Pathogenesis and Diagnostics

Clinical biochemistry: introductions, purposes and definitions
Laboratory tests
Blood and urine sample
Other types of biological sample
Concept of total variability; biological variability and influencing factors
Patient preparation
Pre-analytical variability: sampling, storage, transport and delivery
Acceptance criteria for biological sample
Analytical variability
Post-analytical variability: reporting
Reference values
Logic diagnostic: clinical sensitivity and specificity, predictive values
Deepening of some topics chosen by the teacher (the role of the laboratory in situations like heart attack, diabetes, liver disease, dyslipidemia )

Introduction of patogenesis
Disease concept: aetiology and pathogenesis
Cell pathology (necrosis and apoptosis)
Storage Disease (steatosis and amyloidosis)
Humoral and cellular immunology and immunopathology
Acute inflammation (margining and chemotaxis, phagocytosis, mediators of inflammation, systemic reactions)
Chronic inflammation
Wound healing
Pathogenetic and physiopathological causes and mechanisms of diseases: Diabetes, Anemias and red blood cell pathology, Pathology of blood coagulation
Atherosclerosis
Benign and malignant tumors, oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, metastasis

The main differences of the cells of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms about the structure, organization and methods of reproduction. Differences between microorganisms and viruses
Horizontal and vertical transmission of microorganism, viruses, and the importance of vehicles and carriers - main pathogenicity and virulence characteristics of microorganisms
Host-pathogen interaction: colonization, symbiosis, commensalism, infection and disease - factors facilitating microbial invasion
Sterilization and disinfection procedures - mechanism of action of disinfectants and main applications
Criteria for the collection and transport of biological samples for microbiological diagnosis in the laboratory - direct and indirect diagnosis of infection
Main direct and indirect microbiological investigations - diagnostic investigations in relation to the infection phase (recent, regressed and chronic infection) and to the therapeutic orientation (sensitivity tests for antimicrobial drugs)
Ultrastructure and functions of the different components of the bacterial cell, chemical composition and structure of the cell wall of gram positive and gram negative bacteria, reproduction.
Mechanism of action of antibacterial inhibitor drugs of cell wall synthesis, cytoplasmic membrane functions, protein and nucleic acid synthesis and microbial drug-resistance mechanisms
Morphology, ultrastructure and function of the components of the fungal cell, sexual and asexual reproduction - main antifungal drugs, mechanism of action and possible development of resistance
Morphology, relationship between structures and functions, and mode of reproduction of protozoa
Origin, organization and methods of replication of animal viruses - persistent, slow, latent viral infection - main antiviral drugs and mechanisms of action
Resident microbiota of the human body and composition in the various apparatuses
Characteristics of: Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative staphylococci, Streptococcus spp, pathogenic neisseria, enterobacteria, sporigenic bacilli, mycobacterium
Morphological, cultural and pathogenic characteristics of the main fungal agents with particular reference to Candida, Cryptococcus and Aspergillus
Notes on the main protozoa of human interest
The main agents of viral infections (Herpesviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Picornaviridae retroviridae and hepatic viruses)
Nosocomial infections: definition, risk factors and main pathogens

Basics of physics, principles of radiobiology
Radiation protection for operators
Diagnostic radiology: therapeutic indications and contraindications; radiation protection for patients
Nuclear medicine: therapeutic indications and contraindications; radiation protection for patients
Radiotherapy: therapeutic indications and contraindications; radiation protection for patients