Publications by authors named "Casu M"

Multidrug-resistant is a significant healthcare challenge that particularly affects vulnerable patients through opportunistic nosocomial infections. Surveillance is crucial for monitoring the prevalence of these infections. Eighty-four KPC strains (2019-2022) were collected from patients admitted in Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico.

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We adopted a morphometric approach to provide statistical support for the description of two different morphotypes (I, reproductive, II, non-reproductive) firstly observed in specimens caught in a population from Sardinia Island (western Mediterranean). The morphometric study was preceded by molecular taxonomic identification using the mitochondrial Cytochrome C Oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. The presence or absence of the pathogen , responsible for the plague, was also investigated using the ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) marker.

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Following the increased mass mortality of populations in the Mediterranean, reliable protocols for the transport, maintenance, and controlled reproduction of this highly endangered species were drawn up within the European Life Pinna project. To test these protocols, the large Pinnidae , which shares similar habits to , has been used. In December 2022, a transport trial of nine specimens of from Trieste (NE Italy) to Camogli (NW Italy) was carried out.

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Liquid metals and metallic alloys often exist as metastable phases or can be undercooled below their equilibrium melting point. The Traditional CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) approach struggles to accurately model these metastable conditions, which are important in rapid quenching techniques like additive manufacturing, and to understand glass formation or oxidation phenomena occurring in the liquid phase during nuclear and high-temperature aerospace applications. On the contrary, the third-generation CALPHAD models have the potential to accurately describe metastable phase diagrams to provide better predictions of molten phase behavior under non-equilibrium conditions.

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Background: Climate change significantly influences the distribution and severity of tropical diseases. Rising temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme weather events are transforming the habitats of vectors like mosquitoes and ticks, promoting their proliferation and geographic spread. These changes have facilitated the resurgence of diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya fever in previously unaffected areas, including parts of Europe and Italy.

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The family includes a number of negative RNA viruses known for their wide host range and significant zoonotic potential. In recent years, there has been a surge in the identification of emerging zoonotic paramyxoviruses, particularly those hosted by bat species, which serve as key reservoirs. Among these, the genera Henipavirus and Pararubulavirus are of particular concern.

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Article Synopsis
  • HPV is a common virus linked to cervical and other cancers, and the development of HPV vaccines has significantly decreased disease rates worldwide.
  • Despite their effectiveness, challenges such as low vaccination in lower-income countries, vaccine hesitancy, and healthcare access disparities hinder global immunization efforts.
  • This review discusses the mechanisms, safety, and real-world efficacy of HPV vaccines, current distribution challenges, public health policies, and future innovations in HPV vaccination strategies.
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Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons and the presence of Lewy bodies (LB), intraneuronal inclusions mainly composed of α-synuclein (α-Syn) fibrils. Compelling evidence supports that, in PD brains, synapses are the sites where neurodegeneration initiates several years before the manifestation of motor symptoms. Furthermore, the amount of α-Syn deposited at synaptic terminals is several orders greater than that constituting LB.

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The One Health concept underscores the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, necessitating an integrated, transdisciplinary approach to tackle contemporary health challenges. This perspective paper explores the pivotal role of genomics and bioinformatics in advancing One Health initiatives. By leveraging genomic technologies and bioinformatics tools, researchers can decode complex biological data, enabling comprehensive insights into pathogen evolution, transmission dynamics, and host-pathogen interactions across species and environments (or ecosystems).

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Despite Parvovirus B19 (B19V) generally causing mild or asymptomatic infections, and only certain high-risk groups such as hematological or immunocompromised patients and pregnant women tending to develop complications, several factors challenge the assumption of a "benign" clinical course in immunocompetent adults and adolescents. A significant proportion of the population may harbor undiagnosed health conditions or genetic predispositions that could render them more susceptible to severe B19V complications. These could include mild hematological disorders, immune dysregulation not resulting in overt immunodeficiency, or underlying cardiac conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • Viral hepatitis is a global health issue, characterized by complex interactions between hepatitis viruses and human liver cells, affecting disease progression and severity.
  • The paper focuses on how different hepatitis viruses (B, C, D, and E) enter liver cells, replicate, evade the immune system, and cause liver damage, as well as the body's immune responses to these infections.
  • It emphasizes the importance of understanding individual factors influencing susceptibility to viral hepatitis and highlights new findings on chronic infection mechanisms, aiming to inform better treatment strategies.
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From 1 January 2022 to 31 May 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported 97,745 laboratory-confirmed Mpox cases, including 203 deaths, across 116 countries. Despite a 2.3% decrease in new cases in May 2024 compared to April 2024, significant regional variations persist.

