How Sicily Made Its Sweet Symbols: Glocal Identity and Food

2021

Food is an effective symbol capable of strongly evoking a cultural identity. In the case of Sicily, this role is mainly played by pastry, and in particular by two sweets: cannolo (the singular of cannoli) and cassata. But how does it happen that just these two preparations, rather than others, take on this value? What are their meanings and what determines them? Are cannolo and cassata the expression of a remote and spontaneous tradition as we generally like to believe? Semiotic analysis not only leads us to understand the complexity of these two pieces of a gastronomy, but also to reflect on the whole notion of symbol, rethinking its limits and possibilities.

Ehdotus ihmistä suhteellistavaksi sanastoksi

2021

”Ehdotus ihmistä suhteellistavaksi sanastoksi” käsittelee ja esittelee teoriasuuntausta, joka tunnetaan ”posthumanistisena”, keskittyen erityisesti sen käsitteisiin ja termeihin. Posthumanistinen ajattelu pyrkii käsitteelliseen uudistamiseen, jotta tunnistaisimme paremmin ne suhteellisuudet, joiden varassa ja lomassa ihmisten elämä ja merkitykset muotoutuvat – ja ne historiat, joissa ihminen on muotoutunut erilliseksi. Ehdotamme sanastoa, joka suhteellistaa juuri tätä käsitteellistä, kartesiolaisen humanismin ihmistä. Yhtäältä seuraamme käsitteellisen ajattelun muotoutumista erilaisten kontekstien paineissa, toisaalta pysähdymme tarkastelemaan tiettyjä, työskentelyssämme tärkeitä käsitteitä…

Prevalence of pathogenic copy number variants among children conceived by donor oocyte.

2021

AbstractDevelopment of assisted reproductive technologies to address infertility has favored the birth of many children in the last years. The majority of children born with these treatments are healthy, but some concerns remain on the safety of these medical procedures. We have retrospectively analyzed both the fertilization method and the microarray results in all those children born between 2010 and 2019 with multiple congenital anomalies, developmental delay and/or autistic spectrum disorder (n = 486) referred for array study in our center. This analysis showed a significant excess of pathogenic copy number variants among those patients conceived after in vitro fertilization with donor …

Computing temporal sequences associated with dynamic patterns on the C. elegans connectome

2021

AbstractUnderstanding how the structural connectivity of a network constrains the dynamics it is able to support is a very active and open area of research. We simulated the plausible dynamics resulting from the known C. elegans connectome using a recent model and theoretical analysis that computes the dynamics of neurobiological networks by focusing on how local interactions among connected neurons give rise to the global dynamics in an emergent way, independent of the biophysical or molecular details of the cells themselves. We studied the dynamics which resulted from stimulating a chemosensory neuron (ASEL) in a known feeding circuit, both in isolation and embedded in the full connectome…

A comment on “The growth of cognition: Free energy minimization and the embryogenesis of cortical computation”

2021

Exploring the Effectiveness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Versus Systems Training for Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving in a Sample of P…

2021

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and systems training for emotional predictability and problem solving (STEPPS) are two treatment protocols for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) that have received important empirical support. However, their possible differential effectiveness has not yet been studied. The objective of this study is to explore the effectiveness of these two treatment programs. A nonrandomized clinical trial was carried out in which both treatments were applied for six months. The sample consisted of 72 patients diagnosed with BPD. The results indicate that both groups experienced a statistically significant reduction in BPD symptom, emotional regulation, i…

From glacial refugia to hydrological microrefugia: Factors and processes driving the persistence of the climate relict tree Zelkova sicula

2021

Abstract With only two tiny populations, the climate relict Zelkova sicula (Sicily, Italy) is one of the rarest trees in the world. It also represents the most marginal member of genus Zelkova that was widespread in the broadleaved forests thriving in warm–temperate climates throughout Eurasia until the Last Glacial Age. Occurring at the westernmost range of the genus under typical Mediterranean climate, the micro‐topographic settings have always appeared crucial for the survival of this relict. However, the factors and processes actually involved in its persistence in the current refugia, as well as the response of similar relict trees in arid environments, are poorly understood worldwide.…

Thermo‐Hydro‐Mechanical Model and Caprock Deformation Explain the Onset of an Ongoing Seismo‐Volcanic Unrest

