Cellulose Nanocrystals (NCC) from Cotton Waste & Mucilage and Fibers from Opuntia Ficus Indica (OFI). Extraction and Application in Paper and Thermoplastic Starch Films

In recent decades, the global economic and financial crisis, and its effects in the social and environmental sectors, have dramatically highlighted the urgent need for a transition to a “green economy”, environmentally responsible as well as more equitable and supportive of everyone (i.e. that neither damages future generations nor creates dangerous imbalances within current ones). Over time, this has been accompanied by a growing awareness that the eco-compatibility of a new economic paradigm does not inhibit wealth creation or depress employment opportunities. On the contrary, the large-scale deployment of 'green' sectors offers significant investment, growth and employment opportunities for the entire production system. The environmental sustainability, the need to minimise human and industrial impact, and to optimize the use of available resources, have led all countries in the world, especially the industrialized ones, to take a number of decisions: the implementation of reforms and incentives for the protection of natural resources, the enhancement of environmentally-friendly infrastructures, the introduction of new market-based mechanisms for the diffusion of eco-technologies, the creation of investements for innovation and the elimination of environmentally harmful sibsidies. All these choices are of enormous value especially if you think, for example, about the problem of the global use of synthetic plastics: of the total production, about 40% is used for packaging, a sector in which plastic products are used for short periods of time; the fact that they are usually not compostable and difficult to recycle determines the worsening of environmental problems, such as the increasing volume of waste and its disposal; in terms of pollution, therefore, plastics represent an inextinguishable waste. With this mind, the utilization of renewable sources and the reuse of waste biomasses represent environmental imperatives, the foundations of new economic models recycling the by-products of various industries and protecting the environment from the long-term effects of pollution. This PhD project, taking all these considerations into account, regarded the reuse of cellulose waste (Cellulosic Solid Residue – CSR) obtained from different sources, which guarantee a large and reasonably constant availability, namely cotton waste from worn out textiles and cladodes of Opuntia ficus indica (OFI, also referred to as Nopal) plants. The experimental procedures carried out aimed to recycle the CSR (zero waste strategy), whit the idea of operating as much as possible in conditions of circular economy, optimizing the low-cost production of valuable substances [Cellulose Nanocrystals (NCC) in the first case, Nopal (mucilage and fibers) in the second one] to be introduced into different modern materials [Paper and Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) Films] in order to obtain their performance improvement (micro-morphological, mechanical and thermal properties were analyzed). The general objective of the entire work was to identify suitable applications for the specific waste materials mentioned above, of scarce or null economical value, suggesting the optimal processes for their treatment and final reuse, the whole in collaboration with important economic and cultural actors of Marche and Lazio regions (Italy)

Extraction of Cellulose Nanocrystals (NCC) from Cotton Waste and Morphology of NCC Obtained with Different Alkali Neutralization

The extraction of cellulose nanocrystals (NCC) from cotton textile waste, constituted by 70% long fibers and 30% cotton linter, was performed through the action of sulfuric acid followed by solution neutralization with two different alkalis, namely ammonia and sodium bicarbonate, which yielded microcellulose (MCC), then centrifuged to NCC. The action of the two alkalis was compared as for fiber repeatability and morphology, and the results obtained using ammonia were considered more suitable for possible introduction of NCC for the repair of historical paper artifacts. This evidence was obtained by applying optical/polarized light microscopy observation and dynamic light scattering (DLS) results

Multidisciplinary approach in the management of a complex case: Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of a periodontal smoking patient with partial edentulism, malocclusion, and aesthetic diseases

Complex periprosthetic cases are considered as challenges by clinicians. Clinical and radiographic parameters should be considered separately to make the right choice between an endodontically or periodontally compromised treated tooth and implant. Therefore, in order to decide whether the tooth is safe or not, data that have to be collected are specific parameters of both the patient and the clinician. In addition, the presence of periodontal, prosthetic, and orthodontic diseases requires patients to be set in multidisciplinary approach. The aim of this case report is to describe how the multidisciplinary approach could be the best way to manage difficult cases of implant-prosthetic rehabilitation. How to rehabilitate with fixed prosthesis on natural teeth and dental implants a smoker patient who presents with active periodontitis, multiple edentulous areas, dental malocclusion, and severe aesthetic problems was also described

