Publications by authors named "Morelli G"

Introduction: The glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue semaglutide is approved as an oral formulation for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to confirm bioequivalence between a new, second-generation (2G) oral semaglutide formulation (1.5, 4 and 9 mg) and the initially approved first-generation (1G) formulation (3, 7 and 14 mg).

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  • Peptide building blocks can create supramolecular nanostructures that effectively deliver various drugs while their design impacts the ability of these structures to interact with specific drugs.
  • The study focuses on hybrid cationic peptide hydrogels, combining a low-molecular-weight hydrogelator with different cationic amphiphilic peptides to analyze their structural properties.
  • Findings indicate that the hydrogel's structure is primarily determined by the hydrogelator, while the peptides' alkyl chain lengths significantly influence the material's morphology, stiffness, and drug encapsulation capabilities.
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Obesity is a major health issue in dogs associated with disturbances in lipid metabolism and oxidative stress. Spirulina has been shown to have hypolipidemic and antioxidant effects in various animal species. No such data regarding dogs are available, however.

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Background: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPSS) is highly effective for treatment of variceal bleeding; however, factors contributing to rebleeding complications remain unclear.

Aims: In this study, we aim to determine risk factors for recurrent portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding following TIPSS.

Methods: Utilising the Advancing Liver Therapeutic Approaches multicentre database, we retrospectively identified adult patients who underwent TIPSS for secondary prophylaxis of variceal bleeding and had a gastrointestinal rebleeding event within 1 year.

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Fluvial ecosystems are among the main drivers of microparticles (MPC) in the form of both synthetic polymers (i.e. microplastics; MPs) and natural-based textile fibers (MF) to the seas.

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  • Zuranolone is a medication that affects GABA receptors in the brain and could influence activities that require focused thinking, like driving.
  • In a study involving 67 healthy adults, participants were given either zuranolone or a placebo, and their driving performance was measured using a simulator, focusing on how much the car swerved (standard deviation of lateral position, SDLP).
  • Results showed that zuranolone significantly impaired driving performance and cognitive abilities shortly after dosing, with effects persisting even after a week of treatment, highlighting the need for caution when prescribing the drug.
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Background And Aims: While TIPS is traditionally considered a bridge to liver transplant (LT), some patients achieve long-term transplant-free survival (TFS) with TIPS alone. Prognosis and need for LT should not only be assessed at time of procedure, but also re-evaluated in patients with favorable early outcomes.

Approach And Results: Adult recipients of TIPS in the multicenter advancing liver therapeutic approaches retrospective cohort study were included (N=1127 patients; 2040 person-years follow-up).

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The capability of amyloid-like peptide fibers to emit intrinsic-fluorescence enables the study of their formation, stability and hardening through time-resolved fluorescence analysis, without the need for additional intercalating dyes. This approach allows the monitoring of amyloid-like peptides aggregation kinetics using minimal sample volumes, and the simultaneous testing of numerous experimental conditions and analytes, offering rapid and reproducible results. The analytical procedure applied to the aromatic hexapeptide F6, alone or derivatized with PEG (polyethylene glycol) moiety of different lengths, suggests that aggregation into large anisotropic structures negatively correlates with initial monomer concentration and relies on the presence of charged N- and C-termini.

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Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic modules of viral derivation that have been co-opted to become modulators of mammalian gene expression. TEs are a major source of endogenous dsRNAs, signaling molecules able to coordinate inflammatory responses in various physiological processes. Here, we provide evidence for a positive involvement of TEs in inflammation-driven bone repair and mineralization.

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The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of a gentle shampoo and a mousse containing Adelmidrol, tapioca starch and a non-prescription antimicrobial complex on seborrhoea and other clinical signs secondary to canine atopic dermatitis (cAD). Forty-six dogs with cAD-associated seborrhoea and/or pruritus > 4 cm on the pruritus visual analogue scale (P-VAS) and/or bacterial/ overgrowth were enrolled. The mousse was applied twice daily, and dogs were evaluated at days (D)0, 7, 14 and optionally 28, by means of a skin seborrheic index (SSI), P-VAS, cAD lesion index (CADLI), and a semiquantitative cytological score.

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Mining operations generate sediment erosion rates above those of natural landscapes, causing persistent contamination of floodplains. Riparian vegetation in mine-impacted river catchments plays a key role in the storage/remobilization of metal contaminants. Mercury (Hg) pollution from mining is a global environmental challenge.

