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Objectives: The purpose of this study was to do a retrospective analysis of patients with zygomatic fractures who were treated at the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, Regional University Hospital of Perugia, Italy, between 2016 and 2023. Materials and Methods: Patients were evaluated based on various parameters including age, sex, aetiology, symptoms, comorbidity, clinical findings, zygomatic fracture type, other facial fractures, treatment, waiting time before the operation, complications and sequelae. In the period described, we had 123 cases of zygomatic fractures requiring surgical intervention. Results: Among the patients, 101 were male (82.1%) and 22 were female (17.9%). The average age of the patients was 48.65 years (ranging from 7 to 94 years). The leading cause of these fractures was sports‐related injury (n = 32; 26.01%), and isolated zygomatic bone fractures were the most frequent (72.43%). The most common clinical signs and symptoms were pain, depression of the facial profile, difficulty in chewing, limitation of the buccal opening, difficulty in protrusion movements and mandibular lateralization. Ninety‐six per cent of patients underwent surgery under general anaesthesia, with open reduction and internal fixation. Conclusions: The successful and effective management of zygomatic fractures requires a solid understanding of its anatomy, pathophysiology and related biomechanical structures and forces. The continuous research in epidemiology, aetiology, materials and techniques will further refine our treatments which are nowadays more and more customized according to the type of trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Next Generation EU (NGEU) economic recovery package has set the conditions for unprecedented investment in policy areas considered of strategic importance by each Member State. This article focusses on the Italian case, characterised by long‐lasting weaknesses in active labour market policies and public employment services (PES) to analyse whether, and under what conditions, resources and programming of the magnitude of NGEU may be able to lead toward PES digital transformation. Italy's plan to enact NGEU has allocated 5.4 billion euro to fund a regionally implemented program aimed at reforming Italian PES where digitalisation represents a key objective. Based on interviews with PES officials and document analysis, it is possible to understand the extent to which such massive investments can pave the way for effective digital transformation and consider what (and how) additional factors may further influence such process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the central role of landscape connectivity in many ecological processes, evaluating and accounting for it has gained attention in both theoretical and applied ecological sciences. To address this challenge, researchers often use generic species to simplify multi‐species connectivity assessments. Yet, this approach tends to oversimplify movement behaviour, likely reducing realism and precision of connectivity model outputs. Also, the most widely used methods and theories for assessing landscape connectivity, namely circuit and network theories, have strong limitations. Finally, uncertainty or robustness estimates are rarely integrated in connectivity assessments.Here, we propose a versatile framework, which, instead of using arbitrary defined generic species, first identifies species groups based on species' environmental niches and morphological, biological, and ecological traits. Second, it combines circuit and network theories to take the best of the two methods to assess landscape connectivity for those groups, while integrating uncertainties in modelling choices. Specifically, ecological continuities (i.e. landscape elements contributing to connectivity) are calculated for these groups and used together with group dispersal capacities to derive network‐based connectivity metrics for conservation areas. We detailed our framework through a case study where we assess the connectivity of 1619 protected areas in metropolitan France for 193 vertebrate species.Our study revealed that both the protection of ecological continuities and the connectivity of protected areas for 11 mammal and 19 bird groups, respectively, were quite low, with variations among groups. Different protection types (i.e. national parks, reserves or prefectural orders) contributed unequally to the overall connectivity of group‐specific suitable habitats. Considering uncertainty propagation was crucial, as many connectivity metrics varied among repetitions.The proposed framework combines different connectivity tools to provide a more relevant and comprehensive assessment of landscape connectivity. It can be used to inform the decision‐making process for spatial planning, particularly in the context of connectivity conservation and management, or support theoretical studies to better understand the ecological role of landscape connectivity. Its flexibility allows easy application under various environmental conditions, including future scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The initial bundle of cares strongly affects haemodynamics and outcomes in acute decompensated heart failure cardiogenic shock (ADHF‐CS). We sought to characterize whether 24 h haemodynamic profiling provides superior prognostic information as compared with admission assessment and which haemodynamic parameters best predict in‐hospital death. Methods and results: All patients with ADHF‐CS and with available admission and 24 h invasive haemodynamic assessment from two academic institutions were considered for this study. The primary endpoint was in‐hospital death. Regression analyses were run to identify relevant predictors of study outcome. We included 127 ADHF‐CS patients [65 (inter‐quartile range 52–72) years, 25.2% female]. Overall, in‐hospital mortality occurred in 26.8%. Non‐survivors were older, with greater CS severity. Among admission variables, age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.11; Padj = 0.005] and CPIRAP (OR = 0.62 for 0.1 increment; 95% CI: 0.39–0.95; Padj = 0.034) were found significantly associated with in‐hospital death. Among 24 h haemodynamic univariate predictors of in‐hospital death, pulmonary elastance (PaE) was the strongest (area under the curve of 0.77; 95% CI: 0.68–0.86). PaE (OR = 5.98; 95% CI: 2.29–17.48; Padj < 0.001), pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi, OR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.62–0.92; Padj = 0.013) and age (OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.11; Padj = 0.010) were independently associated with in‐hospital death. Best cut‐off for PaE was 0.85 mmHg/mL and for PAPi was 2.95; cohort phenotyping based on these PaE and PAPi thresholds further increased in‐hospital death risk stratification; patients with 24 h high PaE and low PAPi exhibited the highest in‐hospital mortality (56.2%). Conclusions: Pulmonary artery elastance has been found to be the most powerful 24 h haemodynamic predictor of in‐hospital death in patients with ADHF‐CS. Age, 24 h PaE, and PAPi are independently associated with hospital mortality. PaE captures ventricular (RV) afterload mismatch and PAPi provides a metric of RV adaptation, thus their combination generates four distinct haemodynamic phenotypes, enhancing in‐hospital death risk stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glymphatic system (GS) is a whole‐brain perivascular network, consisting of three compartments: the periarterial and perivenous spaces and the interposed brain parenchyma. GS dysfunction has been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). So far, comprehensive research on GS in humans has been limited by the absence of easily accessible biomarkers. Recently, promising non‐invasive methods based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) along with aquaporin‐4 (AQP4) quantification in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were introduced for an indirect assessment of each of the three GS compartments. We recruited 111 consecutive subjects presenting with symptoms suggestive of degenerative cognitive decline, who underwent 3 T MRI scanning including multi‐shell diffusion‐weighted images. Forty nine out of 111 also underwent CSF examination with quantification of CSF‐AQP4. CSF‐AQP4 levels and MRI measures—including perivascular spaces (PVS) counts and volume fraction (PVSVF), white matter free water fraction (FW‐WM) and mean kurtosis (MK‐WM), diffusion tensor imaging analysis along the perivascular spaces (DTI‐ALPS) (mean, left and right)—were compared among patients with AD (n = 47) and other neurodegenerative diseases (nAD = 24), patients with stable mild cognitive impairment (MCI = 17) and cognitively unimpaired (CU = 