Epigenetics of Heavy Metal Stress and Response in Plants

Editoriale sullo stato della conoscenza riguardante la relazione tra modifica epigenetica e metalli pesanti nel suolo, in pianta

Genetic and Non-Genetic Contributions to Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives

In this work, we present a comprehensive overview of the genetic and non-genetic complexity of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). EGPA is a rare complex systemic disease that occurs in people presenting with severe asthma and high eosinophilia. After briefly introducing EGPA and its relationship with the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAVs), we delve into the complexity of this disease. At first, the two main biological actors, ANCA and eosinophils, are presented. Biological and clinical phenotypes related to ANCA positivity or negativity are explained, as well as the role of eosinophils and their pathological subtypes, pointing out their intricate relations with EGPA. Then, the genetics of EGPA are described, providing an overview of the research effort to unravel them. Candidate gene studies have investigated biologically relevant candidate genes; the more recent genome-wide association studies and meta-analyses, able to analyze the whole genome, have confirmed previous associations and discovered novel risk loci; in the end, family-based studies have dissected the contribution of rare variants and the heritability of EGPA. Then, we briefly present the environmental contribution to EGPA, reporting seasonal events and pollutants as triggering factors. In the end, the latest omic research is discussed and the most recent epigenomic, transcriptomic and microbiome studies are presented, highlighting the current challenges, open questions and suggesting approaches to unraveling this complex disease

Fruta Feia cooperative: Examining the influence of income on sustainability value and agency among alternative food network consumers

Alternative Food Networks gain increasing importance in sustainability transitions of food production, retail, and consumption. This paper explores the role of AFN consumers as critical food sustainability change agents, with a special focus on low-income consumers. It challenges preconceived notions that associate sustainable living exclusively with affluent communities, highlighting the substantial influence of economically disadvantaged individuals in shaping sustainable food consumption patterns. Based on a survey of the Portuguese Fruta Feia cooperative, the paper examines how perceived income affects sustainable food values, decisions, and practices. Results highlight low-income consumers' significant, yet often overlooked, role in driving changes towards environmentally responsible food systems and practices. This research shifts the focus of sustainability change agency, underscoring the critical role of diverse, particularly financially disadvantaged, consumer groups in championing sustainability in the food sector. It also confirms the importance of AFNs and their members as critical transition stakeholders

Unpacking Perceptions on Patient Safety: A Study of Nursing Home Staff in Italy

Nursing homes (NHs) are crucial for de-hospitalization and addressing the needs of non-self-sufficient individuals with complex health issues. This study investigates the patient safety culture (PSC) in NHs within a northern Italian region, focusing on factor influencing overall safety perceptions and their contributions to subjective judgements of safety. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 25 NHs in the Autonomous Province of Trento. The Nursing Home Survey on Patient Safety Culture (NHSPSC) was utilized to assess PSC among NH staff. Multilevel linear regression and post hoc dominance analyses were conducted to investigate variabilities in PSC among staff and NHs and to assess the extent to which PSC dimensions explain overall perceptions of PS. Analysis of 1080 questionnaires (44% response rate) revealed heterogeneity in PSC across dimensions and NHs, with management support, organizational learning, and supervisor expectations significantly influencing overall safety perceptions. Despite some areas of concern, overall safety perceptions were satisfactory. However, the correlation between individual dimensions and overall ratings of safety was moderate, suggesting the need to enhance the maturity level of PSCs. Promoting a shift in PSC could enhance transparency, prioritize resident safety, empower nursing staff, and increase family satisfaction with care provided in NHs. The support provided by management to PSC appears essential to influence NH staff perceptions of PS

Predictors, prognosis and costs of prolonged intensive care unit stay after surgery for type A aortic dissection

Background: The outcomes after prolonged treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery for Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) have not been previously investigated. Methods: This analysis included 3538 patients from a multicenter study who underwent surgery for acute TAAD and were admitted to the cardiac surgical ICU. Results: The mean length of stay in the cardiac surgical ICU was 9.9±9.5 days. The mean overall costs of treatment in the cardiac surgical ICU 24086±32084 €. In-hospital mortality was 14.8% and 5-year mortality was 30.5%. Adjusted analyses showed that prolonged ICU stay was associated with significantly lower risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.971, 95%CI 0.959-0.982), and of five-year mortality (adjusted OR 0.970, 95%CI 0.962-0.977), respectively. Propensity score matching analysis yielded 870 pairs of patients with short ICU stay (2-5 days) and long ICU stay (>5 days) with balanced baseline, operative and postoperative variables. Patients with prolonged ICU stay (>5 days) had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (8.9% vs. 17.4%, <0.001) and 5-year mortality (28.2% vs. 30.7%, P=0.007) compared to patients with short ICU-stay (2-5 days). Conclusions: Prolonged ICU stay was common after surgery for acute TAAD. However, when adjusted for multiple baseline and operative variables as well as adverse postoperative events and the cluster effect of hospitals, it was associated with favorable survival up to 5 years after surgery

Immaginari, soggetti, ani e animali: Alcune riflessioni filosofiche sulla pandemia, tre anni dopo

