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Geochemical fingerprints of grape samples have been defined for 10 cultivars grown in two sampling areas characterized by homogeneous pedological and climate systems in the province of Treviso (northeast Italy). The choice of lithologies was based on the fact that vineyards in Italy frequently grow in both sedimentary soils with various terrigenous carbonate contents and basic volcanic soils. The latter may have high concentrations of heavy metals that are essential for a balanced human diet but can be toxic or harmful if assimilated in excess. To identify possible geochemical tracers within the soil that can be passed to the grapes and possible bioaccumulation of soil-derived elements within the grapes, major and trace elements of the soils, sampled at depths of greater root development, were determined by X-ray fluorescence, and metal concentrations in grape juice were determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. All samples were compared with samples collected at two other sites located in the Euganean Hills, in the southern part of the Veneto region, considering that the wines produced in these areas are exported all over the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change can affect the crops production capacity and modify the water requirements in the different regions of the world. In particular, in southern Europe and in the Mediterranean region the vegetative cycle of plants will take place in a warmer and drier period, with the consequent increase in vegetative activity, transpiration rate, and water consumption. In the case of vine, the rationalization of water resource needs a deep knowledge of the complex relationships between climate, soil, water availability and grape variety, in order to preserve the high quality regional wine productions. In the Cirò DOC area (Calabria), the effect of irrigation, prolonged until maturity, on the polyphenolic content of the grapes was studied with the Gaglioppo red grapes variety, in order to verify whether a moderate post-veraison water supply could favour the completion of phenolic maturation. Two different water regimes were compared in the vineyard, and the physicochemical composition, the polyphenolic and aromatic profiles and the sensory characteristics of the resulting wines were studied. The study confirmed that the climatic variability of the different vintages can influence both the vegetative-productive activity of vines and the effect of water supplies.

Glera vineyards from the Prosecco wine district in northern Italy have been characterised in terms of the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr isotope-ratio of musts from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 vintages, coupled with the isotopic analysis of Sr in the labile fraction of the soils of provenance. For a single vineyard, detailed Sr isotopic analyses were carried out in sequentially extracted soil fractions at three different depths, and in the grape components (skin, seeds, must and stem), in order to verify the lack of Sr isotopic fractionation within the plant. The 87 Sr/ 86 Sr in must, seeds and stem overlaps within experimental uncertainties; skins are shifted towards a lower Sr isotopic composition. A large range of Sr isotopic compositions ( 87 Sr/ 86 Sr between 0.70706 and 0.71215) characterizes musts from the different vineyards, notwithstanding the relatively limited extension of the investigated geographic area. A statistically significant correspondence between the soil labile fraction and must is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) mediates cellular resistance toward various forms of stress. Here, we show that in mammalian cells subjected to hypoxia and staurosporine treatment SIRT3 prevents loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨmt), intracellular acidification and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Our results indicate that: (i) SIRT3 inhibits mitochondrial permeability transition and loss of membrane potential by preventing HKII binding to the mitochondria, (ii) SIRT3 increases catalytic activity of the mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase VB, thereby preventing intracellular acidification, Bax activation and apoptotic cell death. In conclusion we propose that, in mammalian cells, SIRT3 has a central role in connecting changes in ΔΨmt, intracellular pH and mitochondrial-regulated apoptotic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction technique in the reciprocal space mapping mode is exploited to study sub-micron periodic domain structures in lithium niobate crystals. Periodic satellite structure were detected around the reciprocal lattice points which carry information on the domain period and shape and also on the presence of lattice deformations. Moreover a pronounced diffuse scattering peak was observed, indicating the presence of a random displacement field possibly associated to the presence of randomly distributed structural defect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the simultaneous fabrication of two-dimensional submicron engineered domain patterns on both crystal faces, in congruent lithium niobate. The fabrication technique is based on interference photolithography, which allows short pitch over large areas, followed by electric field poling performed in overpoling regime. Experimental results for different domain pattern geometries, on the two crystal faces, are reported. These structures could be useful for