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Purpose: Cushing's syndrome (CS) is associated with severe cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the non-invasive gold standard for assessing cardiac structure and function; however, few CMR studies explore cardiac remodeling in patients exposed to chronic glucocorticoid (GC) excess. We aimed to describe the CMR features directly attributable to previous GC exposure in patients with cured or treated endogenous CS. Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, case-control study enrolling consecutive patients with cured or treated CS and patients harboring non-functioning adrenal incidentalomas (NFAI), comparable in terms of sex, age, CV risk factors, and BMI. All patients were in stable condition and had a minimum 24-month follow-up. Results: Sixteen patients with CS and 15 NFAI were enrolled. Indexed left ventricle (LV) end-systolic volume and LV mass were higher in patients with CS (p = 0.027; p = 0.013); similarly, indexed right ventricle (RV) end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were higher in patients with CS compared to NFAI (p = 0.035; p = 0.006). Morphological alterations also affected cardiac function, as LV and RV ejection fractions decreased in patients with CS (p = 0.056; p = 0.044). CMR features were independent of metabolic status or other CV risk factors, with fasting glucose significantly lower in CS remission than NFAI (p < 0.001) and no differences in lipid levels or blood pressure. Conclusion: CS is associated with biventricular cardiac structural and functional impairment at CMR, likely attributable to chronic exposure to cortisol excess independently of known traditional risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Aim of this study was to investigate in type 2 diabetes whether expression level of GALNT2, a positive modulator of insulin sensitivity, is associated with a metabolic signature. Methods: Five different metabolite families, including acylcarnitines, aminoacids, biogenic amines, phospholipids and sphingolipids were investigated in fasting serum of 70 patients with type 2 diabetes, by targeted metabolomics. GALNT2 expression levels were measured in peripheral white blood cells by RT-PCR. The association between GALNT2 expression and serum metabolites was assessed using false discovery rate followed by stepwise selection and, finally, multivariate model including several clinical parameters as confounders. The association between GALNT2 expression and the same clinical parameters was also investigated. Results: GALNT2 expression was independently correlated with HbA1c levels (P value = 0.0052), a finding that is the likely consequence of the role of GALNT2 on insulin sensitivity. GALNT2 expression was also independently associated with serum levels of the aminoacid glycine (P value = 0.014) and two biogenic amines phenylethylamine (P value = 0.0065) and taurine (P value = 0.0011). The association of GALNT2 expression with HbA1c was not mediated by these three metabolites. Conclusions: Our data indicate that in type 2 diabetes the expression of GALNT2 is associated with several serum metabolites. This association needs to be further investigated to understand in depth its role in mediating the effect of GALNT2 on insulin sensitivity, glucose control and other clinical features in people with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple pregnancies are associated with significant maternal, fetal, and neonatal risks, including prematurity, low birth weight, pre-eclampsia, anemia, postpartum hemorrhage, intrauterine growth restriction, neonatal morbidity, and increased neonatal and infant mortality rates. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments should prioritize efforts to reduce such events, resisting patient demand for the transfer of multiple embryos at each transfer to increase success rates. Extended culture, embryo selection, and single blastocyst transfer can mitigate the risk of high-order multiple pregnancies. Intriguingly, elective single-embryo transfer (eSET) greatly reduces, but does not completely eliminate, the likelihood of multiple gestations. The occurrence of monozygotic twinning (MZT) gives rise to identical twins. It is more prevalent in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) compared with natural conception. In fact, the reported risks of monozygotic twinning in IVF and natural conception are 1.7 and 0.4%, respectively. The factors suspected to increase the risk of MZT in IVF are multiple embryo transfer, micromanipulation, and extended in vitro culture. Determining chorionicity and amnionicity is crucial in the assessment of multiple pregnancies during the first-trimester ultrasound examination. Dichorionic twins result from embryo splitting within 3 days after fertilization, while monochorionic twins occur when the splitting takes place between 4 and 8 days after fertilization. These timings are suggested by observations carried out in natural pregnancies. In ART, there is evidence of dichorionic twins derived from single embryo transfer (SET). Here, we report a case of dichorionic diamniotic triplets after a single blastocyst transfer occurred in our center. To our knowledge, this is the first case documented so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-bilayered particles, containing various biomolecules, including nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins, released by cells from all the domains of life and performing multiple communication functions. Evidence suggests that the interaction between host immune cells and fungal EVs induces modulation of the immune system. Most of the studies on fungal EVs have been conducted in the context of fungal infections; therefore, there is a knowledge gap in what concerns the production of EVs by yeasts in other contexts rather than infection and that may affect human health. In this work, we characterized EVs obtained by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia fermentans strains isolated from a fermented milk product with probiotic properties. The immunomodulation abilities of EVs produced by these strains have been studied in vitro through immune assays after internalization from human monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Results showed a significant reduction in antigen presentation activity of dendritic cells treated with the fermented milk EVs. The small RNA fraction of EVs contained mainly yeast mRNA sequences, with a few molecular functions enriched in strains of two different species isolated from the fermented milk. Our results suggest that one of the mechanisms behind the anti-inflammatory properties of probiotic foods could be mediated by the interactions of human immune cells with yeast EVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) experience premature aging. Whether accelerated aging involves changes in body composition parameters and is associated with early development of sarcopenia is unclear. Aims: To compare parameters of body composition and the prevalence of sarcopenia between adults with DS and the general population. Methods: Body composition was assessed by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Fat mass (FMI) and skeletal mass indices (SMI) were calculated as the ratio between total body fat mass and appendicular lean mass and the square of height, respectively. Fat mass distribution was assessed by the android/gynoid fat ratio (A/G). Sarcopenia was defined according to the criteria and cut-points recommended by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2). Data on age- and sex-matched non-DS controls were retrieved from the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) population. Results: Sixty-four DS adults (mean age 37.2 ± 12.0 years, 20.3% women) were enrolled and compared with age- and sex-matched NHANES