Short hydrogen bonds enhance nonaromatic protein-related fluorescence

2021

Significance Intrinsic fluorescence of nonaromatic amino acids is a puzzling phenomenon with an enormous potential in biophotonic applications. The physical origins of this effect, however, remain elusive. Herein, we demonstrate how specific hydrogen bond networks can modulate fluorescence. We highlight the key role played by short hydrogen bonds, present in the protein structure, on the ensuing fluorescence. We provide detailed experimental and molecular evidence to explain these unusual nonaromatic optical properties. Our findings should benefit the design of novel optically active biomaterials for applications in biosensing and imaging.

Real-world experience with dupilumab in severe asthma: One-year data from an italian named patient program

2021

Raffaele Campisi,1 Claudia Crimi,1 Santi Nolasco,2 Bianca Beghè,3 Leonardo Antonicelli,4 Gabriella Guarnieri,5 Nicola Scichilone,6 Morena Porto,2 Luigi Macchia,7 Giulia Scioscia,8 Maria Pia Foschino Barbaro,8 Alberto Papi,9 Nunzio Crimi1,2 1Respiratory Medicine Unit, A.O.U. Policlinico “G. Rodolico -San Marco”, Catania, Italy; 2Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Respiratory Diseases, University of Catania, Catania, Italy; 3Respiratory Medicine Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; 4Allergy Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Ancona University Hospital, Ancona, Italy; 5Department of Car…

Overcoming the liability of foreignness – A new perspective on Chinese MNCs

2021

Abstract We maintain that previous research on multinational corporations' liability of foreignness has underemphasized the importance of the firm's dependence on their parents, subsidiary and local resources. To address this issue, we conducted 43 semi-structured interviews with expatriate and local managers of Chinese high-tech MNCs over two years (2017–2019) and across China, Poland and Hong Kong to understand how they cope with the liability of foreignness in Poland. Using the resource dependence perspective, the linkage, leverage, learning (LLL) paradigm and the institutional view, we identified six dimensions affecting the liability of foreignness: resource commitment, information flo…

Ocean Circulation Model Applications for the Estuary-Coastal-Open Sea Continuum

2021

Coastal zones are among the most variable environments. As such, they require adaptive water management to ensure the balance of economic and social interests with environmental concerns. High quality marine data of hydrographic conditions e.g., sea level, temperature, salinity, and currents are needed to provide a sound foundation for the decision making process. Operational models with sufficiently high forecasting quality and resolution can be used for a further extension of the marine service toward the coastal-estuary areas. The Limfjord is a large and shallow water body in Northern Jutland, connecting the North Sea in the West and the Kattegat in the East. It is currently not covered …

Technology management, networking positions and work/life boundaries among working adult students

2021

In this digitalised world, crossing boundaries between life domains is becoming increasingly easy. We are constantly faced with the need to define whether we are online or offline, and technology management is now an integral part of daily life. Technology management, which is affected by the individual's networking position, has different components: connectivity management, online self-presentation and privacy management. The objective of this study is to explore technology management strategies among working adult students. The study identifies three networking positions: socio-affective enthusiasts, context-contingent pragmatists and pragmatic avoiders. These three groups have specific …

Internal vs. external R&D teams: Evidences from the Italian wine industry

2021

R&D teams' internationalization attracts interests from different research-streams. However, the decision on what type of R&D structure is more convenient to invest in may differ, based on several factors, such as risk-taking propensity and internal resource availability. With an aim to enrich the extant literature and to provide practical insights for managers working in the wine industry, this case study explores the determinants of an Italian family-owned winery that attempts to keep a balance between its internal and external R&D teams' decision, using an integrated theoretical framework based on the transaction costs and the resource-based view theory. The optimal R&D s…

Neurotoxicity of zearalenone’s metabolites and beauvericin mycotoxins via apoptosis and cell cycle disruption

