Ultrastiff graphene

2021

Graphene has exceptionally high in-plane strength, which makes it ideal for various nanomechanical applications. At the same time, its exceptionally low out-of-plane stiffness makes it also flimsy and hard to handle, rendering out-of-plane structures unstable and difficult to fabricate. Therefore, from an application point of view, a method to stiffen graphene would be highly beneficial. Here we demonstrate that graphene can be significantly stiffened by using a laser writing technique called optical forging. We fabricate suspended graphene membranes and use optical forging to create stable corrugations. Nanoindentation experiments show that the corrugations increase graphene bending stiffn…

Slow relaxation of the magnetization in a {CoIIIMnIII} heterometallic brick-wall network

2021

Abstract The use of the cyanide-bearing dicobalt(III) complex (PPh4)2[Co2III(μ−2,5-dpp)(CN)8] as a metalloligand towards [Mn(salen)(H2O)]ClO4 afforded the heterobimetallic two-dimensional compound of formula [{MnIII(salen)}2{(μ-NC)4Co2III(μ−2,5-dpp)(CN)4}]n (1) [PPh4+ = teraphenylphosphonium cation, 2,5-dpp = 2,5-bis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine and H2salen = N,N’-ethylenebis(salicylideneimine)] whose structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 exhibits a neutral brick-wall structure, where each [Co2III(μ−2,5-dpp)(CN)8]2− unit adopts a tetrakis-monodentate bridging mode towards four {MnIII(salen)}+ fragments through four of its eight cyanide ligands. Each cobalt(III)…

Olive oil mill toward industry 4.0

2021

In recent years many studies have been conducted on olive oil mill and processes for improving extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) quality. The malaxer is the most studied machine among all, it is responsible for malaxation, which represents a very important and critical step in the EVOO extraction process. The processing conditions allowing a selective control of the enzymes represent a crucial point of the oil mechanical extraction process, strictly related to the sensory and healthy quality of EVOO. The authors designed a malaxer prototype provided with a supervisor control acquisition data (SCADA) system for the smart management of the malaxation process to obtain high quality EVOO. The syste…

Ionic tactile sensors as promising biomaterials for artificial skin: Review of latest advances and future perspectives

2021

Abstract Ionic tactile sensors (ITS) are an emerging subfield of wearable electronics, capable of mimicking the human skin, including not only the typical anisotropic structure, mechanical behaviour, and tactile functions but even the mechanosensitive ionic channels that are crucial for the human sense of touch. With the rapid development of intelligent technology, such bioinspired materials constitute the core foundation of intelligent systems and are a candidate to be the next generation e-skins, offering a more accurate and evolved biointerface. In the latest years, a wealth of novel ultra-stretchable ITS was proposed, progressively refining the choice of soft materials, including ion ge…

The Role of Interleukin 10 and 18 in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Pathogenesis in the Context of Angioedema Coexistence

2021

Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is defined using clinical symptoms as spontaneous occurrence of itchy wheals and/or angioedema for at least 6 weeks. Angioedema is underdiagnosed in CSU patients, and its presence has significant negative impact on health-related quality of life, daily activities, health care resource utilization, and work. Various cytokines have been found to be involved in pathogenesis of CSU. To study levels of interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-18 in CSU patients and to look for the differences in CSU subgroups divided with regard to angioedema reoccurrence, we included consecutive CSU patients into the study. To assess disease activity, urticaria activity score was used. In …

Empirical evaluation of home-based reablement: A review

2021

Home-based reablement (HBR) aims to restore or increase patients’ level of functioning, thereby increasing the patients’ self-reliance and consequently decreasing their dependence on healthcare services. To date, the evidence on whether HBR is an efficient method has not been comprehensively reviewed. The aim of this study was to provide a concise summary of relevant existing findings. In addition, we provide a critical constructive assessment of the publications reflecting the extant research.  The relevant literature on this topic was identified through a systematic search of appropriate databases. Thereafter, we screened the studies, first by title, followed by abstract and then by asses…

