Topic Review
Gravitational Influence
Gravity constituted the only constant environmental parameter, during the evolutionary period of living matter on Earth. However, whether gravity has affected the evolution of species, and its impact is still ongoing.
  • 1.8K
  • 14 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Quality of Life and IBD
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic disabling conditions, characterized by an unpredictable course with flare-ups and periods of remission, that frequently affect young people and require lifelong medical follow-up and treatment. For years, the main endpoints of IBD treatment had been clinical remission and response, followed by biomarker normalization and mucosal healing. In the last decades, different therapies have been proved to be effective to treat IBD and the use of patient reported outcome (PRO) have become more relevant. Therefore, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) that has been defined as the value assigned to the duration of life influenced by physical and mental health, has been suggested as an important endpoint for IBD management since multiple studies have shown that IBD impairs it, both physically and psychologically. 
  • 432
  • 13 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Histoplasmosis in Children
Histoplasmosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by a dimorphic fungi and occurring globally. It is endemic in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys of the United States of America, India and Southeast Asia. The clinical presentation of histoplasmosis mimics features seen in tuberculosis (TB) and may be misdiagnosed as such. 
  • 491
  • 12 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Mediterranean Diet and Cognitive Functions
Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) consists of a large number of vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, whole grains, olive oil, seeds, herbs and spices, as well as fish, seafood, eggs, cheese and poultry and disrecommends unusual red meats and sweets. In particular, a high intake of fish and low intake of alcohol contributes to the delay of cognitive decline.
  • 499
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Sensors for Airborne Pollutants
In the last years, the issue of exposure assessment of airborne pollutants has been on the rise, both in the environmental and occupational fields. Increasingly severe national and international air quality standards, indoor air guidance values, and exposure limit values have been developed to protect the health of the general population and workers; this issue required a significant and continuous improvement in monitoring technologies to allow the execution of proper exposure assessment studies. One of the most interesting aspects in this field is the development of the “next-generation” of airborne pollutants monitors and sensors (NGMS). The principal aim of this review is to analyze and characterize the state of the art and of NGMS and their practical applications in exposure assessment studies. A systematic review of the literature was performed analyzing outcomes from three different databases (Scopus, PubMed, Isi Web of Knowledge); a total of 67 scientific papers were analyzed. 
  • 545
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Workplace Based Sampler Comparison Review
A narrative review on peer-reviewed literature reporting comparisons of personal samplers in workplace settings published between 2004 and 2020 was carried out. Search terms were developed for Web of Science and PubMed bibliographic databases. The retrieved studies were screened for relevance, with those studies meeting the inclusion criteria being taken forward to data extraction (22 studies). The inhalable fraction was the most common fraction assessed, with the IOM sampler being the most studied sampler. The most common workplace environment where samplers had been compared was that where metals/metalloids were present. The requirements of EN13205 standard (Workplace exposure. Assessment of sampler performance for measurement of airborne particle concentrations) have also been considered, with these requirements not currently being met, or at least referred to, in the reviewed literature. A number of conclusions have been drawn from this narrative review. For studies that reported correction factors, no discernible trends could be identified.
  • 722
  • 08 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Mercury and Prenatal Growth
The intrauterine environment is critical for healthy prenatal growth and affects neonatal survival and later health. Mercury is a toxic metal which can freely cross the placenta and disrupt a wide range of cellular processes. Many observational studies have investigated mercury exposure and prenatal growth, but no prior review has synthesised this evidence. Four relevant publication databases (Embase, MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus) were systematically searched to identify studies of prenatal mercury exposure and birth weight, birth length, or head circumference. Study quality was assessed using the NIH Quality Assessment Tool, and results synthesised in a narrative review. Twenty-seven studies met the review criteria, these were in 17 countries and used 8 types of mercury biomarker. Studies of birth weight (total = 27) involving populations with high levels of mercury exposure, non-linear methods, or identified as high quality were more likely to report an association with mercury, but overall results were inconsistent. Most studies reported no strong evidence of association between mercury and birth length (n = 14) or head circumference (n = 14). 
  • 429
  • 07 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Common Misconceptions in Food Allergy
Food allergies are common, affecting 6–8% of children and 10.8% of adults, and are reported to be on the rise. The quality of life of children and their caregivers is known to be significantly affected. Food-allergic patients often worry about unintentional exposures and their consequences, especially anaphylaxis and life-threatening events. Patients face multiple dietary and psychosocial restrictions (such as exclusion from peer social activities, isolation and bullying). Optimal care for food allergies should be based on published evidence and national or international guidelines. Unfortunately, multiple misconceptions exist regarding prevention, diagnosis, management and burden resulting from food allergies. We also live in an era when patients have access to a multitude of medical information sources, not all of which are reliable or accurate.
  • 473
  • 06 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Particle-Bound Mercury Characterization
Particulate Bound Hg (PBM) consists of all airborne particulate containing Hg, including both stable condensed and gaseous forms adsorbed on atmospheric particulate matter (PM); it is operationally sampled and quantified by pulling air through a glass fiber or a quartz filter. PBM usually includes all those particles with a diameter <2.5 μm, even if its characterization depends on the pore size of the filter used for its collection. The accurate dimensional characterization is then essential to estimate the dry deposition of PBM, as well as any other particulate pollutant; the particles diameters directly influence gravitational sedimentation and the PBM residence time in the atmosphere. In addition, PBM chemical speciation, as well as for the other Hg forms, is fundamental to understand PBM bioavailability and therefore the effects on human .
  • 1.1K
  • 05 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Entrepreneurial Mindset and Career Adaptability
Entrepreneurial mindset refers to the cognitive ability that allows individuals to flexibly adapt to a dynamic, uncertain environment. It involves creativity, innovativeness, and risk-taking necessary for adjustment, creating new values, and utilizing new opportunities. These properties of the entrepreneurial mindset are applicable not just to venture creation but to general career development, and there are studies investigating entrepreneurial mindset in relation to general career-related factors such as career awareness and career decision-making self-efficacy and career maturity. Career adaptability refers to coping resources that enable individuals to tackle complex and unfamiliar problems in the context of an uncertain and unstable labor market environment. Career adaptability involves competences such as planning, decision-making, exploring, and problem-solving, while the entrepreneurial mindset influences managing resources, making decisions, and taking control.
  • 1.2K
  • 05 Jul 2021
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