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Plant–soil feedback is recognized as a causal mechanism for the emergence of vegetation patterns of the same species especially when water is not a limiting resource (e.g. humid environments) (Cartenì et al. in J Theor Biol 313:153–161, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.08.008; Marasco et al. in Bull Math Biol 76(11):2866–2883, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-014-0036-6). Nevertheless, in the field, plants rarely grow in monoculture but compete with other plant species. In these cases, plant–soil feedback was shown to play a key role in plant-species coexistence (Mazzoleni et al. in Ecol Model 221(23):2784–2792, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2010.08.007). Using a mathematical model consisting of four PDEs, we investigate mechanisms of inter- and intra-specific plant–soil feedback on the coexistence of two competing plant species. In particular, the model takes into account both negative and positive feedback influencing the growth of the same and the other plant species. Both the coexistence of the plant species and the dominance of a particular plant species is examined with respect to all model parameters together with the emergence of spatio-temporal vegetation patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we aim to compare a popular numerical method with a new, recently proposed meshless approach for Heston PDE resolution. In finance, most famous models can be reformulated as PDEs, which are solved by finite difference and Monte Carlo methods. In particular, we focus on Heston model PDE and we solve it via radial basis functions (RBF) methods and alternating direction implicit. RBFs have become quite popular in engineering as meshless methods: they are less computationally heavy than finite differences and can be applied for high-order problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabidiol (CBD), which is nonintoxicating pharmacologically relevant constituents of Cannabis, demonstrates several beneficial effects. It has been found to have antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. As the medicinal use of CBD is gaining popularity for treatment of various disorders, the recent flare-up of largely unproven and unregulated cannabis-based preparations on medical therapeutics may have its greatest impact in the field of neurology. Currently, as lot of clinical trials are underway, CBD demonstrates remarkable potential to become a supplemental therapy in various neurological conditions. It has shown promise in the treatment of neurological disorders such as anxiety, chronic pain, trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, and essential tremors as well as psychiatric disorders. While recent FDA-approved prescription drugs have demonstrated safety, efficacy, and consistency enough for regulatory approval in spasticity in multiple sclerosis (MS) and in Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut Syndromes (LGS), many therapeutic challenges still remain. In the current review, the authors have shed light on the application of CBD in the management and treatment of various neurological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-density ZrN/ZrSi2composites for use in decoration and as abrasives were synthesized by dynamic-compaction combustion synthesis from Zr–Si3N4–Co powder blends. The effect of Zr mean particle size , compression load P, and Co addition on composite properties was investigated. In the absence of Co, the ZrN/ZrSi2 composite prepared from Zr with = 14.23 µm at P = 234 MPa showed a porosity of 2.3 vol % and a Vickers hardness of 1115 HV. In addition to enhanced composite hardness, 10% Co additive was also found to result in formation (at P = 327 MPa) of shiny luster particles with a maximum hardness of 1244 HV and a porosity of below 1.0 vol %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin resistance is a worldwide health problem. This study investigated the acute effects of eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) on glucose homeostasis focusing on the role of free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1) and the chronic effects of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids on insulin resistance. Insulin resistance was induced by feeding mice high-fructose, high-fat diet (HFrHFD) for 16 weeks. In the first part, the acute effects of EPA alone and in combination with GW1100 and DC260126 (FFAR1 blockers) on glucose homeostasis and hepatic phosphatidyl-inositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and diacylglycerol (DAG) were investigated in standard chow diet (SCD)- and HFrHFD-fed mice. In the second part, mice were treated with fish oil omega-3 fatty acids for 4 weeks starting at the week 13 of feeding HFrHFD. Changes in the blood- and liver tissue-insulin resistance markers and FFAR1 downstream signals were recorded at the end of experiment. Results showed that EPA increased 0 and 30 min blood glucose levels after glucose load in SCD-fed mice but improved glucose tolerance in HFrHFD-fed mice. Moreover, FFAR1 blockers reduced EPA effects on glucose tolerance and hepatic PIP2 and DAG levels. On the other hand, chronic use of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids increased FBG levels and decreased serum insulin and triglycerides levels without improving the index of insulin resistance. Also, they increased hepatic β-arrestin-2, PIP2, and pS473 Akt levels but decreased DAG levels. In conclusion, EPA acutely improved glucose homeostasis in HFrHFD-fed mice by modulating the activity of FFAR1. However, the chronic use of fish oil omega-3 fatty acids did not improve the insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noninvasive estimation of systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) during exercise stress echocardiography (ESE) is recommended for pulmonary hemodynamics evaluation but remains flow-dependent. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of pulmonary vascular reserve index (PVRI) estimation during ESE combining SPAP with cardiac output (CO) or exercise-time and compare its value in three group of patients: with invasively confirmed pulmonary hypertension (PH), at risk of PH development (PH risk) mainly with systemic sclerosis and in controls (C) without clinical risk factors for PH, age-matched with PH risk patients. We performed semisupine ESE in 171 subjects: 31 PH, 61 PH at risk and 50 controls as well as in 29 young, healthy normals. Rest and stress assessment included: tricuspid regurgitant flow velocity (TRV), pulmonary acceleration time (ACT), CO (Doppler-estimated). SPAP was calculated from TRV or ACT when TRV was not available. We estimated PVRI based on CO (peak CO/SPAP*0.1) or exercise-time (ESE time/SPAP*0.1). During stress, TRV was measurable in 44% patients ACT in 77%, either one in 95%. PVRI was feasible in 65% subjects with CO and 95% with exercise-time (p < 0.0001). PVRI was lower in PH compared to controls both for CO-based PVRI (group 1 = 1.0 ± 0.95 vs group 3 = 4.28 ± 2.3, p < 0.0001) or time-based PVRI estimation (0.66 ± 0.39 vs 3.95 ± 2.26, p < 0.0001). The proposed criteria for PH detection were for CO-based PVRI ≤ 1.29 and ESE-time based PVRI ≤ 1.0 and for PH risk ≤ 1.9 and ≤ 1.7 respectively. Noninvasive estimation of PVRI can be obtained in near all patients during ESE, without contrast administration, integrating TRV with ACT for SPAP assessment and using exercise time as a proxy of CO. These indices allow for comparison of pulmonary vascular dynamics in patients with varied exercise tolerance and clinical status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an integral surface protein mediating cellular response to a number of growth factors. Its overexpression and increased activation due to mutations is one of the most common traits of many types of cancer. Development and clinical use of the agents, which block EGFR activation, became a prime example of the personalized targeted medicine. However, despite the obvious success in this area, cancer cure remains unattainable in most cases. Because of that, as well as the result of the search for possible ways to overcome the difficulties of treatment, a huge number of new treatment methods relying on the use of EGFR overexpression and its changes to destroy cancer cells. Modern data on the structure, functioning, and intracellular transport of EGFR, its natural ligands, as well as signaling cascades triggered by the EGFR activation, peculiarities of the EGFR expression and activation in oncological disorders, as well as applied therapeutic approaches aimed at blocking EGFR signaling pathway are summarized and analyzed in this review. Approaches to the targeted delivery of various chemotherapeutic agents, radionuclides, immunotoxins, photosensitizers, as