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Cu2MnSnS4 (CMTS) is a promising candidate for application in thin film for photovoltaics (PV), thanks to sustainability and low cost of its components. Nevertheless, reported efficiencies are still poor, with a current world-record of 1.13% for a solar cell with CMTS absorber layer made by sputtering and sulfurization [1]. This work reports about a simple and low-cost synthesis procedure, starting from a solution containing all the precursors, without the need of hazardous external sulfurizing agents. CMTS thin films were made by blade coating of the solution on molybdenum substrate and followed by an annealing at 550°C under argon atmosphere, without the aid of external sulphurating agents. After annealing, samples were quenched at RT, but some selected samples underwent a slow cooling inside the furnace. Some selected CMTS thin films were subjected to HCl etching (3% HCl, at 75°C for 10 minutes). Prototype devices were made with the architecture Mo/CMTS/CdS/i-ZnO/AZO/Al grid: CdS was deposited by chemical bath deposition, i-ZnO and AZO by sputtering and Al grid was thermally evaporated. Some selected devices were subjected to a thermal treatment at 260°C for 10 minutes on titanium hotplate. After measurements of photovoltaic performances, upper layers were removed and CMTS thin films were extensively studied employing the GI-XRD technique to determine the lattice constants as well as microstructural properties like microstrain and size of coherent scattering domains. These results of the evaluation of GI-XRD data and photovoltaic performances were correlated to precursor composition, cooling conditions after annealing and post deposition treatments (i.e. HCl etching of the absorber before CdS deposition and thermal treatment of the complete device). All CMTS thin films analyzed by GI-XRD exhibited stannite structure, as expected [2], with a very good crystalline quality. The impact of metal ratio in the solution of precursors was studied, keeping copper poor condi

Cu2MnSnS4 (CMTS) is regarded as a promising material for thin film solar cells thanks to the abundance, low cost and low toxicity of its constituents and its good optical properties. The record efficiency (1.13%) is still low due to the presence of manganese oxides in the absorber [1]. In this work, CMTS was synthesized by a cheap sol-gel methodology. The thin film was made by blade coating of a solution containing metal precursors and thiourea, acting as the unique source of sulfur, followed by annealing at 550°C. The commonly used CdS was added by chemical bath deposition to act as buffer layer. Solution composition was fine-tuned and effect of deposition under controlled atmosphere and of post-deposition treatments (HCl etching of the absorber and thermal treatment of complete device at 260°) were studied. XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed the formation of CMTS with stannite structure while optical bandgap was found to be comprised between 1.5 and 1.6 eV. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to determine manganese oxidation state finding only Mn (II), which is the correct state in stannite structure. No oxygen was detected in the material bulk, but deposition under a controlled atmosphere was found to be important to avoid the formation of oxidized species on the samples’ surface. Besides, post-deposition treatments were found to be beneficial for photovoltaic performance, as well as device ageing. The champion device displayed 0.92% efficiency, which is the current record for wet-synthesized CMTS in substrate configuration. The still poor efficiency could be linked to CdS used as a buffer layer. XPS and energy dispersive X-rays (EDX) revealed a manganese loss from the samples’ surface due to ammonia presence in CdS chemical bath deposition; moreover, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) found a detrimental cliff-like band alignment between CMTS and CdS. [1] V. Trifiletti et al., Solar Energy Materials & Solar Cells 254 (2023) 112247

Humans are constantly exposed to environmental microbes through contact with surfaces, air, water and food. Likewise, people scatter microbes through skin, saliva and feces, contributing to the interconnection between micro- and macro-organisms. Particularly, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities are environments of specific interest due to treatment-derived infections and the increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) outbreak. These have both arisen as two primary public health challenges in this century, approximately, 4.95 million deaths were associated with bacterial AMR globally in 2019 and W.H.O. estimated that 15% of hospitalised patients suffered from nosocomial infections in 2023. Regarding healthcare-associated infections, their causes can be multiple, such as invasive medical procedures that introduce opportunistic bacteria into the body, contaminated medical equipment and overcrowding that increases the risk of person-to-person transmission of infectious agents. Moreover, healthcare facilities can harbour pathogens that are transmitted via contaminated surfaces, air vents and water systems if not properly cleaned and maintained. Actual standard diagnostic methods are expensive, require trained personnel and a significant time investment, making early diagnosis difficult. Patients with nosocomial infections are more prone to be infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria, making treatment more difficult. Hospitals are environments of strong artificial selection on microbial communities. The over-cleaning methods and the overuse and misuse of antibiotics and antimicrobials drive the antimicrobial resistance spread and contribute to developing a unique built environment microbiota. As part of the ANTHEM project, the presented study aims to characterise the hospital’s microbiome and to reduce and monitor the spread of AMR bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes in hospital settings. Based on our microbiome characterization, the long-term aim of

