Does school reopening affect SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school-age children in Milan?

The benefits of schools' closure, used as a containment strategy by many European countries, must be carefully considered against the adverse effects of child wellbeing. In this study, we assessed SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence, which better estimates the real extent of the infection unraveling asymptomatic cases, among schoolchildren aged 3 to 18 in Milan, using dried blood spot, a safe and extremely viable methods for children, and then compared it between September 2020 and January 2021. Secondly, we evaluated the seroconversion rate and compared it between students attending schools in presence and those switched to distance-learning, using a logistic regression model, both as univariate and multivariate, adjusting for age and biological-sex. Among 1109 pupils, we found a seroprevalence of 2.8% in September before school reopening, while in January 2021, the seropositive rate was 12.5%, reflecting the general growth rate of infections during the second pandemic wave. The overall seroconversion rate was 10%, with no differences based on biological-sex and age groups; we observed no seroreversion. When considered age groups, the seroconversion rate was 10.5% (95%Confidence Interval, 2.9-24.8) among children attending preschools, 10.6% (95%Confidence Interval, 8.2-13.4) for primary schools, 9.9% (95%Confidence Interval, 6.8-13.8) for secondary schools, and 7.8% (95%Confidence Interval, 4-13.2) among high-school students. Interestingly, no differences in seroconversion rate were found between students who attended school compared to those who started remote learning in the first days of November. Furthermore, most patients (61%) reported that the contact occurred within the household. We reported a low seroconversion rate among school children in Milan, with no differences between those who attended from September 2020 to January 2021 compared to those who switched to remote learning in the first days of November. Our data suggest that schools do not amplify SARS-CoV-2 transmission, but rather reflect the level of the transmission in the community.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and acute kidney injury in endovascular aneurysm repair or open aortic repair: a pilot study

Introduction

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently after abdominal aortic surgery and there is currently no effective marker able to detect early onset. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) to early identify the development of acute renal damage in patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) or open aortic repair (OAR).

Materials and methods

Serial samples of blood and urine were obtained from 25 patients undergoing both EVAR and OAR. Seven male subjects with AKI and 18 subjects with no-AKI (17 males, 1 female) were included in the study. We determined concentrations of serum creatinine (sCr) and urinary, serum and whole blood NGAL (uNGAL, sNGAL, bNGAL) collected at baseline, and after 4 and 18 hours. AKI was defined according to the RIFLE criteria (risk, injury, failure, loss of kidney function, and end-stage kidney disease): increase by 50% in sCr or reduction of at least 25% of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline.

Results

Seven patients developed AKI in the stage Risk. There was no significant difference in sNGAL concentrations in the AKI group as compared to no-AKI group. However, the uNGAL/uCreatinine ratio and bNGAL concentrations were significantly higher after 18 hours in the AKI group (no-AKI 1.69 (0.91 - 2.47) vs AKI 3.2 (2.08 - 5.92) ng/mg for uNGAL/uCreatinine ratio, P = 0.036; and no-AKI 83 (59 - 131) vs AKI 164 (126 - 263) ng/mL for bNGAL, P = 0.029).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that uNGAL, sNGAL and bNGAL, after abdominal aortic surgery, are not suitable as early biomarkers of AKI.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms in migrant children admitted to an Italian cardiac surgery department, 2015-2016

Screening on hospital admission to identify multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) colonization is a frequently discussed topic. We report the results of microbiological screening in 141 Italian and 354 migrant children candidates for cardiac surgery conducted in 2015-2016. In all, 25% of Italian children and more than 65.4% of African and Romanian children carried at least one MDRO (meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus; extended-spectrum β-lactamase enzymes; carbapenemase producers; and vancomycin-resistant enterococci). Based on our findings, we propose that non-geographically limited approaches are needed to improve infection prevention and control.

Validity, responsiveness and feasibility of an Italian version of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for patients with ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the present study was to produce an Italian version of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) in a group of patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and examine the psychometric properties of this version, evaluating its internal consistency, external validity and reliability. Responsiveness and feasibility were also taken into account.

METHODS

The Italian COPM, the Italian version of the COPM, was administered to 30 Caucasian patients affected by AS (24 males, 6 females, median age 48 yrs, range 32-67, median disease duration 14 yrs, range 1-30 yrs) together with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity (BASDAI) and the Italian version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha for reliability. Construct validity of the COPM was evaluated by a correlation between the BASFI, BASDAI and HAQ scores. Test-retest reliability was assessed by the Intraclass correlation coefficient. Responsiveness and feasibility were also considered.

RESULTS

All patients completed the validation study. The questionnaire was internally consistent (alpha coefficient=0.774). A significant correlation was recorded between the COPM and the BASFI (rho=-0.566, p<0.01), BASDAI (rho=-0.491, p<0.01). Test-retest reliability showed a good correlation coefficient and it was confirmed by Bland-Altman method.

CONCLUSIONS

The Italian COPM is a valid and reliable instrument focused to detect change in a client's perception of occupational performance over time, in AS patients. Our results confirm the utility of this questionnaire to measure outcome and in planning treatment intervention for patients with AS.

Definitive evidence for the actual contribution of yeast in the transformation of neutral precursors of grape aromas

Experiments were designed to demonstrate the actual contribution of yeast in the formation of the primary aroma during the vinification of neutral grapes. Ruché was chosen as the model wine to study because of its unique fragrance. A yeast strain specific for Ruché was selected using a new and rapid isolation method for red wines. The results of this study can be summarized as follows: Skins from nonaromatic white or red grapes apparently contain most of the primary aroma compounds that are revealed in the must only after contact with yeast cells under defined conditions. Similar results were obtained with the pulp and seeds fractions; however, the olfactory notes, although well characterized, differed from those obtained with skins alone. Clarification, filtration, and centrifugation of the pulp and seed fractions or sonification of the skins produce different and well-characterized olfaction notes during the contact with yeast. The primary aroma of nonaromatic white and red grapes contained in the skins can be revealed within 24-48 h of yeast contact in a synthetic nutrient medium (SNM). The primary aroma precursors extracted from the skins with methanol, water-saturated butanol, or aqueous buffer at pH 3.2, concentrated and eluted from a C18 resin column, can be transformed to the free form wine aroma markers within 6 h of contact with yeast cells in SNM. By contrast, prolonged maceration of the skins in aqueous alcoholic buffer at pH 3.2 or 1.1, at 50 or 70 degrees C did not release primary odors typical of wine. The individual primary aroma compounds, identified by GC-MS analysis in Ruché wine samples or in Ruché skin-yeast-SNM samples, could not explain the complexity of the typical Ruché wine odor. Only odors common to many wine varieties were identified by GC-olfactometry analysis.