showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Metabolic comorbidities of adrenal insufficiency: Focus on steroid replacement therapy and chronopharmacology
2021
Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is characterized by higher mortality and morbidity compared with the general population. Conventional replacement steroid therapy, currently recommended for the treatment of AI, is associated with increased frequency of metabolic comorbidities due to daily overexposure. By contrast, dual-release hydrocortisone is associated with a decreased risk of metabolic comorbidities, providing an adequate release of hydrocortisone and mimicking the physiological profile of cortisol. These favorable effects are due to a reduced daily steroid exposure that does not affect the expression of the clock genes which are involved in metabolic pathways and are regulated by the normal…
Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Dental Students—RULA Applied to Objective Kinematic Data
2021
Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is already prevalent in dental students despite their young age and the short duration of dental practice. The current findings state that the causes of MSD are related to posture during dental work. This study aims to investigate the ergonomic risk of dental students. In order to analyze the ergonomic risk of dental students, 3D motion analyses were performed with inertial sensors during the performance of standardized dental activities. For this purpose, 15 dental students and 15 dental assistant trainees (all right-handed) were measured in a team. Data were analyzed using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), which was modified to evaluate objective data.…
Epistemic independence and speaker roles: Highlighting the role of second speaker and mitigating the role of first speaker
2021
Abstract Definitions of attenuation tend to place their emphasis on different aspects of the communication process, especially facework, propositional content, illocutionary force and the roles of speech participants. This paper concentrates on the latter of these aspects. Although studies mention the possibility that attenuation applies to more than one participant, the analysis of particular examples within those studies shows that authors tend to refer mostly (or even only) to the speaker's role (e.g., Briz, 1998, 2003; Briz and Albelda, 2013; Villalba Ibanez, 2016). This study explores the possibility that attenuation of the role of another participant (i.e. a participant other than the…
Consenso Delphi de las recomendaciones para el tratamiento de los pacientes con atrofia muscular espinal en España (consenso RET-AME)
2021
Resumen Introduccion La atrofia muscular espinal (AME) es una enfermedad neurodegenerativa, causada por una mutacion bialelica del gen 5q SMN1, que afecta predominantemente a las neuronas motoras del asta anterior medular causando una progresiva debilidad y atrofia muscular. La aparicion de tratamientos modificadores del curso de la enfermedad esta cambiando considerablemente la historia natural de la AME, pero existe todavia incertidumbre sobre que pacientes se pueden beneficiar de estos tratamientos y como se deberia medir ese beneficio. Metodologia Un grupo de expertos especialistas en neurologia, neuropediatria y rehabilitacion, y de la asociacion de pacientes con AME de Espana, analiza…
Is periapical surgery follow-up with only two-dimensional radiographs reliable? A retrospective cohort type sensitivity study
2021
Background Two-dimensional (2D) radiographic techniques are commonly used for assessing lesion prognosis after endodontic surgery. The present retrospective cohort study analyzes the sensitivity and ability of different radiographic techniques in obtaining area and volume measurements of periapical lesions. Material and Methods Preoperative and follow-up (6-48 months) periapical and panoramic radiographs (index test) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images (reference standard) were selected from an endodontic microsurgery database. Sensitivity was analyzed independently by two examiners. The areas of the 2D radiographic images and CBCT volumes were studied using Itk-Snap software an…
Lowermost Jurassic dinosaur ecosystem from the Bleymard Strait (southern France): sedimentology, mineralogy, palaeobotany and palaeoichnology of the …
2021
AbstractWe report the first Hettangian theropod tracksite (~200 Ma) yielding a rich accumulation of plant remains from the Bleymard Strait (southern France). It constitutes an excellent opportunity to reconstruct lowermost Jurassic ecosystems hosting dinosaurs and which are still poorly documented in this area. Two morphotypes of tridactyl tracks are distinguished. They share similarities with Grallator and Kayentapus. Plant-bearing beds yield abundant leafy axes (Pagiophyllum peregrinum), male cones (Classostrobus sp.), wood (Brachyoxylon sp.) and pollen of conifers (Classopollis classoides). Sedimentological, petrological and mineralogical analyses demonstrated that, in the Dolomitic Form…
Does aspirin save lives in patients with COVID-19?
