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The Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to bring new opportunities for improving several services for the Society, from transportation to agriculture, from smart cities to fleet management. In this framework, massive connectivity represents one of the key issues. This is especially relevant when IoT systems are expected to cover a large geographical area or a region not reached by terrestrial network connections. In such scenarios, the usage of satellites might represent a viable solution for providing wide area coverage and connectivity in a flexible and affordable manner. Our paper presents a survey on current solutions for the deployment of IoT services in remote/rural areas by exploiting satellites. Several architectures and technical solutions are analyzed, underlining their features and limitations, and real test cases are presented. It has been highlighted that low-orbit satellites offer an efficient solution to support long-range IoT services, with a good trade-off in terms of coverage and latency. Moreover, open issues, new challenges, and innovative technologies have been focused, carefully considering the perimeter that current IoT standardization framework will impose to the practical implementation of future satellite based IoT systems.

Currently, infections produced by the gram-positive bacteria S. aureus represent a significant healthcare burden throughout the world. This is attributed to the ability of this bacterium to develop antibiotic resistance and efficiently evade human immune response. Therefore, research effort of many scientific laboratories worldwide is directed toward characterization of the genetic organization and molecular mechanisms responsible for S. aureus pathogenesis. This report is aimed to describe the growing body of evidence related to our understanding of the genetic organization and molecular interactions of the S. aureus leukocidins with the human cells that play an important role in bacterial pathogenesis, and represent a significant healthcare burden. Understanding of the genetic organization linked with additional mechanisms responsible for the realization of toxic potential, can help us to develop a better personalized approach for therapy against S. aureus infections. Thus, improved understanding of the molecular interactions between S. aureus leucocidins, and cell surface receptors may lead to the development of the alternative anti-microbial agents, that either independently or in combination with the current antibiotic treatment regimens will be used as an effective treatment strategy in clinic.

Background and Aims There is a lack of knowledge on the association of dietary factors and Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS). We evaluated the association of a Mediterranean diet (MD), its major food components and ultra-processed food (UPF) with the risk of LSS. Methods and Results Participants were recruited from the Neurosurgery Department of the IRCCS Neuromed, Italy. The study sample consisted of 156 cases of LSS, and 312 controls matched 1:2 for sex, age (±6 months) and physical activity, without a history or clinical evidence of LSS who were identified from the general population. Adherence to MD was assessed by the Mediterranean Diet Score based on 9 food groups. UPF was defined according to NOVA classification and calculated as the ratio (%) of UPF (g/d) on total food consumed (g/d). In multivariable-adjusted analysis, a 2-point increase in the MD score was not associated with LSS risk (OR: 1.02, 95% CI: 0.72-1.46). An increment of 10 g/d of fruits and nuts, cereals or fish led to lower odds of LSS (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99; OR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.82-0.94; OR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.99, respectively). Additionally, 1% increment in the consumption of UPF in the diet was independently associated with higher LSS risk (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04 -1.14). Conclusion A diet rich in fruits, cereals, fish is associated with lower risk of LSS while a large dietary share of UPF increases the risk of this disease. Further studies with a prospective design and larger sample sizes are warranted.

Two-component leukotoxins are important virulence factors for Staphylococcus aureus. Despite efforts made to study S. aureus leukotoxins, the direct mechanism of action of these toxins during infection has not been determined. However, the observation that deletion of LukED significantly attenuates highly virulent S. aureus strains supports the hypothesis that selective inhibition of LukE / D may be useful in the development of new aspects of S. aureus infection control. For this purpose, this work was carried out to test the expression and obtain a recombinant form of the LukE protein in E.coli cells. The LukE gene was cloned into the pET28-c (+) / GFP vector containing the gfp gene. Two fused genes carrying a hexahistidine tag were expressed in cells of the E. coli BL21(DE3) strain. It was found that the 6His-GFP-LucE protein aggregates in inclusion bodies. 6His-GFP-LucE was washed out of inclusion bodies with high molar urea. The 6His-GFP-LucE protein was purified by metal affinity chromatography. Research results can be applied to obtain recombinant protein including strategies for inhibition of toxin activity.

The microbiota can play important roles in the development of human immunity and the establishment of immune homeostasis. Lifestyle factors including diet, hygiene, and exposure to viruses or bacteria, and medical interventions with antibiotics or anti‐ulcer medications, regulate phylogenetic variability and the quality of cross talk between innate and adaptive immune cells via mucosal and skin epithelia. More recently, microbiota and their composition have been linked to protective effects for health. Imbalance, however, has been linked to immune‐related diseases such as allergy and cancer, characterized by impaired, or exaggerated immune tolerance, respectively. In this AllergoOncology position paper, we focus on the increasing evidence defining the microbiota composition as a key determinant of immunity and immune tolerance, linked to the risk for the development of allergic and malignant diseases. We discuss novel insights into the role of microbiota in disease and patient responses to treatments in cancer and in allergy. These may highlight opportunities to improve patient outcomes with medical interventions supported through a restored microbiome.