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The risks for human health and the ecosystem due to potentially toxic elements (PTEs) were investigated in a farmland classified as potentially contaminated by Cr and Zn by analysing native vegetation and relative rhizo-soils. Rhizo-soils of different plant species were found to be enriched by Cr and Zn as well as by elements omitted from official environmental characterization, namely Cd, As and Pb. The ecological risk index (ERI) had a mean value of 510, indicating high to "very high" risk in different habitats. ERI above the very high risk threshold characterized the rhizo-soils of Lolium perenne , Erigeron sumatrensis , Oloptum thomasii and Amaranthus retroflexus. Two of these plant species (E. sumatrensis and A. retroflexus) are exotic in Italy and accumulated Cd in the shoots above the EU threshold for forage, suggesting a potential risk of Cd transfer to the food chain. Hence, this element was found to contribute most to the ERI. Cynodon dactylon was recognized as the most suitable plant species for the phytostabilization of the contaminated site, as it showed the highest bioavailable Cd accumulation in roots coupled with the highest frequency and soil-cover capacity during spring-summer, when the risk of soil resuspension is generally more intense. Image 1 • Pollutants from industrial activities are the main threat for humans and ecosystems. • Analyzing wild flora can help in contaminated soil characterization and remediation. • As, Cd and Pb in soils bared a potential risk but Cd was the most hazardous element. • Cd accumulation in shoots suggests the risk of transfer to food chain. • Cynodon dactylon was the best plant for phytostabilization and site securing. In a soil polluted by tannery wastes, Cr and Zn did not pose environmental and sanitary risks, while Cd was the most dangerous element. Cynodon dactylon was the most suitable species for remediating the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article elaborates on the results of a trial study on the effectiveness of three types of drug-eluting stents (DES) in type 2 diabetes patients in Naples, Italy. It addresses the factors that are used in the study including the methods used to assess the three types of DES in the study which are elective sirolimus-eluting stent (SES), paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES), and zotarolimus-eluting stent and the microvascular side effects to which the patients were tested to. It shows that ZES performed poorly among the three.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) include three main conditions: autistic disorder (AD), pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger syndrome. It has been shown that many genes associated with ASDs are involved in the neuroligin-neurexin interaction at the glutamate synapse: NLGN3, NLGN4, NRXN1, CNTNAP2, and SHANK3. We screened this last gene in two cohorts of ASD patients (133 patients from US and 88 from Italy). We found 5/221 (2.3%) cases with pathogenic alterations: a 106 kb deletion encompassing the SHANK3 gene, two frameshift mutations leading to premature stop codons, a missense mutation (p.Pro141Ala), and a splicing mutation (c.1820-4 G>A). Additionally, in 17 patients (7.7%) we detected a c.1304+48C>T transition affecting a methylated cytosine in a CpG island. This variant is reported as SNP rs76224556 and was found in both US and Italian controls, but it results significantly more frequent in our cases than in the control cohorts. The variant is also significantly more common among PDD-NOS cases than in AD cases. We also screened this gene in an independent replication cohort of 104 US patients with ASDs, in which we found a missense mutation (p.Ala1468Ser) in 1 patient (0.9%), and in 8 patients (7.7%) we detected the c.1304+48C>T transition. While SHANK3 variants are present in any ASD subtype, the SNP rs76224556 appears to be significantly associated with PDD-NOS cases. This represents the first evidence of a genotype-phenotype correlation in ASDs and highlights the importance of a detailed clinical-neuropsychiatric evaluation for the effective genetic screening of ASD patients.

