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The claimed beneficial effects of the Mediterranean diet include prevention of several age-related dysfunctions including neurodegenerative diseases and Alzheimer-like pathology. These effects have been related to the protection against cognitive decline associated with aging and disease by a number of polyphenols found in red wine and extra virgin olive oil. The double transgenic TgCRND8 mice (overexpressing the Swedish and Indiana mutations in the human amyloid precursor protein), aged 1.5 and 4, and age-matched wild type control mice were used to examine in vivo the effects of 8 weeks dietary supplementation of oleuropein aglycone (50 mg/kg of diet), the main polyphenol found in extra virgin olive oil. We report here that dietary supplementation of oleuropein aglycone strongly improves the cognitive performance of young/middle-aged TgCRND8 mice, a model of amyloid-ß deposition, respect to age-matched littermates with un-supplemented diet. Immunofluorescence analysis of cerebral tissue in oleuropein aglycone-fed transgenic mice showed remarkably reduced ß-amyloid levels and plaque deposits, which appeared less compact and \"fluffy\"; moreover, microglia migration to the plaques for phagocytosis and a remarkable reduction of the astrocyte reaction were evident. Finally, oleuropein aglycone-fed mice brain displayed an astonishingly intense autophagic reaction, as shown by the increase of autophagic markers expression and of lysosomal activity. Data obtained with cultured cells confirmed the latter evidence, suggesting mTOR regulation by oleuropein aglycone. Our results support, and provide mechanistic insights into, the beneficial effects against Alzheimer-associated neurodegeneration of a polyphenol enriched in the extra virgin olive oil, a major component of the Mediterranean diet.

Age-related muscle loss is a phenomenon that has been extensively studied in recent decades. Sarcopenia is a multisystem disease, which predisposes to muscle weakness and frailty. At around 50 years of age, an individual begins to lose muscle strength, although this becomes more evident after 70. Sarcopenia is a condition typically found in older adults but can also affect younger people. Sarcopenia is a preventable and treatable condition. In past years, methods and tools to recognize the condition early have been researched. For the development of therapeutic interventions, agreement on diagnosis is fundamental. In recent years, a possible role of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of sarcopenia has been evaluated, compared with the best-known techniques.

Background and Objectives: mechanical restraint (MR) is a controversial issue in emergency psychiatry and should be better studied to implement other alternative therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MR in an Italian psychiatric unit and identify the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics as well as the pharmacological pattern associated with MR. Materials and Methods: all subjects (N = 799) consecutively admitted to an Italian psychiatric inpatient unit were recruited. Several sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Results: The prevalence of MR was 14.1%. Males, a younger age, and a single and migrant status were associated with the MR phenomenon. MR was more prevalent in patients affected by other diagnoses and comorbid illicit substance use, in patients with aggressive behaviors, and those that were involuntary admitted, leading significantly to hospitalization over 21 days. Furthermore, the patients that underwent MR were taking a lower number of psychiatric medications. Conclusions: Unfortunately, MR is still used in emergency psychiatry. Future research should focus on the dynamics of MR development in psychiatry, specifically considering ward- and staff-related factors that could help identify a more precise prevention and alternative intervention strategies.

Age-associated diseases such as neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disorders are characterized by increased oxidative stress associated with autophagy dysfunction. Oleuropein aglycone (OA), the main polyphenol found in olive oil, was recently characterized as an autophagy inducer and a promising agent against neurodegeneration. It is presently unknown whether OA can have beneficial effects in a model of cardiac stress characterized by autophagy dysfunction. Here, we explored the effects of OA in cardiomyocytes with overexpression of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A). This enzyme, by degrading catecholamine and serotonin, produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which causes oxidative stress, autophagic flux blockade, and cell necrosis. We observed that OA treatment counteracted the cytotoxic effects of MAO-A through autophagy activation, as displayed by the increase of autophagic vacuoles and autophagy-specific markers (Beclin1 and LC3-II). Moreover, the decrease in autophagosomes and the increase in autolysosomes, indicative of autophagosome-lysosome fusion, suggested a restoration of the defective autophagic flux. Most interestingly, we found that the ability of OA to confer cardioprotection through autophagy induction involved nuclear translocation and activation of the transcriptional factor EB (TFEB). Our data provide strong evidence of the beneficial effects of OA, suggesting its potential use as a nutraceutical agent against age-related pathologies involving autophagy dysfunction, including cardiovascular diseases.

Cruising-for-parking in an urban area is a time-consuming and frustrating activity. We present four machine learning-based models to predict the parking availability of street segments in an urban area on a three-level scale, which navigator and smart-parking apps can exploit to ease and reduce the cruising phase. The models were trained with data generated by a cruising-for-parking simulator that we developed, replicating four parking behavior types (workers, residents, buyers, and visitors). The generated data is comparable to that collectible with smartphones’ sensors. We simulated 40 users moving for 200 weeks in the city area of San Giovanni in Rome. We collected information about users’ parking, unparking, and cruising actions over considered road segments at different time slots. Once a significant amount of trips were collected, we extracted ten features for each road segment at a given time slot. With the obtained dataset, which contained 761 samples, we trained and compared four supervised machine learning models that receive the history of a segment and, in return, classify the Parking Availability Level of the segment as Green, Yellow or Red. The four models were further evaluated in a different city area, San Lorenzo, and obtained very accurate results. We can predict parking availability with an accuracy above 97% for all the street segments where we collected 30 or more user actions, confirming the robustness of the simulator in generating synthetic cruising-for-parking data and the suitability of designing a Parking Availability Classifier (PAC) based on data collectible by smartphones.

