showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Molecular Proteomics and Signalling of Human Platelets in Health and Disease
2021
Platelets are small anucleate blood cells that play vital roles in haemostasis and thrombosis, besides other physiological and pathophysiological processes. These roles are tightly regulated by a complex network of signalling pathways. Mass spectrometry-based proteomic techniques are contributing not only to the identification and quantification of new platelet proteins, but also reveal post-translational modifications of these molecules, such as acetylation, glycosylation and phosphorylation. Moreover, target proteomic analysis of platelets can provide molecular biomarkers for genetic aberrations with established or non-established links to platelet dysfunctions. In this report, we review …
The bright and dark sides of CEO hubris: Assessing cultural distance in international business
2021
This paper aims to enrich the behavioral theory of international business strategyby investigating how CEO hubris (i.e., excess pride and confidence) affects inter-national strategic choices, that is, location selection, entry timing, and modes ofentry into the target market. Specifically, we focus on the relationship betweencultural distance and international strategic choices and consider hubris as a mech-anism that influences CEOs’ decisions. Our conceptual framework recognizes thatthe performance of international strategies managed by hubristic CEOs isextremely volatile. On the one hand, we corroborate the idea that hubris has adark side that may lead to pernicious outcomes. On the othe…
Design of innovative friction damper devices for earthquake-resilient RC frames with Hybrid Steel-Trussed Concrete Beams
2021
This thesis focuses on the design of innovative friction damper devices for earthquake-resilient Reinforced Concrete (RC) frames realized with Hybrid Steel-Trussed Concrete Beams (HSTCBs). These devices fall within the framework of the recently-proposed low-damage design strategy for structures built in earthquake-prone areas, on the basis of which the structures are designed to experience negligible damage when subjected to seismic events. The comprehensive solution proposed aims at introducing a feasible option for building earthquake-resilient RC Moment Resisting Frames (MRFs), having been proposed very few solutions for this structural scheme so far. Innovative solutions are proposed fo…
PROVE DI INVECCHIAMENTO SU BIOCOMPOSITI EPOSSIDICI AD ELEVATE PERFORMANCE RINFORZATI CON FIBRE DI AGAVE
2021
La riduzione dell'impatto ambientale nella moderna produzione di materiali compositi a matrice polimerica ha attratto una significativa attività di ricerca finalizzata alla messa a punto di nuovi materiali compositi “green” caratterizzati altresì da una apprezzabile riduzione dei costi e del peso specifico. Tra questi materiali giocano un ruolo importante i cosiddetti biocompositi, materiali costituiti da matrici a basso impatto ambientale o rinnovabili, rinforzate con fibre naturali. Nel presente lavoro, attraverso una sistematica campagna di prove sperimentali sono analizzati gli effetti dei principali agenti ambientali sulle proprietà meccaniche di biocompositi ad elevate prestazioni cos…
Recursive and bargaining values
2021
Abstract We introduce two families of values for TU-games: the recursive and bargaining values. Bargaining values are obtained as the equilibrium payoffs of the symmetric non-cooperative bargaining game proposed by Hart and Mas-Colell (1996). We show that bargaining values have a recursive structure in their definition, and we call this property recursiveness. All efficient, linear, and symmetric values that satisfy recursiveness are called recursive values. We generalize the notions of potential, and balanced contributions property, to characterize the family of recursive values. Finally, we show that if a time discount factor is considered in the bargaining model, every bargaining value h…
Measurement of the absolute branching fractions for purely leptonic D+s decays
2021
We report new measurements of the branching fraction $\cal B(D_s^+\to \ell^+\nu)$, where $\ell^+$ is either $\mu^+$ or $\tau^+(\to\pi^+\bar{\nu}_\tau)$, based on $6.32$ fb$^{-1}$ of electron-positron annihilation data collected by the BESIII experiment at six center-of-mass energy points between $4.178$ and $4.226$ GeV. Simultaneously floating the $D_s^+\to\mu^+\nu_\mu$ and $D_s^+\to\tau^+\nu_\tau$ components yields $\cal B(D_s^+\to \tau^+\nu_\tau) = (5.21\pm0.25\pm0.17)\times10^{-2}$, $\cal B(D_s^+\to \mu^+\nu_\mu) = (5.35\pm0.13\pm0.16)\times10^{-3}$, and the ratio of decay widths $R=\frac{\Gamma(D_s^+\to \tau^+\nu_\tau)}{\Gamma(D_s^+\to \mu^+\nu_\mu)} = 9.73^{+0.61}_{-0.58}\pm 0.36$, whe…
Exploring the mechanisms by which reindeer droppings induce fen peat methane production
2021
Abstract Peatlands, especially fens, are known to emit methane. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) use mires mainly as spring and summer pastures. In this work we observed that adding reindeer droppings to fen peat increased the potential methane production by 40%. This became apparent when droppings originating from reindeer kept in pen or pasture in winter were added to methanogenic fen peat samples. The droppings introduced Methanobacteriaceae (Methanobrevibacter; > 90% of the mcrA MiSeq reads) to the peat, which was originally populated by Methanosarcinaceae, Methanosaetaceae, Methanoregulaceae, Methanobacteriaceae, Methanomassiliicoccaceae, Methanocellaceae and Methanomicrobiaceae. The origi…
Une figure sculptée de saint Aré conservée au Bayerisches Nationalmuseum de Munich : Michel Colombe et la sculpture tourangelle hors les murs ?
