The study of the human psyche has elucidated a bipartite structure of logic reflecting the quantum--classical nature of the world. Accordingly, we posited an approach toward studying the brain by means of the quantum--classical dynamics of a mixed Weyl symbol. The mixed Weyl symbol can be used to describe brain processes at the microscopic level and, when averaged over an appropriate ensemble, can provide a link to the results of measurements made at the meso and macro scale. Within this approach, quantum variables (such as, for example, nuclear and electron spins, dipole momenta of particles or molecules, tunneling degrees of freedom, and so on) can be represented by spinors, whereas the electromagnetic fields and phonon modes can be treated either classically or semi-classically in phase space by also considering quantum zero-point fluctuations. Quantum zero-point effects can be incorporated into numerical simulations by controlling the temperature of each field mode via coupling to a dedicated Nos\'e-Hoover chain thermostat. The temperature of each thermostat was chosen in order to reproduce quantum statistics in the canonical ensemble. In this first paper, we introduce a general quantum--classical Hamiltonian model that can be tailored to study physical processes at the interface between the quantum and the classical world in the brain. While the approach is discussed in detail, numerical calculations are not reported in the present paper, but they are planned for future work. Our theory of brain dynamics subsumes some compatible aspects of three well-known quantum approaches to brain dynamics, namely the electromagnetic field theory approach, the orchestrated objective reduction theory, and the dissipative quantum model of the brain. All three models are reviewed.

Daridorexant, as the first Dual Orexin Receptor Antagonist (DORA) marketed in Europe, offers a novel therapeutic approach to insomnia. However, data regarding its real-world safety are scarce. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess its safety profile using a large-scale pharma-covigilance database. Daridorexant-related Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System were scrutinized, and ADRs were selected using reporting odds ratio (ROR) as a measure of disproportionality. Frequencies of events related to daridorexant were compared to all other drugs (reference group, RG1) and only to other DORAs (RG2). Only significant disproportionalities to both RGs were evaluated in-depth. A total of 845 dari-dorexant-related reports were selected; nightmares (n = 146; Dari vs. RG1: ROR = 113.74; 95%CI[95.13, 136]; Dari vs. RG2: ROR = 2.35; 95CI%[1.93, 2.85]), depression (n = 22; Dari vs. RG1: 2.13; [1.39, 3.25]; Dari vs. RG2: ROR = 2.31; 95CI%[1.45, 3.67]), and hangover (n = 20; Dari vs. RG1: ROR = 127.92; 95CI%[81.98, 199.62]; Dari vs. RG2: 3.38; [2.04, 5.61]) were considered as safety signals. These data provide valuable insights into the real-world safety profile of dari-dorexant, supporting the existence of safety signals related to nightmares, depression, and hang-over.

The impact of systemic vascular resistance (SVR) in hypertrophic (HCM) and amyloid cardio-myopathies has been seldom investigated. We studied pressure-strain loop derived myocardial work (MW) indices and SVR in patients with either sarcomere HCM or wild type transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR), presented with heart failure and preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF) at the outpatient cardiology units at Messina and Catania University Hospitals (Italy). Patients were in sinus rhythm and needed to have good transthoracic ultrasound imaging quality to undergo transthoracic strain-echocardiography. Other than conventional parameters, SVR and GWI (global work index) were measured. Based on cross-tabulation (a way to assess the ventricular-arterial coupling), the patients were then classified in 4 classes according to the cut-off values suggested by previous studies of 1,440 dyne/s/cm-5 for SVR (Stefadouros et al., 1973) and 1576 mm Hg% for GWI (Olsen et al., 2022). Sixty patients, 30 in each group, aged 61±16 years, 78% males, were studied. HCM were younger than ATTR patients and in a better clinical status (23% HCM vs 77% ATTR were NYHA class 3, p<0.001). Overall, 51 patients (85%) showed high SVR, of whom 21 were HCM (70%) and 30 ATTR (100%) (p<0.005). Both, SVR and GWI were impaired (the poorest class C) in 43% HCM patients (with greater left ventricular concentric hypertrophy) vs 93% of ATTR patients (in advanced NYHA class) (p<0.001). In conclusion, assessing SVR and GWI in HFpEF patients with HCM or ATTR can help clinicians to interpret the pathophysiological and clinical features of such complex diseases.

The Cohen-Macaulay vertex splittable ideals are characterized. As a consequence, we recover several Cohen-Macaulay classifications of families of monomial ideals known in the literature by new simpler combinatorial proofs.

Keywords: Marine Coasts; Protected Areas; Defense and Conservation; Asbestos Cement Materials; Wastes; Contamination; Human Health Risk; Medical Geology.

Investigation of sea-level positions during the highly-dynamic Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3: 29-61 kyrs BP) proves difficult because: i) in stable and subsiding areas, coeval coastal sediments are currently submerged at depths of few to several tens of meters below present sea level; ii) in uplifting areas, the preservation of geomorphic features and sedimentary records is limited due to the erosion occurred during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) with sea level at depth of -130 m, followed by marine transgression that determined the development of ravinement surfaces. This study discusses previous research in the Mediterranean and elsewhere, and describes new fossiliferous marine deposits laying on metamorphic bedrock of Cannitello (Calabria, Italy). Radiocarbon ages of marine shells (about 43 kyrs cal BP) indicate that these deposits, presently between 28 and 30 meters above sea level, formed during MIS 3.1. Elevation correction of the Cannitello outcrops (considered in an intermediate-to-far-field position with respect to the ice sheet) with the local vertical tectonic rate and Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) rate allows to propose a revision of the eustatic depth for this highstand. Our results are consistent with recently proposed estimates based on a novel ice sheet modelling technique.

Honey is a sweet substance extensively consumed in the world for its nutritional and healthy properties. However, residues of pesticides and environmental contaminants can compromise its quality. For this reason, the physicochemical parameters, and the organic contamination of monofloral and multifloral honeys from three regions of Algeria (Tiaret, Laghouat and Tindouf) were monitored to evaluate the quality of honey and the safety for consumers. In general, the results obtained from the physicochemical analyses were in line with the EU standards. In terms of contamination, pesticides authorised and used in Algerian agriculture (matalaxyl-M and cyromazine), as well as banned pesticide (carbaryl), were found in almost all the samples. However, only the concentration of cyromazine was higher than the relative EU maximum residue levels. PCB 180, PCB 189, anthracene, fluorene and phenanthrene were mainly detected. All the honeys show traces of DiBP, DBP, DEHP and DEHT, but no traces of bisphenols were found. Moreover, the dietary exposure assessment shows that a small amount of Algerian honey can be safely consumed. Overall, data from this study should motivate the Algerian government to enhance their monitoring activities in beekeeping and to find solutions for implementing more sustainable agricultural practices harmonizing with the international legislation.

The patellofemoral joint (PFJ) is a complex articulation between the patella and the femur, in-volved in the extensor mechanism of the knee. Patellofemoral disorders can be classified into ob-jective patellar instability, potential patellar instability, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. An-atomical factors such as trochlear dysplasia, patella alta, and tibial tuberosity-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance contribute to instability. Patellofemoral instability can result in various types of dislocations, and the frequency of dislocation can be categorized as recurrent, habitual, or per-manent. Primary patellar dislocation requires diagnostic framing, including physical examina-tion and imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for assessing the extent of damage, such as bone bruises, osteochondral fractures, and medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) rupture. Treatment options for primary dislocation include urgent surgery for oste-ochondral fragments or conservative treatment for cases without lesions. Follow-up after treat-ment involves imaging screening and assessing principal and secondary factors of instability. Detecting and addressing these factors is crucial for preventing recurrent dislocations and opti-mizing patient outcomes.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer characterized by two etiologies: the first one, observed in most cases, is attributed to Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV), a DNA tumor virus, while the second one is due to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure. Currently, there are limited diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers available for MCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but regulate various cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. The dysregulation of miRNAs has been associated with a wide range of cancers since they can act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. This paper aims to collect, summarize and re-organize the recent discoveries concerning miRNAs, whose dysregulation in the pathogenesis and progression of MCC is slowly emerging. Furthermore, the potential clinical applications of miRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers, possible differentiation between MCPyV-related and unrelated MCC, predictors of response to therapy and prognostics are also discussed. From this review, it emerges that miRNAs may have, in the near future, the potential to become clinically significant in improving the diagnostic accuracy, prognostic evaluation, and therapeutic options of MCCs. Finally, the new perspectives on the poorly explored field of artificial intelligence in MCC are provided.

This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable protein sources in aquaculture due to the depletion of marine resources and rising costs. Animal protein sources, particularly poultry by-product meal (PBM) and insect exuviae meal, are investigated as viable alternatives to fishmeal (FM). Research confirms the successful replacement of FM with a combination of PBM and insect exuviae meal (up to 50%) in the diet of European seabass without compromising growth, feed conversion, gut health and liver fat content. In particular, growth performance was robust with both PBM formulations, with the 25% PBM diet showing better results. Histological examinations showed good gut and liver health, contradicting the concerns of previous studies. The study emphasizes the importance of holistic analyzes that go beyond growth parameters and include histomorphological investigations. The results show that PBM in combination with insect/exuviae meal is well tolerated by seabass, which is consistent with literature reports of mitigating negative effects on gut health. A detailed analysis of the microbiota revealed a decrease in the Firmicutes/Proteobacteria ratio due to an increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria. However, the formulation containing insect exuviae partially counteracted this effect by preserving the beneficial Lactobacillus and promoting the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), particularly butyrate. Chitin-rich components from insect exuviae were associated with improved gut health, which was supported by increased production of SCFA, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. The study concludes that a combination of PBM and insect/exuviae meal can replace up to 50% of FM in the diet of seabass, supporting sustainable aquaculture practices. Despite some changes in the microbiota, the negative effects are mitigated by the addition of insect exuviae, highlighting their potential as a prebiotic to increase fish productivity and contribute to a circular economy in aquaculture.

Background: Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) have been identified as the main pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble Aβ oligomers, rather than monomer or insoluble amyloid fibrils, show membrane-binding capacity to red blood cells (RBCs) and trigger several morphological and functional alterations in RBCs that can result in impaired oxygen transport and delivery. Since bioactive lipids have been recently proposed as potent protective agents against Aβ toxicity, we investigated the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in signaling pathways involved in the mechanism underlying ATP release in Aβ-treated RBCs. Methods: In RBCs following different treatments, ATP, 2,3 DPG, cAMP levels, and caspase 3 activity were determined by spectrophotometric and immunoassay. Results: S1P rescued the inhibition of ATP release from RBCs triggered by Aβ through a mechanism involving caspase-3 and restoring 2,3 DPG and cAMP levels within the cell. Conclusions: These findings reveal the molecular basis of S1P protection against Aβ in RBCs and suggest new therapeutic avenues in AD.

Dissimilar welds between ferritic and austenitic steels represent a good solution for exploiting the best performance of stainless steels at high and low temperatures and in aggressive environments, while minimizing costs. Therefore, they are widely used in nuclear and petrochemical plants, however, due to the different properties of the steels involved, the welding process can be challenging. Fusion welding can be specifically addressed to connect low-carbon, or low-alloy steels, with high-alloy steels, which have similar melting point. Welding of thick plates can be performed with electric arc in multiple passes or in a single pass by means of a laser beam equipment. Since microstructure and consequently mechanical properties of the weld are closely related to composition, the choice of the filler metal and processing parameters, which in turn affects the dilution rate, plays a fundamental role. Numerous technical solutions were proposed for welding dissimilar steels and much research was developed on the weldment metallurgy; therefore, this article is aimed at a review of the most recent scientific literature on the issues relating to the fusion welding of ferritic / austenitic steels. Two specific sections are dedicated respectively to electric arc and laser beam welding; finally, metallurgical issues, related to dilution and thermal field are debated in the discussion section.

