University of Bari Aldo Moro

Littoral environments represent the main entry point for pollutants into the sea. Microplastics (MPs) are a growing concern, especially for the Mediterranean basin characterized by densely populated coasts and a semi-enclosed morphology. This article targets MPs associated with a unique coastal habitat-the largest bio-construction in the Mediterranean (Torre Mileto, Southern Adriatic Sea) built by the reef-building polychaete Sabellaria spinulosa (anellida). We assessed MPs abundance in samples from both bioconstruction and surrounding sediments using stereomicroscopy with UV light and micro-Raman spectroscopy. MPs distribution was analyzed according to substrate (reef vs. sediment), longshore drift (west vs. east side), and reef morphology (hummock vs. platform). Results showed a significantly higher MPs abundance in samples from the western side of the site, potentially related to a longshore drift influence on pollutant distribution. By contrast, no significant differences in MPs abundances were observed in substrates (reefs vs. surrounding sediments) and in reef morphologies (hummock vs. platform), which suggest no direct control of reef-building activity in accumulating MPs. The passive accumulation of MPs, primarily driven by wave action, is likely the main factor explaining the MPs distribution. Micro-Raman Spectroscopy analysis revealed polyethylene terephthalate as the dominant polymer, and fibers as the most abundant morphology; prevalent MPs colors were colorless and black. Data provided here indicate that polychaete reefs temporarily trap MPs, retaining such pollutant in the littoral environment. The mechanism of MPs passive accumulation observed in this study raises questions about the growing risk for this bio-engineered benthic habitats.

Purpose To investigate efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) intra-plaque injections in Peyronie’s disease (PD) patients. Methods Three injections of 6 mL PRP were performed two weeks apart. Patients were evaluated at baseline (T0, first injection), after two weeks (T1, second injection), and four weeks after the third injection (T2). The curvature angle of the erect penis, plaque size, dedicated sexual function questionnaires (PD questionnaire-PDQ, and International Index of Erectile Function five-items - IIEF-5) scores, and adverse events/side effects were evaluated. Results Overall, 72 patients were included. Median age was 60 years, and median BMI was 23.1 kg/m². Plaques were more frequently located at the middle third of the penis (n = 43); penile curvature direction was more frequently dorsal (n = 45). During follow up median plaque size decreased from 11.1 mm at T0 to 8.2 mm at T2 (p = 0.004), and median penile curvature decreased from 50.0° at T0 to 40.0° at T2 (p < 0.001). At the same timepoints, a statistically significant reduction was observed for all the three domains of the PDQ (PDQ1:p = 0.006, PDQ2:p = 0.002, PDQ3:p < 0.001), but not for the IIEF-5 (p = 0.3). At univariable linear regression analysis, testing the association between BMI and median penile curvature difference from the first and last evaluation, a tendency towards statistical significance was observed (β = −1.28, p = 0.055). No adverse events/side effect were registered. Conclusion PRP is a safe and effective treatment option in men with PD, rapidly reducing plaques size and penile curvature angle, thus positively influencing sexual function. The higher the BMI the lower benefit might be derived from PRP injection.

Coral reef ecosystems in Ihavandhippolhu Atoll, the northernmost atoll of the Maldives, have undergone significant changes following the 1998, 2010, and 2016 bleaching events. This study evaluates the recovery after 13 years following repeated bleaching events and the shift in coral reef composition in this remote and scantly explored region of the Indian Ocean. Data collected in January 2024 from ten strategic sites within the atoll reveal substantial shifts in benthic composition compared to earlier surveys from 2011. We observed a significant increase in overall hard coral cover, with resilient taxa—such as massive and encrusting corals—becoming dominant after bleaching events. In contrast, more sensitive genera like branching and tabular Acropora have declined sharply, indicating a shift in the benthic community composition toward more resistant coral taxa. The substantial recovery of hard coral cover over time suggests the resilience of the coral ecosystem in this remote atoll, although the recovery process is still ongoing, as shown by the incomplete restoration of original diversity and colony growth forms. A standardized and periodic monitoring plan in Ihavandhippolhu Atoll will be needed to track the ongoing changes in reef community composition under conditions of minimal human influence.

