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Problematic Internet Use (PIU) is a dysfunctional behavior associated with prolonged Internet use, which results of negative impact on different aspects of life. Several studies confirmed these negative effects, unlike others that highlighted the benefits of the Internet on psychosocial well-being. The use of standard, valid and reliable tools for PIU assessment could resolve these disputes and also have relevant clinical implications. This study aims to validate the Italian version of the Internet Behaviors Scale and verify its psychometric properties on our sample. The tool is composed of 38 items grouped three factors: Social aspects, Negative impact and Competence and convenience aspect. The study involved 397 subjects, 257 females (64.7%), 138 males (34.8%) and 2 of other geneder (0.5%, not declared), aged 18 to 31 years old (mean = 20.42; SD = 2,72). Factor analyses consisting of Varimax rotation method, Kaiser normalization, Bartlett’s test of sphericity and internal consistency were performed. The results confirmed the good psychometric properties of the Internet Behaviors Scale - Italian Version. Factor analysis showed the validity of the three factors and satisfactorily explained the total variance. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients indicated high internal consistency for each factor. The use of this tool could be useful in the clinical setting, in order to understand the use of the Internet by users and its impact on psychosocial well-being.

Summary: The composition of the secretome depends on the combined action of cargo receptors that facilitate protein transport and sequential checkpoints that restrict it to native conformers. Acting after endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident chaperones, ERp44 retrieves its clients from downstream compartments. To guarantee efficient quality control, ERp44 should exit the ER as rapidly as its clients, or more. Here, we show that appending ERp44 to different cargo proteins increases their secretion rates. ERp44 binds the cargo receptor ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC)-53 in the ER to negotiate preferential loading into COPII vesicles. Silencing ERGIC-53, or competing for its COPII binding with 4-phenylbutyrate, causes secretion of Prdx4, an enzyme that relies on ERp44 for intracellular localization. In more acidic, zinc-rich downstream compartments, ERGIC-53 releases its clients and ERp44, which can bind and retrieve non-native conformers via KDEL receptors. By coupling the transport of cargoes and inspector proteins, cells ensure efficiency and fidelity of secretion.

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) targets viral replication, but early viral protein production by astrocytes may still occur and contribute to the progression of HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders and secondary complications seen in patients receiving cART. In prior work with our model, astrocytic HIV-1 Nef expression exhibits neurotoxic effects leading to neurological damage, learning impairment, and immune upregulation that induces inflammation in the lungs and small intestine (SI). In this follow-up study, we focus on the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) as the important branch for peripheral inflammation resulting from astrocytic Nef expression. Male and female Sprague Dawley rats were infused with transfected astrocytes to produce Nef. The rats were divided in four groups: Nef, Nef + propranolol, propranolol and naïve. The beta-adrenergic blocker, propranolol, was administered for 3 consecutive days, starting one day prior to surgery. Two days after the surgery, the rats were sacrificed, and then blood, brain, small intestine (SI), and lung tissues were collected. Levels of IL-1β were higher in both male and female rats, and treatment with propranolol restored IL-1β to basal levels. We observed that Nef expression decreased staining of the tight junction protein claudin-5 in brain tissue while animals co-treated with propranolol restored claudin-5 expression. Lungs and SI of rats in the Nef group showed histological signs of damage including larger Peyer’s Patches, increased tissue thickness, and infiltration of immune cells; these findings were abrogated by propranolol co-treatment. Results suggest that interruption of the beta adrenergic signaling reduces the peripheral organ inflammation caused after Nef expression in astrocytes of the brain.

Background: Rhinophyma is a benign condition of the nose, characterized by its enlargement in the lower 2/3, with a bulbous appearance, purple-red tint, dilated pores and a rough surface. The treatment of choice for this pathology was based on the use of the multimodal laser, which contributed to the improvement of the patients' quality of life. Methods: the present study was conducted on a number of 6 male patients, with different levels of severity and with Fizpatrick II and III type skin. For their treatment the following were used: Cutera Xeo vascular NdYag laser, Cutero Xeo LimeLight laser, program A (vascular), Cutera Pearl Fractional laser. Results: We found that methods such as drugs, radiofrequency or dermabrasion didn’t give optimal results. Therefore, after a classification of patients with mild, moderate and severe forms, we have applied the treatment according to these 3 forms of rhinophyma, based on the principle of the “subunit method”. Our treatment has been reduced to two methods: multimodal laser treatment and surgical treatment. Conclusions: In mild and medium forms we considered sufficient multimodal laser treatment, a combination of NdYag, ErYag and intensely pulsed light, while in severe forms only surgical treatment brings optimal results. All patients were satisfied with the treatment, with responses ranging from increased self-esteem and social comfort to a better quality of life.