2021

Acknowledgments The authors are grateful to the Editor, Prof. Ben‐Zion Yehuda, and the reviewers: Prof. Micol Todesco and an anonymous reviewer, whose comments and recommendations have significantly improved the quality of this work. The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Nigeria for this research. The comparison of our models with monitoring data was made possible by the outstanding efforts of the staff at the INGV‐Osservatorio Vesuviano, who provide weekly information about geophysical parameters at the Campanian volcanoes (http://www.ov.ingv.it/ov/en/bollettini/272-campi-flegrei-bollettini-settimanali.html). The authors are parti…

Diversity of Omega Glutathione Transferases in mushroom-forming fungi revealed by phylogenetic, transcriptomic, biochemical and structural approaches

2021

International audience; The Omega class of glutathione transferases (GSTs) forms a distinct class within the cytosolic GST superfamily because most of them possess a catalytic cysteine residue. The human GST Omega 1 isoform was first characterized twenty years ago, but it took years of work to clarify the roles of the human isoforms. Concerning the kingdom of fungi, little is known about the cellular functions of Omega glutathione transferases (GSTOs), although they are widely represented in some of these organisms. In this study, we re-assess the phylogeny and the classification of GSTOs based on 240 genomes of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes). We observe that the number of GSTOs is…

Dlk1 dosage regulates hippocampal neurogenesis and cognition

2021

Significance Generation of new neurons occurs normally in the adult brain in two locations: the subventricular zone (SVZ) in the walls of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. Neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus has been implicated in cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and recovery of stress response. Imprinted genes are highly prevalent in the brain and have adult and developmental important functions. Genetic deletion of the imprinted gene Dlk1 from either parental allele shows that DLK1 is a key mediator of quiescence in adult hippocampal NSCs. Additionally, Dlk1 is exquisitely dosage sensitive in the brain with p…

Changements dans les réseaux élitaires méditerranéens et centro-européens des VIIe et VIe siècles av. J.-C. Quelques remarques autour de l’œnochoé ‘r…

2021

International audience

Implications of the EFSA Scientific Opinion on Site Directed Nucleases 1 and 2 for Risk Assessment of Genome-Edited Plants in the EU

2021

Genome editing is a set of techniques for introducing targeted changes in genomes. It may be achieved by enzymes collectively called site-directed nucleases (SDN). Site-specificity of SDNs is provided either by the DNA binding domain of the protein molecule itself or by RNA molecule(s) that direct SDN to a specific site in the genome. In contrast to transgenesis resulting in the insertion of exogenous DNA, genome editing only affects specific endogenous sequences. Therefore, multiple jurisdictions around the world have exempted certain types of genome-edited organisms from national biosafety regulations completely, or on a case-by-case basis. In the EU, however, the ruling of the Court of J…

Optimizing geometry of low-Q all-metal Fabry-Pérot microcavity for fluorescence spectroscopy

2021

Abstract Fluorescence spectroscopy is commonly employed to study the excited-state photophysics of organic molecules. Planar Fabry-Pérot microcavities play an essential role in such studies and a strategic cavity design is necessary to attain an enhanced light-matter interaction. In this work, we computationally study different geometries for a planar metallic Fabry-Pérot microcavity tuned for the absorption of Sulforhodamine 101, a typical dye for fluorescence spectroscopy. The cavity consists of a polymer layer enclosed between two silver mirrors, where the thicknesses of all the three layers are varied to optimize the cavity. Our transfer-matrix and finite-difference time-domain simulati…

Case report : partial uniparental disomy unmasks a novel recessive mutation in the LYST gene in a patient with a severe phenotype of Chediak-Higashi …

2021

Síndrome de Chédiak-Higashi; LYST; Disomia uniparental Síndrome de Chédiak-Higashi; LYST; Disomía uniparental Chédiak-Higashi syndrome; LYST; Uniparental disomy Chédiak-Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a rare autosomal recessive (AR) immune disorder that has usually been associated to missense, nonsense or indels mutations in the LYST gene. In this study, we describe for the first time the case of a CHS patient carrying a homozygous mutation in the LYST gene inherited as a result of a partial uniparental isodisomy (UPiD) of maternal origin. Sanger sequencing of the LYST cDNA and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-arrays were performed to identify the causative mutation and to explain the molecul…

The Conservation of Low Complexity Regions in Bacterial Proteins Depends on the Pathogenicity of the Strain and Subcellular Location of the Protein

2021

Low complexity regions (LCRs) in proteins are characterized by amino acid frequencies that differ from the average. These regions evolve faster and tend to be less conserved between homologs than globular domains. They are not common in bacteria, as compared to their prevalence in eukaryotes. Studying their conservation could help provide hypotheses about their function. To obtain the appropriate evolutionary focus for this rapidly evolving feature, here we study the conservation of LCRs in bacterial strains and compare their high variability to the closeness of the strains. For this, we selected 20 taxonomically diverse bacterial species and obtained the completely sequenced proteomes of t…

Weak A-frames and weak A-semi-frames

2021

After reviewing the interplay between frames and lower semi-frames, we introduce the notion of lower semi-frame controlled by a densely defined operator $A$ or, for short, a weak lower $A$-semi-frame and we study its properties. In particular, we compare it with that of lower atomic systems, introduced in (GB). We discuss duality properties and we suggest several possible definitions for weak $A$-upper semi-frames. Concrete examples are presented.

