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Background & Aims: Bacterial resistance toward the most used antibiotics is increasing in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) strains worldwide. The emergence of multidrug resistance significantly affects the efficacy of standard therapy regimens. Therefore, this prospective study has updated the prevalence rates of primary antibiotic resistance in H. pylori strains isolated in routine practice. Methods: H. pylori isolates obtained from patients consecutively observed in a single center were tested for primary resistance by using the E-test method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) breakpoints to define resistance to clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin were, respectively, greater than 0. 25 mg/L, 8 mg/L, and 1 mg/L, according to updated EUCAST recommendations. The trend of antibiotic prevalence, either single or combined, during 2020-2023 was assessed. Results: A total of 789 patients meeting inclusion criteria were diagnosed with H. pylori infection, but bacterial strains were overall recovered in 632 (80.1%) cases. At bacterial culture, primary resistance rate was 36.7% for clarithromycin, 32.8% for metronidazole, and 22.1% for levofloxacin, whilst dual clarithromycin-metronidazole resistance rate was detected in 17.4%, and triple resistance in 9%. Conclusions: Our data found that primary resistance towards both clarithromycin and metronidazole, as well as dual resistance, is substantially stable in Italy whilst the prevalence of levofloxacin resistance seems to be decreasing in our geographic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common bacterial infections affecting humans, causing gastroduodenal and extraintestinal diseases. Treatment of the infection remains challenging for the clinicians, and different factors are involved in the failure of the therapeutic approach. The importance of the intensity of acid secretion inhibition remains an unclear issue. The aim of this study is to assess whether 80 mg/day esomeprazole‐based 10‐day sequential therapy (esomeprazole‐ST) achieved different eradication rates when compared to 80 mg/day pantoprazole‐based analogous regimen (pantoprazole‐ST). Methods: This was a retrospective observational study where data of consecutive patients referred by their physicians to our unit to perform an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were analyzed. Results: Overall, 1,327 patients were available for the analysis: 599 and 728 patients received pantoprazole‐ST and esomeprazole‐ST, respectively. Eradication rate was significantly higher in patients receiving esomeprazole‐ST (92.6%, 95% CI: 91–94.5) than pantoprazole‐ST (89.3%, 95% CI: 86.7–91.7; difference: 3.3%; 95% CI: 0.2–6.5; P = 0.037). Even after a multivariate analysis, the esomeprazole‐ST achieved a significantly higher eradiation (OR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.1–2.17). Conclusions: This study showed that esomeprazole‐ST achieved significantly higher H. pylori cure rates than pantoprazole‐ST. Prospective and well‐designed trials are demander to confirm this prelaminar finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff originating from ground ice contained in rock glaciers represents a significant water supply for lowlands. Pseudo-relict rock glaciers contain patchy permafrost but appear to be relict, and therefore they can be misinterpreted when using standard classification approaches. The permafrost content, spatial distribution and frequency of this type of rock glacier are poorly known. Therefore, identifying pseudo-relict rock glaciers that might still contain permafrost, and potentially ice, is crucial for understanding their hydrological role in a climate change context. This work analyses rock–glacier spring-water temperature in a 795 km2 catchment in the eastern Italian Alps to understand how many rock glaciers classified as relict could have spring-water temperatures comparable to active or transitional rock glaciers as possible evidence of their pseudo-relict nature. Spring-water temperature, often auxiliary to other approaches for specific sites, was used for a preliminary estimate of the permafrost presence in 50 rock glaciers classified as relict. In addition, we present electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) results on two relict rock glaciers with opposing spring-water temperature and surface characteristics to constrain spring-water temperature results at the local scale. The results show that about 50 % of the rock glaciers classified as relict might be pseudo-relict, thus potentially containing permafrost. Both supposedly relict rock glaciers investigated by geophysics contain frozen sediments. The majority of the cold springs are mainly associated with rock glaciers with blocky and scarcely vegetated surfaces, but geophysics suggest that permafrost may also exist in rock glaciers below 2000 m a.s.l., entirely covered by vegetation and with a spring-water temperature of up to 3.7 °C. We estimate that pseudo-relict rock glaciers might contain a significant portion (20 %) of all the ice stored in the rock glaciers in the study area. These results highlight the relevance of pseudo-relict rock glaciers in periglacial environments. Even if not a conclusive method, spring-water temperature analyses can be used to preliminarily distinguish between relict and pseudo-relict rock glaciers in wide regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychodinae (Diptera: Psychodidae), commonly known as "drain flies", are a subfamily of insects adapted to environments modified by humans. While often regarded as harmless, it has been reported that they may carry pathogenic microorganisms, contributing to hospital environmental contamination and potentially playing a role in healthcare-associated infections. This study aimed to investigate drain flies in a hospital setting to assess their role in carrying microbial pathogens. Twenty-six drain flies were collected from a tertiary hospital using sterile tubes and processed within two hours. The insects were identified as Clogmia albipunctata (Williston, 1893). Whole-body macerates were cultured on EMB media, and fungal isolates were identified using MALDI-TOF MS and ITS region sequencing. The emergent pathogen Trichosporon asahii was isolated, highlighting the potential role of C. albipunctata as a mechanical vector of fungal pathogens associated with HAIs. These findings underscore the importance of monitoring drain flies as part of infection prevention and control strategies in healthcare settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• XRF is used to characterize non-destructively 29 Sasanian drachmas (499–628 AD). • The elemental composition is determined, checking authenticity and purity. • Semi-quantitative analysis identified two potential forgeries among the 29 coins. • Five Khosrow II coins with a special inscription had Ag content over 99 %. • Au content could identify cerussite as the original ore for silver mining. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis is widely employed in the field of cultural heritage due to its non-destructive nature. µ-EDXRF was used to study 29 Sasanian drachmas from a private collection at the Department of Humanities, University of Trieste. The coins were issued between 499 and 628 AD, during the reigns of four Sasanian kings (Kawad I, Khosrow I, Hormizd IV, and Khosrow II). This study aimed to determine the elemental composition of the alloy's surface, assess the coins' fineness, and identify potential forgeries or signs of devaluation. Eight XRF spectra were acquired for each sample, revealing a primary composition of Ag, with traces of Cu, Au, and Pb. Semi-quantitative analysis showed Ag content exceeding 95% in nearly all coins, with two suspected forgeries identified (coin no. 13 minted during the reign of Hormizd IV and coin no. 18 from the reign of Khosrow II). Five drachmas from Khosrow II's reign, marked with the inscription "afid", exhibited Ag content above 99 %, supporting the historical hypothesis of superior quality compared to other drachmas from the same period. Finally, the %Au and the presence of Pb provided further indications on the origin of Ag, allowing hypotheses on the mineral sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediments of alpine lakes serve as crucial records that reveal the history of lacustrine basins, offering valuable insights into the effects of global changes. One significant effect is the variation in rainfall regimes, which can substantially influence nutrient loads and sedimentation rates in lacustrine ecosystems, thereby playing a pivotal role in shaping biotic communities. In this study, we analyze subfossil chironomid assemblages within a sediment core from an alpine lake (western Italian Alps) to investigate the effects of rainfall and flood regime variations over the past 1200 years. Sediment characterization results highlight changes in sediment textures and C/N ratio values, indicating phases of major material influx from the surrounding landscape into the lake basin. These influxes are likely associated with intense flooding events linked to heavy rainfall periods over time. Flooding events are reflected in changes in chironomid assemblages, which in our samples are primarily related to variations in sediment texture and nutrient loads from the surrounding landscape. Increased abundances of certain taxa (i.e., Brillia, Chaetocladius, Cricotopus, Psectrocladius, Cricotopus/Orthocladius Parorthocladius) may be linked to higher organic matter and vegetation inputs from the surrounding landscape. Biodiversity decreased during certain periods along the core profile due to intense flood regimes and extreme events. These results contribute to our understanding of alpine lake system dynamics, particularly those associated with intense flooding events, which are still understudied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollutants are usually formed by easily spreading small molecules, representing a severe problem for human health, especially in urban centers. Despite the efforts to stem their diffusion, many diseases are still associated with exposure to these molecules. The present study focuses on modeling and designing two-dimensional systems called Layered Double Hydroxides (LDHs), which can potentially trap these molecules. For this purpose, a Density Functional Theory (DFT) approach has been used to study the role of the elemental composition of LDHs, the type of counterion, and the ability of these systems to intercalate NO2 and SO2 between the LDH layers. The results demonstrated how the counterion determines the different possible spacing between the layers, modulating the internalization capacity of pollutants and determining the stability degree of the system for a long-lasting effect. The variations in structural properties, the density of states (DOS), and the description of the charge transfer have been reported, thus allowing the investigation of aspects that are difficult to observe from an experimental point of view and, at the same time, providing essential details for the effective development of systems that can counteract the spread of air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic, once a global crisis, is now largely under control, a testament to the extraordinary global efforts involving vaccination and public health measures. However, the relentless evolution of SARS-CoV-2, leading to the emergence of new variants, continues to underscore the importance of remaining vigilant and adaptable. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have stood out as a powerful and immediate therapeutic response to COVID-19. Despite the success of mAbs, the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 continues to pose challenges and the available antibodies are no longer effective. New variants require the ongoing development of effective antibodies. In the present study, we describe the generation and characterization of neutralizing mAbs against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by combining plasmid DNA and recombinant protein vaccination. By integrating genetic immunization for rapid antibody production and the potent immune stimulation enabled by protein vaccination, we produced a rich pool of antibodies, each with unique binding and neutralizing specificities, tested with the ELISA, BLI and FACS assays and the pseudovirus assay, respectively. Here, we present a panel of mAbs effective against the SARS-CoV-2 variants up to Omicron BA.1 and BA.5, with the flexibility to target emerging variants. This approach ensures the preparedness principle is in place to address SARS-CoV-2 actual and future infections.

