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The accounting profession is facing a severe crisis due to a shortage of accountants. Significantly fewer students have selected accounting as a major. As a direct result of enrollment declines [...]

2D quantum materials have opened infinite doors, hosting intriguing phenomena and featuring incredible engineering potential. Whether these qualities can boost the use of 2D crystals for quantum applications remains an open field with yet unexplored paths.

IN BRIEF Technological innovation in the business environment has significantly impacted how CPAs work. In response to these technological advances, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and National [...]

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between peri‐implant diseases and systemic inflammation assessed by serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels in a sample of patients with hypertension. A total of 151 participants with hypertension were included in a cross‐sectional study. The population was divided into six groups according to their peri‐implant and periodontal status (healthy controls, mucositis, peri‐implantitis, periodontitis, periodontitis and mucositis, periodontitis, and peri‐implantitis). Linear, logistic regression, and correlation analyses were performed. CRP levels were statistically significantly higher in participants with periodontitis alone (median 3.2 mg/L, interquartile range [IQR] 1.8, p= 0.012), combined with mucositis (3.10 mg/L, IQR 2.35, p< 0.001) or peri‐implantitis (2.7 mg/L, IQR 2.53, p= 0.002) when compared to the healthy controls (1 mg/L, IQR 1.2). This association was independent of age, sex, smoking status, and adiposity differences. Participants with periodontitis with and without peri‐implant diseases had the greatest odds of exhibiting CRP > 3 mg/L (odds ratio = 7.3, 95% confidence interval 1.6–33.9). Peri‐implant diseases are associated with systemic inflammation, but the nature of the association should be further investigated.

The irradiation of InN and InxGa1–xN samples with low-energy H ions results in exceptionally high hydrogen uptake in a crystalline semiconductor. This phenomenon is attributed to specific In–H complex formation. By exploiting spectral fingerprints of the In–H complexes observable in In L3-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we provide direct evidence of complex formation. Density functional theory calculations assist in interpreting the X-ray absorption spectra and offer insights into the energetics of complex formation. We quantify the total amount of reversibly incorporated hydrogen in these semiconductors and discuss their strengths and weaknesses as innovative materials for hydrogen storage.

Charges and their contribution to protein–protein interactions are essential for the key structural and dynamic properties of monoclonal antibody (mAb) solutions. In fact, they influence the apparent molecular weight, the static structure factor, the collective diffusion coefficient, or the relative viscosity, and their concentration dependence. Further, charges play an important role in the colloidal stability of mAbs. There exist standard experimental tools to characterize mAb net charges, such as the measurement of the electrophoretic mobility, the second virial coefficient, or the diffusion interaction parameter. However, the resulting values are difficult to directly relate to the actual overall net charge of the antibody and to theoretical predictions based on its known molecular structure. Here, we report the results of a systematic investigation of the solution properties of a charged IgG1 mAb as a function of concentration and ionic strength using a combination of electrophoretic measurements, static and dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and tracer particle-based microrheology. We analyze and interpret the experimental results using established colloid theory and coarse-grained computer simulations. We discuss the potential and limits of colloidal models for the description of the interaction effects of charged mAbs, in particular pointing out the importance of incorporating shape and charge anisotropy when attempting to predict structural and dynamic solution properties at high concentrations.

In Brief Examinations or audits of an organization's quality control assurance system (QCAS) are not presently required, despite the fact that defective products or services represent a major risk for [...]

We implemented radio frequency-assisted electrostatic force microscopy (RF-EFM) to investigate the electric field response of biaxially strained molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) monolayers (MLs) in the form of mesoscopic bubbles, produced via hydrogen (H)-ion irradiation of the bulk crystal. MoS2ML, a semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenide, has recently attracted significant attention due to its promising optoelectronic properties, further tunable by strain. Here, we take advantage of the RF excitation to distinguish the intrinsic quantum capacitance of the strained ML from that due to atomic scale defects, presumably sulfur vacancies or H-passivated sulfur vacancies. In fact, at frequencies fRFlarger than the inverse defect trapping time, the defect contribution to the total capacitance and to transport is negligible. Using RF-EFM at fRF= 300 MHz, we visualize simultaneously the bubble topography and its quantum capacitance. Our finite-frequency capacitance imaging technique is noninvasive and nanoscale and can contribute to the investigation of time- and spatial-dependent phenomena, such as the electron compressibility in quantum materials, which are difficult to measure by other methods.