participants (n = 256), in a 1:4 ratio. FMI (7.96 ± 3.18 kg/m2 vs. 8.92 ± 4.83 kg/m2, p = 0.135), SMI (7.38 ± 1.01 kg/m2 vs. 7.46 ± 2.77 kg/m2, p = 0.825) and A/G (0.98 ± 0.17 vs. 1.01 ± 0.22, p = 0.115) were not significantly different between DS and control participants. When the sample was stratified by sex, women with DS had a higher FMI compared with their NHANES controls (10.16 ± 4.35 kg/m2 vs. 8.11 ± 4.29 kg/m2, p < 0.001), while men with DS had lower A/G ratio (1.04 ± 0.16 vs. 1.11 ± 0.22, p = 0.002). Sarcopenia was more frequent in individuals with DS than in controls (35.6% vs. 19.9%, p = 0.007). This association was stronger in men 40 years and older. Conclusions: Adults with DS have a higher prevalence of sarcopenia compared with the general population. This finding suggests that DS is associated with early muscle aging and calls for the design of interventions targeting the skeletal muscle to prevent or treat sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Osteoporosis in males is largely under-diagnosed and under-treated, with most of the diagnosis confirmed only after an osteoporotic fracture. Therefore, there is an urgent need for highly accurate and precise technologies capable of identifying osteoporosis earlier, thereby avoiding complications from fragility fractures. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and precision of the non-ionizing technology Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry (REMS) for the diagnosis of osteoporosis in a male population in comparison with conventional Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA). Methods: A cohort of 603 Caucasian males aged between 30 and 90 years were involved in the study. All the enrolled patients underwent lumbar and femoral scans with both DXA and REMS. The diagnostic agreement between REMS and DXA-measured BMD was expressed by Pearson correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman method. The accuracy of the diagnostic classification was evaluated by the assessment of sensitivity and specificity considering DXA as reference. Results: A significant correlation between REMS- and DXA-measured T-score values (r = 0.91, p < 0.0001) for lumbar spine and for femoral neck (r = 0.90, p < 0.0001) documented the substantial equivalence of the two measurement techniques. Bland-Altman outcomes showed that the average difference in T-score measurement is very close to zero (−0.06 ± 0.60 g/cm2 for lumbar spine and − 0.07 ± 0.44 g/cm2 for femoral neck) confirming the agreement between the two techniques. Furthermore, REMS resulted an effective technique to discriminate osteoporotic patients from the non-osteoporotic ones on both lumbar spine (sensitivity = 90.1%, specificity = 93.6%) and femoral neck (sensitivity = 90.9%, specificity = 94.6%). Precision yielded RMS-CV = 0.40% for spine and RMS-CV = 0.34% for femur. Conclusion: REMS, is a reliable technology for the diagnosis of osteoporosis also in men. This evidence corroborates its high diagnostic performance already observed in previous studies involving female populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical evidence regarding the impact of childhood emotional neglect on later adjustment is mixed, with some studies reporting neglect to predict low psychological well-being, while others reporting a well-adjusted development despite childhood experiences of emotional neglect. This heterogeneity is understood within a resilient framework where individual and contextual factors act as moderators. This is the first study investigating the moderating role of environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience on the association between childhood emotional neglect and psychological well-being.737 students from the University of Florence with an age ranging from 18 to 30 years (M = 19.81; SD = 1.91; 87% female) took part in the research. To investigate the effects of childhood emotional neglect on relational well-being, and the moderating role of environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience on the impact of emotional neglect, a series of generalized linear models, including only main effects and then adding interaction terms, were run and compared. Results provided support for a three-way interaction model, with environmental sensitivity and contextual resilience moderating the impact of childhood emotional neglect on relational well-being in young adulthood (B =.37, SE =.11, p <.001). Among those who experienced severe levels of childhood emotional neglect, young adults high in environmental sensitivity were more susceptible to the positive impact of supportive contexts, presenting higher levels of well-being compared to those low in environmental sensitivity. This study suggests that promoting supportive contexts in adulthood might reduce the impact of severe childhood emotional neglect, particularly in individuals with an increased environmental sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last one-hundred years, the exponential expansion of wine making has artificialized the agricultural landscape as well as its microbial diversity, spreading human selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. Evidence showed that social wasps can harbor a significant fraction of the yeast phenotypic diversity of a given area of wine production, allowing different strains to overwinter and mate in their gut. The integrity of the wasp-yeast ecological interaction is of paramount importance to maintain the resilience of microbial populations associated to wine aromatic profiles. In a field experiment, we verified whether Polistes dominula wasps, reared in laboratory and fed with a traceable S. cerevisiae strain, could be a useful tool to drive the controlled yeast dispersion directly on grapes. The demonstration of the biotechnological potential of social insects in organic wine farming lays the foundations for multiple applications including maintenance of microbial biodiversity and rewilding vineyards through the introduction of wasp associated microbiomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose meaningfulness as one important evaluative criterion in individual climate ethics and suggest that most of our greenhouse gas emitting actions, behaviours, and lives are the opposite of meaningful: anti-meaningful. We explain why such actions etc. score negatively on three important dimensions of the meaningfulness scale, which we call the agential, narrative, and generative dimensions. We suggest that thinking about individual climate ethics also in terms of (anti-) meaningfulness illuminates important aspects of our troubled ethical involvement with CC and can make a fresh and fruitful contribution to existing discussions, which tend to focus on moral responsibility and obligations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identified STAT1 gain of function (GOF) in a 32-year-old female with pallor, weakness, cough, and dyspnea admitted to our Division of Medicine. She had severe oral ulcers (OU), type 1 diabetes (T1DM), and pancytopenia. Bone marrow (BM) biopsy showed the absence of erythroid precursors. Peripheral blood parameters such as neutrophils < 500/mL, reticulocytes < 2%, and BM hypo-cellularity allowed to diagnose severe aplastic anemia. A heterozygous variant (p.520T>C, p.Cys174Arg) of STAT1 was uncovered. Thus, p.Cys174Arg mutation was investigated as potentially responsible for the patient's inborn immunity error and aplastic anemia. Although STAT1 GOF is rare, aplastic anemia is a more common condition; therefore, we explored STAT1 functional role in the pathobiology of BM failure. Interestingly, in a cohort of six patients with idiopathic aplastic anemia, enhanced phospho-STAT1 levels were observed on BM immunostaining. Next, the most remarkable features associated with STAT1 signaling dysregulation were examined: in both pure red