Aims and Background: Malignant mesothelioma is a fatal cancer of increasing incidence in north-eastern Italy. Together with asbestos, the polyomavirus SV40 was hypothesized to contribute to the onset of malignant mesothelioma. To investigate the putative role of SV40 in the individual susceptibility to asbestos-induced malignant mesothelioma, we conducted a molecular epidemiological study on a series of malignant mesothelioma patients from an area in north-eastern Italy hyperendemic for malignant pleural mesothelioma., Methods and Study Design: We collected 63 mesothelioma samples from incidence cases of patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma in the period 2009-2010. DNA was extracted from patients' tissue biopsies using the BioRobot EZ1 Qiagen workstation. SV40 sequence detection and quantification was performed by specific real time PCR. The 74.6% of the 63 enrolled patients had a history of asbestos exposure. The epithelioid histotype was more prevalent in males (64.0%) and the mixed in females (61.5%) who showed significantly higher cancer co-morbidity (46.1% vs 12%, P = 0.005). SV40 was detected in 22% of MM tumors, with a low viral load. In SV40-positive patients, a threefold increased risk of asbestos exposure was observed, more evident in females (OR 4.32) than in males (OR 1.20)., Conclusions: Our findings indicate that a high prevalence of SV40 was present in malignant mesothelioma incident cases from an area hyperendemic for malignant mesothelioma in north-eastern Italy. Although asbestos is considered the main risk factor in malignant mesothelioma onset, a role for SV40 could be hypothesized.

Background: To date, no studies have assessed in detail the characteristics, organisation, and functioning of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). This information gap represents a major limitation for researchers and clinicians because most mental disorders have their onset in childhood or adolescence, and effective interventions can therefore represent a major factor in avoiding chronicity. Interventions and mental health care are delivered by and through services, and not by individual, private clinicians, and drawbacks or limitations of services generally translate in inappropriateness and ineffectiveness of treatments and interventions: therefore information about services is essential to improve the quality of care and ultimately the course and outcome of mental disorders in childhood and adolescence.The present paper reports the results of the first study aimed at providing detailed, updated and comprehensive data on CAMHS of a densely populated Italian region (over 4 million inhabitants) with a target population of 633,725 subjects aged 0-17 years., Methods: Unit Chiefs of all the CAMHS filled in a structured 'Facility Form', with activity data referring to 2008 (data for inpatient facilities referred to 2009), which were then analysed in detail., Results: Eleven CAMHS were operative, including 110 outpatient units, with a ratio of approximately 20 child psychiatrists and 23 psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants aged 0-17 years. All outpatient units were well equipped and organized and all granted free service access. In 2008, approximately 6% of the target population was in contact with outpatient CAMHS, showing substantial homogeneity across the eleven areas thereby. Most patients in contact in 2008 received a language disorder- or learning disability diagnosis (41%). First-ever contacts accounted for 30% of annual visits across all units. Hospital bed availability was 5 per 100,000 inhabitants aged 0-17 years., Conclusion: The percentage of young people in contact with CAMHS for mental disorders is in line with those observed in previous epidemiological studies. The overall number of child psychiatrists per 100,000 inhabitants is one of the highest in Europe and it is comparable with the most well equipped areas in the US. This comparison should be interpreted with caution, however, because in Italy, child psychiatrists also treat neurological disorders. Critical areas requiring improvement are: the uneven utilisation of standardised assessment procedures and the limited availability of dedicated emergency services during non-office hours (e.g., nights and holidays).

Objectives: The Cancer of RESpiratory Tract (CREST) biorepository was established to investigate biological mechanisms and to develop tools and strategies for primary and secondary prevention of respiratory tract cancer. The CREST biorepository is focused on pleural malignant mesothelioma, a rare and severe cancer linked to asbestos exposure whose incidence is particularly high in the Ligurian region., Methods: The CREST biorepository includes biological specimens from (a) patients with pleural malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, (b) patients with nonneoplastic respiratory conditions, and (c) control subjects. Whole blood, plasma, serum, lymphocytes, pleural fluid, saliva, and biopsies are collected, and a questionnaire is administered. Collection, transportation, and storage are done according to international standards., Results: As of January 31, 2008, the overall number of subjects recruited was 1,590 (446 lung cancer, 209 pleural malignant mesothelioma, and 935 controls). The biorepository includes a total of 10,055 aliquots (4,741 serum; 3,082 plasma; 1,599 whole blood; 633 pleural fluid; and 561 lymphocytes) and 107 biopsies. Demographic, clinical, and epidemiologic information is collected for each subject and processed in a dedicated database., Conclusions: The CREST biorepository is a valuable tool for molecular epidemiology and translational studies. This structure relies on a network of contacts with local health districts that allows for an active search for patients. This is a particularly efficient approach, especially when the object of the study is a rare cancer type. The CREST experience suggests that the presence of limited resources can be overcome by the biorepository specialization, the high quality of the epidemiologic information, and the variety of samples.