Freight transport in urban areas affects city liveability and, in turn, it is affected by the territorial characteristics and by the location of firms, factories and production activities. Therefore, the relationship between freight flow and land use must be investigated, combining knowledge derived from the analysis of data on freight transport and territorial attributes. This work considers a dataset of floating car data (i.e., a sample of freight vehicles moving in the study area) and a dataset of territorial data (e.g., number of activities and employees) in order to calibrate a model able to foresee the production of tours from each zone of the study area. In particular, a linear and a spatial autoregressive model are calibrated considering aggregated data related to the commercial activities in the study area.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the e-grocery sector has experienced a boom in demand. Even now that the emergency is over, consumer demand continues to grow. Therefore, it is helpful to analyze what factors drive consumers' choices and what could be expectations for the near future. This work uses a discrete choice experiment to investigate the potential e-grocery demand (goods and services). For this purpose, a stated and revealed preference survey was developed to highlight the intention to switch from the traditional to the digital market, also considering the consumers' interest toward delivery and collection preference. The results indicate that even though most people are satisfied with their current behavior in the traditional market, the e-grocery market is seen as an opportunity for convenience and flexibility, low fares, and a precise delivery organization for both click and collect or home deliveries that meet the needs of consumers.

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The essay reflects on how Alessandro Manzoni’s letter Sul Romanticismo can be presented to students of the three-year secondary school, indicating some main themes and some concrete ideas to obtain general theoretical indications on the era and literary movements. The text of the letter to the Marquis d’Azeglio (1823) underlines the attention to language as a vehicle of ideas and the declaration on the actual value of Romanticism in the interpretation of Manzoni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to investigate the association between carotid intima‐media thickness (c‐IMT) values and periodontal and peri‐implant diseases in a sample of patients with hypertension. A total of 151 participants with presence of at least one dental implant in function for >5 years were recruited. Anthropometric measurements, 24‐h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, ultrasound assessment of carotid arteries (c‐IMT and presence of plaque) were recorded and venous blood samples obtained. An oral examination was performed by calibrated examiners to ascertain prevalence and severity of periodontal and peri‐implant diseases. Binomial logistic regression was performed to investigate the potential association between various measures of exposure of dental diseases and predictors of cardiovascular risk (c‐IMT > 0.9 mm and presence of plaque or their combination). Diagnosis of periodontitis (OR 6.71, 95% CI: 2.68‐16.76, P< 0.001), cumulative mucosal/gingival inflammation (Periodontal Screening and Recording score) (OR 1.25, 95% CI:1.12‐1.41, P< 0.001), and mucositis (OR 3.34, 95% CI:1.13‐9.85, P< 0.05) were associated with c‐IMT > 0.9 mm and/or plaque presence independent of age, sex, smoking, 24 h systolic blood pressure and body mass index differences. No statistically significant results were noted for peri‐implantitis. Linear regression models confirmed a positive association of cumulative mucosal/gingival inflammation (β = 0.011, SE 0.002, P< 0.001), diagnosis of periodontitis (β = 0.114, SE 0.020, P< 0.001), and peri‐implant diseases (β = 0.011, SE 0.002, P< 0.001) with increased c‐IMT values. This study confirms a positive association between mucosal/gingival inflammation and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed by c‐IMT values and the presence of carotid plaque in patients with hypertension, independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Future studies are needed to further characterize this relationship.

A new one-dimensional hybrid iodoplumbate, namely, 4,4′-(anthracene-9,10-diylbis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(1-methyl-1-pyridinium) lead iodide C30H22N2Pb2I6(AEPyPbI), is reported here for the first time with its complete characterization. The material exhibits remarkable thermal stability (up to 300 °C), and it is unreactive under ambient conditions toward water and atmospheric oxygen, due to the quaternary nature of the nitrogen atoms present in the organic cation. The cation exhibits strong visible fluorescence under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and when its iodide is combined with PbI2, it forms AEPyPb2I6, an efficient light-emitting material, with a photoluminescence emission intensity comparable to that of high-quality InP epilayers. The structure determination was obtained using three-dimensional electron diffraction, and the material was extensively studied by using a wide range of techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction, diffuse reflectance UV–visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis, elemental analysis, Raman and infrared spectroscopies, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The emissive properties of the material were correlated with its electronic structure by using state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. The complex, highly conjugated electronic structure of the cation interacts strongly with that of the Pb–I network, giving rise to the peculiar optoelectronic properties of AEPyPb2I6. The material, considering its relatively easy synthesis and stability, shows promise for light-emitting and photovoltaic devices. The use of highly conjugated quaternary ammonium cations may be useful for the development of new hybrid iodoplumbates and perovskites with optoelectronic properties tailored for specific applications.

