Luca Valbonetti

• DVM
• Researcher at University of Teramo

The antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of two Ocimum basilicum L., essential oils sourced from Colombia (BEOC) and Italy (BEOI), was evaluated against multidrug-resistant fish isolates of Salmonella enterica subsp. salamae, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus oceanisediminis—species for which such activity has not been previously reported. Usi...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have acquired an increased recognition to unravel the complex molecular mechanisms underlying Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR), one of the main responsible for infertility. To investigate the impact of miRNA profiles in granulosa cells and follicular fluid, crucial players in follicle development, this study employed a computatio...

The rising incidence of metabolic diseases is linked to elevated blood glucose levels, contributing to conditions such as diabetes and promoting the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs, formed by non-enzymatic reactions between sugars and proteins, build up in tissues and are implicated in various diseases. This article exp...

The oviduct plays a crucial role in the reproductive process, serving as the stage for fertilization and the early stages of embryonic development. When the environment of this organ has been mimicked, it has been shown to enhance in vitro embryo epigenetic reprogramming and to improve the yield of the system. This study explores the anatomical int...

Here, we report for the first time on the mechanisms of action of the essential oil of Ruta graveolens (REO) against the plant pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. In particular, the presence of REO drastically affected the morphology of hyphae by inducing changes in the cytoplasmic membrane, such as depolarization and changes in the fatty acid...

The antimicrobial activity of Origanum vulgare var. hirtum (O) and Coridothymus capitatus (C) essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (HYs) of the same botanical species was evaluated on sixteen L. monocytogenes strains from food and clinical origins. The antimicrobial activity was assessed by Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) determination, viabl...

Introduction Tendon disorders present significant challenges in the realm of musculoskeletal diseases, affecting locomotor activity and causing pain. Current treatments often fall short of achieving complete functional recovery of the tendon. It is crucial to explore, in preclinical research, the pathways governing the loss of tissue homeostasis an...

Nowadays there is an increasing demand for assisted reproductive technologies due to the growth of infertility problems. Naturally, fertilization occurs in the oviduct, where the oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) secrete many molecules that affect the embryo’s metabolism and protect it from oxidative stress. When the OECs are grown in 3D culture sy...

Amniotic membrane and amniotic fluid derived cells are regarded as a promising stem cell source for developing regenerative medicine techniques, although they have never been tested on male infertility diseases such as varicocele (VAR). The current study aimed to examine the effects of two distinct cell sources, human Amniotic Fluid Mesenchymal Str...

Simple Summary Enhancement strategies for native goat breeds are essential for sustainable production. In the present study, milk and cheese derived from the Teramana goat, a native bread of the Abruzzo region, were analysed and compared with those of the intensive Saanen breed. The outcomes showed that the milk and cheese of the Teramana were rich...

Cellulite is a common topographic condition of the skin manifested as lumpy, dimpled flesh resembling an orange peel on some zones such as the thighs, hips, buttocks and abdomen. The aetiology of this cosmetic issue is multifactorial, with hormonal, anatomical, environmental and genetic factors influencing its origin, although the exact mechanisms...

Nowadays, the adoption of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) techniques is undergoing an impressive increase. In light of this, one of the most promising strategies is the novel use of non-physiological materials and naturally derived compounds for advanced sperm preparation methods. Here, sperm cells were exposed during capacitation to MoS2/Catechin nan...

Bone healing is a major clinical issue, especially in bone defects of critical dimensions. Some studies have reported in vivo positive effects on bone healing by some bioactive compounds, such as the phenolic derivatives found in vegetables and plants, such as resveratrol, curcumin, and apigenin. The aim of this work was (1) to analyze in vitro in...

To date, the impossibility of treating resistant forms of bacteria and fungi (AMR) with traditional drugs is a cause for global alarm. We have made the green synthesis of Argirium silver ultra nanoclusters (Argirium-SUNCs) very effective against resistant bacteria (< 1 ppm) and mature biofilm (0.6 ppm). In vitro and preclinical tests indicate that...

Zygomatic implants imply the use of the zygoma as the implant anchorage and have been proposed as a valuable alternative to the invasive classical procedures in cases of severe maxillary atrophy. Despite the numerous manuscripts published in this field, a quantitative analysis of the research products to infer the trends and the status identificati...

