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Discovered in 1993 by Bange et al., the 35-kDa interferon-induced protein (IFP35) is a highly conserved cytosolic interferon-induced leucine zipper protein with a 17q12-21 coding gene and unknown function. Belonging to interferon stimulated genes (ISG), the IFP35 reflects the type I interferon (IFN) activity induced through the JAK-STAT phosphorylation, and it can homodimerize with N-myc-interactor (NMI) and basic leucine zipper transcription factor (BATF), resulting in nuclear translocation and a functional expression. Casein kinase 2-interacting protein-1 (CKIP-1), retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), and laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 Epinephelus coioides (EcLGP2) are thought to regulate IFP35, via the innate immunity pathway. Several in vitro and in vivo studies on fish and mammals have confirmed the IFP35 as an ISG factor with antiviral and antiproliferative functions. However, in a mice model of sepsis, IFP35 was found working as a damage associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecule, which enhances inflammation by acting in the innate immune-mediated way. In human pathology, the IFP35 expression level predicts disease outcome and response to therapy in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), reflecting IFN activity. Specifically, IFP35 was upregulated in Lupus Nephritis (LN), Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), and untreated MS. However, it normalized in the MS patients undergoing therapy. The considered data indicate IFP35 as a pleiotropic factor, suggesting it as biologically relevant in the innate immunity, general pathology, and human demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.

Pathogenic microorganisms released onto the soil from point or diffuse sources represent a public health concern. They can be transported by rainwater that infiltrates into subsoil and reach the groundwater where they can survive for a long time and contaminate drinking water sources. As part of the SCA.Re.S. (Evaluation of Health Risk Related to the Discharge of Wastewater on the Soil) project, we reviewed a selection of field-scale studies that investigated the factors that influenced the fate of microorganisms that were transported from the ground surface to the groundwater. A total of 24 studies published between 2003 and 2022 were included in the review. These studies were selected from the PubMed and Web of Science databases. Microbial contamination of groundwater depends on complex interactions between human activities responsible for the release of contaminants onto the soil, and a range of environmental and biological factors, including the geological, hydraulic, and moisture characteristics of the media traversed by the water, and the characteristics and the viability of the microorganisms, which in turn depend on the environmental conditions and presence of predatory species. Enterococci appeared to be more resistant in the underground environment than thermotolerant coliforms and were suggested as a better indicator for detecting microbial contamination of groundwater.

Pedigree charts remain essential in oncological genetic counseling for identifying individuals with an increased risk of developing hereditary tumors. However, this valuable data source often remains confined to paper files, going unused. We propose a computer-aided detection/diagnosis system, based on machine learning and deep learning techniques, capable of the following: (1) assisting genetic oncologists in digitizing paper-based pedigree charts, and in generating new digital ones, and (2) automatically predicting the genetic predisposition risk directly from these digital pedigree charts. To the best of our knowledge, there are no similar studies in the current literature, and consequently, no utilization of software based on artificial intelligence on pedigree charts has been made public yet. By incorporating medical images and other data from omics sciences, there is also a fertile ground for training additional artificial intelligence systems, broadening the software predictive capabilities. We plan to bridge the gap between scientific advancements and practical implementation by modernizing and enhancing existing oncological genetic counseling services. This would mark the pioneering development of an AI-based application designed to enhance various aspects of genetic counseling, leading to improved patient care and advancements in the field of oncogenetics.

