Ateneo - UPO

1. General Pathology (3 ECTS): Introduction, etiology and pathogenesis, genetic diseases, physical, chemical, and biological causes of disease, oxidative damage, necrosis, apoptosis, inflammation, repair, neoplasia, metastasis.
2. General Microbiology (2 ECTS): Bacterial structure and metabolism, microbial genetics, resistance mechanisms, general virology, fungi and protozoa, human microbiota.
3. Fundamentals of Immunology (1 ECTS): Structure and function of the immune system, innate and adaptive immunity, B and T lymphocytes, MHC, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, immunodeficiencies, transplant rejection.

General Pathology: Pontieri, 'General Pathology for University Diploma Courses', Piccin; Dianzani, 'Institutions of General Pathology', UTET.
Microbiology: Lanciotti, 'Clinical Microbiology', CEA; Pearson, 'Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology'; Lembo et al., 'Microbiology for Health Professions', EdiSES.
Immunology: Del Gobbo, 'Immunology and Immunopathology', Piccin.

The integrated course provides fundamental knowledge of the biological, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying health and disease. It focuses on etiological and pathogenetic processes, immune defense mechanisms, microbiological principles, and morphological and functional tissue alterations.

Basic knowledge of cell biology, genetics, chemistry, and biochemistry.

Lectures using multimedia tools (PowerPoint, video projection, tele-teaching). All teaching materials are available on the DIR platform.

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special
Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff
Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli
Studenti, consulting the University webpage:
https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learningdisabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs,
once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in
charge of the course to define the examination modalities.

Integrated written multiple-choice exam covering General Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology. Passing requires at least 50% correct answers in each module.

GENERAL PATHOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PATHOLOGY:
The state of health, the concept of etiology, the concept of pathogenesis, and the state of disease.

GENETIC BASES OF DISEASE:
General information on genetic mutations and their causes. Examples of genetic diseases: sickle cell anemia and disorders of amino acid transport or metabolism: Hartnup disease, phenylalaninemias, albinism.

PHYSICAL AGENTS AS CAUSES OF DISEASE:
General information on pathologies caused by transfer of mechanical, thermal, or electrical energy. Effects of ionizing radiation (at molecular, cellular, and supracellular levels) and effects of non-ionizing (exciting) radiation.

CHEMICAL AGENTS AS CAUSES OF DISEASE:
Routes of absorption and elimination (biotransformation reactions: phase 1, dependent on the cytochrome P450 system, and phase 2; harmful effects of reactive metabolites produced during biotransformation), toxicity from chemical agents. Damage induced by free radicals: mechanisms of production, protective factors, and cellular damage.

BIOLOGICAL AGENTS AS CAUSES OF DISEASE:
General information on mechanisms of damage and defense in viral and bacterial infections.

TISSUE CHANGES IN RESPONSE TO ACUTE AND CHRONIC PATHOLOGICAL STIMULI:
Hypertrophy, hyperplasia, hypotrophy, atrophy, metaplasia; reversible cell injury. Irreversible cell injury: cell death by necrosis and apoptosis.

THE INFLAMMATORY PROCESS:
Cells involved in inflammation and their functions (monocytes, macrophages, neutrophil granulocytes, basophils, mast cells, endothelial cells, platelets); soluble mediators of inflammation (histamine, serotonin, arachidonic acid metabolites, plasma proteases, cytokines: interleukin 1 and 6 [IL-1, IL-6], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha], transforming growth factor beta [TGF-beta], bacterial metabolites); alterations of vascular tone and permeability during inflammation (exudate formation); activity of phagocytic cells in inflammation (adhesion, diapedesis, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, bacterial killing mechanisms); histophlogosis; systemic effects of inflammation.

THE REPAIR PROCESS:
Regeneration (tissue proliferative potential, growth factors: epidermal growth factor [EGF], transforming [TGF-beta], insulin-like [IGF], platelet-derived [PDGF], fibroblast-derived [FGF], interactions with the matrix and other cells), replacement with connective tissue, and angiogenesis. Wound repair.

NEOPLASTIC GROWTH:
General characteristics of neoplasms (brief notes on incidence, mortality, and survival; tumor classification and nomenclature); concepts of hyperplasia, neoplasia, anaplasia, and dysplasia. Viral and cellular oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes. The neoplastic phenotype: phenotypic heterogeneity and genomic instability. Initiation and promotion of the neoplastic process (stepwise carcinogenesis or carcinogenesis as a continuous process). Progression of the neoplastic process (neoplastic latency, invasiveness, metastasis).
MICROBIOLOGY:
1) GENERAL BACTERIOLOGY

The bacterial cell: organization, structure, and essential functions.
Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.
Division and growth (cultivation methods).
Bacterial metabolism.
Resident microbial flora: the microbiota.
Principles of bacterial virulence: bacterial toxins (exotoxins and endotoxins); spore; capsule; pili and flagella; enzymes; siderophores; bacterial biofilm.
Elements of bacterial genetics: mutations and mechanisms of gene transfer — conjugation, transformation, transduction, transposition.
Mode of action of the main antibacterial drugs. Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and antibiotics.
Principles of bacterial diagnostics.

2) GENERAL VIROLOGY

Nature, methods of study, and classification of viruses.
Composition and architecture of the viral particle.
Cultivation and titration of viruses.
Virus–cell interactions.
Multiplication of viruses: replication strategies.
Virus–host relationships: acute, persistent, latent, and slow infections.
Cell transformation by viruses: oncogenic viruses.
Pathogenic mechanisms in viral infections.
Overview of immunoprophylaxis and antiviral chemotherapy.
Principles of virological diagnostics.

3) FUNGI AND PROTOZOA: GENERALITIES

General information on fungi and protozoa of medical importance.

4) THE ANTIMICROBIAL IMMUNE RESPONSE (Brief Overview)

General overview of the immune mechanisms involved in defense against microbial infections.

5) MICROBIAL INFECTIONS AND ORGANS (Brief Overview)

Overview of microbial infections affecting various organs and systems.

6) THE HUMAN MICROBIOTA

Composition, role, and significance of the human microbiota in health and disease.

IMMUNOLOGY:
The immune system: innate and acquired immunity; cellular and humoral
components; primary and secondary lymphatic organs.
B lymphocytes and immunoglobulins: structure, gene recombination,
isotypic switch.
T lymphocytes and their receptor: gene structure and recombination;
maturation and thymic selection.
The major histocompatibility complex: antigen processing and
presentation.
Immunopathology: type I, II, III and IV hypersensitivity; autoimmune
diseases; immunodeficiencies; the rejection of transplants

Understand the etiological, molecular, and cellular mechanisms of disease; recognize infectious and immune processes; apply basic principles to diagnostic and radiological activities.