Digoxin initiation after an acute heart failure episode and its association with post-discharge outcomes: an international multicenter analysis.

Digoxin is commonly used to treat acute heart failure (AHF), especially in patients with concurrent atrial fibrillation (AF). Nonetheless, there is little consensus about in which patients digoxin should be given, the proper time for digoxin initiation, and whether digoxin initiation is associated with improved outcomes. We investigated factors related to digoxin initiation after an episode of AHF and whether patients receiving digoxin presented better short-term outcomes.

Home-care educational interventions to prevent complications in patients with Ventricular Assist Devices: a systematic review.

Background: The implantation of ventricular assist devices is the only effective alternative to cardiac transplantation in patients with chronic heart failure, in terms of survival and quality of life. However, their implantation can lead to physical and psychological complications, potentially preventable, especially in the long term, through patients' education. This research aimed to summarize the current best evidence on educational strategies towards patients after implantation of ventricular assist devices, in home-care setting, to reduce the major related complications, namely driveline infections, gastrointestinal bleeding and psychological complications.

Body Mass Index and Antibody Persistence after Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Hepatitis B Vaccinations.

Overweight and obesity may cause a reduced response to vaccination. The purpose of the present research was to study the relationship between current body mass index (BMI) and antibody persistence after vaccination against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) given during childhood, as per the current vaccination schedule. The study was conducted on 2185 students at the School of Medicine, University of Padua, Italy.

Rubella Serosurvey Among Future Healthcare Workers.

Rubella is a very diffusive but relatively benign infectious disease unless contracted during pregnancy, when it causes congenital rubella syndrome. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence and titer of antirubella antibodies in a population of future healthcare workers (students at the school of medicine). The cohort consisted of 11,022 students who underwent antibody analysis after the presentation of a vaccine certificate.

Uptake of Non-Mandatory Vaccinations in Future Physicians in Italy.

In 2017 in Italy, a number of vaccinations became mandatory or started to be recommended and offered free of charge. In this study, we aimed at assessing the coverage rates for those vaccinations in the pre-mandatory era among students at the School of Medicine of Padua University studying the degree course in medicine and surgery (future physicians) on the basis of the vaccination certificates presented during health surveillance. The vaccinations considered were those against pertussis, rubella, mumps, measles, varicella, type b (which became mandatory in 2017), pneumococcus, meningococcus C and meningococcus B (only suggested and offered for free since 2017).

Response to Vaccination against Mumps in Medical Students: Two Doses Are Needed.

Mumps is a vaccine-preventable infectious disease diffuse worldwide. The implementation of mumps vaccination reduced largely the spread of infection. On 11,327 Medical School students the prevalence of mumps positive antibodies was evaluated according to dose/doses of vaccine, year of birth and sex.

Future Healthcare Workers and Hepatitis B Vaccination: A New Generation.

Before the introduction of universal vaccination, hepatitis B caused high morbidity and mortality, especially among healthcare workers. In the present study, the immune status against hepatitis B was assessed in a cohort of 11,188 students of the degree courses of the School of Medicine of the University of Padua (Italy) who had been subjected to mandatory vaccination in childhood or adolescence and who will be future healthcare workers. The variables that influence the antibody response to vaccination are mainly the age at which the vaccine was administered and sex.

Vaccination and Immunity toward Measles: A Serosurvey in Future Healthcare Workers.

Measles is a very contagious infectious disease, and vaccination is the only medical aid to counter the spread of the infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of vaccination schedule and type of vaccine, number of doses, and sex on the immune response. In a population of Italian medical students (8497 individuals born after 1980 with certificate of vaccination and quantitative measurement of antibodies against measles), the prevalence of positive antibodies to measles and antibody titer was measured.

Course of Metal Ions after a Revision of Malfunctioning Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Prostheses.

The present research evaluated the course of cobalt and chromium in the blood and urine after the revision of metal-on-metal with a ceramic-on-polyethylene total hip arthroplasty. Seven patients were enrolled for hip prosthesis revision owing to ascertained damage of the implant. Metals in the blood and urine were evaluated before and after the hip revision.

Screening of Antifungal and Antibacterial Activity of 90 Commercial Essential Oils against 10 Pathogens of Agronomical Importance.

Nowadays, the demand for a reduction of chemical pesticides use is growing. In parallel, the development of alternative methods to protect crops from pathogens and pests is also increasing. Essential oil (EO) properties against plant pathogens are well known, and they are recognized as having an interesting potential as alternative plant protection products.

Varicella seroepidemiology and immunization in a cohort of future healthcare workers in the pre-vaccination era.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to establish the seroprevalence of positive antibodies against varicella and compliance with varicella vaccination in the pre-vaccination era.

Methods: A cohort of 10 683 Italian students from Padua University Medical School (from 2004 to 2019) were enrolled and classified as unvaccinated, vaccinated once, or vaccinated twice against varicella, according to their vaccination certificate. The antibody titre was measured and the seroprevalence of positive subjects was determined.

Will We Have a Cohort of Healthcare Workers Full Vaccinated against Measles, Mumps, and Rubella?

