Azobenzene-based optoelectronic transistors for neurohybrid building blocks.

Exploiting the light-matter interplay to realize advanced light responsive multimodal platforms is an emerging strategy to engineer bioinspired systems such as optoelectronic synaptic devices. However, existing neuroinspired optoelectronic devices rely on complex processing of hybrid materials which often do not exhibit the required features for biological interfacing such as biocompatibility and low Young's modulus. Recently, organic photoelectrochemical transistors (OPECTs) have paved the way towards multimodal devices that can better couple to biological systems benefiting from the characteristics of conjugated polymers. Neurohybrid OPECTs can be designed to optimally interface neuronal systems while resembling typical plasticity-driven processes to create more sophisticated integrated architectures between neuron and neuromorphic ends. Here, an innovative photo-switchable PEDOT:PSS was synthesized and successfully integrated into an OPECT. The OPECT device uses an azobenzene-based organic neuro-hybrid building block to mimic the retina's structure exhibiting the capability to emulate visual pathways. Moreover, dually operating the device with opto- and electrical functions, a light-dependent conditioning and extinction processes were achieved faithful mimicking synaptic neural functions such as short- and long-term plasticity.

Prevalence and Distribution of High- and Low- Risk HPV Genotypes in Women Living in the Metropolitan Area of Naples: A Recent Update.

INTRODUCTION: Human papillomavirus (HPV) can infect both male and female genitals, skin, and mucous membranes, causing benign or malignant lesions. HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection and it is the main cause of cervical cancer. The present retrospective study updated the previously published data on HPV genotypes distribution among women living in Naples. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 502 cervical scrape specimens were collected from women with abnormal cytological indication and analyzed for HPV DNA identification by Linear Array HPV genotyping test. RESULTS: The HPV infection rate was 24.1%. HPV-16 (14.6%) was the most representative HR-HPV genotypes, followed by HPV-31 (13.8%), -18 (9.2%), and HPV-51 (8.5%). In addition, HPV-42 (16.4%) was the most prevalent genotype among LR-HPV  genotypes (low-risk human papillomavirus). It was also found that women at the age group of 23-29 years (42.5%) were at the highest risk of HPV infection. It was found that the HPV-16 frequency decreased, but HPV-31 and -18 frequency increased a little. The LR HPV-53 frequency decreased, leaving the first place for abundance to the LR HPV-42. HPV-6 frequency did not change. LR HPV -11 was no more present. Merging <23 and 23-29 age classes into one class followed the same result. CONCLUSION: HPV prevalence declined in comparison to the previous data. A frequency variation was recorded for several genotypes in this study.  Data can be useful to implement the preventative strategies and to promote HPV vaccination.

Bilateral Iliac Endobypass Solution in Iliac Artery Rupture during TEVAR Procedure: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Iliac artery rupture is a demanding complication that can occur during endovascular procedures, particularly when large-caliber introducers are required. We present the first case in the literature on the endobypass technique, a quick and effective reconstruction method for the iliofemoral axis. This clinical case highlights that thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedures require large-caliber introducers into the femoral and iliac arteries to allow passage of the delivery system. These arteries may be diseased, representing a high risk of rupture. In our case, placing a 20 Fr introducer, the iliac artery ruptured bilaterally. Therefore, we performed an endobypass deploying Viabahn stent-grafts into the common iliac artery and manually performed distal anastomosis on the femoral bifurcation.

Nasal Microbiome in COVID-19: A Potential Role of Corynebacterium in Anosmia.

