Evolution of Hospitalisation Due to Stroke in Italy Before and After the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Population-Based Study Using Administrative Data.

: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, ranking as the second most common cause of death and the third in disability-adjusted life-years lost. Ischaemic stroke, which constitutes the majority of cases, poses significant public health and economic challenges. This study evaluates trends in ischaemic stroke hospitalisations in Italy from 2008 to 2022, focusing on differences before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Situ Monitoring of Mechanofluorescence in Polymeric Nanofibers.

Mechanofluorescent polymers represent a promising class of materials exhibiting fluorescence changes in response to mechanical stimuli. One approach to fabricating these polymers involves incorporating aggregachromic dyes, whose emission properties are governed by the intermolecular distance, which can, in turn, be readily altered by microstructural changes in the surrounding polymer matrix during mechanical deformation. In this study, a mechanofluorescent additive featuring excimer-forming oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) dyes (tOPV) is incorporated into electrospun polyurethane fibers, producing mats of fibers with diameters ranging from 300 to 700 nm.

Pneumococcal carriage in a large Sicilian sample population: impact on the current epidemiological scenario and implications for future vaccination strategies.

Introduction: is a prevalent and virulent global pathogen, with colonization being considered a precondition for pneumococcal disease. Understanding colonization is critical for gaining insights into transmission dynamics and developing effective interventions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of nasopharyngeal colonization and serotype distribution in the Sicilian population.

Effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite and benzalkonium chloride in reducing spoilage yeast biofilms on food contact surfaces.

The study evaluates the effectiveness of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and a commercial quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) against planktonic and biofilm-associated yeast (, , , and ) isolated from ultrafiltration modules in a clarified apple juice production facility. The results demonstrated that the efficacy of disinfection against planktonic yeast cells did not directly correlate with the effectiveness against biofilm-embedded cells. QAC proved to be more effective than NaOCl in reducing yeast biofilms, achieving a higher than 3-log reduction in cell counts.

Dye self-organization in doped silica nanoparticles increases the electrochemiluminescence emission in magnetic bead-based assays.

We have investigated the effect of dye distribution on the electrochemiluminescence (ECL) intensity measured with a simplified magnetic bead-based immunoassay for two families of silica nanoparticles (NPs) doped with the cationic Ru(bpy) and the zwitterionic Ru(bpy)bps complexes (bps = bathophenanthroline disulfonate). The NPs doped with the Ru(bpy)bps complex, which can efficiently self-organize in the NP volume favoring ECL generation, resulted in 150-400% signal enhancement compared to the Ru(bpy)-doped ones.

Risk factors and significance of post-operative edema in Parkinson Disease patients submitted to deep brain stimulation. A ten-year case series.

Background: Peri-electrode edema after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson Disease (PD) has been reported in up to 100% of cases. The clinical significance of this finding is unclear, with most papers suggesting a benign course. The risk factors are also poorly defined.

Viability-PCR for the selective detection of and in live bacteria-containing products.

To exert their beneficial effects, microorganisms used in live bacteria-containing products must be viable and present in certain amounts. In this study, we developed a viability assay based on quantitative PCR coupled with propidium monoazide for the identification and enumeration of viable and . In order to optimize the protocol, the thermal inactivation conditions for the two target microorganisms and the PMA concentration inhibiting DNA amplification from the dead cells while allowing it from the live cells were first determined.

Mixed κ/ι-carrageenan - LM pectin gels: Relating the rheological and mechanical properties with the capacity for probiotic encapsulation.

The rheological and mechanical properties of mixed κ/ι-carrageenan - LM pectin gels were determined, and the potential of these gels for the formation of beads using the extrusion method and for the encapsulation of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus ATCC 53103 (LGG) was evaluated. Self-standing gels were obtained with all formulations evaluated. Carrageenan-rich gels, with carrageenan fraction (X) ≥ 0.

Study Protocol for the Residents' Mental Health Investigation, a Dynamic Longitudinal Study in Italy (ReMInDIt).

Medical residents constitute a vulnerable population susceptible to mental health disorders. In Italy, this was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when medical residents served on the front line and provided significant support to healthcare services. Therefore, the working group on "Public Mental Health" of the Medical Residents' Council of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health (S.

What 'case definition' for respiratory syncytial virus infection? Results of a systematic literature review to improve surveillance among the adults.

Background: Human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in frail individuals, including children, the elderly and immunocompromised people, with mild to severe symptoms. World Health Organization claims hRSV causes most elderly influenza-like illnesses (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI). In this study, different case definitions for hRSV surveillance were examined for accuracy.

Distance learning in primary health care: an Italian experience among medical residents to integrate public health and primary health care.

Investing in Primary Health Care (PHC) is crucial for the future of Public Health (PH), although recent studies highlighted the lack of training in PHC within Italian Residency Schools. This article intends to show the experience and impact of a training course focused on standardizing the knowledge of medical residents in Hygiene and preventive medicine regarding PHC. The strength of the intervention was to demonstrate the feasibility of a unique and homogeneous educational path throughout the national territory.

Cranio-Facial Characteristics in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review.

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) consist of a complex group of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by qualitative impairments of social interactions, communication abilities, and a limited, stereotyped, and repetitive selection of interests and activities. In light of the imperative to identify a possible biomarker for ASD, it has been determined that craniofacial anomalies serve as significant risk factors for neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this scoping review is to deepen the knowledge of the scientific literature related to cranio-facial characteristics in individuals with ASD, with a particular focus on recent research advancements.

Movement disorders following mechanical thrombectomy resulting in ischemic lesions of the basal ganglia: An emerging clinical entity.

