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The Cochrane Collaboration (CC) is an international initiative to develop systematic reviews about the effectiveness of health interventions, in 2012 involving more than 28,000 researchers and healthcare professionals from over 100 countries. It is a World Health Organization’s member. This work aims at exploring and identifying the public health topics which the CC has focused on. This descriptive analysis should be key in addressing and expanding Italian participation in the Cochrane research network. We read and analyzed web pages of CC, Cochrane Groups, Cochrane editors and affiliated institutions, and interviewed some editors during the last Cochrane Colloquium meetings. The study found that CC is targeted at many topics in public health fields, but some emblematic areas of Italian research, such as healthcare-associated infections and issues of environmental health, are not present and might represent opportunities for Italian groups.

This study compares the physicochemical characteristics of six species from Brazilian Malvaceae family with natural fibers of recognized applicability in the industry. The objective of the present study is present the physicochemical characterization of six Brazilian vegetal fibers: Sida rhombifolia L.; Sida carpinifolia L. f.; Sidastrum paniculatum (L.) Fryxell; Sida cordifolia L.; Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Gurck; Wissadula subpeltata (Kuntze) R.E.Fries. Respectively the two first species are from Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome and the four remaining from Brazilian Cerrado biome, despite of present in other regions of the plane, The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding by FAPESP (“Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo”) and CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) and CNPq (“Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico”)

The employ of vegetal fibers for textiles has a great potential in economic and social sustainable development. The objective of the present study is the physical characterization of seven vegetal fibers from Atlantic Forest species: (Euphorbiaceae) - Alchornea sidifolia Muell. Arg.; Alchornea triplinervia (Spreng.) Mueller and Croton floribundus Spreng.; (Fabaceae) - Platymiscium floribundum Spreng.; (Annonaceae) - Guatteria australis S. St. Hil; (Boraginaceae) - Cordia sellowiana Cham.; (Uhnaceae) - T rema micrantha (L.) Blume. The branches of these species were retted in Water at 37°C for 25 days. The fibers were tested in order to determine tensile rupture strength, tenacity, elongation, Young’s modulus, cross microscopic structure, Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), regain, combustion, the pH of the aqueous extract, acid, alkali, organic solvent and cellulase effects. The obtained values were compared with those from recognized applicability in the textile industry.

A standing posture including various ankle positions might effectively facilitate pelvic floor muscle activity (PFMa) in incontinent women, and an ankle dorsiflexion (DS) at 15 degrees was identified as the best position able to increase PFMa. Nevertheless, this ankle inclination is very uncomfortable. We carried out this study aiming at identifying smaller ankle inclinations able to significantly affect PFMa in incontinent women reducing patient discomfort.Twenty women, not yet entered menopause and with mild-moderate uncomnplicated stress urinary incontinence, were enrolled. An electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback instrument using surface electrodes was employed to measure changes in PFMa while each patient assumed the following different ankle inclinations in upright position: horizontal standing (HS); DS at degrees (5DS), 10 degrees (10DS) and 15 degrees (15DS); and ankle plantar flexion (PS) at 5 degrees (5PS), 10 degrees (10PS) and 15 degrees (15PS).No EMG differences were found between HS and PS. PFM tension in DS, at whatever angle, was significantly greater than in both HS (P0.020) and PS (P0.040). No differences were found between IODS and 15DS in terms of resting PFMa. Concerning maximal PFMa, it was higher in 10DS than in 15DS (P = 0.010), and in 5PS than in both 5DS (P = 0.006) and 15DS (P = 0.010); no EMG differences were found between 5PS and 10DS.These preliminary results showed that 10DS in upright standing had comparable effects on resting PFMa than 15DS with same effectiveness and less patient's discomfort, facilitating a better maximal contraction. Moreover a slight PS might effectively facilitate maximal PFMa.

International audience; no abstract

International audience; no abstract

Purpose. To estimate the prevalence of self-reported sleep disorders (SD), to examine associations among demographic characteristics and familiar factors with SD, between SD and daytime sleep-related disorders (DD) and between evening habits and SD. Methods. An anonymous questionnaire was proposed to 1563 students (aged 14-21 years, mean age 16.5 ± 1.5; 42.8% males, 57.2% females) attending all classes of two high schools in Verona (North-East of Italy). Data were analyzed by some per- sonal and familial characteristics, by definition of three sleeper groups (non problem, occasional problem or problem-sleepers). Moreover SD were put in relation with DD and with some per- sonal evening attitudes. Results. The 75.5% of the subjects report at least one SD. Dif- ficulty falling asleep is the most frequent SD. The DD concern 91.2% of the sample. Females are more involved than males in SD and DD. All SD result strongly associated with the referred DD, except for sleepiness. Sport is significantly correlated with a minor prevalence of SD. Smoking and studying appear to be associated with SD. Conclusions. Since SD in youth constitute an important Public Health matter with a severe social impact they would be accu- rately studied to offer youth appropriate counselling given the importance of lifestyle in determining good sleep., Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene, Vol 50, No 2 (2009)

Wheat foot rot caused by Fusarium species is a worldwide wheat disease against which the use of biocontrol agents is of increasing interest. Mycoparasitic activities of a strain of five antagonistic fungi, Gliocladium roseum (GR11), Penicillium frequentans (PF), Trichoderma atroviride (TA312), T. longibrachiatum (TL9) and T. harzianum (TH144), against three pathogens, Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum and F. nivale, were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM observations suggested that the outcome of interaction between antagonist and pathogen occurred when intimate contact was established between hyphae triggering a series of events in pathogen degradation. The interaction between Trichoderma spp. and Fusarium spp. revealed that the mycoparasitic hyphae were usually attached longitudinally to the hyphae of the pathogens; hyphal coilings, hooks, pincer-shaped structures, short contact branches and hyphal depressions were also present. GR11 and PF hyphae grew mainly parallel to the pathogen causing its hyphal depression. The parasitic action of the antagonists shown with the formation of pincers, hooks and other structures leading to cell disruption, goes some way towards explaining their mode of action in the biological control of the pathogens studied.