Injecting Electrons into CeO2 via Photoexcitation of Embedded Au Nanoparticles

The electron injection efficiency and the steady state absorptance at different photon energies for a composite system made of Au NPs embedded in a cerium oxide matrix are reported. Cerium oxide can be coupled with plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs) to improve its catalytic properties by visible-light absorption. The present work is a study of the ultrafast dynamics of excited states induced by ultraviolet and visible-light excitation in Au NPs combined with cerium oxide, aimed at understanding the excitation pathways. The data, obtained by femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, show that the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in the Au NPs leads to an ultrafast injection of electrons into the empty 4f states of the surrounding cerium oxide. Within the first few picoseconds, the injected electrons couple with the lattice distortion forming a polaronic excited state, with similar properties to that formed after direct band gap excitation of the oxide. At sub-picosecond delay times, we observed relevant differences in the energetics and the time dynamics as compared to the case of band gap excitation of the oxide. Using different pump energies across the LSPR-related absorption band, the efficiency of the electron injection from the NPs into the oxide was found to be rather high, with a maximum above 30%. The injection efficiency has a different trend in energy as compared to the LSPR-related static optical absorptance, showing a significant decrease in low energies. This behavior is explained considering different deexcitation pathways with variable weight across the LSPR band. The results are important for the design of materials with high overall solar catalytic efficiency.

Education in Urban Health: the experience of Public Health residents in an Italian high school

Background

Urban health has become an increasingly important aspect of Public Health curriculum for residents as people living in urban areas will substantially rise in the next 30 years so will their impact on health. Residents are both contributors and partners in creating sustainable solutions for their growing cities and can be involved in this aim as individual learners and also educators for younger students.

Objectives

A group of 15 Italian residents in Public Health were involved in creating and delivering 4 lessons on urban health to 319 students at Nomentano High School in Rome during spring 2022. After the 4th lesson, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the residents in order to assess perceptions, acceptance, barriers and facilitators of the experience. Data was gathered anonymously and analyzed using standard qualitative methods.

Results

All the residents answered the interview. Almost all reported the experience as highly impactful for training, team building, and increase in accountability. Most of residents also felt more confident on the topic of urban health and more involved in concrete actions for tackling pollution and climate change after delivering the lessons. Most perceived barriers mentioned were difficulties interacting with students, especially during the first two lessons, and their compliance. The opportunity to give lessons in the high school setting facilitated direct contact with students and better feedback was received.

Conclusions

Giving responsibility and leadership roles to Public Health residents and involving them in the education of younger students could improve their self-confidence and feelings of value and helpfulness, especially for urban health and climate change issues sensed by youth. Further experiences in other settings, specialties, and countries could be valuable to notice differences related to age groups and personal involvement.

Key messages

• The involvement of Public Health residents in education on urban health is highly impactful and well perceived for their personal growth.

• This kind of experience is applicable to other relevant topics in Public Health.

Increasing urban health awareness using an interactive approach: evidence from a school-based study

Issue

Urbanization is a cause of climate change, as cities are where these changes are most visible. Climate change also leads to significant inequalities and health issues in urban settings. In this context, urban health promotion is mandatory to increase adaptive capacity. Since the late 1980s the World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized schools’ role in promoting health, as they can play a crucial role in increasing health awareness to future urban inhabitants.

Description

The objective of this pre/post-interventional study is to measure the awareness of urban health and green spaces among high school students and to rise it through an educational intervention. Four interactive sessions were delivered to 319 students from 13 to 18 years old in a high school in Rome, Italy during spring 2022. Data was gathered anonymously and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Results

A total of 192 (60%) students successfully completed the pre/post-intervention surveys. An increase in students’ knowledge of urban health and urban green areas was observed. Before the intervention 11.8% of participants were aware of urban health, whereas after the intervention 87.5% were aware. A rise across different areas appeared to be related to how many times the teachers repeated that concept during the intervention. For topics discussed in more than one session, the increase in correct answers averaged 13.9%. Two different trends emerged from the data analysis: one whose post-intervention test improved on most of questions and one whose post-intervention test remained unchanged.

Lessons

The results of the present study suggest that school-based interventions using interactive approaches on climate change and urban health are effective for increasing the knowledge level of scholars on these topics, and can be a useful way to promote health in an urban setting. This type of approach maintains high levels of concentration and interest in most students.

Key messages

• Urban health training activities in schools are needed to empower youth who live in urban settings.

• Interactive sessions keep student concentration high and improve their participation.