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  • Sarcopenia, a condition characterized by loss of muscle mass, is prevalent in patients with cirrhosis and contributes to increased mortality, particularly in those undergoing Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS) procedures.
  • In a study of 232 cirrhotic patients who received TIPS, researchers found that 41.38% were diagnosed with sarcopenia, which negatively impacted survival rates compared to those without sarcopenia.
  • The analysis revealed that sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for a higher chance of death within one year after TIPS, indicating its importance in pre-procedure assessments.
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The paper deals with a combined time-depth conversion strategy able to improve the reconstruction of voids embedded in an opaque medium, such as cavities, caves, empty hypogeal rooms, and similar targets. The combined time-depth conversion accounts for the propagation velocity of the electromagnetic waves both in free space and in the embedding medium, and it allows better imaging and interpretation of the underground scenario. To assess the strategy's effectiveness, ground penetrating radar (GPR) data referred to as an experimental test in controlled conditions are accounted for and processed by two different approaches to achieve focused images of the scenario under test.

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  • - The introduction of ruxolitinib, the first JAK inhibitor, a decade ago has greatly improved the treatment of myelofibrosis (MF), and three additional JAK inhibitors (fedratinib, pacritinib, momelotinib) are now available for patients.
  • - The review analyzes long-term effectiveness of JAK inhibitors and emerging data from non-JAK inhibitors like BET-inhibitors and BCL-inhibitors, focusing on their potential to improve anemia and overall survival in MF.
  • - Experts suggest that while JAK inhibitor monotherapy is effective, it doesn't change the disease's course significantly; therefore, future treatment should involve selecting the best JAK inhibitor based on patient needs, possibly
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There is an expanding body of evidence showing that synthetic peptides in combination with radioactive isotopes can be utilized for medical purposes. This area is of particular interest in oncology where applications in diagnosis and therapy are at different stages of development. We review the contributions in this area by the group originally founded by Carlo Pedone in Naples many years ago.

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Dexamethasone (DEX) is a synthetic analogue of cortisol commonly used for the treatment of different pathological conditions, comprising cancer, ocular disorders, and COVID-19 infection. Its clinical use is hampered by the low solubility and severe side effects due to its systemic administration. The capability of peptide-based nanosystems, like hydrogels (HGs) and nanogels (NGs), to serve as vehicles for the passive targeting of active pharmaceutical ingredients and the selective internalization into leukemic cells has here been demonstrated.

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In multicellular organisms, specialized tissues are generated by specific populations of stem cells through cycles of asymmetric cell divisions, where one daughter undergoes differentiation and the other maintains proliferative properties. In Arabidopsis thaliana roots, the columella - a gravity-sensing tissue that protects and defines the position of the stem cell niche - represents a typical example of a tissue whose organization is exclusively determined by the balance between proliferation and differentiation. The columella derives from a single layer of stem cells through a binary cell fate switch that is precisely controlled by multiple, independent regulatory inputs.

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Advantages like biocompatibility, biodegradability and tunability allowed the exploitation of peptides and peptidomimetics as versatile therapeutic or diagnostic agents. Because of their selectivity towards transmembrane receptors or cell membranes, peptides have also been identified as suitable molecules able to deliver in vivo macromolecules, proteins or nucleic acids. However, after the identification of the homodimer diphenylalanine (FF) as an aggregative motif inside the Aβ polypeptide, short and ultrashort peptides have been studied as building blocks for the fabrication of supramolecular, ordered nanostructures for applications in biotechnological, biomedical and industrial fields.

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Introduction: Childhood obesity is associated with poor psychological adjustment. Severely impacts the psychological adjustment of young patients. To assess the psychological functioning of children and adolescents, several questionnaires have been proposed so far.

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  • Fmoc-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) is a peptide hydrogelator with potential applications in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals due to its ability to form self-supporting hydrogels.
  • The study investigates the properties of Fmoc-FFK, a tripeptide variant, either alone or mixed with Fmoc-FF in different ratios to develop new hydrogel materials.
  • Various experimental techniques, such as rheology and SEM, are used to analyze the systems’ structure and biocompatibility, while the lysine residue in Fmoc-FFK allows for potential modification with bioactive compounds.
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  • Peptides can self-organize into structures like cross-β formations, making them useful for creating complex molecular architectures.
  • Research has specifically focused on modified (FY)3 peptides, which have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, and how substituting certain amino acids affects their self-assembly.
  • New analogues of (FY)3 with different residues were studied, using various techniques to examine their structural organization and gelling capabilities, with insights gained from molecular dynamics simulations.
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