2021

Cell cycle progression and programmed cell death are imposed by pathological stimuli of extrinsic or intrinsic including the exposure to neurotoxins, oxidative stress and DNA damage. All can cause abrupt or delayed cell death, inactivate normal cell survival or cell death networks. Nevertheless, the mechanisms of the neuronal cell death are unresolved. One of the cell deaths triggers which have been wildly studied, correspond to mycotoxins produced by Fusarium species, which have been demonstrated cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity through impairing cell proliferation, gene expression and induction of oxidative stress. The aim of present study was to analyze the cell cycle progression and cell …

Different trophic positions among social vespid species revealed by stable isotopes

2021

The social vespid wasps are common insect predators and several species behave in unison in the same biotopes. It is commonly accepted that social wasps are mainly opportunistic generalist predators without differences in prey selection and hence they compete for the same food resources. Trophic positions of six vespid wasp species and their potential prey from four sites in Finland and one in the UK were evaluated using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N). The difference in isotope values indicated different trophic positions among species. In general, Dolichovespula spp. showed higher δ15N values than Vespula spp., which suggests that Dolichovespula forage on higher trophi…

Permanent magnet bottom-stirred swirling flow in coaxial shallow cylindrical containers

2021

Here, an original rotating permanent magnet (RPM) system placed coaxially with the liquid metal container is studied as an effective means of generating flow in shallow cylinders for potential application in aluminum metallurgy (e.g., for ladle stirring and metal dosing). The studied RPM system generates volume force with strong axial variation and force maximum near the radial midpoint. The numerical and experimental data show that, in the shallow cylinder case, the azimuthal velocity follows the force radial distribution. The resulting velocity maximum occurs near the radial midpoint, unlike in the traditional rotating magnetic field (RMF) stirrer systems, where the velocity maximum occur…

Post-acute COVID-19 neurological syndrome: A new medical challenge

2021

In December 2019, in Wuhan (China), a highly pathogenic coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2, dramatically emerged. This new virus, which causes severe pneumonia, is rapidly spreading around the world, hence it provoked the COVID-19 pandemic. This emergency launched by SARS-CoV-2 also had, and still has, devastating socio-economic aspects. Assessing the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable groups of people is crucial for the adaptation of governments’ responses. Growing scientific evidence suggests that it is essential to keep the attention on people after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection; indeed, some clinical manifestations are frequently present even after recovery. There is consensus on the need to defi…

Overcoming Barriers to the Effective Management of Severe Asthma in Italy.

2021

Pierluigi Paggiaro,1 Simona Barbaglia,2 Stefano Centanni,3,4 Davide Croce,5 Enrico Desideri,6 Saffi Giustini,7,8 Claudio Micheletto,9 Antonino Musarra,10 Nicola Scichilone,11 Ugo Trama,12 Maria Teresa Zedda,7,13 Giorgio Walter Canonica14 1Department of Surgery, Medicine, Molecular Biology, and Critical Care, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 2Associazione Nazionale Pazienti “Respiriamo Insieme”, Padova, Italy; 3Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; 4Respiratory Unit, ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy; 5Center for Health Economics, Social and Health Care Management, LIUC-Università Cattaneo, Castellanza, I…

Naturally occurring polyphenols as building blocks for supramolecular liquid crystals – substitution pattern dominates mesomorphism

2021

A modular supramolecular approach towards hydrogen-bonded liquid crystalline assemblies based on naturally occurring polyphenols is reported. The combination of experimental observations, crystallographic studies and semi-empirical analyses of the assemblies provides insight into the structure–property relationships of these materials. Here a direct correlation of the number of donor OH-groups as well as their orientation with the mesomorphic behavior is reported. We discovered that the number and orientation of the OH-groups have a stronger influence on the mesomorphic behavior of the supramolecular assemblies than the connectivity (e.g. stilbenoid or chalconoid) of the hydrogen bond donor…

Generally Antisocial Batterers with High Neuropsychological Deficits Present Lower Treatment Compliance and Higher Recidivism

