Prediagnostic plasma concentrations of organochlorines and risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in envirogenomarkers: a nested case-control study.

Background: Evidence suggests a largely environmental component to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDE and HCB have been repeatedly implicated, but the literature is inconsistent and a causal relationship remains to be determined.

Methods: The EnviroGenoMarkers study is nested within two prospective cohorts EPIC-Italy and the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study.

Human bio-monitoring study around a plant that recycles and refines precious metals in Central Italy.

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 18-60years, 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.

Genome-wide association analysis implicates dysregulation of immunity genes in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Several chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) susceptibility loci have been reported; however, much of the heritable risk remains unidentified. Here we perform a meta-analysis of six genome-wide association studies, imputed using a merged reference panel of 1,000 Genomes and UK10K data, totalling 6,200 cases and 17,598 controls after replication. We identify nine risk loci at 1p36.

Fine airborne particles: when alarming levels are the standard.

Objectives: To quantify the contribution of each individual month to the annual mortality burden attributable to particulate matter (PM) in 2015 in Milan, Italy, after authorities and media considered December 2015 as an outlying month carrying an exceptional population exposure to PM.

Study Design: We used routinely available daily time series of air pollution and mortality to perform an assessment of the impact of PM exposure on population health.

Methods: By combining daily death counts with daily PM levels, as well as the yearly average of the number of deaths with the yearly average of PM concentrations, impact estimates were calculated in terms of deaths attributable (AD) to levels of PM and PM exceeding the daily or the annual European Union (EU) exposure limits.

Associations Between Genome-wide Gene Expression and Ambient Nitrogen Oxides.

Background: We hypothesize that biological perturbations due to exposure to ambient air pollution are reflected in gene expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Methods: We assessed the association between exposure to ambient air pollution and genome-wide gene expression levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from 550 healthy subjects participating in cohorts from Italy and Sweden. Annual air pollution estimates of nitrogen oxides (NOx) at time of blood collection (1990-2006) were available from the ESCAPE study.

Place of death of children with complex chronic conditions: cross-national study of 11 countries.

Unlabelled: Cross-national understanding of place of death is crucial for health service systems for their provision of efficient and equal access to paediatric palliative care. The objectives of this population-level study were to examine where children with complex chronic conditions (CCC) die and to investigate associations between places of death and sex, cause of death and country. The study used death certificate data of all deceased 1- to 17-year-old children (n = 40,624) who died in 2008, in 11 European and non-European countries.

Voluntary home smoking ban: prevalence, trend and determinants in Italy.

To investigate voluntary home smoking bans, we analysed five nationally representative surveys on 15 175 adults conducted in Italy in 2011-2015. Overall, 61% of Italians (69% of non-smokers and 32% of current smokers) adopted a complete home smoking ban. Although families with children more frequently live in smoke-free homes, still the majority of current smokers living with children admit smoking inside their homes.

Effectiveness of HPV vaccination in women reaching screening age in Italy.

Background And Objectives: A randomized trial was conducted in Tuscany, Italy, to evaluate the effectiveness of HPV vaccination for 25year old (yo) women who attend at the first time cervical cancer screening. The trial also evaluated immune response after vaccination, reductions of cytological abnormalities and the impact of vaccination on screening activity.

Study Design: During 2010-2011, all 25 yo women who were invited to the Florence cervical cancer screening programme were also asked to participate in the trial.

Faecal immunochemical test in subjects not attending screening computed tomography colonography and colonoscopy in a randomized trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the participation and yield of the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) in nonattendees for computed tomography colonography (CTC) or optical colonoscopy (OC) screening, in the setting of a randomized trial. In the SAVE trial, 16087 individuals were randomly assigned and invited to one of four interventions for colorectal cancer screening: (i) biennial FIT for three rounds; (ii) reduced-preparation CTC; (iii) full-preparation CTC; and (iv) OC. Nonattendees of reduced-preparation CTC, full-preparation CTC and OC groups were invited to FIT.

Mediating factors of a school-based multi-component smoking prevention intervention: the LdP cluster randomized controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate factors mediating the effects of Luoghi di Prevenzione (LdP) smoking prevention intervention based on social competence and social influence approaches, and characterized by peer-led school-based interventions, out-of-school workshops, school lessons, and by enforcing the school anti-smoking policy. Students aged 14-15 years in 13 secondary schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy (989 students) were randomly assigned to the LdP intervention or a control condition. The baseline and follow-up surveys were carried out before and 18 months after the intervention, respectively.

Impact of a new sampling buffer on faecal haemoglobin stability in a colorectal cancer screening programme by the faecal immunochemical test.

Haemoglobin (Hb) stability in faecal samples is an important issue in colorectal cancer screening by the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for Hb. This study evaluated the performance of the FIT-Hb (OC-Sensor Eiken) used in the Florence screening programme by comparing two different formulations of the buffer, both in an analytical and in a clinical setting. In the laboratory simulation, six faecal pools (three in each buffer type) were stored at different temperatures and analysed eight times in 10 replicates over 21 days.

