Publications by authors named "Masi E"

Purpose: Recently, cases of serious illness in newborns infected with Echovirus 11 have been reported in Europe, including Italy. Here, we report the case of a newborn diagnosed with disseminated Echovirus 11 infection, which occurred in October 2023 in the Province of Bolzano, Italy.

Methods: A molecular screening, by Real-Time RT-PCR, was employed to analyse the cerebrospinal fluid, blood and stool samples, and nasal swabs.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A study analyzing over 54,000 respiratory samples from January 2022 to June 2023 found adenovirus in 6.6% of acute respiratory infections, with a median patient age of 3 years, and a significant portion of cases included co-infections with other viruses, especially rhinovirus.
  • * Genotyping revealed six different adenovirus genotypes circulating in Italy, with type B3 being the most prevalent.
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With the aim of investigating the effect of bruising and its development during the postharvest time, olive fruits (Frantoio and Moraiolo), manually and mechanically harvested, were stored in climatic chambers at two different temperatures (5 °C and 18 °C) for five days. Visual observations highlighted changes in the olive peel with discoloration in the damaged areas and tissue bruising. Olive fruit polyphenols, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other oil quality parameters (phenolic content, free acidity and peroxide index) and sensory assessment were evaluated.

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Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome (ACNES) is a common source of chronic abdominal pain and is often underdiagnosed despite numerous and potentially invasive diagnostic evaluations and tests. We present a case report describing a novel, conservative, and non-invasive approach to diagnose and treat recurrent ACNES in a young and active patient. We describe a treatment-based diagnostic approach to confirm potential ACNES pain generators while recording pre- and post-treatment pain scores.

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Currently, the leaves of the hop plant ( L.) are an unexploited and still little-investigated agricultural by-product. In our study, with the aim of exploring the metabolome of dried hop leaves (Chinook cultivar), a metabolomic approach was applied using multiple analytical tools such as SPME/GC-MS, GC-MS, PTR-ToF-MS, and NMR to identify the secondary metabolites.

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Article Synopsis
  • The objective of the study was to estimate the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in schoolchildren aged 4 to 14 in São Paulo during school closures due to COVID-19.
  • A serological survey conducted in September 2020 revealed a 16.6% seroprevalence overall, with higher rates in municipal (18.5%) and state (16.2%) public schools compared to private ones (11.7%).
  • The findings indicated that higher seroprevalence occurred among black and brown students and those in vulnerable social groups, highlighting the need for targeted public policies to monitor and protect these populations.
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Introduction: No data are available on the values and role of lung clearance index (LCI) in cystic fibrosis (CF) Screen Positive Inconclusive Diagnosis (CFSPID) progressed to CF diagnosis (CFSPID > CF). This study aimed to assess the value of the LCI in correctly predicting the progression of CFSPID to CF.

Methods: This is a prospective study carried out at the CF Regional Center of Florence, Italy from September 1, 2019.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to perform a genomic investigation of a multiple fluoroquinolone-resistant Leclercia adecarboxylata strain isolated from a synanthropic pigeon in São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: Whole-genome sequencing was performed using an Illumina platform, and in silico deep analyses of the resistome were performed. Comparative phylogenomics was conducted using a global collection of publicly available genomes of L.

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Lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF) is characterized by reduced mucociliary clearance, airway plugging, recurrent infections, and chronic pulmonary inflammation. Patients who are affected undergo daily respiratory physiotherapy to improve airway clearance. Intrapulmonary percussive ventilation (IPV) is a technique used in clinical practice, but it is not commonly used in CF patients.

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WHO priority pathogens have disseminated beyond hospital settings and are now being detected in urban and wild animals worldwide. In this regard, synanthropic animals such as urban pigeons () and rodents (, and ) are of interest to public health due to their role as reservoirs of pathogens that can cause severe diseases. These animals usually live in highly contaminated environments and have frequent interactions with humans, domestic animals, and food chain, becoming sentinels of anthropogenic activities.

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Aims: To assess influenza viruses (IVs) circulation and to evaluate A(H3N2) molecular evolution during the 2021-2022 season in Italy.

Materials And Methods: 12,393 respiratory specimens (nasopharyngeal swabs or broncho-alveolar lavages) collected from in/outpatients with influenza illness in the period spanning from January 1, 2022 (week 2022-01) to May 31, 2022 (week 2022-22) were analysed to identify IV genome and were molecularly characterized by 12 laboratories throughout Italy. A(H3N2) evolution was studied by conducting an in-depth phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene sequences.

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Considering the large number of volatile molecules that characterize L., adequate investigation supported by the application of robust and effective analytical methods is essential to better understand the impact of these low- and medium-molecular-weight molecules on the entire phytocomplex. This work aimed to characterize the volatile fraction of the chemical profile of three different cultivars of L.

