A coordinate deregulation of microRNAs expressed in mucosa adjacent to tumor predicts relapse after resection in localized colon cancer

Up to 20% of colorectal cancer (CRC) node-negative patients develop loco-regional or distant recurrences within 5 years from surgery. No predictive biomarker able to identify the node-negative subjects at high risk of relapse after curative treatment is presently available.Forty-eight localized (i.e. stage I-II) colon cancer patients who underwent radical tumor resection were considered. The expression of five miRNAs, involved in CRC progression, was investigated by qRT-PCR in both tumor tissue and matched normal colon mucosa.Interestingly, we found that the coordinate deregulation of four miRNAs (i.e. miR-18a, miR-21, miR-182 and miR-183), evaluated in the normal mucosa adjacent to tumor, is predictive of relapse within 55 months from curative surgery.Our results, if confirmed in independent studies, may help to identify high-risk patients who could benefit most from adjuvant therapy. Moreover, this work highlights the importance of extending the search for tissue biomarkers also to the tumor-adjacent mucosa

A Novel Approach for an Integrated Straw tube-Microstrip Detector

We report on a novel concept of silicon microstrips and straw tubes detector, where integration is accomplished by a straw module with straws not subjected to mechanical tension in a Rohacell $^{\circledR}$ lattice and carbon fiber reinforced plastic shell. Results on mechanical and test beam performances are reported on as well.Comment: Accepted by Transactions on Nuclear Science (2005). 11 pages, 9 figures, uses lnfprep.st

Characterization and genome sequencing of a Citrobacter freundii phage CfP1 harboring a lysin active against multidrug-resistant isolates

Citrobacter spp., although frequently ignored, is emerging as an important nosocomial bacterium able to cause various superficial and systemic life-threatening infections. Considered to be hard-to-treat bacterium due to its pattern of high antibiotic resistance, it is important to develop effective measures for early and efficient therapy. In this study, the first myovirus (vB_CfrM_CfP1) lytic for Citrobacter freundii was microbiologically and genomically characterized. Its morphology, activity spectrum, burst size, and biophysical stability spectrum were determined. CfP1 specifically infects C. freundii, has broad host range (>85 %; 21 strains tested), a burst size of 45 PFU/cell, and is very stable under different temperatures (20 to 50 °C) and pH (3 to 11) values. CfP1 demonstrated to be highly virulent against multidrug-resistant clinical isolates up to 12 antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, carbapenems, and fluroquinoles. Genomically, CfP1 has a dsDNA molecule with 180,219 bp with average GC content of 43.1 % and codes for 273 CDSs. The genome architecture is organized into function-specific gene clusters typical for tailed phages, sharing 46 to 94 % nucleotide identity to other Citrobacter phages. The lysin gene encoding a predicted D-Ala-D-Ala carboxypeptidase was also cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli and its activity evaluated in terms of pH, ionic strength, and temperature. The lysine optimum activity was reached at 20 mM HEPES, pH 7 at 37 °C, and was able to significantly reduce all C. freundii (>2 logs) as well as Citrobacter koseri (>4 logs) strains tested. Interestingly, the antimicrobial activity of this enzyme was performed without the need of pretreatment with outer membrane-destabilizing agents. These results indicate that CfP1 lysin is a good candidate to control problematic Citrobacter infections, for which current antibiotics are no longer effective.This study was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER006684), and the PhD grants SFRH/BPD/111653/2015 and SFRH/BPD/69356/2010

Prolonged COVID 19 Outbreak and Psychological Response of Nurses in Italian Healthcare System: Cross-Sectional Study

