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This article presents a new proof of a theorem concerning bounds of the spectrum of the product of unitary operators and a generalization for differentiable curves of this theorem. The proofs involve metric geometric arguments in the group of unitary operators and the sphere where these operators act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) represent a global threat to human health and the environment. In vertebrates, lipophilic EDCs primarily act by mimicking endogenous hormones, thus interfering with the transcriptional activity of nuclear receptors (NRs). The demonstration of the direct translation of these mechanisms into perturbation of NR-mediated physiological functions in invertebrates, however, has rarely proven successful, as the modes of action of EDCs in vertebrates and invertebrates seem to be distinct. In the present work, we investigated the members of the NR superfamily in a bivalve mollusk, the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. In addition to annotating the M. galloprovincialis NR complement, we assessed the potential developmental functions and susceptibility to EDC challenge during early development by gene expression analyses. Our results indicate that a majority of mussel NRs are dynamically expressed during early development, including receptors characterized by a potential susceptibility to EDCs. This study thus indicates that NRs are major regulators of early mussel development and that NR-mediated endocrine disruption in the mussel could be occurring at a larger scale and at earlier stages of the life cycle than previously anticipated. Altogether, these findings will have significant repercussions for our understanding of the stability of natural mussel populations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Endocrine responses to environmental variation: conceptual approaches and recent developments'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model organism in developmental biology is defined by its experimental amenability and by resources created for the model system by the scientific community. For the most powerful invertebrate models, the combination of both has already yielded a thorough understanding of developmental processes. However, the number of developmental model systems is still limited, and their phylogenetic distribution heavily biased. Members of one of the largest animal lineages, the Spiralia, for example, have long been neglected. In order to remedy this shortcoming, we have produced a detailed developmental transcriptome for the bivalve mollusk Mytilus galloprovincialis, and have expanded the list of experimental protocols available for this species. Our high-quality transcriptome allowed us to identify transcriptomic signatures of developmental progression and to perform a first comparison with another bivalve mollusk: the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. To allow co-labelling studies, we optimized and combined protocols for immunohistochemistry and hybridization chain reaction to create high-resolution co-expression maps of developmental genes. The resources and protocols described here represent an enormous boost for the establishment of Mytilus galloprovincialis as an alternative model system in developmental biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broadly utilized biocide triclosan (TCS) is continuously discharged in water compartments worldwide, where it is detected at concentrations of ng-µg/L. Given its lipophilicity and bioaccumulation, TCS is considered potentially harmful to human and environmental health and also as a potential endocrine disruptor (ED) in different species. In aquatic organisms, TCS can induce a variety of effects: however, little information is available on its possible impact on invertebrate development. Early larval stages of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis have been shown to be sensitive to environmental concentrations of a number of emerging contaminants, including EDs. In this work, the effects of TCS were first evaluated in the 48 h larval assay in a wide concentration range (0.001–1,000 μg/L). TCS significantly affected normal development of D-veligers (LOEC = 0.1 μg/L; EC50 = 236.1 μg/L). At selected concentrations, the mechanism of action of TCS was investigated. TCS modulated transcription of different genes involved in shell mineralization, endocrine signaling, ceramide metabolism, and biotransformation, depending on larval stage (24 and 48 h post-fertilization-hpf) and concentration (1 and 10 μg/L). At 48 hpf and 10 μg/L TCS, calcein staining revealed alterations in CaCO3 deposition, and polarized light microscopy showed the absence of shell birefringence due to the mineralized phase. Observations by scanning electron microscopy highlighted a variety of defects in shell formation from concentrations as low as 0.1 μg/L. The results indicate that TCS, at environmental exposure levels, can act as a developmental disruptor in early mussel larvae mainly by interfering with the processes of biomineralization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study the Hofer geometry of a compact Lie group K which acts by Hamiltonian diffeomorphisms on a symplectic manifold M. Generalized Hofer norms on the Lie algebra of K are introduced and analyzed with tools from group invariant convex geometry, functional and matrix analysis. Several global results on the existence of geodesics and their characterization in finite-dimensional Lie groups K endowed with bi-invariant Finsler metrics are proved. We relate the conditions for being a geodesic in the group K and in the group of Hamiltonian diffeomorphisms. These results are applied to obtain necessary and sufficient conditions on the moment polytope of the momentum map, for the commutativity of the Hamiltonians of geodesics. Particular cases are studied, where a generalized non-crossing of eigenvalues property of the Hamiltonians hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) principles are essential for effective cervical cancer prevention. Being a crucial diagnostic step, colposcopy's sensitivity and specificity improvements are strongly advocated worldwide since inter- and intra-observer differences are the main limiting factors. The objective of the present study was the evaluation of colposcopy accuracy through the results of a QC/QA assessment from a survey in Italian tertiary-level academic and teaching hospitals. A web-based, user-friendly platform based on 100 colposcopic digital images was forwarded to colposcopists with different levels of experience. Seventy-three participants were asked to identify colposcopic patterns, provide personal impressions, and indicate the correct clinical practice. The data were correlated with a panel of experts' evaluation and with the clinical/pathological data of the cases. Overall sensitivity and specificity with the threshold of CIN2+ accounted for 73.7% and 87.7%, respectively, with minor differences between senior and junior candidates. Identification and interpretation of colposcopic patterns showed full agreement with the experts' panel, ranging from 50% to 82%, in some instances with better results from junior colposcopists. Colposcopic impressions correlated with a 