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Protected designation of origin dry-cured hams are the most important productions of the Italian heavy pig industry. Hams capable of minimal seasoning losses produce better quality dry-cured hams. Ham weight loss during the first 7 days in brine (first salting) is highly correlated with the total loss of weight up to the end of seasoning, and it has quite high heritability (0.30-0.61). For these reasons, ham weight loss at first salting has been included as a meat quality trait in the Italian heavy pig selection program. In this work, we carried out a genome-wide association study for this parameter in the Italian Large White pig breed by genotyping 1365 animals with the Illumina BeadChip Porcine SNP60 chip. A total of 44 single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) had a Pnominal value below 5.0E-04, five of which were below 5.0E-05 and one of them ( ALGA0057985 on chromosome 10) was associated with this trait at a PBonferroni threshold of 0.10. These SNPs identified a total of at least 29 putative QTLs that were located on most porcine autosomal chromosomes. This study provides genomic information that could be useful in dissecting this complex trait by identifying potential candidate genes whose function could contribute to understanding the biological mechanisms affecting meat quality for seasoning aptitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 - Alien species represent a recognized worldwide threat to the integrity of the native communities, to the economy and even to human health; hence the understanding of invasive processes and their impact on the invaded ecosystems are essential to environmental conservation and management. 2 - In this paper we have reported, for some Italian lagoons, the first record of the alien species Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836, an amphipod species native to the Indian Ocean and now recorded worldwide. 3 - Specimens of C. scaura were collected in three Tyrrhenian lagoons (Santa Gilla, Caprolace and Fogliano), sorted into 5 categories (juveniles, males, immature females, mature females, breeding females) counted and measured for their total length. 4 - In Caprolace and Fogliano lagoons very few specimens were collected, while in the Santa Gilla samples a considerable number of individuals were found, particularly juveniles and immature females. 5 - Total length values of our specimens were lower than those reported from others Mediterranean areas. 6 - The introduction of this species in Caprolace and Fogliano lagoons is clearly a recent event while in Santa Gilla lagoon it is undefined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data collected for the investigation of the environmental and ecological characteristics of a river basin are often in the form of a large three-way array; hence, a particular version of the Tucker model could be applied to gather more information contained in such complex geochemical systems. Indeed, when the data are in compositional form, more attention must be given to the analysis of the numerical data. Recently, the Tucker3 model has been proposed to analyze compositional data characterized by a three-way structure. In this work, a particular version of the Tucker model, known as the weighted principal component analysis, was used to analyze water samples collected from the Arno river (Tuscany, central Italy) in order to evaluate the method's effectiveness. Several graphical displays have been developed to allow an accurate and complete interpretation of results. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human rotaviruses (HRVs) represent a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. It is estimated that they are responsible for a large number of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations in childhood each year. In Italy, limited data are available on the patterns of distribution of HRV G and P types. We report here the results of 2 years of rotavirus strain surveillance among children with severe gastroenteritis diagnosed in the town of Portici, Campania, southern Italy. Methods: A total of 421 stool specimens from children between 6 months and 5 years of age and presenting acute diarrhea were collected and tested by routine diagnostic tests for HRV, adenovirus, astrovirus, norovirus, and common bacterial pathogens. Results: The laboratory results showed that 110 of the 225 (26.1%) virus-positive samples contained HRVs. The different G and P rotavirus genotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among the VP7 genotypes identified, G1 and G2 were predominant, with percentages of 48.2 and 30.9%, respectively. G4, G9, and G10 were detected in a minority of cases. Among the VP4 genotypes, P[8] occurred the most frequently (56.4%), followed by P[4] (31.8%), and only a few P[10] and P[11] at percentages of 1.8 and 0.9%, respectively. Conclusion: Our epidemiological data of HRV strains will contribute to assessing the magnitude of the problem of HRV in the south of Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early extubation after liver transplantation (LT) is an increasingly applied safe practice. The aim of the present study was to provide a simple extubation rule for accelerated weaning in the operating room (OR). Methods: Data of 597 patients transplanted at the LT center of Turin (Italy) were retrospectively analyzed. Fifty-two nonextubated patients (excluding those with a scheduled early reoperation) were compared with 545 successfully extubated patients (not in need of reintubation within the first 48 h). Significant variables at univariate analysis were entered into a logistic regression model and the regression coefficients of independent predictors were used to yield a prognostic score called the safe operating room extubation after liver transplantation (SORELT) score. Results: Two major and three minor criteria were found. The major ones were blood transfusions (higher than/or equal to 7 U of packed red blood cells) and end of surgery lactate (higher than/or equal to 3.4 mmol/l). The minor ones were status before LT (home vs. hospitalized patient), duration of surgery (longer than/or equal to 5 h), vasoactive drugs at the end of surgery (dopamine higher than 5 μg/kg/min or norepinephrine higher than 0.05 μg/kg/min). Patients who fulfill the SORELT score-derived criteria (fewer than two major/one major plus two minor/three minor criteria) can be considered for OR extubation. Conclusion: Early extubation after LT requires a very careful assessment of the pre-operative, intraoperative, graft and post-operative care data available. The SORELT score helps as a simple and objective aid in considering such a decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) in the food processing environment (facilities and products) is a challenging problem in food safety management. Lm is one of the main causes of mortality in foodborne infections, and the trend is continuously increasing. In this study, a collection of 323 Lm strain isolates recovered from food matrices and food industry environments (surfaces and equipment) over four years from 80 food processing facilities was screened using a restriction site-associated tag sequencing (2b-RAD) typing approach developed for Lm. Thirty-six different restriction site-associated DNA (RAD) types (RTs) were identified, most of which correspond to lineage II. RT1, the most represented genotype in our collection and already reported as one of the most prevalent genotypes in the food environment, was significantly associated with meat processing facilities. The sequencing of the genomes of strains belonging to the same RT and isolated in the same facility in different years revealed several clusters of persistence. The definition of the persistent strains (PSs) allowed the identification of the potential source of contamination in the incoming raw meat that is introduced in the facility to be processed. The slaughterhouses, which, according to the European Union (EU) regulation, are not inspected for the presence of Lm could be hotspots for the persistence of Lm PSs. • Specific Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) genotypes are adapted to meat and dairy processing environments. • Genome analysis identified slaughterhouse as a Lm contamination source for meat processing facilities. • Several events of Lm persistence over four years were identified in food processing facilities in Italy. • Persistence seems not to be related to specific Lm genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene codes for a G protein transmembrane receptor playing an important role in energy homeostasis control. In pig a single nucleotide polymorphism c.1426G>A has been identified and associated to average daily gain, feed intake and fatness traits but a lack of agreement on the effects of the gene on carcass traits in different breeds comes out from many studies. In the present study the c.1426G>A polymorphism is analysed in two Italian pig breeds, Large White and Duroc to study the association of the MC4R gene with some carcass traits. The results show that the c.1426G>A polymorphism affects daily gain, feed conversion ratio and ham weight in both breeds, lean cuts in the Italian Duroc and backfat thickness in the Italian Large White. The presence of MC4R mRNA transcript in different porcine tissues was analysed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In recent years Italy has experienced a remarkable increase in organ donation and transplant rates for kidney transplantation. The organ donation rate has placed Italy among the European leaders, but a careful comparative evaluation of Italian and international registries data demonstrates that renal transplantations have not shared the same significant growth. In a decisive way donor characteristics have influenced not only the number of renal transplantations, but also the access to transplant for some age groups. We investigated the probability of transplantation from different age groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. The 7-year probability of transplant was 72% for the 15 to 45 age group, 85.7% for the 46 to 55 age group, and 88.5% for the over 55 years group (P = .0029). Ethical considerations suggest new approachs of innovative promotion of living donor transplants and a revision of organ allocation criteria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background:  Increasing evidence suggests that diabetes increases the risk of developing different types of cancer. Hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia and chronic inflammation, characteristic of diabetes, could represent possible mechanisms involved in cancer development in diabetic patients. At the same time, cancer increases the risk of developing new-onset diabetes, mainly caused by the use of specific anticancer therapies. Of note, diabetes has been associated with a ∼10% increase in mortality for all cancers in comparison with subjects who did not have diabetes. Diabetes is associated with a worse prognosis in patients with cancer, and more recent findings suggest a key role for poor glycemic control in this regard. Nevertheless, the association between glycemic control and cancer outcomes in oncologic patients with diabetes remains unsettled and poorly debated., Purpose:  The current review seeks to summarize the available evidence on the effect of glycemic control on cancer outcomes, as well as on the possibility that timely treatment of hyperglycemia and improved glycemic control in patients with cancer and diabetes may favorably affect cancer outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is increasingly employed in oncology. National and international endocrine and oncologic scientific societies have provided guidelines for the management of endocrine immune-related adverse events. However, guidelines recommendations differ according to the specific filed, particularly pertaining to recommendations for the timing of endocrine testing. In this position paper, a panel of experts of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM), Italian Association of Medical Diabetologists (AMD), Italian Society of Diabetology (SID), Italian Society of Endocrinology (SIE), and Italian Society of Pharmacology (SIF) offers a critical multidisciplinary consensus for a clear, simple, useful, and easily applicable endocrine-metabolic assessment checklist for cancer patients on immunotherapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: V.R. has received a travel grant from Androlabs. M.G. has received honoraria for speaker fees and/or travel grants for scientific meetings from AAA, AstraZeneca, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Bruno Farm., Eli-Lilly, IBSA, Lifescan, Mundipharma, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, and served on scientific advisory panels for Boehringer-Ingelheim, Merck Sharp & Dohme and Novo Nordisk. S.F. serves on the scientific advisory board of, has a consulting relationship with and reports receiving support for travel expenses from Novartis, Teva, Roche, BMS, Lilly and Ipsen. R.D. serves on the scientific advisory board and has a consulting relationship with Ipsen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi Genzyme, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Gilead, Lilly, Gilead, EUSA Pharma; and reports support for travel, accommodation and expenses from Ipsen and Sanofi Genzyme. F.G. has served as an advisor for AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk; has served as a research investigator for Eli Lilly and Roche Diabetes Care; has served as a speaker for AstraZeneca and Eli Lilly; has served as a consultant for AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novo Nordisk, Roche Diabetes Care and Sanofi; and has received grants from Eli Lilly, Lifescan and Roche Diabetes Care. N.S. received fees for consulting from Roche, Lilly, Servier. All other authors declare no conflict of interest. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent studies supported the association between occupational exposure to asbestos and risk of cholangiocarcinoma (CC). Aim of the present study is to investigate this association using an update of mortality data from the Italian pooled asbestos cohort study and to test record linkage to Cancer Registries to distinguish between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic/extrahepatic forms of CC., Methods: The update of a large cohort study pooling 52 Italian industrial cohorts of workers formerly exposed to asbestos was carried out. Causes of death were coded according to ICD. Linkage was carried out for those subjects who died for liver or bile duct cancer with data on histological subtype provided by Cancer Registries., Results: 47 cohorts took part in the study (57,227 subjects). We identified 639 causes of death for liver and bile duct cancer in the 44 cohorts covered by Cancer Registry. Of these 639, 240 cases were linked to Cancer Registry, namely 14 CC, 83 HCC, 117 cases with unspecified histology, 25 other carcinomas, and one case of cirrhosis (likely precancerous condition). Of the 14 CC, 12 occurred in 2010-2019, two in 2000-2009, and none before 2000., Conclusion: Further studies are needed to explore the association between occupational exposure to asbestos and CC. Record linkage was hampered due to incomplete coverage of the study areas and periods by Cancer Registries. The identification of CC among unspecific histology cases is fundamental to establish more effective and targeted liver cancer screening strategies.