To increase granularity in human neuroimaging science, we designed and built a next-generation 7 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner to reach ultra-high resolution by implementing several advances in hardware. To improve spatial encoding and increase the image signal-to-noise ratio, we developed a head-only asymmetric gradient coil (200 mT m−1, 900 T m−1s−1) with an additional third layer of windings. We integrated a 128-channel receiver system with 64- and 96-channel receiver coil arrays to boost signal in the cerebral cortex while reducing g-factor noise to enable higher accelerations. A 16-channel transmit system reduced power deposition and improved image uniformity. The scanner routinely performs functional imaging studies at 0.35–0.45 mm isotropic spatial resolution to reveal cortical layer functional activity, achieves high angular resolution in diffusion imaging and reduces acquisition time for both functional and structural imaging.

Pathogenic variants impacting upon assembly of mitochondrial respiratory chain Complex IV (Cytochrome c Oxidase or COX) predominantly result in early onset mitochondrial disorders often leading to CNS, skeletal and cardiac muscle manifestations. The aim of this study is to describe a molecular defect in the COX assembly factor gene COX18as the likely cause of a neonatal form of mitochondrial encephalo-cardio-myopathy and axonal sensory neuropathy. The proband is a 19-months old female displaying hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at birth and myopathy with axonal sensory neuropathy and failure to thrive developing in the first months of life. Serum lactate was consistently increased. Whole exome sequencing allowed the prioritization of the unreported homozygous substitution NM_001297732.2:c.667 G > C p.(Asp223His) in COX18. Patient’s muscle biopsy revealed severe and diffuse COX deficiency and striking mitochondrial abnormalities. Biochemical and enzymatic studies in patient’s myoblasts and in HEK293 cells after COX18silencing showed a severe impairment of both COX activity and assembly. The biochemical defect was partially rescued by delivery of wild-type COX18cDNA into patient’s myoblasts. Our study identifies a novel defect of COX assembly and expands the number of nuclear genes involved in a mitochondrial disorder due to isolated COX deficiency.

4,4′-(Anthracene-9,10-diylbis(ethyne-2,1-diyl))bis(1-methyl-1-pyridinium) bismuth iodide (C30H22N2)3Bi4I18(AEPyBiI) was obtained as a black powder by a very simple route by mixing an acetone solution of BiI3and an aqueous solution of C30H22N2I2. This novel perovskite is air and water stable and displays a remarkable thermal stability up to nearly 300 °C. The highly conjugated cation C30H22N22+is hydrolytically stable, being nitrogen atoms quaternarized, and this accounts for the insensitivity of the perovskite toward water and atmospheric oxygen under ambient conditions. The cation in aqueous solution is highly fluorescent under UV irradiation (emitting yellow-orange light). AEPyBiI as well is intensely luminescent, its photoluminescence emission being more than 1 order of magnitude greater than that of high-quality InP epilayers. The crystal structure of AEPyBiI was determined using synchrotron radiation single-crystal X-ray diffraction. AEPyBiI was extensively characterized using a wide range of techniques, such as X-ray powder diffraction, diffuse reflectance UV–vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), elemental analysis, electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESI-MS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy. AEPyBiI displays a zero-dimensional (0D) perovskite structure in which the inorganic part is constituted by binuclear units consisting of two face-sharing BiI6octahedra (Bi2I93–units). The C30H22N22+cations are stacked along the a-axis direction in a complex motif. Considering its noteworthy light-emitting properties coupled with an easy synthesis and environmental stability, and its composition that does not contain toxic lead or easily oxidable Sn(II), AEPyBiI is a promising candidate for environmentally friendly light-emitting devices.

Despite ongoing reforms to child protection systems and calls for a greater focus on prevention and early intervention, demand on statutory services continues to grow across developed countries. The reasons for this are multiple and complex and include: (1) barriers that exist within service systems themselves; (2) the entrenched and interwoven nature of the drivers of child maltreatment and (3) limited access to programs that can be implemented at scale. This means that empirically supported interventions that can address child maltreatment are not widely available to support a public health response. Several innovations to address the aforementioned challenges draw on ‘common elements’ approaches. Common elements are the discrete techniques commonly found in programs supported by evidence. Over the last 30 years, the evidence base regarding therapeutic techniques for child maltreatment has remained relatively stable, yet there has been a significant increase in the number of evidence-based programs or protocols available. Many of these protocols consist of different combinations of the same therapeutic elements. The Institute of Medicine in the USA has recently called for further research into common elements for psychosocial interventions as an approach to widening access to empirically supported techniques. This article will explore whether common elements may assist in overcoming some of the challenges we are facing in ‘realising’ a public health response to child maltreatment. The potential benefits and limitations of the approach will be outlined, as well as the existing evidence base, and future directions for research and evaluation.