short-wavelength frequency conversion and Bragg gratings applications. The moireacute effect is used in the lithographic process to fabricate more complex structures which could find application in photonic bandgap devices [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study explores the relationship between obesity and borderline personality symptomatology in two clinical settings: a psychiatric vs primary care setting. The body mass indices (BMI) of 48 women from a psychiatric outpatient setting and 83 women from a primary care setting were calculated. Each participant completed the borderline personality scale of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-Revised (PDQ-R). While BMI and PDQ-R were moderately related in the psychiatric sample (r=0.43, P<0.01), there was a lack of association between these variables in the primary care sample (r=0.04, P>0.05). In conclusion, women's increasing body weight appears to have some degree of correlation to borderline personality symptomatology among psychiatric patients, whereas it apparently does not among primary care patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Lifus 3 loop was designed and constructed in 2001/2002 in ENEA, to evaluate the corrosion behaviour of Fusion reference structural materials, and in particular AISI 316 and Eurofer, in flowing lithium environment. To fully accomplish the experimental program originally foreseen for Lifus 3 and not respected it was decided in 2010 to build a new experimental facility, simplified from the hydraulic point of view, capable of performing the set of tests required by the IFMIF community. The operating parameters of this loop, named Lifus 6 [1], are: isothermal loop with operating temperature of 350°C, maximum velocity in the test section of about 16m/s, cold trap continuously operated to remove carbon and oxygen impurities, hot trap operated in batch to remove nitrogen ones. An integral measurement of impurities is made on line by using a resistivity meter. The Lifus 6 loop design is presented in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This work is devoted to a feasibility analysis for the development of fiber optic humidity sensors to be applied in high-energy physics (HEP) applications and in particular in experiments actually running at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). Due to the stringent sensors requirements concerning radiation hardness capability and low temperature operation, we focus our attention on the investigation of fiber optic humidity sensors based on polyimide-coated fiber Bragg gratings (FBG). Data here reported, obtained during a wide experimental campaign carried out in the laboratories of CERN, demonstrate that the selected technological platform is able to perform relative humidity (RH) measurements with percent resolution in the temperature range −15 to 20°C as well as in presence of ionizing radiations up to 10kGy, largely outperforming conventional humidity sensors, currently employed within CERN environment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Extracellular vesicles (EV), key players in cell-to-cell communication, may contribute to disease propagation in several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), by favoring the dissemination of neurotoxic proteins within the brain. Interestingly, growing evidence supports the role of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in the pathogenesis of AD. Here, we investigated whether HSV-1 infection could promote the spread of phosphorylated tau (ptau) among neurons via EV. We analyzed the ptau species that were secreted via EV following HSV-1 infection in neuroblastoma cells and primary neurons, focusing particularly on T205, T181, and T217, the phosphorylation sites mainly associated with AD. Moreover, by overexpressing human tau tagged with GFP (htau GFP ), we found that recipient tau knockout (KO) neurons uptook EV that are loaded with HSV-1-induced phtau GFP . Finally, we exploited an in vivo model of acute infection and assessed that cerebral HSV-1 infection promotes the release of ptau via EV in the brain of infected mice. Overall, our data suggest that, following HSV-1 infection, EV play a role in tau spreading within the brain, thus contributing to neurodegeneration.IMPORTANCEHerpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection that reaches the brain has been repeatedly linked with the appearance of the pathognomonic markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), including accumulation of amyloid beta and hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, and cognitive deficits. AD is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease representing the most common form of dementia in the elderly, and no cure is currently available, thus prompting additional investigation on potential risk factors and pathological mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that the virus exploits the extracellular vesicles (EV) to disseminate phosphorylated tau (ptau) among brain cells. Importantly, we provide evidence that the HSV-1-induced EV-bearing ptau can be undertaken by recipient neurons, thus likely contributing to misfolding and aggregation of native tau, as reported for other AD models. Hence, our data highlight a novel mechanism exploited by HSV-1 to propagate tau-related damage in the brain., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Thermal camouflage is a highly coveted technology aimed at enhancing the survivability of military equipment against infrared (IR) detectors. Recently, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have shown low IR emissivity, widely tunable opto-electronic properties, and compatibility with stealth applications. Among these, graphene and graphene-like materials are the most appealing 2D materials for thermal camouflage applications. In multilayer graphene (MLG), charge density can be effectively tuned through sufficiently intense electric fields or through electrolytic gating. Therefore, MLG's optical properties, like infrared emissivity and absorbance, can be controlled in a wide range by voltage bias. The large emissivity modulation achievable with this material makes it suitable in the design of thermal dynamic camouflage devices. Generally, the emissivity modulation in the multilayered graphene medium is governed by an intercalation process of non-volatile ionic liquids under a voltage bias. The electrically driven reduction of emissivity lowers the apparent temperature of a surface, aligning it with the background temperature to achieve thermal camouflage. This characteristic is shared by other graphene-based materials. In this review, we focus on recent advancements in the thermal camouflage properties of graphene in composite films and aerogel structures. We provide a summary of the current understanding of how thermal camouflage materials work, their present limitations, and future opportunities for development.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a critical opportunistic pathogen associated with nosocomial infections. The high rates of antibiotic-resistance acquisition make most antibiotics ineffective. Thus, new medical countermeasures are urgently needed. Outer membrane proteins (OMPs) are prime candidates for developing novel drug targets and antibacterial strategies. However, there are substantial gaps in our knowledge of A. baumannii OMPs. This study reports the impact of OmpA-like protein on bacterial physiology and virulence in A. baumannii strain AB5075. We found that PsaB (ABUW&#95;0505) negatively correlates to stress tolerance, while ArfA (ABUW&#95;2730) significantly affects bacterial stiffness, cell shape, and cell envelope thickness. Furthermore, we expand our knowledge on YiaD (ABUW&#95;3045), demonstrating structural and virulence roles of this porin, in addition to meropenem resistance. This study provides solid foundations for understanding how uncharacterized OMPs contribute to A. baumannii's physiological and pathological processes, aiding the development of innovative therapeutic strategies against A. baumannii infections., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cancer cells modulate their metabolism, creating an acidic microenvironment that, in turn, can favor tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance. Tumor cells adopt strategies to survive a drop in extracellular pH (pHe). In the present manuscript, we investigated the contribution of mitochondrial sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) to the adaptation and survival of cancer cells to a low pHe. SIRT3-overexpressing and silenced breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231 and human embryonic kidney HEK293 cells were grown in buffered and unbuffered media at pH 7.4 and 6.8 for different times. mRNA expression of SIRT3 and CAVB, was measured by RT-PCR. Protein expression of SIRT3, CAVB and autophagy proteins was estimated by western blot. SIRT3-CAVB interaction was determined by immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assays (PLA). Induction of autophagy was studied by western blot and TEM. SIRT3 overexpression increases the survival of both cell lines. Moreover, we demonstrated that SIRT3 controls intracellular pH (pHi) through the regulation of mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase VB (CAVB). Interestingly, we obtained similar results by using MC2791, a new SIRT3 activator. Our results point to the possibility of modulating SIRT3 to decrease the response and resistance of tumor cells to the acidic microenvironment and ameliorate the effectiveness of anticancer therapy.

Rotenone is a pesticide used in research for its ability to induce changes similar, in vivo and in vitro, to those observed in Parkinson's disease (PD). This includes a selective death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Nonetheless, the precise mechanism through which rotenone modifies structure and function of neurons remains unclear. The PC12 cells closely resemble dopamine terminal neurons. This makes it a preferred model for studying the morphology of central dopamine neurons and predicting neurotoxicity. In this paper, we investigated the effects of 0.5 µM rotenone for 24-48 h on PC12 cell viability and ultrastructure (TEM), trying to identify primary and more evident alterations that can be related to neuronal damages similar to that seen in animal PD models. Cell viability decreased after 24 h rotenone treatment, with a further decrease after 48 h. Ultrastructural changes included vacuolar degeneration, mitochondrial mild swelling, decrease in the number of neuropeptide granules, and the loss of cell-to-cell adhesion. These findings are in agreement with previous research suggesting that rotenone, by inhibiting energy production and increasing ROS generation, is responsible for significant alterations of the ultrastructure and cell death of PC12 cells. Our data confirm the link between rotenone exposure, neuronal damage, and changes in dopamine metabolism, suggesting its role in the pathogenesis of PD.

