Search

Objectives: The present systematic review aimed to evaluate if cortical bone perforation is effective in enhancing periodontal surgery and guided bone regeneration (GBR) in humans. Materials and methods: Electronic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane CENTRAL up to October 31st, 2023. Grey literature was also searched. Prospective controlled studies were included. Two PICO questions were created; one focusing on the effect of bone perforation in the treatment of peridodontal intrabony defects (primary outcome probing depth (PD)) and one focusing on the effect of bone perforation in guided bone regeneration (primary outcome: histologic and histomorphometric data). The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane tool for randomized controlled studies (RCTs) and the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool for cohort studies. Pairwise meta-analysis was undertaken when possible, to estimate the overall effect for the outcomes investigated. Results: The search on databases yielded a total of 653 articles. After screening, five RCTs and one non-randomized study were included. A meta-analysis was performed for the first PICO. PD was evaluated in 4 articles and no significant difference was found between the perforation vs. no perforation groups (0.11 mm (95% CI [-0.14 to 0.37 mm], P = 0.38). Additionally, radiographic defect depth (mean difference 0.77 mm, 95% CI [0.24 to 1.30 mm], P = 0.004) and distance between cemento-enamel junction and bone defect (standardized mean difference 0.98 mm, 95% CI [0.47 to 1.50 mm], P = 0.0002) resulted improved in the cortical bone perforation group. Conclusion: The evidence supporting a positive effect of using cortical perforations is very poor. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine whether decortication brings meaningful advantages. Clinical relevance: This study is focused on clinical studies and, using a rigorous study selection and a meta-analytic approach suggests that the apparent positive effect of bone decortication on the regeneration process still requires to be confirmed by more solid evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of yarns and synthetic fibers is of great importance for numerous industrial sectors, such as the textile, composite material, biomedical, and civil construction industries. The utilization of cellulose microfibrils (CNFs) for filament production still requires further research, given the challenges associated with the coagulation process. Extensive research efforts have been dedicated to the development of materials that can be combined with CNFs to improve coagulation. This study aimed to develop an acetone spinning method to produce filaments from CNFs combined with xanthan (XG) and guar (GG) gums. Three types of filament architecture were tested: monocomponent (MONO), bicomponent (BI), and mixed component (MIX). XG filaments were evaluated at three coagulation times (90, 120, and 150 s) and GG filaments at a single coagulation time (120 s). Morphological analysis showed that gums contributed to improving external structure. BI filaments were rounder, exhibited lower stress concentration, and showed the highest mechanical resistance after 120 s of coagulation (XG = 27.97 MPa, GG = 28.69 MPa). Water absorption tests showed that the developed filaments hold great potential as absorbent materials, representing an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic polymer absorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Bioactive surfaces were designed to increase the interaction between the surface and the cells. This may speed up the biological stability and loading protocols. Materials and methods: 36 patients with D3-D4 bone density were recruited and allocated into two groups. 30 bioactive (test group) and 30 traditional (control group) surfaced implants were placed. Insertion torque value (Ncm), insertion torque curve integral (cumulative torque, Ncm), torque density (Ncm/sec), implant stability quotient (ISQ) measured at three timepoints (baseline (T0), 30 (T30) and 45 (T45) days after surgery), and marginal bone loss (MBL) at 6 months of loading were assessed. Results: The mean ISQ and standard deviation at T0, T30, T45 were respectively 74.57 ± 7.85, 74.78 ± 7.31, 74.97 ± 6.34 in test group, and 77.12 ± 5.83, 73.33 ± 6.13, 73.44 ± 7.89 in control group, respectively. Data analysis showed significant differences between groups in ΔISQ at T0-T30 (p = 0.005) and T30-T45 (p = 0.012). Control group showed a significant decrease in ISQ at T30 (p = 0.01) and T45 (p = 0.03) compared to baseline, while no significant change was observed in test group. Due to the stability of the ISQ value ≥ 70, 26 test group and 23 control group implants were functionally loaded after 45 days. Conversely, due to the ISQ < 70 at T45, four test group implants and one control group implant were loaded after 90 days, and 6 control group implants were loaded after 180 days. Neither insertion torque nor ISQ at baseline were correlated with bone density (in Hounsfield units). There was no significant correlation between cumulative torque and ISQ at baseline. There was a significant positive slope in the correlation between torque density and ISQ at baseline, more accentuated in D3 than D4. This correlation remained significant for the test group in D3 bone at day 30 and 45 (p < 0.01 in both time frames), but not in D4 bone, and it was not significant in CG. Conclusions: The bioactive surface showed better behavior in terms of implant stability in D3-D4 bone quality in the early stages of bone healing. Clinical relevance This study demonstrated that the transition from primary to secondary stability is improved using bioactive surface, especially in cases of poor bone environment (D3/D4 bone). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hybridization associated with polyploidy studies is rare in the tropics. The genus Zygopetalum (Orchidaceae) was investigated here as a case study of Neotropical plants. In the rocky highlands of the Ibitipoca State Park (ISP), southeast Brazil, individuals with intermediate colors and forms between the species Z. maculatum and Z. triste were commonly identified. Methods and results: Chromosomal analysis and DNA quantity showed a uniform population. Regardless of the aspects related to the color and shape of floral structures, all individuals showed 2n = 96 chromosomes and an average of 14.05 pg of DNA. Irregularities in meiosis associated with chromosome number and C value suggest the occurrence of polyploidy. The genetic distance estimated using ISSR molecular markers revealed the existence of genetic variability not related to morphological clusters. Morphometric measurements of the flower pieces revealed that Z. maculatum shows higher variation than Z. triste although lacking a defined circumscription. Conclusion: The observed variation can be explained by the polyploid and phenotypic plasticity resulting from the interaction of the genotypes with the heterogeneous environments observed in this habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The same individuals can express very different emotions in online social media with respect to face-to-face interactions, partially because of intrinsic limitations of the digital environments and partially because of their algorithmic design, which is optimized to maximize engagement. Such differences become even more pronounced for topics concerning socially sensitive