Training needs assessment of European healthcare workers on vaccinology and vaccine acceptance

Background

Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the frontline of interaction with those that are taking decisions around vaccination. They need adequate training. The general aim of this systematic review is to assess HCWs’ training needs on vaccinology and vaccine acceptance. This work was performed for the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) under the specific contract No 1ECD.12108 ID.12922 implementing the framework contract number ECDC/2021/005.

Methods

The search was performed using MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar databases in February 2022. The following inclusion criteria were used: date (from 01/01/2011 to 24/02/2022); language (English, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, French and Romanian); geographic location of the study (Europe). Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS checklist) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included papers.

Results

The scientific literature search retrieved 640 results on PubMed, 556 on Scopus and 15 on Google Scholar. In total, 1211 records were identified. After the duplicate removal and the title/abstract assessment, 132 publications were assessed for eligibility. Finally, after the full-text assessment, only 25 articles were included. As regards for the quality assessment, all studies were judged of moderate-good quality. The majority of studies stressed the need to deepen general knowledge of vaccine preventable diseases, vaccine efficacy, vaccination schedule and adverse effects of vaccines.

Conclusions

Considering their role in the community, especially as source of information and trust for vaccine acceptance, educational initiatives in vaccinology and vaccine hesitancy should be prioritized for HCWs, aimed at increasing their knowledge, awareness, and attitudes. An important heterogeneity of educational backgrounds, activities performed and training needs of the HCWs involved in vaccination at European level was one of the main critical issue to be addressed for future actions.

Key messages

Opioids in the Elderly Patients with Cognitive Impairment: A Narrative Review

Introduction

Assessment and management of pain in elderly people with cognitive impairment is particularly challenging. Physiological changes due to aging as well as comorbidities and polypharmacy are responsible for a complex clinical approach. Concomitantly, in cognitive impairment, including advanced dementia, changes in the central nervous system along with changes in the peripheral nervous system due to aging have a significant impact on pain perception. Sometimes clinicians decide to prescribe opioids to relieve pain, also without a clear indication. This review aims to investigate the effect of opioids in elderly patients with cognitive impairment.

Methods

A literature search of PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane databases was conducted using keyword searches to generate lists of articles that were screened for relevance by title and abstract to give a final list of articles for full-text review. Further articles were identified by scanning the reference lists of the full-text articles.

Discussion

This review discusses the complex physiological and pharmacological changes in the elderly as well as the neurological changes that affect pain perception in this population. Additionally, it focuses on cognitive impairment and pain in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, the pain assessment in the elderly with cognitive impairment as well as the safety of opioid use in the elderly. Information regarding opioid prescription in nursing homes and recorded indications for opioid use, type and dosing of opioids, and compliance of treatment in advanced dementia are also provided.

Conclusions

Opioid prescription in the elderly population with cognitive impairment is particularly complex. All healthcare professionals involved in the care of such patients need to be aware of the challenges and strive to ensure analgesic use is guided by appropriate and accurate pain assessment.

Anthelmintic activity of Stevia multiaristata extract against Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto

Cystic echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of the parasite Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. The available anti-parasitic treatment is mostly limited to a continuous administration of albendazole. However, due to its numerous side-effects and efficacy of around 50%, there is a need to find new drugs to improve the treatment for this disease. In the current study, the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of a Stevia multiaristata extract against E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) was demonstrated. Stevia multiaristata extract (100 and 50 μg mL−1) caused a quick viability decrease on protoscoleces which was consistent with the observed tegumental alterations. Loss of turgidity was detected in 95 ± 3.4% of cysts incubated with S. multiaristata extract during 2 days (100 μg mL−1) and the collapse of the germinal layer was observed in 60 ± 9.3% of cysts treated with 100 μg mL−1 of the S. multiaristata extract during 4 days. The half maximal effective concentration value was 69.6 μg mL−1 and the selectivity index for E. granulosus s.s. cysts was 1.9. In this clinical efficacy study, the treatment of infected mice with the S. multiaristata extract (50 mg kg−1) caused a significant decrease in the weight of the cysts compared with the control group. These results coincided with the tissue damage observed in the cysts at the ultrastructural level. In conclusion, we observed high protoscolicidal and cysticidal effects, and significant reduction in the weight of the cysts in experimentally infected mice following treatment with the S. multiaristata extract.

