The 2023 dengue outbreak in Lombardy, Italy: A one-health perspective.

Introduction: Here we reported the virological, entomological and epidemiological characteristics of the large autochthonous outbreak of dengue (DENV) occurred in a small village of the Lombardy region (Northern Italy) during summer 2023.

Methods: After the diagnosis of the first autochthonous case on August 18, 2023, public health measures, including epidemiological investigation and vector control measures, were carried out. A serological screening for DENV antibodies detection was offered to the population.

Bisphenol A exposure during gestation and lactation in mice: Sex-specific consequences on oligodendrocytes and myelination.

Bisphenol A (BPA), a ubiquitous environmental endocrine disruptor, is suspected of disturbing brain development through largely unknown cellular and molecular mechanisms. In the central nervous system, oligodendrocytes are responsible for forming myelin sheaths, which enhance the propagation of action potentials along axons. Disruption of axon myelination can have lifelong consequences, making oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination critical stages of brain development.

Use of ICD-9-CM coding for identifying antibiotic prescriptions during hospitalization: a Delphi consensus model.

A Delphi consensus-seeking procedure was conducted to validate a list of ICD-9-CM codes that could help identify hospital admissions in which antimicrobials are more likely to be prescribed. The panel agreed to include 2967 codes out of 16229 (18.28%).

The WEST Study: A Retrospective and Multicentric Study on the Impact of Steroid Therapy in West Nile Encephalitis.

Background: The use of steroid therapy in potentially life-threatening neuroinvasive forms of West Nile infection (WNND) is controversial. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of steroid therapy in reducing intrahospital mortality, length of stay, and neurological sequelae at discharge.

Methods: This was a multicenter, retrospective, observational study conducted in 5 hospitals in Northern Italy, headed by the Fondazione IRCSS Policlinico San Matteo (Pavia).

Shift in phospholipid and fatty acid contents accompanies brain myelination.

In the central nervous system, lipids represent approximately 70% of myelin dry weight and play a key role in axon insulation and action potential conduction velocity. Lipids may thus represent sensitive markers of myelin status in physiological and pathological contexts. In this study, a comprehensive lipidomic analysis by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry was performed on myelin-enriched fractions prepared from mouse brains.

Identification of new Omega-3 very long chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids in meibomian gland secretions.

Three new very long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (VLC PUFA) belonging to the omega-3 family have been identified in meibum samples collected by Schirmer strips. These VLC PUFA, namely FA (32:3), FA (34:3) and FA (36:3), were detected in O-acyl-ω-hydroxy fatty acids using a molecular network approach, and as free fatty acids. Identification was supported by retention time prediction model, exact mass determination and isotopic patterns.

Bisphenol A Impairs Lipid Remodeling Accompanying Cell Differentiation in the Oligodendroglial Cell Line Oli-Neu.

In the central nervous system, the process of myelination involves oligodendrocytes that wrap myelin around axons. Myelin sheaths are mainly composed of lipids and ensure efficient conduction of action potentials. Oligodendrocyte differentiation is an essential preliminary step to myelination which, in turn, is a key event of neurodevelopment.

Deepening of lipidome annotation by associating cross-metathesis reaction with mass spectrometry: application to an in vitro model of corneal toxicity.

The in-depth knowledge of lipid biological functions needs a comprehensive structural annotation including a method to locate fatty acid unsaturations, which remains a thorny problem. For this purpose, we have associated Grubbs' cross-metathesis reaction and liquid chromatography hyphenated to tandem mass spectrometry to locate double bond positions in lipid species. The pretreatment of lipid-containing samples by Grubbs' catalyst and an appropriate alkene generates substituted lipids through cross-metathesis reaction under mild, chemoselective, and reproducible conditions.

Lipidomic analysis of human corneal epithelial cells exposed to ocular irritants highlights the role of phospholipid and sphingolipid metabolisms in detergent toxicity mechanisms.

Detergent chemicals, widely used in household products, in pharmaceutical, medical, cosmetic and industrial fields, have been linked to side effects and involved in several eye diseases. On the ocular surface, detergents can interfere with the corneal epithelium, the most superficial layer of the cornea, representing a line of defence against external aggression. Despite its major role in numerous biological functions, there is still little data regarding disruption of lipid homeostasis induced by ocular irritants.

Lipid Annotation by Combination of UHPLC-HRMS (MS), Molecular Networking, and Retention Time Prediction: Application to a Lipidomic Study of In Vitro Models of Dry Eye Disease.

Annotation of lipids in untargeted lipidomic analysis remains challenging and a systematic approach needs to be developed to organize important datasets with the help of bioinformatic tools. For this purpose, we combined tandem mass spectrometry-based molecular networking with retention time (t) prediction to annotate phospholipid and sphingolipid species. Sixty-five standard compounds were used to establish the fragmentation rules of each lipid class studied and to define the parameters governing their chromatographic behavior.

Lipidomic analysis of epithelial corneal cells following hyperosmolarity and benzalkonium chloride exposure: New insights in dry eye disease.

Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial chronic inflammatory disease of the ocular surface characterized by tear film instability, hyperosmolarity, cell damage and inflammation. Hyperosmolarity is strongly established as the core mechanism of the DED. Benzalkonium chloride (BAK) - a quaternary ammonium salt commonly used in eye drops for its microbicidal properties - is well known to favor the onset of DED.

Citrulline prevents age-related LTP decline in old rats.

