Efficient Ligand Passivation Enables Ultrastable CsPbX3 Perovskite Nanocrystals in Fully Alcohol Environments

Halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have demonstrated their wide potential to fabricate efficient optoelectronic devices and to prepare promising photocatalysts for solar-driven photo(electro)chemical reactions. However, their use in most of the practical applications is limited due to the instability of PNCs in polar environments. Here, the preparation of non-encapsulated CsPbX3 nanocrystals dispersed in fully alcohol environments, with outstanding stability through surface defect passivation strategy is reported. By using didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) during material post-treatment, highly luminescent CsPbBr3 PNCs with remarkable stability in methanol/butanol medium up to 7 months with near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield are achieved. This approach is extrapolated to stabilize iodine-based CsPbBr3-xIx and CsPbI3 PNCs, showing an improvement of their photoluminescence features and stability in these high polar alcohols up to 6 h. DDAB mediates the defect suppression through ligand exchange and avoids the full permeation of alcohol to be in contact with the PNCs. In this context, DDAB induces ionization of alcohol molecules to strengthen the surface passivation. The findings open the door to the development of long-term stable CsPbX3 PNCs with high optical performance to be used in polar environments.This work was supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) via OHPERA project (grant agreement 101071010), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under projects STABLE (PID2019-107314RB-I00) and ECOCAT (PID2020-116093RB-C41), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under project She-LED (PID2021-122960OA-I00), and the Generalitat Valenciana via Prometeo Grant Q-Solutions (CIPROM/2021/078). C.A.M. acknowledges APOSTD grant (APOSTD/2021/251) for funding. The authors also thank the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic for the financial support of XPS measurements using CEMNAT infrastructure (project LM 2018103). The authors are very grateful to the “Serveis Centrals d'Instrumentació Científica (SCIC)” of the Universitat Jaume I

Diagnostics for the knowledge: the case of the tower of Palazzo Termine Pietragliata in Palermo (Italy)

[EN] Developing a methodological approach is crucial to assess the state of conservation of a monument, starting from the overall analysis, progressively moving from small to medium scale and reaching the grand scale at the end. Considering the territory, causes are investigated in order to understand the propensities, as well as considering a single monument, evidences are carefully read to assess the overall conditions, that will be lately detailed by the analysis on materials and their degradation. The object of this study is the tower of the Palazzo Pietragliata in Palermo, one of the most important examples of the late Gothic civil architecture in Sicily. The Palace, built in 1473 by Prince of Baucina, possesses an imposing crenellated tower, whose two levels are connected by an original internal staircase “cargol” like, an extraordinary example of the influence of Catalan Gothic architecture in Sicily. Some micro samples were taken from the tower structure, made entirely of blocks of biocalcarenite, on which diagnostic investigations were performed in the laboratory. In the context of a more comprehensive interdisciplinary study, this paper illustrates the specific results of the micro analysis conducted in the laboratory and particularly those made through the use of the SEM and biological investigations, also paying attention to the pathologies detected on the battlements of the tower. These forms of decay, for their variety, represent a significant example that allows to properly illustrate the adopted study method.Gattuso, C.; Fernandez, F.; Pecoraro, MM.; Palermo, AM. (2015). Diagnostics for the knowledge: the case of the tower of Palazzo Termine Pietragliata in Palermo (Italy). En Defensive architecture of the mediterranean: XV to XVIII centuries. Vol. I. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 389-396. https://doi.org/10.4995/FORTMED2015.2015.1760OCS38939

Multidisciplinary studies on a sick-leader syndrome-associated mass stranding of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) along the Adriatic coast of Italy

Mass strandings of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are rare in the Mediterranean Sea. Nevertheless, in 2014 a pod of 7 specimens stranded alive along the Italian coast of the Central Adriatic Sea: 3 individuals died on the beach after a few hours due to internal damages induced by prolonged recumbency; the remaining 4 whales were refloated after great efforts. All the dead animals were genetically related females; one was pregnant. All the animals were infected by dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) and the pregnant whale was also affected by a severe nephropathy due to a large kidney stone. Other analyses ruled out other possible relevant factors related to weather conditions or human activities. The results of multidisciplinary post-mortem analyses revealed that the 7 sperm whales entered the Adriatic Sea encountering adverse weather conditions and then kept heading northward following the pregnant but sick leader of the pod, thereby reaching the stranding site. DMV infection most likely played a crucial role in impairing the health condition and orientation abilities of the whales. They did not steer back towards deeper waters, but eventually stranded along the Central Adriatic Sea coastline, a real trap for sperm whales

IGF-II promotes neuroprotection and neuroplasticity recovery in a long-lasting model of oxidative damage induced by glucocorticoids