Bees are globally declining due to anthropogenic phenomena, among which urbanization, eliciting biotic and abiotic stressors on them (e.g., high temperatures, unavailability and fragmentation of green areas). Despite these challenges, some wild bees thrive in cities but the impact on their health is poorly investigated. In this study, we evaluated the impact of urban stressors on oxidative damage and developmental stress makers in four bee species usually abundant in cities: Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris, Osmia cornuta and Anthophora plumipes. We analyzed a total of 370 individuals collected from 17 sites along an urbanization gradient in the metropolitan area of Milan. Specifically, we quantified lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation’s products since these compounds are known to increase in response to chronic stress exposure in other organisms. Furthermore, we measured fluctuanting wing asymmetry through a morphometric approach, since it is known that exposure to different stressors enhances wing asymmetry and therefore inefficiency in flight performance. Our results improved our understanding of the multifaceted impact of landscape features on bees' physiology, development and thus health condition. In conclusion, this study provided a new insight on how to improve conservation policies for pollinators facing urbanization challenges.

Pollinator insects, such as bumblebees, play a crucial role in ecosystem functioning and food security. However, their biodiversity and wellbeing is being affected by urban expansion worldwide. To understand how two bumblebee species, Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum, are adapting to urban habitats in Italian cities, we are employing a multi-omics strategy. We collected 200 bumblebees individuals from 24 sampling sites in Milan, Rome, Turin, and Florence, including both urban and semi-natural areas. We conducted transcriptomic analysis through mRNA sequencing to identify differencially expressed genes between urban and semi-natural populations. Then, we investigated the influence of urbanization on metabolites production conducting metabolomic analysis using LC-MS. Some preliminary results from RNA-seq and metabolomic analysis confirms clear differences between urban and seminatural populations. Furthermore, we plan on conducting whole genome sequencing to provide genomic data, enabling the detection of genetic regions under selection and exploration of genetic structure in the sampled localities. By integrating these omics data, we aim to provide insights into bumblebee adaptation in urban contexts. The obtained findings can inform policymakers in managing urbanization processes.

As well as the human microbiota's role in health and disease, the artificial ecosystems harbour a peculiar microbial composition that interacts with their hosts and their wellness; despite its significance, there is limited understanding of the artificial microbiome and its connections with us. The hospital is an environment of particular interest because healthy and sick people frequent it, antibiotics are widely utilized, and there is a high cleaning rate due to the necessity of sterilization. This contributes to developing a unique microbiota characterized by pathogens, multidrug-resistant (M.D.R.) bacteria, and harmless common species. Furthermore, despite the high cleaning rate, death from hospital-acquired infections is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S.A., moreover, W.H.O. estimates that 15% of patients suffer from nosocomial infections. The lack of successful prevention and efficacious diagnostic methods causes these. At the moment, standard diagnostic methods, such as culture and sensitivity testing, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and serological testing, need lab personnel, are laborious, expensive and require samples from patients. At the same time, early diagnosis is crucial to overcoming pathogen infectious threats. As part of the ANTHEM project, the presented study aims to characterize the hospital’s microbiome and define the association between environmental parameters and infection levels. Using (meta)data retrieved from public repositories, combined with newly generated (meta)data from samples collected in different spaces and at different times of the day, it is possible to identify the pathogens spread in the hospital and on its hosts. This approach combines biomolecular and bioinformatics analysis and will help the development of rapid and user-friendly nanosensors for detecting pathogens on human skin and the environment.

