Search Results (161,911)

Influenza viruses remain a major health threat, causing significant illness, death, and high healthcare costs worldwide, despite ongoing research and prevention efforts. A complex interaction between host and viral factors greatly influences the outcomes of influenza infection. Early research mainly focused on the influenza virus’s characteristics, but gaining an in-depth understanding of host factors involved in infection helps identify those that may influence disease severity. Notably, as the number of people with one or more comorbidities—that is, conditions that increase the risk of severe influenza—continues to rise, it becomes even more important to investigate the role of host factors. Recognizing host risk factors associated with severe outcomes, mainly caused by excessive inflammatory responses and disruption of epithelial barrier function, is crucial in identifying predictive markers and developing host-based prevention and treatment strategies, especially during pandemics. Moreover, early identification of host risk factors can help reduce severe outcomes and healthcare costs due to hospitalization. To achieve this, detailed analyses of the molecular signature of the host response to influenza virus infection are essential. This review highlights key host factors involved in severe influenza, allowing a better understanding of their roles, especially at the cellular level. Full article

The transcription factor c-Myc is known to regulate DNA replication via a non-transcriptional mechanism by interacting with proteins of the pre-replicative complex. In addition, c-Myc localizes to DNA replication foci, similarly to Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA); however, the significance of this localization remains unclear. Here, we investigated whether c-Myc interacts with PCNA and analyzed the possible function of this association. We found a conserved interaction motif, the PCNA-interacting protein (PIP) box, in the N-terminal region of c-Myc. Confocal microscopy analysis showed co-localization with PCNA in early S-phase, but not in late S-phase cells. Co-immunoprecipitation from cell extracts and pull-down of recombinant proteins indicated a direct physical association between c-Myc and PCNA, which was confirmed in situ by the Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA). Further experiments demonstrated that c-Myc interacts with CUL4A and DDB1, components of the Cullin Ring E3 ubiquitin ligase 4 (CRL4) complex, in which PCNA functions as a cofactor. Mutations in the PIP box of c-Myc, as well as depletion of CUL4A by RNA interference, resulted in an increased stability of c-Myc protein. These results suggest that the interaction with PCNA functionally contributes to the regulation of c-Myc stability in early S phase via the CRL4 complex. Full article

This paper presents the mechanical design and experimental evaluation of the biped unit of LARMbot V.3—a compact low-cost humanoid robot for educational and research purposes. The biped unit features a modular architecture with a parallel leg mechanism for bipedal locomotion. The mechanical configuration of the unit is introduced, highlighting improvements on previous versions in terms of compactness and operating efficiency. A functional prototype is developed and described with detailed specifications of its actuation and transmission systems. To evaluate the performance of the proposed design, experimental tests were conducted both in-air and on-ground, demonstrating the robot’s ability to perform repeatable walking cycles. The results confirm the feasibility of the design and its potential as a platform for further developments in humanoid locomotion. Full article

The global shift toward renewable energy systems raises major challenges related to the variability of solar and wind power and their poor alignment with electricity demand. This paper addresses energy adequacy, defined as the ability of an energy system to reliably meet demand by balancing generation, storage, transmission, and reserves for unforeseen events. Within this framework, energy storage systems are identified as strategic components, requiring a diversified and multi-scale set of solutions-from territorial to building scale-to respond to infrastructural constraints and user behaviour. The study adopts a multi-scalar and interdisciplinary methodology combining deductive and inductive approaches. The deductive analysis examines global, European, and Italian electricity systems, highlighting issues such as overcapacity and grid instability caused by the uncoordinated development of renewable generation and network infrastructures. The inductive approach focuses on existing storage technologies, with particular attention to two types of thermal energy storage selected for their simplicity, scalability, and replicability. Hydropower reservoirs are also considered due to their multifunctional role in energy balancing. Two case studies developed by the research group—a public building energy retrofit in Milan and a modular off-grid housing prototype—demonstrate how integrated storage solutions can enhance system flexibility. The results emphasize the necessity of a systemic design approach that combines storage technologies, adaptable energy use, and active user participation to ensure energy adequacy in scenarios with high renewable penetration. Full article

