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Climate change, excessive exploitation of agricultural land which reduces natural habitats, wildlife shooting, and the use of pesticides all cause difficulties for wildlife, with considerable numbers of animals being brought to wildlife rescue centres. Although the efforts of staff involved in wildlife management at these centres usually focus on therapeutic treatments to reintroduce them into the wild, the monitoring of pathogens that may be transmitted to humans is of relevance. Campylobacter (C.) jejuni and C. coli are frequently carried by animals without inducing clinical signs and are responsible for enteric disorders and more rarely extra-intestinal disease in humans. Farm species and poultry, in particular, are the main reservoirs of C. jejuni and C. coli, but wild animals may also be carriers. The aim of this paper was to investigate the presence of C. jejuni and C. coli in wild birds housed at a wildlife rescue centre and to evaluate the sensitivity of the detected strains to antibiotics. Campylobacter was found in 52 out of 209 (24.88%) birds from 33 different species. C. jejuni was more prevalent, while C. coli was only detected in three Long-eared Owls (Asio otus). The incidence of the infection was particularly high (72.22%) among omnivorous species. Infection rates were higher in birds housed indoors (57.14%) than outdoors (31.74%). Moreover, Campylobacter was not detected in species whose mean temperature body is below 40 °C or higher than 42.2 °C. The most common antibiotic resistance in the tested strains was against trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, ciprofloxacin and enrofloxacin. In addition, multi-drug resistance was also found. The results highlight the need to increase biosecurity measures at rescue centres so as to reduce health-related risks to workers involved in wildlife management.

In prostate cancer, fusion biopsy, which couples magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), poses the basis for targeted biopsy by allowing the comparison of information coming from both imaging modalities at the same time. Compared with the standard clinical procedure, it provides a less invasive option for the patients and increases the likelihood of sampling cancerous tissue regions for the subsequent pathology analyses. As a prerequisite to image fusion, segmentation must be achieved from both MRI and TRUS domains. The automatic contour delineation of the prostate gland from TRUS images is a challenging task due to several factors including unclear boundaries, speckle noise, and the variety of prostate anatomical shapes. Automatic methodologies, such as those based on deep learning, require a huge quantity of training data to achieve satisfactory results. In this paper, the authors propose a novel optimization formulation to find the best superellipse, a deformable model that can accurately represent the prostate shape. The advantage of the proposed approach is that it does not require extensive annotations, and can be used independently of the specific transducer employed during prostate biopsies. Moreover, in order to show the clinical applicability of the method, this study also presents a module for the automatic segmentation of the prostate gland from MRI, exploiting the nnU-Net framework. Lastly, segmented contours from both imaging domains are fused with a customized registration algorithm in order to create a tool that can help the physician to perform a targeted prostate biopsy by interacting with the graphical user interface.

Background: Acute rejection (AR) in kidney transplant (KT) recipients remains a significant challenge for short- and long-term graft survival even in the most recent years characterized by extended criteria donors and older and more comorbid recipients. Methods: We analyzed risk factors and outcomes of AR in 339 KT recipients treated at St. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna (Italy), between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2021. Demographic, immunological, and transplant data (type, cold ischemia time, complications) were recorded with a follow-up period of up to 24 months. Key outcomes included estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 24 h proteinuria, delayed graft function (DGF), biopsy-proven AR, and graft loss. Results: During the first year after transplant, 57 AR episodes occurred: 19 antibody-mediated rejections (AMR), 18 borderline T cell-mediated rejections (TCMR), 18 TCMR, 2 mixed AMR/TCMR, and 11 graft losses. AR was linked to older donor age (59.9 ± 12.8 vs. 55.5 ± 15.1, p = 0.040), longer cold ischemia time (690 vs. 570 min, p = 0.044), higher DGF rates (61.40% vs. 39.57%, p = 0.002), and lower eGFR (39 vs. 52 mL/min, p = 0.003). AR was consistently prevalent in patients who underwent an AB0-incompatible (AB0-i) transplant (8.8% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.020). HLA matching was strongly associated with a reduced risk of AMR (HLA-DR: OR 0.35, HLA-A: OR 0.33, HLA-C: OR 0.35), while DGF was linked to a higher risk (OR 4.04). TCMR risk was associated with donor age (OR 1.05). The development of post-transplant donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) at 24 months showed no significant association with AR (AMR: p = 0.769; TCMR: p = 0.938). The decline in eGFR over time (24 months) did not differ between patients with and without AR (difference, −0.69 mL/min/year; Standard Error, 0.92; p = 0.452). Similarly, 24 h proteinuria change over time did not differ between patients with and without AR (difference, −0.12 g/24 h; Standard Error, 0.28; p = 0.657). Conclusions: Understanding the risk factors of AR is crucial to identifying KTs at more risk of rejection and to guiding targeted therapeutic decisions. In the most recent era of extended criteria donors and more vulnerable recipients, early diagnosis and prompt and tailored treatment of AR play a critical role in stabilizing renal function over time.

