Identifying a panel of markers detecting kidney injury before the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) reduction is the challenge to improve the diagnosis and the management of acute kidney injury (AKI) in septic patients. This study evaluated the roles of tissue inhibitor metal proteinase, insulin growth factor binding protein (TIMP2*IGFBP7), and mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in AKI patients. Patients and Methods: This study was prospectively conducted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) enrolling 230 patients who underwent cardiac surgery. Biomarkers were evaluated before and after 4 hours of the cardiac surgery. Results: Whereas urine and creatinine alterations appeared at 23.2 (12.7 – 36.5) hours, after cardiac surgery, urinary TIMP2*IGBP7 levels were higher at 4 hours in AKI patients (1.1±0.4 mg/l vs 0.08±0.02 mg/l; p < 0.001). Its concentration >2 mg/l increases the AKI risk within the following 24 hours, clearly identifying the population at high risk of renal replacement therapy (RRT). In patients with sepsis, MR-proADM levels were 2.3 nmol/l (0.7–7.8 nmol/l), with the highest values observed in septic shock [5.6 nmol/l (3.2–18 nmol/l)] and a better diagnostic profile than procalcitonin and C-reactive protein to identify septic patients. MR-proADM values >5.1 nmol/l and urine TIMP2*IGBP7 levels > 2 mg/l showed a significantly faster progression to RRT, with a mean follow-up time of 1.1 days. Conclusions: TIMP2*IGBP7 and MR-proADM precociously diagnose AKI in septic patients after cardiac surgery, giving prognostic information for RRT requirement.

Among the components of a healthy life, sexuality is an essential part, contributing not only to psychophysical well-being, but also to the social well-being of women and, consequently to their quality of life. A poorly investigated standpoint is the acceptability of a contraceptive method, not only in terms of tolerability and metabolic neutrality, but also concerning the impact that it can have on sexual life. In this context, we will provide an overview of the different methods of contraception and their effects on female sexuality from the biological changes, to organic, social, and psychological factors, which can all shape sexuality.A MEDLINE/PUBMED review of the literature between 2010 and 2021 was conducted using the following key words/phrases: hormonal contraception, contraceptives, female sexual function, libido, sexual arousal and desire, and sexual pain. Recent studies have supported the effects of contraceptives on women’s sexuality, describing a variety of positive and negative events on several domains of the sexual function (desire, arous-al, orgasm, pain, enjoyment). However, satisfaction with sexual activity depends on factors that extend beyond sexual functioning alone. A more holistic approach is needed to better under-stand the multitude of factors linked to women’s sexuality and contraception. Contraceptive counselling must necessarily consider these important elements since they are closely related to good compliance.

Background: biophysical stimulation therapy, and in particular Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) and capacitively coupled electric fields (CCEFs) has significantly increased in the last twenty years. For this, it is necessary to have clear information regarding the efficacy, the therapeutic indication and the expected objectives. Methods: we conducted a narrative review taking into consideration different types of studies with different areas of application. The objective was to take into consideration and analyze the different fields of use and the relevant information present in the literature. Results: There is unanimous opinion regarding the usefulness of applying biophysical therapy on the bone compartment both in terms of the tissue healing process and the symptoms associated with this situation. Differently, but no less importantly, in the joint compartment positive opinions were observed mainly on the inflammatory and catabolic process, however, at present,we did not report evidence regarding cartilaginous tissue regeneration. Conclusion: the effectiveness of PEMFs and CCEFs on the bone healing process in the Orthopedic and Traumatology fields is consolidated evidence in the literature. We have also found positive results on symptoms and patient compliance with rehabilitation therapies. Therefore, notable application can be envisaged in the fields of Prosthetic Surgery and Sports Medicine.

It is widely known that vitamin D receptors have been found in neurons and glial cells and their highest expression is in the hippocampus, hypothalamus, thalamus and subcortical grey nuclei, and substantia nigra. The vitamin D helps the regulation of neurotrophin, neural differentiation and maturation, through the control operation of growing factors synthesis (ie NGF and GDNF), the trafficking of the septo-hyppocampal pathway, and the control of the synthesis process of different neuromodulators (such as Ach, DA, and GABA). Based on these assumptions, we have written this review in order to summarize the potential role of vitamin D in neurological pathologies. The work could be titanic, and might result very fuzzy and even incoherent, if we would not have conjectured to taper our first intentions and devoted our interests towards three mainstreams: demyelinating pathologies, vascular syndromes and neurodegeneration. Due to the lack of effective therapeutic options, a part from the disease modifying strategies, the role of different risk factors should be investigated in neurology, as far as their correction may lead to the improvement of the cerebral conditions. We have explored the relationships between the gene-environmental influence and long term vitamin D deficiency, as a risk factor for the development of different types of neurological disorders, along with the role and the rationale of therapeutic trials with vitamin D implementation.

An algorithm for the treatment of images affected by both blurring and salt&pepper noise is proposed with a cost only proportional to the number of pixels. The methodology uses a discretization scheme for the Laplace operator multiplied by a suitable nonlinear term depending on the gradient. Even if this approach resembles a diffusion type algorithm, only one step of the procedure is applied, leading to significant time savings. The procedure is successfully tested on some standard black&white natural images.

In response to the growing demand for high-strength and high-toughness materials in industries like aerospace and automobiles, there is a need for metal matrix composites (MMCs) that can simultaneously enhance strength and toughness. This paper focuses on the design configurations of MMCs, which include both the configurations resulting from reinforcements and the inherent heterogeneity of the matrix itself. The mechanical properties of MMCs are influenced by factors such as reinforcement content, shape, size, and spatial distribution within the composite architecture. Among them, Aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) are particularly significant in aerospace, electronics, and electric vehicles due to their potential for weight reduction and enhanced performance. However, the challenge lies in the inverse relationship between strength and toughness, hindering the widespread utilization and large-scale development of MMCs. The design configuration of composites plays a critical role in achieving concurrent improvements in strength and toughness. This review explores the advantages of toughness, toughening mechanisms, reinforcement distribution characteristics, and structural parameters in the design of composite architectures. Drawing inspiration from biological composites like bone, the development of synthetic composites with homogeneous structural designs provides insights into attaining exceptional strength and toughness in lightweight engineering structures. Additionally, understanding fracture behavior and toughening mechanisms in heterogeneous nanostructures is vital for advancing the field of metal matrix composites. Summarily, the design of composite architectures holds tremendous potential for tailoring AMCs with outstanding strength and toughness, addressing the requirements of lightweight engineering structures in various industries.

Melasma is a challenging skin condition which involves both structural and functional skin alterations. Despite the availability of various treatment options, the management remains complex. This is the first study to investigate topical application of Rosa Damascena stem cell exosomes when used concomitantly with microneedling in women and men with facial melasma. We recruited 20 subjects with Fitzpatrick skin types I-III, exhibiting melasma of varying severity. The modified Melasma Area and Severity Index (mMASI) and Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) were utilized to evaluate treatment response. The treatment protocol involved microneedling followed by exosome application over four or five sessions, at 4-week intervals. Ninety percent of subjects demonstrated a significant improvement in mMASI scores, while only 10% showed no change. GAIS assessment further supports overall improvement, with just 10% categorized as "not changed". Tolerability was favorable, with mild, transient side effects. Our findings suggest promising outcomes with this combined therapy, underscoring its potential as a safe and effective approach for treating melasma, particularly in severe and moderate cases. However, further research with larger sample sizes and control arms is warranted to validate these findings and explore long-term efficacy.

This article argues that we need to look at living examples provided by non-state communities in various regions of the world that are, perhaps unwittingly, contributing to the maintenance of the Earth's optimal thermal balance. These fully sustainable communities have been living outside the mainstream for centuries, even millennia, providing examples in the global struggle against the degradation of social–ecological systems. They have all, to varying degrees, embraced simple forms of living that make them ‘exemplary ethical communities’ (EECs) – human communities with a track record of sustainability related to forms of traditional knowledge and the capacity to survive outside the capitalist market and nation-state system. The article proceeds in three steps: First, it condenses a large body of research on the limits of the existing nation-state system and its accompanying ideology, nationalism, identifying this institutional–ideological complex as the major obstacle to tackling climate change. Second, alternative social formations that could offer viable micro-level and micro-scale alternatives are suggested. These are unlikely to identify with existing nation-states as they often form distinct types of social communities. Taking examples from hunter-gatherer societies and simple-living religious groups, it is shown how the protection and maintenance of these EECs could become the keystone in the struggle for survival of humankind and other forms of life. Finally, further investigation is called for, into how researchers can come forward with more examples of actually existing communities that might provide pathways to sustainability and resistance to the looming global environmental catastrophe.

The novel respiratory disease COVID-19 has reached the status of worldwide pandemic and large efforts are currently being undertaken in molecularly characterizing the virus causing it, SARS-CoV-2. The genomic variability of SARS-CoV-2 specimens scattered across the globe can underly geographically specific etiological effects. In the present study, we gather the 48,635 SARS-CoV-2 complete genomes currently available thanks to the collection endeavor of the GISAID consortium and thousands of contributing laboratories. We analyze and annotate all SARS-CoV-2 mutations compared with the reference Wuhan genome NC_045512.2, observing an average of 7.23 mutations per sample. Our analysis shows the prevalence of single nucleotide transitions as the major mutational type across the world. There exist at least three clades characterized by geographic and genomic specificity. In particular, the clade G, prevalent in Europe, carries a D614G mutation in the Spike protein, which is responsible for the initial interaction of the virus with the host human cell. Our analysis may drive local modulation of antiviral strategies based on the molecular specificities of this novel virus.

Since late 2019, COVID-19, a severe acute respiratory syndrome pandemic, was caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 virus belonging to the Coronaviridae family, . Several antiviral therapies, mostly derived from previous epidemics, were initially repurposed to fight this not rarely life-threatening respiratory illness. Among them, however, the only specific antibody-based therapy available against SARS-CoV-2 infection during the first year of the pandemic was represented by COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP). CCP, collected from recovered individuals, contains high levels of polyclonal antibodies of different subclasses able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infection. Tens of randomized controlled trials have been conducted during the last three years of the pandemic to evaluate the safety and the clinical efficacy of CCP in both hospitalized and ambulatory COVID-19 patients, whose main results will be summarized in this narrative review. In addition, we will present the current knowledge on the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 hyperimmune polyclonal immunoglobulins.

Background: Wilms' tumor (or nephroblastoma) is a malignant and solid neoplasm that derives from the primitive renal bud. It represents the most frequent primary tumor of the urogenital tract in childhood, and treatment consists of surgery and chemo-radiotherapy. However, concerning the quality of life, the new therapeutic frontier is exploring other safer and potentially more effective options, such as minimally invasive surgery and biological drugs. Method: Literature (Pubmed) from January 2013 to March 2023 was reviewed. Results: One hundred five articles were included in the review. Conclusion: In addition to the therapeutic strategies already identified, such as classic surgery and pharmacological therapies, recent studies focus attention on the new frontiers of minimally invasive surgery, such as diagnostics using biomarkers and immunotherapy, which could represent a new therapeutic option and possibly less risky than in the past, contributing in fact to the current knowledge of the scientific panorama in terms of "tumor microenvironment" and systemic implications deriving from oncological disease.

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing amino acid that is generated during methionine metabolism. Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is typically defined as levels >15 micro mols/L. Elevated plasma levels of Hcy can be caused by the deficiency of either vitamin B12 or folate. The active role of homocysteine is quite ambivalent: many studies detected its potential impact on neurological events; others try to identify it as one of the possible risk factors of cardiovascular events, but with a complementary and secondary role. HHcy has been reported in many neurologic disorders, including cognitive impairment and stroke, independent of long-recognized factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and smoking. Nowadays, homocysteine could be considered as a possible link between a common vascular risk factor and potential alterations in degenerative neuronal disorders. HHcy-induced oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, smooth muscle cell proliferation, and endoplasmic reticulum stress; all these aspects have been considered to play an essential role in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including atherosclerosis, major stroke, and vascular dementia. Specific models of astrocytes impairment in HHcy-mice, which mimic small vessel disease, have been developed with a three-step investigation (at 6, 10, 14 weeks of B6, B9, and B12 detrimental diet in wild type HHcy mouse). These studies found out that after ten weeks on a diet (at the most after 14 weeks), end-feet disruption occurs. This phenomenon is concomitant to reduced vascular labeling for aquaporin -4-water channels, lower protein/mRNA levels for Kir4.1, and BK potassium channels, associated with a higher expression of MMP-9. The most exciting finding is that microglial activation in this mice model was evident since the precocious time of observation (6-week time) and precedes astrocytic changes. Our research aims to review the possible role of HHcy in neurodegenerative disease and small-vessel disease and to understand its pathogenic impact.

