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Background: Direct-acting antivirals are highly effective for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, regardless race/ethnicity. We aimed to evaluate demographic, virological and clinical data of HCV-infected migrants vs. natives consecutively enrolled in the PITER cohort. Methods: Migrants were defined by country of birth and nationality that was different from Italy. Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-squared test and multiple logistic regression were used. Results: Of 10,669 enrolled patients, 301 (2.8%) were migrants: median age 47 vs. 62 years, (p < 0.001), females 56.5% vs. 45.3%, (p < 0.001), HBsAg positivity 3.8% vs. 1.4%, (p < 0.05). Genotype 1b was prevalent in both groups, whereas genotype 4 was more prevalent in migrants (p < 0.05). Liver disease severity and sustained virologic response (SVR) were similar. A higher prevalence of comorbidities was reported for natives compared to migrants (p < 0.05). Liver disease progression cofactors (HBsAg, HIV coinfection, alcohol abuse, potential metabolic syndrome) were present in 39.1% and 47.1% (p > 0.05) of migrants and natives who eradicated HCV, respectively. Conclusion: Compared to natives, HCV-infected migrants in care have different demographics, HCV genotypes, viral coinfections and comorbidities and similar disease severity, SVR and cofactors for disease progression after HCV eradication. A periodic clinical assessment after HCV eradication in Italians and migrants with cofactors for disease progression is warranted.

20 pags., 5 figs., 3 tabs. This article belongs to the Special Issue Peptides and Proteins as Innovative Biomaterials, The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of three amphiphilic oligopeptides derived from EAK16 (AEAEAKAK) were examined to study systematic amino acid substitution effects on the corresponding interaction with Ag colloidal nanoparticles. Such self-assembling molecular systems, known as “molecular Lego”, are of particular interest for their uses in tissue engineering and as biomimetic coatings for medical devices because they can form insoluble macroscopic membranes under physiological conditions. Spectra were collected for both native and gamma-irradiated samples. Quantum mechanical data on two of the examined oligopeptides were also obtained to clarify the assignment of the prominent significative bands observed in the spectra. In general, the peptide–nanoparticles interaction occurs through the COO groups, with the amide bond and the aliphatic chain close to the colloid surface. After gamma irradiation, mimicking a free oxidative radical attack, the SERS spectra of the biomaterials show that COO groups still provide the main peptide–nanoparticle interactions. However, the spatial arrangement of the peptides is different, exhibiting a systematic decrease in the distance between aliphatic chains and colloid nanoparticles.

Diabetes is the most frequent comorbidity among patients with COVID-19. COVID-19 patients with diabetes have a more severe prognosis than patients without diabetes. However, the etiopathogenetic mechanisms underlying this more unfavorable outcome in these patients are not clear. Probably the etiopathogenetic mechanisms underlying diabetes could represent a favorable substrate for a greater development of the inflammatory process already dysregulated in COVID-19 with a more severe evolution of the disease. In the attempt to shed light on the possible etiopathogenetic mechanisms, we wanted to evaluate the possible role of mTOR (mammalian Target Of Rapamycin) pathway in this context. We searched the PubMed and Scopus databases to identify articles involving diabetes and the mTOR pathway in COVID-19. The mTOR pathway could be involved in this etiopathogenetic mechanism, in particular, the activation and stimulation of this pathway could favor an inflammatory process that is already dysregulated in itself, while its inhibition could be a way to regulate this dysregulated inflammatory process. However, much remains to be clarified about the mechanisms of the mTOR pathway and its role in COVID-19. The aim of this review is to to understand the etiopathogenesis underlying COVID-19 in diabetic patients and the role of mTOR pathway in order to be able to search for new weapons to deal with this disease.

Despite their economic and ecological interests, Poaceae are affected by the low availability of iron in calcareous soils. Several studies focused on the capacity of this family to secrete phytosiderophores and organic acids as a mechanism of tolerance to iron deficiency. This work aimed at studying the physiological responses of two Poaceae species; Hordeum vulgare (cultivated barley) and Polypogon monspenliensis (spontaneous species) to iron deficiency, and evaluate especially the release of phytosiderophores and organic acids. For this purpose, seedlings of these two species were cultivated in complete nutrient solution with or without iron. The biomass production, iron status, phytosiderophores and organic acids release by roots were studied. The results demonstrated that Polypogon monspenliensis was relatively more tolerant to iron deficiency than Hordeum vulgare. Polypogon monspenliensis had the ability to secrete a higher amount of phytosiderophores and organic acids, especially citric, acetic, oxalic and malic acids, compared to Hordeum vulgare. We propose this spontaneous species as a forage plant in calcareous soils and in intercropping systems with fruit trees to prevent iron chlorosis.

