Publications by authors named "Maggi F"

Rift Valley Fever virus (RVFV) is a mosquito-borne virus with high pathogenic potential in ruminants and humans. Due to its high potential for spreading, it is considered a priority pathogen, and it is included in the Bluepoint list of the World Health Organization (WHO). Given the high pathogenic potential of the virus, it is crucial to develop a rapid heat-mediated inactivation protocol to create a safer working environment, particularly in medical facilities that lack a biosafety level 3 laboratory required for direct handling of RVFV.

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Background: Tagetes erecta L., commonly known as American marigold, serves as a food plant used for the extraction of carotenoids such as lutein, employed both as culinary ingredient in certain dishes and for its ornamental and medicinal applications. Two extraction techniques, Soxhlet and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), were used on two cultivars (yellow and orange) of T.

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  • γδ T-cells play a crucial role in immune surveillance following HLA-Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation (haplo-HSCT), especially in pediatric patients.
  • A study showed that a specific subset of Vδ2 T-cells is associated with better antiviral protection, as these cells were more prevalent in patients who did not experience viral reactivation.
  • The research highlights how Vδ2 T-cells can inhibit CMV replication and enhance the immune response, suggesting their potential use in immunotherapy post-transplantation to combat both infections and tumors.
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Until recently, the use of direct contrast examinations with oral or intracavitary contrast agents was widespread in all general radiology departments. It provided significant answers to multiple clinical questions on the enteric organs and their mucosal surfaces. With the increased availability of CT and MRI, which also allow for the study of walls, as well as the accessibility of endoscopic examinations, the request and execution of fluoroscopy contrast studies have fallen considerably.

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Objectives: To estimate the risk of COVID-19-related hospitalization and death (CovH/D), among high-risk individuals early treated for COVID-19 and to identify associated factors.

Methods And Results: A multicenter cohort of 12,475 high-risk outpatients (female 50.2%, median age 70 years [IQR 57-80], fully vaccinated 79.

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The recent outbreak of monkeypox virus (MPXV) has caused global concern. How the virus evades the interferon (IFN) response is still poorly understood. We analyzed type I/II IFN (IFN-I/II) expression in clinical samples from MPXV-infected patients and measured IFN-I kinetics in MPXV-infected cells.

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Introduction: Molnupiravir is one of the oral direct-acting antivirals against SARS-CoV-2, largely deployed during the COVID-19 pandemic since the 2022 Omicron wave. While efficacy has been questioned in post-marketing clinical trials (leading to the EMA withdrawing its authorization), growing concerns have mounted regarding its possible mutagenic effects on the virus. While it has been assumed that either all the host viral load was cleared by the drug or drug-generated variants were not fit enough to survive, several lineages with a high transition/transversion ratio (a signature of molnupiravir action) have been recently reported from GISAID.

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  • * The EO was found to have significant insecticidal properties, mainly due to its components hexyl butyrate and octyl acetate, demonstrating lethal concentrations (LC) against various mosquito larvae.
  • * Importantly, the EO and its components displayed low toxicity to human cells, indicating potential for safe use in developing larvicides.
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  • Immunosuppressive medication dosing after organ transplantation typically relies on therapeutic drug monitoring, but this method may not effectively predict rejection or infections.
  • The TTVguideIT trial investigates using Torque Teno Virus (TTV) load measurement via qPCR as a potentially better alternative for dosing tacrolimus.
  • Results demonstrated that the TTV R-GENE® assay showed excellent accuracy and consistency across participating labs, allowing for standardized TTV load measurement in clinical trials.
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We introduce NPKGRIDS, a new geospatial dataset, providing for the first time data on application rates for all three main plant nutrients, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P, in terms of phosphorus pentoxide, PO) and potassium (K, in terms of potassium oxide, KO) across 173 crops as of 2020, with a geospatial resolution of 0.05° (approximately 5.6 km at the equator).