The transport of dangerous goods (TDG) produces serious risks, particularly in urban areas, due to the high presence of people and sensitive infrastructures from a social, environmental and economic point of view. Transport Risk Assessment combines occurrence, vulnerability and exposure to support urban transport planning aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The objective of this paper is to propose a simplified risk calculation method, referring to a single link of the urban transport network, with reference to the occurrence component of the risk. The proposed formulation considers the sequence of factors that determine the overall dangerous event. The specification of the occurrence factors and a quantitative definition of the different parameters for a widespread type of transport of dangerous goods in urban areas is proposed. The results obtained are interesting because (1) the method, with quantitative parameters, can be applied to any urban area, and (2) some of the factors can also be used by replacing and introducing, where known, specific factors and relative parameters calibrated for the area for which it is planned to be implemented. The results indicate the feasibility of the proposed method without significant chemical–physical or electromechanical insights. This work is of potential interest for urban transport planners and public and private decision makers. Full article

Evapotranspiration and crop coefficients are key variables for designing efficient irrigation strategies in tree crops, yet standard tabulated coefficients derived for mature, fully covering orchards often fail to represent the water use of young, high-density hazelnut systems. In recent years, updated crop coefficients for temperate fruit trees, including hazelnut, and transpiration-based models have been proposed, while several studies have successfully linked Vegetation Indices and thermal metrics to single and basal crop coefficients in vineyards, orchards and field crops. However, no information is available on the use of UAV-derived spectral and thermal indices to estimate crop coefficients in high-density hazelnut orchards. This study compares crop coefficients obtained from traditional approaches (the FAO56 single crop coefficient, a transpiration-based coefficient, and ground cover reduction factors) with coefficients estimated from UAV-derived Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI) in a subsurface-drip-irrigated hazelnut orchard (cv. Tonda Francescana^®) with two planting densities (625 and 1250 trees ha⁻¹) in central Italy. Multispectral and thermal UAV surveys carried out between 2021 and 2024 were used to derive canopy geometrical traits, ground cover, NDWI, and CWSI, while a local weather station provided reference evapotranspiration. Empirical relationships were calibrated between crop coefficients and ground cover, NDWI, and CWSI, and mid-season coefficients were applied to estimate daily crop evapotranspiration, which was then compared with the irrigation volumes supplied during the 2024 season. The standard FAO56 crop coefficient (Kc = 0.9) overestimated evapotranspiration, especially at the lower planting density, whereas ground cover-based reduction factors recalibrated for hazelnut and the transpiration-based coefficient provided estimates more consistent with the applied irrigation. UAV-based NDWI- and CWSI-derived crop coefficients produced mid-season values close to those obtained with the transpiration-based method for both planting densities, confirming that spectral and thermal information can effectively capture the combined effects of canopy development and water status. These results indicate that combining traditional methods with UAV-derived indices offers a flexible framework to refine crop coefficients in high-density hazelnut orchards and support more accurate and spatially explicit irrigation scheduling. Full article

Vitamin D is a pleiotropic secosteroid with endocrine and intracrine actions that influence key phases of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Epithelial barriers, antigen-presenting cells and effector lymphocytes express the vitamin D receptor and enzymes required for local activation, allowing circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D to be converted into its active form and modulate immune interactions. During the peri-transplant period, sunlight deprivation, reduced intake, mucosal injury, cholestasis and corticosteroid exposure markedly reduce vitamin D levels at a time when antigen presentation and immune reconstitution occur. This review integrates mechanistic immunology with clinical observations and interventional data to outline strategies that prevent severe deficiency. It summarizes epidemiology before and after transplantation, associations with acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, relapse, engraftment, infections, bone health and survival, and evaluates dosing approaches including pre-conditioning loading and reassessment at day thirty with escalation if needed. Absorption-savvy formulations such as oral thin-film and intramuscular cholecalciferol are considered when gastrointestinal function is compromised. Given the high prevalence of deficiency, biological plausibility, safety and low cost, a structured approach that includes screening, repletion and monitoring to achieve concentrations of at least thirty nanograms per milliliter by day thirty represents a pragmatic and low-risk component of supportive care pending definitive evidence. Full article