Previous studies have shown contrasting results on the creative skills of adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). ASD thinking, which has been reported to often show lower flexibility, has been previously associated with lower scores in creative tasks aimed at measuring the ability to generate a large number of diverse ideas. However, enhanced originality of responses was observed in ASD, mostly in younger individuals. This study investigates the creative profile of a group of adults with ASD using both linguistic and figural tasks and compares it with a control group of matched neurotypical individuals. Ninety-four participants aged 19–69 years completed a battery of linguistic and figural creative tasks administered online. In addition, beliefs and attitudes about creativity were measured using a self-report questionnaire. Consistently with previous evidence, our results revealed a significant creative advantage of adults with ASD in linguistic originality compared to neurotypical controls. Furthermore, a significantly better performance in executing the creative assignment of varying their drawing output was recorded in the figural task. Finally, focusing on individual conceptions about creativity, individuals with ASD rated themselves as significantly more creative, to believe more in a genetic predisposition towards creativity, and to conceptualize being creative as doing things differently. These findings add further evidence to the specific creative strengths of the ASD cognitive profile and confirm that exceptional originality tends to persist into adulthood.

L'urbanizzazione e l'espansione delle attività umane promuovono cambiamenti radicali negli ecosistemi con effetti a cascata che coinvolgono anche le interazioni ospite-patogeno. Gli insetti impollinatori urbani affrontano diversi fattori di stress legati alle caratteristiche del paesaggio come la perdita di habitat verde, la frammentazione e la riduzione della disponibilità di risorse fiorali con effetti spesso poco prevedibili sulla trasmissione dei parassiti. Inoltre, anche l'apicoltura potrebbe contribuire alla diffusione dei parassiti negli impollinatori selvatici aumentando il numero di ospiti parassitati. In questo lavoro, abbiamo utilizzato strumenti diagnostici basati sull’amplificazione del DNA per valutare come l'occorrenza dei parassiti, ovvero i microsporidi (Nosema spp.), i tripanosomatidi (Crithidia spp.) e i neogregarini (Apicystis bombi), sia modellata dai fattori di stress sopra menzionati in due specie di bombi (Bombus terrestris e B. pascuorum). I tassi di infezione delle due specie erano diversi e complessivamente più alti in B. terrestris. Inoltre, le due specie hanno mostrato risposte diverse verso le stesse variabili ecologiche, probabilmente a causa delle differenze di dimensioni corporee e abitudini alimentari che potrebbero influenzare la loro suscettibilità all'infezione. La probabilità di infezione risulta diminuire in B. pascuorum all’aumentare della frammentazione dell'habitat verde, mentre aumenta con l’incremento della disponibilità di risorse fiorali. A differenza di quanto ci aspettavamo, B. terrestris risulta avere una minore ricchezza di parassiti nelle vicinanze delle arnie di A. mellifera, probabilmente perché i parassiti tendono a essere trasmessi tra gli individui delle specie più presenti nell’area. Le nostre scoperte supportano quindi la necessità di progettare adeguate misure di conservazione basate sulla conoscenza specifica delle specie, come suggerito dalla variazione nell'occorrenza dei parassiti delle due spec

Background: The Italian Society of Echocardiography and Cardiovascular Imaging (SIECVI) conducted a national survey to understand better how different echocardiographic modalities are used and accessed in Italy. Methods: We analyzed echocardiography laboratory activities over a month (November 2022). Data were retrieved via an electronic survey based on a structured questionnaire, uploaded on the SIECVI website. Results: Data were obtained from 228 echocardiographic laboratories: 112 centers (49%) in the northern, 43 centers (19%) in the central, and 73 (32%) in the southern regions. During the month of observation, we collected 101,050 transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) examinations performed in all centers. As concern other modalities there were performed 5497 transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) examinations in 161/228 centers (71%); 4057 stress echocardiography (SE) examinations in 179/228 centers (79%); and examinations with ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) in 151/228 centers (66%). We did not find significant regional variations between the different modalities. The usage of picture archiving and communication system (PACS) was significantly higher in the northern (84%) versus central (49%) and southern (45%) centers (P < 0.001). Lung ultrasound (LUS) was performed in 154 centers (66%), without difference between cardiology and noncardiology centers. The evaluation of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction was evaluated mainly using the qualitative method in 223 centers (94%), occasionally with the Simpson method in 193 centers (85%), and with selective use of the three-dimensional (3D) method in only 23 centers (10%). 3D TTE was present in 137 centers (70%), and 3D TEE in all centers where TEE was done (71%). The assessment of LV diastolic function was done routinely in 80% of the centers. Right ventricular function was evaluated using tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion in all centers, using tricuspid valve annular systolic velocity by tissue