Background Most forms of obesity are associated with chronic diseases that remain a global public health challenge. Aims Despite significant advancements in understanding its pathophysiology, effective management of obesity is hindered by the persistence of knowledge gaps in epidemiology, phenotypic heterogeneity and policy implementation. Materials and Methods This consensus statement by the European Society for Clinical Investigation identifies eight critical areas requiring urgent attention. Key gaps include insufficient long‐term data on obesity trends, the inadequacy of body mass index (BMI) as a sole diagnostic measure, and insufficient recognition of phenotypic diversity in obesity‐related cardiometabolic risks. Moreover, the socio‐economic drivers of obesity and its transition across phenotypes remain poorly understood. Results The syndemic nature of obesity, exacerbated by globalization and environmental changes, necessitates a holistic approach integrating global frameworks and community‐level interventions. This statement advocates for leveraging emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to refine predictive models and address phenotypic variability. It underscores the importance of collaborative efforts among scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to create tailored interventions and enduring policies. Discussion The consensus highlights the need for harmonizing anthropometric and biochemical markers, fostering inclusive public health narratives and combating stigma associated with obesity. By addressing these gaps, this initiative aims to advance research, improve prevention strategies and optimize care delivery for people living with obesity. Conclusion This collaborative effort marks a decisive step towards mitigating the obesity epidemic and its profound impact on global health systems. Ultimately, obesity should be considered as being largely the consequence of a socio‐economic model not compatible with optimal human health.

Friedreich’s Ataxia (FRDA) is a rare neurological disorder caused by an abnormal expansion of Guanine-Adenine-Adenine (GAA) repeat in intron 1 of the FXN gene, which encodes frataxin, leading to reduced expression of frataxin, a mitochondrial protein essential for cellular homeostasis. Frataxin deficiency results in oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired redox balance. Currently, there is no cure for FRDA. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of antioxidants dimethyl fumarate (DMF), N-acetylcysteine (NAC), and L-ascorbic acid (LAA) in restoring mitochondrial redox homeostasis and frataxin levels in FRDA patient-derived fibroblasts and 2D sensory neurons. We assessed cell viability, mitochondrial and cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial DNA copy number, mitochondrial membrane potential, and frataxin and NRF2 expression at both mRNA and protein levels following antioxidant treatment, either individually or in combination. Treatment with LAA, NAC, and DMF resulted in significant reductions in mitochondrial and cellular ROS, along with increased FXN and NRF2 expression, and enhanced NRF2 nuclear translocation. Furthermore, these compounds improved aconitase/citrate synthase activity, GSH/GSSG ratios, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Notably, the combination of LAA and NAC consistently alleviated multiple disease-associated defects in FRDA cells, suggesting its potential as a promising therapeutic approach.

The incidence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis due to pollinosis is increasing in Western countries. The first‐line therapy (No‐AIT) typically involves the administration of antihistamines and corticosteroid sprays to manage symptoms. Immunotherapy represents an alternative treatment option, as it promotes desensitization to allergens. However, it is associated with significant costs. Currently, two types of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) are prescribed: subcutaneous immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy. This article compares these two therapeutic options with No‐AIT. The comparison is conducted through a cost‐effectiveness analysis (CEA), which evaluates health‐related outcomes by estimating the incremental cost per unit of change in a composite outcome that combines morbidity and quality‐of‐life metrics. To perform the analysis, we developed a realistic multistate model describing the progression of a cohort of patients undergoing the three therapeutic approaches. The model was designed to be sufficiently flexible to account for treatment‐related challenges commonly observed in real‐world settings, which are often inadequately represented in randomized controlled trials. By employing a novel two‐dimensional framework, we tracked the proportion of the cohort transitioning between health states during each cycle while simultaneously capturing the origin and destination of each transition. This approach enabled the integration of structural features that are typically overlooked, such as early treatment discontinuation, transition rewards, nonstationarities associated with the usual termination of immunotherapy after three years, and differential protection against severe complications (e.g., asthma) depending on whether immunotherapy was completed or not. Deterministic simulations were conducted using standard input parameters, supplemented by probabilistic simulations to generate CEACs for each of the three strategies. The results from our model indicate that AIT is not cost‐effective unless the payer exhibits a moderately high willingness‐to‐pay. These findings have important implications for the pharmaceutical industry involved in the production of AIT drugs.

