Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Multilayer Structures of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Based on the Plasmonic Carbonization

We developed a complex three-dimensional (3D) multilayer deposition method for the fabrication of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) using vacuum filtration and plasmonic carbonization without lithography and etching processes. Using this fabrication method, SWCNTs can be stacked to form complex 3D structures that have a large surface area relative to the unit volume compared to the single-plane structure of conventional SWCNTs. We characterized 3D multilayer SWCNT patterns using a surface optical profiler, Raman spectroscopy, sheet resistance, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle measurements. Additionally, these carbon nanotube (CNT) patterns showed excellent mechanical stability even after elastic bending tests more than 1000 times at a radius of 2 mm.
Beewatching: A Project for Monitoring Bees through Photos

Simple Summary Citizen science is the involvement of the public in scientific research, through the collection of data by volunteer members (“citizen scientists”), usually as part of a collaborative project with professional scientists. Beewatching is a citizen science project started in spring 2018. The project target is to acquire information on wild bee species in Italy and to promote knowledge among citizens on the diversity of bees and their importance as pollinators. Moreover, an attempt was made to follow the distribution of two alien bee species present in Italy. During the first two years of the project, 269 users contributed with 1086 reports. Overall, 38 Apoidea genera and 190 plant genera were reported. Furthermore, we received 22 reports of the alien species Megachile sculpturalis. The increasing number of reports and the higher percentage of correct ones throughout the first period of project implementation, but also the ecological data acquired, undoubtfully represent positive outputs, demonstrating the success of Beewatching project. Abstract Bees play a key role in natural and agro-ecosystems and their diversity is worldwide threatened by anthropogenic causes. Despite this, there is little awareness of the existence of the numerous species of wild bees, and the common name “bee” is very often exclusively associated with Apis mellifera. Our aim was to create a citizen science project in Italy with the following objectives: (a) raising awareness of the importance and diversity of bees, (b) obtaining data on the biology, ecology and distribution of Italian species, and (c) launching the monitoring of alien bees. The first step of the project was to create a website platform with a section containing informative datasheets of the wild bee families and of the most common bee genera present in Italy, a form to send reports of observed bees and an interactive map with all citizen’s reports. During the 2 years of the project 1086 reports were sent by 269 users, with 38 Apoidea genera reported on 190 plant genera; furthermore, 22 reports regarding the alien species Megachile sculpturalis arrived. The majority of bees (34 genera) were observed on spontaneous plants, including 115 genera native to Italy. Considering the increasing number of reports and data obtained in these first two years of the project, our objectives seem to be achieved. Future steps will be to outline the profile of beewatchers, to plan activities in a more targeted way, and also to start some sub-projects for conservation purposes.
Use of Sertraline in Hemodialysis Patients

Depression and anxiety are the most common psychiatric disorders in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) and may correlate with lower quality of life and increased mortality. Depression treatment in HD patients is still a challenge both for nephrologists and psychiatrists. The possible treatment of depressive disorders can be pharmacological and non-pharmacological. In our article, we focus on the use of sertraline, the medication which seems to be relatively safe and efficient in the abovementioned population, taking under consideration several limitations regarding the use of other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). In our paper, we discuss different aspects of sertraline use, taking into consideration possible benefits and side effects of drug administration like impact on QTc (corrected QT interval) prolongation, intradialytic hypotension (IDH), chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP), bleeding, sexual functions, inflammation, or fracture risk. Before administering the medication, one should consider benefits and possible side effects, which are particularly significant in the treatment of ESRD patients; this could help to optimize clinical outcomes. Sertraline seems to be safe in the HD population when provided in proper doses. However, we still need more studies in this field since the ones performed so far were usually based on small samples and lacked placebo control.
PTH after Thyroidectomy as a Predictor of Post-Operative Hypocalcemia

Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is a frequent complication with significant morbidity, and has been shown to increase hospital stay and readmission rates. The evaluation of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels after thyroidectomy represents a reliable method to predict post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia, but it remains infrequently used. This retrospective study investigates serum PTH values 3 h after thyroidectomy as a predictor of hypocalcemia. In this study, we enrolled 141 patients aged between 27 and 71 years eligible for total thyroidectomy who presented with multinodular goiter, suspicious nodule on cytological examination, Graves’ disease, or toxic multinodular goiter. Three hours after total thyroidectomy, 53 patients (37.6%) showed a reduction in serum PTH. Of these patients 75.5% developed hypocalcemia by 24 h after surgery and 100% were hypocalcemic after 48 h (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference attributable to the different thyroid diseases, nor to the age of the patients. PTH at 3 h after total thyroidectomy accurately predicts post-operative hypocalcemia. The early detection of patients at risk of developing post-operative hypocalcemia allows for prompt supplementation of calcium and Vitamin D in order to prevent symptoms and allows for a safe and timely discharge.
The Impact of Human Herpesviruses in Clinical Practice of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Era of COVID-19

