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Objective: In a preregistered study, we examined whether worries about COVID‐19 are simultaneously linked with enhanced well‐being through social interaction and with reduced well‐being through depression symptoms. Method: In August 2020, census‐matched participants from high‐ and low‐prevalence regions in the United States and Italy (N = 857) completed assessments of COVID‐19 worry, social interaction, depression symptoms, and well‐being. Results: Worries about COVID‐19 predicted both more social interaction and more depression (ps < 0.001). In multiple mediational analyses, an adaptive pathway of COVID‐19 worry through social interaction was associated with higher well‐being, whereas a maladaptive pathway through depression symptoms was associated with lower well‐being. Further, a comparison of high and low COVID‐19 prevalence regions replicated the mediational findings for social interaction, providing evidence against reverse causation and common method variance. Conclusion: Findings suggest that normative worries about acute stressors may both benefit and undermine well‐being, depending on their impact on social behavior or depression symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ce and Zr oxides have been tested in the oxidation of cyclohexane to KA oil because of the possibility to tune their crystal structure and redox properties by introducing defects, and of modifying their mechanical and thermal stability. The redox properties of the two oxides, prepared by the inverse microemulsion technique, have been tuned by homogeneously including Cu or Fe (10 % molar) into their structures. These modifications led to very different behaviours in terms of both KA oil productivity and K/A ratios, especially upon undergoing reduction treatment, being the reduced Cu‐modified CeO2 oxide the most active catalyst, able to produce 2.2 mmol of KA oil after 5 hours with 93.2 % selectivity (K/A 2.6). The materials obtained have been characterized by solid state analytical techniques to study their structure, morphologies as well as their bulk and surface chemistry (STEM/EDX, BET, XRD, XPS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships between plant biodiversity and productivity are highly variable across studies in managed grasslands, partly because of the challenge of accounting for confounding's and reciprocal relationships between biodiversity and productivity in observational data collected at a single point in time. Identifying causal effects in the presence of these challenges requires new analytical approaches and repeated observations to determine the temporal ordering of effects.Though rarely available, data collected at multiple time points within a growing season can help to disentangle the effects of biodiversity on productivity and vice versa. Here we advance this understanding using seasonal grassland surveys from 150 managed grassland sites repeated over 2 years, along with statistical methods that are relatively new in ecology, that aim to infer causal relationships from observational data. We compare our approach to common methods used in ecology, that is, mixed‐effect models, and to analyses that use observations from only one point in time within the growing seasons.We find that mixed models overestimated the effect of biodiversity on productivity by two standard errors as compared to our main models, which find no evidence for a strong positive effect. For the effect of productivity on biodiversity we found a negative effect using mixed models which was highly sensitive to the time at which the data was collected within the growing season. In contrast, our main models found no evidence for an effect. Conventional models overestimated the effects between biodiversity and productivity, likely due to confounding variables.Synthesis. Understanding the biodiversity‐productivity relationships is a focal topic in ecology, but unravelling their reciprocal nature remains challenging. We demonstrate that higher‐resolution longitudinal data along with methods to control for a broader suite of confounding variables can be used to resolve reciprocal relationships. We highlight future data needs and methods that can help us to resolve biodiversity‐productivity relationships, crucial for reconciling a long‐running debate in ecology and ultimately, to understand how biodiversity and ecosystem functioning respond to global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Political participation has been identified as a predictor of mental health. Previous research studies have reported mixed results concerning the relationship between political participation and mental health. Moreover, findings have generally been confined to the between‐individual level. The few studies that investigated within‐person associations have not examined bidirectionality. In the current study, the bidirectional relationship between political participation and mental health was investigated. Methods: Data from the GESIS Panel study were used to assess the bidirectional association between political participation and mental health. The GESIS Panel study is a probability‐based panel representative of the German‐speaking population residing in Germany and aged between 18 and 70 years (M = 44.52; SD = 14.67; 52 percent female participants). Mental health was assessed using measures of depression symptoms and subjective well‐being. Results: Using up to nine waves of longitudinal survey data, a random‐intercept cross‐lagged panel model indicated little evidence for cross‐lagged effects from political participation to mental health or vice versa. Notwithstanding, few significant cross‐lagged paths were observed. Conclusions: Overall, the findings were not consistent with the theorized effect of political participation on mental health. Moreover, there is little evidence that mental health affects political participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The osteogenic potential of new premixed calcium‐silicate‐containing bioceramic sealers (Ca‐Si sealers) was tested with porcine vascular wall‐mesenchymal stem cells (pVW‐MSCs). Methodology: Two Ca‐Si‐containing sealers: Ceraseal (MetaBiomed, Cheong‐si, South Korea) and AH Plus Bioceramic (Maruchi, Wonju‐si, South Korea), and an epoxy resin sealer (AH Plus; Dentsply, Konstanz, Germany) as a control, were prepared according to the manufacturers' indications. All samples were allowed to set for 100% of their setting time in a sterile humid cabinet at 37°C and 95% relative humidity. pVW‐MSC seeding efficiency and osteogenic differentiation were analysed as marker of gene/protein expression for up to 12 days. Mineralization assay and immunofluorescence staining were performed and evaluated over a period of 21 days. Statistical analyses were conducted using one‐way analysis of variance (p <.05). Additional samples were prepared and stored under the same conditions and inspected using an environmental scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy system. Results: Significantly higher cell seeding efficiency (p <.05) was observed for both Ca‐Si sealers from day 8. pVW‐MSCs showed a significant shift towards the osteogenic lineage only when seeded in contact with Ca‐Si sealers. Gene expression of osteopontin was upregulated significantly. Collagen I and osteocalcin were clearly expressed by cells in contact with Ca‐Si sealers. Mineralization granules were observed in Alizarin red assays and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis of both Ca‐Si sealers. No gene expression or granule mineralization were observed on the epoxy resin sealer. Conclusions: Premixed Ca‐Si sealers displayed a higher potential for osteogenic activity on pVW‐MSCs. Epoxy resin sealer was unable to induce any osteogenic activity. The properties of both Ca‐Si sealers suggest their potential as osteoinductive platforms for vascular MSCs in periapical bone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, dentine surface was analysed through Environmental‐scanning‐electron‐microscopy (ESEM) with energy‐dispersive‐X‐ray‐spectrometry (EDX) and Fourier‐transform‐infrared‐spectroscopy (FTIR) with attenuated total‐reflectance (ATR) to assess the morpho‐chemical changes and variations in mineralization degree after demineralizing treatment, after five toothpastes application (HA & Citrate toothpaste, Zinc‐HA toothpaste, Calcium Sodium Phosphosilicate toothpaste, Arginine & Calcium carbonate toothpaste, Colgate‐Triple‐Action, and Control toothpaste), after soaking in artificial saliva and after citric acid attack. Methods: Ca/P, Ca/N and P/N ratios were calculated from EDX atomic data to evaluate the