Introduction Digital ulcers (DU) are one of the most frequent manifestations in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The presence of DU seems to be a sentinel sign of internal organ involvement and is related to a poor prognosis of the disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and the relationship of DU with clinical manifestations/variants in a large SSc cohort from the SPRING registry. Methods SSc patients fulfilling the ACR/EULAR 2013 classification criteria without missing data on digital ulcers were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Logistic regression models were built to test the association between the presence of DU and SSc-related features. Results Among 1873 eligible SSc patients, the presence of DU was significantly associated with gastrointestinal involvement (OR 1.88, 2.04 and 1.74; p < 0.001) and serum ATA positivity (OR 2.15; p < 0.001), as well as with telangiectasias, sclerodactyly, digital pitting scar, and calcinosis (OR 1.40, p = 0.005; OR 3.43, p < 0.001, OR 9.12, p < 0.001 and OR 2.77, p < 0.001; respectively). In the multivariable regression models, even after adjustment for covariates, ATA positivity (OR 1.76, p = 0.039), puffy fingers (OR 2.82, p < 0.001), and a higher revEUSTAR-AI (OR 6.63, p < 0.001) emerged as risk factors for the presence of DU. Moreover, a low presence of DU was recorded in SSc patients with a history of previous immunosuppressive treatments (OR 0.53, p = 0.032). Conclusion In our Italian SSc cohort, DUs were significantly associated with the presence of puffy fingers, high revEUSTR-AI, and ATA seropositivity. Noteworthy, immunosuppressive treatments were associated with a low rate of DU, suggesting that they might contribute to the prevention of these harmful manifestations. Key Points • Digital ulcers were significantly associated with the presence of puffy fingers, high disease activity, and anti-Scl70 seropositivity. • Immunosuppressive treatments were associated with a low rate of digital ulcers, suggesting that they might contribute to the prevention of these harmful manifestations.

Harmonized neuropsychological assessment for neurocognitive disorders (NCDs) is an urgent priority in clinics. Neuropsychology assessments in NCDs seldom include tests exploring social cognitive skills. In 2022, we launched the SIGNATURE initiative to optimize socio-cognitive assessment in NCDs. Here, we report findings from the first initiative phase, including consortium creation and evaluation of the state of the art in socio-cognitive assessment in memory clinics. We developed an ad hoc online survey to explore practices and measures, relevance, and obstacles preventing the use of socio-cognitive testing in clinics. The survey was distributed within the SIGNATURE network. National coordinators were identified to disseminate the survey to local collaborators and scientific societies active in the field of dementia and/or neuropsychology. Data were analysed in aggregate form and stratified by geographical area and variables of interest. Four hundred and thirteen (413) responses from 10 European and Latin American geographical regions were recorded. Responders were balanced between physicians and psychologists. Seventy-eight (78) % of respondents reported no/limited experience with socio-cognitive measures; more than 85% agreed on their relevance in clinics. Ekman-60 faces was the most well-known and/or used task, followed by the Faux-Pas and Reading-the-Mind-in-the-Eyes tests. Lack of clinical measures, assessment time, guidelines, and education/training were reported as main obstacles. Real-life barriers prevent the adoption of socio-cognitive testing in clinics. Bidirectional collaboration between clinicians and researchers is required to address clinical needs and constraints and facilitate consistent socio-cognitive assessment.

In our modern digital landscape, web browsers play a crucial role as gateways to large amounts of information and services. However, recent developments have demonstrated that the very features that make browsing convenient and seamless can be exploited by malicious actors through a potent threat vector known as the “Browser-in-the-Middle” (BitM) attack. Most of the Multi-Factor Authen- tication (MFA) security measures are shown to be ineffective to prevent BitM attacks. However, the FIDO2 Project that includes CTAP2 protocol that works together with the Web Authentication API (WebAuthn API) has been proven to be a virtually unattackable MFA method by current state-of-the-art BitM implementations. At least until now. This work expands the range of applica- ble scenarios where BitM attack can be used by taking its technical architecture a step further: we show how the effectiveness of BitM—used along a Reflected XSS vulnerability exploitation—can be improved resulting in the novel BitM + attack that proves to be capable of defeating any available MFA method includ- ing FIDO2/WebAuthn solutions that rely on hardware dongles and represent the only method of authentication that went undefeated by virtually any phishing attack approach to date.

