Alexithymia and estimated 10-year cardiovascular disease risk in healthy adults: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Background: This cohort study aimed to explore whether and to what extent alexithymia would be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk over an estimated 10-year period, over and above established clinical cofactors (i.e., depressive symptoms, quality of life, sociodemographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, and biological data), in a low-risk population of blood donors.

Garlic peel-based carbon quantum dots as a sustainable alternative for the sensitive and green spectrofluorometric quantification of molnupiravir in pharmaceutical capsules.

Searching for natural alternatives to replace environmentally harmful chemical reagents in analysis is just as crucial as finding easily accessible analytical tools. To reinforce these concepts, this study proposes a simple spectrofluorometric approach using natural carbon quantum dots (n-CQDs) as fluorescence probes for sensitive and environmentally friendly measurement of molnupiravir, an antiviral drug that was initially developed for influenza and has demonstrated potential efficacy against COVID-19. n-CQDs were synthesized using garlic peels (GP), a waste material, via a microwave-assisted method.

Association between salivary /microbiological parameters, oral health and eating habits in young athletes.

Background: Athletes' oral health can impact overall well-being and sports performance. This study aimed to evaluate the interactions between eating habits and oral health of 120 young athletes as compared to 30 age-matched individuals not practicing sports based on a questionnaire and the analysis of saliva.

Methods: One hundred twenty subjects practicing various sports activities (test group) and 30 subjects not practicing sports (control group) were selected.

Disinfection of dental root canals by cold atmospheric plasma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of dental biofilm.

Aim: The intricate structure of the tooth root canals has a role in the colonization and biofilm formation in hidden areas that are hardly reached by standard endodontic treatments. This review aims at summarizing data from and studies for a better understanding of the application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) for the disinfection of dental root canals.

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were screened.

Italian XEN-Glaucoma Treatment Registry (XEN-GTR): Effectiveness and Safety at 36 Months of XEN45 Implant.

: We evaluated the 3-year effectiveness and safety of XEN45, combined or not with phacoemulsification, in patients from the Italian XEN-Glaucoma Treatment Registry. : Data from glaucoma patients who underwent XEN45 alone or combined with phacoemulsification were analyzed. Changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) and the number of ocular hypotensive medications (OHMs) were tested with repeated measures ANOVA in last observation carried forward (LOCF) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.

Survival of dental implants placed in a postgraduate educational setting: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Dental implant treatment can still fail due to various factors. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the influence of operator experience in a postgraduate educational setting, as well as patient, implant, and surgical risk factors on the incidence of the dental implant failure.

Methods: The dental records of 1049 implants with a mean follow-up of 794.

Heavy metals pollution of pescara river (southern Italy): Risk assessment based on total reflection X-ray fluorescence analyses.

This study evaluates heavy metal (Cr, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Hg, Pb, and As) contamination in the Pescara River, Italy, using Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence, focusing on the impact of Bussi landfills. Analyses revealed that most heavy metals exceed WHO drinking water standards, particularly in upstream areas near industrial sites. Pollution indices resulted: Nemerow Pollution Index (0.

Generation, interrogation, and future applications of microglia-containing brain organoids.

Brain organoids encompass a large collection of in vitro stem cell-derived 3D culture systems that aim to recapitulate multiple aspects of in vivo brain development and function. First, this review provides a brief introduction to the current state-of-the-art for neuro-ectoderm brain organoid development, emphasizing their biggest advantages in comparison with classical two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models. However, despite their usefulness for developmental studies, a major limitation for most brain organoid models is the absence of contributing cell types from endodermal and mesodermal origin.

DE-PASS Best Evidence Statement (BESt): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis on the Effectiveness of Trials on Device-Measured Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour and Their Determinants in Children Aged 5-12 Years.

Background: To combat the high prevalence of physical inactivity among children, there is an urgent need to develop and implement real-world interventions and policies that promote physical activity (PA) and reduce sedentary behaviour (SB). To inform policy makers, the current body of evidence for children's PA/SB interventions needs to be translated.

Objectives: The current systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to identify modifiable determinants of device-measured PA and SB targeted in available intervention studies with randomized controlled trial (RCT) and controlled trial (CT) designs in children and early adolescents (5-12 years) and to quantify the effects of the interventions within their respective settings on the determinants of PA/SB and the outcomes PA and SB.

Anthropometric-based predictive equations developed with multi-component models for estimating body composition in athletes.