Human herpesviruses (HHVs): herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 (HSV-1) and 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), HHV-6, HHV-7, and HHV-8, are known to be part of a family of DNA viruses that cause several diseases in humans. In clinical practice of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the complication of CMV enterocolitis, which is caused by CMV reactivation under disruption of intestinal barrier function, inflammation, or strong immunosuppressive therapy, is well known to affect the prognosis of disease. However, the relationship between other HHVs and IBD remains unclear. In the transplantation field, reactivation of other viruses, such as HHV-6, could cause colitis under immunosuppressed condition. Recent research revealed that combined infection of some HHVs could be a risk factor for colectomy in patients with ulcerative colitis. This suggests that it would be important to clarify HHV behavior in the treatment for patients with IBD, especially in those under immunosuppressive therapies. Looking at the relationship with recently emerged novel coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2), there are reports describe that SARS-CoV-2 might induce reactivation of HSV-1, EBV, VZV (herpes zoster), and HHV-6/7. If SARS-CoV-2 infection becomes common, vigilance against HHV reactivation may become more crucial. In this review, we discuss the impact of HHVs in clinical practice of inflammatory bowel diseases, especially during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
From Diospyros kaki L. (Persimmon) Phytochemical Profile and Health Impact to New Product Perspectives and Waste Valorization

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit’s phytochemical profile includes carotenoids, proanthocyanidins, and gallic acid among other phenolic compounds and vitamins. A huge antioxidant potential is present given this richness in antioxidant compounds. These bioactive compounds impact on health benefits. The intersection of nutrition and sustainability, the key idea behind the EAT-Lancet Commission, which could improve human health and decrease the global impact of food-related health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, bring the discussion regarding persimmon beyond the health effects from its consumption, but also on the valorization of a very perishable food that spoils quickly. A broad option of edible products with better storage stability or solutions that apply persimmon and its byproducts in the reinvention of old products or even creating new products, or with new and better packaging for the preservation of food products with postharvest technologies to preserve and extend the shelf-life of persimmon food products. Facing a global food crisis and the climate emergency, new and better day-to-day solutions are needed right now. Therefore, the use of persimmon waste has also been discussed as a good solution to produce biofuel, eco-friendly alternative reductants for fabric dyes, green plant growth regulator, biodegradable and edible films for vegetable packaging, antimicrobial activity against foodborne methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus found in retail pork, anti-Helicobacter pylori agents from pedicel extracts, and persimmon pectin-based emulsifiers to prevent lipid peroxidation, among other solutions presented in the revised literature. It has become clear that the uses for persimmon go far beyond the kitchen table and the health impact consumption demonstrated over the years. The desired sustainable transition is already in progress, however, mechanistic studies and clinical trials are essential and scaling-up is fundamental to the future.
Exploiting B Cell Transfer for Cancer Therapy: Engineered B Cells to Eradicate Tumors

Nowadays, cancers still represent a significant health burden, accounting for around 10 million deaths per year, due to ageing populations and inefficient treatments for some refractory cancers. Immunotherapy strategies that modulate the patient’s immune system have emerged as good treatment options. Among them, the adoptive transfer of B cells selected ex vivo showed promising results, with a reduction in tumor growth in several cancer mouse models, often associated with antitumoral immune responses. Aside from the benefits of their intrinsic properties, including antigen presentation, antibody secretion, homing and long-term persistence, B cells can be modified prior to reinfusion to increase their therapeutic role. For instance, B cells have been modified mainly to boost their immuno-stimulatory activation potential by forcing the expression of costimulatory ligands using defined culture conditions or gene insertion. Moreover, tumor-specific antigen presentation by infused B cells has been increased by ex vivo antigen loading (peptides, RNA, DNA, virus) or by the sorting/ engineering of B cells with a B cell receptor specific to tumor antigens. Editing of the BCR also rewires B cell specificity toward tumor antigens, and may trigger, upon antigen recognition, the secretion of antitumor antibodies by differentiated plasma cells that can then be recognized by other immune components or cells involved in tumor clearance by antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity or complement-dependent cytotoxicity for example. With the expansion of gene editing methodologies, new strategies to reprogram immune cells with whole synthetic circuits are being explored: modified B cells can sense disease-specific biomarkers and, in response, trigger the expression of therapeutic molecules, such as molecules that counteract the tumoral immunosuppressive microenvironment. Such strategies remain in their infancy for implementation in B cells, but are likely to expand in the coming years.
Liquid Biopsy in Melanoma: Significance in Diagnostics, Prediction and Treatment Monitoring

