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In this contribution, new data concerning algae, bryophytes, fungi and lichens of the Italian flora are presented. It includes new records, confirmations or exclusions for the algal genera Chara and Tolypella, the bryophyte genera Pogonatum, Pseudephemerum, and Riella, the fungal genera Arrhenia, Arthonia, Buchwaldoboletus, Dacampia, Hebeloma, Inocybe, and Trechispora, and the lichen genera Aspicilia, Bellemerea, Cladonia, Hypotrachyna, Maronea, Parvoplaca, Polyozosia, Schismatomma, Solenopsora, Trapelia, and Zwackhia.

Abstract Suicide is a significant leading cause of death among young people, particularly those struggling with mental disorders. The present study utilised data from 230 young people (aged 16–18 years) undergoing a transitional care process from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services to Adult Mental Health Services within the MILESTONE European project (2014–2019), a longitudinal cluster randomised controlled trial. The objectives of this study were to monitor temporal patterns of general health and social functioning over two years, to detect sex differences, and to identify factors associated with Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviours (STB) at the first and last time points. The results demonstrate a decrease in STB over the two-year follow-up period among all participants. Females exhibited a higher prevalence of STB across all time points, whereas males only exhibited STB at the nine-month follow-up. The most influential factors associated with STB were previous suicide attempts and mood disorders at baseline, and mood disorders and relational problems at the end of follow-up. These findings emphasise the importance of monitoring STB and informing young people undergoing a transitional care period about its key risk factors. Moreover, sex differences in STB suggest the need for different preventive strategies for males and females.

F Ferraro,1 TL Di Gennaro,1 A Torino,1 J Petruzzi,1 A d’Elia,1 P Fusco,1 R Marfella,2 B Lettieri1 1Department of Anesthesiological, Surgical and Emergency Sciences, 2Department of Geriatrics and Metabolic Diseases, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a caval vein filter (CVF) peri-implant monitoring protocol in order to reduce pulmonary embolism (PE) mortality and CVF-related morbidity.Background: The reduction in mortality from PE associated with the use of CVF is affected by the risk of increase in morbidity. Therefore, CVF implant is a challenging prophylactic or therapeutic option. Nowadays, we have many different devices whose rational use, by applying a strict peri-implant monitoring protocol, could be safe and effective.Materials and methods: We retrospectively studied 62 patients of a general Intensive Care Unit (ICU) scheduled for definitive, temporary, or optional bedside CVF implant. A peri-implant monitoring protocol including a phlebocavography, an echo-Doppler examination, and coagulation tests was adopted.Results: In our study, no thromboembolic recurrence was registered. We implanted 48 retrievable and only 20 definitive CVFs. Endothelial adhesion (18%), residual clot (5%), cranial or caudal migration (6%), microbial colonization of the filter in the absence of clinical signs of infection (1%), caval thrombosis (1%), and pneumothorax (1%) were reported. Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) was reported (8%) as early complication. All patients with DVT had a temporary or optional filter implanted. However, in our cohort, definitive CVFs were reserved only to 32% of patients and they were not associated with DVT as complication.Conclusion: CVF significantly reduces iatrogenic PE without affecting mortality. Generally, ICU patients have a transitory thromboembolic risk, and so the temporary CVF has been proved to be a first-line option to our cohort. A careful monitoring may contribute to a satisfactory outcome in order to promote CVF implant as a safe prophylaxis option. Keywords: caval vein filter, thromboembolic disease, pulmonary embolism

Este artículo contribuye al conocimiento de las elecciones técnicas involucradas en la producción y uso de la pintura en la cerámica guaraní de siete sitios arqueológicos del Delta del Paraná e isla Martín García. Se realizó el análisis tecnomorfológico y estilístico de la alfarería y de la composición mineralógica de las pinturas con microespectrometría Raman. En la cerámica guaraní se pintaron las paredes internas y/o externas y se realizaron motivos en los recipientes denominados como kambuchí kaguava, kambuchí y ñaʼẽmbé. Se usaron óxidos de hierro en los rojos, naranjas y marrones, además de hematita con carbón vegetal para algunos tonos rojos, magnetita combinada con carbón para los negros y óxido de titanio para los blancos. La pintura y los motivos se articularon con las formas de las vasijas, generando un repertorio cerámico singular que remite a un modo de hacer guaraní identificable en el registro arqueológico de los sitios analizados.

The treatment of patients affected by a teratoma with somatic-type malignancy (STM) is challenging, since they are characterized by a poor prognosis, due to chemoresistance to standard cisplatin-based regimens. Only five more case reports were described for melanomatous STM and for which there are no data available for efficacy evidences of immune checkpoint inhibitors in this setting. Here we report the case of a patient with an initial diagnosis of mediastinal pure seminoma at the first biopsy. After four cycles of a standard cisplatin-based regimen and a partial response, a radical surgery was performed, revealing a mediastinal teratoma with triple STM component (melanoma, leiomyoarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor). However, during post-surgical follow-up, he developed distant metastases from the melanomatous component and a first-line treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) was started.