In this work, a systematic approach aimed at investigating and validating a novel way of realizing pyroelectric harvesting is presented. Generating a direct-current (dc) signal through a temperature gradient within a less than 7 nm-thick ferroelectric zirconium-doped hafnium oxide (HZO) nano-film, embedded in planar interdigitated capacitors on high-resistivity silicon, is a new, simple, effective, and reproducible solution. Temperature-related structural modifications in HZO are first simulated using advanced ab initio calculations. Then, rigorous multiphysics simulations of the final devices provide insight into the expected performance of the pyroelectric harvester, as a function of temperature, contact area, and crystal orientation, showing a maximum open-circuit voltage of up to 900 mV. The fabrication of the harvesters involves the area-selective wet etching of the HZO layer to retain it exclusively in between the fingers of each capacitor. This choice maximizes the pyroelectric effect (which strongly depends on the area) and represents a new paradigm in the development of HZO-based electronics, which are conventionally built on ferroelectric continuous films. Experimental validation at both low frequencies and microwaves confirms the pyroelectric effect, exhibiting a significant increase in the output current for higher temperature gradients, and a generated dc voltage of several hundred millivolts.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the assistance provided to women victims of sexual violence and their participation in the follow-up treatment after the traumatic event, presenting a sociodemographic profile, gynecological background, and circumstances of the event, and reporting the results, acceptance, and side effects of prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and pregnancy. Methods A retrospective cohort study comprising the period between 2007 and 2016. All women receiving medical care and clinical follow-up after a severe episode of sexual violence were included. Records of domestic violence, male victims, children, and adolescents who reported consensual sexual activity were excluded. The present study included descriptive statistics as frequencies and percentages. Results A total of 867medical records were reviewed and 444 cases of sexual violence were included. The age of the victims ranged from10 to 77 years old, most of them selfdeclared white, with between 4 and 8 years of education, and denying having a sexual partner. Sexual violence occurred predominantly at night, on public thoroughfare, being committed by an unknown offender. Most victims were assisted at the referral service center within 72 hours after the violence, enabling the recommended prophylaxis. There was high acceptance of antiretroviral therapy (ART), although half of the users reported side effects. Seroconversion to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or to hepatitis B virus (HBV) was not detected in women undergoing prophylaxis. Conclusion In the present cohort, the profile of victims of sexual violence was loweducated, young, white women. The traumatic event occurred predominantly at night, on public thoroughfare, being committed by an unknown offender. Assistance within the first 72 hours after sexual violence enables the healthcare center to provide prophylactic interventions against STIs and unwanted pregnancies.