‘Smart drugs’ (also known as ‘nootropics’ and ‘cognitive enhancers’ [CEs]) are being used by healthy subjects (i.e. students and workers) typically to improve memory, attention, learning, executive functions and vigilance, hence the reference to a ‘pharmaceutical cognitive doping behaviour’. While the efficacy of known CEs in individuals with memory or learning deficits is well known, their effect on non-impaired brains is still to be fully assessed. This paper aims to provide an overview on the prevalence of use; putative neuroenhancement benefits and possible harms relating to the intake of the most popular CEs (e.g. amphetamine-type stimulants, methylphenidate, donepezil, selegiline, modafinil, piracetam, benzodiazepine inverse agonists, and unifiram analogues) in healthy individuals. CEs are generally perceived by the users as effective, with related enthusiastic anecdotal reports; however, their efficacy in healthy individuals is uncertain and any reported improvement temporary. Conversely, since most CEs are stimulants, the related modulation of central noradrenaline, glutamate, and dopamine levels may lead to cardiovascular, neurological and psychopathological complications. Furthermore, use of CEs can be associated with paradoxical short- and long-term cognitive decline; decreased potential for plastic learning; and addictive behaviour. Finally, the non-medical use of any potent psychotropic raises serious ethical and legal issues, with nootropics having the potential to become a major public health concern. Further studies investigating CE-associated social, psychological, and biological outcomes are urgently needed to allow firm conclusions to be drawn on the appropriateness of CE use in healthy individuals.

The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism has been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. We report here that the kynurenine metabolite, xanturenic acid (XA), interacts with and activates mGlu2 and mGlu3 metabotropic glutamate receptors in heterologous expression systems. However, the molecular nature of this interaction is unknown and our data cannot exclude that XA acts primarily on other targets, such as the vesicular glutamate transporter, in the CNS. Systemic administration of XA in mice produced antipsychotic-like effects in the MK-801-induced model of hyperactivity. This effect required the presence of mGlu2 receptors and was abrogated by the preferential mGlu2/3 receptor antagonist, LY341495. Because the mGlu2 receptor is a potential drug target in the treatment of schizophrenia, we decided to measure serum levels of XA and other kynurenine metabolites in patients affected by schizophrenia. Serum XA levels were largely reduced in a large cohort of patients affected by schizophrenia, and, in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, levels remained low after 12 months of antipsychotic medication. As opposed to other kynurenine metabolites, XA levels were also significantly reduced in first-degree relatives of patients affected by schizophrenia. We suggest that lowered serum XA levels might represent a novel trait marker for schizophrenia.

Recurrence of IgA nephropathy (IgAN) after kidney transplant (KT) appears associated with worse graft survival; thus, the identification of risk factors is worthwhile to improve pre-transplant evaluation of KT recipients and to identify the optimal treatment strategy. The aim of this study was to determine incidence, risk factors and impact on renal function and graft survival of IgAN recurrence after KT. We performed a retrospective study including 110 patients with biopsy-proven IgAN, who underwent KT at Policlinico di Sant'Orsola Hospital - University of Bologna from 2005 to 2021. IgAN recurred in 14 patients (12.7%) with a median time-to-recurrence of 59 (16-90) months. We found that a faster progression from IgAN diagnosis to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), a younger age at ESKD, and a younger age at KT were associated with a higher risk of recurrence. During the first 2 years after KT, 24 h proteinuria was higher in patients with IgAN recurrence than in patients without (0.40 (0.11-1.8) vs 0.22 (0.18-0.37) g/day,  = 0.0003). During the follow-up period, a more rapid decline in eGFR was observed in the Recurrence group (  = 0.023). Additionally, graft survival at 10 years post-kidney transplant was significantly lower in this group (log-rank test  = 0.015). In conclusion, we found that patients with a more aggressive form of IgAN, who reached ESKD before 36 years of age, had an higher risk of recurrence in KT. Moreover we confirmed that recurrent IgAN, especially if clinically relevant, is associated with a worse graft outcome.

