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Giuliotti L, Benvenuti MN, Preziuso G, Ventura E, Fresi P, Cecchi F. Demography and Genealogical Analysis of Massese Sheep, a Native Breed of Tuscany. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:582. [PMID: 38396550 PMCID: PMC10886389 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the genealogical and demographic trends of the Massese sheep breed in Tuscany from 2001 to 2021. The Herd Book kept by the Italian Sheep and Goat Breeders Association (Asso.Na.Pa) provided the data. The descriptive statistics were analyzed using JMP software. The pedigree parameters of a total of 311,056 animals (whole population-WP) were analyzed using CFC, ENDOG, and Pedigree viewer software. A total of 24,586 animals born in the period 2007-2021 represented the Reference Population (RP), and 18,554 animals the Base Population (BP). The demographic results showed an inconsistent trend of offspring registration. This study showed a short period of productivity for both ewes and rams, with means of 1.47 and 19.2 registered newborn ewes and rams, respectively. The genealogical analysis revealed incomplete data, highlighting inaccurate assessments of the relationships among the animals, and inbreeding with large differences among provinces. The average inbreeding coefficient in the WP was 1.16%, and it was 2.26% in the RP. The total number of inbreds was 2790 in the WP, with an average FPED of 13.56%, and 2713 in the RP, with an average FPED of 12.82%. The use of pedigree data is a key and economical approach to calculating inbreeding and relationship coefficients. It is the primary step in genetic management, playing a crucial role in the preservation of a breed. The regular updating of genealogical data is the first step to ensuring the conservation of animal genetic resources, and this study is compromised by the lack of such updates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorella Giuliotti
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.N.B.); (G.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Maria Novella Benvenuti
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.N.B.); (G.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Giovanna Preziuso
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.N.B.); (G.P.); (F.C.)
| | - Emilia Ventura
- Veterinarian Free lance, Via dell’alberaccio 15, 56017 San Giuliano Terme, Italy;
| | - Pancrazio Fresi
- Asso.Na.Pa (Associazione Nazionale della Pastorizia), Via XXIV Maggio 44, 00187 Roma, Italy;
| | - Francesca Cecchi
- Department of Veterinary Science, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.N.B.); (G.P.); (F.C.)
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Manneschi G, Caldarella A, Caini S, Checchi S, Intrieri T, Chiarugi A, Nardini P, Masala G. The Burden of Thin Melanomas in Tuscany, Italy, 1985-2017: Age- and Sex-Specific Temporal Trends in Incidence and Mortality. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:536. [PMID: 38339287 PMCID: PMC10854552 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
A steady increase in the incidence and mortality burden correlated to thin melanomas (≤1 mm) has been reported in recent years in some international studies, but there is currently a paucity of data from the Mediterranean area. We aimed to describe the epidemiological characteristics of thin melanoma in Tuscany, Central Italy. A total of 6002 first cutaneous invasive melanomas occurring from 1985 to 2017 were selected for analysis; data were retrieved from the local population-based cancer registry. The standardized incidence rate was 15.0 per 100,000 in the population, higher among men than women (16.5 vs. 14.1). Incidence rates tended to increase over time across all age group-specific population strata, with annual percent changes moderately higher among men (+8.0%) than women (+6.9%), especially among the elderly. Among both sexes and in each age group, the trend toward increasing incidence rates was particularly strong for thin melanomas. Survival was better among women than men across all categories of thickness. Approximately 15% of deaths occurred among patients with thin lesions, with no major temporal changes in recent years. This study contributes to an improved understanding of melanoma epidemiology in Tuscany and underscores the need for primary prevention strategies tackling the growing burden of thin melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Manneschi
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.M.); (A.C.); (T.I.); (G.M.)
| | - Adele Caldarella
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.M.); (A.C.); (T.I.); (G.M.)
| | - Saverio Caini
- Cancer Risk Factors and Lifestyle Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy
| | - Saverio Checchi
- Postgraduate School in Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, 50144 Florence, Italy;
| | - Teresa Intrieri
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.M.); (A.C.); (T.I.); (G.M.)
| | - Alessandra Chiarugi
- Screening and Secondary Prevention Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Oncological Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (A.C.); (P.N.)
| | - Paolo Nardini
- Screening and Secondary Prevention Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Oncological Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (A.C.); (P.N.)
| | - Giovanna Masala
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Institute for Cancer Research, Prevention and Clinical Network (ISPRO), 50139 Florence, Italy; (G.M.); (A.C.); (T.I.); (G.M.)
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Polidori C, Gabrieli P, Arnoldi I, Negri A, Soresinetti L, Faggiana S, Ferrari A, Ronchetti F, Brilli M, Bandi C, Epis S. Morphological and molecular insights into the diversity of Leptoconops biting midges from a heavily infested Mediterranean area. Curr Res Parasitol Vector Borne Dis 2023; 4:100142. [PMID: 37822789 PMCID: PMC10562859 DOI: 10.1016/j.crpvbd.2023.100142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The genus Leptoconops Skuse (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are blood-sucking midges known to pester humans and domestic animals. In certain Mediterranean areas, midges occur in large numbers during summer and limit the use of recreational areas, also raising serious health and social concerns. Despite such impact, the diversity and distribution of Leptoconops in Maremma Regional Park (Tuscany Region, Italy), a heavily infested area, is not well known, and neither molecular nor detailed morphological studies exist. We sampled adult midge females in six areas and used high-resolution digital stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy to identify species and investigate the morphology of structures involved in host searching/recognition (antennae and maxillary palps) and host attack (mouthparts). We also performed energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the elemental composition of mouthparts. Finally, the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was amplified and sequenced, to confirm species identification of collected specimens. We identified two species: Leptoconops (L.) irritans Noé and Leptoconops (L.) noei Clastrier & Coluzzi, with the former being more frequently sampled than the latter and closer to sea coast and rivers. The antennal segments appeared slightly more globular in L. noei than in L. irritans. Five types of trichoid, basiconic and chaetic sensilla were found on the antennae, with some differences between the two species. Mouthparts had the labellum visibly larger in L. noei compared with L. irritans. The maxillary palps possessed a pit filled with bulb-shaped sensilla, which appeared denser in L. noei than in L. irritans. Mouthpart cuticle included Calcium (Ca) and Aluminum (Al) at small but significant concentrations (0.3-1.0%) in both species. Our results suggest that the limited but appreciable differences in sensory system between the studied species of Leptoconops and other Ceratopogonidae may reflect different host or habitat preferences, a scenario potentially suggested also by preliminarily data on their distribution in the studied area. The presence of Ca and Al in the cuticle of mouthparts may help host skin drilling during bite activity. Finally, the gene sequences obtained in this study provide a first reference for future investigations on the taxonomy and dispersal patterns of Leptoconops spp. in the Mediterranean area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Polidori
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Paolo Gabrieli
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Irene Arnoldi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy
- University School of Advanced Studies Pavia, IUSS, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Agata Negri
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Soresinetti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Ferrari
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy (ESP), University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Federico Ronchetti
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Matteo Brilli
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Epis
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center “Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi”, University of Milan, Milan, 20133, Italy
- Italian Malaria Network, Inter University Center for Malaria Research, University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
