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Observation of the May 2024 Forbush decrease in cosmic ray flux by telescopes array of the Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project
No full textThe Extreme Energy Events (EEE) Project is a large network of muon detectors devoted to measure the cosmic ray (CR) flux. The EEE network observed the significant variation of the CR flux during the G5 storm of May 2024. The Forbush decrease was detected by both MRPC gas-based muon telescopes and by a set of scintillator-based telescopes, covering a large range in latitude and longitude. This paper will shortly describe the main results obtained from the data collected by various telescopes during the Forbush decrease
Phenolic Profile and In Vitro Anti‐Inflammatory Activities of Salvia officinalis L. Hydrodistillation Wastewater
No full textSalvia officinalis L. essential oil production process generates an exhausted residue of vegetable biomass, returned by hydrodistillation, along with a variable amount of wastewater enriched in water-soluble compounds of high added value and biological activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of S. officinalis L. hydrodistillation wastewater using murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cells stimulated with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells exposed to E. coli. Polyphenolic compounds in wastewater were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, confirming the presence of organic acids (particularly hydroxycinnamic acids), flavones, and flavonols. This phytocomplex protected Raw 264.7 from E. coli LPS-induced inflammation by reducing nuclear factor kappa B nuclear translocation and its transcriptional activity (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha messenger RNA levels). Additionally, the wastewater reduced cyclooxygenase-2 protein expression in Caco-2 cells challenged with E. coli. Interestingly, E. coli exposure resulted in a significant decrease in trans-epithelial electrical resistance values in Caco-2 cells, reflecting impaired barrier integrity, which was reverted by S. officinalis L. wastewater, and this effect was associated with claudin-1 and occludin restoration, essential for maintaining intestinal barrier function. Present data confirms the protective effect of S. officinalis L. hydrodistillation wastewater in E. coli-induced inflammation, suggesting its potential application in the prevention and/or treatment of intestinal inflammation
Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Extract: From Chemical Characterization to Inflammatory Profiling and Its Potential Effects in a Zebrafish Model of Spinal Cord Injury—A Morphological and Molecular Study
No full textNatural compounds are increasingly explored for their ability to modulate multiple molec-
ular pathways involved in inflammation and oxidative stress and for their therapeutic
potential. Among these, Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. has attracted growing interest due to
its rich phytochemical profile; however, the biological properties of unripe fruits remain
largely unexplored. In this study, a hydroalcoholic extract obtained from unripe O. ficus-
indica fruits was characterized for its chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and
concentration-dependent embryotoxic profile and subsequently investigated in a zebrafish
model of spinal cord injury (SCI). UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis identified 14 secondary
metabolites, mainly flavonoids and phenylpropanoid acids. Antioxidant activity was con-
firmed by DPPH and ABTS assays. An embryotoxicity assessment conducted according to
OECD Test Guideline 236 revealed no mortality at concentrations below 100 μg mL→1 and
an LC50 of 323.59 μg mL→1 at 96 h post-fertilization, allowing the identification of non-toxic
concentrations for subsequent in vivo experiments. Based on these results, the extract
was tested in a larval zebrafish SCI transection model. Treated larvae showed improved
locomotor recovery, particularly under continuous exposure, accompanied by modulation
of molecular pathways involved in inflammation, neurotrophic support, and neurogenesis,
including reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and increased BDNF and Sonic
Hedgehog signaling markers. Overall, these findings expand current knowledge on unripe O. ficus-indica and highlight its potential to modulate molecular pathways involved in
SCI-induced damage and repair
On nearly Gorenstein affine semigroups
No full textWe describe the canonical module of a simplicial affine semigroup ring K[S] and its trace ideal. As a consequence, we characterize when K[S] is nearly Gorenstein in terms of arithmetic properties of the semigroup S. Then, we find some bounds for the Cohen-Macaulay type of K[S] when it is nearly Gorenstein. In particular, if it has codimension at most three, we prove that the Cohen-Macaulay type is at most three and this bound is sharp
Sequential changes in serum protein profiles in pregnant Spanish purebred mares