Objective: Drug-induced sleepiness is a frequent cause of emergency department (ED) visits for frail patients. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of anticholinergic burden on 90-day revisitation risk for frail patients who visit the ED due to drug-induced sleepiness., Methods: This was a retrospective study in which patients treated at a fragility care area of an ED who sought consultation for drug-associated sleepiness from June 2020 to June 2021 were included. To evaluate the 90-day revisitation risk factors, a multivariate analysis was performed, including those factors with a p<0.200 from a previous univariate model. A Cox regression model was performed to assess the impact of a high burden on the time until 90-day ED revisitation., Results: One hundred and forty-eight patients were included (mean age 80.7±12.3 years). The median number of drugs that patients were currently on at emergency admission was eight (range 2-19), while at hospital discharge it was nine (range 2-20), with the median number of central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs on admission being three (range 1-6). Thirty-five (23.6%) patients revisited the ED 90 days after discharge for sleepiness or agitation. In the multivariate model, a significant association was observed between a high anticholinergic burden during treatment at discharge (OR 3.74, 95% CI 1.36 to 9.71), chronic kidney disease (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.19 to 6.81), and the risk of 90-day revisitation. Patients with high anticholinergic burden had a shorter time to revisit than those with medium or low anticholinergic burden (HR 1.96, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.99)., Conclusions: Patients with pharmacological sleepiness and a high anticholinergic burden in their chronic treatment carry a greater risk of revisitation to EDs, and should be considered candidates for specific interventions after visiting these units., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© European Association of Hospital Pharmacists 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: The limited ability of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in removing globotriaosylceramide from cardiomyocytes is recognized for advanced Fabry disease cardiomyopathy (FDCM). Prehypertrophic FDCM is believed to be cured or stabilized by ERT. However, no pathologic confirmation is available. We report here on the long-term clinical-pathologic impact of ERT on prehypertrophic FDCM., Methods and Results: Fifteen patients with Fabry disease with left ventricular maximal wall thickness ≤10.5 mm at cardiac magnetic resonance required endomyocardial biopsy because of angina and ventricular arrhythmias. Endomyocardial biopsy showed coronary small-vessel disease in the angina cohort, and vacuoles in smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes ≈20% of the cell surface containing myelin bodies at electron microscopy. Patients received α-agalsidase in 8 cases, and β-agalsidase in 7 cases. Both groups experienced symptom improvement except 1 patients treated with α-agalsidase and 1 treated with β-agalsidase. After ERT administration ranging from 4 to 20 years, all patients had control cardiac magnetic resonance and left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy because of persistence of symptoms or patient inquiry on disease resolution. In 13 asymptomatic patients with FDCM, left ventricular maximal wall thickness and left ventricular mass, cardiomyocyte diameter, vacuole surface/cell surface ratio, and vessels remained unchanged or minimally increased (left ventricular mass increased by <2%) even after 20 years of observation, and storage material was still present at electron microscopy. In 2 symptomatic patients, FDCM progressed, with larger and more engulfed by globotriaosylceramide myocytes being associated with myocardial virus-negative lymphocytic inflammation., Conclusions: ERT stabilizes storage deposits and myocyte dimensions in 87% of patients with prehypertrophic FDCM. Globotriaosylceramide is never completely removed even after long-term treatment. Immune-mediated myocardial inflammation can overlap, limiting ERT activity.