Stinging jellyfish outbreaks represent a health hazard, causing contact dermatitis and systemic reactions. This study investigated the epidemiology, severity, and treatment protocols of jellyfish stings in a coastal area with high tourist development and frequent stinging jellyfish outbreaks of the central Mediterranean (Salento, Southern Italy), and the associated costs for the Italian National Health Service. In 2007–2011, 1,733 bathers (mostly children and females) sought medical assistance following jellyfish stings, the main cause of human pathologies due to contact with marine organisms. The majority of events were reported in the years 2007–2009, whereas the occurrence of cnidarian jellyfish outbreaks has been increasingly reported in the same area since summer 2010. Most symptoms were limited to local and cutaneous reactions; conversely, 8.7% of cases evoked complications, mainly due to allergic reactions. The main drugs used were corticosteroids, locally applied and systemic (46% and 43%, respectively), and with ammonia (74%) as the main non-pharmacological treatment. The estimated cost of jellyfish-related first-aid services along the Salento coastline over the 5-year period was approximately 400,000 Euros. Therefore the management of jellyfish outbreak phenomena need coordinated research efforts towards a better understanding of underlying ecological mechanisms, together with the adoption of effective prevention policy, mitigation strategies, and appropriate planning of health services at tourist hot spots.

Patients with COVID-19 can develop different forms of the illness with more or less severe symptoms. A 2-year retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate the factors associated with the development of pneumonia in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 from March 2020 to February 2022. A total of 385 patients (59.0% males) with a mean age of 69.0 ± 16.0 years were included. At hospital admission, 318 patients (82.6%) reported one or more comorbidities, namely 201 (52.2%) subjects were affected by hypertension, 98 (25.5%) type 2 diabetes, 84 (21.8%) obesity, 36 (9.4%) cancer, and 14 (3.6%) suffered from kidney disease and were being treated with dialysis, and 76 (19.7%) resulted in being vaccinated with a higher prevalence of BNT162b2 vaccine (15.0%). Pneumonia was diagnosed in 276 (71.7%) patients. Multivariate regression analysis showed that pneumonia in COVID-19 patients was positively associated with type 2 diabetes (OR 1.81; 95% CI 1.00–3.27), obesity (OR 2.52; 95% CI 1.27–4.98), and negatively with hypertension (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.35–0.96). Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a strongly protective factor against the development of pneumonia in COVID-19 patients (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.28–0.85).

The rapid and accurate detection of infectious people is crucial in controlling outbreaks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the kinetics of the viral load expressed as Ct in COVID-19 hospitalized patients. Nasopharyngeal swab specimens were collected for RT-PCR testing. Forty-one subjects were recruited, of which 48.8% developed severe symptoms and 51.2% showed milder symptoms. The distribution of Ct values measured from the symptom onset showed that the kinetics of the viral load decreased with increasing time. A Ct of 25 (high viral load) was reached after a mean of 9.9 ± 4.8 days from the symptom onset, without a significant difference between patients with severe (10.9 ± 5.7 days) and milder (9.0 ± 3.9 days) symptoms. In 65.8% of cases, a high viral load was maintained for more than 7 days from the symptom onset, especially in patients with severe symptoms (70.6%). A Ct of 30 (moderate viral load) and of 38 (low viral load) were reached after a mean of 16.1 ± 8.1 and 28.5 ± 22.4 days from the symptom onset, respectively, with a significant difference between patients with severe (Ct = 30:17.9 ± 9.8 days; Ct = 38:34.6 ± 29.6 days) and milder (Ct = 30:14.3 ± 5.8 days; Ct = 38:22.7 ± 9.9 days) symptoms. These results provide an understanding of the viral kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 and have implications for pandemic control strategies and practices.

Protection provided by COVID-19 vaccines is compromised due to waning immunity over time. This study aimed to assess the level of antibodies anti-S-RBD of SARS-CoV-2 in a cohort of healthcare workers before and, on average, one and four months after the third dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine. The determination of antibodies was carried out in serum samples using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA). All 34 participants (10 males, 24 females, 19 participants <50 years old, 15 participants ≥50 years old) showed a significant antibody level increase after the booster dose. Subsequently, a significant decrease in the antibody concentration was observed, with a reduction of about 60% after 150 days from the booster. Six subjects were infected by SARS-CoV-2 after the booster and showed a significantly higher antibody concentration on average four months after the third dose compared to naïve ones. Male and female participants had a similar trend in the antibody decline, while older subjects, compared to the younger ones, had a slightly slower decrease, even if they developed a lower level of antibodies after the third dose. These findings support the importance of the booster dose and underline the need for surveillance programs to better understand the antibody kinetics and optimize vaccination strategies.

