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Aims: Greenhouse trials were conducted with different cultivars of baby leaf spinach, rocket and Swiss chard and inoculation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 gfp+, to determine whether plant species and cultivar have an impact on the establishment of this strain. Methods and Results: Three cultivars each of spinach, rocket and Swiss chard were spray inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ at doses of log 7 CFU per ml. Due to the different lengths of growing period spinach and Swiss chard were spray inoculated three times and rocket five times, with final inoculation performed 3 days prior to harvest. After a growing period of 26–33 days, E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ was recovered from the leaf surface in mean populations between log 1 and 6 CFU per gram. The lowest occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ was found on rocket leaves and the highest on spinach. There was no significant difference in the establishment of E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ between cultivars, but there were differences between plant species. Indigenous phyllosphere bacteria were pure cultured and identified with 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Conclusions: Despite the same high inoculation dose of E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ on leaves, the establishment rate differed between plant species. However, plant cultivar did not affect establishment. Pantoea agglomerans dominated the identified bacterial isolates. Significance and Impact of the Study: As previous studies are inconclusive on choice of model plant species and cultivar, we studied whether plant species or cultivar determines the fate of E. coli O157:H7 gfp+ on leafy vegetables. The findings indicate that plant species is a key determinant in the establishment of E. coli O157:H7 gfp+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiofrequency thermo-ablation (RFTA) and trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) represent effective therapeutic strategies for cirrhotic patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It has been proposed that body composition parameters, particularly skeletal muscle index (SMI), may predict outcomes in patients with HCC. However, only few studies investigated the role of visceral (VATI) and subcutaneous adipose tissue index (SATI) on patients' outcomes, and no data are available on the effect of their post-treatment changes in patients with HCC. to investigate the impact of early post-treatment changes in body composition parameters on the overall-survival (OS) of cirrhotic patients with HCC and on the probability of being transplanted. All cirrhotic patients with HCC treated for the first time with TACE or RFTA from 2012 to 2021 were retrospectively enrolled. Early changes of body composition (SMI, SATI and VATI) were extrapolated from abdominal CT scan performed before and one month after treatment and expressed as DELTA, following the formula: (one-month value- pre-procedure value)/ elapsed time. OS and probability of being transplanted were investigated with Fine-Gray multivariate competing risk analysis considering, respectively, LT and HCC progression outside the LT criteria (up-to-seven) as competitive risk events. 189 patients were enrolled, 132 undergoing TACE and 57 RFTA. In the multivariate analysis, across the entire population, the early decrease of VATI (DELTA-VATI negative) one month after treatment was associated to a increased risk of death (SHR=1.636; 95.0% CI=1.230-1.979; P=0.018), adjusting for age, MELDNa, Up-to-seven status and DELTA-SMI. In a sub-analysis, conducted considering only patients potentially eligible for LT, the early decrease in SMI (DELTA-SMI negative), but not in VATI was significantly associated to the need for LT (SHR=5.155; 95.0% CI=4.212-6.098; P<0.0001). early body composition parameters post-treatment changes are useful in identifying cirrhotic patients with HCC at increased risk of death or need of LT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Abusive conduct, mistreatment, neglect and domestic violence are rarely considered among likely or differential diagnoses, unless they indicate sexual abuse or when sexually transmitted diseases are confirmed. The recognition of physical and psychological abuse, however, should be done by child care agencies, through a multidisciplinary approach, seeking to minimize or eliminate the suffering of the child, promoting and ensuring its well-being and even survival. Violence against children tends to be an uncomfortable topic for many doctors, in part by the lack of training to recognize and deal with the problem. Objectives: To introduce the hospitalization of children from 0 to 19 years old due to mistreatment syndrome registered by the SUS (Unique System of Health) from july 2009 to july 2019 in Brazil. This is a way to alert and prevent an early diagnostic from Mistreatment Syndrome. Methods: The data concerning hospitalization due to Mistreatment Syndrome were collected from Ministry of Health - Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS) and analysed. Results: 5.763 people were hospitalized due to mistreatment syndrome in Brazil registered by the SUS (Unique System of Health) from july 2009 to july 2019. From this amount, 2.867 (49,7%) children from 0 to 19 years old were treated for the mistreatment, 1.872 (65,3%) of those children were female. Most cases of those children (24,9%) occurred at the age of 5 to 9 years. Conclusions: Mistreatment Syndrome demonstrate the urgent need of resources for preventive medicine, withouth forgetting curative medicine. This requires an action plan that must bring together health professionals, educators and the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a frequent and severe group of mental disorders without pathognomonic signs. Symptoms may include disfunctional perception, cognition, behavior. Individuals seek public health system referring their thoughts, feelings, acts are felt/shared/influenced by external forces. Humor accompany inertia, negativism, lethargy. Studies have shown symptoms occur firstly in patients younger than 25 years old. Objectives: To assess the impact of schizophrenia with gender and ages most affected in public health system of Brazil. Methods: Assess patients by age and gender in Brazilian public system of health and expenses created due to schizophrenia. Data were collected and analyzed from SIH/SUS including all public health institutions in Brazilian states. Conclusions: According to records in SIH/SUS database in 10 years, ages most affected by schizophrenia and correlations are 20-29 and 30-39. Total expenses were BRL2.104.780.862,51, approximately USD5.045.159,7. Results found agree with previous studies that most common age of onset was around 25 years. Schizophrenia and