Longitudinal and latitudinal variations of the total ozone over the Central Andes

From the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) data released by NASA, some analyses had been done in order to point out anomalies in the time and space distributions of the total ozone. Also some explanations for them have been tried. Here we focus on the longitudinal and altitudinal anomalies in a region characterised by strong variations in orography, as are the Andes at low and mid latitude. As a result of the analysis, we conclude that there is a depletion of the total ozone over the Altiplano and discuss some possible explanations of the phenomenon

Italian Physicians' Opinions on Rotavirus Vaccine Implementation

Rotavirus (RV) infection is the main cause of severe acute gastroenteritis (GE) in the pediatric population and has a major impact in both developing and industrialized countries. The reduction of severe RVGE cases, followed by death or hospitalization, is considered the main benefit of RV vaccination, even though its implementation often faces obstacles. In Italy, the recently approved National Immunization Plan aims to overcome the differences among regions, offering a universal free RV vaccination. The aim of the study was to evaluate the opinions on benefit and acceptability of RV vaccination related to the perception of the burden of RV disease. Data were collected from 108 physicians in 2015 by a questionnaire consisting of 12 questions; some answers were compared with those obtained with a similar tool in 2011. The majority of respondents (76.2%) was convinced of the benefit of the vaccine and 57.4% recommended it routinely, but more than half indicated a <25% adherence to RV vaccination among their patients. As the main reasons of vaccine refusal, skepticism about the vaccine (60.4%) and its cost (34.1%) were indicated. Our data confirm that more information and counselling are needed to increase RV vaccine coverage

Strategies for elimination of rubella in pregnancy and of congenital rubella syndrome in high and upper-middle income countries

Rubella infection generally leads to mild symptoms; otherwise, in pregnant women it can cause severe damages. The only way to prevent rubella is vaccine. Before the introduction of the vaccine, up to 4 babies in 1000 live births were born with CRS.This work aims to review the most important strategies for the elimination of CRS in upper and high-income countries.Papers were selected through a PubMed search up to January 2019, using keywords rubella, congenital rubella syndrome and epidemiology. Articles published in the last 12 years and referred to upper income and high-income countries in title or abstract were included.Sixty-five papers were selected dealing with one or more of the following strategies: increasing of rubella vaccination coverage in childbearing age women, males, immigrants; exploitation of all appropriate occasions; improving of rubella surveillance.Despite numerous suggestions and indications for valid strategies to eliminate rubella in pregnancy and congenital rubella syndrome, a practical application is often missing

Evaluation of green solvents’ applicability for chromatic reintegration of polychrome artworks

Organic solvents are commonly used in restoration treatments, including chromatic reintegration on polychrome artworks. They are often toxic, and their vapors have a high impact on the environment and restorers, possibly causing pathological conditions. Therefore, this study aims at defining a new green solvent that can be used for chromatic reintegration, maintaining the volatility and the desired physical–chemical properties. The dispersion forces value (Fd) of ethyl lactate was taken as reference for a comparison with the proposed solvents, since it was found to be the most used solvent for the dilution of Maimeri Restoration Colors (MRC) and Gamblin Conservation Colors (GCC). Based on the Teas fractional parameters, six solutions based on acetals and ethanol have been proposed and tested. They were mixed with both MRC and GCC, and applied on prepared canvases. The difference between the backgrounds made with reference solvent and the one made with the proposed alternatives was evaluated through spectrocolorimetric measurements. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy in the attenuated total reflectance mode (FTIR-ATR) was performed on the applied layers to evaluate the presence of residual solvent inside them, while the volatility of the solvents was assessed by performing gravimetric analysis. The study showed that acetals, acetals’ blends, and acetals–ethanol mixtures represent suitable alternatives for the dilution of Gamblin Conservation Color and Maimeri Restoration Colors

Healthcare workers training courses on vaccinations: A flexible format easily adaptable to different healthcare settings.