cell aplasia and aplastic anemia, CD8+ T cell genetic variants and mutations display enhanced signaling activities related to the JAK-STAT pathway. Inborn errors of immunity may represent a paradigmatic condition to unravel crucial pathobiological mechanisms shared by common pathological conditions. Findings from our case-based approach and the phenotype correspondence to idiopathic aplastic anemia cases prompt further statistically powered prospective studies aiming to elucidate the exact role and theragnostic window for JAK/STAT targeting in this clinical context. Nonetheless, we demonstrate how a comprehensive study of patients with primary immunodeficiencies can lead to pathophysiologic insights and potential therapeutic approaches within a broader spectrum of aplastic anemia cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Door-to-needle time (DNT) is a key factor in acute stroke treatment success. We retrospectively analysed the effects of a new protocol aimed at reducing treatment delays in our single-centre observational series over a 1-year period (from October 1st 2021 to September 30th 2022). Methods: The time frame was divided into two semesters as a new protocol was started at the beginning of the second semester to ensure a rapid evaluation, imaging, and intravenous thrombolysis in all stroke patients attending our spoke-hospital serving 200,000 inhabitants. Logistics and outcome measures were obtained for each patient and compared before and after implementation of the new protocol. Results: A total of 215 patients with ischemic stroke attended our hospital within a 1-year period (109 in the first semester, 96 in the second semester). Seventeen percent and 21% of all patients underwent acute stroke thrombolysis in the first and second semesters, respectively. DNTs were strongly reduced in the second semester (from 90 to 55 min), bringing this value below the Italian and European benchmarks. This resulted in better short-term outcomes (an average of 20%) as measured by both Δ NIHSS scores at 24 h and at discharge with respect to baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Filoviridae Study Group continues to prospectively refine the established nomenclature for taxa included in family Filoviridae in an effort to decrease confusion of genus, species, and virus names and to adhere to amended stipulations of the International Code of Virus Classification and Nomenclature (ICVCN). Recently, the genus names Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus were changed to Orthoebolavirus and Orthomarburgvirus, respectively. Additionally, all established species names in family Filoviridae now adhere to the ICTV-mandated binomial format. Virus names remain unchanged and valid. Here, we outline the revised taxonomy of family Filoviridae as approved by the ICTV in April 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A votive offering or ex-voto includes a variety of usually non-professional artworks offered to divinities and placed in religious sites to fulfill a vow or in gratitude for recovery from an illness or injury. Unfortunately, the ancient period lacks a scientifically verifiable understanding of the true nature of cancer and its natural history and, consequently, a lack of effective treatment. This paper discusses two ex-votos potentially related to breast cancer distant more than 2000 years, one from the other. The ex-votos convey the complex relationship of humans with illness through an art expression stemming from the heart and minds of ordinary people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease mediated by an interdependent network of proinflammatory molecules such as chemokines. Prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a chemokine-like peptide that modulates nociceptive threshold and immuno-inflammatory processes via two G-protein-linked receptors, prokineticin receptor 1 and 2 (PKR1 and PKR2). In the present study, we investigated the effects of the prokineticin receptor antagonist PC1 on arthritic pain and the inflammatory response in type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice. We demonstrated that PC1, administered subcutaneously from day 25 to day 35 after CIA, improved clinical signs of arthritis such as paw edema, pain, and impaired locomotor activity. In CIA mice, PC1 was also able to lower plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, suggesting a role in reducing oxidative damage, as well as joint expression levels of PK2, PKRs, TNFα, IL-1β, CD4, CD8, and NF-kB. These results suggest that blocking PKRs may be a successful strategy to control arthritic pain and pathology development. Key Messages: PK2/PKRs expression levels strongly increase in the synovium of RA mice. PC1 treatment shows anti-arthritic activity and reduces arthritis-induced pain. PC1 treatment significantly lowers synovial PK2/PKRs levels. PC1 treatment lowers plasma MDA levels and synovial levels of TNFα and IL -1β PC1 treatment is a viable therapeutic option for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate estimation of the imminent fragility fracture risk currently represents a challenging task. The novel Fragility Score (FS) parameter, obtained during a Radiofrequency Echographic Multi Spectrometry (REMS) scan of lumbar or femoral regions, has been developed for the non-ionizing estimation of skeletal fragility. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess the performance of FS in the early identification of patients at risk for incident fragility fractures with respect to bone mineral density (BMD) measurements. Methods: Data from 1989 Caucasians of both genders were analysed and the incidence of fractures was assessed during a follow-up period up to 5 years. The diagnostic performance of FS to discriminate between patients with and without incident fragility fracture in comparison to that of the BMD T-scores measured by both Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) and REMS was assessed through ROC analysis. Results: Concerning the prediction of generic osteoporotic fractures, FS provided AUC = 0.811 for women and AUC = 0.780 for men, which resulted in AUC = 0.715 and AUC = 0.758, respectively, when adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI). For the prediction of hip fractures, the corresponding values were AUC = 0.780 for women and AUC = 0.809 for men, which became AUC = 0.735 and AUC = 0.758, respectively, after age- and BMI-adjustment. Overall, FS showed the highest prediction ability for any considered fracture type in both genders, resulting always being significantly higher than either T-scores, whose AUC values were in the range 0.472–0.709. Conclusion: FS displayed a superior performance in fracture prediction, representing a valuable diagnostic tool to accurately detect a short-term fracture risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic performance of structures controlled by external viscoelastic dampers with uncertain properties is investigated. The behaviour of the energy dissipation devices is described by a fractional constitutive law where both the fractional derivative order and the damping coefficient are modelled as interval variables with assigned lower bound and upper bound. Ground motion acceleration is modelled as a zero-mean stationary Gaussian random process. Under these assumptions, the motion of the controlled structure is governed by a set of interval fractional differential equations. All response quantities are described by interval zero-mean stationary Gaussian random processes, fully characterized in the frequency domain by their power spectral density function which depends on the interval parameters of the viscoelastic devices. Reliability analysis is carried out by extending the classical first-passage problem to the interval framework. The bounds of the interval-valued reliability function are