Bone Turnover Markers and Wnt Signaling Modulators in Early Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. A Pre-specified Observational Study.

To explore serum levels of some bone turnover markers and the involvement of the Wnt signaling in CRPS-1. Query ID="Q1" Text="Please check and confirm whether the edit made to the article title is in order." We conducted an observational study on patients with early CRPS-1 recruited before any treatment. Clinical measures were assessed together with biochemical evaluation. Values of sclerostin, DKK1, CTX-I, and P1NP were compared with sex-age-matched healthy controls (HCs). We enrolled 34 patients diagnosed with CRPS-1 (mean age 59.3 ± 10.6 years, Male/Female 10/24), median disease duration = 2 weeks (IQR 1-5); median VAS score = 76 (IQR 68-80). Foot localization was slightly more frequent than hand localization (18/16). No statistically significant difference was found between CRPS-1 patients and HCs for CTX-I (0.3 ± 0.1 ng/ml vs 0.3 ± 0.1, p = 0.140), while mean serum values of P1NP were significantly higher in CRPS-1 patients compared to HCs (70.0 ± 38.8 ng/ml vs 50.1 ± 13.6, p = 0.005). Mean levels of sclerostin and DKK1 were lower in CRPS-1 patients vs HCs (sclerostin 28.4 ± 10.8 pmol/l vs 34.1 ± 11.6, p = 0.004; DKK1 12.9 ± 10.8 pmol/l vs 24.1 ± 11.9, p = 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found for all biochemical assessments in a subgroup of fracture-induced CRPS-1. No statistically significant differences were observed according to disease localization, disease duration, presence of hyperalgesia, allodynia, sudomotor alterations, and mild or moderate/severe swelling. No significant correlation emerged between sclerostin, DKK1 levels, baseline VAS score, or McGill Pain Questionnaire score. Bone involvement in early CRPS-1 does not seem to rely on increased osteoclast activity. Conversely, a serum marker of bone formation resulted increased. Both Sclerostin and DKK1 showed decreased values, probably suggesting a widespread osteocyte loss of function.Trial registration number: Eudract Number: 2014-001156-28.

Red and Blue Light Differently Influence Actinidia chinensis Performance and Its Interaction with Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae.

Light composition modulates plant growth and defenses, thus influencing plant-pathogen interactions. We investigated the effects of different light-emitting diode (LED) red (R) (665 nm) and blue (B) (470 nm) light combinations on Actinidia chinensis performance by evaluating biometric parameters, chlorophyll a fluorescence, gas exchange and photosynthesis-related gene expression. Moreover, the influence of light on the infection by Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), the etiological agent of bacterial canker of kiwifruit, was investigated. Our study shows that 50%R-50%B (50R) and 25%R-75%B (25R) lead to the highest PSII efficiency and photosynthetic rate, but are the least effective in controlling the endophytic colonization of the host by Psa. Monochromatic red light severely reduced ΦPSII, ETR, Pn, TSS and photosynthesis-related genes expression, and both monochromatic lights lead to a reduction of DW and pigments content. Monochromatic blue light was the only treatment significantly reducing disease symptoms but did not reduce bacterial endophytic population. Our results suggest that monochromatic blue light reduces infection primarily by modulating Psa virulence more than host plant defenses.

Beyond vegetables: effects of indoor LED light on specialized metabolite biosynthesis in medicinal and aromatic plants, edible flowers, and microgreens.

