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10 pages, 3 figures, supplementary material https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsz071, This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professional, small-scale fishing practices on vulnerable target and bycatch species in coastal and offshore waters of the western Mediterranean. By combining multiple data sources, we assembled a unique dataset on catches at multiple sites in these areas by recreational (RF) and small-scale fisheries (SSF), covering the period from 1997 to 2015. Furthermore, a framework with which to identify the vulnerable species among all the species caught is provided; it is based on the IUCN Red List, international conventions for the protection of flora and fauna, the Habitats Directive and the intrinsic vulnerability index of marine fish. Overall, about a quarter of exploited species targeted by SSF and RF in coastal waters were vulnerable, making up nearly 50% of the total SSF catch and nearly 20% of the total recreational catch. In offshore waters, 100% of the RF and SSF catch was made up of vulnerable species. Among the species caught as bycatch in both areas by SSF and RF, there was a total of 27 vulnerable vertebrate species, which included birds, cetaceans, elasmobranchs and sea turtles. Our results highlight the need to differentiate between different fishing methods or gears when studying the fishing impacts on vulnerable species. The results also indicate that, although RF and SSF are often considered to have a relatively low ecological impact, a range of different fishing methods are affecting vulnerable species in coastal or offshore waters in the western Mediterranean Sea, be they targeted or taken unintentionally as bycatch, This study was carried out within the framework of the EU Research Project SAFENET project (“Sustainable Fisheries in EU Mediterranean Waters through Network of MPAs.”, Call for proposals MARE /2014/41, Grant Agreement n. 721708). S. Biton-Porsmoguer benefited from a postdoctoral fellowship (Reference ROMP–2017–200053791), With the funding support of the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000928-S), of the Spanish Research Agency (AEI)

Access to Earth Observation products remains difficult for end users in most domains. Although various search engines have been developed, they neither satisfy the needs of scientific communities for advanced search of EO products, nor do they use standardized vocabularies reusable from other organizations. To address this, we present the Prod-Trees platform, a semantically-enabled search engine for EO products enhanced with EO-netCDF, a new standard for accessing Earth Observation products. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.

Access to Earth Observation products remains difficult for end users in most domains. Although various search engines have been developed, they neither satisfy the needs of scientific communities for advanced search of EO products, nor they use standardized vocabularies reusable from other organizations. To address this, we present the Prod-Trees platform, a semantically-enabled search engine for EO products enhanced with EO-netCDF, a new standard for accessing Earth Observation products. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.

Attraverso l'analisi di documentazione testuale e cartografica, è stata realizzata una ricostruzione dinamica degli eventi legati alla partecipazione dell'Italia all'invasione nazista della Russia. Il progetto è stato realizzato utilizzando la tecnologia GIS, che ha consentito di integrare dati storici e geografici fornendo una modalità innovativa per la visualizzazione e l'interrogazione dei dati. È stato possibile stratificare i dati raccolti in una serie di livelli informativi, ricreando e rileggendo gli eventi storici. Una volta completato lo sviluppo del GIS è stato realizzato un webGIS per la consultazione online dei risultati del progetto.

The GIIDA project aims to develop a digital infrastructure for the spatial information within CNR. It is foreseen to use semantic-oriented technologies to ease information modeling and connecting, according to international standards like the ISO/IEC 11179. Complex information management systems, like GIIDA, will take benefit from the use of terminological tools like thesauri that make available a reference lexicon for the indexing and retrieval of information. Within GIIDA the goal is to make available the EARTh thesaurus (Environmental Applications Reference Thesaurus), developed by the CNR-IIA-EKOLab. A web-based software, developed by the CNR-Water Research Institute (IRSA) was implemented to allow consultation and utilization of thesaurus through the web. This service is a useful tool to ensure interoperability between thesaurus and other systems of the indexing, with, the idea of cooperating to develop a comprehensive system of knowledge organization, that could be defined integrated, open, multi-functional and multilingual. Currently the system is available in multiple languages mode (Italian - English) and navigation can be done in the following ways: Alphabetical, Hierarchical and for Themes. A full search allows to find any term by searching for the whole term or a part of it and as well as allows to filter the results by themes. Within a collaborative initiative with the CNR-Institute of Applied Mathematics and Information Technology (IMATI) a SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organization System) version of EARTh was developed. This will ensure the possibility to support the use of the thesaurus within the framework of the Semantic Web in order to be used in decentralized metadata applications.