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Crescenzi F, Neri L. Estimating fuzzy measures of deprivation at local level in Tuscany. Qual Quant 2023:1-20. [PMID: 37359972 PMCID: PMC10220345 DOI: 10.1007/s11135-023-01679-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we estimate monetary and non-monetary poverty measures at two sub-regional levels in the region of Tuscany (Italy) using data from the ad-hoc Survey on Vulnerability and Poverty held by Regional Institute from Economic Planning of Tuscany (IRPET). We estimate the percentage of households living in poverty conditions and three supplementary fuzzy measures of poverty regarding deprivation in basic needs and lifestyle, children deprivation, and financial insecurity. The key feature of the survey is that it was carried out after the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore, some of the items collected focus on the subjective perception of poverty eighteen months after the beginning of the pandemic. We assess the quality of these estimates either with initial direct estimates along with their sampling variance, and with a secondary small area estimation when the formers are not sufficiently accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Crescenzi
- Department of Economics, Engineering, Society, Business Organization, Tuscia University, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Laura Neri
- Department of Economics and Statistics, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Seghieri C, Ferrè F, Foresi E, Borghini A. Healthcare costs of diabetic foot disease in Italy: estimates for event and state costs. Eur J Health Econ 2023; 24:169-177. [PMID: 35511310 PMCID: PMC9985574 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01462-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate healthcare costs of diabetic foot disease (DFD) in a large population-based cohort of people with type-2 diabetes (T2D) in the Tuscany region (Italy). DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Administrative healthcare data of Tuscany region, with 2018 as the base year. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study assessing a longitudinal cohort of patients with T2D. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Using administrative healthcare data, DFD were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. METHODS We examined the annual healthcare costs of these clinical problems in patients with T2D between 2015 and 2018; moreover, we used a generalized linear model to estimate the total healthcare costs. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Between 2015 and 2018, patients with T2D experiencing DFD showed significantly higher average direct costs than patients with T2D without DFD (p < 0.0001). Among patients with T2D experiencing DFD, those who experienced complications either in 2015-2017 and in 2018 incurred the highest incremental costs (incremental cost of € 16,702) followed by those with complications in 2018 only (incremental cost of € 9,536) and from 2015 to 2017 (incremental cost of € 800). CONCLUSIONS DFD significantly increase healthcare utilization and costs among patients with TD2. Healthcare costs of DFD among patients with T2D are associated with the timing and frequency of DFD. These findings should increase awareness among policymakers regarding resource reallocation toward preventive strategies among patients with T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Seghieri
- Department EMbeDS, Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Ferrè
- Department EMbeDS, Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Elisa Foresi
- Department EMbeDS, Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Alice Borghini
- Department EMbeDS, Institute of Management, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
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Campigli S, Rizzo D. First Report of Xanthomonas hydrangeae Causing Leaf Spot on Oakleaf Hydrangea ( Hydrangea quercifolia) in Tuscany (Italy). Plant Dis 2023; 107:2514. [PMID: 36724025 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-11-22-2607-pdn] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydrangeas (Hydrangea L.) are popular ornamental plants used in urban landscapes and gardens worldwide for the beauty of their large flowers. In June 2022, dark brown/purple and irregular water-soaked spots coalescing into large areas of necrosis were observed on the leaves of potted Hydrangea quercifolia Bartr. plants growing in two ornamentals nurseries in Pistoia, Tuscany, Italy. Isolations, using two symptomatic plants/nursery, were performed by excising small portions of leaf tissue from the margin of the lesions, and macerating them in 100 μl of sterile distilled water (SDW). After 15 min of incubation, a loopful of the resulting suspension was streaked on yeast extract-dextrose-CaCO3 agar (YDCA) amended with 60 mg L-1 cycloheximide. Mucoid, convex and yellow colonies appeared on YDCA after incubation at 28°C for 48h. After colony purification on yeast extract-nutrient-agar (YNA), two isolates from each nursery were subject to amplification and sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA using universal primers FD1/RD1, for genus identification (Vauterin et al. 2000; Weisburg et al. 1991). All 16S rRNA sequences (OP441051) were identical and BLASTn searches indicated that the isolates belong to the genus Xanthomonas [99.9% nucleotide identity with X. hydrangeae strain LMG 31885 (LR990741.1) and 99.8% with strain LMG 31884T (NR_181958.1)]. For classification at species level, fragments of the housekeeping genes gyrB, rpoD, dnaK, and fyuA, were amplified according to Young et al. (2008). Both strands were sequenced and the consensus sequences aligned using MUSCLE as implemented in MEGA X (Kumar et al. 2018). Homologous sequences were once again identical between the isolates. A neighbor joining phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated fragments, was carried out, using the Tuscan isolate HyQ-Tu1, the type/pathotype strains of the seven pathovars of X.hortorum, proposed by Morinière et al. (2020), the four X.hydrangeae strains characterized by Dia et al. (2021) and the type strain of X.populi as the outgroup. The analysis indicated that HyQ-Tu1 isolate clusters within the X. hydrangeae branch of the recently described X. hortorum - X. hydrangeae species complex (Morinière et al. 2020; Dia et al. 2021; 2022). In agreement with this result, isolates tested positive to the LAMP assay specific for members of the complex's clade C (X. hydrangeae) (Dia et al. 2022). Based on molecular evidence, the isolates were identified as X. hydrangeae (Dia et al. 2021; Oren and Garrity, 2022). Three healthy H. quercifolia potted plants were inoculated by rubbing a 10 µl droplet of a bacterial suspension of X. hydrangeae HyQ-Tu1 adjusted to an OD600 of 0.3 (approx. 108 CFU/ml) in SDW on the adaxial surface of two leaves per plant. Two control leaves/plant were inoculated with SDW. Each inoculated leaf was enclosed for 24h in a polyethylene bag and all plants were maintained in a greenhouse at 28°C. Nine days post inoculation (DPI), leaf spots similar to those observed on naturally infected plants started to become evident on the bacteria-inoculated leaves while control leaves remained asymptomatic throughout the trial (21 DPI). Koch's postulates were fulfilled by re-isolating the bacterium from the symptomatic tissues, obtaining a positive amplification with the clade C-specific LAMP assay (Dia et al. 2022), and confirming that the gyrB sequence was 100% identical to that of X. hydrangeae HyQ-Tu1. Housekeeping gene sequences were submitted to GenBank (OP456006-9). Members of the X. hortorum - X. hydrangeae species complex have been reported to affect H. quercifolia in the USA (Uddin et al. 1996) and H. quercifolia and H. arborescens L. in Belgium (Cottyn et al. 2021). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation of X. hydrangeae causing disease on H. quercifolia in Italy. Further work is required to verify the presence of the bacterium in other European countries and to assess the economic impact that it causes within and outside nurseries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Campigli
- DAGRI, Piazzale delle Cascine 28Firenze, Italy, 50144
- Università degli Studi, Firenze, DAGRI, Piazzale delle Cascine 28, Italy;
| | - Domenico Rizzo
- Regione Toscana, Laboratorio Servizio Fitosanitario Regionale, Pescia, Pistoia, Italy;
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Silvestri C, Profili F, Bartolacci S, Voller F, Stasi C. Foreigners living in Tuscany at the time of coronavirus outbreak. J Migr Health 2023; 7:100179. [PMID: 36960329 PMCID: PMC10022458 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmh.2023.100179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background During the coronavirus outbreak, a worldwide state of emergency and lockdown significantly affected the volunteer services for foreigners. The SARS-CoV-2 surveillance program was strengthened among migrants arriving in Italy. However, few screening measures for SARS-CoV2 infection have been conducted on the foreign population already present in Italy. In Tuscany, a great effort was made to know the epidemiological features of coronavirus outbreaks in the foreigners. Based on these premises, this study describes the prevalence and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in foreigners present in the Tuscan territory during the months of the highest incidence of this pandemic. Methods Ministry of Health established the COVID-19 surveillance and predisposed the methods for reporting cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in agreement with the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. Data on SARS-CoV-2, updated daily, were collected based on the platform of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità.For each patient were available data on diagnosis, gender, age, nationality, exposure place, hospitalization and symptoms severity. Symptoms severity was classified using a 6-level scale (asymptomatic, paucisymptomatic, mild symptoms, severe symptoms, critic, and died). Results By July 14, 2020, 10,090 SARS-CoV-2 cases were recorded. Out of 10,090 cases, 8,947 were Italians (88.7%), 608 foreigners (6%); in 535 patients (5.3%) citizenship was missing. The average age of foreigners was 44.1 years (range: 42.9-45.4), compared to 61.1 years (range: 60.7-61.5) of Italians. Chronic pathologies affected 16.8% of foreigners (14.0% -20.0%) and 36.4% of Italians (35.4% -37.4%). Foreigners with asymptomatic or mild symptoms of COVID-19 were 81.7% (78.4% -84.6%), while the Italians were 67% (66.6% -68.5%). Foreigners with severe COVID-19 were 15.2% (12.6% -18.4%) and Italians were 17.6% (16.8% -18.4%). Foreigners in critical conditions were 1.0% (0.5% -2.2%) and Italians were 2.6% (2.3% -3.0%). 38.6% (33.7% -43.7%) of foreigners were infected at the workplace as a health or social-health worker, compared to 24.2% (23.1% -25.4%) of Italians. Conclusion The time between the onset of symptoms and the execution of the laboratory tests was similar between foreigners and Italians. The foreigners infected by SARS-COV-2 were younger compared to the Italians. Foreigners showed few comorbidities, and asymptomatic or mild symptomatic COVID-19, and consequently, a low lethality index. National and Tuscany policy decisions are needed to create equity in the access to the health care system for immigrants and their families, regardless of their immigration status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Fabio Voller