Background And Purpose: Post-stroke movement disorders (PMDs) following ischemic lesions of the basal ganglia (BG) are a known entity, but data regarding their incidence are lacking. Ischemic strokes secondary to proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion treated with thrombectomy represent a model of selective damage to the BG. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and features of movement disorders after selective BG ischemia in patients with successfully reperfused acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Birth characteristics as predictors of respiratory syncytial virus hospitalisation in newborns to optimise immunisation schedule.

Aim: To examine birth characteristics that influence infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalisation risk in order to identify risk factors for severe RSV infections.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 460 771 Sicilian children under 6 months old from January 2007 to December 2017. Hospital discharge records were consulted to identify cases and hospitalisations with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 466.

Fluorogenic Hyaluronan Nanogels Track Individual Early Protein Aggregates Originated under Oxidative Stress.

Proteins are broadly versatile biochemical materials, whose functionality is tightly related to their folding state. Native folding can be lost to yield misfolded conformations, often leading to formation of protein oligomers, aggregates, and biomolecular phase condensates. The fluorogenic hyaluronan HA-RB, a nonsulfonated glycosaminoglycan with a combination of polyanionic character and of hydrophobic spots due to rhodamine B dyes, binds to early aggregates of the model protein cytoplasmic glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 from (AtGAPC1) since the very onset of the oligomeric phase, making them brightly fluorescent.

Low Risk of SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection for Fully or Boosted mRNA Vaccinated Subjects in Sicily: A Population-Based Study Using Real-World Data.

: Reinfections occur as a response to natural infections wanes and novel strains of SARS-CoV-2 emerge. The present research explored the correlation between sex, age, COVID-19 vaccination, prior infection hospitalization, and SARS-CoV-2 reinfection in Sicily, Italy. : A population-based retrospective cohort study was articulated using the vaccination flux from a regional registry and the Sicilian COVID-19 monitoring system of the Italian Institute of Health.

Left atrial expansion index measured with cardiovascular magnetic resonance estimates pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) assessment is fundamental for managing dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients. Although cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become the gold-standard imaging technique for evaluating cardiac chamber volume and function, PCWP is not routinely assessed with CMR. Therefore, this study aimed to validate the left atrial expansion index (LAEI), a LA reservoir function parameter able to estimate filling pressure with echocardiography, as a novel CMR-measured parameter for non-invasive PCWP estimation in DCM patients.

An Analysis of the Neutralizing Antibodies against the Main SARS-CoV-2 Variants in Healthcare Workers (HCWs) Vaccinated against or Infected by SARS-CoV-2.

Although the anti-COVID-19 vaccination has proved to be an effective preventive tool, "breakthrough infections" have been documented in patients with complete primary vaccination courses. Most of the SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies produced after SARS-CoV-2 infection target the spike protein receptor-binding domain which has an important role in facilitating viral entry and the infection of the host cells. SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated the ability to evolve by accumulating mutations in the spike protein to escape the humoral response of a host.

Techniques and endocrine-reproductive outcomes of ovarian transposition prior to pelvic radiotherapy in both gynecologic and non-gynecologic cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Premature ovarian failure may be a consequence of radiotherapy administered for the treatment of various female oncologic diseases. Before radiotherapy, fertility may be preserved through ovarian transposition (OT), which consists of moving the ovaries away from the radiation field.

Objective: To ascertain all types of surgical techniques employed for OT, outline the endocrine and reproductive outcomes of each one, and discover if one works better than the others.

Modelling three-dimensional cancer-associated cachexia and therapy: The molecular basis and therapeutic potential of interleukin-6 transignalling blockade.

Background: Causes and mechanisms underlying cancer cachexia are not fully understood, and currently, no therapeutic approaches are available to completely reverse the cachectic phenotype. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been extensively described as a key factor in skeletal muscle physiopathology, exerting opposite roles through different signalling pathways.

Methods: We employed a three-dimensional ex vivo muscle engineered tissue (X-MET) to model cancer-associated cachexia and to study the effectiveness of selective inhibition of IL-6 transignalling in counteracting the cachectic phenotype.

Long-term safety and efficacy of frameless subthalamic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is standard of care for Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and a correct lead placement is crucial to obtain good clinical outcomes. Evidence demonstrating the targeting accuracy of the frameless technique for DBS, along with the advantages for patients and clinicians, is solid, while data reporting long-term clinical outcomes for PD patients are still lacking.

Objectives: The study aims to assess the clinical safety and efficacy of frameless bilateral STN-DBS in PD patients at 5 years from surgery.

Challenges in the Direct Detection of Chirality-induced Spin Selectivity: Investigation of Foldamer-based Donor-acceptor Dyads.

Over the past two decades, the chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect was reported in several experiments disclosing a unique connection between chirality and electron spin. Recent theoretical works highlighted time-resolved Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (trEPR) as a powerful tool to directly detect the spin polarization resulting from CISS. Here, we report a first attempt to detect CISS at the molecular level by linking the pyrene electron donor to the fullerene acceptor with chiral peptide bridges of different length and electric dipole moment.

Rotavirus vaccination as a public health strategy to reduce the burden of hospitalization: The field experience of Italy (2008-2018).

Rotavirus (RV) infection is a leading cause of severe diarrhea among children younger than 5 years old and a considerable cause of RV gastroenteritis (RVGE) hospitalization. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of vaccination in Italy in the reduction of the burden of RV-related disease, estimating the relation between vaccination coverage and hospitalization rates. RVGE-related hospitalizations that occurred in Italy from 2008 to 2018 among children aged 0-35 months were assessed by consulting the Hospital Discharge Record database and including records whose ICD-9-CM diagnosis code was 008.