mineralization degree of dentine surface. The IR calcium phosphate (CaP)/collagen and carbonate/collagen ratios has been evaluated to assess the remineralization changes in dentine; the carbonate/collagen IR ratio was calculated to identify the nucleation of B‐type‐carbonated apatite and calcium carbonate. Results: ESEM–EDX and ATR–FTIR showed residuals of toothpastes after the treatments in all cases, with a general increase in the mineralization degree after soaking in artificial saliva and a decrease after acid attack. Treatment with Arginine & Calcium carbonate toothpaste showed the highest Ca/P value after treatment (Ca/P 1.62) and acid attack (Ca/P 1.5) in confirmation, IR showed the highest amount of carbonate after treatment and soaking in artificial saliva. Arginine and calcium carbonate toothpaste and HA and citrate toothpaste remained to a higher extent on the dentine surface and revealed a higher remineralization activity. These formulations showed higher resistance to demineralization attack, as demonstrated by a higher ICaP/IAmide II intensity ratio than those obtained after EDTA treatment. Conclusions: Toothpastes that remained to a higher extent on dentine surface (arginine and calcium carbonate toothpaste in particular) were more able to promote remineralization. The formed calcium phosphate (CaPs) phase was intimately bound to dentine rather than a simple deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited evidence is available regarding the superior clinical properties of bioceramic sealers comparted with traditional standard sealers. Objectives: This review aimed to answer the following research questions: 'In healthy patients requiring a root canal treatment (P), what is the efficacy of premixed bioceramic sealers (I) compared with traditional root canal epoxy resin‐based sealers (C) in terms of survival, success rates (PICO1) sealer extrusion and resorption (PICO2) post‐obturation pain (PICO3) (O)?' Methods: Authors independently searched three electronic databases: PubMed (including MEDLINE), Web of Science, Embase and Scopus up to 31 October 2023. This was accompanied by both grey literature and manual search. Detailed selection criteria were applied, namely mature permanent teeth requiring root canal treatment, premixed bioceramic sealer with gutta‐percha as an intervention group, a standard filling technique as control group and full‐text available in English. A random‐effect meta‐analysis was used to synthesize the body of evidence regarding the use of bioceramic sealers in root canal treatment and their impact on post‐obturation pain. Effect sizes were represented as relative risks on a logarithmic scale for binary outcomes and as mean differences for continuous outcomes. Results: A total of 941 articles were identified. Fifteen Comparative clinical studies were finally included. Eleven were randomized clinical trials, and four were prospective clinical trials with control group. The follow‐up of these studies was not greater than 2 years. No publication bias was observed in any study. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of survival and success rates. A small non‐significant lower risk of extrusion was observed for bioceramics. A small, non‐significantly lower post‐operative‐pain within 24‐h was observed when bioceramics were used. Discussion: The majority of current evidence shows inconsistencies in reporting and is of short‐term duration. Robust prospective long‐term trials are needed in this area to better support future recommendations. Conclusion: This systematic review is the first to analyse several clinical outcomes using premixed sealers. Included studies differed in terms of clinical protocol and operator expertise, but reported a similar outcome when comparing bioceramic versus standard sealers. Tooth survival, treatment outcome, post‐operative pain and periapical extrusion were similar and presented no significant differences between the two sealer types. Registration: PROSPERO database (CRD42023449151). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the anticipated speed‐up of quantum computing, the achievement of a measurable advantage remains subject to ongoing debate. Adiabatic Quantum Computers (AQCs) are quantum devices designed to solve quadratic uncostrained binary optimization (QUBO) problems, but their intrinsic thermal noise can be leveraged to train computationally demanding machine learning algorithms such as the Boltzmann Machine (BM). Despite an asymptotic advantage is expected only for large networks, a limited quantum speed up can be already achieved on a small 16×16$16\times 16$ BM is shown, by exploiting parallel adiabatic computation. This approach exhibits a 8.6‐fold improvement in wall time on the 4×4$4\times 4$ Bars and Stripes dataset when compared to a parallelized classical Gibbs sampling method, which has never been outperformed before by quantum approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cedirogant is an inverse agonist of retinoic acid‐related orphan receptor gamma, thymus (RORγt) developed for treatment of psoriasis. This study aimed to characterize pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and tolerability of cedirogant following a single oral dose in Japanese participants and multiple oral doses in Japanese and Chinese participants. The single doses evaluated in healthy Japanese participants were 75, 225, and 395 mg. The multiple doses evaluated in both healthy Japanese and Chinese participants was 375 mg once daily for 14 days. Cedirogant plasma exposure increased dose proportionally with administration of single doses. Maximum cedirogant plasma concentration was reached within a median time of 4‐5 hours after dosing. The harmonic mean elimination half‐life ranged from 19 to 25 hours. Cedirogant pharmacokinetics were similar between Japanese and Chinese participants. Compared with healthy Western participants in a cross‐study analysis, steady‐state cedirogant plasma exposure was 38%‐73% higher in Japanese or Chinese participants. Ex vivo interleukin‐17 inhibition increased in a dose‐dependent manner and was maximized by 375 mg once‐daily doses. The cedirogant regimens tested were generally well tolerated, and no new safety issues were identified. The results supported enrollment of Japanese and Chinese subjects in subsequent clinical trials for cedirogant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study on the effects of oxygen functionalities on a mesoporous and graphitized carbon support (GNP, Graphene Nanoplatelets), on the catalytic activity of Pd/GNP catalysts in hydrogenation reactions. A functionalization method in liquid phase has been employed, using different oxidants (HNO3, H2O2, KMnO4), with the aim to tune the amount and the type of introduced oxygen functionalities. Preformed Pd nanoparticles have been used as Pd‐precursor to limit differences in metal particle size and dispersion on differently functionalized carbon. The catalytic behaviour in benzaldehyde hydrogenation/hydrogenolysis to benzyl alcohol and toluene revealed that the introduction of oxygen functionalities has a generally detrimental effect. NMR relaxometry studies highlighted the weaker interaction between the carbonyl group and the functionalized Pd/GNP surface than the non–functionalized Pd/GNP demonstrating that the origin of the different catalytic activity lies on the first step of the reaction. O‐functionalities also impacted on the Pd0/Pd2+ ratio at the surface which is an established parameter correlated to the reaction rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies revealed differences between men and women in value priorities. It has been asserted that men do inherently attribute more importance than women to power and achievement values. Our study brings a sociocultural lens into account employing gender ideology as a moderator of the gender differences in these values. Specifically, we hypothesized that internalization and endorsement of gender role ideology shape gender differences in power and achievement values. We focused on two components of gender ideology as moderators of the gender differences in values: primacy of the breadwinner role, and acceptance of male privilege. We used data from the World Values Survey wave six (89,565 participants from 60 countries). Results indicated that gender ideology moderated the relationship between gender and the endorsement of achievement and power values. Specifically, the relationship between gender and achievement was significantly moderated by acceptance of male privilege, but not of primacy of the breadwinner role. In addition, the association between gender and power was significantly moderated by