Diagnostic and therapeutic pathway for pain in a Continuing Care setting: a survey at an Italian Continuing Care Service

Background

Law no. 38 of 15 March 2010 ensures and governs the access to the palliative care and pain management network for patients who require it. The professional roles involved in the project have been identified by the law, with the specific experience and expertise in the field of palliative care and pain management, by allocating a meaningful role to general practitioners (GPs). For this reason, an important direct training plan has been drawn up that GPs can count on for dedicated refresher courses to increase and deepen their knowledge in this specific clinical field. If the role of the GPs in the pain management and palliative care network was well-defined by the law, we cannot say the same for the Continuing Care Physician (CCP), a role that only partially overlaps that of the GP. The study observed the response of a Continuing Care Service (CCS) to the demand for services from patients with pain-related problems. The role of the CCP is, therefore, outlined in the pain therapy care network by observing the services provided to patients experiencing pain that is understood as being a non-deferrable problem.

Methods

A survey was conducted at the CCSs site in Aquila, AS-01 Abruzzo. For this reason, the attending physician records the data of patients who consult the CCSs for pain-related problems on an appropriate questionnaire. The survey period covered a total of 68 days (1 January - 8 March 2020). Results. One hundred sixty five sheets were completed; females were more represented than males (57.6% v 42.4%) and the 36-65 age group appears most greatly represented (47.9%). One of the most frequent reasons for consulting the service is "musculoskeletal pain" (58.2%), followed by abdominal pain (15.8%). In the majority of patients, pain lasted from days (53.9%), with an average of approximately 3 days (3.1± 2.9), or hours in 40% of cases, with an average of over 6 hours (6.54±3.1). 88.5% of patients defined the level of pain experienced as "severe" (NRS=7-10), and the intensity of the pain associated with its repetitiveness (80.3% vs 92.6%) as "severe", with a statistically significant difference in relation to nonrepetitiveness cases (p=0.02). 66.1% of patients said that they had taken analgesics independently, with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) the most frequently taken (53.5%). Patients who turned to the CCS received a pharmacological prescription in almost all cases. NSAIDs, specifically, were the most prescribed medicines (64.8%), followed by muscle relaxants (29.7%). Tramadol was the most represented among opioids, which was prescribed in 7.9% of cases. Just 6.1% of patients were entered into the regional pain management network.

Conclusions

The results of the survey show that a large number of patients turn to the CCS to resolve painful symptoms of various natures. The study offers some food for thought concerning the role of CCPs and the importance of providing for their inclusion in the pain therapy clinical and training pathways provided for by Law 38/2010. This would ensure its more effective implementation and, therefore, better care for patients experiencing painful pathologies.

Public opinion on vaccines: the role of the scientific community in Italy

Background

After rising for years, vaccination rates in Italy fell until 2015 because of unfounded safety concerns, abetted by some government and court actions. Public education and a 2017 law on mandatory vaccination have boosted rates since then. So far only a few papers have examined the correlation between beliefs and attitudes towards vaccines and the level of trust in the scientific community regarding vaccinations in the general population.

Methods

Data were extracted from the Italian section of the last two editions of the European Social Survey (ESS), the first carried out between September and November 2017, the latter between December 2018 and March 2019. A descriptive analysis was conducted using survey data. In the two editions respectively 2,626 and 2,745 persons were interviewed. The main outcomes assessed was comparing the two surveys, so as to highlight the key changes in public opinion on vaccines.

Results

In the 2017 edition, 19% of the respondents believed in the harmfulness of vaccines, out of them 29% did not even have trust in the scientific community while those confident in the safety of vaccines were 50%. In the 2019 survey, the proportion of those who believed vaccines to be harmful fell to 15%, the undecided rose to 15%, those opposed to the idea that vaccines are harmful became 63%, not responding people were 8%. Correspondingly, trust in the scientific community about vaccines has increased from 57% in the first survey to 70% in the last one.

Conclusions

The scientific community and research bodies in the last years, in support of the Ministry of Health, have made a huge effort in the public debate on vaccines. This might play a role in increasing the public confidence in the safety of vaccines and the adherence to vaccination campaigns, changing the climate with regard to vaccination in general.

Key messages

Italians changed their opinions on vaccines between two ESS surveys. The scientific community had a relevant role in the public debate on vaccines.

Italian health workers’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards COVID-19 vaccination

Background

Vaccine hesitancy is the reluctance or refusal to be vaccinated. While it has been widely studied for various contagious diseases, there is still a lack of knowledge about this phenomenon for COVID-19, especially if health workers' hesitancy is considered.

Methods

An extensive review of the literature was conducted to identify the main determinants of vaccine hesitancy in health workers, as well as to find already validated surveys to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors (KAB) of health workers towards vaccination, both in general and with specific regard to COVID-19. Building on the available information, a new survey was developed to assess the KAB of Italian health care workers towards COVID-19 vaccination after validation with a pilot study in a diverse sample of 30 Italian health workers.

