New bounds on axion-like particles from MicroBooNE

2022

Neutrino experiments lie at the edge of the intensity frontier and therefore can be exploited to search for new light particles weakly coupled to the visible sector. In this work we derive new constraints on axion-like particles (ALPs) using data from the MicroBooNE experiment, from a search for $e^+ e^-$ pairs pointing in the direction of the NuMI absorber. In particular, we consider the addition of higher-dimensional effective operators coupling the ALP to the electroweak gauge bosons. These would induce $K\to \pi a$ from kaon decay at rest in the NuMI absorber, as well as ALP decays into pairs of leptons or photons. We discuss in detail and compare various results obtained for the decay …

Antioxidant Effects of Dietary Supplements on Adult COVID-19 Patients: Why Do We Not Also Use Them in Children?

2022

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are very common in children, especially in the first five years of life, and several viruses, such as the influenza virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus, and Rhinovirus, are triggers for symptoms that usually affect the upper airways. It has been known that during respiratory viral infections, a condition of oxidative stress (OS) occurs, and many studies have suggested the potential use of antioxidants as complementary components in prophylaxis and/or therapy of respiratory viral infections. Preliminary data have demonstrated that antioxidants may also interfere with the new coronavirus 2’s entry and replication in human cells, and that they have a role in …

Breeding near heterospecifics as a defence against brood parasites: can redstarts lower probability of cuckoo parasitism using neighbours?

2022

Breeding habitat choice based on the attraction to other species can provide valuable social information and protection benefits. In birds, species with overlapping resources can be a cue of good quality habitats; species with shared predators and/or brood parasites can increase joint vigilance or cooperative mobbing, while raptors may provide a protective umbrella against these threats. We tested whether the migratory common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus) is attracted to breed near active nests of the great tit (Parus major), a keystone-information source for migrant passerine birds, or a top predator, the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis). This system is unique to test these quest…

Effect of ozone and hydrogen peroxide on off-flavor compounds and water quality in a recirculating aquaculture system

2022

The recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) is an ever-developing technology for producing fish with a low environmental impact. However, off-flavors can be a major problem in RAS fish production. Off-flavor compounds are of microbial origin and are accumulated in fish flesh. They typically cause a musty and earthy taste and odor, which consumers find unacceptable. Here we hypothesized that oxidizing compounds such as ozone (O3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and their combinations, referred to as advanced oxidation processes (AOP)s, can remove or decrease these compounds in water and prevent their accumulation in fish. In this study, four different oxidative treatments (O3 low (0.4 mg O3 L−1), …

Recurrent Ischemic Stroke and Bleeding in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Who Suffered an Acute Stroke While on Treatment With Nonvitamin K Antagon…

2022

Background: In patients with atrial fibrillation who suffered an ischemic stroke while on treatment with nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants, rates and determinants of recurrent ischemic events and major bleedings remain uncertain. Methods: This prospective multicenter observational study aimed to estimate the rates of ischemic and bleeding events and their determinants in the follow-up of consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation who suffered an acute cerebrovascular ischemic event while on nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant treatment. Afterwards, we compared the estimated risks of ischemic and bleeding events between the patients in whom anticoagulant therapy was chan…

Key CDO functions for successful digital transformation: Insights from a Delphi study

2022

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUG Given that the Chief Digital Office (CDO) is a new business position, it is not yet clear what the key functions they must develop to successfully undertake the company digital transformation process. Although previous literature has tentatively covered this issue, there are still gaps in knowledge about which functions are truly relevant. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap by (1) clarifying the key CDO functions through a Delphi study, validated by a digital dynamic capabilities (DDC) framework (Warner and Wäger 2019), and (2) presenting a measurement instrument useful for assessing the degree of the key CDO fu…

Mapping of large-scale diapir structures at the paleo-ice tongue bed in western Latvia from geophysical investigations and borehole data

2022

Abstract This study comprises the investigation of the complex and deformed Late Pleistocene sedimentary sequence in western Latvia composed of sandy sediments that are protruded by large-scale clayey silt diapirs and covered by glaciotectonically disturbed discontinuous patches of the Late Weichselian till. We use detailed measurements by ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) combined with borehole data and sedimentological investigations at the Baltic Sea cliffs to map and characterize the large-scale deformation structures and discontinuous till patches. We distinguish the intriguing and previously not detected characteristics of the spatial distribut…