primacy of the breadwinner role, but not by acceptance of male privilege. In other words, when participants endorse egalitarian gender ideologies, gender differences in power and achievement disappear or even reverse. We contrast previous perspectives assuming inherent gender differences in human values and argue that such differences are related to beliefs in gendered separate spheres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How biodiversity underpins ecosystem resistance (i.e. ability to withstand environmental perturbations) and recovery (i.e. ability to return to a pre‐perturbation state), and thus, stability under extreme climatic events is a timely question in ecology. To date, most studies have focussed on the role of taxonomic diversity, neglecting how community functional composition and diversity beget stability under exceptional climatic conditions. In addition, land use potentially modulates how biodiversity and ecosystem functions respond to extreme climatic conditions.Using an 11‐year time‐series of plant biomass from 150 permanent grassland plots spanning a gradient of land‐use intensity, we examined how taxonomic and functional components of biodiversity affected resistance and recovery of biomass under extreme drought.The association between biodiversity, land use and biomass varied across years, especially in the driest years. Species‐rich or functionally diverse communities (associated with low land‐use intensity) buffered extreme droughts better, while species‐poor communities or those dominated by fast‐growing species (associated with high land‐use intensity) had higher recovery capabilities after a moderate‐to‐extreme drought.Synthesis. Our results show that plant community functional and taxonomic components determine grasslands resistance and recovery under moderate‐to‐extreme drought. In turn, this points to the importance of designing landscapes with both extensively and intensively managed grasslands. Functionally or taxonomically rich communities (favoured under low land‐use intensity) would preserve biomass under extreme droughts, whereas species‐poor or fast‐growing communities (favoured by high land‐use intensity) would restore biomass after extreme droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Metabolic dysfunction (MD)‐associated fatty liver disease has been proposed to identify individuals at risk of liver events irrespectively of the contemporary presence of other liver diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of MD in patients cured of chronic hepatis C (CHC). Patients and Methods: We analysed data from a real‐life cohort of 2611 Italian patients cured of CHC with direct antiviral agents and advanced liver fibrosis, without HBV/HIV, transplantation and negative for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) history (age 61.4 ± 11.8 years, 63.9% males, median follow‐up 34, 24–40 months). Information about ultrasonographic steatosis (US) after sustained virological response was available in 1978. Results: MD affected 58% of patients, diagnosed due to the presence of diabetes (MD‐diabetes, 19%), overweight without diabetes (MD‐overweight, 37%) or multiple metabolic abnormalities without overweight and diabetes (MD‐metabolic, 2%). MD was more frequent than and not coincident with US (32% MD‐only, 23% MD‐US and 13% US‐only). MD was associated with higher liver stiffness (p < 0.05), particularly in patients with MD‐diabetes and MD‐only subgroups, comprising older individuals with more advanced metabolic and liver disease (p < 0.05). At Cox proportional hazard multivariable analysis, MD was associated with increased risk of HCC (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.27–3.04; p = 0.0023). Further classification according to diagnostic criteria improved risk stratification (p < 0.0001), with the highest risk observed in patients with MD‐diabetes. Patients with MD‐only appeared at highest risk since the sustained virological response achievement (p = 0.008), with a later catch‐up of those with combined MD‐US, whereas US‐only was not associated with HCC. Conclusions: MD is more prevalent than US in patients cured of CHC with advanced fibrosis and identifies more accurately individuals at risk of developing HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of well‐being, how costly is inflation? To answer this question, empirical evaluations have typically studied average inflation rates at the national level, thus disregarding the role of inflation inequalities within a country. In this article, we relax the assumptions that heterogeneous consumers face homogeneous inflation rates, and study the correlation between price changes and self‐reported satisfaction with living standards. We use newly available data from France and adopt two approaches. First, we focus on individually perceived inflation and use the internationally harmonized Opinion Price Index as a proxy for experienced inflation. Variations in perceived inflation help predict well‐being differences among consumers, even when controlling for relevant sociodemographic factors, personality traits, and common method variance. We estimate their marginal impact to be higher than equivalent variations in nominal income. Second, we compare groups of consumers over time and find that changes in the price of a good disproportionately affect the relative well‐being of those who consume it. The study shows that the well‐being cost of the inflation crisis would be underestimated if looking at aggregate figures only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) may be associated with transfusion reactions and risk of alloimmunization. Objectives: To evaluate the transfusion policy and rate of alloimmunization and its clinical significance in AIHA. Methods: Data from 305 AIHA patients followed at a reference hematologic Center in Milan, Italy from 1997 to 2022 were retrospectively/prospectively collected (NCT05931718). Results: Overall, 33% patients required transfusions with a response rate of 83% and eight transfusion reactions (7%), none hemolytic. Alloantibodies were detected in 19% of patients, being associated with higher transfusion burden (p = 0.01), lower Hb increase post‐transfusion (p = 0.05), and transfusion reactions (p = 0.04). Along decades, the rate of RBC transfusions decreased from 53% to 20% and that of alloimmunization dropped from 30% to 6% likely due to the adoption of prestorage leukoreduction, the use of more restrictive Hb thresholds, and the implementation of molecular typing. Conclusions: Severe symptomatic AIHA may be safely transfused provided appropriate matching of patients and donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast Cancer (BC) is the most prevalent type of cancer in the world. Current treatments include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy but often are associated with high toxicity to normal tissues, chemoresistance, and relapse. Thus, developing novel therapies which could combat these limitations is essential for effective treatment. In this context, phytochemicals are increasingly getting popular due to their safety profile, ability to efficiently target tumors, and circumvent limitations of existing treatments. Essential Oils (EOs) are mixtures of various phytochemicals which have shown potential anticancer activity in preclinical BC models. However, their clinical translation is limited by factors such as high volatility, low stability, and poor solubility. Nanotechnology has facilitated their encapsulation in a variety of nanostructures and proven to overcome these limitations. In this review, we have efficiently summarized the current knowledge on the anticancer effect of EOs and constituents in both in in vitro and in in vivo BC models. Further, we also provide a descriptive account on the potential of nanotechnology in enhancing the anti‐BC activity of EOs and their constituents. The papers discussed in this review were selected using the keywords "antiproliferative Essential Oils in breast cancer," "anticancer activity of Essential Oil in breast cancer," and "cytotoxicity of Essential Oils in breast cancer" performed in PubMed and ScienceDirect databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A quantum‐enhanced implementation of the binary inversion method for gravity data acquisition is discussed. The subsurface structure of a single density anomaly with an assigned density contrast is calculated by using a D‐Wave adiabatic quantum computer. In particular, an iterative heuristic based on quantum annealing that recovers a sharp shape of the subsurface anomaly is developed. Such a task is accomplished by collecting partial images obtained by quantum