showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Green roof effects on the rainwater response in the Mediterranean area: first results of a Sicilian case study
2021
<p>Over the last decades, we have been witnessing an increasing frequency of urban floods often attributed to the interaction between intensification of rainfall extremes due to climate change and increasing urbanization. Consequently, many studies have been trying to propose different new alternatives to mitigate ground effects of ever more frequent and severe extreme rainfall events in a context of growing urbanization, such as rain gardens, green roofs, permeable parking lots, etc., which are commonly referred to as green infrastructures.</p><p>With this regard, one of the most promising mitigation solutions is represented by multilayer green roo…
Comparing SARS-CoV-2 case rates between pupils, teachers and the general population: results from Germany
2021
Given the inconsistent state of research regarding the role of pupils and teachers during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Germany, statewide and nationwide data of infection case rates were analyzed to contribute to the discourse. Infection data from official sources ranging from mid to late 2020 were collected, prepared and analyzed to answer the question if pupils, teachers and general population differ in infection case rates or not. Statewide and nationwide data showed that pupils and teachers infection case rates exceeded those of the general population. However, present data do not necessarily indicate that SARS-CoV-2 cases of pupils and teachers infections took place at schools. Actually,…
Training programme for novice physical activity instructors using Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model : a programme development …
2021
Previous research indicates that programmes employing Hellison?s Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model in physical activity have had a positive impact on youth development by increasing participants? positive values, autonomy, life skills, and prosocial behaviour. Despite encouraging results of the effects of TPSR-based programmes, there remains lack of research on the effective content of these programmes, and their implementation and evaluation. The current protocol article describes the development of a TPSR-based instructor training programme and a plan for an intervention study in which novice instructors learn to understand and apply the TPSR model in practice. The …
Les Pouvoirs de Galatée
2021
International audience; No abstract.
Large-Eddy Simulation in LSPIV techniques: the study of surface turbolence
2021
<p>In recent years, technological advances have been observed in environmental monitoring field, leading to a rapid spread of innovative technologies overcoming many historical challenges. In river monitoring field the use of image-based techniques provides non-intrusive measurements ensuring the best safety conditions for operators. The most used optical methods are the Large-Scale Particle Image Velocimetry (LSPIV) and the Large-Scale Particle Tracking Velocimetry (LSPTV).</p><p>In LSPIV and LSPTV techniques a floating tracer is introduced on the water surface and its motion is recorded by commercial devices (e.g. digital cameras). Resulting video…
Conceptual basis of cognitive mimetics for information engineering
2021
Abstract Intelligent information processing is topical in modern technology design and development. The fundamental idea was developed by Turing as he made the first conceptual models of information-processing computers. Though it has practically never been noticed, Turing’s work was a model of how to mimic human intelligent information processes and generate technologies, which can carry out intelligent tasks. The design method can be called cognitive mimetics as it imitates human information processes to design technologies and their applications. One can use cognitive mimetics even in solving techno-ethical problems. This is why we think that cognitive mimetics are vital as a method to g…
Resurgent uplift at large calderas and relationship to caldera-forming faults and the magma reservoir: new insights from the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff c…
2021
<p>Resurgence uplift is the rising of the caldera floor, mainly due to pressure or volume changes in the magma reservoir. Identifying resurgence structures and understanding their relationship to the magmatic reservoir is challenging. We investigate the resurgence structures of the Neapolitan Yellow Tuff (NYT) caldera (Italy) by integrating bathymetric data, high-resolution seismic profiles and Differential Synthetic-Aperture Radar Interferometry data. Our results show that the resurgent area is manifested as 1) a central dome constituted by two main blocks bounded by NNE-SSW trending faults, 2) an apical graben developed on top of the most uplifted block, 3) a peripheral zone…
Combining a data-driven approach with seasonal forecasts data to predicting reservoir water volume in the Mediterranean area.