Specialized metabolites from plants are important for human health due to their antioxidant properties. Light is one of the main factors modulating the biosynthesis of specialized metabolites, determining the cascade response activated by photoreceptors and the consequent modulation of expressed genes and biosynthetic pathways. Recent developments in light emitting diode (LED) technology have enabled improvements in artificial light applications for horticulture. In particular, the possibility to select specific spectral light compositions, intensities and photoperiods has been associated with altered metabolite content in a variety of crops. This review aims to analyze the effects of indoor LED lighting recipes and management on the specialized metabolite content in different groups of crop plants (namely medicinal and aromatic plants, microgreens and edible flowers), focusing on the literature from the last 5 years. The literature collection produced a total of 40 papers, which were analyzed according to the effects of artificial LED lighting on the content of anthocyanins, carotenoids, phenols, tocopherols, glycosides, and terpenes, and ranked on a scale of 1 to 3. Most studies applied a combination of red and blue light (22%) or monochromatic blue (23%), with a 16 h day-1 photoperiod (78%) and an intensity greater than 200 µmol m-2  s-1 (77%). These treatment features were often the most efficient in enhancing specialized metabolite content, although large variations in performance were observed, according to the species considered and the compound analyzed. The review aims to provide valuable indications for the definition of the most promising spectral components toward the achievement of nutrient-rich indoor-grown products. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Nanosized T1 MRI Contrast Agent Based on a Polyamidoamine as Multidentate Gd Ligand.

A linear polyamidoamine (PAA) named BAC-EDDS, containing metal chelating repeat units composed of two tert-amines and four carboxylic groups, has been prepared by the aza-Michael polyaddition of ethylendiaminodisuccinic (EDDS) with 2,2-bis(acrylamido)acetic acid (BAC). It was characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), FTIR, UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopies. The pKa values of the ionizable groups of the repeat unit were estimated by potentiometric titration, using a purposely synthesized molecular ligand (Agly-EDDS) mimicking the structure of the BAC-EDDS repeat unit. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and ζ-potential analyses revealed the propensity of BAC-EDDS to form stable nanoaggregates with a diameter of approximately 150 nm at pH 5 and a net negative charge at physiological pH, in line with an isoelectric point <2. BAC-EDDS stably chelated Gd (III) ions with a molar ratio of 0.5:1 Gd (III)/repeat unit. The stability constant of the molecular model Gd-Agly-EDDS (log K = 17.43) was determined as well, by simulating the potentiometric titration through the use of Hyperquad software. In order to comprehend the efficiency of Gd-BAC-EDDS in contrasting magnetic resonance images, the nuclear longitudinal (r1) and transverse (r2) relaxivities as a function of the externally applied static magnetic field were investigated and compared to the ones of commercial contrast agents. Furthermore, a model derived from the Solomon-Bloembergen-Morgan theory for the field dependence of the NMR relaxivity curves was applied and allowed us to evaluate the rotational correlation time of the complex (τ = 0.66 ns). This relatively high value is due to the dimensions of Gd-BAC-EDDS, and the associated rotational motion causes a peak in the longitudinal relaxivity at ca. 75 MHz, which is close to the frequencies used in clinics. The good performances of Gd-BAC-EDDS as a contrast agent were also confirmed through in vitro magnetic resonance imaging experiments with a 0.2 T magnetic field.

Postharvest LED lighting: effect of red, blue and far red on quality of minimally processed broccoli sprouts.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to evaluate physiological and quality changes of minimally processed broccoli sprouts illuminated during postharvest storage under blue, red and far-red LED lighting as compared to darkness or illumination with fluorescent light, as control treatments. RESULTS: Morphological and microbiological changes were determined during 15 days at 5 °C. In addition, total antioxidant activity and bioactive compound changes throughout the shelf life were also monitored. Results showed that far-red LED lighting increased hypocotyl and sprout length, decreased microbial growth and improved the total antioxidant and scavenging activities, compared to darkness and fluorescent lighting treatments. However, it did not stimulate the biosynthesis of phenolic acids. In contrast, blue LED light reduced by 50% the total antioxidant capacity of broccoli sprouts compared to far-red treatment, as well as morphological development. In addition, total scavenging activity was increased under far-red LED light compared with the other treatments by 12-10% (darkness and fluorescence) and 33-31% (blue and red LEDs). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that minimally processed sprouts may benefit from LED lighting during shelf life in terms of quality, although further experiments should be conducted to optimize a proper exposure cycle and intensity aiming for use in the distribution chain. The results also open the way for further development towards the integration of this technology in the food distribution chain.

Effective Enantiodiscrimination in Electroanalysis Based on a New Inherently Chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl Selector Directly Synthesizable in Enantiopure Form.