Background: The aim of the present study is to identify the main sociodemographic and clinical correlates associated with frequent service users (FSUs) in an Italian psychiatric emergency department. Methods: This study is an observational and prospective clinical investigation. All subjects (N = 549) consecutively admitted to the Psychiatric Inpatient Unit of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino ((Genoa, Italy) were recruited over a period of 18 months. Results: On average, FSUs were more likely to be single (75.0% vs. 64.0, p = 0.001), younger (38.79 years ± 14.68 vs. 45.94 years ± 16.94, p = 0.028), with an earlier onset (20.15 years ± 7.22 vs. 29.33 years ± 15.96, p < 0.001), and longer length of hospitalisation (13.65 days ± 12.40 vs. 9.89 ± 10.15, p = 0.006) compared to non-FSUs. While bipolar disorder was the most common primary diagnosis in both FSUs and non-FSUs, cluster B personality disorder was particularly elevated in FSUs (30.3% vs. 10.4%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, FSUs were more prone to substance use disorder (63.6% vs. 40.0%, p < 0.001), particularly cannabis (45.5% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.001), cocaine (33.3% vs. 10.4%, p < 0.001), and heroin (19.7% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.001), and were more likely to have non-suicidal self-injuries (21.2% vs. 6.8%, p < 0.001). FSUs were significantly more likely to be discharged against medical advice (18.2% vs. 5.6%, p < 0.001) or to have at least one escape attempt from the psychiatric ward (12.1% vs. 0.8%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Specific clinical and social profiles of patients who repeatedly utilised the services of a psychiatric emergency department have been identified. Our findings can be used to develop suitable structures to support and reintegrate FSUs into society and work life.

Forensic DNA Analysis: Technological Development and Innovative Applicationsprovides a fascinating overview of new and innovative technologies and current applications in forensic genetics. Edited by two forensic experts with many years of forensic crime experience with the Italian police and with prestigious academic universities, the volume takes an interdisciplinary perspective, the volume presents an introduction to genome polymorphisms, discusses, forensic genetic markers, presents a variety of new methods and techniques in forensic genetics, and looks at a selection of new technological innovations and inventions now available from commercial vendors. The book is an important resource for scientists, researchers, and other experts in the field who will find it of interest for its exhaustive discussion of the most important technological innovations in forensic genetics. For those newer to the field, the volume will be an invaluable reference guide to the forensic world. Forensic DNA Analysis: Technological Development and Innovative Applicationsprovides a fascinating overview of new and innovative technologies and current applications in forensic genetics.

•Insects found at a crime scene can provide a contribution to forensic investigations.•The analysis of human genetic material obtained from entomological samples is proposed.•NGS technology was used to analyze human DNA from the gastrointestinal tract of lice.•Lice found at the crime scenes can be valuable forensic allies. Rapid and progressive advances in molecular biology techniques and the advent of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have opened new possibilities for analyses also in the identification of entomological matrixes. Insects and other arthropods are widespread in nature and those found at a crime scene can provide a useful contribution to forensic investigations. Entomological evidence is used by experts to define the postmortem interval (PMI), which is essentially based on morphological recognition of the insect and an estimation of its insect life cycle stage. However, molecular genotyping methods can also provide an important support for forensic entomological investigations when the identification of species or human genetic material is required. This case study concerns a collection of insects found in the house of a woman who died from unknown causes. Initially the insects were identified morphologically as belonging to the Pediculidae family, and then, human DNA was extracted and analyzed from their gastrointestinal tract. The application of the latest generation forensic DNA assays, such as the Quantifiler® Trio DNA Quantification Kit and the HID-Ion AmpliSeq™ Identity Panel (Applied Biosystems®), individuated the presence of human DNA in the samples and determined the genetic profile.

Background DNA metabarcoding and massive parallel sequencing are valuable molecular tools for the characterization of environmental samples. In forensic sciences, the analysis of the sample’s fungal population can be highly informative for the estimation of post-mortem interval, the ascertainment of deposition time, the identification of the cause of death, or the location of buried corpses. Unfortunately, metabarcoding data analysis often requires strong bioinformatic capabilities that are not widely available in forensic laboratories. Results The present paper describes the adoption of a user-friendly cloud-based application for the identification of fungi in typical forensic samples. The samples have also been analyzed through the QIIME pipeline, obtaining a relevant data concordance on top genus classification results (88%). Conclusions The availability of a user-friendly application that can be run without command line activities will increase the popularity of metabarcoding fungal analysis in forensic samples.