Habitat Determinants and Density of the Endemic Sicilian Rock Partridge Alectoris graeca whitakeri on Mt. Etna, Sicily, Italy

2022

The assessment of the conservation status of a species is the first step to prevent local extinction and to plan appropriate, effective and scientifically sound conservation actions, hence knowledge of the distribution, population trends and characteristics of preferred habitat is crucial for the conservation of a species. Galliformes are facing increasing threats related to overhunting, habitat loss and fragmentation, and human disturbance. The Sicilian Rock Partridge (hereafter Rock Partridge) Alectoris graeca whitakeri is a significant conservation unit endemic to Sicily (Italy) classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN due to a decreasing population. Few studies have been conducted on t…

Association of redox and inflammation-related biomarkers with prognosis in IgA nephropathy: A prospective observational study.

2022

IgA nephropathy (IGAN) has a variable prognosis. Risk stratification tools are usually based on clinical parameters combined with histologic Oxford-MEST-C score. Circulating redox- and inflammation-related biomarkers may be related to histological changes in IGAN. Therefore, we studied the performance of these biomarkers in predicting the rate of GFR-loss in IGAN.This was an observational prospective study. Fifty-seven stable patients with IGAN were examined at baseline and after a mean observational time of 5.9 ± 1.1 years. The main outcome measure was eGFR-loss per year with predefined groups, stable (1.5 ml/min/1,73 mFifteen patients were in the progressive, 11 in the intermediate, and 3…

Acid-catalyzed mechanocatalytic pretreatment to improve sugar release from birch sawdust: Structural and chemical aspects

2022

Abstract This study examined acid-catalyzed mechanocatalytic pretreatment of birch sawdust without a separate impregnation step. Catalyst amount and pretreatment time were the key variables. Pretreated material was mixed with water for hydrolysis (100 °C, 60 min). The efficient release of total reducing sugars from birch sawdust is significant to the path towards biofuels and biochemicals. Based on the results, the structure and surface of birch sawdust changed as a function of mechanocatalytic pretreatment. Milling time caused significant transformations in birch structure and also increased the yields of reducing sugars. The highest yield of total reducing sugar from pretreated sawdust wa…

UAV experimentation for pavement distresses detection

2022

In recent years, due to the high costs of traditional road failure detection techniques, the research has focused its attention on the use of the drone for the recognition of deterioration by experimenting with lowcost 3D detection techniques. The use of these techniques allows to carry out monitoring operations according to a structured and effective planning to guarantee the safety of users. The purpose of this paper is to verify the gradient that determines the loss of accuracy of the 3D acquisition as the flight altitude changes. in this way, the practitioner will have a handbook through which he can decide the altitude of the flight to obtain that degree of metric accuracy. The applica…

Effectiveness of a remote simulation training in mechanical ventilation among trainees.

2022

Single-channel speech enhancement using implicit Wiener filter for high-quality speech communication

2022

AbstractSpeech enables easy human-to-human communication as well as human-to-machine interaction. However, the quality of speech degrades due to background noise in the environment, such as drone noise embedded in speech during search and rescue operations. Similarly, helicopter noise, airplane noise, and station noise reduce the quality of speech. Speech enhancement algorithms reduce background noise, resulting in a crystal clear and noise-free conversation. For many applications, it is also necessary to process these noisy speech signals at the edge node level. Thus, we propose implicit Wiener filter-based algorithm for speech enhancement using edge computing system. In the proposed algor…

Prognostic significance of spatial and density analysis of T lymphocytes in colorectal cancer.

2022

Abstract Background Although high T cell density is a strong favourable prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, the significance of the spatial distribution of T cells is incompletely understood. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of tumour cell-T cell co-localisation and T cell densities. Methods We analysed CD3 and CD8 immunohistochemistry in a study cohort of 983 colorectal cancer patients and a validation cohort (N = 246). Individual immune and tumour cells were identified to calculate T cell densities (to derive T cell density score) and G-cross function values, estimating the likelihood of tumour cells being co-located with T cells within 20 µm radius (to derive T cell p…

A Case Study for the Design and Implementation of Immersive Experiences in Support of Sicilian Cultural Heritage

