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Concentration polarization in an electrolyte comprising dissociated ions and a solvent is often modeled using concentrated solution theory developed by Newman. This theory is built upon two differential equations for electrolyte concentration and solvent velocity fields. We characterize the concentration and solvent velocity fields in a polystyrene-block-polyethylene oxide (SEO) block copolymer electrolyte using operando X-ray transmission measurements and X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy, respectively. Using calculations based on the assumption that the SEO chain behaves as a single species, we show that the experimental data are consistent with a cation transference number, t+0, ≈ 0.7. Previously published electrochemical experiments using small polarizations led to the conclusion that t+0 is less than 0.3. The discrepancy indicates that the block copolymer electrolyte cannot be approximated as a three-component system (cation, anion, and a single solvent), and frictional interactions involving the glassy polystyrene cannot be lumped with those involving rubbery poly(ethylene oxide) segments.

Abstract Background Although second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have proven to be effective therapeutic options for patients with schizophrenia, there is a notable lack of evidence on patients’ subjective perspectives regarding their well-being, quality of life, and satisfaction with these medications. This study aimed to evaluate the treatment satisfaction and effectiveness of lurasidone on quality of life and functioning in adult patients with schizophrenia in real-world Italian clinical practice. Methods This was a multicentre, national, non-interventional, single-arm, 3-month prospective study. Patients who were naive to lurasidone treatment and whose treating physician had decided to start them on this medication were enrolled and evaluated over a 3-month period. Eligible patients were adults (≥ 18 years of age) with a primary diagnosis of schizophrenia who were being treated with lurasidone (for the first time [i.e., they were lurasidone naive]) as part of routine clinical practice. Efficacy endpoints were changes in patient/caregiver treatment satisfaction (seven-point Likert scale from the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication), patient quality of life and functioning (QLS), investigator-rated global assessment of functioning (CGI-S, IAQ) after 6 weeks and 3 months of lurasidone, and number of relapses and hospitalizations. Results Sixty-one patients were enrolled and 59 completed the study. The median dosage of lurasidone at baseline was 37.00 mg/day. The median duration of titration was 86.0 days (Min 28; Max 115 days); the median number of dosage changes was 1.0. At the end of 3-month observation period, the median dose of lurasidone was 74.00 mg/day. QoL and Functioning Score showed a trend of improvement over time, reaching a mean change from baseline of 9.8 at the end of the study. According to the CGI-S, the percentage of patients who were “markedly or severely ill” showed a continuous decrease from baseline to 3 months, from 62.29% to 8.20%. Patient satisfaction increased over time, with 80.32% of patients reporting that they were somewhat, fairly, or very satisfied (including 63.93% who were completely or very satisfied) at the end of the study. No relapses/hospitalizations for psychiatric reasons were reported. Lurasidone was well tolerated with no safety concerns or discontinuations due to AEs. Conclusions Lurasidone represents a valid option for the treatment of schizophrenia and positively affects subjective well-being, quality of life and satisfaction. Trial registration NCT06527885 retrospectively registered (01/08/2024).

This study explores secondary mathematics teachers' perceptions of the experiences that contributed to their capacities to understand mathematical modeling and to facilitate students' modeling experiences. The retrospective research methods and transformative learning theory frame used in the study honor teachers as adult learners and value their perspectives while providing a way to study the complexity of learning to model and to teach modeling. Data analysis identified triggers and knowledge dilemmas that challenged and prompted teacher learning as well as opportunities to resolve dilemmas through rational discourse and critical reflection. Patterns in teacher-identified meaningful learning experiences reveal a trajectory with strands that address aspects of doing and teaching mathematical modeling: mathematics, social aspects of learning, real-world contexts, student thinking, and curriculum. Results of this study provide a holistic view of learning to do and teach mathematical modeling, complementing studies of designed professional learning interventions that out of necessity target specific parts of the modeling process. The results both support and challenge common teacher education content and practices. The study illustrates the usefulness of retrospective methods to understand teachers as lifelong learners.