The evolution and the development of the symptoms of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) are due to different factors, where the microbiome plays a relevant role. The possible relationships between the gut, lung, nasopharyngeal, and oral microbiome with COVID-19 have been investigated. We analyzed the nasal microbiome of both positive and negative SARS-CoV-2 individuals, showing differences in terms of bacterial composition in this niche of respiratory tract. The microbiota solution A (Arrow Diagnostics) was used to cover the hypervariable V1-V3 regions of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. MicrobAT Suite and MicrobiomeAnalyst program were used to identify the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and to perform the statistical analysis, respectively. The main taxa identified in nasal microbiome of COVID-19 patients and in Healthy Control subjects belonged to three distinct phyla: Proteobacteria (HC = 14%, Cov19 = 35.8%), Firmicutes (HC = 28.8%, Cov19 = 30.6%), and Actinobacteria (HC = 56.7%, Cov19 = 14.4%) with a relative abundance > 1% in all groups. A significant reduction of Actinobacteria in Cov19 group compared to controls (P < 0.001, FDR = 0.01) was found. The significant reduction of Actinobacteria was identified in all taxonomic levels down to the genus (P < 0.01) using the ANOVA test. Indeed, a significantly reduced relative abundance of Corynebacterium was found in the patients compared to healthy controls (P = 0.001). Reduced abundance of Corynebacterium has been widely associated with anosmia, a common symptom of COVID-19 as suffered from our patients. Contrastingly, the Corynebacterium genus was highly represented in the nasal mucosa of healthy subjects. Further investigations on larger cohorts are necessary to establish functional relationships between nasal microbiota content and clinical features of COVID-19.

Sponge Whirl-Pak Sampling Method and Droplet Digital RT-PCR Assay for Monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 on Surfaces in Public and Working Environments.

The SARS-CoV-2 can spread directly via saliva, respiratory aerosols and droplets, and indirectly by contact through contaminated objects and/or surfaces and by air. In the context of COVID-19 fomites can be an important vehicle of virus transmission and contribute to infection risk in public environments. The aim of the study was to analyze through surface sampling (sponge method) the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in public and working environments, in order to evaluate the risk for virus transmission. Seventy-seven environmental samples were taken using sterile sponges in 17 animal farms, 4 public transport buses, 1 supermarket and 1 hotel receptive structure. Furthermore, 246 and 93 swab samples were taken in the farms from animals and from workers, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 detection was conducted by real-time RT-PCR and by digital droplet RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) using RdRp, gene E and gene N as targets. None of the human and animal swab samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2, while detection was achieved in 20 of the 77 sponge samples (26%) using dd RT-PCR. Traces of the RdRp gene, gene E and gene N were found in 17/77 samples (22%, average concentration 31.2 g.c./cm2, range 5.6 to 132 g.c./cm2), 8/77 samples (10%, average concentration 15.1 g.c./cm2, range 6 to 36 g.c./cm2), and in 1/77 (1%, concentration 7.2 g.c./cm2). Higher detection rates were associated with sampling in animal farms and on public transport buses (32% and 30%) compared to the supermarket (21%) and the hotel (no detection). The result of the study suggests that the risk of contamination of surfaces with SARS-CoV-2 increases in environments in which sanitation strategies are not suitable and/or in highly frequented locations, such as public transportation. Considering the analytical methods, the dd RT-PCR was the only approach achieving detection of SARS-CoV-2 traces in environmental samples. Thus, dd RT-PCR emerges as a reliable tool for sensitive SARS-CoV-2 detection.

Detection and quantification of bovine papillomavirus DNA by digital droplet PCR in sheep blood.

