Consumption of Ultra-Processed Foods and Semen Quality in Healthy Young Men Living in Italy.

Background/objectives: The study aim was to evaluate the association between UPF consumption and semen quality in a sample of healthy young men in Italy.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was carried out using data from 126 participants (mean age ± SD 20.0 ± 1.

Trajectories of biologic drug use before, during and after pregnancy: an Italian cohort study from the VALORE project.

Background: Monitoring biologic drug therapy during pregnancy in women with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) is crucial to ensure treatments align with evidence-based practices.

Research Design And Methods: A retrospective cohort study based on healthcare claims data from eight Italian regions was conducted, analyzing deliveries between 2009 and 2021. The study included women receiving biologic drugs within nine months before their last menstruation.

Development of a methodology for dose assessment and estimate of amount of NORM residues disposable in a conventional landfill.

The final disposal of NORM wastes in conventional landfill generally determines problems of acceptance by the landfill operators, since their willingness to accept Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) is often limited due to their concern about the radiological risks and reluctance of the local community to have at local landfills material that despite being cleared is still perceived as 'radioactive'. In order to raise awareness among landfill operators, and also among other stakeholders on the actual radiological risk of exempted or cleared NORM wastes, it is of interest to estimate the mass of annual wastes containing NORM that can be disposed of in a landfill for conventional waste complying with the annual dose criterion of 1 mSv. A methodology was developed considering a hypothetical homogeneous large landfill and assuming that NORM wastes are delivered with an initial activity concentration of 1 kBq kg.

The Synergistic Combination of Curcumin and Polydatin Improves Temozolomide Efficacy on Glioblastoma Cells.

Glioblastoma (GBL) is one of the more malignant primary brain tumors; it is currently treated by a multimodality strategy including surgery, and radio- and chemotherapy, mainly consisting of temozolomide (TMZ)-based chemotherapy. Tumor relapse often occurs due to the establishment of TMZ resistance, with a patient median survival time of <2 years. The identification of natural molecules with strong anti-tumor activity led to the combination of these compounds with conventional chemotherapeutic agents, developing protocols for integrated anticancer therapies.

Cross-mapping of terms used in chemical risk assessment with those used in systematic review: research protocol.

The focus on implementation of systematic review (SR) principles in chemical risk assessments (CRAs) is growing as it has the potential to advance the rigour and transparency of the CRAs. However, the SR and CRA communities use their own specific terminologies. Understanding the meaning of core SR and CRA terms and where they overlap is critical for application of SR methods and principles in CRAs.

Should SARS-CoV-2 serological testing be used in the decision to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine booster? A pro-con assessment.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination has saved millions of lives in the past few years. To maintain a high level of protection, particularly in at-risk populations, booster doses are recommended to counter the waning of circulating antibody levels over time and the continuous emergence of immune escape variants of concern (VOCs). As anti-spike serology is now widely available, it may be considered a useful tool to identify individuals needing an additional vaccine dose, i.

Antitumour effects of SFX-01 molecule in combination with ionizing radiation in preclinical and in vivo models of rhabdomyosarcoma.

Background: Despite a multimodal approach including surgery, chemo- and radiotherapy, the 5-year event-free survival rate for rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most common soft tissue sarcoma in childhood, remains very poor for metastatic patients, mainly due to the selection and proliferation of tumour cells driving resistance mechanisms. Personalised medicine-based protocols using new drugs or targeted therapies in combination with conventional treatments have the potential to enhance the therapeutic effects, while minimizing damage to healthy tissues in a wide range of human malignancies, with several clinical trials being started. In this study, we analysed, for the first time, the antitumour activity of SFX-01, a complex of synthetic d, l-sulforaphane stabilised in alpha-cyclodextrin (Evgen Pharma plc, UK), used as single agent and in combination with irradiation, in four preclinical models of alveolar and embryonal RMS.

Identification of methodological issues regarding direct impact indicators of COVID-19: a rapid scoping review on morbidity, severity and mortality.

Background: During the first epidemic wave, COVID-19 surveillance focused on quantifying the magnitude and the escalation of a growing global health crisis. The scientific community first assessed risk through basic indicators, such as the number of cases or rates of new cases and deaths, and later began using other direct impact indicators to conduct more detailed analyses. We aimed at synthesizing the scientific community's contribution to assessing the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population health through indicators reported in research papers.

The potential impact of dietary choices on melanoma risk: an anti-inflammatory diet.

The role of inflammation in the aetiology of cancer is recognized. However, no study yet examined the association between an anti-inflammatory diet and cutaneous melanoma and explored whether it could be modified by genetic variations in cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a key enzyme in inflammation. A case-control study was conducted in the IDI-IRCCS hospital in Rome, Italy with 273 cases of primary cutaneous melanoma and 269 controls frequency matched to cases.

Switching patterns of biological drugs in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis: insight from the VALORE database network.

Background: Switch patterns among different biologics and from originators to biosimilars (and vice versa) can be complex in patients with psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe switching patterns of biological drugs in PsO/PsA patients and to explore predictors of multiple switches and switch-back.