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  • The Atlantic blue crab is a big problem in the Mediterranean Sea because it's an invasive species, hurting nature and people's activities.
  • It originally comes from the western Atlantic and has been spreading to European waters since the early 1900s.
  • Researchers studied the crab's genetic makeup using many samples, finding two closely related groups and low genetic diversity in the Mediterranean, except for some differences in Turkey.
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The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical importance of vaccination to global health security and highlighted the potential of digital health solutions to improve immunization strategies. This article explores integrating digital health technologies with immunization programs to improve coverage, monitoring, and public health outcomes. It examines the current landscape of digital tools used in immunization initiatives, such as mobile health apps, electronic health records, and data analytics platforms.

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In this work, we study the interface obtained by depositing a monolayer of a Blatter radical derivative on polycrystalline cobalt. By examining the occupied and unoccupied states at the interface, using soft X-ray techniques, combined with electronic structure calculations, we could simultaneously determine the electronic structure of both the molecular and ferromagnetic sides of the interface, thus obtaining a full understanding of the interfacial magnetic properties. We found that the molecule is strongly hybridized with the surface.

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Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) persistence in COVID-19 patients could play a key role in the emergence of variants of concern. The rapid intra-host evolution of SARS-CoV-2 may result in an increased transmissibility, immune and therapeutic escape which could be a direct consequence of COVID-19 epidemic currents. In this context, a longitudinal retrospective study on eight consecutive COVID-19 patients with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection, from January 2022 to March 2023, was conducted.

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Article Synopsis
  • The influenza A(H1N1) pdm09 virus, first identified in 2009, has been studied over a 14-year period (2009-2023) to analyze its genetic changes, particularly focusing on surface proteins hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) in Italian strains compared to global versions.
  • Phylogenetic analyses showed rapid changes and the emergence of new viral variants in the early pandemic, clustered mainly in clade 6B.1, while the 2023 strains displayed limited genetic variation likely due to genetic drift.
  • Key sites were identified on both HA and NA proteins that affect the virus's ability to adapt to host immune responses; changes at these sites can serve
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Background: Tobacco smoking exacerbates diabetes-related complications; its prevalence is notwithstanding substantial. Persons with diabetes face a number of barriers and challenges to quitting such as multiple lifestyle restrictions; tailored interventions are required for smoking cessation.

Objective: To identify research on behavioral interventions for smoking cessation in diabetes.

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Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons responsible for unintended or uncontrollable movements. Mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 locus contribute to genetic forms of PD. The fruit fly carrying this mutation (LRRK2-Dm) is an in vivo model of PD that develops motor impairment and stands for an eligible non-mammalian paradigm to test novel therapeutic approaches.

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Background: Domestic violence is a widespread problem affecting individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Peritraumatic distress is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health problems among victims, but research on men's experiences is limited.

Objective: We analyzed data from 48 physical domestic violence victims (16 males and 32 females) to compare their levels of peritraumatic distress and negative emotions, and to examine the types of aggressors they faced.

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is the etiological agent of the listeriosis. Here, we described three draft genome sequences of isolated in Italy from stranded individuals of the striped dolphin . All the genomes have been molecular typed through the multilocus sequence typing to identify the phylogenetic lineage, clonal complex, sublineage, and serogroup.

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The clinical manifestation of Parkinson's disease (PD) appears when neurodegeneration is already advanced, compromising the efficacy of disease-modifying treatment approaches. Biomarkers to identify the early stages of PD are therefore of paramount importance for the advancement of the therapy of PD. In the present study, by using a mouse model of PD obtained by subchronic treatment with the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and the clearance inhibitor probenecid (MPTPp), we identified prodromal markers of PD by combining in vivo positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and ex vivo immunohistochemistry.

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Orf virus (ORFV) belongs to the genus Parapoxvirus (Poxviridae family). It is the causative agent of contagious ecthyma (CE) that is an economically detrimental disease affecting small ruminants globally. Contagious ecthyma outbreaks are usually reported in intensive breeding of sheep and goats but they have also been reported in wildlife species.

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, commonly known as the noble pen shell, is a marine bivalve endemic to the Mediterranean Sea. Unfortunately, due to a multifactorial disease that began affecting its populations in 2016, the species is currently facing the threat of extinction. To gain insights into the evolutionary history of before the mass mortality event (MME), and to obtain a comprehensive understanding of how evolutionary processes led to the adaptation of the species into the Mediterranean Sea, phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were carried out.

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