well as the prospects for gene therapy aimed at cancer cells with EGFR overexpression are reviewed in detail. It should be noted that increasing attention is being paid nowadays to the development of multifunctional systems, either carrying several different active agents, or possessing several environment-dependent transport functions. Potentials of the systems based on receptor-mediated endocytosis of EGFR and their possible advantages and limitations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can segment their product-oriented services customers with the help of a recency, frequency, and monetary value (RFM) analysis of service consumption. The study is an interventionist case study that uses two large OEMs as case companies, both seeking profitable growth in the area of services. The originality of the paper is threefold. First, the research extends the RFM analysis using four product-support-service-specific variables, and it outlines the similarities and differences between the industrial service and consumer business contexts when using the RFM analysis. Second, by applying and modifying the RFM model to better suit the product-support-service context, the study contributes to the literature on the governance of product-oriented services in manufacturing. Third, the paper contributes to the literature on management accounting supporting service business development, by introducing a method that can use installed base and customer information to measure, analyze and govern the business potential of an industrial machinery "fleet". In all, the paper is particularly helpful for service management and accounting academics and practitioners who wish to understand product-oriented service governance in environments in which there is a vast installed base of products at the customers, with remarkable potential for extending service business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last years, clinical and preclinical researchers have increased their interest in non-psychotomimetic cannabinoids, like cannabidiol (CBD), as a strategy for treating psychostimulant use disorders. However, there are discrepancies in the pharmacological effects and brain targets of CBD. We evaluated if CBD was able to prevent the locomotor sensitization elicited by cocaine and caffeine co-administration. The effect of CBD on putative alterations in the metabolic activity of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc), and its respective subregions (cingulated, prelimbic, and infralimbic cortices, and NAc core and shell) associated to the behavioral response, was also investigated. Rats were intraperitoneally and repeatedly treated with CBD (20 mg/kg) or its vehicle, followed by the combination of cocaine and caffeine (Coc+Caf; 5 mg/kg and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively) or saline for 3 days. After 5 days of withdrawal, all animals were challenged with Coc+Caf (day 9). Locomotor activity was automatically recorded and analyzed by a video-tracking software. The metabolic activity was determined by measuring cytochrome oxidase-I (CO-I) staining. Locomotion was significantly and similarly increased both in Veh-Coc+Caf- and CBD-Coc+Caf-treated animals during the pretreatment period (3 days); however, on day 9, the expression of the sensitization was blunted in CBD-treated animals. A hypoactive metabolic response and a hyperactive metabolic response in mPFC and NAc subregions respectively were observed after the behavioral sensitization. CBD prevented almost all these changes. Our findings substantially contribute to the understanding of the functional changes associated with cocaine- and caffeine-induced sensitization and the effect of CBD on this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a critical appraisal of the available evidence concerning clinical exposure to orally administered cannabidiol (CBD), with special reference to factors affecting gastrointestinal absorption, presystemic elimination, and susceptibility to metabolic drug interactions. Although detailed studies have not been published, the available data suggest that the absolute bioavailability of CBD after oral dosing under fasting conditions is approximately 6%, and increases fourfold when the medication is co-administered with a high-fat meal. Based on measurements of CBD plasma exposure after oral dosing and a 6% absolute oral bioavailability estimate, the actual clearance of CBD in adults can be inferred to be in the order of 67 L/h, which is similar to the value of 74 ± 14 L/h (mean ± standard deviation) determined after intravenous injection of a 20-mg dose of deuterium-labeled CBD in five healthy subjects. Assuming that the CBD blood-to-plasma ratio is about 1, as in the case of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and that CBD metabolism takes place virtually entirely in the liver, it can be estimated that about 70 to 75% of an orally absorbed dose of CBD can be removed by hepatic metabolism before reaching the systemic circulation, and additionally CBD gastrointestinal absorption is incomplete. A formulation with improved biopharmaceutical properties could increase the extent of CBD absorption about fourfold (i.e., to the level achieved with the currently available formulations co-administered with a high-fat meal) and minimize the influence of food effects on CBD bioavailability. There is also potential for favoring the absorption of CBD through the enteric lymphatic system, thereby reducing the extent of presystemic hepatic elimination. Evidence that CBD can behave as a high hepatic clearance compound also has implications when predicting the magnitude of drug–drug interactions affecting CBD metabolism. These considerations have important clinical relevance, particularly with respect to the objective of minimizing pharmacokinetic variability and consequent intra- and interindividual differences in therapeutic response and susceptibility to adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: The use of cannabinoids has increased since legalization of recreational and medical use in the USA. It is likely that many orthopaedic patients consume cannabinoid products during the traumatic or perioperative period. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pre-clinical data evaluating the mechanism of action of cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) and to evaluate the current clinical data on the use of cannabinoids in musculoskeletal illness. Recent Findings: Recent pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that cannabinoid use and the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has an important role in bone healing and bone homeostasis. There is data that suggests that the use of cannabidiol (CBD) may increase bone healing, whereas the use of Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), the major psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, likely inhibits bone metabolism and repair. The clinical implications and consumption of marijuana by orthopaedic patients have not been thoroughly evaluated. Studies have demonstrated concern for negative cardiovascular and psychiatric effects caused by marijuana use, but have not yet elucidated outcomes in the orthopaedic literature. Summary: With the recent increase in advertising of CBD products and legalization of marijuana, it is likely that many orthopaedic patients are consuming cannabinoid products. The clinical implications and consumption of these products are unclear. We need more robust and well-designed clinical studies prior to making further recommendations to our patients on the consumption of these products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used data from a Korean national survey to identify the relationships between problematic Internet use (PIU) and Internet use and psychological functioning variables in children (n = 1221) and adolescents (n = 3671). Data analysis revealed that the rate of PIU is higher in adolescents than in children and that compared to children, adolescents with PIU use the Internet for longer periods than do those without PIU. Moreover, compared to adolescents, children with PIU have a higher tendency to use the Internet for information, entertainment, and communication than do those without PIU. The degree of depression is higher in individuals with PIU than in those without. Therefore, it was concluded that the moderating effect of age cohorts was only found in the relationships between PIU and Internet use time and purpose. Parental education guidelines for each age group and counseling programs for individuals with PIU are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined parenting style dimensions (demandingness and responsiveness) as predictors of adolescent drug use and also evaluated whether parenting styles dimensions moderate the effects of the implemented prevention program. 