Introduction: Tobacco use is responsible for over 7 million deaths annually, making smoking the leading cause of preventable mortality globally. Over the last two decades in Italy, the prevalence of smoking among physicians has consistently decreased, while it remains higher and is gradually decreasing among non-physician healthcare workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the Prevalence of smoking habits, attitudes, and knowledge on counteractive strategies among employees in the Primary Healthcare Facilities in the Province of Palermo, Italy., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between June 2020 and December 2020 through a previously validated anonymous questionnaire structured in four sections including 34 items. Data were analyzed using Stata/MP 12.1 statistical software., Results: Overall, 2,645 participants answered the questionnaire. The prevalence of either current or former smokers was 18.6%. Based on the multivariable analysis conducted, a significantly higher frequency of current smokers was observed among male participants (AdjOR: 1.29; CI95%: 1.02-1.64) and those belonging to the Surgical Unit (AdjOR: 1.92; CI95%: 1.27-2.90). Conversely, the prevalence of current smokers was significantly lower among those with at least one child (AdjOR: 0.67; CI95%: 0.49-0.91), with an educational qualification equal to or greater than a graduation degree (AdjOR: 0.56; CI95%: 0.43-0.73), those who considered second-hand smoke harmful (AdjOR: 0.06; CI95%: 0.008-0.60), those who had observed smoking or detected the smell of smoke in their workplace (AdjOR: 0.64; CI95%: 0.45-0.91). Furthermore, the prevalence of current smokers was significantly lower among participants who believed that healthcare professionals could play a crucial role in influencing their patients' lifestyles (AdjOR: 0.67; CI95%: 0.50-0.90) and among those who recommend their patients to quit smoking (AdjOR: 0.35; CI95%: 0.24-0.51)., Discussion: The results of the current research demonstrate that, despite the decline in smoking prevalence among physicians, the rate of smokers among healthcare facility employees remains unacceptably high. This underscores the need to re-evaluate current anti-tobacco strategies in the workplace., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Costantino, Bonaccorso, Minutolo, Sciortino, Ripoli, Berardi, Gallo, Nastasi, Serra, Trapani, Busalacchi, Ficano, Siciliano, Immordino, Mazzucco, Restivo, Vitale and Casuccio.)

