C De Vito

The evaluation of the microbial safety of fresh ready-to-eat vegetables produced by different technologies in Italy

Aims:  The study was performed to evaluate the safety of whole and RTE vegetables and to investigate the effectiveness of different preventive strategies for the quality assurance of RTE vegetables collected from three Italian production systems. Producer 1, applied a strict system in compliance with GAP‐ GMP – HACCP, Producer 2 used chlorine disinfection at a second washing step, and Producer 3 using a physical microbial stabilization.

Nb-Ta oxide minerals from miarolitic pegmatites of the Baveno pink granite, NW Italy

Abstract Chemical composition and cell parameters were ascertained on new data from Ti-Nb-Ta complex oxides from the miarolitic pegmatites of the Baveno pink granite (Southern Alps, NW Italy). The crystals are tiny, single or aggregated in small sprays, prismatic or tabular, from yellow-orange to brownish in colour. Typical associated minerals include fluorite, zinnwaldite, gadolinite-groupminerals and Sc-minerals. Cavity paragenesis is typical of NYF pegmatites, and shows two stages of crystallization developing in magmatic-pneumatolitic and hydrothermal conditions. X-ray data show that some oxides belong to the aeschynite mineral group; others are polycrase and fersmite. Aeschynite and polycrase are chemically heterogeneous and structurally disordered because of their metamict state. This disorder does not always seem to be related to radionuclide contents. Two main trends are indicated, considering the behaviour of Y. The high Y contents fit with very low Ca and LREE contents in the A site; the HREE contents follow the Y trend. In the B site, Ti is the dominant cation, followed by some Nb and very little Ta. Small quantities of Y fit with increasing Ca, U, Th and REE contents. In the B site, Nb cations often exceed those of Ti. The Th contents are often greater than those of U. Besides the already known aeschynite-(Y) and vigezzite, new varieties, ‘titano-vigezzite’ and ‘niobo-aeschynite-(Y)’, are identified here in the Baveno miarolitic cavities. Samples 14 (analysis a) and 2502 (analysis b) have Ca as the main occupant of the A site, followed by Y, Th and REE; in the B site, Ti prevails over Nb. These compositions cannot be considered as pure vigezzite, but as a new variety called ‘titano-vigezzite’. In the same way, analysis a of sample 3 may be considered a new variety of aeschynite-(Y), with Nb prevailing over Ti in the B site, and here called ‘niobo-aeschynite- (Y)’. Neither variety has ever been mentioned in the literature. Epitaxial growth of aeschynite on polycrase (sample 3194) allows some inferences on the crystallization sequence.

Predictive genetic testing for complex diseases: a public health perspective

From a public health perspective, systematic, evidence-based technology assessments and economic evaluations are needed to guide the incorporation of genomics into clinical and public health practice. However, scientific evidence on the effectiveness of predictive genetic tests is difficult to obtain. This review first highlights the similarities and differences between traditional screening tests and predictive genetic testing for complex diseases and goes on to describe frameworks for the evaluation of genetic testing that have been developed in recent years providing some evidence that currently genetic tests are not used in an appropriate way. Nevertheless, evidence-based recommendations are already available for some genomic applications that can reduce morbidity and mortality and many more are expected to emerge over the next decade. The time is now ripe for the introduction of a range of genetic tests into healthcare practice, but this will require the development of specific health policies, proper public health evaluations, organizational changes within the healthcare systems, capacity building among the healthcare workforce and the education of the public.

The need to improve implementation and use of lifestyle surveillance systems for planning prevention activities: an analysis of the Italian Regions.

OBJECTIVES To describe the level of use of lifestyle surveillance systems in Italy and to identify predictors of their use by the Italian Regions for planning and monitoring purposes. STUDY DESIGN Data were extracted from the 19 Regional Prevention Plans (RPPs) and the health promotion and prevention projects included in them developed by the Italian Regions within the National Prevention Plan 2010-2013. METHODS The 19 RPPs and the 702 projects were appraised using a tool specifically developed for the purpose. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of use of surveillance systems in the 359 projects that could use them. RESULTS The analysis of regional epidemiological contexts does not always rely upon surveillance system data and there were too few projects aimed at the maintenance and the development of these systems. Moreover, fewer than half of projects that could have used surveillance systems for planning and evaluation procedures actually did so, despite the potential value of these data. There was a statistically significant association between Regional Health Care Expenditure (RHCE) and the use of surveillance system data for planning and/or evaluation of the projects (OR 7.81, 95% CI 2.86-21.29). CONCLUSIONS Use of surveillance systems for regional prevention planning in Italy is not optimal due to late implementation, presence of different data collecting systems and RGDP inequalities. There is a pressing need for full implementation of surveillance systems to allow better definition of the priorities and objectives of public health interventions.