showing 36 of ~574560 from 574555 documents
Atypische Präsentationen der Achalasie - Wie kommt es so oft zu Fehldiagnosen und Fallstricken?
2021
Monofunctional pyrenes at carbon nanotube electrodes for direct electron transfer H2O2 reduction with HRP and HRP-bacterial nanocellulose
2021
Abstract The non-covalent modification of carbon nanotube electrodes with pyrene derivatives is a versatile approach to enhance the electrical wiring of enzymes for biosensors and biofuel cells. We report here a comparative study of five pyrene derivatives adsorbed at multi-walled carbon nanotube electrodes to shed light on their ability to promote direct electron transfer with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) for H2O2 reduction. In all cases, pyrene-modified electrodes enhanced catalytic reduction compared to the unmodified electrodes. The pyrene N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) ester derivative provided access to the highest catalytic current of 1.4 mA cm−2 at 6 mmol L−1 H2O2, high onset potential …
Modelling regional-scale attenuation across Italy and the Tyrrhenian Sea
2021
Abstract Modelling regional-scale attenuation of seismic waves at ~1 Hz is challenging, especially when these waves propagate across both continental and oceanic crust. Recent developments in seismic imaging and modelling have provided us with the computational tools necessary to reconstruct these mixed settings using deterministic (coherent) and stochastic (coda) information. Here, we present new tomographic maps of coda-attenuation for both the Italian peninsula and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Kernel-based coda attenuation imaging in the diffusive approximation is tested in the oceanic environment, highlighting a non-diffusive behaviour across the Southern Tyrrhenian Sea. Joint deterministic and …
Whitney forms and their extensions
2021
Whitney forms are widely known as finite elements for differential forms. Whitney’s original definition yields first order functions on simplicial complexes, and a lot of research has been devoted to extending the definition to nonsimplicial cells and higher order functions. As a result, the term Whitney forms has become somewhat ambiguous in the literature. Our aim here is to clarify the concept of Whitney forms and explicitly explain their key properties. We discuss Whitney’s initial definition with more depth than usually, giving three equivalent ways to define Whitney forms. We give a comprehensive exposition of their main properties, including the proofs. Understanding of these propert…
Sviluppo rurale in Italia, una ricognizione sulle prospettive delle prossime pianificazioni
2021
La presente comunicazione intende rappresentare una ricognizione preliminare circa le carat- teristiche, previste dalla nuova Programmazione europea, delle sinergie programmatiche che si prefiggono di armonizzare, in chiave transcalare, gli obiettivi generali della PAC con le politiche di intervento nazionale e locali. Il fiorire di documenti metodologici e l’attivazione di un denso di- battito consentono allora di leggere criticamente e sintetizzare gli snodi salienti delle prospettive di sviluppo dei territori rurali in Italia. This communication intends to represent a preliminary survey of the characteristics, envisaged by the new European Programming, of the programmatic synergies that …
Correction to: A new approach to modelling the input–output structure of regional economies using non‑survey methods
2021
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…
Interaction between stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase polymorphism and feeding system in affecting the fatty acid profile of sheep cheese
2021
Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) catalyses the synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids, by introducing a cis double bond at the delta 9–10 position. The study investigated the effects of a polymorphism at the ovine SCD gene and its interaction with the inclusion of fresh forage in the diet on cheese fatty acid (FA) composition in Valle del Belice ewes. A region of 527 bp of the ovine SCD gene including the partial sequence of the promoter, the complete sequence of the 5’ UTR and exon 1 and the partial sequence of intron 1 were analyzed in order to identify the g.87C > A SNP located in the promoter region. A feeding trial was carried out using 16 Valle del Belice ewes selected on the…
Annual Report on the Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction at a Pneumophthisiology Hospital
2021
Abstract Patients realize how care was provided, but it is difficult for them to know when expectations were reasonable or when unwanted outcomes were caused by inadequate care or special circumstances. Research in the field shows that satisfaction is related to the perception of technical skills, intelligence and qualification of medical staff, but, in general, the perception of interpersonal communication skills of medical staff is more important. A number of studies have shown that patients tend to be more satisfied with the care provided if the behaviour of the service provider (doctor, nurse, etc.) “conforms” their expectations. Communication skills, empathy, the care offered, attentio…
A Feasibility Study for the Transition to Electric Mobility in the Island of Favignana
2021
The energy transition and climate neutrality are a short time scenario as climate concerns are rising fast. Small islands are natural microgrids in which the energy transition is subjected to economic and regulatory constraints and highly challenged by technical issues. As a first step, the Mediterranean island of Favignana has been considered in this study, to assess how electric mobility could impact the power system. According to the plans from the local decision makers, the island is moving towards a full public electric mobility in the near term, also due to the participation in the BloRin project. For this reason, a feasibility study about the technical and environmental impact of ele…