Cancer management has significantly evolved in recent years, focusing on a multidisciplinary team approach to provide the best possible patient care and address the various comorbidities, toxicities, and complications that may arise during the patient's treatment journey. The co-occurrence of diabetes and cancer presents a significant challenge for health care professionals worldwide. Management of these conditions requires a holistic approach to improve patients' overall health, treatment outcomes, and quality of life, preventing diabetes complications and cancer treatment side-effects. In this article, a multidisciplinary panel of experts from different Italian scientific societies provide a critical overview of the co-management of cancer and diabetes, with an increasing focus on identifying a novel specialty field, 'diabeto-oncology', and suggest new co-management models of cancer patients with diabetes to improve their care. To better support cancer patients with diabetes and ensure high levels of coordinated care between oncologists and diabetologists, 'diabeto-oncology' could represent a new specialized field that combines specific expertise, skills, and training., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Corticosteroids (CSs) are widely used in oncology, presenting several different indications. They are useful for induction of apoptosis in hematological neoplasms, for management of anaphylaxis and cytokine release/hypersensitivity reaction and for the symptomatic treatment of many tumour- and treatment-related complications. If the employment of CSs in the oncological setting results in several benefits for patients and satisfaction for clinicians, on the other hand, many potential adverse events (AEs), both during treatment and after withdrawal of CSs, as well as the duality of the effects of these compounds in oncology, recommend being cautious in clinical practice. To date, several gray zones remain about indications, contraindications, dose, and duration of treatment. In this article, a panel of experts provides a critical review on CSs therapy in oncology, focusing on mechanisms of action and pharmacological characteristics, current and emerging therapeutic indications/contraindications, AEs related to CSs treatment, and the impact on patient outcome., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background : Facebook is the most popular social network across the world and also allows users access to health information. Our study presents an overview of the official Facebook profiles of hospitals in Italy ( n = 1351) and how much they are used. Methods : All hospitals were surveyed on the number of Facebook posts in May (post-lockdown) and October (second pandemic wave) 2020. The number of followers, the creation date of the official page, and the frequency of publication-that is, the average number of days between two subsequent posts-were determined. Results : In Italy, only 28% ( n = 379) of the hospitals had official Facebook pages, of which 20.6% ( n = 78) were public hospitals, and 79.4% ( n = 301) were private hospitals. Of the hospitals with Facebook pages, 49.1% used them every week, and public hospitals published more often. Conclusions : Despite the differences between regions and types of management, the number of hospitals in Italy that use Facebook as a tool for the public dissemination of health information is still low. Hospitals should adopt an effective communication strategy using social networks to improve the quality of health care.

A number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) have been released in the last decade, and the list of NPS continues to grow. This paper reports a retrospective evaluation of the toxicological analyses in 1,445 suspected intoxication cases by psychostimulant, hallucinogen, and dissociative NPS occurring in hospitals across Italy from 2011 to 2019. The objectives of the study were to contribute to the monitoring of the NPS diffusion based on analytically confirmed intoxications, and to evaluate the importance of the clinical toxicological laboratory in the diagnosis of NPS intoxication. For at least one NPS of the considered classes, 246 patients (17.0%) tested positive. Forty-four different NPS were detected and a consistent turnover was observed during the nine-year period, especially regarding cathinones. Among the positive cases, 47.2% tested positive for dissociative NPS, with particular regard to ketamine. Hallucinogens (30.9%) was the second most frequent NPS involved. Stimulants were found in 20% of the positive cases with a considerable presence of cathinones. Findings confirm the dynamism of the NPS phenomenon, underline the importance of awareness of this new public health threat among health care professionals, and highlight the need for analytical confirmation for the identification of the drugs in forensic contexts.

Background: The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recently defined cardiovascular risk classes for subjects with diabetes. Aim of this study was to explore the distribution of subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) by cardiovascular risk groups according to the ESC classification and to describe the quality indicators of care, with particular regard to cardiovascular risk factors., Methods: The study is based on data extracted from electronic medical records of patients treated at the 258 Italian diabetes centers participating in the AMD Annals initiative. Patients with T2D were stratified by cardiovascular risk. General descriptive indicators, measures of intermediate outcomes, intensity/appropriateness of pharmacological treatment for diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors, presence of other complications and overall quality of care were evaluated., Results: Overall, 473,740 subjects with type 2 diabetes (78.5% at very high cardiovascular risk, 20.9% at high risk and 0.6% at moderate risk) were evaluated. Among people with T2D at very high risk: 26.4% had retinopathy, 39.5% had albuminuria, 18.7% had a previous major cardiovascular event, 39.0% had organ damage, 89.1% had three or more risk factors. The use of DPP4-i markedly increased as cardiovascular risk increased. The prescription of secretagogues also increased and that of GLP1-RAs tended to increase. The use of SGLT2-i was still limited, and only slightly higher in subjects with very high cardiovascular risk. The overall quality of care, as summarized by the Q score, tended to be lower as the level of cardiovascular risk increased., Conclusions: A large proportion of subjects with T2D is at high or very high risk. Glucose-lowering drug therapies seem not to be adequately used with respect to their potential advantages in terms of cardiovascular risk reduction. Several actions are necessary to improve the quality of care.

Objectives The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) outbreak in Italy, especially in Lombardy and Bergamo city, represented probably nowadays one of the first major clusters of COVID-19 in the world. The aim of this report is to describe the activity of Bergamo Teratology Information Service (TIS) in supporting the public and health-care personnel in case of drug prescriptions in suspected/confirmed COVID-19 pregnant and lactating patients during COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. Methods All Bergamo TIS requests concerning COVID-19 pregnant and lactating women have been retrospectively evaluated from 1 March to 15 April 2020. Type of medications, drug's safety profile and compatibility with pregnancy and lactation are reported. Results Our service received information calls concerning 48 (9 pregnant, 35 lactating) patients. Among pregnant and lactating women, the requests of information were related to 16 and 60 drugs prescriptions respectively. More than half concerned drugs prescriptions during the first and second trimester (13/16) and during the first six months of lactation (37/60). Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin were the most involved. Conclusions Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin at dosages used for COVID-19 may be considered compatible and reasonably safe either in pregnancy and lactation. Antivirals may be considered acceptable in pregnancy. During lactation lopinavir and ritonavir probably exhibit some supportive data from literature that darunavir and cobicistat do not. Tocilizumab may be considered for COVID-19 treatment because no increased malformation rate were observed until now. However caution may be advised because human data are limited and the potential risk of embryo-fetal toxicity cannot be excluded.

The growing insights in the next-generation immunotherapy and the state-of-the-art advancement in targeted-agents significantly improved clinical outcome of cancer patients by pointing towards a unexplored Achilles' heel. Novel toxicity profiles have been uncovered, representing unmet medical needs. Thus, a panel of expert provide comprehensive pharmacological and clinical evidence, to provide a patient-tailored approach to metabolic adverse events associated with novel anti-cancer treatments. Prompted by the need of a multidisciplinary cooperation, a working group of Associazione Italiana Oncologia Medica (AIOM), Associazione Medici Diabetologi (AMD) and Società Italiana Farmacologia (SIF) examined the available literature data. The identification of patient risk profile and the characterization of metabolic effects of novel anti-tumour drugs is clearly a clinical challenge that can be addressed by a multidisciplinary clinical approach. Therefore, this review pinpoints the relevance of the challenging profiling of the patient suffering from dysmetabolic conditions induced by the novel therapeutics in medical oncology., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we identified copy number variants (CNVs) in 19 European autochthonous pig breeds and in two commercial breeds (Italian Large White and Italian Duroc) that represent important genetic resources for this species. The genome of 725 pigs was sequenced using a breed-specific DNA pooling approach (30-35 animals per pool) obtaining an average depth per pool of 42×. This approach maximised CNV discovery as well as the related copy number states characterising, on average, the analysed breeds. By mining more than 17.5 billion reads, we identified a total of 9592 CNVs (~683 CNVs per breed) and 3710 CNV regions (CNVRs; 1.15% of the reference pig genome), with an average of 77 CNVRs per breed that were considered as private. A few CNVRs were analysed in more detail, together with other information derived from sequencing data. For example, the CNVR encompassing the KIT gene was associated with coat colour phenotypes in the analysed breeds, confirming the role of the multiple copies in determining breed-specific coat colours. The CNVR covering the MSRB3 gene was associated with ear size in most breeds. The CNVRs affecting the ELOVL6 and ZNF622 genes were private features observed in the Lithuanian Indigenous Wattle and in the Turopolje pig breeds respectively. Overall, the genome variability unravelled here can explain part of the genetic diversity among breeds and might contribute to explain their origin, history and adaptation to a variety of production systems., (© 2020 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