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is a naturally occurring hormone that exerts neurotrophic and neuroprotective properties in a wide range of neurodegenerative diseases and ageing. Accumulating evidence suggests that the effects of IGF-II in the brain may be explained by its binding to the specific transmembrane receptor, IGFII/M6P receptor (IGF-IIR). However, relatively little is known regarding the role of IGF-II through IGF-IIR in neuroprotection. Here, using adult cortical neuronal cultures, we investigated whether IGF-II exhibits long-term antioxidant effects and neuroprotection at the synaptic level after oxidative damage induced by high and transient levels of corticosterone (CORT). Furthermore, the involvement of the IGF-IIR was also studied to elucidate its role in the neuroprotective actions of IGF-II. We found that neurons treated with IGF-II after CORT incubation showed reduced oxidative stress damage and recovered antioxidant status (normalized total antioxidant status, lipid hydroperoxides and NAD(P) H:quinone oxidoreductase activity). Similar results were obtained when mitochondria function was analysed (cytochrome c oxidase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential and subcellular mitochondrial distribution). Furthermore, neuronal impairment and degeneration were also assessed (synaptophysin and PSD-95 expression, presynaptic function and FluoroJade B® stain). IGF-II was also able to recover the long-lasting neuronal cell damage. Finally, the effects of IGF-II were not blocked by an IGF-IR antagonist, suggesting the involvement of IGF-IIR. Altogether these results suggest that, in or model, IGF-II through IGF-IIR is able to revert the oxidative damage induced by CORT. In accordance with the neuroprotective role of the IGF-II/IGF-IIR reported in our study, pharmacotherapy approaches targeting this pathway may be useful for the treatment of diseases associated with cognitive deficits (i.e., neurodegenerative disorders, depression, etc.)

Evaluating the effect of insensitive high explosive residues on soil using an environmental quality index (EQI) approach

The environmental impact of Insensitive High Explosive (IHE) detonation residues to soil quality was assessed using a series of outdoor soil mesocosms. Two different soils were used including a pristine sandy soil and a land-degraded soil collected from a training range. Both soils were spiked with an IHE mixture comprised of 53 % NTO, 32 % DNAN and 15 % RDX at three different concentrations 15, 146 and 367 mg/kg respectively. The concentration levels were derived from approximate residues from 100 detonations over a 2 week training period. A set of five physico-chemical and biological indicators representative of the two soils were selected to develop environmental quality indexes (EQI). It was found that none of the concentrations tested for the pristine soil affected the chemical, biological and physical indicators, suggesting no decrease in soil quality. In contrast, the EQI for the degraded soil was reduced by 24 %, mainly due to a decrease in the chemical and biological components of the soil. Therefore, it is concluded that depending on the soil health status, IHE residues can have minor or severe consequences on soil health. Further studies are needed to determine the environmental impact of IHE on soil and water especially in the case where a larger number of detonations are more likely to be carried out on a training range

Multiplicity of blaKPC genes and pKpQIL plasmid plasticity in the development of ceftazidime-avibactam and Meropenem coresistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 307

In 2021, Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 307 (ST307) strains causing pulmonary and bloodstream infections identified in a hospital in Rome, Italy, reached high levels of resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA). One of these strains reached high levels of resistance to both CZA and carbapenems and carried two copies of bla(KPC-3) and one copy of bla(KPC-31) located on plasmid pKpQIL. The genomes and plasmids of CZA-resistant ST307 strains were analyzed to identify the molecular mechanisms leading to the evolution of resistance and compared with ST307 genomes at local and global levels. A complex pattern of multiple plasmids in rearranged configurations, coresident within the CZA-carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae strain, was observed. Characterization of these plasmids revealed recombination and segregation events explaining why K. pneumoniae isolates from the same patient had different antibiotic resistance profiles. This study illustrates the intense genetic plasticity occurring in ST307, one of the most worldwide-diffused K. pneumoniae high-risk clones.In 2021, Klebsiella pneumoniae sequence type 307 (ST307) strains causing pulmonary and bloodstream infections identified in a hospital in Rome, Italy, reached high levels of resistance to ceftazidime-avibactam (CZA). One of these strains reached high levels of resistance to both CZA and carbapenems and carried two copies of bla(KPC-3) and one copy of bla(KPC-31) located on plasmid pKpQIL

A comparative study of the influence of the deposition technique (electrodeposition versus sputtering) on the properties of nanostructured Fe70Pd30 films

