Bacterial lysate enhances protective mucosal immunity via increased expression of antimicrobial peptides

Polyvalent mechanical bacterial lysate (PMBL) has been reported to be effective in the prevention of common respiratory tract infections. PMBL are produced through a process that preserves the structure of the bacterial antigens and because of their immunogenic capabilities, increasing importance is given to its mechanism of action, not yet fully understood. Respiratory tract epithelial cells constitute a front-line physical barrier between the organism and the environment. They are able to sense pathogen associated molecular patterns and secrete a wide spectrum of protective factors. By using primary normal Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (HBEpiCs), we observed that PMBL can improve epithelial barrier integrity via induction of adhesion molecules. Along with adhesion molecules, PMBL had a significant effect on epithelial cell proliferation increasing the expression of the autocrine growth factor Amphiregulin (AR). Moreover, treatment with PMBL promoted ex-novo gene expression of human beta-defensin 2 (H\u3b2D-2) on HBEpiCs and conferred them a direct antimicrobial activity. Epithelial cells are structural components of mucosal immunity that include also dendritic cells (DCs) and innate lymphoid cell-type 3 (ILC3s). PMBL induced IL-23 and IL-1\u3b2 secretion by DCs that, in turn, activate ILC3s to produce IL-22, cytokine primarily involved in the induction of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Interestingly, IL-23 produced by DCs can also activate epithelial cells and lead to a boost of IL-22 production by ILC3s. Remarkably, H\u3b2D-2 and LL-37 AMPs can be induced in the saliva of normal subjects after administration of PMBL. Altogether, these results indicate that PMBL administration might support a critical barrier-protective immune pathway that originates from, and is orchestrated by airway epithelial cells and could be therapeutically exploited for the prevention of airway infections

Antecedents to the Adoption of Mobile Payment in China and Italy: an Integration of UTAUT2 and Innovation Resistance Theory

Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.This research aims to investigate the adoption gap in mobile payment systems between Italy and China, focusing on users’ intention to adopt mobile payment. The theoretical framing considers both drivers and barriers when combines the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) with innovation resistance theory (IRT). To empirically verify the proposed model, this study gathers primary data through a web-based, self-administered survey. To analyze the data, we use structural equation modeling, and to test for significant differences between the two groups we run multi-group analysis. The respondents in Italy and China present different behaviors. Social influence plays a significant role in cultures with high uncertainty avoidance, such as Italy. The tradition barrier is the only significant barrier to the adoption of mobile payment.Projekt DEA

Control of GABA Release at Mossy Fiber-CA3 Connections in the Developing Hippocampus

In this review some of the recent work carried out in our laboratory concerning the functional role of GABAergic signalling at immature mossy fibres (MF)-CA3 principal cell synapses has been highlighted. While in adulthood MF, the axons of dentate gyrus granule cells release onto CA3 principal cells and interneurons glutamate, early in postnatal life they release GABA, which exerts into targeted cells a depolarizing and excitatory action. We found that GABAA-mediated postsynaptic currents (MF-GPSCs) exhibited a very low probability of release, were sensitive to L-AP4, a group III metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, and revealed short-term frequency-dependent facilitation. Moreover, MF-GPSCs were down regulated by presynaptic GABAB and kainate receptors, activated by spillover of GABA from MF terminals and by glutamate present in the extracellular medium, respectively. Activation of these receptors contributed to the low release probability and in some cases to synapses silencing. By pairing calcium transients, associated with network-driven giant depolarizing potentials or GDPs (a hallmark of developmental networks thought to represent a primordial form of synchrony between neurons), generated by the synergistic action of glutamate and GABA with MF activation increased the probability of GABA release and caused the conversion of silent synapses into conductive ones suggesting that GDPs act as coincident detector signals for enhancing synaptic efficacy. Finally, to compare the relative strength of CA3 pyramidal cell output in relation to their MF glutamatergic or GABAergic inputs in adulthood or in postnatal development, respectively, a realistic model was constructed taking into account different biophysical properties of these synapses

Designing the Future: An Intelligent System for Zero-Mile Food Production by Upcycling Wastewater

The project deals with the environmental problem of water consumption. The aim of this work is to experiment the recycling of dishwasher wastewater through its reuse in growing edible vegetables or ornamental plants; this can also accomplish the valorization of nutrients present in the wastewater. This new process allows to ensure washing functions coupled with vegetables production and to affect users’ environmental awareness and habits, following a user-centered system design approach to understand the users and involve them actively in the system development. The presented work is also aimed to experiment a multidisciplinary approach in order to face environmental problems

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Tracker Operation and Performance at the Magnet Test and Cosmic Challenge

During summer 2006 a fraction of the CMS silicon strip tracker was operated in a comprehensive slice test called the Magnet Test and Cosmic Challenge (MTCC). At the MTCC, cosmic rays detected in the muon chambers were used to trigger the readout of all CMS sub-detectors in the general data acquisition system and in the presence of the 4 T magnetic field produced by the CMS superconducting solenoid. This document describes the operation of the Tracker hardware and software prior, during and after data taking. The performance of the detector as resulting from the MTCC data analysis is also presented

Anastomosis configuration and technique following ileocaecal resection for Crohn's disease: a multicentre study