2021
Abstract In the rooms of the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum in Munich, the astonishing sculpture of Saint Are stands out. The sixth-century bishop of Nevers is depicted lying dead on the bottom of the small boat that miraculously sailed up the Loire as far as the village of Decize. It is for the church of this locality that this sculpture was made, probably after depredations committed to the treasure of the sanctuary in 1484. A stylistic analysis reveals the close links of this work with contemporary sculpture in Touraine, particularly with the anonymous figure of a bishop now kept in Saint-Saturnin at Limeray (Indre-et- Loire). The same hand of an artist who seems to have worked in the entour…
The University Administrative Staff Perception of Inclusion in Higher Education
2021
This study investigates university administrative staff perception of inclusion in higher education at the university level. The study uses the University of Latvia as a case to answer the following research questions: What constitutes inclusion in university education, how accessibility is provided? What are the support systems provided for diverse students? What support and training are provided to administrative and academic staff to ensure that the educational needs of diverse student bodies are met? The methodology employed is exploratory and descriptive, and uses the interview method and semi-structured questionnaire. The sample is made of seven administrative staff members representi…
Tropomyosin: A panallergen that causes a worldwide allergic problem
2021
Background: Panallergens are proteins that take part in key processes of organisms and, therefore, are ubiquitously distributed with highly conserved sequences and structures. One class of these panallergens is composed of the tropomyosins. The highly heat-stable tropomyosins comprise the major allergens in crustaceans and mollusks, which make them important food allergens in exposed populations. Tropomyosins are responsible for a widespread immunoglobulin E cross-reactivity among allergens from different sources. Allergic tropomyosins are expressed in many species, including parasites and insects. Methods: This panallergen class is divided, according to it capacity of induced allergic symp…
Controlled solution-based fabrication of perovskite thin films directly on conductive substrate
2021
Abstract Organometallic perovskites are one of the most investigated materials for high-efficiency thin-film devices to convert solar energy and supply energy. In particular, methylammonium lead iodide has been used to realize thin-film perovskite solar cells, achieving an efficiency higher than 20%. Different fabrication procedures based on the spin-coating technique have been proposed, which do not ensure homogenous morphologies. In this work, we present a scalable process to fabricate methylammonium lead iodide thin films directly on conductive substrates, consisting of electrodeposition and two subsequent chemical conversions. A thorough investigation of the morphological, structural an…
Biliopancreatic Endoscopy in Altered Anatomy
2021
Background and Objectives: Anatomical post-surgical alterations of the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract have always been challenging for performing diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy, especially when biliopancreatic diseases are involved. Esophagectomy, gastrectomy with various reconstructions and pancreaticoduodenectomy are among the most common surgeries causing upper GI tract alterations. Technological improvements and new methods have increased the endoscopic success rate in these patients, and the literature has been rapidly increasing over the past few years. The aim of this systematic review is to identify evidence on the available biliopancreatic endoscopic techniques performed i…
A computational framework for low-cycle fatigue in polycrystalline materials
2021
Abstract A three-dimensional framework for low-cycle fatigue analysis of polycrystalline aggregates is proposed in this work. First, a cohesive law coupling plasticity and damage is developed for modelling cycle-by-cycle degradation of material interfaces up to complete de-cohesion and failure. The law may model both quasi-static degradation under increasing monotonic load and degradation under cyclic loading, through a coupled plasticity-damage model whose activation and flow rules are formulated in a thermodynamically consistent framework. The proposed interface laws have been then implemented and coupled with a multi-region boundary element formulation, with the aim of analysing low-cycl…
Teachers negotiating multilingualism in the EFL classroom
2021