and polarizing issues, such as massive pharmaceutical interventions. Here, we investigate how online emotional responses change during the large-scale COVID-19 vaccination campaign with respect to a baseline in which no specific contentious topic dominates. We show that the online discussions during the pandemic generate a vast spectrum of emotional response compared to the baseline, especially when we take into account the characteristics of the users and the type of information shared in the online platform. Furthermore, we analyze the role of the political orientation of shared news, whose circulation seems to be driven not only by their actual informational content but also by the social need to strengthen one's affiliation to, and positioning within, a specific online community by means of emotionally arousing posts. Our findings stress the importance of better understanding the emotional reactions to contentious topics at scale from digital signatures, while providing a more quantitative assessment of the ongoing online social dynamics to build a faithful picture of offline social implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, inexpensive and simple commercial transition metal salts were evaluated as catalysts in the acetalization of alkyl alcohols with β-citronellal, a renewable origin substrate. After an initial screening, FeCl3 was the most active and selective catalyst among the various transition metal salts evaluated toward the β-citronellal methyl acetal. The impacts of main reaction parameters such as time, temperature, catalyst load, and type of alcohol on conversion and selectivity of the reactions were investigated. Different iron salts were also investigated. It was demonstrated that both oxidation number and type of anion present in the salt play an essential role in this reaction. Notably, the dissolution of catalyst salts in solution triggered a decrease in the pH of the medium due to the hydrolysis (and or solvolysis) of the metal cation, impacting the conversion and reaction selectivity. The highest activity of FeCl3 was assigned to the greatest Lewis acidity strength, as demonstrated by the acidity measurements. This inexpensive, low-corrosive, and commercially affordable catalyst has advantages over traditional liquid mineral acid catalysts and provides an alternative route to synthesize alkyl terpene acetals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and study BiHom-NS-algebras, which are a generalization of NS-algebras using two homomorphisms. Moreover, we discuss their relationships with twisted Rota–Baxter operators in a BiHom-associative context. Furthermore, we introduce a generalization of Nijenhuis operators that lead to BiHom-NS-algebras along BiHom-associative algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flora of the Serra do Cipó (Minas Gerais state, Brazil) has been extensively surveyed and documented in the past decades. Taxonomic novelties are still being revealed from this region, including Stachytarpheta odorata, a new species of Verbenaceae here described and illustrated. This species is a sticky and heavily aromatic shrub, with abundant pedicellate glandular trichomes, and inflorescences with calyx deeply immersed in excavations in the rachis. For its recognition, we provide photographs, a geographic occurrence map, comparisons with the morphologically related species, as well as ecological and taxonomic notes. Stachytarpheta odorata was collected only once in its natural habitat. Expeditions to its type locality and surroundings were carried out with the aim to recollect it but were unsuccessful. Still, fortunately, some individuals of S. odorata are kept cultivated ex situ at a greenhouse of Federal University of Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais, Brazil). Following the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, the new species may be considered Critically Endangered (CR). If S. odorata is not rediscovered in its natural habitat in the near future, these cultivated individuals could be potentially utilized for reintroduction programmes. Finally, the Verbenaceae richness in Serra do Cipó is updated through a checklist and an identification key with the recognition of six genera and 29 taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning interventions in Africa that support sustainable rural development, and sustainable rural livelihoods as an extension thereof, are often considered in terms of broad-sweeping central government approaches. However, these homogenous approaches often disregard the differentiation that exists between different rural areas. In this article, the development of Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres as micro-level planning interventions situated within the specific community circumstances of the rural areas of South Africa, are investigated as a change catalyst in sustainable rural livelihood development. This has been done by means of a literature survey and practical research. The main objectives were establishing a theoretical framework through literature studies pertaining to sustainable rural livelihood development, determining whether a community-integrated empowerment approach in this regard was a feasible option, and considering if the development of ECD centres in rural areas aligned with local community priorities and could consequently serve as entry point for sustainable rural livelihood development, and to reflect on the benefits and limitations of this approach as an integral part of sustainable rural livelihood development. In examining the relevance and applicability of the theoretical perspective, the Footprints of Hope ECD centre (a non-governmental organisation) in Griekwastad, Northern Cape (South Africa), was examined as case study. The main findings of this study indicate that the establishment of ECD centres could be an effective change catalyst in sustainable rural livelihood development, especially when approached in an integrated and multidimensional manner. Specific aspects highlighted are the importance of community-driven grassroot initiatives, circumstance-specific approaches towards sustainable rural livelihood development, and the empowerment of local communities through the provision of ECD, employment, skills training, and food security. However, isolated instances of micro-development initiatives cannot effectuate broader sustainable rural livelihood development, and thus, an enabling policy and legal framework as well as the mobilisation of non-governmental organisations is required in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Among other pathophysiological mechanisms, neuroinflammation, a pathological PD hallmark associated with changes in glutamatergic transmission in basal ganglia, has been proposed as a crucial factor closely related to fatigue. To test the hypothesis that safinamide could represent an effective treatment of fatigue in PD patients, given its dual mechanism of action (it selectively and reversibly inhibits MAOB and modulates glutamate release), we administered the validated versions of fatigue severity scale (FSS) and Parkinson fatigue scale-16 (PFS-16) to 39 fluctuating PD patients with fatigue before and after a 24-week treatment period with safinamide as add-on therapy. An assessment of secondary variables such as depression, quality of life (QoL), and motor and non-motor symptoms (NMS) was conducted. After 24 weeks of treatment with safinamide, both FSS (p < 0.001) and