Dual proteotoxic stress accelerates liver injury via activation of p62‐Nrf2

2021

Protein accumulation is the hallmark of various neuronal, muscular, and other human disorders. It is also often seen in the liver as a major protein-secretory organ. For example, aggregation of mutated alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT), referred to as PiZ, is a characteristic feature of AAT deficiency, whereas retention of hepatitis B surface protein (HBs) is found in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection. We investigated the interaction of both proteotoxic stresses in humans and mice. Animals overexpressing both PiZ and HBs (HBs-PiZ mice) had greater liver injury, steatosis, and fibrosis. Later they exhibited higher hepatocellular carcinoma load and a more aggressive tumor subtype. Although PiZ and H…

Glukoseschwankungen und Distress im Alltag: Vergleich zwischen subjektivem Erleben und objektiven CGM-Parametern

2021

P255 Efficacy and safety of a restrictive ferric carboxymaltose infusion strategy for iron deficiency anemia in inflammatory bowel disease patients

2021

Abstract Background Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common condition in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) has shown fast correction of hemoglobin (Hb) levels and good tolerability. We evaluated the response to FCM in IBD patients with IDA. The primary outcome was the assessment of the rate of response to single or multiple FCM infusions after 12 months from the first infusion. Secondary outcomes were the response to a single FCM infusion after 3 months and the assessment of FCM safety. Methods We retrospectively included 185 consecutive patients from IBD Unit of “Villa Sofia-V. Cervello” Hospital who received at least a dose of 500 mg FCM infus…

Cristianesimo e modernità politica. il problema teologico-politico nell'ultimo Kant

2021

In this paper I will analyse the religious issue in the late Kantian work. I argue that Kant’s reflections on Christianity have to be strictly connected with those on law and history. This connection lead us to the political theological problem which is crucial in the case of Hegel as well. In the Encyclopedia Hegel explicitly takes inspiration from Kant who thinks that the problem of that age is the relation between religion and law. That is why Kant cannot be considered a liberal thinker because religion is not a mere private question for him but it has a public importance within his modern conception of history. In this sense, I also argue that Kant’s judg-ment on Christianity is more ne…

Virtual and arrow Temperley–Lieb algebras, Markov traces, and virtual link invariants

2021

Let [Formula: see text] be the algebra of Laurent polynomials in the variable [Formula: see text] and let [Formula: see text] be the algebra of Laurent polynomials in the variable [Formula: see text] and standard polynomials in the variables [Formula: see text] For [Formula: see text] we denote by [Formula: see text] the virtual braid group on [Formula: see text] strands. We define two towers of algebras [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in terms of diagrams. For each [Formula: see text] we determine presentations for both, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. We determine sequences of homomorphisms [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we determine Markov traces […

Laparoscopy in Low-Income Countries: 10-Year Experience and Systematic Literature Review

2021

Laparoscopy is a procedure that ultimately reduces hospital stay time and speeds up post-operative recovery. It is mainly performed in high-income countries but its implementation in many low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is increasing. However, no aggregate data exist regarding the outcomes of this procedure in resource-limited settings. We retrospectively reviewed all cases of laparoscopy recorded from January 2007 to March 2017 at the Department of Surgery of Beira to assess the related outcomes. Moreover, we performed a systematic review of the laparoscopic practices and outcomes in low-income countries. Data from the Department of Surgery of Beira identified 363 laparoscopic proc…

Childhood Cancer: Occurrence, Treatment and Risk of Second Primary Malignancies

2021

Simple Summary Childhood cancers are mostly of unknown etiology and represent devastating diagnoses. The clinical benefits of steadily increasing tumor control and survival rates are countered by severe and fatal health consequences from genotoxic therapies in long-term survivors of pediatric cancers. Among them, iatrogenic second primary malignancies represent the heaviest burden for the patient. Therefore, particularly in pediatric tumor patients, the reduction of genotoxic treatments and the use of targeted or immune-based oncologic strategies are of high clinical interest. The knowledge of therapy-associated as well as intrinsic risk factors for late sequelae of antineoplastic treatment…

Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Device Infection and New Insights About Correlation Between Pro-inflammatory Markers and Heart Failure: A Syste…

2021

Introduction: Surgical approaches to treat patients with abnormal pro-inflammatory parameters remain controversial, and the debate on the correlation between hematological parameter alteration in cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection and the increase in mortality continues.Methods: We performed a systematic review using the PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Twenty-two articles from May 2007 to April 2020 were selected and divided according to the following topics: prevalence of microbes in patients with CIED infection; characteristics of patients with CIED infection; comparison between patients who underwent and did not undergo replantation after device extrac…