annealing processes for optimal Lagrange penalty coefficients. The results are compared with those obtained according to the same cost function minimized via genetic algorithms by conventional hardware on a realistic 2D dataset. The outcomes of this work are promising as the reconstructed model is obtained in tenths of iterations instead of the hundreds required in conventional methods. Moreover, for the part of the computation that resides in the quantum processing unit, the computational cost of the single quantum annealing descent is constant with respect to the number of degrees of freedom of the subsurface grid. The implemented method is likely to reveal its full potential on forthcoming quantum annealing devices, outperforming existing techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cedirogant is an inverse agonist of retinoic acid‐related orphan receptor gamma thymus (RORγt) developed for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Here, we report the results from two phase I studies in which the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and efficacy of cedirogant in healthy participants and patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis were evaluated. The studies consisted of single (20–750 mg) and multiple (75–375 mg once‐daily [q.d.]) ascending dose designs, with effect of food and itraconazole on cedirogant exposure also evaluated. Safety and PK were evaluated for both healthy participants and psoriasis patients, and efficacy was assessed in psoriasis patients. Following single and multiple doses, cedirogant mean terminal half‐life ranged from 16 to 28 h and median time to reach maximum plasma concentration ranged from 2 to 5 h across both populations. Cedirogant plasma exposures were dose‐proportional after single doses and less than dose‐proportional from 75 to 375 mg q.d. doses. Steady‐state concentrations were achieved within 12 days. Accumulation ratios ranged from approximately 1.2 to 1.8 across tested doses. Food had minimal effect and itraconazole had limited impact on cedirogant exposure. No discontinuations or serious adverse events due to cedirogant were recorded. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Self‐Assessment of Psoriasis Symptoms (SAPS) assessments demonstrated numerical improvement with treatment of cedirogant 375 mg q.d. compared with placebo. The PK, safety, and efficacy profiles of cedirogant supported advancing it to phase II clinical trial in psoriasis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of multidisciplinary approaches in healthcare, particularly in the context of cancer treatment. While multidisciplinarity is seen as a suitable strategy for addressing complex health issues, the evidence supporting its effectiveness is limited and methodologically weak. The article also highlights the challenges and risks associated with multidisciplinary care, such as treatment delays, conflicting advice, and increased costs. The authors suggest that an interdisciplinary approach, which integrates different expertise, may be more suitable. They emphasize the need for more clinical research, particularly pragmatic trials, to enhance healthcare decision-making. [Extracted from the article]

This document provides guidelines for blood donors with a history of malignancy in different countries. Individuals with a current or past history of solid organ or hematological malignancy are generally not able to donate blood. However, there are some exceptions, such as certain cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix. Donors with a genetic/familial predisposition to malignancy may be able to donate depending on the specific circumstances. The document also discusses concerns about the risk of adverse reactions or transmission of malignancy to recipients. The policy for donors with a past history of solid organ malignancy is currently being reviewed. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides an overview of the current practices and guidelines for blood donation from individuals with a history of cancer or a genetic predisposition to cancer. While in the past, individuals with cancer were permanently deferred from donating blood, many blood services now accept donations from certain individuals with cancer diagnoses. However, guidelines vary between countries and may not include donors with pre-malignant conditions or hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. The article presents survey responses from 12 countries, detailing their guidelines for potential donors with different types of malignancies. The study found that most countries have guidelines in place for individuals with current solid organ malignancy, with variations in eligibility criteria depending on the type of malignancy. However, no respondents allowed blood donation from individuals with active haematological malignancy. Most countries also had restrictions on blood donation from individuals with a past history of solid organ malignancy, with variations in eligibility criteria based on tumour type, time elapsed since treatment, and documentation of cure. Some countries would recall blood products if a donor was later identified to have developed active malignancy, while others would not. The article highlights the challenge of balancing theoretical risks with the need for an adequate blood supply. [Extracted from the article]

This research investigates the positive and negative contact experiences of African migrants with native Italians and the association between contact and behavioural intentions to reduce social inequalities. Two studies examined the associations between intergroup contact of migrants and their collective action in support of their or other group members, by testing the mediating role of positive and negative emotions towards natives. Hypotheses were tested with two samples of first‐generation, legal African migrants living in Italy for less than 3 years (Ns = 242 [118 males], 251 [154]). Negative contact was positively associated with collective action in support of one's group, especially among respondents with higher positive intergroup experiences, and anger towards native people mediated this association. The association of positive contact with collective action to foster a more egalitarian society in general was mediated by reduced fear towards native people, and the association between positive contact and collective action at large was stronger for migrants with lower negative intergroup contact. Overall, this research provides further evidence on the impact of intergroup contact on migrants, specifically on the role of affective factors in their association with migrants' willingness to engage in collective action to reduce societal inequality at large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental evidence shows that grassland plant diversity enhances ecosystem functioning. Yet, the transfer of results from controlled biodiversity experiments to naturally assembled 'real world' ecosystems remains challenging due to environmental variation among sites, confounding biodiversity ecosystem functioning relations in observational studies. To bridge the gap between classical biodiversity‐ecosystem functioning experiments and observational studies of naturally assembled and managed ecosystems, we created regionally replicated, within‐site gradients of species richness by seeding across agricultural grasslands differing in land‐use intensity (LUI) and abiotic site conditions.Within each of 73 grassland sites, we established a full‐factorial experiment with high‐diversity seeding and topsoil disturbance and measured 12 ecosystem functions related to productivity, and carbon and nutrient cycling after 4 years. We then analysed the effects of plant diversity (seeded richness as well as realized richness), functional community composition, land use and abiotic conditions on the ecosystem functions within (local scale) as well as among grassland sites (landscape scale).Despite the successful creation of a within‐site gradient in plant diversity (average increase in species richness in seeding treatments by 10%–35%), we found that only one to two of the 12 ecosystem functions responded to realized species richness, resulting in more closed nitrogen cycles in more diverse plant communities. Similar results were found when analysing the effect of the seeding treatment instead of realized species richness. Among sites, ecosystem functioning was mostly driven by environmental conditions and LUI. Also here, the only functions related to plant species richness were those associated with a more closed nitrogen cycle under increased diversity.The minor effects of species enrichment