Cognitive Control Network and Language Reorganization in Patients with Brain Tumors.

Background And Purpose: The interaction between language and other cognitive networks in patients harboring brain tumors is poorly understood. We studied the modification of the cognitive control network (CCN) induced by brain tumors and its participation in language reorganization. We hypothesized that patients with brain tumors and reorganized language would show modification of the CCN compared to patients who remain left dominant.

Role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors α and γ in mediating the beneficial effects of β-caryophyllene in a rat model of fragile X syndrome.

β-Caryophyllene (BCP) is a naturally occurring sesquiterpene found in numerous plant species, including Cannabis sativa. BCP has shown a high safety profile and a wide range of biological functions, including beneficial effects in neurodegenerative and inflammatory diseases. Here, we used behavioral, pharmacological, and in-silico docking analyses to investigate the effects and mechanism of action of BCP in Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), the most common inherited cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability.

Metagenome-resolved functional traits of Rubrobacter species implicated in rosy discoloration of ancient frescoes in two Georgian Cathedrals.

Pink biofilm formation on stone monuments and mural paintings poses serious harm to cultural heritage preservation. Pink biofilms are globally widespread and recalcitrant to eradication, often causing recurrences after restoration. Yet, the ecological drivers of pink biofilm formation and the metabolic functions sustaining the growth of pigment-producing biodeteriogens remain unclear.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder combined subtype and Anti-Yo antibodies.

Background: Neuroinflammation seems to be involved in ADHD pathogenesis. Recently, in this regard, some evidence suggests the possibility of an autoimmune mechanism related to anti-Purkinje cell antibodies. The aim of this paper is to confirm this evidence searching for a possible specificity for some subtype of ADHD.

Off-Target Inhibition of Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase (DHODH) Highlights Challenges in the Development of Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated Protein (FTO) Inhibitors.

FTO, an -methyladenosine (mA) and ,2'--dimethyladenosine (mA) RNA demethylase, is a promising target for treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) due to the significant anticancer activity of its inhibitors in preclinical models. Here, we demonstrate that the FTO inhibitor FB23-2 suppresses proliferation across both AML and CML cell lines, irrespective of FTO dependency, indicating an alternative mechanism of action. Metabolomic analysis revealed that FB23-2 induces the accumulation of dihydroorotate (DHO), a key intermediate in pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis catalyzed by human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH).

New finding on a migratory bird, the fowl tick Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Oken, 1818), in Italy.

Migratory birds reach Europe from sub-Saharan Africa, and some avian species may harbor and transport infected ectoparasites, mainly ticks, native to the territories of departure. In 2022, a project focused on identifying the introduction of pathogens in Italy from Africa via migratory birds represented an important opportunity to investigate this particular route of tick dispersal. Among ticks collected from migratory birds on the island of Ventotene, Latium Region, we found one larva of a soft tick on a common whitethroat (Curruca communis) that was morphologically and molecularly identified to the species level as Argas (Persicargas) persicus (Oken 1818).

Exploring how first- and third-person narrative modulates neural activation during a social cognition task. An event-related potentials (ERPs) study.

Several studies showed a positive effect of stories on Theory of Mind (ToM) performance. The aim of the present exploratory study was to investigate whether and how a specific aspect of narrative, i.e.

Preliminary Characterization of a Novel Aerosol Jet-Printed Strain Sensor for Feasibility Assessment in a Variable Stiffness Arterial Simulator Application.

Wearable strain sensors are widespread in many fields, including the biomedical field where they are used for their stretchability and ability to be applied to non-regular surfaces. The study of the propagation speed of the pressure wave generated by the heartbeat within vessels, i.e.

Redesign of the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Q binding niche reveals photosynthesis works in the absence of a driving force for Q-Q electron transfer.