The colonial coral Cladocora caespitosa is a Mediterranean-endemic scleractinian structuring ecosystems of great conservation and ecological importance. Their nomenclature is here revised distinguishing between three different C. caespitosa formations: beds, grounds and reefs. Here we describe an extensive C. caespitosa bed at Tremiti Islands (Italy, Adriatic Sea), where thousands of colonies develop as free-living coral nodules (coralliths) on a soft, detritic bottom. Colonies were seldom present shallower than 15 m depth as well as on rocky bottoms, while their density increased with depth up to 700 colonies 100 m− 2 at 22 m. Their bathymetric occurrence was primarily influenced by seawater temperatures, particularly during summer, when a marked thermocline act as protection against high temperatures. The conservation status of the C. caespitosa bed was overall good, with low epibiosis/necrosis, and negligible bleaching. Demographic traits and size-structure of both colonies and polyps (through corallites) are reported. These rare coral formations might be affected by anthropogenic threats at both local and global scale, thus appropriate conservation measures are needed to avoid significant impacts in the future. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-01554-6.

Communication between the diverse compartments of plant cells relies on an intricate network of molecular interactions that orchestrate organellar development and adaptation to environmental conditions. Plastid‐to‐nucleus signalling pathways play a key role in relaying information from developing, mature, and damaged or disintegrating chloroplasts to the nucleus, which serves to coordinate gene expression between the two genomes. To shed light on these mechanisms, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the response of the Arabidopsis thaliana proteomes to perturbation of chloroplast biogenesis by the antibiotic lincomycin (Lin) in the absence of GENOMES UNCOUPLED 1 (GUN1), a key player in plastid‐to‐nucleus signalling. The topological analysis of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) and co‐expression networks enabled the identification of protein hubs in each genotype and condition tested, and highlighted whole‐cell adaptive responses to the disruption of chloroplast biogenesis. Our findings reveal a novel role for PsbO, a subunit of the oxygen‐evolving complex (OEC), which behaves as an atypical photosynthetic protein upon inhibition of plastid protein synthesis. Notably, and unlike all other subunits of the thylakoid electron transport chain, PsbO accumulates in non‐photosynthetic plastids, and is crucial for the breakdown of damaged chloroplasts.

Introduction Hip fractures in older adults are associated with a significant mortality rate, which has been reported to be around 35% within a year. Today, the incidence of these fractures is on the rise, and this trend is expected to increase even more owing to the aging of the population. Treatment timing and perioperative management of these patients are typically challenging owing to the presence of multiple comorbidities that are important risk factors for mortality after surgery. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between surgical timing and in-hospital mortality, analyzing the role of both acute events and chronic preexisting comorbidities in patient outcomes. Materials and methods This is a single-center, retrospective observational study (from January 2018 until June 2023). All consecutive patients ≥ 65 years with a diagnosis of proximal femur fracture were enrolled. The primary study endpoint was to evaluate risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality. The secondary endpoint was the assessment of the relationship between surgical timing and in-hospital mortality, including factors such as preexisting comorbidities, the Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the Nottingham Hip Fracture Score. The relative weight of each factor for predicting the mortality rate was also evaluated using neural network analysis, comparing patients treated within 24 h to those treated after a longer surgical delay. Results Among the 2320 patients enrolled, 1391 (60%) underwent surgery within 24 h, while 929 patients (40%) were treated after 24 h. For patients who underwent surgery within 24 h, the in-hospital mortality was 2.8%, and for those who underwent surgery after 24 h, it was 5.2% ( p = 0.046; odds ratio (OR) 1.58). Age ( p = 0.001; OR 1.06) and Nottingham score ( p = 0.04; OR 1.32) are factors predicting mortality. Acute infections were related to a high risk of mortality ( p = 0.001; OR 5.99), both in patients treated within and after 24 h. Acute events, such as atrial fibrillation and electrolyte imbalance, were related to mortality risk only in patients treated within 24 h ( p = 0.001 versus p = 0.51). Neural network analysis revealed that atrial fibrillation (AF), flutter, and electrolyte imbalance had the highest relative weight for mortality in patients treated in the first 24 h; by contrast, renal failure and pneumonia were most present in patients who died that were treated after 24 h. Conclusions Hip fracture is known to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in older adults. The impact of the timing of surgical treatment in those patients is crucial for postoperative outcomes. Early surgery is essential to reduce the risk of mortality. Our study has shown that, while in the case of acute and reversible conditions, waiting about 24 h to stabilize the patient with preoperative stabilization protocols, such as managing anticoagulation, optimizing hemodynamics, or addressing acute medical conditions including infection prevention, guarantees better results, in the case of sepsis or acute infection presence, the prolonged waiting to optimize patients before and after surgery does not help improve outcomes.