Individual Differences Facing the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Age, Gender, Personality, and Positive Psychology

2021

Research on individual differences in facing the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be crucial in order to design diverse and highly effective intervention strategies. This study uses a sample of 302 North American participants who were recruited through the crowdsourcing platform ProA; different profiles were established, profiling variables of interest in facing the COVID-19 outbreak. Socio-demographic and psychological (personality traits, gratitude, life purpose, and religiosity) variables were explored. These results are of interest if we want to deepen the study of individual differences at both a theoretical and applied level.

Eco-Efficiency of the English and Welsh Water Companies: A Cross Performance Assessment

2021

Analyzing costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be of great importance for the water utilities to supply water services in a healthy and sustainable manner. In this study, we measured the eco-efficiency of several water utilities in England and Wales by incorporating GHG as an undesirable output. For the first time, we evaluated the eco-efficiency of the water production process using robust cross-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) techniques. The further use of clustering and regression techniques allowed us to better understand the drivers of eco-efficiency. The results showed that the mean eco-efficiency of the water sector was 0.748, which indicates that costs and GHG e…

Use of antidepressants among Finnish family caregivers : a nationwide register-based study

2021

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the use of antidepressants over 6 years between family caregivers providing high-intensity care and a matched control population using register-based data. Methods The study includes all individuals, who received family caregiver’s allowance in Finland in 2012 (n = 29,846 females, mean age 66 years; n = 12,410 males, mean age 71 years) and a control population matched for age, sex, and municipality of residence (n = 59,141 females; n = 24,477 males). Information on purchases of antidepressants, including the number of defined daily doses (DDD) purchased, between 2012 and 2017 was obtained from the national drugs reimbursement registe…

Efficacy of removing Thermafil and GuttaCore from straight root canal systems using a novel non-surgical root canal re-treatment system : a micro-com…

2021

The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an XP-endo non-surgical root canal re-treatment system in removing both GuttaCore and Thermafil gutta-percha carrier-based root canal filling materials from straight root canal systems using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) analysis. The study was performed on 20 single-rooted upper teeth, which were randomly allocated into the following study groups: Group A, Thermafil and AH Plus sealer (n = 10)

Effect of Chronic Exercise Training on Blood Lactate Metabolism Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus : A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2021

Purpose: To assess the effect of chronic exercise training on blood lactate metabolism at rest (i.e., basal lactate concentrations) and during exercise (i.e., blood lactate concentration at a fixed load, load at a fixed blood lactate concentration, and load at the individual blood lactate threshold) among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods: PubMed (MedLine), Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, and case-control studies using chronic exercise training (i.e., 4 weeks) and that assessed blood lactate concentrations at rest and during exercise in T2DM patients were included.Results: Thirteen studies …

Editorial – Preface to the Special Issue on Numerical Techniques Meet with OR

2021

Abstract This special issue of the Foundations of Computing and Decision Sciences, titled ”Numerical Techniques Meet with OR”, is devoted to the numerical techniques and their applications in real-world phenomena. The special issue and its editorial present numerical algorithms as they meet with different research topics such as, e.g., from operational research, supply chain management, geometrical structures and Covid-19 effects on financial applications. Besides, the special issue covers instructional information about numerical techniques which are useful for OR research problems and real-world applications on such issues.

Acute liver failure and HELLP syndrome: A clinical case and literature review.