20% underestimation of CIN2+ lesions, with no differences linked to level of experience. Our results demonstrate the good diagnostic performance of colposcopy and the need for improving accuracy through QC assessments and adhesion to standard requirements and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the problem of reconfiguring a set of physical objects into a desired target configuration, a typical (sub)task in robotics and automation, arising in product assembly, packaging, stocking store shelves, and more. In this paper we address a variant, which we call space-aware reconfiguration, where the goal is to minimize the physical space needed for the reconfiguration, while obeying constraints on the allowable collision-free motions of the objects. Since for given start and target configurations, reconfiguration may be impossible, we translate the entire target configuration rigidly into a location that admits a valid sequence of moves, where each object moves in turn just once, along a straight line, from its starting to its target location, so that the overall physical space required by the start, all intermediate, and target configurations for all the objects is minimized. We investigate two variants of space-aware reconfiguration for the often examined setting of nunit discs in the plane, depending on whether the discs are distinguishable (labeled) or indistinguishable (unlabeled). For the labeled case, we propose a representation of size O (n 4) of the space of all feasible initial rigid translations, and use it to find, in O (n 6) time, a shortest valid translation, or one that minimizes the enclosing disc or axis-aligned rectangle of both the start and target configurations. For the significantly harder unlabeled case, we show that for almost every direction, there exists a translation in this direction that makes the problem feasible. We use this to devise heuristic solutions, where we optimize the translation under stricter notions of feasibility. We present an implementation of such a heuristic, which solves unlabeled instances with hundreds of discs in seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inhibitory effects on mushrooms tyrosinase activity of some semi- and thiosemicarbazones were investigated. While the semicarbazones are inactive, the thiosemicarbazones are, in general, more active than the reference (kojic acid, IC50 = 70 μM), with maximum activity obtained with benzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (IC50 = 7 μM). These inhibitors probably act by coordination of the copper(II) metal ions in the active site of tyrosinase: effectively, potentiometric studies conducted in water solutions confirm that the most active thiosemicarbazone is a good ligand for copper(II) ions. The tyrosinase CD spectra do not show any significant difference by addition of an inhibitor or an inactive compound. On the contrary, interesting results were obtained by spectrofluorimetric titrations of mushrooms tyrosinase aqueous solutions with some of the investigated compounds, giving helpful information about possible mechanism of action. The thiosemicarbazones here reported are not cytotoxic on human fibroblasts and do not activate cells in a pro-inflammatory way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcome measures between our standard multidose cardioplegia protocol and a del Nido cardioplegia protocol in congenital heart surgery patients. Methods: Retrospective single-center study including 250 consecutive patients that received del Nido cardioplegia (DN group) with a mandatory reperfusion period of 30% of cross clamp time and 250 patients that received a modified St. Thomas' solution (ST group). Groups were matched by age, weight, gender, and Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS-1) scores. Preoperative hematocrit and oxygen saturation were also recorded. Outcomes analyzed were the vasoactive inotropic score (VIS), lactate, ventilation time, ventricular dysfunction with low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), hospital LOS, bypass and aortic cross-clamp times, and in-hospital mortality. Results: Both groups were comparable demographically. Statistically significant differences (p ⩽ 0.05) were noted for cardiac dysfunction with LCOS, hematocrit at end of surgery (p = 0.0038), VIS on ICU admission and at end of surgery (p = 0.0111), and ICU LOS (p = 0.00118) with patients in the DN group having more desirable values for those parameters. Other outcome measures did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: In our congenital cardiac surgery population, del Nido cardioplegia strategy was associated with less ventricular dysfunction with LCOS, a lower VIS and decreased ICU LOS compared with patients that received our standard myocardial protection using a modified St. Thomas' solution. Despite the limitation of this study, including its retrospective nature and cohort size, these data supported our transition to incorporate del Nido cardioplegia solution with a mandatory reperfusion period as the preferred myocardial protection method in our program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate if rehabilitation could down-regulated sarcopenia-associated inflammation by modulating the crosstalk between the neuroendocrine and immune systems, with the aim of ameliorating quality of life of sarcopenic subjects. A total of 60 sarcopenic patients (49 females and 11 males; median age 74.5, interquartile range 71–79), undergoing a personalized rehabilitation program, have been recruited and subjected to: (1) functional and physical evaluation (Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), Barthel Index and Tinetti Test); (2) pro-inflammatory IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18, and anti-inflammatory IL-10 cytokines plasmatic level measures; and (3) norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin neurotransmitter level evaluation at time of enrollment (T0) and once rehabilitation was concluded (1 month, T1). Rehabilitation combined a balance and strength training program with two daily sessions that were fine-tuned and personalized according to the ability of the patient. The results showed a significant increase at T1 in the plasmatic levels of IL-10 (p = 0.018) and of norepinephrine (p = 0.016)), whereas the concentration of IL-18 was significantly reduced (p = 0.012). Notably, changes in norepinephrine were positively correlated with clinical improvements (Tinetti and Barthel scores, p ≤ 0.0001; SPPB scores, p = 0.0002). These results show that efficient rehabilitation induces a reduction of inflammation, suggesting that this effect could be mediated by a modulation of the neuro-immune axis that results in an increase of norepinephrine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral palsy is an extremely severe brain injury associated with multiple nutritional and clinical issues, such as underweight, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, and nutrient deficiency. Evidence-based dietary and nutritional interventions may improve the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy. Aim: Systematically review randomized clinical trials evaluating nutritional and dietary interventions in the clinical, nutritional, and neurodevelopmental aspects of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A search was performed in electronic databases (LILACS, Medline, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database, OpenGrey) using keywords. The search was firstly performed in May 2020 and updated on June 18th, 2021. Eligible studies were randomized clinical trials, that included children between 2 and 12 years old, and evaluated the effect of nutritional or dietetic interventions on clinical, nutritional or neurodevelopmental outcomes. Risk of bias was investigated using the RoB-2 tool. