Interventions by Cardiovascular Drugs Against Aircraft Noise-Induced Cardiovascular Oxidative Stress and Damage.

Noise pollution is a known health risk factor and evidence for cardiovascular diseases associated with traffic noise is growing. At least 20% of the European Union's population lives in noise-polluted areas with exposure levels exceeding the recommended limits of the World Health Organization, which is considered unhealthy by the European Environment Agency. This results in the annual loss of 1.

Transition-related outcomes among a cohort of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

A major goal in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) long-term management is to ensure a successful transition to adult age. This study aims to assess transition outcomes in a group of JIA patients during their passage from pediatric to adult healthcare assistance at a single center. This is a cross-sectional study.

Inter- and Intra-Molecular Charge Redistributions in H-Bonded Cyanuric Acid*Melamine (CA*M) Networks: Insight From Core Level Spectroscopy and Natural Bond Orbital Analysis.

In this work, we elucidate the electronic charge redistributions that occur within the cyanuric acid (CA) and melamine (M) molecules upon formation of the triple H-bond between the imide group of CA and the diaminopyridine group of M. To achieve this, we investigated 2D H-bonded assemblies of M, CA and CA*M grown on the Au(111) surface, using X-ray photoemission (XPS) and near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopies. Compared to the homomolecular networks, the spectra of the mixed sample reveal core level shifts in opposite directions for CA and M, indicating a nearly complementary charge accumulation on the CA molecule and a charge depletion on the M molecule.

Premature cognitive decline in a mouse model of tuberous sclerosis.

Little is known about the influence of (impaired) neurodevelopment on cognitive aging. We here used a mouse model for tuberous sclerosis (TS) carrying a heterozygous deletion of the Tsc2 gene. Loss of Tsc2 function leads to mTOR hyperactivity in mice and patients.

APHRODITE: A Compact Lab-on-Chip Biosensor for the Real-Time Analysis of Salivary Biomarkers in Space Missions.

One of the main challenges to be faced in deep space missions is to protect the health and ensure the maximum efficiency of the crew by preparing methods of prevention and in situ diagnosis. Indeed, the hostile environment causes important health problems, ranging from muscle atrophy, osteopenia, and immunological and metabolic alterations due to microgravity, to an increased risk of cancer caused by exposure to radiation. It is, therefore, necessary to provide new methods for the real-time measurement of biomarkers suitable for deepening our knowledge of the effects of space flight on the balance of the immune system and for allowing the monitoring of the astronaut's health during long-term missions.

Non-destructive real-time analysis of plant metabolite accumulation in radish microgreens under different LED light recipes.

Introduction: The future of human space missions relies on the ability to provide adequate food resources for astronauts and also to reduce stress due to the environment (microgravity and cosmic radiation). In this context, microgreens have been proposed for the astronaut diet because of their fast-growing time and their high levels of bioactive compounds and nutrients (vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, etc.), which are even higher than mature plants, and are usually consumed as ready-to-eat vegetables.

Effects of gamma radiation on engineered tomato biofortified for space agriculture by morphometry and fluorescence-based indices.

Introduction: Future long-term space missions will focus to the solar system exploration, with the Moon and Mars as leading goals. Plant cultivation will provide fresh food as a healthy supplement to astronauts' diet in confined and unhealthy outposts. Ionizing radiation (IR) are a main hazard in outer space for their capacity to generate oxidative stress and DNA damage.

NECAB2 is an endosomal protein important for striatal function.

Synaptic signaling depends on ATP generated by mitochondria. Dysfunctional mitochondria shift the redox balance towards a more oxidative environment. Due to extensive connectivity, the striatum is especially vulnerable to mitochondrial dysfunction.

Parenteral Nutrition in the Pediatric Oncologic Population: Are There Any Sex Differences?

