Perspective: Improving Nutritional Guidelines for Sustainable Health Policies: Current Status and Perspectives.

A large body of evidence supports the notion that incorrect or insufficient nutrition contributes to disease development. A pivotal goal is thus to understand what exactly is appropriate and what is inappropriate in food ingestion and the consequent nutritional status and health. The effective application of these concepts requires the translation of scientific information into practical approaches that have a tangible and measurable impact at both individual and population levels.

2017 Position Paper of the Italian Society for Cardiovascular Prevention (SIPREC) for an Updated Clinical Management of Hypercholesterolemia and Cardiovascular Risk: Executive Document.

The benefits achieved by implementing cardiovascular prevention strategies in terms of reduced incidence of atherosclerotic diseases and mortality are accepted, worldwide. In particular, the clinical management of hypercholesterolemia has a fundamental role for all preventive strategies, both in primary and secondary prevention, at each stage of cardiovascular risk. Since the net clinical benefit of lipid-lowering therapy largely depends on baseline individual cardiovascular risk profile, the assessment of individual risk is essential to establish type and intensity of both preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Human papillomavirus 9-valent vaccine for cancer prevention: a systematic review of the available evidence.

In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new human papillomavirus 9-valent vaccine (9vHPV), targeting nine HPV types: HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, which are also targeted by the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (qHPV), plus five additional high cancer risk HPV types (HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58). The aim of the current study was to systematically retrieve, qualitatively and quantitatively pool, as well as critically appraise all available evidence on 9vHPV from randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We conducted a systematic review of the literature on 9vHPV efficacy, immunogenicity and safety, as well as a systematic search of registered, completed, and ongoing RCTs.

The Epidemiology of Cognitive Impairment in the Aging Population: Implications for Hearing Loss.

Cognitive impairment and dementia are characterized by a progressive and devastating reduction in most cognitive abilities, functional independence, and social relationships. Dementia represents a substantial financial burden on society, one that is comparable to the financial burden of heart disease and cancer. Due to its insidious onset, cognitive impairment can be clinically silent for several years; therefore, diagnosis occurs late in the disease process, and treatment becomes almost useless.

Public health value of universal HPV vaccination.

Background: The story of Human Papillomavirus vaccination demands reflection not only for its public health impact on the prophylactic management of HPV disease, but also for its relevant economic and social outcomes. Greater than ever data confirm the efficacy and support the urge for effective vaccination plans for both genders before sexual debut.

Methods: A review of previous experience in gender-restricted vaccination programs has demonstrated a lower effectiveness.

Steps forward in regulatory pathways for acute and chronic heart failure.

A workshop was organized by the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) to discuss unmet needs and ways forward in the development of medicines in heart failure, their rationale, and cost-effective use. An integrated, multidisciplinary approach, including patients' needs and perspectives, was advocated by all the participants as the way to the most effective treatment regimens. More work is needed for reaching consensus on clinical and functional endpoints, for validating patient reported outcomes and measurements of well-being.

Steps forward in regulatory pathways for acute and chronic heart failure.

A workshop was organized by the Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) to discuss unmet needs and ways forward in the development of medicines in heart failure, their rationale, and cost-effective use. An integrated, multidisciplinary approach, including patients' needs and perspectives, was advocated by all the participants as the way to the most effective treatment regimens. More work is needed for reaching consensus on clinical and functional endpoints, for validating patient reported outcomes and measurements of well-being.

Hearing loss and cognitive decline in older adults: questions and answers.

The association between hearing impairment, the diagnosis of dementia, and the role of sensory therapy has been proposed for some time, but further research is needed. Current understanding of this association requires the commitment of those experts who can integrate experience and research from several fields to be able to understand the link from hearing to dementia. A workshop whose panelists included experts from many areas, ranging from ear, nose and throat (ENT) to dementia's specialists, was promoted and organized by the Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation (Milan, Italy; Houston, TX, USA) to increase the awareness of the relationship between hearing loss and dementia, and included questions and comments following a presentation from the clinical researcher, Frank Lin, who has been evaluating the relationship between hearing loss and cognitive decline since 2009.

Copeptin (CTproAVP), a new tool for understanding the role of vasopressin in pathophysiology.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) plays a key role in many physiologic and pathologic processes. The most important stimulus for AVP release is a change in plasma osmolality. AVP is also involved in the response and adaptation to stress.

Hearing loss and dementia in the aging population.

For some years, policy makers and medical scientists have both begun to focus more on chronic noncommunicable diseases. It is well known that cardio-cerebrovascular disease, tumors, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are considered areas of major interest in many scientific projects and health programs. The economic impact of cardio-cerebrovascular disease in EU alone is more than EUR 200 billion, while tumors have an impact of EUR 150 billion.

Towards the eradication of HPV infection through universal specific vaccination.