we found suggest that the functionally‐relevant niche space is largely saturated in naturally assembled grasslands, and that competitive, high‐functioning species are already present.Synthesis: While nature conservation and cultural ecosystem services can certainly benefit from plant species enrichment, our study indicates that restoration of plant diversity in naturally assembled communities may deliver only relatively weak increases in ecosystem functioning, such as a more closed nitrogen cycle, within the extensively to moderate intensively managed agricultural grasslands of our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The PNPLA3 p.I148M variant is the main genetic determinant of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and PNPLA3 silencing is being evaluated to treat this liver condition. Data suggest that the p.I148M variant predisposes to kidney damage, but the relative contribution to kidney function, compared to overall genetic susceptibility, is not defined. Aims: We aimed to assess the effect of PNPLA3 p.I148M on the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in individuals with metabolic dysfunction. Methods: We included 1144 middle-aged individuals from the Liver-Bible-2022 cohort. Glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was estimated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. The effect of PNPLA3 p.I148M on eGFRCKD-EPI levels was tested under additive genetic models adjusted for clinical predictors, ethnicity and a polygenic risk score of chronic kidney disease (PRS-CKD). In a subset of 144 individuals, we examined the effect of PNPLA3 p.I148M on eGFRCKD-EPI over a median follow-up of 17 months. Results: The p.I148M variant was associated with lower eGFRCKD-EPI levels (-1.24 mL/min/1.73 m2 per allele, 95% CI: -2.32 to -0.17; p = 0.023), independent of age, sex, height, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, LDL-cholesterol, transaminases, fasting insulin, albuminuria, lipid-lowering drugs, ethnicity and PRS-CKD score. In the prospective evaluation, the p.I148M variant was independently associated with faster eGFRCKD-EPI decline (ΔeGFRCKD-EPI -3.57 mL/min/1.73 m2 per allele, 95% CI: -6.94 to -0.21; p = 0.037). Conclusions: We found a detrimental impact of the PNPLA3 p.I148M variant on eGFRCKD-EPI levels in middle-aged individuals with metabolic dysfunction. This a ssociation was independent of established risk factors, ethnicity and genetic predisposition to CKD. PNPLA3 p.I148M silencing may protect against kidney damage progression in carriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invertebrate herbivory is a crucial process contributing to the cycling of nutrients and energy in terrestrial ecosystems. While the function of herbivory can decrease with land‐use intensification, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize that land‐use intensification impacts invertebrate leaf herbivory rates mainly through changes in characteristics of plants and insect herbivores. We investigated herbivory rates (i.e., damaged leaf area) on the most abundant plant species in forests and grasslands and along land‐use intensity gradients on 297 plots in three regions of Germany. To evaluate the contribution of shifts in plant community composition, we quantified herbivory rates at plant species level and aggregated at plant community level. We analyzed pathways linking land‐use intensity, plant and insect herbivore characteristics, and herbivory rates. Herbivory rates at plant species and community level decreased with increasing land‐use intensity in forests and grasslands. Path analysis revealed strong direct links between land‐use intensity and herbivory rates. Particularly at the plant community level, differences in plant and herbivore composition also contributed to changes in herbivory rates along land‐use intensity gradients. In forests, high land‐use intensity was characterized by a larger proportion of coniferous trees, which was linked to reduced herbivory rates. In grasslands, changes in the proportion of grasses, plant fiber content, as well as the taxonomic composition of herbivore assemblages contributed to reduced herbivory rates. Our study highlights the potential of land‐use intensification to impair ecosystem functioning across ecosystems via shifts in plant and herbivore characteristics. De‐intensifying land use in grasslands and reducing the share of coniferous trees in temperate forests can help to restore ecosystem functionality in these systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a serious concern for aquatic ecosystems because it may biomagnify to harmful concentrations within food webs and consequently end up in humans that eat fish. However, the trophic transfer of mercury through the aquatic food web may be impacted by several factors related to network complexity and the ecology of the species present. The present study addresses the interplay between trophic ecology and mercury contamination in the fish communities of two lakes in a pollution‐impacted subarctic watercourse, exploring the role of both horizontal (feeding habitat) and vertical (trophic position) food web characteristics as drivers for the Hg contamination in fish. The lakes are located in the upper and lower parts of the watercourse, with the lower site located closer to, and downstream from, the main pollution source. The lakes have complex fish communities dominated by coregonids (polymorphic whitefish and invasive vendace) and several piscivorous species. Analyses of habitat use, stomach contents, and stable isotope signatures (δ15N, δ13C) revealed similar food web structures in the two lakes except for a few differences chiefly related to ecological effects of the invasive vendace. The piscivores had higher Hg concentrations than invertebrate‐feeding fish. Concentrations increased with size and age for the piscivores and vendace, whereas habitat differences were of minor importance. Most fish species showed significant differences in Hg concentrations between the lakes, the highest values typically found in the downstream site where the biomagnification rate also was higher. Mercury levels in piscivorous fish included concentrations that exceed health authorization limits, with possible negative implications for fishing and human consumption. Our findings accentuate the importance of acquiring detailed knowledge of the drivers that can magnify Hg concentrations in fish and how these may vary within and among aquatic systems, to provide a scientific basis for adequate management strategies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:873–887. © 2023 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this work are to elucidate the effects that bulk solids properties have on the effective drag experienced by large spheres immersed in an emulsion of group‐B solids under minimum fluidization conditions and to analyze the ways in which the different suspensions react towards different applied shear rates. To investigate this, magnetic particle tracking was applied to resolve the trajectory of falling‐sphere measurements in which the size, density, and sphericity of the bulk solids were varied as well as the size and density of the spherical tracers. The resulting experimental scope included both rising and sinking tracers as well as full segregation and in‐bed stagnation of the tracers. The set‐up provided highly resolved tracer trajectories, from which the drag experienced by the sphere can be calculated. For sinking tracers, the results showed that an increase in bulk solids size, angularity, and density reduced the terminal velocity of the sphere. This effect correlated well with the bed expansion and Hausner ratio, indicating that a reduced void space among the bulk solids is the main reason for the increase in motion resistance. At lower shear rates, namely, during the de‐acceleration towards the stagnant state, beds of larger, more angular, or denser bulk solids yield lower levels of shear stress. The angle of repose of the bulk solids correlated with the rate at which the emulsion thins with increasing shear rate. For rising tracers, shear stress did not show any significant dependency on the properties of the bulk solids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated tubule penetration of GuttaFlow Bioseal with cold single cone or carrier‐based technique, under confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Twenty straight single‐rooted teeth were instrumented with Hyflex CM and divided in two groups (n = 10) according to the obturation method: single cold gutta‐percha cones; experimental carrier‐based obturators. GuttaFlow Bioseal, labelled with Rhodamine B dye, was used as sealer in both groups. Teeth transversally sectioned were observed under CLSM. Percentage of sealer penetration and integrity of sealer layer perimeter were measured. Surface and microstructural characteristics of obturators and gutta‐percha cones were compared by FEG‐SEM and EDX analysis. No significant differences were found between groups for each examined parameter. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were reported mainly within groups. Integrity was similar among and within groups. FEG‐SEM/EDX analysis of obturators revealed the presence of Ba and Zn. Carrier‐based obturation technique associated with GuttaFlow Bioseal does not seem to affect sealer penetration into dentinal tubules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of the study was to evaluate the in vitro virucidal activity of commercial mouthwashes against SARS‐CoV‐2 and variants of concern. Materials and Methods: Antiviral activity was assessed at different time intervals, based on common use of these products by titrating residual viral infectivity on Vero E6 cells. Results: All the mouthwashes were effective to reduce the infectious titers of SARS‐CoV‐2 and its tested variants. Mouthwashes Listerine® Cool Mint milder taste and Listerine® Cavity Protection milder taste reduced the infectious viral titer by up to 3.9 log10 after 30 s, while mouthwash Cetilsan® Sugar Free was able to reduce the viral titer by 2.2–2.9 log10 at all tested time intervals. Mouthwash Curasept® ADS DNA Intensive treatment was less effective to decrease viral infectivity (0.7–2.2 log10 TCID50/ml at all tested time intervals). Interestingly, the Gamma variant appeared more resistant to treatment in vitro with the different mouthwashes. Conclusions: In this study, we were able to assess the ability of different mouthwashes to in vitro decrease the infectivity of SARS‐CoV‐2 and its variants, and we observed that Gamma variant of concern was more resistant to treatment with mouthwashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) can occur through saliva and aerosol droplets deriving from the upper aerodigestive tract during coughing, sneezing, talking, and even during oral inspection or dental procedures. The aim of this study was to assess in vitro virucidal activity of commercial and experimental mouthwashes against a feline coronavirus (FCoV) strain. Commercial and experimental (commercial‐based products with addition of either sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or thymus vulgaris essential oil (TEO) at different concentrations) mouthwashes were placed in contact with FCoV for different time intervals, that is, 30 s (T30), 60 s (T60), and 180 s (T180); subsequently, the virus was titrated on Crandell Reese Feline Kidney cells. An SDS‐based commercial mouthwash reduced the viral load by 5 log10 tissue culture infectious dose (TCID)50/50 µl at T30 while a cetylpyridinium (CPC)‐based commercial mouthwash was able to reduce the viral titer of 4.75 log10 at T60. Furthermore, five experimental mouthwashes supplemented with SDS reduced the viral titer by 4.75–5 log10 according to a dose‐ (up to 4 mM) and time‐dependent fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The selective hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes is an ideal case for studying the structure‐activity relationships in heterogeneous catalysis. In particular, cinnamaldehyde can be used as probe molecule for revealing the competition between hydrogenation of C=C and C=O bond. Here, we investigated the effect of the modification of some Pt supported on carbon catalysts by WOx species in cinnamaldehyde hydrogenation, as WOx species are reported to increase the adsorption and activation of the C=O group of α, β‐unsaturated aldehydes. Classical techniques used for correlating the catalyst activity and the selectivity to the characteristic of the materials (XRD, HAADF‐STEM, XEDS mapping and XPS) have been coupled with NMR relaxometry, as innovative application, to disclose how the molecule approaches the catalyst surface. This indeed constitutes a crucial aspect that rule the catalytic activity. Therefore, an innovative, holistic approach has been used to consider the whole catalytic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Furan‐2,5‐dimethylcarboxylate (FDMC), along with ethylene glycol (EG), is the key monomer to produce (poly‐(ethylene‐furanoate) (PEF). Noble metal‐based catalysts can convert hydroxymethyl furfural (HMF) to FDMC in methanol through liquid phase catalytic oxidative esterification. In this work, the catalytic performance of Au, Pd and AuPd NPs supported on nanosized nickel oxide (nNiO) have been evaluated under base‐free conditions at 90 °C and 3 bar O2. Synergistic effects between Au and Pd imparted high activity and higher yield to FDMC compared to the monometallic counterparts. The role of support was also investigated by depositing AuPd NPs on TiO2 and nNiO‐TiO2. Remarkable yield to FDMC (85 % after 8 h) and high stability were observed over AuPd/ nNiO‐TiO2 catalyst. This peculiar catalytic behavior could be imputed to the formation of trimetallic AuPdNi particles offering highly active interfacial sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our current globalised, multicultural world, understanding antecedents of reciprocal interactions between native people and people of immigrant background is a major issue, because intergroup contact plays a crucial role in building inclusive societies. In this vein, using daily diary data, we examined the relation between the number of daily positive and negative interactions of White British majority (N = 744) and Asian British minority people (N = 582) with members of the respective outgroup, with RWA, SDO, perceived ingroup norms, neighbourhood diversity and contextual deprivation. Results showed that for the majority group, ingroup norms in favour of intergroup contact were positively associated with positive intergroup encounters, whereas Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) was positively associated with negative intergroup contact. Neighbourhood diversity was positively associated with positive and negative intergroup encounters. Moreover, RWA moderated the relationship between neighbourhood diversity and both positive and negative contact of White British people. For the minority group, ingroup norms were positively associated with positive intergroup contact, and the relationship between ingroup norms and negative contact was moderated by SDO. Overall, different factors affect positive and negative intergroup contact of majority and minority groups. We discuss the implications of the findings for future research and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to examine the association between citizens' perceptions of the effectiveness of the institutional response, their connection and responsibility to their community (Sense of Community—SoC; Sense of Community Responsibility—SoC‐R), and their personal and social concerns about the current emergency and their perceptions of a postpandemic future during the first COVID‐19 pandemic lockdown. Another variable considered was the personal reflexivity about the COVID‐19 pandemic. 3925 Italian adults completed an online questionnaire during the first COVID‐19 lockdown. A structural equation model with mediation was tested. Institutional effectiveness was associated with SoC, SoC‐R, current social concerns, and perceptions of a postpandemic future. SoC and SoC‐R were associated with current personal and social concerns, and perceptions of a postpandemic future. Reflexivity was negatively associated with SoC and positively associated with SoC‐R, mediating the relationships between SoC, SoC‐R and current personal and social concerns and perceptions of a postpandemic future. Findings indicate the need to adopt a perspective that considers individual and socio‐political levels and their interaction to better understand the impact of the pandemic during a national lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effect of Tofacitinib on endothelial dysfunction and cerebral levels of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the adjuvant‐induced arthritis (AIA) rat model. Tofacitinib (10 mg/kg twice a day) or vehicle was administered from the first signs of inflammation. Arthritis scores were daily monitored while other parameters including endothelial function assessed from aortic rings, radiographic scores, blood pressure, heart rate, circulating levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, and interleukin (IL)‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), IL‐17A, and cerebral BDNF levels were