Nanoscale characterization of an all-oxide core-shell nanorod heterojunction using intermodulation atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods

The electrical properties of an all-oxide core-shell ZnO-Co3O4nanorod heterojunction were studied in the dark and under UV-vis illumination. The contact potential difference and current distribution maps were obtained utilizing new methods in dynamic multifrequency atomic force microscopy (AFM) such as electrostatic and conductive intermodulation AFM. Light irradiation modified the electrical properties of the nanorod heterojunction. The new techniques are able to follow the instantaneous local variation of the photocurrent, giving a two-dimensional (2D) map of the current-voltage curves and correlating the electrical and morphological features of the heterostructured core-shell nanorods

Nutrient intake during pregnancy and adherence to dietary recommendations: The mediterranean phime cohort

Few studies provide a detailed description of dietary habits during pregnancy, despite the central role of nutrition for the health of the mother and offspring. This paper describes the dietary habits, energy and nutrient intake in pregnant women from four countries belonging to the Mediterranean PHIME cohort (Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia) and evaluates their adherence to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommendations. A total of 1436 women were included in the present analysis. Maternal diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The mean macro and micronutrient intakes were estimated and compared with the dietary reference values (DRVs). The percentage distribution of the 16 food groups in the total intake of each macronutrient was estimated. All women shared a similar diet during pregnancy; almost all the women in the four countries exceeded the DRV for sugars, and the total fat intake was above the DRV in most women in all the countries, as was the contribution of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) to the total energy intake. In all four countries, we observed an increased risk of micronutrient deficiency for iron, folate and vitamin D. Shared guidelines, implemented at both the national and European level, are essential to improve the maternal nutritional status during pregnancy

Estrogen-Eluting Stents

Coronary stenting is routinely utilized to treat symptomatic obstructive coronary artery disease. However, the efficacy of bare metal coronary stents has been historically limited by restenosis, which is primarily due to excessive neointima formation. Drug-eluting stents (DES) are composed of a stainless steel backbone encompassed by a polymer in which a variety of drugs that inhibit smooth muscle cell proliferation and excessive neointima formation are incorporated. DES have significantly reduced the incidence of restenosis but are also associated with a small (~0.5% per year) but significant risk of late stent thrombosis. In that regard, estrogen-eluting stents have also undergone clinical evaluation in reducing restenosis with the additional potential benefit of enhancing reendothelialization of the stent surface to reduce stent thrombosis. Estrogen directly promotes vasodilatation, enhances endothelial healing, and prevents smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation. Due to these mechanisms, estrogen has been postulated to reduce neointimal hyperplasia without delaying endothelial healing. In animal studies, estrogen treatment was effective in decreasing neointimal hyperplasia after both balloon angioplasty and stenting regardless of the method of drug delivery. The first uncontrolled human study using estrogen-coated stents demonstrated acceptable efficacy in reducing late lumen loss. However, subsequent randomized clinical trials did not show superiority of estrogen-eluting stents over bare metal stents or DES. Further studies are required to determine optimal dose and method of estrogen delivery with coronary stenting and whether this approach will be a viable alternative to the current DES armamentarium

Contemporary snapshot of tumor regression grade (TRG) distribution in locally advanced rectal cancer: a cross sectional multicentric experience.

Pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) followed by surgical resection is still the standard treatment for locally advanced low rectal cancer. Nowadays new strategies are emerging to treat patients with a complete response to pre-operative treatment, rendering the optimal management still controversial and under debate. The primary aim of this study was to obtain a snapshot of tumor regression grade (TRG) distribution after standard CRT. Second, we aimed to identify a correlation between clinical tumor stage (cT) and TRG, and to define the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the restaging setting. Between January 2017 and June 2019, a cross sectional multicentric study was performed in 22 referral centers of colon-rectal surgery including all patients with cT3-4Nx/cTxN1-2 rectal cancer who underwent pre-operative CRT. Shapiro-Wilk test was used for continuous data. Categorical variables were compared with Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test, where appropriate. Accuracy of restaging MRI in the identification of pathologic complete response (pCR) was determined evaluating the correspondence with the histopathological examination of surgical specimens.In the present study, 689 patients were enrolled. Complete tumor regression rate was 16.9%. The "watch and wait" strategy was applied in 4.3% of TRG4 patients. A clinical correlation between more advanced tumors and moderate to absent tumor regression was found (p = 0.03). Post-neoadjuvant MRI had low sensibility (55%) and high specificity (83%) with accuracy of 82.8% in identifying TRG4 and pCR.Our data provided a contemporary description of the effects of pre-operative CRT on a large pool of locally advanced low rectal cancer patients treated in different colon-rectal surgical centers