- Epidemiology Unit, Tuscany Regional Health Agency, Florence, Italy
| | - Cristina Stasi
- Epidemiology Unit, Tuscany Regional Health Agency, Florence, Italy
- MASVE Interdepartmental Hepatology Center, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence and CRIA-MASVE Center for Research and Innovation, Careggi University Hospital, 50134 Florence, Italy
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Bilancini E, Boncinelli L, Di Paolo R, Menicagli D, Pizziol V, Ricciardi E, Serti F. Prosocial behavior in emergencies: Evidence from blood donors recruitment and retention during the COVID-19 pandemic. Soc Sci Med 2022; 314:115438. [PMID: 36327632 PMCID: PMC9595396 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 10/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The impact of COVID-19 represents a specific challenge for voluntary transfusional systems sustained by the intrinsic motivations of blood donors. In general, health emergencies can stimulate altruistic behaviors. However, in this context, the same prosocial motivations, besides the personal health risks, could foster the adherence to social distancing rules to preserve collective health and, therefore, discourage blood donation activities. In this work, we investigate the consequences of the pandemic shock on the dynamics of new donors exploiting the individual-level longitudinal information contained in administrative data on the Italian region of Tuscany. We compare the change in new donors' recruitment and retention during 2020 with respect to the 2017-2019 period (we observe 9511 individuals), considering donors' and their municipalities of residence characteristics. Our results show an increment of new donors, with higher proportional growth for older donors. Moreover, we demonstrate that the quality of new donors, as proxied by the frequency of subsequent donations, increased with respect to previous years. Finally, we show that changes in extrinsic motivations, such as the possibility of obtaining a free antibody test or overcoming movement restrictions, cannot explain the documented increase in the number of new donors and in their performance. Therefore, our analyses indicate that the Tuscan voluntary blood donation system was effective in dealing with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Loni A, Vanin S, Fornaciari A, Tomei PE, Giuffra V, Benelli G. Back to the Middle Ages: Entomological and Botanical Elements Reveal New Aspects of the Burial of Saint Davino of Armenia. Insects 2022; 13:1113. [PMID: 36555023 PMCID: PMC9786730 DOI: 10.3390/insects13121113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The natural mummy of Saint Davino Armeno (11th century) is preserved in the church of Saint Michele in Foro in the city of Lucca (Tuscany, Central Italy). The body of Davino is one of the oldest Italian mummies of a Saint, and his paleopathological study was performed in 2018. In the present research, we investigated the arthropod fragments and botanical remains collected from the body, coffin, and fabrics of Saint Davino. Entomological analyses outlined the presence of 192 arthropod fragments. Among these, Diptera, Muscidae (Hydrotaea capensis and Muscina sp.), and Phoridae (Conicera sp.) puparia were the most abundant. Regarding Coleoptera, Ptinidae (Anobium punctatum) were the most frequent, followed by Cleridae (Necrobia sp.), Trogidae (Trox scaber), Curculionidae (Sitophilus granarius), and Histeridae (Gnathoncus). Cocoons of Tineidae and Pyralidae moths were found, along with a propodeum joined to the petiole and a mesopleuron of an Ichneumoninae parasitoid. Numerous metamera of Julida and three scorpion fragments were also found. Botanical samples indicated the presence of a quite broad botanical community, including gramineous species, olives, evergreen oaks, and grapevine. Overall, entomological data allow us to argue that Saint Davino was first buried into the soil, probably in a wooden coffin, thus supporting the historical-hagiographic tradition according to which he was buried sub divo in the cemetery of Saint Michele. The preservation of the body as a natural mummy may have been facilitated by burial in a coffin that prevented direct contact of the corpse with the earth. Botanical remains offer confirmation of a late medieval urban environment rich in horticultural areas and trees, giving us a landscape that is very different from the current Tuscan city.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto Loni
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Stefano Vanin
- Department of Earth, Environment and Life Sciences (DISTAV), University of Genova, Corso Europa, 26, 16132 Genova, Italy
- National Research Council, Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impact and Sustainability in the Marine Environment (CNR-IAS), 16128 Genova, Italy
| | - Antonio Fornaciari
- Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Paolo Emilio Tomei
- Accademia Lucchese di Scienze, Lettere e Arti, Via V. Veneto, 1, 55100 Lucca, Italy
| | - Valentina Giuffra
- Division of Paleopathology, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Via Roma 57, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy
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Del Viva MM, Mariani I, Caro CD, Paramei GV. Florence "blues" are clothed in triple basic terms. Iperception 2022; 13:20416695221124964. [PMID: 36213770 PMCID: PMC9536111 DOI: 10.1177/20416695221124964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Psycholinguistic studies provide evidence that Italian has more than one basic color term (BCT) for “blue”: consensually, blu denotes “dark blue,” while “light-and-medium blue,” with diatopic variation, is termed either azzurro or celeste. For Tuscan speakers (predominantly from Florence), the BLUE area is argued to linguistically differentiate between azzurro “medium blue” and celeste “light blue.” We scrutinized “basicness” of the three terms. Participants (N = 31; university students/graduates born in Tuscany) named each chip of eight Munsell charts encompassing the BLUE area (5BG-5PB; N = 237) using an unconstrained color-naming method. They then indicated the “best exemplar” (focal color) of blu, azzurro and celeste. We found that frequencies of the three terms and of term derivatives were comparable. Referential meaning of blu, azzurro, and celeste was estimated in CIELAB space as L*a*b*-coordinates of the mean of focal colors and as “modal” categories, that is, dispersion around the mean. The three “blue” terms were distinct on both measures and separated along all three CIELAB dimensions but predominantly along the L*-dimension. Our results provide evidence that Tuscan speakers require all three terms for naming the BLUE area, categorically refined along the lightness dimension. Furthermore, celeste appears to be a third BCT for “blue,” along with commonly considered BCTs azzurro and blu. The “triple blues” as BCTs for Tuscan speakers are in contrast with outcomes of two “blue” basic terms estimated by using the same methodology in two other locations in Italy—azzurro and blu (Verona, Veneto region) or celeste and blu (Alghero, Sardinia).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Michela Del Viva
- Maria Michela Del Viva, NEUROFARBA, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via S. Salvi 12, 50135 Florence, Italy.
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Seiffarth M, Aureli G. Social Innovation in Home-Based Eldercare: Strengths and Shortcomings of Integrating Migrant Care Workers into Long-Term Care in Tuscany. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:10602. [PMID: 36078315 PMCID: PMC9518404 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191710602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Italy is one of the main receiving countries of migrant care workers in Europe. Its migrant-in-the-family model has developed since the 1990s, and, today, home-based eldercare is unimaginable without the work of the almost one million care workers employed in private households, of whom over 75% are migrants. Despite forming one of the most important pillars of eldercare provision in the country, the employment of migrant care workers is not addressed in national policy. However, regional policymaking is far from inactive in the face of growing gaps in care as regions and municipalities play a crucial role in regulating, organising, and providing eldercare. With a focus on comprehensive solutions, cross-sector collaborations, and interactive learning processes, social innovation becomes an important element in reforming eldercare in the context of institutional inertia, fragmentation, and permanent austerity. In what ways are regions using social innovation to respond to challenges in eldercare provision and integrate migrant care workers? This study is based on interviews with experts from the region of Tuscany, which is running the project Pronto Badante (emergency care worker). The results suggest several advantages of local interventions breaking with the institutional silo mentality, as well as ongoing challenges regarding the impact and sustainability of these interventions.