Highly pathogenic bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) were detected and quantified for the first time using digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) by liquid biopsy in 103 clinically healthy sheep. Overall, ddPCR detected BPVs in 68 blood samples (66%). BPV infection by a single genotype was revealed in 61.8% of the blood samples, and BPV coinfection by double, triple or quadruple genotypes was observed in 38.2% of liquid biopsies. The BPV-2 genotype was most frequently seen in sheep, whereas BPV-1 was the least common. Furthermore, ddPCR was very useful for detection and quantification; the BPV-14 genotype was observed for the first time in ovine species, displaying the highest prevalence in some geographical areas (Apulia). In 42 of the positive samples (61.8%), a single BPV infection was observed, 26 of which were caused by BPV-2 (61.9%) and 7 by BPV-13 (16.7%). BPV-14 was responsible for 7 single infections (16.7%) and BPV-1 for 2 single infections (4.7%). Multiple BPV coinfections were observed in the remaining 26 positive samples (38.2%), with dual BPV-2/BPV-13 infection being the most prevalent (84.6%). BPV infection by triple and quadruple genotypes was also observed in 11.5% and 3.8% of cases, respectively. The present study showed that ddPCR, a biotechnological refinement of conventional PCR, is by far the most sensitive and accurate assay for BPV detection compared to conventional qPCR. Therefore, ddPCR displayed an essential diagnostic and epidemiological value very useful for the identification of otherwise undetectable BPV genotypes as well as their geographical distributions and suggesting that animal husbandry practices contribute to cross-species transmission of BPVs.

Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Cow DNA in Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese.

Buffalo mozzarella cheese is one of the most appreciated traditional Italian products and it is certified as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product under the European Commission Regulation No. 1151/2012. It is obtained exclusively from buffalo milk. If made from cow milk, or a mixture of buffalo and cow milk, buffalo mozzarella cheese does not qualify as a PDO product. In order to maximize their profits, some producers market buffalo mozzarella that also contains cow milk as a PDO product, thus defrauding consumers. New methods for revealing this fraud are therefore needed. One such method is the droplet digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (ddPCR). Thanks to its high precision and sensitivity, the ddPCR could prove an efficacious means for detecting the presence of cow milk in buffalo mozzarella cheese that is marketed as a PDO product. ddPCR has proved able to detect the DNA of cow and/or buffalo milk in 33 buffalo mozzarella cheeses labelled as PDO products, and experimental evidence could support its application in routine analyses.

Digital droplet PCR for the detection and quantification of circulating bovine Deltapapillomavirus.

In this study, the digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used to quantify circulating bovine papillomavirus (BPV; genus: Deltapapillomavirus) DNA levels in blood samples from 25 clinically normal cows and 15 cows with chronic enzootic haematuria due to papillomavirus-associated bladder tumours. ddPCR detected BPV DNA in 95% of all the samples (i.e. in 24 of the clinically normal cows and 14 of the diseased animals), whereas quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) detected it in only 57.5% of the same blood samples, with percentage differences between ddPCR and qPCR being statistically significant (p-value ≤ .05), according to chi-squared test. Furthermore, ddPCR detected BPV infections by a single genotype and by multiple genotypes in 37% and 63% of the cows, whereas qPCR detected these in 16% and 16%. Of the two assays, ddPCR was the more sensitive and accurate clinical diagnostic tool, allowing the detection of otherwise undetectable BPV genotypes, and consequently, a higher number of BPV co-infections. qPCR failed to detect many BPV co-infections by multiple genotypes. Therefore, ddPCR may be an essential tool for improving diagnostic procedures, allowing the identification of the genotypic distribution of BPV and a better understanding about the territorial divergence, if any, of the BPV prevalence in different areas. No significant differences in the blood viral load estimations were observed between the two animal groups, suggesting that the bloodstream could be a site of primary infection. Finally, as BPV DNA was detected in cows affected by non-invasive urothelial tumours, including papilloma and papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential, the circulating BPVs appeared to be independent of the status of urothelial neoplasms. Therefore, unlike in humans, circulating BPVs cannot be an actual prognostic marker of urothelial tumours in cows.

Detection and quantification of Campylobacter in foods: New analytic approaches to detect and quantify Campylobacter spp. in food samples.