Enantioselective electroanalysis, which aims to discriminate the enantiomers of electroactive chiral probes in terms of potential difference, is a very attractive goal. To achieve this, its implementation is being studied for various "inherently chiral" selectors, either at the electrode surface or in the medium, yielding outstanding performance. In this context, the new inherently chiral monomer Naph2T4 is introduced, based on a biaromatic atropisomeric core, which is advantageously obtainable in enantiopure form without HPLC separation steps by a synthetic route hinging on enantiopure 2,2'-dibromo-1,1'-binaphthalenes. The antipodes of the new inherently chiral monomer can be easily electrooligomerized, yielding inherently chiral electrode surfaces that perform well in both cyclic voltammetry (CV) enantiodiscrimination tests with pharmaceutically interesting molecules and in magnetoelectrochemistry experiments.

Multifunctional Nanovectors Based on Polyamidoamine Polymers for Theranostic Application.

We present multifunctional, biocompatible and biodegradable magnetic nanovectors based on different polyamidoamine (PAA) polymers tailored with different diagnostic and therapeutic properties. Using maghemite nanoparticles with average size 15.5 ± 2.8 nm prepared by thermal decomposition, superparamagnetic nanovectors were obtained by coating the nanoparticles with synthetic polymers of PAA. These have a segmented copolymer structure, and bear PAA segments containing different amount of carboxyl groups per repeating units together with PEG segments. These copolymers are thought to combine the binding properties of the carboxylated PAA segments to inorganic nanoparticles, with the stealth properties of the PEG ones. The magnetic, hyperthermal and relaxometric properties of the synthesized samples were investigated. Magnetic measurements revealed that the samples are superparamagnetic at room temperature and the overall magnetic behavior is not affected by the functionalization process. Calorimetric measurements demonstrated a good heating efficiency at alternating magnetic field parameters below the human tolerability threshold (SAR of ca. 70 W/g at 260 Hz and 10.8 kA/m). 1H-NMR relaxivities were relevant compared to the values of the commercial contrast agents over the whole investigated frequency range.

Sources of Variation in Assessing Canopy Reflectance of Processing Tomato by Means of Multispectral Radiometry.

Canopy reflectance sensors are a viable technology to optimize the fertilization management of crops. In this research, canopy reflectance was measured through a passive sensor to evaluate the effects of either crop features (N fertilization, soil mulching, appearance of red fruits, and cultivars) or sampling methods (sampling size, sensor position, and hour of sampling) on the reliability of vegetation indices (VIs). Sixteen VIs were derived, including seven simple wavelength reflectance ratios (NIR/R460, NIR/R510, NIR/R560, NIR/R610, NIR/R660, NIR/R710, NIR/R760), seven normalized indices (NDVI, G-NDVI, MCARISAVI, OSAVI, TSAVI, TCARI), and two combined indices (TCARI/OSAVI; MCARI/OSAVI). NIR/560 and G-NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index on Greenness) were the most reliable in discriminating among fertilization rates, with results unaffected by the appearance of maturing fruits, and the most stable in response to different cultivars. Black mulching film did not affect NIR/560 and G-NDVI behavior at the beginning of the growing season, when the crop is more responsive to N management. Due to a moderate variability of NIR/560 and G-NDVI, a small sample size (5-10 observations) is sufficient to obtain reliable measurements. Performing the measurements at 11:00 and 14:00 and maintaining a greater distance (1.8 m) between plants and instrument enhanced measurement consistency. Accordingly, NIR/560 and G-NDVI resulted in the most reliable VIs.

Conjugation of a GM3 lactone mimetic on carbon nanotubes enhances the related inhibition of melanoma-associated metastatic events.