Since their introduction in clinical practice in 1986, different types of coronary stents have been developed and become available for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Stent thrombosis (ST) is an uncommon but harmful complication after percutaneous coronary implantation, with a high occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and risk of mortality. Among several procedural and clinical predictors, the type of coronary stent is a strong determinant of ST. This article reviews the available evidence on the most used coronary stent types in the modern era and the related risk of ST.

•Proposing and assessing tactical policies for a maritime terminal.•Minimising the waiting time in the terminal area.•Improving the use of the yard and favour an efficient use for vessels.•Integration of Information Communications Technology systems.

The word 'quality,' meaning superiority or excellence, has long been used by organizations to describe their product or service. According to The Complete CFO Handbook (Frank J. Fabozzi, Pamela Peterson [...]

Twenty years ago, a truck would appear at a public company on the first day of an audit. The driver would carry several large trunks into the building. The trunks [...]

The members of Generation Y have accentuated the need for accounting firms to be innovative and make use of the latest technology in recruiting and training. This generation has different [...]

A rapid immune response is critical to ensure effective protection against COVID‐19. Platelets are first‐line sentinels of the vascular system able to rapidly alert and stimulate the immune system. However, their role in the immune response to vaccines is not known. To identify features of the platelet‐immune crosstalk that would provide an early readout of vaccine efficacy in adults who received the mRNA‐based COVID‐19 vaccine (BNT162b2). We prospectively enrolled 11 young healthy volunteers (54% females, median age: 28 years) who received two doses of BNT162b2, 21 days apart, and we studied their platelet and immune response before and after each dose of the vaccine (3 and 10 ± 2 days post‐injection), in relation to the kinetics of the humoral response. Participants achieving an effective level of neutralizing antibodies before the second dose of the vaccine (fast responders) had a higher leukocyte count, mounted a rapid cytokine response that incremented further after the second dose, and an elevated platelet turnover that ensured platelet count stability. Their circulating platelets were not more reactive but expressed lower surface levels of the immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based inhibitory motif (ITIM)‐coupled receptor CD31 (PECAM‐1) compared to slow responders, and formed specific platelet‐leukocyte aggregates, with B cells, just 3 days after the first dose, and with non‐classical monocytes and eosinophils. We identified features of the platelet‐immune crosstalk that are associated with the development of a rapid humoral response to an mRNA‐based vaccine (BNT162b2) and that could be exploited as early biomarkers of vaccine efficacy.

The 21st century accountant is more of a consultant than in the past, and needs to be able to locate both financial and nonfinancial information. Accountants need to know what [...]

The recent corporate accounting scandals at Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia Communications, and Tyco International, as well as the largest American embezzlement of taxpayer funds of a school district, in Roslyn, N.Y., [...]

•A model and a method to solve jointly network design and vehicle routing have been proposed.•The model can be applied both for optimizing freight and public transit systems.•The approach can support public and private decision makers in policies implementation.•A test application has been performed to verify the applicability of the method.

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is widely used as a protective layer for few-atom-thick crystals and heterostructures (HSs), and it hosts quantum emitters working up to room temperature. In both instances, strain is expected to play an important role, either as an unavoidable presence in the HS fabrication or as a tool to tune the quantum emitter electronic properties. Addressing the role of strain and exploiting its tuning potentiality require the development of efficient methods to control it and of reliable tools to quantify it. Here we present a technique based on hydrogen irradiation to induce the formation of wrinkles and bubbles in hBN, resulting in remarkably high strains of ∼2%. By combining infrared (IR) near-field scanning optical microscopy and micro-Raman measurements with numerical calculations, we characterize the response to strain for both IR-active and Raman-active modes, revealing the potential of the vibrational properties of hBN as highly sensitive strain probes.

Using light scattering (LS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and coarse-grained Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we studied the self-interactions of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), PPI03 and PPI13. With LS measurements, we obtained the osmotic second virial coefficient, B22, and the molecular weight, Mw, of the two mAbs, while with SAXS measurements, we studied the mAbs’ self-interaction behavior in the high protein concentration regime up to 125 g/L. Through SAXS-derived coarse-grained representations of the mAbs, we performed MC simulations with either a one-protein or a two-protein model to predict B22. By comparing simulation and experimental results, we validated our models and obtained insights into the mAbs’ self-interaction properties, highlighting the role of both ion binding and charged patches on the mAb surfaces. Our models provide useful information about mAbs’ self-interaction properties and can assist the screening of conditions driving to colloidal stability.