Destabilisation, aggregation, toxicity and cytosolic mislocalisation of nucleophosmin regions associated with acute myeloid leukemia

Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a multifunctional protein that is implicated in the pathogenesis of several human malignancies. To gain insight into the role of isolated fragments of NPM1 in its biological activities, we dissected the C-terminal domain (CTD) into its helical fragments. Here we focus the attention on the third helix of the NPM1-CTD in its wild-type (H3 wt) and AML-mutated (H3 mutA and H3 mutE) sequences. Conformational studies, by means of CD and NMR spectroscopies, showed that the H3 wt peptide was partially endowed with an a-helical structure, but the AML-sequences exhibited a lower content of this conformation, particularly the H3 mutA peptide. Thioflavin T assays showed that the H3 mutE and the H3 mutA peptides displayed a significant aggregation propensity that was confirmed by CD and DLS assays. In addition, we found that the H3 mutE and H3 mutA peptides, unlike the H3 wt, were moderately and highly toxic, respectively, when exposed to human neuroblastoma cells. Cellular localization experiments confirmed that the mutated sequences hamper their nucleolar accumulation, and more importantly, that the helical conformation of the H3 region is crucial for such a localization

Destabilisation, aggregation, toxicity and cytosolic mislocalisation of nucleophosmin regions associated with acute myeloid leukemia

Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a multifunctional protein that is implicated in the pathogenesis of several human malignancies. To gain insight into the role of isolated fragments of NPM1 in its biological activities, we dissected the C-terminal domain (CTD) into its helical fragments. Here we focus the attention on the third helix of the NPM1-CTD in its wild-type (H3 wt) and AML-mutated (H3 mutA and H3 mutE) sequences. Conformational studies, by means of CD and NMR spectroscopies, showed that the H3 wt peptide was partially endowed with an a-helical structure, but the AML-sequences exhibited a lower content of this conformation, particularly the H3 mutA peptide. Thioflavin T assays showed that the H3 mutE and the H3 mutA peptides displayed a significant aggregation propensity that was confirmed by CD and DLS assays. In addition, we found that the H3 mutE and H3 mutA peptides, unlike the H3 wt, were moderately and highly toxic, respectively, when exposed to human neuroblastoma cells. Cellular localization experiments confirmed that the mutated sequences hamper their nucleolar accumulation, and more importantly, that the helical conformation of the H3 region is crucial for such a localization

Full-length genome sequence of a dengue serotype 1 virus isolate from a traveler returning from Democratic Republic of Congo to Italy, July 2019.

Abstract We report the full-genome sequence of a Dengue serotype-1 virus (DENV-1) isolated from a traveller returning in July 2019 to Italy from Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently affected by Ebola and measles outbreaks. The sequence shows high similarity with two 2013 strains isolated in Angola and China

The Italian Earthquakes and Tsunami Monitoring and Surveillance Systems

The Osservatorio Nazionale Terremoti (ONT) is the Italian seismic operational centre for monitoring earthquake, it is part of Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) the largest Italian research institution, with focus in Earth Sciences. INGV runs the Italian National Seismic Network (network code IV) and other networks at national scale for monitoring earthquakes and tsunami. INGV is a primary node of European Integrated Data Archive (EIDA) for archiving and distributing, continuous, quality checked seismic waveforms (strong motion and weak motion recordings). ONT designed the data acquisition system to accomplish, in near-real-time, automatic earthquake detection, hypocentre and magnitude determination and evaluation of moment tensors, shake maps and other products. Database archiving of all parametric results are closely linked to the existing procedures of the INGV seismic monitoring environment and surveillance procedures. ONT organize the Italian earthquake surveillance service and the tsunami alert service (INGV is Tsunami Service Provider of the ICG/NEAM for the entire Mediterranean basin). We provide information to the Dipartimento di Protezione Civile (DPC) and to several Mediterranean countries. Earthquakes information are revised routinely by the analysts of the Italian Seismic Bulletin. The results are published on the web and are available to the scientific community and the general public.PublishedMontreal1SR TERREMOTI - Sorveglianza Sismica e Allerta Tsunam