correlations are a concern for public health, because underdiagnosis increase the burden and create further expenses, along with discomfort for patients and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide and remains the leading cause of death among Italian women. Despite increased breast cancer awareness and improved diagnostic techniques, mortality rates remain high globally. In Italy, despite the availability of screening programs by the National Health System (NHS) for all Italian women aged 50-69 every two years, the participation rate remains relatively low. The low uptake of screening may be attributed to a lack of general cancer knowledge among women, including awareness of risk factors, symptoms, and prevention measures. This study investigates the knowledge and misinformation in a population of Italian women regarding breast cancer risk factors, symptoms, and prevention., Methods: From March 2021 to January 2022, we conducted a survey targeting the female population in Italy, with a total of 2375 participants willingly participating in the study. To investigate factors linked to variations in attitudes toward breast cancer, the participants were categorized into two groups: the general population (Group A, n = 2235) and women who have had or currently have breast cancer (Group B, n = 140). Statistically significant differences were identified between these two groups., Results: The findings revealed considerable confusion regarding both the symptoms and causes associated with cancer, as well as prevention measures. This confusion was particularly prominent among women in the general population and those with lower levels of education., Conclusions: Given these insights, it remains crucial to promote accurate health information concerning risk factors, symptoms, and prevention strategies related to this devastating disease, emphasizing the ongoing importance of disseminating correct health information.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess how the photoplethysmogram frequency and amplitude responses to arousals from sleep differ between arousals caused by apneas and hypopneas with and without blood oxygen desaturations, and spontaneous arousals. Stronger arousal causes were hypothesized to lead to larger and faster responses., Methods and Procedures: Photoplethysmogram signal segments during and around respiratory and spontaneous arousals of 876 suspected obstructive sleep apnea patients were analyzed. Logistic functions were fit to the mean instantaneous frequency and instantaneous amplitude of the signal to detect the responses. Response intensities and timings were compared between arousals of different causes., Results: The majority of the studied arousals induced photoplethysmogram responses. The frequency response was more intense ([Formula: see text]) after respiratory than spontaneous arousals, and after arousals caused by apneas compared to those caused by hypopneas. The amplitude response was stronger ([Formula: see text]) following hypopneas associated with blood oxygen desaturations compared to those that were not. The delays of these responses relative to the electroencephalogram arousal start times were the longest ([Formula: see text]) after arousals caused by apneas and the shortest after spontaneous arousals and arousals caused by hypopneas without blood oxygen desaturations., Conclusion: The presence and type of an airway obstruction and the presence of a blood oxygen desaturation affect the intensity and the timing of photoplethysmogram responses to arousals from sleep., Clinical Impact: The photoplethysmogram responses could be used for detecting arousals and assessing their intensity, and the individual variation in the response intensity and timing may hold diagnostically significant information., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Breast cancer is the most common tumor among women worldwide and still remains the leading cause of death in women in Italy. Although survival from this pathology has increased, this disease and its treatment can have lasting or delayed effects that can greatly affect a woman's quality of life. Primary and secondary prevention are currently the best strategies to combat this cancer: improved lifestyle, early adherence to screening, Breast Self-Examination (BSE), and even now the use of technology, have become among the most important tools to ensure increasingly early diagnosis of this disease, which is a major cause of suffering and premature mortality in women. Indeed, early diagnosis of the disease can lead to a good prognosis and a high survival rate. This study investigates the attitude of Italian women to perform clinical checkups aimed at cancer prevention, particularly adherence to free screening programs offered by the National Health Service (NHS) for women in the 50-69 age group. The knowledge, use and emotional approach toward BSE as a screening tool and the use of dedicated apps for this purpose are also investigated. Low adherence to screening programs, lack of BSE practice, and nonuse of dedicated apps are just some of the results observed in this study. Therefore, it becomes essential to spread the culture of prevention, cancer awareness and the importance of screening throughout life., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The plant microbiome is an important factor for plant health and productivity. While the impact of nitrogen (N) availability for plant growth and development is well established, its influence on the microbial phyllosphere community structure is unknown. We hypothesize that nitrogen impacts the growth and abundance of several microorganisms on the leaf surface. The bacterial and fungal communities of baby leaf spinach (Spinacia oleracea), and rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) were investigated in a field trial for two years in a commercial setting. Nitrogen fertilizer was tested in four doses (basic nitrogen, basic + suboptimal, basic + commercial, basic + excess) with six replicates in each. Culture-independent (Illumina sequencing) and culture-dependent (viable count and identification of bacterial isolates) community studies were combined with monitoring of plant physiology and site weather conditions. This study found that alpha diversity of bacterial communities decreased in response to increasing nitrogen fertilizer dose, whereas viable counts showed no differences. Correspondingly, fungal communities of the spinach phyllosphere showed a decreasing pattern, whereas the decreasing diversity of fungal communities of rocket was not significant. Plant species and effects of annual variations on microbiome structure were observed for bacterial and fungal communities on both spinach and rocket. This study provides novel insights on the impact of nitrogen fertilizer regime on a nutrient scarce habitat, the phyllosphere., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)