The assessment of Technosols quality in urban environments is pivotal for the maintenance of ecosystems impacted by human activities. The study was performed on Technosols constructed in experimental mesocosms in the suburban area of Naples (Southern Italy) to highlight changes in the main soil properties over eight years and to identify the most suitable indices at quality monitoring. In this study, several chemical, biological, and integrated indices were analysed to evaluate the mineral accumulation, potential ecological risk, edaphon activity, fertility, and the overall soil quality. The Technosols showed alkaline pH, nitrogen ranged from 24.5 to 39.5 g kg−1, high organic matter contents above 40 g kg−1, and there were no evident processes of soil compaction. Heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) did not exceed the thresholds defined by the Italian law for urban soils, despite their volcanic components. During eight years, the chemical indices depicted changes in the elements balance and increase in ecological risk; the biological indices indicated a reduction in the fungal fraction (fivefold) and in the resources utilisation and carbon storage. The soil quality index with all parameters highlighted the reduction in the soil quality (from 0.78 to 0.65) due to the decrease of the chemical quality, the increase of microbial stress conditions, and changes of the microbial composition, underlining the importance of integrating chemical and biological information for monitoring Technosols.

The goals of the current research were to assess the immediate impact of invasive wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) in olive orchards of southern Italy. Over a one-year study, in grubbed and ungrubbed areas, we measured the seasonal changes on the fast soil biological and chemical responses at depths of 0–15 cm and 15–40 cm, and several leaf and fruit characteristics. The impact factor, IFG, was used to quantify the effects of wild boar on individual soil parameters. Grubbing induced an increase in the soil moisture at both depths. Soil pH, organic matter, and C/N ratio were higher in grubbed soils at 0–15 cm and lower at 15–40 cm compared to ungrubbed soils. These trends were reflected in the higher microbial community biomass and the inhibition of fungal fraction in grubbed topsoil, while an opposite tendency at 15–40 cm was found. Microbial biomass had the highest IFG in topsoil (94%) and metabolic quotient (85%) at a 15–40 cm depth. Microbial stress condition and C loss were found in grubbed soil at both depths. Furthermore, these soils were also shown to be of lower quality than ungrubbed soils, especially at 0–15 cm (SQI = 0.40 vs. 0.50, respectively). A stronger negative impact of wild boar grubbing was observed in the Autumn/Winter and for fruit polyphenol content.

Vaccination with priming and expansion of tumour reacting T cells is an important therapeutic option to be used in combination with novel checkpoint inhibitors to increase the specificity of the T cell infiltrate and the efficacy of the treatment. In this phase I/II study, 14 high-risk disease-free ovarian (OC) and breast cancer (BC) patients after completion of standard therapies were vaccinated with MUC1, ErbB2 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) HLA-A2+-restricted peptides and Montanide. Patients were subjected to 6 doses of vaccine every two weeks and a recall dose after 3 months. ECOG grade 2 toxicity was observed at the injection site. Eight out of 14 patients showed specific CD8+ T cells to at least one antigen. None of 4 patients vaccinated for compassionate use showed a CD8 activation. An OC patient who suffered from a lymph nodal recurrence, showed specific anti-ErbB2 CD8+ T cells in the bulky aortic lymph nodes suggesting homing of the activated T cells. Results confirm that peptide vaccination strategy is feasible, safe and well tolerated. In particular OC patients appear to show a higher response rate compared to BC patients. Vaccination generates a long-lasting immune response, which is strongly enhanced by recall administrations. The clinical outcome of patients enrolled in the trial appears favourable, having registered no deceased patients with a minimum follow-up of 8 years. These promising data, in line with the results of similar studies, the high compliance of patients observed and the favourable toxicity profile, support future trials of peptide vaccination in clinically disease-free patients who have completed standard treatments.