RESUMO
Background: Increasing adherence to influenza vaccination among healthcare workers is a public health priority, stated that actually remains far below than international recommendations. During the 2020/2021 pandemic season, COVID-19 vaccines were not yet available until the end of December 2020, and influenza vaccines were the only one available to protect against seasonal respiratory diseases. The main objective of the present study was to assess knowledge, attitudes and adherence to influenza and other vaccinations recommended by the National Immunization Plan 2017-2021 for healthcare workers. Methods: Enrollment lasted from October and December 2020 at the vaccination unit of the University Hospital of Palermo. Data were collected through an anonymous and self-administered questionnaire, divided into 5 sections and 31 items. Results: Among 734 healthcare professionals that completed the survey, a significantly higher adherence to influenza vaccination was observed among healthcare workers that were more prone to receive COVID-19 vaccination (OR=4.02; 95% CI: 1.63-9.91). Moreover, higher influenza vaccination rates were observed among healthcare professionals that received influenza vaccination during previous 2019/2020 season (OR=15.3; 95% CI: 5.17-45.1) and that were favorable to the possible impact on increasing adherence of influenza mandatory vaccination (OR=4.88; 95% CI: 2.43-9.80). Conclusions: Propensity of healthcare workers to undergo vaccinations recommended in the National Immunization Plan increased during the first pandemic season. At the end of the vaccination season, flu vaccination coverage reached highest rates ever at the University Hospital of Palermo (around 60%), remaining anyway below the recommended minimum value of 75%. During next seasonal flu vaccination campaigns, it becomes essential to promote communication and information strategies to increase flu vaccination among healthcare workers, also focusing on co-administration with the anti-COVID-19 booster/seasonal doses.
Assuntos
COVID-19 , Vacinas contra Influenza , Influenza Humana , Humanos , Influenza Humana/epidemiologia , Influenza Humana/prevenção & controle , Estações do Ano , Vacinas contra COVID-19 , Pandemias/prevenção & controle , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , COVID-19/prevenção & controle , Vacinação , Itália/epidemiologia , Hospitais Universitários , Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , Pessoal de SaúdeRESUMO
Background: Prevalence of mobile device addiction has increased over the years; both women and men have assimilated the mobile phone as a central component of their personal existence: integrating it into their lifestyle or becoming so dependent on it that life without it has become unimaginable. Smartphones generate radio-frequency electromagnetic fields. While short-term exposure in adults was considered quite safe, effects of long-term exposure or exposure during pregnancy on fetuses or during breastfeeding on newborns are not well studied yet. The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and usage characteristics of smartphones among a sample of pregnant women, and promote the correct and conscious use of the smartphone. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, with a questionnaire administered during childbirth classes and - after the questionnaire administration - an educational intervention focused on promoting the correct and conscious use of smartphones was carried out by psychologists and psychotherapists. Results: The findings of our study suggest that a significant number of the participants suffered addiction to mobile phone usage, but were not aware of it. More than two third of the sample (67.2%) have not changed their smartphone use habits since the beginning of their pregnancy and even more significant data shows that almost all future moms (98.3%) never speak with their doctor about smartphone use during pregnancy. Conclusions: Data collected suggest a lack of attention to the proposed topic, especially in relation to pregnancy. It seems necessary to sensitize future mothers on this topic. The promotion of a more conscious and controlled use of electronic devices can help reduce the radiation to which the unborn child may be exposed, but has a fundamental role even after birth, to ensure an adequate psychomotor and relational development of the child and do not affect, due to uncontrolled use of smartphones, the mother-child relationship.