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020181284). Results: Fifteen studies were selected. Positive results included the use of whey-based or pectin-enriched enteral formulas for gastroesophageal reflux (n = 6); 25-hydroxy-vitamin D supplementation for hypovitaminosis D (n = 2); supplementation with lipid mixture or diet with high-density energy for improvements in anthropometric measures (n = 2); supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics, symbiotics or magnesium for constipation (n = 2); nutritional support system for gross motor function (n = 1); lactoferrin and iron hydroxide polymaltose for iron deficiency anemia (n = 1); and educational intervention to improve feeding skills (n = 1). The overall risk of bias was high for 60% of the studies, and some concerns were raised for the remaining 40%. Conclusion: Some promising dietary and nutritional interventions may promote important clinical improvements for patients with cerebral palsy. However, evidence is weak, as few clinical trials have been published with many methodological errors, leading to a high risk of bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Chapingo Serie Horticultura is the property of Universidad Autonoma Chapingo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Non-coding micro RNAs (miRNAs) dysregulation seems to play an important role in the pathways involved in breast cancer occurrence and progression. In different studies, opposite functions may be assigned to the same miRNA, either promoting the disease or protecting from it. Our research tackles the following issues: (i) why aren't there any concordant findings in many research studies regarding the role of miRNAs in the progression of breast cancer? (ii) could a miRNA have either an activating effect or an inhibiting one in cancer progression according to the other miRNAs with which it interacts? For this purpose, we analyse the AHUS dataset made available on the ArrayExpress platform by Haakensen et al. The breast tissue specimens were collected over 7 years between 2003 and 2009. miRNA-expression profiling was obtained for 55 invasive carcinomas and 70 normal breast tissue samples. Our statistical analysis is based on a recently developed model and feature selection technique which, instead of selecting a single model (i.e. a unique combination of miRNAs), delivers a set of models with equivalent predictive capabilities that allows to interpret and visualize the interaction of these features. As a result, we discover a set of 112 indistinguishable models (in a predictive sense) each with 4 or 5 miRNAs. Within this set, by comparing the model coefficients, we are able to identify three classes of miRNA: (i) oncogenic miRNAs; (ii) protective miRNAs; (iii) undefined miRNAs which can play both an oncogenic and a protective role according to the network with which they interact. These results shed new light on the biological action of miRNAs in breast cancer and may contribute to explain why, in some cases, different studies attribute opposite functions to the same miRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminants of Emerging Concerns (CECs) are defined as chemicals not commonly monitored in aquatic ecosystems, but with the potential to cause adverse effects on biota. CECs include Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and Neuro-Endocrine disruptors (NEDs) of vertebrates. However, most invertebrates only rely on neuroendocrine systems to maintain homeostatic processes. Although conserved neuroendocrine components have been characterized in ecologically relevant groups, limited knowledge on invertebrate neuroendocrinology makes it difficult to define EDCs and NEDs in most species. The monoamine serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) acts both as a neurotransmitter and as a peripheral hormone in mammals. In molluscs, 5-HT is involved in multiple physiological roles and molecular components of the serotonergic system have been identified. This review is focused on the effects of CECs on the serotonergic system of bivalve molluscs. Bivalves are widespread in all aquatic environments, estuarine and coastal areas in particular, where they are exposed to a variety of chemicals. In bivalves, 5-HT is involved in gametogenesis and spawning, oocyte maturation and sperm motility, regulates heart function, gill ciliary beating, mantle/siphon function, the "catch" state of smooth muscle and immune responses. Components of 5-HT transduction (receptors and signaling pathways) are being identified in several bivalve species. Different CECs have been shown to affect bivalve serotonergic system. This particularly applies to antidepressants, among the most commonly detected human pharmaceuticals in the aquatic environment. In particular, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are frequently detected in seawater and in bivalve tissues. Information available on the effects and mechanisms of action of SSRIs on the serotonergic system of adult bivalves is summarized. Data are also reported on the effects of CECs on development of neuroendocrine pathways of early larval stages, in particular on the effects of model EDCs in the marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Overall, available data point at the serotonergic system as a sensitive target for neuroendocrine disruption in bivalves. The results contribute drawing Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) for model EDCs and SSRIs in larvae and adults. However, basic research on neuroendocrine signaling is still needed to evaluate the potential impact of neuroendocrine disruptors in key invertebrate groups of aquatic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building simulation software can provide a reliable prediction of the building environmental response, however, in historical building simulations the uncertainty increases due to the lack of information and the incorrect choice of the numerical model. In this work, the moisture buffering effect is investigated using two different models in EnergyPlus software. The analysis shows that the selection of the moisture buffering calculation method highly affects the simulation results and the set-up of some input variables during the calibration phase. In detail, the use of the Effective Capacitance model could overestimate the effects of the infiltration in terms of mixing ratio, leading to the adoption of a lower value of air change rate for the model validation (about 3 times in the case study analysed). Such phenomena particularly affect historical buildings, generally characterized by massive structures and many furnishings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sarcopenia is a loss of muscle mass and strength causing