Background: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is generally recognized to be the direct cause of cervical cancer. The development of effective anti-HPV vaccines, included in the portfolio of recommended vaccinations for any given community, led to the consolidation in many countries of immunization programs to prevent HPV-related cervical cancers. In recent years, increasing evidence in epidemiology and molecular biology have supported the oncogenic role of HPV in the development of other neoplasm including condylomas and penile, anal, vulvar, vaginal, and oro-pharyngeal cancers.

Translating the basic knowledge of mitochondrial functions to metabolic therapy: role of L-carnitine.

Mitochondria play important roles in human physiological processes, and therefore, their dysfunction can lead to a constellation of metabolic and nonmetabolic abnormalities such as a defect in mitochondrial gene expression, imbalance in fuel and energy homeostasis, impairment in oxidative phosphorylation, enhancement of insulin resistance, and abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism. As a consequence, mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathophysiology of insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, vascular disease, and chronic heart failure. The increased knowledge on mitochondria and their role in cellular metabolism is providing new evidence that these disorders may benefit from mitochondrial-targeted therapies.

Considerations for early acute myocardial infarction rule-out for emergency department chest pain patients: the case of copeptin.

The evaluation of patients admitted at the emergency department (ED) for chest pain is challenging and involves many different clinical specialists including emergency physicians, laboratory professionals and cardiologists. The preferable approach to deal with this issue is to develop joint protocols that will assist the clinical decision-making to quickly and accurately rule-out patients with non life-threatening conditions that can be considered for early and safe discharge or further outpatient follow-up, rule-in patients with acute coronary syndrome and raise the degree of alert of the emergency physicians on non-cardiac life-threatening emergencies. The introduction of novel biomarkers alongside the well-established troponins might support this process and also provide prognostic information about acute short-term or chronic long-term risk and severity.

The Lorenzini Foundation in a changing scenario of patient management.

The loss of life, disability, and economic burden attributed to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Europe has created an urgent need for all stakeholders in CVD prevention to partner together to address the barriers in local health policy and produce effective programs in individual and population risk reduction and rational use of health services. Countries have a legal and moral obligation to achieve the highest standard of CV health care for citizens and to improve national health care systems accordingly. As part of a vision for future potential opportunities in CVD prevention, the Lorenzini Foundation would like to raise awareness of several key areas among the European authorities: Integration of interventions aimed at several risk factors within an individual country's health care system; implementation of a comprehensive approach combining policy development, capacity building, partnership and information support at all levels; promotion of transversal health policies, including coordinated action outside of the health sector to address major determinants of ill health; a combination of health policy and high-risk strategies to link health promotion, public health services, primary care, and hospital care; and, finally, reduction in ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, and gender inequalities to multiple risk factor management among and within countries through use of cost-effective medications and medical technologies.

Assessment of nutritional profiles: a novel system based on a comprehensive approach.

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases (for example, cardiovascular disorders, type 2 diabetes and cancer) is rampant in Western societies, accounting for approximately 60 % of all causes of death. A large proportion of non-communicable diseases can be prevented through appropriate diets and lifestyles. Accordingly, several health authorities and regulatory bodies are assessing the nutritional profiles of food items and whole diets, to implement guidelines aimed at improving the diet of the general population.

Accuracy of body weight prediction in Alpine ibex (Capra ibex, L. 1758) using morphometry.

The relationship between weight and body measurements of 227 Alpine ibex Capra ibex (162 males and 65 females, age range: 2-16 years) were analysed by linear and multiple regression. The animals were live-captured across all seasons of the year, in the Western Italian Alps, 1986-1994. The relationship between weight and body measurements changed with sex and season.

An integrated system for the automation of the clinical chemistry laboratory.

A user programmable microcomputer-based integrated system for automatic analysis in the clinical chemistry laboratory is presented. Friendly user-instrument interaction helps the operator when defining tests and analytical conditions or entering sample data and test requests. Quality control data are retained for the automatic production of various statistical lists and graphs.

Multivariate statistical analysis of quantitative serum protein data in populations of Rwanda.

Data on serum protein levels of four populations from Rwanda were analyzed by multivariate statistical methods to assess their utility as an anthropological tool. These populations consisted of two ethnic groups in two different environments. Seven proteins were considered in the analysis.

Development and improvement of a commercial uric acid enzymatic determination kit on a centrifugal fast analyzer.

The performance of a uric acid determination kit has been evaluated for five months, under routine conditions, in a General Hospital Biochemical Laboratory. An anomalous increment in fresh serum blanks was noted in the kit when first introduced. This interference, probably due to alcohol dehydrogenase contamination, was corrected by addition of 50 mmol/l (NH4)2SO4 to the reagent.

Parasite-reactive serum IgE antibodies in African populations. Relation to intestinal parasite load.

Serum IgE levels and IgE antibodies against four intestinal parasites, and the presence and abundance of parasites in stool samples were investigated in 161 Rwanda natives. Most of the IgE turn out to be helminth-reacting antibodies. The stimulation and production of these antibodies are much different from those of anti-amoeba antibodies in their relation to the specific intestinal parasite load; helminth infestations seem to play a major role in the development of anti-amoeba antibodies as well.