A custom-built planar biaxial system for soft tissue material testing.

Accurate material characterization of soft tissues is crucial for understanding the physiopathology of cardiovascular diseases. However, commercial biaxial testing systems are expensive, prompting the need for affordable custom solutions. This study aimed to develop a low-cost custom biaxial system capable of accurately characterizing the mechanical behavior of soft tissues.

[How to overcome barriers to implementation of prevention and management strategies of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease through lipid-lowering therapy].

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of mortality worldwide, due to a poor control of modifiable risk factors for atherosclerosis. High levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol represent the most relevant actor in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, as well as the main target of prevention strategies. Although lipid-lowering treatments were shown to be effective for cardiovascular prevention, several barriers (e.

In Silico Mixed Ligand/Structure-Based Design of New CDK-1/PARP-1 Dual Inhibitors as Anti-Breast Cancer Agents.

CDK-1 and PARP-1 play crucial roles in breast cancer progression. Compounds acting as CDK-1 and/or PARP-1 inhibitors can induct cell death in breast cancer with a selective synthetic lethality mechanism. A mixed treatment by means of CDK-1 and PARP-1 inhibitors resulted in radical breast cancer cell growth reduction.

Workload, Job Satisfaction and Quality of Nursing Care in Italy: A Systematic Review of Native Language Articles.

Nursing research is rapidly increasing, yet contributions from numerous countries that may interest the international nursing community are impeded because many research articles are published in authors' native language and not in English. The objectives of this work were to systematically review papers published in Italian related to job satisfaction and the quality of nursing care, and to discuss their findings in light of the international literature. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was used.

GOWDL: gene ontology-driven wide and deep learning model for cell typing of scRNA-seq data.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows for obtaining genomic and transcriptomic profiles of individual cells. That data make it possible to characterize tissues at the cell level. In this context, one of the main analyses exploiting scRNA-seq data is identifying the cell types within tissue to estimate the quantitative composition of cell populations.

Multi-omic characterisation as a tool to improve knowledge, valorisation and conservation of wild fruit genetic resources: the case of L.

The valorisation and conservation of plant genetic resources (PGRs) and wild fruit PGRs are critical to ensure the maintenance of genetic and cultural heritage and to promote new perspectives on resource use. New strategies to characterize PGRs are needed, and the omics approach can provide information that is still largely unknown. The Strawberry tree ( L.

Postprandial hypotension as a predictor of respiratory failure in patients with foodborne botulinum intoxication - a case-control study in outbreak investigation.

Objectives: Botulism is a rare syndrome characterized by acute, flaccid paralysis with possible involvement of respiratory muscle-producing pump failure requiring mechanical ventilation. A predominance of autonomic involvement can occur.

Methods: We enrolled patients affected by foodborne botulism during an outbreak.

TAT decorated siRNA polyplexes for inhalation delivery in anti-asthma therapy.

In this work, a novel protonable copolymer was designed to deliver siRNA through the inhalation route, as an innovative formulation for the management of asthma. This polycation was synthesized by derivatization of α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)D,L-aspartamide (PHEA) first with 1,2-Bis(3-aminopropylamino)ethane (bAPAE) and then with a proper amount of maleimide terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG-MLB), with the aim to increase the superficial hydrophilicity of the system, allowing the diffusion trough the mucus layer. Once the complexation ability of the copolymer has been evaluated, obtaining nanosized polyplexes, polyplexes were functionalized on the surface with a thiolated TAT peptide, a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), exploiting a thiol-ene reaction.

The unseen world beneath our feet: Heliyon soil science. Exploring the cutting-edge techniques and ambitious goals of modern soil science.

In the face of climate change, ecosystem destruction, desertification, and increasing food demand, soil conservation is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of life on Earth. The Soil Section of Heliyon aims to be a platform for basic and applied soil science research, emphasizing the central role of soils and their interactions with human activities. This editorial highlights recent research trends in soil science, including the evolving definition of soil, the multifunctionality of soils and their biodiversity, soil degradation and erosion, the role of soil microflora, advancements in soil mapping techniques, global change and the carbon cycle, soil health, the relationship between soil and buildings, and the importance of considering soil quality in land use planning and policies.

The Role of Operating Conditions in the Precipitation of Magnesium Hydroxide Hexagonal Platelets Using NaOH Solutions.

Magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH), is an inorganic compound extensively employed in several industrial sectors. Nowadays, it is mostly produced from magnesium-rich minerals. Nevertheless, magnesium-rich solutions, such as natural and industrial brines, could prove to be a great treasure.

Axion Field Influence on Josephson Junction Quasipotential.

The direct effect of an axion field on Josephson junctions is analyzed through the consequences on the effective potential barrier that prevents the junction from switching from the superconducting to the finite-voltage state. We describe a method to reliably compute the quasipotential with stochastic simulations, which allows for the spanning of the coupling parameter from weakly interacting axion to tight interactions. As a result, we obtain an axion field that induces a change in the potential barrier, therefore determining a significant detectable effect for such a kind of elusive particle.

Real-world use of Safinamide in motor fluctuating Parkinson's disease patients in Italy.

