Employing Singlet-Singlet Energy Transfer for Boosting the Reactivity of Type I Photoinitiators in Radical Photopolymerization.

A remarkable and unexpected increase in the photopolymerization efficiency of an acrylic resin by a bisacylphosphine oxide photoinitiator was observed when an optical brightener was present in the medium. High values for the maximal rates of photopolymerization were obtained by RT-FTIR at 365 nm under a very low irradiance of 1 mW/cm. Fluorescence studies revealed that the quenching process occurs through singlet-singlet energy transfer between the first singlet excited state of the optical brightener and the ground state photoinitiator.

Getting insights into chemical composition and antiherpetic capability of jujube ( mill.) drupes.

Food plant diversity in bioactive compounds makes them an exploitable resource in the search for effective natural products to prevent or treat viral infections. Therefore, in the framework aimed at studying the antiviral properties of extractive mixtures from fruits (and their waste) grown in the Campania Region (Italy), jujube drupes ( Mill.) were our focus.

Efficacy of Food Supplement Based on Monacolins, γ-Oryzanol, and γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Mild Dyslipidemia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Parallel-Armed, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

The risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is approximately doubled in subjects with hypercholesterolemia compared to those with normal blood cholesterol levels. Monacolin K (MK), the main active substance in rice fermented by the , acts on cholesterol metabolism. Rice also contains other bioactive compounds such as γ-oryzanol (OZ) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Efficacy and Tolerability of a Food Supplement Based on L., (Retz.) R.br.ex Sm, Zinc and Chromium for the Maintenance of Normal Carbohydrate Metabolism: A Monocentric, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

A study on 81 individuals (18-75 years old) with mildly impaired fasting blood glucose (FBG) concentrations (98-125 mg/dL) was undertaken to investigate the tolerability of a food supplement (FS) based on and extracts, zinc, and chromium and its efficacy on glucose and lipid metabolism. The subjects were randomized into three groups (27 in each group) and supplemented with one or two tablet(s)/day of FS (groups 1 and 2, respectively), or two tablets/day of placebo (group 3). Blood sampling was carried out at baseline (t0) and after a 3-month treatment (t1), and biochemical parameters associated with glucose and lipid metabolism and kidney and liver toxicity were evaluated.

Exploring the Antiviral Potential of Esters of Cinnamic Acids with Quercetin.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has infected more than 762 million people to date and has caused approximately 7 million deaths all around the world, involving more than 187 countries. Although currently available vaccines show high efficacy in preventing severe respiratory complications in infected patients, the high number of mutations in the S proteins of the current variants is responsible for the high level of immune evasion and transmissibility of the virus and the reduced effectiveness of acquired immunity. In this scenario, the development of safe and effective drugs of synthetic or natural origin to suppress viral replication and treat acute forms of COVID-19 remains a valid therapeutic challenge.

Ligand-Free Silver Nanoparticles: An Innovative Strategy against Viruses and Bacteria.

The spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the rise of emerging and re-emerging viruses in recent years constitute significant public health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new antimicrobial strategies to overcome these challenges. Herein, we describe an innovative method to synthesize ligand-free silver nanoparticles by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid (PLAL-AgNPs).

SARS-CoV-2 Fusion Peptide Conjugated to a Tetravalent Dendrimer Selectively Inhibits Viral Infection.

Fusion is a key event for enveloped viruses, through which viral and cell membranes come into close contact. This event is mediated by viral fusion proteins, which are divided into three structural and functional classes. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein belongs to class I fusion proteins, characterized by a trimer of helical hairpins and an internal fusion peptide (FP), which is exposed once fusion occurs.

MRI in addition to CT in patients scheduled for local therapy of colorectal liver metastases (CAMINO): an international, multicentre, prospective, diagnostic accuracy trial.

Background: Guidelines are inconclusive on whether contrast-enhanced MRI using gadoxetic acid and diffusion-weighted imaging should be added routinely to CT in the investigation of patients with colorectal liver metastases who are scheduled for curative liver resection or thermal ablation, or both. Although contrast-enhanced MRI is reportedly superior than contrast-enhanced CT in the detection and characterisation of colorectal liver metastases, its effect on clinical patient management is unknown. We aimed to assess the clinical effect of an additional liver contrast-enhanced MRI on local treatment plan in patients with colorectal liver metastases amenable to local treatment, based on contrast-enhanced CT.

Epigenetic and Genetic Keys to Fight HPV-Related Cancers.

Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth most prevalent cancer among women globally, with approximately 600,000 new cases being diagnosed each year. The principal driver of cervical cancer is the human papillomavirus (HPV), where viral oncoproteins E6 and E7 undertake the role of driving its carcinogenic potential. Despite extensive investigative efforts, numerous facets concerning HPV infection, replication, and pathogenesis remain shrouded in uncertainty.

Radiation measurements in the International Space Station, Columbus module, in 2020-2022 with the LIDAL detector.

The Light Ion Detector for ALTEA (LIDAL) is a new instrument designed to measure flux, energy spectra and Time of Flight of ions in a space habitat. It was installed in the International Space Station (Columbus) on January 19, 2020 and it is still operating. This paper presents the results of LIDAL measurements in the first 17 months of operation (01/2020-05/2022).