Tässä artikkelissa tutkimme suomalaisten englanninopettajien käsityksiä maahanmuuttajaoppilaista, joilla on monikielinen tausta, vieraan kielen luokkahuoneessa. Aiemmat tutkimukset monikielisistä oppijoista ovat keskittyneet toisen kielen oppimiseen tai oppijan äidinkieleen. Tässä tutkimuksessa keskitymme englantiin vieraana kielenä, sillä maailma on aiempaa monikielisempi ja liikkuvuus yleisempää kuin ennen. Aineistona on englannin opettajien haastattelut (n=7), joissa he pohtivat kokemuksiaan maahanmuuttajaoppilaista vieraan kielen oppitunnilla. Analyysimenetelmänä oli laadullinen sisällönanalyysi. Tulokset osoittavat, että osallistujat eivät olleet pohtineet monikielisyyttä englannin opp…
Competitive (versus Loyal) Showrooming: An Application of the Push-Pull-Mooring Framework
2021
Abstract Showrooming is an increasingly popular practic that threatens retailers' performance. This paper adopts the push-pull-mooring framework to understand the shopper decision to purchase online from a different retailer (competitive showrooming) rather than from the same retailer visited to gather information (loyal showrooming). Going beyond the customer motivation to get the best value, we focus on retailer-situational variables (store crowding and quality of salesperson service) and retailer-relational variables (customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty) in the decision on competitive (vs loyal) showrooming. Data was collected via a survey answered by 659 showroomers and analysed us…
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs): Advances and Challenges
2021
The study of the electrochemical catalyst conversion of renewable electricity and carbon oxides into chemical fuels attracts a great deal of attention by different researchers. The main role of this process is in mitigating the worldwide energy crisis through a closed technological carbon cycle, where chemical fuels, such as hydrogen, are stored and reconverted to electricity via electrochemical reaction processes in fuel cells. The scientific community focuses its efforts on the development of high-performance polymeric membranes together with nanomaterials with high catalytic activity and stability in order to reduce the platinum group metal applied as a cathode to build stacks of proton …
Born-Infeld Gravity: Constraints from Light-by-Light Scattering and an Effective Field Theory Perspective
2021
By using a novel technique that establishes a correspondence between general relativity and metric-affine theories based on the Ricci tensor, we are able to set stringent constraints on the free parameter of Born-Infeld gravity from the ones recently obtained for Born-Infeld electrodynamics by using light-by-light scattering data from ATLAS. We also discuss how these gravity theories plus matter fit within an effective field theory framework.
Immune Thrombocytopenia in Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Is It Primary or Secondary?
2021
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is frequently associated with thrombocytopenia, in most cases mild and in the absence of major bleedings. In some patients with a confirmed APS diagnosis, secondary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may lead to severe thrombocytopenia with consequent major bleeding. At the same time, the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in patients with a diagnosis of primary ITP has been reported in several studies, although with some specific characteristics especially related to the variety of antigenic targets. Even though it does not enter the APS defining criteria, thrombocytopenia should be regarded as a warning sign of a “high risk” APS and thus thoroughly ev…
An international genome-wide meta-analysis of primary biliary cholangitis: Novel risk loci and candidate drugs.
2021
[BACKGROUND & AIMS] Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease in which autoimmune destruction of the small intra-hepatic bile ducts eventually leads to cirrhosis. Many patients have inadequate response to licensed medications, motivating the search for novel therapies. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and meta-analyses (GWMA) of PBC have identified numerous risk loci for this condition, providing insight into its aetiology. We undertook the largest GWMA of PBC to date, aiming to identify additional risk loci and prioritise candidate genes for in silico drug efficacy screening. [METHODS] We combined new and existing genotype data for 10, 516 cases and 20, 77…
A Solution for Medical Information Management
2021
Abstract Nowadays, the amount of data that is being generated by medical devices has exponentially increased. The aim of this paper is to develop an integrated health data management tool, that aggregates data from various sources, which are in various formats. With the aid of artificial intelligence (AI), this data will be processed and will help healthcare professionals be aware of the improvements that could make the healthcare system be more preventive, predictive and personalized. This paper introduces an integrated medical information management system – that intends to manage medical activities in hospitals, clinics and laboratories and describes its development and future directions…
Is processing speed a valid neurocognitive endophenotype in bipolar disorder? Evidence from a longitudinal, family study.