disability, morbidity, and mortality in older adults, which is characterized by alterations of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). SNAP-25 is essential for the maintenance of NMJ integrity, and the expression of this protein was shown to be modulated by the SNAP-25 rs363050 polymorphism and by a number of miRNAs.Methods: We analysed these parameters in a cohort of sarcopenic patients undergoing structured rehabilitation. The rs363050 genotype frequency distribution was analyzed in 177 sarcopenic patients and 181 healthy controls (HC). The concentration of seven miRNAs (miR-451a, miR-425-5p, miR155-5p, miR-421-3p, miR-495-3p, miR-744-5p and miR-93-5p), identified by mouse brain miRNome analysis to be differentially expressed in wild type compared to SNAP-25± heterozygous mice, was analyzed as well by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in a subgroup of severe sarcopenic patients undergoing rehabilitation.Results: The SNAP-25 rs363050 AA genotype was significantly more common in sarcopenic patients compared to HC (pc = 0.01); miR-451a was significantly up-regulated in these patients before rehabilitation. Rehabilitation modified miRNAs expression, as miR-155-5p, miR-421-3p, miR-451a, miR-425-5p, miR-744-5p and miR-93-5p expression was significantly up-regulated (p < 0.01), whereas that of miR-495-3p was significantly down-regulated (p < 0.001) by rehabilitation. Notably, rehabilitation-associated improvement of the muscle-skeletal SPPB score was significantly associated with the reduction of miR-451a expression.Conclusion: These results support the hypothesis of a role for SNAP-25 in sarcopenia and suggest SNAP-25-associated miRNAs as circulatory biomarkers of rehabilitative outcome for sarcopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pesquisa Brasileira em Ciência da Informação e Biblioteconomia is the property of Pesquisa Brasileira em Ciencia da Informacao e Biblioteconomia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: sarcopenia is a highly prevalent condition in elderly individuals which is characterized by loss of muscle mass and functions; recent results showed that it is also associated with inflammation. Rehabilitation protocols for sarcopenia are designed to improve physical conditions, but very scarce data are available on their effects on inflammation We verified whether in sarcopenic patients the inflammation is reduced by rehabilitation and investigated the biological correlates of such effect.Methods: Twenty-one sarcopenic patients undergoing a specifically-designed rehabilitation program were enrolled in the study. Physical, cognitive and nutritional parameters, as well as the concentration of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines and cytokine production-modulating miRNAs were measured at the beginning (T0) and at end (30-days; T1) of the rehabilitation.Results: Rehabilitation resulted in a significant improvement of physical and cognitive conditions; this was accompanied by a significant reduction of CRP (p = 0.04) as well as of IL-18 (p = 0.008) and IL-37 (p = 0.009) concentration. Notably, the concentration of miR-335-3p (p = 0.007) and miR-657, the two known post-transcriptional regulators of IL-37 production, was increased by the rehabilitation protocol.Conclusions: Results herein confirm that successful rehabilitation for sarcopenia results in a reduction of the inflammatory milieu, raise the possibility that IL-37 may be a key target to monitor the rehabilitation-associated improvement in sarcopenia, and suggest that this cytokine could be a therapeutic target in sarcopenic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Etiopathogenesis of preterm birth (PTB) is multifactorial, with a universe of risk factors interplaying between the mother and the environment. It is of utmost importance to identify the most informative factors in order to estimate the degree of PTB risk and trace an individualized profile. The aims of the present study were: 1) to identify all acknowledged risk factors for PTB and to select the most informative ones for defining an accurate model of risk prediction; 2) to verify predictive accuracy of the model and 3) to identify group profiles according to the degree of PTB risk based on the most informative factors.Methods: The Maternal Frailty Inventory (MaFra) was created based on a systematic review of the literature including 174 identified intrauterine (IU) and extrauterine (EU) factors. A sample of 111 pregnant women previously categorized in low or high risk for PTB below 37 weeks, according to ACOG guidelines, underwent the MaFra Inventory. First, univariate logistic regression enabled p-value ordering and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) selected the model including the most informative MaFra factors. Second, random forest classifier verified the overall predictive accuracy of the model. Third, fuzzy c-means clustering assigned group membership based on the most informative MaFra factors.Results: The most informative and parsimonious model selected through AIC included Placenta Previa, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, Antibiotics, Cervix Length, Physical Exercise, Fetal Growth, Maternal Anxiety, Preeclampsia, Antihypertensives. The random forest classifier including only the most informative IU and EU factors achieved an overall accuracy of 81.08% and an AUC of 0.8122. The cluster analysis identified three groups of typical pregnant women, profiled on the basis of the most informative IU and EU risk factors from a lower to a higher degree of PTB risk, which paralleled time of birth delivery.Conclusions: This study establishes a generalized methodology for building-up an evidence-based holistic risk assessment for PTB to be used in clinical practice. Relevant and essential factors were selected and were able to provide an accurate estimation of degree of PTB risk based on the most informative constellation of IU and EU factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider norms on a complex separable Hilbert space such that < a ξ,ξ > ≤ ||ξ||2 ≤ < b ξ,ξ> for positive invertible operators a and b that differ by an operator in the Schatten class. We prove that these norms have unitarizable isometry groups. As a result, if their isometry groups do not leave any finite dimensional subspace invariant, then the norms must be Hilbertian. The approach involves metric geometric arguments related to the canonical action on the non-positively curved space of positive invertible Schatten perturbations of the identity. Our proof of the main result uses a generalization of a unitarization theorem which follows from the Bruhat-Tits fixed point theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid photovoltaic‐thermal (PVT) collectors have been widely investigated in recent decades since they ensure higher performances and compactness with respect to the two sub‐components. In this study, a novel covered PVT water collector, specifically designed to be coupled with heat pumps, is presented. The PV‐cells are directly laminated on the aluminium roll‐bond absorber without the usual front glass layer, while a glass cover is added after the lamination, creating an air gap with the PV‐absorber laminate. The novel collector has electrical features similar to those