Introduction: Safinamide is a recent antiparkinsonian drug that modulates both dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems with positive effects on motor and nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we aimed to describe the efficacy and safety of safinamide in the Italian PD patients in real-life conditions.

Methods: We performed a sub-analysis of the Italian cohort of the SYNAPSES study, a multi-country, multi-center, retrospective-prospective cohort observational study, designed to investigate the use of safinamide in routine clinical practice.

Exploring the landscape of dismantling strategies based on the community structure of networks.

Network dismantling is a relevant research area in network science, gathering attention both from a theoretical and an operational point of view. Here, we propose a general framework for dismantling that prioritizes the removal of nodes that bridge together different network communities. The strategies we detect are not unique, as they depend on the specific realization of the community detection algorithm considered.

Refinement of the diagnostic approach for the identification of children and adolescents affected by familial hypercholesterolemia: Evidence from the LIPIGEN study.

Background And Aims: We aimed to describe the limitations of familiar hypercholesterolemia (FH) diagnosis in childhood based on the presence of the typical features of FH, such as physical sings of cholesterol accumulation and personal or family history of premature cardiovascular disease or hypercholesterolemia, comparing their prevalence in the adult and paediatric FH population, and to illustrate how additional information can lead to a more effective diagnosis of FH at a younger age.

Methods: From the Italian LIPIGEN cohort, we selected 1188 (≥18 years) and 708 (<18 years) genetically-confirmed heterozygous FH, with no missing personal FH features. The prevalence of personal and familial FH features was compared between the two groups.

Peripheral Nerve Regeneration at 1 Year: Biodegradable Polybutylene Succinate Artificial Scaffold vs. Conventional Epineurial Sutures.

The utilization of a planar poly(1,4-butylene succinate) (PBS) scaffold has been demonstrated as an effective approach for preserving nerve continuity and facilitating nerve regeneration. In this study, we assessed the characteristics of a microfibrous tubular scaffold specifically designed and fabricated through electrospinning, utilizing PBS as a biocompatible and biodegradable material. These scaffolds were evaluated as nerve guide conduits in a rat model of sciatic nerve neurotmesis, demonstrating both their biodegradability and efficacy in enhancing the reconstruction process over a long-term period (1-year follow-up).

Next-generation methods for early disease detection in crops.

Plant pathogens are commonly identified in the field by the typical disease symptoms that they can cause. The efficient early detection and identification of pathogens are essential procedures to adopt effective management practices that reduce or prevent their spread in order to mitigate the negative impacts of the disease. In this review, the traditional and innovative methods for early detection of the plant pathogens highlighting their major advantages and limitations are presented and discussed.

Correction: The reaction of acetonitrile with hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium: a DFT mechanistic study of green production of amides.

Correction for 'The reaction of acetonitrile with hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium: a DFT mechanistic study of green production of amides' by Girolamo Casella , , 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d3cp02024j.

Chewing gum base: A comprehensive review of composition, production, and assessment methods: Advances and approaches in biodegradability.

The gum base mass is a colloidal system and the main component of chewing gum; which is an inert, non-nutritious, indigestible, and insoluble part of chewing gum, therefore this substance does not dissolve in the mouth when chewed. The gum base plays the most crucial role in determining the mechanical properties, flexibility, and overall quality of chewing gum. Moreover, it acts as a delivery system to transport sweeteners, flavorings, and other ingredients in chewing gum.

Band Nonlinearity-Enabled Manipulation of Dirac Nodes, Weyl Cones, and Valleytronics with Intense Linearly Polarized Light.

We study low-frequency linearly polarized laser-dressing in materials with valley (graphene and hexagonal-Boron-Nitride) and topological (Dirac- and Weyl-semimetals) properties. In Dirac-like linearly dispersing bands, the laser substantially moves the Dirac nodes away from their original position, and the movement direction can be fully controlled by rotating the laser polarization. We prove that this effect originates from band nonlinearities away from the Dirac nodes.

Development of a New Micropropagation Protocol and Transfer of In Vitro Plants to In Vivo Conditions for Cascade Hop.

The vegetative propagation of hops, despite being a reliable method, is not very common due to the unavailability of the plant material. In this study, the technique of in vitro propagation was applied to the Cascade variety of L. The plant material was collected from a private field in Sicily; the explants were subjected to sterilization before in vitro culture.

Controlled Assembly of CdSe Nanoplatelet Thin Films and Nanowires.

We assemble semiconductor CdSe nanoplatelets (NPs) at the air/liquid interface into 2D monolayers several micrometers wide, distinctly displaying nematic order. We show that this configuration is the most favorable energetically and that the edge-to-edge distance between neighboring NPs can be tuned by ligand exchange without disrupting film topology and nanoparticle orientation. We explore the rich assembly phase space by using depletion interactions to direct the formation of 1D nanowires from stacks of NPs.

Invasion success of a Lessepsian symbiont-bearing foraminifera linked to high dispersal ability, preadaptation and suppression of sexual reproduction.

Among the most successful Lessepsian invaders is the symbiont-bearing benthic foraminifera Amphistegina lobifera. In its newly conquered habitat, this prolific calcifier and ecosystem engineer is exposed to environmental conditions that exceed the range of its native habitat. To disentangle which processes facilitated the invasion success of A.