Planning and managing a seismic emergency: The INGV drill of November 26th, 2015 carried out in the framework of the activity line T5 "Seismic surveillance and post-earthquake operational procedures" | Pianificazione e gestione di un'emergenza sismica: Esercitazione INGV del 26 novembre 2015 effettuata nell'ambito della Linea di Attività T5 "Sorveglianza sismica e operatività post terremoto"

Nella Struttura Terremoti dell’INGV la Linea di Attività T5 “Sorveglianza sismica ed operatività postterremoto” si occupa delle attività di sviluppo di strumenti e procedure per la valutazione in tempo reale degli effetti di terremoti e tsunami e della gestione delle emergenze sismiche. Uno dei suoi obiettivi del 2015 era la formalizzazione dei protocolli di intervento di Gruppi d’Emergenza, avvenuta per Emergeo, Emersito, IES, QUEST e Sismiko con Decreto del Presidente nel luglio 2015. Altro obiettivo era l’elaborazione di un Protocollo di Ente per la gestione delle emergenze sismiche. La bozza preparata nel 2015 prevede l’importante novità dell’Unità di Crisi, mai formalizzata in precedenza. Attraverso questo Protocollo di Ente si auspica di migliorare la risposta logistico-operativa dell’INGV durante l’emergenza, di avere una più rapida conoscenza del fenomeno in corso e di realizzare un’efficace comunicazione verso Protezione Civile, media e pubblico. Per verificare il tutto è stata organizzata un’esercitazione in cui è stato simulato un terremoto di magnitudo 6.4 nel basso Lazio. Si sono così sperimentate l’efficacia del flusso azioni/informazioni durante un’emergenza, il funzionamento dell’Unità di Crisi, la funzionalità dei protocolli dei Gruppi d’Emergenza, l’efficienza delle attività in sede per gli aspetti tecnico-logistici, il flusso di comunicazione interno e le comunicazioni istituzionali esterne (queste ultime simulate). In questo articolo sono descritte le fasi di organizzazione ed attuazione dell’esercitazione. Inoltre, durante il suo svolgimento, la valutazione dell’efficacia dell’organizzazione e delle attività svolte dai gruppi coinvolti è stata affidata ad alcuni osservatori e qui è allegata l’elaborazione dei commenti riportati. Abbiamo fatto infine una sintesi dei risultati positivi e delle criticità emerse dall’esercitazione, attività così importante a nostro avviso da considerarne indispensabile la ripetizione con cadenza quanto meno annuale.Published1SR. TERREMOTI - Servizi e ricerca per la SocietàN/A or not JCRope

Acute Delta Hepatitis in Italy spanning three decades (1991–2019): Evidence for the effectiveness of the hepatitis B vaccination campaign

Updated incidence data of acute Delta virus hepatitis (HDV) are lacking worldwide. Our aim was to evaluate incidence of and risk factors for acute HDV in Italy after the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 1991. Data were obtained from the National Surveillance System of acute viral hepatitis (SEIEVA). Independent predictors of HDV were assessed by logistic-regression analysis. The incidence of acute HDV per 1-million population declined from 3.2 cases in 1987 to 0.04 in 2019, parallel to that of acute HBV per 100,000 from 10.0 to 0.39 cases during the same period. The median age of cases increased from 27 years in the decade 1991-1999 to 44 years in the decade 2010-2019 (p < .001). Over the same period, the male/female ratio decreased from 3.8 to 2.1, the proportion of coinfections increased from 55% to 75% (p = .003) and that of HBsAg positive acute hepatitis tested for by IgM anti-HDV linearly decreased from 50.1% to 34.1% (p < .001). People born abroad accounted for 24.6% of cases in 2004-2010 and 32.1% in 2011-2019. In the period 2010-2019, risky sexual behaviour (O.R. 4.2; 95%CI: 1.4-12.8) was the sole independent predictor of acute HDV; conversely intravenous drug use was no longer associated (O.R. 1.25; 95%CI: 0.15-10.22) with this. In conclusion, HBV vaccination was an effective measure to control acute HDV. Intravenous drug use is no longer an efficient mode of HDV spread. Testing for IgM-anti HDV is a grey area requiring alert. Acute HDV in foreigners should be monitored in the years to come