PF-S16 (p = 0.02) scores were significantly lower than at baseline. Moreover, 46.2% and 41% of patients scored below the cut-off for the presence of fatigue according to FSS and PFS-16, respectively (responders). At follow-up, a significant difference emerged between responders and non-responders in mood, QoL, and NMS. Fatigue improved in fluctuating PD, and more than 40% of patients were "fatigue-free" after a 6 month treatment with safinamide. Patients without fatigue at follow-up displayed significantly better scores in QoL domains, such as mobility or activities of daily living, although disease severity remained stable, supporting the hypothesis that fatigue could considerably affect QoL. Drugs that interact with multiple neurotransmission systems, such as safinamide, could be useful in reducing this symptom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous evidence showed significant discrepancies in psychiatric services utilization between migrants and reference populations. Our study aims were to evaluate incidence and characteristics of psychiatric hospitalizations of migrant patients compared with reference populations and to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected admissions. All patients admitted to the psychiatric ward "SPDC-Malpighi" of the Bologna Mental Health Department from 01/01/2018 to 31/12/2020 were included. Differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were tested by migrant status. Incidence rate ratios of hospital admissions by migrant status were estimated via Poisson regression considering population-at-risk, gender, and age-group. Migrants had higher hospitalization rates due to any psychiatric disorder (IRR = 1.16). The risk was especially pronounced among women (IRR = 1.25) and within the youngest age-group (IRR = 3.24). Young migrants had also a greater risk of compulsory admission (IRR = 3.77). Regarding admissions due to a specific diagnosis, we found relevant differences in hospitalization rates for psychosis, mood disorders, and personality disorders. Finally, migrants were more likely to be admitted via Emergency Department and less likely to be referred from a specialist. During the year of pandemic (2020) we observed an increase in the proportion of migrants admitted voluntarily or compulsorily. Migrants, especially those from the youngest age-group, had higher hospitalization rates for any disorder. Younger migrants were also at higher risk of compulsory treatment. The distribution of psychiatric admissions during the pandemic period seemed to have further increased discrepancies in mental healthcare needs and provision between migrants and the reference population. Tailored interventions and policies are urgently needed to address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the relationship between grant-making foundations (grantors) and operative nonprofit organizations (grantees) to determine whether a positive association exists between foundations' intervention beyond the money and grantees' organizational capacity development. Data are collected using a survey of grantees who received funding from a Foundation of Banking Origin (FOB) in the context of Italy. The analyses portray three capacity-building factors that FOBs can deploy in addition to the financial grant, namely, operative support, goal alignment, and performance oversight. The results endorse our hypotheses that both the amount of operative support provided by the foundation and the higher perception of goal congruence between grantor and grantees are positively correlated with the organizational capacity of the grantee. Our results also suggest that the benefits of increased oversight prevail over the drawbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let A and B be monoidal categories and let R : A → B be a lax monoidal functor. If R has a left adjoint L, it is well-known that the two adjoints induce functors R ¯ = Alg (R) : Alg (A) → Alg (B) and L ̲ = Coalg (L) : Coalg (B) → Coalg (A) respectively. The pair (L, R) is called liftable if the functor R ¯ has a left adjoint and if the functor L ̲ has a right adjoint. A pleasing fact is that, when A , B and R are moreover braided, a liftable pair of functors as above gives rise to an adjunction at the level of bialgebras. In this note, sufficient conditions on the category A for R ¯ to possess a left adjoint, are given. Natively these conditions involve the existence of suitable colimits that we interpret as objects which are simultaneously initial in four distinguished categories (among which the category of epi-induced objects), allowing for an explicit construction of L ¯ , under the appropriate hypotheses. This is achieved by introducing a relative version of the notion of weakly coreflective subcategory, which turns out to be a useful tool to compare the initial objects in the involved categories. We apply our results to obtain an analogue of Sweedler's finite dual for the category of vector spaces graded by an abelian group G endowed with a bicharacter. When the bicharacter on G is skew-symmetric, a lifted adjunction as mentioned above is explicitly described, inducing an auto-adjunction on the category of bialgebras "colored" by G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental notion of separability for commutative algebras was interpreted in categorical setting where also the stronger notion of heavily separability was introduced. These notions were extended to (co)algebras in monoidal categories, in particular to cowreaths. In this paper, we consider the cowreath A ⊗ H 4 op , H 4 , ψ , where H 4 is the Sweedler 4-dimensional Hopf algebra over a field k and A = C l (α , β , γ) is the Clifford algebra generated by two elements G, X with relations G 2 = α , X 2 = β and X G + G X = γ , (α , β , γ ∈ k ) which becomes naturally an H 4 -comodule algebra. We show that, when char k ≠ 2 , this cowreath is always separable and h-separable as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaborative robots are increasingly common in modern production systems, since they allow to merge the productivity of automated systems with the flexibility and dexterity of manual ones. The direct interaction between the human and the robot can be the greatest advantage and the greatest limit of collaborative systems at the same time, depending on how it affects human factors like ergonomics and mental stress. This work presents an overview of collaborative robotics considering three main dimensions: robot features, modern production systems characteristics and human factors. A literature review on how such dimensions interact is addressed and a discussion on the current state of the art is presented, showing the topics that have been already widely explored and the research gaps that should be fulfilled in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neotropical Region (NR) is one of the areas with the most plant diversity globally, and its richness of vascular epiphyte (VE) species is higher than Africa and Asia combined. This richness is a consequence of the heterogeneous climate and geological history of the region, both factors also being responsible for the plant distribution patterns. Here, we aimed to explore the phytogeographic relationships of the VE in the NR using 14,636 identified records from 173 surveys exclusively of VE, carried out in 14 countries and 23 biogeographic provinces, comprising 3849 identified species. We assessed the floristic patterns and relationships