The number of teats is a morphological trait that influences the mothering ability of the sows and thus their reproduction performances. In this study, we carried out GWASs for the total number of teats and other 12 related parameters in 821 Italian Large White heavy pigs. All pigs were genotyped with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip array. For four investigated parameters (total number of teats, the number of teats of the left line, the number of teats of the right line and the maximum number of teats comparing the two sides), significant markers were identified on SSC7, in the region of the vertnin (VRTN) gene. Significant markers for the numbers of posterior teats and the absolute difference between anterior and posterior teat numbers were consistently identified on SSC6. The most significant SNP for these parameters was an intron variant in the TOX high mobility group box family member 3 (TOX3) gene. For the other four parameters (absolute difference between the two sides; anterior teats; the ratio between the posterior and the anterior number of teats; and the absence or the presence of extra teats) only suggestively significant markers were identified on several other chromosomes. This study further supported the role of the VRTN gene region in affecting the recorded variability of the number of teats in the Italian Large White pig population and identified a genomic region potentially affecting the biological mechanisms controlling the developmental programme of morphological features in pigs., (© 2020 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

We report haplotype-based GWASs for 33 blood parameters measured in 843 Italian Large White pigs. In the single-trait analysis, a total of 30 QTL for number of basophils, six erythrocyte traits (haemoglobin, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular volume and red blood cell count) and two clinical-biochemical traits (alkaline phosphatase and Ca 2+ contents) were identified. In the multiple-trait analysis, a total of five QTL affected three different clusters of traits. Only four of these QTL were already reported in the single-marker and multi-marker GWASs we previously carried out on the same pig population. QTL on SSC11 and SSC17 showed effects on multiple traits. These results further dissected the genetic architecture of parameters that could be used as proxies in breeding programmes for more complex traits. In addition, these results might help to better define the pig as an animal model for several blood-related biological functions., (© 2020 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Background: The management of male idiopathic infertility is heterogeneous. Although meta-analyses reported the effectiveness on pregnancy rate, the real clinical impact of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was not evaluated so far. In Italy, FSH is approved by the National Medicines Agency (AIFA) for idiopathic infertile patients with FSH < 8 IU/L, independently of semen parameters., Aim: Primary endpoint was to record the therapeutic approach to the male partner of infertile couples. Secondary aim was to assess changes of semen parameters during FSH treatment., Methods: A multicentre, prospective, observational, clinical practice survey was carried out, enrolling the male partner of infertile couples attending ten Italian participating centres. Inclusion criteria were as follows: couple infertility, age >18 years and FSH serum levels <8 IU/L. Thus, all men in which AIFA allowed the FSH prescription were enrolled. Primary endpoint was the number of infertile patients treated with FSH. Secondary outcomes were semen parameters. The treating physician decided whether to offer FSH therapy and whether to re-evaluate the male partner., Results: A total of 718 infertile couples were enrolled, and 241 patients were re-evaluated (median follow-up: 4.5 months). In 64.9% (466 patients), a treatment was prescribed. FSH was prescribed in 397 patients (85.2% of treated men). Sperm concentration (P = .002) and normal form percentage (P < .001) significantly improved during FSH administration. No correlation was found between these parameters and FSH duration (P = .545 and P = .627, respectively) or dosage (P = .455 and P = .533, respectively). Among patients treated with FSH, the incidence of oligozoospermia decreased from 73.0% to 56.0% (P < .001) and teratozoospermia from 43.6% to 27.7% (P < .001)., Discussion: This first nation-wide survey reveals a FSH prescription rate of 55% in patients qualifying for treatment according to AIFA. Although the study was not designed to highlight FSH efficacy in male infertility, a slight increase in semen parameters was demonstrated in about half of the treated men without adverse events., (© 2019 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.)

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping tools, which can analyse thousands of SNPs covering the whole genome, have opened new opportunities to estimate the inbreeding level of animals directly using genome information. One of the most commonly used genomic inbreeding measures considers the proportion of the autosomal genome covered by runs of homozygosity (ROH), which are defined as continuous and uninterrupted chromosome portions showing homozygosity at all loci. In this study, we analysed the distribution of ROH in three commercial pig breeds (Italian Large White, n = 1968; Italian Duroc, n = 573; and Italian Landrace, n = 46) and four autochthonous breeds (Apulo-Calabrese, n = 90; Casertana, n = 90; Cinta Senese, n = 38; and Nero Siciliano, n = 48) raised in Italy, using SNP data generated from Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. We calculated ROH-based inbreeding coefficients (FROH) using ROH of different minimum length (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 Mbp) and compared them with several other genomic inbreeding coefficients (including the difference between observed and expected number of homozygous genotypes (FHOM)) and correlated all these genomic-based measures with the pedigree inbreeding coefficient (FPED) calculated for the pigs of some of these breeds. Autochthonous breeds had larger mean size of ROH than all three commercial breeds. FHOM was highly correlated (0.671 to 0.985) with FROH measures in all breeds. Apulo-Calabrese and Casertana had the highest FROH values considering all ROH minimum lengths (ranging from 0.273 to 0.189 and from 0.226 to 0.152, moving from ROH of minimum size of 1 Mbp (FROH1) to 16 Mbp (FROH16)), whereas the lowest FROH values were for Nero Siciliano (from 0.072 to 0.051) and Italian Large White (from 0.117 to 0.042). FROH decreased as the minimum length of ROH increased for all breeds. Italian Duroc had the highest correlations between all FROH measures and FPED (from 0.514 to 0.523) and between FHOM and FPED (0.485). Among all analysed breeds, Cinta Senese had the lowest correlation between FROH and FPED. This might be due to the imperfect measure of FPED, which, mainly in local breeds raised in extensive production systems, cannot consider a higher level of pedigree errors and a potential higher relatedness of the founder population. It appeared that ROH better captured inbreeding information in the analysed breeds and could complement pedigree-based inbreeding coefficients for the management of these genetic resources.