2021
[Background] Substantial evidence supports the existence of neurocognitive endophenotypes in bipolar disorder (BD), but very few longitudinal studies have included unaffected relatives. In a 5-year, follow-up, family study, we have recently suggested that deficits in manual motor speed and visual memory could be endophenotype candidates for BD. We aimed to explore whether this also applies to processing speed.
Le trésor et ses joyaux. De Jean Duvet à Joseph Armand-Calliat, quatre siècles d'orfèvrerie
2021
International audience
464P Exome sequencing of ctDNA portrays the mutational landscape of patients with relapsing colon cancer and indicates new actionable targets
2021
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath as a marker of hypoxia in multiple chemical sensitivity
2021
Abstract In the history of diagnostics, breath analysis was one of the first method used until the breakthrough of biochemical testing technology. Today, breath analysis has made a comeback with the development of gas analyzers and e‐noses, demonstrating its power in its applicability for diagnosing a wide range of diseases. The physical basis of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS), an emerging environmental disease, is difficult to understand because it is based on the scenario of chronic hypoxia, with a complex of chemical compounds that trigger the syndrome and result in multiple symptoms. The aim of this study was to investigate MCS by analyzing exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs)…
Bio-inspired Ni dinuclear complexes as heterogeneous catalysts for hydrogen evolution
2021
Abstract A major challenge in the sustainable production of hydrogen is lowering the electrochemical overpotential and the activation energy of the hydrogen evolution reaction. Some enzymes have two metallic Ni centers and catalyze this reaction with high activity. Taking inspiration from them, we have developed two novel dinuclear Ni(II) complexes, Ni-PATIO and Ni-PACO, with promise as molecular catalysts. Ni-PACO exhibits a square-planar geometry for both Ni(II) and two-fold rotational symmetry both in solid and solution states, whereas Ni-PATIO displays one square-planar Ni(II) center and one octahedral Ni(II) configuration, which confer it magnetic properties. We show that both complexe…
Financial Stress and Basis in Energy Markets
2021
We investigate the relationship between energy commodities bases, inventory and financial stress from 1994 to 2018. We find that, from the 1998 Asian crisis the effect of financial stress on energy commodities bases gradually increased and from the 2008 crisis became positive, while the effect of inventory showed a gradual decline over time. The reactions of bases to changes in financial stress is nonlinear, as they are higher in the high financial stress periods. This is more profound in crude oil market than heating oil and natural gas. Moreover, the reactions of bases to the changes in inventory is nonlinear, as the reactions are lower when the inventory level is high confirming the theo…
VOT production, writing skills, and general proficiency in multilingual learners of French: approaching the intertwinement of different linguistic le…
2021
Abstract We investigate the interrelations between pronunciation and writing skills in French as a foreign language produced by two groups of bilingual learners (German-Russian; German-Turkish) and a monolingually raised German control group (each n = 10). As an indicator of the learners’ pronunciation skills, we refer to a perceptually relevant acoustic feature of stop production, “Voice Onset Time” (VOT). Our aim is to explore whether the learners’ proficiency at the level of pronunciation is mirrored in (1) their global language competencies and (2) their writing skills. We applied an extreme-cases approach based on the learners’ VOT productions in L3 French. Both positive and negative d…
Deep Importance Sampling based on Regression for Model Inversion and Emulation
2021
Understanding systems by forward and inverse modeling is a recurrent topic of research in many domains of science and engineering. In this context, Monte Carlo methods have been widely used as powerful tools for numerical inference and optimization. They require the choice of a suitable proposal density that is crucial for their performance. For this reason, several adaptive importance sampling (AIS) schemes have been proposed in the literature. We here present an AIS framework called Regression-based Adaptive Deep Importance Sampling (RADIS). In RADIS, the key idea is the adaptive construction via regression of a non-parametric proposal density (i.e., an emulator), which mimics the posteri…
Diversità dei procarioti in acque di falda contaminate da solventi clorurati
2021
false
2021
