Tissue fluidification promotes a cGAS-STING cytosolic DNA response in invasive breast cancer.

The process in which locally confined epithelial malignancies progressively evolve into invasive cancers is often promoted by unjamming, a phase transition from a solid-like to a liquid-like state, which occurs in various tissues. Whether this tissue-level mechanical transition impacts phenotypes during carcinoma progression remains unclear. Here we report that the large fluctuations in cell density that accompany unjamming result in repeated mechanical deformations of cells and nuclei. This triggers a cellular mechano-protective mechanism involving an increase in nuclear size and rigidity, heterochromatin redistribution and remodelling of the perinuclear actin architecture into actin rings. The chronic strains and stresses associated with unjamming together with the reduction of Lamin B1 levels eventually result in DNA damage and nuclear envelope ruptures, with the release of cytosolic DNA that activates a cGAS-STING (cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-signalling adaptor stimulator of interferon genes)-dependent cytosolic DNA response gene program. This mechanically driven transcriptional rewiring ultimately alters the cell state, with the emergence of malignant traits, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity phenotypes and chemoresistance in invasive breast carcinoma.

Stimulus-related modulation in the 1/f spectral slope suggests an impaired inhibition during a working memory task in people with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: An imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission in multiple sclerosis (MS) may lead to cognitive impairment, such as impaired working memory. The 1/f slope of electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) power spectra is shown to be a non-invasive proxy of excitation/inhibition balance. A flatter slope is associated with higher excitation/lower inhibition. OBJECTIVES: To assess the 1/f slope modulation induced by stimulus and its association with behavioral and cognitive measures. METHODS: We analyzed MEG recordings of 38 healthy controls (HCs) and 79 people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) while performing an n-back task including target and distractor stimuli. Target trials require an answer, while distractor trials do not. We computed the 1/f spectral slope through the fitting oscillations and one over f (FOOOF) algorithm within the time windows 1 second before and after each stimulus presentation. RESULTS: We observed a flatter 1/f slope after distractor stimuli in pwMS compared to HCs. The 1/f slope was significantly steeper after stimulus for both HCs and pwMS and was significantly correlated with reaction times. This modulation in 1/f slope was significantly correlated with visuospatial memory assessed by the BVMT-R test. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest possible inhibitory mechanism deficits in pwMS during a working memory task.

Harnessing Immersive Virtual Reality: A Comprehensive Scoping Review of its Applications in Assessing, Understanding, and Treating Eating Disorders.

BACKGROUND: Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) has shown promise in the assessment, understanding, and treatment of eating disorders (EDs), providing a dynamic platform for clinical innovation. This scoping review aims to synthesize the recent advancements and applications of IVR in addressing these complex psychological disorders. METHODS: This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis Protocols, focusing on studies published in the past five years. It included peer-reviewed papers that used IVR for ED assessment, examination, or treatment. A comprehensive database search provided a selection of relevant articles, which were then methodically screened and analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria, with a primary focus on Anorexia Nervosa (AN), Bulimia Nervosa (BN), and Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The application of IVR was categorized into three areas: assessment, understanding, and treatment. IVR was found to be an effective tool in assessing body image distortions and emotional responses to food, providing insights that are less accessible through traditional methods. Furthermore, IVR offers innovative treatment approaches by facilitating exposure therapy, modifying body-related biases, and enabling emotional regulation through embodied experiences. The studies demonstrate IVR's potential to improve body image accuracy, reduce food-related anxieties, and support behavioral changes in ED patients. CONCLUSION: IVR stands out as a transformative technology in the field of EDs, offering comprehensive benefits across diagnostic, therapeutic, and experiential domains. The IVR's ability to simulate the brain's predictive coding mechanisms provides a powerful avenue for delivering embodied, experiential interventions that can help recalibrate distorted body representations and dysfunctional affective predictive models implicated in EDs. Future research should continue to refine these applications, ensuring consistent methodologies and wider clinical trials to fully harness IVR's potential in clinical settings.