Healthcare workers are a population exposed to several infectious diseases, and an immunization programme is essential for the maintenance of good vaccination coverage to protect workers and patients. A population of 10,653 students attending degree courses at Padua Medical School (medicine and surgery, dentistry and health professions) was screened for vaccination coverage and antibody titres against rubella, mumps, and measles. The students were subdivided into five age classes according to their date of birth: those born before 1980, between 1980 and 1985, between 1986 and 1990, between 1991 and 1995, and after 1995.

Physical Exercise Is Confirmed to Reduce Low Back Pain Symptoms in Office Workers: A Systematic Review of the Evidence to Improve Best Practices in the Workplace.

This systematic review aimed to analyze the effects of a physical exercise (PE) program on low back pain (LBP) symptoms of office workers and the modification of flexibility and range of motion (ROM), muscular strength, and quality of life (QoL). A literature research was performed on PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus from April to May 2018. The keyword "low back pain" was associated with "office worker" OR "VDT operators" OR "office employees" OR "workplace" AND "exercise", OR "exercise therapy" OR "physical activity".

A tailored workplace exercise program for women at risk for neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate a tailored physical activity protocol performed in a work environment with a group of female workers employed in manual precision tasks to reduce upper limb pain.

Methods: Sixty female subjects were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a control group. The IG was administered of a 6-month, twice-a-week, tailored exercise program, whereas the CG received no intervention.

Tailored exercise program reduces symptoms of upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders in a group of metalworkers: A randomized controlled trial.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) are a leading cause of work-related disability and loss of productivity in the developed countries; these disorders may concur with the indirect costs of an illness or injury included losses of potential output. Literature on workplace physical activity program provided a mixed but positive impact on health and important worksite outcomes. Therefore, programs of physical activity organized and performed in the workplace could reveal as essential tool to reduce musculoskeletal symptoms.

High-frequency hearing thresholds: effects of age, occupational ultrasound and noise exposure.

Purpose: It has been suggested that high-frequency audiometry (HFA) could represent a useful preventive measure in exposed workers. The aim was to investigate the effects of age, ultrasound and noise on high-frequency hearing thresholds.

Methods: We tested 24 industrial ultrasound-exposed subjects, 113 industrial noise-exposed subjects and 148 non-exposed subjects.

[Drugs use assessment in a group of bus drivers].

Bus driver is one of those tasks inherent transport activity, which involves special risks to safety and health of others and for which it is necessary, according to art. 41 of Decree No. 81/08, to check the consumption of psychoactive substances during the health surveillance.

[Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in hospital. Analysis of individual risk by area and occupational category].

An analysis of occupational radiation exposure from 1988-2008 of 43 medical, 41 nurses and 4 nuclear medicine technicians of interventional cardiology, nuclear medicine, radiology-neuroradiology, urology and orthopedics has been performed. The mean annual effective dose to the whole body of all monitored workers are decreasing; one vascular surgeon, has exceeded 20 mSv/year. The doses received by physicians in the hands were up in radiology, urology and cardiology.

[Manual material handling risk assessment and ergonomic improvement in foodstuff retailing company].

The aim of this study is to assess and reduce the risk due to manual material handling in a company involved in the foodstuff retailing. The risk assessment was performed by NIOSH Variable Lifing Index in 13 different occupational conditions. As result the risk was present in any case, with VLI values ranging from 2.

[Evaluating patients manual handling hazards in nursing personnel of a hospital].

Low back pain (LBP) and shoulder and arm disorders are common among workers exposed to risk due to manual weight lifting, and this health care problem is also very costly. We also know that nursing personnel exposed to manual patient handling activity report high number of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The objective of our study was to evaluate the relationships between work and musculoskeletal disorders in personnel exposed to manual patient handling activity.

[Musculoskeletal diseases among a group of geriatric residence workers].

A total of 274 workers of a geriatric residence underwent physical and anamnestic examination in order to ascertain the existence of diseases associated with occupational risks of manual handling of patients. Data on musculo-skeletal disorder of the spine and of the upper limbs were collected. The correlation between manual handling of patients and musculo-skeletal disorder in this worker population is consistent with those already reported in the literature.

Hepatitis B vaccination awareness and biological risk.

Background: Hepatitis B virus is a possible risk in persons exposed to biological risk at work. Vaccination is the only prevention against infection.

Objectives: A population of 1,408 employees of the University of Padua was investigated to define the immunological status for HBV and degree of awareness to hepatitis B vaccination.

Historical control data on urinary and renal tissue biomarkers in naive male Wistar rats.

Total proteins, angiotensin-converting enzyme, N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, glutamine transaminase K and glutamine synthetase were determined in urine collected overnight (14 h: 6:00 p.m.-8:00 a.

Different effects of (CIS+TRANS) 1,3-dichloropropene in renal cortical slices derived from male and female rats.

Nephrotoxic effects of 1,3-dichloropropene (cis and trans isomers mixture) was investigated in vitro by means of renal cortical slice model in male and female rats, including treatment with metabolism modifiers as an inducer of cytochrome P-450 1A class (beta-naphthoflavone), a reduced glutathione depleting (DL-buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine), an inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl-transferase (AT-125) and inhibitor of cysteine conjugate beta-lyase (aminooxiacetic acid). Dose-dependent decrease of p-aminohippurate uptake was observed in male renal cortical slices. Only the high doses (3.