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Background and aims: Cognitive impairments associated with aging and dementia are major sources of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPs) and deterioration in quality of life (QoL). Preventive measures to both reduce disease and improve QoL in those affected are increasingly targeting individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at early disease stage. However, NPs and QoL outcomes are too commonly overlooked in intervention trials. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of physical and cognitive training on NPs and QoL in MCI. Methods: Baseline data from an MCI court (N = 93, mean age 74.9 ± 4.7) enrolled in the Train the Brain (TtB) study were collected. Subjects were randomized in two groups: a group participated to a cognitive and physical training program, while the other sticked to usual standard care. Both groups underwent a follow-up re-evaluation after 7months from baseline. NPs were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and QoL was assessed using Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD) scale. Results: After 7months of training, training group exhibited a significant reduction of NPs and a significant increase in QOL-AD with respect to no-training group (p = 0.0155, p = 0.0013, respectively). Our preliminary results suggest that a combined training can reduce NPs and improve QoL. Conclusions: Measuring QoL outcomes is a potentially important factor in ensuring that a person with cognitive deficits can ‘live well’ with pathology. Future data from non-pharmacological interventions, with a larger sample and a longer follow-up period, could confirm the results and the possible implications for such prevention strategies for early cognitive decline. Background and aims: Cognitive impairments associated with aging and dementia are major sources of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPs) and deterioration in quality of life (QoL). Preventive measures to both reduce disease and improve QoL in those affected are increasingly targeting individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at early disease stage. However, NPs and QoL outcomes are too commonly overlooked in intervention trials. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of physical and cognitive training on NPs and QoL in MCI. Methods: Baseline data from an MCI court (N = 93, mean age 74.9 ± 4.7) enrolled in the Train the Brain (TtB) study were collected. Subjects were randomized in two groups: a group participated to a cognitive and physical training program, while the other sticked to usual standard care. Both groups underwent a follow-up re-evaluation after 7 months from baseline. NPs were assessed using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and QoL was assessed using Quality of Life-Alzheimer’s Disease (QOL-AD) scale. Results: After 7 months of training, training group exhibited a significant reduction of NPs and a significant increase in QOL-AD with respect to no-training group (p = 0.0155, p = 0.0013, respectively). Our preliminary results suggest that a combined training can reduce NPs and improve QoL. Conclusions: Measuring QoL outcomes is a potentially important factor in ensuring that a person with cognitive deficits can ‘live well’ with pathology. Future data from non-pharmacological interventions, with a larger sample and a longer follow-up period, could confirm the results and the possible implications for such prevention strategies for early cognitive decline.

Introduction/Background Increasing evidences demonstrated a crucial role of inflammation in inducing and promoting several cancers. Cancer-related inflammation is an essential process in malignant disease by stimulating tumour cells proliferation, invasion mechanisms, metastasis, neoangiogenesis and by activating pathways of apoptosis’s resistance. Cells and mediators of inflammation (as cytokines) represent a major part of tumour milieu. Particularly, IL-6 has been linked with cervical cancer development and progression by inducing upregulation of vascular growth factors (as VEGF), by modulating apoptosis, by fostering platelet production, activation and aggregation. An elevated platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been recognised as markers of inflammation and also linked to poor prognosis in several malignancies. The aim of the study was to evaluate prognostic impact of inflammatory biomarkers (high platelet count, PLR) in combination with IL-6 tumour expression in cervical cancer patients. Methodology Between 2016 and 2019, 108 out of 159 patients with cervical cancer presented to the Department of Gynecological, Obstetrical and Urological Sciences of ”Sapienza” University of Rome and to the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Pisa have been enrolled. Study project was made in collaboration with National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Clinical Physiology (CNR-IFC) of Pisa. Cut off level of pre-treatment platelet count and PLR were identified by using ROC curve. IL-6 tumoural and peri-tumoural expression was analysed and stratified as low and high (low expression: 0, +1; marked expression:+2, +3). Results Median follow up duration was 30 months (range 16–44). Patients with higher platelet counts showed worse OS and DFS (OS p Patients’ characteristics were stratified according to platelet count, PLR, and IL-6 tissutal expression then compared using Pearson’s correlation. Significant correlations were observed between negative cervical cancer-related prognostic factors (advanced stage of disease, tumor size, high grading, positive LVSI, lymph nodes and parametrial involvement) and pro-inflammatory patient’s status. Conclusion Nowadays causal relationship between inflammation, innate immunity and cancer is more widely accepted; however, many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating this relationship remain unresolved. Ongoing inflammatory response was associated with poor outcomes in cervical cancer patients. A higher pre-treatment platelet count and PLR value associated with higher IL-6 tumoral expression could be used to predict poor prognosis in cervical cancer patients. Further investigations about inflammatory markers in prognostic models could contribute in early cervical patients’ stratification and consequent management. Disclosures None.