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a promising innovative technology for microbial inactivation on food surfaces. In this study, we evaluated the potential of CAP at low (CAP-O3) and high (CAP-NOx) power using Aspergillus chevalieri as a fungal model, one of the most xerophilic and xerotolerant molds causing food spoilage, We observed a strong reduct...

MicroRNAs are small non-coding molecules that control several cellular functions and act as negative post-transcriptional regulators of the mRNA. While their implication in several biological functions is already known, an important role as regulators of different physiological and pathological processes in fertilization and embryo development is c...

The development of 3D printers and the advances in materials science and tissue engineering in the last years have allowed the implementation of this technology in several research areas. So, it has been used as a tool to create a 3D-oviduct-on-a-chip with poly(dimethylsiloxane) that mimics de physiological environment, which has proved to be usefu...

Study question Are there any potential effects derived from the exposure of spermatozoa to MoS2/catechins nanoflakes during the process of capacitation? Summary answer The spermatozoa exposure to MoS2/catechin nanoflakes do not induce toxicity on spermatozoa and modulate sperm capacitation in a swine in vitro model. What is known already Molybden...

Study question Do human spermatozoa express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor? What would be its localization? Summary answer Human spermatozoa express uniformly ACE2 on the sperm head and the flagellum. Moreover, the short-ACE2 isoform is concentrated on the post-acrosomal region and midpiece. What is known already The Severe Acute...

Simple Summary The involvement of the oviductal epithelial cells and progesterone hormone on the sperm fertilizing ability was investigated here by using an in vitro fertilization (IVF) swine model. By using different techniques, we demonstrated that oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) pre-treated with progesterone (P4) at 100 ng/mL represent the ide...

The increased resistance of bacteria to antimicrobials, as well as the growing interest in innovative and sustainable alternatives to traditional food additives, are driving research towards the use of natural food preservatives. Among these, hydrolates (HYs) have gained attention as “mild” alternatives to conventional antimicrobial compounds. In t...

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a protein widely expressed in numerous cell types, with different biological roles mainly related to the renin-angiotensin system. Recently, ACE2 has been in the spotlight due to its involvement in the SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. There are no data available regarding the expression of ACE2 and its short-AC...

The washing step is necessary to remove biological and physical hazards from minimally processed vegetables. Nevertheless, the risk of foodborne diseases could persist even after washing due to postsanitizing contamination, and little is known about the antimicrobial effect of residual sanitizers. This study was conducted to compare the effectivene...

Human hypofertility and infertility are two worldwide conditions experiencing nowadays an alarming increase due to a complex ensemble of events. The immune system has been suggested as one of the responsible for some of the etiopathogenic mechanisms involved in these conditions. To shed some light into the strong correlation between the reproductiv...

In this work, a multi-colour woodcut on paper, representing a Minnesanger (love poet) who declares his love to a young lady, was studied from both historical and archaeometric points of view. In the absence of historical or documentary information, non-invasive imaging, EDXRF and µ-Raman spectroscopies were employed, in order to date this artefact....

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of selected essential oils (EOs) and hydrolates (Hs) against L. monocytogenes biofilms on polystyrene (PS) and stainless steel (SS) surfaces. Methods and results: Among others, Origanum hirtum EO, Corydothymus capitatus EO and Citrus aurantium H were selected to treat L. monocytogenes biofilms...

The current protocols of in vitro fertilization and culture in sheep rely on paradigms established more than 25 years ago, where Metaphase II oocytes are co-incubated with capacitated spermatozoa overnight. While this approach maximizes the number of fertilized oocytes, on the other side it exposes them to high concentration of reactive oxygen spec...

The widespread use of internet has had enormous consequences in changing the way of accessing to scientific literature in all domains of knowledge and, in particular, in medicine. One of the most important related factors is the idea of making research output freely available: the so-called Open Access (OA) option. OA is considered very important i...

This work highlights how our silver ultra nanoclusters (ARGIRIUM-SUNc) hand-made synthesized, are very useful as a bactericide and anti-biofilm agent. The Argirium-SUNc effective antibacterial concentrations are very low (< 1 ppm) as compared to the corresponding values reported in the literature. Different bacterial defense mechanisms are observed...