Results

A new survey was validated to assess the KAB of health workers towards COVID-19 vaccination in Italian health workers. The survey requires about 6 minutes to complete and is composed of 30 questions, investigating different domains: socio-demographic and professional characteristics (6); health status (2); attitudes (11); behaviors (6); knowledge (4). The survey will be administered to a representative sample of at least 385 Italian health workers through the web platform SurveyMonkey in the period June-September 2021. Preliminary results will be available by the end of October 2021.

Conclusions

By analyzing KAB towards COVID-19 vaccination with a new tool, the magnitude and determinants of health worker's COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy will be evaluated to understand how to improve health workers' perception towards COVID-19 vaccination and, consequently, foster their positive influence on the general population.

Key messages

We explore the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors towards COVID-19 vaccination in all categories of health workers operating on the Italian territory to understand the reasons of vaccine hesitancy.

Understanding the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Italian health workers is necessary given their influence on the perception of the general population in Italy.

Measurement of the conformational switching of azobenzenes from the macro- to attomolar scale in self-assembled 2D and 3D nanostructures

We compare the cis–trans conformational switching of commercial azobenzene molecules in different chemical environments, ranging from isolated molecules in liquid to attomolar-2D and macro-scale 3D self-assembled structures.

Ultrafast Formation of Small Polarons and the Optical Gap in CeO2

The ultrafast dynamics of excited states in cerium oxide are investigated to access the early moments of polaron formation, which can influence the photocatalytic functionality of the material. UV transient absorbance spectra of photoexcited CeO₂ exhibit a bleaching of the band edge absorbance induced by the pump and a photoinduced absorbance feature assigned to Ce 4f → Ce 5d transitions. A blue shift of the spectral response of the photoinduced absorbance signal in the first picosecond after the pump excitation is attributed to the dynamical formation of small polarons with a characteristic time of 330 fs. A further important result of our work is that the combined use of steady-state and ultrafast transient absorption allows us to propose a revised value for the optical gap for ceria (E_og = 4 eV), significantly larger than usually reported.

A Study of Photoinduced Coherent Vibrations in Gold-Nanorod Dispersions

Upon photoexcitation with a femtosecond laser pulse, the plasmonic resonance of a nanorod can couple with coherent vibrational modes generating a regular oscillating pattern in the transient absorbance of the nanostructure. The dynamics of the plasmon resonances of these materials are probed through femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy in the spectral region between 400 nm and 1600 nm. Whereas in the visible range the spectra are comparable with the findings reported in the literature, the analysis of the transient NIR spectra revealed that their oscillation frequencies vary with wavelength, resulting in a strong distortion of the transient features that can be related to the specific lengths distribution of the nanorods contained in the sample. These findings suggest that in the design of efficient and highly sensitive gold-nanorod based plasmonic sensors a narrow size distribution of nanostructures is required.

Ultrafast optical spectroscopy of semiconducting and plasmonic nanostructures and their hybrids

The knowledge of the carrier dynamics in nanostructures is of fundamental importance for the development of (opto)electronic devices. This is true for semiconducting nanostructures as well as for plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs). Indeed, improvement of photocatalytic efficiencies by combining semiconductor and plasmonic nanostructures is one of the reasons why their ultrafast dynamics are intensively studied. In this work, we will review our activity on ultrafast spectroscopy in nanostructures carried out in the recently established EuroFEL Support Laboratory. We have investigated the dynamical plasmonic responses of metal NPs both in solution and in 2D and 3D arrays on surfaces, with particular attention being paid to the effects of the NP shape and to the conversion of absorbed light into heat on a nano-localized scale. We will summarize the results obtained on the carrier dynamics in nanostructured perovskites with emphasis on the hot-carrier dynamics and in semiconductor nanosystems such as ZnSe and Si nanowires, with particular attention to the band-gap bleaching dynamics. Subsequently, the study of semiconductor-metal NP hybrids, such as CeO₂-Ag NPs, ZnSe-Ag NPs and ZnSe-Au NPs, allows the discussion of interaction mechanisms such as charge carrier transfer and Förster interaction. Finally, we assess an alternative method for the sensitization of wide band gap semiconductors to visible light by discussing the relationship between the carrier dynamics of TiO₂ NPs and V-doped TiO₂ NPs and their catalytic properties.