Crerand and colleagues (2020) analyzed body image in adolescents with craniofacial conditions, with particular reference to gender differences in the perception of stigma, satisfaction with one's appearance and linguistic functionality.

This study aimed to investigate the quality parameters and the oxidative stability (180 days of storage) of a water–oil emulsion formulated with Calabrian (Italy) monovarietal Agristigna extra virgin olive oil and apple vinegar. The best extra virgin olive oil/apple vinegar ratio was found to be 85/15 (v/v) and lecithin (2% w/v) was the best additive to reach proper stability and viscosity over time. An increase of lightness parameters was evidenced in both products in a storage time-dependent manner. During storage, both oil and dressing showed a free acidity level beyond the accepted limit for extra virgin olive oil, whereas a slight increase of the peroxide value was observed only for Glasoil at the end of the observation time without affecting sensory attributes. A general decrease of phytochemicals was observed for extra virgin olive oil and Glasoil, with different reduction trends and degrees depending on the chemical class. A lower stability of Glasoil during shelf-life was confirmed by the worsening of the rheological features and by the polyunsaturated fatty acids reduction (up to −21.71%) with a corresponding increase of the monounsaturated fatty acids/polyunsaturated fatty acids ratio (about +25.69%).

In this work, we conducted a comparative phytochemical, chemotaxonomic, and biological study of essential oils (EOs) and extracts (ethyl acetate and methanol) obtained from the leaves of Juniperusmacrocarpa and J. oxycedrus. The dominant compounds of J. macrocarpa EO, analysed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), are α-pinene, sabinene, manoyl oxide, and germacrene D, whereas α-pinene, limonene, (Z,E)-farnesol, β-pinene, and γ-cadinene are the most representative volatiles of J. oxycedrus EOs. A multivariate analysis of EOs, included a selection of literature data comparing our samples to samples of J. oxycedrus/macrocarpa/deltoides from the Mediterranean area, was performed. As evident by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses, apigenin, (−)-epicatechin, and luteolin were abundant in J. oxycedrus extracts, while gallic acid, kaempferol-3-O-glucoside, and protocatechuic acid were the dominant constituents of J. macrocarpa extracts. EOs and extracts have been investigated for their potential antioxidant properties and anti-proliferative activity against lung adenocarcinoma (A549), breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231), and lung large cell carcinoma (COR-L23) human cell lines. The methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of J. oxycedrus exerted the most valuable antioxidant activity and exhibited the most promising activity against the COR-L23 cell line with an IC50 of 26.0 and 39.1 μg/mL, respectively, lower than that obtained with the positive control (IC50 of 45.5 μg/mL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report highlighting the anti-proliferative activity of J. oxycedrus and J. macrocarpa extracts against this lung cancer cell line. Our results indicate that J. oxycedrus may be considered a source of natural compounds with antioxidant and anti-proliferative effects that could be suitable for future applications.

Cornus species are widely distributed in central and southern Europe, east Africa, southwest Asia, and America. Several species are known for edible fruits, especially Cornus mas and Cornus officinalis. These delicious fruits, characterized by their remarkable nutritional and biological values, are widely used in traditional medicine. In contrast to the other edible Cornus species, C. mas and C. officinalis are the most studied for which little information is available on the main phytochemicals and their biological activities. Fruits are characterised by several classes of secondary metabolites, such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignans, anthocyanins, tannins, triterpenoids, and iridoids. The available phytochemical data show that the different classes of metabolites have not been systematically studied. However, these edible species are all worthy of interest because similarities have been found. Thus, this review describes the traditional uses of Cornus species common in Europe and Asia, a detailed classification of the bioactive compounds that characterize the fruits, and their beneficial health effects. Cornus species are a rich source of phytochemicals with nutritional and functional properties that justify the growing interest in these berries, not only for applications in the food industry but also useful for their medicinal properties.

Background: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a multi-system disorder that can have significant adverse effects upon the oral health. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations between SSc, periodontal disease (PD) and tooth loss and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Methods: For the study were enrolled 70 patients affected by SSc and 75 non-diseased controls matched for age and gender. SSc was characterized in subtypes and with the mean duration of disease and the Modified Rodnan Skin Score [mRSS]. Patients were surveyed and examined through the evaluation of the periodontal parameters and the number of teeth and OHRQoL scores. Results: A logistic regression analysis showed that patients with SSc presented a higher number of missing teeth (p=0.001) and a 6.89-fold (95% CI 2.04 to 18.36) increased odds of CAL compared to the control group. Moreover, the less values of PPD was correlated with mRSS in the total SSc group and with the mean duration of disease in patients with limited SSc, even after adjusting this correlation with the presence of the major organ involvement. The OHIP sub-scale psychosocial impact differed significantly between groups (p= 0.002). The OHIP sum score was also significantly different between groups (p 0.001). Conclusions : This study showed that patients with SSc presented an increased odds of PD and tooth loss compared to non-diseased controls. In SSc patients, the magnitude of PD was strongly associated with the mRSS and with the mean duration of the disease.

