Antimicrobial efficacy of Punica granatum Lythraceae peel extract against pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group.

The improper use and abuse of antibiotics have led to an increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria resulting in a failure of standard antibiotic therapies. To date, this phenomenon represents a leading public health threat of the 21st century which requires alternative strategies to fight infections such as the identification of new molecules active against MDR strains. In the last 20 years, natural extracts with biological activities attracted scientific interest. Following the One Health Approach, natural by-products represent a sustainable and promising alternative solution. Consistently, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of hydro-alcoholic pomegranate peel extract (PPE) against MDR microorganisms belonging to Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp. "ESKAPE" group pathogens. Through semiquantitative and quantitative methods, the PPE showed effective antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative MDR bacteria. The kinetics of bactericidal action of PPE highlighted that microbial death was achieved in a time- and dose-dependent manner. High concentrations of PPE exhibited antioxidant activity, providing a protective effect on cellular systems and red blood cell membranes. Finally, we report, for the first time, a significant intracellular antibacterial property of PPE as highlighted by its bactericidal action against the staphylococcal reference strain and its bacteriostatic effect against clinical resistant strain in the HeLa cell line. In conclusion, due to its characterized content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity strength, the PPE could be considered as a therapeutic agent alone or in conjunction with standard antibiotics against challenging infections caused by ESKAPE pathogens.

Increasing outer membrane complexity: the case of the lipopolysaccharide lipid A from marine Cellulophaga pacifica.

Gram-negative bacteria living in marine waters have evolved peculiar adaptation strategies to deal with the numerous stress conditions that characterize aquatic environments. Among the multiple mechanisms for efficient adaptation, these bacteria typically exhibit chemical modifications in the structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which is a fundamental component of their outer membrane. In particular, the glycolipid anchor to the membrane of marine bacteria LPSs, i.e. the lipid A, frequently shows unusual chemical structures, which are reflected in equally singular immunological properties with potential applications as immune adjuvants or anti-sepsis drugs. In this work, we determined the chemical structure of the lipid A from Cellulophaga pacifica KMM 3664T isolated from the Sea of Japan. This bacterium showed to produce a heterogeneous mixture of lipid A molecules that mainly display five acyl chains and carry a single phosphate and a D-mannose disaccharide on the glucosamine backbone. Furthermore, we proved that C. pacifica KMM 3664T LPS acts as a weaker activator of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) compared to the prototypical enterobacterial Salmonella typhimurium LPS. Our results are relevant to the future development of novel vaccine adjuvants and immunomodulators inspired by marine LPS chemistry.

Vine-Winery Byproducts as Precious Resource of Natural Antimicrobials: In Vitro Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activity of Grape Pomace Extracts against Foodborne Pathogens.

Grape pomace is the main by-product of vine-winery chains. It requires adequate treatment and disposal but is also an economically underused source of bioactive plant secondary metabolites. This study aimed to investigate the antibacterial effects of polyphenolic extracts from Aglianico (Vitis vinifera L.) grape pomace. In particular, hydroethanolic extracts obtained via an ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique were selected for antimicrobial tests. The extracts were screened for their antibacterial effects against foodborne pathogens that were both Gram-positive, in the case of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, and Gram-negative, in the case of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium, showing variable bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. In addition, our results demonstrated that the tested grape pomace extracts can reduce the inhibitory concentration of standard antibiotics. Interestingly, selected extracts inhibited biofilm development by S. aureus and B. cereus. Overall, these new insights into the antibacterial properties of grape pomace extracts may represent a relevant step in the design of novel therapeutic tools to tackle foodborne diseases, and in the management of resistant biofilm-related infections.

Deciphering the Chemical Language of the Immunomodulatory Properties of Veillonella parvula Lipopolysaccharide.

