Velleja Research

Background/Objectives: Breastfeeding represents a critical developmental window during which maternal biology, environmental exposures, and nutrition converge to influence infant gastrointestinal health and long-term developmental trajectories. From a One Health perspective, breastfeeding can be conceptualized not as a static nutritional act, but as a dynamic and modifiable biological system in which maternal factors shape early-life microbiota assembly and immune programming. This narrative review explores how microbiota-oriented strategies during breastfeeding may foster a favorable trajectory of infant health, potentially extending to transgenerational outcomes. Methods: This narrative review is structured around a ten-point decalogue addressing interconnected domains relevant to the maternal-milk-infant microbiota axis, including maternal diet, microbial diversity, environmental exposures, psychological stress and probiotic use. Current mechanistic and clinical evidence was examined to evaluate how these domains may modulate microbiota composition and function during breastfeeding. Attention was given to probiotic supplementation, including strain specificity, timing of administration, and clinical context, as well as to the broader implications of a One Health framework. Results: Available evidence suggests that maternal nutritional patterns, environmental and psychosocial exposures, and targeted microbiota-modulation strategies may influence the composition and functional properties of human milk and the developing infant microbiota. Probiotic use during breastfeeding appears to have strain-specific and context-dependent effects, with potential benefits in selected clinical scenarios. However, findings remain heterogeneous, and uncertainties persist regarding optimal strains, timing, and long-term outcomes. Conclusions: Breastfeeding can be understood as a dynamic biological interface shaped by maternal and environmental factors. Integrating microbiota-oriented strategies within a One Health framework may support infant gastrointestinal health and possibly contribute to longer-term developmental trajectories. Nevertheless, careful interpretation of the current evidence is warranted to avoid reductionist, supplement-centered approaches and to prevent maternal overmedicalization or blame.

Epidemiological evidence support the idea that CST I, L. crispatus-dominated vaginal microbiota, could protect women form cervical HPV infection also favoring the HPV clearance. Our prospective, multi-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on 62 women newly diagnosed of HPV infection without visible cervical lesions at colposcopy, was mainly aimed at evaluating the role exerted by the oral treatment (daily, 4 months) with the strain L. crispatus M247 in prompting the HR-HPV clearance and CST shift. The results of our study demonstrated that the probiotic treatment significantly increased versus control: (i) the HPV clearance (60% versus 31.8%), and (ii) the number of negative PAP tests (83.3% versus 71.4%), favoring also the vaginal microbiota eubiosis. Particularly, the vaginal microbiota analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between the observed HPV clearance and: (i) a reduced richness; (ii) an increased relative presence of L. crispatus; and (iii) an increased number of women with a CST I microbiota. While a larger study would further strengthen these findings, the current evidence provides encouraging insights into the potential efficacy of the oral treatment with the strain L. crispatus M247.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-20838-5.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the transition from linear to nonlinear viscoelastic behavior in polymers and rubber compounds under cyclic sinusoidal shear deformation. By using Fourier series decomposition, we define the generalized elastic modulus and viscous modulus to capture critical aspects of the material’s response. The is further divided into two components: the first harmonic, representing linear elasticity, and a nonlinear modulus , derived from higher harmonic contributions. To quantify the degree of nonlinearity, we introduce the nonlinearity index (NLI), defined as the ratio of the nonlinear modulus to the first harmonic elastic modulus and , providing a precise metric for nonlinear viscoelastic behavior. We demonstrate the high sensitivity and utility of NLI in distinguishing different polymer topologies, particularly to differentiate between linear and branched macrostructures. Furthermore, we explore the influence of silica loading in silica-filled tread solution SBR (s-SBR) compounds, revealing the pronounced nonlinearity induced by filler content and the sensitivity of NLI in detecting filler–rubber interactions. The study also examines functionalized s-SBR in silica-based tread formulations for high-performance tires, emphasizing the critical role of polymer–filler interactions in dynamic reinforcement. Our findings establish NLI as a robust analytical tool for characterizing viscoelastic properties, offering valuable insight into molecular architecture and rubber–filler interactions for functionalized s-SBR compound.

This article was published in Volume 112, issue 4 of publishing year 2021, with a mistake in the text and in Table I. The corrections to the text and the correct Table I are the ones included in this erratum. Page 514, second full paragraph, line 30 should read as follows: "According to Table I, a nasal swab (rapid test) for detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific antigen was performed in 33 countries and in 46 children, respectively, in the treated and in the control groups."

This study explores the impact of technical socks designed to improve sleep quality by retaining warmth in the feet. Sleep is critical for physical and mental health, and non-pharmacological interventions such as maintaining an optimal sleep environment or using stimuli like foot warming can potentially enhance sleep. The socks aim to reduce sleep onset latency and improve sleep dynamics by maintaining foot warmth throughout the night. The study involved 30 participants, selected because they wanted to improve their sleep quality, monitored over a two-week period. Participants wore the technical socks during sleep, and sleep quality was assessed using both subjective measures (the Insomnia Severity Index, ISI) and objective parameters such as total sleep time, sleep phases, heart rate, and respiratory rate. Differences between pre- and post-intervention data were analyzed using paired t-tests. The study found significant improvements in sleep quality, including a reduction in ISI scores from 10.4±4.3 to 5.7±4.4 (P<0.01), suggesting a decrease in insomnia severity. Slow-wave sleep (SWS), crucial for recovery, increased significantly (P=0.03). Other sleep measures such as REM sleep and total sleep time showed minor, non-significant improvements. No significant changes were observed in heart rate or respiratory rate. The results suggest that wearing technical socks during sleep may help reduce insomnia severity and increase slow-wave sleep. Although further research with larger sample sizes and long-term follow-up is needed, the intervention appears to be a promising, non-invasive method for improving sleep quality.

BackgroundSymptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD) is a chronic condition frequently characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel habits. While cyclic rifaximin is commonly used for symptom control, interest is growing in the potential role of probiotics. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of patients with SUDD treated with either Clostridium butyricum CBM588® or cyclic rifaximin over a 12-month period.MethodsThis retrospective cross-sectional study included 70 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of SUDD, treated between 2023 and 2024. Patients were divided into two groups based on treatment received: Group A (CBM588® daily for 12 months) and Group B (cyclic rifaximin 400 mg bid for 7 days per month). Clinical data, symptom profiles, and occurrence of diverticulitis were collected and compared. The primary outcome was the reduction of SUDD-related symptoms, and the secondary outcome was the incidence of acute diverticulitis episodes during follow-up.ResultsA total of 56 patients completed the 12-month follow-up (31 in Group A, 25 in Group B). No significant difference was observed in the rate of symptomatic flares between groups (19.4% vs. 20%, p = 0.7). However, a significantly higher proportion of patients in the CBM588® group reported adequate symptom relief (77.4% vs. 44%, p = 0.02). Improvements in bloating and tenesmus were more frequent in the CBM588® group, although not statistically significant. No treatment-related adverse events were recorded.ConclusionIn this retrospective comparison, Clostridium butyricum CBM588® demonstrated similar efficacy to rifaximin in preventing diverticulitis, with a potential advantage in subjective symptom improvement. These findings support further prospective studies to explore the role of CBM588® in SUDD management.Trial registrationClinicaltrial.gov reference: NCT06852274