Philadelphia-negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) have recently been revealed to be related to chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. It has been proposed that MPNs represent a human inflammation model for tumor advancement, in which long-lasting inflammation serves as the driving element from early tumor stage (over polycythemia vera) to the later myelofibrotic cancer stage. It has been theorized that the starting event for acquired stem cell alteration may occur after a chronic inflammation stimulus with consequent myelopoietic drive, producing a genetic stem cell insult. When this occurs, the clone itself constantly produces inflammatory components in the bone marrow; these elements further cause clonal expansion. In BCR–ABL1-negative MPNs, the driver mutations include JAK 2, MPL, and CALR. Transcriptomic studies of hematopoietic stem cells from subjects with driver mutations have demonstrated the upregulation of inflammation-related genes capable of provoking the development of an inflammatory state. The possibility of acting on the inflammatory state as a therapeutic approach in MPNs appears promising, in which an intervention operating on the pathways that control the synthesis of cytokines and oxidative stress could be effective in reducing the possibility of leukemic progression and onset of complications.

Alzheimer’s disease is notoriously the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, affecting an increasing number of people. Although widespread, its causes and progression modalities are complex and still not fully understood. Through neuroimaging techniques, such as diffusion Magnetic Resonance (MR), more sophisticated and specific studies of the disease can be performed, offering a valuable tool for both its diagnosis and early detection. However, processing large quantities of medical images is not an easy task, and researchers have turned their attention towards machine learning, a set of computer algorithms that automatically adapt their output towards the intended goal. In this paper, a systematic review of recent machine learning applications on diffusion tensor imaging studies of Alzheimer’s disease is presented, highlighting the fundamental aspects of each work and reporting their performance score. A few examined studies also include mild cognitive impairment in the classification problem, while others combine diffusion data with other sources, like structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (multimodal analysis). The findings of the retrieved works suggest a promising role for machine learning in evaluating effective classification features, like fractional anisotropy, and in possibly performing on different image modalities with higher accuracy.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show worse oral health than their peers. Their access to health services is, at present, inadequate: few high-quality interventions have been designed and implemented to improve their care procedures so far. The purpose of this study is to describe an experience of dental care supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), for children with ASD in a public health service. In our study, 59 children (mean age 9.9 years, SD = 5.43) participated in the MyDentist project. It integrates classic dental care techniques with new practices for desensitization and fear control, delivered through an enhanced customized ICT-based intervention aiming at familiarizing the child with ASD with the medical setting and procedures. Two questionnaires were filled out by parents to describe the acceptability of the MyDentist experience for their children. Significant results were shown from T0 (before initiating MyDentist) to T1 (after 6 months of the MyDentist experience) regarding improved oral hygiene and cooperation during dental treatments. Families positively assessed the use of ICT support. In conclusion, the project demonstrated acceptability by parents, suggesting that public health dental care and prevention can be successfully implemented without resorting to costly pharmacological interventions (with potential side effects), taking better care of children&rsquo, s health.

