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Sex identification through coelioscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to determine the sex of chelonians by directly visualizing their internal reproductive organs. An adequate anaesthesiologic plan is essential to guarantee patient immobilization and proper analgesia during the entire surgical procedure. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a combination of dexmedetomidine (0.05 mg/kg), midazolam (1 mg/kg), ketamine (8 mg/kg), and morphine (1 mg/kg) (DMKM) randomly delivered intramuscularly (IM) or subcutaneously (SC) in twenty-one Aldabra giant tortoise (Aldabrachelys gigantea) into the right antebrachium for celioscopic sex identification. Heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and body temperature (BT) were measured, along with the skeletal muscle tone of the thoracic and pelvic limbs, neck retraction reflex, palpebral reflex, and jaw tone every 15 min. The anaesthesiologic plan was considered to be adequate at the loss of the thoracic and pelvic limb retraction reflexes. After a 45 min interval, if the anaesthetic plan was deemed insufficient for the celioscopic procedure, a 5 mg/kg dose of propofol was administered intravenously into the subcarapacial venous plexus. At the end of the procedure, atipamezole (0.5 mg/kg) and flumazenil (0.05 mg/kg) were administered intramuscularly into the left antebrachium as reversal agents. Both HR and RR decreased from baseline to both 15 and 30 min. Due to the persistence of thoracic and pelvic limb retraction reflexes 45 min after DMKM administration, 6/11 (55%) cases in the SC group required the additional administration of propofol, in contrast to only 1/10 (10%) cases in the IM group (p = 0.05). The recovery times were comparable between the successfully induced animals in the IM and SC groups. In this study, the intramuscular administration of a DMKM combination quickly produced chemical restraint, suitable for celioscopic sex determination.

Abstract Background According to the guidelines, endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) is the technique of choice for the diagnosis of mediastinal involvement in lung cancer; it is also useful for other mediastinal malignancies and benign pathology. Nevertheless, there is still discussion about whether to perform it under general anesthesia or under conscious sedation. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data of all patients who underwent EBUS‐TBNA under conscious sedation with up to 1 mg/kg of meperidine and up to 0.15 mg/kg of midazolam in the Interventional Pulmonology Unit of the Azienda USL‐IRCCS Santa Maria Nuova of Reggio Emilia during 2 consecutive years. Demographic data, indication for the procedure, duration, number of lymph node sampled, number of passes per station, diagnostic yield, drugs dosage, questionnaire score, and complications were collected. Results A total of 302 patients underwent EBUS‐TBNA, and 68% of the patients were males and the mean age was 65 ± 13 years old. The average duration of procedures was 24.4 minutes and the mean dosage of drugs was 4.32 ± 1.52 mg for midazolam and 50.86 ± 13.71 mg for meperidine. The mean number of lymph nodes sampled per patient was 1.75 ± 0.82, and each patient received an average of 4.71 ± 1.78 passes. A total of 90.7% of patients completed the procedures, 85% had adequate samples, and 94.4% of patients declared with Likert's questionnaire that they strongly agree to repeat the test if necessary. Conclusion EBUS‐TBNA performed under conscious sedation with meperidine and midazolam is feasible and well‐tolerated and has a similar diagnostic yield of that reported in literature.