Assuntos
Educação Pré-Natal , Smartphone , Masculino , Adulto , Humanos , Feminino , Recém-Nascido , Gravidez , Estudos Transversais , Gestantes , ItáliaRESUMO
Combination therapies for cancer aim to exploit either additive or synergistic effects arising from the action of two species with the final goal to maximize the therapeutic efficacy. In this work, we develop multifunctional nanoparticles (NPs) for co-delivery of the conventional anticancer drug docetaxel (DTX) and the second generation photosensitizer zinc-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) as potential dual carrier system for the combination of chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Biodegradable and amphiphilic block copolymers based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL=B) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO=A), with AB and ABA architectures, were assembled in "core-shell" NPs and loaded with both DTX and ZnPc employing the melting/sonication method. Hydrodynamic diameters within the range 60-100nm and low polydispersity indexes were obtained. Zeta potential was negative for all the formulations and unaffected by drug encapsulation. Concerning drug loading ability of NPs, the entrapment efficiency was related to initial ZnPc/DTX ratio. Steady-stationary and time-resolved emission fluorescence measurements pointed out the embedding of monomeric ZnPc in the NPs, excluding the presence of ZnPc self-supramolecular oligomers. The release of DTX was biphasic whereas ZnPc remained mainly associated with NPs. Singlet oxygen generation was observed when ZnPc-loaded NPs were irradiated at 610nm within a 45min time range, despite that ZnPc was not released in the medium. Stability of NPs in the presence of serum proteins and plasma was excellent and no toxicity toward red blood cells was found. NPs cytotoxicity was evaluated in HeLa cells irradiated for 30min with a halogen lamp. After 72h, viability of cells treated with ZnPc/DTX-loaded NPs strongly decreased as compared to NPs loaded only with DTX, thus showing a combined effect of both DTX and ZnPc. Superior antitumor activity of ZnPc/DTX-loaded NPs as compared to DTX-loaded NPs was confirmed in an animal model of orthotopic amelanotic melanoma, thus pointing to the application of PEO-PCL NPs in the combined chemo-photodynamic therapy of cancer.
Assuntos
Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/administração & dosagem , Portadores de Fármacos/administração & dosagem , Nanopartículas/administração & dosagem , Animais , Antineoplásicos/administração & dosagem , Antineoplásicos/química , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/química , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Docetaxel , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Estabilidade de Medicamentos , Feminino , Hemólise/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Indóis/administração & dosagem , Indóis/química , Isoindóis , Melanoma Amelanótico/tratamento farmacológico , Melanoma Amelanótico/patologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Nus , Nanopartículas/química , Compostos Organometálicos/administração & dosagem , Compostos Organometálicos/química , Fotoquimioterapia , Fármacos Fotossensibilizantes/administração & dosagem , Fármacos Fotossensibilizantes/química , Plasma/química , Oxigênio Singlete/química , Neoplasias Cutâneas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Cutâneas/patologia , Taxoides/administração & dosagem , Taxoides/química , Carga Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacos , Compostos de ZincoRESUMO
We have previously demonstrated that wild-type herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), as well as nonreplicating UV-inactivated HSV-1, promptly activates the nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in U937 monocytoid cells and that glycoprotein D (gD) of HSV-1 is sufficient by itself to exert a similar effect. We then investigated the signaling pathway used by HSV-1 to initiate NF-kappaB activation and, particularly, whether our observation could be related to the capability of HSV-1-gD to directly stimulate NF-kappaB through its interaction with the herpes virus entry receptor A (HveA). Here we report that: (a) co-cultivation of U937 cells with an adherent cell line expressing wild-type gD on its surface led to increased NF-kappaB activation, while co-cultivation with the same adherent cell line expressing a mutated form of gD, lacking the capability to bind HveA, did not cause the same effect; (b) exposure to UV-inactivated HSV-1 induced the activation of NF-kappaB in HveA-expressing U937 and THP-1 cells, but not in non-HveA-expressing HEp-2 cells; and (c) activation of NF-kappaB in U937 and THP-1 cells exposed to soluble gD was inhibited by an antibody able to interfere with gD-HveA interaction. These results suggest that HSV-1-gD-HveA interaction initiates a signal transduction pathway leading to NF-kappaB activation.
Assuntos
Herpesvirus Humano 1/metabolismo , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Membro 14 de Receptores do Fator de Necrose Tumoral/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Adesão Celular , Linhagem Celular , Técnicas de Cocultura , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Humanos , Ligação Proteica , Receptores Virais/metabolismo , Transfecção , Células U937 , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/metabolismoRESUMO
Phosphonated carbocyclic 2'-oxa-3'-aza-nucleosides have been synthesized in good yields by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition methodology. The cytotoxicity and the reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity of the obtained compounds have been investigated. Phosphonated carbocyclic 2'-oxa-3'-aza-nucleosides, while showing low levels of cytotoxicity, exert a specific inhibitor activity on two different reverse transcriptases, which is comparable with that of AZT, opening new perspectives on their possible use as therapeutic agents, in anti-retroviral and anti-HBV chemotherapy.