"Désorganisations et destructivité" (Kapsambelis, 2018) was taken from Volume 54, 2018/2 of the Revue française de psychosomatique, whose focus is mainly centered on the relationship between psychic and somatic, with particular reference to the concept of "destructiveness".

The study presents an exploratory investigation of the function of the kiss and is aimed at validating a quantitative psychological instrument useful to highlight its ontogenesis. The construction of the questionnaire identified possible 25 items with the aim of analysing the origin of the meaning processes related to kiss, starting from the relationships with the main caregivers. In this sense, the items were constituted starting from the subject’s representations regarding parental desires, to move to secondary relationships and to the introduction of the term "third" in their dynamics of affectivity projection. The study involved 227 subjects with a male prevalence (M=53,3%) and aged between 18 and 42 years old (Mean= 23,84; SD= 3,47). The weight of such items demonstrated to be representative of the kissing signification experiences along the psycho-affective development stages were reported. Through the factorial exploratory analysis, three factors were identified, called respectively "kiss desire origin", "Objectual kiss" and "Thirdness".

Arianna Bellazzo,1 Daria Sicari,1,2 Elena Valentino,1,2 Giannino Del Sal,1,2 Licio Collavin1,2 1National Laboratory CIB (LNCIB), AREA Science park, Trieste, Italy; 2Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, ItalyAbstract: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy in women, and mutations in the tumor suppressor p53 are commonly detected in the most aggressive subtypes. The majority of TP53 gene alterations are missense substitutions, leading to expression of mutant forms of the p53 protein that are frequently detected at high levels in cancer cells. P53 mutants not only lose the physiological tumor-suppressive activity of the wild-type p53 protein but also acquire novel powerful oncogenic functions, referred to as gain of function, that may actively confer a selective advantage during tumor progression. Some of the best-characterized oncogenic activities of mutant p53 are mediated by its ability to form aberrant protein complexes with other transcription factors or proteins not directly related to gene transcription. The set of cellular proteins available to interact with mutant p53 is dependent on cell type and extensively affected by environmental signals, so the prognostic impact of p53 mutation is complex. Specific functional interactions of mutant p53 can profoundly impact homeostasis of breast cancer cells, reprogramming gene expression in response to specific extracellular inputs or cell-intrinsic conditions. The list of protein complexes involving mutant p53 in breast cancer is continuously growing, as is the number of oncogenic phenotypes in which they could be involved. In consideration of the functional impact of such complexes, key interactions of mutant p53 may be exploited as potential targets for development of therapies aimed at defusing the oncogenic potential of p53 mutation. Keywords: protein–protein interactions, mutant p53 gain of function, targeted therapy, cancer-cell homeostasis

The upper extremities limitation represents one of the essential functional impairments in patients with cervical spinal cord injury. Electromechanics assisted devices and robots are increasingly used in neurorehabilitation to help functional improvement in patients with neurological diseases. This review aimed to systematically report the evidence-based, state-of-art on clinical applications and robotic-assisted arm training (RAT) in motor and functional recovery in subjects affected by cervical spinal cord injury. The present study has been carried out within the framework of the Italian Consensus Conference on “Rehabilitation assisted by robotic and electromechanical devices for persons with disability of neurological origin” (CICERONE). PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases were systematically searched from inception to September 2021. The 10-item PEDro scale assessed the study quality for the RCT and the AMSTAR-2 for the systematic review. Two different authors rated the studies included in this review. If consensus was not achieved after discussion, a third reviewer was interrogated. The five-item Oxford CEBM scale was used to rate the level of evidence. A total of 11 studies were included. The selected studies were: two systematic reviews, two RCTs, one parallel-group controlled trial, one longitudinal intervention study and five case series. One RCT was scored as a high-quality study, while the systematic review was of low quality. RAT was reported as feasible and safe. Initial positive effects of RAT were found for arm function and quality of movement in addition to conventional therapy. The high clinical heterogeneity of treatment programs and the variety of robot devices could severely affect the generalizability of the study results. Therefore, future studies are warranted to standardize the type of intervention and evaluate the role of robotic-assisted training in subjects affected by cervical spinal cord injury.