Ham weight loss at first salting (HWLFS) is a meat quality parameter used to assess the suitability of the hams for salting and seasoning. The relationships between HWLFS and 17 performance, carcass and raw ham quality parameters were investigated in 260 performance tested Italian Large White heavy pigs. HWLFS was affected by slaughter day and visible intermuscular fat of trimmed hams whereas sex did not affect its variability. Residual correlations of HWLFS with backfat thickness (BFT; r = -0.51) and lean cuts (LC; r = +0.51) were stronger than with ham weight at trimming (r = +0.40) and after first salting (r = +0.37). Significant correlations of HWLFS with fresh ham quality traits ranged from +0.16 to -0.25. BFT, LC and pH 24h were the main predictors of HWLFS in the regression model. Results from this study indicated that higher ham fat coverage and pH 24h and lower LC could reduce HWLFS of green hams for Protected Designation of Origin products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they do not have competing interests., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) able to describe population differences can be used for important applications in livestock, including breed assignment of individual animals, authentication of mono-breed products and parentage verification among several other applications. To identify the most discriminating SNPs among thousands of markers in the available commercial SNP chip tools, several methods have been used. Random forest (RF) is a machine learning technique that has been proposed for this purpose. In this study, we used RF to analyse PorcineSNP60 BeadChip array genotyping data obtained from a total of 2737 pigs of 7 Italian pig breeds (3 cosmopolitan-derived breeds: Italian Large White, Italian Duroc and Italian Landrace, and 4 autochthonous breeds: Apulo-Calabrese, Casertana, Cinta Senese and Nero Siciliano) to identify breed informative and reduced SNP panels using the mean decrease in the Gini Index and the Mean Decrease in Accuracy parameters with stability evaluation. Other reduced informative SNP panels were obtained using Delta, Fixation index and principal component analysis statistics, and their performances were compared with those obtained using the RF-defined panels using the RF classification method and its derived Out Of Bag rates and correct prediction proportions. Therefore, the performances of a total of six reduced panels were evaluated. The correct assignment of the animals to its breed was close to 100% for all tested approaches. Porcine chromosome 8 harboured the largest number of selected SNPs across all panels. Many SNPs were included in genomic regions in which previous studies identified signatures of selection or genes (e.g. ESR1, KITL and LCORL) that could contribute to explain, at least in part, phenotypically or economically relevant traits that might differentiate cosmopolitan and autochthonous pig breeds. Random forest used as preselection statistics highlighted informative SNPs that were not the same as those identified by other methods. This might be due to specific features of this machine learning methodology. It will be interesting to explore if the adaptation of RF methods for the identification of selection signature regions could be able to describe population-specific features that are not captured by other approaches.

Diabetes and cancer frequently coexist in the same subject, often with relevant clinical effects on the management and prognosis of the comorbid patient. The existing guidelines, however, do not appropriately address many clinical issues in this setting. Although collaboration between diabetologists and oncologists should play an important role in achieving appropriate levels of care, close coordination or agreement between these specialists is seldom offered. There is an urgent need for greater interdisciplinary integration between all specialists involved in this setting, for a shared approach ensuring that organisational silos are overcome. To this end, the Italian Associations of Medical Diabetologists (AMD) and the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) recently established a dedicated Working Group on 'Diabetes and Cancer'. The working group outlined a diagnostic and therapeutic clinical pathway dedicated to hospitalised patients with diabetes and cancer. In this article, we describe the Italian proposal including some suggested measures to assess, monitor and improve blood glucose control in the hospital setting, to integrate different specialists from both areas, as well as to ensure discharge planning and continuity of care from the hospital to the territory., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Autochthonous pig breeds are usually reared in extensive or semi-extensive production systems that might facilitate contact with wild boars and, thus, reciprocal genetic exchanges. In this study, we analysed variants in the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene (which cause different coat colour phenotypes) and in the nuclear receptor subfamily 6 group A member 1 (NR6A1) gene (associated with increased vertebral number) in 712 pigs of 12 local pig breeds raised in Italy (Apulo-Calabrese, Casertana, Cinta Senese, Mora Romagnola, Nero Siciliano and Sarda) and south-eastern European countries (Krškopolje from Slovenia, Black Slavonian and Turopolje from Croatia, Mangalitsa and Moravka from Serbia and East Balkan Swine from Bulgaria) and compared the data with the genetic variability at these loci investigated in 229 wild boars from populations spread in the same macro-geographic areas. None of the autochthonous pig breeds or wild boar populations were fixed for one allele at both loci. Domestic and wild-type alleles at these two genes were present in both domestic and wild populations. Findings of the distribution of MC1R alleles might be useful for tracing back the complex genetic history of autochthonous breeds. Altogether, these results indirectly demonstrate that bidirectional introgression of wild and domestic alleles is derived and affected by the human and naturally driven evolutionary forces that are shaping the Sus scrofa genome: autochthonous breeds are experiencing a sort of 'de-domestication' process, and wild resources are challenged by a 'domestication' drift. Both need to be further investigated and managed., (© 2019 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Protected designation of origin dry-cured hams are obtained from heavy pigs (slaughtered at about 160 kg of live weight). A specific breeding program designed to improve meat quality for this production has included as key traits the level of intermuscular fat between the leg muscles and ham weight loss during the seasoning period together with a balance between fat and lean cuts. In this study we carried out genome-wide association studies for seven traits used in the genetic merit of Italian Duroc heavy pigs, five related to meat and carcass quality traits (visible intermuscular fat, ham weight loss at first salting, backfat thickness, ham weight and lean cuts), and two related to performance and efficiency traits (average daily gain and feed : gain ratio). A total of 573 performance-tested pigs were genotyped with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip and genome-wide association analyses were carried out using the Bayes B approach with the 1 Mb window option of GenSel and random residuals for each of the seven traits. Detected windows were supported by independent single nucleotide polymorphism analyses with a linear mixed model (LMM) approach on the same animals for the same traits. A total of 30 windows identifying different quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected and among those, 27 were confirmed by LMM in one of these traits. Among the confirmed windows, three QTL were reported for visible intermuscular fat, seven for ham weight loss at first salting and five and four for backfat thickness and lean cut, respectively. A total of eight QTL were detected for the other production traits. No overlapping QTL were reported except for one window on porcine chromosome 10 between lean cuts and ham weight that contained the CACNB2 gene that has been already associated with loin marbling score in other Duroc pigs. Several regions contained genes that have been already associated with production traits in other pig breeds, including Duroc lines, related to fat deposition or muscle structure. This work reports, for the first time, genome-wide association study results for several traits in Italian Duroc heavy pigs. These results will be useful to dissect the genetic basis for dry-cured ham production traits that determine the total genetic merit index of Italian Duroc pigs.

Background: Several genetic variants playing a key role in cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and vascular dysfunction influence the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD). The many meta-analysis studies carried out on large numbers of samples in different populations have not provided clear results to date, because a trans-ethnic shift of risk genotypes in different populations is often observed., Objectives: To determine genotypes allele frequencies of the polymorphisms most frequently identified to be correlated with cardio-cerebrovascular disease and AD in a Southern Italy population and to investigate their possible association with dementia., Methods: The genotype and allele frequencies of 13 cardio-cerebrovascular risk polymorphisms were assessed and their possible association with dementia was investigated in a case-control study, including 221 consecutive unrelated subjects diagnosed with dementia (120 subjects affected by AD, 55 by frontotemporal dementia, and 33 by vascular dementia) and 218 matched controls of Calabrian origin., Results: Carriers of at least one APOEɛ4 allele resulted to be at higher risk of AD [OR(95% CI) = 2.721(1.477-5.011)] and VaD [OR(95% CI) = 6.205(2.356-16.342)] compared to non-carriers. Individuals with the IV genotype of the CETP polymorphism were more likely to have AD [OR(95% CI) = 2.427(1.364-4.319)] and VaD [OR(95% CI) = 3.649(1.455-9.152)] compared to subjects with the II-VV genotypes., Conclusion: CETP I405V polymorphism is likely a risk factor for AD and VaD in our cohort, independent of APOEɛ4 status. Unmodifiable genetic risk factors should be taken into account to promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent dementia.