Fournier's gangrene secondary to locally advanced prostate cancer: case report and review of the Literature

Fournier's gangrene is a rare and potentially lethal condition. Previously described as an idiopathic process, this necrotising fasciitis is secondary to infection and in 95% of cases the cause arises from ano-rectum (30-50%), uro-genitalia (20-40%) or genital skin (20%). Cancer could lead to a Fournier's gangrene thanks a Romacompromised host immunity condition. In the past the rate of death was high ranging from 20% to 80%, while currently mortality is decreasing to 10%. We report a case of a 76-years-old man with Fournier's Gangrene due to locally advanced prostate cancer. The multimodal therapeutic management included broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, intravenous fluid resuscitation and surgical debridement that was delayed by the will of the patient. To our knowledge, this is the first case of Fournier's gangrene caused by prostate cancer without common predisposing factors. In order to improve the knowledge about this rare disease, we performed a narrative review of the literature.

Delivery of selective internal radiation therapy complicated by variant hepatic vascular anatomy

“Difficult vascular anatomy” is a challenge for Interventional Radiologists especially in liver directed therapies such as trans arterial radio embolization.

Trans arterial radio embolization is a long and difficult procedure in which the basic knowledge of hepatic and gastro-enteric vascularization, with its high degree of variations, is very important in order to correctly administer the therapeutic drug selectively.

In this report, we present a case of an atypical patient affected by an unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, candidate for Radio-embolization treatment.

His vascular anatomy was very difficult to manage, but the Interventional Radiologist was not only able to go over the “difficult anatomy,” but also to take advantage of it.

Climatic variables drive temporal patterns of α and β diversities of dung beetles

Understanding the mechanisms underpinning spatiotemporal diversity patterns of biological communities is a major goal of ecology. We aimed to test two ecological hypotheses: (i) temporal patterns of β-diversity will mostly be driven by nestedness, with a loss of species from summer to winter, and (ii) nestedness values will correlate with climatic variables instead of turnover values, indicating either a loss of species during winter or a gain of species during summer. We sampled dung beetles using standardized sampling protocols along a year in four Atlantic forest sites: two at the northwest and two at the central region of Rio Grande do Sul state, southern Brazil. We partitioned temporal patterns of β-diversity into turnover and nestedness in order to investigate if community changes are driven by species substitution or gain/loss across time. Our results highlighted five main findings: (i) dung beetle composition varied more with sites than site geographic position; (ii) there was almost one and a half 'true' dung beetle assemblages regarding the spatial distribution of species weighed by abundance; (iii) we found a positive influence of mean temperature and a negative influence of relative humidity on both species richness and abundance; (iv) both spatial and temporal dissimilarity among sites were dominated by species replacement, while the relative importance of nestedness was higher in temporal than spatial patterns; (v) there was an effect of precipitation and relative humidity on temporal patterns of β-diversity components, but these effects were site-dependent. Contrary to our expectations, the β-diversity component of turnover dominated both spatial and temporal patterns in dung beetle dissimilarity among sites and months. Distinct climatic variables affected differently the α-diversity and β-diversity components of dung beetle assemblages. Partitioning β-diversity into temporal components is a promising approach to unveil patterns of the community dynamics and to produce insights on mechanisms underlying such patterns.

Highly efficient plasmon-mediated electron injection into cerium oxide from embedded silver nanoparticles

The coupling with plasmonic metal nanoparticles (NPs) represents a promising opportunity to sensitize wide band gap oxides to visible light. The processes which come into play after the excitation of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) in the NPs largely determine the efficiency of the charge/energy transfer from the metal NP to the oxide. We report a study of plasmon-mediated energy transfer from mass-selected silver NPs into the cerium oxide matrix in which they are embedded. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy is used to probe the dynamics of charge carrier relaxation after the excitation of the LSPR of the silver nanoparticles and to evaluate the plasmon-mediated electron transfer efficiency from the silver nanoparticles to the cerium oxide. High injection efficiencies in the 6-16% range have been identified for excitation between 400 and 600 nm. These high values have been explained in terms of plasmon-mediated direct electron injection as well as indirect hot electron injection from the NPs to the oxide. The information obtained provides an important contribution towards a knowledge-driven design of efficient cerium oxide based nanostructured materials for solar to chemical energy conversion.