Our work is regarding the analysis of land use changes, in the light of “saving soil” against the expansion due to unearned plus value of land: The loss of natural and agricultural surface in front of the expanding urban environment is a critical aspect of unsustainability of urban development, especially in the way it was carried out in the past decades. The measure of the physical transition of land use and characters from a more natural condition of land surface to a new artificial one, joint with a parallel analysis of the increase of land value due to such change is nowadays a major land-policy tool. The interplay of urban economics regulation with planning, reveals new key issues in urban governance and environmental preservation. In this paper it will be shown some experiment about the impact assessment of soil take, related with the seek of valorization of property inside the planning process. Our paper reports as well about the experimental activity carried out inside the MITO Lab of the Polytechnic of Bari, where reports about property values and environmental values have been produced, specially looking at the reality of the Apulia, a southern Italian Region, that is rich of farmlands and coastlines, often invaded by constructions with a severe loss of nature, landscape and ecosystems services.

The shallow water equations are widely applied for the simulation of flow routing in rivers and floodplains, as well as for flood inundation mapping. From a mathematical point of view, they are a hyperbolic system of nonlinear partial differential equations, whose numerical integration is sometimes computationally burdensome. For this reason, the interest of many researchers has been focused on the study of simplified forms of the original set of equations, which requires less computational effort. One of the most commonly applied simplifications consists in neglecting the inertial terms, which changes the hyperbolic model to a parabolic one. The effects of such a choice on the outputs of the simulations of flooding events are controversial and an important topic of debate. In the present paper, two numerical models, recently proposed for the solution of the complete and zero-inertia forms of the shallow waters equations, are applied to several unsteady flow routing scenarios. We simulate synthetic and laboratory studies, starting from very simple geometries and moving towards complex topographies. Analyzing the role of the terms in the momentum equations, we try to understand the effect, on the computed results, of neglecting the inertial terms in the zero-inertia formulation. We analyze the computational costs.

Abstract: The VSI represents a significant advancement in the assessment of gastrointestinal-specific anxiety among patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). However, an Italian version of the instrument is not yet available for the reference population. This study utilized a national sample of 500 individuals, including healthy controls and patients with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease, to test the validity and reliability of the Italian VSI. Using back-translation methodology to ensure translation fidelity, the research applied a questionnaire and the VSI through an online format to 500 participants. Data analysis revealed that the Italian VSI had excellent psychometric properties, demonstrating high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.95) and construct validity. The scale proved sensitive in detecting significant differences in visceral sensitivity among groups, highlighting its utility as a clinical and research assessment tool. Specifically, the Italian VSI exhibited a unidimensional factorial structure and maintained a strong correlation with other measures of anxiety and the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, confirming its role in enhancing the understanding and management of IBS and IBD in Italy.

(1) Background: The definition of value addition is based on the process or processes which are used to transform physically the initial raw material in the final food or non-food article. Diversification can enhance the possibility of increased gains. The aim of this work is to give a reliable description of value addition when speaking of coconut-based beverages among all possible derivatives; (2) Methods: a systematic review of main papers on the argument has been critically examined and discussed; (3) Results: Processing degree is a consequence of consumers’ requests. Three different drivers for value addition have been considered: packaging, durability, and size options; sensorial features; and sustainability. Results of this investigation have highlighted the added value of several products because of recyclable packaging materials, intermediate or long durability expectations, different available sizes, and good or excellent sensorial performances; (4) Conclusions: There are different value-added coconut-based beverages with interesting perspectives. On the other side, sustainability and eco-friendly policies may be a problem for those products which are produced similarly to non-coconut based beverages. The opportunity of certified organic and/or fair-trade products could help the industry of coconuts in the next future. More research is still needed in this ambit.

This work focuses on the design improvement of a tri-axial piezoresistive accelerometer specifically designed for head injuries monitoring where medium-G impacts are common, for example in sports such as racing cars or American Football. The device requires the highest sensitivity achievable with a single proof mass approach, and a very low error (<1%) as the accuracy for these types of applications is paramount. The optimization method differs from previous work as it is based on the progressive increment of the sensor mass moment of inertia (MMI) in all three axes. The work numerically demonstrates that an increment of MMI determines an increment of device sensitivity with a simultaneous reduction of cross-talk in the particular axis under study. The final device shows a sensitivity increase of about 80% in the Z-axis and a reduction of cross-talk of 18% respect to state-of-art sensors available in the literature. Sensor design, modelling and optimization are presented, concluding the work with results, discussion and conclusion.

In the conservation of monumental heritage, the collection and utilization of information are of primary importance. The Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) procedure harnesses the potential of three-dimensional models, offering significant advantages in accessing documentation, interoperability, multidimensionality of intervention design, cost evaluation and maintenance management. Attention here is focused on the Certosa di Pisa, a large historical complex built in the 14th century as a monastery of the Carthusian order, currently in a state of deterioration and in need of restoration and re-functionalization. The multifaceted nature of this monumental complex, with its intricate interplay of architectural elements spanning different historical periods and featuring diverse techniques, poses a significant challenge for structural safety assessment. This case study presents an opportunity to explore an HBIM approach to streamline the diagnostic process and facilitate the intervention design phase. The goal is achieved by utilizing an accurate 3D model enriched with data from multiple sources and automating certain operations for structural assessment. The usefulness of the HBIM methodology is highlighted as a valuable tool in the realm of Cultural Heritage structures for both technicians and scholars alike.

The adoption of sustainable forest management practices emerged as a contemporary imperative for forest biodiversity preservation, functional integrity, and mitigation of climate change. Within the spectrum of these practices, thinning is recognized as an environmentally sustainable strategy. The primary objective of thinning is the equitable redistribution of aboveground growth, diverting resources from younger trees to promote the accelerated development of more valuable specimens compared to unthinned forests. Thinning, while fostering aboveground changes, induces substantial alterations in soil chemical and biochemical properties. This review addresses the often-debated consequences of thinning on soil characteristics, focusing on the intricate interplay involving different thinning intensities and their impact on soil chemical and biochemical parameters. Specifically, the analysis delves into the modulation of organic carbon levels, microbial biomass, and enzymes crucial to the organic matter cycle. Two key aspects are scrutinized: firstly, the influence of thinning intensity and the temporal dimension post-thinning on soil properties; secondly, the comparative impact of thinning intensity versus the time elapsed from the thinning event on soil properties and associated biological processes. The findings underscore pivotal insights: a) temporal dynamics significantly affect soil organic matter across broadleaved (excluding beech), coniferous, and mixed forests, manifesting as early as 2-7 years post-thinning; b) thinning intensity, up to a threshold of 50%, enhances soil quality by augmenting organic carbon content, bolstering microbial communities, and amplifying associated enzyme activities. This review consolidates valuable information for forest managers, providing guidance to optimize natural processes in tandem with achieving specific management objectives. By illuminating the nuanced interactions between thinning practices and soil dynamics, this knowledge equips stakeholders to make informed decisions in the pursuit of sustainable forest management and ecological resilience.

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Digital Twins (DTs) has emerged as a promising approach to revolutionize healthcare, particularly in the diagnosis and management of thoracic disorders. This study proposes a comprehensive framework, named Lung-DT, which leverages IoT sensors and AI algorithms to establish a digital representation of a patient’s respiratory health. Using the YOLOv8 neural network, the Lung-DT system accurately classifies chest X-Rays into five distinct categories of lung diseases, including "Normal," "Covid," "Lung Opacity," "Pneumonia," and "Tuberculosis". The system’s performance was evaluated on a chest X-Ray dataset, demonstrating an impressive average accuracy of 96.6% across all classes. Further tests (prediction) were conducted on the trained network using a third dataset available in the literature and completely unknown to the network, yielding an average accuracy of 98% across three classes. The proposed Lung-DT framework offers several advantages over conventional diagnostic methods. Firstly, it enables real-time monitoring of lung health through continuous data acquisition from IoT sensors, facilitating early diagnosis and intervention. Secondly, the AI-powered classification module provides automated and objective assessments of chest X-Rays, reducing dependence on subjective human interpretation. Thirdly, the twin digital representation of the patient’s respiratory health allows for comprehensive analysis and correlation of multiple data streams, providing valuable insights for personalized treatment plans. The integration of IoT sensors, AI algorithms, and DT technology within the Lung-DT system demonstrates a significant step towards improving thoracic healthcare. By enabling continuous monitoring, automated diagnosis, and comprehensive data analysis, the Lung-DT framework has enormous potential to enhance patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and optimize resource allocation.

In the Mediterranean, the probability of tsunamis is lower than in other coastal areas such as the Pacific Ring, where tsunamis are more familiar and memory of past events and anticipatory signals and protective measures is preserved by local culture, along with media and scientific sources, therefore tsunami risk is more likely to be downplayed or neglected. Past research identified socio-demographic and spatial factors that may affect tsunami risk perception. This research is based on a sample of 5842 CATI interviews to investigate whether and how risk perception and risk knowledge were affected by a major event such as the 1908 Reggio Calabria Messina tsunami, by making a comparison between areas hit by that event and unaffected areas, also providing some explanatory hypotheses. Despite differences between Calabria and Sicily, data anyway show higher levels of tsunami risk perception in the area affected by the 1908 event, along with a major role of interpersonal sources, playing a relevant role in information gathering and understanding. Research also suggests the need to better integrate different sources of knowledge to improve people’s understanding as to effectively cope with tsunami risk.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a rare form of necrotizing granulomatous inflammation that predominantly affects medium and small size vessels. Generally respiratory tracts and kidneys are the most affected organs. Neurological manifestations of GPA usually involve the peripheral nervous system causing mononeuritis multiplex or and cranial nerve palsies. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is rare and characterized by cerebral vasculitis, meningeal inflammation, or mass lesions. The CNS involvement is often linked to Ear Nose Throat (ENT) system disease. In this report, we present two cases of patients diagnosed with GPA who exhibit CNS involvement as first symptom. In the first one with an ischemic stroke while in the second with an atypical headache. In the first patient, a positive medical history indicating involvement of the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) facilitated a precise diagnosis through the prompt execution of autoimmune screening. This, in turn, enabled a timely commencement of treatment, resulting in neurological improvement. In the second case, the significance of ENT involvement was initially overlooked in the context of pathological definition, leading to a substantial delay in diagnosis and an ultimately grim prognosis for the patient. The ENT involvement could be an easy marker to suspect GPA in patient with atypical CNS presentation and could help to make a prompt diagnosis.

Background: In a Beveridgean decentralized healthcare system, like the Italian one, where regions are responsible for their own health planning and financing, the analysis of patients’ migration appears very interesting as it has economic and social implications. The study aims to analyze both patients’ migration for hospital rehabilitation and if the beds endowment is a driver for these flows; Methods: from 2011 to 2019, admissions data were collected from the Hospital Dis-charge Cards database of the Italian Ministry of Health, population data from Italian National Institute of Statistics and data of beds endowment from the Italian Ministry of Health website. To evaluate patients’ migration, we used Gandy’s Nomogram, while to assess if beds endowments are mobility drivers, we have created two matrices, one with attraction indexes (AI) and one with escape indexes (EI). The beds endowment, for each Italian region, were correlated with AI and EI. Spearman’s test was carried out through STATA software; Results: Gandy’s Nomogram showed that only some northern regions had good hospital planning for rehabilitation. A statistically significant correlation between beds endowment and AI was found for four regions, while with EI for eight regions. Conclusions: Only some northern regions appear able to satisfy the care needs of their residents, with an attraction minus escapes positive epidemiological balance. The beds endowment seems to be a driver of Patients’ migration, mainly for escapes. Certainly, the search for mobility drivers needs further investigation given the events in Molise and Basilicata.