2021
<p>Artificial reservoirs are one of the main water supply resources in the Mediterranean areas; their management can be strongly affected by the problems of drought and water scarcity. The reservoir water level is the result of the hydrological processes occurring in the upstream catchment, which, in turn, depend on meteorological variables, such as rainfall and temperature. It follows that a reliable forecast model of the meteorological forcing, along with a reliable water balance model, could enhance the correct management of a reservoir. With regard to the rainfall/temperature forecast model, the use of forecast climate data in the mid-term may provide further support for t…
Challenges and Opportunities in Lidar Remote Sensing
2021
Structure–Property Relationships in Bionanocomposites for Pipe Extrusion Applications
2021
In this work, bionanocomposites based on different biodegradable polymers and two types of nanofillers, namely a nanosized calcium carbonate and an organomodified nanoclay, were produced through melt extrusion, with the aim to evaluate the possible applications of these materials as a potential alternative to traditional fossil fuel-derived polyolefins, for the production of irrigation pipes. The rheological behavior of the formulated systems was thoroughly evaluated by exploiting different flow regimes, and the obtained results indicated a remarkable effect of the introduced nanofillers on the low-frequency rheological response, especially in nanoclay-based bionanocomposites. Conversely, t…
SPEN haploinsufficiency causes a neurodevelopmental disorder overlapping proximal 1p36 deletion syndrome with an episignature of X chromosomes in fem…
2021
Contains fulltext : 231702.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) Deletion 1p36 (del1p36) syndrome is the most common human disorder resulting from a terminal autosomal deletion. This condition is molecularly and clinically heterogeneous. Deletions involving two non-overlapping regions, known as the distal (telomeric) and proximal (centromeric) critical regions, are sufficient to cause the majority of the recurrent clinical features, although with different facial features and dysmorphisms. SPEN encodes a transcriptional repressor commonly deleted in proximal del1p36 syndrome and is located centromeric to the proximal 1p36 critical region. Here, we used clinical data from 34 individuals…
Association of Nursing Practice Environment on reported adverse events in private management hospitals: A cross‐sectional study
2021
Aims and objectives To examine the relationships between nurses' perceptions of their practice environment, other working conditions and reported adverse events in two private management hospitals. Background Patient safety is influenced by knowledge, available resources and the context in which nursing care is provided. In this sense, it has been found that certain work environments (e.g., workload, nurse turnover level, patient-to-nurse ratio, nurse staffing, nurse manager ability) influence patient outcomes. The association between nursing practice environment and reported adverse events has not been explored in private management hospitals. Design A cross-sectional study. The STROBE was…
Biomechanical analysis of Ascending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm (ATAA)
2021
According to the reports of the World Health Organisation (WHO), cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death worldwide. Specifically, arterial disease and degeneration are the major reasons for cardiovascular death and disability. Because these diseases are dependent on the changes of the mechanical properties of the arterial wall, it is very important to know as much as possible about the structural composition of arteries. The human aorta is the biggest artery in the body and consists of three main parts, ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending aorta. The walls of the arteries consist of three layers, the intima, media and adventitia, where each of the layers has differe…
Association ankle function and balance in community-dwelling older adults.
2021
Background and purpose Ankle function declines with age. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between ankle function and balance in older adults, with a focus on range of motion (ROM) and strength. Methods This was a cross-sectional study that included 88 healthy community-dwelling older adults. Ankle mobility was measured while bearing weight (lunge test) and not bearing weight. The plantar-flexor muscle strength was assessed using a hand-held dynamometer. Balance was measured in terms of dynamic balance and mobility (timed up and go test), monopodal and bipodal static balance with open and closed eyes (single-leg stand test and platform measures), and margins of…
Conscription et recrutement militaire en Europe(XIXe-XXIe siècles)
2021
International audience
The Devaluation of Culture and the Devaluation of Education— Problem analysis on the example of selected issues from the humanities and social scienc…
2021
Increasingly, the level of education obtained in European society is related to the level of knowledge about culture and the use of culture itself. At the same time, it is alleged that higher education is now a “commodity” too easily available on the public service markets. In the opinion of some, this reduces the importance of having higher education, but also the state of science itself. The purpose of the article is to show that concepts such as “culture,” “humanities” and “education” are closely related, and therefore, an attempt to lower the meaning of one of these concepts may entail the devaluation of another concept.