Liquid biopsy is a common term referring to circulating tumor cells and other biomarkers, such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) or extracellular vesicles. Liquid biopsy presents a range of clinical advantages, such as the low invasiveness of the blood sample collection and continuous control of the tumor progression. In addition, this approach enables the mechanisms of drug resistance to be determined in various methods of cancer treatment, including immunotherapy. However, in the case of melanoma, the application of liquid biopsy in patient stratification and therapy needs further investigation. This review attempts to collect all of the relevant and recent information about circulating melanoma cells (CMCs) related to the context of malignant melanoma and immunotherapy. Furthermore, the biology of liquid biopsy analytes, including CMCs, ctDNA, mRNA and exosomes, as well as techniques for their detection and isolation, are also described. The available data support the notion that thoughtful selection of biomarkers and technologies for their detection can contribute to the development of precision medicine by increasing the efficacy of cancer diagnostics and treatment.
The Aggregate Index of Systemic Inflammation (AISI): A Novel Prognostic Biomarker in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Variable patterns of disease progression are typically observed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We sought to determine the prognostic capacity of blood cell count indexes, derived from routine complete blood cell (CBC) count, in a cohort of IPF patients. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), and aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI) were calculated at baseline in a consecutive series of 82 IPF patients followed for four years. After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, and disease stage, only the AISI was significantly associated with mortality (HR 1.0013, 95% CI 1.0003–1.0023, p = 0.015). Patients with AISI <434 and ≥434 had a median survival from the diagnosis of 35.3 ± 15.2 and 26.6 ± 16.3 months (p = 0.015), and a four-year survival rate of 54% and 34%, respectively. The AISI, easily derivable from routine laboratory tests, is independently associated with mortality in patients with IPF. Prospective studies in larger cohorts are required to confirm this association.
Novel Approach to the Treatment of Gypseous Soil-Induced Ettringite Using Blends of Non-Calcium-Based Stabilizer, Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag, and Metakaolin

Gypseous soil is one type of expansive soil that contains a sufficient amount of sulphate. Cement and lime are the most common methods of stabilizing expansive soil, but the problem is that lime-treated gypseous soil normally fails in terms of durability due to the formation of ettringite, a highly deleterious compound. Moisture ingress causes a significant swelling of ettringite crystals, thereby causing considerable damage to structures and pavements. This study investigated the suitability of various materials (nano–Mg oxide (M), metakaolin (MK), and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS)) for the stabilization of gypseous soil. The results showed soil samples treated with 20% M-MK, M-GGBS, and M-GGBS-MK to exhibit lower swelling rates (<0.01% change in volume) compared to those treated with 10% and 20% of lime after 90 days of curing. However, soil samples stabilized with 10% and 20% binder of [(M-MK), (M-GGBS), and (M-GGBS-MK)] exhibited higher strengths after 90 days of soaking (ranging from 0.96–12.8 MPa) compared to those stabilized with 10% and 20% lime. From the morphology studies, the SEM and EDX analysis evidenced no formation of ettringite in the samples stabilized with M-MK-, M-GGBS-, and M-GGBS-MK. These results demonstrate the suitability of M-MK, M-GGBS, and M-GGBS-MK as effective agents for the stabilization of gypseous soil.
Human-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Clonal Complex 80 Isolated from Cattle and Aquatic Environments

Background: Human-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) has mainly been reported in South African pig and chicken farms. The prevalence of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs), virulence factors (VFs), and multilocus sequence types (MLSTs) associated with HA-MRSA in cattle farms has not been reported. Consequently, this study characterised LA-MRSA and its spread from cattle farms into the environment. Method: Husbandry soil (HS), nearby river water (NRW), animal manure (AM) and animal drinking water (ADW) were collected on and around a cattle farm. Presumptive MRSA isolates were identified from these samples using CHROMagar media and genotyped as MRSA sequence types (STs), selected ARGs, and VFs, using polymerase chain reaction. An MLST-based dendrogram was generated to link the farm MRSA strains with those in a nearby river. Results: The prevalence of MRSA was 30.61% for HS, 28.57% for ADW, 22.44% for NRW, and 10.20% for AM. Isolates from HS harboured the highest number of resistant genes, with 100% for mecA, 91.66% for ermA, and 58.33% for blaZ. However, no ermC or tetM genes were detected. MRSA isolates from AM harboured the lowest number of resistant genes. Only sec and seq enterotoxins were found in all the assessed MRSA isolates. MRSA from the farm revealed six STs (ST80, ST728, ST1931, ST2030, ST3247, and ST5440); all of STs belonged to clonal complex 80 (CC80). An MLST-based dendrogram based on the concatenated sequences of MLST genes under the maximum likelihood criterion revealed four clades of amalgamated MRSA isolates from various livestock environmental matrices, including the NRW. Conclusion: The results suggest that livestock environmental matrices might be reservoirs of MRSA that could subsequently disseminate through runoff to pollute water resources. Therefore, continued surveillance of HA-MRSA in livestock environments is warranted.
Usage of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Inline Monitoring the Degree of Curing in RTM Processes