2021
‘An aspirin a day keeps the heart attack away’, is this also true in the prevention of thrombotic events associated with COVID-19? The rising COVID-19 pandemic has led to much work in the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. COVID-19 infection is thought to be an endothelial disease. Supporting this concept, it has been suggested that infection with SARS-CoV-2, the aetiological agent for COVID-19 infection, leads to a state mimicking Virchow’s triad, that is, vascular endothelial injury, blood stasis and clotting in concert with systemic inflammation resulting in systemic thrombosis. In keeping with this concept, moderately and critically ill patients with COVID-19 have been…
237 Selected global health assessment tools significantly predict postoperative clinical outcome in elderly patients with ovarian cancer
2021
Introduction/Background* This study evaluated the impact of the global health status on the rate of postoperative clinical complications in patients with ovarian cancer (OC) older than 60 years. Methodology Selected global health status assessment tools were retrospectively determined in a cohort of OC patients older than 60 years, treated at our institution between 2008 and 2019. The primary outcome was the incidence and type of postoperative clinical complications in accordance with the Veteran Affairs’ National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). Differences in binary and ordinal variables between independent groups were analyzed by the chi-square test. Furthermore, rank correl…
Immunonutritive Scoring for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Transarterial Chemoembolization: Evaluation of the CALLY Index
2021
The novel CRP–albumin–lymphocyte (CALLY) index is an improved immunonutritive scoring system, based on serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum albumin, and the lymphocyte count. It has shown promise as a prognostic index for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing resections. This study evaluated the prognostic ability of the CALLY index for patients with HCC undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). We retrospectively identified 280 treatment-naïve patients with HCC that underwent an initial TACE at our institution, between 2010 and 2020. We compared the CALLY index to established risk factors in univariate and multivariate regression analyses for associations with m…
Kidney Disease Management in the Hospital Setting: A Focus on Inappropriate Drug Prescriptions in Older Patients
2021
Aging with multimorbidity and polytherapy are the most significant factors that could led to inappropriate prescribing of contraindicated medications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the prescriptions of contraindicated drugs in older adults in CKD and to identify their associated factors in a hospital context. An observational retrospective study was carried out considering all patients ≥65 years with at least one serum creatinine value recorded into the REPOSI register into 2010–2016 period. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was applied to identify CKD. A descriptive analysis was performed to compare demographic and clinica…
Intraoperative DNA methylation classification of brain tumors impacts neurosurgical strategy
2021
Abstract Background Brain tumor surgery must balance the benefit of maximal resection against the risk of inflicting severe damage. The impact of increased resection is diagnosis-specific. However, the precise diagnosis is typically uncertain at surgery due to limitations of imaging and intraoperative histomorphological methods. Novel and accurate strategies for brain tumor classification are necessary to support personalized intraoperative neurosurgical treatment decisions. Here, we describe a fast and cost-efficient workflow for intraoperative classification of brain tumors based on DNA methylation profiles generated by low coverage nanopore sequencing and machine learning algorithms. Met…
Discipline del Design e “Slow Journalism”: un antidoto alle fake-news
2021
L’articolo sviluppa una riflessione a partire da un’esperienza di ricerca maturata all’interno dell’Università degli Studi di Palermo nell’ambito del progetto PO FERS “Fake News” che aveva come obiettivo quello di elaborare nuovi e più efficaci meccanismi automatici di valutazione dell’autenticità, originalità e rilevanza dell’informazione prodotta dal giornalismo etico e partecipativo a partire da metodologie e strumenti progettuali propri del design della comunicazione e dell’informazione. The article develops a reflection on a research experience gained within the University of Palermo in the context of the PO FERS “Fake News” project, which aimed to develop new and more effective automa…