Exploring the Metabolic Response of Pseudomonas putida to L-arginine.

Beyond their role as protein-building units, amino acids are modulators of multiple behaviours in different microorganisms. In the root-colonizing beneficial bacterium Pseudomonas putida (recently proposed to be reclassified as alloputida) KT2440, current evidence suggests that arginine functions both as a metabolic indicator and as an environmental signal molecule, modulating processes such as chemotactic responses, siderophore-mediated iron uptake or the levels of the intracellular second messenger cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP). Using microcalorimetry and extracellular flux analysis, in this work we have studied the metabolic adaptation of P. putida KT2440 to the presence of L-arginine in the growth medium, and the influence of mutations related to arginine metabolism. Arginine causes rapid changes in the respiratory activity of P. putida, particularly magnified in a mutant lacking the transcriptional regulator ArgR. The metabolic activity of mutants affected in arginine transport and metabolism is also altered during biofilm formation in the presence of the amino acid. The results obtained here further support the role of arginine as a metabolic signal in P. putida and the relevance of ArgR in the adaptation to the amino acid. They also serve as proof of concept on the use of calorimetric and extracellular flux techniques to analyse metabolic responses in bacteria and the impact of different mutant backgrounds on such responses.

The spectral slope as a marker of excitation/inhibition ratio and cognitive functioning in multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by neuronal and synaptic loss, resulting in an imbalance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission and potentially cognitive impairment. Current methods for measuring the excitation/inhibition (E/I) ratio are mostly invasive, but recent research combining neurocomputational modeling with measurements of local field potentials has indicated that the slope with which the power spectrum of neuronal activity captured by electro- and/or magnetoencephalography rolls off, is a non-invasive biomarker of the E/I ratio. A steeper roll-off is associated with a stronger inhibition. This novel method can be applied to assess the E/I ratio in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), detect the effect of medication such as benzodiazepines, and explore its utility as a biomarker for cognition. We recruited 44 healthy control subjects and 95 pwMS who underwent resting-state magnetoencephalographic recordings. The 1/f spectral slope of the neural power spectra was calculated for each subject and for each brain region. As expected, the spectral slope was significantly steeper in pwMS treated with benzodiazepines (BZDs) compared to pwMS not receiving BZDs (p = .01). In the sub-cohort of pwMS not treated with BZDs, we observed a steeper slope in cognitively impaired pwMS compared to cognitively preserved pwMS (p = .01) and healthy subjects (p = .02). Furthermore, we observed a significant correlation between 1/f spectral slope and verbal and spatial working memory functioning in the brain regions located in the prefrontal and parietal cortex. In this study, we highlighted the value of the spectral slope in MS by quantifying the effect of benzodiazepines and by putting it forward as a potential biomarker of cognitive deficits in pwMS.

Concordance of immunohistochemistry for predictive and prognostic factors in breast cancer between biopsy and surgical excision: a single-centre experience and review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Accurate evaluation of breast cancer on bioptic samples is of fundamental importance to guide therapeutic decisions, especially in the neoadjuvant or metastatic setting. We aimed to assess concordance for oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), c-erbB2/HER2 and Ki-67. We also reviewed the current literature to evaluate our results in the context of the data available at present. METHODS: We included patients who underwent both biopsy and surgical resection for breast cancer at San Matteo Hospital, Pavia, Italy, between January 2014 and December 2020. ER, PR, c-erbB2, and Ki-67 immunohistochemistry concordance between biopsy and surgical specimen was evaluated. ER was further analysed to include the recently defined ER-low-positive in our analysis. RESULTS: We evaluated 923 patients. Concordance between biopsy and surgical specimen for ER, ER-low-positive, PR, c-erbB2 and Ki-67 was, respectively, 97.83, 47.8, 94.26, 68 and 86.13%. Cohen's κ for interobserver agreement was very good for ER and good for PR, c-erbB2 and Ki-67. Concordance was especially low (37%) in the c-erbB2 1 + category. CONCLUSION: Oestrogen and progesterone receptor status can be safely assessed on preoperative samples. The results of this study advise caution in interpreting biopsy results regarding ER-low-positive, c-erbB2/HER and Ki-67 results due to a still suboptimal concordance. The low concordance for c-erbB2 1 + cases underlines the importance of further training in this area, in the light of the future therapeutic perspectives.