Veillonella parvula, prototypical member of the oral and gut microbiota, is at times commensal yet also potentially pathogenic. The definition of the molecular basis tailoring this contrasting behavior is key for broadening our understanding of the microbiota-driven pathogenic and/or tolerogenic mechanisms that take place within our body. In this study, we focused on the chemistry of the main constituent of the outer membrane of V. parvula, the lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS molecules indeed elicit pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses depending on their chemical structures. Herein we report the structural elucidation of the LPS from two strains of V. parvula and show important and unprecedented differences in both the lipid and carbohydrate moieties, including the identification of a novel galactofuranose and mannitol-containing O-antigen repeating unit for one of the two strains. Furthermore, by harnessing computational studies, in vitro human cell models, as well as lectin binding solid-phase assays, we discovered that the two chemically diverse LPS immunologically behave differently and have attempted to identify the molecular determinant(s) governing this phenomenon. Whereas pro-inflammatory potential has been evidenced for the lipid A moiety, by contrast a plausible "immune modulating" action has been proposed for the peculiar O-antigen portion.

Circadian Activity Rhythms and Psychopathology in Major Depressive Episodes.

BACKGROUND: Identifying suicidal risk based on clinical assessment is challenging. Suicidal ideation fluctuates, can be downplayed or denied, and seems stigmatizing if divulged. In contrast, vitality is foundational to subjectivity in being immediately conscious before reflection. Including its assessment may improve detection of suicidal risk compared to relying on suicidal ideation alone. We hypothesized that objective motility measures would be associated with vitality and enhance assessment of suicidal risk. METHODS: We evaluated 83 adult-psychiatric outpatients with a DSM-5 bipolar (BD) or major depressive disorder (MDD): BD-I (n = 48), BD-II (20), and MDD (15) during a major depressive episode. They were actigraphically monitored continuously over 3 weekdays and self-rated their subjective states at regular intervals. We applied cosinor analysis to actigraphic data and analyzed associations of subjective psychopathology measures with circadian activity parameters. RESULTS: Actigraphic circadian mesor, amplitude, day- and nighttime activity were lower with BD versus MDD. Self-rated vitality (wish-to-live) was significantly lower, self-rated suicidality (wish-to-die) was higher, and their difference was lower, with BD versus MDD. There were no other significant diagnostic differences in actigraphic sleep parameters or in self-rated depression, dysphoria, or anxiety. By linear regression, the difference between vitality and passive suicidal ideation was strongly positively correlated with mesor (p < 0.0001), daytime activity (p < 0.0001), and amplitude (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher circadian activity measures reflected enhanced levels of subjective vitality and were associated with lesser suicidal ideation. Current suicidal-risk assessment might usefully include monitoring of motility and vitality in addition to examining negative affects and suicidal thinking.

Prevalence of Pneumocystis jirovecii Colonization in Non-Critical Immunocompetent COVID-19 Patients: A Single-Center Prospective Study (JiroCOVID Study).

BACKGROUND: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is an invasive fungal infection (IFI) that occurs mainly in immunocompromised hosts. After observing a high prevalence of PJP as a complication of COVID-19 in immunocompetent patients, we conducted a study to evaluate the prevalence of P. jirovecii colonization with PCR on oral washing samples (OWS) among non-immunocompromised and non-critical patients admitted with COVID-19 pneumonia at our university hospital. METHODS: All patients over 18 years of age admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia between July 2021 and December 2022 were included. Patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO, those with risk factors for developing PJP, and those receiving prophylaxis for P. jirovecii were excluded. Samples were collected by gargling with 10 mL of 0.9% NaCl on day 14 of the hospital stay or at discharge. RESULTS: Of 290 screened patients, 59 (20%) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled. Only 1 of 59 patients (1.7%) tested positive for P. jirovecii detection with PCR, and the same patient was the only one to develop PJP in the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in line with the previous findings of other studies that confirmed a very low prevalence of P. jirovecii colonization on OWS in the immunocompetent population. Despite the limitations of the study, the fact that the only patient who tested positive for P. jirovecii was the only one in our cohort to develop PJP leads us to reflect on the role of this non-invasive sample in predicting the risk of PJP in patients with COVID-19.