How gene expression is controlled to preserve human T cell quiescence is poorly understood. Here we show that non-canonical splicing variants containing long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE1) enforce naive CD4+T cell quiescence. LINE1-containing transcripts are derived from CD4+T cell-specific genes upregulated during T cell activation. In naive CD4+T cells, LINE1-containing transcripts are regulated by the transcription factor IRF4 and kept at chromatin by nucleolin; these transcripts act in cis, hampering levels of histone 3 (H3) lysine 36 trimethyl (H3K36me3) and stalling gene expression. T cell activation induces LINE1-containing transcript downregulation by the splicing suppressor PTBP1 and promotes expression of the corresponding protein-coding genes by the elongating factor GTF2F1 through mTORC1. Dysfunctional T cells, exhausted in vitro or tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), accumulate LINE1-containing transcripts at chromatin. Remarkably, depletion of LINE1-containing transcripts restores TIL effector function. Our study identifies a role for LINE1 elements in maintaining T cell quiescence and suggests that an abundance of LINE1-containing transcripts is critical for T cell effector function and exhaustion.

The global trends in urban planning and policy have seen more efforts directed toward the development of sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) and more livable cities. Then, the main objective of the paper is to propose a methodology to design the supply network for a micro-mobility system exploiting the opportunity offered by floating car data (FCD). A two level methodology is proposed: the first level is related to the estimation of the potential demand to serve, obtained by means of FCD analysis (by crossing type of trip, trip length, trip travel time and stopping time at destination), the second level allows us to design the network by considering the potential demand, the points of interest in the area and considering some constraints (e.g., road characteristics).The proposed methodology was applied in the SUMP of Trani (a medium city with about 55,000 inhabitants in the Apulia Region, southern Italy). In such case study, through the analysis of the FCD, emerges that the 22.2% of current trips by cars could be switched from car to micro-mobility. Subsequently, a possible layout of the micro-mobility network that accomplish the potential trips is proposed.

ObjectiveRecent data suggest that cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) causes haemorrhagic lesions in cerebellar cortex as well as subcortical cerebral atrophy. However, the potential effect of CAA on cerebellar tissue loss and its clinical implications have not been investigated.MethodsOur study included 70 non-demented patients with probable CAA, 70 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) and 70 age-matched patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The cerebellum was segmented into percent of cerebellar subcortical volume (pCbll-ScV) and percent of cerebellar cortical volume (pCbll-CV) represented as percent (p) of estimated total intracranial volume. We compared pCbll-ScV and pCbll-CV between patients with CAA, HCs and those with AD. Gait velocity (metres/second) was used to investigate gait function in patients with CAA.ResultsPatients with CAA had significantly lower pCbll-ScV compared with both HC (1.49±0.1 vs 1.73±0.2, p<0.001) and AD (1.49±0.1 vs 1.66[Formula]0.24, p<0.001) and lower pCbll-CV compared with HCs (6.03±0.5 vs 6.23±0.6, p=0.028). Diagnosis of CAA was independently associated with lower pCbll-ScV compared with HCs (p<0.001) and patients with AD (p<0.001) in separate linear regression models adjusted for age, sex and presence of hypertension. Lower pCbll-ScV was independently associated with worse gait velocity (β=0.736, 95% CI 0.28 to 1.19, p=0.002) in a stepwise linear regression analysis including pCbll-CV along with other relevant variables.InterpretationPatients with CAA show more subcortical cerebellar atrophy than HC or patients with AD and more cortical cerebellar atrophy than HCs. Reduced pCbll-ScV correlated with lower gait velocity in regression models including other relevant variables. Overall, this study suggests that CAA causes cerebellar injury, which might contribute to gait disturbance.

Nowadays, road accident is one of the main causes of mortality worldwide. Then, measures are required to reduce or mitigate the accident impacts. The identification of the most effective measures requires an effective analysis of accidents able to identify and classify the causes that can trigger an accident. This study uses data mining as well as clustering approaches to analyze accident data of the 15 districts of Rome Municipality, collected from 2016 to 2019. The aim is to find out which data mining techniques are more suitable to analyze road accidents, to identify the most significant causes and the most recurrent patterns of road accidents by means of a descriptive analysis. Besides, a model to foresee road accidents is proposed. Results show that such analyses can be a powerful tool to plan suitable measures to reduce accidents as well as to forecast in advance the areas to be pointed out.