No full textThis study investigates sequential changes in serum protein fractions during gestation in 31 pregnant Spanish Purebred mares compared to 15 non-pregnant control. Total serum proteins (TSP) were measured using the Biuret method, while albumin (ALB), total globulins (tGLOB), and their subfractions (alpha(1), alpha(2), beta(1), beta(2), gamma-GLOB) were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. Pregnant mares showed significant changes in serum protein profiles throughout gestation. TSP and tGLOB concentrations increased from mid to late pregnancy (months 6-11), while ALB concentrations declined between months 6-8 and rose again from months 9-11 (p <= 0.05). The ALB/GLOB ratio was lower in pregnant mares during months 6-9. alpha(1)- and alpha(2)-GLOB concentrations remained consistently elevated across all gestational stages (p <= 0.05). beta(1)-GLOBs exhibited stage-specific fluctuations, whereas beta(2)-GLOBs remained stable. gamma-GLOB followed a triphasic pattern: an early increase (months 1-4), a mid-gestation decline (months 5-6), and a late gestation rise (months 7-11) (p <= 0.05). These results underscore dynamic, stage-dependent shifts in serum protein fractions during equine pregnancy. The progressive increase in alpha(1)-, alpha(2)-, and gamma-GLOBs suggests heightened immune activity and preparation for passive immunity transfer. Changes in ALB and beta(1)-GLOBs likely reflect metabolic and transport adaptations. Electrophoretic profiling of serum proteins may offer a valuable approach for monitoring maternal and fetal health throughout gestation
Perseverare diabolicum (est)? A proposito della reintroduzione del divieto del velo islamico nelle scuole austriache
No full textNella legislazione federale austriaca è stato di recente reintrodotto il divieto di indossare il velo islamico nelle scuole. La norma si applica alle studentesse infraquattordicenni. Un analogo divieto, riferito alle studentesse con meno di dieci anni, era stato dichiarato illegittimo dalla Corte costituzionale. Il presente scritto illustra il divieto in vigore e affronta la questione se, a seguito delle modifiche apportate e della parziale ridefinizione degli scopi perseguiti dal legislatore, il tentativo di allineamento ai principi costituzionali possa dirsi riuscito
How institutions think: Reproductive health services and migrant women in Italy
No full textFindings from an ethnographic study conducted in 2018 in Verona, aimed at investigating the relationship between migrant women and socio-sanitary services dedicated to reproductive health, will serve as a leverage to delve into and shed light on a series of elements (conventions, stereotypes, prejudices) that underpin what is labelled as the 'culture' of these services. Paraphrasing Mary Douglas's work, we will ask: how do socio-sanitary services think? The objective is to make visible the actions of institutions and socio-sanitary services in addressing the sexual and reproductive health needs of migrant women, the 'gaps' and 'frictions' that arise in the relationship between services and migrant users, and finally, the agency of institutional actors
Enantioselective sensing driven by the interplay of point, helical and planar chirality in pillar[5]arene Pseudo[1]catenanes
No full text: Chirality plays a central role in molecular recognition, and systems combining multiple, interdependent chiral elements can offer enhanced enantioselectivity. Here we show that covalent tethering of a dihydroxy-pillar[5]arene with meso-2,11-dibromododecanedioate yields diastereomeric pseudo[1]catenanes that combine three stereogenic features: two point chiral centers within the aliphatic linker, a helical chirality (P/M) induced by macrocycle closure, and a planar chirality of the pillararene ring. This system exhibits dynamic stereochemical behaviour involving in/out conformational equilibria, accompanied by inversion of the planar chirality. Using NMR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, DFT calculations and circular dichroism, we characterize the structures and dynamics of these macrobicyclic pillararenes, including guest-induced inclusion-exclusion processes. Hydrolysis affords a dicarboxyl-functionalized receptor capable of recognizing diamines via host-to-guest proton transfer, while enantiopure derivatives act as chiroptical sensors able to discriminate between L- and D-lysine esters. These results demonstrate how coupling multiple types of chirality can be exploited for responsive molecular recognition
Efficacy and safety of clopidogrel versus aspirin monotherapy for secondary prevention after percutaneous coronary intervention: a GRADE-assessed meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis
No full textackground
The optimal long-term antiplatelet monotherapy after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) remains uncertain, with limited data comparing aspirin and clopidogrel monotherapy. This meta-analysis aims to compare the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel versus aspirin in patients who have completed a standard duration (≥6 months) of event-free dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) following PCI with DES.
Methods
A comprehensive literature search was conducted across major electronic databases through May 2025 to identify relevant studies that compared clopidogrel monotherapy with aspirin monotherapy in adults who had undergone PCI with DES implantation. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Pooled estimates of relative risks (RRs) and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using a random-effects model.
Results
Five studies [two randomized controlled trials, three observational studies; n = 16, 289 patients] were included. Clopidogrel monotherapy was associated with a significant 31% reduction in MACCE compared with aspirin monotherapy [RR: 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60–0.79; P < 0.0001]. A pooled analysis of HRs demonstrated a similar benefit (HR: 0.67; 95% CI 0.58–0.77). Incidences of major bleeding and all-cause death were comparable between the two groups (RR: 0.93; 95% CI 0.57–1.51 and RR: 0.96; 95% CI 0.74–1.25, respectively). Notably, the analysis of HRs demonstrated that clopidogrel significantly reduced the risk of stroke (HR: 0.60; 95% CI 0.45–0.82; P = 0.001) and myocardial infarction (MI) (HR: 0.65; 95% CI 0.49–0.88; P = 0.005).
Conclusion
Clopidogrel monotherapy is more effective than aspirin for long-term prevention of MACCE, MI, and stroke, without increasing the major bleeding risk