computed by an efficient approximate procedure. A case-study, involving viscoelastic devices with interval properties defined based on experimental results available in the literature, is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sushi, von Willebrand factor type A, EGF and pentraxin domain containing 1 (SVEP1) is an extracellular matrix protein that causally promotes vascular disease and associates with platelet reactivity in humans. Here, using a human genomic and proteomic approach, we identify a high affinity, disease-relevant, and potentially targetable interaction between SVEP1 and the orphan receptor Platelet and Endothelial Aggregation Receptor 1 (PEAR1). This interaction promotes PEAR1 phosphorylation and disease associated AKT/mTOR signaling in vascular cells and platelets. Mice lacking SVEP1 have reduced platelet activation, and exogenous SVEP1 induces PEAR1-dependent activation of platelets. SVEP1 and PEAR1 causally and concordantly relate to platelet phenotypes and cardiovascular disease in humans, as determined by Mendelian Randomization. Targeting this receptor-ligand interaction may be a viable therapeutic strategy to treat or prevent cardiovascular and thrombotic disease. SVEP1 is linked to numerous human diseases, though its disease-promoting mechanism has remained unclear. Here, the authors identify SVEP1 as a ligand for the orphan receptor PEAR1 and provide insight into the role of this interaction in cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of proteins impacts directly on the function they perform. Mutations in the primary sequence can provoke structural changes with consequent modification of functional properties. SARS-CoV-2 proteins have been extensively studied during the pandemic. This wide dataset, related to sequence and structure, has enabled joint sequence-structure analysis. In this work, we focus on the SARS-CoV-2 S (Spike) protein and the relations between sequence mutations and structure variations, in order to shed light on the structural changes stemming from the position of mutated amino acid residues in three different SARS-CoV-2 strains. We propose the use of protein contact network (PCN) formalism to: (i) obtain a global metric space and compare various molecular entities, (ii) give a structural explanation of the observed phenotype, and (iii) provide context dependent descriptors of single mutations. PCNs have been used to compare sequence and structure of the Alpha, Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants, and we found that omicron has a unique mutational pattern leading to different structural consequences from mutations of other strains. The non-random distribution of changes in network centrality along the chain has allowed to shed light on the structural (and functional) consequences of mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This strategy has been recently questioned by studies [[2]] reporting that ~ 20% MODY patients were indeed carriers of mutations in SD genes, thus suggesting to change our current strategy [[2]]. Among the latter group, probands with I WFS1 i mutations (two heterozygous for p.Arg558His and p.Trp700* aged 37 and 60 with diabetes diagnosed at 15 and 47 years, respectively, one compound heterozygous for p.Val415del and p.Gly702Ser 16 years old, with diabetes diagnosed at 13 years and one homozygous for p.Glu202Gly 56 years old, with diabetes diagnosed at 27 years) were treated with insulin (Table 2). The pipeline we used defines heteroplasmic variants with a sensitivity of 1-5% Notably, the p.Ala1458Thr I ABCC8 i mutation found in one of our patient has been described to associate both with hyperinsulinism [[4]] and MODY [[5]], an opposite counter-intuitive biological function that has been described also for other ABCC8 mutations. MODY patients carrying mutation in syndromic diabetes genes. [Extracted from the article]

The management of myelomeningocele study trial showed significant prognostic improvement in fetal repair before 26 weeks of gestation. Hence, surgery in utero represents the best treatment option for open-neural tube defects (NTDs). Fetal surgery of open-NTDs has specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, which can be adequately studied with fetal MRI. The main concern: the spine (spinal defects other than Myelomeningocele and Myeloschisis, the level of the lesion higher than T1 or lower than S1 and the degree of kyphosis ≥ 30°), the skull/brain (no cerebellum herniation and Chiari II malformation and the presence of any intracranial abnormality unrelated to open NTDs), the uterus (cervix length less than 2 cm, multiple gestations and placental and uterine abnormalities) and any other fetal abnormality not attributed to spinal defect. In this review, we describe the fundamental role of fetal MRI in supporting therapeutic decisions in pre-surgery intrauterine planning through the accurate and comprehensive description of findings, providing a proposal of a structured report. In addition, we describe how post-surgical MRI is important in investigating the effectiveness of surgery and detecting repairing complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and compliance with the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol in octogenarian patients undergoing colorectal surgery in 12 Italian high-volume centers. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted in a consecutive series of patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery between 2016 and 2018. Patients were grouped by age (≥ 80 years vs < 80 years), propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed, and the groups were compared regarding clinical outcomes and the mean number of ERAS items applied. Results: Out of 1646 patients identified, 310 were octogenarians. PSM identified 2 cohorts of 125 patients for the comparison of postoperative outcomes and ERAS compliance. The 2 groups were homogeneous regarding the clinical variables and mean number of ERAS items applied (11.3 vs 11.9, p-ns); however, the application of intraoperative items was greater in nonelderly patients (p 0.004). The functional recovery was similar between the two groups, as were the rates of postoperative severe complications and 30-day mortality rate. Elderly patients had more overall complications. Furthermore, the mean hospital stay was higher in the elderly group (p 0.027). Multivariable analyses documented that postoperative stay was inversely correlated with the number of ERAS items applied (p < 0.0001), whereas age ≥ 80 years significantly correlated with the overall complication rate (p 0.0419). Conclusion: The ERAS protocol is safe in octogenarian patients, with similar levels of compliance and surgical outcomes. However, octogenarian patients have a higher rate of overall complications and a longer hospital stay than do younger patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Italy, approximately 400.000 new cases of malignant tumors are recorded every year. The average of annual deaths caused by tumors, according to the Italian Cancer Registers, is about 3.5 deaths and about 2.5 per 1,000 men and women respectively, for a total of about 3 deaths every 1,000 people. Long-term (at least a decade) and spatially detailed data (up to the municipality scale) are neither easily accessible nor fully available for public consultation by the citizens, scientists, research groups, and associations. Therefore, here we present a ten-year (2009–2018) database on cancer mortality rates (in the form of Standardized Mortality Ratios, SMR) for 23 cancer macro-types in Italy on municipal, provincial, and regional scales. We aim to make easily accessible a comprehensive, ready-to-use, and openly accessible source of data on the most updated status of cancer mortality in Italy for local and national stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers