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The emergency caused by Covid-19 pandemic raised interest in studying lifestyles and comorbidities as important determinants of poor Covid-19 prognosis. Data on tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and obesity are still limited, while no data are available on the role of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTP). To clarify the role of tobacco smoking and other lifestyle habits on COVID-19 severity and progression, we designed a longitudinal observational study titled COvid19 and SMOking in ITaly (COSMO-IT). About 30 Italian hospitals in North, Centre and South of Italy joined the study. Its main aims are: 1) to quantify the role of tobacco smoking and smoking cessation on the severity and progression of COVID-19 in hospitalized patients; 2) to compare smoking prevalence and severity of the disease in relation to smoking in hospitalized COVID-19 patients versus patients treated at home; 3) to quantify the association between other lifestyle factors, such as e-cigarette and HTP use, alcohol and obesity and the risk of unfavourable COVID-19 outcomes. Socio-demographic, lifestyle and medical history information will be gathered for around 3000 hospitalized and 700-1000 home-isolated, laboratory-confirmed, COVID-19 patients. Given the current absence of a vaccine against SARS-COV-2 and the lack of a specific treatment for -COVID-19, prevention strategies are of extreme importance. This project, designed to highly contribute to the international scientific debate on the role of avoidable lifestyle habits on COVID-19 severity, will provide valuable epidemiological data in order to support important recommendations to prevent COVID-19 incidence, progression and mortality.

Background: The university must take on the challenges that arise at all levels. Within this mechanism, university professors play an important role as facilitators of knowledge. Aim: To analyse the motivations that influence the professional performance of Spanish university professors. Methods: 102 university professors from 9 Spanish public universities participated in the study. [Male: 54 (52.9%); Female: 48 (47.1%)]. A questionnaire of 22 closed-ended Likert-type questions was designed, scoring from 0-10 (do not agree at all, strongly agree). Results: The questionnaire, finally composed of 17 items, showed good internal consistency. (Cronbach's alpha=0.858). The validity analysis showed a value of 0.822 (>0.5) ) in the sample adequacy measure KMO (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin) and Bartlett's sphericity test (p

This paper presents an experimental methodology to measure the height of the flame using convolution image processing and statistical analysis. The experimental setup employs a burner with four circularly arranged nozzles. Six different volumetric fuel flows were employed, and flame images were captured from three different visualization planes utilizing a three high-definition camera array, a thermal imaging camera and an image-processing algorithm. The flame height was indirectly measured using pixel quantification and conversion through a reference length. Although the fuel flow was the most significant factor, the visualization plane and the image source were also found to be particularly relevant, since certain flame features were only perceivable depending on the approach. The measurements were compared to different existing theoretical correlations, yielding an overall adjustment ranging from 3.25 to 3.97cm. The present methodology yields an overall statistical tolerance of 1.27 cm and an expanded uncertainty of 0.599 cm. Furthermore, the thermal imaging has revealed a consistent difference in the overall luminous observable flame of 2.54 cm. For this particular burner configuration, correlations were derived by statistical modelling, which explain the flame height fluctuations with an average setting of 97.23%.

Objectives/Interrogation: To evaluate the results of the arthroscopic reconstruction for the treatment of the scapholunate instability of the wrist Methods: 31 patients were treated, with a mean age of 39.9 (22-51) years old. The mean time of symptoms before surgery was 6.9 (1-18) months. [for full text, please go to the a.m. URL], 14th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand (IFSSH), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT), 11th Triennial Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (IFSHT)

Autotaxin (ATX) is a secreted lysophospholipase D, catalysing the conversion of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to bioactive lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA acts through two families of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) controlling key cellular responses, and is implicated in many physiological processes and pathologies. ATX has therefore been established as an important drug target in the pharmaceutical industry. Structural and biochemical studies of ATX have shown that it has a bimetallic nucleophilic catalytic site, a substrate-binding (orthosteric) hydrophobic pocket that accommodates the lipid alkyl chain, and an allosteric tunnel that can accommodate various steroids and LPA. Here we first review what is known about ATX-mediated catalysis, crucially in light of allosteric regulation. We then present the known ATX catalysis-independent functions, including binding to cell-surface integrins and proteoglycans. In light of these data we then discuss the four types of ATX inhibitors, as classified depending on their binding to the orthosteric and/or the allosteric site. Finally, we analyse the binding mode of known members of all four types and discuss how mechanistic differences might differentially modulate the activity of the ATX-LPA signalling axis, and clinical applications including cancer.

The use of the suffect consulship began to change with Caesar in 45 b.c., after a number of decades in which no suffect consul had been elected. The office altered dramatically during the triumviral period. The triumvirs openly made use of the suffect consulship as a means of rewarding loyalty. Many of the suffect consuls, who were no longer elected by the people, but designated in advance by the triumvirs, were homines novi who belonged to previously unknown and insignificant Roman or Italian families. Increasing the number of consuls each year eliminated de facto the traditional annuality of the office and reduced its authority. The implicit consequence of these actions was a gradual devaluation of the consulship. The suffect consulship was therefore a powerful tool in the hands of the triumvirs for strengthening their political position, weakening the old aristocracy and giving birth to a new elite based more firmly on personal loyalties.

The study examines a 350 m long section of the Adige river levee, located in the Province of Bolzano (Italy) close to the village of Salorno, that has been affected in the recent past by moderate piping phenomena and subjected to subsequent interventions for the risk mitigation. Extensive geophysical and geotechnical investigations were performed to characterize the levee and its foundation soil. This careful investigation provided a multi-dimensional description of the levee and of the close soil water-meadows, which are possible preferential paths for piping. To measure preferential seepage paths, the foundation soil was instrumented using both piezometers and an advanced monitoring technique, the latter based on a fiber optic system installed in a shallow trench at the bank base on the landside. In the last ten days of October 2018, the Adige river was subjected to a relevant double flooding event that likely induced a significant seepage flow in the levee foundation soil. The paper presents some results of the geotechnical site monitoring together with a preliminary discussion of the data provided by the piezometers and optical fiber system.

A 43-year-old man presented with two-month history of fatigue, weakness, paleness, rectal bleeding, sweating, and weight loss of 10 kg in the past one month. A complete blood count revealed anaemia. The patient underwent a right hemicolectomy. The microscopic examination revealed an adenosquamous carcinoma associated with a mucinous adenocarcinoma in a patient with microsatellite instability due to loss of MLH1 and PMS2 expression and retention of MSH2 and MSH6 expression in both the squamous and glandular components. We also observed an atypical immunohistochemical phenotype in the adenocarcinoma component showing CK7 expression and reduced CK20 and CDX2 expression