Repositioned natural compounds and nanoformulations: a promising combination to counteract cell damage and inflammation in respiratory viral infections

Respiratory viral diseases are among the most important causes of disability, morbidity, and death worldwide. Due to the limited efficacy or side effects of many current therapies and the increase in antiviral-resistant viral strains, the need to find new compounds to counteract these infections is growing. Since the development of new drugs is a time-consuming and expensive process, numerous studies have focused on the reuse of commercially available compounds, such as natural molecules with therapeutic properties. This phenomenon is generally called drug repurposing or repositioning and represents a valid emerging strategy in the drug discovery field. Unfortunately, the use of natural compounds in therapy has some limitations, due to their poor kinetic performance and consequently reduced therapeutic effect. The advent of nanotechnology in biomedicine has allowed this limitation to be overcome, showing that natural compounds in nanoform may represent a promising strategy against respiratory viral infections. In this narrative review, the beneficial effects of some promising natural molecules, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, and vitamin C, which have been already studied both in native form and in nanoform, against respiratory viral infections are presented and discussed. The review focuses on the ability of these natural compounds, analyzed in in vitro and in vivo studies, to counteract inflammation and cellular damage induced by viral infection and provide scientific evidence of the benefits of nanoformulations in increasing the therapeutic potential of these molecules

In vitro antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of N-Acetylglucosamine: development of an alternative and safe approach to fight viral respiratory infections

Viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. A prominent feature of severe respiratory infections, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, is the cytokine release syndrome. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop different approaches both against viral replication and against the consequent inflammation. N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), a glucosamine (GlcN) derivative, has been developed as an immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory inexpensive and non-toxic drug for non-communicable disease treatment and/or prevention. Recent studies have suggested that GlcN, due to its anti-inflammatory activity, could be potentially useful for the control of respiratory virus infections. Our present study aimed to evaluate in two different immortalized cell lines whether GlcNAc could inhibit or reduce both viral infectivity and the inflammatory response to viral infection. Two different viruses, frequent cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections, were used: the H1N1 Influenza A virus (IAV) (as model of enveloped RNA virus) and the Human adenovirus type 2 (Adv) (as model of naked DNA virus). Two forms of GlcNAc have been considered, bulk GlcNAc and GlcNAc in nanoform to overcome the possible pharmacokinetic limitations of GlcNAc. Our study suggests that GlcNAc restricts IAV replication but not Adv infection, whereas nano-GlcNAc inhibits both viruses. Moreover, GlcNAc and mainly its nanoformulation were able to reduce the pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion stimulated by viral infection. The correlation between inflammatory and infection inhibition is discussed

La prevenzione come scelta e le azioni prioritarie

XXL\u27analisi dei costi benefici pone problemi di ordine etico ed economico. Tuttavia utilizzando un approccio multidisciplinare e strumenti corretti, potrebbe aiutare i Policy Maker a decidere in maniera trasparente, come allocare le limitate risorse economiche disponibili verso gli interventi ambientali con il maggiore beneficio nett

Assessment of Corneal Fluorescein Staining in Different Dry Eye Subtypes Using Digital Image Analysis

To describe a new objective technique of digital image analysis for the quantification and the morphological characterization of corneal staining in the setting of dry eye disease (DED), and to apply it to distinguish Sj\uf6gren syndrome (SS) from ocular graft versus-host disease (oGVHD)

Higher health effects of ambient particles during the warm season: Therole of infiltration factors

A large number of studies have shown much higher health effects of particulate matter (PM) during the warm compared to the cold season. In this paper we present the results of an experimental study carried out in an unoccupied test apartment with the aim of understanding the reasons behind the seasonal variations of the health effects due to ambient PM2.5 exposure. Measurements included indoor and outdoor PM2.5 mass and chemical composition as well as particle size distribution of ultrafine particles. Monitoring campaigns were carried out during summer and winter following a ventilation protocol developed to replicate typical occupant behaviour according to a questionnaire-based survey. Our findings showed that seasonal variation of the relationship between ambient and indoor mass concentrations cannot entirely explain the apparent difference in PM toxicity between seasons and size distribution and chemical composition of particles were identified as other possible causes of changes in the apparent PM toxicity. A marked decrease of ultrafine particles (<100\u202fnm) passing from outdoors to indoors was observed during winter; this resulted in higher indoor exposure to nanoparticles (<50\u202fnm) during summer. With regards to the chemical composition, a pooled analysis showed infiltration factors of chemical species similar to that obtained for PM2.5 mass with values increasing from 0.73 during winter to 0.90 during summer and few deviations from the pooled estimates. In particular, significantly lower infiltration factors and sink effect were found for nitrates and ammonium during winter. In addition, a marked increase in the contribution of indoor and outdoor sulfates to the total mass was observed during summer

Contenuto proteico del grano e variabili agronomiche: un'analisi statistica

In this paper the effect of agronomic factors, and that of their interactions, on wheat protein percentage has been studied. The analysis is based on the data collected on the wheat cultivation of Bologna and Modena provinces in the year 1999-2000 and considers the main agronomic variables. Interesting conclusions about interactions of climatic, soil and cultivation aspects have been drawn by employing the method of nonparametric regression known as regression trees. In particular, the importance of manuring has emerged: a right fertilizing plan, with respect both to the dosage time and to the dosage intensity, seems to damp the consequences of heavy rainfalls or bad previous cultivations

With antitransglutaminase antibodies in the breast milk, is breastfeeding beneficial or harmful?