GM3-ganglioside is known to be involved in melanoma proliferation. In order to modulate metastatic-related events, we have functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with multiple copies of a GM3-lactone mimetic. The MWCNTs proved to guarantee the appropriate spatial arrangement of the mimetic allowing a stronger inhibition of migration and invasiveness of human melanoma (A375) cells compared to other multivalent constructs reported before. In addition, the effect of the multivalent tubular conjugate on the inhibition of specific tyrosine kinases, which are associated with the ganglioside complexes within the membrane domains, was demonstrated. Finally, the short-term fate of the conjugate was assessed, for the first time, by means of the 1H NMR relaxometry technique by exploiting the signal arising from the CNTs.

Methadone Dose Adjustments, Plasma R-Methadone Levels and Therapeutic Outcome of Heroin Users: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

AIMS: We aimed to improve the retention in treatment and therapeutic outcome of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients by adjusting the oral methadone dose in order to reach a "target" plasma R-methadone level (80-250 ng/mL). METHODS: A multicenter randomized controlled trial was organized. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat statistical analysis showed that repeated dose adjustments performed in order to obtain therapeutic plasma R-methadone levels did not improve retention in treatment of heroin-dependent patients. However, patients having plasma methadone levels in the "target range" at the beginning of the study had a better retention in treatment than controls. Furthermore, patients succeeding in keeping plasma R-methadone target levels (per protocol analysis) remained in treatment and improved their social scores better than controls. -Conclusion: Although the primary endpoint of this study was not demonstrated, a post hoc and a per protocol analysis suggested that patients in MMT with plasma R-methadone concentrations in the target range have a better therapeutic outcome than controls.

Salinity thresholds and genotypic variability of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) grown under saline stress.

BACKGROUND: Two botanical varieties of cabbage, namely Savoy (Brassica oleracea var. Sabauda L.) and White (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.) were used in order to understand the morphological, physiological and biochemical elements of functional salt stress response. Thirteen salt concentrations (range, 0 to 300 mmol L(-1) NaCl) were considered in Experiment 1 and, of these 13, three (0, 100 and 200 mmol L(-1) NaCl) were used in Experiment 2. RESULTS: Experiment 1 enabled the definition of two salinity thresholds (100 and 200 mmol L(-1) NaCl), associated with morphological and physiological adaptations. In Experiment 2, moderate salinity (100 mmol L(-1) NaCl) had lower effects on Savoy than in White cabbage yield (respectively, -16% and -62% from control). Concurrently, 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl resulted in a significant increase of antioxidant enzymes from control conditions, that was greater in Savoy (+289, +423 and +88%, respectively) as compared to White (+114, +356 and +28%, respectively) cabbage. Ion accumulation was found to be a key determinant in tissue osmotic adjustment (mainly in Savoy) whereas the contribution of organic osmolites was negligible. CONCLUSIONS: Higher antioxidative enzymatic activities in Savoy versus White cabbage after treatment with 100 mmol L(-1) NaCl were associated with improved water relations, thus suggesting a possible physiological pathway for alleviating perceived salt stress.

Atomic force microscopy on plasma membranes from Xenopus laevis oocytes containing human aquaporin 4.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a unique tool for imaging membrane proteins in near-native environment (embedded in a membrane and in buffer solution) at ~1 nm spatial resolution. It has been most successful on membrane proteins reconstituted in 2D crystals and on some specialized and densely packed native membranes. Here, we report on AFM imaging of purified plasma membranes from Xenopus laevis oocytes, a commonly used system for the heterologous expression of membrane proteins. Isoform M23 of human aquaporin 4 (AQP4-M23) was expressed in the X. laevis oocytes following their injection with AQP4-M23 cRNA. AQP4-M23 expression and incorporation in the plasma membrane were confirmed by the changes in oocyte volume in response to applied osmotic gradients. Oocyte plasma membranes were then purified by ultracentrifugation on a discontinuous sucrose gradient, and the presence of AQP4-M23 proteins in the purified membranes was established by Western blotting analysis. Compared with membranes without over-expressed AQP4-M23, the membranes from AQP4-M23 cRNA injected oocytes showed clusters of structures with lateral size of about 10 nm in the AFM topography images, with a tendency to a fourfold symmetry as may be expected for higher-order arrays of AQP4-M23. In addition, but only infrequently, AQP4-M23 tetramers could be resolved in 2D arrays on top of the plasma membrane, in good quantitative agreement with transmission electron microscopy analysis and the current model of AQP4. Our results show the potential and the difficulties of AFM studies on cloned membrane proteins in native eukaryotic membranes.