The need to reduce the use of pesticides in viticulture is increasing the interest in wines produced using fungal-resistant grapevine varieties, which are characterized by relevant contents of both monoglucoside and diglucoside anthocyanins. Aging in wooden barrels induces oxygen permeation into wine, but little is known about diglucoside anthocyanin evolution. Cabernet cortis wine was subjected to addition of oxygen and oak chips, and the anthocyanin changes were followed for 1 month. Decreases of 90% total monoglucosides, 80% acylated monoglucosides, 65% diglucosides, and 90% acylated diglucosides were observed. Monoglucosides formed pyranoanthocyanins, and the lower steric hindrance favored their polymerization with flavanols. Instead, the decrease in diglucosides was correlated to the number of hydroxyl groups of ring B, indicating the predominant oxidation of aglycones. However, three flavonol-anthocyanin-diglucoside derivatives named (epi)catechin-ethyl-Mv-dihexoside, (epi)catechin-ethyl-Pn-dihexoside, and (epi)catechin-Mv-dihexoside A-type were identified in wine for the first time. These research findings are useful for tuning suitable oenological practices to stabilize the color of these wines (type of barrel, aging times, oxygenation practices) and lower the malvin content, which currently is recommended by the OIV at a maximum of 15 mg/L and is a critical issue for their commercialization.

Introduction: Fabry's disease (FD) is a genetic X-linked systemic and progressive rare disease characterized by the accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (GB3) into the lysosomes of many tissues. FD is due to loss-of-function mutations of α-galactosidase, a key-enzyme for lysosomal catabolism of glycosphingolipids, which accumulate as glycolipid bodies (GB). In homozygous males the progressive deposition of GB3 into the cells leads to clinical symptoms in CNS, skin, kidney, etc. In testis GB accumulation causes infertility and alterations of spermatogenesis. However, the precise damaging mechanism is still unknown. Our hypothesis is that GB accumulation reduces blood vessel lumen and increases the distance of vessels from both stromal cells and seminiferous parenchyma; this, in turn, impairs oxygen and nutrients diffusion leading to subcellular degradation of seminiferous epithelium and sterility., Methods: To test this hypothesis, we have studied a 42-year-old patient presenting a severe FD and infertility, with reduced number of spermatozoa, but preserved sexual activity. Testicular biopsies were analyzed by optical (OM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Activation and cellular localization of HIF-1α and NFκB was analyzed by immunofluorescence (IF) and RT-PCR on homogeneous tissue fractions after laser capture microdissection (LCMD)., Results: OM and TEM showed that GB were abundant in vessel wall cells and in interstitial cells. By contrast, GB were absent in seminiferous epithelium, Sertoli's and Leydig's cells. However, seminiferous tubular epithelium and Sertoli's cells showed reduced diameter, thickening of basement membrane and tunica propria, and swollen or degenerated spermatogonia. IF showed an accumulation of HIF-1α in stromal cells but not in seminiferous tubules. On the contrary, NFκB fluorescence was evident in tubules, but very low in interstitial cells. Finally, RT-PCR analysis on LCMD fractions showed the expression of pro-inflammatory genes connected to the HIF-1α/NFκB inflammatory-like pathway., Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that infertility in FD may be caused by reduced oxygen and nutrients due to GB accumulation in blood vessels cells. Reduced oxygen and nutrients alter HIF-1α/NFκB expression and localization while activating HIF-1α/NFκB driven-inflammation-like response damaging seminiferous tubular epithelium and Sertoli's cells., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Sansone, Barreca, Belli, Aventaggiato, Russo, Perrone, Russo, Tafani and Frustaci.)

Nicotine, the primary psychoactive agent in tobacco leaves, has led to the widespread use of tobacco, with over one billion smokers globally. This article provides a historical overview of tobacco and discusses tobacco dependence, as well as the biological effects induced by nicotine on mammalian cells. Nicotine induces various biological effects, such as neoangiogenesis, cell division, and proliferation, and it affects neural and non-neural cells through specific pathways downstream of nicotinic receptors (nAChRs). Specific effects mediated by α7 nAChRs are highlighted. Nicotine is highly addictive and hazardous. Public health initiatives should prioritize combating smoking and its associated risks. Understanding nicotine's complex biological effects is essential for comprehensive research and informed health policies. While potential links between nicotine and COVID-19 severity warrant further investigation, smoking remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Effective public health strategies are vital to promote healthier lifestyles.

