Risk for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Healthcare Workers,Turin, Italy

We measured severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 spike protein subunits S1/S2 antibodies by using capillary electrophoresis and a chemiluminescence immunoassay for 5,444 active healthcare workers in Italy. Seroprevalence was 6.9% and higher among participants having contact with patients. Seroconversion was not observed in 37/213 previously infected participants.     

A case-control study of risk factor for renal cell cancer in northern Italy

A hospital-based case-control study of renal cell cancer was conducted in northern Italy betwen 1986 and 1989, with 240 cases of renal cell cancer (150 males and 90 females), and 665 controls (445 males and 220 females) chosen on the basis of age, sex, and area of residence. No associations were found between renal cell cancer and: body mass index (BMI); number of cigarettes smoked; age at starting to smoke; years of smoking; consumption of wine, beer, spirits, coffee, decaffeinated coffee; tea; intake of animal protein, fruits, and vegetables; various resproductive factors; hormonal use; sexual habits; sexually transmitted diseases; or selected occupational exposures. The odds ratio (OR) was above unity in smokers (OR=1.34 for 15 cigarettes/day), but the trends in risk with dose or duration were not statistically significant. Significant positive associations were found between renal cell cancer and sources of fat intake, especially margarine (OR for highest vs lowest intake = 1.71), and oils (OR=1.89) whereas carrot intake showed a negative association (OR=0.62). Also, a history of nephrolithiasis and multiple episodes of cystitis showed weak positive associations (OR=2.00, 95 percent confidence interval (CI) 1.07–3.73; and OR=1.60, 95 percent CI 0.95–2.70, respectively).Address reprint requests to Dr Talamini. The work was conducted with the contribution of the Italian Association for Cancer Research, Milan, Italy and the CNR (Italian National Research Council) Applied Projects Oncology (Contract n. 85.02209.44).Drs Talamini, Barón, Barra, Bidoli, Serraino, and Franceschi are in the Epidemiology Unit, Aviano Cancer Center, Via Pedemontana Occ. 33081 Aviano (PN) Italy. At the time of this work, Dr Barón was a visiting biostatistician from the Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado, Health Science Center, CO, funded by the National Cancer Institute (US) and the Italian National Research Council. Dr Franceschi is also chief of the Hormones and Sexual Factors and Cancer Working Group of the European Organization for Cooperation in Cancer Prevention Studies, Bruxelles, Belgium. Drs La Vecchia and Negri are in the Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milan, Italy. Dr La Vecchia is also in the Institute of Social and preventive Medicine, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.     

Nasotracheal enterococcal carriage and resistomes: detection of optrA-, poxtA- and cfrD-carrying strains in migratory birds,livestock, pets,and in-contact humans in Spain

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases - This study determined the carriage rates and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes of enterococci from...     

Chlorhexidine susceptibility and Eagle effect in planktonic cells and biofilm of nosocomial isolates

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases - The aim of this study is to evaluate the chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) susceptibility in both planktonic cells and biofilm of...     

P7 antigen expression in human breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Evaluate p7 expression in human breast cancer and determine whether chemotherapy and radiation therapy effect a change in p7 expression. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using a p7-specific monoclonal antibody with immunohistochemistry and Western immunoblot analyses to assess p7 expression in archival, frozen breast cancer specimens both before and after therapy. RESULTS: A novel 7 kDa protein (p7), originally identified in multidrug-resistant ovarian and breast cancer cell lines, was found to be expressed in 21 of 64 (32%) primary, unselected human breast cancer specimens by immunohistochemistry with the use of a p7-specific monoclonal antibody, 1D7. P7 was observed in malignant cells but not in other types of cells in the breast tissue. Western blot analysis confirmed the 7 kDa polypeptide in p7-positive breast carcinomas identified by immunohistochemistry. P7 expression was significantly associated with breast cancers having distant metastasis and/or local recurrence (P = 0.027, Fisher's exact test). In addition, p7 expression was significantly increased in post-treatment breast cancer biopsy specimens compared with pretreatment breast cancer biopsy specimens in patients with locally advanced breast cancer after 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy and radiation therapy [2 of 15 (13%) pretreatment breast cancers compared with 8 of 15 (53%) post-treatment breast cancers; P = 0.016, McNemar's test]. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that expression of p7 is associated with malignant tumor cells in primary breast cancers, especially those showing recurrent or metastatic disease. Its specific association with the malignant phenotype suggests it may have potential for novel target-based therapies. The markedly increased expression in patients with locally advanced disease after neoadjuvant therapy suggests a role for p7 in treatment outcome.     

Alpha1 acid glycoprotein binds to imatinib (STI571) and substantially alters its pharmacokinetics in chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

PURPOSE: Imatinib (Glivec) is a potent inhibitor of bcr/abl, an oncogenic fusion protein that causes chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). alpha1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) binds to imatinib with high affinity and inhibits imatinib activity in vitro and in vivo in an animal model. A pharmacokinetics analysis of imatinib was undertaken in CML patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Imatinib plasma concentrations were measured in 19 CML patients treated with imatinib (400 or 600 mg/day). Five patients received a concomitant short-term course of clindamycin (CLI). RESULTS: A positive correlation between AGP and imatinib plasma levels was observed. CLI administration decreased imatinib plasma concentrations, evaluated as area under the curve (AUC) and peak concentrations (C(max)). The effects of a bolus of CLI was studied in three patients on imatinib 23 h after the last imatinib dose. Within 5-10 min in three of three cases, CLI caused a decrease in imatinib plasma concentrations of 2.6-, 2.7-, and 4.7-fold, respectively. In vitro experiments using fresh blasts from CML patients showed that AGP, at concentrations observed in the patients, decreased imatinib intracellular concentrations up to 10 times and blocked imatinib activity. The incubation with CLI restored imatinib intracellular concentrations and biological activity. CONCLUSION: AGP exerts significant effects of the pharmacokinetics, plasma concentrations, and intracellular distribution of imatinib in CML patients; these data indicate that plasma imatinib levels represent unreliable indicators of the cellular concentrations of this molecule.     

Breast-feeding in a woman with cystic fibrosis undergoing antibiotic intravenous treatment.

We report the case of a 30-year-old woman with cystic fibrosis (CF) chronically infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa who delivered and breast-fed a healthy boy. While breast-feeding the woman had to undergo an i.v. antibiotic course with tobramycin, due to pulmonary exacerbation. Tobramycin was not detected in her milk and lactation could be continued. This is the first time that the presence of tobramycin in the milk of a CF woman during i.v. administration has been investigated.