Predicting suicidal ideation in psychiatrically hospitalized veterans using the death/suicide Implicit Association Test: A prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated whether the Death/Suicide Implicit Association Test (D/S-IAT) predicted suicidal ideation (SI) in psychiatric inpatients. METHODS: One hundred eighty veterans admitted for either SI or suicidal behavior (SB) (the primary sample) (N = 90) or alcohol detoxification (N = 90) completed the D/S-IAT and scales measuring SI. Correlation and regression coefficients were measured between the D/S-IAT (as a full-scale or dichotomized score [D > 0]) and self-reported current or imminent SI (over the next 1-3 days). RESULTS: In the primary sample, the full-scale D/S-IAT was significantly correlated with the intensity of current SI (r = 0.22, p = 0.04) and especially with wishes to be dead (r = 0.35, p < 0.001). The intensity of imminent SI was significantly predicted by the full-scale (p = 0.02) and dichotomized D/S-IAT score (p = 0.05) in a multiple regression model. However, no significant associations were observed when both the D/S-IAT score and current (present/absent) or imminent SI (occurred/did not occur) were dichotomous measures. In participants receiving alcohol detoxification, the D/S-IAT significantly predicted only wishes to be dead (r = 0.33, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The full-scale D/S-IAT score predicted the current intensity of wishes to be dead in both inpatient samples, and current and imminent SI in participants admitted for SI/SB. The dichotomized D/S-IAT score did not predict the simple occurrence of SI.

Risk Factors for Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Non-HIV Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Very few cases of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) have been reported in COVID-19 so far, and mostly in patients with concomitant HIV infection or in solid-organ transplant recipients. Despite COVID-19 being associated with lymphopenia and the use of steroids, there are no studies specifically aimed at investigating the risk factors for PJP in COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was performed. We matched PJP cases with controls with a 1:2 ratio, based on age ± 10 years, solid-organ transplantation (SOT), hematological malignancies, and in the setting of PJP development (ICU vs. non-ICU). A direct immunofluorescence assay on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was used to diagnose PJP. RESULTS: We enrolled 54 patients. Among 18 cases of PJP, 16 were diagnosed as "proven". Seven of the eighteen cases were immunocompromised, while the other patients had no previous immunological impairment. Patients with PJP had significantly lower median lymphocyte values (p = 0.033), longer COVID-19 duration (p = 0.014), a higher dose of steroid received (p = 0.026), higher CRP values (p = 0.005), and a lower SARS-CoV-2 vaccination rate than the controls (p = 0.029). Cumulative steroid dose is the independent risk factor for PJP development (OR = 1.004, 95%CI = 1-1.008, p = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: PJP develops in COVID-19 patients regardless of immunosuppressive conditions and the severity of disease, and it is correlated to the corticosteroid dose received.

Pushing the Boundaries of Structural Heterogeneity with the Lipid A of Marine Bacteria Cellulophaga.

Marine bacteria, which are often described as chemical gold, are considered an exceptional source of new therapeutics. Considerable research interest has been given to lipopolysaccharides (LPSs), the main components of the Gram-negative outer membrane. LPS and its lipid A portion from marine bacteria are known to exhibit a tricky chemistry that has been often associated with intriguing properties such as behaving as immune adjuvants or anti-sepsis molecules. In this scenario, we report the structural determination of the lipid A from three marine bacteria within the Cellulophaga genus, which showed to produce an extremely heterogenous blend of tetra- to hexa-acylated lipid A species, mostly carrying one phosphate and one D-mannose on the glucosamine disaccharide backbone. The ability of the three LPSs in activating TLR4 signaling revealed a weaker immunopotential by C. baltica NNO 15840T and C. tyrosinoxydans EM41T , while C. algicola ACAM 630T behaved as a more potent TLR4 activator.

Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Efficacy of Thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) Essential Oil against Foodborne Illness Pathogens, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Typhimurium and Bacillus cereus.