and to provide researchers with ready-to-use data to perform specific studies. Measurement(s) Standardized Mortality Ratio Technology Type(s) Public database [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intercalated disc (ICD) is a unique membrane structure that is indispensable to normal heart function, yet its structural organization is not completely understood. Previously, we showed that the ICD-bound transmembrane protein 65 (Tmem65) was required for connexin43 (Cx43) localization and function in cultured mouse neonatal cardiomyocytes. Here, we investigate the functional and cellular effects of Tmem65 reductions on the myocardium in a mouse model by injecting CD1 mouse pups (3–7 days after birth) with recombinant adeno-associated virus 9 (rAAV9) harboring Tmem65 shRNA, which reduces Tmem65 expression by 90% in mouse ventricles compared to scrambled shRNA injection. Tmem65 knockdown (KD) results in increased mortality which is accompanied by eccentric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy within 3 weeks of injection and progression to dilated cardiomyopathy with severe cardiac fibrosis by 7 weeks post-injection. Tmem65 KD hearts display depressed hemodynamics as measured echocardiographically as well as slowed conduction in optical recording accompanied by prolonged PR intervals and QRS duration in electrocardiograms. Immunoprecipitation and super-resolution microscopy demonstrate a physical interaction between Tmem65 and sodium channel β subunit (β1) in mouse hearts and this interaction appears to be required for both the establishment of perinexal nanodomain structure and the localization of both voltage-gated sodium channel 1.5 (NaV1.5) and Cx43 to ICDs. Despite the loss of NaV1.5 at ICDs, whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiology did not reveal reductions in Na+ currents but did show reduced Ca2+ and K+ currents in Tmem65 KD cardiomyocytes in comparison to control cells. We conclude that disrupting Tmem65 function results in impaired ICD structure, abnormal cardiac electrophysiology, and ultimately cardiomyopathy. The intercalated disc (ICD) is a membrane structure of the cardiac muscle involved in normal heart function. Here the authors report that knockdown of the ICD-bound transmembrane protein 65 results in impaired ICD structure, abnormal cardiac electrophysiology and cardiomyopathy in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cushing's disease (CD), caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary tumor, is the most common form of Cushing's syndrome (CS), accounting for approximately 70% of cases. CD requires a prompt diagnosis, an adequate treatment selection, and long-term management to limit hypercortisolism duration and long-term complications and improve patient outcomes. Pituitary surgery is the first-line option, which is non-curative in one third of patients, therefore requiring additional treatments. Medical therapy has recently acquired an emerging role, with the availability of several drugs with different therapeutic targets, efficacy and safety profiles. The current review focuses on efficacy and safety of steroidogenesis inhibitors, and particularly the historical drugs, ketoconazole and metyrapone, and the novel drugs levoketoconazole and osilodrostat, which seem to offer a rapid, sustained, and effective disease control. Ketoconazole should be preferred in females and in patients without severe liver disease; levoketoconazole may offer an alternative to classical ketoconazole, appearing characterized by a higher potency and potential lower hepatotoxicity compared to ketoconazole. Metyrapone should be preferred in males and in patients without severe or uncontrolled hypokalemia. Both ketoconazole and metyrapone may be preferred for short-term more than for long-term treatment. Osilodrostat may represent the best choice for long-term treatment, in patients with poor compliance to the multiple daily administration schedule, and in patients without severe or uncontrolled hypokalemia. Steroidogenesis inhibitors may be used alone or in combination, and associated with pituitary directed drugs, to improve the efficacy of the single drugs, allowing a potential use of lower doses for each drug, and hypothetically reducing the rate of adverse events associated with the single drugs. Clinicians may tailor medical therapy on the specific clinical scenario, considering disease history together with patients' characteristics and hypercortisolism's degree, addressing the needs of each patient in order to improve the therapeutic outcome and to reduce the burden of illness, particularly in patients with persistent or recurrent CD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current pharmacological treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) is focused on symptom alleviation rather than disease prevention. In this study, we look at a new strategy to neuroprotection that focuses on nutrition, by a supplementation with Açai berry in an experimental models of PD. Daily orally supplementation with Açai berry dissolved in saline at the dose of 500 mg/kg considerably reduced motor and non-motor symptom and neuronal cell death of the dopaminergic tract induced by 4 injections of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Furthermore, Açai berry administration reduced α-synuclein aggregation in neurons, enhanced tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporter activities, and avoided dopamine depletion. Moreover, Açai berry administration was able to reduce astrogliosis and microgliosis as well as neuronal death. Its beneficial effects could be due to its bioactive phytochemical components that are able to stimulate nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) by counteracting the oxidative stress and neuroinflammation that are the basis of this neurodegenerative disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group 1 consisted of 7 patients with non-autoimmune, sporadic PNDM, negative to the most common PNDM genes (i.e. KCNJ11, INS, ABCC8) or to a targeted panel of 27 monogenic diabetes genes (Supplementary Table 1). They found biallelic I ONECUT1 i mutations in 2 patients with syndromic, permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) from unrelated consanguineous families; family members carrying heterozygous I ONECUT1 i mutations showed hyperglycemia ranging from IFG to diabetes [[2]]. It is thus conceivable that in our patient G81D, coupled with another not yet identified variant in non coding regions of I ONECUT1 i or in another gene, contribute to causing PNDM. [Extracted from the article]

The present study investigates the processing of presuppositions across the life span and extends the findings of the only available study on presupposition processing and typical aging by Domaneschi and Di Paola (J Pragmat 140:70–87, 2019). In an online and offline task, we investigate the impact of cognitive load during the processing and recovery of two presupposition triggers—definite descriptions and change-of-state verbs—comparing a group of younger adults with a group of older adults. The collected experimental data show that (1) presupposition recovery declines during normal aging, (2) presupposition recovery of change-of-state verbs is more cognitively demanding for older adults than the recovery of definite descriptions, and lastly (3) presupposition recovery for the change-of-state verb begin is more demanding than the change-of-state verb stop. As of today, few works have directly investigated presupposition processing across the life span. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work revealing that cognitive load directly impacts the recovery of presuppositions across the life span, which in turn suggests an involvement of verbal working memory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a retraction note from the journal Intensive Care Medicine regarding an article titled "Glycogen synthase kinase-3β inhibition attenuates the development of ischaemia/reperfusion injury of the gut." The article has been retracted due to concerns about image overlaps and the authors' inability to provide raw images and proof of ethical approval. Some of the authors disagree with the retraction, while others have not responded to correspondence. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral in this matter. [Extracted from the article]