23) elderly people. Two runs of analysis were conducted, the first including all patients; the second after dividing both nAD and AD patients into two subgroups based on gray matter atrophy as a proxy of disease stage. Age, sex, years of education, and scanning time were included as confounding factors in the analyses. Considering the whole cohort, patients with AD showed significantly higher levels of CSF‐AQP4 (exp(b) = 2.05, p =.005) and FW‐WM FW‐WM (exp(b) = 1.06, p =.043) than CU. AQP4 levels were also significantly higher in nAD in respect to CU (exp(b) = 2.98, p <.001). CSF‐AQP4 and FW‐WM were significantly higher in both less atrophic AD (exp(b) = 2.20, p =.006; exp(b) = 1.08, p =.019, respectively) and nAD patients (exp(b) = 2.66, p =.002; exp(b) = 1.10, p =.019, respectively) compared to CU subjects. Higher total (exp(b) = 1.59, p =.013) and centrum semiovale PVS counts (exp(b) = 1.89, p =.016), total (exp(b) = 1.50, p =.036) and WM PVSVF (exp(b) = 1.89, p =.005) together with lower MK‐WM (exp(b) = 0.94, p =.006), mean and left ALPS (exp(b) = 0.91, p =.043; exp(b) = 0.88, p =.010 respectively) were observed in more atrophic AD patients in respect to CU. In addition, more atrophic nAD patients exhibited higher levels of AQP4 (exp(b) = 3.39, p =.002) than CU. Our results indicate significant changes in putative MRI biomarkers of GS and CSF‐AQP4 levels in AD and in other neurodegenerative dementias, suggesting a close interaction between glymphatic dysfunction and neurodegeneration, particularly in the case of AD. However, the usefulness of some of these biomarkers as indirect and standalone indices of glymphatic activity may be hindered by their dependence on disease stage and structural brain damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Tendinopathy is one of the most frequent musculoskeletal disorders characterized by sustained tissue inflammation and oxidative stress, accompanied by extracellular matrix remodeling. Patients suffering from this pathology frequently experience pain, swelling, stiffness, and muscle weakness. Current pharmacological interventions are based on nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs; however, the effectiveness of these strategies remains ambiguous. Accumulating evidence supports that oral supplementation of natural compounds can provide preventive, and possibly curative, effects. Vitamin C (Vit C), collagen peptides (Coll), resveratrol (Res), and astaxanthin (Asx) were reported to be endowed with potential beneficial effects based on their anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activities. Here, we analyzed the efficacy of a novel combination of these compounds (Mix) in counteracting proinflammatory (IL‐1β) and prooxidant (H2O2) stimuli in human tenocytes. We demonstrated that Mix significantly impairs IL‐6‐induced IL‐1β secretion, NF‐κB nuclear translocation, and MMP‐2 production; notably, a synergistic effect of Mix over the single compounds could be observed. Moreover, Mix was able to significantly counteract H2O2‐triggered ROS production. Together, these results point out that Mix, a novel combination of Vit C, Coll, Resv, and Asx, significantly impairs proinflammatory and prooxidant stimuli in tenocytes, mechanisms that contribute to the onset of tendinopathies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few data exist on the role of genetic factors involving the HLA system on response to Covid‐19 vaccines. Moving from suggestions of a previous study investigating the association of some HLA alleles with humoral response to BNT162b2, we here compared the HLA allele frequencies among weak (n = 111) and strong (n = 123) responders, defined as those healthcare workers with the lowest and the highest anti‐Spike antibody levels after vaccination. Individuals with clinical history of Covid‐19 or positive anti‐nucleocapside antibodies were excluded. We found the common HLA‐A*03:01 allele as an independent predictor of strong humoral response (OR = 12.46, 95% CI: 4.41–35.21, p < 0.0001), together with younger age of vaccines (p = 0.004). Correlation between antibody levels and protection from breakthrough infection has been observed, with a 2‐year cumulative incidence of 42% and 63% among strong and weak responders, respectively (p = 0.03). Due to the high frequency of HLA‐A*03:01 and the need for seasonal vaccinations against SARS‐CoV‐2 mutants, our findings provide useful information about the inter‐individual differences observed in humoral response after Covid‐19 vaccine and might support further studies on the next seasonal vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predominant right temporal atrophy is a radiological sign usually associated with frontotemporal dementia but this sign can also be present in Alzheimer's disease. Given the overlap of clinical symptoms between the two conditions, it is important to know which characteristics allow them to be differentiated. Objectives: To compare clinical, neuropsychological and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of subjects with prominent right anterior temporal atrophy, depending on the status of amyloid biomarkers. Methods: Among patients followed in the dementia center of Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, subjects with right anterior temporal atrophy, defined as grade 3 or 4 on the corresponding visual rating scale, were identified. Only subjects with both an MRI scan and amyloid status available were considered. For selected subjects, data were extracted from clinical and neuropsychological records at initial presentation and at last available follow‐up. Two raters applied a protocol of eight visual rating scales to compare brain atrophy and white matter hyperintensities. Results: Of 497 subjects, 17 fulfilled the inclusion criteria: 7 amyloid‐positive and 10 amyloid‐negative. At initial presentation, executive dysfunction and topographical disorientation were more common in amyloid‐positive patients. At follow‐up, behavioral symptoms, such as social awkwardness and compulsive attitude, were more frequent in the amyloid‐negative patients. Amyloid‐positive patients presented an overall worse neuropsychological performance, especially in the language and visuospatial domain, and had higher scores on the right anterior cingulate visual rating scale. Conclusion: Patients with predominant right temporal atrophy showed clinical, neuropsychological and radiological differences, depending on the status of amyloid biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the brain, the non‐essential amino acid L‐serine is produced through the phosphorylated pathway (PP) starting from the glycolytic intermediate 3‐phosphoglycerate: among the different roles played by this amino acid, it can be converted into D‐serine and glycine, the two main co‐agonists of NMDA receptors. In humans, the enzymes of the PP, namely phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (hPHGDH, which catalyzes the first and rate‐limiting step of this pathway), 3‐phosphoserine aminotransferase, and 3‐phosphoserine phosphatase are likely organized in the cytosol as a metabolic assembly (a "serinosome"). The hPHGDH deficiency is a pathological condition biochemically characterized by reduced levels of L‐serine in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and clinically identified by severe neurological impairment. Here, three single‐point variants responsible for hPHGDH deficiency and Neu‐Laxova syndrome have been studied. Their biochemical characterization shows that V261M, V425M, and V490M substitutions alter either the kinetic (both maximal activity and Km for 3‐phosphoglycerate in the physiological direction) and the structural properties (secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure, favoring aggregation) of hPHGDH. All the three variants have been successfully ectopically expressed in U251 cells, thus the pathological effect is not due to hindered expression level. At the cellular level, mistargeting and aggregation phenomena have been observed in cells transiently expressing the pathological protein variants, as well as a reduced L‐serine cellular level. Previous studies demonstrated that the pharmacological supplementation of L‐serine in hPHGDH deficiencies could ameliorate some of the related symptoms: our results now suggest the use of additional and alternative therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, New Delhi metallo‐beta‐lactamase (NDM) carbapenemase has silently spread in Brazil. In this study, we analyzed a large collection of Enterobacterales other than Klebsiella spp. received in our reference laboratory between 2013 and 2022. A total of 32 clinical isolates displaying different pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis profiles, and represented by 11 species in the families Enterobacteriaceae (Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter portucalensis, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Escherichia coli), Morganellaceae (Morganella morganii, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Providencia rettgeri, Providencia stuartii, and Raoultella ornithinolytica), and Yersiniaceae (Serratia marcescens) had their whole genomes sequenced and further analyzed. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion, except for polymyxin B, assessed by broth microdilution. The blaNDM‐1 allele was predominant (n = 29), but blaNDM‐5 was identified in an E. coli specimen with a novel ST, and the blaNDM‐7 allele was found in E. hormaechei ST45 and E. coli ST1049. Polymyxin was active against all but one Enterobacteriaceae isolate: an mcr‐1–producing E. coli presenting minimal inhibitory concentration (4 mg/L). Isolates producing extended‐spectrum β‐lactamases were common: cefotaximase from Munich (CTX‐M)‐15 (n = 10), CTX‐M‐2 (n = 4), and CTX‐M‐8 (n = 3) were detected, and the mcr‐1–producing E. coli was found to co‐produce both CTX‐M‐8 and CTX‐M‐55 β‐lactamases. The mcr‐9 gene was found in 5/8 E. hormaechei isolates, distributed in four different sequence types, all of them presenting susceptibility to polymyxin. This study showed that NDM‐producing Enterobacterales other than Klebsiella are already spread in Brazil, in diversified species, and cocarrying important resistance genes. Prompt detection and effective implementation of measures to prevent further spread are mandatory for mitigating the dissemination of NDM carbapenemase in hospital settings and preserving the already limited antimicrobial therapy options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The World Health Organization (WHO) goal of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) elimination by 2030 rose awareness about the need of screening plans, worldwide. In Italy, graduated screening starting from people born in 1969–1989 might be the most‐effective strategy. We performed an opportunistic HCV screening study in the general population attending health facilities in Lombardy region, Northern Italy. Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter, territory‐wide, opportunistic study supported by the Regional Government of Lombardy, Italy. Between June 2022 and December 2022, all subjects born in 1969–1989, hospitalized or accessing blood collection centres were offered anti‐HCV and HCV–RNA tests. Patients with known anti‐HCV positivity and/or previous anti‐HCV treatment were excluded. Demographic features were uploaded into a regional web‐based platform. Results: In total, 120 193 individuals were screened in 75 centres. Mean age was 44 (±6) years, 65.2% were females, 83.7% were tested at blood collection centres. Anti‐HCV tested positive in 604 (0.50%) subjects: mean age 47 (±5), 51.1% females. HCV seroprevalence was higher in males (p < 0.00001), elderly (p < 0.00001) and in‐ vs. outpatients (p = 0.0009). HCV–RNA was detectable in 125 out of 441 (28.3%) anti‐HCV positive subjects. Actively infected patients were 46 (±6) years old, mainly males (56.8%). The overall prevalence of active HCV infection was 0.10%, higher in elderly (p = 0.0003) and in in‐patients (p = 0.0007). Among 93 HCV–RNA positive patients, the median age was 48 years, 58% males, 62% Italian born, median HCV–RNA levels were 6,1 log IU/mL, liver stiffness measurement (LSM) values 5.5 (3.1–29.9) kPa and ALT levels 48 U/L. Conclusions: The prevalence of active HCV infection in the 1969–1989 population attending health facilities in Lombardy was low. Most viremic patients were Italian‐born, with mild liver disease but high‐HCV–RNA levels. Due to the higher prevalence in the elderly, the extension of such opportunistic screening programs to lower birth cohorts would be warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human flavoenzyme D‐aspartate oxidase (hDASPO) controls the level of D‐aspartate in the brain, a molecule acting as an agonist of NMDA receptors and modulator of AMPA and mGlu5 receptors. hDASPO‐induced D‐aspartate degradation prevents age‐dependent deterioration of brain functions and is related to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and autism. Notwithstanding this crucial role, less is known about hDASPO regulation. Here, we report that hDASPO is nitrosylated in vitro, while no evidence of sulfhydration and phosphorylation is apparent: nitrosylation affects the activity of the human flavoenzyme to a limited extent. Furthermore, hDASPO interacts with the primate‐specific protein pLG72 (a well‐known negative chaperone of D‐amino acid oxidase, the enzyme deputed to D‐serine degradation in the human brain), yielding a ~114 kDa complex, with a micromolar dissociation constant, promoting the flavoenzyme inactivation. At the cellular level, pLG72 and hDASPO generate a cytosolic complex: the expression of pLG72 negatively affects the hDASPO level by reducing its half‐life. We propose that pLG72 binding may represent a protective mechanism aimed at avoiding cytotoxicity due to H2O2 produced by the hDASPO enzymatic degradation of D‐aspartate, especially before the final targeting to peroxisomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a fault diagnosis control scheme for intrinsically redundant robot manipulators based on the combination of a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) approach and a battery of sliding mode observers. The DRL plays the role of detecting and isolating possible sensor faults, thus generating an alarm and pin‐pointing the source. This in turn allows to compensate the sensor faults independently from the actuator ones. The latter are therefore detected and isolated by a set of sliding mode observers driven by input laws designed according to an optimal reaching algorithm. In order to design and apply such observers, a global feedback linearization is performed, which transforms the multi‐input‐multi‐output (MIMO) nonlinear robot model into a chain of double integrators. The proposal is analyzed and assessed in realistic conditions using the PyBullet environment in which a 7 degrees‐of‐freedom (DOFs) Franka Emika Panda robot manipulator is reproduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tensors have been proposed to represent pre‐stack seismic data, particularly for seismic data denoising and reconstruction. They naturally permit describing multi‐dimensional seismic signals that depend on time (or frequency) and source and receiver coordinates. A tensor representation aims to preserve the information embedded in the multi‐linear array in a reduced space. Such a representation is part of many algorithms for seismic data reconstruction via tensor completion methodologies. We investigate and apply one particular tensor tree representation to seismic data reconstruction. The Tensor Tree decomposition methodology permits decomposing a high‐order tensor into third‐order tensors. The technique relies on the truncated singular value decomposition, which branches the tensors into low‐dimensional tensors. As a benefit, the tensor tree allows us to reorganize the tensor into a matrix that demands the least singular values to have an optimal low‐rank approximation. We have developed an algorithm that uses the tensor tree for data reconstruction in an iterative optimization scheme and directly compared it to the parallel matrix factorization. At first, we demonstrated the proposed methodology results with five‐dimensional synthetic shot data and then moved forward with five‐dimensional field data, where we analysed it both pre and post‐stack. The tensor tree performs well in reconstructing both synthetic and field data with high fidelity, at the same level as the well‐established parallel matrix factorization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The gut microbiota (GM) can influence the pathogenesis of immune‐mediated adverse events (irAEs). Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can affect the integrity of GM, but their role in promoting irAEs is still poorly understood. Methods: In this retrospective single‐center cohort study, the primary endpoint was the evaluation of the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) irAEs in cancer patients on PPIs (exposed) versus cancer patients who were not on PPIs (unexposed). Results: Three hundred and sixty three patients' records (248 M/115F, median age 69) were reviewed. Twenty‐three exposed patients (92%) developed GI irAEs while only two unexposed patients (8%) developed GI irAEs (hazard ratio [HR] 13.