Who, during the lockdown, had the privilege of identifying with the slogan "I'm staying home" that was rampant on social media and TV in Italy? How have race, class, gender, and sexuality influenced our exposure to the virus? In addition to accelerating ongoing political processes, epidemics have always highlighted social inequalities and hierarchies. In particular, the Covid-19 pandemic has revealed how turbocapitalism is a factor of differential vulnerability of our bodies and our planet, and has once again highlighted that bare life is not life outside of politics, but life stripped of political protection. In dialogue with three authoritative philosophical reactions to the outbreak of the pandemic (Cavarero, Agamben, Preciado), the article reflects on how the health crisis has confirmed the need for critical thinking and political struggle

Auditory and language processing disorder: A case study

This chapter describesa psychoeducational intervention for supporting language learning. It concerns a child that lost about 80% of hearing functioning at 11 months age, caused by an occlusive otitis. Despite successful surgery, the child didn’t learn to talk. Chapterobjective consists of presenting the psychoeducational intervention adopted. This was based on inclusive practices aimed to develop language skills andcarried out by an interdisciplinary team in collaboration with primary school teachers. The methodology used fordescribing the intervention consisted of a naturalistic observation that allowed collecting information on changes as result of the intervention. This permitted the analysis of the insights generated through practical experiences, and to find evidence in research on language learning. Also, the results emerged through the observation of this interventionprovided useful elements for encouraging the exploration of intervention’s potentiality andinspire future trajectories of researc

A Systematic Review of Botulinum Toxin Injection in Pediatric Dystonia

Botulinum toxin (BT), a first-line treatment for focal dystonias in adults, has gained USA Food and Drug Administration approval for pediatric upper and lower extremity spasticity and sialorrhea, though its use in children younger than 2 years old is still considered off-label treatment for all pathologies. Dosing, treatment strategies and outcome measures lack international consensus, and they are often extrapolated from adult or spasticity guidelines. This review aims to evaluate the best available evidence on the efficacy and safety of BT therapy in pediatric dystonia (age under 21 years old), isolated or associated with other medical conditions. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science was conducted, including only articles in English. Although no randomized controlled trials are still present, 12 articles were included with an overall of 57 patients. All the papers demonstrate that BT can improve motor function, decrease pain and ameliorate quality of life, with minimal adverse effects in pediatric patients affected by pure or mixed dystonic motor disorders. Despite the low level of evidence, our review shows that BT could be an efficacious treatment for these pediatric patients. The frequent generalized involvement, together with the heterogeneous nature of childhood dystonic forms, sometimes intermingled with spasticity, prompts further multicenter clinical trials or prospective studies with a higher level of evidence to shed light on the efficacy and safety profile of BT in pediatric dystonia

Sex and gender differences in cognitive resilience to aging and Alzheimer's disease

Sex and gender-biological and social constructs-significantly impact the prevalence of protective and risk factors, influencing the burden of Alzheimer's disease (AD; amyloid beta and tau) and other pathologies (e.g., cerebrovascular disease) which ultimately shape cognitive trajectories. Understanding the interplay of these factors is central to understanding resilience and resistance mechanisms explaining maintained cognitive function and reduced pathology accumulation in aging and AD. In this narrative review, the ADDRESS! Special Interest Group (Alzheimer's Association) adopted a multidisciplinary approach to provide the foundations and recommendations for future research into sex- and gender-specific drivers of resilience, including a sex/gender-oriented review of risk factors, genetics, AD and non-AD pathologies, brain structure and function, and animal research. We urge the field to adopt a sex/gender-aware approach to resilience to advance our understanding of the intricate interplay of biological and social determinants and consider sex/gender-specific resilience throughout disease stages. HIGHLIGHTS: Sex differences in resilience to cognitive decline vary by age and cognitive status. Initial evidence supports sex-specific distinctions in brain pathology. Findings suggest sex differences in the impact of pathology on cognition. There is a sex-specific change in resilience in the transition to clinical stages. Gender and sex factors warrant study: modifiable, immune, inflammatory, and vascular

Experienced discrimination and internalized stigma among people infected with SARS-CoV-2 and surviving COVID-19: Association with anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms

People surviving COVID-19 may experience social stigma related to their condition even after clinical recovery. This study aimed to: (1) investigate COVID-19-related experienced discrimination and internalized stigma, and (2) explore their association with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and insomnia. We conducted an online survey of people who survived COVID-19. Perception of stigma was assessed using the COVID-19 Experienced Discrimination Scale and the COVID-19 Internalized Stigma Scale. Depression, anxiety, and insomnia were assessed using, respectively, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the General Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and the Insomnia Severity Index. Multivariable logistic regression analyses for each psychopathological domain were performed. A total of 579 participants participated in this study. Overall, 25% reported some degree of experienced discrimination, and 23% reported some degree of internalized stigma. Adjusted odds ratio showed that scoring higher on internalized stigma related significantly to higher symptoms of depression (2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.35-3.39), anxiety (2.30; 95% CI, 1.48-3.59), and insomnia (2.54; 95% CI, 1.64-3.95), whereas experienced discrimination was associated to anxiety (1.55; 95% CI, 1.06-2.28) and insomnia (1.82; 95% CI, 1.24-2.69). Experiences of social stigmatization are frequent among people surviving COVID-19 and seem to be associated with levels of psychological disturbances. Further research is required to elucidate the direction of these relationships to implement effective treatment strategies