COVID-19, the novel coronavirus affecting the most part of worldwide countries since early 2020, is fast increasing its prevalence around the world, representing a significant emergency for the population and the health systems at large. While proper treatments are being developed, in-depth studies concerning its way of diffusion are necessary, in order to understand how the virus is actually spreading, through the investigation on some socio-economic indicators for the various countries in the world, retrieved through open-access data publicly available. The correlation analysis displayed significant relationships between COVID-19 incidence with several of such indicators, including the Gross Domestic Product per capita and the number of flights per capita, whereas mortality is mainly related to the main age of the population. All such data displayed an interesting mean to understand the way the virus has diffused worldwide, possibly representing the basis for future preventive measures to effectively challenge a new COVID-19 pandemic wave, but also other, similar pandemics.

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the process applied in subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to elaborate and communicate their experiences of daily life activities, as well as to assess the autonomic nervous system response that subtend such a process. This procedure was evaluated for the first time in two eight-year-old girls with high-functioning ASDs. The subjects performed six months of training, based on the cognitive&ndash, motivational&ndash, individualized (c.m.i.&reg, ) approach, which mainly consisted in building domestic procedures and re-elaborating acquired experiences through drawing or the use of icons made by the children. Together with behavioral observations, the response of the autonomic nervous system during such re-elaboration was recorded. A change in communicative and interactive competences was observed, moving from a condition of spontaneity to one in which the girls were engaged in relating their experiences to a parent. Autonomic response highlighted how, in communicating their own experiences, they achieved a state of cognitive activation, which enabled a greater communicative and emotional connection with the interlocutor. This is a proof-of-concept study on the application of the c.m.i.&reg, which needs to be extensively validated in the clinical setting.

Alternative treatments for neoplastic diseases with new drugs are necessary because the clinical effectiveness of chemotherapy is often reduced by collateral effects. Several natural substances of plant origin have been demonstrated to be successful in the prevention and treatment of numerous tumors. Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a herb that is cultivated in diverse areas of the world. There is increasing attention being directed towards the pharmaceutical capacities of rosemary, utilized for its anti-inflammatory, anti-infective or anticancer action. The antitumor effect of rosemary has been related to diverse mechanisms, such as the antioxidant effect, antiangiogenic properties, epigenetic actions, regulation of the immune response and anti-inflammatory response, modification of specific metabolic pathways, and increased expression of onco-suppressor genes. In this review, we aim to report the results of preclinical studies dealing with the anticancer effects of rosemary, the molecular mechanisms related to these actions, and the interactions between rosemary and anticancer drugs. The prospect of utilizing rosemary as an agent in the treatment of different neoplastic diseases is discussed. However, although the use of rosemary in the therapy of neoplasms constitutes a fascinating field of study, large and controlled studies must be conducted to definitively clarify the real impact of this substance in clinical practice.

Attention tests are among the most widely used for characterizing one of the most important human cognitive domains. However, their link with emotional processes and physiological reactions is not fully clear and often debated. To this extent, in this pilot we used commercially available tools for administering a validated attentional test and, at the same time, to unobtrusively record physiological parameters related to the autonomic nervous system activity in a small cohort of young, healthy individuals. Preliminary results demonstrated the feasibility of this approach and suggested that the methodology employed was somewhat sensitive to detect changes related to the task administered in the cohort studied. Such results would probably pave the way for a future exploitation of integrated hardware/software systems tailored at detecting psychophysiological changes eventually occurring during cognitive testing administration.