Gender-based medicine is attracting increasing interest every day, but studies on pediatric populations are still limited. In this setting, sex differences among patients undergoing total parenteral nutrition (TPN) have not been previously reported. This study investigated the presence of sex differences in parenteral nutrition composition and outcomes among a cohort of pediatric patients admitted at the Oncohematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit of the Institute for Maternal and Child Health "Burlo Garofolo" of Trieste, Italy.

A child with polyarthritis and chronic lung disease: a case report of ataxia-telangiectasia.

Background: Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is a rare autosomal recessive DNA repair disorder, characterized by progressive cerebellar degeneration, telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, recurrent sinopulmonary infections, radiation sensitivity, premature aging and predisposition to cancer. Although the association with autoimmune and chronic inflammatory conditions such as vitiligo, thrombocytopenia and arthritis has occasionally been reported, an onset with articular involvement at presentation is rare.

Case Presentation: We herein report the case of a 7-year-old Caucasian girl who was admitted to the Rheumatology Department with a history of febrile chough and polyarthritis which led initially to the suspicion of an autoinflammatory disease.

A "SURFin' Leukemia": Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Masquerading as a Syndrome of Undifferentiated Recurrent Fever.

Periodic fever is not uncommon in childhood and is often ascribed to autoinflammatory conditions; however, it may be present also in children with cancer. We here describe the case of a 3-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who initially presented with a 4-month history of recurrent, stereotyped episodes of fever and localized joint pain, separated by completely symptom-free intervals. These symptoms were initially interpreted as a possible syndrome of undifferentiated recurrent fever until more signs of leukemia became apparent.

Neuroanatomical changes of ionotropic glutamatergic and GABAergic receptor densities in male mice modeling idiopathic and syndromic autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a wide range of neurodevelopment conditions primarily characterized by impaired social interaction and repetitive behavior, accompanied by a variable degree of neuropsychiatric characteristics. Synaptic dysfunction is undertaken as one of the key underlying mechanisms in understanding the pathophysiology of ASD. The excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) hypothesis is one of the most widely held theories for its pathogenesis.

Fixation and staining methods for macroscopical investigation of the brain.

The proper preservation of human brain tissue is an indispensable requirement for investigations. Neuroanatomical teaching, neuropathological examination, neurosurgical training, basic and clinical neuroscientific research are some of the possible downstream applications of brain specimens and, although much apart from one another, proper tissue fixation and preservation is a common denominator to all of them. In this review, the most relevant procedures to fixate brain tissue are described.

Drowning in Children and Predictive Parameters: A 15-Year Multicenter Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Drowning is a serious and underestimated public health problem, with the highest morbidity and mortality reported among children. Data regarding pediatric outcomes of drowning are often inadequate, and data collection is poorly standardized among centers. This study aims to provide an overview of a drowning pediatric population in pediatric emergency department, focusing on its main characteristics and management and evaluating prognostic factors.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health among Students Seeking Psychological Counseling Services.

Recent years have seen a marked rise in the number of students accessing University Psychological Counseling (UPC) services, and their concerns have been increasingly severe. This study aimed to examine the impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on mental health in students who had approached counseling services (N = 121) and students who had no experience with counseling services (N = 255). Participants completed an anonymous online self-report questionnaire measuring exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE-Q), psychological distress (General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), personality traits (PID-5), and coping strategies.

Type I interferon signature as a possible new marker for stratification of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objectives: The interferon score (IS) quantifies the expression of interferon-stimulated genes in peripheral blood, providing an indirect estimate of interferon-mediated inflammation in rheumatological disorders. This study explores the clinical significance of IS among a cohort of patients affected by juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and its relevance to disease stratification and prognosis.

Methods: All patients referred to the Rheumatology Service of the Institute for Maternal and Child Health IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, Italy, with a diagnosis of JIA (2001 ILAR criteria) were consecutively recruited.

Inequivalent Solvation Effects on the N 1s Levels of Self-Associated Melamine Molecules in Aqueous Solution.