In this paper the activities in the field of terminology and thesauri carried out by the Environmental Knowledge Organisation Laboratory of the Italian National Research Council will be presented. In 2000 EKOLab started the development of a thesaurus for the environment called EARTh (Environmental Applications Reference Thesaurus). The thesaurus is constantly updated following the growing request of updated terminology in relevant topics. At present it contains about 12.000 terms, in English and Italian. It is provided with hierarchical relations and classified according to a matrix system. In parallel with the development of EARTh, two separate projects were carried on and lead to the development of two thesauri, one on Remote Sensing and GIS and the other on the Snow/Ice environment. Each one of these thesauri contains about 3.500 terms. A 1.500 terms lexicon on pollution and climate changes has recently been created. The Thesauri are handled using SuperThes, a software developed within an International co-operation including CNR, UBA-Austria, UBA Germany and the TBHS company. The web interface is under development.

The cancer stem cell (CSC) model is describing tumors as a hierarchical organized system and CSCs are suggested to be responsible for cancer recurrence after therapy. The identification of specific markers of CSCs is therefore of paramount importance. Here, we show that high levels of lipid droplets (LDs) are a distinctive mark of CSCs in colorectal (CR) cancer. This increased lipid content was clearly revealed by label-free Raman spectroscopy and it directly correlates with well-accepted CR-CSC markers as CD133 and Wnt pathway activity. By xenotransplantation experiments, we have finally demonstrated that CR-CSCs overexpressing LDs retain most tumorigenic potential. A relevant conceptual advance in this work is the demonstration that a cellular organelle, the LD, is a signature of CSCs, in addition to molecular markers. A further functional characterization of LDs could lead soon to design new target therapies against CR-CSCs. Stem Cells 2015;33:35–44

Background Complex perianal fistulas are a major challenge for modern surgery since 10–35% of patients have functional problems after treatment. Sphincter-saving techniques have a wide range of efficacy (10–80%). We hypothesised that autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma is a new therapeutic strategy with enhanced cure and function preservation rates. Methods Adult patients with complex cryptoglandular perianal fistulas were treated with injection of autologous adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction in combination with platelet rich plasma around and inside the fistulous tract between May 2018 and April 2019 at the General and Emergency Surgery Operative Unit of the University Hospital “P. Giaccone” of Palermo. Fistulas were confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Patients completed the Short Form-36 score on quality of life and the Wexner and Vaizey scores on faecal incontinence, and they were functionally studied using a three-dimensional anorectal manometry. The clinical and functional follow-up was performed at 1 year and 2 years after surgery. Results Nine patients (4 males, 5 females; median age 42 years [19–63 years]) with high trans-sphincteric or horseshoe fistulas were treated. The average number of previous surgeries per patient was 4.8. At 1 year follow-up, 77.7% of patients were cured, while at 2 years there was 1case of relapse. The variation in Short Form-36 score in cured patients was not significant (p = 0.0936). No statistically significant differences were found in continence scores. Conclusions The proposed treatment is a treatment option that preserves sphincter integrity and function, potentially avoiding postoperative incontinence and the need of repeated treatments.