Nowadays, psychological stress represents a burdensome condition affecting an increasing number of subjects, in turn putting into practice several strategies to cope with this issue, including the administration of relaxation protocols, often performed in non-structured environments, like workplaces, and constrained within short times. Here, we performed a quick relaxation protocol based on a short audio and video, and analyzed physiological signals related to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, including electrocardiogram (ECG) and galvanic skin response (GSR). Based on the features extracted, machine learning was applied to discriminate between subjects benefitting from the protocol and those with negative or no effects. Twenty-four healthy volunteers were enrolled for the protocol, equally and randomly divided into Group A, performing an audio-video + video-only relaxation, and Group B, performing an audio-video + audio-only protocol. From the ANS point of view, Group A subjects displayed a significant difference in the heart rate variability-related parameter SDNN across the test phases, whereas both groups displayed a different GSR response, albeit at different levels, with Group A displaying greater differences across phases with respect to Group B. Overall, the majority of the volunteers enrolled self-reported an improvement of their well-being status, according to structured questionnaires. The use of neural networks helped in discriminating those with a positive effect of the relaxation protocol from those with a negative/neutral impact based on basal autonomic features with a 79.2% accuracy. The results obtained demonstrated a significant heterogeneity in autonomic effects of the relaxation, highlighting the importance of maintaining a structured, well-defined protocol to produce significant benefits at the ANS level. Machine learning approaches can be useful to predict the outcome of such protocols, therefore providing subjects less prone to positive responses with personalized advice that could improve the effect of such protocols on self-relaxation perception.

In recent years, the study of eye movements has increasingly become a window into neurological function and processes. This paper reports data about applications of eye-tracking technology in the field of neurodevelopmental disorders, especially in studying the clinical characteristics of ADHD. These studies indicated that eye-tracking approach represents a non-invasive methodology to test specific domains, such as attention networks and inhibition control, in an objectively and reliable way in youths. Although the studies results are still not conclusive, eye-tracking represents a potential valid support for clinicians in identifying specific biomarkers to orient ADHD diagnosis and the best intervention strategies.

Background Epidemiological studies have shown an association between global warming, air pollution, and allergic diseases. Several air pollutants, including volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, toluene, nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), and particulate matter, act as risk factors for the development or aggravation of atopic dermatitis (AD). We evaluated the impact of air pollutants and weather changes on AD patients. Materials and methods Sixty AD patients ≥5 years of age (mean age: 23.5 ± 12.5 years), living in the Campania Region (Southern Italy), were followed for 18 months. The primary outcome was the effect of atmospheric and climatic factors on signs and symptoms of AD, assessed using the SCORAD (SCORing Atopic Dermatitis) index. We measured mean daily temperature (TOD), outdoor relative humidity (RH), diurnal temperature range (DTR), precipitation, particulate with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10 ), NO2 , tropospheric ozone (O3 ), and total pollen count (TPC). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations of AD signs and symptoms with these factors. An artificial neural network (ANN) analysis investigated the relationships between weather changes, environmental pollutants, and AD severity. Results The severity of AD symptoms was positively correlated with outdoor temperatures (TOD, DTR), RH, precipitation, PM10 , NO2 , O3 , and TPC. The ANN analysis also showed a good discrimination performance (75.46%) in predicting disease severity based on environmental pollution data, but weather-related factors were less predictive. Conclusion The results of the present study provide evidence that weather changes and air pollutions have a significant impact on skin reactivity and symptoms in AD patients, increasing the severity of the dermatitis. The knowledge of the single variables proportion on AD severity symptoms is important to propose alerts for exacerbations in patients with AD of each age. This finding represents a good starting point for further future research in an area of increasingly growing interest.

Summary A systematic review of the current literature on retreatment with omalizumab of patients with relapsing chronic spontaneous urticaria was performed. Published evidence shows that retreatment is safe and clinically effective, and that time to complete clinical response reduces as the number of retreatments increases.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is the main cause of mortality among hematologic diseases in Western nations. B-CLL is correlated with an intense alteration of the immune system. The altered functions of innate immune elements and adaptive immune factors are interconnected in B-CLL and are decisive for its onset, evolution, and therapeutic response. Modifications in the cytokine balance could support the growth of the leukemic clone via a modulation of cellular proliferation and apoptosis, as some cytokines have been reported to be able to affect the life of B-CLL cells in vivo. In this review, we will examine the role played by cytokines in the cellular dynamics of B-CLL patients, interpret the contradictions sometimes present in the literature regarding their action, and evaluate the possibility of manipulating their production in order to intervene in the natural history of the disease.