Individual baseline behavioral traits predict the resilience phenotype after chronic social defeat

2021

Abstract Chronic social defeat (CSD) has been widely used as a psychosocial stress model in mice, with the magnitude of CSD-induced social avoidance as the major behavioral hallmark of the resilient and susceptible groups. Despite significant progress in the study of the neurobiology of resilient and susceptible mice, the nature and ethological relevance of CSD-induced social avoidance and social approach, particularly measured using a CD1 mouse, needs conceptual clarification. Based on the findings of a recent study revealing substantial individuality in genetically homogeneous inbred mice, we investigated whether certain baseline individual characteristics of male C57BL/6J mice predict th…

Recent advances in aptamer-based miniaturized extraction approaches in food analysis

2021

Abstract Sample preparation is a relevant step in food analysis to achieve adequate extraction and preconcentration of target analytes before their introduction in the analytical system. Current trends in sample preparation involve moving towards miniaturized extraction devices combined with advanced affinity-based sorbents. Within affinity-based materials, aptamer-based ones have attracted much attention due to their excellent molecular recognition properties, high stability, and the possibility of immobilization onto the surface of different supporting materials, such as nanoparticles, monolithic stationary phases, etc. This review gives an overview of the literature published regarding a…

Idiopathic Environmental Intolerance: A Treatment Model

2021

Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) refers to a health condition characterized by the presence of multiple symptoms in different organ systems in response to a variety of environmental cues, such as chemical exposures, electromagnetic radiation, infrasound from windmill farms, (parts of) buildings, foods, etc. Typically, the symptoms arise in response to triggers and at dosages that do not cause symptoms in the majority of people, and no clear link with any physiological dysfunction can be found. The condition varies in a dimensional way from very mild, for which no medical help is sought, to very disabling, compromising normal life. The condition is controversial, but several indica…

Connecting others: Does a tertius iungens orientation shape the relationship between research networks and innovation?

2021

Research on social networks and innovation emphasizes that individuals spanning structural holes and crossing institutional boundaries have more opportunities for knowledge recombination and innovation involvement. However, transforming the potential knowledge and resources available through personal networks to attain innovation can be difficult for the focal individual. Using an ego-network approach, this study examines whether and to what extent an individual strategic orientation to cooperation (i.e. tertius iungens) contributes to strengthening the relation between two personal network properties (structural and institutional separation) and involvement in innovation. Our analysis is c…

Analysis of demographic, psychological and cultural aspects associated with the practice of sexting in Mexican and Spanish adolescents

2021

Abstract Sexting is an increasingly frequent phenomenon among adolescents, and it involves risky behaviors such as sextortion or even grooming. This study aims to analyze demographic, psychological, and cultural variables that may explain the nature of this phenomenon. The sample consisted of 471 adolescents from 12 to 18 years old from two countries, Spain and Mexico, with dissimilar levels of gender inequality. Results highlight important differences in sexting behavior between the two countries. We have found higher levels of sexting behaviors in Mexican adolescents (41.5 %) than in Spanish adolescents (24.6 %) as well as an earlier start in Mexican adolescents. Moreover, adolescents in …

Cardiorenal Fat: A Cardiovascular Risk Factor With Implications in Chronic Kidney Disease.

2021

There is a growing interest in the potential role of adipose tissues in cardiac and renal pathophysiology, and determining the mechanisms by which fat compartments around the heart and kidneys influence cardiovascular disease is of clinical importance in both general and high-risk populations. Epicardial fat and perirenal fat have been associated with adverse outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Epicardial fat is a rich source of free fatty acids and is capable of secreting inflammatory and pro-atherogenic cytokines that promote atherosclerosis through a local paracrine effect. Recent evidence has demonstrated that perirenal fat has a closer correlation with kidney diseases th…

The Assessment of Risk Factors for Long-term Survival Outcome in ypN0 Patients With Rectal Cancer After Neoadjuvant Therapy and Radical Anterior Rese…