Criticità della tutela dei dati scientifici nel regolamento sui nuovi alimenti anche alla luce della disciplina in materia di benessere degli animali
2021
Il regolamento (UE) 2283/2015 sui novel food rappresenta un’evoluzione nella protezione dei dati scientifici relativi ai nuovi prodotti alimentari. La normativa, sviluppata sul modello offerto dal regolamento (UE) 1924/2006 in materia di indicazioni nutrizionali e sulla salute, garantisce una protezione quinquennale dei dati scienti ci e delle prove pro- dotte dal richiedente in sede di domanda di autorizzazione di un nuovo prodotto ex art. 10 del regolamento (UE) 2283/2015. La previsione di un termine quinquennale di tutela se, secondo taluni, può risultare troppo breve per rappresentare un vero incentivo per compiere investimenti in ricerca e sviluppo da parte delle imprese; d’altra part…
Spanish Nurses’ Knowledge about Palliative Care. A National Online Survey
2021
(1) Background: Nurses can find people with advanced diseases or in their last days of life during their professional careers and in many different care settings. For this reason, they need to have at least a basic level of palliative care education since they are the professional cohort treating these patients in a very close way. This research aims to determine the level of knowledge in palliative care of Spanish nurses and establish any possible difference based on their experience and training in palliative care. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional design using survey methods (distributed an online questionnaire) aimed at Spanish registered nurses. A validated questionnaire (PCQN-SV) was use…
Equivalent-Single-Layer discontinuous Galerkin methods for static analysis of multilayered shells
2021
Abstract An original formulation for the elastic analysis of multilayered shells is presented in this work. The key features of the formulation are: the representation of the shell mean surface via a generic system of curvilinear coordinates; the unified treatment of general shell theories via an Equivalent-Single-Layer approach based on the through-the-thickness expansion of the covariant components of the displacement field; and an Interior Penalty discontinuous Galerkin scheme for the solution of the set of governing equations. The combined use of these features enables a high-order solution of the multilayered shell problem. Several numerical tests are presented for isotropic, orthotrop…
Genome-wide diversity of Pagliarola sheep residual population and its conservation implication
2021
Local breeds represent an underestimated resource in terms not only of their important cultural and economical role in marginal areas, but also because they often own a potential genetic pool well adapted to extreme conditions. This fact is of increasing interest, especially when considering climate global challenges where peculiar and uncommon traits could be advantageous. In this study, we genotyped 24 individuals belonging to the small residual Pagliarola sheep population using the OvineSNP50K array, in order to compare its genomic architecture with other 21 Italian local breeds. Moreover, we performed the fixation index (FST) outlier analysis to identify genes most differentiated betwee…
Air gasification of wood chips, wood pellets and grass pellets in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor
2021
Abstract Gasification is an attractive method for biomass-to-energy conversion and fluidized bed design is one of the best options for large scale operation. A bubbling fluidized bed reactor was used to analyze the effects of biomass type, equivalence ratio (ER) and temperature for product gas compositions. Wood chips, wood pellets and grass pellets were gasified between 650 °C and 800 °C temperature. The ER was varied between 0.08 and 0.16. Gasification of grass pellets was difficult at 800 °C due to agglomeration and the gas composition was poor compared to wood. The reactor performances improved over the temperature and 650 °C was not sufficient to achieve a reasonable carbon conversion.…
The relationship of symptom dimensions with premorbid adjustment and cognitive characteristics at first episode psychosis: Findings from the EU-GEI s…
2021
Premorbid functioning and cognitive measures may reflect gradients of developmental impairment across diagnostic categories in psychosis. In this study, we sought to examine the associations of current cognition and premorbid adjustment with symptom dimensions in a large first episode psychosis (FEP) sample. We used data from the international EU-GEI study. Bifactor modelling of the Operational Criteria in Studies of Psychotic Illness (OPCRIT) ratings provided general and specific symptom dimension scores. Premorbid Adjustment Scale estimated premorbid social (PSF) and academic adjustment (PAF), and WAIS-brief version measured IQ. A MANCOVA model examined the relationship between symptom di…
