Kapok fibers modified with cationic surfactants: Structural insights and efficient removal of Cr(VI) and bisphenol A.

In this study, kapok fiber (KF) a hollow and hydrophobic fiber, was modified with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), rendering adsorbed amount of ∼0.75 × 10 mol/g. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of dry KF/CTAB and KF/CPC evidenced a periodic distance of ∼2.

Chitosan/vanillin/polydimethylsiloxane scaffolds with tunable stiffness for muscle cell proliferation.

The mechanical properties of scaffolds can significantly influence cell behavior. We propose a methodology for producing chitosan and vanillin-crosslinked chitosan films with tunable mechanical properties to be applied as scaffolds for C2C12 myoblasts. In this approach, aqueous polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomeric dispersions were prepared using polysorbate 20 as emulsifier.

[Italian Association of Epidemiology: How has the demographic, educational, and occupational profile of members changed in recent years].

In recent years, the number of members of the Italian Association of Epidemiology (AIE) has increased considerably, and their profile has undergone many changes. The aim of this work is to describe the characteristics of the members, with particular attention to those who have been continuously enrolled. To evaluate these characteristics, the data from membership forms submitted to the Association and information available on the new website in the personal profile area (period 2016-2024) were used.

Vaccines and vaccination in prison settings: availability and model of service delivery in 20 European countries.

Prisons, due to various risk factors, are environments that are conducive to infectious disease transmission, with significantly higher prevalence of infectious diseases within prisons compared to the general population. This underscores the importance of preventive measures, particularly vaccination. As part of the international project "Reaching the hard-to-reach: Increasing access and vaccine uptake among the prison population in Europe" (RISE-Vac), this study aimed to map the availability and delivery framework of vaccination services in prisons across Europe and beyond.

Integrated environmental and clinical surveillance for the prevention of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in indoor environments and vulnerable communities (Stell-ARI): Protocol.

The epidemiological relevance of viral acute respiratory infections (ARIs) has been dramatically highlighted by COVID-19. However, other viruses cannot be neglected, such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human adenovirus. These viruses thrive in closed spaces, influenced by human and environmental factors.

Assessing vaccine hesitancy and vaccine literacy among the European prison population and staff: A multicentre observational study.

Vaccination is the most efficient and cost-effective public health intervention. Prison population, for its low social distancing, constant turnover, and high percentage of migrants, should be an important target of vaccination campaign. However, vaccination coverage in prison is low.

Hepatitis C epidemiology and treatment outcomes in Italy: Impact of the DAA era and the COVID-19 pandemic.

HCV infection poses a global health threat, with significant morbidity and mortality. This study examines HCV trends in a large Italian region from 2015 to 2022, considering demographic changes, evolving clinical profiles, treatment regimens and outcomes, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This multicentre retrospective study analysed demographics, clinical histories and risk factors in 6882 HCV patients.

[The peer-review process: critical issues and challenges from an online survey].

Background: the peer-review process, which is the foundation of modern scientific production, represents one of its essential elements. However, despite numerous benefits, it presents several critical issues.

Objectives: to collect the opinions of a group of researchers from the epidemiological scientific community on peer-review processes.

Harnessing carboxymethyl cellulose and Moringa oleifera seed husks for sustainable treatment of a multi-metal real waste.

This study aimed to evaluate effective treatment strategies for laboratory waste with an initial pH of 1.0, containing Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sr, Hg, and Pb ions, focusing on flocculation, precipitation, and adsorption techniques. The study utilized microparticles derived from Moringa oleifera seed husks (MS), cryogels of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and hybrid cryogels combining CMC and MS (CMC-MS25 and CMC-MS50) as adsorbents.

Implementation of COVID-19 vaccination services in prison in six European countries: translating emergency intervention into routine life-course vaccination.

Background: Evidence has shown that the risk of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is much higher in prisons than in the community. The release of the COVID-19 vaccine and the recommendation by WHO to include prisons among priority settings have led to the inclusion of prisons in national COVID-19 vaccination strategies. Evidence on prison health and healthcare services provision is limited and often focuses on a single country or institution due to the multiple challenges of conducting research in prison settings.

Evaluating hepatitis C cascade of care surveillance system in Tuscany, Italy, through a population retrospective data-linkage study, 2015-2021.

This comprehensive retrospective data-linkage study aimed at evaluating the impact of Direct-Acting Antivirals (DAAs) on Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) testing, treatment trends, and access to care in Tuscany over six years following their introduction. Utilizing administrative healthcare records, our work reveals a substantial increase in HCV tests in 2017, attributed to the decision to provide universal access to treatment. However, despite efforts to eradicate chronic HCV through a government-led plan, the target of treating 6,221 patients annually was not met, and services contracted after 2018, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Vaccination against emerging and reemerging infectious diseases in places of detention: a global multistage scoping review.

Background: Despite the elevated risks of infection transmission, people in prisons frequently encounter significant barriers in accessing essential healthcare services in many countries. The present scoping review aimed to evaluate the state of availability and model of delivery of vaccination services within correctional facilities across the globe.

Methods: Following the methodological framework for scoping reviews and adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews criteria, we conducted a systematic search across four peer-reviewed literature databases (Medline via PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and EBSCO), as well as 14 sources of grey literature.

Static Magnetic Field Reduces Intracellular ROS Levels and Protects Cells Against Peroxide-Induced Damage: Suggested Roles for Catalase.