Aging is associated not only with the reduction of psychophysical and sensory capacities but also with different types of neurodegenerative disorders up to dementia manifestations. Aging in health and self-sufficiency is strictly dependent on the prevention and correction of factors that may determine reduction of psychophysical capacities (e.g., cardiovascular, locomotor and neurodegenerative ones). To reach this goal, due to the dynamics of social and family changes and to the aging of the population, health professionals can be supported by technologies which provide noninvasive monitoring of physiologic parameters and rely on telemedicine, both instruments of support and care for better aging in the home setting. The authors, starting from the initial idea of a personalized monitoring of different psychophysical variables, defined a pilot study to assess the role of a 12-month individually tailored lifestyle counseling on parameters of mild cognitive impairment in a group of elderly subjects. Data derived from the applied approach appeared promising and may open the road to the possible implementation of individual counseling, based on multiparametric non-obtrusive technologies which take into consideration both psychological and physical aspects, to be followed in the home environment.

In late December 2019, a new infectious viral disease appeared. A new betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2), has been recognized as the pathogen responsible for this infection. Patients affected by tumors are more vulnerable to infection owing to poor health status, concomitant chronic diseases, and immunosuppressive conditions provoked by both the cancer and antitumor therapies. In this review, we have analyzed some lesser known aspects of the relationship between neoplasms and SARS-CoV-2 infection, starting from the different expression of the ACE2 receptor of the virus in the various neoplastic pathologies, and the roles that different cytokine patterns could have in vulnerability to infection and the appearance of complications. This review also reports the rationale for a possible use of drugs commonly employed in neoplastic therapy, such as bevacizumab, ibrutinib, selinexor, thalidomide, carfilzomib, and PD-1 inhibitors, for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Finally, we have highlighted some diagnostic challenges in the recognition of SARS-CoV-2 infection in cancer-infected patients. The combination of these two health problems—tumors and a pandemic virus—could become a catastrophe if not correctly handled. Careful and judicious management of cancer patients with SARS-Cov-2 could support a better outcome for these patients during the current pandemic.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show worse oral health than their peers. Their access to health services is, at present, inadequate: few high-quality interventions have been designed and implemented to improve their care procedures so far. The purpose of this study is to describe an experience of dental care supported by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), for children with ASD in a public health service. In our study, 59 children (mean age 9.9 years; SD = 5.43) participated in the MyDentist project. It integrates classic dental care techniques with new practices for desensitization and fear control, delivered through an enhanced customized ICT-based intervention aiming at familiarizing the child with ASD with the medical setting and procedures. Two questionnaires were filled out by parents to describe the acceptability of the MyDentist experience for their children. Significant results were shown from T0 (before initiating MyDentist) to T1 (after 6 months of the MyDentist experience) regarding improved oral hygiene and cooperation during dental treatments. Families positively assessed the use of ICT support. In conclusion, the project demonstrated acceptability by parents, suggesting that public health dental care and prevention can be successfully implemented without resorting to costly pharmacological interventions (with potential side effects), taking better care of children's health.

OBJECTIVE: In 2019, an infection provoked by SARS-CoV-2 virus arose in Wuhan, China. Currently, there is still no definite and efficacious therapy for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, our understanding of the physiopathology of the infection, and risk elements for severity and mortality, is incomplete. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One largely neglected element that could affect prognosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection is the vitamin status of population. The purpose of this review is to evaluate whether a vitamin insufficiency could provoke an augmented risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection or the appearance of major complications. In particular, we evaluated the presence of studies related to the state and effects of vitamin D, C, B, and A in subjects with SARS-CoV-2 disease. RESULTS: Although, actually, the interest in a possible use for vitamin supplementation in SARS-CoV-2 patients is essentially based on indirect data, we tried to examine the evidence about a favorable effect of vitamin supplementation in the therapy of the infection and its complications. CONCLUSIONS: Supplements with vitamin A, B, C, D, and E could represent an inexpensive and sufficiently safe approach, and a useful therapeutic complement. However, solid clinical research data are expected to support such claim.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder (Engel and Pedley, 2008), whose main clinical sign are the so-called “epileptic seizures,” having a significant social and sanitary impact, both due to its quite high incidence and chronicity. In fact, it is estimated that the lifetime prevalence of epilepsy is around 7.60 per 1000 persons, whereas its incidence rate appears to be of 61.44 per 100,000 person years (Fiest et al., 2017). Seizures are unpredictable events so disability caused by epilepsy can be significant, due to uncertainty and consequences of the fits.