Nelle zone intensamente urbanizzate gli insetti impollinatori si scontrano con molteplici agenti di stress antropico sia biotici che abiotici quali le temperature elevate, l’inquinamento dell’aria, la scarsa disponibilità di aree verdi e la loro frammentazione. In questo quadro complesso, è necessario poter valutare l’impatto di questi agenti di stress sulla salute degli insetti impollinatori per poterne mitigare gli effetti negativi. Un indice dello stato di salute degli insetti impollinatori in un determinato ambiente può essere ottenuto tramite l’analisi di marcatori di danno ossidativo a macromolecole. Se da un lato il danno ossidativo è la naturale conseguenza di una serie di reazioni biochimiche tipiche di organismi sani dall’altro l’esposizione a sostanze inquinanti e a vari fattori di stress può portare ad un accumulo del danno sulle macromolecole che può essere misurato. La variazione nella quantificazione del danno ossidativo è quindi un buon indicatore della salute generale di un organismo e nell’ambito di questo lavoro si è scelto di utilizzare tre diversi marcatori che quantificano: a) i prodotti della perossidazione lipidica, b) i prodotti della carbonilazione proteica e c) le rotture a singolo e doppio filamento di DNA. Dai primi risultati di questo progetto, sviluppato in 17 siti nell’area metropolitana di Milano, alcune variabili ambientali e di uso del suolo sono risultate essere di forte impatto nel determinare danni alle macromolecole, in particolare sia per A. mellifera che per B. terrestris la frammentazione delle aree verdi porta ad un aumento del danno ossidativo. Per poter spiegare questo fenomeno è necessario considerare che il range di foraggiamento delle due specie è ben oltre 1 km e che quindi è possibile che in aree ad alta frammentazione, le due specie siano costrette a svolgere lunghi viaggi con conseguente aumento del catabolismo ossidativo. In conclusione, i risultati di questo lavoro suggeriscono che per poter avere una

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Urbanization and the expansion of human activities foster radical ecosystem changes with cascading effects also involving host-pathogen interactions. Urban pollinator insects face several stressors related to landscape and local scale features such as green habitat loss, fragmentation and availability reduction of floral resources with unpredictable effects on parasite transmission. Furthermore, beekeeping may contribute to the spread of parasites to wild pollinators by increasing the number of parasite hosts. Here we used DNA-based diagnostics tools to evaluate how the occurrence of parasites, namely microsporidians (Nosema spp.), trypanosomatids (Crithidia spp.) and neogregarines (Apicystis bombi), is shaped by the above-mentioned stressors in two bumblebee species (i.e. Bombus terrestris and Bombus pascuorum). Infection rates of the two species were different and generally higher in B. terrestris. Moreover, they showed different responses towards the same ecological variables, possibly due to differences in body size and foraging habits supposed to affect their susceptibility to parasite infection. The probability of infection was found to be reduced in B. pascuorum by green habitat fragmentation, while increased along with floral resource availability. Unexpectedly, B. terrestris had a lower parasite richness nearby apiaries maybe due to the fact that parasites are prone to be transmitted among the most abundant species. Our finding supports the need to design proper conservation measures based on species-specific knowledge, as suggested by the variation in the parasite occurrence of the two species. Moreover, conservation policies aiming at safeguarding pollinators through flower planting should consider the indirect effects of these measures for parasite transmission together with pollinator biodiversity issues.