Nowadays, the wide spread of foodborne illness and the growing concerns about the use of synthetic food additives have shifted the focus of researchers towards essential oils (EOs) as possible antimicrobials and preservatives of natural origin. Thanks to their antimicrobial properties against pathogenic and food spoilage microorganisms, EOs have shown good potential for use as alternative food additives, also to counteract biofilm-forming bacterial strains, the spread of which is considered to be among the main causes of the increase in foodborne illness outbreaks. In this context, the aim of this study has been to define the antibacterial and antibiofilm profile of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.) essential oil (TEO) against widespread foodborne pathogens, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium and Bacillus cereus. TEO chemical composition was analyzed through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Preliminary in vitro antibacterial tests allowed to qualitatively verify TEO efficacy against the tested foodborne pathogens. The subsequent determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) values allowed to quantitatively define the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of TEO. To evaluate the ability of essential oils to inhibit biofilm formation, a microplate assay was performed for the bacterial biofilm biomass measurement. Results suggest that TEO, rich in bioactive compounds, is able to inhibit the growth of tested foodborne bacteria. In addition, the highlighted in vitro anti-biofilm properties of TEO suggest the use of this natural agent as a promising food preservative to counteract biofilm-related infections in the food industry.

Invasive Fungal Infections in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19: A Non-Intensive Care Single-Centre Experience during the First Pandemic Waves.

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) represent a severe complication of COVID-19, yet they are under-estimated. We conducted a retrospective analysis including all the COVID-19 patients admitted to the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Federico II University Hospital of Naples until the 1 July 2021. Among 409 patients, we reported seven cases of IFIs by Candida spp., seven of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia, three of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, and one of Trichosporon asahii. None of the cases presented underlying predisposing conditions, excluding one oncohematological patient treated with rituximab. Ten cases showed lymphopenia with high rates of CD4+ < 200/µL. All cases received high-dose steroid therapy (mean duration 33 days, mean cumulative dosage 1015 mg of prednisone equivalent), and seven cases had severe COVID-19 disease (OSCI ≥ 5) prior to IFI diagnosis. The cases showed a higher overall duration of hospitalization (63 vs 24 days) and higher mortality rate (23% vs. 7%) compared with the COVID-19 patients who did not developed IFIs. Cases showed a higher prevalence of high-dose steroid therapy and lymphopenia with CD4+ < 200/µL, primarily due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and not related to underlying comorbidities. IFIs strongly impact the overall length of hospitalization and mortality. Therefore, clinicians should maintain a high degree of suspicion of IFIs, especially in severe COVID-19 patients.

Congenital syphilis in the twenty-first century: an area-based study.

The resurgence of syphilis and subsequent risk for newborns has been described worldwide; however, European data on this congenital infection is lacking. We report the activity of a multidisciplinary specialized unit assisting a large area in the Southern Italy. A retrospective cohort study has been conducted at the Perinatal and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Units of the Federico II University of Naples, enrolling all newborns and children referred from January 2010 to June 2022 exposed to Treponema pallidum in utero and/or congenitally infected. A total of 323 patients were included in the analysis. Twenty (6.2%) received a diagnosis of confirmed congenital syphilis (CS) and one died. Fifteen CS cases had typical clinical features. Since 2017, the number of referred neonates tripled while the rate of late maternal diagnoses did not significantly differ. When compared with mothers of exposed infants, mothers of CS cases were younger (25 ± 7.2 vs 29.9 ± 6 years, p = 0.041), had less previous pregnancies (0.64 vs 1.11, p = 0.044), and received a diagnosis of syphilis at a later stage of pregnancy (86% vs 20%, from third trimester or later on; p < 0.001). Appropriate maternal therapy was protective against vertical transmission (- 1.2; - 1.4, - 1 95% CI; p < 0.001). Paternal syphilis status was known in 36% of cases. CONCLUSION: CS has still a significant impact. Prevention should be implemented towards specific maternal risk profiles. A specialized unit is the preferable model to improve surveillance and healthcare for this neglected population. WHAT IS KNOWN: • The resurgence of syphilis and subsequent risk for newborns has been described worldwide. • European data on this congenital infection is lacking. WHAT IS NEW: • Congenital syphilis has a significant impact still in Europe and prevention should be implemented towards specific maternal risk profiles.  • A specialized unit is the preferable model to improve surveillance and healthcare for this neglected population.

