Fast Ultrahigh-Density Writing of Low Conductivity Patterns on Semiconducting Polymers

The exceptional interest in improving the limitations of data storage, molecular electronics, and optoelectronics has promoted the development of an ever increasing number of techniques used to pattern polymers at micro and nanoscale. Most of them rely on Atomic Force Microscopy to thermally or electrostatically induce mass transport, thereby creating topographic features. Here we show that the mechanical interaction of the tip of the Atomic Force Microscope with the surface of a class of conjugate polymers produces a local increase of molecular disorder, inducing a localized lowering of the semiconductor conductivity, not associated to detectable modifications in the surface topography. This phenomenon allows for the swift production of low conductivity patterns on the polymer surface at an unprecedented speed exceeding 20 $\mu m s^{-1}$; paths have a resolution in the order of the tip size (20 nm) and are detected by a Conducting-Atomic Force Microscopy tip in the conductivity maps.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures, published in Nature Communications as Article (8 pages

Synergistic effect induced by gold nanoparticles with polyphenols shell during thermal therapy: Macrophage inflammatory response and cancer cell death assessment

Background: In recent decades, gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-based cancer therapy has been heavily debated. The physico-chemical properties of AuNPs can be exploited in photothermal therapy, making them a powerful tool for selectively killing cancer cells. However, the synthetic side products and capping agents often induce a strong activation of the inflammatory pathways of macrophages, thus limiting their further applications in vivo. Methods: Here, we described a green method to obtain stable polyphenol-capped AuNPs (Au NPs@polyphenols), as polyphenols are known for their anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. These NPs were used in human macrophages to test key inflammation-related markers, such as NF-κB, TNF-α, and interleukins-6 and 8. The results were compared with similar NPs obtained by a traditional chemical route (without the polyphenol coating), proving the potential of Au NPs@polyphenols to strongly promote the shutdown of inflammation. This was useful in developing them for use as heat-synergized tools in the thermal treatment of two types of cancer cells, namely, breast cancer (MCF-7) and neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells. The cell viability, calcium release, oxidative stress, HSP-70 expression, mitochondrial, and DNA damage, as well as cytoskeleton alteration, were evaluated. Results: Our results clearly demonstrate that the combined strategy markedly exerts anticancer effects against the tested cancer cell, while neither of the single treatments (only heat or only NPs) induced significant changes. Conclusions: Au NP@polyphenols may be powerful agents in cancer treatment

ANALYSIS OF THE TRADITIONAL PASSIVE SYSTEMS PERFORMANCE THROUGH THE APPLICATION OF CFD SOFTWARE

The need to reduce energy consumption is pushing the building design research to the evaluation of passive conditioning systems, since urban buildings are one of the major energy dissipater resulting in emission of CO2. This approach is not modern, but it is historically rooted in the architectural culture of the Mediterranean area and in the Middle East. The passive systems have ancient origins: they were developed to mitigate the summer heat and the winter cold. To understand the reasons that led to the development of passive systems, it should be remembered that about One-Fifth of the emerged planet surface and One-Third of the world's population live in conditions of warm-dry or hot-humid. In addition, most continental areas, even above high values of latitude (50\ub0), are characterized by climatic conditions with summer temperatures over the limit levels of comfort. Nowadays the scientific knowledge and the modern technologies allow to understand the working of passive systems in order to apply them on buildings to improve indoor comfort. This can be obtained through a new approach that involves the elaboration of design strategies based on the development of techniques and on computational and control tools. This work will show the results of a research that aims to verify the working of natural passive cooling systems employed in existing ancient buildings throughout CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) software application. Particularly we will define, through computational tools, models and study cases to compare and to set proposals able to actualize the original passive systems conceived and developed in an empirical way

Using alternative or direct anthropometric measurements to assess risk for malnutrition in nursing homes.