2021

Abstract Background The main negative prognostic factors in patients with rectal cancer after radical treatment include regional lymph node involvement, lymphovascular invasion, and perineural invasion. However, some patients still develop cancer recurrence despite the absence of the above risk factors. The aim of the study was to assess clinicopathological factors influencing long-term oncologic outcomes in ypN0M0 rectal cancer patients after neoadjuvant therapy and radical anterior resection. Methods A retrospective survival analysis was performed on a group of 195 patients. We assessed clinicopathological factors which included tumor regression grade, number of lymph nodes in the specime…

Iron in Translation: From the Beginning to the End

2021

Iron is an essential element for all eukaryotes, since it acts as a cofactor for many enzymes involved in basic cellular functions, including translation. While the mammalian iron-regulatory protein/iron-responsive element (IRP/IRE) system arose as one of the first examples of translational regulation in higher eukaryotes, little is known about the contribution of iron itself to the different stages of eukaryotic translation. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, iron deficiency provokes a global impairment of translation at the initiation step, which is mediated by the Gcn2-eIF2α pathway, while the post-transcriptional regulator Cth2 specifically represses the translation of a subgroup of…

Cold Atmospheric Plasma Promotes Regeneration-Associated Cell Functions of Murine Cementoblasts In Vitro

2021

The aim of the study was to examine the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) on the mineralization and cell proliferation of murine dental cementoblasts. Cells were treated with CAP and enamel matrix derivates (EMD). Gene expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (BGLAP), periostin (POSTN), osteopontin (OPN), osterix (OSX), collagen type I alpha 1 chain (COL1A1), dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein (DMP)1, RUNX family transcription factor (RUNX)2, and marker of proliferation Ki-67 (KI67) was quantified by real-time PCR. Protein expression was analyzed by immunocytochemistry and ELISA. ALP activity was determined by ALP assay. Von Kossa and alizarin r…

Differences in Health Status, Health Behavior and Health Care Utilization between Immigrant and Native Homeless People in Spain: an Exploratory Study

2021

Few studies have examined the differences between immigrant and native‐born homeless populations. Our aim was to conduct an exploratory study to examine the differences in health status, health behaviour and healthcare utilisation in a sample of Spanish immigrant and native homeless people. Study was conducted in eight different temporary accommodations in the Valencia region in August 2018. Overall, 86 participants were included in the analysis who answered questionnaires concerning socio‐demographic characteristics, immigration status, health status and behaviour, healthcare utilisation and experienced discrimination in healthcare and health literacy. In total, 76.7% were men with a mean …

2p x-ray absorption spectroscopy of 3d transition metal systems

2021

Abstract This review provides an overview of the different methods and computer codes that are used to interpret 2p x-ray absorption spectra of 3d transition metal ions. We first introduce the basic parameters and give an overview of the methods used. We start with the semi-empirical multiplet codes and compare the different codes that are available. A special chapter is devoted to the user friendly interfaces that have been written on the basis of these codes. Next we discuss the first principle codes based on band structure, including a chapter on Density Functional theory based approaches. We also give an overview of the first-principle multiplet codes that start from a cluster calculati…

Monitoring Human Neutrophil Differentiation by Digital Holographic Microscopy

2021

We report on the usefulness of digital holographic microscopy (DHM) for the assessment of human neutrophil differentiation from myeloid cells. The cell and nuclear regions have been designated by image segmentation of the optical phase function, and the changes of the cell nucleus morphology in relation to the whole cell morphology have been examined during the process of granulocytic differentiation into mature neutrophils in PLB-985 cell line. Nucleus phase volume and circularity and the ratios between the nucleus and the cell projected area and volume provide a reliable set of parameters to characterize the maturation process. As control, cell differentiation has been monitored in parall…

Root vacuolar sequestration and suberization are prominent responses of Pistacia spp. rootstocks during salinity stress

2021

Abstract Understanding the mechanisms of stress tolerance in diverse species is needed to enhance crop performance under conditions such as high salinity. Plant roots, in particular in grafted agricultural crops, can function as a boundary against external stresses in order to maintain plant fitness. However, limited information exists for salinity stress responses of woody species and their rootstocks. Pistachio (Pistacia spp.) is a tree nut crop with relatively high salinity tolerance as well as high genetic heterogeneity. In this study, we used a microscopy‐based approach to investigate the cellular and structural responses to salinity stress in the roots of two pistachio rootstocks, Pis…

Early Onset of Guillain–Barré Syndrome Following Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery: An Unexpected Clinical Evolution

2021

Letter: Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), is a neurologic complication rarely reported following a spinal surgery procedure.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 GBS is a potentially fatal, immune-mediated disease of the peripheral nerves and nerve roots that is usually triggered by infections. It is the most common cause of acute flaccid paralysis, with an annual global incidence of approximately 1–2 per 100,000 person-years.7 Although the clinical presentation of the disease is heterogeneous, patients typically present with weakness and sensory signs in the legs that progress to the arms and cranial muscles. Disease progression can be rapid in approximately 20% of patients with respiratory failure requiring mech…

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 …

Insights on Kawasaki disease and multisystem inflammatory syndrome: relationship with COVID-19 infection.