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.11–56.10, p < 0.000). This HR was confirmed after weighting for the propensity score (HR15.13 95% CI 3.22–71.03, p < 0.000). Conclusion: Chronic PPI use is associated with an increased risk of GI irAES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Astrocytes are essential players in development and functions, being particularly relevant as regulators of brain energy metabolism, ionic homeostasis and synaptic transmission. They are also the major source of l‐serine in the brain, which is synthesized from the glycolytic intermediate 3‐phosphoglycerate through the phosphorylated pathway. l‐Serine is the precursor of the two main co‐agonists of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor, glycine and d‐serine. Strikingly, dysfunctions in both l‐ and d‐serine metabolism are associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. Here, we exploited a differentiation protocol, based on the generation of human mature astrocytes from neural stem cells, and investigated the modification of the proteomic and metabolomic profile during the differentiation process. We show that differentiated astrocytes are more similar to mature rather than to reactive ones, and that axogenesis and pyrimidine metabolism increase up to 30 days along with the folate cycle and sphingolipid metabolism. Consistent with the proliferation and cellular maturation processes that are taking place, also the intracellular levels of l‐serine, glycine, threonine, l‐ and d‐aspartate (which level is unexpectedly higher than that of d‐serine) show the same biosynthetic time course. A significant utilization of l‐serine from the medium is apparent while glycine is first consumed and then released with a peak at 30 days, parallel to its intracellular level. These results underline how metabolism changes during astrocyte differentiation, highlight that d‐serine synthesis is restricted in differentiated astrocytes and provide a valuable model for developing potential novel therapeutic approaches to address brain diseases, especially the ones related to serine metabolism alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The beam energy is one of the most significant parameters in particle therapy since it is directly correlated to the particles' penetration depth inside the patient. Nowadays, the range accuracy is guaranteed by offline routine quality control checks mainly performed with water phantoms, 2D detectors with PMMA wedges, or multi‐layer ionization chambers. The latter feature low sensitivity, slow collection time, and response dependent on external parameters, which represent limiting factors for the quality controls of beams delivered with fast energy switching modalities, as foreseen in future treatments. In this context, a device based on solid‐state detectors technology, able to perform a direct and absolute beam energy measurement, is proposed as a viable alternative for quality assurance measurements and beam commissioning, paving the way for online range monitoring and treatment verification. Purpose: This work follows the proof of concept of an energy monitoring system for clinical proton beams, based on Ultra Fast Silicon Detectors (featuring tenths of ps time resolution in 50 μm active thickness, and single particle detection capability) and time‐of‐flight techniques. An upgrade of such a system is presented here, together with the description of a dedicated self‐calibration method, proving that this second prototype is able to assess the mean particles energy of a monoenergetic beam without any constraint on the beam temporal structure, neither any a priori knowledge of the beam energy for the calibration of the system. Methods: A new detector geometry, consisting of sensors segmented in strips, has been designed and implemented in order to enhance the statistics of coincident protons, thus improving the accuracy of the measured time differences. The prototype was tested on the cyclotron proton beam of the Trento Protontherapy Center (TPC). In addition, a dedicated self‐calibration method, exploiting the measurement of monoenergetic beams crossing the two telescope sensors for different flight distances, was introduced to remove the systematic uncertainties independently from any external reference. Results: The novel calibration strategy was applied to the experimental data collected at TPC (Trento) and CNAO (Pavia). Deviations between measured and reference beam energies in the order of a few hundreds of keV with a maximum uncertainty of 0.5 MeV were found, in compliance with the clinically required water range accuracy of 1 mm. Conclusions: The presented version of the telescope system, minimally perturbative of the beam, relies on a few seconds of acquisition time to achieve the required clinical accuracy and therefore represents a feasible solution for beam commission, quality assurance checks, and online beam energy monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

De novol‐serine biosynthesis in the mammalian astrocytes proceeds via a linear, three‐step pathway (the phosphorylated pathway) catalysed by 3‐phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT) and phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP). The first reaction, catalysed by PHGDH and using the glycolytic intermediate 3‐phosphoglycerate, is strongly shifted towards the reagents, and coupling to the following step by PSAT is required to push the equilibrium towards l‐serine formation; the last step, catalysed by PSP, is virtually irreversible and inhibited by the final product l‐serine. Very little is known about the regulation of the human phosphorylated pathway and the ability of the three enzymes to organise in a complex with potential regulatory functions. Here, the complex formation was investigated in differentiated human astrocytes, by proximity ligation assay, and in vitro on the human recombinant enzymes. The results indicate that the three enzymes co‐localise in cytoplasmic clusters that more stably engage PSAT and PSP. Although in vitro analyses based on native PAGE, size exclusion chromatography and cross‐linking experiments do not show the formation of a stable complex, kinetic studies of the reconstituted pathway using physiological enzyme and substrate concentrations support cluster formation and indicate that PHGDH catalyses the rate‐limiting step while PSP reaction is the driving force for the whole pathway. The enzyme agglomerate assembly of the phosphorylated pathway (the putative 'serinosome') delivers a relevant level of sophistication to the control of l‐serine biosynthesis in human cells, a process strictly related to the modulation of the brain levels of d‐serine and glycine, the main co‐agonists of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptors and various pathological states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The gold standard for diagnosing egg allergy in children is the oral food challenge (OFC). However, OFCs are time‐consuming and risky procedures. Our study aimed to evaluate the utility of the basophil activation test (BAT) and component‐resolved diagnostic in the diagnostic workup of children with egg allergy. Methods: Overall, 86 children aged 6 months to 17 years, suspected of egg allergy, underwent OFC with boiled egg according to international standardized protocols. BAT and specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) testing to component egg proteins (Gal d 1‐4) were also performed. Results: Of the 22 children who reacted to boiled egg, only one experienced anaphylaxis during the challenge. BAT was performed in samples obtained by 75 of the 86 patients of our cohort. Egg white and yolk protein extracts induced CD63 upregulation in the egg‐allergic (EA) children compared with sensitized children that tolerated boiled egg (we registered an overall mean of CD63 expression in the EA population of 44.4% [SD 34.1] for egg white and 34.7% [SD 31.3] for egg yolk vs. 12.5% [SD 19.1] and 10.0% [SD 16.0] in sensitized children). BAT could discriminate between true egg allergy and egg sensitization in our population. As a second‐line diagnostic step, the positivity of BAT for egg white or Gal d 1‐sIgE resulted in a 40.9% OFC reduction, especially for those with a positive outcome. Conclusion: The BAT may be implemented in the diagnostic workup of egg allergy in children and, in a stepwise approach, separately or combined with Gal d 1‐sIgE, may predict the allergic status and reduce the number of positive OFCs in children with egg allergy at low risk for severe reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a combination of classical regularization theory with a null space neural network approach based on deep decomposition learning, paying particular attention to the solution of one ubiquitous problem in seismic exploration: the recovery of full‐band reflectivity from band‐limited seismic traces. The method extends the popular post‐processing approach by learning how to improve an initial reconstruction with estimated missing components from the null space of the forward operator, which in our case, are the missing frequency components of the reflectivity. We integrate the null space element prediction