6.391 students in the 7th and 8th grades at 72 Brazilian public schools participated in a three-wave randomized controlled trial to evaluate a school drug-use prevention program. We used structural equation modeling to test if baseline parenting style dimensions (demandingness and responsiveness) would predict the use of drugs (alcohol, binge drinking, cannabis, inhalants, and tobacco) after 21 months. Additionally, we evaluated an interaction version of the above-described model to test if the effect of the prevention program would be moderated by either or both parenting style dimensions. Higher levels of parent demandingness predicted lower chances of adolescent drug use (e.g., Cigarette use OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.64–0.89); responsiveness on the five outcomes showed p value superior to 0.01. The effect of the #Tamojunto intervention is unlikely to be conditioned to either parenting style dimensions on the assessed outcomes. Clinical trial registration Brazilian Register of Clinical Trials (REBEC): #RBR-4mnv5g (https://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/?q=tamojunto). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solute carrier 8 (SLC8) family of sodium–calcium exchangers (NCXs) functions as an essential regulatory system that couples opposite fluxes of sodium and calcium ions across plasmalemmal membranes. NCXs, thereby, play key roles in maintaining an ion homeostasis that preserves cellular integrity. Hence, alterations in NCX expression and regulation have been found to lead to ionic imbalances that are often associated with intracellular calcium overload and cell death. On the other hand, intracellular calcium has been identified as a key driver for a multitude of downstream signaling events that are crucial for proper functioning of biological systems, thus highlighting the need for a tightly controlled balance. In the CNS, NCXs have been primarily characterized in the context of synaptic transmission and ischemic brain damage. However, a much broader picture is emerging. NCXs are expressed by virtually all cells of the CNS including oligodendrocytes (OLGs), the cells that generate the myelin sheath. With a growing appreciation of dynamic calcium signals in OLGs, NCXs are becoming increasingly recognized for their crucial roles in shaping OLG function under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In order to provide a current update, this review focuses on the importance of NCXs in cells of the OLG lineage. More specifically, it provides a brief introduction into plasmalemmal NCXs and their modes of activity, and it discusses the roles of OLG expressed NCXs in regulating CNS myelination and in contributing to CNS pathologies associated with detrimental effects on OLG lineage cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger 1 (NCX1) participates in the maintenance of neuronal Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis, and it is highly expressed at synapse level of some brain areas involved in learning and memory processes, including the hippocampus, cortex, and amygdala. Furthermore, NCX1 increases Akt1 phosphorylation and enhances glutamate-mediated Ca2+ influx during depolarization in hippocampal and cortical neurons, two processes involved in learning and memory mechanisms. We investigated whether the modulation of NCX1 expression/activity might influence learning and memory processes. To this aim, we used a knock-in mouse overexpressing NCX1 in hippocampal, cortical, and amygdala neurons (ncx1.4over) and a newly synthesized selective NCX1 stimulating compound, named CN-PYB2. Both ncx1.4over and CN-PYB2-treated mice showed an amelioration in spatial learning performance in Barnes maze task, and in context-dependent memory consolidation after trace fear conditioning. On the other hand, these mice showed no improvement in novel object recognition task which is mainly dependent on non-spatial memory and displayed an increase in the active phosphorylated CaMKIIα levels in the hippocampus. Interestingly, both of these mice showed an increased level of context-dependent anxiety. Altogether, these results demonstrate that neuronal NCX1 participates in spatial-dependent hippocampal learning and memory processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the limitation of optical sensors, it's often hard to obtain an image with the ideal resolution. Image super-resolution (SR) technology can generate a high-resolution image from the corresponding low-resolution image. Recently, deep learning (DL) based SR methods draw much attention due to their satisfying reconstruction results. However, these methods often neglect the diversity of image patches. Therefore, the reconstruction effect is limited. To fully exploit the texture variability across different image patches, we propose a universal, flexible, and effective framework. The proposed framework can be adopted to any DL based methods. It can significantly improve the SR accuracy while maintaining the running time. In the proposed framework, K-means is employed to cluster image patches into different categories. Multiple CNN branches are designed for these different categories to reconstruct the SR image. Each branch is weighted in accordance with the Euclidean distance to the cluster centers. Experimental results demonstrate that by applying the proposed framework, performance of the DL based SR method can be significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies show an increasing trend of hospitalization for acute diverticulitis (AD), but data regarding the trend in hospitalization for complicated AD in Italy are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze the Italian trend in hospitalization for complicated AD, from 2008 to 2015. Methods: Using the Italian Hospital Information System, we identified all patients with complicated colonic AD as a discharge diagnosis. Age- and sex-specific rates for AD as well as type of hospital admission (emergency/elective), type of complication (peritonitis, obstruction, bleeding, abscess, fistula, perforation, sepsis) and type of treatment (medical/surgical), were analyzed. Results: A total of 41,622 patients with a discharge diagnosis of complicated AD were identified. Over the study period the admission rate grew from 8.8 to 11.8 per 100,000 inhabitants. The hospitalization rate was highest for patients ≥ 70 years, but the increase in the admission rate was higher among patients aged ≤ 60 years. There were more males in the group < 60 years and more females in the group ≥ 60 years old. The rate of emergency admissions associated with surgery showed a significant mean annual increase (+ 3.9% per year) in the rate of emergency admissions associated with surgery, whereas elective admissions for surgery remained stable. Peritonitis was the most frequent complication (35.5%). The rate of surgery increased in AD complicated by peritonitis (+ 5.1% per year), abscess (+ 5.8% per year) and decreased for obstruction (− 1.8% per year). Conclusions: From 2008 to 2015, we documented an increasing rate of hospitalization for complicated AD, especially for younger patients, with an increase in surgery for peritonitis and abscess. Further studies are needed to clearly assess the risk factors for complications and risk of surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The symptomatic treatment of myotonia and myalgia in patients with dystrophic and non-dystrophic myotonias is often not satisfactory. Some patients anecdotally report symptoms' relief through consumption of cannabis. Methods: A combination of cannabidiol and tetrahydrocannabinol (CBD/THC) was prescribed as compassionate use to six patients (four patients with myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2, and 2 patients with CLCN1-myotonia) with therapy-resistant myotonia and myalgia. CBD/THC oil was administered on a low dose in the first 2 weeks and adjusted to a higher dose in the following 2 weeks. Myotonia behaviour scale (MBS), hand-opening time, visual analogue scales (VAS) for myalgia and myotonia, and fatigue and daytime sleepiness severity scale (FSS, ESS) were performed weekly to monitor treatment response. Results: All patients reported an improvement of myotonia especially in weeks 3 and 4 of treatment: MBS improved of at least 2 points in all patients, the hand-opening time variously improved in 5 out of 6 patients. Chronic myalgia was reported by both DM2 patients at baseline, one of them experienced a significant improvement of myalgia under treatment. Some gastrointestinal complaints, as abdominal pain and diarrhoea, improved in 3 patients; however, 4 out of 6 patients reported new-onset constipation. No other relevant side effect was noticed. Conclusions: