Stazione Sperimentale per l'Industria delle Pelli e delle Materie Concianti

This study focuses on preparing and characterizing functionalized silver nanoparticle-based (Ag-F NPs) finishing agents for leather treatment. Ag-F NPs were synthesized and functionalized through a ligand exchange process with citric acid, enhancing their dispersion stability in aqueous media. The nanoparticles were incorporated into polyurethane- and nitroemulsion-based finishing formulations and applied to ovine and bovine leather via a spray coating process. Morphological (SEM, TEM), structural (XRD), thermal (TGA), and spectroscopic (FT-IR) analyses confirmed successful functionalization and uniform dispersion within the finishing layer. Leather samples treated with Ag-F NPs exhibited a significant improvement in antibacterial properties, with microbial growth reduction of up to 90% after 72 h. Additionally, accelerated aging tests demonstrated enhanced UV resistance, with a 30% lower color change (∆E) compared to control samples. The Ag-F NPs-based finishing layers also exhibited superior abrasion and micro-scratch resistance, maintaining a stable coefficient of friction over time. These findings demonstrate the potential of Ag-F NPs as multifunctional leather-finishing agents, making them highly suitable for applications in the automotive, footwear, and leather goods industries.

This study aims to compare the effects of some chemical agents on the removal of calcareous encrustations, which are characterized by the presence of both calcium and silicon. The experimentation was conducted during the conservation treatments of Cerriglio’s nymphaeum (Massa Lubrense, Naples, Italy). Tests were carried out in the laboratory on specimens and in situ to define the most efficient choice between several chelant agents, in the recovery of calcium and silicon, using ICP/OES and spectrocolorimetric and microscopic analyses.

Background: The aim of this study has been to investigate if inflammatory biomarkers such as the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have any correlation with the recurrence of pleomorphic adenomas (PA) in patients afflicted by this disease.
 
 Methods: A retrospective multicentre study involving two Italian centres, the Maxillofacial Sur-gery at the Policlinico Federico II in Naples and the ENT and Maxillofacial Surgery at the IRCCS G. Pascale National Cancer Institute in Naples, has been performed. The study, involving 608 pa-tients who had received a diagnosis of PA, was conducted between January 2000 and January 2020. A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the optimal cut-off values for the SII, PLR and NLR. A linear regression model (LRM) and a non-linear logistic re-gression model (NLRM) were realized with respect to the NLR, PLR and SII.
 
 Results: The highest performance was achieved by the NLR (cut-off 2.960) with the AUC = 0.91, with an accuracy of 96.1%, sensitivity of 78.4% and specificity of 97.2%, PPV = 64.4% and NPV = 98.6%. The LRM and NLRM including all the haematological parameters did not increase the per-formance in terms of recurrence detection.
 Conclusion: The NLR is an excellent support tool in predicting the recurrence of PA with a cut-off of 2.960. It can be a good reference point for surgical decision-making and follow-up in clinical practice.

BackgroundNumerous clinical variables may influence early marginal bone loss (EMBL), including surgical, prosthetic and host-related factors. Among them, bone crest width plays a crucial role: an adequate peri-implant bone envelope has a protective effect against the influence of the aforementioned factors on marginal bone stability. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of buccal and palatal bone thickness at the time of implant placement on EMBL during the submerged healing period.MethodsPatients presenting a single edentulism in the upper premolar area and requiring implant-supported rehabilitation were enrolled following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Internal connection implants (Twinfit, Dentaurum, Ispringen, Germany) were inserted after piezoelectric implant site preparation. Mid-facial and mid-palatal thickness and height of the peri-implant bone were measured immediately after implant placement (T0) with a periodontal probe and recorded to the nearest 0.5 mm. After 3 months of submerged healing (T1), implants were uncovered and measurements were repeated with the same protocol. Kruskal-Wallis test for independent samples was used to compare bone changes from T0 to T1. Multivariate linear regression models were built to assess the influence of different variables on buccal and palatal EMBL.ResultsNinety patients (50 females, 40 males, mean age 42.9 ± 15.1 years), treated with the insertion of 90 implants in maxillary premolar area, were included in the final analysis. Mean buccal and palatal bone thickness at T0 were 2.42 ± 0.64 mm and 1.31 ± 0.38 mm, respectively. Mean buccal and palatal bone thickness at T1 were 1.92 ± 0.71 mm and 0.87 ± 0.49 mm, respectively. Changes in both buccal and palatal thickness from T0 to T1 resulted statistically significant (p = 0.000). Changes in vertical bone levels from T0 to T1 resulted not significant both on buccal (mean vertical resorption 0.04 ± 0.14 mm; p = 0.479) and palatal side (mean vertical resorption 0.03 ± 0.11 mm; p = 0.737). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between vertical bone resorption and bone thickness at T0 on both buccal and palatal side.ConclusionThe present findings suggest that a bone envelope > 2 mm on the buccal side and > 1 mm on the palatal side may effectively prevent peri-implant vertical bone resorption following surgical trauma.Trial RegistrationThe present study was retrospectively recorded in a public register of clinical trials (www.clinicaltrials.gov - NCT05632172) on 30/11/2022.