The research in neuroscience links alexithymia, the difficulty of identifying and describing feelings and emotions, with a left hemisphere preference and/or a right hemisphere deficit. To provide a neuropsychological support to this finding, we explored the relationship between alexithymia and the performance in a line bisection task, a standard method to evaluate spatial attention in relation with the functioning of the right hemisphere. 222 healthy participants completed a version of the TAS-20 scale, which measures alexithymia, and were asked to mark (bisect) the center of a 10 cm horizontal segment. The results document a significant rightward shift of the line center in borderline and manifest alexithymic participants, as compared to non-alexithymic individuals. Moreover, the higher the TAS-20 score the greater the rightward shift in the line bisection task. This result supports the right-hemisphere deficit hypothesis in alexithymia and suggests that visuospatial abnormalities may be an inner component of their profile.

Thermal variations affect tri-trophic interactions involving plants, herbivores, and parasitoids, causing a mismatch between their phenological cycles. In the current environmental context of climate change, climatic factors can undergo profound and sudden changes, such as sudden hot or cold snaps. Here we show that episodes of short but sustained low temperatures have increased, mainly in the month of May, in the last two decades. We subjected galls induced by Asian chestnut gall wasp (ACGW) Dryocosmus kuriphilus to cold stress to assess if and how the pest and its parasitoids were affected. Over the course of two years seasonal parasitism, parasitism rates, the relative abundance of each parasitoid species, and mortality of ACGW were calculated. We found that the cold treatment affected both pest and parasitoids, resulting in a reduction in emerging ACGWs and differing ratios of species within the parasitoid community. The striking example was the change in the relative frequency of three species of Eupelmus spp. and of Mesopolobus tibialis, which doubled in thermally-stressed galls in all chestnut fields. The thermal effects on the development of the host and the direct effects of cold temperatures on the surface of galls (i.e., humidity or hardness of the galls) warrant further research in this direction.

In implantology, among the key choices, to obtain predictable results, it’s essential to establish, using CBCT, the bone site where to insert the implants; these sites must be identified on the mucosa and secondarily, during the surgical phase, on the cortical bone. Surgical templates are a valid aid especially in complex cases which require sev-eral implants. In cases of single implant, on the other hand, surgical guides are rarely used and the implant is inserted freehand and the identification of the implant site on the oral mucosa is more difficult; for this reason the clinician uses the teeth in the arch as a ref-erence. This experimental study is based on the use of a thermo-printed mask, con-taining radiopaque references which, worn by edentulous patients during the execu-tion of the CBCT, helps to evaluate the identification of the implant sites on the patient when surgical guides are not used and the free hand technique is adopted. This method is certainly reserved for experienced operators capable of identifying the correct angle of the implants with the freehand technique. The level of experience remains fundamental in the clinician's decision whether or not to use surgical guides; in fact, doctors with little experience should use surgical guides even in the simplest cases to reduce the risk of error.

In implantology, among the key choices, to obtain predictable results, it is essential to establish, on the basis of radiographic examinations, the bone site where to insert the implants; these selected locations must be identified first on the mucosa and then on the cortical bone. Surgical guides represent a valid aid especially in complex cases with more than 3 or 4 implants, whereas in single implant cases they are rarely used. This study evaluates the clinical precision with which the implant sites, on the patient's mucosa, are identified in surgical procedures planned without any templates. The verification of this precision is carried out through thermo-printed templates with radiopaque references which could however help the clinician to identify these sites in a simple, rapid and economical way.

Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is an idiopathic condition that manifests itself primarily with the onset of burning sensation. The aim of the research was to perform Photobiomodulation Therapy (PBM) using a diode laser on the oral mucosa of BMS patients, followed by an objective evaluation of the morphological changes in the vascular bed underlying the mucosa using polarized light videocapillaroscopy. A group of 40 patients were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (using simple randomization): 20 patients were assigned to the laser group and 20 patients were assigned to the placebo group. Each patient of the laser group received 8 irradiations (with 4 Watt of power, wavelength 800nm, energy 1200 Joules, irradiation time for 300 seconds of time, energy density 50J/cm2 , 60 mW continuous wave laser, irradiance 180mW/cm2 ), twice a week, blinded to the type of irradiation administered, for four consecutive weeks. The patients in the placebo group underwent the same sessions as the others, the only difference being the non-emission of the laser. An initial check of the vascular bed was performed with a polarized light videocapillaroscope. This was followed by treatment with a therapeutic diode laser and a subsequent check with a videocapillaroscope. It was possible to observe that in the group of patients that underwent laser therapy, there was a lasting improvement in symptoms. The capillary oral bed in the placebo groups did not show any statistically significant difference (P>0.05). In the laser group we observed: in the buccal mucosa the diameter of the capillary had a reduction of 3μm; in the upper lip mucosa a reduction of 3μm; in the lower lip mucosa, there was a reduction of 3μm; in the dorsal lingual surface, there was a reduction of 2 μm. An increase in capillary length was also obtained in all irradiated regions in the laser group patients (P < 0.05). PBM induces microcirculatory changes that are still present at a distance of time, such as an improvement in the clinical picture. The improvement in the symptoms has been correlated to the reduction of the capillary diameter. Placebo effect only leads to a temporary improvement in symptoms that are unrelated to changes in the microcirculatory pattern.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a severe personality disorder whose neural bases are still unclear. Indeed, previous studies reported inconsistent findings concerning alterations in cortical and subcortical areas. In the present study we applied for the first time an unsupervised machine learning approach known as mCCA+jICA, in combination with a supervised machine learning approach known as Random Forest, to possibly find covarying GM-WM circuits that separate BPD from controls and that are also predictive of this diagnosis. To this aim, we analyzed the structural images of patients with BPD and matched HCs. Results showed that two GM-WM covarying circuits, including basal ganglia, amygdala, and portions of the temporal lobes and of the orbitofrontal cortex, correctly classified BPD against HC. Notably, these circuits are affected by specific child traumatic experiences (emotional and physical neglect, and physical abuse) and predict symptoms severity in the interpersonal and impulsivity domains. These results support that BPD is characterized by anomalies in GM and WM circuits related to early traumatic experiences and specific symptoms.

Although cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) reduces morbidity and mortality and reverses left ventricular (LV) remodeling in heart failure patients with LV electrical dyssynchrony, induced proarrhythmia has been reported. The mechanism of CRT-induced proarrhythmia remains under debate. In this case report, a description of how a LV pacing induced polymorphic ventricular tachycardia immediately after the initiation of CRT has been reported. Changing the pacing configuration using a multipoint pacing stimulation, we can assume that VTs induced are related to the reentry mechanism facilitated by the unidirectional block. As a result, MPP pacing configuration near the scar area avoid the onset of a unidirectional block with the establishment of the reentry phenomenon thus avoiding induced VTs.

According to the current European and Italian scenario related to urban re-generation, cultural and landscape heritage, valorisation is being also enhanced by the activation of innovative processes. These involve the development of methodologies and tools that are able to address decision-making processes among low entropy economy, complex values and creative practices. In this perspective, the research aims to investigate the possibilities of developing a Cultural Heritage Low Entropy Enhancement (CHLEE) approach by considering how the complex values of cultural heritage can vary not only through a physical transformation of spaces but also through a program of uses and activities able to produce new values, where the human experience is essential. This type of model modifies the objectives that characterise the valorisation of cultural heritage and landscape, recognising that the fruition is no longer “consumerist” but “experiential”. A crucial role is represented by the heterogeneity of creative practices that contribute to the identificationidentifying and implementation ofimplementing innovative management and governance models. The present paper explores the components of creative regenerative processes, based upon the ex-post evaluation of some Italian experiments, across the PROMETHEE-GAIA multi-criteria method, to understand how creative experiences are building innovation ecosystem thanks to low entropy economy and improve the ex-ante evaluation for new strategies and policies.

Background: medical devices are designed, tested and placed on the market in a highly regulated environment. Wearable sensors are crucial components of various medical devices: design and validation of wearable sensors, if managed according to international standards, can foster innovation while respecting regulatory requirements. Material and methods: the purpose of this paper is to take into consideration the upcoming EU Medical Device Regulation 2017/245 and the current and future IEC and ISO standards that set methods for design and validation of medical devices, with a focus on wearable sensors. Risk classification according to the regulation is described. The international standards IEC 62304, IEC 60601, ISO 14971 and ISO 13485 are reviewed to define regulatory restrictions during design, pre-clinical validation and clinical validation of devices that include wearable sensors as crucial components. Results: current and future regulatory restrictions are described, and an integrated method for design planning, validation and clinical testing is described Discussion: application of this method to design wearable sensors should be evaluated in the future in order to assess its potentially positive impact to fostering innovation and to the time-to-market of the device.

This work proposes a methodological approach applied to ephemeral gravel-bed streams to verify the change in the magnitude and frequency of hydrological events affecting the morphological dynamics and sediment budget in this type of channel. For the case study the Azohía Rambla, located in southeastern Spain, was chosen, emphasizing the research on two reference riverbed sections (RCRs): an upper one, with a predominance of erosion, and a middle one, where processes of incision, transport, and deposition converge. First, this approach focuses on relationships between peak discharges and sediment budgets during the period 2018 to 2022. For this purpose, water level measurements from pressure sensors, a One-Dimensional Hydrodynamic model, and findings from comparative analyses of high-resolution differential digital elevation models (HRDEM of Difference - HRDoD) based on SfM-MVS and LiDAR datasets were used. In a second phase the GeoWEPP model was applied to the period 1996-2022 in order to simulate runoff and sediment yield at the event scale for the watersheds draining into both RCRs. During the calibration phase a sensitivity analysis was carried out to detect the most influential parameters in the model and to confirm its capacity to simulate peak flow and sediment delivery in the area described above. Values of NS (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency) and PBIAS (percent bias) equal to 0.86 and 7.81%, respectively, were found in the calibration period, while these indices were 0.81 and -4.1% in the validation period. Finally, different event class patterns (ECPs) were established for the monitoring period (2018-2022), according to flow stage and morphological channel adjustments (overtopping, bankfull and sub-bankfull, and half-sub-bankfull), and then retrospectively extrapolated to stages of the prior simulated period (1996-2018) from their typical sequences (PECPs). The results revealed a significant increase in the number of events and PECPs leading to lower bed incision rates and higher vertical accretion, which denotes a progressive increase in bed armoring and bank erosion processes.

Histoplasmosis is a systemic mycosis of universal distribution, highly endemic in the Americas. It is caused by a dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum. It affects both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals where progressive and disseminated forms are observed. A very important risk factor is HIV infection/AIDS, with a mortality rate of 20-40% in Latin America. The diagnosis of this mycosis is made by conventional and molecular methods or by antigen and antibody detection. This study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of a commercial kit for the detection of Histoplasma antigen by an EIA (HC-Ag) technique in 50 patients with histoplasmosis associated with AIDS. In addition, its performance was compared with that of other diagnostic techniques routinely used in our laboratory. HC-Ag had a sensitivity (S) of 94%, specificity (E) 95.5%, positive predictive value (PPV) 94% and negative predictive value (NPV) 95.5%. The delay time of the results was 4 days, similar to that of antibody detection and n-PCR and much less than that of blood cultures. The combination of methods improved S and NPV: 100%; with similar values in E and PPV. The HC-Ag method demonstrated its usefulness in the diagnosis of progressive disseminated histoplasmosis and the combination of methods is a good option to increase sensitivity and decrease the time to reach the diagnosis of certainty. This allows improving the strategy in the management of the disease and decreasing its case-fatality rate.

This manuscript explores sustainable agriculture's role in mitigating environmental challenges and meeting the nutritional needs of a growing global population. The objective is to assess the impact of different fertilizers on two distinct tomato-growing soils, each characterized by unique chemical and biological properties. The study compares four fertilizer treatments: Additionally, it evaluates the environmental implications of these fertilizers, focusing on their Carbon and Water Footprints. The findings indicate significant improvements in soil quality with SBO fertilizer. Both soils experienced a shift towards a near-neutral pH, increased organic matter content, and heightened microbial biomass. Enzyme activities were notably superior in SBO-treated soils. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results demonstrate that the SBO-based system is the most sustainable, with the lowest Carbon footprint. NPK exerts the highest environmental impact. The Water Footprint analysis aligns with these results, showing that SBO requires the least water for tomato production. In summary, this study underscores the significance of sustainable fertilization practices in improving soil quality and reducing environmental footprints in agriculture, offering potential benefits for food production and environmental conservation.