Background MASK-air® is an app that supports allergic rhinitis patients in disease control. Users register daily allergy symptoms and their impact on activities using visual analog scales (VASs). We aimed to assess the concurrent validity, reliability, and responsiveness of these daily VASs. Methods Daily monitoring VAS data were assessed in MASK-air® users with allergic rhinitis. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating daily VAS values with those of the EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) VAS, the Control of Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Test (CARAT) score, and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Allergic Specific (WPAI-AS) Questionnaire (work and activity impairment scores). Int…
Automatic mass spectra recognition for Ultra High Vacuum systems using multilabel classification
2021
Abstract In Ultra High-Vacuum (UHV) systems it is common to find a mixture of many gases originating from surface outgassing, leaks and permeation that contaminate vacuum chambers and cause issues to reach ultimate pressures. The identification of these contaminants is, in general, done manually by trained technicians from the analysis of mass spectra. This task is time consuming and can lead to misinterpretation or partial understanding of issues. The challenge resides in the rapid identification of these contaminants by using some automatic gas identification technique. This paper explores the automatic and simultaneous identification of 80 molecules, including some of the most commonly p…
A Novel Digital Technique for Measuring the Accuracy of an Indirect Bonding Technique Using Fixed Buccal Multibracket Appliances
2021
The aim of this study was to analyze the accuracy and predictability of the indirect bonding technique of fixed buccal multibracket appliances using a customized iterative closest point algorithm. Materials and Methods: A total of 340 fixed buccal multibracket appliances were virtually planned and bonded on 34 experimental anatomically based acrylic resin models by using orthodontic templates designed and manufactured to indirectly bond the fixed buccal multibracket appliances. Afterwards, the models were submitted to a three-dimensional impression technique by an intraoral scanner, and the standard tessellation language digital files from the virtual planning and the digital impression wer…
Effects of maternal psychological distress and perception of COVID-19 on prenatal attachment in a large sample of Italian pregnant women
2021
Background: Evidence concerning the impact of COVID-19-related stress exposure on prenatal attachment in pregnant women is unknown. In this study we sought to assess the effect of psychological distress and risk perception of COVID-19 on prenatal attachment in a Italian sample of pregnant women. Methods: 1179 pregnant women completed an anonymous online survey and self-report questionnaires measuring socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics, psychological distress (STAI Form Y-1-2 and BDI-II), prenatal attachment (PAI) and risk perception of COVID-19. Data were collected from March 2020 to April 2020 referring to the national lockdown period. Results: After adjusting for the socio-de…
Allostatic Load and Children’s Disease
2021
Abstract Allostatic (over)load appears to be a substantial cause of morbidity for adults. For children, new aspects emerge. They are particularly significant for their repercussions in childhood and adult life: obesity, metabolic syndrome, arterial hypertension, insulin resistance, or eating disorder. It is desirable to identify clusters relevant for certain diseases to prevent long-time and irreversible consequences of allostatic load.
The good, the bad and the ugly – A visual guide for common post-mortem wear patterns in vertebrate teeth
2021
Abstract Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) is a common wear proxy using dental wear features to reconstruct diet in extant and extinct taxa. Dietary reconstructions of extinct species can be biased due to post-mortem mechanical modification of the dental surface. These post-mortem surface alterations can be caused by material loss after death, or as the result of burial, excavation, or preparation processes. In this study, we explore post-mortem surface alterations that occur during excavation, preparation, and conservation processes. We present a first general overview of unsuitable and suspicious dental surface scans and describe them both qualitatively and quantitatively using den…
The negative-parity spin-1/2 Λ baryon spectrum from lattice QCD and effective theory
2021
The spectrum of the negative-parity spin-1/2 $\Lambda$ baryons is studied using lattice QCD and hadronic effective theory in a unitarized coupled-channel framework. A direct comparison between the two approaches is possible by considering the hadronic effective theory in a finite volume and with hadron masses and mesonic decay constants that correspond to the situation studied on the lattice. Comparing the energy level spectrum and $SU(3)$ flavor decompositions of the individual states, it is found that the lowest two states extracted from lattice QCD can be identified with one of the two $\Lambda(1405)$-poles and the $\Lambda(1670)$ resonance. The quark mass dependences of these two lattic…