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Levi M, Cipriani F, Romeo G, Balzi D. Analysis of the excess mortality and factors associated with deaths from COVID-19 versus other causes in Central Tuscany (Italy) in 2020. Epidemiol Prev 2021; 45:496-503. [PMID: 35001596 DOI: 10.19191/ep21.6.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES to assess the extent of the excess mortality from all causes in 2020 compared to 2015-2019 in Central Tuscany (Italy) as a proxy to estimate COVID-19-related excess mortality and to identify demographic and clinical differences between subjects who died from COVID-19 and those who died from other causes in 2020. DESIGN descriptive analysis of the temporal trend of general mortality. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS the study population is represented by the 1.6 million residents living in the territory of the Central Tuscany Healthcare Authority in Central Italy, i.e., little less than half of the population of Tuscany, in an area of just over one fifth of the entire region, where the provinces of Florence, Pistoia, and Prato are comprised. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: using the Italian National Resident Population Registry (ANPR) as a source of mortality data, standardized mortality ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare the number of deaths in 2020 with the number of deaths expected on the basis of mortality data from 2015 to 2019. Furthermore, after record linkage with data from the integrated surveillance of cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection and with the MaCro dataset of comorbidities, the characteristics of subjects who died from COVID-19 were compared with those of patients who died from other causes using a multivariate logistic regression model; odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS a statistically significant excess mortality was observed during the first pandemic wave in March and April, and during the second wave in the fall; it ranged between +9% in March and +51% in November. On the contrary, in January, February, and May, all-cause mortality was significantly lower than in previous years. The male gender, dyslipidaemia, and dementia were positively associated with death from COVID-19 rather than from all other causes. On the contrary, heart failure and recent tumours were more represented among deaths from other causes. CONCLUSIONS: much of the over-mortality observed in spring is attributable to the harvesting effect COVID-19 exerted on a segment of population with serious underlying chronic conditions and who in the previous months had survived a mild winter and a flu season of medium intensity. In the second pandemic wave, in autumn, the impact of both direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 was substantially higher. Consistently with the available evidence, death from COVID-19 was related to the male gender and to clinical conditions such as dyslipidaemia and dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Levi
- Epidemiology Unit, Department of Prevention, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence (Italy);
| | - Francesco Cipriani
- Epidemiology Unit, Department of Prevention, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence (Italy)
- Tuscany Regional Centre for Work-related Injuries and Diseases, Florence (Italy)
| | - Gianpaolo Romeo
- Tuscany Regional Centre for Work-related Injuries and Diseases, Florence (Italy)
| | - Daniela Balzi
- Epidemiology Unit, Department of Prevention, Central Tuscany Local Health Authority, Florence (Italy)
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Nocera I, Puccinelli C, Sgorbini M, Scoccianti S, Aloisi M, Biliotti C, Citi S. Deer Rescue in Tuscany: Retrospective Analysis and Assessment of Radiography Diagnoses. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3087. [PMID: 34827819 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Animal-vehicle collisions are the major cause of rescue and need for hospitalization in wildlife referral centers. Radiography is used to assess the traumatized animal and is a rapid means to evaluate various traumatic pathologies. Clinicians can exploit radiography when making rapid decisions about whether to euthanize or treat an animal. We evaluated data (reasons for rescue, diagnosed lesions, and outcome) from a population of hospitalized wildlife ungulates and we investigated the benefits of using radiography as a diagnostic tool. Abstract Animal-vehicle collisions are the major cause of rescue and need for hospitalization in wildlife referral centers. Clinicians need easy-to-use tools to make rapid decisions about whether to euthanize or treat injured animals. The aim of the study was to evaluate the data (reasons for rescue, diagnosed lesions, and outcome) from a hospitalized population of wildlife ungulates and investigate the benefits of using radiography as a diagnostic tool. Data were collected from three wildlife referral centers in Tuscany (Italy). The following information was collected for each animal: reason for hospitalization, clinical examination, radiographic examination, definitive diagnosis, and outcome. A chi-squared test was used to assess the benefits of radiography in detecting different traumatic lesions. Prevalence was reported according to the reason for hospitalization, definitive diagnosis, radiographic diagnosis, and outcome. The main reason for hospitalization was traumatic lesions due to vehicle collisions and 71.1% of the animals did not survive. Radiography was more useful in patients with traumatic axial skeletal lesions and/or multiple traumas with respect to traumatic appendicular skeleton lesions. Our results show that radiography is a useful diagnostic technique for assessing wildlife emergencies and it could help the clinician in making medical decisions.
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Bellini B, Cresci B, Cosentino C, Profili F, Bartolacci S, Scoccimarro D, Voller F, Balzi D, Francesconi P, Mannucci E. Obesity as a risk factor for hospitalization in COronaVirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) patients: Analysis of the Tuscany regional database. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2021; 31:769-773. [PMID: 33549434 PMCID: PMC7722497 DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2020.11.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Aim of the present study is to determine the role of obesity as a risk factor for COronaVirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) hospitalization. METHODS AND RESULTS This observational study was performed using Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS) Tuscany COVID-19 database by the Agenzia Regionale Sanità (ARS), including all COVID-19 cases registered until April 30th, 2020, with reported information on chronic diseases. The principal outcome was hospitalization. An age and gender-adjusted logistic regression model was used to assess the association of clinical and demographic characteristics with hospitalization. Further multivariate models were applied. Of 4481 included subjects (36.9% aged over 70 years), 1907 (42.6%) were admitted to hospital. Obesity was associated with hospitalization after adjusting for age and gender. The association of obesity with hospitalization retained statistical significance in a fully adjusted model, including possible confounders (OR: 2.99 [IC 95% 2.04-4.37]). The effect of obesity was more evident in younger (<70 years) than in older (≥70 years) subjects. CONCLUSIONS The present data confirm that obesity is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization in patients with COVID-19. Interestingly, the association of obesity with hospitalization was greater in younger (<70 years) patients.
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Falcone M, Giordano C, Barnini S, Tiseo G, Leonildi A, Malacarne P, Menichetti F, Carattoli A. Extremely drug-resistant NDM-9-producing ST147 Klebsiella pneumoniae causing infections in Italy, May 2020. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 25. [PMID: 33272354 PMCID: PMC7716400 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2020.25.48.2001779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
A large outbreak of New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM)-1-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type (ST) 147 occurred in Tuscany, Italy in 2018–2019. In 2020, ST147 NDM-9-producing K. pneumoniae were detected at the University Hospital of Pisa, Tuscany, in two critically ill patients; one developed bacteraemia. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses suggest relatedness of 2018–2019 and 2020 strains, with a change from NDM-1 to NDM-9 in the latter and evolution by colistin, tigecycline and fosfomycin resistance acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Falcone
- The authors contributed equally this article.,Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Cesira Giordano
- Microbiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy.,The authors contributed equally this article
| | - Simona Barnini
- Microbiology Unit, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giusy Tiseo
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Paolo Malacarne
- Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesco Menichetti
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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Zanella B, Bechini A, Bonito B, Del Riccio M, Ninci A, Tiscione E, Bonanni P, Boccalini S. A Study of Varicella Seroprevalence in a Pediatric and Adolescent Population in Florence (Italy). Natural Infection and Vaccination-Acquired Immunization. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9020152. [PMID: 33672915 PMCID: PMC7918443 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Varicella is a well-known infectious disease that can have severe complications, also in young children. The Universal Varicella Vaccination (UVV) program was introduced in Tuscany (Italy) in 2003, with a two-dose vaccine schedule given to children between their 13th and 15th month, and at 5–6 years old, as a monovalent for varicella (V) or tetravalent (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV)) formulation. Although varicella notifications have dramatically fallen in the last two decades, varicella disease underreporting remains a challenge. Methods: A qualitative immunoenzymatic test (ELISA) was used to measure the presence of anti-varicella antibodies in 165 sera of subjects aged 1–18 years residing in the province of Florence (Italy). Information regarding the anamnestic and vaccination status (including disease notification) was also collected. Results: Our study showed an overall varicella seropositivity of 75.8% (reaching the maximum at 96.3% in the 15–18 years age group). We found that varicella disease notification had been recorded for only 7/165 subjects; however, since 42/165 recalled having had the disease, we can hypothesize that some of them must have been underreported. Furthermore, our study showed that the presence of antibodies after the varicella vaccination remained over time, lasting up to 12 years. Conclusions: Although varicella seroprevalence is <95% in almost all our age groups (except for the 15–18 years age group), our data are encouraging and reflect the success of the introduction of the UVV program and the vaccination campaigns promoted in the Tuscany region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatrice Zanella
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Angela Bechini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-055-2751081
| | - Benedetta Bonito
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Marco Del Riccio
- Medical Specialization School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.D.R.); (A.N.); (W.G.D.)