: Assessment of the Antiviral Activity of Lipophilic Extracts from Its Organs.

In a framework aimed at the recovery and enhancement of medicinal plants endemic to the territory of the Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park, N.G. Passal.

New Imidazolium Alkaloids with Broad Spectrum of Action from the Marine Bacterium .

The continuous outbreak of drug-resistant bacterial and viral infections imposes the need to search for new drug candidates. Natural products from marine bacteria still inspire the design of pharmaceuticals. Indeed, marine bacteria have unique metabolic flexibility to inhabit each ecological niche, thus expanding their biosynthetic ability to assemble unprecedented molecules.

Laparoscopic Right Hemihepatectomy after Future Liver Remnant Modulation: A Single Surgeon's Experience.

Background: Laparoscopic right hemihepatectomy (L-RHH) is still considered a technically complex procedure, which should only be performed by experienced surgeons in specialized centers. Future liver remnant modulation (FLRM) strategies, including portal vein embolization (PVE), and associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy (ALPPS), might increase the surgical difficulty of L-RHH, due to the distortion of hepatic anatomy, periportal inflammation, and fibrosis. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of L-RHH after FLRM, when compared with ex novo L-RHH.

LIDAL, a Time-of-Flight Radiation Detector for the International Space Station: Description and Ground Calibration.

LIDAL (Light Ion Detector for ALTEA, Anomalous Long-Term Effects on Astronauts) is a radiation detector designed to measure the flux, the energy spectra and, for the first time, the time-of-flight of ions in a space habitat. It features a combination of striped silicon sensors for the measurement of deposited energy (using the ALTEA device, which operated from 2006 to 2012 in the International Space Station) and fast scintillators for the time-of-flight measurement. LIDAL was tested and calibrated using the proton beam line at TIFPA (Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics Application) and the carbon beam line at CNAO (National Center for Oncology Hadron-therapy) in 2019.

Hepatitis B Virus prevalence and serological profiles in a hospital in Southern Italy.

Viral hepatitis still represents a significant worldwide public health issue, being an important cause of morbidity and mortality. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prevalence of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers from serologic analysis of hospitalized patients at University Hospital of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli" and also to investigate the prevalence of HBV/HCV coinfection. We screened serum Anti-Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibody to HBsAg (anti-HBs), antibody to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibody to Hepatitis C Virus (Anti-HCV) Anti-HCV from January to December 2020.

Clinical added value of MRI to CT in patients scheduled for local therapy of colorectal liver metastases (CAMINO): study protocol for an international multicentre prospective diagnostic accuracy study.

Background: Abdominal computed tomography (CT) is the standard imaging method for patients with suspected colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) in the diagnostic workup for surgery or thermal ablation. Diffusion-weighted and gadoxetic-acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the liver is increasingly used to improve the detection rate and characterization of liver lesions. MRI is superior in detection and characterization of CRLM as compared to CT.

Resectability of Pancreatic Cancer Is in the Eye of the Observer: A Multicenter, Blinded, Prospective Assessment of Interobserver Agreement on NCCN Resectability Status Criteria.

Objectives: To determine the reproducibility of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) resectability status classification for pancreatic cancer.

Background: The NCCN classification defines 3 resectability classes (resectable, borderline resectable, locally advanced), according to vascular invasion. It is used to recommend different approaches and stratify patients during clinical trials.

Mechanisms of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in the Metabolic Syndrome. A Narrative Review.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome (MS) are two different entities sharing common clinical and physio-pathological features, with insulin resistance (IR) as the most relevant. Large evidence leads to consider it as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, regardless of age, sex, smoking habit, cholesterolemia, and other elements of MS. Therapeutic strategies remain still unclear, but lifestyle modifications (diet, physical exercise, and weight loss) determine an improvement in IR, MS, and both clinical and histologic liver picture.

Measuring Changes in the Atmospheric Neutrino Rate over Gigayear Timescales.

Measuring the cosmic ray flux over timescales comparable to the age of the Solar System, ∼4.5  Gyr, could provide a new window on the history of the Earth, the Solar System, and even our Galaxy. We present a technique to indirectly measure the rate of cosmic rays as a function of time using the imprints of atmospheric neutrinos in "paleo-detectors," natural minerals that record damage tracks from nuclear recoils.

Surface Protein Dispersin of Enteroaggregative Binds Plasminogen That Is Converted Into Active Plasmin.

Dispersin is a 10.2 kDa-immunogenic protein secreted by enteroaggregative (EAEC). In the prototypical EAEC strain 042, dispersin is non-covalently bound to the outer membrane, assisting dispersion across the intestinal mucosa by overcoming electrostatic attraction between the AAF/II fimbriae and the bacterial surface.

Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after HCV Clearance by Direct-Acting Antivirals Treatment Predictive Factors and Role of Epigenetics.

Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) induce a rapid virologic response (SVR) in up to 99% of chronic hepatitis C patients. The role of SVR by DAAs on the incidence or recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still a matter of debate, although it is known that SVR does not eliminate the risk of HCC. In this review, we made an updated analysis of the literature data on the impact of SVR by DAAs on the risk of HCC as well as an assessment of risk factors and the role of epigenetics.