Since 2017, Italy has expanded the compulsory vaccination from 4 to 10 for those aged 0 to 16 years. Because of the great organizational effort required for the immunization services, minor attention was given to the vaccinations not included among the mandatory ones. This situation led to a real difficulty in harmonizing the vaccination procedures even inside a single region. In the Lazio region, the Laboratory of Vaccinology of the University of Rome Tor Vergata established a working group to create a new training model for healthcare professionals. The course program proposed an update of three vaccinations which are not mandatory but actively offered. It included the same part of scientific updating and a variable part based on local experiences. A specific anonymous questionnaire on knowledge and attitude was administered. The study aimed to propose a general format of training courses for vaccination centers adaptable to the individual local health units (ASLs) and to evaluate through questionnaires. The results show differences in knowledge and attitudes toward non‐mandatory vaccinations among the ASLs of Lazio, confirming the usefulness of a support to make knowledge and procedures homogeneous. This model could be adapted to any healthcare setting and exported to other services

Miglustat Reverts the Impairment of Synaptic Plasticity in a Mouse Model of NPC Disease

Niemann-Pick type C disease is an autosomal recessive storage disorder, characterized by abnormal sequestration of unesterified cholesterol within the late endolysosomal compartment of cells and accumulation of gangliosides and other sphingolipids. Progressive neurological deterioration and insurgence of symptoms like ataxia, seizure, and cognitive decline until severe dementia are pathognomonic features of the disease. Here, we studied synaptic plasticity phenomena and evaluated ERKs activation in the hippocampus of BALB/c NPC1-/- mice, a well described animal model of the disease. Our results demonstrated an impairment of both induction and maintenance of long term synaptic potentiation in NPC1-/- mouse slices, associated with the lack of ERKs phosphorylation. We then investigated the effects of Miglustat, a recent approved drug for the treatment of NPCD. We found that in vivo Miglustat administration in NPC1-/- mice was able to rescue synaptic plasticity deficits, to restore ERKs activation and to counteract hyperexcitability. Overall, these data indicate that Miglustat may be effective for treating the neurological deficits associated with NPCD, such as seizures and dementia

Neurologic complications in oncology

Neurologic side effects related to cancer therapy are a common problem in oncology practice. These complications can negatively affect the management of the patient, because they can inhibit treatment and diminish quality of life. Therefore specific skills are required to recognise symptoms and clinical manifestations. This review focuses on the most common neurologic complications to improve physician’s familiarity in determining the aetiology of these symptoms

Pharmacokinetics of gemcitabine at fixed-dose rate infusion in patients with normal and impaired hepatic function

Background and objectives: Gemcitabine (2,2-difluorodeoxycytidine [dFdC]) can be administered in a standard 30-minute infusion or in a fixed-dose-rate (FDR) infusion to maximize the rate of accumulation of triphosphate, its major intracellular metabolite. The standard 30-minute infusion requires dose adjustment in patients with organ dysfunction, especially in patients with elevated baseline serum bilirubin levels. On the other hand, the FDR infusion is burdened by increased haematological toxicity. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of dFdC and its metabolite difluorodeoxyuridine (dFdU) in patients with normal and impaired hepatic function. Patients and methods: In this prospective study, patients with pancreatic or biliary tract carcinoma and normal or impaired hepatic function tests were considered eligible for recruitment. Patients were recruited according to the following criteria: (i) serum bilirubin &lt;1.6 mg/dL and AST and ALT &lt;2 times the upper the limit of normal (ULN) [cohort I]; and (ii) serum bilirubin &gt;1.6 mg/dL and/or AST/ALT &gt;2 times the ULN (cohort II). An FDR infusion of gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 was administered on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks. The pharmacokinetic analysis of gemcitabine and dFdU was performed with high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry assay in cycles 1 and 2. Results: Thirteen patients were enrolled, four in cohort I and nine in cohort II. All patients were assessable for toxicity and pharmacokinetic analysis. The grade and rate of toxicities were similar in both groups, and patients with elevation of bilirubin and/or transaminases did not require dose reduction of gemcitabine. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a reduction of the experimental area under the plasma concentration-time curve for gemcitabine and dFdU in patients with hepatic dysfunction when compared with patients with normal hepatic function. All other pharmacokinetic parameters were similar in the two cohorts. No statistical difference was demonstrated for all parameters evaluated between cycle 1 and cycle 2 in the two groups. Conclusion: Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 can be administered as an FDR infusion in patients with altered hepatic function without causing additional toxicity compared with patients with normal hepatic function