| | - Alessandra Ninci
- Medical Specialization School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.D.R.); (A.N.); (W.G.D.)
| | - Emilia Tiscione
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Working Group DHS
- Medical Specialization School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (M.D.R.); (A.N.); (W.G.D.)
| | | | | | - Paolo Bonanni
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
| | - Sara Boccalini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy; (B.Z.); (B.B.); (E.T.); (P.B.); (S.B.)
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Marchi S, Montomoli E, Remarque EJ, Monteverde Spencer GT, Azzarello A, Viviani S, Trombetta CM. Pertussis over two decades: seroepidemiological study in a large population of the Siena Province, Tuscany Region, Central Italy. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e032987. [PMID: 31666278 PMCID: PMC6830678 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate seroprevalence against Bordetella pertussis in Tuscany, a large Italian region, from 1992 to 2005 and from 2013 to 2016. DESIGN Seroepidemiological study. PARTICIPANTS 1812 serum samples collected in Tuscany from subjects older than 12 years from 1992 to 2005 and from 2013 to 2016. OUTCOME MEASURES Specific antibody levels were determined by means of standard commercial ELISA using a dual cut-off of 50 and 125 IU/mL as markers of past and recent infection/vaccination, respectively. RESULTS The highest values of IgG titres were observed in 1992-1994 in all subjects (69.5 IU/mL), with prevalence values of subjects with IgG titres of >50 and >125 IU/mL of 68.3% and 23.8%, respectively. IgG titres decreased in the years thereafter (37.8 IU/mL in 2002-2005), together with prevalence values (41.7% and 8.1% in 2002-2005). In 2013-2016, both IgG titres and prevalence values showed a slight increase (50.6 IU/mL, 53.9% and 14.7%, respectively). IgG titres and prevalence followed the same age-related trend in all time periods considered, with the highest values in subjects aged 12-22 years. The lowest values were found in the age group of subjects aged 23-35 years (OR 0.54). CONCLUSIONS Since 2002, approximately half of the population over 22 years of age have low IgG titres and are presumably susceptible to acquiring and transmitting pertussis infection. In addition, in 2013-2016, almost one-third of subjects aged 12-22 years, that is, the age group most likely to have been vaccinated against pertussis in infancy, had low antibody levels. Improving vaccination coverage and implementing careful surveillance are therefore recommended in order to prevent morbidity and mortality due to pertussis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Marchi
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Emanuele Montomoli
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- VisMederi srl, Siena, Italy
| | - Edmond J Remarque
- Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | | | - Angela Azzarello
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Simonetta Viviani
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Medicine, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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Berni R, Cantini C, Guarnieri M, Nepi M, Hausman JF, Guerriero G, Romi M, Cai G. Nutraceutical Characteristics of Ancient Malus x domestica Borkh. Fruits Recovered across Siena in Tuscany. Medicines (Basel) 2019; 6:E27. [PMID: 30781616 PMCID: PMC6473857 DOI: 10.3390/medicines6010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Background: A diet rich in fruits and vegetables contributes to lowering the risk of chronic diseases. The fruits of Malus x domestica are a rich dietary source of bioactive compounds, namely vitamins and antioxidants, with recognized action on human health protection. Tuscany is known for its rich plant biodiversity, especially represented by ancient varieties of fruit trees. Particularly noteworthy are the many ancient Tuscan varieties of apple trees. Methods: Sugar quantification via HPLC and spectrophotometric assays to quantify the antioxidant power and total polyphenol content revealed interesting differences in 17 old varieties of Malus x domestica Borkh. recovered in Siena (Tuscany). Results: The quantification of antioxidants, polyphenols, and the main free sugars revealed that their content in the old fruits was often superior to the widespread commercial counterparts ('Red Delicious' and 'Golden Delicious'). Such differences were, in certain cases, dramatic, with 8-fold higher values. Differences were also present for sugars and fibers (pectin). Most ancient fruits displayed low values of glucose and high contents of xylitol and pectin. Conclusions: The results reported here suggest the possible use of ancient apple varieties from Siena for nutraceutical purposes and draw attention to the valorization of local old varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Berni
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
- Trees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), I-58022 Follonica, Italy.
| | - Claudio Cantini
- Trees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), I-58022 Follonica, Italy.
| | - Massimo Guarnieri
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Massimo Nepi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Jean-Francois Hausman
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, L-4362 Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - Gea Guerriero
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, L-4362 Esch/Alzette, Luxembourg.
| | - Marco Romi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Giampiero Cai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
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Bonsignore M, Salvagio Manta D, Mirto S, Quinci EM, Ape F, Montalto V, Gristina M, Traina A, Sprovieri M. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms from the Tuscany coast. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018; 162:554-562. [PMID: 30029101 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2018.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn were analyzed in the edible part of several species of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms collected in sensitive areas of the Tuscany coast (northern Italy). The concentration of As (0.39-78.1 μg g-1) and Hg (0.01-1.56 μg g-1) resulted in most cases higher than reference thresholds. Target hazard quotient (THQ) and lifetime cancer risk (TR) indexes were calculated to assess cancer and non-cancer risk due to oral exposure; the highest THQ values referred to As and Hg, with values ≥ 1 in 39% and 48% of cases, respectively. Total target hazard quotients (TTHQ) values suggested that the local population could experience adverse health effects due to consumption of local seafood, mainly of demersal and benthic species. Cancer risk was mainly associated with As exposure, and with Cd intake, especially through molluscs consumption. The NMDS model highlighted species specific bioaccumulation processes and specific sensitivity of species to different bioavailable heavy metals. Specifically, Mullus spp. and Scorpaena porcus preferentially accumulate Hg and Cr, Octopus vulgaris specimens were discriminated by the presence of Pb and Zn, while an evident preference for Cd and Cu was recorded in Squilla mantis. In addition, the distribution of heavy metals in organisms revealed sound differences between Follonica and Livorno sampling sites, demonstrating a highly heterogeneous anthropogenic impact in terms of heavy metals input from the industrial activity resting on land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Bonsignore
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
| | - Daniela Salvagio Manta
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy.
| | - Simone Mirto
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via G. da Verrazzano, 17, 91014 Castellammare del Golfo, TP, Italy
| | - Enza Maria Quinci
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
| | - Francesca Ape
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
| | - Valeria Montalto
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via G. da Verrazzano, 17, 91014 Castellammare del Golfo, TP, Italy
| | - Michele Gristina
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via L. Vaccara, 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, TP, Italy
| | - Anna Traina
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
| | - Mario Sprovieri
- Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, CNR, Via del Mare, 3 - 91021 Torretta Granitola - Fraz, Campobello di Mazara, TP, Italy
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Bianucci R, Charlier P, Perciaccante A, Appenzeller O, Lippi D. Malarial fevers in the fourteenth century Divine Comedy. Intern Emerg Med 2018; 13:1135-1136. [PMID: 29974387 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-018-1903-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Bianucci
- Legal Medicine Section, Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Corso Galileo Galilei, 22-10126, Turin, Italy.