Abstract Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) in its classic manifestation exhibits distinct morphological features and is assigned to CNS WHO grade 2 or grade 3. Distinction from glioblastoma variants and lower grade glial and glioneuronal tumors is a common diagnostic challenge. We compared a morphologically defined set of PXA (histPXA) with an independent set, defined by DNA methylation analysis (mcPXA). HistPXA encompassed 144 tumors all subjected to DNA methylation array analysis. Sixty-two histPXA matched to the methylation class mcPXA. These were combined with the cases that showed the mcPXA signature but had received a histopathological diagnosis other than PXA. This cohort constituted a set of 220 mcPXA. Molecular and clinical parameters were analyzed in these groups. Morphological parameters were analyzed in a subset of tumors with FFPE tissue available. HistPXA revealed considerable heterogeneity in regard to methylation classes, with methylation classes glioblastoma and ganglioglioma being the most frequent mismatches. Similarly, the mcPXA cohort contained tumors of diverse histological diagnoses, with glioblastoma constituting the most frequent mismatch. Subsequent analyses demonstrated the presence of canonical pTERT mutations to be associated with unfavorable prognosis among mcPXA. Based on these data, we consider the tumor type PXA to be histologically more varied than previously assumed. Histological approach to diagnosis will predominantly identify cases with the established archetypical morphology. DNA methylation analysis includes additional tumors in the tumor class PXA that share similar DNA methylation profile but lack the typical morphology of a PXA. DNA methylation analysis also assist in separating other tumor types with morphologic overlap to PXA. Our data suggest the presence of canonical pTERT mutations as a robust indicator for poor prognosis in methylation class PXA.

Abstract Background To compare differences in the probability of COVID-19-related death between native Italians and immigrants hospitalised with COVID-19. Methods This retrospective study of prospectively collected data was conducted at the ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco Hospital in Milan, Italy, between 21 February and 31 November 2020. Uni- and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the impact of the patients' origin on the probability of COVID-19-related death. Results The study population consisted of 1,179 COVID-19 patients: 921 Italians (78.1%) and 258 immigrants (21.9%) who came from Latin America (99, 38%), Asia (72, 28%), Africa (50, 19%) and central/eastern Europe (37, 14%). The Italians were significantly older than the immigrants (median age 70 years, interquartile range (IQR) 58–79 vs 51 years, IQR 41–60; p

Recent studies reveal that lateral mitochondrial transfer, the movement of mitochondria from one cell to another, can affect cellular and tissue homeostasis. Most of what we know about mitochondrial transfer stems from bulk cell studies and have led to the paradigm that functional transferred mitochondria restore bioenergetics and revitalize cellular functions to recipient cells with damaged or non-functional mitochondrial networks. However, we show that mitochondrial transfer also occurs between cells with functioning endogenous mitochondrial networks, but the mechanisms underlying how transferred mitochondria can promote such sustained behavioral reprogramming remain unclear. We report that unexpectedly, transferred macrophage mitochondria are dysfunctional and accumulate reactive oxygen species in recipient cancer cells. We further discovered that reactive oxygen species accumulation activates ERK signaling, promoting cancer cell proliferation. Pro-tumorigenic macrophages exhibit fragmented mitochondrial networks, leading to higher rates of mitochondrial transfer to cancer cells. Finally, we observe that macrophage mitochondrial transfer promotes tumor cell proliferation in vivo. Collectively these results indicate that transferred macrophage mitochondria activate downstream signaling pathways in a ROS-dependent manner in cancer cells, and provide a model of how sustained behavioral reprogramming can be mediated by a relatively small amount of transferred mitochondria in vitro and in vivo.

Because of its complex life cycle and due to multiple stress factors, the European eel is suffering a dramatic decline and has been declared Critically Endangered by the IUCN. A possible way to address this problem could be relieve the pressure on natural stocks by implementing its mass production by artificial breeding protocols. A previous study based on direct observation and parentage assignment underlined the presence of an allegedly hierarchic structure among European eel males in semi-natural mating conditions, with a consequent bias in F1 proportion assigned to each one. The aim of the present study is to attest if a different fertilization protocol based on the artificial mixing of female eggs with different males’ milt in equal volume (1 F:4 M) could represent a solution to the disproportion observed in semi-natural conditions. For this purpose, six families of European eels were generated, and 10 species-specific microsatellite loci were used to infer offspring composition by paternity assignment on 280 samples. Due to the asynchronous ovarian development of female European eels, the percentage of fertilized eggs for each female showed a great variability, ranging from 4.70% to 94.50%. A proportion of 94.02% of genotyped offspring were assigned with high confidence to their true parents. As regard males’ fertilization pattern, no substantial differences from natural mating were observed: a single male accounted for most offspring, which was just mostly composed of full sibs. Concluding, the obtained results suggest that the admixture of an equal volume of different males’ milt seems to contribute to the single-locus genetic variability (observed heterozygosity higher than expected in 7 out 9 loci), but it is not sufficient to ensure all the males the same chance to transmit their gene pool, and new fertilization strategies must be developed.

