University of Perugia

An efficient Ni‐based heterogeneous catalyst from pine needles urban waste valorization was designed and developed with a resource recycling strategy. The Ni/PiNe catalyst was fully characterized and tested in the Suzuki‐Miyaura coupling under microwave irradiation. Although Ni is a promising candidate for replacing Pd‐based catalytic systems, it generally requires a high catalyst amount and the exploitation of ligands and additives to enhance the reaction rate. On the contrary, with our new Ni/PiNe, 30 different products were efficiently synthesized with an isolated yield of up to 93 %, using a very low catalyst amount and in the absence of ligands. Furthermore, the Ni/PiNe catalyst also showed good durability for consecutive cycles and an impressive TON value (1140). In addition to the catalytic efficiency in short reaction time and to the stability and durability under MW irradiation, the Ni/PiNe allowed for further optimization, achieving a low E‐factor value (14.0), thus highlighting the potential in further reducing the waste and costs associated to the process.

Goats are kept in both intensive and extensive production systems. The most intensive farms are highly industrialized with larger herd sizes. In more extensive systems with large herds, goats have access to an outdoor area in periods or the whole year round. This may decrease animal density and thus increase the welfare of goats. Goats and goat kids can be kept in an uninsulated, cold building and, to a certain extent, may also tolerate high temperatures if they have access to shade and the barns are adequate in terms of space and design. An increase in group size while keeping the floor space per individual constant, reduces aggression, increases social tolerance and locomotion, and opens new possibilities for creating a more stimulating indoor environment. Environmental enrichment improves welfare by reducing social conflicts, providing stimulating activities, and allowing for individual differences. Overall, a heterogeneous environment offering resources and activities placed on different locations in the environment makes it possible for the animals to make individual choices. Environments allowing more individual choices may enhance welfare in itself. The ideal natural pasture should be a vegetational mosaic, more suited for satisfying the behavioural and dietary needs. When evaluating a diet at pasture, the quality of a specific feed goes beyond the mere nutritional value as it also includes the presence of any positive nutraceutical compounds and the absence of elements that can be toxic to the animal.

We introduce the fragment‐pairwise Local Energy Decomposition (fp‐LED) scheme for precise quantification of individual interactions contributing to the binding energy of arbitrary chemical entities, such as protein‐ligand binding energies, lattice energies of molecular crystals, or association energies of large biomolecular assemblies. Using fp‐LED, we can assess whether the contribution to the binding energy arising from noncovalent interactions between pairs of molecular fragments in any chemical system is attractive or repulsive, and accurately quantify its magnitude at the coupled cluster level ‐ commonly considered as the “gold standard” of computational chemistry. Such insights are crucial for advancing molecular and material design strategies in fields like catalysis and therapeutic development. Illustrative applications across diverse fields demonstrate the versatility and accuracy of this theoretical framework, promising profound implications for fundamental understanding and practical applications.

We introduce the fragment‐pairwise Local Energy Decomposition (fp‐LED) scheme for precise quantification of individual interactions contributing to the binding energy of arbitrary chemical entities, such as protein‐ligand binding energies, lattice energies of molecular crystals, or association energies of large biomolecular assemblies. Using fp‐LED, we can assess whether the contribution to the binding energy arising from noncovalent interactions between pairs of molecular fragments in any chemical system is attractive or repulsive, and accurately quantify its magnitude at the coupled cluster level ‐ commonly considered as the “gold standard” of computational chemistry. Such insights are crucial for advancing molecular and material design strategies in fields like catalysis and therapeutic development. Illustrative applications across diverse fields demonstrate the versatility and accuracy of this theoretical framework, promising profound implications for fundamental understanding and practical applications.

This large multicenter study of 37 magnetic resonance imaging scanners aimed at characterizing, for the first time, spatial profiles of inaccuracy (namely, Δ-profiles) in apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values with varying acquisition plan orientation and diffusion weighting gradient direction, using a statistical approach exploiting unsupervised clustering analysis. A diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) protocol (b-value: 0–200–400–600–800–1000 s mm⁻²) with different combinations of acquisition plan orientation (axial/sagittal/coronal) and diffusion weighting gradient direction (anterior-posterior/left-right/feet-head) was acquired on a standard water phantom. For each acquisition setup, Δ-profiles along the 3 main orthogonal directions were characterized by fitting data with a second order polynomial function (ar² + br + c). Moreover, for each Δ-profile, the maximum minus minimum of the fitting function (δmax) was calculated. The parameters a, b, c, and δmax showed some significant variations between scanner systems by different manufacturers or with different static magnetic field strengths, as well as between different acquisition/estimation setups. Unsupervised clustering analysis showed two evident clusters with significantly different values of parameter a (p < 0.0001), which can be grouped by acquisition protocol/Δ-profile direction but not scanner system. The results of ∆-profiles confirm an appreciable inter-scanner variability in ADC measurement and corroborate the importance of guarantying the reliability of ADC estimations in clinical or research studies, considering for each scanner system the specific acquisition sequence in terms of acquisition plan orientation and diffusion weighting gradient direction.