This curated collection covers a selection of PRIMUS articles published over a roughly 12-year period that focus on modeling and applications. The collection includes sections on individual projects, courses with a significant modeling component, and modeling and applications in extracurricular settings and throughout the curriculum.

Pulmonary sequestration is a rare congenital pulmonary anomaly where a portion of the lung parenchyma is supplied by an anomalous systemic artery, usually originating from the thoracic or abdominal aorta. Traditionally surgical resection and ligation of the aberrant feeding vessel are the gold standard treatments of this disease. Hybrid operations consisting in endovascular arterial embolization and surgical resection is a promising treatment option. We report a case of a 69-years-old man with symptomatic intralobular sequestration successfully treated by hybrid approach.

Gastric volvulus is a rare condition determined by the rotation of one part of stomach around another. Stomach can rotate around its longitudinal or short axis or both. The presentation can be acute, subacute and chronic due to twisting and untwisting andimaging should be performed in the acute phase. MDCT shows high accuracy in thediagnosis and definition of gastric volvulus being the preferred diagnostic test in emergency settings. Gastric volvulus may be associated or determined by pre-existing hiatal hernia and accurate analysis of CT signs may be evaluated on order to differentiate between a stomach in an abnormal position and a volvulus.At CT, a displaced antrum at the same level or cranial to the fundus and a transition point at the pylorus is diagnostic for mesenteroaxial volvulus. We present a case of a 70 years old woman with mesenteroaxial volvulus in hiatal hernia.

Small bowel jejunoileal diverticulosis is an uncommon and usually asymptomatic condition. Complications may occur such as acute diverticulitis including infection or perforation, bleeding, small bowel obstruction and volvulus. Herein we report a case of a 76 years-old woman with acute left side abdominal pain and tenderness. A clinical suspected diagnosis of colonic diverticulitis was formulated. She underwent Ultrasound that revealed a collapsed small bowel loop with a large sac-like out-pouching lesion with mixed content (fluid and pockets of air) associated to hyperechogenicity of perilesional fat. Because of the atypical US findings, the patient underwent abdominopelvic CT that confirmed that the large sac-like out-pouching was a jejunal inflamed diverticulum. The patient underwent emergency surgery. Radiologist should be aware of imaging findings of jejunoileal diverticulitis in order to achieve a prompt diagnosis.

The differential diagnosis between renal arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and cancer may be a challenge, due to the similar clinical and imaging findings. Herein, we report the case of an 80-year-old male patient presenting gross hematuria, initially diagnosed and treated with embolization for a renal AVM. Due to the recurrence of hematuria and rapid progression and changes of the vascular lesion with detection also of an intralesional solid nodule, a radical nephrectomy was performed revealing the presence of a renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Renal cell carcinoma and renal AVM can be difficult to differentiate from one another, for this reason a short-term follow-up should be carried out in patients diagnosed and treated for renal AVM to confirm the resolution of AVM or to assess any changes, such as atypical neovascularization or intralesional renal masses, which may increase the suspect of a hidden renal tumor.

Multiple fractures of the femur, defined for the purposes of this study as the association of three or more non-contiguous fractures on the same bone segment, is an exceedingly rare condition with an unknown incidence in the literature. A limited number of studies, mainly consisting of case reports or small case series, have addressed this topic, and no shared consensus or guidelines exist on what the ideal timing and sequence of multiple fracture fixation is. The present paper reports the clinical case of a 36 years old man who sustained a blunt chest injury, a non-concussive head injury, a displaced intracapsular fracture of the left femur (AO 31B2), a left diaphyseal multifragmentary fracture (AO 32B3), a supradiacondylar fracture of the distal end of the left femur (AO 33C1.1), a Hoffa fracture of the lateral left femoral condyle (AO 33B3.2 f), and a multifragmentary fracture of the left patella with bone loss (AO 34C3) due to a vehicular high-energy trauma. The patient was surgically treated by open reduction and internal fixation according to a proposed algorithm of treatment and reported excellent clinical and radiological outcomes at 32 months follow-up. The primary aim of this study is to describe our experience in the treatment of such complex fractures, by presenting our clinical and radiological results, and to propose a treatment algorithm. The secondary aim is to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on this topic.