Traditionally, growth patterns are described as constant throughout life using von Bertalanffy's equation. However, a change in growth due to a reallocation of energy during an individual’s lifespan is to be expected. Following this hypothesis, back-calculation measurements obtained from SoleMon survey data were used to fit and compare monophasic and biphasic growth curves for common sole in the northern and central Adriatic Sea. Moreover, individual variability in growth was considered through nonlinear mixed-effect models in which the individual parameters were considered as a random effect. The analyses performed in this study revealed systematic age-specific discrepancies in the monophasic curve and demonstrated that the fit of the biphasic curve was superior (Δ AIC: 329; Δ BIC: 310), confirming the theory that growth in size would decrease as a consequence of reproductive effort. Finally, since common sole is routinely assessed using models that rely on growth to derive assessment estimates and related management reference points, a stock assessment simulation was performed to compare the two growth alternatives. The results showed how the biphasic alternative was preferable to the conventional alternative and how the use of the monophasic pattern would result in an overly optimistic view of stock status (+40% in SSB/SSBtarget and −35% in F/Ftarget compared to the biphasic pattern), thereby increasing the risk of overfishing.

Arterial hypertension (AH) and periodontitis are among the most common non-communicable chronic diseases worldwide. Besides sharing common risk factors, an increasing body of evidence supports an independent association between the two conditions, with low-grade systemic inflammation acting as the plausible biological link with increased cardiovascular risk. In 2021, the Italian Society of Arterial Hypertension (SIIA) and the Italian Society of Periodontology and Implantology (SIdP) have joined forces and published a joint report on the relationships between AH and periodontitis, reviewing the existing scientific evidence and underlining the need to increase awareness of the strong connection between the two conditions and promote treatment strategies for the control of gums inflammation in patients with AH. The current document extends the previous joint report, providing clinical practical guidelines aimed to support clinicians in the management of patients who suffer from or are at risk of being affected by both conditions. These recommendations are based on careful consideration of the available evidence as well as of the current guidelines on the management of periodontitis and AH and are supported by SIIA and SIdP.

Containment measures adopted to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have produced a general perception of job insecurity. Dentists have been highly affected by such measures, as they represent an easy source of contagion. As perceived job insecurity is associated with psychological distress and Italian dentists have been highly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of potential financial loss and the risk of being infected, this study aimed at assessing whether the fear of COVID-19 moderated the effect of perceived job insecurity on depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional online study has included 735 Italian dentists recruited during the lockdown and ranging in age from 27 to 70 years old (495 men and 240 women). A quantile regression model with an inference based on the median and with an interaction term between the fear of COVID-19 and perceived job insecurity has been used to estimate the hypothesized associations. The results indicated that both perceived job insecurity and fear of COVID-19 were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and that the effect of perceived job insecurity on depressive symptoms was weaker among those with a low fear of COVID-19. The findings may inform public health policies for dentists in relation to reducing the risk of developing negative mental health outcomes.