Food quality is a crucial issue for producers and consumers, either dealing with commodities according to basic standards or with top quality products. Among the parameters contributing to quality, the...

Background Despite numerous efforts to demonstrate the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 in semen of affected males, no clear evidence exists. We conducted a multicenter prospective study on adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 including patients with active infection (Active Group) and with a history of COVID-19 disease at least of 6 months (Recovered Group). An RT-PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 and a semen analysis were performed on the semen of the enrolled patients. Genital/sexual symptoms were investigated in both groups. In the active infection group, urinary and sexual functions were assessed in the active phase and after 6 months. Finally, the literature on the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in semen was reviewed non-systematically. Results Sixty-five patients were enrolled (Active Group = 15, Recovered Group = 50). RT-PCR testing for SARS-CoV-2 found no trace of the virus in any of the semen samples. Genital/sexual symptoms during the active phase were reported in 8 (12.2%) patients. No statistically significant differences in semen quality were found between the two groups. IPSS and IIEF-5 scores did not change significantly during the different phases of infection about ( p > 0.05). Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 was not detected in semen of acute or recovered cases. Sperm parameters were not significantly different in the two groups. Urinary and erectile functions appeared stable across the phases of infection.

Objectives Concurrence of pregnancy and cancer diagnosis is increasingly frequent in Italy. The study aimed to compare women with pregnancy-associated cancers (PACs) to those of childbearing age, focusing on fertility, induced abortion, and miscarriage. Methods The population-based study included women aged 15-49 years, both with and without PAC, who were residents in the area covered by the 19 participating Cancer Registries between 2003 and 2015 and identified by individual deterministic linkage with the Hospital Discharge Database. Results Overall, 2,218,139 obstetrics hospitalizations occurred, covering delivery (75%), induced abortion (14%), and miscarriage (11%). Among 2409 women with PAC, 69% gave birth, 16% had an induced abortion and 15% a miscarriage. Compared with the reference population, the fertility rate in women with PACs was steadily lower (mean values 25.7/1000 vs 37.7/1000), while induced abortion (from 359/1000 - SRR 1.99, 95%CI 1.32-3.00 - in 2003 to 147/1000 - SRR 1.11, 95%CI 0.59-2.09 - in 2015) and miscarriage ratios exhibited a decreasing trend. Conclusion These results are consistent with international literature and are probably due to advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities. This is the first Italian population-based study analysing fertility and pregnancy outcomes among women with PAC based on a reliable information on cancer diagnosis.

A packaged silicon photonics radio-frequency (RF) synthesizer operating in the millimeter (mm-) wave band suitable for clock signal distribution in b5G/6G radio access networks is realized and experimentally characterized. The assembly include a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) acting as a frequency multiplier for a local oscillator (LO) reference at microwave frequencies and a printed circuit board (PCB) hosting a custom bias tee designed to provide a wideband matching condition over more than 6 GHz around 20 GHz for the input LO signal and supporting high power levels for efficient frequency multiplication operation. Phase noise (PN) measurements performed on a 100 GHz generated RF carrier via five-fold multiplication of a LO wave at 20 GHz indicate a low PN of -97 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz from the carrier with a small excess timing jitter of less than 2 fs with respect to the LO signal, making the circuit operating nearly as an ideal frequency multiplier.

During the last decades, the uncontrolled urbanization process, together with the increase of anthropogenic activities, led to a significant increase in phenomena such as global warming and pollution. Human health is significantly threatened by these events and growing attention has been paid to their effects on mental health. Different mechanisms mediate the association between climate change and the possible development of psychiatric conditions, such as the occurrence of natural disasters that represent a major risk factor for post-traumatic and mood disorders. Moreover, such events may critically impact social determinants of mental health, contributing to inequality in food and water access, increasing social disparities, and disrupting social networks. Climate change also influences urbanization processes by causing ecomigration phenomena, and may as well determine higher pollution levels. As for the latter, air pollution has been confirmed as a crucial environmental determinant of mental health, leading to the development of psychiatric disorders and to the exacerbation of pre-existing conditions, also on the basis of neuroinflammatory pathway that may activate in response to pollutant exposure. Not only air, but also noise and light pollution cause a detrimental effect on mental health, acting through different mechanisms that involve the disruption of circadian rhythms as well as biological pathways related to inflammation and oxidative stress. In this chapter, an overview of the role of climate change and different sources of pollution as determinants of mental health is provided, and specific attention is also paid to the possible mechanisms through which these factors may act.