In Malawi, tetanus toxoid vaccination (TTV) is recommended in pregnancy, but few studies have assessed the prevalence of infant seroprotection against tetanus. Anti-TT levels from 84 6-week-old infants, born in 2019–2020 to mothers living with HIV (HEU: HIV-exposed-uninfected) infants and to HIV-negative women (HUU: HIV-unexposed-uninfected) infants were determined by ELISA assay. Although 94% of the infants (HEU=94.8%, HUU=92.3%) showed protective levels (>0.1 IU/mL), the mean titers observed (0.51 IU/mL) suggest an incomplete compliance with TT vaccination. The only factor positively correlated to anti-TT IgG levels was the duration of maternal antiretroviral therapy in HEU.

Abstract Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a highly heterogeneous chronic inflammatory skin disorder that is frequently associated with a plethora of comorbidities. AD is, therefore, considered a systemic disease impacted by a considerable burden and leading to poor quality of life, especially in patients with moderate-to-severe disease. Since atopic and non-atopic comorbidities can further worsen the disease course, accurate establishment of the patient’s individual intrinsic risk profile and needs is crucial and may help in guiding the selection of the best treatment option. Better quality of care for patients with AD can be delivered through a multidisciplinary team led by a dermatologist, for comprehensive patient management. The implementation of a multidisciplinary approach for AD could enhance the delivery of optimised and safe treatments, improve the standard of care and patient outcomes in the short and long term, and prevent or delay the lifelong impact of uncontrolled AD. Understanding the unmet needs, assessing correctly the patient risk profile and enhancing the shared patient–physician decision-making process can lead to disease control and quality-of-life improvement, especially in the context of the introduction of newer treatment for AD. This narrative review is a call for more data to establish standardised patient profiles and multidisciplinary strategies in AD management. In view on the fast-evolving treatments for AD, this review aims at highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to a comprehensive assessment and holistic care in patients with moderate-to-severe AD.

ABSTRACT: Age at first calving (AFC) represents the nonproductive period of ∼2 yr in Holstein cows, and thus, it has a relevant effect on the cost of rearing replacements in the dairy herd. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate genetic and genomic aspects of AFC in the Italian Holstein population. Data of 4,206,218 heifers with first calving between 1996 and 2020 were used. Age at first calving averaged 26.09 ± 3.07 mo and decreased across years. Heritability was estimated using a linear animal model which included the fixed effects of herd-year-season of birth and classes of gestation length, and the random animal additive genetic effect fitted to a pedigree-based relationship matrix. The EBV and genomically EBV (GEBV) were obtained, and they were standardized to mean 100 and standard deviation 5, where animals above the mean are those contributing to reduce AFC. Heritability estimates of AFC ranged from 0.031 to 0.045. The trend of sires' GEBV was favorable and indicated a reduced AFC across years. Approximate genetic correlations between GEBV of AFC and GEBV of other economically important traits were calculated on a subset of genotyped females born after 2015. Moderate favorable associations of AFC with production traits (0.39–0.51), udder depth (0.40), interval from first to last insemination in heifer (−0.43), and longevity (0.34) were assessed. Overall, the greatest lifetime productive performances and most favorable days open in first lactation were observed when heifers calved at 22 to 23 mo. In contrast, progeny of sires with GEBV of AFC above the mean yielded more milk, fat, and protein in first lactation, and had shorter days open than progeny of sires with GEBV of AFC below the mean. Results suggested that breeding strategies to improve AFC should be pursued, also considering genetic correlations between AFC and traits which are already part of the Italian Holstein breeding objective. The inclusion of AFC in an aggregate index is expected to contribute to enhance farm income.