with climatic variables by multivariate analysis (cluster and ordination analyses). The clustering formed 13 main groups, partly corresponding to the biogeographic units of the NR. Our results demonstrate consistent floristic patterns confirmed through the analysis of floristic similarity, corroborating previous biogeographic classifications in well-studied areas, while broader patterns were found in poorly studied areas. We found a floristic gradient pattern, which allowed us to understand the relationships between environmental conditions and floristic patterns. Furthermore, we discuss our results under the light of the history that likely shaped the current distribution patterns and richness of the VE in the NR. The VE proved to be an important model for testing biogeographic classifications. We encourage the studies of this synusia in the several geographical gaps that remain in the NR, which undoubtedly will improve further studies and support conservationist policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction to an article titled "Potential areas of occurrence for an invasive copepod in Brazil: a species distribution model approach." The correction addresses incorrect links to the GBIF database in the original article. The corrected links are provided, and the article is attributed to the authors from the Laboratory of Plankton Ecology at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora in Brazil. The correction is published by Springer Nature Switzerland AG. [Extracted from the article]

Recent data show that Stomatin-like protein 3 (STOML3), a member of the stomatin-domain family, is expressed in the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) where it modulates both spontaneous and evoked action potential firing. The protein family is constituted by other 4 members (besides STOML3): STOM, STOML1, STOML2 and podocin. Interestingly, STOML3 with STOM and STOML1 are expressed in other peripheral sensory neurons: dorsal root ganglia. In here, they functionally interact and modulate the activity of the mechanosensitive Piezo channels and members of the ASIC family. Therefore, we investigated whether STOM and STOML1 are expressed together with STOML3 in the OSNs and whether they could interact. We found that all three are indeed expressed in ONSs, although STOML1 at very low level. STOM and STOML3 share a similar expression pattern and STOML3 is necessary for STOM to properly localize to OSN cilia. In addition, we extended our investigation to podocin and STOML2, and while the former is not expressed in the olfactory system, the latter showed a peculiar expression pattern in multiple cell types. In summary, we provided a first complete description of stomatin-domain protein family in the olfactory system, highlighting the precise compartmentalization, possible interactions and, finally, their functional implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The detrimental effect of tobacco smoking on periodontal health is well known, while the effect of electronic cigarette on periodontal parameters has been less investigated. The aim of the present systematic review was to compare periodontal indices in three categories of patients: traditional cigarette smokers (TS), e-cigarette smokers (ES), and non-smokers (NS). Materials and methods: An electronic search was conducted for studies published until December 2021 on MEDLINE (PubMed), ISI Web of Science, and Scopus. A hand search was additionally conducted. Clinical observational and cross-sectional trials investigating periodontal indices among tobacco smokers (TS), electronic cigarette smokers (ES) and non-smokers (NS) were included and selected by 2 independent reviewers. Data on probing depth (PD), plaque index (PI), and bleeding on probing (BOP) were collected. The risk of bias was evaluated according to the NIH quality assessment tool and a network meta-analysis (NMA) was undertaken. Results: Five relevant studies, from 707 identified, were included. Overall, 512 patients were included, of them 170 were NS, 176 were TS, and 166 were ES. A significant difference in the comparison among TS vs NS: effect size (ES) = 3.297 (95%CI: [2.142–4.454], p = 0.001) and TS and ES ES = 2.507 (95%CI: [1.351–3.663], p = 0.001) was identified for PD. A significant difference in the comparison among TS and NS, ES = 21.34 (95%CI: [13.41–29.27], p = 0.001) and between TS and ES ES = 15.67 (95%CI: [7.73–23.62], p = 0.001) was identified for PI. The analysis of BOP values shows a significant difference in the comparison among ES and NS: ES = − 16.22 (95%CI: [− 22.85 to − 9.59], p < 0.001) and between TS and NS: ES = − 14.47 (95%CI: [− 21.103 to − 7.848], p < 0.001). Based on the SUCRA ranking, NS showed the most favorable outcome for PD and PI, followed by ES. Tobacco smokers were clearly in the last position. Dealing with BoP ES showed the most favorable outcome, followed by TS. NS were in the last position. Conclusions: Periodontal parameters were similar among NS and ES, while TS presented the worst indices. BoP was reduced both in ES and in TS. Clinical relevance: Results of the present review suggest a reduced effect on periodontal tissue of e-cig smoking compared to traditional cigarettes, despite recent studies proved that e-cig smoking increases oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, change in pulmonary cellular behavior, and stimulates DNA injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Image post-processing corrects for cardiac and respiratory motion (MoCo) during cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) stress perfusion. The study analyzed its influence on visual image evaluation. Materials and methods: Sixty-two patients with (suspected) coronary artery disease underwent a standard CMR stress perfusion exam during free-breathing. Image post-processing was performed without (non-MoCo) and with MoCo (image intensity normalization; motion extraction with iterative non-rigid registration; motion warping with the combined displacement field). Images were evaluated regarding the perfusion pattern (perfusion deficit, dark rim artifact, uncertain signal loss, and normal perfusion), the general image quality (non-diagnostic, imperfect, good, and excellent), and the reader's subjective confidence to assess the images (not confident, confident, very confident). Results: Fifty-three (non-MoCo) and 52 (MoCo) myocardial segments were rated as 'perfusion deficit', 113 vs. 109 as 'dark rim artifacts', 9 vs. 7 as 'uncertain signal loss', and 817 vs. 824 as 'normal'. Agreement between non-MoCo and MoCo was high with no diagnostic difference per-patient. The image quality of MoCo was rated more often as 'good' or 'excellent' (92 vs. 63%), and the diagnostic confidence more often as "very confident" (71 vs. 45%) compared to non-MoCo. Conclusions: The comparison of perfusion images acquired during free-breathing and post-processed with and without motion correction demonstrated that both methods led to a consistent evaluation of the perfusion pattern, while the image quality and the reader's subjective confidence to assess the images were rated more favorably for MoCo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemosensory impairments have been established as a specific indicator of COVID-19. They affect most patients and may persist long past the resolution of respiratory symptoms, representing an unprecedented medical challenge. Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started, we now know much more about smell, taste, and chemesthesis loss associated with COVID-19. However, the temporal dynamics and characteristics of recovery are still unknown. Here, capitalizing on data from the Global Consortium for Chemosensory Research (GCCR) crowdsourced survey, we assessed chemosensory abilities after the resolution of respiratory symptoms in participants diagnosed with COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in Italy. This analysis led to the identification of two patterns of chemosensory recovery, partial and substantial, which were found to be associated with differential age, degrees of chemosensory loss, and regional patterns. Uncovering the self-reported phenomenology of recovery from smell, taste, and chemesthetic disorders is the first, yet essential step, to provide healthcare professionals with the tools to take purposeful and targeted action to address chemosensory disorders and their severe discomfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is a disturbance process that can select species and result in biodiversity homogenization. Despite this, urban green areas shelter nature and are also important to human welfare. Epiphytes are an important functional group present in such areas, that are rarely studied. We evaluated the vascular epiphytic component in 26 urban green areas in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest and tested hypotheses related to the anthropogenic disturbances: 1) the community of epiphytes in urban green areas presents low richness and diversity of species; 2) there is low beta diversity due to flora homogenization represented by a reduced set of more tolerant species to disturbance. A total of 2288 trees (1563 representing phorophytes) and 110 epiphytic species were sampled. Six species were dominant, resulting in low diversity values, but some green areas had relatively high richness. The similarity found between the majority of the sampled areas suggests that epiphytic flora is subject to homogenization due to environmental filters. We found a high richness of species without adaptations to the epiphytic lifeform (accidental epiphytes) (42% of total sampled). Some results suggest that more comprehensive ecological and/or floristic studies about the epiphytes in the urban environment are necessary, such as Orchidaceae as the second richest family (since it is often poor in urban areas). More information about the species distribution patterns are necessary, both regarding the anthropized environments and the relationships with exotic or native phorophytes, as well as to enhance the knowledge of the ecological functions played by the epiphytes in these places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesocyclops ogunnus (Copepoda, Cyclopoida), originally from Africa and Asia, is now invasive species in Brazilian freshwaters, raising concerns due to its capacity to colonize eutrophic lentic ecosystems. Their high reproduction and dispersal rates, coupled with the production of resistance eggs, pose a significant threat to the habitats of native species by potentially leading to niche overlap and displacement. Here, we used a comprehensive dataset, including GBIF records and a systematic literature review, to assess current suitable areas for the species in Brazil through a species distribution model approach. Our final dataset encompasses 136 data points for the native range in Africa and Asia and 238 data points for the invaded area in Brazil. The SDM’s models showed new potentially suitable areas for M. ogunnus colonization across the Paraná River Basin, the main watercourses of the Amazon River Basin, and the San Francisco River. These findings underscore the importance of predictive modeling in identifying potential areas of occurrence for M. ogunnus, providing a foundation for management strategies to mitigate its spread and ecological impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) provide hundreds of students with teaching materials, assessment tools, and collaborative instruments. The assessment activity, in particular, is demanding in terms of both time and effort; thus, the use of artificial intelligence can be useful to address and reduce the time and effort required. This paper reports on a system and related experiments finalised to improve both the performance and quality of formative and summative assessments in specific data science courses. The system is developed to automatically grade assignments composed of R commands commented with short sentences written in natural language. In our opinion, the use of the system can (i) shorten the correction times and reduce the possibility of errors and (ii) support the students while solving the exercises assigned during the course through automated feedback. To investigate these aims, an ad-hoc experiment was conducted in three courses containing the specific topic of statistical analysis of health data. Our evaluation demonstrated that automated grading has an acceptable correlation with human grading. Furthermore, the students who used the tool did not report usability issues, and those that used it for more than half of the exercises obtained (on average) higher grades in the exam. Finally, the use of the system reduced the correction time and assisted the professor in identifying correction errors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapping diversity patterns is important to clarify its causes and is essential information for conservation policies. We map the distribution of vascular epiphytes from the Southern block of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (SBAF) to understand the main factors responsible for the richness and species turnover, as well as to generate information for the conservation of this functional group. We gathered a data set of vascular epiphytes, mapping the richness and weighted endemism using cells of 0.5° × 0.5°, and performed two Generalized Dissimilarity Models (GDM) using a filter of 18 and 54 species in cells of 5 km × 5 km to evaluate the species turnover and correlation with the climatic and topographic factors. We found four sites presenting both a high richness and endemism. A gradient of richness and species turnover between the coastal and inland regions was confirmed, as well as between the lowlands and the mountainous regions. The main predictors obtained from GDM were geographic distance, cloud cover, and temperature seasonality. The topographic heterogeneity and the resulting climate changes are responsible to enhance the richness and species turnover of vascular epiphytes in the SBAF. It is important to conserve the coastal areas and the mountainous gradients due to the high richness and strong species turnover, but also the inland areas since their composition is quite distinct from previous environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are part of first-line treatment for reduced ejection fraction heart failure (HFrEF). The aim was to assess the benefits and adverse effects of ACE inhibitors in HFrEF with a focus on important patient outcomes. Methods: A systematic review of double-blind randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and comparison of ACE inhibitors versus placebo, in HFrEF patients published in French or English. Searches were undertaken of Medline, Cochrane Central, and Embase. The primary outcomes were all-cause mortality and adverse events. Results: From 636 articles analysed, 11 were included (13,882 patients). For all-cause mortality (5 RCTs, 9277 patients), the number needed to treat (NNT) to avoid one death at 6 months was 50 (33–107). The NNT to prevent one death at 12 months (6 RCTs, 13,016 patients) was 63 (35–314). Under the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, the evidence was of moderate quality. The number needed to harm was 12 (10–15) for cough, 20 (14–31) for hypotension, 23 (17–36) for dizziness, 31 (23–47) for hyperkalaemia, and 49 (30–121) for increased creatinine levels. The quality of evidence was moderate for these criteria except for cough (low quality of evidence). Conclusion: This review focuses on clinical elements necessary in a shared decision-making process. In practice, general practitioners will be able to use these data to discuss ACE inhibitor treatment with HFrEF patients. This study was registered in the PROSPERO registry under the reference number CRD42018096930. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Odor perception begins with the detection of odorant molecules by the main olfactory epithelium located in the nasal cavity. Odorant molecules bind to and activate a large family of G-protein-coupled odorant receptors and trigger a cAMP-mediated transduction cascade that converts the chemical stimulus into an electrical signal transmitted to the brain. Morever, odorant receptors and cAMP signaling plays a relevant role in olfactory sensory neuron development and axonal targeting to the olfactory bulb. This review will first explore the physiological response of olfactory sensory neurons to odorants and then analyze the different components of cAMP signaling and their different roles in odorant detection and olfactory sensory neuron development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalization is playing a prominent role in cultural economics reshaping GLAM organizations toward a more relevant income generation. However achieving a higher level of digitalization requires careful management and resource planning. To this end, the concept of digital maturity provides a useful description of an organization current level of digitalization, allowing for a more effective digital transformation process. The literature concerning business studies and information technology developed highly detailed surveys to assess digital maturity levels within organizations, the so-called digital maturity models. Nevertheless, while many of them are manufacturing-based, very few are wide-spectrum models allowing for a generic assessment of digital maturity. This paper provides a preliminary descriptive analysis on the aptitude of Italian and Campania GLAMs for deploying digital facilities and services, thus suggesting the need to elaborate a specific digital maturity model for GLAM organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and image quality of respiratory motion-resolved 4D zero echo time (ZTE) lung MRI compared with that of 3D ZTE.Methods: Our institutional review board approved this study. Twenty-one patients underwent lung scans using 3D ZTE and 4D ZTE sequences via prospective and retrospective soft gating techniques, respectively. Image qualities of 3D ZTE and 4D ZTE at end-expiration were compared through objective and subjective assessments. The quality of end-expiratory images of 3D ZTE and 4D ZTE of the two groups with different lung functions was also compared.Results: Images were successfully acquired in all patients without any adverse events. Signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of lung parenchyma and thoracic structures were significantly (all p < 0.001) higher in 4D ZTE. Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of peripheral bronchi, peripheral pulmonary vessels, and nodules or masses were significantly (all p < 0.001) higher in 4D ZTE. The subjective image quality assessed by two independent radiologists showed that intrapulmonary structures, noise and artifacts, and overall acceptability were superior in 4D ZTE (all p < 0.001). Image qualities of groups with normal and low lung functions differed significantly (all p < 0.05) in 3D ZTE, but not in 4D ZTE. The mean acquisition time was 136 s (127-143 s) in 3D ZTE and 325 s (308-352 s) in 4D ZTE.Conclusions: Respiratory motion-resolved 4D ZTE lung imaging was feasible as part of routine chest MRI. The 4D ZTE provides motion-robust lung parenchymal images with better SNR and CNR than the 3D ZTE, regardless of patients' lung function.Key Points: • ZTE MRI captures rapidly decaying transverse magnetization in the lung parenchyma. • 4D ZTE provides motion-robust lung parenchymal images with better SNR and CNR compared with 3D ZTE. • Compared with 3D ZTE, the image quality of 4D ZTE lung MRI was affected less by patients' lung function and respiratory performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To correct with post-processing effects of incomplete recovery of the longitudinal magnetization before a new inversion pulse in the Modified Look-Locker Inversion recovery sequence (MOLLI) sequence. Theory and methods: We model such effects as a temporal shift (τ ) of the signal of the Look-Locker block following next inversion pulses. After using the following equation S t = A - B × exp - t + τ / T 1 ∗ , a temporal registration of τ is applied to the signal of the affected block to adjust the sampling time of the recovery signal and correct the underlying effect on quantitative T1. To test our approach, simulations, phantoms, and five volunteers' data were used while applying different MOLLI sampling schemes at different heart rates and compared to the reference three-parameter fit. Results: The temporal registration of the affected signals allows to reach higher accuracy on long T1 when compared to the reference three parameters fit (10.15 vs 22.12% for T1 = 1785 ms; 8.22 vs 14.65% for T1 = 1278 ms), and lower average variation in case of rest-period deletion (62 vs 231 ms). Conclusion: The proposed approach leads to more accurate T1 in case of incomplete recovery. It is less sensitive to parameters affecting the recovery such as the rest period or the sampling scheme; and, therefore, supports multi-center studies with different MOLLI protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The taxonomic identity of Stachytarpheta confertifolia Moldenke, S. chapadensis Moldenke and S. confertifolia var. puberulenta Moldenke is revised. The protologues, herbarium collections and literature were thoroughly examined, and we re-establish S. chapadensis and consider S. confertifolia var. puberulenta as a new synonym of S. chapadensis. We provide updated descriptions of the species, distribution maps and information about habitat and conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epiphytes enrich the vegetation cover and provide relevant ecosystem services, which are very important in the urban environment for mitigating air pollution and effects such as heat islands. The majority of tree species used in the urban aforestation are exotic, and their capacity to provide a substratum for epiphytes is not thoroughly exploited. We tested an eventual preference of vascular epiphytes for exotic or native phorophytes in an urban area inside the Atlantic forest domain, evaluating the structure and composition of the studied community in four tree species. There was no preference for native or exotic trees, and the community showed a generalistic pattern in the choice of phorophytes. We hypothesized about other features which could be