Upper extremities limitation is a common functional impairment in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). Novel technological devices are increasingly used in neurorehabilitation to support motor function improvement and the quantitative assessment of motor performance during training in patients with neurological diseases. In this review, we systematically report the evidence on clinical applications and robotic-assisted arm training (RAT) in functional recovery in PwMS. PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases were systematically searched from inception to March 2021. The 10-item PEDro scale assessed the study quality for the RCT, and the AMSTAR-2 was used to assess the quality of the systematic review. The 5-item Oxford CEBM scale was used to rate the level of evidence. A total of 10 studies (161 subjects) were included. The selected studies included one systematic review, four RCTs, one randomized crossover, and four case series. The RCTs were scored as high-quality studies, while the systematic review was determined to be of low quality. Shoulder range of motion, handgrip strength, and proximal arm impairment improved after RAT. Manual dexterity, arm function, and use in daily life also ameliorated arm function. The high clinical heterogeneity of treatment programs and the variety of robot devices affects the generalizability of the study results; therefore, we emphasize the need to standardize the intervention type in future studies that evaluate the role of robotic-assisted training in PwMS. Robot-assisted treatment seems safe and useful to increase manual dexterity and the quality of movement execution in PwMS with moderate to severe disability. Additional studies with an adequate sample size and methodological rigour are warranted to drive definite conclusions.

With a great variety of foods on the market, the consumer’s responsibility is to choose food that can allow him to maintain his state of health and prevent chronic diseases. For this reason, several functional foods classified as fortified or enriched are currently being developed. In fact, the functional food market size is estimated to reach USD 267,924.4 million by 2027 [1]. Functional foods are able to provide essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and bioactive substances. The opportunities for incorporating these bioactive constituents into bread have grown rapidly, as bread is the staple food in many countries. Lycium barbarum (goji) berries are a source of phytochemicals with important biological functions and are designated as super-fruits [2]. The aim of the study was to add goji puree at different percentages (50% and 70%) to the bread dough. To evaluate the characteristics of bread enriched in goji puree, chemical–physical, sensory, rheological analysis and radical scavenging activity tests were carried out [3,4]. The best results were obtained with the sample enriched with 50% goji puree (B50G), showing a total phenol content of 42.07 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g bread and an ABTS radical scavenging activity of 833.48 µmol Trolox/100 g bread. Bread sensory profile was identified by a trained panel using quantitative descriptive analysis, showing significant differences compared with the untreated sample in terms of crust, crumb colour and structural crunchiness, while olfactory and gustatory descriptors did not differ significantly. Furthermore, the enriched product is characterized by a higher content of bioactive substances, with particular reference to phenolic compounds, and by an interesting antioxidant activity. The absence of substantial changes in the sensory profile represents another fundamental aspect appreciated by the consumers. Collectively, our results demonstrate the potential health properties of this enriched bread.

Fruits and vegetables are products which can be consumed in their raw forms without undergoing processing or transformation. Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation [1]. It is still widely used to preserve foods for home consumption and for sale. Dried fruits are one of the most popular products made by small-scale processors. The health benefits of consuming fruit are well documented [2]. Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cv Hayward) is a nutrient-dense fruit, and extensive research over the last decade on its health benefits has linked its regular consumption to improvements not only in nutritional status but also benefits to digestive, immune and metabolic health [2]. Dried kiwis are highly needed in food industries. The dehydration process removes much of the water content from kiwi slices, making them richer in nutrients. This work aimed to evaluate the effect of the air-drying temperature on quality and nutritional compounds of dehydrated kiwi slices over 120 days of storage. Hot-air-drying of kiwi slices was investigated at drying temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 55 °C and a slice thickness of 4 mm. Fresh and dried kiwi slices were analysed for their pH, activity water, total solid soluble (TSS), colour, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, total phenols and flavonoids content, as well as radical scavenging activities evaluated by an ABTS test [3,4]. The analysis carried out on the dehydrated kiwifruit have shown a good disposition of the kiwi towards the drying process. Particularly, it has been observed that drying treatment at low temperature preserved the nutraceutical properties of the food matrix. Samples treated at 40 °C showed the highest values of total phenols and flavonoids content with values of 2179 mg/100 g dried weight (DW) and 281 mg/100 DW fruits, respectively. This high phytochemical content is responsible for the dried kiwifruit’s promising antioxidant activity (1657 mmol Trolox/100 g DW fruits). Moreover, on average, all dried samples exhibited, at the end of storage, a high content of ascorbic acid (429–339 mg/100g DW fruits) and a slight variation of physicochemical parameters.