- Warwick Medical School, Microbiology and Infection Unit, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Bio-culturelle, Droit, Etique and Santé (Adés), Faculté de Médecine de Marseille, UMR 7268, Marseille, France.
| | - Philippe Charlier
- Section of Medical and Forensic Anthropology (UVSQ DANTE Laboratory EA 4498), Montigny-Le-Bretonneux, France
- CASH and IPES, Nanterre, France
| | | | - Otto Appenzeller
- New Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Donatella Lippi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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BECHINI A, PAOLINI D, PIERALLI F, BAGGIANI L, MEREU G, SANTINI M, BROCCA T, GOSTINICCHI S, GORI E, BOCCALINI S, BONANNI P, BONACCORSI G. Do Tuscan people adhere to meningococcal C vaccination during an emergency campaign? J Prev Med Hyg 2018; 59:E187-E193. [PMID: 30397674 PMCID: PMC6196373 DOI: 10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2018.59.3.952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Tuscany region (Italy) recorded a rise in the number of meningococcal disease cases between January 2015 and February 2016, (52 cases) compared to 2014 (16 cases). The aim of this study was to describe the emergency meningococcal C (MenC) vaccination programme in Tuscany and the population's adherence to the activities performed in the Local Health Unit (LHU) of Florence. METHODS The MenC vaccination programme and the planning of the prevention and communication activities were analysed in the LHU of Florence. As an indicator of population's adherence, the vaccination coverage (VC) during the emergency campaign was investigated and adverse drug reactions (ADR) surveillance was reported. RESULTS The communication campaign included a dedicated toll-free telephone number, press releases (newspapers, radio, television, websites), and informative letters addressed to mayors, secondary schools, and sports associations. Citizens aged 11-20 years were the primary target of the campaign. Due to the high incidence of cases among older people, the vaccination was extended to subjects over 45 years. The population's adherence to the vaccination campaign was satisfactory: VC reached 47.1% for the primary target. The ADR reporting rate (3.1/10,000) on meningococcal vaccine in our study confirmed the safety of the vaccination. CONCLUSIONS In 2017, only 10 cases of invasive meningococcal diseases (IMD) were reported, suggesting the effectiveness of the immunization campaign. Similar VC during emergency MenC vaccination programmes have been reached in other Italian regions and other EU countries, too. The achievement of greater vaccination coverage is restricted by a sentiment of hesitancy towards vaccines among the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. BECHINI
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
- * Correspondence: Angela Bechini, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, viale G.B. Morgagni 48, 50134 Florence, Italy - Tel. +39 055 2751081 - E-mail:
| | - D. PAOLINI
- Medical School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Italy
| | - F. PIERALLI
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - G. MEREU
- Central Tuscany LHU, Florence, Italy
| | | | - T. BROCCA
- Central Tuscany LHU, Florence, Italy
| | | | - E. GORI
- Central Tuscany LHU, Florence, Italy
| | - S. BOCCALINI
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - P. BONANNI
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - G. BONACCORSI
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Braschi E, Marchionni S, Priori S, Casalini M, Tommasini S, Natarelli L, Buccianti A, Bucelli P, Costantini EAC, Conticelli S. Tracing the 87Sr/ 86Sr from rocks and soils to vine and wine: An experimental study on geologic and pedologic characterisation of vineyards using radiogenic isotope of heavy elements. Sci Total Environ 2018; 628-629:1317-1327. [PMID: 30045553 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we report an experimental study to assess the process of Sr-isotope uptake from the soil and its transfer to the grapevine and then to the wine made through micro-vinification. The experimental work has been carried out with a deep control of the boundary conditions (i.e., type of soil, geologic substratum, ground water supply, etc.) on 11 selected vine-plant sites over a period of four harvest years. Sr-isotopes have been determined on grape-bunches, grapevine sap, on the bioavailable fraction of the soil, on bulk soil, and on the rocks of the substratum. No significant Sr-isotope variability has been observed among micro-vinifications from different harvest years. A slight but significant Sr-isotope variability occurred among wines from rows embedded on different soil type. The Sr-isotope data on micro-vinifications well match those of grapevine sap and bioavailable fraction of soils, all of them falling well within the whole geological range of the bedrock, despite an evident decoupling between bioavailable fraction, whole soils and bedrocks does exist. This decoupling has been ascribed to differential geochemical behaviour of minerals in response to pedogenetic processes. The findings of our experiments indicate that the biological activity of the vine is not able to change the original 87Sr/86Sr composition up-taken from the bio-available fraction of the soil. Thus, the 87Sr/86Sr of the wine is an unadulterated feature of the terroir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Braschi
- C.N.R., Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, U.O.S. di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy; CREA, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, via di Lanciola 12a, Cascine del Riccio, I-50125 Firenze, Italy
| | - Sara Marchionni
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze, Università degli Studi di Roma III, Largo San Gesualdo Murialdo, 1, I-00146 Roma, Italy
| | - Simone Priori
- CREA, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, via di Lanciola 12a, Cascine del Riccio, I-50125 Firenze, Italy
| | - Martina Casalini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
| | - Simone Tommasini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
| | - Laura Natarelli
- CREA, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, via di Lanciola 12a, Cascine del Riccio, I-50125 Firenze, Italy
| | - Antonella Buccianti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy
| | - Pierluigi Bucelli
- CREA, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, via di Lanciola 12a, Cascine del Riccio, I-50125 Firenze, Italy
| | - Edoardo A C Costantini
- CREA, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente, via di Lanciola 12a, Cascine del Riccio, I-50125 Firenze, Italy.
| | - Sandro Conticelli
- C.N.R., Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, U.O.S. di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy; Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Giorgio La Pira 4, I-50121 Firenze, Italy.