Site-by-site tracking of signal transduction in an azidophenylalanine-labeled bacteriophytochrome with step-scan FTIR spectroscopy
2021
Signal propagation in photosensory proteins is a complex and multidimensional event. Unraveling such mechanisms site-specifically in real time is an eligible but a challenging goal. Here, we elucidate the site-specific events in a red-light sensing phytochrome using the unnatural amino acid azidophenylalanine, vibrationally distinguishable from all other protein signals. In canonical phytochromes, signal transduction starts with isomerization of an excited bilin chromophore, initiating a multitude of processes in the photosensory unit of the protein, which eventually control the biochemical activity of the output domain, nanometers away from the chromophore. By implementing the label in pri…
Validity and Reliability of an Instrumented Treadmill with an Accelerometry System for Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Parameters and Impact Transmissi…
2021
Running retraining programs focused on concurrent feedback of acceleration impacts have been demonstrated to be a good strategy to reduce running-related injuries (RRI), as well as to improve running economy and reduce acceleration impacts and injury running incidence. Traditionally, impacts have been registered by mean of accelerometers attached directly to the athletes, which is inaccessible to the entire population, because it requires laboratory conditions. This study investigated the validity and reliability of a new device integrated directly into the treadmill, compared to a traditional acceleration impact system. Thirty healthy athletes with no history of RRI were tested on two sepa…
Do Grading Gray Stimuli Help to Encode Letter Position?
2021
Numerous experiments in the past decades recurrently showed that a transposed-letter pseudoword (e.g., JUGDE) is much more wordlike than a replacement-letter control (e.g., JUPTE). Critically, there is an ongoing debate as to whether this effect arises at a perceptual level (e.g., perceptual uncertainty at assigning letter position of an array of visual objects) or at an abstract language-specific level (e.g., via a level of “open bigrams” between the letter and word levels). Here, we designed an experiment to test the limits of perceptual accounts of letter position coding. The stimuli in a lexical decision task were presented either with a homogeneous letter intensity or with a graded gra…
Temperature and pH define the realised niche space of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
2021
Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T11:52:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-03-04 European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence EcolChange) University of Tartu (Estonian Research Council ) Moscow State University Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant Russian Science Foundation Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsradet) The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are a globally distributed group of soil organisms that play critical roles in ecosystem function. However, the ecological niches of individual AM fungal taxa are poorly understood. We collected > 300 s…
Climate variation during the Holocene influenced the skeletal properties of Chamelea gallina shells in the North Adriatic Sea (Italy)
2021
Understanding how marine taxa will respond to near-future climate changes is one of the main challenges for management of coastal ecosystem services. Ecological studies that investigate relationships between the environment and shell properties of commercially important marine species are commonly restricted to latitudinal gradients or small-scale laboratory experiments. This paper aimed to explore the variations in shell features and growth of the edible bivalve Chamelea gallina from the Holocene sedimentary succession to present-day thanatocoenosis of the Po Plain-Adriatic Sea system (Italy). Comparing the Holocene sub-fossil record to modern thanatocoenoses allowed obtaining an insight o…
Hepatic vein tumor thrombosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Prevalence and clinical significance.
2021
Abstract Background There is strong evidence that portal vein tumor thrombosis (PVTT) is associated with poor survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, data regarding the clinical significance of hepatic vein tumor thrombosis (HVTT) is rare, particularly in Western patients. Objective To determine the HVTT prevalence in a Western patient population and its impact on survival. Methods We included 1310 patients with HCC treated in our tertiary referral center between January 2005 and December 2016. HVTT and PVTT were diagnosed with contrast‐enhanced cross‐sectional imaging. Overall survival (OS) was calculated starting from the initial HCC diagnosis, and in a second s…
Understanding the different reactivity of (Z)- and (E)-β-nitrostyrenes in [3+2] cycloaddition reactions. An MEDT study
2021