157 Patient satisfaction and safety of sedation using perineurial dexmedetomidine in axillary brachial plexus block for wrist surgery
2021
Background and Aims Dexmedetomidine is known to prolong the duration of regional block while its sedative effect when administered perineurally is unknown.[1] We aim to evaluate the effect of perineural Dexmedetomidine on the systemic sedation in patients after axillary brachial plexus block (ABPB). Methods This prospective randomized control trial includes 78 patients undergoing wrist surgery receiving ABPB. The study was conducted with the approval of Ethics Committee of Riga Stradins University. Patients were randomized into two groups – control (CG) (N=39) and study group (SG) (N=39). Both groups received ABPB with a standard dose of local anaesthetics. The study group also received 100…
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 …
Hippocampal overexpression of Nos1ap promotes endophenotypes related to mental disorders
2021
Abstract Background Nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein (NOS1AP; previously named CAPON) is linked to the glutamatergic postsynaptic density through interaction with neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). NOS1AP and its interaction with nNOS have been associated with several mental disorders. Despite the high levels of NOS1AP expression in the hippocampus and the relevance of this brain region in glutamatergic signalling as well as mental disorders, a potential role of hippocampal NOS1AP in the pathophysiology of these disorders has not been investigated yet. Methods To uncover the function of NOS1AP in hippocampus, we made use of recombinant adeno-associated viruses to overexpress muri…
Giannettino Doria. Cardinale della Corona spagnola (1573-1642)
2021
Giannettino Doria, cardinale della Corona spagnola, incarna il profilo internazionale tipico di un ecclesiastico diviso tra plurime lealtà politiche, nel contesto delle trasformazioni che tra XVI e XVII secolo coinvolsero la Monarquía católica degli Asburgo e la Santa Sede. Il libro ne ricostruisce le origini genovesi, l’orgogliosa appartenenza familiare, la lunga formazione spagnola e le complesse negoziazioni della promozione cardinalizia, per poi illuminare le relazioni di potere, le frustrate ambizioni di carriera nella Curia romana e le scelte politiche e pastorali, improntate a una gelosa difesa della sua reputazione e giurisdizione, che scandirono la sua seconda vita in Sicilia come …
Spontaneous extrusion of male genital pearling
2021
Pearling is a practice of inserting small beads beneath the skin of the genitalia. Patients generally underwent this practice believing that this would have made their penis bigger and able to better satisfy their partners during intercourse. Pearling can cause complications. We report a case of spontaneous extrusion of genital pearling exiting in a granuloma of the inner face of the foreskin.
An RF-Based Positioning Method for Tracing a Cluster of Moving Scatterers in Non-Stationary Indoor Environments
2021
Author's accepted manuscript © 2021 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works. This letter presents a novel iterative positioning method for tracing the body segments of a person moving indoors using radio-frequency (RF) signals. The indoor space is equipped with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system. The person is modelled by a cluster of …
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2021
Background/Objective: To examine the impact of a disease on a person's subjective health state, patients are often asked to assess their current health state and to retrospectively assess how healthy they were before they fell ill. The objective of this study was to test whether patients generally overestimated the quality of their pre-disease health. Method: Six samples of patients with chronic diseases (cancer patients, cardiovascular patients, and patients diagnosed with sarcoidosis, N between 197 and 1,197) were analyzed. The patients assessed their current health states and their health states at the time before diagnosis. The retrospective scores were compared with matched data from g…
An Elevated Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio Increases the Risk of Cardiovascular Events and of Renal Function Decline in Hypertensive Patients with CKD
2021
Introduction: Many epidemiological studies have shown that low-grade chronic inflammation, estimated through the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), is linked to traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors. Aim: The aim of our study was to investigate the potential prognostic role of NLR regarding the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the development of CV events in a cohort of renal and hypertensive patients. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, 403 patients consecutively attending our Nephrology and Hypertension clinics were included. At the baseline observation and control visits in all patients, in addition to the clinical-anamnestic eval…
A Reinforcement Learning Approach for User Preference-aware Energy Sharing Systems
2021
Energy Sharing Systems (ESS) are envisioned to be the future of power systems. In these systems, consumers equipped with renewable energy generation capabilities are able to participate in an energy market to sell their energy. This paper proposes an ESS that, differently from previous works, takes into account the consumers’ preference, engagement, and bounded rationality. The problem of maximizing the energy exchange while considering such user modeling is formulated and shown to be NP-Hard. To learn the user behavior, two heuristics are proposed: 1) a Reinforcement Learning-based algorithm, which provides a bounded regret and 2) a more computationally efficient heuristic, named BPT- ${K}…