A multidisciplinary approach to estimating wolf population size for long-term conservation.

The wolf (Canis lupus) is among the most controversial of wildlife species. Abundance estimates are required to inform public debate and policy decisions, but obtaining them at biologically relevant scales is challenging. We developed a system for comprehensive population estimation across the Italian alpine region (100,000 km2 ), involving 1513 trained operators representing 160 institutions. This extensive network allowed for coordinated genetic sample collection and landscape-level spatial capture-recapture analyses that transcended administrative boundaries to produce the first estimates of key parameters for wolf population status assessment. Wolf abundance was estimated at 952 individuals (95% credible interval 816-1120) and 135 reproductive units (i.e., packs) (95% credible interval 112-165). We also estimated that mature individuals accounted for 33-45% of the entire population. The monitoring effort was spatially estimated thereby overcoming an important limitation of citizen science data. This is an important approach for promoting wolf-human coexistence based on wolf abundance monitoring and an endorsement of large-scale harmonized conservation practices.

Una estrategia multidisciplinaria para la estimación del tamaño poblacional de los lobos para la conservación a largo plazo Resumen El lobo (Canis lupus) está entre las especies de fauna más controversiales. Se requieren estimaciones de abundancia para informar al debate público y las decisiones políticas, pero es un reto obtenerlos en escalas con relevancia biológica. Desarrollamos un sistema para la estimación completa de la población en la región alpina de Italia (100,000 km2 ), con la participación de 1,513 operadores entrenados que representan a 160 instituciones. Esta red extensa permitió una colecta coordinada de muestras genéticas y análisis de captura-recaptura espacial que trascendieron las fronteras administrativas para así producir las primeras estimaciones de los parámetros clave para la evaluación del estado de la población de los lobos. Se estimó la abundancia en 952 individuos (95% intervalo de confianza 816-1120) y 135 unidades reproductivas (es decir, manadas) (95% intervalo de confianza 112-165). También estimamos que los individuos maduros representaban el 33-45% de toda la población. El esfuerzo de monitoreo se estimó espacialmente, por lo que sobrepasó una limitación importante de la ciencia ciudadana. Esta estrategia es importante para promover la coexistencia entre lobos y humanos con base en el monitoreo de la abundancia y el apoyo a las prácticas armonizadas de conservación a gran escala.

Exploring Innovative Approaches to Isolate a One-Component c-di-GMP Transducer: A Pilot Study.

Environmental nutrients control bacterial biofilm homeostasis, by regulating the intracellular levels of c-di-GMP. One component transducers can sense different classes of small molecules through a periplasmic domain; the nutrient recognition triggers the subsequent regulation of the downstream cytosolic diguanylate cyclase (GGDEF) or phosphodiesterase (EAL) domains, via transmembrane helix(ces), to finally change c-di-GMP levels.Protein studies on such transducers have been mainly carried out on isolated domains due to the presence of the transmembrane portion. Nevertheless, the cleavage of GGDEF and EAL-containing proteins could be detrimental since both tertiary and quaternary structures could be allosterically controlled; to by-pass this limitation, studies on the corresponding full-length proteins are highly desired.We have in silico selected a GGDEF-EAL transducer from Dyella thiooxydans (ann. A0A160N0B7), whose periplasmic binding domain was predicted to bind to arginine, a nutrient often associated with chronic infections and biofilm. This protein has been used as an in vitro tool for the identification of the best approach for its isolation, including (i) protein engineering to produce a water-soluble version via QTY (Glutamine, Threonine, and Tyrosine) code or (ii) nanodiscs assembly. The results on this "prototype" may represent the proof-of-concept for future isolation of other transmembrane proteins sharing the same architecture, including more complex nutrient-based transducers controlling c-di-GMP levels.