Carrier dynamics in silicon nanowires studied via femtosecond transient optical spectroscopy from 1.1 to 3.5 eV

We present femtosecond transient transmission (or absorbance) measurements in silicon nanowires in the energy range 1.1-3.5 eV, from below the indirect band-gap to above the direct band-gap. Our pump-probe measurements allow us to give a complete picture of the carrier dynamics in silicon. In this way we perform an experimental study with a spectral completeness that is lacking in the whole literature on carrier dynamics in silicon. A particular emphasis is given to the dynamics of the transient absorbance at the energies relative to the direct band gap at 3.3 eV. Indeed, the use of pump energies below and above 3.3 eV allowed us to disentangle the dynamics of electrons and holes in their respective bands. The band gap renormalization of the direct band gap is also investigated for different pump energies. A critical discussion is given on the results below 3.3 eV where phonon-assisted processes are required in the optical transitions.

Successful endovascular treatment of a recurrent giant celiac artery aneurysm

Visceral artery aneurysms are very rare and aneurysms of the celiac trunk are the rarest ones: they are in most cases asymptomatic and their detection is frequently incidental. In this article we report the case of a man affected by severe abdominal pain with a huge aneurysm of the celiac trunk, first successfully treated with coil embolization, but, after 10 months, another endovascular embolization was required for deployment of the metallic coils previously released, ahead into the fund of the sac with recanalization of the aneurysm. A second endovascular treatment was performed with other coils and Amplatzer-Plug. The high risk of rupture makes treatment of such aneurysms mandatory and surgery is still considered the gold standard therapy of VAA, but, due to its high morbidity and mortality risks, in the last years, it has been widely replaced by endovascular embolization. An effective endovascular embolization requires not only the complete filling of the aneurysmal sac, but also the complete vascular exclusion of its in-flow and out-flow tracts, to reduce the risk of its anterograde or retrograde reperfusion.

Magnetic resonance arthrography accuracy in the detection of labral tears in young patients with chronic unstable shoulder: correlation with arthroscopy

The aim of this study is to determine the diagnostic performance of Magnetic Resonance Arthrography (MRA) in evaluating lesions of the glenoid labrum, in young active patients with chronic unstable shoulder, compared to shoulder arthroscopy. We retrospectively considered 65 MRA examinations, performed between December 2011 and January 2018. Among them, thirty-five patients (31 men, 4 women; mean age, 27.3 years; range, 16-53 years; 4 patients with a previous arthroscopy of the same shoulder) underwent shoulder arthroscopy after MRA. Arthroscopic reports were collected and analyzed for the correlation with MRA results.

Graphene-Induced Improvements of Perovskite Solar Cell Stability: Effects on Hot-Carriers

Hot-carriers, that is, charge carriers with an effective temperature higher than that of the lattice, may contribute to the high power conversion efficiency (PCE) shown by perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs), which are now competitive with silicon solar cells. Hot-carriers lose their excess energy in very short times, typically in a few picoseconds after excitation. For this reason, the carrier dynamics occurring on this time scale are extremely important in determining the participation of hot-carriers in the photovoltaic process. However, the stability of PSCs over time still remains an issue that calls for a solution. In this work, we demonstrate that the insertion of graphene flakes into the mesoscopic TiO₂ scaffold leads to stable values of carrier temperature. In PSCs aged over 1 week, we indeed observe that in the graphene-free perovskite cells the carrier temperature decreases by about 500 K from 1800 to 1300 K, while the graphene-containing cell shows a reduction of less than 200 K after the same aging time delay. The stability of the carrier temperature reflects the stability of the perovskite nanocrystals embedded in the mesoporous graphene-TiO₂ layer. Our results, based on femtosecond transient absorption measurements, show that the insertion of graphene can be beneficial for the design of stable PSCs with the aim of exploiting the hot-carrier contribution to the PCE of the PSCs.

Osteoid osteoma treated with radiofrequency ablation in non-operating room anesthesia. A different way of approaching ablative therapy on osteoid osteoma

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study is to verify the effectiveness and complications occurrence of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in the treatment of osteoid osteoma (OO) in non-operating room anesthesia (N.O.R.A.).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From 2014 to 2017, 61 patients affected by OO (40 men and 21 women) with an age of 20.7 years on average (range, 4-51 years; 12 patients aged 20 years or younger) underwent computed tomography-guided percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in N.O.R.A. (Non-Operating Room Anesthesia). Lesion sites treated were: femur (27), tibia (22), pelvis (2), talar bone (3), distal radius (1), and humerus (6). Mean follow-up time was 36 months. In each case, anesthesiologic support followed a new protocol (N.O.R.A. protocol), approved by our Institute. Primary success rate, complications, symptom-free intervals, and follow-up results were evaluated.