Current interventions are not effectives in preventing sepsis-induced acute kidney injury and its long-term outcomes or even after second renal insult. Therapeutic strategies using lipid mediators, as aspirin-triggered resolvin D1 (ATRvD1), can contribute for resolution of acute and chronic inflammation. In this study, we examined the potential effect of ATRvD1 on long-term kidney dysfunction after severe sepsis. Fifteen days after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), sepsis-surviving BALB/c mice were subjected to a tubulointerstitial injury through intraperitoneal injections of bovine serum albumin (BSA) for 7 days, called subclinical acute kidney injury (subAKI) animal model. ATRvD1 treatment was performed right before BSA injections. On day 22 after CLP, urinary protein/creatinine ratio (UPC), histologic parameters, fibrosis, cellular infiltration, apoptosis, inflammatory markers levels, and mRNA expression were determined. ATRvD1 treatment mitigated tubulointerstitial injury by reducing the proteinuria excretion, UPC ratio, glomerular cell number and extracellular matrix deposition. Pro-fibrotic markers, as transforming growth factor β (TGFb), type 3 collagen and metalloproteinase (MMP)-3 and -9 were reduced after ATRvD1 administration. Post-septic mice treated with ATRvD1 were protected from renal apoptosis and recruitment of F4/80+ cells. Interleukin-1b (IL-1b) levels were increased in subAKI animal model, being attenuated by ATRvD1. Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), IL-10 and IL-4 mRNA expression was increased in the kidney of BSA-challenged post-septic mice and it was also reduced after ATRvD1. These results suggest that ATRvD1 protects the kidney against a second insult as BSA-induced tubulointerstitial injury and fibrosis by suppressing inflammatory and pro-fibrotic mediators in renal dysfunction after sepsis.

Human respiratory beta coronavirus are emerging causes for Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC). SARS-CoV2 is circulating worldwide since November 2019. We review here the cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in COVID-19, and data supporting the role for dysregulation of the RAS counterregulatory axis due to binding of SARS-CoV2 S protein to ACE2 receptor. Since this counterregulatory axis provides benefits not only on the cardiovascular front but also in acute lung injury, we speculate on potential use of ACE inhibitors and AT₁R blockers in critically ill COVID-19 patients, and report current evidences.

In the history of civil aircraft transportation, ice formation has been identifies as a key factor in the safety of flight. Anti-icing and deicing system have emerged through the years with the aim to prevent or to eliminate ice formation on wing airfoil, control surface and probes. Modern flying machine demand more efficiency in order to reduce the carbon footprint and increase the sustainability of flight transport. In order to achieve this goal the need to have efficient aircraft with efficient and low power consuming system is fundamental. This paper proposes a new model for ice accretion using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This model permits to simulate the shape of the ice formed over a profile varying boundary conditions (i.e.- speed, liquid water content and so on). The proposed model takes into account also the amount of heat transferred between water and the surrounding environment and includes the effects of air turbulence on the ice formation process. The CFD simulations have been validated with NASA experimental outcome and show good agreement. The proposed model can be also used to investigate the effects of various parameters such as air speed, Liquid Water Content and air temperature on the ice formation process. The results evidences that the proposed model can accurately predict ice formation process and is suitable to optimize the design of anti-icing or deicing system for aircraft and helicopters. This approach is not limited to aerospace but can also be exported to other applications such as transportation, wind turbine, energy management and infrastructure.

Malignant gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults up to an extent of 78% of all primary malignant brain tumors. However, total surgical resection is almost unachievable due to considerable infiltrative ability of glial cells. The efficacy of current multimodal therapeutic strategies is, furthermore, limited by the lack of specific therapies against malignant cells, and, therefore, the prognosis these in patients is still very unfavorable. The limitation of conventional therapies, which may result from inefficient delivery of the therapeutic or contrast agent to brain tumors are major reasons for this unsolved clinical problem. The major problem in brain drug delivery is the presence of the blood brain barrier which limits the delivery of many chemotherapeutic agents. Nanoparticles, thanks to their chemical configuration, are able to go through the blood-brain barrier carrying drugs or genes targeted against gliomas. Carbon nanomaterials show distinct properties including electronic properties, penetrating capability on the cell membrane, high drug-loading and pH-dependent therapeutic unloading capacities, thermal properties, large surface area and easy modification with molecules, which render them as a suitable candidate to deliver drugs. In this review we will focus on the potential effectiveness of the use of carbon nanomaterials in the treatment of malignant gliomas discussing the current progress of in vitro and in vivo researches of carbon nanomaterials-based drug delivery to brain.

Wolfram syndrome 1 (WS1) is an uncommon autosomal recessive neurological disorder that is characterized by diabetes insipidus, early-onset non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness (DIDMOAD). Other clinical manifestations are neuropsychiatric symptoms, urinary tract alterations, and endocrinological disorders. The rapid clinical course of WS1 results in death by the age of 30. Severe brain atrophy leads to central respiratory failure, which is the main cause of death in WS1 patients. Mutations in the WFS1 gene, located on chromosome 4p16, account for approximately 90% of WS1 cases. The gene produces wolframin, a transmembrane glycoprotein widely distributed and highly expressed in retinal, neural, and muscular tissues. Wolframin plays a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis, insulin signaling, and ER calcium homeostasis, as well as the ER stress response. WS1 has been designated as a neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorder due to the numerous abnormalities in the ER stress-mediated system. WS1 is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects patients and their families. Early diagnosis and recognition of the initial clinical signs may slow the disease's progression and improve symptomatology. Moreover, it is critical to provide genetic counseling to the patient's relatives in order to reduce the risk of transmitting WS1. Regrettably, there are currently no specific drugs for the therapy of this fatal disease. A better understanding of the etiology of WS1 will make possible the development of new therapeutic approaches that may enhance the life expectancy of patients. This review will examine the pathogenetic mechanisms, development, and progression of neuropsychiatric diseases commonly associated with WS1. A thorough understanding of WS1's neurophysiopathology is critical for achieving the goal of improving patients' quality of life and life expectancy.

Along with density and mass variations of the oceans driven by global warming, Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) in response to the last deglaciation still contributes significantly to present-day sea-level change. Indeed, in order to reveal the impacts of climate change, long term observations at tide gauges and recent absolute altimetry data need to be decontaminated from the effects of GIA. This is now realized by means of global models constrained by the observed evolution of the paleo-shorelines since the Last Glacial Maximum, which account for the complex interactions between the solid Earth, the cryosphere and the oceans. In the recent literature, past and present-day effects of GIA are often expressed in terms of fingerprints describing the spatial variations of several geodetic quantities like crustal deformation, the harmonic components of the Earth's gravity field, relative and absolute sea level. However, since it is driven by the sluggish readjustment occurring within the viscous mantle, GIA shall taint the pattern of sea-level variability also during the forthcoming centuries. The shapes of the GIA fingerprints reflect inextricable deformational, gravitational, and rotational interactions occurring within the Earth system. Using up-to-date numerical modeling tools, our purpose is to revisit and to explore some of the physical and geometrical features of the fingerprints, their symmetries and intercorrelations, also illustrating how they stem from the fundamental equation that governs GIA, i.e., the Sea Level Equation.

Efficiently solving the problem of computing, in a distributed fashion, the shortest paths of a graph whose topology dynamically changes over time is a core functionality of many today’s digital infrastructures, probably the most prominent example being communication networks. Many solutions have been proposed over the years for this problem that can be broadly classified into two categories, namely Distance-Vector and Link-State algorithms. Distance-Vector algorithms are widely adopted solutions when scalability and reliability are key issues or when nodes have either limited hardware resources, as they result in being very competitive approaches in terms of both the memory and the computational point of view. In this paper, we first survey some of the most established solutions of the Distance-Vector category. Then, we discuss some recent algorithmic developments in this area. Finally, we propose a new experimental study, conducted on a prominent category of network instances, namely generalized linear preference (GLP) power-law networks, to rank the performance of such solutions.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has transitioned from a progressive, fatal disease to a chronic, manageable disease thanks to better defining of antiretroviral therapy, hence contributing to increased life expectancy. In parallel, a growing number of subjects without overt clinical signs of disease but living with chronic HIV infection (people living with HIV, PLWH) are experiencing early cardiovascular disease worldwide. However, a progressive increase in the prevalence of multiple comorbid diseases has been reported as these patients age, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Cardiovascular mortality can be either directly related to the viral infection, a progressive reduction of response to the antiretroviral therapy, chronic inflammation or lifestyle-related. Cardiovascular ageing represents a relevant issue in the management of HIV-infected patients. Although the exact pathophysiological mechanism that leads PLWH to develop cardiovascular disease is not entirely understood, there is substantial evidence that they accumulate age-related conditions earlier than the general population. Furthermore, since the proportion of PLWH growing older than 50 years has progressively increased, this results in a complex interaction between disease-related pathophysiology and the exposition of a growing burden of cardiovascular risk factors. For this reason, we performed a systematic review of the genes most frequently associated with ageing in HIV-infected subjects, followed by a bioinformatic analysis to explore the biological impact of the genes related to ageing.

Atomic force microscopes are used, beside their principal function as surface imaging tools, in surface manipulation and measurement of interfacial properties. In particular, they can be modified to measure lateral friction forces that occur during the sliding of the tip against the underlying substrate. However, the shape, size, and deformation of the tips profoundly affect the measurements in a manner that is difficult to predict. In this work, we investigate the contribution of these effect to the magnitude of the lateral forces during sliding. The surface substrate is chosen to be few-layer AB-stacked graphene surface whereas the tip is initially constructed from face-centered cubic gold. In order to separate the effect of deformation from shape, rigid tips of three different shapes were considered first, namely a cone, a pyramid and a hemisphere. The shape was seen to dictate all aspects of the interface during sliding, from temperature dependence to stick-slip behavior. Deformation was investigated next by comparing a rigid hemispherical tip to one of identical shape and size but with all but the top three layers of atoms free to move. The deformation, as also verified by an indentation analysis, occurs by means of the lower layers collapsing on the upper ones, thereby increasing the contact area. This collapse mitigates the friction force and decreases it with respect to the rigid tip for the same vertical distance. Finally, the size effect is studied by means of calculating the friction forces for a much larger hemispherical tip whose atoms are free to move. In this case, the deformation is found to be much smaller but the stick-slip behavior is much more clearly seen.

Morphological dissimilarity and its evolution over time are one of the most unexpected variations found when comparing cell cultures in 2D and 3D. Monolayer cells appear to flatten in the lower part of the plate, adhering to and spreading in the horizontal plane while not extending vertically. Consequently, cells developed in two dimensions have a forced apex-basal polarity. Co-cultivation and crosstalking between multiple cell types, which control development and formation in the in vivo counterpart, are possible in 3D cultures. With or without a scaffold matrix, 3D model culture may exhibit more in vivo-like morphology and physiology. 3D cultures mimic relevant physiological cellular processes, transforming them into one-of-a-kind drug screening platforms. The structures and dynamics of regulatory networks, which are increasingly studied with live-imaging microscopy, must be considered to help and guarantee the functional maintenance of a 3D structure. However, commercially available technologies that can be used for current laboratory needs are minimal, despite the need to make it easier to acquire cellular kinetics with high spatial and temporal resolution, in order to improve visual efficiency and, as a result, experimentation performance. The CELLviewer is a newly developed multi-technology instrument that integrates and synchronizes the work of various scientific disciplines. The aim of this study is to test the device using two different models: a single Jurkat cell and an MCF-7 spheroid. The two models are loaded into the microfluidic cartridge for each experiment after they have been grown and captured in time-lapse for a total of 4 hours. The samples used are tracked under the operation of the optics after adaptive autofocus, while slipping inside the cartridge chamber, and the 3D rotation was successfully obtained experimentally. The MitoGreen dye, a fluorescence marker selectively permeable to live cells, was then used to determine cell viability. To measure the model diameter, construct fluorescence intensity graphs along a straight line passing through the cell, and visualize the spatial fluorescence intensity distribution in 3D, ImageJ software was used.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus is a syndrome with neuroradiological findings and clinical pattern characteristic but not specific for the pathology. Since the prevalence is growing due to the rapidly aging society, standardized and validated protocol for diagnosis is needed, also because this condition may mimic other disorders among elderly such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Material and methods: We analysed data from 44 patients with suspect diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus with age > 60 years, clinical triad and neuroradiological pattern examined in our ward from November 2018 to November 2022. Neu-ropsychological assessment includes Mini Mental State Examination and Mental Deterioration Battery. Motor scores were collected from gait and balance tests. The evaluation was performed before and after an extended lumbar drainage last 48h. Patients who has scores improvement after the extended lumbar drainage, undergo ventriculoperitoneal shunt with a programmable valve. Results: All patients undergo neuropsychological assessment and motor tests, only 2 patients were unable to perform motor tests because bedridden. 16 patients showed no benefit from the tests, in 2 cases even a worsening of cognitive performance. 28 patients showed an improvement in their performances, but in most cases the improvement involved only the neuropsychological as-sessment. All patients underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt have had a typical answers pattern in Mental Deterioration Battery test. We performed 9 ventriculoperitoneal shunt and 1 ventricu-lo-atrial shunt. Conclusions: Qualitative neurocognitive tests come out to be more sensitive compared to quantitative neurocognitive tests in identifying patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus benefiting from extended lumbar drainage test and then un-derwent surgical treatment. This could be considered a valid screening in elderly patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus in order to minimize the number of invasive procedures. More studies are necessary to validate this tool.