An in silico redesign of the secondary quinone electron acceptor (Q) binding pocket of the D1 protein of Photosystem II (PSII) suggested that mutations of the F265 residue would affect atrazine binding. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutants F265T and F265S were produced to obtain atrazine-hypersensitive strains for biosensor applications, and the mutants were indeed found to be more atrazine-sensitive than the reference strain IL. Fluorescence and thermoluminescence data agree with a weak driving force and confirm slow electron transfer but cannot exclude an additional effect on protonation of the secondary quinone.

GDF15-GFRAL signaling drives weight loss and lipid metabolism in mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Weight loss is a common early sign in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and negatively correlates with survival. In different cancers and metabolic disorders, high levels of serum growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) contribute to a decrease of food intake and body weight, acting through GDNF family receptor alpha-like (GFRAL). Here we report that GDF15 is highly expressed in the peripheral blood of ALS patients and in the hSOD1 mouse model and that GFRAL is upregulated in the brainstem of hSOD1 mice.

Controversial role of lactoferrin in cancer: A narrative review.

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a positively charged iron-binding glycoprotein that has piqued the scientific community's interest due to its pleiotropic behavior, exhibiting a wide range of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and anticancer effects. This narrative review explores the current understanding of Lf's role in cancer, focusing on the endogenously expressed human full-length and ΔLf isoforms, and the effects of treatment with exogenous human and bovine Lf. We evaluated and compared the mechanisms by which Lf influences tumorigenesis and cancer progression, focusing on its impact on key processes such as cell growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell migration, and invasiveness.

Deafness and Specific Learning Disorder: towards a possible comorbidity.

Background And Aim: Most children and adolescents with deafness receive one or two cochlear implants (CIs). Despite the CI expanding the potential for auditory rehabilitation in deaf children, the improvements in language and literacy skills of some of these children do not align with the expected outcomes. As the main research question, we wondered if the reading and writing deficits reported in some deaf children with CIs may be characterized as a domain-specific learning disorder, rather than only a consequence of deafness.

Asymmetric-coupled Ge/SiGe quantum wells for second harmonic generation at 7.1 THz in integrated waveguides: a theoretical study.

We present a theoretical investigation of guided second harmonic generation at THz frequencies in SiGe waveguides embedding n-type Ge/SiGe asymmetric coupled quantum wells to engineer a giant second order nonlinear susceptibility. A characteristic of the chosen material system is the existence of large off-diagonal elements in the tensor, coupling optical modes with different polarization. To account for this effect, we generalize the coupled-mode theory, proposing a theoretical model suitable for concurrently resolving every second harmonic generation interaction among guide-sustained modes, regardless of which tensor elements it originates from.

Short Italian Wilkins Rate of Reading Test for repeated-measures designs in optometry and neuropsychology.

Background: The recently published New Italian version of the Wilkins Rate of Reading Test (standard Italian WRRT) was designed to measure reading speed in repeated-measures designs in research and/or clinical examinations. The test features 15 equivalent 10-line passages made up of unrelated words, adhering to the principles established by the Wilkins Rate of Reading Test in English (original WRRT).

Aim: To develop a short Italian version of the WRRT (SI-WRRT), and to determine the equivalence across the new, shorter passages of text.

The mummy of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (reigned ca. 1388-1351 BC) and its facial approximation: An anatomical approach.

This article offers for the first time a facial approximation of the Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep III (reigned ca. 1388-1351 BC) based on photographic material of his mortal remains and anthropometric data collected at the time, and by adopting a novel technique previously used in similar research by our team. A comprehensive discussion of the mummy attributed to Pharaoh Amenhotep III is also annexed to the study, focusing on the bioarcheological and embalming aspects.

When do the pathological signs become evident? Study of human mesenchymal stem cells in MDPL syndrome.

Aging syndromes are rare genetic disorders sharing the features of accelerated senescence. Among these, Mandibular hypoplasia, Deafness and Progeroid features with concomitant Lipodystrophy (MDPL; OMIM #615381) is a rare autosomal dominant disease due to a in-frame deletion in gene, encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase delta. Here, we investigated how MSCs may contribute to the phenotypes and progression of premature aging syndromes such as MDPL.

