Publications by authors named "SALA G"

Survival rate of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) patients are still to date very poor, and the application of innovative clinical approaches are urgently needed. Cold atmospheric plasmas (CAPs) are partially ionized gases that have shown anti-tumor effectiveness over a wide range of cancer types with potential application into clinics. However, the comprehension of the mechanisms underlying indirect CAP effects plays a key role for the prediction of treatment outcomes.

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Background: The new criteria for Alzheimer's disease pave the way for the introduction of core blood biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (BBAD) into clinical practice. However, this depends on the demonstration of sufficient accuracy and robustness of BBADs in the intended population.

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic performance of core BBADs in our memory clinic, comparing them with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.

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CT arthrography (CTA) for evaluating cartilage defects would be beneficial in clinical practice. Since the contrast medium (CM) volume is often driven by operator experience, the aim was to evaluate the minimum volume of iodinated CM for CTA sufficient to identify iatrogenic cartilage defects in horse fetlock. The study was conducted on ex-vivo 32 distal limbs from adult horses collected at slaughter.

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With rising concerns about antimicrobial resistance, the identification of new lead compounds to target multidrug-resistant bacteria is essential. This study employed a fast miniaturized screening to simultaneously cultivate and evaluate about 300 marine strains for biosurfactant and antibacterial activities, leading to the selection of the deep-sea BCP32. The integration of tandem mass spectrometry molecular networking and bioassay-guided fractionation unveiled this strain as a prolific factory of surfactins and nobilamides.

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There are still several viral infections affecting a considerable number of the world's population, causing thousands of deaths each year. There are no drugs available for most viral infections and for many not even a vaccine. The marine kingdom is characterized by a huge chemical diversity; however, there is currently on the market only one drug derived from the sea with antiviral properties, called Ara-A.

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Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have gained interest as drug delivery carriers due to their efficient cellular internalization and increased therapeutic effect of the loaded drug, with minimal side effects. Although recently several studies have shown the possibility to administer SLNs during pregnancy to vehicle mRNA to the placenta, data about the effect of premating exposure to SLNs on pregnancy outcome are scant. Considering that assumption of drug-delivering nanocarriers in reproductive age may potentially affect women's reproductive health, the aim of the present study was to evaluate whether repeated oral administration of SLNs to female mice prior to mating would influence key pregnancy outcomes.

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Sheep in Italy are exposed to heat stress (HS) for several months, increasing the risk of HS-related problems such as the decrease in growth, reproductive performance, milk quantity and quality and natural immunity. This study aimed to assess changes in hematological and biochemical parameters in dairy sheep from three different farms with varying pasture management: A (no water or shade), B (water but no shade), and C (both water and shade). From March to June, when HS risk is high, monthly blood samples (T1-T4) were collected from 20 sheep per farm (total n = 60).

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An increasingly important role for gut microbiota in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been described. Even in the early stages of transformation, i.e.

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Retinal neurodegeneration (RN), an early marker of diabetic retinopathy (DR), is closely associated with Müller glia cells (MGs) in diabetic subjects. MGs play a pivotal role in maintaining retinal homeostasis, integrity, and metabolic support and respond to diabetic stress. In lower vertebrates, MGs have a strong regenerative response and can completely repair the retina after injuries.

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Specialized or secondary metabolites are small molecules of biological origin, often showing potent biological activities with applications in agriculture, engineering and medicine. Usually, the biosynthesis of these natural products is governed by sets of co-regulated and physically clustered genes known as biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). To share information about BGCs in a standardized and machine-readable way, the Minimum Information about a Biosynthetic Gene cluster (MIBiG) data standard and repository was initiated in 2015.

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Three-dimensional (3D)-printed models have been shown to improve medical students' understanding of anatomy and related fractures. The aim of this parallel-group randomized trial was to evaluate the impact of 3D-printed feline skulls, in addition to traditional teaching, on veterinary students' interpretation of skull radiographs. Students were randomly divided into two groups (2D, 3D) and underwent a pre-test consisting of multiple-choice questions.

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Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) represents a significant challenge in cattle management due to its multifactorial nature and lack of a gold standard diagnostic method. Procalcitonin (PCT) has emerged as a potential biomarker for bacterial infections in various species, including cattle. This study aimed to investigate plasma PCT concentration variations in pre-weaned dairy calves categorized as BRD-positive using clinical scores (WRSC; BRD-positive ≥5), thoracic ultrasonography with two cut-off (TUS; BRD-positive ≥1 or ≥3), or a combination of both methods (WRSC/TUS1cm or WRSC/TUS3cm).