to act in conjunction with convolutional neural network based denoising and a data‐consistent algorithm. The proposed framework honours the input measurements while enforcing generalization. Numerical experiments on synthetic and real datasets show that the proposed method naturally enforces a high‐resolution prediction consistent with the low‐resolution input seismic traces. We compare its performance with state‐of‐the‐art thin‐bed reflectivity estimation methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is increasingly considered as a major environmental issue, which threatens agricultural production by decreasing yield traits of crops. Seed priming is a useful and cost‐effective technique to alleviate the negative effects of salinity and to enable a fast and uniform germination. In this context, we quantified the effects of priming with gibberellic acid (GP), calcium chloride (CP), and mannitol (MP) on seed germination of three bread wheat cultivars and investigated their response when grown at high salinity conditions (200 mM NaCl). Salt exposure strongly repressed seed imbibition and germination potential and extended germination time, whereas priming enhanced uniformity and seed vigor. Seed preconditioning alleviated the germination disruption caused by salt stress to varying degrees. Priming mitigating effect was agent‐dependent with regard to water status (CP and MP), ionic imbalance (CP), and seed reserve mobilization (GP). Na+ accumulation in seedling tissues significantly impaired carbohydrate and protein mobilization by inhibiting amylase and proteases activities but had lesser effects on primed seeds. CP attenuated ionic imbalance by limiting sodium accumulation. Gibberellic acid was the most effective priming treatment for promoting the germination of wheat seeds under salt stress. Moreover, genotypic differences in wheat response to salinity stress were observed between varieties used in this study. Ardito, the oldest variety, seems to tolerate better salinity in priming‐free conditions; Aubusson resulted the most salt‐sensitive cultivar but showed a high germination recovery under priming conditions; Bologna showed an intermediate behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are usually discovered as bright transients, either in the X‐ray or optical/UV band. These events are often characterized by a "super‐soft" emission in the X‐ray band, which has not been observed in any other extragalactic source, with few exceptions (novae and supersoft active galactic nuclei, AGN), which can however be distinguished by their optical behavior. By cross‐correlating optical and X‐ray catalogs and filtering for extremely steep (photon index Γ > 3) and highly luminous (LX > 1041 erg s−1) objects in external galaxies nuclear regions, we aim to detect overlooked TDEs. With our blind search, we retrieved about 60 sources. Among these, 36 sources show steeper‐than‐usual spectra, but, with their optical classification, can be considered standard AGNs. Instead, fifteen are well‐studied supersoft AGNs or TDEs, demonstrating the efficiency of our selection. The remaining 9, are previously unknown sources. Five are extremely soft‐excess dominated AGNs, while 4 sources are optima TDE candidates. In this work, we focus on these 4 latter sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable production systems in line with consumer expectations are attractive for the dairy sector. The objective of this review is to examine the benefits of an Italian method, named the Noble Method ('Metodo Nobile®'), in order to improve the nutritional properties of milk and environmental sustainability. The prohibition of silage and the use of polyphite pastures are some of the rules established by the Noble Method. The greater amount of unsaturated fatty acids and other beneficial compounds found in milk and dairy products produced by using milk from animals fed on well‐managed pasture could have positive implications on consumers' health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous and exogenous factors can alter the skin layer and appearance, determining skin aging. The extracts and isolated molecules from food matrixes can be used to formulate "healthy" antiaging cosmetics. Two different cosmetic approaches can be used to achieve the antiaging effect. It is possible to use topical products based on food extract (cosmeceutical approach) or take a food supplement and apply a topical cosmetic product based on food extract on the surface to be treated (nutricosmetic approach). This work evaluated in vivo the antiaging potential of a nutricosmetic formulation (cream + food supplement) and a cosmeceutical cream based on Curcuma. The choice of the commercial Curcuma extract to be used for experimental purposes was based on the curcuminoid content determined by an HPLC test. Curcuminoids are the bioactive compounds responsible for Curcuma's antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. Their levels in Curcuma extracts vary according to the storage condition, variety, and pedoclimatic cultivation conditions. The Tewameter® TM300 was used to evaluate the Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), the Corneometer® CM 825 to determine the moisturizing effect, the Cutometer® to estimate the skin firmness and elasticity, the Dermascan to assess the collagen index, and the Visioface® 1000D to evaluate the wrinkles. The nutricosmetic product showed potential as moisturizing, anti‐age, and anti‐wrinkle action better than the cosmeceutical product alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, we built a Hubble diagram of quasars up to redshift z∼7$$ z\sim 7 $$, based on the nonlinear relation between quasars' x‐ray and UV luminosities. Such a Hubble diagram shows a >4σ$$ >4\sigma $$ deviation from the standard flat Λ$$ \Lambda $$CDM model at z>1.5$$ z>1.5 $$. Given the important consequences of this result, it is fundamental to rule out any systematic effect in the selection of the sample and/or in the flux measurements, and to investigate possible redshift dependences of the relation, that would invalidate the use of quasars as standard candles. Here we review all the observational results supporting our method: the match of the Hubble diagram of quasars with that of supernovae in the common redshift range, the constant slope of the relation at all redshifts, the redshift non‐evolution of the spectral properties of our sources both in the x‐rays and in the UV. An independent test of our results requires the observation of other standard candles at high redshift. In particular, we expect that future observations of supernovas at z>2$$ z>2 $$ will confirm the deviation from the concordance model found with the Hubble diagram of quasars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate protection is a global public good. The related mitigation policies implemented by a single country could have little effect on climate change issue such that there could be no net gains for society. However, those measures might create winners and losers among individuals. We investigate the citizens' support for different pro‐climate policies in EU countries, by considering the degree of heterogeneity in their attitudes towards climate issues using a cluster analysis. We also exploit the extent to which carbon intensity and green skills requirement of jobs contribute to supporting climate policies. Our results suggest that individuals' occupational exposure does matter: people in emission‐intensive activities tend to be against stringent climate measures, whereas people in jobs that require high levels of green skills are in favour of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teleseismic receiver functions (RFs) are an effective tool for structural imaging due to their simplicity and sensitivity to changes in rock elastic properties. Generally, RFs are estimated through trace‐by‐trace deconvolution. This individualized approach ignores the lateral coherency among RFs from neighboring raypaths, which could lead to rougher or incorrect seismic sections due to the presence of noise. This study presents a multichannel sparse deconvolution method that takes advantage of the cross‐trace coherency of RFs at individual stations for stable and accurate imaging outcomes. The proposed algorithm incorporates sparse inversion and frequency‐space prediction filters, which facilitate the retrieval of high‐resolution and spatially continuous conversion energy. Rigorous testing using synthetic and actual data typically suggests the higher robustness of multichannel deconvolution over single‐channel deconvolution, especially under low signal‐to‐noise ratios. The noise‐resistance property of the multichannel approach offers new opportunities to increase the volume of usable, high‐quality data for receiver function analysis. Plain Language Summary: Receiver