The prevalence of cognitive decline is increasing as the ageing population is considerably growing. Restricting this age-associated process has become a challenging public health issue. The age-related increase in oxidative stress plays a major role in cognitive decline, because of its harmful effect on functional plasticity of the brain, such as long-term potentiation (LTP).

Stereoselective Access to ( E)-1,3-Enynes through Pd/Cu-Catalyzed Alkyne Hydrocarbation of Allenes.

Pd and Cu cooperate in catalyzing the alkynes hydrocarbation of allenes (AHA) giving ( E)-1,3-enynes with high yields, atom economy, and high regio-/stereoselectivities. We devised new efficient conditions and expanded the substrate scope. Experimental and computational studies support a nonorthodox Pd/Pd catalytic cycle involving an oxidative addition triggered by a stereodeterminant H transfer.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 1,2,3-triazole linked coumarinopyrazole conjugates as potent anticholinesterase, anti-5-lipoxygenase, anti-tyrosinase and anti-cancer agents.

A series of new 1,2,3-triazole linked coumarinopyrazole conjugates 4a-e and 5a-e have been synthesized via the Copper(I)-catalysed Alkyne-Azide Cycloaddition (CuAAC). Going through the reaction of compound 2 with the 3-propargyl bromide gave a mixture of propargylated regioisomers 3 + 3' used as a dipolarophile to access to triazoles 4a-e and 5a-e. The structures of the prepared cycloadducts were determined by H, C and 2D-NMR techniques and by HRMS analysis.

Resveratrol reverses the Warburg effect by targeting the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in colon cancer cells.

Resveratrol (RES), a polyphenol found in natural foods, displays anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties potentially beneficial in cancers, in particular in the prevention of tumor growth. However, the rapid metabolism of resveratrol strongly limits its bioavailability. The molecular mechanisms sustaining the potential biological activity of low doses of resveratrol has not been extensively studied and, thus, needs better characterization.

Neuronal Cholesterol Accumulation Induced by Cyp46a1 Down-Regulation in Mouse Hippocampus Disrupts Brain Lipid Homeostasis.

Impairment in cholesterol metabolism is associated with many neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the lipid alterations underlying neurodegeneration and the connection between altered cholesterol levels and AD remains not fully understood. We recently showed that cholesterol accumulation in hippocampal neurons, induced by silencing gene expression, leads to neurodegeneration with a progressive neuronal loss associated with AD-like phenotype in wild-type mice.

25-Hydroxycholesterol induces both P2X7-dependent pyroptosis and caspase-dependent apoptosis in human skin model: New insights into degenerative pathways.

Degenerative diseases are characterized by both cell death and inflammation, which involve different pathways such as apoptosis and pyroptosis. Oxysterols, oxidized derivatives of cholesterol, are known to act as key actors in degenerative disorders such as skin photoaging. We hypothesize that oxysterols could be implicated in either apoptosis or pyroptosis, or both.

Metabolism of Flavone-8-acetic Acid in Mice.

Flavone-8-acetic acid (FAA) is a potent antivascular agent in mice but not in humans. Assuming that FAA was bioactivated in mice, we previously demonstrated that 6-OH-FAA was formed from FAA by mouse microsomes but not by human microsomes; its antivascular activity was 2.1- to 15.

Lipid deregulation in UV irradiated skin cells: Role of 25-hydroxycholesterol in keratinocyte differentiation during photoaging.

Skin photoaging due to UV irradiation is a degenerative process that appears more and more as a growing concern. Lipids, including oxysterols, are involved in degenerative processes; as skin cells contain various lipids, the aim of our study was to evaluate first, changes in keratinocyte lipid levels induced by UV exposure and second, cellular effects of oxysterols in cell morphology and several hallmarks of keratinocyte differentiation. Our mass spectrometry results demonstrated that UV irradiation induces changes in lipid profile of cultured keratinocytes; in particular, ceramides and oxysterols, specifically 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH), were increased.

P2X7-pannexin-1 and amyloid β-induced oxysterol input in human retinal cell: Role in age-related macular degeneration?

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of severe vision loss worldwide. Amyloid β involvement in degenerative diseases such as AMD is well known and its toxicity has been related to P2X7 receptor-pannexin-1. Recently, oxysterols (oxidized derivatives of cholesterol) have been implicated in AMD pathogenesis.

New in vitro biomarkers to detect toxicity in human placental cells: The example of benzo[A]pyrene.

Our aim was to study the toxicity of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), an environmental pollutant that can reach placenta, on two human placental models in order to propose biomarkers in risk assessment for pregnancy. Ex vivo human placental cells isolated from term placenta and JEG-3 cancer cell line were incubated with BaP at 0.1-10 μM for 48 h or 72 h.

Changing in lipid profile induced by the mutation of Foxn1 gene: A lipidomic analysis of Nude mice skin.

Nude mice carry a spontaneous mutation affecting the gene Foxn1 mainly expressed in the epidermis. This gene is involved in several skin functions, especially in the proliferation and the differentiation of keratinocytes which are key cells of epithelial barrier. The skin, a protective barrier for the body, is essentially composed of lipids.

Weak protein-cationic co-ion interactions addressed by X-ray crystallography and mass spectrometry.

The adsorption of Rb(+), Cs(+), Mn(2+), Co(2+) and Yb(3+) onto the positively charged hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) has been investigated by solving 13 X-ray structures of HEWL crystallized with their chlorides and by applying electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) first to dissolved protein crystals and then to the protein in buffered salt solutions. The number of bound cations follows the order Cs(+) < Mn(2+) ≃ Co(2+) < Yb(3+) at 293 K. HEWL binds less Rb(+) (qtot = 0.