The experimental reactivity of isomeric (Z)- and (E)-b-nitrostyrenes participating in [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reactions has been analysed on the basis of molecular electron density theory (MEDT) at the HF/6-311G(d,p), B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and uB97X-D/6-311G(d,p) computational levels. It was found that the polar zw-type 32CA reactions with 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-N-oxide proceed via a one-step mechanism, characterised by the attack of the nucleophilic oxygen centre of the nitrone on the electrophilically activated b-position of these nitrostyrenes. This behaviour is completely understood by means of the analysis of the conceptual DFT reactivity indices. These 32CA reactions present low activat…
Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Ring‐Strained Noncanonical Amino Acids for Residue‐Specific Bioorthogonal Reactions in Living Cells
2021
Abstract Bioorthogonal reactions are ideally suited to selectively modify proteins in complex environments, even in vivo. Kinetics and product stability of these reactions are crucial parameters to evaluate their usefulness for specific applications. Strain promoted inverse electron demand Diels–Alder cycloadditions (SPIEDAC) between tetrazines and strained alkenes or alkynes are particularly popular, as they allow ultrafast labeling inside cells. In combination with genetic code expansion (GCE)‐a method that allows to incorporate noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) site‐specifically into proteins in vivo. These reactions enable residue‐specific fluorophore attachment to proteins in living mam…
Fragmentary remains of Odontocetes (Cetacea, Mammalia) from the Miocene of the Lower Tagus Basin (Portugal)
2021
This first systematic account of the scarcely studied Miocene cetaceans from Portugal describes 17 previously unpublished odontocete specimens from the Lower Tagus Basin. In spite of their fragmentary nature, at least a familial assignment was accomplished for most, and some were even tentatively ascribed to known genera: the Physeteridae are represented only by isolated teeth of “ Scaldicetus ” type; the Platanistidae by a tympanic not definitely assigned to a particular genus; the Eurhinodelphinidae by a lumbar vertebra and an atlas, both only tentatively referred to this family; and the Kentriodontidae comprise the most diversified forms, including rostral and mandibular fragments of a k…
The Indo‐European flyway: Opportunities and constraints reflected by Common Rosefinches breeding across Europe
2021
Motivation and Preferences of Visitors in the Bohemian Paradise UNESCO Global Geopark
2021
There are some localities in the Bohemian Paradise Geopark that suffer from temporal overtourism in the high season. On the other hand, more than half of the geopark is not so often visited by tourists, although very attractive geosites can be found there too. In the most visited localities, nature is damaged due to overloading of the tourist infrastructure, while elsewhere there is pressure driven by municipalities to increase the number of tourists. For this reason, we organized a large questionnaire survey in summer 2020, which aimed to reveal the motivation of visitors of the geopark and their preferences regarding the places visited. The questionnaire combined several research methods:…
Reexamining Different Factors of the Resonance-Enhanced High-Order Harmonic Generation in Atomic and Nanoparticle Laser-Induced Tin Plasmas
2021
We reexamine the resonance enhancement of a single harmonic emission during the propagation of ultrafast pulses through atomic and nanoparticle tin-containing laser-induced plasma (LIP). We compare the single atomic Sn and Sn nanoparticle plasmas to demonstrate a distinction in the enhancement factor of the single harmonic in the case of fixed and tunable near-infrared pulses. The analysis of the dynamics of Sn LIP shows the range of optimal delays between heating and driving pulses (130–180 ns), at which the maximal harmonic yield can be achieved. The enhancements of the 17th and 18th harmonics of 806 nm pulses were analyzed in the case of single-color and two-color pumps of LIP, showing u…
Covariation in population trends and demography reveals targets for conservation action
2021
Wildlife conservation policies directed at common and widespread, but declining, species are difficult to design and implement effectively, as multiple environmental changes are likely to contribute to population declines. Conservation actions ultimately aim to influence demographic rates, but targeting actions towards feasible improvements in these is challenging in widespread species with ranges that encompass a wide range of environmental conditions. Across Europe, sharp declines in the abundance of migratory landbirds have driven international calls for action, but actions that could feasibly contribute to population recovery have yet to be identified. Targeted actions to improve condit…
Os carcharhiniformes (cCondrichthyes, Neoselachii) da Bacia de Alvalade (Portugal)
2021