IntroductionMultimonth dispensing (MMD) enables less frequent clinic visits and improved outcomes for people living with HIV, but few children and adolescents living with HIV (CALHIV) are on MMD. At the end of the October-December 2019 quarter, only 23% of CALHIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) through SIDHAS project sites in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, Nigeria, were receiving MMD. In March 2020, during COVID-19, the government expanded MMD eligibility to include children and recommended rapid implementation to minimize clinic visits. SIDHAS provided technical assistance to 36 "high-volume" facilities-≥5 CALHIV on treatment-in Akwa Ibom and Cross River to increase MMD and viral load suppression (VLS) among CALHIV, toward PEPFAR's 80% benchmark for people currently on ART. We present change in MMD, viral load (VL) testing coverage, VLS, optimized regimen coverage, and community-based ART group enrollment among CALHIV from the October-December 2019 quarter (baseline) to January-March 2021 (endline) based on retrospective analysis of routinely collected program data.Materials and methodsWe compared MMD coverage (primary objective), and optimized regimen coverage, community-based ART group enrollment, VL testing coverage, and VLS (secondary objectives), among CALHIV 18 years and younger pre-/post-intervention (baseline/endline) at the 36 facilities. We excluded children younger than two years, who are not recommended for or routinely offered MMD. The extracted data included age, sex, ART regimen, months of ART dispensed at last refill, most recent VL test results, and community ART group enrollment. Data on MMD-three or more months of ARVs dispensed at one time-were disaggregated into three to five months (3-5-MMD) vs. six or more months (6-MMD). VLS was defined as ≤1,000 copies. We documented MMD coverage by site, optimized regimen, and VL testing and suppression. Using descriptive statistics, we summarized the characteristics of CALHIV on MMD and non-MMD, number of CALHIV on optimized regimens, and proportion enrolled in differentiated service delivery models and community-based ART refill groups. For the intervention, SIDHAS technical assistance was data driven: weekly data analysis/review, site-prioritization scoring, provider mentoring, line listing eligible CALHIV, pediatric regimen calculator, child-optimized regimen transitioning, and community ART models.ResultsThe proportion of CALHIV ages 2-18 receiving MMD increased from 23% (620/2,647; baseline) to 88% (3,992/4,541; endline), while the proportion of sites reporting suboptimal MMD coverage among CALHIV (ConclusionsMMD was feasible among CALHIV without compromising VLS. Expanded eligibility criteria, line listing eligible children, monitoring pediatric antiretroviral stock, and data use contributed to positive results. Future efforts should address low 6-MMD uptake related to stock limitations and synchronize antiretroviral refill pickup with VL sample collection.

Abstract Background Detection of small peripheral lung nodules is constantly increasing with the development of low dose computed tomography lung cancer screening programs. A tissue diagnosis is often required to confirm malignity, with endobronchial biopsies being associated with a lower pneumothorax rate than percutaneous approaches. Endoscopic diagnosis of peripheral small size lung nodules is however often challenging using traditional bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound alone. New virtual bronchoscopic navigation techniques such as electromagnetic navigational bronchoscopy (ENB) have developed to improve peripheral navigation, with diagnostic yield however remaining in the 30–50% range for small lesions. Recent studies have shown the benefits of combining Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) with ENB to improve diagnostic yield to up to 83%. The use of ENB however remains limited by disposable cost, bronchus sign dependency and inaccuracies due to CT to body divergence. Case presentation This case report highlights the feasibility and usefulness of CBCT-guided bronchoscopy for the sampling of lung nodules difficult to reach through traditional bronchoscopy because of nodule size and peripheral position. Procedure was scheduled in a mobile robotic hybrid operating room with patient under general anaesthesia. CBCT acquisition was performed to localize the target lesion and plan the best path to reach it into bronchial tree. A dedicated software was used to segment the lesion and the bronchial path which 3D outlines were automatically fused in real time on the fluoroscopic images to augment live guidance. Navigation to the lesion was guided with bronchoscopy and augmented fluoroscopy alone. Before the sampling, CBCT imaging was repeated to confirm the proper position of the instrument into the lesion. Four transbronchial needle aspirations (TBNA) were performed and the tissue analysis showed a primary lung adenocarcinoma. Conclusions CBCT and augmented fluoroscopy technique is a safe and effective and has potential to improve early stage peripheral lesions endobronchial diagnostic yield without ENB. Additional studies are warranted to confirm its safety, efficacy and technical benefits, both for diagnosis of oncological and non-oncological disease and for endobronchial treatment of inoperable patients.