Metabolic comorbidities and male sex influence steatosis in chronic hepatitis C after viral eradication by direct-acting antiviral therapy (DAAs): Ev…
2021
Background: Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is associated with hepatic steatosis, related to both a direct viral action and metabolic features. Vice-versa data on hepatic steatosis after viral eradication by direct-acting antiviral agents (DAA) are undefined although the presence of metabolic alterations could strongly influence the occurrence of steatosis as in NAFLD. The controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) (FibroscanⓇ) allows the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of fatty liver. Aim: to evaluate in patients with CHC whether hepatic steatosis diagnosed by CAP modifies after DAAs-induced sustained virologic response (SVR). Methods: Data were collected the day of DAAs therapy starting and…
La sophrosyne dei Greci. Due saggi di L. Gernet a confronto : « La préhistoire d’une vertu morale : la “tempérance” chez les Grecs » (in Les Grecs sa…
2021
Il contributo propone la rilettura dei seguenti due saggi dello studioso francese Louis Gernet sul tema della sophrosyne: « La préhistoire d’une vertu morale : la “tempérance” chez les Grecs » (in Les Grecs sans miracle, a cura di R. Di Donato, Parigi, 1983, 48-57) e « Thucydide et l’histoire » (in Annales. Histoire, Sciences Sociales, 20/3 [1965], 570-575. The paper proposes a re-reading of the following two essays by the French scholar Louis Gernet on the theme of sophrosyne: "La préhistoire d'une vertu morale : la "tempérance" chez les Grecs" (in Les Grecs sans miracle, edited by R. Di Donato, Paris, 1983, 48-57) and "Thucydides et l'histoire" (Annales et l'histoire) and "Thucydides et l…
RESVEGA, a Nutraceutical Omega-3/Resveratrol Supplementation, Reduces Angiogenesis in a Preclinical Mouse Model of Choroidal Neovascularization
2021
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye disease that is characterized by damage to the central part of the retina, the macula, and that affects millions of people worldwide. At an advanced stage, a blind spot grows in the center of vision, severely handicapping patients with this degenerative condition. Despite therapeutic advances thanks to the use of anti-VEGF, many resistance mechanisms have been found to accentuate the visual deficit. In the present study, we explored whether supplementation with Resvega®, a nutraceutical formulation composed of omega-3 fatty acids and resveratrol, a well-known polyphenol in grapes, was able to counteract laser-induced choroidal neovascularizat…
Multiple smoothing parameters selection in additive regression quantiles
2021
We propose an iterative algorithm to select the smoothing parameters in additive quantile regression, wherein the functional forms of the covariate effects are unspecified and expressed via B-spline bases with difference penalties on the spline coefficients. The proposed algorithm relies on viewing the penalized coefficients as random effects from the symmetric Laplace distribution, and it turns out to be very efficient and particularly attractive with multiple smooth terms. Through simulations we compare our proposal with some alternative approaches, including the traditional ones based on minimization of the Schwarz Information Criterion. A real-data analysis is presented to illustrate t…
A novel meta-heuristic optimization algorithm based MPPT control technique for PV systems under complex partial shading condition
2021
Abstract The need to combat the increase in global warming is well taken by solar energy lead renewable energy resources. The techno-economic feasibility of solar systems in the form of photovoltaic (PV) generation is highly dependent upon its operating conditions. The nonlinear control problem is further worsened by partial shading (PS) environment causing major power losses. Bio-inspired maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control techniques, in literature, exhibit some major common drawbacks such as high tracking and settling time, oscillations at global maxima (GM), and local maxima (LM) trapping under PS conditions. This paper presents a novel search and rescue (SRA) optimization algor…
Empagliflozin in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: decoding its molecular mechanism of action using artificial intelligence
2021