2021

Objective: No studies have considered whether neuropsychological performance moderates the relationship between Holtzworth-Munroe and Stuart's intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) offender typologies and treatment compliance and recidivism. Therefore, we first aimed to assess whether the typologies show differences in specific neuropsychological variables such as cognitive flexibility and emotion decoding processes. Second, we also assessed whether there are differences in treatment compliance and recidivism between the IPVAW offender typologies, based on their neuropsychological performance. Method: We administered a set of neuropsychological tests (e.g., Wisconsin card sorting …

Recovery-Stress Response of Blood-Based Biomarkers

2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate blood-based biomarkers and their regulation with regard to different recovery-stress states. A total of 35 male elite athletes (13 badminton, 22 soccer players) were recruited, and two venous blood samples were taken: one in a ‘recovered’ state (REC) after a minimum of one-day rest from exercise and another one in a ‘non-recovered’ state (NOR) after a habitual loading microcycle. Overall, 23 blood-based biomarkers of different physiologic domains, which address inflammation, muscle damage, and tissue repair, were analyzed by Luminex assays. Across all athletes, only creatine kinase (CK), interleukin (IL-) 6, and IL-17A showed higher concentration…

Large multiple neighborhood search for the soft-clustered vehicle-routing problem

2021

Abstract The soft-clustered vehicle-routing problem (SoftCluVRP) is a variant of the classical capacitated vehicle-routing problem. Customers are partitioned into clusters and all customers of the same cluster must be served by the same vehicle. In this paper, we present a large multiple neighborhood search for the SoftCluVRP. We design and analyze multiple cluster destroy and repair operators as well as two post-optimization components, which are both based on variable neighborhood descent. The first allows inter-route exchanges of complete clusters, while the second searches for intra-route improvements by combining classical neighborhoods (2-opt, Or-opt, double-bridge) and the Balas-Simo…

Physical and biological properties of electrospun poly(d,l‐lactide)/nanoclay and poly(d,l‐lactide)/nanosilica nanofibrous scaffold for bone tissue en…

2021

Abstract Electrospun scaffolds exhibiting high physical performances with the ability to support cell attachment and proliferation are attracting more and more scientific interest for tissue engineering applications. The inclusion of inorganic nanoparticles such as nanosilica and nanoclay into electrospun biopolymeric matrices can meet these challenging requirements. The silica and clay incorporation into polymeric nanofibers has been reported to enhance and improve the mechanical properties as well as the osteogenic properties of the scaffolds. In this work, for the first time, the physical and biological properties of polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun mats filled with different concentrat…

The Role of Music in Everyday Life During the First Wave of the Coronavirus Pandemic : A Mixed-Methods Exploratory Study

2021

Although music is known to be a part of everyday life and a resource for mood and emotion management, everyday life has changed significantly for many due to the global coronavirus pandemic, making the role of music in everyday life less certain. An online survey in which participants responded to Likert scale questions as well as providing free text responses was used to explore how participants were engaging with music during the first wave of the pandemic, whether and how they were using music for mood regulation, and how their engagement with music related to their experiences of worry and anxiety resulting from the pandemic. Results indicated that, for the majority of participants, whi…

Bank competition and multimarket contact intensity

2021

Abstract This paper analyzes the effect of multimarket contact on bank competition. We propose a completely new multimarket contact indicator that not only considers the existence of contacts between banks, but also their intensity, by analyzing the strength–weakness position of banks in terms of branch numbers in comparison to their rivals in the markets where they coincide. We test the new indicator empirically in the context of the Spanish banking sector. The main results suggest a negative relationship between market power and the number of multimarket contacts, rejecting the hypothesis of tacit collusion in the Spanish banking sector. However, the result changes completely when we cons…

Palermo resiliente : complessità e contraddizioni di una città mediterranea di fronte alle sfide in atto