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Smartphone-based technology is increasingly used in veterinary medicine as a complementary tool for cardiac auscultation and ECG recording. This prospective observational study evaluates a digital stethoscope (DS) that consists of simultaneous phonocardiographic and one-lead ECG recording (dECG) in adult horses, comparing it with auscultation using a conventional stethoscope (CS) and reference base-apex ECG (rECG). A total of 104 horses underwent cardiac auscultation using CSs and DSs to detect arrhythmias and murmurs.

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Article Synopsis
  • Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage (EIPH) is a common issue in racehorses, identified by blood in the trachea or specific cells in lung fluid samples after intense exercise.
  • A study analyzed data from 172 racehorses to compare Tracheal wash (TW) and Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology for diagnosing EIPH, finding strong agreement between the two methods.
  • The findings suggest that TW could be a practical and reliable alternative to the more invasive BALF method for assessing EIPH in racehorses.
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Microbial biosurfactants have garnered significant interest from industry due to their lower toxicity, biodegradability, activity at lower concentrations and higher resistance compared to synthetic surfactants. The deep-sea Rhodococcus sp. I2R has been identified as a producer of glycolipid biosurfactants, specifically succinoyl trehalolipids, which exhibit antiviral activity.

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Ultrasound is a valuable, non-invasive technique. It allows for detailed examination, precise measurement, and effective monitoring of teats in dairy cows. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of ultrasound measurements of teats in dairy cows, specifically focusing on intra- and inter-rater agreement between operators with different levels of experience.

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Article Synopsis
  • Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor influenced by various genetic, environmental, lifestyle factors, and gut microbiota.
  • The interplay of these risk factors, especially changes in gut microbiota, significantly impacts CRC susceptibility and progression.
  • Understanding these interactions can lead to targeted, precision-medicine strategies that modify gut microbiota composition to prevent or treat CRC more effectively.
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Introduction: The marine environment is extremely complex and exerts strong evolutionary pressure often leading to the appearance of microbial strains with new metabolic competencies. Microorganisms in marine ecosystems are still largely unknown and should be explored and conserved for biodiversity preservation, possible ecosystem restoring, and other applications. Biodiversity conservation should become a basic ecological strategy of particular significance in relation to global change.

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Over the last few decades, tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has become a growing public health problem in Europe. The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a zoonotic virus that affects the central nervous system (CNS). TBEV has been detected in 27 European countries, and the rise in TBE cases is mainly due to environmental and ecological factors, and factors that increase the risk of human exposure to infected ticks.

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Objective: Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel approach for cancer treatment. It can be used to treat liquids-plasma-activated media (PAM)-which are then transferred to the target as an exogenous source of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). The present study aimed at chemically characterizing different PAM and assessing their in vitro selectivity against head and neck cancer cells (HNC).

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Ultrasound-guided local anaesthesia is commonly used in veterinary orthopaedics for horses. This study aimed to assess an ultrasound technique for the medial branch of the dorsal branch of the cervical spinal nerves (MB-DBCSNs) in horses and compare the performance of clinicians with different experience levels. Ten healthy, skeletally mature horses were examined using radiographic and ultrasound (US) techniques in the cervical area (C3-C7).

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Article Synopsis
  • Different types of bedding materials in dairy farms include organic options like recycled manure solids (RMS) and new sand (NS), which require microbiological analysis to ensure animal health.
  • The study examined how refrigeration and freezing affect the total bacterial count (TBC) and specific microbial classes in various bedding substrates, revealing that fresh samples showed higher TBC compared to refrigerated or frozen ones.
  • Overall, freezing typically resulted in lower counts of Gram-negative bacteria and E. coli compared to refrigeration, but did not significantly impact the count of streptococci and similar organisms across all bedding materials.
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Monitoring the integrity of aeronautical structures is fundamental for safety. Structural Health Monitoring Systems (SHMSs) perform real-time monitoring functions, but their performance must be carefully assessed. This is typically done by introducing artificial damages to the components; however, such a procedure requires the production and testing of a large number of structural elements.

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Two studies were conducted to evaluate the use of medical ozone (O) in commercial extenders for equine semen cryopreservation. In the first study (Study 1), 0, 5, and 15 µg/mL of O were added to diluents of refrigerated or frozen semen. Samples were evaluated for sperm kinematics at different time points for the chilled samples and after a thermoresistence test for the frozen/thawed samples.

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MYC is one of the most important therapeutic targets in human cancer. Many attempts have been made to develop small molecules that could be used to curb its activity in patients, but most failed to identify a suitable direct inhibitor. After years of preclinical characterization, a tissue-penetrating peptide MYC inhibitor, called Omomyc, has been recently successfully used in a Phase I dose escalation study in late-stage, all-comers solid tumour patients.

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