2022

Virtual Reality (VR) is a robust tool for sponsoring Cultural Heritage sites. It enables immersive experiences in which the user can enjoy the cultural assets virtually, behaving as he/she would do in the real world. The covid-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of using VR in cultural heritage, showing advantages for the users that can visit the site safely through specific devices. In this work, we present the processes that lead to the creation of an immersive app that makes explorable a famous cultural asset in Sicily, the church of SS. Crocifisso al Calvario. The application creation process will be described in each of its parts, beginning from the digital acquisition of the …

The effect of an eco-label on the booking decisions of air passengers

2022

Abstract In the last few years there has been an increasing attempt to find solutions on how to mitigate the environmental impacts of air travel. Behavioral change has hereby been identified as the measure with the most significant impact. One way to encourage behavioral change is the use of eco-labels. Eco-labels have, to date, received scant attention in the aviation industry, and their effect on air travel behavior is still largely unknown. This study explores the effect of an eco-label on the booking decisions of passengers. We conduct a stated choice experiment with 553 air passengers. Our findings show that providing passengers with an eco-label leads to behavioral change, as the labe…

The opportunity of using wave energy converters in a Mediterranean hot spot

2022

The opportunity of using wave energy converter arrays in a hot spot area of the Mediterranean sea was investigated. For this purpose, numerical simulations of wave energy converters together with a simple cost-effective analysis were carried out. The selected study area is one of the most energetic inside the Sicilian channel (Italy). The numerical simulations were performed using the SNL-SWAN (“Sandia National Laboratories – Simulating WAves Nearshore”) spectral model with an unstructured mesh. The power absorbed from thirteen Wave Energy Converter (WEC) devices was computed. In particular, Pelamis, Wave Dragon, Oyster 2, Wavestar, B-HBA, B-OF, Bref-HB, Bref-SHB, F–2HB, F–3OF, F-HBA and F-…

Extraction of lipids from microalgae using classical and innovative approaches

2022

Microalgae, as a photosynthetic autotrophic organism, contain a variety of bioactive compounds, including lipids, proteins, polysaccharides, which have been applied in food, medicine, and fuel industries, among others. Microalgae are considered a good source of marine lipids due to their high content in unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and can be used as a supplement/replacement for fish-based oil. The high concentration of docosahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) in microalgae lipids, results in important physiological functions, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immune regulation, being also a prerequisite for its development and application. In this paper, a variety…

OCT applications in contact lens fitting

2022

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a noninvasive, high-speed, high-resolution imaging technology based in the Michaelson interferometry. A near-infrared light beam is used to register the intensity variations for the light backscattered on each sample layer. Due to the high repeatability on corneal measurements, spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT) is the gold standard when talking about in vivo, non-invasive anterior segment imaging. Changes in the morphology of various ocular surfaces such as the cornea, conjunctiva, limbus or tear film with soft (SCL), rigid, corneal or scleral lens (SL) wear can be described by OCT measurements. For instance, evaluation of the corneoscleral region is essenti…

Outcome predictors in SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19): The prominent role of IL-6 levels and an IL-6 gene polymorphism in a western Sicilian population

2022

MMSS: A storytelling simulation software to mitigate misinformation on social media

2022

This paper proposes a modular python implementation of a storytelling simulation. The software evaluates misinformation mitigation strategies over social media and visualizes the investigated scenarios’ potential outcomes. Our software integrates information diffusion and control models components. The control model mitigates users’ exposure to misinformation with social fairness awareness, while the diffusion model predicts the outcome from the control model. During the interaction of both models, a graph coloring algorithm traces the interaction within specific time intervals. Then, it generates meta-data to construct visuals of predicted near-future states of the social network to help s…

Inorganic/organic hybrid nanoparticles synthesized in a two-step radiation-driven process

2022

In this work, we have synthesized inorganic-organic hybrid nanoparticles via radiation synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles (Ag and CeO2) in aqueous dispersions containing radiation-synthesized poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) nanogels (NG). The experiments show that there are strong interactions between the inorganic precursors (Ag+ and Ce3+) and the nanogel prior to irradiation. The two hybrid systems (Ag/NG and CeO2/NG) were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD confirms the formation of crystalline Ag and CeO2. TEM reveals that the inorganic nanoparticles are evenly distributed in/on the nanogel. Both XRD and TEM show that size of the…