Dietary intake of the italian phime infant cohort: How we are getting diet wrong from as early as infancy

Unhealthy dietary habits established in early infancy may lead to under or over nutrition later in life. This paper describes the energy, nutrients and food‐type intake of 18‐month‐old infants belonging to the Italian PHIME cohort (n = 389) and evaluates adherence to the Italian dietary reference values (DRVs). Infant dietary data were collected using 7‐day dietary records. Mean energy, macro and micronutrient intakes were estimated and compared with the DRVs. The percentage contribution of 19 selected food groups to total energy and macro‐ and micronutrient intake was determined with the aim of establishing the main food sources. Most infants’ diet shared common characteristics: poor variety, excessive intake of proteins (16.5 E% vs. 8–12 E% DRV) and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) (13.8 E% vs. <10 E% DRV), mainly derived from milk and dairy products, and low intake of total fats (33.2 E% vs. 35–40 E% DRV), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (3.1 E% vs. 5–10 E% DRV), vitamin D (1.1 vs. 15 μg/day DRV) and iron (4.5 vs. 8 mg/day DRV). The unbalanced distribution of macronutrients was reflected in energy intakes outside DRV ranges for more than half the infants. Public health interventions promoting healthy eating habits from early on, even from pregnancy, could yield significant short‐ and long‐term health benefits

Acrilamide e furani negli alimenti: un problema per la ristorazione collettiva?

Negli ultimi anni i compilatori dei database nutrizionali sono stati chiamati a considerare la composizione degli alimenti in un\u2019ottica pi\uf9 complessa (www.eurofir.net/eurofir_aisbl), che tenga conto sia delle trasformazioni e manipolazioni subite dagli alimenti sia del continuo aumento dei consumi fuori-casa (ISTAT, 2008). La valutazione dell\u2019esposizione a sostanze tossiche di processo (idrocarburi policiclici aromatici, ammine biogene, acrilamide, furani, ecc) \ue8 ulteriormente complicata dal fatto che non esistono dati di composizione degli alimenti completi e rappresentativi, che i meccanismi di formazione di tali sostanze, se pur noti, sono di difficile previsione, e che l\u2019uso di biomarcatori \ue8 oneroso. Inoltre, le modalit\ue0 di cottura degli alimenti e le caratteristiche compositive della materia prima, aspetti importanti nei meccanismi di formazione di queste sostanze, necessitano ancora di approfondimento per i trattamenti non di tipo industriale. Acrilamide e Furani sono molecole tossiche che si formano in seguito alla reazione di Maillard in prodotti sottoposti a trattamenti termici intensi ma compatibili con le tecniche di cottura dell\u2019industria alimentare e della ristorazione (casalinga o collettiva). Esse sono state riconosciute come mutagene e potenzialmente cancerogene per l\u2019uomo (IARC, 1994; 1995) e l\u2019Autorit\ue0 Europea per la Sicurezza Alimentare (EFSA) ha suggerito di ridurne i livelli negli alimenti (EFSA, 2003). Per quanto riguarda l\u2019Acrilamide, la Commissione Europea solo recentemente ha emanato un documento nel quale vengono suggeriti i valori massimi di concentrazione di acrilamide per alcune categorie di alimenti (European Commission Raccomandation of 10.01.2011). Inoltre, a beneficio dell\u2019industria di trasformazione la Confederation of Food and Drink Industry (CIAA, 2009) ha stilato un libro bianco, nel quale sono descritti gli interventi tecnologici pi\uf9 idonei a minimizzare la formazione di acrilamide negli alimenti trattati termicamente. Per quanto riguarda i Furani, al momento non sono stati stabiliti limiti di contenuto negli alimenti e neppure strategie per la loro riduzione, e l\u2019EFSA si limita a suggerirne la riduzione (EFSA, 2010). Va osservato, che sono del tutto assenti indicazioni sulle modalit\ue0 di riduzione della formazione di concentrazione di acrilamide e furani in alimenti destinati alla ristorazione collettiva, che tuttavia svolge un ruolo primario nella trasformazione e somministrazione di alimenti anche a categorie sensibili (bambini, anziani, malati). Ad esempio patate e derivati, particolarmente ricchi in acrilammide, sono alimenti molto consumati in tutte le fasce di et\ue0 ed in particolar modo dai bambini (Leclercq et al., 2009). In questo lavoro verranno presentate le principali problematiche relative al contenuto di Acrilamide e Furani negli alimenti in un\u2019ottica di previsione e riduzione del loro contenuto attraverso l\u2019adozione di corrette pratiche nella ristorazione collettiva