Activated Corrosion Products (ACPs) formation and deposition pose a critical safety issue for nuclear fusion reactors. The working fluid transports the ACPs towards regions accessible to worker personnel. Predicting ACPs formation deposition and transport is fundamental for source term identification, reduction of radiation exposure assessment, maintenance plan definition, design optimization, and waste management. The code OSCAR-Fusion has been developed by the CEA (France) to evaluate the ACPs generation and transport in closed water-cooled loops for fusion application. This work aims at assessing the impact of water chemistry on the transport, precipitation, and deposition of corrosion products for the EU-DEMO divertor Plasma Facing Unit Primary Heat Transfer System. Sensitivity analyses and uncertainty quantification are needed due to the multi-physics phenomena involved in ACPs formation and transport. The OSCAR-Fusion/RAVEN code coupling developed by the Sapienza University of Rome and ENEA has been used. This work presents the perturbation results of different parameters chosen for a closed water-cooled loop considering a continuous scenario of 1888 days. The aim of this work is to assess the variation of build-up of ACPs, perturbing the alkalizing agent concentration into the coolant and the corrosion and release rates of different materials.

Winding design methods have been a subject of research for many years of the past century. Many methods have been developed, each one characterized by some advantages and some drawbacks. Nowadays, the star of slots is the most widespread design tool for electrical machine windings. In this context, this paper presents a simple and effective procedure to determine the distribution of the EMF stars and of the winding configuration in all possible typologies of electrical machines equipped with symmetrical windings. Moreover, this procedure can also be easily implemented in a computer program in order to perform automated winding designs for rotating electrical machines. Several examples are provided in order to validate the proposed procedure.

Technological developments within the maritime sector are resulting in rapid progress that will see the commercial use of autonomous vessels, known as Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). Such ships are equipped with a range of advanced technologies, such as IoT devices, artificial intelligence (AI) systems, machine learning (ML) based algorithms and augmented reality (AR) tools. Through such technologies, the autonomous vessels can be remotely controlled from Shore Control Centres (SCC) by using real-time data to optimise their operations, enhance safety and reduce the possibility of human error. Apart from the regulatory aspects, which are under definition by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), cybersecurity aspects must be considered and properly addressed to prevent such complex systems from being tampered with. In this paper, we propose an approach to secure communication channels between the SCCs and the vessels using SECOM standard and the underlying digital infrastructure in charge of data collection, storage and processing by relying on a set of machine learning (ML) algorithms for anomaly detection. The proposed approach is validated against a real implementation of the SCC deployed at Livorno seaport premises. Finally, the experimental results and the performance evaluation are provided to assess its effectiveness accordingly.

The current design process of a new aircraft includes several mod- eling and testing steps.The main purpose of the Ground Vibration Testing is to achieve experimental vibration data of the whole aircraft structure, in terms of frequencies, damping factors, and mode shapes to ensure that the aircraft will be free from any aeroelastic instability and safe to fly in the desired flight envelope. GVT results are also mainly used for validating and eventually im- proving FEM models of the aircraft examined. On the other hand, structural dynamic models are used to predict the flutter behavior and carefully plan the in-flight flutter tests, and lead to mitigation of the risks related to them. This paper aims to compare different aeroelastic methods outcomes achieved using two diverse commercial software: the widely used NASTRAN™ and the most recently developed Zonatech ZAERO. The flutter computation results are obtained by means of P-K, K, and G methods. The first case presented is the aeroelastic analysis of a forward-swept wing whereas the second case concerns the stabilator of a two-seater ultralight aircraft, for which an experimental campaign of vibrations test is also carried out. The structural mode shapes at each generated frequency mode are also visually presented.

In Philadelphia chromosome positive B-cell (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (LLA), growing evidence has ac-cumulated about the efficacy of low-intensity and chemo-free regimens. Our objective was to analyze all recent trials evaluating these treatments and to compare them in terms of efficacy. We applied the Shiny method, an artificial intelligence technique, to analyze Kaplan-Meier curves and reconstruct patient-level data. Reconstructed patient data were then evaluated through standard survival statistics and subjected to indirect head-to-head treatment comparisons. The endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Based on 848 reconstructed patients, 9 trials were analyzed. The survival data from these trials were pooled into three types of treatments: i) treatments based on ty-rosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) combined with reduced-intensity chemotherapy (denoted as TKICHE); ii) TKIs as-sociated to steroids with no chemotherapy (TKISTE); iii) chemotherapy-free combinations of blinatumomab plus TKIs (TKIBLI). According to the Shiny method, the three PFS curves were reported in a single Kaplan-Meier graph and subjected to survival statistics. In terms of PFS, TKIBLI ranked first, TKICHE second, and TKISTE third; the differences between these three regimens were statistically significant. This multi-treatment Kaplan-Meier graph, generated through the Shiny method, summarized the current evidence on these treatments in both qualitative and quantitative terms.

: In Philadelphia chromosome positive B-cell (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (LLA), growing evidence has accumulated about the efficacy of low-intensity and chemo-free regimens. Our objective was to analyse all recent trials evaluating these treatments and to compare them in terms of efficacy. We applied the Shiny method, an artificial intelligence technique, to analyse Kaplan-Meier curves and reconstruct patient-level data. Reconstructed patient data were then evaluated through standard survival statistics and subjected to indirect head-to-head treatment comparisons. The endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Based on 562 reconstructed patients, 8 trials were analyzed. The survival data from these trials were pooled into three types of treatment: i) treatments based on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) combined with reduced-intensity chemotherapy (denoted as TKICHE); ii) TKIs associated to steroids with no chemotherapy (TKISTE); iii) chemotherapy-free combinations of blinatumomab plus TKIs (TKIBLI). According to the Shiny method, the three PFS curves were reported in a single Kaplan-Meier graph and subjected to survival statistics. In terms of PFS, TKIBLI ranked first, TKICHE second, and TKISTE third; the differences between these three regimens were statistically significant. In conclusion, the multi-treatment Kaplan-Meier graph generated in this study has effectively summarized the current evidence on these treatments in comparative terms.

Aujeszky Disease Virus (ADV) is a double-stranded DNA virus with a lipoprotein envelope. The natural hosts of the infection are suidae, but the virus can infect many other mammals. The gold-standard method identified by the WOAH for the diagnosis of Aujeszky disease is ELISA method. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of meat juice and oral fluid matrices using a commercial ELISA kit designed for serum. A total of 80 blood and oral fluid samples were collected from four pig farms selected for this study. Diaphragm muscle samples of about 100 g and blood samples were collected from 213 animals at the abattoir. These biological matrices were collected from the same animals and tested using a competitive ELISA kit to detect antibodies against ADV. The relative accuracy of the meat juice compared to that of the serum was 96.7% (95% CI: 93.3%-98.7%), with 206 correct results out of 213. The relative accuracy of the oral fluid compared to that of the serum was 61.3% (95% CI: 49.7%-71.9%), with 58 correct results out of 80. Meat juice has a better combination of sensitivity and specificity than oral fluid. The usage of meat juice in routine diagnostic examinations could be achieved after further investigations to optimize the procedure.

In the last decade, the drone market has grown rapidly for both civil and military purposes. Due to their versatility, drones demand is constantly increasing, with several industrial players joining the venture to transfer urban mobility to the air. This has exacerbated the problem of noise pollution, mainly due to the relatively lower altitude of these vehicles and to the proximity of their routes to extremely densely populated areas. In particular, both the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic optimization of the propulsive system and of its interaction with the airframe are key aspects of the design of aerial vehicles for the success or the failure of their mission. The industrial challenge involves finding the best performance in terms of loading, efficiency and weight, and, at the same time, the most silent configuration. For this reason, research has focused on an initial localization of the noise sources and, on further analysis, of the noise generation mechanism, focusing particularly on directivity and scattering. The aim of the present study is to review the noise source mechanisms and the state-of-the-art technologies available in literature for its suppression, focusing especially on the fluid-dynamic aspects of low Reynolds numbers of the propulsive system and on the interaction of the propulsive-system flow with the airframe.

Statistical based reconstruction methods and signal processing tooling techniques are implemented and used to detect delaminations or debondings within composite items. From literature it appears that, although a single procedure for the estimation of the structural health is a fast solution, a multiple analysis based on different reconstruction methods or different damage parameters could provide more detailed information about the location and the severity of possible failures. This work discusses the advantage of using cross-correlation analysis in a data-driven approach based on ultrasonic guided waves (GW) tomographic technique and piezoelectrics (PWAS) in pitch-catch configuration. In this sense, this work evidences an improvement in damage detection when the cross-correlation is included as part of the GW-based system for damage assessment approach. The specimens used as test structures to demonstrate the validity of the methodology derive from an aircraft wing test article where damages are specified as skin delamination produced by low energy impact.

Research found that those who believe sexual orientation is inborn have generally positive attitudes towards gay men and lesbians. However, other studies have also found that these beliefs could include negative eugenic ideas. This study aims to investigate the role of people’s beliefs about the aetiology of sexual orientation on attitudes towards adoption for both gay and lesbian couples. We hypothesized that this relationship would be mediated by sexual prejudice. To test the predictions, 256 Italian heterosexual participants were asked to answer to a scale about their beliefs regarding the aetiology of sexual orientation, sexual prejudice, and attitudes towards adoption by same-sex couples. Results confirmed that the relationship between aetiology beliefs and adoption support was fully mediated by sexual prejudice. These investigation results suggest that the belief that sexual orientation is controllable may serve to justify one’s prejudice and, in turn, result in a lower support for same-sex couples’ adoption.

Radiomics represents the science of extraction and analysis of a multitude of quantitative features from medical imaging, unrevealing quantitative potentiality of Radiologic images. This scientific review aims to provide radiologists a comprehensive understanding of radiomics, emphasizing its principles, applications, challenges, limits, and future prospects. Limits of standardization of actual scientific production are analyzed with the possible solutions proposed by some papers reported and commented. As the continuous evolution of medical images is ongoing, radiologists must be aware of new perspective to perform a central role in patients management.

The surprisingly high catalytic activity of gold has been known to the heterogeneous catalysis community since the mid-1980s. Significant effort has been directed towards improving the reactivity of these surfaces towards important industrial reactions. One such strategy is the introduction of small amounts of other metals to create Au-based surface alloys. In this work, we investigate the synergistic effect of Pt doping of the Au(111) surface towards decreasing the activation barrier of the methanol dehydrogenation elementary step, within first-principles density functional theory. To this aim we construct several models of \ce{Pt}-doped Au(111) surfaces, including a full \ce{Pt} overlayer and monolayer. The effect of \ce{Pt} surface doping is then investigated via the computation of adsorption energies of the various chemical species involved in the catalytic step, and the estimation of activation barriers of methanol dehydrogenation. Both electronic and strain effects induced by \ce{Pt} surface doping concur in substantially lowering the activation energy barrier of this important reaction elementary step. Morever, in the presence of preadsorbed atomic oxygen, \ce{Pt} surface doping can be used to reduce the activation energy for methanol dehydrogenation to as low as 0.1 eV.

The integration of the increasing share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) requires the availability of suitable energy storage systems to improve the grid flexibility, and Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) systems could be a promising option. In this study, a CO2-free Diabatic CAES system is proposed and analysed. The plant configuration is derived from a down-scaled version of the McIntosh diabatic CAES plant, where the natural gas is replaced with green hydrogen, produced on site by a Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser powered by a Photovoltaic power plant. In this study, the components of the hydrogen production system are sized to maximize the Self-Consumption share of PV energy generation and the effect of the design parameters on the H2-CAES plant performance are analysed on a yearly basis. Moreover, a comparison between the use of natural gas and hydrogen in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions is discussed. The results show that the proposed hydrogen fuelled CAES can effectively match the generation profile and the yearly production of the natural gas fuelled plant by using all the PV energy production, while producing zero CO2 emissions.

Unlike other SDGs, the SDG4 about quality education is not a goal in itself, but rather a tool to achieve different goals. Universities in this respect play a crucial role in the short-term implementation of SDGs for education, including new approaches and contents. Current academic debates explore the best practices via deductive-theoretical or inductive-experiential methods, yet not always considering the geographical, and therefore cultural and infrastructural factors affecting the success and the failure of such practices. In this paper, we systematize the implementation of SDGs in Italian universities from 2016 to 2019. Eighteen experiences have been collected after a national call by the Italian Network of Sustainable Universities (RUS) aimed at mapping the current landscape of SDG related actions. Results have been analyzed according to two criteria: 1- the educational "container" where the SDGs implementation takes place (from random workshops to dedicated courses); 2- the different organizational scales (from the foundation of a new department to the campaigns by local green teams). With this paper, we do not propose a total refunding or "deus-ex-machina" solutions, disregarding the local factors and the local resources in Italian universities. On the contrary, we draw a map to propose the reuse of an existing structure with adjustments, retrofitting and renewal actions towards holistic and coordinated sustainability efforts. Results show that, within the Italian context, SDGs implementation is still primarily understood as a strategic element for branding and promoting the green image of the Athenaeum. Secondarily, it is seen whether as a separate discipline to be inserted into existing curricula and original teachings or as a conceptual tool for remedying specific societal challenges through random workshops or fieldworks. Conclusions highlight the value of this first Country-wide systematization of the Italian Higher Education Institutions toward SDGs implementation. This exercise avoids individual experiences remaining isolated and self-concluded, and, most importantly, provides comparability and transferability criteria to help similar cases. Further works envisage the recognition of same elements in the broader European traditions, as well as the enhancement of stimuli for a personal and societal transformation generated by the partnership of all those people and institutions engaged in the exciting yet urgent defy of today's societal challenges.