A multicenter study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of pertussis IgG antibodies (anti-PTx) in the Italian population. Serum samples (4154) collected in the years 2019–2020 from subjects aged 6 to 90 years were tested. The anti-PTx IgG levels were determined by ELISA test. The limit of detection was 5 IU/mL (International Units per milliliter); values ≥ 40 IU/mL and ≥100 IU/mL indicate an infection that has occurred in recent years and a recent infection (occurred during the last year), respectively. The mean concentration of anti-PTx IgG antibodies in the tested samples was 13 IU/mL; 1.0% of subjects had a titer ≥ 100 IU/mL, 5.3% a titer between 40 and 100 IU/mL, and 38.9% a titer < 5 IU/mL. The mean antibody concentration was significantly higher in males than in females. The age group 25–39 years had the lowest percentage of negative subjects (36.9%) and the highest prevalence of subjects with antibody titers ≥ 100 IU/mL (1.3%). In the age group ≥ 65 years, the prevalence of subjects with titers between 40 and 100 IU/mL (6.7%) and the percentage of negative subjects (44.8%) was higher than in the other age groups. The results highlight the possible role of adolescents and adults in the transmission of B. pertussis.

The aim of this study was to analyze the seroprevalence of varicella in Italy and to evaluate the impact of varicella vaccination, which has been mandatory for newborns since 2017. The levels of VZV-specific IgG antibodies were determined by the ELISA method in residual serum samples obtained from subjects aged between 6 and 64 years and residing in 13 Italian regions. Overall, 3746 serum samples were collected in the years 2019 and 2020. The overall seroprevalence was 91.6% (89.9% in males and 93.3% in females; p = 0.0002). Seroprevalence showed an increasing trend (p < 0.0001) starting in the younger age groups: 6–9 years: 84.1%; 10–14 years: 88.7%; 15–19 years: 89.3%; 20–39 years: 93.1% and >40 years: 97.0%. The seroprevalence data obtained in the present study were compared with those relating to previous sero-epidemiological surveys conducted, respectively, in the years 1996–1997, 2003–2004 and 2013–2014, taking into consideration only data from regions monitored in all surveillance campaigns. The comparison highlighted for the period 2019–2020 showed significantly higher values in the age groups 6–9 (p < 0.001), 10–14 (p = 0.018) and 15–19 years (p = 0.035), while in adults, the trend did not change over time (ns). These results highlight the positive impact of varicella vaccination in Italy.

Background: miRNAs are short, non-coding RNAs whose deregulation has been shown in painful processes, including musculoskeletal pain. This condition, which causes disability, impacts quality of life, and contributes to substantial healthcare costs, is also a critical issue in sports. In this case-control study, we evaluated the expression of four miRNAs involved in inflammation in runners with musculoskeletal pain and elucidated their functions and pathophysiological implications. Methods: A total of 17 runners with musculoskeletal pain and 17 age- and sex-matched runners without pain participated in this study. The levels of the miRNAs were evaluated by qRT-PCR. Bioinformatic tools were employed to identify the target genes and biological processes regulated by these miRNAs. Results: Compared to the controls, the runners with musculoskeletal pain exhibited significantly higher plasma levels of miR-133b (p = 0.02), miR-155-5p (p = 0.003) and let-7a-5p (p = 0.02). Multivariable regression analysis indicated that these three miRNAs exhibit a positive correlation (p < 0.05) with the presence of musculoskeletal pain, adjusted for age. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that the miRNAs hub genes are involved in regulatory processes, neuroinflammatory pathways, and human diseases that are associated with pain pathology. Conclusions: These results enhance our understanding of the potential role of miR-133b, miR-155-5p and let-7a-5p in pain-associated biological processes. The miRNA-mediated negative regulation of genes identified could explain the inflammatory and tissue repair processes in this population. Further studies are needed to confirm and validate the role of these miRNAs in painful conditions, especially considering the significant public health implications of managing inflammatory pain in sports.