The purpose of this study was to assess the main clinical predictors and microbiological features of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) environment. This work is a retrospective analysis over one year from September 2010 to September 2011. Patients' risk factors, causes of admission, comorbidities and respiratory specimens collected in six Italian ICUs were reviewed. Incidence and case fatality rate of VAP were evaluated. After stratification for VAP development, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the impact of patients' conditions on the onset of this infection. A total of 1,647 ICU patients (pts) were considered. Overall, 115 patients (6.9 %) experienced at least one episode of VAP. The incidence rate for VAP was 5.82/1,000 pts-days, with a case fatality rate of 44.3 %. Multivariate analysis showed that admission for neurological disorders (aIRR 4.12, CI 1.24-13.68, p = 0.02) and emergency referral to ICU from other hospitals (aIRR 2.11, CI 1.03-4.31, p = 0.04) were associated with higher risk of VAP, whereas a tendency to a higher risk of infection was detected for admission due to respiratory disease, cardiac disease, trauma and for having obesity or renal failure. A total of 372 microbiological isolates from respiratory specimens were collected in VAP patients. The most common species were Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, showing high resistance rates to carbapenems. Neurological disorders and emergency referral at the admission into the ICU are significantly associated with the onset of VAP. A high incidence of multi-drug resistant Gram- species was detected in the respiratory specimens.

This paper proposes the microencapsulation into alginate beads of 4 isolates of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.), previously isolated from pork meat. First, the beads were studied in relation to the encapsulation yield (EY), kinetic of cell release in a structured system, and survival throughout bead storage at 4 °C. EY was 93-96% and the survival of the encapsulated microorganisms was variable, with two isolates showing a bacterial population of 6.1-6.9 log cfu/g after 35 days under refrigerated conditions. Thereafter, the paper addressed a preliminary validation in a meat model system, containing salt, nitrites and nitrates, lactose, pepper, and then in a commercial preparation of pork meat. For the validation in pork meat, free cells were used as controls. Cell released from beads were able to achieve a significant acidification; in particular, after 7 days they showed the same results of free cells., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The study compares the efficacy and advantages of two different drainage systems in pediatric patients during surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD)., Methods: A total of 200 consecutive pediatric patients (< 16 years) were enrolled; in 100 patients we used a polyvinyl chloride drain (PVCD) and in the other 100 we used a silicone drain (SD). Demographics, drain's technical data, and postoperative complications and costs were evaluated. A pain score was calculated in patients older than 6 years., Results: The SDs were significantly smaller when compared with PVCDs (median of 1.63 vs. 3.09 French/kg, p = 0.0006), were kept in site for a median shorter period (23 vs. 40 hours, p = 0.002), drained more thoracic spaces (median of 2 vs. 1, p < 0.0001), and were associated to a lower pain score (p = 0.01). The overall drain-related complication rate was lower for the SD group than for the PVCD group (3 vs. 9%, p = 0.1) as well as the drain-related adverse event required additional interventional maneuvers (0 vs. 6%, p = 0.04). Patients who were treated with a PVCD reported a higher perceived pain score than patients treated with a SD, both at the time when the drain was in site (p = 0.016) and during the drain's removal (p = 0.0001)., Conclusion: SDs can be used safely in pediatric patients during surgery for CHD. Sizes required are smaller than other conventional drains and multiple cavities can be drained with a single tube. The use of SD is associated to a lower complication rate, lower requirement of additional procedures, and lesser perceived pain from the patient, when compared with other more traditional drains., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Essential oils from Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, Thymus vulgaris, Melissa officinalis and Mentha spicata growing wild in the "Piana del Sele" (Salerno, Southern Italy) have been extracted by hydro-distillation, quantified and characterized by gas chromatography coupled with flame ionization detection (FID) and mass-spectrometry (MS). Sixty-nine compounds were identified and classified according to their chemical classes. The results showed that the composition of the essential oils was extremely variable and specific for each botanical species. Hydrocarbons were the most abundant class in all essential oils except for sage where aldehydes and ketones were the most representative compounds. Only for thyme was a higher content of alcohols found.

Aim: Current Italian legislation obliges employers to prevent workers who are occupationally at risk or who perform jobs that may be hazardous for the safety or health of third parties from consuming alcohol. The LaRA Group undertook to assess whether the law fully safeguards the health and safety of both workers and third parties, without impinging upon the civil rights of workers., Method: A written document expressing agreement was produced following discussions between doctors, lawyers, bioethicists and social partners., Results: There are gaps and inconsistencies in current laws; the differences in local and regional provisions prevent authorities from applying a single strategy at national level. There should be a change in existing rules under which the employer's obligation to enforce the ban on consumption alcohol in the workplace is enacted solely by the "competent" physician whose institutional role is to safeguard and promote health. Some occupational categories that are subject to a ban on alcohol consumption do not currently under-go health surveillance. For example, if road transport drivers are not exposed to a specific occupational risk foreseen under another law, they can be placed under health surveillance only in those regions where the local laws contemplate this type of control. In other cases, the practice of assessing the risk to third parties and providing for compulsory health surveillance in the Risk Assessment Document, is considered by some jurists to be a "consuetudo praeter legem" and therefore acceptable in a field not yet covered by a specific law, but to be "contra legem" or unlawful by other jurists. Moreover, the competent physician who uses a breathanalyser or tests for alcohol addiction faces an ethical dilemma, since by communicating the results to an employer or authorities responsible for the issuing of licenses, he may be violating his professional oath of secrecy. Furthermore, the emphasis placed on testing has induced companies and inspectors to overlook educational and rehabilitation aspects. It is essential to involve general practitioners, educators and specialist services in addressing the problems of alcohol abuse so as to inform/train, recover and rehabilitate. The few studies available indicate that the rules are poorly enforced and that non-compliance may go unobserved., Conclusions: The Group urges all employers to assess the risk for third parties caused by alcohol abuse and to devise a policy on alcohol. Controlling alcohol-related risks in the workplace calls for a better definition of the roles of Vigilance Bod-ies and Company Physicians together with a shift from a reactive to a proactive attitude of all the parties involved.

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis is the most common autosomal recessive genetic disease in the Caucasian population. Extending knowledge about the molecular pathology on the one hand allows better delineation of the mutations in the CFTR gene and the other to dramatically increase the predictive power of molecular testing., Methods: This study reports the results of a molecular screening of cystic fibrosis using DNA samples of patients enrolled from January 2009 to December 2013. Patients were referred to our laboratory for cystic fibrosis screening for infertile couples. In addition, we identified the gene mutations present in 76 patients affected by cystic fibrosis in the pediatric population of Basilicata., Results: In the 964 infertile couples examined, 132 subjects (69 women and 63 men) resulted heterozygous for one of the CFTR mutations, with a recurrence of carriers of 6.85%. The recurrence of carriers in infertile couples is significantly higher from the hypothetical value of the general population (4%)., Conclusions: This study shows that in the Basilicata region of Italy the CFTR phenotype is caused by a small number of mutations. Our aim is to develop a kit able to detect not less than 96% of CTFR gene mutations so that the relative risk for screened couples is superimposable with respect to the general population.