Huge spruce forest areas have been damaged by massive bark beetle outbreaks across Europe during the past few years. Hence, forest health management requires large-scale inventory of bark beetle outbreaks to plan actions for promptly mitigating forest tree dieback. Deep learning techniques have recently achieved amazing results in imagery semantic segmentation tasks by dominating the recent research for mapping bark beetle outbreaks in Sentinel-2 images of forest areas. In addition, due to the impressive performance of Large Language Models (LLMs) in natural language understanding and generation tasks, LLMs have started attracting attention in multiple fields. In this paper, we describe GANDALF: an approach that leverages the potential of LLMs for mapping bark beetle outbreaks in Sentinel-2 images of forest areas. Specifically, we take advantage of the rich context of textual data to transform Sentinel-2 images in smart data ready for boosting accurate semantic segmentation modeling. We use a foundation LLM model to account for the text encoding of the spectral-spatial imagery context information. We fine-tune the LLM model to perform the semantic segmentation of forest images and use the Integrated Gradients (IG) algorithm to explain how each spectral-spatial information has an effect on the bark beetle outbreak detection. We assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach in a case study regarding bark beetle outbreaks in Sentinel-2 images of forest scenes in Czech Republic.

Aim To assess Digital Health Literacy (DHL) levels among hypertensive patients. Design Cross‐sectional study. Methods The study, conducted from March to August 2024 among hypertensive patients using convenience sampling, employed a 35‐item questionnaire assessing: (I) sociodemographic; (II) physical activity, dietary habits, antihypertensive pharmacological treatment and medical history; (III) online health‐related information knowledge and confidence; (IV) DHL, through the HLS 19 ‐DIGI questionnaire with subscales on: (i) dealing with digital health information (HL‐DIGI), (ii) interaction with digital resources (HL‐DIGI‐INT), (iii) frequency of digital device use for health (HL‐DIGI‐DD). Results Among 311 participants (mean age 63.9 years, SD = 14.8), 42.1% completed high school, 25.4% held a bachelor's degree and 22.8% were physically inactive. While 49.8% were aware of online health‐related information, 28.9% were uncertain and 47.6% lacked confidence in using it for health decisions. On average, participants showed a problematic level of DHL in HL‐DIGI, a sufficient level in HL‐DIGI‐INT, and used digital health devices just over once a week. Older age emerged as a predictor of higher online health‐related knowledge and DHL, while higher education level predicted higher knowledge, confidence and DHL. Physical inactivity was associated with lower online health‐related information knowledge and confidence. Conclusions These findings point to the need to design proactive strategies and implement targeted training and educational interventions to improve DHL in hypertensive patients. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care Enhancing DHL levels through targeted interventions in patient care allows patients to effectively benefit from digital healthcare, achieve positive health outcomes and reduce disparities in care pathways. Reporting Method This study adhered to the STROBE checklist for reporting. Patient or Public Contribution Patients were involved as the study population. Protocol Registration Local Ethical Committee of the University Hospital Company of the Marche Region, Italy (protocol: 2023/279, date: 28/09/2023).

Background With implant dentistry growing in popularity as a means of replacing missing teeth, there is an increasing need for guidance to support regular practice and to ensure that implantology is reinforced with an appropriate evidence base for developing safe prescribing habits. This is particularly important as the prescribing of antibiotics in implant dentistry is becoming increasingly controversial owing to the fear of any failure due to post-operative infection; the possible litigation consequences that might emerge can be a major reason for justifying such prescription protocols. Methodology A questionnaire-based pilot study was carried out, which assessed prescribing behaviours by UK-based dentists placing dental implants. The 11-item questionnaire sought information on implant procedures categorised as straightforward and complex implant procedures. The survey was distributed electronically through local implant study clubs and via dental social media forums. Results A total of 54 dentists responded, with almost 89% of respondents prescribing antibiotics pre-operatively and 85% prescribing antibiotics post-operatively, with amoxicillin always the primary choice. The recommended course of treatment varied between one and seven or more days. Almost half of the respondents prescribed analgesics pre- and/or post-operatively with ibuprofen and paracetamol as the first and second choices, respectively. Dexamethasone was prescribed pre- and post-operatively by 7% of the dentists. Conclusion This study highlighted a lack of national antibiotics prescription guidelines and a lack of consistency in implant dentistry practice in the UK. It also indicated the need for multi-centre studies with large sample sizes that can support the foundation for appropriate guidelines on antibiotic prescribing in implant dentistry.