Thyroid carcinoma (TC) is the most common malignancy of endocrine organs. The cell subpopulation in the lineage hierarchy that serves as cell of origin for the different TC histotypes is unknown. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) with appropriate in vitro stimulation undergo sequential differentiation into thyroid progenitor cells (TPCs-day 22), which maturate into thyrocytes (day 30). Here, we create follicular cell-derived TCs of all the different histotypes based on specific genomic alterations delivered by CRISPR-Cas9 in hESC-derived TPCs. Specifically, TPCs harboring BRAFV600E or NRASQ61R mutations generate papillary or follicular TC, respectively, whereas addition of TP53R248Q generate undifferentiated TCs. Of note, TCs arise by engineering TPCs, whereas mature thyrocytes have a very limited tumorigenic capacity. The same mutations result in teratocarcinomas when delivered in early differentiating hESCs. Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP1)/Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9)/Cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) ternary complex, in cooperation with Kisspeptin receptor (KISS1R), is involved in TC initiation and progression. Increasing radioiodine uptake, KISS1R and TIMP1 targeting may represent a therapeutic adjuvant option for undifferentiated TCs.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a key role in promoting and sustaining cancer growth. Adipose tissue (AT), due to its anatomical distribution, is a prevalent component of TME, and contributes to cancer development and progression. Cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs), reprogrammed by cancer stem cells (CSCs), drive cancer progression by releasing metabolites and inflammatory adipokines. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms underlying the bidirectional crosstalk among CAAs, CSCs, and stromal cells. Moreover, we focus on the recent advances in the therapeutic targeting of adipocyte-released factors as an innovative strategy to counteract cancer progression.

Despite advances in the curative approach, the survival rate of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is still poor, which is likely due to the emergence of cancer cell clones resistant to the available therapeutic options. We have already shown that CD44v6-positive CRC stem cells (CR-CSCs) are refractory toward standard anti-tumor therapeutic agents due to the activation of the PI3K pathway together with high HER2 expression levels. Tumor microenvironmental cytokines confer resistance to CR-CSCs against HER2/PI3K targeting by enhancing activation of the MAPK pathway. Here, we show that the CSC compartment, spared by BRAF inhibitor-based targeted therapy, is associated with increased expression levels of CD44v6 and Myc and retains boosted clonogenic activity along with residual tumorigenic potential. Inhibition of Myc transcription, downstream of the MAPK cascade components, and PI3K pathway activity was able to overcome the protective effects of microenvironmental cytokines, affecting the survival and the clonogenic activity of CR-CSCs, regardless of their mutational background. Likewise, the double targeting induced stabilization of mouse tumor avatars. Altogether, these data outline the rationale for dual kinase targeting of CR-CSCs to prevent their adaptive response, which would lead to disease progression.

Lipid Droplets (LDs) are emerging as crucial players in colon cancer development and maintenance. Their expression has been associated with high tumorigenicity in Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), so that they have been proposed as a new functional marker in Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells (CR-CSCs). They are also indirectly involved in the modulation of the tumor microenvironment through the production of pro-inflammatory molecules. There is growing evidence that a possible connection between metabolic alterations and malignant transformation exists, although the effects of nutrients, primarily glucose, on the CSC behavior are still mostly unexplored. Glucose is an essential fuel for cancer cells, and the connections with LDs in the healthy and CSC populations merit to be more deeply investigated. Here, we showed that a high glucose concentration activated the PI3K/AKT pathway and increased the expression of CD133 and CD44v6 CSC markers. Additionally, glucose was responsible for the increased amount of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and LDs in both healthy and CR-CSC samples. We also investigated the gene modulations following the HG treatment and found out that the healthy cell gene profile was the most affected. Lastly, Atorvastatin, a lipid-lowering drug, induced the highest mortality on CR-CSCs without affecting the healthy counterpart.

ObjectiveCancer stem cells are responsible for tumour spreading and relapse. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression is a negative prognostic factor in colorectal cancer (CRC) and a potential target in tumours carrying the gene amplification. Our aim was to define the expression of HER2 in colorectal cancer stem cells (CR-CSCs) and its possible role as therapeutic target in CRC resistant to anti- epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) therapy.DesignA collection of primary sphere cell cultures obtained from 60 CRC specimens was used to generate CR-CSC mouse avatars to preclinically validate therapeutic options. We also made use of the ChIP-seq analysis for transcriptional evaluation of HER2 activation and global RNA-seq to identify the mechanisms underlying therapy resistance.ResultsHere we show that in CD44v6-positive CR-CSCs, high HER2 expression levels are associated with an activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway, which promotes the acetylation at the regulatory elements of the Erbb2 gene. HER2 targeting in combination with phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitors induces CR-CSC death and regression of tumour xenografts, including those carrying Kras and Pik3ca mutation. Requirement for the triple targeting is due to the presence of cancer-associated fibroblasts, which release cytokines able to confer CR-CSC resistance to PI3K/AKT inhibitors. In contrast, targeting of PI3K/AKT as monotherapy is sufficient to kill liver-disseminating CR-CSCs in a model of adjuvant therapy.ConclusionsWhile PI3K targeting kills liver-colonising CR-CSCs, the concomitant inhibition of PI3K, HER2 and MEK is required to induce regression of tumours resistant to anti-EGFR therapies. These data may provide a rationale for designing clinical trials in the adjuvant and metastatic setting.