Pharmacologic screen identifies active combinations with BET inhibitors and LRRK2 as a novel putative target in lymphoma

2022

Inhibitors of the Bromo- and Extra-Terminal domain (BET) family proteins have strong preclinical antitumor activity in multiple tumor models, including lymphomas. Limited single-agent activity has been reported in the clinical setting. Here, we have performed a pharmacological screening to identify compounds that can increase the antitumor activity of BET inhibitors in lymphomas. The germinal center B-cell like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines OCI-LY-19 and WSU-DLCL2 were exposed to 348 compounds given as single agents at two different concentrations and in combination with the BET inhibitor birabresib. The combination partners included small molecules targeting important bi…

Vehicle routing problems with drones equipped with multi-package payload compartments

2022

The vehicle routing problem with drones (VRP-D) consists of designing combined truck-drone routes and schedules to serve a set of customers with specific requests and time constraints. In this paper, VRP-D is extended to include a fleet of drones equipped with multi-package payload compartments to serve more customers on a single trip. Moreover, a drone can return to a truck, different from the one from which it started, to swap its depleted battery and/or to pick up more packages. This problem, denoted as VRP-D equipped with multi-package payload compartments (VRP-D-MC), aims to maximize total profit. In this work, an adaptive multi-start simulated annealing (AMS-SA) metaheuristic algorith…

Optimal power tracking for autonomous demand side management of electric vehicles

2022

Increasing electric vehicle penetration leads to undesirable peaks in power if no proper coordination in charging is implemented. We tested the feasibility of electric vehicles acting as flexible demands responding to power signals to minimize the system peaks. The proposed hierarchical autonomous demand side management algorithm is formulated as an optimal power tracking problem. The distribution grid operator determines a power signal for filling the valleys in the non-electric vehicle load profile using the electric vehicle demand flexibility and sends it to all electric vehicle controllers. After receiving the control signal, each electric vehicle controller re-scales it to the expected…

A generalized stage-discharge relationship for sharp-crested power-law weirs by dimensional analysis and self-similarity

2022

Weirs are characterized by a stage-discharge relationship which mainly depends on the shape and dimensions of the hydraulic structure. A weir with symmetrical power-law sides is a versatile weir that can produce some known weir types (rectangular, triangular, parabolic) as special cases. In this paper, the outflow process of sharp-crested power-law weirs is investigated using the dimensional analysis and the incomplete self-similarity theory. A new generalized theoretical stage-discharge relationship is proposed, and its applicability is tested using measurements available in the literature for different weir types.

El acuerdo de materias concretas sobre subrogación de trabajadores en las adjudicaciones de contratos públicos en la Comunidad Valenciana: reflexione…

2022

El Acuerdo sobre materias concretas para la mejora de la economíay el empleo de la Comunitat Valenciana 2021-2022 firmado por los sindicatosy la asociación empresarial más representativos en la comunidad autónoma imponela subrogación en todas las contratas públicas realizadas en el ámbito autonómico.El objeto de este artículo es comentar algunos puntos problemáticos delinteresante experimento negocial introducido en la Comunidad Valenciana, asícomo la experiencia de un año de su aplicación. Y es que el acuerdo puede servirde banco de pruebas de cara a posibles acuerdos similares en otros territorios,por lo que su análisis puede ser de provecho para juristas foráneos de la ComunidadValencian…

Knowledge management and intellectual capital in the business model innovation of Costa Rican manufacturing firms

2022

Abstract The purpose of this article is to analyze the impact of knowledge management and intellectual capital on the ability of companies to generate business model innovation. To evaluate the proposed hypotheses, we surveyed a final sample of 100 Costa Rican manufacturing companies and analyzed the data using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that knowledge management positively contributes to the development of business model innovations. Similarly, intellectual capital has a direct positive influence on business model innovation. However, the direct contribution intellectual capital depends on the adoption of practices that encourage knowledg…

La tutela della salubrità dell'aria e della persona in civil Law e in common Law

2022

The essay deals with safeguarding the right to a healthy environment in the Italian and English systems, especially for the individuals affected by emissions that corrupt the air quality interfering with their private and family life. The study focuses on the injunction, as a non-compensatory remedy, actionable before the English courts by claimants seeking the decontamination of the polluted areas. The insight into the foreign environmental law will provide a new perspective on the Italian one that (as the European Court of Human Rights stated in the Cordella case) does not secure everyone an effective remedy to the violation of their environmental human right.