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Known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) can be detected and differentiated using an RT-PCR-based genotyping approach, which offers quicker time to result, lower cost, higher flexibility, and use of the same laboratory instrumentation for detection of SARS-CoV-2 when compared with whole genome sequencing (WGS). In the current study, we demonstrate how we applied a genotyping approach for identification of all VOCs and that such technique can offer comparable performance to WGS for identification of known SARS-CoV-2 VOCs, including more recent strains, Omicron BA.1 and BA.

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Hops are widespread as a wild plant in almost all Northern and Central Italy, and the characterization of wild populations is attracting considerable interest in verifying their potential use. The development of hops as agricultural crop can be an interesting opportunity, both for farms that would have available a new crop to be included in the crop system and for craft breweries interested in characterizing beers with local raw materials. In the present work, 14 wild hop accessions coming from various Italian locations were characterized and compared with 2 commercial varieties (Cascade and Hallertau Taurus) grown in the same environments.

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Six minute walk test (6MWT) is a field exercise test widely used in clinical practice, both in adults and in pediatric patients. The primary aim of the study is to evaluate the physical performance of the subjects and compare them with the predicted Italian values. The secondary aim is to verify the possible relationship between the 6MWT distance (6MWD) and the clinical variables of the sample.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how common SARS-CoV-2 infections were among residents 18 and older in São Paulo from June 2020 to February 2021 through a population-based survey conducted every 15 days.
  • Researchers tested blood samples for antibodies and used a questionnaire to gather information on participants' demographics and social behaviors related to COVID-19.
  • Results showed that 9.7% to 25.0% of participants had antibodies, with higher prevalence in marginalized groups, and highlighted social inequality as a significant factor in infection rates, while 45.1% of infections were asymptomatic.
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We evaluated the effectiveness and safety of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ELX/TEZ/IVA) in three subjects carrying the /unknown CFTR genotype. An ex vivo analysis on nasal epithelial cells (NEC) indicated a significant improvement of CFTR gating activity after the treatment. Three patients were enrolled in an ELX/TEZ/IVA managed-access program, including subjects with the highest percent predicted Forced Expiratory Volume in the 1st second (ppFEV) < 40 in the preceding 3 months.

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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multisystem disorder, caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. These cause a reduced secretion of chloride, a marked absorption of sodium and, therefore, of water, through the epithelium, resulting in the formation of thickened secretions in organs such as lung or pancreas. These viscous secretions lead to airway obstruction, chronic infection and inflammation resulting in progressive lung damage, bronchiectasis and eventual respiratory failure.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed several challenges to the provision of newborn nutrition and care interventions including maternal support, breastfeeding and family participatory care. Italy was the first country to be exposed to SARS-CoV-2 in Europe. One of the measures adopted by the Italian government during COVID-19 pandemic was the total lockdown of the cities with complete confinement at home.

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Background: Enterovirus infections can cause a variety of illnesses, ranging from asymptomatic infections to severe illness and death.

Aim: To support polio eradication activities, in February 2019, the WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for polio in Italy, at the National Institute of Public Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità), promoted an investigation on non-polio enterovirus laboratory capacity, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Health. The aim was to collect data on the assays used routinely for diagnostic purposes and to characterize enterovirus outbreaks strains by sequence analysis of the Viral Protein 1 region.

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Background: Electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves is a widely used technique to treat a variety of conditions including chronic pain, motor impairment, headaches, and epilepsy. Nerve stimulation to achieve efficacious symptomatic relief depends on the proper selection of electrical stimulation parameters to recruit the appropriate fibers within a nerve. Recently, electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve has shown promise for controlling inflammation and clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy for the treatment of inflammatory disorders.

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Background: Glucose is a crucial energy source. In humans, it is the primary sugar for high energy demanding cells in brain, muscle and peripheral neurons. Deviations of blood glucose levels from normal levels for an extended period of time is dangerous or even fatal, so regulation of blood glucose levels is a biological imperative.

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Rodents infest urban environments, causing damage and acting as vectors for disease transmission. Currently, anticoagulants are the most widely used chemical rodenticides, and their extensive and widespread use can contaminate the environment. To ensure effectiveness and avoid accumulation of rodent baits in the environment, it is important to evaluate how long rodent baits maintain their palatability and efficacy.

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In October 2017, two outbreaks of gastroenteritis (GE) occurred among patrons of a cafeteria in Italy in one week. Virological and bacteria investigations on stool samples, environment and food were conducted to identify the infectious agents and the possible source of infection. Forty-five cases occurred in the two outbreaks, including 13 laboratory-confirmed cases of norovirus GI.

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