Objective The purpose of this review is to evaluate the use and effectiveness of the local administration of tramadol in reducing post-operative pain during surgical interventions. Methods The PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases will be searched for this review. This systematic review will include studies evaluating the clinical efficacy of the local infiltration of tramadol, with no study design restrictions. Only studies that present clear descriptions of local tramadol administration are published in peer-reviewed journals in the English, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese or German language and are published in full will be taken into consideration. A meta-analysis will be performed when there is sufficient clinical homogeneity among the retrieved studies, and only randomized controlled studies and quasi-randomized controlled studies will be included. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach will be used to assess the certainty in the evidence. If a quantitative analysis cannot be conducted, a qualitative description of the results of the retrieved studies will be provided. Results A high-quality synthesis of the current evidence on the local administration of tramadol for managing post-surgical pain will be illustrated using subjective reports and objective measures of performance. The primary outcomes will include the magnitude of post-operative pain intensity improvement, with improvement being as defined by a reduction by at least 2 points in the visual analogue scale (VAS) score or numerical rating scale (NRS) score. The secondary outcomes will be the magnitude of reduction in tramadol rescue doses and in other analgesic drug doses. Conclusion This protocol will present evidence on the efficacy of tramadol in relieving post-surgical pain. Systemic review registration PROSPERO CRD42018087381

Carbapenem antibiotics were first introduced in the 1980s and have long been considered the most active agents for the treatment of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Over the last decade, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) have emerged as organisms causing spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Infections caused by CRE have shown a higher mortality rate than those caused by bacteria sensitive to carbapenem antibiotics. Current antibiotic guidelines for the treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis are insufficient, and rapid de-escalation of empiric antibiotic treatment is not widely recognized. This review summarizes the molecular characteristics, epidemiology and possible treatment of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis caused by CRE.

Ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA) is a novel beta-lactam beta-lactamase inhibitor combination approved for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections, complicated intra-abdominal infections, and for hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated pneumonia. The aim of this systematic review (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019128927) was to evaluate the effectiveness of CZA combination therapy versus CZA monotherapy in the treatment of severe infections. The databases included in the search, until February 12th, 2020, were MEDLINE by PubMed, EMBASE, and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized studies published in peer-reviewed journals and in the English language. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality (longest follow-up) evaluated in patients with the diagnosis of infection with at least one pathogen, secondary outcomes were clinical and microbiological improvement/cure. Thirteen studies were included in the qualitative synthesis: 7 RCTs and 6 retrospective studies All the six retrospective studies identified carbapenamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) as the cause of infection and for this reason were included in the network meta-analysis (NMA), the quality of the studies, assessed using the New Castle-Ottawa Scale, was moderate-high. In all the six retrospective studies included in the NMA, CZA was used in large part for off-label indications (mostly blood stream infections: 80&ndash, 100% of patients included). No difference in mortality rate was observed in patients undergoing CZA combination therapy compared to CZA monotherapy [n = 503 patients, direct evidence OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.65&ndash, 1.41].

