Glutathione-Allylsulfur Conjugates as Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stimulating Agents for Potential Applications in Tissue Repair.

The endogenous gasotransmitter H2S plays an important role in the central nervous, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Accordingly, slow-releasing H2S donors are powerful tools for basic studies and innovative pharmaco-therapeutic agents for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Nonetheless, the effects of H2S-releasing agents on the growth of stem cells have not been fully investigated. H2S preconditioning can enhance mesenchymal stem cell survival after post-ischaemic myocardial implantation; therefore, stem cell therapy combined with H2S may be relevant in cell-based therapy for regenerative medicine. Here, we studied the effects of slow-releasing H2S agents on the cell growth and differentiation of cardiac Lin- Sca1+ human mesenchymal stem cells (cMSC) and on normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF). In particular, we investigated the effects of water-soluble GSH-garlic conjugates (GSGa) on cMSC compared to other H2S-releasing agents, such as Na2S and GYY4137. GSGa treatment of cMSC and NHDF increased their cell proliferation and migration in a concentration dependent manner with respect to the control. GSGa treatment promoted an upregulation of the expression of proteins involved in oxidative stress protection, cell-cell adhesion and commitment to differentiation. These results highlight the effects of H2S-natural donors as biochemical factors that promote MSC homing, increasing their safety profile and efficacy after transplantation, and the value of these donors in developing functional 3D-stem cell delivery systems for cardiac muscle tissue repair and regeneration

The Gray Zone

The Gray Zone ∗ Federico Crudu† University of Siena and CRENoS Roberta Di Stefano ‡ Sapienza University of Rome Giovanni Mellace§ University of Southern Denmark Silvia Tiezzi¶ University of Siena March 2022 Abstract On March 23, 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Italy declared a nation- wide lockdown. A month earlier, on February 23, the Italian government ordered its military police to seal the borders and declared a Red Zone around 10 municipalities of the province of Lodi and in Vo’ Euganeo, a small town in Padua province. On the same day, Confindustria Bergamo, the province’s industrial association, posted a video on social media against having a lockdown in the area of Bergamo and was supported by key business leaders and local administrators. Despite having a similar infection rate to the Red Zone municipalities, the government decided not to extend the Red Zone to the municipalities of Bergamo province with high infection rates. Bergamo later became one of the deadliest outbreaks of the first wave of the virus in the Western world. What would have happened had the Red Zone been extended to that area? We use the Synthetic Control Method to estimate the causal effect of (not) declaring a Red Zone in the Bergamo area on daily excess mortality. We find that about two-thirds of the reported deaths could have been avoided had the Italian government declared the area a Red Zone

Kitovi i dupini u Jadranskom moru: sadašnje spoznaje, prijetnje i očuvanje

The Adriatic Sea is one of the Mediterranean areas most exposed to cumulative human stressors. This semienclosed and largely shallow basin has been subjected to intensive exploitation and destructive fishing practices for decades, resulting in biodiversity decline and poor ecosystem health. Diversity of cetaceans is lower than in other parts of the Mediterranean, and the extant dolphins and whales have been facing threats that include the combined effects of habitat loss and degradation, prey depletion, incidental mortality and injury caused by fisheries, anthropogenic noise, chemical contamination and climate change. Here, we report information for the nine cetacean species known to occur in the basin (classified as either regular, visitor or vagrant), plus three species characterized by a single record. For these species, we review evidence from field research and other studies – with a bias towards the common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (by far the most intensively-studied cetacean in this area). We also describe and characterize the main threats to cetaceans in the Adriatic, relying on recent literature as well as historical information that helps frame the present status of cetaceans in the context of past human impacts (particularly the extensive killing campaigns conducted until the 1960s). Finally, we provide management recommendations to inform and guide the action that must be taken in compliance with extant legislation, marine conservation directives and international commitments to protect marine biodiversity.Jadransko more je jedno od područja Sredozemnog mora koja su najizloženija kumulativnim ljudskim utjecajima. Ovaj poluzatvoreni i uglavnom plitki bazen je proteklih desetljeća bio izložen intenzivnom iskorištavanju i štetnim ribolovnim praksama, što je dovelo do smanjenja biološke raznolikosti i lošeg stanja ekosustava. Raznolikost kitova i dupina (Cetacea) ovdje je manja nego u drugim područjima Sredozemnog mora i postojeće vrste koje nastanjuju Jadransko more suočavaju se s prijetnjama koje uključuju kombinirane učinke gubitka i degradacije staništa, nedostatka plijena, slučajne smrtnosti i ozljeda uzrokovanih ribolovom, buke izazvane ljudskim aktivnostima, kemijskog zagađenja i klimatskih promjena. U ovom radu navodimo podatke o devet vrsta kitova i dupina za koje je poznato da se pojavljuju u Jadranu (klasificirani su kao redoviti, posjetioci ili skitnice) te tri vrste koje su zabilježene na ovom području samo jednom. Za ove vrste pregledali smo podatke iz terenskih istraživanja i drugih studija, među kojima ih je najviše za dobrog dupina Tursiops truncatus (koji je najintenzivnije proučavana vrsta u ovom području). U radu također opisujemo i navodimo značajke glavnih prijetnji kitovima i dupinima u Jadranskom moru, temeljem recentne literature kao i povijesnih podataka koji pomažu prikazu sadašnjeg stanja tih životinja u kontekstu prošlih ljudskih utjecaja (posebice opsežnih kampanja ubijanja provedenih do 1960-ih). Konačno, donosimo preporuke za upravljanje kako bi omogućili prijenos informacija i usmjeravanje aktivnosti koje se moraju poduzeti u skladu s postojećim zakonodavstvom, direktivama o očuvanju mora i međunarodnim obvezama u pogledu zaštite morske biološke raznolikosti