Assuntos
Antivirais/síntese química , Compostos Aza/síntese química , Nucleosídeos/síntese química , Organofosfonatos/síntese química , Inibidores da Transcriptase Reversa/síntese química , Antivirais/farmacologia , Antivirais/toxicidade , Compostos Aza/farmacologia , Compostos Aza/toxicidade , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Leucócitos Mononucleares/efeitos dos fármacos , Leucócitos Mononucleares/enzimologia , Óxidos de Nitrogênio/química , Nucleosídeos/farmacologia , Nucleosídeos/toxicidade , Organofosfonatos/farmacologia , Organofosfonatos/toxicidade , Inibidores da Transcriptase Reversa/farmacologia , Inibidores da Transcriptase Reversa/toxicidade , Estereoisomerismo , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
Signals involved in protection against apoptosis by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) were investigated. Using U937 monocytoid cells as an experimental model, we have demonstrated that HSV-1 rendered these cells resistant to Fas-induced apoptosis promptly after infection. UV-inactivated virus as well as the envelope glycoprotein D (gD) of HSV-1, by itself, exerted a protective effect on Fas-induced apoptosis. NF-kappaB was activated by gD, and protection against Fas-mediated apoptosis by gD was abolished in cells stably transfected with a dominant negative mutant I-kappaBalpha, indicating that NF-kappaB activation plays a role in the antiapoptotic activity of gD in our experimental model. Moreover, NF-kappaB-dependent protection against Fas-mediated apoptosis was associated with decreased levels of caspase-8 activity and with the up-regulation of intracellular antiapoptotic proteins.
Assuntos
Apoptose , NF-kappa B/fisiologia , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/fisiologia , Receptor fas/metabolismo , Animais , Western Blotting , Caspase 8 , Caspase 9 , Caspases/metabolismo , Técnicas de Cocultura , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Genes Dominantes , Humanos , Proteínas I-kappa B/metabolismo , Marcação In Situ das Extremidades Cortadas , Cinética , Camundongos , Mutação , Inibidor de NF-kappaB alfa , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Fatores de Tempo , Transfecção , Células U937 , Raios Ultravioleta , Regulação para Cima , Proteínas do Envelope Viral/metabolismoRESUMO
Following the lead of recent studies on the presence of RNA in virions of human cytomegalovirus, we investigated the presence and identity of RNAs from purified virions of herpes simple virus 1. To facilitate these studies, we designed primers for all known open reading frames (ORFs) and also constructed cDNA arrays containing probes designed to detect all known transcripts. In the first series of experiments, labeled DNA made by reverse transcription of poly(A)(+) RNA extracted from infected HEp-2 or rabbit skin cells hybridized to all but two of the probes in the cDNA array. A similar analysis of the RNA extracted from purified extracellular virions derived from infected HEp-2 cells hybridized to probes representing 24 of the ORFs. In the second series of analyses, we reverse transcribed and amplified by PCR RNAs from purified intracellular or extracellular virions derived from infected HEp-2 or Vero cell lines. The positive RNAs were retested by PCR with and without prior reverse transcription to ensure that the samples tested were free of contaminating DNA. The results were as follows. (i) Only a fraction of viral ORF transcripts were represented in virion RNA, and only nine RNAs (U(L)10, U(L)34/U(L)35, U(L)36, U(L)42, U(L)48, U(L)51, U(S)1/U(S)1.5, U(S)8.5, and U(S)10/U(S)11) were positive in all RT PCR assays. Of these, seven were positive by hybridization to cDNA arrays. (ii) RNA extracted from cells infected with a mutant virus lacking the U(S)8 to U(S)12 genes yielded results similar to those described above, indicating that U(S)11, a known RNA binding protein, does not play a role in packaging RNA in virions. (iii) Cellular RNAs detected in virions were representative of the abundant cellular RNAs. Last, RNA extracted from virions was translated in vitro and the translation products were reacted with antibody to alphaTIF (VIP16). The immune precipitate contained a labeled protein with the apparent molecular weight of alphaTIF, indicating that at least one mRNA packaged in virions was intact and capable of being translated. The basis for the apparent selectivity in the packaging of the viral RNAs packaged in virions is unknown.