The COVID-19 Assessment for Survival at Admission (CASA) Index: A 12 Months Observational Study
2021
Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease with a high rate of progression to critical illness. However, the stratification of patients at risk of mortality is not well defined. In this study, we aimed to define a mortality risk index to allocate patients to the appropriate intensity of care.Methods: This is a 12 months observational longitudinal study designed to develop and validate a pragmatic mortality risk score to stratify COVID-19 patients aged ≥18 years and admitted to hospital between March 2020 and March 2021. Main outcome was in-hospital mortality.Results: 244 patients were included in the study (mortality rate 29.9%). The Covid-19 Assessment for Survival at Admi…
Transperitoneal versus extraperitoneal laparoscopic aortic lymph nodal staging for locally advanced cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-ana…
2021
Abstract Cervical cancer is the fourth most common neoplasm in women. In locally advanced cervical cancers, the international guidelines recommend nodal aortic assessment. Two techniques have been described to perform laparoscopic aortic lymphadenectomy: transperitoneal laparoscopic lymphadenectomy (TLL) and extraperitoneal laparoscopic lymphadenectomy (ELL). This meta-analysis aims to compare the surgical outcomes of TLL and ELL for staging purposes. The systematic review was carried out in agreement with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement (PRISMA). Two hundred and twenty studies were analyzed, and 19 studies were included in the review (7 for …
Soft Nodule on the Heel in an Elderly Male Patient: Challenge.
2021
EXTRACELLULAR VESCICLES DERIVED FROM GUT MICROBIOTA IN INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE AND COLORECTAL CANCER
2021
The human gut microbiome encompasses inter alia, the myriad bacterial species that create the optimal host-micro-organism balance essential for normal metabolic and immune function. Various lines of evidence suggest that dys-regulation of the microbiota-host interaction is linked to pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). Extracellular vesicles (EVs), found in virtually all body fluids and produced by both eukaryotic cells and bacteria are involved in cell-cell communication and crosstalk mechanisms, such as the immune response, barrier function and intestinal flora. This review highlights advancements in knowledge of the functional role that EVs ma…
An Introduction to the Special Issue on Numerical Techniques Meet with OR - Part II
2021
Abstract The special issue: “Numerical Techniques Meet with OR” of the Foundations of Computing and Decision Sciences consists of two parts which are of the main theme of numerical techniques and their applications in multi-disciplinary areas. The first part of this special issue was already collected in the FCDS Vol. 46, issue 1. In this second part of our special issue editorial, a description of the special issue presents numerical methods which can be used as alternative techniques for Scientific Computing and led Operational Research applications in many fields for further investigation.
Probiotic characterization of Lactobacillus strains isolated from breast milk and employment for the elaboration of a fermented milk product
2021
Abstract A total of seven strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from breast milk, were investigated for their probiotic properties. Lactobacillus plantarum 5H1 and 5L1 were selected for their beneficial properties and used for probiotic fermented milk manufacture. The fermentation parameters (pH and lactic acid) and LAB viability during fermented milk processing and storage were evaluated. The results showed that the strains had a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and toxigenic fungi. These also evidenced capacity of adhesion and reduction of Salmonella adhesion to Caco-2 cells. During milk fermentation process, an increase in lactic acid content,…
Architectural technologies for life environment: improving sustainability by reusing wastes in novel geopolymeric mortars
2021
Recently, implementing construction to a more sustainable industry has become a focal point in the international debate due to the huge volume of non-renewvable raw materials and energy consumed every year, along with the significant emissions of green-house gases and global warming, often associated to the supplementing industries. Besides, valorisation and reuse of industrial wastes and by-products is a viable alternative to the traditional industrial system, becoming a compelling topic to improve processes and materials sustainability. This paper fo- cuses on the development of a novel class of green geopolymers, worldwide considered a solid and sustainable alternative to Portland cement…
Interplay between cognition and weight reduction in individuals following a Mediterranean Diet: Three-year follow-up of the PREDIMED-Plus trial
2021
Background & aims: Some cognitive profiles might facilitate successful weight loss and its maintenance. Also, weight reductions may result in cognitive benefits. However, little work to date has examined the interactions between cognition and weight changes in the context of interventions with the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet). We studied the within-subject longitudinal relationships between cognition, body mass index (BMI), physical activity (PA), and quality of life (QoL), in older adults following a MedDiet. Methods: The PREDIMED-Plus is a primary prevention trial testing the effect of a lifestyle intervention program with an energy-restricted MedDiet (er-MedDiet), weight-loss goals and P…
Roca Cabau, G. (2020). Pobresa i hospitals a la Lleida baixmedieval. Lleida: Pagès editors. 260 pp. ISBN: 978-84-1303-228-3
2021
Resenya: Roca Cabau, G. (2020). Pobresa i hospitals a la Lleida baixmedieval. Lleida: Pagès editors. 260 pp. ISBN: 978-84-1303-228-3.