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It is not uncommon in medicine to investigate signs and symptoms that are severely disabling to the patient which in the end are not associated with any underlying organic cause. These conditions include sick building syndrome and mass hysteria, conditions that have a close correlation with alteration of the psychological sphere. Difficulty of diagnosis and treatment, as well as the associated stigma, make these conditions complex to manage. In addition, they tend to have a nonnegligible cost, both from a health and social point of view: knowing how to recognize and manage them is key to reducing the associated burden for both patient and community.

Connection between skin and brain has always been a fascinating and intricate topic in medicine, especially in dermatology and psychiatric fields. Since skin is the outermost layer that connects us with the outside world and is difficult to hide, it is easy to understand how those who suffer from chronic skin diseases have a lower quality of life and higher rates of depression or anxiety when compared to healthy-skin people. In clinical practice, it is not unusual to see the worsening or new onset of dermatological diseases after a stressful event in patient life that acts in fact as a trigger thus making the skin-brain axis a bidirectional circuit. CRH, ACTH, and cortisol are just some of the substances that regulate the communication between skin and brain that can lead to the release of inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or many other dermatological disorders.

Background Sacubitril/valsartan (S/V) is a cornerstone treatment for heart failure (HF). Beneficial effects on hospitalization rates, mortality, and left ventricular remodeling have been observed in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Despite the positive results, the influence of S/V on renal function during long-term follow-up has received little attention. Aims We investigated the long-term effects of S/V therapy on renal function in a large cohort of patients with HFrEF. Additionally, we examined the effects of the drug in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared to those with preserved renal function and identified primary risk characteristics Methods We studied 776 outpatients with HFrEF and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40% from an observational registry of the Italian Society of Cardiology, all receiving optimized standard-of-care therapy with S/V. The patients were included in a multicentric open-label registry from 11 Italian academic hospitals. Kidney function was evaluated at baseline, after 6 months of S/V, and at 4 years. Patients were followed-up through periodic clinical visits. Results During a 48-month follow-up period, 591 patients remained stable and 185 patients (24%) experienced adverse events (85 deaths and 126 hospitalizations). S/V therapy marginally affects renal function during the follow-up period (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at baseline 72.01 vs eGFR at follow-up 70.38 ml/min/m², p = 0.01; and creatinine was 1.06 at baseline vs 1.10 at follow-up, p < 0.04). Among patients who maintained preserved renal function, 35% were in Dose 3 and 10% dropped out of S/V therapy (p < 0.006). Univariate analysis showed that Drop-out of S/V (HR 2.73 [2.01, 3.71], p < 0.001), history of previous HF hospitalization (HR 1.75 [1.30, 2.36], p < 0.001), advanced NYHA class (HR 2.14 [1.60, 2.86], p < 0.001), NT-proBNP values >1000 pg/ml (HR 1.95[1.38, 2.77], p < 0.001), furosemide dose >50 mg (HR 2.04 [1.48, 2.82], p < 0.001), and creatinine values >1.5 mg/dl occurred during follow-up (HR 1.74 [1.24, 2.43], p < 0.001) were linked to increased risk. At multivariable analysis, increased doses of loop diuretics, advanced NYHA class, creatinine >1.5 mg/dl, and atrial fibrillation were independent predictors of adverse events. Conclusion Long-term S/V therapy is associated with improved outcomes and renal protection in patients with HFrEF. This effect is more pronounced in patients who tolerate escalating doses. The positive effects of the drug are maintained in both CKD and preserved renal function. Future research may study the safety and underlying causes of current protection.

Boron shows a variety of properties, determining a chemistry rich and complementary to that of carbon, the neighbor atom in the Periodic Table. In this work, we investigated the strength and nature of the interaction involving B12 or B36 monomer, which represent molecular prototypes of borophene, the two-dimensional allotrope of elemental boron. For the representation of the intermolecular interaction, we developed new potential energy surfaces (PESs) that are based on accurate ab initio or density functional theory data. It is shown that borophene molecules are bound by weak intermolecular interactions of van der Waals nature, perturbed by antiaromatic effects. Moreover, the proposed PESs are given in an analytical form proper to investigate the structures and energetics of (B12)n and (B36)n clusters (with n = 2–10) by applying a global geometry optimization procedure. It is found that the most stable structures of (B12)n favor close contacts between the edges of the monomers, leading to cage-like clusters as n increases, and conversely, (B36)n clusters are mainly composed of stacked or herringbone structures. These results suggest the possibility to produce a novel class of two-dimensional borophene materials, exhibiting different features compared to graphene like structures, which could be of interest for the nanotechnology.