Neuroglobin-enriched secretome provides neuroprotection against hydrogen peroxide and mitochondrial toxin-induced cellular stress.

Aberrant response to physiological cell stress is part of the mechanisms underlying the development of diverse human diseases, including neuropathologies. Neuroglobin (NGB), an intracellular monomeric globin, has gained attention for its role in endogenous stress response pathways in neuroprotection. To date, evidence supports the concept of NGB as an inducible protein, triggered by physiological and pathological stimuli via transcriptional and/or post-transcriptional mechanisms, offering cell-autonomous neuroprotective functions under various cellular stresses.

p75NTR Modulation Reduces Oxidative Stress and the Expression of Pro-Inflammatory Mediators in a Cell Model of Rett Syndrome.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an early-onset neurological disorder primarily affecting females, leading to severe cognitive and physical disabilities. Recent studies indicate that an imbalance of redox homeostasis and exacerbated inflammatory responses are key players in the clinical manifestations of the disease. Emerging evidence highlights that the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is implicated in the regulation of oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation.

Driving Fatigue Onset and Visual Attention: An Electroencephalography-Driven Analysis of Ocular Behavior in a Driving Simulation Task.

Attentional deficits have tragic consequences on road safety. These deficits are not solely caused by distraction, since they can also arise from other mental impairments such as, most frequently, mental fatigue. Fatigue is among the most prevalent impairing conditions while driving, degrading drivers' cognitive and physical abilities.

Rayleigh wave attenuation and phase velocity maps of the greater Alpine region from ambient noise.

We use seismic ambient noise data from 724 publicly available broadband seismic stations across central Europe to create detailed phase velocity and attenuation maps of Rayleigh waves, focusing on short periods down to 3 s. We interpret these maps in terms of the underlying physical processes relevant to the nature of continental crust. Through a regionalized interpretation based on tectonic settings, we highlight the significant role of fluid-filled fractures in the attenuation of surface waves.

Possible differences in the performances of vibration-reducing gloves when used with hammers of different sizes.

Protection provided by vibration-reducing gloves (VR) when used with impact tools can be considerably different from that measured following the ISO 10819 Standard. This paper investigates the transmissibility, at the palm level, of three different types of vibration-reducing gloves (air bubbles; gel; neoprene) and a working leather glove, while using 8 different models of electro-pneumatic hammers for chiseling rock in a limestone quarry plant. The capability to reduce the triaxial vibration as the average of all the tested hammers results limited: 12 % for both the gloves in gel and neoprene, and 7 % for the glove in air.

Food Waste Governance Architectures in Europe: Actors, Steering Modes, and Harmonization Trends.

The scale of food waste across Europe is alarming, and its reduction is becoming an important public policy and governance issue. Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 constitutes a global attempt to galvanize system-level reductions.

Waste Material Classification Based on a Wavelength-Sensitive Ge-on-Si Photodetector.

Waste material classification is critical for efficient recycling and waste management. This study proposes a novel, low-cost material classification system based on a single, voltage-tunable Ge-on-Si photodetector operating across the visible and short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral regions. Thanks to its tunability, the sensor is able to extract spectral information, and the system effectively distinguishes between seven different materials, including plastics, aluminum, glass, and paper.

Using human observations with instrument-based metrics to understand changing rainfall patterns.

Shifting precipitation regimes are a well-documented and pervasive consequence of climate change. Subsistence-oriented communities worldwide can identify changes in rainfall patterns that most affect their lives. Here we scrutinize the importance of human-based rainfall observations (collated through a literature review spanning from 1994 to 2013) as climate metrics and the relevance of instrument-based precipitation indices to subsistence activities.

Evaluating the impact of gadolinium contamination on the marine bivalve Donax trunculus: Implications for environmental health.

Gadolinium (Gd), commonly used in contrast agents for medical imaging, has been detected in hospital wastewater and aquatic environments, raising environmental concerns. This study examined the accumulation and cellular impacts of Gd in the clam species Donax trunculus, commonly used as bioindicator of contamination. Gadolinium accumulation in clams increased with exposure and over time.