Abstract Rationale The use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is under investigation in ongoing clinical trials, but the exact mechanism of action is unclear. Here we aimed to use artificial intelligence (AI) to characterize the mechanism of action of empagliflozin in HFpEF at the molecular level. Methods We retrieved information regarding HFpEF pathophysiological motifs and differentially expressed genes/proteins, together with empagliflozin target information and bioflags, from specialized publicly available databases. Artificial neural networks and deep learning AI were used to model the molecular effec…
Editorial: Zoonotic Diseases: Their Host and Vectors
2021
Influence of Temperature on Characteristics of Particulate Matter and Ecological Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals during Sewage Sludge Pyrolysis
2021
The formation process of Particulate Matter (PM) during sludge pyrolysis at different temperatures (300–700 °C) and the ecological risks of heavy metals were studied. The results showed that the particulate matter is mainly condensed on the quartz film in a carbon-based organic matter when the pyrolysis temperature was between 200–500 °C in a volatilization process. Inorganic particles was found in the particulate matter when the temperature was raised to 500–700 °C in a decomposition stage. Heavy metals were enriched in particulate matter with increase in pyrolysis temperature. When the temperature reached 700 °C, the concentration of Pb and Cd in the particulate matter significantly incre…
Key EU DEMO plant and building layout criteria
2021
Abstract An early attention to the layout of both plant site and its buildings is essential in a complex plant under preliminary design as DEMO in order to meet the assigned targets, namely i) the licensing requirements ii) a good availability in delivery electricity to the grid. The layout definition has to follow several criteria that become more complex and stringent for nuclear buildings, e.g. functional, maintenance, fire protection, safety, human factors, shielding, and remote handling. The criterion As Low As Reasonable Achievable, with respect to the dose to the staff, has to be applied in design, operation, maintenance and decommissioning phases. The tokamak building, where several…
Targeting Phosphatases and Kinases: How to Checkmate Cancer
2021
Metastatic disease represents the major cause of death in oncologic patients worldwide. Accumulating evidence have highlighted the relevance of a small population of cancer cells, named cancer stem cells (CSCs), in the resistance to therapies, as well as cancer recurrence and metastasis. Standard anti-cancer treatments are not always conclusively curative, posing an urgent need to discover new targets for an effective therapy. Kinases and phosphatases are implicated in many cellular processes, such as proliferation, differentiation and oncogenic transformation. These proteins are crucial regulators of intracellular signaling pathways mediating multiple cellular activities. Therefore, altera…
Biochemical and Immunological implications of Lutein and Zeaxanthin
2021
Throughout history, nature has been acknowledged for being a primordial source of various bioactive molecules in which human macular carotenoids are gaining significant attention. Among 750 natural carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and their oxidative metabolites are selectively accumulated in the macular region of living beings. Due to their vast applications in food, feed, pharmaceutical and nutraceuticals industries, the global market of lutein and zeaxanthin is continuously expanding but chemical synthesis, extraction and purification of these compounds from their natural repertoire e.g., plants, is somewhat costly and technically challenging. In this regard microbial as well as microalga…
Effectiveness of a kindergarten-based intervention to increase vegetable intake and reduce food neophobia amongst 1-year-old children: a cluster rand…
2021
Background: Children’s first years of life are crucial to their future health. Studies show that a varied diet with a high intake of vegetables is positive in several domains of health. The present low vegetable intake amongst children is, therefore, a concern. Food neophobia is a common barrier to vegetable intake in children. As most Norwegian children attend kindergarten from an early age, kindergartens could contribute to the prevention of food neophobia and the promotion of vegetable intake. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a cluster randomised trial amongst 1-year-old children in kindergarten to reduce food neophobia and promote healthy eating. Methods: Kin…