The aim of the present study was to develop rapid qualitative and quantitative methods based on the use of Real-Time PCR and Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR), in order to have reliable techniques to detect and quantify Campylobacter spp. in food samples. The gene 16S-rRNA was used as specific target for Campylobacter spp. Real- Time PCR evaluation assay and a not competitive internal control was ushered in it. To investigate the selectivity of the method, 26 Campylobacter strains and 40 non-Campylobacter strains were tested and in order to verify the application of Real- Time PCR method, 5 pork meat samples were experimentally inoculated with a Campylobacter jejuni strain. Subsequently, dilutions with a bacterial load of Campylobacter jejuni within 10-106 CFU/mL were chosen for the optimization of the ddPCR assay. Lastly, a total of 54 naturally contaminated foods samples were analyzed through molecular (Real-Time PCR and ddPCR) and traditional methods. The Real-Time PCR protocol demonstrated to amplify only the Campylobacter spp. strains and when Campylobacter jejuni was experimentally inoculated in meat samples the pathogen was always detected. The ddPCRs assay allowed to quantify a level of contamination of 10 CFU/mL, but it was unable to quantify levels of 105 - 106 CFU/mL. Lastly, Campylobacter spp. was never detected in the 54 samples tested. In conclusion, the novel analytic approach proposed, based on an initial screening of the samples with Real-Time PCR and then on quantification of Campylobacter spp. with a ddPCR on those positive, represents a quick monitoring tool and, if used correctly, it would allow the implementation of food safety.

Prostate Cancer Recurrence in Kidney Transplant Recipient 15 Years After Radical Prostatectomy: A Case Report.

Incidence of malignant tumors in kidney transplant recipients is higher than nontransplanted population due to many factors, such as immunosuppression therapy and complex donor-recipient interaction. Genitourinary malignancies have been reported as the second most common malignancy in kidney transplant recipients. In this regard, prostate cancer is the most common neoplasm. Herein, we describe a rare case of prostate cancer recurrence after 15 years in a patient who underwent kidney transplant after radical prostatectomy.

Expression of the feline leukemia virus subgroup C receptors in normal and neoplastic urothelium of the urinary bladder of cattle associated with bovine papillomavirus infection.

The feline leukemia virus subgroup C receptors (FLVCRs) were originally cloned as virus receptors, but are now believed to function also as heme transporters and are expressed in a broad range of tissues in a wide range of mammalian species. Expression of FLVCR1 and FLVCR2 was investigated in 19 bovine papillomavirus-associated urinary bladder cancers and in 15 non-neoplastic samples of bladder from cattle. E5 oncoprotein of bovine Deltapapillomaviruses (δPVs) was detected in 17 of the 19 bladder cancers. Flvcr1 and Flvcr2 were amplified and sequenced both in neoplastic and non-neoplastic samples showing a 100% identity with bovine Flvcr1 and Flvcr2 mRNA sequences present in GenBank database (accession numbers: NM_001206019.1 and NM_001192143.1, respectively). Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR showed that Flvcr1 and Flvcr2 were overexpressed in 4 and 5 out of 19 urothelial cancers, respectively, but in none of the non-neoplastic samples. In addition, western blot analysis detected higher levels of FLVCR1 and FLVCR2 in samples in which transcripts were not increased, suggesting post-translational changes to these proteins. Increased FLCVR1 and FLVCR2 was also observed immunohistochemically in the neoplastic cells. Immunolabeling for FLVCR1 was seen in the cytoplasm and plasm membrane of urothelial cancer cells, wheras immunolabeling for FLVCR2 was present within the nucleus. This is the first time that FLVCR expression has been investigated in bovine tissues and the first to suggest that expression could be increased in cancers. Additional studies are required to define the role, if any, of FLVCR in papillomavirus-associated cancer cells.

Biological interactions of biocompatible and water-dispersed MoS2 nanosheets with bacteria and human cells.

