In recent years the use of illicit drugs, in Italy and in all developed countries as well proved to be an issue of crucial importance to all social institutions. Reports of personal drug use have involved more than 100.000 young people in the period from 1990 to 1995. Only one-tenth of these cases (about 11.000) underwent special treatment programs. The system of public services and private rehabilitative structures shows a high acceptance by the users (n= 121.000) and a notable capacity for different interventions (1). A detailed analysis of the different aspects of drug addiction, is recognized to be of paramount importance for all professionals involved in feasibility and efficacy studies, in health education and in therapeutical programs related to this phenomenon.

The International and the Italian regulations introduced the nucleic acid testing (NAT) as a screening of each plasma-pool processed for the production of stable plasma-derived products [1, 2]. In Germany, the regulation agency for blood components announced its intention to introduce the NAT-based screening of each blood donation [3]. There are no univocal opinions regarding the feasibility and the suitability of the introduction of NAT-based screening in blood transfusion because of the minimal residual risk for post-transfusion hepatitis, the high cost and the unsatisfactory standardization of the NAT technology [4, 5]. Thereafter many European Transfusional Services started screening studies for HCV-RNA by using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test applied to mini-pools of blood donations [6, 7].

Human Chromogranin-A (CgA) is a 48-kDa protein, encompassing 439 amino acids. It belong to the granine family and it?s largely distributed in secretory granules of endocrine and neuroendocrine cells [1]. CgA is an important marker of neuroendocrine differentiation: its circulating levels are significantly elevated in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) reflecting the secretory activity of the tumour [2]. CgA assessment in NETs with eutopic secretory activity may be more convenient than urinary detection of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), catecholamines and metabolites [3]. Additionally, CgA measurement may be useful also for the diagnosis and follow up of patients without demonstrated hormonal secretion [4].

There are few disease entities so confusing as those related to the histiomonocytic cells and their malignant proliferations, defined either as Malignant Histiocytosis or histiocytic lymphoma. Both terms have been considered synonymous and employed indifferently by most Authors, although certain differences in the clinical manifestations have sometimes been outlined. The term ?malignant-histiocytosis? was applied to a hematological condition first described by Scott and Robb-Smith [1] as histiocytic medullary reticulosis on the basis of its clinical features. Rappaport [2] introduced the term ?malignant histiocytosis? in 1966 and reviewed the pathological features of this condition. Malignant histiocytosis has been considered a most aggressive disease. It was characterized by the systemic proliferation of malignant cells [3] and presented with fever, wasting, pancytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly and adenopathy.

 Estratto a cura di M. Pradella
Parte prima: concetto base e piano di studi
1. il concetto delle 4 colonne della Unione Europea dei Medici Specialisti (UEMS) per la Biopatologia medica (medical biopathology) o diagnostica medica e chimica di laboratorio ("medical and chemical laboratory diagnostics"):
1. chimica clinica
2. ematologia
3. immunologia
4. microbiologia e sierologia

La società scientifica dei medici di laboratorio americani cambia nome. ?American Association of Clinical Pathologists? (ASCP) diventa ?American Association for Clinical Pathology?.1 Tipograficamente cambia una semplice preposizione, ma concettualmente emerge il riconoscimento della ?mission? finalizzata alla disciplina più che ad una ?categoria?. Le conseguenze pratiche di questo atto, però, sono scarse o forse nulle. ASCP è da sempre un punto di incontro di medici e tecnici di laboratorio, organizzati ciascuno nella propria sezione, sinergicamente uniti per offrire il miglior servizio possibile ai pazienti. Il socio ordinario (?fellow?) è esclusivamente ?Any person who is a legally qualified physician and whose practice, at the time of application for membership, is devoted in major part to pathology, or branch thereof?. Prima di tutto un medico, quindi.