3D Technology for the Artworks Handling

2022

In this study we present how to create a box for the transport of artworks put in place during the restauration of three polymateric sculpures made with trapanese technique called ‘Legno, Tela e Colla’. Thanks to 3D technology, we created a ‘digital twin’ of manufacts that allowed us to design and build supports and boxes for different uses. In this way, it was possible not to touch the artworks directly, so without risks for them, and to work even at a distance without the works, also in different places.

Aleksandram Zāmelim - 125

2022

Latviešu botāniķa un ģenētiķa Aleksandra Zāmeļa (1897-1943) 125. jubilejai veltīta Latvijas Universitātes Muzeja virtuālā izstāde “Aleksandram - Zāmelim 125”.

Circadian rhythms in ischaemic heart disease

2022

Abstract Circadian rhythms are internal regulatory processes controlled by molecular clocks present in essentially every mammalian organ that temporally regulate major physiological functions. In the cardiovascular system, the circadian clock governs heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac metabolism, contractility, and coagulation. Recent experimental and clinical studies highlight the possible importance of circadian rhythms in the pathophysiology, outcome, or treatment success of cardiovascular disease, including ischaemic heart disease. Disturbances in circadian rhythms are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and worsen outcome. Therefore, it is important to consider circadian rhy…

Influence of patient-related factors on intraoperative blood loss during double opposing Z-plasty Furlow palatoplasty and buccal fat pad coverage:A p…

2022

Background: Surgical procedures including palatoplasty have a risk for complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the intraoperative and early postoperative blood loss using the buccal fat pad (BFP) during cleft lip and/or cleft palate (CL/P) surgery. Material and Methods: This prospective study included a total of 109 patients with cleft palate (CP) during a three-month period of treatment at Hasanuddin University Dental Hospital (permanent center) and charity trips in rural parts of Eastern Indonesia. All patients were treated with DOZ Furlow technique combined with BFP graft. Before and after surgery, the total amount of intraoperative blood loss was calculated by measuring …

Propagating Alfvén waves in open structures with random structuring

2022

Funding: The research leading to these results has received funding from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (consolidated grant ST/N000609/1), the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 647214). IDM received funding from the Research Council of Norway through its Centres of Excellence scheme, project number 262622. We consider the behaviour of Alfvén waves propagating in a medium with random density perturbations. The imposed density perturbations have a broadband spectrum and their characteristic spatial scale may be defined according to the peak in the spectrum. The interaction of the boundary driven Alfvén waves with the medium ge…

The Commodification Dilemma: Tourism Pressure and Heritage Conservation in Barcelona

2022

In recent years, the proliferation of tourists in the urban environment has generated several issues in the functioning of cities. As urban tourism has historically been linked to cultural and architectural attractions, this increased tourism pressure has involved and often compromised the common heritage uses. Therefore, many cases saw the implementation of measures that, if on the one hand reduced tourist flows, on the other also drastically restricted the access for residents and totally altered the sense of place in the community. This article explores this topic by applying a Critical Discourse Analysis methodology to the dispute that took place in Barcelona regarding the restricted ac…

Efficacy of 8 weeks elbasvir/grazoprevir regimen for naïve-genotype 1b, HCV infected patients with or without glucose abnormalities: Results of the E…

2022

Background and aim: Direct Acting Antivirals(DAAs) achieve the highest rate of sustained viral re- sponse(SVR) in patients with genotype-1b(G1b) Hepatitis C virus(HCV) infection. Reducing treatment du- ration can simplify the management and improve adherence of therapy. Patients and methods: The study evaluates the efficacy of 8 weeks of elbasvir/grazoprevir regimen in 75 treatment-naïve(TN), G1b patients with mild-moderate fibrosis(Liver Stiffness by Fibroscan®< 9.0 kPa). Viral load(VL) has been evaluated by Roche TaqMan RT-PCR(LLOQ < 15 IU/ml). Results: Mean age was 61.0 ±14.2 years, 44% were male, mean LS by Fibroscan®was 6.1 ±1.8 kPa. Twenty-eight patients(37.3%) had an HOMA > …