A 4H-SiC CMOS Oscillator-Based Temperature Sensor Operating from 298 K up to 573 K.

In this paper, we propose a temperature sensor based on a 4H-SiC CMOS oscillator circuit and that is able to operate in the temperature range between 298 K and 573 K. The circuit is developed on Fraunhofer IISB's 2 µm 4H-SiC CMOS technology and is designed for a bias voltage of 20 V and an oscillation frequency of 90 kHz at room temperature. The possibility to relate the absolute temperature with the oscillation frequency is due to the temperature dependency of the threshold voltage and of the channel mobility of the transistors. An analytical model of the frequency-temperature dependency has been developed and is used as a starting point for the design of the circuit. Once the circuit has been designed, numerical simulations are performed with the Verilog-A BSIM4SiC model, which has been opportunely tuned on Fraunhofer IISB's 2 µm 4H-SiC CMOS technology, and their results showed almost linear frequency-temperature characteristics with a coefficient of determination that was higher than 0.9681 for all of the bias conditions, whose maximum is 0.9992 at a VDD = 12.5 V. Moreover, we considered the effects of the fabrication process through a Monte Carlo analysis, where we varied the threshold voltage and the channel mobility with different values of the Gaussian distribution variance. For example, at VDD = 20 V, a deviation of 17.4% from the nominal characteristic is obtained for a Gaussian distribution variance of 20%. Finally, we applied the one-point calibration procedure, and temperature errors of +8.8 K and -5.8 K were observed at VDD = 15 V.

Chemical Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of the Hydroalcoholic Solution of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. and Propolis from Northern Italy.

In this study, for the first time, the chemical composition of Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench. and propolis (EAP) hydroalcoholic solution from the Trentino Alto Adige region of northern Italy was investigated by using SPME-GC-MS to describe the volatile content and GC-MS after silylation to detect the non-volatile compounds in the extractable organic matter. The antimicrobial activity of EAP hydroalcoholic solution was evaluated by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination on 13 type strains, food and clinical isolates. Time Kill Kinetics (TKK) assays and the determination on swimming and swarming motility for 48 h gave more details on the mode of action of EAP solution. The results highlighted the presence of some terpenes and a large number of compounds belonging to different chemical classes. Among these, sugars and organic acids excelled. The EAP hydroalcoholic solution exhibited a strong antimicrobial activity in terms of MIC, with a clear decrease in the cellular load after 48 h. However, the bacterial motility may not be affected by the EAP treatment, displaying a dynamic swarming and swimming motility capacity over time. Given the complexity of chemical profile and the strong antimicrobial effectiveness, the EAP hydroalcoholic solution can be considered a source of bioactive molecules, deserving further investigation for the versatility of application.

A practical approach for PD-L1 evaluation in gastroesophageal cancer.

PD-L1 is an established predictive immunohistochemical biomarker of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. At present, PD-L1 is routinely assessed on biopsy samples of advanced gastroesophageal cancer patients before initiating first-line treatment. However, PD-L1 is still a suboptimal biomarker, due to changing cut-off values and scoring systems, interobserver and interlaboratory variability.This practical illustrated review discusses the range of staining patterns of PD-L1 and the potential pitfalls and challenges that can be encountered when evaluating PD-L1, focusing on gastric and gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (G/GEA) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

Effectiveness and mechanisms of essential oils for biofilm control on food-contact surfaces: An updated review.