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to use the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) to assess the applicability of alternative versus direct anthropometric measurements for evaluating the risk for malnutrition in older individuals living in nursing homes (NHs).MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional survey in 67 NHs in Tuscany, Italy. We measured the weight, standing height (SH), knee height (KH), ulna length (UL), and middle-upper-arm circumference of 641 NH residents. Correlations between the different methods for calculating body mass index (BMI; using direct or alternative measurements) were evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient and the Bland-Altman method; agreement in the allocation of participants to the same risk category was assessed by squared weighted kappa statistic and indicators of internal relative validity.ResultsThe intraclass correlation coefficient for BMI calculated using KH was 0.839 (0.815–0.861), whereas those calculated by UL were 0.890 (0.872–0.905). The limits of agreement were ±6.13 kg/m2 using KH and ±4.66 kg/m2 using UL. For BMI calculated using SH, 79.9% of the patients were at low risk, 8.1% at medium risk, and 12.2% at high risk for malnutrition. The agreement between this classification and that obtained using BMI calculated by alternative measurements was “fair-good.”ConclusionWhen it is not possible to determine risk category by using SH, we suggest using the alternative measurements (primarily UL, due to its highest sensitivity) to predict the height and to compare these evaluations with those obtained by using middle-upper-arm-circumference to predict the BMI

Comparison of Protein- or Amino Acid-Based Supplements in the Rehabilitation of Men with Severe Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Background: Weight loss is associated with a reduction in all body compartments, including muscle mass (MM), and this effect produces a decrease in function and muscle strength. Our objective was to assess the impact of protein or amino acid supplements on MM loss in middle-aged men (age 35 kg/m2) during weight loss. Materials and Methods: We conducted a single-site randomized controlled trial (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05143398) with 40 in-patient male subjects with severe obesity. Participants underwent an intervention program consisting of a low-calorie balanced diet and structured physical activity. They were randomly assigned to 4-week treatment groups: (1) control (CTR, N = 10), (2) protein (P, N = 10), (3) branched-chain amino acid (BCAA, N = 10), and (4) essential amino acid mixture with tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (PD-E07, N = 10) supplementation. Results: Following 4 weeks of intervention, all groups showed similar reductions in body weight compared to baseline. When examining the delta values, a notable increase in muscle mass (MM) was observed in the PD-E07 intervention group [MM (kg): 2.84 ± 3.57; MM (%): 3.63 ± 3.14], in contrast to the CTR group [MM (kg): −2.46 ± 3.04; MM (%): −0.47 ± 2.28], with a statistical significance of p = 0.045 and p = 0.023, respectively. However, the MM values for the P group [MM (kg): −2.75 ± 5.98, p = 0.734; MM (%): −0.44 ± 4.02, p = 0.990] and the BCAA group [MM (kg): −1 ± 3.3, p = 0.734; MM (%): 0.34 ± 2.85, p = 0.956] did not exhibit a statistically significant difference when compared to the CTR group. Conclusions: Amino acid-based supplements may effectively mitigate the loss of MM typically observed during weight reduction. Further validation through large-scale studies is necessary

Local Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Is Mastectomy Superior to Breast-Conserving Surgery?

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive type of breast cancer that lacks the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC accounts for about 15% of breast cancers and has a poorer prognosis as compared with other subtypes of breast cancer. The more rapid onset of this cancer and its aggressiveness have often convinced breast surgeons that mastectomy could provide better oncological results. However, there is no relevant clinical trial that has assessed differences between breast-conserving surgery (BCS) and mastectomy (M) in these patients. This population-based study aimed to investigate the distinct outcomes between conservative treatment and M in a case series of 289 patients with TNBC treated over a 9-year period. This monocentric study retrospectively evaluated patients with TNBC who underwent upfront surgery at Fondazione Policlinico Agostino Gemelli IRCCS, in Rome, between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2021. First, the patients were divided in two groups according to the surgical treatment received: BCS vs. M. Then, the patients were stratified into four risk subclasses based on combined T and N pathological staging (T1N0, T1N+, T2-4N0 and T2-4N+). The primary endpoint of the study was to evaluate locoregional disease-free survival (LR-DFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS) and overall survival (OS) in the different subclasses. We analyzed 289 patients that underwent either breast-conserving surgery (247/289, 85.5%) or mastectomy (42/289, 14.5%). After a median follow-up of 43.2 months (49.7, 22.2–74.3), 28 patients (9.6%) developed a locoregional recurrence, 27 patients (9.0%) showed systemic recurrence and 19 patients (6.5%) died. No significant differences due to type of surgical treatment were observed in the different risk subclasses in terms of locoregional disease-free survival, distant disease-free survival and overall survival. With the limits of a retrospective, single-center study, our data seem to indicate similar efficacy in terms of locoregional control, distant metastasis and overall survival with the use of upfront breast-conserving surgery as compared with radical surgery in the treatment of TNBC. Therefore, TNBC should not be considered to be a contraindication for breast conservation