ABSTRACT Bioaugmentation of biological sand filters with Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) is used to increase the efficiency of Mn removal from groundwater. While the biofilm-forming ability of MOB is important to achieve optimal Mn filtration, the regulatory link between biofilm formation and Mn(II) oxidation remains unclear. Here, an environmental isolate of Pseudomonas resinovorans strain MOB-513 was used as a model to investigate the role of c-di-GMP, a second messenger crucially involved in the regulation of biofilm formation by Pseudomonas, in the oxidation of Mn(II). A novel role for c-di-GMP in the upregulation of Mn(II) oxidation through induction of the expression of manganese-oxidizing peroxidase enzymes was revealed. MOB-513 macrocolony biofilms showed a strikingly stratified pattern of biogenic Mn oxide (BMnOx) accumulation in a localized top layer. Remarkably, elevated cellular levels of c-di-GMP correlated not only with increased accumulation of BMnOx in the same top layer but also with the appearance of a second BMnOx stratum in the bottom region of macrocolony biofilms, and the expression of mop genes correlated with this pattern. Proteomic analysis under Mn(II) conditions revealed changes in the abundance of a PilZ domain protein. Subsequent analyses supported a model in which this protein sensed c-di-GMP and affected a regulatory cascade that ultimately inhibited mop gene expression, providing a molecular link between c-di-GMP signaling and Mn(II) oxidation. Finally, we observed that high c-di-GMP levels were correlated with higher lyophilization efficiencies and higher groundwater Mn(II) oxidation capacities of freeze-dried bacterial cells, named lyophiles, showing the biotechnological relevance of understanding the role of c-di-GMP in MOB-513. IMPORTANCE The presence of Mn(II) in groundwater, a common source of drinking water, is a cause of water quality impairment, interfering with its disinfection, causing operation problems, and affecting human health. Purification of groundwater containing Mn(II) plays an important role in environmental and social safety. The typical method for Mn(II) removal is based on bacterial oxidation of metals to form insoluble oxides that can be filtered out of the water. Evidence of reducing the start-up periods and enhancing Mn removal efficiencies through bioaugmentation with appropriate biofilm-forming and MOB has emerged. As preliminary data suggest a link between these two phenotypes in Pseudomonas strains, the need to investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms is apparent. The significance of our research lies in determining the role of c-di-GMP for increased biofilm formation and Mn(II)-oxidizing capabilities in MOB, which will allow the generation of super-biofilm-elaborating and Mn-oxidizing strains, enabling their implementation in biotechnological applications.