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23
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Berni R, Romi M, Cantini C, Hausman JF, Guerriero G, Cai G. Functional Molecules in Locally-Adapted Crops: The Case Study of Tomatoes, Onions, and Sweet Cherry Fruits From Tuscany in Italy. Front Plant Sci 2018; 9:1983. [PMID: 30697223 PMCID: PMC6341061 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The human diet is characterized by highly energetic molecules, but it also requires non-energetic compounds that are equally useful for cell functioning and for preserving the organism's health status. These "functional" molecules are represented by a wide variety of plant secondary metabolites, such as terpenoids, vitamins and polyphenols with antioxidant power. Widespread commercial crop varieties often contain scarce levels of functional molecules, because they have been mostly selected for productivity, rather than for the content of secondary metabolites. Different scenarios (global economic situation, foreseeable environmental changes) are pushing farmers to review the use of high yield crops and to focus on the valorization of locally-adapted plants. This renewed interest is strengthened by the growing need of consumers for functional foods with beneficial effects on human health and by the willingness to promote sustainable low-input agricultural practices exploiting local climate, soil, water, and (micro)biota. Here, we want to discuss a specific case study concerning locally-adapted crops in Tuscany (Italy). Analyses of nutraceutical molecules in locally-grown crop varieties (namely tomatoes, sweet cherries and onions) have shown that they are characterized by substantially higher functional molecule contents than commercial varieties. Our goal is to promote the high-throughput study of locally-adapted varieties to understand, in a medium-term perspective, whether the cultivation of such plants is a valuable support for the diet and an adequate local economic resource. Such plants can provide a boost to the regional economy, by diversifying the local crop-market landscape. Moreover, the exploitation of locally-grown plants results in the manufacture of fully-traceable products (from the raw bioresource to the finished product) with a "0 km" concept that minimizes the C footprint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Berni
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- Trees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), Follonica, Italy
| | - Marco Romi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Claudio Cantini
- Trees and Timber Institute-National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IVALSA), Follonica, Italy
| | - Jean-Francois Hausman
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Gea Guerriero
- Environmental Research and Innovation Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Giampiero Cai
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giampiero Cai
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24
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Lazzerini C, Domenici V. Pigments in Extra-Virgin Olive Oils Produced in Tuscany (Italy) in Different Years. Foods 2017; 6:foods6040025. [PMID: 28353651 PMCID: PMC5409313 DOI: 10.3390/foods6040025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigments are responsible for the color of olive oils, and are an important ingredient that is directly related to the quality of this food. However, the concentration of pigments can vary significantly depending on the climate conditions, harvesting time, and olive cultivars. In this work, we quantified the main pigments in several extra-virgin olive oils produced from a blend of three cultivars (Moraiolo, Frantoio, and Leccino) typical of Tuscany (Italy) harvested in three different years: 2012, 2013, and 2014. Pigments—namely, β-carotene, lutein, pheophytin A, and pheophytin B—were quantified by a method based on the mathematical analysis of the near ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra of the oils. Data were analyzed by a multivariate statistical approach. The results show that the pigments’ content of extra-virgin olive oils produced in 2014 can be well distinguished with respect to previous years. This can be explained by the anomalous climate conditions, which strongly affected Italy and, in particular, Tuscany, where the olives were harvested. This study represents an interesting example of how pigment content can be significant in characterizing olive oils. Moreover, this is the first report of pigment quantification in extra-virgin olive oils produced in Tuscany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Lazzerini
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Valentina Domenici
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Università di Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Estellano VH, Pozo K, Přibylová P, Klánová J, Audy O, Focardi S. Assessment of seasonal variations in persistent organic pollutants across the region of Tuscany using passive air samplers. Environ Pollut 2017; 222:609-616. [PMID: 28089209 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.08.092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 08/30/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured for an entire year in the region of Tuscany, Italy. Passive air samplers consisting of polyurethane foam (PUF) disks were deployed over four sampling periods of 3-5 months from April 2008 to July 2009 in urban (n = 6) and rural (n = 4) sites. The aim of the study was to characterize the spatial and seasonal variations in selected POPs. The POP concentrations (pg m-3) in the air were dominated by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and metabolites (DDTs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (∑7PCBs). DDTs, and ∑7PCBs showed a clear decreasing urban > rural gradient. The concentrations of DDTs and PCBs were up to 10 and 6 times higher, respectively, in urban sites than in rural sites. ∑7PCBs showed a significant correlation with the urbanized areas located <5 km around the sampling sites. For hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), α-HCH concentrations were similar at both sampling sites and were found to be quite uniform during the four sampling periods. Seasonal fluctuations were observed for DDTs, and ∑7PCBs, with the highest concentrations observed during period 4 (summer-spring); this is most likely due to a temperature-driven re-emission from local sources. These findings were also supported by an air back trajectory analysis in the study area. This study contributes new information about POP levels in the Italian atmosphere and demonstrates the feasibility of using PUF disks to simultaneously assess seasonal concentrations at different sampling sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor H Estellano
- RECETOX Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Pavilion A29, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Karla Pozo
- RECETOX Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Pavilion A29, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy; Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica Santísima Concepción, Alonso de Ribera 2850, P.C. 407 01 29 Concepción, Chile.
| | - Petra Přibylová
- RECETOX Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Pavilion A29, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Klánová
- RECETOX Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Pavilion A29, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondřej Audy
- RECETOX Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, Pavilion A29, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Silvano Focardi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100, Siena, Italy
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Ullman E, Kennedy M, Di Delupis FD, Pisanelli P, Burbui AG, Cussen M, Galli L, Pini R, Gensini GF. The Tuscan Mobile Simulation Program: a description of a program for the delivery of in situ simulation training. Intern Emerg Med 2016; 11:837-41. [PMID: 26861702 DOI: 10.1007/s11739-016-1401-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Simulation has become a critical aspect of medical education. It allows health care providers the opportunity to focus on safety and high-risk situations in a protected environment. Recently, in situ simulation, which is performed in the actual clinical setting, has been used to recreate a more realistic work environment. This form of simulation allows for better team evaluation as the workers are in their traditional roles, and can reveal latent safety errors that often are not seen in typical simulation scenarios. We discuss the creation and implementation of a mobile in situ simulation program in emergency departments of three hospitals in Tuscany, Italy, including equipment, staffing, and start-up costs for this program. We also describe latent safety threats identified in the pilot in situ simulations. This novel approach has the potential to both reduce the costs of simulation compared to traditional simulation centers, and to expand medical simulation experiences to providers and healthcare organizations that do not have access to a large simulation center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Ullman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 1 Deaconess Road, WCC2, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.
| | - Maura Kennedy
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 1 Deaconess Road, WCC2, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Francesco Dojmi Di Delupis
- Inter-institutional Integrated Department, University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Local Healthcare Authority, ASL 10, Florence, Tuscany, Italy
| | - Paolo Pisanelli
- Inter-institutional Integrated Department, University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Grosseto Hospital, ASL 9, Grosseto, Italy
| | | | - Meaghan Cussen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 1 Deaconess Road, WCC2, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Laura Galli
- Inter-institutional Integrated Department, University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Riccardo Pini
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Gian Franco Gensini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Florence and Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation, Florence, Italy
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Loni A, Samartsev KG, Scaramozzino PL, Belokobylskij SA, Lucchi A. Braconinae parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) emerged from larvae of Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphne gnidium L. Zookeys 2016:125-50. [PMID: 27408529 PMCID: PMC4926710 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.587.8478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Braconadmotus Papp, 2000, and three species of the genus Habrobracon Ashmead, 1895, Habrobraconconcolorans (Marshall, 1900), Habrobraconhebetor (Say, 1836) and Habrobraconpillerianae Fischer, 1980, were obtained from the larvae of Lobesiabotrana (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) feeding on Daphnegnidium Linnaeus, 1753 (Thymelaeaceae) in the natural reserve of Migliarino-San Rossore-Massaciuccoli (Pisa-Central Italy). Braconadmotus, Habrobraconconcolorans and Habrobraconpillerianae were found for the first time to be associated with Lobesiabotrana, while Habrobraconhebetor was reared for the first time from the larvae of Cryptoblabesgnidiella (Millière, 1867) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae, Phycitinae) that was found on the same host plant. Braconadmotus and Habrobraconpillerianae are new to the fauna of Italy and Western Europe. A key is proposed for the determination of Habrobracon species reared from Lobesiabotrana and related Palaearctic species of this genus. Habrobraconlineatellae Fisher, 1968 is considered as a valid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto Loni
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Pisa University, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Konstantin G Samartsev
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, St Petersburg 199034, Russia
| | - Pier Luigi Scaramozzino
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Pisa University, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sergey A Belokobylskij
- Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Universitetskaya nab., 1, St Petersburg 199034, Russia; Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, Warszawa 00-679, Poland
| | - Andrea Lucchi
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Pisa University, Via del Borghetto, 80-56124 Pisa, Italy
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Gambineri S, Scapini F. Sandhopper orientation under natural conditions: comparing individual tracks. Behav Processes 2015; 113:13-23. [PMID: 25555747 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2014] [Revised: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 12/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The analysis of animal movements may help to understand orientation strategies. While there have been many studies on sandhoppers' orientation mechanisms through the analysis of their orientation angles, no attempts have been made to analyze individual tracks under (varying) natural conditions. The species Talitrus saltator (Montagu, 1808) has the ability to recover the optimal zone of the beach at or below the drift-line and burrow into moist sand when released in the upper beach during the day. On dry sand sandhoppers typically jump and leave tracks; we measured the tracks in relation to the starting point. For each track we calculated: the mean angle of direction, distance covered from the starting point, number of jumps, number of effective turnings, rectilinearity and efficiency (how well the track was directed to the goal). We proposed a classification of the tracks based on both rectilinearity and efficiency. Freshly collected adult individuals from the population of San Rossore beach (Pisa, Italy) were compared to laboratory-born ones so as to highlight eventual differences related to experience. Most of the wild individuals made tracks with high rectilinearity and efficiency. This good orientation suggests that these individuals had developed experience of their beach rapidly recovering the optimal zone. Laboratory-born individuals showed a higher scatter in orientation and winding tracks. The factors that influenced the individuals during their movements could also be inferred by the track course. In addition to the sun azimuth (sun compass), wind direction appeared to be a major factor influencing orientation. The individuals released with onshore winds were more efficiently oriented seawards than those released with winds from other directions.