Serelaxin (RLX), the recombinant form of human Relaxin-2 hormone, protects the heart from the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced damage due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic and antioxidant properties. RLX exerts its actions by binding to its specific RXFP1 receptor whereby it regulates multiple cellular transduction pathways. In this in vitro study we offer first evidence for the involvement of AMP kinase/Sirtuin1 (AMPK/SIRT1) pathway in the protection afforded by RLX against H/R-induced damage in H9c2 cells. Treatment of the H/R-exposed cells with RLX (17 nmol L−1) enhanced SIRT1 expression and activity. Inhibition of SIRT1 signaling with EX527 (10 µmol L-1) reduced the beneficial effect of the hormone on mitochondrial efficiency and cell apoptosis. Moreover, RLX upregulated AMPK pathway, as shown by the increase in the expression of phospho-AMPK active protein. Finally, AMPK pathway inhibition by Compound C (10 and 20 μmol L−1) abrogated the increase in SIRT1 expression induced by RLX, thus suggesting the involvement of AMPK pathway in this effect of RLX. The results of this study strengthen the concept that RLX exerts its cardioprotective effects against H/R-induced injury by multiple pathways which also include AMPK/SIRT1.

This study aimed to evaluate the hazards posed by foodborne bacteria of the Listeria genus by analyzing prevalence, diversity and virulence of Listeria spp. in food and food manufacturing plants. Seventy five isolates obtained from the routine analysis of 653 samples by three diagnostic laboratories in Northern Italy were genotipically differentiated by Repetitive Extragenic Palindrome (rep) PCR with the GTG5 primer, identified by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene and examined by specific PCR tests for the presence of L. monocytogenes virulence determinants occasionally found to occur in other species of the genus. The identity of the amplification products was confirmed by sequencing. Fifty seven isolates were identified as L. innocua, 12 as L. monocytogenes, 5 as L. welshimeri and one as L. seeligeri. All L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to the serotype 1/2a and were predicted to be virulent for the presence of the inlJ internalin gene. Potentially virulent strains of L. innocua, L. seeligeri and L. welshimeri, carrying the L. monocytogenes inlA gene and/or hly gene, were identified, and most isolates were found to possess the toxin-antitoxin system mazEF for efficient adaptation to heat shock. Results indicated the need to reinforce food contamination prevention measures against all Listeria species by efficiently defining their environmental distribution.

For a mobile robot, navigation in a densely crowded space can be a challenging and sometimes impossible task, especially with traditional techniques. In this paper, we present a framework to train neural controllers for differential drive mobile robots which must safely navigate a crowded environment while trying to reach a target location. To learn the robot’s policy, we train a convolutional neural network using two reinforcement learning algorithms, Deep Q-Networks (DQN) and Asynchronous Advantage Actor Critic (A3C), and develop a training pipeline that allows to scale the process to several compute nodes. We show that the asynchronous training procedure in A3C can be leveraged to quickly train neural controllers and test them on a real robot in a crowded environment.

Much evidence has accumulated over the past decade in favor of a significant association between dysbiosis, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Presently, the pathogenetic mechanisms triggered by molecules produced by the altered microbiota, also responsible for the onset and evolution of Alzheimer Disease will be described. Our attention will be focused on the role of astrocytes and microglia. Numerous studies have progressively demonstrated how these glial cells are important to ensure an adequate environment for neuronal activity in healthy conditions. Furthermore, it is becoming evident how both cell types can mediate the onset of neuroinflammation and lead to neurodegeneration when subjected to pathological stimuli. Based on this information, the role of major microbiota products in shifting the activation profiles of astrocytes and microglia from a healthy to a diseased state will be discussed focussing on Alzheimer Disease pathogenesis.

Background: The oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) assessment evaluated the impact of individual’s oral health on the patient's physical and psychosocial status. We evaluated the association between subjective OHRQoL, measured with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire, and unfavorable body mass index (BMI) (i.e., too high or too low) in a large population-based study on older adults from Southern Italy. Moreover, we assessed which of the seven OHIP-14 domains was most strongly associated with an unfavorable BMI. Methods: We used data on a subpopulation of the Salus in Apulia Study, including 216 older adults. BMI &lt;18.4 kg/m2 and &gt;30 kg/m2 were classified as unfavorable, values between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 were classified as ideal. Results: Higher OHIP-14 total score increased the risk to have an unfavorable BMI [odds ratio (OR):1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.01-1.15]. In the model adjusted for age, sex, education, hypertension, carbohydrate consumption, and alcohol consumption, this finding was confirmed with higher OHIP-14 total score increasing the risk to have an unfavorable BMI (OR:1.10, 95% CI:1.01-1.22), and higher age linked to a decreased risk to have an unfavorable BMI (OR:0.89, 95% CI:0.82-0.97). In a random forest regression model, the most important predictive domains/sub-scales of OHIP-14 in mean decrease Gini for unfavorable BMI were, in order of decreasing importance, physical pain, functional limitation, psychological discomfort, physical disability, social disability, psychological disability, and handicap. Conclusions: In older age, negative OHRQoL, particularly linked to the physical pain domain, increased the risk of underweight or overweight and obesity.

The term neuroinflammation defines the reactions of astrocytes and microglia to alterations in homeostasis in the diseased central nervous system (CNS), the exacerbation of which contributes to the neurodegenerative effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Local environmental conditions, such as the presence of proinflammatory molecules, mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and local cell-cell interactions, are determinants of glial cell phenotypes. In AD, the load of the cytotoxic/proinflammatory amyloid β peptide (Aβ) is a microenvironmental component increasingly growing in the CNS, imposing time-evolving challenges on resident cells. This study aimed at investigating the temporal and spatial variations of the effects produced by this process on astrocytes and microglia, either directly or by interfering in their interactions. Ex vivo confocal analyses of hippocampal sections from the mouse model TgCRND8 at different ages have shown that overproduction of Aβ peptide induced early and time persistent disassembly of functional astroglia syncytium and promoted a senile phenotype of reactive microglia, hindering Aβ clearance. In the late stages of disease, these patterns were altered in the presence of Aβ-plaques, surrounded by typically reactive astrocytes and microglia. Morphofunctional characterization of peri-plaque gliosis revealed a direct contribution of astrocytes in plaque buildup that might result in shielding Aβ-peptide cytotoxicity and, as a side effect, in exacerbating neuroinflammation.

Qualtra, an innovative 10 MW geothermal power plant proposal, employs a closed-loop design to mitigate emissions, ensuring no direct release into the atmosphere. A thorough assessment utilizing energy and exergy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Exergo-economic and Exergo Environmental Analysis (EevA) was conducted. The LCA results, utilizing the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint methodology, encompass all the spectrum of environmental indicators provided. The technology implemented makes it possible to totally avoid direct atmospheric emissions from the Qualtra plant, so the environmental impact is mainly due to indirect emissions over the life cycle. The results obtained for the Global Warming Potential indicator is about 6.6 g CO2/kWh, notably lower compared to other conventional systems. Contribution analysis reveals that the construction phase dominates, accounting for over 90% of the impact in all LCA MidPoint categories. At the component level, a single score calculation incorporating normalization and weighting was executed. The resulting single score is then used into Exergo-Environmental Analysis (EEvA), highlighting the well system as the most impactful contributor, constituting approximately 45% of the total impact. Other substantial contributions to the environmental impact include the condenser (21%), the turbine (17%), and the HEGeo (14%). The Exergo-Economic analysis assesses cost distribution across major plant components, projecting an electricity cost of about 8.3 c€/kWh.

A highly efficient deep red (DR) emitting organic solid based on a dicyano-phenylenevinylene derivative was reported. The structural and spectroscopic properties of the solid have been described in terms of crystallographic data and time dependent DFT analysis. A noteworthy fluorescence quantum yield of 53% was observed for the brightest emitter cast into solid films. This result can be explained in terms of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect.

Groundwater contamination is an ever-growing environmental issue that has attracted much and undiminished attention for the past half century. Groundwater contamination may originate from both anthropogenic (e.g., hydrocarbons) and natural compounds (e.g., nitrate and arsenic); to tackle the removal of these contaminants, different technologies have been developed and implemented. Recently, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have emerged as a potential treatment for groundwater contamination, with reported in situ applications that showed promising results. Nitrate and hydrocarbons (toluene, phenanthrene, benzene, BTEX and light PAHs) have been successfully removed, due to the interaction of microbial metabolism with poised electrodes, in addition to physical migration due to the electric field generated in a BES. The selection of proper BESs relies on several factors and problems, such as the complexity of groundwater and subsoil environment, scale-up issues, and energy requirements that need to be accounted for. Modeling efforts could help predict case scenarios and select a proper design and approach, while BES-based biosensing could help monitoring remediation processes. In this review, we critically analyze in situ BES applications for groundwater remediation, focusing in particular on different proposed setups, and we identify and discuss the existing research gaps in the field.

The intentional damages to local Cultural Heritage sites carried out in recent months by the Islamic State have received wide coverage from the media worldwide. Earth Observation data provide important information to assess these damages in such non-accessible areas, and automated image processing techniques would be needed to speed up the analysis if a fast response is desired. This paper shows the first results of applying fast and robust change detection techniques to sensitive areas, based on the extraction of textural information and robust differences of brightness values related to pre- and post-disaster satellite images. A map highlighting potentially damaged buildings is derived, which could help experts at timely assessing the damages to the Cultural Heritage sites of interest. Encouraging results are obtained for two archaeological sites in Syria and Iraq.

According to the changed operative conditions due to lockdown and successive reopening a number of facts can be analysed. The main effects have been detected on: mobility, environment, social media and people flows. While in this first report only mobility, transport and environment are reported. The analysis performed identified a strong reduction of the mobility and transport activities, and in the pollutants. The mobility reduction has been assessed to be quite coherent with respect to what has been described by Google Global mobility report. On the other hand, in this paper a number of additional aspects have been put in evidence providing detailed aspects on mobility and parking that allowed us to better analyze the impact of the reopening on an eventual revamping of the infection. To this end, the collected data from the field have been compared from those of google and some considerations with respect to the Imperial college Report 20 have been derived. For the pollutant aspects, a relevant reduction on most of them has been measured and rationales are reported.

This review underscores the critical significance of incorporating network perspectives in epidemiology. Classic compartmental models (CM) employed to describe epidemic spreading often fail to capture the intricacies of real disease dynamics. Rooted in the mean-field assumption, CM models oversimplify by assuming that every individual has the potential to "infect" any other, neglecting the inherent complexity of underlying network structures. Given that social interactions follow a networked pattern with specific links between individuals based on social behaviors, the amalgamation of classic CM and network science in epidemiology becomes essential for a more authentic portrayal of epidemic spreading. This review delves into noteworthy research studies that, from various perspectives, elucidate how the synergy between networks and CM can enhance the accuracy of epidemic descriptions. In conclusion, we explore research prospects aimed at further elevating the integration of networks within the realm of epidemiology, recognizing its pivotal role in refining our understanding of disease dynamics.

Remote sensing plays a central role in the assessment of environmental phenomena and has increasingly become a powerful tool for monitoring shorelines, rivers morphology, flood waves delineation and floods assessment. Optical based monitoring and characterization of river evolution at long time scales is a key tool in fluvial geomorphology. However, the evolution occurring during extreme events is crucial for the understanding of the river dynamics under severe flow conditions and requires the processing of data from active sensors to overcome cloud obstructions. This work proposes a cloud-based unsupervised algorithm for the intra-event monitoring of river dynamics during extreme flow conditions based on time series of Sentinel-1 SAR data. The method allows the extraction of multi-temporal series of spatially explicit geometric parameters at high time and spatial resolutions, linking them to the hydrometric levels acquired by reference gauge stations. Intra-event reconstruction of inundation dynamics has led to the estimation of the relationship between hydrometric level and wet area extension and the assessment of bank erosion phenomena. Time series of SAR acquisitions, provided by Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites, were analyzed to quantify changes in the wet area of a reach of the Tagliamento river under different flow conditions. The algorithm, developed within the Python-API of GEE, first empowers the Sentinel-1 images with the hydrometric level, then involves radiometric slope correction and speckle noise filtering. The Otsu method is then used for image segmentation leading to a water and dry land binary classification. Results support many types of analysis about river dynamics, including morphological changes, floods monitoring and relief efforts and bio-physical habitat dynamics. The results encourage future advancements and applications of the algorithm, specifically exploring SAR data from ICEYE and Capella Space constellations, which offer significantly higher spatial and temporal resolutions compared to Sentinel-1 data.

The inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM) is a model-based technique to compute the displacement (and then the strain) field of a structure from strain measurements and a geometrical discretization of the same. Different literature works exploit the error between the numerically reconstructed strains and the experimental measurements to perform damage identification in a Structural Health Monitoring framework. However, only damage detection and localization are performed, without attempting a proper damage size estimation. The latter could be based on machine learning techniques, however, an a priori definition of the damage conditions would be required. To overcome these limitations, the present work proposes a new approach in which the damage is systematically introduced in the iFEM model to minimize its discrepancy with respect to the physical structure. This is performed with a maximum likelihood estimation framework, where the most accurate damage scenario is selected among a series of different models. The proposed approach is experimentally verified on an aluminum plate subjected to fatigue crack propagation, which enables the creation of a Digital-Twin of the structure itself. The strain field fed to the iFEM routine is experimentally measured with an Optical Backscatter Reflectometry fiber and the methodology is validated with independent observations of lasers and the Digital Image Correlation.

Magnetic Nanoparticles (MNPs) is a promising technique to cure brain diseases. On the one hand, by serving as drug carriers, they can bypass the blood-brain barrier and deliver drug molecules to the brain parenchyma; on the other hand, their transport trajectory can be manipulated by applying an external magnetic field. However, due to the complex microstructure of brain tissues, e.g. the anisotropy of white matter (WM), how to achieve desired drug distribution patterns, e.g. uniform distribution, by tuning the drug delivery system is largely unknown. Here, in this study, by adopting a mathematical model capable of capturing the diffusion trajectories of MNPs in the microstructures, we systematically investigated the effects of key parameters in the MNPs delivery system on the equivalent diffusion coefficient of MNPs in the microenvironment of brain WM. The results show that uniform distribution of MNPs in anisotropic tissues can be achieved by adjusting the particle size and magnetic field. We have not only obtained a deeper understanding on how to optimise the MNPs delivery system, it can also be anticipated that an improved mathematical model could even help to achieve complex drug distribution patterns in the complicated brain environment by designing an appropriate combination of the key parameters.

To obtain drop-in fuel properties from non-feed biomass, we herein report the catalytic hydrotreatment of microalgae biocrude, produced from hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of Spirulina. Our contribution focuses on the effect of temperature, initial H2 pressure, and residence time on the removal of heteroatoms (O and N). In contrast to common hydrotreating experimental protocols at batch scale, we devised a set of two-level factorial experiments and studied the most influential parameters affecting the removal of heteroatoms. It was found that up to 350 °C, the degree of deoxygenation (de-O) is mainly driven by temperature, whereas the degree of denitrogenation (de-N) also relies on initial H2 pressure and temperature-pressure interaction.Based on this, complete deoxygenation was obtained at mild operating conditions (350 °C), reaching a concurrent 47 % denitrogenation. Moreover, three optimized experiments are reported with 100 % removal of oxygen. In addition, the analysis by GC-MS and Sim-Dis gives insight to the fuel quality. The distribution of heteroatom N in lower (<340 °C) and higher (>340 °C) fractional cuts is studied by a fractional distillation unit following ASTM D-1160. Final results show that 63-68 % of nitrogen is concentrated in higher fractional cuts.

Biosensors detect specific bio-analytes by generating a measurable signal from the interaction between the sensing element and the target molecule. Surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensors offer unique advantages due to their high sensitivity, real-time response capability, and label-free detection. The typical SAW modes are the Rayleigh mode and the shear-horizontal mode. Both present pros and cons for biosensing applications and generally need different substrates and device geometries to be efficiently generated. This study investigates and characterizes ultra-high-frequency (UHF-) SAW resonator biosensors. It reveals the simultaneous presence of the two typical SAW modes, clearly separated in frequency, called slow and fast. The two modes are studied by numerical simulations and biosensing experiments with the glial-fibrillary-acidic-protein (GFAP) biomarker. The slow mode is generally more sensitive to changes in surface properties, such as temperature and mass changes, by a factor of about 1.4 with respect to the fast mode.

Recent interest in intestinal hormones has risen with the idea that they modulate glucose tolerance and food intake through a variety of mechanisms, and such hormones like peptide YY (PYY), ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 and 2, and cholecystokinin (CKK) are therefore excellent therapeutic candidates for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. Furthermore, in the recent years, multiple studies suggest that the microbiota is critically important for normal host functions, while impaired host microbiota interactions contribute to the pathogenesis of numerous common metabolic disorders. In this study, we considered the nutraceutical effects of β-glucans added to pasta at the concentration of 6g\100g. Ten participants have been recruited and hematochemical analyses and intestinal hormones tests have been performed before and after 30 days of pasta intake. Stool specimens have been studied for Lactobacillus Fermentum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus salivarius, Bifidobacterium longum, and Enterococcus faecium presence before and after 30 days of nutritional intervention. After 30 days of regular intake of pasta enriched by β-glucans results have been evaluated. In conclusion, pasta prepared from barley flour enriched with β-glucans at 6% exhibit promising responses on glucose metabolism, on intestinal hormones responses and on microbiota modification.

Intestinal microbiota attracts daily attention of a growing number of study which have attempted to link gut dysbiosIs with a variety of disease states: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflamed bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease (CD), leaky gut syndrome (LGS), food intolerance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, etc.. In our study we analyzed how intestinal dysbiosis may be related to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and depression through the exchange of information through the gut-brain axis (GBA). We studied 33 subjects, 13 males and 20 females, who reported CFS or/and depression: we investigated their salivary cortisol levels, blood serotonin, omega 3/6 ratio, intestinal dysbiosis (calculated on the urinary levels of indoxyl sulfate and skatole), and we looked for the presence of Candida a. or mycetes in the stool; the data accumulated with this research show a correlation between the presence of Candida a./miceti, indoxyl sulfate urine values beyond the physiological and low serotonin levels. In addition, data analysis showed that the EPA/DHA values also show pro-inflammatory levels in case of dysbiosis and low serotonina levels. The relationship, however, with cortisol levels requires further research although this study showed a statistically significant positive correlation between these values, measured at specific times, and serotonin levels. Aims its connections with We investigated the relationship between stress (evaluated through the measurement of salivary cortisol levels) and gastrointestinal efficiency measured as a function of intestinal fermentative and putrefactive dysbiosis, evaluating the levels of urinary indoxyl sulfate in the first case (a possible correlation with the presence of Candida spp or Mycetes in the subjects feces was investigated), urinary skatole levels in the second one, in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (SFC) and depression. In these patients we also have studied omega 3/6 ratio, and finally we have analized the impact that the alteration of these parameters can have on the serotonin levels. This research attemps to highlight the contact points, in some cases not so obvious, among these topics, contact points that, although they give us interesting indications, show the need to be further deepened by analyzing a larger amount of data.

This study examines the practicality and limitations of using a FANUC CRX-10 iA/l collaborative robot to assemble a product component, highlighting the trade-offs between increased roboisation and reduced manual intervention. Through a detailed case study in the i-Labs laboratory, critical factors affecting precision assembly such as station layout, tooling design and robot programming are discussed. The findings highlight the benefits of robots for non-stop operation, freeing up human operators for higher value tasks despite longer cycle times. In addition, the paper advocates further research into reliable gripping of small components, a current challenge for robotics. The work contributes to open science by sharing partial results and methods that could inform future problem solving in robotic assembly.

Every intervention of planning, implementation, and monitoring of agricultural and agri-environmental policies requires assessment tools that should have the characteristics of relevance, completeness, interpretability, data quality, efficiency, and overlapping. Despite the extensive selection of bibliographies and numerous projects designed to develop agri-environmental indicators necessary for assessing the sustainability of new policies, it is difficult to have an integrated and updated set of indicators available, which can be an effective and practical application tool to assists policymakers, researchers, and actors in policy design, monitoring and impact assessment. Particularly, such need is pressing to face the new environmental challenges imposed by the upcoming European Union Green Deal on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post 2023. This study, therefore, aims to fill this gap by proposing a selection methodology and different pools of agri-environmental indicators differentiated based on a scale approach (crop-farm-district-region). Furthermore, we have attempted to validate our approach by quantifying selected indicators for a specific evaluation necessity, represented in this case by an assessment of environmental impact of land use change induced by CAP greening requirements in the Northern Italy context. Results of this validation show original crops’ impacts comparison, but also highlight great knowledge gaps in the available literature.

The Internet has become an essential tool for adolescents. It is part of their social integration within peers and supports their identity construction. The Internet can also become a source of addiction; especially when used as a coping strategy towards unpleasant life situations. The feeling of loneliness is an emotion present during the adolescence. However, when in excess, it can lead to suicidal ideations. We questioned ourselves on the impact of an excessive use of the Internet by adolescents, with their feeling of loneliness and the risks of suicidal ideations. We attempted to find an answer to this question by performing a literature review. We found one result matching our search criteria’s, which is itself a literature review. We noted the absence of studies with regards to the interaction between the feeling of loneliness, the addiction to the Internet, and the risk of suicidal ideations amongst adolescents. We established a theoretical model which could be used as a lead for future research. We insist on the importance that studies are made in this domain, in order to enable us to establish efficient preventive measure on the risks of suicidal ideations amongst adolescents.

Convalescent blood product therapy has been introduced since early 1900s to treat emerging infectious disease based on the evidence that polyclonal neutralizing antibodies can reduce duration of viremia. Recent large outbreaks of viral diseases for whom effective antivirals or vaccines are still lacking has revamped the interest in convalescent plasma as life-saving treatments. This review summarizes historical settings of application, and surveys current technologies for collection, manufacturing, pathogen inactivation, and banking, with a focus on COVID-19.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Aim of this study was to investigate whether albumin structural alterations correlate with DKD severity and evaluate whether native and reduced albumin concentrations could complement the diagnosis of DKD. To this aim, one hundred and seventeen T2DM patients without (n=42) and with (n=75) DKD (DKD I-III upon KDIGO classification) were evaluated; total albumin concentration (tHA) was quantified by bromocresol green assay, while structural alterations were profiled assessed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The concentrations of albumin in native (eHA, effective albumin) and reduced (rHA) forms were then assessed. HRMS analyses showed a reduced relative amount of native albumin in DKD patients along with an increased abundance of altered forms, especially those bearing oxidative modifications. Accordingly, both eHA and rHA values varied along the stages of progressive renal failure, and alterations dose-dependently correlated with renal dysfunction. ROC curves analysis showed a significantly higher sensitivity and specificity of eHA and rHA with respect to tHA for the diagnosis of DKD. Importantly, at multivariable logistic regression analysis, eHA was identified as independent predictor of DKD.

Satellite remote sensing is a powerful tool to map flooded areas. In the last years, the availability of free satellite data sensibly increased in terms of type and frequency, allowing producing flood maps at low cost around the World. In this work, we propose a semi-automatic method for flood mapping, based only on free satellite images and open-source software. As case studies, we selected three flood events recently occurred in Spain and Italy. Multispectral satellite data acquired by MODIS, Proba-V, Landsat, Sentinel-2 and SAR data collected by Sentinel-1 were used to detect flooded areas using different methodologies (e.g., MNDWI; SAR backscattering variation; Supervised classification). Then, we improved and manually refined the automatic mapping using free ancillary data like DEM based water depth model and available ground truth data. For the areas affected by major floods, we also validated and compared the produced flood maps with official maps made by river authorities. We calculated flood detection performance (flood ratio) for the different datasets we used. The results show that it is necessary to take into account different factors for the choice of best satellite data, among these, the time of satellite pass with respect to the flood peak is the most important one. SAR data showed good results only for co-flood acquisitions, whereas multispectral images allowed detecting flooded areas also with the post-flood acquisition. With the support of ancillary data, it was possible to produce reliable geomorphological based flood maps in the study areas.

Nitrates can cause severe ecological imbalances in aquatic ecosystems, with considerable consequences for human health. Therefore, monitoring this inorganic form of nitrogen becomes essential for any water quality management structure. This research aimed at developing a novel Nitrate Portable Measurement System (NPMS) for monitoring nitrate concentrations in water samples. NPMS is a reagent-free ultraviolet system developed using low-cost electronic components. Its operation principle is based on Beer-Lambert law for measuring Nitrate concentrations in water samples through light absorption in the spectral range 295-315 nm. The system is equipped with ready to use ultraviolet sensor, Light Emission Diode (LED), op-amp, microcontroller, liquid crystal display, quartz cuvette, temperature sensor, and battery. All the components are assembled in a 3D-printed enclosure box which allows a very compact self-contained equipment, with high portability, enabling field and near real time measurements. The proposed methodology and the developed instrument were used to analyse multiple nitrate standard solutions. The performance was evaluated in comparison with the Nicolet Evolution 300, a classical UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between the retrieved measurements by both instruments within the investigated spectral band and for concentrations above 5 mg NO3- /l.