Remarkably, the fractional-order homogenization approach proves capable of representing the dynamic behaviour of a bi-material periodic beam within the first few frequency band gaps, which is a strength of the proposed method over classical homogenization techniques whose range of validity is limited to the low-frequency regime. The authors assume the homogenized beam is governed by a fractional-order equation analogue of the Euler-Bernoulli beam equation, where fractional-order kinematic relations involving a space-fractional Riesz-Caputo derivative are defined over a nonlocal horizon. Yang et al. [[13]] propose the fractal scaling-law vector calculus as a connection between fractal geometry and vector calculus. The model involves a new state-dependent stress-dilatancy equation, developed from a fractional differentiation of an elliptic yielding surface; in this context, the dilatancy ratio is determined by the current stress state and the distance from current to critical state, via the fractional order and the shape factor of the yielding surface. [Extracted from the article]

The research of a formulation to model non-local interactions in the mechanical behavior of matter is currently an open problem. In this context, a strong non-local formulation based on fractional calculus is provided in this paper. This formulation is derived from an analogy with long-memory viscoelastic models. Specifically, the same kind of power-law time-dependent kernel used in Boltzmann integral of viscoelastic stress-strain relation is used as kernel in the Fredholm non-local relation. This non-local formulation leads to stress-strain relation based on the space Riesz integral and derivative of fractional order. For unbounded domain, proposed model can be defined in stress- and in strain-driven formulation and in both cases the stress–strain relation represent a strong non-local model. Also, the proposed strain driven and stress driven formulations defined in terms of Riesz operators are proved to be fully consistent each another. Moreover, the proposed model posses a mechanical meaning and for unbounded non-local rod is described and discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few works have addressed the processing of indirect requests in High-Functioning Autism (HFA), and results are conflicting. Some studies report HFA individuals' difficulties in indirect requests comprehension; others suggest that it might be preserved in HFA. Furthermore, the role of Theory of Mind in understanding indirect requests is an open issue. The goal of this work is twofold: first, assessing whether comprehension of indirect requests for information is preserved in HFA; second, exploring whether mind-reading skills predict this ability. We tested a group of (n = 14; 9–12 years) HFA children and two groups of younger (n = 19; 5–6 years) and older (n = 28; 9–12 years) typically developing (TD) children in a semi-structured task involving direct, indirect and highly indirect requests for information. Results suggested that HFA can understand indirect and highly indirect requests, as well as TD children. Yet, while Theory of Mind skills seem to enhance older TD children understanding, this is not the case for HFA children. Therefore, interestingly, they could rely on different interpretative strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faecal (FM) and colon mucosal associated microbiota (MAM) were studied in a model of colorectal cancer (CRC), the Apc-mutated Pirc rats, and in age-paired wt F344 rats. Principal Coordinates Analysis indicated that samples' distribution was driven by age, with samples of young rats (1 month old; without tumours) separated from older ones (11-month-old; bearing tumours). Diversity analysis showed significant differences between FM and MAM in older Pirc rats, and between MAM of both Pirc and wt rats and the tumour microbiota, enriched in Enterococcus, Escherichia/Shigella, Proteus and Bifidobacteriaceae. In young animals, Pirc FM was enriched in the genus Delftia, while wt FM was enriched in Lactobacillus and Streptococcus. Some CRC biomarkers and faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were also measured. Colon proliferation and DClK1 expression, a pro-survival mucosal marker, were higher in Pirc than in wt rats, while the mucin MUC2, was lower in Pirc rats. Branched SCFAs were higher in Pirc than in wt animals. By Spearman analysis CRC biomarkers correlated with FM (in both young and old rats) and with MAM (in young rats), suggesting a specific relationship between the gut microbiota profile and these functional mucosal parameters deserving further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yerba mate contains bioactive compounds, and is widely consumed as a decoction beverage in several Southern American countries. At present, the consumption of mate with added herbal blends and flavors, called "composed yerba mate", has increased; however, no studies on the antioxidant characteristics of these products have been published. In this sense, the main objective was to assess the antioxidant characteristics of "composed yerba mate" compared to "traditional yerba mate", in the form it is traditionally consumed. Total polyphenols content ranged from 15 to 45 mg/g GAE in all decoctions analyzed. Seventeen phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by HPLC–DAD-MS/MS, mainly belonging to the caffeoylquinic acids group. The antioxidant capacity was measured using in vitro assays, Ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and with Saccharomyces cerevisiae as the in vivo model organism. All decoctions displayed antioxidant activity and were capable of rescuing yeast cells between 10.68 and 18.38% from oxidative stress. Multiple regression analysis showed a high correlation between phenolic composition and activity of samples, where different compounds indicate a significant contribution to the observed activity. Significant differences were found in the content, profile and antioxidant activity of polyphenols when "traditional yerba mate" and "composed yerba mate" were compared. In some cases, the antioxidant capacity was similar or higher in composed yerba mate; while the rest displayed lower biological activity. Based on these findings, it would be possible to assume that the addition of herb mixtures modifies the antioxidant and biological properties of mate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female entrepreneurship is somewhat rare in the academic sphere, and female scientists tend to set up spin-off companies less frequently than their male colleagues. Despite the relevance of the entrepreneurial role of universities for economic and social development and the particular attention of female entrepreneurs to these aspects, studies on the topic are still sparse and fragmented. This study aims to investigate female academic entrepreneurship, by verifying whether and under what conditions the antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions can explain it in depth. For this aim, the study offers an integrated view of the literature on entrepreneurial intentions and academic entrepreneurship, through a gender perspective. Fifty-two academic researchers, affiliated to 13 different university departments, are involved in the study. The fsQCA is used to analyze the data collected and