functions (RFs) are seismological records that can effectively resolve Earth's subsurface structures. A RF is retrieved from the seismic recordings via a technique called deconvolution. Deconvolution is generally performed trace by trace but becomes unstable because of its susceptibility to the noise on seismic recordings. This study presents a method for RF estimation that reduces the noise sensitivity of deconvolution. The method utilizes the connection across multiple traces of RFs at individual stations to enhance the stability of deconvolution. Systematic testing suggests that our method results in more stable RF estimation than trace‐by‐trace deconvolution. This advantage becomes more pronounced as noise level increases. The multichannel deconvolution method can potentially provide a more reliable RF database for Earth's structural investigations. Key Points: We present a method for multichannel receiver function (RF) estimation that incorporates an f−x $f-x$ prediction filter into deconvolutionThe f−x $f-x$ prediction filter ensures cross‐trace smoothness of the RFs and increases the robustness of deconvolutionThe method diminishes uncertainties of RF estimation, providing highly reliable data sets for structural imaging [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the clinical outcomes of patients with TP53‐mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are dismal, subsets of patients eligible for curative‐intent therapies may fare better. Because racial disparities are known to affect outcome in hematologic malignancies, the authors sought to explore disparities among patients with TP53‐mutated AML. Methods: A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in a cohort of 340 patients who had TP53‐mutated AML (275 non‐Hispanic White [NHW] and 65 non‐Hispanic Black [NHB]) to analyze differences in treatment and outcome among NHW and NHB patients. Results: The median patient age was comparable between NHW and NHB patients (p =.76). A higher proportion of NHB patients had therapy‐related AML (31% vs. 20%; p =.08) and had co‐mutations (74% vs. 61%; p =.06). A higher proportion of NHW patients received intensive chemotherapy compared with NHB patients (47% vs. 31%; p =.02). Conversely, a higher proportion of NHB patients received low‐intensity chemotherapy (9% vs. 5.5%; p =.02) or best supportive care (22% vs. 7%; p <.001). The complete response rate (including complete responses with or without complete count recovery) was 31% versus 24.5% (p =.39) in NHW and NHB patients, respectively. Only 5% of NHB patients received allogeneic stem cell transplantation compared with 15.5% of NHW patients (p =.02). The proportion of patients who were event‐free (18.5% vs. 8.5%; p =.49) or who remained alive (24.9% vs. 8.3%; p =.13) at 18 months was numerically higher in NHW versus NHB patients, respectively, but was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The current study highlights disparities between NHW and NHB patients with TP53‐mutated AML. Efforts are warranted to eliminate treatment disparities in minority populations. Non‐Hispanic Black patients with TP53‐mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were more likely to have concurrent mutations and therapy‐related AML than non‐Hispanic White patients. Non‐Hispanic Black patients who had TP53‐mutated AML received disease‐directed therapies less often compared with non‐Hispanic White patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unintentionally doped (001)‐oriented orthorhombic κ‐Ga2O3 epitaxial films on c‐plane sapphire substrates are characterized by the presence of ≈ 10 nm wide columnar rotational domains that can severely inhibit in‐plane electronic conduction. Comparing the in‐ and out‐of‐plane resistance on well‐defined sample geometries, it is experimentally proved that the in‐plane resistivity is at least ten times higher than the out‐of‐plane one. The introduction of silane during metal‐organic vapor phase epitaxial growth not only allows for n‐type Si extrinsic doping, but also results in the increase of more than one order of magnitude in the domain size (up to ≈ 300 nm) and mobility (highest µ ≈ 10 cm2V−1s−1, with corresponding lowest ρ ≈ 0.2 Ωcm). To qualitatively compare the mean domain dimension in κ‐Ga2O3 epitaxial films, non‐destructive experimental procedures are provided based on X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The results of this study pave the way to significantly improved in‐plane conduction in κ‐Ga2O3 and its possible breakthrough in new generation electronics. The set of cross‐linked experimental techniques and corresponding interpretation here proposed can apply to a wide range of material systems that suffer/benefit from domain‐related functional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multicenter retrospective study was designed to assess clinical outcome of COVID‐19 in patients with hematological malignancies (HM) following treatment with anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 convalescent plasma (CP) or standard of care therapy. To this aim, a propensity score matching was used to assess the role of non‐randomized administration of CP in this high‐risk cohort of patients from the Italian Hematology Alliance on COVID‐19 (ITA‐HEMA‐COV) project, now including 2049 untreated control patients. We investigated 30‐ and 90‐day mortality, rate of admission to intensive care unit, proportion of patients requiring mechanical ventilatory support, hospitalization time, and SARS‐CoV‐2 clearance in 79 CP recipients and compared results with 158 propensity score‐matched controls. Results indicated a lack of efficacy of CP in the study group compared with the untreated group, thus confirming the negative results obtained from randomized studies in immunocompetent individuals with COVID‐19. In conclusion, this retrospective analysis did not meet the primary and secondary end points in any category of immunocompromized patients affected by HM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The pulmonary artery catheter (PAC)‐derived cardiac power index (CPI) has been found of prognostic value in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients. The original CPI equation included the right atrial pressure (RAP), accounting for heart filling pressure as a determinant of systolic myocardial work, but this term was subsequently omitted. We hypothesized that the original CPI formula (CPIRAP) is superior to current CPI for risk stratification in CS. Methods and results: A single‐centre cohort of 80 consecutive Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) B‐D CS patients with available PAC records was included. Overall in‐hospital mortality was 21.3%. Results showed CPIRAP to be the strongest haemodynamic predictor of in‐hospital death (padj = 0.038), outperforming CPI [area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves: 0.726 and 0.673, P‐for‐difference = 0.025]. When the population was stratified according to the identified CPIRAP (0.28 W/m2) and accepted CPI (0.32 W/m2) thresholds, the cohort with discordant indexes (low CPIRAP and high CPI) comprised a group of 13 patients featuring a congested phenotype with frequent right ventricle or biventricular involvement. In this group, in‐hospital mortality was high (30.8%) similar to those with concordant low CPI and CPIRAP. Conclusion: Incorporating RAP in CPI calculation (CPIRAP) improves the prognostic yield in patients with CS SCAI B‐D. A cut‐off of 0.28 W/m2 identifies patients at higher risk of in‐hospital mortality. The improved prognostic value of CPIRAP may derive from identification of patients with more intravascular congestion who may experience substantial in‐hospital mortality, uncaptured by the commonly used CPI equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mutual relationship among medical therapy, ocular surface (OS) and filtration surgery (FS) represents one of the most crucial issues in glaucoma management. As the long‐term use of intraocular pressure‐lowering medications significantly affect the OS health, patients with an uncontrolled disease frequently undergo glaucoma surgery in less‐than‐ideal conditions. As we known, OS changes strongly affect the post‐operative bleb filtration capability. Therefore, improving the OS conditions before proceeding with FS is needed. Currently, given the rapid diffusion of new surgical procedures, this need is even more perceived. Nevertheless, despite surgeons retain the OS preparation of primary importance, and recognize the OS disease (OSD) as the only modifiable risk factor for filtration failure, there is no agreement on which strategies should be preferred to prepare patients. This is largely due to the lack of validated guidelines, which forces clinicians to adopt personal approaches based on evidence derived from low‐quality studies. In this review, we provided