2021

Palermo, città portuale dalla storia millenaria, si inserisce nel quadro delle previsioni che vedono il bacino del Mediterraneo sottoposto alle molteplici pressioni dovute all’innalzamento del livello medio marino, ai fenomeni climatici sempre più violenti e a regimi di precipitazioni sempre più irregolari ed ondate di calore, amplificate dall’effetto di isola di calore urbano. Il contributo costituisce una narrazione degli elementi di resilienza urbana, siano essi naturali, di paesaggio, di biodiversità e sociali. Il capitolo indica altresì in che direzione il capoluogo siciliano sta agendo per mitigare e adattarsi alle sfide in atto ed è corredato da materiale grafico, fotografie e mappat…

Do irresponsible corporate activities prevent membership in sustainable stock indices? The case of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index world

2021

Abstract The study analyses the real-life results from the DJSI World selection process and investigates whether companies are treated differently because of sectoral or geographical diversification needs of the index; furthermore, the question whether its methodology penalises ESG-related irresponsible corporate activities is investigated. The last is an important issue, as it is not unusual to find constituents of sustainable indices implicated in corporate scandals. This is a striking fact, contradicting the ethical and sustainable imperative such companies are supposed to comply with. The authors scrutinise data from a data panel containing 2872 firms between 2011 and 2016 and estimate …

Geochemistry of ultramafic and mafic rocks from the northern Central Asian Orogenic Belt (Tuva, Central Asia) - constraints on lower and middle arc c…

2021

Abstract The Agardagh Tes-Chem complex (ATCC) in Tuva, Central Asia (50.5°N, 95°E) exposes a rare mafic to ultramafic crust-mantle fragment that developed within a late Neoproterozoic (~570 Ma) intra-oceanic island arc system that was accreted to the Tuva-Mongolian microcontinent during the formation of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Residual mantle rocks (harzburgites and dunites) are highly refractory with high Cr# (0.59–0.83) and intermediate Mg# (0.46–0.52) in spinel and experienced high degrees of total melt extraction (up to 25%). In ultramafic cumulate rocks (wehrlites and pyroxenites), Cr# and Mg# in spinel are distinctly lower (0.22–0.45 and 0.34–0.37), and rare earth element (RE…

Accretion onto Neutron Stars: spectral and timing investigation of Low Mass X-ray Binaries

2021

Modeling and Mitigating Errors in Belief Propagation for Distributed Detection

2021

We study the behavior of the belief-propagation (BP) algorithm affected by erroneous data exchange in a wireless sensor network (WSN). The WSN conducts a distributed multidimensional hypothesis test over binary random variables. The joint statistical behavior of the sensor observations is modeled by a Markov random field whose parameters are used to build the BP messages exchanged between the sensing nodes. Through linearization of the BP message-update rule, we analyze the behavior of the resulting erroneous decision variables and derive closed-form relationships that describe the impact of stochastic errors on the performance of the BP algorithm. We then develop a decentralized distribute…

Bactericidal efficiency of porphyrin systems

2021

Photodynamic Inactivation is an innovative technique used to combat bacterial and viral infections which involves the use of photosensitizing agents along with light to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species able to kill bacteria and viruses. In the first section of this minireview, porphyrin-based fluorophores are shown to be remarkable dye candidates for PDI (photodynamic inactivation) applications. The second section is dedicated to the description of porphyrin-based antimicrobial materials and their potentialities for industrial applications such as in food packaging or antimicrobial medical devices and hygiene. Finally, the failings and perspectives of PDI are analyzed to demonstr…

Madonie, L'arte e la storia

2021

Il volume esamina il patrimonio storico artistico dei seguenti paesi delle Madonie: Caltavuturo, Castelbuono, Cefalù, Collesano, Geraci Siculo, Gangi, Gratteri, Isnello, Petralia Soprana, Petralia Sottana, Polizzi Generosa, Pollina, San Mauro Castelverde e Sclafani Bagni. Per ogni singolo borgo si affronta brevemente la storia della città e successivamente si esaminano le chiese e le opere d’arte ivi contenute, iniziando dalla Chiesa Madre o dalla Basilica per poi continuare con gli altri edifici chiesastici e i palazzi nobiliari. Particolare attenzione viene riservata all’architettura, come le chiese medievali e rinascimentali di Castelbuono, Gratteri e Isnello o quelle barocche e rococò d…