responsible for the distribution of epiphytes in the urban environment. This study showed that both exotic and native phorophytes can act as satisfactory substratum for the urban vascular epiphytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of various titanium abutment modifications on the behaviour of peri-implant soft tissue healing, inflammation and maintenance. Material and methods: An electronic database research until 30 April 2019 was performed. A meta-analysis (MA) for each outcome parameter was performed by using the random-effects models with the DerSimonian-Laird estimator. Results: Ten studies were included in the present review. Four studies with a long follow-up (5–6 years) reported the outcomes in a heterogeneous way and were suitable for MA. Six studies (4 RCT, 2 CCT) including 118 patients and 182 implants dealing with a modified healing abutment surface and short follow-up were selected for MA. The MA for PI and BoP as outcome showed no significant differences between surfaces (PI: P = 0.091; BoP: P = 0.099). The MA for PD as outcome showed no significant differences between surfaces (P = 0.488). No statistical significance was found by evaluating each mixed-effects model for potential moderators (type of study, study design, number of implants, follow-up length). The other four studies with a longer follow-up (5–6 years) reported contradictory results depending on the surface treatment investigated. Conclusions: Within their limits, the present findings suggest that peri-implant soft tissue may not be affected by the surface treatment of titanium abutments on the short term. Contrasting results are reported in longer follow-up periods depending on the technique used to modify the abutment. Clinical relevance: Clinicians should carefully evaluate the use of a modified titanium surface in their practice. Even if no differences in terms of inflammation are present at short term, these findings need to be validated in long-term studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to quantify the importance of surface roots as phorophyte ecological zones for vascular epiphytes in the lithophyte tree Pseudobombax. The study was conducted on phorophytes, trees that support epiphytes, in three neotropical granitoid rocky outcrops (inselbergs). We investigated how community composition and abundance of vascular epiphytes differed among different ecological zones and examined habitat associations on Pseudobombax. Based on a census of 90 trees, we found 5896 individual vascular epiphytes attributed to 137 species. Bromeliads and orchids were dominant. Our results show that surface roots represented an important ecological zone as 53% of the diversity and 20% of the total vascular epiphyte abundance were found within this zone. Abundance patterns differed among the zones and the lithophyte species Sinningia speciosa, Selaginella convoluta and Alcantarea patriae were associated with the surface roots. Our results reinforce the importance of the lithophyte tree Pseudobombax for the maintenance of epiphytic diversity in the tropical inselbergs of southeast Brazil, mainly due to its size and architecture. The presence of large surface roots considerably increases the habitat for different epiphytic groups, including species typical of inselbergs. Roots are thus an important ecological zone for epiphytic communities on inselbergs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a description of the category of restricted Lie algebras over a field 한 of prime characteristic by means of monadic decomposition of the functor that computes the 한-vector space of primitive elements of a 한-bialgebra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological communities vary in composition and structure according to changes in the environment, such as in mountainous areas where temperature and moisture change with elevation, leading to gradual changes in vegetation. The altitudinal gradient is considered mirrors of the latitudinal gradient, although the richness peak can occur in the middle of the gradient, due to the greater total availability of moisture and/or due to the mid-domain effect. We aimed to test whether there was an intermediary peak in the richness of vascular epiphytes in two environmental gradients represented by elevation (around 1200-1700 m.s.m.) and by three subphysiognomies of cloud dwarf-forest in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. For this purpose, 24 plots of 10 × 20 m were established and divided into eight sets in each subphysiognomy, along the altitudinal gradient. The community structure was analyzed by calculating the Shannon diversity index (H′), the Pielou uniformity index (J), and taxonomic diversity indices (Δ+ and Λ+). In total, 568 phorophytes were sampled, resulting in 3771 occurrences of epiphytes, distributed in 146 species. The diversity was different between the physiognomies of dwarf-forest and along the elevation gradient, and was specifically greater with higher elevation. The value of Δ+ was lower than expected in one plot, and represented a potential human impact. The obtained results highlight the diversity of this region and the important contribution of the epiphytes, as well as the sensitivity of epiphytic communities to the different vegetation physiognomies and the climatic variations caused by the elevation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different impression techniques on multiple implants.Material and methods: A master cast simulating a jaw with four implants was used.Eight impression techniques were tested: open tray-polyether#1, open tray plus splint of impression copings with acrylic resin-polyether#1, closed tray-polyether#1, open tray-polyether#2, open tray-splint-polyether#2, closed tray-polyether#2, open tray-impression plaster, and digital impression (DI).Five impressions of the master cast were taken with each traditional impression (TI) technique, pouring 35 sample casts. Three different clinicians took 5 DI each (n = 15).A three-dimensional coordinate measurement machine (CMM) was used to measure implant angulation and inter-implant distances on TI casts. TI data and DI Standard Tessellation Language datasets were compared with the master cast.The best and the worst impressions made with TI and DI were selected to fabricate four milled titanium frameworks. Passive fit was evaluated through Sheffield test, screwing each framework on the master cast. Gaps between framework-implant analogs were measured through a stereomicroscope (×40 magnification).Results: Statistically significant differences in accuracy were found comparing the different impression techniques by CMM (p < 0.01). DI performed the best, while TI techniques revealed a greater variability in the results.Sheffield test revealed a mean gap of 0.022 ± 0.023 mm (the best TI), 0.063 ± 0.059 mm (the worst TI), 0.015 ± 0.011 mm (the best DI), and 0.019 ± 0.015 mm (the worst DI).Conclusions: Within the limits of this in vitro study, the digital impression showed better accuracy compared to conventional impressioning.Clinical relevance: The digital impression might offer a viable alternative to traditional impressions for fabrication of full-arch implant-supported prostheses with satisfactory passive fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endemicity is important for the delimitation of conservation areas. Endemic areas are those that contain two or more taxa with their distribution restricted to the area. The aim