The present is a comprehensive review of the immunopathology of Covid-19. The immune reaction to SARS-CoV-2 infection is characterized by differentiation and proliferation of a variety of immune cells with immune mediator production and release, and activation of other pathogen resistance mechanisms. We fully address the humoral and cellular immune changes induced by the virus, with particular emphasis on the role of the “cytokine storm” in the evolution of the disease. Moreover, we also propose some immune alterations (i.e., inflammatory parameters, cytokines, leukocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations) as prognostic markers of the disease. Furthermore, we discuss how immune modifying drugs, such as tocilizumab, chloroquine, glucocorticoids and immunoglobulins, and blood purification therapy, can constitute a fundamental moment in the therapy of the infection. Finally, we made a critical analysis of a number of substances, not yet utilized, but potentially useful in SARS-CoV-2 patients, such as IFN lambda, TNF blockers, ulinastatin, siponimod, tacrolimus, mesenchymal stem cells, inhibitors of mononuclear macrophage recruitment, IL-1 family antagonists, JAK-2 or STAT-3 inhibitors.

Alternative treatments for neoplastic diseases with new drugs are necessary because the clinical effectiveness of chemotherapy is often reduced by collateral effects. Several natural substances of plant origin have been demonstrated to be successful in the prevention and treatment of numerous tumors. Rosmarinus officinalis L. is a herb that is cultivated in diverse areas of the world. There is increasing attention being directed towards the pharmaceutical capacities of rosemary, utilized for its anti-inflammatory, anti-infective or anticancer action. The antitumor effect of rosemary has been related to diverse mechanisms, such as the antioxidant effect, antiangiogenic properties, epigenetic actions, regulation of the immune response and anti-inflammatory response, modification of specific metabolic pathways, and increased expression of onco-suppressor genes. In this review, we aim to report the results of preclinical studies dealing with the anticancer effects of rosemary, the molecular mechanisms related to these actions, and the interactions between rosemary and anticancer drugs. The prospect of utilizing rosemary as an agent in the treatment of different neoplastic diseases is discussed. However, although the use of rosemary in the therapy of neoplasms constitutes a fascinating field of study, large and controlled studies must be conducted to definitively clarify the real impact of this substance in clinical practice.

Hundreds of trillions of bacteria are present in the human body in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with the host. A stable dynamic equilibrium exists in healthy individuals between the microbiota, host organism, and environment. Imbalances of the intestinal microbiota contribute to the determinism of various diseases. Recent research suggests that the microbiota is also involved in the regulation of the bone metabolism, and its alteration may induce osteoporosis. Due to modern molecular biotechnology, various mechanisms regulating the relationship between bone and microbiota are emerging. Understanding the role of microbiota imbalances in the development of osteoporosis is essential for the development of potential osteoporosis prevention and treatment strategies through microbiota targeting. A relevant complementary mechanism could be also constituted by the permanent relationships occurring between microbiota and microRNAs (miRNAs). miRNAs are a set of small non-coding RNAs able to regulate gene expression. In this review, we recapitulate the physiological and pathological meanings of the microbiota on osteoporosis onset by governing miRNA production. An improved comprehension of the relations between microbiota and miRNAs could furnish novel markers for the identification and monitoring of osteoporosis, and this appears to be an encouraging method for antagomir-guided tactics as therapeutic agents.