To improve efficacy and safety of sunscreen emulsions, UV‐filter skin permeation could be kept as low as possible by reducing UV‐filter content or changing emulsion composition. In this work, different lipid phase ratio (12, 14 and 16% w/w) were assessed for their ability to affect the technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions in which bemotrizinol (BMTZ), a broad spectrum sunscreen agent, was incorporated free or loaded into nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLC) to reduce its release from the vehicle and, hence, its skin permeation. The following technological properties were evaluated in vitro by suitable methodologies: spreadability, viscosity, pH, occlusion factor, BMTZ release, sun protection factor (SPF). Sensory attributes were assessed by trained panelists in three different phases: before/during pick‐up, rub‐in, after application. Raising the lipid phase ratio led to an increase of viscosity and to a corresponding drop of spreadability while the incorporation of BMTZ‐loaded NLC determined a decrease of occlusion factor and an increase of SPF. No BMTZ release was observed from all emulsions. Sensory attributes were mainly affected by lipid phase ratio. These results suggest that lipid phase ratio and BMTZ incorporation into NLC could contribute to determine technological and sensory properties of O/W emulsions.

Residual dizziness after a liberating maneuver is often referred to by patients as a more disabling set of symptoms than the positional vertigo itself. This situation seems to involve more than half of subjects with labyrintholithiasis. The authors examine the hypothesis according to which residual dizziness involves subjects with labyrintholithiasis on the basis of otoconia.

Antibiotics have played a crucial role in the reduction of TB incidence globally as evidenced by the fact that before the mid-20th century, the mortality rate within five years of the onset of the disease was 50%. The use of antibiotics has eliminated TB as a devastating disease, but the challenge of resistance to anti-TB drugs, which had already been described at the time of the introduction of streptomycin, has become a major global issue in disease management. Mismanagement of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) cases, resulting from intermittent drug use, prescription errors and non-compliance of patients, has been identified as a critical risk factor for the development of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in TB is a multi-factorial, complex problem of microbes evolving to escape antibiotics, the gradual decline of antibiotic development, and different economic and social conditions. In this review, we summarise recent advances in our understanding of how Mycobacterium tuberculosis evolves drug resistance. We also highlight the importance of developing shorter regimens that rapidly reach bacteria in diverse host environments, eradicating all mycobacterial populations and preventing the evolution of drug resistance. Lastly, we also emphasise that the current burden of this ancient disease is driven by a combination of complex interactions between mycobacterial and host factors, and that only a holistic approach that effectively addresses all the critical issues associated with drug resistance will limit the further spread of drug-resistant strains throught the community.

The global burden of bacterial resistance remains one of the most serious public health concerns. Infections caused by multiresistant (MDR) bacteria in critically ill patients require immediate empirical treatment, which may not only be ineffective due to the resistance of MDR bacteria to multiple classes of antibiotics, but may also contribute to the selection and spread of antimicrobial resistance. Both the WHO and the ECDC consider carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CRPA) and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) to be the highest priority. The ability to form biofilm and the acquisition of multiple drug resistance, in particular to carbapenems, have made these pathogens particularly difficult to treat. They are a growing cause of healthcare-associated infections and a significant threat to public health, associated with a high mortality rate. Moreover, co-colonization with these pathogens in critically ill patients was found to be a significant predictor for in-hospital mortality. Importantly, they have the potential to spread resistance using mobile genetic elements. Given the current situation, it is clear that finding new ways to combat antimicrobial resistance can no longer be delayed. The aim of this review was to evaluate the literature on how these pathogens contribute to the global burden of AMR. The review also highlights the importance of the rational use of antibiotics and the need to implement antimicrobial stewardship principles to prevent the transmission of drug-resistant organisms in healthcare settings. Finally, the review discusses the advantages and limitations of alternative therapies for the treatment of infections caused by these "titans" of antibiotic resistance.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a potentially serious acute respiratory infection caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the virus has spread to more than 200 countries with more than 500 million cases and more than 6 million deaths reported globally. It has long been known that viral respiratory tract infections predispose patients to bacterial infections and that these co-infections often have an unfavourable clinical outcome. Moreover, nosocomial infections, also known as health care-associated infections (HAIs), are those infections that are absent at the time of admission and acquired after hospitalization. However, the impact of coinfections or secondary infections on the progression of COVID-19 disease and its lethal outcome is still debated. The aim of this review was to assess the literature on the incidence of bacterial co-infections and superinfections in patients with COVID-19. The review also highlights the importance of the rational use of antibiotics in patients with COVID-19 and the need to implement antimicrobial stewardship principles to prevent the transmission of drug-resistant organisms in healthcare settings. Finally, alternative antimicrobial agents to counter the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria causing healthcare-associated infections in COVID-19 patients will also be discussed.

Tomato quality is intricately regulated by a combination of factors, including the presence of bioactive compounds referred to as secondary metabolites and various organoleptic characteristics. These attributes are notably influenced and harmonized by the specific growing conditions, with a particular emphasis on the type of fertilization employed. Traditionally, chemical fertilizers have been favoured in crop cultivation due to their cost-effectiveness and ability to accelerate crop growth. However, in pursuit of sustainable and intelligent agricultural practices, there is a growing need for alternative fertilizers. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the impact of fertilizers derived from waste materials, specifically sulphur bentonite and orange residue (referred to as SB), on tomato quality. This assessment extended to examining qualitative and quantitative alterations in aroma-related volatile compounds and the antioxidant systems of tomatoes, in comparison to the conventional use of fertilizers such as horse manure and NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium). The results obtained revealed distinct effects of different fertilizers on tomato quality. Notably, parameters such as TPRO (total protein), TCARB (total carbohydrate), LIC (lycopene content), TCAR (total carotenoid content), total phenols, total flavonoids, and aroma profiling exhibited significantly superior values in the group treated with SB fertilizer. These findings strongly suggest that the novel fertilizer functioned as a bio-stimulant, enhancing the nutraceutical and sensory attributes of tomatoes, with a pronounced impact on the synthesis of secondary metabolites and the aroma profile of the fruits.

Atherosclerosis, a complex metabolic-immune disease characterized by a chronic inflammation driven by the buildup of lipid-rich plaques within arterial walls, has emerged as a pivotal factor in the intricate interplay between cancer and cardiovascular disease. This bidirectional relationship, marked by shared risk factors and pathophysiological mechanisms, underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of how these two formidable health challenges intersect and influence each other. Cancer and its treatments can contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis while atherosclerosis with its inflammatory microenvironment can exert profound effects on cancer development and outcomes. Both cancer and cardiovascular disease involve intricate interactions between general and personal exposomes. In this review we want to summarize the state-of-the-art of translational data and try to show how oncologic studies on cardiotoxicity can broaden our knowledge of crucial pathways in cardiovascular biology with a positive impact on precision cardiology and cardioncology.

Several epidemiological studies and intervention trials have demonstrated that flavanols present in grapes and blueberries can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms of action of these compounds remain unclear due to their low bioavailability. A polyphenol-rich grape and blueberry extract (PEGB) contained about 16% flavanol, of which 11% was monomer and 4% was dimer. A sensory test investigated the oral perception of a PEGB. At concentrations where quercetin had almost no detectable taste, PEGB exhibited significant astringency. Furthermore, in comparing the redox properties against O2･- using a luminescence method, PEGB acted as a prooxidant at low concentrations, promoting O2･-production and scavenging O2･-at high concentrations under pH conditions similar to oral cavity and intestine. In contrast, quercetin showed antioxidant activity at any concentration. A single oral administration of PEGB to rats showed a significant increase in skeletal muscle arteriolar blood flow. According to these results, PEGB containing flavanols displays a potent astringent flavor, increases O2･-production at low concentrations in a neutral pH environment as well as oral and intestine, and considerably enhances blood flow to skeletal muscles after a single dose in rats. The results of this study indicate a need to investigate the causal relationship between oral perception, redox properties, and bioactivity of polyphenols.

The aim of this article is to review hydrogen combustion applications within the energy transition framework. Hydrogen blends are also included, from the well known hydrogen enriched natural gas (HENG) to the hydrogen and ammonia blends whose chemical kinetics is still not clearly defined. Hydrogen and hydrogen blends combustion characteristics will be firstly summarized, in terms of standard properties like the laminar flame speed and the adiabatic flame temperature, but also evidencing the critical role of hydrogen preferential diffusion in burning rate enhancement and the drastic reduction in radiative emission with respect to natural gas flames. Then, combustion applications in both thermo-electric power generation (based on internal combustion engines, i.e., gas turbines and piston engines) and hard-to-abate industry (requiring high temperature kilns and furnaces) sectors will be considered, highlighting the main issues due to hydrogen addition related to safety, pollutant emissions, and potentially negative effects on industrial products (e.g., glass, cement and ceramic).

An analysis of the curve of Spee in relation to muscle activity, assessed by electromyographic analysis, on a group of 16 young adults with previous fixed orthodontic treatment is proposed as a pilot study. Given the high incidence of this type of dental treatment, it is important to point out how, in this field of dentistry, there is a marked tendency to level and flatten this anatomical occlusal curve, as proposed by Andrews. If in orthodontics there is a standardized levelling of the curve of Spee, in the prosthetic and restorative field, the management of the curve of Spee requires greater attention and often even an individualized approach. The purpose of this study is to investigate what the levelling of the antero-posterior occlusal curve entails in terms of masticatory effectiveness and harmony. From the results obtained, it can be seen that in order to optimize the harmony of the stomatognathic apparatus, the curve of Spee is a parameter that requires individual attention: modifying it through standardized levelling has inevitable consequences.

Crocin, a glycoside carotenoid showing several health benefits, is mainly obtained from saffron (Crocus sativus L.), whose quality and content of phytochemicals can be strongly affected by environmental conditions. Therefore, in this work, the crocin content and the in vitro antioxidant activity of saffron extracts obtained from three different varieties (Greek, Sicilian, and Iranian saffron) were assessed. Crocin content in saffron extracts was quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The antioxidant activity of saffron extracts was evaluated using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging test. The Maillard reaction was used to assess the anti-glycation activity. Although the Sicilian and Iranian saffron extracts contained higher amounts of crocin compared to the Greek one, ORAC values and % NO inhibition were higher for the Greek variety that showed a total phenolic content about two-fold greater than that of the other two extracts. Sicilian and Greek saffron had similar anti-glycation activities, while the Iranian saffron was less effective. These results suggest that the antioxidant activity of saffron extracts could be ascribed to their naturally occurring complex mixture of phytochemicals, deserving further investigations as supplement to prevent pathological conditions induced by radical species.

Targeted Protein Silencing (TPS) is an elegant approach to investigate protein function and its role in the cellular landscape, overcoming limitations of genetic perturbation strategies. In contrast to CRISPR/Cas9 and RNA interference, these systems act in a reversible manner and reduce off-target effects. Several TPS have been developed and wisely improved, including compartment delocalization tools and protein degradation systems. In this review, we focus on Anchor-Away, deGradFP, auxin inducible degron (AID) and dTAG technologies, and discuss their recent applications and advances. Finally, we propose Nano-Grad, a novel nanobody-based protein degradation tool to specifically proteolyze endogenous tag-free target protein.