of uncovered PVTs, in which the front glass layer is laminated in contact with PV‐cells and even better performances than a traditional covered collector, which has a second glass cover on top. The electric performances of the PVT, operated in stand‐alone mode and solar‐assisted mode, were monitored and compared with a traditional PV module, obtaining interesting results in both conditions. In particular, the novel PVT showed comparable and even better electric performances than the traditional PV when combined with the heat pump, thanks to PV‐cells active cooling. The work proves that the proposed manufacturing technique could lead to a new generation of hybrid collectors, which may achieve competitive performances when integrated with heat pumps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severe Strongyloides stercoralis infection in kidney transplant recipients is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality, although little is known about the risk factors for such infection. Methodology/Principal findings: This was a retrospective, multicenter, case–control study in which we assessed the risk factors for and clinical outcomes of severe S. stercoralis infections in kidney transplant recipients in Brazil. We included 138 kidney transplant recipients: 46 cases and 92 controls. Among the cases, the median number of days from transplantation to diagnosis was 117 (interquartile range [IQR], 73.5–965) and the most common clinical findings were gastrointestinal symptoms (in 78.3%) and respiratory symptoms (in 39.1%), whereas fever and eosinophilia were seen in only 32.6% and 43.5%, respectively. The 30-day all-cause mortality among the cases was 28.3% overall and was significantly higher among the cases of infection occurring within the first three months after transplantation (47% vs. 17.2%, P = 0.04). The independent risk factors were receiving a transplant from a deceased donor (odds ratio [OR] = 6.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.05–18.5), a history of bacterial infection (OR = 3.04, 95% CI = 1.2–7.5), and a cumulative corticosteroid dose (OR = 1.005, 95% CI = 1.001–1.009). The independent predictors of mortality were respiratory failure (OR = 98.33, 95% CI = 4.46–2169.77) and concomitant bacteremia (OR = 413.00, 95% CI = 4.83–35316.61). Conclusions/Significance: Severe S. stercoralis infections are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality after kidney transplantation. In endemic areas, such infection may occur late after transplantation, although it seems to be more severe when it occurs earlier after transplantation. Specific risk factors and clinical manifestations can identify patients at risk, who should receive prophylaxis or early treatment. Author summary: Strongyloides stercoralis is a soil-transmitted helminth found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Although infections are usually mild or asymptomatic, they can be severe, with high mortality rates, in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy, including organ transplant recipients. It is therefore relevant for countries endemic for infectious diseases such as strongyloidiasis to have a special focus on endemic diseases in organ transplant recipients. In this study, we describe the risk factors for and clinical findings of severe infection with S. stercoralis in kidney transplant recipients in Brazil. We retrospectively collected data from the medical charts of kidney transplant recipients diagnosed with severe strongyloidiasis, comparing them with those obtained for a control group of kidney transplant recipients with similar characteristics and no signs of strongyloidiasis. Gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms were common, and 30-day crude mortality was 28.3% among the infected patients. Mortality was significantly higher when infection occurred within the first three months after transplantation, and we identified specific risk factors for S. stercoralis infection. Because there is little available information about severe strongyloidiasis in kidney transplant recipients, we believe that specific risk factors and clinical manifestations could identify patients at risk, who should receive prophylaxis or early treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kalkas: Rivista sulla Preistoria, Storia, Archeologia, Numismatica, Storia dell'Arte, Scienze del Paesaggio e Storia Agraria e Forestale del Gargano is the property of Centro Studi Storico Archeologici del Gargano and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Bivalve biomineralization is a highly complex and organized process, involving several molecular components identified in adults and larval stages. However, information is still scarce on the ontogeny of the organic matrix before calcification occurs. In this work, first shell formation was investigated in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. The time course of organic matrix and CaCO3 deposition were followed at close times post fertilization (24, 26, 29, 32, 48 h) by calcofluor and calcein staining, respectively. Both components showed an exponential trend in growth, with a delay between organic matrix and CaCO3 deposition. mRNA levels of genes involved in matrix deposition (chitin synthase; tyrosinase- TYR) and calcification (carbonic anhydrase; extrapallial protein) were quantified by qPCR at 24 and 48 hours post fertilization (hpf) with respect to eggs. All transcripts were upregulated across early development, with TYR showing highest mRNA levels from 24 hpf. TYR transcripts were closely associated with matrix deposition as shown by in situ hybridization. The involvement of tyrosinase activity was supported by data obtained with the enzyme inhibitor N-phenylthiourea. Our results underline the pivotal role of shell matrix in driving first CaCO3 deposition and the importance of tyrosinase in the formation of the first shell in M. galloprovincialis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry has a considerable demand for functional foods, such as emulsions as delivery system for omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Such delivery systems must be stabilized, ideally with a compound that fulfills the criteria for both functionality and sustainability. Spruce galactoglucomannans (GGM) are novel, wood-derived, natural, value-added, versatile, multi-purpose emulsifiers that can physically stabilize oil-in-water emulsions while simultaneously protecting the oil phase against oxidation. In this study, we present for the first time the use of GGM-stabilized emulsions as complex multicomponent delivery systems for omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, i.e., (1) cod liver oil in drinkable yogurt and (2) oat oil in a gluten-free vegan beverage. The emulsions and the resulting functionalized beverages were characterized in terms of their physical stabilities. In addition, functionalized, drinkable yogurt was characterized in terms of the oxidative stability of the oil. Results highlighted that oil droplets stabilized with GGM were stable during storage, against thermal treatment, upon addition into the beverages, and GGM protected cod liver oil against oxidation in drinkable yogurt. The results reported here highlight the vast potential for the use of wood