RESULTS

Pain relief (evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale - VAS) was significant in 97% of patients; it disappeared within 24 hours of the procedure in 44 patients, within 3 days in 10 patients, and within 7 days in 7 patients. After 6 months of observation time, 60 of 61 patients were successfully treated and had no more complaints. In 2 patients, two major complications were found: infection of the site treated, healed with antibiotics, and a nerve lesion, healed with steroid therapy. No other complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

RFA is a highly effective, efficient, minimally invasive and safe method for the treatment of OO following N.O.R.A.

PROTOCOL

Plasmon Controlled Shaping of Metal Nanoparticle Aggregates by Femtosecond Laser-Induced Melting

In this work, we show how to control the morphology of femtosecond laser melted gold nanosphere aggregates. A careful choice of both laser fluence and wavelength makes it possible to selectively excite different aggregate substructures to produce larger spherical nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanoprisms or necklace-like 1D nanostructures in which the nanoparticles are interlinked by bridges. Finite integral technique calculations have been performed on the near-field concentration of light in the nanostructures which confirm the wavelength dependence of the light concentration and suggest that the resulting localized high intensities lead to nonthermal melting. We show that by tuning the wavelength of the melting light it is possible to choose the spatial extension of the ensembles of NPs heated thus allowing us to exhibit control over the morphology of the nanostructures formed by the melting process. By a proper combination of this method with self-assembly of chemically synthesized nanoparticles, one can envisage the development of an innovative high-throughput high-resolution nanofabrication technique.

Reports of new wing color polymorphism and taxonomic information to cercopids (Auchenorrhyncha: Cercopidae) from upland rice crop, Pará State, Brazil

Abstract Cercopidae is one of the largest families of the spittlebug superfamily Cercopoidea. Most spittlebugs species are characterized by bright color patterns. Thus, this study evaluated for the first time the Cercopidae species collected in rice crops, Novo Progresso, Pará state, Brazil. Insects were collected weekly between November/2010 and March/2011 from areas without (WA) and with agrochemical applications (AA). Four species were recorded: Deois incompleta (Walker, 1851) (71 specimens in WA area and 50 in AA area); Mahanarva spectabilis (Distant, 1909) (39 specimens in WA area and 39 in AA area); Mahanarava tristis (Fabricius, 1803) (26 specimens in WA area and 20 in AA area); Zulia pubescens (Fabricius, 1803) (11 specimens in WA area and four in AA area). The species collected displayed pronounced color polymorphism when compared with the color patterns of the same species from other regions. This makes correct identification more difficult for these species. Therefore, taxonomic and diagnostic informations provided in this study will help in the correct identification, control and monitoring of these insects in future studies. Besides that, we recommend monitoring in rice fields and further study of the biology and ecology of cercopids in Brazil to assess the potential of these species as rice pests.

Care strategies and therapeutic pathways for chronic pain patients in Abruzzo Region, Italy

BACKGROUND

Chronic pain is considered to be among the most disabling and costly diseases in North America, Europe and Australia. A large survey was conducted on chronic pain in Europe, called Pain in Europe. Italy ranks third in Europe in terms of prevalence, with 26% of the population suffering from chronic pain at some point. In 2010 Italy passed Law 38/2010, to ensure treatment for pain control in patients with oncological diseases as well as in patients with chronic non-cancer pain through a network of care services. This study aims to provide preliminary information regarding the application of L.38/2010 in the Abruzzo region of Italy.

METHODS

A descriptive study was conducted on a non-probabilistic sample of people who attended pain therapy centres of the local health service in 2014. The patients (129) were interviewed by centre staff using a validated questionnaire. Recruitment was carried out by enrolling consecutive cases over a three-month period (February to April).

RESULTS

Almost two-thirds of the patients had visited several physicians before requesting help. The initial visit to the pain therapy centre was made after some months in 37.2% of cases, and in 38% of patients it was made years after the onset of pain. The reasons given for this long wait before seeking specialist medical treatment for chronic pain reveal a wait-and-see attitude on the part of patients, who controlled their pain by taking painkillers. Responsibility for this delay in requesting assistance can however also be attributed 'externally' to the fact that patients were not aware that this kind of centre was available.

CONCLUSION

The results of the study describe, in a regional context, a situation in which L.38/2010 is hard to apply. The study showed how the care pathway for these patients is still characterised by difficulty in accessing the network of local services. Clearly, more effort needs to be directed towards an effective application of L.38/2010, with increased availability of resources to develop and strengthen the network of services at regional level.