Treatment with Calcium Ionophore Improves The Results in Patients with Previous Unsuccessful Attempts at The Fertilization: A Cohort Study
2021
Background: The objective of this study is to evaluate artificial oocyte activation (AOA) with calcium ionophore (CaI) in a subsequent attempt at fertilisation in patients after extremely low or failed fertilisation. We assessed improvements in fertilisation, implantation and pregnancy rates as well as cancellation rates in these patients. Finally, was evaluated the result testing in addition to delivery rate and obstetric outcomes in children born after AOA. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study conducted in an IVF laboratory of an IVI clinic (IVIRMA Valencia, Spain). One group (509 mature oocytes from 66 patients) received a first intracytoplasmic sperm injec…
Genetic variants associated with human eye size are distinct from those conferring susceptibility to myopia
2021
Purpose: Emmetropization requires coordinated scaling of the major ocular components, corneal curvature and axial length. This coordination is achieved in part through a shared set of genetic variants that regulate eye size. Poorly coordinated scaling of corneal curvature and axial length results in refractive error. We tested the hypothesis that genetic variants regulating eye size in emmetropic eyes are distinct from those conferring susceptibility to refractive error.Methods: A genome-wide association study (GWAS) for corneal curvature in 22,180 adult emmetropic individuals was performed as a proxy for a GWAS for eye size. A polygenic score created using lead GWAS variants was tested for…
Fe K α and Fe K β line detection in the NuSTAR spectrum of the ultra-bright Z source Scorpius X-1
2021
Context.Low-mass X-ray binaries hosting a low-magnetised neutron star, which accretes matter via Roche-lobe overflow, are generally grouped into two classes called Atoll and Z sources after the path described in their X-ray colour-colour diagrams. Scorpius X–1 is the brightest persistent low-mass X-ray binary known so far, and it is the prototype of the Z sources.Aims.We analysed the firstNuSTARobservation of this source to study its spectral emission, exploiting the high-statistics data collected by this satellite. The colour-colour diagram shows that the source was probably observed during the lower normal and flaring branches of its Z track. We separated the data from the two branches in…
Prescription opioid use and employment : A nationwide Finnish register study
2021
Background: The secular decline in labor market participation and the concurrent increase in opioid use in many developed countries have sparked a policy debate on the possible connection between these two trends. We examined whether the use of prescription opioids was connected to labor market outcomes relating to participation, employment and unemployment among the Finnish population. Methods: The working-age population (aged 19–64 years) living in Finland during the period 1995–2016 was used in the analyses (consisting of 67 903 701 person-year observations). Lagged values of prescription opioid use per capita were used as the exposure. Instrumental variables (IV) estimation method was u…
STEAM Practices to Explore Ancient Architectures Using Augmented Reality and 3D Printing with GeoGebra
2021
Abstract In this study, we develop mathematical educational practices for students to explore ancient buildings using GeoGebra, Augmented Reality and 3D printing. It is an interdisciplinary approach, intertwining history, culture, mathematics, and engineering. For example, the 3D modelling of Cheomseongdae in Korea and the Temple of Dendera in Egypt can enable students to practice a multimodal set of traditional and innovative learning approaches. Students might use their mathematical knowledge to reflect on architectural and cultural history in a modeling task.
Phosphorylation Regulates CIRBP Arginine Methylation, Transportin-1 Binding and Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation
2021
Arginine-glycine(-glycine) (RG/RGG) regions are highly abundant in RNA-binding proteins and involved in numerous physiological processes. Aberrant liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and stress granule (SGs) association of RG/RGG regions in the cytoplasm have been implicated in several neurodegenerative disorders. LLPS and SG association of these proteins is regulated by the interaction with nuclear import receptors, such as transportin-1 (TNPO1), and by post-translational arginine methylation. Strikingly, many RG/RGG proteins harbour potential phosphorylation sites within or close to their arginine methylated regions, indicating a regulatory role. Here, we studied the role of phosphoryla…