lignocellulose-derived, multi-functional hydrocolloids in modern foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Condyloma acuminata (CA), or genital warts, are benign proliferative epidermal or mucous lesions that are caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV), mainly the low-risk types 6 and 11. HPV variants are defined as viral sequences that share identity in the nucleotide sequence of the L1 gene greater than 98%. Based on this criterion, HPV6 and 11 variant lineages have been studied, and there are ongoing attempts to correlate these genetic variants with different clinical findings of infection. Therefore, the aims of this study were to detect variants and nucleotide alterations present in the E6 regions of HPV types 6 and 11 found in CA samples, to correlate the HPV presence with the clinical-pathological data of the patients, and to determine phylogenetic relationships with variants from other places in the world. The E6 regions of 25 HPV6 samples and 7 HPV11 samples from CA were amplified using PCR with specific primers. The products were ligated to a cloning vector and five colonies of each sample were sequenced to observe the nucleotide alterations. Twelve samples were identified as the HPV6B3 variant, presenting the mutation (guanine) G474A (adenine), and one of them also showed the mutation (thymine) T369G. The other 13 patients were positive for HPV6B1 without nucleotide alterations. In the analysis of the HPV11 samples, all patients showed the mutations T137C and (cytosine) C380T. One patient also presented the nucleotide alteration T410C. None of the mutations found in the 32 analyzed samples resulted in amino acid changes. Patient age, local occurrence, and HIV infection did not show significant association with HPV infection. Besides, the data found in this study did not show a relationship with the geographical region of isolation when compared to other data from different regions of the world. In this way, despite the nucleotide alterations found, it was not possible to observe amino acid changes and variants grouping according to geographical region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In ornamental plants growing in pots, root restriction would be presumably related to an endogenous long-distance cytokinin signal from roots. In this context, it has been recently indicated that, in potted ornamental plants, a single 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) spray can be used to increase biomass accumulation. Although cytokinin sprays and cytokinin-containing substances have been previously used to improve growth in cacti, the physiological mechanism involved has not been elucidated. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of a single BAP spray on the growth of the vegetative axillary stems of the cactus Mammillaria elongata subsp. echinaria. To achieve this general objective, M. elongata subsp. echinaria plants were sprayed with 0, 5, 50,100 or 200 mg L-1 BAP solutions (40 plants per treatment) and grown for 210 days under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that a single BAP spray increased both fresh and dry weights, photosynthetic stem area, root length and a number of axillary stems at 90 days after the beginning of the experiment. The higher biomass accumulation was related to a higher rate of stem area expansion (RSAE), relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and partitioning of photoassimilates into stems. This results indicate that M. elongata subsp. echinaria biomass accumulation can be increased by a single BAP spray of 5 mg L-1, although the highest response was found with a 200 mg L-1 BAP spray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal marine ecosystems experience dynamic fluctuations in seawater carbonate chemistry. The importance of this variation in the context of ocean acidification requires knowing what aspect of variability biological processes respond to. We conducted four experiments (ranging from 3 to 22 days) with different variability regimes (pHT 7.4-8.1) assessing the impact of diel fluctuations in carbonate chemistry on the early development of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Larval shell growth was consistently correlated to mean exposures, regardless of variability regimes, indicating that calcification responds instantaneously to seawater chemistry. Larval development was impacted by timing of exposure, revealing sensitivity of two developmental processes: development of the shell field, and transition from the first to the second larval shell. Fluorescent staining revealed developmental delay of the shell field at low pH, and abnormal development thereof was correlated with hinge defects in D-veligers. This study shows, for the first time, that ocean acidification affects larval soft-tissue development, independent from calcification. Multiple developmental processes additively underpin the teratogenic effect of ocean acidification on bivalve larvae. These results explain why trochophores are the most sensitive life-history stage in marine bivalves and suggest that short-term variability in carbonate chemistry can impact early larval development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of present study was to study the effect of osteopathic manipulation on pain relief and quality of life improvement in hospitalized oncology geriatric patients. Methods: A nonrandomized controlled clinical trial was performed in the Oncology Rehabilitation Unit, Milan, Italy, from September 2015 to March 2016. Twenty-three older cancer patients were enrolled and allocated in 2 experimental groups: the study group (OMT group, N = 12) underwent osteopathic manipulative treatment in addition to physiotherapy, and the control group (PT group, N = 12) underwent only physiotherapy. At enrollment (T0), 24 recruited oncology patients completed the sociodemographic forms and were evaluated for pain intensity and quality of life by an external examiner. All patients were revaluated every week (T1, T2, T3, and T4) for pain intensity and at the end of the study treatment (T4) for quality of life. A standard level of significance was set at α < .05. Results: The 2 groups did not significantly differ in age (P = .682), body mass index (P = .413), or gender (P = 1). The osteopathic manipulative treatment added to physiotherapy produced a significant reduction in Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores both at T2 (P = .004) and T4 (P = .002). The difference in quality of life improvements between T0 and T4 was not statistically significant. NRS improved in the PT group at T4. Between-group analysis of NRS and quality of life with the Mann-Whitney test did not show any significant difference between the 2 treatments. Conclusions: Our study showed a significant improvement in pain relief and a nonsignificant improvement in quality of life in hospitalized geriatric oncology patients during osteopathic manipulative treatment. Trial Registration: Protocol registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03142386). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a geometric approach to some similarity problems involving metric arguments in the non-positively curved space of positive invertible operators of an operator algebra and the canonical isometric action by invertible elements on the cone given by |$g\cdot a=gag^*$|⁠. Through this approach, we extend and put into a geometric framework results by Pisier and partially answer a question by Andruchow et al. about minimality properties of canonical unitarizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EPR spin probe spectra of the liquid crystal phases exhibited, in the bulk, by the 1",9"-bis(4- cyanobiphenyl-4'-yl)nonane (CB9CB) bent-shape dimer showed that, on cooling from the isotropic phase, this material forms a uniaxial nematic phase with a uniform director macroscopically aligned along the spectrometer field. Upon further cooling, a transition into the twist-bend nematic phase is observed after a biphasic region of approximately 4 K. In this lower temperature nematic phase, the director does not appear to be macroscopically aligned. The non-uniform director distribution is modelled as a collection of monodomains tilted with respect to the magnetic field and orientationally distributed around the tilt direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objective: The use of benzodiazepines and the development of dementia is controversial, with studies indicating that benzodiazepines could be either a protective factor or a risk factor for dementia, or no association may exist between the two. Our objective was to identify whether such an association exists. Design: Systematic review and meta‐analysis of 12 prospective and retrospective cohort studies and case‐control studies. Participants: A total of 981,133 (in the systematic review) and 980,860 (in the meta‐analysis) adults or elderly individuals. Measurements and Main Results: A search of the PubMed, LILACS, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, as well as a manual search of the reference lists of the included publications and reviews, was performed. We included studies that reported the incidence of dementia and in ever users of benzodiazepines. Data were analyzed by using a random effects model in R software. Quality of the evidence was assessed with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) certainty ratings system. The results of the main meta‐analysis suggest that benzodiazepines can be a risk factor for developing dementia (odds ratio 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.77; I2 = 98%; 95% prediction interval 0.58–3.25; very low certainty). Conclusion: Our results suggest an association between the use of benzodiazepines and the development of dementia. However, the current evidence lacks the power to infer differences between the effects of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementias, long‐acting and short‐acting benzodiazepines, and various exposure loads (duration and dose). Future long‐term prospective cohort studies are necessary, with adequate adjustments for confounding variables, strategies to minimize reverse causality, reporting of subgroups aimed at greater homogeneity of findings, adequate statistical power to identify high‐magnitude effects, and defined daily dose analyses for dose‐response gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the intensity of care organizational model has been adopted in several Italian hospitals in order to create specific areas dedicated to patients reporting homogeneous needs of care. The present paper aims at describing the organizational intervention Inside the change, designed to explore the context and assess the impact of the implementation of the Intensity of cure model in an Italian hospital. Inside the change was composed of two segments: i) the evaluation of attitudes toward change and workers' well-being (quantitative phase); ii) the conduction of a consulting process aimed to identify critical issues and the related improvement actions (qualitative phase). The results showed that workers (i.e., physicians, nurses, healthcare assistants) involved in the change process showed higher levels of work-related well-being symptoms. In line with this result, the second stage of the intervention had the goal of improving workers' involvement in organizational change, together with the identification of suitable improvement actions. Data collected one year after the intervention suggest that the whole performance of healthcare organizations may be enhanced by investments in monitoring and improving organizational processes, particularly for those focused on HR management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The director distribution in the nematic phases exhibited by the 1′′,11′′-bis(4-cyanobiphenyl-4′-yl)undecane (CB11CB) liquid crystal has been studied in the bulk using the EPR spin probe technique. EPR spectra confirmed the presence of a higher temperature uniaxial nematic phase and of a lower temperature nematic phase in which the director distribution is not uniform. Spectra recorded in the lower temperature nematic phase were not fully compatible with theoretical EPR spectra calculated according to the recently proposed model for the twist-bend phase in which the local domain director twists around an axis with a fixed tilt angle, ϑ0, but were well described by a “distributed-tilt” model in which the director has a relatively narrow distribution, centred at ϑ0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ochrobactrum spp is a gram-negative bacillus currently considered an emerging and opportunistic infection, rare in humans, and generally associated with indwelling foreign bodies. We report a case of primary bloodstream infection related to a dialysis catheter, caused by Ochrobactrum oryzae misidentified as Ochrobactrum anthropi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, thin lead zirconate titanate, Pb[ZrTi]O3 (PZT) films have been developed from a novel sol-gel route. The sol-gel films were deposited by spin coating method. Isopropanol-based solution was used for its less toxic property. Gold (Au), platinum (Pt) and indium tin oxide (ITO) were used as substrates. Homogeneous polycrystalline films with (110) preferred orientation were obtained from all the films. The films behaved as ferroelectric material where dielectric constant at 0V for the films obtained from Au, Pt and ITO substrates were 484, 770 and 655, respectively. The coercive field values were around 10-15KV/cm which revealed that the films were soft ferroelectric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied, using Monte Carlo computer simulations, the effects that nanoparticles of similar size and three different shapes (spherical, elongated and discotic) dispersed at different concentrations in a liquid crystal (LC), have on the transition temperature, order parameter and mobility of the suspension. We have modelled the nanoparticles as berry-like clusters of spherical Lennard-Jones sites and the NP with a Gay–Berne model. We find that the overall phase behaviour is not affected by the addition of small amounts (xN = 0.1–0.5%) of nanoparticles, with the lowest perturbation obtained with disc-like nanoparticles at the lowest concentration. We observe a general decrease of the clearing temperature and a reduction in the orientational order with a change in its temperature variation, particularly in the case of the xN = 0.5% dispersions and with a more pronounced effect when the nanoparticles are