The human microbiota is made up of the fungi, bacteria, protozoa and viruses cohabiting within the human body. An altered microbiota can provoke diseases such as cancer. The mechanisms by which a modified microbiota can intervene in the onset and progression of neoplastic diseases are manifold. For instance, these include the effects on the immune system and the onset of obesity. A different mechanism seems to be constituted by the continuous and bidirectional relationships existing between microbiota and miRNAs. MiRNAs emerged as a novel group of small endogenous non-coding RNAs from that control gene expression. Several works seem to confirm the presence of a close connection between microbiota and miRNAs. Although the main literature data concern the correlations between microbiota, miRNAs and colon cancer, several researches have revealed the presence of connections with other types of tumour, including the ovarian tumour, cervical carcinoma, hepatic carcinoma, neoplastic pathologies of the central nervous system and the possible implication of the microbiota-miRNAs system on the response to the treatment of neoplastic pathologies. In this review, we summarise the physiological and pathological functions of the microbiota on cancer onset by governing miRNA production. A better knowledge of the bidirectional relationships existing between microbiota and miRNAs could provide new markers for the diagnosis, staging and monitoring of cancer and seems to be a promising approach for antagomir-guided approaches as therapeutic agents.

Ultraviolet radiation is one of the most pervasive environmental interactions with humans. Chronic ultraviolet irradiation increases the danger of skin carcinogenesis. Probably, oxidative stress is the most important mechanism by which ultraviolet radiation implements its damaging effects on normal cells. However, notwithstanding the data referring to the negative effects exerted by light radiation and oxidative stress on carcinogenesis, both factors are used in the treatment of skin cancer. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) consists of the administration of a photosensitiser, which undergoes excitation after suitable irradiation emitted from a light source and generates reactive oxygen species. Oxidative stress causes a condition in which cellular components, including DNA, proteins, and lipids, are oxidised and injured. Antitumor effects result from the combination of direct tumour cell photodamage, the destruction of tumour vasculature and the activation of an immune response. In this review, we report the data present in literature dealing with the main signalling molecular pathways modified by oxidative stress after photodynamic therapy to target skin cancer cells. Moreover, we describe the progress made in the design of anti-skin cancer photosensitisers, and the new possibilities of increasing the efficacy of PDT via the use of molecules capable of developing a synergistic antineoplastic action.

Background Kinematics plays a key role in action prediction, imitation and joint action coordination. Despite people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show a failure to use kinematic cues during observation and imitation, there is a paucity of studies exploring the role of this dysfunction during joint actions in children with ASD. Aim To evaluate the interpersonal motor coordination of children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children during a joint action task. Method Twenty-two participants performed two cooperative tasks. In the first one (Clear End-Point), children were provided with a priori information on movement end-point. In the second one (Unclear End-Point), the end-point was unknown and children had to use kinematic cues to accomplish the shared goal. Results We found no between-group differences in the first task, even if children with ASD displayed greater reaction time variability. In the second task, they showed less accurate and slower movements than TD children. Moreover, their movement features did not differ between the two tasks, whereas TD children showed reduced reaction time variability and number of errors in the second task. Conclusion Children with ASD were impaired in joint action coordination when they had to rely only on kinematic information. They were not able to pay more attention to the kinematic cues in absence of a visual goal.

Physiological stress is pervasive in today's society. Its detection is normally performed through several unobtrusive methods, driving both caregivers and patients to take measures to reduce the burden of this condition on human health. Among the methods for assessing stress, exhaled breath analysis represents a non-invasive, real-time alternative to classic laboratory tests. Therefore, a literature review was performed to assess the presence of altered parameters, related to psychological stress, in exhaled breath. Most studies in our review measured nitric oxide (NO), whose concentration was often correlated, either positively or negatively, with psychological stress, with reasonable scientific support. Other compounds (isoprene, terpene and so on) were rarely studied and with mixed evidence. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the involvement and the pathophysiological role of NO in stress, possibly including a greater number of individuals, as sample size actually represents the main limitation of the work published to date.