Minocycline hydrochloride as a soft sclerotizing agent for symptomatic simple renal and hepatic cysts

OBJECTIVE

To present the results of our ten-year case series in simple hepatic and renal cysts sclerosis using minocycline hydrochloride as a sclerotizing agent, evaluating the effectiveness, the safety and the feasibility of this agent for percutaneous sclerotherapy for symptomatic cysts.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated our archives of patients treated (54 patients with 60 renal cysts, 21 patients with 24 hepatic cysts) for symptomatic abdominal cysts. These patients were treated with ultrasound guided drainage and subsequent minocycline hydrochloride instillation. In large or recurrent cysts, we repeated the treatment for the second time. The patients were evaluated at 6 and 12 months; some patients underwent later, additional examinations and we also reviewed these exams for any eventual long-term relapse.

RESULTS

The percentage of sclerosis success was found to be 100% for hepatic cysts and 86% for renal cysts. We also found that minimal complications were encountered.

CONCLUSIONS

Minocycline hydrochloride has proven to be an effective sclerotizing agent. In our cases, symptoms disappeared in 100% of patients with hepatic cysts and in 93% of patients with renal cysts. It is also a safe sclerotizing agent, as demonstrated by the few complications encountered. Percutaneous sclerosis with Minocycline hydrochloride is a very effective and promising nonsurgical treatment for patients with symptomatic simple cysts, and it can be performed without major complications.

Family history and ethnicity influencing clinical presentation of type 1 diabetes in childhood

BACKGROUND

A different clinical presentation of type 1 diabetes (T1DM) could be supposed in children belonging to different ethnicities, with or without family history of autoimmunity.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigates the effect of ethnicity and family history of T1DM on clinical characteristics at presentation in a group of T1DM children.

METHODS

One hundred ninety-six T1DM children <18 years, consecutively diagnosed during the years 2011-2014, were studied including 91 % of Caucasians of Italian ancestry and 9 % of non-Caucasian origin.

RESULTS

Children with 1st or 2nd degree relatives affected by T1DM were younger at disease onset (p = 0.005) and showed lower HbA1C levels (p = 0.002), and higher IAA levels (p = 0.01). Non-Caucasian children were younger at disease onset (p = 0.029), and showed more severe hyperglycemia (p = 0.008) and ketoacidosis (pH p < 0.001). HbA1C levels were negatively related to positive family history of T1DM (p = 0.01), fasting C-peptide levels (p = 0.003), IAA levels (p = 0.03), and IA-2 levels (p = 0.003). The level of pH was positively influenced by fasting C-peptide (p = 0.004), and negatively impacted by C-reactive protein (p = 0.01) and non-Caucasian ethnicity (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

The milder metabolic decompensation in children with a positive family history of T1DM is probably explained by the awareness of the families in terms of early symptoms of T1DM, while the younger age at onset and the higher levels of autoantibodies may suggest a stronger genetic susceptibility, associated with a more aggressive autoimmune process. The younger age in non-Caucasian children is probably explained by the higher genetic susceptibility in subjects belonging to ethnic groups with a low T1DM incidence. Social aspects and poor living conditions probably predominate in determining the increased severity of metabolic decompensation at onset in children from non-Caucasian ethnicities.

Comparative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Histopathological Correlates in Two SOD1 Transgenic Mouse Models of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal disease due to motoneuron degeneration. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming a promising non-invasive approach to monitor the disease course but a direct correlation with neuropathology is not feasible in human. Therefore in this study we aimed to examine MRI changes in relation to histopathology in two mouse models of ALS (C57BL6/J and 129S2/SvHsd SOD1G93A mice) with different disease onset and progression. A longitudinal in vivo analysis of T2 maps, compared to ex vivo histological changes, was performed on cranial motor nuclei. An increased T2 value was associated with a significant tissue vacuolization that occurred prior to motoneuron loss in the cranial nuclei of C57 SOD1G93A mice. Conversely, in 129Sv SOD1G93A mice, which exhibit a more severe phenotype, MRI detected a milder increase of T2 value, associated with a milder vacuolization. This suggests that alteration within brainstem nuclei is not predictive of a more severe phenotype in the SOD1G93A mouse model. Using an ex vivo paradigm, Diffusion Tensor Imaging was also applied to study white matter spinal cord degeneration. In contrast to degeneration of cranial nuclei, alterations in white matter and axons loss reflected the different disease phenotype of SOD1G93A mice. The correspondence between MRI and histology further highlights the potential of MRI to monitor progressive motoneuron and axonal degeneration non-invasively in vivo. The identification of prognostic markers of the disease nevertheless requires validation in multiple models of ALS to ensure that these are not merely model-specific. Eventually this approach has the potential to lead to the development of robust and validated non-invasive imaging biomarkers in ALS patients, which may help to monitor the efficacy of therapies.