These first empirical results suggest a potentially beneficial role of CBD/THC in alleviating myotonia and should encourage further research in this field including a randomized-controlled trial on larger cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anonymous data collection systems are often necessary when assessing sensitive behaviors but can pose challenges to researchers seeking to link participants over time. To assist researchers in anonymously linking participants, we outlined and tested a novel security question linking (security question linking; SEEK) method. The SEEK method includes four steps: (1) data management and standardization, (2) many-to-many matching, (3) fuzzy matching, and (4) rematching and verification. The method is demonstrated in SAS with two samples from a longitudinal study of adolescent dating violence. After an initial assessment during a laboratory visit, participants were asked to complete an online assessment either (a) once, 3 months later (Sample 1, n = 60), or (b) three times at 1-month intervals (Sample 2, n = 140). Demographics, eye color, and responses to nine security questions were used as key variables to link responses from the laboratory and online follow-up assessments. The rates of matched cases were 100% in Sample 1 and from 94.3 to 98.3% in Sample 2. To quantify the confidence in the data quality of successfully matched pairs, we reported the means and standard deviations of the number of matched security questions. In addition, we reported the rank order and counts of the mismatched components in key variables. Results indicate that the SEEK method provides a feasible and reliable solution to link responses in longitudinal studies with sensitive questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinion Statement: Recent studies have evidenced the potential of combining anti-EGFR therapies with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint therapies. Both anti-EGFR and anti-PD-1/PD-L1 have been separately tested in the treatment of cutaneous SCC (cSCC). Here, we review recent data on EGFR in the context of cancer progression, as a prognostic and as a therapeutic target in cSCC. Anti-EGFR/checkpoint immunotherapy and other combination therapy approaches are discussed. With the advent of immunotherapy, EGFR is still a valid cSCC target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present paper, the spectral meshless radial point interpolation (SMRPI) technique is applied to the solution of pattern formation in nonlinear reaction diffusion systems. Firstly, we obtain a time discrete scheme by approximating the time derivative via a finite difference formula, then we use the SMRPI approach to approximate the spatial derivatives. This method is based on a combination of meshless methods and spectral collocation techniques. The point interpolation method with the help of radial basis functions is used to construct shape functions which act as basis functions in the frame of SMRPI. In the current work, to eliminate the nonlinearity, a simple predictor–corrector (P–C) scheme is performed. The effect of parameters and conditions are studied by considering the well-known Schnakenberg model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The customer satisfaction, an important concept in the field of general marketing and in the management of firms, is the measure of the degree of customer satisfaction. More precisely, the customer satisfaction provides an assessment of the discrepancy between the perceived performance by the customer (i.e. all the sensations and impressions after use of a product or the fruition of a service) and the expectations (expectations and desires) of the same customer but also represents the company's ability to anticipate and to manage the expectations of the customer, to satisfy its needs with competence and responsibility. The company resources, in fact, must be organized taking account of the demands of customers who represent a precious commodity for the company, even if their value does not appear in the financial statements, the fulcrum around which revolves the whole system business. To have satisfied customers is, therefore, fundamental for a company and, therefore, the customer satisfaction can be defined as a touchstone for the management of customer relationships, as a key to create the competitive advantage as of a company. In this article, the authors present some of the main processes and detection systems required for a scrupulous and reliable process of measuring of the customer satisfaction or better they present a mathematical framework to determine and to improve the customer satisfaction and to demonstrate how it has a great impact on corporate performance. In particular, the authors propose a model of structural equations with latent variables which is the most rigorous methodology currently available for the evaluations of the customer satisfaction and they hope that the paper, which at first sight has little in common with mathematics, is a very useful for stimulating research at the interface of mathematics and marketing and that it builds a link that can become beneficial for both disciplines involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapidly growing collection of software tools is helping researchers to analyse multiple huge ‘-omics’ data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Gluten is a commonly ingested polymeric protein found in wheat, barley, and rye that has gained recent notoriety because of its relationship to disease and health. Avoidance of gluten is appropriate in patients with a diagnosed gluten–related disorder and may have treatment implications in other diseases of the digestive tract. This review highlights current knowledge of gluten related disorders and the use of a gluten-free diet in gastrointestinal disease management. Recent Findings: Gluten-free diets should be used in patients with a diagnosed gluten–related disorder including celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and wheat-sensitive eosinophilic esophagitis. Use of this diet in management of other digestive conditions including gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel disease is controversial and not currently supported by the literature. Summary: This review provides a framework for classifying gluten-related disorders in terms of pathogenesis, understanding the literature that supports dietary avoidance in modulation of gastrointestinal disease, and identifies limitations of dietary restriction in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary repair of large hiatal hernia is associated with a high recurrence rate, which has led to the use of mesh for crural repair. However, severe mesh-related complications, including esophageal or gastric erosion, have been observed.Methods: In the present study, we made a thorough identification of all published reports on the esophageal or gastric mesh erosion or migration after hiatal hernia repair. The incidence, site, mesh type, latent interval, consequence and treatment methods of mesh erosion were summarized and analyzed.Results: A total of 50 cases of esophageal or gastric mesh erosion or migration after hiatal hernia repair were reported since 1998. A higher erosion rate was observed in recurrent hiatal hernia repair. The most common erosion site was esophagus (50%), followed by stomach (25%) and gastric-esophageal junction (GEJ) (23%). The most common mesh types reported in this series were PTEF and polypropylene. The duration from the hernia repair to the identification of erosion varied greatly, and 79% of the erosion occurred within 2 years after the hernia repair. Various treatment methods were reported, including endoscopic mesh retrieval (15.7%), laparoscopic mesh removal (11.8%), surgical mesh removal (19.6%); however, distal esophageal resection and gastric resection were reported in 19.6% and 5.9%, respectively. Some patients had to receive tube feeding.Conclusion: The true incidence of mesh erosion after hiatal hernia repair may be higher than previously reported, and the erosion is more prone to occur after recurrent hiatal hernia repair. Mesh erosion can result in severe morbidity and sometimes require complex organ resection. Different kinds and shapes of prosthetic meshes can cause erosion; therefore, mesh should be used very selectively for hiatal hernia repair. The patient should be informed about the mesh placement and the possible mesh-related complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening and early detection of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in connective tissue disease (CTD) are currently recommended for early treatment. Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (EIPH) is thought to be a potential risk of developing resting pulmonary hypertension. However, accurate diagnosis of EIPH is needed hemodynamics by right heart catheterization during exercise. Therefore, we compared various parameters of EIPH group with non-EIPH group in patients with CTD. This study aimed to investigate noninvasive predictors of EIPH. A total of 162 consecutive patients with CTD who received screening of PAH was studied. Thirty-four patients with suspected PAH received right heart catheterization (RHC) at rest. Twenty-four patients without PAH underwent RHC during exercise, and they were divided into the EIPH group (n = 7) and the non-EIPH group (n = 17). Exercise tolerance such as 6-min walk distance and peak VO2/kg in the EIPH group was lower than that in the non-EIPH group. For hemodynamics, pulmonary artery pressure, right atrial pressure, and vascular resistance in the EIPH group were significantly higher than those in the non-EIPH group. In echocardiography, RV Tei index in the EIPH group was significantly higher than that in the non-EIPH group (EIPH vs non-EIPH = 0.42 [0.41, 0.47] vs 0.25 [0.20, 0.32], P = 0.007). The receiver operating characteristics curve showed a cutoff value of RV Tei index (0.41) with a sensitivity of 0.857 and specificity of 0.882. In conclusion, RV Tei index might be a feasible predictor of EIPH in patients with CTD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We sought to investigate right heart remodeling and function in elite athlees, as well as the relationship between parameters of right ventricular (RV) and right atrial (RA) remodeling and indices of aerobic capacity. Elite male athletes (n = 352) underwent echocardiographic examination including the evaluation of RV and RA parameters. Maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed to measure maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and heart rate reserve (HRR). The right heart remodeling was different between groups. Soccer players had significantly higher RV and RA diameters indexed for BSA. RV filling pressure assessed by tricuspid E/e' ratio was the lowest in soccer players, suggesting somewhat better RV diastolic function. Functional capacity also varies between groups of athletes. VO2max was the highest among soccer players, somewhat lower in basketball players and and the lowest among water polo players (55.3 ± 5.6 vs. 52.1 ± 5.9 vs. 53.5 ± 4.8 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001). Age, average weekly duration of training, percentage of body fat, as well as parameters of cardiopulmonary fitness (VO2max, O2 pulse, HRR), correlated well with parameters of RV and RA structure and function in the whole study population. However, systolic blood pressure at rest, VO2max and LV mass index are independently associated with RV and RA structure, whereas duration of training shows the best association with parameters of RV systolic and diastolic function. Even though soccer, water polo and basketball belong to the same group of sports, there is a significant difference in RV and RA remodeling between these three groups. It seems that right heart adaptation is the most pronounced in soccer players, who also have the highest maximal oxygen consumption. Further studies are necessary to investigate the mechanisms of these differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Switzerland, only cannabis with a total Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content higher than 1% is controlled by the narcotics legislation. Cannabis products rich in cannabidiol (CBD) and low in THC can be legally sold as tobacco substitutes. In this paper, we address analytical and forensic toxicological issues related to the increasing availability and consumption of these products. Based on the analysis of 531 confiscated cannabis samples, we could establish classification thresholds: plant material with a ratio of total THC/total CBD ≥ 3 is graded as THC-rich/CBD-poor, whereas samples with a ratio ≤ 0.33 are categorized as CBD-rich/THC-poor cannabis. We also evaluated an on-site test kit as a rapid alternative to the laborious liquid or gas chromatography (LC or GC)-based techniques normally used for the differentiation between THC- and CBD-cannabis. Furthermore, we determined whole blood and urine cannabinoid levels after smoking different doses of legal CBD-cannabis. A male volunteer smoked one cigarette within 15 min and four cigarettes within 1 h and within 30 min, respectively. Cigarettes contained on average 42.7 mg CBD and 2.2 mg THC. Blood samples were collected up to 1.1 h and urine samples up to 27.3 h after the beginning of smoking. All urine samples tested negative by three immunochemical assays for detection of cannabis use. This is an important finding for abstinence monitoring. However, we found that the trace amounts of THC present in CBD-cannabis can produce THC blood levels above the Swiss legal limit for driving, and thus render the consumer unable to drive from a legal point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diario della Salute [My Health Diary] is a school-based program designed to enhance the subjective well-being and health of 12- to 13-year-old students. We hypothesized that providing students with the social and emotional skills to fulfill their potential and deal with common developmental tasks of adolescence (e.g., onset of puberty, identity development, increased responsibilities and academic demands) would result in improved well-being and health. The program comprises five standardized interactive lessons concerning common psychosocial and health issues in adolescence, and two narrative booklets addressed to both students and their parents. We evaluated the effectiveness of the program in terms of the students' subjective well-being, aggressive behavior, and health behavior. Using a quasi-experimental study design, schools in the intervention group implemented the full program and those in the comparison group received their regular curriculum. We administered measures of the study's objectives both before and after program implementation. Statistical analyses accounted for within-school clustering, potential socioeconomic and demographic confounding, and pre-implementation levels of these measures. We sampled 62 schools and allocated 2630 students to either an intervention or comparison group. Sociodemographic characteristics and baseline outcomes were balanced across study groups. Unexpectedly, respondents in the intervention group had 0.38 greater mean adjusted score of the WHO/Europe Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Symptom Checklist instrument than respondents in the comparison group, indicating a reduction in subjective well-being. We did not observe any program effects on aggressive and health behaviors. The apparent reduction in subjective well-being reflected by an increased perception of psychosomatic complaints is suggestive of either increased emotional competence or, potentially, iatrogenic program effects. While greater emotional competence is positively associated with well-being over the course of life, the program in its present form should not be disseminated due to the possibility of adverse unintended effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by both impaired pancreatic β-cell function (BCF) and insulin resistance. In the etiology of T2DM, BCF basically determines whether a person with a certain degree of insulin resistance develops T2DM, as β-cells are able to compensatorily increase insulin secretion. The effects of dietary intake on BCF are largely unknown. Our study aim was to investigate whether dietary macronutrient intake predicts BCF. Methods: Prospective data (median follow-up 7 years) of 303 individuals recruited from the CODAM study population (aged 40–70 years, 39% women) were analyzed. BCF was measured by C-peptide deconvolution and physiological modeling of data from a 5-point, 75-g, 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. Macronutrient intake was estimated by a 178-item Food Frequency Questionnaire. Results: Associations adjusted for relevant covariates of baseline macronutrient intake with model-derived parameters describing BCF (glucose sensitivity, rate sensitivity or potentiation) or C-peptidogenic index were detected for trans fat [standardized regression coefficient (95%-CI) glucose sensitivity − 0.14 (− 0.26, − 0.01)] per g, cholesterol [potentiation 0.20 (0.02, 0.37)] per 100 mg, dietary fiber [glucose sensitivity 0.21 (0.08, 0.33)] per 10 g, MUFA glucose sensitivity 0.16 (0.02, 0.31) per 10 g, and polysaccharide [potentiation − 0.24 (− 0.43, − 0.05), C-peptidogenic index − 0.16 (− 0.29 − 0.03); odds ratio lowest versus highest tertile (95%-CI) rate sensitivity 1.51 (1.06, 2.15)) per 50 g. Conclusions: In this population at high risk for developing T2DM, polysaccharide and trans fat intake were associated with worse BCF, whereas increased intake of MUFA, dietary cholesterol, and fiber were associated with better BCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problematic online betting among adolescents has attracted considerable public attention internationally for the last two decades. Although the online betting prevalence rate in Turkey is unclear, some reports indicate that it could be more pervasive than is currently estimated. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of problematic online betting, common behaviors of youth related to betting, and to identify the effect of family on online betting among Turkish adolescents. We surveyed 6116 adolescents aged between 12 and 18 in Istanbul to determine if they are problematic Internet users for betting. Although 756 (12.4%) adolescents reported that they play online betting, only 176 adolescents (2.9%) were classified as problematic Internet users. Thus, we collected further data from those 176 adolescents, 14.8% of which were female. A significant positive correlation was found between Internet Addiction (IA) and duration of betting. Almost 61% of participants expressed that they prefer to be online because they do not have better things to do. Almost a quarter of the participants started online betting between 10 and 12 years of age. All participants know someone who bets online. In terms of frequency, these are friends, relatives, siblings, and parents, respectively. Although there is no relationship between family structure and IA among adolescents who are problematic users, participants who live in an unstable family have higher IA scores than participants who live in a stable family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate representation is one of the keys to successful face recognition technologies. Actual facial appearance sometimes differs dramatically because of variations in pose, illumination, expression, and occlusion. However, existing face representation methods remain insufficiently powerful and robust. Hence, we propose a new feature extraction approach for face representation based on heat kernel volume and local binary patterns. Multi-scale heat kernel faces are created in our proposed framework. We then reformulate these multi-scale heat kernel faces as three-dimensional volume. Furthermore, we generate multi-orientation planes from the heat kernel volume, which reflects orientation co-occurrence statistics among different heat kernel faces. Finally, we apply local binary pattern (LBP) analysis on the multi-orientation planes of the heat kernel volume to capture the microstructure and macrostructure of face appearance. Hence, we obtain the heat kernel volume based local binary pattern on multi-orientation planes (HKV-LBP-MOP) descriptor. The proposed method is successfully be paralleled. We applied the method to face recognition and obtain the performance of 99.28 and 87.82% on ORL and Yale databases respectively. Experimental results on the show that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms other well-known approaches in terms of recognition rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared imaging has the advantage of all-weather working ability. Due to the limitation of the hardware and the high cost, the resolution of infrared image (IR) is very low. To improve the resolution of IR images, this paper exploits super-resolution (SR) method for IR images. A new SR framework by using random forests is proposed in this paper. Existing methods adopts single regression model for SR. However, which single regression model tends to overfit training data, and would lead to a poor performance. Furthermore, the existing methods are not suitable for real-time system due to the heavy time consuming. To resolve this problem, an ensemble regression model, i.e. random forests rather than single regression model is adopted in this paper. In addition, to achieve better results multi-regression models rather than a single regression model are trained on the clustered training data. Moreover, the features used in many SR methods cannot extract features on diagonal orientation. To resolve this problem, we adopt a second order derivative filter, which can extract features on diagonal orientation. The experimental results demonstrate the availability of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is an effective cryptography algorithm for providing the better data communication since it guaranties high security. The Galois/Counter Mode (AES-GCM) has been integrated in various security constrained applications because it provides both authentication and confidentiality. AES algorithm helps to provide data confidentiality while authentication is provided by a universal GHASH function. Since most of existing GCM architectures concentrated on power and area reduction but an compact and efficient hardware architecture should also be considered. In this paper, high-performance architecture for GCM is proposed and its implementation is described. In order to achieve higher operating frequency and throughput, pipelined S-boxes are used in AES algorithm. For a GCM realization of AES, a high-speed, high-throughput, parallel architecture is proposed. Experimental results proves that the performance of the proposed work is around 17% higher than the existing architecture with 3 Gb/s throughput using TSMC 45-nm CMOS technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) are used by power athletes to improve performance. However, the real effects of the chronic consumption of AAS on cardiovascular structures are subjects of intense debate. To detect by speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) underlying left atrial (LA) dysfunction in athletes abusing AAS and assess possible correlation between LA myocardial function and exercise capacity during cardiopulmonary stress test. 65 top-level competitive bodybuilders were selected (45 males), including 35 athletes misusing AAS for at least 5 years (users), 30 anabolic-free bodybuilders (non-users), compared to 40 age- and sex-matched healthy sedentary controls. Standard Doppler echocardiography, STE analysis and bicycle ergometric test were performed to assess LA myocardial function and exercise capacity. Athletes showed increased left ventricular (LV) mass index, wall thickness and stroke volume compared with controls, whereas LV ejection fraction, LV end-diastolic diameter and transmitral Doppler indexes were comparable between the three groups. Conversely, LA volume index, LV and LA strain and LV E/Em were significantly increased in AAS users. By multivariate analyses, LV E/Em (beta = - 0.30, p < 0.01), LA volume index (- 0.42, p < 0.001) and number of weeks of AAS use per year (- 0.54, p < 0.001) emerged as the only independent determinants of LA lateral wall peak STE. In addition, a close association between LA myocardial function and VO2 peak during cardiopulmonary exercise testing was evidenced (p < 0.001), showing a powerful incremental value with respect to clinical and standard echocardiographic data. STE represents a promising technique to assess LA myocardial function in athletes abusing steroids. AAS users showed a more impaired LA deformation, associated with reduced functional capacity during physical effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Left atrial (LA) contraction is essential for left ventricular (LV) filling during exertion. We sought to evaluate the relationship of LA contraction and exercise capacity in trained athletes.Methods: Sixteen male marathon runners were recruited and allocated into two groups according to their previous training status (≥ or < 100 km peer week). All subjects underwent a baseline cardiopulmonary test to evaluate maximal aerobic capacity and a transthoracic echocardiography previous and immediate post-marathon. LA contractile function evaluation was accomplished by measuring the negative deformation of the post P wave strain curve (LASa). LASa change was defined as LASa pre-marathon minus LASa immediate post-marathon.Results: Mean age was 39 ± 6 years. LA volume index (39 ± 13 vs. 31 ± 5 mL/m2, p = 0.04), LV mass index (91 ± 21 vs. 73 ± 12 g/m2, p = 0.04), VO2 max (59 ± 3 vs. 50 ± 8 mL/kg/min, p = 0.036) were higher in more intensive trained group and marathon time was lower (185 ± 14 vs. 219 ± 24 min, p = 0.017). An increase in LASa after immediate post-marathon was observed in both groups, which was significantly greater in the highly trained group (18.9 ± 5.8 vs. 6.3 ± 3.5%, p < 0.003). Maximum VO2 measured previous to the marathon was inversely related to marathon time and directly correlated to LASa change (rho = 0.744, p = 0.001, rho = 0.546, p = 0.028, respectively).Conclusions: Athletes with more intensive training load have larger LV mass and LA size. An increase in LA contraction was seen post-marathon, which