Nrg1 haploinsufficiency alters inhibitory cortical circuits
2021
Neuregulin 1 (NRG1) and its receptor ERBB4 are schizophrenia (SZ) risk genes that control the development of both excitatory and inhibitory cortical circuits. Most studies focused on the characterization ErbB4 deficient mice. However, ErbB4 deletion concurrently perturbs the signaling of Nrg1 and Neuregulin 3 (Nrg3), another ligand expressed in the cortex. In addition, NRG1 polymorphisms linked to SZ locate mainly in non-coding regions and they may partially reduce Nrg1 expression. Here, to study the relevance of Nrg1 partial loss-of-function in cortical circuits we characterized a recently developed haploinsufficient mouse model of Nrg1 (Nrg1tm1Lex). These mice display SZ-like behavioral d…
Chemical-Based Methodologies to Extend the Shelf Life of Fresh Fish—A Review
2021
Due to its characteristics, fresh fish is a highly perishable food with a very short shelf-life under refrigeration. Several methods have been introduced to slow down its deterioration, such as by means of oxygen depletion of the food package (vacuum packaging), or by changing the natural atmosphere that is in contact with the fresh fish (modified atmosphere packaging), or by the use of chemicals generally recognized as safe: such compounds can be directly applied (by dipping or spraying) or incorporated into packaging materials and slowly migrate to the product, exerting a hurdle effect against microbial development and lipid oxidation (active packaging). This review aims to cover the most…
166P Hereditary breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers: Looking beyond the BRCA1/2 genes
2021
Entwicklung und Validierung des NAFLD Cirrhosis Score (NCS) zur Separierung von fortgeschrittener Fibrose und Zirrhose
2021
Mortality risk attributable to wildfire-related PM2·5 pollution: a global time series study in 749 locations
2021
Summary Background Many regions of the world are now facing more frequent and unprecedentedly large wildfires. However, the association between wildfire-related PM2·5 and mortality has not been well characterised. We aimed to comprehensively assess the association between short-term exposure to wildfire-related PM2·5 and mortality across various regions of the world. Methods For this time series study, data on daily counts of deaths for all causes, cardiovascular causes, and respiratory causes were collected from 749 cities in 43 countries and regions during 2000–16. Daily concentrations of wildfire-related PM2·5 were estimated using the three-dimensional chemical transport model GEOS-Chem …
Genetic and Epigenetic Factors of Takotsubo Syndrome: A Systematic Review
2021
Takotsubo syndrome (TTS), recognized as stress’s cardiomyopathy, or as left ventricular apical balloon syndrome in recent years, is a rare pathology, described for the first time by Japanese researchers in 1990. TTS is characterized by an interindividual heterogeneity in onset and progression, and by strong predominance in postmenopausal women. The clear causes of these TTS features are uncertain, given the limited understanding of this intriguing syndrome until now. However, the increasing frequency of TTS cases in recent years, and particularly correlated to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, leads us to the imperative necessity both of a complete knowledge of TTS pathophysiology for identifying bi…
Water absorption and hydrothermal ageing of epoxy adhesives reinforced with amino-functionalized graphene oxide nanoparticles
2021
Abstract The study is focused on quantitative characterization of water absorption and hydrothermal ageing effects in a room-temperature amine cured epoxy adhesive widely used in automotive, aerospace, construction, and marine industries. Amino-functionalized graphene oxide (mGO) nanoparticles were incorporated into the epoxy (up to 1.72 wt.%) enabled cross-linking reactions and providing high interfacial adhesion, superior reinforcement efficiency and enhanced resistance to hydrothermal ageing of nanocomposites. Anomalous water absorption accompanied by progressive weight loss of samples (down to 7%) is fitted by two-stage models considering additive and coupled contribution from water dif…
GSK3β as a novel promising target to overcome chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer
2021
Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with increasing incidence and poor prognosis due to its late diagnosis and intrinsic chemoresistance. Most pancreatic cancer patients present with locally advanced or metastatic disease characterized by inherent resistance to chemotherapy. These features pose a series of therapeutic challenges and new targets are urgently needed. Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) is a conserved serine/threonine kinase, which regulates key cellular processes including cell proliferation, DNA repair, cell cycle progression, signaling and metabolic pathways. GSK3β is implicated in non-malignant and malignant diseases including inflammation, neurodegenerative …