Abstract Dupilumab‐associated ocular surface disease is a common clinical sign appearing in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) just few months after dupilumab treatment start, developing in about 25% of patients. Atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC) is a well‐identified clinical entity, defined as a chronic inflammatory disease of eye that affects 25%–40% of patients with AD. Most clinical signs of ocular involvement in AD patients treated with dupilumab overlaps the AKC symptoms and signs. We supposed that Dupilumab‐associated ocular surface disease and AKC represent the same disease but differently called by dermatologists and ophthalmologists. AKC‐like disease may develop during dupilumab therapy as a consequence of alternative cytokines pathway activation (e.g. IL33) secondary to IL‐4/13 pathway block. The novel upadacitinib drug may bypass ILs pathway through Janus Kinases selective inhibition, avoiding positive or negative ILs feedback at the ocular surface level. In this case report, molecular analysis on conjunctival samples showed a lower ocular surface inflammation (lower expression of HLADR) although higher levels of IL4 and IL13 in a patient with AD and AKC during upadacitinib therapy, compared to prior dupilumab treatment. Target therapies in patients suffering from AD may prevent ocular and dermatological comorbidities improving quality of life before quality of skin and vision.

Abstract Background Wide consensus exists on the notion that low muscle mass is a predictor of negative health‐related events, such as disability, morbidity, and mortality. Indeed, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 had identified muscle mass as the key component to confirm the diagnosis of sarcopenia. However, the lack of normative values for muscle mass across ages hampers the practical assessment of this important parameter. The aim of the present study was to produce cross‐sectional centile and normative values for calf circumference (a surrogate estimation of muscle mass) across a wide spectrum of ages using a large and unselected sample of community‐dwellers enrolled in the Longevity Check‐up 7+ (Lookup 7+) project. Methods This is a cross‐sectional study using the data of Lookup 7+ project, an ongoing study started in June 2015 and conducted in unconventional settings (i.e., exhibitions, malls, and health promotion campaigns). Candidate participants were considered eligible for enrolment if they were at least 45 years of age and provided written informed consent. Calf circumference was measured using an inextensible but flexible plastic tape in a sitting position with the knee and ankle at a right angle and the feet resting on the floor. Normative values for calf circumference from ages 45 to 80 + years were generated. Results A total of 11 814 participants were enrolled from 1 June 2015 to 30 September 2022. The mean age of participants included in the analyses was 61.8 years (standard deviation; 10.2 years; range: 45–98 years), and 6686 (57%) were women. Normative values for calf circumference were obtained for men and women, stratified by age groups. Accordingly, a calf circumference tape, with colour bands that demarcate the centiles range into which the patient falls, was created and validated. Conclusions Our study established age‐ and gender‐specific centile reference values for calf circumference. The calf circumference tape can be used to easily interpret the assessment in every‐day practice for the early detection of individuals with or at risk of sarcopenia and malnutrition.

Introduction: Data about the long-term effectiveness of brodalumab could be valuable in assessing patient adherence to treatment and improving psoriasis management. Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the drug survival of brodalumab and identify any predictive factors for discontinuation. Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted in patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis who were treated for up to 3 years. We extracted data from patient files, related to the characteristics of the patients and the disease. Drug survival analysis was descriptively analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to assess baseline patient characteristics that predicted clinical response. Results: The study included 90 patients. Among them, 28 (31.1%) suspended brodalumab through the observation period. At weeks 52, 104 and 156 the median PASI score were 0.0 [0.0 – 0.8], 0.0 [0.0 – 1.0] and 0.0 [0.0 – 0.0], respectively. The estimated cumulative survival rates at weeks 52 and 104 were 86.32% and 78.09%, respectively. In the multivariable survival analysis, predictor factors for overall discontinuation included body mass index (BMI) (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03 - 1.18), baseline PASI (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02 - 1.10), and psoriatic arthritis (OR 5.05, 95% CI 0.89 - 13.50). Conclusions: Brodalumab has shown long-term effectiveness for up to 3 years. Considering baseline disease severity and patient characteristics could aid in optimizing the long-term management of psoriasis.

Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma) is considered the primary causative agent of contagious agalactia (CA) in sheep and goats, which causes severe losses to the small ruminant dairy industry. As early as 1816, it was thought that environmental factors played a role in pathogen maintenance in endemic areas. Specifically, recent studies hypothesized a vector role for arthropods in the epidemiology of disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and anatomical localization of Ma in naturally infected Riphicephalus bursa ticks to better evaluate tick–pathogen interactions. Salivary glands and ovaries of confirmed Ma-positive R. bursa were analyzed to look for the Ma antigen using immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC showed strong positivity to Ma in the cytoplasm of salivary cells as well as in cells from the ovary. Our work demonstrated for the first time the crossing of the tick midgut barrier by Ma and the subsequent infection of organs capable of spreading the infection, and this result represents an absolute novelty in disease-related knowledge. Our preliminary results provide conclusive evidence of the potential vector role represented by hard ticks in the epidemiology of CA. Further field and laboratory investigations are necessary to confirm the tick role in the transmission of clinical CA.

Dolphins, top predators of the aquatic food chain, are used as sentinel species of marine pollution as they are sensitive to environmental changes and able to accumulate a large content of contaminants. Several EU directives promote study of marine mammalians as bio-indicators to evaluate the presence of contaminants in the aquatic environment, such as the Mediterranean Sea, which is rich in environmental pollutants due to its geographic and geo-morphological characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of toxic and essential metals and metalloids (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Se and Zn), through ICP-MS analysis, in organs/tissues (liver, muscle, lung, kidney and skin) of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) stranded along the Sicilian coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. The results confirm the exposure of dolphins to toxic metals and metalloids, with the highest Hg levels observed in skin and liver, although a low Metal Pollution Index (MPI) was found in all samples of both dolphin species. From a comparative analysis of trace metals and metalloids according to sex and state of development, the highest levels of Cd and As were found in females vs. males and adults vs. juveniles, except for Pb in both species, and significant differences were observed between the two species, size of specimens, and organs/tissues analyzed. The highest Hg levels were correlated to those of essential metals Se and Zn, expressed as molar ratios, to evaluate the potential synergic effect of these detoxifying elements against Hg toxicity. This study confirms the rule of Stenella coeruleoalba and Delphinus delphis as valid sentinel species of the Mediterranean Sea, to verify the trend of metals pollution in this aquatic environment and, consequently, the health of these marine species.

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is an aggressive hematological malignancy derived from the precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Although disease awareness has increased over time, BPDCN represents a rare disease with an aggressive clinical course and a dismal prognosis. Due to the overlap in clinical and histological features with a large spectrum of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases, BPDCN is difficult to diagnose. Furthermore, given the rarity of the disease, treatment options for BPDCN are limited, sometimes changing by practitioner and hospitals. Treatment options range from conventional chemotherapy to the recently approved biologic agent tagraxofusp and stem cell transplantation. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach with coordination among dermatologists, pathologists, and hematologists is ultimately imperative to reach the correct diagnosis and management of BPDCN.

Traumatic vascular injuries consist of direct or indirect damage to arteries and/or veins and account for 3% of all traumatic injuries. Typical consequences are hemorrhage and ischemia. Vascular injuries of the extremities can occur isolated or in association with major trauma and other organ injuries. They account for 1–2% of patients admitted to emergency departments and for approximately 50% of all arterial injuries. Lower extremities are more frequently injured than upper ones in the adult population. The outcome of vascular injuries is strictly correlated to the environment and the time background. Treatment can be challenging, notably in polytrauma because of the dilemma of which injury should be prioritized, and treatment delay can cause disability or even death, especially for limb vascular injury. Our purposes are to discuss the role of computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of vascular trauma and its optimized protocol to achieve a definitive diagnosis and to assess the radiological signs of vascular injuries and the possible pitfalls.