All allergic responses to food indicate failure of immunological tolerance but it is unclear why cow’s milk and egg (CME) allergies resolve more readily than reactivity to peanuts (PN). We sought to identify differences between PN and CME allergies through constitutive immune status and responses to cognate and non-cognate food antigens. Children with confirmed allergy to CME (n=6), PN (n=18) non-allergic (NA) (n=8) controls were studied. Constitutive secretion of cytokines was tested in plasma and unstimulated mononuclear cell (PBMNC) cultures. Blood dendritic cell (DC) subsets were analyzed alongside changes in phenotypes and soluble molecules in allergen stimulated MNC cultures with or without cytokine neutralization. We observed that in allergic children constitutively high plasma levels IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10 but less IL-12p70 than in non-allergic children was accompanied by spontaneous secretion of sCD23, IL-1β, IL-2 IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-12p70, IFN- and TNF- in MNC cultures. Furthermore, blood DC subset counts differed in food allergy. Antigen-presenting cell phenotypic abnormalities were accompanied by higher B and T cell percentages with more Bcl-2 within CD69+ subsets. Cells were generally refractory to antigenic stimulation in vitro but IL-4 neutralization led to CD152 downregulation by CD4+ T cells from PN allergic children responding to PN allergens. Canonical discriminant analyses segregated non-allergic and allergic children by their cytokine secretion patterns, revealing differences and areas of overlap between PN and CME allergies. Despite an absence of recent allergen exposure, indication of in vivo activation, in vitro responses independent of challenging antigen and the presence of unusual costimulatory molecules suggest dysregulated immunity in food allergy. Most important, higher Bcl-2 content within key effector cells implies survival advantage with potential to mount abnormal responses that may give rise to the manifestations of allergy. Here, we put forward the hypothesis that the lack of apoptosis of key immune cell types might be central to the development of food allergic reactions.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the predictive factors of response to induction chemotherapy in patients with resectable NSCLC, treated at the unit of Thoracic Surgery of Siena University Hospital with radical surgery. From January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020, 78 patients were recruited. We analyzed the outcomes in terms of 5-years OS based on the Estimated Regression Rate, N2 downstaging and age; two patients’ subgroups were created by age (Group A: age &lt;66 years-old; Group B: age &gt;66 years-old). No 5-year OS difference was observed based on age, while it was observed in patients with N2 downstaging (p=0.031). Bewtween patients with N2 downstaging, only patients in Group A had a significantly increased 5-year OS (p=0.019), while this was not observed in Group B (p=0-321); the same result was observed with the Estimated Regression Rate &gt; 50% (Group A p=0.005; Group B p=0.391). The percentage of disease regression and the N2 down-staging after induction chemotherapy have great value on the survival, although this advantage seems to be observed mostly in younger patients. A multidisciplinary oncologic discussion of clinical cases could provide support in the careful selection of the ideal patients to undergo neoadjuvant treatment before radical surgery.

Acute intense exercise causes significant oxidative stress and consequently an increase in total antioxidant capacity; however, the mechanisms and combined effects of intense exercise and smoking on oxidative stress among active and non-active smokers are not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acute intense exercise on antioxidant enzyme activity responses in active and non-active individuals exposed to cigarette smoke. The study included 40 subjects who were equally classified as: smokers that did exercise (SE), smokers that did not do exercise (SnE), non-smokers that did exercise (NSE), and non-smokers that did not do exercise (NSnE). The adjusted Astrand test was used to exhaust the subjects. Salivary enzymes of peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured, by spectrophotometry methods, at 3 different time points: pre-test (TP1), post-test (TP2), and one hour after finishing the test (TP3). Significant (p<0.05) group x time interactions were found for the three enzymes. Salivary POX, CAT and SOD increased in all groups from TP1 to TP2 and decreased from TP2 to TP3. Only the NSE showed a significant difference between TP1 to TP3 in POX and SOD by +0.011 ± 0.007 and +0.075 ± 0.02 (U/ml), respectively. The NSE showed significantly higher levels of POX, CAT and SOD in TP2 compared to the other groups. Furthermore, NSE and NSnE had higher levels of POX, CAT and SOD in TP1 and TP3 (p<0.05) compared with SE and SnE. Only in the NSnE, were no differences observed in CAT compared with SE and SnE in TP3. These results showed that the antioxidant level at rest and in the recovery time after the acute intense exercise was lower in SE and SnE compared with NSE and NSnE, suggesting that smoking habit may reduce the ameliorating effect of regular physical activity on acute exercise-induced oxidative stress.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a prevalent bacterial infection in both community and healthcare settings. They account for approximately 40% of all bacterial infections and require around 15% of all antibiotic prescriptions. Although antibiotics have traditionally been used to treat UTIs for several decades, the significant increase in antibiotic resistance in recent years has made many previously effective treatments ineffective. Biofilm on medical equipment in healthcare settings creates a reservoir of pathogens that can be easily transmitted to patients. Urinary catheter infections are frequently observed in hospitals and are caused by microbes that form a biofilm after the catheter is inserted into the bladder. Managing infections caused by biofilms is challenging due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Biofilms enable pathogens to evade the host's innate immune defences, resulting in long-term persistence. The incidence of sepsis caused by urinary tract infections that have spread to the bloodstream is increasing, and drug-resistant infections may be even more prevalent. While the availability of upcoming tests to identify the bacterial cause of infection and its resistance spectrum is critical, it alone will not solve the problem; innovative treatment approaches are also needed. This review analyses the main characteristics of biofilm formation and drug resistance in recurrent uropathogen-induced UTI. The importance of innovative and alternative therapies to combat biofilm-caused UTI is emphasised.

Pomegranate use is increasing worldwide as it is considered a tasteful healthy food. It is mainly used as fruit, juice and jam. The pomegranate peel represents about 40-50% of the total fruit weight and contains numerous and diverse bioactive substances. The aim of this research was to analyse the pomegranate peel composition of Wonderful cultivated in Southern Italy and treated with an innovative physic dry concentration procedure. The aim was to verify how the drying process influenced the bioactive compounds that could be used as nutraceuticals. A comparison with the peel composition of freeze dried Wonderful cultivated in Southern Italy, freeze dried Wonderful cultivated in South Africa and freeze-dried pomegranate Kullu and Himachal cultivated in India has been done. Results evidenced that in pomegranate peels of Wonderful cultivated in Calabria and dried with the innovative process, total phenolic substances, total flavonoids, vitamin C, vitamin E and antioxidant activities, were the highest. Great amounts of single phenolic acids and flavonoids were found in Calabrian Wonderful peels dried with the innovative process. Overall, it emerged that the great amount of bioactive and diverse compounds found in Calabrian Wonderful pomegranate peel, come from the niche pedoclimatic conditions, and the physic drying innovative methodology.

Cryptococcosis is one of the most serious opportunistic diseases in patients living with HIV. For this reason, it is important to have early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Objectives. The aim of the study was to know the evolution of patients diagnosed with cryptococcosis by detection of Cryptococcus antigen in serum by lateral flow (CrAg LFA) without nervous system involvement and with treatment in accordance with the results. Materials and Methods. A retrospective, longitudinal, analytical study was performed. Seventy patients with cryptococcosis initially diagnosed by serum CrAg LFA without meningeal involvement between January 2019 and April 2022 were analyzed for medical records. The treatment regimen was adapted to the results of blood culture, respiratory material or pulmonary tomography imaging. Results. Seventy patients were included, 13 had probable pulmonary cryptococcosis, 4 had proven pulmonary cryptococcosis, 3 had fungemia and 50 had pre-emptive therapy without microbiological or imaging findings compatible with cryptococcosis. Among the 50 patients with pre-emptive therapy, none had meningeal involvement or cryptococcosis recurrences to date. Conclusion. Pre-emptive therapy avoided progression to meningitis in patients with CrAg LFA-positive patients. Pre-emptive therapy with dose adjustment of fluconazole in patients with the mentioned characteristics was useful despite the use of lower doses than recommended.

Abdominal entry is the critical initial step of laparoscopic surgery as it is associated with unexpected complications. Acceptable working space is a prerequisite for safe minimal access surgery. Direct trocar insertion (DTI) technique has been often reported to be time-consuming and capable of causing injuries. We aim to facilitate conventional DTI employing an easy-to-use self-designed abdominal wall-lifting device, OneShot-M. We tested its safety in a porcine model. 18 pigs were randomized into three groups (n=6): open laparoscopy (Group A), DTI (Group B), DTI using OneShot-M (Group C), suitable for a 5-mm trocar. Outcomes were access time, entry-related minor and major complications. Median access time was shorter in C (43 seconds; range: 35-49 seconds), followed by B (82.5; 72-90) and A (190.5; 182-240). Statistically significant differences in procedural time between techniques were detected (p-value = 0.0005). Pairwise comparisons exhibited a statistically significant difference between A and C in terms of access time. Only one difficulty in entry was seen in C; pigs experienced several occurrences in A and B. This pilot study suggests that OneShot-M appears to be a technically feasible, fast and safe method for pneumoperitoneum induction in a porcine model, as it provides sufficient exposure of the operative field without access-related complications. Further clinical studies are needed.

Sourced so far mostly from beet root juice, betanin is a red-violet natural colorant increasingly used by the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries. We provide an updated bioeconomy perspective into a valued betacyanin whose supply and applications, we argue in this study, will rapidly expand.

Glycosylation is a complex post-translational modification that conveys functional diversity to glycoconjugates. Cell surface glycosylation mediates several biological activities such as induction of intracellular signaling pathway and pathogen recognition. Red blood cell (RBC) membrane N-glycans determine blood type and influence cell lifespan. Although several proteomic studies were carried out, glycosylation of RBC membrane proteins has not been systematically investigated. This work aims at exploring the human RBC N-glycome by high-sensitivity MALDI-MS techniques to outline a fingerprint of RBC N-glycans. To this purpose, MALDI-TOF spectra of healthy subjects harboring different blood groups were acquired. Results showed the predominant occurrence of neutral and sialylated complex N-glycans with bisected N-acetylglucosamine, core- and/or an-tennary fucosylation. In the higher mass region these species presented with multiple N-acetyllactosamine repeating units. Amongst the detected glycoforms, the presence of glycans bearing ABO(H) antigens allowed us to define a distinctive spectrum for each blood group. For the first time, advanced glycomic techniques have been applied to a comprehensive exploration of human RBC N-glycosylation, providing a new tool for the early detection of distinct glycome changes associated with disease conditions as well as to understand pathogens molecular recognition.

Fabry disease (FD) is a X-linked inheritable storage disease caused by deficiency of al-pha-galactosidase causing lysosomal overload of sphingolipids. FD cardiomyopathy is character-ized by left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and should be considered in differential diagnosis with all the other causes of LV hypertrophy. An early diagnosis of FD is very important because the enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) may change the fate of patients by blocking both cardiac and systemic involvement and improving prognosis. Diagnosis may be relatively easy in young patients with the typical signs ans symptoms of FD, but in male patients with late onset of disease and in females, diagnosis may be very challenging. Morphological and functional aspects are not specific for FD, which cannot be diagnosed or excluded by echocardiography. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with tissue characterization capability, is the preferred technique for the differential diagnosis of LV hypertrophy. The finding of decreased myocardial T1 value in LV hypertrophy is very specific for FD. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is found in late stage of disease but it is useful to predict the cardiac response to ERT and to stratify the prognosis.