the complexity of the entrepreneurial journey. The results obtained highlight different scenarios and implications related to female academic entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Usually, to mitigate the stresses in framed structures, different strategies are used. Among them, base isolation, viscous/friction/metallic yielding dampers and tuned mass dumpers have been widely investigated. Fluid Viscous Dampers (FVD) probably result the most diffused for the simplicity in the applications. However, these type of dampers request limited interstorey drifts to avoid dangerous effects. Further, they have an elevate cost. On the contrary, friction dampers are not so expensive but request high interstorey drifts to give a significant contribute in the dissipation of energy during an earthquake. In this paper an approach for the energy dissipation by friction, modified with respect to the usual one, is proposed. The device is a braking system borrowed from the mechanical engineering able to modulate its capability of dissipation, named Variable Friction Damper (VFD). Differently from the Constant Friction Damper, the VFD device investigated in this study provides a specific additional (variable) damping force with the increasing of the displacement. The feasibility of this braking system, the amount of energy that can be dissipated and the overall performances of structures equipped with this type of system are discussed in detail. Finally, dynamic performances of structures equipped with FVD are compared with those obtained by using VFD, highlighting the efficiency of the proposed device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea-level rise as a consequence of global warming increases the need to analyze coastal risks to conceive adaptation strategies aimed at coping with marine impacts at both short- and long-term scales. In this context, this study presents future scenarios of inundation risk evaluated along the main alluvial coastal plains of the Campania region (Italy). Due to their geomorphological and stratigraphical setting, the investigated areas are characterized by low topography and relevant but variable subsidence rates. Based on the upgrade of already published data and the new analysis of available datasets derived by multi-temporal interferometric processing of satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images, future scenarios of local sea level for the years 2065 and 2100 have been evaluated coupling global projections with local subsidence trends. Furthermore, aspects related with the distribution of natural and anthropic assets, as well as the local social vulnerability, have been taken into account to calculate the overall risk. The inundation risk maps here proposed can effectively address the request to improve the knowledge of policymakers and local administrators and to raise their awareness about the potential impacts of climate change in coastal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Otolith features are useful tools for studying taxonomy, ecology, paleontology, and fish biology since they represent a permanent record of life history. Nevertheless, the functional morphology of otoliths remains an open research question that is useful to completely understand their eco-morphology. This study aims to deepen the knowledge of intra- and interspecific variation in sagitta morphology in three congeneric seabreams, to understand how such variability could be related to the lifestyles of each species. Therefore, the sagittae (n = 161) of 24 Pagellus bogaraveo, 24 Pagellus acarne, and 37 Pagellus erythrinus specimens, collected from the south Tyrrhenian Sea, were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and a stereomicroscope to assess morphometric features, variability between otolith pairs and the external crystalline structure the of sulcus acusticus. Statistical analysis demonstrated that, between the species, variability in sagittal otolith rostral length growth and sulcus acusticus features, correlated with increased fish total length and body weight. Moreover, slight differences between otolith pairs were detected in P. acarne and P. erythrinus (P < 0.05). The results confirm changes in otolith morphometry and morphology between different congeneric species and populations of the same species from different habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A micro-core sample taken from the panel "The histories of Joseph" of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise bas-relief was fully investigated during the last restoration in the eighties of the twentieth century. Recently, the systematic analysis via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) of the whole surface of this micro-sample allowed to well understand the artwork conservation state. Moreover, the modern advanced analytical technique allowed to find and localize two AuCu- and AuCu3-ordered phases due to diffusion phenomena, highlighted for the first time in an ancient artefact in gilt bronze exposed outdoors. Considerations on the thermodynamic stability of these ordered phases, along with estimation of reasonable diffusion coefficient values, seem to support K. Anheuser's hypothesis on the fire-gilding manufacturing technique that the final step is a thermal treatment of a few minutes, conducted at a temperature certainly below 400 °C and with estimated values between 250 and 300 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To report preliminary data on feasibility and patient-reported outcomes following PSMA-PET/CT guided SBRT by means of 1.5 T MRI-Linac. Methods and materials: Between October 2019 and April 2020, twenty consecutive castration sensitive oligorecurrent prostate cancer patients were enrolled in an ethical committee approved prospective observational study (Protocol n. XXXX) and treated with PSMA-PET/CT guided SBRT by means of 1.5 T MRI-Linac (Unity, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden). The mean delivered dose was 35 Gy in 5 fractions. Clinicians reported toxicity was prospectively collected according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0. Quality of life (QoL) assessment was performed using EORTC-QLQ C30 questionnaires administered at baseline, end of treatment and at first follow-up. Results: Twenty-five lesions in 20 castration sensitive oligorecurrent patients were treated: the most commonly treated anatomic sites were nodal (n = 16) and pelvic bone (n = 9). Median PSA-value preMRI guided SBRT was 1.16 ng/mL (range, 0.27–8.9), whereas median PSA value at first follow-up after SBRT was 0.44 ng/mL (range, 0.06–8.15). At first follow-up, for 16 patients showing detectable PSA, PSMA-PET/CT was performed detecting, respectively, in 6 cases partial response and in 10 cases complete response. In the remaining cases, PSA-value was undetectable after SBRT. Radiotherapy treatment was safe and well tolerated according to the PROMs. No acute G2 or higher toxicities were recorded. Conclusions: The current series represent the largest one exploring the feasibility and patient-reported outcomes following PSMA-PET/CT guided SBRT by means of 1.5 T MRI-Linac. The preliminary findings here reported are encouraging in terms of effectiveness and tolerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafast nonlinear photonics enables a host of applications in advanced on-chip spectroscopy and information processing. These rely on a strong intensity dependent (nonlinear) refractive index capable of modulating optical pulses on sub-picosecond timescales and on length scales suitable for integrated photonics. Currently there is no platform that can provide this for the UV spectral range where broadband spectra generated by nonlinear modulation can pave the way to new on-chip ultrafast (bio-) chemical spectroscopy devices. We demonstrate the giant nonlinearity