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a known cause of skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs). Therapeutic options against multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of PA are limited, especially in patients with impaired renal function. Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is a novel beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor with powerful anti-PA activity. Thanks to its characteristics, it appears to be the best available anti-pseudomonal drug in many clinical scenarios. A case series of four adult patients followed between January 2018 and May 2019 is reported. All subjects presented complicated SSTIs by MDR- or XDR-PA and were affected by chronic kidney disease. Results: C/T was used as a monotherapy in three cases and in combination regimen in the remaining case. In two cases, C/T was the first-line option, in the remaining ones was the salvage treatment. All patients were successfully treated without worsening of renal function and without any other adverse events. Conclusions: C/T may represent a useful option against MDR- and XDR-PA strains responsible of complicated SSTIs in patients affected by impaired renal function.

About 3-5 % of the world's population is chronically infected by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and is at risk of developing liver cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. The risk of dying prematurely because of chronic HBV infection is higher in younger people. The current strategies to prevent HBV infection involve immunization (active and/or passive) and antiviral chemoprophylaxis. The vaccines available for active immunization, containing hepatitis B surface antigen, are safe and confer long-term immunity in most healthy subjects. Since the vaccination is unsatisfactory in some patients, e.g., those with chronic kidney disease, human immunodeficiency virus infection, type I diabetes mellitus, and celiac disease, new strategies of vaccination are required. The neonatal, infant, and adolescent routine program vaccination in about 180 countries has greatly decreased the disease burden. Passive immunization with specific HBV immunoglobulins is recommended after single acute exposure, in infants born to infected mothers, and in HBV-infected patients undergoing liver transplantation combined with nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (chemoprophylaxis). Chemoprophylaxis is also indicated in HBV carrier candidates for immunosuppressive treatment and in patients with occult B infection undergoing immunosuppressive therapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Since HBV is not eradicable by an immune response or by antiviral drugs developed so far, the only preventive strategy remains global neonatal vaccination in all countries, firstly in HBV-endemic countries.

Inorganic nanosized drug carriers are a promising field in nanomedicine applied to cancer. Their conjugation with antibodies combines the properties of the nanoparticles themselves with the specific and selective recognition ability of the antibodies to antigens. Biomimetic carbonate–hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized; human IgGs, used as model antibodies, were coupled to these nanocrystals. The maximum loading amount, the interaction modelling, the preferential orientation and the secondary structure modifications were evaluated using theoretical models (Langmuir, Freundlich and Langmuir–Freundlich) spectroscopic (UV–Vis, Raman), calorimetric (TGA), and immunochemical techniques (ELISA, Western Blot). HA nanoparticles of about 30 nm adsorbed human IgGs, in a dose-dependent, saturable and stable manner with micromolar affinity and adsorption capability around 2.3 mg/m 2 . Adsorption isotherm could be described by Langmuir–Freundlich model, and was due to both energetically homogeneous and heterogeneous binding sites on HA surface, mainly of electrostatic nature. Binding did not induce secondary structure modification of IgGs. A preferential IgG end-on orientation with the involvement of IgG Fc moiety in the adsorption seems most probable due to the steric hindrance of their Fab domains. Biomimetic HA nanocrystals are suitable substrates to produce nanoparticles which can be functionalized with antibodies for efficient targeted drug delivery to tumours.

The employment of composite scaffolds with a well-organized architecture and multi-scale porosity certainly represents a valuable approach for achieving a tissue engineered construct to reproduce the middle and long-term behaviour of hierarchically complex tissues such as spongy bone. In this paper, fibre-reinforced composites scaffold for bone tissue engineering applications is described. These are composed of poly-L-lactide acid (PLLA) fibres embedded in a porous poly(epsilon-caprolactone) matrix, and were obtained by synergistic use of phase inversion/particulate leaching technique and filament winding technology. Porosity degree as high as 79.7% was achieved, the bimodal pore size distribution showing peaks at ca 10 and 200 microm diameter, respectively, accounting for 53.7% and 46.3% of the total porosity. In vitro degradation was carried out in PBS and SBF without significant degradation of the scaffold after 35 days, while in NaOH solution, a linear increase of weight lost was observed with preferential degradation of PLLA component. Subsequently, marrow stromal cells (MSC) and human osteoblasts (HOB) reached a plateau at 3 weeks, while at 5 weeks the number of cells was almost the same. Human marrow stromal cell and trabecular osteoblasts rapidly proliferate on the scaffold up to 3 weeks, promoting an oriented migration of bone cells along the fibre arrangement. Moreover, the role of seeded HOB and MSC on composite degradation mechanism was assessed by demonstrating a more relevant contribution to PLLA degradation of MSC when compared to HOB. The novel PCL/PLLA composite scaffolds thus showed promise whenever tuneable porosity, controlled degradability and guided cell-material interaction are simultaneously requested.