of this study was to detect endemic areas for palms in the Amazon region and to determine whether the species that define these endemic areas are protected within conservation units. Records of occurrence were extracted from the global biodiversity information facility (GBIF). The final dataset consisted of 17,310 records, for 177 species of Amazonian palms. For analysis we used parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) and NDM-VNDM program, and grid square size of 1° and 3° as operational geographic units (OGUs). The distribution of endemic species was superimposed on occurrence of the conservation units (CUs). PAE did not show endemic areas in grid squares of 1°, but found 10 palm endemic areas in grid squares of 3° in the western Amazon and Andean sub-region. However, the NDM-VNDM program identified an endemic area in grid squares of 1° located at the eastern Guiana with endemicity score = 2.9, and in grid squares of 3° it identified seven consensus areas with endemicity score > 6.0, all in the western Amazon. The combination of PAE and NDM-VNDM analyses resulted in eight endemic palm areas in the combined western Amazon and Andean sub-region. Of the species that define the endemic areas, five are threatened with extinction in one of three IUCN categories (EN, VU, NT), and they are not protected in any conservation units. The western Amazon, besides having high palm richness, also has palm endemic areas, especially, near the Andean sub-region and the Peruvian Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationships of the choice of philanthropic strategy with board capital (diversity and networks), board activities (board processes, internal board committees, and board effectiveness), and CEO leadership. Using a sample of 110 Italian foundations, the research shows that board processes have the strongest positive association with an evolved strategic approach to philanthropic institutional grant-giving, while board diversity and strong CEO leadership are associated with the strategic approach only under certain conditions. In particular, good governance processes (e.g., training the board, self-evaluation of trustees, setting the stage for effective board and committee meetings, implementing control software, and steering meetings to improve the board's analysis) are positively associated with evolved strategic approaches to philanthropy (e.g., signaling other funders for the best grantees, improving the performance of grant recipients, and advancing selected social fields' state of knowledge and practice). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an extended description of SemEval-2014 Task 1, the task on the evaluation of Compositional Distributional Semantics Models on full sentences. Systems participating in the task were presented with pairs of sentences and were evaluated on their ability to predict human judgments on (1) semantic relatedness and (2) entailment. Training and testing data were subsets of the SICK (Sentences Involving Compositional Knowledge) data set. SICK was developed with the aim of providing a proper benchmark to evaluate compositional semantic systems, though task participation was open to systems based on any approach. Taking advantage of the SemEval experience, in this paper we analyze the SICK data set, in order to evaluate the extent to which it meets its design goal and to shed light on the linguistic phenomena that are still challenging for state-of-the-art computational semantic systems. Qualitative and quantitative error analyses show that many systems are quite sensitive to changes in the proportion of sentence pair types, and degrade in the presence of additional lexico-syntactic complexities which do not affect human judgements. More compositional systems seem to perform better when the task proportions are changed, but the effect needs further confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object: The investigation of three-dimensional radial, zero-echo time (TE) imaging for high-resolution, free-breathing magnetic resonance (MR) lung imaging using prospective and retrospective motion correction. Materials and methods: Zero-TE was implemented similarly to the rotating-ultra-fast-imaging-sequence, providing 3D, isotropic, radial imaging with proton density contrast. Respiratory motion was addressed using prospective triggering (PT), prospective gating (PG) and retrospective gating (RG) with physiological signals obtained from a respiratory belt and interleaved pencil beam and DC navigators. The methods were demonstrated on four healthy volunteers at 3T. Results: 3D, radial zero-TE imaging with high imaging bandwidth and nominally zero echo-time enables efficient capture of short-lived signals from the lung parenchyma and the vessels. Compared to Cartesian encoding, unaccounted for free-breathing respiration resulted in only benign blurring artifacts confined to the origin of motion. Breath holding froze respiration but achieved only limited image resolution (~1.8 mm, 30 s). PT and PG obtained similar quality expiratory-phase images at 1.2 mm resolution in ~6 min scan time. RG allowed multi-phase imaging in ~15 min, derived from eight individually stored averages. Conclusion: Zero-TE appears to be an attractive pulse sequence for 3D isotropic lung imaging. Prospective and retrospective approaches provide high-quality, free-breathing MR lung imaging within reasonable scan time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: AGEs are involved in diabetic complications and might be responsible for the phenomenon of 'hyperglycaemic memory'. d-Carnosine-octylester (DCO) has been shown to attenuate AGE formation and vascular and renal injury induced by high-fat diet in Apoe-null mice. This study aimed to verify the protective effect of DCO in atherosclerosis and renal disease induced by experimental diabetes and to discover whether reduction of AGE formation by early vs late DCO treatment provides better macro and microvascular protection. Methods: Apoe-null mice were rendered diabetic by streptozotocin and were left untreated or were treated with DCO for 20 weeks (DCO-Extended), from week 1 to 11 (DCO-Early) or from week 9 to 19 (DCO-Late). Non-diabetic Apoe-null mice served as controls. Aortic and renal lesions were evaluated by morphometry and protein and gene expression of disease markers were assessed by immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR. Results: DCO-Extended treatment produced a more stable plaque phenotype by markedly attenuating diabetes-induced increases in lesion size, necrotic core area and plaque content of Nε-carboxymethyllysine, levels of apoptotic cells and markers of inflammation and oxidative stress and also reductions in collagen and smooth muscle cells. DCO treatment for 11 weeks afforded partial protection and this was significantly better in DCO-Early mice than in DCO-Late mice. Renal disease was attenuated in DCO-Extended mice and to a lesser extent in those treated for 11 weeks, with no significant difference between DCO-Early mice and DCO-Late mice. Conclusions/interpretation: These data show that DCO protects mice from diabetes-induced vascular and renal disease and that protection against atherosclerosis is more effectively achieved by early treatment than by late treatment, thus suggesting that early inhibition of AGE formation attenuates progression of macroangiopathy and favours development of more stable lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]