Self-assessment and career choices: an on-line resource for the university of Salerno

Aim of this paper is to examine the different factors that might influence high school students in their choice of a University degree program and the relationship with occupational interests. In this framework, an on-line questionnaire, “The Self-Assessment and Career Choices scale”, has been proposed for the University of Salerno as a service offered by the orientation office in order to investigate the career decision process. In the following, a brief description of the scale is given, along with the main results of the exploratory analysis performed on the data collected during the first year of implementation of the scale on the web

Nitrogen budget and statistical entropy analysis of the Tiber River catchment, a highly anthropized environment

Modern farming causes a decline in the recycling of the soil's inorganic matter due to losses by leaching, runoff, or infiltration into the groundwater. The Soil System Budget approach was applied to evaluate the net N budget at the catchment and sub-catchment levels of the Tiber River (central Italy) in order to establish the causes for different N budgets among the sub-catchments. Statistical Entropy Analysis (SEA) was used to evaluate the N efficiency of the Tiber River and its sub-catchments, providing information on the dispersion of different N forms in the environment. The total N inputs exceeded the total outputs, showing a low N retention (15.8%) at the catchment level, although some sub-catchments showed higher N retention values. The Utilized Agricultural Area was important in the determination of the N balance, as it was linked to zoo- and agricultural activities, although the Random Forest analysis showed that the importance ranking changed with the land use. The low N retention of the Tiber catchment was due to the soil characteristics (Cambisols and Leptosols), loads from atmospheric deposition, biological fixation, and the livestock industry. The SEA simulations showed a reduction of the N released into the atmosphere and groundwater compartments from 34% to 6% through a reduction of the N loads by 50%

Exploiting the Properties of Ti-Doped CVD-Grown Diamonds for the Assembling of Electrodes

A hybrid chemical vapor deposition (CVD)‐powder flowing technique specifically developed in lab has been employed to produce high‐quality polycrystalline diamond layers containing Ti inclusions. Morphology, structural features, and surface composition of nanocomposite diamond‐based samples produced by different growth times have been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Raman and Auger spectroscopy, respectively. The CVD methodology adopted for the Ti incorporation in the diamond lattice does not perturb the crystalline quality of the diamond matrix, therefore maintaining the outstanding properties of the C‐sp3 phase. The functional properties of the nanocomposite layers have been tested by nanoindentation and I–V measurements. The electrochemical performance of the diamond/Ti electrodes is evaluated by performing cyclic voltammetry in different media, namely, acidic, neutral, and basic aqueous solutions, and by estimating the rate constant of heterogeneous electron transfer to diamond surface for the ferro/ferricyanide redox couple. The rather good electrochemical performances, the mechanical strength, and the chemical inertness of the Ti‐doped diamond electrodes produced by the CVD approach, comply with the whole set of technological requirements, such as robustness, long durability, and biocompatibility, required for use in hostile environments or in biological systems

Biomimetic cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogels for treating obesity

In the treatment of obesity, nutritional and behavioral modifications are difficult to implement and maintain. Since vegetable consumption is a fundamental part of many dietary interventions and daily nutrient requirements, we developed a novel cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogel (CB-SAH) platform, inspired by the composition and mechanical properties of raw vegetables, as a mechanobiological therapy. The CB-SAHs properties were studied in a simulated gastrointestinal environment, while their impact on gut tissue was investigated by an ex vivo organ culture (EVOC) model. Functional fibers and raw vegetables were used as reference. CB-SAHs demonstrated orders of magnitude higher elasticity in comparison to the tested functional fibers, however performed similar to the tested raw vegetables. Notably, the biomimetic CB-SAHs with elasticity levels similar to raw vegetables showed benefits in preserving and regulating the gut tissue in the EVOC model. Non-systemic oral mechanotherapeutics based on this technology were advanced through clinical studies, with a first product cleared as an aid for weight management in the US and Europe

Vandetanib versus cabozantinib in medullary thyroid carcinoma:A focus on anti‐angiogenic effects in zebrafish model

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a tumor deriving from the thyroid C cells. Vandetanib (VAN) and cabozantinib (CAB) are two tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting REar-ranged during Transfection (RET) and other kinase receptors and are approved for the treatment of advanced MTC. We aim to compare the in vitro and in vivo anti‐tumor activity of VAN and CAB in MTC. The effects of VAN and CAB on viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis of TT and MZ‐CRC‐1 cells are evaluated in vitro using an MTT assay, DNA flow cytometry with propidium iodide, and An-nexin V‐FITC/propidium iodide staining, respectively. In vivo, the anti‐angiogenic potential of VAN and CAB is evaluated in Tg(fli1a:EGFP)y1 transgenic fluorescent zebrafish embryos by ana-lyzing the effects on the physiological development of the sub‐intestinal vein plexus and the tu-mor‐induced angiogenesis after TT and MZ‐CRC‐1 xenotransplantation. VAN and CAB exert comparable effects on TT and MZ‐CRC‐1 viability inhibition and cell cycle perturbation, and stimulated apoptosis with a prominent effect by VAN in MZ‐CRC‐1 and CAB in TT cells. Regard-ing zebrafish, both drugs inhibit angiogenesis in a dose‐dependent manner, in particular CAB shows a more potent anti‐angiogenic activity than VAN. To conclude, although VAN and CAB show comparable antiproliferative effects in MTC, the anti‐angiogenic activity of CAB appears to be more relevant.</p