In this historical moment, the controversial reorganisation of the Italian education system is raising the necessity to reflect on the responsibility of education in defining more resilient societies. Primary schools are the first place where children can actively experience the dynamics of democratic coexistence, developing their relationship with society through a process of long-term encounters. Nowadays, students not only need to acquire basic skills but, above all, to address emerging social issues through education in terms of democratic culture, equality, sharing and collaboration. The research investigated how Service Design can activate participatory processes that can foster the co-creation of educational experiences aimed at raising awareness of social coexistence and democratic participation. OpenMind Handbook is a project that facilitates the implementation of new educational experiences and increases social relationships, enabling the involvement of the educational community within a long-term action process.

Abstract Data from real‐world studies and clinical trials have documented the long‐term efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis. Limited data are available on the long‐term use of guselkumab in morbidly obese individuals with severe psoriasis. Here, we present data on the outcome of three patients with class III obesity (body mass index (BMI) of ≥40 kg/m2) with severe plaque psoriasis treated with 100 mg guselkumab. At baseline, mean BMI was 46.5 ± 5.4 kg/m2 and mean PASI was 46.0 ± 18.5 and all patients were biologic naïve. After 12 weeks of guselkumab treatment, mean PASI decreased to 9.7 ± 4 and to 4.0 ± 1.7 at 28 weeks. After 1 year, two patients achieved complete remission and one patient had PASI of 6 (achieving remission by week 140). All three patients are still in complete remission. Our real‐life results in specific patients burdened with class III obesity naïve to biologic treatment show excellent long‐term psoriasis outcome with guselkumab.

Accurate dosimetry of ultra-high dose-rate beams using diamond detectors remains challenging, primarily due to the elevated photocurrent peaks exceeding the input dynamics of precision electrometers. This work aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of compact gated-integration electronics in conditioning the current peaks (>20 mA) generated by a highly sensitive (S ≃ 26 nC/Gy) custom-made diamond photoconductor under electron FLASH irradiation, as well as in real-time monitoring of beam dose and dose-rate. For the emerging FLASH technology, this study provided a new perspective on using commercially available diamond dosimeters with high sensitivity, currently employed in conventional radiotherapy.

IntroductionIn Taranto, Southern Italy, adverse impacts on the environment and human health due to industrial installations have been studied. In the literature, associations have been reported between gender, environmental factors, and lung cancer mortality in women and men. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between gender, residence in areas with high environmental pressures, bronchus/lung cancer characteristics, and death rate.MethodsData from the Taranto Cancer Registry were used, including all women and men with invasive bronchus/lung cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2020 and with follow-up to 31 December 2022. Bayesian mixed effects logistic and Cox regression models were fitted with the approach of integrated nested Laplace approximation, adjusting for patients and disease characteristics.ResultsA total of 2,535 person-years were observed. Male gender was associated with a higher prevalence of histological grade 3 (OR 2.45, 95% CrI 1.35–4.43) and lung squamous-cell carcinoma (OR 3.04, 95% CrI 1.97–4.69). Variables associated with higher death rate were male gender (HR 1.24, 95% CrI 1.07–1.43), pathological/clinical stage II (HR 2.49, 95% CrI 1.63–3.79), III (HR 3.40, 95% CrI 2.33–4.97), and IV (HR 8.21, 95% CrI 5.95–11.34), histological grade 3 (HR 1.80, 95% CrI 1.25–2.59), lung squamous-cell carcinoma (HR 1.18, 95% CrI 1.00–1.39), and small-cell lung cancer (HR 1.62, 95% CrI 1.31–1.99). Variables associated with lower death rate were other-type lung cancer (HR 0.65, 95% CrI 0.44–0.95), high immune checkpoint ligand expression (HR 0.75, 95% CrI 0.59–0.95), lung localization (HR 0.73, 95% CrI 0.62–0.86), and left localization (HR 0.85, 95% CrI 0.75–0.95).DiscussionThe results among patients with lung cancer did not show an association between residence in the contaminated site of national interest (SIN) and the prevalence of the above mentioned prognostic factors, nor between residence in SIN and death rate. The findings confirmed the independent prognostic values of different lung cancer characteristics. Even after adjusting for patients and disease characteristics, male gender appeared to be associated with a higher prevalence of poorly differentiated cancer and squamous-cell carcinoma, and with an increased death rate.