an overview of risk factors involved in the FS failure, with particular attention to those depending on OS changes, and how OSD negatively affects the aqueous humor resorption after surgery. Moreover, we reported the most exploited measures to mitigate the OSD before surgery, the possible reasons underlying the absence of shared approaches, and the upcoming area of intervention to preserve the OS health during glaucoma management. Finally, based on the current evidence, we proposed a pre‐operative outline reporting the main risk factors that should be considered before surgery, and the therapeutical options available to improve the OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The aim of the scientific community, towards the investigation of solutions able to favor a futuristic human settlement on Mars, also concerns ad hoc communication systems and wireless networks to be deployed over the "Red planet." However, the state‐of‐the‐art appears to be missing of realistic and replicable models for understanding the radio propagation over precise Martian locations. This means that performing solid simulations, rather than roughly approximated ones, is really a tough task. Thus, this paper describes the design of a 3D ray‐tracing simulator based on high‐resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) for the evaluation of Martian large‐scale and small‐scale phenomena in the S and EHF bands. First, by taking advantage of the Cole–Cole equations, we computed the complex permittivity of the JSC Mars‐1 Martian regolith simulant. Then, we developed a 3D tile‐based structure of the Gale crater, thanks to its DEM, and finally, we implemented a ray‐tracing algorithm for outdoor environments able to trace the line of sight (LOS), the first and second reflections of a radio frequency (RF) signal between a transmitter (TX) and a receiver (RX) over the 3D structure. The results focus on estimating path losses, shadowing values, outage probability, and on the parametrization of multipath channels for selected areas and subareas, presenting heavily different morphological features, of the Gale crater. Moreover, some brief considerations about dust storms and atmosphere harmful effects on propagation will be drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent invasion of the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Newman (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in northern Italy offered the opportunity to explore the entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) associated with the soil of hay meadows.A total of 61 sites were considered for nematode sampling, and from 17 of them (27.9%) EPNs were isolated and further characterized with molecular and morphological techniques as well as with laboratory bioassays.Two main species, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) and Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) were recorded with the same frequency together with a few other species (Rhabditida: Oscheius sp. and Phasmarhabditis sp.).The newly isolated EPN populations were characterized for their activity (penetration rate) and infectivity to P. japonica grubs.EPNs occurrence was related to the time of beetle invasion at each sampling site and there was evidence of a density‐dependent response of the EPNs community to P. japonica density.The invasion of P. japonica apparently did not significantly affect the occurrence of native grubs, although a tendency to a decline was observed and should be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic has represented an unprecedented challenge for the humanity, and scientists around the world provided a huge effort to elucidate critical aspects in the fight against the pathogen, useful in designing public health strategies, vaccines and therapeutic approaches. One of the first pieces of evidence characterizing the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection has been its breadth of clinical presentation, ranging from asymptomatic to severe/deadly disease, and the indication of the key role played by the immune response in influencing disease severity. This review is aimed at summarizing what the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection taught us about the immune response, highlighting its features of a double‐edged sword mediating both protective and pathogenic processes. We will discuss the protective role of soluble and cellular innate immunity and the detrimental power of a hyper‐inflammation‐shaped immune response, resulting in tissue injury and immunothrombotic events. We will review the importance of B‐ and T‐cell immunity in reducing the clinical severity and their ability to cross‐recognize viral variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the first detection of Meloidogyne graminicola in Piedmont, North Italy, in 2016, further inspections for the presence of the rice root‐knot nematode were carried out in rice fields of neighboring regions, in accordance with the Italian NPPO (National Plant Protection Organization) to support the official phytosanitary measures, to enable the early detection of the rice pest, and to prevent its spread within the national territory. In 2018, surveys of rice fields in Lombardy region revealed a new occurrence of M. graminicola. In the present study, we confirmed the identification of the rice nematode in Lombardy using the ribosomal ITS region and the mitochondrial COI and COII genes. The sequences and phylogenetic analyses revealed that Lombardy M. graminicola population grouped in all trees in the main cluster containing Meloidogyne species belonging to graminis group, but always in a different subgroup compared to the Piedmont population of M. graminicola. These results clearly suggest that the two Italian populations have been recently and independently introduced and confirm that the geographic origin is not the main factor leading to M. graminicola population variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been observed that the fourth‐generation cryoballoon (CB4) ablation catheter increased the rate of acute real‐time recordings of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) during the ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this analysis was to compare the long‐term outcome results between patients treated with the CB4 and second‐generation cryoballoon (CB2). Methods: In total, 492 patients suffering from AF, underwent PVI ablation with either the CB2 or CB4 catheter within this examination of the 1STOP real‐world Italian project and were included in the analysis. Specifically, 246 consecutive patients treated by CB4 were compared to 246 propensity‐matched control patients who underwent PVI using CB2. Results: When comparing the patient cohorts treated with CB2 versus CB4, acute success rate (99.6 ± 4.7% vs. 99.7 ± 3.6%, p =.949) and peri‐procedural complications (3.7% vs.1.2%, p =.080) were similar in both groups, respectively. However, procedure time (100 vs.75 min, p <.001) and fluoroscopy duration (21 vs.17 min, p <.001) were all significantly lower in the CB4 treated patient cohort. At the 12‐month follow‐up, the freedom from AF recurrence after a 90‐day blanking period was significant higher in the CB4 as compared with the CB2 group (93.3% vs.81.3%, p <.001). Conclusions: In summary, usage of the CB4 ablation catheter increased the rate of acute PVI recording capability and resulted in a higher rate of long‐term PVI success, as demonstrated by the reduced rate of AF recurrence in comparison to the CB2 cohort at the 12‐month follow‐up period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the characterization of a novel extreme-ultraviolet polarimeter based on conical mirrors to simultaneously detect all the components of the electric field vector for extreme-ultraviolet radiation in the 45-90 eV energy range. The device has been characterized using a variable polarization source at the Elettra synchrotron, showing good performance in the ability to determine the radiation polarization. Furthermore, as a possible application of the device, Faraday spectroscopy and time-resolved experiments have been performed at the Fe M2,3-edge on an FeGd ferrimagnetic thin film using the FERMI freeelectron laser source. The instrument is shown to be able to detect the small angular variation induced by an optical external stimulus on the polarization state of the light after interaction with magnetic thin film, making the device an appealing tool for magnetization dynamics research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients who responded to epcoritamab, ctDNA levels decreased rapidly, with the majority of patients achieving CR having a deep ctDNA response by C3D1. B Results: b ctDNA quantification was concordant between the assays when within the dynamic range of the clonoSEQ assay (>80% in paired samples tested); however, a greater sensitivity of the AVENIO assay was observed, allowing further exploratory analyses of ctDNA using this platform. B Introduction: b The emergence of novel, more potent therapeutics in the treatment of patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) has resulted in higher rates of responses and highlighted a need for additional methods, such as minimal residual disease (MRD), to determine the depth and quality of response and potentially guide duration of treatment. [Extracted from the article]