The Role of Molecular Chaperones in Virus Infection and Implications for Understanding and Treating COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic made imperative the search for means to end it, which requires a knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning the multiplication and spread of its cause, the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Many viruses use members of the hosts' chaperoning system to infect the target cells, replicate, and spread, and here we present illustrative examples. Unfortunately, the role of chaperones in the SARS-CoV-2 cycle is still poorly understood. In this review, we examine the interactions of various coronaviruses during their infectious cycle with chaperones in search of information useful for future research on SARS-CoV-2. We also call attention to the possible role of molecular mimicry in the development of autoimmunity and its widespread pathogenic impact in COVID-19 patients. Viral proteins share highly antigenic epitopes with human chaperones, eliciting anti-viral antibodies that crossreact with the chaperones. Both, the critical functions of chaperones in the infectious cycle of viruses and the possible role of these molecules in COVID-19 autoimmune phenomena, make clear that molecular chaperones are promising candidates for the development of antiviral strategies. These could consist of inhibiting-blocking those chaperones that are necessary for the infectious viral cycle, or those that act as autoantigens in the autoimmune reactions causing generalized destructive effects on human tissues

Air Pollution: Role of Extracellular Vesicles-Derived Non-Coding RNAs in Environmental Stress Response

Air pollution has increased over the years, causing a negative impact on society due to the many health-related problems it can contribute to. Although the type and extent of air pollutants are known, the molecular mechanisms underlying the induction of negative effects on the human body remain unclear. Emerging evidence suggests the crucial involvement of different molecular mediators in inflammation and oxidative stress in air pollution-induced disorders. Among these, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) carried by extracellular vesicles (EVs) may play an essential role in gene regulation of the cell stress response in pollutant-induced multiorgan disorders. This review highlights EV-transported ncRNAs’ roles in physiological and pathological conditions, such as the development of cancer and respiratory, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular diseases following exposure to various environmental stressors

Photoinduced Ring Opening Copolymerization of Perfluoropolyalkylethers

Perfluoropolyalkylethers (PFPAEs), based on structural units such as –(CF2O)–, –(CF2CF2O)–, –(CF2CF2CF2O)– and –(CF(CF3)CF2O)–, represent a special class of fluoropolymers with remarkable properties (low glass transition temperature, high chemical and thermal inertness, low surface energy and refractive index, excellent ageing, weather and flame resistances)[1]. They can be a non-toxic alternative to the long perfluoroalkyl chains presently banned in many countries[2], and be used in many high technology areas such as aerospace, aeronautic (seals, gaskets), automotive industry, microelectronics, optics or even for antifouling and release coatings or textile treatment. The purpose of our work is to synthesize new PFPAEs by anionic ring-opening polymerization of hexafluoropropoxide (HFPO) and functionalize them with different reactive groups. Here we describe the synthesis of PFPAE monofunctional alcohols (HFPOn-MA) with different molecular weight and their use in photoinduced ring-opening polymerization of non-fluorinated diepoxides. The bulk properties of the UV-cured copolymers were practically unaffected by the presence of the fluorinated comonomers when added in low amount (less than 5%wt), but their addition reflected on the surface properties, that were strongly modified

Impacts of air pollution on human and ecosystem health, and implications for the National Emission Ceilings Directive. Insights from Italy

Across the 28 EU member states there were nearly half a million premature deaths in 2015 as a result of exposure to PM2.5, O3 and NO2. To set the target for air quality levels and avoid negative impacts for human and ecosystems health, the National Emission Ceilings Directive (NECD, 2016/2284/EU) sets objectives for emission reduction for SO2, NOx, NMVOCs, NH3 and PM2.5 for each Member State as percentages of reduction to be reached in 2020 and 2030 compared to the emission levels into 2005. One of the innovations of NECD is Article 9, that mentions the issue of “monitoring air pollution impacts” on ecosystems. We provide a clear picture of what is available in term of monitoring network for air pollution impacts on Italian ecosystems, summarizing what has been done to control air pollution and its effects on different ecosystems in Italy. We provide an overview of the impacts of air pollution on health of the Italian population and evaluate opportunities and implementation of Article 9 in the Italian context, as a case study beneficial for all Member States. The results showed that SO42− deposition strongly decreased in all monitoring sites in Italy over the period 1999–2017, while NO3− and NH4+ decreased more slightly. As a consequence, most of the acid-sensitive sites which underwent acidification in the 1980s partially recovered. The O3 concentration at forest sites showed a decreasing trend. Consequently, AOT40 (the metric identified to protect vegetation from ozone pollution) showed a decrease, even if values were still above the limit for forest protection (5000 ppb h−1), while PODy (flux-based metric under discussion as new European legislative standard for forest protection) showed an increase. National scale studies pointed out that PM10 and NO2 induced about 58,000 premature deaths (year 2005), due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The network identified for Italy contains a good number of monitoring sites (6 for terrestrial ecosystem monitoring, 4 for water bodies monitoring and 11 for ozone impact monitoring) distributed over the territory and will produce a high number of monitored parameters for the implementation of the NECD