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PurposeThis study aims to test the role that organizational sociopsychological variables may play in influencing job stress and work engagement in an organizational identity change scenario.Design/methodology/approachOn a sample of 118 employees of an Italian company in the personnel training services sector, multivariate statistical analysis tests a pattern where organizational variables such as work support (by supervisors and coworkers, independent variables) – moderated by corporate identification (moderating variable) – and mediated by organizational trust (mediating variable) – boosts employee work engagement and lowers psychosocial risks (dependent variables).FindingsThe mediating effect of “organizational trust” is significant in the relationships of “supervisor social support” and “coworker social support” with the “absence of psychosocial risks.” Moreover, an increase in supervisor social support can lead to a statistically significant increase in work engagement. This occurs only for employees with low or medium identification and not in highly identified individuals.Originality/valueThe findings from the analysis on moderation are of primary importance because they show us a new perspective that can play the role of a guiding and practical principle on how to act on an organization’s human resources, specifically targeting those with lower or medium corporate identification.

Il paper offre un'analisi critica della letteratura sulla tematica della spiritualità e delle religioni al lavoro. Il dataset è costituito da articoli e capitoli di libri aventi nel proprio titolo il riferimento alle tematiche citate. Il tipo di analisi effettuato sul corpus finale, costituito da 359 entries tratte dalla banca dati SCOPUS, è di natura mix-method; ad una prima griglia di analisi di taglio quantitativo, abbiamo, infatti, aggiunto un'analisi del contenuto automatica degli abstract del corpus.

Refereed/Peer-reviewed The present study provides evidence for a valid and reliable tool, the Academic Quality at Work Tool (AQ@workT), to investigate the quality of life at work in academics within the Italian university sector. The AQ@workT was developed by the QoL@Work research team, namely a group of expert academics in the field of work and organizational psychology affiliated with the Italian Association of Psychologists. The tool is grounded in the job demands-resources model and its psychometric properties were assessed in three studies comprising a wide sample of lecturers, researchers, and professors: a pilot study (N = 120), a calibration study (N = 1084), and a validation study (N = 1481). Reliability and content, construct, and nomological validity were supported, as well as measurement invariance across work role (researchers, associate professors, and full professors) and gender. Evidence from the present study shows that the AQ@workT represents a useful and reliable tool to assist university management to enhance quality of life, to manage work-related stress, and to mitigate the potential for harm to academics, particularly during a pandemic. Future studies, such as longitudinal tests of the AQ@workT, should test predictive validity among the variables in the tool.

Epigenetic changes are heritable modifications that do not directly affect the DNA sequence. In cancer cells, the maintenance of a stable epigenetic profile can be crucial to support survival and proliferation, and said profile can differ significantly from that of healthy cells. The epigenetic profile of a cancer cell can be modulated by several factors, including metabolites. Recently, sphingolipids have emerged as novel modulators of epigenetic changes. Ceramide and sphingosine 1-phosphate have become well known in cancer due to activating anti-tumour and pro-tumour signalling pathways, respectively, and they have recently been shown to also induce several epigenetic modifications connected to cancer growth. Additionally, acellular factors in the tumour microenvironment, such as hypoxia and acidosis, are now recognised as crucial in promoting aggressiveness through several mechanisms, including epigenetic modifications. Here, we review the existing literature on sphingolipids, cancer, and epigenetic changes, with a focus on the interaction between these elements and components of the chemical tumour microenvironment.

Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 has generated anxiety and concerns among the whole population, by also affecting people’s working life quality. Although several studies underlined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the healthcare sector, very few studies investigated the consequences in the occupational sectors with low risk of contagion. Method: 220 full-time in-presence workers of the manufacturing sector agreed to participate in a study of cross-sectional design during September and October 2020. Data were collected by means of a self-reported questionnaire conceived to investigate the constructs of the COVID-19 concerns, both the personal contribution and the supervisor support to workplace safety, the organizational commitment to safety, and finally, the level of workers’ exhaustion. Results: This study highlights that COVID-19 concerns represent a significant source of stress since it is significantly associated to higher levels of exhaustion among workers. Furthermore, the findings show the relevance of resources related to employee’s personal contribution to safety management as well as the role of climate variables. Conclusions: These results promote knowledge on the role of COVID-19 concerns in affecting psychological wellbeing at work, as well as the impact of both individual and job-related resources that may prevent exhaustion at work. Finally, the present findings also have implications for organizations and the maintenance of their commitment to safety.

Die Digitalisierung hat die Medizin bereits verändert und wird die ärztliche Tätigkeit auch in Zukunft stark beeinflussen. Es ist deshalb wichtig, dass sich angehende Ärztinnen und Ärzte bereits während des Studiums mit den Methoden und Einsatzmöglichkeiten des maschinellen Lernens auseinandersetzen. Die Arbeitsgruppe «Digitalisierung der Medizin» hat dazu Lernziele erarbeitet., Schweizerische Ärztezeitung, 103 (04), ISSN:1424-4004, ISSN:0036-7486