Background: Spatial granularity plays a central role in the analysis of environmental hazards, yet its influence on health impact assessment remains overlooked. This study explicitly treats spatial aggregation level as a methodological variable and examines how different spatial aggregation strategies affect the association between high temperature, ozone, and out-of-hospital cardiovascular emergencies recorded by emergency medical services. Methods: A distribution thresholding approach is applied to both the environmental hazard and the health outcome. The analysis is conducted at three spatial levels: a fully aggregated region-wide level, population-based districts, and a combined strategy that cumulates district level results. The model estimates the Odds Ratio for each configuration. Results: The combined district-based strategy provides the most robust association, with an Odds Ratio of 1.13 (95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.17). The region-wide and single district approaches show weaker or inconsistent significance. The findings indicate that the spatial level of analysis heavily impacts both the significance and the interpretability of the statistical results. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that the spatial structure of data strongly influences the detection of short-term health effects linked to environmental stressors. This contributes to the geomatics field by explicitly isolating spatial aggregation as an analytical dimension, demonstrating how spatial aggregation choices and explicit consideration of the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem can enhance methodological accuracy, support clearer spatial reasoning, and guide the development of more reliable territorial health indicators. Full article

Accurate detection of cardiac arrhythmias from electrocardiograms remains challenging for rare rhythm classes due to class imbalance and morphological variability. We present a hybrid deep learning framework combining per-lead convolutional encoders with a cross-lead transformer that models relationships across different lead signals through self-attention, accepting variable lead configurations. To address minority-class scarcity, a generative adversarial network synthesizes physiologically plausible beat segments for underrepresented arrhythmias. Attention-based visualizations localize influential waveform regions aligned with clinically meaningful structures. Post-training pruning and INT8 quantization enable efficient deployment with minimal performance loss. Extensive experiments on the MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database across sixteen heartbeat classes from two-lead recordings yield exceptional results over ten independent runs: accuracy of 99.67%, F1-score of 99.66%, and AUC of 99.8%. External validation on the ECG5000 single-lead dataset and the St Petersburg INCART twelve-lead dataset confirms robust generalizability with F1-scores of 97.6% and 98% respectively. Our framework delivers accurate, interpretable, stable, and deployable arrhythmia detection across diverse clinical settings. Full article

Background: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has gained increasing interest in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), although its effectiveness has not been defined in randomized trials. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare clinical outcomes and treatment-related toxicity between SBRT and CFRT in LAPC. Methods: This analysis was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD420251128943). MEDLINE and Scopus were searched for comparative studies published between January 2015 and July 2025. Five retrospective studies comprising 768 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), while risk ratios (RRs) were estimated for severe (grade ≥ 3) acute toxicity using random-effects models. Study quality was evaluated using the ROBINS-I tool. Results: No significant OS or PFS differences were observed between SBRT and CFRT. SBRT was associated with a lower incidence of severe acute toxicity. The overall risk of bias across studies was moderate. Conclusions: SBRT appears to achieve survival outcomes comparable to CFRT with a favorable acute toxicity profile in patients with LAPC. Nevertheless, the current evidence is limited by retrospective designs and heterogeneity, highlighting the need for prospective randomized trials to define the role of SBRT in this setting. Full article

In recent decades, the increasingly widespread diffusion of plastic contamination (plastamination) has attracted growing attention from both the scientific and public community due to its harmful effects on human health and environmental balance. Several studies have highlighted a link between exposure to microplastics and nanoplastics and the onset of central nervous system problems, impaired reproductive function, altered liver metabolism, dysbiosis and other chronic diseases. At the same time, research has highlighted how plastamination negatively impacts natural ecosystems, accelerating biodiversity loss and compromising the stability of the planet. Faced with these critical issues, scientific and professional debate has progressively shifted toward defining effective and sustainable strategies, often based on innovative technologies, aimed at limiting the overall impact of this global phenomenon. This study, consisting of a systematic literature review through a bibliometric analysis in the Web of Science database (1974–June 2025), aims to examine plastamination through a broad and integrated approach, combining biological, medical, engineering, managerial and cultural perspectives, to offer a systematic and multidimensional reading of the problem. Preliminary findings underscore the importance of an integrated vision that brings together technology, culture, society, and medicine, emphasizing the need for shared global policies and collective responsibility. The study thus aims to offer an innovative contribution to the understanding of plastamination and to the definition of multidimensional intervention strategies to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Full article