Preclinical models in oncological pharmacology: limits and advantages

2021

A wide range of experimental tumor models, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages, is nowadays available. Due to the inherent differences in their complexity and functionality, the choice of the model is usually dependent on the application. Thus, to advance specific knowledge, one has to choose and use appropriate models, which complexity is largely dependent on the hypotheses to test, that is on the objectives. Whatever the model chosen, the complexity of cancer is such that none of them will be able to fully represent it. In vitro tumor models have provided important tools for cancer research and still serve as low-cost screening platforms for drugs. The improved understanding o…

Parte IV, Capitolo III, L’informazione, l’etichettatura e la tracciabilità. Il principio di precauzione. I controlli ufficiali e il pacchetto igiene

2021

Questo volume nasce dalla necessità di offrire una lettura aggiornata, contemporanea appunto, delle peculiari regole che tradizionalmente han- no attribuito al Diritto agrario un carattere di specialità. Facciamo riferimento alle norme che in un’ottica di programmazione di un settore produttivo peculiare disciplinano l’impresa agricola, la proprietà terriera, i contratti agrari, il lavoro agricolo, il credito agrario, il mercato dei prodotti agricoli. Regole la cui chiave di lettura è sempre passata dalla considerazione dell’esistenza di un legame stretto tra “agricoltura” e “terra”, considerazione che non riteniamo superata, ma piuttosto aggiornata, dalle numerose innovazioni legislati…

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, a Key Modulator of the Anti-Tumor Immune Response

2021

During tumor growth, angiogenesis is required to ensure oxygen and nutrient transport to the tumor. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the major inducer of angiogenesis and appears to be a key modulator of the anti-tumor immune response. Indeed, VEGF modulates innate and adaptive immune responses through direct interactions and indirectly by modulating protein expressions on endothelial cells or vascular permeability. The inhibition of the VEGF signaling pathway is clinically approved for the treatment of several cancers. Therapies targeting VEGF can modulate the tumor vasculature and the immune response. In this review, we discuss the roles of VEGF in the anti-tumor immune respon…

Diabetes is not associated with COVID-19-related mortality in older institutionalized people

2021

Diabetes & Metabolism - Sous presse. Manuscrit accepte. Disponible en ligne depuis le mercredi 27 janvier 2021

Practical guidance for combination lipid-modifying therapy in high- and very-high-risk patients: A statement from a European Atherosclerosis Society …

2021

International audience; Background and aimsThis European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Task Force provides practical guidance for combination therapy for elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and/or triglycerides (TG) in high-risk and very-high-risk patients.MethodsEvidence-based review.ResultsStatin-ezetimibe combination treatment is the first choice for managing elevated LDL-C and should be given upfront in very-high-risk patients with high LDL-C unlikely to reach goal with a statin, and in primary prevention familial hypercholesterolaemia patients. A proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitor may be added if LDL-C levels remain high. In high and very-h…

On the critical behavior for inhomogeneous wave inequalities with Hardy potential in an exterior domain

2021

Abstract We study the wave inequality with a Hardy potential ∂ t t u − Δ u + λ | x | 2 u ≥ | u | p in  ( 0 , ∞ ) × Ω , $$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle \partial_{tt}u-{\it\Delta} u+\frac{\lambda}{|x|^2}u\geq |u|^p\quad \mbox{in } (0,\infty)\times {\it\Omega}, \end{array}$$ where Ω is the exterior of the unit ball in ℝ N , N ≥ 2, p > 1, and λ ≥ − N − 2 2 2 $\begin{array}{} \displaystyle \left(\frac{N-2}{2}\right)^2 \end{array}$ , under the inhomogeneous boundary condition α ∂ u ∂ ν ( t , x ) + β u ( t , x ) ≥ w ( x ) on  ( 0 , ∞ ) × ∂ Ω , $$\begin{array}{} \displaystyle \alpha \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}(t,x)+\beta u(t,x)\geq w(x)\quad\mbox{on } (0,\infty)\times \partial{\it\Omega}, \e…