In this paper, we report a multiscale investigation of the compositional, morphological, structural, electrical, and optical emission properties of 2H-MoS2 obtained by sulfurization at 800 °C of very thin MoO3 films (with thickness ranging from ~2.8 nm to ~4.2 nm) on a SiO2/Si substrate. XPS analyses confirmed that the sulfurization was very effective in the reduction of the oxide to MoS2, with only a small percentage of residual MoO3 present in the final film. High-resolution TEM/STEM analyses revealed the formation of few (i.e., 2–3 layers) of MoS2 nearly aligned with the SiO2 surface in the case of the thinnest (~2.8 nm) MoO3 film, whereas multilayers of MoS2 partially standing up with respect to the substrate were observed for the ~4.2 nm one. Such different configurations indicate the prevalence of different mechanisms (i.e., vapour-solid surface reaction or S diffusion within the film) as a function of the thickness. The uniform thickness distribution of the few-layer and multilayer MoS2 was confirmed by Raman mapping. Furthermore, the correlative plot of the characteristic A1g-E2g Raman modes revealed a compressive strain (ε ≈ −0.78 ± 0.18%) and the coexistence of n- and p-type doped areas in the few-layer MoS2 on SiO2, where the p-type doping is probably due to the presence of residual MoO3. Nanoscale resolution current mapping by C-AFM showed local inhomogeneities in the conductivity of the few-layer MoS2, which are well correlated to the lateral changes in the strain detected by Raman. Finally, characteristic spectroscopic signatures of the defects/disorder in MoS2 films produced by sulfurization were identified by a comparative analysis of Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectra with CVD grown MoS2 flakes.

The tumor microenvironment supplies proinflammatory cytokines favoring a permissive milieu for cancer cell growth and invasive behavior. Here we show how breast cancer progression is facilitated by IL4 secreted by adipose tissue and estrogen receptor–positive and triple-negative breast cancer cell types. Blocking autocrine and paracrine IL4 signaling with the IL4Rα antagonist IL4DM compromised breast cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and tumor growth by downregulating MAPK pathway activity. IL4DM reduced numbers of CD44+/CD24− cancer stem-like cells and elevated expression of the dual specificity phosphatase DUSP4 by inhibiting NF-κB. Enforced expression of DUSP4 drove conversion of metastatic cells to nonmetastatic cells. Mechanistically, RNAi-mediated attenuation of DUSP4 activated the ERK and p38 MAPK pathways, increased stem-like properties, and spawned metastatic capacity. Targeting IL4 signaling sensitized breast cancer cells to anticancer therapy and strengthened immune responses by enhancing the number of IFNγ-positive CTLs. Our results showed the role of IL4 in promoting breast cancer aggressiveness and how its targeting may improve the efficacy of current therapies. Cancer Res; 77(12); 3268–79. ©2017 AACR.

Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) is currently regarded as a promising material for the next generation of electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, several issues need to be addressed to fully exploit its potential for field effect transistor (FET) applications. In this context, the contact resistance, RC, associated with the Schottky barrier between source/drain metals and MoS2 currently represents one of the main limiting factors for suitable device performance. Furthermore, to gain a deeper understanding of MoS2 FETs under practical operating conditions, it is necessary to investigate the temperature dependence of the main electrical parameters, such as the field effect mobility (μ) and the threshold voltage (Vth). This paper reports a detailed electrical characterization of back-gated multilayer MoS2 transistors with Ni source/drain contacts at temperatures from T = 298 to 373 K, i.e., the expected range for transistor operation in circuits/systems, considering heating effects due to inefficient power dissipation. From the analysis of the transfer characteristics (ID−VG) in the subthreshold regime, the Schottky barrier height (ΦB ≈ 0.18 eV) associated with the Ni/MoS2 contact was evaluated. The resulting contact resistance in the on-state (electron accumulation in the channel) was also determined and it was found to increase with T as RC proportional to T3.1. The contribution of RC to the extraction of μ and Vth was evaluated, showing a more than 10% underestimation of μ when the effect of RC is neglected, whereas the effect on Vth is less significant. The temperature dependence of μ and Vth was also investigated. A decrease of μ proportional to 1/Tα with α = 1.4 ± 0.3 was found, indicating scattering by optical phonons as the main limiting mechanism for mobility above room temperature. The value of Vth showed a large negative shift (about 6 V) increasing the temperature from 298 to 373 K, which was explained in terms of electron trapping at MoS2/SiO2 interface states.