The escalating importance of lightweight design in engineering demands innovative strategies to tackle this challenge. Traditionally, the joining of these materials involves rivets, bolts, or adhesives. However, contemporary manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing, present the potential to fabricate joints without the necessity for additional binding mechanisms. This paper delves into a promising initiative concerning the joining of multimaterial systems, specifically composites and metals. The fabrication of the metal component of the joint through additive manufacturing (AM) enables the manipulation of surface geometry by incorporating patterned anchors. This, in turn, facilitates the direct co-curing of the composite onto the modified metallic surface. The primary objective is to enhance mechanical interlocking without relying on traditional fastening elements or adhesives. The study evaluates various anchor geometries to assess their efficacy in increasing the overall joint strength. This assessment employs the cohesive zone modeling (CZM) method to simulate joint specimens, followed by comparative analyses to quantify the strengths of the joints

Introduction: Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) is a technique that uses a device that allows the surgeon to insert a hand into the abdomen while maintaining the pneumoperitoneum. While there are a few reports of HALS in pediatric patients with benign diseases, there are no documented cases in pediatric oncology. Case presentation: A 13-year-old girl presented with the onset of left-sided abdominal pain. An abdominal ultrasound (US) revealed a mass in the left kidney. A magnetic resonance (MRI) of the abdomen and a total-body computerized tomography (CT) scan confirmed the presence of a 10-cm left renal mass without evidence of metastatic lesions. Following the UMBRELLA SIOP-RTSG 2016 protocol, the patient underwent preoperative chemotherapy, after which a follow-up MRI showed a reduction in the mass size to 7 cm. We subsequently proceeded with a hand-assisted laparoscopic left nephrectomy. A GelPort® (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) was inserted through a 6-cm Pfannenstiel incision. Two additional 5-mm and 10-mm trocars were added in the left upper quadrant and the umbilicus. During the operation, a neoplastic infiltration was seen on the diaphragm, which had not been seen on MRI. A portion of the diaphragm was resected, and the defect was repaired using an interrupted resorbable suture. Eight lymph nodes were sampled from the hilar, supra-hiliar, infra-hiliar, paraaortic, and inter-aortocaval areas. Pathological examination confirmed a blastemal-predominant Wilms tumor, negative lymph nodes, and a positive diaphragmatic infiltrate. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged on the third postoperative day. She received the postoperative chemotherapy regimen indicated by the protocol. At a follow up of 41 months she has no recurrence. Conclusion: Hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery appears to be a safe and effective approach for the resection of solid renal tumors requiring total nephrectomy, potentially reducing the risk of tumor spillage and bleeding.

Introduction: Neoadjuvant chemotherapies for breast cancer (BC) are effective but potentially cardiotoxic, and expose long survivors at risk of chemotherapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). Unfortunately, early screening for CTRCD has actual diagnostic limits. Myocardial extracellular volume (mECV) is a radiological marker used in cardiac CT scans and cardiac magnetic resonance for diagnosis and follow-up of CTRCD. It can be measured in whole-body CT (WB-CT) scan, routinely performed in patients at high risk of relapse, to evaluate CTRCD occurrence during oncological follow-up. Methods: 82 WB-CT scans were examined at baseline (T0) and during oncological follow-up at first year (T1) and fifth year (T5) after the end of neoadjuvant treatment. mECV was measured at 1 min (PP) and 5 min (DP) after contrast injection. 31 echocardiograms were retrieved in T1 to perform a linear correlation between mECV and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Results: mECV values in T0 were similar between the two groups both in PP and in DP. Significant results were found for PP values in T1 (37.0 % vs 32 %, p = 0.0005) and in T5 (27.2 % vs 31.2 %, p = 0.025). A cut-off value of 35 % in PP proved significant in T1 (OR = 12.4, p = 0.004), while mECV was inversely correlated with LVEF both in PP (adj-S = −3.54, adj-p = 0.002) and in DP (adj-S = −2.51, adj-p = 0.0002), suggesting a synergistic action with the age at diagnosis (p

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Addressing secondary headaches in SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for effective management and care optimization. This review aims to synthesize data on headache characteristics and the impact of pre-existing headache conditions on these symptoms in SARS-CoV-2 infection. CONTENTS: A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Collaboration, Web of Science, Scopus, LILACS, Embase, Open Grey, and Google Scholar, to identify studies on headache characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2. The search focused on headache symptoms, characteristics, onset, duration, and response to treatment during and post-infection. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Approximately 42.1% of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 reported headaches, resembling tension-type headaches and migraines. These headaches often manifested within the first three days of infection and could persist for up to four months. The data suggest that trigeminovascular activation and pro-inflammatory mediators play a significant role in headache pathogenesis, with pre-existing headache conditions exacerbating the symptoms. The importance of effective pain management strategies must be emphasized. CONCLUSION: Headache is a prevalent symptom among SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals, with significant implications for patient care. The findings emphasize the importance of recognizing headache characteristics in SARS-CoV-2 management and suggest that tailored clinical approaches are essential for effective symptom relief.