Aggregation is a common phenomenon in the field of protein therapeutics and can lead to function loss or immunogenic patient responses. Two strategies are currently used to reduce aggregation: (1) finding a suitable formulation, which is labor-intensive and requires large protein quantities, or (2) engineering the protein, which requires extensive knowledge about the protein aggregation pathway. We present a biophysical characterization of the oligomerization and aggregation processes by Interferon alpha-2a (IFNα-2a), a protein drug with antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. This study combines experimental high throughput screening with detailed investigations by small-angle X-ray scattering and analytical ultracentrifugation. Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations are used to gain insight into the underlying intermolecular interactions. IFNα-2a forms soluble oligomers that are controlled by a fast pH and concentration-dependent equilibrium. Close to the isoelectric point of 6, IFNα-2a forms insoluble aggregates which can be prevented by adding salt. We show that monomer attractionis driven mainly by molecular anisotropic dipole–dipole interactions that increase with increasing pH. Repulsionis due to monopole–monopole interactions and depends on the charge of IFNα-2a. The study highlights how combining multiple methods helps to systematically dissect the molecular mechanisms driving oligomer formation and to design ultimately efficient strategies for preventing detrimental protein aggregation.

The outstanding mechanical performances of two-dimensional (2D) materials make them appealing for the emerging fields of flextronics and straintronics. However, their manufacturing and integration in 2D crystal-based devices rely on a thorough knowledge of their hardness, elasticity, and interface mechanics. Here, we investigate the elasticity of highly strained monolayer-thick MoS2membranes, in the shape of micrometer-sized domes, by atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based nanoindentation experiments. A dome’s crushing procedure is performed to induce a local re-adhesion of the dome’s membrane to the bulk substrate under the AFM tip’s load. It is worth noting that no breakage, damage, or variation in size and shape are recorded in 95% of the crushed domes upon unloading. Furthermore, such a procedure paves the way to address quantitatively the extent of the van der Waals interlayer interaction and adhesion of MoS2by studying pull-in instabilities and hysteresis of the loading–unloading cycles. The fundamental role and advantage of using a superimposed dome’s constraint are also discussed.

Limited detection power has been a bottleneck for subject-specific functional MRI (fMRI) studies; however, the higher signal-to-noise ratio afforded by ultra-high magnetic fields (≥7Tesla) provides levels of sensitivity and resolution needed to study individual subjects. What may be surprising is that higher imaging resolution may provide both higher specificity and sensitivity due to reductions in partial volume effects and reduced physiological noise. However, challenges remain to ensure high data quality and to reduce variability in ultra-high field fMRI. We discuss session-specific biasesincluding those caused by factors related to instrumentation, anatomy, and physiology—which can translate into variabilityacross sessions—and how to minimize these to help ultra-high field fMRI reach its full potential for individual-focused studies.

•Temporal summation of second pain (TSSP) is linked to central sensitization.•Affective touch (AT) decreases TSSP, while discriminative touch does not.•Also, higher body awareness is linked with higher pain during discriminative touch.•The mechanisms underpinning AT could prove useful against chronic pain.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), recognized as the most common neurodegenerative disorder, is clinically characterized by the presence of extracellular beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and by intracellular neurofibrillary tau tangles, accompanied by glial activation and neuroinflammation. Increasing evidence suggests that self-misfolded proteins stimulate an immune response mediated by glial cells, inducing the release of inflammatory mediators and the recruitment of peripheral macrophages into the brain, which in turn aggravate AD pathology. The present review aims to update the current knowledge on the role of autoimmunity and neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease, indicating a new target for therapeutic intervention. We mainly focused on the NLRP3 microglial inflammasome as a critical factor in stimulating innate immune responses, thus sustaining chronic inflammation. Additionally, we discussed the involvement of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the gut-brain axis. Direct targeting of the NLRP3 inflammasome and the associated receptors could be a potential pharmacological strategy since its inhibition would selectively reduce AD neuroinflammation.

The care of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), compiled in the 2008 Canadian Diabetes Association clinical practice guidelines and in recommendations from the Choosing Wisely Canada program, is informed by a large body of evidence. This study sought to assess to what extent primary care providers (PCPs) incorporate recommended statin and sulfonylureas treatment in their care of patients with DM, and to identify the association between use of recommended care and PCP characteristics.

