36 research outputs found
Dark Chocolate Intake Positively Modulates Redox Status and Markers of Muscular Damage in Elite Football Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Study
Intensive physical exercise may cause increase oxidative stress and muscular injury in elite football athletes. The aim of this study was to exploit the effect of cocoa polyphenols on oxidative stress and muscular injuries induced by intensive physical exercise in elite football players. Oxidant/antioxidant status and markers of muscle damage were evaluated in 24 elite football players and 15 controls. Furthermore, the 24 elite football players were randomly assigned to either a dark chocolate (>85% cocoa) intake (n = 12) or a control group (n = 12) for 30 days in a randomized controlled trial. Oxidative stress, antioxidant status, and muscle damage were assessed at baseline and after 30 days of chocolate intake. Compared to controls, elite football players showed lower antioxidant power and higher oxidative stress paralleled by an increase in muscle damage markers. After 30 days of dark chocolate intake, an increased antioxidant power was found in elite athletes assuming dark chocolate. Moreover, a significant reduction in muscle damage markers (CK and LDH, p < 0.001) was observed. In the control group, no changes were observed with the exception of an increase of sNox2-dp, H2O2, and myoglobin. A simple linear regression analysis showed that sNox2-dp was associated with a significant increase in muscle damage biomarker release (p = 0.001). An in vitro study also confirmed that polyphenol extracts significantly decreased oxidative stress in murine myoblast cell line C2C12-derived. These results indicate that polyphenol-rich nutrient supplementation by means of dark chocolate positively modulates redox status and reduced exercise-induced muscular injury biomarkers in elite football athletes. This trial is registered with NCT03288623
The Impact of Tumor Boards on Breast Cancer Care: Evidence from a Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis
Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, with a complex clinical path that involves several professionals and that requires a multidisciplinary approach. However, the effectiveness of breast cancer multidisciplinary care and the processes that contribute to its effectiveness have not yet been firmly determined. This study aims to evaluate the impact of multidisciplinary tumor boards on breast cancer care outcomes. A systematic literature review was carried out through Scopus, Web of Science and Pubmed databases. The search was restricted to articles assessing the impact of MTB implementation on breast cancer care. Fourteen studies were included in the review. The most analyzed outcomes were diagnosis, therapy and survival. Four out of four studies showed that, with implementation of an MTB, there was a change in diagnosis, and all reported changes in the treatment plan after MTB implementation. A pooled analysis of three studies reporting results on the outcome "mortality" showed a statistically significant 14% reduction in mortality relative risk for patients enrolled versus not enrolled in an MTB. This study shows that MTB implementation is a valuable approach to deliver appropriate and effective care to patients affected by breast cancer and to improve their outcomes
Introducing the Bulletin of Atmospheric Science and Technology
The rapid technological development of the past few decades has allowed for an unprecedented
wealth of data about ourselves and our planet. The cost reduction of space platforms, the
microelectronic revolution and the nearly exponential increase in computer power have been
generating novel opportunities to explore and understand the world around us. Tools and
theoretical approaches, capable of putting together all the insights we may possibly gain from
all these new streams of data in a multidisciplinary framework, are still being developed. We
are hence faced with both a unique challenge and an opportunity to make a significant progress
in many scientific fields, first and foremost in the atmospheric and climate sciences.
We are pleased to announce here the launch of the Bulletin of Atmospheric Science and
Technology (BAST), a new peer-reviewed journal which is meant to bridge this gap in the broad
area of the atmospheric sciences. The journal encourages a cross-disciplinary approach with an
emphasis on new sensor technologies and systems, combined observational and modeling
techniques, innovative numerical methods, data analysis, and retrieval techniques. BAST offers
a platform to share new ideas and fresh developments to stimulate research activities focusing on
urban, coastal, marine, rural, and mountain environments. Particular attention will be given to
cross-disciplinary studies, especially those involving citizens for the collection of crowd-sourced
data and those devoted to the characterization of uncertainties and homogenization of methods.
BAST aims at connecting weather and climate communities using both observational and
modeling approaches, creating a forum hosting discussion and brainstorming activities. The
journal also hopes to attract contributions reporting approaches or techniques from other
scientific fields that can be applicable to atmospheric sciences, as well as contributions where
technological developments are discussed alongside with their scientific and societal impacts.