Alimentary and Pharmaceutical Approach to Natural Antimicrobials against Clostridioides difficile Gastrointestinal Infection

2021

Incidence of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) has been increasing in recent decades due to different factors, namely (i) extended use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, (ii) transmission within asymptomatic and susceptible patients, and (iii) unbalanced gastrointestinal microbiome and collateral diseases that favor C. difficile gastrointestinal domination and toxin production. Although antibiotic therapies have resulted in successful control of CDI in the last 20 years, the development of novel strategies is urged in order to combat the capability of C. difficile to generate and acquire resistance to conventional treatments and its consequent proliferation. In this regard, vegetable and…

P030 SUCNR1 mediates inflammasome activation: Relevance in Ulcerative Colitis

2021

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by a diffuse, continuous, and chronic inflammation of mucosa and submucosa layers in the colon1. Inflammasome complex is involved in the intestinal homeostasis regulation, but its role in UC has not been established yet. We have recently reported that SUCNR1 mediates intestinal inflammation and fibrosis2. We aim to analyze the role of SUCNR1 in inflammasome activation and UC. Methods Intestinal resections from UC and non-IBD patients were obtained. HT29 cells were treated with succinate 1mM and an inflammasome activator cocktail (TNF-α 25ng/ml, IFN-γ 20 ng/ml and LPS 1µg/ml) for 24 hours and transfected with SUCNR1 siRNA. Chronic …

Risk perception of sars-cov-2 infection and implementation of various protective measures by dentists across various countries

2021

Objective: Healthcare workers in general are at a high risk of potential infections with COVID-19, especially those who work with aerosol generating procedures. Dentists fall in this category, as not only do they operate with aerosol generating procedures but also operate within a face-to-face contact area. Methods: A structured self-administered questionnaire was developed at Najran University and provided to the participants for data collection. The data collected included information on risk perception and incorporation of measures for protection against COVID-19 to gauge the attitude of dentists during this period. Also, clinical implementation of various protective measures was reviewe…

The Rapid Evolution of Resistance to Vip3Aa Insecticidal Protein in Mythimna separata (Walker) Is Not Related to Altered Binding to Midgut Receptors

2021

Laboratory selection for resistance of field populations is a well-known and useful tool to understand the potential of insect populations to evolve resistance to insecticides. It provides us with estimates of the frequency of resistance alleles and allows us to study the mechanisms by which insects developed resistance to shed light on the mode of action and optimize resistance management strategies. Here, a field population of Mythimna separata was subjected to laboratory selection with either Vip3Aa, Cry1Ab, or Cry1F insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. The population rapidly evolved resistance to Vip3Aa reaching, after eight generations, a level of >3061-fold resistance…

Coordination Chemistry of a Bis(Tetrazine) Tweezer: A Case of Host-Guest Behavior with Silver Salts

2021

The carbon-carbon cross-coupling of phenyl s-tetrazine (Tz) units at their ortho-phenyl positions allows the formation of constrained bis(tetrazines) with original tweezer structures. In these compounds, the face-to-face positioning of the central tetrazine cores is reinforced by π-stacking of the electron-poor nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic moieties. The resulting tetra-aromatic structure can be used as a weak coordinating ligand with cationic silver. This coordination generates a set of bis(tetrazine)-silver(I) coordination complexes tolerating a large variety of counter anions of various geometries, namely, PF6−, BF4−, SbF6−, ClO4−, NTf2−, and OTf−. These compounds were characterized…