Mn removal from groundwater by biological sand filter technology is negatively impacted by low temperatures in winter periods. Therefore, the need to study Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) having the potential to oxidize Mn(II) and form biofilms at low temperatures is imperative. These MOB can have potential as inocula for sand filter bioaugmentation strategies to optimize Mn removal during winter periods. We previously showed that a Pseudomonas sp. MOB-449 (MOB-449), isolated from a Mn biofilter, oxidizes Mn(II) in a biofilm-dependent way at low temperatures. In this work, MOB-449 Mn(II) oxidation and growth capacities were evaluated under planktonic and biofilm conditions at different temperatures. At 18°C, MOB-449 showed enhanced biofilm formation due to the addition of Mn(II) to the medium correlating with Mn(II) oxidation, compared to biofilms grown in control medium. Moreover, this enhancement on biofilm formation due to the addition of Mn(II) was only observed at 18°C. At this temperature, Mn(II) oxidation in membrane fractions collected from biofilms was induced by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation from the electron transport chain with 2,4-Dinitrophenol. In Pseudomonas, a role for c-type cytochrome in Mn(II) oxidation has been demonstrated. Accordingly, transcriptional profiles of all terminal oxidases genes found in MOB-449 showed an induction of cytochrome c terminal oxidases expression mediated by Mn(II) oxidation at 18°C. Finally, heme peroxidase activity assays and MS analysis revealed that PetC, a cytochrome c5, and also CcmE, involved in the cytochrome c biogenesis machinery, are induced at 18°C only in the presence of Mn(II). These results present evidence supporting that cytochromes c and also the cytochrome c terminal oxidases are activated at low temperatures in the presence of Mn(II). Overall, this work demonstrate that in MOB-449 Mn(II) oxidation is activated at low temperatures to gain energy, suggesting that this process is important for survival under adverse environmental conditions and contributing to the understanding of the physiological role of bacterial Mn(II) oxidation.

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758), is a species of high conservation and commercial value. Also, with a high aquacultural value, it was one of the most farmed species in Europe before its decline. Conservation measures for this species are currently being implemented, some of which are the release of adults to allow them to migrate to spawning grounds and artificial reproduction to minimise the impact of overfishing. Much progress has been made regarding the closing of the life cycle, but several problems remain to be solved, such as the weaning and growth of larvae. In this regard, the study of local populations and the identification of the best spawners could be a good way forward as it would help to identify spawners with high reproductive potential and good offspring quality. In this study, we compared the reproductive performance of female eels from migratory areas of the Northern Adriatic Sea at different maturation stages (10 pre-migrant stage; 10 migrant stage), treating both groups with the same hormonal protocol (weekly carp pituitary extract, injection of 17α,20β-Dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one at complete oocyte maturation). The research showed that eels at the beginning of metamorphosis (SI III), i.e., eels not yet ready to undertake migration, achieve reproductive performance equal to that of eels ready for migration (SI IV). Their performance was on par in both qualitative and quantitative terms. The optimal results in hatching (with values of 65.8 ± 3.2% for pre-migrant and 68.2 ± 4.1% for migrant) and survival rates (with value of 25.7 ± 5.4% pre-migrants; 27.2 ± 3.7% migrants), as well as the results about the time to reach full gonadal maturation, may have positive implications when considering release and restocking measures.

Critically ill COVID-19 patients are at an increased risk of bloodstream infections (BSIs). We performed a retrospective observational single-center study on COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) to assess the incidence of BSIs in four consecutive periods: 21 February–31 July 2020 (W1), 1 August 2020–31 January 2021 (W2), 1 February–30 September 2021 (W3) and 1 October 2021 and 30 April 2022 (W4). BSIs that occurred 48 h after ICU admission were included. The crude incidence of BSIs was estimated by means of Poisson distribution normalized to 1000 patient-days. A total of 404 critically ill COVID-19 patients were admitted to ICU, of whom 284 (61%) developed at least one episode of BSI with an overall crude incidence of 87 events every 1000 patient-days (95% CI 77–98) without a significant difference in consecutive epidemic periods (p = 0.357). Gram-positive bacteria were the most frequent etiological agents of BSIs, contributing to 74.6% episodes. A progressive decrease in BSIs due to Enterococcus spp. was observed (W1 57.4%, W2 43.7%, W3 35.7% and W4 32.7%; p = 0.004). The incidence of BSIs remained stable during different epidemic periods. Enterococcus spp. prevalence was significantly reduced, although still accounted for one third of BSIs in more recent epidemic periods.