Sputtering and electrodeposition are among the most widespread techniques for metallic thin film deposition. Since these techniques operate under different principles, the resulting films typically show different microstructures even when the chemical composition is kept fixed. In this work, films of Fe70Pd30 were produced in a thickness range between 30 and 600 nm, using both electrodeposition and sputtering. The electrodeposited films were deposited under potentiostatic regime from an ammonia sulfosalicylic acid-based aqueous solution. Meanwhile, the sputtered films were deposited from a composite target in radio frequency regime. Both approaches were proven to yield high quality and homogenous films. However, their crystallographic structure was different. Although all films were polycrystalline and Fe and Pd formed a solid solution with a body-centered cubic structure, a palladium hydride phase was additionally detected in the electrodeposited films. The occurrence of this phase induced internal stress in the films, thereby influencing their magnetic properties. In particular, the thickest electrodeposited Fe70Pd30 films showed out-of-plane magnetic anisotropy, whereas the magnetization easy axis lied in the film plane for all the sputtered films. The domain pattern of the electrodeposited films was investigated by magnetic force microscopy. Finally, nanoindentation studies highlighted the high quality of both the sputtered and electrodeposited films, the former exhibiting higher reduced Young’s modulus and Berkovich hardness values

Testing e validazione comparativa di coating idrofobizzanti per superfici in gelcoat

Nell’industria delle telecomunicazioni a supporto del settore aerospaziale, il mantenimento dell’efficacia e della sicurezza delle trasmissioni in condizioni ambientali estreme assume un’importanza crescente, in funzione della sempre maggiore diffusione dei siti trasmittenti/riceventi, operativi su scala planetaria. In questa cornice, si richiede che gli elementi a protezione dei dispositivi installati si dimostrino durevoli nel tempo anche quando esposti ad abbondanti precipitazioni, accumuli nevosi continuati o stratificazioni di ghiaccio, e improvvisi shock termici, garantendo nel contempo la fedeltà della trasmissione. Una marcata idrofobicità degli strati esterni delle coperture risulta quindi alla base per mantenerne l’efficacia nel tempo. Nel presente studio sono vengono riportati e confrontati i risultati di una serie di trattamenti idrofobizzanti su superfici di elementi tecnici in gelcoat costruiti per strutture radome, insieme a prove di resistenza meccanica, al fine di simulare in laboratorio le effettive condizioni di esposizione al danneggiamento. A questo scopo, le superfici sono state sottoposte a prove di bagnabilità tramite misurazione dell’ angolo di contatto e a test di resistenza meccanica alla scalfittura e di aderenza dei rivestimenti applicati, tramite Pencil Hardness Test, Cross-cut test, Scotch tape Test e pull-off Test. I campioni sono stati sottoposti ad un processo di invecchiamento accelerato mirato, alfine di valutare il mantenimento delle proprietà nel tempo. La comparazione multiparametrica dei risultati ottenuti ha reso possibile individuare i trattamenti che esibiscono performance eccellenti in termini di proprietà ultra-idrofobizzanti coniugate alla resistenza meccanica, anche mantenute nel tempo

NSMCE2 suppresses cancer and aging in mice independently of its SUMO ligase activity.

The SMC5/6 complex is the least understood of SMC complexes. In yeast, smc5/6 mutants phenocopy mutations in sgs1, the BLM ortholog that is deficient in Bloom's syndrome (BS). We here show that NSMCE2 (Mms21, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae), an essential SUMO ligase of the SMC5/6 complex, suppresses cancer and aging in mice. Surprisingly, a mutation that compromises NSMCE2-dependent SUMOylation does not have a detectable impact on murine lifespan. In contrast, NSMCE2 deletion in adult mice leads to pathologies resembling those found in patients of BS. Moreover, and whereas NSMCE2 deletion does not have a detectable impact on DNA replication, NSMCE2-deficient cells also present the cellular hallmarks of BS such as increased recombination rates and an accumulation of micronuclei. Despite the similarities, NSMCE2 and BLM foci do not colocalize and concomitant deletion of Blm and Nsmce2 in B lymphocytes further increases recombination rates and is synthetic lethal due to severe chromosome mis-segregation. Our work reveals that SUMO- and BLM-independent activities of NSMCE2 limit recombination and facilitate segregation; functions of the SMC5/6 complex that are necessary to prevent cancer and aging in mice.The authors want to thank Jordi Torres and Mark O'Driscoll for comments on the manuscript. Work in OF laboratory related to this project was supported by Fundacion Botin, by Banco Santander through its Santander Universities Global Division and by grants from MINECO (SAF2011-23753 and SAF2014-57791-REDC), Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the European Research Council (ERC-617840). Work in JM laboratory was funded by a grant from MINECO (BFU2013-49153P).S

SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody combination therapy in patients with COVID-19 and primary antibody deficiency

: Previous reports highlighted the efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against COVID-19. Here we conducted a prospective study on clinical outcome and antiviral effect of mAbs added to standard of care therapy in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with Primary Antibody Defects. Median time of SARS-CoV-2 qPCR positivity was shorter in eight patients treated with mAbs (22 days) than in ten patients treated with standard of care therapy only (37 days, p=0.026). Median time of SARS-CoV-2 qPCR positivity from mAbs administration was 10 days. SARS-CoV-2 mAbs treatment was effective and well-tolerated in patients with Primary Antibody Defects