Cancer cells show increased glutamine consumption. The glutaminase (GLS) enzyme controls a limiting step in glutamine catabolism. Breast tumors, especially the triple-negative subtype, have a high expression of GLS. Our recent study demonstrated that GLS activity and ammonia production are inhibited by sirtuin 5 (SIRT5). We developed MC3138, a selective SIRT5 activator. Treatment with MC3138 mimicked the deacetylation effect mediated by SIRT5 overexpression. Moreover, GLS activity was regulated by inorganic phosphate (Pi). Considering the interconnected roles of GLS, SIRT5 and Pi in cancer growth, our hypothesis is that activation of SIRT5 and reduction in Pi could represent a valid antitumoral strategy. Treating cells with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate, a Pi chelator, decreased cell viability and clonogenicity. We also observed a modulation of MAP1LC3B and ULK1 with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate. Interestingly, inhibition of the mitophagy marker BNIP3 was observed only in the presence of MC3138. Autophagy and mitophagy modulation were accompanied by an increase in cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). In conclusion, our results show how SIRT5 activation and/or Pi binding can represent a valid strategy to inhibit cell proliferation by reducing glutamine metabolism and mitophagy, leading to a deleterious accumulation of ROS.

Pain is the most common complaint reported by children who access the emergency departments, but despite its frequency and the availability of many international guidelines, it often remains underreported and undertreated. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Pain Society have reiterated the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in order to eliminate pain in children. In all pediatric settings, an adequate assessment is the initial stage in a proper clinical approach to pain, especially in the emergency departments; therefore, an increasing number of age-related tools have been validated. A wide range of analgesic agents are currently available for pain management, and they should be tailored according to the patient's age, the drug's pharmacokinetics and the intensity of pain. In order to facilitate the choice of the appropriate drug, a treatment algorithm based on a ladder approach can be used. Moreover, non-pharmacological techniques should be considered to alleviate anxiety and distress in pediatric age. This review aims to offer a simple but intuitive description of the best strategies for pain relief in children, starting with the prompt recognition and quantification of pain through adequate assessment scales, and following with the identification of the most appropriate therapeutic choice among the ones available for pediatric age.

Background: Fabry disease cardiomyopathy (FDCM) has manifested some resistance to enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), particularly in its advanced phase. Recently, myocardial inflammation of autoimmune origin has been demonstrated in FDCM., Aims: The objective of this study was the assessment of circulating anti-globotriaosylceramide (GB3) antibodies as potential biomarkers of myocardial inflammation in FDCM, defined by the additional presence of ≥CD3+ 7 T lymphocytes/low-power field associated with focal necrosis of adjacent myocytes. Its sensitivity was based on the evidence of overlapping myocarditis at left ventricular endomyocardial biopsy., Methods and Results: From January 1996 to December 2021, 85 patients received a histological diagnosis of FDCM in our department and 48 (56.5%) of them had an overlapping myocardial inflammation with negative PCR for common cardiotropic viruses, positive antiheart, and antimyosin abs. The presence of anti-GB3 antibodies was evaluated with an in-house ELISA assay (BioGeM scarl Medical Investigational Research, MIR-Ariano Irpino, Italy), along with antiheart and antimyosin abs, in the FDCM patients and compared with control healthy individuals. The correlation between levels of circulating anti-GB3 autoantibody myocardial inflammation and FDCM severity was assessed. Anti-Gb3 antibodies were above the positivity cut-off in 87.5% of FDCM subjects with myocarditis (42 out of 48), while 81.1% of FDCM patients without myocarditis were identified as negative for Gb3 antibodies. Positive anti-Gb3 abs correlated with positive antiheart and antimyosin abs., Conclusions: The present study suggests a potential positive role of anti-GB3 antibodies as a marker of overlapping cardiac inflammation in patients with FDCM.