Presynaptic Ca²⁺-influx through voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels (VGCC) is a key signal for synaptic vesicle release. Synaptic neurexins can partially determine the strength of transmission by regulating VGCCs. However, it is unknown whether neurexins modulate Ca²⁺-influx via all VGCC subtypes similarly. Here, we performed live cell imaging of synaptic boutons from primary hippocampal neurons with a Ca²⁺-indicator. We used the expression of inactive and active Cre recombinase to compare control to conditional knockout neurons lacking either all or selected neurexin variants. We found that reduced total presynaptic Ca²⁺-transients caused by the deletion of all neurexins were primarily due to the reduced contribution of P/Q-type VGCCs. The deletion of neurexin1α alone also reduced the total presynaptic Ca²⁺-influx but increased Ca²⁺-influx via N-type VGCCs. Moreover, we tested whether the decrease of Ca²⁺-influx induced by activation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1-receptor) is modulated by neurexins. Unlike earlier observations emphasizing a role for β-neurexins, we found that the decrease of presynaptic Ca²⁺-transients induced by CB1-receptor activation depended more strongly on the presence of α-neurexins in hippocampal neurons. Together, our results suggest that neurexins have unique roles in the modulation of presynaptic Ca²⁺-influx through VGCC subtypes and that different neurexin variants may affect specific VGCCs.

One of the most notable changes in the Esophageal Cancer (EC) epidemiology is the rising incidence and prevalence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in developed countries, likely due to lifestyle and/or environmental factors that may play an important role in EAC onset. The aim of this systematic review was to collect and summarize all the available evidence regarding lifestyle, diet and EAC risk. We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases in January 2021 for studies providing information about lifestyle, diet, WCRF/AICR recommendations and EAC risk. A total of 106 publications met the inclusion criteria. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are associated with increased EAC risk. Physical activity does not appear to have a significant direct role in EAC risk. A diet rich in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains appeared to be more protective than a diet rich in animal fat, red meat, and processed meat. Alcohol does not seem to be related to EAC whereas smokers, particularly heavy smokers, have an increased risk of EAC. Primary prevention remains the best option to avert EAC. BMI and WC, along with low consumption of red and processed meat, high consumption of plant food, and the avoidance of smoking are pivotal for EAC prevention.

Liquid biopsy via isolation of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) represents a promising diagnostic tool capable of supplementing state-of-the-art for prostate cancer (PC) prognosis. Unfortunately, most of CTC technologies, such as AdnaTest or Cellsearch, critically rely on the Epithelial-Cell-Adhesion-Molecule (EpCAM) marker, limiting the possibility of detecting stem-like cells (CSCs) and mesenchymal-like cells (EMT-CTCs) that are present during PC progression. In this tontext, dielectrophoresis (DEP) is an epCAM independent, label-free, enrichment system, separating rare cells simply on the basis of their specific electrical properties. As compared to other technollgies, DEP represents a superior technique in terms of running costs, cells yield and specificity, but due to its higher complexity, requires still further technical as well as clinical development. Interestingly, DEP can be improved by the use of microfluid, nanostructured materials and fluoroimaging in order to increase its potential applications. In the context of PC, the utility of DEP can be translated in its capacity to detect CTC in the bloodstream in their epithelial, mesenchymal, or epithelial-mesenchymal phenotypes, which should be taken into account when choosing CTC enrichment and analysis methods for PC prognosis and early diagnosis.

Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium causing a range of mild to life-threatening infections including bone infections such as osteomyelitis. S. aureus is able to invade and persist within non-professional phagocytic cells such as osteoblasts. In the present study four different S. aureus strains, 2SA-ST239-III, 5SA-ST5-II, 10SA-ST228-I, and 14SA-ST22-IVh were tested for their ability to modulate cell viability in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells following a successful invasion and persistence. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) ATCC-12598-ST30 was used as control. Despite the demonstrated similar abilities of internalization and persistence of ATCC-12598-ST30, 2SA-ST239-III, and 14SA-ST22-IVh strains in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells under our experimental conditions, we demonstrated that the decrease in cell viability was due to the different behavior of the considered strains, with the number of intracellular bacteria playing a limited role. We focused our attention on different cellular biochemical functions related to inflammation, cell metabolism, and oxidative stress during osteoblast infections. We were able to show that: 1) ATCC-12598-ST30 and 2SA-ST239-III were the only two clones able to persist and maintain their number into the cellular hostile environment during the entire period of infection; 2) 2SA-ST239-III was the only clone able to significantly increase the gene expression (3 and 24 h) and protein secretion (24 h) of both interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in MG-63 osteoblast-like cells; 3) the same clone determined a significant up-regulation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the metabolic marker glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNAs at 24 h post infection; 3) neither the MSSA nor the four MRSA strains induced oxidative stress phenomena in MG-63 cells, although a very different expression pattern towards nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream gene heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) activation was observed among the different clones. Our results can open a new way of considering therapies, going in the direction of an individualized therapeutic strategy that should take into account the difference existing between MSSA and MRSA as well as the distinctive features of the different clones. Not only, therefore, a different antibiotic approach but also a starting point for considering different host factors, i.e. the modulation of specific cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1.

Tomato is considered the most important vegetable crop worldwide. Improving the nutritional value of fruits must be based on sustainable production in terms of varieties and fertilization management. This study aimed to improve the nutritional value (total soluble solids, acidity, lycopene, β-carotene, polyphenols, macro and microelements) of two tomato varieties (‘Cristal’ and ‘Siriana’) under three fertilization types (NPK chemical fertilizer, chicken manure and biological fertilizer with microorganisms) for the greenhouse. Primary metabolism compounds do not vary significantly according to the type of fertilizer used. The results for the antioxidant compounds showed a better effect of biological fertilization compared to chemical fertilizer and control unfertilized. The tomato fruits from the local cultivar (‘Siriana’) are richer in nutritional compounds such as rutin, regardless of the type of fertilization, which denotes a good ability to adapt to crop conditions. Tomato cultivars reacted positively to microbiological fertilization compare to chemical, thus producing nutritious fruits under sustainable management. Tomato fruits were richer in the quality of microelement contents.

The extensive collection of paper documents and books stored in the archives of universities worldwide is a hidden cultural heritage that is frequently inaccessible. To overcome this problem, the University of Genoa, Italy, seeks to collect, store, and digitize a wide variety of items, encompassing books, manuscripts, archival materials, and documents related to museum artifacts, which together form a cultural heritage of great importance and historical significance. To make such a cultural heritage accessible to both humans and machines, images and videos must be provided with alternate descriptions, metadata, and speech-to-text transcriptions while ancient texts, for which OCR techniques are often not effective, must be accompanied by word-for-word transcripts. This work presents the design of a transcription system for the “University Museum System” at the University of Genoa, Italy (SMA-UniGe), including user interface elements and users’ engagement techniques. The goal is to create an accessible digital heritage that can be enjoyed by all, facilitated by a community of digital volunteers who are eager to dedicate their time, have a great experience, socialize, and interact on the proposed transcription system. The system exploits gamification theory to transform the typically monotonous task of transcription into a captivating experience. This activity is in line with the so-called University third mission, i.e., the activity of public engagement that aims at generating knowledge outside the academic environment to the benefit of the social, cultural, and economic development.

Studying models of healthy aging and exceptional longevity is crucial to understand a possible longevity signature as most of them show resistance to age-related diseases. In particular, semi- and supercentenarians are a highly selected group, having survived significant adversities, including the Spanish Flu and COVID-19 pandemics, indicating distinctive immune system characteristics. This paper analyse the inflammatory scores (INFLA-score, Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI)) and Aging-Related Immune Phenotype (ARIP) indicators calculated from the dataset of the DESIGN project, including 249 participants aged 19-111 years, trying to understand the immune-inflammatory (IMFLAM) role to achieve longevity. Statistical analyses, including linear regression and one-way ANOVA, were performed to explore the correlations between these parameters and age. Both INFLA-score and SIRI showed a significant increase with age. However, no statistical difference is observed when analysing the values for semi- and supercentenarians with those for other age groups, whose values are similar to that of adults and less than younger centenariansRegarding ARIP values, it is noteworthy that when comparing the CD8 Naive/Effector scores between groups, no significant differences were observed between the semi- and supercentenarian group and the other groups. These results support the idea that the control of IMFLAM response can promote extreme longevity.

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.

The neonatal Hub and Spoke (HandS) ECMO approach provides emergent ECMO implantation to support neonates in severe cardio-respiratory life-threatening conditions at secondary (Spoke) centers, and a safe transfer to the ECMO center (Hub). We report a retrospective review of 11 neonates fom January 2014 to January 2020, presenting with life-threatening conditions and treated by HandS ECMO team in Spoke hospitals. Protocols and checklists were arranged by a local group of ECMO experts and shared with all the hospitals located in North-Eastern Italy. At the emergent call, all patients were cared for at the Spoke hospitals, receiving maximal respiratory and cardiovascular support (including high frequency oscillatory ventilation, inhaled nitric oxide, and major inotropic intravenous infusion). All but 3 patients were affected by life-threatening meconium aspiration syndrome. Median duration of ECMO support and hospitalization were 4 days (range 2-32) and 30 days ( range 8-50), respectively. All but 2 patients with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, were weaned off ECMO and discharged home without complications. At a median follow up of 14.4 months (1.3-74.8), all survivors were alive and in good clinical conditions, without medications, and normal somatic growth. All but one had normal neuropsychological development. We conclude that HandS ECMO model for treating neonates in life-threatening conditions is effective and successful. A specialized multidisciplinary team and common organizational protocols shared between Hub and Spoke centers are the key-points for success. While excellent results occur with MAS (100% survival), treatment was not successful in CDH, in which other that HandS ECMO issues are implied. Lessons learned from our experience are presented and discussed in this article.

Optimization of post polymerization processing of polyolefin elastomers (POE) is of considerable industrial interest. To this aim, experimental determination and theoretical interpretation of the thermodynamics and mass transport properties of POE-solvent mixtures is relevant. Sorption behaviour of n-hexane vapour in a commercial propylene-ethylene elastomer (V8880 VistamaxxTM from ExxonMobil) is addressed here, determining experimentally the sorption isotherms at temperatures ranging from 115 to 140 °C and pressure values of n-hexane vapour up to 1 atm. Sorption isotherms have been interpreted with the Non-Random-Hydrogen-Bonding Equation of State model retrieving, from data fitting, the value of the binary interaction parameter for the n-hexane/V8880 system. Both the case of temperature-independent and of temperature-dependent binary interaction parameter have been considered. Sorption kinetics was also investigated at different pressures and has been interpreted using a Fick’s model determining values of the mutual diffusivity as a function of temperature and of n-hexane/V8880 mixture composition. From these values, n-hexane intra-diffusion coefficient has been calculated interpreting its dependence on mixture concentration and temperature by a semi-empiric model based on free volume arguments.

Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) continues to spread worldwide as a severe pandemic. The Omicron BA.2 became the predominant variant and the protagonist of the ongoing surge. As the virus continues to mutate, using of approved drugs or developing new therapeutic or prophylactic therapies against COVID-19 could be more complex. Sotrovimab is a monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting the conserved epitope on the spike protein receptor; the most recent studies observed that it has substantially decreased in vitro activity against the Omicron BA.2 subvariant, but real-life data are still scarce. We describe the outcome of a case series of outpatients with BA.1 or BA.2 infection treated with sotrovimab. We conducted a retrospective observational study including all non-hospitalized adult patients treated with sotrovimab, for which a Sanger sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 was performed within a regional genomic surveillance program. Eleven (50%) patients with BA.1 infection and eleven (50%) with BA.2 infection were considered. Most patients were immunocompromised. During the follow-up period, no patient died and only one with BA.1 infection was hospitalized for severe COVID-19 pneumonia onset. One month after treatment, 90.9% of patients were completely asymptomatic in each group. We demonstrated that patients carrying the BA.2 variant treated with sotrovimab did not evolve to severe COVID-19, showing a similar outcome to BA.1 infected patients. Further studies are needed to prove that vaccination or the presumably high doses of mAbs used can protect this group of patients at high risk of progression.

Identified by the eponym “Edwards’ Syndrome,” trisomy 18 (T18) represents the second most common autosomal trisomy after T21. The pathophysiology underlying the extra chromosome 18 is a nondisjunction error, mainly linked with the advanced maternal age. More frequent in female fetuses, the syndrome portends high mortality, reaching a rate of 80% of miscarriages or stillbirths. The three-step evaluation includes first trimester screening for fetal aneuploidy using a combination of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency thickness, fetal heart rate and maternal serum free ß-hCG and PAPP-A; followed by the research for fragments of fetal DNA in maternal blood; and, finally, invasive techniques leave to the established diagnosis. Starting with the first trimester scan, selected ultrasound findings should be investigated to define not only the impact of the genetic problem on the fetus, but also to address the prenatal counselling. Previous series underline that T18 is not uniformly lethal. An active dialogue on the choices in the management of infants with T18 has emerged, sustained by the transition from the comfort care to the intervention attitude. Survival rates for individuals with supposedly fatal conditions have increased. In this novel scenario, an ad hoc counselling is pivotal. To support it, a comparative analysis by pictorial assays between ultrasound and autopsy findings could be beneficial. We provide an illustrative tool from a clinical case managed in early second trimester, with the purpose to strive a balanced approach in the hard choice faced by couples of fetuses with T18.