// Bregje van Oorschot 1 , Giovanna Granata 1 , Simone Di Franco 2 , Rosemarie ten Cate 1 , Hans M. Rodermond 1 , Matilde Todaro 3 , Jan Paul Medema 1 , Nicolaas A.P. Franken 1 1 Laboratory for Experimental Oncology and Radiobiology (LEXOR), Center for Experimental Molecular Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Academic Medical Center, Cancer Genomics Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2 Department of Surgical, Oncological and Stomatological Sciences (DICHIRONS), Cellular and Molecular Pathophysiology Laboratory, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy 3 Biomedical Department of Internal and Specialistic Medicine (DIBIMIS), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Correspondence to: Nicolaas A.P. Franken, email: n.a.franken@amc.uva.nl Keywords: radiation oncology, DNA repair, hyperthermia, double-strand breaks Received: May 10, 2016 Accepted: August 24, 2016 Published: September 01, 2016 ABSTRACT Radiotherapy is based on the induction of lethal DNA damage, primarily DNA double-strand breaks (DSB). Efficient DSB repair via Non-Homologous End Joining or Homologous Recombination can therefore undermine the efficacy of radiotherapy. By suppressing DNA-DSB repair with hyperthermia (HT) and DNA-PKcs inhibitor NU7441 (DNA-PKcs i ), we aim to enhance the effect of radiation. The sensitizing effect of HT for 1 hour at 42°C and DNA-PKcs i [1 μM] to radiation treatment was investigated in cervical and breast cancer cells, primary breast cancer sphere cells (BCSCs) enriched for cancer stem cells, and in an in vivo human tumor model. A significant radio-enhancement effect was observed for all cell types when DNA-PKcs i and HT were applied separately, and when both were combined, HT and DNA-PKcs i enhanced radio-sensitivity to an even greater extent. Strikingly, combined treatment resulted in significantly lower survival rates, 2 to 2.5 fold increase in apoptosis, more residual DNA-DSB 6 h post treatment and a G2-phase arrest. In addition, tumor growth analysis in vivo showed significant reduction in tumor growth and elevated caspase-3 activity when radiation was combined with HT and DNA-PKcs i compared to radiation alone. Importantly, no toxic side effects of HT or DNA-PKcs i were found. In conclusion, inhibiting DNA-DSB repair using HT and DNA-PKcs i before radiotherapy leads to enhanced cytotoxicity in cancer cells. This effect was even noticed in the more radio-resistant BCSCs, which are clearly sensitized by combined treatment. Therefore, the addition of HT and DNA-PKcs i to conventional radiotherapy is promising and might contribute to more efficient tumor control and patient outcome.

Background The use of stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), for regenerative medicine is gaining interest for the clinical benefits so far obtained in patients. This study investigates the use of adipose autologous tissue in combination with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to improve the clinical outcome of patients affected by systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) and PRPs were purified from healthy donors and SSc patients. The multilineage differentiation potential of AD-MSCs and their genotypic–phenotypic features were investigated. A cytokine production profile was evaluated on AD-MSCs and PRPs from both healthy subjects and SSc patients. The adipose tissue-derived cell fraction, the so-called stromal vascular fraction (SVF), was coinjected with PRP in the perioral area of SSc patients. Results Histopathological and phenotypical analysis of adipose tissue from SSc patients revealed a disorganization of its distinct architecture coupled with an altered cell composition. Although AD-MSCs derived from SSc patients showed high multipotency, they failed to sustain a terminally differentiated progeny. Furthermore, SVFs derived from SSc patients differed from healthy donors in their MSC-like traits coupled with an aberrant cytokine production profile. Finally, the administration of PRP in combination with autologous SVF improved buccal’s rhyme, skin elasticity and vascularization for all of the SSc patients enrolled in this study. Conclusions This innovative regenerative therapy could be exploited for the treatment of chronic connective tissue diseases, including SSc. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0690-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.