IntroductionIn Taranto, Southern Italy, adverse impacts on the environment and human health due to industrial installations have been studied. In the literature, few associations have been reported between environmental factors and breast cancer mortality in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between residence in areas with high environmental pressures, female breast cancer characteristics, and death rate.MethodsData from the Taranto Cancer Registry were used, including all women with invasive breast cancer diagnosed between 01 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 and with follow-up to 31 December 2021. Bayesian mixed effects logistic and Cox regression models were fitted with the approach of integrated nested Laplace approximation, adjusting for patients and disease characteristics.ResultsA total of 10,445 person-years were observed. Variables associated with higher death rate were residence in the contaminated site of national interest (SIN) (HR 1.22, 95% CrI 1.01–1.48), pathological/clinical stage III (HR 2.77, 95% CrI 1.93–3.97) and IV (HR 17.05, 95% CrI 11.94–24.34), histological grade 3 (HR 2.50, 95% CrI 1.20–5.23), Ki-67 proliferation index of 21–50% (HR 1.42, 95% CrI 1.10–1.83) and > 50% (HR 1.81, 95% CrI 1.29–2.55), and bilateral localization (HR 1.65, 95% CrI 1.01–2.68). Variables associated with lower death rate were estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positivity (HR 0.61, 95% CrI 0.45–0.81) and HER2/neu oncogene positivity (HR 0.59, 95% CrI 0.44–0.79).DiscussionThe findings confirmed the independent prognostic values of different female breast cancer characteristics. Even after adjusting for patients and disease characteristics, residence in the SIN of Taranto appeared to be associated with an increased death rate.

Bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis are endemic in many areas worldwide. This work aims to study cytokines production and gene expression profiles of bovine macrophages infected with Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis subsp. avium (MAP) strains to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. Bovine bone marrow stem cells were differentiated into macrophages and subsequently infected in vitro with different spoligotypes of M. bovis and MAP field strains (as single infections and coinfections), using different multiplicity of infection. Supernatant and cell pellets were collected 24 h, 48 h, and one week post-infection. Preliminarily, gene expression on cell pellets of IL-1β, IL-2, INFγ, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and TNFα was assessed by qRT-PCR one week p.i. Subsequently, IL-1β and IL-6 were measured by ELISA and qRT-PCR to investigated their production retrospectively 24 h and 48 h p.i. A variability in macrophages response related to the concentration of mycobacteria, the coinfection with MAP, and M. bovis spoligotypes was identified. An early and constant IL-6 increase was observed in the M. bovis infection. A lower increase in IL-1β was also detected at the highest concentration of the two M. bovis spoligotypes one week post-infection. IL-6 and IL-1 β production was reduced and differently expressed in the MAP infection. IL-6 appeared to be the earliest cytokines produced by bovine macrophages infected with M. bovis.