was significantly greater in the highly trained group. This increase in the LA contraction was related to the maximum VO2 measured previous to the marathon and to performance in a highly demanding test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the multidisciplinary integration in the therapeutic management of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the prognosis of GBM patients is poor. There is growing recognition that the cells in the tumor microenvironment play a vital role in regulating the progression of glioma. Astrocytes are an important component of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) as well as the tripartite synapse neural network to promote bidirectional communication with neurons under physiological conditions. Emerging evidence shows that tumor-associated reactive astrocytes interact with glioma cells and facilitate the progression, aggression, and survival of tumors by releasing different cytokines. Communication between reactive astrocytes and glioma cells is further promoted through ion channels and ion transporters, which augment the migratory capacity and invasiveness of tumor cells by modifying H+ and Ca2+ concentrations and stimulating volume changes in the cell. This in part contributes to the loss of epithelial polarization, initiating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Therefore, this review will summarize the recent findings on the role of reactive astrocytes in the progression of GBM and in the development of treatment-resistant glioma. In addition, the involvement of ion channels and transporters in bridging the interactions between tumor cells and astrocytes and their potential as new therapeutic anti-tumor targets will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidemiological studies in Western countries have documented an increase of hospitalizations for acute diverticulitis (AD) but Italian evidence is scarce. The aim of the present study was to analyse the trend in hospitalization for AD, including in-hospital mortality, in Italy from 2008 to 2015.Methods: Through the Italian Hospital Information System of the National Health System, we identified diverticulitis of the colon as a discharge diagnosis. Age- and gender-specific rates of hospitalization for AD were assessed.Results: 174,436 hospitalizations were identified with an increasing rate in 2008-2015 from 39 to 48 per 100,000 inhabitants (p < 0.001). The rate of hospitalization was higher for women, but the increasing trend over time was even more pronounced among men (mean increase per year 3.9% and 2.1% among men and women, respectively) (p < 0.001). The increased rate of hospitalization was accounted for by patients less than 70 years old, especially those under 60. In contrast, the hospitalization rate for older patients (age ≥ 70 years) was higher but remained unchanged during the study period. The number of patients with one hospital admissions was significantly higher than the number of patients with at least two hospitalizations (p < 0.001) and both groups showed a significant and comparable increase year by year. The overall in-hospital mortality rate increased from 1.2 to 1.5% (p = 0.017). More specifically, the increase was observed in patients at their first hospitalization [from 1 to 1.4% (mean increase per year of 3%, p = 0.003)]. An increase in mortality was most evident among women (from 1.4 to 1.8% p = 0.025) and in older patients [age 70-79 years from 1.2 to 1.7% (p = 0.034), ≥ 80 years from 2.9 to 4% (p = 0.001)].Conclusions: In Italy, between 2008 and 2015, the rate of hospitalization for AD has been constantly increasing due to the hospitalization of younger individuals, especially men. There was a significant increase of in-hospital mortality especially among women, elderly and during the first hospitalization. These findings suggest the need for increased awareness and clinical skills in the management of this common condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We deal with the following scheduling problem: an infinite number of tasks must be scheduled for processing on a finite number of heterogeneous machines, such as all tasks are sent to execution with a minimum delay. The tasks have causal dependencies and are generated in the context of biomedical applications, and produce results relevant for the medical domain, such as diagnosis support or drug dose adjust measures. The proposed scheduling model had a starting point in two known bounded number of processors algorithms: Modified Critical Path and Highest Level First With Estimated Times. Several steps were added to the original implementation along with a merge stage in order to combine the results obtained for each of the previously scheduled tasks. Regarding the implementation, a simulator was used to analyze and design the scheduling algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypothyroxinemia (Hpx) is a highly frequent condition characterized by low thyroxine (T4) and normal 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in the blood. Gestational Hpx is closely related to cognitive impairment in the human offspring. In animal models gestational Hpx causes impairment at glutamatergic synapsis, spatial learning, and the susceptibility to suffer strong autoimmune diseases like experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). However, the mechanisms underlying these phenotypes are unknown. On the other hand, it has been shown that astrocytes and microglia affect the outcome of EAE. In fact, the activation of astrocytes and microglia in the central nervous system (CNS) contributes to EAE progression. Thus, in this work, the reactivity of astrocytes and microglia from rats gestated in Hpx was evaluated aiming to understand whether these cells are targets of gestational Hpx. Interestingly, microglia derived from the offspring gestated in Hpx were less reactive compared to microglia derived from offspring gestated in euthyroidism. Instead, astrocytes derived from the offspring gestated in Hpx were significantly more reactive than the astrocytes from the offspring gestated in euthyroidism. This work contributes with novel information regarding the effects of gestational Hpx over astrocytes and microglia in the offspring. It suggests that astrocyte could react strongly to an inflammatory insult inducing neuronal death in the CNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breastfeeding women are excluded from clinical trials of psychoactive drugs because of ethical concerns. Animal testing, which often is predictive of adverse effects in humans, represents the only avenue available for assessing drug safety for human offspring exposed to drugs during lactation. I determined whether behavioral outcomes for children exposed during breastfeeding to antidepressants, anxiolytics, antipsychotics, anti-seizure medications, analgesics, sedatives, and marijuana can be predicted by rodent studies of offspring exposed to drugs during lactation. Animal data were available for only 10 of 80 CNS-active drugs canvassed. Behavioral deficits in adolescence or adulthood in rats and mice after various drug exposures during lactation included reductions in sexual behavior, increased anxiety, hyperactivity, and impaired learning and memory. Whether similar adverse effects will emerge in adulthood in children exposed to drugs during breastfeeding is unknown. Rodent research has the potential to forecast impairments in breastfed children long before information emerges from post-marketing reports and should be prioritized during preclinical drug evaluation by the FDA for new drugs and for drugs currently prescribed off-label for lactating women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most important bioceramic materials used in medical implants. The structure of HA coatings is closely related to their manufacturing process. In the present study, HA coatings were deposited on Ti-6Al-4V substrate by micro-plasma spraying. Results show that three distinct HA coatings could be obtained by changing the spraying power from 0.5 to 1.0 kW and spraying stand-off distance from 60 to 110 mm: (1) high crystallinity (93.3%) coatings with porous structure, (2) high crystallinity coatings (86%) with columnar structure, (3) higher amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP, 50%) coatings with dense structure. The in-flight particles melting state and splat topography was analyzed to better understand the formation mechanism of three distinct HA coatings. Results show that HA coatings sprayed at low spraying power and short stand-off distance exhibit high crystallinity and porosity is attributed to the presence of partially melted particles. High crystallinity HA coatings with (002) crystallographic texture could be deposited due to the complete melting of the in-flight