Breast milk is fundamental to induce an appropriate immunotolerance in the newborn. Here, we present the case of a young mother who was diagnosed with celiac disease while breastfeeding. She is dealing with the problem of knowing that celiac diseaseâ\u80\u93specific autoantibodies are present in her breast milk, but not knowing if they are potentially harmful to her baby

Emergency ambulance dispatches and apparent temperature: A time series analysis in Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Introduction: Increases in mortality associated with oppressive weather have been widely investigated in several epidemiological studies. However, to properly understand the full public health significance of heat-related health effects, as well as to develop an effective surveillance system, it is also important to investigate the impact of stressful meteorological conditions on non-fatal events. The objective of our study was to evaluate the exposure-response relationship of ambulance dispatch data in association with biometeorological conditions using time series techniques similar to those used in previous studies on mortality. Methods: Daily data of emergency ambulance dispatches for people aged 35 or older in the summer periods from 2002 to 2006 were collected for the major towns in the Emilia-Romagna region. In the first stage of the analysis, the city-specific relationship between daily ambulance dispatches and increasing apparent temperature was explored using Generalized Additive Models while controlling for air pollution, seasonality, long-term trend, holidays and weekends. The relationship between ambulance dispatches and apparent temperature was approximated by linear splines. The effects of high temperatures on health were evaluated for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases as well as for all non-traumatic conditions. In the second stage of the analysis, city-specific effects were combined in fixed or random effect meta-analyses. Results: The percent change in the ambulance dispatches associated with every 1. \uc2\ub0C increase in the mean apparent temperature between 25 and 30. \uc2\ub0C was 1.45% (95% confidence interval: 0.95, 1.95) for non-traumatic diseases and 2.74% (95% CI: 1.34, 4.14) for respiratory diseases. The percent increase in risk was greater on days in which the mean apparent temperature exceeded 30. \uc2\ub0C (8.85%, 95% CI: 7.12, 10.58 for non-traumatic diseases). In this interval of biometeorological conditions, cardiovascular diseases became positively associated with the apparent temperature. The risks increased with age. The increase in risk for the non-traumatic diseases reached 13.34% for people aged 75 or older compared to 4.75% for those aged 35-64. Conclusion: Time series analysis techniques were adopted for the first time to investigate emergency ambulance dispatches to evaluate the risks associated with biometeorological discomfort. Our findings show a strong relationship between biometeorological conditions and ambulance dispatches. \uc2\ua9 2011 Elsevier Inc

PROGETTO SUPERSITO

The project is focused on a detailed study of some chemical, physical and toxicological parameters and on health, epidemiological and environmental assessment by interpretative models, in the atmosphere of Emilia-Romagna (Italy). The project rises from the necessity to improve  knowledge about environmental and health aspects of fine and ultrafine particles, in primary and secondary components, in the atmosphere. The project, structured in 7 workpackages, is organized in two measurement programmes: the routine one that has a mainly daily time resolution, and the intensive one with high time resolution and a higher chemical speciation than the routine one. The sampling sites are five: three in urban areas (Bologna, Parma and Rimini), one in a rural area (San Pietro Capofiume) and one in a remote area (Monte Cimone). Parallel to outdoor studies, a workpackage  is planned for indoor studies and chemical composition analysis with the  outdoor/indoor ratio for characterizing indoor human exposure to outdoor pollution.Le projet consiste en une étude détaillée des paramètres chimiques, physiques et météorologiques et une évaluation sanitaire, épidémiologique et l’environnementale (grâce à des modèles), dans l’atmosphère de la région Emilie-Romagne. L’objectif du projet est le progrès des connaissances sur les aspects environnementaux et sanitaires des particules fines et ultra-fines en composants primaires et/ou secondaires dans l’ atmosphère. Le projet, articulé en 7 lignes directrices,  est organisé en deux programmes de mesures: un programme de routine avec une fréquence temporelle surtout quotidienne et un programme intensif avec une fréquence temporelle èlevée et un éventail plus large de l'analyse.  Les sites de mesure sont au nombre de cinq:  trois dans la zone urbaine (Bologne, Parme et Rimini), un dans la zone rurale (San Pietro Capofiume) et un dans une région reculée (Monte Cimone). Parallèlement, une ligne directrice se concentre sur l’étude du rapport intérieur/extérieur des composants  de la qualité de l’air dans les bâtiments, pour caractériser l'exposition humaine à la pollution extérieure lorsque les sujets son à l’intérieur.Lo scopo del progetto è la realizzazione di uno studio integrato dell’inquinamento dell’atmosfera in Emilia-Romagna attraverso misure di parametri chimici, fisici, tossicologici e valutazioni sanitarie, epidemiologiche ed ambientali mediante modelli interpretativi. Il progetto nasce dalla necessità di migliorare le conoscenze relativamente agli aspetti ambientali e sanitari del particolato fine ed ultrafine, nelle componenti e/o secondarie, presente in atmosfera. Il progetto, strutturato in 7 linee progettuali, è organizzato in due programmi di misure: uno routinario in cui sono previsti campionamenti giornalieri ed uno intensivo in cui è prevista una speciazione più dettagliata con maggiore risoluzione temporale. I siti di campionamento sono 5: 3 in area urbana (Bologna, Parma e Rimini), 1 in  area rurale (San Pietro Capofiume) e 1 in area remota (Monte Cimone). Contestualmente agli studi outdoor è prevista una linea progettuale che si occupa dello studio del particolato, della sua composizione chimica nel rapporto qualità dell’aria outdoor/indoor e della caratterizzazione dell’esposizione della popolazione in ambienti indoor agli inquinanti tipici dell’ambiente outdoor