2021

Summary Background HELLP syndrome is a pregnancy-related liver disease associated with increased maternal and foetal mortality. In rare cases, it can lead to the development of a subcapsular hepatic haematoma as well as its rupture. This rupture is life-threatening if not urgently treated. Method We describe a clinical case of HELLP syndrome involving a ruptured subcapsular liver haematoma and contextualise this with a literature overview. Clinical case A 39-year-old woman of 40 weeks’ gestation presented to her local Emergency Department with symptoms and serology classically associated with HELLP syndrome. However, she clinically deteriorated and developed a ruptured subcapsular haematoma…

Wie häufig werden Diagnosen aus dem Bereich der sexuellen Funktionsstörungen an deutschen Hochschulambulanzen für Psychotherapie an psychologischen I…

2021

ZusammenfassungEinleitung Sexuelle Funktionsstörungen gelten als häufig. Gleichzeitig fehlen epidemiologische Daten zur Behandlungsprävalenz sexueller Funktionsstörungen in der ambulanten Psychotherapie. Im Rahmen eines Projekts zur Koordination der Datenerhebung an den deutschen Hochschulambulanzen für Psychotherapie wird erstmals eine Schätzung für dieses Behandlungssegment möglich.Forschungsziele Das Ziel dieser Studie ist die Darstellung der festgestellten F52-Diagnosen an deutschen Hochschulambulanzen für Psychotherapie an psychologischen Instituten.Methoden 16 Hochschulambulanzen für Erwachsene übermittelten ausgewählte Daten zur Eingangsdiagnostik ihrer Patient_innen (N = 4 504; M Al…

The Damage of Ocular Surface Due to Uncontrolled Intraocular Pressure in Neovascular Glaucoma

2021

Abstract Neovascular Glaucoma (NVG) is a severe form of glaucoma characterized by neovascularization and the proliferation of fibrovascular tissue in the anterior chamber angle. Patients with NVG generally present with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) and may experience severe pain. Ocular surface is affected by high IOP and can lead from moderated to marked conjunctival congestion that is frequently associated with edematous cornea. The aim of the study is to show how the high IOP can affect the ocular surface of the NVG patients and how we can treat and prevent the suffering. Materials and methods: We took in the study a number of 38 eyes from 35 patients with NVG in stage 3 with angle…

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2021

Background: Normal aging is associated with working memory decline. A decrease in working memory performance is associated with age-related changes in functional activation patterns in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Cognitive training can improve cognitive performance in healthy older adults. We implemented a cognitive training study to assess determinants of generalization of training gains to untrained tasks, a key indicator for the effectiveness of cognitive training. We aimed to investigate the association of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of DLPFC with working memory performance improvement and cognitive gains after the training.Method: A sample of 60 healthy o…

Nastanak i liječenje gigantskih kamenaca ileocekalnog urinskog spremnika u pacijenta liječenog cistektomijom zbog intersticijskog cistitisa: prikaz s…

2021

Cilj: Cilj ovoga rada je prikazati pacijenta s intersticijskim cistitisom u kojega je došlo do stvaranja kamenaca u novoformiranom urinskom spremniku. Prikaz slučaja: Pacijent star 48 godina obrađivan je zbog recidivnih infekcija mokraćnog sustava. Prethodno mu je zbog intersticijskog cistitisa, koji je znatno utjecao na njegovu kvalitetu života, učinjena cistektomija uz oblikovanje urinskog spremnika (Mainz-pouch I). Urološkom obradom pronađena su u području urinskoga spremnika dva velika kamenca dimenzija 77 × 74 mm te 76 × 62 mm uz obostranu hidronefrozu. Kako bi se riješio uzrok rekurentnih urinarnih infekcija, učinjena mu je otvorenim pristupom ekstrakcija oba kamenca. Poslijeoperacijs…

Computational general relativistic force-free electrodynamics

2021

Scientific codes are an indispensable link between theory and experiment; in (astro-)plasma physics, such numerical tools are one window into the universe's most extreme flows of energy. The discretization of Maxwell's equations - needed to make highly magnetized (astro)physical plasma amenable to its numerical modeling - introduces numerical diffusion. It acts as a source of dissipation independent of the system's physical constituents. Understanding the numerical diffusion of scientific codes is the key to classify their reliability. It gives specific limits in which the results of numerical experiments are physical. We aim at quantifying and characterizing the numerical diffusion propert…

Composition, sun protective and antimicrobial activity of lipophilic bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) ext…

2021

Abstract Berries of the genus Vaccinium found in bogs and forest of Northern Europe are a valuable source of biologically active substances containing sterols, unsaturated fatty acids, flavanoids, anthocyanins. The presence of these compounds provides various health benefits of berry use – treatment of urinary tract inflammation, controls levels of sugar in the blood, improves cardiovascular health and reduces negative effects of oxidative stress caused by free radicals. The studied bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) and lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.) lipids were fractionated using normal-phase chromatography and they were found to contain fatty acids (oleic, linoleic acid), sterols …

Rasch Analysis of Authentic Evaluation of Young Children's Functioning in Classroom Routines.