Two dimensional materials beyond graphene such as MoS2 and WS2 are novel and interesting class of materials whose unique physico-chemical properties can be exploited in applications ranging from leading edge nanoelectronics to the frontiers between biomedicine and biotechnology. To unravel the potential of TMD crystals in biomedicine, control over their production through green and scalable routes in biocompatible solvents is critically important. Furthermore, considering multiple applications of eco-friendly 2D dispersions and their potential impact onto live matter, their toxicity and antimicrobial activity still remain an open issue. Herein, we focus on the current demands of 2D TMDs and produce high-quality, few-layered and defect-free MoS2 nanosheets, exfoliated and dispersed in pure water, stabilized up to three weeks. Hence, we studied the impact of this material on human cells by investigating its interactions with three cell lines: two tumoral, MCF7 (breast cancer) and U937 (leukemia), and one normal, HaCaT (epithelium). We observed novel and intriguing results, exhibiting evident cytotoxic effect induced in the tumor cell lines, absent in the normal cells in the tested conditions. The antibacterial action of MoS2 nanosheets is then investigated against a very dangerous gram negative bacterium, such as two types of Salmonellas: ATCC 14028 and wild-type Salmonella typhimurium. Additionally, concentration and layer-dependent modulation of cytotoxic effect is found both on human cells and Salmonellas.

Oral fibropapillomatosis and epidermal hyperplasia of the lip in newborn lambs associated with bovine Deltapapillomavirus.

Congenital fibropapillomatosis of the gingiva and oral mucosa and epidermal hyperplasia of the lip are described, for the first time, in two newborn lambs. Expression of the E5 oncoprotein of bovine deltapapillomavirus types 2 (BPV-2) and -13 (BPV-13) was detected in both fibropapillomas and the hyperplastic epidermal cells suggesting the BPV infection was the cause of the proliferative lesions. No DNA sequences of BPV-1 and BPV-14 were detected. Both BPV-2 and BPV-13 DNA were also amplified from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of the newborn lambs' dams. The concordance between BPV genotypes detected in the blood of dam and the oral and skin pathological samples of their offspring suggests that a vertical hematogeneous transmission was most likely source of BPV infection. Immunoblotting revealed the presence of E5 dimers allowing the viral protein to be biologically active. E5 dimers bind and activate the platelet derived growth factor ß receptor (PDGFßR), a major molecular mechanism contributing to disease. The detection of E5 protein within the proliferating cells therefore adds further evidence that the BPV infection was the cause of the proliferative lesions seen in these lambs. This is the first evidence of vertical transmission of BPVs in sheep resulting in a clinical disease.

Grillotia (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) plerocerci in an anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius) from the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Trypanorhynch cestodes are common parasites of marine fish with complicated life cycles which have been suggested as model taxa to study the evolution of marine helminth parasites and their life cycles. Among the Trypanorhyncha, the genus Grillotia includes 18 valid species, of which only four have been found in Mediterranean fish hosts. Morphological, histopathological, and molecular data are presented on a massive Grillotia plerocercus infection in an anglerfish (Lophius piscatorius) from the Tyrrhenian Sea. BLAST analysis of the 28S rDNA sequences revealed 99% similarity between specimens here found and a G. (Bathygrillotia) rowei sequence available in GenBank with a total of six nucleotide site differences. A morphological study suggested that the Grillotia sp. here reported did not match important characters to those previously reported from the Mediterranean Sea. Taking in account these differences, we prefer to place these specimens within Grillotia sensu lato until more material is available for study including sequences from adult specimens of Grillotia spp. from the Mediterranean Sea.

Genome assembly and transcriptome resource for river buffalo, Bubalus bubalis (2n = 50).

Water buffalo is a globally important species for agriculture and local economies. A de novo assembled, well-annotated reference sequence for the water buffalo is an important prerequisite for studying the biology of this species, and is necessary to manage genetic diversity and to use modern breeding and genomic selection techniques. However, no such genome assembly has been previously reported. There are 2 species of domestic water buffalo, the river (2 n = 50) and the swamp (2 n = 48) buffalo. Here we describe a draft quality reference sequence for the river buffalo created from Illumina GA and Roche 454 short read sequences using the MaSuRCA assembler. The assembled sequence is 2.83 Gb, consisting of 366 983 scaffolds with a scaffold N50 of 1.41 Mb and contig N50 of 21 398 bp. Annotation of the genome was supported by transcriptome data from 30 tissues and identified 21 711 predicted protein coding genes. Searches for complete mammalian BUSCO gene groups found 98.6% of curated single copy orthologs present among predicted genes, which suggests a high level of completeness of the genome. The annotated sequence is available from NCBI at accession GCA_000471725.1.