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was implemented in the resin transfer molding (RTM) process to inline monitor the degree of curing of a bio-based epoxy resin, which consists of epoxidized linseed oil (resin) and citric acid (hardener), respectively. A NIR micro-spectrometer was used for the development of robust calibration models using partial least squares (PLS) regression. Since the micro-spectrometer offers a smaller wavelength range compared with conventional NIR devices, and typical absorbance peaks are not directly involved in the captured data range, the results show new insights for the utilization of this technology. Different pre-treatments of the spectroscopic data have been tested, starting with different reference spectra, i.e., uncured resin and polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), and followed by chemometrical algorithms. As a reference method for the degree of curing, direct current (DC) supported by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used. The results show the potential of these cost-efficient and compact NIR micro-spectrometers for the intended inline monitoring purpose to gain relevant information feedback during the process.
Assessment of the Effect of A-PRF Application during the Surgical Extraction of Third Molars on Healing and the Concentration of C-Reactive Protein

Extraction procedures for mandibular third molars are performed all over the world every day. Local inflammation resulting from surgery, and the pain that patients experience, often make it impossible to take up daily life activities, such as work or sports. Growth and anti-inflammatory factors, located in the fibrin network, have a positive effect on tissue-healing processes and should also reduce local inflammation. Advanced platelet-rich fibrin (A-PRF) applied locally influences such processes as: angiogenesis, osteogenesis and collagenogenesis. It also affects mesenchymal cell lines and anti- and pro-inflammatory mediators. Due to the autologous origin of the material, their use in guide bone regeneration (GBR) is more and more widespread in dentistry. The results of previous studies indicate that the use of A-PRF in the treatment area significantly reduces postoperative pain, while the formation of edema is not affected. C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an acute phase protein, appears in the blood as a consequence of inflammation. Due to the dynamics of changes in concentration of CRP, it is a protein that is sufficiently sensitive and is used in studies to monitor the tissue healing process. The effect of A-PRF application on CRP concentrations, before and after surgery, has not been investigated yet. The study was conducted on 60 generally healthy patients. A faster decrease of CRP levels was shown in patients who used A-PRF after the procedure. Additionally, it accelerated healing and reduced the occurrence of a dry socket close to 0.
Bisretinoids of the Retina: Photo-Oxidation, Iron-Catalyzed Oxidation, and Disease Consequences

The retina and, in particular, retinal pigment epithelial cells are unusual for being encumbered by exposure to visible light, while being oxygen-rich, and also amassing photoreactive molecules. These fluorophores (bisretinoids) are generated as a byproduct of the activity of vitamin A aldehyde—the chromophore necessary for vision. Bisretinoids form in photoreceptor cells due to random reactions of two molecules of vitamin A aldehyde with phosphatidylethanolamine; bisretinoids are subsequently transferred to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, where they accumulate in the lysosomal compartment with age. Bisretinoids can generate reactive oxygen species by both energy and electron transfer, and they become photo-oxidized and photolyzed in the process. While these fluorescent molecules are accrued by RPE cells of all healthy eyes, they are also implicated in retinal disease.
Human Breast Milk Composition and Function in Human Health: From Nutritional Components to Microbiome and MicroRNAs

Human breast milk (HBM) is not only an indispensable source of nutrients for early human growth and development, supplying components that support infant growth and development, but also contains various essential immunologic components with anti-infectious activities and critical roles in the formation of immunity. It is also known that HBM contains its own unique microbiome, including beneficial, commensal, and potentially probiotic bacteria, that can contribute to infant gut colonization. In addition, HBM-derived extracellular vesicles, exosomes, and microRNA are attracting increasing interest for their potential to transfer to the infant and their role in infant development. In this article, we examine some of the various constituents in HBM and review the evidence supporting their associated health effects and their potential applications in human health.