Increased Adhesiveness of Blood Cells Induced by Mercury Chloride: Protective Effect of Hydroxytyrosol.

Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic environmental contaminant that can harm human health, ultimately leading to endothelial dysfunction. Hg toxicity is partially mediated by the exposure of the cell membrane's surface of erythrocytes (RBCs) to phosphatidylserine (PS). In the context of these challenges, hydroxytyrosol, a phenolic compound of olive oil, has the ability to mitigate the toxic effects of Hg.

Protective effects of olive oil antioxidant phenols on mercury-induced phosphatidylserine externalization in erythrocyte membrane: Insights into scramblase and flippase activity.

In several physiopathological processes, phosphatidylserine (PS), normally sequestered to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, becomes exposed to the cell surface. In erythrocytes (RBC), PS externalization is a crucial event for the removal of aged/damaged cells but can also be associated with increased prothrombotic activity. Structurally related olive oil antioxidants, including hydroxytyrosol (HT), are able to significantly reduce the percentage of PS-exposing RBC, when cells are exposed to toxic compounds such as the heavy metal mercury (Hg).

Vaccination Open Day: A Cross-Sectional Study on the 2023 Experience in Lombardy Region, Italy.

Background: Vaccination is a highly effective tool for controlling infectious diseases, particularly in populations at high risk of contagion due to clinical conditions or occupational exposure, such as healthcare workers. The purpose of this study is to present the open day event that marked the beginning of the influenza and anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign in the Lombardy region and to describe the experience of an Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico in Milan.

Methods: During the vaccination open day, eligible individuals received free vaccinations for influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal disease, and shingles, as provided by the Lombardy Agenzia per la Tutela della Salute.

Silent Infections are not So Silent: The Emerging Role of Combined Infections, Inflammation, and Vitamin Levels in OCD.

Objective: Recent evidence highlights that different agents may trigger immune-mediated processes involved in the pathophysiology of different neuropsychiatric conditions. Given the limited information on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the present study aimed at assessing current/past infections and plasma levels of vitamin D, vitamin B12, folic acid, homocysteine and common peripheral inflammatory markers in a group of OCD outpatients.

Method: The sample included 217 adult outpatients with an OCD diagnosis according to the DSM-5 criteria.