Measuring BVOC emissions released by tomato plants grown in a soilless integrated rooftop greenhouse.

Urban design is currently promoting the inclusion of plants in buildings. However, plants emit biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs), which alone or in combination with other airborne molecules such as CO2, may result in a general increase in tropospheric pollution. Many studies have documented the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on plant BVOC responses, but few have assessed the contribution of typical CO2 levels found in indoor work and meeting spaces. To answer this question, we monitored CO2 and constitutive (MT-limonene) and induced (LOX-cis-3-hexenal) BVOC emissions of a fully developed tomato crop grown hydroponically inside an integrated rooftop greenhouse (i-RTG) in a Mediterranean climate. Two distinctive CO2 assays were performed at the level of the i-RTG by supplying or not CO2. The impact of CO2 on plant physiological emittance was then assessed, and the resulting BVOC rates were compared with reference to EU-LCI values. MT-limonene was ubiquitous among the assays and the most abundant, while LOX-cis-3-hexenal was detected only under controlled CO2 management. The highest levels detected were below the indicated LCIs and were approximately tenfold lower than the corresponding LCI for MT-limonene (50.88 vs. 5000 µg m-3) and eightfold (6.63 µg m-3) higher than the constitutive emission level for LOX-cis-3-hexenal. Over extended sampling (10 min) findings revealed a general emission decrease and significantly different CO2 concentration between the assays. Despite similar decreasing rates of predicted net photosynthesis (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs) their correlation with decreasing CO2 under uncontrolled condition indirectly suggested a negative CO2 impact on plant emission activity. Conversely, increasing CO2 under the controlled assay showed a positive correlation with induced emissions but not with constitutive ones. Because of significantly higher levels of relative humidity registered under the uncontrolled condition, this factor was considered to affect more than CO2 the emission response and even its collection. This hypothesis was supported by literature findings and attributed to a common issue related with the sampling in static enclosure. Hence, we suggested a careful monitoring of the sampling conditions or further improvements to avoid bias and underestimation of actual emissions. Based on the main outcomes, we observed no evidence of a hazardous effect of registered CO2 rates on the BVOC emissions of tomato plant. Furthermore, because of the low BVOC levels measured in the i-RTG, we assumed as safe the recirculation of this air along building's indoor environments.

Imaging of Xenopus laevis oocyte plasma membrane in physiological-like conditions by atomic force microscopy.

Xenopus laevis oocytes are an interesting model for the study of many developmental mechanisms because of their dimensions and the ease with which they can be manipulated. In addition, they are widely employed systems for the expression and functional study of heterologous proteins, which can be expressed with high efficiency on their plasma membrane. Here we applied atomic force microscopy (AFM) to the study of the plasma membrane of X. laevis oocytes. In particular, we developed and optimized a new sample preparation protocol, based on the purification of plasma membranes by ultracentrifugation on a sucrose gradient, to perform a high-resolution AFM imaging of X. laevis oocyte plasma membrane in physiological-like conditions. Reproducible AFM topographs allowed visualization and dimensional characterization of membrane patches, whose height corresponds to a single lipid bilayer, as well as the presence of nanometer structures embedded in the plasma membrane and identified as native membrane proteins. The described method appears to be an applicable tool for performing high-resolution AFM imaging of X. laevis oocyte plasma membrane in a physiological-like environment, thus opening promising perspectives for studying in situ cloned membrane proteins of relevant biomedical/pharmacological interest expressed in this biological system.

Literature review on the potential of urban waste for the fertilization of urban agriculture: A closer look at the metropolitan area of Barcelona.