Aim of the study was to analyze the posttraumatic stress disorder risk nurses, detecting the relationship between distress experience and personality dimensions in Italian COVID-19 outbreak. A cross-sectional study was conducted based on 2 data detection (March 2020 and September 2020). Mental evaluation was carried out in Laboratory of Clinical Psychology on n.69 nurses in range age 22–64 years old (mean age 37.3; sd ± 10.3; 55% working in nursing care with confirmed COVID-19 patients (named frontline; secondline nurses have been identified by nursing care working with infectious patients but no confirmed COVID-19). Measurement was focused on symptoms anxiety, personality traits, peritraumatic dissociation and post-traumatic stress for all participants. No online screening was applied. Comparisons (ANOVA test) within the various demographic characteristics demonstrated few significant differences between groups on DASS-21, PDEQ, and ISE-R scores. Correlation analysis (Spearman test) was performed among PDEQ, DASS-21, BFI-10 and IES-R and confirmed between anxiety (DASS-21) and peritraumatic dissociation and post-traumatic stress; then anxiety is positively correlated to agreeableness variable of BFI-10 test. The emotional distress was protracted overtime (after 6 months) but in long-term personality traits resulted mediator facing subjective stress. Our finding drew details for protective and predictive risk factors as well as mental health issues of nurses dealing with pandemic: healthcare workers faced the protracted challenge caring COVID-19 patients over and over again: in short time the impact was relevant, and the prolonged exposition to the stressor was tackled by personal resources such as personality traits

A machine learning approach for mapping susceptibility to land subsidence caused by ground water extraction

Land subsidence is a worldwide threat that may cause irreversible damage to the environment and the infrastructures. Thus, identifying and mapping areas prone to land subsidence with accurate methods such as Land Subsidence Susceptibility Index (LSSI) mapping is crucial for mitigating the adverse impacts of this geohazard. Also, Machine Learning (ML) is now becoming a powerful tool to analyze vast and different datasets such as those necessary for LSSI mapping. In this study, we use the conventional Frequency Ratio (FR) method and ML models to generate LSSI maps of the region of Murcia (Spain) where land subsidence occurred in the past due to groundwater overdraft. A LSSI map was initially generated with known FR. Then, additional Conditioning Factors (CFs) with increased spatial resolution were used to train several ML models and generate a new LSSI map. The Extra-Trees Classifier (ETC) outperformed the other approaches, achieving the best performance with a weighted average precision and F1-Score of 0.96, after optimizing its hyperparameters. Then, a third LSSI map was calculated using the FR method and observations of land subsidence from InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar). This study shows that the effectiveness of using several CFs depends on the added information of each layer. Moreover, the comparison between the different LSSI maps and InSAR data highlights the crucial role of the spatial resolution for accurate mapping, thus enhancing land subsidence risk assessment

Biofilm formation among Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia isolates has clinical relevance: The ANSELM prospective multicenter study

The ability to form biofilms is a recognized trait of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, but the extent of its clinical relevance is still unclear. The present multicenter prospective study (ANSELM) aims at investigating the association between biofilm formation and clinical outcomes of S. maltophilia infections. One hundred and nine isolates were collected from various geographical origins and stratified according to their clinical relevance. Biofilm formation was evaluated by the microtiter plate assay and correlated with microbiological and clinical data from the associated strains. Antibiotic susceptibility of the planktonic cells was tested by the disk diffusion technique, while antibiotic activity against mature biofilms was spectrophotometrically assessed. Most strains (91.7%) were able to form biofilm, although bloodborne strains produced biofilm amounts significantly higher than strains causing hospital-rather than community-acquired infections, and those recognized as “definite” pathogens. Biofilm formation efficiency was positively correlated with mechanical ventilation (p = 0.032), whereas a negative relationship was found with antibiotic resistance (r2 = 0.107; p < 0.001), specifically in the case of the pathogenic strains. Mature S. maltophilia biofilms were markedly more resistant (up to 128 times) to cotrimoxazole and levofloxacin compared with their planktonic counterparts, especially in the case of bloodborne strains. Our findings indicate that biofilm formation by S. maltophilia is obviously a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of infections, especially in deep ones, thus warranting additional studies with larger cohort of patients and isolates

Quantifying not only bone loss, but also soft tissue swelling, in a murine inflammatory arthritis model using micro-computed tomography