Summary: Background: Mucositis is a common and highly impactful side effect of conventional and emerging cancer therapy and thus the subject of intense investigation. Although common practice, mucositis assessment is heterogeneously adopted and poorly guided, impacting evidence synthesis and translation. The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) Mucositis Study Group (MSG) therefore aimed to establish expert recommendations for how existing mucositis assessment tools should be used, in clinical care and trials contexts, to improve the consistency of mucositis assessment. Methods: This study was conducted over two stages (January 2022–July 2023). The first phase involved a survey to MASCC-MSG members (January 2022–May 2022), capturing current practices, challenges and preferences. These then informed the second phase, in which a set of initial recommendations were prepared and refined using the Delphi method (February 2023–May 2023). Consensus was defined as agreement on a parameter by >80% of respondents. Findings: Seventy-two MASCC-MSG members completed the first phase of the study (37 females, 34 males, mainly oral care specialists). High variability was noted in the use of mucositis assessment tools, with a high reliance on clinician assessment compared to patient reported outcome measures (PROMs, 47% vs 3%, 37% used a combination). The World Health Organization (WHO) and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) scales were most commonly used to assess mucositis across multiple settings. Initial recommendations were reviewed by experienced MSG members and following two rounds of Delphi survey consensus was achieved in 91 of 100 recommendations. For example, in patients receiving chemotherapy, the recommended tool for clinician assessment in clinical practice is WHO for oral mucositis (89.5% consensus), and WHO or CTCAE for gastrointestinal mucositis (85.7% consensus). The recommended PROM in clinical trials is OMD/WQ for oral mucositis (93.3% consensus), and PRO-CTCAE for gastrointestinal mucositis (83.3% consensus). Interpretation: These new recommendations provide much needed guidance on mucositis assessment and may be applied in both clinical practice and research to streamline comparison and synthesis of global data sets, thus accelerating translation of new knowledge into clinical practice. Funding: No funding was received.

Background/Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) are significant public health issues, with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality being the leading causes of death in hemodialysis patients. Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional glycoprotein, has emerged as a potential biomarker for vascular disease in CKD due to its role in inflammation, tissue remodeling, and calcification. Methods: This cohort study included 1124 hemodialysis patients from the PROGREDIRE study, a registry involving 35 dialysis units in Southern Italy. Serum osteopontin levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The primary endpoints were all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between osteopontin levels and mortality, adjusting for traditional risk factors, biomarkers of inflammation, nutritional status, and ESKD-related factors. Results: During a mean follow-up of 2.8 years, 478 patients died, 271 from cardiovascular causes. Independent correlates of osteopontin included alkaline phosphatase and parathyroid hormone. Elevated osteopontin levels were significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality (HR 1.19, 95% CI 1.09–1.31, p < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08–1.38, p = 0.001) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions: Elevated osteopontin levels are associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients. These findings implicate osteopontin in the high risk for death and cardiovascular disease in the hemodialysis population. Intervention studies are needed to definitively test this hypothesis.