The purpose of this study is to identify gender by highlighting common coordinates and discriminating coordinates in the two sexes through palatal rugoscopy, comparing sagittal sections of the hard palate and evaluating the assistance given by digital technology and its applicability in this method. In this study, 85 digital impressions were examined. The impressions were in .stl format. The palatal rugae, retroincisal papilla, and the palatal cusps of the second premolars were isolated using Meshmixer software (Autodesk Inc., San Rafael, CA, USA) by eliminating everything else from the scan. Then the impressions were aligned using the same software so as to be subsequently imported to Geomagic® Control 14 software (3D System, NC, USA). Results: 2,223 impression sections were studied and 145 coordinates that were present with a frequency greater than 50% in one or both groups were obtained: 52 discriminating traits (DT) in the male group, 29 discriminating traits in the female group, and 64 common traits (CT). The sum of all the coordinates found in the 57 impressions was 9,328: 4,569 in the male group and 4,759 in the female group (P=0). The DTs in the female group showed no statistically significant difference from the same coordinates in the male one (P=0.832). Statistically significant differences were observed in the DTs in the male group compared to the same coordinates in the female group (P=0.018). No statistically significant differences were observed in the frequency of DTs in both sexes (P=0.056). Further research in forensic odontology is needed to determine its scientific certainty. It is certain that digital technology may one day be a valuable support for the forensic odontologist but to date the lack of dedicated and certified programs limits its reliability.

Welding between two or more pieces of metal is a widely used practice in various fields of medicine such as dentistry which also makes use of the support of dental laboratories where complex welding procedures are applied. The welding techniques available today are many and also very different from each other; they often require very different background knowledge, just as the results obtained may differ. Welds can be made at various stages of making a product that will be used on the patient; for example some welds are made directly by the manufacturer during the industrial processing phase. We then move on to the more common welding techniques carried out in dental laboratories and finally we also arrive at the intraoral welding carried out by the clinician inside the patient's oral cavity. This enormous variety of conditions in which those who practice welding can find themselves presupposes the application of the most appropriate technique; this review looks at the different methods and fields of application.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of fascial manipulation (FM) of the deep cervical fascia (DCF) and sequential yoga poses (SYP) on pain and function in individuals with mechanical neck pain (MNP). Method: Following the predefined criteria, ninety-nine individuals with MNP were recruited, randomised and assigned to either the intervention group (IG) (n=51) or the control group (CG) (n=48). Individuals in the IG received FM (4 sessions in 4 weeks) along with the home-based SYP (4 weeks). The CG participants received the usual care (cervical mobilization and thoracic manipulation (4 sessions in 4 weeks) along with unsupervised therapeutic exercises (4 weeks). The participants underwent baseline and weekly follow-up measurements of pain using a numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and elbow extension range of motion (EEROM) during upper limb neurodynamic test 1 (ULNT1). The baseline and the 4th session follow-up measurements of the Patient-specific Functional Scale (PSFS) and Fear-avoidance Behavior Questionnaire (FABQ) were also taken. Results: A repeated-measures ANOVA was performed. The mean differences between the IG and CG on NPRS 3rd and 4th sessions are -1.009 (p&lt; 0.05) and -1.701 (p&lt; 0.001), respectively; on EEROM in the 4th session is 20.120 (p&lt; 0.001); on FABQ during the follow-up is -5.036 (p&lt;0.001), showing a statistically significant difference, whereas on PSFS during follow-up is 0.263 (p=0.566), suggesting no significant differences in PSFS. Conclusion: FM and SYP can aid in reducing pain and fear avoidance behavior as well as improving the function and extensibility of the upper quarter region.

ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes are involved in nucleosomes sliding, eviction and/or histone variants incorporation into chromatin to facilitate several cellular and biological processes, including DNA transcription, replication and repair. The DOM/TIP60 chromatin remodeling complex of Drosophila melanogaster contains 18 subunits, including the DOMINO (DOM), an ATPase that catalyzes the ex-change of the canonical H2A with its variant (H2A.V); and TIP60, a lysine-acetyltransferase that acetylates H4, H2A and H2A.V histones. In the last decade, different experimental evidence showed that ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factors, in addition to their role in chromatin organization, have a functional relevance in cell division. In particular, emerging studies suggested direct roles of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex subunits in controlling mitosis and cytokinesis in both humans and D. melanogaster. However, little is known about their possible involvement during meiosis Meiotic chromosomes non-disjunction led to aneuploid offspring, which are often inviable/poorly viable or sterile due to gene dosage imbalance. Therefore, studying the role of DOM/TIP60 complex in D. melanogaster meiosis can provide new insights on our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cell division control in gametogenesis.

Background: The aim of this experimental work was to confirm the individual uniqueness of lip prints, to verify the presence of recurrent patterns according to the Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification and to search for characteristics that can be used in establishing the sex of a subject. Methods: Lip prints were taken from a sample of 172 volunteers using liquid lipstick and transparent adhesive tape and were digitally analyzed. Results: 59 prints (35.3%) were not considered for Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification due to quality errors and the impossibility of visualizing lip wrinkles in one or more sextants, all the digitized prints revealed themselves to be unique after having been analyzed using superimposition. Qualitatively valid prints indicated a prevalence of Type II in both male and female and the presence of sex-linked features. A major problem was that the analysis of the same print by different operators often resulted in a different attribution of a Type. Conclusions: The potential of cheiloscopy lies mainly in the matching of prints, given their uniqueness, and can be a valid tool in gender determination but the absence of a database greatly limits its use. It is necessary to establish an acquisition protocol for taking and analyzing prints that could reduce the errors committed by the operator.

Genes that affect adaptive traits have been identified, but our knowledge of the genetic basis of adaptation in a more general sense (across multiple traits) remains limited. We combined population-genomic analyses of evolve and resequence experiments, genome-wide association mapping of performance traits, and analyses of gene expression to fill this knowledge gap, and shed light on the genomics of adaptation to a marginal host (lentil) by the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Using population-genomic approaches, we detected modest parallelism in allele frequency change across replicate lines during adaptation to lentil. Mapping populations derived from each lentil-adapted line revealed a polygenic basis for two host-specific performance traits (weight and development time), which had low to modest heritabilities. We found less evidence of parallelism in genotype-phenotype associations across these lines than in allele frequency changes during the experiments. Differential gene expression caused by differences in recent evolutionary history exceeded that caused by immediate rearing host. Together, the three genomic data sets suggest that genes affecting traits other than weight and development time are likely to be the main causes of parallel evolution, and that detoxification genes (especially cytochrome P450s and beta-glucosidase) could be especially important for colonization of lentil by C. maculatus.

The outcomes of the 2015 Paris Agreement triggered a number of climate impact assessments, such as for floods and droughts, to focus on future time frames corresponding to the years of reaching specific levels of global warming. Yet, the links between the timing of the warming levels and the corresponding greenhouse gas concentration pathways to reach them, remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we compare projected changes of annual mean, extreme high and extreme low river discharges in Europe at 1.5°C and 2°C under scenarios RCP8.5 and RCP4.5 from an ensemble of Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations. The statistical significance of the difference between the two scenarios for both warming levels is then evaluated. Results show that in the majority of Europe (>95% of the surface area for the annual mean discharge, >98% for high and low extremes), the changes projected in the two pathways are statistically indistinguishable. These results suggest that in studies of changes at specific warming levels the projections of the two pathways can be merged into a single ensemble without major loss of information. With regard to the uncertainty of the unified ensemble, findings show that the projected changes of annual mean, extreme high and extreme low river discharge are statistically significant in large portions of Europe.

Abstract Thyroid diseases have a complex and multifactorial aetiology. Despite the numerous studies on the signals referable to the malignant transition, still remain elusive the molecular mechanisms concerning the role of oxidative stress. Based on its strong oxidative power, H2O2 could be responsible for the high level of oxidative DNA damage observed in cancerous thyroid tissue and hyper-activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and PI3K/Akt, that mediate ErbB signaling. Increased levels of 8-oxoG DNA adducts have been detected in the early stages of thyroid cancer. These DNA lesions are efficiently recognized and removed by the base excision repair (BER) pathway initiated by 8-oxoG glycosylase1 (OGG1). This study investigated the relationship between the EGFR and OGG1-BER pathways and their mutual regulation following oxidative stress stimulus by H2O2 in human thyrocytes. We clarified the modulation of ErbB receptors and their downstream pathways (PI3K / Akt and MAPK / ERK) under oxidative stress (from H2O2) at the level of gene and protein expression, according to the mechanism defined in a non-pathological cell system, Nthy-ori 3-1. Later, on the basis of the obtained results of gene expression cluster analysis in normal cells, we assessed the dysregulation of the relationships in a model of papillary thyroid cancer with RET/TPC rearrangement (TPC-1). Our observations demonstrated that a H2O2 stress may induce a physiological cross-regulation between ErbB and OGG1-BER pathways in normal thyroid cells (while this is dysregulated in the TPC-1 cells. Gene expression data also delineated that MUTYH gene could play a physiological role in cross-talk between ErbB and BER pathways and this function is instead lost in cancer cells. Overall our data about OGG1 protein expression suggest that the alternative splicing mechanisms may lead to different protein isoforms, physiologically regulated in response to ErbB modulation, and that these could be dysregulated in the progression of thyroid malignancies with RET/TPC rearrangement.

Viscoelastic relaxation measurements on Stirene-Butadiene rubbers (SBR) doped with Carbon Nanotube (CNT) at different concentration show the time-temperature superposition (TTS). This process is described in terms of the Mode Coupling Theory (MCT) approaches to the viscoelasticity by considering the frequency behavior of the loss modulus E”(ω), and shown that the corresponding TTS is linked to a (ω)1/2 decay. From of the analysis of the obtained data we observe that the interaction between the SBR and CNT determine different decays different decays according to their concentration. The rubbers with the lowest CNT concentration are only characterized, in the studied T-range, by a fragile glass forming behavior. Whereas those at the highest ones instead show, at a specific temperature TL, a crossover towards a pure Arrhenius, that according to the MCT, indicates the presence of a kinetic glass transition (KGT); where the system response functions are characterized by scaling behaviors.

Detecting the trends of species and populations is fundamental to identify taxa with high conservation priority. Unfortunately, long-term monitoring programs are challenging and often lacking. The Italian agile frog Rana latastei is endemic to Northern Italy and adjacent countries, is considered vulnerable by the IUCN, and is protected at the European level. However, quantitative estimates of its decline are extremely scarce. In this study, we document the trends in abundance and distribution of Rana latastei within the Monza Park, which currently represents the area closer to the type locality of the species. Wetlands within the park were monitored from 2000 to 2023; counts of egg clutches were taken as a measure of reproductive output and of the abundance of breeding females. In 2000, the species occurred over a significant proportion of the park. Total abundance showed strong yearly variation but remained rather constant from 2000 to 2019. However, Rana latastei disappeared from the park around 2021 and was never detected in 2022-23. The decline is probably related to the joint effect of multiple factors, including the conversion of breeding sites for farming, inappropriate water management, invasive alien species, and severe drought. The local extinction of Rana latastei occurred despite legal protection, highlighting the need for more effective and stringent tools for the conservation of European biodiversity.

The integral extraction via microwave-assisted hydrodiffusion and hydrodistillation of water-soluble bioproducts contained in the peel of Opuntia ficus-indica white and red cultivars harvested in Sicily, affords red and stable aqueous extracts mostly containing valued betanin, pectin and biophenols. Potentially useful as nutraceutical products, these aqueous extracts are a source of valued ingredients in high demand for a number of important food, cosmetic, beverage and nutraceutical applications.

The real-world outcomes of patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) are largely unexplored. We investigated the improvements in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with de novo mPCa in latest years. The USA SEER Research Data (2000-2017) were analyzed using the SEER*Stat software. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression were used. Patients with de novo mPCa were allocated to 3 cohorts based on year of diagnosis: A (2000-2003), B (2004-2010), C (2011-2014). Maximum follow-up was fixed to 5 years. Overall, 26434 patients were included. Age, race and metastatic stage significantly affected OS and CSS. After adjustment for age and race, patients in cohort C showed 9% reduced risk of death (HR:0.91 [95% CI, 0.87-0.95], p&lt;0.001) and 8% reduced risk of cancer-specific death (HR:0.91 [95% CI, 0.87-0.95], p&lt;0.001) compared to those in cohort A. After adjustment for age, race and metastatic stage, patients in cohort C showed an improvement in OS and CSS compared to cohort B (HR:0.94 [95% CI, 0.91-0.97], p=0.001 and HR:0.89 [95% CI, 0.85-0.92], p&lt;0.001). Patients with M1c disease had a more pronounced improvement in OS and CSS compared with the other stages. No differences were found between cohort B and C. In conclusion, the prognosis of de novo mPCa remains poor with a median OS of 30 months and a median CSS of 35 months. Limited OS and CSS improvements were observed in latest years.