In rodent models of inflammatory arthritis, bone erosion has been non-invasively assessed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). However, non-invasive assessments of paw swelling (oedema) are still based on clinical grading by visual evaluation, or measurements by callipers, not always reliable for the tiny mouse paws. The aim of this work was to demonstrate a novel straightforward 3D micro-CT analysis protocol capable of quantifying not only joint bone erosion, but also soft tissue swelling, from the same scans, in a rodent inflammatory arthritis model. Balb/c mice were divided into two groups: collagen antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA) and CAIA treated with prednisolone, the latter reflecting an established treatment in human rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical paw scores were recorded. On day 10, front paws were assessed by micro-CT and histology. Micro-CT measurements included paw volume (bone and soft tissue together) and bone volume at the radiocarpal joint, and bone volume from the radiocarpal to the metacarpophalangeal joint. Micro-CT analysis revealed significantly lower paw volume (−36%, P 0.5, P < 0.01). Untreated CAIA mice showed significantly higher clinical scores, higher inflammation levels histologically, cartilage and bone degradation, and pannus formation, compared with treated mice (P < 0.01). The presented novel micro-CT analysis protocol enables 3D-quantification of paw swelling at the micrometre level, along with the typically assessed bone erosion, using the same images/scans, without altering the scanning procedure or using contrast agents.E. Perilli, M. Cantley, V. Marino, T. N. Crotti, M. D. Smith, D. R. Haynes and A. A. S. S. K. Dharmapatn

Exploring Headaches in Pediatric Behçet Disease: Prevalence, Clinical Impact, and Management

Behçet’s Disease (BD), also recognized as Behçet Syndrome, manifests uniquely in pediatric populations as Pediatric Behçet’s Disease (PBD), characterized by multisystemic inflammatory symptoms including recurrent oral and genital aphthae, and diverse ocular, vascular, and neurological involvements. This review elucidates the prevalence, burden, and management strategies of headaches in children with PBD, focusing on both primary headaches, such as migraine and tension-type headaches, and secondary headaches linked to systemic disease manifestations. It explores the pathophysiological underpinnings specific to PBD-related headaches and discusses the intricate relationship between systemic inflammatory processes and neurological symptoms. By examining the literature from 2004 to 2024, this study highlights the high frequency of headache in PBD patients, underscoring its diagnostic and clinical significance. We aim to provide a detailed understanding of headache management in PBD, emphasizing tailored therapeutic strategies that address the unique challenges faced by this patient population. This review also underscores the importance of comprehensive clinical evaluations to optimize outcomes and mitigate long-term sequelae, proposing that awareness and understanding of headache in PBD can significantly enhance both diagnosis and management

Emotional “Patient-Oriented” Support in Young Patients With I–II Stage Breast Cancer: Pilot Study

Objective: The recent increased survival rate after breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment is mostly related to early screening in younger age. Evidence gained from newly detected assessed psychological needs as well as certain emotional regulatory patterns in younger survivors has been related in the literature to an extremely low rate of adherence to the psychological therapies offered. Tailored psychological support is necessary. The aim of the present study was to verify the preliminary efficacy of supportive psychological intervention with an innovative orientation: the Early BC Psychological Intervention (EBC-Psy).Methods: A controlled study design was used to investigate the efficacy of EBC-Psy intervention. Preliminary data involved twenty-four patients in the age range of 35–50 years, diagnosed with cancer at the early stage (I–II), who were exposed to the EBC-Psy intervention. To address the effect of intervention, emotional variables were tested before the treatment (Time 1) and then again after 6 months of the treatment (Time 2); evaluated emotional dimensions were anxiety, anger, depression, and psychological distress.Results: EBC-Psy intervention appears to be effective on both depression (p = 0.02) and psychological distress (p = 0.01), even in a short time, highlighting the strength of a reinforced positive psychological conceptual approach to deal with the “disease condition” in younger patients; on the contrary, the control group evidenced an increase in the same emotional variables in timing.Conclusion: Our findings, even if limited by this small-scale protocol, seemed to confirm the role of positive psychotherapy after BC diagnosis and treatment through the impact of cognitive processes, coping strategies, and psychological resilience. Future theoretical framework could boost the intervention to design an innovative survivorship model