2021

At the beginning of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) children seemed to be less affected and with milder symptoms than adults. Afterward, however, a warning was released regarding the possible association between COVID-19 and Kawasaki disease (KD) or Kawasaki-like disease. Thereafter, labels of Paediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome Temporally associated with SARS-CoV-2 (PIMS-TS) in Europe and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) in the USA were coined to refer to this new disease entity. The reality is that PIMS-TS/MIS-C resembles certain KD complications such as toxic shock syndrome and macrophage activation syndrome than to classic KD. PIMS-TS/MIS-C and KD share…

Comparison of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour between Schoolchildren with Cystic Fibrosis and Healthy Controls: A Gender Analysis

2021

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in sports participation and the levels of physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) between schoolchildren with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a healthy control group (CG) taking into account the gender variable. PA and SB were measured with an accelerometer for 7 consecutive days in 44 children (24 girls

Multi-omics approaches to improve malaria therapy.

2021

Malaria contributes to the most widespread infectious diseases worldwide. Even though current drugs are commercially available, the ever-increasing drug resistance problem by malaria parasites poses new challenges in malaria therapy. Hence, searching for efficient therapeutic strategies is of high priority in malaria control. In recent years, multi-omics technologies have been extensively applied to provide a more holistic view of functional principles and dynamics of biological mechanisms. We briefly review multi-omics technologies and focus on recent malaria progress conducted with the help of various omics methods. Then, we present up-to-date advances for multi-omics approaches in malari…

Impact des facteurs nutritionnels pendant et après cancer

2021

Nutritional factors (diet, weight, alcohol, physical activity) are identified as factors having an impact on the onset of several cancer sites. Less abundant scientific data also underline their impact on the tumor progression. A review of the scientific literature was carried out by a group of experts established by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa) to better document the influence of nutritional factors during and after cancer on outcomes such as overall mortality, cancer specific mortality, recurrence, second primary cancers and quality of life. This analysis of the literature completes messages of reduction of alcohol consumption, prevention of undernutrition or excess weight …

The Emergence and Restoration of the State: Latvia in 1918 and 1990

2021

Abstract On 18 November 1918, the independent Republic of Latvia was declared in an extremely complicated international and domestic environment—the First World War was still going on, empires were collapsing, and ethnically and ideologically diverse military troops were fighting within the boundaries of Latvian territory. Despite the historical context of a previously tense relationship between Latvians and other ethnic groups, representatives of all minorities fought next to Latvians against the enemies of the Latvian state. Up until 11 August 1920, when the Peace Treaty with the Soviet Russia was signed, the prospects of de jure recognition of the newly established state were blurred; ye…

Granelle locali alternative a mais e soia nella dieta dei ruminanti allevati in biologico

2021

Tra le granelle di leguminose, la fava, il favino, il pisello e il cece, per il loro contenuto in proteine possono sostituire anche integralmente la soia del concentrato

Impact of Emotional Intelligence on Burnout among Spanish Teachers: A Mediation Study

2021

espanolLa utilidad de la inteligencia emocional y su efecto tranquilizador sobre el estres laboral de los profesores han ido cobrando importancia en este campo de investigacion. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar la relacion entre las habilidades emocionales y el sindrome de burnout y si el equilibrio afectivo media esta asociacion. Se han utilizado modelos de ecuaciones estructurales con datos de autoinforme de 200 profesores cuya edad estaba comprendida entre los 22 y los 64 anos (M = 44.97, SD = 9.31, 73.50% mujeres). Se utilizo un diseno transversal para el estudio. Los resultados mostraron un efecto significativo directo e indirecto de la claridad y de la reparacion emocional…