Microbial biofilms represent a constant source of contamination in the food industry, being also a real threat for human health. In fact, most of biofilm-producing bacteria are becoming resistant to sanitizers, thus arousing the interest in natural alternatives to prevent biofilm formation on foods and food-contact surfaces. In particular, studies on biofilm control by essential oils (EOs) application are increasing, being EOs characterized by unique mixtures of compounds able to impair the mechanisms of biofilm development. This review reports the anti-biofilm properties of EOs in bacterial biofilm control (inhibition, removal and prevention of biofilm dispersion) on food-contact surfaces. The relationship between EOs effect and composition, concentration, involved bacteria, and surfaces is discussed, and the possible sites of action are also elucidated. The findings prove the high biofilm controlling capability of EOs through the regulation of genes and proteins implicated in motility, Quorum Sensing and exopolysaccharides (EPS) matrix. Moreover, incorporation in nanosized delivery systems, formulation of blends and combination of EOs with other strategies can increase their anti-biofilm activity. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the EOs effectiveness in controlling bacterial biofilm on food-contact surfaces, providing valuable information for improving EOs use as sanitizers in food industries.

Effectiveness of selected essential oils and one hydrolate to prevent and remove Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on polystyrene and stainless steel food-contact surfaces.

AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of selected essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hs) against Listeria monocytogenes biofilms on polystyrene (PS) and stainless steel (SS) surfaces. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among others, Origanum hirtum EO, Corydothymus capitatus EO and Citrus aurantium H were selected to treat L. monocytogenes biofilms during and after biofilm formation. Sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of C. capitatus EO (0.31 µl/ml) showed the highest inhibiting effect against biofilm formation on PS, while on SS no significant differences between the EOs were observed (43.7%-88.7% inhibition). Overall, the tested biosanitizers showed limited activity as biofilm removal agents. Although generally less effective, C. aurantium H exhibited good biofilm inhibition performance at 62.5 µl/ml, particularly on PS. Confocal laser scanning microscopy proved that sub-MICs of the biosanitizers drastically changed L. monocytogenes biofilm architecture, with bacterial cells elongation in the presence of C. capitatus EO. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the tested EOs and H are able to control Listeria biofilms, particularly preventing biofilm formation on both materials. Considering its mild aroma and hydrophilicity, the H exhibited promising perspectives of application. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: This study raises the possibility of applying EOs and Hs to control biofilms on different surfaces in the food industry.

Advances in understanding the enzymatic potential and production of ochratoxin A of filamentous fungi isolated from cocoa fermented beans.

In this work, we determined the degree of filamentous fungi contamination in cocoa fermented seeds and the fungal potential to produce enzymes that could contribute to the cocoa quality. Internal transcribed spacer amplicon sequencing (ITS) showed 11 different species with Byssochlamys spectabilis, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus carbonarius, Circinella muscae and Penicillium citrinum as the most abundant species. Our results evidenced intra and inter-species differences in the enzymes production. Cellulases, ß-glucosidase, ornithine decarboxylase and phenylalanine decarboxylase were the most diffused enzymes expressed in the 53 strains here studied. Moreover, A. niger (6/12), A. carbonarius (2/3), and P. citrinum (3/3) showed high pectinolytic activity. Remarkable was the amino decarboxylase activity of P. citrinum, and A. flavus strains. For the first time we reported the presence of B. spectabilis in cocoa fermented beans, which could play an important role in the biogenic amines formation. In addition, we explored the capability of the Aspergillus section Nigri strains, to produce ochratoxin A (OTA) in a cacao model system (CPMS) and in malt extract medium (MEL). We observed that CPMS, but not MEL, stimulated the OTA production in 6 out 15 strains of Aspergillus section Nigri, reaching values ranging between 1.70 and 4995 µg OTA kg-1 dry mycelium.

Molecular Characterization of Peritoneal Involvement in Primary Colon and Ovary Neoplasm: The Possible Clinical Meaning of the P2X7 Receptor-Inflammasome Complex.