BackgroundPoverty and social inequality exacerbate HIV risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa. Cash transfers can influence the structural determinants of health, thereby reducing HIV risk. ObjectiveThis study assessed the effectiveness of cash transfer delivered along with combination HIV prevention (CHP) interventions in reducing the risky sexual behavior of AGYW in Tanzania. The incidence of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection was used as a proxy for sexual risk behavior. MethodsA cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 15 matched pairs of communities (1:1 intervention to control) across 3 strata (urban, rural high-risk, and rural low-risk populations) of the Shinyanga Region, Tanzania. The target population was out-of-school AGYW aged 15-23 years who had completed 10-hour sessions of social and behavior change communication. Eligible communities were randomly assigned to receive CHP along with cash transfer quarterly (intervention group) or solely CHP interventions (control group) with no masking. Study recruitment and baseline survey were conducted between October 30, 2017 and December 1, 2017. Participants completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview, HIV counselling and testing, and HSV-2 testing at baseline and during follow-up visits at 6, 12, and 18 months after the baseline survey. A Cox proportional hazards model with random effects specified at the level of clusters (shared frailty) adjusted for matching pairs and other baseline imbalances was fitted to assess the effects of cash transfer on the incidence of HSV-2 infection (primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included HIV prevalence at follow-up, self-reported intergenerational sex, and self-reported compensated sex. All secondary outcomes were measured at each study visit. ResultsOf the 3026 AGYW enrolled in the trial (1482 in the intervention and 1544 in the control), 2720 AGYW (1373 in the intervention and 1347 in the control) were included in the final analysis. Overall, HSV-2 incidence was not significantly different at all follow-up points between the study arms in the adjusted analysis (hazard ratio 0.96, 95% CI 0.67-1.38; P=.83). However, HSV-2 incidence was significantly lower in the rural low-risk populations who received the cash transfer intervention (hazard ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.29-0.71; P=.001), adjusted for potential confounders. ConclusionsAlthough this trial showed no significant impact of the cash transfer intervention on HSV-2 incidence among AGYW overall, the intervention significantly reduced HSV-2 incidence among AGYW in rural low-risk communities. Factors such as lesser poverty and more asset ownership in urban and rural high-risk communities may have undermined the impact of cash transfer. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03597243; https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT03597243

ContextData on pubertal timing in Silver Russell syndrome (SRS) are limited.Design and methodsRetrospective observational study including twenty-three SRS patients [11p15 loss of methylation, (11p15 LOM, n=10) and maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (mUPD7, n=13)] and 21 small for gestational age (SGA). Clinical (thelarche in females; testis volume ≥ 4 ml in males; pubarche), BMI SD trend from the age of 5 to 9 years to the time of puberty, biochemical parameters of puberty onset [Luteinizing hormone (LH), 17-β-estradiol, testosterone], and bone age progression were evaluatedResultsPubertal onset and pubarche occurred significantly earlier in children with SRS than in SGA (p 0.03 and p 0.001, respectively) and clinical signs of puberty onset occurred earlier in mUPD7 than in 11p15LOM group (p 0.003). Five SRS children experienced central precocious puberty and LH, 17-β-estradiol, testosterone were detected earlier in SRS than in SGA (p 0.01; p 0.0001). Bone age delay in SRS children was followed by rapid advancement; the delta between bone age and chronological age in SRS group became significantly higher than in SGA group at the age of 9-11 years (p 0.007). 11p15LOM patients were underweight at the age of 5 years and showed a progressive normalization of BMI that was significantly higher than in mUPD7 (p 0.04) and SGA groups (p 0.03) at puberty onset.ConclusionTiming of puberty is affected in SRS and occurred earlier in mUPD7 compared to 11p15LOM. The impact of early puberty on adult height and metabolic status deserves long-term evaluation.