Trauma is one of the most common causes of death or permanent disability in young people, so a timely diagnostic approach is crucial. In polytrauma patients, CEUS has been shown to be more sensitive than US for the detection of solid organ injuries, improving the identification and grading of traumatic abdominal lesions with levels of sensitivity and specificity similar to those seen with MDCT. CEUS is recommended for the diagnostic evaluation of hemodynamically stable patients with isolated blunt moderate-energy abdominal traumas and for the diagnostic follow-up of conservatively managed abdominal traumas. In this pictorial review we illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of CEUS and the procedure details with tips and tricks during investigation of blunt moderate-energy abdominal trauma as well as during follow-up in non-operative management.

Epidemiologic studies suggest an inverse correlation between coffee consumption and the occurrence of neurodegenerative diseases, but the role of caffeine and roasting degree are still matter of debate. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of caffeinated (light, medium, and dark roast) and decaffeinated instant coffee samples in acetylcholinesterase inhibition and antioxidant assays, as well as in animal models of Parkinson’s disease. Caffeinated coffees inhibited the acetylcholinesterase in much smaller concentrations than decaffeinated coffee. All coffee samples showed antioxidant capacity without relation with the caffeine content. Dopaminergic-like activity in the haloperidol-induced catalepsy test was observed with caffeinated coffee, but not in the decaffeinated sample. The medium roast coffee reduced the number of rotations of rats after methamphetamine administration on the 6-hydroxydopamine unilateral lesion of the medial forebrain bundle. However, the coffee treatment did not avoid the loss of dopaminergic neurons on substantia nigra pars compact and only the smallest dose of coffee was able to avoid the decrease of dopamine levels in the lesioned side of the striatum. Altogether, these results suggest that coffee exerts moderate pro-cholinergic and pro-dopaminergic effects and caffeine seems to be the main responsible for these effects.

Oligodendroglioma (OG) is a brain tumor that contributes to < 1% of brain tumor diagnoses in the pediatric population. Unfortunately, pediatric OG remains without definitive molecular characteristics to aid in diagnosis, and little is known about the tumor microenvironment. Tumor cells' metabolism and proliferation rate are generally higher than healthy cells, so their iron demand is also significantly increased. This consideration underlines the great importance of iron for tumor development and progression. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the effect of iron in a cellular in vitro model of human oligodendroglioma brain tumor. Cell morphology, the effect of siderotic medium on cell growth, iron uptake, and the expression of iron metabolism-related genes were evaluated by optic microscopy, ICP-MS, confocal microscopy, and RealTime PCR, respectively. This study underlines the great importance of iron for tumor development and progression, but also the possibility of reducing the available iron concentration to determine an antiproliferative effect on OGs. Therefore, every attempt can be promising to defeat the OGs for which there are currently no long-term curative therapies.

Hepatic Encephalopaty (HE) is a common complications of advanced liver disease and acute liver failure. It is a condition that features both neurological and psychiatric symptoms, that affects mortality, morbidity and quality of patients and caregivers’ life. HE diagnosis is generally an exclusion diagnosis. Once the patient is admitted to hospital, clinical examination, blood tests and eventually neuroimaging should be performed in order to rule out other causes of acute brain dysfunction. Moreover, HE recognizes various precipitants that can potentially promote its onset, alone or in combination, that must be identified. Once the diagnostic process is complete, a correct treatment should be started. The anti-HE treatment is based on a combination of correction of precipitants and non-absorbable disaccharides and non-absorbable antibiotic, such as rifaximin. Once the patient is discharged from the hospital, specific anti-HE therapy should be maintained in order to prevent other HE episodes.

(1) Background: This case presents a rare and challenging clinical scenario involving a 50-year-old female patient diagnosed with Inflammatory Carcinoma, a particularly aggressive and rapidly growing form of breast cancer. The disease is characterized by heat, redness, swelling and noticeable changes in the breast's skin texture, resembling the skin of an orange (peau d'orange). This case is important because it contributes to the limited clinical literature on such aggressive forms of breast cancer.; (2) Methods: The multidisciplinary approach was employed. Diagnostic procedures such as imaging tests, biopsy, and histopathological examination were performed to confirm the diagnosis of Inflammatory Carcinoma and assess the extent of the disease. The presence of the HER2 protein on the tumor cells supported the selection of a combination therapy involving systemic chemotherapy and targeted biological therapy.; (3) Results: The patient responded positively to the combination therapy consisting of systemic chemotherapy and targeted biological therapy. The aggressive nature of Inflammatory Carcinoma, characterized by rapid growth and distinct skin changes, was effectively addressed. The presence of the HER2 protein on the tumor cells indicated the potential efficacy of the combination therapy in aggressive forms of breast cancer.; (4) Conclusions: This case highlights the critical importance of a multidisciplinary approach in managing complex cases of breast cancer, especially rare and aggressive subtypes like Inflammatory Carcinoma. The positive response of the patient to the combination therapy involving systemic chemotherapy and targeted biological therapy demonstrates the potential for favorable outcomes in aggressive disease presentations.

Several noninvasive vascular biomarkers have been suggested for improving the risk stratification for atherothrombotic events. To identify biomarkers suitable for detecting intermediate-risk individuals who might benefit from lipid-lowering treatment (L-LT) in primary prevention, the present study tested the association of plasma LDL-cholesterol with coronary artery calcification (CAC) Agatston score, high carotid and femoral intima-media thickness (IMT), low carotid distensibility and high carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity in 260 asymptomatic individuals at intermediate cardiovascular risk and free of diabetes and L-LT. High or low vascular biomarkers were considered when their value was above the 95th or below the 5th percentile, respectively, of the distribution in the healthy or in the study population. LDL-cholesterol was independently associated with the CAC score =0 (OR 0.67; 95%CI 0.48-0.92, P=0.01), CAC score >100 (1.59; 1.08-2.39, P=0.01) and with high femoral IMT (1.89; 1.19-3.06, P<0.01), but not with other biomarkers. Our data confirm that in the presence of CAC score =0 in individuals at intermediate risk, L-LT can be avoided, while it should be used in those with CAC score >100. Femoral artery IMT could represent a useful biomarker for decision regarding L-LT, however the reference values according to sex and age should be established in a large healthy population

In the dairy cattle sector, the evaluation of the effects induced by heat stress is still one of the most impactful and investigated aspects as it is strongly connected to both sustainability of the production and animal welfare. On the other hand, more recently, the possibility of collecting large dataset made available by the increasing technology diffusion is paving the way for the application of advanced numerical techniques based on machine learning or big data approaches. In this scenario driven by rapid change there could be the risk of dispersing the relevant information represented by the physiological animal component, which should maintain the central role in the development of numerical models and tools. In the light of this, the present literature review aims to consolidate and synthesize existing research on the physiological consequences of heat stress in dairy cattle. The present review provides, in a single document, an overview as complete as possible of the heat stress-induced responses in dairy cattle with the intent of filling the existing research gap for extracting the veterinary knowledge present in the literature and make it available to those who are developing numerical models and tools.

The Lambousa fishtank, an archaeological structure entirely carved in bedrock, can be easily recognized and measured in plan on Google Earth (GE). We surveyed in situ this excellent archaeological marker in 2016 through direct measurements using traditional field measurements, such as metric tapes and invar rods, and terrestrial photogrammetry, using Structure from Motion (SfM) methods. The bedrock on which the fishtank is founded is an Upper Pleistocene calcarenite also containing Persistrombus Latus. The age of the studied fishtank has not been previously published, but on the basis of the construction technique and the interpretation provided by [1] and references therein . We assume that it was built in the period between 2.1 and 1.8 ka BP, like similar fishtanks in the Mediterarranen area. Architectural structures consist of an evident crepido ora a stone base, and a tunnel which allows for sea water exchange during high tides. The aforementioned hole is well correlated with the crepido which lies around the fishtank. These architectural components allow to evaluate the palaeosea level with significant precision during the time when the fishtank was active. MIS 5.5 coastal deposits that outcrop in the study area are located at a maximum altitude of a few meters, while the inner margin of the MIS 5.5 terrace allows us to hypothesize a “quasi-tectonic stability” also in the long-term. We have also tested several GIA predictions of relative sea level at Lambousa for the past 3.5 kyr according to GIA models ICE-6G (VM5a), ICE-7G (VM7) and to the GIA model by Lambeck and Purcell (2015), obtained with the SELEN4 sea level equation solver.

Exactly one year ago, between February and March 2020, the SARS-CoV2 infection went from an epidemic confined to China to a worldwide pandemic that was particularly lethal in Italy. This study examined media accounts during that period by analysing the representation of death-related constructs in Corriere della Sera, the most widely read newspaper in Italy. A textual and thematic analysis of articles published between period A (epidemic: 23 January–22 February 2020) and period B (pandemic: 23 February–31 March 2020) was conducted using Nvivo-11. A total of 141 articles comprising 48,524 words was collected. The most utilized words and meanings linked to SARS-CoV2 were computed. In the rank distribution, ‘China’ and ’virus’ were the terms most frequently used in both periods. The terms ‘death’ and ‘dead’ were completely absent in period A and appeared in the 535th position in period B. The term ‘dead’ was used primarily to indicate the number of deceased. From a Terror Management Theory perspective, it is possible that the minimal reference to death-related issues was a reflection of death denial and a manifestation of efforts to deny death to manage terror. These findings highlight the ambiguities and ambivalence surrounding any issue pertaining to death; on one side, undue alarmism may provoke exaggerated reactions, such as moral panic, while on the other denial-based messages that minimize references to mortality may reduce safe behaviour during a pandemic.

An internationally acknowledged requirement is to analyze and provide technical solutions for prevention and safety during use and maintenance of manure spreader wagons. Injuries statistics data and specific studies show that particular constructive criticalities have been identified on these machines, which are the cause of serious and often fatal accidents. These accidents particularly occur during the washing and maintenance phases, especially when such practices are carried out inside the hopper when the working bodies of the machine are in action. The current technical standards and the various safety requirements under consideration have not always been effective for protecting workers. To this end, the use of SWOT analysis allowed to highlight critical and positive aspects of the different solutions studied for reducing the risk due to contact with the working bodies. The selected and tested solution consists in a decoupling system automatically activated when the wheels of the wagon are not moving. Such a solution prevents the contact with the moving working bodies of the machine when the worker is inside the hopper. This mechatronic solution allowed to obtain a prototype that has led to the resolution of the issues related to the use of the wagon itself: in fact the system guarantees the stopping of manure spreading organs in about 12 seconds from the moment of the wheels stopping.

Background: A new access technique was developed to reduce postoperative adverse events after the extraction of impacted maxillary wisdom teeth. Hence, this study aimed to assess the occurrence of adverse events after extraction of maxillary impacted wisdom teeth using traditional or modified access. Methods: Two different surgical incision designs were used for bilateral wisdom tooth extractions in 30 patients. The traditional incision was performed distal to the second molar in the center of the tuberosity, followed by a buccal releasing incision. After tooth extraction the wound was secured by sutures. The new technique consists of an oblique incision from the distal palatal aspect of the tuberosity towards the buccal aspect of the second molar. After tooth extraction, cyanoacrylate glue was used on the wound. Results: Lower pain was reported by patients at the site treated with the new technique (p&lt;0.01). Edema, postsurgical bleeding, and hematoma were similar in both groups. The surgical time was shorter for the new technique (p&lt;0.01). Conclusions: The new technique applied for the extraction of impacted maxillary wisdom teeth reduced postsurgical pain and the duration of surgery.

Critically ill patients treated in the intensive care unit (ICU) can present many abdominal conditions that need a prompt diagnosis and timely treatment because of their general frailty. Clinical evaluation and diagnostic tools like ultrasound or CT scan are not reliable or feasible in these patients. Bedside laparoscopy (BSL) is a minimally invasive procedure that allows surgeons to assess the abdominal cavity directly in the ICU, thus avoiding unnecessary exploratory laparotomy or incidence related to intra-hospital transfer. We conducted a review of the literature to summarize the state-of-the-art of BSL. Medline, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus databases were utilized to identify all relevant publications. Indications, contraindications, technical aspects, and outcomes are discussed. The procedure is safe, feasible, and effective. When other diagnostic tools fail to diagnose or exclude an intra-abdominal condition in ICU patients, BSL should be preferred over exploratory laparotomy.