In engineering practice, additively manufactured (AM) metal and metal alloy structural components, which often contain geometric discontinuities to fulfil functional requirements, are subjected to cyclic service loads. Among the possible loading configurations, far-field Mode I loading is frequently considered as a nominal reference condition. Within this context, a methodology for the fatigue assessment of notched AM Scalmalloy components subjected to Mode I far-field loading is proposed, combining the Strain Energy Density (SED) approach with a multiaxial critical plane-based fatigue criterion. The fatigue assessment is carried out at a verification point whose position is defined as a function of the characteristic length of the SED control volume for Mode I loading, determined through two alternative procedures, and of the surface roughness of the component. The proposed methodology is validated against experimental fatigue data available in the literature for AM Scalmalloy specimens featuring a circumferential semi-circular notch and subjected to Mode I far-field cyclic loading, which induces a locally multiaxial stress state at the notch root, given that the formulation does not rely on material-specific assumptions and could in principle be extended to other notched AM metal and metal alloy components. Full article

Grassland productivity and precise monitoring of animal herbage intake are key requirements for sustainable grazing management in Mediterranean upland systems. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral vegetation indices (VIs) combined with machine learning (ML) algorithms to estimate forage biomass, quality parameters and daily herbage dry matter intake (HDMI) of grazing ewes at the paddock scale. The experiment was conducted in a managed ryegrass–white clover meadow–pasture in southern Italy, where four plots were grazed sequentially by lactating Sarda ewes during spring–summer 2025. Ground measurements included pre- and post-grazing biomass inside and outside exclusion cages, botanical composition and forage quality. Concurrently, UAV multispectral imagery has been acquired, from which several VIs were computed. Pearson’s correlations were used to explore relationships between VIs and forage variables, and five ML algorithms. Indices such as MCARI2, MTVI2, MTVI, MSAVI and OSAVI showed the strongest associations with biomass and quality traits, while support vector machine and neural networks provided the best prediction accuracies, particularly for HDMI (R² up to 0.91). The integrated UAV–ML approach proved effective in simultaneously capturing spatial variability of pasture productivity and animal intake, supporting the development of operational precision grazing tools for heterogeneous Mediterranean grasslands. Full article

Background: Medical progress and sustainability pressures have made reducing hospital Length Of Stay (LOS) for total joint arthroplasty increasingly feasible and necessary. Monitoring rehabilitation duration and outcomes after surgical ward discharge needs equal attention. The aim of this retrospective, cohort study is to evaluate perioperative predictors of Inpatient Rehabilitation LOS (IRLOS), Discharge Destination (DD) (home versus residential care unit) and Need for Assistance at Discharge (NAD), in patients undergoing inpatient rehabilitation after total hip or knee arthroplasty in a high-volume, specialized research hospital. Methods: Electronic hospital datasets were employed to identify all adults with hip or knee osteoarthritis who received specialistic inpatient rehabilitation after total joint replacement between January and December 2019. Associations between demographic, clinical, surgical and functional variables and postoperative outcomes were examined using binary logistic regression for dichotomous outcomes (DD, NAD) and linear regression for continuous outcomes (IRLOS). Results: Based on a cohort of 1679 patients, we found various patient-related (age, working status, living alone, pre-existing comorbidities, osteoarthritic characteristics), surgical (duration of intervention, LOS, joint approach) and postoperative (hemoglobin levels, functional status) predictors. Overall, the regression models explained a modest but meaningful proportion of the variability in rehabilitation duration and post-discharge outcomes (R² ranging from 0.12 to 0.34), resulting in marginal changes compared to a preliminary version of the same study on a smaller dataset. Conclusions: External validation on another cohort from the same hospital could be used to test the model’s predictivity at the local level, supporting the continuity of care between an orthopedic hospital hub and outpatient care and rehabilitation. Gains in predictive capacity may follow from including local factors like the operating surgeon and team. Although these factors could significantly improve the model performance at the local level, they would not be generalizable in different settings. Full article