The uppermost Miocene, Esbarrondadoiro Formation (Alvalade basin, Portugal) yielded more than 10 thousandSelachian teeth at Santa Margarida, Esbarrondadoiro and Vale de Zebro outcrops. Forty-five taxa were identifiedbelonging to the orders Hexanchiformes, Squaliformes, Lamniformes, Carcharhiniformes, Torpediniformes and Myliobatiformes. The Carcharhiniformes make up about 40% of the selachian fauna that has been identified in the studiedarea. The different distribution of the Carcharhiniformes (as well as that of the other orders) by the three sitespoints out to distinct environments in the corresponding areas: Esbarrondadoiro indicates relatively deeper, ratherstill waters; Santa Margarida…
Water as a Solvent of Election for Obtaining Oleuropein-Rich Extracts from Olive (Olea europaea) Leaves
2021
Leaves from Olea europaea represent one of the main by-products of the olive oil industry, containing a plethora of bioactive compounds with several promising activities for human health. An organic solvent-free extraction method was developed for the recovery of olive leaf phenols, which obtained an extract containing oleuropein in high amounts. A comparison of various extraction media is reported, together with the total phenolic content, DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) content, ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity), and polyphenol oxidase activity of the corresponding extracts. The polyphenol profiles and content of the most representative extracts have also been studied. Extrac…
Upper respiratory tract SARS-CoV-2 RNA loads in symptomatic and asymptomatic children and adults
2021
ABSTRACTObjectivesThere is limited information comparing SARS-CoV-2 RNA load in the upper respiratory tract (URT) between children and adults, either presenting with COVID-19 or asymptomatic. Here we conducted a retrospective, single center study involving a large cohort of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals to address this issue.Patients and MethodsA total of 1,184 consecutive subjects (256 children and 928 adults) testing positive for SARS-COV-2 RNA in nasopharyngeal exudates (NP) were included, of whom 424 (121 children and 303 adults) had COVID-19 not requiring hospitalization and 760 (135 children and 625 adults) were asymptomatic close contacts of COVID-19 patients. SARS-CoV-2 RNA testin…
Estudio del sentido de enrollamiento en los foraminíferos bentónicos del Marjal de Torreblanca (Castellón)
2021
Se ha analizado el sentido de enrollamiento de siete especies de foraminíferos bentónicos procedentes del marjal de Torreblanca localizado al norte de la Comunidad Valenciana, Este de España. Si bien en ninguna especie se ha observado un marcado predominio en el sentido de enrollamiento, dos de ellas muestran una preferencia leve pero estadísticamente significativa: Ammonia beccarii tepida es predominantemente dextrógira y Metarotaliella simplex? preferentemente levógira. Trochammina inflata, Jadammina macrescens y Rubratella sp. no muestran preferencia alguna en el sentido de enrollamiento. En Torreblanca no se ha observado ninguna relación entre la tendencia de enrollamiento y los parámet…
Stranded jellyfish in the lowermost Cambrian (Corduban) of Spain
2021
Ninety discoid structures of big size occurring on a bedding plane of Nemakit-Daldynian to Tommotian sandstones (i.e. Corduban in the Spanish scale of Cambrian stages) from south-western Spain are described. Cross-cutting relationships between discoid structures and associated trace fossils, as well as evidence for penecontemporaneous deformation of sediment laminae below the discoids, permit to interprete these structures as impressions of ancient, soft-bodied marine organisms. Taphonomic, biometric, and morphological studies suggest that they are outer moulds of both sides, subumbrellar and exumbrellar, of ancient jellyfish of hydrozoan coelenterates, whose canals resemble the modern genu…
A new triple fluorescence reporter system for discrimination of Apobec1 and Apobec3 C-to-U RNA editing activities and editing-dependent protein expre…
2021
AbstractThe human body is composed of many different cell types which communicate with each other. In particular, the brain consists of billions of neurons and non-neuronal cells which are interconnected and require tight and precise regulation of cellular processes. RNA editing is a cellular process that diversifies gene function by enzymatic deamination of cytidine or adenine. This can result in changes of protein structure and function. Altered RNA editing is becoming increasingly associated with all kind of disease, but most approaches use advanced sequencing technologies to analyze bulk material. However, it is also becoming progressively evident that changes in RNA editing have to be …
The role of hydrological processes on enhanced weathering for carbon sequestration in soils in tropical areas
2021
<p>To mitigate global warming, a noticeable research effort is being devoted to NCS (Natural Climate Solutions) as means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon within the oceans or terrestrial environments by exploiting natural processes. Enhanced weathering<strong> </strong>is a NCS that aims to increase the weathering reaction rates of silicate minerals, by amending soils with crushed reactive minerals. Various studies have shown that this technique is favored by hot and humid climates (i.e., tropical ecosystems), since weathering reactions are mostly effective under high temperature and soil moisture. Despite olivine dissolution d…