The RIBES strategy for ex situ conservation: conventional and modern techniques for seed conservation

The Italian seed bank network (RIBES) aims to improve the quality and safety of the germplasm reserves of native plant species in Italy to ensure the long-term conservation of endangered and/or endemic flora. The strategy includes traditional methods to secure seed conservation. A comprehensive priority list for seed collection is being defined, it was prepared by crossing data of various checklists (red lists, endemics) and will soon be cross-referenced with an updated list of accessions of the whole network. A safety-backup program of duplicates will quickly be implemented to secure the conservation of the most threatened species in at least two seed banks of the network. On the other hand, the RIBES strategy also includes research by applying modern techniques. In collaboration with the Millennium Seed Bank, research on the storage behaviour of seeds and spores through thermal analysis is ongoing to inform conservation. Using the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), we could evaluate seed lipid properties such as glass transition temperature, melting, crystallization, oxidation behaviour, and thermal stability. Finally, RIBES participates as a co-funder in the LIFE Nature project SEEDFORCE, coordinating 11 seed banks of the network for collecting seeds/spores of 29 threatened species of EU interest

The RIBES strategy for ex situ conservation: conventional and modern techniques for seed conservation

The Italian seed bank network (RIBES) aims to improve the quality and safety of the germplasm reserves of native plant species in Italy to ensure the long-term conservation of endangered and/or endemic flora. The strategy includes traditional methods to secure seed conservation. A comprehensive priority list for seed collection is being defined, it was prepared by crossing data of various checklists (red lists, endemics) and will soon be cross-referenced with an updated list of accessions of the whole network. A safety-backup program of duplicates will quickly be implemented to secure the conservation of the most threatened species in at least two seed banks of the network. On the other hand, the RIBES strategy also includes research by applying modern techniques. In collaboration with the Millennium Seed Bank, research on the storage behaviour of seeds and spores through thermal analysis is ongoing to inform conservation. Using the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), we could evaluate seed lipid properties such as glass transition temperature, melting, crystallization, oxidation behaviour, and thermal stability. Finally, RIBES participates as a co-funder in the LIFE Nature project SEEDFORCE, coordinating 11 seed banks of the network for collecting seeds/spores of 29 threatened species of EU interest

Evolution of minimally invasive techniques and surgical outcomes of ALPPS in Italy: a comprehensive trend analysis over 10 years from a national prospective registry

BackgroundSince 2012, Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS) has encountered several modifications of its original technique. The primary endpoint of this study was to analyze the trend of ALPPS in Italy over a 10-year period. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate factors affecting the risk of morbidity/mortality/post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF).MethodsData of patients submitted to ALPPS between 2012 and 2021 were identified from the ALPPS Italian Registry and evaluation of time trends was performed.ResultsFrom 2012 to 2021, a total of 268 ALPPS were performed within 17 centers. The number of ALPPS divided by the total number of liver resections performed by each center slightly declined (APC = - 2.0%, p = 0.111). Minimally invasive (MI) approach significantly increased over the years (APC = + 49.5%, p = 0.002). According to multivariable analysis, MI completion of stage 1 was protective against 90-day mortality (OR = 0.05, p = 0.040) as well as enrollment within high-volume centers for liver surgery (OR = 0.32, p = 0.009). Use of interstage hepatobiliary scintigraphy (HBS) and biliary tumors were independent predictors of PHLF.ConclusionsThis national study showed that use of ALPPS only slightly declined over the years with an increased use of MI techniques, leading to lower 90-day mortality. PHLF still remains an open issue