In this sense BAST will provide a new platform to support the technological revolution towards
a climate-smart society through the collection and exploitation of big data. The journal will
give visibility to international experiments and projects in atmospheric science and technology,
illustrating preliminary or consolidated results from these initiatives. Additional fields of
interest are : environmental protection; observation, understanding, and modeling of hazardous
and extreme events and mitigation of their impacts; development of new sensing tools
integrating satellite information with surface or airborne measurements; operation of unmanned
and remotely piloted air vehicles equipped with sensors of small size and weight,
especially remote sensors, pushing electro-optical-mechanical components towards a continuously
increasing miniaturization.
Research articles, Review articles, Technical reports, Brief reports, Letters and News are
welcome. While keeping the focus of the journal on scientific research, the “Bulletin” format
provides appropriate visibility to contributions from the operational side, i.e., meteorological
services and private companies developing sensors and products of interest to the atmospheric
science and technology community. Below we provide a more detailed description of the topics
that will be emphasized and fostered in BAST
Analisi dei modelli organizzativi di risposta al COVID-19 in Italia: evidenze da 2 anni di ISTANT REPORT Altems
Sistematizzazione e pubblicazione settimanalmente un report per analizzare in modo sistemico e comparativo i modelli di risposta adottati dalle Regioni in risposta all'emergenza da COVID- 1
Home automation systems and PMV classification for moderate confined environments
The home automation system to control the climatic
health in confined environments is the subject of this article. The
standard UNI EN ISO 7730:2006 classifies the conditions of
moderate confined environments by three categories according to
the PMV index. The comfort sensation is mainly affected by four
variables: air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity,
relative humidity. They are all mechanical and thermal quantities
therefore they are measured through the same measurement
method. In evaluating the PMV index two more variables are taken
into account: metabolism and clothing insulation. They can be
evaluated by different accuracy levels. Their indirect measure is
subjected to more uncertainty than the above four measuring
parameters and the distribution is typically non-Gaussian.
The paper analyses the uncertainty in PMV measuring
through the Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed study identifies
the different weight of independent variables showing as their
uncertainty, particularly those referred to metabolism and clothing
insulation, affects considerably the final values for classifying the
moderate environments
Campagna vaccinale anti COVID-19
Il 27 dicembre 2020 è iniziata in Italia la campagna vaccinale
anti-Covid-19; con una latenza di circa 20 giorni (dovuta alla pro-
grammazione del ciclo vaccinale) inizia anche la somministrazio-
ne delle seconde dosi, che segue a distanza l’andamento della
somministrazione delle prime dosi. Dopo un periodo di stallo alla
fine di gennaio, la somministrazione giornaliera dei vaccini cresce
fino all’estate del 2021, arrivando a dei picchi nei mesi di giugno
e luglio 2021 e aggiungendo poi a settembre la somministrazione
delle terze dosi
Home automation systems and PMV classification for moderate confined environments
The home automation system to control the climatic health in confined environments is the subject of this article. The standard UNI EN ISO 7730:2006 classifies the conditions of moderate confined environments by three categories according to the PMV index. The comfort sensation is mainly affected by four variables: air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity, relative humidity. They are all mechanical and thermal quantities therefore they are measured through the same measurement method. In evaluating the PMV index two more variables are taken into account: metabolism and clothing insulation. They can be evaluated by different accuracy levels. Their indirect measure is subjected to more uncertainty than the above four measuring parameters and the distribution is typically non-Gaussian. The paper analyses the uncertainty in PMV measuring through the Monte Carlo simulation. The proposed study identifies the different weight of independent variables showing as their uncertainty, particularly those referred to metabolism and clothing insulation, affects considerably the final values for classifying the moderate environments
Dealing with COVID-19 Epidemic in Italy: Responses from Regional Organizational Models during the First Phase of the Epidemic
As the COVID-19 outbreak traveled through various Italian regions, all national and local administrations issued measures to counter the spread of the contagion and organize healthcare. The Italian healthcare system is, indeed, a decentralized system with 21 regional health systems (RHSs), with different models of healthcare service delivery and organization. This study investigates whether a different organization of RHSs would have led to different management of the COVID-19 epidemic, and evaluates the effect of different approaches in epidemic management on the COVID-19 epidemiological trend. A set of indicators is identified by conducting an online synchronous Focus Group, involving an experts panel. A Pearson’s correlation test was performed on the values assumed by the historical series of indicators investigate correlations among the trends represented by the indicators or between them and external factors. The comparison between the experiences of the different Italian regions, regarding the management of the epidemic, has helped to confirm and emphasize the importance of a community-based approach in health care—integrated with the hospital’s functions for the care of complex conditions and the need for specialized assistance