Life on Earth has evolved in the presence of a gravity constraint. Any change in the value of such a constraint has important physiological effects. Gravity reduction (microgravity) alters the performance of muscle, bone and, immune systems among others. Therefore, countermeasures to limit such deleterious effects of microgravity are needed considering future Lunar and Martian missions. Our study aims to demonstrate that the activation of mitochondrial Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) can be exploited to reduce muscle damage and to maintain muscle differentiation following microgravity exposure. To this effect, we used a RCCS machine to simulate microgravity on ground on a muscle and cardiac cell line. During microgravity, cells were treated with a newly synthesized SIRT3 activator, called MC2791 and vitality, differentiation, ROS and, autophagy/mitophagy were measured. Our results indicate that SIRT3 activation reduces microgravity-induced cell death while maintaining the expression of muscle cell differentiation markers. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that SIRT3 activation could represent a targeted molecular strategy to reduce muscle tissue damage caused by microgravity.

The aims of our study are to: (i) investigate the ability of nicotine to modulate the expression level of inflammatory cytokines in A549 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2; (ii) elucidate the ultrastructural features caused by the combination nicotine+SARS-CoV-2; and (iii) demonstrate the mechanism of action. In this study, A549 cells pretreated with nicotine were either exposed to LPS or poly(I:C), or infected with SARS-CoV-2. Treated and untreated cells were analyzed for cytokine production, cytotoxicity, and ultrastructural modifications. Vero E6 cells were used as a positive reference. Cells pretreated with nicotine showed a decrease of IL6 and TNFα in A549 cells induced by LPS or poly(I:C). In contrast, cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2 showed a high increase of IL6, IL8, IL10 and TNFα, high cytopathic effects that were dose- and time-dependent, and profound ultrastructural modifications. These modifications were characterized by membrane ruptures and fragmentation, the swelling of cytosol and mitochondria, the release of cytoplasmic content in extracellular spaces (including osmiophilic granules), the fragmentation of endoplasmic reticulum, and chromatin disorganization. Nicotine increased SARS-CoV-2 cytopathic effects, elevating the levels of inflammatory cytokines, and inducing severe cellular damage, with features resembling pyroptosis and necroptosis. The protective role of nicotine in COVID-19 is definitively ruled out.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a physiological process during embryogenesis, can become pathological in the presence of different driving forces. Reduced oxygen tension or hypoxia is one of these forces, triggering a large number of molecular pathways with aberrant EMT induction, resulting in cancer and fibrosis onset. Both hypoxia-induced factors, HIF-1α and HIF-2α, act as master transcription factors implicated in EMT. On the other hand, hypoxia-dependent HIF-independent EMT has also been described. Recently, a new class of seven proteins with deacylase activity, called sirtuins, have been implicated in the control of both hypoxia responses, HIF-1α and HIF-2α activation, as well as EMT induction. Intriguingly, different sirtuins have different effects on hypoxia and EMT, acting as either activators or inhibitors, depending on the tissue and cell type. Interestingly, sirtuins and HIF can be activated or inhibited with natural or synthetic molecules. Moreover, recent studies have shown that these natural or synthetic molecules can be better conveyed using nanoparticles, representing a valid strategy for EMT modulation. The following review, by detailing the aspects listed above, summarizes the interplay between hypoxia, sirtuins, and EMT, as well as the possible strategies to modulate them by using a nanoparticle-based approach.

As of 27 March 2022, the β-coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 487 million individuals worldwide, causing more than 6.14 million deaths. SARS-CoV-2 spreads through close contact, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); thus, emergency lockdowns have been implemented worldwide to avoid its spread. COVID-19 is not the first infectious disease that humankind has had to face during its history. Indeed, humans have recurrently been threatened by several emerging pathogens that killed a substantial fraction of the population. Historical sources document that as early as between the 10th and the 6th centuries BCE, the authorities prescribed physical-social isolation, physical distancing, and quarantine of the infected subjects until the end of the disease, measures that strongly resemble containment measures taken nowadays. In this review, we show a historical and literary overview of different epidemic diseases and how the recommendations in the pre-vaccine era were, and still are, effective in containing the contagion.