Correction Procedures for Temperature and Irradiance of Photovoltaic Modules: Determination of Series Resistance and Temperature Coefficients by Means of an Indoor Solar Flash Test Device

none5openLuciani, Silvia; Coccia, Gianluca; Tomassetti, Sebastiano; Pierantozzi, Mariano; Di Nicola, GiovanniLuciani, Silvia; Coccia, Gianluca; Tomassetti, Sebastiano; Pierantozzi, Mariano; Di Nicola, Giovann

A multi-methodological protocol to characterize PDO olive oils

An analytical approach including Panel Test, Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was proposed to characterize Italian “Colline Pontine” PDO olive oils (40 samples) of two consecutive crop years. Our approach has evidenced the high quality of these olive oils. Only 6 of 40 olive oils samples were defined as “defective” by the official Panel Test due to the detection of negative sensory attributes. The low variability of isotopic data monitored by IRMS confirmed that the olive oil samples all came from a limited geographical area. NMR spectra did not evidence any chemical composition anomaly in the investigated samples. In order to assess the influence of harvesting year over the olive oil chemical composition, the NMR analysis was extended to other 22 olive oil samples of a third harvesting year. NMR data were submitted to two different statistical methods, namely, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA) allowing olive oils of three consecutive harvesting years to be grouped

Tuberculose endometrial simulando um carcinoma do ovário

Female genital tuberculosis remains a major health problem in developing countries and is an important cause of infertility. As symptoms, laboratory data and physical fndings are non-specifc, its diagnosis can be diffcult. We describe a case of a 39-year-old woman suffering from peri-umbilical pain and increased abdominal size for one year, anorexia, asthenia, weight loss, occasionally dysuria and dyspareunia, and four months amenorrhea. Laboratory data revealed cancer antigen 125 (CA-125) level of 132.3 U/mL, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 42 mm/h, and gamma-globulins of 2.66 g/dL. Computer Tomography scan showed loculated ascites. It was initially suspected a carcinomatous origin, but ascites evaluation was negative for malignant cells. Magnetic Resonance Imaging from another hospital showed endometrial heterogeneity. Therefore, an endometrial biopsy was performed demonstrating an infammatory infltrate with giant cells of type Langhans and bacteriological culture identifed Mycobacterium tuberculosisA tuberculose genital feminina continua a representar uma patologia importante nos países em desenvolvimento e constitui uma causa importante de infertilidade. Os seus sintomas, achados laboratoriais e exame físico não são específcos, tornando difícil o seu diagnóstico. Descrevemos o caso de uma doente do sexo feminino, de 39 anos, com dor peri-umbilical e aumento do volume abdominal desde há um ano, anorexia, astenia, perda ponderal, ocasionalmente disúria e dispareunia, assim como amenorreia desde há quatro meses. Os dados laboratoriais mostraram valores de 132,3 U/mL do marcador tumoral CA-125, 42 mm/h de velocidade de sedimentação e 2,66 g/dL de gama-globulinas. A tomografa computadorizada mostrou ascite loculada. Inicialmente suspeitou-se de etiologia maligna, mas o exame citológico do líquido ascítico foi negativo para células malignas. Foi efectuada ressonância magnética pélvica, noutra instituição, que revelou heterogeneidade do endométrio. Foi então realizada biópsia endometrial que revelou um infltrado infamatório com células gigantes de Langhans e o exame bacteriológico isolou Mycobacterium tuberculosi

Concurrent and Subsequent Co-Infections of Clostridioides difficile Colitis in the Era of Gut Microbiota and Expanding Treatment Options

We narratively reviewed the physiopathology, epidemiology, and management of co-infections in Clostridioides difficile colitis (CDI) by searching the following keywords in Embase, MedLine, and PubMed: “Clostridium/Clostridioides difficile”, “co-infection”, “blood-stream infection” (BSI), “fungemia”, “Candida”, “Cytomegalovirus”, “probiotics”, “microbial translocation” (MT). Bacterial BSIs (mainly by Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcus) and fungemia (mainly by Candida albicans) may occur in up to 20% and 9% of CDI, increasing mortality and length of hospitalization. Up to 68% of the isolates are multi-drug-resistant bacteria. A pivotal role is played by gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier leakage, and MT. Specific risk factors are represented by CDI-inducing broad-spectrum antibiotics, oral vancomycin use, and CDI severity. Probiotics administration (mainly Saccharomyces and Lactobacillus) during moderate/severe CDI may favor probiotics superinfection. Other co-infections (such as Cytomegalovirus or protozoa) can complicate limited and specific cases. There is mounting evidence that fidaxomicin, bezlotoxumab, and fecal microbiota transplantation can significantly reduce the rate of co-infections compared to historical therapies by interrupting the vicious circle between CDI, treatments, and MT. Bacterial BSIs and candidemia represent the most common co-infections in CDI. Physicians should be aware of this complication to promptly diagnose and treat it and enforce preventive strategies that include a more comprehensive consideration of newer treatment options