Smoke-free policies are effective in preventing secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, but their adoption at home remains largely voluntary. This study aimed to quantify SHS exposure in homes with residents who smoke in Europe according to households’ characteristics, tobacco consumption habits, and national contextual factors. Cross-sectional study (March 2017–September 2018) based on measurements of air nicotine inside 162 homes with residents who smoke from nine European countries. We installed passive samplers for seven consecutive days to monitor nicotine concentrations. Through self-administered questionnaires, we collected sociodemographic information and the number of individuals who smoke, smoking rules, frequency, location, and quantity of tobacco use in households. Country-level factors included the overall score in the Tobacco Control Scale 2016, the smoking prevalence, and self-reported SHS exposure prevalence. Nicotine concentrations were analyzed as continuous and dichotomous variables, categorized based on the limit of quantification of 0.02 μg/m3. Overall, median nicotine concentration was 0.85 μg/m3 (interquartile range (IQR):0.15–4.42), and there was nicotine presence in 93% of homes. Participants reported that smoking was not permitted in approximately 20% of households, 40% had two or more residents who smoked, and in 79% residents had smoked inside during the week of sampling. We found higher nicotine concentrations in homes: with smell of tobacco smoke inside (1.45 μg/m3 IQR: 0.32–6.34), where smoking was allowed (1.60 μg/m3 IQR: 0.68–7.63), with two or more residents who smoked (2.42 μg/m3 IQR: 0.58–11.0), with more than 40 cigarettes smoked (2.92 μg/m3 IQR: 0.97–10.61), and where two or more residents smoked inside (4.02 μg/m3 IQR: 1.58–11.74). Household nicotine concentrations were significantly higher in countries with higher national smoking prevalence and self-reported SHS exposure prevalence (p < 0.05). SHS concentrations in homes with individuals who smoke were approximately twenty times higher in homes that allowed smoking compared to those reporting smoke-free household rules. Evidence-based interventions promoting smoke-free homes should be implemented in combination with strengthening other MPOWER measures. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 681040. The work of SG was partially supported by the Italian League Against Cancer (LILT, Milan). EF is partly supported by Ministry of Universities and Research, Government of Catalonia (2017SGR319) and by the Instituto Carlos III and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (INT16/00211 and INT17/00103), Government of Spain.

to follow-up mortality of agricultural nursery workers of the province of Pistoia (Tuscany Region, Central Italy).the cohort of nursery workers of the Pistoia province was assembled from two sources: subjects who obtained a pesticide license (PAT) and subjects who had been working in agricultural nursery, based on the 2003 regional census (LIF). Vital status and causes of deaths were ascertained through the official records of the municipalities and the Tuscany Mortality Register. The follow-up period for PAT cohort was from 01.01.1984 to 31.12.2015 and for LIF cohort was from 01.01.2003 al 31.12.2015.the total cohort included 2,732 males and 326 females: the PAT cohort included 1,602 males and 106 females, and the LIF cohort included 1,130 males and 220 females MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: general and cause-specific Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for the entire cohort and for the PAT and LIF sub-cohorts. Expected deaths by age and gender for each cause of death were obtained from applying the respective rates in the Tuscan population.overall mortality was lower than expected, with notable deficits for all cancers and some specific causes in both genders. Among males, increased SMRs were observed for pancreas (17 observed cases: SMR 129; CI95% 75-207), prostate (22 cases: SMR 121; CI95% 76-183), bladder (18 cases: SMR 139; CI95% 83-220) cancer, and also for multiple myeloma (5 cases: SMR 120; CI95% 39-281). Among females, increased SMR for cancer of digestive system and peritoneum was observed (3 cases: SMR 152; IC95% 31-445). The analyses by calendar period also shown excess for cancers of the genital and urinary system and the lymphohematopoietic system.although overall deficits for all causes and all cancer were observed, there were notable exceptions for some specific cancer causes, that might be related to pesticides exposure.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder and represents the most common form of dementia in the elderly. Mutations in genes encoding presenilin 1 (PSEN1), presenilin 2 (PSEN2) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) are responsible for early-onset familial AD (EOFAD). Several pieces of evidence report that patients with rare autosomal dominant forms of AD carry a significant risk to develop seizures. However, the molecular mechanisms linking epilepsy and AD are needed to be clarified: the pathophysiology of seizures in AD may be related to an increased production of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide or structural alterations in neurons probably due to cerebrovascular changes, neurotransmitter or cytoskeletal dysfunctions. Seizures have traditionally been related to neuronal loss in the late stages of AD as a consequence of neurodegeneration, however, recent studies indicated that seizures may contribute to the emergence of AD symptoms in early stages of the disease, mainly in familial AD. So, a better understanding of possible common neural mechanisms might help to improve the clinical management of both conditions. This review aims to give a comprehensive overview and to analyze the association between epilepsy and EOFAD, focusing on possible overlapping pathological mechanisms.

Creativity has been defined across time and fields highlighting different perspectives and variables, from the power of individual insight to creative intelligence, to the role played by mind wande...

Salmonella enterica serovar 1,4,[5],12:i:- has emerged over the last two decades as one of the most common serovars causing human salmonellosis in Europe. It is supposed to originate from ...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the reaction of female workers to the earthquake event that shocked the city of L’Aquila in April 2009, with a specific focus on work as a recovery factor. Design/methodology/approach The selected sample consists of current or former resident women in the affected province of L’Aquila, who participated in a series of focus group discussions on the ability to reconstruct their own professional identity after the earthquake. The focus group seemed to be the perfect instrument for this research, because of its ability to generate a true discussion among a group of people on the research topic of this study. The collected data were analyzed both in terms of metaphors, as well as linguistic agentivity and by automatic content analysis. Findings From the analysis of the data, emerges the value that adds to the sense of identity continuity for the women in the sample, together with interesting differences between employed and self-employed workers that are characterized by distinct challenges and assurances. In regards to the effects of gender in response to disaster events, the results make a peculiar echo to the studies on public-private space dichotomy developed by Fordham, according to which, during a disaster, women are not allowed to develop work-related desires. For the group of women that the authors interviewed, the challenge to have family focused or work focused desires was clearly evident; they seem predetermined to the above-mentioned dichotomy, valid in both directions: the women who invested in work and have become entrepreneurs seem to have no chance of a private life and, on the contrary, the women who were focused on more traditional family roles seem to have no chance in terms of job opportunities. Originality/value Based on the authors’ knowledge this is the first time that focus groups are used to assess the value that work had in supporting individual recovery for women in the aftermath of the L’Aquila earthquake.

Trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) is experiencing increased drought stress resulting from climate change together with increases in damage by forest tent caterpillar and other defoliators. Coupled with effects of intraspecific and interspecific competition this could result in an overall decrease in survival and growth. In order to improve our understanding of the key limiting factors affecting trembling aspen we investigated survival probability and tree growth using data from an extensive network of permanent sample plots in Alberta (Canada). We developed mixed-effect non-linear models which included: tree size, competition, climate, pest incidence and time elapsed between consecutive measurements as predictor variables. Tree data from 1144 Permanent Sample Plots representing 39,394 trees for a total of 52,522 growth interval observations were used to develop these models. Annual data on aspen defoliation were available for the period 1990–2010, and the average Climate Moisture Index (CMI) was calculated for each measured interval by location. Intraspecific competition and competition from conifer species (i.e. spruce/fir and pine), had a strong negative effect on survival and growth. Aspen defoliators such as the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hbn.), the large aspen tortrix (Choristoneura conflictana) and the Bruce spanworm (Operophtera bruceata) had a negative impact on survival, but a strong positive effect on growth of surviving trembling aspen (i.e. compensatory growth). Increasing levels of CMI, which are associated with relatively cooler and wetter conditions, had a positive effect on survival and growth. Model validation results indicated good performance for survival and tree growth predictions. This study indicates that trembling aspen is very sensitive to competition, insect damage, and climate (i.e. drought); respectively, and this behavior will likely intensify as climate warms. The models developed in this study enhance our understanding of trembling aspen survival and growth in boreal North America and could be used to improve the predictive ability of existing growth and yield models.

Establishment of spatial coordinates during Drosophila embryogenesis relies on differential regulatory activity of axis patterning enhancers. Concentration gradients of activator and repressor transcription factors (TFs) provide positional information to each enhancer, which in turn promotes transcription of a target gene in a specific spatial pattern. However, the interplay between an enhancer regulatory activity and its accessibility as determined by local chromatin organization is not well understood. We profiled chromatin accessibility with ATAC-seq in narrow, genetically tagged domains along the antero-posterior axis in the Drosophila blastoderm. We demonstrate that one-quarter of the accessible genome displays significant regional variation in its ATAC-seq signal immediately after zygotic genome activation. Axis patterning enhancers are enriched among the most variable intervals, and their accessibility changes correlate with their regulatory activity. In an embryonic domain where an enhancer receives a net activating TF input and promotes transcription, it displays elevated accessibility in comparison to a domain where it receives a net repressive input. We propose that differential accessibility is a signature of patterning cis-regulatory elements in the Drosophila blastoderm and discuss potential mechanisms by which accessibility of enhancers may be modulated by activator and repressor TFs.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to deepen the knowledge on the role played by the intellectual capital (IC) of small and medium non-profit socio-cooperatives (SMSCs) in generating knowledge and organisational growth, as well as on the challenges and the difficulties of the management of IC among these organisations. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory study adopted a qualitative methodology. A total of 70 semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers of Italian non-profit SMSCs, asking them to talk about the management of their human capital, organisational capital and relational capital. The data gathered from the interviews were analysed through discourse analysis carried out by two independent judges. Findings IC management among Italian non-profit SMSCs is unplanned, unsystematic and short-termed. The SMSCs in question adopt an employee-centred approach; their IC management and knowledge creation are more focused on the direct contribution of the organisational members, than on the endorsement of formal or structured procedures and processes. Owing to their social aim, the well-being of both the workers and the beneficiaries of the SMSCs plays a central role in the IC management. Relationships with external stakeholders are regarded as important as those with the internal ones, re-affirming the organisations’ members as the core of the knowledge generation. Research limitations/implications The group reached is not a statistically representative sample; furthermore, it is limited to Italy. Social/implications Deepening the knowledge on IC among these organisations can help to promote the strengths and address the weaknesses of its management, whilst also helping these micro-enterprises to develop into SMEs. Originality/value This paper contributes to the IC literature by shedding light on the role played by IC among small and medium enterprise (SMEs), and more specifically in the specific context of Italian SMSCs. To the authors’ knowledge, no previous research has thus far dealt with this issue. Deepening the knowledge on IC among these organisations can help to promote the strengths and address the weaknesses of its management, while also helping these micro-enterprises to develop into SMEs.