Background: Several studies reported cognitive reserve (CR) as an important factor in promoting healthy aging within a non-clinical aging population. Aims: The main goal of the present study is to investigate the link between higher levels of CR and more effective emotion regulation. In more detail, we examine the association between a number of CR proxies and the habitual use of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression. Methods: Three hundred and ten older adults aged between 60 and 75 (mean = 64.45, SD = 4.37; 69.4% female) joined this cross-sectional study by filling out self-report measures of CR and emotion regulation.2 Results: Reappraisal and suppression use were correlated. Practicing different leisure activities constantly over many years, being more original and having a higher education promoted more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal. These CR proxies were also significantly related to suppression use, even though the percentage of variance explained was lower. Discussion and conclusions: Exploring the role played by the cognitive reserve on different emotion regulation techniques can be useful in understanding which variables predict the use of antecedent-focused (reappraisal) or response-focused (suppression) emotion regulation strategies in aging individuals.

Literature supports the effectiveness of blogs to improve communication,strategic thinking, and collaboration. These competencies are particularly relev-ant for organizations, and for this reason, social media are frequently used as op-portunities to better manage employees’ behaviors, enhance the transfer ofknowledge, and foster creativity. Despite these considerations, few research-based findings guide these new tools’ practical application in the organizationalenvironment’s training processes. This study aims to understand the organiza-tional, individual, and socio-relational processes and issues that occur during ablog-based training program and how they interact and influence its effective-ness. We present a case study based on the use of discourse analysis, focused onthe failure of a blog-based training project. Our findings suggest the employees’metacognitive awareness is a significant issue in the design and implementationof a blog-based training program. Insights derived from conversation analysissuggest that to manage a blog-based training program effectively, it is crucial todeal with face-to-face interaction and the group sense-making process ‘outside’the blog.

Literature highlights how decision makers' behaviour is not driven by pure self-interest but also by emotions. Recent studies have refined these results by including the role of neurological basis. This study aimed at investigating the effect of music-induced emotions and tDCS (transcranial Direct Current Stimulation) neuromodulation of the DLPFC (Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex) on the decision-makers' behaviour when playing the Ultimatum Game (UG). 108 participants were randomly assigned to: (i) a tDCS condition; (ii) a music-elicited emotion condition. After receiving the tDCS stimulation and listening to music, participants played the role of proposer in four rounds of UG. Responders were presented as more or less likely to accept an unfair offer. Results suggest that inducing emotions through music affects economic decision-making, in particular when combined with neuromodulation of the DLPFC. After cathodal stimulation participants tended to be more strategic when making decisions, differentiating their offers depending on the responder's characteristics.

Previous research has shown the positive effects of music and dance-based interventions on the physical and psychosocial symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aims of this study were: (1) to investigate how PD patients subjectively perceive the emotional, cognitive, and social benefits of a music-and dance-based intervention; (2) to apply an innovative methodology for an interview analysis combining findings from a linguistic text with an analytic approach and conducted with the software LIWC and from the content analysis performed by human coders. Extensive, open-ended interviews were conducted with 13 patients with PD who had participated in a dance and music program. The interviews were analyzed using both human coders and the computer-based approach. The results show that emotional and social aspects are considered the most frequent perceived benefits of the dance program. The data confirm the positive impact of dance-and music-based programs on promoting participants’ emotional and social well-being. A combined approach to text analysis appears to be a promising way to achieve more in-depth insights into patients’ subjective perceptions.

We explored the association between cognitive reserve (CR) and Parkinson' s disease (PD) related cognitive deterioration. Forty PD patients and 12 matchedhealthy controls (HC) were enrolled. The PD group was balanced for the presence/absence of cognitive impairment All participants underwent MOCA. CR was measured by the Brief Intelligence Test, and a new comprehensive tool, named Cognitive Reserve Test (CoRe-T), including sections on leisure activities and creativity. Participants with higher CR obtained a better MOCA score irrespective of the group they belonged to. At the same time, irrespective of the CR level, the performance of the HC group was always better in comparison to the PD group. Within the PD group, a higher frequency of leisure activities was associated to be cognitively unimpaired, independently by the severity of motor symptoms and age. CR could help to cope with PD-related cognitive decline. Its multidimensional nature could have important applications in prevention and rehabilitation interventions.