determined after 3 weeks of treatment. A group of non‐AIA rats served as controls. In AIA rats, as compared with vehicle, Tofacitinib significantly reduced arthritis and radiographic scores, decreased total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), but changed neither blood pressure nor heart rate and proinflammatory cytokines levels. It also fully restored acetylcholine (Ach)‐induced relaxation (p < 0.05) through increased nitric oxide (NO) synthase activity, reduced BH4 deficiency and O2−° production, decreased cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 (COX‐2)/arginase activities, and enhanced endothelium‐derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) production. These effects translated into a decrease in atherogenic index and an elevation of BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex (p < 0.05) and hippocampus (p < 0.001). The present study identified Tofacitinib as an efficient therapeutic option to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve BDNF‐dependent cognition in arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver diseases remain unexplained in up to 30% of adult patients; genetic analysis could help establish the correct diagnosis. In six adult patients with cryptogenic liver disease, we performed whole‐exome sequencing (WES) and evaluated the individual predisposition to progressive fatty liver disease by polygenic risk scores (PRS). In one patient, WES was allowed to diagnose the Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome. In the other two patients, genetic variants in LDLRAP1/MSH6 and ALDOB genes were identified, contributing to explaining the clinical presentation and disease pathogenesis (50% diagnostic uptake). In the other three patients, rare variants with a high likelihood of disrupting protein function in APOB, ATP7B, ABCB4 and ATP8B1 were identified. One patient who developed hepatocellular carcinoma during the follow‐up had a high PRS value. The study supports the role of WES, combined with risk stratification by PRS and accurate clinical assessment in improving the diagnosis and informed management in patients with cryptogenic liver disease, a positive family history or severe fatty liver not fully accounted for by environmental triggers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In three surveys of adults in five nations, we investigated how shared beliefs about the political system motivate individuals' political engagement. Specifically, we tested whether individuals' beliefs that the political context is fair, noncorrupt, and their belief that they could influence politics motivates political engagement to a higher extent for higher‐ compared to lower‐status group members. In a novel use of social dominance theory, we theoretically conceived of these political beliefs as legitimizing ideologies, so that we predicted that people with higher social dominance orientation endorse these beliefs, which in turn enhance the motivation to engage in politics to support current social hierarchical systems. Moreover, we expected that these relationships would be stronger for higher‐ compared to lower‐status groups. These hypotheses were tested considering different levels of group status: wealth status within a country (Study 1), political‐regional differences within a country (Study 2), and international status (i.e., between countries; Study 3), and they were largely supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older patients evaluated in Emergency Departments (ED) for suspect Myocardial Infarction (MI) frequently exhibit unspecific elevations of serum high‐sensitivity troponin I (hs‐TnI), making interpretation particularly challenging for emergency physicians. The aim of this longitudinal study was to identify the interaction of multimorbidity and frailty with hs‐TnI levels in older patients seeking emergency care. Methods: A group of patients aged≥75 with suspected MI was enrolled in our acute geriatric ward immediately after ED visit. Multimorbidity and frailty were measured with Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS) and Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), respectively. The association of hs‐TnI with MI (main endpoint) was assessed by calculation of the Area Under the Receiver‐Operating Characteristic Curve (AUROC), deriving population‐specific cut‐offs with Youden test. The factors associated with hs‐TnI categories, including MI, CFS and CIRS, were determined with stepwise multinomial logistic regression. The association of hs‐TnI with 3‐month mortality (secondary endpoint) was also investigated with stepwise logistic regression. Results: Among 268 participants (147 F, median age 85, IQR 80–89), hs‐TnI elevation was found in 191 cases (71%, median 23 ng/L, IQR 11–65), but MI was present in only 12 cases (4.5%). hs‐TnI was significantly associated with MI (AUROC 0.751, 95% CI 0.580–0.922, p = 0.003), with an optimal cut‐off of 141 ng/L. hs‐TnI levels ≥141 ng/L were significantly associated with CFS (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.15–2.18, p = 0.005), while levels <141 ng/L were associated with the cardiac subscore of CIRS (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07–1.71, p = 0.011). CFS, but not hs‐TnI levels, predicted 3‐month mortality. Conclusions: In geriatric patients with suspected MI, frailty and cardiovascular multimorbidity should be carefully considered when interpreting emergency hs‐TnI testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stretch blow molding process of plastic preforms is widely used for the manufacturing of bottles in numerous market sectors, with high production volumes and low unit costs. In the sector of alcoholic beverages and, in particular, of wine, plastic bottles are used sporadically. Glass bottles or other economic solutions such as laminated cardboard containers or so‐called bag‐in‐boxes are regularly preferred. However, the high ease of use, lightness, recyclability and low cost of plastic materials are the main reasons that are fueling interest especially in wine producers. Poly (ethylene terephthalate) bottles have recently been introduced to the market, although their success has been limited by poor gas impermeability and above all by their recognized high environmental footprint. Barrier can be improved by oxygen scavenger and plasma coating. Environmental footprint is rather low when recycled but that is not well possible with scavenger. Bioplastic materials offer an interesting alternative to fossil‐based plastics, combining most of their technical advantages with a lower environmental impact. However, they are more expensive and complex to process. In addition, mechanical and barrier properties are often less than for conventional polymers. In this work, therefore, the development of bioplastic bottles with low gas permeation by stretch blow molding was studied. Poly (lactic acid)‐polybutylene succinate blends have been modified by adding additives that obstruct the passage of gaseous molecules through the wall of the bottle. The studies have in particular concerned the extrusion and characterization of bioplastic compounds, the injection molding of preforms, and the blowing of bottles. The results obtained showed that it is possible to obtain low permeation bioplastic bottles, which are an ecological alternative to conventional solutions for packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A large proportion of SARS‐CoV‐2‐infected individuals does not develop severe symptoms. Serological tests help in evaluating the spread of infection and disease immunization. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine the trends and risk factors of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in blood donors. Study design and methods: We screened 8798 asymptomatic donors presenting in Milan from July 2020 to February 2021 (10,680 presentations) before the vaccination campaign for anti‐nucleoprotein (NP) antibodies, and for anti‐spike receptor‐binding domain (RBD) antibodies and nasopharyngeal swab PCR in those who tested positive. Results: The prevalence of anti‐NP+/RBD+ tests increased progressively with time up to ~15% (p <.0001), preceded by a peak of PCR+ tests. Anti‐RBD titers were higher in anti‐NP IgG+/IgM+ than in IgG+/IgM− individuals and in those with a history of infection (p <.0001); of these 197/630 (31.2%) displayed high titers (>80 AU/ml). Anti‐RBD titers declined during follow‐up, depending on baseline titers (p <.0001) and time (p =.025). Risk factors for seroconversion were a later presentation date and non‐O ABO blood group (p <.001). A positive PCR was detected in 0.7% of participants in the absence of SARS‐CoV‐2 viremia. Conclusions: During the second wave of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in Northern Italy, we detected an increase in seroprevalence in healthy blood donors from ~4% to ~15%, with a trend paralleling that observed in the general population. Seroconversion was more frequent in carriers of non‐O blood groups. The persistence of anti‐RBD antibodies was short‐lived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the described proof‐of‐principle experiments, we introduced a novel testing device to investigate how different concurrent torsional loads influence the cyclic fatigue (CF) resistance of a nickel–titanium (NiTi) instrument. The device was designed to test CF resistance of NiTi files with a standardized load on the apical 5 mm; a movable cylinder controlled by a lever provided a uniform real‐time load. Thirty‐three NiTi instruments 25.04 (F360, Komet, Lemgo, Germany) were rotated until fracture at 30° curvature under three different torsional loads (n = 11 each); Group A: 2.5 Ncm; Group B: 5 Ncm; Group C: 10 Ncm. anova, multiple comparisons Tamhane tests, regression and Kaplan–Meyer analysis were performed to contrast means. Resistance to cyclic fatigue differed significantly among groups (P = 0.0001). Increased torsional loads led to a decrease in time to failure. An inverse correlation (r = −0.721, P = 0.001) was observed between time and torsional load, with higher torsional loads correlated to shorter times to fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extrusion blow molding is a well‐established technology for the manufacture of fossil‐based plastic bottles. The process is, however, still little used for the manufacture of bottles with a low environmental footprint, especially those based on bioplastic from renewable sources. In this context, the objective of this work is precisely the study and experimental design of poly(lactic acid) PLA/poly(butylene succinate) PBS/micro‐lamellar talc compounds for the manufacturing of bioplastic bottles, basically for wine packaging. In particular, the design was carried out to ensure, primarily, an adequate processability of the bioplastic material in the blowing process. Second, the compound was loaded with different micro‐lamellar talc content so as to achieve protection from the environmental factors, which is of paramount importance to ensure a long shelf‐life to wine. The bio‐derived polyester resins are very complex to transform, as they are subject to thermo‐hydrolytic degradation phenomena during the processing of the polymer melt. Processability is further limited in the presence of high micro‐lamellar talc content that increases the melt viscosity, thus making the material even more difficult to shape by extrusion blow molding. The experimental analysis involved the use of a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder for the manufacture of the bioplastic compounds. The compounds were first subjected to thermo‐rheological and physical characterization tests. Second, it was tested in the extrusion blow molding process. The experimental results have shown that blends based on bio‐derived polyester resins can be adequately processed by extrusion blow molding, showing extremely stable rheological behavior both during the extrusion phase of the parison and the subsequent blowing process of the parison itself. These blends have, therefore, an interesting potential to be used as an alternative with a low environmental footprint to oil‐based plastics in the production of wine bottles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) plays a key role in bile acid and lipid homeostasis. Experimental evidence suggests that it can modulate liver damage related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We examined the impact of the NR1H4 rs35724 G>C, encoding for FXR, on liver damage in a large cohort of patients at risk of steatohepatitis. Methods: We considered 2,660 consecutive individuals at risk of steatohepatitis with liver histology. The rs35724 G>C polymorphisms were genotyped by TaqMan assays. Gene expression was evaluated by RNASeq in a subset of patients (n = 124). Results: The NR1H4 rs35724 CC genotype, after adjusting for clinic‐metabolic and genetic confounders and for enrolling centre, was protective against severity of steatosis (GG vs CC OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62‐0.95; P =.01), steatohepatitis (GG vs CC OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.47‐0.83; P =.001) and severity of fibrosis (GG vs CC OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.67‐0.98; P =.04). The C allele was associated with higher total circulating cholesterol (P =.01). Patients carrying the NR1H4 rs35724 C allele had significantly higher hepatic mRNA levels of FXR and were associated with higher hepatic FGFR4 and Cyp39A1 that are in turn involved in bile acid synthesis. Conclusions: Increased hepatic FXR expression due to the NR1H4 rs35724 C allele is linked to higher serum cholesterol but protects against steatosis, steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis. The translational relevance of these results for patient risk stratification and FXR‐targeted therapy warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to evaluate the retreatment time and weight of apically extruded debris yielded by two different kinematics during the removal of different root canal filling materials. Forty straight single-rooted extracted teeth were instrumented with HyFlex CM files and obturated with two different techniques: 25.04 HyFlex experimental carrier-based obturators (Coltène/Whaledent, Altstätten, Switzerland) (group 1) or 25.04 single gutta-percha cones (Roeko Coltène/Whaledent, Altstätten, Switzerland) (group 2) and Guttaflow Bioseal as the sealer. Samples were divided into four subgroups (n = 10) according to the used kinematics for the removal of root canal filling materials: continuous rotation (A) or retreatment motion (B) with a Remover and HyFlex EDM Nickel-Titanium instruments activated with a CanalPro Jeni micromotor (Coltène/Whaledent, Altstätten, Switzerland). Time for retreatment was digitally recorded, and debris extruded from the apex was collected in Eppendorf tubes and weighted with an analytical balance. Data on retreatment time and apical extrusion were statistically analyzed with the Kruskal–Wallis test (p < 0.05). Working length was achieved in all the retreated samples. The removal of root filling material resulted significantly faster with the Jeni mode (p < 0.001), and the difference was significant for the removal of both filling materials (p < 0.05). No significant differences on debris extrusion between single cone and experimental obturators groups were noted (p > 0.05), and no significant differences between kinematics (continuous rotation vs. Jeni motion) were observed (p > 0.05). All the tested retreatment strategies lead to an extrusion of material from the apex, and the weight of apically extruded debris was similar. The use of the innovative CanalPro Jeni kinematics accelerates the time for the removal of root filling materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report the synthesis of preformed bimetallic Pd‐Au nanoparticles supported on carbon nanofibers with different Pd : Au atomic ratio (nominal molar ratio: 8–2, 6–4, 4–6, 2–8) and the corresponding Pd and Au monometallic catalysts by sol immobilization method. The obtained materials were characterized thoroughly by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES). The catalytic performances of the Pd‐Au catalysts were evaluated in the aqueous phase dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA) at room temperature obtaining enhanced activity, stability and selectivity compared to the monometallic systems. In particular, Pd6Au4 and Pd8Au2 showed the best combination of catalytic properties, i. e., high selectivity to H2 and improved catalytic stability. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations on Pd15, Au15 and Pd9Au6 clusters supported on a carbon sheet were then simulated to provide atomic level understanding to the beneficial effect of gold observed in the experimental results. Au15 barely adsorb FA, while Pd15 possesses an adsorption energy higher than Pd9Au6. Dehydrogenation and dehydration pathways were followed on all these models. For Pd9Au6, the most favourable route was the formation of carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Analysis of the electronic structures was also performed on the different models showing a stronger interaction between the bimetallic system and the support proving the alloy superior stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]