Urban agriculture (UA) activities are increasing in popularity and importance due to greater food demands and reductions in agricultural land, also advocating for greater local food supply and security as well as the social and community cohesion perspective. This activity also has the potential to enhance the circularity of urban flows, repurposing nutrients from waste sources, increasing their self-sufficiency, reducing nutrient loss into the environment, and avoiding environmental cost of nutrient extraction and synthetization. The present work is aimed at defining recovery technologies outlined in the literature to obtain relevant nutrients such as N and P from waste sources in urban areas. Through literature research tools, the waste sources were defined, differentiating two main groups: (1) food, organic, biowaste and (2) wastewater. Up to 7 recovery strategies were identified for food, organic, and biowaste sources, while 11 strategies were defined for wastewater, mainly focusing on the recovery of N and P, which are applicable in UA in different forms. The potential of the recovered nutrients to cover existing and prospective UA sites was further assessed for the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Nutrient recovery from current composting and anaerobic digestion of urban sourced organic matter obtained each year in the area as well as the composting of wastewater sludge, struvite precipitation and ion exchange in wastewater effluent generated yearly in existing WWTPs were assessed. The results show that the requirements for the current and prospective UA in the area can be met 2.7 to 380.2 times for P and 1.7 to 117.5 times for N depending on the recovery strategy. While the present results are promising, current perceptions, legislation and the implementation and production costs compared to existing markets do not facilitate the application of nutrient recovery strategies, although a change is expected in the near future.

A methodological tool for sustainability and feasibility assessment of indoor vertical farming with artificial lighting in Africa.

African agriculture is bound to face challenges for its future food systems development and economic transformation. Indoor vertical farms with artificial lighting represent an opportunity that has been gaining relevance worldwide, thanks to their potential to enable high productivity rates, food quality and safety, year-round production, and more sustainable use of water and mineral nutrients. The present study assesses the potential for vertical farming technology integration within the African continent, targeting the countries where a more sustainable approach could be achieved. A deep analysis of each territory's major opportunities and challenges was built through an updated database of 147 development indicators from 54 African states. Countries such as South Africa, Seychelles, Egypt, Mauritius, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Cape Verde, and Nigeria showed the best prospective for indoor vertical farming implementation. Moreover, Seychelles, South Africa, and Egypt resulted to be the countries where vertical indoor farming could be more sustainable.

The effect of size, shape, coating and functionalization on nuclear relaxation properties in iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles: a brief review of the situation.

In this perspective article, we present a short selection of some of the most significant case studies on magnetic nanoparticles for potential applications in nanomedicine, mainly magnetic resonance. For almost 10 years, our research activity focused on the comprehension of the physical mechanisms on the basis of the nuclear relaxation of magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of magnetic fields; taking advantage of the insights gathered over this time span, we report on the dependence of the relaxation behaviour on the chemico-physical properties of magnetic nanoparticles and discuss them in full detail. In particular, a critical review is carried out on the correlations between their efficiency as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging and the magnetic core of magnetic nanoparticles (mainly iron oxides), their size and shape, and the coating and solvent used for making them biocompatible and well dispersible in physiological media. Finally, the heuristic model proposed by Roch and coworkers is presented, as it was extensively adopted to describe most of the experimental data sets. The large amount of data analyzed allowed us to highlight both the advantages and limitations of the model.

Assessment of greenhouse emissions of the green bean through the static enclosure technique.