Background Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and fetal SHS exposure during pregnancy are a major cause of disease among children. The aim of this study is quantifying the burden of disease due to SHS exposure in children and in pregnancy in 2006-2017 for the 28 European Union (EU) countries. Methods Exposure to SHS was estimated using a multiple imputation procedure based on the Eurobarometer surveys, and SHS exposure burden was estimated with the comparative risk assessment method using meta-analytical relative risks. Data on deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were collected from National statistics and from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Results Exposure to SHS and its attributable burden stalled in 2006-2017; in pregnant women, SHS exposure was 19.8% in 2006, 19.1% in 2010, and 21.0% in 2017; in children it was 10.1% in 2006, 9.6% in 2010, and 12.1% in 2017. In 2017, 35,633 DALYs among children were attributable to SHS exposure in the EU, mainly due to low birth weight. Conclusions Comprehensive smoking bans up to 2010 contributed to reduce SHS exposure and its burden in children immediately after their implementation; however, SHS exposure still occurs, and in 2017, its burden in children was still relevant. Impact Exposure to secondhand smoke at home and in pregnancy is a major cause of disease among children. Smoking legislation produced the adoption of voluntary smoking bans in homes; however, secondhand smoke exposure at home still occurs and its burden is substantial. In 2017, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years in children attributable to exposure to secondhand smoke in the European Union countries were, respectively, 335 and 35,633. Low birth weight caused by secondhand smoke exposure in pregnancy showed the largest burden. Eastern European Union countries showed the highest burden.

Smoke-free legislation reduced second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure in public places, and indirectly promoted private smoke-free settings. Nevertheless, a large proportion of adults is still exposed to SHS at home. The aim of this paper is to quantify the burden of disease due to home SHS exposure among adults in the 28-European Union (EU) countries for year 2017. The burdens by gender from lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), breast cancer, ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, asthma, and diabetes were estimated in an original research analysis using the comparative risk assessment method. Relative risks of death/diseases by gender for adults exposed to SHS at home compared to not exposed ones were estimated updating existing meta-analyses. Prevalence of home SHS exposure by gender was estimated using a multiple imputation procedure based on Eurobarometer surveys. Data on mortality and disability adjusted life years (DALYs) were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors Study. In 2017, 526,000 DALYs (0.36% of total DALYs) and 24,000 deaths (0.46% of total deaths) were attributable to home SHS exposure in the 28-EU countries, mainly from COPD and IHD. South-Eastern EU countries showed the highest burden, with proportion of DALYs/deaths attributable to SHS exposure on total higher than 0.50%/ 0.70%, whereas northern EU-countries showed the lowest burden, with proportions of DALYs/deaths lower than 0.25%/0.34%. The burden from SHS exposure is still significant in EU countries. More could be done to raise awareness of the health risks associated with SHS exposure at home.

Objectives This study was performed with the aim of investigating the temporal patterns and determinants associated with mortality from asbestosis among 21 cohorts of Asbestos-Cement (AC) workers who were heavily exposed to asbestos fibres. Methods Mortality for asbestosis was analysed for a cohort of 13 076 Italian AC workers (18.1% women). Individual cumulative asbestos exposure index was calculated by factory and period of work weighting by the different composition of asbestos used (crocidolite, amosite, and chrysotile). Two different approaches to analysis, based on Standardized Mortality Ratios (SMRs) and Age-Period-Cohort (APC) models were applied. Results Among the considered AC facilities, asbestos exposure was extremely high until the end of the 1970s and, due to the long latency, a peak of asbestosis mortality was observed after the 1990s. Mortality for asbestosis reached extremely high SMR values [SMR: males 508, 95% confidence interval (CI): 446–563; females 1027, 95% CI: 771–1336]. SMR increased steeply with the increasing values of cumulative asbestos exposure and with Time Since the First Exposure. APC analysis reported a clear age effect with a mortality peak at 75–80 years; the mortality for asbestosis increased in the last three quintiles of the cumulative exposure; calendar period did not have a significant temporal component while the cohort effect disappeared if we included in the model the cumulative exposure to asbestos. Conclusions Among heaviest exposed workers, mortality risk for asbestosis began to increase before 50 years of age. Mortality for asbestosis was mainly determined by cumulative exposure to asbestos.

Bone primary tumors, such as osteosarcoma, are highly aggressive pediatric tumors that in 30% of the cases develop lung metastasis and are characterized by poor prognosis. Bone is also the third most common metastatic site in patients with advanced cancer and once tumor cells become homed to the skeleton, the disease is usually considered incurable, and treatment is only palliative. Bone sarcoma and bone metastasis share the same tissue microenvironment and niches. 3D cultures represent a new promising approach for the study of interactions between tumor cells and other cellular or acellular components of the tumor microenvironment (i.e., fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, bone ECM). Indeed, 3D models can mimic physiological interactions that are crucial to modulate response to soluble paracrine factors, tumor drug resistance and aggressiveness and, in all, these innovative models might be able of bypassing the use of animal-based preclinical cancer models. To date, both static and dynamic 3D cell culture models have been shown to be particularly suited for screening of anticancer agents and might provide accurate information, translating in vitro cell cultures into precision medicine. In this mini-review, we will summarize the current state-of-the-art in the field of bone tumors, both primary and metastatic, illustrating the different methods and techniques employed to realize 3D cell culture systems and new results achieved in a field that paves the way toward personalized medicine.

