A feasibility study to determine whether the daily consumption of flavonoid-rich pure cocoa has the potential to reduce fatigue and fatigability in people with Parkinson's (pwP).

Flavonoids, plant compounds found in certain foods, may have the ability to improve fatigue and fatigability. However, to date, no well-designed intervention studies assessing the role of flavonoid consumption for fatigue management in people with Parkinson's (pwP) have been performed. OBJECTIVES: To determine the feasibility and estimate potential effect of flavonoid-rich cocoa on fatigue and fatigability in pwP. METHODS: This was a randomised (1:1) double-blind placebo controlled feasibility study in which 30 pwP were recruited from the European Parkinson Therapy Centre, Italy (trial registration: NCT03288155). During a six day intervention participants consumed a high (10.79 mg/g) or low flavonoid cocoa (1.02 mg/g) beverage (18 g Cocoa with 200 ml Rice milk) once daily. Potential effect on fatigue and fatigability was measured (baseline to day 6). Feasibility and fidelity were assessed through recruitment and retention, adherence and a process evaluation. RESULTS: From July 2017 to May 2018, 30 pwP were recruited and randomised and allocated to high (n = 15) or low (n = 15) flavonoid groups and included in analysis. Missing data was less than 5% and adherence to intervention of all allocated individuals was 97%. There was a small effect on fatigability (6 min walk test: ES 0.11 (95%CI = -0.11-0.26); Z = 0.81). There were two adverse events (one in the control and one in the intervention group). CONCLUSION: The consumption of cocoa is feasible and well received in pwP, and further investigation on the effect on fatigability is warranted.

[Health education on occupational risks: a target not yet achieved? Workers' opinions collected via a questionnaire]. / Informazione sui rischi presenti nell'ambiente di lavoro: un obiettivo non ancora conseguito? L'opinione di un campione di lavoratori.

INTRODUCTION: This study collected the opinions of sample of workers, sent to the Department of Occupational Medicine of Brescia Civil Hospital, on the contents and the methods used for carrying out information programs on the occupational risks in their workplaces. METHODS: A questionnaire including three sections has been prepared: in the first section demographic data and information on the job were collected, in the second section the contents of programs on the prevention of occupational risks were evaluated, the third section investigated how these programs have been performed. RESULTS: 250 workers have been examined; 16 self-employed workers have been excluded. Mean length of employment was sixteen years. 29% of workers reported to have received information about the role of the main actors of the prevention in the workplaces according to the Italian legislation; overall 41.8% of workers have been informed both on occupational risks in their factory and specific job-related risks, potential occupational diseases and working procedures to prevent these risks. 7.2% of workers did not receive any information on occupational risks. 24% of subjects referred the involvement of the occupational physician in the information meetings. 55% of these meetings lasted more than 60 minutes and included frontal lectures and the delivery of information leaflets; learning assessment was referred by 50% of the workers and 77.9% considered the information (contents and quality) at least sufficient. DISCUSSION: This study, even if preliminary and based on anamnestic data, pointed out that, at this moment, careful information on occupational risks in the workplaces seems a target not yet achieved. It is desirable to verify in the future the improvement of the quality of information given to workers, following the entry into force of the recent Italian legislation concerning this topic.

[Management of occupational dermatitis. Nine years' experience]. / Dermatiti occupazionali: problematiche gestionali. Nove anni di esperienza.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate management problems concerning 301 workers with occupational dermatitis (OD) referred to the Occupational Health Institute of Brescia in the period 2000-2008. METHODS: We considered gender, age, job, referring physicians, diagnosis, latency between the onset of symptoms and the etiological diagnosis, examinations and tests performed before referral to our Institute. RESULTS: We diagnosed 168 cases of allergic contact dermatitis, 101 cases of irritant contact dermatitis and 32 other forms of dermatitis. 51.8% of the workers had been referred by general practitioners and 45.9% by occupational physicians. The mean latency between onset of symptoms and etiological diagnosis was 36 months and was significantly longer for construction workers (60 months). General practitioners referred workers to dermatologists or allergists and prescribed appropriate treatment more frequently than occupational physicians. We performed specific allergological tests in 292 workers (97%): in 48 subjects the correlation between symptoms and occupational exposure was unclear and was verified more than once, in 29 workers we requested a dermatological consultation due to severe skin lesions. Frequently it was necessary to collect further detailed information on occupational exposure, thereby postponing the diagnosis by about 3-10 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Management of OD is still not satisfactory due to inadequate information to workers on occupational risks, limited presence of occupational physicians in the workplaces, low quality health surveillance, underestimation of occupational risks by general practitioners who are frequently the main referents for workers, poor collaboration between all physicians involved in OD management.

[Validity of contact thermography in breast diagnosis]. / Indicazioni sulla validità della termografia a contatto nella diagnostica mammaria.

Study has been carried out with "an plaque" thermographic method on 42 patients affected by carcinoma of the breast. From the data it's possible to distinguish two typical vascular findings: the greater anomalies and the smaller anomalies. With the above method we have had 92,85% positive test and 7,14% false negative tests for cancer. The value of these findings are discussed, first of all about their importance for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer.

[Myelin]. / La mielina.

The lipid and protein composition and the metabolic turnover of myelin in the C.N.S., are briefly reported. For a better understanding, it seemed useful to introduce some historical data on the discovery of myelin and to give a morphological description at structural and ultrastructural level.

[Behavior of certain acid hydrolases in the central nervous systems of various mammals]. / Comportamento di alcune idrolasi acide nel sistema nervoso centrale di vari mammiferi.

The activity of several acid hydrolases in different sections of the C.N.S. of various mammalian has been evaluated. The enzymes which have been studied are: beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-mannosidase. The enzymes show a higher activity in the gray matter than in the white matter. The results are interpreted on the assumption that glyco-lipoprotein turnover is higher in the gray matter than in the white matter, since myelin, which is the major component of the white matter, is a relatively stable structures.