ERas is constitutively expressed in full term placenta of pregnant cows.

ERas is a new gene recently found in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and localized on the X chromosome. It plays a role in mouse ES cell survival and is constitutively active without any mutations. It was also found to be responsible for the maintenance of quiescence of the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), liver-resident mesenchymal stem cells, the activation of which results in liver fibrosis. This gene was not present in human ES cells. ERas was found to be activated in a significant population of human gastric cancer, where ERAS may play a crucial role in gastric cancer cell survival and metastases to liver via down-regulation of E-cadherin. ERas gene has been found to be expressed both in ES cells and adult tissues of cynomolgus monkey. Cynomolgus ERAS did not promote cell proliferation or induce tumor formation. ERAS was also detected in normal and neoplastic urothelium of the urinary bladder in cattle, where bovine ERAS formed a constitutive complex with platelet derived growth factor ß receptor (PDGFßR) resulting in the activation of AKT signaling. Here, molecular and morphological findings of ERAS in the full term placenta of pregnant cows have been investigated for the first time. ERAS was studied by reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Alignment of the sequence detects a 100% identity with all transcript variant bovine ERas mRNAs, present in the GenBank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). Furthermore, ERAS was detected by Western blot and investigated by real time PCR that revealed an amount of ERAS more than ERAS found in normal bovine urothelium but less than ERAS present in the liver. Immunohistochemical examination revealed the presence of ERAS protein both at the level of plasma membrane and in cytoplasm of epithelial cells lining caruncular crypts and in trophoblasts of villi. An evident ERAS immunoreactivity was also seen throughout the chorionic and uterine gland epithelium. Although this is not a functional study and further investigations will be warranted, it is conceivable that ERAS may have pleiotropic effects in the placenta, some of which, like normal urothelial cells, might lead to activation of AKT pathway. We speculate that ERAS may play a key role in cellular processes such as cell differentiation and movement. Accordingly, we believe it may be an important factor involved in trophoblast invasiveness via AKT signaling pathway. Therefore, ERas gene is a functional gene which contributes to homeostasis of bovine placenta.

Detection of bovine papillomavirus type 14 DNA sequences in urinary bladder tumors in cattle.

Bovine papillomavirus type 14 (BPV-14) is a novel Deltapapillomavirus (δPV) which is most closely related to BPV-1, -2, and -13, well-known members of the δPV genus. So far BPV-14 has been detected in cutaneous neoplastic lesions in cattle and in feline sarcoids. As BPV-14 may share biological and pathological properties with BPV-1, -2 and -13, it has been hypothesized that, like other δPVs, BPV-14 could be associated with bovine bladder neoplasia. In this study, 50 tumors of the urinary bladder of cattle were diagnosed. DNA was extracted from all tumor samples as well as from 25 normal bladder samples and submitted to BPV-14 L1 PCR and subsequent amplicon sequencing analysis. BPV-14 L1 DNA sequences of specific 195bp amplicons were obtained from 17 of 50 (34%) tumor DNA isolates; no BPV-14 DNA was detected from 25 normal samples. Amplicons revealed a 99% homology with the corresponding BPV-14 L1 DNA region (GenBank accession number KP276343.1). Co-infections by two or three δPV types were also seen. This study reveals the presence of BPV-14 DNA alone or in combination with other δPV DNA in bovine bladder tumors alone and suggests that BPV-14 could also be involved in bladder neoplasia as its E5 oncoprotein has the potential to induce cell proliferation. Furthermore, this is the first study to show the presence of BPV-14 in Europe, suggesting that BPV-14, like other δPVs, has a worldwide distribution.