Background: LRRK2 mutations are common in familial and sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) cases., Objective: We present a screening of the most frequently mutated exons of LRRK2 in Calabrian population., Methods: Eighty-eight PD patients diagnosed according to standard criteria, underwent screening for LRRK2 mutations in exons 19, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 35, 38, 40, 41, and 48., Results: Eight LRRK2 variations were identified in nine patients affected by PD, including three novel missense variations (p.Phe1227Leu, p.Gly1520Ala, p.Ile2020Ser) and five previously identified mutations (p.Ala1151Thr, IVS31+3A>G, p.Arg1514Gln, p.Gly2019Ser, p.Thr2356Ile). LRRK2 frequency mutations were approximately 10.2% in all PD patients, 12% in familial, 8% in sporadic cases. The p.Gly2019Ser mutation was found in 2.3% of the total cohort and in 3.2% of sporadic cases. The clinical features of LRRK2-associated with PD in our patients were similar to those of idiopathic PD although most LRRK2 mutated patients presented with bradykinesia instead of tremor; 33.3% developed dementia., Conclusions: We identified three novel LRRK2 mutations and reported a higher frequency in Calabria compared to previously reported data possibly due to the relative genetic isolation of the Calabrian population. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of LRKK2 variations in PD and provide additional genetic insight into this disease.

Myopalladin (MYPN) and titin (TTN) play key roles in skeletal muscle structural organisation and for this reason they may be functional candidates for meat production traits in pigs. We analysed by PCR-RFLP two polymorphisms previously identified and described in the 3'UTR of MYPN and TTN genes in a group of Italian Large White (ILW) and Italian Duroc (ID) pigs with extreme divergent estimated breeding values for some production traits. Significant allele frequency differences were observed for lean cuts (LC) at the MYPN locus in ILW breed and for visible intermuscular fat (VIF) at MYPN and TTN loci in ID breed. Moreover, association analysis between the two genes and some production traits (average daily gain, LC, backfat thickness, ham weight, feed conversion ratio and VIF) was performed in a sample of 409 ILW and 381 ID pigs. On the whole, the results showed significant effects of both genes on some of the considered traits in ID breed, and for TTN gene in ILW animals. These results indicate that both genes can be considered as candidates for meat and carcass traits in ID pigs.

A mechanism of mercury detoxification has been suggested by a previous study on Hg bioaccumulation in Manila clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) in the polluted Marano and Grado lagoons and in this study we demonstrate that this event could be partly related to the detoxifying activities of Hg-resistant bacteria (MRB) harbored in clam soft tissues. Therefore, natural clams were collected in six stations during two different periods (winter and spring) from Marano and Grado Lagoons. Siphons, gills and hepatopancreas from acclimatized clams were sterile dissected to isolate MRB. These anatomical parts were glass homogenized or used for whole, and they were lying on a solid medium containing 5mgl(-1) HgCl2 and incubated at 30°C. A total of fourteen bacterial strains were isolated and were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and analysis, revealing that strains were representative of eight bacterial genera, four of which were Gram-positive (Enterococcus, Bacillus, Jeotgalicoccus and Staphylococcus) and other four were Gram-negative (Stenotrophomonas, Vibrio, Raoultella and Enterobacter). Plasmids and merA genes were found and their sequences determined. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique shows the presence of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria by using different molecular probes in siphon and gills. Bacterial clumps inside clam flesh were observed and even a Gram-negative endosymbiont was disclosed by transmission electronic microscope inside clam cells. Bacteria harbored in cavities of soft tissue have mercury detoxifying activity. This feature was confirmed by the determination of mercuric reductase in glass-homogenized siphons and gills., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Correct histone/protamine replacement is an important stage in chromatin condensation during spermiogenesis in humans. There are two types of protamines: protamine 1 (P1) and the protamine 2 family (P2, P3, and P4), coded by the genes PRM1 and PRM2., Aim: We analyze the sequences and gene expression of PRM1 and PRM2 and their relationship with defective spermatogenesis., Materials and Methods: Sequence analysis was carried out on 163 patients attending our laboratory for analysis of seminal fluid. Patients were divided into three groups: normozoospermic (53), teratozoospermic (60), and azoospermic (50). Gene expression was analyzed in seven patients with azoospermia and one with cryptozoospermia., Results: Seven single nuclotide polymorphisms (SNP) were identified: G54A, G102T and C230A for PRM1, and C246T, G288C, G298C and C373A for PRM2. For C230A, the CA genotype was present in 38% of teratozoospermic vs 55% of normozoospermic and 64% of azoospermic patients; for C373A, CA was found in 37% of teratozoospermic vs 47% of normozoospermic and 64% of azoospermic patients. In contrast, for G298C, GC was more common in the teratozoospermic (63%) than in the normozoospermic (49%) or azoospermic (48%) groups. These differences could suggest a greater susceptibility of these patients to abnormal sperm morphology. In five patients the levels of transcripts were reduced with respect to the control., Conclusion: These data suggest that premeiotic arrest is associated with extremely reduced protamine expression. New studies of both PRM1 and PRM2 and their mRNA expression could help us better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the protamine transcription and translation processes.

In this work, gold microelectrodes are employed as traps for the detection of volatilized metallic mercury produced by mercuric reductase (MerA) extracted from an Hg-resistant Pseudomonas putida strain FB1. The enzymatic reduction of Hg (II) to Hg (0) was induced by NADPH cofactor added to the samples. The amount of Hg(0) accumulated on the gold microelectrode surface was determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) after transferring the gold microelectrode in an aqueous solution containing 0.1 M HNO(3) + 1 M KNO(3). Electrochemical measurements were combined with spectrofluorometric assays of NADPH consumption to derive an analytical expression for the detection of a relative MerA activity of different samples with respect to that of P. putida. The method developed here was employed for the rapid determination of MerA produced by bacteria harbored in soft tissues of clams (Ruditapes philippinarum), collected in high Hg polluted sediments of Northern Adriatic Sea in Italy.

In pigs, susceptibility to enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 strains (locus F4bcR) is determined by a dominant allele, with the recessive allele determining resistance. The susceptible allele also appeared to be associated with higher growth rate even with discordant results. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 7 of the mucin 4 (MUC4) gene (DQ848681:g.8227C>G), shown to be in close linkage disequilibrium with the F4bcR locus, has been used as marker to identify susceptible pigs, substituting invasive villous adhesion tests. We herein analyzed this SNP in Italian local breeds and applied a selective genotyping approach in Italian Large White, Italian Landrace, and Italian Duroc comparing allele frequency distribution in groups of pigs with extreme estimated breeding values (EBV) for average daily gain (ADG) and backfat thickness (BFT) to evaluate if this marker is associated with these traits. Allele G (associated with susceptibility to ETEC) was associated with higher ADG and BFT in Italian Large White (P=6.66E-04 and P=0.012, respectively) and higher ADG in Italian Landrace (P=7.23E-12). This polymorphism was poorly informative in Italian Duroc. Antagonistic associations of the MUC4 g.8227C>G alleles on susceptibility to ETEC and growth performances evidence the complexity of applying marker assisted selection in pig breeding.

