Genetic background, nutrition and obesity: a review.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the latest information on the relationship between genes and common forms of obesity, and to review genetic markers (SNPs and miRNA) that play a role in predisposing to common forms of obesity and related disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed with the following keywords: (obesity[Title/Abstract]) AND predisposition[Title/Abstract]) AND miRNA[Title/Abstract]) OR polymorphism[Title/Abstract]. RESULTS: From the search we obtained a total of 44 gene loci and 48 miRNAs associated with common obesity. CONCLUSIONS: It is now widely accepted that obesity involves interactions between environmental risk factors (physical inactivity, excessive calorie intake, chronic stress, taste perception) and a genetic background of risk. Analysis of the genetic background of obese subjects is therefore an important way to determine the molecular mechanisms controlling the link between food intake and obesity, enabling a better understanding of how these interactions may differ from person to person.

Human cases of West Nile Virus infection in north-eastern Italy, 15 June to 15 November 2010.

In 2010, for the third consecutive year, human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) infection, including three confirmed cases of neuroinvasive disease and three confirmed cases of West Nile fever, were identified in north-eastern Italy. While in 2008 and 2009 all human cases of WNV disease were recorded in the south of the Veneto region, cases of WNV disease in 2010 additionally occurred in two relatively small northern areas of Veneto, located outside those with WNV circulation in the previous years. WNV IgG antibody prevalence in blood donors resident in Veneto was estimated as ranging from 3.2 per 1,000 in areas not affected by cases of WNV disease to 33.3 per 1,000 in a highly affected area of the Rovigo province. No further autochthonous human cases of WNV disease were notified in Italy in 2010. The recurrence of human cases of WNV infection for the third consecutive year strongly suggests WNV has become endemic in north-eastern Italy.

Prevalence of IgM and IgG antibodies to West Nile virus among blood donors in an affected area of north-eastern Italy, summer 2009.

Following reports of West Nile neuroinvasive disease in the north-eastern area of Italy in 2009, all blood donations dating from the period between 1 August and 31 October 2009 in the Rovigo province of the Veneto region were routinely checked to exclude those with a positive nucleic acid test for West Nile virus (WNV). Only one of 5,726 blood donations was positive (17.5 per 100,000 donations; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.4­97.3). In addition, a selection of 2,507 blood donations collected during the period from 20 July to 15 November 2009 were screened by ELISA for IgG and IgM antibodies against WNV. A positive result was received for 94 of them. The positive sera were further evaluated using immunofluorescence and plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT), in which only 17 sera were confirmed positive. This corresponds to a prevalence of 6.8 per 1,000 sera (95% CI: 4.0­10.9). In a case-control study that matched each of the 17 PRNT-positive sera with four negative sera with the same date of donation and same donation centre, we did not find a significant association with age and sex of the donor; donors who worked mainly outdoors were significantly more at risk to have a positive PRNT for WNV.

Socio-demographic survey of first degree healthcare students in the 2007-08 academic year in an Italian university.

This study examines the socio-demographic characteristics of first-year students on first degree healthcare courses at Udine University (Italy). The survey tried to elicit useful information in a field where literature is scarce. Every student starting healthcare courses in the 2007/08 academic year was contacted and asked to fill in a questionnaire. Two hundred and sixty students were identified, belonging to six different courses: Nursing Sciences, Obstetric Sciences, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Neurophysiopathology Techniques, Biomedical Laboratory Techniques. Each questionnaire included 26 items (25 closed and one open) and had four sections: personal data, family data, training background, criteria affecting the decision to attend a healthcare course. The overall response rate was 87% (226 out of 260). Major findings were: women prevail on men (77% vs. 23%), many students chose these courses because some family member worked in the healthcare field (22.1%), 19.9% of students are older than 26 and 7.1% of them are postgraduates, 12% come from foreign countries, and job opportunities and former work experience influenced the choice of course. This database provides an important benchmark for comparing future trends among students in the healthcare profession in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and personal attitudes.

Genome sequence analysis of the first human West Nile virus isolated in Italy in 2009.

In 2009, six new human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND) were identified in Veneto region, following the six cases already reported in 2008. A human West Nile virus (WNV) isolate was obtained for the first time from an asymptomatic blood donor. Whole genome sequence of the human WNV isolate showed close phylogenetic relatedness to the Italy-1998-WNV strain and to other WNV strains recently isolated in Europe, with the new acquisition of the NS3-Thr249Pro mutation, a trait associated with avian virulence, increased virus transmission, and the occurrence of outbreaks in humans.

Renal infarction: an uncommon mimic presenting with flank pain.

A 39-year-old woman arrived to the emergency department complaining of a constant, progressive, left flank pain, with no beneficial effect from spasmolytic and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Two years before, she suffered another episode of right flank pain and stranguria, but instrumental examinations (ultrasonography, urography) remained negative. Besides a mild tenderness in the left flank, physical examination was normal. Blood chemistry panel showed leukocytosis (17.2 x 10(3) mL, neutrophils 82.8%) and a slight increase of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (543 U/L versus 230 to 460 U/L). Urinanalysis showed a slight hemoglobinuria (0.5 mg/dL), and sediment contained some red cells and leukocytes. Diagnostic examinations (ultrasonography, computed tomography) showed a left renal nonhomogeneous space-occupying lesion, orientative for renal malignancy. She was transferred to the urology department and operated. Both intraoperatory and histological diagnosis was ischemic infarction and, after exclusion of all possible underlying causes, final diagnosis was idiopathic renal infarction. Diagnostic procedures and literature reports are discussed.