The criteria of “Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability” as well as a high "overall quality index” are used to register the Italian modern varieties to the national register. Differently, local conservation varieties can be certified under different EU Directives having, as overall objective, the preservation of biodiversity and the containment of genetic erosion. In recent years, products derived from an-cient grains are perceived to be healthier and more sustainable by consumer, especially in Italy, with consequent higher market prices. Ancient tetraploid wheat varieties registered in the national reg-ister of conservation varieties are 28, 24 of which are Sicilian. They are supposed to have a wide genetic variability compared to modern ones, making them vulnerable of fraud because they are difficult to trace. It is therefore important to have tools able to discriminate the autochthonous Si-cilian varieties. This can be done by gluten proteins composition, which also gives information on the technological properties of derived products. Fifty-one accessions belonging to 22 ancient va-rieties of Sicilian tetraploid (mostly durum) wheat were analyzed. Although a wide intra-accession and intra-varietal variability was assessed, the gliadin pattern of bulks of seeds belonging to each variety was discriminatory. Moreover, differences in technological attitudes were found between landraces. This paves the way to use gluten protein patterns for traceability allowing local farmers and producers to valorize their products and assure consumers about the transparency of the entire supply chain.

The emergence of new SARSCoV-2 variants can affect vaccine efficacy, laboratory diagnosis and therapies already available, triggering interest in the search for antiviral agents for SARSCoV-2 infections. Ribavirin (RBV) is a broad-spectrum antiviral with demonstrated in vitro activity against multiple viruses, including SARSCoV-2. Methods. This retrospective study evaluated the dynamic and viral clearance of SARSCoV-2 in hospitalized adult participants (PTs) with COVID-19 pneumonia who received RBV aerosol within a compassionate use study. Was also assessed the impact of RBV on the clinical outcome and the mutational profile of SARSCoV-2. Results. The median RNA values measured in nine PTs included in the study de-creased from baseline to discharge (at BL, threshold cycle (Ct)=22.4, IQR 19.84-5.07; at discharge, Ct=27.92, IQR 26.43-36.11). Seven/9 PTs experienced a clinical improvement, while two PTs deceased during hos-pitalization. In PTs with a favorable outcome the virus clearance rate at discharge was 28.6%. The cumulative clearance rate was 71.4% within day 14th from discharge. A mutational pattern after RBV was detected in 3/5 PTs in whom was available whole genome sequencing. Conclusions. RBV may limit SARSCOV-2 replication resulting in a favorable clinical outcome. Ribavirin may also contribute to the mutational spectrum of SARSCoV-2.

We have studied Juniperus oxycedrus subsp. badia in the central and southern Iberian Peninsula. Here, the macrobioclimate ranges from Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-oceanic and Mediterranean-pluviseasonal-continental, thermotype from thermomediterranean and supramediterranean. The relevés were taken following the Braun-Blanquet phytosociological methodology. A statistical treatment was applied to establish a separation among Juniperus communities. To understand the presence of Juniperus communities in territories dominated by species of the genus Quercus, we applied the formula of Thornthwaite to calculate potential evapotranspiration. The general cluster analysis clearly separates two groups of plant communities and separates the different associations in each group. All plant communities growing on rocky crests and in steeply extreme sloping areas are significantly influenced by the soil. The Ombroclimatic Index does not explain the presence of plant communities influenced by substrate: so, we propose a new Ombroedaphoxeric Index which explains the presence of the Juniperus communities in territories with a thermotype ranging from the thermo to the supramediterranean belt. The areas of distribution of Juniperus species are expanding due to the spread of rocky areas: this phenomenon causes a rise in edaphoxerophilous areas and a decrease in climatophilous one. We propose four new plant associations and with this update on their structures and floristic compositions, it is possible to make an efficient form of conservation in both territories studied (Spain and Portugal) with specific cross-border-cooperation projects.

Seizures are defined as a transient occurrence of signs and symptoms due to the abnormal, excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain characterized by an abrupt and involuntary skeletal muscles activity. An early diagnosis, treatment and specific medical support must be performed to prevent Status Epilepticus (SE). Seizures’ onset, especially in children population, is related to specific risk factors like positive family history, fever, infections, neurological comorbidity, premature birth, mother’s alcohol abuse and smoke in pregnancy. Early death risk in children without neurological comorbidity is similar to the general population. Diagnosis is generally based on the identification of continuous or recurrent seizures but EEG evaluation could be useful if SE condition in suspected. The main goal of therapy is to contrast pathological mechanism which occurs in SE before neural cells are irreversibly damaged. According to latest International Guidelines and Recommendations of seizures’ related diseases, it is proposed a schematic and multi-stage pharmacological and diagnostic approach especially in the management of SE and its related causes in children. First measures should focus on early and appropriate drugs administration at adequate dosage, airway management, monitoring vital signs, PICU admission and management of parents’ anxiety.

Phagosomal escape and intracellular survival, often accompanied by Small Colony Variants (SCVs) formation, are typical features of infections caused by S. aureus. The survival in macro-phages favours S. aureus dissemination and complicates treatment. RAW 264.7 murine macro-phages infected with S. aureus USA300 and treated with erythromycin and 20mM carnosine, alone and in combination, were used as experimental model. SCVs were isolated from all treat-ment conditions, but only those undergoing the pressure of combined erythromycin and carnosine for 48 hours were stable for at least six passages on blood agar. Nucleic acid extraction was car-ried out for S. aureus USA300 wild-type and stable SCVs. Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was performed using Illumina DNA Prep and Illumina MiSeq, and quantitative reverse transcription PCR was performed. WGS analysis did not yield mutations pointing to differences between S. au-reus USA300 and stable SCVs, therefore the focus was shifted to evaluating gene expression vari-ations. Genes such as zur, mntR, uhpt, fur, sdrE were shown to be significantly up-regulated in SCVs compared to S. aureus USA300 wild-type, suggesting a global change that allows adapta-tion to intracellular persistence, including protection from inflammatory response and evasion of the immune system.

Micro-Raman spectroscopy was carried out to evaluate the localized residual stresses in commercial Gallium Nitride-based devices, specifically AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) in a novel packaging design provided by STMicroelectronics S.r.l. The packaging plays a key role in protecting the device core against the external environment, thus minimizing damages caused by mechanical shocks, exposure to light, and contact with chemicals, conjointly achieving an efficient heat dissipation rate. Even though the packaging is a required step for the proper functioning of ready-to-use electronic devices, its application typically may introduce mechanical stress to AlGaN/GaN HEMTs, which can result in various reliability issues. In this paper, we investigate the impact of packaging on residual stress by analyzing the frequency shift of the E2 Raman peak along GaN layers and at the GaN/Si interface. An extensive evaluation was conducted using both a packaged device and a wafer-level device. The correlation between Raman frequency shifts of the E2 mode was accurately quantified, revealing a stress mitigation of approximately 0.1 GPa. This reduction is ascribed to the compressive stress introduced by the packaging, which partially offsets the intrinsic tensile stress of the wafer-level device. The proposed methodology could, in principle, be implemented to improve the development of a packaging.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the possibility of discriminating between the two sexes through the simultaneous use of cheiloscopy and palatine rugoscopy. Materials and methods: 80 palate and lip impressions (40 male and 40 female) were analyzed. The palate impressions were acquired using both analogue and digital methods. The lip impres-sions were first acquired analogically and then scanned. The morphology of the palatine rugae in the palate impressions was analyzed, with the exclusion of segmental rugae. The lip prints were analyzed in sextants and the morphology of the lip wrinkles was evaluated. Results: Palatine rugoscopy shows that women have more curvy rugae than men and that men have more rugae on the left side than on the right. Cheiloscopy gave no statistically significant re-sults. Discussion: Palatine rugoscopy showed some differences between the sexes, however, these re-sults were not solid enough for reliable sex discrimination. Differences between the results of dif-ferent studies can be attributed to ethnic and methodological variations. Cheiloscopy, on the other hand, did not provide statistically significant results for sex discrimination. Conclusions: Given the scant results obtained from palatine rugoscopy and the lack of statisti-cally relevant results in cheiloscopy, together with a lack of concordance among the data found in literature, it is believed that it is not possible to discriminate between the two sexes by using the two methods contemporarily. Further research is needed.

Background: Colorectal adenoma undergoes neoplastic progression via the normal epithelium-adenoma-adenocarcinoma sequence as reported in the Vogelgram. The risk of developing cancer is strongly associated with the number and size of adenoma and with the subtype. Currently, adenomatous polyps can be distinguished on the basis of histology: the prevalence are tubular, 5-15% are villous and tubular/villous. Considering the increased risk for malignant transformation described for tubular/villous adenomas, patients diagnosed with adenomatous polyposis are at increased risk of developing CRC. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a key role in the onset of colorectal adenoma, in particular intestinal cells first acquire loss-of-function mutations in APC gene that induce the formation of adenomas. Methods: Wnt/β-catenin pathway APC, Wnt3a, Wnt5a, LEF1, BCL9 genes and protein expression analyses were conducted by qRT-PCR and western blot in 68 colonic samples (polyps and adjacent mucosa) from 41 patients, of which 17 affected by FAP. Ten normal colonic mucosal samples were collected from 10 healthy donors. Results: In this study both APC gene and protein resulted less expressed in colon tumor compared to the adjacent colonic mucosa. Conversely, activated β-catenin was more expressed in polyps than in the adjacent mucosa. All results confirmed literature data on carcinomas. A statistically significant correlation between Wnt3a and BCL9 both in polyps and in the adjacent mucosa underlies that the canonical Wnt pathway is activated in early colon carcinogenesis and that the adjacent mucosa is already altered. Conclusion: This is the first study analyzing the difference in expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway in human colorectal adenomas. Understanding the progression from adenomas to colorectal carcinomas is essential for the development of new therapeutic strategies and improving clinical outcomes.

Background: The aim of this experimental work was to evaluate cheiloscopy potential: to confirm the individual uniqueness of lip prints, to verify the presence of recurrent patterns according to the Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification and to search for characteristics that can be used in establishing the sex of a subject, with a focus on assessing the method's limitations. Methods: Lip prints were taken from a sample of 172 volunteers using liquid lipstick and transparent adhesive tape and were digitally analyzed. Results: 59 prints (35.3%) were not considered for Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification due to quality errors and the impossibility of visualizing lip wrinkles in one or more sextants. All the digitized prints revealed themselves to be unique after having been analyzed using superimposition. Qualitatively valid prints indicated a prevalence of Type II in both male and female. A major problem was that the analysis of the same print by different operators often resulted in a different attribution of a Type. Conclusions: The potential of cheiloscopy lies mainly in the matching of prints, given their uniqueness, but the absence of a database greatly limits its use. Additionally, its use for sex identification does not seem to be reliable. It is necessary to establish an acquisition protocol for taking and analyzing prints that could reduce the errors committed by the operator.

Background: Recent advances allow the usage of Augmented Reality (AR) for many medical procedures. We perform different AR-assisted knee surgery techniques using optical surgical navigation with ArUco-type artificial marker sensors. Our study aimed to evaluate the system’s accuracy using an in vitro protocol. We hypothesised that the system’s accuracy was equal to or less than 1mm and 1° for distance and angular measurements, respectively. Methods: Our research was an in-vitro laboratory with a 316 L steel model. We evaluated absolute reliability according to the Hopkins criteria with seven independent evaluators. Each observer measured the thirty palpation points and the trademarks to acquire direct angular measurements on three occasions separated by at least two weeks. Results: The accuracy of the system to assess distances had a mean error of 1.203mm and an un-certainty of 2.062, and for the angular values, a mean error of 0.778° and an uncertainty of 1.438. The intraclass correlation coefficient was for all intra-observer and inter-observer almost perfect or perfect. Conclusions: The mean error for the distance’s determination has been statistically larger than 1mm (1.203mm) but with a trivial effect size. The mean error assessing angular values was sta-tistically minor than 1°. Our results are similar to those published by other authors in accuracy analyses of AR systems.