INTRODUCTION: Colon cancer (CC) and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are common and severe neoplasms frequently sharing a massive inflammatory involvement of peritoneum. A detailed molecular characterization of such carcinomatosis has not been performed, so far. METHODS: Omental adipocytes were isolated from thirty-three adult women who underwent primary surgery for CC or EOC. Expression of several pro-inflammatory genes was determined by real-time PCR and immunofluorescence. Data were related to the clinical phenotype of the patients. RESULTS: CD68, FGFR1, and IL-6 were significantly more expressed in adipocytes from CC patients and VEGF in adipocytes from EOC. TNFα, TGFß, or MCP-1, as well as the pro-inflammatory platform P2X7R-NLRP3, did not differ between the 2 cancers. White blood cell count, mirroring systemic inflammation, was related to adipocyte P2X7R (R = 0.508, p = 0.003), NLRP3 (R = 0.405; p = 0.02), and MCP-1 (R = 0.448; p = 0.009). P2X7R and NLRP3 were the only inflammatory factors significantly more expressed in patients carrying both omental and peritoneal carcinosis, who were also characterized by a higher leukocytosis. None of the tested inflammatory markers was associated with tumor grading for both neoplasms; however, the presence of metastases was associated with a higher adipocyte expression of FGFR1 and TGFß. CONCLUSION: We show here that rarely measured molecules seem to specifically characterize omental carcinomatosis of CC or EOC, while more common inflammatory agents like TNFα, TGFß, or MCP-1 do not; the P2X7R-NLRP3 complex marks omental and peritoneal carcinosis and is related to circulating white blood cells and MCP-1, involved in monocyte-macrophage tissue infiltration; increased TGFß and FGFR1 characterize the tumoral dissemination.

Nutrient Sensing and Biofilm Modulation: The Example of L-arginine in Pseudomonas.

Bacterial biofilm represents a multicellular community embedded within an extracellular matrix attached to a surface. This lifestyle confers to bacterial cells protection against hostile environments, such as antibiotic treatment and host immune response in case of infections. The Pseudomonas genus is characterised by species producing strong biofilms difficult to be eradicated and by an extraordinary metabolic versatility which may support energy and carbon/nitrogen assimilation under multiple environmental conditions. Nutrient availability can be perceived by a Pseudomonas biofilm which, in turn, readapts its metabolism to finally tune its own formation and dispersion. A growing number of papers is now focusing on the mechanism of nutrient perception as a possible strategy to weaken the biofilm barrier by environmental cues. One of the most important nutrients is amino acid L-arginine, a crucial metabolite sustaining bacterial growth both as a carbon and a nitrogen source. Under low-oxygen conditions, L-arginine may also serve for ATP production, thus allowing bacteria to survive in anaerobic environments. L-arginine has been associated with biofilms, virulence, and antibiotic resistance. L-arginine is also a key precursor of regulatory molecules such as polyamines, whose involvement in biofilm homeostasis is reported. Given the biomedical and biotechnological relevance of biofilm control, the state of the art on the effects mediated by the L-arginine nutrient on biofilm modulation is presented, with a special focus on the Pseudomonas biofilm. Possible biotechnological and biomedical applications are also discussed.

The P2X7R-NLRP3 and AIM2 Inflammasome Platforms Mark the Complexity/Severity of Viral or Metabolic Liver Damage.