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) promote citizens’ participation in community life through several different kinds of organizations: some more informal (such as associations and volunteering groups), others more formal or public (such as charities and foundations). This heterogeneity, as well as the well-known peculiarities of nonprofit organizations when compared to profit and public ones, poses new challenges to their management. In the constant need to find balance between financial constraints and social value, a main resource for NPOs is the management of intangible assets, such as knowledge, positive relationships within the organization and with users, external image, loyalty and commitment, and so on. From the literature on for-profit organizations, it is well known that proper management of intangible assets improves an organization’s sustainable competitive advantage, not only by enhancing its members’ affiliation and commitment but even by enhancing their productivity. This is particularly relevant when taking into account the main role of volunteers in the third sector. Volunteers, indeed, show different job attitudes and organizational behaviors than paid employees, as their membership and accountability are less formalized and they frequently lack a proper teamwork, due to the high volunteer turnover. At the same time, from the managers point of view, managing volunteers and paid workers require higher skills and competencies than managing human resources in for-profit organizations. Developing these reflections and considerations, we aim to conduct a systematic literature review on the association between intangible assets and performance in nonprofit organizations. The literature will be conducted following the indications from the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. It provides an evidence-based minimum set of items to be included in the review, as well as a workflow to properly manage and choose the papers to be included. The authors conducted the research using EBSCO, ProQuest and Scopus databases.

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure at home and fetal SHS exposure during pregnancy are a major cause of disease among children. The aim of this study is quantifying the burden of disease due to SHS exposure in children and in pregnancy in 2006-2017 for the 28 European Union (EU) countries.Exposure to SHS was estimated using a multiple imputation procedure based on the Eurobarometer surveys, and SHS exposure burden was estimated with the comparative risk assessment method using meta-analytical relative risks. Data on deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were collected from National statistics and from the Global Burden of Disease Study.Exposure to SHS and its attributable burden stalled in 2006-2017; in pregnant women, SHS exposure was 19.8% in 2006, 19.1% in 2010, and 21.0% in 2017; in children it was 10.1% in 2006, 9.6% in 2010, and 12.1% in 2017. In 2017, 35,633 DALYs among children were attributable to SHS exposure in the EU, mainly due to low birth weight.Comprehensive smoking bans up to 2010 contributed to reduce SHS exposure and its burden in children immediately after their implementation; however, SHS exposure still occurs, and in 2017, its burden in children was still relevant.Exposure to secondhand smoke at home and in pregnancy is a major cause of disease among children. Smoking legislation produced the adoption of voluntary smoking bans in homes; however, secondhand smoke exposure at home still occurs and its burden is substantial. In 2017, the number of deaths and disability-adjusted life years in children attributable to exposure to secondhand smoke in the European Union countries were, respectively, 335 and 35,633. Low birth weight caused by secondhand smoke exposure in pregnancy showed the largest burden. Eastern European Union countries showed the highest burden.

Introduction: Second-hand smoke exposure in the home is a serious cause of ill-health for children. Behaviour change interventions have been developed to encourage parents to keep homes smoke-free. This study evaluates a novel air quality feedback intervention using remote air quality monitoring with SMS and email messaging to promote smoke-free homes among families from deprived areas. Methods: This paper presents a pre-post study of this intervention. Using internet connected monitors developed with the Dylos DC1700, daily SMS and weekly email feedback provided for 16 days to participants recruited in four European countries. Participants were recruited based on their stage of change, in order to target those most able to achieve smoke-free homes. The primary outcome measure was median change in mean fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration between baseline and follow-up periods, while secondary outcome measures included change in time over the World Health Organisation (WHO) guideline limit for PM2.5 exposure over 24 h (25 mu g/m(3)) in those periods and the number of homes where PM2.5 concentrations reduced. Telephone interviews were conducted with participants in Scotland post-intervention to explore intervention experience and perceived effectiveness. Results: Of 86 homes that completed the intervention study, 57 (66%) experienced pre-post reductions in measured PM2.5. The median reduction experienced was 4.1 mu g/m(3) (a reduction of 19% from baseline, p = 0.008). Eight homes where concentrations were higher than the WHO guideline limit at baseline fell below that level at follow-up. In follow-up interviews, participants expressed positive views on the usefulness of air quality feedback. Discussion: Household air quality monitoring with SMS and email feedback can lead to behaviour change and consequent reductions in SHS in homes, but within the context of our study few homes became totally smoke-free.

In the tumor microenvironment, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are key modulators of cancer cell behavior in response to several stimuli. Intratumoral acidosis is a metabolic trait of fast-growing tumors that can induce a pro-tumorigenic phenotype in MSCs through the activation of the NF-κB-mediated inflammatory pathway, driving tumor clonogenicity, invasion, and chemoresistance. Recent studies have indicated that curcumin, a natural ingredient extracted from Curcuma longa, acts as an NF-κB inhibitor with anti-inflammatory properties. In this work, highly proliferating osteosarcoma cells were used to study the ability of curcumin to reduce the supportive effect of MSCs when stimulated by acidosis. Due to the poor solubility of curcumin in biological fluids, we used spherical polymeric nanoparticles as carriers (SPN-curc) to optimize its uptake by MSCs. We showed that SPN-curc inhibited the release of inflammatory cytokines (IL6 and IL8) by acidity-stimulated MSCs at a higher extent than by free curcumin. SPN-curc treatment was also successful in blocking tumor stemness, migration, and invasion that were driven by the secretome of acid-stressed MSCs. Overall, these data encourage the use of lipid–polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating NF-κB inhibitors such as curcumin to treat cancers whose progression is stimulated by an activated mesenchymal stroma.

The aim of this explorative research is to understand how senior management of Italian social enterprises perceive the role played by the inteletual capital within their organisations in generating...