This research presents the creation of a Virtual Reality experience for the Balzi Rossi museum, commemorating the centenary of Prince Albert I Grimaldi's archaeological work at the site. The project, a collaboration between the University of Genoa's 3D Lab Factory, Eurodrone, and the Balzi Rossi archaeological museum, aims to preserve and convey the site's heritage through advanced VR technology. Initially employing Unreal Engine 4, the team used photogrammetry for 3D reconstruction of the "Caviglione" and "Florestano" caves, notable for their ancient rock engravings. This first VR model, despite hardware limitations, provided an interactive exploration of the site. The subsequent development phase utilized Unreal Engine 5, incorporating Nanite technology for enhanced visual fidelity. This advancement resulted in a more detailed and immersive VR experience, presenting the Balzi Rossi cliff across different historical periods, including the Würm glaciation. Key to this phase was optimizing the VR experience for performance, focusing on stable frame rates and minimizing motion sickness, and integrating a multi-lingual interface for broader accessibility. Since November 2023, the VR setup at the Balzi Rossi Museum has been an educational and interactive feature, enabling visitors to explore the site's history virtually. This research demonstrates the potential of VR in cultural heritage preservation and education, providing a foundation for future technological improvements in the field.

The study takes into account different classes of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), with the aim of identifying correlation models which are meant to estimate, at a preliminary design phase, the construction time of a tunnel and to evaluate the mechanical and operational parameters of the TBMs, starting from the knowledge of the tunnel length and/or the excavation diameter. To achieve this goal, first of all a database was created, thanks to the collection of the most meaningful technical parameters from a large number of tunnels; afterward, it was statistically analysed through Microsoft Excel. In a first phase, forecasting models were identified for the three types of machines investigated, separately for compact rocks (open TBM) and fractured rocks (single and double shield TBM). Then, the mechanical parameters collected through the database were analysed, with the aim of obtaining models that take into account, in addition to the type of TBM, the geological aspect, and the type of rock characterising the rock mass. Finally, the validation of the study was proposed in a real case, represented by the Moncenisio base tunnel, a work included in the new Turin–Lyon connection line. The estimated values were compared with the real ones, in order to verify the accuracy of the experimental models identified.

In this paper we present an efficient technique for the synthesis of very large sparse arrays, with arbitrary circularly symmetrical upper bounds for the pattern specifications. The algorithm, that is based on iterative smooth re-weighted L1 minimizations is very flexible, and is capable of achieving very good performances with respect to competitive algorithms. Furthermore, thanks to its efficiency, planar arrays of hundreds of wavelengths can be synthesized with limited computational effort.

Plant diseases cause losses of approximately 16% globally. Thus, management measures must be implemented to mitigate losses and guarantee food production. In addition to traditional management measures, resistance induction and biological control have gained ground in agriculture due to their enormous potential. Endophytic fungi colonize plant tissues internally and have the potential to act as biological control agents, as elicitors in the process of resistance induction and in attenuating abiotic stresses. In this review, we list the action of this group of microorganisms as potential agents which can act in controlling plant diseases and describe several examples in which endophytes were able to reduce the damage caused by pathogens and adverse conditions. This is due to their arsenal of molecules generated during the interaction by which they form a kind of biological shield in the plant. Studies on these microorganisms have grown due to the existing diversity and the multiple benefits they can offer. Finally, considering that endophytic fungi can be an important tool in managing diseases due to the large amount of biologically active substances produced, bioprospecting this class of microorganisms is tending to increase and generate valuable products.

Films obtained from a main biopolymer phase of fish gelatin (GelA, 3% w/w) encapsulated with cinnamon essential oil (CEO, 0.03 – 0.48% v/w) and loaded with bacterial cellulose nanocrystals (BCNCs, 0.06% w/w) at pH = 3.5 were characterized. CEO-GelA/BCNCs films were prepared by casting and analyzed in terms of thickness, light transmittance (TT) and haze (H), surface hydrophobicity, tensile properties, chemical composition, and water solubility (WS). All tested films displayed outstanding optical properties (TT &gt; 89.4%), with haze slightly exceeding a 3% value only when the highest CEO loading was used during nanoemulsion preparation. The CEO plasticizing effect yielded an increase in the elongation at break (EAB, from 0.84% up to 3.79%), which corresponded to a decrease in tensile strength (TS, from 8.98 MPa down to 1.93 MPa). The FT-IR spectra of films revealed a good degree of interaction among single nanoemulsion components via hydrogen bonding. The intrinsic hydrophobic nature of the CEO negatively impacted the WS (from 52.08% down to 8.48%) of the films. Results obtained in this work confirmed the possibility to produce packaging systems from renewable sources to be potentially used in the form of edible films/coatings for preserving water-sensitive food products, both vegan-based (fruits/vegetables), and animal-based (meat/seafood).

Metal exposure has been associated with a wide range of adverse birth outcomes and oxidative stress is a leading hypothesis of the mechanism of action of metal toxicity. We assessed the relationship between maternal exposure to essential and non-essential metals and metalloids in pregnancy and oxidative stress markers, and sought to identify windows of vulnerability and effect modification by fetal sex. In our analysis of 215 women from the PROTECT birth cohort study, we measured 14 essential and non-essential metals in urine samples at three time points during pregnancy. The oxidative stress marker 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) and its metabolite 2,3-dinor-5,6-dihydro-15-15-F2t-IsoP, as well as prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), were also measured in the same urine samples. Using linear mixed models, we examined the main effects of metals on markers of oxidative stress as well as the visit-specific and fetal sex-specific effects. After adjustment for covariates, we found that a few urinary metal concentrations, most notably cesium (Cs) and copper (Cu), were associated with higher 8-iso-PGF2α with effect estimates ranging from 7.3 to 14.9 % for each interquartile range, increase in the metal concentration. The effect estimates were generally in the same direction at the three visits and a few were significant only among women carrying a male fetus. Our data show that higher urinary metal concentrations were associated with elevated biomarkers of oxidative stress. Our results also indicate a potential vulnerability of women carrying a male fetus.

Male obesity secondary hypogonadism (MOSH) impairs fertility, sexual function, bone mineralization, fat metabolism, cognitive function, deteriorates muscle mass and alters body composition. The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the effect of dietary intervention and physical activity on the MOSH patient’s hormonal profile after a 10% weight loss compared to baseline. Fourteen male patients were enrolled. Hormonal, lipid, glycemic profiles and body composition were determined at baseline and after a 10% weight loss. Aging Male Symptoms Scale (AMS) and Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) were administered to patients in order to investigate hypogonadal symptoms and food addiction. Compared to baseline, a significant increase of Total Testosterone (TT) (300.2 ± 79.5 ng/dl vs 408.3 ± 125.9, p = 0.002, 95% CI 26.8; 167.7) and a reduction of 17-Beta Estradiol level (48.3 ± 14.9 pg/mL vs 39.2 ± 15.2, p = 0.049, 95% CI 3.1; 0.0) were observed. Total Fat Mass (FM) percentage, android and gynoid fat mass percentage (39.2 ± 6.4% vs 36.2 ± 5.8%, p = 0.0001, 95% CI 22.5; 62.3; 51.5 ± 6.8% vs 47.6 ± 6.8%, p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.6; 1.8, vs 39.2 ± 6.2% vs 36.5 ± 6.3% p= 0.0001, 95% CI 0.9; 2.0 respectively) were significantly decreased after nutritional intervention. In addition, total Fat Free Mass (FFM) in kg was significantly reduced after 10% weight loss (62.3± 2.8 kg vs 60.3± 7.7 kg, p = 0.002, 95% CI 45.0; 93.0). Lifestyle changes, specifically dietotherapy and physical activity, induce positive effects on hypogonadism due to obesity.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequent form of malignancy and the second only to lung cancer as common cause of cancer-causing deaths in women. Notwithstanding many progresses in the field, metastatic BC has a very poor prognosis. As therapies are becoming more personalized to meet patients‘ needs, a better knowledge of the molecular biology leading to the disease unfolds the possibility to project more precise compounds or antibodies targeting definite alteration at the molecular level expressed in cancer cells of patients or as antigens on the surface of cell membranes. Fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) is a druggable target -which is activated by its own ligands -namely the Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs). This pathway provides a vast range of interesting molecular targets pursued at different levels of clinical investigation. Herein we provide an update on the knowledge on genetic alterations of the receptors in breast cancer, their role in tumorigenesis and the most recent drugs against this particular receptor to treat the disease.

Introduction: Infections associated with medical implants pose significant challenges to healthcare, demanding the development of new effective antimicrobial strategies. This study focuses on the creation of a novel biological membrane with enhanced antimicrobial properties by with the incorporation of either vancomycin or silver nanoparticles. Methods: Pericardium samples were impregnated with either silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) or vancomycin (VAN). The antimicrobial activity of the membranes was assessed through qualitative microbiological analysis, biofilm production and animal in vivo model of infection. Histological analysis was performed on the pericardium samples, and quantitative microbiological analysis was conducted on the tissue from the animal model and biocompatibility evaluation. Statistical analyses were carried out using appropriate tests. Results: Microbiological tests confirmed both VAN and AgNP showed inhibition halos against bacteria. Histological analysis indicated minimal inflammatory response and bacterial presence in VAN and AgNP groups compared to the control group revealed reduced bacterial presence. Biomechanical testing showed that polypropylene had the lowest tensile strength, while AgNP-impregnated pericardium exhibited lower resistance than VAN-impregnated and control pericardium. Conclusion: Lyophilized and decellularized bovine pericardium as a substrate, combined with the incorporation of vancomycin or silver nanoparticles, provides a versatile platform for combating infections associated with medical implants.

Forest fires are part of a set of natural disasters that have always affected regions of the world typically characterized by a tropical climate with long periods of drought. However, due to climate change in recent years, other regions of our planet have also been affected by this phenomenon, never seen before. One of them is certainly the Italian peninsula, and especially the regions of southern Italy. For this reason, the scientific community, as well as remote sensing one, is highly concerned in developing reliable techniques to provide useful support to the competent authorities. In particular, three specific tasks have been carried out in this work: (i) fire risk prevention, (ii) active fire detection, and (iii) post-fire area assessment. To accomplish these analyses, the capability of a set of spectral indices, derived from spaceborne remote sensing (RS) data, is assessed to monitor the forest fires. The spectral indices are obtained from Sentinel-2 multispectral images of the European Space Agency (ESA), which are free of charge and openly accessible. Moreover, the twin Sentinel-2 sensors allow to overcome some restrictions on time delivery and observation repeat time. The performance of the proposed analyses were assessed experimentally to monitor the forest fires occurred in two specific study areas during the summer of 2017: the volcano Vesuvius, near Naples, and the Lattari mountains, near Sorrento (both in Campania, Italy).

For decades since the central dogma, cancer biology research has been focusing on the involvement of genes encoding proteins. It has been not until more recent times that a new molecular class has been discovered, named non-coding RNA (ncRNA), which has been shown to play crucial roles in shaping the activity of cells. An extraordinary number of studies into shown that ncRNAs represent an extensive and prevalent group of RNAs, including both oncogenic or tumor suppressive molecules. Henceforth, various clinical trials involving ncRNAs as extra ordinary biomarkers or therapies have started to emerge. In this review, we will focus on the prognostic and diagnostic role of ncRNAs for breast cancer.

This study aimed to assess the foodborne diseases (FBD) outbreaks reported in Brazil between 2000 and 2018, based on data from the Brazilian Ministry of Health (official data) and from the scientific literature. According to official data, 13,163 FBD outbreaks were reported in the country during this period, involving 247,570 cases and 195 deaths. The largest prevalence of FBD outbreaks was observed in the Southeast region of Brazil (45.6%). In most outbreaks it was not possible to determine the food implicated (45.9%) but among those identified, water was the most frequently associated (12.0%). The etiological agent was not identified in most outbreaks (38.0%), while Salmonella (14.4%) was the most frequently reported, among those identified. Homes were the main site of FBD occurrence (12.5%). Regarding data obtained from the scientific literature, 57 articles dealing with FBD in the country throughout the same period were selected and analyzed. Based on these articles, mixed foods were the most prevalent in the outbreaks (31.6%), Salmonella spp. was the pathogen most frequently reported (22.8%) and homes were also the main site of FBD occurrence (45.6%). Despite under-notification, the records of FBD outbreaks that have occurred in Brazil in the past recent years show alarming data, requiring attention from health authorities. The notification of outbreaks is essential to facilitate public health actions.

Hypoxia, a condition of low oxygenation frequently found in triple-negative breast tumors (TNBC), promotes extracellular vesicle (EV) secretion and favors cell invasion, a complex process in which cell morphology is altered, dynamic focal adhesion spots are created, and ECM is re-modeled. Here, we investigated the invasive properties triggered by TNBC-derived hypoxic small EV (SEVh) in vitro in cells cultured under hypoxic and normoxic conditions, using pheno-typical and proteomic approaches. SEVh characterization demonstrated increased protein abundance and diversity over normoxic SEV (SEVn), with enrichment in pro-invasive pathways. In normoxic cells, SEVh promotes invasive behavior through pro-migratory morphology, in-vadopodia development, ECM degradation and matrix metalloprotease (MMP) secretion. Pro-teome profiling of normoxic cells exposed to SEVh determined enrichment in metabolic processes and cell cycle, modulating cell health to escape apoptotic pathways. In hypoxia, SEVh was re-sponsible for proteolytic and catabolic pathway inducement, interfering with integrin availabil-ity and gelatinase expression. Overall, our results demonstrate the importance of hypoxic signal-ing via SEV in tumors for the early establishment of metastasis.