Research Design And Methods: A large-scale retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Italian VALORE database.

Nanostructured Medical Devices: Regulatory Perspective and Current Applications.

Nanomaterials (NMs) are having a huge impact in several domains, including the fabrication of medical devices (MDs). Hence, nanostructured MDs are becoming quite common; nevertheless, the associated risks must be carefully considered in order to demonstrate safety prior to their immission on the market. The biological effect of NMs requires the consideration of methodological issues since already established methods for, e.

Risk Assessment for Workers with Wearable Medical Devices Exposed to Electromagnetic Fields.

The exponential diffusion of wearable medical devices (WMD) in recent years has involved people of all ages, including workers. Workers who use WMDs should be considered at a particular risk from electromagnetic fields, and in accordance with EU Directive 2013/35/EU, they require an individual risk assessment. Currently, there is no international standard that provides specific guidance on how to perform such a risk assessment.

Protocol for designing INVITES-IN, a tool for assessing the internal validity of studies.

This protocol describes the design and development of a tool for evaluation of the internal validity of studies, which is needed to include the data as evidence in systematic reviews and chemical risk assessments. The tool will be designed specifically to be applied to cell culture studies, including, but not restricted to, studies meeting the new approach methodology (NAM) definition. The tool is called INVITES-IN (IN VITro Experimental Studies INternal validity).

Diagnosis of Imported Dengue and Zika Virus Infections in Italy from November 2015 to November 2022: Laboratory Surveillance Data from a National Reference Laboratory.

Dengue (DENV) and Zika (ZIKV) viruses are mosquito-borne human pathogens. In Italy, the presence of the competent vector increases the risk of autochthonous transmission, and a national plan for arboviruses prevention, surveillance, and response (PNA 2020-2025) is in place. The results of laboratory diagnosis of both viruses by the National Reference Laboratory for arboviruses (NRLA) from November 2015 to November 2022 are presented.

First-in-Class Selenium-Containing Potent Serotonin Receptor 5-HT Agents with a Beneficial Neuroprotective Profile against Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has a complex and not-fully-understood etiology. Recently, the serotonin receptor 5-HT emerged as a promising target for AD treatment; thus, here a new series of 5-HTR ligands with a 1,3,5-triazine core and selenoether linkers was explored. Among them, the 2-naphthyl derivatives exhibited strong 5-HTR affinity and selectivity over 5-HTR (-), 5-HTR ( and ), and 5-HTR ().

Development of a methodology for assessing radiological dose due to use of NORM sludge as fertilizer.

In Europe, the general obligation to recycle drives for increased reuse of residues containing Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). In agriculture, this has led to the reuse of sludge produced by groundwater filtration facilities as a means of fertilization. In the frame of the RadoNorm project, a methodology was developed for dose assessment of agricultural workers and other members of the public living near agricultural fields in which NORM-containing sludge is applied.

RNA-Based Strategies for Cancer Therapy: In Silico Design and Evaluation of ASOs for Targeted Exon Skipping.

Precision medicine in oncology has made significant progress in recent years by approving drugs that target specific genetic mutations. However, many cancer driver genes remain challenging to pharmacologically target ("undruggable"). To tackle this issue, RNA-based methods like antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) that induce targeted exon skipping (ES) could provide a promising alternative.

Teratogenic effects of environmental concentration of plastic particles on freshwater organisms.

Given the widespread presence of plastics, especially in micro- and nanoscale sizes, in freshwater systems, it is crucial to identify a suitable model organism for assessing the potential toxic and teratogenic effects of exposure to plastic particles. Until now, the early life stage of freshwater organisms and the regeneration capacity in relation to plastic particles exposure is a still poorly investigated topic. In this study, we examine the teratogenic effect on diatom Cocconeis placentula and cnidarian Hydra vulgaris under controlled exposure conditions of poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate) (P(S-co-MMA)) particles.

Efficacy of a Short-Term Lifestyle Change Intervention in Healthy Young Men: The FASt Randomized Controlled Trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of dietary habits and physical activity intervention on lifestyle behavior as a prevention tool supported also by personalized motivational counseling. A two-arm randomized controlled trial was carried out. A sample of 18-22-year-old students was randomly assigned to a four-month intervention based on the Mediterranean diet and moderate physical activity program (N = 66) or to a control group (N = 63).

[Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Italy: The EpiCovAir study].

Background: after the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2020, several waves of pandemic cases have occurred in Italy. The role of air pollution has been hypothesized and investigated in several studies. However, to date, the role of chronic exposure to air pollutants in increasing incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections is still debated.

Detecting early signals of COVID-19 outbreaks in 2020 in small areas by monitoring healthcare utilisation databases: first lessons learned from the Italian Alert_CoV project.

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, large-scale diagnostic testing and contact tracing have proven insufficient to promptly monitor the spread of infections.AimTo develop and retrospectively evaluate a system identifying aberrations in the use of selected healthcare services to timely detect COVID-19 outbreaks in small areas.MethodsData were retrieved from the healthcare utilisation (HCU) databases of the Lombardy Region, Italy.