particles and low cooling rate of the disk shape splats under higher spraying power and shorter SOD. However, splashed shape splats with relative high cooling can be provided by increasing SOD, which leads to the formation of ACP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2014 with 7th and 8th grade students from 72 public schools in 6 Brazilian cities. This trial aimed to evaluate the effects of an adapted European school-based drug prevention program Unplugged, called #Tamojunto in Brazil, which was implemented by the Ministry of Health as part of public policy. The experimental group (n = 3340) attended 12 classes in the #Tamojunto program, and the control group (n = 3318) did not receive a school prevention program. Baseline data were collected prior to program implementation, and follow-up data were collected 9 months later, allowing a matching of 4213 adolescents in both waves. The substances examined were alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, cocaine, and crack. Multilevel analyses were used to evaluate the changes in consumption of each drug between time points and between groups. The intervention and control groups had similar baseline characteristics. The mean age of the adolescents was 12.5 ± 0.7 years, and 51.3% were female. The program seemed to increase alcohol use initiation (first alcohol use); students in the experimental group had a 30% increased risk of initiating alcohol use during the 9-month follow-up (aRR = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.13-1.49, p < 0.001) compared to the control group. The opposite was found for the first inhalant use: the risk of using inhalants for the first time after baseline was lower in the experimental group (aRR = 0.78, 95%CI 0.63-0.96, p = 0.021) than the control group. The results of the #Tamojunto program suggest that the content and lessons regarding alcohol may enhance curiosity about its use among adolescents. We suggest a re-evaluation of the expansion of the #Tamojunto program in schools while analyzing why the program's effects were inconsistent with those of previous European studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coeliac disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disease in genetically susceptible individuals, induced by ingested gluten. The treatment for CD is a lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD). The GFD involves restrictions in diet that may impact on a person's Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL).Aim: The aim of the present study was to develop the Coeliac Disease Quality of Life questionnaire (CDQL): a comprehensive CD-specific HRQoL measure that can be completed by children, adolescents, and adults or by proxy.Methods: The questionnaire was developed in three phases. In phase 1, focus group methods and qualitative analysis of verbatim transcripts generated CD-specific items for a prototype instrument to sensitively captured patient concerns. In phase 2, CD patients completed the prototype CDQL. The questionnaire was refined through analysis of data and cognitive interviewing. In phase 3, the final version of the CDQL was answered by Danish respondents. The psychometric properties of the CDQL were assessed, and the HRQoL data were analyzed.Results: The CDQL was completed by 422 respondents. The CDQL has 12 patient background items, 2 generic HRQoL items, and 30 CD-specific HRQoL item. The CD-specific HRQoL items were distributed on eight scales with acceptable to excellent reliability. Comprehensiveness and understandability was shown by feedback from cognitive interviewing from children, adolescents, and adults. Content validity was ensured by involving patients and clinicians in the development of the questionnaire. Sensitivity of the questionnaire was demonstrated in differences found between children, adolescents, and adult's perception of their HRQoL in relation to having CD.Conclusions: The CDQL comprehensively measures HRQoL in CD, and is psychometrically robust. The questionnaire may prove useful in tracking HRQoL in CD across age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed removal of three run-of-river dams (all ≤5-m height) in eastern Pennsylvania along lower Bushkill Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River, has provided a valuable opportunity for multidisciplinary research involving the collection of more than 5 years of pre-removal monitoring data, analysis of heavy metals in legacy sediment cores, and associated toxicity assays to determine the singular and interactive effects of lead, copper, and cadmium on survival and behavior of a common macroinvertebrate found in Bushkill Creek. Monitoring data were collected from sites approximately 35 m upstream and downstream of dams and reference sites located approximately 5 km upstream of all dams. Results indicate that oxygen levels, macroinvertebrate diversity, and proportion of sensitive taxa were significantly lower upstream and downstream of dams in comparison with upstream reference reaches. The strong correlation between water quality and macroinvertebrates in this system implies that removal of the lower three dams would lead to improvements in water quality, biotic integrity, and resilience in lower Bushkill Creek. Sediment analyses and toxicity assays suggest that dam removal and sediment mobilization may route contaminated sediments downstream at concentrations that may harm more sensitive biota. However, macroinvertebrate mortality and behavior were not significantly different from clean water controls for the large majority of toxicity assays. All together, these results suggest that dams 1-3 are good candidates for successful stream restoration but that the removals would best be planned in a way that mitigates potential impacts of contaminated legacy sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fentanyl is a synthetic, highly selective opioid with many desirable physicochemical properties, including a high lipophilicity and predictable pharmacokinetics. These properties have an established record in the management of pain in a variety of settings, particularly acute pain and breakthrough cancer pain. Fentanyl was initially developed for parenteral use; however, this is invasive and impractical in the outpatient setting. Unfortunately, the high first-pass metabolism of fentanyl makes oral formulations unfeasible. However, its high lipophilicity allows fentanyl to be absorbed via a number of other routes. Thus new formulations were designed to allow non-invasive methods of administration. Transmucosal and transdermal fentanyl formulations are well established, and have proven useful in the settings of breakthrough cancer pain, emergencies and in the paediatric population. The iontophoretic transdermal system was developed to provide a needle-free system of delivering bolus doses of fentanyl on demand, a novel way of delivering patient-controlled opioid analgesia. Transpulmonary administration of fentanyl remains experimental. The aim of this review is to provide an update on current non-parenteral fentanyl formulations, with attention to their particular pharmacokinetics and features relevant to clinical use in pain management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We conducted a feasibility study for matching children (N = 2571, average age 12 years, 50.4% female) and their parents (N = 1931, average age 41 years, 83.3% female) represented by an anonymous self-generated identification code (SGIC) and assessed its methodological properties. We used a nine-character SGIC with the children and a mirrored version of the same code with the parents. The average overall error rate in generating the SGIC was 9.7% (4.0% in the parents and 13.9% in the children). We were able to link a total of 1765 parents' and children's codes uniquely (94.9% of all possible dyads) with any four-character combination and the employment of the "school" variable. The overall matching quality of linking using the SGIC only is characterized by precision (positive predictive value) of 0.979, recall (sensitivity, true positive rate) of 0.934, and an F-measure (harmonic mean of precision and recall) of 0.956. The analysis of the discrepant characters in the dyads identified the paternal grandmother's name and eye color as those varying most often. This study is the first to look at SGIC match rates and error and omission rates in linking different subjects into dyads in prevention research. We identified a high number of unique child-parent matches while guaranteeing anonymity to the participants. We provided evidence that our SGIC is a suitable tool for between-group linking procedures and has a highly successful matching rate, while maintaining anonymity in the school-based prevention study samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]