A recent method to detect lower bonds to the classical capacity of quantum communication channels is applied for general damping channels in finite dimension d>2. The method compares the mutual information obtained by coding on the computational basis and on a Fourier basis, which can be obtained by just two local measurement settings and classical optimization. The results for large representative classes of different damping structures for high dimensional quantum systems are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of virgin olive oil (VOO) depends on phenolic molecules content, which depends on the biochemical characteristics of olive fruits, namely endogenous enzymes. In order to ascertain the influence of olive fruit ripening degree on the phenol content, enzyme activities in olive fruits, and the quality of the corresponding oils were studied during Oueslati olive ripening. In fact, three enzymes were studied: peroxidase (POX) in olive seeds, polyphenoloxidase (PPO), and β‐glucosidase (β‐GL) in olive fruits mesocarp. Each enzyme showed specific trend: POX activity increased gradually until reaching a maximum (17.061 ± 0.101 U g−1 FW) at ripening index (RI) 3.6 and then decreased slowly at advanced ripening stage. However, the maximum of PPO activity (240.421 ± 0.949 U g−1 FW) was observed earlier at RI of 0.7. Concerning β‐glucosidase activity, its maximal was 60.857 ± 1.105 U g−1 FW at RI 2.8, then, it decreased sharply to reach 17.096 ± 0.865 U g−1 FW at RI 3.9. A significant increase of total phenol content as well as the antioxidant activity were observed during Oueslati olive ripening. Moreover, phenolic profile indicated that appropriate harvesting date of Oueslati olives coincided with RI 3.9 given that highest content of most important individuals phenolic compounds responsible for the main VOO biological properties achieved on this date. Furthermore, phenols amount of Oueslati VOO was principally due to PPO enzyme activity as the increase in total phenols coincides with the decrease in PPO activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicic calderas are volcanic systems whose unrest evolution is more unpredictable than other volcano types because they often do not culminate in an eruption. Their complex structure strongly influences the post‐collapse volcano‐tectonic evolution, usually coupling volcanism and ground deformation. Among such volcanoes, the Campi Flegrei caldera (southern Italy) is one of the most studied. Significant long‐ and short‐term ground deformations characterise this restless volcano. Several studies performed on the marine‐continental succession exposed in the central sector of the Campi Flegrei caldera provided a reconstruction of ground deformation during the last 15 kyr. However, considering that over one‐third of the caldera is presently submerged beneath the Pozzuoli Gulf, a comprehensive stratigraphic on‐land‐offshore framework is still lacking. This study aims at reconstructing the offshore succession through analysis of high‐resolution single and multichannel reflection seismic profiles and correlates the resulting seismic stratigraphic framework with the stratigraphy reconstructed on‐land. Results provide new clues on the causative relations between the intra‐caldera marine and volcaniclastic sedimentation and the alternating phases of marine transgressions and regressions originated by the interplay between ground deformation and sea‐level rise. The volcano‐tectonic reconstruction, provided in this work, connects the major caldera floor movements to the large Plinian eruptions of Pomici Principali (12 ka) and Agnano Monte Spina (4.55 ka), with the onset of the first post‐caldera doming at ca. 10.5 ka. We emphasise that ground deformation is usually coupled with volcanic activity, which shows a self‐similar pattern, regardless of its scale. Thus, characterising the long‐term deformation history becomes of particular interest and relevance for hazard assessment and definition of future unrest scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The excess of visceral adipose tissue might hinder and delay immune response. How people with abdominal obesity (AO) will respond to mRNA vaccines against SARS‐CoV‐2 is yet to be established. SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibody responses were evaluated after the first and second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, comparing the response of individuals with AO with the response of those without, and discerning between individuals with or without prior infection. Methods: Immunoglobulin G (IgG)‐neutralizing antibodies against the Trimeric complex (IgG‐TrimericS) were measured at four time points: at baseline, at day 21 after vaccine dose 1, and at 1 and 3 months after dose 2. Nucleocapsid antibodies were assessed to detect prior SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Waist circumference was measured to determine AO. Results: Between the first and third month after vaccine dose 2, the drop in IgG‐TrimericS levels was more remarkable in individuals with AO compared with those without AO (2.44‐fold [95% CI: 2.22‐2.63] vs. 1.82‐fold [95% CI: 1.69‐1.92], respectively, p < 0.001). Multivariable linear regression confirmed this result after inclusion of assessed confounders (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The waning antibody levels in individuals with AO may further support recent recommendations to offer booster vaccines to adults with high‐risk medical conditions, including obesity, and particularly to those with a more prevalent AO phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymorphism of the HLA system has been extensively studied in COVID‐19 infection, however there are no data about the role of HLA on vaccine response. We report here the HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, and DRB1 allelic frequencies of n = 111 individuals after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, selected on the basis of lower antibody levels (<5% percentile) after the second dose among a total of n = 2569 vaccinees, and compare them with the frequencies of a reference population. We found that differences in the frequencies of the alleles HLA‐A*03:01, A*33:03, B*58:01 and at least one haplotype (HLA‐A*24:02~C*07:01~B*18:01~DRB1*11:04) are associated with a weaker antibody response after vaccination, together with the age of vaccinees. Our results might suggest a role played by some HLA alleles or haplotypes in antibody production after the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, giving insights into the tracking of potentially susceptible individuals across populations. Further studies are needed to better define our exploratory findings and dissect the role of HLA polymorphism on response to anti‐COVID‐19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Microaggressions, a concept originally introduced for ethnic minorities, represent subtle day‐to‐day discrimination, damaging the psychological health and well‐being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals as well. This study aimed to assess whether microaggressions occur in psychotherapists' assessments of clients who identify as either lesbian or transgender woman when compared with those identifying as heterosexual woman. Methods: The study included a sample of 135 licensed psychotherapists (110 cisgender women and 25 cisgender men). Participants were presented with an audio file of a woman introducing herself during her first therapy session. Three versions were presented: a transgender, a lesbian, and a heterosexual client. Participants were asked to assess the clinical relevance of 10 questions defined as neutral (N = 5) and microaggressive (N = 5), used to determine a clinical impression of the client. A repeated measure analysis of variance was conducted to understand the likelihood of clients of different gender identity and sexual orientation receiving microaggressions. Results: Participants were more prone to consider microaggressive questions relevant where the client identified as either lesbian or transgender. Conclusions: The findings highlighted a bias against lesbian and trans women in evaluating the relevance and usefulness of clinical information while making a psychological assessment of a case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]