Understanding the bacterial behavior in response to sublethal stresses is crucial for the optimization of antimicrobial treatments, particularly in food processing. However, the data regarding the effect of sublethal concentrations of essential oils (EOs) on microbial cells are still scarce. In this study, we evaluated the response of Listeria mono...

In this study, nine Oenococcus oeni strains were tested for their ability to adhere to polystyrene using mMRS and wine as culture media. Moreover, planktonic and biofilm-detached cells were investigated for their influence on malic acid degradation kinetics and aroma compound production. Three strains were able to adhere on polystyrene plates in a...

In the present paper, for the first time, non-invasive techniques have been employed to improve the knowledge of a Coronation of the Virgin dating back to 1560-70. This is an old master drawing by Giorgio Vasari, considered one of the major painters and art theoric of Italian late 16th Century. The adopted multi-technique approach, involving prelim...

Maxillary sinus augmentation is often necessary prior to implantology procedure, in particular in cases of atrophic posterior maxilla. In this context, bone substitute biomaterials made of biphasic calcium phosphates, produced by three-dimensional additive manufacturing were shown to be highly biocompatible with an efficient osteoconductivity, espe...

Based on the abundance of scientific publications, the polymodal sensor TRPV1 is known as one of the most studied proteins within the TRP channel family. This receptor has been found in numerous cell types from different species as well as in spermatozoa. The present review is focused on analyzing the role played by this important channel in the po...

An exponential increase of scientific works dealing with the use of polyphenol-rich ‘natural products’ for the synthesis of bioactive AgNPs is in progress. However, a lack of fundamental studies on phytochemical compounds involved, and their role is evident. In this work, a comprehensive study of the antifungal performances of silver nanoparticles...

Since its discovery, graphene and its multiple derivatives have been extensively used in many fields and with different applications, even in biomedicine. Numerous efforts have been made to elucidate the potential toxicity derived from their use, giving rise to an adequate number of publications with varied results. On this basis, the study of the...

Background—the graphene-doping procedure represents a useful procedure to improve the mechanical, physical and biological response of several Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-derived polymers and biomaterials for dental applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate osseointegration of Graphene doped Poly(methyl methacrylate) (GD-PMMA) compared...

In dairy processing environments, many bacterial species adhere and form biofilms on surfaces and equipment, leading to foodborne illness and food spoilage. Among them, Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas spp. could be present in mixed-species biofilms. This study aimed to evaluate the interactions between L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens in...

Background We previously demonstrated how mouse spermatozoa can be efficiently stored for two years in a –80°C freezer, maintaining their ability to fertilize mouse eggs. Objectives The main objective here was to evaluate the effects of five years at –80°C compared to liquid nitrogen storage (LN2, control condition) on mouse spermatozoa viability,...

This study aimed to investigate the use of pulsed electric fields (PEF) (2 kV/ cm; 1.5 KJ kg⁻¹) as pre-treatment to the hot air drying process for the improvement of quality and functional properties of saffron. Analysis of flavouring, aroma and colouring strength (E1%λmax), crocins pattern (UHPLC-MS/MS), total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxid...

In dairy processing environments, many bacterial species form biofilms on surfaces and equipment. Among them, Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas spp. could be present in mixed-species biofilms with increased resistance to disinfectants. This study aimed to evaluate the interactions between L. monocytogenes and P. fluorescens in dual-species bio...

Recent experimental findings suggest the involvement of the 26S proteasome, the main protease active in eukaryotic cells, in the process that leads mammalian sperm to become fully fertile, so-called capacitation. Unfortunately, its role in male gametes signaling is still far from being completely understood. For this reason, here, we realized a com...

Background: Various surface treatments have been tested for titanium implants aiming at increasing their surface biocompatibility and their biological characteristics, but also the efficiency of the implant surface will have to be improved to drastically decrease peri-implantite and mucosite. In fact, the peri-implantitis and peri-implant mucositis...