of UV hybrid light-matter states (exciton-polaritons) up to room temperature in an AlInGaN waveguide. We experimentally measure ultrafast nonlinear spectral broadening of UV pulses in a compact 100 μm long device and deduce a nonlinearity 1000 times that in common UV nonlinear materials and comparable to non-UV polariton devices. Our demonstration promises to underpin a new generation of integrated UV nonlinear light sources for advanced spectroscopy and measurement. Nonlinearity enhancement in different materials is relevant for many scientific applications. Here the authors demonstrate pulse modulation in the UV regime due to polariton-based nonlinearity in an AlInGaN waveguide structure, including at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The knowledge of periprostatic nerve fiber (pNF) is still incomplete by means of conventional MRI. The purpose of our study was to demonstrate if DTI imaging is able to depict anatomical features of pNF. Methods: For this retrospective study, fifty-six patients (mean age 63.5 years), who underwent 1.5-T prostate MRI, including 32 directions DTI, were enrolled between October 2014 and December 2018. ANOVA test and Student's t-test were performed between the mean values of the number, FA values, and fiber length of pNF between base and mid-gland, mid-gland and apex, base and apex, right and left side, and anterior and posterior face of the prostate. A qualitative analysis was performed to detect the main orientation of pNF through a colorimetric 3D tractographic reconstruction. Results: The number of pNF showed a decrease from the base (322) to mid-gland (248) and apex (75) (p < 0.05). The FA values were higher at base and mid-gland (0.435 and 0.456) compared to the apex (0.313) (p < 0.05). The length of pNF was higher at apex (13.4 mm) compared to base (11.5 mm) and mid-gland (11.7 mm) (p < 0.05). The number of pNF was higher on the posterior face compared to the anterior face at base (186 vs 137), (p < 0.001). The FA values were higher on the posterior face compared to the anterior face at base (0.452 vs 0.417), mid-gland (0.483 vs 0.429), and apex (0.42 vs 0.382), (p < 0.05). The length of the pNF was higher in the posterior (14.7 mm) than in the anterior face (12 mm) at apex (p < 0.001). The main orientation of pNF was longitudinal in all patients (56/56, 100%). Conclusions: DTI imaging has been demonstrated able to depict anatomical features of pNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces the toll-like receptor signaling pathway in multiple organ failures" published in the journal Intensive Care Medicine. The Editor-in-Chief has raised concerns about the PCR gel images presented in Figure 2 of the article. Specifically, the liver PCR gels in Figure 2a and e appear highly similar, and the intestine gel in Figure 2e appears to have a splice mark between lanes 1 and 2. The authors of the article agree with this Editorial Expression of Concern, and readers are advised to interpret the results with caution. The publisher, Springer Nature, remains neutral regarding jurisdictional claims and institutional affiliations. [Extracted from the article]

Studies so far conducted on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been focused mainly on the role of gut bacterial dysbiosis in modulating the intestinal permeability, inflammation, and motility, with consequences on the quality of life. Limited evidences showed a potential involvement of gut fungal communities. Here, the gut bacterial and fungal microbiota of a cohort of IBS patients have been characterized and compared with that of healthy subjects (HS). The IBS microbial community structure differed significantly compared to HS. In particular, we observed an enrichment of bacterial taxa involved in gut inflammation, such as Enterobacteriaceae, Streptococcus, Fusobacteria, Gemella, and Rothia, as well as depletion of health-promoting bacterial genera, such as Roseburia and Faecalibacterium. Gut microbial profiles in IBS patients differed also in accordance with constipation. Sequence analysis of the gut mycobiota showed enrichment of Saccharomycetes in IBS. Culturomics analysis of fungal isolates from feces showed enrichment of Candida spp. displaying from IBS a clonal expansion and a distinct genotypic profiles and different phenotypical features when compared to HS of Candida albicans isolates. Alongside the well-characterized gut bacterial dysbiosis in IBS, this study shed light on a yet poorly explored fungal component of the intestinal ecosystem, the gut mycobiota. Our results showed a differential fungal community in IBS compared to HS, suggesting potential for new insights on the involvement of the gut mycobiota in IBS. Key points: • Comparison of gut microbiota and mycobiota between IBS and healthy subjects • Investigation of cultivable fungi in IBS and healthy subjects • Candida albicans isolates result more virulent in IBS subjects compared to healthy subjects [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work deals with viscoelastic constitutive models involving variable-order fractional operators. There exist two main fractional models in the literature representing the stress-strain relation of viscoelastic materials with time-varying mechanical properties. Here, their features are analyzed and the physical assumptions involved are critically discussed. Specifically, it is shown that only one of these fractional models seems to be actually meaningful in the context of viscoelasticity. Then, a novel formulation is discussed, still in the context of variable-order fractional calculus, to effectively compute the strain response of a viscoelastic material with time-dependent mechanical properties due to any stress input. The proposed formulation exhibits a clear physical meaning and is proved to rely on a consistent application of the Boltzmann superposition principle to a fictitious system that is considered, in some sense, equivalent to the original viscoelastic material under study. The main novelty of the paper is to show that the proposed formulation is strictly related to the meaningful fractional model existing in the literature to which, therefore, a sound mechanical meaning can be given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric ulcer or peptic ulcer is a common disease worldwide. Basically, it develops when there is an imbalance between the protective and aggressive factors, especially at the luminal surface of epithelial cells. Thus, there is a constant interest in research new drugs for treatment of gastric ulcer. The snail secretion is a dense mucous, that covers the external surface of the snails, with important functions for the survival of snails. The biological proprieties of snail Helix Aspersa Muller mucus it has been known for centuries to treat human disorders in particular for skin disease. Recently the use of snail mucus has seen a worldwide increase, as a component in cosmetic product and it has been used in particular for the management of wound and skin disorders. In this study we use a murine model of ethanol intragastric administration which has been widely used to test the drugs efficacies and to explore the underlying mechanism for gastric ulcer development. The intragastric ethanol administration causes several mucosal damages and an induction of a severe inflammatory response. Our results show a significant protective effect of snail secretion filtrate in reducing macroscopic and histological lesions, as well the protective effect on mucus content, oxidative stress and inflammatory response. In conclusion this study demonstrate the protective effect of intragastrical snail secretion filtrate, in a model of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice, suggesting its possible useful use in the treatment or prevention of gastric ulcer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]