spherical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sildenafil shows an intense and prolonged inhibitory effect on the smooth muscle cells of corpus cavernosum arterioles by blocking phosphodiesterase type 5 that inactivates the nitric oxide-stimulated cyclic guanosine monophosphate. We investigated if this inhibitory effect is also displayed on smooth muscle cells of the esophagus. In 16 normal subjects (9 men and 7 women, mean age 34 years, range 22-56) esophageal motility was recorded by means of a low-compliance manometric system with side holes for the esophageal body and a sleeve for the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). After a basal period of 60 min, a tablet of sildenafil 50-mg ground and dissolved in water was infused in the stomach in eight subjects (group A) and a placebo tablet in the other eight subjects (group B), randomly and in a double-blind manner; the recording continued for another 60 min. LES tone and postdeglutitive residual pressure, as well as amplitude, propagation velocity, and onset latency of contractions were measured each minute, the values averaged every 5 min, and the mean of the entire basal and postinfusion periods was calculated. The postinfusion values were compared with the basal values in each group and with the corresponding values of the other groups. The percent variations of postinfusion values with respect to basal values were also compared. Sildenafil induced a statistically significant decrease of LES tone, residual pressure, wave amplitude, and propagation velocity and a significant increase of onset latency of pressure waves in comparison with the values of the basal period and placebo. The inhibitory effect reached its maximum 10-15 min after the infusion and lasted about 1 hr. In conclusion, sildenafil markedly inhibits the motor activity of the esophageal musculature by decreasing LES pressure, wave amplitude, and propagation velocity and increasing the onset latency of pressure waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the chequerboard technique we studied the in vitro activity of the broad spectrum antibiotic fosfomycin in combination with vancomycin, rifampicin, linezolid, quinupristin/ dalfopristin, cefazolin, meropenem and moxifloxacin against two Staphylococcus epidermidis strains (ATCC 12228, DSM 3269) and five Staphylococcus aureus isolates (ATCC 29213, DSM 683, DSM 46320, GISA 323/93, MRSA 3558/00). The phenomena of 'trailing' and 'skipped wells' did not present a problem. Synergy was the most common effect of all drugs tested in combination with fosfomycin; only combination with vancomycin showed antagonism for two of seven isolates. Using a killing-curve technique fosfomycin showed cidal activity, where increasing the drug concentration above the MIC did not enhance killing velocity. Inhibitory concentrations of vancomycin plus fosfomycin against DSM 46320 caused effects identical to those observed with vancomycin alone. The combination of fosfomycin plus linezolid exerted the bacteriostatic effect found with linezolid alone. Fosfomycin plus quinupristin/dalfopristin exhibited the bactericidal effect found with fosfomycin alone (in contrast to the rapidly bactericidal effect of quinupristin/dalfopristin). Electron microscopy showed that fosfomycin given in combination with linezolid, quinupristin/dalfopristin or moxifloxacin (substances that do not cause morphological alterations when given alone) resulted in 'cauliflower-shaped' distortion as caused by fosfomycin alone. Our in vitro data indicate considerable potential for fosfomycin used in combination with other antistaphylococcal antimicrobials, especially linezolid or quinupristin/dalfopristin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The worldwide increase of celiac disease prompted us to assess its prevalence in the Italian general population. The 3483 inhabitants of Campogalliano were tested for immunoglobulin A anti-endomysial antibodies. Twenty subjects showed antibody positivity and duodenal biopsy detected typical mucosal lesions of celiac disease in 17 of them; the remaining three cases had a normal villous architecture, but the finding of increased gamma/delta intraepithelial lymphocytes in all and the heterodimer DQA1*0501, DQB1*0201 in two of them was consistent with potential celiac disease. Only one patient had an overt malabsorption syndrome, characterized by diarrhea, weight loss, and severe weakness. In eight subjects atypical symptoms of celiac disease, such as dyspepsia and depression, were present, whereas the remaining subjects were silent. Celiac disease was more frequent in younger age groups. Our cross-sectional design study demonstrates that celiac disease prevalence in the Italian general population is 4.9 per 1000 (95% CI 2.8-7.8), increasing up to 5.7 per 1000 (95% CI 3.5-8.8) with the inclusion of potential cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to compare the measurements and the diagnostic accuracy of the traditional expensive IRMS and the new economical LARA system using two doses of [13C]urea + two different test meals in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, both before and after anti- Helicobacter treatment. A total of 354 dyspeptic patients underwent endoscopy with gastric biopsies to diagnose H. pylori infection by CLO-test and histology. No patients had taken antibiotics, bismuth, or antisecretory drugs in the 4 weeks before testing. After overnight fasting, breath samples were collected simultaneously in both plastic and glass tubes at baseline and at 30 and 60 min after urea ingestion. In 237 patients 100 mg [13C]urea + Ensure and in 117 patients 75 mg [13C]urea + citric acid were given. The test was also performed with the two urea dosages and meals in 67 and 64 infected patients, respectively, four weeks after anti-Helicobacter therapy. H. pylori was considered eradicated when both biopsy-based tests were negative. A δ value >5‰ was considered positive. Breath samples with insufficient CO2 levels at both 30 and 60 min were excluded from final analysis (N = 37 in pre- and N = 8 in posttreatment). There was excellent agreement between overall δ values of the two machines with both [13C]urea 100 mg + Ensure and [13C]urea 75 mg + citric acid. The 95% CI of the difference against the mean was wider with the former (mean −1.3, +6.3, and −9.4) than with the latter urea dosage and test meal (mean −1.2, +5.2 and −8.1). LARA and IRMS were equally effective (P = NS) in distinguishing infected from uninfected patients before therapy using both doses of [13C]urea and test meals (sensitivity ranged from 95% to 99% and specificity from 95% to 97%). This good performance was maintained in the posttreatment phase (sensitivity ranged from 90% to 100% and specificity from 90% to 97%), without any statistical difference among the various combinations (P = NS). The LARA system is a valid alternative to IRMS in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. Both machines provide highly reliable results after 30 min, so that the 60 min sample can be avoided. The dose of 75 mg + citric acid suffices to ensure an accurate UBT. The test performed with both devices and [13C]urea dosages is very effective also for posttherapy evaluation of H. pylori status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]