In this study, we investigate the role of microwave cooking in reducing mycotoxin contamination in plant-based food matrices, with a focus on veggie burgers (purchased and home-made) and their ingredients (soybean, potatoes, zucchini, carrots). Two different conditions were studied (Max–Min) that were 800 W for 60 s and 800 W for 90 s, respectively. The degradation patterns of aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2), fumonisins (FB1, FB2, FB3), trichothecenes (T2, HT2, ZEA), and ochratoxin A (OTA) were studied. The extraction procedures were conducted with the QuEChERS extraction, and the analyses were conducted with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that degradation under microwave cooking varies considerably across different food matrices and cooking conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the degradation of mycotoxins during microwave cooking and underscores the need for more research in this area to ensure food safety.

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) receptor inhibitors tocilizumab and sarilumab have recently been approved for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). They also affect mood, even though their effect on the post-COVID-19 syndrome-related psychopathology still has to be investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate their effect on psychopathology in a sample of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. We included 246 patients (34% female, 66% male) aged 18–75 years who had been hospitalized for COVID. Patients were split into those who received anti-IL-6 receptor agents (Anti-IL-6-R, N = 88) and those who did not (Ctrl, N = 158). The former group was further split into those receiving tocilizumab (TOC, N = 67) and those receiving sarilumab (SAR, N = 21). Groups were compared based on clinical characteristics before and during COVID-19 as well as on physical and psychiatric symptoms after COVID-19. Ctrl had less psychiatric and physical symptoms during hospitalization and more post-COVID-19 diarrhea, headache, cough, and dyspnea upon exertion than those receiving IL-6-receptor inhibitors. Ctrl also showed greater difficulties in emotion regulation. These differences were driven by TOC vs. Ctrl, whereas differences between SAR and Ctrl or TOC did not reach significance. IL-6 receptor inhibitors are related to a lower post-COVID-19 illness burden and seem to be effective in emotion regulation. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Mycoplasma agalactiae ( Ma ) is considered the primary causative agent of contagious agalactia (CA) in sheep and goats, which causes severe losses to the small ruminant dairy industry. As early as 1816, it was thought that environmental factors played a role in pathogen maintenance in endemic areas. Specifically, recent studies hypothesized a vector role for arthropods in the epidemiology of disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence and anatomical localization of Ma in naturally infected Riphicephalus bursa ticks to better evaluate tick-pathogen interactions. Salivary glands and ovaries of confirmed Ma -positive R. bursa were analyzed to look for the Ma antigen using immunohistochemistry (IHC). IHC showed strong positivity to Ma in the cytoplasm of salivary cells as well as in cells from the ovary. Our work demonstrated for the first time the crossing of the tick midgut barrier by Ma and the subsequent infection of organs capable of spreading the infection, and this result represents an absolute novelty in disease-related knowledge. Our preliminary results provide conclusive evidence of the potential vector role represented by hard ticks in the epidemiology of CA. Further field and laboratory investigations are necessary to confirm the tick role in the transmission of clinical CA.

Bovine tuberculosis and paratuberculosis are endemic in many areas worldwide. This work aims to study cytokines production and gene expression profiles of bovine macrophages infected with Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis subsp. avium (MAP) strains to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers. Bovine bone marrow stem cells were differentiated into macrophages and subsequently infected in vitro with different spoligotypes of M. bovis and MAP field strains (as single infections and coinfections), using different multiplicity of infection. Supernatant and cell pellets were collected 24 h, 48 h, and one week post-infection. Preliminarily, gene expression on cell pellets of IL-1β, IL-2, INFγ, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, and TNFα was assessed by qRT-PCR one week p.i. Subsequently, IL-1β and IL-6 were measured by ELISA and qRT-PCR to investigated their production retrospectively 24 h and 48 h p.i. A variability in macrophages response related to the concentration of mycobacteria, the coinfection with MAP, and M. bovis spoligotypes was identified. An early and constant IL-6 increase was observed in the M. bovis infection. A lower increase in IL-1β was also detected at the highest concentration of the two M. bovis spoligotypes one week post-infection. IL-6 and IL-1 β production was reduced and differently expressed in the MAP infection. IL-6 appeared to be the earliest cytokines produced by bovine macrophages infected with M. bovis .