Purpose: Body composition can be estimated using anthropometric-based regression models, which are population-specific and should not be used interchangeably. However, the widespread availability of predictive equations in the literature makes selecting the most valid equations challenging. This systematic review compiles anthropometric-based predictive equations for estimating body mass components, focusing on those developed specifically for athletes using multicomponent models (i.

A Randomized Clinical Study of a Curcumin and Melatonin Toothpaste Against Periodontal Bacteria.

The mouth and the oropharyngeal system are home to numerous bacterial species that constitute the so-called oral microbiome and play an important role for the integrity of the oral cavity, influencing the overall health of the body, as demonstrated by several studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacterial modulation potential of a toothpaste (bioredoxin) containing curcumin and melatonin. Both substances have anti-inflammatory properties, as documented in several scientific reports.

The Relationship Between Playing Formations, Team Ranking, and Physical Performance in the Serie A Soccer League.

The influence of playing formations and team ranking on the physical performance of professional soccer players is an open question that needs to be explored. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of these factors on the physical exertion of Serie A soccer players. We analyzed match data from 375 players, categorizing teams based on their final ranking and comparing performance across different playing formations.

DE-PASS Best Evidence Statement (BESt): Determinants of self-report physical activity and sedentary behaviours in children in settings: A systematic review and meta-analyses.

Previous physical activity interventions for children (5-12yrs) have aimed to change determinants associated with self-report physical activity behaviour (PAB) and/or sedentary behaviour (SB), however, the associations between these determinants and PAB/SB in different settings are uncertain. The present study aimed to identify modifiable determinants targeted in previous PAB/SB interventions for children. Intervention effects on the determinants and their associations with self-report PAB/SB were assessed across settings.

Segmentation methods for quantifying X-ray Computed Tomography based biomarkers to assess hip fracture risk: a systematic literature review.

Background: The success of using bone mineral density and/or FRAX to predict femoral osteoporotic fracture risk is modest since they do not account for mechanical determinants that affect bone fracture risk. Computed Tomography (CT)-based geometric, densitometric, and finite element-derived biomarkers have been developed and used as parameters for assessing fracture risk. However, to quantify these biomarkers, segmentation of CT data is needed.

Development of novel CDK9 and CYP3A4 inhibitors for cancer therapy through field and computational approaches.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) and cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) have emerged as promising targets in the development of anticancer drugs, presenting a consistent challenge in the quest for potent inhibitors. CDK9 inhibitors can selectively target fast-growing cancer cells by disrupting transcription elongation, which in turn hinders the production of proteins essential for cell cycle progression and survivaŚ. Understanding how CYP3A4 metabolizes specific chemotherapy drugs allows for personalized treatment plans, optimizing drug dosages according to a patient's metabolic profile.

Citrus supplementation in subjective cognitive decline: results of a 36-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Developing interventions for older adults with subjective cognitive decline (SCD) has the potential to prevent dementia in this at-risk group. Preclinical models indicate that Citrus-derived phytochemicals could benefit cognition and inflammatory processes, but results from clinical trials are still preliminary. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of long-term supplementation with Citrus peel extract on cognitive performance and inflammation in individuals with SCD.

Adaptive strategies of Listeria monocytogenes: An in-depth analysis of the virulent strain involved in an outbreak in Italy through quantitative proteomics.

Despite the general classification of L. monocytogenes strains as equally virulent by global safety authorities, molecular epidemiology reveals diverse subtypes in food, processing environments, and clinical cases. This study focuses on a highly virulent strain associated with a listeriosis outbreak in Italy in 2022, providing insights through comprehensive foodomics approaches, with a specific emphasis on quantitative proteomics.

Effects of mesenchymal stromal cells and human recombinant Nerve Growth Factor delivered by bioengineered human corneal lenticule on an innovative model of diabetic retinopathy.

Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a microvascular complication of diabetes in which neurodegeneration has been recently identified as a driving force. In the last years, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and neurotrophins like Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), have garnered significant attention as innovative therapeutic approaches targeting DR-associated neurodegeneration. However, delivering neurotrophic factors directly in the eye remains a challenge.

The inflammatory and oxidative phenotype of gestational diabetes is epigenetically transmitted to the offspring: role of methyltransferase MLL1-induced H3K4me3.

Background And Aims: Hyperglycaemia during gestational diabetes (GD) predisposes women and their offspring to later cardiometabolic disease. The hyperglycaemia-mediated epigenetic changes remain to be elucidated. Methyltransferase MLL1-induced trimethylation of histone 3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me3) activates inflammatory and oxidative phenotype.