Foodborne transmission is considered the main way of spreading zoonotic hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in Europe. In recent years, the human cases of hepatitis E in subjects without history of travel in endemic areas have raised, suggesting that domestic HEV transmission is increasing. Pork products with or without liver, are often indicated as the source of many human foodborne HEV cases as well as small outbreaks. Pigs are recognized as the main reservoir of the zoonotic HEV-3 genotype, the most frequently detected in human cases in the EU. In the absence of a harmonized surveillance of HEV circulation, data on prevalence are heterogeneous but confirm a widespread circulation of HEV-3 in pig herds across EU. HEV-3 can pass through the food chain from farm to fork when infected animals are slaughtered. In Italy, several studies reported the circulation of HEV-3 in pig farms, but results are heterogeneous due to different methodologies applied. In the present study, we performed a survey over 51 pig herds belonging to three main types of farms: breeding, fattening and farrow-to-finish. HEV-RNA was analyzed by broad range Real-time RT-PCR on 20 samples for each farm, obtained by pooling together feces from 10 individuals. Overall, HEV RNA was confirmed on 150 fecal pooled samples out of 1,032 (14.5%). At least one positive pooled sample was detected from 18 farms out of 51 tested (35.3%). By lowering the number of infected pigs at primary production, the risk of HEV-3 entering into the food chain can be reduced. Hence, information on HEV circulation in herds is highly relevant for choosing preventive measures and deserves development of a monitoring program and further investigations.