Pandemics of infectious disease and growing anti-microbial resistance (AMR) pose major threats to global health, trade, and security. Conflict and climate change compound and accelerate these threats. The One Health approach recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, but is grounded in the biomedical model, which reduces health to the absence of disease. Biomedical responses are insufficient to meet the challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic is the most recent example of the failure of this biomedical model to address global threats, the limitations of laboratory-based surveillance, and the exclusive focus on vaccination for disease control. This paper examines the current paradigm through the lens of polio and the global campaign to eradicate it, as well as other infectious threats including mpox and drug-resistant tuberculosis, particularly in the context of armed conflict. Decades before vaccines became widely available, public health measures—ventilation, chlorination, nutrition and sanitation— led to longer, healthier, and even taller lives. Chlorine, our primary tool of public health, conquered cholera and transformed infection control in hospitals. The World Health Organization (WHO), part of the One Health alliance, focuses mainly on antibiotics and vaccines to reduce deaths due to superbugs and largely ignores the critical role of chlorine to control water-borne diseases (including polio) and other infections. Moreover, the One Health approach ignores armed conflict. Contemporary wars are characterized by indiscriminate bombing of civilians, attacks targeting healthcare, mass displacement and lack of humanitarian access, conditions which drive polio outbreaks and incubate superbugs. We discuss the growing trend of attacks on healthcare and differentiate between types: community-driven attacks targeting vaccinators in regions like Pakistan, and state-sponsored attacks by governments such as those of Syria and Russia that weaponize healthcare to deliberately harm whole populations. Both fuel outbreaks of disease. These distinct motivations necessitate tailored responses, yet the WHO aggregates these attacks in a manner that hampers effective intervention. While antimicrobial resistance is predictable, the escalating pandemic is the consequence of our reliance on antibiotics and commitment to a biomedical model that now borders on pathological. Our analysis reveals the international indenture to the biomedical model as the basis of disease control is the root driver of AMR and vaccine-derived polio. The unique power of vaccines is reduced by vaccination-only strategy, and in fact breeds vaccine-derived polio. The non-specific effects of vaccines must be leveraged, and universal vaccination must be supplement by international investment in water chlorination will reduce health costs and strengthen global health security. While vaccines are an important weapon to combat pandemics and AMR,, they must be accompanied by the entire arsenal of public health interventions.

Double-aperture young interferometry is widely used in accelerators to provide a one-dimensional beam measurement. We improve this technique by combining and further developing techniques of nonredundant, two-dimensional, aperture masking, and self-calibration from astronomy. Using visible synchrotron radiation, tests at the ALBA synchrotron show that this method provides an accurate two-dimensional beam transverse characterization, even from a single 1 ms interferogram. The nonredundancy of the aperture mask in the technique enables it to be resistant to spatial phase fluctuations that might be introduced by vibration of optical components or in the laboratory atmosphere.

High concentrations of H2O2, indicative of increased oxidative stress in the lung, are observed in the exhaled breath of individuals affected by different respiratory diseases. Therefore, measuring H2O2 in exhaled breath represents a promising and non-invasive approach for monitoring the onset and progression of these diseases. Herein, we have developed an innovative, inexpensive, and easy-to-use device for the measurement of H2O2 in exhaled breath. The device is based on a silver layer covered with an electrodeposited thin film of chitosan, that ensures the wettability of the sensor in a humid atmosphere. The s-ensor was calibrated in the aerosol phase using both phosphate buffer solution and cell culture medium. In the buffer, a sensitivity of 0.110 ± 0.0042 μA μM−1 cm−2 (RSD: 4%) and a limit of detection of 30 μM were calculated, while in the cell culture medium, a sensitivity of 0.098 ± 0.0022 μA μM−1 cm−2 (RSD 2%) and a limit of detection of 40 μM were obtained. High selectivity to different interfering species was also verified. The sensor was further tested versus an aerosol phase obtained by nebulizing the culture medium derived from human bronchial epithelial cells that had been exposed to pro-oxidant and antioxidant treatments. The results were comparable with those obtained using the conventional cytofluorimetric method. Finally, sensor was tested in real exhaled breath samples and even after undergoing physical deformations. Data herein presented support that in future applications this device can be integrated into face masks allowing for easy breath monitoring.

Background: The researchers believe acquiring knowledge and first aid skills can improve the instruction of Physical Education. Thus, no matter how proactive a teacher can be, there will be possibilities that an unnecessary situation may occur because it is movement education. Objectives: The study aimed to determine the first aid skills of pre-service physical education teachers at Batangas State University. Specifically, the study determined the respondents' extent of manifestation of competencies in providing first aid skill components as assessed by the instructors and students, along with cardiopulmonary resuscitation, management of bleeding, and fracture. The study also compares the responses of the two groups of respondents. The issues and challenges in developing first aid skills were also ascertained to propose training activities to intensify students' skills and competencies. Methods: This study used descriptive research and a researcher-made questionnaire to gather data from 186 participants, including 159 physical education students and 27 teachers from Batangas State University during the 2021-2022 academic year. Results: The study found that students had moderate competency in applying CPR, recognizing victim situations, and performing two rescue breaths correctly. Similarly, students had moderate competency in managing bleeding and identifying fracture types. However, the two groups of respondents had no significant difference in competency. The biggest challenge identified by students was the need for more training and workshops related to first aid, while linguistic barriers and inconsistent training were less significant challenges. Conclusion: The findings show that Bachelor of Physical Education students greatly manifest first aid skills in CPR, managing bleeding, and treating fractures but need improvements in specific competencies. There was no significant difference in the assessment between the two groups of respondents. However, attendance to training and workshops was the primary issue and challenge in developing the first aid skills of BPEd students.