Context: Corticosteroid-binding globulin (CBG) is the binding protein for cortisol. Rare kindreds with CBG mutations reducing CBG levels or altering binding affinity have been described, along with clinical manifestations encompassing fatigue, chronic pain, and hypotension. The largest kindred, exhibiting two mutations (null and Lyon) were Australian immigrants from Italy., Objective: Our objective was to determine the prevalence of the null/Lyon mutations in the village where the original null/Lyon family emigrated and compare subjects with and without CBG mutations, without previous knowledge of their mutation status., Design, Setting, and Participants: We conducted a survey field study that included 495 adult residents., Main Outcomes: We assessed clinical history, CBG mutation analysis, plasma CBG, salivary cortisol, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, and the Krupp fatigue scale., Results: Eighteen of 495 participants (3.6%, seven males and 11 females) had one of two function-altering CBG mutations. All were heterozygous for the null (n = 6) or Lyon mutations (n = 12). Of 12 Lyon participants (four males and eight females), eight (two males and six females) had chronic widespread pain and five osteoarthritis with associated pain (one male and four females). Of six null participants (three males and three females), three (one male and two females) had chronic pain and four osteoarthritis with associated pain (two males and two females)., Conclusions: A high combined prevalence (3.6%) of these two CBG mutations was detected. The presence of either mutation conferred a propensity to chronic pain. In other communities, individuals with the same genetic background complain more of fatigue than pain, suggesting an environmental effect on the phenotype. These findings, combined with animal CBG gene knockout and human CBG single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype studies, suggest that CBG influences the endocrine and neurobehavioral response to stress, including the development of pain/fatigue syndromes.

Enterobacter cloacae can be recovered in the spontaneous fermentations of Italian table olives. In this study, the effects of salt (20 to 100 g/L), temperature (10 to 37 degrees C), pH (4 to 5 and 8 to 10), p-coumaric and vanillic acids (0.5 to 2 g/L), and the acidification of the medium through lactic, citric, and ascorbic acids were investigated on 15 strains of E. cloacae, isolated from Italian table olives "Bella di Cerignola." Finally, a confirmatory experiment in synthetic brine was run. The strains were inhibited only by an NaCl amount of 70 to 80 g/L and by p-coumaric acid; on the other hand, they showed the ability to grow also at low temperatures (10 to 15 degrees C). The confirmatory experiment highlighted their ability to survive both at 15 degrees C and at pH 5. Enterobacter cloacae could be a real problem for the fermentation of table olives in southern Italy; some hurdles could be used (salt or brine acidification), but some environmental conditions (for example, the temperature) should be controlled carefully to maintain olive safety at acceptable levels.

Aims: To determine the (1) incidence of adverse drug events (ADEs) in 10 emergency department (EDs) of general hospitals in the Regione Campania (southern Italy), (2) rate of ADE-related hospital admissions, (3) drug classes most frequently involved, and (4) the types of ADEs and their frequency., Methods: We performed a cohort study of all patients attending the EDs. This study was carried out in two observational periods of 10 days each in 10 EDs. Demographic, clinical, and pharmacological data about all patients admitted to EDs were collected by trained and qualified monitors. Records related to ADEs were analyzed and validated by a specific scientific committee., Results: Of 7,861 ED visits, 96 were ADE-related. The incidence of hospitalization was higher in patients who had taken medication than in patients with a negative drug history (24.9 vs. 16.4%). ADEs were significantly more frequent in women. Patients aged between 60 and 69 years and between 30 and 39 years were significantly more likely to experience an ADE. Serious ADEs were identified in 20 ED visits (20.8% of total sample). Antibiotics, NSAIDs, and agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system were the drugs most often involved in ADEs. In multivariate analyses, the adjusted odds ratio was 3.4 (95% CI: 1.07-2.84) for patients taking NSAIDs, 4.78 (95% CI: 2.26-10.12) for those taking beta(2)-adrenergic-receptor agonists, and 6.20 (95%CI: 2.74-14.06) for those taking beta-lactam antibiotics., Conclusion: This study shows that ADEs are an important problem in industrialized countries. Moreover, it shows that ADEs affect hospital admission rates and reinforces the importance of drug-induced disease as a public health problem.

Mutations in the amyloid-beta protein precursor (AbetaPP) gene can cause autosomal dominant early-onset Alzheimer's disease, or Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), cerebral hemorrhage, or both. We have previously reported that the AbetaPP A713T mutation is associated with AD and subcortical ischemic lesions at magnetic resonance imaging in a large family which neuropathology confirmed CAA, stroke, and AD lesions. The objective of this clinical and molecular study was to investigate AbetaPP gene mutations in 59 patients affected by AD with cerebrovascular lesions (CVLs) and a family history of dementia. We identified three affected subjects with the AbetaPP A713T mutation. Since the prevalence of this mutation worldwide is very low, a common founder could exist in southern Italy. The pathogenicity of this mutation was confirmed and the clinical AD phenotype with CVLs seems to be a distinctive feature in the southern Italian population. The identification of these patients suggests that genetic epidemiology in large cohorts of familial late onset AD with CVLs would increase the probability of identifying AbetaPP mutations.

Background: Few data are available from large population-based studies on survival and renal outcome of patients with renal involvement and different types of systemic amyloidosis., Methods: Two hundred and ninety of over 373 patients affected from systemic amyloidosis with renal involvement diagnosed in Italy between January 1995 and December 2000 were followed from diagnosis to death or until the last available clinical control. Eighty-three patients were excluded from analysis either because the amyloid type remained undetermined or they were lost at follow-up. Clinical and laboratory information was collected according to the different types of amyloidosis using a specific form which included renal function with 24 h proteinuria at diagnosis and at the end of follow-up, the type and the date of onset of dialysis and the kind of treatment they underwent., Results: The median time of follow-up was 24 months in primary (AL) amyloidosis (range: 1-88 months), 16 months in AL with associated multiple myeloma (MM + AL: range 1-76 months), 30 months in reactive (AA) amyloidosis (range: 1-99 months) and 52 months in patients with familial forms (AF: range 14-82 months). Patients with AL showed a significantly shorter survival than AA. Despite no significant differences of renal outcome or survival on dialysis being observed between the two groups, a lower renal survival with a higher number of patients who progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was observed in patients with AA. Overall survival was markedly improved in patients with AL who underwent a specific therapy (conventional chemotherapy or autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT)) even in the absence of a positive kidney response. Multivariate analysis showed cardiac involvement and specific therapy to significantly influence survival in AL whereas age, serum creatinine (sCr) and heart involvement significantly affected survival in AA. In both groups, sCr and heart involvement were the most relevant predictors for renal outcome, together with urinary protein excretion, in patients with AA., Conclusions: Our results show a worse survival in AL due to the higher prevalence of heart involvement in this group and emphasize that a specific therapy significantly prolongs survival and slows the progression of renal disease in patients with AL. We suggest that a late nephrological referral is likely the cause of the higher sCr found at presentation in patients with AA and probably accounts for the lower renal survival observed in the short term in these patients. At the time being, renal transplantation and ASCT are still rare therapeutic options for renal patients affected from systemic amyloidosis.