Risk factors for hepatitis C virus infection among nonintravenous-drug-using heterosexuals attending a clinic for sexually transmitted disease in Italy

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The role of the Bcl-2 family of proteins in the pathogenesis of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) is an acquired neoplastic disease characterised by a clonal accumulation of long-lived, functionally immature and CD5+ B-lymphocytes, which particularly accumulate in the lymphatic system, peripheral blood, bone marrow, spleen and liver. Symptoms include lymphocytosis, immune system dysfunction and autoimmune disease, but transformation to more aggressive forms of neoplastic disease occur and development of a second malignancy is not uncommon. The disease is one of later years being unusual before 50 years of age, the rates of incidence vary on a racial basis, and it has a highly variable prognosis. Some patients die within months of diagnosis despite intensive treatment, whilst others survive for 30-plus years without any form of medical intervention and die of unrelated causes. The principal causes of death in patients whose deaths are directly related to the disease are opportunistic infection due to the impairment of immune system function and bleeding disorders. No treatment has been shown to cure the disease or consistently extend life expectancy. It has been recognised for more than 30 years that the accumulation of malignant cells in B-CLL is at least as important in the pathogenesis of the disease as their neoplastic proliferation. With the discoveries that Bcl-2 extended the life of follicular lymphoma cells by conferring resistance to apoptosis and was commonly expressed in B-CLL cells, it was extrapolated that Bcl-2 might play a similar role in the development of the disease by extending the life span of B-CLL cells. Bcl-2 has frequently been shown to be over expressed in B-CLL cells and genetic translocations and/or malfunction of Bcl-2 family regulating molecular entities may play a part in this. However, since its discovery, Bcl-2 has been shown to be part of a large family of genes which is highly and evolutionarily conserved. Members of the bcl-2 family are defined by sequence homology in four Bcl-2 homology (BH) regions and a hydrophobic membrane-spanning domain, with the possession of specific BH domains determining whether individual proteins have pro- or anti-apoptotic activity. Family members such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL extend the life span of cells, whilst others such as Bax and Bak shorten it. Oltvai, Milliman and Korsmeyer have proposed a general model of apoptosis, in which the cell's apoptotic fate is determined by the cellular balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic bcl-2 family members. The effect of unregulated expression of Bcl-2 family members in B-CLL cells conforms to this paradigm and resistance to apoptosis appears to be conferred through a cellular imbalance of power between pro- and anti-apoptotic bcl-2 family members, particularly Bcl-2 and Bax, which is tilted in favour of cell survival. However, the apoptotic fate of B-CLL cells, and hence the neoplasm, may be influenced by other family members, with Mcl-1, Bcl-XL, Bak, with the non-family but Bcl-2-associated protein, Bag-1, also found expressed in B-CLL cells. Similarities between the structure of the more conserved family members and other pore-forming proteins, along with the ability of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Bax to form pores in synthetic membranes, suggest that they may exert their influence through pore-forming activities in intracellular membranes, particularly mitochondrial membranes. Bcl-2 family members may regulate apoptosis by changing the permeability of membranes to ions and apoptosis-inducing molecules, and physical interactions between Bcl-2 family proteins mediated by the BH domains may be important in both pore-forming and pore-inhibiting activities. Research findings suggest that the levels of Bcl-2 family members in B-CLL cells may be modulated by a wide range of largely extracellular influences, including the cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-8, IL-10, interferon-a (IFN-?), IFN-?, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bPGF). Levels of Bcl-2 family members may also be modulated by contact between B-CLL cells and bone marrow (BM) stromal cells, activation of lgM, CD95, CD40 or CD6, the p53 gene product, and co-cultivation with CDw32-transfected murine fibroblasts. Such modulation may offer some insight into the pathogenesis of the disease, an explanation for the higher level expression of Bcl-2 family members in B-CLL, and an explanation for the highly variable prognosis. Additionally, if Bcl-2 family members can be shown unequivocally to be controlled by any of these molecular entities, the existence of these influences may offer the opportunity to reduce the neoplastic cells' apoptotic threshold by manipulating the relative levels of pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members as a treatment regime, or prior to more conventional treatment regimes