We present a spectroscopic investigation of the vibrational and optoelectronic properties of WS2domes in the 0–0.65 GPa range. The pressure evolution of the system morphology, deduced by the combined analysis of Raman and photoluminescence spectra, revealed a significant variation in the dome’s aspect ratio. The modification of the dome shape caused major changes in the mechanical properties of the system resulting in a sizable increase of the out-of-plane compressive strain while keeping the in-plane tensile strain unchanged. The variation of the strain gradients drives a nonlinear behavior in both the exciton energy and radiative recombination intensity, interpreted as the consequence of a hybridization mechanism between the electronic states of two distinct minima in the conduction band. Our results indicate that pressure and strain can be efficiently combined in low dimensional systems with unconventional morphology to obtain modulations of the electronic band structure not achievable in planar crystals.

ABSTRACTFreight vehicle origin-destination (O-D) matrices play a key role within the assessment procedures of city logistics scenarios, and simulation of delivery tours allows such O-D flows to be obtained. Therefore, the paper revisits a modeling framework for simulating delivery tours using an aggregate approach proposed by the authors and presents the preliminary results of its implementation to a real test case using global position system (GPS) traces for extracting vehicle tours/trip chains which are available on a large scale for such uses as fleet management or vehicle insurance. The modeling framework was calibrated using a dataset of light goods vehicles operating in the Veneto region (Italy) for which automated vehicle monitoring (AVM) data were available. The results show that such an approach enables satisfactory results to be obtained in terms of freight distribution O-D matrices.

The implicit and explicit awareness of owning a body and its parts is a constant accompaniment in our everyday life and our interaction with the outside world. The way in which we build and maintain a coherent sense of body ownership is not fully understood. It has been postulated that the integration between exteroceptive, interoceptive, and proprioceptive signals may play a fundamental role in the sense of body ownership. For instance, studies on healthy subjects and brain-damaged patients have suggested that alterations in the sense of body ownership are coupled with autonomic signal changes, such as thermoregulatory reactions. However, the available evidence is conflicting, possibly due to shortcomings in the experimental paradigm that previous studies have adopted. In this study, we explore the relationship between body ownership, thermoregulation, and thermal sensitivity through a novel application of the mirror-box illusion paradigm, overcoming some of the limitations of previous studies. We find a bilateral decrease in hand skin temperature, together with reduced thermal sensitivity for warm thermal stimuli following the induction of the illusion of ownership towards the participant's reflected hand. These findings demonstrate the importance of the orchestration of exteroceptive (e.g., visual), autonomic (e.g., body temperature) and proprioceptive (e.g., position and movement of the body) signals in maintaining a coherent sense of body ownership.

ABSTRACTObjective: Treatment of sleep bruxism (SB) in children is not well established. The aim of this study was to develop evidence-based recommendations on SB therapy in children between the ages of 2 and 17.Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Literature searches were performed using MedLine (PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library (November 30 2017).Results: The search strategy identified 268 potential articles; 10 papers were included in the qualitative synthesis and 3 in the meta-analysis, for a total of 94 patients. Hydroxyzine therapy showed the strongest efficacy on SB (OR 10.63; CI 95%, 1.48 to 76.08). Flurazepam and Melissa officinalis therapies presented lower grades of association with decreased SB symptoms.Conclusions: Data on treatments of SB in children are limited. Future studies with a proper design, conducted on a meaningful number of patients, and based on standardized and developed diagnostic criteria are desperately needed.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.The role of induction chemotherapy in the multidisciplinary treatment of locally advanced, nonlaryngeal high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV)-negative head and neck squamous cells carcinoma (HNSCC) is uncertain in terms of overall survival (OS). The primary objective of this study was to identify possible predictive factors of survival and outcome in patients with HNSCC who were treated with induction chemotherapy. Fifty-nine patients with stage IVa/b HPV-negative non-laryngeal HNSCC (mostly originating from the oral cavity) who underwent induction chemotherapy at Policlinico Umberto I were reviewed. Treatment outcomes in term of objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), OS and toxicities were analyzed. A significant association between nodal status, ORR, ongoing smoking use, toxicities and OS was demonstrated. ORR (obtained in 61% of patients) was associated with a reduction in mortality of 80% (P< 0.0001). Early discontinuation after just one cycle of induction chemotherapy was associated to a significantly shorter OS. In oral cavity radical surgery with negative margins was obtained in 15/16 patients. In 42% of patients G3-G4 toxicity occurred. Toxicity requiring hospitalization occurred in 42% and 21% of patients with oropharyngeal and oral cavity carcinoma, respectively. Five patients died of treatment-related causes. No treatment-related mortality occurred in oral cavity patients. G5 toxicities were different according to the sub-sites of disease (P= 0.05). Induction chemotherapy in non-laryngeal high-risk HNSCC is an active strategy, most importantly in oral cavity cancer, even though burdened with a high (G ≥ 3) toxicity and early discontinuation rate. These data will however need to be confirmed in further and larger studies.