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Bechini A, Taddei C, Barchielli A, Levi M, Tiscione E, Santini MG, Niccolini F, Mechi MT, Panatto D, Amicizia D, Azzari C, Bonanni P, Boccalini S. A retrospective analysis of hospital discharge records for S. pneumoniae diseases in the elderly population of Florence, Italy, 2010-2012. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2014; 11:156-65. [PMID: 25483529 DOI: 10.4161/hv.34418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) and community acquired pneumonia (CAP) represent two of the major causes of out-patient visits, hospital admissions and deaths in the elderly. In Tuscany (Italy), in the Local Health Unit of Florence, a project aimed at implementing an active surveillance of pneumococcal diseases in the hospitalized elderly population started in 2013. The aim of this study is to show the results of the retrospective analysis (2010-2012) on hospital discharge records (HDRs) related to diseases potentially due to S. pneumoniae, using a selection of ICD9-CM codes. All ordinary hospitalizations (primary and secondary diagnoses) of the elderly population were included (11 245 HDRs). Among a population of about 200 000 inhabitants ≥65 y, the hospitalization rate (HR) increased with increasing age and was higher in males in all age groups. Almost all hospitalizations (95%) were due to CAP, only 5% were invasive diseases. Only few cases of CAP were specified as related to S. pneumoniae, the percentage was higher in case of meningitis (100%) or septicemia (22%). In-hospital deaths over the three-year period were 1703 (case fatality rate: 15%). The risk of dying, being hospitalized for a disease potentially attributable to pneumococcus (as primary diagnosis) increased significantly with age (P < 0.001), the odds ratio (OR) per increasing age year was 1.06 (95% CI 1.05-1.07) and was higher in patients with co-existing medical conditions with respect to patients without comorbidities. Currently, an active surveillance system on S. pneumoniae diseases with the inclusion of bio-molecular tests (RT-PCR), is a key step to assess the effectiveness of the PCV13 vaccine (13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) in the elderly population after implementation of vaccination policies. The results of this study will provide the comparator baseline data for the evaluation of a possible immunization programme involving one or more cohorts of the elderly in Tuscany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Bechini
- a Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence; Florence, Italy
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30
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Levi M, Bellini I, Capecchi L, Pieri L, Bechini A, Boccalini S, Callaioli S, Gasparini R, Panatto D, Tiscione E, Bonanni P. The burden of disease of Herpes Zoster in Tuscany. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2014; 11:185-91. [PMID: 25483534 DOI: 10.4161/hv.35859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Herpes zoster (HZ) is a disease caused by the reactivation of the latent α-herpes virus varicella zoster virus (VZV), for which, in Italy, a specific surveillance system does not exist, but around 200 000 cases are estimated each year. In older patients, who are at increased risk of developing HZ, symptoms are more severe and the chances to develop postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the most severe complication, are substantially higher. A vaccine against HZ with demonstrated efficacy and an acceptable safety profile is now available and is recommended in Europe for adults >50 years. In anticipation of the possible introduction of an immunization programme for the elderly in Tuscany, the burden of disease caused by HZ and its complications was assessed through a retrospective analysis of the hospital discharge records between 2002 and 2012, using the ICD-9-CM 053 code. In the period 2002-2012, 4475 hospital admissions were registered with annual means of 368 hospitalizations and 39 day-hospital admissions. Most of the hospitalizations (68%) involved subjects > 65 years; the mean length of stay was 9.5 days. Slightly more than half (51.2%) of total hospital admissions were complicated cases. The most frequent were neurological complications (24.2% of total admissions), followed by ophthalmic complications (16.5%). Cases with neurological complications were those with the higher average length of stay and higher average costs for case. This study confirmed the epidemiological impact of HZ and its complications and the positive impact on morbidity that the introduction of the HZ vaccination could have in older age groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Levi
- a Department of Health Sciences; University of Florence; Florence, Italy
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31
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Scorrano G, Brilli M, Martínez-Labarga C, Giustini F, Pacciani E, Chilleri F, Scaldaferri F, Gasbarrini A, Gasbarrini G, Rickards O. Palaeodiet reconstruction in a woman with probable celiac disease: a stable isotope analysis of bone remains from the archaeological site of Cosa (Italy). Am J Phys Anthropol 2014; 154:349-56. [PMID: 24706415 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2013] [Accepted: 03/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis in the reconstruction of human palaeodiets can yield clues to early human subsistence strategies, origins and history of farming and pastoralist societies, and intra- and intergroup social differentiation. In the last 10 years, the method has been extended to the pathological investigation. Stable isotope analysis to better understand a diet-related disease: celiac disease in ancient human bones was carried out. To do this, we analyzed the nitrogen and carbon isotopic composition of human (n = 37) and faunal (n = 8) bone remains from the archaeological site of Cosa at Ansedonia, on the Tyrrhenian coast near Orbetello (Tuscany), including the skeletal remains of a young woman (late 1st century-early 2nd century Common Era [CE]) with morphological and genetic features suggestive of celiac disease. We compared the young woman's isotopic data with those of other individuals recovered at the same site but from two later time periods (6th century CE; 11-12th century CE) and with literature data from other Italian archaeological sites dating to the same period. Her collagen δ(13) C and δ(15) N values differed from those of the samples at the same site, and from most but not all of the contemporary sites. Although the woman's diet appears distinct, chronic malnutrition resulting from severe malabsorption of essential nutrients due to celiac disease may have affected the isotopic composition of her bone collagen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Scorrano
- Centro di Antropologia Molecolare per lo studio del DNA antico, Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Roma "Tor Vergata" Via della Ricerca scientifica, n. 1, 00133, Roma, Italia
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Bechini A, Levi M, Boccalini S, Tiscione E, Panatto D, Amicizia D, Bonanni P. Progress in the elimination of measles and congenital rubella in Central Italy. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2013; 9:649-56. [PMID: 23292174 DOI: 10.4161/hv.23261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the launch of a WHO European Region strategic plan 2005-2010 for eliminating measles and rubella and preventing congenital rubella (CR) infection, measles and rubella are still circulating in Europe. Increased transmission and outbreaks of measles in Europe were still observed in 2011. In Italy, the objectives of the National Plan (2003-2007) for measles elimination have not yet been achieved. The goal of measles elimination and incidence reduction of CR cases has been postponed to 2015 by the Italian Ministry of Health through the implementation of the new National Plan 2010-2015 which will require (1) the achievement of more than 95% coverage with 1 dose and two doses of measles containing vaccine (MCV), respectively, within 24 mo and within 12 y of age; (2) supplementary vaccination activities aimed at susceptible populations including adolescents, young adults and those at risk (health care and educational workers, military, groups "hard to reach" like nomads); and in addition, (3) reduction to less than 5% in the proportion of susceptible women of childbearing age (especially immigrant women). Experiences at regional level, like in Tuscany, have shown promising results in order to create an integrated surveillance system between regional and local health authorities, university and laboratory and in the future, to validate elimination. Moreover, the evaluation of all preventive activities performed in Tuscany during the last decade, immunization coverage data, sero-epidemiological population profile and incidence of measles and rubella cases has highlighted critical points which should be improved and good practices already implemented which should be maintained in the future in order to reach the new goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Bechini
- Department of Health Sciences; University of Florence; Florence, Italy
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