Abstract Background The epidemiology of Moebius syndrome (MBS) is difficult to assess. In the present study, we investigated the epidemiology of MBS in a well-defined population within a precise geographical area. Materials and methods Our university hospital is the only national referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of MBS. Participants in this cross-sectional study were patients affected by MBS who had been periodically followed by our medical staff since 1998. Most of the patients were referred to our hospital by the Italian Association of Moebius Syndrome (AISMO). Demographic data necessary for study purposes were made available in the AISMO database, updated to April 2018. Subjects were assigned to geographical macroareas that are conventionally used in surveys and epidemiological investigations by the Italian National Institute of Statistics. The rates and prevalence of MBS cases were calculated on the basis of the last available survey of the Italian population. Each study parameter was then calculated with reference to the whole country and macroarea partition. The sex rate and the corresponding prevalence were calculated with respect to the weighted whole population and to the respective sex population. Chi-square analysis was adopted to investigate possible differences among geographical regions and/or sexes. A p value

Octopus vulgaris is a commercially valuable species. It is overexploited in the natural environment and is considered to be an innovative species for aquaculture. However, large-scale farming is generally designed only based on economic requirements, disregarding any form of enrichment that induces the natural behavior of aquatic species. Although many studies have shown the influence of environmental enrichment on terrestrial vertebrates, fish, and cephalopod mollusks, information on the effect of environmental enrichment on the body patterns of O. vulgaris is limited. Therefore, in this study, we assessed how different environmental conditions (Basic vs. Enriched) affect sub-adults of O. vulgaris kept in recirculation systems, through qualitative–quantitative studies of the main body patterns and their potential application in the commercial production of this species. The results indicated that octopuses kept in the enriched environment showed several body patterns and gained a significantly higher weight than those kept in the basic environment. The body patterns displayed by the individuals kept in the basic environment were similar to those exhibited under situations of hostility and inter/intra-specific conflict. Hence, the environment of octopuses needs to be enriched, especially for the large-scale production of this species.

Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a safe and accurate diagnostic procedure used for investigating mediastinal pathologies. It is usually performed using an oral approach. The nasal route has been proposed but not extensively investigated. With the aim to report the use of linear EBUS through the nasal route and compare its accuracy and safety with the oral one, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the subjects who underwent an EBUS-TBNA procedure at our center. From January 2020 to December 2021, 464 subjects underwent an EBUS-TBNA, and in 417 patients, EBUS was performed through the nose or mouth. Nasal insertion of the EBUS bronchoscope was performed in 58.5% of the patients. No difference between the two insertion routes was observed in terms of location or number of stations sampled per subject. Procedure complications were mild and similar between the two groups (10.2% for the nasal group vs. 9.8% for the oral group). Minor epistaxis occurred in five subjects in the nasal group. Comparing the two groups, the rates of adequate specimens were similar (95.1% vs. 94.8%), as were the proportions of diagnostic specimens (84% vs. 82%). In conclusion, the nasal route for EBUS-TBNA is a valid alternative to the oral one.

Individuals with Down Syndrome exhibit deficits in muscle strength and cardiovascular adaptation, which limit athletic performance. We compared a maximum-intensity 50 m front crawl test between competitive male swimmers with Down Syndrome (SDS; n = 11; 26.5 ± 5.6 years; m ± SD) and a control group of swimmers (CNT; n = 11; 27.1 ± 4.0 years) with similar training routines (about 5 h/week). Wearable sternal sensors measured their heart rate and 3D accelerometry. The regularity index Sample Entropy (SampEn) was calculated using the X component of acceleration. The total times (SDS: 58.91 ± 13.68 s; CNT: 32.55 ± 3.70 s) and stroke counts (SDS: 66.1 ± 9.6; CNT: 51.4 ± 7.4) were significantly higher in the SDS group (p < 0.01). The heart rate was lower in the SDS group during immediate (SDS: 129 ± 15 bpm; CNT: 172 ± 11 bpm) and delayed recovery (30 s, SDS: 104 ± 23 bpm; CNT: 145 ± 21 bpm; 60 s, SDS: 79 ± 27 bpm; CNT: 114 ± 27 bpm) (p < 0.01 for all the comparisons). The SampEn of sternal acceleration showed no differences between the groups and between 0–25 m and 25–50 m. Body pitch correlated strongly with performance in the SDSs (R2 = 0.632, p < 0.01), but during the first 25 m only. The high-intensity front crawl performances differed between the SDS and CNT athletes in terms of time, biomechanics, and training adaptation, suggesting the need for tailored training to improve swimming efficiency in SDSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]