Towards Green Strategies of Food Security: Antibacterial Synergy of Essential Oils from Thymus vulgaris and Syzygium aromaticum to Inhibit Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus Pathogenic Food Isolates.

Foodborne diseases continue to represent an important public health issue. The control of food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms is achieved mainly by synthetic chemicals, unfortunately associated to several undesirable aspects. The growing requirement for new and safe alternative strategies has resulted in the research of agents from natural sources with antimicrobial properties, such as essential oils (EOs). This study's purpose was to define the antibacterial profile of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) and cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oils against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative important foodborne pathogenic bacteria. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis was performed for EOs' chemical composition. Qualitative in vitro antimicrobial assays (i.e., agar well diffusion method and disk-volatilization method) allowed for verification of the efficacy of EOs, used individually and in binary combination and both in liquid and vapor phase, against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli food isolates. Minimal inhibitory concentrations and minimal bactericidal concentration values have been used to quantitatively measure the antibacterial activity of EOs, while the fractional inhibitory concentration index has been considered as a predictor of in vitro antibacterial synergistic effects. The microbiological tests suggest that thyme and cloves EOs, rich in bioactive compounds, are able to inhibit the growth of tested foodborne bacteria, especially in vapor phase, also with synergistic effects. Results provide evidence to consider the tested essential oils as promising sources for development of new, broad-spectrum, green food preservatives.

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.

Factors associated with onset-age in major affective disorders.

BACKGROUND: Research findings on factors associated with onset-age (OA) with bipolar (BD) and major depressive disorders (MDD) have been inconsistent, but often indicate greater morbidity following early OA. METHODS: We considered factors associated with OA in 1033 carefully evaluated, systematically followed mood disorder subjects with DSM-5 BD (n = 505) or MDD (n = 528), comparing rates of descriptive and clinical characteristics following early (age <18), intermediate (18-40), or later onset (≥40 years), as well as regressing selected measures versus OA. Exposure time (years ill) was matched among these subgroups. RESULTS: As hypothesized, many features were associated with early OA: familial psychiatric illness, including BD, greater maternal age, early sexual abuse, nondepressive first episodes, co-occurring ADHD, suicide attempts and violent suicidal behavior, abuse of alcohol or drugs, smoking, and unemployment. Other features increased consistently with later OA: %-time-depressed (in BD and MDD, women and men), as well as depressions/year and intake ratings of depression, educational levels, co-occurring medical disorders, rates of marriage and number of children. CONCLUSIONS: OA averaged 7.5 years earlier in BD versus MDD (30.7 vs. 38.2). Some OA-associated measures may reflect maturation. Associations with family history and suicidal risk with earlier OA were expected; increases of time-depressed in both BD and MDD with later OA were not. We conclude that associations of OA with later morbidity are complex and not unidirectional but may be clinically useful.

Molecular Epidemiology of Genital Infections in Campania Region: A Retrospective Study.

This study provides updated information on the prevalence and co-infections caused by genital microorganisms and pathogens: Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Gardnerella vaginalis, by retrospectively analyzing a cohort of patients living in the Naples metropolitan area, Campania region, Southern Italy. To investigate the genital infections prevalence in clinical specimens (vaginal/endocervical swabs and urines) collected from infertile asymptomatic women and men from November 2018 to December 2020, we used a multiplex real-time PCR assay. Of the 717 specimens collected, 302 (42.1%) resulted positive for at least one of the targets named above. Statistically significant differences in genital prevalence of selected microorganisms were detected in both women (62.91%) and men (37.08%). G. vaginalis and U. parvum represented the most common findings with an 80.2% and 16.9% prevalence in vaginal/endocervical swabs and first-voided urines, respectively. Prevalence of multiple infections was 18.18% and 8.19% in women and men, respectively. The most frequent association detected was the co-infection of G. vaginalis and U. parvum with 60% prevalence. Our epidemiological analysis suggests different infection patterns between genders, highlighting the need to implement a preventative screening strategy of genital infections to reduce the complications on reproductive organs.

Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) restrains the angiogenic potential of colorectal carcinoma cells by activating a proresolving program via formyl peptide receptor 1.

Formyl peptide receptors (FPR1, FPR2 and FPR3) are innate immune sensors of pathogen and commensal bacteria and have a role in colonic mucosa homeostasis. We identified FPR1 as a tumour suppressor in gastric cancer cells due to its ability to sustain an inflammation resolution response with antiangiogenic potential. Here, we investigate whether FPR1 exerts similar functions in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) cells. Since it has been shown that the commensal bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) can promote intestinal epithelial homeostasis through FPR1, we explored the possibility that it could induce proresolving and antiangiogenic effects in CRC cells. We demonstrated that pharmacologic inhibition or genetic deletion of FPR1 in CRC cells caused a reduction of proresolving mediators and a consequent upregulation of angiogenic factors. The activation of FPR1 mediates opposite effects. Proresolving, antiangiogenic and homeostatic functions were also observed upon treatment of CRC cells with supernatant of LGG culture, but not of other lactic acid or nonprobiotic bacteria (i.e. Bifidobacterium bifidum or Escherichia coli). These activities of LGG are dependent on FPR1 expression and on the subsequent MAPK signalling activation. Thus, the innate immune receptor FPR1 could be a regulator of the balance between microbiota, inflammation and cancer in CRC models.

Specific antibody titer decay in neonates prenatally exposed to Toxoplasma gondii and their mothers.

BACKGROUND: For infants exposed in utero to Toxoplasma gondii, current guidelines recommend monitoring the specific antibody titer until 12 months of age. In this study, we investigated the antibody titer decay in the mother-infant dyad. METHODS: This is a single center, population-based cohort study of neonates referred for prenatal exposure to Toxoplasma gondii from January 2014 to December 2020. All infants underwent clinical, laboratory, and instrumental investigation for at least 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 670 eligible neonates were referred to the Perinatal Infection Unit of the University Federico II of Naples. 636 (95%) completed the serological follow up until 12 months. Specific IgG antibodies negativization occurred in 628 (98.7%) within 5 months. At 9 and 12 months, all patients had negative IgG. An initial neonatal IgG antibody titer ≥ 200 IU/ml was associated with a longer time to negativization (184 [177.5;256] days when above threshold vs. 139.5 [101;179] days when below it; p < 0.001). Maternal IgG antibody titer ≥ 200 IU/ml at childbirth was also associated to delayed time to negativization in the infant (179 [163;184] days above the threshold vs 125 [96.8;178] days below it; p < 0.001). Specific antibody negativization was irreversible in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: Lower anti-Toxoplasma antibody titers detected at birth in the mother-infant-dyad lead to an earlier and irreversible negativization. This information allows for customisation of the infant follow up program and avoids invasive and expensive tests.

An Experimental Analysis of Five Household Equipment-Based Methods for Decontamination and Reuse of Surgical Masks.

The current coronavirus pandemic has increased worldwide consumption of individual protective devices. Single-use surgical masks are one of the most used devices to prevent the transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, the improper management of such protective equipment threatens our environment with a new form of plastic pollution. With the intention of contributing to a responsible policy of recycling, in the present work, five decontamination methods for used surgical masks that can be easily replicated with common household equipment are described. The decontamination procedures were hot water at 40 °C and 80 °C; autoclave; microwave at 750 W; and ultraviolet germicidal irradiation. After each decontamination procedure, the bacterial load reduction of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 was recorded to verify the effectiveness of these methods and, moreover, bacterial filtration efficiency and breathability tests were performed to evaluate mask performances. The best results were obtained with the immersion in 80 °C water and the microwave-assisted sterilization. Both methods achieved a high degree of mask decontamination without altering the filtration efficiency and breathability, in accordance with the quality standard. The proposed decontamination methods represent a useful approach to reduce the environmental impact of this new waste material. Moreover, these procedures can be easily reproduced with common household equipment to increase the recycling efforts.