Electrospun PLGA microfibers with adequate intrinsic physical features (fiber alignment and diameter) have been shown to boost teno-differentiation and may represent a promising solution for tendon tissue engineering. However, the hydrophobic properties of PLGA may be adjusted through specific treatments to improve cell biodisponibility. In this st...

During the latest years, human infertility worsened all over the world and is nowadays reputed as a global public health issue. As a consequence, the adoption of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is undergoing an impressive increase. In this context, one of the most promising strategies is the innovative...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/3591086.].

Injured tendons are challenging in their regeneration; thus, tissue engineering represents a promising solution. This research tests the hypothesis that the response of amniotic epithelial stem cells (AECs) can be modulated by fiber diameter size of tendon biomimetic fleeces. Particularly, the effect of electrospun poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA)...

In this study the effect of matrix composition on process encapsulation efficiency, antioxidant capacity and physical properties of microencapsulated olive (Olea europaea L.) leaves extract (OLE) powders obtained by freeze-drying were investigated. Total solids, matrix composition (maltodextrin and trehalose, alone or mixtures) and OLE:matrix ratio...

Olive leaves are a main source of polyphenols, compounds exhibiting very interesting functional and healthy properties. Nevertheless, the bitter taste of phenolics, together with their physico-chemical instability, are still limiting their use as free compounds into food products. Microencapsulation could represent a promising technique to increase...

Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins are commonly found in plants and other organisms capable of undergoing severe and reversible dehydration, a phenomenon termed "anhydrobiosis". Here, we have produced a tagged version for three different LEA proteins: pTag-RAB17-GFP-N, Zea mays dehydrin-1dhn, expressed in the nucleo-cytoplasm; pTag-WCOR410-...

In mammals, apoptosis has been accepted as the type of programmed cell death (PCD) that occurs in ovarian follicles undergoing atresia. Results of recent studies, however, indicate autophagy may be an alternative mechanism involved in follicle depletion through independent or tandem actions with apoptosis. Western blotting and immunofluorescence pr...

Mammalian spermatozoa are infertile immediately after ejaculation and need to undergo a functional maturation process to acquire the competence to fertilize the female egg. During this process, called capacitation, the actin cytoskeleton dramatically changes its organization. First, actin fibers polymerize, forming a network over the anterior part...

Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins are commonly found in organisms capable of undergoing reversible dehydration - anhydrobiosis. Here, we have produced three LEA proteins: pTag-RAB17-GFP-N, Zea mays dehydrin-1dhn, expressed in the nucleo-cytoplasm; pTag-WCOR410-RFP, Tricum aestivum cold acclimation protein WCOR410, binding to cellular membr...

The aim of this work is the historical and archaeometric investigation of a unique six-colour single-sheet relief print on paper belonging to a private collector. It is undescribed, undated and unsigned, and it depicts Charlemagne enthroned in Aachen Cathedral. The print was tentatively dated to the 16th century based on the style and iconography....

Graphene Oxide (GO) is a widely used biomaterial with an amazing variety of applications in biology and medicine. Recently, we reported the ability of GO to improve the in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes in swine, a validated animal model with a high predictive value for human fertility. For that reason, here we characterized the mechanisms invo...

Amniotic epithelial cells (AECs), an emerging source of extrafoetal stem cells, have recently attracted attention for their great regenerative potential. Since AEC amplifications are accompanied by the loss of their native epithelial phenotype and by the progressive reduction of relevant biological properties, the issue to be addressed is the devel...

Varicocele is the most common causes of male infertility. It affects 15-20% of men, and the 20% of them are infertile (1). Varicocele diagnosis is quite difficult since no semen analysis or molecular profiles are predictive of fertility impairment Neither therapeutic protocols have been identified yet, even if cell-based regenerative medicine seems...

Background: The process of osseointegration of dental implants is characterized by healing phenomena at the level of the interface between the surface and the bone. Implant surface modification has been introduced in order to increase the level of osseointegration. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of biofunctional coatings for...

The relationship between varicocele and fertility has always been a matter of debate because of the absence of predictive clinical indicators or molecular markers able to define the severity of this disease. Even though accumulated evidence demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a central role in male reproductive biology, particu...