This work aimed to precisely evaluate the physical properties of vanadium dioxide (M), particularly the optical characteristics. We employed different exchange-correlation functionals to determine the phase stability, band gap properties, and optical characteristics of an experimentally recognized monoclinic VO2(M) polymorph. The calculations not only correctly interpreted the VO2(M) origin but also predicted other optical properties including the extinction coefficient (k) and refractive index (n), which have not been reported in experimental measurements. Phonon dispersion calculations confirmed the presence of negative frequencies for acoustic modes in the phononic curves. When the HSE functional correctly reproduced the experimental band gap, here for the first time, our calculations based on PBE and PBEsol yielded non-zero electronic bandgaps of 0.23 and 0.15 eV for bulk VO2(M). Our predictions showed that semi-local functionals can adequately predict the semiconductor properties of VO2(M) and performed better than all previously reported theoretical works on nulled band gaps. In addition to the better prediction of the peak position in the absorption spectra with HSE hybrid functional, this method also reasonably well described the static dielectric constant of 7.54, showing an excellent match to the experimental values. In general, the results of this study reveal that hybrid functionals yield superior outcomes compared to semi-local functionals for optical properties of a VO2(M) polymorph. Our results suggest that the PBEsol + HSE approach allows the efficient characterization of smart materials for electronic and optoelectronic applications.

The Western MEDiterranean Sea BioGeochemical Climatology (BGC-WMED, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.930447) (Belgacem et al., 2021) presented here is a product derived from quality-controlled in situ observations. Annual mean gridded nutrient fields for the period 1981–2017 and its sub-periods 1981–2004 and 2005–2017 on a horizontal 1/4∘ × 1/4∘ grid have been produced. The biogeochemical climatology is built on 19 depth levels and for the dissolved inorganic nutrients nitrate, phosphate and orthosilicate. To generate smooth and homogeneous interpolated fields, the method of the variational inverse model (VIM) was applied. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess the comparability of the data product with the observational data. The BGC-WMED was then compared to other available data products, i.e., the MedBFM biogeochemical reanalysis of the Mediterranean Sea and the World Ocean Atlas 2018 (WOA18) (its biogeochemical part). The new product reproduces common features with more detailed patterns and agrees with previous records. This suggests a good reference for the region and for the scientific community for the understanding of inorganic nutrient variability in the western Mediterranean Sea, in space and in time, but our new climatology can also be used to validate numerical simulations, making it a reference data product.

Purpose The NASCITA Study, a national-level, population-based, prospective cohort study, was set up to better understand the early health status of Italian children, comprising their physical, cognitive and psychological development, and how it is affected by social and health determinants, including nurturing care. NASCITA will also assess geographical differences and disparities in healthcare.Participants Participating family paediatricians from throughout Italy enrolled infants born during the enrolment period (April 2019–July 2020). The 5054 newborns seen by the 139 paediatricians for at least two visits, including the first well-child visit, and for whom parental consent was given, make up the baseline population.Findings to date Mothers had a mean age at delivery of 33.0 years and tended to have a high or medium level of education (42.5% university and 41.7% high school degrees) and to be employed (69.7%). One-third (36.1%) took folic acid supplementation appropriately, and 6.5% smoked or consumed alcohol (10.0%) during pregnancy. One-third (31.7%) of deliveries were caesarean deliveries. Concerning the newborns, 5.8% had a low birth weight and 6.2% were born prematurely. The majority (87.7%) slept in the supine position, and 63.6% were exclusively breast fed at 1 month, with a decreasing north to south prevalence (χ2t 52; p