Little is known about how the fear for doocing and the need for digital privacy manifests at the workplace. We address this knowledge gap with a specific interest in the correlation of fear for doocing with age and gender through an online survey, realized with 119 participants. Results suggest that employees are not always aware of the risk of doocing and they often do not know in specific terms the social networking policies of their organizations. In addition, there is a double effect of employees’ age on the need for digital privacy that is evident in the dual pathway model about the moderated mediation effect. Said in different terms, men and millennials are the employees who feel deeper the need for digital privacy in the workplace, rather than women and older participants.

// Sofia Avnet 1 , Silvia Lemma 1 , Margherita Cortini 1 , Paola Pellegrini 2 , Francesca Perut 1 , Nicoletta Zini 3, 4 , Katsuyuki Kusuzaki 5 , Tokuhiro Chano 6 , Giulia Grisendi 7 , Massimo Dominici 7 , Angelo De Milito 2 , Nicola Baldini 1, 8 1 Orthopaedic Pathophysiology and Regenerative Medicine Unit, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy 2 Department of Oncology-Pathology, Cancer Center Karolinska, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden 3 CNR - National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Molecular Genetics, Bologna, Italy 4 Laboratory of Musculoskeletal Cell Biology, Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy 5 Musculoskeletal Oncology Unit, Takai Hospital, Nara, Japan 6 Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Shiga, Japan 7 Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University-hospital of Modena e Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy 8 Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy Correspondence to: Nicola Baldini, email: nicola.baldini@ior.it Keywords: osteosarcoma, doxorubicin, drug resistance, plasma membrane pH gradient, tumor microenvironment Received: April 19, 2016 Accepted: August 10, 2016 Published: August 22, 2016 ABSTRACT Current therapy of osteosarcoma (OS), the most common primary bone malignancy, is based on a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Multidrug resistance mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp) overexpression has been previously associated with treatment failure and progression of OS, although other mechanisms may also play a role. We considered the typical acidic extracellular pH (pHe) of sarcomas, and found that doxorubicin (DXR) cytotoxicity is reduced in P-gp negative OS cells cultured at pHe 6.5 compared to standard 7.4. Short-time (24–48 hours) exposure to low pHe significantly increased the number and acidity of lysosomes, and the combination of DXR with omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor targeting lysosomal acidity, significantly enhanced DXR cytotoxicity. In OS xenografts, the combination treatment of DXR and omeprazole significantly reduced tumor volume and body weight loss. The impaired toxicity of DXR at low pHe was not associated with increased autophagy or lysosomal acidification, but rather, as shown by SNARF staining, with a reversal of the pH gradient at the plasma membrane (ΔpH cm ), eventually leading to a reduced DXR intracellular accumulation. Finally, the reversal of ΔpH cm in OS cells promoted resistance not only to DXR, but also to cisplatin and methotrexate, and, to a lesser extent, to vincristine. Altogether, our findings show that, in OS cells, short-term acidosis induces resistance to different chemotherapeutic drugs by a reversal of ΔpH cm , suggesting that buffer therapies or regimens including proton pump inhibitors in combination to low concentrations of conventional anticancer agents may offer novel solutions to overcome drug resistance.

Cancer stem cells (CSC) are a prominent component of the tumor bulk and extensive research has now identified them as the subpopulation responsible for tumor relapse and resistance to anti-cancer treatments. Surrounding the bulk formed of tumor cells, an extracellular matrix contributes to cancer growth; the main component of the tumor micro-environment is hyaluronan, a large disaccharide forming a molecular network surrounding the cells. The hyaluronan-dependent coat can regulate cell division and motility in cancer progression and metastasis. One of the receptors of hyaluronan is CD44, a surface protein frequently used as a CSC marker. Indeed, tumor cells with high levels of CD44 appear to exhibit CSC properties and are characterized by elevated relapse rate. The CD44-hyaluronan-dependent interactions are Janus-faced: on one side, they have been shown to be crucial in both malignancy and resistance to therapy; on the other, they represent a potential value for future therapies, as disturbing the CD44-hyaluronan axis would not only impair the pericellular matrix but also the subpopulation of self-renewing oncogenic cells. Here, we will review the key roles of HA and CD44 in CSC maintenance and propagation and will show that CSC-like spheroids from a rabdhomyosarcoma cell line, namely RD, have a prominent pericellular coat necessary for sphere formation and for elevated migration. Thus, a better understanding of the hyaluronan-CD44 interactions holds the potential for ameliorating current cancer therapies and eradicating CSC.

A 45-year-old Italian male was referred as suspected of having a heritable connective tissue disorders by clinical findings, including joint hyperlaxity and soft, smooth, velvety, and slightly elastic skin. Using a specific custom panel including genes involved in these disorders, next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis led to the identification of the c. 5443G>A, p.(Gly1815Ser), (rs745680336) variant in fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene, encoding the FBN1. Mutations in this protein are responsible for different connective tissue disorders, collectively known as type 1 fibrillinopathies, including Marfan syndrome (MFS). Multiple sequencing alignment of human FBN1 protein with various species revealed that the mutation occurred within a highly conserved region of the calcium-binding epidermal growth factor-like domain and affected the protein structure/function, suggesting its pathogenic role. NGS techniques successfully identified the molecular defect in this patient, clinically resembling as MFS, even if a clear genotype-phenotype correlation remains still challenging.

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTDs) defined by joint laxity, skin alterations, and joint hypermobility. The latest EDS classification recognized 13 subtypes in which the clinical and genetic phenotypes are often overlapping, making the diagnosis rather difficult and strengthening the importance of the molecular diagnostic confirmation. New genetic techniques such as next-generation sequencing (NGS) gave the opportunity to identify the genetic bases of unresolved EDS types and support clinical counseling. To date, the molecular defects have been identified in 19 genes, mainly in those encoding collagen, its modifying enzymes or other constituents of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In this review we summarize the contribution of NGS technologies to the current knowledge of the genetic background in different EDS subtypes.