Middle-aged adults can start to be affected by some arterial diseases, such as abdominal aortic or popliteal artery aneurysms, lower extremity arterial disease, internal carotid or renal artery or subclavian artery stenosis. These vasculopathies are often paucisymptomatic before manifesting themselves with dramatic complications. Therefore, early detection of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and aneurysmal disease is fundamental to reduce the risk of major adverse cardiovascular and limb events. Furthermore, PAD carries a high correlation with silent coronary artery disease (CAD). This study focuses on the most common PADs and aneurysmal diseases, in the attempt to summarize some key points which should selectively drive screen. Since it is evident how we are not in the human and economic possibilities to instrumentally screening wide populations, deep knowledge of semeiotics and careful anamnesis must play a central role in our daily activity as physician. The presence of some risk factors for atherosclerosis, or an already known history of CAD, can raise the clinical suspecion of PAD or aneurysmal disease after a careful clinical history and a deep physical examination. The clinical suspicion must then be confirmed by a first-level ultrasound investigation and, if so, adequate treatments can be adopted to prevent dreadful complications.

The World Health Organization has identified antimicrobial resistance as a public health emergency and developed a global priority pathogens list of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can be summarized in the acronym ESKAPE (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacterales species), reminding us of their ability to escape the effect of antibacterial drugs. We previously tested new heteroaryl-ethylene compounds in order to define their spectrum of activity and antibacterial capability. Now, we focus our attention on PB4, a compound with promising MIC and MBC values in all conditions tested. In the present study, we evaluate the activity of PB4 on selected samples of ESKAPE isolates from nosocomial infections: 14 S. aureus, 6 E. faecalis, 7 E. faecium, 12 E. coli and 14 A. baumanii. Furthermore, an ATCC control strain was selected for all species tested. MICs were performed according to the standard method, with some modifications. PB4 MIC values were within very low ranges regardless of bacterial species and resistance profiles: from 0,12 to 2 mg/L for S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. faecium and A. baumannii. For E. coli, the MIC values obtained were slightly higher (4-64 mg/L), butstill promising. The PB4 heteroaryl-ethylenic compound was able to counteract the bacterial growth of both high-priority Gram-positive and Gram-negative clinical strains. In the future, it would be interesting to evaluate the activity of PB4 in animal models to test for its toxicity.

Autism Spectrum Disorder etiopathogenesis is still unclear and no effective preventive and treatment measures have been identified. Research has focused on the potential role of neuroinflammation and kynurenine pathway. Here we review the nature of these interactions. Pre-natal or neonatal infections would induce microglial activation, with secondary consequences on behavior, cognition and neurotransmitter networks. Peripherally, higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and anti-brain antibodies have been identified. Increased frequency of autoimmune diseases, allergies, and recurring infections have been demonstrated both in autistic patients and in their relatives. Genetic studies, also, have identified some important polymorphisms in chromosome loci related to human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. The persistence of immune-inflammatory deregulation would lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, creating a self-sustaining cytotoxic loop. Chronic inflammation activates kynurenine pathway with increase in neurotoxic metabolites and excitotoxicity, causing long-term changes in glutamatergic system, trophic support and synaptic function. Furthermore, overactivation of kynurenine’s branch induces depletion of melatonin and serotonin worsening ASD symptoms. In this scenario, kynurenine pathway appears as a pharmacological target to treat and prevent ASD. Thus, in genetically predisposed subjects aberrant neurodevelopment may derives from a complex interplay between inflammatory process, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and kynurenine pathway overexpression. To validate previous hypothesis a new translational research approach is necessary.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

In the ongoing work, environmentally sound technologies for converting organic wastes into fertilizers, to improve soil sustainability and crop yield have been identified and assessed. Wet wastes were combined with 50% wood sawdust and 50% 50% wet wastes (Compost 1) or (10% Straw + 90% wet wastes) (Compost 2) to produce soil improvers with a balanced level of nutrients and their effectiveness on soil ecosystem functioning have been tested and compared to horse manure (HM) and nitrogen:phosphorous:potassium (NPK) fertilizers. Unfertilized soil was used as control. Soil chemical and biological properties, have been detected after the harvesting of broccoli and red cabbage (90 days from the initial treatments). Three independent experiments have been conducted in open field in a randomized complete block design with three replications (n=9). Results showed that Compost 1 had the highest C/N ratio and CSC, indicating a better humification of wet material. Compost 1 even if contained a minor amount of organic carbon, as well as a less activity of FDA and DHA than Compost 2, was the most effective in improving soil quality, significantly increasing the labile fraction of organic matter, the oxidative enzyme (DHA), microbial biomass and crop yield. Both composts increased crop productivity.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Promoting green development has become an important way to optimize the ecological and economic structure and promote sustainable development. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important economic corridor in China, and it remains to be examined whether the implementation of environmental regulations has enhanced the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of cities. This paper calculates the green total factor productivity of 107 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt by using the super-efficient SBM model and the GML index with Chinese city panel data from 2007-2019 and measures the intensity of environmental regulations through textual analysis. The bidirectional fixed-effects model constructed in this paper suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP, which is confirmed by a series of robustness tests. Green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure play a mechanism role in this. In regions with lower levels of green technology and industrial structure, the inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and green total factor productivity is more significant. In addition, the phenomenon of GTFP rising and then falling because of environmental regulation is more obvious in cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and outside the urban agglomerations. Therefore, when formulating environmental regulation policies, it is necessary to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and harmonize the environment and economic development of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

The wetlands in northeastern Bangladesh are home to some of the most prolific and valuable ecosystems on the planet, offering a wide range of benefits to both the local and wider communities. A limited number of research on this topic have been carried out in various wetlands in coastal hilsa, but none have been located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. Thus, the goal of this study was to better understand the most commercially relevant species (anadromous hilsa) in northeastern Bangladesh as well as to assess the wetland ecosystem services more thoroughly with the contribution of their fish genetic resources. In addition to laboratory studies, fieldwork was done in the fishing settlements along the Surma River, Hakaluki Haor, and Tanguar Haor. The study classified 77 fish species into 21 subcategories of ecosystem services, of which 56% were not threatened, 17% were vulnerable, and 10% were highly endangered. The species Hilsa was found to be the most economically significant, accounting for 1% of the GDP overall. The study determined if the hilsa stock of the examined wetlands maintains a single or several subpopulations in comparison to other parts of the country when they migrate from saline water to northeastern Bangladesh (freshwater). But when compared to other groups, the FST score was between 0.000 to 0.017, indicating that the populations are identical and that there is genetic material sharing between them. Additionally, these statistics imply that the Sylhet haor and adjacent river systems contain a single stock of Hilsa fish. Nevertheless, a number of stresses and risks, including overexploitation, illicit and destructive fishing, siltation, and natural disasters like flash floods, have been linked to changes in the supply of hilsa and other ecosystem services. This study also emphasizes the necessity of policy attention and research to address the concerns.

In this paper, we introduce a specialized, fully automated experimental arrangement designed for assessing the effectiveness of augmented and virtual reality technologies in healthcare setting and explore its design principles focusing on depth sensor characterization. The main goal of this project is to establish a robust benchtop platform for the quantitative evaluation of extended reality technologies in a controlled environment, emphasizing the practical assessment of augmented reality head-mounted devices. We outline a design concept and considerations for an experimental configuration aimed at creating a realistic testing environment. This apparatus comprises an observation platform mounted on a three-degree-of-freedom motorized system and a test phantom stage. Focusing on real-case scenarios, we utilized a range of sensors, including readily available range-sensing cameras and commercial augmented reality headsets, such as the Intel RealSense L515 LiDAR camera, mounted on the motion control system. The setup enabled automated data collection and facilitates controlled assessments and validation of various facets of augmented reality technologies, including object, hand, and head tracking, as well as static and dynamic image registration. This paper describes the system architecture, the process of automated data collection, and presents several evaluation studies conducted with this setup, providing insights into the quality and temporal noise associated with static or moving objects or observers in augmented reality applications.

To conduct high-precision and high-resolution numerical simulation of complex flow structures in turbomachinery, a high-order finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the large eddy simulation (LES) is improved and embedded into the three-dimensional viscous unsteady CFD solver NUAA-Turbo. Firstly, the spectral characteristics and unsteady convergence of the improved WENO scheme are studied. Compared with the classical WENO scheme, the improved WENO scheme has better dissipation and dispersion characteristics and faster convergence speed. Then, the coefficient CW of the Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity (WALE) model is calibrated by decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) test case. Finally, the scheme is applied to conduct high-precision LES calculations of turbulent boundary layer flow, supersonic compression corner flow, and low-pressure turbine cascade separation flow. The numerical simulation results show that this WENO scheme has excellent shock wave capture ability and turbulence resolution and can capture more flow field details with less mesh size, greatly reducing the computational cost and laying a foundation for large-scale engineering application of LES.

To secure logic circuits against the illegal copying the insertion of the so-called key bit inputs using XOR/XNOR gates has been proposed in . The inserted gates modify (lock) the behavior of the original circuit and only the correct choice of the secret key bits guarantees the equivalent behaviour of the locked circuit to the original circuit. To break this kind of security, i.e. to find the secret key bits, there was a SAT solver based attack proposed in . The aim of this work is to experimentally verify this attack on several locked circuits with various number of primary inputs and outputs and with various number of gates. Except for the random placement of the key gates we evaluate also the positioning with chaining elimination. The obtained and presented results show that we were able to unlock 10 of 11 circuits within few minutes on a common PC.

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to utilize in tribological environments, but to date the works are hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperature. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at.%). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of ternary Mo-Ni-Si alloy melt, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the ductility improvement of intermetallic alloy. Tribological properties of the designed alloy, including wear resistance, friction coefficient and metallic tribological compatibility, were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggested that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent property for room-temperature wear applications, which is attributed to the unique microstructural features and thereby good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is also reported by observing the worn surface, subsurface and wear debris of alloy, which to be found is soft abrasive wear.

With the integrated development of the Internet, wireless sensor technology, cloud computing, and mobile Internet, there has been a lot of attention given to research about and applications of the Internet of Things. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is one of the important information technologies in the Internet of Things; it integrates multi-technology to detect and gather information in a network environment by mutual cooperation, using a variety of methods to process and analyze data, implement awareness, and perform tests. This paper mainly researches the localization algorithm of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network. Firstly, a multi-granularity region partition is proposed to divide the location region. In the range-based method, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength indicator, RSSI) is used to estimate distance. The optimal RSSI value is computed by the Gaussian fitting method. Furthermore, a Voronoi diagram is characterized by the use of dividing region. Rach anchor node is regarded as the center of each region; the whole position region is divided into several regions and the sub-region of neighboring nodes is combined into triangles while the unknown node is locked in the ultimate area. Secondly, the multi-granularity regional division and Lagrange multiplier method are used to calculate the final coordinates. Because nodes are influenced by many factors in the practical application, two kinds of positioning methods are designed: the unknown node is in the positioning unit or not. When the unknown node is on the side of the positioning unit, we use the method of vector similarity. Moreover, we use the centroid algorithm to calculate the ultimate coordinates of unknown node. When the unknown node is not on the side of the positioning unit, we establish a Lagrange equation containing the constraint condition to calculate the first coordinates. Furthermore, we use the Taylor expansion formula to correct the coordinates of the unknown node. In addition, this localization method has been validated by establishing the real environment.