Since their introduction in clinical practice in 1986, different types of coronary stents have been developed and become available for the treatment of coronary artery disease. Stent thrombosis (ST) is an uncommon but harmful complication after percutaneous coronary implantation, with a high occurrence of acute myocardial infarction and risk of mortality. Among several procedural and clinical predictors, the type of coronary stent is a strong determinant of ST. This article reviews the available evidence on the most used coronary stent types in the modern era and the related risk of ST.

IMPORTANCE: Acute coronary syndromes are the leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of disease burden in high-income countries. Quick and accurate diagnosis of acute coronary syndromes is essential to avoid fatal events, for timely intervention, and to improve the prognosis. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively investigate the feasibility and accuracy of a smartwatch in recording multiple electrocardiographic (ECG) leads and detecting ST-segment changes associated with acute coronary syndromes compared with a standard 12-lead ECG. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A commercially available smartwatch was used in 100 participants to obtain multiple-channel ECGs. The study was conducted from April 19, 2019, to January 23, 2020. Fifty-four patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction, 27 patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, and 19 healthy individuals were included in the study. The watch was placed in different body positions to obtain 9 bipolar ECG tracings (corresponding to Einthoven leads I, II, and III and precordial leads V1-V6) that were compared with a simultaneous standard 12-lead ECG. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The concordance among the results of the smartwatch and standard ECG recordings was assessed using the Cohen κ coefficient and Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: Of the 100 participants in the study, 67 were men (67%); mean (SD) age was 61 (16) years. Agreement was found between the smartwatch and standard ECG for the identification of a normal ECG (Cohen κ coefficient, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.78-1.00), ST-segment elevation changes (Cohen κ coefficient, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-0.97), and non–ST-segment elevation changes (Cohen κ coefficient, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.74-0.96). In addition, the Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated agreement between the smartwatch and standard ECG to detect the amplitude of ST-segment changes (bias, −0.003; SD, 0.18; lower limit, −0.36; and upper limit, 0.36). Use of the smartwatch ECG for the diagnosis of normal ECG showed a sensitivity of 84% (95% CI, 60%-97%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI, 95%-100%); for ST elevation, sensitivity was 93% (95% CI, 82%-99%) and specificity was 95% (95% CI, 85%-99%); and for NSTE ECG alterations, sensitivity was 94% (95% CI, 81%-99%) and specificity was 92% (95% CI, 83%-97%). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The findings of this study suggest agreement between the multichannel smartwatch ECG and standard ECG for the identification of ST-segment changes in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

The formation of wurtzite (WZ) phase in III–V nanowires (NWs) such as GaAs and InP is a complication hindering the growth of pure-phase NWs, but it can also be exploited to form NW homostructures consisting of alternate zincblende (ZB) and WZ segments. This leads to different forms of nanostructures, such as crystal-phase superlattices and quantum dots. Here, we investigate the electronic properties of the simplest, yet challenging, of such homostructures: InP NWs with a single homojunction between pure ZB and WZ segments. Polarization-resolved microphotoluminescence (μ-PL) measurements on single NWs provide a tool to gain insights into the interplay between NW geometry and crystal phase. We also exploit this homostructure to simultaneously measure effective masses of charge carriers and excitons in ZB and WZ InP NWs, reliably. Magneto-μ-PL measurements carried out on individual NWs up to 29 T at 77 K allow us to determine the free exciton reduced masses of the ZB and WZ crystal phases, showing the heavier character of the WZ phase, and to deduce the effective mass of electrons in ZB InP NWs (me= 0.080 m0). Finally, we obtain the reduced mass of light-hole excitons in WZ InP by probing the second optically permitted transition Γ7C↔ Γ7uVwith magneto-μ-PL measurements carried out at room temperature. This information is used to extract the experimental light-hole effective mass in WZ InP, which is found to be mlh= 0.26 m0, a value much smaller than the one of the heavy hole mass. Besides being a valuable test for band structure calculations, the knowledge of carrier masses in WZ and ZB InP is important in view of the optimization of the efficiency of solar cells, which is one of the main applications of InP NWs.