The segmentation of patients into homogeneous groups could help to improve eradication therapy effectiveness. Our aim was to determine the most important treatment strategies used in Europe, to evaluate first-line treatment effectiveness according to year and country. Data collection: All first-line empirical treatments registered at AEGREDCap in the European Registry on Helicobacter pylori management (Hp-EuReg) from June 2013 to November 2022. A Boruta method determined the “most important” variables related to treatment effectiveness. Data clustering was performed through multi-correspondence analysis of the resulting six most important variables for every year in the 2013–2022 period. Based on 35,852 patients, the average overall treatment effectiveness increased from 87% in 2013 to 93% in 2022. The lowest effectiveness (80%) was obtained in 2016 in cluster #3 encompassing Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Russia, treated with 7-day triple therapy with amoxicillin–clarithromycin (92% of cases). The highest effectiveness (95%) was achieved in 2022, mostly in Spain (81%), with the bismuth–quadruple therapy, including the single-capsule (64%) and the concomitant treatment with clarithromycin–amoxicillin–metronidazole/tinidazole (34%) with 10 (69%) and 14 (32%) days. Cluster analysis allowed for the identification of patients in homogeneous treatment groups assessing the effectiveness of different first-line treatments depending on therapy scheme, adherence, country, and prescription year.

The occurrence of potentially toxic elements (PTEs, including As, Cd, Hg and Pb) of both anthropogenic and natural origin in the environment represents an issue of global concern, leading to a general decline in environmental quality in both continental and aquatic systems [...]

Detecting the impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbances that cause declines in organisms or changes in community composition has long been a focus of ecology. However, a tradeoff often exists between the spatial extent over which relevant data can be collected, and the resolution of those data. Recent advances in underwater photogrammetry, as well as computer vision and machine learning tools that employ artificial intelligence (AI), offer potential solutions with which to resolve this tradeoff. Here, we coupled a rigorous photogrammetric survey method with novel AI-assisted image segmentation software in order to quantify the impact of a coral bleaching event on a tropical reef, both at an ecologically meaningful spatial scale and with high spatial resolution. In addition to outlining our workflow, we highlight three key results: (1) dramatic changes in the three-dimensional surface areas of live and dead coral, as well as the ratio of live to dead colonies before and after bleaching; (2) a size-dependent pattern of mortality in bleached corals, where the largest corals were disproportionately affected, and (3) a significantly greater decline in the surface area of live coral, as revealed by our approximation of the 3D shape compared to the more standard planar area (2D) approach. The technique of photogrammetry allows us to turn 2D images into approximate 3D models in a flexible and efficient way. Increasing the resolution, accuracy, spatial extent, and efficiency with which we can quantify effects of disturbances will improve our ability to understand the ecological consequences that cascade from small to large scales, as well as allow more informed decisions to be made regarding the mitigation of undesired impacts.

Many scientific publications directly concern VR, often conceived as a battlefield for rethinking our relationship with the moving image, and our frameworks on topics such as the cinematographic language or the spectator perception. And yet, although for some time film studies have re-evaluated the role of sound in cinematic production and spectatorship, in the field of VR the theoretical reflection on concepts such as stereoscopic audio and binaural recording has remained confined to the technological-engineering aspect. This essay aims to explore the most common audio techniques and their real impact in terms of consumption and affordances, on the basis of some software studies and sound studies reflections and within a media-archaeological perspective. The results of these innovations go beyond the technological features, suggesting a further rethinking of the cinematographic form and calling into question, even from an audio-only perspective, the issue of audience perception and interaction. The case studies taken into account might be an impulse, heuristically, for new studies on these topics.

Abstract Background Infectious bursal disease (IBD), also known as Gumboro disease, is a viral infection that causes mortality and immunosuppression in chickens (Gallus gallus). VP2 and VP3 are the major structural viral capsid components and are the most immunogenic proteins of IBD virus (IBDV). Reliable diagnostic tests using VP2 and VP3 produced in heterologous systems are important tools to control this infection. One advantage of an IBD diagnostic based on VP3, over those that use VP2, is that VP3 has linear epitopes, enabling its production in bacteria. Results We tested the suitability of recombinant VP3 (rVP3) as a diagnostic reagent in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with a commercial test, rVP3 ELISA showed high sensitivity and specificity as a diagnostic tool for vaccinated animals. In addition, rVP3, but not the commercial ELISA, was able to detect antibodies in nonvaccinated chickens, probably developed against circulating IBDV strains. It was possible the assessment of VP3 regions antigenicity using chicken antisera. Conclusions The full-length recombinant VP3 can be used to assess post vaccination immunological status of chickens and its production is feasible and inexpensive. The evaluation of VP3 regions as candidates for general use in the diagnosis of IBD in chickens should be conducted with caution. Our work was the first to identify several regions of VP3 recognized by chicken antibodies.