Urban green installations are extensively promoted to increase sustainable and accessible food production and simultaneously improve the environmental performance and liveability of city buildings. In addition to the multiple benefits of plant retrofitting, these installations may lead to a consistent increase in biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) in the urban environment, especially indoors. Accordingly, health concerns could limit the implementation of building-integrated agriculture. In a building-integrated rooftop greenhouse (i-RTG), throughout the whole hydroponic cycle, green bean emissions were dynamically collected in a static enclosure. Four representative BVOCs, α-pinene (monoterpene), ß-caryophyllene (sesquiterpene), linalool (oxygenated monoterpene) and cis-3-hexenol (LOX derivate), were investigated in the samples collected from two equivalent sections of a static enclosure, one empty and one occupied by the i-RTG plants, to estimate the volatile emission factor (EF). Throughout the season, extremely variable BVOC levels between 0.04 and 5.36 ppb were found with occasional but not significant (P > 0.05) variations between the two sections. The highest emission rates were observed during plant vegetative development, with EFs equivalent to 78.97, 75.85 and 51.34 ng g-1 h-1 for cis-3-hexenol, α-pinene, and linalool, respectively; at plant maturity, all volatiles were either close to the LLOQ (lowest limit of quantitation) or not detected. Consistent with previous studies significant relationships (r ≥ 0.92; P < 0.05) were individuated within volatiles and temperature and relative humidity of the sections. However, correlations were all negative and were mainly attributed to the relevant effect of the enclosure on the final sampling conditions. Overall, levels found were at least 15 folds lower than the given Risk and LCI values of the EU-LCI protocol for indoor environments, suggesting low BVOC exposure in the i-RTG. Statistical outcomes demonstrated the applicability of the static enclosure technique for fast BVOC emissions survey inside green retrofitted spaces. However, providing high sampling performance over entire BVOCs collection is recommended to reduce sampling error and incorrect estimation of the emissions.

Effect of neridronate on axial involvement in patients with spondyloarthritis when biologics are not possible. Results of a monocentric study.

Introduction: This study aims to examine the potential effectiveness of intravenous neridronate (IVNer) on axial involvement in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) refractory to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) but not eligible for biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs). Method: Patients with active SpA (BASDAI score ≥ 4) and active sacroiliitis (SI) on MRI (according to ASAS MRI definition), who were NSAID-insufficient responder/intolerant but not eligible for bDMARDs, were retrospectively recruited in a tertiary rheumatology centre between September 2015 and December 2021. IVNer (100 mg) was administered to the patients on days 1, 4, 7, and 10. Responses were evaluated 60 days after the last infusion as the median changes from the baseline of BASDAI and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) pain and there are improvements on MRI signs. Results: A total of 38 patients (26 axial SpA, 3 enteropathic arthritis, and 9 axial psoriatic arthritis) were included [66% women, mean age ± SD: 38.0 ± 14.1 years, mean disease duration: 30.5 ± 49.5 months (range 1.0-298), 47% HLAB27+]. The reason for bDMARD ineligibility was concurrent solid tumors (n = 6) or hematological (n = 1) malignancy, comorbidities (n = 11), or patient preference (n = 20). Both median BASDAI [5.83 (4.2-8.33) versus 3.66 (1.1-6.85), p < 0.001] and VAS pain [7 (5.75-8.0) versus 3 (1.0-7.0), p < 0.0001] significantly decreased after IVNer. Of 28 available MRI at follow-up, we observed a complete (36%) or partial (39%) resolution of sacroiliitis or a persistent activity (25%). Discussion: IVNer was effective in improving axial involvement in patients with SpA refractory to NSAIDs but not eligible for bDMARDs. IVNer can be considered as a potential alternative therapeutic option in selected settings.

1H-NMR Relaxation of Ferrite Core-Shell Nanoparticles: Evaluation of the Coating Effect.

We investigated the effect of different organic coatings on the 1H-NMR relaxation properties of ultra-small iron-oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles. The first set of nanoparticles, with a magnetic core diameter ds1 = 4.4 ± 0.7 nm, was coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), while the second set, ds2 = 8.9 ± 0.9 nm, was coated with aminopropylphosphonic acid (APPA) and DMSA. At fixed core diameters but different coatings, magnetization measurements revealed a similar behavior as a function of temperature and field. On the other hand, the 1H-NMR longitudinal r1 nuclear relaxivity in the frequency range ν = 10 kHz ÷ 300 MHz displayed, for the smallest particles (diameter ds1), an intensity and a frequency behavior dependent on the kind of coating, thus indicating different electronic spin dynamics. Conversely, no differences were found in the r1 relaxivity of the biggest particles (ds2) when the coating was changed. It is concluded that, when the surface to volume ratio, i.e., the surface to bulk spins ratio, increases (smallest nanoparticles), the spin dynamics change significantly, possibly due to the contribution of surface spin dynamics/topology.