Projected heat-related mortality under climate change in the metropolitan area of Skopje.

Background: Excessive summer heat is a serious environmental health problem in Skopje, the capital and largest city of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This paper attempts to forecast the impact of heat on mortality in Skopje in two future periods under climate change and compare it with a historical baseline period.

Methods: After ascertaining the relationship between daily mean ambient air temperature and daily mortality in Skopje, we modelled the evolution of ambient temperatures in the city under a Representative Concentration Pathway scenario (RCP8.

Air pollution exposure, cause-specific deaths and hospitalizations in a highly polluted Italian region.

Background: The Lombardy region in northern Italy ranks among the most air polluted areas of Europe. Previous studies showed air pollution short-term effects on all-cause mortality. We examine here the effects of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤10µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exposure on deaths and hospitalizations from specific causes, including cardiac, cerebrovascular and respiratory diseases.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies discovers multiple loci for chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a common lymphoid malignancy with strong heritability. To further understand the genetic susceptibility for CLL and identify common loci associated with risk, we conducted a meta-analysis of four genome-wide association studies (GWAS) composed of 3,100 cases and 7,667 controls with follow-up replication in 1,958 cases and 5,530 controls. Here we report three new loci at 3p24.

Detection rate and predictive factors of sessile serrated polyps in an organised colorectal cancer screening programme with immunochemical faecal occult blood test: the EQuIPE study (Evaluating Quality Indicators of the Performance of Endoscopy).

Objectives: To assess detection rate and predictive factors of sessile serrated polyps (SSPs) in organised colorectal cancer (CRC) screening programmes based on the faecal immunochemical test (FIT).

Design: Data from a case series of colonoscopies of FIT-positive subjects were provided by 44 Italian CRC screening programmes. Data on screening history, endoscopic procedure and histology results, and additional information on the endoscopy centre and the endoscopists were collected, including the age-standardised and sex-standardised adenoma detection rate (ADR) of the individual endoscopists.

Psychological distress and health-related quality of life among head and neck cancer patients during the first year after treatment.

Purpose: Patients treated for head and neck cancer present some of the most significant posttreatment morbidity of any group of patients with cancer. Our aim is to describe quality of life and psychological distress after different treatments among head and neck cancer patients during the first year after treatment.

Methods: A total of 86 patients treated for head and neck cancer were evaluated within 1 year of the end of treatment by means of the Distress Thermometer (DT) and EORTC C30 and H&N35 questionnaires.

Reduced and Full-Preparation CT Colonography, Fecal Immunochemical Test, and Colonoscopy for Population Screening of Colorectal Cancer: A Randomized Trial.

Background: Population screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) is widely adopted, but the preferred strategy is still under debate. We aimed to compare reduced (r-CTC) and full cathartic preparation CT colonography (f-CTC), fecal immunochemical test (FIT), and optical colonoscopy (OC) as primary screening tests for CRC.

Methods: Citizens of a district of Florence, Italy, age 54 to 65 years, were allocated (8:2.

Impact of Screening Program on Incidence of Colorectal Cancer: A Cohort Study in Italy.

Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening using the fecal occult blood test (FOBT) has been shown to be effective in reducing cause-specific mortality. However, although it detects pre-cancerous adenomas, it is uncertain whether FOBT reduces the incidence of invasive cancer. The objective is to evaluate the impact of screening with immunochemical FOBT (FIT) on CRC incidence and mortality.

Prevalence and number of circulating tumour cells and microemboli at diagnosis of advanced NSCLC.

Purpose: Timing and magnitude of blood release of circulating tumour cells (CTC) and circulating tumour microemboli (CTM) from primary solid cancers are uncertain. We investigated prevalence and number of CTC and CTM at diagnosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with suspected stage III-IV lung cancer gave consent to provide 15 mL of peripheral blood soon before diagnostic CT-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB).

Impact of preanalytical factors on fecal immunochemical tests: need for new strategies in comparison of methods.

Background: Harmonization of fecal immunochemical tests for hemoglobin (FIT-Hb) is crucial to compare clinical outcomes in screening programs. The lack of reference materials and standard procedures does not allow the use of usual protocols to compare methods. We propose 2 protocols, based on artificial biological samples (ABS), to discriminate preanalytical and analytical variation and investigate clinical performances.

Inflammatory markers in relation to long-term air pollution.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution can lead to chronic health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Systemic inflammation has been hypothesized as a putative biological mechanism contributing to these adverse health effects. We evaluated the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution on blood markers of systemic inflammation.

Exposure to fine particle matter, nitrogen dioxide and benzene during pregnancy and cognitive and psychomotor developments in children at 15 months of age.

Background: Prenatal exposure to air pollutants has recently been identified as a potential risk factor for neuropsychological impairment.

Objectives: To assess whether prenatal exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and benzene were associated with impaired development in infants during their second year of life.