2021

This study evaluated the functioning of children in early childhood education classroom routines, using the 3M Functioning in Preschool Routines Scale. A total of 366 children aged 36 to 70 months and 22 teachers from six early childhood education centers in Spain participated in the study. The authors used the Rasch model to determine the item fit and the difficulty of the items in relation to children's ability levels in this age range. The Rasch Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis by child age groups showed that the item difficulty differed according to the children's age and according to their levels of competence. The results of this study supported the reliability and validit…

HUMAN MILK IS NOT “MERELY NUTRITIOUS”: HOW ITS BIOACTIVE ROLE CAN INFLUENCE CHILD HEALTH

2021

Maternal milk represents the best food for the newborn, providing specific physiologic advantages over the other sources of nutrition. It also contains many hundreds to thousands of bioactive molecules that protect against infection (i.e. IgA), inflammation (i.e. 5-methylthioadenosine) and contribute to eliciting strong immune responses in breastfed children (i.e. allergens or viral antigens). Quality and quantity of breast milk components may influence the development of infant body composition in the first years of life; in particular, it has been shown that a different composition of human oligosaccharides (HMOs) in overweight/obese women’s human milk can be correlated with her offspring…

Iron replacement therapy in the management of anaemia in non-dialysis Chronic kidney disease patients: Perspective of the Spanish Nephrology Society …

2021

This work presents an update on the management of iron deficiency in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), either with or without anaemia. A review is made of the recommendations of the guidelines for the treatment of iron deficiency in CKD. It also presents new studies on iron deficiency in patients with CKD, as well as new findings about iron therapy and its impact on clinical outcomes.Anaemia is a common complication of CRF, and is associated with a decrease in the quality of life of the patients, as well as an increase in morbidity and mortality. Iron deficiency (absolute or functional) is common in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease patients, and may cause anaemia or a low respo…

Tuning of the Mg Alloy AZ31 Anodizing Process for Biodegradable Implants

2021

Coatings were grown on the AZ31 Mg alloy by a hard anodizing process in the hot glycerol phosphate-containing electrolyte. Anodizing conditions were optimized, maximizing corrosion resistance estimated by impedance measurements carried out in Hank's solution at 37 °C. A post anodizing annealing treatment (350 °C for 24 h) allowed us to further enhance the corrosion resistance of the coatings mainly containing magnesium phosphate according to energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman analyses. Gravimetric measurements revealed a hydrogen evolution rate within the limits acceptable for application of AZ31 in biomedical devices. In vitro tests demonstrated that the coatings are biocompati…

Onset of effect and impact on health-related quality of life, exacerbation rate, lung function, and nasal polyposis symptoms for patients with severe…

2021

Background: ANDHI was done to assess the efficacy of benralizumab, including onset of effect and impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), exacerbation rate, lung function, and nasal polyposis symptoms. Methods: This phase 3b, randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled ANDHI study was completed in adults (aged 18–75 years) with severe eosinophilic asthma with at least 2 exacerbations in the previous year, despite high-dose inhaled corticosteroid plus additional controllers, screening blood eosinophil counts of at least 150 cells per μL, and an Asthma Control Questionnaire 6 (ACQ-6) score of 1·5 or more. Patients who met eligibility criteria were randomly assigned (…

Invisible neutrino decay in precision cosmology

2021

We revisit the topic of invisible neutrino decay in the precision cosmological context, via a first-principles approach to understanding the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure phenomenology of such a non-standard physics scenario. Assuming an effective Lagrangian in which a heavier standard-model neutrino $\nu_H$ couples to a lighter one $\nu_l$ and a massless scalar particle $\phi$ via a Yukawa interaction, we derive from first principles the complete set of Boltzmann equations, at both the spatially homogeneous and the first-order inhomogeneous levels, for the phase space densities of $\nu_H$, $\nu_l$, and $\phi$ in the presence of the relevant decay and inverse decay p…

The role of online social comparison as a protective factor for psychological wellbeing: A longitudinal study during the COVID-19 quarantine

2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the experience of quarantine has been an undesirable condition for people and it can have a negative impact on mental health and psychological wellbeing. Social isolation has led to an increase in time spent on social network sites, with people interacting more frequently with each other, and comparing online the way in which they are experiencing the same state of home confinement. Our study aimed to investigate the role of online social comparison on individuals' psychological distress and life satisfaction during the COVID-19-related quarantine. Specifically, a cross-lagged panel study at three-waves was conducted in Italy in order to examine the chan…