A limited ileocaecal resection is the most frequently performed procedure for ileocaecal CD and different anastomotic configurations and techniques have been described. This manuscript audited the different anastomotic techniques used in a national study and evaluated their influence on postoperative outcomes following ileocaecal resection for primary CD. This is a retrospective, multicentre, observational study promoted by the Italian Society of Colorectal Surgery (SICCR), including all adults undergoing elective ileocaecal resection for primary CD from June 2018 May 2019. Postoperative morbidity within 30 days of surgery was the primary endpoint. Postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) and anastomotic leak rate were the secondary outcomes. 427 patients were included. The side to side anastomosis was the chosen configuration in 380 patients (89%). The stapled anastomotic (n = 286; 67%), techniques were preferred to hand-sewn (n = 141; 33%). Postoperative morbidity was 20.3% and anastomotic leak 3.7%. Anastomotic leak was independent of the type of anastomosis performed, while was associated with an ASA grade ≥ 3, presence of perianal disease and ileocolonic localization of disease. Four predictors of LOS were identified after multivariate analysis. The laparoscopic approach was the only associated with a reduced LOS (p = 0.017), while age, ASA grade ≥ 3 or administration of preoperative TPN were associated with increased LOS. The side to side was the most commonly used anastomotic configuration for ileocolic reconstruction following primary CD resection. There was no difference in postoperative morbidity according to anastomotic technique and configuration. Anastomotic leak was associated with ASA grade ≥ 3, a penetrating phenotype of disease and ileo-colonic distribution of CD

National variations in perioperative assessment and surgical management of Crohn's disease: a multicentre study

Aim: Crohn's disease (CD) requires a multidisciplinary approach and surgery should be undertaken by dedicated colorectal surgeons with audited outcomes. We present a national, multicentre study, with the aim to collect benchmark data on key performance indicators in CD surgery, to highlight areas where standards of CD surgery excel and to facilitate targeted quality improvement where indicated. Methods: All patients undergoing ileocaecal or redo ileocolic resection in the participating centres for primary and recurrent CD from June 2018 to May 2019 were included. The main objective was to collect national data on hospital volume and practice variations. Postoperative morbidity was the primary outcome. Laparoscopic surgery and stoma rate were the secondary outcomes. Results: In all, 715 patients were included: 457 primary CD and 258 recurrent CD with a postoperative morbidity of 21.6% and 34.7%, respectively. Laparoscopy was used in 83.8% of primary CD compared to 31% of recurrent CD. Twenty-five hospitals participated and the total number of patients per hospital ranged from 2 to 169. Hospitals performing more than 10 primary CD procedures per year showed a higher adoption of laparoscopy and bowel sparing surgery. Conclusions: There is significant heterogeneity in the number of CD surgeries performed per year nationally in Italy. Our data suggest that high-volume hospitals perform more complex procedures, with a higher adoption of bowel sparing surgery. The rate of laparoscopy in high-volume hospitals is higher for primary CD but not for recurrent CD compared with low-volume hospitals

How future surgery will benefit from SARS-COV-2-related measures: a SPIGC survey conveying the perspective of Italian surgeons

COVID-19 negatively affected surgical activity, but the potential benefits resulting from adopted measures remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change in surgical activity and potential benefit from COVID-19 measures in perspective of Italian surgeons on behalf of SPIGC. A nationwide online survey on surgical practice before, during, and after COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in March-April 2022 (NCT:05323851). Effects of COVID-19 hospital-related measures on surgical patients' management and personal professional development across surgical specialties were explored. Data on demographics, pre-operative/peri-operative/post-operative management, and professional development were collected. Outcomes were matched with the corresponding volume. Four hundred and seventy-three respondents were included in final analysis across 14 surgical specialties. Since SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, application of telematic consultations (4.1% vs. 21.6%; p < 0.0001) and diagnostic evaluations (16.4% vs. 42.2%; p < 0.0001) increased. Elective surgical activities significantly reduced and surgeons opted more frequently for conservative management with a possible indication for elective (26.3% vs. 35.7%; p < 0.0001) or urgent (20.4% vs. 38.5%; p < 0.0001) surgery. All new COVID-related measures are perceived to be maintained in the future. Surgeons' personal education online increased from 12.6% (pre-COVID) to 86.6% (post-COVID; p < 0.0001). Online educational activities are considered a beneficial effect from COVID pandemic (56.4%). COVID-19 had a great impact on surgical specialties, with significant reduction of operation volume. However, some forced changes turned out to be benefits. Isolation measures pushed the use of telemedicine and telemetric devices for outpatient practice and favored communication for educational purposes and surgeon-patient/family communication. From the Italian surgeons' perspective, COVID-related measures will continue to influence future surgical clinical practice

Differential cross section measurements for the production of a W boson in association with jets in proton–proton collisions at √s = 7 TeV

Measurements are reported of differential cross sections for the production of a W boson, which decays into a muon and a neutrino, in association with jets, as a function of several variables, including the transverse momenta (pT) and pseudorapidities of the four leading jets, the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta (HT), and the difference in azimuthal angle between the directions of each jet and the muon. The data sample of pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV was collected with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0 fb[superscript −1]. The measured cross sections are compared to predictions from Monte Carlo generators, MadGraph + pythia and sherpa, and to next-to-leading-order calculations from BlackHat + sherpa. The differential cross sections are found to be in agreement with the predictions, apart from the pT distributions of the leading jets at high pT values, the distributions of the HT at high-HT and low jet multiplicity, and the distribution of the difference in azimuthal angle between the leading jet and the muon at low values.United States. Dept. of EnergyNational Science Foundation (U.S.)Alfred P. Sloan Foundatio