Assuntos
Herpesvirus Humano 1/genética , RNA Viral/isolamento & purificação , Vírion/genética , Vírion/metabolismo , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Primers do DNA , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Análise de Sequência com Séries de Oligonucleotídeos , Fases de Leitura Aberta/genética , Biossíntese de Proteínas , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Coelhos , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Proteínas Virais/genética , Proteínas Virais/metabolismo , Montagem de VírusRESUMO
Nuclear phosphoprotein HMGA1a, high mobility group A1a, (previously HMGI) has been investigated during apoptosis. A change in the degree of phosphorylation of HMGA1a has been observed during apoptosis induced in four leukemic cell lines (HL60, K562, NB4, and U937) by drugs (etoposide, camptothecin) or herpes simplex virus type-1. Both hyper-phosphorylation and de-phosphorylation of HMGA1a have been ascertained by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Hyper-phosphorylation (at least five phosphate groups/HMGA1a molecule) occurs at the early apoptotic stages and is probably related to HMGA1a displacement from DNA and chromatin release from the nuclear scaffold. De-phosphorylation (one phosphate or no phosphate groups/HMGA1a molecule) accompanies the later formation of highly condensed chromatin in the apoptotic bodies. We report for the first time a direct link between the degree of phosphorylation of HMGA1a protein and apoptosis according to a process that involves the entire amount of HMGA1a present in the cells and, consequently, whole chromatin. At the same time we report that variously phosphorylated forms of HMGA1a protein are also mono-methylated.
Assuntos
Apoptose , Proteínas de Grupo de Alta Mobilidade/metabolismo , Leucemia/metabolismo , Leucemia/patologia , Fatores de Transcrição/metabolismo , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Proteína HMGA1a , Proteínas de Grupo de Alta Mobilidade/genética , Humanos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Fosforilação , Fatores de Transcrição/genética , Células Tumorais CultivadasRESUMO
Increasing evidence suggests that regulation of apoptosis in infected cells is associated with several viral infections. The gammaherpesvirus bovine herpesvirus 4 (BHV-4) has been shown to harbor genes with antiapoptotic potentialities. However, here we have demonstrated that productive infection of adherent, permissive cell lines by BHV-4 resulted in a cytopathic effect characterized by induction of apoptosis. This phenomenon was confirmed using different techniques to detect apoptosis and using different virus strains and cell targets. Apoptosis induced by BHV-4 was inhibited by (1) treatment with doses of heparin, which completely inhibited virus attachment and infectivity; (2) UV treatment, which completely abrogated infectivity; and (3) treatment with a dose of phosphonoacetic acid, which blocked virus replication. Virus-induced apoptosis was associated with a down-regulation of Bcl-2 expression and was reduced by Z-VAD-FMK, but not by Z-DEVD-FMK (caspase-3-specific) caspase inhibitors. Inhibition of apoptosis by Z-VAD-FMK treatment during infection did not modify virus yield. Therefore, despite the presence of antiapoptotic genes in its genoma, BHV-4 could complete its cycle of productive infection while inducing apoptosis of infected cells. This finding might have implications for the pathobiology of BHV-4 and other gammaherpesviruses in vivo.
Assuntos
Apoptose , Gammaherpesvirinae/fisiologia , Replicação Viral/fisiologia , Clorometilcetonas de Aminoácidos/farmacologia , Animais , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Bovinos , Doenças dos Bovinos/virologia , Linhagem Celular , Inibidores de Cisteína Proteinase/farmacologia , Feminino , Gammaherpesvirinae/efeitos dos fármacos , Genes bcl-2/efeitos dos fármacos , Infecções por Herpesviridae/veterinária , Infecções por Herpesviridae/virologia , Mastite Bovina/virologia , Oligopeptídeos/farmacologia , Ácido Fosfonoacéticos/farmacologia , Transtornos Puerperais/veterinária , Transtornos Puerperais/virologia , Replicação Viral/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Increasing evidence indicates that apoptosis can be associated with several viral infections. Here we demonstrate, that infection of monocytoid cells by Herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) resulted, in time- and dose-dependent induction of apoptosis as an exclusive cytopathic effect. The phenomenon was confirmed using four different techniques. Conversely, apoptosis was not observed in the Vero cell line. Virus yield in monocytoid cells was delayed and reduced, although well detectable, in comparison with that observed in Vero cells. Nevertheless, released virions exhibited full infecting capability. Apoptosis induced by HSV-2 was not inhibited by cycloheximide and only partially by an UV-treatment which completely abrogated infectivity. Virus-induced apoptosis was partly inhibited by indomethacin and was associated with a down-regulation of Bcl-2. A similar, but less pronounced, apoptosis-inducing effect in monocytoid cells was also observed with HSV-1 infection. Depending on the target cells, therefore, HSV could complete a cycle of infection which is characterized by apoptosis of infected cells.