest in the supine position, subjects with obesity breathed with higher minute ventilation (11.9 L/min) and lower ribcage contribution (5.7%) than normal weighted subjects (7.5 L/min, p = 0.001 and 31.1%, p = 0.003, respectively), thus indicating thoracic restriction. Otherwise healthy obesity might not be characterized by a systematic restrictive lung pattern. Despite this, another sign of restriction could be poor thoracic expansion at rest in the supine position, resulting in increased ventilation. Class 3 obesity made respiratory rate further increased. Opto-electronic plethysmography and its thoraco-abdominal analysis of awake breathing add viable and interesting information in subjects with obesity that were complementary to pulmonary function tests. In addition, OEP is able to localize the restrictive effect of obesity