A feature in neurodegenerative disorders is the loss of neurons, caused by several factors including oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this work, static magnetic field (SMF) was applied in vitro to evaluate its effect on the viability, proliferation, and migration of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, and on the toxicity induced by hydrogen peroxide (HO), tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP), HO/sodium azide (NaN) and photosensitized oxidations by photodynamic therapy (PDT) photosensitizers. The SMF increased almost twofold the cell expression of the proliferation biomarker Ki-67 compared to control cells after 7 days of exposure.

Exposure to low levels of hydrogen sulphide and its impact on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung function in the geothermal area of Mt. Amiata in Italy: The cross-sectional InVETTA study.

Background: The geothermal power plants for electricity production currently active in Italy are all located in Mt. Amiata area in the Tuscany region. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the framework of the regional project "InVETTA-Biomonitoring Survey and Epidemiological Evaluations for the Protection of Health in the Amiata Territories", using objective measures of lung function to investigate the role of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) in affecting the respiratory health of the population living in this area.

Rheological and mechanical properties of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based hydrogels and cryogels controlled by AOT and SDS micelles.

Hypothesis: The type and concentration of surfactants affect the rheological behavior of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) chains in hydrogels, influencing the microstructure and mechanical properties of HPMC cryogels.

Experiments: Hydrogels and cryogels containing HPMC, AOT (bis (2-ethylhexyl) sodium sulfosuccinate or dioctyl sulfosuccinate salt sodium, two C8 chains and sulfosuccinate head group), SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate, one C12 chain and sulfate head group), and sodium sulfate (salt, no hydrophobic chain) at different concentrations were investigated using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheological measurements, and compressive tests.

Findings: SDS micelles bound to the HPMC chains building "bead necklaces", increasing considerably the storage modulus G' values of the hydrogels and the compressive modulus E values of the corresponding cryogels.

Modulation of synapse-related gene expression in the cerebellum and prefrontal cortex of rats subjected to the contextual fear conditioning paradigm.

The contextual fear conditioning (CFC) paradigm is the most productive approach for understanding the neurobiology of learning and memory as it allows to follow the evolution of memory traces of a conditioned stimulus and a specific context. The formation of long-term memory involves alterations in synaptic efficacy and neural transmission. It is known that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) exerts top-down control over subcortical structures to regulate behavioural responses.

[Evidence synthesis 2.0: how artificial intelligence is making systematic reviews more efficient.].

Systematic reviews (SRs) are essential tools for synthesising the available scientific evidence on a given topic, and in some healthcare fields they represent the core for public health decisions according to the principles of evidence-based medicine. However, keeping up to date with the volume of scientific production is not always easy given the estimated annual increase in scientific publications of 4.10%.

[A national overview of the topics covered by young people in epidemiology: a comparison before and after the Covid-19.].

Introduction: Epidemiology is increasingly involved on a wide variety of topics and to engage different professionals and disciplines in an increasingly active way. A fundamental role is played by young researchers active in Italian epidemiology who create opportunities for meeting and discussion, in the name of multidisciplinarity and integration of different skills.

Objective: The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed description of the topics most frequently studied in epidemiology by young people and to highlight any changes in these topics in the pre- and post-Covid-19 workplaces.

Caffeine Release from Magneto-Responsive Hydrogels Controlled by External Magnetic Field and Calcium Ions and Its Effect on the Viability of Neuronal Cells.

Caffeine (CAF) is a psychostimulant present in many beverages and with rapid bioabsorption. For this reason, matrices that effectuate the sustained release of a low amount of CAF would help reduce the intake frequency and side effects caused by high doses of this stimulant. Thus, in this study, CAF was loaded into magnetic gelatin/alginate (Gel/Alg/MNP) hydrogels at 18.

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/sodium alginate/magnetite composites: magnetic force microscopy for tracking magnetic domains.

Hydrogels of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/sodium alginate (SA), and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were prepared by solvent casting in the absence and in the presence of magnets, in order to obtain MNPs distributed randomly (PVA/SA-rMNP) and magnetically oriented MNPs (PVA/SA-gMNP) in the polymer matrix. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM) techniques were used to evaluate the topography and to map the distribution of magnetic domains in the polymer matrix, respectively. The tip-surface distance (lift distance) of 50 nm during the MFM analyses facilitated the mapping of magnetic domains because the van der Waals forces were minimized.

Adherence to Oral Antidiabetic Drugs in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Poor adherence to oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) can lead to therapy failure and risk of complications. The aim of this study was to produce an adherence proportion to OADs and estimate the association between good adherence and good glycemic control in patients with T2D. We searched in MEDLINE, Scopus, and CENTRAL databases to find observational studies on therapeutic adherence in OAD users.

Improved anti-inflammatory properties of xanthan gum hydrogel physically and chemically modified with yeast derived peptide.

Bioactive peptides from natural resources with associated beneficial biological properties such as skin wound healing have drawn much attention. Polysaccharides with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and ease of modification are suitable carriers for peptides delivery to the wound. In this study, a polysaccharide-peptide system was designed for potential wound healing applications.

Mate choice in a promiscuous poison frog.

In many animal species, members of one sex, most often females, exhibit a strong preference for mating partners with particular traits or resources. However, when females sequentially mate with multiple partners, strategies underlying female choice are not very well understood. Particularly, little is known if under such sequential polyandry females mate truly randomly, or if they actively try to spread mating events across multiple partners.

Long-term exposure to low-level arsenic in drinking water is associated with cause-specific mortality and hospitalization in the Mt. Amiata area (Tuscany, Italy).

Background: Arsenic in drinking water is a global public health concern. This study aims to investigate the association between chronic low-level exposure to arsenic in drinking water and health outcomes in the volcanic area of Mt. Amiata in Italy, using a residential cohort study design.