This is a study of amniotic epithelial cells, which form the innermost layer of the amniotic membrane. These cells can be easily isolated and display peculiar and unique properties, such as plasticity and differentiation potential toward the 3 germinal layers, that may aid regeneration and/or repair of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. A robu...

The field of regenerative medicine is moving toward clinical practice in veterinary science. In this context, placenta-derived stem cells isolated from domestic animals have covered a dual role, acting both as therapies for patients and as a valuable cell source for translational models. The biological properties of placenta-derived cells, comparab...

Aims: The study was focused on P. fluorescens strains isolated from Mozzarella cheese, with the aim of evaluating the effects of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (OEO) on the biofilm formation and eradication, as well as on the motility and blue pigment production at 10°C. Methods and results: Microdilution method was used to determine the mini...

We realized the exposure of boar spermatozoa to graphene oxide (GO) at concentration of 0.5, 1, 5, 10 and 50 mg/mL in an in vitro system able to promote the capacitation, i.e. the process that allows sperm cells to became fertile. Interestingly, we found that the highest GO concentration (5, 10 and 50 mg/mL) are toxic for spermatozoa, while the low...

The adoption of high-througput technologies demonstrated that in mature spermatozoa are present proteins that are thought to be not present or active in sperm cells, such as those involved in control of cell cycle. Here, by using an in silico approach based on the application of networks theory, we found that Cyclins/Cdk complexes could play a cent...

Cell-based therapy hold great promise for tendon disorders, a widespread debilitating musculoskeletal condition. Even if the cell line remains to be defined, preliminary evidences have proven that amniotic-derived cells possess in vitro and in vivo a great tenogenic potential. The present study investigated the efficacy of transplanted human amniot...

Mammalian spermatozoa, immediately after ejaculation, are virtually infertile and reach their full fertilizing ability only after they reside within the female genital tract for hours to days, depending on the species. This process, the capacitation, implies marked changes in the whole biochemical machinery expressed by spermatozoa. The adoption of...

Mammalian spermatozoa, immediately after ejaculation, are virtually infertile and reach their full fertilizing ability only after they reside within the female genital tract for hours to days, depending on the species. This process, the capacitation, implies marked changes in the whole biochemical machinery expressed by spermatozoa. The adoption of...

Post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) is a relevant, worldwide disease caused by porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2). Microscopically, PMWS is mainly characterized by lymphocytic depletion, macrophage infiltration and syncytia in lymphoid tissues. Some data suggest that follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) could be infected by PCV2, thus lik...

Graphene oxide (GO), is one of the most widely investigated water-soluble functionalized analogue of graphene, with applications in regenerative medicine and biotechnology. To date, data on toxicity are conflicting, and althought several reports have shown that GO could have some negative effect on human health [1,2,3] andtime,dose-anddimension-dep...

This study evaluated four implant surfaces in a minipig model: (1) Kohno Straight dual-engineered surface (DES) (Sweden & Martina); (2) SLActive (Straumann); (3) SM Biotite-H coated with Brushite (DIO); and (4) UF hybrid sandblasted and acid etched (HAS) (DIO). The surfaces presented different topographic features on the macro-, micro-, and nanosca...

Purpose: The presence of a microgap between implant and abutment could produce a bacterial reservoir which could interfere with the long-term health of the periimplant tissues. The aim of this article was to evaluate, by x-ray 3-dimensional microtomography, implant-abutment contact surfaces and microgaps at the implant-abutment interface in differ...

Three biodegradable thermoplastic polymers, poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(L-lactide-co-D,L-lactide) (PLA) and poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), have been used to produce nonwovens scaffolds with uniform micrometre fibres. Scaffolds’ physical and morphological characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy an...

Background: The platelets used in oral, maxillofacial, and plastic surgery are generally grouped as concentrated platelet-rich plasma. The general principle of production consists of a centrifugation, making it possible to eliminate red blood cells, then acellular plasma, to preserve only the concentrated platelets. Objective: The aim of the pre...

Background: Microgap is defined as the microscopic space that exists between the implant body and abutment. The main mechanism proposed for microgap-related crestal bone loss is the role of this space as a trap for bacteria and thus, as a putative etiological factor for inflammatory reaction in the peri-implant soft tissues. The aim of this paper...