This work shows how the N 1s photoemission (PE) spectrum of self-associated melamine molecules in aqueous solution has been successfully rationalized using an integrated computational approach encompassing classical metadynamics simulations and quantum calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). The first approach allowed us to describe interacting melamine molecules in explicit waters and to identify dimeric configurations based on π-π and/or H-bonding interactions. Then, N 1s binding energies (BEs) and PE spectra were computed at the DFT level for all structures both in the gas phase and in an implicit solvent.

Striatal increase of dopamine receptor 2 density in idiopathic and syndromic mouse models of autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a wide range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes united by impaired social interaction and repetitive behavior. Environmental and genetic factors are associated with the pathogenesis of ASD, while other cases are classified as idiopathic. The dopaminergic system has a profound impact in the modulation of motor and reward-motivated behaviors, and defects in dopaminergic circuits are implicated in ASD.

Efficacy of Hydroponically Cultivated Saffron in the Preservation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium.

Saffron treatment is a broad-spectrum therapy used for several retinal diseases, and its effectiveness depends on a particular molecular composition (REPRON saffron). Its production requires specific crops and procedures that, together with low yields, make this spice expensive. To reduce costs, the use of hydroponic crops is gradually increasing.

Design of a modular controlled unit for the study of bioprocesses: Towards solutions for Bioregenerative Life Support Systems in space.

Space exploration beyond the Low Earth Orbit requires the establishment of Bioregenerative Life Support Systems (BLSSs), which, through bioprocesses for primary resource recycling, ensure crew survival. However, the introduction of new organisms in confined space habitats must be carefully evaluated in advance to avoid unforeseen events that could compromise the mission. In this work, we have designed and built an experimental chamber, named Growing/Rearing Module (GRM), completely isolated and equipped with micro-environmental monitoring and control systems.

Farming for Pharming: Novel Hydroponic Process in Contained Environment for Efficient Pharma-Grade Production of Saffron.

Soilless cultivation of saffron () in a controlled environment represents an interesting alternative to field cultivation, in order to obtain a standardized high-quality product and to optimize yields. In particular, pharma-grade saffron is fundamental for therapeutic applications of this spice, whose efficacy has been demonstrated in the treatment of macular diseases, such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD). In this work, a hydroponic cultivation system was developed, specifically designed to meet the needs of plant.

Approach to the child with fatigue: A focus for the general pediatrician.

Background: Fatigue is a common, nonspecific complaint commonly used to describe various conditions, ranging from a vague, subjective sense of weariness to muscular weakness, fatigability, exercise intolerance or excessive daytime somnolence. Despite its high frequency in the general population, literature addressing the approach to the child with fatigue from a general pediatrician perspective is poor. We herein propose a review of the available evidence on the topic, providing a practical framework to assist physicians in dealing with the issue.

Oral ibuprofen versus oral ketorolac for children with moderate and severe acute traumatic pain: a randomized comparative study.

This study is to compare ibuprofen and ketorolac for children with trauma-related acute pain. We conducted a multicentre randomized, double-blind, controlled trial in the Paediatric Emergency Department setting. We enrolled patients aged 8 to 17 who accessed the emergency department for pain related to a limb trauma that occurred in the previous 48 h.

Impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on the relationship with parents and peers in a cohort of adolescents with somatic symptom disorder.

To investigate the coping strategies of a group of adolescents with somatic symptom disorder compared to non-somatic symptom disorder peers during the COVID-19 related lockdown.This cross-sectional study is the second part of a previously published study showing an improved trend in depression and anxiety in a group of patients with somatic symptom disorder compared to non-somatic symptom disorder peers. An anonymous semi-structured survey was distributed to two groups of Italian adolescents to measure the impact of quarantine on their daily life and coping strategies.

Pediatric males receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant lose their male disadvantage in disease risk after the procedure: A retrospective observational study.

Sex differences play a relevant role in cancer susceptibility, incidence and survival. Exploring such differences is difficult because of the close interplay of genetic, epigenetic and hormonal factors. However, a better understanding of the role of such disparities in cancer mechanisms could improve its prevention and therapy.