P2X7R-NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasomes activate caspase-1 and the release of cytokines involved in viral-related liver disease. Little is known about their role in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steato-hepatitis (NASH). We characterized the role of inflammasomes in NAFLD, NASH, and HCV. Gene expression and subcellular localization of P2X7R/P2X4R-NLRP3 and AIM2 inflammasome components were examined in histopathological preparations of 46 patients with biopsy-proven viral and metabolic liver disease using real-time PCR and immunofluorescence. P2X7R, P2X4R, and Caspase-1 are two- to five-fold more expressed in patients with NAFLD/NASH associated with chronic HCV infection than those with metabolic damage only (p ≤ 0.01 for all comparisons). The AIM2 inflammasome is 4.4 times more expressed in patients with chronic HCV infection, regardless of coexistent metabolic abnormalities (p = 0.0006). IL-2, a cytokine playing a pivotal role during chronic HCV infection, showed a similar expression in HCV and NASH patients (p = 0.77) but was virtually absent in NAFLD. The P2X7R-NLRP3 complex prevailed in infiltrating macrophages, while AIM2 was localized in Kupffer cells. Caspase-1 expression correlated with elastography-based liver fibrosis (r = 0.35, p = 0.02), whereas P2X7R, P2X4R, NRLP3, Caspase-1, and IL-2 expression correlated with circulating markers of disease severity. P2X7R and P2X4R play a major role in liver inflammation accompanying chronic HCV infection, especially when combined with metabolic damage, while AIM2 is specifically expressed in chronic viral hepatitis. We describe for the first time the hepatic expression of IL-2 in NASH, so far considered a peculiarity of HCV-related liver damage.

An overview of the natural antimicrobial alternatives for sheep meat preservation.

Sheep meat is consumed and appreciated all over the world for its nutritional value and flavor. However, this meat is very perishable and easily subjected to the action of both spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. For this reason, in combination with cold storage, effective preservation techniques are required. There is increasing interest in the application of natural antimicrobials, such as essential oils, extracts, spices, and by-products of the food industry. This review analyses the studies on natural antimicrobials in sheep meat and sheep meat products and gathers evidence about the encouraging results achieved on the reduction and/or elimination of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. The use of these natural antimicrobial alternatives might open up important perspectives for industrial application, considering that this specific meat is often traded over long distances. In fact, on the basis of scientific literature, natural antimicrobials can be considered a sustainable and affordable alternative to extend the shelf life of sheep meat and guarantee its safety, although many factors need to be further investigated, such as the sensory impact, potential toxicity, and economic aspects. For all these issues, investigated in some of the studies reviewed here, it is fundamental to obtain the antimicrobial effect with the minimum amount of effective substance to avoid sensory modifications, toxic effects, and unbearable costs. This study sets foundations for the possible direction of future studies, which will contribute to identify effective solutions for industrial applications of natural antimicrobials in the sheep meat industry.

Histopathology of intestinal villi in neonatal and paediatric age: main features with clinical correlation - Part I.

The neonatal and paediatric spectrum of small bowel disorders encompass a wide variety of conditions, ranging from food allergies to life-threatening surgical emergencies or life-long medical conditions and, as such, it comes with a whole set of diagnostic challenges for the non-paediatric pathologist. Histologic examination is a cornerstone of diagnosis in a large number of diseases and may still provide important diagnostic clues in the appropriate clinical context. In this review, divided in two sections, we aim to provide a comprehensive histopathological summary of paediatric small bowel alteration and their differential diagnoses with a reference to the main clinical aspects required for appropriate interpretation. Specifically, in this first part, we describe congenital and metabolic disorders, intestinal lymphangiectasia, immunodeficiencies, GVHD, and necrotising enterocolitis.

Histopathology of intestinal villi in neonatal and paediatric age: main features with clinical correlation - Part II.

In this paper, we will continue the description of histological findings of infantile and paediatric small bowel alterations with the main clinical pictures and differential diagnosis. We emphasise once again the need to evaluate the biopsies in an adequate clinical contest and with a systematic approach, including epithelial alterations, lamina propria changes, mucosal architecture, and the distribution of inflammation, together with other morphological signs more specific of certain diseases. We describe the histological findings of coeliac and Crohn's disease, gastrointestinal food allergic diseases, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, nutritional deficiencies and infections. Finally, we suggest the principal issues in the drafting the pathological report for appropriate interpretation and usefulness in clinical practice.