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  • Dengue virus (DENV) is spreading to new temperate regions, including Europe, due to global trade and climate change, resulting in local outbreaks even among non-travelers.
  • A study in the Latium Region from August to November 2023 investigated local DENV infections caused by serotypes 1, 2, and 3, using advanced sequencing techniques for genetic analysis.
  • The findings revealed that the predominant DENV-1 strain, which originated from South America, had led to 42 local infections in Rome, indicating adaptation of the virus to human hosts and changes in how it interacts with antibodies and cell receptors.
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  • The study focuses on a Gram-positive bacterium significant for its nitrogen-fixing abilities and antibiotic production, particularly polymyxin, with an aim to investigate the evolutionary and taxonomic connections of various strains.
  • Using advanced techniques like digital DNA-DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity estimation, four distinct clusters of strains were identified, indicating substantial genetic differences among them.
  • The research highlights the need for reclassification of certain strains and emphasizes the importance of microbiologists in addressing the challenges of accurately identifying bacterial species amidst increasing microbial sequencing data.
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  • A study examined the effects of iron oxide (FeO) nanoparticles at different concentrations on the plant's growth and phytochemical properties, finding that certain FeO NP doses significantly enhanced leaf growth, chlorophyll levels, and essential oil yield.
  • The results suggest that FeO NPs can effectively boost biomass and valuable metabolites, positioning them as beneficial for increasing both agricultural productivity and the health benefits of the plant.
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  • The study focused on the relationship between Torquetenovirus (TTV) levels, inflammation markers, and the risk of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) in older adults, revealing limited research on this topic.
  • Findings from 900 non-IHD participants and 86 IHD individuals indicated that elevated TTV viremia was a significant predictor of IHD risk, particularly in males and in conjunction with other health factors like diabetes and smoking.
  • The research suggests that high TTV levels are linked to increased inflammation and may contribute to IHD risk through mechanisms related to aging and immune response deterioration.
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Eremurus spectabilis is widespread and used primarily for medicinal and culinary purposes. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition, antiradical and antioxidant activities, enzyme inhibitory activities, and anti-inflammatory properties of various extracts from the aerial parts of E. spectabilis.

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Signatures of neurodegeneration in clinical samples from a subject with multiple sclerosis (MS) acutely infected with HIV were investigated with single-cell transcriptomics using 10X Chromium technology. Sequencing was carried out on NovaSeq-TM, and the analysis was performed with Cell Ranger software (v 7.1.

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  • * This study investigates the nematicidal properties of essential oils from two varieties of *L.* (subsp. *SMM* and *SMV*), known for their therapeutic benefits in traditional medicine.
  • * In laboratory tests, both essential oils effectively killed anisakis larvae within 24 hours and inhibited acetylcholinesterase activity, suggesting their potential use in medical and food-related applications.
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This is a retrospective observational study including all COVID-19 patients admitted at our Institute throughout three successive pandemic waves, from January 2021 to June 2023. The main in-hospital outcomes (clinical progression [CP], defined as admission to Intensive Care Unit [ICU]/death, and death within 28 days) were compared among participants unvaccinated (NV), fully vaccinated (FV), with one (FV&B1) and two (FV&B2) booster doses. Vaccinated participants were stratified into recently and waned FV/FV&B1/FV&B2, depending on the time elapsed from last dose (≤ and >120 days, respectively).

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  • Monkeypox (Mpox) is a disease caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), and due to recent outbreaks outside Africa, many may lack immunity specifically for MPXV, though they might have some from past smallpox vaccinations.* -
  • The study involved 16 people who recovered from Mpox and 15 healthy controls, using their blood samples to measure T-cell responses after exposure to MPXV and smallpox vaccine peptides.* -
  • Results showed that those who recovered from Mpox had a significant immune response featuring multiple immune markers, indicating a mixed immune response that could help track immunity from vaccination or infection in the future.*
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The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant of interest BA.2.87.

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  • From August to November 2023, Italy reported 82 local cases of Dengue virus (DENV), with 10 cases specifically studied in Rome, showcasing a shift toward local transmission of the disease.
  • The affected patients, mostly middle-aged and presenting classic dengue symptoms, were confirmed to have the virus through various laboratory tests including detection of DENV proteins and antibodies.
  • The study emphasizes the importance of developing better surveillance and diagnosis strategies for DENV infections in non-endemic regions, to manage and understand the clinical progression of the disease.
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Background: Milk is essential for mammalian nutrition because it provides vital nutrients for growth and development. Milk composition, which is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, supports lactation, a complex process crucial for milk production and quality. Recent research has focused on noncoding RNAs, particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), which are present in body fluids and regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally.

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