Substance use disorders disrupt the dopaminergic system of the human brain, which plays a central role in movement and reward processing, altering perception, and cognition. The pleasurable urge to move to music, known as groove, relies on dopamine for reward, anticipation, beat perception, and motor system activity. Using a well-established paradigm, which shows an inverted-U relationship between groove and musical complexity, we investigated how dopamine downregulation from long-term cocaine and heroin use affects the experience of music. Drug users experienced stronger groove with high rhythmic and harmonic complexities than nonusers, while moderate complexities elicited similar responses across groups. This pattern differs from other populations with altered dopaminergic function, such as Parkinson’s disease or musical anhedonia, highlighting a distinct effect of drug addiction on music perception. The findings suggest that drug users seek more intense and complex stimulation, supporting the hypothesis that a hypodopaminergic state associated with drug use raises the threshold for nondrug stimuli to engage the reward system.

To provide an international expert consensus on technical aspects and clinical applications of quantitative lung ultrasound in adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care. The European Society of Intensive Care (ESICM) and the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) endorsed the project. We selected an international panel of 20 adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care experts with clinical and research expertise in quantitative lung ultrasound, plus two non-voting methodologists. Fourteen clinical questions were proposed by the chairs to the panel, who voted for their priority (1–9 Likert-type scale) and proposed modifications/supplementing (two-round vote). All the questions achieved the predefined threshold (mean score > 5) and 14 groups of 3 mixed adult/paediatric experts were identified to develop the statements for each clinical question; predefined groups of experts in the fields of adult and paediatric/neonatal intensive care voted statements specific for these subgroups. An iterative approach was used to obtain the final consensus statements (two-round vote, 1–9 Likert-type scale); statements were classified as with agreement (range 7–9), uncertainty (4–6), disagreement (1–3) when the median score and ≥ 75% of votes laid within a specific range. A total of 46 statements were produced (4 adults-only, 4 paediatric/neonatal-only, 38 interdisciplinary); all obtained agreement. This result was also achieved by acknowledging in the statements the current limitations of quantitative lung ultrasound. This consensus guides the use of quantitative lung ultrasound in adult, paediatric and neonatal intensive care and helps identify the fields where further research will be needed in the future.

A fundamental phase in the life of new Guidelines is the implementation, which responds to the need to facilitate their adoption with interventions and procedures of proven effectiveness to increase their impact on public health. The implementation should follow a scientific method, and therefore shares many characteristics and the rigorous approach of clinical research. However, it differs in purposes, methods, and aims by addressing factors that include identifying and resolving barriers and facilitators in the adoption of evidence-based clinical innovations. The use of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) can be facilitated by technological tools, with the possibility of early diagnosis of several chronic conditions, monitoring and management of the diseases typical of older people and, finally, to personalized care and optimization of healthcare resources. However, remote CGA also has limitations, including technology requirements, data security/privacy, and the need for comprehensive evaluation and simplicity. In this document we present the history and the model of implementation of the Italian guidelines on CGA in older persons. The standardization of CGA in older adults across different settings is particularly important in countries like Italy, that have among the oldest world population and where broader implementation of CGA, also outside traditional geriatric settings, has become a health priority that cannot longer be delayed.

Recent archaeological investigations in the Kohgiluyeh region of southwestern Iran revealed numerous Neolithic sites along with diverse settlement strategies adapted to the local resources and environmental conditions of this high mountainous stretch of the Zagros Mountains. The regional Neolithic chipped stone collections mainly indicate the acquisition and use of local mineral resources, with obsidian being uncommon. Its occurrence suggests the existence of long‐distance acquisition and/or distribution networks. This study presents a provenance analysis of two rare obsidian artifacts recovered during intensive surveys in the Kohgiluyeh region. Using Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X‐Ray Spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS), we characterized the obsidian samples and determined their elemental compositions for source attribution. The results of these analyses indicate that the two artifacts originated from two distinct source areas in southeastern Anatolia: the Nemrut Dağ and Bingöl‐A volcanic complexes. These findings provide evidence to reconstruct socio‐cultural interactions between Neolithic communities along the Zagros Mountains and improve our understanding of settlement strategies in the southern Zagros region during the early stages of sedentism.