Logistic survival probability models were developed for seven tree species in northwestern North America using Permanent Sample Plot (PSP) data from: six Canadian provincial and territorial governments, the government of Alaska (USA), and four forestry companies; for a total of 1,250,257 trees within 11,673 PSPs. The survival probability of: white/Engelmann spruce ( Picea glauca (Moench) Voss /Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm . ), black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP.), lodgepole pine ( Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon), jack pine ( Pinus banksiana Lamb.), trembling aspen ( Populus tremuloides Michx.), balsam poplar ( Populus balsamifera L.), and balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill . ) was modeled using tree size (dbh), competition estimates (basal area of the larger trees by species group), climate normal, tagging limits and the time elapsed between consecutive measurements. Survival increased nonlinearly with tree size and the effect of competition on tree survival was related to the shade-tolerance of the species and to stand composition, with shade intolerant conifer species (i.e. lodgepole and jack pine) being more negatively affected by competition compared to shade intolerant deciduous species (trembling aspen and balsam poplar) and shade tolerant spruce species (white and black spruce). Competition from larger spruce ( Picea spp.), fir ( Abies spp.) and deciduous species (e.g. Populus spp. and Betula spp.) had stronger influences on survival than pine species ( Pinus spp.). Intraspecific competition also had significant effects on survival of the majority of the species. Climate Moisture Index provided better results than other climate variables for most species and survival probability increased with increasing values of CMI (i.e. relatively cooler and wetter climate), while for pine species survival probability decreased with increasing CMI and showed higher levels of survival on warmer and drier sites for the range of conditions included in our data. The predictive equations developed in this study could be used to improve the predictive ability of existing growth and yield models such as the Mixedwood Growth Model.

Collagenopathies are heterogeneous diseases that affect collagen proteins, which are ubiquitous in the body and characterized by the distinctive amino acid sequence Gly-X-Y. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has gained an increasingly essential role in improving our understanding of the molecular bases of heterogeneous diseases like collagenopathies. In the last decades new NGS tools have been developed, such as whole exome sequencing (WES) and custom target sequencing, and they have become efficient and cost-effective methods for clinical diagnosis. In this review, we discuss the relevance of WES and custom target sequencing in the clinical diagnosis of collagenopathies.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the representation that senior managers of Italian social enterprises have about their organization’s intellectual capital (IC), precisely about the human capital, relational capital and organizational capital. Design/methodology/approach This paper used a qualitative approach. A total of 81 senior managers were interviewed individually. Interview data were analyzed using different techniques of content analysis, particularly by using the T-Lab software (analysis of word occurrence and co-word mapping, analysis of Markovian sequences). Findings Findings confirm the divide between theory and practice of IC. The representation of the IC dimensions is rather different from the definition that is found in the academic literature. Limited awareness about IC components and their generative power of knowledge determines a limited exploitation of the social enterprises’ organizational knowledge. Research limitations/implications The group reached is limited to Italy and is not statistically representative of all Italian social enterprises. Practical implications Social enterprises are crucial in the development and well-being of societies. However, the findings suggest that many social enterprises managers are not fully aware of the importance of IC and how it may create value for their organizations. This paper stresses that senior managers of social enterprises need to, through various methods, have a better understanding of IC management and knowledge creation if they are to fully utilise the potential of IC in their organizations for survival and growth. Originality/value This is the first attempt to explore the perception of IC’s components among social enterprises, which represent an important development of non-profit organizations.

Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine socioeconomic disparities in quitting smoking and the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and steps in the smoking cessation pathway.M...

In an area characterized by the presence of a plant that recycles and refines precious metals the study aims to evaluate the exposure to the plant emissions of the residents in the neighbourhood using human urinary biomarkers, in comparison with those obtained in a reference and in an urban area and with the data concerning dispersions of plant emissions obtained through a specific diffusional model. 153 subjects in the study area, 95 in the urban area and 55 in the reference area, aged 18–60 years, answered to a self-administered questionnaire and collected their 24-h urine. Urinary concentrations of antimony, silver, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, mercury, nickel, platinum, creatinine, and the porphyrin patterns were detected. The results for the 3 areas were compared using parametric and non-parametric tests. Significant higher concentrations of mercury, cadmium, silver and nickel are observed in the study area in comparison with the reference area, but no differential distribution was observed by different levels of environmental pollution defined by the study's diffusion model, and no correlation was found between the concentrations of altered urinary porphyrin and metals. Life styles being equal, residents in the study area as well as residents in the urban area have high urinary levels of mercury, silver and nickel in comparison with the reference area, suggesting common environmental pressures probably related to diffuse gold processing activities, suggesting common environmental pressures. The excess of cadmium only in the study area suggests a role played by exposure to plant emissions, even if a differential distribution was not observed by different levels of environmental pollution.

Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a rare and severe connective tissue disorder caused by mutations in the collagen type III alpha I chain ( COL3A1) gene. We describe a pathogenetic heterozygous COL3A1 mutation c.3140 G>A, p. Gly1047Asp, identified using next-generation sequencing, in a 40-year-old Italian female. The genetic test performed on her relatives, which present different clinical phenotypes, confirmed that they carry the same mutation in heterozygous state. This finding confirms that mutations causing vEDS have an incomplete penetrance.

to estimate the number of deaths from noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCD) attributable to behavioural risk factors (tobacco smoking, unhealthy nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight, and excessive alcohol use) in 2016 for Italy and for the Italian regions.descriptive study.mortality data were obtained by the Italian National Institute of Statistics. Causes of deaths from NCD associated with the five RFs were selected. Italian attributable fractions were obtained by the 2016 estimates of the Global Burden of Disease Study and applied to the mortality data. Regional prevalence of risk factors was obtained by the national surveillance system PASSI for the years 2013-2016.absolute number of attributable deaths, joint attributable fraction, proportion of total deaths attributable to RFs (MAprop).about 191,000 out of 614,307 deaths occurred in Italy in 2016 were attributable to combined RFs (about 37% in males; 26% in women). Joint MAprop was between 33% in men (24% in women) from Val d'Aosta and 40% in men (31% in women) from Campania. In Italy, 17% and 6% of the total amount of deaths were attributable to smoking in men and women, respectively; 6% and 3% to alcohol abuse; 7% and 8% to overweight; 13% and 12% to dietary RFs, and 2% and 3% to low physical activity. The higher proportion of attributable deaths by age-group was recorded in people aged 40-59 years (43% in men; 28% in women). Regional differences in attributable deaths are confirmed by regional RF prevalence recorded by the PASSI surveillance system for the years 2013-2016.these are the first estimates of the number of deaths due to NCDs attributable to behavioural RFs estimated for each region and for Italy as a whole. Effective primary prevention policies should be reinforced, since these RFs are potentially modifiable.

The school context is nowadays exposed to several demanding factors relating to students and family needs, external evaluative processes of students’ learning and process outcomes, such as the ability in planning training courses and learning environment. Therefore, in order to better accomplish these demands, assessing the different aspects of the organizational climate and teachers’ morale should represent a useful method to monitor what should be improve and, on the contrary, what resources are efficiently still working. Moreover, there is a need to develop tools that adequately support schools to make self-assessment evaluations of the internal organizational climate and teacher morale. The present study proposes an Italian version of the School Organizational Health Questionnaire, developed by Hart et al. (2000). Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, results highlight that the 56-item version presents satisfactory psychometric properties. Given the scarcity of adequate measurement tools to assess the quality of the school climate and morale, the present study gives further insight to increase the use of self-assessment tools in the development of good practices and monitor teacher morale within the school context.

Job performance has several predictors that are both individual and organizational. According to the existing literature, the learning climate meant as organizational dimension can boost a virtuous circle involving identity factors, proactivity and care for customers as well.It has been applied a quantitative methodology, 57 workers from the health department have filled in an ad hoc questionnaire. Learning climate, general health and job performance have been evaluated.The tested mediation model is statistically significant, showing that the learning climate has both a direct effect on job performance and an indirect effect mediated by the general health.The small sample is the most relevant limit of the study, on the positive side the study takes into account all the dimensions of the learning climate and of the general health, while in the past the focus was just on single aspects of those variables.

Reliability of pulsioxymetry in the assessment of heart rate compared to other non invasive methods.Few information are available on the reliability of the assessment or heart rate.This study evaluates the reliability of the pulse oximeter in the detection of heart rate (HR), in comparison with ECG, radial pulse palpation and using an App for smartphones.The heart rate was assessed on 55 nursing students in two sessions:1 - Pulse Oximeter, ECG, radial pulse; 2 - Pulse Oximeter, ECG, Heart Rate Plus App.No significant differences were observed for the HR measured with pulse oximeter, ECG, radial pulse and App (P = 0.501). The HR of students that do not practice physical training is higher compared to other students. The comparison of different methods showed that HR differences between sedentary and active students were no longer significant with HR detection by palpation on the radial pulse (sedentary and active students P = 0.086) and pulse oximeter (sedentary and active students P = 0.054).The pulse oximeter and the App can be considered reliable instruments for the detection of heart rate, as long as their use is limited to healthy adults. In the clinic assessment the use of the pulse oximeter and the palpation of the radial pulse could be the least reliable methods. Unlike the pulse oximeter, the App can be effectively used in sports.

Our aim was to provide a systematic review of studies on the burden of disease due to second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure, reviewing methods, exposure assessment, diseases causally linked to SHS, health outcomes, and estimates available to date. A literature review of studies on the burden of disease from SHS exposure, available in PubMed and SCOPUS, published 2007–2018 in English language, was carried out following the PRISMA recommendations. Overall, 588 studies were first identified, and 94 were eligible. Seventy-two studies were included in the systematic review. Most of them were based on the comparative risk assessment approach, assessing SHS exposure using mainly surveys on exposure at home/workplaces. Diseases more frequently studied were: lung cancer, ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma and breast cancer in adults; lower respiratory tract infection, otitis media, asthma, sudden infant death syndrome and low birth weight in children. The SHS exposure assessment and the reported population attributable fractions (PAF) were largely heterogeneous. As an example, the PAF from lung cancer varied between 0.6% and 20.5%. Moreover, PAF were estimated applying relative risks and SHS exposures with no consistent definitions or with different age classes. The research gap on the SHS exposure burden is shrinking. However, estimates are not yet available for a number of countries, particularly the Middle Eastern and African countries, and not all diseases with the strongest evidence of causation, such as sudden infant death syndrome, have been explored. Moreover, in some cases the applied methodology revealed relatively low quality of data. info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion